Date of Submission

11-28-1992

Date of Award

11-28-1993

Institute Name (Publisher)

Indian Statistical Institute

Document Type

Doctoral Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Subject Name

Quantitative Economics

Department

Theoretical Statistics and Mathematics Unit (TSMU-Kolkata)

Supervisor

Vaidyanathan, A.

Abstract (Summary of the Work)

The present study attempts to understand the agricultural economy of Kerala in terms of the structural characteristics specific to the state. This approach requires such aspects to be incorporated in the analysis, and also entails a shift from certain accepted modes of thinking and statistical treatment used in the analysis of field crops.The specificities arise from certain distinctive features on the demand and supply sides'. On the demand side, there is substi tution between rice and tapioca, and the two crops constitute the food group. The rest of the crops form the non-food group, and there is no substitution among the crops inter-se or with the crops in the food The of substitutability among group. lack crops at the level of consumption rules out synchronous movement of prices and relative price movements have an important bearing on production.On the production side, area substitution is severely constrained by the specificities of agro-climatic zones - specificities which hold good far more in Kerala than in most other parts of the country. Thus rice lands, contined largely to the valleys and low - lying areas, can be shifted to the cultivation of coconut and arecanut on ly to a limited extent and that too at a great cost. Such conversion, howe ver, is irreversible. Land under tapioca can be shifted to rubber, but again this change is irreversible. Uplands suitable for coconut or rubber cannot be shifted to paddy. Areas under tea, coffee, or cardamom mostly at the high elevations cannat be used for growing any of the other crops.The distinctive features of the consumption and production levels give rise to certain structures. Rice and tapioca are substitutable on the consumption plane, but not very much so in terms of area. Tapioca and rubber are substitutable on the area plarne, but not far as as consumption is concerned. As regards the rest of the crops, there can be substitution on the consumption plane and very limited no substitution in the areas, under cultivation. All these result in the following structure. Rice occupies a distinct pl ace in the whole crop spectrum because it constitutes the states staple food, and the area under the crop has certain distinctive features. On the consumption plane, rice has a close nexus with tapioca, the two forming one group. On the area plane, tapioca is closely related to rubber and can be clubbed together. The rest of the crops stand on their own. Aspects of physical production also distinguish the crops. Rice is a seasona1 crop, having three harvests. Tapioca is an annual crop, and most of the non-food crops are perennial tree crops with moderate to long pre- bearing periods or gestation lags and long life spans. These aspects of physical production give rise to particular structures of production for these crops.The area plane, tapioca is closely related to rubber and can be clubbed together. The rest of the crops stand on their own. Aspects of physical production also distinguish the crops. Rice is a seasona1 crop, having three harvests.

Comments

ProQuest Collection ID: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqm&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:28842915

Control Number

ISILib-TH288

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

DOI

http://dspace.isical.ac.in:8080/jspui/handle/10263/2146

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