Problems of agriculture in India. Agriculture and agricultural areas of india India agricultural laws

The low productivity of animal husbandry is to some extent covered by fishery products. In India, about 2.5 million tons of fish are caught per year, including % - marine. Sea fishing is most developed in the coastal southern and western states, river fishing - in the east and northeast of the country. For the inhabitants of the coasts, especially Bengal, fish is one of the main types of food, but so far primitive means of fishing predominate, which do not allow a significant increase in the catch. On catamarans, boats, hollowed out of a single trunk, in masuls (flat bottoms) knocked down from boards, you can only go a dozen kilometers. The main marine fisheries on the Malabar coast are frozen fish that are exported to the United States. Dried and dried fish are exported to Sri Lanka, Burma and other countries. Good export - caught in the reservoirs of Kerala. enjoy great

in demand in France, Great Britain, . The sharp increase in fishing and the use of a variety of seafood in the future is an extremely important source of replenishing the country's food resources, as well as replenishing the range of its export products.

Of India's 165 million hectares of cultivated area (including 25 million hectares sown more than once a year), about 85% is occupied by food crops. The coastal lowlands, the Ganges and Brahmaputra valleys form part of the great rice belt of the world, extending further into the countries of South and Southeast Asia. Rice is the main crop planted during the summer rains in the main field season - kharif. On irrigated fields, it is successfully grown in the winter field season - rabi. Skillfully using different varieties of rice with their different growing seasons, Bengali farmers, for example, have time to harvest three crops of rice per year.

Northwestern India - the Punjabo-Haryana belt, western Uttar-desh and adjacent territories - the wheat country. Wheat is grown during the winter season, often in irrigated fields. The "Green Revolution" of the late 1960s and early 1970s manifested itself in the most striking form in the wheat zone. In the north-west of India, there are the largest capitalist farms, which have the means to apply modern capital-intensive agriculture. Thanks to the spread of high-yielding dwarf varieties, the wheat yield, which was 7-9 centners per hectare in 1950-1967, rose in the mid-70s to 13 centners per hectare. Over the past ten years, the harvest of wheat has more than doubled, reaching a record result in 1978/79 - 35 million tons. India, the classic rice-growing country, is increasingly turning into a wheat country: in 1950/51, the ratio of wheat harvest to rice was 1:3, and in 1978/79 - about 1:1.5. Wheat crops began to spread rapidly across the Ganges valley, including rice-growing West Bengal.

India is the world's largest producer of sugar cane. The entire Ganges - the country's sugar-producing belt - is dotted with high reed "thickets". During the years of independence, cane plantations spread rapidly in South and Western India, where tropical varieties of cane are cultivated on irrigated lands, in contrast to the northern part of the country, where subtropical varieties are cultivated, which are more productive and have a sugar content.

India is one of the leading cotton-growing powers. Due to the ability to retain moisture for a long time, the black soils of Western India are favorable for the cultivation of non-irrigated cotton. The cotton belt of Western India accounts for more than half of the total yield of this crop. Medium- and short-staple varieties of drought-resistant cotton are grown here.

Higher-quality varieties are cultivated in the irrigated lands of the Punjabo-Haryana zone, which accounts for about a quarter of all production, and in the South. The country is forced to partially import long-staple.

Another valuable fibrous crop is. It is used to make yarn for sacking and other products (ropes, twine, carpets). In terms of harvesting raw jute (about 1 million tons per year), India is second only to Bangladesh. This subtropical requires fertile soils, an abundance of heat and moisture, therefore it is cultivated mainly in West Bengal (60% of the total harvest), in Assam, as well as in Bihar and Orissa.

India is the third tobacco-growing country in the world (average annual harvest is about 0.4 million tons). The deltas of Godavari and Krishna are the leading tobacco-growing region of the country (40% of the total collection). They grow the highest, virgin varieties of tobacco, going to.

India is the largest tea producer in the world. It accounts for about a third of the global collection (approximately 0.5 million tons per year). The main tea-producing region is the upper part of the Brahmaputra in Assam. Particularly thin and fragrant varieties are grown on the lower slopes of the Himalayas in the Dar-jeeling region. Tea plantations also exist in South India - in the southern part of the Western, in a mountain range. There they are combined with plantations (of which there are especially many in the Coorg region) and rubber hevea. plantations in India are called gardens: trees are planted between their rows to protect the bushes from the burning rays of the sun. Therefore, plantations with straight rows of trimmed dark green tea bushes, shaded by the openwork crowns of tall trees, really give the impression of beautiful gardens.

The export of various spices and spices is a traditional Indian export item. The most important of these is black. It is an evergreen climbing shrub resembling a vine. Often it is grown on coffee plantations or along with palm trees, fruit trees, the trunks of which it tightly wraps around. In South India, cloves, turmeric, turmeric and others are also grown. Many Indians never part with a bundled box that contains all the ingredients for making pan.

The natural conditions of India are favorable for the cultivation of almost all known fruits, especially those growing in the tropical and subtropical zones, and in the mountainous regions - natives of the temperate zone. However, in India, as in other tropical countries, it is sometimes more difficult to get them to market than to grow them. fruits per capita is very low. The export of fruits is also insignificant, although the potential for this is extensive.

India ranks second in the world in the collection of bananas, which are especially grown in the south of the country. Mango is the Indian "queen" of fruits. There are varieties that differ in taste, aroma, shape and color of fruits. Dark green tents of mango gardens - characteristic landscapes of the Gangetic plain and coastal lowlands. About peasant houses is growing - the well-being of the family. The chicu fruit tree, or sapota, is cultivated, the cloyingly sweet fruits of which look like potatoes. In the mountain ranges of South India, in Assam and in other areas, citrus fruits are grown.

In general, in India, with its unlimited thermal resources and the ability to grow a wide variety of crops throughout the year, there are good prospects for expanding and increasing the diversity of agricultural production. Over the years of independence, the traditional distribution of many crops has changed in accordance with the most favorable natural conditions: peanuts, sugarcane, wheat, etc. In the 70s, new crops for the country began to spread in India: unbalanced Indians; sugar beet, due to the relatively short growing season and high sugar content, turned out to be a more effective crop in the northwestern part of India than sugar, as well.

It is believed that multilayer crops will become commonplace in Indian agriculture by the year 2000. They will consist of plants of different heights growing at the same time and thus using economically and.

India is a vibrant and diverse country whose economy is becoming more and more integrated with the world economy. The sweeping economic reforms undertaken in the last decade have had far-reaching consequences. GE Capital calls this country unique, PepsiCo finds it the fastest growing, and Motorola is confident that it will become a global source. Operations in India have taken a central position in the global activities of these giants.

A huge and growing market, a developing infrastructure, a sophisticated financial sector, a flexible regulatory environment, incentives, a stable government and a good economic outlook make India attractive for investment. India's business environment is conducive to achieving high level and constant growth.

India is currently on the path to developing into an open market economy, but traces of the country's past policies still remain. Economic liberalization, including the deregulation of industry, the privatization of state-owned enterprises, and the reduction of controls on foreign trade and investment, began in the early 1990s and served to accelerate the country's economic growth, which has averaged more than 7% annually since 1997.

India's economy is diverse and encompasses traditional rural agriculture, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries and many services. Slightly more than half of the workforce is in agriculture, but the service sector is the main source of economic growth. It makes up more than half of India's GDP, and employs only one-third of the workforce.

India has benefited from having a large educated English-speaking population and has become a major exporter of services in the area. information technologies and programmers. In 2010, the Indian economy recovered from the global financial crisis - in large part due to strong domestic demand - and growth exceeded 8% during the year in real terms. Merchandise exports, which account for about 15% of GDP, have returned to pre-crisis levels. Industrial development and high food prices, which were the result of the combined effect of the weak 2009 monsoon and government inefficiency in the food distribution system, led to high inflation, which peaked at about 11% in the first half of 2010, but then gradually decreased to single digits. values, after a series of increases in the interest rate of the Central Bank of the country.

In 2010, the authorities reduced subsidies for fuel and fertilizer production, sold a small percentage of shares in some state-owned enterprises, and auctioned the rights to use 3G telecommunications frequencies, in part to reduce the budget deficit. The Indian government aims to keep its budget deficit at 5.5% of GDP in 2010-11, fiscal year, which is lower than 6.8% in the previous year.

India's long-term challenges include widespread poverty, inadequate physical and social infrastructure, limited non-agricultural employment opportunities, insufficient access to quality secondary and higher education and the migration of the rural population to the cities.

Agriculture in India

The agricultural sector, which has been the mainstay of the Indian economy for so long, now accounts for only about 20% of the gross national product, yet employs 60% of the population. For several years after independence, India depended on foreign aid to meet its food needs. In the last 50 years food industry growing steadily, mainly due to the increase in the amount of irrigated land and the widespread use of highly productive seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. The country has large grain reserves (about 45 million tons) and is a world grain exporter. Cash crops, especially tea and coffee, are major export earners. India is the world's largest tea producer, producing around 470 million tons annually, of which 200 million tons are exported. India also occupies about 30% of the global spice market, exporting about 120,000 tons per year.

There are still great contrasts in the agriculture of India - large plantations coexist with small ones. peasant farms. Many peasants have little or no land. In most villages there is no electricity at all. In terms of the area of ​​irrigated land (54.8 million hectares), India ranks first in the world. The share of agricultural products in India's exports is 15%.

India's main consumer crops are rice and wheat. Modern India mostly provides for its food needs, albeit at a very low level of about 250 kg per capita. In the southeastern part of the Indo-Gangetic lowland, the main rice-growing zone of India is located, where rice is cultivated in the kharif season (May-September) under monsoon rains, and in the rabi season (October-April) artificial irrigation is used.

Animal husbandry plays an important role in India's agriculture. In terms of the number of cattle (221.9 million tons), India ranks first in the world, but in terms of meat consumption - one of the last in the world, which is explained by the religious beliefs of the Indians - in Hinduism, the cow is a sacred animal. There are 58.8 million sheep, 18 million pigs, 9 million camels.

India ranks second in the world in terms of agricultural production. Agriculture and the sectors it is associated with, such as forestry and fisheries, accounted for 15.7% of GDP in FY09-10. employing 52.1% of the total labor force, and despite a steady decline in the share of GDP, are still the largest sector of the economy and an essential component of India's socio-economic development. Yields of all grain crops have risen since 1950, due to special attention to agriculture in the five-year plans and the sustainable improvement of technology, the application of modern agricultural methods and the provision of agricultural credit and subsidies. However, comparisons with other countries in the world show that the average harvest in India is only 30%-50% of the highest average harvest among countries in the world. The Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Maharashtra are the key agricultural regions of India.

In India, 546,820 square kilometers of land area, or approximately 39% of all arable land, is irrigated. Internal water resources In India, including rivers, canals, reservoirs and lakes and marine resources, including the eastern and western coasts of the Indian Ocean and other bays, employ almost six million people in the fishing industry. In 2008, India had the third largest fishing industry in the world.

India is the world's largest producer of milk, jute and pulse, and also has the second largest cattle population in the world with 175 million animals in 2008. India is the second largest producer of rice, wheat, sugarcane, cotton and peanuts, as well as the world's second largest producer of fruits and vegetables (10.9% and 8.6% of world fruit and vegetable production, respectively). India is also the second largest producer and largest consumer of silk in the world (77 million tons in 2005).

Industry of India

After a decade of reforms, the manufacturing sector is gearing up to meet the needs of the new millennium. Investment in Indian companies reached record levels by 1994, and many multinational corporations decided to open stores in India to take advantage of the improved financial climate. With the aim of further growth of the industrial manufacturing sector, FDI was allowed through the automatic route in almost all industries with some restrictions. Structural reforms have been undertaken in the excise regime with the aim of introducing a flat rate and simplifying procedures and rules. Indian subsidiaries of multinational corporations have been allowed to pay royalties to the parent company for the registration of international trademarks, etc.

Growth rates of industrial production in India, % to the previous year

Companies in the manufacturing sector have come together in their core areas of expertise, building relationships with foreign companies to acquire new technologies, management expertise and access to foreign markets. The advantageously low costs associated with manufacturing in India have established India as an attractive sector for manufacturing and a source for global markets.

India's entry onto the path of industrialization has increased the role of its fuel and raw materials resources. The mineral reserves are significant. Iron ore (73.5 million tons), coal, and oil are mined. India does not fully meet the demand for oil and is forced to import it. Oil consumption is about 100 million tons per year.

The main manufacturing centers of India are the cities of Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi and Madras. In the development of the nuclear industry, India is a leader in the developing world. The main branch of light industry is the textile industry, which works on domestic raw materials. Metallurgy uses its own iron ore. Industries such as the automotive industry, bicycle assembly, the production of televisions and radios, paper, fertilizers and cement are developed. The main industrial exports are transport equipment, clothing and medicines.

As of 2010, India's industry accounted for 28% of GDP, and 14% of the working population was involved in industry. In absolute terms, India ranks 12th in the world in terms of industrial output. The Indian industrial sector has undergone significant changes as a result of economic reforms 1991, which lifted import restrictions, introduced foreign competition, led to the privatization of certain public sector industries, improved infrastructure, and led to an increase in the production of consumer goods. Since the reforms, the Indian private sector has faced increased domestic and foreign competition, including the threat of cheaper Chinese imports. This forced manufacturers to cut costs, update management, rely on cheap labor and new technologies. However, this has become a barrier to job creation even in small businesses that previously relied on relatively labour-intensive processes.

Textile manufacturing, India's second largest source of employment after agriculture, accounts for 20% of total manufacturing output and employs more than 20 million people. According to government statements, the transformation of the textile industry from a degraded to a booming industry has been the greatest achievement of the central authorities. After the liberation of the industry in 2004-2005. From many encumbrances, primarily financial, the government gave the green light to the flow of investment, both domestic and foreign. Between 2004 and 2008, the total investment amounted to $27 billion. By 2012, as the government was convinced, this figure should have reached 38 billion; investments in 2012 were expected to create more than 17 million additional jobs.

However, the demand for Indian textiles on world markets began to fall in 2008. According to the Department of Trade and Industry, during the 2008-2009 financial year (ending March 31) alone, the textile and clothing industry had to cut approximately 800,000 new jobs - almost half of the 2 million jobs that should be cut in exports. -oriented sectors of the Indian economy to cushion the impact of the global crisis.

Financial Sector of India

An extensive financial and banking sector contributes to the rapid growth of the Indian economy. India can be proud of a wide and well developed banking network. The sector also has a number of national and state financial institutions. They include foreign and institutional investors, investment funds, leasing companies, risk capital enterprises, etc. In addition, the country has a developed stock market. Indian stock markets are rapidly transforming towards a world market that is modern in terms of infrastructure in line with world practice, such as derivative trading in futures, special trading conditions for certain stocks, online trading, etc.

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi nationalized 14 banks in 1969 and another 6 banks in 1980. It became mandatory for banks to direct 40% of loans to priority sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, small industry, retailers, small businesses, etc., as well as guarantee the fulfillment of their social obligations and goals related to economic development. Since then, the number of bank branches has increased from 8,260 in 1969 to 72,170 in 2007, and the population per branch has decreased from 63,800 to 15,000 over the same period. The volume of household deposits in banks increased from $1.2 billion in 1970–71. to $776.91 billion in 2008–09 Despite the increase in rural branches from 1,860 or 22% of the total number of branches in 1969 to 30,590 or 42% in 2007, only 32,270 out of 500,000 villages had their own bank branch.

Over half of citizens' personal savings are invested in physical assets such as land, buildings, cattle, and gold. The share of public sector banks accounts for more than 75% of the total value of banking property in the country, and the share of private and foreign banks - 18.2% and 6.5%, respectively. During the period of economic liberalization, the government carried out significant banking reforms. While some of them concern nationalized banks, company mergers, reduced state intervention in banking, and increased profitability and competitiveness, other reforms have served to open up private and foreign banks and insurance companies.

India Services Sector

The main impetus for industrial growth came from the service sector. Services account for 55% of the gross national product. The speed, quality and sophistication of the type of services offered for sale is increasing and tending to meet international standards. Whether financial services, software services or accounting services, this sector is highly professional and a major driver of economic development. Interestingly, this sector is filled with participants, each of which occupies a certain niche in the market.

India is rapidly becoming a major force in the information technology sector. According to the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), over 185 Fortune 500 companies use Indian software services. This potential is increasingly being recognized by worldwide software giants such as Microsoft, Hughes, and Computer Associates, who have made significant investments in India. A number of multinational corporations have taken advantage of the relative cost advantage and highly skilled workforce available in India and have set up service centers and order processing centers in India to meet the needs of their customers worldwide.

Infrastructure development

Infrastructure development in India has traditionally been a public sector concern. Following the recognition of the need for rapid growth and improvement in the quality of fixed infrastructure assets, private and foreign participation was encouraged through an attractive incentive and benefit package. India today has a large infrastructure in the form of advanced civil aviation, railways, road network, shipping, data communications, power generation and distribution. India has one of the largest road networks in the world. The country is making great strides in space technology and rocket science. The first trial run of the Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV-D1 was successfully completed on April 18, 2001 by the SHAR Center, Sriharikota. The government has gradually removed from him the role of the sole conductor of infrastructure. This is expressed in the progressive incorporation system services the public sector in telecommunications and ports, the deregulation of long haul domestic service, the proposed extraction of public investment in airlines (Air India and Indian Airlines) and the proposal to lease airports in Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Goa, Kochi and Amritsar. Following the policy of private participation in the road sector, the Ministry of Road Transport has presented 20 projects with a total value of 10 billion rupees. Of these 20 projects, 6 are for the construction of bypass roads, and the remaining 14 are for the construction of bridges and tunnels.

Foreign Trade of India

IN last years India's foreign trade volume has risen sharply, and its share of the country's GDP has increased from 16% in 1990-91 to up 43% in 2005–06 India's main trading partners are the European Union, China, the United States and the United United Arab Emirates. In 2006–07 India's exports included technical goods, petroleum products, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, gems and jewelry, textiles and garments, agricultural products, iron ore and other minerals. Imports included crude oil and petroleum products, automobiles, electronic goods, gold and silver. In 2010, exports were $225.4 billion and imports were $359.0 billion. The trade deficit during the same year was $133.6 billion.

External Debt and Government Debt of India

The ratio of external debt to GDP decreased from 38.7% in 1992 to 14.6% in 2010. India's public debt in 2010 amounted to 71.84% of GDP or $1,171 billion.

Forecast for the development of the Indian economy

In 2007, India's GDP exceeded $1 trillion, making India the twelfth member of the club of trillionaire states. Such data are provided in a study conducted by the Swiss bank Credit Suisse. Overcoming the barrier was facilitated by the strengthening of the national currency of India, the rupee, against the dollar.

The growth rate of the Indian economy in the 2011/2012 fiscal year, which begins on April 1, 2011, could reach 9.25%. However, the government of the country needs to take measures to reduce the inflation rate in the country, - said Indian Finance Minister Pranab Muhari. "The economy is expected to return to pre-crisis levels next year," the economic review prepared by the minister's advisers said. "Fear of inflation prevails." India needs to cut its budget deficit along with higher base rates to curb inflation, which has been "uncomfortably high" this fiscal year, Muhari said, Interfax reported.

"We see signs that economic growth will remain strong and that fiscal policy will be aimed at reducing the deficit and curbing inflation," said Religare Capital Markets Ltd. chief economist. Jay Shankar.

India is one of the most developing countries in the world today. Industry and agriculture are largely state-owned. The role of these spheres in the formation of GDP is significant. If the first of them accounts for 29%, then the second - 32%. The largest share of GDP (about 39%) belongs to the main India - these are ferrous metallurgy, engineering, energy, light and chemical industries. They will be discussed further in more detail.

Metallurgy

Ferrous metallurgy is one of the key areas of the state economy. This is not surprising, since the country is rich in deposits of ore and coal. the most important center area became the city of Calcutta, the surroundings of which are often called the "Indian Ruhr". The largest metallurgical plants in the country are located mainly in the eastern states. In general, the industry works to meet the internal needs of the state. Among all mined, only manganese, mica, bauxite and some

A well-developed area of ​​non-ferrous metallurgy can be called aluminum smelting, which relies on its own large reserves of raw materials. The need for other non-ferrous metals is met through imports.

mechanical engineering

This industry has made significant progress in recent years. Quite developed can be called such areas as car, ship, automotive and aviation construction. The main branches of India's industry are supported by their own country. The country produces almost all types of equipment. More than 40 enterprises operate in this area, they are located in largest cities states.

Textile industry

India's textile industry has become the second largest source of employment in the country. According to analytical data, about 20 million local residents are now employed in it. In 2005, the government abolished a number of taxes and fees in the industry, which contributed to a significant influx of foreign and domestic investment. After that, in a very short period of time, this sector of the economy was transformed from a degrading to a rapidly developing one. Its rapid growth stopped in 2008. The reason was the global crisis and the decline in demand on world markets for textiles from India.

This industry has ceased to be attractive to investors, which has led to the reduction of about 800 thousand of the newly created jobs in the industry. Currently, the authorities are taking a number of measures aimed at limiting the construction of weaving factories. This is done, first of all, in the interests of the development of small enterprises operating in this area.

Chemical industry

The value of products annually produced by the chemical industry in India is an average of 32 billion US dollars. Currently, the industry is experiencing a number of problems, which are caused by high prices for raw materials and means of production, as well as competition created by imported goods.

The profitability of this area began to gradually decline back in the nineties of the last century. Now the country is gradually developing the production of mineral fertilizers, chemical fibers, plastics and synthetic rubber. The pharmaceutical industry in India exports formulations and products at an average of $18 million a year. The main problem of the industry is that only a small share of manufactured products is exported. The only area that continues to grow significantly today is fine organic synthesis.

Energy

Although the energy industry in India is developing very rapidly, the domestic needs of the population in fuel are provided mainly by firewood and agricultural waste. Coal mining is established in the north-eastern part of the state. Transporting it to thermal power plants is quite expensive. Be that as it may, they account for about 60% of the electricity generated.

An essential step towards the creation of a modern energy system was the construction of hydroelectric and nuclear power plants. The share of the former in the volume of electricity produced is 38%, and the latter - 2%.

There is also oil in the bowels, but such an industry as the Indian oil industry is very poorly developed. Processing of "black gold" is much better organized, but it is based mainly on imported raw materials. The main such enterprises are located in large ports - Bombay and Madras.

Agriculture

Crop production dominates the structure of India's agriculture. The main food crops grown are wheat and rice. An important export role is played by technical varieties, which include cotton, tea, and tobacco.

The dominance of plant cultivation is largely due to climatic conditions. The rainy summer season provides ideal conditions for growing cotton, rice and cane, while crops that are less dependent on moisture (barley and wheat) are sown in dry winters. Thus, crop production in India is developing all year round. The state is fully self-sufficient in food crops.

Largely due to Hinduism, animal husbandry in the country practically does not develop. The fact is that this religion not only does not encourage the use of meat, but also calls even the processing of skins a “dirty” craft.

Conclusion

The development of industry in India is only gaining momentum. According to its absolute size, the state is among the ten world leaders. At the same time, the level of national product per capita is extremely low. It should not be forgotten that India is an industrial-agrarian country, in which an economy with predominant agricultural production has been preserved since colonial times.

The Hindustan Peninsula occupies globe favorable economic and geographical position. In the Indian Ocean, which washes this land, the most important sea routes from the Atlantic to the Pacific equator run. In terms of population of 1 billion 200 million, India ranks second after China in the world. Its high (more than 230 people per sq. km) density is characteristic.

"Sacred" cattle

Despite the ancient culture and deep traditions, from a third to a half of adult citizens are illiterate - they can neither read nor write. The country has two official official languages ​​- Hindi and English, but the ethno-linguistic component of the population is very complex. In the post-colonial years, the caste system was abolished, representatives of the highest and lower castes(three-quarters of the population belonged to the latter).

The basis of the feudal order, the system of landownership, was liquidated: the lands of the princes became the property of the tenants who cultivated them. At the same time, the government did not violate the traditional way of rural life, the system of subsistence and semi-subsistence farming. Great importance was attached to maintaining social and political stability, which is a condition for attracting foreign capital.

It is indicative that, despite the generally low standard of living, the income gap between the richest 20% and the poorest 20% of families in India does not exceed 4.7 times, which is close to the indicators of developed countries. Due to the high rate of urbanization, the number of millionaire cities has now grown to 34 (more only in China), and about 12 million people live in the largest metropolis of Mumbai.

In a short time, the Indian economy has made impressive strides in industry and social development. The government "gives high priority to measures to insulate the country from global financial crises." The reorientation towards trade with the countries of Southeast Asia, especially with China, the stimulation of domestic demand and the subsidization of large infrastructure projects has turned India into a rapidly developing agro-industrial power with a developed industry.

This jump was also facilitated by measures to devalue the Indian rupee and the injection of public funds into promising economic projects. Since 2014, it has been the 3rd largest economy in the world in terms of GDP after the US and China. India's entry onto the path of industrialization has increased the role of its fuel and raw materials. The mineral reserves are significant. Iron ore (73.5 million tons), coal, oil, etc. are mined. But the country alone provides only 30% of the demand for oil and gas and is forced to import them mainly from the Persian Gulf states.

Oil consumption is about 100 million tons per year. Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Madras became the main centers of the manufacturing industry. India is a leader in the developing world in the development of nuclear energy, and Russia is providing it with serious assistance in this industry. Since prehistoric times, the art of cutting diamonds by Indian jewelers has been famous.

The main branch of light industry is the textile industry, which works on domestic raw materials. In 2012, approximately 30 million tons of steel were produced. Automotive industry, bicycle assembly, production of household appliances, paper, fertilizers and cement are developed. Investments are being attracted in aircraft construction, electronics, and telecommunications.

Thanks to low pay for specialists, the country is one of the leaders in the field of cheap software. The main industrial exports were chemicals, steel, machinery and equipment, vehicles, household appliances, electronics, tractors, clothes and medicines. Imports: automobiles, petroleum, gold and precious stones, electronics, chemicals, plastics, vegetable oil and others. Foreign trade turnover is approaching 550 billion dollars.

Agriculture after independence continues to play a crucial role in the country's economy. The share of the rural population is about 70%. Agriculture is mainly crop-growing, despite the fact that the country has the largest number of livestock in the world. There are over 230 million cattle, 120 million sheep and goats, 18 million pigs and 9 million camels. In 2012, 53.7 thousand tons of wool, 5.4 million tons of fish and 5.7 million tons of meat were produced.

But the role of animal husbandry in India is quite unusual. First of all, cattle in the country are used as the main labor force in agricultural production. Cows and buffaloes are used for arable and harvesting work, transportation of goods and irrigation of arable land. Working cattle here are the main asset of the farmer, they are well fed and carefully looked after. After he gets old, he is not slaughtered (slaughtering a cow in Hinduism is equated with killing a person), so a lot of animals roam the fields and roads of the country, interfering with traffic, while remaining inviolable and "sacred", a mass of animals. The population consumes very little meat and milk. Meat due to religious beliefs and due to the fact that the majority of citizens are vegetarians, and milk is consumed only by adding it to tea.

Only 42 liters of milk, 1.5 kg of meat and 3 eggs per year per capita. These products are used mainly by the wealthy population, which in India is an insignificant layer in the bulk. From livestock products, the republic exports leather, bones, skins and bristles. In rural areas, manure is widely used, not only as the main fertilizer, but also as the main type of fuel.

Despite the fact that agro-climatic conditions allow for year-round farming, in practice, more than one crop is rarely harvested. There are still great contrasts in the agricultural production of India: modern agricultural enterprises and large plantations coexist with small-scale subsistence farms. Many villagers have small plots, or even no land at all. Many villages do not have electricity.

Indian "miracle wheat"

The main problems that Indian agriculture still faces are unregulated population growth, the growth of smallholdings, soil depletion, technological backwardness and the lack of modern storage facilities. Modern India basically provides for its food needs, however, at a low level: about 250 kg per capita in total. Rice and wheat remain the main consumer crops.

Characteristic is the use of every patch of arable land, up to the mountain terraces. In the southeastern part of the Indo-Gangetic lowland, in the main rice-growing zone of the country, rice is grown in the kharif season (May-September) under monsoon rains, and in the rabi season (October-April) artificial irrigation is used. The Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra valleys, as well as the adjacent lowlands, form one part of the great world rice belt, which further extends to China and the countries of Southeast Asia.

In the North-West of the country, agriculture is represented by the wheat zone. This important crop is cultivated with irrigation during the winter season. In poorly irrigated and arid areas, drought-resistant crops are grown: sorghum, other millet and oilseeds. Soybeans, peas and beans are sown in significant volumes. In terms of irrigated arable land, the country ranks first in the world. Agriculture employs 60% of the labor force and contributes 20% of GDP.

India exports 15% of agricultural products. At the same time, due to the low food supply, a significant amount of grain has to be imported. For most people in India, the main and only source of fats are oilseeds. They are cultivated everywhere, but this does not satisfy domestic needs, and the state is forced to buy vegetable oil abroad. In 2012, it was harvested: wheat - 72 million tons, corn - 11 million tons, rice - 117 million tons, potatoes - 24 million tons. In terms of gross grain harvest, the country ranked third in the world. India's agriculture produces the most sugar cane and sugar in the world. It is one of the world's leading cotton-growing powers.

The country remains the largest tea producer in the world. About one third of the world's tea is grown here. Traditionally, an important article of Indian export is the export of various spices and spices. The most important of them is black pepper. Of the fruits, an important place is given to the Indian "queen of fruits" - mango. The country occupies the second place in the world in the collection of bananas.

Shortly before the independence of India, England organized a "green revolution" in crop production in its colony. Breeding and widespread introduction into production of high-yielding and drought-resistant varieties of short-stemmed wheat varieties crowned with significant success. These plants use solar energy, moisture and soil nutrients mainly for grain synthesis, increasing yield. Samples of these varieties were brought to the USA and the USSR, in particular, to the Karabalyk breeding station in the Kustanai region.

This breeding material was used by geneticists to develop new varieties adapted to local conditions. In India, this work is ongoing. In the largest scientific and agricultural center in Karnal, Haryana, a new variety of "super wheat" has been bred. Numerous tests, including in production, have shown that the new variety is capable of producing seven to eight tons of grain per hectare, which is one and a half tons more than other elite Indian wheat varieties, and even then under ideal conditions.

It is assumed that already in 2016, the "miracle wheat" will be harvested in the fields of Indian farmers. Threshing future bountiful harvests, breeders say, will help boost India's wheat production. And although the republic has long forgotten about the terrible time when the merciless sun burned the fields, and hunger led to the death of hundreds of thousands of people, here they understand the importance of increasing grain production.

Insets:

The reorientation towards trade with the countries of Southeast Asia, especially with China, the stimulation of domestic demand and the subsidization of large infrastructure projects has turned India into a rapidly developing agro-industrial power with a developed industry.

Agriculture is mainly crop-growing, despite the fact that the country has the largest number of livestock in the world.

V.A. Saltzman, Ph.D.

Chelyabinsk region

In South Asia, mostly on the Hindustan Peninsula. The coast of India is washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean - the Bay of Bengal from the southeast and the Arabian from the southwest. The area of ​​the territory is 3287259 km2.

Climate. The climate of India is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar desert, causing monsoons. The Himalayas serve as a barrier to the cold Central Asian winds, thus making the climate in most of Hindustan warmer than at the same latitudes in other regions of the planet. The Thar Desert plays a key role in attracting the humid southwesterly winds of the summer monsoon, which provide much of India with rain between June and October. India is dominated by 4 main climates: humid tropical, dry tropical, subtropical monsoon and highland. In most of India, 3 seasons are distinguished: hot and humid with the dominance of the southwest monsoon (June-October); relatively cool and dry with a predominance of the northeast trade wind (November-February); very hot and dry transitional (March-May). During the wet season, more than 80% of the annual precipitation falls. The windward slopes of the Western Ghats and the Himalayas are the most humid (up to 6000 mm/year), on the slopes of the Shillong Plateau there is the rainiest place on Earth - Cherrapunji (about 12000 mm). The driest areas are the western part of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (less than 100 mm in the Thar Desert, dry period 9-10 months) and the central part of Hindustan (300-500 mm, dry period 8-9 months). The amount of precipitation varies greatly from year to year. On the plains, the average temperature in January increases from north to south from +15 to +27°C, in May everywhere +28...+35°C, sometimes reaching +45...+48°C. During the humid period in most parts of the country the temperature is +28°C. In the mountains at an altitude of 1500 m in January -1°C, in July +23°C, at an altitude of 3500 m respectively -8°C and +18°C.

Relief. There are 7 natural regions on the territory of India: the Northern mountain range (consisting of the Himalayas and the Karakoram), the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the Great Indian Desert, the Southern Plateau (Dean Plateau), the East Coast, the West Coast and the Adaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands. In India, 7 large mountain ranges rise: the Himalayas, Patkai (Eastern Highlands), Aravali, Vindhya, Satpura, Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats. The Himalayas stretched from east to west (from the Brahmaputra River to the Indus River) for 2500 km with a width of 150 to 400 km. The Himalayas consist of three main mountain ranges: the Sivalik Mountains in the south (altitudes 800-1200 m), then the Small Himalayas (2500-3000 m) and the Great Himalayas (5500-6000 m).

Hydrography. Under water ≈ 9.5% of the area. The Himalayas are home to the three most big rivers India: Ganges (2510 km), Indus (2879 km) and Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of Bengal. Several rivers flow into the Gulf of Cambay (Tapti, Narbad, Mahi and Sabarmati). During the summer rainy season, followed by snowmelt in the Himalayas, flooding in North India became a common occurrence. Once every 5-10 years, almost the entire Jamno-Gangetic plain is under water. There are no significant lakes in India. Most often there are oxbow lakes in the valleys of large rivers; there are also glacial-tectonic lakes in the Himalayas. The largest lake, Sambhar, is located in arid Rajasthan.

Aquatic bioresources.

Vegetation. Humid tropical evergreen forests, monsoon (deciduous) forests, savannahs, woodlands and shrubs, semi-deserts and deserts. In the Himalayas, the vertical zonality of the vegetation cover is clearly manifested - from tropical and subtropical forests to alpine meadows. Forests occupy ≈ 21.6% of the territory.

Soils. Among the variety of soils in India, 4 main types can be distinguished. Where it is humid and warm all year round, in areas of broad-leaved forests red soils predominate, they are found on soils of various mineralogical composition, their distribution depends to a large extent on climate. The thickness of krasnozems is 0.5-1.5 m, but there are areas where the thickness of red earth loose rock exceeds 10 m. Indian krasnozems are poor in humus and phosphates. In tropical regions with a sharp change in the dry and wet seasons, laterites are common, which are also found on a wide variety of rocks containing iron and aluminum silicates. Laterites are characteristic of flat areas and gentle slopes of watersheds. In terms of their fertility, they are significantly inferior to red soils. In the central and northwestern parts of the Deccan, in the climate of dry savannahs, black clay soils, or regars, formed on the weathering crust of basalts. During the dry season, regars retain the moisture of the monsoon rains for a long time, which favors rainfed cotton crops, which require dry hot air and moist soil. Almost all of the lowlands of the Ganges, the valleys of Assam, and the coastal lowlands and river valleys of the Deccan are occupied by alluvial soils, accounting for about half of all cultivated soils.

Agriculture. Farmland occupies ≈ 54.7% of the territory, in their structure - arable land ≈ 87%. In the southeastern part of the Indo-Gangetic lowland, the main rice-growing zone of India is located, where rice is cultivated in the kharif season (May-September) under monsoon rains, and in the rabi season (October-April) artificial irrigation is used. In the northwestern part of the Indo-Gangetic lowland, wheat is cultivated. It is grown under artificial irrigation. On the terraced slopes of the Assam Mountains on the red earth, plantations of the tea bush have been established, growing best in a moderately warm climate, on well-drained soil.

Animal husbandry and crafts. Buffaloes, cows (dairy cattle breeding), pigs, sheep, camels, poultry, goats are bred. Fishing.

Plant growing. They grow wheat, barley, rice, millet, corn, peanuts, sugar beets, sugar cane, soybeans, rapeseed, sunflowers, cotton, hevea, tobacco, coffee, tea, jute, castor beans, potatoes, sesame seeds, garlic, red pepper, cauliflower, okra, eggplant, white cabbage, bananas, oranges, mangoes, coconut palm, cashews, guava, lychees, pineapples, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes.

Regions of India

State of Andhra Pradesh.
Located along the southeastern coast of the country. It occupies the eastern part of the Deccan plateau and the plains east of the Eastern Ghats. The climate varies greatly by region, with monsoons affecting the entire state. Temperatures in the eastern plains are usually slightly warmer than in other areas. The west and southwest of the state has a more arid climate. Eastern Ghats cross Andhra Pradesh from north to south and are divided into 2 parts. The coastal plains represent the main agricultural region. Major rivers: Godavari, Krishna, Pennar and Tungabhadra. Rivers are actively used for irrigation. Rice, sugar cane, cotton, red pepper, tobacco, mango are grown.

State of Arunachal Pradesh.
Located in the northeast of India.

State of Assam.
Located in the east of India. The climate is tropical monsoon, the territory receives abundant seasonal rainfall. They grow jute and tea.

State of Bihar.
Located in the east of India. The climate is tropical monsoon, from June to September - the monsoon season. It is a huge fertile plain. In a small area, in the far north of the state, the foothills of the Himalayas begin. There are low hills in the central part of the state. They grow rice, cauliflower, okra, eggplant, white cabbage, mango, guava, lychee, pineapple.

State of Kerala.
Located on the Malabar coast in southwestern India. The climate is humid tropical, oceanic, strongly dependent on seasonal monsoons. The average annual rainfall is 3107 mm: from 1250 mm in some lowland regions to 5000 mm in the eastern district of Idukki. Three main geographic regions can be distinguished: the uplands of the interior eastern regions, the hilly terrain of the central regions, and the flat coastal plain in the west. The plains are almost entirely occupied by agricultural land. Fishing. They grow coffee, tea, hevea, coconut palm, cashews, bananas.

State of Uttar Pradesh.
Located in northern India. The climate is tropical monsoon, which varies greatly in different areas due to large fluctuations in altitude. There are 3 seasons: winter (October to February), summer (March to mid-June) and the rainy season (monsoons) (June to September). The Himalayas receive abundant rainfall: 1000-2000 mm in the eastern regions, in the west of the state 600-1000 mm. The state is located mainly within the Indo-Gangetic lowlands, in the fertile valley of the Ganges and Jumna. The territory can be divided into 3 main geographical regions: the Himalayas (in the north), the height of which here ranges from 300 to 5000 m; Gangetic Plain (center), a flat area characterized by fertile alluvial soils, many rivers and lakes; the third region is the Vidhya hills and plateaus, which occupy the southern part of the state. They grow wheat, rice, legumes, sugar cane, tea, potatoes, mangoes.