Report of the Food and Agriculture Commission 1960 (without Appendices)

Abstract

The Food and Agriculture Commission was Instituted in pursuance of the policy of the present Government to review conditions in various aspects of national life and was inaugurated by the Minister o f Agriculture on 16th July 1959. A paramount need had arisen to increase agricultural production not only to meet’ recurring food shortages and to raise the standard of living of the farming population but also to provide additional material, both raw and processed, to increase export earnings. The continual increase in populati6n has emphasized the need to generate greater economic activity to provide more employment. The demand for foodstuffs is bound to rise steadily and the purchase of foodgrains from abroad is already 'causing a drain on foreign currency resources. 'To stop this drain, self-sufficiency in staple foods has become well-nigh a necessity. Moreover, at present, the only method of substantially increasing the earnings of foreign exchange is to bring about a large scale rise in export of commodities originating in agriculture. On both counts, therefore, increased production from the land is now a matter of the highest national priority.