SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The present thesis on the problems of agricultural development in Bengal during the period from 1920/21 to 1945/46 is divided into two parts. The first part, consisting of three chapters, is devoted to an examination of the crop statistics and the analysis of trends in crop output and its two determinants - acreage under cultivation and yield per acre. In the first chapter a close look is taken at the quality of the officially published data in the light of the statistics available from independent sources. The proposed plan of revision of the data and other procedural problems are also discussed in this chapter. Trend rates of the output, acreage and yield of all the crops taken together and the two groups of food crops and non-food crops are analysed in Chapter II. The discussion is taken a step further in Chapter III where the trend rates of all the individual crops are examined. Further, an attempt is made in these last two chapters to explain the divergent experience in food crops and non-food crops and among the five regional units of Bengal. The second part of the thesis, consisting of four chapters, is devoted to an examination of the factors which directly or indirectly influenced the trends in agricultural production. In Chapter IV an attempt is made to estimate the price-elasticity of the acreage under the cultivation of all the crops taken together and five major individual crops. This is followed by an analysis of the trends in four important items of physical capital (land, animal power, ploughs and houses) involved in Bengal agriculture. These trends are compared with those in total labour force engaged in agriculture and crop output. In Chapter VI the problem of agricultural credit is discussed and a quantitative picture about the progress of Co-operative Credit Movement presented. Finally, in Chapter VII some questions are raised as to why the Bengal landlords were not instrumental in improving agriculture. These questions relate to such aspects of the objective economic conditions which had direct bearing on the investment behaviour of the landlords.