In addition, total area of operational holdings has also reduced from 2.12 crore hectare in 1970-71 to 2.05 crore hectare. (File)The average size of land holdings among Maharashtra’s farmers has reduced from 4.28 hectare in the 1970s to 1.34 hectare in recent years, rendering crop losses owing to drought or other causes much more critical for farmers.
While in 1970-71, the number of farmers with holdings below 0.5 hectare was 6,83,400, the number of farmers with extremely small land parcels rose in 2015-16 to 43,72,200.
In addition, total area of operational holdings has also reduced from 2.12 crore hectare in 1970-71 to 2.05 crore hectare.
Referring to the large number of small and marginal farmers in the state, the Economic Survey Report released on Monday says the state ranks eleventh in average size of holdings among all states. Small and marginal holdings, or farms up to 2 hectare, account for 45 per cent of the state’s farm area and 79.5 per cent of all operational holdings. That means nearly eight out of every 10 farmers own less than 2 hectare of farm land. The report says the increasing number of small and marginal farmers and the reduction in total area of operational holdings are among the prime concerns of the farm sector.
As per the Agriculture Census of 2015-16, number of operational holdings and area of operational holdings was 1.53 crore and 2.05 crore hectare.
In comparison, the first Agriculture Census pegged the number of holdings and area of holdings at 0.5 crore and 2.12 crore hectare.
The share of women-owned operational holdings has, however, increased to 14.07 per cent, marginally better than the all-India average of 13.87 per cent. The average size of their land holdings is 1.22 hectare.
