The Phenomenon:

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During the 1960s, Punjab became the bread basket of India as a result of the adoption of a technological package referred to as the Green Revolution. The major elements of this package included improved seed, inputs of fertilizers and pesticides, and irrigation. Whereas Punjab represents only 2.9% of India's cultivated area, for the year 1969-70, the state produced 7% of the country's food grains, and 24% of its wheat. To enable Green Revolution agriculture, Punjabis have developed extensive irrigation systems (67% of the arable land is irrigated). The state has no mineral or fossil fuel sources.

 

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

Food grain production [mT]

50.8

82.0

108.4

129.6

176.4

201.8

Food grain import [mT]

4.8

10.4

7.5

0.8

0.3

-

Buffer stock [mT]

-

2.0

-

15.5

20.8

40.0

Population [m]

361

439

548

683

846

1000