The Upstream and Downstream Industries

The process of substituting land and labour by capital (i.e. agricultural chemicals and machinery) has gone on intermittently since the 1960s. Time worked for 10 ares of paddy fields has been cut from 207 hours (1950) to 150 hours (1964), to 100 hours (1973) and more recently further reduced to 54 hours (1984). At the same time average yields have increased from 305 kg (1948) of rice for the same 10 ares to 479 kg (1984).1 It should be noted that given the rice production structure, this tremendous gain in productivity was achieved by weekend farmers mainly, which should indicate some scope still for further improvement.