Ohlan R’s scientific contributions

The cropping pattern and performance of different districts in growing different crops in Haryana are assessed using three standards measures, namely (i) location quotient, (ii) crop versatility index, and (iii) district versatility index over the period 1991-92 to 2008-09. We find that the specialization of maize in Ambala and Yamunanagar, cotton in Hisar, sugarcane in Yamunanagar and Ambala, mustard in Rewari and Mahendragarh, gram in Mahendragarh, bajra in Rewari are the highest during the study period with the value of location quotients to be more than two. The specialization of wheat in Panipat, Hisar and Fridabad, rice in Kurukshetra, Kathal and Karnal, jowar in Rohtak and Faridabad is highest during the period of study. The highest specialization of bajra is observed in Mahendragarh, Rewari and Gurgaon. The increase in value of versatility indices for majority of districts during 2000-01 to 2008-09 as compared to 1991-92 to 1999-2000 implies the move towards specialization. It is established that maize, gram and cotton are highly localized crops. The policy implications of our findings are: (i) the knowledge of crop location quotient provides useful information to policy makers and planners for development of district-wise crop-potential map as envisioned in the Approach Paper to the 12th Five Year Plan, and (ii) the estimates of districts specialization are useful for decision makers, agricultural technology management agencies, district planning committees and researchers to focus on crop improvement and production management within the potential region for each crop.

The study seeks to examine the impact of the WTO's agreement on agriculture (AoA) on Sri Lanka’s agricultural trade performance. It is found that under the AoA regime, Sri Lanka’s share in the world’s total agricultural trade has increased. The importance of farm trade in the country’s overall foreign trade has improved. Further, evidence suggests that Sri Lankan agriculture has opened in new economic environment. In new trade order, value of Sri Lankan farm exports has grown faster than that of imports resulting into significant expansion of trade surplus. The normalized trade balance in agriculture has enhanced dramatically. Furthermore, the study finds that in the emerging liberalized farm trade order Sri Lanka’s comparative advantage is much better than other leading farm producers especially in the exports of: tea, copra, coconuts and natural rubber. For food grains Sri Lanka heavily relies on imports. In the WTO trade negotiations, Sri Lanka may press for an effective and substantial cut in developed countries protective measures and trade distorting agricultural subsidies, in order to safeguard and enhance its food production capacity.