The present study is undertaken to measure the contribution of HYVs to major food crops (Wheat, rice, bajra, jowar and maize) production, yield and area in Pakistan Punjab. The study is based on secondary data for the last 44 years, i.e., from 1951-52 to 1994-95. For this purpose, a comparison of growth rates for production, yield and area is made (1) between period I (1951 to 1964) and period II 1965 to 1978). (2) between period II and period III (1979 to 1994) and (3) between period I and period IV (1951 to 1994). The study shows that the influence of HYV seed on production, yield and area for major food crops in Punjab is mixed. The contribution of HYVs to production, area and yield growth for wheat is remarkable. The adoption of HYVs has helped to accelerate the growth rate for production and yield for rice and maize in period II. In case of Jowar despite the fact that its area and production decreased its yield increased in period II, which may be due to the adoption of HYV seeds.Growth, Comparison, Periods, Time-series, Semi-log, HYV seed, Food crops, Area, Yield.

Mohammad Pervez Wasim

English

Research Papers in Economics

Indus Journal of Management & Social Sciences 
Vol. 1, No. 1: 46-52 (Spring 2007) 
Contribution of High-Yield Varieties Seeds to Major Food Crops 
Production, Yield and Area in Punjab − Pakistan 
 
Mohammad Pervez Wasim 
*
 
ABSTRACT 
The present study is undertaken to measure the contribution of HYVs to major food 
crops (Wheat, rice, bajra, jowar and maize) production, yield and area in Pakistan Punjab.  The 
study is based on secondary data for the last 44 years, i.e., from 1951-52 to 1994-95.  For this 
purpose, a comparison of growth rates for production, yield and area is made (1) between period I 
(1951 to 1964) and period II 1965 to 1978).  (2) between period II and period III (1979 to 1994) 
and (3) between period I and period IV (1951 to 1994).  The study shows that the influence of HYV 
seed on production, yield and area for major food crops in Punjab is mixed.  The contribution of 
HYVs to production, area and yield growth for wheat is remarkable.  The adoption of HYVs has 
helped to accelerate the growth rate for production and yield for rice and maize in period II.  In case 
of Jowar despite the fact that its area and production decreased its yield increased in period II, 
which may be due to the adoption of HYV seeds. 
 
JEL. Classification: Q12; O13 
 
Keywords: Growth, Comparison, Periods, Time-series, Semi-log, HYV seed, 
Food crops, Area, Yield. 
 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Food crops occupy an important position in Pakistan economy as they 
account for 68 percent of the gross cropped area (94-95).  Punjab accounted for 
45 percent (93-94) of the Pakistan acreage of food crops.  Wheat undisputedly 
enjoys a pre-eminent status in the food crops profile of Punjab as it is cultivated 
in over 5902 thousand hectares and accounts for about 84 percent of 
production.  Rice which comes after wheat occupies over 1339 thousand 
hectares and accounts for over 11 percent of food crops production.  Maize 
which is the third major food crop in Punjab and comes after wheat and rice 
occupies over 345 thousand hectares and accounts for over 3 percent of food 
crops production.  Bajra and Jowar which occupies over 303 and 253 thousand 
hectares respectively, accounts for less than 1 percent of food crops output. 
Several micro level studies in India have substantiated the yield-
raising characteristics of new seed varieties (HYVs)
1.  They suggest that 
production per unit of Land is higher on the farms which apply HYVs than on 
those which apply traditional seed varieties.  At the same time, some of these 
studies have also indicated that the yield potential of HYVs has not yet been 
                                                 
The material presented by the authors does not necessarily represent the view point of editors and 
the management of Indus Institute of Higher Education (IIHE) as well as the author’s institute
*
*
Mohammad Pervez Wasim is Staff Economist , Applied Economics Research Centre, University 
of Karachi: Pakistan 
Indus Journal of Management & Social Sciences             Vol. 1, No. 1, (Spring, 2007) 46-52  46   
1 Acharya (1969), Gopalakrishnan (1968), Gohain (1968), Lavania and Dixit (1968), Parthasarathy 
(1971). 
 Contribution of High-Yield Varieties Seeds to Major Food Crops Production, Yield and 
Area in Punjab − Pakistan 
Mohammad Pervez Wasim 
fully exploited because of the gap between the recommended and the actual 
application of certain crucial inputs.  Wide variations in the extent of adoption 
across different farm sizes are also highlighted by few of these studies. 
Studies are also conducted at the macro level to examine the impact of 
HYVs on yield, production and area level.  These studies attempted to measure 
the magnitude of change in terms of growth rate of yield with the advent of 
HYVs.  Based on time-series data, these studies
2 tried to test the hypothesis that 
the growth rate of yield will be higher for the period after its introduction.  
These studies have shown that considerable improvement has been recorded 
only in respect of wheat production.  “On the whole, the effects of the green 
revolution on production and yield of food crops have been mixed, spectacular 
for wheat, some improvement for bajra and maize and no improvement for 
jowar and rice.  In sum, the extent of green revolution in India has been small; 
both in terms of area covered and impact on production.  The future scope is 
also very limited”.  At the macro level thus the yield-raising characteristics of 
HYVs have not been realized fully. 
In Pakistan no attempts have been made to estimate the contribution of 
HYVs to major food crops yield, production and area.  The present study is, 
therefore, undertaken to measure the contribution of HYVs to major food crops 
production, yield and area in Punjab.  The major food crops are wheat, rice, 
bajra, jowar and maize. 
 Specific objectives of the study are: to quantify the rate of the growth, 
to estimate the level of variability and to discuss policy implications of 
observed growth rate and variability in crops area, production and productivity 
of major crops. 
This paper is structured in the following way: in section 2, data and 
methodology is given. In section 3, growth rates in food crops production of 
three periods is discussed. Section 4 is about comparison of three periods and 
finally section 5 concludes and gives implications. 
 
2. DATA AND METHODOLOGY 
The study is based on secondary data for the last 44 years, i.e., from 
1951-52 to 1994-95.  For this purpose, a comparison of growth rates for 
production, yield and area of the above mentioned crops is made (1) between 
period I (1951 to 1964) and period II (1965 to 1978).  (2) between period II and 
period III (1979 to 1994) and (3) between period I and period IV (1951 to 
1994).  The data relating to area, production and yield of major food crops of 
Punjab were obtained from the Agricultural statistics of Pakistan, Ministry of 
Food, Agriculture, and Livestock, Government of Pakistan.  While doing this 
exercise, it is assumed that the growth rates of fertilizer use, irrigated area and 
cropping intensity are likely to contribute to the growth of production per acre 
in the same way as in pre-technology (HYV) period. 
The compound growth rates of production, yield and area of major 
food crops were worked out by semilog exponential form. 
                                                 
2 Srinivasan (1972), Sen (1974), Patel (1975), Patel and Pathak (1974), Keith Griffin (1974), Singh 
(1976), Sinha (1973). 
 
Indus Journal of Management & Social Sciences              Vol. 1, No. 1, (Spring, 2007) 46-52 
 
48 Contribution of High-Yield Varieties Seeds to Major Food Crops Production, Yield and 
Area in Punjab − Pakistan 
Mohammad Pervez Wasim 
Log Yt = a+ bt                                                                  where,  
Y= prodtion/acrage of major food crops 
a= constant 
b=expresses the rate of change and when multiplied by 100 gives the 
percentage growth rate 
t= time variable in year (1, 2,………….,n) 
 
2. GROWTH RATES IN FOOD CROPS PRODUCTION 
2.1 Period-I (1951 to 1964): At the time of independence, the food 
supply situation was not comfortable and the country had to import sizable 
quantities of food grains to augment the domestic availability.  By the end of 
the fifties, however, pressing problems like food shortage, foreign exchange 
scarcity, and raw material constraints on industrial development were 
responsible for forcing the planners towards an agricultural policy.  This policy 
aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in food, by increasing production for both 
domestic use and export, and by reducing unemployment and 
underemployment and restructuring land relationships. 
2.2 Period-II (1965 to 1978): The change was emphasis in 
government policy, which was initiated in the early sixties, coincided with the 
advent of so-called “green revolution”.  This revolution started with scientific 
and technological breakthroughs in the form of inputs.  During 1965-69, high 
yielding varieties of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, farm mechanization and 
continued increases of supplementary water contributed to the agricultural 
breakthrough. 
2.3 Period-III (1979 to 1994): In this period the agricultural progress 
slowed down.  Despite a greater availability of key inputs like fertilizers, high 
yielding varieties of seeds and water, the agricultural sector began to 
experience diminishing returns, since enough attention had not been paid to the 
efficiency of their use.  Thus, despite land reforms which were introduced in 
the early seventies, the institutional failure to supplement the key inputs proved 
crucial in slowing down the agricultural growth. 
3. COMPARISION 
3.1 Comparison Between Period I and II:  as shown in Table-1, 
between period I and II, while the growth of production of bajra and jowar 
decelerated from 0.71 and 0.42 percent to -1.66 and 0.27 percent per annum 
respectively, that of wheat, rice and maize accelerated from 3.23, 6.19 and 2.72 
percent to 5.18, 6.70 and 2.95 percent per annum respectively.  In the case of 
wheat, rice and maize acceleration in the growth of production came through 
the improvement in yield.  In case of jowar the deceleration in the growth of 
production occurred through the deceleration in the growth of area, while 
deceleration in bajra came through the deceleration in the growth of both area 
and yield per hectare.  While the growth of yield per hectare of wheat, rice, 
jowar and maize accelerated from 1.47, 0.79, 0.45 and 0.87 percent to 3.95, 
2.52, 1.53 and 1.97 percent per annum respectively, the growth of yield per 
hectare of bajra decelerated from 2.21 to 0.74 percent per annum.  The be 
Indus Journal of Management & Social Sciences              Vol. 1, No. 1, (Spring, 2007) 46-52 
 
49 Contribution of High-Yield Varieties Seeds to Major Food Crops Production, Yield and 
Area in Punjab − Pakistan 
Mohammad Pervez Wasim 
growth of area per hectare of wheat, rice, bajra, jowar and maize decelerated 
from 1.76, 5.39, -1.49, -0.03 and 1.85 percent to 1.23, 4.17, -2.41, -1.25 and 
0.97 percent per annum respectively.  The main conclusion that emerges from 
this section is that the production growth rates in period II are higher than those 
in period  I for wheat, rice and maize, which may partly attributed to the 
adoption of HYV seeds. 
  3.2 Comparison between Period II and III: As shown in table-1, 
between period ii and iii, while the growth of production of wheat, rice, bajra 
and maize decelerated from 5.18, 6.70, -1.66 and 2.95 to 3.09, 0.34, -2.58 and -
0.01 percent per annum respectively, that of jowar accelerated from 0.27 to 
0.90 percent per annum.  In case of wheat, rice and maize the deceleration in 
the growth of production occurred through the deceleration in the growth of 
both area and yield per hectare, while in case of bajra the deceleration in the 
growth of production occurred through the deceleration in the growth of yield 
only.  In case of jowar the acceleration in the growth of production occurred 
through the acceleration in the growth of area only.  The growth of yield of 
wheat, rice, bajra, jowar and maize decelerated from 3.95, 2.52, 0.74, 1.53 and 
1.97 to 1.93, -0.95, -1.93, -0.10 and 1.97 percent per annum respectively. In 
case of wheat, rice and maize the deceleration in the growth of yield occurred 
through the deceleration in the growth of both area and yield per hectare, while 
in case of bajra the deceleration in the growth of yield occurred through the 
deceleration in the growth of production only.  As far as jowar is concerned its 
yield decelerated in spite of the acceleration in area and production. This 
decrease in yield may be due to pest attack or flood or both.  While the growth 
of area of wheat, rice and maize decelerated from 1.23, 4.17 and 0.97 to 1.16, 
1.29 and -0.09 percent per annum respectively, that of bajra and jowar 
accelerated from -2.41 and -1.25 to -0.66 and 1.01 percent per annum 
respectively.  In the case of wheat, rice and maize deceleration in the growth of 
area came through the deceleration in the growth of both production and yield.  
The acceleration in the growth of bajra area is due to the acceleration in its 
production only.  The main conclusion that emerges from this section is that the 
yield growth rates in period III are lower than those in period II for wheat, rice, 
bajra and maize which is mainly due to decrease in production. 
3.3 Comparison between Period II and III: A comparison between 
the yield growth rates of period I and period IV reveals that the yield growth 
rates of wheat, rice, jowar and maize have improved for the latter period which 
may partly be attributed to the adoption of HYV seeds. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table I 
Compound Growth Rates of Area, Production and Yield of 
Major Food Crops in Punjab 
(percent per annum) 
Crops  Period  Area  Productio Yield 
Indus Journal of Management & Social Sciences              Vol. 1, No. 1, (Spring, 2007) 46-52 
 
50 Contribution of High-Yield Varieties Seeds to Major Food Crops Production, Yield and 
Area in Punjab − Pakistan 
Mohammad Pervez Wasim 
n 
 
(I)  1951 to 1964 
1.76 
(5.76)* 
3.23 
(4.71)* 
1.47 
(2.71)** 
Wheat 
(II)  1965 to 1978 
1.23 
(3.78)* 
5.18 
(5.94)* 
3.95 
(6.40)* 
 
(III)  1979 to 1994 
1.16 
(12.16)* 
3.09 
(7.79)* 
1.93 
(4.73)* 
 
(IV) 1951 to 1994 
1.58 
(32.35)* 
4.17 
(31.98)* 
2.59 
(23.81)* 
 
(I)  1951 to 1964 
5.39 
(13.30)* 
6.19 
(7.14)* 
0.79 
(1.12) 
Rice 
(II)  1965 to 1978 
4.17 
(5.51)* 
6.70 
(7.06)* 
2.52 
(4.60)* 
 
(III)  1979 to 1994 
1.29 
(5.39)* 
0.34 
(0.97) 
-0.95 
(3.29)* 
 
(IV) 1951 to 1994 
3.37 
(24.06)* 
4.41 
(15.51)* 
1.02 
(5.61)* 
 
(I)  1951 to 1964 
-1.49 
(2.47)** 
0.71 
(0.76) 
2.21 
(4.49)* 
Bajra 
(II)  1965 to 1978 
-2.41 
(7.07)* 
-1.66 
(4.09)* 
0.74 
(3.21)* 
 
(III)  1979 to 1994 
-0.66 
(1.87)**
* 
-2.58 
(5.63)* 
-1.93 
(4.68)* 
 
(IV) 1951 to 1994 
-1.87 
(16.29)* 
-1.58 
(9.09)* 
0.29 
(2.28)** 
 
(I)  1951 to 1964 
-0.03 
(0.07) 
0.42 
(0.42) 
0.45 
(0.63) 
Jowar 
(II)  1965 to 1978 
-1.25 
(2.70)** 
0.27 
(0.49) 
1.53 
(3.62)* 
 
(III)  1979 to 1994 
1.01 
(2.51)** 
0.90 
(1.93)*** 
-0.10 
(0.57) 
 
(IV) 1951 to 1994 
-0.32 
(3.03)* 
0.38 
(3.00)* 
0.70 
(7.24)* 
 
(I)  1951 to 1964 
1.85 
(5.11)* 
2.72 
(4.21)* 
0.87 
(1.80)*** 
Maize 
(II)  1965 to 1978 
0.97 
(2.29)** 
2.95 
(3.62)* 
1.97 
(3.75)* 
 
(III)  1979 to 1994 
-0.09 
(0.48) 
-0.01 
(0.02) 
0.08 
(0.44) 
 
(IV) 1951 to 1994 
1.37 
(16.82)* 
2.35 
(16.34)* 
0.98 
(10.99)* 
 
Note:  *, **, *** Significant at 1,5 and 10 percent level respectively. 
  Figures in parenthesis are t-values. 
Indus Journal of Management & Social Sciences              Vol. 1, No. 1, (Spring, 2007) 46-52 
 
51 Contribution of High-Yield Varieties Seeds to Major Food Crops Production, Yield and 
Area in Punjab − Pakistan 
Mohammad Pervez Wasim 
 
 
4. CONCLUSION AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS 
It emerges from this exercise that the influence of HYV seed on 
production, yield and area for major food crops in Punjab is mixed.  The 
contribution of HYVs to production, yield and area growth for wheat is 
remarkable.  The adoption of HYVs has helped to accelerate the growth rate for 
production and yield for rice and maize in period II.  In case of Jowar despite 
the fact that its area and production decreased its yield increased in period II, 
which may be due to the adoption of HYV seeds. 
In order to improve the growth rate of area, production and yield, the 
following steps are necessary: 
(1) The information on production technology should be popularized 
through mass-media like regional newspaper, radio, Television and leaflets, 
bulletins, booklets, etc.  (2) New thrust on research must be in the direction of 
evolving high-yield-cum high stability varieties suitable for rain-fed as well as 
irrigated area (3)  All out efforts are required to improve the management 
practices and input use in respect of the crops (4) Critical inputs should be 
made available in time and in assured quantities (5) Mixed cropping should be 
encouraged (6) Adequate credit facilities should also be provided to the farmers  
(7) Training programmes should be organized on a large scale in the villages on 
production technology and use of agricultural implements (8) Cultivation 
should be extended to the areas of marginal productivity (9) Extension services 
should be made available to the farming community. 
 
 REFERENCES 
  Acharya, S.S. (1969), “Comparative efficiency of HYVP − case study 
of Udaipur District”, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.IV, No.44. 
  Gohain, D. (1968), “Economic Aspects of High-Yielding Varieties 
Programme”,  Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol.XXIII, No.4, 
October-December, pp.73-79. 
  Gopalakrishnan, M.D. (1968), “Profitability and Productivity of ADT-
27 in Thanjavur District”, Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol.XXIII, 
No.4, October−December, pp.65-69. 
  Government of Pakistan, Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan 
(Islamabad) various issues. 
  Griffin, K. (1974), “The Political Economy of Agrarian Change:  An 
Essay on the Green Revolution,” The Macmillan Press Ltd. 
  Lavania, G.S. and R.S.  Dixit. (1968), “Economics of High-Yielding 
Varieties in Package District, Aligarh”, Indian Journal of Agricultural 
Economics, Vol.XXIII, No.4, October − December, pp.93-103. 
  Parthasarathy, G. (1971), “Green Revolution and the Weaker Section,”  
Thacker and Co. Ltd., Bombay. 
 Patel,  A.S.  (1975), “New Technology in Indian Agriculture − Critical 
Appraisal”, Artha-Vikas, Vol.II, No.2, July. 
Indus Journal of Management & Social Sciences              Vol. 1, No. 1, (Spring, 2007) 46-52 
 
52 Contribution of High-Yield Varieties Seeds to Major Food Crops Production, Yield and 
Area in Punjab − Pakistan 
Mohammad Pervez Wasim 
  P a t e l ,  G . A .  a n d  J . H .  P a t h a k  ( 1 9 7 4 ) ,   “ H y b r i d  B a j r a  − Causes of 
Breakthrough in Bajra Product in Gujrat State”, Anvesak, Vol.IV, No.1, June. 
  Sen, B. (1974),  “The Green Revolution in India,” A Perspective, 
Wiley Eastern Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. 
  Singh, I.J. (1976),  “Analyzing Haryana’s Wheat Revolution”, 
Agricultural Situation in India, Vol.XXXI, No.5, August. 
  Sinha, S.K. (1973), “Green Revolution and Break-through in Food 
Production in India”, Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol.XXVIII, 
No.2, April − June, pp.26-42. 
  Srinivasan, T.N. (1971), “The Green Revolution or the Wheat 
Revolution”, Indian Statistical Institute, Discussion Paper No.66. 
 
 
 
Indus Journal of Management & Social Sciences              Vol. 1, No. 1, (Spring, 2007) 46-52 
 
53 

46-52 52 Contribution of High-Yield Varieties Seeds to Major Food Crops Production, Yield and Area in Punjab − Pakistan Mohammad Pervez Wasim P a t e l , G . A . a n d J . H . P a t h a k

Analyzing Haryana’s Wheat Revolution”, Agricultural Situation in India,

Comparative efficiency of HYVP − case study of Udaipur District”, Economic and Political Weekly,

Economic Aspects of High-Yielding Varieties Programme”,

Economics of High-Yielding Varieties in Package District, Aligarh”,

Green Revolution and Break-through in Food Production in India”,

Green Revolution and the Weaker Section,” Thacker and Co.

Profitability and Productivity of ADT27 in Thanjavur District”,

The Green Revolution in India,” A Perspective,

The Green Revolution or the Wheat Revolution”, Indian Statistical Institute, Discussion Paper No.66.

The Political Economy of Agrarian Change: An Essay on the Green Revolution,”

Contribution of High-Yield Varieties Seeds to Major Food Crops Production, Yield and Area in Punjab - Pakistan

http://indus.edu.pk/RePEc/iih/journl/4-ContributionofHigh-YieldVarietiesSeedstoMajorFoodCropsProduction.pdf

Contribution of High-Yield Varieties Seeds to Major Food Crops Production, Yield and Area in Punjab - Pakistan

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Research Papers in Economics