Changing dimension of agricultural trade in India during 1990–2010 and its impact on food grains-Post reforms analysis

There are many studies on impact of trade liberalization and WTO agreements. They show that the trade volume of India is increasing slowly. At present we are in the position to view seriously the impact of increased Indian foreign trade on three important and closely related areas that are food security, water and environment. Study on the impact of foreign trade on these areas becomes the need of the hour on the following grounds: Food security is severely threaten by stagnant food production; shrinking in food production area; slow down in yield of food crops; overall slowdown in the growth of agriculture; and, increase in absolute size of population and demand for food grains. Per capita water availability is decreasing sharply in the recent years; and, widespread water conflicts occur among water using sectors. Environment becomes another important area which is closely connected with the external trade. Because, every production discharges residual, and thus increased production with the view to export definitely brings pressure on the environment. Many studies are conducted on some aspects of external agricultural trade either in the early, intermittent or later stage of liberalization. But earlier studies has not included changes in the dimension and growth of external agricultural trade and its impact on some important and interlinked domains like cropping pattern, prices and food security in a comprehensive manner. This paper study the changes in the dimensions of Indian external agricultural trade, particularly during the post reform period and its impact on food grains.