AGftARIAk SECTOR IN IN&Et>feNbEt4T tJMt)IA i§ Table 1 ANNUAL PRODUCTION AND AVAILABILITY PER CAPITA OF FOOD GRAINS. 1951-1985. (QUINQUENNIAL AVERAGE). Period Average Average annual Availability Average annual population of cereals produced w. Cereals Pulses Total per capita, kg. kg. kg. kg. 1951-55 376.44 129.13 23.59 152.72 122.74 1956-60 414.78 135.93 24.84 160.77 121.48 1961-65 452.24 14^.32 22.12 168.44 135.02 1966-70 515.74 140.94 17.78 158.72 129.83 1971-75 597.10 140.54 15.47 156.01 135.48 1976-80 645-94 145.79 15.63 161.42 147.13 1981-85 720.42 151.95 14.34 166.29 153.39 Source : From annual data in Bconomic Survey 1986-87 and Economic Survey 1969-70. coming from the well-to-do surplus producers in rural areas representing the capitalist tendency. In short, those who need to eat more because they are at or below the minimum, cannot afford to do so; and those who do not need to eat more, supply most of the commoditised part of output. The fact that the rural sector is unable to absorb increased production owing to lack of purchasing power, gets reflected in availability lower than production. (This is borne out by data on the trends in the rural real wage bill, which we discuss later). Levels of per capita net production and availability of 160 to 170 kg per annum are insufficient for meeting minimum nutritional requirements when income distribution is highly skewed; through they would just suffice perhaps in a situation of completely egalitarian distribution. These levels compare unfavourably, moreover with foodgrains production and availability in a more populous country, China, though China has a far more egalitarian rural income distribution. Like India, China too has trebled total foodgrains output since Liberation, by a somewhat earlier date : 358 m. tons was produced in 1983 compared toll2.3m.tons in 1951. Apeak production level of 376 m. tons (excluding tubers) was reached in 1984, and while this has come down to 350 and 360 m. tons in the subsequent two years, these 'trough5 levels represent a per capita net adjusted availability from domestic production which is 40 per cent higher