The present study based on the data thrown up by Annual Season and Crop Reports, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh, shows a significant increase in the real wages of skilled and unskilled agricultural labourers over the period 1972–73 to 1996–97. The increase in the real wages of both the categories was more pronounced during the period 1985–86 to 1996–97 as compared to 1972–73 to 1984–85 when real wages in most of the districts did not record significant growth rate. Among different districts, the real wages remained higher in the districts of Shimla, Kullu, Kinnaur and Lahaul - Spiti as compared to other districts, which could be attributed to tremendous diversification in their cropping pattern towards high value cash crops. Further, while the inter-district variations in real wages of skilled agricultural labourers tended to increase since the close of the eighties, no neat pattern was discernible for unskilled labourers. In so far as the skill differentials in the real wages of these two categories were concerned, these were more pronounced in Shimla, Kullu, Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti districts.
