Analysis of total factor productivity in rice and wheat

The study estimates total factor productivity (TFP) in rice and wheat crops. The mean TFP for both rice and wheat has declined during 2002 to 2015. Major crop producing states have been facing stagnation in productivity and results confirm the proposition that technical efficiency could not catch up with the technical progress in wheat and rice cultivation. Hence, our results confirm that TFP change was associated more with technical change than with efficiency change in all the states. The results suggest that the agricultural development strategy has to pay increased attention towards the factors that could influence efficiency along with the factors that result in technical progress, especially in case of rice and wheat which are the main stay of Indian food security basket.