Levels and pattern of consumption among farmers in sub-mountainous Punjab

The present study was undertaken to examine the level and pattern of consumption among farmers in sub-mountainous Punjab. Consumption expenditure which includes food and non-food items estimated at 3.55 lakh among sampled households of Gurdaspur district during 2019–20. Food items constituted 23.62 per cent and non-food item 76.38 percent of total expenditure. Expenditure on food-items decreased with increase in farm size whereas expenditure on non-food items increased with increase in farm size. Across different farm size categories food expenditure was 31.41, 26.76, 23.41, 21.36 and 20.44 per cent and non-food items was 68.59, 73.24, 76.59, 78.64 and 79.56percent among marginal, small, semi-medium, medium and large farm size categories, respectively. Due to fluctuations in income of the households, the consumption expenditure is considered as a better indicator to measure inequality. The value of Gini coefficient for consumption expenditure was 0.53 depicting high inequality among farm households in Gurdaspur district.