An Indian farmer carries rice seedlings from a paddy field at Nimati village, some 300 km from Guwahati, the capital of Assam. (BIJU BORO/AFP/Getty Images)
An Indian farmer carries rice seedlings from a paddy field at Nimati village, some 300 km from Guwahati, the capital of Assam. (BIJU BORO/AFP/Getty Images) 
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Critics Wrong, Notebandi Had No Effect On Agriculture

BySwarajya Staff

A survey carried out across nine states earlier this month has revealed that demonetisation has had no immediate impact on agriculture. Heads of gram panchayats in 48 districts of these states were surveyed by the India Development Foundation.

The area under rabi (the winter crop) cultivation has actually gone up, thus giving the lie to critics' contention that demonetisation has prevented farmers from procuring seeds for the rabi crop. The use of fertilisers for the rabi crop has also increased in 65 per cent of the areas surveyed.

The survey, carried out between 10-20 January, also revealed that 56 per cent of the gram panchayats reported a rise in the use of agricultural labour. Critics of demonetisation have been contending that the currency swap has severely affected agriculture as farmers don't have money to buy seeds and fertilizers and hire labourers.

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