Comparative Advantages of India
Nature has given India several advantages. It has:
• Second largest arable land in the world
• Diverse agro-climatic zones across the country
• Round the year sunshine
• Potential to cultivate a vast range of agricultural products
• Large marketable surpluses and abundant raw material for processing
• Vast pool of skilled manpower in research
• Vast pool of crops

Area and Production of Agricultural products
(Production in million tonnes)
India India’s Rank in World Production
Arable Land (Million ha) 151 2
Irrigated Land (Million ha) 55 1
Wheat 72 2
Rice, Paddy 124 2
Coarse grains (including maize) 29 3
Milk 91 1
Fruits 47 2
Vegetables 82 2
Edible Oilseeds 25 3
Pulses 15 1
Sugarcane 245 2
Tea 0.85 1
Cattle (Million) 186 2
Source: ‘Marketing Reforms & Enhancing competitiveness’, 2006.