Changing Consumption Pattern in Indian States: A Concern for Agrarian Crisis

Based on the data from four major quin-quennial rounds of the National Sample Surveys on the Household Consumption Expenditure in India during 1993–94 to 2009–10, the present study examines changes in the pattern of food consumption across major Indian states in rural and urban India. Although cereals being the most important component in the diet of both rural and urban Indians, the study reveals a considerable decline in the monthly per capita cereal consumption from 13.40 kg to 11.35 kg in rural India and from 10.60 kg to 9.39 kg in urban India during 1993–94 to 2009–10. The decline in cereal consumption was relatively sharper in rural areas than in urban areas in most of the states. In rural areas the state of Karnataka registered the maximum decline of 23.66 per cent while Assam registered the minimum decline of 4.03 per cent during 1993–94 to 2009–10. In urban areas the maximum decline was observed in West Bengal (18.41 per cent) and the minimum decline was again in Assam (2.17 per cent). An analysis of correlation between productivity of food grains (quintals per hectare) and the rate of decline in cereal consumption reflects a positive correlation in rural as well as urban India. The results were in conformity with the Engel's Law of consumption. Though there is decline in the cereal consumption over time which implies that per capita calorie intake is declining, the decline has been accompanied by a significant shift in favor of high value food.