Adverse effects of high-yield grain in traditional agricultural settings

In the past, the cost of growing grain (wheat, rice, maize, barley) compared with alternative forms of production has generally been low, whereas the value of production (in relation to alternative use) has been high. Increasing, the real value of the grain output is being transmitted to the farmer who, with the aid of high-yield varieties, irrigation and fertilizers, is responding to the challenge. These techniques have met with greater response amongst the large and medium scale farmers, with the danger that small farmers will be largely confined to subsistence production. This would intensify social and employment problems, and widen disparities between incomes. There still remains the difficulty of ensuring that incentive prices to farmers do not cause hardship to consumers.

As developing countries approach self-sufficiency and begin to produce grain surpluses in favourable seasons, their policy problem of adapting to international market requirements at competitive prices, becomes the same as that of the developed countries.

1. Restrictions against small enterprise
2. Lack of incentives
3. Disincentives against farming
4. Disadvantages of mechanized food production in developing countries
5. Detrimental international repercussions of domestic agricultural policies

1. Seasonal fluctuations in food production
2. Neglect of agricultural and rural life
3. Instability of food prices
4. Deterioration of staple food production

1. Lack of response to monetary incentives
2. Agricultural overproduction

1. Restrictive practices in the food and live animals trade
2. Industrialized country limitation of trade among developing countries
3. Adverse environmental consequences of depressed agricultural prices

1. Growing grain crops