India is second largest producer of potatoes in the world after China. India showed tremendous growth in potato production during last one and half decade, however, this growth is led more by the area expansion than the yield enhancement. For further analysis on nature of productivity growth in Indian potato sector the computation of Total Factor Productivity (TFP) was done with the help of Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI). Year 2005 being the inflection point in the growth in Indian agriculture was used as period break year for this study and two periods, viz. pre-period (1997 to 2004) and post period (2005 to 2013) were considered for all analysis and descriptions. Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh states constitute about 74% of Indian potato production hence, these states were assumed to represent Indian potato scenario. Except mild decline in potato productivity growth in Uttar Pradesh, area, production and productivity growth of potato showed acceleration in post-period compared to the pre-period in all the states. TFP improved in all the three states in post period however, in West Bengal the growth was negative (-2.3) even in the post period. Except Bihar where efficiency change was positive (1%) in pre-period, and further improved in post-period (2.1%), the efficiency change stagnated in all other cases. The TFP improvement in all the cases was either solely or mainly led by the technical change.

India is the world's third largest potato-producing nation, although its potato-processing industry is still in its infancy. Per capita potato processing in India during 2007–08 was just 365 g (89.69% potato chips, or ‘crisps’, 9.28% potato powder/flakes and 1.03% French fries), using 1.475 kg potatoes per capita. This performance compares poorly with that of the leading potato-processing nations such as the UK, the USA, Canada, France and Germany. However, the industry is experiencing rapid growth in India, and multinational corporations (MNCs), such as PepsiCo, McCain and ITC, now have a conspicuous presence. This paper provides detailed analysis of the consumption patterns of the processed product in India relative to the world picture. The strengths, weaknesses and business opportunities of this industry are also discussed.

Small and marginal farming communities of Indian agriculture account for more than 85%of the total farming households. They face the challenges of land fragmentation, high costof inputs and inability to market their produce efficiently. To tackle these challenges, policymakers came up with the model of farmers’ mutual cooperation through Farmer ProducerOrganisations (FPOs). This study conducted in Punjab analyses the behavioural factorsresponsible for functionality of FPOs. A random selection of 150 members from 5 functionaland 5 non-functional FPOs (i.e., 15 respondents from each selected FPO) was made andthe respondents were interviewed personally. The findings revealed that the members(including management) of the functional FPOs had higher risk bearing capacity, greatereconomic motivation and more innovativeness as compared to the respondents from non-functional FPOs. Similarly, respondents from functional FPOs were socially, economicallyand managerially more empowered than the non-functional FPOs. Business skills of themembers, including the managerial members, of functional FPOs were also better ascompared to those from the non-functional FPOs. Regression estimates revealed that thefunctionality, better academic qualification, bigger land holding and joint family systemwere responsible for the higher net annual income of the respondents.

A well-designed tree-based culture provides multiple benefits, aiding in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs), especially SDG1 (no poverty), SDG2 (zero hunger), SDG13 (climate action), and SDG15 (life on land). A split-plot field experiment near Solan, Himachal Pradesh, tested the following Grewia optiva tree spacings as main plots: S₁ 10 m × 1 m, S₂ 10 m × 2 m, S₃ 10 m × 3 m, and sole cropping (S₀—Open) of pea (Pisum sativum L.). Pea cultivation included the following six fertilizer treatments as subplots: control (no application), farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost (VC), Jeevamrut, FYM + VC, and the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDFs), each replicated three times. The results indicated that the leaves, branches, total biomass, carbon density, and carbon sequestration rate of G. optiva alleys at 10 m × 1 m were greater than those at the other spacings. However, peas intercropped at 10 m × 3 m produced the highest yield (5.72 t ha⁻¹). Compared with monocropping, G. optiva-based agroforestry significantly improved soil properties. Among fertilizers, FYM had the highest yield (6.04 t ha⁻¹) and improved soil health. The most lucrative practice was the use of peas under a 10 m × 1 m spacing with FYM, with economic gains of 2046.1 USD ha⁻¹. This study suggests integrating pea intercropping with G. optiva at broader spacing (10 m × 3 m) and using FYM for optimal carbon sequestration, soil health, and economic returns, and this approach is recommended for the region’s agroecosystems.

Mushroom cultivation is often promoted as profitable and income generating agri-business activity, while there is a very high rate of attrition in mushroom entrepreneurship. Performance of mushroom enterprise as a physical attribute and the entrepreneurial behaviour of mushroom growing farmers as a psychological attribute plays an important role in the success of the mushroom entrepreneurship. Both these variables are in turn influenced by several dimensions rendering it difficult to comprehend the nature of variability observed in them. Therefore, the principal component analysis (PCA) of these two variables was done for variable reduction and to understand their influence on mushroom entrepreneurship. The results of PCA ascertain the relative importance of different dimensions on the variables through Eigen weightages. Based on the findings, suitable strategies and necessary policy interventions are identified to make the mushroom entrepreneurship as a potential agri-business to augment farmers’ income.