What is the Contribution of Government Support to Farm Incomes? A Case Study of Rice Cultivation from Kerala, India

Average income per hectare from rice cultivation in Kerala is the third highest in India, with only the green-revolution States of Haryana and Punjab reporting higher incomes. This paper seeks to examine the role of government support in observed farm incomes in Kerala. As secondary data sources do not allow for such disaggregation, I use primary data from a sample survey of rice-cultivating households in a high-productivity region of central Kerala. The analysis shows that rice cultivators benefited from multiple forms of support provided by the central government, the State government, and the local government. Price support by the State government was crucial in realising the current levels of income in Kerala.