Meghalaya leads the nation in farming on leased land: Survey

SHILLONG, Oct 13: Meghalaya leads the nation in terms of farming on lease leased land with 31 per cent of agricultural households engaging in this practice, the highest proportion across the country.
This unique position of the state in agricultural practices was depicted in the All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) for 2021-22, which is conducted by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
In terms of land ownership, Maharashtra ranks first, with agricultural households holding an average of 1.34 hectares of land. Ladakh records the lowest average, with only 0.22 hectare per agricultural household.
Other states with substantial land ownership include Rajasthan, where agricultural households hold an average of 1.32 hectares, and Nagaland with 1.27 hectares. Andhra Pradesh and Punjab both average around 0.97 hectare per household, while Karnataka follows with 0.94 hectare. Meanwhile, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh are at the lower end of the spectrum, with average landholdings of 0.51 hectare and 0.37 hectare, respectively.
The report also provides insight into leasing-out practices, where Haryana tops the list, with 9.3 per cent of agricultural households leasing out their land. Tamil Nadu (4.2 per cent), Arunachal Pradesh (4 per cent), and Kerala (3.9 per cent) also have significant leasing-out figures. Nationally, 7.9 per cent of agricultural households lease land, while only 2 per cent lease out their land.
Interestingly, the report highlights the disparity between agricultural and non-agricultural households in terms of land ownership. Agricultural households in India hold an average of 0.70 hectare, compared to just 0.06 hectare for non-agricultural households.