NCERT Economics Class 9 Chapter 1 | Farming in Palampur Notes & PDF

Topic covered: Farming in Palampur class 9 and MCQs Questions: The Story of Village Palampur (All single detail notes are exam-oriented).

We have discussed in-depth and exam-oriented pointers that can be asked in the board exam of class 9th about the “Farming in Palampur“ from the NCERT Economics notes for class 9th chapter 1 “The Story of Village Palampur“.

Download the NCERT Economics for Class 9th Chapter 1 The Story of Village Palampur Notes PDF

Class 9 Economics begins with Chapter 1: The Story of Village Palampur, which sets the base for understanding how production works in real life. This chapter explains land, labor, capital, and organization of production using Palampur as a simple example. Students often get confused between fixed capital and working capital or how multiple cropping boosts production. To make these ideas clear, I’ve prepared concise notes that break down each concept with easy explanations. You can download the NCERT Economics for Class 9th Chapter 1 The Story of Village Palampur Notes PDF and use it for revision, assignments, or last-minute exam prep.

Farming in Palampur Class 9

1. Land is fixed

1. Farming as Main Activity:

• Farming is the primary production activity in Palampur.
• 75% of working people depend on farming for livelihood.
• They may be farmers (own land) or farm labourers (work on others’ land).
• Well-being of most villagers is directly linked to farm production.

2. Constraint in Farm Production:

• Land is fixed – main limitation in raising farm output.
• Since 1960, no further expansion of cultivated land in Palampur.
• Earlier, some wastelands were converted into cultivable land.
• At present – no scope to increase production by bringing new land under cultivation.

3. Measurement of Land:

• Standard unit – hectare.
• 1 hectare = area of a square with each side = 100 metres.
• In villages, land is often measured in local units: bigha, guintha, etc.
• (Exam practice: Compare 1 hectare area with the size of a school ground).

2. Is There A Way One Can Grow More from The Same Land?

1. Cultivation in Palampur:

• All land is cultivated – no land left idle.
• Palampur resembles villages of western Uttar Pradesh in crops and facilities.

2. Seasonal Cropping Pattern:

• Rainy season (Kharif) – jowar and bajra (used as cattle feed).
• October–December – potato cultivation.
• Winter (Rabi season) – wheat is sown.
  a. Farmers keep wheat for family consumption.
  b. Surplus wheat is sold in Raiganj market.
• Sugarcane – grown on part of the land, harvested once a year.
  a. Sold raw or as jaggery to traders in Shahpur.

3. Role of Irrigation in Multiple Cropping:

• Main reason for growing 3 crops a year – well-developed irrigation system.
• Electricity arrived early in Palampur – major transformation in irrigation.
  a. Earlier: Persian wheels used to draw water from wells – irrigated small fields.
  b. With electricity: electric-run tubewells irrigated larger areas more effectively.
• First tubewells installed by government, later by private farmers.
• By mid-1970s – entire cultivated area (200 hectares) irrigated.

4. Irrigation in India (General Note):

• Not all villages in India have high irrigation levels.
• Well-irrigated regions – riverine plains, coastal areas.
• Low irrigation regions – plateau regions (e.g., Deccan plateau).
• Even today, less than 40% of cultivated area in India is irrigated.
• Remaining areas depend mainly on rainfall.

5. Multiple Cropping:

• Definition – growing more than one crop on the same piece of land in a year.
• Most common way to increase production on fixed land.
• In Palampur – all farmers grow at least two main crops.
• Many also grow potato as a third crop (for last 15–20 years).

6. Modern Farming Methods:

• Other way to increase production – use of modern methods for higher yield.
• Yield definition – crop produced per unit of land during a single season.

7. Traditional Farming (till mid-1960s):

• Used traditional seeds – low yields.
• Seeds needed less irrigation.
• Used cow dung and natural manure as fertilizers.
• Inputs were easily available, no extra cost.

8. Green Revolution (Late 1960s onwards):

• Introduced High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds of wheat and rice.
• HYVs produced much larger quantities of grain per plant.
• Required:
  a. Plenty of water.
  b. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
  c. Sometimes farm machinery (tractors, threshers).
• Higher yields only possible with combination of HYV seeds + irrigation + chemical inputs + machinery.

9. Regional Impact:

• Farmers of Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh first adopted HYV seeds and modern methods.
• These farmers installed tubewells, used chemical inputs, and bought farm machinery.
• Result – very high yields, especially in wheat.

10. Example of Yield in Palampur:

• Traditional wheat yield – 1300 kg per hectare.
• HYV wheat yield – 3200 kg per hectare.
• Result – large increase in wheat production and surplus available for sale in markets.

3. Will the Land Sustain?

1. Need for Careful Use of Land:

• Land is a natural resource – must be used carefully.
• Scientific reports warn that modern farming methods have overused natural resources.

2. Negative Impacts of Green Revolution:

• Linked with loss of soil fertility due to heavy use of chemical fertilizers.
• Continuous use of groundwater for tubewell irrigation – depletion of water table.
• Soil fertility and groundwater take years to build up. Once destroyed – very difficult to restore.
• Conclusion – Care for the environment is necessary for sustainable agriculture.

3. Effects of Chemical Fertilizers:

• Provide minerals that dissolve in water and are quickly available to plants.
• Not retained in soil for long – escape and pollute groundwater, rivers, lakes.
• Can kill bacteria and micro-organisms in soil.
• Long-term result – soil becomes less fertile.

4. Case of Punjab:

• Highest consumption of chemical fertilizers in India.
• Continuous use has caused soil degradation.
• Farmers now need to use increasing amounts of fertilizers and inputs to maintain production levels.
• This has led to rising cost of cultivation.

4. How is Land Distributed Between the Farmers of Palampur?

1. Importance of Land:

• Land is the most important factor for farming.
• Not everyone engaged in agriculture has sufficient land.

2. Landless Families:

• Out of 450 families in Palampur – about one-third (150 families) are landless.
• Most landless families belong to dalit communities.
• They have no land for cultivation and depend on work as labourers.

3. Small Farmers:

• 240 families own land but plots are less than 2 hectares in size.
• Such small plots provide inadequate income for the family.
• Village landscape – large number of small, scattered plots cultivated by small farmers.

4. Medium and Large Farmers:

• 60 families cultivate land more than 2 hectares.
• They own more than half the total land area of the village.
• A few large farmers have land extending over 10 hectares or more.

5. Example of Gobind (1960 case study):

• Gobind owned 2.25 hectares of unirrigated land.
• With help of his three sons, the family managed to survive, with some extra income from one buffalo.
• After Gobind’s death, land divided among his sons – 0.75 hectare each.
• Even with improved irrigation and modern methods – income from 0.75 hectare was insufficient.
• Gobind’s sons had to look for additional work during part of the year.

5. Who will Provide the Labour?

1. Importance of Labour:

• After land, labour is the next essential factor of production.
• Farming requires hard physical work.

2. Who Provides Labour:

• Small farmers: cultivate their own fields with help of family members.
• Medium and large farmers: hire farm labourers for their fields.

3. Farm Labourers:

• Labourers usually come from:
  a. Landless families
  b. Families with very small plots of land.
• They do not own rights over crops grown on land.
• Paid wages (in cash, kind, or meals).

4. Variation in Wages and Employment:

• Wages differ based on:
  a. Region
  b. Type of crop
  c. Type of farm activity (e.g. sowing, harvesting).
• Duration of employment varies:
  a. Daily basis
  b. For one farm activity (like harvesting)
  c. For the entire year

5. Case of Dala (Farm Labourer in Palampur):

• Dala: landless farm labourer, works on daily wages.
• Has to regularly search for work.
• Government minimum wage (March 2019): Rs 300/day.
• Dala gets only Rs 160/day.
• Reason: heavy competition for work among labourers.
• Dala and Ramkali (another labourer) – among the poorest people in the village.

6. The Capital Needed in Farming

1. Capital Requirement in Farming:

• Modern farming methods need a large amount of capital.
• Farmers now require more money than before.

2. Small Farmers and Borrowing:

• Most small farmers – need to borrow money for capital.
• Sources of borrowing:
  a. Large farmers
  b. Village moneylenders
  c. Traders (who supply farm inputs).
• High rate of interest charged on loans.
• Repayment of loans causes great distress for small farmers.

3. Medium and Large Farmers:

• Arrange capital from their own savings.
• Savings come from profits earned in farming.
• They don’t face borrowing difficulties like small farmers.

4. Case of Savita (Small Farmer):

• Owns 1 hectare land.
• Plans to cultivate wheat.
• Needs capital for:
  a. Seeds
  b. Fertilisers
  c. Pesticides
  d. Buying water
  e. Repairing farm instruments
• Estimated working capital = Rs 3,000.
• Has no money – borrows from Tejpal Singh (large farmer).
• Loan conditions:
  a. Interest rate: 24% for 4 months (very high).
  b. Must work as a farm labourer on Tejpal Singh’s field during harvest at Rs 100/day (low wage).
• Difficulties faced by Savita:
  a. Has to manage both her own field and work as a labourer.
  b. Harvest season is extremely busy.
  c. Also burdened with household responsibilities as a mother of 3.
  d. Accepts tough conditions because loans are difficult to get for small farmers.

7. Sale of Surplus Farm Products

1. Use of Farm Produce:

• Farmers keep part of the wheat for family consumption.
• Surplus wheat is sold in the market.

2. Small Farmers:

• Have very little surplus wheat.
• Reason:
  a. Low total production.
  b. A substantial portion is kept for family needs.
• Example: Savita and Gobind’s sons.

3. Medium and Large Farmers:

• Major suppliers of wheat to the market.
• Their production is higher, so they have greater surplus.

4. Market System:

• Farmers bring wheat to the Raiganj market.
• Traders buy wheat – sell it further to shopkeepers in towns and cities.
• Bullock carts carrying wheat to the market show the traditional system of transportation.

5. Case Study: Tejpal Singh (Large Farmer):

• Produced a surplus of 350 quintals of wheat.
• Sold wheat at Raiganj market.
• Earnings – Multiple uses:
  a. Savings in bank account (last year).
  b. Lending money to small farmers like Savita.
  c. Working capital for next farming season.
  d. Plans to buy another tractor – increases fixed capital.

6. Use of Earnings by Medium and Large Farmers:

• Savings used for:
  a. Buying capital for next season’s farming.
  b. Purchasing cattle, trucks, or tractors (fixed capital).
  c. Setting up shops or non-farm activities (capital diversification).

7. Key Contrast:

• Small farmers – little to no surplus, struggle with capital.
• Medium and large farmers – enough surplus to sell, save, invest, and expand.

Next & Previous Topics of NCERT/CBSE Economics Class 9 Chapter 1: The Story of Village Palampur

MCQs on NCERT Economics Class 9 Chapter 1 Topic – Farming in Palampur

Here are the top exam-oriented MCQ-type questions on “Farming in Palampur” that you should prepare for your CBSE or state board exams:

Question 1. What percentage of people in Palampur depend on farming for livelihood?

a) 50%
b) 60%
c) 75%
d) 90%

Answer: c) 75%

Question 2. Since which year has there been no expansion in land under cultivation in Palampur?

a) 1950
b) 1960
c) 1970
d) 1980

Answer: b) 1960

Question 3. The standard unit of measuring land is:

a) Bigha
b) Acre
c) Hectare
d) Guintha

Answer: c) Hectare

Question 4. Which crop is grown in Palampur during the rainy (kharif) season?

a) Wheat
b) Jowar and Bajra
c) Potato
d) Sugarcane

Answer: b) Jowar and Bajra

Question 5. Potato is cultivated in which season in Palampur?

a) Winter
b) Summer
c) Between October and December
d) Throughout the year

Answer: c) Between October and December

Question 6. In the winter (rabi) season, which crop is sown in Palampur?

a) Rice
b) Wheat
c) Sugarcane
d) Jowar

Answer: b) Wheat

Question 7. Where do farmers of Palampur sell surplus wheat?

a) Meerut market
b) Shahpur market
c) Raiganj market
d) Delhi market

Answer: c) Raiganj market

Question 8. Sugarcane in Palampur is sold mostly in:

a) Raiganj
b) Shahpur
c) Kanpur
d) Lucknow

Answer: b) Shahpur

Question 9. The main reason farmers of Palampur can grow three crops a year is:

a) Fertile soil
b) Well-developed system of irrigation
c) Cheap labour
d) Government subsidies

Answer: b) Well-developed system of irrigation

Question 10. The entire cultivated area of Palampur (200 hectares) was irrigated by:

a) 1950s
b) Mid-1960s
c) Mid-1970s
d) 1980s

Answer: c) Mid-1970s

Question 11. To grow more than one crop on a piece of land during a year is called:

a) Crop rotation
b) Multiple cropping
c) Modern farming
d) Green Revolution

Answer: b) Multiple cropping

Question 12. Traditional seeds used before 1960s required:

a) High irrigation and fertilisers
b) Less irrigation and natural manure
c) Chemical pesticides
d) HYV support

Answer: b) Less irrigation and natural manure

Question 13. Which seeds were introduced during the Green Revolution in the late 1960s?

a) Traditional seeds
b) High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds
c) Hybrid cotton seeds
d) Cash crop seeds

Answer: b) High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds

Question 14. Which states first tried out modern farming methods?

a) Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh
b) Bihar, Odisha, Assam
c) Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka
d) Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra

Answer: a) Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh

Question 15. The yield of wheat with traditional varieties was:

a) 1500 kg/hectare
b) 1300 kg/hectare
c) 2000 kg/hectare
d) 3200 kg/hectare

Answer: b) 1300 kg/hectare

Question 16. With HYV seeds, the yield of wheat in Palampur increased to:

a) 2000 kg/hectare
b) 2500 kg/hectare
c) 3200 kg/hectare
d) 4000 kg/hectare

Answer: c) 3200 kg/hectare

Question 17. The Green Revolution is associated with loss of:

a) Labour
b) Soil fertility
c) Water supply
d) Crops

Answer: b) Soil fertility

Question 18. Which state consumes the highest amount of chemical fertilisers in India?

a) Uttar Pradesh
b) Haryana
c) Punjab
d) Bihar

Answer: c) Punjab

Question 19. Continuous use of chemical fertilisers makes soil:

a) More fertile
b) Waterlogged
c) Less fertile
d) Highly productive

Answer: c) Less fertile

Question 20. Out of 450 families in Palampur, how many are landless?

a) 100
b) 120
c) 150
d) 200

Answer: c) 150

Question 21. How many families cultivate small plots of land (less than 2 hectares)?

a) 180
b) 200
c) 240
d) 260

Answer: c) 240

Question 22. How many families of medium and large farmers are there in Palampur?

a) 50
b) 60
c) 70
d) 80

Answer: b) 60

Question 23. Who provides labour for small farmers’ fields?

a) Hired labourers
b) Their own family members
c) Only children
d) Government support

Answer: b) Their own family members

Question 24. Farm labourers are usually:

a) Landless families or small farmers
b) Only medium farmers
c) Only upper-caste farmers
d) Traders

Answer: a) Landless families or small farmers

Question 25. What was the minimum wage set by the government for farm labourers in March 2019?

a) Rs 200/day
b) Rs 250/day
c) Rs 300/day
d) Rs 350/day

Answer: c) Rs 300/day

Question 26. How much did Dala, a farm labourer, actually earn?

a) Rs 300
b) Rs 200
c) Rs 160
d) Rs 100

Answer: c) Rs 160

Question 27. Small farmers usually arrange capital by:

a) Government banks
b) Village moneylenders and traders
c) Foreign loans
d) NGOs

Answer: b) Village moneylenders and traders

Question 28. At what interest rate did Tejpal Singh lend money to Savita?

a) 12%
b) 18%
c) 20%
d) 24%

Answer: d) 24%

Question 29. Who mainly sells surplus farm products in Palampur?

a) Landless labourers
b) Small farmers
c) Medium and large farmers
d) Traders only

Answer: c) Medium and large farmers

Question 30. How much surplus wheat did Tejpal Singh sell in Raiganj market?

a) 250 quintals
b) 300 quintals
c) 350 quintals
d) 400 quintals

Answer: c) 350 quintals

Question 31. What did Tejpal Singh plan to buy from his earnings?

a) A buffalo
b) Another tractor
c) A truck
d) A shop

Answer: b) Another tractor