what were the reasons for the expansion of cultivation during the colonial period?

In 1600, approximately one-sixth of India’s landmass was under cultivation. Now that figure has gone up to about half. As population increased over the centuries and the demand for food went up,

peasants extended the boundaries of cultivation, clearing forests and breaking new land. In the colonial period, cultivation expanded rapidly for a variety of reasons. First, the British directly encouraged the production of commercial crops like jute, sugar, wheat and cotton. The demand for these crops increased in nineteenth-century Europe where foodgrains were needed to feed the growing urban

population and raw materials were required for industrial production. Second, in the early nineteenth century, the colonial state thought that forests were unproductive. They were considered to be wilderness that had to be brought under cultivation so that the land could yield agricultural products and revenue, and enhance the income of the state. So between 1880 and 1920, cultivated area rose by 6.7 million hectares. We always see the expansion of cultivation as a sign of progress. But we should not forget that for land to be brought under the plough, forests have to be cleared.

1. because the colonial government was greedy and start collecting land taxes from the people so the people started cultivating land to pay the revenue.
2. the forest are cut for the cultivation so the britishers easily get trees.

• the british directly encouraged the production of commrcial crops
• the demand for the food grains increased in 19th century .europe were food grains where needed to feed growing urban population and raw material were needed for  industrial production
• in the i9th century colonial state thought forest as un productive and wilserness tht had to be brought under cultivation so that the land could yield agricultural products and revenue and enhance the income of the state

n 1600, approximately one-sixth of Indias landmass was under cultivation. Now that figure has gone up to about half. As population increased over the centuries and the demand for food went up,

peasants extended the boundaries of cultivation, clearing forests and breaking new land. In the colonial period, cultivation expanded rapidly for a variety of reasons. First, the British directly encouraged the production of commercial crops like jute, sugar, wheat and cotton. The demand for these crops increased in nineteenth-century Europe where foodgrains were needed to feed the growing urban

population and raw materials were required for industrial production. Second, in the early nineteenth century, the colonial state thought that forests were unproductive. They were considered to be wilderness that had to be brought under cultivation so that the land could yield agricultural products and revenue, and enhance the income of the state. So between 1880 and 1920, cultivated area rose by 6.7 million hectares. We always see the expansion of cultivation as a sign of progress. But we should not forget that for land to be brought under the plough, forests have to be cleared and

• the british directly encouraged the production of commrcial crops
• the demand for the food grains increased in 19th century .europe were food grains where needed to feed growing urban population and raw material were needed for industrial production
• in the i9th century colonial state thought forest as un productive and wilserness tht had to be brought under cultivation so that the land could yield agricultural products and revenue and enhance the income of the state.