Political and social factors associated with the public allocation of agricultural inputs in a green revolution area, the case of Rajasthan

THE MAJOR PROBLEM FOR FARMERS IS ACCESS TO CHEMICAL FERTILIZER. THE GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTS TO ASSURE EQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF FERTILIZER AT A FIXED PRICE AND IN FIXED AMOUNTS PER CULTIVATOR. THE ATTEMPT IS UNSUCCESSFUL. FERTILIZER ALLOCATIONS ARE AFFECTED BY FACTORS OF SOCIAL PRESTIGE, POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT AND PATRON-CLIENT NETWORKS (VOTE-BUYING), FRIENDSHIPS AND BRIBES BETWEEN FARMERS AND ADMINISTRATORS, AND BLACK MARKET OPERATIONS. THE COMBINATION OF GOVERNMENT REGULATORY POLICY, POOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, AND ECONOMICALLY WEAK RURAL COOPERATIVES PREVENTS MANY FARMERS FROM MAXIMIZING THEIR FERTILIZER INPUTS.