What were the circumstances that led to the commercialization of agriculture during the British period?

Commercialisation of agriculture refers to the shift from cultivation of food crops to that of cash crops in India. This shift was a direct cause of British invasion and rule over India:

1. Under the permanent settlement system of land revenue collection during British rule, the farmers were denied ownership of their land. Instead they were tenants who cultivated the land owned by Zamindars.

2. In return of cultivable land, the tenants were forced to pay taxes, as high as 60 per cent of their produce. These taxes had to be paid in cash, and that too before the harvest of the crop

3. Consequently, the farmer had to borrow money at high interest rates from the moneylenders, and give this money as tax. The money was borrowed against mortgaged property.

4. In order to maximise his profits, hence, the farmers in India turned towards cultivating crops that fetched higher prices in market. A common variety of such crops were cash crops required in Britain like indigo, cotton, tea, sugarcane etc.

5. Hence, more farmers diverted land away from food crops and into cash crops that was required by the European market, breaking down the erstwhile system of food sufficiency of the villages.