In the context of colonial India, what is meant by the term commercialisation of agriculture?

Introduction / Context:
The phrase commercialisation of agriculture is often used in modern Indian history, especially when discussing the impact of British rule on rural society. This question asks for the basic meaning of that phrase. Understanding this term helps students follow discussions about cash crops, peasant distress, rural indebtedness and the economic roots of political movements in colonial India.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The term commercialisation of agriculture appears in the context of British India. • The options describe different possible meanings, from subsistence farming to government ownership. • We assume commercialisation is related to commerce, markets and sale of produce.

Concept / Approach:
In pre colonial times many peasants mainly grew food crops for their own consumption and for local use, with only limited surplus sold in the market. Under British rule, because of new land revenue demands, railways, export trade and the interests of British industries, peasants were increasingly encouraged or forced to grow crops for sale in distant markets. Examples include indigo, cotton, jute, tea and opium. This process of shifting from subsistence oriented production to market oriented production is called commercialisation of agriculture. It does not mean that the government owns all land, nor does it mean that farmers stop farming and become factory workers.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Break the phrase commercialisation of agriculture into two parts: commercialisation and agriculture. 2. Commercial usually refers to activities connected with commerce and markets, that is, buying and selling for profit. 3. Agriculture refers to farming activities such as growing crops and raising animals. 4. Therefore, in simple terms, commercialisation of agriculture means turning farming into an activity mainly directed towards the market instead of only feeding the family. 5. In colonial India this meant cultivating cash crops and selling produce to traders, often to meet cash revenue demands. 6. Among the options, only the statement about producing crops mainly for sale in the market clearly reflects this meaning.

Verification / Alternative check:
History textbooks on nineteenth century India explain that commercialisation of agriculture increased after the expansion of railways and export trade. They describe how peasants shifted from food crops to cash crops like cotton and indigo, which were sold to traders and exported. This did not involve complete government control of land nor did it mean that peasants stopped farming altogether. The standard definition used in such texts matches option A, which confirms that this is the correct interpretation.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Growing food crops only for the farmers own household needs: This describes subsistence agriculture, which is almost the opposite of commercialisation. Government ownership of all agricultural land and produce: This describes a type of state farming or collectivisation, which is not what occurred under British rule in India. Permanent shift of rural workers from farms to factory employment: This describes industrialisation and rural migration, not the specific process of commercialising agriculture.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse commercialisation with modernisation or mechanisation, thinking that any technological improvement is commercialisation. Others mix it with land reforms or nationalisation. The key idea to remember is the shift in purpose from producing mainly for self consumption to producing mainly for sale in the market. Linking the term with cash crops and export oriented farming in colonial India helps keep the meaning clear and reduces confusion in exam questions.

Final Answer:
Commercialisation of agriculture in colonial India means producing crops mainly for sale in the market rather than for family consumption.