The average rate of output growth since the 1950s has been more than 2.5 % per year and was greater than 3 % during the 1980s, compared with less than 1 % per annum during the time from 1900 to 1950. Most of the growth in aggregate crop output was the result of an increase in yields, rather than an increase in the area under crops. The yield performance of crops has varied widely.

Operation Flood, the world's largest integrated dairy development program, attempted to establish linkages between rural milk producers and urban consumers by organizing farmer-owned and -managed dairy cooperative societies. In the early 1990s, the program was in its third phase and was receiving financial assistance from the World Bank and commodity assistance from the European Economic Community. At that time, India had more than 64,000 dairy cooperative societies, with close to 7.7 million members. These cooperatives accomplished a daily processing capacity of 15.5 million liters of whole milk and 727 tons of milk powder.