Pattern of growth and instability in crop output in Uttar Pradesh from 1891-92 to 1985-86 split in three sub-periods —I : 1891-92 to 1946-47, II: 1949-50 to 1965-66 and III: 1966-67 to 1985-86 has been studied. Area played a major role relative to yield in increasing or decreasing output of various crops in Period II over Period I, with the exception of bajra, wherein yield contributed to increased production inspite of fall in the acreage. In Period III over Period II the contribution of yield was more relative to area in increasing the output of rice, maize, jowar, bajra and sugarcane; area and yield both contributed almost equally in case of wheat. It also came out that the instability in the output of the two important crops of the state, viz., wheat and sugarcane declined consistent y over the three successive periods. Though the production of rice increased considerably during the two periods after independence, the increase being higher in the third period, side by side the instability also increased due to wide fluctuations in yield.