It seems MBI Munshi wanted me to cite some reference as to the level of shortage of food in India-I never received his letter -neither I do visit forums regularly. Here are some statistics --it is about 5 million ton for this year. There was so much of media debate on it in India I thought Mr Munshi, who writes so much on Indian design, must be knowing it. I am surprised with such a little knowledge on India, he writes book on India's design!
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Cons_Products/India_may_have_to_import_rice/articleshow/2493816.cms
NEW DELHI:The country could face a supply shortfall of up to 5 million tonnes of rice, according to indepedent estimates given to the consumer affairs ministry, threatening India with exposure to rice imports. Annual rice production and consumption figures from 2003-04 to 06-07 show a steady increase in the latter by around 1-1.5 million tonnes each year, In 2006-07, rice production stood at 92.7 million tonnes compared with a consumption of 91.8 million tonnes. With the existing tight supply on wheat this year, the demand for rice is not expected to be lower than 1.5 million tonnes, and could be higher, in fact. However, kharif rice production has been pegged at the same level as last year for 07-08, at 81.15 million tonnes, notwithstanding concerted mega food security programmes for increasing acreage such as the National Food Security Mission (NFSM), after key states such as Punjab, Haryana, W Bengal and MP reported marked loss in acreage and crop this year at the recent National Conference on Rabi Campaign, signalling the dangers on domestic rice supply. In addition, rabi rice production is about 10.5-11 million tonnes. In all, that makes it around 92 million tonnes of rice for the crop year compared with an average projected consumption of around 94 m tonnes. In view of the shortage in wheat supply — wheat buffer level with the Centre is expected to be lower than prescribed on April 1, 2008 — and accoutning for population growth, consumption of rice (including PDS, welfare schemes, food security buffer and open market sales) is expected to be higher this year, closer to 96 million tonnes or higher. Even going by tautly scripted maths, the supply shortfall in rice, therefore, is expected to be close to 5 million tonnes. By January 1, the PDS shortfall is projected at atleast 3 m tonne, in addition to another 2 million tonnes shortage on the buffer levels. What spells worse news is the country's negative experience with wheat imports from the global market, where the price is seen to escalate in a marked manner once India intervenes with a massive and sudden demand for food grains. "The pace of the country's population growth and the pace of increase in consumption and demand for foodgrains besides the prevailing economic situation ill, infact, precludes high priced imports on a regular basis to maintain food security as a non-viable option" a sectoral analyst said. Significantly, the current exigencies on the rice production and supply front should explain why there is intense pressure on the Centre to announce, perhaps for the first time ever, a second bonus for paddy so soon after a belated bonus was announced just recently. |
__._,_.___
Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe
__,_._,___