Foodgrains flatline

The agriculture ministry may be glorifying the projected bumper rabi crop this year, but India8217;s foodgrain production scenario is throw...

The agriculture ministry may be glorifying the projected bumper rabi crop this year, but India8217;s foodgrain production scenario is throwing up more cause for concern than celebration.

Figures available for the past five years indicate that food production has remained stagnant8212;ups and downs, but no significant increases8212;even as the population grows every year. Even this year, an abysmal kharif season negates the positive rabi projections 106.36 million tonnes to pull down total food production by three million tonnes.

In the last five years, the lowest foodgrain production was recorded in 2002-03, while the highest was in 2000-01. While 2002-03 was officially a drought year, foodgrain production was hit last year after a sudden rise in temperatures in March when the grains develop.

But unstable weather is only one of the reasons experts attribute to the almost-stagnant food production. Other factors include faulty water management, decreasing nutrient levels in soil, unavailability of scientific knowledge and the absence of a real breakthrough in seed technology.

8216;8216;The initial fertility of the soil is going down. There is a deficiency of micro-nutrients like boron and zinc. We are now recommending balanced fertiliser use to farmers,8217;8217; said Dr R C Gautam, head of Agronomy at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute. 8216;8216;Thirty years ago, 120 kg of nitrogen was used to harvest 55-60 quintals of rice. Now for the same 60 quintal you need 40 kg extra. There is a lowering of factor productivity.8217;8217;

Two other issues that need to be addressed immediately, say experts, are water management and development of quality hybrid seeds. 8216;8216;We have to ensure timely availability of these seeds. In crops like maize, hybrids have substantially increased production,8217;8217; said Dr Mangala Rai, director-general of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research.

A combination of water management and hybrid, drought-resistant seeds, experts said, would boost foodgrain production even in the face of bad weather conditions. Others, however, believe that the seed that can usher in a second revolution is still to be developed in India.

Story continues below this ad

8216;8216;There is a need for a technology breakthrough, which is a research function. Simon Barlaug developed a Mexican wheat which increased wheat production in India substantially. That8217;s what we need now,8217;8217; said a ministry official.

Though Finance Minister P Chidambaram addressed several of these issues in his Budget, announcing plans for water-saving micro-irrigation and crop diversification, experts pointed out that plenty of hurdles remained.

8216;8216;Consider crop diversification. A farmer will not diversify if the new crops are not as remunerative as wheat and rice,8217;8217; said an agriculture expert. 8216;8216;The key lies not in announcing plans but in actually implementing them.8217;8217;