Punjab, Haryana can hedge India against climate-induced food shortages. See data - Siraj Hussain and Shweta Saini

-ThePrint.in

The two states earned a lot of flak during the farmers’ agitation for demanding continuation of the existing system of APMCs and MSP operations.

The global events of the last one year, especially during the Russia-Ukraine war, have again shown the importance of food security to the world. It is critical for India too as it has to provide food to a large population of about 1.39 billion people. Punjab and Haryana continue to be the leading states in contributing to central pool stocks of food grains. The two states earned a lot of flak during the farmers’ agitation for demanding continuation of the existing system of APMCs and Minimum Support Price operations. Like the  rabi marketing season, in the current kharif marketing season 2022-23 (October – September) also, the two states have provided comfort to the Union government.

Paddy crop 2022

Due to delayed monsoon and its erratic monthly spread, both area and yield of paddy may have suffered in many states.

At all India level, area under paddy was about 20 lakh hectares lower than last year (403 lakh hectares in 2022 as compared to 423 lakh hectares in 2021). The sown area was lower in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.

Impact of erratic monsoon is likely to reduce rice production. As per the government’s first advance estimates, India’s kharif rice production is likely to be about seven million metric tonnes (MMTs) lower than last year. It was about 112 MMTs in 2021-22 and is estimated to be about 105 MMTs this year. India also produces rice in rabi season, but its (the season’s) contribution to the country’s annual rice production is only about 15 per cent. So, making up for this loss of production may not be possible.

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