Here is a compilation of essays on ‘Food Problem in India’ for class 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Food Problem in India’ especially written for school and college students.
Essay on Food Problem in India
Essay Contents:
- Essay on the Historical Evolution of Food Problem
- Essay on the Nature of the Food Problem
- Essay on the Chief Features of India Diets
- Essay on Food Deficit Areas
- Essay on Food Requirements for the Country
- Essay on Food Policy of the Government
- Essay on the Food Corporation of India
- Essay on the Evaluation of the Government’s Food Policy
- Essay on Food Security in India
Essay # 1. Historical Evolution of Food Problem:
Three fundamental or basic needs of humanity are food, shelter and clothing. Rightly does the Indian Constitution provide that every man, woman and child has a right to food, to work and to enjoy the basic necessities like education, medical aid and employment facilities. Unfortunately, even after 50 years of Independence, the problem of food has remained unsolved. It has been estimated that every third person in Asia, suffers from hunger and a much larger people suffer from malnutrition. India is no exception to this observation.
According to Dr. P.V. Sukhatme, “Every 4 persons out of 10 in the world are hungry and one of them is an Indian. Roughly 10% of our people are under-nourished and therefore, hungry”. Millions of people live on starvation line, they are ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-doctored, ill-housed, ill-educated and steeped in poverty.
Malnutrition, starvation and occasional famines have been more or less endemic under Indian conditions. “During the last 300 years, India has experienced 26 major famines- during the last 700 years, there have been 17 very severe food disasters- and during the historical times of the 34 great famines of the world 18 have occurred in India. The frequency and cyclical order show the peculiar susceptibility of this country to crop failures and recurrent shortages of food supply.”
Scarcities and famines in the 19th century were due not to the actual shortage of food in relation to its total population but to the lack of transport facilities and consequent difficulty of moving supplies from one part of the country to the other.
In the earlier part of the nineteenth century, India was a self- sufficient country in matters of food production, but in 1880, the Famine Commission sounded a note of warning that excessive pressure of population on land was resulting in inefficient cultivation of land and lower per capita availability of food. It pointed out that the country, taken as a whole, was definitely surplus in food. But the minority numbers opined that the alleged surplus (of 5 million tonnes) was greatly overestimated.
By 1880 India had reached a position where demand and supply were precariously balanced at the levels of income and population and that an increase either in population or incomes were likely to upset the balance. On the other hand, Shri Gopalaswamy, basing his conclusion on the average level of exports of foodgrains at that time has observed that “in or about 1880 India was normally surplus in foodgrains including both rice and wheat and the surplus was of the order of 12 lakh tonnes”.
As per his findings, the exports of foodgrains amounted to 2.4 m. tonnes in 1895-96. Even in famine years, 1896-97 and 1899-1900, India exported 1.5 m. and 2.2 m. tonnes of foodgrains respectively. Again, the Famine Commission of 1898 put the annual surplus in food grains at 9.5 m. tonnes. During 1890-91 to 1919-20, India exported 72.8 lakh tonnes of foodgrains, while imports amounted to 34.6 lakh tonnes.
The net exports of foodgrains declined from the yearly average of 1.4 m. tonnes in five years ending 1894-95 to 0.4 m. tonnes in the quinquennium ending 1919-20. The five year period 1981-85 turned out to be the dividing line between self-sufficiency and shortage in foodgrains in the country. It was at this time that India ceased to be surplus or even self-sufficient in foodgrains and came to be a net importer of foodgrains, the net annual imports in five years ending 1924-25 being 1.6 lakh tonnes.
There was a rapid increase in population after 1921 but for the time being this was offset by expansion of production and increase in trade flaws. Between 1920-21 and 1939-40, the average annual exports fell from 9.8 lakh tonnes in 1921-25 to 6.9 lakh tonnes in 1936-40, whereas imports increased from 1.4 m. tonnes to 207 m. tonnes.
The position deteriorated further after the separation of Burma in 1937. This was further aggravated with the outbreak of Second World War, so that rice imports from Burma were suddenly cut off in 1942 with the fall of Burma, in the Japanese hands. In 1941-42, the net imports diminished to 4.3 lakh tonnes from 9.6 lakh tonnes in 1940-41.
During 1942-43, with the complete cessation of imports and crop failures in Bengal the situation deteriorated very rapidly when 3.5 million people died of starvation. However, under an International agreement, a net supply of 3.0 lakh tonnes was received by India. Imports of foodgrains had to be managed to the tune of 7.3 and 9.3 lakh tonnes during 1943-44 and 1944-45.
On an average between 1940 and 1946, the imports were only half a million tonnes; whereas before the war they averaged 1.39 million tonnes. As prices of imports rose heavily, India suffered a net loss of Rs. 199 million in 1940-41 to 1946-47 period as against a loss of Rs. 78 million in 1930-31 to t 1939-40 period. In the post-war period imports rose sharply from 2.58 million tonnes in 1946-47 to 3.05 million tonnes in 1948-49.
The deficit on the basis of 1947-48 production figures were estimated at 4.8 m. tonnes. During 1947-52, the average level of imports was 3.72 million tonnes. Imports of foodgrains have shown a fluctuating tendency with fluctuating production from year to year.
The bulk of imports of foodgrains were from Argentina and U.S.A. Imports were also made from Australia, Canada and U.S.S.R. partly on commercial basis and partly as aid. Other importers are U.S.S.R., Burma, Thailand and Cambodia.
By the time the First Plan came to be drawn, the annual deficit as measured by imports was around 3 m. tonnes. As against a target of 61.5 m. tonnes, during the First Plan period, the food production stood at 65.8 m. tonnes, which marked an increase of 11.8 m. tonnes over 1949-50. Imports of foodgrains steadily declined from 4.8 m. tonnes in 1951 to 0.7 m. tonnes in 1955. The year 1953-54 was agriculturally the best of the whole plan period. Food production showed a phenomenal increase of 14.4 m. tonnes over the base year (1949-50) production of 54 m. tonnes.
With the Second Plan, began the more serious phase of the food problem in the country. The last year of the First Plan was agriculturally not as good as the preceding two years. There were scarcity conditions in certain parts of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Bihar, Orissa and Tamil Nadu in 1955-56. The States of Assam, W. Bengal, U.P., Delhi and Punjab were affected by floods; while certain coastal districts of Tamil Nadu suffered on account of cyclone. The damage, however, was mostly caused to inferior grains.
Supplies of foodgrains began to run short of market demand, which necessitated once again dependence on imports to bridge the gap. In 1956, 1.4 m. tonnes of foodgrains were imported. Next year there was a sharp decline in production of foodgrains, the production index falling from 120.5 in 1956-57 to 107.3 in 1957-58. Imports of foodgrains shot upto 3.6 m. tonnes in 1957, 3.2 m. tonnes in 1958 and 3.8 m. tonnes in 1959. Agricultural production increased in 1958-59 and 1959-60.
Production of foodgrains was 77.6 m.tonnes in 1958-59 as against 65.4 m. tonnes in 1957-58. In 1959-60 the output was slightly lower, being 74.7 m. tonnes. The unexpected increase in production had led the planners to revise their Second Plan target of food production to 80 m. tonnes. In 1960-61, the production was of the order of 79.7 m. tonnes.
Even this proved inadequate to meet the market demand. Hence, 5.1 m. tonnes of foodgrains were imported in 1960. Agricultural Production Team (1959) observed, “An immediate and drastic increase in food production is India’s primary problem of next 7 years. Without enough food India’s hopes for improving human welfare, achieving social justice and securing democracy will become almost impossible of attainment.”
The Team estimated that the country was short of 28 m. tonnes of foodgrains in 1966 and, therefore, a target of 110 m. tonnes was suggested by it for the Third Plan. However, the Plan put the target of 100 m. tonnes to be sufficient for securing self-sufficiency in foodgrains. Unfortunately, agricultural production throughout the five years of the Plan except in 1961-62 was 82.7 m. tonnes. It fell to 78.5 m. tonnes in 1962-63, the year 1964-65 suffered from adverse climatic conditions.
The domestic output of foodgrains in 1961-62 was 82.7 m. tonnes. It fell to 78.5 m. tonnes in 1962-63 and 80.2 m. tonnes in 1963-64. There was a record production of 89 m. tonnes in 1964-65 but was followed by a steep fall to 72.3 m. tonnes in 1965-66 which was a year of severe drought in several parts of the country. Demand was rising on account of increase in population and rise in incomes caused by development and defence expenditure.
This caused a wide gap which had to be filled up by larger imports, intensification of internal procurement, taking over greater responsibility for distribution of available supplies by extension of rationing and opening of more fair price shops and launching an emergency food production drive to encourage production of foodgrains. Imports amounted to 4.5 m. tonnes in 1963, they rose sharply to 7.4 m. tonnes in 1965 and 10.3 m. tonnes in 1966.
Taking an overall view of the Plan period as a whole, we find that our difficulties in the matter of foodgrains have, on the demand side arisen primarily from rapid increase in population and rise in income. As compared with 369 m. in 1950-51. India had to feed a population of 511 m. in 1966-67. In the first two Plan periods, increase in production was keeping pace with the growth of demand but during the Third Plan, production fell far behind the increase in demand.
The food situation that was difficult during the Second Plan period became serious after 1960-61. The two droughts in 1965-66 and 1966-67 rendered it critical so that the imports amounted to 86.67m. tonnes in 1967. Following the recovery of production in 1967-68 from the abnormally low level of two drought years, there was an increase of production of foodgrains after 1967.
Foodgrains production has increased substantially in India. As a result under normal agricultural conditions there is no need to import foodgrains. Now, India imports some foodgrains to meet occasional deficits and to fulfil trade obligation. Net import of foodgrains was 4.8 million tonnes in 1951. For a long period India remained a food deficit economy. Net import of foodgrains was very high in 1967.
India imported 10.3 million tonnes of foodgrain in 1966. The situation on food front gradually improved and now India is a food surplus economy. Foodgrains production has substantially increased in India. There is no need to import foodgrains under normal agricultural conditions. Now India imports some foodgrains to meet occasional deficits and to fulfil trade obligations. Net import of foodgrains is continuously negative in India since 1995 as agricultural exports are more than agricultural imports.
Essay # 2. Nature of the Food Problem:
India suffers not only from physical hunger but also from specific hunger, i.e., there is to be found not only the quantitative inadequacy of the diet (known as under-nutrition) but there is also deficiency of one or more essential nutrients in the diet (known as malnutrition). People who do not get enough quantity of food to eat are under nourished and those whose diets are inadequate in quality are malnourished. The under nourished are however, usually malnourished.
Though there is tendency of variation in foodgrain production, but overall foodgrain production has continuously increased during the plan period. Net production of foodgrains has been taken as 87.5 per cent of the gross production of foodgrains, remaining 12.5 per cent has been provided for seeds, feed requirement and waste. Net availability of foodgrains can be enhanced by controlling wastage of foodgrains particularly after the crops.
It has been estimated that problem of foodgrain waste is becoming serious in various other countries of the world. Actually foodgrain saved is equal to additional production of foodgrains. Though net availability on average basis has increased but there is qualitative gap in the food requirement.
On an all-India basis, about one-third (35.0 per cent) of the population was under-nourished. This is in broad agreement with the estimate of Sukhatme who observed that a quarter of India’s households were underfed during 1935-48, and since there has been no appreciable quantitative change in the diet of the people during the last 15 years, the estimate of those who are under-nourished seems to hold good even today.
Opines Dr. Madalgi that, if we take the deficiency of calorie intake of 15 per cent or more than the nutritionally required quantity as a definite indication of under-nutrition, about one-tenth (9.2 per cent) of the urban population and 40.3 per cent of the rural population was under nourished in 1959-60, the all-India average being 35.0 per cent.
The incidence of mal-nutrition is difficult to assess. The evidence indicates that it is far higher and can be placed at least 50 per cent for India as a whole. Further, the majority of the under-nourished are also malnourished. It would appear that some 250 millions of India’s population today are either under-nourished or malnourished or both.
When, over 60 per cent of the population in the country have a per capita total consumption expenditure of less than half a rupee per day it is scarcely surprising if most of them are unable to meet adequately their needs of calories, proteins and other nutrients for a healthy, active life.
According to the National Survey made during 1959-60, about one-tenth (9.2 per cent) of the urban and two-fifths (40.3 per cent) of the rural population were under-nourished; for all India, the proportion was about one-third (35.0 per cent). This is the broad magnitude of hunger in India.
The intensity of hunger, i.e., percentage of shortfall in intake of nutrition requirements, varied from 22 to 55 per cent in rural area and between 21 and 38 per cent in urban area. In other words, about 24 million (6.8 per cent) persons were subsisting on just one meal a day and other 125 million (29.2 per cent) persons had to go without a meal every alternate day.
Studies indicate that there is a daily average of 2,040 calories for each person in the country, but in large areas people have to subsist on around 1,000 calories a day. Calories apart, the chief fault with the Indian diet is that it is lopsided-preponderant in carbohydrates and low in proteins.
The phenomenon of under-nutrition coupled with increase in population and per capita incomes, on the one hand, and stagnant production and hoarding activities of traders on the other is mainly responsible for the present food difficulties.
Essay # 3. Chief Features of India Diets:
Indian diet primarily consists of cereals and pulses, which contribute on the average over 75 per cent of the calorie supply, 85 per cent of protein supply, most of the thiamine and niacin supply about 70 per cent of iron, but only some 30 per cent of fat supply, 40 per cent calcium, 15 per cent of vitamin A, 50 per cent of riboflavin and negligible amount of vitamins C and D.
The Diet Atlas of India recently released by the Indian Council of Medical Research (July 9, 1965) reveals some interesting facts about Indian diets. It says that “Rural people provide a large proportion of their total expenditure for foodgrains as compared with the urbanites. On an average, a villager has 41 per cent of his expenditure on foodgrains, eight per cent on milk and milk products and 19 per cent on other items. Against this, the city dweller has 25 per cent of his expenditure on foodgrains, 9 per cent on milk products and 26 per cent on other items.”
The survey shows that more than half of the population of the country is non-vegetarian though in Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan non-vegetarians constitute less than 40 per cent of the State population.
The calorie intake per adult in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, U .P. and West Bengal is about 3,000 while in other States it ranges from 2,000 to 2,500. Kerala has the lowest intake with only about 1,800 calories.
The diet is preponderant in cereals. In cereals there is regional variation in consumption, rice being preferred in Southern and Eastern States; wheat in Central and Northern states and millets and coarse grains in Western and Central India and some specified areas in several states.
Consumption of pulses is highest in Uttar Pradesh followed by Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal and Bihar—between 60 and 100 grams. In Kerala, consumption of pulses is less than 20 per cent.
In Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and U.P., people consume about 160 grams of millets on an average, while in Madhya Pradesh the average consumption is only 20 grams. Kerala, West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh consume no millets at all.
As regards consumption of milk and milk products Punjab tops the list with a daily consumption of 220 grams, followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra with 140 and 100 grams respectively. Kerala and Bihar are at the far end with less than 20 grams.
In the case of sugar and jaggery, too, Punjab tops the list—on an average 85 grams are consumed per day per adult. West Bengal and Maharashtra come next with 40 grams each, Bihar, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh have the minimum consumption level.
The consumption of oils is characterised largely by a regional variation in regard to the type of oil consumed. The major vegetable oils consumed are groundnut oil, mustard oil and sesame oil. The Central and the Western India consume groundnut oil to a large extent; whereas, Northern and Eastern India prefer mustard oil and Southern India generally consumes sesame oil excepting Kerala where coconut oil is the choice.
Ghee is liked all over India. Now hydrogenated oil (Vanaspati) has entered in Indian dietary because it compares favourably with ghee in consistency appearance, use and price.
An analysis of data from dietary surveys shows that well over 90 per cent of the calorie supply of under-nourished households comes from cereals, starchy roots, sugar and pulses, whereas in other countries, these supply only 57 per cent of the calories and the rest is derived from animal products. India consumes less than 2,000 calories per person per day, with 75 per cent of the calories derived from cereals, starchy roots, pulses and sugar; whereas rich countries consume 3,050 calories per person per day, the share of carbohydrates being 57 per cent.
In other words, an average Indian lives on only one-third of a ton per year as against a quantity of 3 to 4 times as large in the rich countries. Besides, India consumes 51 gm. of total protein, with only 6 gm. derived from animal sources. In contrast, the total protein, supplies available per capita per day in rich countries is 90 gms., with 44 grams derived from animal sources.
Among the different animal products the consumption of meat add eggs in India is very negligible while that of fish is only one-fifth and that of milk one-fourth of that in rich countries. The consumption of fruits and vegetable is less than one-fourth of that in the rich countries.
However, the most satisfactory feature of the Indian diet is the level and nature of the vegetable protein which is derived from pulses and nuts. Most of the animal protein is derived from milk.
It may be said, the total calorific value of the present average diet is below 2,000 units as against the requirements of 3,000 units. The deficiency is more marked in respect of nutritional quality since items like milk, fish, meat, eggs, fruits and vegetables do not enter into the diet of most of the Indians. The deficiency is rather slight in case of pulses, sugar and jaggery. In other words, the expensive proteins and protective foods are not available to the average Indian and the average diet falls far short of adequate and the rate of improvement leaves much to be desired.
As a result of inadequate food consumption, people become lethargic and sluggish, movements become slow, infrequent and interrupted by long pauses and any continuous effort is avoided as far as possible. On the other hand, the insufficiency of essential nutrients directly results in the occurrence of specific deficiency diseases, retardation of growth, poor development in physique, low resistance to disease and infections and low working efficiency. These in turn contribute to high morbidity and mortality among children and low expectation of life.
“It may be that while the overall pattern of consumption might show an upward trend in terms of calories in future, the great increase in population is sure to render both self-sufficiency in food supply and an adequate consumption for every Indian, impossible in near future, unless there is a considerable reduction in the present rates of population growth and appropriate changes in our food habits, the attainment of proper nutritional standard would require a high rate of expansion in food production.”
According to the findings of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in India, “if everyone is given a balanced diet there will be a shortage of 27 per cent in the case of foodgrains, 50 per cent in the case of pulses, 100 per cent in the case of fruits, 100 per cent in the case of vegetables, 150 per cent in the case of oils and fats and 630 per cent in the case of milk and the shortage in the case of meat, fish and eggs amounts to several hundred per cent.” This is a tremendous task in the present circumstances.
The deficiency of food has been estimated in terms of calories at 22 per cent; in terms of proteins 38 per cent and in terms of fat 54 per cent. The inadequacies in the current diet are strikingly brought out when the diet is compared with food supplies needed to attain the minimum level of nutrition. It shows that the food available today is barely three quarters of the diet under minimum target which is considered as a minimum essential for a healthy active life.
Dr. Sukhatme has calculated that “during 1958-59 and 1960-61 India had an immediate deficit of some 4 million tonnes in cereals; 6 m. tonnes in pulses, 9 m. tonnes in fruits and vegetables, and an equal amount in milk, 2 m. tonnes in other animal products, and a little over 1 m. tonnes in oil. These deficits imply that the available total supplies in foodgrains must be increased by 15 per cent and those in protective food must be at least 50 per cent to attain the minimum level of nutritional target. Specifically, the increases needed range from about 5 per cent in cereals, to 60 per cent in pulses, 70% in fruits and vegetables, 120% in meat, eggs and fish, 45% in milk and 65 per cent in fats and oils….. ”
Interpreted in terms of future needs, the minimum goal of nutrition implies that for every 10 million increase in population India would have to provide a total of some 2 m. tonnes of additional foodgrains, half a million tonnes of fruit and vegetables and four-fifths of a million tonnes of additional animal products, mostly milk.
Essay # 4. Food Deficit Areas:
Not all areas in the country are surplus areas in matters of food production.
However, four main scarcity pockets may be mentioned as below:
1. Areas like Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Northern Bihar which have a very dense population, extremely small holdings and low per capita income, and are mainly paddy growing areas with heavy rainfall and subject to frequent floods and other natural calamities. In these areas the rural people live in a precarious condition and when either floods come or rains fall, there is acute distress. In the loan season, prices tend to spurt up even on slight disturbance making these areas epicentres for further rise in prices in neighbouring areas.
2. There are areas like the districts of W. Bengal near Kolkata with similar economic and demographic conditions where the disturbing factor is often the pressure of demand supported by high purchasing power from the neighbouring metropolis whenever prices there tend to go up for any reason.
3. There are dry areas, e.g., some of the millet growing areas of Western India (including Rajasthan and Gujarat) and the Deccan Plateau which have relatively sparse population with scanty rainfall. The yield of land in these areas is usually poor and the income of the farmers is also amongst the lowest in the country. These areas are subject to frequent drought which initiates the usual vicious circle of failure of crops followed by rise in prices, scarcity amongst the people, hoarding and further rises in prices.
4. There are tribal areas, i.e., in Assam and Central India where per capita income is low, transport cost is high and the economy is not only primitive but also often isolated from the rest of the country. Any failure of local crops leads to unusual distress in these areas.
It is primarily the first three types of scarcity areas where the first signs of difficulty manifest themselves.
Essay # 5. Food Requirements for the Country:
From time to time efforts have been made to find out as to how much foodgrains are required for the country. The First Five Year Plan pointed out that roughly India had a food shortage of 10 per cent of the production, on the basis that everyone needed 14 ounces of foodgrains per day. For this an increase of 7.6 m. tonnes of foodgrains was considered necessary (i.e., from 54.0 m. tonnes to 61.6 m. tonnes). The actual production in 1955-56 was 63.4 m. tonnes. This eased the food situation to some extent.
The Second Plan pointed out that if the consumption of grains is to be increased to 19 ozs. per day (from 17.2 ozs), India would require 15 m. tonnes of foodgrains over and above what it produces (i.e., the production was to increase from 65 m. tonnes to 80 m. tonnes). As against this target the actual production was of 79 tonnes by the end of the plan period.
The Agricultural Production Team (1959) suggested an increase of foodgrains production to 110 m. tonnes. Of this 88 m. tonnes was needed for consumption purposes; 126 m. tonnes for seed and wastage and 9.4 m. tonnes for seed requirements and safety margin. The requirements of foodgrains were estimated for a population of 480 m. persons on the basis of 15 ozs. of cereals and 3 ozs. of pulses by 1965-66. The Team suggested, therefore, a rate of increase of 8.2 per cent per annum and said that unless this rate is achieved there will be a shortfall of about 25 per cent or 28 m. tonnes (of the requirements).
The Third Plan fixed the target of 100 m. tonnes to be achieved by 1965-66. But unfortunately the production was only 79 m. tonnes in 1963-64, leaving a very big gap between the requirements and the total available supply.
In view of the growth of population and allowing for some improvement in consumption standards, the demand for foodgrains at the end of the Fourth Plan was estimated at around 120 m. tonnes. But the total production was of the order of only 104 m. tonnes. On this basis the Draft Fifth Plan has estimated that India should produce 110 m. tonnes of foodgrains by 1978-79.
A recent estimate put the demand for foodgrains for 1977 at 125.7 m. tonnes on the assumption of a per capita daily consumption of 470 gms. of foodgrains. On the basis of population figure given by the Registrar General of India, for the year 2,000, that if family planning measures succeed, the population may be around 80.3 crores and if they do not succeed, it may be 85 crores. On these two assumptions Bhatia has placed the requirements of foodgrains at 160 m. tonnes for the lower population figure and 167.8 m. tonnes for the higher population figures.
According the Draft Five Year Plan (1978-83), the foodgrains production will have to be of the order of 140.48 to 144.48 million tonnes, of the per capita availability is reckoned at 177 kgs per year. This may have to increase to 190 kgs by 1987-88, on the assumption that the growth of foodgrains demand on the part of the middle and high-income population will decelerate, but the growth of demand from the low-income population will accelerate as greater purchasing power percolates.
On these assumptions, the total demand for foodgrains may be 169 million tonnes in 1978-79. If a lower per capita availability is assumed, it may be 164 million tonnes. The food consumption basket is getting increasingly diversified, though the cereals still dominate. The food expenditure is increasing towards high value segment of food articles such as fruit, vegetable, milk, eggs and fish etc. The NSSO data also shows that between 1993-94 and 2004- 05 the per capita consumption of cereals increases among the poorest 5.0 per cent of the population while it fell among the remaining 95.0 per cent.
Essay # 6. Food Policy of the Government:
The gravity of the food situation has never been realised in true sense except at the time of serious crisis. Whenever widespread famines occurred, the problem was recognised and was tackled according to the capacity of the Government and with varying degrees of success.
Prior to 1942, no serious steps were taken by the then Government of India to meet the food deficiency in the country either by way of re-organisation of agriculture or by means of large scale imports. However, with the outbreak of Bengal Famine in 1943, the Government initiated the ‘Grow More Food Campaign.’
The measure was the result of the recommendations of the Foodgrains Policy Committee. The Campaign did not fix any target for increase in production of foodgrains but laid down the lines along which efforts for increased production might be made.
These included:
(i) Switch-over from cash crops, mainly short staple cotton to food crops;
(ii) Intensive cultivation of cultivated lands through irrigation, better seeds and manures, and better farming practices; and
(iii) Extensive cultivation by bringing under plough current fallows, cultivable waste lands, etc.
Unfortunately, the results were not very impressive because the whole programme was not supplemented by a comprehensive integrated plan for overall agricultural development and reorganization. Further, the failure was also due to lack of an agency for conveying the message of the campaigns to the actual cultivators.
Other measures taken upto meet the food shortage consisted of the formulation and administration of food controls, introduction of procurement system from villages, equitable distribution through statutory rationing and controls on prices. In August, 1947, as a result of these measures, food rationing was in progress in all big towns and cities covering about 145 million people.
The movement was placed on a planned footing for the next five years from 1947-48. The all-India target for additional production was fixed at 4 m. tonnes meanwhile the Foodgrains Policy Committee, appointed in 1947, recommended upward revision of the target of additional production to 10 m. tonnes out of which 3 m. tonnes were to be obtained by reclamation of about 10 m. acres of land and the rest through increased productivity from the area under cultivation.
The measures suggested for achieving the targets were:
(i) Greater attention to minor irrigation works, development of local manurial resources and distribution of improved seeds;
(ii) Plans for production of fertilizers;
(iii) Survey of groundwater resources with a view to undertaking tube-well construction; and
(iv) Setting up of central organisation for undertaking reclamation and development of large blocks of culturable waste.
In 1948, the Government invited Lord Boyd Orr to review the working of the campaign and to make suggestions. He recommended that the whole campaign should be placed on emergency footing and bottlenecks of supply and movement of essential materials required for agriculture should be removed. He suggested that self-sufficiency in foodgrains should be achieved by March, 1952. The deficit to be made up was 4.8 lakh tonnes.
In 1952, a Grow More Food Enquiry Committee was set up for examining the working of the G.M.F. campaign. This Committee recommended that the present G.M.F. campaign should be enlarged so as to cover a wider plan for development of village life in all its aspects.
When food situation worsened in 1955, the prices rose very high. To study the price trends in foodgrains the Foodgrains Enquiry Committee was set up in July 1957.
According to this Committee, the rise in the prices of foodgrains was due to:
(i) A large proportion of foodgrains being retained by the cultivators,
(ii) The increased outlay under the Second Plan and increased bank credit which pushed up the price level; and
(iii) Undue optimism about the food situation led to the slackening or at least prevented the accelerating of efforts for increased food production in many States.
The Committee recommended:
(i) The establishment of ‘Price Stabilisation Board’ so as to stabilise the prices of foodgrains in the country;
(ii) Establishment of Central Foodgrains Advisory Board;
(iii) Setting up of cheap foodgrains shops;
(iv) Temporary measures of food control in Mumbai and Kolkata;
(v) Removal of rationing and control;
(vi) The Government to take over the wholesale business of foodgrains;
(vii) Imports of foodgrains to be encouraged for few years;
(viii) More attention to be given to grow more food campaign in the Second Plan;
(ix) United efforts on an ‘All-India basis’ to check the growth of population to be taken up and Government supervision of foodgrains business, etc.
These recommendations were accepted by the Government to a large extent.
In 1959, the Government of India invited the Ford Foundation Team experts to give constructive suggestions for solving the country’s food problem. The Team suggested a 110 million tonnes target to provide food enough for the added millions, and to provide some dietary improvement and a safety margin for poor crop years and emergency condition. It was of the opinion that this target can be realized only if an all-out emergency food programme is undertaken. Food production must be given the highest priority.
Some of the important recommendations of the Team were:
(1) Since India is a large country with great diversification in climatic and other conditions, no blanket programme will fit all areas. The problem of different areas under different conditions should be solved on its own basis, i.e., improvement programmes should be tailored to fit the conditions faced by individual cultivators village by village, block by block and area by area.
(2) The main task should be to develop the low average to the higher levels of output, already attained by individual cultivators from the combination of resources—physical resources, human ingenuity and efforts, fertilizers, pesticides, minor irrigation works, drainage, improved equipment—the food supply can be increased considerably.
(3) Those selected crops and selected areas in each State should be chosen which have the greatest increase potentialities.
(4) Priority should be given to projects which make immediate and greatest contribution to food production.
(5) In India, where cultivation is carried on by millions of small farmers, the prospects of adoption of improved methods of cultivation depend on prospects of an economic return to the agriculturist. This depends on assurance of stability of tenure, stable prices and necessary marketing and credit facilities.
(6) At all levels, leadership should be provided and co-ordination achieved among planners, administrators, educators, natural scientists, social scientists, local community leaders and cultivators.
(7) Provision should be made for suitable storage of foodgrains.
(8) The market should be within bullock-cart distance that will pay the guaranteed price when the cultivator has to sell.
Essay # 7. Food Corporation of India:
With a view to stabilise the prices of foodgrains the State Ministers’ Conference (September 1964) recommended for the establishment of a Foodgrains Corporation.
Accordingly, the Food Corporation of India was set up in 1965 with these objectives:
(i) To ensure fair price to the grower and to make available foodgrains at reasonable prices to the consumer;
(ii) To encourage production of foodgrains by financing food crops, giving guarantees on behalf of growers and by providing facilities like fertilizers, sprays and crop insurance;
(iii) To conduct research, encourage research in increasing fields, preventing losses by insects, pests, fungus, etc.
(iv) To carry on research on farm management in order to increase the efficiency of the grain growers;
(v) Encourage mechanization and application of modern science and technology to foodgrain production;
(vi) To conduct surveys, maintain statistics and undertake all such steps which are necessary to keep the farmer well-informed;
(vii) To encourage subsidiary foods such as poultry, fruits and vegetable, fish, pork and other meat and take steps to increase their production and consumption;
(viii) To provide proper storage facilities;
(ix) To organise and finance super-market and retail distribution to reduce costs to consumer;
(x) To encourage and undertake all kinds of food industries including packing, preservation and processing;
(xi) To take positive steps, to ensure balanced consumption of foodgrains;
(xii) To run Corporation’s own transport; and
(xiii) To undertake procurement wherever and whenever necessary.
Thus, the Corporation functions as a major instrument of State policy in securing these objectives:
(a) Ensure a reasonable price which will induce farmers to adopt improved methods of cultivation for increasing production;
(b) Ensure that consumer prices do not rise unduly;
(c) Avoid excessive price fluctuations and reduce the disparity of prices between State and State;
(d) Build-up a seizable buffer stock of wheat and rice from imports and internal procurement;
(e) Engage in rice milling, production of nutritious food and wholesale distribution of sugar.
The Corporation has built up buffer stocks throughout the country out of surplus and imported grains- provides adequate storage facilities, eliminates unnecessary movement of foodgrains and avoids losses due to faulty storage- enters the market and undertakes purchase, storage, transport, distribution and sale of foodgrains in the country- helps ensure remunerative prices to farmers and prevents exploitation of scarcity conditions by unscrupulous elements as it has the power to requisition stocks at fixed prices.
The activities and nature of operations of the Corporation differ from State of State. In some States like Andhra Pradesh it acts as the agent of the State Government for the purchase, storage and distribution of rice in the State- in Orissa it effects its purchase of rice for other states. In Assam it purchases, stores and distributes rice and paddy on behalf of the State Government. In some other States, it acts only as one of the several procurement and purchase agencies operating in the State.
The Corporation started initially in 1965 with the purchases of rice only so far as the domestic supplies are concerned. But later on, it also engaged in procurement of wheat, jowar, maize, bajra, gram and other products. The Corporation moved in inter-State trade in 1965-66, 5.06 lakh tonnes of rice and 65,500 tonnes of wheat.
Food Corporation of India is the Central Government’s nodal agency for foodgrains procurement. Each year the Food Corporation of India procures roughly 15-20 per cent of India’s wheat production and 12- 15 per cent of rice production. Major contributors to Central procurement are Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Foodgrains trade is free and farmers are free to sell to private traders in case they receive prices higher than the minimum support price. One of the problem faced by the Food Corporation of India is that it is saddled with large volume of stocks which is much above the stipulated buffer stock norms.
Revamped Public Distribution System:
A special scheme to revamp the Public Distribution System was introduced in June 1992. The scheme was introduced in 1975, community development blocks of the country located in backward and remote areas of hill and arid areas characterised by poor infrastructure. Additional items like tea, soap, pulses and iodised salt began to be supplied by state government in these blocks. Additional quantities of 3.1 million tonnes of foodgrains for RPDS are assured for distribution in these areas at a price lower than the central issue price by Rs. 50 per quintal as compared to normal PDS elsewhere.
The State Governments are also advised to ensure that the retail prices at the revamped fair price shops are not higher than central issue prices by more than 35 paise per kg. Besides the existing 1775 community development blocks of Revamped Public Distribution System, Government have identified 409 blocks for inclusion under Revamped Public Distribution System.
Essay # 8. Evaluation of the Government’s Food Policy:
In sum, since the initiation of planning in 1951, various measures have been taken, by the government, for stepping up production of foodgrains.
The main measures being:
(i) Increase in irrigation facilities through the construction of large multipurpose irrigation projects, and medium and minor irrigation schemes. The total area irrigated increased from 2.09 crores hectares in 1950-51 to 3.36 crores hectares in 1974-75, i.e., the net area irrigated by 1.27 crores hectares.
(ii) Extension of areas under foodgrains, by bringing more land under cultivation and by multiple-cropping. The net area sown increased from 11.8 crores hectares in 1950-51 to 13.8 crore hectares in 1974-75 i.e., it is increased by 2.00 crore hectares. The area under foodgrains rose from 101.195 thousand hectares in 1950-51 to 126.959 thousand hectares in 1973-74, i.e., 25.7 per cent.
(iii) Use of high yielding varieties of seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, etc., particularly, since 1965-66, the area under high yielding varieties Programme increased from 9.20 m. hectares in 1968-69 to 37.00 m. hectares in 1977-78 i.e., by more than four times.
(iv) Other measures, such as land reform, consolidation of holdings, extension of co-operative credit, and cooperative farming, etc. As a result of all these measures, production showed a considerable increase from 55.0 million tonnes in 1950-51 to 111.57 million tonnes in 1976-77. In other words, the index of foodgrains production rose from 67.4 in 1950-51 to 151.1 in 1975-76 (with 1961- 62-100).
However, it may be noted that the efforts of the government were confined to the production of foodgrains. Very little has been done to increase the production of non-cereal food items like milk, milk products, meat, fish, eggs, fruits and vegetables. Now attention is being given to their production.
Further, although production of foodgrains has increased, yet due to an increase in population, the picture regarding the per capita availability of foodgrains has not been satisfactory. In 1956, the per capita availability was 430.9 gms. per day. It rose to 480.2 gms. in 1965 and it was 438.7 gms. in 1977.
However, it may be noted that since 1968, the per capita availability of foodgrains has remained more or less the same, except during 1973, 1975 and 1977. Since then, there has been a fall in imports, from 1.39 million tonnes in 1956 to 0.48 m. tonnes in 1977, although during drought years it has been as high as 8.66 million tonnes in 1967 and 7.39 million tonnes in 1975.
It is worth noting that there has been less of instability in the production of foodgrains from year to year (except from 1960 to 1967), due to development of agricultural technology and Green Revolution.
However, there has been some dark side also of the governments food policy.
This would be clear from the following facts:
Disparities in the distribution of foodgrains, both as regards the per capita availability among the states and also unequal distribution of the superior and inferior cereals among the poorer sections of the population. This first fact is evident when it is seen that the per capita availability of foodgrains range from as high as 1357 gms. per day in Punjab, and as low as 148 gms. in Kerala (In 1971-72).
In between lie other states, e.g., Bihar 368 gms. Gujarat 368 gms. Andhra Pradesh 345 gms. Assam 811 gms. and Maharashtra 228 gms. This has led to an ill-balanced standard of living among the people. What is needed is that there should be equitable distribution of foodgrains. The second fact is proved when it is noted that though wheat production did increase (as evident from the index numbers of wheat production) from 60.9 in 1960-61 to 132.1 in 1971-72 and to 161.20 in 1976-77.
During this period, the index number of inferior cereals rose very slowly from 87.8 in 1960-61 to 114.7 in 1970-71 but it fell to 105.0 in 1976-77. The same has been the case with the production of cereals. The index number rose from 104.4 to 112.3 but it fell to 98.8 during the same period. This means that an important source of protein (in the form of pulses) is not adequately available to the poor who are purely vegetarian.
Another distressing fact has been that not only the production of inferior cereals and pulses did not increase satisfactorily, their prices also have risen sharply than those of wheat and rice. On the 1970-71 basis, the price index of rice was 115, of wheat 103, and of pulses 118 in the last week of 1971-72. But these rose to 157, 159 and 171 respectively in the last week of 1976-77.
Another important distressing fact is that the increase in production of foodgrains has been largely concentrated in earlier years, when Green Revolution and new agricultural technology was introduced, than in the later years. This is evident from the fact that in the last 5 years (1971-72 to 1976-77) the increase in the index of foodgrains production rose by 5.1 point (from 111.4 to 116.5) in case of cereals the improvement during the corresponding period was just a little higher at 5.7 point.
In case of rice there was an actual fall by 0.7 point. The index number of pulses increased marginally from 97.9 to 98.9. This slow increase trend has been due to absence of the use of new technology in small farms because of inadequate land reform and non-availability of inputs, non-extension of irrigation facilities and lack of dry farming new technology.
Finally, it may be noted that the prices of foodgrains have increased sharply than the prices of other goods. For example, with 1961-62 as the base year, the wholesale price index in December 1975- for all commodities was 294, for manufacturers 253, for agricultural commodities 297, and for foodgrain 329. Among the principal foodgrains, the price index for rice was 309, for wheat 331, and for pulses 412 with 1970-71 as the base year, the same situation is visible.
When the wholesale price index reached 182 in 1976-77 the index for manufactured goods rose by 62 points (between 1971-72 and 1976-77) from 115 to 117, whereas the index of food articles increased from 101 to 165, i.e., by 64 points and of the foodgrains prices indeed for rice increased from 105 to 187 and of wheat from 103 to 159 and of pulses 118 to 171. This clearly reveals that the increase in the prices of foodgrains has been very sharp.
In sum, it may be observed that inspite of various corrective measures, undertaken by the government, the food problem still remains complex and unsolved.
Essay # 9. Food Security in India:
Food security considerations for the country require immediate priority. Food Security implies the availability of adequate supply of food on a long term basis. Food and Agriculture Organisation defined food security, ensuring that all people at all times have both physical and economic access to basic food they need. In view of ensuring food security to all National Food Security Mission was launched in 2007- 08.
The Mission aimed to enhance the foodgrain production atleast 20 million tonnes by end of Eleventh Plan. The Mission aims to enhance the production of rice, wheat and pulses. In view of food security to the Nation Government introduced National Food Security Bill in Lok Sabha on 22 Dec., 2011. The objective of the Bill is to address the issue in a comprehensive manner.
The Bill, inter alias, envisages coverage of 75 per cent of the rural and 50 per cent of urban population for subsidised foodgrains under the targeted Public distribution system, the Government is very firm to early enactment of this historic legislation.
The issues of food security have moved to the forefront of international discussion in recent years and in this context, the question is sometimes asked whether India will be able to feed herself. The fact is that India has been a net exporter of cereals for most years since 1990. In 2010-11, despite bans on export of wheat and non-basmati rice, India exported 5 million tonnes cereals. But the key to ensuring long run food security lies in targeting cereals productivity to increase significantly faster than the growth in population.