Wheat Woes Show India Needs To Make Agriculture Climate Resilient
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By Our Editorial Team
First publised on 2022-04-22 02:24:33
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The India Commentary view
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The intense heat in the second half of March has spoiled India's hopes of a record wheat crop. The period when the crop was ready to accumulate nutrients and needed ambient temperature for the process turned hostile with the mercury shooting up beyond 40 degree Celsius in the wheat belt. This resulted in sub-standard grains and burn-out as the crop ripened prematurely and the grains got shriveled. The estimate was for an all-time high production of 111.32 million tonnes (mt) of wheat but the picture now is that the production will be less than 100MT. This is a sharp drop and will impact procurement which is already behind as private buyers are picking up wheat at MSP in the hope of exporting the same to fill the gap caused by US-led sanctions on Russia.
The situation being witnessed this year is likely to become the new normal. Climate change will push up temperatures in March, making it difficult for the wheat crop to survive. It also shows why there are other factors apart from good monsoons which impact production. India will have look at ways to make agriculture climate resilient by introducing drought-resistant seeds and looking at changing cropping pattern as per availability of water, as monsoon will also start playing truant due to climate change. These are things that need to be prioritized now as there is no time to waste.
As for food security, the arithmetic for procurement does not look rosy this year. India might just about manage to maintain its buffer norms after distribution under the public distribution system and the free grain being given away under PMGKAY. This is a cause for worry as a few consecutive years of low wheat crops would result in year-end stocks falling below the buffer norms. But the response to this should not be to ban exports. The government must keep up its procurement process going and let private players buy from the market. As long as procurement targets are maintained, if the private sector is able to export the grains it will be good. Otherwise, that stock will also come into the domestic market. The government must let market dynamics play out while maintaining procurement targets and deciding on policy to make agriculture climate resilient.
picture courtesy: informistmedia.com
