Ensuring Indias food security

The Economic Survey 2014-15 states that as per the 2nd Advance Estimates, total Foodgrains production in the country is estimated at 257.07 million tonnes during 2014-15. This is the fourth highest quantity of annual foodgrains production in the country. Despite deficiency of 12 per cent in the monsoon rainfall during the year, the loss in production has been restricted to just around 3 per cent over the previous year and has exceeded the average production during the last five years by 8.15 million tonnes.

As compared to last year’s production of 265.57 million tonnes, current year’s production of foodgrains is lower by 8.5 million tonnes. This decline has occurred on account of lower production of rice, coarse cereals and pulses due to erratic rainfall conditions during the monsoon season of 2014. According to the new series of national income released by the CSO, at 2011-12 prices, the share of agriculture and allied sectors in total GDP is 18 per cent in 2013-14 which is the same as that of 2012-13 i.e., 18 per cent.

As against a growth target of 4 per cent for agriculture and allied sectors in the twelfth plan, the growth registered in the first year in 2012-13 (at 2011-12 prices) was 1.2 per cent, 3.7 per cent in 2013-14 and 1.1 per cent in 2014-15. As per the fourth advance estimates for 2013-14, the production of rice is expected to be 106.5 million tonnes, showing an increase of 1.3 per cent over the previous year. The Production of wheat is likely to be 95.9 million tonnes with an increase of 2.6 per cent over the previous year.

Similarly, pulses with a production of 19.3 million tonnes show an increase of 5.3 per cent. The oilseeds production of 32.9 million tonnes shows an increase of 6.4 per cent. Within oilseeds, the groundnut productions of 9.7 million tones show a commendable increase of 105.8 per cent over the previous year. As per the fourth advance estimates for 2013-14, the overall productivity of foodgrains has gone down by 1.3 per cent over the previous year. Rice productivity has shown a decline of 1.5 per cent and wheat of 1.3 per cent in the same year.

The yield of groundnut increased by a remarkable 75.9 per cent, that of tur increased by 9.2 per cent and cotton by 9.4 per cent in 2013-14 over the previous year. Among the states, for the year 2013-14, Punjab has shown the highest productivity of rice that is 3952 kg/ha, wheat accounts for 5017 kg/ha and cotton. Gujarat has shown the maximum productivity of groundnut that is 2668 kg/ha and West Bengal of sugarcane is 114273 kg/ha. The Economic Survey 2014-15 states that to improve resilience of the agricultural sector and bolster food security--including availability and affordable access, the strategy for agriculture has to focus on improving yield and productivity.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Foodgrains production for 2014-15 estimated at 257.07 million tonnes; will exceed average food grain production of last five years by 8.5 million tones.
• Groundnut production increased by a massive 105.8 per cent in 2013-14, shows a remarkable increase of 75.9 per cent in productivity.
• Agriculture and allied sectors contributed 18 per cent to GDP and grew by 3.7 per cent in 2013-14.