Indian agriculture is a mystery. Its a puzzle. Some say its dependent on a good monsoon. Some say its not just monsoon. Some say money invested in agriculture is a waste of money and for people like me its the focal point of becoming truly self sufficient. So investment is necessary in Agriculture.
Recently Dr. Manmohansingh, PM of India has been talking up the talk of need for second Green Revolution. Considering India's turmoil condition, only green revolution is an understatement. Mr. Norman Borlaug who is father of Green revolution in many nations is also father of green revolution in India. He came to India in the March of 1962 and slowly his research started to bear fruit. When he came to India the yield of wheat was 793 k.g. per hectare. And by 1967-68 it grew to 1103 kg per hectare. Even there was growth in the production of Rice. Its yield went from 931 k.g. per hectare to 1032 k.g. per hectare.And in came first Green revolution. I don't know what might have been reaction of people or politicians since its nearly 19 years before I was born, but I am very much sure they all must be jumping ahead of one another to take credit of that great men's work.
I'd just skip the in between years and fast forward to the current years. In current years our prime minister is talking about proceeding to second green revolution era. An era where we' d become self sufficient in the production to utilization of basic food necessities. That year came and went for a short span of years 2006-07 and 2007-08. We have been importing certain amount of food grains but the numbers are encouraging. The numbers in terms of production show that the total production of Wheat in the year 2010-11 was staggering 95.33 million tonnes with impressive yield of 2240 k.g. per hectare. Such statistics are encouraging since we are very close to many developed countries like U.S.A and even Canada. Same way rice has seen some growth as well. Its total production now stands at 85.93 million tonnes with impressive yield of 2938 kg per hectare.
All these are signs that we may be moving to next green revolution. And in due time we may become self sufficient. It is just not important to produce such numbers of Agriculture produce but it is also of utmost importance to store them and effectively distribute them. In these both activities India seems to lag behind.
CWC, Central Warehousing Corporation of India, a premiere warehousing corporation of India has only 468 warehouses with a mere capacity of 10.09 million tonne capacity. FCI, Food Corporation of India, the organisation that is looking after procuring, storing, moving, distributing, financing has mere capacity of only 33.60 million tonnes. Considering the amount of production India has i.e. over 300million tonnes annually, this capacity with respect to that is just nothing.
One of the other ways of not letting this produce go to waste and being able to use it is PDS. PDS is Public Distribution System, via which government wants to achieve twin objectives of making sure that farmers get MSP and such procured produce is distributed among the people needing it.. But expenses for such extensive program can be over 27 crore rupees a day. So it seems less feasible.
For all the poor waiting out there for food I hope a Robin Hood takes birth. May be one won't do. Here's hoping for plenty of Robin hoods.
Recently Dr. Manmohansingh, PM of India has been talking up the talk of need for second Green Revolution. Considering India's turmoil condition, only green revolution is an understatement. Mr. Norman Borlaug who is father of Green revolution in many nations is also father of green revolution in India. He came to India in the March of 1962 and slowly his research started to bear fruit. When he came to India the yield of wheat was 793 k.g. per hectare. And by 1967-68 it grew to 1103 kg per hectare. Even there was growth in the production of Rice. Its yield went from 931 k.g. per hectare to 1032 k.g. per hectare.And in came first Green revolution. I don't know what might have been reaction of people or politicians since its nearly 19 years before I was born, but I am very much sure they all must be jumping ahead of one another to take credit of that great men's work.
I'd just skip the in between years and fast forward to the current years. In current years our prime minister is talking about proceeding to second green revolution era. An era where we' d become self sufficient in the production to utilization of basic food necessities. That year came and went for a short span of years 2006-07 and 2007-08. We have been importing certain amount of food grains but the numbers are encouraging. The numbers in terms of production show that the total production of Wheat in the year 2010-11 was staggering 95.33 million tonnes with impressive yield of 2240 k.g. per hectare. Such statistics are encouraging since we are very close to many developed countries like U.S.A and even Canada. Same way rice has seen some growth as well. Its total production now stands at 85.93 million tonnes with impressive yield of 2938 kg per hectare.
All these are signs that we may be moving to next green revolution. And in due time we may become self sufficient. It is just not important to produce such numbers of Agriculture produce but it is also of utmost importance to store them and effectively distribute them. In these both activities India seems to lag behind.
CWC, Central Warehousing Corporation of India, a premiere warehousing corporation of India has only 468 warehouses with a mere capacity of 10.09 million tonne capacity. FCI, Food Corporation of India, the organisation that is looking after procuring, storing, moving, distributing, financing has mere capacity of only 33.60 million tonnes. Considering the amount of production India has i.e. over 300million tonnes annually, this capacity with respect to that is just nothing.
One of the other ways of not letting this produce go to waste and being able to use it is PDS. PDS is Public Distribution System, via which government wants to achieve twin objectives of making sure that farmers get MSP and such procured produce is distributed among the people needing it.. But expenses for such extensive program can be over 27 crore rupees a day. So it seems less feasible.
For all the poor waiting out there for food I hope a Robin Hood takes birth. May be one won't do. Here's hoping for plenty of Robin hoods.
