Yes, India is generally self-sufficient in food grains. It is one of the world’s largest producers and consumers of agricultural products and has made significant progress in achieving food security for its population.
An expanded response to your question
Yes, India is generally self-sufficient in food grains. It has made significant progress in achieving food security for its population through its focus on agricultural development. According to estimates, India is one of the largest producers and consumers of agricultural products in the world.
To further exemplify India’s self-sufficiency in food grains, let us look at some interesting facts and figures:
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Agricultural Production: India is a major player in global agricultural production. It ranks second in the world in terms of total food grain production, with an average annual output of around 259 million metric tonnes (MT) between 2016 and 2020. This includes various grains like rice, wheat, maize, pulses, and oilseeds.
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Food Grain Consumption: With a large population of over 1.3 billion people, India is also a significant consumer of food grains. Its food grain consumption has been steadily increasing over the years. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), India consumed around 219 million MT of food grains in 2020.
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Strategic Grain Reserves: To ensure food security and manage any unforeseen circumstances, India maintains strategic grain reserves. These reserves serve as a buffer during times of poor harvests or natural disasters. The central pool managed by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) held around 77 million MT of grain as of June 2021.
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Government Initiatives: The Indian government has implemented various initiatives to promote agricultural development and enhance food security. The Green Revolution in the 1960s played a crucial role in increasing food grain production by adopting modern agricultural techniques and high-yielding crop varieties.
Moreover, to provide subsidized food grains to vulnerable sections of society, the government launched the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in 2013. Under this program, eligible households are entitled to receive food grains at subsidized prices through the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
Despite the country’s overall self-sufficiency in food grains, it is important to note that challenges such as regional variations in agricultural productivity, post-harvest losses, and distribution inefficiencies exist. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “India lives in its villages,” emphasizing the vital role of agriculture in the country’s economy and its ability to sustain itself.
Here is a simple table showcasing the production and consumption of food grains in India:
|———————–|————————————–|
| Food Grains | Production (in MT) |
|———————–|————————————–|
| Rice | 169 million |
|———————–|————————————–|
| Wheat | 108 million |
|———————–|————————————–|
| Maize | 32 million |
|———————–|————————————–|
| Pulses | 23 million |
|———————–|————————————–|
Note: The above figures are approximations and vary year to year.
Response video to “Is India self sufficient in food grains?”
Professor Prabhat Patnaik discusses the implications of India’s agricultural bills, highlighting two main concerns. First, farmers are being exposed to exploitation by big capital without state protection, as contract farming allows anyone to dictate prices without monitoring. Second, diverting land from food grains to cash crops for export makes India import-dependent and vulnerable to external pressures. Abandoning self-sufficiency in food grains is seen as disastrous, as it can lead to fluctuating prices, food insecurity, and reliance on imports. The government’s move goes against free market principles and economic advice, causing opposition from farmers’ organizations. The decision also has repercussions on the economy and reverse migration, without a significant recovery. More discussions and explanations are needed.
Many additional responses to your query
Yes it is important for India to be Self-sufficient in food grain production because, India is an agricultural country. It has the resources required for the production of food grains in abundance. It is necessary to exploit these resources to the full extent to meet the requirement of food grains in our country.
(iii) India has become self-sufficient in foodgrains during the last thirty years because of a variety of crops grown all over the country. The availability of foodgrains (even in adverse weather conditions or otherwise) at the country level has further been ensured with a carefully designed food security system by the government.
While agriculture in India has achieved grain self-sufficiency but the production is, resource intensive, cereal centric and regionally biased.
Yes it is important for India to be Self-sufficient in food grain production because, India is an agricultural country. It has the resources required for the production of food grains in abundance. It is necessary to exploit these resources to the full extent to meet the requirement of food grains in our country.
With these gains, India has transitioned from being a food-deficit nation to a self-sufficient food-producing country in the last 30 years.