FOOD GRAIN PROCUREMENT IN PUNJAB AND HARYANA
1. Context
Punjab and Haryana have been India’s breadbasket and lynchpins of its food security, especially post the Green Revolution. Over the last two decades, the two states’ combined share in total wheat procurement for the Central foodgrain pool has fallen from 90% to hardly 70%. It’s been more for rice, from 43-44% to 28-29%.
2. Changing Foodgrain Procurement Dynamics in Punjab and Haryana
- Procurement of wheat has been concentrated in Punjab and Haryana, while rice procurement involved Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh (AP), and Tamil Nadu.
- The Green Revolution, with the cultivation of high-yielding semi-dwarf varieties, has spread to more states, leading to increased agricultural productivity.
- State governments established infrastructure to support grain purchases at minimum support prices (MSP) from farmers.
- Madhya Pradesh (MP) briefly surpassed Punjab as the top contributor to the Central pool in 2019-20, mainly due to the crop harvested during the first Covid lockdown (April-June 2020).
- Telangana emerged as the clear second contributor after Punjab in rice procurement, with Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh (UP) also making significant progress over the past decade.
Image Source: The Indian Express
3. Fluctuating Wheat Procurement and the Reliability of Punjab and Haryana
- An unseasonal temperature surge in March 2022 and heavy rain in March 2023 during grain-filling affected wheat production.
- Low production and high market prices led to a significant decline in wheat procurement from Madhya Pradesh (MP) from almost 13 million tonnes (mt) to 4.6 mt in 2021-22, although it rose to 7.1 mt in 2022-23.
- Punjab has maintained a strong position in wheat procurement, while MP, Uttar Pradesh (UP), and Rajasthan have experienced a sharp decline in their contributions.
- Most states' contributions to wheat procurement have been high during favorable harvest years, such as 2019-20 and 2020-21, when the combined share of Punjab and Haryana declined to 50-51%.
- In the last two years, Punjab and Haryana's combined share in wheat procurement has increased to 70-74%, solidifying their status as reliable contributors to national food security.
4. Impact of El Niño on Indian Monsoon and Crop Production
- Sea surface temperatures in the east-central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean off Ecuador and Peru are ruling above average, indicating "weak" El Niño conditions that are expected to gradually strengthen.
- El Niño has been associated with monsoon failures in India, as seen in subnormal rainfall years like 2014, 2015, and 2018.
- India enjoyed four consecutive years of good monsoon from 2019 to 2022, with no El Niño in 2019 and a prolonged La Niña event from July 2020 to February 2023.
- The country has experienced a rainfall deficit of 27.7% below the long-period average for June 1-25 during the southwest monsoon season.
- El Niño's earlier-than-anticipated arrival and sudden gain in strength between March and May have raised concerns about rainfall for the remaining part of the monsoon season.
- A subnormal monsoon would initially affect Kharif crops, with rice being highly water-intensive and requiring adequate rainfall. The impact could also extend to rabi crops, particularly wheat, which rely on groundwater and reservoirs recharged during the monsoon season.
5. Role of Punjab and Haryana Farmers in Crop Protection and Food Security
- Farmers in Punjab and Haryana have assured access to irrigation, ensuring crop protection even during a poor monsoon.
- Punjab cultivated paddy in a significant area, including basmati varieties, with no expected reduction this year. Farmers may divert some cotton areas to rice due to pest attacks and lower prices of cotton.
- The Punjab government provides uninterrupted free power for electric tube wells during the paddy season, safeguarding crops through irrigation.
- In low rainfall years, paddy yields in Punjab tend to increase as farmers rely on groundwater and adjust irrigation accordingly.
- Farmers are more worried about prolonged monsoon and rain during the harvesting period, rather than low rainfall.
- Punjab and Haryana farmers may be crucial in maintaining balanced government stocks and addressing soaring global rice prices despite calls for diversification.
- In a scenario of delicately balanced stocks and high rice prices, these farmers may once again play a key role in ensuring food security.
|
For Prelims: Climate Change, El Nino, La Nina, Southern oscillations, Minimum Support Prices(MSP), Green Revolution, National Food Security (NFS), Kharif Crops,
For Mains: 1. Discuss the significance of Punjab and Haryana farmers in maintaining balanced government stocks and addressing global rice prices despite calls for diversification. (250 Words)
|
|
Previous year Questions
1. Consider the following statements: (UPSC 2020)
1. In the case of all cereals, pulses, and oil seeds, the procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP) is unlimited in any State/UT of India.
2. In the case of cereals and pulses, the MSP is fixed in any State/UT at a level to which the market price will never rise.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: D
2. Consider the following: (UPSC 2018)
1. Areca nut
2. Barley
3. Coffee
4. Finger millet
5. Groundnut
6. Sesamum
7. Turmeric
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has announced the Minimum Support Price for which of the above?
A. 1, 2, 3, and 7 only
B. 2, 4, 5, and 6 only
C. 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 only
D. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
Answer: B
|
Source: The Indian Express
