Poor distribution dogs farm output
Has India’s farm output peaked? It appears that even with 3.5 per cent farm growth, India is witnessing foodgrain production at a scale which the government is finding tough to deal with for the reason that there is no sound distribution network to take the farm output to feed the hungry mouths across the nation.
A top official in the ministry of agriculture is of the view that the challenge before the government should not be to push for higher farm growth but to put in place a distribution mechanism.
“It’s my considered view that India is comfortably placed with even 3.5 per cent farm growth achieved in the 11th Five-Year Plan. We are faced with a situation where foodgrains, horticulture products are being wasted. We must put in place a distribution network to ensure that the farm outputs reach the place where they are required,” said P.K. Basu, secretary in the ministry of agriculture.
While the 12th Five-Year Plan aims for four per cent farm growth, godowns in the country are overflowing with foodgrains, while inadequacy of storage is being seen in a big way.
Mr Basu, while speaking to this newspaper, said that the ministry of food and consumers affairs must take it on a war footing to ensure that the foodgrains reach the needy and are not wasted. Very recently, farmers in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh destroyed a bumper crop of potato because they weren’t getting the price they wanted.
Mr Basu, however, added that the four per cent farm growth target is very much realistic and could be achieved but wondered what purpose it would serve if the foodgrains do not reach the people.
The food ministry is, however, grappling with “problem of plenty” in the case of record foodgrains procurement as the fate of the food security bill remains uncertain and may not see the light of day this year. The ministry is also of the view that export is not feasible as the price abroad is not good.
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