Rice shortage in India?

shashank.aggarwal · May 8th, 2008, 19:16

I read a report today, that India is expecting a bumper harvest this year...

As per the initial projections India had to import wheat to fulfill the requirement, however now projection has changed and import orders have been canceled...

Due to rising prices, farmers put in a extra effort and used the fallow land as well...

snowcrab · May 9th, 2008, 03:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by *jyoti*

ethanol:

... and one tank of gas is enough corn to feed a person for a year? who lives off corn??? besides, it's probably field corn, not the kind people eat, so beef prices will go up. People won't starve.

--Jyoti, the farmer's daughter

Well the larger issue is about burning topsoil for fuel. And people are starving. That's what food riots are about.

Groovemeister · May 9th, 2008, 04:09

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_vehicle

The issue could go away soon enough - it's just a case of breaking the back of oil dependence and forcing companies to invest more in hydrogen technology. In this sense, a rocketing oil price is probably a good thing as corporations aren't going to mend their ways until the alternative is better for their bottom line.

If it's possible to produce cars whose only emmittance is water then there's no need for oil or biofuels. Land is returned to agriculture, oil price becomes irrelevant, everyone's happy.

Unfortunately, given that the likes of Shell and BP are making record profits in the current market conditions this happy dream may be some way off.

snowcrab · May 9th, 2008, 09:15

Unfortunately I didn't bookmark the story. I did read that Rockefeller heirs, major shareholders in Enron are pressing the company to remember it is an energy company not an oil company. I guess the families' fortune began when the founder realized that kerosene was just as good a fuel as whale oil and a lot easier to get a hold of. The writer mentioned "peak whale". But I suspect back then people with a lot invested in ships didn't see it that way. I'm really hoping that we start getting on with investing in alternate non-polluting energy sources before it is too late.

Ran into a far less friendly article about the same family on Counterpunch. Exxon, not Enron, keeping track of the names is sometimes a problem.

http://www.counterpunch.org/sharon05082008.html

Nick-H · May 9th, 2008, 14:59

Counterpunch stories are always 'less friendly'. It's a great source for confirming all one's worst fears about the world.

Definately worth a regular read!

snowcrab · May 9th, 2008, 17:31

Common Dreams is good for that kind of stuff also, but I don't read both on the same day, too depressing!

mazha · May 9th, 2008, 21:47

Off topic a bit, a survey has found that Indians and Brazilians have the greenest lifestyles in the world.

http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/may/09green.htm

capt_mahajan · May 14th, 2008, 14:54

From the BBC

Quote:

More than 1.5m children in India are at risk of becoming malnourished because of rising global food prices, the UN children's charity, Unicef, says]

The region already has the largest number of malnourished children in the world and levels could get even worse.

Even before the current crisis almost half of all Indian children showed signs of stunted growth, Unicef says.

Quote:

"It is a perfect storm, we have increasing malnutrition in an area that already has the majority of malnutrition in the world," Daniel Toole, Unicef's regional director for South Asia, said in the Indian capital, Delhi, on Tuesday.

Quote:

According to Unicef's latest State of the World's Children's report, India has the worst indicators of child malnutrition in South Asia: 48% of under fives in India are stunted, compared to 43% in Bangladesh and 37% in Pakistan.

Meanwhile 30% of babies in India are born underweight, compared to 22% in Bangladesh and 19% in Pakistan. Unicef calculates that 40% of all underweight babies in the world are Indian.

Put all that in hard numbers and the figures are stark. Fifty million Indian under fives are affected by malnutrition. Rising food prices, Unicef says mean 1.5 to 1.8 million more children in India alone could end up malnourished.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7398750.stm

amarama · May 16th, 2008, 10:38

I read on yahoo malasyia news that Japan has huges stock piles of rice. They can not sell it unless the United States gives the go ahead. The article said that the rice is stored until it goes bad, then it is sold as animal feed.

capt_mahajan · Jun 26th, 2008, 20:25

This article from today's Economic Times is about foodgrain in general...

Quote:

The shrinking public investment in the agricultural sector and dipping growth in irrigation have been the basic ingredients of this policy failure that could again fade from public memory if prices stabilize over next six months.

Quote:

A good monsoon this year might help the government lower the prices by year end and gain some political relief with the ruling coalition touting better overall production and therefore procurement of grains. But a more objective picture is based on per capita availability of foodgrain, not gross totals.

The per capita annual availability in India has retarded from 174.23 kg per person per year averaged over the '90s to 163.33 kg per person per year averaged over 2000-06. In an era where economic growth has, post-liberalisation, shown a quantum jump, the food availability has fallen to the level of the '60s when India had recorded serious famines.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...ly_news ltr=1

sam_thind · Jun 26th, 2008, 21:33

India and Pakistan are major exporter of Basmati rice to Ero, Gulf n US. Last year production of Basmati Rice in India was 1.5 Million MT due to very low area ( 1.2 Million Acre ) under basmati and hence price went up drasticaly. This is year due to early Monsoon and very good rain fall in eastern states, UP, Haryana & Punjab, the the area under normal rice and Basmati has increase. Area under basmati alone has gone up by approx 4 million Acre which may produce 6 to 7 Million Ton of Basmati rice by Sep end 08. The indian Govt has also increase the MSP for normal rice and hence farmer has chosen rice crop instead of cotton ( Last year there was incidence of Milli Bug in Cotton, which damaged the cotton crop in many areas) sply in Haryana and Punjab and hence the production of normal rice will also be more than last year.
The present food Shortage is mainly due to crop shift from wheat or rice to corn which is equired for Ethenol production to blend petrol. you see Australia, US where is major crop shift.
Rest depends upon climate and insect pest attack. Ultimately nature plays his role.....
All the best India Farmer Community...

May 8th, 2008, 19:16	#61
shashank.aggarwal Mr. Badboy :D Join Date: May 2007 Location: ~ Dilli ~ Posts: 5,510	I read a report today, that India is expecting a bumper harvest this year... As per the initial projections India had to import wheat to fulfill the requirement, however now projection has changed and import orders have been canceled... Due to rising prices, farmers put in a extra effort and used the fallow land as well... __________________ Travelogue - Around India Random Reviews

May 9th, 2008, 09:15	#64
snowcrab Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alberta, Can Posts: 1,045	Unfortunately I didn't bookmark the story. I did read that Rockefeller heirs, major shareholders in Enron are pressing the company to remember it is an energy company not an oil company. I guess the families' fortune began when the founder realized that kerosene was just as good a fuel as whale oil and a lot easier to get a hold of. The writer mentioned "peak whale". But I suspect back then people with a lot invested in ships didn't see it that way. I'm really hoping that we start getting on with investing in alternate non-polluting energy sources before it is too late. Ran into a far less friendly article about the same family on Counterpunch. Exxon, not Enron, keeping track of the names is sometimes a problem. http://www.counterpunch.org/sharon05082008.html Last edited by snowcrab : May 9th, 2008 at 10:01. Reason: spelling, addition

May 9th, 2008, 14:59	#65
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,862	Counterpunch stories are always 'less friendly'. It's a great source for confirming all one's worst fears about the world. Definately worth a regular read! __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Jun 26th, 2008, 21:33	#71
sam_thind Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chandigarh, Punjab Posts: 53	This year Basmati Rice Produ will be > 4 times (6-7 M MT) in India as of Last Yr. India and Pakistan are major exporter of Basmati rice to Ero, Gulf n US. Last year production of Basmati Rice in India was 1.5 Million MT due to very low area ( 1.2 Million Acre ) under basmati and hence price went up drasticaly. This is year due to early Monsoon and very good rain fall in eastern states, UP, Haryana & Punjab, the the area under normal rice and Basmati has increase. Area under basmati alone has gone up by approx 4 million Acre which may produce 6 to 7 Million Ton of Basmati rice by Sep end 08. The indian Govt has also increase the MSP for normal rice and hence farmer has chosen rice crop instead of cotton ( Last year there was incidence of Milli Bug in Cotton, which damaged the cotton crop in many areas) sply in Haryana and Punjab and hence the production of normal rice will also be more than last year. The present food Shortage is mainly due to crop shift from wheat or rice to corn which is equired for Ethenol production to blend petrol. you see Australia, US where is major crop shift. Rest depends upon climate and insect pest attack. Ultimately nature plays his role..... All the best India Farmer Community...

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May 9th, 2008, 04:09	#63
Groovemeister Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London Posts: 29	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_vehicle The issue could go away soon enough - it's just a case of breaking the back of oil dependence and forcing companies to invest more in hydrogen technology. In this sense, a rocketing oil price is probably a good thing as corporations aren't going to mend their ways until the alternative is better for their bottom line. If it's possible to produce cars whose only emmittance is water then there's no need for oil or biofuels. Land is returned to agriculture, oil price becomes irrelevant, everyone's happy. Unfortunately, given that the likes of Shell and BP are making record profits in the current market conditions this happy dream may be some way off.

May 9th, 2008, 17:31	#66
snowcrab Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alberta, Can Posts: 1,045	Common Dreams is good for that kind of stuff also, but I don't read both on the same day, too depressing!

May 9th, 2008, 21:47	#67
mazha Back to Lurking Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Somewhere Posts: 229	Off topic a bit, a survey has found that Indians and Brazilians have the greenest lifestyles in the world. http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/may/09green.htm

May 16th, 2008, 10:38	#69
amarama Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: very near the Mexican border Posts: 164	I read on yahoo malasyia news that Japan has huges stock piles of rice. They can not sell it unless the United States gives the go ahead. The article said that the rice is stored until it goes bad, then it is sold as animal feed.

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