India grows more food, wastes more, while more go hungry! – 2024!
India grows more food, wastes more, while more go hungry! Get the latest updates of 2024 with us!
As the farmers’ protests are ongoing, it highlights the cries of no proper remuneration for what the “anna data” (food provider) creates and India’s 103rd position in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) is the third shocking reality that focuses on farm produce wastage.
If India is spending Rs 1.5 lakh crore for the cheap and free food grain every year, a study which was done in 2016 estimated that Rs 92,651 crore is lost every year because of farm produce wastage, and the issue is rising every year. On September 20 last year, the government has passed on data presented earlier in April by the food and civil supplies minister, late Ram Vilas Paswan.
And the worst thing is, the capital of wasted procured grains is a bone of contention in the Centre and states such as Punjab.
The NDA government has kept the issue of farm produce storage on the radar and focus for a few years. An Rs. 6,000-crore kickstart project which is known as Sampada a national scheme to create an integrated supply cold chain for agricultural products is now implemented and involves public and private players.
The ICAR team, which is run by scientist, Dr. SN Jha, had showcased a report, six months back to FCI, and the corporation is somehow negotiating with states to decrease the wastage from the farm to the storehouses.
Wastage: Claim vs Reality
Late Paswan had stated that the government has “decreased wastage of food grains to negligible” by adopting scientific ways of storage and distribution. While talking in the Parliament, he stated, “Far from the public perception that there is big wastage of food grains in FCI’s godowns, we have somehow managed to administer it and keep it to a negligible quantity.”
Storage capacity is quite less than what is required
Food is many ties politicized in India. Its shortage might cause big public outbreaks and political setbacks. So conventionally, governments are currently playing safe rather than pragmatic. While food grain production has increased storage capacity on many distinct levels has lagged horribly. That’s why every time a bumper crop comes to a harvesting point, FCI deals with the big issue!
Wastage beyond FCI coffers!
Beyond news and challenges, India is wasting a big amount of farm produce. The government cites low wastage at FCI godowns to counter charges, but the spread is quite sad and tragedies.
The FCI procures just 8 crore tones of the complete production of cereals in India, which is about 30 crore tones, this can be considered merely one-fourth of the food grain which is created by India’s farmers. Most of the leftover food grain remains in open.
The quantum of wastage is not documented well by any medium. In 2006, scientists who work at ICAR devised a formula and methodology to build comprehensively how much India wastes of what it creates, while millions have to stay satisfied with an empty stomach
The government has currently passed three farms laws that bring a complete reform, which includes larger participation of the private sector in the establishment, procurement, and storage purpose. But its failure to communicate well has set a big issue with farmers in complicated states such as Haryana and Punjab as they are fervourly opposing it.
The government has even kept an offer of communication to the protesting farmers. Many things would be decided by how far it is willing to accommodate the demands and fears of the protesting farmers.