India’s total annual foodgrain production has seldom dropped below 200 million tonnes since 2005-06, despite suffering drought or floods in some parts of the country, including the worst drought in more than 30 years in 2009.
“Thanks to our farm scientists and policies, Indian agriculture actually developing certain degree of resistance to climate change,” Agriculture minister said Sharad Pawar said during the annual Economic Editors Conference today.
He said in 2012-13 despite poor rains in the initial months pulling down kharif foodgrains production by almost 10%, much of the losses would be recouped if Indian farmers take full advantage of delayed revival of rains during the rabi season.
"Better rainfall in August and September has provided us an opportunity for good rabi (winter) season ahead. Moisture position is comparatively good and that's why we will be able to recoup kharif losses in the rabi season," he said, adding that monsoon deficit has come down to 6 per cent now.
On the oft-repeated incidents of farmers’ suicides, Pawar said that farmers' suicide is big problem and it is continuous, but the percentage is definitely coming down....
Woman harvesting wheat, Raisen district, Madhya Pradesh, India. Shot by Yann, Wikimedia Commons, under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
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