What the article is about:
- The article talks about recent export bans and restrictions on wheat, rice and sugar.
Relevance:
- GS3: Agricultural resources, Food security
Analysis:
- During 2021-22 export of rice alone were valued at $9.7 Billion, with sugar and wheat accounting for $4.6 Billion and $2.1 Billion respectively.
- But public wheat stock on September 1 were at six-year-low for this date.
- India is the world's second-biggest wheat producer after China. But it accounts for less than 1% of the global wheat trade. It keeps a lot of it to provide subsidised food for the poor.
- India is the world's biggest exporter of rice which accounts for more than 40% of global rice shipments and it competes with Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Myanmar in the world market.
- India is the biggest producer of sugar in the world and the second largest exporter after Brazil.
Conclusion:
- One mustn’t lose sight of the basic fact if the three commodities being prone to structural overproduction, as against occasional supply challenges of the kind now.
- The case for reducing acreage under them and inducing farmers to plant more oil seeds, pulses and other water intensive crops remains as compelling as the need to ensure dietary diversification from calories to protein and micronutrient-rich foods.
- The government should persist with the policy if conservative minimum support price hikes on paddy, wheat and sugarcane and lift the present curb on exports sooner than later.
