Food Situation In India Worse

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31207, 3 November 1966, Page 17

Food Situation In India Worse

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW DELHI, November 1. India’s food situation now is more difficult than it was last year when there was a grave food shortage, Parliament was told in New Delhi today.

The Food and Agriculture Minister, Mr Chidambaram Subramaniam, said that while

last year there had been a cushion available from the bumper crop of 1964-65, this time there had been a drought throughout the country and food production had reached its lowest point.

The Minister of State for Food, Mr P. Govinda Menon, said estimated food production this year was 80 to 85 million tons—and the target had been 95 to 100 million tons. A review issued by the Food Ministry today said “there will be need for large imports of food grains to meet requirements during the coming year, though prospects for such large imports are rather uncertain.” Surpluses Decline World surpluses of food grains had declined substantially and United States Government reserves had dropped to a low level, the review said. “Our difficult foreign exchange position also precludes making any significant commercial purchases of wheat, rice and other food grains, j “Every endeavour is being 1 made to import food grains from all available sources and steps are being taken to mobilise port and rail capacity to the extent deemed necessary.”