CROP FAILURE IN INDIA

Evening Star, Issue 25715, 12 February 1946, Page 5

CROP FAILURE IN INDIA

LAND GASPING FOR RAIN LONDON, February 10. The tale of irreparable damage to food crops throughout India becomes steadily grimmer, says the New Delhi correspoudent of ‘ The Times.’ The Viceroy (Viscount Wavell) ilew from Bangalore to Delhi yesterday through 1,001) miles of depressingly blue sky. There was no sign of the rain for which India is gasping. The damage to the rice and millet crops now being harvested and the fall in the collection of wheat, maize, and barley from last year’s harvest, are now estimated to represent a loss of 3,000,000 tons. In addition, the present lack of rain is likely to result in a shortage of next spring’s harvest of wheat, maize, and barley of up to 4,000,000 tons. The grand total of the losses, therefore, is about one-sixth of the average annual production. The Government estimates that it will need during 1946 to import more than 4,000,000 tons to give a ration of 12 ounces of food and grains daily, or 1,200 calories. Only 400,000 tons of wheat have been definitely promised. The allocation of rice is expected to be 500,000 tons. Reuter’s Cawnpore correspondent reports that the citizens of Cawnpore, the leading industrial city in the United Provinces, demonstrated to-day against a 50 per cent, reduction in their wheat ration. Processions marched the streets shouting, slogans. The shops were closed and public vehicles were off the roads. An evening protest meeting, which called on the Government to vacate office, was attended by 100,000 persons.