The government seems to have finally woken up to the impact of drought. With a shortage in the supply of rice, the government has been forced to resort to imports. Commerce minister Anand Sharma says that India is already in talks with South East Asia’s big rice producers like Thailand and Vietnam.
A final decision on the quantum of exports required is expected in a few days when the empowered group of ministers meet.
Blame the erratic monsoon and the resultant drought and the overall rice production is expected to drop by over 18 per cent to 69.45 mn tonnes this year.
India is already facing a shortfall of 15 million tonnes in rice supply in the current fiscal. And compare that to last year’s record rice harvest of 84.58 mn tonnes and the situation seems very grave.
via India to import rice from Thailand, Vietnam.
