NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES US ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
If the rains continue to play truant for another week, experts believe, not only would farmers not be able grow any crop in the drought-affected areas, but existing crops, especially paddy, would also be badly hit.
The delay of the monsoons has already destroyed around 14-15 million tonnes of crops with Rajasthan and Haryana in northern India bearing the brunt.
"Rajasthan is completely dependent on the rains and 30 per cent of the crops in Haryana need rain water. Similarly, around 30 per cent of Uttar Pradesh is dependent on the monsoons. The rains may yet show up. So, the big question is whether it will?" said Dr J S Samara, Deputy Director General of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).
In case it does, Rajasthan and many other affected areas can still grow oilseeds and pulses 'but not as produce. It is too late for that now. It can only be used as fodder. For this, farmers have time till mid-August," he said.
Out of the fifteen states facing a shortage of rainfall, four have declared a drought. A state can declare a drought only if more than fifty per cent of its crop is destroyed, say experts, adding the situation is grim even in the rest of the states.
"Production-wise this year is going to be very bad. We have already lost 15 million tonnes of food grains. The only saving grace is that we have a stock of around 60 million tonnes," says Dr T Haq, acting chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices.
Some experts believe irrigation facilities might save the crops in certain places like Punjab. Irrigation facilities in Punjab cover around 90 per cent of the paddy crop and in Haryana around 60-70 per cent, according to ICAR estimates.
"However, irrigation is no replacement for monsoons," says Hemandra Kumar, special secretary in the ministry of agriculture.
To avoid any famine-like situation in the worst-hit areas and prevent black marketeers from exploiting the situation, the government would have to effectively distribute its stock of food grains.
However, past experience during recent calamities has not given any reason for cheer, Haq cautioned.
"The there are places where there is barely any infrastructure for storage. In these places, private traders try to profit from the situation," says Haq.
However, he ruled out the chances of any starvation deaths, even in the drought-hit areas.
Meanwhile, the central government has asked the state governments to assess the extent of damage.
"We have assured all help to the state governments. There is a Calamity Relief Fund with an annual budgetary allocation of Rs 20 billion (Rs 2000 crore), of which we have already distributed Rs 6.5 billion (Rs 650 crore) to the states," said Kumar.
The government is keeping its fingers crossed while the Indian Meteorological Department, whose calculations went disastrously wrong this time, is not willing to stick its head out again.
No major change - is what Tuesday's report says about the outlook for the next two days.
ALSO READ Drought situation 'alarming', says Ajit Singh
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
