India—A Drive Towards Self‐Sufficiency in Food Grains

Abstract

Achievement of self-sufficiency in food grains has been one of the principal objectives of economic development in India.1 Though government-sponsored efforts for increasing production of food grains started under the Grow More Food Campaign in 1943, to meet the shortage of food caused by the stoppage of imports of rice from Burma, self-sufficiency as an objective of food production policy was announced for the first time towards the end of 1948. This objective was hoped to be achieved by March 1952. Over the last three decades, India has imported nearly 120 million tons of cereals, the imports in a single year reaching as high as 10.36 million tons in 1966. While there were substantial annual fluctuations, some quantities were imported in all the years except 1972 when there was a net export of about half a million tons. After three good crop years (1975-76 to 1977-78), there would be no net imports during the current year. The year 1978 opened with a food grain stock of about 17.4 million tons and the production is expected to exceed 125 million tons. The bumper production is also expected to be reflected in record procurement. The question whether India will continue to be self-sufficient assumes great significance because the entry of India as a large buyer will have a major influence on the international market and will have large implications for the world food situation. This paper analyzes India's performance in terms of the achievement of self-sufficiency on the basis of past trends in food grains production and consumption, and reviews the proposals for development under the new draft five year plan 1978-83 with a view to evaluate the prospects for achieving continued selfsufficiency.