Even as El Nino resulted in lower than expected monsoon in India, Agriculture Economist G Chandrashekhar believes that the phenomenon currently remains more of a weather risk, with possible implications on agricultural output, rather than a global food security concern.
Speaking to NDTV Profit, Chandrashekhar said, “as of now for Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, it is a weather risk with an impact on agriculture production. It is not yet a global food security risk.”
In terms of crops likely to be impacted, he says pulses, sugarcane, oilseeds and cotton are expected to face the sharpest production disruptions, with output projected to fall below both the government’s seasonal targets and last year’s levels.
Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay
“Therefore we are going to have multiple crop production falling this year, and that’s the ravage El Nino has caused to our agriculture economy this year,” Chandrashekhar said.
ALSO READ: Scientists Explain Method Behind Projection Of 15,800 Extra Heat Deaths In India
Eventhough rice production is also expected to drop this year, the agricultural economist assured that the country has enough rice stocks. “I think as far as India is concerned, our rice stocks are enough, although our production may fall by up to 10 million tonnes or slightly lower than that, but there is no threat to our food security,” he said.
El Nino is a phenomenon when ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern Equatorial Pacific become warmer than normal. The phenomenon usually develops every two to seven years and lasts for nine to twelve months. El Nino can disrupt weather systems globally, often triggering heatwaves, droughts, floods, and irregular monsoon patterns in many regions.
India is on track for its driest monsoon in 17 years with a strong El Nino impacted rainfall, threatening crop yields and raising food-price risks, according to a report by Bloomberg News. The cumulative rainfall from the June to September monsoon season is 15% below the long-term average so far, according to the India Meteorological Department.
ALSO READ: El Nino Threatens Over 450,000 Lives In Next Six Months, Nearly 16,000 In India At Risk
Essential Business Intelligence,
Sharp Market Insights,
Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
