Evening star., 1951-02-04

widely, but the great basic staple
food for every one is grain.
| India produces large quantities
of each of the grains it needs, but
the annual output of 43 or "A
million tons, in good crop years,
is 2 or 3 million tons short of
requirements.
Even before partition in 1947
India imported food. But before
Pakistan was created out of the
Moslem areas the country was
more nearly self-sufficient. Agri-
cultural areas which now comprise
Pakistan were then part of India s
food-producing machinery.
After partition, which assigned
to Pakistan important wheat and
rice growing areas, India's deficit
in grain increased to about mil
lion tons a year and it was forced
to lean more heavily on foreign
including Pakistan - sources of
food. However, Immediately after
partition India set forth on a pro-
gram to wipe out the food deficit
by the end of 1851. AS recently
as two years ago progress had
been so good that success was
believed in sight.
A widespread program of in
tensified agricultural production
was set in motion. This included
reclamation of waste land, irriga-
ton projects to put those lands
into production, accelerated pro-
duction of fertilizers, seed i'm
provement and hybridization of
grains. Official figures for the
1949-50 crop year show an in
crease of 6 million acres over the
previous year in land devoted to
food production, and an increase
of l million acres in that devoted
to jute and cotton.
When Britain devalued the
pound September 18, 1949, India,
like many other countries, fol-
lowed suit. Pakistan, however,
being in an excellent financial
condition in spite of it's infancy
as nation, did not devalue It's
rupee. Consequently, prices of
Pakistan's exports in terms of the
Indian rupee rose between 80 and
40 per cent. India Immediately
ceased buying Pakistan's food
grains, jute and cotton. This loss
of the Indian market, however,
did not force Pakistan to devalue,
and the Karachi government has
disposed of its agricultural sur
pluses in other foreign markets.
Elements Cut Harvest
India obtained food imports
elsewhere, too. The latter part of
1850 saw the occurrence of certain
natural disorders which cut deep
ly into Indian food production
and roughly tripled the amount of
food which must be obtained from
foreign sources this year.
A great earthquake occurred in
Assam, in Northwest India. 1t was
weeks before full reports of the
disaster reached the outside world.
Indian government officials now
report that the quake caused ex-
tensive destruction of crop lands.
Later in the year local floods in
many areas conspired with larger
than-usual SWarms of locusts and
partial failure of the monsoon in
Southern India to reduce grain
crops even further.
The result was that when the
winter harvest was in India found
itself seriously short of food. In
addition, the natural disorders
which hit the winter harvest also
will reduce the smaller spring har-
vest, mainly wheat, which begins
in May.
The net result was calculated
by 1ndia's food ministry. On the
basis OF actual and anticipated
loss, India will be short 6 million
not 2 million-tons of grain this
year, with no relief in sight until
next winters harvest comes in.
India has a complex system of
food rationing for its town and
city population. For Indians it is
a 12-month-a-year ration, for
others it lasts only four months of
the year. The provincial govern
ments operate the ration system
on policies set and supplies pro-
(See INDIA'S GRAIN. Page C-2.)