Drought : Rice shortfall likely by 1.28 lakh MT
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 02 2009: Following the deficit rainfall, which has drastically hit agricultural activities as well as in light of the increasing population, Manipur is likely to suffer a shortage of over 1.28 lakh metric tonne of rice next year.

According to an official source, the calculation of the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, worked out on the basis of the population figure provided by the Union Planning Commission, has pointed out that there would be an acute shortage of rice and the shortfall will have to be made up by PDS rice and relief.

A parched paddy field (File picture)

Taking the population of Manipur as 25.18 lakhs, as on 1-3-2000 for the purpose of PDS allocation, the Planning Commission has classified 40.86 percent of the population as BPL families.

Out of this, 38 percent has been further classified as poorest of the poor, that is AAY families, while the remaining 59.14 percent as APL families.

If the projected population of the State as on April 1 this year is taken as 28 lakhs, then the total requirement of rice would go upto 5.88 matric tonne, the source observed.

On the other hand, the total rice production of the State last year was only 4.60 matric tonne.

So, the State is likely to suffer a deficit of over 1.2 matric tonne of rice, the source said, adding that the quantity of rice being provided to the State in respect of BPL is 3478 matric tonne and 2227 matric tonne of AAY rice while the APL allocation is 2182 matric tonne.

As Tripura, with a population of 37.82 lakhs, and Nagaland with a population of 16.84 lakhs are respectively getting 12,505 matric tonne and 4360 matric tonne of APL rice per month as against 2182 matric tonne allocated to Manipur, which has a population of 25.18 lakhs population, the State Government has requested the Centre to increase the APL quota, the source disclosed.

Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has also written a letter to the Union Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in this regard.

It may be noted here the State Agriculture Dept has declared that there may be a 50 pc decrease in the food grain production this year in view of crop failure due to deficit rainfall.