An affidavit filed by the Union Agriculture Ministry in the Supreme Court says the government has done enough and more to secure self-sufficiency in agriculture.
“The country has sufficient surpluses and is in a position of exporting to other countries,” says the affidavit filed on February 20 in response to a public interest litigation petition by the Consortium of Indian Farmers’ Association in 2011 seeking implementation of the recommendations made by the National Commission on Farmers’ Security in 2006.
“The only areas where production is deficient are pulses and oil seeds.” The government, it said, has initiated programmes such the National Food Security Mission to increase production of pulses and oilseeds to bridge the gap between domestic requirements and minimise imports. The level of food security attained is quite a feat, considering the scant geography of the country.
“India accounts for only 2.4 per cent of the world’s geographical area and 4 per cent of its water resources, but has to support 17 per cent of the world’s human population and 15 per cent of its livestock,” the affidavit said.
“[Despite this] India has not only ensured self-sufficiency in most agricultural crops but also built sufficient buffer stocks and is also in a position to export agricultural commodities to other countries. The government has taken all possible steps for implementation of the National Policy for Farmers, 2007 for development and growth of agriculture and allied sectors as well as for the betterment of farmers.”
The petition accused the government of sitting on the 2007 policy framed on the recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan Commission. These recommendations were endorsed by the Working Group on Agriculture Production under the Prime Minister in December 2010.
The consortium highlighted how the BJP election manifesto had promised that profitability in agriculture would be enhanced by ensuring a minimum 50 per cent profit over and above costs.
The government defended that it had put forward various recommendations of its price policy adviser, the Commission on Agricultural Costs and Prices, to bring security to the agricultural sector and prevent farmers’ suicides.
