Be it milk, fish, food grains or eggs, India has gone from facing food shortages to becoming one of the leading exporters of agricultural products in the world
File photo of food grains. PTI
At the time of independence, the majority of India’s population was engaged in agriculture. However, the country had limited scope to increase agricultural production.
In the years after independence, India had to face food shortages due to rising demand and a growing population.
However, the country persevered in its attempts to increase food production. The Green Revolution of the 1960s was the turning point in this sector. The increased agricultural production due to high-yielding varieties of crops and greater use of fertilizers helped India become an exporter of several food products.
Similarly, initiatives were undertaken in the field of fisheries, dairy production and animal husbandry to make India self-sufficient.
In 2021-22, India’s agricultural exports touched a high of $50 billion.
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war saw India’s wheat exports multiply nearly four times from $568 million in 2020-21 to $2.12 billion in 2021-22.
Here is how India has progressed to become an exporter of agrarian products 75 years after independence:
Food grains:
India has seen a six-fold rise in food grain production over the decades. From 50.82 million tonnes in 1950-51, the food grain production went up to 314.51 million tonnes in 2021-22.
Coffee:The country has seen its coffee exports jump over 760 times in terms of value. From Rs 7 crore in 1960-61, the value of coffee exports zoomed to Rs 5,340 crore in 2020-21. India is currently the seventh largest coffee producer in the world. The country’s coffee exports crossed the $1 billion mark in 2021-22 for the first time in history.
Milk production:India contributes 21 percent of the world’s milk. From 17 million tonnes in 1951, the milk production levels rose to 209.96 million tonnes in 2021. The per capita availability of milk in the country has more than tripled, up from 130g/day in 1950-51 to 427g/day in 2020-21.
Fish production:India ranks second globally in terms of fish production. The country has seen its fisheries sector increase over 20 times since 1951. India saw a record fish production of 145 lakh tonnes in FY 2020-21. Furthermore, the fisheries sector supports the livelihood of over 28 million people in the country.
Eggs:India is the third largest producer of eggs globally. The country increased its production of eggs from 1.83 billion in 1950-51 to 122.05 billion in 2020-21. The per capita availability of eggs has also jumped from 5 to 90 eggs per annum for the same period.
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