Staple food
V.V. RAVI KUMAR
In India, rice and wheat are the two major cereals consumed as the most important part of one’s daily diet. Production in India of wheat in 2009 is estimated to be around 80 million tonnes, while that of rice is around 95 million tonnes. The southern and the eastern parts of India are predominantly rice-eating while the northern and the western parts are consuming wheat-based food products.
In the rice eating belt, the price of rice would be less by Rs. 5or 6 rupees lesser than that for wheat. However, this year we have the unique position that packaged and branded wheat flour is available for Rs. 25 a kg or even less while the retail prices of rice have soared to as high as Rs. 40 a kg. Over the past one year or so, the price of rice has risen from being at Rs. 20 a kg to the present Rs. 40 per kg which is double. The reasons include increase in demand and lower area under cultivation.
The government also stepped in, banning export of rice. Increased costs of production have also contributed to the abnormal increase in the prices of rice. Thus, an ironical situation has arisen in that rice eaters have to pay more for their staple food, while wheat flour is available at a cheaper rate, and despite the fact that mainly rice is grown in the southern parts of India.
This is putting rice eaters at a disadvantage since eating rice is a part of a ritual which is ingrained as a habit from early childhood. The governments of the Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka need to put their heads together and come out with solutions to tackle this irony staring the face of its people which is forced to shell out more for its staple food. .
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