(Commonwealth_India) India has grappled with persistently high food inflation over the past two years, a trend that defies the broader global move toward stabilization. According to the latest Economic Survey presented in Parliament, one of the primary contributors to this sustained inflation is extreme weather events. These unpredictable and often severe climate conditions, including heatwaves and unseasonal rains, have wreaked havoc on food production, especially in sectors like horticulture.
The report underscores how these weather disturbances have severely impacted the harvest of key food items, such as onions and tomatoes, which are vital to the country’s food supply. In particular, these commodities’ decline in crop yields can be attributed to adverse climatic events in major agricultural regions. The 2023-24 period saw a significant increase in crop damage across key agricultural areas, which in turn placed additional upward pressure on the prices of essential food products. This trend of rising prices has been especially pronounced in staples such as vegetables and pulses, which have a direct impact on the daily cost of living for many Indians.
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has further highlighted the growing severity of the situation by revealing that the total area of damaged crops in 2024 was even higher than that of the preceding two years. This indicates a troubling escalation of crop vulnerability in the face of climate change. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), extreme weather events such as heatwaves have become more frequent, occurring on 18% of days between 2022 and 2024, compared to just 5% of days in the 2020-21 period. This sharp increase in extreme weather events suggests that India’s agricultural systems are increasingly exposed to the volatility of climate change.
While extreme weather events are the most glaring cause of food inflation, the Economic Survey also acknowledges other contributing factors. These include geopolitical tensions and global supply chain disruptions, which have had an impact on the prices of imported food items and agricultural inputs. However, the report notes that the effects of these external factors are beginning to ease. Rather than leading to continued price hikes, they have caused more fluctuations in commodity prices, creating periods of instability rather than sustained inflation.
Government Strategies to Tackle Food Inflation
In response to these challenges, the Government of India has outlined several strategies to mitigate the risks associated with extreme weather events and to reduce the impact on food prices. The government has proposed a multi-pronged approach that centers on the development of climate-resilient crop varieties. This involves adopting agricultural practices and technologies that can withstand extreme weather conditions, thereby reducing crop damage and ensuring more stable production levels. Additionally, the government is working on improving its price monitoring systems to better track fluctuations in the cost of essential commodities, enabling more timely interventions.
One key element of the government’s plan is addressing post-harvest losses, which remain a significant challenge in India’s agricultural sector. Inadequate storage and distribution systems lead to the loss of a substantial portion of India’s grown food. By investing in better infrastructure for crop storage and transportation, the government hopes to minimize waste and ensure that more of the harvested produce reaches consumers without spoilage.
Furthermore, in an effort to bolster the country’s self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on imports, the government has launched an ambitious six-year mission aimed at increasing domestic production of three widely consumed pulses—tur, urad, and masoor. These pulses are essential components of the Indian diet, and boosting their production could help alleviate price volatility in this critical sector.
The Road Ahead
As the effects of climate change become more pronounced, India faces a growing challenge in adapting its agricultural systems to cope with increasing weather volatility. The Economic Survey highlights that the future of food security in India will depend on how well the country can implement these adaptive strategies and build a more resilient agricultural infrastructure. With climate change increasingly influencing food prices and availability, the ability to develop climate-resilient crops, minimize post-harvest losses, and ensure a stable domestic food supply will be crucial to maintaining price stability and ensuring food security in the years to come.
