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A water shortage could cut food exports from India, which has emerged as a leading supplier of a number of food products to the world, the Water Resources Minister warned on Monday.
From being a food-deficit country, India has achieved the distinction of being a top exporter of food, but to retain that edge it needs to revive its reservoirs, lakes and other traditional water bodies, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said in a statement.
“Judicious use of water can save India from future calamities,” Shekhawat said.
India emerged as the world’s biggest rice exporter in 2012, selling nearly 12 million tonnes (mt) of the staple annually on the world market, including 4 mt of the aromatic basmati variety.
But rice is a water-intensive crop. Government research bodies and experts say Indian farmers need 4,500 to 5,000 litres of water to grow one kg of rice.
This year, the monsoon has delivered 38 per cent lower-than normal or average rainfall since the start of the season on June 1, according to data compiled by the India Meteorological Department.
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