KATHMANDU, MAY 30, 2012
Bumper cereal harvests in the current fiscal year have put Nepal into a record food surplus position. The latest statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture Development (MoAD) released on Tuesday claimed that the country had food reserves of 886,307 tonnes in the fiscal year 2011-12.
The country had witnessed a food surplus in the last fiscal year after two years of deficits. In the last one decade, Nepal had a food surplus position for six years and a deficit position for four years.
According to the MoAD, the country had the highest food deficit in 1994-95 of 485,000 tonnes. The country had a food deficit of 330,000 tonnes and 132,000 tonnes in the fiscal years 2009-10 and 2008-09 respectively.
The record surplus means a decline in the number of districts having a food deficit. According to the MoAD, the number has declined to 27 now from the earlier 33. In 2009-10, there were 43 food deficit districts across the country with a majority of them in the hills and mountains.
“The good news is that the mountain and hills regions have gained a food surplus position for the first time in the country,” said Hari Dahal, spokesperson at the MoAD. The mountain region has a food surplus of 15,774 tonnes in 2011-12 compared to a deficit of 13,000 tonnes recorded in the last fiscal year. The hill region has a food surplus of 92,900 tonnes compared to a deficit of 50,153 tonnes last year.
This year, Udayapur, Sindhuli, Kavre, Makwanpur, Sarlahi, Panchthar and Mugu have been declared food surplus districts. However, Chitwan, Manang and Kalikot have been put in the list of food deficit districts. Chitwan, one of the major food baskets, has a food deficit of 18,000 tonnes. “Rapid urbanization and out-migration could be the reason for the food deficit in Chitwan,” Dahal said.
As per the MoAD’s statistics, 11 districts in the mountains and 21 in the hills were in food deficit last year. The Tarai region’s food reserve has increased to 777,000 tonnes this year from 506,000 tonnes in the last fiscal year.
Despite the number of food deficit districts dropping gradually since the last two years, MoAD officials said that rapid urbanization and migration, among other reasons, have put major Tarai districts at risk of food deficit.
According to the MoAD, 9.457 million tonnes of food grain were produced in the current fiscal year. Of the total output, 6.377 million tonnes were net edible production. The rest are used as livestock feed and seeds or are lost to damage during the post-harvest season.
The country’s annual food requirement is 5.15 million tonnes based on the consumption rate of 190.28 kg per person per year by 27.072 million Nepalis. Overall food grain (rice, maize, wheat, millet, barley and buckwheat) output grew by almost 10 percent in the current fiscal year.
As the country is in a comfortable food position, the adequate supply will help control market prices of food grain that will ultimately bring down the country’s increasing inflation,” Dahal said. “As food prices play a major role in determining inflation, a surplus supply will control the market price ultimately benefiting consumers. However, farmers will not get better prices for their produce.”
Source: The Kathmandu Post
Bumper cereal harvests in the current fiscal year have put Nepal into a record food surplus position. The latest statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture Development (MoAD) released on Tuesday claimed that the country had food reserves of 886,307 tonnes in the fiscal year 2011-12.
The country had witnessed a food surplus in the last fiscal year after two years of deficits. In the last one decade, Nepal had a food surplus position for six years and a deficit position for four years.
According to the MoAD, the country had the highest food deficit in 1994-95 of 485,000 tonnes. The country had a food deficit of 330,000 tonnes and 132,000 tonnes in the fiscal years 2009-10 and 2008-09 respectively.
The record surplus means a decline in the number of districts having a food deficit. According to the MoAD, the number has declined to 27 now from the earlier 33. In 2009-10, there were 43 food deficit districts across the country with a majority of them in the hills and mountains.
“The good news is that the mountain and hills regions have gained a food surplus position for the first time in the country,” said Hari Dahal, spokesperson at the MoAD. The mountain region has a food surplus of 15,774 tonnes in 2011-12 compared to a deficit of 13,000 tonnes recorded in the last fiscal year. The hill region has a food surplus of 92,900 tonnes compared to a deficit of 50,153 tonnes last year.
This year, Udayapur, Sindhuli, Kavre, Makwanpur, Sarlahi, Panchthar and Mugu have been declared food surplus districts. However, Chitwan, Manang and Kalikot have been put in the list of food deficit districts. Chitwan, one of the major food baskets, has a food deficit of 18,000 tonnes. “Rapid urbanization and out-migration could be the reason for the food deficit in Chitwan,” Dahal said.
As per the MoAD’s statistics, 11 districts in the mountains and 21 in the hills were in food deficit last year. The Tarai region’s food reserve has increased to 777,000 tonnes this year from 506,000 tonnes in the last fiscal year.
Despite the number of food deficit districts dropping gradually since the last two years, MoAD officials said that rapid urbanization and migration, among other reasons, have put major Tarai districts at risk of food deficit.
According to the MoAD, 9.457 million tonnes of food grain were produced in the current fiscal year. Of the total output, 6.377 million tonnes were net edible production. The rest are used as livestock feed and seeds or are lost to damage during the post-harvest season.
The country’s annual food requirement is 5.15 million tonnes based on the consumption rate of 190.28 kg per person per year by 27.072 million Nepalis. Overall food grain (rice, maize, wheat, millet, barley and buckwheat) output grew by almost 10 percent in the current fiscal year.
As the country is in a comfortable food position, the adequate supply will help control market prices of food grain that will ultimately bring down the country’s increasing inflation,” Dahal said. “As food prices play a major role in determining inflation, a surplus supply will control the market price ultimately benefiting consumers. However, farmers will not get better prices for their produce.”
Source: The Kathmandu Post
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