Assessment of Requirement, Availability and Consumption of Food Grains: A Case Study of Nagaon District, Assam, India

Abstract

As the population increases requirement of cereals and pulses also increases but due to imbalance of availability and requirement price, instability occurs which affects the rural farming community as well as poor population, ultimately, requirement of urgent need for policy interventions to curb the obstacles. Rice is the major crop in Assam, especially in Nagaon district covering a cultivating area of 1.98 lakh ha with the productivity of 2.55 MT per hectare out of total 2.766 lakh ha geographical area. The study aims to estimate the availability and requirement of cereals and pulses. Secondary data from Census and Statistical Handbook was analysed. Census data of male, female and children population and production of cereals and pulses were collected from Office of the Deputy Director of Economics & Statistics along with Statistical Handbook of Assam,2024. In order to estimate district requirement adult male population, female population are taken. Total food grain production in the district was taken from District Agril. Office through and published sources. Major pulses growing in Nagaon district are Green Gram, Black gram, Arahar, Pea and Lentil. From the study we can conclude that total production of cereal and total pulsed are 644578 MT and 78583 MT to feed 1720818 numbers of adult male equivalent populations. Surplus cereals: 644,578 MT (against requirement 295,659 MT) and Deficit pulses: 7,858 MT (against requirement 50,247 MT) indicating surplus production of rice in Nagaon district. Whereas in case of Pulses availability is 7858 MT and demand for the same is 50247.8856 indicating deficit in the pulse in the district. The Per capita surplus of cereal is 751.327g/year and per capita deficit for pulse is 67.4892. The meet the current population total pulse productivity should be increased from .632 MT/ha to 4.40 MT/ha.  Technological improvements, high-yielding varieties, and policy interventions are essential to bridge the pulse deficit.