Sustainability approaches in food sector with special reference to potato in India

Abstract

This study endeavours to evaluate the extent of sustainable approaches used in the food sector with a special reference to Potato. The access to food and its affordability is crucial to the survival of humanity. Due to populations burgeoning across the world a mismatch in the demand for food over its supply has arisen. In addition, poor food cultivation and production practices have resulted in either substandard qualities or reduced yields. This has given rise to the necessity for food to be produced in a sustainable manner and help ensure a food secure world. Besides rice wheat and maize potato is considered as a major staple food commodity in several countries around the world. In the year 2008, recognising the importance of the potato as a staple food the FAO declared it as the International year of the potato . In addition several sustainability guidelines were introduced to help countries increase their yield of potato production and promote the preservation of existing cultivations.India is the third largest producer of potatoes after China followed by Russia. India produces about 25- 30 million tons annually on an average, out of the world production of 300 million tons annually. The states of Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal produce 70% of India s potatoes. While both these states produce during the rabi season, the state of Karnataka produces it during the Kharif season. Hassan a district in Karnataka renowned for the production of potato chips has been selected as the area for the study. The study maps the entire value chain of potato right from its cultivation stage to the final stage of marketing it as a commodity. Sustainability practices followed in all stages of the value chain were recorded and documented in an attempt to evaluate both compliance and non compliance of sustainability guidelines as set out by the FAO. All major stake holders of the value chain were identified and the role they played in adhering to the FAO guidelines for sustainability was documented. On collection of the data, the status of sustainability practices followed at each phase and component of the value chain was analysed. From the analysed data a scenario analysis for the economics of potato cultivation and production was developed. To understand potato production and the price trends for potato at a National level, four major states in India were selected for analysis. Potato being a significant food commodity bears significant influence on the Whole Sale Price Index. Given this importance the significance of the price of potatoes and its influence on food inflation has also been covered in the study. The existing policies with reference to the potato sector and those that impact this sector are also covered in the study. The references used to assimilate information on policy issues were the National Horticulture Mission and the National Horticulture Board.(Potato is considered as a horticultural crop in India)The data on being analysed revealed that there are several huge gaps that exist in the production of potatoes in a sustainable manner. The lacunas in sustainable practices exist right from the seed used for cultivation to nutrition management, disease management and environment conservation efforts. The primary cause for the lacuna, it was found that farmers were afraid to change from known traditional practices of cultivation and production as they were unaware or uneducated on the benefits of sustainable practices. For instance it was found that to breakeven farmers needed a minimum yield of 30 quintals per acre however the best average yield was 22.5quintal per acre or between 50 to 65 quintals per hectare. The best yield per acre was not sought for by a large majority of farmers as they were happy with a minimum breakeven yield rather than make major changes to their farming practices. However on the other hand during the course of the study it was found that one award winning farmer with the use of organic fertilisers and sustainable measures had increased his yield to 112 quintals per acre. The production and price trends in the four major states studied, indicated that a delicate balance between the supply and demand of the commodity determines its price. Price peaks were observed across the country during the month of October every year. This could be attributed to a shortage of stock during this period as it was just before the commodity was harvested. Prices flatten by December and rose again by April. The price also depended on the amount of rainfall received in the area of cultivation and other factors like if the crop had diseases, or there was a bumper crop or crop failure in some particular state and the availability of storage facilities. Though the Government supports farmers through policy options, market interventions, subsidy for drip irrigation, fertilisers, pesticides, incentives for use of organic fertilisers etc, there are still several issues that still remain to be done to help bring the potato cultivation and production to match FAO s sustainability guidelines.