The Hindu : Decline in per capita consumption of cereals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 04, 2003

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Decline in per capita consumption of cereals

By Our Special Correspondent

GULBARGA AUG. 3. The consumption of cereals in the country has come down drastically from 175 kg. per capita per annum (KPCA) in 1972-73 to 147 KPCA in 1999-2000, according to a study conducted by the Centre on trends in food consumption in urban and rural areas.

The study stated that the decline started from 1983 when the consumption level dropped to 170 KPCA, and in 1987-88, it dropped further to 166 KPCA.

It came down to 161 KPCA in 1990-01 and 154 KPCA in 1993-94, and fell to a new low of 147 KPCA during 1999-2000.

This was despite the increase in the per capita production of cereals from 135 to 150 KPCA to 150-165 KPCA.

Official sources said here today that the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) had fixed the norm of normal intake of cereals of 157 kg. a person a year, and the national sample survey (NSS) on the consumption of cereals, particularly coarse cereals, painted a gloomy picture of only 147 kg. a person a year during 1999-2000. The consumption of coarse cereals came down sharply from 50 KPCA in 1972 to 14 KPCA in 1999-2000.

Unlike in coarse cereals, there has been a sustained growth in the per capita production of rice and wheat. But their availability for consumption is less than the production level because of import substitution and stock accretion.

The NSS data showed that there was a significant increase in the per capita consumption of rice and wheat till the late 1980s followed by stagnation or decline. Availability of rice and wheat rose from 111 KPCA during 1973 to 134 KPCA in 1991, and declined marginally to 133 KPCA in 2000 before plummeting to 119 KPCA in 2001.

The NSS data said the average rice and wheat consumption among the poorest 20 per cent population in rural areas was only 76 KPCA in 1972-73 which was less than half of 180 KPCA consumed by the richest 20 per cent.

However, the consumption by the poorest 20 per cent population increased to 107 KPCA in 1987-88, while that by the richest remained unchanged at 180 KPCA.

Although there had been a decline in the consumption of coarse cereals in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, the consumption of rice and wheat did not decline in these States.

The study said that among the major States, Assam, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu faced the problem of lower intake of nutrients.

The average intake was less than 2,000 calories a day in each of these States during 1993-94 and it worsened further in 1999-2000 except in Kerala and Maharashtra which registered a marginal increase.

Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka also accounted for the intake of 2,100 calories a day during the period. There had been a general decline in the calorie intake despite some change in the dietary pattern.

Quoting the study, the sources said the situation would not improve without sustained efforts to provide assured supply of cereals either through local production or through a well-functioning distribution system which could make cereals affordable and prevent undue fluctuations in their prices.

The NSS data showed variations in the demand for cereals. Interestingly, the demand for cereals was low in States such as Punjab, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, while it was high in States such as Orissa and Bihar.

With most of the poor living in rural areas and over 75 per cent of the demand for cereals originating there, the trend in rural income would prove critical in determining the demand for cereals to overcome the problem of hunger, and the quality of future generations.

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