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Dynamics of Foodgrain Deficiency in India

Author

Listed:
  • Paramita Bhattacharya

    (Paramita Bhattacharya is a Ph. D. Scholar at Department of Economics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India, email: t2paramita@gmail.com)

  • Siddhartha Mitra

    (Siddhartha Mitra is Professor at Department of Economics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India, email: mitsid@yahoo.com)

  • Md. Zakaria Siddiqui

    (Md. Zakaria Siddiqui is Research Assistant at Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, email: zakaria.jnu@gmail.com)

Abstract

Food security is a basic requirement of livelihood. A major source of calories is carbohydrates which are mainly derived from foodgrains. This article addresses the foodgrain deficiency in India, across its states, regions and at the household level. The study further analyses the causal effect of subsidies from India’s public distribution system, the share of home-produced foodgrain in total consumption of foodgrains, food diversification, monthly per capita consumption expenditure and socio-religious factors on foodgrain deficiency. The analysis is based on the National Sample Survey’s unit-level data at three points of time: 1999–2000, 2004–05 and 2009–10. Foodgrain deficiency has been captured at the national level and across states by suitably adapting Foster, Greer and Thorbecke’s (1984) measure of poverty. Panel regression has been done at the state-region level to analyse the impact of the above-mentioned determinants on foodgrain deficiency. For the household-level regression, the dependent variable is deviation from the desired norm of 8.6 kg of foodgrain per consumer unit per month. Quantile regression analysis is done at the household level to capture the impact of the determinants at different segments of foodgrain deviations. We find that foodgrain deficiency levels have increased for ‘all-classes’ and the ‘below-poverty-level class’ but the deficiency levels are not very high and can be managed with suitable measures. It is further found that the determinants have a significant influence on foodgrain deficiency and foodgrain deviation at the state-region and household levels, respectively. Suitable policy measures have also been identified. JEL Classification: I31, I32, C21, C23, O10, Q18

Suggested Citation

  • Paramita Bhattacharya & Siddhartha Mitra & Md. Zakaria Siddiqui, 2016. "Dynamics of Foodgrain Deficiency in India," Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research, National Council of Applied Economic Research, vol. 10(4), pages 465-498, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:mareco:v:10:y:2016:i:4:p:465-498
    DOI: 10.1177/0973801016659725
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Foster, James & Greer, Joel & Thorbecke, Erik, 1984. "A Class of Decomposable Poverty Measures," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 52(3), pages 761-766, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jumrani, Jaya, 2017. "Inter-temporal and Spatial Changes in Nutritional Insecurity in India," Agricultural Economics Research Review, Agricultural Economics Research Association (India), vol. 30(2).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Foodgrain Deficiency; Poverty Index; Public Distribution System; Food Diversification; Panel Regression; Quantile Regression;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy

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