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"In the last five years ... wheat, rice, sugarcane and cotton production has not dropped, but increased," Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said during Question Hour.
In fact, he said, except for Nigeria, no negative impact of global warming have been reported globally so far. Pawar said a number of reports by several organisations about possible impact of climate change on global agriculture revealed that there would be 14 per cent deficit in wheat production, 11 per cent in rice and 9 per cent in maize by 2020.
"Indian studies conducted under ICAR Network Project on Climate Change, however, indicate that climate change may reduce yield of timely sown irrigated wheat by about six per cent in 2020. While late and very late sown wheat is taken into consideration, the projected impact could reduce the yield by 18 per cent, if no adaptation measures are followed," he said.
Pawar said climate resilient practices on farmers` fields in 100 most vulnerable districts were demonstrated as part of a Rs 350 crore national scheme last year, but "by and large, we have not seen impact".
Attributing post-harvest losses in fruit and vegetables to shortage of cold storages, he said that during the last three years, 1,066 cold storages with 5.56 million tonne capacity were set up with Rs 656.33 crore government subsidy.
