Writing in
Times of India ( 05 June, 2012 ), Subodh Varma provides following interesting
info re: Chinese agriculture in the province
of Sichuan :
Ø
All
farming land is owned by the Government
Ø
Village
Council allots land-plots to families , provides high yield seeds and arranges
fertilizers and pesticides
Ø
In
the province of Sichuan
, water arrives in canals ( constructed in 256 BCE ), fed by Min River
and irrigates 5,300 Square Kilometers of cultivated land. Water flows by
gravity !
Ø
Families
cultivate whatever they want and sell it wherever they can , for whatever price
they get
Ø
A
farmer family of four earned about 1,973 Yuan ( approx. Rs 17,500 / $ 312 ) per
month in 2010 , according to the National Statistics Bureau of China
Ø
Farmers
burn agricultural waste and residue in their fields , to return to their land ,
important minerals
Ø
China has 108 million heads of cattle (
against India’s
322 million )
Ø
Chinese
cows yield as much as 3,700 liters per year of milk ( about 4 times of an
Indian cow )
No wonder China does not
need :
Ø
A
monstrous / corrupt Government machinery for grain procurement
Ø
To
store millions of tons of procured grains in the open , to rot under sun and
rain
Ø
Then
export these food grains by heavily subsidizing private sector exporters
Ø
A
corrupt Public Distribution system
Ø
A
Food Security Bill
And ,
unlike India ,China does not
have 1.6 Million children ( under 5 ) dying each year due to starvation (
Indian Government likes to call it , “ Malnutrition “ )
Does any
political party of India
have the courage to include “ Elimination of Starvation “ in it’s election
manifesto , for the forthcoming National Election in 2014 ?
With
regards
hemen Parekh
Jobs for
All = Peace
on Earth
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