El Niño May Bring Food Price Hikes, but India's Preparedness Has Improved

Scientists warn that El Niño may push up food prices in India, but experts believe the country is better prepared than it was in 2009. During a recent session on the impacts of El Niño on extreme events and society, researchers noted that India's agricultural policies have improved significantly since the last strong El Niño event.

India's history with El Niño suggests that there could be limited food and cattle fodder inflation and a small potential dip in the economy. The country has made significant strides in irrigating its agricultural land, with over 56% of arable land now under irrigation. Additionally, good stocks of rice and wheat are buffering inflation prices for these staple crops.

However, other crops such as oilseeds and pulses are getting affected by a rainfall deficit. Dr. Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at IITM Pune, noted that food inflation after the 2009 El Niño was around 20%. While some researchers expressed concerns about the potential impact on fish availability due to the rainfall deficit, others pointed out that no two El Niño events are the same.