World’s food supply faces new threat

Farm labourers extract rice paddy saplings into bunches before transplantation in a field for rice cultivation on the outskirts of Bangalore on July 28, 2022. (Photo: AFP)

Rice could emerge as the next challenge for global food supply as a shortage of rain in parts of India, by far the world’s biggest exporter, has caused planting area to shrink to the smallest in about three years.

The threat to India’s rice production comes at a time when countries are grappling with soaring food costs and rampant inflation. Total rice planted area has declined 13% so far this season due to a lack of rainfall in some areas, including West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, which account for a quarter of India’s output.