Stressing that India produces sufficient foodgrains, including wheat,
to meet its domestic consumption, renowned agriculture scientist M S
Swaminthan has ruled out the country becoming a food-importing nation
in the near future.

"India achieved self-sufficiency in foodgrain production long ago.
There is no such possibility that the country would become a
wheat-deficient country," Swaminathan said Tuesday.

He, however, said that foodgrain production should be higher than the
population growth in a developing country like India in order to
ensure complete eradication of poverty and hunger from society.

Higher foodgrain production could be ensured through a greater
application of scientific findings, he added.

On India becoming a wheat-importing country by the end of this year as
apprehended in some quarters, he said "no such situation is going to
emerge in wheat production in which the country has already achieved
self-sufficiency".

We have developed a number of indigenous wheat varieties which ensure
higher productivity, he said, ruling out the fear relating to
deficient wheat production leading to import as an attempt to jack up
prices by speculators.

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has assured that wheat production
this year would be sufficient to meet domestic requirements, including
allocations meant for social, welfare and employment generation schemes.

The minister, however, said if need arose, there would not be any
hesitation to go for import of foodgrains.