The Indian Clock Is Ticking

India's monsoon rains for the period June 1st - Aug 23rd remain 26% below normal, according to official data, with the breadbasket northwest the worst affected region, where rains are 39% below normal.

With less than five weeks of the four month long rainy season remaining, officials are starting to get jittery.

The country has removed import duties on many commodities in an attempt to ensure that it's population (1.1479 billion and rising last year) can be fed.

India's Commerce Minister is quoted as saying "everyone is welcome," as far as food imports go.

They've slapped a hastily-arranged ban on consumers whose monthly sugar use is at over 1,000 kg from carrying more than 15 days supply of domestic sugar. If they want to import sugar and hold that stock for more than 15 days then they are entirely welcome.

They keep saying that they will release government-held stocks of rice, wheat and sugar onto the market, but have so far failed to do so.

And this morning I read a report on an Indian commodity website saying that "the government can still feed the entire country for at least 82 days," as if that's in some way reassuring! Almost, three months, don't worry there's plenty of time for something to turn up!

Suppose Reuters or one of the other big news agencies carried a story "India to run out of food in 82 days" or something similar?

And suppose that the official figures have been 'massaged' to show things as being much better than they really are?

I feel that it would be in some way insensitive of me to re-publish my Indian Top 20 at this juncture, so I'll just mention that Kylie's "Tears On My Pilau" is straight in at number 9, just behind Lisa Stansfield's "Bhuna Round The World But I Can't Find My Bhaji" but Dire Straits are still holding onto number one with "Brothers In Naans".