Relationship between Food Production and Consumption Diversity in India – Empirical Evidences from Cross Section Analysis

Abstract

This study has examined (i) the food production and consumption diversity across the states, (ii) trends in food consumption and nutritional intake and changes in related socio-economic characteristics, and (iii) relationship between consumption diversity and production diversity along with other major determinants. The data on production, consumption, and other socio-economic factors have been collected from various government published sources for the past two decades (1990-2010). The study has revealed that percapita consumption has decreased in cereals and is stagnant in pulses, and has doubled in edible oils, vegetables, eggs, fish and meat during 1993-94 to 2011-12. It has reflected the nutritional intake wherein calorie and protein intake has declined, fat intake has increased during this period. Simultaneously, a significant growth has been observed in per-capita income and availability of food commodities along with rapid urbanization. The multivariate regression analysis of 28 states has suggested that dietary diversity significantly increases with production diversity and per-capita income and is significantly higher in other states vis-a-vis north-eastern states. A significant non-linear relationship has been observed between dietary diversity and literacy. The study has highlighted a significant impact of local production diversity on consumption pattern and therefore, policies should target the diversification of agricultural production, particularly in the north-eastern states to bring out dietary diversity and desired nutritional outcome.