Confirmed Coronavirus Cases in Kerala is around 348
After taking into consideration the possible food scarcity that kerala may need to tackle if COVID-19 pandemic worsens in the country, chief minister pinarayi vijayan on tuesday said that the state needs to boost its agricultural production. The chief minister said this is a preventive measure to tackle the food crisis, if supply from other states stops. Stating that kerala has limitations in producing good grains required by the whole population of the state, the chief minister said that the state needs a greater intervention in the agricultural sector.
“All of us know the limitations of kerala in producing all the food grains necessary for us. We depend on other states. But we have to look into the possibility of what could happen if the COVID-19 situation worsens in other parts of the country. We need to start taking measures to tackle it,” said Pinarayi Vijayan. From increasing more technology induced farming activities to turning barren lands in the state into farmlands, the cm listed out measures that can be taken to prevent a possible food crisis.
pinarayi vijayan also assured the public that the state has enough food resources in stock for many months.We are totally safe for months altogether. There is no need to be apprehensive, we are only taking a preventive measure to tackle if the pandemic worsens in other states,” the cm said. He added that the state at present has over 5.68 lakh tonnes of rice, 1.36 lakh tonnes of aata, 9,231 tonnes of pulses, over 2,000 tonnes of onion, 30.71 lakh litres of sunflower oil, 21.55 lakh litres of coconut oil and over 12,600 tonnes of sugar, in stock. Meanwhile the chief minister also said that the free ration distribution for the state from the Centre will start from april 22. On the first day, april 22, ration card numbers ending with numbers 1 and 2 will get ration, on the second day card numbers ending with 3 and 4, on april 24, card numbers ending with 5 and 6, on april 25, those with card numbers ending with 7 and 8 and on april 26, people with card numbers ending with 0 and 9, will be distributed ration.