The Economic Survey of Pakistan for the year 2010-2011 released recently shows revealing figures for different food items. It shows per capita food availability from 1949-50 to 2010-11, which indicates an increase of in almost all items except pulses, which shows a reduction of 51.7 percent in availability. On the other hand, cereals show +13.9 percent, sugar +54.9 percent, milk +58.6 percent, meat +113.2 percent and edible oil +447 percent increase.
The above figures reveal that in the past 60 years the eating habits of people indicate a surge in use of edible oils, meat, milk, sugar and cereals in descending order while availability of pulses which is poor masses protein source has drastically reduced.
This trend clearly shows that the affluent classes consumed more than their share of food products while the pulses disappeared while striving for bread alone.
So the famous dal roti combination for the poor has not been available. The agriculture department ought to re-examine its priorities of green revolution, which ought to include balanced development of all the crops and not just cereals alone.
DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
