Question

What happens to the supply of food when there is a disaster or calamity?

Answer 1

• When there is a natural calamity, for example when there is drought, there will be reduction in the production of food grains.
• The prices of food grains will go up when there is a shortage of food.
• Some people cannot afford to buy food when the prices are high.
• There will be starvation among people if the calamity is prolonged over a longer time period or if the calamity is spread over a wide area.
• A famine will take place if there is massive starvation.
• In 1943, the Famine of Bengal killed around 30 lakh people in Bengal province. It was the most devastating famine in India.
• The people who died in this famine were the ones who were most affected by rise in price and the section of people who faced the maximum impact was casual labourers, transport workers, fishermen, agricultural labourers.