A dry spell in India’s usual monsoon season has had a dramatic effect on food prices and availability, affecting more than 700 million people in the world’s second most populous country. With its farmers hit hard by the drought, India is forced to begin importing food to make up for the shortages.

The BBC:

India will import food to make up for shortages caused by a drought thought to be affecting 700 million people, the finance minister has said.

The minister, Pranab Mukherjee, did not specify what would be imported and when, saying he wanted to avoid speculation on prices.

The drought is affecting almost half of India’s districts.

Food prices have risen by 10% after poor monsoon rains hit sowing. Monsoon rains are critical to India’s farmers.

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