Question : OPIUM CROPS

(a) whether any study/survey has been done to assess the damage done to opium crops due to inclement weather conditions;

(b) if so, the details thereof including the amount of crops damaged during each of the last three years and the current year;

(c) the effect this has had on the crop cultivated per hectare;

(d) whether the Government will make a downward revision of the minimum yield required for the cultivation of opium in light of the recent hailstorms; and

(e) if so, the details thereof ?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI JAYANT SINHA)

(a) and (b). The Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Rules, 1985 and the General conditions for grant of opium cultivation license notified every year there under do not provide for assessment of damage to opium crops due to inclement weather conditions. As such, no survey has been carried out by the Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN), which exercises control over licit opium poppy cultivation in the country, to assess the damage to poppy crops due to inclement weather conditions, in the last few years. However, the State Governments of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have been addressed to consider relief from State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) on account of damage to the opium crops due to bad weather conditions in the crop year 2014-15. The Ministry of Agriculture has also been addressed to consider similar relief from National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF). For the current year, an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) has been constituted on 1st April, 2015 in respect of Rajasthan for assessing the situation and requirement of Central assistance from the NDRF.

(c) The per hectare All India average yield of opium poppy during the last three years and the current crop year is indicated here under:

 Crop Year	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15 Average yield (Kg/ha at 70	6566	65.06	60.27	61.92 degrees consistence)	(Prov.)	(Prov.)	(Prov.)