A dry world
Desertification, drought, deforestation… Every year, some 12 million hectares of land turn to dust, according to the United Nations. Whether in Switzerland, France or on a global scale, no country is spared from the phenomenon. The effects of global warming can already be seen on the hydrology of the European continent, with periods of drought having reached an intensity and duration almost unprecedented since 1766. The weather devote a series of articles on this issue.
Between the fingers of trader Lilu Ram Kaushik slip the golden grains of wheat, which he evaluates according to the quality and origin of Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh or Rajasthan. The white tunic and proud look, the man contemplates the sacks of wheat lined up in front of store No. 52, which he has occupied for twenty years in the heart of the large grain market of Najafgarh Anaj, on the dusty border of Delhi. It is the season for the sale of wheat, and the farmers here offer their production to private buyers during morning auctions, or sell them to public operators at a fixed price. In a heat that exceeds 45 degrees, the porters toil under the weight of the 50-kilo jute bags. But, in the shade of the alleys, conversations are going well on the Indian government’s decision taken on May 14, with immediate effect, to ban the export of wheat.