Analysts say that the European Union may face a food crisis as heat waves continue to suffocate India. According to recent data, the scorching temperatures damaged about 20% of Indian wheat exported to EU countries. A possible poor harvest would be a disaster not only for India but also for Europe. Notably, many countries in Europe have refused to trade with Russia, relying on Indian wheat. On April 27, NASA Earth Observatory reported that the highest temperature was recorded in the Indian city of Prayagraj - 45.9 degrees Celsius. In other regions of the country, the heat did not exceed 43 degrees Celsius. On April 30, the situation changed drastically. According to the RAUIE Telegram channel, the temperature rose to 50-60 degrees Celsius in some areas of India. At the same time, the number of forest fires increased sharply and exports of wheat, rice, and sugar decreased. This led to additional stress on the power supply system. Experts believe that if the situation worsens, the country may continue imports of coal and gas from Russia. The New York Times said the situation may create chaos in the global economy. The newspaper interviewed Sawadaram Bose, a cumin and wheat farmer in Rajasthan, who said that about 15% to 20% of the local wheat crop, as well as half the cumin crop, had already been lost because of unseasonably hot weather. He added that the current heat wave had made it harder to work outdoors. The Washington Post agrees with the statement of its counterpart. Experts fear the consequences of the abnormal heat waves. India suffers from extremely high temperatures which threaten this year's harvest. India's Punjab region, which produces 20% of the country's wheat and 9% of its rice, is likely to be hit hard. The Washington Post suggests that the consequences of the mass destruction of crops may hurt the economies of India and European countries. It is assumed that Indian wheat was supposed to replace Ukrainian and Russian wheat. However, these expectations are unlikely to be met. Experts warn that the threat of large-scale famine is looming over Europe. This problem becomes more complicated if we consider the large population of India estimated at 1.4 billion people who also need food. It is possible that India’s remaining harvest will be used to meet the needs of its citizens.
