India's food chain in deep change

Ajit Govind Sable's family have owned their farm in Maharashtra for 10 generations, which even for a region that has been farming for more than 10,000 years is long enough to witness plenty of changes.

Two generations ago, they started cultivating sugarcane in Shivthar, a village in Maharashtra's highlands near the Krishna river. India's most industrialised state soon became its largest sugar producer.

Today, it's not sugar the 35-year-old Sable is talking about as he sips sweet tea in the front yard of the low, two-storey farmhouse where half the ground floor houses his turmeric crop.

He's discussing peppers, which he is now growing under polythene plastic coverings.

Text: Jo Winterbottom and Rajendra Jadhav, Reuters

Reuters Images (Any unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited)

Image: Ajit Govind Sable walks down an aisle inside his poly house