Ground water has been depleted to such an extent that it is devastating the country. A soil and water expert estimates that the energy used to subsidize rice production in the Punjab region costs $381 million a year. He and other experts warn warns that, if unchecked, future drilling will bleed state budgets, parch aquifers, and run farmers out of business.
Meanwhile, Reuters says that the Saudi government has decided to stop all subsidies to agriculture, and aims to rely entirely on imports by 2016.
This is due to fossil aquifers becoming depleted due to the previous policy of self sufficiency when grain was produced regardless of cost. Massive circles of green apeared in the desert as centre pivot irrigation systems were installed. These systems consist of a massive gantry carrying pipes and watering jets that go slowly round in a circle, the pump and well being in the centre.
Saudi became a major food exporter but will now instead become a major importer. As other countries are also changing from exporters to importers, and as big producers such as the US use more grain for biofuel, severe shortages are bound to happen as other threats to food production mentioned in other posts, come in to play.
