The Indian government has admitted that global warming is taking its toll in agriculture production in the country.

Kanti Lal Bhuria, Minister of State for Agriculture said that due to increase in temperature and change in precipitation pattern, agriculture production can be affected in a big way.

Referring to the study conducted under network project on impact, adaption and vulnerability of Indian agriculture, Bhuria told the Parliament on Friday that some scanty information on extreme events of cold waves, heat waves and the excess rainfall have been noticed.

In Agra, wheat, gram , mustard and aonla yields were lowered due to cold waves in 2002-03 as compared to previous normal year of 2001-02. In Bihar, loss of seed setting in maize and loss of productivity in boro rice of Assam was recorded in response to extreme coldness.

Loss of production, higher incidence of diseases and advance maturity in wheat was noticed due to abnormal tempertature rice in March, 2004, the minister said.

"Interestingly damage due to excess rainfall in 1998 and 2005, the prices of onion spiralled in retail market due to crop damages," he pointed out.

Bhuria also informed the House that during the tenth plan period ICAR has initiated a Network Project an "Impact, Adaption and Vulnerability of Indian agriculture to Climate Change" at different ICAR Institutes/ State Agricultural Universities.

The project aimed to study the impact of climate change on agriculture and allied disciplines like bio-diversity, agroforestry, horticulture, livestock and fisheries.

He also said research efforts are being made to mitigate the impacts of climate change by increasing the adaptive capacity of the agriculture to global climate change.

Emphasis has also been given during the XI Plan period to strengthen the existing institutional network to cope up to the challenges posed by climate change, Bhuria added.