A Famine Fueled by Record Exports

Millions died in an Indian famine while the region grew enough food to survive. Instead of feeding the hungry, colonial officials exported record amounts of grain abroad, turning a drought into a massive human tragedy.

During the Great Famine of 1876, the Deccan Plateau suffered from a severe lack of rain. Despite this, British policies prioritized trade, leading to the mass export of crops out of the region. This preventable policy caused between five and ten million deaths across a massive area. It remains a sobering historical example of how political decisions can turn a natural disaster into a humanitarian catastrophe.