New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) The government Wednesday called upon agricultural scientists to increase the production of protein foods to prevent an increase in their prices owing to demands of an increasingly calorie-conscious population.

'If production of vegetables, pulses, milk, meat and staples do not catch up with the needs of a young and successful population, price pressure will hurt the poor, and the low income group,' said Minister of State for Agriculture K.V. Thomas.

Foreseeing a stabilized population by 2050 in the country, the minister said: 'The demand for protein foods is going to grow exponentially.'

Already production pressure and urban affluence is pushing prices up, the minister told the 81st Annual General Meeting of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

'With increasing numbers of rural population leaving sustenance agriculture, more has to be provided with less,' Thomas said.

The minister also said 'high degree of economy has to be ushered in the input regime and higher yields have to be sourced from static or decreasing catchments.'

Earlier, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said the ICAR is undertaking a major capacity building exercise to deal with the present and future challenges facing the agriculture sector in the country.