-PTI New Delhi: With an aim to save standing Kharif crops from weak monsoon, the Centre on Thursday announced 50 percent diesel subsidy to farmers in places where rainfall deficiency was more than 50 percent as on July 15. The 50 percent subsidy will also be applicable to places as and when states declare them as drought-hit. The government also raised the subsidy ceiling to 50 percent on seeds in order to partially...

-The Telegraph Shillong: Scientists have urged farmers in Meghalaya to adopt "climate-smart agriculture" by adhering to recommended climate change mitigation strategies as various parts of the Northeast are facing a drought-like situation because of global warming. An awareness-cum-training programme on Contingency Plan for Drought-like Situation was held recently at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for the northeastern region in Umiam under the National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture project. According to...

-The Financial Express Despite the delayed monsoon and slow progress in sowing, the government on Monday set a 30 million tonne (mt) rice procurement target for the 2014-15 kharif marketing season, starting October. Despite the delayed monsoon and slow progress in sowing, the government on Monday set a 30 million tonne (mt) rice procurement target for the 2014-15 kharif marketing season, starting October. This is a moderate revision from the previous year's kharif...

-The Business Standard States need to create alternative marketing structures for farm produce since middlemen also provide vital services that are otherwise unavailable to the farmer   One of the issues often raised in the context of high food inflation is the pressing need to change the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC), the marketing boards established by state governments. The earlier United Progressive Alliance government had asked the Congress-ruled states to remove fruit...

-The Hindu   Threat of drought still looming large with rainfall deficit remaining high at 48 per cent till July 28. The normal area of cultivation for total kharif season is 40.38 lakh hectares. Hyderabad: The prospects of Kharif cultivation have improved in Telangana to some extent over the last 10 days due to revival of monsoon, though the threat of drought conditions is still looming large with the rainfall deficit remaining high...