-The Hindustan Times   Chandigarh: Punjab expects profitable basmati crop this kharif season. The price of Indian basmati already has touched $136 (`8,500) a quintal in the international market, lifting the rate in the state as well. In just 15 days into the harvest season, premium basmati is being lifted for `3,500 a quintal. Last year, the price was about `2,200. Basmati exporters have, so far, bought about 1-lakh tonnes of the product in...

-The Business Standard Onion crisis is a reminder of the need for retail reform Onion prices in towns have begun, finally, to come down. That follows a fresh harvest of onions in Karnataka and Maharashtra. But the price rise could happen again - unless its causes are realistically ascertained, and the right lessons drawn. The crisis was generally believed to have been triggered by low production, high exports and rampant hoarding. However,...

-The Hindustan Times In recent years, there has been a constant stream of international attention given to the Indian middle class. Thanks to the expansion of this class, India's image has dramatically changed since the 1990s. Instead of the narrative about grinding poverty, India is now seen as the heart of new capitalism that is associated with high rates of growth as well as the consumerist elite and middle classes. The...

-The United Nations Wider use of available best practices and technologies could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the livestock sector by as much as 30 per cent, according to a new study released today by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The report, "Tackling climate change through livestock: A global assessment of emissions and mitigation opportunities," represents the most comprehensive estimate to date of livestock's contribution to global warming,...

-The Indian Express To address the crisis of rising unemployment, first fix labour laws. That there haven't been too many protests against the elevated levels of consumer price inflation for several years probably has to do with the number of jobs being created. While UPA 1 had a poor track record, and only 3 million new jobs were created between 2004-05 and 2009-10, National Sample Survey (NSS) data shows the situation improved...