A large number of cotton farmers from across Gujarat are expected to come to Rajkot on Friday to protest against the central government's cotton export policy. Maha Gujarat Agricotton Producer Company Limited (MGAPCL), a co-operative cotton marketing firm owned by farmers, has organised a farmers' gathering at Rajkot for protesting the government's stand on cotton export. This comes in the wake of the central government's decision to defer the commencement of cotton...

Global foodgrain prices are likely to remain high in the coming months despite high output estimates this season. Bad weather in Brazil and Russia and rising global demand have made the grain market sensitive. The assessment of the damage due to dry weather in Russia, Western Australia and South America and floods in India, China and Pakistan is yet to be done. This is offering grain traders speculative opportunity on futures...

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Thursday said that the kharif production at 114.63 million tonnes for 2010-11 crop year was “comfortable.” “The output is better than last year which was a drought year, but lower than 2008-09, which was a normal year.” “The kharif production looks good. Area under crops such as paddy, pulses, cotton and sugarcane is more than last year,'' he told journalists after the Agriculture Ministry released the...

The higher purchase price announced by the government has finally driven farmers to set aside more land for pulses this kharif, but experts doubt the approach can fill the increasing gap between demand and supply of this increasingly important source of protein for Indians. In the short-term though it could help reduce imports of pulses, running into thousands of crore every year. This year the acreage for pulses is pegged...

The office bearers of the Yavatmal Zilla Shetkari Sangharsh Samiti have flayed the state and Central governments for their anti-farmer policies and programmes. The coalition of farmers has threatened a mass agitation across the state if their long pending demands are not met immediately. General secretary Ashok Bhutada said at a press conference on Monday that the governments at the state and Centre have failed to curb farmers' suicide, as...