-The Telegraph New Delhi: The countrywide monsoon rainfall this season was three per cent below average instead of the predicted six per cent above average, but it was distributed well enough to promise good crop Yields, scientists said. An end-of-season analysis by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows that the quantum of the all-India rainfall was about 97 per cent of the long-period average. It also reveals that 27 of the country’s 35...

-The Financial Express There are several facets to India’s weak pulse economy. Nevertheless, it is a glorious moment for the country as pulse production is expected around 22 million tonnes in FY17 surpassing all previous records. According to the initial estimates of the agriculture ministry, kharif production will reach 8.2 million tonnes against 5.4 million tonnes recorded in the last fiscal. This would be possible due to higher allocation of land to...

-The Times of India HUBBALLI: Young farmers in Haveri district have come up with an innovative method to turn husbandry into a lucrative affair. They are administering limewater to their cattle, which keeps the oxen healthy, and results in a surge in the quantity of milk produced by cows. This is part of the sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers' programme introduced by the Initiative for Development Foundation (IDF) in June. It is...

-The Hindu Business Line Rice, pulses lead the production figures New Delhi: Foodgrain production in the on-going kharif season is expected to be at a record high of 135.03 million tonnes (mt) with a record output predicted for pulses and rice, according to production estimates released by the Agriculture Ministry. “This is higher than the previous record production by almost 4 million tonnes (about 9 per cent). The way farmers are working, in...

-The Times of India HYDERABAD: A government advisory not to grow cotton this kharif crop season has landed state farmers in trouble with prices of alternative crops they were encouraged to grow falling. And rubbing salt into their wounds, the price of cotton has been witnessing a dramatic rise. Further, there has been no word from the government so far on initiating market intervention measures and procuring of produce at minimum support...