-TheWire.in The auctions let millers earn a bloated revenue of at least Rs 4,600 crore in four years from milling over 5.4 lakh tonnes of raw pulses, hammering government coffers and possibly the quality of daal, show documents. New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government allowed millers to fatten themselves on tonnes of pulses meant for the poor by turning an auction procedure on its head. The Reporters’ Collective’s examination of auction archives shows...

-Newsclick.in Bihar DAP Shortage Delays Sowing of Rabi Crops, Farmers Fear Loss in Quality Patna: Rajeshwar Mandal and Surajdeo Yadav are extremely worried as the sowing of maize, wheat, pulses and mustard has been delayed due to the acute shortage of diammonium phosphate (DAP). The marginal farmers of the flood-hit Seemanchal-Koshi region of Bihar fear that the delay in sowing the Rabi crops will affect their quality and production. Mandal and Yadav are...

-ThePrint.in Scientists from around the world have used genome sequencing to help produce new varieties of chickpea, which are expected to give increased yields at about similar input cost. New Delhi: Research led by scientists from International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India is set to help produce more chickpea or chana, and make it more nutritious and climate-change resistant. The worldwide research project has made it possible to...

-The Tribune Grains sold at fair price shops unfit for eating: Consumers Palampur: In the absence of any checks, ‘substandard’ foodgrain, especially pulses, are being sold at fair price shops in Kangra district. The pulses have high moisture content and are not fit for human consumption. The state government supplies subsidised foodgrain to consumers through over 4,500 outlets, including fair price shops. Sources say that the commodities being supplied at the fair price...

-Down to Earth Lack of planning, introduction of hybrid seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and weed killers are responsible for decline in pulses’ cultivation pulses have an important place in our culture. But with imports increasing every day, they are getting too expensive for the poor. As a result, malnutrition is increasing. It is not that farmers do not grow pulses here due to lack of seeds and knowledge, but there is a lack...