-The Indian Express Ill-thought-out assertions about the efficacy of monetary policy can unhinge private expectations of inflation. The Indian Express recently published two articles by Surjit S. Bhalla on the subject of inflation in India (‘Where monetary policy is irrelevant', September 13 and ‘RBI, we have a problem', September 20). Bhalla's central thesis is that inflation in India is primarily driven by changes in the minimum support prices (MSP) for agricultural goods....

-The Economic Times Dinkar Patil, a farmer from Buldhana district in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, normally cultivates cotton on his 13-acre farm land. This year, however, he has skipped the cotton crop and opted for soyabean and tur dal. "The rainfall started late. I did not cultivate cotton because of the delayed rains and the huge increase in cost of cultivation of the crop," said Patil. He is expecting a fall of about...

-The Business Standard The state govt will rent out heavy machinery to farmers on a rental basis Dharwad (Karnataka): Agriculture Minister Krishna Byregowda has said that the government will open 186 customised centres in the state to enhance yield and overcome the shortage of agriculture labourer. Through these centres, the government will rent out heavy machinery to farmers on a rental basis. He said this at the opening of the Krishi Mela...

-The Hindu The world cannot afford to talk about hunger without addressing climate change, food production without sustainability or growth without good nutrition With the world's population predicted to reach 9 billion by 2050, we collectively face a dual challenge: ensuring that everyone will have access to affordable, nutritious food without decimating the earth's natural resources in the process. This is easier said than done. Our current food system is dysfunctional both...

-The Hindu Kalpetta (Kerala): A study conducted by scientists of Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) found that heavy and unscientific application of chemical fertilizers without regular application of lime was the major reason for the spread of yellowing disease in pepper vines. The study was led by K.M. Sreekumar, Associate Professor, Department of Entomology, Agriculture College, Padnnakkad. Sugandhi project It was conducted under the four-year Sugandhi project, organised jointly by the Indian Institute of Spices...