-The Hindu Business Line Land should not be viewed as the only factor of productivity. And, managing food prices calls for better market intelligence The Centre’s emphasis on manufacturing, manifested in initiatives such as ‘Make in India’ and ‘Skill India’ have a downside: relative indifference to agriculture. Some of this is already visible in terms of rural distress and food price inflation. This can prove costly to the economy, reminiscent of the...

-Business Standard Last week, a senior ministry official had said wheat production in India was likely to fall below 90 million tonnes for another year in a row in FY16 The warmish winter in the north is not yet seen as having an adverse impact on the final wheat harvest but the next few days would be important, said Union agriculture secretary Siraj Hussain. The Centre is monitoring the situation and is hopeful...

-The Indian Express Also seek higher allocation for Price Stabilisation Fund in a pre-Budget meet Farmers’ organisations, food and fertiliser companies and agriculture experts on Monday urged finance minister Arun Jaitely to ensure that farmers get  remunerative prices for their produce and make sufficient Budget outlay to create  irrigation facilities in the remaining rain-fed areas. They also sought increase in the outlay for expanding the number of agriculture market yards and higher allocation...

-Business Standard Allocation boost likely for schemes on agriculture, irrigation, rural roads In a move to boost rural consumption and alleviate distress in the hinterland, the government is likely to give an allocation push in Budget 2016 to programmes on irrigation, rural roads, soil health cards and agriculture. According to officials, the Union Budget for 2016-17 could see a significant increase in allocation to marquee programmes like the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana,...

-PTI New Delhi: Wheat production in India, the world’s second-largest producer, is likely to fall below 90 million tonnes for the second year in a row in 2015-16 due to an unusually dry and warm winter. Wheat output had declined to 88.95 mt in 2014-15 due to a poor monsoon and unseasonal rains in February-March, as against a record 95.85 mt achieved in the previous year. Sowing of wheat, a major rabi (winter)...