India's economy grew faster than expected in the second quarter of its financial year, figures show. In the three months to September, gross domestic product (GDP) was up 8.9% from the same period last year. However, inflation remains a real concern for authorities with new figures showing prices rising by 9.7% in October. Although only the world's 11th biggest economy, India is the second fastest-growing major economy, behind China. Strong farm production, increased vehicle...

Asian governments, battling soaring food inflation, are pumping ever more resources into agriculture but will struggle to offset rapidly expanding demand in top consumers China and India. China, stung by consumer prices running at a 25-month peak, has been selling state stockpiles. It has also ordered banks to urgently offer support to farmers, an example of the sort of firepower these governments can deploy. With China and India also in many cases...

Renowed agri scientist, M.S.Swaminathan today said Indian agriculture will receive a big boost if the country takes advantage of its young population and woos them into the farm sector by making it lucrative. “India has a big advantage as more than half of its population is below 30 years of age”, he said. “If we tap this huge demographic dividend by making agriculture exciting for the younger generation a far better result...

The indiscriminate use of fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides over the years has led to deterioration of soil quality and crop productivity in India. According to a study conducted by the central soil water conservation research and training institute (CSWCRTI), Dehra Dun, about 1 millimetre of top soil is lost every year due to erosion. This leads to a total soil loss of 5,334 million tonnes annually, at an average rate...

Nirani convened it in Alamatti on Monday The farmers' meeting at Alamatti convened by Large and Medium Industries Minister and district in-charge Murugesh Nirani on Monday failed to arrive at a consensus on the compensation to be fixed for the land to be acquired for the Kudagi thermal power plant proposed to be set up by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) at Kudagi in Basavana Bagewadi taluk of Bijapur district. Demands As soon...