-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: The government's first assessment of farm prospects six weeks into the monsoon season shows the country is heading for a record kharif harvest, which should boost rural income and calm food inflation, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said. Pulses output, which had fallen sharply after two years of drought, will rise 20% and cool prices for consumers, while farmers will gain from higher output and better prices...

-The Hindu The Maharashtra government’s decision to promulgate an ordinance this week to exempt farmers from having to mandatorily sell their fruit and vegetable crop at mandis governed by a 1963 law on marketing farm produce, is a bold and laudable step. That Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stood his ground against the powerful lobby of middlemen, who shut shop in protest, is even more commendable. The problem with the present...

-PTI NEW DELHI: With pulses still ruling as high as Rs 200 per kg, the government today said it is taking several measures to boost domestic output and imports, besides taking action against hoarders to control rates. "The central government is taking several measures to control the price rise of pulses," Agriculture Ministry said in a statement. "On one hand, the government is trying to give relief to citizens by importing pulses from...

-The Indian Express Government committee must work out a sustainable policy framework to address scarcity and inflation in pulses The government’s decision to form a panel headed by chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian to study and suggest ways to contain the rising prices of pulses is a welcome move. The committee is expected to frame a long-term policy, which will look into various aspects, including the MSP (minimum support price) and bonus...

-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: The government has set up a committee to review the minimum support price (MSP) and bonus for pulses to promote cultivation of the staple commodity which has seen a fresh spike in prices. The decision came after an inter-ministerial review meeting headed by finance minister Arun Jaitley on Monday that was attended by food minister Ram Vilas Paswan and urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu. The Chief Economic...