-The Telegraph Bihar: Santosh Thakur, a middle-aged farmer from Karsi village in Dinara block of Rohtas district - famously known as the part of Bihar's rice bowl - is as hapless this kharif season as he has always been. He is forced to sell his paddy at Rs 950-1,000 per quintal to middlemen against the stipulated procurement price of Rs 1,360 per quintal. Why are you selling your produce at such a low...

-Down to Earth Chhattisgarh's much appreciated public distribution scheme is falling apart due to corruption and mismanagement As chhattisgarh prepares for panchayat election at the end of the year, the fate of ration card holders in the state is in limbo. During a verification drive in July-August, the state government found almost 1.3 million "unnecessary" ration cards in the possession of people. These cards have been taken back by the government and...

-The Hindu Vellore (Tamil Nadu): Farmers have urged the district administration to provide organic fertilizers to restore soil fertility and improve nutrition of the crops. At the farmers' grievance redressal meeting on Friday, a farmer, Pichandi of Serpadi village said the nutrients in the soil were destroyed by using fertilizers such as urea, potash and complex in the last few decades. "Nearly 35 years ago, the government distributed neeli seeds, known as...

-IANS Guwahati: The gurgling water flowing fast through a traditional canal system that has been revived in water-scarce parts of Assam has brought cheer to farmers who now look forward to a bumper harvest. After about 20 years, 42-year-old Rati Ranjan Mondal expects at least 450 mounds (about 18,000 kg) of rice from his 30 bighas (about 10 acres) of paddy field in this harvesting season, compared to about only 200 mounds...

-Deccan Chronicle Chennai: Farmers have been hit by an acute shortage of fertilisers at the height of the paddy growing season in the state. Due to shortage of fertilisers, they are forced to buy urea and DAP at double the cost in the open market, said MDMK general secretary Vaiko. In a statement here, Mr Vaiko said last year, through cooperative societies, urea was sold at a cost of Rs 270...