-The Indian Express A smooth GST regime can break inter-state barriers on movement and facilitate direct linkages between processors and farmers After more than a decade of intense discussion and debate, the GST is finally becoming a reality. Although in its current form, it is not as perfect as was originally envisaged, yet it is being lauded as one of the most transformational reforms since 1991. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was humble...

-The Times of India Chennai: Tamil Nadu government is all set to announce a special financial package to provide succor to delta farmers for the third successive year. The package is aimed at helping farmers raise less water-intensive pulses and millets. The customary June 12 water release from Mettur reservoir will be given a miss this year - for the sixth consecutive year - also owing to shortage of water, depriving the...

-Livemint.com The RBI-commissioned study listed faulty crop choices and aspirational consumption patterns as other major factors for farmer suicides New Delhi: Shame arising out of inability to repay loans taken from relatives and acquaintances is a key reason for farmers resorting to suicide, a study commissioned by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) found. The study titled “Lives in debt: narratives of agrarian distress and farmer suicides”, conducted by researchers at Shiv Nadar...

-Business Standard Reportedly, Bibek Debroy suggested to tax agricultural income, which led to a public outcry Over the past few days, India’s agriculture has received much public attention for two apparently contradictory concerns. The first issue was the possibility of taxing agricultural income. NITI Aayog member Bibek Debroy reportedly suggested this move for widening the tax base and pruning exemptions. However, this led to a massive public outcry and within a few...

-The Hindu Business Line Crop gets Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1 lakh per quintal Jaipur: As part of its crop diversification efforts, Rajasthan will encourage over 50,000 farmers to take up cultivation of super foodgrain quinoa this year, said State Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Lal Saini. Rajasthan State Seeds Corporation, which engaged some farmers to grow quinoa seeds on an experimental basis, has managed to raise over 20,000 quintals of seed...