-The Times of India DEHRADUN: At least 43 people lost their lives and 23 got injured so far in the natural disasters triggered by torrential rainfall in Uttarakhand during this year's monsoon season, which started from June 1. Besides, several heads of animals were also killed in the state since June this year along with considerable damage to property. Since the onset of monsoon season in the state, 27 people have been...

-The Hindu Business Line Agriculture Ministry expects record harvest this year New Delhi: With the monsoon covering the entire country this week, sowing of kharif crops till July 15, at 559.76 lakh hectares (lh), surpassed last year’s acreage of 548.38 lh as farmers planted more rice, pulses, coarse cereals, oilseeds and sugarcane. Cotton was the only crop that Witnessed a drop in acreage, at 75.41 lh in the June to July 15 period...

-The Hindu The notion of using tax as a tool to alter consumer food preferences cannot be faulted in principle. Mexico provides us with proof that levying additional taxes on non-essential food items that are rich in fat or calories can effectively alter food choices. The country Witnessed a 5.1 per cent dip in consumption levels in foodstuff that had more than 275 kcal/100 g energy density following the imposition of...

-The Hindu Business Line Acreage under cotton, oilseed cultivation still low but likely to improve New Delhi: With surplus rain recorded between June 30 and July 6, sowing of rice and pulses picked up pace with the total acreage under the two crops, since the beginning of June, exceeding last year’s levels for the same period. The sharp decline in acreage under cotton and oilseeds, however, resulted in lower acreage under all kharif...

-The Hindu As cereal consumption comes down despite higher output, India needs to ramp up production of pulses to meet the nutritional requirements of the population. Since the onset of the Green Revolution in the late 1960s, India has been treading on a path towards self-sufficiency in food. The achievements have remained highly skewed towards wheat and rice on account of technological as well as policy support towards these two crops. With...