More than the return of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to power, the aam admi will remember the year 2009 for the back-breaking mehngai and the inability of the government to make dal-roti, sabzi and chini affordable for the masses. The unprecedented rise in the price of essential commodities, particularly pulses, sugar, milk and vegetables turned the year bitter for the aam admi. What was irksome for the people was...
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Climate change will hit small farmers most: Pawar by Gargi Parsai
Small and marginal farmers would be the worst sufferers of climate change, Union Minister for Agriculture and Food Sharad Pawar said here on Wednesday. “In the wake of water scarcity, erratic rainfall and changing temperature regimes, in addition to prevalent diseases and threat of new race of wheat stem rust Ug99, small and marginal farmers will be challenged. With the cost of cultivation already high, even a slight reduction in productivity...
More »Coping with rising foodgrain prices by VS Vyas
India needs to initiate a number of steps to manage the emerging situation. After three consecutive good years, agricultural production has faltered in the last two years. There was a fall in production to the tune of 1.6 per cent in 2008-2009 compared to the previous year. This year, again, agricultural production is likely to be down by 2 per cent or more. The deceleration in the growth of foodgrain...
More »Worrying trend
There has been no let-up in the rising trend of food prices. For the week that ended on November 28, the wholesale price index for food articles rose 19.05 per cent over the corresponding period last year. A week earlier, it was at 17.47 per cent. Indeed, arresting the price rise of essential commodities has been a challenge to the government for quite some time now. Some recent developments have...
More »Centre raises MSP for many rabi crops
The UPA government on Thursday raised the minimum support price (MSP) for most rabi crops, encouraging the sowing exercise under way. Aiming at making up the loss in kharif production due to delayed and poor rainfall, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, raised the minimum support price of wheat to be marketed in 2010-11 by Rs. 20 to Rs.1,100 per quintal. This year, the...
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