-Down to Earth Severe dry spells in Indian forests have hit the livelihood of more than 100 million people. But India simply does not acknowledge this drought For more than five months, residents of Jabarra village have been foraging the forests for minor forest produce (MFP). The forest in Chhattisgarh’s Dhamtari district is abundant with more than 200 types of forest produce and the district is known as Asia’s biggest trading...

-The Times of India Pune: Torrential rain over some areas in the last few days has helped soothe the parched state, but experts advise that this will not end the spate of droughts. Those in the know point out that lack of rainfall does not necessarily lead to a crippling shortage of water, but it results from a lack of policies, missing drought-proofing infrastructure and lackadaisical institutional mechanisms. "It will be a normal...

-Business World It is time for mainstream approach to change so that warehousing industry is perceived as a services sector. Warehouses can become the distribution centres pan India India is the world's second-largest fruit producer, with an annual production of 46.8 million tons, accounting for 10 per cent of global fruit production. It is also the world's second-largest vegetable producer, with an output of 90.85 million tons, accounting for 14 per cent...

-PTI IMD has forecast better than normal Southwest Monsoon for the year With pulses inflation high at 34%, a better monsoon would reduce price pressure in lentils and in turn food inflation, a latest report has said. Southwest Monsoon rains were lower by 16% as on yesterday. While June could still end with a marginal deficit, if rainfall remains adequate as forecast in July and August, it could provide much-needed support for growth...

-The Hindu Business Line Hyderabad: With weathermen forecasting a normal monsoon this time, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) hopes to see a total foodgrain production of 270 million tonnes (mt) this year. “The IMD predicts a normal monsoon this year and we should be having good rainfall. The foodgrain production in the country has come down by 10-12 mt in the last two years because of drought,” ICAR Director-General Trilochan...