India's government has banned the export of onions after the vegetable doubled in price in the past week. The rise has been blamed on unusually heavy rains in growing areas, as well as on hoarders and speculators. Prices have jumped to 70 rupees ($1.55; £0.99) per kg from 35 rupees last week. The ban is until 15 January and India is importing onions to ease shortages. Onions are a basic ingredient in many...
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Managing the anticipated food crisis by MS Swaminathan
FAO has warned that 2011 may witness a global food crisis. Proactive action is needed to meet the challenge of price volatility, chronic hunger, agrarian despair and climate change. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has alerted developing countries about possible steep rises in food prices during 2011, if steps are not taken immediately to increase significantly the production of major food crops. According to FAO, “with...
More »Bardhan: declare crops loss as national calamity
75 farmers have lost their lives in Andhra Pradesh The Communist Party of India on Monday asked the Centre to declare the loss of standing and harvested crops over 75 lakh acres across three States – Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Tamil Nadu – as a national calamity and announce compensation for it. CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan, in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, drew attention to the huge loss suffered...
More »India cries onion tears as prices touch Rs 70-80 a kilo
Onion prices have hit the roof across the southern states — Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. From Pune, Bangalore and Chennai the retail market feedback was the worst, a kilo going for between Rs 70 and Rs 80. Prices in Hyderabad too showed a steady rising trend. At supermarkets in glitzy Banjara Hills they had touched Rs 50 a kg and market watchers feared the rates could go even...
More »Naidu on hunger strike, demands relief for calamity-hit farmers
TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu today launched an indefinite hunger strike demanding that the state and the central governments immediately provide succour to hapless farmers and artisans who faced the brunt of nature's fury in the last one year. The former Andhra Pradesh chief minister expressed serious displeasure over the relief announced by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and demanded higher compensation as the loss was enormous. Naidu, the Leader...
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