-Hindustan Times Bhopal: The Centre’s demonetisation move has hit the farmers in MP’s Bundelkhand hard who were hoping for good rabi crops after facing four years of hardships owing to drought in the region. Farming is the main occupation in the region, and heavy rains this year had brought smiles on the faces of farmers. As the sowing for winter crops was almost complete in this part of the state before demonetisation was...

-The Times of India HYDERABAD: A government advisory not to grow cotton this kharif crop season has landed state farmers in trouble with prices of alternative crops they were encouraged to grow falling. And rubbing salt into their wounds, the price of cotton has been witnessing a dramatic rise. Further, there has been no word from the government so far on initiating market intervention measures and procuring of produce at minimum support...

-Livemint.com At least 150 villages in Karnataka have already qualified as drought affected, with more being added as rainfall continues to be deficient, according to a Cabinet minister Bengaluru: The Karnataka government could well be on its way to declare the state as drought-affected after nearly two months of dry spell, according to two people familiar with the move. At least 150 villages in the state have already qualified as drought affected,...

-The Times of India BHOPAL: Farmers in Rewa district, who paid insurance premium for their crops, are running from pillar to post after suffering damages because there is no provision of seeking claim against loss on account of drought. "I paid Rs. 2,667 to Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited against crop insurance on July 9. I went for Soybean cultivation on majority of the four hectares of land with some parts...

-The Times of India Aurangabad: A drastic shift in the cropping pattern in Marathwada over the past three decades has further exacerbated the drought situation in the region, a study has shown. The region has faced many as 12 moderate to severe droughts and 21 mild droughts in the last 55 years. Since the 1980s, the farmers in the region have opted out of cultivating sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra) and oilseeds...