-The Financial Express The criteria for fixing MSP of pulses should be sensitive to prevailing market prices The agricultural price policy, which aimed at providing a remunerative and stable price environment to farmers through MSPs and obligatory procurement by government agencies, has helped India overcome massive food shortages to emerge as a net exporter of food. Though the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Agricultural Prices Commission requires that policy-induced incentive should...

-Economic and Political Weekly There has been a major change in the composition and mix of the cattle population in India. The proportion of male cattle has declined sharply as farmers do not fi nd it worthwhile to maintain bullocks to plough holdings that are becoming smaller and smaller. The composition of the milch cattle population too is changing. The proportion of the indigenous breed is falling and that of the...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is saddled with 27 million tonnes of wheat. Since 90% of grain procured this year were under relaxed norms, these stocks have a shorter shelf life and must be used in 8 to 10 months. FCI, sources said, is releasing these stocks to the public distribution system (PDS). This grain is shrivelled, broken and lacks lustre and the challenge is...

-The Indian Express Government should devise a crop-neutral incentive structure to attract farmers to pulses over paddy.  Policymakers and consumers can rejoice in the light of the latest price data. Food inflation in particular has witnessed significant moderation. In May 2015, food prices were up by only 2.3 per cent at wholesale and 5 per cent at retail levels over May last year. The increases in minimum support prices for the...

-Down to Earth Traders have already placed orders for importing 100,000 tonnes from Australia The unseasonal heavy rains and hailstorm of March and April this year, which left millions of farmers in north India in distress, may impact international wheat prices. Indian traders, especially from south India, have started importing wheat from Australia and other parts of world in the wake of poor yields in India and lower international price. These imports may push up...