-The Hindu Business Line The general tendency among Indian policy makers currently is to blame international price movements for the rise in prices of essential food items in India. The extent to which this claim is valid is assessed by examining the specific case of wheat. It is no secret that Indian food prices are increasingly affected by international prices. Ever since 2002, when all quantitative restrictions on Indian imports of agricultural...
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Dairy price surge pushes world food costs for March slightly higher, UN reports
-The United Nations A sharp surge in the price of dairy products pushed the overall costs of food one percentage point higher in March, the United Nations reported today, while world wheat production remained on track to reach its second highest level ever, barring adverse weather. Releasing its latest monthly Food Price Index (FPI), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said the dairy component of the index, which carries a 17...
More »An Agricultural Nightmare -Deepak Gopinath
-Outlook India has long been the sleeping giant of global agriculture. But its misguided policies while boosting short-term output, yet may transform India into a food importer After decades on the sidelines of international agricultural trade, India was poised last year to become a major food supplier, overtaking traditional exporters of food grain and meat. This could prove to be flash in the pan. The sudden rise and fall of India...
More »Granaries full, but cereal prices up 20% -Surojit Gupta & Sidhartha
-The Times of India The Centre is blaming state governments for a near 20% rise in cereal prices despite overflowing granaries that have record stocks, and suspects that hoarding and high state levies are causing the spike. The latest wholesale price inflation data showed that the price increase in this segment was estimated at over 19%. According to the consumer price index, inflation is of the order of 17%. Last month, Food...
More »Deciding who gets to eat -Brinda Karat
-The Hindu By allowing futures trade in food and diversion of farm land for commercial purposes, the UPA government is fuelling the price rise International agencies are warning of high food prices on a global scale in 2013 if urgent action is not taken. But our government shows little concern. The President’s address to Parliament had only a cursory mention of inflation. “Inflation is easing gradually, but is still a problem,” he...
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