-Down to Earth A look at official data shows that the allocation of Food Corporation of India rice for ethanol was drastically increased in 2021-22, as compared to 2020-21. But the government has now put restrictions due to low production The Narendra Modi government imposed restrictions on the export of broken rice September 8, 2022. A number of theories are doing the rounds as to why the government did this, including a...

-Moneycontrol.com The world's biggest rice exporter could see lower production as sowing has been 6 percent lower than the previous season India, the world’s largest rice exporter, could ban exports amid sub-par sowing this season, Nomura said on August 30. “Will India ban rice exports? We think the risk is non-negligible,” Sonal Varma, Nomura's chief economist for India and Asia (excluding Japan), said in a note. “Following the Russia-Ukraine war, soaring Maize prices prompted...

-The Hindu How is ethanol extracted? What are the environmental concerns with respect to this process? The story so far: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India has achieved its target of blending 10% sugarcane-extracted ethanol in petrol, ahead of schedule. Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on the 76th Independence Day, he rooted for energy independence stating that, “we need to be Aatmanirbhar (self-sufficient) in our energy sector”. India is...

-Down to Earth Rainfall status yo-yos from 23% deficit to 20% excess in a month Farmers in Madhya Pradesh, who had been craving rain, are now afraid of too much of it. Their crops of Maize and soyabean have either been destroyed or have turned yellow due to the rains. Flat fields have turned slushy. Crop seedlings have been destroyed due to soil erosion in the state’s hilly areas. Bunds meant for paddy...

-The Telegraph The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has pointed out weather variations, global warming, and water scarcity can adversely affect food production Climate change and the agrarian crisis are intertwined. They are manifest in the threat to food and nutritional security. These challenges have been further aggravated by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and reduced global food production. The looming hunger crisis is especially potent for vulnerable populations living in...