-DNA State policies favouring certain food crops have rendered pulses forbiddingly expensive and the common man is feeling the pinch The huge spurt in dal prices, touching Rs180 per kilogram and even Rs200 in some cities, has come as a dampener to the festive season, and raised questions about the policies of the government. For some years now, India has been resorting to huge imports of pulses to meet domestic demand...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: A common north Indian staple, the arhar or tur dal has touched Rs 180 per kg in the retail market. Across Delhi, price of most other dals too is well over Rs 100, having marked an increase of Rs 10-30 per kg since early September.   Where tur is in the range of Rs 145-Rs 180 in packaged form, dhuli masoor is between Rs 124 and Rs...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: With the abnormal rise in prices of essential commodities such as onions, potatos, pulses, tomatoes and edible oils becoming a seasonal affair, the government is considering creation of a specialized entity that can help forecast demand and supply of such items. It will monitor the situation both in the domestic and international markets. The issue came up for discussion at the inter-ministerial committee on prices and...

-Business Standard India’s growth in agriculture and allied activities has struggled to reach the targeted four per cent average a year in the first three years of the 12th five-year Plan because of a host of factors. The below-average farm growth is widely expected to deepen the crisis in the farm sector. In an interview with Sanjeeb Mukherjee, newly-appointed member of NITI Aayog and eminent agriculture economist Ramesh Chand  said over-reliance...

-The Indian Express Government’s actions on the commodity reveals it is ignorant of how a market economy is run With each passing day this year, agriculture seems to be sagging and so is the Indian farmer. Deficit monsoon rains appear to be the trigger. Although rains offered some respite to Marathwada, the situation in India’s largest agri-state, Uttar Pradesh, has gone from bad to worse. Last year’s drought, with monsoon rains falling...