-PTI The samples collected during 2014-15 have been analysed by 25 labs. New Delhi: In a major health hazard, the government has found residues of pesticides in a significant number of vegetables, fruits, milk and other food items collected from various retail and wholesale outlets across the country. Samples collected from organic outlets were also found having residues of pesticides. Residues of unapproved pesticides were found in 12.50 per cent of the 20,618 samples...

-Business Standard Sixteen states and Union territories implemented the Act's provisions in all districts or some The Centre has decided not to extend the Wednesday deadline for states to implement the National Food Security Act (NFSA). "Those states who have not adopted the NFSA will continue to get grains under old public distribution system rates, but they must realise it is not in their own interest to keep away from the Act for...

-The Hindu YADGIR (Karnataka): It looks like Narasappa Kotriki has pulled a rabbit out of his hat. The marginal farmer from Tipadampalli village in Yadgir district, who suffered crop loss, has found rearing rabbits quite profitable. When he fell into bad times, he purchased 100 rabbits (70 male and 30 female) with Rs 1.2 lakh. He spent another Rs. 2.8 lakh for other infrastructure — cages for the rabbits and a shed...

-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...

-Business Standard Uttar Pradesh's two main crops, wheat and sugarcane, have been facing a variety of problems in recent months Crop recasting, effective income security and a refocusing of the subsidy pattern to target small and marginal farmers are needed, went a presentation by the Uttar Pradesh agriculture department at the two-day national conference on rabi crops. The presentation was the basis of a discussion on the agrarian problem facing the country. Uttar Pradesh's...