-The Tribune Contract farming is a much-needed vehicle to bring new crops, technologies, and markets to farmers. However, the new model Act 2018 opens up agricultural markets to contracting agencies without adequate safeguards for farmers. The first attempt at reforms in agricultural markets was made by the union government with the design of a model Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act in 2003 which provided for new market channels for farmers and...

-The New Indian Express At Rs. 80 per crate of 15kg, tomato is threatening to bring tears in the eyes in this poll season for the farmers in this drought prone district. KOLAR: Waiting for his truck load of tomatoes unloaded at the Kolar Agricutlure Produce Market Committee(APMC) yard, one of the largest in Asia, is worried despite harvesting a bumper crop. As the price for the day is announced disappointment is...

-The Hindu Business Line Bengaluru: With onion prices at their lowest level in calendar year 2018, exporters said the Centre should bring back incentives to ship out more bulbs, to help stabilise prices and provide better returns to farmers. As the harvest of the rabi onion crop gains pace across the key producing regions of Maharashtra and Karnataka, prices have declined drastically, leaving growers in tears. At Lasalgaon, the largest onion market...

-The New Indian Express Something remarkable happened when the farmers came marching to Mumbai recently. Instead of greeting them with hostility, Mumbaikars welcomed them with affection, food and water. This change in attitude was triggered by the farmers’ extraordinary discipline and their efforts to ensure minimal disruption to the Mumbaikars’ routines. Even hard-boiled journalists acknowledged, for a brief moment, urbanites had realised  our farmers and adivasis were indeed facing difficult times. The...

-The Hindu Business Line Ahmedabad: Ahead of the kharif sowing season, Gujarat is facing a cash shortage as banks have started receiving lesser cash than required from the RBI. This has resulted in the rationing of cash disbursements at several banks in parts of Gujarat, mainly in the north. Banking sources confirmed experiencing cash shortage at the currency chest level from where the disbursement of cash takes place to the bank branches. There...