-The Indian Express Field reports suggest that the mustard crop — currently about 70-90 days old and at the reproductive (flowering and pod development) stage in most areas — is in good condition. Dry weather combined with unwinter-like temperatures — roughly 5 degrees Celsius above normal levels for this time — may not pose immediate worries to the rabi season crops in the fields now. But the real concern is whether...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The government may be a little hesitant in pushing for genetically modified (GM) crops due to pressure from RSS-linked groups, but it is exploring all possible 'safe' options to ensure food and nutritional security keeping in mind the demands of a growing population. The issues, including use of biotechnology and other scientific interventions for increasing farm productivity, will be discussed threadbare during a national conference on...

-Business Standard Last week, a senior ministry official had said wheat production in India was likely to fall below 90 million tonnes for another year in a row in FY16 The warmish winter in the north is not yet seen as having an adverse impact on the final wheat harvest but the next few days would be important, said Union agriculture secretary Siraj Hussain. The Centre is monitoring the situation and is hopeful...

-Livemint.com The Met dept has decided to simply replace the word ‘drought’ to describe poor rainfall with ‘deficient year’ and ‘large deficient year’ New Delhi: There will be no more droughts in India. Since it can’t control the weather but can control language, the state forecaster India Meteorological Department (IMD) has decided to simply replace the word “drought” to describe poor rainfall with “deficient year” and “large deficient year”. What appears to be...

-The Indian Express Also seek higher allocation for Price Stabilisation Fund in a pre-Budget meet Farmers’ organisations, food and fertiliser companies and agriculture experts on Monday urged finance minister Arun Jaitely to ensure that farmers get  remunerative prices for their produce and make sufficient Budget outlay to create  irrigation facilities in the remaining rain-fed areas. They also sought increase in the outlay for expanding the number of agriculture market yards and higher allocation...