Basmati paddy prices are expected to touch their highest level of Rs 3,400 per quintal during the forthcoming harvesting season, says a research report. The prices of traditional Basmati paddy are in the range of Rs 2,650—3,350 per quintal this month, and are expected to be Rs 2,500—3,200 per quintal in November. In December, however, they will go up to Rs 2,700—3,400 per quintal, depending on the varieties, the report said. The forecast...

Farmers in Bagli village of Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh will organise a public hearing on Oct 8 on the harmful impact of chemical fertilizers on soil. Several agriculture experts, government officials, politicians and representatives of civil society are expected to attend the hearing. The public hearing is part of the 'Living Soils' campaign launched by Greenpeace India to highlight soil health and its relevance to food security. 'The hearing will review the...

Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar today expressed unhappiness over non-availing of agricultural  loan by the farmers of the North-Eastern States in the way it was expected, which he feels has hampered investment and finally the overall agricultural production of the region. "Though the Centre has doubled the agricultural credit amount recently and Centre has been able to disburse Rs 3, 50,000 crore this year, the North Eastern States have not...

Chronic under-nutrition among women decreased in Bihar and Orissa The urban food security situation has deteriorated in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnakata and Madhya Pradesh, while Punjab showed a marginal worsening till 2006, says a Report on the State of Food Insecurity in Urban India released here on Friday by Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy. “Indicators such as the percentage of anaemia amongst women and children, the percentage of women...

Is the government trying to push a new land Acquisition Bill without addressing the concerns of the deprived people who stand to lose their livelihoods? Peoples’ movements and social action groups have charged that the cash-based Haryana and Mayawati models of land acquisition are equally ‘dangerous’ for the landless and the deprived people who get uprooted without compensation or rehabilitation. People’s movements have been demanding that instead of bringing Land...