-The Hindu Business Line There is no guarantee farmers’ income will rise as the methodology for estimating cost of production is outdated, defective Although the farmers’ agitation that lasted over one year was finally called-off, their demand for a law guaranteeing minimum support prices (MSP) for crops is continuing. Can the MSP be legalised in a country that produces about 1,000 million tonnes of agri-commodities? If so, who will benefit from it?...

-IndiaToday.in Vegetable prices are on an upswing across the retail markets of Kolkata after untimely rainfall in the city caused damage to the standing crops. Kolkata: Vegetable prices remained on the higher side across the retail markets of Kolkata on Friday after untimely rainfall in the city damaged the standing crops. With the constricted supply line due to recent untimely rain, a massive demand-supply gap can also be seen in the city. According...

-Down to Earth The Centre had announced a scheme in the 2018-19 budget to upgrade rural haats so that small farmers could get fair prices for their produce It has been two years since an ambitious programme to convert 22,000 rural haats into Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs) was launched. But only 1,251 have come up till now. This is barely six per cent of the target. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told...

-The Hindu Business Line This is on the back of swift rise in prices of raw materials and global natural gas India is likely to witness an unprecedented jump in the Central government’s fertiliser subsidy on the back of swift rise in prices of raw materials and global natural gas. According to ratings agency Crisil, the government’s fertiliser subsidy bill is likely to be higher by ₹50,000 crore to touch the total...

-Down to Earth All-year demand, the pressures of cultivating tomato off season and changing climate are making life difficult for Chittoor’s farmers Tomato prices across the country have shot through the roof recently. The government has intervened to lower the prices. But for farmers in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district, one of India’s major tomato-growing areas, the government’s action show its bias for urban consumers and its neglect for rural farmers who are...