With the inflation rate of pulses still in double digits for more than a year, the government today said the supply of pulses would remain a critical problem for another two to three years. The government is expecting an increase of two million tonnes (mt) in production of pulses in the current crop year (July 2010-June 2011). “So far as pulses are concerned, it is going to be a critical problem not...
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Last year's kharif drought may tell on output this year by Gargi Parsai
The foodgrains output for 2009-10 is expected to be 16.27 million tonnes lower at 218.20 million tonnes than the record production of 234.47 million tonnes last year. The decline, mainly in rice, edible oils and coarse cereals, is due to the widespread drought in the kharif season last year. Significantly, the government has slightly lowered the expected production of wheat in the fourth advance estimates to 80.71 million tonnes from 80.98 million...
More »Grain production estimate for 2009-10 raised to 218.20 mt
The government today revised upward its estimate for foodgrain production at 218.20 million tonnes (mt) in the 2009-10 crop year. The upward revision came even as the estimates for output of rice, wheat and pulses were revised downward for the year. Even as the foodgrain production in 2009-10 is expected to surpass its earlier estimate, it continues to be lower than the output of 234.47 mt achieved in 2008-09. The fourth...
More »Government committed to Food Security Act: Pranab Mukherjee
Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday said that the government is committed to enacting the Food Security Act and that the financial implications of this will be known only after the Planning Commission determines the number of families living below the poverty line. He told reporters here that the act had two aspects - one to ensure availability of food to all and another to provide to BPL (below poverty...
More »Grim scenario in ‘Food Bowl of India’ forces govt to turn east by Devesh Kumar
THE fast-depleting groundwater levels and subsidised electricity supply to farmers in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh spell doom for agricultural productivity in the region regarded as the “Food Bowl of India”, and has prompted the government to turn its gaze towards the eastern region for fulfilling its food security ambitions. A background note drafted by the department of agriculture and cooperation (DoAC) for the two-daylong workshop on the theme...
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