Farmers are desperately crying for help but the Kisan Call Centre’s (KCC) toll-free helpline in the state is practically inaccessible. The BSNL helpline 1551 or 1800-180-1551 from other connections is difficult to reach simply because calls to other helplines are choking this particular number. With the monsoon setting in, farmers needing advice call up the helpline for suggestions, advice and solutions to their problems, but given the situation, they are...

The Maharashtra government may intervene to make farmers accept a lower price for sugarcane supplied to mills, given the way these have gone out of line with current market prices. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has convened a meeting on Thursday with mill representatives on the issue. With the current cane prices of Rs 240-250 a quintal delivery at the mill gate, the cost of sugar production comes to around Rs 2,700...

Eminent citizens, farmers and environmental activists on Friday threatened to launch a sustained agitation to oppose entry of BT Maize crop into Punjab and prevent any attempt to jeopardise the country's food sovereignty. This was announced at a press conference organised in response to reports that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had supported cultivation of BT Maize as part of the State Government's crop diversification mandate. Kheti Virasat Mission chief Umendera Dutt...

THE Union agriculture ministry will redraft the seed bill following complaints by MPs, states and farmer groups. Their main grouse is that the bill, which aims to regulate the quality of seeds, does not monitor their prices, crucial for farmers. The Seed Bill 2010 was approved by the Cabinet in March and was to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha in mid-April. Sources in the ministry said MPs and state government...

Three state governments are waging a legal battle against the seed industry over prices of Bt cotton seeds. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra have cases running in the state courts with the National Seeds Association of India for fixing prices of Bt cotton seeds. The association questioned the state governments’ authority in fixing prices, saying it would hamper seed research in the private sector.   It says only the Union government can...