The framework for food security, cleared by the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council on Saturday, if implemented, will entail an additional expenditure of Rs.15,137 crore annually in the first phase. It is slated to kick off next year and will cost Rs. 23,231 crore annually when the entire population is covered by March 2014. Assuming an offtake of 85-90 per cent, the Procurement will have to go up from 55 million...
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Jean Drèze's dissent note
After the National Advisory Council (NAC) cleared the food security framework on Saturday, council member and development economist Jean Drèze issued a dissent note saying that “an opportunity [had] been missed to initiate a radical departure in this field.” “The NAC proposals [are] a great victory for the government — they allow it to appear to be doing something radical for food security, but it is actually more of the same,”...
More »Punjab cries foul over low wheat support price by Vibha Sharma
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and the farm lobby reacted sharply today to the Centre’s announcement of the Minimum Support Price for Wheat. The Centre yesterday had announced a nominal hike of Rs 20 in the MSP, fixing it at Rs 1,120 per quintal. Describing it as a ‘stab in the back’, the Punjab CM claimed that the MSP fixed for wheat is lower than the rate at which the...
More »Government decides on major push for pulses
Raises support price by Rs 380/qtl; marginal rise for wheat. Pulses saw the highest rise of Rs 340- 380 per quintal in minimum support price (MSP), the government announcing these for the current rabi season. The decision is in line with government efforts to increase their sowing, to meet the increasing demand for the crop. The MSPs of masur and chana were increased by Rs 380 per qtl and Rs 340 per...
More »Indian firms find Africa fertile ground for contract farming by Utpal Bhaskar and Shauvik Ghosh
State-owned trading firm MMTC Ltd, the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (Iffco) and the conglomerate Bharti Enterprises plan to join the growing number of Indian entities engaged in commercial farming in Africa. Cheap land and labour costs in Africa are attracting a number of Indian firms with interest in agriculture. A large number of people in East African countries such as Kenya work in the cultivation of tea, coffee, corn, vegetables, sugarcane,...
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