-The Hindu Business Line Beefing up input delivery, expanding irrigation facilities & infusing technology are the key India needs rapid economic growth to lift people out of poverty and meet the basic needs of a growing population. It is well recognised that for growth to be inclusive, it must create adequate livelihood opportunities and add to decent employment commensurate with the expectations of a growing workforce. Massive growth in information and communication technologies...

-PTI New Delhi: With sowing of kharif crops almost completed, the total area planted to all summer crops including rice and pulses remains lower at 96.62 million hectare from the year-ago due to poor monsoon. While sowing of pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, cotton, sugarcane and jute has completed, the planting of rice would end by next month. As per data released by the Agriculture Ministry, the total area under all kharif crops stands...

-The Hindu Business Line edible oil, sugar prices drop sharply as rainfall deficit shrinks to 19% Mumbai: With the monsoon deficit shrinking and the Government keen to crack down on hoarders, prices of most essential commodities such as edible oil, sugar and wheat are showing signs of softening in the wholesale market. After a lacklustre start, the South-West monsoon has recovered since mid-July. The rainfall deficit has shrunk to 19 per cent currently.....

-Outlook Over 20 per cent of food items served in restaurants and fast food outlets across the country have been found to be substandard or adulterated, according to government data. Out of 46,283 food samples including milk, milk products, edible vegetable oil and spices tested at various government laboratories during 2013-14, as many as 9,265 samples were found to be adulterated and misbranded. Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of such cases in...

-Press Information Bureau/ Ministry of Finance The agriculture sector will see a record production of foodgrains and oilseeds in the year 2013-14, according to the Economic Survey for 2013-14, released in New Delhi today. As per the third Advance Estimates, the production of foodgrains is likely to touch a record output of 264.4 million tones (mt) in 2013-14 showing an increase of 2.88% over the previous year. Similarly, oilseeds are likely...