-PTI/ The New Indian Express About 49 per cent of the FPOs surveyed reported a shortage of finance, 11 out of 18 FPOs dealing in vegetable produce reported losses with a reduction of 35 per cent of sales. NEW DELHI: The nationwide coronavirus-induced lockdown has impacted business operations of 67 per cent of the 92 farmer-producer organisations (FPOs) spread across 48 districts of the country, according to a survey. An FPO, formed by...

-Hindustan Times After crossing Pakistan, swarms of locusts entered India through Rajasthan on April 11. On Monday, locusts entered some residential areas of the Jaipur city. More parts of India are under locust attack now. The migratory pests have invaded eastern Maharashtra where four to five villages have come under attack from the locusts. The locusts are known for feasting on all sorts of PLAnts and standing crops. The district and agriculture department personnel...

-The Telegraph How did unorganized labour become invisible? Thanks to a humongous oversight on the part of the government, India’s unorganized labour has suddenly become a vivid, long-running story. Photographers walk with families undertaking unimaginable journeys. Reporters tail them in SUVs. Their faces and daily tragedies have dominated newspaper headlines and television news for two months running, something nobody would have ever thought possible. Since when did hyperventilating news channels focus on...

-The Indian Express The Indian Express spoke to a cross-section of migrant workers back from different parts of the country. These are day labourers and skilled workers such as carpenter, embroiderer, welder, among others. One thread connects them — demand for something beyond MGNREGA. Ranchi: Rakesh Verma and Suresh Yadav had left their homes in Jharkhand for jobs in metro cities and were in no hurry to return. Verma, 22, had a...

-The Indian Express We must recognise and strengthen the diversity, dynamism, enterprise, and resilience of India’s agricultural markets. Last week, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman signalled the Union government’s intention to enact a new central law that would override existing state regulations that restrict the farmer from legally selling to anyone other than a buyer licensed by the local Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC). The decision to push for a central law comes...