-Live Mint Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, the world’s biggest tractor maker by volume, cut its forecast for sales growth of the farm equipment in India as the worst rainfall in three years delays crop sowing. Mahindra estimates industry sales to expand as little as 2% in the year ending 31 March, Pawan Goenka, president of the automotive and farm equipment division at the Mumbai-based company, said in an email response on Thursday. Goenka...

-World Food Programme Global food prices have taken a worrying turn as Drought in the United States causes grain prices to surge. In the latest episode of the Food Factor Podcast, we spoke with WFP’s Deputy Director of Food Security Analysis Arif Husain to find out what the third food-price shock in five years means for the fight against hunger. * What are the main factors behind rising food prices this year? The...

-The Business Standard Cautious optimism about the revival of the monsoon  A progressive improvement in the monsoon, after a dismal June that saw rainfall deficient by over 30 per cent, has eased some worries over kharif crop production. Since then the rainfall deficit has been halved to 15 per cent, dispelling fears of a situation as bad as in 2009, when severe Drought lowered foodgrain production by seven per cent. In addition,...

-The Independent Drought is good for business, says Glencore chief The United Nations, aid agencies and the British Government have lined up to attack the world's largest commodities trading company, Glencore, after it described the current global food crisis and soaring world prices as a "good" business opportunity. With the US experiencing a rerun of the Drought "Dust Bowl" days of the 1930s and Russia suffering a similar food crisis that could see...

-The United Nations More consolidated efforts to combat the threat of climate change and counter its ripple effects on global food security are needed amid an intensifying global Drought and increasing temperatures worldwide, the United Nations declared today. “Climate change is projected to increase the frequency, intensity, and duration of Droughts, with impacts on many sectors, in particular food, water, and energy,” said World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Michel Jarraud in a...