-The Hindu   There is a need for promotion of local varieties on a commercial scale, says expert Adilabad (Andhra Pradesh): Telangana government's commitment towards making the State a seed hub in the country has come at a juncture when commercial crops such as cotton have failed the farmers' expectations, but is witnessing a sharp increase in demand for organic and indigenous variety of food grains in the country. "The time seems to be...

-Down to Earth   District known for farmers' suicides has shallow soil depth which has very little capacity to retain water; report recommends switch to traditional millets, oilseeds Around half of the soil in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra, known both for suicides and for Bt cotton, is unsuitable for Cotton Cultivation, says a recent report from the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS & LUP) at Nagpur. The report,...

-The New Indian Express   BERHAMPUR (Odisha): Awareness among the farmers about new high yield seeds and use of modern technologies can increase production of different crops, said Ganjam Collector Prem Chandra Choudhary while addressing District Agriculture Strategy meeting in Chhatrapur on Tuesday. He directed the officials to ensure 100 per cent irrigation facilities to the farmers during the ensuing kharif season. He asked them to speed up the paddy procurement process and timely...

-Down to Earth Most suicides among orchard farmers, say observers As many as 101 farmers have committed suicide in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra since the devastating hailstorms in March this year. This sudden spurt of suicides has raised concerns as to whether this arid region is heading for an agrarian crisis similar to that of Vidarbha. A whopping 71 suicides have been reported in the month of March 2014, close on the...

-The Hindustan Times   Chandigarh: The government of Punjab has decided to offer a subsidy of 4,000 per acre to motivate farmers to shift from the water-guzzling coarse rice variety (paddy) to the traditional cash crop cotton. In the crop diversification plan, the government has decided to initially support 1,500 acres in Abohar, Fazilka, Malout, Maur and Muktsar. CM Parkash Singh Badal cleared the plan on Monday. The subsidy is for purchasing hybrid...