-The Economic Times PUNE: The deficient monsoon this year is likely to hit production of coarse grains such as jowar and bajra and other Minor millets like ragi and pulses the hardest. This may not have much impact on the country's food security because India has ample stocks of wheat and rice but it will add to the financial burden of farmers, who will be forced to pay more for animal...

-The Hindu   Threat of drought still looming large with rainfall deficit remaining high at 48 per cent till July 28. The normal area of cultivation for total kharif season is 40.38 lakh hectares. Hyderabad: The prospects of Kharif cultivation have improved in Telangana to some extent over the last 10 days due to revival of monsoon, though the threat of drought conditions is still looming large with the rainfall deficit remaining high...

-The Hindu Select farmers to be trained on improved farming technology Madurai (Tamil Nadu): The Department of Agriculture has chosen to promote cultivation of Minor millets to beat economic backwardness among the farming community in rain-fed Kalligudi block. The officials have identified 322 farmers and 78 farm hands as beneficiaries under the State Balanced Growth Fund in seven villages of the block. The State Government has allotted Rs. 23 lakh under the fund. "Select...

-The Hindu   PDS needs cannot be met from open market Bidar (Karnataka): The State government is forced to consider other options for procuring millets for distribution under the public distribution system (PDS) as it could not meet the requirements from open market. It is estimated that 30,000 tonnes of jowar and 25,000 tonnes of ragi are needed for distribution under the PDS along with rice every month. However, only around 14,000 tonnes of...

-The Hindu     Aberrations in monsoon behaviour are not uncommon. What is new is the difficulty in forecasting caused by factors coming under the generic title, ‘Climate change.' Forecasts by the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum and the India Meteorological Department indicate that the south-west monsoon rainfall may be deficient. Also, there is a possibility of the evolution of an El Niño event during June to September. There is a 45 per cent...