-The Hindu The increasing cost of production and the increase in GST on cartons has triggered protests in Himachal Pradesh Apple growers in Himachal Pradesh are out on the streets some three decades after their last big agitation. The protests are not surprising; their anger has been simmering for a while. To understand the present crisis, it is crucial to understand the developments of the last few decades. In the 1970s and 1980s,...

-ThePrint.in Dhanashakti has more iron compared to regular varieties of pearl millet. Scientist Mahalingam Govindaraj says about 10 biofortified varieties have been released in last 8 years. New Delhi: Telangana-based agriculture scientist Mahalingam Govindaraj has won the coveted 2022 Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application for developing a variety of pearl millet rich in iron and zinc. The variety, named Dhanashakti, is the world’s first biofortified pearl millet or bajra...

-Livemint.com The Centre put to rest speculation following a recent RBI discussion paper on digital payment charges MUMBAI: The finance ministry on Sunday said the government is not planning to charge for payments through the unified payments interface (UPI) channel, putting to rest speculation following a recent Reserve Bank of India (RBI) discussion paper on digital payment charges. “UPI is a digital public good with immense convenience for the public and Productivity gains...

-TheWire.in * In his independence day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said natural farming and chemical-free farming can give a boost to self-reliance. * Because organic farming means less intensive agriculture, and in turn, decreased crop Productivity, experts say India’s food security could be impacted. * Rather than a radical shift to organic farming, a middle path that combines conventional agriculture will suit the country best, they say. Kochi: “Organic farming is our duty,”...

-Down to Earth blog Palm oil is water-intensive and requires large patches of land India is the second-largest consumer of edible oil globally and its largest importer. While the government has taken several initiatives over the years to increase the domestic production of edible oils, its shortage and high price are often in the news. Palm oil production grew between 2015-2016 and 2020-2021 at a compound annual growth rate of 6.1 per cent,...