-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The government's ambitious crop insurance scheme has proved to be a jackpot for insurance companies last year, which collectively earned 85 per cent profit (after excluding administrative and reinsurance expenses) during the 2017-18 kharif season. Kharif is an Indian cropping season which extends from July to October. 17 insurance firms (5 public and 12 private) empanelled under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) registered a...

-The Hindu All India Kisan Sabha to take out march to Parliament in November Tamil Nadu: The All India Kisan Sabha, along with over 190 Farmers organisations from across the country, would take out a three-day ‘Kisan Mukthi Long March’ to Parliament in November seeking radical changes in the agrarian policy in order to prevent Farmers’ suicides under a neo-liberalisation regime, said its national president Ashok Dhawale. He is here in connection with...

-Firstpost.com Dehradun: The state of Uttarakhand, famous for its temples, lush green natural beauty, and the prized Dehradun basmati rice, is in danger of losing the last due to water scarcity in the state. Known for its aroma and length of grains, this variety of rice is grown in Dehradun, Nainital, Pithoragarh, Bhimtal and other parts of the state and is famous all across the world. Lokesh Kumar Verma, a farmer in...

-The Hans India Yalal: Tribal Farmers of Sangaigutta thanda in Muddaipet panchayat are making a fortune by indulging in gherkins’ cultivation under contract farming system. The Farmers are earning at least Rs 50,000 in two months after deducting all expenses. The factory which encouraged the tribals to undertake contract farming supplies seeds, pesticides and fertilizers and lifts the gherkins at the farm gate by paying good price for the produce. It...

-Livemint.com The actual determination of MSP is driven by a ‘business as usual’ practice of incremental increases in line with past trend, combined with the political need for ‘look good’ optics The recent increase in the minimum support prices (MSP) for major kharif crops has reignited the debate about food price policy. Some analysts believe that the increase has been excessive, that it will push up inflation, both directly and also indirectly...