While any loss in production following the dry spell will further hit the growth story, it will also push up food inflation. considerably. Once again the rain gods are playing truant. With 31 per cent shortfall in June, and with an expectation of only 70 per cent of the predicted 96 per cent rainfall for the July-August months, crucial for farming operations, kharif sowings have already been hit. In June alone,...
More »SEARCH RESULT
Shortfall in monsoon rains widens by Ratnajyoti Dutta
-Reuters A shortfall in monsoon rains has widened to nearly 50 percent of average in the past week, making a revival next week crucial for farmers to sow summer-planted crops such as rice, corn, cane, cotton and soybean. The annual rains are crucial for farm output and economic growth as about 55 percent of the South Asian nation's arable land is rain-fed. Farm sector accounts for about 15 percent of a nearly $2-trillion...
More »KV Thomas, Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister interviewed by Rituraj Tiwari
-The Economic Times Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister KV Thomas is worried about the climbing food inflation. But international demand-supply situation and rising crude prices make it tough to rein it in, says the minister in an interview with ET. Excerpts: There's a fear of below normal monsoon this year. But we have opened up our farm exports including key commodities like sugar, wheat and rice. We have ample stocks of foodgrain...
More »Farm suicides rise in Maharashtra, State still leads the list-P Sainath
-The Hindu It accounted for well over a fifth of the total of 14,027 deaths in 2011 With a figure of at least 14,027 in 2011, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the total number of farm suicides since 1995 has touched 2,70, 940. The State of Maharashtra shows a rise in numbers yet again, logging 3,337 against 3,141 farmers’ suicides the previous year (and 2,872 in 2009). This, despite...
More »Deficient rains not worrisome for paddy: Pawar
-PTI Monsoons 31% below average up to July 2 The deficient rainfall during last month has affected the sowing of coarse cereals but there is no cause for worry for the paddy crop, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today said. The monsoon rains have been 31% below average up to July 2, Pawar told reporters here. He said the rainfall deficiency has affected sowing of coarse cereals, but situation in paddy is "not worrisome". Till June...
More »