-The New Indian Express BARGARH: Harvesting of sugarcane in Bargarh district has been delayed by over three months, leaving the farmers worried. While sugarcane grown in the last kharif season is yet to be harvested, the target area for the crop in the current rabi season has been increased by almost 300 hectares (ha). Harvesting has been stopped as the State-owned Bargarh Cooperative Sugar Mills that procures the entire sugarcane stock...

-The Times of India CHENNAI: Failure of monsoon and farmers' distress have forced the state government to scale down the target for foodgrains production for the next financial year to 100 lakh tonnes, a 32% fall from the initial target set for the current financial year. Announcing this while presenting the budget, finance minister D Jayakumar said a slew of measures was being taken to overcome the water shortage. Considering that...

-The Indian Express Indian farmers are facing multiple crises. Punjab’s case highlights their problems. THE ANSWER TO who will form the next government in Punjab is currently sealed in the ballot boxes. Meanwhile, there are reports that the Election Commission has written to the home minister, reinforcing its demand to make electoral bribery a cognisable offence. But what about the assurances made in election manifestos which promise voters the moon before the...

-The Hindu Business Line Want change in methodology of cost computation New Delhi: A number of farmers’ groups from across the country have given a joint submission to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) seeking a remunerative minimum support price for Kharif crops. The farmers have demanded that CACP conduct a special study on how demonetisation has adversely impacted agriculture and recommend a special component in Kharif 2017-18 as compensation. A...

-The Financial Express While the Central Statistical Organisation has estimated “agriculture and allied services” to grow 4.1% in FY17, Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand expects the growth rate to be a handsome 7%. Chand spoke to FE’s Prasanta Sahu and Sandip Das on critical factors that need to be addressed to ensure at least 4% annual growth over the next 15 years. * How do you foresee the direction of the agricultural...