-Livemint.com The APMC legislation has in effect created fragmented markets—small trading zones that can quite easily be captured by trader cartels Makeshift markets have sprung up in several cities in Maharashtra over the past few weeks, after the state government led by Devendra Fadnavis allowed farmers to sell vegetables and fruit directly to consumers. They are now allowed to bring their produce directly to cities rather than sell them in markets...

-The Hindu Business Line Bengaluru/ Chennai: The disruption of road transport between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over sharing of the Cauvery river water in the past few days has impacted the movement of commodities such as onions, poultry products, turmeric, tea and tomatoes, among others. This has resulted in the price of perishables, mainly onions, falling as the new crop has started reaching markets in Southern Karnataka. “Onion prices are down by...

-The Hindu Business Line Hits 3.74% in August as potato, manufactured items get pricier New Delhi: Wholesale price inflation rose to a two-year high of 3.74 per cent in August pushed up by expensive pulses and potatoes as well as a sudden spike in prices of manufactured items. Wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation was 3.55 per cent in July and had contracted by 5.06 per cent in August last year. Previously, WPI inflation...

-Livemint.com Retail inflation decelerated sharply to 5.05% in August, while industrial production contracted by 2.4% in July, the lowest in eight months New Delhi: India’s new macroeconomic numbers, the last before the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) meets for its 4 October review of monetary policy, pose a dilemma for its new governor Urjit Patel. Retail inflation decelerated sharply to 5.05% in August, while industrial production contracted by 2.4% in July, the lowest...

-Livemint.com Small farmers reaped a bumper crop defying a drought and despite price shocks and pest-related risks New Delhi: Small farmers across India reaped a bumper crop of fruits and vegetables in 2015-16 defying a widespread drought. India’s horticulture output crossed a record 283 million tonnes, shows the third advance estimate released by the agriculture ministry on Monday. However, the story is not just about a record harvest during a drought year—primarily due...