-The Hindu Business Line New structure facilitates inter-state co-operation The recently announced National Agricultural Market aims to bring about a unified market through networking of Mandis to facilitate seamless flow of goods and information. This may not alter the State- dominated existing agricultural marketing structure; but it calls for redefining their role and functions to make the concept more inclusive for farmers. Fear of rejection The networking of markets is expected to enhance access to...

-FirstPost.com Travelling across the country for the past five months to bring farmers’ voices to urban audiences through a programme called ‘Smart Agriculture’ - to be broadcast every Saturday and Sunday from 25 July on CNN-IBN - we have learnt that agriculture is not a low-profit activity. In fact, it returns more than double the amount of cash invested. Sandipan Suman, a 47 year-old agricultural sciences graduate and maize grower in Bihar’s...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Green vegetables are fast vanishing from the dining tables in Delhi's average household because of skyrocketing prices in the market. On an average, traders say, there has been a 10%-20% increase in wholesale prices of onions, potatoes, tomatoes and green leafy vegetables in the Mandis, while in retail market the increase is anywhere between 50%-150%. Metha Ram Kriplani, president, Chamber of Azadpur Fruit and Vegetable Traders, said...

-Business Standard Agricultural marketing reform should first take states on board The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has announced plans for a "national agricultural market" which would involve the integration of 585 major regulated Mandis through electronic platforms over three years. Several problems in the current farm marketing system, governed by the monopolistic agricultural produce marketing committees (APMCs), might be addressed if this works: the multiplicity of mandi fees and licences...

-Business Standard Expected delay in harvesting might keep commodities elevated for a month Mumbai: While the wholesale price index (WPI) might have turned negative primarily due to a steep decline in the prices of non-food articles, rising vegetable prices kept food articles firm in May. While drumstick prices showed a sharp rise of 130 per cent, articles of mass consumption such as brinjal, cabbage, bitter gourd and cauliflower recorded an upswing of 50...