-The Hindu They vow to stay put in Delhi till their demands are met Reeling under price rise and dipping returns for their produce, thousands of farmers from all over the country poured into the capital on Monday to start a mahapanchayat, demanding, among other things, a farmers’ income commission to guarantee a minimum livelihood income. Opposing diversion of farmland for other purposes, they wanted the government to impose a moratorium on land...

-The Hindu Despite agriculture and allied activities accounting for only 14.1 per cent of the GDP in 2011-12, the Economic Survey recognises the sector’s role in the country’s economy as ‘much bigger’ with its share in total employment being as high as 58.2 per cent. Fast agriculture growth and reforms in the sector remain vital for jobs, income and food security, the Survey notes, while reinforcing the need for setting the growth...

-The United Nations World food prices are steady after three months of decline with increased prices for oil and fats balancing out lower cereal and sugar prices, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today said. FAO’s Food Price Index – which measures monthly changes in international prices of a basket of meat, dairy, cereals, oils and fats, and sugar – remained at 210 points in January, same as in December. The...

-The Business Standard Govt's unbalanced food policy has disastrous results Consider the following discrepancies in the farm sector. The country is now the world’s largest exporter of rice, a crop grown with huge quantities of scarce water and heavily subsidised fertilisers. At the same time, it is the leading importer of pulses, which require very little water to grow and fortify the land with nitrogen to reduce the fertiliser need even...

-Economic and Political Weekly The recent debate on the acceptability of foreign direct investment in the retail sector in India has been mostly political. It is necessary to look into the pros and cons of FDI in retail from a purely economic point of view. This article identifi es the safeguards that should be undertaken before allowing giant multinationals to function in the country. Abhirup Sarkar (abhirup@isical.ac.in) is with the Indian Statistical...