-The Indian Express As drought pushes up food prices, India must invest in new irrigation methods The speculation on the delay of the monsoons and below-normal rainfall this year is not new to India. But the drought in the maize belt of the United States — that is, in the Midwest — was unexpected. The impact of the drought will be felt on wheat and soya bean production. This will eventually lead...

-Reuters Monsoon rains will not be enough to save the country from its first drought in three years, the weather office said on Thursday as it forecast that the El Nino weather pattern should reduce rains again in the second half of the June to September season. India, one of the world's largest food producers and consumers with a population of 1.2 billion, last suffered a drought in 2009, which forced it...

-The Hindu Business Line The Government may consider imposing stockholding limits on various agri-commodities to curb rising prices. It may also review the export policy on agri-commodities such as sugar and rice in August by which time there will be a clearer picture on the monsoons. “We are reviewing the price situation and are in constant touch with the State Governments. We will also examine the option of imposing stockholding limits on...

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,...

-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...