The market price of potatoes in the forthcoming season, starting December, may reach Rs700 per quintal in March, according to agriculture economists. The economists have also predicted that the price of traditional basmati will range between Rs2,500 and Rs3,400 per quintal during the October-December period this year, which is the peak harvesting season for paddy. The forecasts were made by agriculture economists of Govind Ballabh Pant Agriculture University, led by Dr Jagdish...

Build-up of different types of resistance could make it more difficult to manage the plants using herbicides. Transgenes present in 80 per cent of wild canola found by study Authorities had anticipated the existence of GM “volunteers” Researchers in the U.S. have found new evidence that genetically modified crop plants can survive and thrive in the wild, possibly for decades. A University of Arkansas team surveyed countryside in North Dakota for canola. Transgenes were...

With expectations of a record wheat production this year (2009-10), the Union government is upbeat about providing food grains to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families on a sustained basis under the proposed National Food Security Bill. “Despite the drought caused by (-) 23 per cent rainfall during the kharif season this year, farmers have maintained a production of 170.29 million tonnes of rice and wheat… which calls for satisfaction. With...

Taking advantage of the state government schemes and with their own efforts and hard work farmers of this district has given a unique identity in the field of farming to this district. Now several farmers of this district are taking interest to cultivate forest medicinal plants along with their traditional farming. Around 300 farmers of 20 villages of this district has started cultivating forest 'Tulsi' in an area of 60...

The growth rate of agriculture was three per cent and that of manufacturing was 4.5 per cent during the first three decades after independence. The growth rate for agriculture has slipped to 2.8 per cent while that for manufacturing has increased to 6.4 per cent during the last 15 years. Farmers continue to commit suicides across the country. The groundwater level is declining. The country has to import wheat, edible...