-The Hindu A NABARD survey says middlemen funded by banks have kept growers captive to high-interest loans Jammu: Kashmir's acres of undulating apple orchards may soon be waste lands, a survey by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) accessed by The Hindu shows. The Rs. 4,000-crore industry has been brought to its knees by a network of middle-order market functionaries comprising pre-harvest contractors (PHCs), commission agents (CAs) and wholesalers...
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Agent's apple growers don't get fruit of labour-Sandeep Pai
-DNA You may be cursing when you pay a high price for Kashmiri apples, wondering what share of the moneyorchard owners would receive. But in reality, the apple growers wouldn't be even knowing the price at which the fruit is sold in the mainland, leave alone reaping profits. Then, where does the money go? Into the pockets of commission agents, who, sitting in Delhi or any of the major cities, exploit and...
More »Good supplies cut vegetable prices 20-25%-Sutanuka Ghosal & Madhvi Sally
-The Economic Times Vegetable prices have dropped thanks to good supplies across the country. Onion, tomato and potato prices have fallen by almost 20%-25% in the last fortnight bringing relief to consumers. Traders say prices are likely to remain low till June. Indians consume nearly 15 million tonne onions a year. A drop in the prices of staple vegetables like onion and potato helps bring down food inflation, a major worry for...
More »Runaway food prices highlight the need to unshackle the farm sector
-The Times of India Why isn't aam admi smiling? The question's relevant, since some cheer's apparent in government circles over wholesale price index-based inflation falling to 6.62% in January. Headline inflation, it's said, will drop further by March-end. To common people, the WPI inflation figure's a meaningless number. If WPI inflation's dipped a fourth successive month, food prices have been riding high for far longer. Policymakers periodically recommend release of foodgrains from...
More »Four held for attack on journalists
-The Hindu Belgaum: Vijay Karnataka journalists Mrityunjay Yellappamath (Chikkodi) and Raju Ustad (Belgaum) were beaten up on Wednesday, allegedly by around eight youths. The police have arrested four persons following a complaint by the journalists at the apmc police station. The arrested are Basavaraj Siddappa Lakati, Syed Patel, Suresh Singari and Mahantesh Kudachi. Mr. Yellappamath and Mr. Ustad, who, along with other journalists, met Superintendent of Police Sandeep Patil, said that they were...
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