-The Tribune Minimising paddy straw burning needs multi-pronged and eco-friendly approaches. There is no single solution to manage its massive quantities. All on-field and off-field technologies have limitations. Combined, they would improve soil health, grain production and fertiliser-use efficiency, reduce pollution, and ensure long-term agriculture sustainability. Concerted efforts are needed to make eco-friendly techniques economically viable, especially for small farmers. WITH mechanised farming and assured irrigation, farmers of northwest India raise 2-3...

-The Hindu Business Line There is no guarantee farmers’ income will rise as the methodology for estimating cost of production is outdated, defective Although the farmers’ agitation that lasted over one year was finally called-off, their demand for a law guaranteeing minimum support prices (MSP) for crops is continuing. Can the MSP be legalised in a country that produces about 1,000 million tonnes of agri-commodities? If so, who will benefit from it?...

-The Hindu Business Line This will reduce disparity between States in procurement The announcement of abrogation of farm laws can only be the initial success of farmers’ collective actions. Most of the farmers are out of the ambit of these laws. The Shanta Kumar Committee report in 2015 estimated that only 6 per cent of the farmers could sell their produce through government agencies. Furthermore, the procurement is extremely unequal across States. During...

-Down to Earth The concept is unreasonable and will be detrimental to the country’s agricultural system, feel experts On November 19, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision to repeal the three farm laws, he also stated that the government would form a committee to discuss how the system of minimum support price (MSP) could be more effective. One of the key demands of the protesting farmers is that MSP is provided...

-The Hindu Business Line Allow us to get paddy directly from farmers: millers The Union government has asked Telangana to promote the establishment of rice bran oil industry to tide over the crisis, as the recent controversy over parboiled rice procurement is set to trigger a political storm in the State. The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Food has asked the State to develop capacities for the manufacture of fortified rice kernels...