-The New Indian Express CHENNAI: Five years ago, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had put an indefinite moratorium on the commercial cropping of Monsanto’s Bt Brinjal. However now, the Centre is considering commercial cultivation of a genetically modified hybrid variety of mustard. Following news reports on the move of the application for approval of GM Mustard to the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee in the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change...

-The Times of India GUNTUR: Jinkala Satyanarayana of Pedapalem village under Atchampet mandal took four acres on lease and sowed cotton in 75 per cent of the plot. In the remaining acre, he opted for chilli cultivation. He spent about Rs 3 lakh for Agriculture operations, but the crop failed to his great shock. With the 45-year-old depending entirely on moneylenders to secure loans, the debts rose to Rs 5 lakh even...

-Hindustan Times Chandigarh/Patiala: After a bumper paddy crop, the fields are on fire in Punjab and Haryana, polluting the air with hazardous particles. Strangely, there wasn’t much hue and cry till a thick blanket of smog — a mixture of smoke and fog — enveloped Delhi, making city residents breathless. It’s the farmers of the two food-bowl states who are being blamed for the sudden deterioration in air quality and smog in...

-NDTV In Drought-Struck Odisha, Aid Fails To Stop Farmers Suicides Khurda, Odisha: After her husband Abhimanyu, a 52-year-old farmer in Odisha's Khurda district, committed suicide by consuming poison last month, Pratima Baliarsingh is yet to recover from the trauma. Pratima, 45, now has to repay an almost two lakh rupee-loan that her husband took from various banks and villagers.   The district administration gave her a cheque of Rs. 20,000 after her husband's death but...

-PTI Chandigarh: Farmers in Punjab and Haryana continue to burn paddy stubble in their fields ignoring warnings by state authorities, thus posing health risks and adversely affecting soil health. Both the Punjab and the Haryana governments have imposed a ban on burning paddy residue which could lead to prosecution of erring farmers. However, reports from various parts of the two states suggest farmers still burn paddy straw despite being asked time and again...