-The Indian Express   Farmers' groups point to lack of marketing support, MSAMB blames internal shortcomings. Pune: Almost two years after the state government introduced the concept of direct selling of Fruits and Vegetables by farmers' groups, lack of awareness drives and internal shortcomings seem to have impeded its success. At present, 68 farmers' groups are directly selling their products at 226 locations in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The initiative to allow farmers to directly...

-FAO FAO publishes first global study of forest genetic resources Rome - FAO today urged countries to improve data gathering and research to promote the conservation and sustainable management of the world's forest genetic resources, which are coming under increasing pressure. According to the first-ever edition of The State of the World's Forest Genetic Resources report, half of the forest species reported as regularly utilized by countries are threatened by the conversion of...

-The United Nations   Urgent action to better manage the genetic diversity of forests - under pressure from climate change, exploitation and conversion for other uses - is needed to ensure that the benefits they provide will survive, the United Nations said in a first-of-its-kind report released today. "Forests provide food, goods and services which are essential to the survival and well-being of all humanity," Eduardo Rojas-Briales, Assistant Director-General for Forestry at...

-The New Indian Express   HYDERABAD: We are often fascinated by the bright colours and unusual sizes of vegetables and greens, one of the reasons that compel us to purchase them. In order to meet the demands of consumption, a lot of chemical enhancers are used while farming these vegetables and greens, to make them look much more attractive. Even though most of us are aware of the fact that chemicals are used...

-Mid Day   A visit to the APMC in Vashi revealed that calcium carbide - referred to as ‘carpet' by traders - which is known to cause cancer, food poisoning, nausea etc - is being used indiscriminately to ripen the fruit faster, so as to increase sales Think before you sink your teeth into those juicy, delicious mangoes. For, they could have been ripened artificially using calcium carbide, a deadly chemical that is...