-TheWire.in The outlook for kharif 2020 contains a few good signs, but much will depend on the monsoon. Since the harvesting of most rabi crops was completed in time, despite the nationwide lockdown from March 24 onwards, an impression has gained ground that all is well with Indian agriculture. It is true that due to extraordinary efforts made by government machinery, procurement of wheat in Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh has been more...

Preliminary results of an ongoing study by the Centre for Sustainable Employment of Azim Premji University (APU) indicate that the lockdown has had a devastating impact on the livelihood security of the working people. The survey is currently being conducted across the country by the Centre for Sustainable Employment along with civil society organisations. Impact on livelihoods Analysis of preliminary data collected through telephonic interviews between 13th April, 2020 and 9th May, 2020...

-The Indian Express The rabi crop, known as Boro Dhan in Bengal, is sown in November and usually harvested by April. But this year, the lockdown has delayed the harvest by over a month, and now, farmers are racing against time to finish before the rains at the end of June. Yadav Ghorui has rarely been this busy during harvest season. He is one of eight farm labourers called in to work...

-The Indian Express Lockdown has led to demand destruction similar to demonetisation even for commodities such as potato and milk that were till recently in short supply While there is debate on how much the lockdown has helped in “flattening the Covid-19 curve”, one thing is clear: It has led to a flattening of prices through a “leftward shift in the demand curve”. The best way to illustrate this is through two agricultural...

-Newsclick.in Several nomadic people usually set out in March on traditional routes, where animals feed on vegetation. Once lockdown is lifted and kharif sowing starts, the animals will be left with nothing to chew on. Pastoral nomads stranded in the lockdown in Rajasthan’s desert region since March 25, are worried about feeding their animals, as once the lockdown lifts, the summer heat would have dried out vegetation on their traditional routes. The seasonal...