-The Times of India   ALLAHABAD: Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking payment of Sugarcane farmers' dues, the Allahabad High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to file its reply within two days. The court also fixed May 30, as the next date of hearing. The above order was passed by a division bench, comprising Chief Justice Dr Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud and Justice Dilip Gupta on a PIL filed by Rastriya...

-Down to Earth Most suicides among orchard farmers, say observers As many as 101 farmers have committed suicide in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra since the devastating hailstorms in March this year. This sudden spurt of suicides has raised concerns as to whether this arid region is heading for an agrarian crisis similar to that of Vidarbha. A whopping 71 suicides have been reported in the month of March 2014, close on the...

-The Business Standard   Third advance estimate of 2013-14 says grain production to rise 2.8% India's total foodgrain production in the 2013-14 crop marketing season that ends in June is expected to be around 264 million tonnes, almost 2.8 per cent more than 2012-13, some relief to the next government at a time when monsoon rains are expected to be below-normal this year. According to the third advance estimate of 2013-14 agriculture production, released...

-Down to Earth Studies indicate high food inflation As Met office predicts below normal rainfall because of El Nino this year, a study by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has projected a 1.75 per cent GDP reduction and loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs in the unskilled sector. The report released recently says that five per cent deficit rainfall forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) will...

-The Hindu   Agriculture Department reports drop in use of fertilizer in the past two years Mysore: Ahead of a new cropping season in the district, data furnished by the Department of Agriculture here shows decline in the use of fertilizers in the last two years. According to the department, farmers were expected to use 1.65 lakh tonnes of fertilizers, including non-urea fertilizers and urea, based on the area of cultivation in the previous...