-The Indian Express One area that has seen some reform, though, relates to minimum support prices (MSP) payable on official paddy and wheat purchases. The “perfect storm” kicked up by extreme weather events and lower crop price realisations — not to mention the political backlash resulting from its controversial land acquisition ordinance — has meant that the first year of the Modi sarkar has gone by without any major reforms in...

-The Indian Express Dealing with the farm distress, while simultaneously creating enough non-farm job opportunities, is going to be a tough task. Call it bad luck or otherwise, the Narendra Modi government’s first year in office hasn’t been a really great one for agriculture and rural incomes. To start with, rainfall was deficient in both the south-west (June-September) and the north-east (October-December) monsoon seasons by over 12 per cent and 33 per...

-The Hindu Growth of weeds controlled, less manpower needed Theni (Tamil Nadu): With distribution of subsidy for drip and sprinkler irrigation and propagation of advanced technologies, Farmers having small land holdings in rain-fed areas have managed to raise crops this season and earn a decent income in Theni district. Major beneficiaries are horticulturists raising sapota, mango, lemon, banana, guava, cashew, papaya, hybrid amla, drumstick and vegetables, and floriculturists raising jasmine, rose, tuberose and...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: The state's production of pulses during 2014-15 is set to fall by as much as 64% and cereals by 30% on account of the drought and unseasonal rains over the last year which wrecked the kharif crop. Yields for the rabi or winter crop have also plummeted, raising concerns about the impact on prices. Maharashtra produces about 10% of the country's foodgrains. However, sowing over the last...

-Channel NewsAsia With untimely heavy rains in central and north India leaving hectares of crops destroyed, debt-ridden Farmers in the central Madhya Pradesh state have resorted to mortgaging and selling off their children. NEW DELHI: With untimely heavy rains in central and north India leaving hectares of crops destroyed, debt-ridden Farmers in the central Madhya Pradesh state have resorted to mortgaging and selling off their children. There were previously reports of distressed Farmers...