-The New Indian Express In 2017, nearly 40 lakh hectares of agricultural land was impacted because of water woes, resulting in a drop in the area under cultivation for crops. NEW DELHI: With one-third of agriculture activities in India still depending on groundwater for irrigation, the country’s cultivated land is shrinking due to depleting ground water levels and extreme weather conditions. This will impact the agriculture output and may upset the Centre’s...

-The Hindu 3kg to be supplied on each card initially VISAKHAPATNAM (Andhra Pradesh): In order to meet the objective of changing the food habits of people for a healthy living, distribution of millets — ragulu, jonnalu and sajjalu — will be launched through fair pRice shops all over the State from September, according to Minister for Civil Supplies Prathipati Pulla Rao. Initially 3 kg of millets would be given on each card...

-The Indian Express Despite setting a target to bring down by over one lakh hectares (lh) area under Rice cultivation this year, Punjab has failed and acreage under the crop has already reached up to 29.57 lh and is likely touch 30 lh again. Jalandhar: Despite setting a target to bring down by over one lakh hectares (lh) area under Rice cultivation this year, Punjab has failed and acreage under the...

-Firstpost.com The recent increases in minimum support pRices have attracted two criticisms from two opposite sides. One is that this is less than what farmers deserve, the second is that this is populist and ignores larger macro side effects. The increase in fair remunerative pRice for sugarcane has also been criticised for not adequately addressing the woes of the sugar sector. Ramesh Chand, member, agriculture, NITI Aayog talks to Firstpost on...

-Livemint.com The actual determination of MSP is driven by a ‘business as usual’ practice of incremental increases in line with past trend, combined with the political need for ‘look good’ optics The recent increase in the minimum support pRices (MSP) for major kharif crops has reignited the debate about food pRice policy. Some analysts believe that the increase has been excessive, that it will push up inflation, both directly and also indirectly...