-The Hindu Business Line Calls for restructuring Nafed for effective procurement of pulses, oilseeds   Bengaluru: The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) has made a pitch for encouraging water use efficiency in agriculture. As part of its non-price policy recommendations for kharif 2015-16, the crop advisory body has suggested that States fix quantitative ceilings on per hectare use of both water and electricity. The farm sector accounts for about 83 per cent...

-The Hindu Huge subsidy of 5 percentage points being leveraged. Pointing to a possible diversion of subsidised funds meant for Farmers to non-agricultural uses, a research paper by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) has found that the crop loans extended in India are in fact close to exceeding the total expenditure on farm sector inputs. In 2012-13, the aggregate short-term credit — provided primarily to finance the purchase...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Center has written to Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan governments, requesting them to consider distribution of free milk to school children as part of the ongoing Mid-Day Meal schemes -- the way Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh have implemented it to raise nutritional level of children. The Center believes that the move will also help milk cooperatives, largely owned by Farmers, by providing "ready and steady...

-The Hindu Hyderabad (Telengana): Delay in commencement of institutional credit disbursement likely to affect sowing. Credit requirement for kharif operations is nearly Rs. 26,000 crore. Notwithstanding the copious rains received in most parts of Telangana and availability of seed and fertilizer in ample quantities, the delay in commencement of institutional credit disbursement, crop loan release by banks, is likely to affect the sowing operations in the current kharif season. Credit requirement Though the Agriculture...

-Business Standard State plans to supply it under Anna Bhagya scheme from July Mysuru: Karnataka will distribute ragi, a finger millet endemic to South India, under its ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme from the next month. The distribution of ragi, considered one of the most nutritious of foods, is rich in calcium and protein with a good amount of iron and other minerals and also has a low fat content, and will be distributed under...