-FAO Rome: Food commodity markets are becoming more balanced and less price volatile than in recent years thanks to improved supplies and a recovery in global inventories of cereals, according to FAO's Food Outlook report published today. "The prices for most basic food commodities have declined over the past few months. This relates to production increases and the expectation that in the current season, we will have more abundant supplies, more export...

-The Economic Times A decline in paddy production in eastern states and Andhra Pradesh has triggered speculation of a lower rice output this year, stoking a 10-30% spike in prices at a time when high vegetable prices have pushed inflation to a seven-month high. Floods and incessant rains in major rice producing states such as West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh during the Harvesting period have affected the paddy crop. Talking to...

-The Indian Express Riot-hit Muzaffarnagar may now be looking at a crisis in its sugar economy. With private mills in the state refusing to start crushing until the Uttar Pradesh government clarifies cane prices, Harvesting of crop that should have begun by now has not yet started. A key cane-growing district, Muzaffarnagar is reported to have the highest agricultural GDP in UP. With recent incidents again bringing the district to a boil,...

-The Hindu Assistance to be provided to selected villages to set up rooftop solar panels, rainwater Harvesting structures and waste management units Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): Farmers in 14 villages across the State will soon be equipped with hi- tech and precision farming methods to boost the production of banana and vegetables. The government has accorded administrative sanction for a flagship project mooted by the Agriculture department to establish poly houses and popularise precision farming...

-PTI NEW DELHI: India is expected to harvest bumper crop this year based on estimates of higher food grains production in Kharif (summer sown) and hopes of better Rabi (winter) crop with enough water in reservoirs, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said today. He also said that the agriculture credit has grown by 12.1 per cent during April-August period of this fiscal. "On agriculture, we estimate this would be a very good year. The...