-The Economic Times The crisis of the euro, a current account deficit of over 4%, double-digit inflation, corruption in governance and a failing political system. It would not be unfair to say that these factors have combined in varying degrees at different times to lead to the conclusion that the globally-acclaimed India growth story seems to be heading for an unhappy ending. Many have labelled this - unfairly, I think - as...

-Inclusion.in There is good news. And there’s bad news. The good news first. There’s been a bumper wheat crop and the granaries are overflowing. And the bad news? Where do we begin? A lot of that grain will rot. Millions will still remain hungry. Heavily in debt and distressed, farmers are committing suicide. Food prices are soaring. There’s more… Farmers don’t have money. Their land is too small and isn’t yielding much. Fertilisers and...

While any loss in production following the dry spell will further hit the growth story, it will also push up food inflation. considerably. Once again the rain gods are playing truant. With 31 per cent shortfall in June, and with an expectation of only 70 per cent of the predicted 96 per cent rainfall for the July-August months, crucial for farming operations, kharif sowings have already been hit.   In June alone,...

-The Economic Times Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister KV Thomas is worried about the climbing food inflation. But international demand-supply situation and rising crude prices make it tough to rein it in, says the minister in an interview with ET. Excerpts: There's a fear of below normal monsoon this year. But we have opened up our farm exports including key commodities like sugar, wheat and rice. We have ample stocks of foodgrain...

-The Business Standard The government must prepare for below-normal monsoon A massive 30 per cent deficiency in the monsoon rainfall in June, coupled with an anticipated low precipitation in September, may add to the government’s difficulties in achieving its growth and fiscal deficit targets. Agriculture may not be the only victim of poor rainfall. Its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) may have dipped to mere 15 per cent but it still...