The Hindu

Farmers cultivating paddy in Telangana are set to overcome the loss suffered in kharif due to insufficient rains in the first half of 2016-2017, as they have taken up cultivation of the major food crop in second highest area this rabi (yaasangi) season in the last five years.

The Hindu

Farmers of western region of Tirunelveli district who have suffered extensive loss after their coconut and mango trees withered owing to drought-like situation have sought adequate compensation from the government. The farmers who had cultivated paddy on 2,550 acres in the district during the last ‘pisanam’ season had suffered crop loss owing to monsoon failure. Moreover, rain-fed crops like black gram, green gram, maize etc., cultivated on a few thousand acres in areas such as Thevarkulam, Melaneelithanallur, Sankarankovil and Thiruvenkatam have also wilted.

The Hindu

The growing popularity of millets among the health-conscious urban population has sparked hopes of revival for millet cultivation in the tribal dominated regions of Odisha. Millets, which are small-seeded grasses grown as cereals or fodder, are rich in fibre, iron and calcium. With the tribals in the State aping the food practice of non-tribals thanks to greater interaction between communities, millets lost out to hybrid rice and wheat even in areas that were its strongholds.

The Hindu

Rattled by the intensifying agitation of farmers, the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Rajasthan on Saturday rolled back the increase in power tariff for agricultural consumers and announced that it would increase subsidy on connections to fill the gap, which will cost the exchequer Rs. 500 crore.

The Pioneer

The Rabi season sowing has been completed in 91 per cent of the farm lands in Chhattisgarh, officials informed on Saturday. The sowing area comprises of pulses, oilseeds, sugarcane, food grains and horticulture crops.

The Times of India

In a move intended to protect farmers against price volatility, particularly in perishables like onions, tomatoes and potatoes, the Niti Aayog is drawing up a model law on contract farming for approval by the Cabinet by June.

The Times of India

Despite being a Congress ruled state, Karnataka has taken the lead in the successful implementation of the Narendra Modi government’s flagship crop insurance scheme. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was launched last year amid much fanfare.