Business Wire Reuters

By combining Atomwise’s sophisticated artificial intelligence systems with Monsanto’s ability to apply real-world validation through the integration of plant breeding, plant biotechnology, crop protection, ag biologicals and data science platforms, together we can develop technologies that support farmers as they work to grow better harvests, protect their crops and deliver more to society in the face of mounting environmental challenges,” added Williams.

The Indian Express

Few Farmers have met the fate that the ones growing soyabean — a crop which was planted in almost 11.5 million hectares during the last kharif season — have. In October-November, while harvesting was on, soyabean quoted at Rs 2,800-2,900 per quintal in Madhya Pradesh’s main Indore market.

The Economic Times

Farmers are a powerful voting bloc, and the government already faces criticism for not making significant progress towards its promise of doubling farmers’ income by 2022 and ensuring a 50 percent profit over the cost of production of crops. “There will be tremendous pressure on the Modi government from farmers and young people looking for employment,” said political scientist and pro-vice chancellor of Bengaluru’s Jain University, Sandeep Shastri. “These are the two biggest challenges the government will face in the coming years -in both these areas very little has been done in concrete terms.”

The Financial Express

A glimpse of the price movement of some of the key farm commodities in recent years suggests that while one-off factors like demonetisation may have temporarily dampened the prices at the wholesale level, in a remonetised system, it’s the same old issues that continue to haunt farmers.

MINT

It is here at Mangoli, in Haryana’s Kurukshetra district, that four dejected farmers abandoned over half-a-tonne of potatoes a week ago, unable to find buyers who would pay them a decent price. Some of the tuber has melted into a muddy slush, while the rest decay under stacks of hay.

The Economic Times

Tractor Manufacturers’ Association (TMA) on Wednesday said that as per the new tax rates under GST input cost per tractor would go up by Rs 25000. This will have an impact on industry working capital to the extent of Rs 1600 crore.

Hindi Business Standard

Once the monsoon was active, a fast growing period of spices, including coriander started. Coriander prices once again reached Rs 5,000 per quintal. Spot market with futures also witnessed spurt in spices.

The Economic Times

Nonetheless, it will be a mistake to treat the agitations as a domino effect of the UP government’s decision to waive loans worth Rs 36,359 crore. It is a manifestation of an agrarian crisis that has been in the offing for several years now.

Hindustan Times

Experts say that burden of farm loan waiver, which is a short-term measure, should fall on the Centre which should also announce a hike in MSP. “It is the duty of the Union government to bail out farmers in this hour of crisis, but it is passing the burden onto the state government. The chief minister should write to the Centre urging it to release the funds. When the Centre can write off loans of the corporate sector, it can do the same for the agriculture sector,” agriculture expert Devinder Sharma told HT.

Business Standard The Hindu Business Line The Financial Express The Economic Times Financial Chronicle The Telegraph Navbharat Times DNA

Ajay Kakra, director, agriculture and natural resources, PwC-India, said the interest subvention scheme could serve only as a good stop-gap arrangement. “However, the real relief to farmers will be through systematic structural reforms, focussed on increasing income — especially for small and marginal farmers.”

Free Press Journal

The state government on Tuesday has issued orders to establish the “MP Agriculture Products, Cost and Marketing Commission”. The eight-member commission will work for the improvement of farm sector in the state and it will have two years’ working term. The commission will have a president and the state government will nominate that person, who will be an agriculture expert. Two members who will be expert in farming and marketing will also be nominated by the government.

The Hindu Business Line

As far back as in October 2016, kharif crop production estimates were a clear signal of the emerging market situation. A near-normal SouthWest monsoon, combined with high open market prices, motivated growers, who ensured a rebound in agricultural output, especially in pulses and oilseeds.

MINT

Tamil Nadu minister for commercial taxes K.C. Veeramani tabled the goods and services tax (GST) bill in the Tamil Nadu assembly on Wednesday, the first day of a three-week session. Ruckus prevailed in the assembly as the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) demanded discussion on the alleged bribing of AIADMK legislators. Speaker P. Dhanapal denied a discussion on the alleged bribery charges and said that “the matter is sub judice.”

The Financial Express

The Parliamentary standing committee on agriculture in its 2015-16 report—Impact of chemical fertilisers and pesticides on agriculture and allied sectors in the country—has expressed serious concern over unscientific, excessive use of pesticides.

The Economic Times

Farmers, from Punjab in the north to Tamil Nadu in the south, have started agitations demanding farm loans be waived. The Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra governments have already considered it politically expedient to write them off. Some other states may follow the suit. However, such decisions are as misguided as they are misleading.

The New Indian Express Hindi Business Standard Navbharat Times

Farmer’s concern that they were not getting the right price for their produce, especially vegetables and fruits, was reflected in the 2.17 per cent slump in wholesale inflation in May – a five-month low. The figure was 3.85 per cent in April.

The Hindu Business Line

With traders not heeding to the state government’s call on purchasing pulse seeds strictly on the minimum support prices, trading in Indore mandis continued to remained paralyzed.

MINT

Despite the prediction of a good monsoon, optimism is missing in the shares of agrochemical companies whose fortunes are directly linked to the rains and farming activity. While forecasts of a good monsoon have emerged over the last one month, shares of Rallis India Ltd, Dhanuka Agritech Ltd, Bayer CropScience Ltd and Insecticides (India) Ltd were little changed.