The Hindu

For years, the consumer, the producer (farmer) and the middleman have had a clash of interest when it comes to agricultural commodities. While the consumer wants to buy a commodity at the lowest price, the producer (farmer) desires to sell the produce at the maximum price. The middleman, on the other hand, wants to maximise profits. Striking a balance among these stakeholders could possibly address the issue of price fluctuation to some extent. Vegetable producers, especially small landholders, depend on intermediaries to sell their produce.

Business Standard

Following are today’s quotations (in Rs per quintal): Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,100-2,350, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs 1,770-1,775, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,775-1,780, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 260-300, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Roller flour mill Rs 965-970 (50 kg), Maida Rs 990-1,000 (50 kg)and Sooji Rs 1,040-1,045 (50 kg).

The New Indian Express

Farmers have their fingers crossed as the granary of Kerala appears to have fallen out of favour with the rain gods. The deficiency in rainfall to the tune of nearly 30 per cent this year has cast a pall over the future of paddy cultivation. “Due to the failure of the Northeast monsoon last season, Palakkad district cultivated only 25 per cent area for the second crop of paddy,” general secretary of the Desiya Karshaka Samajam, Muthalamthode Mani, told Express.

The Tribune

Official sources say that the Food and Civil Supplies Department has held several meetings with the finance authorities, asking them to hurry up with the release of Rs 1,098 crore. With the farmers’ unrest over the delay in implementation of crop loan waiver and the continuing auction of their properties simmering, the government is keen on having a second smooth procurement of foodgrain.

Telangana Today

India has always been known as an agriculture-based economy and lists among top nations globally in terms of its farm output. Despite developments in other fields, agriculture still remains one of the largest source of livelihood in the country. On the flipside though, while many farmers are leaving the profession for more lucrative options, individuals from other sectors are turning urban farmers in hopes of a better future and a dream to create a sustainable environment.

Samaj

Agriculture seems to have been reduced to a traditional compulsion rather than an economic option in Odisha. The outcome is visible. Majority of farmers and agricultural labourers are leaving their villages to participate in more remunerative off-farm works.

Business Standard

The management of prices of agricultural produce securing the interests of the producers and the consumers has been through minimum support price (MSP) limited to key staple crops, and tweaking import/export prices/permits. In the absence of a price safety net for nonMSP crops, farmers flood markets on harvest, resulting in a price crash, specifically when rumours of excess production circulate.

The Times of India The Hindu

The Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) on Saturday announced the Global Agriculture Leadership Award to Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. According to ICFA, the Leadership Awards committee said KCR was selected after studying the innovative and yeoman services rendered by him for the welfare of farmers and agricultural sector.

The Times of India

There were other, lesser-known concerns. Leo Saldanha and Bhargavi Rao of Environment Support Group and organic farmers Vivek and Juli Cariappa realized that farmers like Lakshman, considered owners of local varieties, had no clue about how their crop was being put to use. Bt brinjal was India’s first GM food crop that got approval for commercialization. “Sixteen farmers’ varieties, all popular ones, were accessed by seed company Mahyco with three Indian institutes to be modified, tested and commoditized since 2003-04.