Hindustan Times

Agricultural experts from Maharashtra have expressed concern over the 44 per cent deficit rainfall in the post-monsoon period during October to December 2018, as reported by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Dawn

In the first five months of 2018-19, the food trade deficit stands at $954 million. If no major initiatives are taken to boost food exports and contain imports, the full-year deficit may again end up close to $2bn. Even exports of 0.5m tonnes of wheat and wheat products, as suggested by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, cannot enhance food export earnings to a level to avert this possibility.

The Hindu

As many as 24 teams of entrepreneurs, all in the agriculture start-up space, visited some of the coconut farms in Pollachi recently. They were there to meet the farmers, know first hand the challenges faced by the coconut growers, learn more about the irrigation systems used and see if their innovative solutions can be used in the farms.

Financial Express

The loss of BJP/NDA in the recently concluded state elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan has given the political party a bitter jolt. The party had dodged the reality and gravity of farm distress until then, with its Union agriculture minister equating farmer agitations with ‘political drama’. However, they not only have acknowledged the crisis now but are also looking for ways to address farmers’ issues.

The Indian Express

Reducing area under paddy crop in Punjab has been a big issue for every successive government for over past two decades as water table is depleting 90 cm every year. In the ongoing Indian Science Congress, the agricultural scientists questioned the policies, which are responsible for growing rice on 3 million hectares in Punjab, besides the reason of providing water subsidy on paddy, a highly water-intensive crop resulting in depleting water table.

The Hindu Business Line

Speaking on ‘Economy in Election Year’, organised by the Chennai chapter of the Observers Research Foundation, Narayan said the underlying problem is one of abundance of production and farmers not getting remunerative prices. State governments are not doing enough to create markets for farmers’ produce.

The Hindu Business Line

Some 60 years ago, the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru said: “Everything can wait except agriculture”. But for the last two decades, agriculture has been waiting even as the economy has continued to make rapid strides.

Down To Earth

Farmers’ protests have ruled the headlines consistently in the last two years and their distress over low farm prices, poor logistics for transport and government-assured purchases has been clearly evident. While the 14 volumes of the Dalwai Committee Report on doubling farmers’ income released last year provided a road map for transition from a mere Green Revolution to an Income Revolution for farmers, a parliamentary panel reportsubmitted in the Lok Sabha on January 3 underlines that the country is yet to solve the ‘Riddle of Agriculture Marketing’. Here are its 6 reasons:

The Economic Times

The commodity market in India, especially agri-commodities, is on the cusp of transformation. The three biggest bottlenecks – storage, logistics and financing infrastructure inadequacies – that plagued the sector and resulted in colossal harvest and post-harvest losses are finally being eliminated with a synergistic combination of technology, physical infrastructure and stronger regulation.