The New Indian Express – Online

The State government has adopted a three-pronged strategy to ensure agricultural growth and multiply farmers’ income, Principal Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department Suresh Kumar Vashishth said. Addressing an event on input management of rabi crop for farmer producer organisations (FPOs) at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, here, Vashishth said the focus now is on small and marginal farmers to encourage them to diversity and go for high value and climate-resilient crops. “Farmers are being motivated for crop diversification and integrated farming while promoting farm ponds so that they can take up pisciculture along with horticulture,” he said. Odisha’s cultivation pattern was heavily tilted towards paddy with the crop claiming 70 per ...

Financial Express – Online

The repeal of the farm laws and the government’s giving in to farmers’ demands is a blow to reform. Indeed, if there is something to be learnt from the 15-month agitation by farm unions, it is that consensus is critical for any major change and that confrontation is best avoided. The tenacious farmers have upped the ante and are demanding a legally guaranteed MSP for 23 crops. Although the government has assured them the current procurement of foodgrains, to comply with the Food Security Act, will continue, they want more. The procurement system is an inefficient one with the government buying more than it can sell and tonnes of grains rotting in warehouses. Legalising MSPs ...