Amidst the predictable tidal wave of opinion pieces to mark the Narendra Modi government’s third anniversary, one little event last week squeezed its way into the inside pages of a few newspapers. This was a call for a “farm strike” in Maharashtra from June 1, entailing, among other things, cutting off vegetable and milk supplies to Mumbai and Pune. Those behind the proposed stir have demanded a comprehensive loan waiver for farmers, fixing minimum support prices for produce at 50 per cent above

The IMD forecast of a near normal monsoon brings some cheer. However, effects of the El Nino may have an adverse effect towards the tail end of the rain-bearing season. The normal monsoon in 2016 helped India, reeling from two consecutive droughts, come back from the brink and also helped take food-grain output to a new high.

CHANDIGARH: Already struggling with shortage of staff, Haryana government's elementary education, secondary education, police and irrigation departments would be witnessing maximum number of retirements this year.

JEYPORE: Resentment is brewing among farmers of Jeypore over the decision of Upper Kolab project authorities to stop irrigation to ayecut areas at a time when rabi paddy crop is in flowering stage. The Upper Kolab irrigation project authorities had released irrigation water to Borrigumma, Kundra, Jeypore and Kotpad command areas, spread over 27,000 hectares, on January 1 and it was decided to stop the supply in the third week of May.

Pavittar Pal Singh Pangli, president of the Borlaug Farmers’ Association for South Asia, Chairman of the United Farmer Empowerment Initiative and the president emeritus of Punjab Agricultural University Kisan Club, has been chosen as a member of the working group of eco-agriculture and bio-products.

GANDHINAGAR: With agriculture playing a critical role in their economies, India and Africa both see a lot of scope for partnership and knowledge sharing. "This (agriculture) is an area where India and the bank can fruitfully join hands," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while formally opening the 52nd African Development Bank's (AfDB) annual event on Tuesday.

New Delhi: Genetically modified (GM) mustard plants are as safe and nutritious as regular mustard, the environment ministry said, even as the country await its final word on commercial production.

With the Narendra Modi-led government completing three years in office, it is high time to assess its performance in various sectors. We focus here on agriculture. Without robust growth of agriculture, “sabka saath, sabka vikas” will remain an empty slogan.

Could Maharashtra government and the Centre have mitigated Maharashtra’s tur (pigeon pea) crisis by facilitating and encouraging pledge loans? Yes, say farm sector experts, bankers, warehouse industry officials and former government officials.

NEW DELHI: Amid demands for farm loan waiver from different states in the wake of relief to small and marginal farmers in Uttar Pradesh, agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh on Sunday said the UP's decision was its own and the Centre did not have such a proposal at the national level.

PATNA: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar shot off a letter to the Union ministry of environment and forests on Wednesday, expressing afresh his reservation on the commercial cultivation of genetically-modified (GM) mustard.

India is poised to allow the commercial introduction of its first GM food crop, a genetically modified mustard variety developed in India, in the face of opposition from farmer and environmentalists.

ITANAGAR: A day after the Centre gave a green signal to an agriculture research institute in Assam, chief minister Pema Khandu sought the Centre's support for a full-fledged agriculture university and a Centre of Excellence for horticulture in the state.

KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee's much hyped sabji mandis and sufal markets are running much behind deadline and it was decided during a review meeting on Tuesday that the chief secretary Basudeb Banerjee and additional chief secretary (agriculture) Sanjeeb Chopra will oversee so that all the 186 sabji mandis turn operational soon.

NUAPADA: Irrigation projects (IPs) in Bargarh have not only failed in terms of irrigation but also do not provide succour to villagers who depend on it for domestic water needs. There are five IPs under Nuapada irrigation division namely Sundar, Saipala, Jonk and Dumerbahal and Jharbandh of Bargarh. Water level in three of these projects was less than dead storage level since May 1 while there was some water left in the remaining two.