Hike in paddy minimum support price will increase the food subsidy bill by over Rs 11,000 crore based on procurement figure of the 2016-17 marketing year (October-September).

The government would do well to fix flaws in the basic MSP structure before rolling it out for all crops.

The experts also have doubts over the effectiveness of the price deficiency payment (PDA) mechanism Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana (BBY) that was experimented by the Madhya Pradesh government for eight khariff crops last year.

Non-Resident Indians' (NRIs) net inflows jumped to USD 5,039 million between April 2017-December 2017 compared to net outflows of -15,065 USD millions in April 2016-December 2016.

Drought, low prices have haunted Indian farmers for long; the key to growth lies in seeking new export markets.

Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu has to present a permanent solution to replace the peace clause achieved at 11th inter-ministerial conference of World Trade Organization, or WTO at Buenos Aires, Argentina in second week of December.

And over the years, the suicides grew in number, commensurate with the general suicide rate.  Any suicide is regrettable for a country and its people, but when we're referring to the country's food-providers - the anna-daatas --  it takes on a different hue altogether.

Farm loan waivers can bring only temporary relief. India needs long-term supply chain and technology reforms if it has to have any chance of tackling farmer discontent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to need a big rise in economic growth and a run of good weather to have a chance of fulfilling his promise to double farmers' incomes by 2022.

Reetika Khera, Associate Professor, Humanities and Social Sciences Dept, IIT-Delhi, says with India gaining strength, both economically and geo-politically, we can now achieve 100% social security.

The government will review reports about the presence of \"higher\" level of lead and a food additive in Nestle's Maggi noodles, Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Monday.

The drop in the quarter ended December was a steep 22 per cent. In January, market leader Mahindra reported a 26 per cent drop in tractor sales.

Two factors seem responsible for the trend: moderate increase in support prices of crops and a drop in employment guarantee expenditure.

Despite rural incomes and consumption rising steadily in the past few years, rural retail chains have not been able to match the success of their urban counterparts.

In April, government's granaries had a stock of 59.6 million tonnes of foodgrain, mainly wheat and rice, which was almost three times the stipulated buffer needed to meet shortages.

Food Minister K V Thomas has said south-west monsoon rains are expected to be \"satisfactory\" barring some states in South India.