We are moving towards self-sufficiency. The annual pulses production averaged 23.7 million tonnes in the past three years, an 80% increase over the average of the three-year period ending 2003-04. This was led by chickpea, wh
Once a winter favourite for farmers in North India, the crop lost ground there to wheat and rice. But, in Andhra Pradesh's hot climes, it is being ressurected by research efforts of agri-scientists.
In the last 10 years, there has been no significant representation from Punjab—India’s first Green Revolution state—to the Agricultural Research Service, nor have students from Punjab been well-represented at central ag
Our goal is to develop products that farmers can plant. We have doubled up on research in molecular markers (that help select plants with desirable traits). We have also made significant investments in microbial seed treatmen
The Railways' operating ratio, or the share of expenditure in revenue, this year was 96.2%—2 ppt better than the year before, but a 3.4 ppt slip over the target of 92.8%. When this govt took over, the ratio was 94%.
Centre for Science and Environment deputy director-general Chandra Bhushan has, in his September 26 response (bit.ly/2OQwuLp) to my article of September 10 (bit.ly/2Me04bJ), said that I have “cast aspersions” on CSE’s s
In a study released in the last week of July, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) says it tested 65 food products and found 21 of them testing positive for material from genetically-engineered (GE) plants.
Rapeseed-mustard holds the most promise for reducing India’s dependence on edible oil imports … The question is whether Mission Mustard can help achieve this. The edible oil industry has its task cut out.
It has advised cotton-growing states—except those that also grow tea—to ban the sale of the herbicide glyphosate, to curb unapproved herbicide-tolerant cotton.
In a setback to Mahyco Monsanto Biotech, a division bench of the Delhi High Court has held that it cannot patent its genetically-modified Bollgard I and Bollgard II technologies and the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act will apply
The draft rules provide for a committee to prevent cruelty. It comprises of eight core members and three optional ones, but the owner of a cattle market is not among them. It will certify the markets and determine their maxim
Kumble Vinod Prabhu, who is at the helm of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA), says that, in GM tech, a trait or an expression can’t be patented, but the GM process, the resultant eve
The realisation may have dawned upon seed companies that they erred by inviting the government to play the referee. They should have sorted out differences with Mahyco Monsanto Biotech at their level.
On May 11, last year, the GEAC, the apex authority for assessing the safety of genetically modified (GM) crops, declared that GM mustard had passed the prescribed tests and recommended to the environment minister that he shou
Diversifying to dairy may give the farmers a way out of the debt trap. But, the larger focus has to be on developing irrigation in Marathwada & Vidarbha
Indian agriculture is facing headwinds from government policy. The dairy industry is worried about restrictions on cattle trading. The menace of stray cattle is keeping farmers awake at night.
For most consumers, ‘organic’ is probably a code for ‘safe’ or ‘residue-free’, not necessarily produce grown without chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
