Ban on futures trading to go

Budget pitches for agriculture

No incentives for organic fertilizers and sustainable farming  

Low Pulse

Spiralling prices of pulses have shown India’s dependence on imports. Pulses are integral to India’s diet but not its food policy. As …

Orange tumbles

Nagpur orange’s survival hinges precariously on its return to sustainable cultivation. Farmers have woken up to this, but will the government?

Bytes

Fabulous Faba: Ancient super food set to stage a comeback

Food scientists are now trying to give this neglected ancient crop a makeover, given its high nutrition content

Pulses, neglected for long

Despite being a world leader in pulses production, India has been forced to import due to crop loss and seed deficit. The sharp rise in prices is …

Indian scientists convert wild legume into edible dal

A recent research shows it is possible to knock off genes that are responsible for the production of a class of anti-nutrients that make the …

Keep on the grass

Alpine pastures are thriving despite policies to encourage grazing. But Himalayan pastures languish despite strong conservationist policies

Agriculture Don't fix is the government's fix

Rain lash

Four-hour deluge washed away not just crops but also soil from 5,000 hectares in Maharashtra. Experts warn of more such weather events. Is the …

Reclaiming Simple Clod

More and more loss

More and more water

More yield per hectare

More and more urea

Fertilisers boost plant growth but imbalanced application soon leads to use-fatigue

EU bans Indian guar gum

Field day

India's soils are in a bad shape. T V Jayan investigates

Science and Technology - Briefs

El Niño-induced dry spell causes major crop loss in Central America

This is the second consecutive year when the sub-region’s main season harvest has been affected by dry weather

Save and Grow: a guide to sustainable cereal production

The technique focuses on conservation agriculture, maintaining soil health, selecting crops with higher yield potential and greater resistance to …

Science & Technology - Briefs

Gamble for guar, soy

Despite demand and production, farmers lose to futures trading

Veggies delight

The rising demand for vegetables has opened up a money-making opportunity for small farmers. Already reeling from recurring droughts and …

Letters