Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Stories by Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Will Delhi Get Respite From Heat Wave By June 25?

Will Delhi Get Respite From Heat Wave By June 25?

Rediff.com   21 hours ago

Heatwave may abate over most parts of North India in next two days; temperatures likely to drop by 2-3C.

Lesson from 2009: Early Monsoon, Not Always Good

Lesson from 2009: Early Monsoon, Not Always Good

Rediff.com   2 Jun 2025

The last time the southwest monsoon arrived earlier than in 2025 -- that is, back in 2009 -- the rains lost steam after the early onset and ended the season with almost 23 per cent deficient rainfall, which was the lowest recorded average rainfall in several decades over India.

Flash Flood Threat Grows with Monsoon Changes

Flash Flood Threat Grows with Monsoon Changes

Rediff.com   30 May 2025

The frequency of short-duration, heavy rainfall events over central India and long-duration heavy rainfall events over the north-western coasts of the country has risen considerably in the last few decades.

India's First Gene-Edited Sheep Unveiled

India's First Gene-Edited Sheep Unveiled

Rediff.com   28 May 2025

The edited sheep contains no foreign DNA, distinguishing it from transgenic organisms and paving the way for regulatory approval under India's evolving biotech policy framework.

India Rolls Out Next-Gen Rice Varieties

India Rolls Out Next-Gen Rice Varieties

Rediff.com   6 May 2025

The varieties will take at least 4 to 5 years to reach farmers after they complete the usual cycle of breeder, foundation and certified seeds.

How India's agri sector can tackle US tariffs

How India's agri sector can tackle US tariffs

Rediff.com   10 Apr 2025

India's policy for agriculture trade must move commodity-by-commodity to gain maximum benefits as US President Donald Trump's 26 per cent tariff on exports from the country take effect, said agriculture economist Ashok Gulati in a recent policy paper.

Skymet Predicts Normal Monsoon

Skymet Predicts Normal Monsoon

Rediff.com   9 Apr 2025

Skymet expects a good monsoon over western and southern India.

US tariff on Indian shrimp may go up from 8pc to 45 pc

US tariff on Indian shrimp may go up from 8pc to 45 pc

Rediff.com   7 Apr 2025

Seafood is one of India's largest agricultural exports after basmati rice and buffalo meat.

USTR Report Intensifies Trade Tensions With India

USTR Report Intensifies Trade Tensions With India

Rediff.com   2 Apr 2025

The US Trade Representative noted that India's average applied tariff rate stood at 17% per cent, the highest of any major world economy.

Return of winter chill may benefit wheat crop

Return of winter chill may benefit wheat crop

Rediff.com   6 Mar 2025

Wheat production during the current season is expected to be better than last year provided the weather remains favourable over the next few weeks, said senior industry executives. The weather had turned uncharacteristically hot in the latter half of last month, but owing to strong winds, the chill has returned in the last few days.

India's Farm Sector Becoming Rainfall-Resistant

India's Farm Sector Becoming Rainfall-Resistant

Rediff.com   3 Mar 2025

'Rainfall does not appear to have a statistically significant impact on foodgrain production since the last few years, which contrasts with the traditional view of India's heavy reliance on monsoon rains for agriculture.'

'Investments Of Over Rs 4 Trillion To Create 100,000 Jobs'

'Investments Of Over Rs 4 Trillion To Create 100,000 Jobs'

Rediff.com   24 Feb 2025

'The size of the investments is important, but equally crucial is the number of jobs that these proposals create.'

Will budget for agri research get a big boost this year?

Will budget for agri research get a big boost this year?

Rediff.com   28 Jan 2025

Several leading scientists, academicians, and agriculturalists have called for raising government support for research and development to make Indian agriculture future-ready.

Have You Heard About The Potato Crisis?

Have You Heard About The Potato Crisis?

Rediff.com   16 Dec 2024

Amid the political blame game over Bengal's potato ban, which led to shortages in Jharkhand and Odisha, Uttar Pradesh farmers are the unlikely winners.

This Winter To Be Warmer Than Normal

This Winter To Be Warmer Than Normal

Rediff.com   3 Dec 2024

The cold wave days in December too are expected to be 'below-normal' this year.

PMAY-G survey to use 'face recognition' tools to identify new beneficiaries

PMAY-G survey to use 'face recognition' tools to identify new beneficiaries

Rediff.com   20 Nov 2024

A fresh survey to identify a minimum of eight million new beneficiaries of the flagship rural housing scheme, in addition to the 12 million already identified, will use the latest face-recognition tools to minimise gaps, a senior official said on Tuesday. The survey, which has already started across the country for building the fresh 20 million new rural houses over the next five years, can also be done by the beneficiary himself/herself as well through the Awaassoft mobile application specially created for this purpose.

MGNREGA participation dipped in first 6 months this FY compared to last

MGNREGA participation dipped in first 6 months this FY compared to last

Rediff.com   28 Oct 2024

Fewer people participated in MGNREGA during the first six months of this financial year (April-September) compared to the same period last year, a recent analysis of the scheme's performance by LibTech showed.

Tomato price volatility exposes gaps in India's agriculture supply chain

Tomato price volatility exposes gaps in India's agriculture supply chain

Rediff.com   26 Oct 2024

Tomato prices have been on the boil for more than a month. Data from major cities show that the spike has been between 125 and 150 per cent at the wholesale level. Soaring vegetable prices, including tomatoes, pushed the retail inflation rate to a nine-month high of 5.49 per cent in September, according to government data. Though reports say prices are expected to come down in the next few weeks after supplies improve from Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, how long will the respite last is anybody's guess.

Global firms form 'good rice alliance' for Indian farmers

Global firms form 'good rice alliance' for Indian farmers

Rediff.com   21 Oct 2024

Four big global companies - Bayer, GenZero (a wholly-owned arm of financial major Temasek), Shell and Mitsubishi - have decided to scale up their carbon credit programme in nine states to empower farmers. The credits are generated through the adoption of smart agriculture practices - Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Direct Seeded Rice (DSR). Since over a year, the project, which was being run on a pilot basis, has positively impacted 10,000 farmers, covering more than 25,000 hectares.

India's agriculture growth dips in Q1 as heatwave stings crop output

India's agriculture growth dips in Q1 as heatwave stings crop output

Rediff.com   2 Sep 2024

Gross Value Added (GVA) growth in agriculture and allied activities in the first quarter of the 2024-25 financial year (Q1FY25) dipped to 2.7 per cent at constant prices from 4.2 per cent in Q1FY24 due to a drop in output of some crops following heatwave in the main growing months. Low post-monsoon rains, which dried most of the reservoirs in several states across the country, also impacted the production of many crops. At current prices, the growth was estimated at 8.5 per cent as against 4.1 per cent in Q1FY24 due to a spike in food inflation during the April to June months of FY25.