The Russia-Ukraine crisis, along with general bullishness in agricultural commodities, has ensured that after a fairly long time, most of the 24 commodities for which the Centre declares the minimum support price (MSP) are trading above it. The exceptions here are chana or gram and a few varieties of pulses. This might gladden the farmers, especially those who are still holding on to their stocks from the previous kharif harvest or are harvesting the latest rabi crop. But this could stoke retail and wholesale inflation.
"There are multiple reasons for the current food crisis, primarily because of recent cyclones in Bangladesh and Myanmar, which destroyed the entire rice crops in these countries, also exporters of rice. Now they have to import rice instead of exporting it," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said during the deliberations on the issue at the ministerial meet in Yekaterinburg (Russia).
Feeble demand in rural areas of the country has affected sales of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in September as compared to August, which saw heavy stocking ahead of the festival season, according to the data of Bizom, a retail intelligence platform. Sales in rural India fell 14.3 per cent while urban sales growth stood at 1.1 per cent in September as compared to the previous month. Overall FMCG sales fell by 9.6 per cent in September as compared to August.
Sanjeev Nayyar offers a roster of things to do to see the India of our dreams.
Use of 10 per cent ethanol-blended petrol has led to a saving of over Rs 41,000 crore in the foreign exchange for the country, minister of state for environment, forest and climate change Ashwini Kumar Choubey said on Wednesday. Speaking at an online event of auto industry body SIAM on sustainable mobility, the minister said the government is working in multiple ways to encourage sustainable mobility. "India recently achieved 10 per cent ethanol blending target 5 months in advance, saving over Rs 41,000 crore worth of fuel imports for the nation," Choubey noted.
The government's programmes should be expected to generate some momentum, but the macro-economic numbers are not encouraging, observes T N Ninan.
Every year Indians consume about 22 million tonnes of lentils
"India is determined that even as we pursue economic growth, our per capita GHG emissions will not increase beyond that of the industrialized nations," Mukherjee pledged.
Millets can provide nutritional security against deficiencies, especially in children and women, says Sreejith Moolayil, co-founder and COO, True Elements.
Bhutanese brewery Serbhum is behind Kati Patang, a beer sold by Delhi-based Empyrean Spirits. Launched in Zesty Amber and Snappy Wheat variants in 2018, Kati Patang prides itself on being "brewed with the happiest water on earth".
US President George W Bush and his Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may have their numbers wrong when they accuse China and India of contributing to the global food crisis as a result of growing prosperity-led consumption.
There is lack of scientific basis in computing the poverty line, says govt.
'Unless we start making the products we need, we cannot become a developed country or call ourselves an economic power.'
'We will be hoisting the tiranga, but this kind of celebration is uncalled for when the farmers in this country are dying by suicides, their families are ravaged by poverty and farmers are not enjoying any freedom.'
'I challenge people just do it for a month to see how you feel, okay?'
The Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala, on Thursday told the Kerala high court that the jaggery received by it had 'halal' mentioned on the packaging as they are also exported to Arab countries by the company supplying to them.
The Delhi metropolitan area has one of the highest concentrations of population in the world, and suffocating the people of the area on an annual basis should be treated as a crime against humanity, especially when the cause for such suffocation can be controlled, says Arvind Kumar.
'The revival of household savings and investment is the litmus test of whether we are on the road to recovery,' says Nitin Desai.
Besides, as urbanisation spreads, the country will consume more wheat, pulses and less rice and coarse cereals in the coming years.
Cereals like millets can help alleviate malnutrition and improve public health, reports Surinder Sud.
They say that a stimulus package may not be necessary because, unlike last year's total lockdown, public transport, including the railways and airlines, is running and the restrictions on movement are localised and, in some cases, are partial rather than total.
Modi had clearly not come to terms with the limits to a prime minister's powers, any prime minister's powers however strong numbers he may have in Parliament, observes Virendra Kapoor.
'Will you declare MSP for 100 odd crops that the farmers of India grow?'
'With the largest number of malnourished people on the planet, India is poised to be a nation that significantly under-performs as an economy.'
State Bank of India's house economists on Monday said the recent farm sector reforms reek of parochial thinking and promote lazy farming as they only cater to cereal-producing states. In the recently concluded monsoon session, the government rushed through three legislation to change the way agricultural produce is marketed, sold and stored by dismantling the decades-old APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) mandis.
Offer your child raw vegetables and fresh fruit as snacks instead of foods high in sugars, fats, or salts.
'The pandemic helped me to shift my focus to the medicinal qualities of food.'
However, international fast-food chains have had to change this business model completely, to adapt to Indian preferences.
While there is no permanent cure for celiac, one can control it by eliminating gluten from the diet, says Dr Tehsin A Petiwala.
About 78 per cent respondents said they were also satisfied with the steps taken by their own state government, according to the findings of the survey.
'The issue is not whether the farm laws are beneficial for the farmers or not.' 'The farmers have taken a stand that they do not want these laws.' 'Why do you want to thrust these laws down their throat?'
Ditch sweets that are high on calories and opt for baked options instead.
'Several businesses like entertainment, hospitality, travel etc would never be the same again.'
'It is quite natural for our farmers to go for rice and cane when both power and water are almost free.'
In spite of an overall healthy rise in exports, there are many traditional sectors which used to be the mainstay of India's exports in the past, but are now suffering from significant weaknesses, says A K Bhattacharya.
It is domestic policy distortions and inaction to correct them that lie behind the large CADs.
'The question often being asked is whether the demand for petrol and diesel is price inelastic?' asks Arun Balakrishnan, former chairman and managing director, Hindustan Petroleum.
According to latest data, crops have been sown in around 72.13 million hectares, which is 8.90 per cent less than the same period last year.
Two decades ago when someone said, "I am on a diet," you assumed they would be eating less of everything. Today, those few words lead to a whole new discourse, says Ambi Parameswaran.
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