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Trade ministers and diplomats from around 130 countries are participating in the four-day meeting that started on Tuesday.
Imports too tumbled by 58.65 per cent to $17.12 billion in April from $41.4 billion in the same month last year, according to the data by the commerce and industry ministry.
A 6-7 million tonnes shortfall in rice production due to a fall in paddy sowing area is likely to keep rice prices at elevated levels, adding to the inflationary pressure that the slowing economy is already grappling with. Elevated food prices, including that of cereals, had led to retail inflation reversing a three-month declining trend, to touch 7 per cent in August. Similarly, the wholesale price inflation, which declined to 11-month low, also showed price pressures from cereals resulting from wheat output being impacted by severe heat waves in some parts of the country.
The Delhi Police on Tuesday said protesting farmers violated the conditions pre-agreed for their tractor parade and indulge in violence and vandalism, leaving 83 of its personnel injured.
Lekhi later tweeted that her comments were "twisted" and that she withdraws her words if they have hurt anyone.
India on Friday attacked the United States over agricultural subsidies and trade liberalisation saying it was "not serious" about the matter and had failed to understand New Delhi's political concerns.
However, the RLD leader gave a terse response. 'Invite those +700 farmer families which you have destroyed, not me,' he tweeted in Hindi.
At least six police personnel and some people were injured in the incident, while 106 protesters were detained and released later, an officer said.
SBI says the downgrade will not hurt the bank that much.
The Uttarakhand government's move to allot 50 acres of agriculture land to Tata Motors for housing purposes has hit a rough patch with Agriculture Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat expressing opposition to the use of farm land for industrial or any other use.
"The cancellation of the UK prime minister's visit because of all these efforts is surely a big victory for farmers," the statement said.
The statement comes after videos and photos of workers removing the nails near Ghazipur border surfaced on social media.
Cargill believes the reforms would act as a catalyst in attracting private sector investment in building supply chains for taking Indian farm produce to national and global markets.
Despite severe drought in fiscal 2002-03, India's agricultural output is enough to sustain the country, Union Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh said on Thursday.
The Act prohibits conversion of any place of worship and to provide for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947.
The group of six students, including girls, had arrived there to render support to the farmers by singing and playing 'dafli' (tambourine), they said. When the farmer leaders objected to their presence at the site, police sent the students back, Deputy Superintendent of Police Anshu Jain told PTI.
The hunger strike between 8 am and 5 pm is part of the farmers' plan to intensify their agitation from Monday.
'The future is about autonomy and tanking.'
More emphasis on investment in agriculture, increasing expenditure on education and tackling price rise were some of the demands made by members in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday during the discussion on the General budget for 2011-12.
Restore macro economic stability
Acknowledging unabated suicides by farmers in Vidarbha region of the state, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said his government will leave no stone unturned while handling the issue and has already initiated some measures to curb suicidal tendencies among the farming community in the region.
The 32 year old Indo-Canadian YouTube star wore a mask to express her solidarity for the farmers in India.
ICAR and the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry have signed a four year workplan for collaborative research on agroforestry, primarily for dealing with the climate change effects and to provide secure livelihood systems to small and marginal farmers in various part of the country.
Farmers from India's suicide zone - Vidarbha - will share their experience with others at an agriculture exhibition organised by 'Agrowon', an agriculture daily, from February 3 to 6 at College of Engineering, Pune.
The farm sector achieved 3.6 per cent growth during the 11th Five year Plan (2007-12), falling short of the 4 per cent growth target, although it was much higher than growth of 2.5 and 2.4 per cent during 9th and 10th Plans, it added.
She was speaking at the inaugural function of the India Trade and Exhibition Centre at which Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the ruler of Sharjah, was also present.
The prime accused deployed a modus operandi of claiming the investment in real estate purchased in the name of third party as unsecured loan
In a statement, the SKM alleged that the government had not fulfilled any of the promises, including setting up a committee on minimum support price and withdrawal of cases against protesters, made to the farmers.
The Indian government would unveil a major initiative in the next 10 days to enhance the total public investment in agriculture and push the rural growth to greater levels.
Shah asserted that the BJP will once again form the government in Uttar Pradesh with a comfortable majority.
Hazare appreciated farmers' protests at the borders of Delhi saying no violence has taken place in the last 10 days of the agitation.
'Farmers will block rail tracks in various places. Markets and transport services will be closed during 'Bharat Bandh'
A day ahead of former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's visit to Rajasthan to raise the voice of the farmers against the farm laws, he said that the Centre should withdraw the laws and after thorough consultation with farmers and states, come up with a new set of legislations which the tillers would themselves want and is not something that is forced upon them.
"Let them show whatever they have got. We are winning with a majority," Akhilesh Yadav said, dismissing predictions to the contrary on some TV channels.
Voting for the seventh and final phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections covering 54 seats, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi, will be held on Monday to decide the phase of 613 candidates.
Growth in manufacturing sector is very important for any economy.
Agri-enterprises are finding it hard to expand due to lack of commercial guidance.
Under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, the Centre provides an annual financial benefit of Rs 6,000 to eligible beneficiary farmers in three equal four-monthly installments of Rs 2,000 each.
India would be represented by agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, who arrived in Moscow on Wednesday night on a three-day visit.
