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Cabinet clears draft Food Security Bill

The Food Security Bill has been cleared by the Union Cabinet. The Bill, once enacted, will provide subsidised foodgrains to 62.5 per cent of the total population. The Government aims to introduce the Bill in the ongoing session of Parliament. It is expected to set the stage for providing not less than 7 kg of foodgrains per person per month for “priority”, below poverty line (BPL) households. These households will get a minimum of .....

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Promising times ahead for the wine industry

After two distinctly forgettable years in 2009 and 2010 when it found itself in the doldrums, the current situation is giving Indian wine-makers a lot to cheer about. “This year we expect the industry to return to pre-2009 levels in terms of sale volumes,” Jagdish Holkar, President, All-India Wine Producers Association (AIWPA) says, adding that the previous two years were bad not only for the Indian wine industry, but for .....

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USDA report not exactly bullish for wheat

The U.S. Department of Agriculture came out with its latest production and supply and demand report on Dec. 9. It was not exactly bullish for wheat. “(The) USDA report not very positive for wheat,” commented Erica Olson, marketing specialist for the North Dakota Wheat Commission. “USDA lowered U.S. export projections by 50 million bushels and ending stocks went up 50 million bushels to .....

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Papaya: Introducing high-yield varieties key to healthy profits

It is native to southern Mexico and Central America, but has long been known and cultivated in the home gardens by the people of tropical and subtropical areas. It is one of the few crops which fruit throughout the year, offering quick returns. Over time, it has grown from the status of a home-garden crop to that of a commercial crop in many tropical countries as it is one of the highest producers of .....