For many years, Iran was among India's most important markets for agricultural products, especially basmati rice. However, protests against the country's leadership and growing external pressure have unsettled trade flows.
India has emerged as the world's largest rice producer, but closing the yield gap and managing water stress will decide whether this production surge becomes a lasting advantage.
Aravalli row: A significant portion of the Aravallis falls in Haryana, and over the years, successive governments have tried to hand over large swathes of forest land to builders and corporates.
As Parliament debates a Bill to replace MGNREGA, concerns remain about whether an increase in guaranteed employment from the current 120 days to 125 days and a new name (VB-G RAM G) will translate into real benefits for rural households.
Reports suggest that if the trade deal goes through and American maize starts entering Indian markets — prices could crash, and farmers may face huge losses.
Despite this rising import bill, instead of expansion, the area under pulses cultivation has shrunk. Over the past four years, the area under pulses has declined by nearly 3.1 million hectares.
During this Kharif season, northern states such as Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan, and southern states including Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, experienced prolonged and abnormal rainfall.
At present, cotton cultivation area, production, and productivity are all going down. In just two years, the cotton cultivation area has fallen by 14.8 lakh hectares, while production has dropped by 42.35 lakh bales.
