IIRR’s direct seeded rice initiative increases yields by 8-13%
A Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) initiative by the Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR), an Indian Council of Agricultural Research agency, in partnership with the SBI Foundation, has shown that rice yields can rise 8-13 per cent over conventional transplanted cultivation across seasons. The project also demonstrated a 21-23 per cent reduction in cultivation costs […]
New study highlights AI’s potential to improve soil science
New research, led by Budiman Minasny and Alex McBratney, professors from the University of Sydney Institute of Agriculture, has detailed how AI (artificial intelligence) tools can help us adapt soils – and the systems they nurture – to a changing climate. Published by Frontiers in Science, the paper outlines how AI tools can accelerate soil […]
India, IFAD deepen partnership on climate-resilient rural growth initiatives
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of India have marked a new phase of cooperation on sustainable rural development, with a senior IFAD delegation advancing an eight-year roadmap focused on finance, value chains, climate resilience and rural enterprise during a five-day visit to India, according to a statement. The delegation, led […]
Salam Kisan aims 100 agri-drone hubs to deliver farming solutions
Salam Kisan, the precision agriculture platform of PRYM Group, has launched a nationwide Agri-Drone Business Franchise model aimed at creating district-level agri-tech infrastructure across the country. The company plans to establish over 100 agri-drone hubs in the first phase, empowering entrepreneurs in tier-II and -III cities to deliver AI-driven farming solutions including precision spraying, crop […]
Indian scientists create world’s first AI-designed gene editor for crops
In a breakthrough that could redefine crop biotechnology, scientists at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s Central Rice Research Institute have developed and experimentally validated the world’s first AI-designed genome-editing tool for plants, marking a major advance beyond the existing CRISPR systems that depend on naturally occurring microbial proteins. Gene editing works like a molecular […]
China Agrees to Buy Billions in US Agriculture Products After Summit
China agrees to buy billions in US farm products. India’s AI miss puts its stock market at risk. A Swatch craze causes global store shutdowns. Listen to the day’s top stories. China agreed to buy at least $17 billion in American agricultural products annually through 2028, the US announced, while Beijing said it had agreed to ease some tariffs on unspecified […]
Cepea sees modest grape shipments in Brazil’s first export window
Brazilian grape exports have continued to advance at the start of the first export window of 2026. According to Comex Stat data, 1,250 tonnes were shipped in April, up 115% from March — an expected jump given the intensification of shipments. However, the result was 9% lower than in the same period of 2025, marking […]
India bans sugar exports with immediate effect to cool domestic prices
In a move seen as aimed at stabilizing the domestic market, the Government on Thursday imposed an immediate ban on sugar exports, effective until September 30, 2026. The intervention comes at a critical juncture as global sugar prices show signs of a rebound, which had begun to make Indian exports increasingly attractive to international traders, […]
Mango mania in Chennai: Where to indulge in organic varieties this summer
Summer has always arrived in India with a promise of leisure, and unrelenting calidity: holidays, grandparents’ home, cousins and friends, of soulful food and the sweet smell of mangoes always lingering in the air. This year, that memory feels strained at the edges. Reports in The Hindu have pointed to one of the harshest summers India has […]
India wheat procurement tops 30-million tonne mark, heading towards target of 34.5 mt
Wheat procurement this season has exceeded the 30 million tonne (mt) mark and is heading towards the target of 34.5 mt. For the first time this year, overall purchase has recorded higher volumes than the year-ago level after continuously trailing for the last 40 days since the season began on April 1. The Centre has […]