Rice is considered India’s most important food crop. It is a staple food and is a primary source of diet for the majority of the population in the country. Rice is cultivated using various methods, depending on the type of soil in that region. In India, a combination of traditional and modern methods are used to harvest rice crops. The salinity of the soil poses a severe threat to rice production, which results in stunted growth, and leaf damage and leads to lesser production of rice.

India and Peru are trying to speed up talks on the proposed bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), after it got delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and have scheduled the seventh round of negotiations in New Delhi, from April 8, prior to which offer lists on goods and services are likely to be exchanged, sources have said.

The 4th Global Conference of The World Banana Forum (WBF), hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), opened at FAO headquarters to discuss an array of challenges faced by banana producers, including the impacts of the climate crisis, high energy and fertiliser costs, and the spread of the destructive Fusarium wilt Tropical Race 4 (TR4) disease.