Author: Suchetana Choudhuri

Erratic monsoon extension, sudden cold waves, and collapsing flowering cycles push Maharashtra’s iconic Alphonso belt into an unprecedented agrarian crisis The Alphonso landscape of Konkan—spanning Ratnagiri, Devgad, and the adjoining coastal belt—has slipped into a season that growers struggle to recognise. What was once an annual choreography between soil, sky, and sea breeze now feels fractured, as though nature has misplaced its own timing. For decades, farmers here have lived by a quiet certainty: the monsoon would retreat, the land would dry into a soft stillness, and the mango trees would respond in synchronised bloom. That rhythm was not written…

Softening industrial activity, elevated fleet availability and global trade uncertainty continue to weigh on freight realisations across India’s trucking ecosystem India’s road logistics sector entered the new financial year under visible pressure, with freight rates across key trucking corridors softening further in April 2026 amid weaker industrial movement, subdued manufacturing dispatches and persistent oversupply in fleet capacity. According to the latest Crisil freight market assessment, the Crisil Pan-India Freight Index (CRISFrex), indexed to April 2025 at 100, moderated to 98.7 in April 2026, reflecting continued stress across the freight ecosystem after a brief recovery phase earlier in the fiscal year.…

Analysts say tariff-free access could accelerate investment in agro-industrial infrastructure and value-added exports Tanzania is preparing for a potential surge in exports, industrial activity and employment following China’s implementation of a zero-tariff policy covering imports from 53 African countries. Tanzanian officials said the initiative could significantly strengthen the country’s agricultural exports and accelerate investment in processing industries, logistics infrastructure and value-added manufacturing. The policy was discussed during a trade meeting titled “Zero-Tariff for Shared Opportunities” held in Dar es Salaam and attended by government officials, exporters and business representatives. Judith Kapinga, Tanzania’s Minister of Industry and Trade, described the policy…

Government ramps up climate mitigation efforts to reduce risks to agricultural production and rural incomes Malaysia has launched emergency cloud-seeding operations to protect domestic rice production after prolonged drought conditions delayed planting activities across the country’s northern rice belt, raising concerns over food security and farmer incomes. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the deployment of cloud-seeding operations aimed at triggering rainfall in major rice-producing areas, particularly in Kedah, which serves as one of the country’s most strategically important agricultural regions. The intervention comes as farmers across northern Malaysia face severe water shortages, low reservoir levels and delayed planting schedules amid…

Philippines expands agricultural resilience strategy following lessons from the 2024 El Niño event Department of Agriculture is intensifying nationwide preparedness measures to shield farmers and consumers from the potential impact of a strong El Niño event that could significantly reduce agricultural production and disrupt food supplies across the Philippines. Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government is implementing a range of climate adaptation and food security strategies aimed at minimising the impact of prolonged dry conditions on crop production, particularly rice. “What we learned during the 2024 El Niño will guide how we prepare and intervene this…

Deal reinforces EY Brazil’s long-term investment in agricultural technology, sustainability and sector strategy EY Brazil has signed an agreement to acquire MB Agro, one of Brazil’s best-known agribusiness consulting and market intelligence firms, in a move aimed at strengthening its leadership in strategic intelligence and advisory services for the country’s agricultural sector. The transaction will expand EY Brazil’s presence across agribusiness consulting by integrating MB Agro’s economic analysis, market forecasting and strategic advisory expertise into EY’s global multidisciplinary platform. The completion of the acquisition remains subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Founded as a specialist consulting and intelligence…

Hasanuddin University research projects rice production may rise nearly 10 per cent in 2025 amid growing food security concerns Hasanuddin University researchers have found that Indonesia’s Planting Area Expansion (PAT) programme could play a major role in reversing declining rice production and strengthening national food security as pressure on agricultural land intensifies. The study, led by Andi Amran Sulaiman, Indonesia’s Minister of Agriculture and researcher affiliated with Hasanuddin University, projects that the country’s rice production could reach 58.43 million tonnes in 2025, representing an increase of nearly 10 per cent compared with 2024 levels. According to the study, approximately 30…

Agreement includes board representation, PIPE financing and long-term commercial expansion plans SKK Holdings Limited has signed a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all drone-related assets of American Autonomy Inc. in a transaction valued at approximately $258.8 million, marking a major expansion into the fast-growing unmanned aerial systems and precision agriculture markets. The transaction will transfer Rantizo’s drone assets used in agricultural spraying, seeding and monitoring, along with applications across forestry, emergency response and broader commercial sectors, into SKK Holdings’ Nasdaq-listed platform. Under the terms of the agreement, the acquired assets will be exchanged for newly issued Class A ordinary shares…

Bioinsumos initiative forms part of Brazil’s broader push toward climate-smart agriculture and food security transformation Brazilian Development Bank has announced a new BRL 40 million funding round, equivalent to approximately Rs 340 crore, under its Bioinsumos programme to accelerate the adoption and local production of biological agricultural inputs across Brazil. The initiative forms part of the bank’s broader strategy to strengthen sustainable agriculture, climate resilience and food security by expanding access to bio-based farming technologies among family farmers and rural cooperatives. The newly announced funding round will provide non-repayable financial support to cooperatives and associations of smallholder farmers for the…

Fertiberia will supply its high-tech, green hydrogen-based fertiliser – Impact Zero – across approximately 400,000 acres (~162,000 hectares) of farmland, used to grow ingredients for PepsiCo’s popular brands including Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos and Ruffles PepsiCo and Fertiberia have today announced a long-term collaboration to scale the use of high-tech, green hydrogen-based fertiliser in Europe. As part of the agreement, Fertiberia will progressively provide PepsiCo with up to 150,000 tons of its Impact Zero crop nutrition solutions annually by 2030, enough to cover approximately 400,000 acres (~162,000 hectares) of farmland used to grow key crops such as potatoes, corn, sunflower, sugar…