The country's largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI) has decided to extend the period of its concessional financing to the farmers against warehouse receipts by five months to September 30, 2009.

It should be noted that the state-run lender in February this year had started offering loans at a concessional rate of 8% to farmers against cold storage and warehouse receipts, in a bid to save them from falling prey to distress sale of their farm produce.

Earlier this week, the lender has extended its special home and car loans scheme last week at 8 per cent and 10 per cent respectively, for the first one year, till September

Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited (RCF) has informed that the company has undertaken a project to manufacture Wall panels, putty and other related products by using Gypsum.

The company officials said in a communiqué that the project is in final stage of completion and the plant is likely to start production by end of April, 2009.

In addition, the company to market these products has signed an agreement with Future Products Pvt. Ltd, to set up a Private Limited., Company (JVC).

Punjab is reeling from an unusual crisis. The state doesn't have enough space to store the bumper food grain crop it reaps every year.

In the last couple of years, stocks have piled up and there is no space to preserve wheat, for which procurement will commence in the first week of April.

The state proposes to procure 125 lakh tonnes of wheat this season and has sent an SOS to the Centre that unless adequate space is made available, the exercise could be jeopardised.

Apex court calls for appropriate rehab of displaced farmers

Expressing concern about the plight of many farmers who are left litigating with the government to claim compensation for acquired land, the Supreme Court told the authorities to ensure "prompt payment of realistic compensation to" and "appropriate rehabilitation measures" for aggrieved peasants.

"Having lost his land, and consequently the means of livelihood, the land loser had to engage a lawyer and wage a legal fight for a reasonable compensation," a bench of Justices RV Raveendran and JM Pachal said while scrapping a Karnataka government appeal challenging the high court's appeal ruling that enhanced compensation to a farmer from Rs5,300 an acre to Rs40,000.

The Cotton Advisory Board (CAB) revised the production and demand estimate for the crop season 2008-09 in a meeting held in Mumbai on Friday, confirming the impact of global slowdown on cotton economy and impact of erratic rain and pest problem on the crop.

Athens - More than 1,000 farmers from the southern Mediterranean island of Crete remained camped out at Greece's main port of Piraeus on Tuesday for the second day, determined to drive their tractors in protest through Athens demanding financial help.

The farmers, along with their farm equipment and tractors, arrived in Athens on three vessels from Crete Monday and ended up scuffling with riot police at the port after they prevented them from off- loading their tractors.