TMS Ep375: Wheat crop, Air India, rice exporters' shares, political symbols

Large parts of India witnessed heat wave last year, affecting wheat production and forcing the country to restrict wheat exports. The threat of extreme weather has re-emerged again. India’s major wheat-growing regions are reportedly witnessing unusually high temperatures for this time of the year, when crops are very sensitive to heat. There are warnings of output loss triggered by the unusually warm weather. So, is India’s wheat crop under threat? 

India’s wheat harvest is the biggest in the world, after China. But extreme weather could threaten food security and drive up food inflation in the country. Meanwhile, the Indian aviation sector is optimistic of seizing a bigger market share of international operations, after Air India’s expansion plans and record order for aircrafts. Find out what it will take to challenge the dominant gulf carriers on international skies.  

Back to the agri-sector, a surge in global demand for agri-commodities including rice led to a sharp increase in its prices, which prompted the government to place export curbs on some varieties of the cereal last year. 

However, rice exporters, especially those dealing in basmati rice have seen a massive increase in their fortunes on the bourses. So, can they sustain these gains? 

Eknath Shinde became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in July last year. Seven months later, the Election Commission of India allotted the Shiv Sena party symbol, a bow and an arrow, to the Shinde-led party. How does the Election Commission of India allot symbols to political parties? And, what happens in case of separation of party members, like with Shiv Sena?