G. Chandrashekhar

Chandrashekhar is an economist, journalist and policy commentator renowned for his expertise in agriculture, commodity markets and economic policy.

Was the Import Duty Cut for Vegetable Oils Really Needed?

With excess production globally, the duty cut on vegetable oil imports may add to the stress for local growers

G. Chandrashekhar

September 29, 2026 at 10:46 AM IST

istock.com

El Nino to Reduce Kharif Production for 2026-27, Rabi Crops Also Under Stress

Kharif harvest is seen short of the season’s production target, and below last year’s government estimate, tightening supply-demand fundamentals of many crops

G. Chandrashekhar

September 28, 2026 at 11:46 AM IST

istock.com

Can India shape the next commodity super-cycle?

Commodity super-cycles last decades and the previous one was driven by China. Is the world ready for another round, and can India lead structural long-term shifts in global demand?

G. Chandrashekhar

September 22, 2026 at 6:26 AM IST

istock.com

India’s Food grain Procurement Policy Deserves Review

On the one hand, farmers hesitate to grow oilseeds, millets and pulses as they are not assured of procurement. On the other, India imports huge amounts of pulses and vegetable oils. To break this cycle, the government needs to look beyond rice and wheat for procurement.

G. Chandrashekhar

September 16, 2026 at 8:10 AM IST

istock.com

Indonesia Biodiesel Policy Unlikely to Hurt India

Indonesia is going full speed ahead with its B60 blending programme. While that might hit Indian imports of palm oil in the short term, the changing import basket and newer suppliers ensure imports will not suffer in the long term.

G. Chandrashekhar

September 7, 2026 at 11:11 AM IST

istock.com

My car, a guinea pig?

Opinion

Our cars are running on E20, and reports of lower mileage and damage to vehicle engines are now surfacing. Car owners are often unaware they are getting blended petrol because no one has told them; nor is there any formal intimation available at petrol stations.

G. Chandrashekhar

July 6, 2026 at 8:20 AM IST

India’s Water Crisis Is the Price of Years of Policy Neglect

India's water crisis did not begin with this year's weak monsoon. It is the result of years of treating water as an abundant resource.

G. Chandrashekhar

July 3, 2026 at 6:45 AM IST

istock.com

Weak Monsoon Threat Raises Prospect of Wider Policy Intervention

A deficient monsoon poses risks to kharif output and food inflation, potentially requiring policymakers to deploy a mix of trade, fiscal, administrative and monetary measures.

G. Chandrashekhar

June 19, 2026 at 9:39 AM IST

Istock.com

Indonesia’s Resource Nationalism: Is India Ready with a Plan?

Indonesia’s push towards resource nationalism could reshape global commodity trade. With India reliant on Indonesian palm oil, coal, and nickel, is New Delhi prepared to secure supplies and manage emerging risks?

G. Chandrashekhar

June 9, 2026 at 3:41 AM IST

Istock.com

El Nino May Lower Harvest; But Won’t Compromise Food Security

The southwest monsoon may be deficient, but significant procurement in the past has ensured that India has adequate supply of foodgrain for her population.so

G. Chandrashekhar

June 4, 2026 at 9:27 AM IST

Istock.com

Crop Output Targets For 2026-27 Are Out, But Are They Realistic?

The government’s crop production targets seem to have ignored ground realities such as the looming El Nino, the West Asia unrest and a monsoon at 90% of the LPA.

G. Chandrashekhar

June 3, 2026 at 5:23 AM IST

istock.com

India’s Sugar Export Ban May No Longer Be Just About Sugar

Rising oil prices, ethanol demand and tightening sugar balances suggest India’s latest export ban may reflect fuel-security concerns as much as food inflation worries.

G. Chandrashekhar

May 15, 2026 at 9:58 AM IST

iStock.com

Is Cotton Mission a Strategic Sovereignty or a Statistical Chimera

India’s cotton revival plan aims to reclaim self-sufficiency, but low yields, weak R&D and climate risks may test its ambitions.

G. Chandrashekhar

May 6, 2026 at 12:16 PM IST

Istock.com

UAE’s OPEC Exit Could Erode Cartel's Cohesion

The UAE stayed in OPEC for six decades. It took one strategic pivot and $150 billion in capacity investment to end that relationship. The consequences for global oil supply and pricing could be far-reaching.

G. Chandrashekhar

May 5, 2026 at 8:53 AM IST

istocks/imaginima

El Nino Tests Kharif and India’s Farm Economy

A weak monsoon threat amid El Nino risks could hit Kharif output, widen import dependence and strain rural incomes, testing policy preparedness.

G. Chandrashekhar

April 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM IST

iStock.com

India's Gold Addiction Is Bleeding Its Foreign Exchange Dry

India imports billions in gold while hundreds of millions go hungry. The policy contradictions demand scrutiny, and the exchequer is paying the price.

G. Chandrashekhar

April 28, 2026 at 5:29 AM IST

iStock.com/D. Talukdar

Palm Oil Panic Is Misplaced as Supply Buffers Temper Indonesia’s Noise

Indonesia’s B50 rhetoric has lifted sentiment, not altered fundamentals. Ample supply, peak output and India’s policy levers should keep palm oil risks manageable.

G. Chandrashekhar

April 22, 2026 at 12:55 PM IST

iStock.com

Will the Iran War Accelerate or Delay Energy Transition?

War-driven energy shocks raise costs and uncertainty, forcing a trade-off: accelerate the shift to renewables or delay transition as economies fall back on fossil fuels for stability.

G. Chandrashekhar

April 12, 2026 at 7:09 AM IST

iStock.com

The Watchword in This VUCA World is ‘Security’

A decade of shocks—from pandemics to wars and trade disruptions—is reshaping policy priorities, with nations and firms racing to secure supply chains, energy and resilience

G. Chandrashekhar

April 8, 2026 at 4:20 AM IST

Istock.com

Towards Smarter, Greener, Indigenous Fertilisers

With global supply chains increasingly fragile, fertiliser security has become central to India’s food security. Reducing import dependence through more sustainable and efficient nutrient use must be a priority.

G. Chandrashekhar

April 6, 2026 at 11:55 AM IST

WikiCommons

The Bureau

RBI measures may lift rupee but raise costs for genuine hedgers

RBI announces special dollar window for PSU oil cos, regulatory measures for FX market

RBI Raises Repo Rate for First Time in Four Years, Shifts Stance to Tightening

RBI raises 2026-27 CPI inflation forecast to 5.2%, flags oil, monsoon risks

India's Balance of Payments to Remain Under Pressure, Keep Rupee Vulnerable - ANZ

RBI to Use Appropriate Mix of Liquidity Tools, Align WACR with Repo Rate

RBI Raises 2026-27 GDP Growth Forecast to 7.1%, Flags West Asia, Monsoon Risks

Two External MPC Members Dissent on Policy Stance, Favour Retaining Neutral

Is the RBI Behind the Curve?

In Search of the Lesser Florican

Maneet Pal Singh