Land prices, regulatory changes and trends shaping the farmland market.

India’s banking system is holding a record amount of surplus cash. To manage the excess liquidity, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a ₹7 lakh crore variable rate reverse repo auction for September 7. The 30-day operation will also give banks an option to withdraw their funds early. The RBI introduced this flexibility to encourage greater participation from banks. The move comes as surplus liquidity in the banking system reached ₹10.3 lakh crore on September 3. A large part of the surplus came from foreign-currency deposits raised under a special RBI scheme. The latest move puts liquidity management in focus across the Indian financial markets.

India's sugar market is taking an unexpected turn. Just weeks after the government opened the door to duty-free raw sugar imports, domestic prices have fallen sharply. As a result, sugar mills and refiners are now expected to import far less than the quantity originally permitted. The development highlights how quickly commodity markets can change when supply, prices and seasonal demand move together.

India’s agriculture sector is going through a major change. Farmers are getting better access to markets, technology and digital services. At the same time, agricultural production and exports continue to support the country’s economy. The changes are creating new opportunities across the farming sector. They are also changing how people look at farmland, farm management and agricultural assets.

Regional dairy major Dodla Dairy has announced a strategic expansion into the direct-to-consumer (D2C) organic market. The company’s board of directors approved an investment of ₹11.64 crore to acquire a 2% equity stake in premium organic dairy enterprise Sid’s Farm.