INDIA'S commerce minister, Jairam Ramesh, has warned of a crisis in the plantation industry and urged caution on commodities such as pepper, tea, coffee and rubber while finalising the proposed free trade agreement with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr Ramesh said the plantation sector is in "deep crisis" and is not receiving the attention it deserves. Mr Ramesh said the crisis is largely due to a decline in productivity caused by ageing plantations... Read More