Page 23 - Agriculture Economy

Is MGNREGA work demand real sign of distress or problem lies elsewhere?

In FY23, around 87.5 million people worked under the scheme, according to the MGNREGA website. Till December 12 in FY24, approximately 72.6 million people had worked under the scheme

India exported 7.3 MT non-basmati, imported 1.9 MT pulses in Apr-Oct: Govt

India has exported 26.08 lakh tonnes of basmati rice and 73.18 lakh tonnes of non-basmati rice during the April-October period of this fiscal year. In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda shared export data of major foodgrains. As per the data, the exports of basmati rice stood at 45.61 lakh tonnes in the entire 2022-23 financial year while the shipments of non-basmati rice stood at 177.92 lakh tonnes. Exports of basmati rice stood at 44.15 lakh tonnes in 2018-19; 44.55 lakh tonnes in 2019-20; 46.30 lakh tonnes in 2020-21; and 39.44 lakh tonnes in 2021-22. The data showed that exports of rice (other than basmati) were at 76.48 lakh tonnes in 2018-19; 50.56 lakh tonnes in 2019-20; 131.49 lakh tonnes in 2020-21, and 172.89 lakh tonnes in 2021-22 fiscal. India's total rice production stood at 1,357.55 lakh tonnes in 2022-23 as against 1,294.71 lakh tonnes in the previous year. Rice output stood at 1,164.84 lakh tonnes in 2018-19; 1,188.70 lakh tonnes in 201

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Will ensure farmers don't face losses due to onion export ban: CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said his government will find a way so that farmers do not suffer losses due to the ban on export of onions. Shinde visited his Shiv Sena party office in the Vidhan Bhavan premises in Nagpur ahead of the third day of the state legislature's winter session here. The Centre has banned onion exports till March 31, 2024, to increase domestic availability and keep prices in check. Speaking to reporters on the issue, Shinde said the state government always stands with farmers of the state. The CM said he had a telephonic conversation with Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal on the onion issue. "We will find out a way so that farmers and customers do not face losses due to the ban on export of onions," Shinde said. On the issue of ban on the use of sugarcane juice and sugar syrup for ethanol production, the CM said the government representatives will meet Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah ov

Govt extends export ban on de-oiled rice bran till March-end 2024

The government has extended the export ban on de-oiled rice bran, a major ingredient in preparation of cattle and poultry feed, till March 31 next year, according to a notification. It was first banned in July this year. "Export prohibition of de-oiled rice bran is extended till March 31, 2024," the directorate general of foreign trade has said in a notification. According to experts, rise of prices of the feed is one of the major reasons for increasing milk prices in the country and putting a ban on the exports can help increase availability of the product in the domestic market, thereby containing rates. However, Solvent Extractors Association of India had earlier asked the government to reconsider its decision on banning the exports as the move is likely to have minimal impact on the prices of cattle feed and milk. As per estimates, in cattle feed, about 25 per cent rice bran extraction is used.

Agri-commodities exports decline to 1.79 million tonnes in Sept: APEDA

Export of agri-commodities, including basmati rice, declined to 17.93 lakh tonnes in September this year compared to 27.94 lakh tonnes in the previous month, according to agri-export promotion body APEDA. Exports of agri-commodities in April and May were around 33 lakh tonnes each. However, shipments of farm items fell to nearly 18 lakh tonnes due to several restrictions on the export of various varieties of rice, including broken rice and non-basmati white rice. Export of agricultural items stood at 27.94 lakh tonnes in August of the 2023-24 fiscal, according to the data maintained by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). In value terms, the export of farm items declined to Rs 14,153 crore during September from Rs 18,128 crore in August of this fiscal. Much of the exports in September were non-basmati exports which stood at 4.25 lakh tonne, basmati rice at 1.21 lakh tonne, fresh onions at 1.51 lakh tonne, and buffalo meat at 1,21,427 ..

Government approves 100% packaging of food grains in diversified jute bags

The reservation norms in present proposal would further protect the interest of domestic production of raw jute and jute packaging material in India

India's wheat stocks hit 7-year low as govt sells more to calm prices

Last year, the government banned exports after output was curtailed due to a heat wave and overseas sales picked up as Russia's invasion of Ukraine sent global prices to multi-year highs

Rajasthan set to produce more cumin this year amid spike in demand

Cumin traders said that after a decrease in sowing in the last two years, sowing this year is expected to increase to the level of 2021

India to provide $250 mn LoC to Kenya for modernisation of its agri sector

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced India's decision to provide USD 250 million to Kenya for modernisation of its agriculture sector following his wide-ranging talks with visiting Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto. Ruto arrived here on Monday on a three-day visit with an aim to expand overall ties between the two countries. In its foreign policy, India has always given high priority to Africa and has expanded its overall ties with the continent on a mission mode in the last nearly one decade, Modi said in his media statement after the talks. "I am confident that President Ruto's visit to India will not only strengthen bilateral ties but will give a new momentum to our engagement with Africa," he added. The prime minister said India will provide USD 250 million as Line of Credit to Kenya for modernisation of its agriculture sector. Referring to the Indo-Pacific, Modi said closer cooperation between India and Kenya in the region will advance common efforts. India

Punjab CM Mann hikes sugarcane price by Rs 11 per quintal to Rs 391

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced a hike of Rs 11 per quintal in sugarcane price, saying the new rate of Rs 391 a quintal is the highest in the country. The announcement came days after the chief minister assured farmers of "good news" in the coming days. "With an increase of Rs 11, the new rate will be Rs 391 per quintal, which will be the highest in the country," Mann said in a post on social media platform X. Earlier, farmers held protests demanding an increase in sugarcane price from Rs 380 per quintal to Rs 450 per quintal. On Friday last week, farmers held a demonstration on a national highway in Jalandhar but decided to end their stir after Mann's assurance. "As far as increasing the rate of sugarcane goes, Punjab has always been ahead," Mann had said last week. Protestors under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha had blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara section of the Jalandhar-New Delhi National Highway near Dhanowali village. The strike ended on the four

No new issue agri issue in WTO till solution on public stockholding: India

India has told a WTO grouping with a major interest in farm trade that it will not discuss any new issue in the agriculture segment like imposition of export restrictions before a permanent solution is found with regard to public stockholding of food grains, an official said. This position was cleared during a mini-ministerial virtual meeting of about 28 WTO (World Trade Organisation) member countries on agriculture issues on November 28. In the meeting, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal put forward New Delhi's approach to the issue saying that public procurement and stockholding of food grains serve the twin objectives of food security and income support to marginal farmers. The 19-member Cairns group, which includes agri-exporting nations, lobbies for agricultural trade liberalisation. It was formed in 1986 in Cairns, Australia. Its members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, ..

Sugarcane crushing in full swing across country, says sugar trade body

The sugarcane crushing operation in the 2023-23 season is in full swing post-Diwali across the country, trade body AISTA said on Tuesday. Sugar season runs from October to September. "The crushing operation is in full swing across the country now. All sugar factories have started the crushing," All India Sugar Trade Association (AISTA) chairman Praful Vithalani told PTI. Some mills had begun the crushing operation during mid-October. However, it picked up post-Diwali, he said. There are about more than 700 installed sugar factories in the country with crushing capacity of about 340 lakh tonnes of sugar, as per the official data. The country's total sugarcane production is estimated to be higher at 434.79 million tonnes in the 2023-24 crop year (July-June), as against 422.25 million tonnes in the previous year, as per the first estimate released by the agriculture ministry. There was an opening stock of sugar at 5.7 million tonnes as of October 1 in view of slight decline in the .

Not missing either the woods or the trees

Vast untapped potential must be gainfully harnessed to achieve environmental goals and derive potential economic benefits from agro-forestry

Paddy procurement in Himachal touches 20,993 MT, surpassing 2022's purchase

Paddy procurement in Himachal Pradesh has surpassed last year's purchase to touch 20,993 metric tonnes this year, officials said on Saturday. In comparison to the purchase of 14,000 metric tonnes of paddy last year (2022), about 20,993 metric tonnes of paddy has been purchased from 3,663 farmers in 14 markets established across the state in the current year (2023), the officials said. This year a target to procure 22 thousand metric tonnes of paddy has been set and so far farmers of the state have sold 20,993 metric tonnes of paddy worth Rs 45 crore to the government, informed Joint Director State Civil and Food Supply Corporation Ravindra Thakur. He informed that against the target of purchasing 6,250 metric tonnes (62,500 quintals) in Sirmaur district, the State Civil Supplies Corporation has already purchased about 9,000 metric tonnes. In 2022, crops across the state were ruined due to the southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) and several farmers had to destroy their

Centre says certain onion consignments can be exported till Nov 30

The government on Thursday clarified onion consignments that have been handed over to the customs authorities and are registered in their systems before October 29 can be exported till November 30. On October 28, the government imposed a minimum export price (MEP) of USD 800 per tonne on onion exports till December 31 this year with a view to increase availability of the vegetable in the domestic market and to contain prices. "Where onion consignment has been handed over to the customs before October 29, 2023... and is registered in their system/ where onions consignment has entered the customs station for exportation before this notification and is registered in the electronic systems of the concerned custodian of the customs station with verifiable evidence of date and time stamping of these commodities having entered the station prior to October 29. "The period of export shall be up to November 30 this year," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said. It added that th

Crop insurance scheme PMFBY makes comeback, enrollments jump

Number of farmers availing of the scheme reaches all-time high of 25 mn

India criticises Cairns members in Geneva talks on foodgrain stockholding

India has criticised Cairns member countries during a WTO meeting on public stockholding of foodgrain for food security purposes in Geneva, stating that members are monopolising time to discuss their submission on domestic support, an official said on Tuesday. At a dedicated session on public stockholding on November 20, India said it would refrain from commenting as the session had been "ambushed" by some Cairns agriculture-exporting members, the Geneva-based official said. "India expressed the belief that certain Cairns members were attempting a motion to take away dedicated talks on public stockholding by monopolising time to discuss their submission on domestic support, a topic that arguably should be addressed by the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session, scheduled to convene the next day," the official added. The 19-member Cairns group lobbies for agricultural trade liberalisation. It was formed in 1986 in Cairns, Australia. The members include Argentina, Australia, ...

India developing sea protocols for fresh produce to boost ocean exports

India is developing sea protocols for various fresh fruits and vegetables like bananas, mangoes, pomegranates and jackfruit to promote their exports through ocean routes, a senior government official said on Tuesday. At present, most of these exports are happening by air route because of lower volumes and different ripening periods. The protocol includes understanding voyage time, scientifically understanding the ripening of these commodities, harvesting at a particular time and training of farmers. These protocols will be different for different fruits and vegetables. Additional Secretary in the Commerce Ministry Rajesh Agrawal said shipments through sea route have two advantages - cost and volume. The exercise would help boost exports of fruits and vegetables as shipments through air cargo have a positive impact on the price competitiveness of these commodities. "So far, we are using air routes to export these perishable goods. But now, we are trying to see how we can use the se

Maximising the minimum: A look at MSP promises in poll-bound states

Ensuring central procurement of surplus grains purchased by announcing hefty bonuses over the MSP is tricky