Page 4 - Agriculture Economy

Waiting for India-US deal: The trade outlook remains uncertain amid delays

Nearly half of India's population depend directly or indirectly on agriculture for livelihood. There are also concerns in India about genetically modified food items that the US wants to push

India-US talks: Chouhan says govt will adjust duties to ban apple imports

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announces plans to adjust duties on apple imports to boost domestic production, while addressing concerns from J&K and Himachal Pradesh growers

Early monsoon rains boost hopes of record grain harvest in India

With rains arriving ahead of schedule in many regions, farmers have been able to begin sowing earlier than usual, Farm Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said

ITAT ruling targets use of farmland deals for laundering 'black' money

New ITAT tax interpretation could tighten scrutiny of undervalued land deals, challenging the alleged use of agricultural land transactions for turning unaccounted cash into legitimate income

India hardens stance on agri issues as US trade talks enter key phase

India has hardened its position on issues related to agriculture as negotiations with the US team in Washington have entered a crucial stage, an official said on Monday. The official also said that the stay of the Indian team, headed by special secretary in the department of commerce Rajesh Agrawal, is expected to be extended further. The team is in Washington for negotiations on an interim trade agreement with the US. Both sides are rushing to close a deal ahead of the July 9 deadline for the full implementation of a 26 per cent reciprocal tariff which has been suspended since April. "If the proposed trade talks fail, the 26 per cent tariffs will come into force again," the official added. The stay of the Indian officials has already been extended for three days until June 30. Initially, the delegation was scheduled to stay for two days with the talks having commenced on June 26. Another official said that the commerce ministry has informed domestic exporters and industry that th

Non-crop sectors gain GVO share as livestock rises, crop dips: Mospi

Livestock, fishing and aquaculture raised their GVO share between FY12 and FY24, while the crop sector's share fell though it remains the largest contributor

Chinese squeeze drives up DAP fertiliser prices, spurs West Asia reliance

It's the second-most-consumed fertiliser in India after urea but a significant portion is imported

Rajasthan govt unveils sowing targets for kharif crops for this year

Due to the promotion of coarse grains by the central government, the sowing target of pearl millet (Bajra) was slightly changed, while the sowing area of Jowar (sorghum) has been doubled.

Govt to undertake crop-wise planning to boost yields starting with soybean

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan says crop-wise reviews will begin with soybean in MP as kharif sowing surges 10 per cent above last year's acreage

Kharif sowing up 10% till June 20 as south-west monsoon gathers pace

The rains have now become vigorous over the main pulses and oilseeds growing in the central and western parts of the country which should further assist in their early planting

Gene-edited rice may pose IPR risks, scientists say in letter to PM

Centre has assured multiple times that all IPR concerns linked to gene-edited rice will be addressed and farmers will not face any licensing burden

Evaporation, less rains affect maize cultivation in Marathwada: Official

Irregular rainfall and moisture evaporation have raised concerns for the maize crop cultivation in various parts of Marathwada region in Maharashtra this month, an agriculture official said on Monday. Nearly 2,56,650.38 hectares of land is estimated to come under maize (corn) cultivation this year in the Marathwada districts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Beed, Hingoli, Dharashiv, Latur, Parbhani and Nanded. Till June 19, sowing was completed on 98,891.20 hectares, as per a report from the agriculture department. "The evaporation has raised concern for the maize crop in the region," district superintending agriculture officer Prakash Deshmukh told PTI. "A crop like maize is sensitive to moisture and water. The area under maize cultivation has gone up in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and other parts of Marathwada, replacing the cotton crop in about 50,000 hectares," he said. In some areas of the region, moisture is getting reduced. Therefore, the maize crop is getting water stres

Seeding the rice success: Technology and policy power India's rise

Since India is also the world's second-largest producer, exporter of wheat, it merits to be counted among the world's major food grain powerhouses, and a key player in the international food market

Nano fertilisers see a jump in sales, but questions around efficacy remain

While Iffco has seen an increase in the sale of both nano urea and nano DAP, some industry players say that despite its intrinsic benefits, nano has still not caught the imagination of some farmers

Kothari Industrial Corp unveils 30 new agri-products to boost farm yield

Diversified conglomerate Kothari Industrial Corporation Ltd has launched 30 agro-products aimed at bolstering agricultural output and serving the growing needs of farmers, a top official said on Saturday. These products, including Kothari Bioshakthi Gold, Kothari Neem Power, Kothari Subhiksham, among others, were launched by the company's Executive Chairman, Dr Rafiq Ahmed. "We strongly believe our farmers face different challenges when it comes to pests and diseases, but still they seek to continue to feed a growing population," said Ahmed in a press release here. "To address the growing needs, KICL introduced a robust range of bio and organic fertilisers along with neem-based variants (that can be applied with the help of) drone-based spraying, power sprayers and knapsack sprayers which not only affirm our commitment to empowering farmers across the country but also improving their lives," he added. These agri-products include insecticides, fungicides and herbicides. A range of N

Nabard gets approval to raise ₹19.5K cr via deep-discount zero-coupon bonds

Nabard can raise funds via these deep-discount zero-coupon bonds, which mature in 10 years, 11 months, and 13 days, until the end of March 2027, a government document showed on Friday

Higher yields across crops don't always mean higher income for farmers

Data from 2013-14 to 2024-25 show yield increases haven't translated into proportional income gains for all crops, with market access and prices emerging as key factors

Agriculture output rises 40% in 10 years, says Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said agriculture production in the country increased by 40 per cent in the last 10 years and that the sector saw growth rate of 5.4 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024-25 financial year. Chouhan, who attended events here as part of the Central government's 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' , said even a one-two per cent growth in agriculture is considered big in the world. Monday (June 9) is a historic day as it marks the first anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in his third tenure, he said. The year has been full of achievements, he added. "If I see from the agriculture perspective, it is the impact of PM Modi's vision, policies and programmes that agriculture growth rate was 5.4 per cent in the fourth quarter," he told reporters. The country has set new records in the production of wheat, paddy, soya bean, groundnut and others and the storehouses for grain are full, he said. "In the last 10 years,

52% agricultural homes rely on non-farm income amid rising volatility

Trend towards diversification reduces risks associated with farm income: PRICE report

Operative KCCs dipped 2.7% in FY25; loans hit Rs 6 trillion, shows data

The number of operative KCCs declined by 2.7 per cent during the financial year 2024-25 (FY25) over the previous year