Page 21 - Agriculture

Building capacity

Grain storage facilities will benefit all stakeholders

Gates meets Odisha CM, discusses tech-driven farmer empowerment initiatives

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates called on Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at his residence here and discussed technology-driven farmer empowerment initiatives. Gates, who arrived here on Tuesday, held discussions with the chief minister about various state government initiatives. "Pleasure meeting @Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Mr @BillGates. Had a wonderful discussion on our technology-driven farmer empowerment initiatives, several welfare initiatives like #JagaMission, #MissionShakti, #OdishaSchoolTransformation, #BSKY and healthcare transformation," Patnaik said on X. He appreciated the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for supporting innovation in extending inclusive benefits to the people. "Thanked him for his praise for Odisha's welfare initiatives and success in different sectors through #5T transformative governance," he added. In the morning, he visited a slum in Bhubaneswar and interacted with the residents. He visited the Biju Adarsh Colony in the Maa ...

Tea industry body welcomes move to sell dust tea through auction route

Tea Association of India (TAI), a body of planters, on Wednesday hailed the decision of the Tea Board for selling dust tea fully through the auction route. On February 26, the board issued an order saying that 100 per cent of dust grades of tea manufactured in a calendar year through the auction mode under Tea (Marketing) Control (Amendment) Order which will be effective from April one, 2024. President of TAI Sandeep Singhania said in a statement that dust grades constitute approximately 20 per cent of total production in North India. Therefore, transitioning to 100 per cent auction of dust tea will be a small step towards restructuring the existing system, he said. TAI said that the tea industry is facing unprecedented challenges and urgent action is required to revitalise the industry. The association is also committed to compliance with the maximum residue levels (MRL) of pesticides and market teas as a healthy beverage. TAI has urged all the stakeholders to collaborate with t

ISO raises forecast for size of global sugar deficit for current season

A Reuters poll of analysts and traders this month gave a median forecast of a small surplus of 500,000 tons in the 2023/24 season

Is legalising MSP workable? Agri economists talk about the pros and cons

The MSP scheme already exists and has been in existence for more than five decades. A legal guarantee simply provides a legislative co­ver to ensure proper imple­men­tation, argues Himanshu

WTO: India argues to finalise permanent solution to public stockholding

At the 13th ministerial conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Abu Dhabi, 164 member nations are participating in negotiations on agriculture

Economic growth likely slowed to 6.6% as agriculture lagged: Poll

Strong capital expenditure by the Indian government ahead of a national election due in May was a primary driver of growth in the previous few quarters

PM inaugurates world's largest grain storage plan in cooperative sector

The power of cooperation has a huge role in strengthening the foundation of agriculture and farming and this has led to a separate Ministry for Cooperation

Then and now: Protesting farmers want their voice to reach Delhi

Similar langar set-ups are placed every 500 metres across the protest site spreading up to 8 km. Tractors and trucks are lined up on the stretch, leaving a bylane for daily or emergency commute

Share of crop income dips for agriculture households, shows data

The Central government's three-member panel of senior ministers have offered them a proposal of guaranteed purchase of five crops at the MSP to break the imbroglio

No impact of MSP turmoil on wheat buying: Food secy Sanjeev Chopra

The wheat procurement season usually starts from April 1 in most parts of the country but in the coming season the government has given freedom to the states to advance the purchase dates

SKM forms panel to launch united fight for protesting farmers' demands

The members of the panel include Hannan Mollah, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Balbeer Singh Rajewal, Yudhvir Singh, Darshan Pal and Raminder Patiala

Highlights of the day: Farmers say won't march to Delhi for 2 days

Farmers' protest march updates: Catch all the latest updates on the farmers' protest here

Pulses, oilseeds demand to outstrip production by 2047-48: NITI Aayog

"Augmentation of oilseeds yield, and production from secondary sources can reduce the gap in the short-run, and achieve self-sufficiency in the long-run," the report said

Decarbonisation of fertiliser sector: India's 2070 'net zero' road map

Use of green hydrogen in the production of ammonia can be achieved by putting up grass-root green ammonia plants and scrapping of existing plants

Govt assisting, encouraging farmers to take agriculture on new path: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reiterated his government's commitment to support farmers in exploring new avenues in agriculture. Addressing an event in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, the prime minister emphasized the importance of working towards a common goal of having Indian food products on dining tables across the globe. His remarks came amid a protest by a section of farmers over their various demands such as a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops. "We are assisting and encouraging farmers to take our country's agriculture on a new path," he said. He emphasised the focus on natural farming and millets. "This is the right time for investment in superfoods like millets," he said. He cited the emergence of large-scale natural farming along the banks of the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, which not only benefits farmers but also helps preserve the purity of sacred rivers. The prime minister appealed to food processing entrepreneurs to prioritise the mantra of "zero .

Uttar Pradesh govt transfers nearly Rs 11,200 crore to paddy farmers

In the current kharif marketing season 2023-24, the state has paid nearly Rs 11,200 crore to the farmers against paddy procurement under the MSP formula

Farmers' protests: Why are Tikaits, many big guns missing in action?

A protracted agitation may force other farmer leaders, and political parties to join forces with protesters: Experts

Farmers' agitation to cause Rs 500 cr loss daily to northern states: Phdcci

Industry body PHDCCI on Friday said it apprehends "severe hit" to trade and industry and loss of employment in the northern states from a lingering farmers' agitation which would result in economic losses of over Rs 500 crore daily. "A lingering agitation will cause Rs 500 crores economic loss daily and will have an impact on Q4 Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of northern states majorly Punjab, Haryana and Delhi," said Sanjeev Agrawal, President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The industry body looks forward to an early resolution of the issues from both the government and the farmers, with a common consensus for the welfare of all in the country, he added. Agrawal stated that the farmers' agitation is severely impacting the businesses of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan as raw materials of such units are procured largely from other states to execute production processes and to

Rajnath, Munda, other ministers discuss farmers' issue amid protests

Senior Union ministers, including Rajnath Singh and Arjun Munda, on Wednesday held discussions on the ongoing farmers' protests and ways to address the issues, according to sources. The meeting in the national capital assumes significance against the backdrop of farmers from Punjab marching towards Delhi and Haryana Police using tear gas shells to stop them at the Shambhu border between the two states. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, also a former agriculture minister, deliberated upon various farmer issues with Munda, who is currently in charge of the agriculture ministry. Munda is also one of the ministers who held discussions with farmer groups, the sources said. Details about the meeting could not be immediately ascertained. Thousands of farmers, who are seeking a guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) among other demands, started their 'Delhi Chalo' march on Tuesday. Haryana Police lobbed tear gas shells at farmers from Punjab at the Shambhu border as thousands of protesters