Page 3 - Agriculture

11th ITPGRFA meet postpones key decisions on expanding plant list

The meeting had entered a crucial phase after the chair of ITPGRFA proposed a compromise document where it wanted expansion of the MLS to include all crops and revision of the transfer agreement

Farm sector GVA up 3.5% in Q2, collapses in nominal terms on low inflation

Agriculture was expected to do well and growth at 3.5 per cent is supported by a good kharif harvest expected, which will reflect more in Q3, said Madan Sabnavis

Seeds sector faces major shake-up as India readies new laws and treaties

'India's seeds sector heads into a decisive phase as new draft laws, amendments to plant-variety rules, and a global treaty converge to reshape how varieties are regulated, protected and shared'

Rajasthan ensuring availability of fertilisers in every block: Agri min

"We are also working with utmost vigilance throughout the state to prevent black marketing and hoarding of fertilisers," Meena said

Govt to push green fuel farm machinery to boost mechanisation: Agri secy

The government will prioritise green fuel-based farm machinery and enhance access to mechanisation for small and marginal farmers as part of India's vision to become a global food basket by 2047, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said on Thursday. Addressing the ninth edition of EIMA Agrimach event organised by FICCI here, Chaturvedi said mechanisation is crucial for achieving the four key objectives of increasing farmers' income -- reducing farming costs, boosting productivity, improving price realisation through value addition, and building climate resilience. "Over the next 5-10 years, we should shift our technologies towards green fuels -- whether electrically operated tractors or machines running on CBG (compressed biogas) available from rural CBG plants," he said. The agriculture secretary said this transition will bring down both maintenance and operational costs for farmers, and government schemes will increasingly prioritise green fuel-based technologies. He also cal

Bihar must rethink growth drivers as current model falls short: Report

A Kotak-ICRIER report says Bihar's development model has not delivered due to an unremunerative agriculture sector, urging diversification, rural infrastructure upgrades and institutional reforms

DCP system faces challenges over late payments, MSP bonuses, surplus stock

The latest large grain producing state to choose centralised grain procurement has claimed high-interest loans and non-repayment from the Centre as a reason

US tariff shift opens narrow window for India's farm exports

US tariff exemptions on select farm goods offer India narrow export boost, but gains will stay limited unless India expands scale, strengthens cold-chain capacity and diversifies agricultural exports

As NDA returns to power in Bihar, all eyes turn to its farm promises

Topping of PM-KISAN by ₹3,000 a year; guaranteed procurement at MSP at panchayat level major sops

Govt releases draft Seeds Bill 2025, draws flak over farmers' compensation

Critics say it's silent on farmers' compensation, but welcome emphasis on traceability and price regulation

Mirova invests $30 mn in Varaha's Kheti soil carbon project in India

Mirova has invested $30 million in Kheti soil carbon project, marking its first India carbon deal and its largest commitment under nature-based strategies aimed at scaling regenerative farming

Sowing trend: Wheat acreage rises 129% as of November 7, shows data

Soil moisture substantially improved owing to vigorous post-monsoon showers across many parts of India, which swayed farmers to plant more area under rabi crops to get the best yields

Wilmar to acquire 13% stakes in India's AWL Agri for ₹4,650 crore

The unit Lence will buy 169 million shares in the consumer goods joint venture between Wilmar and Adani Group, it added

World food prices fall for second consecutive month in Oct, UN's FAO says

The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks a basket of globally traded food commodities, averaged 126.4 points in October, down from a revised 128.5 in September

Rapeseed planting to hit record high on good weather, Chinese demand

The combined planting area for rapeseed and closely related mustard is expected to increase by 7% to 8% this year

AWL Agri Business Q2 results: Net profit declines 21% to ₹245 crore

Edible oil major AWL Agri Business Ltd on Monday reported a 21 per cent decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 244.85 crore in the September quarter. Its net profit stood at Rs 311.02 crore in the year-ago period. Total income rose to Rs 17,525.61 crore during the July-September period of this fiscal year from Rs 14,552.04 crore in the corresponding period of the preceding year, according to a regulatory filing. AWL Agri Business Ltd, which sells edible oils and other food items under Fortune as well as some other brands, said, "PAT (profit after tax) at Rs 245 crore was down 21 per cent YoY on account of a strong base quarter". During the quarter, the company recorded volume growth of 2 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to 1.68 million tonnes across three businesses -- edible oils, industry essentials. and food -- FMCG. During the second quarter of this fiscal, revenue from edible oils rose 26 per cent year-on-year, and industry essentials posted a 19 per cent increase. "Food & FMCG

Van Der Hoeven wins €40 mn contracts for strawberry greenhouses in India

Dutch company Van der Hoeven Horticultural Projects said on Thursday it has secured three contracts worth 40 million euros to build high-tech greenhouses for strawberry cultivation in India. The greenhouses will be set up across 8 hectares in Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, Sales Manager Pieter Jan Robbemont told PTI. "For the first time, we are going to bring our hi-tech greenhouse technology to India. We have got three projects for strawberry cultivation," Robbemont said. The company is awaiting bank financing to start implementation, with construction taking a minimum of one year, he said. The Dutch technology differs from existing systems in India by offering advanced climate control, irrigation, automation and cultivation systems designed to optimise crop production across diverse climates, the company said. Van der Hoeven is one of four companies exploring the Indian market under HortiRoad2India, a multi-year public-private partnership initiative by the Netherlands to prom

Govt to bring stringent seed law in Budget session 2026: Shivraj Chouhan

The government plans to introduce legislation with stringent provisions to regulate seed quality during the budget session of Parliament early next year, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday. Addressing an event on Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs), Chouhan said the amendments are aimed at ensuring quality inputs for the farming community. The minister said about 46 per cent of the country's population still depends on farming for their livelihood, and ensuring better income to farmers is a key government priority. "We are going to bring the seed law in the budget session of parliament (early 2026)," Chouhan said, adding that there would be stringent provisions to check the sale and distribution of substandard quality seeds. He said genetically modified seeds are not allowed, and research is underway to develop better varieties. The amendments to the Seeds Act at the central government level remain under active development but have not yet been formally

India's rice exports to rise over 10% in FY26 on robust global demand

India's rice exports in volume terms is likely to rise more than 10 per cent during this fiscal on better demand from overseas markets, APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev said on Thursday. In the 2024-25 fiscal, India exported 20.1 million tonnes of rice valued at USD 12.95 billion, reaching more than 172 countries. Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is an arm of the commerce ministry which deals with issues related to the country's agri exports. "Rice exports will increase this fiscal. We are expecting double-digit growth in volume terms," Dev told PTI on the sidelines of Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2025 being held here. He said exports would grow in terms of value as well. The two-day global rice conference started on Thursday at Bharat Mandapam here. The conference is being organised by the Indian Rice Exporters' Federation (IREF). APEDA is providing non-financial support to this event. Dev stressed the need to increase expo

Global rice conference from Oct 30 to showcase AI-based sorting tech: IREF

Rice exporters' apex body IREF is organising a two-day global rice conference in the national capital starting Thursday with an aim to boost outward shipments and increase India's share in international trade. The Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2025, to be held during October 30-31 at Bharat Mandapam, will highlight India's growing leadership in the global rice sector, Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF) said in a statement on Wednesday. The event will also have a live launch of the country's first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based rice sorting system, it added. The conference will bring together delegates from over 80 nations, including top global rice importers, exporters, scientists, and policymakers. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is giving non-financial support to the event. A special highlight of BIRC 2025 will be the felicitation of 17 farmers from several states by international buyers, recognising their .