Page 34 - Agriculture

Samunnati eyes more than 50% growth in revenue at Rs 6,600 cr in FY24

Open agri network Samunnati is eyeing over 50 per cent growth in revenue at Rs 6,600 crore in 2023-24, on the back of deepening its reach in both its verticals - agri finance and market linkage businesses, a top company executive said on Saturday. The company has clocked an overall Rs 4,400 crore revenue in 2022-23. "We are present in 23 states but the bulk of our business is mostly in states including Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Odisha. "We are planning to deepen our client engagement in all 23 states offering both short-term loans to FPOs as well as providing them with market linkages. With this expansion we expect to clock Rs 6,600 crore revenue in this financial year," Samunnati founder and CEO Anil Kumar SG told PTI. Currently, Samunnati has around 5,500 FPOs registered on its platform, 50 per cent of which are borrowers while most avail the market linkage offering of the company, he said. Explaining further, Kuma

Area under paddy down 35% this kharif season, pulses, cereals acreage up

Area under paddy is down nearly 35 per cent to 10.77 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing kharif (summer-sown) season amid some initial delays in the progress of the southwest monsoon. The rice acreage stood at 16.46 lakh hectares in the corresponding period of last year, according to agriculture ministry data. Area under coverage for pulses is higher at 6.54 lakh hectares so far from 6.30 lakh hectares in the same period last year, the ministry said in a statement. Shri Anna-cum-Coarse Cereals acreage stood higher at 18.95 lakh hectares so far as against 13.38 lakh hectares in the corresponding period last year. Area under coverage for oilseeds is down slightly at 9.21 lakh hectares from 9.52 lakh hectares. Cotton acreage is also down at 28.02 lakh hectares so far from 32.67 lakh hectares last year. Area under sugarcane remains flat at 50.76 lakh hectares so far this year as against 50.74 lakh hectares. Total acreage under all major kharif crops is 129.53 lakh hectares as on Frid

US welcomes agreement with India to end tariffs on American apples

US lawmakers and industry leaders have welcomed the announcement of an agreement with India to end the retaliatory tariffs placed on American apples and pulse crops which New Delhi will now give access to American agricultural producers and manufacturers to the country's huge market. In 2018, the US imposed 25 per cent and 10 per cent import duties on certain steel and aluminium products respectively on grounds of national security. In retaliation, India June 2019 imposed customs duties on 28 American products, including chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts, apples, boric acid, and diagnostic reagents. "Today is a very good day for Washington's world-famous apples and a huge boost to Washington state's agriculture economy," Senator Maria Cantwell said. "India has announced it is lifting retaliatory tariffs that all but shut down the Indian market for Washington's more than 1,400 apple growers and now our growers will once again have access to this USD 120 million market," Cantwell,

Production of pest-free fruits with no residues key for exports: MoS Agri

The minister was speaking after inaugurating a workshop for management of fruit flies on mango, being organised in Mumbai during June 19-23

Punjab govt made 7 teams for sale of quality seeds, pesticides: Minister

Punjab Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department has set up seven teams to ensure supply of quality seeds, fertilisers and pesticides to farmers. State's Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian on Sunday said that these teams will also visit shops, manufacturing units of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides besides carrying out regular checks and sampling for quality as well as rates at which the goods are sold to the farmers. He further said that the flying squad teams, headed by Joint Directors and Chief Agriculture Officers of the department, will closely monitor the sale of seeds, pesticides and fertilisers, besides keeping a watch over the demand and supply of goods to farmers. The one team of the flying squad has been set aside for three to four districts, he said, according to an official statement. He urged the farmers to demand a 'bill' for each purchase from the vendor and ensure they only pay the amount mentioned on the bills. The Agriculture Minister said that If th

India can become sustainable fuel hub by using agri waste: Honeywell

Agricultural waste in India can be used for generating sustainable aviation fuel and make the country a hydrogen hub, a senior official of Honeywell India said on Wednesday. Honeywell India VP and General Manager for UOP and HPS Ashish Gaikwad said the technology is now available in the country that can benefit farmers by procuring agricultural waste from them, which they burn on the field that creates pollution. "It is my personal belief, India has the opportunity to become an energy hub for hydrogen. It can also become a hydrogen hub for SAF (sustainable aviation fuel). India is a large agricultural economy. It can produce a lot of agricultural waste that can become feedstock for producing SAF. Then not only we will produce SAF for our own domestic consumption but we will be able to export it," Gaikwad said. He said that Honeywell is a big proponent of India becoming a hub for SAF. India has committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2070. "Agricultural waste can be utilised for

G-20 agri ministerial meet on Jun 15 to discuss sustainable agriculture

A three-day G-20 agriculture ministerial meeting will kick-start on Thursday in Hyderabad and will deliberate on a wide range of issues including sustainable agriculture, climate solutions and women-led agriculture. More than 200 delegates from G-20 member countries, invited countries and global organisations are scheduled to participate in the meeting. Agriculture Ministers from various countries and Director Generals from global organisations will also take part. On the first day, the Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary will inaugurate an exhibition showcasing the achievements of India in the field of agriculture and allied sectors. The inauguration will be followed by the Agriculture Deputies Meeting (ADM), an official statement said. In the second half, there will be two side events titled, "managing agribusiness for profit, people and planet" and "Connecting the digitally disconnected: harnessing the power of digital technologies in agriculture" with ...

Agri Min issues draft guidelines for registration of bio-stimulants

The agriculture ministry has come out with draft guidelines specifying efficacy data and trial reports required for registration of various categories of bio-stimulants under Schedule-VI of the FCO Amendment order 2021. It is mandatory for a person who wants to manufacture or import any bio-stimulant to list such bio-stimulant under Schedule VI of the Fertiliser (inorganic, organic or mixed) Control Amendment Order 2021, also called the FCO Amendment order. India is one of the few countries to define separate regulations for bio-stimulants. In 2021, the government notified bio-stimulant regulation through the FCO Amendment Order. As per this order, bio-stimulants will have to be first registered and prove efficacy before hitting the market. As per the draft guidelines for registration of bio-stimulants released on June 12, stakeholders should ensure that the data submitted along with the application for registration is authentic, replicable, utilizable and of good quality. The ...

Skymet Weather predicts bleak monsoon in India over next four weeks

Private forecasting agency Skymet Weather Monday predicted a bleak monsoon in India over the next four weeks, raising concerns about the impact on agriculture. "Extended Range Prediction System (ERPS) is projecting a dismal outlook for the next four weeks, until July 6. Agriculture heartland is looking rather cracked and parched. This coincides with the crucial time of sowing or at least preparing the field, with the hope of impending rains," it said. The central and western parts of India, which form the core monsoon zone, may face challenges in coping with the drying effects due to inadequate rainfall early in the season, Skymet Weather said. The southwest monsoon reached Kerala on June 8, a week after the usual date of June 1. Cyclone Biparjoy in the Arabian Sea first delayed the monsoon onset over Kerala and is now impeding the advance of the rain-bearing system, preventing it from reaching the interior regions of the peninsula, the private agency said. While monsoon rains usu

G20 agriculture ministers' meet in Hyderabad from June 15-17: Kishan Reddy

The crucial G20 Agriculture Ministers' Meeting would be held in Hyderabad from June 15 to 17, Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Monday. Talking to reporters here, he said three meetings of the agriculture working group were held earlier in Indore, Chandigarh and Varanasi. The final meeting is in Hyderabad. Besides India, 29 other countries will participate in the three-day event. G20 countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Canada, South Africa, Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, USA and UK would attend. The ministers of nine guest countries, including Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Oman, Nigeria, Spain and Vietnam would also participate. "The agriculture ministers of 29 countries and high-level officers are going to participate in this meeting with Hyderabad as the venue. It will be held from 15th to 17th," he said. Besides the 29 countries, key persons from 10 international organisations would also participate in the meetings. The main agenda o

Agritech startup Fuselage qualifies for Global Entrepreneurship Programme

Agritech startup Fuselage Innovations has been selected for the UK government's Global Entrepreneurship Programme (GEP), making the Kerala-based company eligible for relocation to the European nation. Fuselage, which provides drone-based agricultural surveillance and spraying solutions, qualifies for mentorship by experienced entrepreneurs and introduction to key networks, courtesy the GEP that lends business support to non-UK firms. Specialising in manufacturing customised UAVs and drones for agricultural aerial plant survey and spraying, Fuselage, which was founded by Devan Chandrasekharan and Devika Chandrasekharan, will be guided under GEP on ways to grow internationally. Once shifted to the UK, that country's Department of Internal Trade will help Fuselage, especially around exporting, according to a statement issued by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) here on Monday. The programme will help the 2020-founded Fuselage build capacity in key business areas, according to Devan ..

Under Modi, farm income halved, agri cost doubled: Chhattisgarh CM

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday said the Narendra Modi government halved farmers' income and doubled agricultural cost in its nine-year rule. He was reacting to the Central government announcing a hike in in MSP (minimum support price) on Thursday. During the Congress-led UPA regime (between 2004 and 2014) MSP on paddy was increased by 131 percent, while the Modi government has increased it by just 61-62 per cent, Baghel told reporters at Civil Lines Helipad. "The income of farmers in India has not doubled but the cost of agriculture has doubled. Rates of diesel, fertilizer and agriculture equipment have gone up. Production cost has increased and income (of farmers) has been halved," he alleged. Hitting back at former CM Minister Raman Singh's charge that development work has happened only in his home turf Patan and Durg, Baghel said corruption took place even in ration card and slipper distribution during the Bharatiya Janata Party's tenure. "Raman Singh was

Amazon signs pact with ICAR to empower farmers enrolled under Kisan store

E-commerce firm Amazon India on Friday signed an agreement with the government's premier agri-research body ICAR to guide farmers enrolled on its 'Kisan store' on scientific cultivation of different crops and help them achieve optimum yield and income. A 'Kisan store' section was launched on the Amazon platform in September 2021. Farmers can avail doorstep delivery of agri input products via Kisan store through assisted shopping at Amazon Easy stores. The outcomes from a pilot project at Pune between Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Amazon India has motivated to further expand the partnership, the company said in a statement. On behalf of ICAR, U S Gautam, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension), and Siddharth Tata, Product Leader, Amazon Fresh Supply Chain and Kisan, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). "ICAR will collaborate with Amazon for technologies, capacity building and transfer of new knowledge," ICAR Director Genera

Need to promote recycling of agri-waste, chemical-free farming: MoS Agri

Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary on Monday stressed recycling of agriculture waste and chemical-free farming. The agriculture ministry organised an event on Mission LiFE on the occasion of World Environment Day at Pusa in New Delhi. The programme began with a tree plantation activity on the premises of the venue by Choudhary. In his remarks, the minister highlighted the importance of lifestyle for the environment and stressed chemical-free farming as one important option for sustaining the resources for future generations, according to an official statement. He emphasised the adoption of Mission LiFE in agriculture to address the adverse impact of climate change. Quoting the example of Rajasthan, he mentioned that the state is having pre-monsoon showers more frequently than in previous years. Untimely and heavy rains are causing distress to the farming community. Farmers are highly vulnerable to climate change, the minister said. To address this, he highlighted

Tamil Nadu farmers worried as wild animals destroy standing crops

Owing to abundant rainfall last year, almost all the dams brimmed with water in the state leading to a good crop of millets, paddy and maize

High-density farming poses threat to environment: Agriculture expert

He said that there is also a need to preserve the ecology and biodiversity in states like Himachal with the method of organic agriculture

When does India declare drought and how is it linked to the monsoon

One big change in India's drought management is in the IMD's parlance

New agri policy to be rolled out on June 30: Punjab Agri Minister Dhaliwal

Punjab Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Thursday said the new agriculture policy will be released on June 30 this year. It will help to solve many problems of farmers, he added. Dhaliwal said that the new agriculture policy is being prepared with the suggestions of farmers, agricultural experts, farmer leaders, common people and representatives of different sections. The minister, while presiding over the nearly four-hour-long meeting with a delegation of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) here regarding their various demands, said the new agriculture policy is being prepared with the aim to boost the economy of the farmers. Apart from this, the state government is also making continuous efforts to solve many problems of the farmers. The Punjab government is exploring the opportunities to export vegetables and other crops grown by farmers to neighbouring countries, an official statement quoted Dhaliwal as saying. Regarding the demand made by the farmer leaders to release the

India to host 20th Congress of Int'l Agricultural Museums in October

The 20th edition of the Congress of International Agricultural Museums will be hosted in India -- the first time that the global event is being held in the country -- from October 13-18, the organisers said. The congress is a triennial event in the calendar of the International Association of Agricultural Museums (AIMA), a forum for organisations dedicated to promoting interest in the impact of agriculture on human society through the ages. It travels to different countries every three years to discover diverse and unique agricultural, environmental and museographic realities that provide new ideas, experiences and projects that can resonate in other regions and countries, the organisers said in a statement. The 20th Congress of International Agricultural Museums (CIMA) is being held in Asia, and in India for the first time, between October 13-18, it said. The host institutions are Shoolini University (Solan, Himachal Pradesh) and The Heritage Foundation (New Delhi), according to t

Funding for agrifoodtech startups declines 33% to $2.4 bn in 2022

Funding in Indian agrifoodtech startups declined 33 per cent during the last calendar year to USD 2.4 billion on higher base, according to AgFunder and Omnivore joint report. "Agrifoodtech startups in India raised a total of USD 2.4 billion in 2022, down 33 per cent from 2021. The number of deals also declined to 133 in 2022, compared to 230 deals in 2021," said India AgriFoodTech Investment Report 2023. The funding stood at USD 3.6 billion during the 2021 calendar year. "The agrifoodtech startup ecosystem in India mirrored the global slump in venture capital funding in 2022. Funding dropped 33 per cent to USD 2.4 billion in 2022, from USD 3.6 billion in 2021. Euphoric startup valuations, alongside easy money, drove investments to a record-breaking high in 2021, followed by a swift correction," the report said. Despite the fall, it noted that the sector is a critical emerging space in India for transforming agriculture and ensuring food security. As per the report, late-stage ...