Page 40 - Agriculture

Paddy procurement rises 10% to 54.19 mn tonnes so far: Food Ministry data

The government's paddy procurement for the central pool rose 9.58 per cent to 541.90 lakh tonne so far in the ongoing 2022-23 kharif marketing season, according to the food ministry data. Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Telangana were the top contributors to the central pool. Normally, paddy procurement begins from October. However, in southern states, especially in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, it begins from September. The government aims to procure 775.72 lakh tonne of paddy in the 2022-23 kharif marketing season (October-September). The actual procurement stood at record 759.32 lakh tonne in the previous kharif marketing season. According to official data, the total paddy purchase increased to 541.90 lakh tonne till January 3 of the 2022-23 kharif marketing season from 494.50 lakh tonne in the year-ago period. Paddy purchase in Punjab declined marginally to 182.13 lakh tonne so far this marketing year from 187.12 lakh tonne in the year-ago period. The procurement in Chhattisgarh .

Safex Chemicals to invest Rs 100 cr in agri-tech segment in next 3-4 years

Agrochemicals maker Safex Chemicals Ltd on Tuesday said it plans to invest Rs 100 crore in its new agri-tech arm, AgCare Technologies, in the next 3-4 years for launching an interactive tech platform and for setting up a manufacturing unit. Speaking to PTI, the company's Group Director Piyush Jindal said, "We are investing Rs 100 crore from our own kitty. We are not raising any funds. The investment is planned for the next 3-4 years." The plan is to launch an interactive technology platform to integrate the entire value chain in the agri-economy. Key stakeholders, especially farmers, can buy quality crop protection products and get services like weather updates, experts' help and mandi rates on this platform, he said. "A pilot study of this interactive tech platform will be conducted in January-March. We plan to go live in the next fiscal year," Jindal said, adding that the platform will be expanded in a phased manner. Jindal further said a new manufacturing unit will also be set u

Can millets be India's own super crop?

Millets are reemerging as nutri-cereals or smart foods, thanks to their therapeutic qualities and nutritional superiority compared to rice, wheat. What will make this a 'wonder crop' of masses?

Maha farmers to get 500,000 solar pumps under Kusum Yojana: Dy CM

The Maharashtra government plans to provide solar pumps to five lakh farmers under the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Kusum Yojana, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday. Speaking in the Legislative Council, he said the state government intended to generate income by leasing out land to install such solar pumps. He also said farmers from Vidarbha region will get new agricultural pumps and electricity connections on priority, while pending applications will be cleared by March next year. In order to provide uninterrupted and affordable electricity to consumers, the Union government has announced the implementation of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), for which a sum of Rs 39,000 crore has been approved for Maharashtra, he said. This will give a major boost to creation of infrastructure in the sector in the state, he added. Under the Kusum Yojana, farmers are being given 90 per cent subsidy for installation of solar power pumps.

Nano liquid urea cheaper, better, saves govt subsidy: Mansukh Mandaviya

Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday stressed on the need to promote nano liquid urea in place of conventional granular urea, saying that it is better, cheaper, convenient and will help the government in saving a huge amount of subsidy. In June 2021, cooperative IFFCO launched nano urea as an alternative to conventional urea. It has also set up manufacturing plants to produce nano urea. IFFCO is selling nano urea at Rs 240 per bottle of 500 ml, which can replace one bag of conventional urea of 45kg costing around Rs 265. There is no government subsidy on nano urea. While virtually interacting with four farmers and two owners of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras (PMKSK) from different states, Mandaviya enquired about the availability of various fertilisers including nano urea and also whether farmers were getting other advisory services at these centres. Under an scheme, around 3 lakh retail fertiliser shops in the country are getting converted i

Green peas growers in MP stage protest, demand fixed MSP for open market

Farmers engaged in the cultivation of green peas have staged a protest on Jabalpur-Bhopal national highway after getting low prices for their produce and demanded the Madhya Pradesh government fix a minimum support price for it in the open market. The protest staged by farmers on Saturday is significant since the Madhya Pradesh government has selected green peas under one-district one-product scheme for Jabalpur district, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh national spokesperson Raghvendra Patel told PTI on Sunday. Green peas are grown on a large scale in the district and supplied to various other states, he said. "The farmers want the state government to fix the minimum price for the trading of green peas in the open market, he said. This has been a long pending demand of farmers from the district, he said. Currently, in the absence of such norms, farmers incur losses in the production of green peas if the rate per kilogram goes down in the open market - below the actual production cost per kg

GM mustard (DMH-11) may not solve India's edible oil import problem: ICAR

Indian Institutions engaged in developing GM seeds for 13 crops

Wadhwani AI gets $1 mn from Google.org to build AI solutions in agriculture

The Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence has received a USD 1 million grant from Google.Org. Wadhwani AI will utilise the grant towards building AI-powered solutions in the agriculture sector, it said in a statement. These solutions will help farmers gain timely, localised, and accurate weather-related information, crop and other farm-related information. Wadhwani AI had received a USD 2 million grant from Google.org in 2019 to support the CottonAce AI-powered pest management solution. With roughly half of India's population dependent on agriculture for their livelihood, this is a sector where technological advancements can lead to pervasive benefits, said Manish Gupta, Research Director, Google Research India. The Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence (Wadhwani AI) is an independent nonprofit institute developing and deploying AI-based solutions for under-served communities in developing countries. It is currently building solutions in the agriculture and ...

Agri-horticulture needs effective policy implementation in Arunachal: Dy CM

Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Friday stressed the need for preparing a roadmap for the development of agriculture and horticulture in the state through effective policy implementation. Mein, who during the day visited a mega food park and an integrated farm coming up at Dolikoto in Papumpare district, urged the officials for fast-track single window clearance to facilitate the establishment of food processing units and agro-based industries in the state. The food park is aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of doubling farmers' income and strengthening the economy under vocal for local'. It will also generate direct and indirect employment opportunities for the youth of the region. As of now, the integrated farm, situated 29 km from the state capital, employs more than 300 skilled and unskilled unemployed youth, an official communiqu said. We have initiated many subsidised schemes like Atma Nirbhar Krishi Yojana, Atma Nirbhar Bagwani Yojana,

Amid push for millets, exports of other cereals rise 53.78% in November

While authorities are working to increase millet production and consumption, exports data shows that exports of agricultural and food items, especially other cereals, continued to grow at a brisk pace

Rate of agri development must be doubled in UP, says CM Yogi Adityanath

The rate of agricultural development in Uttar Pradesh must be doubled if the state is to become a growth engine and the country's largest economy, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Friday. At a function to mark Kisan Samman Diwas-2022, he also said Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and technology can play a significant role to achieve this aim. Paying tributes to former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh for his welfare works for farmers Adityanath said, "Chaudhary Saheb had stated after independence that emphasis was needed on agriculture and farming within the country if India was to emerge as a big global power. This vision of his is still a guiding light for farmers' welfare in India." According to an official statement, the chief minister inaugurated the exhibition of products of FPOs in Lucknow in addition to awarding and honouring farmers/agri-entrepreneurs and agricultural scientists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a number of programmes as soon as he came

Tamil Nadu farmers demand govt to distribute sugarcane through ration shops

Sugarcane farmers of Tamil Nadu have demanded that the state government procure sugarcane directly from the farmers and distribute it through ration shops during Pongal

MSP for rice rise by 42.64%, wheat by 39% in 8 years of Modi govt: BJP MP

BJP MP Jagdambika Pal on Thursday said the minimum support price (MSP) for rice has increased by 42.64 per cent and that of wheat by 39 per cent in the eight years of the Narendra Modi government. Talking to reporters here, he said the procurement of food grains has increased in the last eight years. "From 2006 to 2014, the total procurement was 1,926 million tonnes and it increased to 2,273 million tonnes in the period between 2014 and 2022," he said. Pal said on the initiative of Prime Minister Modi, a proposal of India was supported by 72 countries and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared the year 2023 as International Year of Millet. "India is one of the leading producers of millet in the world with an estimated share of around 41 per cent in the global production. It is estimated that the millet market is set to grow from its current market value of more than USD 9 billion to over USD 12 billion by 2025," he said. He also said in the 2021-22 sugar season ...

Explore energy efficient pricing to reduce water waste: Parl panel to govt

Flagging rampant wastage of water in the agriculture sector, a parliamentary panel has recommended to the government to explore the option of having "energy efficient pricing" and said it may become an important tool for sustainable management of groundwater resources. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources, in its report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, pulled up the government over its response to an earlier suggestion of the panel on the issue. The panel said there is an urgent need to bring down the water consumption in the agriculture sector. It also said subsidized electricity and fertilizer had encouraged farmers to grow water-intensive crops even in the areas having water scarcity, and called for "institutional changes". The report stated the committee regrets to note that the action taken reply furnished by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation is silent on the specific recommendation of the committee urging it to explo

Non-crop sector pulls the farm sector gross value added in Q2 of FY23

Absence of updated numbers raises some questions on non-crop estimates

Illegal colonies in Gurugram on agricultural land under DTCP lens

Dept of Town and Country Planning has issued notices to 16 people involved in developing illegal colonies in Sohna, Bhondsi, Rithoj, Pataudi, Farrukhnagar, Sultanpur in this satellite city of Haryana

J-K govt sets up panel to frame export promotion policy for agri products

The Jammu and Kashmir administration Thursday constituted an expert committee to frame a comprehensive export promotion policy to identify agricultural commodities in the Union Territory that can be exported. The main objective of the policy is to increase annual agricultural exports from Rs 190 crore currently to Rs 3,000 crore over the next five years, a senior officer said. "The primary assignment of the committee would be to develop commodity-specific export promotion recommendations which shall include strategic and operational aspects of the export and shall provide all necessary technical inputs to the agriculture production department within one month for finalization and implementation on the ground," he said. The policy would promote the brand "Jammu and Kashmir" for its pristine agro-climatic conditions, uniqueness and near-organic quality, the officer said. It would aim to bring a paradigm shift in the approach from mere harvesting and selling of produce at the local le

India eyes record rapeseed crop as high prices prompt farmers to plant more

Higher rapeseed production could help India, the world's biggest importer of vegetable oils, cut expensive overseas purchases of cooking oils that cost the country a record $18.9 billion

TN farmers demand annual de-silting of water bodies to increase storage

With most of the water bodies in Tamil Nadu not reaching their full capacity even during the monsoon season, farmers have demanded the state government to conduct annual desilting to increase storage

Agri budget rises to Rs 6.22 trn under Modi govt, says Prahlad Patel

Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel on Wednesday said the Centre has taken several steps for the growth of the farm sector and to boost farmers' income and highlighted that nearly Rs 6.22 lakh crore has been allocated in the Budget for agriculture sector during 2014-22. Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Prahlad Patel listed several steps taken by the Modi government in the interest of the farmers. According to a statement issued by the ministry, Patel informed that the agriculture budget stood at Rs 1,48,162.16 crore during the 2006-14 period while the budget allocation for the agri sector during 2014-22 reached Rs 6,21,940.92 crore. Under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, he said the Centre has provided Rs 2.16 lakh crore amount directly into bank accounts of eligible farmers. The Centre provides Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments under this scheme. Patel said that "reports released by various institutions clearly show that the total ...