Page 6 - Agriculture

India firms, Uralchem sign deal for 1.8-2 mn tonnes urea plant in Russia

Russia's share in India's total fertiliser imports has grown from a mere 7.68 per cent in 2017-18 to almost 27 per cent in 2023-24, making it a significant player in India's fertiliser story

Despite revisions, ISI Kolkata community protests draft Bill's provisions

ISI Kolkata community protests a draft Bill, alleging it enables government control and pushes unwanted commercialisation

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