Page 8 - Ministry Of Agriculture

Govt to push alternative plant nutrients to cut fertiliser subsidy load

A scheme to promote balanced use of fertilisers along with bio-fertilisers, called Promotion of Alternate Nutrients for Agriculture Management Yojana is to be formally unveiled at end of this month

Farmers call off protest after Hry announces to hike MSP for sunflower crop

In a major win for protesting farmers, Haryana govt on Tuesday announced that sunflower seeds will be procured as per minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 6,400 per quintal as demanded by the farmers

As tur dal prices bite, traders want consumers to try other dal varieties

Pulse traders want the govt to raise awareness about consuming other dal varieties like chana, masur, moong, and yellow peas, which are available at cheaper rates

Agri credit societies may convert wholesale petrol pump into retail outlet

In a major step to strengthen cooperatives, the government on Wednesday said the Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) having wholesale petrol and diesel dealership licence will be given a one-time option to covert their bulk consumer pumps into retail outlets. PACS will be given priority in allotment of new petrol/diesel dealerships to strengthen the cooperative movement in the country. PACS will also be able to get LPG distributorship. These decision were taken in a meeting held by Cooperation Minister Amit Shah with Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri here, an official statement said. Among other decisions, sugar cooperative mills will be given priority to sell ethanol under the ethanol blending programme, and even PACS will be allowed to operate retail outlets on their own. "The petroleum ministry will also change the rules to make PACS eligible for LPG distributorship and PACS will be placed under Combined Category 2 (CC 2) category with freedom fighte

Cotton exports seen sliding, matching imports for first time in years: USDA

India's cotton exports are expected to slide sharply for 2022-23 and match imports into the top producer for the first time in about two decades on low domestic stocks among other factors, USDA said

Hailstorms, rains damage over 100,000 acres of Crops in Maha: Ajit Pawar

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said crops over more than one lakh acres have been damaged due to the recent unseasonal rains and hailstorms in the state. The state government should provide aid to the affected farmers, he demanded while speaking to reporters here. "Onion, papaya, grapes and other crops have been destroyed," the Nationalist Congress Party leader said. He would be meeting, in his capacity as Leader of Opposition, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for the meeting of a committee set up to make certain appointments on Wednesday, Pawar said. "I will also apprise them of the losses faced by farmers," he added. To a question about reports that the Enforcement Directorate has given him a clean chit in the alleged Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam, Pawar said it was not true and the probe was still going on. Asked about Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray meeting NCP ...

Punjab minister launches helpline for farmers to report unfair practices

Punjab Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Saturday launched a helpline number and asked farmers to register complaints on it if they find any unfair practice during the special field inspection being conducted to assess crop loss due to inclement weather. Dhaliwal said he himself is supervising the ongoing work of 'girdawari' by visiting fields. He said the state government was fully committed to compensate farmers for their crop loss due to the rough weather. "My effort is that every farmer gets due compensation but if any farmer is facing inappropriate or unfair practice in the 'girdawari' process, then a concerned farmer can register his complaint on 9309388088 without any hesitation," Dhaliwal said in a statement here. He further said complaints can be made through WhatsApp on this number. The minister further said the complaint lodged on this number will be taken seriously and immediate action will be taken. He assured that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's promise

Yara International looking aggressively at clean ammonia: Global CEO

In a Q&A, Svein Tore Holsether says his company is looking at more expansions in India as well

Over 260 districts in 27 states distributing fortified rice: Govt

A total of 269 districts in 27 states have started distributing fortified rice under the Targeted Public Distribution System, achieving a 100 per cent target set for second phase by March 2023

Govt expecting record 112 mn tonne wheat output despite damage due to rains

Union Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra on Thursday said the government is hopeful of a record wheat production of 112.18 million tonne in 2022-23 crop year ending June despite inclement weather conditions in some parts of the country affecting grains quality. The government has projected a record wheat production at 112.18 million tonne in the 2022-23 crop year (July-June). Wheat production had declined marginally to 107.74 million tonne in the previous year due to heat wave in some states. "Because of the inclement weather in the last two weeks, there has been some damage to the wheat crop. But the production loss will be minimal. We are hopeful of achieving the overall production target of 112.2 million tonne," Chopra said. The secretary said quality norms for wheat procurement has been relaxed in Madhya Pradesh and the Centre will soon take a call on relaxing quality norms for wheat procurement in Punjab and Haryana. The procurement by state-owned FCI and state agencies have alread

Workers, farmers descend at Ramleela Maidan to decry Centre's policies

Several left wing trade unions held a rally here in Ramleela ground on Wednesday with hundreds of workers and farmers in a show of solidarity against the BJP-led central government's alleged disregard of their basic needs and loss of livelihoods. The Masdoor-Kisan Sangarsh rally was held by the Centre of Trade Unions (CITU), All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), and All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU). The leaders speaking at the rally warned the government that the rally was an indication of the surging anger of the workers of the country, an official statement from the collective said. Hundreds of workers, farmers, and agricultural workers from different parts of the nation, including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Gujarat, participated in the rally, the statement said. The workers demanded from the government policies that allow access to education, healthca

New foreign trade policy to aid exports via e-com, farm equipment: Experts

The new Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, announced recently, will help in promoting exports of sectors from e-commerce, batteries for electric vehicles and farm equipment, experts said on Tuesday. India on March 31 came out with the new policy which aimed at pushing rupee trade, increasing outward shipments to USD 2 trillion by 2030, and promoting e-commerce exports, amid global uncertainties. Rumki Majumdar, Economist at Deloitte India, said that the policy emphasises on the manufacturing and export sectors with a long term view. Sectors such as batteries for EVs, green hydrogen, and garment, amongst others will benefit from the policy, she said, adding that with over 80 per cent of trade being done in the USD, encouraging trade in Indian rupee will be a relief. "It will also add to its resilience to external shocks and improve negotiating capabilities in international trade," Majumdar said. Shashi Mathews, Partner at IndusLaw, said that through the policy, the government's focus

Over 30 mn women farmers registered under PM-KISAN scheme: Govt in LS

The PM-KISAN Yojana aims to supplement the financial needs of land-holding farmers

IIT-M to develop tech to upcycle paddy waste for making supercapacitors

The technology will provide an additional source of income to farmers, help reduce stubble burning in North India

Approximately 11,000 MT of wheat procured in current Rabi season: FCI chief

Procurement of wheat for Rabi marketing season 2023-24 has been to the tune of 10,727 metric tonnes till March 27 as compared to nil procurement last year.

Too early to predict any damage to wheat crop because of heat stress: Govt

The government on Tuesday said it is too early to predict any damage to the wheat crop due to heat stress in February. In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, "In the month of February 2023, though the maximum temperature was hovering around 32-33C in most of the northern plains, it did not impact the wheat grain growth since the crop canopy temperature can be easily modulated by 2-3C less than the air temperature by irrigation." During March 16-22 period, he said scattered to fairly widespread light /moderate rainfall has been received over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan due to which the maximum temperatures were near normal or below normal over these parts." "In the current scenario, it is too early to predict any damage to the wheat crop due to heat stress," Tomar said. Wheat is the main rabi crop, harvesting of which has started in some parts of the country. The government has projected a record wheat output o

Govt sets up committee to monitor tur dal stocks to check hoarding

The government on Monday said it has constituted a committee to monitor the stock of tur dal held by importers, mills, stockists and traders in order to check hoarding and speculation. The government is also closely watching the stock position of other pulses in the domestic market to take necessary preemptive measures in the event of unwarranted price rise in the coming months, an official statement said. The decision has been taken in view of the reports of market players not releasing stocks despite regular arrival of imports in good quantities, it added. The committee, under chairmanship of Additional Secretary Nidhi Khare, will monitor tur stocks in close coordination with the state governments. Earlier on August 12 last year, the government had issued an advisory to the state governments and Union Territories to enforce stock disclosure in respect of tur dal under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Further, in order to facilitate smooth and seamless import, the government

India has adequate fertiliser stocks for summer-sown crops: Minister

"There will be no shortages of fertilisers in the kharif season. We have adequate stocks, and our companies have made arrangements in advance," Mansukh Mandaviya said

TN govt announces Rs 14,000 cr crop loans for farmers in Agri budget

The Tamil Nadu government will provide cooperative crop loans to the tune of Rs 14,000 crore to farmers in the State during 2023-24, Agriculture Minister M R K Panneerselvam said on Tuesday. During 2022-23, a total of 16.43 lakh farmers were provided crop loans for Rs 12,648 crore through the cooperative department. Also, interest-free cooperative loan of Rs 1,500 crore will be given to farmers for goat rearing, dairying, poultry and fisheries activities, he said while presenting the budget for agriculture department in the Assembly. About Rs 500 crore has been allocated to provide incentive to paddy growers at the rate of Rs 100 and Rs 75 per quintal, respectively, for fine and bold varieties, for the procurement period next year. Millet festivals would be held under the Tamil Nadu Millet Mission to create awareness among consumers and increase the millet consumption. "As the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, it is proposed to

India, World Food Programme sign MoU during Global Millets Conference

Narendra Singh Tomar, on Sunday, lauded the work of WFP in promoting food self-sufficiency and supporting governmental and global efforts to ensure long-term solutions to the challenge of hunger