The Times of India

With the state government now making it mandatory for the farmers, who have registered online, to sell paddy via their respective PACS (primary agricultural credit societies), most of Nawada district’s farmers are a disappointed lot. According to Pravin Kumar Dipak of the State Food Corporation office at Nawada, only 700 of the 40,000-odd paddy farmers of the district had registered themselves online till four days back. The number will increase by thousands by December 30, he hoped.

The Times of India

Despite bumper paddy production in Bengal this year, the process of procurement of paddy by the government hangs in balance because of the current liquidity crunch. Bengal is the biggest paddy-producing state in the country. The government is still undecided on holding 330 procurement camps at different blocks for the Rabi season. “Demonetisation has dealt a body blow to the state’s agrarian economy . If this uncertainty continues, there will be disaster,” said state food minister Jyotipriya Mullick. He has convened an emergency meeting on November 26 to decide whether the camps should be cancelled.

The Hindu Business Line

For wheat farmers, who are already grappling with the currency shortage triggered by the demonetisation of high value notes in the ongoing rabi season, there’s more to worry about in the coming days. The India Met Department, in its seasonal outlook for South Asia, has said that most parts of India are likely to witness a mild winter this year with higher-than-normal average temperatures in November, December and January.

WebIndia123

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Home Nimmakayala Chinarajappa today said that as many as 250 paddy purchase centers were opened all over the East Godavari district to ensure minimum support price to the farmers, avoiding distress sale. Addressing a function after declaring open a paddy purchase center at Vetlapalem village near here, he said the purpose in opening the purchase centers was to eliminate middlemen and to benefit the small and marginal farmers. He said Rs38 Crores was released for purchase of the paddy . Joint Collector Satyanarayana while advising the farmers to make best use of the paddy purchase centers to secure minimum support price for their produce has asked them to open bank ...

The Indian Express

West Bengal’s agriculture department has estimated that 35 per cent of the monsoon paddy might go waste if not harvested in time, an exercise that has been badly hit with farmers lacking the cash to pay for labour. The estimate is part of an agriculture department report, commissioned to assess the impact of demonetisation on monsoon paddy.

The Indian Express

Haryana government Tuesday said that it has decided to open an agro business school to skill farmers and help them understand market trends with the changing scenario as well as sell their produce directly to consumers. Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Om Prakash Dhankar made the announcement while speaking as chief guest at ‘Kisan Sangoshthi’ organised on the concluding day of 12th CII Agrotech-2016, here. He said that keeping in view the demands of the market, farmers should adopt the crop cycle and crop management practices.

NDTV

Expressing concern over lower crop yields, renowned farm scientist M S Swaminathan today emphasised the role of “agronomist” in realising higher farm productivity through better agronomic management practice. He also called upon farm scientists to recommend real time solutions to the farming community. “Indian scientists are keeping the flag of green revolution high… It is agronomists who can realise potential yield of any variety through better agronomic management practice,” Swaminathan said at the 4th International Agronomy

The Financial Express

The cash crunch in the rural areas is likely to hit productivity of wheat, the principal rabi (winter) crop, as farmers in Punjab and Haryana have been forced to use seeds saved from last year. According to an official estimate, of 3 million tonne (MT) of seeds annually required for wheat sowing, roughly half are old seeds. The share of seeds from the previous year is expected to substantially go up this year. “This year especially in Punjab and Haryana, a large number of farmers have been unable to buy seeds because of cash crunch. Though the government allowed farmers to buy seeds from state-owned agencies using old R500 notes, this came a bit late,” Bhagwan ...

The Hindu Business Line

Farmers as well as farm labour in villages are facing hardships due to demonetisation and unless urgent steps are taken to improve cash flow the sector may suffer a huge blow. Kharif crops are being harvested in many parts of the State and the farmers have to prepare for the rabi season. Demonetisation could not have come at a worse time.

IANS Live

The government on Wednesday sanctioned Rs 21,000 crore from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) to district cooperatives, which will be used towards crop loans for farmers with some cash component for payment of wages and agri-inputs. Briefing reporters, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said the money sanctioned will be routed through District Central Cooperative Banks to the primary agricultural societies, in a bid to ensure a smooth Rabi sowing season ahead.