Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Maharashtra: At 78%, highest Rabi sowing in 5 years, says CM Devendra Fadnavisedit
Ahead of the two-week-long winter session of the state legislature that begins in Nagpur on Monday, Fadnavis dwelt on the agriculture sector to pre-empt the Opposition strategy to corner the government on the impact of demonetisation on the agriculture sector. Throughout the day, it was evident that the Congress, the NCP and the Shiv Sena had decided to make demonestisation a common plank to corner the BJP-led government in Maharashtra in the House.
Centre funds boost State’s rice schemeedit
Besides, 11,000 students of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas were provided 15 kg of rice per student at Rs one per kg while rice was also supplied to 11,775 beneficiaries under different schemes at Rs 6.30 per kg. Replying to a separate question from Ray, Dasburma said 1,07,00625 applications were received for ration cards under National Food Security Act (NFSA) out of which 85,91,447 were provided cards. He said 2,45,705 ineligible persons have returned their cards and 45,859 have withdrawn their applications.
Alternatives to rationalise consumptionedit
Agriculture scientists have developed methods that offer scope for minimizing water usage in paddy cultivation. Maximum quantity of water consumption occurs during the transplanting phase. The crop is transplanted in 5 inches of water which through certain methods can be avoided.
Agriculture sector takes a hitedit
Farmers in rural India are bearing the brunt of the demonetisation of the Rs 500 notes. They have seen the prices of vegetables and fruits crash, as the traders do not have cash to pay them. Even if they accept cheques there is the limit of `25,000 that they can withdraw. Vijay Jawandhia who calls himself the Tata/Birla/Ambani of his village in Waifad in Vidarbha as he owns 50 acres of land where he grows cotton and soya says he cannot sell his crop as the traders have no cash.
Agri dept stops selling wheat seed to farmers, sowing falls by 82%edit
Earlier, cash was deposited at the bank and transferred directly to the state government’s accounts. This year, banks have asked seed centres to deposit the money in their own accounts and then transfer them electronically to the state government. However, such accounts do not exist and opening them would require meandering through a maze of paperwork. “This is the best time for sowing. Wheat is usually cultivated over 1.20 lakh hectares in the district, but so far only 22,000 hectares have been sown and the numbers are just not picking up. It seems the total area on which wheat will be grown this season will be far lower than usual,” an agriculture department official said.
Cashless, ancient style: Farmer takes to barteredit
Farmers are not able to pay wages to the labourers due to shortage of change. Farm hands have to settle with part payment, said Subhash Amjere from the same village. Traders are offering cheques some times, but insisting that it should be deposited a few days later, added another farmer.
For agri input providers, rising crop acreages is bittersweet newsedit
The winter or rabi crop sowing has gathered pace after a setback. The past two readings from the ministry of agriculture show crop sowing growth of 4-8% from the year-ago levels. In the first week after demonetisation, sowing dropped 0.7%. Sowing has now been completed in more than three-fifths of the normal winter crop area. But the readings are bringing no cheer for agriculture inputs providers.