Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Singh enumerates achievements and initiatives of agriculture ministryedit
Radha Mohan Singh, minister of agriculture and farmers’ welfare, listed the achievements of and initiatives taken by his ministry during the last two-and-a-half years, and stated that demonetisation has not had an adverse impact.
Narendra Modi, in response to criticism of note ban, points to farm sectoredit
“In the last few weeks, an impression was sought to be created that the agriculture sector has been destroyed (following demonetisation),” the prime minister said before announcing the relief measures, adding, “farmers themselves have given a fitting reply to those who were doing so. Rabi (winter) sowing is up by 6% compared to last year. Fertilizer offtake is up by 9%.”
Modi speech: Farmers’ fitting reply to critics as rabi sowing up, claims PM; announces sopsedit
In the last few weeks, an impression was sought to be created that agriculture sector has been destroyed. Farmers themselves have given a fitting reply to those who were doing so. Rabi sowing is up by 6 per cent when compared to last year. Fertiliser offtake is up by 9 per cent during this period,” Modi said. The government has taken care to ensure that farmers do not suffer for want of access of seeds, fertilisers and credits, he added.
Lighting up the new yearedit
Agriculture Minister V S Sunil Kumar told ‘Express’ that the aim this year is to bring 50,000 hectares of land in the state under organic cultivation. It is with this aim that the government kicked off the Haritha Kerala Mission by which a ‘Janakeeya Munettam’ is under way to protect water, soil and agriculture.
Indian food and agriculture industry has made significant strides in the last three decades.edit
On-ground services are not available to Indian farmers and because of that they keep using old agronomy practices. Indian farmers spend approx 22% to 35% on mechanisation and almost nothing on services. Research and development of new technologies and innovation in agriculture has not reached quickly and in totality at ground level, this is a huge gap for Indian farmers. Till the time we will not build an ecosystem where farmers get the knowledge in a personalised and usable manner, this challenge will remain.
District credit plan gives thrust to housing, agricultureedit
The Potential Linked Credit plan prepared by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for Madurai district has taken agriculture, MSME and housing as thrust areas envisaging the proposed credit plan at Rs 9216 crores for 2017 18. The proposed plan is 12.56 % higher than 2016 17, according to bankers.
J&K to implement crop insurance scheme in 2016-17 rabi seasonedit
The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to implement the new crop insurance PMFBY in the ongoing rabi season, covering a dozen crops including wheat and paddy. With this, total number of states and union territories implementing the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), launched early 2016, has reached 27.
Long-term steps to boost agriculture growthedit
Agriculture was at the centre-stage of priority sectors for the government in 2016, upstaged only at the fag-end of the year by the demonetisation drive of the government. Significantly two consecutive droughts did not dampen the indomitable spirit of Indian farmers who, as per the fourth advance estimates for 2015-16 crop year, produced 252.22 million tonnes of foodgrains as against the output of 252.02 million tonnes last year.
Hope sprouts in the harsh agrarian landscapeedit
By several accounts, Tamil Nadu is in the thick of a severe agrarian crisis after several seasons of crop failure. The death/suicide of farmers, being reported across the State — five deaths were reported on Friday alone — is probably the far end of the spectrum.