Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
WhatsApp-like App Does the Ground Work for Farmersedit
The Economic Times The Economic Times
Before the start of the next crop planting season, third generation farmer Krishna Balegayi — who has been farming for 25 years — is sure to take the help of an Android app to better his yield. Bengaluru-based startup Nubesol technologies has created a WhatsApp-like messaging app through which farmers can chat with eminent agricultural scientists, and discuss the factors contributing to poor yield.
Up to 50% loan interest waived off for farmersedit
Chief minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday announced to waive off up to 50% of the interest on loans which have not been paid by the farmers for the past 10 years. Famers, who have failed to repay their loans and the dues for over 10 years old as on July 1, 2016, will now have to pay only 50% of the due interest.
Traditional paddy helps strike gold in the time of droughtedit
These are the words that one associates with farming these days. However, amidst the gloom, a woman farmer, who refused to give in to the vagaries of nature, is a beacon of hope for the distressed. While paddy crops in various districts were damaged, A Gandhi, from Sundarappatti, who cultivated traditional paddy on her one acre field, has bagged a decent harvest of 2,650 kg, and that too, without using fertilizers.
Rabi acreage increases by 6% in 2017edit
In pulses, the total area covered till Friday was around 15.97 million hectares, which was 1.60 million hectares more than last year and 1.20 million hectares more than the average area covered under the same period in last five years. In any case, compared to the last normal Monsoon year of 2013, the area covered under pulses is 0.16 million hectares more. The rabi rice acreage was projected at 3.39% less this year than the same period last year. According to agriculture ministry data, the cereals have been planted on around 5.76 million hectares, which was 3.44% less than the same period last year.
India protests against WTO chief’s assessment of agriculture proposaledit
On Monday, Azevedo, who is also the chair of the trade negotiations committee, gave his assessment on outstanding issues in the Doha agriculture dossier, including the possible outcomes for the Buenos Aires meeting. He said several issues such as the permanent solution for public stockholding programs for food security, the special safeguard mechanism (SSM) to curb unforeseen imports of agricultural products in developing countries, and export restrictions had been discussed in the run-up to the WTO’s 10th ministerial meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, over two years ago.
Hyderabad-based Sathguru to start $100 million fund for food, agriculture startupsedit
Hyderabad-based consulting organisation Sathguru Management Consultants is raising $100 million to start an Innovation in Food and Agriculture Fund (IFAF) that will be managed by their fund management company Sathguru Catalyser Advisors. They plan to invest approximately $8 million each in eight to 12 companies for a significant minority stake. The fund is on a lookout for companies that are engaged in adopting technology solutions to address complex issues impacting agriculture, food and nutrition in India, with the first deal expected to close by mid-2017.
Govt nod for professional agency to manage pulses buffer stockedit
The government has approved engaging a professional agency for efficient management of buffer stock of pulses, being created for use in times of price rise, Parliament was informed today. As on February 1, around 9.71 lakh tonnes of pulses have been procured and contracted for imported towards building the buffer. The aim to build a buffer stock of 20 lakh tonnes. “Government has approved engaging professional pulses buffer management entity for efficient management of the buffer stock,” Minister of State for Food C R Chaudhary said in his written reply to the Lok Sabha.
Centre forms panel to work for doubling farmers’ incomeedit
The Centre has constituted a committee to achieve the target of doubling the income of farmers by March 2022, Parshottam Rupala, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, told the Lok sabha on Tuesday. In a written reply to a question, he also informed that a survey finding could not establish any significant adverse effect of demonetisation on input availability, market arrivals of produce and area sown in the Rabi season.
Castor farmers rake it in with new farming methods, cropping patternedit
“Farmers can cultivate castor seed on a reduced area and yet get higher yield by following the new cropping pattern as suggested by SEA. In the last 10 years, costs have risen 60 per cent, mostly on fertilisers, pesticides and water. The new technique saves costs to a great extent as it cuts the consumption of all these inputs,” said Maganbhai Patel, a leading castor farmer. The Dantiwada Agriculture University has provided GCH 7, a new hybrid variety of castor seeds, free of cost to farmers.