Millennium Post

Consider agriculture. River basins and deltaic regions in South India boast of agricultural traditions that span millennia. But of late, there has been a major shift in their crop and irrigation patterns. The Cauvery delta, for instance, has traditionally been known for paddy cultivation. “But in the past 50 years or so, there has been an increase in the number of cropping cycles a year. People have also shifted from traditional varieties that require less water to high-yielding ones.

First Post

Monsanto, the agro giant behind Bt cotton, earns royalty from Bt cotton seed sales. Proponents for DMH-11 say it has been indigenously developed so pricing should not be an issue. But that still doesn’t justify a switch. “Officials say that GM mustard will increase the yield, but where are the results of the field trials proving this,” questioned Chaudhary.

The Hindu BusinessLine

After many years of deliberation and debates on agricultural technologies, India finally has good news as the apex regulator, Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), has recommended the commercial approval of our first food biotech crop: GM mustard. Developed by a public sector institute, the approval by GEAC of GM mustard is certainly a positive step towards the future which India needs to accept.

YourStory

By working closely with the government and financial institutions, SatSure aims to ensure that the country’s agricultural growth corresponds to our food security, along with the financial security of farmers.

The Hindu

“Although we have the required material for protective wetting in the district, we haven’t been able to reach the farmers — certainly not all of them — because of ineffective mechanisms. Even though we have ground level staff who continuously monitor the crops, the administrative process is not yet in place,” said a senior officer of the Horticulture Department at Anantapur.

Domain-B India

Scientists at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and the National Research Centre on Litchi at Muzafarnagar have succeeded in developing a new process for treating litchi and preserving it for 60 days at low temperature. Inaugurating the new litchi processing facility at Muzaffarnar, Bihar, union agriculture and farmers welfare minister Radha Mohan Singh said that this technique will be useful for the litchi producers and businessmen.

The Times of India

There are number of issues we are taking up for the betterment of farmers, including starting solar feeders for water pumps and providing continuous power supply. When other states are barely able to provide 60% FRP for sugarcane, Maharashtra is the only state to provide 99% FRP to farmers.”

The Economic Times

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has launched a major water campaign to cover around 1,00,000 villages in water stressed areas where the ground water is over exploited. They would also be creating awareness among the rural community about the methods of water conservation, preservation and its efficient utilization at various levels using the modern technologies like micro irrigation to generate more crop per drop.

DNA

Earlier, Shetti led a foot march from Parel to Byculla after which he called on Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao to hand over the memorandum of demands. Shetti also handed over to Governor 6.5 lakh forms seeking loan waiver filled up by farmers in the state.

The Times of India

Swabhiman Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetti, whose outfit is a member of the BJP-led coalition in Maharashtra, slammed chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday, saying they had misled farmers regarding the prospects of a loan waiver.

The Times of India

District collector Radhakrishnan B has warned the financial institution of criminal action if the orders were not followed. “We have observed that the bank is not providing loans to many farmers who have cleared their dues. This stand is also forcing many farmers who are willing to clear their dues not to do so. We have ordered the bank management to issue fresh loans to all farmers who have cleared their dues within two days of settlement,” the collector said.

Live mint

A farmers’ march launched by Shetty in Pune on 25 May reached Mumbai on Monday. Around 5,000 farmers joined the SSS MP on foot in this march, which Shetty said was launched to “atone for the blunder of believing in Narendra Modi and allying with the BJP”. Shetty later met Maharashtra governor C. Vidyasagar Rao and demanded a farm loan waiver.

Nyoooz The Hindu

The food processing scheme includes setting up, modernising and upgrading of farm and food processing industries, cold storage scheme and human resource development. Providing solar power will reduce this burden, and the power saved can be used elsewhere,” State Power Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said. Referring to the farmers’ strike planned on June 1, Mr. Shetty said he doesn’t intend to trouble the urban population. Preference will be given to horticultural produce and vegetables in the food processing units. Mumbai: Amidst growing protests by farmers demanding loan waivers, the State Cabinet on Tuesday swung into action, announcing schemes for food processing and providing solar energy to agriculture feeders.

The Indian Express

The state government on Tuesday unveiled its new energy conservation policy which promises to save Rs 6,000 crore and 1,000 mega watts of electricity. To achieve this target over the period of five years, the total cost required to switch to new technology is estimated to be Rs 807 lakh.

The Times of India

India is likely to have the highest ever production of horticulture crops, including fruit and vegetables, in the 2016-17 crop year, ending June. The total production is estimated at 295 million tonnes, 3.2% higher than in 2015-16. The estimate shows that 201617 will be the fifth straight year when India’s horticulture production will outstrip that of foodgrains. The foodgrain production for 2016-17 is estimated at 273.38 million tonnes.

Scroll

At his farmland, there is maize-cotton inter-cropping. For watering the crop, Ramu pours diesel in an oil engine. A hole is dug for 10 feet in the ground. The oil engine pumps groundwater and that is used for grow cotton. “Only cotton is our savior crop,” he told VillageSquare.in. It sells for Rs 50-Rs 55 per kg. We can get 50 kg per acre in a day.”

The Economic Times

Early arrival of monsoon and a slowdown in trade due to lack of clarity over the goods and services tax (GST) are expected to put further pressure on commodities like soyabean, tur, moong and masoor, which are already trading below the minimum support price levels. Delayed rains could have led to a panic increase in cotton prices, but that risk has also now disappeared.

Deccan Chronicle

What we all agree on is that if the country has to “take off” in economic terms, then we cannot have an agricultural sector that employs approximately 60 per cent of our workforce and continues to grow at two per cent per annum. There is an urgent need and scope of Indian agriculture to become efficient and aid the country’s development, rather than burden it. Even so, food production is not the only issue to mitigate India’s food problem. Even if India could produce enough food to feed its people, the problem still is to put enough money in their hands to buy more food.

Rising Kashmir

Experts on Tuesday said that Jammu will become a hub for export of quality basmati rice in India.

The Hindu

Joy Joseph, a farmer at Onpathekkar, visited the exhibition hall of the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, at Upputhara here as part of a 10-day village co-living programme organised by the final-year degree students, to seek advice on ways to control pest infection in his pepper farm. He also wanted to take up vegetable cultivation. After consultations, he realised that some pest control measures adopted by him were not effective, but harmful too.

PR Newswire The Telegraph Web India123 Press Trust of India IANS

Mr. Laxminarayana, MD AG Bio Systems, concurred with this, “Technology manifesting as product innovation can also solve some big problems for the Indian farmer.” In line with the forward-looking nature of the discussion, ThinkAg2030 also featured AgTANK, where curated budding AgTech startups presented their business model to an expert jury panel. The jury comprised of experts with diverse viewpoints an agri-scientist like NAARM’s Dr. Srinivas to an agri-industry voice like Mr. Subbarao Appemane from Mahyco to investors and startup ecosystem players like Yes Bank’s Mr. Gopinath Koneti, Springforth Investment’s Mr Pradeep Dhobale and ...

The Hindu

For 2016-17, state government had set a target of Rs 37,677.03 crore of crop loan disbursement out of which target of Rs 33,414.85 crore was achieved to 48.31 lakh farmers. Of the total loan disbursed, DCCBs had contributed Rs 12,777 crore, while nationalised and private banks had contributed Rs 16,671 crore and Rs 2,039.31 crore respectively.

The quint

In loamy soils, sorghum can be grown, whereas in black cotton soil and sandy loam soil, pearl millets can be grown. Finger millets can be best grown in porous, flight red loam and sandy loam soil. Sandy loam, clayey and alluvial soil is best suited for foxtail millets. Barnyard millets can grow in sandy loam to loam soil.

The Tribune

The anti-GM mustard grouping assured the path to commercialisation of India’s first genetically modified food crop will not be easy. Apart from protests by environmentalists, activists and states over the central biotech regulator GEAC’s recent nod to commercial cultivation of GM mustard, top BJP leaders are also propagating extra caution given the health and environment issues involved.

The Indian Express

The Centre and state together have allocated Rs 51,000 crore in the agriculture and irrigation sector in Maharashtra to make farmers self-reliant and agriculture sustainable. “While the state government has allocated Rs 26,000 crore for agriculture, Centre has provided Rs 25,000 crore for irirgation projects under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY),” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

The Times of India

Agriculture minister Pandurang Phundkar on Monday stressed the need for supporting farmers to ensure that their income is more than the crop loan and other expenditure they incur while cultivating a crop. While addressing the inaugural session of the three-day joint Agriculture Research and Development Committee (Agresco) 2017 conference at Parbhani, he also highlighted the need for increasing the livestock.

Business Standard

Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today unveiled a litchi processing unit in an effort to boost farmers’ income in Bihar, the top producer of the fruit in the country. The processing unit has been set up at the National Research Centre on Litchi (NRCL) along with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

Business Standard

Arrivals of brinjal increased 94 per cent to 35 tonnes in Kolkata in the past two weeks. Supply of cauliflower jumped 128 per cent to 98 tonnes in Ahmedabad wholesale markets, the NHB data showed. “Vegetables like cauliflowers, okras and tomatoes are highly perishable and need protection from rainfall and excessive heat,” said a senior official at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), Vashi. “In both cases, chances of spoilage increase. Farmers have had to dump their produce on the road when vegetables sell at prices lower than what they have invested. Hence, it is important that some money is realised even if it means vegetables are harvested early.”

Hindustan Times

Even as the area under wheat crop has decreased in Punjab, the state has recorded 11% higher yield in comparison to previous year and the highest production of crop in the past five years.

YourStory

Particles from a dust storm in the northern plains might have travelled to Kinnaur and mixed with the unseasonal snowfall, suggests Manmohan Singh, Director of the meteorological centre in Shimla, giving the dusty appearance. The jury is still out, but most agree that this rain shadow region is experiencing a drastic shift in its weather patterns.

YourStory

Particles from a dust storm in the northern plains might have travelled to Kinnaur and mixed with the unseasonal snowfall, suggests Manmohan Singh, Director of the meteorological centre in Shimla, giving the dusty appearance. The jury is still out, but most agree that this rain shadow region is experiencing a drastic shift in its weather patterns.

The Hindu Business Line Kerala Everyday

The area under cotton has increased by 27 per cent so far, at 11.24 lakh ha, from 8.84 lakh ha in the corresponding last year. In Punjab and Haryana, where planting of cotton is almost coming to an end, farmers are returning to the fibre crop, drawn by higher prices. “The prospects for cotton are better than last year and we expect the overall area to increase if the monsoon arrives on time and makes timely progress. So far, our sales have been good,” said B Ramasami of Attur-based Rasi Seeds, a major cottonseed player.

Business Standard The Financial Express

The world is about to be inundated with cotton as farmers take advantage of high prices to produce more and China floods the market with excess supply from its strategic inventory.

The Statesman

Currently, Bt-Cotton introduced in 2002 remains the only commercially cultivated GM crop in the country. In fact, India has the fifth largest area (with 10.8 million hectares) planted under GM crops, after USA, Brazil, Argentina and Canada. Bt has a built-in organic pesticide which has by and large reduced the use of insecticide spraying on many crops across the world, but the technology remains to be perfected and probably needs more research.

Business Standard India Finance News

Earlier this month, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) gave its nod to the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) mustard In its usual discreet manner, the announcement was made unofficially, though within a few minutes the news was all over the place.

New Delhi Times

“We’re not trying to change behavior, we are looking to see what people are eating and we are just switching out to make that food more nutritious,” Postma said. Biofortified seeds are produced in a traditional manner, and they are not genetically modified. Seed distribution The seeds are distributed through seed companies and sometimes directly to farmers.

Nyoooz

According to officials, about 25 lakh agriculture connections were consuming power ranging from 2,500 MW to 3,500 MW depending upon the crop conditions. It has been estimated that establishing six 400 KV sub-stations, 12 numbers of 220 KV sub-stations, 21 numbers of 132 KV sub-stations, 30 of 33/11 KV sub-stations, 230 power transformers and laying 33 KV conductor lines for 689 km length would be taken up as part of the Government plan to ensure 24-hour power supply to agriculture sector.

The Hans India

Farmers should be sensitised on organic cultivation coupled with conservation of water through drip-irrigation methods. Our ancestors achieved wonderful results practicing natural farming. The farmers should make use of the incentives and subsidies and practice effective water management methods for increasing their revenues.

The Times of India

“Whether agriculture results in profit or loss depends on the farming practices,” said Sakthikumar citing his own experience. He had started by taking 16 acres on lease in 2006 to cultivate drumstick organically. Unfortunately, the area was water starved and labour scarce. In a year, he burned `8 lakh. “I spent `2 lakh on cow dung, `2 lakh on drips and `1 lakh on lease for five years. The rest went towards buying drumstick saplings and labour.

The Statesman

In order to improve agrarian economy of Himachal Pradesh, Japan International Agency (JAICA) is helping in implementation of a crop diversification project worth `321 crore in the five districts of the state. A state government official said JAICA is helping in implementing HP Crop Diversification Promotion Project in Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Kangra and Una districts of the state.

Business Insider

Continue reading With a vast untapped potential in agriculture, African countries are keen to gain from India’s experiences, including the “green revolution”, to bring about a transformation and enable their 420 million poor people to come out of poverty. Africa is estimated to have 65 percent of world’s uncultivated land but only about 10 percent of global food output. African Development Bank (AfDB) officials said after their annual meeting here last week that its focus on “transforming agriculture to create wealth” has sparked interest among a vast section, including youth, researchers and the private sector to treat agriculture as a business.

Hindi Business Standard

Liaquat Ali, of Meerut, had a flourishing business as a cattle trader, supplying animals to local slaughterhouses, including some prominent meat exporters. But, for the last few months, his business has dwindled. If the crackdown on ‘illegal’ abattoirs by the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh (UP) was not enough, Friday’s notification on the sale and purchase of animals from markets might leave Ali with hardly any option but to shut up shop

Nyoooz

Even though the opposition parties have created a political storm over complete loan waiver, the cooperative banks remain to be a vital source for crop loan disbursement to the farmers in the state. An official from the Kolhapur District Central Cooperative Bank (KDCCB) said, “In the latest instruction from the cooperative department of the state government on May 26, the department has asked for detailed information on outstanding crop loan, agri-term loan with interest between the financial year 2011 and 2017.

Dainik Yashobhumi

Gold prices continued to rise for the second week in a row, mainly due to rise in precious metals. Considering the strengthening of overseas amidst the sustained buying of local jewelers to meet the marriage season demand in the domestic spot market, gold bullion market has increased in the last week in the national capital’s Sarrapha market.

Nyoooz

A day after TOI reported about 80% of the mango yield of the state has been destroyed due to weather and mango midge-locally known as Rujji, a team led by district agriculture safety officer conducted a drive in the mango belt of Malihabad, Mall and Kakori to spread awareness about the problem and its possible solution. Besides pesticide traders were raided to check its quality

The Times of India

Aiming to promote cotton sowing and providing technical knowledge about cotton sowing, a cotton yard set up by Punjab agricultural marketing board at Barnala grain market nearly six years ago worth over Rs 5 crore has not been used for the purpose it was set up. The area sees less sowing of cotton crop and the yard instead of motivating farmers towards cotton had been used for storing wheat and paddy during the procurement seasons, twice a year.

Daily Post

As the farming plays an important role in the economy of Himachal Pradesh with its 15 percent contribution to the State Gross Domestic Product, the state government has been emphasizing on agriculture and its related sectors.

The Hindu Business Line

RCEP is being negotiated between India and 15 other countries including the 10-member Asean, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia and China. With a high rate of poverty, a large rural population consisting mainly of small and marginal farmers and landless labourers, an immature industrial sector, a growing but narrow service sector and vulnerable health and education sectors, India had very rightly maintained a cautious approach in its FTAs on goods, intellectual property rights, and many new issues such as investment, government procurement and competition policy.

Capital Market

Different inputs such as urea and phosphatic and potassic fertilizers have different rates of subsidies. It will be premature to accept that all the farmers will be able to buy their requirements of fertilizers at market rate and wait for 15 days or a month to get subsidies. (Zuari)

Deccan Herald

At the same time, I see no justification in allowing the multinational seed company, Monsanto India, to claim tax exemptions of Rs 94.40 crore from agricultural income. Another seed giant, Kaveri Seeds, claimed Rs 186.63 crore exemption and made a profit of Rs 215.36 crore before tax.

Sakshi

Monsanto is also credited with creating the highest gene exchanges worldwide. It has come to rule the world seed market. In 1998, the World Bank gained a monopoly over the Monsanto cotton seed that brought us into our country with a simplified seed method of recycling. Most of the farmers committed suicide in the country are BT. Cotton grown farmers.

Pragativadi

100 agro service center will be make this year very soon. The Department of Agriculture is setting up a network of agro service centres to provide labour support, planting material, fertilizers, and organic pesticides to farmers. OSCB disburses the loan through 2705 Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) working under the 17 District Cooperative Central Banks (DCCB) across the state,

Daily Post

A new technology for the testing of moisture of food grains viz. Paddy, Rice, Wheat, Maize, Coffee etc. has been developed by CSIR-CSIO, Chandigarh and launched by M/s R L Wason & Co, Jalandhar, Punjab for the first time in India.

Navbharat

minister of Food and Civil Supplies Shri Babulal Verma said that the resolution of doubling the income of the farmers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Minister of the State of Smt Vasundhara Raje can be fulfilled only when the farmers go ahead with time and technology. He said that with the help of technical assistance the yield will increase and only then the state’s feeder will become strong and strong.

Nafa Nuksan

In the absence of demand from wheat Haryana Rs 15/20 rupee due to the incessant increase of wheat from UP Haryana and last month due to the demand for complete flour in the flour Maida Sugi

Dainik Yashobhumi

A Karnataka based farmers company, in which father of Geetha Gopinath, advisor to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is a director, today said there was no irregularities in the supply of vegetables to Kerala through Horticulture Corporation. Talking to reporters here, Raitamitra Farmers Producer Company Ltd Chiarman K Shanthakumar said the company was supplying vegetables and fruits directly to Horticorporation after following due procedures.

Hindustan Times

In just a decade, farmers in Nashik’s Shivde village have scripted a success story for themselves. This village of grape growers, around 161km from Mumbai, on an average produces 1,000 tonnes of global quality grapes that get exported to Europe, through direct purchase agreements with big firms.

Huffpost

Assam and most of the undulating, hilly and mountainous terrains inhabited by tribal folk had always experienced a different set of circumstances. Assam had a relaxed land situation until the unwelcome guests form Bangladesh started large-scale migration. Most of the rural denizens tend to be complacent and satisfied with their lifestyle rather than ambitiously trying to intensify their farm operations. The widely prevalent free grazing after the Sali crop is harvested validates this assessment. Most native farmers of Assam continue to enjoy a reasonably large land holding even now.

Deccan Chronicle

The state government has cut crop production estimates for the agriculture season for 2017-18. The government readies the State Agriculture Action Plan before every monsoon to project production estimates for kharif and rabi seasons. The report is released in the second week of June. The overall food grains production estimate has been brought down to 90.89 lakh metric tonnes this year against the 97.41 lakh metric tonnes projected last year.

The Times of India

Expressing shock at the development of transgenic sorghum, the Southern Action on Genetic Engineering (SAGE) on Friday demanded a “firm and unequivocal” stand against GM sorghum by the Centre. It has asked the Centre to clearly state that it will not approve GM jowar.

The Statesman

Every time a corporate scientist inserts a novel gene into a plant cell, the gene ends up in a random location in the plant’s genome. All that the scientists can do is to pray that the new gene will not destabilize a safe food and make it toxic. When researchers Pryme and Rolf Lembcke conducted studies about the possible health consequences of genetically modified food, they concluded that genetic engineering creates widespread genetic mutations in thousands of locations throughout the genome!

Sambad

Damodar Rout, Minister Agriculture and FARD has informed that the State Government will bring a new Bill in the next Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly to safeguard the interests of sharecroppers, who are now deprived of several benefits meant for farmers.

The Financial Express

Drones can be deployed for collection and delivery of documents, documenting of accidents in case of auto-insurance claims, and assessment of property for loans and claims. India announced the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for assessment and surveillance for crop insurance, last year. In this case, insurance companies use drones for agriculture surveys and for payment of insurance in case of a crop failure.

Pragativadi Premaya

The Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) will soon ink a pact with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to produce rice varieties high in nutritional value. Besides education, the university has also stressed on research and extension works to increase productivity of different crops in the state.

Dharitri

The Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) will soon ink a pact with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to produce rice varieties high in nutritional value. Besides education, the university has also stressed on research and extension works to increase productivity of different crops in the state.

The Economic Times

For development, building infrastructure is key, and that is why we are building physical and social infrastructure,” he said. Laying the foundation stone for the Indian Agricultural Research Institute at Gogamukh in Assam, Modi said: “On the completion of three years of the NDA government, I am announcing the launch of new scheme Sampada (Scheme for AgroMarine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters).”

Punjabi Tribune

Agriculture department had asked the farmers to do direct sowing of paddy and basmati rice crop. Agriculture officer Dr. Biant Singh had told that in heavy agriculture fields the direct sowing will lead to better income for farmers as it requires less expenses and less water as compared to old method.

Sambad

Bhubaneswar, in 2000 the food production in Odisha was 55 lakhs mt tonne. In current year 2016-17 the food production raised to 1.18crmt tonne. The agriculture minister had hoped that till 2022 the food production will double by the help of OUAT research. The minister had dedicated 25 variety seed to public which is developed by OUAT.

The Hindu Business Line

Release of pepper held in exchange warehouses for long pulled spot pepper prices down further on Friday, market sources told BusinessLine.

Prajatantra

Sambalpur, the district agriculture planning committee had declared to expand the irrigation facilities to 38.65%. This year 74858 ha land will be irrigate out of 1lakhs 93674 ha cultivated land. 4 blocks will be irrigate from hirakud dam and other will facilitate with deep bore well and 42 lift irrigation projects.

The Assam Tribune

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today laid the foundation stone of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute here, marking the completion of three years of the NDA government at the Centre and one year of the BJP-led government in the State.

The Economic Times

Laying the foundation stone of Indian agricultural research institute in Gogamukh in Assam, Modi said, On three-year completion of the NDA government I am announcing the launch of new scheme Sampada (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters). Value addition of agriculture will bring more income to farmers.”

Punjabi Tribune Dainik Jagran Punjabi Jagran Punjab Kesari The Financial Express

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his direct intervention in procuring maize at minimum support price (MSP) to boost crop diversification as a lucrative alternative for the state’s beleaguered farmers.

Bloomberg Quint

Nevertheless, an investor doesn’t need to reap the benefits (when available) solely from a pure play investment. Consider a second-generation play, such as the equities of agriculture producers, including FMC Corp. and Deere & Co., which have been yielding a much better return.

The Echo of India

A three-day training on Scientific Cultivation Practices of Paddy was organized at Panchwati, Rangat by ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, CIARI, N & M Andaman. The training programme was inaugurated by Mr Manero Mondal, PRI member. He lauded the efforts of KVK for organizing the training for the farming community of the area.

FNB News

Bayer CropScience Limited announced its audited results for the financial year (FY), ending March 31, 2017. It registered revenue from operations of Rs 29,484 million for FY 2016-17, marking an increase of two per cent from Rs 28,894 million in the previous year.

Down To Earth

Researchers at the Coimbatore-based Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) conducted a study on rice which is a staple food for most people in the region. According to Manila-based International Rice Research Institute, rice provides 23 per cent of global human per capita energy and 16 per cent of global human per capita protein.

Business World

Your views on genetically modified mustard? It is the subject of the Ministry of Environment. Our ministry works for enhancement in production, whatever good is recommended for farmers, we do it.

DNA India Today The Financial Express Business Standard Money Control

“Dave had supported me on the issues of Lavasa, BT brinjal, but unfortunately he passed away and (I have) no idea what new minister will do,” he said, adding that ministers in the present government have no say as they are there only for namesake. When asked to comment on scrapping of the Special Planning Authority (SPA) status of Lavasa, the countrys first private hill city project in Pune district, Ramesh said he had red-flagged the project in the past

The Economic Times

On a rainy day in June 1946, the then minister of agriculture MA Sreenivasan convinced the Representative Assembly -in session at the Town Hall -that it was time to build an agricultural college in Bengaluru. Syllabi were drawn and Mysore University affiliations were secured.

The Hindu

The recent discussion on taxing farm income is nothing new. This kind of thinking was doing the rounds even in British India, when as early as 1925, a committee was set up to assess the feasibility of taxing agriculture income. The most famous attempt in post-Independence India was the K.N. Raj committee report of 1972, which also examined feasibility and implementation issues. The Kelkar task force report of 2002 estimated that 95% of the farmers were below the tax threshold.

Business Standard

Bayer CropScience announced that the Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting held on 24 May 2017, inter alia, have recommended the final dividend of Rs 17 per equity Share (i.e. 170%) , subject to the approval of the shareholders.

Business Standard

ChemChina has raised $20 billion in perpetual bonds and preferred shares to finance its acquisition of Swiss seeds maker Syngenta, according to a regulatory filing by the state-owned Chinese company. ChemChina has restructured the financing of its Syngenta deal to take on more equity and reduce its short-term debt burden, but will still have nearly $20 billion in loans to refinance within 18 months, the filing shows.

Business Standard

Hanjura called upon the trained plant doctors to conduct awareness programmes at village level to educate the farmers about various plant diseases along with the measures for keeping their crops safe against various diseases. The Minister further asked CABI experts to collaborate with the agriculture department and SKUAST-J (Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu) to find solution to the menace of locusts (migratory grasshoppers) which cause damage to the crops in the Zanaskar valley in Kargil.

PR Newswire

Genetically modified seed companies profiled in this market include Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta, Dow, and Bayer are among the major suppliers of genetically modified seed. On the basis of its comprehensive research, Lucintel forecasts that the corn seed is expected to remain the largest segment due to increase in demand of bio-fuels, growth in demand of food and feed, and increase ethanol production.

The Hindu Business Line

Measures to reduce the nematode population in soil is being taken up on a war-footing by the Department of Nematology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University here. The soil nematode population can be reduced with organic additions such as farm yard manure, de-oiled cakes, press mud, green manure and green leaf manuring to the soil, a university release said. According to M Sivakumar and S Subramanian, professors at Department of Nematology, sufficient organic amendments to the soil would help control their population.

IM4Change

The agriculture ministry is not reconciled to the grip which Monsanto has on the Indian cottonseed industry owing to the immense preference for its patented, genetically-modified (GM) bollworm-resistance traits. On May 16, Additional Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta intervened in a dispute between Monsanto and its biggest (now divorced) sub-licensee, Hyderabad-based Nuziveedu Seeds. He made written submissions on behalf of the government, a week after hearings on the matter had ended.

Firstpost

Experiments done in Tamil Nadu show that elevated temperature will have a negative impact on rice productivity, even nullifying the positive effects of higher level of carbon dioxide. Researchers at the Coimbatore-based Tamil Nadu Agricultural University conducted a study on rice which is a staple food for most people in the region.

Bloomberg Quint

Yet China is reluctant to unleash genetically modified foods into its grocery stores. The government doesn’t allow planting of most GMO crops, including pest-resistant rice and herbicide-resistant soybeans, especially as an October survey in the northern breadbasket of Heilongjiang province showed that 90 percent of respondents oppose GMOs. China will carry out a nationwide poll on the technology next month.

DNA

Yes, that means the flesh of the pineapple is pink not yellow. The FDA approved the fruit for consumption back in December 2016 and assured consumers that the pink colour, though created through genetic modification, is totally safe to eat. In fact, it makes the pineapple taste even better. Pineapple plantations like Del Monte Fresh and Dole Plantation cur-rently grow the fruit, which has been spotted in tropical spots like Hawaii and Jamaica

FnB News

“This partnership is a shining example of how foreign governments and Canadian business can work together to find sustainable farming solutions that address consumers’ increasing demand for healthy food production and renewable energy,” stated Rodolfo Nin Novoa, minister of foreign affairs, Uruguay. Under this new deal, both parties anticipate significant economic and rural benefits from production of Carinata in Uruguay as a non-food crop, that can be made into low-carbon bioand aviation fuels as well as nutritious, genetically-modified organism(GMO) free animal feed.

First Post

The Union government in an affidavit submitted to the Delhi High Court last year made a candid admission: “Pink bollworm, a major pest to the cotton crop, has already developed resistance in the last two-three years; farmers are a worried lot having sown Bt cotton seeds purchased at a high price.”

Sify Reuters

Says co’s non BT cotton Surbhi in suspension list by maharashtra government for suspending sale of cotton products * Says revenue impact of this suspension would be nil * Says co’s ‘surbhi’ products were not supplied to the market in kharif 2017 for sales in FY 2017-18.

 

Yahoo News

Five years ago, the Manmohan Singh government had faced a similar dilemma, when opposition to its decision to introduce Bt Brinjal had reached a crescendo. The then environment minister, Jairam Ramesh, had held a public hearing on the objections raised by the social activists and had found merit in them. On the basis of the objections, he had subsequently deferred the decision.

Huffington Post

Narendra Modi leaned to whisper in the ear of the man sitting cross-legged and barefoot next to him, the one clad in saffron robes with a long beard and squinty gaze. It was late in the afternoon of March 23, 2014 in New Delhi and the start of national elections was a fortnight away. A few minutes later, the yoga guru and entrepreneur known as Baba Ramdev turned to a microphone and urged the crowd before him to mobilize votes for Modi: “You’ll make other people understand, won’t you? You won’t sit at home, will you?” The crowd roared back, “No!”

Financial Express 

Farmers should increasingly become entrepreneurs to find homegrown solutions to their problems rather than relying on the government, Helianti Hilman, a progressive natural farming expert from Indonesia, has urged. “When you are an entrepreneur, you think of innovations. An entrepreneurial mindset is very important for farmers because most of the time they keep complaining that they are small farmers and do not have access to finance or markets.

The Times of India

University (TNAU) is constantly on the rise. Last year, 39,772 applications were received, and this year the university has received 39,491. With 10 more days left for the closing date, the university expects to receive nearly 45,000 applications.

The News Today

The agriculture ministry is not reconciled to the grip which Monsanto has on the Indian cottonseed industry owing to the immense preference for its patented, genetically-modified (GM) bollworm-resistance traits. The post Cropping Monsanto’s patent rights appeared first on The Financial Express .

The Indian Express

Amidst the predictable tidal wave of opinion pieces to mark the Narendra Modi government’s third anniversary, one little event last week squeezed its way into the inside pages of a few newspapers. This was a call for a “farm strike” in Maharashtra from June 1, entailing, among other things, cutting off vegetable and milk supplies to Mumbai and Pune.

The Hindu

But on reaching the site, the official realised that he was tricked by the farmers to visit the village to listen to their grievances related to crop damage caused by wild elephants.

DNA

Union minister Venkaiah Naidu today said the state government is working to ensure that farmers have 24/7 power supply, even as he emphasised on the need for diversification of crops to boost agri sector.

Kashmir Observer

Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, today called making concerted efforts to boost organic farming in the State. The Minister was speaking during one-day conference cum workshop on ‘Doubling Farmers’ Income in J&K by 2022 organized by Department of Agriculture at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)-Jammu in Chatha.

B First

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of doubling farmers’ income by 2022 can be realised only through partnership with state governments, Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu said on Wednesday. The Centre is working on four ‘Is’ — irrigation, infrastructure, interest rate and insurance — to boost income of Indian farmers, he said while inaugurating the Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM) here.

The Arvind Times

Describing Monsanto and Bayer – two multinational companies pushing GM crops in India – as a “cartel”, Shiva said they “monopolised” GM crop cultivation and removed all obstacles in the way. Monsanto India declined to comment on the charges levelled by the activist. Shiva said two former Congress ministers, seen as stumbling blocks for GM crop cultivation in India, had lost their portfolios.

The Financial Express

Naidu said the country is making progress in every sector but there are more efforts needed in the agriculture sector. The minister further said that imparting latest technological knowledge, development of advanced markets, agro-processing facilities and development of basic infrastructure are necessary for farmers. “We need to develop villages and cities simultaneously if we want to develop the nation. Keeping this in view Smart City and Adarsh Gram schemes have been launched by the Centre,” Naidu said.

The Financial Express

Naidu said the country is making progress in every sector but there are more efforts needed in the agriculture sector. The minister further said that imparting latest technological knowledge, development of advanced markets, agro-processing facilities and development of basic infrastructure are necessary for farmers. “We need to develop villages and cities simultaneously if we want to develop the nation. Keeping this in view Smart City and Adarsh Gram schemes have been launched by the Centre,” Naidu said. Praising the Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet organised in Jaipur in November 2016, he said it was a unique event of its kind and had been instrumental in extending benefits to thousands of farmers in the state.

The New Indian Express

As kharif crops are sown with the advent of first rains, the administration has decided to streamline availability of seeds and fertilisers besides distribution of the same. At a joint meeting of the Agriculture and Cooperation Departments under the chairmanship of Deputy Director of Agriculture (DDA) RN Satpathy it was also targeted to boost mechanised farming.

Business Standard

The forecast of a good monsoon and projected rise in basmati paddy sowing is likely to mean more earnings for its exporters in the current season, though the volume of shipments is not expected to change. Of all paddy production, basmati accounts for about 6.6 million tonnes (mt); last year’s sowing was on 1.6 mn hectares.

The Indian Awaaz

Union Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu today said, the government was giving priority to agriculture in the country. Inaugurating the Gram Rajasthan Agri-tech Meet in Kota, Mr Naidu stressed on the use of technology, research, storage and better management in the agriculture activities to enhance the income of farmers. He said, the Centre allocated 1 lakh 60,000 crore rupees for agriculture in its current fiscal budget.

The Economic Times

India has said that the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will benefit farmers and reduce food inflation, as grain and milk would remain exempted under the new regime that would put in place a single levy instead of multiple taxes. “With the GST coming, inflation will come down by 2%,” federal farm minister Radhamohan Singh said in New Delhi. There has been no major increase in tax slabs for agriculture produce, and it was beneficial for both farmers and consumers, Singh said.

The Shillong Times

Another challenge according to the agriculture ministry officials is the irregularities in crop cutting experiments. “Crop cutting experiments are being done since Independence but no one bothered how it is done, if done actually or just on paper. There is no clarity. Since launch of the new crop insurance scheme, huge vested interests have come up for assessment of crop cutting experiments,” the official said.

Indian Food Freak

Well the problem is something different. We are not eating ‘real’ food. Lot of accolades have been given for starting the ‘Green Revolution’ in India which was largely led by increasing crop production by using high yielding crop varieties and use of artificial fertilisers and pesticides in the 1960’s. We have come a long way since then. Not only are we using far more chemicals and artificial ways to ripen fruits and vegetables, the soil has stopped responding to non chemical farming. Those who have heard about Monsanto know that Monsanto has come out with high yielding seeds that have been genetically modified.

The Hindu

The clusters have been established in Hirebettu, Kadur, Kattingeri, Belinje, Japti and Teggarse by the Department of Agriculture, with the help of NGOs. Under the yojane, a Dakshina Kannada, Chikkamagaluru and Udupi Districts Regional Cooperative Organic Farmers Associations’ Federation has been set up.

The Financial Express

In a bid to help farmers deal with the vagaries of weather, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) would launch localised weather forecasting at blocks across 600-odd districts by 2019. M Rajeevan, secretary, ministry of earth sciences said that currently weather forecast is being provided at district level through daily updates. The Met department does not provide rainfall and other weather-related forecast at the block level.

The Hindu Business Line

The opportunities are endless and as the case of GM mustard and Bt Brinjal. Indian scientists are up to the challenge of being the food factory not just for their own country but to other countries as well provided the policy scenario favours scientific innovations in biotechnology.

The Hindu Business Line

With the Union Ministry of Environment expected to take a call on genetically-modified (GM) mustard soon, activists, including RSS-affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), are once again questioning the justification of allowing the transgenic crop.

The Better India

We cultivate tomatoes and cabbage thrice in a year to minimize the losses. Even if one crop goes bad, the other two can easily cover up for the same,” said Arjun Prajapati in Aria village of Lohardaga district. “We use smaller pumps because they are cheap. They can run on single phase electric lines too.”

Business World

What are the facts behind the debate? As per the 2011 Census, there were close to 140 million farm holdings in the country. In theory at least, if taxes were levied on farm income, there could be potentially 14 crore farmers paying income tax. But that is theory. In reality, the average size of a land holding is just about 1.15 hectares.

The Hindu Business Line

As part of its crop diversification efforts, Rajasthan will encourage over 50,000 farmers to take up cultivation of super foodgrain quinoa this year, said State Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Lal Saini.

The Financial Express

A year ago, around this time, cotton ginners in Maharashtra had begun an effort in the state to improve productivity of cotton after they discovered that cotton from Gujarat commanded a higher price. What began as an effort to mentor some 40 farmers in 10 talukas of Jalgaon district, resulted in 50-70% improvement in productivity. Where the yield was usually 8-10 quintals rose to more than 15 quintals.

Andhra Jyothi

Insecticides India (IIL) has launched a revolutionary biological product Kayakalp that will transform the health of soil and rejuvenate it organically to improve plant health and productivity. The launch of KayaKalp marks a major leap for IIL into the organic products sector. Kayakalp, a Hindi term which means ‘Rejuvenation’ or ‘Transformation’ of one’s physical being, works as a natural catalyser to improve soil’s organic capacity, strengthen its nutrient value and act as a health booster tonic for the soil that will help Indian farmers improve output. The product is also duly approved by National Centre of Organic Farming, Ministry of agriculture and farmer welfare, Government of India for its features.

Daily Kashmir Images

Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, today called making concerted efforts to boost organic farming in the State. The Minister was speaking during one-day conference cum workshop on ‘Doubling Farmers’ Income in J&K by 2022 organized by Department of Agriculture at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)-Jammu in Chatha.

Hindustan Times

Former Congress minister Bharat Singh on Tuesday said that there was no point in organizing an agriculture summit like the Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM) in Kota for farmers when they are not getting good prices of their produce.

The New Indian Express

Claiming that Odisha has made rapid strides in agriculture sector, the State Government on Tuesday said the per capita income of farmers has increased by four times, foodgrains production is expected to touch 118 lakh tonnes during the year while farm loan stood at Rs 15534.23 crore.

DNA

With regards to agriculture, Africa is home to 60 percent of total arable land, but supports only 10 percent of the global output. India on the other hand supports 17 percent of the output with just 2 percent land. This is an area of potential we believe has yet to be discovered, added Jaitley.

The Economic Times

Reiterating his vision to double the Indian farmer’s incomes by 2022, Modi said the initiative will require concerted steps, ranging from improved seeds and optimal inputs to reduced crop losses and better marketing infrastructure. “India is keen to learn from your experiences as we proceed on this initiative,” he added.

Live mint

They include WH Group Ltd’s 2013 purchase of Virginia-based Smithfield Foods Inc., the world’s biggest pork producer, and China National Chemical Corp.’s $43 billion agreement to take over Swiss pesticide maker Syngenta AG. In a key rural policy statement issued by the Communist Party in February, the government said it supports Chinese companies investing in agriculture overseas, from production and processing to storage and logistics.

Business Standard

“The magnitude of the Syngenta deal means Beijing wants to make sure it’s securely managed,” said a person from the oil and gas industry. While the ambitious Syngenta takeover brought China a portfolio of top-tier chemicals and patent-protected seeds to improve agricultural output, it also leaves ChemChina with hefty debt. ChemChina last year arranged $32.9 billion in bridge loans with more than 20 Chinese, European and Asian lenders giving it a level of gearing that investors and analysts think is too high.

Smart Agri Post

“Whatever crops are notified, be it GM or non-GM, if scientists approve it, then our ministry’s mandate is to increase production, productivity, bring down cost of production and ensure right price to farmers” Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said, when asked if his ministry will promote GM mustard.

Frontline

University of Arizona scientists, together with Chinese researchers, have discovered a strategy that can delay and even reverse evolution of resistance by pests to genetically modified (GM) Crops. Insect pests that are rapidly adapting to genetically engineered crops threaten agriculture worldwide. (GM Cotton)

First Post

Referring to Bt Brinjal, another genetically-modified organism, Mahajan said, “This is the second time that a GM food crop is being considered for approval. Earlier, the UPA government was confronted with the case of Bt Brinjal. The then environment minister Jairam Ramesh allowed public hearings and permitted scrutiny of claims by making the data public. That led to a moratorium on Bt Brinjal as the scientific community was able to prove that introduction of Bt Brinjal would be injurious to human health, bio-diversity and agriculture.”

Assam Tribune

In a major move, the Arunachal Pradesh Government has decided to provide zero interest crop loan to farmers of the State to enable them easy access to credit through banking channels. A ‘notification’ from Finance department said that the Government has decided to launch Chief Minister’s Krishi Rinn Yojana under which the State Government would provide interest subvention of 4 per cent on crop loan/Kisan credit card limit upto Rs 3 lakh sanctioned by all banks to all farmers of the State during the current financial year.

Telangana Today

Hyderabad: Agriculture Extension Officers (AEOs) in the State will now be using digital gadgets to guide farmers adopt advanced farming techniques and help them get government benefits. Minister for Agriculture Pocharam Srinivas Reddy on Monday handed over a Samsung Tablet and a finger scanner marking the formal launch of digital conversion of field data.

NDTV

The farmers’ demands include loan waiver, free electricity, appropriate price for their produce, grant for irrigation and higher price for milk. The agitation will not involve any political party or leaders, Mr Dhorde said. “Once the strike begins, farmers have decided to produce only for their own consumption and not for the market. They also plan to stop supply of food grains, cereals, fruits and milk to markets,” he said.

Business Standard

Greenpeace India, the environment protection organisation, has welcomed and lauded the Bihar government’s decision to give priority to organic farming. “This initiative will prove sustainable for the agriculture and food security in the long run,” a Greenpeace official said here on Monday.

The Economic Times

Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Monday denied any possibility of a loan waiver for farmers, saying the NDA government’s focus lay in their empowerment and it instead intended to invest in various schemes and initiatives to boost their income. “Our focus is on empowerment of farmers. We want agricultural production to increase and maintenance to go down. We are investing in schemes that are aimed at increasing farmers’ income,” he said while briefing media about achievements of his ministry in last three years. Singh said that loan waivers cannot solve farmers’ problems, so the government’s focus was on bringing down input cost of farming and providing facilities to farmers.

Hindustan Times

Agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh was given additional charge of ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution on Monday as incumbent Ram Vilas Paswan left for a foreign location for treatment. Singh will handle these ministries “till such time Paswan is able to resume his work as the minister of consumer affairs, food & public distribution,” said a Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqué. President Pranab Mukherjee also directed that Paswan “shall be designated as a minister without portfolio during the period of his indisposition or till such time he is able to resume his work”. Mukherjee made the announcement after being advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Deccan Herald

Food grain output is likely to touch a new record in the 2017-18 crop year to begin from July, on hopes of normal monsoon for the second straight year, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said on Monday. Foodgrain production is estimated to be all-time high at 273.38 million tonnes (MT) in the current 2016-17 crop year (July-June) on account of good rains after two years of drought, as against 251.57 MT last year

India Infoline

Zuari Agro Chemicals is up by 0.6% at Rs 413.80 per share at 12:11 hours IST on BSE. It hit a high of Rs 422 and a low of Rs 404.20 so far during the day. The market capitalisation of the company is Rs 1734.89 crore. Zuari Agro Chemicals Limited is engaged in the manufacture, sale and trading of fertilisers and seeds.

The Hindu Business Line

The School of Agriculture and Environment and Institute of Agriculture (the University of Western Australia), Shenzhen Millennium Genomics (China), Institute of Biotechnology at Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (Hyderabad), Agricultural Research Station (University of Agricultural Sciences, Karnataka), Visva-Bharati (Shantiniketan) and ICRISAT (Hyderabad) took part in the research. “This breakthrough will help us better understand the grain’s quality traits and unlock the huge potential of this crop and allow farmers access to high-value markets,” ICRISAT Director-General David Bergvinson said.

 

Live mint

Clariant AG agreed to buy Huntsman Corp. for about $6.4 billion in stock, cementing a deal that had developed over several years and extending a record run of consolidation in the global chemicals industry. “The combined company should have higher margins, a more specialty-chemical oriented earnings profile and lower financial leverage,” James Sheehan, an analyst at Suntrust Robinson Humphrey Inc., said in a note on Monday. A Swiss base also provides $25 million of annual tax benefits, he said. (Monsanto)

The Hindu

The nine collaborating institutes are the School of Agriculture and Environment and Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia; Shenzhen Millennium Genomics Inc., China; Macrogen Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Biotechnology at Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU), Hyderabad; Agricultural Research Station–Gulbarga at University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Karnataka; the Department of Plant Sciences at University of California–Davis, U.S.A.; Biological Sciences and International Center for Tropical Botany, Florida International University, Miami, U.S.A.; Visva-Bharati, Shantiniketan, and ICRISAT.

The Indian Express

Dave was to take the final call on the approval of GM mustard. The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), a body of the ministry that evaluates genetically modified crops, had on May 11 recommended the commercial use of GM mustard. It was then left to the environment minister to take a final call on the issue.

The Times of India

Former agriculture officer B M Vaghela said the summer groundnut and bajra crops will be in the fields in areas where the sowing was relatively late. These unseasonal rains will affect the crop quality as the water will adversely affect the flowering of these crops. He further said that the farmers who want to sow BT cotton will do it early, as there will be some moisture in the upper soil layer. However, not many farmers will go in for early sowing. Vaghela said that the onion crop, which has been harvested in most places and may be lying in the fields, would be adversely affected as well.

India India Today DNA Outlook

The process takes time and definitely it will not be available for cultivation this year. This is a crop grown in association with government research body ICAR, he added. The GEAC had given a ‘positive’ recommendation to the widely-consumed crop, but with ‘certain conditions’. With its green signal, GM Mustard is a step closer to becoming India s first edible GM crop. The decision had received sharp reactions from anti-GM activists who said such varieties will lead to huge losses for farmers as it would ‘monopolise’ the seed market. Currently, Bt cotton is the only GM crop allowed for commercial cultivation. There is moratorium on Bt brinjal

The Times of India

The Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR)- Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, and Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Coimbatore regional centre, have jointly developed and commercialised a tractor-mounted, two-row mechanical transplanter for sugarcane seedlings raised from sugarcane bud chips and single-bud setts.

Financial Express

Agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh on Monday said his ministry does not have any reservations over genetically modified (GM) high-yielding variety of mustard, recently cleared by Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) for commercial cultivation, while environment ministry is yet to give its nod.

 

Earth Eats

This summer, in cornfields in Iowa and Nebraska, about a thousand small point-and-shoot digital cameras will be enclosed in waterproof cases, mounted on poles and attached to solar-powered battery chargers. They will take pictures every ten minutes as plants grow; all part of a plan to create better seeds. “We watch plants go through their normal growth and development and also we watch them respond to environmental stressors, like drought and so forth,” says Pat Schnable, director of the Plant Sciences Institute at Iowa State University.

Open Source

At the beginning of computing, software was considered open source. But with the development of computers and the rise of software companies such as Microsoft at the time, proprietary software became the main ruler in the field of technology. Today, we see that open source software has proven to be the best way to develop software, and along with it we saw the rise of open hardware movement driven by the frustrations users encountered when they could not fix their hardware. These users had to rely on hardware manufacturers who were slow in fixing bugs and were pushing updates for security ever so often.

The New Indian Express

If all goes well, Karnataka will soon become the first state in the country to use drones in all its departments. The state government is planning to come up with a comprehensive policy on using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in various government departments following Karnataka Jnana Ayoga (KJA) recommendations. Drones will be used in the state to gather information on drought, monitor crowds, tackle forest fire, survey encroachment and perform several other tasks.

Business Standard

Taking a pro-farmer stance, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said the scourge of farmers’ suicide in the country could be prevented to a large extent simply by boosting the food processing sector. He said the farmers get distressed when they do not get adequate prices for their agricultural produce in the market and could lead to suicide too.

The Economic Times

Anti-GM crop activists today urged new Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan to exercise “supreme objectivity” on decisions regarding the matter, claiming it is an “unacceptable conflict of interest” that he also holds the science and technology portfolio. Vardhan, who took charge of the environment ministry today, following the sudden death of Anil Madhav Dave, is also the minister for science and technology and earth sciences.

Nava Bharat

Rajasthan jhalawar district to provide an alternative method of cultivation to farmers of this arid district, the horticulture department has decided to introduce, for the first time, the lucrative poly greenhouse method for the cultivation of cucumber

Mumbai Samachar

In cotton’s demand and supply for to keep in level state taking into consideration India rating and research for cotton outlook which last year was negative that has improvement state . Which cotton price has stability

The Times of India

“Waiver of farm loans by the UP government is their (state) decision. We have no such proposal at the national level. Our approach will be to make adequate farm loans available at concessional rate and on time so that farmers are able to invest in agriculture and achieve high productivity,” Singh told TOI.

The New Indian Express

“The government is committed to distributing title deeds to deserving people of the state in two years. The government is willing to provide the deeds to deserving farmers and is of the view that settlers who braved all odds to earn bread in the initial days should be given special consideration,” Pinarayi said.

First Post

Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said that there has been a record production of pulses and oilseeds in the state, which is four times higher than the production of last year. “This year, we are expecting that production of wheat will touch 331 lakh metric tonne, while potato production will touch 160 metric tonne. Similarly, pulses’ production will reach 22 lakh metric tonne,” Shahi told reporters.

Business Standard

Emphasising on novel methods to boost production, Shahi said, “Scientific farming techniques, availability of funds at right time, soil testing, use of organic manure and crop insurance will be made available to the farmers, so as to boost the agricultural production

The Times of India

Recalling his recent meeting with farmers, Uddhav said, “Farmers are ending their lives, the situation in Maharashtra is grim. It is like a volcano waiting to erupt anytime. What has the government done,” asked Uddhav. The first elections to the Panvel civic body will take place on Wednesday. All parties are keen on capturing the Panvel civic body. The Sena chief raked up the issue of ‘criminalization of politics’ and alleged that tainted people were joining the BJP. “The Nagpur mayor has cited corruption in road works… these irregularities should be probed. Corrupt MLAs are joining the ruling party,” he added.

The Financial Express

With the Narendra Modi-led government completing three years in office, it is high time to assess its performance in various sectors. We focus here on agriculture. Without robust growth of agriculture, “sabka saath, sabka vikas” will remain an empty slogan.

The Hindu

Vulnerability of farm sector should be minimised by completion of irrigation projects, supply of power at affordable rate and reforming insurance schemes. A thorough review was needed on import of food grains, oil seeds, oil products and textiles. Agro-based industries should be encouraged to facilitate value addition and enhancement of farmers’ income. An important suggestion was to exempt income-tax for allied activities of agriculture as they played a significant role in providing supplementary income of farmers. The State government wanted framing of rules and accounting procedures for effective utilisation of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act speeded up. The process took an unduly long time.

The New Indian Express

I have not done organic farming myself earlier and thought I would give it a try now, as I have enough time. On a probation basis, I chose just 1 acre of the two-acre land in January and first replaced the soil as it was laden with chemical fertilizers and started the ploughing works. Then seven loads of cow dung added to the soil and the seeds were sown. For brinjal, tomato, ladies finger and a few other greens, saplings were planted.”

Press Trust of India

The Hadoti region comprising of Kota-Jhalawar and nearby area has favourable conditions for the cultivation of citrus fruits. Jhalawar is know as the Nagpur of Rajasthan because of its orange production. Principal Secretary Agriculture, Neelkamal Darbari said that in the forthcoming Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM) in Kota later this month, the centre will be drawing attention for the “yeoman service” it is providing to the citrus fruit industry of the region.

Financial Chronicle

Former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan on Sunday favoured taxing rich farmers earning above a certain threshold, without hurting the interests of those with small farms. He also pitched for a rating upgrade for India due to a number of steps taken by the government. Talking about the controversial issue of taxing farm income, Jalan noted the importance of agriculture and small farms in the Indian situation

The Financial Express

Over the last three years, the government has announced several new schemes related to crop insurance, irrigation and marketing support for agricultural produce. Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh tells FE’s Sandip Das about the key factors currently impacting the agriculture sector.

Millennium Post

Talking about the controversial issue of taxing farm income, Jalan noted the importance of agriculture and small farms in the Indian situation. “The… question is that supposing you have large farms and you have an income from those farms which say exceeds certain high levels of income, then you can think about taxing that high level of income,” he said. Jalan, however, added that a very large proportion of the population has small farms and we should not do anything which can hurt them.

The New Indian Express

The protests were essentially also about the rights of farmers and cattle rearers, but their issues got carried away in the whirlwind of the protests,” says Vetrivel Palani. “We realised there were no immediate solutions available to help farmers.

The Indian Express

With the Modi government completing three years in office, it is time to assess its performance in various sectors. We focus here on agriculture. Without robust growth in agriculture, “sabka saath, sabka vikas” will remain an empty slogan.

The Hindu

“We are conducting the survey under Maa Bhoomi, Maa Panta programme by listing lands as per the 1B records of Revenue Department. Only pattedars in a given village with certain land holding in their names will be eligible for the financial assistance,” explained an official of the Agriculture department which is conducting the survey. As part of the IFS, details of farmers are being entered in a 24 column preform which will be used for all purposes in future. The details include the nature of cultivation, crops, extent and even bank account and Aadhaar number of farmers.

The Times of India

Farmers in need of soil for cultivation on their farmlands will now be able to take it for free from water bodies in the district following the order by the state government. Silt soil, savvudu soil and clay soil can be taken from the village tanks and ponds in 11 taluks in the district. The farmers will have to apply with the officials concerned at the special camps under way in the district till May 24. A total of 1,109 farmers have got permission so far.

The Hans India

The duo commenced agriculture four months prior to summer and went to Gujarat to obtain high quality cucumber seeds. They adhered to the advice tendered by horticulture officials and harvested the first crop in 40 days. Their cucumbers have good demand in the local market. Traders started purchasing cucumbers at the rate of Rs 1800 a quintal at their farm gate. On an average, six quintals were sold per day. They continue to harvest the cucumbers even at the fag end of the season.

The Hindu

“With the help of suitable weather conditions the yield and production of all the alternative crops was very high in the just-concluded agriculture year but the market dynamics have kept their prices low causing a lot of heartburn among the farmers. The recent incidents linked to red chilli are a result of the farmers’ anger against the trader-dominated marketing system which saw price crash”, a senior official of the Agriculture Department admitted.

The Times of India

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of evergreen revolution in agriculture on completion of 50 years of the Green Revolution launched during Indira Gandhi regime, the Congress hit back at the NDA government at Centre describing its pro-farmers measures as a sham and demanded white paper on the state of agriculture.

The Times of India

Raising the demand for quality guava saplings at the recent farmers’ grievance redressal meeting, farming community leader M Pandian urged the horticulture department to guide farmers in carrying out guava cultivation. “The crop can be raised with limited water sources and can withstand drought conditions. The department should ensure that more guava saplings are provided to farmers in the district,” he said. Deputy director of horticulture GO Poopathy told farmers that there are 4,000 saplings available at the Government Horticulture Farm at Poonchuthi, but as the subsidy on saplings is awaited farmers can either procure them without subsidy or wait till the scheme is announced.

The Hindu

The money sanctioned as crop loan to the accounts of over 40 farmers from Kommanal, Haramaghatta, Hadonahalli, Sugur, Beeranahalli, and Chikkakudli villages in this branch was allegedly transferred to the private bank account of a Kotaiah. The total amount diverted in this manner is said to be around Rs 10 crore. According to sources, the farmers were kept in the dark about this.

Business Standard

Former Reserve Bank of India Governor Bimal Jalan on Sunday said he favoured taxing rich farmers earning above a certain threshold, without hurting the interests of those with small farms. He also pitched for a rating upgrade for India due to a number of steps taken by the government.

The Indian Express

With The Modi government completing three years in office, it is time to assess its performance in various sectors. We focus here on agriculture. Without robust growth in agriculture, “sabka saath, sabka vikas” will remain an empty slogan.

Webindia123

BPJ MP from Uttar Pradesh`s Bhadoi and chief ofparty`s farmers’ wing Kisan Morcha Virendra Singh Mast said agriculture was a victim of caste politics in Bihar. Talking to newspersons at the state party headquarters here. Mr Mastsaid the agriculture sector could not register much growth due to castepolitics in the state even as a huge chunk of the state`s population was dependent on farm sector for its sustenance.

Business Standard

Though many states have been pressing for a farm loan waiver, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has categorically said the Centre isn’t in favour of any such proposal at the national level; instead, it will work towards making adequate credit available to farmers at cheap rates and on time.

Millennium Post

The sole objective of the Modi government is to achieve robust growth and development with the support of farmers. We have brought about a radical shift in the approach adopted so far. It’s a hard fact that agriculture policy so far has been focused on the production of foodgrains to ensure food security. Although we have achieved this aim, it has also given birth to particular problems such as degradation of resources like soil and water in many parts of the country.

Business Standard

Like many Indian farmers, Bibhu Majhi of Koraput district of Odisha, sows potato between his rabi and kharif crops. He has been trying to increase the yield from his four-acre plot, without much luck. Unlike farmers in Punjab and Haryana, he is unable to access potato seeds in time and has to pay 30-40 per cent more for these. (Advanta)

Bloomberg quint

Syngenta AG, which produces genetically modified seeds for corn, is gearing up for rapid expansion in the country after shareholders accepted a $43 billion offer for the Swiss agribusiness by China National Chemical Corp. The Chinese state-owned company is expected to complete the deal this month.

Bangalore Mirror Karnataka Everyday

Experts at University of Agricultural Sciences said many times the food items are adulterated and this can lead to people thinking it is made of plastic. They pointed to ragi mixed with red oxide, rice coated with boric acid, and jaggery mixed with sand as examples. Recently people raised complaints that the egg and cabbage they had bought from the store was made of plastic.

The Hans India

We have much scientific expertise in genetic and biotechnological research. But research in these areas is risky. One has to make a large number of experiments before some are successful. The investment required is very large. A CPSU should be established to develop and commercialize these technologies. Let us set up a Monsanto in the public sector.

Development News

One of the sticking points is that the GM seeds are sold by big multinationals at prices that are many times higher than the seeds that the farmers use now. Global agriculture giant Monsanto produces the Bt cotton seeds that are used in India and earns royalties for it. Over 95% of cotton cultivation in India is Bt cotton today.

ET Retail

Cocoa was planted on an experimental basis in Kerala in the 1960s as part of Cadbury’s efforts to promote the crop, and the company is involved in cocoa cultivation through its ‘Cocoa Life’ initiative. It has partnered the Kerala Agricultural University and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University for research, and distributes seedlings at a subsidised rate. The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute in Kasargod, Kerala, is also involved in cocoa research.

The Shillong Times

In the past, farmers carefully select from the produce and keep the best as seeds for the future. Seed keeping is a tradition that every household is practices. It is also an illustration of our generosity because farmers also take pride in sharing the best of seeds with their neighbours. Unfortunately we now see that the local seeds have disappeared at a very alarming rate because of the introduction of genetically modified seeds which are specially designed to yield maximum production and also make it easy for the farmers to grow and take care of.

The Times of India

The state JD(U) on Sunday assailed the BJP-led NDA government for reneging on the then BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s poll promise that the new minimum support price (MSP) for wheat would be fixed by adding 50% of the cost of production to the existing cost quantum. The party also criticised the PM for not explaining his government’s stand on the genetically modified (GM) seeds for food crops. State JD (U) chief spokesman Sanjay Singh said Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers’ welfare S S Ahluwalia told the Lok Sabha on March 28 this year that the government had increased the MSP on wheat for 2017-18 from Rs 1,525 per quintal to ...

Live Mint Mumbai Samachar Shafaqna News In Trends

Genetically modified (GM) mustard plants are as safe and nutritious as regular mustard, the environment ministry said, even as the country await its final word on commercial production. In the backdrop of protests against GM mustard, the ministry on Saturday published an eight-page Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on its website.

The India Post

He further stated that the decision of the Union Government had come in spite of strong opposition by agricultural scientists, economists, peasant organisations and the civil society from all over Indian and the world. The Patiala MP further reminded the fate of BT cotton in Punjab and the losses suffered by farmers. He termed the approval for commercial cultivation not only unwanted and unsafe misadventure but also labelled it as anti-people and anti-national.

The Hindu

One of the issues faced by the farmers is scarcity of seeds. The traditional farmers used to retain the seed for the subsequent crop, but the practice has been discontinued by many under the prevailing distressing situation. The farmers are forced to depend on the Seed Corporation of India for their requirement. But the seeds have reportedly been found to contain a mix of weeds beyond permitted levels, resulting in poor yield.

The Economic Times

One, a farmer who has inherited or acquired agricultural land and has only agricultural income. Two, when an individual, say a doctor, acquires agricultural land and declares agricultural income subsequent to filing tax returns as a doctor and continuing with professional practice. Three, where a farmer becomes a government servant, say revenue officer, stops full-time farming but continues to own land and consequently has agricultural income.

Business Standard

By 2013 (they had 80 sites serving 400 villages in Bihar and UP), they saw two major trends. One, solar prices had started falling and two, customers’ aspirations had changed quite a bit they were no longer happy with 6 hours of night-time power. They saw a doubling of demand for power from customers in just a nine-month period. In 2014, the company raised another half a million in funds.)

Business World

“The success in agriculture needs to be extended to eastern India and scientific and technological interventions are required to make this a reality,” said Modi, adding that “The population is increasing but the land is not going to increase. We have to see how the productivity increases. There should be more production in less land.”

The Hitavada

Nagpur District Central Co-operative Bank (NDCCB) has adopted a policy of disbursement of loans to farmers as per their requirements. It is because of drought like situation, the recovery of agriculture loan was not possible. Those who have not repaid the loans, had given a concession of 50 percent on interest, so that they could avail new loans. 3,920 members had availed the facility and Rs 19 crores 20 lakhs were recovered from them. As farmers had given positive response to this scheme, the loan scheme has been extended till June 30, Kurve stated.

The New Indian Express

The five-year long experiments carried out by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research in association with the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kayamkulam, have been successful in evolving a comprehensive farming method immune to the climatic changes and ever-escalating cost.

Anupam Bharat

Cuttack, the district collector had called the meeting for the kharif cultivation of this year. The district collector had stress to conduct exhibition and training to farmers. The agriculture dept had given the roadmap of current year kharif cultivation. The farmers required 31.125 mt tonne fertilizer and it will supply through the 190 cooperative societies.

The Indian Express

Over 1000-1100 acres of wheat crop have been reduced to ashes this season. And, nearly 700 acres of that were gutted due to short circuit in transformers and high-tension wires, which are not properly maintained, passing through the fields of Punjab. Now, farmers will be paid Rs 8,000 per acre compensation, which is not even one-fourth of the total earning of the wheat from one acre.

The Financial Express

Gupta’s first attempt at organic farming, however, failed miserably. Local farmers advised him to return to city life. His family, too, wasn’t happy with his decision to turn a farmer at that time. “For two years, I had to go through this pressure. Finally, my efforts paid off and I could get a good crop, almost on a par with the village output, but without using any chemical components,” says Gupta, adding, “My net savings were higher, as I sold my wheat at double the price, which compensated for my yield loss. I had travelled to various places in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand to see how natural areas sustain greenery without any human intervention. I adopted the ...

Sanmarg

Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoked the vision of an ‘evergreen revolution’ in farm sector while exhorting the scientific and technological community to explore possibilities of creating agriculture clusters on the pattern of industrial clusters where different areas in the country can be identified with particular crops. The challenge in the agriculture sector remains. We keep talking about green revolution-I and green revolution-II. But the goal should be ‘evergreen revolution’. We should have sustainable agricultural production and work towards removing regional imbalances,” said Modi.

Nakshatra Jyoti

Cuttack, the district collector had called the meeting for the kharif cultivation of this year. The district collector had stress to conduct exhibition and training to farmers. The agriculture dept had giventhe roadmap of current year kharif cultivation. The farmers required 31.125 mt tonne fertilizer andit will supply through the 190 cooperative societies.

The Times of India

Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) on Saturday released a document on organic farming practices, detailing cultivation methods that need to be adopted. Vice chancellor P Rajendran said that though there were 73 agricultural universities in India, KAU was the first one to prepare such an exclusive package on organic cultivation. Agriculture minister V S Sunilkumar – who released the document at the preparatory meeting of the forthcoming Organic World Congress (OWC) – said that his department would now depend on the document to aid organic farmers.

Dainik Yashobhumi

Rabi Marketing Year 2017-18 To provide the beneficial value of their produce to the farmers under the Minimum Support Price Scheme, wheat procurement target of Meerut District has been fixed at 49,000 MT.

Free Press Journal

We have much scientific expertise in genetic and biotechnological research. But research in these areas is risky. One has to make a large number of experiments before some are successful. The investment required is very large. A CPSU should be established to develop and commercialize these technologies. Let us set up a Monsanto in the public sector.

Outlook The Financial Express News 18 India Atimanarj The Indian Express The Times of India Gyan Katta Nyoooz World Updates MINT The Arunachal Times  Kalakaumudi

The Kerala Assembly on Friday unanimously passed a resolution against the Union Government’s move to permit the production and cultivation of GM mustard, stating it would endanger the farming sector and the environment.

The Hindu

Honey trade to be hit Dr. Punnackad said mustard is a major forage crop for honey bees. Honey from GM crop fields will be rejected by consumers, both within and outside the country, thereby devastating the honey trade. In addition, honey bees are adversely impacted by GM crops, which may not only decrease the honey production but also crop yields in mustard and

The Times of India

The state government on Friday passed a resolution against the approval granted for commercial cultivation and production of genetically modified (GM) mustard by the Union government’s Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), terming it “a threat to agriculture sector, the farmers and the nation”. Moved by agriculture minister V S Sunilkumar, the resolution said the approval granted to GM mustard will spur similar approvals, extended one by one to around 72 crops, on which genetic modification experiments are going on.

The New Indian Express

Stating that biodiversity should be the top most concerns, Haque told EXPRESS that the Indian experience with Bt Cotton has been quite disappointing, as about 30 varieties of cotton have gone out of cultivation.

The Quint

Among the supporters, the South Asia Biotechnology Centre has asked Indian scientists to write to the Environment Minister expressing support. Bharat Char, Technology Lead at Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco), the company that licenses Bt cotton traits through a joint venture with Monsanto, and the developer of Bt brinjal, has tweeted that GM mustard is an option to increase productivity; activists must open their minds and let farmers decide.

The Times of India

Assuring the turmeric and chilli farmers that the government will procure their entire produce, AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that the government’s intervention has helped thousands of farmers. He said turmeric worth “44 crore and chilli worth “37 crore has been procured by the government to bail the farmers out of crisis.

The Hans India

Agricultural practices and advancements differ globally—since plants have their own differences and the location plays a role on their development as well. But through the exchange of knowledge from different agriculturally-involved individuals from all over the world, improvement of techniques can be experienced as well.

Ajit Jalandhar

Under centre govt. scheme for poor people under national food security act 2013, the blue cards given to 35 lakh poor people under Atta-Dal scheme by Punjab govt. had now decided to distribute only the wheat crop stock to them. This will be distributed in various districts by proper verification of cards. The wheat crop under this scheme will be given to people for six months that is from April 2017 to September 2017.

The New Indian Express

Mallikarjuna, a trustee at the MHR Foundation of India, vouches strongly for ZBNF. This method of farming is largely dependent on microorganisms in the soil, intercropping and using minimal water to produce good quality yield in large amounts. “The idea is to replenish soils with microorganisms naturally. Soil that is too alkaline or acidic can yield slow results, but the right balance will be restored by using microorganisms,” says Murthy.

Telangana Today

At a time when technology is becoming all-pervasive, the major driver of economy cannot be left behind. The agriculture sector, which is valued at $370 billion, is seeing the advent and implementation of newer and advanced technologies in different parts of the ecosystem.

The Times of India The New Indian Express The Hindu

The state assembly on Friday passed a resolution against the approval for production and cultivation of genetically-modified mustard seed for commercial purposes by the Union government’s Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC).

Dailyo

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had also written to the Centre, demanding cancellation of the application for the cultivation of GM Mustard. Kumar, in his letter to the then Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave, had said, “I strongly urge you that this GM mustard application must be rejected instantaneously. No decision on GM crops should be taken in haste, which can harm the interests of farmers and the people of India at large (sic).”

Hindustan Times

There are speculations and concerns about what it would mean to approve the cultivation of the first genetically modified food crop in India. Till now, Bt cotton, a non-food crop, has been the only GM crop cultivated in India. Similar attempts were made in 2009 to commercially release Bt brinjal, but were stalled by a moratorium in 2010 by the then minister of MoEF Jairam Ramesh.

The Hitavada

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. The same holds true for Maharashtra Government’s ‘Gaalmukt Dharan, Gaalyukt Shivar Yojana’ (silt-free reservoirs, fertile farmland). The scheme is working wonders for the farmers in Katol and Narkhed tehsils that come under ‘dark zone’ as far as groundwater level is concerned.

The New Indian Express

M S Swaminathan, founder MSSRF, Darez Ahamed, mission director, TN National Health Mission attended along with representatives from the State Planning Commission, Department of Social Welfare, ICDS and health, research institutions, NGOs and nutritionists.

Daily Excelsior

In the light of the report of the Director Agriculture Kashmir, the then Financial Commissioner Agriculture Production Department Pramod Jain vide Government Order No.103-Agri dated March 29, 2017 constituted a committee to enquire into the complaints of corruption against M Y Masoodi, the then Incharge Deputy Director Law Enforcement. The committee headed by Director Finance and comprised of Director Law Enforcement and Deputy Secretary to Government was directed to submit its report/findings within a period of 10 days so as to pave the way for necessary action.

Telangana Today

It uses application programme interface to provide information via text messaging, voicemail and mobile apps about the changing weather conditions and also provide insights on the right time to sow among other things. Elaborating on the adoptability in agriculture, Cherian Thomas CEO World Vision India said, “It is just about providing technologies but what is also important is providing the right kind of technologies for the right kind of problems and that is what makes the difference.”

Financial Chronicle

At a time when opposition was attacking the government over dal prices, as there was also an apprehension of retail inflation crossing 6 per cent, Modi concentrated on a long-term plan to avert such a situation in pulses,” an official who was closely involved in discussions at the prime minister’s office said. The immediate plan was to encourage farmers to increase the area. So, the government announced a big hike in minimum support prices (MSPs) of pulses. The Centre also directed Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to motivate farmers for growing pulses, he said.

The Hindu

As the Centre has proposed to introduce disbursal of fertilizer subsidy directly to the beneficiary farmers by introducing e-purchase across the country from June 1, the Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies and the fertilizer traders have been provided with Point of Sale instrument. According to Collector M. Karunakaran, the fertilizer stockists / traders in the district should have Aadhaar Card, the Identity Number given by Department of Agriculture and Point of Sale for enabling cashless purchase of fertilizers as the Union Government had proposed to give fertilizer subsidy directly to the farmers from June 1.

North East Today

The government on Wednesday decided to set up Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in Assam at a cost of over Rs 155 crore to promote agri-education and realise second green revolution in the north eastern region.

The Economic Times

Khandu conveyed this to Union minister of state for agriculture & farmers welfare, Sudharshan Bhagat who called on him at his office today, an official communique informed. Stating that technological support in agriculture and horticulture is crucial to boost farm output, the chief minister requested the Union minister to consider for a full-fledged agriculture university and a centre of excellence for horticulture in Arunachal.

The New Indian Express

Ramachandra, a lemon grower, has decided to try his luck. The borewell machine digs down to 500 feet, then 600 feet. It is a staggering 1,000 feet and the villagers heave a collective gasp. Where to now? But Ramchandra is adamant. Jittery, he asks his family whether he should dig deeper, not knowing if he can really afford it.

Business World

The first two years 2014-15 and 2015-16 of NDA Government at the Centre were marked by deficit rainfall and widespread droughts. As a result, agriculture sector did not witness perceptible growth in output and farmers’ income in these two years. The years 2016-17 is witnessing significant recovery with record production of cereals, pulses, and many other crops. It is also important to point out that agriculture sector did not see any significant break in the growth trend during the last 45 years.

PR Newswire

The Agricultural Enzymes Market is growing rapidly owing to factors such as cost savings and increasing demand for biofertilizers. The trend towards sustainable industrial agriculture has created opportunities for agricultural enzyme manufacturers to generate significant revenues by developing enhanced and high-quality products for customers.

Dainik Yashobhumi

Among the estimates of this year’s foodgrains production in the country, Food Corporation of India (FCI) has said that there is no shortage of space to keep the grains and its total storage capacity has reached 773 lakh tonnes. Giving this information, a senior FCI official said that there is no shortage of funds for procurement of grains and adequate funds are available.

Hindi Business Standard

“With the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) green-lighting approval of the genetically modified (GM) mustard, DMH-11, for commercial cultivation, India seems to have moved closer to joining the club of over 25 nations which grow gene-altered food crops. Yet, more hurdles need to be overcome before the GM mustard, developed by the Delhi University’s Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants, could reach the farmers. A formidable one among them is the stiff resistance from the detractors of the GM crops, including the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, an affiliate of the saffron. MNC Monsanto monopoly will end after founding 3 new varieties of Bt cotton by ICAR. “

Down To Earth

The weed was first seen in 1993 in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam. Until 2008, it was scattered. In recent years, it has grown rapidly in Karbi Anglong and its lowlands. In addition to the Northeast, there are reports of this weed spreading in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, the Andaman & Nicobar islands and West Bengal. Ludwigia Peruviana grows faster in wetlands than other harmful weeds. The pre-monsoon temperature and monsoon rains help this weed grow faster. It is posing a serious problem. There is an urgent need for effective and timely management strategies, the researchers say.

Hindustan Times

The agricultural seed supplier company for Maharashtra farmers called Mahabeej, whose seed production for cotton BT get affected by hot temperature. This production was conducted at Karnataka state.

Hindustan Times

Member parliament (MP) from Patiala Dr Dharamvira Gandhi has strongly opposed the Central government’s move to introduce genetically modified (GM) mustard seeds into the agri-markets.

The Times of India

Kheti Virsat Mission (KVM) of Jaito, a Faridkot-based NGO dedicated to promote organic farming for the last few years, has opposed the use of genetically modified (GM) mustard under its programme ‘India for safe food.’ KVM executive director Umendra Dutt said they would hold a public protest on May 19 at Sector 17, Chandigarh against the GM mustard.

Hindustan Times

DMH 11 (Dhara Mustard Hybrid) is the Genetically Modified (GM) version of Mustard that was recently given a nod for commercial cultivation in India by the apex transgenic products regulatory body of the government. DMH 11 is produced by an Indian government institution and said to be commercialised by an Indian company; thus addressing the concerns of farmers of a corporate capture of agriculture.

Hindustan Times

Dave had been due to take a final decision on an application for an indigenously developed GM crop of mustard, which is similar to rapeseed. A ministry panel recently recommended allowing commercial cultivation of the oilseed. Modi has chosen Harsh Vardhan, the current cabinet minister for science and technology and earth sciences, to take on the additional portfolio of the environment, forest and climate change ministry, the president’s office said

India Today The Hans India The Economic Times

Environment minister Anil Madhav stayed the quiet RSS worker industriously at work, right until death came suddenly on Thursday morning. He left at a time he stood very close to making an unforgettable mark as the country’s environment minister, whichever way he chose, by permitting the first Genetically Modified food crop — GM Mustard — into India with his approval or rejecting it as activists and RSS bodies upped the ante.

CCF Group First Post

It has moved a Cabinet note for inter-ministerial comments on fixing MSP at Rs 4,020 per quintal for medium staple cotton and Rs 4,320 per quintal for long staple cotton for the 2017-18 crop year. That apart, sources said since much of the cotton area is under Bt cotton seeds of private companies, the government is planning to promote first generation Bt cotton variety developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and has asked National Seed Corporation to ensure sufficient supply in the ensuing kharif season. With higher MSP and normal monsoon forecast, area under cotton is expected to increase next year.

Hindustan Times

There are speculations and concerns about what it would mean to approve the cultivation of the first genetically modified food crop in India. Till now, Bt cotton, a non-food crop, has been the only GM crop cultivated in India. Similar attempts were made in 2009 to commercially release Bt brinjal, but were stalled by a moratorium in 2010 by the then minister of MoEF Jairam Ramesh.

Hindu BusinessLine

India’s agriculture sector is heading to embrace the world of genomics where plants and animals are examined and assessed at their DNA or genetic level, K. Ramasamy, Vice-Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, has said.

State Times

Although India is the third largest producer of food and second in vegetable and fruit production in the world but its share in the global agricultural market is around 2 per cent. Agriculture in India is said to be the gamble in the monsoon but now the gamble in the market to sell the agricultural produce is another emerging problem for the Indian farmers.

One India

As Indian agriculture continues to remain highly dependent on Monsoon, these ‘natural shocks’ have severe consequences for farmers. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was introduced for lowering the risk exposure of farmers and providing them income security.

The Hindu

“Village-level farmers’ groups have been formed and accounts opened for each group in Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society concerned so that the subsidy entitled for cultivation of each crop can be paid in the groups’ accounts directly. The block-level committee will monitor the functioning of the groups and take measures to rectify their functioning,” Mr. Kanagaraj said.

Economic Times

Haryana Science and Technology Minister, Anil Vij, said that improved varieties of strawberry and salvadora plants would be developed in the Centre for Plant Biotechnology, Hisar, to facilitate the farmers. These high-quality, tissue culture-derived plants would be made available to farmers next year.

DownToEarth

Rising temperature affects flowering and leads to pests and disease buildup. Flood and excess rain over a short duration of time cause extensive damage to crops. Extreme weather events have caught attention of agrarian experts and scientists alike and they are now focusing on natural farming to arrest the impacts of climate change.

ET Markets

A sudden surge in the cotton futures price in the country caught market participants by surprise due to overwhelmingly bearish fundamentals. There is a sufficient available stock in the country coupled with reports of higher acreage estimates in India and world on anticipation of normal weather forecast in the cotton growing countries.

India Today

Tweaking and replicating the farming best practices of the Jewish state in his own farmland, he is now laughing all the way to the bank. It is like a dream come true to Patidar and gratitude runs deep for the initiatives in agriculture and farming taken by the Rajasthan government.

Business Standard

In a press conference held here, it also said that on May 15, a delegation of AIKS had met Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and submitted a memorandum with a set of demands. “One of our demands was that privatisation in the field of crop insurance be stopped,” a AIKS official said

The Hindu

“Village-level farmers’ groups have been formed and accounts opened for each group in Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society concerned so that the subsidy entitled for cultivation of each crop can be paid in the groups’ accounts directly. The block-level committee will monitor the functioning of the groups and take measures to rectify their functioning,” Mr. Kanagaraj said.

The Hindu Business Line

Currently, about eight companies, including ICICILombard General Insurance, HDFC-ERGO General Insur-ance, IFFCO-Tokio General Insurance, Reliance General Insurance, provide insurance under the scheme. “Private insurance companies are very happy with this scheme as it brings them high returns,” he said. The farmers’ body, affiliated to the Communist Party of India, demanded that such profit realisation should be checked.

Down To Earth

While speaking at the Natural Farming Summit hosted by the Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust (SSIAST) in Bengaluru from May 9-10, B. Venkateshwarlu, former director at International Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad, said, “Climate change affects all the three aspects of food security: availability, access and absorption. When production decreases, availability of food decreases. Climate change hits poor the most. They don’t have income to buy the food, so their access to it is affected. This, in turn, has an impact on health and affects absorption.”

The Shillong Times

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the setting up of an agriculture research institute in Assam, to help spur growth in north eastern states. Briefing media on the Cabinet decisions, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said the government had plans to bring a green revolution in the north-east region and the new Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in Assam would “play a crucial role in bringing a second green revolution” in the country.

KNN

The Government Is looking for ways to ensure a balanced growth for both the agricultural sector as well as the industrial sector in Poducherry, also there a mechanism for the upcoming GST is well in place Kiran Bedi, Governor, Puducherry, said. She said that special importance is being given to these two sectors considering the role these sectors play in employability and contribution to the economy. Bedi also spoke of the upcoming Goods and Services tax (GST) saying that her Union Territory is all set for the roll out of the new tax regime. There is proper IT infrastructure in place that will supplement the needs of both consumers as well as the entrepreneurs in the region, aiming ...

Millennium Post

In a bid to give an impetus to farm and farm-based industries in North Bengal and significantly widen markets for entrepreneurs, the Department of Industry, Commerce and Enterprises (IC&E) in collaboration with various other departments will hold a two-day agro business synergy – Focus North Bengal — on May 18 and 19 in Siliguri. The state government is conducting the conference in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and Food and Agriculture Centre for Excellence (FACE). It may be recalled that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her visit to Alipurduar and Cooch Behar earlier this month had requested the members of different chambers of commerce to attend the two-day meeting.

Yahoo News The News Feed DNA Reuters

A transatlantic row over possible risks to human health has prompted investigations by congressional committees in the United States, and in Europe has forced a delay to a re-licensing decision for Monsanto’s big-selling Roundup herbicide.

The Economic Times

India’s regulator for genetically modified organisms, Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee, has declared the GM Mustard strain developed by Delhi University’s Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants to be safe for commercial introduction. Environment minister Anil Madhav Dave will take the final call, making the decision inherently political.

The Hindu Business Line

This refers to ‘GM mustard deserves the green signal’ by G Chandrashekhar (May 17). Although GM technology may appear to be beneficial, the biological effects on humans after long-term consumption needs to be considered deeply. We have to also see if it’s been widely employed in other countries and what the adverse consequences are. The extent of research on the long-term consumption of GM food needs to be examined thoroughly. Genetic modification involves modification of the structural formation of the product and the reaction of such modification on the human biological system is important to consider.

The Times of India

KVM executive director Umendra Dutt said they would hold a public protest on May 19 at Sector 17, Chandigarh against the GM mustard. “GM mustard is expected to be approved by the Union environment ministry in the next few days. It is potentially harmful for human health, environment, and is against the welfare of the farmers. Due to these concerns, we have decided to air our voice against it,” said Dutt.

Live mint The Financial Express

Civil society groups opposing approval to genetically modified (GM) mustard on Wednesday met Union environment minister Anil Madhav Dave and urged him to reject the GM mustard commercialization application. The group threatened nationwide resistance in case the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government approved it.

The Times of India

GM crop footprint in India is all set to grow once the govt gives its final nod to GM Mustard, a variety grown by a Delhi University institution. It would be a strong push for genetically modified variants of food crop, which have been fiercely opposed by farmer bodies, food experts and activists, including the right-wing think tank Swadeshi Jagran Manch, an RSS affiliate. Since 2014, eight states, all BJP-ruled, have conducted BT crop trials.

The Financial Express

Based on their bad experience with GM cotton flowers towards which bees were seen to avoid going, last September, beekeeper associations from across India protested Jantar Mantar the promotion of GM mustard, fearing a drop in honey production if mustard goes the GM way, as 60% of Indian honey (of which 40% is exported) is of mustard origin.

MINT

Last week, the environment ministry’s regulator, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), cleared the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) mustard, leaving it to the government to take a final call. If approved, it will be India’s first food crop developed using transgenic technology, 15 years after Bt cotton was released to farmers. The technology is safe and versatile, said Deepak Pental, innovator of the transgenic mustard variety and former head of Delhi University’s Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants where the research took place.

Deccan Herald The Economic Times The Statesman The Financial Express

As farmers prepare fields for kharif sowing, the government is considering increasing the minimum support price (MSP) of cotton by Rs 160 per quintal, to Rs 4,320 for the 2017-18 crop year beginning July. It is also planning to promote Bt cotton variety developed by the government research body ICAR and expects increased area coverage

First Post India Today The Shillong Times

GM mustard is the second genetically modified food crop after Bt Brinjal that has obtained all required regulatory approvals and reached the environment ministers table for clearance. “GM crops affect farmers as they end up relying on companies who supply the seeds, thus giving no scope for reproduction of seeds,” said a German native, living in India for seven years and associated with an urban farming company

Financial Express

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat), which works on agricultural research and development across the drylands of Asia and Africa, is in discussions with Google, Facebook and Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) for soil mapping using spatial data analytics technology. Once materialised, the partnership will be the first of its kind which will be using the digital architecture, including drones, for best farming practices. “We are in discussions with Google, Facebook and ESRI for using remote sensing data and drones for soil mapping and weather management purposes. While the discussions are still in the initial stages, we aim to bring a creative platform for innovations that changes the lives of the ...

The Hindu

Agriculture and Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs) are expected to see higher credit off-take in Coimbatore district this financial year.

Bloomberg Quint

As it happens, the crucial breakthrough may not take place in cities at all, but on farms. If emerging nations like India want to replicate China’s success, they first have to improve their agricultural productivity.

The Times of India

Uttar Pradesh expressed its interest in using the expertise of Israel in development of agriculture, irrigation, horticulture, energy, science and technology, smart cities and other sectors, chief minister Aditya Nath Yogi said in a meeting with Israeli ambassador Daniel Carmon here on Tuesday.

Business Standard

After years of wait and regulatory scrutiny, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), India’s regulator for transgenic products, has finally recommended the genetically modified mustard seeds named Dhara Mustard Hybrid 11 (DMH-11) for commercial release. In 2010, GEAC had approved Bt Brinjal, but the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) did not permit its commercialisation. We hope that this time, the government will respect scientists’ recommendation and allow farmers to grow DMH-11 in their fields.

Financial Express

Though the environment ministry has, in the past, taken a tough stand vis-à-vis the anti-GM lobby, the fact that it hastily withdrew the FAQs on GM mustard—issued a day after GEAC approval, these said the crop was safe for human consumption—suggests getting the government nod may not be that easy. Indeed, if the government’s latest interventions in two ongoing cases involving GM-giant Monsanto are anything to go by, the official opposition has only strengthened. Unlike some activists who argue the crop is unsafe for human consumption—it is being consumed even today since India imports large quantities of GM soya and rapeseed/canola oil—the government focus, though, is more on the costs of GM patents; worse, ...

Business Standard

NITI Aayog, the government’s policy analysis and formulation arm, has come under some criticism on recent stands it has taken, with some alleging a bias on corporate interests.

Financial Express The Hindu BusinessLine

At the outset, we should congratulate Deepak Pental, for developing GM mustard. It is the first major breakthrough in GM research in India. We should also congratulate GEAC for taking a step forward and recommending the commercialisation of GM mustard after a thorough scientific evaluation. This is the result of twenty years of painstaking scientific experiments and regulatory scrutiny. We are hopeful that the minister of environment and forests will approve its commercialisation based on GEAC’s recommendation. The GM mustard project was funded entirely by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)—the largest producer and supplier of Dhara brand edible oil in the country—and the government’s department of biotechnology ...

Ecologise

From The Indian Express: Each time with the GM debate, agro-business and biotech industry puts huge pressure on the Indian government to destroy food culture and replace many old nutritious-rich foods with by patented toxic monocultures. By threatening India with the GM Mustard, corporations are destroying the centre of diversity of mustard for the world. There are hundreds of varieties of indigenous vegetables in India because of its rich and diverse Indian tradition, this is particularly true for brinjal, but also to a lesser extent for mustard.

The Financial Express

For almost a decade, as the Bt cotton revolution spread across the country, there was no outcry from farmers on how high seed prices were crippling them. Indeed, ofthe 45 -odd firms Monsanto has licensed its technology to, only Nuziveedu Seeds had a problem with its royalty rates, and that was after a decade— Nuziveedu accounts for around a fifth of all seeds sold using Monsanto technology.

The Hindu

“The infrastructure development in all the regions will be given due importance and more attention will be given to the areas which are found backward. Due importance will be given both for agriculture and industrial sectors in a balanced manner by suitably supporting them.”

Business Standard

The revamped crop insurance scheme was quickly lapped up by the state and after initial delays in notification, the area under the scheme in 2016-17 rabi season has risen to almost 40 per cent of the total cropped area.

The Times of India Live mint

There are around over 27 lakh farmers who are still out of the institutional credit system and such farmers need to be brought back to the credit system, it said. The committee has General Manager Reserve Bank of India,; Additional Chief Secretary (Planning); Principal Secretary of Agriculture, Divisional Commissioner of Pune; Cooperation Commissioner and Registrar Cooperative Societies, Chief General Manager NABARD and others as its members.

The New Indian Express

This crop season, the district has witnessed bumper production of green gram (Moong), black gram (Biri) and groundnuts. As demand for pulses and groundnuts is always high, farmers (share croppers in particular) decided to take up cultivation of the crops despite the fact the Government did not offer subsidy on seeds. Moong was sown in 42,116 hectares (ha) and the Agriculture department had set a target to procure 2.50 lakh quintals through NAFED, MARKFED and Odisha State Cooperative Marketing Federation Ltd by April first week.

The Hans India

Farmers came on to the roads demanding procurement of paddy, but the officials were unsympathetic, Narsareddy fumed at the party office here on Tuesday. He said that only 1.5 lakh metric tonnes paddy was procured so far. He questioned the government ‘how much time it takes to procure the remaining two lakh metric tonnes of paddy. Whenever the farmers protest, the government is intimidating them by resorting to canning and arresting, he said.

Assam Tribune

Bhagat accentuated that there should be direct interaction between the farmers and scientists and other experts in agriculture and allied sector, so that technology developed by the research centres, KVKs and other institute can directly benefit the farming community.

YourStory

In an age where people are chasing B-school placements and those big pay cheques, few choose to tread a different path and follow their passion.

The Financial Express

India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday stated that the southwest monsoon (June-September) is likely to hit Kerala coast on May 30 with a model error of ± 4 days. Monsoon usually arrives over Kerala in the first week of June, then covers rest of the country during next one month or so. “The statistical model forecast suggests that the monsoon onset over Kerala in this year is likely to be close to the normal date, IMD said in a statement.

Business Standard

The news has still not sunk in. The nation has still not been able to understand the serious ramifications of allowing commercial cultivation of GM (genetically modified) food crops. The regulatory approval granted to GM Mustard is actually aimed at opening the flood gates for GM foods. India is, in reality, is getting ready to be the world’s biggest dustbin for a risky, unwanted and harmful technology.

Business Standard

The news has still not sunk in. The nation has still not been able to understand the serious ramifications of allowing commercial cultivation of GM (genetically modified) food crops. The regulatory approval granted to GM Mustard is actually aimed at opening the flood gates for GM foods. India is, in reality, is getting ready to be the world’s biggest dustbin for a risky, unwanted and harmful technology.

YourStory

The past few months saw Karnataka and Tamil Nadu bickering over the sharing of the Cauvery water. It was the failure of the south-west monsoon that had put crops in Karnataka at risk, forcing the government to stop water supplies to Tamil Nadu. The arrival of the north-east monsoon in Tamil Nadu, however, has eased this tension. The fact, however, is that it’s not as much the rainfall as the changed crop pattern that has aggravated the situation.

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A parliamentary standing committee headed by Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury has asked the environment ministry to hold clearance for the commercialization of genetically modified (GM) mustard crop as the panel is looking into the issue.

DNA

Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday presented his ministry?s report card for last three years and asserted that the interests of farmers and consumers have been high on the agenda of Narendra Modi led Union Government.

Trading Calls India Finance News The Financial Express  Biz News Index Smart Investor Business Standard Shafaqna

The companies, among which is Monsanto-Mahyco, meet at least 70% of the Bt cotton seed requirement in the state. The total sale of such seeds in the state is estimated at 10 million packets a year of 450g each, amounting to Rs 800 crore. The order was issued by the Director of Agriculture (I & QC), commissionerate of agriculture, Pune.

Business Standard

NITI Aayog, the government’s policy analysis and formulation arm, has come under some criticism on recent stands it has taken, with some alleging a bias on corporate interests. Arvind Panagariya, the vice-chairman, defends himself to Sanjeeb Mukherjee & Indivjal Dhasmana. Edited excerpts: In recent weeks, NITI Aayog’s stand on delinking the list of essential medicines from the Drug Price Control Order and on endorsing locally grown and genetically modified (GM) crops is being interpreted in some quarters as favouring of corporates.

The Hindu Business Line

One of the major achievements of the NDA government in the agricultural sector was the setting up of an electronic National Agriculture Market. It has so far linked over 200 mandis across India and aims to integrate all 585 wholesale markets or agricultural produce market committees in the near future. However, experts say that only a miniscule quantity of agricultural produce is traded through this virtual platform. Even though the BJP manifesto promised to implement the MS Swaminathan Committee recommendation to increase Minimum Support Price to 50 per cent over the cost, no efort has been taken so far. In fact, it said it is not possible to do so as it ...

First Post

As the impact of the worst northeast monsoon in 140 years unfolds across Tamil Nadu, farmers sowed a third less land than they did in 2015-16, water levels in six major reservoirs continued to plunge, and suicides in the farm sector increased over five years. In the midst of this agrarian turmoil in a state that produced 5.6 percent of India’s rice in 2014-15, the agriculture ministry has predicted a record national harvest.

Nyoooz

Ending decades-old curbs imposed by the seminal Kerala Land Reforms Act , the state is planning to frame a new law , and amend relevant existing laws, to allow licensed leasing of agricultural land , a step that could help reverse the trend of dwindling area under cultivation. According to sources in the agriculture department, the land under cultivation in the state has shrunk from close to eight lakh hectares in the 1970s to 1.8 lakh hectares and, through this initiative, it can be increased to three lakh hectares.

MINT

Currently, states use Crop Cutting Experiments (CCE) to estimate yields of farm produce, as prescribed by Delhi-based Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute (IASRI) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), according to IASRI director U.C. Sud. “It is a standard methodology that all states implement on our instructions to make yield estimates. We factor in a standard sampling error of 5-10%,” he added.

The New Indian Express

A  farmer, on noticing something wrong with his crop, uses a smartphone application and clicks a picture. He then visits the local pesticide trader who is unable to coax the farmer anymore into buying anything more than he needs. The farmer, using the smartphone application aided by Artificial Intelligence (AI), is now able to decide for himself what is best for his crop.

FnB News Scoop Asia Yahoo News

The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) has approved the commercial production of genetically modified (GM) mustard, a crop which been developed by team of scientists from Delhi University (DU). Experts opined that this was a first step towards allowing GM crops in India. The decision has not been communicated officially yet. According to GEAC, it will now be sent to the ministry of environment for a final nod.

India Today  Press Trust of India  The Hindu Business Line Web India 123 State Times Counter Currents

A CPI (M)-backed farmers body today strongly objected to India’s GM crop regulator recommending commercial use of genetically modified mustard. The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) has asked the government to not allow the same before the grievances on its health and environment concerns were resolved. The AIKS stressed that it was not against any scientific upgradation in the agriculture sector, but said the government should not provide “benefits” to corporate houses involved in agro-chemical business at the cost of public interest.

Deccan Herald

GM mustard has been indigenously developed by scientists at the Delhi University, so there is no scope for the apprehension that farmers will be at the mercy of multinationals like Monsanto which will control the supply of seeds or otherwise exploit the farmers. There is the need to increase India’s edible oil production as the country is largely dependent on imports to meet the rising demand. GM mustard has been proven to increase yields by 30% and will reduce farming costs. It has been declared ready for commercial use after years of extensive tests in labs and on farms. All the safety-related data has also been placed in the public realm for scrutiny.

Indian Express

Even as clamour for farm loan waiver grows to afford temporary relief to farmers amid volatility in commodity prices and poor returns from farm produce, the state is facing a problem of increased fragmentation of agricultural land. Smaller plots not just bring down agricultural productivity, but also affects farmers’ economies adversely. According to the latest Agricultural Census of 2010-11, in Maharashtra — which is one of the fastest urbanising states — a total of 1.371 crore land holdings spread over 2 crore hectares of land have come down by 0.12 per cent to 1.369 crore.

Trading Calls India Finance News

Last week, the Maharashtra government suspended the licence of 17 companies for the sale of genetically modified (Bt) cotton seed, because samples of refugia or non-Bt hybrids, taken in May-July of 2016, have apparently shown the presence of Bt seed. The companies, among which is Monsanto-Mahyco, meet at least 70% of the Bt cotton seed requirement in the state. The total sale of such seeds in the state is estimated at 10 million packets a year of 450g each, amounting to Rs 800 crore.

Insights On India

An agreement to develop Bt brinjal was signed in 2005 between Mahyco—American agricultural biotech giant Monsanto’s Indian Bt cotton partner—and two Indian agricultural universities. Following the study of biosafety data and field trials by two expert committees, Bt brinjal was cleared for commercialization by India’s top biotech regulator, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee, in 2009. But nothing came of it, with moratoriums imposed by then government following opposition from civil society groups and brinjal-growing states.

The Times of India

In what has been a particularly harsh summer, pre-monsoon showers have provided the people much needed respite in the past weeks, and Karnataka is eagerly waiting for the onset of the southwest monsoon, expected to hit the state in the first week of June. Although the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a normal monsoon (96%) for 2017, the Karnataka government wants to leave nothing to chance, and is preparing the state for the worst. Agriculture minister Krishna Byre Gowda told STOI that officials had been instructed to prepare contingency plans to handle the eventuality of a monsoon failure.

The Times of India

Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh on Sunday said in order to bolster income of farmers, the Uttarakhand government would be allowed to bring about necessary changes in the law enabling them to cut 20 varieties of trees, according to a central government scheme, which has already been in place in different parts of the country. The farmers will have to grow those 20 varieties of tress, which once matured, they will be allowed to cut and sell in the timber market. Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has also agreed to launch the scheme for the benefit of farmers,” Singh told TOI.

Nyoooz

Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh, who was in Uttarakhand on Saturday, expressed displeasure over failure of dairy unit to present Rs 17 crore Utilisation Certificate to Centre and directed officials to send the UCs on priority. The union minister assured that within ten days of receiving UCs, his ministry would release funds for the department.

The Hindu

Chairman of the Karnataka Agriculture Prices Commission Prakash Kammardi said the commission was in talks with tech major Microsoft to come up with software that can predict the prices of agricultural and horticultural commodities with a “fair degree of precision”.

The Hindu Business Line

The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) has spent about Rs. 10,000 crore in procuring pulses and creating a national buffer-stock of 20 lakh tonnes. NAFED Managing Director Sanjeev Kumar Chadha told BusinessLine that the Finance Ministry provided the budgetary funds over the past 18 months, spread over two fiscals. In the next 12-15 months, this stock will get liquidated and the proceeds from the sale will help NAFED rotate the funds.

The Hans India

Top officials of the State Agriculture Department told The Hans India that the study would be intensified during the ensuing Kharif season. The officials would visit the agriculture fields to ascertain the quantum of fertilisers and pesticides used for different crops per each acre.

The Hindu

This will hugely benefit farmers, since about 86% of farmers in Tamil Nadu have received loans from commercial banks, a senior official said. Though the SLBC advised its member-banks to proceed on extending relief measures to farmers soon after the Tamil Nadu government declared all 32 districts as drought affected, it had to take up the issue with the RBI for extension of relief measures till July 10 this year. The SLBC’s communication was in response to Agriculture Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi’s letter, highlighting the plight of farmers and requesting an extension of relief measures.

Tech Gig Tech Crunch

Leclerc is optimistic exits will pick up once the current pipeline of venture-backed companies matures and the largest agriculture industry players refine their M&A strategies. In the past year and a half, there’s been a wave of planned consolidation in Big Agriculture, with pending mergers between Dow and DuPont as well as Bayer and Monsanto. These companies will likely need time to close and digest these mega-acquisitions before looking seriously at buying startups

The Times of India

The first genomics lab for agriculture and animal sciences will be inaugurated at SmartCity on Monday. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University vice-chancellor K Ramaswamy will inaugurate the AgriGenome Lab. The lab will provide necessary impetus to enhance the quality standards and yield of agriculture and livestock in the country to meet the growing demand for food, address concerns on health and food safety and ensure sustainable development.

Deccan Herald

That India should take note of this issue is relevant because we are home to almost a sixth of humanity, a significant proportion of who live in villages and are farmers. Much of the debate around agri-technology has centred on agri-biotechnology, of which GM crops is a part. I specifically highlight biotechnology because it is arguably the most promising and rapidly evolving agri-technology available today. It is also a technology well proven within India as seen with regards to the spectacular success of Bt Cotton and two billion hectares of biotech crops have been planted in 28 countries since 1996.

The Economic Times

Baba Ramdev and his associate Acharya Balkrishna of consumer goods company Patanjali are working on a unique form of renewable energy: Bull power. Research of over one and a half years on the idea to generate electricity with the aid of a bull’s pulling power has yielded initial success. The aim is to ensure that the animals don’t get sent to slaughter.

Financial Express

The question of data breach and security issue doesn’t arise at all in the government’s ambitious unique identity programme, stresses J Satyanarayana, chairman, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and advisor (IT), government of Andhra Pradesh. Satyanarayana has been associated with the design and implementation of over 20 major e-government projects at the state and national levels; he is best known as the founder of eSeva, a one-stop-shop for citizen services in Andhra Pradesh. A key speaker at the Oracle Open World in New Delhi last week, Satyanarayana tells Sudhir Chowdhary that India’s digital transformation will significantly improve the quality of government services and increase transparency in its style of working.

The Times of India

While the use of nutmeg and mace (rind) is popularly seen in food, scientists at the ICAR-CCARI have found an innovative use for the pericarp to prepare a mouth-watering dry fruit and a mouth freshner.

Financial Chronicle

A US-based policy advocacy group has said that government needs to respect science and an independent agency can evaluate health and environment concerns. The statement comes even as India is about to decide whether to allow GM technology in cultivation of food crops.

The Times of India

A data application developed to help farmers decide the best time to sell their produce in face of high fluctuation in crop prices has won the two-day long hackathon ‘ICT4D Data Jam’, which was held at ICRISAT’s ihub on May 12.

Daily Kashmir

Director Horticulture Jammu Bhawani Rakwal  conducted an extensive tour of twin Border districts of Rajouri and Poonch and inspected the development works and plantation of Citrus in Kangri area of Sunderbani Zone. He emphasized on covering of more area under citrus plantation to form a large cluster to ease the marketing of the fruit. While checking ongoing works at Govt fruit plant nursery Siot and Rajouri, he directed the nursery staff to follow the laid down procedures  for raising the quality planting material. He also visited Pecan nut village in Doongi and Sasalkot in Doongi Block of District Rajouri and Khari Karmara  in Poonch District.

The New Indian Express

In a bid to revive the traditional farming, which is now on the verge of extinction, the State government has decided to launch Paramparagata Krushi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) in 10 districts from the ensuing Kharif season.  The scheme funded by the Centre and the State Government on 60:40 ratio will promote sustainable agriculture through organic method in Cuttack, Khurda, Nayagarh, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.

The Tribune

The IIT-Mandi inaugurated its BioX Centre at Kamand campus yesterday. It was conceived at the IIT-Mandi in 2012, driven by the need for affordable healthcare and advanced technology interventions in agriculture and for preservation of the environment in the Himalayan region.Director of IIT-Mandi Timothy A Gonsalves said since 2012, IIT-Mandi started hiring faculty and made an initial investment of Rs 10 crore in lab equipment. As it had reached a critical mass, the formal structure of the BioX Centre was approved in December 2016. Now, the BioX Centre building is complete for the purpose, which was inaugurated by Professor K Vijay Raghavan, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.

The Times of India 

The horticulture department is mulling of marketing Rajasthan orange in the brand ‘Raj Santara’. Kota division is contributing 98% of the State produce in terms of ‘Nagpur Orange’. While majority of oranges produced here are Nagpur orange, the introduction of new varieties of oranges like Jaffa, Valencia and Daisy is being explored said principal secretary agriculture and horticulture Neelkamal Darbari.

Daily Excelsior

Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) Jammu organized a Zonal Research and Extension Advisory Committee (ZREAC) meeting with respect to Agriculture, Command Area Development, Horticulture, Sericulture and Floriculture. The meeting was chaired by Dr Pradeep K Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-Jammu, who highlighted the importance of feedback from officers of the Line Departments for carrying out productive research by the scientists of the University for well-being of the farming community of Jammu region. He also stressed upon the close liaisoning between Line Departments and University for doubling the farmers’ income in next five years.

The Times of India

Concerned over depleting groundwater in Punjab, some NGOs with the support of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) have decided to launch a campaign to make farmers aware about the judicious use of water in farming. The campaign has been themed as ‘Jal Jeevan Hai’ (water is life).

Business Standard DNA The Economic Times India Today Agrimoon

We need to grow and market potato as seed for which need is for the agricultural scientists, industry and farmers to come together. Potato can help farmers earn very high profit,” he said. Ramandeep Singh from Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, said, “Packaging of agricultural produce holds key to sell agri produce more effectively and earn more. Farm market concept needs to be propagated in Punjab more effectively.”

The Hans India

“Green Revolution has helped select foreign countries whose economy is based entirely on industrial sector. Their industrial produce such as fertilisers and pesticides, genetically modified seeds are sold in India due to which farmers became completely dependent on foreign companies for everything,” Palekar said. Advisor to the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Vijay Kumar, NABARD officials, My Home Group of Companies chairman Jupally Rameswar Rao and others spoke on the occasion.

GM Watch

“In view of the fact that this GM mustard has no benefits for farmers and is potentially harmful, we ask you to outright reject this application for approval for commercial cultivation. This GM mustard deserves the same fate as the GM mustard application considered for commercialisation in 2002, and Bt brinjal in 2009-10 in India. We oppose it and we request you to reject the application.”

The Economic Times

VS Parthasarathy, group chief financial officer of auto and farm equipment maker Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), recalls a conversation with a supplier a few years back that was one of the inspirations behind MSquare Alliance, an online portal to help small and medium enterprises make acquisitions. It was just after M&M had pulled off an overseas buyout and the supplier let on that he too was pursuing an inorganic strategy for growth.

Moneycontrol.com

Artificial intelligence or AI as it is called in cyber parlance, and believed to be the next big thing in information and technology, can play key role in good governance, a senior Microsoft official has said. “We are seeing that governments are benefitting through Artificial Intelligence and are able to bring (governance) closer to people in their countries,” Dave Forstrom, director of communications for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) group at Microsoft, told PTI.

Daily Kashmiri Images

Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura underscored the need for establishment of Cluster Zones in the tourist areas for organic vegetable cultivation. He also asked the officers of Agriculture department to promote Red rice, Mushkubudji, Beekeeping, Mushroom and Vegetable cultivation in the Valley.

The Asian Age 

The Maharashtra government — in a bid to increase milk production — will introduce a programme to encourage the breeding of cows over bulls. The state government has decided to take frozen bovine semen from an American company that guarantees its clients of breeding 98 per cent of cows and not bulls. However, activists are sceptical about the impact of the mass scale implementation of the said programme.

The Bangladesh Today

Speakers at a training session here on Friday mentioned that generating a skilled workforce can be effective means of boosting beekeeping and honey harvesting to meet gradually rising demands for honey both at home and abroad, reports BSS. They viewed that there is enormous prospects of enriching the country’s export list through boosting honey farming and its field level production. If quality control and modern packaging are done, demand for Bangladeshi honey will increase in international markets as a whole. The speakers were addressing the inaugural session of a fortnight-long training on skill development on honey farming at Bakshail village under Mohanpur Upazila in the district yesterday afternoon. Industrial Support Centre (ISC) of Bangladesh Small and ...

The Financial Express

Tomatoes Brought By farmers to an open auction market at Narayangaon along the Pune-Nashik highway are finding finding new markets in Dubai. According to traders, at least one lakh tonne of tomatoes have been exported from Narayangaon alone to Dubai this season.

Down To Earth

Under water scarce conditions created in laboratory, the transgenic rice performed better than their unmodified counterparts A group of Indian, Chinese, and Canadian scientists have developed transgenic rice that gives high yields even under severe water deficit.

Bloomberg Quint

The recommendation follows the government’s rejection in 2010 of a GM Brinjal crop developed by Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Co. A government panel said last year that the GM oilseed poses no risk to humans. It is highly unlikely to invade natural ecosystems and poses negligible risk to agriculture productivity, the panel had said in a document posted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s website.

 

India Times

Bill Gates may be known as the founder of Microsoft, but the man has had enough experience through his career and philanthropy to comment on aspects of technology and its impact, especially when it comes to the survival and progress of the human race. So when he has a thing or two to say about future Earth, you’d best be listening.

Livemint The Hindu The New Indian Express Bloomberg Quint WN New Bytes

India’s regulator for transgenic products approved the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) mustard on Thursday, paving the way for a new technology for farmers. If approved by the environment ministry, GM mustard will be the first food crop to be allowed in India after Bt cotton was commercially released 15 years ago.

The Indian Express

The country’s biotechnology regulator has approved the environmental release and cultivation by farmers of DMH-11, a genetically modified (GM) hybrid mustard developed by scientists at Delhi University. The green signal from the genetic engineering appraisal committee (GEAC) may not, however, amount to much. We know how the same GEAC’s go-ahead for the commercial release of Bt brinjal was overturned in February 2010 by the then Environment Minister — who assumed the role of regulator and ordered a moratorium on the transgenic vegetable’s cultivation. One can only hope that the current minister, Anil Madhav Dave, will not do a Jairam Ramesh, though the pressure may not be any less, with the opposition this time coming primarily from ...

Inc 42

Agri startup Utkal Tubers has raised $4.6 Mn (INR 30 Cr) from CapAleph Indian Millennium SME Fund and Zephyr Peacock India Fund. The early-stage startup, a potato seeds company, completed a year of operation in March 2017, producing 1,000 tonnes of potato seeds last year. This year it is targeting 5,000 tonnes. The startup proposes to scale up the availability of local varieties through facilities that it has set up in Karnataka. It is also in the process of setting up facilities in Odisha, Gujarat, and Punjab.

 

The Economic Times

India will promote big private investments in deep sea fishing and take foreign technological support to realise the full potential of the sector, which supports an estimated four million fishermen and their family members and contributes Rs 65,000 crore annually to the economy. Billed as the roadmap for a ‘Blue Revolution’, the new national policy on marine fisheries lays emphasis on bringing sustainable utilisation of the fisheries’ wealth from marine and other aquatic resourc ..

Daily O

Commenting on five-year plans way back in 1958 in his book, The Two Plans: Promises, Performances and Prospects, Jana Sangh ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay doubted whether centralised economic planning can be concordant with democracy and the need of essentialising socialist economy with planning. While scrutinising the relation between annual budget and plans covering a definite period, he was of the opinion that real solution to Indian problem may hardly be sought in political and economy ethos developed in West. He advocated a new process of thought in consonance with Indian environment.

The Times of India 

The Union ministry of earth sciences on Friday launched “Safar-Air”, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Reaserch (SAFAR) for Ahmedabad city, fourth city in the country after Delhi, Mumbai and Pune to get Safar. Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union minister for science and technology and earth sciences launched Safar-Ahmedabad on Friday. Not only will Safar-Ahmedabad be available on the web, but an Android version was also launched.

Down To Earth

In Indonesia, smallholder farmers are not only preserving the country’s food biodiversity but earning well for themselves by exporting their traditional indigenous products to the world. They have found the answer to agrarian crises by resorting to ancient knowledge and going back to the past. Helianti Hilman—the CEO and Founder of JAVARA Indigenous Indonesia—had founded the organisation in 2009 with an objective of preserving and promoting Indonesia’s food biodiversity, indigenous wisdom and spiritualism. It works with more than 52,000 small-scale farmers across the Indonesian archipelago to discover forgotten food biodiversity and traditional techniques and help them benefit from both local and international market opportunities.

DNA

Vast tracts of land previously considered barren are actually covered by forests “hiding in plain sight”, scientists said on Friday, a discovery that could help the fight against climate change and desertification. An international team of researchers led by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) used new technology to analyse high-resolution images from Google Earth and map forest coverage in drylands worldwide.

Business Standard

IFFCO, world’s largest fertiliser cooperative federation with over 40,000 member cooperatives, has announced its plans to garner massive cooperative market via creation of a digital platform. “Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited has made an ambitious plan to achieve Fertilisers’ Marketing target of 15 million tonnes per annum by 2020,” said IFFCO Managing Director and CEO Dr U.S. Awasthi.

The Hindu

Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar on Thursday rolled out his department’s plan for the coming years, which include declaring Wayanad district for traditional agriculture crop and practices, Attappady millet-growing area, and allocating more funds to bring at least 3 lakh hectares of land under cultivation to produce 10 lakh tonnes of paddy a year.

Fibre2Fashion

The Government of Mozambique, a country in southeastern Africa, has increased the minimum price paid to farmers by more than 50 per cent for the 2016-17 agricultural season. The minimum price has been raised based on a proposal presented by cotton growers. For Mozambique, cotton is the third largest export earning commodity after coal and shrimps. For first-grade cotton, the minimum price has been increased from about 22.5 US cents per kilo to about 35 US cents per kilo, Mozambican media reported quoting Cabinet spokesperson Mouzinho Saide.

The Economic Times

Efforts to make transactions at mandis cash-free have met with a high rate of success in mandis which deal with commodities like jeera, sesame, soyabean, cotton and wheat. However, mandis where vegetables and fruits are sold, like Azadpur mandi, are still struggling to bring down cash transactions.

Dainik Yashobhumi

Karnataka-based Innova Agri Bio Park has received the Australian government’s approval to process and export nearly 300 tonnes of Indian mangoes to Australia. The Gamma Irradiation facility-treated mangoes qualified the phyto-sanitary and food standard requirement for entry into Australia, the company said.

The Hindu

The communication also insisted that proactive steps be taken to convert more number of short-term crop loans into medium-term loans and urged the banks to take steps to give maximum number of agricultural loans to eligible farmers, whenever farmers approach primary agricultural co-operative credit societies for loans.

The Economic Times The Financial Express

Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today launched e-krishisamvad, an internet-based interface, that will provide direct and effective solutions to the problems faced by farmers and stakeholders in agri sector. People can directly connect to the ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) website http://icar.org.in and get appropriate solutions from the subject matter specialists and institutes through web or SMS, the minister said in a statement.

The Hindu Business Line

Karnataka sellers offering their pepper at Rs 530 a kg were not able to sell in Delhi markets as the material imported from Sri Lanka was being offered there at Rs 510-512 a kg. On the terminal market 30 tonnes including Sri Lankan material were traded at Rs 530550 a kg. Indian export prices were at $8,825 a tonne c&f for Eruope and $9,075 a tonne c&f for the US.

MINT

In a country of 120 million farmers, it is surprising that technology is not as focused on the development of agriculture as it could be. The knowledge available to the urban agricultural researcher is difficult to transmit to the farmers in the hinterlands. It is with this agenda that Neeru Bhooshan started working on creating an app for information sharing with farmers and industry stakeholders alike.

The Hindu

Middlemen against e-NAM vandalised facility: Laxman Middlemen who vandalised the e-National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) facility at Khammam agriculture market yard have been allowed to go scot free and chilli farmers are being victimised instead, BJP State president K. Laxman said. The Centre has introduced the e-NAM, the online trading platform for fair price discovery, in as many as 44 market yards to eliminate the middlemen and ensure better prices to farmers.

Business Standard

JK Agri Genetics standalone net profit rises 910.53% in the March 2017 quarter JK Paper gains after announcing cessation of JV agreement with Oji JK Packaging JK Tyre gains after board approves fund raising JK Lakshmi Cement gains on board’s nod to raise funds JK Lakshmi Cement gains on bargain hunting JK Agri Genetics was locked at 20% upper circuit at Rs 730.65 at 13:46 IST on BSE after net profit spurted 910.5% to Rs 3.84 crore on 44.5% increase in net sales to Rs 47.60 crore in Q4 March 2017 over Q4 March 2016.

India Today

Highly profitable companies and rich individuals have used the tax exemption for farm income to great advantage. In 2014-15, for example, Kaveri Seed Company showed Rs 186.6 crore as tax-exempt farm income, while Monsanto India declared tax-exempt farm income of Rs 94 crore.

Financial Chronicle

Other agri input stocks like pesticides makers and seed companies have also rallied on higher demand hope led by Bayer Crop Science (25.35 per cent), Monsanto India (6.21 per cent), Dhanuka Agritech (9.45 per cent) UPL (8.36 per cent) and Syschem India (8.14 per cent). With good monsoon rains in 2016 India’s overall GDP growth in FY17 surged over 7 per cent and in FY18 also it is expected to be above 7 per cent.

Millennium Post

The food we would be left with would be the next big determinant of our health in the future. It would be full of obesogenic toxins and cancer-causing agrochemicals. Genetically modified (GM) foods that are linked with allergies would become more common in our markets, despite the fact by that time, more data on GM food’s detrimental effects would have accumulated— food rich in fat, salt and sugar rich foods would lead to obesity and increase the risk of diabetes and heart ailments. One estimate shows that by 2020, chronic diseases would account for almost three-quarters of all deaths worldwide.

Business Standard

Recently, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) farmers’ cell have also slammed NITI Aayog for its recommendations to tax farm income, its support to genetically modified or GM crops and its alleged attempt to scuttle Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to provide affordable medicines. In a letter to the PM on May 1, the Manch had accused NITI Aayog of pursuing an agenda that is “against national interests and fundamentally anti-poor.”

Rajya Sabha TV Business Standard Business Standard The Hindu Business Line The Economic Times The Financial Express The Times of India MINT Deccan Herald

India’s GM crop regulator recommended the commercial use of genetically modified mustard in a submission to the environment ministry amid opposition by anti-GM groups, including RSS-affiliated bodies. In its submission, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), the nodal regulator for Genetically Modified (GM) crop, has given a “positive” recommendation– but “with certain conditions”.

Reuters

Kongkaew Vonusak smiles when he recalls the arrival of Chinese investors in his tranquil village in northern Laos in 2014. With them came easy money, he said. The Chinese offered villagers up to $720 per hectare to rent their land, much of it fallow for years, said Kongkaew, 59, the village chief. They wanted to grow bananas on it. In impoverished Laos, the offer was generous. “They told us the price and asked us if we were happy. We said okay.”

The Times of India 

India will promote big private investments in deep sea fishing and take foreign technological support to realise the full potential of the sector, which supports an estimated four million fishermen and their family members and contributes Rs 65,000 crore annually to the economy. Billed as the roadmap for a ‘Blue Revolution’, the new national policy on marine fisheries lays emphasis on bringing sustainable utilisation of the fisheries’ wealth from marine and other aquatic resources.

Down To Earth 

We are concentrating only on water conservation but unless we give due attention to soil conservation, the problem of water scarcity will not be solved, observed Vijay Borade—winner of Krishi Bhushan Award and the former member of Maharashtra Water Conservation Advisory Council—at the Natural Farming Summit 2017 organised by the Sri Sri Institute Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust (SSIAST) in Bengaluru on Tuesday, May 9.

The Wire

Sericulture farmers in tropical zones such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal often struggle to provide good environmental conditions to rear silkworms during the summer months, thus getting poor or no cocoon yields. Dr N. Sakthivel, a scientist at the Regional Sericultural Research Station, Central Silk Board in Salem, Tamil Nadu has come up with a solution to overcome this problem with a simplified fogging system for silkworm-rearing houses.

The Better India 

Friends from the IIT Kharagpur, Saahil Parekh and Kaustubh Khare never imagined that they would helm a startup. Post graduation, both arrived in Delhi—Saahil worked as a sustainability researcher at TERI while Kaustubh joined the Young India Fellowship, following which he was selected as an IIC fellow by the University of Chicago to work as an urban designer.

The Hindu

Agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan on Thursday called for a ‘new agriculture’ that is sensitive to the nutritional needs of the population and also to changes in rainfall and heat patterns. Speaking at the inauguration of an international conference titled “Climate Change and adaptation: Empowering small holders and ensuring food security,” organised here by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, he said there was a need for the scientific community to find solutions to sea-level rise, temperature rise and climate change.

The Hindu Business Line

 India needs to double or triple its investment in agricultural research if it has to reach to anywhere close to what China has achieved on the farm front, the head of an international food policy institute said here on Thursday. “India’s investment in agricultural research is still very low. China spends three to four times more than India. India has to invest more on research if it wants to catch up,” said Shenggen Fan, Director General of the Washington DC-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

The New Indian Express

The untimely rain has brought misery to chilli farmers who are already hit by the steep fall in the market prices. Sri Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Market Yard has received record stocks of chillies after the announcement of `1,500 per quintal compensation by the State government and `6,250 MIP by the Centre. There is no space for additional chilli stocks in the market yard.

The Hans India

According official sources, the farmers took up tomatoes in about 18,000 acres but unconfirmed reports say the crop area crossed 25,000 acres in Chittoor district. The crop was taken up by small farmers under bore-well irrigation with a fond hope of a getting a good revenue this time like last year summer in which tomatoes sold Rs 80-90 per kg. Enhanced awareness among the farmers on crop management coupled with the micro irrigation method opted by the farmers saw they reaping a good harvest this time despite very limited water sources.

The New Indian Express

“The state government made the real culprits in the incident go scot free. But, it arrested the innocent farmers, which is shame on its part, ”The state BJP chief, who came to take part in the 12th parliamentary booth committee meeting of the party held here on Wednesday, accused the State government of adopting a vindictive attitude against farmers and trying to silence their voices by framing them in false cases. “We would not rest until all the farmers all released and cases are withdrawn,” he said.

Hindustan Times

State BJP president Raosaheb Danve on Wednesday kicked up a new controversy when he said farmers have not stopped complaining even though the state had procured large quantities of their tur dal produce. Marathi news channels aired clips of Danve speaking at a meeting of BJP workers in Jalna.

The Morung Express

India’s total food grains production in 2016-17 was estimated at a “record” 273.38 million tonnes, according to its third advance estimates, the Agriculture Ministry said on Tuesday.

Nagaland Post

Speaking at the programme district agriculture officer, Longleng B. Imti Tzüdir highlighted the participants on the importance of SHGs and encouraged them to take up activities which would uplift the rural economy. He also informed that the Department would provide technical support whenever necessary. Training on package and practices of large cardamom and technical support was provided by facilitator A.I Bongkam Phom.

Free Press Journal

The rich farmer is a very rare institution. It is not the norm. It is only a rare exception and therefore, at a time when you need to support agriculture because of the distress, this is hardly the time to deflect the issue and start taxing agriculture. This is not the time. They are under distress, he said. The Finance Minister said farmers should be helped and not taxed. The government is very clear (on that), he added.

The Hindu

The government will adopt the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme to pay the support price for paddy farmers from next season, Kerala Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar has said. The money will be immediately credited to farmers’ bank accounts electronically to reduce delay in payment. The Agriculture and Finance Departments are jointly executing the scheme, the Minister said, adding Rs 1,039 crore was given for paddy procurement.

Live mint

While the initial idea was presented in 2013, it took a while for the team to get things moving. Bhooshan took the help of the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation’s IT division in designing the application. But while the idea was in place, data collection and updates were a challenge.

First Post

Then as mentioned by Sudarshan Bhagar, minister of state in the ministry of agriculture and farmers’ welfare (in reply to Lok Sabha unstarred question no 6200 on 11 April 2017), scientists of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) are involved in research to develop the new varieties of pulses crops. A total 19 high yielding varieties of pulses including 6 of pigeon-pea, 5 of urad-bean and 8 of moong-bean have been developed by BARC to date.

Free Press Journal

Agro-chemical firm Crystal Crop Protection expects 20 per cent increase in turnover this fiscal at about Rs 1,600 crore and plans to launch an initial public offer (IPO) early 2018 to raise funds for expansion. The company plans to file the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) for IPO with market regulator Sebi by the end of this year, Managing Director Ankur Aggarwal said.

Business Standard

After subdued for some, chana (gram) price has managed to stay above minimum support price of Rs 4,000 in wholesale spot markets. Though, the rise is seen in past one month is not causing panic, unlike many pulses specially Tur, chana is not in that bad position so far as farmers returns are concerned. However, looking projection of Chana production in 2016-17 at over 9 million tonnes, the firming up is cheerful for farmers.

The Financial Express

The Maharashtra government’s move to relax norms and deregulate agriculture markets seems to have paid off. In the last couple of years, private markets in the state have earned around Rs 4,200 crore in terms of revenue while direct marketing licences earned some Rs 4,800 crore worth revenue in the same period. Until now in the traditional system, farmers sold produce to Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs,) whereas the government’s move to deregulate markets was meant to boost direct retail sales of fruits and vegetables to ensure stronger farm-to-fork linkages and in the process ensure better prices for producers and lower rates for consumers as well.

The Economic Times

Indian agrochemicals companies are looking to replicate the success that the country’s generic drug makers have had with medicines going off patent. They want to exploit the opportunity opening up with the patent expiry of several significant agrochemicals in the North and Latin American markets. Falling commodity prices have been driving US and Latin American farmers to shift to generic agrochemicals over the past few years from expensive patented products, said industry representatives and analysts.

The New Indian Express

“We have certain parameters in this regard that include checking the steps being taken to preserve forest lands, the misuse of forest land for other purpose, whether the fund allotted for afforestation drive was diverted for any other purposes and so on. Our objective was to look into the implementation of Swachh Bharath programme as well as to conduct a study on the impact of genetically modified (GM) seeds on the environment,” said a member on condition of anonymity. In the wake of rampant complaints of encroachments in Munnar, the committee also considered grievances of the public and NGO representatives.

The Tribune

A racket of fake BT cotton seed sellers has surfaced in Muktsar, Fazilka and Mansa districts. A seed dealer has been arrested, while action has been initiated to cancel the licence of others in the three districts. The kingpin is yet to be identified. Fake seeds seized from the three districts bore the mark of RCH 773 of Tamil-Nadu-based Rasi Seeds Private Limited. Officials said the seeds were in demand because of high yield last year.

The Financial Express

India continued to rank among the top five countries in GM crop plantings because of GM cotton, whose insect-resistant traits are all sourced from Monsanto, but that brings little cheer. Area under GM cotton in India declined marginally to 10.8 million hectares last year from 11.6 million hectares the previous year, but the earnings of Mahyco-Monsanto Biotech (MMB) have been impacted more than proportionately. MMB licenses the genetically-engineered Bt traits which are poisonous to bollworms, a family of deadly cotton pests.

Business Standard

Monsanto Mahyco Biotech (India), a joint venture of Mahyco Seeds and Monsanto, licenses its patented BollgardII cotton seed technology to domestic seed companies, for a royalty fee. Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-supportive entity, has opposed any move to commercialise even locally produced BT cotton.

NetIndia123

A warming climate could affect the stability of alpine grasslands in the Tibetan Plateau, threatening the ability of farmers and herders to maintain the animals that are key to their existence, warned a team of researchers from the US and China.

Tribune India

PAHAL organised a one-day training programme for the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices, irrigation practices and new technology available for optimum use of water for agriculture, with the help of the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) regional office in Chandigarh.

DTNext.in

Integrated agriculture extension centres at four locations in Namakkal district estimated at Rs 6 crore and another 14 such centres in six godowns in different parts of the state were inaugurated by Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy through video conferencing recently.

The Tech Portal

Seedstars has announced the top eight seed-stage startups that will compete in Delhi to represent India at the Seedstars Global Summit in Switzerland. As pre-selections were brought to an end, the most disruptive tech startups were chosen and invited to participate in a dynamic pitch event hosted by Seedstars World at 91Springboard Okhla on 13th May.

The Hindu Business Line 

RML Agtech, a technology-based farm solutions provider, has launched indigenous version of Variable Rate Technology (VRT) to enhance the soil nutrients and productivity for Indian farmers. The application helps farmers to decide the quantity of nutrients required for a plant. It is also a tool to know how many plants can be used on a piece of land based on the soil nutrient value. The technology is popular among the developed countries.

Business Standard

The government is expected to soon allow commercial release of three genetically modified (Bt) and indigenously developed varieties of cotton seed, for the first time. These were grown using the now off-patent Bollgard-1 technology (BG-1).

Livemint

In a country of 12 crore farmers, it is surprising that technology is not as focused on the development of agriculture as it could be. The knowledge available to the urban agricultural researcher is difficult to transmit to the farmers in the hinterlands. It is with this agenda that Neeru Bhooshan started working on creating an app for information sharing with farmers and industry stakeholders alike.

Financial Express 

Smart city Tel Aviv has joined hands with Thane to replicate in the Maharashtrian city the civic transformation the Israeli capital underwent using digital technologies. Isareli Ambassador Daniel Carmon said this after inaugurating his country’s pavilion at the 3rd Smart Cities India 2017 Expo at the Pragati Maidan here. When asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel, the envoy just said, “It will take place very shortly.”

The Hindu Business Line

The Haryana government will set up 140 consolidated pack houses across the state for packing, storage, processing and marketing of vegetable and horticultural products on commercial and industrial level. The venture will be under the Rs. 510.54 crore horticultural village project. Principal Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Abhilaksh Likhi, while informing this here today, said that 20,000 farmers of the state will be associated with the scheme.

The Hindu Business Line 

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) expects its total disbursements to grow by 30-45 per cent in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry during the current fiscal. “We want to increase our disbursements to the level of ₹18,000-20,000 crore during this fiscal against ₹13,792 crore last year,” S Nagoor Ali Jinnah, Chief General Manager of the bank, said here.

Financial Express 

Talk to executives at Monsanto India about agricultural biotechnology and one sees boredom, even fatigue. Area under genetically-modified crops increased to 181.1 million hectares worldwide in 2016, or 5.4 million hectares more the previous year (but a little short of the 2014 acreage), according to ISAAA, an advocacy body for GM crops of which Norman Borlaug, credited with initiating the Green Revolution, is the founding patron.

The Hindu Business Line

With the food sector being governed by multiple ministries — agriculture, food processing, and consumer affairs — a situation of ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’ seems to be emerging. Acknowledging that policy regulations governing the sector are scattered between various ministries, Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, said: “There is a need for an overarching body such as NITI Aayog or something like the National Highways Authority of India, which can develop a roadmap and a long-term plan for growth of the sector. Create an authority which will help synergise the schemes of all the ministries.”

The Economic Times

A slump in prices of crucial food items over the past month has provided some relief to households even as food price inflation in the CPI basket has declined steadily over the year through March. Traders and economists reckon that prices are likely to moderate further. While tomato prices have plunged by 31% at the retail level over the past month, those of spices at the wholesale level have slumped 6-27% between April and now.

Money Control

In a move that could structurally change the agriculture sector, the government is working on creating a common agricultural market. The goal is to create a ‘one nation, one market’ model for farmers in line with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) model for industries. For this to be a success the inter-state trade should move smoothly, said Pattanayak, adding that they have been trying to convince different states to amend their Act to permit inter-state trade.

The Hindu

The ‘Four Waters’ concept developed by irrigation expert late T. Hanumantha Rao has been gaining momentum.

Down To Earth

Spurious inputs and deficit rain are the major reasons why Telangana farmers are suffering, says Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister of Telangana, Jupally Krishna Rao while addressing the audience at the Natural Farming Summit 2017 organised by the Sri Sri Institute Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust in Bengaluru today.

Hill Post

Mr S.S.Ahluwalia, Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Parliamentary Affairs, has asked the farming community to make use of new programmes and schemes to double their income. He was addressing the farmers, scientists and agriculture officers at Krishi Vigyan Kendra(KVK) of CSK H.P. Agriculture University at Kangra, around 40 KMs from here today.

The New Indian Express

The issue was discussed in the Environment Ministry’s Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) last month and it was suggested to convene a meeting with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at the earliest to understand and resolve this issue of processed GM food. The committee was of the view that currently there is a vacuum with respect to GM processed foods in the country and it was also agreed that GEAC should look into applications related to import of GM processed food till FSSAI comes with regulations.

5dariya News

To take stock of the avenues for technology adoption and dissemination through Public-Private-Partnership (PPP), Director Agriculture, Ashok Kumar Malhotra, today visited Vegetable Growing Belt of Kanachak-Mishriwala area and attended a field day organized by M/S Seminis Private Ltd at village Panjore of zone Mishriwala. Chief Agriculture Officer, R. L. Bhagat, Deputy Director of Agriculture (Central), C. M. Sharma, ADO (Vegetables), S. Matinder Singh and SDAO, Marh, T. K. Atri and progressive farmers including Sham Lal, Ex-Sarpanch Panjore and Sudesh Kumar were present on the occasion.

Hindustan Times

To increase the procurement of wheat from farmers, the district administration of Shahjahanpur is set to develop the first model procurement centre of the region. The proposed centre is to be developed in Yakupur village under Roza tehsil.

The Economic Times

India’s foodgrain production is forecast to hit a record in the crop year ending June 2017, with good monsoon rains last year boosting the estimated output of wheat, rice, coarse cereals, and pulses. The agriculture ministry’s third advance estimates of major crops pegged the production at 273.38 million tonnes (MT), 0.51% higher than the second advance estimate.

The Hindu Business Line

Since the 1960s, India’s groundwater irrigation has increased dramatically, playing an important role in its economy and people’s lives — supporting livelihoods of over 26 crore farmers and agricultural labourers who grow over a third of India’s foodgrains. These benefits, however, have come at the cost of increased pressure on groundwater reserves.

The Economic Times

In its third estimate released today, the agriculture ministry has revised the 2016-17 wheat output marginally upward by 0.8 MT from its earlier estimate as yields got better in the absence of any major weather aberrations. Pulses output also has been revised upward slightly to a record 22.40 MT as against the actual output of 16.35 million tonnes in the last year

India Infoline

According to the referred reports, union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh wrote a letter to the CMs of all the states and union territories asking them to review the state’s ability to deal with drought-like situations, in case the south west monsoons fail or get disrupted by El Nino, besides directing the states to set up drought management centres.

Yahoo News

“We have stopped formula-based assistance to states, which is a problem in deciding which state will get how much,” he says. Agriculture expert Devinder Sharma adds: “It is good that the Union minister has alerted the state governments in advance. Now, the government should ensure that there are enough seeds available to the farmers for sowing short term crops in case of a delayed or less monsoon.

Live mint

The issue of GM foods is contentious in India amid unresolved concerns surrounding safety. The environment ministry and GEAC are yet to take a final cal. on allowing commercialization of GM mustard crop. If it is allowed, it will become the first transgenic food crop to be commercially cultivated in India, where only GM cotton is grown.

The Pioneer

Ramesh would be also aware that Gujarat was one of the first States to adopt Bt cotton, and the primary reason for this was that Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister then. It is no secret that Modi has been a pro-progress, pro-technology mass leader and an able administrator who understood primacy of infusion of technology in agriculture. Gujarat farmers were vociferous in singing paean of how Bt cotton metamorphosed their lives — and one wonders if, among others, Ramesh’s act had to do with preventing replicating this story in the rest of India for the fear that it would have genetically ‘modified’ discourse on agriculture in the country.

Money Control

Cotton futures on MCX closed lower on Monday amid reports of higher supplies this season through imports and good stocks with the farmers. According to CCI, about 302 lakh bales of cotton arrivals were recorded till 4 th May in the country. The domestic cotton arrivals in April are higher by 49% on year at 2.64 lakh tonnes (lt) compared to 1.77 lt last year, as per Agmarknet data. As per CAI, the arrivals during March 2017 are higher than that of the corresponding month during last year.

Down To Earth

Highlighting different peer-reviewed studies on the damaging aspects of GM crops, he referred to the fact that countries were refusing to import BT crops. Shah also pointed out how the World Health Organization suspected in 2015 that glyphosate used in Monsanto’s herbicide and HT seeds are “probably carcinogenic to humans.

Geospatial World

Prior to this acquisition, Monsanto Growth Ventures (MGV), the venture capital arm of Monsanto Co., saw promise in the developing company and was an early investor in HydroBio, incorporating it into the MGV portfolio that includes a wide range of independent companies active in key areas of agricultural productivity.

The Wire

The Niti Aayog has also mooted the modernisation of farms and adoption of new technologies like adopting GM crops and using new farm equipment. However, this is not as easy as it seems. For example as per Agriculture Machinery and Manufacture Association in India, tractor penetration is 38% for large farmers, 18% for medium farmers and just around 1% for marginal farmers.

 

BW Business world

A stringent voluntary global standard for the entire post-harvesting process (including spinning, knitting, weaving, dyeing and manufacturing) of apparel and home textiles made with organic fibre (like organic cotton or organic wool), the GOTS includes both environmental and social criteria. Some key provisions include a ban on the use of highly hazardous chemicals (such as azo dyes and formaldehyde), genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and child labour, while requiring strict waste water treatment practices and strong social compliance management systems.

The New Indian Express

The issue was discussed in the Environment Ministry’s Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) last month and it was suggested to convene a meeting with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at the earliest to understand and resolve this issue of processed GM food. The committee was of the view that currently there is a vacuum with respect to GM processed foods in the country and it was also agreed that GEAC should look into applications related to import of GM processed food till FSSAI comes with regulations.

The Pioneer

Ramesh would be also aware that Gujarat was one of the first States to adopt Bt cotton, and the primary reason for this was that Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister then. It is no secret that Modi has been a pro-progress, pro-technology mass leader and an able administrator who understood primacy of infusion of technology in agriculture. Gujarat farmers were vociferous in singing paean of how Bt cotton metamorphosed their lives — and one wonders if, among others, Ramesh’s act had to do with preventing replicating this story in the rest of India for the fear that it would have genetically ‘modified’ discourse on agriculture in the country.

First Post

The story of India’s agriculture is often determined by a very shortsighted focus of the country’s planners. The prime minister may have great plans. But the inability on the part of the government to have a capable minister for agriculture, who can anticipate trends and then work towards tweaking policy accordingly, has hurt agriculture. This is where the story of pulses begins.

Business Standard

After many failed attempts by previous regimes, the Narendra Modi government is again working towards a common national market for agriculture commodities through multiple ways. The Electronic-National Agriculture Market platform (e-NaM) and the new model APMC Act are together meant to realise the ultimate objective of a national market where farm commodities can be sold and purchased without any restriction and barrier.

The Economic Times

Relaxed norms for FDI in food retail along with the “6,000-crore Sampada food processing scheme that the Cabinet approved last week will be a game changer for the sector, says Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal. She expects a decision on allowing foreign food retailers to sell personal-care products well before the gathering of global firms at the World Food Fair in November. In an interview with ET’s Madhvi Sally and Himangshu Watts, the minister said she expects foreign investment of $10-15 billion in the sector to be on ground in a couple of years. She is also seeking a new financial institution for the sector.

Huffington Post

A few years ago, Umes Deka of Urangapara village in South Kamrup district of Assam was like any other smallholder farmer in the area, practising agriculture that barely met the needs of his family. Today, he is a successful vegetable grower who is prospering by using a small pump to irrigate his field.

Nyooz

Instead, the entire matter should be left to the discretion of States.” As per the model bill, it is left to the appropriate government to prescribe the proposed price. The State government does not favour the idea of pricing groundwater for agriculture. The official also points out that if the model bill gets adopted in the present form, the notion of ownership of groundwater by individuals will not operate

The Hans India

Spurious paddy seed marketing is un-checked in the district. Farmers have started procurement of paddy seed for the coming kharif season. According to agriculture department planning, paddy is being cultivated in an extent of 5.26 lakh acres in the district during kharif season and 1.59 crore kgs of seed is required for the extent.

Business Standard

Pulses hold the key to tackle widespread undernourishment, especially protein malnutrition, in India. Being rich in protein and good quality fibres, these leguminous grains make healthy and balanced food. Besides, they contain most of the vitamins and minerals needed for healthy living.

DNA

Due to acute power shortage in the state, Mahavitaran has decided to impose two hour load shedding for agriculture consumers. The farmers will get 16 hours electricity instead of 18 hours until the situation improves, Mahavitaran has announced.

The Times of India

With cotton sowing season in full swing in south-western Punjab, to get over the labour pangs mechanized sowing on a small scale is underway in Muktsar district for the first time. Cotton has been sown on 600 acres in Muktsar through a pneumatic planter. The target is to sow the crop on 70,000 hectares of the total 1.75 lakh acres in Muktsar. The pickings on these 600 acres will also be done mechanically . Similar exercise has been undertaken on nearly 600 acres in Fazilka and 300 acres in Bathinda.

Financial Chronicle

It is a mistake that pulses importers could have done well without. A typo error led to panic reaction from importers in the last few days, as a result of which pulses imports were not cleared at ports. The sudden pile up of these essential commodities led to the government swiftly moving in to control the damage. The plant quarantine division of the agriculture ministry, which is responsible for checking quality of imported agricultural products coming to India, has notified that an inspection fees will be charged at Rs 1,500 a tonne.

The Economic Times

In month of May period in cotton’s price there is further decrease this is due to yarn manufacturer low demand ,also due to there was an appreciation export was slow as well as there is enough availability

The Hindu

Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar told the Assembly on Monday that a joint investigation would be carried out by the Kerala Agricultural University and the Department of Agriculture to assess the impact of hormone treatment to induce flowering and ripening of the fruit. Responding to a submission moved by Eldo Abraham, he said the efforts to extend pineapple farming to more areas had run into protests in many areas.

The Hindu Business Line

The Centre will soon come out with a financial package for NAFED, the leading government agency for procurement of pulses and oilseeds. “A financial package is under active consideration of the government of India and it is likely that a Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs note would be placed in May 2017 for approval of the Cabinet,” an official release said on Monday.

The Economic Times

In a bid to promote research and development in the fields of science, agriculture and life sciences in the state, the government of Andhra Pradesh on Monday signed a memorandum of cooperation with Iowa, a state in the United States. This move would help in increasing the seed production and research in the state leading to increase in crop output said a release from AP government.

The Times of India

To give relief to Maharashtra growers faced with falling tur prices, the Ministry of Agriculture has decided to procure up to 1,00,000 tonnes of the pulse till May-end under its price support scheme (PSS) after the food ministry expressed its reservations to buy. Nearly 4 lakh tonnes of tur dal have already been procured from Maharashtra under the price stabilisation fund (PSF) operated by the food ministry.

The Economic Times

Data suggests that barring the taluks of Malavalli and Nagamangala, Mandya district is not drought-prone, at all, if one goes by the water crisis Kolar and Chamarajnagar in the old Mysuru region, routinely face. “We have not had rains in the last 10 months and around 500 of my coconut trees have dried up,” said B Somashekhar, a former revenue minister who is engaged in farming at Alasalli in Malavalli taluk, on the borders of Chamarajanagar district. “The Hopcoms (a cooperative body to buy and sell farm produce) which I started as horticulture minister in the 1980s have turned exploiters. The hope is diminishing.”

Deccan Herald

The University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore (UASB) is becoming increasingly popular for a reason that very few will associate agricultural universities with — growing organic vegetables. Its two-acre demonstration plot on organic cultivation has brought urbanites of various backgrounds into its fold.

The Times of India Reuters

While South Africa is a relatively small market for the two global agricultural supplies giants, the move marks the first time for Bayer to acknowledge it has to sell the two related Liberty brands, which compete with Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer and Roundup Ready seeds.

Bloomberg

Having left the meeting empty handed, the focus will be on the next move of McGarry and Hugh Grant, PPG’s lead independent director who is also the CEO of Monsanto Co. McGarry has said he plans to make a hostile takeover bid if his reluctant target doesn’t come to the negotiating table and hammer out an agreement by June 1. On Monday, PPG criticized Akzo Nobel for being blinkered, unwilling to discuss anything beyond details of the proposal already tabled.

The Better India

According to Akshay, the first basic thing to be followed for a healthy lifestyle is a healthy seed. He believes that even though organic manure is used, if genetically modified seeds are used instead of indigenous seeds then it will have the adverse effect. So the first rule that a farmer has to follow to supply his/her produce to Satvyk is sowing indigenous seeds.

 

Business World

A study by research firm, ReportsnReports addresses the efficiencies the agricultural sector can gain from robots that work 24 x 7 without getting tired, and by a robot’s ability to function without making mistakes (barring technical glitches). The robots are able to perform repetitive tasks effectively, with cameras they can discern whether fruit is ripe or not and pick only the ripe fruit that can be sold. The robots can go back several times to pick fruit, while human pickers generally make one pass, two at the most. The robots can pick more fruit because they can get more ripe fruit from a tree.

Eastern Mirror Nagaland 

The Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), Dimapur district organised within State farmers training for Self Help Groups (SHGs) at Ghokito village under Dimapur district on May 4. Remphamo in his welcome address expressed his view on formation of SHGs. He urged all the SHGs to co-ordinate and work together to increase their income, improve their standard of living and status in a society.

Livemint

It is not just Indian markets—what is driving Indian markets is also driving other markets. There are massive amounts of money around, and it needs to go somewhere, and it is going into the markets. India is not the only one going through the roof—look at Europe, America. The central banks have made a lot of free money available—Mr (Donald) Trump has told everyone that everything is going to be OK, and he is come up with some policies which people think will be good such as cutting taxes and building infrastructure…

The Times of India 

Even as the government has been quite cautious of taking its final call on the fate of genetically modified (GM) food crops in India, its think-tank NITI Aayog has pitched for opting transgenic seeds arguing its importance in ensuring agricultural growth in the country. The Aayog, however, favoured only those varieties which are developed by Indian research institutions and companies.

Deccan Herald

The production had again gained an upward trend in 2016, achieving the target of 35 million bales. Bt cotton is the only genetically engineered crop that is legally permitted for cultivation in India. Of about 1,130 Bt cotton hybrids approved for sale by the regulatory agency, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, as many as 986 hybrids are based on the Monsanto technology, illustrating the domination enjoyed by the US firm in the Indian market.

The Economic Times

Two years ago, Naganna, then 34 years old, abandoned his 30 guntas (0.75 acre) of drought-ravaged agriculture land at Uppulgerikopplu village in Mandya district in Karnataka and moved with his wife and two children to the big, bright city of Bengaluru. He took up work as a decoration assistant for weddings and earned Rs 6,000 a month.

ET Markets Finance India Everyday News In Trends Karnataka India Everyday

Maybe Monsanto will come up with even better super grain seeds to create the fountain of perpetual food. Maybe we will figure out ways to automate the remaining last few jobs left on the farm to squeeze costs even lower. I just do not buy that progress can continue at this pace. I have no doubt that farmers will continue improving, but I suspect the large gains are behind us. The moves from here will be incrementally smaller.

The New Indian Express

Narasimha Parvata in Agumbe gives rise to five rivers—Malapahari, Nandini, Nalini, Malathi and Seetha. According to Vishwanath Bayer, a former gram panchayat member of Agumbe, the dip in rainfall is not a sudden development.

State Times

The three women farmers are part of a team of 77 such indigenous entrepreneurs working under a Khushal Kisan intervention by Transform Rural India Foundation, supported by Tata Trusts and partners like Pradan and Syngenta Foundation of India, the Khushal Kisan program is designed to drive farm prosperity in a novel way.

Live mint

The finance minister also asked ADB to give more emphasis on climate resilient agriculture, better farm production technologies, improved value chain management and creation of better marketing infrastructure for the farm produce. “ADB also needs to focus more on social infrastructure like health and education,” he added.

The Times of India News Boss

The SJM national co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan told TOI that it was wrong to say that the farmers had accepted Bt Cotton enthusiastically. “The farmers were forced to adopt it under monopolistic conditions created by multi-national companies (MNCs). The Bt Cotton has, in fact, become a main reason for farmers’ suicides. It is surprising that the Aayog has been pitching for adopting GM seeds without looking into these aspects”.

The Hindu Business Line

Finding ways to stop the camouflaging of the income earned from sources other than agriculture as agricultural income is what NITI Aayog recommends in its Three-Year Action Agenda and ‘not’ levying personal income tax on farmers.

The Economic Times

Ahead of summer sowing, the Agriculture Ministry has proposed further hike in the import duty of tur dal (pigeon pea) from 10 per cent to 20 per cent in a bid to curb overseas purchase, arrest steep fall in wholesale prices and keep farmers’ morale high. “The current import duty is not having any impact on the domestic rates, which are continuing to rule below the MSP. We have written to the finance ministry to raise the duty to at least 20 per cent to restrict shipments,” a senior government official told PTI.

The Hindu

The civic body has already delivered 1,542 tonnes of fine compost (less than 4 mm) to farmers in Chickballapur, Tumakuru and Kanakapura in the past week. While it has set the price at Rs 1,600 a tonne, farmers need to pay only Rs 800 as the Agriculture Department will bear the remaining amount. “Taking the transportation cost into account, farmers get the compost at an effective price of Rs 300 a tonne,” said N. Manjunath Prasad, Commissioner of BBMP. C.N. Chandru, a farmer from Chickballapur who grows capsicum and potato on 20 acres, has bought 60 tonnes of compost. “Delivering it to the farm is a good initiative.

The Hans India The Economic Times

The farmers from Palnadu region will sell their chilli stocks in Nadikudi Agriculture Marketing Yard. The state government is in touch with Civil Supplies Corporation in Kerala and Karnataka and other states to sell the chilli stocks.

The Financial Express

Maharashtra government is ready to provide the state farmers financial incentives through integrated schemes of up to Rs 50 lakh. With this, the government wants to encourage group farming that will make agriculture economical as well as double the farm income. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after his tour to Buldhana and Yavatmal districts on Saturday to review water conservation projects, held interactive sessions with farmers to explain group farming model.

The Times of India

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY)-which was initiated last year by the Centre to insure crops of farmersis planning to adopt latest technology to get accurate yield estimation and conduct crop cutting experiments for processing faster claim settlement of farmers.

The Indian Express

On April 21 this year, Kanwar and Kashyap received the national award for excellence in implementation of e-NAM from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on civil services day in New Delhi. “Solan has shown the way. It’s now up to farmers and growers to take this forward as an example for the country,” says Subash Manglet, who heads the Himachal State Agri Marketing Board, an umbrella body for the state’s mandis.

The Hindu

Courses like M.Sc., M.Phil. and Ph.D. will be started in collaboration with Nurul Islam University. Students will have the opportunity to interact closely with specialty doctors in molecular human genetics as part of the programme. There is also scope for genetic research in agriculture. The lab would be equipped to decipher the genetic combinations of genetically modified fruits and vegetables.

The Hindu

For instance Dharni Mahipal who owns three acres used to struggle to grow a crop on one acre due to water scarcity. This yasangi he has sown paddy in three acres and the crop is ready to harvest. Last year he along with other farmers dug farm trenches and the residents formed soak pits at every home in the village and today ground water is available at six metres.

The New Indian Express

He is an inspiration for youths shying away from agriculture. Thirty six-year-old Ayaskant Badpanda of Dangarpada village under Jujumura block of the district has turned 50 acres of agriculture land into a profitable integrated-farming model for others to emulate.

The Indian Express Nyoooz

At Khandvi village in Buldhana district, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who on Saturday toured districts of Buldhana and Yavatmal to review water conservation projects, held interactive sessions with farmers to explain group farming model. Urging small and marginal farmers to join the model, he said: “In every village, at least 20 farmers with a cumulative total land holding of 100 acres should come together for farming…”

Business World

A study by research firm, ReportsnReports addresses the efficiencies the agricultural sector can gain from robots that work 24 x 7 without getting tired, and by a robot’s ability to function without making mistakes (barring technical glitches). The robots are able to perform repetitive tasks effectively, with cameras they can discern whether fruit is ripe or not and pick only the ripe fruit that can be sold. The robots can go back several times to pick fruit, while human pickers generally make one pass, two at the most. The robots can pick more fruit because they can get more ripe fruit from a tree.

The Hindu

Failure of monsoon in some States, delays in getting a power connection for agriculture and government subsidies have contributed to an increase in the sale of solar-powered pumpsets in the country. According to the Indian Pump Manufacturers’ Association (IPMA), sale of solar- powered pumpsets saw more than 50% growth in 2016-2017 compared to the previous year.

Gas & Electricity 

A technology developed at the University of Chicago, and now being commercialized by a University startup, is addressing the intermittent nature of these renewable sources. Gas density calculator It uses a selectively evolved, unicellular microorganism that helps convert electricity into methane gas. Electricity el paso apartments That gas can be stored, transported and used wherever natural gas is used, including for the generation of power on demand.

The Hindu

Be it cookies, noodles, or even the traditional sweets, several retail outlets and supermarket shelves in the city now had varieties made out of millets. “The market is now teeming with food products made from millets such as ragi biscuits or pasta and noodles made of barnyard millet, ladoos made of thinai and many more,” says Jaffer Sadiq, an agricultural development executive of Sanlak Agro industries, that makes products using millets.

The New Indian Express

They say the grass is greener on the other side. But for Suresh of Gorlakatte village, Challakere taluk, Chitradurga district, the grass is actually green on his side. He too has adopted the hydroponics system to grow green fodder. While every graduate dreams of a good job, Suresh turned towards dairy farming. And has been successful too. He started off with just a couple of cows. Today, his Preetham Dairy Farm boasts of 100 head of cattle.

The Indian Express

At the inaugural function ofthe 13th edition of the “Krishi Mahotsav” at Nadiad on Saturday, state agriculture minister Chimanbhai Sapariya said the agricultural income of Gujarat has risen to Rs 1.26 lakh crore from the Rs 9,000 crore in2005.

Telangana Today

Hyderabad-based startup Viven Innovatives has developed chemical-free fertilizer for the farming community. The company believes that there is a growing use of chemicals, which is spoiling the soil quality and consistent use of chemicals will hamper cultivation in future. It wants to eradicate the use of urea in farming and wants to bring in more organic farming.

The New Indian Express

The crop insurance sector is expected to see 20-25 per cent growth in FY18, as the government’s thrust and increasing awareness levels are leading to the rise in acreage and sum being insured under crop insurance. According to the observation of agriculture insurance companies, while the premium of Rs 5,700 were collected under crop insurance and 3.09 crore farmers were covered in FY16, the amount of premium collected rose four-fold to Rs 21,500 crore in FY17 and the number of farmers covered rose to 3.90 crore.

The Times of India 

Even as the government has been quite cautious of taking its final call on the fate of genetically modified (GM) food crops in India, its think-tank NITI Aayog has pitched for opting transgenic seeds arguing its importance in ensuring agricultural growth in the country. The Aayog, however, favoured only those varieties which are developed by Indian research institutions and companies.

Punjabi Jagran

The farmers badly affected by attack of white fly on their cotton crop, once again ready to grow cotton crop on large scale. In this season PAU and agriculture department is ready to provide full support to malwa region farmers where they are ready to grow cotton crop with full intreast. Agriculture scientist Dr. Gurjinder Singh had told through his survey that farmers will grow only those BT cotton varities that are approved by PAU and agriculture department.

Dainik Jagran

The organic fertilizer prepared from bacteria will increase the production of rice crop said PAU. PAU had found one bacteria that increase the production of rice crop by 6 percent and will increase the productivity of soil. The name of this bacteria is Azorhizobium. The effect of Azorhizobium and vam inoculation on fertilizer economy and nutrient sources had improved the productivity as well as soil-health in jute and purpose linseed can be obtained by sowing of these varieties.

IndiaBlooms.in

ISAAA’s report, “Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2016,” continues to demonstrate the long-standing benefits of biotech crops for farmers in developing and industrialized countries, as well as consumer benefits of recently approved and commercialized varieties. “Biotech crops have become a vital agricultural resource for farmers around the world because of the immense benefits for improved productivity and profitability, as well as conservation efforts,” said ISAAA Chair of the Board, Paul S. Teng.

The Financial Express

Flash floods have washed away crops in northeastern Bangladesh that would have yielded nearly 700,000 tonnes of rice, according to estimates from the agriculture ministry. The fields hit by the floods were about to be harvested, a major blow to the south Asian country, where local rice prices have hit an all-time high and reserves of the staple grain have dipped to a six-year low. The flooding triggered by heavy pre-monsoon rains also damaged other crops and fisheries in the marshy areas in the country’s northeastern region, affecting millions of people. The government has allocated 100 million taka ($1.2 million) in emergency aid for people in the flood-hit areas.

Business Standard

The Dubai-based DP World and National Investment Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) have signed an MoU to develop projects spanning the port and logistics sectors including opportunities under the Sagarmala initiative, the dedicated freight corridors and logistics infrastructure aimed at reducing agriculture produce losses.

Hindustan Times

In a move to expand its footprint all over the world, country’s largest agri-irrigation solution firm Jain Irrigation Systems Limited (JISL), spread over 2,100-acre land in Jain Hills with more than 10,500 associates and 30 locations across the globe, is planning to expand its existing business verticals and looking for more overseas acquisitions in the near future.

Hindustan Times The Financial Express The Economic Times BTVi Reuters Yahoo Finance Business Standard The Financial Express The Indian Express

Syngenta sells its products in more than 90 countries under such brand names as Acuron, Axial, Beacon and Callisto. It sells seeds such as cereals, corn, rice, soybeans and vegetables. The other deals in the sector are a $130 billion proposed merger of Dow Chemical and DuPont, and Bayer’s plan to merge with Monsanto.

The Hindu Business Line

The entrepreneurial ecosystem in Raigad, Maharashtra, is set for a fillip with NABARD Financial Services Limited, a subsidiary of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), initiating its direct lending operations in Raigad in partnership with Swades Foundation. The partnership, according to a release, will enable rural households in Raigad engaged in dairy activities to access the formal credit market at reasonable interest rates.

The Wire

Ramanathan recalls the initial days of euphoria. Suddenly there seemed to be plenty of water. Combined with the green revolution practices of using chemical fertilisers and pesticides, farmers enjoyed good farm income for the first time. However, their success was short-lived. After a decade, their expenditure on the farm inputs increased. Beyond a point, the yield not only did not increase but started decreasing.

The Economic Times

In lockstep with the prime minister’s ‘per drop more crop’ initiative, micro-irrigation companies are expanding in India to water more than half a million hectares of farmland in the sowing seasons.

Scroll

Given the state of affairs, if provided with small pumps, and extending it to regions beyond South Kamrup, it is entirely possible to double the income of small and marginal farmers in Assam. The government might want to intervene to reach this large number of farmers, who are still facing distress in agriculture and migrating in large numbers to cities, with a solution as simple as a small water pump.

Business Standard

Over the last few months, the Indian twittersphere has been awash with citizens concerned about government websites leaking millions of individual digital ID numbers. On May 1, the Centre for Internet and Society, a multi-disciplinary think tank in Bangalore, released a report indicating that faulty information security practices have exposed as many as 135 million ID numbers, leaked from four government databases.

The Hindu 

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Sudarshan Bhagat has said that the fisheries sector has a lot of potential to bring about nutritional security among the poor and malnourished farm families and double their income. He was addressing a meeting during a visit to ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) on Friday to review its activities.

The Times of India 

The ‘rice bowl’ of Kerala that produces more than 50% of the total paddy produced in the state has taken up an ambitious upland and fallow land paddy cultivation in the district with central and state government assistance. The agriculture department, encouraged by the success of upland paddy cultivation taken up in over 200 hectares last year, is planning to bring over 2,000 hectares during the current pre-monsoon season of April-May.

Moneycontrol 

The Cabinet has approved the restructuring of the scheme for agro-marine processing and development of agro-processing clusters (SAMPADA). Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the SAMPADA scheme is going to be an overarching umbrella scheme.

Daily Post

The Modi government’s fight against black money will be rendered incomplete if the agricultural sector is not brought within its ambit. Secondly, it hardly makes sense to keep big farmers and agricultural companies out of purview of the tax department. Companies like Kaveri Seeds and multinational Monsanto India claimed exemption of Rs 186 crore and Rs 94 crore as agricultural income in the year 2014-15.

The Hindu Business Line

Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation has completed the process of demerging its core business — fertiliser and technical ammonium nitrate — into a wholly-owned subsidiary Smartchem Technologies.

The Financial Express

With Securities & Exchange Board of India (Sebi) setting the stage for launch of commodity options, market participants are excited about this new product offering, which has the potential to change the landscape of exchange traded commodity markets. Till date, the only instrument available for commodity price risk management is futures.

The Hindu Business Line

“Scientists in the US have been able to increase oleic content in salower through genetic modification, but that may not be a preferred mode as India is yet to approve any GM food crop,” the scientist said.

Fibre2Fashion

DuPont and the Dow Chemical Company have got conditional regulatory approval of their proposed merger of equals from China’s Ministry of Commerce. The approval is conditional on the two fulfilling their commitments in connection with the clearance. The two companies have been seeking regulatory clearances around the world for the proposed merger.

Live mint

The change in the mix can benefit Kaveri as the company derives three-fifth of its revenues from cotton seeds. It has a wide reach and products with good brand recall. “Kaveri is likely to gain market share on the back of new product launches such as ‘Money Maker’ which has got encouraging results during trial last year. Jadoo and ATM are also expected to see good demand,” Emkay added.

India Today

Australia today evinced keen interest in assisting Haryana in technology transfer for best practices in agriculture, silo technology for food storage, fisheries and animal husbandry. This was informed by Australian High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu who met state Agriculture and Farmers? Welfare Minister Om Prakash Dhankar here.

The Times of India

5 lakh hectares in Punjab and state expects a bumper harvest this year. The state pollution control board, agriculture department and the districts are keeping a watch over burning of straw through remote sensing. Nearly 200 farmers have been fined in various districts till May 3. On Thursday, seven farmers were fined Rs 17,500 for burning straw in Muktsar district.

The Indian Express

The Sena chief also expressed concerns about security as vehicles entering the city would no longer be checked after octroi is scrapped. In the wake of opposition parties’ state-wide campaign seeking farm loan waiver, Uddhav asked party legislators to assess problems of farmers in 46 Assembly constituencies of Marathwada region, the source said.

The Financial Express

The Agricultural And Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is making all efforts to ensure production of export-compliant basmati rice in the country, according to a senior official from the body. It will be working closely with the governments of seven states that produce basmati rice and run awareness campaigns among the rice farmers for selective use of pesticides in cultivation, keeping in view the target market.

Hindustan Times

A 16-member delegation, including two ministers, legislators and presiding officers of the Maharashtra legislature left for a 14-day study tour of Australia, New Zealand and Singapore on Sunday. On the agenda: A visit to local parliaments and studying their laws on farm loans. The delegation, comprising state agriculture minister Pandurang Fundkar, food and civil supplies minister Girish Bapat and his wife, chairman and deputy chairman of the legislative council Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar and Manikrao Thakre respectively, speaker of the Assembly Haribhau Bagde and four MLAs from the state legislative council.

Hindi Business Standard

The state of Madhya Pradesh (MP) saw a 30 per cent increase in agricultural output last year. While it came on the back of two weak years, since 2008 the annualised growth has been 20 per cent (a remarkable 10 per cent a year in real terms). Agriculture has now increased to 38 per cent of its total output, versus 17 per cent (and falling) for India on average. The state of Andhra Pradesh (AP) did not see much of a slowdown in its agricultural output even during the drought years:

The Economic Times 

Rural economy in many parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh has been affected with distress in the farm sector impacting allied sectors such as dairy and poultry, wherein deteriorated spending led to pressure on farm inputs, mechanisation, FMCG, automobile and lending. Analysts and sectoral observers say the consecutive near-drought conditions in the two Telugu-speaking states, ­which contribute to a major share of businesses, are responsible for the subdued and muted growth in man .

The Financial Express

In this sector, it is NITI’s suggestion that price control on seeds be done away with in order to encourage seed R&D that has upset SIM, as has the one on how GM technology must be encouraged given its potential to raise yields and to come up with solutions for flood/ drought/ saline/high-temperatures that will increasingly be the norm. Sadly, NITI seems to have fallen for urban legend on seed companies ripping off farmers, so it recommends “limiting GM seeds to those varieties discovered by our own institutions and companies”.

The Freepress Journal

Two Krishi Vigyan Melas and 62 block level seminars were organised in the first 12 days of Krishi Mahotsav. Information on various techniques, new farming methods, new seeds, agriculture equipments, balanced fertiliser, agriculture produces, change in crops cycle, agriculture forestry, less input cost in agriculture, organic farming, horticulture crops etc. were provided to over 7.2 lakh farmers in 13,082 gram panchayats by agriculture experts, progressive farmers and officers.

 

The Hindu

Broadly backing NITI Aayog member Bibek Debroy and Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian, new CII president Shobana Kamineni has batted for taxation of agricultural income above a certain threshold, but also pitched for steps including cutting corporate income tax to 18% along with removal of all incentives, to help India achieve a 10%plus GDP growth by 2019-20.

Mumbai Mirror

Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray has deferred his summer vacation and will instead reach out to farmers from across the state. In a clear indication that the Sena is now going rural to cash in on the anti-government sentiment in the farming community, Uddhav will embark on a tour of Marathwada from May 6 to reach out to farmers. While the Sena is known to be a largely urban party, as most of its ministers and key leaders belong to cities, the party is now looking to increase its footprint in rural areas in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha and state assembly elections.

Financial Chronicle

Agricultural commodities are witnessing a slide in A prices in recent days. It is important to appreciate that there are many factors responsible for suppressed prices. I still consider this to be a short-to medium-term phenomenon.

The Economic Times

The food processing industries and horticulture department has asked the rural agricultural farms to begin organic farming and assured them of technical assistance as well as help in promotion and marketing. The department will supply greenhouses and pack houses along with organic fertilizers. It will also provide cars to ferry those farm products to the markets.

ET Auto

Praj Industries, the global process solutions company, on Thursday said it has commenced its first integrated second generation technology (2G) smart bio-refinery to produce ethanol from agri-waste in Gujarat. The 2G demo plant produces ethanol by processing a variety of agri-residue like rice and wheat straw, cotton stalk, bagasse, cane trash, corn cobs and stover, into ethanol, with superior product yields, the company said in a statement issued here.

Udaipur Kiran

Today, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) released its annual report showcasing the 110-fold increase in adoption rate of biotech crops globally in just 21 years of commercialization – growing from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 185.1 million hectares in 2016. ISAAA’s report, “Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2016,” continues to demonstrate the long-standing benefits of biotech crops for farmers in developing and industrialized countries, as well as consumer benefits of recently approved and commercialized varieties.

India Today Outlook

Under this agreement, the product would be labelled as “the hybrids developed by Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and seed produced and marketed by VNR Seeds Pvt. Ltd,” he informed. A S Dhatt, head, department of vegetable science, said the dark purple colour brinjal hybrid is good for bartha making.

Financial Chronicle

Coincidentally, urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu met agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh at the latter’s residence and sought government procurement of red chillies in Andhra Pradesh and Telengana as farmers are agitated over the fall in market prices. Singh said: “Under the market intervention scheme (MIS), we are providing Rs 5,000/qtl support to chilli growers in the states, and additional Rs 1,250/qtl for packaging.” The farmers’ distress over dip in prices of agricultural produces is not confined to one or two states, but is spread across the country

The Economic Times 

The white unicorn painting in Mahindra Group’s strategy office, run by former GE veteran Anish Shah, marks the transformational changes taking place at the 72-year-old auto-to-IT conglomerate that hopes to ride the disruption wave sweeping the industry.

The Hindu Business Line

Soon enough you’ll be able to talk to your computer or phone to perform any task — right from creating a document to checking how much balance you have in your account and it could be online retailer Amazon driving that transformation. And you could do this in Bhojpuri or even Tulu. “Voice is going to be one of the main interfaces in the way consumers will consume digital services in the future,” Werner Vogels, Amazon’s Chief Technology Officer, told BusinessLine in an interview, while acknowledging that learning local languages such as Tulu, spoken by a relatively small population in coastal Karnataka, is still a challenge.

Financial Chronicle

The universal decline of commodities, mineral as well as agricultural, is a long-term global phenomenon that began in 2013-14. In most of the commodities, the world’s production growth is more than its consumption increase. Slow and jobless economic recovery worldwide, fall in crude oil prices and glut in foodgrains and oilseeds production in successive years are key contributing factors to this trend. China, which once had a seemingly insatiable appetite for commodities, be it crude oil or soybean, is now slowing down. Its raw material consumption is highly dependent on export demand for its finished and intermediate goods.

CXO Today

For most of us, there isn’t a day in our life that passes without the use of passwords or PINs. And perhaps there also isn’t a day in our life that passes without us mistyping or forgetting and resetting a password or PIN. Mobile phones with small touchless keyboard have made the problem even worse. Thankfully nature has a solution. It is the use of biometrics. Each one of us have unique body features – face, fingerprints, eyes (iris) – that can be used as password or PINs that we will don’t have to remember and we will never forget.

Tech Hub

Picking apples may seem like a fun weekend activity, but it’s actually backbreaking manual labor. Abundant Robotics wants to help agricultural growers shoulder this task and today announced funding of $10 million, led by GV, to commercialize its apple-picking robot. Apple growers generate about $50 billion in revenue globally, yet the apple picking process hasn’t undergone any significant change in the last 100 years, says Abundant Robotic’s cofounder and CEO, Dan Steere.

Net India 123

As many as 75 best hackers will come together at ICT4D Data Jam to come out with technology solutions for some of the challenges faced by farmers, a statement said on Wednesday. The two-day hackathon on May 12-13 will be held at ICRISAT at Patancheru near Hyderabad.

The Hans India

Secondly, it hardly makes sense to keep big farmers and agricultural companies out of purview of the tax department. Companies like Kaveri Seeds and multinational Monsanto India claimed exemption of Rs 186 crore and Rs 94 crore as agricultural income in the year 201415. Surely such companies and farmers owning land above a certain threshold can be brought under the tax net.

The Statesman

By visiting the same flowers of a particular species in one outing, much higher quality pollination occurs — rather than spreading many different pollens to different plants, all plants of one species get an even distribution of vital pollen from others of its same species. The bees are disappearing for one major reason — the use of neonicotinoid pesticides. I have repeatedly asked the government to ban these, but they refuse because they need these terrible pesticides for the GM Cotton crops which Monsanto forced on India by promising that these cotton crops would not need any pesticides at all.

The Hindu Business Line 

Kerala will house the country’s first UN Technology Innovation Lab that will help the state government design programmes to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN. The state government will soon join hands with the Office of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) of the UN for the purpose. The Kerala Startup Mission will pilot the initiative.

The Hindu

To ensure that investments in research better translate to more products and bolster “innovation and development” The National Institution for the Transformation of India (NITI) Aayog has recommended that faculty at “world class” institutions prioritise research and be allowed to “reduce their teaching responsibility,” if required.

The Hindu

D.P. Biradar, Vice-Chancellor, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, stressed upon the need to overhaul the agriculture education system in India by providing more emphasis on research. He was speaking after inaugurating a national conference titled ‘Postgraduation education in agriculture universities: New paradigms’ at the University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences in Shivamogga on Wednesday.

The Indian Express 

Farmers in this major arhar-producing district of Maharashtra have reasons to be unhappy with the turn of events in the last one year. After realising prices ranging from Rs 8,000 to as high as Rs 9,500 per quintal last January-February, they have had to sell their crop in the current harvesting season at Rs 4,000-4,500. Worse, the rates haven’t improved even after the peak arrival period is over.

The Financial Express

One newspaper has articulated the official position when it says that, thanks to fragmentation of land, farming has become unremunerative—it says that while income tax is charged only at incomes of Rs 2.5 lakh a year, a farmer needs to have at least 10 hectares to earn as much. So, quoting an NSS study, it concludes, only a minuscule minority of those with an agriculture income will come into the tax net.

The Financial Express

The Union food ministry has recommended 7 5% for foodgrain and freeing sugar from jute packaging order, the sources said. In simple terms, the Jute Packaging Materials Act 1987 mandates governments to use jute sackings for mandatory foodgrain and sugar packaging.

Free Press Journal

Our approach is think global act local. With a humble beginning in India in 1997, Netafim has grown with a CAGR of 20 per cent plus since then and proud to serve today more than 6 lakh farmers. Our objective remained to help Indian farmers ‘Grow More, With Less’. Today, we have a PAN India presence, with 1,500 dealers, 1,000 staff and 3 manufacturing facilities. India has had tremendous potential in agricultural sector and this is what kept us moving and motivating to do better and better.

Deshdoot

Keeping farming and farmer central, a substantial provision has been made for development of agriculture sector in this year’s budget. Government is taking special efforts for sustainable farming and empowerment of farmers, stated state Medical Education, Water Resources and District Guardian Minister Girish Mahajan.

The Times of India 

A huge section of farmers are moving away from agriculture due to farming distress and agriculture crisis. However, another class of new age farmers is emerging that either had nothing to do with agriculture till now but taking to agriculture or those who were agriculturist but are switching from chemical-based (fertilizer and pesticides) to natural farming.

Business Standard

The Modi government had constituted the NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog as a successor to the Planning Commission on January 1, 2015, to foster cooperative federalism. However, barely two-and-a-half years since its creation, the SJM and other Sangh Parivar outfits such as the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party farmers’ cell have in recent weeks protested the support of the Aayog to Genetically Modified (GM) crops and its suggestions that farm incomes be taxed.

India Infoline

Maharashtra government is believed to be planning to deregulate foodgrain to facilitate a direct market between farmers and consumers. The new plan is believed to be enthused by farmer’s response to the delisting of vegetables and fruits from the purview of the Agriculture Produce (Marketing & Regulation) Act.

The Times of India

Minimum support price (MSP) is a central government announced price for each crop and is the same for all the states. According to the norms, it is binding on the traders to not purchase anything from the farmers for less than the MSP. However, these norms are not followed leading to massive exploitation and losses of the farmers.

The Financial Express

In A Bid to boost processing and curb wastage of agricultural and marine products, the Cabinet on Wednesday announced a scheme for Agro-Marine Produce Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters (SAlVIPADA) with an outlay of 26,000 crore during 2016 -2020.

The Indian Express

The objective of the group farming policy is to make agriculture economically feasible for small and marginal farmers with land holding up to 2 hectares or less. The model entails a group of 20 farmers joining hands with 100 hectares of land and working jointly. The state government would provide all incentives and support in terms of crop pattern, scientific farm practices for better water management and intense cropping.

The Times of India

The sudden rain accompanied by hailstorm in the district on Sunday has hit the standing crop and orchards cultivated across 4,228.9 hectare of farmland. In a survey by the district agriculture department after the natural calamity, it was found that around 12,194 farmers were affected in the district. Based on its findings, the department has compiled a report and sent it to senior authorities to decide the future course of action.

The Times of India 

Plantings of genetically modified (GMO) crops rebounded in 2016 from a decline the prior year, led by increased sowings in Brazil and the United States, according to an annual report released on Wednesday. Biotech crops were planted on a record 185.1 million hectares (457.4 million acres) last year, up 3 percent from the 179.7 hectares (444.0 million acres) planted a year earlier, said the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), the group that released the data.

The Times of India

Haryana State Pollution Control Board has challaned 296 farmers for burning wheat stubble in their fields . Haryana environment minister Vipul Goel said the action was part of the special drive carried out in the state over the past three days.

The Economic Times

While the agrochemicals sector reported lack-lustre business in the two states, the fertilizer sector maintained its sales during the drought years, claimed industry associations. The hybrid seeds sector was impacted during bad monsoons, with farmers shifting trust to traditional non-hybrid seeds.

The Economic Times

Not farther than 25 km from the Cholaera Grand Anicut that symbolises Tamil Nadu’s agricultural prowess, Pudhukudi wilts in ironic distress. Its farms, indistinguishable from fallow, barely pass as sparse grazing fields for the scrawny cattle braving the midsummer heat as farmers desolately stare into the distance. As the heat peaks post noon, village youth drive the goats and cows into pens attached to houses lest they meander on to the highway .

The Indian Express

Noting that this was the season for slow burning of wheat straws, petitioner Vikrant Tongad said the green tribunal sought an explanation for why this practice continued despite the ban. “We submitted photographs to the NGT which prompted the court to seek a compliance report from Punjab, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan on the action taken against erring farmers, fines levied on them and the subsidy that has to be given to farmers to tackle this situation,” he said.

Nagaland Post

Agriculture minister Aghore Debbarma said pre-monsoon rain and a series of Nor’westers caused untold damage to Sepahijala, Gomati and south Tripura districts while other districts were relatively less affected. Jhum cultivation also suffered damages. “The situation has worsened with insurance companies dragging their feet on paying insurance money for crop loss under the much-hyped ‘Prime Minister’s Fasal Bima Yojana’,” alleged Debbarma.

The Financial Express

This piece is not meant to stir the pot on agricultural income taxation further, but will state some facts. First, Section 2(1A) of Income Tax Act defines agricultural income as rent/revenue from land, income derived from this land through agriculture and also income derived from buildings on that land. Second, Section 10(1) of Income Tax Act excludes agricultural income from computation of total income.

The Economic Times The Financial Express

Secondly, it hardly makes sense to keep big farmers and agricultural companies out of purview of the tax department. Companies like Kaveri Seeds and multinational Monsanto India claimed exemption of Rs 186 crore and Rs 94 crore as agricultural income in the year 2014-15. Surely such companies and farmers owning land above a certain threshold can be brought under the tax net. Third, the scale of tax exemption in the sector is such that the government will have to consider levying income tax on them. Bibek Debroy pointed out that two-thirds of India’s 225 million households are in rural India and are effectively not taxed.

The Better India 

The ICICI Digital Villages is the culmination of a pledge made by the banking team in November 2016 to complete the digitisation of 100 villages in 100 days. The villages are spread in 17 states across the country. The announcement of the ICICI Digital Villages was made by Chanda Kochhar, Managing Director & CEO, ICICI Bank, at the Rural Summit – ‘Sashakt Gaon, Samriddh Bharat’, an event inaugurated by Arun Jaitley, Union Minister of Finance, Defence & Corporate Affairs.

Business Today

It shares all this information with a central server, ensuring that the trail of each and every transaction can be tracked by the government, which provides the subsidy, as well as fertiliser companies. The customer, too, has to share his Aadhaar number and follow the same authentication exercise. The idea is to help the government know exactly how much quantity was sold, by whom, from where, and when, and make the fertiliser distribution system transparent to curb leakages and corruption.

The Wire

The finance minister has, of course, issued a swift denial, but still, its mere mention in mainstream discourse is a crucial development. The taxation of agriculture income has been an issue considered strictly off-limits when it comes to Indian tax policy. From the inception of our republic under our Constitution, agriculture and the taxation of agricultural incomes has been a state subject. Accordingly, section 10(1) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, exempts agricultural income from taxation by the central government.

India Infoline

In a bid to improve profits and production efficiency for the farmers, the government is working on preparing a common agricultural market for all the farmers. The government also proposed a model law for resetting the fundamentals of the operations of the agricultural market on April 24, 2017. The proposal suggests facilitating the farmers with a wider choice of markets beyond the wholesale ‘mandis’ or markets in place of the present over-regulated and fragmented markets.

The Hindu

Subsidised and unmetered power supply to the farm sector in Haryana is leading to “inefficient” utilisation of groundwater and electricity on paddy cultivation, a study has found. It said an estimated amount of Rs 844 crore is being spent as power subsidy on excess consumption of electricity on the crop in the State.

The Indian Express

Though the local patwari and agriculture officer of the area were present, villagers of Ralla village in Mansa were not ready to listen. “Officials can calculate the area being set on fire, but they cannot stop us till the time they don’t give us any solution. This smoke will go up to Delhi once again,” said Inderjeet Singh, general secretary of Bharti Kisan Union (Dakaunda)’s Mansa unit.

The Hans India

As the National Commission on Farmers observed, “In an agrarian economy like India, the fluctuations and the levels of prices of farm produce have considerable impact on the growth of production, the inter-sectoral distribution of income and the purchasing power with the majority of the rural population, which to a large extent determines the growth trajectory of many industries. The Government has, therefore, to constantly watch and intervene, when necessary, in the matters concerning agriculture marketing.”

The Financial Express

The Centre on Tuesday sanctioned Rs 5 88 crore as relief to drought-affected Rajasthan. The decision was taken at a meeting of a high level committee chaired by home minister Rajnath Singh and attended by finance minister Arun Iaitley, besides others. The committee approved the assistance from the National Disaster Relief Fund in respect of Rajasthan to the tune of Rs 5 88.34 crore in the wake of drought of 2016-17, an official statement said.

The New Indian Express

The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday adopted a new policy for de-silting of dams and spreading the silt in farms for farmers’ benefit. According to the newly adopted policy, 31,459 out of 82,156 dams in the State would be de-silted and farmers would be allowed to carry the silt to their farms free of cost.

The Times of India

At present, farmers are left with around 10 lakh tonnes of tur dal. And even if one takes into account the quality—the government has set grades for procurement— farmers are waiting for about 5 lakh tonnes to be procured. This is because tur production touched at an all-time high this year, at 20 lakh tonnes. And farmers have been able to sell only a half of it — 4 lakh tonnes procured by the government under the Centre’s price stabilization scheme and nearly 5 lakh tonnes by private traders.

The Times of India

The state government will desilt 31,459 dams across the state. A proposal to remove the silt and distribute it free to farmers, who can use it as manure, was approved by the state cabinet on Tuesday. The project, at a cost of Rs 6,236 crore, will be done in phases over four years. It is estimated that there are 5.18 lakh cubic metres of silt in the dams. The government will issue contracts to remove the silt. The dams have a water storage capacity of 43 lakh cubic metres and irrigate 8.68 lakh hectares.

Livemint

Enthused by farmers’ response to the delisting of vegetables and fruits from the purview of the Agriculture Produce (Marketing and Regulation) Act, the Maharashtra government now plans to deregulate foodgrain to facilitate a direct market between farmers and consumers. Maharashtra’s minister of state for agriculture and marketing Sadabhau Khot announced this on Monday at the inauguration of a “farmer-consumer foodgrains and mango market” in Thane near Mumbai.

The Asian Age

Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil has proposed to the state that crops like sugarcane, cotton, rice, wheat, jowar, bajari, corn and food items like milk and eggs should be purchased by the government from farmers giving MSP. The government will either sell the items on its own or give it to ration shops to sell.

The Hindu Business Line

An enhanced allocation in farm credit — Rs 10 lakh crore, against Rs 9 lakh crore in FY17 — was one of the most impressive announcements in Budget 2017-18. This looks like a promising step towards fulfilling the Government’s objective of doubling farm income by 2022. This large budget allocation will help farmers to invest more and earn better profits in farm ventures.

The New Indian Express

Padhi reviewed the implementation of the health insurance scheme for farmers and people working in the unorganised sector at the first meeting of the governing council of State health Insurance Society here. According to official sources, 57,60,525 families were covered under BKKY and 44,08,070 under RSBY. The Centre is sharing 60 percent cost of RSBY while the remaining 40 percent is borne by the State Government.

The Morung Express

On the occasion of International Labour Day on May 1, the Mahila Kisan Adhikar Manch (MAKAAM) Nagaland chapter organized a State level consultation on ‘building convergence towards securing women farmers rights in Nagaland’ at Khonoma Rüfünuo Building, Kohima. The consultation brought together 38 participants comprising of women farmers from five districts of Nagaland, organizations supporting and working with women farmers, representatives from Labour & Employment Department, SIRD, and NABARD to deliberate on issues and concerns of women farmers, their role in sustainable development and realization of their rights.

The Hindu

The demand for wheat in the country will reach 140 million tonnes by 2050, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has said. I. S. Solanki, ADG, ICAR, said here that the country has so far recorded huge growth in wheat production.

Business Standard

Prerana Desai, vice-president at Edelweiss Agri Services and Credit, said: “Cotton has seen a unique season. In response to demonetisation, farmers delayed selling their produce and dictated the price through the season. As the seasonal price trough did not play out, the mills were caught unaware and missed out on an opportunity to make purchases at the lower prices.

The Economic Times

The mega merger is yet to be approved by regulators in the US, India, Brazil, Australia and Canada. China’s commerce ministry said that it has approved the merger on condition that Dupont divest its research and development department as well as assets related to pesticides and herbicides used in rice, such as metsulfuron-methyl, azimsulfuron, cyantraniliprole and chlorantraniliprole and indoxacarb.

India Today

The Automated Weather Stations (AWS) will be helpful in measuring the wind direction, wind speed, air temperature, relative humidity, and record the amount of rainfall. The gathered information will be shared among the farmers by making them available on Mahavedh portal (Maharashtra agriculture weather information network) as well as on the Skymet mobile application.

Financial Chronicle

To improve the falling yie­ld, the textile industry has sought the second edition of technology mission on cotton (TMC-II). The industry wants to bring back the TMC earlier launched in 2000 in a revised format with 4 mini missions. The mini missio­ns would give thrust on cotton technology development, cotton technology transfer, cotton lint preparation on par with international quality parameters and branding of Indian cotton and its textiles and clothing products.

The Hindu The Economic Times

As much as 69.32 lakh tonnes of wheat has so far arrived in Haryana during the ongoing Rabi marketing season, whereas over 64.59 lakh tonnes of wheat arrived during the corresponding period last year

The Times of India

The messages will be released every day around 6pm and will have information on cultivation practices, animal husbandry, weather, government schemes related to agriculture etc. “We have a list of 1.5 lakh farmers, taluka wise from the state agriculture department.

Live Mint

Agriculture marketing is a state subject and the centre can only propose a blueprint. The eventual rollout will depend on the state governments. A model Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) law was first proposed in 2003 but made little progress.

The Hindu Business Line

Jain Irrigation has bought two irrigation and distribution companies – Agri-Valley Irrigation Inc and Irrigation Design and Construction Inc – for about Rs 315 crore ($48.5 million). With combined revenues of $113 million last year, the two companies will help Jain Irrigation distribute its agriculture technology portfolio.

Financial Express

The much-awaited three-year action agenda by the NITI Aayog has been put in the public domain. NITI, appointed by the Cabinet Resolution on January 7, 2015, was envisaged to act as a “knowledge and innovation hub and provide research inputs by undertaking and accessing globally available research”. One of the major mandates of the Aayog is “…the formulation of strategic vision and long-term policies and programme framework both for the macroeconomy and for different sectors of the economy”.

The Hindu Business Line

The comprehensive national strategy for standardisation of goods and services being worked out by the government and industry should not lose sight of immediate challenges, Commerce & Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said. “Any national strategy for standards should be able to factor in technology to disseminate any change in import requirements in foreign countries so that our exporters are well prepared to overcome those barriers.

First Post

The biggest were seed giants like Kaveri Seeds — which claimed Rs 186.63 crore exemption and made a profit of Rs 215 crore before tax and multinational Monsanto India, which claimed Rs 94 crore as exemption from agricultural income and earned Rs 138 crore profit before tax.”

The Times of India

“In view of urgency of the problem and the large benefit from putting an end to crop residue burning, a larger subsidy on the machine for limited time may eliminate the problem within the next three years,” said the Aayog.

The Hans India

Red chilli farmers are in the red, primarily because of the mismatch between the cost of cultivation and market prices. They are not getting back their investments. They have offers as low as Rs 4,000 per quintal. Cost of cultivation has increased tremendously in the last one year, not just because of manual labour and pesticide costs.

Telangana Today

The government will take stringent action if the information gathered is not factual. If the government has facts before it all the programmes can be implemented smoothly and effectively. Agriculture officers will visit each farmer and the farmers should give all the required information and cooperate with him,” the CM said.

The Hindu

Tomato farmers in several parts of Kolar are dumping their crop with prices crashing to as low as Rs 2 to Rs 3 a kg in the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMC) in the district. Many are facing ruin. “I had cultivated tomato on a two-acre plot and invested Rs 2 lakh.

The Hindu Business Line

Imagine farming in India and the picture that immediately comes to mind are wizened old men, bare-chested, oxen pulling ploughs and women bent over either planting saplings or helping harvest the crops. Of course, there is the occasional tractor and the combine harvester, but the image is always one of age-old practices. This may not be the true picture, but that is the lingering image reinforced partly by the small farm holdings that prevents large scale mechanisation, the poor productivity compared to other nations, the huge amount of wastage from farm to fork and the low income that farmers earn.

The Economic Times

For paddy, the state government promised Rs 5,465 an acre, which many farmers in the Cauvery delta have reported to have received in their accounts. ARIYALUR: Everyone else may love a good drought, but not the victims who stare at a dim future. As serious drought looms large over South India, farmers live in distress and despair fearing a steep drop in acre age and yields.

The Economic Times

Resil Chemicals today said it is looking to expand into new international markets in a phased manner. The company is a leading manufacturer of chemicals for industries, ranging from textiles to pharmaceuticals and agriculture. “Using various technologies, we have successfully been able to make customised products for individual customers and niche applications. We are now looking at expanding in global market in a phased manner,” Resil Chemicals N9 Technologies M.

Indian Strategic Studies

Although only in the early stages of implementation for China, genetically modified (GM) crops may provide one potential solution to improve environmental resistance and enhance yields. China currently only permits the growing of GM cotton and papayas, but plans to open its agricultural sector up to other GM staple crops like soybeans and corn.

The Times of India

Named as “mission on sustainable dry land agriculture” (MSDA), the scheme would cover 5,000 hectares in five clusters Marungapuri, Vaiyampatti, Thottiyam, Thuraiyur and Thathaingarpettai in the district which were all rain-fed areas without access to water from Cauvery or Kollidam rivers.

Livemint

RNAi has huge significance within the Indian context, considering the deep-seated resistance over the years to Bt cotton and other genetically modified seeds. Recently, genetically modified mustard received regulatory approval from the genetic engineering appraisal committee, only to get stalled later on account of a petition filed before the Supreme Court.

Fibre2Fashion

Apr ’17 Indian Government is working to revamp the technology mission on cotton. There already have been a series of meetings with stakeholders and researchers in this connection. The revamped cotton mission is expected to have four parts two to deal with cotton productivity under the agriculture ministry and the other two to be under the textiles ministry.

The Hindu

In the Northern reaches of Karnataka State, where arid land stretches to the horizon and droughts and floods are frequent, it is little drops of water that have helped Basavraj Patil Bardabad’s farm in Bidar district remain green. The 55-year-old had purchased a farm around eight years ago, and before “drip irrigation” was a buzz word in policy, he ensured that 5.5 acres were irrigated through an intricate series of pipes. The investment of ₹1.5 lakh paid off immediately.

Sify News

The Maharashtra Government on Sunday successfully installed first-of-its-kind automated weather stations for the farmers in the region. Being the first state in India to implement this technology, the government is aiming to install a total of 2065 units at the village/mandal level. The weather stations have been designed in a manner to accurately predict rainfall patterns and level of humidity present in the area. Furthermore, the machines are also equipped to guide farmers on the best crop available for them to cultivate.

The Hans India

In yet another move to appease the farming community, Telangana Chief Minister  K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday announced 24 hour power supply to agriculture sector from next year. Holding a meeting with Oil Palm farmers from Bhadradri Kothagudem district at Pragati Bhavan here, the chief minister said ‘ by coming year and year and half, efforts will be on to supply 24-hour power to the agriculture sector in the State.

Kractivist

We assembled to hear the opinions of the five judges who presided over the International Monsanto Tribunal. After taking six months to review the testimony of 28 witnesses who testified during the two-day citizens’ tribunal held in The Hague last October, the judges were ready to report on their 53-page Advisory Opinion.

The Indian Express

Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister Gaurishankar Bisen has reportedly said in a closed-door government meeting that 90 per cent of the wheat procured for distribution in his state through the PDS system is diverted illegally. The statement attributed to Bisen, who refused to elaborate on it later, comes at a time when there is talk about significant increase in wheat production in Madhya Pradesh.

The Economic Times

Mahindra & Mahindra says its farm equipment division head Rajesh Jejurikar, is on a mission. And the mission resonates with that of the government. “We will look at doubling the income of farmers,” says the 52-year-old.

The Economic Times

For insurers writing crop, fake claims is a major worry. Global reinsurance companies are squeezing capacity, because the bogus claims are hurting profitability. “The concern that reinsurers have is, if the profitability is low in a good year, what will happen in a bad year,” said Bhargav Dasgupta, managing director, ICICI Lombard General Insurance.

Your Story

At a session on startups at the Organics and Millets National Trade Fair, Karnataka’s Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and ITBT and Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge spoke passionately about bringing in tech in a big way in agriculture.

The Hindu

No restriction on depth of borewells: Collector Farmers’ representatives have urged the Public Works Department to expedite renovation and repair of irrigation canals and water courses utilising the drought condition. Raising the issue at the grievance meeting, a cross section of the farmers demanded desilting of various canals, water bodies and their inlet canals.

The Economic Times

Chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian on Friday further stoked the controversy over imposing tax on farm income and said that 29 states have option to levy tax on agriculture income and a clear distinction has to be made between rich and poor farmer.

The Indian Express

Mohali-based agriculture and food expert, Devender Sharma, said Niti Ayog had also floated a paper in this regard where they said that they want to promote direct buying from farmers. “This is a very cleverly worded statement as they want to dismantle Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs).

The Times of India

Syngenta will remain in Switzerland after ChemChina’s $43 billion planned takeover, the Swiss company’s chairman told weekly Sonntagszeitung in an interview published on Sunday. “In Switzerland we have reliable specialists with a strong work ethos. That is why we will certainly not relocate our production in Switzerland,” Michel Demare told the paper. No Swiss jobs will be lost because of the takeover, he said.

Samaj Premaya Prajatantra Sanmarg Navbharat Anupam Bharat

Work on rebuilding the shut fertiliser plants at Barauni (Bihar), Sindri (Jharkhand) and Talcher (Odisha) are expected to start within calendar year 2017 after the monsoon is over and these are expected to start production by 2020-21. The revival of the units will be undertaken by public sector units operating in the coal, and oil and gas sectors at a cost of `30,000 crore, including the defunct Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) fertiliser unit. The foundation stone for the revival of the Gorakhpur unit was laid last year.

The Hindu Business Line

Organic produce and millets grown in Karnataka will now be marketed under two new brands, as part of the State Agriculture Department’s efforts to encourage farming practices that are eco-friendly. The department has also decided to fund technology innovations in the agriculture sector and has earmarked ₹10 crore to assist start-ups.

Free Press Journal

Madhya Pradesh recorded highest agricultural growth (averaging 20%) in the country, for the last four years. The state ranked number one in terms of organic farming area in the country. Madhya Pradesh holds 1st position in wheat production, 1st position in soyabean production, 2nd position in onion production, 2nd position in orange production, 3rd position in tomato production and 5th position in maize production.

Dainik Bhaskar Amar Ujala The Financial Express

Haryana State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation (Hafed) has procured more than 1.6 7 lakh quintals of mustard seed under the price support scheme to save farmers from distress selling. The Haryana government started buying mustard seed from farmers as market prices last month fell below the minimum support price of Rs 3,700 per quintal of the crop.