Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
For first time in 14 yrs, area for Bt cotton declinesedit
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.
Here’s how farmers in Karnataka’s drought-hit districts have increased crop yieldsedit
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.
Is Bangalore becoming unliveable? Credit cards, ATMs to be dead soonedit
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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 big change in crop patternedit
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.
The other side of Indian agricultureedit
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.
ADB developing New Delhi as hub for South Asia operationsedit
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.
NITI Aayog pitches for GM seeds; RSS-linked body accuses it of serving interests of MNCsedit
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”.
‘Only genuine farm income must be exempt from tax’edit
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.
Agriculture Ministry proposes hike in tur dal import duty to 20%edit
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.
BBMP turns farmer’s best friendedit
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.
Chilli prices dropped further after govt announced compensationedit
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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.
Doubling farmers’ income: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to offer Rs 50 lakh incentive to boost group farming, water storageedit
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.
Farmers to get faster claims against their damaged crops with the help of drones and hand held devicesedit
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.
One Life, One Change: A vegetable market in Solan gets a new face with a few clicksedit
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.
Genome studiesedit
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.
Digging trenches saves crop at Ibrahimpuredit
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.
Farmer shows way in integrated cultivationedit
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.
Maharashtra govt’s Rs 50 lakh incentive for group farmingedit
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…”