Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Why did the government continue importing pulses when domestic production was growing?edit
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.
Why common agri market is a long way offedit
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.
We are Looking at Liberalisation as well as Consolidation of Issuesedit
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.
This Is How Small Water Pumps Can Transform The Lives Of Farmers In Assamedit
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.
T.N. against move to price groundwater for agricultureedit
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
Spurious seed marketing goes on unchecked; farmers unawareedit
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.
Pulses demand policy changeedit
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.
Power trouble: Farmers in Maharashtra to get only 16 hours electricity nowedit
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.
Mechanised cotton sowing catches onedit
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.
Inspection fee typo leaves pulses imports strandededit
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.
In month of May in cotton’s price tremendous decreaseedit
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
Govt to take organic route for pineappleedit
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.
Financial package for NAFED likely this monthedit
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.
Andhra Pradesh ties up with Iowa state in the US to promote farm best practicesedit
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.
AgriMin to buy 1 lakh tonnes tur dal from Maha under PSSedit
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.
Agrarian crisis: Farmers raise the pitch against loan recoveryedit
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.”
Supporting new-age farmersedit
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.
Bayer to sell Liberty crop protection brands to get merger nodedit
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.
Akzo’s Third Snub of PPG Raises Prospect of Hostile Approachedit
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.
This Duo Left Behind Lucrative Careers to Help You Know Your Farmers & See How Your Food Is Grownedit
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.
Agricultural Robots Market to Grow to $27.1B in 6 Yearsedit
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.
Training on strengthening of Self Help Groups heldedit
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.
The party in the markets will end soon: Jim Rogersedit
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…
NITI Aayog pitches for GM seeds; RSS-linked body accuses it of serving interests of MNCsedit
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.