Core Sector Communique

The World Economic Forum’s annual list of emerging technologies includes new techniques that allow drinking water to be harvested from air, and “artificial leaves” that convert CO2 into fuel; other technologies include applications for medicine, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and farming.

Tech Crunch

Infarm, a 40-plus person startup based in Berlin is developing an “indoor vertical farming” system capable of growing anything from herbs, lettuce and other vegetables, and even fruit.

The Times of India

“Boosting the levels of this chloroplast signal also restores tolerance in drought-sensitive plants and extended their drought survival by about 50 per cent,” said Kai Chan from ANU. Boosting the chloroplast signal, by breeding, genetic or agronomic strategies, could be the key to help plants preserve water and boost drought tolerance, he said.

MINT

It’s finally starting to look like the world wheat glut has peaked. Dry, hot weather from the US to Europe is taking its toll on crops, and the US government is forecasting global output will fall for the first time in five seasons.

The Indian Express

Agriculture and water management expert Madhav Chitale believes a strong rural banking network replacing the existing pre-Independence-era money lending system in Maharashtra can go a long way in giving fresh impetus to the rural economy and stop exploitation of the poor and needy farmers.

MINT

Ashok Gulati, Former chairman, Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices; Abhijit Sen, former adviser (agriculture) in the Planning Commission: and Neelkanth Mishra. India equity strategist for Credit Suisse, answer these questions, Gulati believes in the next few months this farm loan waiver issue is going to be a contagion which other states will also have to follow.

The Economic Times

India’s first government-owned co-working space for startups is set to come up in Mangaluru, offering cutting-edge technology such as 3D printing and new-age digital infrastructure, such as high-speed Internet.  It would have several specialised incubation centres, and 20 tinkering labs for schools aimed at encouraging the creation of innovative solutions in areas such as agriculture, health and education.

The Times of India

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said that the BJP government in the state has disbursed the highest ever compensation of Rs 2,400 crore to the farmers. Such an amount had not be disbursed to farmers in the past 48 years, he claimed.

The Indian Express

From July 1, farmers will pay a flat 12 per cent goods and services tax (GST) on fertilisers, as against current levies ranging from 1.03 per cent to 7.03 per cent depending on various states. But the big question that people in the industry are asking is this: How will the higher duty be recovered from farmers for an estimated 65 lakh tonnes (lt) of bagged fertiliser material worth around Rs 9,500 crore, on which the existing maximum retail price (MRP) has already been printed?

Hindustan Times

The Centre had announced another loan waiver in 2008, which was fraught with irregularities. This time, the state will train officials from the banks and its cooperation department on the procedures to stop misappropriation of funds. And to avoid confusion among farmers, a government resolution (GR) formally announcing which of them are eligible for a loan will be issued at the earliest.

The Hans India

Taxing agricultural income has been an emotive subject in the Indian context. However, taxing agricultural income at minimal rates of about 5% can help rather than hurt our poor farmers. Finance minister Arun Jaitley has categorically stated that government has no plan to tax agricultural income. This followed a proposal by Niti Aayog member Bibek Debroy to levy such a tax.

Hindustan Times

Speaking at Aurangabad, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray also took credit for the government’s decision to grant a farm loan waiver in the state. “The Shiv Sena managed to get a farm loan waiver out of people who equated demands for a loan waiver to being a fashion statement. The government had to grant a loan waiver because farmers and the Shiv Sena came together,” he said.

The Hans India

Vegetable prices are increasing at the Vijayawada Rythu Bazaars making the common man think twice before he buys them. Prices of most of the vegetables, which are used daily like tomato, green chilli, coriander leaves, brinjal and carrot were on the rise when compared to the previous month.

MINT

The practice of consuming millets as part of the daily diet is not new to India. “Millets had been the major staple food in central India, Southern India and hilly regions of Uttarakhand for centuries till the time of the Green Revolution. After the advent of high-yielding varieties of rice and wheat during the 1970s, millets got sidelined from our food basket,” says Vilas A. Tonapi, director of the Indian Institute of Millets Research in Hyderabad. The reason for this is lack of awareness about the nutritional benefits.

The Times of India

“Cotton buying by mills has reduced noticeably as mills are preferring to keep minimum stock,” said Nirav Patel of a city-based cotton export house. “The purchases are expected to remain low till things become clear after the GST is rolled out.” Patel said that purchases from even exporters had declined as there is still confusion over whether exporters will get duty draw back on cotton purchased before June 30.

The Indian Economist

Transgenic varieties of seeds have increasingly incensed the fervent discourse on genetically modified (GM) crops. This time, it’s genetically modified mustard that’s making the news.