DNA

Maize rabi prices remained higher for the second session and added Rs 15 to Rs 1,310 per quintal in futures trade today as traders raised holdings in line with upbeat spot cues.

The Hindu

Farmers in the Cauvery and Kabini command area are disheartened following the government’s decision to release water only for replenishing tanks and the restriction on cultivation of paddy and sugarcane.

Nasdaq

Agriculture has been at the core of the evolution of human civilization, thriving alongside humanity. However, despite its crucial role, the agricultural industry has advanced at a slower pace as compared to other trades. This is partially because of the complacency in the farm sector. However, this is fast changing. Here are some of the challenges facing agriculture, and how advanced technologies are getting integrated to benefit the farming sector.

The Indian Express

The poor rate of Basmati (fine quality aromatic rice) which Punjab farmers have been getting for the past few years has resulted in reduced acreage and, in the past four years, the area of cultivation has decreased to nearly half under the crop. Scientists say that due to decrease in Basmati cultivation, the area under paddy rice (Parimal varieties) has increased automatically which is bad news for Punjab where 102 out of 141 agricultural blocks have already gone dry.

The Financial Express

Pink bollworm pest has affected cotton crop in parts of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Maharashtra as resistance to the pest in some transgenic varieties has reduced. The Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) in Nagpur has reported damage due to the pest in the three states, minister of state for agriculture Parshottam Rupala informed parliament recently.

The Hindu

With early onset of monsoon rains in June, farmers had sown crops well in advance. Cotton was sown in 1.98 lakh acres followed by paddy in 40,000 acres, red-gram in 38,000 acres, maize in 32,000 acres and soya in 31,000 acres. However, prolonged dry spell for more than three weeks made the crops wither and some of them had even reached the stage of wilting.

The Hindu

These laboratories would certify the quality of the farm produce arriving at the market so that farmers could obtain remunerative prices to their produce, Agriculture Department Secretary C. Parthasarathi said. Setting up of these labs comes under e-NAM, a pan-India electronic trading portal, being put in place in the interests of farmers and the Government would invest in the infrastructure and equipment needed for the laboratories.

Live mint

The government could launch a long-term bond where individual investment is capped at, say, Rs 2 lakh per investor with attractive terms such as tax deductibility of principal and not just interest. Additional checks and filters can be included to incentivise low middle-income earners to invest. The proceeds would be earmarked expressly for agriculture infrastructure investment.

Business World

APLM also has the provision of single-point levy of markets fees and single trading licensing across state. It will also create conducive conditions such as inter-state trading license, standardisation and grading issues (for quality parameters) and quality certification for promoting nationwide single agriculture market. APLM act has also carried various provisions of earlier model APMC act for special commodity market yard, market rationalisation and commission charges etc. The willingness of implementation will matter once again.

The Times of India

“The time to plant the regular variety ended on July 8.There hasn’t been enough rain to sow even ragi, which consumes only a portion of the water needed for paddy,” joint director (agriculture) MN Rajasulochana told TOI. “This is for the first time in decades that there is absolutely no paddy in the district, according to farmers and officers who have served here. There had been some paddy in all previous droughts,” she added. Ragi should have been sown in 65,859 hectares, but only 4% of the target has been sown as of August 9.

The Wire

The ‘Seeds for Needs’ project was first initiated in Madhya Pradesh and the second phase has been launched in Morapakkam village, said N.K. Krishna Kumar, the country representative of Bioversity International. The programme for the launch was inaugurated by K. Ramasamy, vice chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, who emphasised that women empowerment was essential for any agricultural project or initiative to succeed. Without the participation of women, the likelihood of farm work succeeding is low, he said.

Navbharat Times

In 2010, GEAC allowed Bt brinjal, but the then Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh had refused to sign the decision because it was being strongly opposed by the civil society. So far only GM cotton has been allowed in the country, which is a non-food crop. This issue is also under consideration in the Supreme Court. The government has told the court that it will make a decision till September.

Deccan Herald

“The Centre has not specifically asked us for an opinion. Nevertheless, I have informally asked our biotechnology secretary to deliberate on this issue and advise the government,” Gowda told DH. “I’ve asked for a group of experts to be set up if necessary.” Asked if the government was open to GM crops, Gowda referred to the experience of Bt Cotton, which is being cultivated commercially in Karnataka since 2002.

The Times of India

In stiff opposition to the plans for commercial release of genetically modified (GM) Golden Rice, green activists and voluntary organisations supporting farmers in Kerala have raised concerns that it would contaminate existing indigenous rice varieties and pose grave threat to food safety and consumers’ health. It forms part of the national and Asian campaign against golden rice.