Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Switch to horticulture cropsedit
Mr. Ramakrishnudu said the State and the Central governments had allocated Rs 1,476 crore for the development of horticulture in the State. The agriculture sector contributed 24% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while the horticulture 18 to 19%. The voluntary organisations and the farmers associations also should come forward in creating awareness on the advantages of horticulture.
Farmer loan waiver certificates to be handed out from todayedit
A special control room had been set up in the finance department to coordinate with financial institutions and the agriculture department and procure a list from all over the state of farmers who were under debt. Verification was sought of their land records and Aadhar from the authorities concerned. The scheme has put a burden of Rs 36,000 crore on the state exchequer.
Farm loans shrink almost 50%, waiver yet to beginedit
Bankers say the numbers are low because a large section of farmers are not eligible for credit owing to earlier defaults. The previous year was considered among the favourable times for agriculture, yet repayments are at a low for this period. Political parties mounted pressure on the government to grant a loan waiver. As it brought mileage for political outfits, farmers too reneged on repayment.
Factory farming in Asia poses environmental, forced-labour risks reportedit
Thailand’s multibillion-dollar seafood sector has come under fire in recent years after investigations showed widespread slavery, trafficking and violence on fishing boats and in onshore food processing units. Last month, Thai Union the world’s largest canned tuna company in an agreement with environmental group Greenpeace, said it would take steps towards sustainably caught tuna while ensuring all workers are “safe”.
Each degree Celsius rise in global temperature to reduce crop yields: studyedit
It, however, noted that these impacts will also vary substantially for crops and regions and highlighted that a “reinvigoration of national research and extension programs is urgently needed to offset future impacts of climate change, including temperature increase on agriculture by using cropand region-specific adaptation strategies”.
Aadhaar must for subsidised farm loans: RBIedit
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday said that farmers need to mandatorily link Aadhaar numbers to their accounts to avail subsidised farm loan. In line with the government’s policy, the RBI on Wednesday said farmers can avail of short-term crop loans of up to Rs 3 lakh at subsidised interest rate of 7% that could go down to 4% on prompt repayment.
Bayer and the Citrus Research and Development Foundation team up to find solutions against Citrus Greeningedit
Currently no effective treatment against the bacterium Candidatus liberibacter, the causal agent of Citrus Greening, is available. Under the long-term research agreement, Bayer will provide access to its Disease Control know-how and will coordinate public and private research to find novel solutions for Citrus Greening in Florida and beyond.
Trend of softening interest rate is here to stayedit
We are halfway through the monsoon season. Rains have been inadequate in some parts of the country, while others have experienced floods. Will it increase risk in the farm loan portfolio? Agriculture is always like that. We have de-risked our agriculture loan portfolio substantially. Crop loans are sensitive. Most of agri-loans are happening through tie-ups, gold loans or are asset backed.