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Bihar government will strengthen State Seed Corporation by modernizing its seed processing plant with an objective to provide quality seeds to farmers in the state. A decision to that effect was taken in a review meeting of the state agriculture department, chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Mr Kumar said that old equipments at the seed plant would be replaced with modern ones so that the seed quality could be enhanced. He said it would encourage farmers to purchase seeds from the State Seed Corporation

The Times of India

To benefit state farmers, Punjab may soon have some new laws such as the moneylender’s act, the higher agricultural education act, an act on laying of underground pipelines and the livestock feed act. Punjab State Farmers Commission chairman Ajay Vir Jakhar said this at a seminar on ‘Agribusiness potential of Punjab state’ jointly organised by Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID), Sector 19, Chandigarh and the Indian Society of Agriculture Marketing (ISAM), Hyderabad.

India Today

Rajasthan government has started Agriculture Produce Deposit Loan Scheme (Krishi Upaj Rahan Loan Scheme) for the farmers so that they get right price for their produce, the state Cooperative Minister Ajay Kilak said in a release. He said farmers do not have regular monthly income from agriculture work and earn by selling their yield. Sometimes they have to sell their produce at reduced price to fulfil family needs.

Samaj Sanchar

Taking stern initiative to curb misuse of loans made for farming, Odisha government asked the officials to convert the crop loans into commercial loans with interest of 12 percent. Cooperation Minister Surya Narayan Patro on Friday directed that the farmers will have to repay the loan amount at interest rate of 12% instead of 1% for violating the rules if they are found to have not participated in paddy procurement process.

The Hindu Business Line

Farmers have switched to cotton in the irrigated areas especially in Ganganagar (Rajasthan), Punjab and Haryana, and to kharif pulses like urad in rainfed areas, expecting better returns. Excessive rains in the major guar sowing districts of western Rajasthan (contributing 80 per cent of State’s total guar produce) and Gujarat have raised concerns over crop damage and yield.

The Hans India

The leaders of 160 farmers associations across the nation, including various unions of Andhra Pradesh, unanimously passed a resolution to make the proposed ‘Farmers Parliament’, which will be conducted outside the Parliament House in New Delhi on November 20 for drawing attention of Indian Parliament, a grand success. As part of Kisan Mukti Yatra, which was started by associations to create awareness among the farmers and make them unite, reached the city as a rally after completion of their show in Telangana State. They took part in a meeting at Siddhartha College here on Sunday.

Dainik Yashobhumi

The district administration has asked onion traders to start auction of the kitchen staple from tomorrow at the major agriculture produce market committees (APMCs) here. The authorities have warned that if the traders do not start the auction of onions at the APMCs in Lasalgaon, Pimpalgaon Baswant, Umarane, Yeola and others, their permits would be cancelled, the district sub-registrar, Nilkanth Karhe, said today.

The Hindu Business Line

The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that a decision on the commercial release of genetically modified mustard seed is yet to be taken, and that there is no hurry to take a final call on the matter. In the last hearing, in July, the Centre had said that if the decision is not taken by September, the release may effectively be delayed till next year as farmers typically begin sowing mustard October onwards.