The New Indian Express

After the mid-August floods pushed several farmers on to the brink and some even to suicide, the state government is mooting a major plan to restructure the very concept of agricultural loan to lift them out of the crisis.

The Times of India

Last week, over one crore small farmers were pleasantly surprised to receive Rs 2,000 in their bank accounts. This was the first of the three instalments under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme, which contains the seeds of many breakthrough reforms. If implemented diligently, these will change the face of Indian agriculture.

The Pioneer

Chief Minister Kamal Nath has said that the loan waiver scheme of farmers is the beginning of a revolution in the field of improvement in the agricultural sector. The Chief Minister said that his dream is to see smiles on the faces of farmers in the coming time.

Business Standard

India’s wheat production in the 2018-19 rabi season is expected to be 99.12 million tonnes, marginally less than 99.7 million tonnes last year, according to the fourth advanced estimates. Overall foodgrain production too is projected to fall slightly to 281.37 million tonne, as less rains brought down output.

Krishi Jagran

The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh while addressing the 84th General Council meeting of National Cooperative Development Corporation said that NCDC has played an important role in promoting cooperative development in India by gradually shaping its financial schemes as well as programmes for the benefit of farmers through cooperatives.

The Times of India

Going beyond the wheat-paddy cycle, the Periwal family of the border district of Fazilka takes optimum use of technology in taking forward its farming by cultivating fruits and vegetables at its sprawling farmhouse. The agriculturist family is also taking benefit of digitisation at the farmhouse in promoting citrus fruits in the border areas of Punjab.

The Pioneer

The Delhi Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal of  the power department  to provide a subsidy of Rs 105 per kilowatt every month on fixed charges for agriculture consumers (farmers) of Delhi.

The Economic Times

With a record rice production of 115.6 million tonnes, the overall foodgrain production in the country is likely to be 281.37 million tonnes in 2018-19. The second advance estimate of production of major crops released by the agriculture department shows wheat production is expected to touch 99.12 million tonnes, lower than the target of 102.20 million tonnes.

The Economic Times

India’s foodgrains production is estimated to decline by one per cent to 281.37 million tonne in 2018-19 despite record rice output, as the country is likely to harvest lower coarse cereals and pulses crops, the government said on Thursday.

The Pioneer

Chief Minister Kamal Nath has said that it is necessary to create new schemes keeping in mind the changing agricultural scenario in the interest of the farmers. He urged the National Agriculture and Rural Development Bank (NABARD) to draft the state’s agricultural policy in view of the changed agricultural scenario in Madhya Pradesh. He told them to seek support of the farmers, agricultural experts and institutions related to agriculture business in this regard.

DNA

National agriculture and rural refinance body has estimated that rural Gujarat will need Rs 1,57,779 crore for the year 2019-20, a rise of 23.45 per cent compared to Rs 1.28 lakh crore in the previous fiscal. This is significant compared to a rise of 10 per cent in the previous fiscal.

Business Standard

Exiting the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) prompt corrective action (PCA) framework may not exactly be a lease of life for banks. However, it certainly paves the way for them to scale up their loan book, especially to retail, micro, small & medium enterprises (MSME) and the agriculture sector.

Bloomberg Quint

Renting a farm can now be as easy as finding a vacation home. Tillable, a website that connects landowners and growers, aims to bring transparency to the $32 billion U.S. farmland rental market. The startup, which offers digital leases to streamline rentals, is being backed by investors including The Production Board, an agtech investment company, and venture firm First Round Capital, with about

The Indian Express

The state government accorded high priority to agriculture, rural development and irrigation sectors in its Interim Budget, presented before the Assembly Wednesday, allotting Rs 22,814.94 crore of the total Rs 99,000 crore sanctioned under the development plan.

Reuters

The amount of debt held by America’s farmers has risen rapidly to 1980s-levels at $409 billion from $385 billion last year, with loan demand remaining “historically high,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Wednesday.

The Indian Express

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme provides financial support of Rs 6,000 annually, payable in three equal installments to every farmer owning up to two hectares of agricultural land. Telangana had earlier pioneered a similar intervention through its Rythu Bandhu scheme giving farmer-owners Rs 8,000 per acre per year. Odisha’s Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation or KALIA scheme widened the package (Rs 10,000-12,500 annual support per family) to include even share-croppers and landless agricultural households.