Hindustan Times

The Narendra Modi government’s new agenda for the crisis-ridden farm sector is being geared towards achieving the single goal of doubling agricultural incomes — a legacy of its first term in office.

The Economic Times

As cyclone Fani raged across Odisha and West Bengal triggering heavy rainfall, the drought situation in the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka worsened. With 80% of districts in Karnataka and 72% in Maharashtra reeling from drought and crop failure and 8.2 million farmers being affected, it was a study in contrast across different parts of India.

MF Journalism

The goal of this Hydraulic Baler market report 2019-2024 is do provide a consensus on well-researched projections of keyword market growth and industry value in the coming five years, and to (as always) provide amble references for further exploration for keyword market forecast.This Hydraulic Baler market report aimed to stick to sources whose reputation rests on their objectivity, rather than on excited statements of companies whose incentive is to see the future their way.

The Indian Express

Four years after a whitefly epidemic left the cotton crop ravaged in Punjab, the farmers in state have failed to increase the area under the crop. From a high of 5.30 lakh hectares in the 2014 sowing season, only 3.68 lakh hectares could be brought under the crop this season that began in April and is almost over now.

The Hans India

Police continued raids on fertiliser shops in the town. SI Suresh along with Agriculture officer Nasir inspected shops on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, they said stringent action will be taken against the owners of the shop, who sell spurious seed and fertilisers to the farmers in the coming Kharif season.

Financial Express

The new NDA government at the Centre is set to develop its governance agenda for the next five years. During the last five years, the agriculture sector and farmers were at the centre stage. In fact, in the just-concluded general elections, all the political parties raised issues on farmers’ conditions and agrarian distress. However, none was able to provide a long-term remedy to overcome the plight of the farming community. At the same time, much was done during the last five years by the NDA-2 government to improve the condition of the agriculture sector and raise farmers’ incomes. These steps included programmes and schemes to increase agricultural production, improve sustainability and resilience, and raise farmers’ incomes. The ...

Telangana Today

Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy warned of stringent action against manufacturers and traders of spurious seeds. Besides imposing fines and cancellation of licenses, the State government will initiate criminal cases including cases under Preventive Detention Act against those who are manufacturing and selling spurious seeds to cheat farmers.

Telangana Today

With an outlay of Rs 1.46 lakh crore, the State Level Bankers’ Committee on Thursday presented the annual credit plan for the year 2019-20 for Telangana State. The annual credit plan is up by about Rs 10,000 crore over last financial year’s Rs 1.36 lakh crore.

The New Indian Express

Problems in the database of the Uttar Pradesh government has stalled the transfer of funds to over 1.5 lakh farmers.

These farmers are beneficiaries under the PM Kisan Samriddhi Yojana. According to Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, the problem in the database was being rectified and the farmers will receive the money at the earliest.

The Arunachal Times

Several women farmers participated in an orientation programme conducted here in Lower Subansiri district on Wednesday by the Ziro block mission management unit of the Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ArSRLM), under the Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP). The programme was aimed at providing a platform to women farmers to interact with officials of the agriculture and allied sectors, and to sensitize them to important interventions under the MKSP to promote agro-ecological practices. Addressing the participants, ADC Gombu Tsering said the government seeks to uplift the weaker sections by providing them with livelihood assistance through the ArSRLM. He urged the allied departments to “work out a mechanism for convergence of need-based schemes for women farmers.”

Mint

When farmers go to vote in an economy steeped in farm distress, the outcome can be cruel and capricious. Three recent examples should illustrate this point.

Business Standard

With key sectors like agriculture, industry , manufacturing -in slowdown since the last nine months, GDP growth in the fourth quarter ended may be the fiscal’s lowest at 6.3 per cent in 2018-19, official sources said on Thursday.

Business Standard

Funds under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi could not be transferred to 150,000 farmers in Uttar Pradesh due to “data mismatch” and they will soon receive funds after the problem is rectified, UP Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said Thursday.

Scroll

Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said on Thursday that funds under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi were not transferred to 1.56 lakh farmers in the state because of a “data mismatch”, PTI reported. He said farmers would receive the money after a solution to the problem.

Mint

The electorate has given a thumping mandate to the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recently concluded elections for the Lok Sabha. While the BJP has increased its vote share with a near sweep in most of northern and western states, what is also remarkable is their near sweep in the states which voted against the BJP in the state legislative elections only six months ago. The elections to the state assembly in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan were fought on the issue of agrarian distress and the electorate did punish the BJP in these states where it was the ruling party. The same is likely to be the case in case of Uttar Pradesh, where despite ...

The Economic Times 

Funds under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi could not be transferred to 1.5 lakh farmers in Uttar Pradesh due to “data mismatch” and they will soon receive funds after the problem is rectified, UP Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said Thursday. Terming the scheme as a “game changer”, Shahi said welfare schemes implemented for villagers and farmers resulted in massive support for the BJP in the polls.

The Times of India

Barely 24 hours to go for Narendra Modi taking over as prime minister for a back-to-back term and everyone is clueless as to who would get what portfolio after the swearing in takes place at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday. City MP Nitin Gadkari has created a new record by winning for the BJP the Nagpur seat for the second consecutive term. He has kept the saffron flag aflutter over a city known as the RSS birthplace. There is huge expectation that he would be suitably rewarded for it. Chances of at least one more BJP MP from Vidarbha and one from ally Shiv Sena getting into Modi 2.0 government cannot be ruled out.

Geospatial World

Prior to founding Hello Tractor, I worked in the global finance and agriculture sector, where I got to see firsthand the challenges smallholder farmers face in accessing machinery to cultivate their land. Tractors and other farm equipment are expensive and financing is almost non-existent. I realized that farmers having access to a tractor is as good as owning one. This was the rationale behind founding Hello Tractor. By leveraging technology, Hello Tractor is disrupting the agricultural industry across sub-Saharan Africa and introducing a new, shared economy model that can scale across continents.

Rising Kashmir

The performance of Agriculture Department towards the implementation of PM-Kisan scheme in this district was reviewed here at a meeting chaired by Additional District Development Commissioner Ashok Kumar.

The Hans India

A meeting of the farmers whose agriculture fields were affected by the Talelma Lift Irrigation Project, held at the AE Office, Vatpalli on Wednesday. The pipelines of the project were laid under the agricultural fields of these farmers.

Business Today

On May 21 this year, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced a major step to address the state’s depleting water table problem. From now on, the state government will give an incentive of Rs  10,000 per hectare to selected farmers in seven districts to help them shift from paddy cultivation to maize, pulses and oilseeds. The crop diversification plan, initially covering 50,000 hectares, is expected to save electricity and water, and improve soil health.

Down To Earth

Without any recommendation from its own scientists, the central government has come out with a controversial chemical solution to control the crop-destroying Fall Armyworm (FAW) or Spodoptera frugiperda — which has been destroying maize crops across India.

Down To Earth

The spread of the Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) or FAW, the invasive pest from the Americas, to Africa, and finally to South and Southeast Asia, has created a rush among big agriculture companies to promote their chemical pesticide products.

Business Standard

Crop science major Bayer CropScience is banking on a new business model for growth as it sees India’s agriculture economy being stressed in the near term, and also as the company’s bottom line has taken a hit due to a weak Rabi season. Now, it is implementing a new business model and launching new products to improve sales and profits.

Financial Express

Is capital gains applicable when a farmer develops his ancestral agricultural land into a housing layout through an area-sharing joint-development agreement with a developer? If yes, how is it calculated and what are the reliefs available?

Live Law

Much to the relief of Haryana farmers, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed for compensation to them for loss of crop in addition to compensation that was awarded to them for mental harassment and cost of litigation earlier by the State Commission.

The Wire

The last five years saw large scale and widespread farmer protests built, primarily, on the back of low prices of crops. Bumper harvests in the early years of the first Modi tenure and the government’s dogged determination to keep inflation in check have kept food prices controlled.

Tech 2

India is a vast country with disparate climate variability and change signals from north-to-south and east-to-west. The mix of field crops like rice, wheat, jowar, corn and soybean, as well as speciality products like vegetables, flowers, nuts, fruits, etc, are also vastly different across the subcontinent. To understand the climate sensitivity of agriculture across such complex terrain that has a complex mix of climate variability, change and agricultural activities, it is important to carefully choose a metric to measure it.

Business Today

A new industrial policy, incentives to promote manufacturing in key employment generating sectors, rationalisation of direct tax rates and speeding up of mega-infrastructure projects across sectors etc are amongst the hundreds of suggestions that are reaching the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) from individual central government departments these days.

Moneycontrol

Post a clear electoral mandate, it is now time for a reality check. The second term of the ruling party comes with string of challenges and this will be an actual testing time of performance against promises.

The Hindu Business Line

The face of Indian agriculture has changed over the past few years. While the frequency of droughts has increased, production of crops – both food grains and horticulture produce – has hit new records with better irrigation factilities. Output in dairy and fisheries, too, has improved, thanks to hybrid varieties and better feed. But this increase in volume hasn’t helped farmers as prices have dropped sharply. India has also been unable to grow its exports. Meanwhile, poor policy planning has led to an increase in imports, resulting in further farm distress. The fate of the farmer depends on how the new government  handles various policies.

Financial Express

Several Union government departments will likely be combined and others collapsed into the most compatible ministries under an administrative reorganisation exercise to be undertaken by the new government immediately after assuming office on Thursday. As a result, the finance and agriculture ministries will get larger while some other wings of the government such as the ministry of heavy industries and PSEs will either be dismantled or cut to size.

The Hindu Business Line

The face of Indian agriculture has changed over the past few years. While the frequency of droughts has increased, production of crops – both food grains and horticulture produce – has hit new records with better irrigation factilities. Output in dairy and fisheries, too, has improved, thanks to hybrid varieties and better feed. But this increase in volume hasn’t helped farmers as prices have dropped sharply. India has also been unable to grow its exports. Meanwhile, poor policy planning has led to an increase in imports, resulting in further farm distress. The fate of the farmer depends on how the new government  handles various policies.

The Indian Express

Though Kerala has snubbed BJP in an emphatic way in the Lok Sabha elections, the Centre has given away around Rs 360 crore to around 10 lakh farmers in Kerala under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme before the elections. As many as 28 lakh farmers from Keala have applied for the scheme, which offers annual income support of Rs 6,000 to small and marginal farmers.

The Better India

Samir Bordoloi, a graduate in agricultural studies secured a well-paying job in the food industry almost immediately after his graduation. This cushy job, in a well known MNC, would teach him many things about the ways of working in the industry.

The Better India

The intent here is to raise awareness and conversation about this methodology of agriculture, how it differs from conventional agriculture, and why any of us should care.

The Sentinel

The recent slowdown in the economy stem not only from slow investment growth and subdued exports but also from weakening growth in consumption demand, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has told the Finance Ministry

The Indian Express

As many as 3491 Haryana farmers on Monday decided to shift to alternative crops, mainly maize, from paddy cultivation covering more than 1600 hectare land. Monday was first day for registration for Haryana government’s ambitious scheme for crop diversification to check on the depleting water table. The registration will be on till June 15.

Telangana Today

Agriculture Department has prepared an action plan to give big push to farm activity during Kharif season and help farmers raise crops in 3,43,200 hectares of area – 11,316 hectares more than the last season.

Telangana Today

Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy on Tuesday said the government estimates that Telangana farmers were likely to require 7.5 lakh quintals of seeds of various crops for the upcoming Kharif crop season and urged officials to ensure that no farmer is put to any trouble with respect to procuring seeds.

The Hans India

District Collector S Satyanarayana gave a call to officials of the Agriculture department and dealers of seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides to strive for the welfare of farmers. Addressing an awareness meeting attended by agriculture officials and dealers at the Sunaina Auditorium here on Tuesday, the Collector said farmers are backbone to our country

Financial Express

We have an ominous prediction from Rathin Roy, member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council and Director of National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, that the country could be heading towards the “middle income” trap. According to his prognosis, the middle-class that has fuelled the economy through growth in consumption may not sustain this performance, leading to possible stagnation. A plunge in income growth, decreasing money supply and rising uncertainty have been identified as the three triggers for this possibility. This warning is invaluable, but does not enlighten us on a solution. Hence, let us start by examining the triggers.

The Times of India

To improve soil nutrition and crop production, the Punjab government has prepared a soil-fertility map, highlighting nutrient deficiency of each agricultural landholding in the state. By doing so, Punjab has become the first state in the country to prepare a soil-fertility map of the landholding of each farmer by using global positioning system (GPS) and geographical information system (GIS). This, hopes the state government, will generate awareness among farmers about the judicious use of chemical fertilizers based on soil health status of their land. Earlier, soil fertility maps were only available at district level.

The Hans India

State Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy on Tuesday said the Agriculture Department is all geared up for smooth distribution of seeds to farmers in the ensuing kharif season. The Minister, who reviewed the arrangements on the seed distribution, said the State had not faced any problems in the seed distribution for the last four years

The Indian Express

The Maharashtra Agriculture department has advised farmers to delay their sowing operations as the onset of monsoon is likely to be delayed in the state. If the onset of the monsoon is delayed beyond the second week of June, the crops of udit (urad) and moong are likely to be hit as farmers normally finish sowing operations by then.

News Service Division

In Uttar Pradesh, after successful implementation of SAUBHAGYA scheme, the government is now planning to provide 24-hour power supply to the rural areas of the state for agricultural work.

The Hans India

The paddy farmers who were fed up with the Agriculture and Marketing department officials for delay in payment staged a protest in front of the Nagarkurnool District Collector’s office on Monday.

Rising Kashmir

At least two finance ministers of the state (in previous two governments) promised to get Jammu and Kashmir out of the liabilities and make stronger the economic backbone of the state. Promises about reducing the burden on state exchequer and fixing the derailed economic structure of the state is a la mode of the political cult that assumes power in Srinagar. With the dearth of institutions that could play vital role in reviving the state’s crippled economy, eyes have been mostly fixed on banking in the state. A former finance minister realizing the importance of banking in uplifting the people, urged banks to come out with innovative credit schemes to provide hassle free lending facilities to the ...

Daily Excelsior

“An organic farmer is the best peacemaker today, because there is more violence, more death, more destruction, more wars, through a violent industrial agricultural system. And to shift away from that into an agriculture of peace is what organic farming is doing.” – Vandana Shiva

Business Today

A new industrial policy, incentives to promote manufacturing in key employment generating sectors, rationalisation of direct tax rates and speeding up of mega-infrastructure projects across sectors etc are amongst the hundreds of suggestions that are reaching the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) from individual central government departments these days.

The Economic Times

India is an agriculture-based country. The agricultural sector provides a livelihood to over 50% of India’s population. In fact, the sector contributes 18% to the country’s GDP. However, the agricultural sector needs proper irrigation facilities and other amenities to reap proper benefits. The major constraint in this sector is farmers’ dependency on pumps for irrigation. Most of the farmers use pumps some of which are connected to the grid while some pumps run on diesel and other fossil fuels.  ..

Moneycontrol

Post a clear electoral mandate, it is now time for a reality check. The second term of the ruling party comes with string of challenges and this will be an actual testing time of performance against promises.

The Better India

About 16 kilometres from the busy city of Gurugram in Mankrola lies Sehrawat Organic Farm. Spread across 30 acres, this integrated farm propagates the use of innovative and progressive techniques while combining them with traditional agriculture.

UNI

Uttar Pradesh government, after a 78 days lull due to clamping of election model code of conduct, was on work from Monday, and in a first state agriculture department held review meeting in the state capital to monitor about the coming Kharif season

Business Standard

The recent slowdown in the economy stem not only from slow investment growth and subdued exports but also from weakening growth in consumption demand, industry body Ficci has told the Finance Ministry

The Times of India

India’s stark reality is that 63.5% of agricultural households in rural areas of the country rely on cultivation as their principal source of income as per NSSO data. Yet the contribution of this sector is just 17% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Now that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has won yet another historic mandate to govern the country for the next five years, the time is now ripe to make a tectonic shift in its approach towards agriculture and empowering farmers.

The Hindu Business Line

BJP’s election manifesto promised many things for farmers. Now that it is clear that the NDA-led coalition is going to be back in power, companies in the agri space — manufacturers of seeds, fertilisers, agro-chemicals and farm equipment — will stand to benefit.

Hindustan Times 

The Union agriculture ministry is looking at algorithms to fix delays in paying farmers their claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), a major issue hobbling the flagship crop insurance scheme.

Hindustan Times 

The state agriculture department has advised farmers to prepare for sowing season keeping in mind the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast of a delay in the southwest monsoon in Maharashtra.

Financial Express

The world’s population will reach 8.5 billion people by 2030 as per estimates by the United Nations. By 2050, we will need 70% more food than our current consumption, says World Economic Forum. We have to think and act in radically different ways to find solutions that are scalable, sustainable and equitable.

The Asian Age

The politically sensitive small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and agriculture sectors will be the top priority of the new Narendra Modi government in the coming days. The Centre plans to further push credit growth to small industries in an attempt to boost economic growth and create jobs.

The Tribune

To increase the cotton cultivation area in the region, the state Agriculture Department has introduced varieties of good quality cotton seeds. According to Director of the Agriculture Department Swatantar Kumar Airy, the varieties — 7172 cotton seed, BT 7172 and Bio Seed 11 — will improve the quality and production of the cotton crop and will be less dependent on pesticides.

The Times of India

About 10 per cent income tax assessees in Indore claim tax relief under agriculture income but now these numbers may come down as the department has sought additional information in farm income to track fake cases under agriculture exemption, claimed consultants.

The Asian Age

The politically sensitive small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and agriculture sectors will be the top priority of the new Narendra Modi government in the coming days. The Centre plans to further push credit growth to small industries in an attempt to boost economic growth and create jobs.

Financial Express

Kudos to prime minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and their charged battery of karyakartas (party workers) for this historic victory in the parliamentary elections! This is the biggest feat of democracy on earth, convincingly won by the BJP/NDA. We should all feel proud of our democracy, despite some bitter speeches during election campaign by various parties.

The Economic Times

Government of Maharashtra has issued an advisory to the farmers of the state regarding delay in the onset of monsoon.

The agricultural department has advised farmers to complete the pre-sowing farm operations and plan their operations as per the weather advisories.

 

The Times of India

In a bid to make farmers aware about its various schemes and get them benefitted, the state agriculture department has started an awareness programme- Unnat Sheti Abhiyan (progressing farming campaign).

The Hans India

A large number of farmers who visited the Palam Agriculture Research centre in Nagarkurnool district to attend the Seed Mela programme, being widely publicised in newspapers, were disheartened as the authorities of the mela failed to provide different varieties of seeds. Protesting the nonchalant attitude of officials concerned, they staged a sit-in on Srisailam highway and blocked the road for few minutes seeking the authorities concerned to provide more varieties of seeds at the mela.

Financial Express

The new government at the Centre will come out with a slew of policies aimed at reducing the farm distress in the first leg of its term. Official sources say the agriculture ministry has firmed up a plan to extend benefits of the PM Kisan scheme to cover an additional two crore farmers, in what could take the number of beneficiaries under the cash transfer scheme to around 15 crore.

Scroll

Fertiliser pricing policies – influencing farmers’ preference towards specific chemical combinations – need to be mapped to the officially prescribed nitrogen, phosphate and potassium ratio to curb excess non-carbon dioxide emission from India’s cropland based agriculture, research has suggested.

Business Standard

Ramesh Chand, member of Niti Aayog, the government’s policy think tank chaired by the Prime Minister, has told Business Standard that a new policy agenda for farmers is on the cards. “I am ready with the agenda, including the first 100 days’ agenda, of the new government to address immediate and medium term concerns relating to Indian agriculture (and farmers’ distress),” Chand said.

The Statesman

The victory of BJP in Hooghly has once again ignited the issue of industrial set up and agricultural development in Singur. The party’s Hooghly candidate Locket Chatterjee in her election campaign promised the people of Singur to take initiative to set up industry in the wide stretch of unproductive land within the aborted Tata Project area and to equally lay stress on the progress and development of agriculture in Singur implementing modern scientific technology.

The New Indian Express

In a freewheeling interview with Manish Anand, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe argued that Modi has been a victim of misperception created by a section of the media and intelligentsia.

The New Indian express

A crash in prices of farm produce and the demand for remunerative prices, and waiver of back-breaking loans are some of the issues staring the new government in the face. The interim budget recognised the distress by hiking the allocation for agriculture from `56,000 crore to over `1.4 lakh crore, taking the outlay to a record 5.2 percent of the budget. Among the highlights of the farm budget was the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, an income support scheme that promised the transfer of `6,000 a year in three tranches. This is inadequate, as it translates to a meagre `500 per month for a farmer.

The Times of India

Amid concerns over decreasing ground water level due to paddy cultivation, Kurukshetra administration on Saturday held a meeting with farmers to urge them to adopt crop diversification and sow maize, arhar (pigeon pea) or soybean for the coming season in place of the paddy

The Economic Times

When 27-year-old Abhishek Dhama first broached the idea of ditching engineering to work on a farm, his family stared in disbelief. “Why did you study so much if you had to do farming,” was a common refrain. Other farmers in north Delhi’s Palla village, mockingly called him ‘Mr Stevia’ when he started cultivating a relatively unknown plant that is used to make a natural sweetener. But Dhama, who gave up a career in electronics and communication engineering, to take up agriculture three years ago, ..

The Times of India

With Fall Armyworm causing extensive damage to maize crops in various districts including Trichy, Karur and Perambalur, the agriculture department has evolved an action plan to prevent the pest attack this year. Maize is grown on about 3.5 lakh hectares in Tamil Nadu and Fall Armyworm had caused extensive damage to the crop last year. The pest had spread rapidly within a short period and caused damage to the crop despite various control measures. In Trichy, the crop is cultivated on 30,000 acres, of which 28,000 acres suffered the pest attack last year.

BW Businessworld

It is rightly quoted that Healthy citizens are the greatest assets any nation can have. For any country to prosper, it’s a prerequisite to have healthier citizens, who can contribute immensely to its development. In India, numerous efforts are being made to promote sound health and enhance quality of life among the citizens of the country. Due to the collaborative efforts of the Indian government and various institutions, the number of people striving for a healthier lifestyle has grown by leaps and bounds. Consequently, all the other dependent industries have also witnessed a sudden surge. Organic industry is one such promising industry that holds colossal potential within it, especially for the people driven to invest in this ...

The Economic Times

The political battle has been convincingly won. Now, the NDA government must take on — and win — the economic challenges staring the country in its face.

The Times of India

Governor Acharya Devvrat said that Himachal Pradesh government had fixed the target to train and cover about 50,000 farmers under natural farming in this financial year. Expressing satisfaction over the progress made by state in the direction of natural farming, he hoped that by 2022, Himachal would emerge as a fully natural farming state.

Krishijagran.com

On Friday Agriculture Minister S. Niranjan Reddy  announced that the Telangana Government would waiver off the crop loans, as promised in the election manifesto, after the end of Model Code of Conduct in the State. The minister was speaking after inaugurating the Seed Mela – 2019 at the Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) Auditorium premises in Rajendranagar.

Krishijagran.com

At present, BSc Agriculture is one of the courses which open a gateway to limitless opportunities. One who pursues this course can work in all three sectors – Government, public and private.

Mathrubhumi

Smart Agri-villages will be established across state under the leadership of Kudumbashree. The project will be commenced from June.

Financial Express

Chennai is facing one of the worst water crises it has ever seen. There is just 1.3% water left in the city’s reservoirs—the fifth-lowest amount in 74 years. In 2018, the city received less than of what is usually does from the retreating/northeast monsoon that accounts for 60% of its annual rainfall. Consecutive years of drought have worsened the crisis. The city, whose water requirement is estimated at 2,000 million litres per day (MLD), is now receiving only 550MLD. The need to provide water for agriculture in the rest of the state and to the parched city simultaneously has caused a massive problem for the state government, since the land under cultivation and the population have both ...

The Rahnuma Daily

The PJTSAU has jointly organized the Seed Mela in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Department of Horticulture and local ICAR Research Institutes such as Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR), Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR), Indian Institute of Oil Seed Research (IIOR), Central Research Institute for Dry Land Agriculture (CRIDA), ATARI, NAARM, directorate of Poultry, National Seeds Corporation(NSC), Telangana State Seed Development Corporation(TSSDC), Telangana State Seed and Organic Certification Agency (TSSOCA) and Veterinary and Horticultural Universities.

The Times of India

The agriculture department has started collecting soil samples to study whether the soil has undergone changes in the last five years. “We have been given targets to collect at least 10 soil samples from a village panchayat and send them for laboratory tests. The sample would be collected by tagging the GPS data of the spot, before digging a 50cm deep pit. Soil taken between 0-25cm will be considered as sample I and that taken between 25-50cm will be sample II. The sample collector should also note down colour and nature of the soil, and the trees that grow in it,” an agriculture department officer said.

The Times of India

The production of kharif crops dipped by around 10% in the state during this season, even as the total area under foodgrain cultivation saw a marginal decline of 4%, as per a provisional estimate provided by the agriculture department. The estimate shows that the production of rice, the main kharif crop, stood at 5, 62,465 metric tonnes against 6, 05, 606 metric tonnes last year, registering a decline of around 7%. Similarly, the production of local grain mandua dipped by 22%, maize by 13% and ramdana by 18%.

The Hans India

Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy said the Annual Seed Mela (ASM) being organised at Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University will be held at every district headquarters in the State from the next year.

The Times of India

India should cut interest rates further and adopt consistent policies for the export of agricultural produce to enable Indian exporters to take advantage of the current US-China trade war, industry body Ficci’s President Sandip Somany said on Saturday.

The Economic Times

A tough task for the new government will be meeting the aspiration of farmers, who are deeply indebted and often suicide prone. Rural distress has grown in recent years as the monsoon failed twice, while heavy hailstorms damaged an intervening rabi, or winter-sown, crop, which made farmers restless and politically active.

 

The Tribune

A panel discussion on traditional seeds was held at Pushpa Gujral Science City, Kapurthala, today on International Day for Biological Diversity. The function was jointly organised by the science city and Punjab Bio-Diversity Board, Chandigarh.

Rising Kashmir

Agricultural sector of J&K has an inherent strength which needs to be exploited. The state of J&K comprises of three agro- regions i.e. Kashmir being temperate, Jammu sub tropical and Ladakh desert type (dry and cold).Different crops are grown in different regions. It is the Horticultural produce where we are having surplus production. We are short of food grains like pluses, Oil seeds, mutton, poultry and poultry products. Huge quantity of these products is being imported across the country. It is irony to note that number of pesticides, fungicides and other chemicals are being used by farmers at a very large scale that are very harmful and there is no control over sales and imports. It has ...

Business Standard

The macro-economic situation has been mixed by the end of last fiscal, needing direct intervention by the next government in areas such as agriculture, employment and the banking sector, a report said on Thursday.

Business Standard

With BJP-led NDA government certain to come back to power at the Centre, the Finance Ministry has accelerated the pace of finalising the broad contours of the Union Budget 2018-19, official sources here said on Thursday.

Business Standard

The macroeconomic situation has been mixed since the end of the last fiscal and there is a need of some direct intervention by the next government in areas like agriculture, employment and the banking sector, a report said on Thursday.

Geospatial World

IBM has announced the global expansion plans for its Watson Decision Platform which supports precision agriculture. The AI-based platform is customized as per new crops and regional variations to enable food security for the rapidly booming population. Merging predictive technology and data analytics, the platform would provide insights to farmers on issues related to cultivation planning, planting, spraying herbicides and insecticides, and harvesting.

The Times of India

A study by the Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, recommends one subsidy per household per season criteria to ensure that small and marginal farmers get an equal chance of receiving benefits and dominance of large farmers in the subsidy programme could be restrained. This step is also expected to lower the repetition of farmers under various subsidies

The Better India

Born to a family of beetle farmers who made a living from beedi-making in the village of Tilli in Sagar district of Bundelkhand, he wanted to pursue a medical degree to help people around him to lead healthy lives. But during the preparation for AIIMS, he realised it wouldn’t help him attain his objective.

The New Indian Express

The State Government has decided to commence procurement of oil seeds and pulses under Price Support Scheme (PSS) from farmers starting May 24. The Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare has approved the State Government’s proposal for procurement of 14,210 tonne of green gram (Moong), 1,103 tonne of black gram (Biri), 6,580 tonne of shelled groundnut and 10,500 tonne of sunflower seeds from farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP) for 2018-19 Rabi season to prevent distress sale.

CNBC TV 18

Fund allocation under the PM-Kisan scheme is unlikely to be increased further if Narendra Modi-led NDA wins the elections to form the government again, said Siraj Hussain, former agriculture secretary.

“In the interim budget, it was announced that Rs 75,000 crore will be required for implementing this scheme in FY20. I do not see this allocation increasing. In fact, my fear is that if this is further expanded, it will crowd out the investment which is very much required in the agriculture and irrigation sectors. So, personally, I would think that the government may not go in for expanding it further,” said Hussain.

The Times of India

If loans availed and outstanding payments of Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) are an indicator of the agricultural scenario of a state, Gujarat is reeling from a severe agrarian crisis. The average outstanding amount per KCC was Rs 64,296 on March 31, 2017, and rose to Rs 1,79,233 on March 31, 2018.

Business Standard

Agriculture has been a clear focus of the current government, evident from the intent to double farmers’ income. The performance in the past five years serves as a directional template for the new government.

ANI

CropLife India, an association of 18 R&D driven member companies, today, organized a one of its kind, a workshop for pesticide dealers at Bharuch. The workshop was organized with the help of Kruti Charitable Trust, implementing NGO partner of CropLife India at Ambedkar Bhavan, near Collector’s Office, Bharuch .

The New Indian Express

With calamities striking Odisha at frequent intervals and vagaries of nature taking heavy toll on livelihood of the farming community, the State Government on Tuesday set a target to extend crop insurance coverage to over 22 lakh farmers during the coming kharif season.Chairing a meeting of the State level coordination committee on crop insurance here, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi said it has become imperative to bring more farmers under the protective umbrella of crop insurance.

FirstPost

Fertiliser pricing policies — influencing farmers’ preference towards specific chemical combinations — need to be mapped to the officially prescribed nitrogen (N), phosphate (P) and potassium (K) ratio to curb excess non-carbon dioxide (non-CO2) emission from India’s cropland based agriculture, research has suggested.

Mirrornownews.com

The number of people depending on agriculture has been steadily increased in India ever since the independence, though recent years have shown a slight set back. Still more than forty per cent of Indians are living on agriculture. Considering this huge ‘crowd on fields’ (in fact in comparison with other countries), during the recent years economists like Nilkanth Mishra and agriculture scientists like PK Joshi (and many other experts and bureaucrats) have pointed out the need of creating more non- agriculture jobs and considerably reducing the number of people depending agriculture in India.

Business Standard

The Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu has said that India has emerged as an attractive destination for global investors and asked educational institutions to maintain high standards and foster academic excellence. He was addressing the Convocation of Great Lakes Institute of Management, in Chennai yesterday.

Business Standard

/ — “Taiwan Seed Varieties” will return to the Asia Agri-Tech Expo & Forum 2019 and showcase the newly developed seeds and seedlings. With the theme ‘innovative, eco-friendly and sustainable,’ the displayed products feature heat-, disease-, moisture-, and drought-resistant and tolerant. The trade show is slated at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 1 from 31st October to 2nd November.

Business Standard

The fall armyworm (FAW), an insect indigenous to the Americas, has caused an estimated loss of Rs 20 crore to maize cultivation in over 130 villages in Mizoram, officials said on Wednesday.

The Mizoram government has informed the Centre about the loss, said an official of the Agriculture Department.

Moneycontrol

Water could become fatally poisonous for India. The country’s planners have allowed water to get abused and misused to the point that even drinking water has become scarce in many regions. The situation could worsen unless urgent remedial steps are taken. It must start with agriculture, with rivers and streams, and with polluting industries. Moneycontrol looks at what has gone wrong, and what needs to be done through a series of articles on water.

The Hans India

Police Commissioner of Cyberabad VC Sajjanar said that stern action would be taken against those who are involved in spurious seeds. He was speaking at a meeting held with agriculture officers, SOT, taskforce and law and order police staff here at Cyberabad Police Commissionerate on Tuesday.

The Hans India

An information and technology-based farm management system identifies, analyses and manages variability in fields by conducting crop production practices at the right place and time and in the right way, for optimum profitability, sustainability and protection of the land resource.

UNI

Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department has decided to start a pilot project from May 27, 2019 in seven blocks of the state namely Assandh, Pundri, Narwana, Thanesar, Ambala-1, Radaur and Ganaur to divert the inclination of farmers from paddy to maize and pulses or oilseeds. For this, the registration of interested farmers would be done on Department’s portal. This was disclosed by Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal in a press conference, here on Tuesday. He said that

SME Times

Economist and author Surjit Bhalla on Monday said that the agenda for the new government should include elimination of government intervention in agriculture sector, reforming labour laws and lowering the cost of capital through reduction in interest rate and corporate tax.

The New Indian Express

Chief Secretary LV Subramanyam has directed the officials to be ready for the implementation of Kharif contingency plan if the State did not receive normal rainfall. Reviewing with the officials of the Agriculture department on the implementation of Kharif Contingency Planning- 2019 at the Interim Government Complex in Velagapudi on Monday, the Chief Secretary instructed the officials to keep stock of seeds for distribution among farmers.

Krishijagran.com

The ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Bengaluru in collaboration with the Directorate of Extension, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad organized an Action Plan Workshop for the Krishi Vigyan Kendras of Karnataka (Zone-XI) for the Year – 2019-20 from 25th to 27th April, 2019.

The Print

Extreme weather — such as unusually high temperatures and heavy or abnormally low rainfall — during the growing season is leading to considerable crop yield losses in maize, wheat, rice and soybean across the world, Australian researchers have found.

Business Standard

The agenda for the new government should include elimination of government intervention in agriculture sector, reforming labour laws and lowering the cost of capital through reduction in interest rate and corporate tax according to Economist and author Dr Surjit Bhalla. Speaking at FICCI National Executive Committee Meeting, Dr Bhalla said that the first thing the new government should do is free up agriculture sector as every developing country in the world has first reformed its agriculture sector. “We have got too much intervention by the government in agriculture,” he said. While advocating elimination of MSP and PDS, he recommended expanding the income support system to the farmers.

Orissa Post

Village Agricultural Workers (VAW) of the Department of Agriculture said that they are facing many problems in the Baranpala block of Angul district as they have not been given residential accommodation.

The Sanghai Express

As per record maintained in the office, the department had reportedly visited various places of Senapati district and Kangpokpi district and found crops infested with Fall Army Worms at Motbung, Charhajare, Sangpikjang, Katomei, Liyai Kalapahar, Kharkhola, Tomnoupokpi, T Thangal, Ekou Mulam, Chawangkining, Upper Kalapahar, Makoili, Lower Thanumba, Mayangkhang Khunou, Dwarika Nepali, Toribari, Khunkhu Naga, Kalapahar Lower, Taphou Naga, Taphou Nepali, Rikhumai Taphou, Saklim Katomei, Mara Khunou Nepali, Namjang, Kharkhola, Khongbal Kuki, Lungphou Nepali, Lungphou Raibasti, Chandramani, Gopibung Nepali, Waithon Chiru, Saman, Gurung Khati, Nepali Bosti Taphou, Ekou, Thangal Surung, Makhrelui, Khabung Karong.

Down To Earth

If there is one crop that affects India’s economy, water supply and promotes nepotism, it is sugarcane. India was the first country in the world where sugarcane farming — and the first refined sugar — was born more than 2,000 years ago. In fact, the word “sugar” has its origins in Sanskrit, Shaakara.

Down To Earth

IF THERE is one crop that affects India’s economy, water supply and promotes nepotism, it is sugarcane. India was the first country in the world where sugarcane farming — and the first refined sugar — was born more than 2,000 years ago. In fact, the word “sugar” has its origins in Sanskrit, Shaakara.

The Hindu

As India awaits the arrival of the annual summer monsoon, hopes are particularly high for normal rainfall that is so vital for agriculture, the health of forests, rivers and wetlands. The India Meteorological Department has forecast normal rainfall of 96% of the long period average of 89 cm rain, with an onset date in the first week of June in Kerala. It has also signalled a significant possibility of a deficit. The monsoon bounty is crucial for the 60% of gross cropped area in farming that is rain-fed, and represents, in the assessment of the National Commission on Farmers, 45% of agricultural output. Given the erratic patterns of rainfall witnessed over the past few decades and their possible ...

The Hindu

Stressing upon the need to develop an inter-disciplinary approach towards agriculture education, N.S. Rathore, Deputy Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), said innovations in the fields of Robotics, Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things should be used to enhance agricultural productivity.

The Hindu

The government that comes to power should focus on agriculture by removing all restrictions placed on the sector in terms of sale, purchase, and exports, former member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council Surjit Bhalla said. He further said that the new government should reduce the cost of capital in the country to boost investment and growth.

The New Indian Express

In Mandya and surrounding villages, agriculture activities have come to a complete halt due to lack of pre-monsoon showers. However, farmers here are still a busy lot, thanks to the Lok Sabha polls.

Mint

A day after most exit polls predicted a second term for the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance, chief economic advisor (CEA) in the finance ministry Krishnamurthy Subramanian on Monday discussed the policy priorities before the next government in an interview. Edited excerpts:

The Hans India

The next government should reduce corporate tax by 5 per cent, should expand income support scheme, abolish the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism in the next three years and bring reforms in agriculture sector, noted economist Surjit Bhalla said on Monday.

Telangana Today

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao proposed to establish cold storage facility at every mandal headquarter in the State, Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy said on Monday. He said discussions were on regarding irrigation facility, crop colonies, support price for agriculture produce, setting up a network of cold storages and agriculture warehouses. Because of the many efforts of the government, mangoes from Telangana were being exported to the UK for the first time, he said.

Business Standard

The next government should reduce corporate tax by 5 per cent, should expand income support scheme, abolish the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism in the next three years and bring reforms in agriculture sector, noted economist Surjit Bhalla said Monday.

The Economic Times

Agriculture needs reducing the cost of production and for me a new model that we are examining very carefully is the so-called zero budget natural farming model which eliminates the use of chemicals in agriculture, said Rajiv Kumar, Vice-chairman, Niti Aayog in an interview with ETNOW

The New Indian Express

TRS MLA and former Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao said that the farmers’ suicides had come down under Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s rule in Telangana.Participating in a meeting in Tampa City in Florida in the US on Sunday organised by TRS America Cell, Harish Rao said that Chandrasekhar Rao’s aim is to see smiles on the faces of the farmers.

CNBC TV 18

Fertiliser pricing policies– influencing farmers’ preference towards specific chemical combinations–need to be mapped to the officially prescribed nitrogen (N), phosphate (P) and potassium (K) ratio to curb excess non-carbon dioxide (non-CO2) emission from India’s cropland based agriculture, research has suggested.

FirstPost

Pre-monsoon rainfall from March to May, which is a phenomenon vital to agriculture in several parts of the country, has recorded a deficiency of 22 percent, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data.

Krishijagran.com

A 25-year-old organic farmers group, Kerala Jaiva Karshaka Samithi, has won global recognition for their determined efforts in innovating organic farming.

The Samithi is one of the two winners of the Organic Medal of Honour that was started by Xichong, a Chinese Municipality in collaboration with the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) Asia in South Korea.

The Economic Times

The government has so far procured 1.8 million tonnes of kharif season pulses and oilseeds, which is less than half of the sanctioned procurement quantity of 3.78 million tonnes, even as procurement ends this month.

Financial Express

A comparison of the increase in mandi rates of key foodgrain and the hikes in their minimum support prices (MSPs) over the years shows that higher MSPs don’t always translate into better realisations for farmers. While the link between the two — mandi rates and MSPs — are somewhat erratic, in most cases the mandi prices have remained significantly lower than MSPs (see chart).

The Times of India

In order to speed up claim settlement of farmers under the existing crop insurance scheme, the agriculture ministry has decided to use specialised agencies to carry out pilot studies to estimate crop yield at village/gram panchayat level using innovative technology. The move will help in quickly arriving at an “accurate” yield estimation figure.

The Hans India

The Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) has asked several agricultural research institutes affiliated to it to furnish details of the externally funded research projects taken up by them.

According to the sources, an ICAR circular said the funds remitted to 32 externally funded projects by the sponsored agencies from different countries remained lying in various banks since the financial year 2014-15.

The Indian Express

As per the latest data from the National Bee Board, under the Department of Agriculture, the country’s total honey production reported in 2017 – 2018 was 1.05 lakh metric tonnes (MTs), compared to the 35,000 metric tonnes in 2005-2006. Today, India also has as many as 35 lakh bee colonies, compared to 8 lakh during 2005-2006. The number of beekeepers, beekeeping companies and honey societies has also increased and as of January 2019, the country had 9,091 registered people in the apiary business.

The Indian Express

URBAN consumers in Pune will soon be able to buy fruits and vegetables that are free of any residues of insecticides and other chemicals. The Department of Agriculture, along with the Directorate of Marketing and the Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board (MSAMB), are working towards the creation of a value chain which will make such products available for urban consumers.

The Dispatch

A class 9 student from Khore Sherabad, Pattan has designed a drone to help farmers in spraying pesticides in their orchards in a better and efficient way. The unique innovation 15-year-old Aryan Khan has come up with has been named as ‘Agriculture Drone’.

The New Indian Express

Farmer leader PR Pandiyan has stated GAIL violated norms while laying pipelines near Tharangambadi and the violations should be investigated by the State government.

The New Indian Express

Farmers in India are anxiously waiting for the result of 2019 Lok Sabha polls to be announced on May 23. Irrespective of whether the present BJP-led NDA government retains power or a new coalition comes in power, there may be some changes in the farm policies, which would affect farm growth as well as farmer’s wellbeing. Let us analyse some of the expected changes and also the agenda for needed reforms to transform India’s farm economy for farmers’ wellbeing.

The Hans India

Agriculture Officer Vinod Kumar and Sub Inspector Rajasekhar carried out inspections in fertilizer shops in Ganji Grounds, here on Sunday. Speaking on the occasion, they warned that licences would be scrapped and stringent action taken if anyone was found selling spurious fertilisers to farmers. Agriculture extension officer Praveen Kumar, Subhash and others were present.

The Times of India

Stating that there is a need for paradigm change in agricultural research that makes full use of science and technology, vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu has observed that agriculture universities have bigger role to overcome the challenges of climate change and achieve food and nutritional security

The Times of India

Stating that there is a need for paradigm change in agricultural research that makes full use of science and technology, vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu has observed that agriculture universities have bigger role to overcome the challenges of climate change and achieve food and nutritional security.

Business Standard

Once the high-voltage Lok Sabha polls come to an end, the new government will have a major challenge of getting rural economy back on the track, especially, in the wake of forecast of delayed, below normal monsoon this year with chances of drought parts of the country.

The Morung Express

Agriculture department has intensified it combat against the spread of Fall Armyworm (FAW) in the state. State Agriculture Director, Laltanpuii Vanchhong said that all possible steps have been taken up to combat further infestation of the maize crop by the invasive pest which has caused extensive damages to maize cultivation in some districts of Manipur.

The Times of India

It has been quite a few years since the agriculture marketing department of Visakhapatnam has been alloted godowns. According to sources in the department, there are basically two reasons for it, one budgetary constraints and the other being the acquisition of agriculture land for industrial purposes in many areas. The sources said that the occupancy rate in the district is 90%, which is indicative of the fact that the reduction in area under agriculture and horticulture due to acquisition for industrial purposes is one of the main reasons for the lack of allotment of godowns.

The Times of India

In an unprecedented case, the Gujarat high court has appointed a three-member expert committee to find out the repercussions of mining lease in agricultural lands. Agitating farmers had complained that the mining lease for limestone granted to Ultra Tech Cement Ltd would bring salinity in the area and affect their farming. The farmers, who were agitating against the grant of mining lease in Bhavnagar district, had approached the high court demanding action against the cops for the alleged custodial torture on January 2 on 54 agitating persons including women and children. The HC first ordered the registration of FIR against responsible cops as well as a judicial inquiry.

The Hans India

District Collector Gaurav Uppal directed the officials concerned to finish the paddy procurement within two days. On Friday , he inspected PACS IKP paddy purchasing centre at Pangal in Nalgonda. He instructed the organisers of IKP centre to complete the purchasing of existing paddy at the IKP centre and paddy that comes with recommended moisture to the centre and sent it to mills on war footing.

The Hans India

Notwithstanding the advancement in technology that helps farmers get higher yields, and financial support from the government, the agriculture sector is still has to confront with the same challenges such as lack of minimum support price, middlemen’s sway over market and spurious seed menace — that need to be dealt with an iron hand.

DNA

In a bid to consolidate its position as a leader in agriculture exports, the state government will soon formulate its own policy. The government has formed an 11-member committee headed by the agriculture commissioner Suhas Diwase to pen the policy and submit it by May 31. The state’s policy will be drafted taking a cue from the Centre’s agriculture policy released last year which aimed to double agricultural exports from the current $ 30+ billion to $ 60+ billion by 2022 and reach $ 100 Billion in the next few years thereafter, with a stable trade policy regime.

Down To Earth

Birds, known to play an important role in pollination, putting a check on pesky insects and rodents, could also be causing drastic decrease in crop yields by destroying them, according to a report, which calls it as an emerging concern in Indian agriculture.

The Hans India

Agro-forestry is one such a solution which has potential to sustain farmers’ farm production, productivity and income, Warangal Urban District Collector Prashanth Jeevan Patil said. It may be mentioned here that in order to make agriculture less vulnerable to erratic climatic aberrations, the Central government had formulated National Agro-forestry Policy in 2014.

The Times of India

Kishore Tiwari, chairman of state task force on agriculture crisis, has slammed former Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar for failure to formulate a policy to stop excessive use of water for cash crops like sugarcane, cotton and grapes. “It’s time a firm policy was put in place for optimum use of water to promote sustainable agriculture,” Tiwari said.

The Indian Express

A model developed by the Pune-based Shree Vighnahar Cooperative Sugar Mill, to fight the infestation of white grub (Holotrichia serrata) insect larvae in sugarcane fields, is going to be upscaled for the state ahead of the next crushing season. Both the sugar commissioner and agriculture commissioner have undertaken an outreach drive to ensure that the model is used across the state.

Morung Express

A joint team comprising of staff from the Central Integrated Pest Management Centre (CIPMC), Dimapur, under the Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine & Storage, Faridabad and District Agriculture Office, Dimapur visited the maize fields in and around Dimapur Sadar and conducted surveillance and pest scouting on May 16.

Down To Earth

The largest democratic exercise in the world—general elections 2019 of India—is coming to an end. On May 23, the country would know its new government. And the preferences of 900 million electorates would reflect that. But, what stands out in the over-a-month-long campaign is near inaudible issues that matter to the vast number of electorates.

Mint

With the final phase of elections scheduled for 19 May, the biggest festival of democracy will soon be over. While this election has been bitterly fought, with tempers rising all around, real issues of the economy which should have attracted attention were somewhat muted, despite the opposition’s attempt to raise the crisis in Indian agriculture and the long-standing issue of unemployment. Whatever the outcome of the election, the new government will have to address some of these issues on an urgent basis.

The Times of India

Beneath the facade of sprawling greenery that abounds the highland district of Wayanad is a simmering agricultural crisis which is seen in the spiralling loan defaults among farmers, with many committing suicide. Farmers are hit by price crash of their mainstay farm produces, falling productivity and impact of climate change in the form of extreme weather conditions.

Orissa Post

Alleging irregularities in the Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI) scheme at Jaipatna block of Kalahandi district, farmers gheraoed agricultural department officers Wednesday. The incident spread tension in the village. Angry locals detained the officials and warned of a mass demonstration if no steps were taken in this regard.

The Times of India

Kerala floods generated Rs 2,723 crore in crop damages and Rs 3,558 crore in crop loss in the agricultural sector stated the Kerala PostDisaster Needs Assessment (Floods and Landslides) August 2018 report. It was jointly prepared by the state government, World Bank, UN, Asian Development Bank & European Union. According to report, the recovery needs – in terms of agricultural crops – alone adds up to Rs 4,194 crore.

The New Indian Express

Even as GAIL’s pipeline laying project is inching towards completion, farmers in Tharangambadi alleged that agriculture was disturbed by the work. Having faced several protests and agitations, the pipeline laying work in north Nagapattinam is in its final stage. However, GAIL is facing stiff opposition in Tharangambadi taluk where farmers have taken up kuruvai cultivation using groundwater. We feel intimidated by the machinery and the works is being carried out without conducting opinion hearing meetings.

Northeast Now

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal directed the state agriculture department to take steps to cover 10,000 farmers under PMKSY within June 20, 2019. Sonowal on Wednesday reviewed the functioning of agriculture department at the Brahmaputra State Guest House in Guwahati.

Rising Kashmir

The official spokesperson said it was also informed that Directorate of Agriculture has fixed a target of bring 100000 farming families of various Commodity Interest Groups (CIGs) under the fold of FPOs to achieve higher farm income by reducing the cost of cultivation through bulk Procurement of seed and other inputs, Product Branding, Value Addition and Better Market Linkages. It was decided that 100 acres of land within Organic Basmati Cluster of Suchetgarh will be utilized for healthy/disease free seed production under Seed Village Programme to ensure that requirement of organically grown seed of the SOBRC could be met.

The Hans India

District Collector Ayesha Masrat Khanam said that special awareness camps for the farmers would be organised to sensitise them in preventing the crops from the pests. She said that the farmers in the district show interest to grow cotton and corn in 48,000 hectares in the months of June.

The Morung Express

The department of Agricultural Extension, SASRD: NU in collaboration with Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) Eastern & Southern Region jointly organized an orientation course on ‘Soil Health Management’ on May 11 at SASRD, Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus.

Financial Express

Government thinktank Niti Aayog has asked central ministries and states to identify key projects where artificial intelligence could be adopted to resolve problems in areas like health, education and agriculture.

Down To Earth

The potential use of human excreta as a fertiliser in agricultural fields is an incentive for people to collect and treat faecal sludge so it could be used to increase soil health. Prejudice and lack of knowledge, however, can stand in the way, according to a research.

Krishi Jagran

Punjab National Bank (PNB), India’s second largest Public Sector Bank (PSB), has continued to focus on agricultural education and training to strengthen India’s primary sector and empower the farmer community. In addition to agriculture banking, the bank has continually focused at creating new avenues that can further provide support to the sector. As per a Board resolution, PNB has institutionalized cash rewards for top meritorious under–graduate and post-graduate students at top agricultural universities in India to provide encouragement to young minds. An annual scholarship outlay of INR 6, 00,000 /- has been set aside for this purpose. The bank already runs 12 Farmers’ Training Centers (FTCs) across the country to provide training facilities to farmers, women and rural youth. 

Down To Earth

Researchers from the Kolkata-based Bose Institute have retraced the aerial path these marauders of mustard take and have found the exact route of their travel from the upper Himalayas down to the plains of the Ganges where they attack the popular commercial crop of the region.

Swarajya

Indian agriculture has undergone a phenomenal change over the last decade that it is no more dependent on just foodgrains or one sector. It has emerged as a versatile sector that still provides employment to over 50 per cent of the country’s population and keeps the economy ticking in rural areas despite the vagaries of weathe

Yourstory

There is a solution here – exporting agricultural products can improve the scenario for the agricultural sector. There is considerable merit in exporting surplus products, which will allow farmers to earn higher income. Also, some farmers have started growing and exporting flowers and allied products, finding a good number of buyers in the US, Japan, and in Germany. Similarly, India’s fruits have a good market in the Netherlands and Japan, while specific fruits like mangoes and grapes are imported by Belgium, Saudi Arabia and some others. Farmers of these agricultural products have not only been able to get better income for themselves, but have also helped the government earning foreign exchange.

Rising Kashmir

The official spokesperson said it was also informed that Directorate of Agriculture has fixed a target of bring 100000 farming families of various Commodity Interest Groups (CIGs) under the fold of FPOs to achieve higher farm income by reducing the cost of cultivation through bulk Procurement of seed and other inputs, Product Branding, Value Addition and Better Market Linkages. It was decided that 100 acres of land within Organic Basmati Cluster of Suchetgarh will be utilized for healthy/disease free seed production under Seed Village Programme to ensure that requirement of organically grown seed of the SOBRC could be met.

The Hans India

District Collector Ayesha Masrat Khanam said that special awareness camps for the farmers would be organised to sensitise them in preventing the crops from the pests. She said that the farmers in the district show interest to grow cotton and corn in 48,000 hectares in the months of June.

Financial Express

Government thinktank Niti Aayog has asked central ministries and states to identify key projects where artificial intelligence could be adopted to resolve problems in areas like health, education and agriculture.

Morung Express

The department of Agricultural Extension, SASRD: NU in collaboration with Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) Eastern & Southern Region jointly organized an orientation course on ‘Soil Health Management’ on May 11 at SASRD, Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus.

Business Standard

The recent pest attack has affected 68 per cent of maize cultivation in Mizoram, an official said on Wednesday.

The pest, fall armyworm (Sodoptera frugiperda), has affected 2,424 hectare out of 3,539 hectare of maize fields in the state, the Joint Director of the Agriculture Department, James Lalsiamliana, told PTI.

Krishijagran.com

Punjab National Bank (PNB), India’s second largest Public Sector Bank (PSB), has continued to focus on agricultural education and training to strengthen India’s primary sector and empower the farmer community. In addition to agriculture banking, the bank has continually focused at creating new avenues that can further provide support to the sector. As per a Board resolution, PNB has institutionalized cash rewards for top meritorious under–graduate and post-graduate students at top agricultural universities in India to provide encouragement to young minds. An annual scholarship outlay of INR 6, 00,000 /- has been set aside for this purpose. The bank already runs 12 Farmers’ Training Centers (FTCs) across the country to provide training facilities to farmers, women and rural youth. 

The Tribune

Nearly 144 farmers from Araria district in Bihar have been waiting to receive the compensation promised under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for the paddy crop loss they suffered in 2017.

Hindustan Times 

Latest government data that shows the slowing of rural wages is worrying. As is the detail that they actually declined for several months in 2018-19. The situation is exacerbated by the ongoing agrarian crisis which, at least to date, hasn’t been addressed adequately by either the spate of farm loan waivers across India or the increase in the government’s procurement price for key crops. Lower than anticipated summer rains (which keeps the soil extra dry) and fears that El Nino could affect this year’s monsoon rains just serve to increase the risks.

The Hindu 

The government is yet to appoint a full-time Secretary for the agriculture department, one of the most crucial departments, as the State faces one of the worst droughts in recent times. Since the retirement of Bijay Kumar in August last year, Eknath Dawale, Secretary, Water Conservation and Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) has had additional charge of agriculture.

The Hindu Business Line

The Income Tax Department, investigating cases of tax evasion during demonetisation, is stepping up probe into gains made in agriculture income by farmers and other assessees. Under the Income Tax (IT) Act of 1961, agriculture income is exempt from taxes. But during the demonetisation period, Income Tax Department officers suspect that excess non-agriculture income or black money was declared as agriculture income.

Down To Earth

A legal battle over the right to grow the humble potato has caught global attention, after US snack and beverage giant PepsiCo sued a handful of farmers in Gujarat for cultivating a variety of potato that the multinational claims as its own. The American major uses the particular tuber in question for making Lay’s brand of chips.

Zee Business 

Agriculture in India basically depends on seasonal factors, as it is, sometimes, marred by heavy precipitation or by drought, thereby hitting especially small and marginal farmers, who find themselves helpless before nature. Since such farmers are unable to make any experiment, they are drifting towards cities once they bear losses in agriculture. Although the Centre as well as state governments are striving hard to help farmers to rise above subsistence level, the steps being taken so far seem to be inadequate. Notably, the government is also trying to create awareness among farmers to adopt modern means to enhance their income, and of these, contract farming, is one of the new moves.

The Better India

The incident dates back to the early 90s. But retired teacher and octogenarian paddy farmer Natabar Sarangi remembers it as though it were yesterday. After 32 years of service as a government school teacher, the man had turned to his ancestral profession of farming in a 3.5-acre land. He had inherited 1.5 acres from his family and acquired the remaining two over time.

Deccan Chronicle

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) on Monday announced a Rs 700-crore venture capital (VC) fund for equity investments in agriculture and rural-focused startups.

UNI

A new study by the UN agriculture agency has revealed a scale of economic gains through easy-toimplement “disaster resilient” farming practices. According to Disaster risk reduction at farm level: Multiple benefits, no regrets by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), poor farmers can obtain significant economic gains and other benefits by implementing modified farming practices aimed at boosting their ability to cope with disasters and natural shocks

The Times of India

Hundreds of farmers and wholesale vegetable vendors under the banner of Jai Kisan Wholesale Vegetable Merchants’ Association took out a rally here on Monday opposing a public notice of the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) about shifting the market from Cantonment area to APMC yard. The rally began from the vegetable market in Cantonment and culminated at the DC office after passing through Market police station and RTO Circle. They later submitted a memorandum to DC Vishal R.

Moneycontrol

Indian sugar production in 2019/20 is expected to decline 8.4% from the record-large 2018/19 crop to 30.3 million tonnes, the US Department of Agriculture attache in New Delhi said in a report. Output is expected to fall as the area under harvest contracts and the average sugar recovery rate declines, and as ethanol becomes an increasingly attractive option for cane mills, the attache said.

The Indian Express

Efforts to market it as an Uttam Pradesh notwithstanding, UP or Uttar Pradesh, is for many, an “Ulta Pradesh” — a place where nothing works, except in reverse. Even more disdainful is “U Pay” — things can work, provided you grease the right palms.

ET Rise

Nabventures, a subsidiary of NABARD, Monday announced its maiden fund to back agriculture, food and rural start-ups. The fund — NABVENTURES Fund I — with a proposed corpus of Rs 500 crore has a greenshoe option of Rs 200 crore and has received an anchor commitment from NABARD, Nabventures said in a release.

The Times of India

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) has claimed that the pink bollworm infestation had reduced by 70% in the last cropping season (2018-19) in all the cotton growing districts pan India due to implementation of CICR strategies for prevention and control of the infestation. This year too, CICR plans to combat the pink bollworm attack by following previous year’s management practices. The institute will be holding a national-level meeting on May 17 in this regard.

The Hans India

Agriculture Department Special Chief Secretary B Rajasekhar said that high yield of paddy is possible through natural farming and it also helps in reducing pollution.

Financial Express

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which had estimated the Indian cotton production estimate for the 2018-19 crop year at 345 lakh bales (of 170 kg each), have now reduced their latest estimate by 20 lakh bales to 325 lakh bales.

Mint

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Monday announced a ₹700 crore venture capital fund for equity investments in agriculture and rural-focused startups.

Business Standard

Nabventures, a subsidiary of NABARD, Monday announced its maiden fund to back agriculture, food and rural start-ups.

The fund — NABVENTURES Fund I — with a proposed corpus of Rs 500 crore has a greenshoe option of Rs 200 crore and has received an anchor commitment from NABARD, Nabventures said in a release.

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is a development finance institution.

Qrius

You might not be able to stomach soybeans for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the animals you eat do. Cultivation of the staple crop takes up an area five times the size of the UK, and 85% of that area is used for animal feed. Thanks to projected rapid growth in both world population and in the meat-eating global middle class, demand for soybean is set to grow 80% by 2050 – more than any other staple crop.

The Wire

India is a member of multilateral trade rules, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), since 1995. One of the WTO agreements, namely the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), introduced the idea of intellectual property rights (IPR) on life forms as a global minimum standard.

The New Indian Express

Delay in setting up of paddy procurement centres coupled with the recent unseasonal rain has become a cause of concern for the farming community in the district. The district administration had declared to start rabi paddy procurement from May 1 with a target to purchase 26,800 quintal. Accordingly, the civil supply department had decided to open 13 procurement centres in 11 blocks. The delay in opening paddy procurement centres has been attributed to cyclone Fani.

The Hindu

Farmers are apparently moving towards eco-friendly practices by switching over to straw balers. The farmers usually burn the paddy straw after ‘combine-harvesting’ (using harvesters) as they have to prepare for the next crop.

Financial Express

The kerfuffle caused by PepsiCo India taking 11 persons including farmers and traders to court for unauthorised use of its protected potato variety has abated with the company dropping the litigation and the Gujarat government agreeing to play the ‘umpire’. The state’s Chief Secretary JN Singh said over phone that the company was paying “a good price,” and since the government “wants the best possible deal for farmers,” it was willing to be a party to the contract agreements between the company and farmers.

Financial Express

We often feel proud of our democratic system of governance. But, it also has a blot, which is magnified in the ongoing election campaign. Instead of discussing what the BJP/NDA promised in its manifesto of 2014, and how far they have been able to deliver so far, the political discourse has drifted far away. Accusations and counter-accusations are being hurled on who was/is more corrupt, of course, without any proof. All gloves are off, and now the ditch battle for power is bayonet to bayonet. And when political parties approach the Supreme Court against the failure of the Election Commission to act against violations of the model code of conduct, our political system seems reaching its nadir. Yet, ...

Telangana Today

In what should come as music to the ears of farmers in Telangana, the State government is likely to commence the process of farm loan waiver scheme by this month-end. The State Cabinet is expected to accord necessary approvals along with the guidelines for implementation of the scheme during its next meeting, benefiting about 48.14 lakh farmers.

The Times of India

Two new implements have been added to the list of machinery eligible for subsidy under a scheme promoting mechanisation in agriculture. Farmers will now be able to seek financial assistance for the purchase of mini excavators and tractor-mounted water tankers with trailers. Notified in 2017, the scheme was aimed at promoting mechanisation to overcome shortage and high rates of agricultural labour, to reduce the cost of cultivating crops and to increase net returns to farmers.

India CSR

In order to augment CSR fun flow to agricultural sector, Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH) and National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) took the initiative of organising workshop on CSR for Agricultural Development.

The Times of India

Voracious rodents have raided hundreds of acres of cotton crops in Thirumarugal of Nagapattinam district, causing extensive damage to farmers who lamented the loss could amount to lakhs of rupees. Worried farmers’ unions said that the rodents, if left uncontrolled, could wreak further havoc to their remaining crops, and requested to the agriculture department to extend a helping hand to curb the infestation and announce monetary help.

Devdicourse

When Ishwar Chand Sharma, a farmer in northern India, committed suicide just days before the start of the country’s general elections, police found a note in his pocket with a plea: “Don’t vote for the BJP.”

While police worked to authenticate the note, Sharma’s son told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that his 65-year-old father blamed the policies of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the debt that drove him to reportedly drink poison. A mix of extreme weather, spiralling operating costs and plunging food prices has thrown millions of India’s farmers into crisis, leading to more than 300,000 suicides over the past two decades, according to government data

The Times of India

Implementation of PM Modi’s financial assistance scheme for small and marginal farmers has been dismal in the state. Of the 59 lakh small and marginal farmers eligible for the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, only 16.4 lakh have received the first instalment of Rs 2,000 released in early March, says data compiled by the Union agriculture ministry. The second instalment, released this month, has reached only 4.6 lakh farmers. So far, Rs 327.7 crore has been disbursed. Officials blame largescale mistakes in data for funds not reaching the farmers’ accounts

The Economic Times

India exported 7% more agricultural and processed food products in value terms in the just concluded fiscal year, driven by doubledigit increases in dairy products and pulses, although there was muted growth in wheat and non-Basmati rice shipped out of the country.

India Spend

A heated argument had broken out among half-a-dozen farmers gathered near a dimly-lit dairy shop in Kodia village in Bhopal district, 30 km west of the city. “Bharatiya Janata Party ka kuchh vote abki baar katega humare kshetra me, kisan naraz hain (The BJP will lose some of its votes in our region this time, the farmers are angry),” said Vikram Gor, 40, one of the farmers, shouting to be heard above the din.

Telangana Today

The North Zone Task Force, in a joint operation with Agriculture Department officials, nabbed two persons on charges of illegal transportation and sale of unauthorised Herbicide Tolerant (HT) cotton seeds near the Secunderabad Railway Station here on Friday. Police seized about 2,005 kg of seeds packed in 50 bags, all put together worth Rs 32.5 lakh from them.

The Economic Times 

India has sought greater access for agricultural and animal husbandry products in Chinese market to boost exports and bridge trade deficit with the neighbouring country, an official said.

The Times of India

Soon, it would be possible for anyone to just look at a map and know the nutrient levels of agricultural lands in each village across the state and decide which crops can be feasibly cultivated there. The state agriculture department has undertaken a project under the ‘Soil Health Card Mission’ to create a ‘soil resource inventory and sampling’. Under this, officials are collecting soil samples from revenue villages across the state to analyze them and create thematic maps.

The Times of India

After former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan denied that his brother had applied for farm loan waiver, state agriculture minister Sachin Yadav took a dig at him by saying that when Shivraj doesn’t even know who all had applied for farm loan waiver in his own family, how can he talk about entire farmers of the state. Earlier in the day, Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja made public the two applications of Shivraj’s relatives regarding loan waiver. The applications were that of Rohit Singh, brother of former CM, and Niranjan Singh, son of Chouhan’s uncle. Besides other details, the applications also carried the details of Aadhaar card and area of the agriculture land.

ORF

After the recent spat between the PepsiCo and a handful of potato farmers from Gujarat, the debate surrounding contract farming has resurfaced. Just because these small farmers were growing and selling potato varieties that are reserved for and patented by the PepsiCo for the production of their popular chips ‘Lays’, heavy fines of more than a crore of rupees each were going to be imposed on them by the company. Following the activists’ fury and their invoking of India’s laws on farmers’ rights, Protection of Plant Variety and Farmers’ Right (PPVFR), the PepsiCo retracted its belligerent step and has offered to take the farmers into its fold of contract farming and letting them produce and sell potatoes of the special ...

News Services Decision

In Odisha, more than 33% crop has been damaged due to Cyclone Fani that hit the eastern coastline last week.  Nearly 1,22,000 hectors of agricultural land were badly affected in 14 districts of the state. According to the preliminary estimates, assistance for crops amounting to 145 crore rupees will be required.

Krishijagran.com

Pusa Krishi Incubator at Zonal Technology Management – Business Planning Development (ZTM-BPD) unit of Indian Agriculture Research Institute, is organizing phase 2 of the SAMARTH: Innovation & Incubation Induction program. The theme of this program is Partnership and Prosperity for All and discussion will focus on the Planning and Execution of an Incubation program.

The Times of India

The agriculture department in Trichy has asked farmers, who take up maize cultivation, to adopt various methods to save their crop from being attacked by armyworm. Maize crop, cultivated on thousands of acres in Trichy last year, was destroyed by the worm leaving hundreds of farmers worried. The fall armyworm destroyed the crop cultivated in Vairichettipalayam, Kottampatti, Muthaiahpalayam, Muthurajapalayam, Sobanapuram, Osarapalli, Sikkathambur, Kudukkur, Sengattupatti, Keerambur, Pullambadi, Kallakudi, Melarasur, Peruvalappur, Sirukalappur, Uttathoor and Nambakuruchi villages falling under Thuraiyur, Uppiliapuram and Pullambadi unions in Trichy. Farmers had staged protests demanding Rs 25,000 as compensation per acre.

Down To Earth

Agriculture scientists have cautioned about the likely spread of extremely virulent strains of fungus that causes yellow rust in wheat, to which currently used wheat cultivars show high susceptibility. The situation is particularly grim as the bread wheat cultivar, HD267, that currently occupies 10 to 12 million hectare (ha) area is susceptible to these new strains.

The Hindu Business Line

India’s trade deficit with China has been bridged by about $9.5 billion in FY19 to $53.5 billion, but New Delhi wants deeper cuts this year.Pushing for more action from the Chinese side to increase imports of agricultural commodities and certain other goods from India, Commerce Ministry officials will meet representatives from the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) on Thursday in New Delhi to discuss ways to raise exports and close the bilateral trade gap further.

The Hindu

When the news broke that PepsiCo was suing small farmers in India for growing a potato variety that is used in its Lay’s chips, popular sympathies immediately went, of course, to the farmers. National and international pressure swiftly mounted, and in short order a humbled PepsiCo backtracked, announcing its withdrawal of the lawsuit. There was global schadenfreude at Goliath’s PR disaster and, in India, pride at being on the side of the righteous Davids.

India Spend

Of around 61 million jobs created in India over 22 years post-liberalisation of the economy in 1991, 92% were informal jobs, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) data for 2011-12, the latest available, released in 2014.

The Hans India

Dr G V Ramanjaneyulu, the Executive Director of Centre for Sustainable Agriculture and Expert Director of Sahaja Aharam Producer Company, has pointed out ground realities of farming and the distress in the rural farming communities, at a meeting organised by Rotary Club of Secunderabad.

The Times of India

Challenging the odds of severe drought conditions and poor support from institutional finances, farmers in remote areas in Guntur and Prakasam districts have laid a path to success and sustainable development.

Money Control

The Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence on May 8 received a $2 million grant from Google to develop technologies to reduce crop losses in cotton farming. This is a part of $25 million in grants from the tech giant. In addition, as a part of Google AI Impact Challenge, the Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence will get credit and consulting from Google Cloud and coaching by Google’s AI experts, according to a press statement.

The New Indian Express

Mirroring the severity of the drought situation, Gram Panchayat (GP) members hailing from Lingasugur taluk are now migrating to Bengaluru. Mass migration of agriculture labourers, small and marginal farmers is not uncommon in the northeastern district of the state. Every year, despite the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), people migrate due to unavailability of work here. A majority of migrants work as construction labourers in cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Maharashtra.

The Wire

If we go by our food production systems, we are all agriculturalists. Irrespective of our professions, political leanings, beliefs and biases, we all depend on a handful of domesticated plants and animals grown under controlled conditions for our food. This has made food production the single largest source of land use on the planet today, with more than a third of earth’s ice-free land surface utilised under agriculture (12%) or as pasture land (26%).

Business Standard

An outbreak of ‘Fall Armyworm’ has affected at least 5,636 farming families in over 200 villages in Mizoram, state Agriculture Director Rohmingthanga Colney said Wednesday.The outbreak caused by the crop pest has affected maize cultivation in 2,055 hectares in 227 villages of all the eight districts, he said.

Northeast Now

Mizoram Agriculture Minister C Lalrinsanga on Tuesday said that a pest named Fall Armyworm has damaged maize cultivation over 1,745 hectares of land in the state leading to a loss of Rs 20 crore.

The Wire

Down to Earth magazine reported on a new paper, published in the Journal of Rural Development, covering 1,007 farmer households and 301 agriculture labour households in 27 villages in Mansa, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur in Punjab. The study throws up remarkable new statistics. 85% of farmer households are in debt, with the average debt exceeding Rs 5 lakhs per household. Even agricultural labourers are in debt, averaging around Rs 60,000 per household. An average marginal farmer household makes less than Rs 1.5 lakh annually.

The New Indian Express

Most of the farmers in Jeypore region on Tuesday skipped Akshaya Tritiya rituals, which mark the beginning of farming season.Delay in harvest of rabi crops and non-availability of farm land for the rituals are said to be the reasons behind the skipping of ‘Akhi Muthi’ ceremony and ploughing of farm field in the region.

The Economic Times

India’s 2018/19 cotton imports are likely to double from a year ago to a record 3.1 million bales as the drop in production to the lowest level in nine years forces textile manufactures to ramp up overseas purchases, a senior industry official said.

The Hindu Business Line

The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act (PPVFRA), which introduced intellectual property protection in Indian agriculture, faced its biggest test in its implementation phase of nearly a decade and a half, when PepsiCo India initiated legal proceedings against four farmers in Gujarat for “illegally” growing its potato variety registered under the PPVFRA.

Star of Mysore

Many parameters in common use to portray the health status of the country’s economy and the abilities of its people or otherwise don’t seem to be within the grasp of the major part of the land’s masses. Two such parameters suggest themselves instantly, namely a) Literacy (reportedly on the cusp of 70 per cent) and b) Life expectancy at birth (reportedly 67.4 years for males, 70.3 years for females and total life expectancy at 68.8 years). While the massive gap between the top States in the country compared to the bottom ranks calls for the latter to close that gap with a sense of urgency, India’s World Life Expectancy ranking stood at 125, reportedly far lower ...

Down To Earth

India’s food and agriculture indicators related to the United Nations (UN)-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have presented a worrying picture.

Two-thirds of India’s cultivable land is vulnerable to droughts, more than a quarter of the country’s arable land has been degraded, and 12 per cent of the land area is prone to river basin floods, said NITI Aayog advisor Sanyukta Samaddar at a workshop hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in New Delhi.

Money Control

Year after year, the Commission for Agriculture Cost and Prices (CACP) comes out with detailed analytical reports on price policy for major crops and support prices are declared by the government. The recommendations on price usually receive media attention but non-price recommendations, which are largely in the domain of reform process, are ignored. Due to a lack of political consensus, the government finds it difficult to implement non-price recommendations. So, Minimum Support Price (MSP) is used as an instrument to satisfy farmers.

Business Standard

The first edition of ITOTY 2019 was held by Tractor Junction in Delhi. It was a successful format to recognize Indian manufacturers of Tractors and Farm Implements, giving a complete overview of the Indian manufacturing and farming practices during the panel discussion whereas CRISIL has presented pre- and post-harvest through marketing and consumption trends.

The New Indian Express

The Mizoram government has sought the Centre’s help in combating a pest, which has swarmed into the state ostensibly from Myanmar and Bangladesh, and unleashed a reign of terror.

The Times of India

The famed Champaran sugar bowl farmlands that stretch away in every direction tell a bitter tale of agrarian distress. For decades now the defunct sugar mills of Motihari and Bara Chakia lie subsumed by wild vegetation. Ironically, this area falls in the constituency of Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh

The Times of India

Barely a few months after the Andhra Pradesh government cancelled licences of some seed companies for their role in distribution of unapproved herbicide tolerant (HT) cotton seeds, the Telangana government has intensified vigilance against such companies and usage of seeds by farmers.

The Hans India

Krishna, a resident of Kowkoor, quit a career in civil engineering to take up organic farming and has been reaping a good harvest but is saddened by the fact that the lands close to his are making way to commercial and residential complexes. Kowkoor is known for vegetables and people from Yapral, Sainikpuri, Bolarum, Alwal, Lothukunta, A S Rao Nagar and nearby localities flock to the area to

DNA

Amidst raging debate over inaccuracies and over-estimation in electricity consumption by agriculture consumers, the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) for the first time will carry out a comprehensive study of agriculture consumption in the state through a working group. Distribution Company (MahaVitaran) has around 41.54 lakh agriculture (AG) consumer connections (out which, metered is 26.50 lakh and un-metered is 15.04 lakh) with a connected load of 210.84 lakh horsepower (HP).

MoneyControl

Year after year, the Commission for Agriculture Cost and Prices (CACP) comes out with detailed analytical reports on price policy for major crops and support prices are declared by the government. The recommendations on price usually receive media attention but non-price recommendations, which are largely in the domain of reform process, are ignored. Due to a lack of political consensus, the government finds it difficult to implement non-price recommendations. So, Minimum Support Price (MSP) is used as an instrument to satisfy farmers.

FirstPost

Multiple pointers are indicating the persistence of an economic slowdown in Asia’s third-largest economy. And these are too serious ones to ignore to get back the economy back on the high growth path and ensure that fruits of economic growth reach the common man.

The Hindu Business Line

Parts of Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan have faced four droughts in the last four years while more than 20 districts in Karnataka reeled under a drought for three years during this period. At the same Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha faced two droughts. According to the Ministry of Agriculture the frequent droughts in the last four years not only affected the kharif and rabi crop but also destroyed kharif supplementary crops in these States.

The Economic Times

Consumption is sputtering across a range of products including cars, two-wheelers, air travel and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), with volumes dropping to multi-quarter lows. The decline in demand stems from an income growth slump in urban and rural areas that’s forced people to curb spending, falling money supply in the economy and rising uncertainty over how customers will respond to regulatory action, experts said. The next government may need to prime the pump as consumption has been one ..

 

The Times of India

In order to encourage agriculture, a non-profit think tank with focus on livelihoods, has recommended a fallow land study followed by microclimatic studies will enable farmers to know what crops grow best in different types of soil. “This will ensure a horticulture hub model,” Goa Livelihoods Forum stated in its whitepaper on ‘Livelihoods- Goa’.

UNI

State revenue minister Chandrakant Patil on Sunday appealed former agriculture minister Sharad Pawar to not to politicise the drought situation of the state as the state government has already announced drought situation in about five thousand villages in 151 tehsils of the state after considering availability of drinking water and giving facilities to drought hit areas of the state.

The Hans India

New irrigation projects are required to provide more irrigation facility to farm lands in Srikakulam district. According to Vamsadhara project, officials, the total available land for cultivation is 7.75 lakh acres. Of the 7.75 lakh acres, irrigation facility is available for one crop during kharif season for paddy and other crops is 4.50 lakh acres. Remaining 3.25 lakh acres of land is not covered under irrigated water facility.

The Hans India

The farming community is set to sow Kharif crops, as they have already prepared seed beds. Farmers incurred losses as paddy crops dried up after the depletion of ground-level water in Rabi season earlier. The farmers are also hopeful of sufficient rains in the upcoming monsoon season after the Met Department predicted rains in the ensuing Kharif season. Agriculture officials are making arrangements in this regard. Officials estimate that farmers would cultivate crops in 1.74 lakh hectares in the upcoming Kharif season. It may even reach 2 lakh hectares if there are plenty of rains.

Mint

At 96%, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a “near-normal” monsoon in 2019. In contrast, private weather forecaster Skymet, citing an El Niño possibility, has a damp prognosis: “Below-normal” rains at 93% of the long-period average (LPA).

Daily O

Farmers of paddy and 14 other Kharif crops have been the biggest beneficiaries of this historic move, with MSP on paddy up by Rs 200 per quintal or 13% over the preceding year, whereas the MSP for jowar, bajra and raagi went up by a solid 30% versus the earlier year. In October 2018, the Modi government gave more relief to farmers by announcing a hike of 6.1% or Rs 105 per quintal for wheat, to Rs 1840 per quintal, that would benefit farmers to the tune of Rs 62,635 crore. Along with wheat, other Rabi crops like rapeseed, mustard, barley, safflower, etc., saw a hike in MSP to the tune of anywhere between 50-112%, over and ...

Northeast Today

Addressing the 21st convocation of the AAU at its Jorhat campus on the Borbheta outskirts at Jorhat yesterday as the distinguished special guest, Sonowal said that the Government has initiated the process of setting up an exclusive organic agricultural university in the State.

The Sentinel

JORHAT: “Assam’s economy is mainly agrarian and to improve the overall agricultural development of the State, rice-based multi-cropping system needs to be practiced extensively. I acknowledge the sincere efforts of our scientists and officers towards doubling farmers’ income by 2022 and appreciate AAU’s endeavour in achieving this mission,” said Prof Jagadish Mukhi, Governor of Assam and Chancellor of Assam Agricultural University (AAU) during his 21st AAU convocation address at the auditorium of Assam Agricultural University in Jorhat on Saturday.

India Today

The Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday reiterated his challenge for a debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that the ‘fundamental issues’ like jobs, economy and agriculture need to be debated just two days before the country votes in the fifth phase of elections. He also took a swipe at the BJP on the release of Masood Azhar back in 1999.

Millennium Post

State Agriculture department is conducting a survey to ascertain the quantum of damage to paddy cultivation in various districts caused by the cyclone ‘Fani’ that hit the state late Friday night. State Agriculture department has instructed its officials to carry out a detailed survey, to ascertain the loss which paddy farmers faced in the districts immediately the incident happened. Following the instruction from the department, the officials started visiting various villages and examining the paddy fields.

The Economic Times

Sen. Bernie Sanders is announcing a sweeping agriculture reform and rural investment plan that would change farm subsidies and break up major agriculture monopolies.

 

Business Standard

The mentality of food scarcity is increasingly out of touch with modern India. As yields grow, the only way to prevent local price collapses is to integrate into the global economy. India’s agriculture exports are at about $40 billion a year, which is larger than (say) our exports of textiles and garments put together.

Ahmedabad Mirror

Aday after PepsiCo announced to withdraw cases against Gujarat potato farmers for “producing and selling its registered FC5 variety of potatoes in the open market”, activists and farmer organisations have sought compensation and unconditional apology from the company for harassment caused to farmers. About 40 activists and representatives of farmer organisations, including Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, met at Gujarat Vidyapith on Friday and announced setting up of Seed Sovereignty Forum, an umbrella organisation that will fight for the rights of farmers

O Heraldo

The camp, an endeavour that hasn’t been attempted in the past, lasted for a full eight days with over 120 students learning the art of farming and agriculture by actually getting into the field. Children from different schools of Fatorda constituency aged below 16 years were taught various things about agriculture including grafting, vermi composting and even mushroom cultivation through practicals. The popularity grew further and a batch of students from Carmel High school too joined in the fun of learning agriculture.

The Times of India

After receiving the first installment of financial aid under the NDA government’s PM-KISAN scheme, more than 4.39 lakh farmers in Tamil Nadu are still waiting for the second installment of 2,000 for not updating their Aadhar number to the agency implementing the scheme.

The Times of India

Country’s agriculture sector performed well during the second term of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government despite adverse climate conditions that were prevalent in major part of the regime, said a working paper by the Indian Institute of Management-Kozhikode (IIM-K).

The Times of India

The Gujarat high court on Friday sought an affidavit from the government explaining the situation of water supply from the Narmada canal for agriculture in 16 villages that fall in Botad and Bhavnagar districts

CNBC TV 18

Noted agricultural economist Yoginder K. Alagh on Friday asked the government to implement MS Swaminathan committee’s recommendations for farmers.

Alagh said, “I think the government is in the right direction. We know that there are markets where the eNAM has worked. For example, chillies in Andhra Pradesh. So, in many of these schemes, last mile coverage, particularly for the small farmers, are not reaching them.”

Technology Times

Soil health was unnoticed across the country by the farmers due to lack of awareness and knowledge about maintaining fertility of the soil. The use of nitrogen and phosphorus were still under-dose and some other micro was also ignored during the preparation of soil.

First post

The first three months of 2019 have seen 29 farmers committing suicide, or one farmer killing himself every two days, in Beed district of Marathwada region, one of the most drought-hit districts of Maharashtra.

Down To Earth

A team of Indian scientists has identified genotypes of soybean that can tolerate drought better without comprising on yields. Incorporating the traits, which confer drought tolerance in these cultivars, scientists hope to develop more resilient varieties.

The Hindu

India is in the middle of a historical election which is noteworthy in many respects, one of them being the unprecedented focus on women’s employment. The major national parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress, have reached out to women, and their respective manifestos talk of measures to create more livelihood opportunities in rural and urban areas, which include incentives to businesses for employing more women.

The  Times of India

A study on farm suicides in Punjab between 2000 and 2013 by a professor in the Punjabi University has found that 97% were in the Malwa region. Data compiled by Kesar Bhangoo, a professor in the economics department, reveals that out of 6,943 suicides by farmers and farm labourers in Punjab during these 13 years, 6,387 (91.99%) were due to debt and 556 (8.01%) due to non-debt.

Financial Express

The current energy consumption pattern of India’s agricultural sector is mired in inefficiency. Despite farmers being dependent on the sun for most farming activities, irrigation usually happens quite late at night. This is due to the practice of supplying subsidised electricity to farmers during the midnight hours.

The Morung Express

Interacting with heads of several departments at Raj Bhavan here, Mukhi said that focus should be made for effective implementation of various centrally sponsored programmes and schemes such as doubling farmer’s income by 2022, Swachh Bharat Mission, Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DUGJY) and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in the state.

The Wire

A right to information (RTI) query filed by The Wire has revealed that crores of rupees credited into farmers’ accounts under the Modi government’s ambitious PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme were reversed within a few hours.

Down To Earth

The Gujarat government must not opt for an out-of-court settlement with PepsiCo as the Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmers Rights (PPV&FR) Act 2001 lets farmers cultivate any variety they like to, including the patented variety of potatoes, say activists.

The News Minute

I remember when I first met 61-year-old Nachammal in April, 2017, sitting on the pavement at Jantar Mantar. She claimed she had been threatened by bank officials when she had been unable to pay off her Rs 3 lakh loan from a nationalised bank. ‘Why do you eat? Why do you wear clothes? Sell them. Sell your daughter but pay off the loan’ is what she heard from them. The interest and fine brought the overdue amount to Rs 7 lakh. She even sold her mangalsutra, but it was a pittance compared to the loan amount she was supposed to pay. “Bank officials threatened to grab my land,” she told me.

Mint

There is no crop which is more egalitarian than the potato. From overpriced wedges to the plates of the poor, the humble potato is so omnipresent that any controversy surrounding it evokes sharp reactions. India recently landed in the midst of one such controversy after PepsiCo India sued at least four farmers from Gujarat for using its proprietary FC5 variety—which goes into making Lay’s chips—without the company’s consent. The case is important for several reasons. For the first time in India, a group of farmers has been sued over intellectual property rights violation. The stakes are high since it will set a precedent, but to begin with, PepsiCo seems to have filed the case with an inaccurate understanding ...

The Hans India

Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy, while visiting the agriculture market yard on Wednesday in Wanaparthy, had given assurance to famers to not to get worried as the government was ready to procure even wet paddy at Minimum Support Price.

oHeraldo

Deputy CM and Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai urged the Education Minister to include agriculture in the school curriculum as work experience for students. Applauding the summer agriculture camp at Fatorda organised by ‘We for Fatorda’, the minister said that it was a successful attempt to inculcate love for agriculture among the students. He called upon all the MLAs and his department to conduct similar camps across all constituencies.

The Wire

On February 7, 2019, while speaking in parliament, Narendra Modi appeared to indicate that his government had inaugurated 99 irrigation projects during its term. Publicly available data, however, shows that this is not true.

Swarajya

One of the major economic issues that hogged the national limelight in the last five years of the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance-II (NDA-II) government is agrarian distress. The Opposition political parties and farmer organisations allege that the development of the farm sector has been ignored under the NDA-II regime.

 

The Week

Deepening rural crises across the world is slowing down progress in hunger and poverty reduction, achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and could even become a prime reason responsible for missing the global climate targets, a recent report of the United Nations held.

Financial Express

The revival of private investment and exports is a must to achieve and sustain over 8% growth. The recent performance of India’s exports—which expanded 11% (year-on-year) in March 2019, taking the figure to $32.5 billion in the month of March, vis-à-vis 2.4% in the previous month—is good news. Various categories of intermediate exports—engineering goods, organic and inorganic chemicals, ready-made garments of all textiles, and drugs and pharmaceuticals—contributed to this revival. The question, however, is whether this recovery is sustainable or not?

The Indian Express

DAYS after the Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) issued a circular instructing its branches in six drought-hit districts of Maharashtra not to issue fresh farm loans on account of the large number of bad loans in these regions, farmer leaders and unionists called it unacceptable for a state-run lender to discourage credit to farmers in areas facing extensive agrarian distress.

The New Indian Express

The record paddy harvest made by the state in the current season is an eye-opener for the entire state as it netted the bumper yield, which is around 50-60 per cent higher than the fertiliser-induced farming system, by riding high on the nature-imposed environmental-friendly farming system. The record harvest has not only enlivened the organic farming system in the state, but also reduced the dependence of the state Food and Civil Supplies Department on the Central allotment of the pubic distribution rice quota.

The Hans India

State Agriculture, Marketing and Civil Supplies Minister S Niranjan Reddy said the custom milling (CMR) rice stocks with the rice millers will be purchased by the Food Corporation of India (FCI). Allying the fears of rice millers in the State, the Minister clarified here on Tuesday that the State government is sympathetic to the problems being faced by the rice millers, he asked them not to resort to any hasty decision.

The New Indian Express

Even as the State Government is gearing up for procurement of rabi paddy from May 1, many farmers of coastal districts have not been able to dispose of their stocks due to closure of mandis (market yards) after announcement of elections on March 10.

According to reports received from Cuttack, Puri and Kalahandi, farmers still hold marketable surplus paddy. This is despite the fact that the State Government is yet to meet the procurement target of 55.65 lakh tonnes of paddy in the 2018-19 kharif marketing season.

Krishijagran.com

In the fast-paced world with evolving basic humanitarian needs agriculture which is the most basic entity of industries, is also going through a lot of reforms with the rising of technologies.  Now due to a shortage of labor and increasing need to feed the large population around the globe, Agriculture Robots have entered into the picture. Interestingly, they are becoming a common yet useful assistant of farmers in various different works.

The Hans India

The 2-day National Workshop on ‘Academic Excellence through Building Partnerships and Resources Generation’ at NAARM (National Academy of Agricultural Research Management) concluded on Wednesday.