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.