Business Today

One of the big challenges in Agtech (agriculture technology) adoption is cost, and we are developing techniques to make it more affordable. We are doing a few trials in India, and our research is focused on bringing down the cost of Agtech solutions to make them relevant in places like India. Mahindra & Mahindra, the world’s largest tractor manufacturer by volumes, is working on digital and data driven technology to back productivity, crop-care and yield in a more definitive way.

The Indian Express

According to the National Statistical Office’s GDP estimates for April-June 2019 released on Friday, India’s agriculture sector — which includes forestry and fishing — grew 2.04% year-on-year during the quarter. But what is significant isn’t the “real” growth (i.e. at constant prices) in gross value added or GVA. More relevant is GVA – the value of output of a good, less the cost of all inputs and raw material used in its production — rising by 7.90% in “nominal” terms or at current prices. It means farm prices going up by 5.74% in April-June 2019 over April-June 2018.

Business Standard

The woes of the agriculture sector have been an ongoing one. The genesis of this can be traced to the muddled and short-sighted vision of our policy makers and their political masters. Water is the lubrication that keeps the agriculture clock ticking. We have about four months of monsoon rains which we need to utilise judiciously. A steady supply of electricity is also said to be a problem hindering irrigation. Solar power usage has been making steady inroads into the hinterland. Instead of depending on the state to provide uninterrupted electricity, if solar power can be generated at the village or taluka level, it could be utilized at the villages.

Business Today

It found that the definition of “agricultural extension” was outdated – it was “too production-centric”, prepared during the days India was struggling for self-sufficiency in foodgrains, particularly cereals. It decided to redefine “agricultural extension” as “an empowering system of sharing information, knowledge, technology, skills, risk and farm management practices, across agricultural subsectors and along all aspects of the agricultural supply chain, so as to enable the farmers to realise higher net income from their enterprise on a sustainable basis”

The Hans India

Minister for Education G Jagadish Reddy on Tuesday described Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao as visionary. The Chief Minister’s schemes like Haritha Haram were being copied by other States. As part of Haritha programme, thousands of plants were planted on Hyderabad- Vijayawada national highway in Nalgonda and Suryapet district. The programme was launching by the Chief Minister at Gundrampally village of Chityal mandal in Nalgonda district