Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
IFFCO introduces India’s first nanotechnology-based products for on-field trialsedit
The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), world’s largest fertiliser cooperative, on Sunday announced the introduction of its nanotechnology-based product range by introducing Nano Nitrogen, Nano Zinc, Nano Copper for on-field trials at an event held at its Kalol unit in Gujarat. These products have been researched and developed indigenously at the IFFCO Nano Biotechnology Research Centre (NBRC), an advanced research and development centre based at Kalol Unit. These nanostructured formulations effectively deliver nutrients to the plants. Other benefits of these Nano-products include reduction in the requirement of conventional chemical fertilizer by 50%; upto 15-30% increase in crop production; improvement in soil health; reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases.
Officials initiate steps to address dotted lands issueedit
District officials are now focusing on resolving the issues of dotted lands where farmers have been facing the cumbersome process for registrations. In the survey conducted about 100 years ago, the officials had failed to mention the names of owner of the lands, they had put some dots in the records. This has become a major hurdle for registration of such lands.
Odisha government nod sought to liquidate Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development banksedit
As the Orissa State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development (OSCARD) bank is lying defunct with a liability to the tune of Rs 252 crore, the Cooperation department has sought the approval of the state government for its liquidation. The decision to initiate the process of liquidation of the apex cooperative credit structure and 45 Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) banks operating at primary level was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Cooperation Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain on August 31, 2019.
Instead of advertisements, Delhi government should have spent money to tackle pollution: Vijay Goeledit
Things would have been better if the Delhi government had invested the money in addressing the problem of pollution rather than on advertisements, said former Union Minister and BJP leader Vijay Goel here on Saturday. Addressing a press conference, Goel said: “If the Delhi government had allocated these crores of rupees, which they spent on advertising, to solve the problem of stubble burning and pollution, things would have been better today.” “They spent crores on advertisements, saying that pollution in Delhi was reduced by 25 per cent. If that was the case, then what about the current condition of the city,” he asked.
Tamil Nadu eyes 1.2 crore acres under cultivationedit
There are enough reasons for farmers to cheer. Bountiful rains triggered by the southwest and northeast monsoons have helped the state carry out agricultural operations in more than 61 lakh acres so far this year. The fields have been covered with crops like paddy, millets, pulses, cotton, sugarcane and oilseeds. The agricultural and horticultural departments are racing towards a target of 1.2 crore acres this year. Last year, only 59 lakh acres were covered till October end.
Collective complaints, quick panchnamas to help farmers access crop insurance benefitsedit
IN RESPONSE to the crop damage due to unseasonal rain, the state government has decided to relax the condition of individual farmers filing claims for accessing compensation for their insured crop. State Agriculture Minister Sadabhau Khot said the his department will file cumulative claim for post-harvest losses.
Post-harvest joy, waterlogged paddy field spreads gloomedit
The inspiring story of how a collective effort by agriculture officials, local residents and farmers revived a paddy field at Amballoor near Technocity is now turning sour as the entire field has been waterlogged following the showers. According to Kazhakkoottam agriculture officer Reeja S Dharan, the crops that are turning ripe are submerged in water and this could affect the quantity of harvest. “If the crops were not ripe, the water-logging wouldn’t be a concern. The ripe crops being immersed in water would cause serious damage and decay to the rice grains; so we are not sure how much can be recovered. There were plenty of canals around the farms but as farms died ...
October rain delays sowing of rabi crops, posers on yield in Maharashtraedit
The state’s rabi season sowing would be delayed by 15 days to a month because of October rain, which wreaked havoc on kharif crops in Maharashtra. The state agriculture department officials claimed that around 40-50% farmers had not started rabi sowing yet because fields were largely waterlogged. Farmers would have to wait for the soil to reach the ideal condition for sowing.
13 lakh hectares in Vidarbha, over 50 lakh in Maharashtra hit by unseasonal rainsedit
As chief minster Devendra Fadnavis convened a special meeting to assess the agricultural losses due to unseasonal rains, it has been reported that crops in 13 lakh hectares of farmland in Vidarbha have been hit. Sources say the area may increase after a detailed village-wise survey is conducted. In the state on the whole, more than 50 lakh hectares of area under cultivation has been affected, says the initial report put up in the video conference convened by Fadnavis on Friday. The highest damage is in the Aurangabad division which covers the Marathwada region where 22 lakh hectares, spread in 72 talukas, have been impacted, says the report.
Govt. Policies
Odisha government nod sought to liquidate Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development banksedit
As the Orissa State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development (OSCARD) bank is lying defunct with a liability to the tune of Rs 252 crore, the Cooperation department has sought the approval of the state government for its liquidation. The decision to initiate the process of liquidation of the apex cooperative credit structure and 45 Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) banks operating at primary level was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Cooperation Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain on August 31, 2019.
Stubble Burning
Is Stubble Burning Avoidable? Odisha Has the Answeredit
Unlike north India, crop stubble burning is not prevalent in Odisha even though it has started making inroads unto several parts of the coastal state. Air pollution due to stubble burning has turned a critical health hazard in north India. Agriculture in Odisha is the mainstay of the majority of the populace. The state is one of the largest producers of rice in the country. The state government has fixed a target of procuring 60 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the kharif marketing season (KMS), 2019-2020.
Action taken against 2,923 farmers in Punjab for stubble burning, says Punjab govtedit
Action has been initiated against as many as 2,923 farmers so far in the 20,729 cases of stubble burning reported till November 1 in Punjab, which expects about 10-20 percent decline in the number of such cases this year as against 2018, as a result of the intensified drive of the Captain Amarinder Singh-led government. As against a total of around 49,000 cases of stubble burning last year, this year the state government has so far received reports of 20,729 cases, with more than 70 per cent of the paddy already harvested.
Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh admits stubble burning contribution to pollutionedit
Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh has admits that stubble burning in Punjab was contributing to the rising pollution in National Capital. He also asks centre to combat the rising pollution. Watch!
Bengal focuses on alternatives after banning stubble burningedit
Stubble burning:Centre should fix deadlines for delivering machines in Haryana, Punjab; says Sisodiaedit
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday said the Centre should should give a deadline to the states for delivering necessary machinery to farmers of Haryana and Punjab to stop them from burning stubble. Addressing a press conference here at the AAP office, Mr Sisodia demanded from the central government to present a report on the impact made by the delivered machines in the states. “The stubble burning has increased this year as compared to last year. Does the central government have a solution to this?” Mr Sisodia asked.
Horror from the farmsedit
Instead of advertisements, Delhi government should have spent money to tackle pollution: Vijay Goeledit
Things would have been better if the Delhi government had invested the money in addressing the problem of pollution rather than on advertisements, said former Union Minister and BJP leader Vijay Goel here on Saturday. Addressing a press conference, Goel said: “If the Delhi government had allocated these crores of rupees, which they spent on advertising, to solve the problem of stubble burning and pollution, things would have been better today.” “They spent crores on advertisements, saying that pollution in Delhi was reduced by 25 per cent. If that was the case, then what about the current condition of the city,” he asked.
In Haryana, inform about farmers burning paddy stubble, get Rs 1,000 rewardedit
The Haryana government Friday said that it will give a cash award of Rs 1000 to those who give information about burning of crop residue in their area. The identity of the informant will be kept secret. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who chaired a meeting on crop residue management here, also asked officers of agriculture and farmers’ welfare department to visit 10 villages of the state where maximum crop residue burning has been reported to ascertain reasons behind this activity.