The Times of India

Taking a serious note of rampant distribution and sale of spurious bio-fertilisers, the state government has decided to enact Bio Products Regulatory Act. The new legislation will help curb down unethical practices of unauthorised bio-product manufacturers and dealers as they are found looting gullible farmers. Presiding over the agriculture mission meeting here on Monday, chief minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy said that every possible measure should be taken to protect the interests of farmers. He said makers of fake bio-products should be dealt firmly as there were reports that they were making huge money by deceiving farmers.

The Arunachal Times

A district level awareness programme to sensitize self-help group members, farmer producers’ organizations and other stakeholders on ‘Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure’, a sub-scheme of the Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing, was organised by the NABARD at the KVK here in Namsai district on Monday.

Millennium Post

The state Agriculture department has decided to conduct massive awareness campaigns in various districts to encourage farmers for maize cultivation. The government will provide technical assistance to the farmers in this regard. The Agriculture department is going to rope in experts and scientists to provide technical assistance to the maize cultivators and ensure that maize cultivation increases in the state. Camps would be conducted in various North and South Bengal districts, making the farmers aware of the importance of maize cultivation and the necessary steps which are required to prevent the damage to crops.

The New Indian Express

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has asked officials concerned to take every possible measure to avoid losses to farmers. In a review meeting with the Agriculture Mission officials after launching the Andhra Pradesh State Agriculture Mission website at his camp office in Tadepalli near here on Monday, the Chief Minister said the government would fix and announce prices of produce after taking into consideration the expenditure on the particular crop, and wanted the officials to submit a report on the same.

News18

The Shiv Sena on Monday took a swipe at its one-time ally, the BJP, over the “paltry” financial assistance announced by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to the farmers affected by unseasonal rains. Koshyari had on Saturday granted relief of Rs 8,000 per hectare up to two hectares for agricultural Kharif crops and Rs 18,000 per hectare up to two hectares for horticulture/perennial crops. “Farmers in Maharashtra were expecting the governor would announce a major relief package for them. But the Rs 8,000 per hectare aid for kharif crops and Rs 12,000 for horticulture plantation is very less,” the editorial said.

The New Indian Express

Despite the brown planthopper (BPH) attack on paddy plants over 1,052 hectares (ha) of land in the district, there have been no reports of crop loss, thanks to timely action by Agriculture officials and farmers. Plant Protection Officer, Sambalpur Manoranjan Sethi said the pest attack was below economic threshold limit (ETL) in the district and so far, no crop loss has been detected.