Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Coronavirus update in Mumbai: Mumbaikars brace yourselves for vegetable shortageedit
Mumbai and Navi Mumbai residents may face shortage of vegetables and fruits after March 25 as the Maharashtra Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) has decided to close down its Vashi market for a week amidst the coronavirus pandemic. They have appealed the citizens to stock the vegetables for next one week.
The Maharashtra Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) has decided to close down its Vashi market from March 25 to March 31. The Vashi Market is the main wholesale market for Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane. “The fruit, veggies, potato, and onion trader association in APMC has taken this suo-moto initiative in the wake of coronavirus outbreak. We will not accept any agricultural produce. Therefore farmers ...
Telangana lockdown: Farm sector operations can continueedit
Farmers, agricultural labourers, transporters of farm produce and allied sectors are exempted from the lockdown. The State government took the decision to save crops under cultivation and ensure continuous supply of essential commodities, including vegetables and fruits.
The government is also making arrangements for the procurement of agricultural produce, including paddy, directly from villages. A high level meeting was convened by Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy in this regard here on Monday.
Government allows states to procure three months of foodgrains on credit from FCIedit
In order to maintain smooth supply of foodgrains in the country amidst the Covid-19 breakout, state governments will be able to procure 3 months supply of foodgrains on credit from Food Corporation of India (FCI).
“To ensure adequate supply of foodgrains to the public and financially assist the State Govts, Department of Expenditure has agreed to the Food & Public Distribution Department’s proposal that foodgrains for 3 months can be lifted by States/ UTs on credit from FCI,” the ministry of finance announced.
Procurement of wheat may be delayededit
The federal wheat procurement is likely to be delayed by up to two weeks as Covid-19 looms large over ensuing Rabi harvest in India. Labour shortage and lack of adequate transportation is set to hit the process though states including Punjab have kept procurement-related activities out of the ambit of the lockdown.
“The matter over delaying the procurement process is under consideration in the wake of the Coronavirus threat,” a senior official of Food Corporation of India told ET.
Upcoming wheat procurement a worry for Punjab, Haryanaedit
With Punjab and Haryana fighting to stop spread of novel coronavirus with lockdowns and curfew, the two states — collectively known as food basket of India — have to make arrangements for procurement of rabi (winter sown) crops, which normally starts at the beginning of April. The rain and hailstorm that took place in the last week of February and first week of March may have some adverse impact on the yield of rabi crops, such as wheat and mustard.
How the ‘Orange Areas’ Dispute in Central India Leaves Dalit, Adivasi Farmers Without Land Rightsedit
Ramsingh Nagvanshi has never considered himself a forest dweller. He lives in Katangi village in Central India’s Betul district where, like most farmers of the region, he grows paddy in the monsoon and wheat and chickpea in the winter. His village is typical of central Indian plains with vast farmlands, undulating open areas for grazing, and a clear view to the horizon. 55-year-old Ramsingh, who is Dalit, points to his five-acre patch of chickpea and said, “I do not understand how this can be a forest?”
Deforestation, Climate Change And Disease Outbreaks: Is There A Link?edit
Forests are key to climate, water, health and livelihoods. They are disappearing at an alarming rate. Ever since humans started cutting down forests, about 46% of the trees have been felled, according to a 2015 study in the journal Nature.
New bill to regulate use, trade and manufacture of pesticides introduced inedit
Amid concerns over use of poor quality of agro-chemicals in the country, the government in Rajya Sabha on Monday introduced the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020 which seeks to regulate use, trade and manufacture of hazardous farm inputs in a better way with an ultimate goal to reduce risk of such chemicals on human health, animals, soil, water bodies and environment. The proposed legislation has provisions of stringent punishment for sale/trade or manufacture of spurious and banned pesticides/insecticides or for violation of any other concerned rules.