Deccan Herald

Cashew nut harvesting (carried out between March and May) has come to a standstill across growing regions of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, and Shivamogga districts in Karnataka and other states with the enforcement of the nationwide lockdown to fight COVID-19. In addition to this, the closure of processing units and retail markets has resulted in the price crash for raw nuts. Currently, the raw nut prices (ex-farmgate) have crashed up to 45% to touch Rs 70 per kg from Rs 125 per kg during the last year’s season. Fearing continuation of the lockdown, farmers have resorted to distress selling of their produce.

The News Minute

Andhra Chief Minister (CM) YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday instructed state officials to concentrate on agriculture, civil supplies and marketing departments to ensure that the farmers and people don’t face any issues during the COVID-19 lockdown.

CM held a review meeting with a group of ministers and Chief Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP) and other key officials from Health and other emergency services.

He directed Ministers Kannababu, Mopidevi, Kodali Nani and Task Force officials to ensure that there is no shortage of food supplies in the state and to keep vigil on the prices of essentials.

Tribune India

The Centre is worried that its relaxations and exemptions to ensure farmers do not suffer from any adverse fallout due to coronavirus lockdown are not percolating to field agencies and grassroots.

Home Minister Amit Shah himself is monitoring the aspect on which future of farmers and agriculture is dependent, say sources, referring to the MHA letter to states yesterday to ensure that exceptions allowed under lockdown measures with respect to farming operations are effectively communicated to field agencies

Indian Express

With wheat crops standing in the fields and a farm crisis looming due to lack of harvesters and labour amid the lockdown to curb COVID-19, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday wrote to all states to make exceptions for farming activities.

In a letter to chief secretaries of all states, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla reminded that these exceptions had already been made in the guidelines sent by MHA to all states on the lockdown but noted that they were not being followed.

Times Of India

To ensure that the farmers in India do not suffer, the government on Saturday issued a slew of exemptions and relaxations for agriculture and allied sectors in view of the 21-day lockdown over the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The Union ministry of home affairs issued the 4th Addendum to its notification invoking the Disaster Management Act, according to which the shops of agricultural machinery, its spare parts (including its supply chain) and repairs and shops for truck repairs on highways, preferably at fuel pumps, can remain open in order to facilitate transportation of farm produce.

Money Control

The outbreak of Coronavirus and a freeze in the freight and logistics industry that followed the pandemic may lead to a collective loss of almost $1 billion or around Rs 7,000 crore for the fruit growing farmers across the country.

For many fruit growing farmers, the time between March and May is particularly joyous as fruits are transported and sold to wholesale markets and from there it reaches the consumers.

The Hindu

At a time when every segment of society is reeling under the impact of COVID-19, farmers have brought some cheer to Tamil Nadu. In the just-concluded financial year 2019-20, the State finished on top at the all-India level for micro-irrigation coverage.

This has been achieved as part of implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), a programme aimed at promoting the “more crop per drop” concept by focussing on water-saving technologies.

The Hindu

The prolonged llockdown due to COVID-19 has posed a serious problem for farmers in Bihar, as it has restricted their movement and led to a shortage of labourers to harvest their ripe Rabi crops.