May 2020

The months from March to June every year experience the onset of the spring season with multicolor flowers blooming in the trees, freshly-grown fruits turning ripe and rabi crops ready to be harvested. However, the spring season this year has not been very colorful.

The nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus has resulted in acres of farmers’ produce left to rot or sold at dirt cheap prices- Rs 3 per kg for onions in Maharashtra’s Lasalgaon mandi. Transport constraints, labour shortage and limited market access, with almost no buyers, is deeply hurting the farmers in India. Even though the government has lifted certain restrictions in order to ease the operations in the agriculture industry, the farming community is still ...

Locust Attack: Himachal Pradesh On High Alert As Swarms Destroy Crops In Adjoining States

Taking note of massive locust attack, Himachal Pradesh on Thursday issued a high alert in districts of Kangra, Una, Bilaspur and Solan, after the swarms of locusts destroyed crops in adjoining states.

As per an official release, farmers have been asked to report any sightings of the locusts to nearest agriculture officers. The field functionaries have been alerted to keep constant vigilance on locust activity and get ready to control any emergency situation.

“Desert locusts usually fly with the wind at a speed of about 16-19 km per hour depending on the wind. When swarm settles down in a particular area it should be quickly treated chemically, mechanically beaten and buried by digging trenches,” Himachal Pradesh’s Director of Agriculture, RK ...

States step up efforts to tackle locust attack: All you need to know

India is battling the worst desert locust outbreak in recent times. The crop-destroying swarms first attacked Rajasthan and have now spread to Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. According to experts, broadly four species of locusts are found in India – desert locust, migratory locust, Bombay locust and tree locust. The desert locust is considered the most destructive.

Chhattisgarh Farmers On Alert After Locusts Attack Crops In Neighbouring States

NDTV

The Chhattisgarh agriculture department and farmers of districts bordering Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have been alerted after swarms of locusts attacked crops in the neighbouring states, an official said on Wednesday.

Locusts have reached Amravati (Maharashtra) and Mandla (Madhya Pradesh) from Rajasthan and may enter the bordering districts of Chhattisgarh “in a day or two”, he said.

Farmers Will Grow What Markets Want: What Modi Government’s Agriculture Reforms Will Achieve

Swarajya Mag

Someone once quipped, “We won’t be able to capture the opportunities presented by the twenty-first century food consumer, if Indian agriculture continues to operate with the twentieth century institutions.”

This post explains why I believe that the agri reforms announced by the Central Government recently are far-reaching and transformative.

More importantly, how the reforms have been conceived differently this time, which gives us hope that the reforms will actually make an impact on the ground.

No need to worry about food inflation for six months, says expert

Food inflation is not a concern for the country, at least for the next six months, as the government has doubled its stock of foodgrains, an agri sector expert has said.

There is no need to worry about food inflation in the next six months since India’s stock of wheat and rice as on June 1, 2020 would be to the tune of 95 million tonne to 100 million tonne, nearly 100% more than the buffer stock norms of 41-42 million tonne this season, said Ashok Gulati, Infosys chair professor of agriculture at ICRIER, on Wednesday.

Telangana leads in paddy procurement

Telangana State has emerged as the leader in paddy procurement in the country for Yasangi (Rabi) this year. Of the 83.01 lakh tonnes paddy procured across the nation, the State contributed a whopping 52.23 lakh tonnes paddy through Food Corporation of India (FCI) procurements. Against the national target of 91.07 lakh tonnes for the crop season, Telangana contributed more than half (63 per cent) of total paddy procured in Yasangi this year and the remaining 37 per cent paddy was procured from all other States put together.

Integrating agriculture and solar energy production

PV Magazine

A study by Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) has found that PV solar system installation on arable land at a proposed project site in India could almost double (+94%) the land-use efficiency—measured by the combined output of electricity and agriculture per unit of land.

The study was undertaken to assess the feasibility of horticulture PV at the site of Paras in Akola district of Maharashtra and provides a basis for decision-making on the Mahagenco project that will be funded by German development bank KfW.

Arunachal Pradesh government to initiate move for getting GI Registration of Khamti Lahi Rice, Tawang Maize and Adi Ginger

Arunachal Pradesh government to initiate move for getting GI Registration of Khamti Lahi Rice, Tawang Maize and Adi Ginger (Kekir) and for other agro-technology practices, processing, packaging and marketing of agricultural produces.

Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Chowna Mein and the Vice-Chancellor of Assam Agriculture University (AAU), Jorhat, Prof Ashok Bhattacharya have agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for GI Registration of Khamti Lahi Rice, Tawang Maize and Adi Ginger (Kekir) and for other agro-technology practices, processing, packaging and marketing of agricultural produces.

Enjoying the fruits of their labour

The Hindu

Today, India is a leading producer of a variety of agricultural and allied produce and exporter of some of them. This is due to the relentless hard work and efforts of our farmers against the odds. They are the epitome of the Nishkam Karma philosophy taught by Krishna to Arjuna during the Kurukshetra War: “Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kada Chana (Do your duty without expecting the fruits of your labour)”. Farmers toil day and night, through winter and summer, whether or not they get adequate returns. But they are not the masters of the price of their toil. As the son of a farmer, I have been witness to the trials and tribulations of farmers.

Locust effected 3.5 lakh hectares of agricultural land

Siasat

With estimations saying crops were affected in more than 3.5 lakh hectares in various districts of Rajasthan and Gujarat, the damage caused by locust attacks in 2019-20 is believed to be one of the worst in India. Crops of mustard, cumin and wheat have been devastated in the two states, affecting lakhs of farmers. In Rajasthan, the worst-hit districts are Jaislamer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Jalore, Hanumangarh, Ganganagar, Bikaner and Sirohi.

How digital technology has revolutionised the agricultural sector globally

Your Story

Advancement in digital technology, ubiquitous internet connectivity, and ever-increasing penetration of smartphones are all manifestations of the digital revolution. Agriculture too is taking advantage of this revolution in many ways. During the last few years, technology has empowered farmers with access to information and markets, streamlined supply chains, provided tools for food safety and security, and more. In a post-pandemic world, the transformation will only become faster. Here is a look at what has been done so far.

New laws on agriculture trade and contract farming in the works

The Centre is creating a new law that will help farmers in physical and electronic trade across the country, involving a major role for Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) but without dislodging existing mandis that dominate the wholesale business in farm output.

The government is simultaneously working on a new law on contract farming, a piece of legislation that seeks to supplement and complement this proposed agri-trade law.

Locusts attack crops in North Indian states, governments issue alert

Opindia

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the farmers of the country, especially in Western and Northern parts of the country, are facing a locust attack. According to the reports, crops and vegetation are some of the states are now threatened with locust, considered to be one of the most dangerous migratory pests in the world.

Sharp drop in vegetable prices as buyers stay in

Cherries for Rs 30/lg wholesale in Shimla; the fruit of the season, mango, for Rs 25/ kg wholesale in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur; and tomato for Rs 10/ kg wholesale in Bengal’s Siliguri .

The prices of fruits and vegetables in wholesale markets over the past week highlights the steep fall in the price of farm produce in the face of a drop in consumer demand during the lockdown imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic, experts said. No rebound is likely in the coming weeks and months, they added.

Kerala agriculture dept starts initiative to convert fallow lands into vegetable farms

The News Minute

When a pandemic forced the states to close its doors to each other, it became all too clear how much one depended on another. For Kerala, this meant that food supplies, especially vegetables, coming from other states, would be affected. In a press conference towards the last half of April, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke about the need for Kerala to be self-sufficient with food supplies.

Meetings got chaired, plans got made, and a name arose – Subiksha Keralam; and one by one, fallow lands are getting converted into farms.

Locust attack: Farmers may delay monsoon crops as the crisis lingers

Down To Earth

With large-scale crop losses across Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, officials are now staring at another crisis caused by the worst-ever locust attack on Indian states.

Farmers in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh may have to delay the kharif, or monsoon crops, due to the locust attacks in both states, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been told in a meeting on May 26, 2020.

The stock-taking meeting was for India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. During the meeting, the United Nations agency received feedback from various countries that pointed to the locust crisis continuing.

The way forward for rural and agricultural development in India during and after COVID-19

Counter-Currents

The spread of COVID-19 infused crisis has huge impact on all aspects of life and economy across India. It is particularly posing a serious challenge to the social and economic development of rural poor, migrants and farmers. The local businesses and communities are significantly affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. The Government of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on 12th of May that his government would provide a relief cum stimulus package of Rs. 20 lakh crores. It is 10% of Indian GDP. But the reality came out in open when the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman revealed the details about the package. It is clear now, that the stimulus and relief package announced by the Government ...

First lockdown, now Amphan — Paddy, betel farmers in West Bengal and Odisha are devastated

The Print

Amid a huge trail of devastation, Cyclone Amphan has also severely damaged the rabi crop paddy in West Bengal and betel crop in Odisha, apart from hitting sesame, vegetables and mango farmers.

West Bengal is a major cultivator of the rabi crop.

“The state agriculture department of West Bengal is doing a damage assessment of the crop (paddy) in the state caused by Cyclone Amphan. There are damages across 14 out of the 23 districts in West Bengal and at least six districts in Odisha,” a Union Agriculture Ministry official told ThePrint.

A well-balanced stimulus package

The Hindu

Cut your coat according to your cloth is a useful dictum to set policy priorities. Not all economies are bestowed with the unlimited resources of the U.S. whose currency, the dollar, still enjoys the enviable status of being the global reserve currency. This affords the U.S. the ultimate luxury to issue debt without any thought of its consequences on its macroeconomic balances. India does not have these many degrees of freedom. Cognisant of it constraints and compulsions, the government adopted a twin mantra for shaping its stimulus package, rolled out in five phases plus one earlier phase.

How India can script a self-reliance success story in agriculture

In the context of making India atmanirbhar, the task of achieving self-reliance and self-sustainability in agriculture is easier and more cost-efficient compared with other sectors of the economy. The first set of measures rely on branding of local farm products to be sold globally, the branding helping to tide over price spirals and making farmers quality-conscious.

Blockchain, AI, IoT: How India can help farmers by leveraging these technologies

As the world order gets realigned, it’s an opportunity to revive different sectors using emerging technologies (ET), including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT). Given the ‘disruptive’ nature of ETs, India must leverage these in agriculture, especially in light of PM Modi’s call for doubling of farmers’ income. Farm sector growth has been stunted by low productivity, fragmented landholding, recurrence of over/under production reflecting a clear market asymmetry, lack of good agricultural practices and reforms in farm marketing. The problems are well known but have persisted, thus calling for tech intervention to break the status quo.

Seed and fertiliser companies use digital platforms to connect with farmers

Seed and fertiliser companies are using digital platforms such as Whatsapp, Zoom and Microsoft Team to connect with farmers to promote and sell their products in a year agricultural output is set to surge.

Ahead of the planting season which begins from June, these companies usually have an army of field officers fanning out for one-on-one meetings with farmers, hold demonstrations at village level and address queries on the product line. The lockdown has made that impossible for them as well as sales and marketing teams to have face-to-face interactions with farmers, but the virtual meetings have picked up, said companies.

Wheat procurement for 2020-21 surpasses 2019’s 34.13 million tonnes amid Covid-19 crisis

The Print

The government’s wheat procurement so far in the 2020-21 marketing year has surpassed the last year’s 34.13 million tonnes, surmounting all impediments in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Wheat procurement target has been set at 40.7 million tonnes (MT) for the 2020-21 marketing year. Although the wheat marketing year runs from April-March, the bulk of procurement is normally done in the first three months.

Direct seeding gains ground

WITH migrant labourers unable to come to Haryana ahead of paddy-sowing, the woes of the state’s farmers are going to worsen in the paddy season. Severe shortage of labour owing to the Covid lockdown is set to adversely affect paddy transplantation in the state, which is among the leading contributors to the Central pool. Haryana produces around 68 lakh metric tonnes of paddy on 32 lakh acres.

Coping with labour pangs

THE shortage of labour in Punjab due to the Covid-19 lockdown and the migrants’ exodus has prompted the state’s farmers to find mechanised solutions for paddy cultivation, which is expected to see a sizeable shift to direct seeding of paddy.

Farmers are not only looking at buying direct seeding of rice (DSR) machines, but also modifying wheat drill machines like zero-till machines and happy seeders — under the guidance of the state Agriculture Department — to slow the seed dispensation rate, making them conducive for direct seeding. And this modification is costing just Rs 1,000 per machine.

Errabelli asks farmers to go for regulated cropping pattern

Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Errabelli Dayakar Rao has advised the farmers to go for the regulated cropping pattern as suggested by the government to make profits out of farming, and said that the State government conducted a comprehensive survey on types of soil, soil quality, crops and crops that get high yield and demand for the crops season wise.

Addressing an awareness meeting on regulated cropping pattern in Jangaon on Sunday, the Minister said that the government had rolled out regulated cropping pattern method and plan after much deliberations. Stating that the cropping plan was conceived as per the suggestions of the agriculture scientists, he said that the farmers must cultivate crops that are ...

Wheat procurement surpasses last year’s figures; Punjab leads

Procurement of wheat by government agencies this year surpassed last year’s figures of 341.31 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) to touch 341.56 LMT as on May 24, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said on Monday.

Overcoming impediments created due to the spread of COVID-19 virus, country-wide lockdown and other issues, the ministry said the figure surpasses last year’s procurement by 25,000 tonnes

Kadakampally Surendran takes to farming as part of ‘Subhiksha Keralam’ project.

Mathrabhumi

As part of the government’s ‘Subhiksha Keralam’ project, Minister Kadakampally Surendran has initiated farming at his family home in Sreekaryam. Farming will be undertaken on one acre of barren land. Minister Kadakampally Surendran, along with his wife and grandson, inaugurated farming activities by sowing seeds in the soil. Various vegetable and fruit saplings were also planted. Ulloor Krishi Bhavan will be giving all the technical assistance required for this project

COVID-19 Impact: Transfer outstanding crop loans to govt account, says Maharashtra to banks

First Post

In a rare decision amidst the unprecedented situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the economy, the Maharashtra government has directed banks to transfer the outstanding crop loans to the state’s account in a bid to make farmers eligible for fresh credit.

Back in villages, youth from coastal belt show interest in farming

The Hindu

Back in their villages due to lockdown, some youngsters from the coastal belt who deserted farming in search of greener pastures in cities are now showing interest in returning to the roots.

Progressive and award-winning farmer Prabhakara Mayya of Nada village, Belthnagady taluk, Dakshina Kannada, was in Belthangady recently to guide some youths on integrated farming.

Online communities are helping India’s lockdown-hit farmers sell their produce

Scroll

A few weeks ago, 22-year-old Dhananjay KC was worried that thousands of kg of grapes grown at his family’s farmland would go waste. The crop was ready but its sale had become nearly impossible due to the nationwide lockdown imposed to control the spread of coronavirus.

Like many farmers across India, he reached out to online crop markets and groups to sell their produce directly to consumers. “I found [out] about an online platform, Harvesting Farmer Network [or HFN] that was helping farmers in selling their crops and getting a good price for it. I contacted them, posted details of the crop and soon, we sold nearly half of ...

Hardly the 1991 moment for agriculture

The Hindu

The announcement of reforms in agricultural marketing by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in May, has been hailed by some as the “1991” moment for agriculture. While it does not mean much on the ground, it has successfully managed to deflect attention from the pittance offered by way of fiscal support to the agricultural sector, as a part of the grand fiscal package announced by the Prime Minister. Even then, the reforms are no more than reiterations of earlier announcements.

Karnataka farmers to get interest-free loans, says govt

A farmer taking a new crop loan of up to Rs 3 lakh from any cooperative bank in Karnataka won’t be charged interest. However, the government is yet to decide whether to extend the benefit to all farmers or only small and marginal ones. The decision was taken at a review meeting chaired by chief minister BS Yediyurappa, which was attended by cooperation department officials. The government will come out with the guidelines sometime next week. “About 24.5 lakh farmers will benefit from the extended scheme,” said a senior department official.Reeling under flood and drought, farmers could avail the interest-free loan facility even in 2019-20. The same has been extended to 2020-21 owing to the Covid-19 crisis, the official added. According ...

Covid-19 woes: Before sale of crops, a marathon for tenant farmers

Business Standard

Vikram Jadhav, a tenant farmer in Andhra Pradesh, is concerned about the 10-km journey he has to make to sell his harvest, which is 100 quintals of paddy and maize.

With only five days left to sell his family’s seasonal output, he is worried about the cost of logistics and daily expenses as he gets ready to leave for the collection centre.

“This is one of the worst years I have seen in two decades. The cost of production has been more than the return. It is not easy to make ends meet with a big family, yet we manage somehow. But this time it will be difficult to repay my debt on time because the Covid-19 ...

Decoding FM’s agri-stimulus: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Tranches

News Click

With the Rs. 8.4 lakh crore agri-stimulus, the finance minister has enforced an economic Green Revolution whose pillars are credit, stocking up and opening the “farm-gate” for business. Tersely put, two tranches strengthen rural banking networks, provide additional loans and expedite the “doubling farmers incomes” program. The report appears to be the lodestar for the fin-min’s presentation, which includes suggestions on farm-gate infrastructure, a deregulated APMC and even linkage of farmers to agribusiness directly or through contract farming, etc.

How Singapore plans to survive world’s impending food crisis

The Print

Singapore’s obsession with food goes far deeper than its world-famous chili crab and laksa.

One of the most densely populated countries on the planet, its 5.7 million people rely on other nations for almost everything they eat. Just 0.9% of its land area of about 700 square kilometers was classified as agricultural in 2016, only marginally more than icebound Greenland.

Using drones allowed for combating desert locust menace to aerially spray pesticides

In a possible first, the government has permitted use of drones to combat the menace of desert locust invasion that is threatening to destroy crops across the Afro-Asian region with border Indian states also badly hit. The aviation ministry has given “conditional exemption to government entity for use of remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) for anti-locust operations,” including to spray anti-locust pesticides. The agriculture ministry had on May 20 sought permission to use RPAS, or drones, for anti-locust operations, which aviation secretary PS Kharola gave the very next day “in view of the urgency of the matter”.

PM’s E-NAM will transform agriculture

Sunday Guardian Live

For centuries, India is known for its prosperity and a unique wealth creation destination like a Sone Ki Chidiya. Babur to Lodhi to Mohammad Gazni and finally French, Dutch, Portugese, English and others came to India. The global maritime roots to India were discovered from the time of Fa Hein to Hiuen Tsang to Vasco Da Gama to Columbus and to many more who came only for India’s abundance and the pivotal reason for the wealth creation was always agriculture. On a larger scale, it was because of commodities which were traded locally and globally with undeniable roots in India. In 1991, the service industry started mushrooming in India, and till then, India remained a basically ...

Wholesale veggie prices crash during lockdown

In the two months since the country went into lockdown, vegetable prices have crashed in wholesale markets across states. The only exception is the potato, which at just under Rs 20 a kg on average, is almost double what it sold for in May last year. TOI looked at wholesale prices of the 15 most common veggies across 19 states and found that prices of all of them, barring potatoes and lemons, had fallen in almost all the states. To discount for seasonal variations, TOI also compared prices with last May, and found the fall to be even sharper (even lemons were way more expensive in May 2019).

Farm sector, poised to grow by 3%, remains beacon of hope amid pandemic

Fresh indicators show the country’s farm sector, which employs nearly half the population, has coped well with the Covid-19 crisis, with a larger summer crop area than last year, higher sales of fertilisers and seeds, and better prices, leading Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das to call it a “beacon of hope”.

The farm sector is poised to grow at least 3% in 2020-21, despite disruption in the economy due to the coronavirus pandemic, which will aid overall growth, according to state-run think-tank Niti Aayog’s assessment in April.

There are other indicators too, ranging from sowing to input sales, which show the agriculture economy is heading into the summer-sown or kharif operations in decent shape.

Farmers have planted ...

Measures afoot to lessen economic impact on agriculture, allied sectors

Rising Kashmir

The Jammu and Kashmir government is bringing in far reaching measures to minimize the economic fallout of Covid -19 pandemic on Agriculture and allied sectors. As part of these measures, the government has issued detailed guidelines for the elimination of intermediary brokers and ease down certain other problems faced by the farmers. The decongestion of major fruit and vegetable Mandies across Jammu & Kashmir and timely marketing of Agricultural and Horticultural produce are other crucial areas of government’s focus.

Agra administration issues alert to farmers over locust invasion

The Agra administration on Friday has issued an alert to farmers over a likely locust attack in the district. A swarm of locusts is headed towards the area from Karauli in Rajasthan, said an official.

“We got information that swarm of locusts is in Rajasthan’s Karauli. We have issued an alert in Agra. We have also asked the farmers to take steps like beating drums in the fields and produce smoke to keep the locusts away,” Ram Pravesh, District Agriculture Officer said.

“We have procured pesticides and arranged 50 tractors and 3 fire brigade vehicles,” he added.

Contract farming to help farmers, says industry

Major agri-processing companies ITC LimitedNSE 3.19 %, Mahindra Agri Solution, DCMNSE 0.82 % Shriram and German wholesale retailer Metro Cash and Carry expect significant gains in supply-chain efficiency from the government’s decision to enable farmers undertake contract farming.

It will help increase income for farmers, particularly the small and marginal ones, as they will get better access to good quality inputs and better farm practices, executives said. Farmers with less than two hectares of land account for 86.2% of all farmers in India, but own just 47.3% of the crop area.

Will new reforms in agriculture lead to a better deal for farmers? | The Hindu In Focus Podcast

The Hindu

The recent reforms announced by the government for agriculture — removing certain foodstuffs from the Essential Commodities Act and thereby deregulating them, opening up inter-state trade to farmers to sell their produce beyond the APMC mandis in their States and coming up with a legal framework for contract farming — have generated some debate about whether they represent a watershed moment for Indian agriculture and if it would help farmers get better prices and access to more equitable markets.

Punjab likely to see 20% mechanised paddy sowing

The ongoing labour shortage is prompting increasing number of farmers in Punjab to adopt mechanised direct seeding of rice (DSR) and this has made the state government’s target of covering 20% (4 lakh hectares) area under paddy cultivation by the DSR system an easily achievable one. Athough direct sowing of paddy was to officially begin from June 1, many farmers have already hit the fields in their anxiety to try out the mechanised system. “If mechanised sowing of paddy pays off, more farmers will go for it next year and more machines will be made available by then.

Sowing up by 35%, RBI sees silver lining in agriculture

The sowing of summer crops has progressed well covering 67.25 lakh hectare – 34.77% more than last year’s acreage.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is also pinning hopes on good harvest.

Addressing the media on Friday RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said, “There is a ray of hope from the normal monsoon. Kharif sowing is at a high. These developments would improve farm income and encourage trade.

Is the Agricultural Package Addressing Challenges Small Farmers Face in a Pandemic?

The Wire

As agricultural activities are in full swing due to ongoing rabi harvest and forthcoming kharif sowing, the continuing lockdown in India is pushing small farmers further to the margins. While various governments (both Central and states) have announced relaxations for agricultural activities and support for farmers, impact of the lockdown can be seen in terms of difficulties in marketing perishables, transporting inputs, credit availability and basic necessities for the farming community.

India reaches out to Pakistan to fight locusts

The Hindu

India has reached out to Pakistan to counter a locust invasion which threatens to destroy crops and undermine food security in south and southwest Asia — a region where the COVID-19 pandemic has already disrupted farming.

An official source who did not wish to be named said India had proposed a trilateral response in partnership with Pakistan and Iran to combat the desert locust wave sweeping across the Afro-Asian region.

Govt transfers over Rs 19k cr to 9.65 cr farmers under PM-KISAN during lockdown

The government on Friday said it has transferred over Rs 19,000 crore to bank accounts of 9.65 crore farmers under the PM-KISAN scheme during the lockdown period. The Centre provides Rs 6,000 per year to around 14 crore farmers in three equal instalments under the PM-KISAN scheme, which was announced last year in February. “Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme during the lockdown period from March 24 till date, about 9.55 crore farmer families have been benefited and an amount of Rs 19,100.77 crore has been released so far,” the agriculture ministry said in a statement. Giving update on sowing operations for kharif (summer sown) crops, the ministry said about 34.87 lakh hectares area has been covered ...

Destroying crops in their wake, desert locust swarms enter India; experts say vicious wave heading towards Delhi in June

DNA India

In what might seem like right out of a disaster movie script, another potential threat has entered India, as the country is already reeling with ensuing damages from a virus outbreak and a super cyclone. As the authorities figure out how to deal with the full extent of continued devastation from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and Cyclone Amphan, now a vicious locust storm is fast approaching Delhi, eating up everything on the way.

According to reports, the locust storms have already invaded as far inland as Madhya Pradesh, with about 16 districts of Rajasthan affection. The district administration of Agra in Uttar Pradesh has sounded a warning as well.

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana opt for more cotton acreage over labour-intensive rice

The Hindu

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana have sown more cotton this kharif season as against the corresponding period last year on account of a possible labour shortage in future. Both governments have discouraged farmers from growing rice, officials told The Hindu.

Director, Punjab Agriculture Department, Sutantar Airi, said, “Cotton has already been sown in nearly 3.6 lakh hectare, which is around 10,000 hectare more than the corresponding period of last year.”

Rs 1,500 cr paid to farmers under Kisan Nyay Scheme: Baghel

Rs 1,500 crore had been transferred to the bank accounts of around 19 lakh farmers in Chhattisgarh under the first installment of Rajiv Gandhi Kisaan Nyay Yojna, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said on Thursday. A total of Rs 5,750 crore will be disbursed to 19 lakh farmers of the state in four installments under the scheme.

The first installment of Rs 1,500 crore was transferred into farmers’ bank accounts, he said.

‘Saved from starvation’: MP minister hails farmers during Covid-19 pandemic

The Madhya Pradesh government said initiatives such as the amendment to the Madhya Pradesh Krishi Upaj Mandi Act will help blunt the economic slump caused by the corona pandemic as it will empower the farmers and cut their dependence on middle men to get fair price for the produce.

Agriculture minister Kamal Patel, who completed a month in office on Thursday, said the state is focusing on the agri-sector to generate revenue and jobs.

“A lot of people think it is udyog (industry) that keeps the economy afloat, but this pandemic has proved that it is the farmers who have saved us from starvation and the sector has generated jobs,” he said.

Goa can be model agriculture state in country: Satya Pal Malik

Governor Satya Pal Malik on Thursday took stock of the overall progress of farm sector and exuded confidence that Goa will become the model agriculture state in India. In a meeting held with deputy chief minister Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavalekar besides agriculture secretary and department officials, Malik said that he will seek regular feedback from officials about agriculture development in the state.

State assures fresh loans for 11.12 lakh farmers who didn’t get waiver

Although the state government has coined 2020 as the ‘productivity year’ by setting a higher target for agriculture production to give a helping hand to the economy, 11.12 lakh farmers are yet to get the benefit of the loan waiver announced by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

The state has directed district banks to offer them fresh credit. However, these farmers are not eligible for fresh loans for the ensuing kharif season in June, as they already have outstanding loans and banks need directives from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to release the amount.

During the marathon review meeting on Thursday, this issue was prominently discussed. Besides chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray and his deputy ...

New Research: How lockdown has impacted Indian farmers, their yields

Preliminary findings of a survey of more than 1,000 agricultural households across 12 Indian states show that 60% of those who did harvest reported a yield loss, and 1/10th of them could not harvest their crop in the past month. More than half (56%) of the farmers said that the lockdown has impacted their ability to prepare for the upcoming sowing season. The survey has found a “very strong association between food insecurity & farm size, with landless farmers 10 times more likely to skip a meal in the past month compared to large farmers”.

Locusts back in north Gujarat, officials say no need to panic

Small swarms of locusts have descended in some isolated parts of Banaskantha and Patan districts of north Gujarat since last few days, but there is no need for farmers to panic, officials said on Thursday. The number of insects this time is much less as compared to the huge swarms that invaded parts of north Gujarat in December last year and affected standing crops in 25,000 hectares of area, they said. After a gap of five months, smaller swarms of about 200 to 300 locusts have entered Banaskantha and adjoining Patan, Banaskantha district agriculture officer P K Patel said.

Farmers in Cauvery Delta oppose Centre’s move to do away with free power

The Hindu

The Cauvery Delta Farmers Federation has urged Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to convene a joint meeting of leaders of all political parties and also representatives of farmers’ outfits to ensure that the Centre’s move to discontinue free power supply to farmers is dropped.

The Chief Minister should not stop with writing a letter to the Prime Minister to register the government’s strong protest against the move of the Centre to discontinue the free power supply.

296MT record grain output likely in 2019-20

India’s foodgrain production in 2019-20 is estimated at record 295.67 million tonnes (MT) — 3.6% higher than the output in 2018-19, said the agriculture ministry on Friday. Higher production in current crop year and further new record target of 298 MT for 2020-21 crop year (July-June cycle), backed by forecast of normal monsoon, will help the government in increasing footprints of food security networks among the country’s vulnerable population.

Sonia Gandhi Launches Rajiv Gandhi Nyay Scheme For Chhattisgarh Farmers

NDTV

Congress president Sonia Gandhi launched the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay scheme in Chhattisgarh through video conferencing today and said this was a true tribute to the former prime minister.

Addressing the launch event on the occasion of Rajiv Gandhi’s death anniversary, she lauded the scheme, saying it will bring a change in the lives of farmers and help them become self-reliant.

“Such schemes should be implemented at the ground level to help bring a change in the lives of people. This is a revolutionary scheme and is a true tribute to Rajiv Gandhi. This is a big step taken in lines with the values of Rajiv Gandhi,” she said.

Tripura to procure paddy from farmers at Rs 18.15 per kg

In an effort to boost the primary sector as part of its lockdown exit strategy, the Tripura government has announced it will procure 20,000 MT paddy from farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath Wednesday said the state government would spend Rs 41.63 crore to procure the second crop of the Kharif season. Farmers would be provided Rs 18.15 per kg paddy under the MSP rates during the procurement drive.

Punjab unsure of arrival of farmhands for paddy transplant

Punjab is worried about its paddy cycle as around 10 lakh workers are required for the crop’s transplantation in the state. “A large number of migrant labourers come to Punjab by June 20 every year for sowing paddy. They return to their home states by July 30. So, such labourers will not be able to come this year because of Covid-19 crisis if similar situation continues,” state’s agriculture secretary Kahan Singh Pannu said. In midst of this, the number of migrants who have registered with the Punjab government for help to return to their home states crossed 17.18 lakh on Wednesday. This comes to around 6% of the total 3.04 crore projected population of Punjab in 2020. Similarly, 74,135 have registered ...

COVID-19: Reverse migration sparks concern for Punjab’s paddy season

Down TO Earth

The exodus of thousands of migrant workers during the countrywide lockdown to curb the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has put a question mark on paddy sowing in Punjab.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, on May 18, 2020, asked the Union government to allow labourers and cardholders under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme to work in farm operations for both rabi and kharif crops during 2020-21 in the state as a special case.

Some economists and farmers feel this is a step in the right direction, as this coupled with an infusion of Rs 40,000 crore in MGNREGA announced by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, may help address rural distress.

India’s tractor industry expected to recover from lockdown ahead of others

The Print

India’s tractor industry may recover before other sectors impacted by the pandemic-led disruption, given the government’s focus on helping rural economies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration will spend 1.5 trillion rupees ($20 billion) to help its farmers and fishermen boost exports and profits as the nation gradually reopens from the world’s biggest lockdown. While India’s economy is set for its first annual contraction in four decades, the government forecasts agriculture output will grow faster than expected, emerging as the lone bright spot.

Chhattisgarh to launch cash transfer scheme for farmers today

The Chhattisgarh government will on Thursday launch a scheme named after Rajiv Gandhi on the late former Prime Minister’s 19th death anniversary for direct cash transfers to around 2 million farmers in four instalments, officials aware of the matter said.

The officials said a five-member committee was constituted to study how Rs 2,500 per quintal for paddy could be ensured for the farmers as per the Congress pledge in its manifesto ahead of the 2018 assembly elections. The panel was constituted after the government procured paddy from farmers at the rate fixed by the Centre–~1,835 per quintal–in November 2019 and promised to pay the balance amount later.

“The committee recommended that ~10,000 per acre should be given ...

‘Assam’s Farmers, Agri Entrepreneurs Did Business Worth Rs 357 Crore During Lockdown Period’: CM Sarbananda Sonowal

Around Rs 357 crore worth of business was done by Assam’s farmers and agriculture entrepreneurs during the lockdown period by supplying agricultural products to various parts of the country, state Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Tuesday (19 May), reports Economic Times.

Sonowal visited Maloibari in Kamrup Metro district and took stock of agricultural activities being carried out by the farmers there. He also interacted with the farmers engaged in the harvesting of paddy in the agricultural fields and inspected the functioning of paddy reaper machines distributed by the agriculture department to the farmers.

Monoculture not viable for farmers, environment: Experts on KCR’s new farming policy

The News Minute

“Those who cultivate a paddy variety other than what the government has instructed will not get the Rythu Bandhu assistance. The government will recognise which variety of paddy is having high demand in the market, so that your crop will be sold like hotcakes and gives you a profit.”

This was the pitch made by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) to farmers in the state, as he announced a policy on ‘regulated cropping pattern’. The CM said that cultivable land will increase to 1.33 lakh acres from existing 1.23 lakh acres in this Kharif season considering the average 900 mm rainfall and irrigation facilities in the state.

Game changer: Telangana to begin regulating crop pattern

Dailyo

Telangana has taken a giant leap in Indian agriculture. In the first move of its kind in the country, the southern state has decided that it will tell its farmers what they should grow, when and how much.

Agriculture is a concurrent subject, which means both state and the central government have a say in the matter. Agri-economists and other thinkers in the farming sector have often complained that state governments do not take enough interest in this vital sector of the economy. As a result, most farmers follow herd mentality and grow the same crop, leading to a glut.

India To Ban 27 Harmful Insecticides Used By Farmers That Are Already Banned In Many Countries

The Government is set to ban the usage of over 27 insecticides which are presently allowed to be used in India, despite having long been banned in many other nations across the globe because of the threat they pose to human and animal health, reports The Times of India.

A draft proposal for the same was issued by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare seeking objections or suggestions from the stakeholders within a span of 45 days. It is expected that the government will issue the final order in this regard in July.

Govt moves to ban 27 pesticides; ‘baffled’ industry says it will oppose the order

After unleashing the agri-marketing reforms through the Atmanirbhar stimulus package, the government, in a surprise move, has proposed to ban 27 pesticides such as Carbendazim and Monocrotophos, which are widely used by the farmers across the country.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare issued a draft order on Monday banning these 27 pesticides and has given 45 days for the industry and companies manufacturing such chemicals to file their objections, if any.

The draft order – called Banning of Insecticides Order 2020 – prohibits import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of such insecticides. The pesticides in the proposed list are: Acephate, Atrazine, Benfuracarb, Butachlor, Captan, Carbofuran, Chlorpyriphos, 2,4-D, Deltamethrin, Dicofol, Dimethoate, Dinocap, Diuron, ...

Cotton, redgram priority crops for Vaanakalam in Telangana

Considering the market demand, cotton and redgram are likely to get top priority during the ensuing Vaanakalam (Kharif) season in the State, as part of the State government’s ambitious regulated cultivation.

On the contrary, paddy cultivation is expected to be discouraged to reduce overall cultivation by at least 1 lakh acres against about 41.19 lakh acres sown during Vaanakalam 2019-20.

Telangana Sona, one of the much sought after fine paddy varieties, will be encouraged for cultivation in around 10 lakh acres.

Modi govt destabilising agri sector in Punjab, says Mann

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab unit president and MP Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday accused the Modi government of destabilising the agriculture sector in Punjab.

Mann said the decisions announced by the Union government to reboot the country’s staggering economy, which was hit hard during the Corona-induced lockdown, were a great betrayal with the poor, a curse for farmers and farm labourers, and a boon for select corporate houses.

“The central government has outsmarted the Congress in divesting the states of their legitimate rights,” he told reporters here, accusing the SAD of bartering the rights of Punjab with their alliance partners. He asked the Badals why were they maintaining a silence when the established marketing system of Punjab ...

Assam farmers exported agri-products worth Rs 357 crore during lockdown: CM Sarbananda Sonowal

While many farmers across the country have faced many difficulties to sell their agricultural products during the ongoing nationwide lockdown, imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, Assam farmers exported their produce worth Rs 357 crore to various parts of the country, said Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday said that in parallel to the fight against Covid-19, the state government was putting emphasis on the resumption of economic activities and the farmers have shown the way in this regard.

Rs 20,500-crore loan support for farmers to sow crop

The Union government will issue Rs 20,500 crore worth of quick loans to farmers who need money for the critical summer-sowing season starting in June, a tranche that will be drawn from an already available fund, but which will ultimately be replenished by farm-sector credit announced by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman,an official from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) said on condition of anonymity.

Farmers access agricultural loans, critical for meeting inputs such as fertilisers, seeds and power, through three types of rural banks across states. These are 33 state co-operative banks, 352 district central co-operative Banks and 43 rural regional banks.

Telangana CM to chair meeting on May 21 over crop cultivation in state

Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao is slated to hold a high-level meeting with district officials on May 21 to finalise the policy on regulated crop pattern and discuss district-wise cultivation of specific crops. District collectors, district agriculture and farmer officials will be attending the meeting scheduled to be held at Pragathi Bhavan at 2 pm.

Hit by no demand, tomato growers demand Haryana govt aid

Disturbed over the abrupt fall in demand and wholesale price of tomatoes in the market, farmers from around five villages in Tosham area of Bhiwani district have been sitting on a dharna for the past four days demanding government compensation. According to them, the relief is essential for them to start sowing the next crop and meet their day to day expenses. After 70% of their crop returned from mandis, farmers dumped tomatoes around the fields.

Here’s Why Trade Unions Have Called for a Nationwide Protest on May 22

The Wire

The migrant worker is the link between industry and agriculture. His mobility is the measure of the interconnections between the urban and the rural in India. The number of migrants is proportionately smaller than the far larger numbers of men, women and children engaged in agriculture, as street vendors, as members of the work force keeping production running in the organised and unorganised sectors, irrespective of whether these are registered or remain unregistered. But the migrant is a symbol of all that has gone wrong with the economy as the unplanned, uncoordinated and hastily announced lockdown enters yet another phase.

Not only have workers become temporarily jobless, but they have been stranded and become destitute, deprived of ...

Ambala farmers start paddy sowing with DSR technique; black marketing of seeds, machines an issue

Some progressive farmers of Ambala district have started sowing paddy with (direct seeded rice) DSR technique in some villages here on Monday. Due to the shortage of farm labourers and majority of labourers returning to their home states, the farmers are now shifting to the DSR technique in Ambala. The agriculture officials said they demanded around 250 DSR machines for Ambala district so that the area can be covered with paddy transplanting in the absence of manual labour. The farmers told due to shortage, the black marketing of machines has started in the region.

We are an agriculture State, says CM KCR

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday said Telangana had become a “State of agriculture” with revolutionary decisions implemented by the TRS government and also because of the naturally-endowed soil and climatic conditions in the region.

“The Patancheru-based ICRISAT has set foot in the State only because of the typical land mix of the area that has black, red and loamy soil all in one area. We also have a typical weather where tropical system exists along with semi arid conditions suitable for several types of crops,” he said.

Tractors a symbol of an upbeat agriculture sector

Demand for tractors is rising as fertiliser sales and foodgrain production hit record highs, reservoirs hold more water than 10-year average and a normal monsoon is forecast.

Demand for tractors has outstripped supply, as output has fallen with factories operating at a quarter of their capacity. Segment leader Mahindra & Mahindra has started planning for a second shift to meet demand, while rivals Escorts and Sonalika tractors have indicated that the market would return to normal levels within a quarter.

Agri reforms implementation will be ‘1991 moment for agriculture and rural economy’

Equity markets were pregnant with expectations immediately after the honourable PM’s 8 pm address on May 12, 2020, and it was evident from the SGX Nifty’s immediate jump and domestic market opening the next day. PM Modi had promised support worth Rs 20 lakh cr to the economy, including Rs 9.9 lakh cr infused earlier by the central government (Rs 1.9 lakh cr.) and the RBI (Rs 8 lakh cr.) through various measures in response to fight against COVID-19 pandemic. Taking the cues from the steps taken by the developed nations to shore up their economies, domestic equity markets had conjectured the support in form of the stimulus or handouts/ helicopter money to be handed over to the affected ...

Why The Agri-Reforms Are Revolutionary

Business World

Forget about the jargon, the economic terms and the profound words of wisdom spouted by experts as they dissect, analyze and critique the agriculture sector reforms announced recently by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Just look at two simple facts. An Indian farmer is usually lucky to get Rs 4 per kg of tomato grown by him. You and I buy a kg from the local retailer at Rs 25 per kg. The cheapest “branded” tomato ketchup sells for Rs 120 per kg. Similarly, the farmer sells one kg of potato at Rs 5 if he is lucky. You and I pay Rs 25 per kg for the same. And one kg of branded potato chips sells at ...

India can be ‘atmanirbhar’ if technology is its new religion: TMC MP Dinesh Trivedi

The Print

Every generation experiences major adversities. And while these events cause destruction, hard-working nations convert them into opportunity and become architects for future generations. Similarly, in post-Covid ‘atmanirbhar’ or self-reliant India, technology should be the new religion. “There is no destiny beyond and above ourselves, we are ourselves the architect of our future,” Swami Chinmayananda had said.

PM Kisan Samman Nidhi: 8.19 cr farmers receive 1st instalment, here’s how to check status

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her address on the final tranche of Rs 20 lakh crore economic package on Sunday informed that 8.19 crore beneficiary farmers of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) have got an instalment of Rs 2,000 under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana.

“One time of Rs 2,000 has reached 8.19 crore farmers, a total amount of Rs 16,394 crore. NSAP beneficiaries got Rs 1,405 crore in the first instalment and Rs 1,402 crore in 2nd instalment, target of Rs 3,000 crore nearly achieved,” Sitharaman said.

Maharashtra farmers in dilemma what to sow or not?

As the agriculture produces rates have plummeted drastically because the supply chain has completely broken down. As a result, the farmers are worried about the upcoming Kharif season what to sow and what no?

Vijay Jawandia, agri experts said that the farmers who had not yet sold their cotton and corn due to the lockdown will not even recover their expenses also.

Sitharaman ‘Stimulus’ :Recycling Existing Schemes for Farmers as New

News Click

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on May 15, the “third tranche” of the “Rs 20 lakh crore economic package” announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on May 12. Just like the announcements made in first two ‘tranches’, in the third one, too, the Narendra Modi government announced a lot of credit/loan measures and policy decisions as a stimulus package to revive the economy.

After 11 years, Tamil Nadu to open Mettur Dam for paddy cultivation

The Federal

After a hiatus of over a decade, the Stanely Reservoir, the lifeline of Cauvery delta farmers in Tamil Nadu, will be opened on June 12, the annual customary date, for the Kuruvai (short-term) paddy crop in view of comfortable water storage.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Monday (May 18) ordered the water release from June 12 following representation from farmers in the delta regions and in view of the present water level of 100.01 feet and storage of 64.85 TMC feet as against the dams maximum of 120 feet and capacity of 93.4 tmc feet.

Chhattisgarh government to launch Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana from May 21

The Chhattisgarh government will launch the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana on May 21 on the death anniversary of the former Prime Minister. “Under the state government’s Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana, starting from May 21 on the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the exchange of funds for paddy, maize and sugarcane (rabi) crops will be transferred to the farmers’ account on the basis of the area registered and acquired in Kharif year 2019,” an official release said.

Will Indian Agriculture Come out Relatively Unscathed in FY’21?

The Wire

Since the harvesting of most rabi crops was completed in time, despite the nationwide lockdown from March 24 onwards, an impression has gained ground that all is well with Indian agriculture.

It is true that due to extraordinary efforts made by government machinery, procurement of wheat in Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh has been more successful than expected. The smooth availability of agricultural produce, including fruits and vegetables, has also compounded the belief of India’s opinion making classes that not much is required to be done for agriculture.

Unshackling farmers to push agriulture growth

The Modi government deserves compliments for finally biting the bullet and ushering reforms in India’s agri-marketing system. If the final print of the proposed legal changes follows the spirit in which the finance minister announced her package for farmers, this can go a long way in building efficient value chains, ensuring better prices for farmers, as well as lower prices for consumers, with improved quality.

From Plate to Plough: A 1991 moment for agriculture

The Narendra Modi government deserves compliments for finally introducing reforms in the country’s agri-marketing system. If the fine print of the proposed legal changes follows the spirit of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s package last week for farmers, the reforms can go a long way in building efficient value chains and ensuring better returns for farmers. The consumers will also be ensured better products without burdening their pockets.

The finance minister’s package had 11 major points, of which eight pertain to miscellaneous items, ranging from Rs one lakh crore for building agriculture infrastructure to Rs 500 crore for beekeeping and another Rs 500 crore for tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and other fruits and vegetables. These are steps in the right direction, but ...

Farmers in Punjab are all set to go for direct seeding of rice

The Hindu

As the labour shortage is imminent owing to the exodus of the migrant labourers, the farmers in Punjab are all set to go for direct seeding of rice (DSR) this khairf season, moving away from the traditional practice — of sowing nursery and transplanting it.

The farmers and agri-experts told The Hindu that they are hopeful that this technology — recommended as an alternative method of paddy planting — will save irrigation water, labour and energy in contrast to the conventional method of raising rice nursery and then transplanting the seedlings in a puddled field.

Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives, an attempt to free the farmer

The third tranche of the Atmanirbhar Bharat package announced by the Finance Minister contained a fairly predictable set of measures promising more credit to farmers, investments in agri-infrastructure and promoting ancillary activities to supplement agricultural income. But two key announcements in the package have the potential to substantially transform Indian agriculture, if followed through. One is the promise of a Central law to provide more choices to the farmer beyond the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) mandis. The other is the proposal to amend the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) to ‘deregulate’ commodities such as cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potatoes. If the government manages to walk the talk, these measures can go a long ...

Economic freedom in agriculture

Business Standard

The market for food is bedevilled with difficulties in India. The recent announcements are an important beginning in solving these problems. It is important to focus on the three big decisions of private persons — what to sow, how much to invest, and what to store — and think of the incentive environment for better decisions.

The way forward involves much less government involvement, warehousing, futures markets, international trade and national trade. Paul Samuelson told a fable about agriculture, which is called “the cobweb model”.

Centre studies Tamil Nadu law on contract farming

The Hindu

The Central government, which is planning to unveil yet another legal framework on contract farming, is learnt to have studied Tamil Nadu’s law on the subject.

The reason: Tamil Nadu Agricultural Produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Services (Promotion and Facilitation) Act of 2019 is seen as an improvement over the parent document – the model law prepared by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in May 2018. Billed as the first of its type, the State law has got more provisions to safeguard interests of farmers than the latter.

‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives, an attempt to free the farmer

Centre studies Tamil Nadu law on contract farming

The Hindu

The Central government, which is planning to unveil yet another legal framework on contract farming, is learnt to have studied Tamil Nadu’s law on the subject.

Will Indian Agriculture Come out Relatively Unscathed in FY’21?

The Wire

Since the harvesting of most rabi crops was completed in time, despite the nationwide lockdown from March 24 onwards, an impression has gained ground that all is well with Indian agriculture.

Exporters flush with orders, good season expected for basmati growers in Punjab

Basmati exporters have asked the growers of this aromatic variety in the state to increase area under cultivation, saying that they have orders in hand, despite the covid-19 pandemic affecting most other sectors of the economy.

“We are flush with orders from West Asia, Arabian countries, Europe, Canada and the US. We have asked farmers to increase area under cultivation and would purchase the entire basmati crop at a good remunerative price,” says Ashok Sethi, president, Punjab Rice Exporters’ Association.

He added countries around the world were securing buffer stocks, leading to the orders. He added exports of basmati from the country were expected to touch Rs 40,000 crore this year, an increase of 15% over Rs ...

Agriculture reforms package: How blindly throwing money at a problem can only worsen it

Opindia

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has asked the central government to reconsider its agriculture reforms package as it didn’t offer any handouts to farmers. Two Nobel prize winning expat economists have also argued the same. Well we only need to reconsider such binary thinking in times of COVID-19.

It is being argued that farmers need immediate cash to survive the crisis instead of big structural reforms. The issues plaguing the farm sector and the COVID crisis are both long term problems. Unfortunately, there is no short-term fix for a long-term festering problem. Sometimes blindly throwing only money at a problem can actually make it worse.

Coronavirus update: ‘Reforms necessary to liberate farmers’

Free Press Journal

As the saying goes the proof of the pudding is in the eating, the agriculture experts and industry bodies said the timebound implementation of reforms and financial package is necessary to unshackle the agriculture and liberate the farmers who until now were largely tied to a few buyers in terms of selling the produce.

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development’s (NABARD) former chairman Umesh Chandra Sarangi said, “The High-Power Committee of Chief Ministers appointed in Modi 1.0 govt had suggested that the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) be kept in abeyance.

Part 1: Farmers needed instant relief, but govt handed them a new policy

The Federal

The financial measures which Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced for farmers fail to provide relief for the losses a section of them suffered during the lockdown. Moreover, legal changes to usher in agricultural-marketing reforms, though ambitious, might falter if not diligently implemented and states are not taken into confidence.

State sets new criteria for meteorological disasters Read more at: https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/state-sets-new-criteria-for-meteorological-disasters/articleshow/75782588.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

Mumbai Mirror

For the first time since 2006, the state government has decared new parameters for declaring drought and excessive rains, based on study of rain patterns between 1961 and 2010.

As per the new norms, the state receives an average rainfall of 1,140.30 mm per annum. The taluka with the highest rainfall is Sangmeshwar in Ratnagiri district, with an average precipitation of 3,548 mm. The taluka with the lowest rainfall is Palus in Sangli district, with an average precipitation of just 325 mm.

Farmers body to protest against anti-peasantry package unveiled by FM Nirmala Sitharaman

All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) has urged Indian peasantry and rural workers to protest against the “pro-agribusiness anti-peasantry package” unveiled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman through the third tranche of Covid-19 stimulus today.

The Left organisation wanted peasantry and rural workers across the country to come out on May 16 at 9.30 am to protest against the “great betrayal of the peasantry by the BJP Government”.

FCI to procure paddy from U.T.

The Hindu

In a major relief to farmers, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has agreed to procure 20,000 tonnes of paddy during the upcoming Navarai and Sornavari harvest seasons from Puducherry and Karaikal regions.

Farmers in Puducherry and Karaikal regions have been selling their product to private agencies at a price lesser than the minimum support price (MSP) fixed by the Centre for the last 10 years.

Interview |’Wait for Fine Print, But Centre’s Agri Reforms a Step in Right Direction’

The Wire

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday unveiled a slew of measures aimed at addressing the crisis facing India’s agriculture sector and farmers due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Most of Sitharaman’s announcements however, read like a small Union budget, replete with additions to existing schemes or reiterations of the government’s commitment to certain programmes. What was missing from the third tranche were measures which could provide immediate relief to farmers that have been hit hard by the curbs on movement and transport of goods.

Now farmers can finally breathe

Deccan Herald

A couple of decades back, a telecom czar said to me about the 1991 reforms: “Suddenly we could breathe.” If the three proposed agriculture reforms announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman actually go through, a farmer could well be saying that soon.

More turn to farming during lockdown in Kerala

Scientists at Kerala Agriculture University (KAU) said that lockdown is slowly becoming a period where more people are moving towards farming. They sold 1,500kg of seeds and 2 lakh saplings to farmers during lockdown and claimed that many of them were first-time farmers. “Though lockdown has crossed 50 days, the initial days saw strict restrictions on public movement. So, our sales actually happened in the last 30 plus days. These sales took place despite travel restrictions,” said KAU VC R Chandra Babu. Our average sales figures turned out to be significantly less compared to the sales during the lockdown period, said Babu.

Why Indian farmers have stayed poor & how Modi govt’s latest initiatives can change that

The Print

The Narendra Modi government announced major reforms in the agriculture sector, including freeing farmers from the mandi monopoly, as it continued to unveil the contours of its Rs 20 lakh crore-lockdown relief package.

At a press conference Friday, the third in a series announcing the Centre’s relief package, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will amend the Essential Commodities Act to exclude cereals, edible oils, oil seeds, pulses, onions and potato.

Rajasthan farmers to become entrepreneurs with a helping hand from Ashok Gehlot

Times Now News

A helping hand from Ashok Gehlot coupled with a slew of measures announced by the Modi government may prove to be a game-changer for farmers in Rajasthan. Rajasthan government on Friday announced an innovative scheme for providing loan advances to farmers up to 70 per cent of the value of the produce.

The state is going to charge mere 3 per cent interest on the loan advance while the rest 7% would be borne by the state through Sahkar Kisan Kalyan Yojana.

Government unleashes long-pending reforms to overhaul farming

The Centre on Friday unleashed three crucial, long-pending reforms to reshape the architecture of farmer-market ties, allowing them to sell their produce without any restrictions, and also unveiled a Rs 1 lakh crore fund to build agri infrastructure to raise productivity and make the sector globally competitive. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the fund and said the far-reaching policy reforms were part of an 11-point action plan to revive the sector and ensure better returns for farmers. The government will amend the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, make a central law on agriculture marketing and create a legal framework to provide price assurance to farmers and help improve the quality of their produce.

Agriculture reforms take off, good deal for farmers

Agriculture reform in the country got a big boost with the government finally deciding to defang the 65-year-old Essential Commodities Act (ECA), which, by terrorising traders and food processors—and even importers and exporters—ensured that there was no steady buyer of farm produce. In the name of protecting the consumer—the ECA was born in a scarcity economy—the government would impose stocking limits on various commodities and these limits would abruptly be lowered if prices rose.

Freeing up the farmer: Govt to ease curbs on trade, open up markets

Barely seven months after imposing limits on the maximum quantity of onion any wholesaler or retailer could keep, the Narendra Modi government on Friday announced what may turn out to be a defining “1991 moment” for Indian agriculture. The Centre, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, will amend the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) to “deregulate” agricultural foodstuffs — including all cereals, pulses, oilseeds, onions and potatoes — and allow clamping of stock limits on these only under “very exceptional circumstances” like natural calamities and famines, which cause a “surge in prices”.

Agri, MSMEs may lead TN’s revival

The recipe for revival of the state economy may be through strengthening the agricultural and MSME sectors, officials told TOI after attending the first meeting of the high-level state-appointed committee headed by former RBI governor C Rangarajan here on Thursday. The committee is learned to have laid down broad outlines for assessing various sectors. It is tasked with examining fiscal challenges facing the state owing to Covid-19 pandemic and suggesting the way forward. “Today was more of an introductory meeting held through video conferencing. We discussed the way to go about with the task. Rangarajan divided the task of gathering the inputs in various sectors such as industry, labour, agriculture, MSMEs and education so as to identify medium term response as per the ...

Nirmala Sitharaman announces Rs 30,000 crore funds for small farmers

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a Rs 30,000 crore additional emergency working capital funding to benefit farmers amid the Covid-19 lockdown.

“Rs 30,000 crore additional emergency working capital fund to be provided through NABARD to three crore small, marginal farmers,” Sitharaman said at the said in an address to the media on the government’s Rs 20 lakh crore economic package.

NABAD will extend additional refinance support of Rs 30,00 crore for crop loan requirement of rural cooperative banks and regional rural banks RRBs).

Tirupati SP Avula Ramesh Reddy helps farmers in harvesting, donates 50 percent salary

Zee news

The Superintendent of Police for Tirupati Urban District Avula Ramesh Reddy took people into surprise after he joined the farmers in planting paddy saplings in the agriculture fields on the outskirts of the town. Reddy took the work in his uniform and was seen wearing a mask while helping the farmers in cultivation.

Food Corporation of India allocates 120 LMT foodgrains for distribution in states amid lockdown

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) allotted 12.96 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of foodgrains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna (PMGKAY) as an initiative of Government of India in its fight against the COVID-19.

According to Assistant General Manager of FCI (PR) Sushil Tirkey, 12.96 LMT of foodgrains have been allocated for a period of three months, from April to June, of the current year worth Rs 5057 crores.

Tripura to start vocational courses on IT, agriculture and retail in 55 more schools

In a bid to increase employability among students, Tripura government would start vocational courses on IT, electronics, agriculture, retail management in 55 more schools in addition to 80 schools where the courses were started earlier in last two academic years.

The Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath today said Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has permitted the state to start vocational courses in information technology, electronics and hardware, agriculture and retail store management in 55 schools. These schools would be starting these courses in the next academic session.

Breaking wheat-paddy cycle a must to save groundwater: CSSRI study

Breaking the traditional wheat-paddy cycle is the need of the hour to preserve groundwater for the future generations, reveals a research conducted by scientists of the Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI), Karnal (Haryana).

Asserting that the rice crop alone consumes about 50% of the total irrigation water, the researchers have suggested radical changes in the agricultural use of available water.

NABARD To Extend Rs.30,000 Cr Refinance Support; Concessional Credit For Small Farmers: FM

Addressing a press briefing on the second tranche of the economic package on Thursday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced two measures for the welfare of small farmers. Sitharaman declared that the NABARD shall extend additional refinance support of Rs.30,000 crore for crop loan requirement of rural cooperative banks and Regional Rural Banks. This is over and above the Rs.90,000 crore to be provided by the NABARD through the normal refinance route during 2020. This shall benefit 3 crore small and marginal farmers and help meet post-harvest and current Kharif requirements in May and June.

COVID-19 relief package: Agriculture credit support fails to impress farmers’ unions

The credit support measures announced for farmers on Wednesday isn’t likely to enthuse the 14.5 crore-strong community, coming as it does in the wake of demands for full scale farm loan waivers. As part of the second tranche of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan relief measures, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that additional credit support will be given to farmers through NABARD and the Kisan Credit Card facility.

Telangana deposits over Rs 4,000 cr in paddy farmers’ accounts

Telangana Today – Online

The State government has so far deposited Rs 4,006 crore directly into farmers’ bank accounts towards paddy procurement this Yasangi season, said Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation Chairman Mareddy Srinivas Reddy.

Priyanka Gandhi Writes To Yogi Adityanath, Demands Waivers For Farmers

NDTV – Online

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called for relief to weavers and workers in various small and cottage industries in the state including carpet, textiles and ”chikan” work.

Telangana’s crop area to touch a new high

Telangana Today – Online

Telangana will set a new record during this Vaanakalam (Kharif) season, bringing a whopping 1.35 crore acres under cultivation. It crossed the one-crore acre mark in Kharif 2018-19 when farming operations were taken up in 1.02 crore acres.

Wheat procurement has now hit an unusual problem — lack of jute bags

The Print – Online

The problem has chiefly arisen due to lack of coordination between Modi govt & Mamata govt as West Bengal supplies 95% of the gunny sacks required in the country.

A plan to revive a broken economy

The Hindu – Online

The 100-day limit per household has to go; work has to be provided on demand without any limit to all adults. And permissible work must include not just agricultural and construction work, but work in rural enterprises and in care activities too.

Vision 2020, 20,00,00,00,00,000 cr: Not just massive, signals a sea-change

The Financial Express – Online

Apart from the emphasis on infrastructure that was expected, he has promised sweeping supply chain reforms in agriculture – once again, some states have announced piecemeal changes here over the past few days – and also possible tax cuts for the middle classes who have suffered salary cuts and job losses.

Manipur eyes agriculture, horticulture during Covid crisis

To mitigate the dwindling economy of the nation and the state owing to Covid-19 lockdown, the state government has given more emphasis on agriculture and horticulture sectors. As Manipur has been categorized as Green Zone, the government has already allowed agriculture and its allied activities in the rural areas.

Mohali farmers urged to sow paddy directly in the ongoing Kharif season

To save the depleting water table and in view of the possibilities of labour shortage due to Covid-19 epidemic, Mohali’s district administration has urged farmers to opt for direct sowing of paddy in the ongoing Kharif season.

Chief agriculture officer of Mohali, Ranjit Singh Bains said that farmers should go for direct sowing in medium or heavy soil, but should avoid this technique in sandy soil. He recommends that the field should be leveled and paddy varieties PR-121, PR 122, PR-126 and PR-127 should be sown in the first fortnight of June, while Basmati varieties Pusa-1121, Pusa-1509 and Pusa-1718 should be sown in the second fortnight of June.

Direct sowing of paddy offers more advantage in the ...

Uzhavan App’s e-market comes as a boon to farmers

The Hindu

For G. Ravichandran, a groundnut farmer from Ponnankuppam village in Villupuram district, the COVID-19 pandemic could not have come at the worst time. After harvesting around 1,000 kg of groundnut, Mr. Ravichandran could not sell his produce for over 25 days for want of a good price.

Can Agritech Solve The Ever-Evolving Challenges In Agriculture For The Post-Pandemic World?

Inc42

While farmers in India are struggling to produce more while keeping costs low and margins high even before the current pandemic crisis, Indian consumers are moving in the opposite direction, searching for better-quality products at a lower cost. Striking the right balance between the two has been the weakest link in the agriculture value chain, and this is down to a range of factors such as preharvest and postharvest intelligence, logistics, storage, distribution and the weather. Thankfully, agritech startups have taken charge of each of these aspects to solve the biggest issues facing farmers in these times of crisis.

Telangana emerges as second largest paddy supplier to FCI for 2019-20

Telangana State emerged as the second largest supplier of paddy to the country through Food Corporation of India (FCI) during the 2019-20 crop year. For Yasangi this year, the State is the highest contributor of paddy supplying over 35 lakh tonnes against nation-wide procurement of about 50 lakh tonnes by FCI.

Through its official Twitter handly, the FCI authorities said the Corporation procured 664.15 lakh tonnes paddy from all the States during the crop year 2019-20. Of this, Punjab contributed about 162.32 lakh tonnes and took the top spot followed by Telangana supplying about 83.97 lakh tonnes.

Amid Lockdown, UP Centres Procuring Grains From Fewer than 2 Farmers a Day on Average

The Wire

Owing to the ongoing nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of novel coronavirus in India, a large section of the population, including the agricultural sector, is on the brink of a poverty crisis.

Ravinder Singh, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor district, had sown wheat on six acres of land but he has been unable to sell a grain of his 50 quintal produce. “When I went to the procurement centre, they told me that the grain was damp and refused to purchase it,” he said. In the lockdown, there is no alternative for Singh to sell his crop.

Now, Gujarat opens up agriculture for privatisation after UP, MP; to allow own markets, check APMCs

Gujarat has taken the agriculture reform a step forward after Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh state governments allowed traders to buy the agricultural produce directly from the farmers’ fields or homes, instead of state-run mandis. Ending the monopoly of the government-run Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), Chief Minister Vijay Rupani’s Gujarat state government has allowed private entities to set up their own market committees or sub-market yards to compete and offer the competitive prices of the agricultural produce to farmers. Apart from the farmers, even the traders were restricted to their own talukas and they had to pay a cess on any transaction that happened within the marketing yard of the APMC or outside it.

Telangana to regulate farming

In a major move aimed at making agriculture a more profitable venture through scientific cultivation based on market demands, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Tuesday said the State government has decided to implement regulated farming in the State from the upcoming Vaanakalam season, beginning with paddy.

Mystery virus attacks tomato crop in Maharashtra

An unidentified virus is attacking tomato crops in large parts of Maharashtra. In the districts of Ahmednagar, Pune and Nashik, about 60 per cent of the crop has been decimated in the last 10 days.

Experts at the Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth at Rahuri, Ahmednagar, which is the local agriculture university, are studying the outbreak along with State government officials but the virus remains unidentified. The despondent farmers are now pointing fingers at seed companies — including an MNC — for allegedly selling diseased seeds.

Govt sets up separate panel for rice exports under Apeda

The Centre has set up a separate panel under agri-export promotion body Apeda to boost shipments of rice following a meeting held by the Prime Minister on May 2, in which creation of commodity-specific boards/councils was discussed. The non-basmati exporters were demanding for a separate board since Apeda’s main focus has been only for basmati rice.

The commerce ministry was of the view that since a number of items such as buffalo meat, processed products and floriculture are handled by Apeda, creation of additional boards will dilute its role. Among all items under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), rice and buffalo meat exports together have 60% share in terms of value.

Fertiliser sales up 47% in April, demand to remain healthy; 5 stocks to buy

Money Control

The coronavirus outbreak has pushed most sectors to their lowest lows but there is one segment that is clocking impressive growth, thanks to healthy underlying demand.

Fertiliser sales were up 47 percent in April, brokerage firm Prabhudas Lilladher has said in a report.

“Total industry volume up 47 percent to 3.7 million tonne, driven by preponement of purchase, healthy underlying demand and low base.

Now, Gujarat opens up agriculture for privatisation after UP, MP; to allow own markets, check APMCs

Increasing e-Nam footprint: 177 new mandis in 10 states integrated with online portal

Further increasing its footprint, the Agriculture Ministry, on Monday, integrated 177 new mandis from 10 States, including Haryana (26) and Punjab (17), on the electronic National Agriculture Market taking the total number of mandis on the online portal, enabling farmers to sell without visiting regulated mandis, to 962.

Nalgonda tops in paddy procurement

Nalgonda district has topped the State in paddy procurement this Yasangi, purchasing 5.75 lakh metric tons out of the 6.24 lakh metric tons of estimated crop production by the farmers in the district, which translates into 95 per cent of procurement of the crop.

With the conditions prevailing on account of coronavirus, the number of paddy procurement centres were also increased – 227 main paddy procurement centres and 422 sub-centres in the district. The remaining five per cent of procurement from the farmers would be completed within a week, according to officials.

Odisha farmers seek Govt nod to sell surplus kharif paddy

Even as procurement operation for rabi crops has started picking up, farmers of coastal districts have urged the State Government to allow them to sell their surplus kharif paddy under price support system.

Leading the cause of the farmers, the BJP and Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) said a large number of farmers of coastal district could not sell their surplus paddy due to twin problems, mismanagement in issue of online token followed by nationwide lockdown imposed by the Centre.

20 Most Demanding & Profitable Agriculture Business Ideas in India

Agriculture is one of the most growing and demanding sectors in today’s era. There are more than 100 agriculture businesses that are growing rapidly these days but in this article we will talk about top 20 demanding agri businesses in India. Some of these agriculture businesses can be done in less capital, while some may require huge capital investment. If you are looking for a low cost agri business, then this article will definitely help you.

In Bengal paddy bowl, yield of late harvesting: wages up

Yadav Ghorui has rarely been this busy during harvest season. He is one of eight farm labourers called in to work on a one-bigha field in his Ajapur village in Burdwan, about 100 km from Kolkata.

“Last year, I got Rs 200 and 2 kg of rice every day that I worked; this year I am getting Rs 350 and 2 kg rice. Our group of eight is booked for the entire month. Work began a week ago and we have to harvest, bundle the paddy and dehusk the grains in two days. We work at night too,” said Ghorui, who lives with his wife and two children.

Adani Agri Logistics Dispatches 30,000 Tonnes Of Food Grains For PMGKAY

Business World

Adani Agri Logistics Ltd (AALL) said on Monday it facilitated the dispatch of 30,000 tonnes of food grains during the COVID-19 lockdown which amounts to feeding over 60 lakh citizens across different states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and West Bengal.

Seven trains owned and operated by the company for transportation of food grains from production centres in northern India to consumption centres played a critical role in facilitating this. Besides, in close coordination with the state government of Madhya Pradesh, AALL started the wheat procurement process of rabi crop with adequate safety and precautionary measures at its units from April 15.

Mandis linked to e-platform see 65% rise in count post-lockdown

The Hindu

COVID-19 has given a boost to e-NAM, the national digital platform for agricultural trade, with the number of connected mandis, or wholesale markets, up 65% since the lockdown, according to Agriculture Ministry data.

How Agritech Can Be A Solution To Farmers’ Produce-Related Woes

Inc 42

Contributing about 15% to India’s GDP, the agricultural sector sustains almost half the population of the country. Interestingly, more than 265 Mn people in India are engaged in farming, which also makes it one of the largest employers in the country. More than 70% of rural India is employed in this space, running their daily expenses with income generated through agriculture.

Former engineer’s bid to help Bidar farmers

The Hindu

This engineer-turned-farmer has ensured technological convergence in farming after developing an online platform for consumers to place orders for vegetables and fruits so that the required quantum could be sourced from farmers and delivered at their doorsteps.

Chetan Dabake, 30, an active member of Bidar Horticultural Farmers Producers Company Limited, has developed www.raithanamitra.in. “Consumers can place their orders with a minimum purchase of ₹100. The orders are in the four categories – vegetables, leafy vegetables, fruits, and ripen-yourself-mangoes under which consumers can buy green mangoes and ripen them at their homes through traditional methods,” he says. “The door-delivery system on behalf of the FPO began on April 14 in Bidar and we are about to extend it ...

Telangana CM Reviews Crop Cultivation Pattern In The State

Hi India

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday took an elaborate review on crop cultivation pattern in the state and identification of alternative crops to make farmers go in for a regulatory cultivation, ensuring Minimum Support Price for the agriculture produce and other related issues. The agriculture experts present at the meeting gave several suggestions to the government on measures to be taken to make agriculture profitable in the state.

Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilisers records 35 per cent hike in sale of ‘Suphala’ fertilisers

A PIB press statement said that Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilisers Ltd (RCF) has registered a hike of 35.47 per cent in the sale of fertilisers under the brand name ‘Suphala’ in April as compared to the similar period of 2019. This is despite logistics and labour challenges,

Suphala provides nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are essential nutrients to the soil. It is is one of the well-known products of the PSU, which produces many critical industrial chemicals and fertilisers.

The Chairman and Managing Director of RCF, S C Mudgerikar, in a tweet, said that during the ongoing pandemic, the company has ensured continuous supply of fertilisers to the farmers with the help of agriculture department ...

Farmers Distress amid COVID-19 Pandemic

For containment of the SARS CoV-2 virus, the Indian government declared a three-week nation-wide lockdown till mid-April, which was extended further to achieve satisfactory results. To address the difficulties faced by most vulnerable sections of the society amid lockdown, the finance minister came out with an economic package worth INR 1.7 trillion. ICAR issued guidelines for harvesting and threshing of various rabi crops, while RBI granted a three-month moratorium on repayment of farm loans. But despite these measures, the farmers have to face various difficulties during this pandemic period.

Farmers must grow what govt tells: Experts

Experts from agriculture, agri-business and related fields have firmly suggested to chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao that farmers should cultivate only those crops suggested by the government and those not following government directions must not be given Rs 10,000 per acre per annum Rythu Bandhu sop and their agriculture produce should not be procured by paying minimum support price.

Agriculture key to unlocking economic potential

Covid-19 and the resulting lockdown are among the biggest challenges that the modern world is facing. Covid-19 has attacked the very core of our present society, and has thrown light on many problems the states will face going forward. One must not forget that Covid-19 may pass, but global warming simply will not. Now is the time we need to rethink how we approach the agricultural sector and the Indian economy.

Experts asks Telangana to implement State-regulated farming

Agriculture experts suggested to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to implement a government regulated system of farming in the State for transforming subsistence farming to profitable agriculture.

The Chief Minister held a detailed review with experts here at Pragathi Bhavan on Sunday, on issues such as present system of farming in the State, identification of alternative cropping systems, regulated farming by ryots and ensuring commensurate prices for the commodities.

The experts suggested that government must guide the farmers on the type of crop to be taken up, thereby restricting them from sowing the same crop in large tracts, that might create a glut in the market.

Khattar govt’s new scheme will discourage farmers from cultivating paddy: Cong

Opposition Congress on Sunday hit out at the recently announced crop diversification scheme by the M L Khattar government, saying there was a conspiracy to eventually stop the procurement of paddy at Minimum Support Price (MSP) by discouraging a large number of farmers from cultivating the crop.

“Under the new autocratic order and scheme brought out by Khattar government, they now want farmers in eight different blocks which have been identified and 19 blocks in total to not cultivate paddy at all and punish the farmers by denying them MSP for paddy in case they still choose to grow this crop,” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

Farmers Distress amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Agribusiness to offer new opportunities post-COVID

The Hindu

With all its downsides, COVID-19 may also create new opportunities in agriculture and allied sectors. Thanks to lockdown restrictions, people may be impelled to minimise dependence on other States, resulting in a paradigm shift towards the agribusiness sector.

“The production of animal protein sources like milk, egg, meat, and meat products has emerged as a potential means to address food security issues and protein malnutrition. Policies and programmes in the sector will be the thrust areas post-COVID-19. A lot of entrepreneurship opportunities exist in this sector,” says B. Sunil, professor and head, Meat Technology Centre, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU).

Will make farming profitable: KCR

The State government will soon come up with a comprehensive agriculture policy aiming at making agriculture profitable in the State.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao instructed the officials concerned to prepare the policy to bring changes in the thought process of farmers in order to meet the food habits of people and cultivate crops as per the market demand. He will personally soon interact with all stakeholders including farmers, farmers’ groups such as Rythu Bandhu Samithis and agriculture officials from every cluster through video conference before finalising the policy.

Amid Covid-19, Sirmaur administration encourages people to adopt organic farming

In view of the nationwide lockdown and curfew imposed due to coronavirus, Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district administration has launched a unique initiative under which residents are being encouraged to use their time to grow vegetables through organic farming near their homes.

The department of agriculture and animal husbandry have put up a special stall at the historic Chaugan Maidan, Nahan, where ‘seed kits’ of various vegetables are being provided to people by volunteers of Aravalli Organisation along with vermicompost and cowdung logs.

Experts asks Telangana to implement State-regulated farming

Agriculture experts suggested to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to implement a government regulated system of farming in the State for transforming subsistence farming to profitable agriculture.

Punjab prepones paddy sowing, transplantation

In view of labour shortage, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh on Saturday announced advancement in the paddy nursery sowing and transplantation dates by 10 days. The operations will now commence on May 10 and June 10, respectively, instead of the May 20 fixed earlier by the Agriculture Department for sowing of paddy nursery and June 20 for paddy transplantation, during the current kharif season as recommended by PAU. The state has been delaying transplantation to reduce pressure on underground water.

Rajasthan: Locust army raids crops in Jodhpur’s village; farmers demand neutralisation

Times Now News

Amid the ongoing chaos due to the virus pandemic, farmers in Sirmandi village in Jodhpur are facing another threat. On Saturday, a large swarm of locusts invaded the village’s farmlands damaging crops of onion, millet, jowar, pearl and others.

The invasion has raised apprehensions in the minds of the farmers in the region. The affected farmers have demanded the administration to neutralize the flying terrorists by spraying pesticides in the area on time so that they do not have to suffer losses again.

Telangana CM Directs Officials To Prepare Agriculture Policy To Make The Sector Profitable

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has chaired a meeting on agricultural sector and directed the state officials to come up with a Comprehensive Agriculture Policy for the state in order to make the agricultural sector profitable and also to fulfil the food requirements of the state.

Punjab CM Amarinder writes to PM; seeks MSP of Rs 2,902 for paddy

Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider fixing a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 2,902 per quintal for paddy and Rs 100 per quintal to be given as incentive bonus to check stubble burning. The CM has cited challenges faced due to labour shortage and the need for ensuring food security in view of the covid-19 pandemic.

In his letter to the PM, the CM said that the state had already written to the Union agriculture ministry seeking the new MSP, as calculated by Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, against last year’s MSP of Rs 1,835 per quintal.

“Given the need to ensure food safety in the ...

Rajasthan’s thrust will be on textile, agriculture and domestic tourism: Sachin Pilot

Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot says only those migrants who are desperate and determined to reach home should go, and the rest should be persuaded to stay back in the state as economic activities have begun. Excerpts from an interview with Shantanu Nandan Sharma.

‘Promote superfine paddy varieties on 35 lakh acres’

The Hindu

The State government has initiated steps to encourage cultivation of superfine varieties of paddy on about 35 lakh acres during the coming Vaanakalam (kharif) agricultural season by asking officials concerned to position the required seed varieties in advance.

Minister for Agriculture S. Niranjan Reddy held a meeting with agriculture officials, including Secretary B. Janardhan Reddy and Vice-Chancellor of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, here on Saturday on the preparedness for pushing cultivation of the superfine paddy varieties. As suggested by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, the focus should be on encouraging farmers to take up varieties which have demand in market rather than the ones which are not consumed much.

KTR elated at State’s paddy procurement success

TRS working president and IT Minister KT Rama Rao on Saturday expressed his joy over Telangana emerging as the major contributor in paddy procurement at the national-level during Yasangi 2019-20.

The procurement at the national-level was about 50 lakh tonnes, of which Telangana alone contributed 34.36 lakh tonnes as on Friday.

Punjab govt advances paddy sowing, transplantation dates

Responding to concerns expressed by farmers with respect to labour shortage, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday announced advancement in the paddy nursery sowing and transplantation dates by 10 days.

The paddy nursery sowing and transplantation operations will now commence on May 10 and June 10, respectively.

The agriculture department had earlier fixed May 10 as the date to begin sowing of paddy nursery and June 20 for paddy transplantation, during the current kharif season

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh Advances Paddy Sowing Dates As Migrant Labourers Return Home

The Coronavirus forced lockdown has induced a shortage of labour following which Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday has announced an advancement in the paddy nursery sowing and transplantation dates by 10 days. The CM’s action comes after farmers complained about meeting cultivation requirements as most labours have returned to their respective states after the Centre’s permit. As per the Punjab Agricultural University’s recommendation, sowing of paddy will now commence on May 10 and June 10 instead of the earlier dates fixed by the Agricultural Department.

Government disburses Rs 18,253 crore to 9.13 crore farmers under PM Kisan

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said Rs 18,253 crore has been disbursed to 9.13 crore farmers under the PM-KISAN scheme during the ongoing nationwide lockdown. Under the PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi) scheme, each farmer gets Rs 6,000 in a year in three equal installments directly in bank account. Front-loading the release of the first installment under the PM-KISAN scheme was part of the Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) announced on March 26 to protect the poor from the impact of the coronavirus lockdown.

Fuel price hike ahead of kharif sowing riles farmers in Punjab

The hike in petrol and diesel prices in Punjab just ahead of sowing of various kharif crops has riled farmer outfits in Punjab, who have decided to oppose the government move tooth and nail.

“At this time of the year, Punjab’s 18.50 lakh farmers are major users of diesel in the state as around 42 lakh hectares area is to be cultivated under agricultural crops like cotton, paddy, maize, basmati of kharif season as well under horticulture crops in a coming couple of months,” said Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Dakaunda, General Secretary Jagmohan Singh.

Haryana to give ₹7,000/acre to farmers for non-paddy crops

Much before the beginning of paddy transplantation season in mid June, Haryana government has started rolling out incentive- linked crop diversification plans to push farmers towards the cultivation of maize and pulses in place of rice.

The rice cultivation has been losing traction as every year, groundwater table of Haryana depletes about one metre due to non-stop paddy sowing.

Just 1kg rice production consumes 2,000-5,000 litre water, Haryana agriculture and farmers’ welfare department has said in its crop diversification scheme.

Why India’s rural economy stands to gain after the lockdown is lifted

The Print

As India eases the lockdown this week, there is fear that nothing has been gained in the past few painful weeks, and the novel coronavirus will started spreading again. Looking at liquor queues in urban India, it may be tempting to think so, but the fears may be overblown at the scale of the economy as a whole.

The behaviour of governments, individuals and businesses will reshape the Indian economy, and safer activities and locations will flourish more. If supported by the right policy framework, agriculture and rural industry could be one of India’s biggest strengths.

Yogi Govt Ushers In Sweeping Agriculture Reforms For Substantial Cost Saving To Farmers, All You Need To Know

The Yogi Adityanath led Uttar Pradesh government has introduced sweeping reforms in the agriculture sector which includes abolishing the mandatory condition to bring farm produce to state mandis and has also scrapped the mandi tax, Times of India has reported.

This was a result of the state government abolishing a few provisions in the Uttar Pradesh Krishi Utpadan Mandi Act via an ordinance passed by the cabinet on Wednesday (6 May).

After Sweeping Agriculture Reforms, MP CM Shivraj Chauhan Announces Radical Recasting Of Labour Laws To Lure Investment

Following up on his sweeping reforms in agriculture sector that he unveiled to end the monopoly of APMC’s and permits farmers to directly connect to markets, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan announced a slew of reforms in labour laws that will effectively end ‘ inspector raj’ for new factories in the state

The series of labour law reforms announced today will provide significant relaxations for industries from departmental inspections, exempt them from maintaining registers and allow them to schedule shifts to ensure maximum productivity.

Farm to market: Indian farmers struggle to mend losses amid coronavirus lockdown

Your Story

The freshly-grown fruits had turned ripe, rabi crops like barley were ready to be harvested, and bright-coloured vegetables were seen dangling from the plants. However, most of these were either left to rot in the farms, or sold at an extremely nominal price in the market. The nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in severe labour shortages, transport impediments, and reduced market access, leaving thousands of farmers in the lurch. Though the Indian government made it a point to relax some of the restrictions for the farming sector, the community is still striving to cope with the losses.

It’s win-win as farmers sell mangoes to city consumers via WhatsApp amid lockdown

When the nationwide lockdown was imposed, mango farmer Asif Shahbazker was staring at huge losses. But technology and an enterprising agriculture officer came to his rescue.

The Bandra resident who owns the 200-acre Ranse Farm in Uran in the Konkan region was able to seal orders for 20,000 Alphonso mangoes in a month through WhatsApp. Asif said they are not only getting a fair profit but also contributing a portion of it to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to fight COVID-19.

Nagaland government focuses on agriculture to revive economy =

The Nagaland government, which is facing a financial crunch in the wake of the lockdown, has focused on strengthening the agriculture and allied sectors to revive the state’s economy, a minister said. The government will hold a meeting with the representatives of the farming community and entrepreneurs on Friday to discuss various issues to improve these sectors, state planning and coordination minister Neiba Kronu said.

‘Subsidy raj’ hitting agri sector: Study

Average monthly income of a farmer in rural UP is not even half of the salary of a class IV employee in the urban area. If the state wants to strengthen the agriculture sector, it should do away with the ‘subsidy raj’ immediately and start ensuring adequate power, irrigation and storage facilities to farmers, says a study conducted by Lucknow’s Giri Institute of Development Studies. The survey-cum-study of 75 districts of the state title ‘Measures by the state government for doubling farmers’ income by 2022-23′ has been submitted to the state government.

Former MLA Rohit Thakur discusses farmers’ issues with Himachal CM

Former Jubbal-Kotkhai legislator and chief parliamentary secretary (agriculture) on Wednesday met chief minister Jai Ram Thakur to discuss various problems being faced by farmers in the state.

He also submitted a letter demanding solutions for ground-level problems of farmers and horticulturists.

Stating that agricultural and horticultural activities had taken a hit due to the coronavirus outbreak, he demanded the supply of packaging materials for fruits and apples through HP Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC), HP State Co-operative Marketing and Consumers Federation (HIMFED) and private vendors. He said that production of packaging materials, which has been been stalled since March, should be started in industrial areas like Baddi, Kala Amb and Nalagarh by taking precautionary measures ...

Karnataka HC Asks Central Govt To Decide On Whether Farmers Can Be Exempted From Paying Toll On Highways For Limited Period https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates/karnataka-hc-asks-central-govt-to-decide-on-whether-farmers-can-be-exempted-from-paying-toll-on-highways-for-limited-period-156304

Live Law

The Karnataka High Court has asked the Union Government to decide by May 12, whether an exemption can be granted to the farmers from paying toll on highways, for a limited period considering the exigencies which have arisen due to COVID-19.

Explained: How Punjab met procurement challenge

WHEAT PROCUREMENT in Punjab, the country’s highest contributor at over 46 per cent of the central pool, has been taking place under challenging circumstances during the pandemic. Yet, despite being short of migrant labour and restricting the number of people in mandis, Punjab has already procured three-quarters of its target for the national pool — 10.5 million tonnes out of 13.5 million tonnes — with over a month to go before the extended procurement season ends on June 15.

The challenge

Punjab has had a bumper crop, and needs a labour force of 3.5 lakh to 4 lakh to meet the procurement target of 13.5 million tonnes. But 90% of its usual labour force comes from Bihar and ...

Adequate Stock of Food grains & Pulses with FCI: Union Minister

Shri Ram Vilas Paswan (Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution) has informed that in spite of supplying food grains and pulses for various welfare schemes Food Corporation of India (FCI) stands at adequate stock of these commodities.

As per the Minister, there are 630.10 lakh tones of foodgrains with FCI as of May 04, 2020; out of it 276.61 lakh tones is rice and 353.49 lakh tones is wheat. Monthly requirement under National Food Security Act (NFSA ) and other schemes is 60 lakh tones.

Wheat chaff fire cases in Punjab 25% of last year

The incidents of wheat stubble burning have drastically come down post wheat harvest season this year. As per the data compiled by Punjab Remote Sensing Centre, a total of 243 incidents of wheat straw burning have been reported from across the state so far, with 98 incidents reported on Wednesday.

West Bengal: Bankers double credit line to farmers, MSME relief on cards

At a time when agriculture and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are floundering due to the coronavirus lockdown, bankers have decided to bail them out.

The State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) in Bengal has doubled the Kharif loan outlay to Rs 10,000 crore from Rs 4,400 crore this season.

In FY 2019-20, a credit of Rs 74,000 crore was extended to MSMEs. This year, the target has been revised to Rs 90,000 crore.

Intensive farming may increase risk of epidemics, scientists warn

Intensive farming techniques have led to a common antibiotic-resistant pathogen to become capable of infecting both cattle and humans, according to a study which suggests the need to check agriculture practices for such outbreaks.

The scientists, including those from the University of Sheffield in the UK, investigated the evolution of Campylobacter jejuni, a bacterium carried by chickens and cattle, and a leading cause of food poisoning.

Indian economy in corona time: Agriculture only bright spot

India is an agricultural country: Kids of 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s grew up reading this one sentence in school textbooks until LPG (liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation) changed the complexion of Indian economy. Services became the king of economy and industries started pulling out workers from the fields.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus in India — as part of global pandemic — shut down offices of the gloating services sector and closed factories. But crops standing in fields kept growing, and farmers continued to tend them. Covid-19 has essentially and largely remained an urban outbreak in India till now.

Green recovery can revive coronavirus-hit economies, tackle climate change: Study

Massive programmes of green public investment would be the most cost-effective way both to revive virus-hit economies and strike a decisive blow against climate change, top U.S. and British economists said in a study published on Tuesday.

With co-authors including Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz from Columbia University and prominent British climate expert Lord Nicholas Stern, the findings are likely to fuel calls for “green recoveries” gathering momentum around the world.

“The Covid-19 crisis could mark a turning point in progress on climate change,” the authors wrote, adding that much would depend on policy choices made in the next six months.

Govt Focuses on Policy to include Small, Marginal Farmers into Institutional Credit System

Maharashtra’s Agriculture Minister Dadasaheb Bhuse has advised the district agriculture centers to come up with a Kharif plan to provide farmers easy access to seeds and fertilizers. While policies are been made regarding it, some officials working with farmers in the underdeveloped regions of Vidarbha and Marathwada have given a serious thought about the financially-weaker, small and marginal farmers. Many small and marginal farmers have been forced to take up daily wage labor during the lockdown to earn a livelihood. Bringing such farmers back into the institutional credit system is the government’s concern.

‘Subsidy raj’ hitting agri sector: Study

Karnataka to request Centre to permit labour for paddy cultivation under MNREGA scheme

Karnataka will write to the centre seeking inclusion of labour for cultivation of paddy as an activity under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme. This move will benefit youths who have reverse migrated to the rural areas due to Covid-19 crisis, minister for agriculture B C Patil said. This will ensure that the youth are gainfully employed and agriculture as an activity helps sustain the rural economy, he said.

Extend climate smart agriculture programme to all districts: Bihar CM

Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday asked the agriculture department officials to extend the state government’s climate smart agriculture programme (CMAP) to all the 38 districts. The CMAP was launched last year in 8 districts on a pilot basis as part of the ‘Jal-Jivan-Hariyali Abhiyan’. While reviewing different schemes of agriculture, cooperative, food and consumer protection departments through videoconferencing, Nitish asked the officials to give special emphasis on CMAP expansion in the current financial year.

Covid-19 won’t be able to damage Indian agriculture: Narendra S Tomar

Union agriculture & rural development minister Narendra Singh Tomar spoke to Saubhadra Chatterji and Zia Haq about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the farm sector, labour shortage during the harvest season, benefits given to farmers and farm labourers, and allocations of jobs under the rural employment guarantee scheme. Edited excerpts:

You have held a meeting with state rural and agricultural ministers. What are the main demands of the states? The Narendra Modi government’s priority is to protect farmers, rural India, and poor people from the pandemic. We have discussed issues related to farming operations and harvesting, agriculture market and mandi operations, procurement at MSP (minimum support price), provision of seeds and fertilizers, and logistics and movement of agriculture/horticulture produce. As ...

Rythu Bandhu loans a blessing for Chilli farmers of Khammam

The Rythu Bandhu scheme has come in handy for chilli farmers in Khammam district who could not sell their produce due to the coronavirus lockdown.

It might be noted that the State government had formulated the scheme to provide short-term advances to farmers to prevent distress sale of the agri produce. The advances were being given to the needy farmers, who have Rythu Bandhu card, against the pledge of stock.

Uri farmers aghast over non availability of seeds at government stores

Kashmir Reader

The farmers of different village of border town Uri are up in the arms against the department of agriculture who according to them failed to provide them different kinds of seeds at crucial farming season.

The farmers from Garkote, Nambla, Salambad, Jabla and other on Monday said that despite assurance from the Director Agriculture and other officials of the concern department that they will provide all the commodities at door steps in any situation, however, we are facing hardships due to non availability of seeds like maize and other for our lands. They said the our lands are ready and season is on its peak but when it is not available in government stores what can we ...

States raise Covid-19 concern to check stubble burning

As stubble burning cases are trickling, the northwestern states are banking on the looming health emergency caused by Covid-19 to dissuade farmers from lighting up agricultural remnants this kharif season. The open field burning of stubble is suspected to rise this month even as the authorities are deeply engrossed in battle against the pandemic in states.

Record sales of fertilisers in lockdown period; govt ensures full availability before kharif sowing

Even as nationwide lockdown has brought almost all sectors of the economy to a standstill, fertiliser sales have reached a record level during this period. The sale of fertilisers shot up by 45.1 per cent on-year in April 2020. Even in the first 22 days of April 2020, POP sale of fertilizers to farmers was 10.63 lakh MT which was 32 per cent higher than the last year sale of 8.02 lakh MT during the same period and dealers purchased 15.77 lakh MT fertilizers which was 46 per cent higher than last year sale of 10.79 lakh MT during the same period, said the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

Small Farmers, Big Crisis, and SMS is no Solution, Say Farm Leaders

News Click

It is a cruel irony that in the sixth week of the nationwide lockdown, the government is talking up omnibus agriculture “reforms” as if they can mitigate the growing distress in rural India. Reforms, no doubt, implies stricter compliance with online registration and payment rules, more focus on market-based pricing, and other such changes, which small and marginal farmers have always struggled to comply with.

India to Boost its Economy with Bamboo Resources Post Covid-19

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Bamboo is vital to India’s Post- COVID economy and will provide an opportunity for India to emerge as an economic power with the support of its Bamboo resources.

Haryana CM urges farmers to diversify from rice to pulses, maize

Haryana chief minister, Manohar Lal has appealed to the farmers to adopt crop diversification and sow crops which consume less water like Maize, Arhar, sesame, Guar, Moong, etc, instead of Rice.

Giving detailed information about this, the Chief Minister said that the dark zone, depleting level of groundwater and its excessive exploitation has become a challenge for us and we have started to solve these challenges for the coming generations.

Agriculture Reforms In MP: Why Chouhan’s New APMC Measures Are Even More Significant Than They Look

Swarjyamag

Madhya Pradesh (MP) Chief Minister (CM) Shivraj Singh Chouhan recently announced sweeping reform to the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) structure in the state.

APMCs were set up to promote market access for small and marginal farmers. Instead, they have evolved as instruments of arbitrage for trades, where they have been pocketing much of consumer surplus — the farmers do not make enough money and retail food prices remain high more often than not.

First rain and hail, now lockdown — mango farmers set to lose 70-80% of their income

The Print

Mango farmers across the country stand to lose almost all their income this year because of three factors they had no control over — unseasonal rains, hailstorms, and the Covid-19 lockdown.

The unseasonal downpours starting last November affected the development of flowers in mango trees, delaying the production of the fruit. Then, hailstorms between December and February damaged orchards, before the lockdown, which began on 25 March, disrupted the trade of every variety of mango.

Punjab: Rains cause loss in lustre of wheat crop in mandis

Heavy rains in many areas of Barnala, Bathinda and Mansa districts in the Malwa region on Sunday evening caused damage to wheat kept in the mandis. Heaps of wheat partially covered with tarpaulin sheet got soaked, raising the moisture content and causing lustre loss, said farmers and commission agents.

Almost 90 lakh MT wheat has been procured in Punjab, whereas 135 lakh MT is expected to reach the mandis in the days to come.

Farmers under no compulsion to sell crops at Mandis says Madhya Pradesh CM

Orissa Diary

Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that farmers will no longer have to go to Mandi to sell their crops. He informed that arrangements have been made for direct purchase of produce from the farmer through private mandi, e-trading and traders. This is proving beneficial to farmers. Shri Chouhan said that amendments will be made in other rules and procedures if necessary for the welfare of farmers. Shri Chouhan gave this information during a discussion with farmers in Mantralaya through audio bridge.

Chief Minister Shri Chouhan informed that arrangements have been made to provide employment to workers in wheat procurement and other schemes including MNREGA as per the guidelines of the Government of India. He has ...

Haryana bans paddy cultivation on panchayat land in 8 blocks

In an attempt to arrest the water table decline, the Haryana government has banned the cultivation of paddy on panchayat land ahead of the sowing season.

These eight blocks include Assandh in Karnal district, Pundri in Kaithal district, Radaur in Yamunanagar district, Ambala-I and Saha in Ambala district, Thanesar in Kurukshetra district, Narwana in Jind district and Gannaur in Sonepat district.

The government has issued directions to the deputy commissioners concerned to ensure that the panchayat land lease out to farmers is not used for cultivating paddy in the coming season.

As per the officials in the state agriculture department, the move will help the government achieve its target of diversifying around 1 lakh hectares of land, ...

Agriculture an exception, fertiliser sales jump 45% in April despite lockdown

Auto companies posted zero domestic sales of cars and two-wheelers in April, as manufacturing plants and dealer showrooms remained closed due to the nationwide lockdown. The same month, however, saw retail sales of fertiliser zoom by 45.1 per cent year-on-year.

Data from the Department of Fertilisers shows all-India nutrient sales at 20.56 lakh tonnes (lt) in April 2020, as against 14.17 lt in April 2019 and 12.96 lt in April 2018. The annual sales growth in April was 36.2 per cent for urea (10.95 lt versus 8.04 lt in April 2019), 71.7 per cent for di-ammonium phosphate (2.97 lt versus 1.73 lt), 81.4 per cent for nitrogen-phosphorous-potash-sulphur complex fertilisers (3.9 lt versus 2.15 lt), 43 per cent ...

After initial lull, Punjab farmers start setting fields on fire: 77 incidents of wheat stubble burning in Punjab so far

After a brief lull, wheat stubble burning has started in Punjab during the ongoing wheat harvesting season. Till Saturday, around 77 incidents of stubble burning were recorded by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC), Ludhiana. Last year till May 2, this number was more than double at 162 incidents.

Farmer outfits and Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) had appealed to farmers to avoid stubble burning amid COVID-19 crisis this year.

But data sourced from the PRSC showed that a maximum of 13 cases of stubble burning were recorded in Bathinda district, followed by Sangrur (8) and Mansa (7). Six incidents each were recorded in Barnala, Ferozpur, Kapurthala, and Mukatsar Sahib districts. Four field fires were recorded in Amritsar and ...

Lockdown deepens sugarcane farmers crisis

The Hindu

Sugarcane farmers are among those badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the wake of the imposition of lockdown, the delay in settlement of dues from the cooperative sugar mills, the shortage in labour to harvest the crop and the difficulty in procurement of crop loans from banks, have hit them hard. Despite a good demand for sugarcane, the current crisis has discouraged them from cultivating the crop for the next season, say farmers.

Supply crisis looms as arrival of vegetables, fruits down sharply at Delhi’s Azadpur mandi

The worst fears of a major disruption of the food supply chain due to the prolonged lockdown might come true. While 40-50% of the fruits and vegetables output, including the crop harvested over the last few weeks and the standing crop, is estimated to have perished due to the absence/shortage of labour and transport, market arrivals are learnt to have slumped further in the second fortnight of April.

Assam agri dept to distribute kharif vegetable seed kits door to door in Jorhat

Nenow

In a bid to stave the looming vegetable crises in the coming days, Assam Agriculture Department in Jorhat will distribute seed kits of kharif vegetables from door to door.

The project envisages giving seed kits to 10000 households located in urban and semi urban areas of Jorhat district.

Named the lao (bottle gourd), jika (ridged gourd) bhol (sponge gourd) asoni (project), the kits will contain seeds of the aforementioned vegetables as well as that of cowpea, cucumber and papaya.

Direct Marketing of farm produce shows promise: Tomar

Indian Cooperative

The governmental efforts to promote direct marketing of agri produce in the wake of Corona scare seem to bear fruits with more and more states making provisions for the same.

It bears recall that Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has sent a letter earlier to the Chief Ministers of States reiterating the need for direct marketing through Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) etc.

COVID 19 Aggravating Tribal’s Struggle for Survival : Agri And Forest Based Livelihood Offer Solutions

Counter Currents

Covid19 infection that has begun from Wuhan in China in November 2019 which has now infected over 3237600 patients in 184 countries till end of April 2020 and led to mortality of over 228828 persons worldwide. In over five and half months virus has reached width and breath across the world and impacted severely at various level. The countries which were well equipped itself with Missile to safeguard their sovereignty but caught off-guard and were ill equipped to deal with Microbes and incidentally it also brought to light lack of preparedness and importance of investment in the area of basic healthcare. COVID 19 has severe implications in the area of business, employment, livelihood, environment, economy, international relations, ...

App helps farmers connect with consumers during extended COVID-19 lockdown

The extension of the lockdown has caused problems of procurement for the Centre and farmers across the country are anxious about their crop. To ease their anxiety and with an aim to help sell their produce directly to the customer, Harvesting Farmer Network (HFN) is connecting over 10000 farmers across the country directly to customers through social media.

According to Ruchit Garg, founder of the HFN, the platform has helped farmers from across the country sell over 2 lakh kg of produce in the past 15 days.

Post-pandemic agri reforms in focus, India tests cross a million: Covid-19 news today

Outlining an ambitious post-pandemic agenda for agricultural reform, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked his top ministers and bureaucrats to start working on a new set of reforms to cut down on archaic regulations, raise farm-gate prices, unify domestic markets as well as integrate the farm economy into global value chains. Meanwhile, the number of samples tested for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the country has crossed a million.

Here is a preview of important Covid-19 news today from India and the world.

Govt plans major agricultural reforms post-coronavirus

The PM suggested these reforms at a high level review meeting on the agricultural sector, which was also attended by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, home minster Amit Shah, ...

Agricultural sector to grow by 3%, push India’s economy amid Corona crisis

Amid substantial disruption in economic activities due to nationwide lockdown, the Centre on Wednesday said the agriculture sector was expected to rise to the occasion and play an important role in giving normal growth to India’s economy with the help of almost uninterrupted farm operations on the ground in many states. “The farm sector will grow by 3% this year despite adverse conditions and it would add at least 0.5% to India’s GDP growth in 2020-21, said Ramesh Chand, Niti Aayog member, while noting better prospect of the sector due to forecast of normal monsoon and adequate water storage in reservoirs across the country.

Govt plans major agricultural reforms post-coronavirus

Outlining an ambitious post-pandemic agenda for agricultural reform, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked his top ministers and bureaucrats to start working on a new set of reforms to cut down on archaic regulations, raise farm-gate prices, unify domestic markets as well as integrate the farm economy into global value chains.

These have been demands by key farmer groups as well as a range of economists and agricultural experts over the years.

The PM suggested these reforms at a high level review meeting on the agricultural sector, which was also attended by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, home minster Amit Shah, agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar and senior officials. The meeting was in a series of reviews ...

A golden opportunity in crisis? Decoding agri-tech post pandemic

While the country grapples with Covid-19, there are two worries that concern us all – the first being the health of India’s large population and how one can minimise the extent of damage. And, second, what will be the future of our businesses after the pandemic eases?

Given that agriculture accounts for nearly 60% of aggregate employment in India, there’s a fair degree of concern over what will happen in the future, especially post this life-threatening disease.

After Karnataka CM helps a farmer who made viral plea, more farmers line up for help

The News Minute

An emotional cry for help from an onion farmer in Karnataka who was unable to take her produce to the markets in Bengaluru caught the attention of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. Vasantha, an onion farmer from Katanayakanahalli in Hiriyur taluk of Chitradurga district highlighted her plight in a video on social media that soon went viral.

PM Modi discusses reforms in agriculture sector

India TV News

Amid coronavirus-induced lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday deliberated on ways to reform the agriculture sector with emphasis on agriculture marketing, access of farmers to institutional credit and freeing the sector of various restrictions with appropriate backing of laws.

Agriculture accounts for 15 per cent of India’s gross domestic product and is a source of livelihood for more than half of the country’s 1.

PM Narendra Modi holds meeting to discuss ways to boost agriculture sector

Zee News

PM Narendra Modi on Saturday (May 2, 2020) held a meeting to deliberate on the issues and reforms required in the Agriculture sector. Special emphasis was given on reforms in agriculture marketing, management of marketable surplus, access of farmers to institutional credit, and freeing agriculture sector of various restrictions with appropriate backing of the statute.

PM Modi tells ministries: Ensure farm credit is easy, review Essential Commodities Act

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked the ministries of finance and agriculture and other stakeholders to ensure that farmers indeed have easy access to institutional credit at this juncture and other forms of governmental support, including marketing assistance.

After a review meeting on agriculture held by Modi with the relevant ministries, the government said in a statement: “The focus was on making strategic interventions in the existing marketing eco-system and bringing appropriate reforms in the context of rapid agricultural development. Concessional credit flow to strengthen agriculture infrastructure, special Kisan Credit Card (KCC) drive for PM-Kisan beneficiaries and facilitating inter and intra-state trade of agriculture produce to ensure fairest return to farmer were some of the important areas covered”.

Coronavirus | PM Modi discusses reforms for agriculture sector

The Hindu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday discussed ways to reform the agriculture sector with an emphasis on marketing, farmers’ access to institutional credit and freeing the sector from restrictions with legal backing.

It’s about food, nutrition and livelihood security

The Hindu

The current national lockdown to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the problems of food, nutrition and livelihood security confronting a large number of rural people, in particular, migrants to cities. While some measures have been announced, such as provision of additional rice or wheat, some pulses and oil free of cost, as well as ₹1,000 cash for the purchase of other essential commodities through the Public Distribution System (PDS), we need to understand the different dimensions of food security in a holistic manner in order to address this problem in its totality.

Manipur black rice gets Geographical Indication tag

Manipur black rice, popularly known as ‘Chakhao’ by the locals, has bagged the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, according to official sources.

The Geographical Indications Registry website also confirmed the report of registering Chakhao in the name of ‘Manipur black rice’ on their official website.

The application for Chakhao was filed by the Consortium of Producers of Chakhao (Black Rice), Manipur and was facilitated by the Department of Agriculture, Government of Manipur and the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited.

It took more than a year for the registration process including documentation by the team members of the state agriculture department, according to officials. The GI status is an indication that identifies goods as produced from a particular area ...

Tripura Govt Launches Agro Entrepreneur Facilitation Desk

The Tripura government has launched an ‘Agro-Entrepreneur Facilitation Desk’ to help the entrepreneurs of the state to get subsidies and incentives from Central government funding agencies. A proposal for setting up the facilitation desk was approved by the council of ministers in its recently held meeting, senior minister and Cabinet spokesperson, Ratan Lal Nath told reporters on Friday.

Madhya Pradesh amends Mandi Act to provide maximum value of produce to farmers

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said that the state government has made amendments in the Mandi Act with a view to provide farmers with the maximum value of their crops.

He said that with its implementation, farmers will be able to sell their grain, fruits and vegetables to private traders from home. Farmers will continue to have the option to go to the mandi to sell their produce at minimum support price, he said.

Privatisation enters agri market: For the first time, farmers will have option other than govt

Farmers in Madhya Pradesh can now sell their produce at more competitive prices, that too, without going to mandis. MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced that exporters, traders, food processors, etc, can open a private mandi and can buy the agriculture produce by visiting the farmer’s land or house. The amendment in the mandi rules is aimed at giving freedom to the farmers to sell their produce at a better price, and on their own choice. The minister called the move revolutionary and highly progressive for farmers’ benefit. The private mandis will be operating apart from the normal mandis.

India’s international sporting stars flex their muscles on family farms

Poonam Rani Malik, 28, has played over 200 international matches for the Indian hockey team; she was the forward of choice at the Rio Olympics. Like most of her teammates—in fact, like most elite athletes in India—Malik comes from a farming family. Yet, Malik, who was born and raised in a village called Umra in Hisar, Haryana, had never been a part her family’s most anticipated task—the harvesting—till now. This time, because of the lockdown, Malik finds herself at home in Umra for the harvest season. Add to that an acute shortage of farm labour, and Malik is spending hours every day with a sickle in her hand, going through golden wheat fields with her brother and ...

Profitability zooms as Maharashtra farmer groups market produce via new models during lockdown

The current lockdown across the country due to the outbreak of Covid-19 has forced farmer producer companies (FPC) and farmer groups in Maharashtra to look at direct marketing models to reach out to consumers using technology. The model has turned out to be a success with groups earning in crores since the middleman is eliminated and better profit margin reaches farmers.

Govt begins procurement of chana amid shortage of jute bags, labour

Procurement of chana (gram) by the Central government has started in Gujarat. The Gujarat State Cooperative Marketing Federation Limited (Gujcomasol) opened 25 centres across the state on Friday, even as the procurement agency said that it was facing shortage of empty jute bags and labour.

2.2 lakh tonnes of paddy procured during lockdown

The Hindu

The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) has procured nearly 2.2 lakh tonnes of paddy since the imposition of the lockdown in March, according to a senior official in the Food Department.

Coverage

Christian Radons to head global sales & services at CLAAS

Rural Marketing

Christian Radons will be joining the Group Executive Board at CLAAS with responsibility for the global Sales and Service division. He will succeed Bernd Ludewig, who will take on new activities outside the company.

“We would like to thank Bernd Ludewig for his successful development work as Regional Managing Director in Eastern Europe and his four years of committed service on the Group Executive Board,” said Thomas Böck, Chairman of CLAAS’ Group Executive Board. “We are also very pleased that with Christian Radons, we have been able to internally recruit an experienced and imaginative manager for this important task,” Böck added.

Farming by satellite idea competition

Agri Mech

Mid-March saw the start of this year’s FARMING BY SATELLITE competition which is once again being supported by CLAAS as a sponsor. An initiative of the European GNSS Agency (GSA) and the European Environment Agency (EEA), FARMING BY SATELLITE is aimed at young farmers as well as trainees and students, principally in the fields of IT, mechanical engineering and agricultural sciences. The competition promotes the continuous development of the use of GNSS and Earth observation systems in European and African agriculture. Its objective is to support sustainable farming practices, improve efficiency and resource usage and so reduce the impact on the environment.

Farming By Satellite Launches Ideas Competition- CLAAS

Grain Mart

Satellite imaging and technology can provide a considerable boost to the agriculture sector. However, very few bear an explicit knowledge of applying this technology efficiently. Further, the use of satellite technologies in the agriculture sector leads to sustainable agricultural practices.

Thereby, farming by satellite has come up with an ideas competition to escalate this process and bring the available technology into agriculture. Also, with the availability of Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus along with the support from CLAAS, farming by satellite was introduced to benefit the agriculture sector of India.

Dairy Farming

Dairy infra fund to add 5 cr litre more milk, 30 lakh jobs: Sodhi

Indiaretailing

In an interview with IANS, Dr. R S Sodhi, Managing Director, Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) says that Amul is procuring 15 per cent more milk every day as other private and dairy players are not procuring that much.

Sodhi added that since people have been at home during the lockdown, consumption of milk and dairy products has gone up. The opportunities for Amul in the post lockdown period will go up as demand for hygienic and good brands is rising and consumption of loose milk is going down, Sodhi said.

Govt. Policies

On politics, tackling a pandemic and the floods: In conversation with Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

The New Indian Express – Online

Haritha Keralam Mission has rejuvenated 390 kms of rivers, increased the area under agriculture and contributed massively towards a greener environment.

Agriculture to defence: PM Modi shares vision to boost key sectors

The Times of India – Online

On the completion of one year of BJP government’s second term in office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday shared a roadmap for key sectors like agriculture, defence, health and education.

Odisha announces Rs 17,000 crore programme to generate employment

Hindustan Times – Online

Odisha would spend Rs 17,000 crore over the next 10 months, including Rs 6,640 crore under NREGA, to generate employment through sectors like agriculture, fisheries and animal resources development, forest and handlooms and handicrafts in rural areas as part of a special plan.

Telangana farmers can now grow only crops the govt approves

The News Minute – Online

The government will pay Minimum Support Price (MSP) for only those crops cultivated on its suggestion and other farmers may even be denied the benefits of the ‘Rythu Bandhu’ scheme.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Announced details of 20 Lakh Crore Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan

India Today – Online

Apart from these various other reforms related to agriculture, infrastructre and other sectors have helped in transforming India and have led us to a path to become a self-reliant India.

Uncategorized

Punjab to give discount on product-testing to boost agri-food industry

The Hindu

To give a fillip to the agriculture and food sectors, the Punjab Biotechnology Incubator (PBTI) has decided to give a discount on all product testing at its facility for Punjab-based exporters.

The industry players have hailed it an initiative that would benefit exports and boost business.

The Punjab Biotechnology Incubator (PBTI) has approved a flat 15% discount on all product testing besides announcing special packages to support the exporter community, said a statement.

Narsampet division tops in maize production in Telangana

Thanks to bountiful rains and improved irrigation facilities, the Narsampet revenue division in Warangal Rural district has topped in the maize (corn) production in the State for this Yasangi season. It is estimated that 1.65 metric tonnes of maize was produced in the division. The farmers of the division used to cultivate cotton for different reasons. But this year, they have gone for the maize instead of cotton following the suggestions from the local MLA Peddi Sudharshan Reddy and agriculture officials. Meanwhile, the division has recorded good rainfall, and the irrigation facilities have also improved. This has resulted in high production of the maize in the State. While Telangana had reportedly got a production of 16 lakh ...

Fruit for thought! Lockdown has forced farmers into shock sales — and debt