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.

Hindustan Times

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.

Economic Times

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.

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.

Times Of India

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.

Economic Times

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.

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.

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.

Times Of India

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 ...

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.