Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Govt increases MSP for 14 Kharif crops; revises definition of MSMEsedit
Briefing media in New Delhi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar informed that the Cabinet has further revised the definition of MSMEs, a decision which will lead to inclusion of many industrial units under it’s ambit.
Those enterprises with investment upto 50 crore rupees and turnover of upto Rs. 250 crore will now be able to avail the benefits of MSME sector.
All export turnovers of such enterprises will also remain exempted from the total turnover.
A glassful of healthedit
Pranav K.Singh & Inderpreet Kaur on why milk must be an integral part of the school meal programme.
To recognise the importance of milk as a global food, June 1 is celebrated every year as World Milk Day, as declared by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. This day provides an opportunity to focus attention on milk and raise awareness about importance of milk in a healthy diet, besides celebrating the achievements of the dairy sector.
India is the world’s highest milk producer with an annual milk production of around 187.70 million tons in the year 2018-19, which is around 21.39% of the world milk production (FAO, 2019), and that is why the importance of this ...
Karnataka govt mulls opening agri market to private firmsedit
Last month, when Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation signed an MoU with Flipkart for sale of mangoes, it was evidence enough of the government encouraging more private retailers and ecommerce platforms to purchase directly from farmers. While the government has decided to gauge the MoU’s success — it’s valid for 45 days — before going ahead, the agriculture and horticulture departments are already laying the ground for entry of private companies in the market.
We must use artificial intelligence solutions in healthcare, education, agriculture: PM Modiedit
The revolution of artificial intelligence, which is brewing silently in India with an increasing number of AI startup organizations, is to get a major face-lift this year. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meit), whose vision is to develop India as the engine for transition into a developed nation, has bigger plans for ‘Powering India’ into the new decade using AI solutions.
To promote AI solutions in various sectors, the ministry has launched a knowledge resource portal titled Indiaai (indiaai.in). It is a joint initiative of the MeitY, National e-Governance Division and NASSCOM, an industry body. The website aims to be the trusted content powerhouse in the backdrop of India’s journey to global prominence in AI.
Summer crop prices hiked 50-80% for farmers in big Cabinet decisionedit
The Union Cabinet on Monday approved federally fixed minimum support prices (MSP) for 14 kharif or summer-sown crops, which will offer 50-83% profit over cultivation cost, agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said.
The announcement came as the June-to-September monsoon for 2020, predicted by the India Meteorological Bureau to be normal, made its onset over Kerala, its first port of call in the Indian mainland, on June 1, as predicted.
A normal monsoon will likely lessen the strain on the agriculture economy from widespread disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The summer rains are critical because nearly 60% of India’s net arable land lacks irrigation and nearly half the population depends on a farm-based livelihood.
The MSP for ...
Government extends crop loan repayment date till August 31; prompt re-payers to benefitedit
The government on Monday decided that farmers who availed short-term crop loans at a concessional rate of 4 per cent per annum and missed their repayment after March 1, can now repay by August 31 without paying any penalty. The decision, taken by the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to extend the loan repayment date will help farmers in avoiding travelling to banks for renewal or repayment of loans during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic period, an official statement said.
Fertiliser sales in May nearly double last year’s, signals agri boom amid overall gloomedit
Retail sales of fertiliser have surged almost 98 per cent year-on-year in May, marking the seventh consecutive month of double-digit growth, and also pointing to agriculture doing relatively well in an otherwise dismal economic landscape.
Data from the Department of Fertilisers shows all-India nutrient sales at 40.02 lakh tonnes (lt) in May 2020. Not only was this nearly twice the 20.24 lt sales for May 2019, but also more than the 22.61 lt in the same month of 2018.
Government hikes paddy MSP by Rs 53 per quintal for 2020-21edit
The government on Monday hiked the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy marginally by Rs 53 per quintal to Rs 1,868 per quintal for the 2020-21 crop year, while the rates for oilseeds, pulses and cereals were also raised. The decision, taken by the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will help farmers take a call on which kharif (summer) crop to grow as sowing picks up with the arrival of southwest monsoon.