Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Maharashtra farmers set to sow non-approved GM seeds this kharif seasonedit
Farmers in Maharashtra are gearing up to sow non-approved Genetically Modified (GM) seeds of crops like cotton, maize, soyabean, and brinjal this season. Led by the Shetkari Sanghatana, this movement will be undertaken across the state, with farmers setting up boards on their fields proclaiming the nature of their crop.
Anil Ghanwat, president of the Shektari Sanghtana, said this movement is an extension of their ongoing one to make technology freely available for the farm sector. Last year, the Sanghatana had led thousands of farmers in Akola district in a civil disobedience movement, which saw farmers sowing the non-approved herbicide-tolerant (Ht) variant of GM (Bt) cotton. Akola district authorities had filed FIRs against the organisers in this ...
How Punjab’s farmers rose to the challengeedit
Two major challenges encountered in Punjab during the current pandemic were wheat harvesting and migration of workers. The security of life and the livelihood of millions of people dependent on agriculture were threatened. But, Punjab’s indefatigable farmers have defeated the nasty coronavirus, sustaining the state’s rural economy. “Coronavirus is the creation of riches,” believed many of the farmers who remained steadfast in mandis. No case was reported in any of the 4,000 purchase centres that were frequented by about 13 lakh farmers, labourers, transporters and arhtiyas.
Horticulture production in 2019-20 estimated 3.13% higher than last yearedit
This year onions are not likely to bring tears as the government expects 17% rise in the onion output from last year. As per the second advance estimate, the production onion is likely to be 26.74 million tonnes in 2019-20 as against 22.82 million tonnes in 2018-19.
The second advance estimates also places total horticulture production in 2019-20 to be at 320.48 million tonnes – 3.13% higher than last year.
Drones, Imported Machines To Be Used Against Locusts: Agriculture Ministeredit
The Central government has devised a plan to use drones and specialised imported machines against locusts which have started damaging crops in some states, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Tuesday.
He said the government is hopeful of completely repulsing attacks by locusts by September-end.
“A plan is put in place to use drones to fight off locusts which are damaging crops in some parts of the country,” Mr Tomar said, adding that pesticides will be sprayed using drones.
Coarse is fine: Food policy can help cereals like bajra, ragi and maize make a strong comebackedit
The preference towards coarse cereals like bajra, ragi, maize and jowar over water guzzling paddy in the revised minimum support prices for kharif crops signals a clear direction for farming in India. Massive groundwater exploitation and diversion of river water for irrigation is proving unsustainable. Large parts of India are facing desertification. A transition to short duration millets with less water requirement and tolerance to arid climates is long overdue. Coarse cereals are also highly nutritious, thus dovetailing into better addressing the malnutrition problem too.
Farmers want their due, not charity: Captain Amarinder Singh on MSP hikeedit
Rejecting the MSP hike announced by the central government on paddy as totally inadequate, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said farmers ‘wanted their due, not charity’.
“The debt-ridden and stressed farming community was looking to the Centre to come to their rescue in these times of unprecedented woes, but the much-needed support once again eluded them,” Amarinder said, describing the Rs 53 per quintal hike in paddy MSP as “shamefully woeful”.
Anand Mahindra says economic recovery will come from farmersedit
Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra on Monday tweeted that India’s economic revival will find its saviors in the farmers. Anand Mahindra was commenting on M&M tractor sales report for the month of May which outperformed the analysts’ expectations.
Mahindra, who is more active in comparison with his industry peers, added that its a ‘back to basics’ moment for the auto industry and the economy as a whole.
Adverse weather conditions, lockdown to hit output of Rabi crops: Reportedit
Unseasonal rains along with other adverse weather conditions in February and March, coupled with lack of manpower to harvest crops during the coronavirus lockdown, will hit the output of rabi crops like cereals, pulses and oil seeds, according to a report.
The production of cereals, pulses and oilseeds is estimated to decline by 1.95 per cent, 2.22 per cent and 13.48 per cent, respectively, in 2019-20 compared to last year, according to the report by the National Bulk Handling Corporation (NBHC).
PMK urges Centre to raise paddy procurement price to Rs 3,000 per quintaledit
PMK leader S Ramadoss has urged the central government to raise the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy to Rs 3,000 per quintal for the year 2020-2021. The marginal rise of Rs 53 per quintal of both common and A-grade paddy would not help farmers in anyway, said Ramadoss in a press statement. He noted that a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had fixed the MSP for common and A grade paddy varieties at Rs 1868 and Rs 1,888 (per quintal) respectively. He urged Tamil Nadu government to recommend to the Centre to revise the MSP for paddy after looking into various factors. The government should fix the MSP at Rs 3,000 per quintal to ensure 50% profit to the ...