Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Good rains help increase kharif sowing, water storage in reservoirs doubles: Centreedit
As Southwest Monsoon covered the entire country on Saturday, 12 days ahead of the normal date, farmers registered more than 100 per cent increase in sowing during kharif helped by good rains during the season.
Despite the Covid-19 crisis, they have so far planted an impressive 316 lakh ha, which is more than double of 154 lakh hectare planted during the corresponding period last year and higher than the average 187 lakh ha in past five years, according to the Agriculture Ministry.
Appreciating the contribution of the “competent Indian farmers” at a webinar organised by the ministry, Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal also attributed it to the “path-breaking futuristic steps taken by the Government during the pandemic”.
Despite pandemic, 55% kharif sowing complete in Punjabedit
DESPITE THE labour shortage amid the Covid-19 pandemic, around 55 per cent of sowing of kharif crops has been completed in Punjab, 5 per cent more than last year. The state agriculture department attributed this to mechanisation and good pre-monsoon showers.
There is over 41 lakh hectares of cultivable area in the state — including both agriculture and horticulture.
After MP’s Bumper Wheat Procurement, Storage and State Finance Challenges Lie Aheadedit
The success of procurement of wheat produced in 2019-20 is being celebrated across India and especially by Mumbai’s financial markets, which see in it a sign of a relatively healthy rural economy.
What should be noted though is that a major contribution to this bumper procurement was made by the state of Madhya Pradesh.
Out of 38.5 million tonnes wheat procured in the country – despite the scare of COVID-19, shortage of labour and gunny bags, restrictions in mandis and government recommendations of physical distancing – Madhya Pradesh (MP) procured 12.93 million tonnes, putting Punjab in second place with 12.71 million tonnes.
Govt plans to double farm exports by ’22 to gain trade lead over Chinaedit
In line with the “Atmanirbhar Bharat”, or self-reliant India, stance spelt out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recent weeks, India aims to double farm exports from US$ 30 billion now to US$ 60 billion by 2022, scout new markets hit by Covid-19, and put China at a disadvantage in bilateral farm trade, according to details of consultations to “recalibrate” the country’s agriculture trade policy set in 2018.
An interministerial assessment last week showed there’s room to export more to the US, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, South Korea, Malaysia, Iran, and to China and its rival Taiwan, an official familiar with the developments said
AP Govt To Bear Farmers’ Crop Insurance Premiumedit
As sowing of kharif crops picks up, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday announced that the government will bear the farmers’ share of crop insurance premium under the PMFBY and collect a nominal amount of Rs 1 from them. A pending claim payout to the tune of Rs 596.36 crore has also been released to 5.94 lakh farmers after the current government paid the pending state’s share of crop insurance premium of Rs 122.61 crore for the 2018-19 rabi season, he said in a statement.
Rural India Is Leading Revival Of Indian Economy During Covid-19 Crisis: Here’s How It Is Happeningedit
There are tell-tale signs of the Indian economy returning to the path to recovery from the current novel coronavirus pandemic, which has slowed down economic activities.
Leading the revival is rural India, which is witnessing a rise in expenditure and purchase of agriculture-related products such as tractors and seeds.
Also, reflecting rural India’s buoyant outlook is a sharp rise in pre-kharif and kharif sowing of crops aided by a classic monsoon pattern for the first time in three years.
Agri-infrastructure needs a pushedit
The Union government’s recent initiative to create much-needed agriculture infrastructure through a Rs 1-trillion policy announcement should not be seen as an end in itself, but as a means to an end. It needs to be seen as a part of the broader strategy of enhancing farmers’ incomes and achieve nutritional security.
Oilseeds area coverage jumps,satisfactory progress of sowing area under Kharif cropsedit
The country has received the rainfall of 155.2 mm against the normal of 128.2 mm during the period from 1.06.2020 to 25.06.2020. There has been satisfactory progress of sowing area coverage under Kharif crops, the status of which is given as under:
Sowing Area Coverage of Summer Crops: Rice: About 37.71 lakh ha area coverage under summer rice as compared to 32.05 lakh ha. during the corresponding period of last year. Pulses: About 19.40 lakh ha area coverage under pulses as compared to 11.45 lakh ha. during the corresponding period of last year. Coarse Cereals: About 47.96 lakh ha area coverage under coarse cereals as compared to 26.09 lakh ha. during the corresponding period of last ...