Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Monsoon hope boosting Indian tractor industryedit
Tractor makers are having one of their best runs in more than half a decade, as activities pick up in the agriculture sector that remains one bright spot in an economy shattered by months of lockdown.
Mahindra & Mahindra, the country’s largest tractor maker, had run its facilities at 100% capacity on a few days in June and early July. Rivals such as Escorts and Sonalika have also recorded high capacity utilisation in the past month, even as manufacturers in other industries are ramping up rather slowly. Capacity utilisation for tractor makers has been around 65-70% in recent years.
Chhattisgarh first state to buy cow dung from farmersedit
Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday launched the ‘Gordhan Nyaya Yojana’ in 2,408 rural areas and 377 urban areas during the first phase of the scheme in the state.
Under the scheme, the government will purchase cow dung at Rs 2 per kg and sell the vermicompost at Rs 8 per kg.
In a statement, the Chhattisgarh government said, ” It is the first state in the country to buy cow dung directly from farmers with the launch of ‘Gordhan Nyaya Yojana’.”
Water Release To Canals From Cauvery And Kabini Reservoirs From July 28edit
With farmers eagerly awaiting flow of water in canals for cultivation of Kharif crops, Co-operation Minister S.T. Somashekar, who is also Mysuru District In-charge Minister, said that water will be released in canals from Cauvery and Kabini Reservoirs for irrigation purpose from July 28.
He was speaking at a meeting of Irrigation Consultative Committees (ICC) of both the Reservoirs at Cauvery Auditorium in Brindavan Gardens at KRS in Srirangapatna taluk here on Saturday, which was also attended by Mandya District In-Charge Minister K.C. Narayanagowda.
Rural Unemployment Moves Up, Urban Joblessness Dips Marginally; Labour Market to See Tougher Challenges in Both Urban & Rural Pockets Over Next Few Months, Says Expertsedit
India’s rural unemployment rate has moved upward, it has reportedly increased to 7.1 percent in the week ended July 19 from 6.34 percent recorded in the previous week, according to data from Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).
NEWSCentre & Haryana is taking steps to benefit farmers from past 6 yrs: Manohar Lal Khattaredit
While addressing a press conference, Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar said, all the new initiatives taken by the Government of India and the Government of Haryana in the last six years are in the interest of the farmers. While saying so, the CM cited two new ordinances namely the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020 brought by the Centre recently. As per theses, the farmer can sell his produce not only in his state but in the mandis of other states also. Thus, under the contract farming, he can enter into an e-agreement with any person or ...
Excess Rainfall, Higher Water Storage And Increased Kharif Sowing Set To Aid Rural Economy Revival Furtheredit
A six per cent excess rainfall during the south-west monsoon so far this year, a 33 per cent higher water storage level than the last 10 years and a 21 per cent increase in Kharif sowing are expected to further buoy rural India that is helping Indian economy bounce back.
“This raised expectation of a good Kharif crop. If the monsoon continues to be good through to September, it should also leave the soil moisture good for the Rabi crop,” said B K Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of B K Weather System.
Chhattisgarh govt wants withdrawal of ordinance on farm produce tradeedit
Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has joined his counterpart in Punjab and has drawn Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attention to the farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, promulgated on June 5.
He has stated in a letter to the PM that the ordinance is against the agrarian community’s interest and has pleaded for its withdrawal at the earliest.
On Sunday, the CM wrote to the PM, claiming the ordinance would reduce employment opportunities and is at odds with the country’s federal structure and the welfare state model.
The CM said that Chhattisgarh is an agriculture-dependent state and 70% of its population is engaged in farming and allied activities.
Agri-sector industries demand export incentives as bumper kharif harvest expectededit
Agriculture-based industries like yarn, textiles, dairy, sugar and soyabean processing are seeking government incentives to increase exports, as domestic demand has remained subdued and they are expecting a bumper kharif production.
A good start to the monsoon season — average rainfall till July 17 was 10% above normal — and sowing that was 21% more than a year earlier till July 15 has boosted expectations on the kharif harvest. Meanwhile, demand has been low, causing worries of a glut in the market and its likely impact on prices. That could hurt the farm-based economy that has so far been largely insulated from the effect of the pandemic, say industry insiders.
Dairy Farming
Dairy farmers pour milk onto streets to protest low realisation of milk prices, demand subsidiesedit
Notwithstanding the Covid-19 pandemic, farmer organisations have decided to hit the streets to protest against low realisation of dairy farmers. Farmers, under the banner of All India Kisan Sabha, protested on Monday by pouring milk on streets across the state, while the opposition party BJP has also declared its decision to do the same from August 1.
Dairies across the state have started correcting procurement price paid to farmers. While dairies in Kolhapur and Sangli continue to pay between Rs 25 and Rs 26 per litre for milk with 3.5 per cent fat and 8.5 per cent solid-non-fat (SNF), others, especially those in Ahmednagar, Solapur, etc, have reduced prices to between Rs 17 and Rs 22.50 per litre. As urban ...