Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Market Trends In Agriculture Sectoredit
The Nifty of the Indian stock market traded at a high of 11,202 points almost five months after the panic-stricken sell-off in March 2020 and saw a strong rebound in emerging markets. It is noteworthy that in the case arising from the corona, the Dow Jones fell 30% from its historical peak and the Nifty followed suit. It is no exaggeration to say that the Nifty futures improved by almost 4% from the bottom of the estimated 200 points in March at a time when all Asian rivals except China were showing modest negative trends, creating an extraordinary event in the history of the Indian stock market.
The benchmark was supported by mid and small-cap sectors with almost ...
Impressive Spurt Continues In Kharif Pulses And Oilseeds Sowingedit
The area of major kharif crops in the country increased by 18.50% to 7.99.95 lakh hectares or ha as on 24 July 2020 over the corresponding period of the previous year, according to the latest data available with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Abundant monsoon rains spur summer crop sowing in India. Weekly Agri Commodities update.edit
Indian farmers have planted 79.9 million hectares with summer crops so far, according to the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, up 18.3% from last year as robust monsoon rains spurred sowing in the world’s leading producer of farm goods. As of Friday, planting of rice was at 22 million hectares, against 18.7 million hectares at the same time last year. Corn planting was at 7.1 million hectares, up from 6.6 million during the same period last year. Sowing of soybeans, the main summer oilseed crop, stood at 11.4 million hectares, compared with 9.7 million hectares at the same time in 2019. Soybean output is set to jump by at least 15%.
Farming Trade Ordinance: Scrap it, make farmer kingedit
Indian agriculture is a complex mix. It has myriad problems and the solutions suggested are often not practical. Interestingly, the largest beneficiaries of the food dole to 80 crore poor are the producers of the food grains!
It is a dichotomy. Often, in terms of agriculture, privatisation, private investment and handing it over to private hands become the policy plank. More this is being discussed and “reformed” through ordinances, the government is getting enmeshed in it by direct benefit transfers, Rs 6000 pension for farmers and dismantling their mandis (local wholesale markets) under the agriculture produce committees (APMC), easing Essential Commodities Act and facilitating contract farming.
‘Transferring 9,600 kanals for setting up industries disastrous’edit
While criticizing the Government’s decision to transfer more than 9600 kanals of land for creating 37 new industrial estates (IE) across J&K, the Jammu & Kashmir RTI Movement has said that this would prove to be disastrous for the land deficit Jammu & Kashmir as Agriculture land holding is constantly decreasing and agri based economy is under great threat. In a statement Chairman RTI Movement Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat said that as per the 10th Agriculture Census of 2015- 2016 , the agricultural land holding in J&K was mere 0.59 hectares. This was a bit more i.e. 0.62 hectares in 2011 . The national average is around 1.08 hectares which is much higher comparatively. In Kashmir valley ...
Kharif sowing now in last leg, but Punjab has reached only 59% of crop diversification targetedit
THOUGH SOWING of Kharif crops is already in its last phase, Punjab has been able to reach only 59 per cent of its crop diversification target. However, agricultural department officials claim they will be able to reach the target once sowing is over.
This year, Punjab has targeted to divert around 3.25 lakh hectares (8.02 lakh acres) from the water-guzzling paddy crop to other alternative Kharif crops including cotton, maize and Basmati. The department had decided to bring 3 lakh hectares (LH) under maize against 1.59 LH last year, 5.15 LH under cotton against around 3.92 LH last year, and 7-LH under Basmati against 6.29 LH last year. Total paddy area targeted was up to 27 LH, ...
In Assam, cultivation of this flood-resilient superfood has boosted farm income over four yearsedit
Taj Hazarika, a farmer from Upper Assam’s Golaghat district, discovered black rice on the internet in 2017. Many people had commented on how the rice was being cultivated in Assam and its health benefits.
Hazarika set off to Assam Agricultural University in the neighbouring district of Jorhat and got 2 kg of seeds. The first year, he produced 5 kg of rice. He shared some and cooked the rest at home. This year, he is preparing to grow the rice on two hectares of his 12-hectare farm.
Hundreds of farmers of Assam are taking up cultivation of black rice, attracted by its beneficial properties and higher profit margins.
Dairy Farming
Dairy cooperatives: Different from other cooperativesedit
From easing inequality to serving the malnourished, the role of dairy cooperatives has been a remarkable journey. A journey which was strategised by the milkman of India, Verghese Kurien. To understand the structure of cooperatives and the new opportunities in the dairy sector, SIES and FPJ organised a webinar ‘Milk is the real backbone of India’s rural wealth?’ recently. The panellists for the session were Arun Raste, Executive Director, NDDB and Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist, CARE Ratings. While this session was moderated by R N Bhaskar, consulting editor, FPJ; Vaneeta Rane, head, BMM, SIES College welcomed the panellists and delivered a vote of thanks.