Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Don’t compromise on qualityedit
According to them, India has the capacity to replace imports and produce globally competitive products. They stress upon the need for a focused approach with the right blend of policy formulation and implementation to become self-reliant. The question arises: what kind of support is needed to make India atmanirbhar in agriculture?
“When the Central government frames a policy, it must involve stakeholders in the whole process. Only then can we become atmanirbhar in agriculture,” says Ajay Vir Jakhar, Chairman, Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission.
Covid-19 crisis: Revival in rural demand overstated, say economistsedit
The often-repeated theory of demand generation in the rural economy due to the government’s intervention may be overstated, feel economists, even though they cite different reasons for their thesis.
A recent note brought out by Credit Suisse says that net gain from the government support measures may be just Rs 7,500 crore a month, which constitutes 0.9 per cent of the rural gross domestic product (GDP).
State Govt would take up long, short term plans for agri sector: Sonowaledit
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal held a meeting with a group of progressive farmers associated with cooperative farming models like Kanyaka Multipurpose Farm, Sitajakhala Milk Cooperative Committee and Pabhoi Greens at his residence on Monday where he discussed about the scope of agriculture, fishery, dairy farming, poultry, seed production and other such allied sectors in the state.
Why August rains hold the key to India’s economic recovery after erratic monsoonedit
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is banking on a recovery in rural demand to slow the economy’s first contraction in four decades. But capricious rainfall may play spoilsport.
After an impressive start and good rains in June, the monsoon petered out in July, a crucial month for growth of young grain plants and oilseeds such as rice, cotton and soybeans. Economists will be closely monitoring the rainfall pattern in the coming weeks for hints about the future of the rural economy.
Last kharif crop rice diverted to market?edit
Rice millers have not returned 3.6 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of rice to the government a year after paddy was given to them for milling, raising suspicion that the staple may have been diverted to the open market. Every year the government gives paddy of two crops i.e., vaanakalam (kharif) and yasangi (rabi) to the millers, which are milled and returned to the government for supply through the public distribution system (PDS).
Haryana CM approves crop residue plan of Rs 1,304 croreedit
Additional Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal said the state has submitted to the Central government an annual action plan of Rs 639.10 crore under the Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue scheme.
The plan entails in-situ and ex-situ management of crop residue, as well as enforcement measures regarding prohibition on stubble burning.
Tractor industry grows 35% in Julyedit
Tractor sales in the country have clocked over 35% year-on-year growth in July on the back of robust agricultural activities. Top manufacturers like Mahindra & Mahindra and Sonalika have recorded about 28% and 72% growth respectively, while Escorts saw nearly 10% growth, despite supply constraints. Tractor marketers said the July figures prove that the spike seen in June was not just pent-up demand but a sentiment revival.
Dairy Farming
Covid & milkedit
Milk is a unique “crop” that farmers harvest daily. But being also consumed daily, supply-demand balancing isn’t as difficult as in, say, wheat that is harvested over 2-3 months and has to be stocked to enable round-the-year sales. While production of milk is subject to seasonal fluctuations — animals, particularly buffaloes, produce more during winter-spring and less in the summer — dairies know to manage it. They usually convert the surplus milk of the “flush” season into skimmed milk powder (SMP) and ghee/butter for reconstitution in the “lean” months, when demand for curd, lassi and ice-cream also goes up. This system has generally worked well. Even as India’s milk output has more than doubled in the last ...
Zero-interest loan booster for dairy, fishery industriesedit
The Karnataka government is giving a zero-interest loan of up to Rs 2 lakh to farmers who are willing to take up dairying and fisheries. The cooperation department’s initiative is expected to help people who have lost jobs in urban areas and returned to their villages and towns.
At present, in Karnataka, farmers can take up to Rs 3 lakh as crop loan without interest, through cooperative banks. The government has come forward to extend this facility to farmers taking up dairying and fisheries, but up to Rs 2 lakh. With this, Karnataka will be the first state to introduce zero per cent loan in dairy and fisheries.