Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Higher Sugar Output Projection Is Bitter News For Modi Government: It May Have To Incentivise Exports Againedit
Swarajya – Online
The sugar industry will once again look towards the Centre for succour as it will likely produce at least four million tonnes (mt) sugar more this season (October 2020-September 2021) compared with last season.
Why agriculture sector’s share in rural employment is decliningedit
The Hindu Business Line – Online
Insufficient public investment for agrarian development and inadequate access to institutional credit apart, frequent droughts and floods are reasons for the declining trend.
Biochar Helps Hold Water, Saves Money For Farmersedit
The Hawk – Online
The abstract benefits of biochar for long-term storage of carbon and nitrogen on American farms are clear with the new research from Rice University that also shows a short-term, concrete bonus for farmers. The concrete bonus would be money which will not be spent on irrigation.
Technology in Agriculture
Farm sector innovations in A.P. get State’s patedit
The Hindu – Online
E. Babu Rao of Parvathipuram in Vizianagaram district developed a drum seeder which not only improves productivity in sowing twenty different crops, but also increases yield by 70%. The seed sowing process is brought down from a whopping 20 days to less than an hour.
Re-imaging agriculture through the lens of food processing industryedit
The Hindu Business Line – Online
The Covid-19 pandemic has accentuated the criticality of food security and food surplus management in the current policy space. To this end, policy steps in the agriculture sector in recent years have shifted focus from sustenance to marketing.
Govt. Policies
Punjab rejects Centre’s new agri laws, passes 3 bills of its ownedit
Down to Earth – Online
The Punjab government passed three bills October 20, 2020, to counter the Narendra Modi government’s three agriculture related laws, becoming the first state in the country to do so.
The Farmers Produce Trade & Commerce Promotion & Facilitation (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2020, Farmers Agreement on Price Assurance & Farm Services (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Special Provision & Punjab Amendment) Bill were passed unanimously in the special session, after the assembly adopted a resolution to reject the Centre’s legislations in their current form.
Government Procures 98.19 Lakh Tonne Paddy At MSP For Rs 18,540 Croreedit
Bloomberg Quint – Online
Food Corporation of India and state procurement agencies have bought 98.19 lakh tonne of paddy till Monday for Rs 18,540 crore.
Farm Bills 2020: More Than Half the Farmers Supporting or Opposing Farm Laws Have No Information About Them, Says Gaon Connection Surveyedit
Latestly – Online
More than half the farmers supporting or opposing the three recent farm laws have no information about them, a survey conducted by Gaon Connection has found.
NCDC earmarks ₹25,000 crore for MSP operations by co-op societiesedit
The Hindu Business Line – Online
National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), under the Agriculture Ministry, has earmarked ₹25,000 crore for MSP (minimum support price) operations during the current kharif season, which is 21 per cent more than last year.