Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
India buys more paddy rice after farmers protest new lawsedit
India’s new season paddy rice purchases from local farmers rose 21% by the end of October as New Delhi tried to allay farmers’ concerns that new agricultural laws mean the federal government will stop buying food grains at guaranteed prices.
India recently approved reforms of its agriculture sector that will allow farmers to sell to institutional buyers and big retailers such as Walmart, but farmers have protested, saying the new legislation could pave the way for the government to stop buying grain at guaranteed prices, leaving farmers at the mercy of private buyers.
How protest against new farm laws is costing Punjab farmers dearlyedit
The 40-day-long farmer protest in Punjab against the three central farm laws while at one hand has given a big blow to the state’s economy, it has also cost dearly to the protesters.
Stoppage of goods trains has resulted in shortage of various essential items such as coal, petroleum products, urea, di-ammonium phosphate and jute bags. Non-movement of the coal rakes has forced the authorities and private thermal power plant owners to shut the units bringing the power generation to a grinding halt.
Rabi production to be hit as state sees driest October after 2017edit
With nine of 12 districts in Himachal Pradesh witnessing a deficit in rain of 100% (zero actual rainfall received) in October, production of Rabi crops is expected to be hit this season. Light snowfall and rainfall were recorded in Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba and Kullu districts. Chamba and Kullu, however, witnessed 99% rain deficit with 0.3mm actual rainfall each while Lahaul-Spiti witnessed 95% less rainfall as it received 1.5 cm rain.
Overall, October rain of 0.4 mm precipitation was recorded in Himachal, which was 99% less than normal. In 2019, the state witnessed 18% less rain than normal, in 2018 the state saw 73% less rain than normal, while in 2017, Himachal witnessed 99% less rain than normal.
Managing flood of foodgrains is the nation’s problem todayedit
The nation is sitting on a mountain of foodgrains. Huge sums have been spent on procurement and the carrying cost is humongous, too. Punjabi farmers were applauded when food scarcity in the country was banished under then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s slogan- Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan. Not famine, but a flood of foodgrains, is the nation’s problem today.
The farmers are apprehensive that the government may abdicate its responsibility of buying grains at the minimum support price (MSP). This apprehension stems from the fact that the Shanta Kumar Committee recommended in 2015 that the Food Corporation of India hand over the food procurement operations to the states, knowing fully well that the states did not have ...
Sonalika Tractors Records Highest Ever Production, Deliveries In Oct 2020edit
Sonalika Tractors has plenty to write home about this October 2020. In a new milestone, the manufacturer has delivered a whopping 19k tractor units. This is the highest ever tractor delivery in a single month for the company. Production was at an all time high at 15,218 units last month. Sales momentum is ongoing on the back of unprecedented growth through H1 FY21. For the period, Apr-Sept ’20, FY21 H1 sales stood at 63,561 Tractors and 26,530 Implements. For the company, this was its highest ever sales in H1. In fact, prior to an all time high sales report in Oct ’20, September 2020 sales is now the second best sales ever. At last report of course ...
This is definitely not the 1991 moment for agriculture, writes Capt Amarinder Singhedit
We, in Punjab, are in the midst of two major crises today. The Covid-19 pandemic remains an ongoing threat, while the farm laws imposed on us unilaterally, and in the most undemocratic manner, by the Government of India have compounded the distress of our people. Anyone who believes that the farmers are braving the pandemic without understanding the implications of the central laws is either unaware of the ground realities or ignorant about the depth of understanding farmers have about the whole business of agriculture. (I am calling it a business because that is how the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its corporate coterie are looking at agriculture now).
The laws are clearly designed to destroy the mandi system ...
Maharashtra: 3.14 lakh quintal seeds to be distributed to farmers in Rabi seasonedit
The state government has decided to provide 3.14 lakh quintal seeds, worth Rs 62.79 crore, to farmers for sowing in the Rabi season beginning this month.
“This year, we received good rainfall. It is conducive for a good Rabi season. Under various schemes, the government will provide wheat, bajra, maize, jowar and other cereals to farmers. Quality seeds in highly subsidised rates will be made available,” Agriculture Minister Dadasaheb Bhuse told mediapersons.
He added: “In all, 3.14 lakh quintal seeds will be needed for sowing of Rabi crops.”
Farmer shuns straw burning on 305 acres in Fatehgarh Sahib, inspires othersedit
A progressive farmer of Dharamgarh village of the district, who has been farming on 305 acres without burning straw, has become a source of inspiration for others.
Inderjit Singh uses modern farming machinery for the proper handling of straw. He spreads the straw in his fields with the help of Rotavator and then sows wheat.
He has appealed to farmers not to burn the straw and use fertilisers as per the recommendations and varieties approved by experts of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.
Straw burning incidents 5% lesser as compared to previous years: PAUedit
Even as pollution monitoring bodies claim that incidents of paddy straw burning are higher this year as compared to the last four years, data by Punjab Agricultural University’s (PAU) states that the area under stubble burning in the state has declined by 5.23%.
“The Punjab Remote Sensing Centre data shows the area under paddy straw burning (which is more reliable parameter than a number of fire incidents) during this year as 749.43 thousand hectares as compared to 790.77 thousand hectares last year, clearly showing a decline of 5.23%,” claimed GS Manes, additional director of research (farm mechanisation and bioenergy).