Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Agriculture and rural sector can jump-start economy if we fix its illsedit
Indian Express – Online
In the first quarter of this financial year, India’s GDP contracted by 23.9 per cent but agriculture grew by 3.4 per cent. Can agriculture make up for degrowth elsewhere? And can it do better than 3.4 per cent? To the first question, I would say — yes, up to a point; to the second — definitely.
Clearly, agriculture, which contributes only 15-16 per cent of GDP, cannot overturn contraction in other sectors, but along with the rural sector, it could jump-start the economy, if we fixed its ills and transformed it.
To begin with, we must reduce our preoccupation with prices and markets to first ensure that more farmers produce enough surplus to gain from ...
Not against corporates, but need to protect farmers:Amarinderedit
Outlook News – Online
Concerned over the difference of opinion between the state and central governments on the agricultural laws, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday categorically said that the state is not against corporates but there has to be a regulation to protect farmers and the long-standing relationship they have with the Arhtiyas (commission agents).
Any attempt to do away with this system will not work, he asserted, adding that his government had brought in Bills in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to negate the impact of the central farm laws and had also taken up the issue with the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister, among others.
“We have to ensure food security, what is plenty today may ...
Dairy Farming
Digitization to Increase Efficiency of Dairy Supply Chain in Indiaedit
Grain Mart India– Online
With Agri start-ups picking heat, dairy farming lures tech entrepreneurs to tackle problems of the dairy supply chain. Digitization to increase the efficiency of the dairy supply chain in India.
Country Delight and Stellapps are some of the start-ups using the Internet of Things (IoT) and data analytics to increase the productivity of dairy farmers. Such start-ups are working towards enhancing value-added dairy offerings like cheese, butter, ghee to increase the income of farmers in India.
Govt. Policies
Congress to submit petition, 60 lakh signatures against farm lawsedit
The Hindu – Online
The Maharashtra Congress on Tuesday said that it would not allow the farm Bills to be implemented in the State. The party has collected 60 lakh signatures from farmers, agricultural labourers, and workers opposing the laws, which will be sent to Delhi.
“We will not allow the laws that destroy the green revolution brought by Indira Gandhi to be implemented in the State. The present BJP government has continuously worked to weaken the farmers and the agricultural systems of the country. The State government will soon take a call,” State Congress president and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said.
Stubble Burning
Delhi govt should collect clean air tax and pay farmers to change farming practiceedit
Indian Express – Online
Delhi’s hazardous air, a chronic problem, has elicited a rush of decisions from the Centre and state government. The former has set up a new commission chaired by a retired secretary to the Government of India, constituting experts from government, academia and civil society. The state government banned firecrackers on Diwali with only limited effect. In any case, neither would solve the problem. The work of a Nobel Prize-winning economist might offer a solution.
A commission would be particularly useful if the matter of hazardous air quality was brand new and needed discussion and deliberation to get to the bottom of the problem and on top of the solution. A ban on firecrackers could prevent an ...
Peak season of farm fires may be over, count at 98edit
The Times of India – Online
With the number of farm fires significantly reducing in the last four days, experts are saying its peak season is over because stubble burning began in early September. Only 98 fire counts were recorded in northern plains on Monday as against 282 on Sunday, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research. The daily count is likely to be 500-1,000 for the rest of the month, predict experts.
According to Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), from November 1 to 16, 42,285 and 1,733 fires were observed in Punjab and Haryana, respectively. More than 3,000 farm fires were recorded daily from October 30 to November 10. Peak burning was observed ...AAP wants criminal negligence cases filed against Punjab, Haryana CMs for stubble burningedit
The Print – Online
The AAP wants to appeal to the Air Quality Commission as well as the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance and lodge cases of criminal negligence against the chief ministers of Haryana and Punjab for pollution plaguing Delhi due to stubble-burning, party spokesperson Atishi said on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference, she said the people of the national capital are unable to breathe in clean air due to stubble-burning in Punjab and Haryana. The pollution caused by stubble-burning has further weakened the lungs of people, which were already affected due to COVID-19, the Kalkaji MLA said.
Tractor industry
Mahindra to launch 37 new light-weight tractors with Mitsubishiedit
Ultra News – Online
Mahindra & Mahindra, one of India’s largest automobile and tractor makers, announced the production plans for a new series of advanced tractors being made with the help of its joint venture with the Mitsubishi Group of Japan.
While the collaboration was announced earlier, it today unveiled further details about the production roadmap, as well as investments.
The company said it will introduced 37 models of tractors under the new collaboration, and these will be branded under a new K2 nomenclature and sold in India, Japan, USA, South East Asia and other markets.
Escorts plans to raise annual tractor production capacity to 1.8 lakh unitsedit
Construction Week Online – Online
Farm equipment and engineering major Escorts Ltd is planning to increase its overall tractor production capacity to 1.8 lakh units annually to meet the current robust demand for which it will be investing Rs 100 crore in the remaining part of the fiscal.
The company, which currently has an annual capacity of 1.2 lakh units, expects the overall tractor industry to grow in low double digits this fiscal as against low single digit projected earlier.
“We are already growing above pre-covid-19 levels…Both at capacity utilisation and sales…Our stated capacity is around 10,000 tractors per month but we are going beyond the capacity and are trying to stretch as much as we can because the demand ...