Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
India net exporter of agri-machinery equipment to some advanced countries: EEPCedit
Financial Express – Online
India has emerged as a net exporter of agri-machinery to some of the advanced countries like the US, the UK, Germany and Italy, an engineering export body said on Monday. Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) India vice chairman Arun Garodia said in a statement, tractors are the largest component of the agri-machinery exports from the country, accounting for 66 per cent of the shipments.
“India’s export of agricultural machinery during 2Ol9 -2O was USD 1024.58 million witnessing a positive trade balance of USD 708.3 million,” the EEPC said in the statement quoting Minister of state for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Parshottam Rupala.
‘Trust factor a big plus for India in export of farm machinery’edit
The Hindu Business Line – Online
Indian firms exporting farm machinery are getting more orders from Europe as Italy and some East European countries known for their farm equipment industry are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, said Rakesh Shah of Kolkata-based Nipha Exports Private, leading exporter of farm equipment on Monday.
Digital outreach programme for organic farmers launchededit
The Hindu – Online
The digital outreach programme to connect with organic farmers and ensure continuous learning and sharing of information was launched here on Monday.
This is the first in a series of 14 programmes to be held every Monday to ensure that the farmers and stakeholders including the officials in the Department of Agriculture continue to shore up their knowledge for mutual benefit.
The digital outreach programme is being conducted by the District Agricultural Training Centre in association with the Department of Agriculture, Krishi Samvahana Vedike, Mysuru, Naganahalli Agriculture Research Centre, Horticulture College and Krishi Vijnana Kendra, Suttur.
Andhra: Govt to float solar tenders to fuel state’s agriculture sectoredit
Energy Infra Post – Online
With the green signal from the judicial preview committee, the state government is planning to issue tenders for 10,000 MW capacity solar power plants in a phased manner. These plants, which would be developed under the build-operate-transfer (BoT) model, would come up in different parts of the state in order to ensure free power supply to the agriculture sector for the next 30 years.
The scheme is expected to provide significant economic benefits as the cost of solar power is less than the average power purchase cost incurred by the state discoms.
‘Agri reforms need of the hour, but farmers should be consulted’edit
The Hindu – Online
Participating in a webinar held by Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, on the future of farming and the impact of the three recent farm legislations, experts from the field of agriculture, economists and legislators opined that the reforms in agriculture sector were the need of the hour and farmers would realise its benefits in next few years, but stressed that farmers being the major stakeholders should be consulted and their concerns pertaining to MSP be alleviated.
The panel discussion on “Future of Farming in India: Reflecting on Farm Bills 2020” saw the participation of Rajya Sabha MP and former Union Minister Subramanian Swamy, NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand, Punjab CM Principal Chief Secretary Suresh Kumar, Haryana ...
Technology aides Indian growers with their salesedit
Fresh Plaza – Online
At the start of this year, growers from Anantapur, a city in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, were left with huge volumes of unsold sweet lime. The reason for this was that they were unable to transport the produce elsewhere due to the Corona lockdown.
The growers were bracing for huge losses, when KisanSaathi, an agriculture marketing firm, offered to sell the crop to Mother Dairy, a food processing company. Many growers in the city today supply sweet lime to Mother Dairy.
Technology in Agriculture
Agri-tech startups used Covid-19 opportunity to set up e-mandis’edit
The Times Of India – Online
Prof Asis Datta (PhD, D Sc, FNA, FASc, FNASc, FTWAS) is the Professor of Distinguished Scientist at National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi, India. Former vice-chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Professor of Eminence and Founder Director of National Institute of Plant Genome Research (2002-2008), Datta has done pioneering work in the field of molecular biology. Here he talks to TOI about the role played by agri-tech startups to boost India’s domestic ecosystem. Excerpts:
What is agricultural biotechnology and its role in agricultural production?
Biotechnology that has been used to develop improved and adapted crops with high yield, resistant to various stresses (insects, fungi, high temperature, drought) and improved nutritional value ...
How This Agritech Company Is Using AI For Better Crop Estimation And Forecastingedit
Analytics India Mag – Online
Lack of accurate and timely yield estimation, which is the measurement of crop harvest in a sample of a given area, and crop risk data contribute actively to the looming agrarian crisis in the country. The conventional methods are dependent heavily on averaging and approximation, leading the way to poor estimation, incorrect representation, and inaccuracy of crop yield of a given region.
However, with a greater influx of technology, the landscape is changing. One such organisation is RMSI Cropyalitcs which is providing agri-tech solutions for obtaining detailed information and data on the Indian agriculture sector. It uses data analytics methods combining machine learning and advanced modelling techniques to provide viable solutions to government, crop insurers, agriculture input sector, commodity trading, and ...
Stubble Burning
Finally a Solution to Stubble Burning: Paddy Straw Decomposeredit
Grain Mart – Online
Affordable Solution to Stubble Burning: IARI DirectorIARI director Ashok Kumar Singh claims that the decomposer is capable of dealing with all kinds of bio-masses. That said, it will enrich the soil along with reducing pollution. The capsule consists of a combination of different microbes that produce various hydrolytic enzymes that speed up the degradation process. Y.V. Singh, Principal scientist of the Microbiology division of IARI, Pusa stated that the decomposer is entirely organic. Besides, it is affordable as 25 litres of the solution made from four tablets each costing Rs 5 is enough to decompose crop residue over a hectare of field.
Farmers Raise ConcernsIn early October, Chief Minister of Delhi and Development Minister Gopal ...
MP govt to set up plant for clean fuel from stubble burningedit
ET Energy World – Online
The Madhya Pradesh government has proposed a plan to set up an industrial unit producing fuel from stubble burnt by the farmers in the state, said Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel. This would help save the environment, putting an end to the air pollution caused by stubble burning.
The Minister recently met Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi and discussed several issues, including the initiative of producing clean fuel from stubble burnt by the farmers.
After harvesting the crops, the farmers set them on fire which results in stubble burning releasing widespread smoke and harms the environment. To prevent this emphasis is being laid on producing clean fuel from the burnt stubble.
Paddy stubble: Far from farm waste, it is an energy source!edit
ET Energy World – Online
Come winter and India’s national capital gets shrouded in a thick blanket of smog that is a result of the humongous burning of crop stubble on acres and acres of farmland in neighbouring Haryana and Punjab. The social and political debates on the problem too get as dark as the smoke billowing in the sky. The good news is that the concern can translate into action that will not only curb pollution but will also lend a delightful solution to the energy issue of our country.
While changing seasons may be called a magical manifestation of nature, human interference only distorts its glory and in fact turns it against humanity’s interest. Winters in the surroundings of Delhi ...
Will prepare policies to control stubble burning, says new air quality paneledit
The Tribune – Online
The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas said it will take steps and prepare policies to control stubble burning on a day AAP MLA and chairperson of Environment Committee of Delhi Assembly Atishi urged the newly-appointed green panel to hold chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana liable for causing pollution in the national capital.
According to Environment Ministry spokesperson, the three (AAP) MLAs requested the Commission to take prompt action against Punjab and Haryana for “criminal negligence regarding stubble burning” and suggested options, including the in-situ decomposition technology developed by IARI, for large-scale adoption.
Delhi’s Covid death rate increased due to pollution by stubble burning, says Satyendar Jainedit
The Print – Online
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday attributed the high COVID-19 death rate in the city to the pollution caused by stubble-burning and expected a downtrend in it in the next two-three weeks.
The minister told reporters here that the pollution due to stubble-burning created a big problem in Delhi. It caused problems in breathing and those who had COVID-19 inhaled the smoke, which aggravated the seriousness, he said.
Politics of stubble burning: Solving the problem requires us to rethink paddy farming and irrational subsidiesedit
The Times Of India – Online
The burning of paddy fields after the harvest, or stubble burning, is a major seasonal contributor to air pollution in north India just prior to winter. In the northern belt metros, already polluted with many activities, this additional pollution load from stubble burning tipped the scales heavily towards hazardous air quality index exceeding 400 and even reaching 1,000 in some places for some days, when the acceptable norm is 120 as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The resulting air pollution is now responsible for the ill health of millions and deaths of lakhs of people, and dominates headlines of newspapers in the entire northern belt. Reducing air pollution would require tackling the ...
Tractor industry
Growth momentum in tractors expected to sustain in 2021edit
LiveMint – Online
The robust growth momentum recorded by the tractor industry this year is expected to sustain growth during the next fiscal as well, top executives from leading tractor and farm equipment manufacturers told Mint.
The sustained growth in tractor demand for another year is seen on strong fundamentals such as robust kharif sowing now leading up to good output that is expected to generate good cash flows for the farmers as the kharif harvest season has begun, continued government support in the form of procurement and spending on agriculture and rural economy along with the high ground water levels.