Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Data | Farmers, new agriculture laws and government procurementedit
The Hindu – Online
On September 27, 2020, the President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to three agriculture bills — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020.
The Bills were aimed at liberalising the farm sector, but it faced stiff opposition in parliament. The Bills have been opposed by several farmer organisations for various reasons. The chief concern seems to be the fear of losing government procurement at the Minimum Support Price.
BGU to open research facility in India, collaborate on desert agricultureedit
Jerusalem – Online
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Beersheba has announced that it will collaborate with the Indian company ABAN and establish an agricultural research facility in Chennai, India, that will offer Indian students the opportunity to enroll into BGU courses.
ABAN is India’s largest offshore drilling entity, but it invests a lot of resources in environmental protection and development. The company was looking to train agricultural experts and while looking for partners with the relevant knowledge and expertise, the connection with BGU researchers was made and the project was underway.From small businesses to farmers, here’s how middle India is driving demandedit
Business Standard – Online
Manish Mehra, owner of Washex Hospitality, an industrial laundry service, recently flew from Delhi to Jodhpur, a city in north-western India, to win a contract to service a large, government-run hospital – a move essential to kickstarting his business.
“For a new relationship it is essential to know each other before you can establish the trust and confidence to work online and that need is higher in case of government departments,” said Mehra, who had to stay for a week in a Jodhpur hotel.
Increased demand for air travel and hotel stays by small business owners like Mehra, accompanied by a rise in rural incomes and spending after two good monsoons, is helping the pandemic-hit Indian economy slowly ...
India- #MannkiBaat: Farm laws gave farmers new rights, opportunities, says Modi | NewsBytesedit
MenaFM – Online
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed the 71st edition of his monthly radio show ‘Mann ki Baat’.
In his address, Modi spoke about the central government’s three agriculture laws, that have sparked intense protests by farmers.
Ignoring the protests, the PM said that the agricultural reforms have given farmers new rights and opportunities.
Here’s more on what he said.
In this article Agri reforms broke farmers’ shackles, says Modi Modi illustrated how agri reforms helped Maharashtra farmer ‘Mandatory to pay farmer within 3 days under new law’ Modi promoted use of straw baler amid stubble burning menace ‘Yadav earned Rs. 50 lakh profit from stubble’ Any laxity regarding COVID-19 still dangerous: Modi Modi remembered Guru Nanak ...Committed to welfare of hardworking farmers: PM Modiedit
Telangana Today – Online
Even as thousands of farmers rallied on Delhi’s interstate borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asserted that he was committed to the welfare of hardworking farmers, and the Centres’ new farm laws were a step in this direction.
His assertion came during his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ amid the ongoing farmer agitation against his government over the three new farm laws enacted in September.
“New dimensions are opening up in India with farming-related things. Agricultural reforms in the past have opened doors to new possibilities for farmers. In the past, there were various demands of the farmers. In order to fulfil these demands, every political party promised at ...
Technology in Agriculture
Agritech during COVID-19: Has it lived up to the hype?edit
Economic Times – Online
The Indian agtech sector is registering fast-track growth in the ongoing pandemic thanks to the supportive reforms and initiatives announced by the government coupled with growing digital access to the farmers.
Interestingly, agriculture in India fared really well despite a brief disruption of supply chain and labour shortage faced during the lockdown. After the initial setback, the agtech sector stabilised and churn volume-based business.
According to the National Statistical Oice’s latest estimates, agriculture is the only sector to have reported a positive growth during the June quarter, despite a 23.9% contraction in the national GDP. Even in the Q2 GDP numbers unveiled on Friday, agriculture has grown by over 3 compared to last year. In ...
Agritech startup Farmkart to raise Rs 90 crore from VCs for pan-India expansionedit
CNBCTV18 – Online
Madhya Pradesh-based agritech startup Farmkart, which offers a wide range of agricultural products and services to farmers through its e-commerce platform, is planning to raise Rs 90 crore in Series A funding from venture capitalists for expansion across the country. ”
At present we are functioning at 1,240 locations in Madhya Pradesh. We plan to begin our immediate expansion to 8,000 locations in Maharashtra, Gujarat, southern region and reach one lakh (locations) by December 2021, across the country in next one year. Initially, we had invested Rs 15 crore in this venture and are looking to raise Rs 90 crore in Series A funding through venture capitalists,” Farmkart founder Atul Patidar told PTI.