Times of India – Online

A delegation of the Maharashtra onion-growers’ association met state agriculture minister Dada Bhuse on Wednesday, seeking his intervention in the withdrawal of the export ban. According to the association, Bhuse said he would discuss the matter with Union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal soon. Onion farmers are making losses due to a drop in the wholesale prices — because local supply currently exceeds the demand. They feel the wholesale onion prices may increase if the Centre withdraws the export ban.

“The arrival of new kharif onions have started increasing and will continue to increase. The average wholesale prices will drop further,” said Bharat Dighole, Maharashtra onion-growers’ association president. “We had also approached the ...

Livemint – Online

Indian firms slashed investments offshore sharply in the first eight months of FY21 because of the pandemic. But investments in two sectors surged to a three-year high even as others slowed.

Farms, mines and financials dominated the offshore direct investment of Indian companies this year. Data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) showed that in April-November, the share of outbound investments into agriculture and mining was 15.6%, up from 3% in the year-ago. The share of financials surged to 32% from 12%. Investments in agriculture and mining totalled $1.91 billion, while financials, insurance and business services added up to $3.4 billion.

Business Today – Online

Crop insurance is one of the key elements to stabilise farmers by compensating for crop losses arising out of drought, flood and other causes. In 2016, India overhauled crop insurance to expand its coverage of farmers and farm areas. Initially, it did expand the coverage but since then it has seen a downward slide, one of the key reasons for this being visible profiteering by insurance companies.

Here is a broad look at the crop insurance scenario.

Profitable business for insurance companies, not for farmers

In November 2018, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) released its 2017-18 annual report with a table “Crop Insurance during Financial Year 2017-18 as on 31-03-2018” providing interesting ...

India Today – Online

December 23 is commemorated as the National Farmers’ Day or Kisan Divas in India in the honour of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, who was a premier farmers’ leader of his time. He was an active politician in pre-Independence India and is credited with the introduction of the Agriculture Produce Market Bill in the Legislative Assembly of then United Province in 1938.

That bill was significant as it was the first legislative move by an Indian to have a mechanism for the sale of farm produce. Its objective was to protect farmers from the pressure tactics of traders. The bill was later adopted by some provincial governments before Independence with Punjab being the first.

Incidentally, thousands ...