Tribune – Online

Development finance institution NABARD has projected a credit requirement of Rs 2.5 lakh crore during 2021-22 fiscal under priority sector lending in the state. This represents an overall increase of about nine per cent over the projections for 2020-21. Of the aggregate credit potential, the share of crop loan is pegged at Rs 98,400 crore (39% of total) and agriculture term loan at Rs 46,800 crore (19%).

This was stated by Dr Rajiv Siwach, CGM, NABARD, during the state credit seminar for the next fiscal here today.

Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, the chief guest, released the State Focus Paper for 2021-22. The focus paper — Collectivisation of agricultural produce for enhancing farmers’ income — is ...

Businessworld – Online

As per a news release by government owned Press Trust of India (PTI), more than 1,500 telecom towers in Punjab have been damaged by farmers protesting against the three farm laws. This has led to a disruption in services, especially for industries and households dependent on electricity. Farmers vented their anger on the infrastructure owned by Mukesh Ambani’s firm Jio, as well as that owned by Gautam Adani, whom the farmers perceive as the major beneficiaries of the three laws. This state of distrust towards large companies will have a profound impact on contract farming in India.

Contract farming is an agreement between a corporate body, government, and farmers. The terms usually include pre-decided set of crops the farmer ...

Outlook – Online

It is ironic that the farmers on protest at the capital’s borders are the same set of people who saved India’s GDP from sliding into a free fall last year. In fact, even before the pandemic, the farm sector boosted the country’s economic growth during severe phases of a slowdown. Minus the farmers, the economy would likely have disintegrated.

For example, in the first quarter of 2020-21 (April-June 2020), the economy tanked by a negative 24 per cent, but agriculture registered a positive growth. In the next quarter (July-September 2020), as the GDP remained in the negative territory (minus 7.5 per cent), the farm sector grew by a healthy and robust positive 3.4 per cent.

If the ...

Hindu – Online

The methodology behind the OECD’s numbers, that suggests negative support, has pitfalls and limitations

The ongoing stalemate between the farmers protesting over the recently passed farm laws and the government has sparked an interesting debate..

Businessworld – Online

The unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic has surrounded the world with uncertainty. From restricting the movement of people to goods, it has disrupted almost every business sector and agriculture is no exception. The disruption in the supply chain, growing demand, and low production capacities have impacted the sector like never before. Such common challenges have made new-age entrepreneurs make use of technology in an unparalleled manner and unleash the growth potential of the sector.

India’s 58% of the population is dependent on agriculture that suffered huge losses in the initial two months of the lockdown. This has given a significant rise in the number of agri-tech startups coming up with innovative solutions. According to industry estimates, ...