Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Punjab agriculture department to add 50,000 hectares under cotton cultivation in Malwaedit
Hindustan Times – Online
Keeping in view a bumper production in 2020 and no major pest outbreak in the crop for the last five years, the Punjab agriculture department has decided to add 50,000 hectares under cotton cultivation in the Malwa region this year.
This will be an increase of 10% over the current area of 5 lakh hectares. The sowing for the major cash crop in eight semi-arid districts of the region will start from next month.
Experts say as farmers received good rates for their produce and global and domestic demand of raw cotton is increasing, more growers will be motivated to diversify towards the cash crop. If the state authorities manage to achieve the set target, it ...
NABARD concern: ‘Gap between potential, achievement in farm sector needs to be filled’edit
The Indian Express – Online
Officials of the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD), while presenting the state focus paper for Gujarat on Thursday, expressed concern regarding the decreasing credit flow in the agriculture sector.
In the state focus paper unveiled by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, NABARD has projected a target of Rs 2.25 lakh crore for 2021-22 for financing by banks under agriculture, MSMEs and other priority sectors of the state which is 20.32 per cent higher than last year’s Rs 1.87 lakh crore.
“Whatever potential we asses each year usually comes close to the actual credit flow in the state. Banks need to work more in the agricultural sector, because there is a gap between the ...
The entangled economics and politics of India’s farm agitationedit
Livemint – Online
The roots of the continuing farmers’ agitation go back over 50 years to the origins of the Green Revolution. Following the disastrous droughts of 1965-66 and 1966-67, the government adopted a new policy for food grain production, distribution and pricing to achieve food self-sufficiency. Foodgrain farmers were provided high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, and subsidized water, power and fertilizers, while assuring them of remunerative prices. This also entailed a hefty food subsidy, since the Minimum Support Price (MSP) at which Food Corporation of India (FCI) procures rice and wheat (plus cost of storage, etc.) is much higher than the price at which foodgrains are provided through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Centre appoints agritech companies to conduct CCEs under PMFBYedit
Rural Marketing – Online
Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India has recently appointed three agritech companies; Leads Connect, Agriwatch and IAR to conduct Crop Cutting Experiments (CCE) in 100 districts across India. This is a part of Government of India’s flagship crop insurance scheme, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) under which the agencies will be conducting large-scale pilot studies for technology-based gram panchayat level yield estimates.
Leads Connect, a Noida based agritech company, with its cutting-edge technologies such as remote sensing, GIS, artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics frameworks, will co-observe the CCEs conducted by state government for PMFBY. In addition to this, Leads Connect will conduct few additional CCEs for wheat in various districts ...
Supreme Court panel on agriculture laws may support ‘legal guarantee for MSP’ demandedit
The Times of India – Online
The SC appointed committee on farm laws may consider backing protection for MSP in its report with several unions, including those not agitating against the farm laws, pitching for stronger protection of a floor price.
There are indications that the three-member SC-appointed panel may in its report speak favourably on the demand on MSP as most unions who appeared before it or submitted their views called for a legal guarantee to MSP to procure all crops.
Though these unions had not objected to central farm laws, in their representations they are learnt to have told the panel that any decision pertaining to giving legal guarantee to MSP may end the agitation as the protestors ...Agriculture and Indian Economyedit
Daily Excelsior – Online
Indian farmers are the backbone of our nation’s economy, as Indian economy is Primary agriculture based. According to a survey India is one of the top countries in cultivation and farming. But Indian farmers stayed neglected community for decades , despite their huge contribution in economy of the nation. Indian farmers are constantly subjected to harassment. India is the largest producer of wheat, rice, pulses and spices and has more scope for growth in Agriculture sector. If farmers get an assured minimum support price for their produce, if the functioning in trade becomes digital or online and the middle person is eliminated , who is exchanging goods from farmers to factories or from factories to farmers ...
Stubble Burning
Don’t burn dry leaves, use them to improve soil qualityedit
The Federal – Online
he raging forest fires in Odisha are garnering a lot of attention, but every day small fires in our cities go unnoticed just because of their decentralized nature. Along with garbage, we also burn dry leaves during the spring season, which is a direct cause of air pollution and a huge resource drain in terms of vital organic carbon lost from the soil.
Then there is a belief that ‘irresponsible’ farmers and Diwali revellers need to be held accountable for Delhi’s ever-degrading air quality index. Why just Delhi? Every city – big or small – is faced with air pollution of myriad proportions, which can be directly or indirectly attributed to stubble burning or bursting of ...