Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Officials told to expedite paddy procurement in Khammamedit
Telengana Today – Online
About 2.66 lakh tonne of paddy has been procured against the target of 3.75 lakh tonne in Yasangi season in the district, Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar said on Tuesday. The Minister directed the officials to complete the procurement of remaining 1.9 lakh tonnes in the next 10 days. In the current season, paddy crop extent was increased and there was a little delay in the procurement due to Covid situation. However, the farmers need not worry as every grain of paddy would be procured. Since there were not enough parboiled rice mills in Khammam district, rice mills in Nalgonda, Peddapalli and Karimnagar district were engaged to lift the paddy in the district, he said.
Kisan Cong to protest across state tomorrowedit
The Times Of India – Online
All India Kisan Congress members, along with farmers, will hold a protest programme wearing black badges in all the districts on Thursday against the injustice being meted out to the ryots in procurement of paddy, they said. The working committee of the Kisan Congress, which discussed the issue on Tuesday, demanded that the government purchase even the rain-soaked paddy at minimum support price (MSP) from the farmers. “The government should take action against the officials and the rice millers harassing the farmers citing moisture and lack of quality in paddy,” said Sunketa Anvesh Reddy, state president, Kisan Congress. The Kisan Congress also demanded that the state ensure that an adequate number of vehicles ...
Maharashtra raises kharif crop output estimate with increase in sowing areaedit
Financial Express – Online
The government of Maharashtra has set higher production targets for the coming kharif season of 2021-22 by increasing the state’s sowing area to 157 lakh hectare (ha) from last season’s 140 lakh ha, following predictions of a higher-than-average monsoon by the Met Department.
The state had utilised 151 lakh ha for kharif crops in 2020-21, despite setting a 140-lakh ha target. The state is also expecting a record 1,285.2 lakh tonne of production this year from kharif season, officials of the agriculture department said.
Farmers Expect to Harvest Record Wheat, Rice Crops This Year: Agriculture Ministryedit
News18 – Online
India is expected to produce a record 108.75 million tonnes of wheat this year, the farm ministry said in its third forecast for the crop year to June 2021, marginally lower than its previous estimate of 109.24 million tonnes. Rice output in the world’s biggest exporter and the second largest producer is estimated at a record 121.46 million tonnes compared to a forecast of 120.32 million tonnes in February. The farm ministry forecast this year’s total grains output to be at a record 305.44 million tonnes, up from its previous estimate of 297.5 million tonnes. The efforts of India’s farmers, scientists and the government has paid off, said Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
Dams and Indian Agriculture
Make optimal use of water projects: KCRedit
The Times Of India – Online
Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has directed the water resources department to ensure optimum utilisation of water under various projects constructed on Krishna and Godavari rivers in the state. He said the government is constructing irrigation projects by spending huge money and asked the officials to complete repairs to canals and take up operation and maintenance works and fill all the tanks, lakes and checkdams for both irrigation and drinking water purposes. He said the state government has kept Rs 700 crore with water resources department for undertaking canal repairs and operation and maintenance works.
KCR asked the irrigation officials to complete estimations separately for all the proposed lift irrigation projects between ...
Technology in Agriculture
How RMSI Cropalytics Leverages AI To Predict Crop Yieldedit
Analytics India – Online
India has a diverse agricultural landscape with a land area of 159.7 million hectares. Soil fertility, crop yields and irrigation methods vary from one region to another. This diversity, along with excessive dependence on monsoons, small farm sizes, and broken supply chains, has made crop yield prediction extremely difficult. This is where technology can play a huge role, believes Roli Jindal, Co-Founder, RMSI Cropalytics.
Speaking at The Rising 2021, an annual event organised by Analytics India Magazine that celebrates women in data science, IT, industry and academia, Jindal explained how startups like RMSI Cropalytics combine advanced modelling, ML, crop and meteorological domain expertise to provide solutions to decision-makers in government, crop insurance, banking sector, agricultural ...
New crop of agri-tech startups go beyond farm-to-fork to serve niche areasedit
Business Standard – Online
With a contribution of 18 per cent to the GDP, India’s agriculture sector deserved far more technology innovation than it has received so far. With total funding in modern agri-tech ventures at about $600 million to date, the scale has only begun to tilt. The first wave of startups, mainly the likes of Jumbotail, Ninjakart and Agrostar, technologised supply chains and brought the conveniences of app-based e-commerce to foods. So did the effort by retail chains like Big Bazaar and Reliance Fresh. Now a fresh breed of enterprises that target niche segments are coming up.
Dozens of new ventures are creating efficiencies through niche solutions like IoT-based farm management, quality management of soil and produce, ...
Launch of CSC Agriculture Platform: An Incredible Event for Farming Communityedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
It’s a day to beckon for the agriculture community as CSC (Common Service Center) is all set to launch its agriculture platform on May 26, 2021 at 11:00 am. The eminent speakers on the occasion will be Dr. Dinesh Tyagi, MD of CSC SPV, Mr. Sanjay Kumar Rakesh, CEO of CSC SPV, and Mr. M. C. Dominic, Editor-in-Chief of Krishi Jagran and Agriculture World. This is an incredible moment for CSC as this agriculture platform will help it get associated with the agricultural community in a deeper manner.
CSC is a special purpose vehicle or portal, which operates under the Ministry of Electronics and IT. So far, the center has set up 72 FPOs (Farmer ...
Govt. Policies
Rs 1,820 crore crop insurance credited to 15 lakh farmersedit
The New Indian Express – Online
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday released Rs 1,820.23 crore under the YSR Free Crop Insurance scheme benefiting 15.15 lakh farmers, who suffered crop loss in Kharif 2020. Speaking on the occasion, Jagan reiterated that his government was committed to the welfare of farmers and development of agriculture and allied sectors. Addressing farmers across the state through videoconference, the Chief Minister said he was fortunate to help the farmers and added that the state would prosper only when the wellbeing of farmers, farmhands, agriculture and allied sectors was taken care of. Pointing out that 62 per cent of the state population is dependent on agriculture and allied sectors, Jagan said besides ...
Monsoon + Indian Agriculture
Healthy monsoon to put economy back on track, these 10 stocks likely to grow significantlyedit
Money Control – Online
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) recently said the southwest monsoon rain is expected to be normal this year, with the long-period average (LPA) at 98 percent. A good monsoon will mean a third consecutive year of bumper production and a cascading positive impact on the economy battered by COVID-19. Supporting the IMD prediction, private weather forecasting agency Skymet has also said the monsoon will be normal at 103 percent of the LPA.
The southwest monsoon plays a significant role in India’s agriculture, accounting for 70-75 percent of the annual rainfall. The agriculture sector contributes around 15-17 percent to the GDP but directly or indirectly, it accounts for 55-60 percent of jobs, which has a significant ...
Stubble Burning
PUSA-44 paddy variety an environmental hazard, need to discontinue its sowing: Punjab to Centreedit
Hindustan Times – Online
The Punjab government has told the Centre that the PUSA-44 variety of paddy should not to be sown in the upcoming kharif season in the state, terming it an environmental hazard as it matures late and it produces more stubble. In an action plan sent to the Union ministry for environment on the steps initiated by the state to curb stubble burning and better in-situ management of paddy residue, the Punjab Pollution Control Board and the state agriculture department have proposed that the sowing of the paddy variety which comprises 15-16% of total cultivated area should be stopped immediately.
Of a total paddy area of 77 lakh acres under paddy this kharif season, the premium ...
Tractor industry
Sonalika Tractors helps St. Stephen’s hospital set up PSA Oxygen plantedit
Nyooz – Online
India’s fastest growing tractor brand, Sonalika Tractors has always been at the forefront in delivering farm prosperity as well as build a healthy society in the country. In a bid to support India’s fight against Covid-19, Sonalika has pledged to extend vital support to the on-going relief efforts at the St. Stephen’s Hospital Patients Welfare Society, New Delhi. The hospital is making every possible effort in supporting the needy covid-19 patients during the current challenging times and therefore, Sonalika is supporting the hospital to set up a PSA oxygen plant. Sharing his views on the company’s commitment to support the society, Raman Mittal, Executive Director, Sonalika Tractors, said, “Difficult times demand collaborative and extraordinary efforts from ...
Free tractor rental scheme for farmers from TAFEedit
The New Indian Express – Online
In a bid to support the State Government in tackling the pandemic second wave, TAFE (Tractors and Farm Equipment) Limited has announced a free tractor rental scheme. The scheme is expected to support small farmers of Tamil Nadu during the next cultivation season.
The scheme, valid from May to June, would approximately cover 1,20,000 acres and will benefit around 50,000 farmers. TAFE will offer its 16,500 Massey Ferguson and Eicher tractors and 26,800 equipment on a “free-of-cost” rental basis to farmers owning two acres or less.
Farmers can rent or hire tractors or farm equipment using TAFE’s digital platform on the TN Govt’s Uzhavan app or using the toll-free helpline 1800-4200-100. The scheme ...