Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
DPCs turn farmers’ favourite for selling Navarai season harvestedit
The Indian Express – Online
With the open market price for paddy witnessing a drop due to the Covid-19 lockdown, farmers across the delta region are showing interest towards direct purchase centres (DPC) this season. Open for the first time this year on request, the summer season DPCs across Tiruchy district have already procured more than 6,300 metric tonnes of the crop. Considered one of the most prosperous seasons in decades, nearly 2,500 hectares have been utilised for cultivating Navarai paddy (summer crop) in Tiruchy. The off-seasonal rainfall and prominent availability of water in irrigation tanks have aided farmers to successfully bring the crop till harvest stage.
Sowing of kharif crop in Maharashtra currently at 16.2%, lower than 2020edit
Hindustan Times – Online
The sowing of the kharif crop in Maharashtra is currently at 16.2%, lower than the figures of June 28, 2020, which was at 41.98%. In Maharashtra, the total area for sowing kharif seeds is 14.118 million hectares. As of date, sowing has been completed across 2.275 million hectares. The State agriculture department claims that Maharashtra has received, in the first 21 days of June, 145.3mm rainfall. This is lower than the rainfall received over the same duration last year (175.70 mm).
In A Continental Country Like India, One Size Fits All Farm Laws Will Not Work–Y.K Alaghedit
BW BusinessWorld – Online
Agriculture in India has traditionally been the playground of politics. What was required– a few clean policies that empower Indian farmers, open the scope and take the fruits of Indian farmer to the global market. Instead, it became the de-facto sector for MSP- subsidy-only-policy that harmed the sector. And the alarming fact that India’s wastage of major agricultural produce was about INR 92,651 crore in 2016, called for reforms and measures. What is then three Bills offer? A reform, finally, is opposed by a section of farmers in India. Where is agri-technology and last-mile chain of cold storage? BW Businessworld’s Manish Kumar Jha raises such issues with Y. K Alagh, a former union minster who ...
India to push for climate-resilient farm practices as part of economic revival, support agriculture marketing in north-eastedit
The Times Of India – Online
The Centre will revive the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) to help farmers in eight northeastern states get remunerative prices of agriculture-horticulture produce, promote climate-resilient and sustainable farming across India, and provide Rs 14,775 crore for additional fertilizer subsidy as part of the stimulus package this financial year. Though the announcement on additional fertilizer subsidy was made on June 16, the Centre on Monday included it as part of the 17 key measures to give a boost to the pandemic-hit economy and support different sections of society.
Competition
Top 3 Agriculture Stocks to Keep Your Eye Onedit
Mint – Online
Investors have been focusing on agriculture sector plays for quick gains in the monsoon season. In the first wave, most of the sectors were affected as the economy had come to a grinding halt. But the agriculture sector continued to grow given fewer restrictions in rural areas. Agriculture further benefited from good monsoon coupled with cheaper and higher availability of labor. Agriculture is the primary driver of India’s rural economy providing employment to approximately 58% of population.
Dams and Indian Agriculture
Lack of water puts cane farming in shamblesedit
The New Indian Express – Online
Sugarcane cultivators in Palacode are predicting a bleak season as groundwater levels have sunk alarmingly low. The farmers have urged the agriculture department and sugar mills to introduce new techniques and technology to boost yield and also ensure the functioning of the Palacode cooperative sugar mills. One of the main concerns of any farmer in Dharmapuri is the lack of water, as most of the reservoirs including Kesarguli dam, Thoppaiyar dam and Chinnar dam (Panchapalli)have less than 50 per cent capacity and groundwater levels are dwindling. The farmers alleged that their stakes in the cooperative sugar mills have reduced drastically after the Palacode cooperative sugar mill remained dormant over the last two years.
With Cauvery water arriving, farm workers begin travelling for transplantationsedit
The New Indian Express – Online
With the Cauvery water arriving across the delta districts, farmers have kick-started Kuruvai paddy transplantation work. With relaxations now being announced, farm workers are travelling to various parts to get involved in farm work. The actual area of Kuruvai cultivation is likely to be retained at 4,500 hectares this season too. However, cultivation work is being carried out a little slower than last year. According to an official, apart from the small part of Anbil, transplantation work is yet to begin in the rest of the Kuruvai area. Within the next 15 days, all the paddy will be transplanted across Lalgudi and other areas.
Technology in Agriculture
Samunnati Launches FPOnEXT – India’s First Open Agri Networkedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
Samunnati, a specialized Agri Value Chain enabler announced the launch of India’s first Open Agri Network, FPOnEXT, - an exclusive network of entities that are working with the FPO ecosystem via an affiliation programme, which offers unique benefits to the members. The network aims to enable FPOs and the ecosystem to go to the next level, by providing access to financial solutions, market linkages, value added services, technology interventions and other on-tap services. The members of the network while being primarily FPOs and Federations of FPOs, Samunnati also endeavors to bring in other players like Resource Institutions, POPIs, Training & Capacity Building Institutions and other eco-system players who are committed to FPOs and Small Holder Farmers.
Farm implements hiring centres to help farmers across AP from July 8edit
Deccan Chronicle – Online
The mechanization-cum-hiring centres set up at Rythu Bharosa centres by the Andhra Pradesh government would provide services for agriculturists to hire tractors and other equipment in view of the massive loss of bullocks in Rayalaseema region. The centuries-old tradition of using bullocks for cultivation suffered massively due to lack of fodder during the drought seasons. Large parts of the region suffered due to lack of fodder to save the livestock for the past few decades. The programme will be launched from July 8 across the state.
Govt. Policies
DSR technique: Haryana govt yet to pay ₹5k per acre incentive promised in 2019edit
Hindustan Times – Online
The Haryana government has announced a cash incentive to encourage ...
Monsoon + Indian Agriculture
With good rains, Odisha farmers begin work for kharif seasonedit
The New Indian Express – Online
With monsoon rains lashing most parts of Koraput district, agricultural activities have begun in full swing for the ensuing kharif season. Cultivation work has reportedly picked up pace since last four days as per the plans of Agriculture department. The department has set a target to cultivate 97,400 hectare (ha) of paddy and 1,98,300 ha of non-paddy crops across 14 blocks. Sources said, an average rainfall of 20mm recorded in most of the paddy and nonpaddy chunks in the district has been conducive for crop activities. As it is , farmers of Upper Kolab ayacut areas in Jeypore sub -division will get irrigation water from July 1 till October for ensuing kharif season, ...
Stubble Burning
MERC: Unscheduled Power from Captive Biomass Project Not Considered for RPOedit
Mercom – Online
Last month, the Ministry of Power decided to set up a national mission to use biomass in coal-powered thermal power plants. The main purpose of the mission is to address rampant air pollution caused by the burning of farm stubble and reduce the carbon footprint in thermal power generation. Earlier, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had issued a notice clarifying the eligibility of power generated from the co-firing of biomass in thermal power plants as renewable energy. The government had stated that the power generated from the co-firing of biomass in thermal power plants is renewable energy and eligible for meeting the non-solar RPO target.
Tractor industry
Tractor sales will clock only single digit growth: ICRAedit
The Times Of India – Online
After a top-gear year in FY21, tractor sales will slow down to low single digit growth in the current fiscal and expectations are down from 4-6% growth earlier to 1-4% now. According to a latest report by ICRA, domestic tractor volumes are expected to clock between 1-4% growth in FY22, down from its 4-6% earlier projection. This even though there is uncertainty about the impact of the pandemic on rural markets, underlying demand drivers for the industry are positive like expectations of healthy rabi cash flows, government support programmes, financing availability, strong agri demand and normal monsoon. Last year buoyant rural sentiment helped tractor industry clock a 27% growth.
Escorts to hike tractor prices from 1 Julyedit
Business Standard – Online
The increase in prices would vary across models and variant. Escorts in an exchange filing on Monday announced that it will be increasing the prices of its tractors with effect from 1 July 2021. The company said that there has been a steady rise in commodity prices necessitating a price hike to offset the impact of the continuing inflation. Escorts Agri Machinery Segment (EAM) in May 2021 sold 6,423 tractors against 6,594 tractors sold in May 2020, a decline of 2.6%. Sequentially, Escorts’ total tractor sales declined 2.37% in May 2021 compared with 6,979 tractors sold April 2021.