Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Petrol > Rs 100: Forget doubling income, farming now way costlier in Biharedit
Down To Earth – Online
Spiralling prices of petroleum products has ushered in tough times for the farmers of Bihar: The cultivation process has turned costlier by almost 40 per cent. The rise in petroleum prices has not only turned ploughing more expensive, but also increased the prices of seeds, fertilizers and insecticides because of a hike in transportation cost. Petrol prices soared past Rs 100 a litre in all 38 districts of Bihar this farming season. Farmers are heavily dependent on petroleum products for farming. Electricity is not available in all fields. This may threaten agricultural practices in Bihar, where 76 per cent population is engaged in agriculture works for livelihood.
Telangana sets all time record, procures over 92 lakh tonne paddy during Yasangiedit
Telengana Today – Online
The Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation set an all time record procuring around 92 lakh tonne of paddy during Yasangi 2020-21 which is about 28 lakh tonne more than last year. The paddy procurement by the Corporation came to a close on Tuesday, with the State registering a whopping 594 per cent increase in paddy purchases during Yasangi alone over the 2014-15 season. Paddy cultivation and subsequently paddy production had increased multi-fold in the State over the last seven years following the pro-farmers initiatives of the State government.
Centre launches Atmanirbhar Krishi app to equip farmers with agricultural insights, weather alerts: All you need to knowedit
Free Press Journal – Online
There is a wealth of information carefully curated by various departments of the government, which can be very relevant to the farmers but on different platforms and not in a manner comprehensible to them. A component of KisanMitr, a national digital platform that caters to farmers, focuses on filling this gap by combining data from various government ministries/departments like Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC), and others and making it available to the farmers through the Atmanirbhar Krishi app.
Technology in Agriculture
Upliftment of Indian Modern-Agro Businesses by Rana Kapooredit
Telegraph – Online
India has always been agriculture driven nation and even after 75 years of independence, the agriculture sector continues to be the dominant sector of employment with almost 50% of the working population employed in agriculture. It also contributes about 20% to the Indian GDP and stood as the only sector that reported a positive growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. In today’s modern day and age, the agricultural sector needs constant evolution and upgradation through latest technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Sensors, Agricultural Robots, and Satellite Imagery.
Agritech projected to grow to $30 billion-$35 billion market by 2025: Bainedit
Mint – Online
As India emerges from the harsh impact of the second wave of the pandemic that disrupted businesses, the $370 billion agriculture sector is expected to undergo a complete transformation in the coming years on the back of significant technology and regulatory changes and as a result of the covid-19 impact. Agritech in the country will see significant investment and is projected to grow to a $30 billion-$35 billion market by 2025, with e-sales of produce, inputs and digitally enabled logistics as key segments, according to a new report ‘Indian Agriculture: Ripe for disruption’ by Bain & Company.
Monsoon + Indian Agriculture
Monsoon revival in the coming week may be crucial for kharif cropedit
The Economic Times – Online
The slow progress of monsoon has delayed sowing of key Kharif crops like pulses, oilseeds, paddy, and coarse grains, and some pockets of the country may have to go for re-sowing if rainfall does not revive in a week, experts have said. The India Meteorology Department (IMD) has forecast a break in the monsoon till July 5, but the industry is hoping for a revival sooner as the next one week will be crucial for Kharif output.
Make a drop count: Southwest monsoon patterns are changing. Implications for farming are huge and worrisomeedit
The Times Of India – Online
Here’s a lull this week in the progress of the southwest monsoon, the most important feature of India’s climate. Though IMD has forecast a normal monsoon this year, after two successive years of bountiful rainfall, the lull is a cause of concern. A little over 50% of India’s net sown area is under rainfed farming and a large part of the irrigated area depends on groundwater extraction through borewells. Therefore, long-term trends in the southwest monsoon overlap with economic security. In this context, a study last year by IMD on monsoon variability over a 30-year period (1989-2018) is a wakeup call. UP, Bihar and West Bengal are three of five states that have ...
Stubble Burning
Haryana unveils master plan for eco-friendly development around Sultanpur National Park in Gurugramedit
Hindustan Times – Online
Commercial mining, stone quarrying and crushing units will be prohibited up to 5km from the boundary of the national park, apart from burning of wheat and paddy stubble in the ESZ. New commercial construction within 3km from the boundary of the national park will be banned, setting up of new wood-based industries within 1km from the boundary will also be prohibited, according to June 22 notification of the Haryana government. However, no restriction will be imposed on approved existing land use, infrastructure and activities unless specified in the zoning regulations of this zonal master plan.
Rising air pollution in West Bengal no longer a Kolkata syndromeedit
Down To Earth – Online
“Polluting industries have been mostly shifted from cities, so have the polluted commercial vehicles under court order. Many of these have ended up in rural areas, triggering pollution in the belt,” he said. They claimed that moderately / less polluting industries have an almost free run as district industrial centres, to whom PCB has largely outsourced the responsibility of monitoring such industries in districts, do not have the capacity or the infrastructure to undertake the task. Rudra, however, attributed the rise in pollution in these districts to stubble burning and transboundary pollution. He, however, admitted that wider data collection and studies were required to assess the actual dynamics.