Media Monitor
| Category | Stories |
|---|---|
| Agriculture Industry | 37 |
| Budget | 3 |
| CLAAS Global Mentions | 15 |
| CLAAS Mentions | 1 |
| Competition | 11 |
| Dairy Farming | 1 |
| Dams and Indian Agriculture | 2 |
| Technology in Agriculture | 9 |
| Govt. Policies | 6 |
| Monsoon + Indian Agriculture | 15 |
| Paddy in India | 45 |
| Stubble Burning | 22 |
| Tractor industry | 1 |
Agriculture Industry
Record foodgrains production likely in 2022;farm laws repeal, price rise bitter pills for agri sectoredit
The Economic Times – Online
India achieved record foodgrains production this year but the withdrawal of three agri-reform laws and spike in cooking oil prices cast a shadow on the country’s resilient agriculture sector that is on course for better harvest in 2022 despite pandemic blues. While soaring production of foodgrains that also helped the government provide free additional rations for COVID-hit poor families for many months together came as a relief, the passing year will be remembered for the long drawn farmers’ protest at Delhi borders against the three laws and subsequent repeal of the legislations. The Indian agriculture sector, which was among the few segments that remained robust amid the pandemic gales, is expected to register ...
Uttarakhand govt encouraging cluster-based agriculture, says CM Dhamiedit
ANI News – Online
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday said that the state government is encouraging cluster-based agriculture, which is benefitting a large number of farmers. “Our government is encouraging cluster-based agriculture, which is benefitting many farmers of the state,” the Chief Minister said. He has increased the reach of agricultural machinery to small, marginal, and women farmers. Dhami today laid the foundation stone and inaugurated several projects in Dehradun. Addressing a public event, he said, “Our government has increased the reach of agricultural machinery to small, marginal, women farmers and remote areas by setting up farm machinery banks in hilly areas and custom hiring centres in plain areas.” “Financial assistance is being provided to the ...
Andhra Pradesh tops list of agriculture and allied sectors: GGIedit
The Siasat Daily – Online
Andhra Pradesh has topped the list of states under agriculture and allied sectors on the Good Governance Index (GGI) released by the Administration Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India, on Saturday in New Delhi. GGI is a comprehensive and implementable framework to assess the State of Governance in all the States and Union Territories which enables ranking of States/Districts and presents a comparative picture. Eight indicators have been identified in GGI, under the agriculture, and allied sectors, with a focus on output and institutional support like crop insurance. The salient features of Group A states, in Agriculture and allied sectors, are increasing trends observed in food grain, horticulture, meat, and milk ...
Hyderabad: Techies to turn farmers, come up with solutions to farming challengesedit
The Indian Express – Online
Stressing that affordable technology could revolutionise the farming sector, a group of software professionals from Hyderabad will soon turn into farmers themselves for the next few weeks. They will till a piece of land and sow seeds next weekend to start a short journey of experiencing real-world farming challenges to emerge with tech-enabled solutions. Over the next 45 days, as many as 100 professionals will take to the fields in teams of five and work on their allocated land parcels over each weekend till they harvest their produce and market them digitally. “The ‘agriculture hackathon’ is the first-of-its-kind where techies, aided with an agriculture expert in each team, will do everything — from preparing ...
No intention to bring back farm laws, says Union agriculture ministeredit
The Indian Express – Online
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday said that the government has no intention to bring back the three farm laws. Tomar said: “The government has no intention to bring back the farm laws. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to repeal the farm reform laws to honour farmers. In order to hide its failure, the Congress is spreading misconception.” Tomar’s statement came a day after the Congress claimed that the Centre was hatching a “conspiracy” to bring back the three farm laws. Notably, the Union agriculture minister reportedly said that the government took a “step back” and “will move forward again” while talking about the three farm laws during an event on ...
Agriculture sector contributes 20.2 % to the GVA of Indian economyedit
The Statesman – Online
The contribution of the Agriculture sector has increased to 20.2 % to the gross value added (GVA) of the country’s Economy, revealed the recently released provisional estimate of Annual National Income. The data of the National Statistical Office (NSO) further revealed that the percentage of usually working persons engaged in the Agriculture Sector is 45.6 %, which means out of every hundred persons in India 45 are engaged directly or indirectly in the Agriculture Sector. The data was released in the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the NSO, said a senior officer of the Agriculture Ministry. He further said that the share of the Agriculture and Allied sector to total Gross Value added ...
The Rise And Rise Of Agritechedit
BW Businessworld – Online
Human beings have integrated agriculture with technology since thousands of years. Be it using animals for on-field labour, or more recently using High Yielding Variety (HYV) of seeds, there has always been massive improvisation in on-farm work. Over a period of time farming has moved away from an activity of mere sustenance to one of trans-national importance with lucrative economic remunerations. For instance, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) states that the Indian food processing industry has drawn in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of USD 10.24 bn across 20 years, between April 2000 and December last year. With rising numbers, turning a blind eye to new developments is a self-kick-in-the-bucket. New ...
Agri, food sectors can help India generate $813 billion in revenue by 2030: Reportedit
CNBC TV18 – Online
With an investment of $272 billion in agritech and allied segments by 2030, India can generate $813 billion in revenue, creating 152 million jobs, making it the largest private sector industry in the country, according to a report. With agriculture remaining the mainstay of the Indian economy, investment in agritech and allied segments can transform the face of Indian agriculture with far-reaching implications for food security and sustainable farming solutions, according to a report titled ‘Investing for Impact: Food, Agri and Agritech’ by Aspire Impact. In the past decade, India attracted about $9 billion in foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the agriculture sector, said Amit Bhatia, founder of Aspire Circle and creator, Impact Future ...
Telangana: Farmers step cautiously into alternate crops in Sangareddy, reap benefitsedit
The Times of India – Online
Open to an idea that had been sown into his mind, Havappa, a farmer from Chapta village in Sangareddy district, experimented by cultivating sesamum, much before the government started advising farmers not to cultivate paddy. Havappa was cautious. He chose to grow sesame in only 10 guntas of land. The yield fetched him good returns. The experiment with sesame two years ago has given Havappa the confidence to scale it up to cultivating the crop on one acre of land. The farmer is set to gain a profit of Rs 52,700 after an expenditure of Rs 4,900 is deducted. He is set to get an yield of 480 kg which will be sold ...
Government’s resolve on agriculture reforms will be tested in 2022edit
Moneycontrol – Online
The year 2022 will be momentous for agriculture, as the issue of a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops is expected to be finally decided. History will remember 2021 as a year that showcased the indomitable spirit of Indian farmers. They overcame heavy odds, from inclement weather to incessant and intense opposition on various television channels and social media, particularly WhatsApp. The onslaught continued even after the government showed grace and accepted their demand for the repeal of the three farm laws that they were agitating against. These laws were necessary for the continuation of the long-term reform agenda of agriculture. Though farmers’ demand for a legal guarantee of MSP has not been ...
Watch | Is COP26, Climate Change and 1.5°C Target Possible Without Improving Agriculture?edit
The Wire – Online
This episode of ‘Krishi Ki Baat’ brings two experts environmentalist Vandana Shiva and former foreign secretary and Indian COP negotiator Shyam Saran to comment on the developments at COP26. As the dust settles on the COP26 resolutions signed at Glasgow. This episode of ‘Krishi Ki Baat’ brings two experts environmentalist Vandana Shiva and former foreign secretary and Indian COP negotiator Shyam Saran to comment on these developments. Saran sets the tone of the discussion by explaining COP26 and what it means for us. Then Vandana Shiva links COP26 to opportunities missed in agriculture and also discusses the threats.
Supporting agriculture the smart wayedit
Financial Express – Online
Several countries, especially the G-20, support their agriculture. Research evidence tells us that the best way to support agriculture in a sustainable and competitive manner is to invest in agri-R&D, agricultural-extension systems, and connect farmers to lucrative markets, domestic and external, by building efficient value-chains. Giving farmers their right to choose best technologies and best markets is fundamental to robust functioning of agri-systems and augmenting farmers’ incomes. But in a democratic system, policies are not always framed on scientific basis. They are often influenced by various lobbies, including politicians who, at election times, offer freebies like free electricity, farm loan waivers as ‘doles for votes’. This short-sightedness results in sub-optimal or even irrational policy ...
Kisan Diwas 2021: How farmers and agripreneurs are making the most of technology that is at their disposaledit
The Free Press Journal – Online
Retracing actor extraordinaire Manoj Bajpayee’s brand endorsements in 2021 makes one marvel at the ingenuity of his choices. He endorsed products and services that matter to an ordinary person, be it home, finance, farm, food, and rightly so. “I was born and brought up in a village, and I have always flaunted being a farmer’s son with immense pride. It is the core of my being, my work and how I choose to do what I do,” he says. A proud farmer’s son, he endorsed Krish-e App by Mahindra because the product reflects his identity, and he could relate to it. “More so, because I find technology a great enabler, and Krish-e has ...
What is zero budget natural farming, the agricultural practice being promoted by Modi government?edit
Scroll.in – Online
Zero budget natural farming, which has been on the central government’s agenda, has recently got another push from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On December 14, while addressing an event marking the 98th-anniversary celebration of Sadguru Sadafaldeo Vihangam Yog Sansthan in Varanasi, Modi said zero budget natural farming should become a mass movement and people should be made aware of its benefits. The PM also promoted zero budget natural farming while addressing around 5,000 farmers in a valedictory session via video conferencing at the National Summit of Agro and Food Processing in Gujarat’s Anand on December 16. “Farmers from all over the country will join in this,” said Modi in Varanasi. “I would like that all of ...
Need to take agriculture out of lab and link it with nature: PM Modiedit
Hindustan Times – Online
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked farmers to adopt natural farming techniques to ensure better produce and longevity of the soil while stressing on the need to take agriculture out of the chemistry lab and connect it with the nature’s lab. Addressing farmers and scientists virtually during the three-day national conclave on natural farming, held in Gujarat’s Anand, Modi said though the world has progressed technologically, it has also been connected to its roots and this should be adopted in farming too. “We have to take agriculture out of the chemistry lab and connect it to the lab of nature. When I talk about nature’s laboratory, it is completely science-based. Today, the more modern ...
Pre-budget consultation: Agri experts for MSP based on realistic costedit
Business Standard – Online
Farmer organisations and agri experts on Wednesday pressed for MSP based on realistic cost of production, higher subsidies on diesel and allowing new technologies like genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their pre-Budget submission to the finance ministry. Ministers of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary and Bhagwat Karad held the first pre-Budget consultations with representatives of agriculture and agro processing industry through virtual mode. In order to achieve the target of doubling farmers’ income, Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations (CIFA) Chief Adviser P Chengal Reddy said the government should increase priority sector lending to agriculture by 25 per cent. He suggested that the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, which is the government’s advisory body on ...
Pre-budget consultation starts with agriculture and agro-processing industryedit
ThePrint – Online
Finance Ministry started the pre-budget consultation on Wednesday. The first consultation was held with the representatives of the agriculture and agro-processing industry. Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary and Minister of State for New & Renewable Energy, Chemicals and Fertilizers, Bhagwanth Khuba jointly held the consultation through video conferencing. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was unable to attend the meeting due to her engagement in Parliament. Ramesh Chand, Member, Niti Aayog, Ajay Vir Jhakar, Chairman, Krushak Samaj, and other representatives from Agriculture and Agro-processing industry gave their valuable suggestions for the Union Budget 2022-23. Jakhar said the Government needs to design a robust pre-budget consultation process and system to have beneficiaries assess programmes to enable ...
PM Modi to address national summit on zero-budget natural farming in Gujaratedit
Hindustan Times – Online
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a national summit to popularize zero-budget natural farming (ZNBF) on December 16 in Gujarat’s Anand, as policymakers prepare for a big push for the technique agricultural scientists say is unproven. The National Summit on Agro and Food Processing, in which Modi is set to make a valedictory address via videoconferencing, is being organized by the Gujarat government. Nearly 5,000 farmers are expected to take part, besides 80 institutes of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Krishi Vigyan Kendras, or state-run farm-extension centres. “In the summit, basic knowledge on how to adopt zero-budget natural farming will be showcased,” agriculture secretary Sanjay Agarwal said in a media briefing on Monday. ...
Agricultural reform is a political hot potato better left to statesedit
Firstpost – Online
When the Constitution was being written, it placed agriculture on the State and Concurrent List, making it both a state subject and a Central one. Albeit with the preponderance of the states’ authority to legislate on agriculture. The clue on how to proceed after the three farm laws were withdrawn recently by the Centre lies in this fact. It may be best to leave it to the states in the broad interests of India’s quasi-federalism. However, since 50 percent of the population still live in rural areas, anything to do with agricultural reform is a political hot potato. States and the Centre as well tend to throw some relief money via yojanas at it rather than ...
MSP panel to be formed soon, says Agriculture secretaryedit
The Indian Express – Online
A committee to decide on matters such as promotion of zero budgeting farming and making the minimum support price (MSP) more “effective and transparent”, will be constituted soon, Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agrawal said on Monday. Responding to a question about when the committee on zero budget farming and MSP would be set up, Agrawal said, “Very near future.” He added that the Prime Minister has already announced that zero-budget natural farming has to be taken up on a mission mode. Agrawal was briefing the media about a December 14 event on natural farming in Anand, Gujarat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the valedictory function virtually on December 16. However, Agrawal ...
‘Three-pronged strategy for agricultural growth in Odisha’edit
The New Indian Express – Online
The State government has adopted a three-pronged strategy to ensure agricultural growth and multiply farmers’ income, Principal Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department Suresh Kumar Vashishth said. Addressing an event on input management of rabi crop for farmer producer organisations (FPOs) at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, here, Vashishth said the focus now is on small and marginal farmers to encourage them to diversity and go for high value and climate-resilient crops. “Farmers are being motivated for crop diversification and integrated farming while promoting farm ponds so that they can take up pisciculture along with horticulture,” he said. Odisha’s cultivation pattern was heavily tilted towards paddy with the crop claiming 70 per ...
Consensus key to seeding farm reformedit
Financial Express – Online
The repeal of the farm laws and the government’s giving in to farmers’ demands is a blow to reform. Indeed, if there is something to be learnt from the 15-month agitation by farm unions, it is that consensus is critical for any major change and that confrontation is best avoided. The tenacious farmers have upped the ante and are demanding a legally guaranteed MSP for 23 crops. Although the government has assured them the current procurement of foodgrains, to comply with the Food Security Act, will continue, they want more. The procurement system is an inefficient one with the government buying more than it can sell and tonnes of grains rotting in warehouses. Legalising MSPs ...
Data revolution in Indian agricultureedit
The Times of India – Online
The Indian agriculture sector is valued at 370 Billion USD and generates close to 49% of the total employment in the country. Even with these glowing statistics, it took almost 65 years after independence for this industry to embark on the path of digital transformation. The last ten years have proven to be a complete game-changer, with the digitization process happening at a much rapid rate as compared to other arenas operating in the subcontinent. Since the launch of the ‘India Digital Ecosystem for Agriculture ‘ (IDEA) program by the government, the entire outlook towards the agriculture system has switched from being opaque to transparent. The emergence of several new-age startups is further ...
‘Precision farming’ scientific methods boost agriculture in India: Reportedit
ANI News – Online
‘Precision farming’ scientific methods boosts which involves the application of information technology in the field of agriculture will boost the farming sector in India. Immemorial, agriculture as a profession has had a lasting impact on the economy as well as the quality of life of the common Indian. However, even with the use of novel technology and rapid advancements in the field of research & development, there has been less than expected progress in the agricultural or animal husbandry or fishery sector over the past many decades, according to the Saudi Gazette. Precision farming would ensure that remote sensing is used to conduct various operations like finding out the best tillage, application of fertilizers, harvesting ...
‘Crop diversification can boost prosperity of farmers’edit
The Times of India – Online
Crop diversification can ensure rural prosperity and will prove to be a game changer for the agrarian states like Punjab, said Punjab chief secretary Anirudh Tewari while chairing a workshop on “diversification of crops”, held at at Indian School of Business, Mohali on Thursday. The event was organised by the department of agriculture and farmers’ welfare Punjab under the aegis of Union ministry of agriculture. Addressing the inaugural session, the chief secretary stressed upon the need for crop diversification for the whole of the nation and not only for Punjab and the role of stakeholder consideration in policy formulation for crop diversification plan on top agenda. “Main objective of crop diversification is ...
Top 6 Innovations in Technology That Can Improve The Effectiveness of Agriculture Industryedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
The Indian agriculture industry has performed quite well during the pressing times of Covid 19 pandemic, in fact, it would not be unfair to say that the Indian agriculture industry was the saviour of the Indian economy during the pandemic. However, like any other field, the Indian Agri industry needs to evolve and keep up with the times so listed below are six of the latest innovations in the field of agriculture that farmers can take advantage of in the coming days.
Farmer to defer protests for now, SKM will make ‘major announcement’edit
Business Standard – Online
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of the farmers protesting along the borders of the national capital over agricultural issues, have agreed to the draft proposal prepared by the Central government, and is expected make a “major announcement” on Thursday. Following its meeting on Wednesday, the farmers’ body said that their stir has not ended but it has been postponed for now, adding they would continue pressing the government over the Minimum Support Price (MSP) issue. A meeting is likely to be held on Thursday noon to decide the further strategy of the movement.
Agricultural Scientists Issue Advisory for Farmers Regarding Cultivation of Wheat, Potato, Mustardedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
Agricultural scientists of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) have issued an advisory for farmers regarding the cultivation of wheat, potato, mustard, and vegetables. It has been said that keeping the temperature in mind, farmers should sow late wheat at the earliest. 125 kg seed will be required per hectare. The improved varieties of late wheat are HD-3059, HD-3237, HD-3271, HD-3117, WR-544, PB W-373, UP-2338, UP-2425, and Raj-3765. Before sowing, treat the seeds with thiram @ 2.0 g per kg of seed. In the fields where there is an infestation of termites, farmers should sprinkle Chlorpyrifas (20 EC) @ 5.0 liters per hectare with Paleva or in a dry field. The amount of nitrogen, ...
India Aims To Export $43 Billion Agricultural Productsedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
On Sunday, in an official statement Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State of Commerce and Industry said – “The country has set a $400 billion target for merchandize exports for 2021-22, of which $262 billion has already been achieved in the April-November 2021-22 periods.” While addressing the Agri-Export Conference cum Buyer-Seller Meet, at Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh) on Saturday Anupriya said – “a record export target of $43 billion has been set for agricultural products in 2021-22 and because of efforts by APEDA and farmers, this target would be achieved in the current fiscal.” At the event organized by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the government release stated Patel saying – ...
70% of country’s agriculture land to be brought under cereals crop by 2050: Haryana horticulture varsity V-Cedit
Hindustan Times – Online
Around 70% agricultural land of the country needs to be brought under cereals crop cultivation by 2050 in order to feed the country’s population, said Maharana Pratap Horticulture University vice chancellor Prof Samar Singh. “By 2050, India will witness one-third increase in its population and there will be more pressure to grow foodgrains. There will be need to increase the cultivation of cereals crop to 70%,” the V-C said in his address in a webinar organised by the university on the occasion of International Soil Day. He expressed concerns over decreasing area under cultivation and depleting groundwater levels in country. “We need to increase production of foodgrains. Also, diversification from agriculture to horticulture is the ...
Modi’s farm reform reversal to deter investment in India’s agricultureedit
ET Auto – Online
India’s repeal of agriculture laws aimed at deregulating produce markets will starve its vast farm sector of much-needed private investment and saddle the government with budget-sapping subsidies for years, economists said. Late last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government introduced three laws meant to open up agriculture markets to companies and attract private investment, triggering India’s longest-running protest by farmers who said the reforms would allow corporations to exploit them. With an eye on a critical election in populous Uttar Pradesh state early next year, Modi agreed to rescind the laws in November, hoping to smooth relations with the powerful farm lobby which sustains nearly half the country’s 1.3 billion people and accounts for about ...
India’s Apr-Nov agricultural, processed food exports up 13% y-o-yedit
Business Standard – Online
Indias exports of agricultural and processed food products rose by more than 13 per cent during the first eight months of the current fiscal on a year-on-year basis. As per the data furnished by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, export of products under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) ambit increased from $11.671 billion in April-November 2020-21 to $13.261 billion in April-November 2021-22. The target for exports under the APEDA basket products has been set at $23.713 billion for 2021-22. “The export of rice was the top forex earner at $5,937 million during April-November 2021-22, growing 11 per cent over the corresponding period of 2020-21 when it had touched ...
India needs a comprehensive agricultural policyedit
The New Indian Express – Online
The repealing of the three controversial legislations by the Government of India must be seen as a victory for the Indian farmers, especially because policymakers were not able to convince the cultivators that the legislations were enacted to serve their interests. At the same time, this episode also serves as a reminder to the policymakers that laws and policies must be enacted after detailed consultations with all stakeholders and after giving due consideration to the interests of all concerned. In a country that has seen decades of discussions on the importance of people-centred development, it is time that policymakers adopt this framework for betterment of citizens. There is no doubt that the ...
In-Depth: Codifying MSP Will Destroy Indian Agriculture And Farmersedit
Swarajya – Online
More often than not, the government’s agreement to one bad idea is an incentive for the demanding parties to advocate for far worse ideas. In this case, the decision of the Modi government to repeal the farm laws has opened the floodgates for more demands from the eccentric farmers and their leaders, beginning with codifying or legalising MSP. Losing both the carrots and the stick to appease the protesting farmers, the government has embraced a downward spiral to nowhere, and finds itself stumped, given the laws stand repealed but without the borders to Delhi being cleared. Since wasting tax-payers’ money through prolonged protests is not enough, ‘farmers’ now want the government to have a Minimum Support ...
Farmers advance wheat sowing in Punjab’s Malwa beltedit
Hindustan Times – Online
Sowing of wheat, the main rabi crop of south Malwa belt of Punjab, is expected to be over two weeks earlier than the regular trend in the region. Agriculture experts attribute the early sowing to pink bollworm infestation as cotton growers preferred to clear fields well before the traditional period for wheat sowing. Fazilka chief agriculture officer Resham Singh said as per regular practice, wheat sowing in the south Malwa belt lasts till December 15 or even later as farmers switch to rabi sowing after harvesting third and final picking of cotton balls. After facing a drastic fall in cotton yield due to the pest attack, farmers hope for a bumper winter crop. But ...
GDP report card: Agriculture sees 4.5% growth in second quarteredit
Business Standard – Online
Gross value added in agriculture and allied activities clocked a healthy growth rate of 4.5 per cent at constant prices in the second quarter of FY22, up from 3 per cent during the same period last fiscal year and 3.5 per cent in Q2 of 2019-20. In the first quarter of FY22, gross value added in the sector was also 4.5 per cent. Growth in current prices was also a healthy 7.9 per cent in July-September 2021-22, up from 7.3 per cent in the same quarter last fiscal year. It was slightly less than the 8.7 per cent of the second quarter of 2019-20. The inflation impact thus translated into 3.4 per cent in the ...
It’s now or never moment for agricultureedit
The Hans India – Online
At a time when the emphasis of all governments is heavily on Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence and other ‘vital’ areas, the year-long agitation of the North Indian formers on the borders of the national capital has brought many key issues related to agriculture to the fore. The hitherto overlooked crucial aspects of farming are in for a nation-wide intense debate and discussion before and after the repeal of the three contentious farm laws. Though every political party is trying to derive some political mileage out of the situation, hapless farming community is anticipating a better deal, at least now. In all probability, the iron resolve of the agitating farmers may find a permanent solution ...
Budget
In PM Modi’s Council Of Ministers Meet, Budget 2022, Agricultural Sector Reforms Discussededit
Republic World – Online
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a meeting with his Council of Ministers where a key deliberation was held on the Budget 2022, sources revealed. Republic TV has accessed exclusive details of the PM’s council of ministers meeting where the budget to fulfil all remaining promises before the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections was discussed, with a special focus on the Agriculture sector. During the meeting, PM Modi emphasized that the work for India’s century of Independence in 2047 should begin now, sources reported. Whosoever hoists the flag from the red fort in 2047, every Indian should feel proud of the journey, he asserted. PM Modi also spoke about how President Ram Nath Kovind’s address ...
Punjab: MP Partap Bajwa calls for separate agriculture budgetedit
Hindustan Times – Online
Rajya Sabha member Partap Singh Bajwa on Friday urged Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi to introduce a separate budget for agriculture and incorporate crop diversification in the name of the ministry of agriculture and farmers’ welfare. In a letter to Channi, Bajwa, who is also the chairman of the Congress manifesto committee for the 2022 state polls, said the government should introduce a specialised and focused agricultural budget as the need to diversify from the paddy/wheat cycle was imperative to protect the future of every Punjabi. “It is time for Punjab to take the lead in showcasing a strong alternative model for agricultural development across India,” he wrote, referring to another letter he sent ...
Agriculture Budget Increased To Rs 1,23,000 Crore: Govtedit
Ahmedabad Mirror – Online
The government on Tuesday said in the Lok Sabha that the agriculture budget has been increased to Rs 1,23,000 crore which earlier used to be around Rs 21,000 crore. Responding to a question during the Question Hour, Minister of States for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Kailash Chaudhary said that the government is incentivizing the farmers under crop diversification scheme and these incentives have also been given in horticulture. The government has also increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of different crops and is committed to increase the income of the farmers. Replying to a question on the crop loss in Andhra Pradesh, he also said that the government gives compensation to the farmers if the ...
CLAAS Global Mentions
Farm machinery giant Claas hails 126% increase in profitsedit
The Press and Journal – Online
Farm machinery giant Claas enjoyed a 126% increase in pre-tax profits last year despite supply chain challenges caused by Covid-19. The latest accounts for the company, which cover the year to September 30 2021, show pre-tax profits of 357 million euros (£301m) – up from 158m euros (£133m) the year before. Sales were also up in the year by 18.7% to 4.8 billion euros (£4.04bn), and Claas said it experienced double-digit growth in all world regions. “Claas managed to achieve growth despite the supply-side bottlenecks and the pandemic,” said Thomas Bock, chairman of the Claas Group executive board. “We even registered a double-digit rise in revenue and a significant improvement in profitability across ...
A Claas Xerion 5000 slurry tanker breaks records at £525,000 at Cheffins machinery saleedit
A Scottish Farmer – Online
Founder of the business, Charles Baker, started contracting in 1974 and kicked off his contracting with a Ford 4000. With more than 70,000 page views on the Cheffins website and 600 bidders in total taking part online, records were broken with a top bid of £525,000 being placed for a Claas Xerion 5000 slurry tanker – the highest amount paid for any second-hand piece of agricultural machinery at auction. Close behind on £425,000 was a 2017 Vredo 7028/3 self-propelled spreader, whilst a 2020 John Deere 7R330 sold for a staggering £183,000. Managing director of RC Baker Ltd, Charles Baker commented: “We couldn’t be happier with the result of the sale. It all came together ...
Claas Xerion 5000 slurry tanker breaks recordsedit
South West Farmer – Online
A Claas Xerion 5000 slurry tanker was sold for £525,000 – it’s the highest amount ever paid for any secondhand piece of farm machinery at auction. The RC Baker collection made more than £3million in the auction that took place on December 16 – the highest ever grossing on-site sale that Cheffins has ever held. Hosted at the R C Baker Ltd premises in Banbury, Oxfordshire and also streamed live online, the auction included more than 150 lots, including a fleet of John Deere tractors and various other machinery items and implements. Highlights from the sale include £425,000 for a 2017 Vredo 7028/3 self-propelled spreader, £183,000 for a 2020 John Deere 7R330, £126,000 for ...
Claas turnover grows by 19% in 2021edit
Irish Farmers Journal – Online
Claas, the well-known German machinery manufacturer, increased its revenue in the 2021 fiscal year by 19% to €4.798bn, up from €4.042bn last year. This brought pre-tax earnings up to €357m (€158m last year). Claas said that the drivers of last year’s growth in North America and eastern Europe have been joined by the core markets in western and central Europe, including Germany and France. The UK also experienced major growth, despite the uncertainty surrounding Brexit. Expenditure on research and development set a new record at €262m. Investments in fixed assets totalled €138m, and included developments at its tractor factory in France and modernisation of the combine production facilities in Germany and Russia. The manufacturer ...
Claas releases seven dual rotor Liner swather modelsedit
North Queensland Register – Online
Looking for excellent ground-contour following for optimum raking performance with minimal forage contamination? The next generation of Claas’ dual-rotor central Liner swathers could be for you. Claas Harvest Centre Greenline product manager Blair McAlwee said the seven new Liner models offer numerous innovative features and functions to ensure premium forage quality. “The Grass Care rotor guidance system ensures that the rotors are actively suspended during operation,” Mr McAlwee said. “When the rotor arms are lowered, the rear rotor wheels touch down first, producing a ‘jet-effect’ that prevents the tines from digging in and damaging the grass sward.” The two Business models also incorporate Active Float rotor suspension and load-sensing hydraulics. “This functions in a ...
CLAAS goes used when new is hard to come byedit
Successful Farming – Online
Supply chain issues have disrupted everything from chicken tenders to computer chips, and many growers across North America are feeling the effects. Earlier this year, Claas launched its Pre-Sell Program to ensure the company has the components necessary to meet farmers’ demand and build machines amid component shortages due to supply chain disruptions. Now, to help farmers get access to the equipment they need, Claas is announcing its CLAAS USED program for North America that will offer professionally inspected and protected “Certified” pre-owned equipment. “The new CLAAS USED program is designed to enhance our dealers’ ability to reach the public, remarketing their used equipment through our new website,” says Allen Miller, Claas’ North American remarketing ...
Claas UK to take apprenticeship program in-houseedit
AgriLand – Online
It is 20 years since Claas UK launched their apprenticeship program and this has gone from strength to strength, with a record number of apprentices joining the scheme in 2020. In light of the increased demand for good quality apprenticeships the company has now made the decision to raise their apprentice programme to a new level. As from February 2022, in an industry first, Claas UK will be taking their apprentice training ‘in-house’ in a new dedicated Apprenticeship Academy directly adjacent to the award winning Claas Academy on the site of the Claas UK headquarters at Saxham. The development of the new purpose built Apprentice Academy will make Claas the only UK agricultural machinery manufacturer to ...
Farm machine maker Claas sees more chip snags in 2022edit
Reuters – Online
Agricultural machinery maker Claas said on Thursday it expects difficulties in securing semiconductor chips to persist for the first half of next year, which could curb a surge in profits linked to booming farm demand. An upturn in orders from farmers, who are benefiting from high crop prices after several lean years, has boosted earnings for equipment makers like U.S. giant Deere & Co. Brisk farm machine demand has coincided with soaring costs of raw materials and supply chain disruption during the coronavirus pandemic, with a scarcity of electronic chips causing production snags, like in the car industry. While steel prices appeared to have peaked, the supply squeeze in chips was not expected to ease until ...
Claas of America Introduces Used Equipment Programedit
Farm Equipment – Online
Claas of America announces Claas Used, a pre-owned equipment program for North America that combines the performance and efficiency of a Claas machine, with professionally inspected and protected “Certified” units and special low-rate financing through Claas Financial Services. Supply chain disruptions and financial constraints have affected many growers across North America. Now, growers can get the right Claas equipment — from combines and tractors to forage harvesters and hay tools — at a price that fits their operation. The Claas pre-owned equipment can be accessed through CLAASUsedEquipment.com. “Every operation has different equipment needs, but today’s business-minded ag professional should not have to compromise on efficiency or the bottom line,” says Allen Miller, North American remarketing ...
Claas revenues rise by almost 20%edit
Agriland – Online
Claas, one of the world’s most well-known manufacturers of agricultural machinery, increased its revenue in the 2021 fiscal year by 19% to €4.8 billion. Pre-tax earnings rose to €357 million, compared to €158 million the previous year. Thomas Bock, Chair of the Claas Group executive board said: “Claas managed to achieve growth despite the supply-side bottlenecks and the pandemic. “We even registered a double-digit rise in revenue and a significant improvement in profitability across all world regions.” The drivers of last year’s growth in North America and eastern Europe have been joined by the core markets in western and central Europe, including Germany and France, which are important for Claas, according to the company. The United ...
Claas retools certified pre-owned equipment programedit
Canadian Cattlemen – Online
The North American arm of German aq equipment maker Claas has revamped the warranty and financing options it offers on sales of company-inspected pre-owned tractors, combines and forage harvesters. The new program, dubbed ‘Claas Used,’ will offer warranty protection on certified late-model units in Canada and the U.S., along with lower-rate financing through Claas Financial Services. The Claas Used program replaces the ‘First Claas Used’ program set up in 2018, which in turn was billed as the “next generation” plan following the Lexion Field Ready Reconditioned program set up in 2011. The new program also scraps the First Claas Used system of gold-, silver- and bronze-level classifications on used Claas equipment in favour of a ...
Biggest farm machinery launches of 2021edit
Farmers Weekly – Online
An “S” derivative of JCB’s TM420 pivot-steer telehandler broke cover in February, bringing with it more power and a new eight-speed gearbox. The range-topper is an evolution of the standard TM420, launched in 2018, and uses the same 4.8-litre Dieselmax engine as much of the firm’s telehandler range. However, it pumps out a whopping 173hp and 690Nm of torque, putting it at the apex of the TM line-up. Other improvements include the new eight-speed powershift transmission that is tuned to deliver a 50kph top speed, and the use of two hydraulic pumps that are able to provide peak flow at lower revs. Regenerative hydraulics are standard, which help to increase cycle times and allow multiple ...
Cheffins host major machinery sale on behalf of RC Bakeredit
Farmers Weekly – Online
East Anglia-based auctioneer Cheffins is to oversee the sale of more than 150 lots on behalf of Oxfordshire contractor RC Baker. The sale comprises the machinery of former NAAC chairman and 2009 winner of Farmers Weekly’s Contractor of the Year Charles Baker, who has amassed an impressive range of equipment since he began contracting in 1974 with a Ford 4000. A fleet of seven John Deere tractors, each under four years old, will be a particular highlight of the auction. Models include 6215R, 6250R and 7R330 series, with prices estimated to range from £80,000 to £180,000. Other items in the sale include a 2020 Claas Xerion 5000 slurry tanker and gooseneck Kaweco combination, which is ...
Claas releases new four-rotor Liner swathersedit
Queensland Country Life – Online
The next generation of Claas’ four-rotor Liner swathers have been redesigned from the ground up to optimise productivity and forage quality. Available in four models with working widths from 9.3 to 15 metres, they incorporate numerous features, including telescopic arms, excellent ground contouring, ease of operation and a low transport height. Claas Harvest Centre Greenline product manager Blair McAlwee said the telescopic arms extend and retract via a patented three-stage system for rapid adjustment of the working width. “Depending on the model, the width of each swath can be adjusted from 1.3 to 2.5m and the overall working width from 3.4 to 4.9m,” Mr McAlwee said. “In the Trend configuration, swath width is adjusted ...
CLAAS renewed its management team in Americaedit
Infocampo – Online
After 21 years as president of CLAAS Argentina, Thomas Leonhardt retired, leaving his place to Santiago Larroux , who from now on will hold the presidency of CLAAS Argentina together with the vice-presidency of CLAAS Latin America. Larroux will be reported by Martin Rosenberger, who joins as the new finance director for Argentina and Latin America, replacing Klaus Theo Reimann , and also the current directors Reynaldo Postacchini, of institutional, governmental, export and product relations, and Eduardo Gross, of sales. , marketing, after-sales and logistics. The local team is joined by Federico Leonhardt as legal advisor and alternate director of CLAAS Argentina, Leandro Henz as Regional Director for Latin America and Federico Wasinger, Regional Manager of ...
CLAAS Mentions
Agricultural Balers Market to Witness Massive Growth by John Deere, Vermeer, Claas, etc.edit
Daulat Guru – Online
Global ”Agricultural Balers market” report contains a detailed analysis of the current state and future scope along with the sales patterns, market size, share, price structure, and market progressions. The study discusses the underlying trends and impact of various factors that drive the market, along with their influence on the evolution of the Agricultural Balers market. This report briefly deals with the product life cycle, comparing it to the relevant products from across industries and then evaluates the snapshot given by Porter’s five forces analysis for identifying new opportunities in this industry. A thorough evaluation of the restrain included in this report portrays contrast to drivers which helps make strategic planning easier.
Competition
John Deere selects Thoughtworks to build technology architectureedit
Infotech Lead – Online
The aim of the technology deal is to offer new digital experiences and microservices for John Deere customers, dealers and other stakeholders across traditional and digital channels. The solution includes data-based analytics that drive evolution and innovation for new digital services. The team’s work is guided by DevOps principles leveraging customer life-cycle best practices, methodologies, processes, CI/CD tools and documentation, said Chris Murphy, chief executive officer, Thoughtworks North America.
Sonalika launches Tiger Di 75 4WD tractor range at Rs 11 lakhedit
Autocar Professional – Online
The Tiger 75 4WD with CRDs technology complies with Trem IV emission norms and offers power of 75 HP and economy of 65 HP tractor just with a touch of a button. Alongside, the OEM has also introduced the Tiger DI 65 4WD tractor which has been customised with twin benefit to deliver 65 HP power and economy of 55 HP tractor. The Tiger series has been designed in Europe and has been a popular choice for the customers since its launch in 2019. The new models will be available in 4W and 2W drive versions and boast of premium technologies such as 12+12 shuttle tech transmission and 5G hydraulic control system. Both the tractors ...
Krish-e: A Platform to Address Agriculture Challenges & Deliver Real Impactedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
Today, with the largest farmer community and the second-highest arable land in the world, making it one of the world’s largest food producers, Indian agriculture is on the cusp of a new era i.e., e-Agriculture. To transform Indian agriculture through its expert agriculture consultant services, Krish-e aims to advance millions of farmers to get the best from their farms. Launched in 2020, Krish-e is a new business vertical from Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. that provides technology-driven services, which are progressive, affordable & accessible to farmers. It enables farmers to maximize the potential of their farms through the implementation of modern farming methods and the provision of optimal digital agriculture services. The Krish-e ecosystem encompasses everything ...
Maize Diseases: Farmers Beware of These 5 Dangerous Diseases of Maizeedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
Maize is a major cash crop in India & is extensively grown in all the states of the country for various purposes including grain, fodder, green cobs, sweet corn, baby corn, popcorn in peri-urban areas. It is used as a raw material for alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, gum, paper and packaging industry etc. It is the main source of income for the farmers of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. Farmers suffer a lot as they are not able to recognize the symptoms of various maize diseases. This is where Krishe Nidaan app will prove to be very helpful for the farmers. Krish-e Nidaan identifies common plant diseases and pests affecting your crop ...
Mahindra nudges farmers towards mechanisation, seeks win-winedit
Fortune – Online
Corporate India is increasingly realising the importance of business models built on the pillar of purpose and taking initiatives that would benefit the community at large. From Hindustan Unilever and ITC to the Tata Group and Godrej, building a purposeful business is at the heart of their strategic growth strategy. What is good for the country would be good for the business, is the philosophy of most companies of India Inc and Mahindra is no different. Mahindra & Mahindra’s two-year-old omni-channel farm service business (which seeks to improve the per acre income of farmers through its bouquet of advisory services), Krish-e, is all set for the next level of growth. A part of Mahindra’s ₹18,433-crore farm ...
What is Anand Mahindra’s suggestion for parents getting Mahindra toy tractors? See postedit
Mint – Online
Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra is quite active on Twitter and is very popular for his witty tweets. The Mahindra Group chairman on Sunday posted a tweet on parenting. The Indian business magnate, while telling readers how to build self-confidence in young kids asked the parents to be very careful like “this parent was!!” if any of the parents were trying it with their own toy Mahindra tractor. The Mahindra group in 2019 launched an electric toy tractor for ‘very young, budding agriculturists’. The Mahindra Group chairman had then tweeted a couple of photos of the Mahindra Novo, calling it “the most adorable piece of an automobile.” “So is this a new tractor model we’re launching? ...
The Conversation—Anish Shahedit
Fortune India – Online
It’s been around a year since you’ve been running the group. What is the one big change that you have implemented Technically, I’ve been in this role since April (2021), but a lot of the work started in April last year when we started taking the tough decisions. The one big change is going back to the group’s earlier fiscal discipline. Ten years ago, we had leadership that included Bharat Doshi and Uday Phadke, who really drove fiscal discipline. We may have lost that for a variety of reasons, but it was important to get it back, and we are on track. What has been done to maintain a tighter ship? In the long term, ...
Mahindra-owned Pininfarina designs an uber cool tractor. Get it to India, we sayedit
HT Auto – Online
Regardless of where you may be at, tractors would hardly ever make you pause, stare, marvel and stare again. Big, bulky and often bellowing smoke, the hardy farm equipment is an absolute essential but for its work, not looks. But give Pininfarina a chance and tractors would never look the same. The Mahindra-owned Pininfarina is renowned for designing some of the most impressive exotic and performance cars in the world. The Batista supercar, in fact, is all set to even hit production lines. But while Batista is built for performance, Pininfarina has also designed a sleek and futuristic tractor for New Holland, an established name in the agricultural sector. Called Straddle, this Pininfarina-designed tractor concept ...
Mahindra PV sales up 8% amid chip crunch, tractors drop 17% in Novemberedit
Business Standard – Online
Passenger Vehicle sales at Mahindra & Mahindra rose 8 per cent year-on-year in November, even as production remained affected due to the chip shortage, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. The maker of Scorpio and Thar models sold 19,384 units during the month against 17,971 units in the same month last year. “The demand remains strong across our product portfolio of SUVs, pickups, and small commercial vehicles. Momentum in exports continues with a 90 per cent growth. The issues around semiconductor related parts continue to remain a challenge for the industry. We are monitoring the situation closely and taking appropriate steps,” said Veejay Nakra, chief executive officer, automotive division, M&M. Company’s tractor sales ...
New Holland and Pininfarina develop straddle tractor concept for narrow vineyardsedit
Autocar Professional – Online
Pininfarina has developed a futuristic design around a high-comfort, high-safety cab, and ready for the electric traction in line with the New Holland Clean Energy Leader strategy. The Straddle Tractor Concept is designed to meet the demanding requirements of narrow vineyards typical of the premium wine growing regions such as Champagne, Medoc and Burgundy. These operations produce high-quality, high-value wines from grapes grown in rows less than one-and-a-half metre wide, often on steep slopes and on small vineyards. In these conditions, grapes are picked by hand and most of the vine maintenance work is done by means of a tractor travelling overhead the rows. The design of the front of the machine combines function ...
Escorts Agri Machinery records 30% decline in tractor salesedit
Business Standard – Online
Escorts Agri Machinery (EAM) in November 2021 sold 7,116 tractors as against 10,165 tractors sold in November 2020, a drop of 30% year-on-year. Domestic tractor sales in November 2021 was at 6,492 tractors as against 9,662 tractors in November 2020. Delayed harvest of Kharif crops owing to late monsoon rains this year affected the rural cash flows and hence the retail demand. This we believe is a temporary phenomenon and cash flows should start improving soon as Kharif harvest gets fully monetized. Industry wholesale in November was further impacted by post-season channel destocking. Going forward all macroeconomic factors remain in favour of the tractor industry. However high inflation remains a worry impacting profitability. Export tractor ...
Dairy Farming
This Device Worth Only Rs 5000 Can Bring Yet Another White Revolution In Indiaedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
The combination of a steel milk pail and a power charger that can cool milk in 30 minutes has the potential to transform India’s dairy industry. The nano fluid-based technology pail can hold seven litres of milk and refrigerate it in 30 minutes from 37°C to 7°C. Dairy technologist Ravi Prakash, who is pursuing a PhD at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) in Bengaluru, aims to make the pail, which cost around Rs 9,000 in early prototype versions, more accessible. He spent nearly Rs 10 lakh on a system that cools raw milk from ambient temperature to below the critical limit, thanks to NDRI funding. “Time is of the essence ...
Dams and Indian Agriculture
Radhanagari gate malfunction causes damage to farm motorsedit
Times of India – Online
A sudden increase in the water level of the Bhogavati river — due to the Radhanagari dam service gate malfunction on Wednesday — has allegedly damaged agricultural motors causing losses to the farmers. The Radhanagari Dharan Bachao Kruti Samiti has demanded a high-level inquiry against the irrigation department. The samiti stating that the gate malfunction is a serious issue and was caused due to the negligence of the private contractor employed to carry out technical repair works of the service gate, that too in absence of irrigation department officials. Sakharam Jadhav, a farmer from Gudalwadi village said, “There was a panic situation on Wednesday morning due to several rumours of dam burst and floods ...
A slew of projects remain pending, moving at a snail’s pace across Karnatakaedit
The New Indian Express – Online
The mismatch between the growing population and the need for adequate infrastructure to keep pace with the growth-related requirements has led to a slew of projects remaining pending or moving at a snail’s pace across Karnataka. Increasing population implies a growing need for infrastructure for the masses to support food, water, transport, connectivity, law & order, and their equitable distribution. But that has not happened in Karnataka. There are several major projects that have been pending for years, and the almost two-year-long pandemic may have only further delayed their implementation. Urban experts and government officials admit that though the pandemic is one of the reasons for the delay in completing projects, lack of ...
Technology in Agriculture
Drone Technology for Sustainable Agricultureedit
NewsOnAIR – Online
Drone technology adoption is the need of the hour and it will greatly benefit farmers. Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar conveyed this during the release of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for drone application in agriculture, saying that all policies implemented under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership since 2014 have been aimed at doubling farmer income by 2022. The development of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) will result in a revolution in small farmers’ lives. The Minister stated that the drones were utilized for the first time in various states of the country to combat locust attacks. He further said that the government is working hard to infuse new technologies into agriculture in ...
Tomar releases SOPs for use of drones in farm sectoredit
The Times of India – Online
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday released the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the use of drones in the farm sector, including for spraying pesticides as well as other soil and crop nutrients. The adoption of drone technology is the need of the times and will benefit farmers, he said in an official statement. Releasing the SOPs for drone application in agriculture, Tomar said the government’s policies since 2014 are aimed at doubling farmers’ income by 2022. Formation of Farmer Producer Organisation (FPOs) and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) will bring about a revolution in the lives of small farmers, he noted. Tomar further said drones were used for the first ...
Technological advancements set to change the future of agricultureedit
The Economic Times – Online
In order to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population, agriculture needs to step up. But doing so places a heavy burden on the usage of energy and chemical resources, which in turn can affect the environment. It, therefore, becomes necessary for the agriculture sector to adopt sustainable practices, which will help protect the earth’s natural resources and environment, while also maintaining soil fertility in the long run. In this regard, AgraME returned to Dubai to promote agrientrepreneurship and to construct a strategic alignment between the government and corporates. It was held at the Dubai World Trade Centre earlier this month, combining face-to-face events with virtual experiences, wherein prominent leaders from across the ...
Strengthening the technology ecosystem for agriculture in India | OPINIONedit
India Today – Online
Fasal is an agri startup that has helped farmer Sangarmesh Talikotti to install sensors and cameras in his 2.5-acre tomato farm. The startup’s Bengaluru-based artificial intelligence-driven platform regularly relays information to Talikotti’s smartphone on quantum of irrigation needs, risk of pest attack and use of pesticides. Data collected through readings is converted through ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) into precise actionable intelligence. On the other hand, AgNext is a Chandigarh-based startup that uses computer-based vision for effective post-harvest quality inspection of crops to substitute visual inspection. Startups such as Ninjacart, Crofarm and KrishiHub are procuring fruits/vegetables directly from farmers and selling to retailers. They use myriad technologies to keep their target farmers abreast of quantum of ...
Top 10 Applications of Robotics in Agriculture and Farmingedit
Analytics Insight – Online
The recent applications of robotics in agriculture are paving a way for a bright future for the farmers. The global population is predicted to reach 9 billion by 2025. With a dramatic rise on the way, it is time for the countries to think of new ways to feed their people. However, it is not simple. As the population moves from rural to urban grounds and no one is coming forward to take care of next-generation farming, now is the right time to infuse disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics in agriculture. Already robotics has invaded many commercial spaces like customer service, manufacturing, shipping, and transportation. Fortunately, the agriculture sector is next in line ...
IOT IN AGRICULTURE IS ESTIMATED TO GROW TO US$18.1 BILLION BY 2026edit
Analytics Insight – Online
The IoT in agriculture is projected to grow from US$11.4 billion in 2021 to US$18.1 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 9.8% during 2021–2026. Rising demand for agricultural production due to rising population, increased adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology by farmers and growers, and an emphasis on livestock monitoring and disease detection to boost farming efficiency are a few main factors driving the growth of this market. The advent of advanced technologies such as guidance systems, variable rate technology, IoT, AI, and remote sensing has transformed the agriculture industry into a technologically intense and data-rich industry.
Need to Develop Feasible Technology Options to Bring Prosperity to Tribal Communities in the Central Indian Tribal Beltedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
According to an independent study released by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), more than 674 million Indian citizens are likely to breathe air with high concentrations of PM2.5 in 2030, even if India were to comply with its existing pollution control policies and regulations. The study shows that only about 833 million citizens (about half of India’s estimated population in 2030) would be living in areas that meet India’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in 2030. Failure to implement existing policies and regulations could increase these numbers significantly. (Agriculture World, July 2019).
How the Growing Agritech Boom Bodes Well For India’s Agriculture Economyedit
Indian Retailing – Online
India’s agritech ecosystem is one of the fastest growing in the world. The country is home to the third-largest number of agritech start-ups, and we are also the third-largest recipient of agritech funding, right behind the United States and Germany. In fact, in 2020, India garnered investments worth US$ 329 million from private equity and venture capitalist firms. The sector also registered a whopping CAGR of ~53% from US$ 91 million in 2017 to US$ 329 million in 2020. And this is just the tip of the iceberg; even with these impressive numbers, India’s agritech sector is yet under 1% of its true market potential. This means that the scope for growth and innovation is ...
Agritech firm AgNext Technologies partners with NAFEDedit
The Economic Times – Online
Agritech firm AgNext Technologies has partnered with NAFED to digitise quality assessment for Arunachal Pradesh’s organic kiwis. These organic kiwis were launched in New Delhi last week by Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board (APAMB) along with NAFED as the marketing partner, under the national ‘One district One Product’ scheme. Through its quality monitoring platform ‘Qualix’, AgNext also enabled deep-tech based comprehensive traceability. Using QR code mapping, the end-consumers can trace all the steps in the supply chain down to the origin. Speaking on this partnership, AgNext’s CEO & Founder, Taranjeet Singh Bhamra said, “It is an honour to work with NAFED on India’s first AI-based initiative to bring complete quality and traceability management solutions ...
Govt. Policies
PM Modi to release Rs 20,000 cr under PM-KISAN for 10 cr farmers on Jan 1edit
Business Today – Online
PM Modi will release the tenth instalment of more than Rs 20,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme on January 1, 2022, via video conferencing. More than 10 crore farmer families could benefit from this move, the government said in a statement. Under the PM-KISAN scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is provided to the eligible beneficiary farmer families, payable in three equal four-monthly instalments of Rs 2,000 each. In this scheme, ‘samman rashi’ of over Rs 1.6 lakh crore has been transferred to farmer families so far, which is “in line with PM’s continued commitment and resolve to empower grassroot level farmers,” said the statement. Further, during ...
CM Jagan tells officials to ensure MSP for paddy, other cropsedit
Deccan Chronicle – Online
Chief Minister Jagan has directed officials to ensure farmers get minimum support price (MSP) for their produce and laid stress on making Rytu Bharosa Kendras play a vital role in this context. The CM reviewed the purchase of paddy and other crops, at a high-level meeting with minister for agriculture Kannababu and top officials at his Camp Office here on Monday. He made it clear that the state government’s objective was to provide MSP to the farmers without fail and told officials there should not be any slackness on this count. “Interact with farmers regularly to know about their problems,” Jagan told the officials. Maintaining that nobody used to take discoloured and wet paddy earlier, ...
Solar-based lift irrigation to be implemented across Jharkhand: Agri secyedit
Business Standard – Online
Renewable energy based lift irrigation schemes will prove to be a game-changer for the agriculture sector in Jharkhand, a top official said. The Jharkhand government has rolled out multiple schemes to boost the agriculture sector and lift irrigation system is one such initiative, Agriculture Secretary Abu Bakar Siddiqui said on Tuesday. Lift irrigation is primarily targeted at the farmers who cannot afford diesel pumps or other traditional boring systems. Siddiqui who visited Simdega to take part in ‘Kisan Samvad Karyakram’, after listening to the experiences of farmers said multiple schemes are being rolled out. He said, “Utilising renewable energy projects for irrigation will help in creating a thriving agro-based economy. Looking at projects implemented by ...
Gramin Agricultural Markets: Two years on, just 6% haats upgradededit
DownToEarth – Online
It has been two years since an ambitious programme to convert 22,000 rural haats into Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs) was launched. But only 1,251 have come up till now. This is barely six per cent of the target. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told the Lok Sabha that physical infrastructure or facilities had been provided to 1,251 rural haats so far to convert them to GrAMs. Work on 1,553 other village haats was underway. Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of GrAMs completed till date — 245, 163, 127, 111, and 106 respectively, the minister’s reply noted. States like Jharkhand and Maharashtra, with significant farmer populations, had not ...
Rs. 342 Crore Subsidy to Farmers for Agricultural Machineryedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
The Punjab government is going to grant farmers a subsidy of Rs 342 crore for crop residue treatment on 29,337 agricultural machineries. Agriculture Minister Randeep Singh Nabha provided the information while distributing agricultural machines to the farmers on a subsidized basis at a state-level occasion held in Raishiana on Tuesday. During the meeting, Khadoor Sahib MLA Ramanjit Singh Sikki and Tarn Taran MLA Dr Agnihotri spoke to the crowd. Dilraj Singh Randhawa, Agriculture Secretary, and Deputy Commissioner Kulwant Singh were among those who attended the event. Individual farmers, farmer organizations, and cooperative societies in the Tarn Taran area would receive 1,880 agricultural types of machinery, with a subsidy of Rs 24 crore 47 lakh, ...
Centre Advises All State Govts To Encourage Farmers For Crop Diversificationedit
Pragativadi – Online
The Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Rural Development, Ms. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today informed that there exists a transparent & uniform Policy for procurement by Govt. Agencies across the country. There is no confusion among States regarding rice procurement policy of the Government of India. The estimates for procurement of Paddy (in terms of Rice) are finalized by the Government of India in consultation with State Governments, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW), and Food Corporation of India, before the commencement of each marketing season based upon estimated production, marketable surplus and agricultural crop pattern– July/Aug for Kharif ...
Monsoon + Indian Agriculture
Over a million paddy bags damaged in the open in Odisha due to rain, hailstormedit
DownToEarth – Online
More than a million bags of paddy lying in the open in market yards in Odisha’s Bargarh district have reportedly got damaged due to heavy rain and hailstorm, which also caused extensive damage to vegetable crops in the district. The rain started from the evening of December 28, 2021 with a spate of hailstorm in between, and continued throughout December 29. The India Metereological Department had forecast heavy rain for three days till December 30, not only in Bargarh but also other districts like Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Angul, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj. Bargarh, often called the ‘rice bowl’ of Odisha, tops in paddy procurement in the state. Around 1.1 million bags of paddy are lying in ...
Rains lash parts of Chhattisgarh, affects procurement of paddyedit
The Times of India – Online
Unseasonal rains, thunder and hailstorm lashed Chhattisgarh on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the cyclonic circulation hovering over Rajasthan and the system has already given rains to northern parts of the country. IMD Raipur has indicated cloudy weather on December 30 and clear sky on December 31. An IMD official said that due to the cyclonic circulation, scattered rain and thunderstorm prevailed on Tuesday and with rainfall ceasing, dense fog is likely over isolated pockets on Wednesday. State received normal to medium rainfall on Monday and Tuesday while as per the records, hailstorms were witnessed in Surguja, Surajpur, Kabirdham, Baloda Bazar, Janjgir Champa, Bemetara and Balod districts. While there was no major change ...
Gujarat: Fear of crop damage after rain in 30 talukasedit
The Indian Express – Online
Over 30 talukas in Gujarat, mainly the ones in northern districts and Kutch region, received unseasonal rainfall between Monday night and Tuesday morning, triggering fears of damage to standing crops. Kankrej taluka of Banaskantha recorded the highest of 21 mm rainfall in the state, followed by Posina in Sabarkantha district with 12 mm rainfall. Both are northernmost districts of Gujarat bordering Rajasthan. As almost all districts of Saurashtra region as well as Kutch experienced light rainfall, farmers were concerned even as officers of state agriculture department maintained there was no cause for worry if the weather clears by tomorrow or day after. “While it rained in almost all parts of the district, the intensity ...
Impact of climate change in agriculture and its management strategiesedit
The Sangai Express – Online
Formulation of Alternative Policies for Energy subsidy and Water Saving: A direct cash subsidy for electricity or across all subsidized farming inputs, coupled with metering for electricity use can prove as an effective alternative in the economic context. 3. Water-Energy Saving Technological Choices: It depends on the physical and financial viability of technologies and practices that the farmer can pursue in each season and for each crop, with a view towards the diffusion and adoption of appropriate methods to save water and energy. Developing Agriculture Supply Chain: Farmers are able to improve their resilience to climate and financial shocks, they need better access to markets and technology that a well-designed agricultural supply chain could ...
Climate crisis has cost India 5 million hectares of crop in 2021edit
DownToEarth – Online
In 2021, extreme weather events wrought yet another distressing year for Indian farmers. Cyclone Tauktae and Cyclone Yaas wreaked havoc in several states in the first few months, especially in Odisha, West Bengal and Karnataka where lives and livelihoods were affected beyond redemption. In July, floods in Maharashtra damaged standing crops. This was followed by a 24 per cent nationwide rain deficit in August and 35 per cent excess rain in September. In October, heavy rains destroyed harvest-ready crops in many districts of Kerala. The devastation continued even towards the end of the year. In November, unprecedented rainfall caused huge loss of life and property in south Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and ...
Unseasonal rains in Kerala: Farmers across state face a huge crisisedit
The News Minute – Online
The Mullu Kurumba tribal community consists of small-scale paddy farmers residing in Manmathamoola, Athikuni, Alathur, Kumizhi, Rmapallur, Kolur and a few other villages in the Noolpuzha panchayat of Wayanad district. Each family owns half to one acre of land, not more. They usually cultivate Wayanadan Thondi, Adukkan and Gandhakasala rice varieties. This year, 115 Mullu Kurumba farmers cultivated paddy in 150 acres under the Muthanga Padasekhara Samiti. In the beginning of November, all of them were happy that within days the paddy would be harvested, knowing that the yield was very high this time. “They had started harvesting, but the unseasonal rain destroyed their hard work. The heavy rains broke the bunds around the ...
Crop on 5.78 lakh hectare damaged by cyclone Jawad: Odisha governmentedit
The New Indian Express – Online
The Odisha government on Monday informed the inter-ministerial team visiting the State that a report on the damage caused by cyclone Jawad will be submitted to the Centre after completion of field assessment. After a two-day field visit to assess the extent of damage inflicted by the cyclone, the six-member inter-ministerial team led by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Saurav Ray had a meeting with senior officers of the State government chaired by Chief Secretary SC Mahapatra. The Chief Secretary apprised the Central team that as per eye estimate, standing crops on more than 5.78 lakh hectare in around 131 blocks of 12 districts were severely damaged. Ground-level assessment is on and ...
In Odisha, fresh rains add to farmers’ woesedit
The New Indian Express – Online
Fresh rains on Thursday, December 9, 2021, added to the woes of farmers whose paddy crops were submerged due to the cyclone Jawad-induced downpour. Of the total 1,33,645 hectare (ha) of land brought under paddy cultivation during the current kharif season, crops in only 27,000 ha have been harvested. Standing crops on 1,06,645 ha were inundated due to heavy rains that lashed the district under the influence of the cyclone from December 3 to December 5. Farmers in several areas who were seen struggling to drain out rainwater from the cultivated areas since December 6, are now worried owing to the fresh rain. “I had tried to release the stagnant storm water ...
Untimely rain affects crops on 4.5L hectaresedit
Millennium Post – Online
Crops on around 4.5 lakh hectares of land were badly affected due to the untimely rainfall during cyclone Jawad in south Bengal districts. As per the preliminary reports received by the state Agriculture department, potato cultivation on around 1.36 lakh hectare was affected. Similarly, the Kharif paddy was badly affected on 2.36 lakh hectare while mustard cultivation was affected on 79,718 hectare land. It needs a mention that south Bengal districts received untimely rainfall due to cyclone Jawad. Though harvest of paddy had been completed on 70 per cent of the cultivable areas using combined harvester, paddy cultivation on 2.36 lakh hectares were badly affected. The state Agriculture minister also contemplates heavy damage of potato ...
Jawad skirts Odisha but leaves farmers in lurchedit
The New Indian Express – Online
The first post-monsoon tropical storm Jawad, which was reduced to a depression, brought heavy rains across coastal districts causing massive damage to standing crops in the harvest stage at many places. Jagatsinghpur and Ganjam were the worst affected as heavy rainfall lashed the two districts since Saturday night submerging hundreds of hectares of farmland. At many places, harvested paddy crops kept in the open are likely to be damaged because of the incessant rains. The plight of farmers is more or less the same in all the coastal and northern districts as December is the peak harvest period for the Kharif season. Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena said owing to heavy rainfall ...
Record-high rains could help Tiruchy district farmers in upcoming cultivation seasons, say expertsedit
The New Indian Express – Online
The total average rainfall for the month of November (from northeast monsoon) in Tiruchy district has crossed 400 mm after a decade. Though the rain wreaked havoc in parts of the district, experts are of the opinion that farmers will be able to use the available water in the coming seasons. According to IMD reports, the district has received an average of 404.9 mm rainfall in November, which is 163 per cent more than the expected 154 mm. The average rainfall in October was 226.4 mm, which is 43 per cent higher than the usual. Rural areas, including Manapparai and Thuraiyur, received plenty of rainfall this monsoon season. PWD officials said excessive ...
Gujarat unseasonal rain forecast: Agri dept asks Navsari farmers to delay harvestingedit
The Indian Express – Online
In view of the unseasonal rainfall forecast in the state, the Navsari Agriculture department has advised farmers to delay harvesting to prevent the harvested crops from being damaged due to the showers. Agricultural Officer of Navsari district panchayat Dr A R Gajera has intimated the farmers of the district to take certain preventive actions to save the crops from getting damaged. A meeting was organised in the district, between farmers and agricultural department officials in this regard. Gajera told The Indian Express, “The major crop in the district is paddy , which is almost ready for harvest. Those crops which are ready to harvest, should be delayed for a few more days due to ...
Odisha farmers battle ‘Nature’ to save paddy harvest with low pressure rain appearing imminentedit
The Statesman – Online
It’s a race against time for farmers to save their produce with possible rain-induced damage staring at them. As the meteorological department has predicted heavy rains coupled with squally winds in the next two to three days, croplands are abuzz with hectic paddy harvesting activities. However, the shortage of skilled manpower has hindered speedy harvesting work. To aggravate things further, the harvester machines are turned ineffective to venture into the muddy crop fields. The machines which could hasten the reaping and harvesting process are getting stuck in crop areas that are mud-spattered due to recent unseasonal rain. “The harvested paddy should be shifted to safe places and should be kept properly stacked under adequate cover ...
Paddy grown on thousands of acres submerged in Tiruchy as surplus river water enters fieldsedit
The New Indian Express – Online
Ruining the dreams of farmers in Tiruchy, floodwater from the Koraiyar and the Ariyaru entered fields in parts of Manapparai and Manikandam blocks, submerging crops. The banks of the Kuvalai canal also saw a breach, leaving about 1,500 acres of crops in Thiruverumbur area inundated. The rains have been filling all waterbodies in the southern parts of the district and lack of proper maintenance has led to breaches of surplus water from both the rivers at multiple locations in Manikandam and Manapparai, sources said. The branch canal, which carries water from the Ariyaru and the Koraiyar to Manikandam, saw a breach at Yesanapatti village in Manikandam, flooding over thousand acres of paddy fields. ...
Agri crops in 50.40 lakh hectare hit due to heavy rains & floods so far this year: Narendra Singh Tomaredit
The Economic Times – Online
Agriculture crops cultivated in about 50.40 lakh hectare of area have been affected across the country due to heavy rains, floods and landslides so far this year, with maximum damage reported in Karnataka, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, in his written reply to the Lok Sabha, said about Rs 8,873.60 crore has been released as of November 25 from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Additional assistance, over and above SDRF, is considered by the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for natural calamities of severe nature and is approved based on the memorandum received from the state governments, he added. As per the data placed before the Lower ...
Paddy in India
Telangana: Farmers stick to paddy cultivation, hope to sell rice to tradersedit
Telangana Today– Online
Majority of the farmers in the district appear to have decided to go in for paddy cultivation in Yasangi despite the State government’s categorical stand that it would not procure paddy following the Centre’s refusal to buy rice. The farmers are hoping to mill the paddy and sell the rice to traders in the event procurement centres are not opened. With excellent irrigation facility in place and plenty of ground water available, farmers are going in for paddy cultivation instead of alternative crops like pulses and vegetables as advised by the government. Though the officials of Agriculture department are making efforts to create awareness among farmers on alternative crops and advising them not to take up ...
Centre to Procure 6 lakh MT More Paddy from Telangana After Big Tussleedit
News18 – Online
In a significant development, the Centre has finally given its nod to procure 6 lakh metric tonnes of more paddy from Telangana. This is after a continuous tussle between the State and the Centre on paddy procurement and blame game on delay in getting the stocks cleared through FCI. However, the State government expressed displeasure at the delay of the decision by the Centre as it incurred a big loss to the farmers. The farmers lost about 30 lakh MT grains as millers got them of late, according to information. A State-level team comprising six ministers and MPs met Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and G Kishan Reddy to take more stocks from the State. The Centre ...
Government’s paddy procurement reaches 443.49 lakh tonnes in October-Decemberedit
The Economic Times – Online
The government’s paddy procurement at MSP reached 443.49 lakh tonnes so far in the ongoing marketing year that commenced from October 2021, with the maximum quantities being purchased from Punjab, Haryana and Telangana, the food ministry said on Monday. About 186.85 lakh tonnes of paddy has been procured from Punjab, 55.30 lakh tonnes from Haryana, 52.88 lakh tonnes from Telangana, 47.20 lakh tonnes from Chhattisgarh, 38 lakh tonnes from Uttar Pradesh, 15.14 lakh tonnes from Madhya Pradesh during October-December 26 of this marketing year, it said. The ministry, in a statement, said more than 47 lakh farmers have benefited from the minimum support price (MSP) value of Rs 86,924.46 crore so far. During the ...
Farmers in Vijaywada busy sowing paddy despite adviceedit
The Times of India – Online
Despite the directions of the district administration not to cultivate paddy during Rabi season, many farmers in Krishna delta region have started sowing paddy. While authorities are eyeing to start a campaign on promoting alternative crops, farmers are busy sowing paddy for the second crop. The Krishna has received copious amounts of water during monsoon. Around 120 tmc water was released into Bay of Bengal from Prakasam Barrage in 2021. Despite the huge flood, officials estimated that they will face difficulty in providing continuous water for the Delta during the second crop season. The irrigation department took a decision to repair the broken gate at Pulichintala Project and also for the construction of ...
Stir against paddy cultivation: Telangana Congress chief held for bid to gherao CM’s farmhouseedit
Hindustan Times – Online
On Sunday, Reddy had announced that Congress would organise a “Rachabanda” (open forum) programme at the chief minister’s farmhouse at Erravelli village to expose the latter’s double standards on the cultivation of paddy during the Rabi season. He alleged that KCR was cultivating paddy in 150 acres of his farmhouse while asking the farmers of the state not to raise paddy in their fields during the Rabi season on the pretext that the Centre refused to buy. This lead to the police gathering in large numbers at Reddy’s Jubilee Hills residence Sunday night and keeping under house arrest. They took him into custody soon after he came out to proceed to Erravelli at around ...
Will dump unprocured paddy at India Gate, says Telangana minister Vemula Prashanthedit
The Times of India – Online
Telangana minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy said the government would dump 60 lakh MT of paddy procured from the farmers in the current Kharif season at India Gate in Delhi if the Centre fails to give a written assurance that they would buy the 60 lakh MTs of paddy. He said the state government has completed the procurement of the 60 lakh MT paddy in the state and earlier Union minister Piyush Goyal said the Centre would buy 60 lakh MT of paddy. Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao has also earlier announced that the state government would dump the procured paddy at India Gate and state BJP office in Telangana if there was no ...
Urging farmers to switch from paddy an uphill task for officialsedit
Deccan Chronicle – Online
Agriculture officials are facing a tough time convincing the ayacut farmers near Nagarjunasagar Project’s left canal to cultivate crops other than paddy in yasangi. The farmers raising paddy under bore wells and tanks agreed to cultivate millets and horticulture crops. However, the farmers around the NSP’s left canal are preferring paddy cultivation over others. The farmers submitted various arguments before the agriculture officials, including that their land and the soil are not suitable for other crops. Farmers are also willing to sell their yasangi produce to private traders if the government does not open procurement centres. Farmer leader N. Satyanarayana said that all the farmers in an area should opt for alternate crops. “It is ...
Telangana: Disillusioned farmers stick to paddy sowingedit
The Hans India – Online
Despite the State government’s direction to farmers not to go in for paddy, farmers in Nizamabad and Kamareddy are gearing up for sowing paddy. Talking to The Hans India, farmers of Anksapur alleged that the government was only making statements but at ground level it had not even taken steps to supply seeds for alternate crops nor has it created awareness on what kind of crops would be suitable to be raised here. Farmers are insistent on cultivating paddy. “There is no alternative cultivation to paddy,” said Sokkam Santosh, a farmer. In Nizamabad district, paddy was cultivated in 3.87 lakh acres during kharif resulting in a yield of 7.87 lakh metric tonnes. The district ...
Paddy procurement issue: Telangana team returns empty-handededit
The New Indian Express – Online
In what has turned out to be a wild goose chase, the delegation of TRS ministers and MPs, who camped in Delhi for six days, returned home empty-handed, unable to extract any written commitment from the Centre on procuring the entire stock of Kharif rice produced in Telangana. Though Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal assured in Rajya Sabha that the entire stock of Kharif rice would be procured by the Centre, the TRS team stayed put in Delhi demanding a written assurance to this effect. The TRS delegation left for Delhi on December 18 and met Piyush Goyal, who wanted two days to give them clarity on the Kharif rice ...
Telangana farmers heed advice, opt for alternative crops as Rabi cultivation begins in earnestedit
The New Indian Express – Online
As per the data furnished by Agriculture Department, cultivation of crops like maize, jowar, major millets, Bengal gram, black gram, groundnut, sunflower and safflower have increased in the current Rabi season as compared to last year. As on December 22, there has been a significant increase in area of cultivation of jowar by 26,216 acres as compared to last Rabi season, maize by 83,444 acres, red gram by 1,582 acres, Bengal gram by 38,686 acres, black gram by 35,001 acres, cowpea by 2,138 acres, groundnut by 1,22,777 acres, sunflower by 10,113 acres and safflower by 3,907 acres. Farmers have been cautious about sowing paddy as of now, owing to the uncertainty in procurement ...
Odisha BJP seeks Centre intervention in paddy purchase irregularitiesedit
The New Indian Express – Online
Taking the battle against the BJD government over alleged mismanagement in paddy procurement in Odisha to the Centre, the BJP on Wednesday sought the intervention of Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal on the issue. A delegation of BJP MPs led by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met Goyal and submitted a memorandum to the latter alleging gross irregularities in Kharif paddy procurement in the State. The delegation comprising Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, BJP MPs and the party’s Krushak Morcha president Pradip Purohit apprised Goyal on how the decentralised procurement system is benefiting the rice millers rather than farmers. While the number of mandis operating in the State is inadequate to ...
FCI will procure 10 lakh metric tons of paddy from Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarmaedit
The Economic Times – Online
Assam chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Food Corporation of India (FCI) will procure 10 lakh metric tons of paddy from Assam. Speaking in the state assembly on Wednesday, Sarma said, “FCI will procure paddy from the farmers and the money will be put in the farmers account. This will do away with middlemen.” He added, “The government will soon roll out a scheme where in every constituency there will be a rice mill”. Union minister Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ashwini Kumar Choubey in September this year in Guwahati said paddy procurement from Assam has increased after the NDA came to power in 2014. This figure ...
Farmers sow paddy despite government warning, Centre’s restrictionsedit
Deccan Chronicle – Online
Ignoring the huge row over procurement, and the government’s warning against sowing the crop, a section of farmers has started planting paddy. As of now, farmers have cultivated paddy in around 25,000 acres in various districts. Free power and paddy procurement by government agencies encouraged farmers to intensively cultivate paddy over the last few years. Paddy cultivation in the 2019 rabi season was 39.31 lakh acres which increased to 52.80 lakh acres in 2020. Based on previous data, the agriculture department estimated the crop area in 2021 rabi at 31.01 lakh acres. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao then suggested that farmers not go for paddy in the ensuing rabi (yasangi) season. He directed agriculture department ...
Odisha collectors told to open more mandis for paddy purchaseedit
The New Indian Express – Online
The State government on Monday, December 20, 2021, directed district collectors to open mandis (paddy purchase centres) as per requirement and engage more women self help groups (WSHGs) for smooth procurement of paddy under the minimum support price (MSP) scheme. Reviewing paddy procurement in districts with collectors and officials of Supplies and Cooperation departments through video conference, Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra asked them to ensure farmers carrying paddy to mandis are not harassed. The Chief Secretary’s directive came in the wake of large scale complaints from districts on mismanagement in the paddy procurement. Reports from western Odisha districts suggest mandis have not been opened in places as decided at the district level paddy ...
Traditional paddy varieties save farmeredit
The New Indian Express – Online
His crops stand proud and tall —over seven feet high. And yes, it escaped inundation caused by the monsoon rains. At the time when farmers across the delta districts were struggling to salvage their crops, this 55-year-old humble cultivator from Melanallur village in Mayiladuthurai district has managed to beat all odds. Data records that over 5,000 hectares in Mayiladuthurai were submerged in the heavy rains during the last month. However, G Jayakumar’s crops stand seven feet tall. The secret to it, he shares, is cultivating traditional varieties like Kichadi Samba, Mappilai Samba and Karuppukavani through organic methods. It grows twice as fast as hybrid and lab-made varieties, he claims. The survival also ...
Paddy sale above fixed yield: 30K farmer accounts under lens in Punjabedit
Hindustan Times – Online
Around 30,000 farmers’ accounts in Punjab are under the scanner of the food and civil supplies for purportedly booking paddy for sale to the state’s procurement agencies higher than the average per acre yield of 34 quintal fixed by the department. The kharif (paddy) procurement ended on November 30, and after that the state’s four procurement agencies — Pungrain, Punsup, Markfed and warehousing corporation — besides the food department and Mandi board, which manages the grain market operations, are busy settling the accounts. For the first time in the state, paddy stocks were procured by fixing the per acre yield, as the Centre has made it mandatory to link crop payment with land records. Initially, ...
Blight-resistant paddy a rage among farmersedit
The Times of India – Online
RNR 15048, a fine-grain blast resistant paddy variety, which was introduced by the Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, through Chamarajanagar Krishi Vignan Kendra(KVK), has become popular among rice cultivators in Chamarajanagar, given its good yield. Paddy growers of the region often used to suffer losses in recent years, due to perennial blast disease in both the kharif and rabi seasons, from cultivating other varieties of paddy, but this year, over hundreds of farmers in Chamarajanagar district, who have been growing the RNR 15048 rice, are cheering, due to a bumper crop, despite adverse climate like heavy rain, that lashed the district in the last few months. Chamarajanagar KVK has introduced this variety ...
Mysuru: Paddy harvesting hit due to shortage of machinesedit
The Times of India – Online
Paddy harvesting in the twin districts of Mysuru and Chamarajanagar has been delayed due to the non-availability of harvester machines in adequate numbers. Paddy had been cultivated on 95,000 hectares in Mysuru district and 26,390 hectares in Chamarajanagar district. About 10 lakh metric tonnes of paddy yield is expected during this season, from both districts. Though the paddy is ready for harvest since the first week of December, a large number of farmers said that they could not harvest their crop due to a lack of paddy harvester machines. Heavy rain caused waterlogging on paddy fields last month, due to which a majority of farmers could not harvest their paddy, and were forced ...
Paddy row: TRS to hold protests across Telanganaedit
The Times of India – Online
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has decided to intensify its fight against the Centre on the paddy procurement issue. As part of it, the ruling party will organise protests against the Centre’s ‘anti-farmer’ policies in every village in all the 119 constituencies on December 20. In another important decision, TRS president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said the Rythu Bandhu scheme will be extended to farmers even if they continue to cultivate paddy. KCR, who held an emergeny meeting with party MLAs, MPs, MLCs, members of Rythu Bandhu Samithis and DCCB presidents on Friday, is believed to have pulled up the MLAs. Mincing no words, he advised the legislators to go to ...
Telangana hits 50 lakh tonnes mark in paddy procurementedit
Telangana Today – Online
The Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation procured 50 lakh tonnes paddy from about nine lakh farmers in the ongoing Vaanakalam (Kharif) paddy procurement season, breaking the previous year’s record of 48.75 lakh tonnes. The government is likely to procure another 20 lakh tonnes before end of the season. Till date, the Corporation has procured more than 50 lakh tonnes paddy worth around Rs 10,000 crore from nine lakh farmers through 6,849 procurement centres. This is 13 lakh tonnes more than 37 lakh tonnes paddy procured for the corresponding period during the last Vaanakalam season. Despite the unseasonal rains and Covid-19 restrictions, the paddy procurement has been completed in 1,810 centres across 14 districts. Farmers were ...
Paddy procurement begins in 214 centresedit
The Times of India – Online
Paddy procurement for this year’s kharif season began across 214 minimum support price (MSP) centres in the state on Wednesday. State food and civil supplies minister Rameshwar Oraon and state agriculture minister Badal Patralekh were present for the formal launch on the outskirts of the city in Namkum. On day one, about 15,813 quintals were procured from the farmers against which direct benefit transfer of payments to the tune of Rs 1.53 crore to farmers have been initiated, officials said. This year, the government has set a target of procuring 8 lakh MT paddy, which is 2 lakh MT more than the previous year’s target. Like last year, this time, too, the government ...
Jharkhand: Purchase of paddy from today, know how much will be the price and what are the rulesedit
Hindustan – Online
Paddy procurement will start in Jharkhand from December 15. The Food Supply Department has completed the preparations. On selling paddy to the farmers, 50 percent of the amount will be paid immediately, while the remaining amount will be given within three months. On Wednesday, Food Supplies Minister Dr. Rameshwar Oraon and Agriculture Minister Badal will jointly start paddy procurement at Namkum, Ranchi.Farmers will be able to sell general category 2050 and A grade paddy at the rate of Rs 2070 per quintal. A target of eight metric tonnes has been set for paddy procurement this year. Dr. Rameshwar Oraon said with reference to paddy procurement that we are going to start paddy procurement from 15th December. ...
Andhra Pradesh: Paddy procurement yet to start in 6 districtsedit
The Times of India – Online
Paddy procurement for the current kharif season is yet to begin in six of the 13 districts in the state. AP State Cooperative Marketing Federation (Markfed) is yet to start procurement in one of three districts given to it, while AP State Civil Supplies Corporation is yet to start procurement in five of 10 districts allocated. However, the two procurement agencies have procured a little over 2.55 lakh metric tonnes of paddy out of the 50 lakh metric tonnes target given by the state government. The AP Markfed was given the three north coastal districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam, while the rest of the 10 districts were given to the AP State ...
Telangana procures 42.22 lakh tonnes of paddyedit
Telangana Today – Online
Reviewing the ongoing paddy procurement at his chambers on Monday, Civil Supplies Minister Gangula Kamalakar said paddy purchases have been completed in 1,280 of the total 6,775 paddy procurement centres in the State. About Rs 5,447 crore have been deposited into the accounts of 3.75 lakh farmers through Online Procurement Management System (OPMS) till date. While there is no shortage of gunny bags and transportation, there is a severe shortage of storage space in godowns belonging to the Food Corporation of India (FCI). “We are facing a tough situation due to lack of storage space in FCI godowns especially in the districts of Suryapet, Siddipet, Sangareddy, Medak, Mahbubnagar and Nirmal where they are filled ...
After paddy procurement crisis, Telangana farmers switch to alternate cropsedit
The Siasat Daily – Online
fter the constant appeal of the Telangana government, farmers are switching to alternate crops. The peasants are now looking for an alternative crop, in place of paddy. As of December 8, paddy has been cultivated on 7,012 acres during the Yasangi season in comparison with the regular 28,729 acres. It is to be noted that the state government is creating awareness among farmers, with regards to alternative farming. The awareness campaign was taken up since the Centre refused to procure paddy from the state recently. Risking the uncertainty, farmers began sowing 8.34 lakh acres of land as opposed to the normal 46.5 lakh acres during the Yasangi season. It is to be noted that ...
Kerala Farmer Imports Seeds from India & Japan to Grow 650 Different Paddy Varietiesedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
Sathyanarayana Beleri, a native of Kasaragod’s Nettinege village, grew up surrounded by magnificent paddy fields. He adored the paddy crop, its fields, and the walkways that connected them, where reapers gathered paddy bundles after harvesting. Sathyanarayana now owns a paddy field with over 650 varieties of rice from all over the world at the age of 48. Because of its location, his 4 acres of land were not appropriate for paddy production, but this did not demotivate Sathyanarayana. He used canvas and grows bags to create an artificial paddy field on his 25 cents of land. He mainly produces rice varieties in grow bags with water stored in the tarpaulin. A few kinds are ...
Uttar Pradesh procures 22 lakh-ton paddy this seasonedit
The Times of India – Online
The state government has procured about 22 lakh tons of paddy in the current kharif marketing season. Food and civil supplies commissioner, Sorabh Babu said that till December 10, paddy worth more than Rs 3,525.78 crore has been purchased from more than 3 lakh farmers, the payment for which has been made within 72 hours of purchase. Babu added that in the previous 24 hours, state government agencies and the Food Corporation of India had procured more than 1.29 lakh tons of paddy. He said that 4,457 procurement centres have been set up across the state to facilitate direct purchase from farmers this year, up from 4,166 centres which were set up in ...
Complaints of irregularities hit Bihar’s paddy procurement driveedit
Hindustan Times – Online
The state cooperative department’s bid to ensure timely procurement of paddy from the farmers has been crippled by the allegations of irregularities in payment and the general reluctance of the staff engaged in the procurement process of the major Kharif crop in the region. As a result, the department so far could procure only 3.02 lakh metric tonne (MT) of paddy from the farmers against the target of 45 lakh MT, set for 2021-22 fiscal. The state government started the procurement process on November 1 and scheduled to wind it up by January 31. The state government had authorised around 5,200 primary agriculture cooperative societies (Pacs) and Vyapar Mandals (VMs) out of the total 7153 ...
Government procures paddy worth nearly Rs 64,000 crore at MSP in 2021-22 mkt year so faredit
The Economic Times – Online
The government has procured 326 lakh tonnes of paddy so far in the 2021-22 kharif marketing year at the minimum support price (MSP) for nearly Rs 64,000 crore. “Paddy procurement is progressing smoothly in the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2021-22 from farmers, at MSP like it was done in the previous years,” an official statement said. The KMS runs from October to September. As on December 8, total 326 lakh tonnes of paddy have been procured in the states/UTs of Chandigarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Telangana, Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Odisha, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. “Till now about 25.94 lakh farmers have ...
Telangana paddy farmers urged to grow alternate cropsedit
Siasat Daily – Online
With the Centre deciding not to procure parboiled rice from Telangana, state Agriculture Minister S. Niranjan Reddy on Thursday appealed to farmers not to cultivate paddy this Rabi season and go for alternate crops. In an open letter to farmers, he urged them to understand the “anti-farmer” and “anti-agriculture” policies of the Centre and cultivate alternative crops having demand in the market like pulses and oil seeds. Reddy alleged that Central ministers Piyush Goyal and Narendra Singh Tomar were creating confusion among Telangana farmers with their contradictory statements. He also alleged that the Centre has not lifted the rice procured last year from warehouses in the state. Slamming the Centre for playing double game on ...
To avoid paddy glut crisis, Andhra Pradesh asks farmers to cultivate alternative cropsedit
The Indian Express – Online
Taking a cue from the paddy glut crisis in Telangana, the Andhra Pradesh government has asked farmers in the state to raise alternative crops as it looks to promote millet farming. Andhra Pradesh produced approximately 62,00,000 tonnes of paddy in the Rabi season, but due to unseasonal rains, the previous season’s Kharif paddy crop partially failed, saving the state from a surplus of paddy. At a review meeting on agriculture, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy asked officials to create awareness among farmers on the cultivation of alternative crops. “There was a discussion on providing incentives for millet cultivation if the farmers take it up on a large scale and avoid paddy sowing. ...
AP Government Asks Farmers to Avoid Paddy Cultivation During Rabi Seasonedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
After the Centre made it clear that it would not procure parboiled rice in the forthcoming Rabi season, the Telangana government asked the farmers not to cultivate paddy in the Rabi season. The government has also decided not to allow paddy from other states to land at the procurement centers in the state and directed district collectors and superintendents of police to prevent vehicles carrying paddy from entering into the state. After Telangana, it is now the turn of Andhra Pradesh to persuade its farmers to abandon paddy during the Rabi season in favor of alternate crops such as millets. While urging farmers to shun growing paddy in borewells, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S ...
Alternative Cropping Will Be Beneficial For Farmers During Rabi Season: RV Karnanedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
RV Karnan, Karimnagar, District Collector observed that alternative cropping would be beneficial for farmers instead of rice during Rabi season. On Sunday, at Ganneruvaram Mandal and Nustulpus villages in Thimmapur Mandal, he interacted with the farmers about the crops and also inspected groundnut and other six crops cultivated by farmers in Gundlapally. “The Central Government will not buy paddy through the FCI and the State government would not set up paddy procurement centers in the season” – said the District Collector. He further said that – “only those farmers, who have contracted with seed companies, should cultivate rice and non-contracted farmers would have to sell the grain on their own if they cultivate paddy.” Karnan ...
Salt- tolerant paddy production helps over 4 lakh farmers in Bengal to beat cyclone woesedit
Devdiscourse – Online
he West Bengal government has hand-held over four lakh farmers in Purba Medinipur, North and South 24 Parganas districts to produce a new variety of salt-tolerant paddy to curb the repeated damage of standing crops by saline floodwaters during natural calamities, an official said. This new variety of paddy, ‘Nona Swarna’, grown in over 50,000 hectares in the three districts, has temporarily helped the cultivators to minimise the damage from the devastation of cyclones Amphan and Yaas, the official said. The state has purchased the first mass-scale harvest of ‘Nona Swarna’ at a minimum support price of Rs 1,950 per quintal for free distribution under public distribution schemes, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s agriculture adviser Pradip Majumdar ...
State after state fail to procure kharif paddyedit
DownToEarth – Online
It has been two months since the 2021 kharif procurement season began in October but government procurement has not picked up pace in many states. There are at least nine states where procurement is zero or negligible even after two months, because of various problems. A total of 29 million tonnes of paddy has been procured up to November 30, 2021 from 16 states, according to data released by the government on December 2, 2021. However, over 83 per cent of this procured quantity was only from two states – Punjab and Haryana. More than 83 per cent of the paddy procured has been in Punjab (18.6 million tonnes) and Haryana (5.5 million tonnes). Uttar Pradesh ...
Record in Uttarakhand broken again in paddy procurement, bumper purchase in 2021 as compared to last yearedit
Hindustan – Online
Like last year, this year also bumper procurement of paddy has taken place in the state. So far, 10.96 metric tonnes of paddy has been procured in the government paddy procurement centers of the state. Last year, 10.17 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was procured in the entire paddy procurement season. On Sunday, Food Minister Banshidhar Bhagat gave this information after reviewing the procurement session. He informed that in the last Kharif-procurement season 2020-21, a total of 10.17 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was procured. Whereas so far this year, 10.96 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has been procured in the state against the target of 11.63 lakh metric tonnes. . Food Secretary Bhupal Singh ...
Rice n shine the indi-genius wayedit
The New Indian Express – Online
On a visit to Ayyur Agaram, a strikingly green village in Villupuram, what strikes you first is the abundance of fresh air. On one side is a row of small houses and narrow lanes, horns by the two-wheelers routinely breaking the hush. On the other side is a blanket of different hues of green to hold you spellbound. Grand Southern Trunk Road, NH-45, running through the village draws a line between the residents and their livelihood, quite literally! Nestled on the banks of the Pampa River, this quaint village, with just over a population of 5,000 people, is intertwined with agriculture, or at least used to be K Murugan, who thrives in cultivating ...
Andhra Pradesh to speed up paddy procurementedit
The Times of India – Online
The state government is planning to intensify paddy procurement for the current kharif season. The government has pressed into service 774 rythu bharosa kendras (RBKs) to procure paddy from farmers in all 13 districts. While the AP State Cooperative Marketing Federation Ltd (Markfed) is procuring paddy in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts through the RBKs, the AP Civil Supplies Corporation is the procuring agency in the remaining districts. So far, according to officials, procurement has started in 123 of 664 mandals in the district. RBK staff across these mandals have procured one lakh metric tonnes of paddy by Friday noon, worth Rs 190 crore. Payments too are being made through the RBKs ...
Rice millers in Telangana fleece paddy farmers as government backs outedit
Deccan Chronicle – Online
Amidst acrimonious political battle over paddy, rice millers in Telangana are entering into pre-crop agreements with farmers for purchasing the produce for a price much below the minimum support price (MSP). Farmers too prefer it because it is not possible for them to switch over to alternate crops all of a sudden during rabi. While the state government is procuring paddy for an MSP of Rs1,940 per quintal, the millers are convincing farmers to settle for Rs 1,500 saying that it is the net amount they are getting at present from the government as they are incurring an expenditure of Rs 400 per quintal towards transportation charges from fields to procurement centres and again from ...
Paddy procurement progressing smoothly: Centreedit
Hindustan Times – Online
The Centre has said the paddy procurement for Kharif season has progressed smoothly like in the previous years and about 1.81 million farmers have benefitted so far. In a statement, the consumer affairs, food and public distribution ministry said 290.98 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was procured until November 30 from 16 states and Union territories. It added the maximum procurement has been done from Punjab followed by Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The statement said the procurement in the remaining states and Union territories is also gaining momentum. The procurement has been 67% less than that of last year, it added. The statement comes as farm unions are demanding a legal guarantee for minimum support ...
Paddy crop converted into tans, reduction in production.edit
Navbharat – Online
Last month’s heavy rains damaged the light paddy crop of the farmers. The farmer is caught in a natural crisis. Paddy crop has become strained due to attack of Tudtuda disease on heavy variety paddy crop. Due to which there has been a huge reduction in the production of paddy crop this time also due to the effect of the disease. Due to which this year also the farmers had to bear the financial loss. It is noteworthy that due to heavy rains in the month of September, there was a big loss of light paddy crop. Paddy crop of many farmers had slept in the fields. At the same time, there was a big loss ...
Chhattisgarh: 88,000 metric tonnes of paddy procured on first dayedit
Devdiscourse – Online
On the first day of paddy procurement for the kharif marketing year 2021-22 in Chhattisgarh, 88,000 metric tonnes of the produce was purchased from 30,085 farmers on Wednesday, a state government official said. As per the food department, paddy is being procured smoothly at all the centres and the guidelines issued for protection against coronavirus are being followed, he said. There is an atmosphere of enthusiasm among the farmers for selling paddy, the state public relations officer said. The food department officials said the number of registered farmers in the state is 24,09,453. The procurement centers have been increased keeping in view that farmers can easily sell paddy at the nearest such facility. This year, paddy ...
187.23 LMT paddy procured during Kharif season: Punjab ministeredit
The Times of India – Online
Punjab minister for food, civil supplies and consumer affairs Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Wednesday said 187.23 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy had been procured during the kharif season 2021-22. The exercise to procure paddy was conducted between October 3 and November 30. During this period, a total of 188.20 LMT of paddy had arrived in the Punjab mandis out of which 187.23 LMT of paddy has been procured by government agencies including Food Corporation of India (FCI) at the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 1,960 per quintal and only 97, 000 MT of paddy has been procured by private traders. He added that Rs 36257.30 crore has already been transferred into ...
Chhattisgarh: Procurement of 105 lakh metric tons of paddy to begin from December 1 with Centre, CM Bhupesh Baghel chairs review meetingedit
The Free Press Journal – Online
Mega paddy procurement process for the procurement of 105 lakh metric tons of paddy is going to begin from December 1 in Chhattisgarh. Union government’s fresh instructions of not taking parboiled rice under the central pool and shortage of jute sacks may spoil the game this time. In addition, to know the actual status of the preparation of the state-level paddy procurement programme, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel chaired a review meeting at his official residence in Raipur on Tuesday. In the marathon meeting all the stakeholders associated with the procurement process including food department key officials, office bearers of rice miller association, food minister Amarjeet Bhagat, agriculture minister Ravindra Choubey and others were ...
Punjab Wheat-paddy alternatives on hand, MSP guarantee can push aggressive switchedit
The Indian Express – Online
While MSP guarantee remains a crucial missing link to pushing much-needed diversification in Punjab, the state does not have a shortage of crops it can opt for to switch away from the wheat-paddy cycle. At a time when the demand of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops is getting intense, Punjab state has a big opportunity to shun monoculture — wheat and paddy cycle — in cropping pattern as the state has several alternatives for these crops available to it’s farmers and also these alternatives has a huge market in the state and outside. During Kharif season, Punjab farmers grow rice, including paddy (non-basmati) and basmati (aromatic fine quality rice), on around 80 ...
Stubble Burning
India takes new steps to give up old habits of burning farm wasteedit
Mint – Online
Sanju is on a mission. For weeks, she has traveled from village to village, urging farmers in India to stop burning stubble from harvested rice crops near New Delhi, the country’s capital. As winds slow during the winter months, a poisonous haze collects over northern India. During the worst stretches, the region’s air pollution can reach multiple times the global safety threshold. Stubble burning is one of the leading causes of the smog. Sanju, 24, who goes by one name, is among several hundred gig workers in the state of Haryana — all of them women — trying to reverse that trend. She encourages farmers to spray a white substance on their fields to decompose crop ...
India takes new steps to kick old habits of burning farm wasteedit
The Economic Times – Online
Sanju is on a mission. For weeks, she has traveled from village to village, urging farmers in India to stop burning stubble from harvested rice crops near New Delhi. As winds slow during the winter months, a poisonous haze collects over northern India. During the worst stretches, the region’s air pollution can reach multiple times the global safety threshold. Stubble burning is one of the leading causes of the smog. Sanju, 24, who goes by one name, is among several hundred gig workers in Haryana — all of them women — trying to reverse that trend. She encourages farmers to spray a white substance on their fields to decompose crop residue, rather than set ...
Why is paddy straw not being used to produce biomass energy to save Delhi from pollution?edit
Scroll.in – Online
Starting in October, Punjab and Haryana garner a lot of attention during the paddy harvesting season every year. The short window between the harvesting of paddy and sowing of wheat, besides the high cost of straw management, forces farmers to reach for the matchstick instead. This year, the window shrank further due to late rains that delayed paddy harvesting. The burning is often blamed for the severe air pollution in Delhi in these months. The share of farm fires to the capital’s pollution, however, depends on daily instances of fires and the weather conditions like wind speed and direction. This year, the contribution of farm fires to PM 2.5 in Delhi’s air varied from 6% to ...
Stubble Burning Issue: Now if the stubble is lit, it will be atrocity, will have to pay double the fine!edit
Krishi Jagran – Online
At the time of harvesting paddy, the problem of most of the farmers is that what to do with the stubble. Many farmers make proper use of stubble, while there are many farmers even today, who burn the stubble in the fields. In such a situation, not only the local people there, but the neighboring states also have to face the problem of pollution. The government is also very concerned about this problem. However, the government has also resorted to legislation to get rid of the problem of stubble burning. But now the second news is coming that after paddy, farmers are spreading pollution in the environment by burning sugarcane leaves . Now the village ...
KU to conduct research to make paddy waste useful for industriesedit
Hindustan Times – Online
The department of biotechnology of the Kurukshetra University is set to conduct research to make paddy straw useful for industries and generate additional income for farmers. The department has received a grant of ₹14 lakh from the Haryana State Council of Science and Technology for the research and development project on production of microbial silicase for resolution of silica in rice straw for value addition for a period of three years. The move, if successful, will prove a big breakthrough and will help to get rid of the problem of stubble burning by finding out a cost-effective and environment-friendly approach to tackle the issue. Project in-charge Dr Sunita Dalal said high silica content is the ...
Stubble burning did not stopedit
Hindustan – Online
Despite the lakh restrictions of the government and local administration, stubble is being burnt indiscriminately in the fields. In many villages of Ramgarh Chowk and Halsi block, farmers have burnt stubble. The farmers said that there is no proper system to destroy the stubble. Because of this, they are burning the stubble under compulsion. Before the paddy was harvested, the officials of the Agriculture Department held a meeting with the farmer in the block premises and warned of depriving the farmers of the benefits of the schemes by marking the stubble burning farmers. It doesn’t seem to have any effect either. To take action on the farmers who burn stubble, it is not considered appropriate to ...
‘Stubble burning is old farming mistake’edit
The Times of India – Online
“One of the mistakes that had crept into the traditional methods of farming is the issue of stubble burning,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned in his virtual address at the National Conclave for Natural Farming held at Anand on Thursday. Elaborating on the ill-effects of burning up the farmland refuse, Modi said, “We see that when heated, mud becomes a brick. It is so strong that a building can be made with it. But burning the remains of crops has become a sort of tradition,” he said, adding that experts too are of the opinion that fire reduces the fertility of farmlands. In his online address, the PM said that the world was ...
Crop stubble burning: Lessons from SIAM-CII’s new initiativeedit
Business Today – Online
Crop stubble burning” has become an annual recurrence and is intensely debated as one of the key factors leading to the alarming fall in air quality in northern India particularly in Delhi NCR. It is the practice of burning the residues and stubble of the paddy crop after harvesting as the farmers are in hurry to clear their fields for the next sowing cycle. In winters, as the air is heavier with minimal speed of winds the adverse impact of smoke from the paddy crop residues travelling hundreds of kilometres from the fields of Punjab and Haryana, is more diabolical leading to a health emergency. There are other contributors to air pollution like construction dust, ...
Found a solution to the problem related to stubble, know how the enzyme will workedit
News18 – Online
Every year in the fall, a round of accusations starts between Delhi and its adjoining states of Haryana-Punjab. This is the time when Delhi suffocates every year. Fresh pictures start coming from NASA which show that paddy farmers in Haryana and Punjab start burning the leftover stubble in the fields to prepare their land. During this, the wind moves towards Delhi, due to which the entire Delhi becomes smoky and the level of pollution becomes fatal. This effect lasts for several days. The interesting thing iswhere stubble burning increases smoke and pollutionAt the same time, it also destroys the fertility of the land. Which means the use of more chemical fertilizers which is poisoning the land. ...
Stubble burning in Odisha worries green activistsedit
The New Indian Express – Online
The menace of stubble burning after the end of kharif season is making life difficult for people in Jeypore who held a meeting at Badakudi on Sunday, December 12, 2021, and appealed to the district administration to take immediate action. Farmers in Jeypore, Borigumma, Kotpad and Kundra are increasingly resorting to the practice of setting fire to the straw heaps instead of using them for traditional purposes like cattle fodder. Environmental experts expressed concern over the smoke billowing out of heaps of straw leading to pollution besides posing health hazards. Despite repeated pleas to Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) over the past two years to spread awareness about air pollution in ...
From pollution to power, what stops paddy straw from becoming the fuel of choiceedit
Moneycontrol – Online
The northern Indian states of Punjab and Haryana garner a lot of attention during the paddy harvesting season every year, starting in October. The short window between the harvesting of paddy and sowing of wheat, besides the high cost of straw management, forces farmers to reach for the matchstick instead. This year, the window shrank further due to late rains that delayed paddy harvesting. The burning is often blamed for the severe air pollution in Delhi in these months. The share of farm fires to the capital’s pollution, however, depends on daily instances of fires and the weather conditions like wind speed and direction. This year, the contribution of farm fires to particulate matter (PM) 2.5 ...
Is there a way to handle the stubble better? Better alternatives, lesser burning and a more sustainable destinyedit
The Indian Wire – Online
Well, it is not easy for anyone during the winters around Delhi, to ignore the smog. Noticing the same is easier, as it becomes difficult to breathe in toxic air. We, Indians, wait for it to appear every year like a festival or a season to visit us. This does not happen all of a sudden and is a chaos built of ground action by multiple factors like spiraling-in western disturbances, air pollution through bursting crackers, burning crop residue (parali) etc. in tandem. Consequently, Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) touches beyond 400, becoming worse than ever, posing a severe category threat to anyone who takes in the toxic air. An analysis made by ...
Will use stubble for biofuel: Environment Minister in Lok Sabhaedit
The Indian Express – Online
The government is working to convert stubble into biofuel in an attempt to reduce crop burning, Union Minister for Forests and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav Friday said in Lok Sabha. He was speaking during a debate on climate change which also saw Opposition members questioning the government on setting a net-zero emissions target by 2070 at the Glasgow climate summit. On Friday, Shiromani Akali Dal member Harsimrat Kaur Badal stated that Punjab farmers were being “defamed” over stubble burning. She asked the Union government to provide farmers with resources to deal with the issue. Yadav, in his intervention, said the state-run NTPC Ltd had recently procured around 3,000 tonnes of stubble to be used ...
Dutch firms offer solutions to stubble burning, saline farmingedit
Devdiscourse – Online
The Dutch government is in talks with the Gujarat administration to open a Centre of Excellence on ”saline farming” in the coastal state to help farmers undertake agricultural activities on salt-affected soils, the European country’s trade office here said on Thursday. Amlan Bora, Trade and Investment Commissioner at the Netherlands Business Support Office (NBSO) in Ahmedabad, said it has started discussions with the Gujarat government to open a Centre of Excellence on saline farming. ”Discussions are already happening in Gujarat to create a Centre of Excellence in saline farming. A huge percentage of land in Gujarat has a lot of salinity, not just near the sea coast but also well inside the land. The Netherlands ...
Stubble Burning: Nurture.farm Saves Over 420,000 Acres From Being Burntedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
Nurture.farm, a digital platform for sustainable agriculture, has published the results of the Crop Residue Management (CRM) Program: the largest ever project to eliminate stubble burning in India. The CRM program impact report has evidenced benefits across reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improvements in soil health and farmer livelihoods, as well as reduced usage of fertilizers. Results published in the CRM program impact report indicate 92% overall stubble burn avoidance across the enrolled farms, with close to 420,000 acres of land saved from being burnt, resulting in the prevention of 1,038,965 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from being released.
To check stubble burning, monitor policy implementationedit
The Indian Express – Online
Every October and November, parts of north India are engulfed by a dense fog. This is the time when stubble burning takes in farms of the region, especially in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Farmers resort to the practice due to the limited time they have between the harvesting of kharif paddy and sowing of the rabi wheat. They find burning the stubble left in the field to be a cost-effective and quick way to resolve the issue. Studies have shown that besides causing pollution, stubble burning reduces soil fertility in the long run. In 2014, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare developed a National Policy for the Management of Crop Residue. ...
30% decline in farm fires in Haryana this year, zero stubble burning still a challengeedit
Hindustan Times – Online
Even as Haryana has reported nearly 30% decline in stubble burning cases this year, putting a complete check on the practice still remains a challenge for the authorities. As per the Haryana Space Application Centre’s data of rice residue burning events, the state had reported 6,987 incidents of farm fires during this harvesting season ending on November 30, against 9,898 reported last Kharif harvesting season from September 15 to November 30. The figures revealed that the farm fires were reported in 16 districts of Haryana. Over 67% cases were reported in five districts. Fatehabad is at the top with 1,479 incidents of farm fires, followed by 1,163 in Kaithal, 956 in Karnal, 551 in ...
Crores of rupees in subsidies have gone up in smoke as farmers continue to burn stubbleedit
Scroll.in – Online
Harbhajan Singh returned to Sadhanpur village in east Punjab’s Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district from two days off over Diwali, to find the paddy straw stubble from the three acres he farms, which he had bundled into neat stacks, turned to ash. “I was to transport and sell the bundles to the nearby industrial unit for use as fuel in its boiler, but the farm owner complained it was taking too long and set it on fire,” Singh told IndiaSpend. “I had spent around Rs 7,000 on fuel, labour and other inputs. All of that has now gone to waste.” Harbhajan Singh operates a raker-baler machine every year during the paddy harvesting season to collect and ...
To clear stubble, Punjab burnt 52% of area under rice this yearedit
The Indian Express – Online
Stubble burning has ended in the state post paddy harvesting and Punjab has set stubble on 15.47 lakh hectares (38.21 lakh acres) on fire at the end of this paddy harvesting season, which is 52 per cent of the total rice area in the state. In terms of area this is the lowest area on which stubble was burnt despite that fact that farm fire incidents were the second highest this year. The burnt area, meanwhile, is down by 2.49 lakh hectares as compared to last year. The fire incidents and burnt area recording ended on November 30. There were 71,304 fire incidents this year which were second highest in the past five years ...
Stubble burning is not a hobby for us, says Punjab CM at HTLSedit
Hindustan Times – Online
Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi said on Saturday farmers must be paid to stop the practice of stubble burning, which has in the past led to rising pollution levels in Delhi and neighbouring areas. “I will request you to tell Modiji that stubble burning is not our hobby. I do stop people [from burning stubble] but this time the scale has been low,” Charanjit Singh Channi said while speaking with Hindustan Times’ national political editor Sunetra Choudhury on the last day of HTLS 2021. “Farmers must be paid to collect and destroy the waste. This is the proper solution. After that, farmers will not be able to say why they have been burning ...
Subsidies to farmers go up in smoke as stubble burning continuesedit
Business Standard – Online
Harbhajan Singh returned to Sadhanpur village in east Punjab’s SAS Nagar district from two days off over Diwali, to find the paddy straw stubble from the three acres he farms, which he had bundled into neat stacks, turned to ash. “I was to transport and sell the bundles to the nearby industrial unit for use as fuel in its boiler, but the farm owner complained it was taking too long and set it on fire,” Singh told IndiaSpend. “I had spent around Rs 7,000 on fuel, labour and other inputs. All of that has now gone to waste.” Harbhajan Singh operates a raker-baler machine every year during the paddy harvesting season to collect and ...
Stubble-burning in 2021 highest in 5 years: Satellite dataedit
The Times of India – Online
The stubble burning season has come to an end with the cumulative “fire counts” in Punjab and Haryana recorded by Nasa satellites in September to November being the highest in five years. As per data from Nasa’s VIIRS 375m satellite, 86,606 fire counts were detected in the two states from September 1 to November 29, a 7.3% increase over the same period last year. The data also reveals a sharp increase in burning in Haryana as compared with the 2020 season. The number of fire counts in Punjab this year was 76,680, as opposed to 75,193 last year, and 9,926 in Haryana, up from 5,506 in 2020. L S Kurinji, programme associate, Council ...
Tractor industry
Sonalika clocks highest ever November overall estimated market share of 16 percent with 1.4 percent market share gainedit
ANI News – Online
Growing awareness about technology importance in agriculture has led to rapid innovation in farm equipment solutions. Farmers across the globe are increasingly becoming progressive as the demand for farm mechanisation is also being witnessed even beyond the traditional festive seasons as well. Sonalika Tractors, one of India’s leading tractors manufacturers and the No.1 exports brand from the country, has continued to stay ahead of industry performance to register highest ever November market share of 16% and has been among the leading market share gainers with 1.4%. Overall, the company has clocked 11,909 overall tractors sales in November’ 21. During the month, Sonalika further increased its lead in exports and strengthened its position as No.1 exports ...