Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Challenges for India’s agriculture exportsedit
The New Indian Express – Online
India’s merchandise exports reached a milestone in 2021–22, crossing the $400 billion mark for the first time. Provisional figures peg exports at nearly $420 billion, over 27% higher than the previous peak of $330 billion reached in 2018–19. What is remarkable about the export performance is that every major sector of the economy has made a definitive contribution to this burgeoning export basket. In agriculture, several non-traditional commodities have led to the export surge. For instance, non-basmati rice and wheat have seen record levels of exports. Recently, non-basmati exports were a third to one-half of India’s rice exports, but in 2021–22, this had increased to nearly two-thirds. Wheat exports were $60 million in ...
4 lakh hectare under natural farming now, says agriculture minister Tomaredit
Business Standard – Online
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday said about 4 lakh hectare has been brought under natural farming so far as part of a sub-scheme of the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana and think-tank Niti Aayog will prepare a roadmap to scale this up. Tomar, while addressing a national workshop on innovative agriculture here, said the need of the hour is to do farming that works in harmony with nature, reduces the cost of production, ensures good-quality produce and profits to farmers. Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, parts of Haryana and Gujarat are gradually adapting to natural farming. More farmers will join after seeing the success stories, he said. Tomar said Niti Aayog will prepare a roadmap ...
CLAAS Global Mentions
Compact Torion joins growing Claas loader rangeedit
Farmers Weekly – Online
Claas has introduced an entry-level Torion loader and given a power boost to the two existing models in the range. The new 530 is propelled by a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder Yanmar engine rated to 46hp, and has a modest top speed of 20kph. A 61-litre/min hydraulic system allows for a 3,000kg maximum articulated tipping load and it is able to clear heights of up to 2.82m. Meanwhile, the larger 535 and 639 models that complete the three-model line-up of compact Torions have had their Yanmar engines uprated to 74hp. These are coupled to a 30kph hydrostatic transmission and the option of a standard or High-Lift boom. The standard version 535 will reach to 2.82m, while the ...
Monsoon + Indian Agriculture
Insufficient Pre-Monsoon Rains in 20 States Could Wreak Havoc on Agricultureedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
From March 1 to April 25, India Meteorological Data reveals that twenty states had received insufficient pre-monsoon rain. The scarcity of rain in these two months prolongs heat wave conditions, leaves fruits and vegetables vulnerable to heat stress, and has the potential to damage sugar cane and cotton irrigation, as well as pre-kharif sowing operations. Experts say that many river basins have received no rain at all this season, while many others have had insufficient to entirely deficient rains, putting further strain on dam water consumption. In India, pre-monsoon rain accounts for roughly 11% of the country’s yearly rainfall. “If a river basin receives little or no rainfall, reservoirs in such basins would be under ...
Paddy in India
Punjab Plans to Use Water- Saving Broadcasting Method to Grow Rice this Kharifedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
Punjab government has decided to use the Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) method in the upcoming Kharif sowing season to save water while sowing paddy on an area of 1.2 million hectares (mha). This is more than double the area sown under DSR in 2021. (0.6 mha). DSR is also known as the ‘broadcasting seed technique,’ because seeds are drilled directly into the fields. The field is laser levelled, and pre-sowing irrigation (rauni) is performed. The field is prepared to the optimal soil moisture level, and paddy (non-basmati) is seeded right away. In comparison to the traditional water-intensive method, this technique saves groundwater and thus electricity. It can help cut water consumption by up to ...
Odisha to construct 52 model paddy purchase centres: Ministeredit
The New Indian Express – Online
The State government on Monday decided to construct model mandis (paddy purchase centres) in 12 major paddy procurement districts of the State. Reviewing the progress of construction of multi-purpose godowns for primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS) and large area multi-purpose societies (LAMPS) at a high-level meeting here, Cooperation Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain said that 52 model mandis will be constructed in the first phase. Major paddy procurement districts such as Bargarh, Balangir, Kalahandi, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Jharsuguda, Nuapada, Koraput, Rayagada, Sundargarh and Mayurbhanj will get priority. The proposed model mandis will have all basic facilities for farmers. The Minister said that the State government has been constructing 128 multi-purpose godowns to meet the ...
Stubble Burning
Ground-level inquiry into stubble burning incidents ordered by Moga district authoritiesedit
Hindustan Times – Online
With 43 incidents of stubble burning reported in Moga district during the ongoing wheat harvesting season, deputy commissioner Kulwant Singh on Monday ordered the agriculture department to conduct a ground-level inquiry to ascertain the cause of these fires and a study as to why these events are not ending. The DC held a meeting with officials of various departments to check wheat stubble burning in the district. He said that there could be several reasons behind the burning of wheat stubble and paddy straw which need to be investigated in detail. Singh directed the agriculture department to conduct a ground-level inquiry into the occurrence of stubble burning incidents and submit a report with a study ...