Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Tamil Nadu: 60 per cent of seed distribution target achieved but Tiruchy farmers not happyedit
The New Indian Express – Online
With Samba cultivation kicking off in most parts of the district, the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department under the Union government’s Seed Village Programme (Beej Gram Yojana) has achieved about 60 per cent of the annual target of — distributing at a subsidised cost — 440 metric tonnes of paddy seed of different varieties to farmers this season. ADVERTISEMENT Ads by Farmers, however, say the seeds distributed do not match their expectations of returning a high yield, and being pest resistant, among others. While an agriculture department official mentioned the distribution of 20-kg worth of certified seeds of rice varieties such as Trichy-3, KO-r50, TKM 13 and VGD1 per farmer under the scheme, ...
Competition
Sonalika Tractors records highest ever monthly overall salesedit
The Financial Express – Online
Sonalika Tractor recorded the highest ever monthly sales of 18,619 tractors and 15 percent market share (est). This robust sales feat includes staggering 26.2 percent growth, thereby beating industry growth (est 18.9 percent). Sonalika has also recorded the highest ever monthly production of 15,563 tractors. These are customised as per farmer’s region specific requirements and will enable companies to keep pace with the festive season demand. The company said, this production feat also includes the highest ever daily production of 702 tractors rolled out during the month. Sonalika’s advanced tractors are now trusted by 14 lakh farmers across 140 countries and are globally known for delivering spectacular performance across the fields.
Technology in Agriculture
Use of drones in agricultural sector set to gain currencyedit
The Financial Express – Online
With the civil aviation ministry relaxing the relevant rules, a clutch of firms, including IoTechworld Aviation and Garuda Aerospace, have firmed up plans to manufacture and sell such drones for farming. IoTechworld , the first company to get approval to manufacture drones for farming, is planning to sell 1,000 drones in the current financial year, Deepak Bhardwaj, director and founder, told FE. So far, the company has sold around 300 drones in 2022-23. Garuda Aerospace is in the process of manufacturing more than 2,500 drones for the farming sector in the next two years, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, founder and CEO, Garuda Aerospace, recently said.
Paddy in India
Govt. to Provide Subsidy on Smart Seeder to Reduce Paddy Residue Burningedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has added the ‘Smart Seeder’ created by Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana to the centrally funded subsidy program. The PAU’s Research Evaluation Committee has approved using its smart seeder to sow wheat straight into paddy leftovers. The smart seeder effectively keeps the advantages of both happy seeder and super seeder in a single machine by incorporating surface mulching to manage the paddy residue. The PAU smart seeder plants wheat in combined harvested paddy fields more quickly than the happy seeder and super seeder. Wheat can be sown on 10 to 12 acres in a day using a tractor with 45 to 50 horsepower.
Paddy procurement in Mohali: ₹39 cr paid to farmers so faredit
Hindustan Times – Online
Around 22,615 metric tonnes (MT) of paddy has arrived in district markets, of which 21,658 MT has already been purchased. Mohali deputy commissioner Amit Talwar said 4,421 MT of paddy has been lifted and ₹38.76 crore has been paid to farmers. Pungrain has bought 6,199MT paddy, Markfed 7,771 MT, PUNSUP 2,685 MT, Warehouse 4,059 MT, the Food Corporation of India has purchased 596 MT and traders have bought 348 MT paddy, the DC said, urging farmers not to burn the paddy stubble as it is a major cause of respiratory diseases and it also reduces the fertility of the land.
Stubble Burning
Stubble burning: Fire counts over Punjab and Haryana start to increaseedit
The Indian Express – Online
The stubble burning counts in Punjab and Haryana have increased recently, after the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon last week. According to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute’s (IARI) Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space, the paddy residue burning events have been on the rise in Punjab from October 1. The number of burning events in Punjab rose from zero on September 29 to eight on September 30, and 45 on October 1. On October 2, the number of events rose further to 83. The highest figure was recorded on October 5, when there were a total of 130 paddy residue burning events. The system recorded 85 such burning events on ...
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann asks farmers to support fight against stubble burningedit
Hindustan Times – Online
Punjab chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said his government is making all-out efforts for paddy straw management to curb stubble burning in the state, appealing to farmers to support this noble cause. Mann, who held a meeting with representatives of farmer unions from across Punjab, said the state government is making available 1.22 lakh stubble management machines and an app has been developed by the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to facilitate them in using these machines. “It is the need of the hour for protecting the environment of the state,” the CM said on being asked about the unions’ demand for incentive of ₹6,000 per acre to farmers for the management of paddy ...