Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
West Bengal receives Rs 1,325 crore for AIF-funded Agri and Allied Sector Projectsedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
As part of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund launched by the West Bengal government, a total of 1,325 crore has been invested in 1,000 projects in agriculture and associated sectors. Cold storages, oil and dal mills, packaging and grading facilities, warehouses, and farm machinery hubs are among the projects. According to an official press statement, as of April 14, payouts had been made for as many as 881 of the total projects sanctioned. The state government has emphasized the convergence of activities and efforts to strengthen agriculture infrastructure for the development of agriculture and allied sectors in the state in order to increase farmers’ income and employment opportunities through value addition and improved market connectivity.
Promote crop diversification, use of digital tools in agriculture: Minister urges G20 nationsedit
Hindustan Times – Online
Union minister VK Singh on Monday said that India would be the largest producer of millets in the world in near future as the government is serious about promoting its output due to nutritional qualities of millets. Inaugurating the G20 meeting of agricultural chief scientists (MACS) in Varanasi, he asked G20 countries to work towards promotion of crop diversification, efficient use of inputs like fertilisers and post-harvest management, and said the latest digital tools should be used in agriculture across the world. About 80 delegates from G20 member states — Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the USA and ...
CLAAS Global Mentions
Toromont to sell Manitoba Agco, Claas dealer chainedit
Grainews – Online
Canada’s Caterpillar equipment distributor for Manitoba and points east is set to sell a major Manitoba dealer of Agco’s farm equipment brands as well as the province’s exclusive dealer for Claas combines. Toromont Industries announced Monday it will sell its AgWest Ltd. arm to Dutch equipment distributor Mechan International, effective May 1. Neither company would disclose the financial terms of the deal Monday, except that it will be in cash and “is not expected to have a material impact on Toromont’s overall future operations, revenue or earnings.”
Monsoon + Indian Agriculture
Heat Last Year, Untimely Rains This Year: India’s Wheat Crop Takes a Hit Againedit
The Wire – Online
India’s wheat crop this year has been hit because of excessive rainfall in the crucial month of March, when the crop enters the vital grain-filling stage and gets ready for harvesting in April. Last year, the excessive temperatures in March, the steepest since the country’s temperature record-keeping began in 1901, impacted wheat production which was lower than the expected production, by around 4.5 million tonnes. India was aiming for 111.32 million tonnes of wheat production in 2022, but the final realisation was not more than 106.84 million tonnes.
Paddy in India
Rice exports cross record $11 bn in FY23edit
The Financial Express – Online
India’s rice exports have crossed a record $11 billion in 2022-23, an increase of 16% from FY22. The volume of shipment, however, remained around the same level as last year at 21 million tonne (MT). Officials attribute the spike in rice exports to factors such as robust global demand, especially from West Asian countries, Africa and Europe, and flood that hit a large chunk of paddy crop in Pakistan, a major grain exporter. In FY22, India, which has an around 45% share in global rice trade, exported more than 21 MT of rice valued at $9.6 billion.