Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Crop diversification push in Punjab hits a roadblockedit
Hindustan Times – Online
Efforts of the Punjab government to push crop diversification after wheat harvesting this year has hit a roadblock. This time the acreage of the traditional crop of cotton has touched 1.80 lakh hectares or 4.50 lakh acres, the lowest ever since 2010 while the area under summer moong or green gram has also shrunk to 21,000 hectares or 52,500 acres from 52,000 hectares or 1.30 lakh acres in 2022. Experts said a drop in cultivation of the two crops means direct stress on water when the government is trying hard to save on the natural resource.
Reconstituted panel asked to finalise agriculture policy in six monthsedit
The Times of India – Online
The state government has reconstituted a 24-member committee to work out a comprehensive agriculture policy for Goa. The committee headed by the agriculture minister Ravi Naik has farmers, scientists, agriculturists, educationists, co-operative society representatives and various stakeholders as members. The committee will suggest ways to ensure growth in agriculture, animal husbandry and dairy by aggregating and integrating all rural programmes so that farmers get a substantial return from agricultural land resources.
Technology in Agriculture
Unleashing the Tech Revolution: Agri-startups Powering Indian Agriculture’s Futureedit
Krishi Jagran – Online
Agri-tech start-ups have been dubbed as a ‘ray of hope’ considering the numerous solutions that they provide for the hiccups that arise in the Indian agricultural value chain. The use of AI, IoT, Big Data Analytics, drones for farm mapping, ICT applications, and technology for weather forecasting has been incorporated and the Indian start-up scenario has firmly been manning the technological wave. The introduction of high-tech facilities in Indian agriculture has long been overdue. We are a country with immense agricultural potential- but only combined with technology will we be able to reach the same threshold as that of the first world countries.
Paddy in India
Paddy purchase operations to close by June 10 in Telanganaedit
Telangana Today – Online
The Civil Supplies Corporation, which has taken up paddy procurement in the State is close to realizing its target for the season. It has started the process for winding up the paddy procurement centres with zero arrivals. Officials of the corporation tasked with the purchases are keen on continuing the operations for another one week to 10 days. As on Friday, the Corporation has purchased over 53 lakh tons of paddy offering the minimum support price from the 7100 procurement centres opened in the State for the season. Paddy arrivals up to 62 lakh tons were projected for the season. The Corporation had planned up for procuring till the last grain as assured by Chief ...
Telangana weathers climate storm with advisory on rabi-paddy timingedit
The Times of India – Online
The days of frequent climate-induced policy changes and government interventions are not far away if the recent directive to farmers by the state government to finish rabi paddy season by March is an indication. The recent unusually heavy rainfall during March-April was the trigger for the agriculture department to look for ways to mitigate farm hardship at least next year by advancing paddy crop season which currently extends till middle of April. The massive crops losses this year due to heavy rain and hailstorm, which is not normal for the season, has led to the formation of a cabinet subcommittee for crop season advancement by the state government. A few days ago, the ...