Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Govt sets higher rice procurement target for next kharif seasonedit
The Financial Express – Online
Amidst the fear of deficient monsoon rains, the government on Tuesday set a 5% higher kharif rice procurement target of 52.1 million tonne (MT) for 2023-24 season (October-September) compared to 49.5 MT purchased in the current season. Kharif procurement contributes around 86% of the total rice purchased from the farmers by Food Corporation of India and state agencies under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) operation.
Aromatic and non-aromatic paddy farming takes a hit in Odishaedit
The New Indian Express – Online
Efforts to promote non-Basmati indigenous aromatic and non-aromatic paddy varieties to tap their export potential seem to have taken a hit in the tribal-dominated Sundargarh district with their cultivation falling far behind the target. Under the state plan, it was targeted to execute cultivation of these varieties of paddy on a total of 1,000 ha in Lephripara, Subdega, Balisankara, Bargaon and Rajgangpur blocks with each block to cultivate 200 ha through community-based organisations (CBOs) with support of the State Level Supporting Agency (SLSA) selected by the Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (A&FE) department.
A rice shortage is sending prices soaring across the world and things could get worseedit
The Economic Times – Online
Francis Ndege isn’t sure if his customers in Africa’s largest slum can afford to keep buying rice from him. Prices for rice grown in Kenya soared a while ago because of higher fertilizer prices and a yearslong drought in the Horn of Africa that has reduced production. Cherice imported from India had filled the gap, feeding many of the hundreds of thousands of residents in Nairobi’s Kibera slum who survive on less than $2 a day.
Govt. Policies
Farmers suffering due to increased input costs: Supriya Sule slams Centreedit
Mid-day – Online
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule on Tuesday accused the (Bharatiya Janata Party) BJP-led Central government of being anti-farmer and said that the farmers are suffering due to the increased input costs, reported news agency ANI. “This government (BJP-led central govt) is against the farmers…The farmers are suffering due to the increased price of fuel and fertilizers. When they don’t get MSP (Minimum Support Price) for every crop, what they will do?.. As I said this government (Central government) is anti-farmer,” Supriya Sule said while talking to reporters.