Page 2 - Agriculture Economy

Natural farming in mission mode, but is it a workable alternative?

While the government is looking to push natural farming, which is different from organic farming, contrasting studies question the scalability and viability of the practice

ITC to increase FPOs to 4,000 in next 4 years linking one crore farmers

ITC is expanding its network of FPOs, further aiming to connect one crore farmers in the next 4-5 years and scaling up sourcing of fruits and vegetables through this platform, said its Agri Business Division CEO S Ganesh. ITC, present in around 22 states through FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations) and working on 20 crops, has plans to expand and deepen it further in states including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Bihar. Besides, ITC is working on expanding the reach of its super app MAARS -- a phygital' initiative with FPOs through which it is providing personalised advisories to farmers from weather forecast to sales of crops at mandi prices, supply of seeds and fertiliser and services as soil testing to helping them get credit from banks. Through MAARS (Metamarket for Advanced Agriculture Rural Services), ITC is also enhancing agricultural practices to small farmers through technology aggregation, AI-enabled solutions, AgTech and an e-marketplace for commodities

Farmers are in distress, there is a need for introspection: V-P Dhankhar

He asserted that farmers are in distress and resorting to agitations, and this situation does not augur well for overall well-being of the country

Farm GVA recovers in Q2FY25 due to strong monsoon, shows govt data

Lays foundation for even better performance in coming quarters, opine experts

India's soil nutrient ratio improves marginally, but can it hold the line?

The main culprit for the degradation of the nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio is the overuse of urea as a main fertiliser because of its low price, which has been static for almost a decade

UPL, CH4 Global partner to launch methane-reducing cattle feed in India

Agricultural solutions provider UPL and CH4 Global announced a strategic partnership on Thursday to distribute a seaweed-based feed supplement in five major markets, including India that could reduce cattle methane emissions by up to 90 per cent. The multi-year agreement targets India, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, which together account for more than 40 per cent of the global cattle population, the UPL said in a regulatory filing. The partnership will focus on distributing CH4 Global's Methane Tamer product, a feed supplement derived from Asparagopsis seaweed, through UPL's existing distribution networks and feed formulations. "Methane is almost thirty times as harmful for global warming than CO2," UPL Chairman and Group CEO Jai Shroff said. "Recent reports show the highest levels in 8,00,000 years, so its reduction must be our top priority." The initiative comes as the livestock industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact. Enteric methane fro

SC panel highlights rising debt, stagnant yields in agricultural crisis

A Supreme Court-appointed panel on farmers' grievances and protests has filed its interim report, listing reasons for agrarian distress which among others include stagnant yield, rising costs and debts and inadequate marketing system. The high-powered committee, constituted on September 2 under former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nawab Singh to resolve the grievances of farmers agitating at the Shambhu border, also suggested solutions including examining the possibility of giving legal sanctity to Minimum Support Price and offering direct income support. While forming the committee, the SC had observed farmers' protest should not be politicised. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan on Friday took the interim report on record and praised the committee for its efforts and framing of the issues to be examined and defuse the agitation. In its 11-page interim report, the panel said, "It is a well-known fact that the farming community in the country in general and that o

Synergy Marine Group growing vegetables on its vessels using AI tech

Synergy Marine Group has started growing vegetables on its vessels on a pilot basis using technology provided by Agwa. "As part of a pilot project, Synergy's managed Suezmax tanker 'EFFIE MAERSK' has been using Agwa's cutting-edge AI-directed cultivation devices since September," according to a statement on Thursday. These units, which are about the same size as standard refrigerators or wine coolers, allow the crew to enjoy freshly picked vegetables in the middle of the ocean, it added. Eli Feiglin, Chief Commercial Officer of Agwa, said, "The fully automated process allows crews to enjoy fresh greens and herbs without the need for special skills or substantial time commitment." The self-contained units use artificial intelligence, cameras and sensors to regulate environmental factors such as ultraviolet light, water, fertiliser and temperature. By maintaining optimal conditions for plant growth, the AI ensures that the vegetables grow efficiently. Captain Rajesh Unni, Synergy's

Soyabean, cotton farmers to be given Rs 5,000 per hectare: Shivraj

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday expressed concern over soil degradation affecting 30 per cent of India's land and stressed the need for urgent measures to maintain soil quality for sustainable farming. Addressing a global conference on soil through video conferencing, Chouhan said improving soil health is crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to zero hunger, climate action and life on land. "We are producing more than 330 million foodgrains annually and exporting worth USD 50 billion. This success however comes with concerns, especially regarding soil health," the minister said. According to Chouhan, about 30 per cent of India's land is experiencing degradation due to rising fertiliser consumption, imbalanced use of fertilisers, exploitation of natural resources and wrong soil management practices. The minister highlighted various government initiatives, including the distribution of more than 220 million soil health cards to farme

SLCM, BoB tie up to provide collateral services for agricultural financing

Warehousing and collateral management firm Sohan Lal Commodity Management (SLCM) announced a strategic partnership with the state-owned Bank of Baroda on Wednesday to provide collateral management services for agricultural financing. The partnership will enable farmers to access credit against their crops through Bank of Baroda's nationwide network, the company said in a statement. SLCM reported its assets under management (AUM) rose 73 per cent to Rs 11,952 crore in the first half of fiscal 2024-25, compared to Rs Rs 6,911 crore in the year-ago period. SLCM Group CEO Sandeep Sabharwal said the company's Agri Reach technology and physical infrastructure will help minimise the default risk and improve financial access for the agricultural ecosystem. The company operates over 17,000 warehouses and 36 cold storage facilities across 19 Indian states, managing more than 1,080 commodities including cotton, pulses, and maize. SLCM currently maintains partnerships with more than 20 ...

30% of India's soil degraded, urgent action needed: Agri Minister Chouhan

Agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stressed on the pivotal role of soil health in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) such as zero hunger, climate action, and life on land

As kharif harvest gains momentum, what's in store for crop prices?

As the Kharif harvest season intensifies, crop prices may see shifts driven by increased arrivals, inflation pressures, and recent govt interventions aimed at stabilising key agricultural commodities

Futures trading ban fails to cool retail prices in India, say reports

'Sans futures contracts, FPOs were unable to hedge against price fluctuations'

Honeywell India supports deep science startups in collaboration with IISc

These startups are focused on building innovations to solve pressing challenges in areas such as agriculture, healthcare, and renewable energy

India's rice inventories hit record high at 29.7 MMT, triples govt target

Rice reserves in state granaries totalled 29.7 million tons at the start of this month, up 48.5% from a year ago, said the sources who did not wish to be named in line with official rules

Reimagining agriculture's role in economic development and growth

An agriculture worker in China generates merely one-fourth of the income generated by a non-agricultural worker. India and Vietnam are close to China while Indonesia shows lower disparity

Rajasthan sees boost in rabi crop sowing after favourable monsoon rains

According to data from the state agriculture department, sowing areas of mustard, wheat, gram, and barley will increase

Finance ministry asks PSU banks to meet loan targets for agri-allied sector

The finance ministry has asked public sector banks (PSBs) to meet loan targets for the agri-allied sector during the current financial year. Department of Financial Services Secretary M Nagaraju in a meeting held on Tuesday reviewed the progress of credit disbursement to agri-allied activities like animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries with Public Sector Banks (PSBs), NABARD and State/ UT Level Bankers' Committee. Representatives of state governments/UTs, the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying and the Department of Fisheries also participated in the discussions, the finance ministry said on Wednesday. The secretary urged PSBs to take all necessary steps to ensure that respective targets are met during the current financial year and stressed the state governments to facilitate banks in improving the flow of credit to these sectors. Nagaraju underscored the importance of the allied sector in driving agricultural growth and its employment potential in rural areas and ...

Govt urges banks to boost credit flow for allied agri sectors; here's why

The allied activities receive only 10 per cent of the total agricultural credit while they contribute 40 per cent of the agricultural output, said the RBI report

Crystal Crop acquires I&B Seeds to boost flower and vegetable seed segment

Agrochemical firm Crystal Crop Protection on Monday said it has acquired Bengaluru-based I&B Seeds as it seeks to strengthen its position in India's vegetable and flower-seed segment. "The deal has been fully executed with shares purchased from two major shareholders. The share transfer was completed last week on the day of Diwali," Crystal Crop Protection Managing Director Ankur Aggarwal told PTI. While not disclosing the deal amount, Aggarwal said it is estimated at two-times I&B Seed's annual revenue of Rs 130 crore. The acquisition was funded through internal accruals and marks Crystal Crop's fifth purchase in the seeds business and twelfth overall. "This acquisition will contribute 30 per cent to our Rs 400 crore seed business," Aggarwal said, adding that the company will retain I&B Seeds' flagship brands 'Indus' and 'SPS'. India's flower and vegetable seed market is valued at over Rs 600 crore. The integration is expected to be completed within six months. "By ...