Page 4 - Agriculture Economy

India, US should aim to enhance agricultural productivity: ITC official

India and the US should aim to enhance agricultural productivity, improve food distribution system, and ensure the usage of sustainable practices to strengthen ties in the agri sector, a senior ITC official said. Both countries should leverage their respective strengths and forge strategic partnerships in the sector, ITC Agri Business Division V P Sanjeev Bhat said at an event here. "The US and India should aim to enhance agricultural productivity, improve food distribution system and ensure sustainable food security solution," he said during a panel discussion in the Indo-US Economic Summit organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC). Now, India majorly exports seafood, rice and plants to the US and this trade is growing at a three-year CAGR of 20-30 per cent, Bhat said. Currently, India and the US do not have any trade agreement, however, starting from January 2024, both countries have established a Trade Policy Forum (TPF) for trade promotions. The US is the secon

Paddy acreage up 2.22% to 41.35 mn hectare so far in this kharif season

Area sown to paddy has increased by 2.22 per cent to 413.50 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing 2024-25 kharif (summer) season, the agriculture ministry said on Monday. In the year-ago period, area under paddy was 404.50 lakh hectares. Sowing of paddy, the main kharif crop, begins with the onset of southwest monsoon from June, and harvesting takes place from September. Additionally, area sown to pulses increased to 128.58 lakh hectare till September 23 of the ongoing season, from 119.28 to pulses in the same period last year, the ministry said in a statement. Area sown to 'arhar' and 'moong' reported higher area at 46.50 lakh hectare and 35.46 lakh hectare, respectively, while area under urad was slightly lower at 30.73 lakh hectare so far in the current season. Area under coarse cereals and 'Shree Anna' (millets) increased to 192.55 lakh hectare from 186.07 lakh hectare in the year-ago period. Among coarse cereals, area under maize rose to 88.06 lakh hectare from 84.65 lakh ...

Policymaking is nothing if not about trade-offs: CEA V Anantha Nageswaran

During his speech on policymaking at the launch of the Isaac Centre for Public Policy (ICPP) by Ashoka University in Bengaluru, Nageswaran emphasised the role of researchers

Balancing act in agriculture: Markets must be allowed to function

Recent policy changes like adjusting agri export prices and import duties will benefit producers. But consistent, well-thought interventions remain crucial for market development and price stability

Uttar Pradesh govt to acquire paddy worth Rs 16,000 cr this kharif season

The procurement is scheduled to commence from October 1 and continue till February 28, 2025, starting from Western UP and gradually covering the eastern part

Infrastructure, agriculture key focus areas of 100 days of Modi 3.0

The BJP-led NDA government has approved infrastructure projects worth Rs 3 lakh crore, including linking 25,000 unconnected villages to road networks and building a mega port at Wadhawan in Maharashtra, during its first 100 days in office. Besides infrastructure, the focus of the government has also been on agriculture by increasing the minimum support price (MSP) for Kharif crops, removing of minimum export price (MEP) on onions and basmati rice and hiking the duty on the import of crude palm, soybean and sunflower oils. Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office for the third consecutive term on June 9 this year. The thrust of the Modi government has been on providing stability on the policy front with a flexible approach to adopt certain changes to remove teething problems without diluting the original concept. A case in point is the Goods and Services Tax which has undergone 140 changes to reduce friction. The government approved the Wadhavan Mega Port in Maharashtra for Rs .

Replacing rice crop could help recover groundwater lost since 2000: Study

Replacing about 40 per cent of the area sown with rice with other crops could help recover 60-100 cubic kilometres of groundwater lost since 2000 in north India, a study has found. Current cropping patterns -- dominated by rice, which relies heavily on groundwater for irrigation -- could result in a loss of about 13-43 cubic kilometres of groundwater if warming of the planet continues, a team of researchers, including those from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat, said. The researchers proposed shifting from existing cropping habits by cutting down on cultivating rice as a potential solution for sustaining the fast-depleting resource in a warmer world that threatens food and water security. "Replacing 37 per cent area of rice with other crops can recover 61 to 108 cubic kilometres groundwater compared to 13 to 43 cubic kilometres with current cropping pattern under the 1.5-3 degrees Celsius global warming levels," the authors wrote in the study accepted for ...

PM Modi lauds change in agri export policy, says will boost farmers income

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lauded recent changes in agricultural export policies, stating that easing export norms on basmati rice and onions, and increasing import duties on some edible oils will boost farmers' incomes and create rural jobs. On Friday, the government scrapped a USD 950 per tonne minimum export price (MEP) for basmati rice and removed a USD 550 per tonne MEP on onions, according to government statements. The government on Saturday raised import duty on crude palm oil to 20 per cent and on refined sunflower oil to 32.5 per cent, aiming to support domestic oilseed farmers and processors. In a post on X, Modi said the government is leaving no stone unturned to support farmers who work tirelessly for the country's food security. "Whether it is reducing the export duty on onions or increasing the import duty on edible oils, many such decisions are going to greatly benefit our food producers. While these will increase their income, employment opportunities

India leads with world's largest food-based safety net programs: MoS Agri

India is committed to developing resilient agricultural systems and ensuring food security on the global stage, Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare Ram Nath Thakur said. He made the remarks while representing India at G20 Agriculture Ministerial Meeting in Cuiab, Brazil on September 12-14, 2024. India also emphasized enhanced international trade's contribution to food security at the meeting. "Our approach not only focuses on productivity but also ensures economic, social, and environmental sustainability, enhancing farmer prosperity and embodying a comprehensive vision for development," an official statement quoted him as saying. The minister also pointed to India's implementation of "the world's largest food-based safety net programmes" to ensure food security and nutrition. He stressed the need for Special and Differential Treatment for developing and least-developed countries, particularly to empower small and marginal fishers, the statement said. "This is ..

Sowing area swells to 109.23 mn hectares but floods pose risk to yields

As of September 6, improved monsoon rainfall has boosted Kharif sowing to 109.23 million hectares, the data released by the Centre showed

Punjab farmers end protest after CM Mann's assurance on agri policy

Farmers protesting against the alleged delay in implementation of Punjab's new agriculture policy ended their strike on Friday, a day after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann assured them that a draft of the policy would be shared with them by September 30. Mann also assured them that their suggestions would be incorporated before the policy's implementation. Mann on Thursday held an over two-hour meeting with leaders of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) and Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, which led the protesting farmers, to discuss their demands. Farmers under the banner of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) and the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union began a five-day protest on Sunday to press for their demands, including the agriculture policy's implementation. Speaking to reporters at the protest site, Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said they had urged the state government to make the agriculture policy public. "They (the government) said it was being finalised They sa

CFIUS warns against Nippon merger with US Steel, citing China steel glut

The Committee on Foreign Investment said in its 17-page letter sent to Nippon Steel and US Steel, that decisions by Nippon could lead to a reduction in domestic steel production capacity

Govt starts discounted onion sale at Rs 35 per kg in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai

The Centre on Thursday began the first phase of retail sales of onion at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg to provide relief to Delhi-NCR and Mumbai consumers from rising prices of the kitchen staple. NCCF and NAFED, which are maintaining a buffer stock of 4.7 lakh tonne onion on behalf of the government, will undertake the retail sale through their own stores and mobile vans. Onion will be sold at 38 retail points in Delhi-NCR and Parel and Malad in Mumbai. Onion will also be sold at a subsidised rate on the e-commerce platforms and outlets of Kendriya Bhandar and Mother Dairy's SAFAL in major consumption areas. Currently, retail prices of onion are ruling over Rs 60 per kg, depending on the quality and locality in the national capital. After the launch, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the quantity and disposal channels for onion will be enhanced, deepened, intensified and diversified as per the trend in onion prices. He said more cities will be covered in t

Farmers body AIKCC urges state govts to frame comprehensive agri policy

Farmers body All India Kisan Coordination Committee on Wednesday asked state governments to formulate a comprehensive 'agriculture policy' in the interest of farmers and maintain the policy consistency for a minimum period. Farmers body All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC) discussed the issue during a two-day brainstorming session organised in memory of late Sharad Joshi, a prominent farmers leader and founder of Shetkari Sanghatana. "More than 60 per cent of India's population depends on agriculture for their livelihood, yet many states lack their own agricultural policies, leading to conflicts between the Centre and states on various issues," AIKCC Chairman and former Rajya Sabha MP Bhupinder Singh Mann said in a statement. AIKCC emphasised the importance of maintaining policy consistency for a minimum period to boost agricultural exports and prevent frequent policy changes that harm farmers the most. Binod Anand, Vice Chairman of AIKCC, emphasised the strategic need fo

Centre okays Rs 14,000-crore for 7 new schemes to boost farmer income

Seven new schemes aim to leverage technology, crop science in agri sector

Paddy acreage surpasses normal levels, reaching 40.87 million hectares

Overall, till August 30 kharif crops have been sown in around 108.73 million hectares which was almost 2 per cent more than the same period last year

India's agriculture growth dips in Q1 as heatwave stings crop output

Low post-monsoon rains, which dried most of the reservoirs in several states across the country, also impacted the production of many crops

Canada's Vitera invests Rs 250 cr in Karnataka's Vijayapura for agriculture

Vitera, a leading Canadian agricultural product manufacturing company, has invested Rs 250 crore to develop agricultural infrastructure in Vijayapur district in Karnataka, state Minister M B Patil said on Friday. Vitera made this capital investment decision during a meeting with the Minister held here today. Vitera's investment will help reduce post-harvest losses faced by farmers by building state-of-the-art cold storage facilities for the agricultural community in Vijayapur district, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the production, supply, and sale of agricultural products, Patil who holds medium and large industries portfolio, said in a statement. The company will utilise advanced manufacturing technology to achieve this, he added. Patil also mentioned that the use of modern Canadian agricultural technology, along with this capital investment, will increase agricultural production, thereby boosting the overall economy of the state.

'Huge potential to increase agri collaboration between India, Africa'

Large arable land in the African continent offers huge scope for collaboration between India and Africa in the agriculture sector, BRICS Agri Business Council Vikramjit Singh Sahney has said. He said that Africa can be a reservoir for the supply of pulses, oilseeds and other agri products like millets. "There is large arable land still unutilised in Africa which can be put to fertile use through agri inputs and India can help develop the whole Agri Value chain in various African countries," he added. Sahney, who is also a Rajya Sabha member from Punjab, said this while addressing a session on India-Africa Business Conclave here on August 22. He also highlighted that the manufacturing growth and services sector can be a game changer for Africa's youth which has got the world's largest young population. Sahney added that India can also help various startups in Africa in cities like Lagos, Nairobi and Cape Town which are hubs of becoming startup capitals. Emphasising the importance

Union govt urges states to adopt new tech initiatives for better farm data

Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi on Thursday urged states to swiftly adopt and implement new technology-driven initiatives to improve farm production estimates and enhance data accuracy. Addressing a national conference here, Chaturvedi emphasised the need for continuous collaboration between the central and state governments to enhance the quality of agricultural statistics, an official statement said. The new initiatives include the Digital Crop Survey, Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), and the revamped FASAL (Forecasting Agricultural Output using Space, Agro-meteorology, and Land-based Observations) programme. The Digital Crop Survey is designed to provide plot-level data with geotagged areas of crops, serving as a single source of truth for accurate crop area estimation. DGCES aims to calculate yield based on scientifically designed Crop Cutting Experiments for all major crops across the country. The revamped FASAL programme leverages remote sensing techno