Agriculture Sector

Drop in nano-urea sales has fertiliser companies holding their breath

Nano urea sales dropped by a steep 43.2 per cent in FY24 from the previous year, despite production capacity rising by almost 59 per cent in that period

Here's why Best Agrolife share was buzzing in trade on December 16; details

The rally in Best Agrolife share price came after the company announced that it has been assigned a patent for an invention, "Syndergistic Pesticidal Composition" for 20 years

UPL-SAS sees tech, climate solutions for growth after $200 mn investment

UPL-Sustainable AgriSolutions (UPL-SAS) is spearheading a transformative approach to Indian agriculture, leveraging technology, digital innovations, and a holistic strategy to address the complex challenges facing the country's farming ecosystem, CEO Ashish Dobhal revealed in an exclusive interview. With agriculture spanning 400 million acres and involving 130 million farmers, 80-85 per cent of whom are smallholders, the company is reimagining its role from a crop protection product seller to a comprehensive solution provider. "Each state has its own nuance, cropping pattern, and cultural nuances of farming," Dobhal explained, underscoring the intricate landscape of Indian agriculture. Emerging from a challenging period, Dobhal confidently asserted that "the worst of the industry downturn is behind us." UPL-SAS, a subsidiary of UPL Ltd, is implementing a multi-pronged strategy to revitalize its performance with key strategic priorities. These priorities include developing crop ...

China arrests former agriculture minister Tang Renjian for corruption

The case, which has been concluded by the National Supervisory Commission, is being further processed

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

President Murmu urges scientists to deal with agriculture sector challenges

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday called on agriculture scientists to develop and disseminate technologies in a timely manner to deal with natural disasters, adverse effects of climate change and excessive exploitation of resources. The President made the remarks while addressing the gathering at the 40th convocation of Odisha University of Agricultural and Technology (OUAT) here. She also urged the agriculture scientists to come up with ideas to protect soil, water and environment from the adverse impact of climate change. Agriculture is facing new challenges such as natural disasters, adverse effects of climate change, decreasing per capita farm size, and excessive exploitation of natural resources. To deal with these challenges, our scientists will have to develop and disseminate technologies timely. We have to emphasise on environmental protection, soil health protection, water and soil conservation, and better use of natural resources, Murmu said. She noted that climate ...

Edible oil body SEA urges govt to lift ban on commodity futures trading

Edible oil industry SEA on Monday called on the government to lift a ban on futures trading in key agricultural commodities, including crude palm oil and soyabean, citing significant financial impact on its members. The ban, first implemented in December 2021 on seven agricultural commodities, has been extended multiple times with the current extension running through December 20, 2024. The Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) has appealed to five ministers, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, arguing that the absence of futures trading has hindered price risk management and market development. "The industry was hopeful that the suspension would be lifted to enable smoother operations, but the continuation of this restriction has further weakened an essential risk mitigation tool," SEA President Sanjeev Asthana said in a representation made to the ministers. SEA emphasised that studies have shown futures trading does not significantly

Govt should boost soil nutrients to maintain yields, say scientists

A mapping of India's soil health has shown that almost 90 per cent of the land is deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus, and 50 per cent in potassium

Air pollution: 22 FIRs lodged, 16 Haryana farmers held for stubble burning

In an effort to discourage farmers from burning crop residue, the Haryana agriculture department has implemented strict measures

Increased MSP for rabi crops will boost farmers' income, says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the Union Cabinet's decision to increase the MSP of six rabi crops will increase the income of farmers and they will become even more prosperous. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the price hikes for six rabi crops, with increases ranging from Rs 130 to Rs 300 per quintal for the 2025-26 marketing season beginning April 2025. "The Union Cabinet, led by Modiji, today approved the increase in MSP of rabi crops for the 2025-26 season. The MSP of rapeseed and mustard has been increased by the highest Rs 300 per quintal and the MSP of lentil has also been increased significantly by Rs 275 per quintal. These increased MSPs will enhance the income of farmers. Our farmers will become even more prosperous," Shah wrote on 'X' in Hindi. Thanking the prime minister, Shah said the Modi government is dedicated to the welfare of farmers and takes care of every concern they have. In ..

PM Modi launches projects related to agri, animal husbandry in Maharashtra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched Rs 23,300 crore initiatives related to agriculture and animal husbandry sectors at Washim in Maharashtra. Modi, who is on a one-day visit to Maharashtra, arrived at the Nanded airport in the morning, from where he was flown to Washim in a helicopter. In Washim, he offered prayers at the Jagdamba Mata temple in Poharadevi. He later paid tributes to Sant Sevalal Maharaj and Sant Ramrao Maharaj at their 'samadhis' (memorials) in Poharadevi. The PM then inaugurated Banjara Virasat Museum, celebrating the rich heritage of Banjara community. During an event held later, Modi disbursed PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi's 18th instalment of Rs 20,000 crore to around 9.4 crore farmers. With the release of this instalment, around Rs 3.45 lakh crore have been released to farmers under this scheme, officials said. The PM also launched the 5th instalment of NaMo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana disbursing about Rs 2,000 crore. He inaugurated more than 7,5

From agri boost to IEA membership: Key announcements by Modi 3.0 cabinet

The Union govt has allocated over Rs 1 trillion to support two major agriculture support schemes: the PM-Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) and Krishonnati Yojana

Corteva launches initiative to support 2 million women farmers by 2030

Global agriculture company Corteva Agriscience on Tuesday unveiled a programme aimed at empowering two million women farmers across India's agri-value chain by 2030. The initiative seeks to bolster the role of women as farmers, researchers, and entrepreneurs through targeted support and resources. Subroto Geed, President of Corteva Agriscience South Asia, emphasised on the critical role of women in agriculture, stating, "Women are the backbone of rural life and agriculture. We hope this focus will accelerate India's path to becoming a developed nation." The programme's key components include promoting climate-smart practices through women-only farmer producer organisations (FPOs) and cooperatives; capacity-building and mentorship for female STEM students; and prioritising health, wellness, and financial literacy for women farmers. At a roundtable discussion following the launch, Subha Thakur, Additional Secretary in the Union Agriculture Ministry, called for increased public-privat

Digital revolution to help arrest exodus of youth from farming: FAIFA

Farmers' body FAIFA on Wednesday said the government's initiatives for digital revolution in agriculture will go a long way in arresting the exodus of youth from agriculture. Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA), which claims to represent farmers and farm workers of commercial crops across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Gujarat, said the recently announced seven schemes totalling Rs 14,000 crore will play a key role in stopping the movement of the youth from rural to urban and from farming to other professions. "These new schemes are not just about technological integration. This will help in relieving agrarian distress caused by climate variations and market uncertainties that have made agriculture unlucrative for our youth," FAIFA President Javare Gowda said in a statement. These schemes are likely to create new jobs, and the demand and creation of different skill sets will open more opportunities for the youth of rural India in the times to come, FAIFA ..

Agri, allied sectors in Tripura faced Rs 2,024 cr loss due to recent floods

The agriculture and allied sectors in Tripura suffered a loss of Rs 2,024 crore due to floods across the state in August, a senior official said on Monday. Altogether, 36 people lost their lives, while over one lakh people were rendered homeless due to the deluge between August 19 and August 24. The final assessment conducted in different areas of the state revealed that the total loss in the agriculture and allied sectors stands at Rs 2024 crore out of which agriculture itself suffered a loss of Rs 1,284 crore, Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Apurba Roy, said at a press conference here. He said a total of 2.66 lakh farmers have been affected by the floods, while crop area spreading around 1.03 lakh hectares were damaged. Based on these calculations, the department has submitted a proposal for a total assistance of Rs 128.80 crore to the revenue department. Out of this, Rs 113 crore is allocated for the agricultural sector and Rs 15.80 crore for horticulture and ...

Lulu Group aiming to up agri sourcing from India to Rs 15,000 cr in 2 yrs

UAE-headquartered retailer Lulu Group is looking to increase the quantum of Indian agri procurements to Rs 15,000 crore in the next two years as it expands its network globally, a top company official said on Tuesday. Its Chairman and Managing Director M A Yusuff Ali told reporters that the company plans to have a special focus on the organic good procurement and sees the value of such goods going up to Rs 2,000 crore in a year. "About Rs 10,000 crore imports (of agri products) we are doing every year. We are looking to increase it to Rs 15,000 crore within two years because we are also expanding our footprint in many countries," he said. The imports primarily include commodities such as fruits, vegetables, rice, tea, sugar, spice and millets, he said, pointing out that the produce goes to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and other far-east countries. Ali said his group has tied up with the Indian government-promoted Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export ...

Govt to begin farmer registration for Aadhaar-style IDs from October

In a major push towards digitising the agriculture sector, the government will soon begin registration of farmers across the country to provide them with a unique ID similar to Aadhaar, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said on Monday. Chaturvedi, speaking to PTI on the sidelines of an Outlook Agri-Tech Summit and Swaraj Awards, said the guidelines for the registration process will be issued soon, with the implementation set to begin in the first week of October. "Our target is to register five crore farmers by March next year," the secretary said, noting that the initiative is part of the government's Rs 2,817-crore Digital Agriculture Mission approved by the Cabinet recently. A pilot project was earlier conducted in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and 19 states have already onboarded the project, he said. Once the farmers' registry is created, an "Aadhaar-like unique ID" will be provided to each registered farmer. Chaturvedi said the unique ID will help farmers access vario

How falling farm prices worry BJP ahead of Haryana and Maharashtra polls

Falling prices of agricultural produce are worrisome for the BJP in Haryana and Maharashtra, where elections are due, Sanjeeb Mukherjee reports

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.

Centre approves expansion of Agricultural Infrastructure Fund scheme

The government on Wednesday expanded the scope of Rs 1 lakh crore-Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme to make it more attractive, as part of its objective to strengthen farm-related infrastructure facilities in the country. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the "progressive expansion in central sector scheme of financing facility under the AIF to make it more attractive, impactful and inclusive", an official statement said. In a significant move to enhance and strengthen the agricultural infrastructure in the country and support the farming community, the government has announced a series of measures to expand the scope of the AIF scheme. "These initiatives aim at expanding the scope of eligible projects and integrate additional supportive measures to foster a robust agricultural infrastructure ecosystem," it added. The government has allowed all eligible beneficiaries of the scheme for creation of infrastructure covered under 'viabl