Page 11 - Agriculture

Robots for reducing manual efforts to nanotech cancer therapy: IISc

FSID at the Indian Institute of Science is witnessing a significant increase in terms of the number of applications of deep tech firms over the last few years

Govt may increase agri-credit target to Rs 22-25 trn in interim Budget

The government is likely to announce in the upcoming interim Budget a substantial increase in the agricultural credit target to Rs 22-25 lakh crore for the next fiscal and ensure every eligible farmer has access to institutional credit, according to sources. The government's agri-credit target is Rs 20 lakh crore for the current fiscal. Currently, the government provides interest subvention of two per cent on short term agri-loans of up to Rs 3 lakh for all financial institutions. This means farmers are getting a farm loan of up to Rs 3 lakh at a concessional rate of 7 per cent per annum. An additional interest subvention of 3 per cent per annum is also being provided to farmers who repay on time. Farmers can also avail long term loans but interest rate is as per the market rate. For the 2024-25 fiscal, there could be a sharp increase in the agri-credit target to Rs 22-25 lakh crore, sources said. According to the sources, there is more focus on agri-credit and the government is .

Survival and growth of FPOs

The advantages of the FPOs have been borne out and quantified by a study conducted by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) in 2020-21 and 2021-22

Rabi, fruit farmers in Himachal stare at losses amid prolonged dry spell

The prolonged dry spell in Himachal Pradesh coupled with a warm winter this year has left the Rabi farmers staring at losses as the harsh weather could harm crop growth. Further, the apple orchards are also getting deprived of the required moisture and chilling hours. On Saturday, the minimum temperatures surged across the state and stayed 3-10 degrees Celsius above normal as the dry spell continued, leaving the farmers of Rabi crop, including wheat, worried. This dry spell has come as another blow to the state's farmers who already suffered massive losses due to excess rains and flash floods during the monsoon last year. Farmer said Rabi crops sown in rainfed areas during November have withered owing to the dry spell. "The rabi crops in Darlaghat and surrounding villages have got damaged and the situation is same in other villages of the district," said Kanshi Ram, a marginal farmer of Khatta village in Darlaghat. The apple plantation had been poor in 2023 and if dry weather ...

Non-GM mustard yield only a little higher than GM mustard: Coalition

The coalition said that the Union of India presented a new paper with regard to the Centre of Origin of Brassica juncea being outside India

Govt eyes doubling cash handout for women farmers ahead of Lok Sabha polls

The plan is likely to be announced in the budget on Feb. 1 and could cost the government an additional Rs 12,000 crore, said two of sources, all of whom declined to be named discussing budget proposal

Attaining self-sufficiency

More interventions needed to boost pulses output

ATM agriculture requires imagination

In this agriculture, conventional science is turned upside down

Farmers plan Delhi march on Feb 13 to press for minimum support price

The agitation, which comes weeks before the country enters into the 2024 General Elections mode, could have major political ramifications

Farmers' bodies organise 'mahapanchayat', demand MSP guarantee law

Samyukta Kisan Morcha and 18 farmer unions on Saturday organised a "mahapanchayat" here demanding the enactment of a law guaranteeing minimum support price for crops and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report. The gathering of farmers from across north India also announced a "Delhi Chalo" march to the national capital on February 13. "We are demanding the enactment of a law to guarantee MSP, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report according to the C2 (comprehensive cost of production) plus 50 per cent formula and loan waiver of farmers and labourers," Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Sidhupur) chief Jagjit Singh Dalewal said. In its 2006 report, the National Commission on Farmers' chairman M S Swaminathan suggested the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices to fix MSP at least 50 per cent more than the weighted average cost of production. The farmers also demanded justice for the victims of the violence in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3, 2021

Global food prices post the biggest annual drop since 2015, shows data

An index of food-commodity prices created by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization fell about 10 per cent in 2023, according to data released on Friday.

Wheat output may touch record 114 mn tonnes in 2023-24 provided normal temp

Wheat production is expected to touch a new record of 114 million tonnes in the ongoing 2023-34 crop year on higher coverage and provided weather conditions remain normal, a top food ministry official said on Wednesday. The last leg of sowing of wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, is underway and will continue till next week. Till last week, wheat was planted in 320.54 lakh hectares, as per the official data. Wheat production stood at a record 110.55 million tonnes in the 2022-23 crop year (July-June), compared to 107.7 million tonnes achieved in the previous year. "We expect that total area under cultivation of wheat will increase this year and God willingly if the climate is alright the production will be 114 million tonne that's what the agriculture ministry has indicated informally to us," Food Corporation of India (FCI) Chairman and Managing Director Ashok K Meena told reporters. Area sown to wheat crop is also showing an increase compared to the last year. There was a deficit

IPL Biologicals to set up facility in Gujarat with Rs 400 crore investment

Agro biological company IPL Biologicals on Wednesday said it has inked a pact with the Gujarat government to set up a facility with an investment of Rs 400 crore. The company signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government agency, Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission, in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. It seeks to set up "a state-of-the-art biofertilisers, bio pesticides, biofungicide, microbial growth promoter facility in the region," the company said in a statement. "The investment of Rs 400 crore underscores IPL's commitment to promoting eco-friendly farming practices and enhancing soil and environmental health," it said. The company believes the MoU with the state government aligns with the national goal of adopting organic and sustainable practices by 2030, the statement said. Its new facility will contribute to sustainable agriculture, it added. "The major focus of the first phase of production will be on...agriculture products, followed by ...

Agriculture exports relying on 5 items make sector volatile: GTRI

India's agri export basket is dependent on just five commodities including rice and sugar and this makes the sector vulnerable to fluctuations in global prices and demand, a report by economic think tank GTRI said. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that these five products -- basmati rice, non-basmati rice, sugar, spices, and oil meals -- account for 51.5 per cent of India's total agriculture exports. Furthermore, India grapples with various domestic challenges, including infrastructural deficits, quality control issues, and non-tariff barriers, all of which impede the growth and competitiveness of the country's agricultural sector, it said. "This makes them (agri exports) vulnerable to fluctuations in global prices and demand," it said, adding these commodities also face frequent export bans in India. At present export of non-basmati rice is banned from India and the country is also fighting at the WTO (World Trade Organisation) to protect subsidies to rice and whea

PM-KUSUM: Baton handed to states to customise agriculture-solar goals

Scheme likely to go off-Budget as targets linked to discom reforms

Urea, DAP fertilizers availability comfortable in ongoing rabi season: Govt

The availability of two key fertilisers, urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), has remained comfortable during the ongoing 2023-24 rabi season, Parliament was informed on Friday. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Bhagwanth Khuba said about 132.77 lakh tonne of urea has been made available for the October-December period of the ongoing rabi season, which is higher than the requirement of 91.05 lakh tonne for the same period. Total urea requirement for the entire 2023-24 rabi season is pegged at 185.41 lakh tonne, he said. Even the availability of DAP has remained comfortable in the country during the ongoing rabi 2023-24 season, he added. The minister also mentioned that there is no such report of artificial demand/shortage of urea that has come to its notice. Urea and DAP are two widely used fertilisers in the country. Currently, sowing of rabi crops like wheat and pulses is underway. Sowing begins from October and harvesting fro

Agriculture to play important role in development trajectory: NITI VC

Agriculture will play a central role in India's development trajectory as strong rural demand supports manufacturing and economic revival, Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery said on Wednesday. According to an official statement, the Aayog and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) signed a Statement of Intent (SoI), aiming to fortify policy and programme frameworks contributing to India's development objectives. "In India's development trajectory, agriculture will play a central role", the statement said, quoting Bery. Bery said increasing productivity of agriculture, coupled with a shift towards natural and soil-friendly practices, is crucial. "Strong rural demand supports manufacturing and economic revival and is critical for India's transformation over the next 25 years," he said. Speaking at the event, Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand said the SoI will lead to collaborative work between the government think tank and IFPRI that can generate new insights into th

China challenge for Indian agrichemicals firm PI Industries

The positive from PI Industries' perspective is the diversification of its revenue base into pharmaceuticals

Is MGNREGA work demand real sign of distress or problem lies elsewhere?

In FY23, around 87.5 million people worked under the scheme, according to the MGNREGA website. Till December 12 in FY24, approximately 72.6 million people had worked under the scheme

Centre aims for onion prices to drop below Rs 40 per kilogram by January

Justifying the ban, Consumer Affairs Secretary also noted that other major onion-producing nations, such as Egypt and Turkey, have banned exports, putting pressure on the Indian crop