Farm Produce

Indian envoy, Sri Lankan minister discuss boosting farm productivity

Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha met Sri Lankan Minister K D Lalkantha and discussed opportunities for bilateral collaboration for the modernisation of agriculture in the island nation, according to an official statement. Jha met Lalkantha, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, here on Monday, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka said in a post on X. "They discussed opportunities for India-Sri Lanka collaboration in agriculture modernisation in Sri Lanka, with an emphasis on raising productivity, technology and incomes for farmers," it said. Sri Lanka has a central place in India's Neighbourhood First' policy and Security and growth for all in the region (S.A.G.A.R) vision, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). India has extended overall assistance amounting to USD 5 billion through concessional loans/swap agreements and USD 600 million as grants to Sri Lanka under its development cooperation. These development projects extend to all 25 ...

Centre considers lifting 3-year ban on trade in some crop futures

A final decision will be taken by a group of ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration, which will then ask the Securities and Exchange Board of India to lift the curbs or extend them

Centre committed to purchase all farm produce at MSP: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

The Narendra Modi government will purchase all farm produce at minimum support price, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in Rajya Sabha on Friday. He gave the assurance while answering supplementaries during Question Hour on the issue of MSP to farmers. The assertion came on a day when farmers embarked on a foot march to Delhi with a charter of demands, which includes a legal backing to MSP. "I want to assure the house through you that all produce of farmers will be purchased at minimum support price. This is the Modi government and the guarantee to fulfil Modi's guarantee," Chouhan told the house. "When our friends from the other side were in power, they had stated on record that they cannot accept the M S Swaminathan Commission recommendations, especially on giving 50 per cent more than the cost of produce. I have the record," he said. He cited former MoS Agriculture Kantilal Bhuria, Agriculture Ministers Sharad Pawar, and K V Thomas to back his claim. After

Better pricing for farm produce on election agenda for Maharashtra farmers

After a long wait, this onion-producing belt has finally seen an increase in prices for their produce, which hovered around Rs 2,000 per quintal last year

China's fading hunger for food grain spells trouble for world farmers

Beijing has already taken steps to try to protect farmers, asking traders to limit overseas purchases of corn, barley and sorghum

Odisha FPOs tap global markets with first export of mangoes, vegetables

In a significant boost to farm exports from Odisha, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in the state have marked their foray into the global markets with the first commercial shipment of fresh mangoes and vegetables. This feat was made possible through a strategic collaboration between the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the state Directorate of Horticulture and Palladium which is the technical support unit for the 'Promotion and Stabilisation of Farmer Producer Organisations (PSFPO)' project. On May 15, as much as 0.75 tonne of fresh vegetables were exported to Dubai from the Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneshwar. This included 0.5 MT supplied by the Madanamohana Farmers Producer Cooperative Society Ltd, an FPO from Dhenkanal district, a statement said. Besides, 1.22 tonne of premium Amrapali and Dussehri variety mangoes from the same FPO were shipped to Italy over the last couple of days, it said. Farmers associated with

Farmers' protest march: Delhi Police to procure 30,000 tear gas shells

The Delhi Police has placed orders for more than 30,000 tear gas shells, an official said, as the force prepares to prevent Punjab farmers from entering the national capital under their 'Dilli Chalo' protest. Hundreds of farmers marching from Punjab have been stopped at the state's border with Haryana near Ambala, about 200 kilometers away from Delhi. Haryana security forces have used tear gas on them to try and disperse them. A Delhi Police source said they are determined to not let the protesters enter the national capital should they advance. As part of the preparation, the Delhi Police has already stocked up a large number of tear gas shells and ordered 30,000 more from the BSF's Tear Smoke Unit (TSU) located at Tekanpur in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, an official said. The freshly ordered shells are being brought to Delhi from Gwalior, he said. A tear gas shell is an anti-riot equipment which is used by security forces to disperse crowd. The gas brings tears by creating irritati

Govt monitoring rice situation in domestic, intl mkts on weekly basis

The government is closely monitoring the rice situation in the domestic as well as international markets on weekly basis and it can increase the percentage share in global rice trade when favourable conditions arise, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. India has banned export of broken and non-basmati white rice in view of uncertainty around rice production here and other rice producing countries due to geopolitical scenario, El Nino sentiments and extreme climatic conditions to check domestic prices and ensure adequate availability in the market here. "The government is closely monitoring the rice scenario in the domestic market as well as in international forum on weekly basis and the government can increase the percentage share in global rice trade when favourable conditions arise," Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. India was the largest rice exporting country in the world from 2018 to 2022 followed by Thailand and

India's tur, urad production might fall in kharif 2023, says BoB analysis

Production of rice, the largest cereal grown during the season, is expected to be more than last kharif

Potential gains

Govt is encouraging use of farm waste

Uttar Pradesh's farm exports increase 5% to Rs 19,000 crore in FY23

UP produces nearly 21% of the total food grains, 10.8% fruits and 15.4% of the vegetables in India

Will a warm winter affect India's agricultural output?

While this could mean some respite from the intense cold of North India, it could also harm the standing rabi crops if the temperature rise is unusual and abnormal.

FY22 agri inflation at six-year high, but did farmers reap full benefit?

Though Indian farmers may have gained from higher than usual inflation in crop prices, they have also had to pay more for their inputs and other items of consumption and service

E-trading, e-auction platforms for farm produce gaining traction

The new farm laws will give further fillip to alternative trading options outside of mandis

Five years of e-NaM: Fair price discovery, crop grading remain key issues

A high powered panel has found instances of manual data being fed into the system after the auction has ended

NCDEX to launch 'options in goods' contract in 3 farm commodities on Monday

Available in rapeseed/mustard seed, maize and wheat, these contracts allow both, farmers and other participants in the value chain to hedge the price risk before actual sowing season begins

Gujarat working on single licence for trading of farm produce across APMCs

Another proposal is to levy a small cess on trades outside APMC or market yard but within the state. The cess may be a quarter of that currently levied when trades are done inside APMC

Centre paves way for licence-free purchase directly from farmers

Any buyer with a PAN can purchase from farmers; no state or central taxes on direct procurement; food items removed from EC Act

Rs 1-trn fund, bee keeping: FM Sitharaman's 11 steps to help farmers

Government sets up Rs 1 trillion Agri-Infrastructure Fund, which will focus on short-term crop loan and investment in long-term agriculture infra

This Y Combinator-backed start-up is playing Farmville in real life

Hyderabad-based agri-tech firm UrbanKisaan uses hydroponics to grow veggies; see 7-fold rise in demand during lockdown