Page 3 - Farmers

Govt removes minimum export price on onion; aims to benefit Indian farmers

The government on Friday scrapped a minimum price threshold that it had set previously for exports of onion as it looked to pass on the benefit of international glut to Indian farmers. The government had previously fixed a USD 550 per tonne as the minimum export price (MEP), which essentially meant farmers could not sell their produce overseas at lower than this rate. A DGFT notification issued on Friday removed the MEP with immediate effect. The move comes ahead of assembly elections in Maharashtra, a key onion producing state. The move would help promote exports of the commodity. "The Minimum Export Price (MEP) condition on Export of onions is removed with immediate effect and until further orders," the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) said in a notification.

Rajasthan farmers get free seed kits under state govt's millet push

The agriculture and allied sectors contribute 27 per cent to Rajasthan's gross domestic state product

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

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

Cabinet approves seven agricultural projects worth Rs 13,966 crore

Cabinet approves seven agricultural projects worth Rs 13,966 crore

Use organic fertilisers to ensure soil does not turn infertile: Chouhan

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday urged farmers to switch to organic fertilisers to save the soil from turning infertile and also for the betterment of human health. The Union minister for agriculture and farmers welfare was interacting virtually with farmers and 'Swayampurna Mitras' (officials assigned to deliver government schemes) of Goa. Chief minister Pramod Sawant joined the interaction from here. It was aired across panchayats, municipalities and zonal agricultural offices in the coastal state. "Gradually, we have to switch towards organic farming. The use of chemical fertilisers is affecting the soil. If there is uninterrupted use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, the soil will turn infertile. It is also bad for human health," Chouhan said while hailing the state government for providing thrust on organic farming by giving various subsidies. The 'Swayampurna (self sufficient) Goa' initiative is an example of how the government can use available ...

Farmers to hold mahapanchayat on Sept 15 and 22, ask govt to open borders

Notably, farmers are protesting at the Shambhu border near Ambala and have been camping there since February 13

Uttar Pradesh government plans clusters to meet farm exports target

The state government plans to leverage the Centre's Rs 1,800 crore Clean Plant Programme to enhance the quality of horticultural exports

BJP distances itself from Kangana Ranaut's statements on farmers' movement

Kangana Ranaut is neither permitted nor authorised to make statements on the party's policy - BJP issues a statement in response to the Mandi MP's controversial comments.

Will soon constitute committee to resolve grievances of farmers: SC

The Supreme Court on Thursday said it would soon constitute a multi-member committee to amicably resolve the grievances of farmers "for all times". A bench of Justice Surya Kant, Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, which posted the matter for further hearing on September 2, asked the Punjab and Haryana governments to give tentative issues concerning farmers to the committee. The Punjab government informed the top court that in compliance with the August 12 order of the apex court, they held a meeting with the protesting farmers in which they had agreed to partially open the blocked highway. The bench asked the Punjab and Haryana governments to keep engaging with protesting farmers and persuade them to remove their tractors and trollies from the highway. On August 12, the top court asked the Punjab government to persuade the farmers protesting at the Shambhu border since February 13 to remove tractors and trollies from the road, saying that "highways are not parking ...

Food, fuel, and timber: How bamboo is becoming 'green gold' for farmers

Bamboo cultivation with modern agronomic practices is proving more rewarding than many other crops, including the highly lucrative ones like sugarcane and cotton

AI push: Farmers reap better quality and yield, but challenges remain

The Indian govt is also promoting use of AI to help farmers increase their productivity

Centre sets Rs 10,000 cr for land reforms, Rs 5,000 cr for farmers in FY25

The central government has allocated Rs 5,000 crore for the construction of working women's hostels, and framed guidelines for financial support to states

I-Day: Govt invites over 1,000 farmers, their spouses for special prog

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare has invited more than 1,000 farmers and their spouses to the National Capital for a special two-day programme coinciding with the 78th Independence Day celebrations. The invitees, beneficiaries of central schemes like PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and PM Fasal Bima Yojana, will interact with Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at PUSA's Subramaniam Hall on August 15. Ministers of State Ramnath Thakur and Bhagirath Choudhary will also be present. On the occasion, Chouhan is set to launch the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS), a digital initiative leveraging AI and machine learning to provide timely pest management advisories. The system, comprising a mobile app and web portal, aims to reduce crop losses and boost productivity through real-time data and advanced analytics. "NPSS will empower farmers with actionable insights, helping them make informed decisions to protect their crops," the ministry said in a statement.

Oppn leaders protest on Parliament premises, seek crop MSP for farmers

Opposition leaders on Thursday held a protest on the Parliament premises, demanding that farmers' crops be bought at MSP and justice ensured for them. MPs from parties such as the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) - Sharadchandra Pawar, and the Shiv Sena (UBT), among others, protested on the steps leading to the Makar Dwar of Parliament. The MPs wore a garland of vegetables and raised slogans such as "Kisan ko phasal pe MSP do" and "Kisan pe anyay bandh karo". "The manner in which the BJP has given minimum support price to TDP (Telugu Desam Party) and JD(U), it should also ensure MSP (minimum support price) for farmers and that is why we are protesting," Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said. The export ban on onion farmers of Maharashtra should be lifted. Innumerable requests have been made to the Centre but to no avail, she said. The protesting MPs said justice for farmers was their objective and they would keep raising

Draft policy proposes easier lending, new mandis for FPOs; Is it enough?

India has over 24,000 functional FPOs established under the Companies Act as of March 31, 2023, with many of them being set up in recent years under the Central scheme to promote and form 10,000 FPOs

Farmers pay Rs 32,440 cr premium; claims worth over Rs 1.64 trn cleared

Insurance claims of 1.64 lakh crore have been paid to farmers against Rs 32,440 crore premium paid under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Tuesday in the Lok Sabha. Replying to a question on the scheme during the Question Hour, he said the Modi government has made it farmer-friendly by removing inconsistencies in the previous scheme. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was introduced in the country in the Kharif 2016 season and is voluntary for the states, he added. Under the scheme, comprehensive risk coverage for crops against all non-preventable natural risks -- from pre-sowing to post-harvest stages of crops -- at a very reasonable premium for the farmers is being provided. "As against the premium of Rs 32,440 crore paid by farmers till date, claims of Rs 1.64 lakh crore have been paid out," the minister said. Therefore, 5 times more claims have been paid out when compared to the premium paid by the farmers, Chouh

UPA govt refused to provide 50% profit on cost to farmers: Agri minister

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said the previous UPA government had refused to provide 50 per cent profit on cost to farmers in the minimum support price for crops, as based on the formula suggested by the M S Swaminathan Commission. During the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Deepender Hooda asked a supplementary question related to the farmers' protests of 2020-21 and said around 750 farmers lost their lives during the agitation. He asked if the government is considering providing jobs to the next of kin of those who lost their lives during the year-long protests at Delhi's borders against three contentious farm laws of the Centre that have since been repealed. Chouhan said the question was not related to the main question, which was on issues faced by farmers. "The government is totally committed to farmers' welfare," he said. The agriculture minister alleged that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had refused to ...

'Trust deficit between govt, farmers': SC proposes panel for talks

Observing that there is a trust deficit between farmers and the central government, the Supreme Court on Wednesday proposed the constitution of an independent committee comprising eminent persons to reach out to the protesters at Shambhu border and address their demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP. The top court directed the Punjab and Haryana governments to suggest the names of suitable individuals for the committee and submit a proposal for removal of barricades on the national highway while ordering a status quo on the border for a week. A three-judge bench headed by Justice Surya Kant said there is a need for a "neutral umpire" who can inspire confidence between farmers and the government. "You have to take some steps to reach out to farmers. Why would they otherwise want to come to Delhi? You are sending Ministers from here and despite their best intentions there is trust deficit," the bench also comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan said. "Let appropriat

Farmers to burn BJP's effigies on Aug 1, hold tractor marches on Aug 15

A joint statement issued by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and KMM said farmers will march to district headquarters across the country and burn effigies of the ruling BJP on August 1