Page 9 - Farmers

Farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' call: Haryana govt suspends internet in 7 districts

The Haryana government on Saturday ordered the suspension of mobile internet services and bulk SMS in seven districts ahead of farmers' proposed 'Delhi Chalo' march on February 13. According to an official order, the mobile internet services will remain suspended in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts from 6 am on February 11 to 23:59 pm on February 13. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha has announced the 'Delhi Chalo' march by more than 200 farmers' unions on February 13 to press the Centre for accepting their several demands, including enactment of a law to guarantee a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

President Murmu calls for more action to lift some farmers out of poverty

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday called for more action to lift some farmers out of poverty and ensure right price for their produce even as the government is making speedy efforts to boost their income. The comments came in the backdrop of thousands of farmers from Delhi-NCR region taking to the streets seeking hiked compensation for lands acquired by the government and for accepting several demands, including enactment of a law to guarantee a minimum support price (MSP) for crops on Thursday. Addressing the 62nd convocation of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) here at Pusa complex, Murmu said farmers are not only "annadata" but also "jeevandata" who are contributing in making the country's economy strong. "We are aware of problems faced by our farmers. Even today, many farmers are living in poverty. To ensure they get the right price (for their produce) and improve their livelihood, we need to work even harder in this direction," Murmu said. She expressed ...

Watch | Farmer Protest: Huge traffic jam in Delhi & Noida

Ethanol blending benefits passed on to sugarcane farmers: Govt tells LS

The government has saved Rs 24,000 crore due to blending of ethanol with petrol and majority of the benefit has been passed on to sugarcane farmers, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. He said at present the blending of ethanol stands at 12 per cent and the government plans to take it to 20 per cent as desired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Admitting that India's oil import has increased in the last few years, Shekhawat, who was replying to questions on behalf of Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, said the country has benefited by ethanol blending. "Oil import dependency has been increased over the past years. However, the growth of the country and energy demand go almost parallel," he said. Shekhawat said good thing is that Rs 24,000 crore has been saved in past few years due to ethanol blending. "Sixty-seventy per cent of this amount goes to farmers who produce sugar cane," he said. Replying to another question, the minister said dri

Sulphur-coated urea will improve fertiliser efficiency but needs efforts

Farmers will have to be educated and factories will require capital expenditure

2.33 million farmers enrolled under PMKMY since launch, says Govt

Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda on Tuesday said in Parliament that 23.38 lakh farmers have been enrolled under the farmers' pension scheme PMKMY so far. Launched in September 2019, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana (PMKMY) is meant for old age protection and social security of Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs). It's a voluntary and contributory pension scheme for the entry age group of 18 to 40 years with a provision of Rs 3000 monthly pension on attaining the age of 60 years. "As on date, a total of 23,38,720 farmers have been enrolled across the country...," Munda said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. In Karnataka, total of 41,683 farmers have been enrolled under the PMKMY since the inception of the scheme, he added. As per the operational guidelines of the scheme, the central government matches the contribution made by the beneficiary farmer. As on January 31, this year, an amount of Rs 10,78,51,700 has been collected from farmers of Karnataka under PMKMY and the same

French farmers' union call for end of blockades as anger spreads in Europe

Farmers' complaints across Europe include being choked by green rules, taxes, rising costs and unfair competition from abroad

IMD decides to shut down all 199 district agromet units across country

The India Meteorological Department has decided to discontinue the services of the 199 district agromet units that provide crucial and detailed weather-related advisories to lakhs of farmers at the block level, helping them reduce crop losses and increase income. In an order issued on January 17, the IMD said the services of the district agromet units (DAMU) will not be extended beyond the current financial year (2023-2024). "Therefore, you are requested to kindly take necessary action for discontinuation of services of district agromet units (DAMUs) and winding up the existing 199 DAMUs," the order said. According to the minutes of the Expenditure Finance Committee (Finance Ministry) meeting held in February last year, a senior advisor of Niti Aayog had advised reevaluation of the "necessity of providing staff at each DAMU". The official suggested the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) may have "centralised units instead of field units as the collection of data is automated". The

Policy consistency needed to expand production choices for farmers: FinMin

Innovation, tech needed for nutritious food basket

French farmers to continue protests despite govt's offer of concessions

French farmers vowed on Saturday to continue protesting, maintaining traffic barricades on some of the country's major roads a day after the government announced a series of measures that they do not fully address their demands. The farmers' movement, seeking better remuneration for their produce, less red tape and protection against cheap imports has spread in recent days across the country, with protesters using their tractors to shut down long stretches of road and slow traffic. They've also dumped stinky agricultural waste at the gates of government offices. While some of the barricades were gradually being lifted on Saturday, highway operator Vinci Autoroutes said the A7, a major highway heading through southern France and into Spain, was still closed. Some other roads were also partially closed, mostly in southern France. Vinci Autoroutes noted that the blockades on two highways leading to Paris have been removed. The highway from Lyon, in eastern France, to Bordeaux, in the .

Protesting over poor prices, French farmers block road linking France-Spain

The protests are now affecting traffic trying to cross into France from Spain on the AP-7 highway that runs along the Mediterranean coast from southern Spain to the frontier

Electricity use in agriculture sector jumps to 37.1% since 2009-10

The share of direct energy use in the form of electricity in the agriculture sector in India rose from 28.75 per cent in 2009-10 to 37.1 per cent in 2019-20 of the total energy use, according to a new data yearbook by The Energy Research Institute (TERI). The total commercial energy input to agriculture rose from 1496 ? 10^9 megajoules (MJ) in 2009-10 to 2050 ? 10^9 MJ in 2019-20, it said. Both direct (electricity and fuel) and indirect (nitrogenous and phosphorus fertilisers, and pesticides) energy use in Indian agriculture have increased over the years. Indirect use of energy in the form of fertilisers contributed 68.4 per cent in 2009-10 but reduced to 60.61 per cent in 2019-20. Electricity consumption in agriculture is increasing, driven by higher irrigation demand for new crop varieties and subsidised electricity provided to the sector, it said. In 2021-22, the agriculture sector contributed 18.6 per cent of gross value added in India. It provided livelihood and employment to

Devanahalli land acquisition row: K'taka ministers meet farmer groups

Two Karnataka ministers held meetings with farmers groups in favour of and against the land acquisition for development of Palya 2nd Phase Industrial Area of Channarayapatna Hobli in Devanahalli

Farmer groups to observe 'Bharat Bandh' on February 16, says Rakesh Tikait

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday said farmers would observe a 'Bharat Bandh' on February 16 over several issues in the country including non-implementation of a law that guarantees MSP for crops. Besides farmers' groups, traders and transporters have also been asked to support the cause and observe a work strike that day, said Tikait, the national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU). "We have called for a 'Bharat bandh' on February 16. Several farmers' groups are part of it, including the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM). Farmers should also not go to their farms on that day and strike work. Earlier also farmers skipped the day of 'Amavasya' from working on the fields. Likewise, February 16 is 'Amavasya' only for farmers. They should not work that day and resort to 'agriculture strike'. This will send a big message in the country," he told reporters in Muzaffarnagar. "We are also appealing to traders (for support) and people should also not make any purchase that day.

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 .

Farmers made huge contributions to make India 5th largest economy: VP

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday said farmers have made an immense contribution to make India the fifth largest economy in the world. Addressing the 38th Foundation Day programme of the Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya in Raipur, he said farming is not just a means of livelihood but also a driving factor for economy and social development. "By implementing modern technologies in agriculture, the goal of ensuring food security and making India a developed nation by 2047 can be achieved," the Vice President said. He said India is developing rapidly and the contribution of youths will further accelerate the pace. Dhankhar stressed the need to use modern technology in farming. He urged students and scientists to share their knowledge with farmers and encourage them to utilise available resources. "Chhattisgarh has a rich agricultural heritage. The state is witnessing an exciting era of innovation in the field of agri technology," Dhankhar said. During the program, he .

1,500 farmers, spouses invited as special guests for Republic Day parade

In a first, about 1,500 farmers and their spouses have been invited as special guests for this year's Republic Day parade in the national capital. "This is for the first time, farmers have been invited as special guests for the Republic Day parade. About 1,500 farmers and their spouses have been selected from across the country, a senior agriculture ministry official told PTI. Farmer representatives of Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs), beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) and micro irrigation schemes have been invited, the official added. Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda will host lunch for the farmers after the parade. Around 500 farmers were invited as special guests during last year's Independence Day.

Govt can look at taxing rich farmers, says MPC member Ashima Goyal

Having taken care of poor farmers by transferring funds into their accounts, the government can contemplate imposing income tax on rich farmers to bring about fairness in the taxation structure, Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) member Ashima Goyal has said. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the interim Budget on February 1 in the Lok Sabha. "Government transfer payments to farmers are like a negative income tax. Along with that, a positive income tax can be applied for rich farmers as part of a movement to a data-rich system with low tax-rates and minimum exemptions," Goyal told PTI. She was responding to a query on whether agriculture income should be taxed in India. Asked if coalition governments or single-party regimes produced better economic growth rates, the eminent economist said growth rates depend on many things, but in judging a government it is also necessary to see what growth rate they inherited and what they left the country with. "Coalitio

Crop-killing weeds spread across US farms as chemicals lose effectiveness

Farmers say their losing battle with weeds threatens grain and oilseed harvests at a time when growers are grappling with inflation and extreme weather linked to climate change

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 ...