Page 9 - Farming

Groundnut, soyabean propel kharif sowing in Gujarat to more than 75%

Oilseeds like groundnut and soyabean and other crops led by cotton are largely sown in Kutch and Saurashtra regions of Gujarat

Govt's move on glyphosate use leaves all unhappy, may not curb rampant use

While it is easier to check its use in urban areas, as most of the 300 registered PCOs are in cities, keeping a track in rural areas after the chemical has been sold by the retailer is an uphill task

India's farm trade may rebound in second half of 2020: Fitch Solutions

Stating that the farm trade was greatly disrupted during the lockdown due to logistic issues, Fitch Solutions said both exports and imports collapsed over March-June

Locust attack badly-timed serious infestation: Environment min official

Soumitra Dasgupta, Inspector General, Wildlife, Ministry of Environment said it is the desert locust which has attacked India in huge numbers and may lead to crop losses.

Existing APMC laws restrict trade, competition: Ramesh Chand of NITI Aayog

He says that the APMC system did not evolve with changes in time and requirement

Our goal is to make farmer prosperous, boost income: Agriculture Minister

As far as contract farming is concerned we already have a model Act framed by the NITI Aayog which has been circulated to the states, Tomar said

Evolution of farmer produce market from zonal to district, to national

One-nation-one-market for farmers needs infra overhaul, may still be few years away

From UP to Punjab, mechanised harvesting faces coronavirus lockdown hurdles

A combine harvester is a key equipment for farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan as it can harvest acres of land at one go and doesn't require much labour

Dangers of shifting agriculture

Permanent farming is the only solution

Best of BS Opinion: YES Bank's rescue plan, Congress' fatal flaw, and more

From the problems with SBI's YES Bank rescue plan to the reasons for the mass discontentment among the Congress young guard, here's a selection of Business Standard Opinion pieces for the day

Coronavirus crisis adds to risks as India battles slowdown, unemployment

New risk in the form of the Covid-19 virus only adds to the economic cholesterol that India has accumulated over the past few years

A lost opportunity?

Commercial pig farming can be lucrative as the cost of rearing them is low and the herd size can be expanded rapidly

Natural farming for fiscal prudence?

Natural farming is an alternative to chemical fertiliser-based and high input cost agriculture

Farmers across India move online, earn over 15% more for their produce

Apart from higher earning, the elimination of the middleman and commissioning agent has helped them get instant cash for their produce

Locusts surging on both sides of Red Sea, could hit food security, warns UN

At least one swarm had crossed to the northern coast of Saudi Arabia in mid-January, with further swarms a week later

Revamp rainfed farming

The focus of agricultural research and development programmes needs to shift towards rainfed lands that harbour the bulk of rural poverty

After kharif season loss, abundant late monsoon gives farmers hope

For millions of farmers in northern, central and western India, the excessive rain this monsoon season did aggravate problems but have also given hope of a good rabi harvest

Continuous MSP hike, oversupply in world market dent India's farm exports

Between FY13 and FY19, the government of India raised MSP of various agricultural commodities by 40-70 per cent

Farming gets frugal: New technologies are making farmers more productive

Several Indian and global drip irrigation companies are developing new technologies to address erratic and uneven rainfall and to manage ground water efficiently

73.2% of rural women workers are farmers, but own only 12.8% land holdings

In Maharashtra, 88.46% of rural women are employed by agriculture, the highest in the country