22.07.2016 agri collection-cum-processing centres to come...

22.07.2016

Agri collection-cum-processing centres to come up in Dindigul

NEXT STEP:A farmer with his agricultural produce stocked at the Agri-

Marketing Godown in Dindigul on Thursday.— PHOTO: G. Karthikeyan

Survey of quantum of produce, major production centres under way

The State government has plans to set up primary collection-cum-processing

centres and supply chain management for vegetables, fruits and grains at

various places in the district to enable farmers to stock, process and market their

produce near their farms and get better prices, according to V. Manoharan,

Deputy Director of Agri-Business and Special Officer for Dindigul District

Agri-Marketing Committee.

Talking to media persons after inspecting a godown on Batlagundu By-pass

near here on Thursday, he said these centres would collect agricultural produce

from the farmers, process them and create a market base for them. The produce

would be stocked in the centres, and traders would be allowed to bid. The

commodities would be sold to the highest bidders after with the farmers’

consent, he added.

The main objective of the scheme was to create effective backward linkages and

empower the farmers by providing processing and preservation facilities at

village level to enhance shelf life of perishable items. The centres would have

state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities with efficient supply chain management.

This would reduce wastage and ensure value addition to agri produce to

increase income for the farmers. It would provide cleaning, grading, sorting and

packing facilities, dry warehouses, specialised cold storage facility, including

pre-cooling chambers, ripening chambers, mobile pre-coolers and mobile

collection vans. A survey of types and quantum of produce, major production

centres, nearest markets and annual production was under way. Based on the

survey, the government would set up processing centres, he added.

Agmark lab

The Agmark certification lab here would be shifted to its own premises within a

month as construction of a building for it was at the final stage.

At present, the district has six regulated marketing committees with a total

capacity of 15,200 tonnes, besides cold storage facilities in Natham, Palani,

Dindigul and Gopalpatti with a total capacity of 90 tonnes. Farmers could

hypothecate their produce and get loans up to 75 per cent of the value of their

produce, subject to a ceiling of Rs. 2 lakh, for an interest of 5 per cent.

No godown charges would be levied on their produce for six months, he added.

Farmers asked to download App to get information

Kisan Suvidha, a mobile App launched by the Central government, would

provide all information on market prices of agricultural produce and inputs,

seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and weather alerts to farmers, said Collector N.

Venkatachalam.

Addressing a meeting here on Thursday, he said that the App would also

provide information regarding agri input dealers, plant protection and expert

advice, thus saving the visits to agriculture department offices or the

Collectorate for the farmers.

Details of humidity, temperature, wind and rainfall for the day and the forecast

for the next five days would be given in the App. It would also offer extreme

weather such as unseasonal rains, strong wind and storm.

The farmers would also get pest, weed and disease-related information and pest

management practices for each crop from nursery to harvesting stage.

Messages from district agriculture officers and agricultural universities in the

State would also be sent to them regularly in the local language.

The Collector said the App would also directly connect the farmers to the call

centre for getting clarification from the experts.

All the farmers had to do was to register their mobile numbers, choose a

language and enter required details such as the State, district and block.

The Collector appealed to the farmers to download the App from playstore and

get all the latest information.

Special scheme to increase millets, pulses and oilseed production

Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam announced a new scheme for dry land

farming with special focus on increasing the production of millets, pulses and

oilseeds.

Presenting the budget for 2016-17, he said water conservation measures would

be an integral part of the scheme. “Mixed farming will be promoted in dry lands

by supporting mini dairy and poultry units to supplement farm income,” he said.

Mr. Panneerselvam said a special self-sufficiency pulse production programme

would be launched in the current year and objective was to promote cultivation

of green gram, black gram and red gram under irrigated conditions.

He said the State had planned to bring 27.50 lakh acre under pulse cultivation in

2016-17 and aiming for an overall production of 9.80 lakh tonnes.

Stating that the policy of providing subsidies to micro-irrigation would

continue, he said in 2016-17 the scheme would be adopted in 28,540 acres of

agricultural crops and 86,707 acres of horticultural crops.

The fund allocation is Rs. 319 crore.

Agricultural markets

Mr. Panneerselvam said necessary amendments would be made in the Tamil

Nadu Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1987 to improve the

efficiency of agricultural markets.

This is part of the government’s initiative to upgrade and integrate agricultural

markets and link them with commodity markets with sufficient financial

support.

Subsidies to

micro-irrigation will continue and

Rs. 319 crore is allotted for it

10 agricultural extension centres for Tiruchi

Ten integrated agricultural extension centres which would serve as a one-stop

shop for technical support and input requirements of farmers would come up in

Tiruchi district.

Each of the centres would be set up at a cost of Rs. 1.50 crore. While a majority

of the centres are being established with assistance from the National Bank for

Agriculture and Rural Development under the Rural Infrastructure Development

Fund (RIDF), a few are being set up under the National Agricultural

Development Programme.

Construction of the centres coming up at Manikandam, Tiruverumbur,

Vaiyampatti and Thottiyam are nearing completion and are expected to be

opened soon, sources told The Hindu .

The other centres would come up at Lalgudi, Uppilliyapuram, Marungapuri,

Manapparai, Thathaiyengarpet and Andhanallur. Sites for all these centres have

been identified and construction of the centre at Thathaiyengarpet has

commenced.

The centres will have facilities for conducting demonstrations, meetings,

trainings, field campaigns for implementation of State and central schemes and

offices for officials of agriculture, horticulture, seed certification, agricultural

engineering and block-level technical managers. They would have provisions

for scientific storage and mini exhibition halls.

The centres would function on the lines of the Farmers’ Hub functioning at

Manachanallur. The hub was established at a cost of Rs. 1.46 crore under the

National Agricultural Development Programme. Farmers could get all

necessary technological inputs from the hub as officials of the agriculture,

horticulture, agri business, agricultural engineering, and seed certification

would be available here. The hub houses a meeting hall and storage godown for

agricultural inputs, officials said.

Nagapattinam gets one

Officials inspecting construction of an agricultural extension centre in

Nagapattinam.— Photo: M. Srinath

Construction of Integrated Agricultural Extension Centre has been taken up here

at an estimate of Rs. 1.50 crore along with a godown with a stocking capacity of

500 tonnes of seeds and fertiliser.

The centre will house all departments of agriculture, horticulture, agri business

and marketing and other allied wings of the agriculture-oriented units for

stocking and distributing various farm inputs and implements. The

infrastructure has a separate conference hall where training programmes for

farmers could be organised. The plinth area would be 534 square metres, 354

square for the office and establishment wing on the ground floor, and the rest

for organising training, expo and exposure visit programmes.

A godown is being constructed with a plinth area of 250 square metre. The

work, which was taken up January this year, is being executed on a fast phase

and would be completed by November this year, said Collector S. Palanisamy.

He told the media that a similar centre with identical features was under

construction at Thalainayiru near here.

Farmers would benefit in a big way as they would be able to access various

departments under a single roof.

The smile is back on the farmer’s face

A farmer preparing land for taking up sowing operationsin Okaly village in

Kalaburagi taluk.

Widespread heavy rain which lashed Kalaburagi district on Wednesday and

continued till the early hours of Thursday has brought back the smiles on the

faces of farmers, reviving the hopes of a bumper harvest for short duration cash

crops, including green gram, black gram and sesamum.

In the past 24 hours, the district recorded a rainfall of 6.1 cm, while all the

seven taluks received heavy and widespread rain saving the situation for the

withering crops due to moisture stress, as it had not rained for the past nearly

one month. Particularly, Kalaburagi, Chitapur, Sedam and Chincholi taluks

received very good rain.

Sources in the Agriculture Department said that rain was long over due for the

standing crops and in a few taluks, germinated crops had started withering due

to lack of moisture in the soil. The only saving grace was the overcast weather

conditions in the past one month, preventing evaporation of whatever moisture

was left in the soil.

The spell of rain on Wednesday and Thursday will help in the revival and

orderly growth of crops and help farmers reap rich from the short duration

crops. In the past three years, farmers could not get much out of short duration

cash crops due to the failure of the rain and whatever little they got was from

the bi-seasonal red gram.

While farmers have taken up green gram in 46,448 hectares against a targeted

area of 35,100 hectares, black gram has been sown in 24,009 hectares against a

targeted area of 25,000 hectares. Sesamum has been taken up in an area of

8,155 hectares against the targeted area of 5,000 hectares.

The rain would also help red gram achieve an orderly growth with more

branches to hold higher number of pods for higher yield. As against the targeted

area of 3.62 lakh hectares, farmers have completed sowing in 3.52 lakh

hectares. In the remaining area, sowing has been suspended due to an extended

dry spell this month. However, sowing would resume now.

According to official figures provided by the Agriculture Department, farmers

have completed sowing operations in 90 per cent of the targeted area.

Against 5.69 lakh hectares target fixed for kharif season, farmers have

completed sowing in more than 5.11 lakh hectares. As much as 100 per cent

sowing in the targeted area has been reported in Chincholi taluk, followed by 99

per cent in Afzalpur, 97 per cent in Sedam, 94 per cent in Aland, 93 and 92 per

cent in Kalaburagi and Chitapur taluks, respectively and 65 per cent in Jewargi

taluk.

Water released from Amaravathi Dam

Water was released from Amaravathi Dam on Thursday to enable the farmers in

the old ayacut area to raise fresh set of crops and also to help irrigate the

standing crops in the command area under new ayacut.

The old ayacut is spread over 7,520 acres in Madathukulam block while the

command area under new ayacut was spread over an expanse of 25,250 acres in

Madathukulam and Dharapuram blocks.

On the day, Collector S. Jayandhi opened the shutters of the dam to allow the

water flow through Amaravathi River and Amaravathi Main Canal.

Public Works Department (Water Resource Organisation) officials told The

Hindu that the release of water through the Amaravathi River would be for 120

days with wetting cycles of seven consecutive days followed by five days of

break in between.

Diverted

Water through Amaravathi River was diverted to the fields through Karatholvu

canal, Ramakulam canal, Sarkar Kannadiputhur canal, Kallapuram canal,

Chozhamadevi canal, Kaniyur canal, Kadathur canal and Komaralingam canal.

Special wetting

Officials clarified that the water release through Amravathi Main Canal to new

ayacut area would be only for 15 days as ‘special wetting’.

The inflow into the reservoir area of Amaravathi Dam stood at 354 cusecs and

total outflow at 690 cusecs on the day.

Water level at the dam site was 58.87 feet against the total height of 90 feet.

Water to be released from Kabini dam from July 25

Farmers in the Kabini command area in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts

can cheer following a decision to release water from Kabini dam into its canals

for irrigation from July 25.

A decision in this regard was taken at the meeting of Irrigation Consultative

Committee (ICC) chaired by Mysuru District in-charge Minister H.C.

Mahadevappa in Bengaluru.

Water will be released into the irrigation canals of Kabini dam and the Nugu left

bank and right bank canals from July 25. Hullahalli and Ramapura canals will

get water from August 10. Also, water from the canals will be let into the lakes

in the command area to facilitate farming and drinking water needs of the

livestock.

Municipalities to market manure

As part of giving a fillip to Union Government’s Swachh Bharat programme,

the Municipal Administration department has entered into a tripartite agreement

with Madras Fertilizers Limited and Essel Infraprojects Limited for selling

manure produced from its waste-to-energy centres in various places.

At Tambaram Municipality, Municipal Engineer V. Murugesan, MFL’s General

Manager (Marketing) T. Paul Premkumar and Essel’s Assistant General

Manager-MSW Ramakrishna Sudhakar signed a pact for sale of manure

procured from Venkatamangalam. Similarly, Pallavaram municipal

commissioner K Sivakumar signed the pact on Wednesday.

Essel’s Pallavapuram and Tambaram MSW Private Limited handles about 220

tonnes of manure from Pallavaram, Tambaram, Sembakkam and Pammal

municipalities.

Mr. Premkumar said that Rs. 1,500 per tonne was being allowed as Market

Development Assistance by the Union Government, which the company was

willing to share with farmers. The manure collected from Venkatamangalam

would be made available for the farmers from Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur,

Vellore, and Tiruvannamalai districts. “The company already has signed pacts

for procuring manure from municipal wastes from four Corporations in the

State. Tiruchi, Madurai, Erode and Coimbatore and among municipalities,

Pollachi, Udumalpet, Mettupalayam and Udhagamandalam have signed

agreements,” he said.

Quality products

“Market development assistance would lower the MRP of city compost for

farmers,” said official sources, adding that compost from municipal solid waste

would not only provide carbon and primary/secondary nutrients to soil but also

help in keeping the city clean.

He said the ‘Eco-mark’ standard for compost would also ensure that

environment-friendly quality products reach farmers.

Farm panel to come out with suggestions in two months

Rythu Sangam secretary D.Gopinath pours out peasants’ woes to agriculture

panel members in Ongole on Thursday.

The Commission on Inclusive and Sustainable Agriculture Development of

Andhra Pradesh under the chairmanship of R. Radhakrishna will come out with

recommendations in two months to make farming remunerative.

A task force of the Commission, led by S. Gulab, Director of the Centre for

Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad, gave an indication to this effect after

taking on file petitions from a large number of ryots and farmer organisations

on Thursday.

Prof Gulab said: Unlike the traditional ryots, who were able to make both ends

meet with returns once in six months or so, the present day farmers need regular

flow of income every month. We will include in our recommendations multiple

livelihood opportunities to ensure regular flow of income for the ryots every

month.”

“Marketing has been the crux of the peasants' problems,” Prof. Gulab observed

and promised to include their suggestions pro-farmer policy measures.

Long before their counterparts in the agrarian state of Punjab, ryots in Prakasam

district went for alternative crops like subabul and eucalyptus. But they were in

a quandary with no assured returns in the case of social forestry plantations too,

he noted.

Pouring out their woes, farmer after farmer complained to the Commission

members, including Prof. D. Narasimha Reddy, Prof D. Narasimha Reddy and

K Venkat Reddy about the menace of spurious seed, ever-increasing cost of

farm inputs, unremunerative price for their produce and lack of institutional

credit especially for tenant farmers.

Taking the lead, TDP farmers’ wing Prakasam district president K. Venkaiah

said while the farmers were forced to part with their produce at a lesser price at

the time of harvest due to lack of holding capacity, the traders made a killing.

The Centre’s EXIM policy also hurt them the most, he said referring to the

fluctuating prices for, among other crops, cotton and Bengal gram in the wake

of imports of farm produce from abroad.

Teak trees to be planted outside forest areas

Enthused by the distinction achieved by Tamil Nadu as a state with highest

forest coverage in the country, Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam has

announced plantation of teak and other valuable trees on canal banks and

padugai and other lands outside forest areas in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Tiruchi,

Madurai, Dindigul, Theni, Sivaganga and Villupuram districts.

“The fund allocation for the scheme for the next five years is Rs. 52.64 crore,”

he told the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, pointing out that raising teak and

other plantation had enhanced tree cover and valuable timber resources.

The Minister also announced rejuvenation of Vaigai and Noyyal rivers at a cost

of Rs. 24.58 crore. The objective of the scheme is to improve the water regime

by increasing the overall biodiversity of forests in the catchment areas and

enhancing the sustained discharge of water into these rivers.

Explaining the efforts taken to reduce the man-animal conflict and provide

security to people, Mr. Panneerselvam said compensation for loss of life and

damage to crops and properties due to attacks by wild animals would be

enhanced and fixed on a par with the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)

norms.

Gujarat cotton growers sound pink bollworm alert

Farmers from Padadhari taluk, Rajkot district uprooting cotton plants following

the pink bollworm attack

At a time when cotton acreage has taken a beating owing to the monsoon’s

delay in reaching Gujarat, the appearance of the pink bollworm in the early-

sown plants has compounded woes and made farmers across the State jittery.

With the pest attack coming back to haunt cotton growers in Saurashtra for the

third consecutive year, many have decided to uproot the plant to make way for

alternate crops such as pulses or castor.

Cotton growers from the districts of Rajkot, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar and

Jamnagar have also faced sporadic pest attacks in their mature cotton plants,

said farm sources.

Those with irrigation facilities had taken up sowing of cotton early, in May,

while the monsoon arrived late June.

Gujarat is the second State where pest attacks on cotton sown this kharif has

been reported. Recently, the white flies that had ravaged the cotton crop in

Punjab last year reappeared, triggering concerns among farmers in the Northern

state. The Central government has rushed a team of scientists to study the

whitefly attack in Punjab.

Early sowing hurts

“Farmers who had access to irrigation — either ground-water or other water

sources — began sowing cotton in May itself, as it gave an additional crop

cycle to the farmers,” said Ramesh Bhorania, a farmer based in Rajkot.

A cotton grower in Jamnagar added: “We had used Bt seed of cotton, still it did

not save the boll from the pest attack.

This plant is useless now.

Therefore, we are uprooting it and will think of an alternate crop such as pulses

or castor.”

Experts attribute the early sowing of cotton as being responsible for the attack

of pink bollworm, which survives and develops during the high temperatures of

summer.

A monophagous insect (single host pest), pink bollworm has emerged as a

menace mainly in the Gujarat region, while Maharashtra’s Vidarbha and

Telangana — the other two main cotton growing regions, have largely remained

unaffected from the worm.

The Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) has highlighted the key

factors responsible for survival of pink bollworm in Gujarat.

“Due to increased access to irrigation, farmers started keeping the cotton crop

beyond the traditional period of June to December.

This is primarily the reason behind cotton becoming a double-season crop —

kharif and rabi.

The BG-II technology initially provided excellent yields, but later the insect

developed immunity to it,” said KR Kranthi, Director, CICR, Nagpur.

Studies have revealed that the incidence of pink bollworm in Bt cotton sown on

rain-fed region is less. .

According to Kranthi, regions like Vidarbha and Telangana is completely

dependent on rains, but there are hardly any reports of pink bollworm attack.

“Agricultural scientists had repeatedly asked farmers to wait until the rains

before sowing cotton. But they never paid heed to these directives.

And now, every day, several farmers are uprooting cotton. This will further

reduce the already low cotton acreage in the State,” said Bhorania.

According to Gujarat government data, cotton sowing has fallen by 25 per cent

so far to 17.6 lakh hectares (lh) from 23.45 lh last year.

Amid falling acreage and weakening quality due to pest attacks, cotton

production in Gujarat is likely to be a major concern.

“The pink bollworm menace will become graver after the first picking as it will

spread to subsequent picking as well,” said Kranthi.

American chickens fed beef, pork extracts: farmers’ association

Asks Prime Minister to get clarifications from US before allowing imports

India’s nod to allow US chicken legs has attracted strong opposition from

farmers. They alleged that US poultry farms use pork and beef extracts as feed

to provide vitamins and proteins to the birds.

This is objectionable to a large section of consumers in the country.

They also expressed concern over the usage of feed made from genetically-

modified corn, soya meal, cotton seed meal, and canola meal, as India has not

allowed GM crops yet.

The Consortium of Indian Farmers’ Associations (CIFA) wrote a letter to the

Prime Minister on Wednesday, raising concerns on dumping of US chicken legs

into India.

The feed factor

“Protein used in the US poultry feed contains meat scraps (lysine), blood meal

(lysine, methionine), liver and animal tankage. These products are derived from

beef and pork. Use of beef and pork by-products are prohibited in our country to

be used as poultry feed,” P Chengal Reddy, Chief Advisor of CIFA,

told BusinessLine.

He asked the Centre to seek clarifications from the US since usage of beef and

pork is a sensitive issue here.

“Poultry feed used in the US contains animal tallow, lard (the fat extracted from

pigs). We need to get a clarification from the US government whether such

ingredients are used or not,” the CIFA letter said. CIFA also asked the Prime

Minister not to allow the import of chicken legs till it get clarifications on the

issues raised by the consortium. It called for testing of all ingredients used in the

poultry feed in the US, before granting permission for imports.

He also drew attention to the usage of hormones and anti-biotics in US poultry

farms. “Hormones of progesterone and dienestroldiace are used in poultries for

faster growth of birds. They are not tested and approved by the government. So,

the end product can’t be allowed for consumption by consumers in India,” he

said in the letter.

The letter cited various documents, ingredient catalogues and the list of drugs

approved for use in the poultry industry.

Spot rubber up on bullish cues

Spot rubber finished firm on strong global cues on Thursday. RSS 4 closed at

142.50 ( 142) a kg, according to traders. The grade improved to 142 ( 141)

and 139 ( 138) respectively, according to the Rubber Board and dealers.

August futures firmed up to 142.59 ( 139.53), September to 137.20

( 133.46) and October to 134.20 ( 131.50) on the National Multi Commodity

Exchange. RSS 3 (spot) closed sharply higher at 129.48 ( 119.11) after the

long holidays at Bangkok.

July futures firmed up to ¥185.2 ( 117.01) on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange.

Spot rubber rates ( /kg): RSS-4: 142.50 (142); RSS-5: 140 (138); Ungraded:

112 (110); ISNR 20: 118 (118) and Latex (60% drc): 90 (91).

AP tobacco auctions: 100 million kg sold; final phase begins

Virginia tobacco auctions have entered the last phase in Andhra Pradesh, with

100 million kg (mkg) being sold till date in the State at an average price of

117.86 a kg against 68.5 million kg sold by the same time last year at an

average price of 106.82.

The authorised quantity in the State is 120 mkg and it is said that there may not

be any substantial surplus.

Allowing for a surplus of 10 per cent or so, the actual output may be around 130

mkg and it is expected that the auctions may be completed in the State by the

end of August.

Higher prices

Auctions may come to an end on most of the floors by the end of the month or

the first week of August but on the five floors of the West Godavari district

(known as the northern light soils or NLS floors) the auction process may

stretch up to the end of the month.

The tobacco on NLS floors fetches the highest price in the State.

On the five floors of the NLS, 25-26 mkg of tobacco has been sold so far and

there may still be 17 mkg of tobacco left with the farmers.

The bright grade turnout has been more during the current season and the

maximum price on the NLS floors went up to 155/kg and the average price is

142.

Pictorial warning

Still, the farmers are unhappy this season saying that prices have suffered badly

on the floors due to the Centre’s directive on pictorial warnings on cigarette

packets.

They feel that the trade has used it as an excuse to depress the prices.

RBI to cut rates by 25 bps on Aug 9 if rains cool pulses prices: Report

The Reserve Bank is expected to cut key interest rates by 25 basis points in its

policy review meet on August 9, if good rains damp pulse price inflation, says a

Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofA-ML) report.

Pulses inflation is running at 27 per cent on a poor summer rabi crop.

“With good rains, pulses’ sowing for the kharif season has jumped 39 per cent

above last year’s sowing. This should pull down pulses prices by 20 per cent

and cool CPI inflation to 5.1 per cent by March,” BofA-ML said in a research

note.

According to the global brokerage firm, the Reserve Bank could slash policy

rates for three reasons — first a good monsoon would douse agflation; second,

June core-CPI inflation has softened; and finally, high lending rates continue to

constrain May industrial growth.

“If good rains damp pulses prices inflation, as we expect, CPI inflation should

be well on track to the RBI’s 5 per cent March 2017 target,” the report noted.

BofA-ML has cut its March CPI inflation forecast to 5.1 per cent from 5.7 per

cent, in line with the RBI’s 5 per cent target, with rains likely to pull down

pulses prices.

Rains are currently running a surplus of 102 per cent of normal.

Meanwhile, the wholesale inflation accelerated for the third straight month in

June hitting 1.62 per cent on costlier food and manufactured items.

The hardening of the WPI index follows an uptick in retail inflation, which hit a

22-month high of 5.77 per cent in June.

In the June policy review meet, RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan kept interest

rates intact, citing rising inflationary pressure, but hinted at a reduction later this

year if a good monsoon helps ease inflation.

TN Budget outlines steps to modernise farm sector

Foodgrains production target set at 147 lakh tonnes for the year

The Tamil Nadu government has launched a slew of initiatives to upgrade and

modernise the farm sector.

In the revised budget for 2016-17 presented today, the government has spelt out

a number of initiatives to modernise the sector and strengthen infrastructure.

The Finance Minister O Panneerselvam said the Tamil Nadu Agricultural

Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1987 will be amended to improve the

efficiency of the agricultural markets.

These will be upgraded and integrated with the commodity markets with

adequate financial support.

A special project for supply chain management of perishable commodities such

as fruits and vegetables is being implemented in 10 districts at a cost of 398

crore.

This will be extended to other districts, if needed.

Grains production

The government has set a foodgrains production target of 147 lakh tonnes for

the year.

It will implement a new scheme for dry land farming focussed on millets, pulses

and oilseeds with water conservation as an integral part.

To attain self-sufficiency in pulses production, the government will target

cultivation of green gram, black gram and red gram under irrigated conditions.

Over 27.50 lakh acres will be brought under cultivation targeting an overall

production of 9.80 lakh tonnes.

Micro-irrigation will be expanded with subsidies at a cost of 319 crore.

Dairy development

A new product dairy will be established at a cost of 45 crore in Madurai to

promote the sector in the southern parts of Tamil Nadu.

The new dairy will produce a range of milk products, including ice-creams.

Over the last five years, new dairy projects in Perambalur and Tiruvannamalai

and a dairy product unit in Ambattur, Chennai, have strengthened milk

procurement by Aavin, the dairy cooperative and supported farmers.

Reservoir levels jump 89% in 15 days

Nomura report says farm sector could grow 4% in 2016

The strong uptick in the southwest

the sowing of kharif crops and given fresh life to

bodies, which were on the brink.

According to the Central Water Commission (CWC

reservoirs across the country as on Thursday was 54.419 billion cubic metres

(bcm), 34 per cent of their live storage capacity (157.8 bcm).

This is up from 18 per cent of live storage around July 6 and 29 per cent last

Friday.

Reservoir levels jump 89% in 15 days

Nomura report says farm sector could grow 4% in 2016-17 on a good harvest

The strong uptick in the southwest monsoon since the start of July has b

the sowing of kharif crops and given fresh life to reservoirs and major water

bodies, which were on the brink.

According to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the total level in 91 major


(bcm), 34 per cent of their live storage capacity (157.8 bcm).


17 on a good harvest

since the start of July has boosted

and major water

), the total level in 91 major



So, over a fortnight, average water levels have risen 89 per cent, one of the

fastest such in recent times.

These reservoirs are important sources of drinking water, irrigation and power

in many places.

A good water level also augurs well for the rabi harvest.

The highest increase has been in the reservoirs of central and western India.

In the north, where they irrigate large tracts in Punjab, Haryana and western

Uttar Pradesh, the levels are still lower than last year’s.

Research firm Nomura said on Thursday that as the July rains have the strongest

correlation with kharif (summer crop) production, improved performance of the

former could push up seasonal grain production by four per cent, as compared

to a fall of 3.2 per cent in 2015

“This should push up agricultural Gross Value Added (GVA) growth to four

per cent in FY17, from a weak base of 1.2 per cent in FY16, adding 45 basis

points to headline GDP (gross domestic product) growth and offsetting any fall

in non-agriculture GDP growth,” the report said.

Adding: “Although good monsoons are a positive for production, they do not

guarantee low food price inflation.

Much of the uptick in food inflation is driven by eggs, vegetables and sugar

prices; of these, we expect only vegetable prices to ease, and only towards the

fourth quarter of the 2016-17 financial year.”

It said the impact in kharif production due to poor rain in parts of Gujarat, Bihar

and the northeast would be offset by improved output in other areas.

The southwest monsoon might also become vigorous again over central and

northwest India in the next 24 to 48 hours,

after a lull of three to four days, as the rain trough moves towards the plains

from the foothills, while the cyclonic circulation brewing over the Bay of

Bengal penetrates deeper towards the mainland.

Officials this should cause good rain over both central and north India, slightly

weaker in the past few days and leading to rise in temperatures.

“The rains which are at present passing through a slightly weak phase will again

become active over south Chhattisgarh, Telangana and parts of Vidarbha over

the next 24 to 48 hours

because a cyclonic circulation around coastal Andhra will move inwards,” said

Mahesh Palawat, chief meteorologist at private weather forecasting firm

Skymet.

Insecticides India ties up with US-based Momentive to launch silicone

additives

Momentive's AgroSpred Max adjuvant, when mixed with agrochemicals during

spray as tank-mix additive, can increase the efficacy of crop protection

chemicals

Insecticides India Ltd (IIL), the Delhi-head quartered

agrochemicals manufacturer, has tied up with Momentive Performance

Materials India Private Ltd, a part of the US-based Momentive group, to

introduce Momentive’s new generation silicone based super

spreader AgroSpred Max adjuvant in India.

Momentive has authorised IIL to exclusively use the brand name AgroSpred

Max for marketing the superspreader in India, further strengthening Insecticides

India’s Tractor brand range of products to help farmers improve efficacy of

agrochemicals.

AgroSpred Max is a silicone-based superspreader that acts as an adjuvant to

help increase the bio efficacy ofcrop protection chemicals, growth promoters

and micronutrients.

AgroSpred Max adjuvant can be used with a broad range of agrochemicals as an

assistive agent to improve the spreading, wetting, coverage and penetration of

agrochemicals through stomatal infiltration, thereby offering a huge potential to

reduce costs and drastically improve spray efficacy.

“We are very pleased to collaborate with Momentive in bringing this unique

product to India for the benefit of Indian farmers.

AgroSpred Max adjuvant is a research product developed by Momentive

Performance Materials Inc, USA.

With a little addition to their spray cost, farmers can increase the effectiveness

of the spray multiple times.

We are optimistic that farmers will find this technology extremely useful in

their quest to improve crop protection efficacy,” said Rajesh Agarwal,

managing director, Insecticides India Limited.

V P Nalian, vice president, IMEA, Momentive, added, “Momentive has a long

history of developing silicone additives that enhance spreading and coverage

while helping to decrease costs and increase yields.

AgroSpred adjuvants were developed in response to specific needs by global

growers, and can help farmers in India to achieve better crop protection by

maximising the wetting, spreading and penetration of agrochemical treatments.

We are very happy to associate with one of India’s leading agrochemical

manufacturing companies, Insecticides India Ltd, to launch AgroSpred Max in

India.”

Agriculture tech startup Indigo raises $100 million in new funding

Agriculturetechnology startup Indigo has raised $100 million in a new round of

funding, bringing its total financing to more than $150 million, a sign of

growing investor interest in new ways to ease food scarcity.

The $100 million investment led by the Alaska Permanent Fund, a $54.3 billion

fund owned and managed by the state of Alaska, is believed to be the largest

single financing round into the private ag-tech sector, Indigo said on Thursday.

The $156 million raised by Indigo so far will support the Massachusetts-based

company's efforts to create resilient crops that can better withstand water

shortages.

Indigo, which declined to give its valuation, restructures seeds by adding

microbes to farm crops. This helps crops to be more resistant to insects,

drought, severe weather and nutrient-poor soil, the company said.

Microbes are a diverse group of microscopic organisms found in humans, plants

and animals, and living everywhere from the surface of rocks to bottom of the

ocean. Some cause disease, but others are essential to life - they break down

waste, for instance, and help humans digest food and plants grow.

According to Indigo, the microbes in plants have changed as more pesticides

have been introduced to agriculture. Indigo has sequenced the genome of more

than 40,000 microbes, building a massive database , chief executive officer

David Perry told Reuters.

He said the company has identified microbes that may help plants survive more

stressed conditions, particularly those brought by climate change.

Indigo has not yet earned any cash from sales of the new technology and the

results of its efforts are not yet known.

The company's revenue will come from future payments at harvest, based on a

farmer's increased earnings as a result of the higher yield from Indigo's

seedtechnology .

The company's cotton seeds were planted this spring on more than 50,000 acres,

primarily in western Texas, Perry said. It is the company's first commercial

product.

"Ultimately we will judge our success on the yields at harvest, Perry said. Trials

have shown a 10% greater yield of cotton when water was scarce, he said.

Farmers will plant Indigo's reformulated wheat seeds, which the company said

will grow better in water-scarce environments, on more than 20 million acres in

parched states including Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado this fall.

Indigo aims to also re-engineer soy and corn seeds. "They are also big economic

opportunities," Perry said.

Using simple innovations, a farmer pushes cotton yield 10 fold

In cotton growing Yavatmal district, also infamous for farmers' suicides,

growers struggle to inch up their yield. Amrut Deshmukh, in his 60s, however

has managed to push up the yield to 51 quintals per acre, almost 10 times the

average.

Average cotton yield in Vidarbha ranges from 4 to 6 quintals per acre making

cotton growing less profitable. "Unlearn what is taught in agriculture

universities is the mantra," says Deshmukh when asked how he accomplished it.

He claims hundreds of farmers from other cotton growing states visit him to

learn the method. Though in Ambola. the village where he lives, only six

growers have adopted the pattern. "Sometimes people are not attracted to what

is close by," he says.

It took almost eight years of trial and error for Deshmukh to finally arrive at a

solution two years ago. Punjabrao Krishi Vidyapeeth has also acknowledged it

and named it Amrut Pattern. "One has to closely observe the crop and you get

enough hints on how to go about it," said Deshmukh while addressing a group

of farmers and newspersons at Nagpur on Thursday.

Now he earns around Rs8 to 10 lakh from farming as against not more than Rs3

to 4 lakh a year earlier when he followed the conventional system. After

increasing his holding to 12 acres, he now plans to buy a small tractor with the

money left over.

"In 2014, I reaped 51 quintals on an acre, there was cotton on 4 acres. The

expenses come to around 50,000 an acre, leaving me with a profit of 1.5 lakh.

However, last year the yield was down to 42 quintals as the sowing was

delayed. It was a drought in 2015 but we managed with irrigation.

A dryland farmer can get around 22 quintals by using Amrut Pattern,"

Deshmukh told TOI.

The basic lessons in farming say the basal (initial) dose of fertilizer has to be

given before starting sowing or along with it.

Deshmukh says one should delay it for 30 days and let the crop grow.

Early dose makes plans grow fast but with fewer branches on which the cotton

bolls grow.

Delaying fertilizer helps in increasing the number of branches.

"My cotton plants have around 48 branches each, which is double the normal

number," he says.

"These days experts tell you to reduce distance between rows of plants but I

keep it between three and seven feet depending upon irrigation.

This leads to better distribution of sunlight.

They also suggest to nip off the tip after the plant has reached five feet height.

I prefer it to let it grow up as it gets more branches," Deshmukh says.

He also bends the plant from top. This helps in concentration of nutrients in

lower area where the branches are.

Experts say while such cases may not be common they are also not rare.

High yields can be obtained through special measures.

"It would indeed be nice if a method that can be adopted by an ordinary dryland

farmer is evolved," says one.

Kishor Tiwari of Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swavalamban Mission (VNSSM)

says much depends on soil condition too and all methods cannot be replicated

elsewhere.

Independent activist Sudhir Kedar, who arranged the forum for Deshmukh, says

the government is spending a huge amount in research so ingenious ideas like

Amrut Pattern should be given consideration too.

Cotton prices may not decline till arrival of new crop: Ind-Ra

Cotton prices, which have shot up by over 35 per cent since May 2016, are

unlikely to come down sharply till the arrival of new crop from October despite

state-run CCI's efforts to offload its stock in the market to contain prices, says

India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra).

The fall in domestic production has spiked cotton prices, which are likely to

remain at a high level of Rs 120-127/kg till the cotton season ending September,

it said.

The rise in prices is expected to squeeze profits of ginners and spinners by over

15 per cent in the current fiscal, it noted.

"The recent government directive to Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to sell

its entire cotton stock to micro, small, medium scale spinning units will help

contain the price rise of cotton.

However, Ind-Ra believes that cotton prices will not see any steep decrease, till

the arrival of the next cotton crop," the Ind-Ra said in a report.

There may not be any sharp fall since prices already factor in the release of

stock from inventory, it said.

Cotton prices are expected to be under pressure on likely fall in acreage.

"Fear of losses from pest attacks and due to the lack of alternatives to biotech

cotton hybrids, acreage (of cotton) is likely to decline.

This may push up cotton prices further, however increasing demand for

manmade fibre, will contain the price rise," Ind-Ra noted.

Stating that increase in prices will impact small textile players the most, the

report said ginners and spinners are most likely to be affected.

However, some organised spinning units with interchangeability from cotton to

blended yarn will be able to adapt.

"Profitability of pure cotton ginners and spinners will be lower by at least 15 per

cent, on account of their inability to pass on this steep increase in cotton prices

to their customers due to decreasing cotton demand and increased

competitiveness of manmade fibre," it said.

However, players which have stocked up cotton at lower prices in March

2016 are better placed.

Further, fabric manufacturers are likely to be aff

their better interchangeable use of looms, it added.

According to Ind-Ra, lower cotton output in India is due to two consecutive bad

monsoons and damaged cotton crop, caused by the pink bollworm pest in

central and southern belt in and due to whitefly pest attacks in northern India.

As per Cotton Advisory Board, domestic cotton production is estimated to go

down by 7.4 per cent to 35.2 million bales (of 170 kg) in the 2015

(October-September).

Globally too, cotton output is estimated to be lower by 18 per cent to 98.1

million bales in the 2016 calendar year, as per the United States Department of

Agriculture. LUX ANU

Three firms submit bids for validating energy consumed by agricultural

pump sets in Punjab

In Punjab the state government pays Rs 5,000

subsidy for running agricultural pump sets.

However, players which have stocked up cotton at lower prices in March

Further, fabric manufacturers are likely to be affected the least, on account of

their better interchangeable use of looms, it added.

Ra, lower cotton output in India is due to two consecutive bad


elt in and due to whitefly pest attacks in northern India.


down by 7.4 per cent to 35.2 million bales (of 170 kg) in the 2015

tput is estimated to be lower by 18 per cent to 98.1



In Punjab the state government pays Rs 5,000-5,400 crore a year as power


However, players which have stocked up cotton at lower prices in March-April

ected the least, on account of

Ra, lower cotton output in India is due to two consecutive bad


elt in and due to whitefly pest attacks in northern India.


down by 7.4 per cent to 35.2 million bales (of 170 kg) in the 2015-16 season

tput is estimated to be lower by 18 per cent to 98.1



5,400 crore a year as power

CHANDIGARH: To bring out accurate data on consumption of free power by

Punjab's agriculture sector, three firms have submitted bids to validate energy

consumption in agricultural pump sets in the state.

The request for proposal issued by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory

Commission seeks to find out transmission and distribution losses in providing

power to 12.5 lakh tubewell connections in the state.

"The successful bidder will be announced shortly," a senior official at Punjab

State Electricity Regulatory Commission told ET.

"It will help in finding the actual power consumption in agricultural pump sets

while determining the quantum of government subsidy," said the official, who

did not wish to be identified.

The scope of work includes cross-verification of the pumped energy data from

April 2015 till the date of inspection of all 11 kV AP feeders fed from at least

100 grid sub-stations of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and

Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited. The sub-stations will be

selected by the commission at a later stage.

The consultant will study and calculate the transmission and distribution loss

level prevailing in the sector by carrying out studies on at least 10 per cent of

the AP feeders.

In Punjab the state government pays Rs 5,000-5,400 crore a year as power


"The power consumption is bound to increase as over 1.5 new tubewells have

been announced," an official at PSPCL said.

There are about 5,415 11 kV feeders catering to over 12.5 lakh AP consumers.

These feeders are fed from over 800 grid sub-stations.

"There are cases where free power supply meant for pump sets is used for

domestic usage," said an official of a firm interested in the tender.

Initially firms including Pricewaterhouse Coopers Private Limited and Ernst &

Young had shown interest in the project.

Rubber production to touch 6.54 lakh tonnes in 2016-17

Natural rubber production is witnessing an improvement in the current year.

KOCHI: After plunging to the lowest in nearly two decades in 2015-16, the

natural rubber production is witnessing an improvement in the current year.

According to Rubber Board the NR production in the first quarter has shown an

increase of 2.3 per cent from a year ago as per the initial estimates. Going by the

trend the production is anticipated to touch 6.54 lakh tonnes in 2016-17.

Last year the production had sunk to 5.62 lakh tonnes.

The stability in price also gives a positive signal, says the board. The NR prices

have been holding steady around Rs 140 per kg in the market.

As part of its efforts to improve production and productivity, the board

convened zonal meetings in different locations for interaction among the rubber

growers, representatives of rubber producers societies (RPSs) and extension

officers and initiated steps to harvest the untapped areas.

As a cost reduction exercise in these hard times, the board tried to popularize

low frequency tapping under which the trees are tapped once a week. Around

5000 growers have come forward to adopt weekly tapping. A separate scheme

for starting 'tapper bank' through RPSs has also been initiated.

Cotton prices may not decline till arrival of new crop: India Ratings

The fall in domestic production has spiked cotton prices, which are likely to

remain at a high level of Rs 120-127/kg till the cotton season ending September.

NEW DELHI: Cotton prices, which have shot up by over 35 per cent since May

2016, are unlikely to come down sharply till the arrival of new crop from

October despite state-run CCI's efforts to offload its stock in the market to

contain prices, says India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra).

The fall in domestic production has spiked Cotton prices, which are likely to

remain at a high level of Rs 120-127/kg till the cotton season ending September,

it said.

The rise in prices is expected to squeeze profits of ginners and spinners by over

15 per cent in the current fiscal, it noted.

"The recent government directive to Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to sell

its entire cotton stock to micro, small, medium scale spinning units will help

contain the price rise of cotton. However, Ind-Ra believes that cotton prices will

not see any steep decrease, till the arrival of the next cotton crop," the Ind-Ra

said in a report.

There may not be any sharp fall since prices already factor in the release of

stock from inventory, it said.

Cotton prices are expected to be under pressure on likely fall in acreage.

"Fear of losses from pest attacks and due to the lack of alternatives to biotech

cotton hybrids, acreage (of cotton) is likely to decline. This may push up cotton

prices further, however increasing demand for manmade fibre, will contain the

price rise," Ind-Ra noted.

Stating that increase in prices will impact small textile players the most, the

report said ginners and spinners are most likely to be affected. However, some

organised spinning units with interchangeability from cotton to blended yarn

will be able to adapt.

"Profitability of pure cotton ginners and spinners will be lower by at least 15 per

cent, on account of their inability to pass on this steep increase in cotton prices

to their customers due to decreasing cotton demand and increased

competitiveness of manmade fibre," it said.

However, players which have stocked up cotton at lower prices in March-April

2016 are better placed. Further, fabric manufacturers are likely to be affected

the least, on account of their better interchangeable use of looms, it added.

According to Ind-Ra, lower cotton output in India is due to two consecutive bad


central and southern belt in and due to whitefly pest attacks in northern India.


down by 7.4 per cent to 35.2 million bales (of 170 kg) in the 2015-16 season

(October-September).

Globally too, cotton output is estimated to be lower by 18 per cent to 98.1


Agriculture.

22.07.2016 agri collection-cum-processing centres to come...

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