Junior Digest

Eluru, Aug 12,2024: Andhra Pradesh Minister for Civil Supplies Nadendla Manohar on Monday said that the state government would disburse payment into the farmer’s account within 48 hours of procuring paddy from the ensuing kharif season.

The Minister disbursed dues to the farmers for the procurement of paddy at a programme held in CR Reddy College auditorium here.

He formally launched disbursement of Rs 674.47 crore worth payments to over 35,374 farmers from whom the paddy was procured by the previous government.

Speaking on the occasion, Manohar regretted that the erstwhile YSRCP regime did not pay Rs 1,674.47 crore to over 8,724 farmers for procuring paddy. Now the Chandrababu Naidu headed coalition government has taken steps to disburse the arrears to the farmers.

“As soon as the coalition government assumed charge, it disbursed Rs 1,000 crore to the farmers. The remaining Rs 674 crore is being disbursed to the farmers today,” the Civil Supplies Minister observed.

He also said the government will supply tarpaulins with a 50 percent subsidy for farmers to protect their paddy produce from being drenched in the rain.

Accusing the previous YSRCP government of putting the farming community in lurch, he flayed that the erstwhile government had taken Rs 40,500 crore loans in the name of Civil Supplies, but at the same time, the YSRCP regime did not disburse money to the farmers for the paddy purchased.

“Efforts are being made by the Civil Supplies Department to pay Rs 10,000 crore to the banks by March 31, 2025”, Manohar said.

The Minister promised to the farmers to issue CCR cards during the Grama Sabha programmes to be held from August 16 across the state.

He reiterated the commitment of purchasing full paddy produce from the farmers.

District Collector K Vetri Selvi maintained that 2,17,496 metric tonnes of paddy was procured from the farmers in the district. An amount of Rs 200 crore has to be disbursed to the farmers for the paddy procurement, of which, Rs 153 crore had been disbursed.

Now, the remaining Rs 47.53 crore is being credited into the bank accounts of 2,116 farmers in the district, the Collector added.

New Delhi, Nov 19,2021: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced the decision to repeal the controversial three farm laws and expressed regret that the government could not make a section of farmers understand the importance of the new laws.

On Gurupurab, the PM announced that the laws would be repealed in the upcoming winter session of the Parliament and urged the farmers who are camping at the borders of Delhi to go back home.

“We have decided to repeal three farm laws. We will finish the process to repeal the law in upcoming Parliament session,” PM Modi said.

“I appeal to all farmers, go back to your families, let’s make a new start,” he said.

The Prime Minister said government could not make a section of farmers understand.

“I want to say, there might have been some shortcoming on our behalf, we could not make some farmers understand. However, on the occasion of Parkash Parv and we are not blaming anyone,” he said.

Farmers have been camping at the border of Delhi since November 2020, protesting against the three farm laws.

Coimbatore, Feb 26,2021: Lauding the role of MSMEs in the nation’s growth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said their role in Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme was very valuable.
Addressing a public meeting ahead of the ensuing Assembly polls, he said the conventional view of development only took into account the more vocal interest groups and because of this two sections were ignored–Small businessmen and farmers.

He said the way the NDA government at the centre and the TN govt have worked is a classic example of cooperative federalism.
‘I want to applaud MSMEs of Coimbatore for creating wealth and adding value. The govt of India has taken several steps to help MSMEs’, Mr Modi said adding,the NDA government has given top priority to these two sections.Citing the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS)as one of the examples, the Prime Minister said in the post-COVID period, this scheme has been important for MSMEs, who in Tamil Nadu have benefited greatly under this.

Almost Rs 14,000 crore have been sanctioned for 3.5 lakh MSMEs across the state, he said, adding, their role is valuable in the atmanirbhar bharat scheme.
In Coimbatore district alone, almost 225,000 msmes have benefitted from this scheme. He said last year the definition of MSME was changed making it more inclusive and broadbased. He said seven textile parks will come up in three years.Exports of leather products, garments and handicrafts are being encouraged.
Textile was also an integral part of the PLI scheme announced late last year.
Stating that the government was equally focused on building a vibrant textile sector, Mr Modi said in the last 7 years, the Centre has modernized the
textile infrastructure and credit access has improved and machinery has been modernized.

The customs duty were reduced on various items and exemptions granted till 31st Mmarch 2022.
Talking about the farmers, Mr Modi said ‘We do not want our small farmers to feel dependent on anyone or feel suffocated due to middlemen’.

‘Our effort for small farmers are aimed at giving them a life of prosperity and dignity’, he said.
The PM Kisan scheme just completed 2 years yesterday and 11 crore farmers have gained from this scheme.

‘It has been our honour to work for small farmers of India. From Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) to Soil Health Cards, from e-NAM to an effective crop insurance scheme,we want to bring a paradigm shift in the agricultural sector’, Mr Modi said.
Mr Modi said the Minimum Support Price for copra doubled and the government wil keep working on this sector.
Noting that other developmental needs of Tamil Nadu has been addressed, he said 12 lakh houses have been given under the PM Awaz yojana to urban areas of the state and TN was rapidly growing with many cities coming under the smart cities programme.
He said Tamil Nadu has gained jal jivan mission too with over 14 lakh rural households getting tap water connections
Mr Modi said ‘we take great pride in the cutlure of TN. tamil is the oldest language in the world and tamil festivals are part of global and across India.
He said the centre has also decided to allow setting up of medical educations in local languauge which would benefit countless youths.

Nagpur, Dec 28,2021: Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said use of drones in the farm sector can generate about 50 lakh jobs in rural area, it was reported on Tuesday.

Gadkari was speaking at the concluding ceremony of ‘Agrovision’ exhibition in Nagpur.

He said the use of drone technology in farm sector is the need of the hour and it can generate up to 50 lakh jobs in the rural area in just one year.

Elaborating the idea further, Gadkari said for spraying pesticides and crop nutrients from drones, will require man power for operating them and this will help open up huge job opportunities in the rural area.

The union minister also said that he has discussed with his cabinet colleagues about the need to draft a policy on adopting the drone technology in the farm sector.

Thiruvananthapuram,Oct 16,2022: Making remarkable achievement, India’s export of coconut products excluding coir products during the year 2021-22 touched Rs 3,236.83 crore recording an increase of about 41 per cent over the previous year.

The production of coconut in India during 2021-22 was 19,247 million nuts which accounts for more than 31 per cent of the global production, a release said on Sunday.

Total export including coir reached at Rs. 7577 crores which shows the importance of coconut to Indian economy.

The productivity was recorded at 9,123 nuts per hectare. Our total area under coconut is 2.10 million ha.

India leads the coconut growing countries in production and productivity and holds third position in area under coconut.

In India coconut based industries are growing in number bringing new products in the markets and also giving employment opportunities to many.

The Coconut Development Board (CDB) has extended support for the establishment of 537 new coconut processing units with a capacity to process 3,638 million nuts per year.

Activated carbon, coconut oil, dry coconut, desiccated coconut, fresh coconut and virgin coconut oil are the major coconut products exported from India.

The State of Tamil Nadu occupies a major share of the coconut cultivation in India. In productivity Tamil Nadu occupies the third position in the country. Coconut is currently cultivated in an area of 4.44 lakh ha in the state.

Production of coconut in the state is 512.82 million nuts with a productivity of 11526 nuts per ha.

The state contributes to about 20 per cent of area and 26 per cent of production under coconut in India and stands first in coconut processing unit establishment.

Coimbatore ranks the top position in area under coconut with 88,467 ha.

The farmers of the state has also ventured into processing and value addition of coconut and its products.

Almost 70 per cent of the country’s coconut processing units right from milling copra, activated carbon units, virgin coconut oil units, packaged tender coconut water units, spray dried coconut milk powder units, coconut milk units and many other innovative value added coconut product units are from the state of Tamil Nadu.

Tuticorin and Chennai ports deal with a major chunk of the export of coconut products. Export through the ports of Tamil Nadu tops in the exports of coconut based products in the country with a share of 60 per cent.

The state is the leading exporter of coconut shell based Activated Carbon Coconuts, Coconut Oil and Coconut Shell Charcoal and ranks second in position in export of Desiccated Coconut.

Pollachi region in Coimbatore is emerging as a major hub for the export of coconut and coir products from India and also caters to the requirement of tender coconut in the country.

During the past 8 years, from 2014-15 to 2021-22, the Board has expended Rs 290.82 crore for various field oriented schemes, establishment of coconut processing units and insurance schemes.

During the year 2022-23, an amount of Rs 14.17 crore is earmarked for various field level coconut development programmes.

Hyderabad (Telangana), July 17,2024: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy made it clear on Tuesday that the farm loan waiver scheme of up to Rs 2 lakh will apply to every farmer family possessing a land passbook.
According to an official release, CM Reddy shared details about implementing the loan waiver scheme at the Collectors Conference held at the Secretariat

.
He said that the ration card is being used only for family identification. The total number of ration cards in the state is 90 lakh, while the number of farmer accounts with bank loans is only 70 lakh.
CM Reddy further clarified that 6.36 lakh farmers in the state who do not possess ration cards and took farm loans are also eligible for the farm loan waiver benefit.
He emphasized that farmers are not being treated unfairly for not having ration cards, according to the release.
The Chief Minister ordered the collectors to hold a meeting with the district bankers at 11 am on Thursday, July 18.
CM Reddy said that the funds released by the government for the loan waiver scheme should be utilized only for farmers and not for personal or other loan waivers. He warned that action will be taken if the farm loan funds are diverted. In the past, the union government took action against some banks for diverting funds.
CM Reddy announced that loan waiver funds of up to Rs 1 lakh will be deposited in the farmers’ accounts at 4 pm on July 18. He suggested organizing a gathering of farm loan waiver scheme beneficiaries at Rythu Vedikas. Ministers, MLAs, and other public representatives of the respective districts should attend and share the happiness with the farmers.

New Delhi, Dec 17,2021: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged states to make natural farming a mass movement, saying it will help save thousands of crores of rupees spent each year on importing chemicals and fertilizers.

At least one village in every Panchayat across the country should embrace natural farming, Modi told the National Conclave on Natural Farming at Anand in Gujarat via video conferencing. Reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides will reduce the input cost of farmers, he said.

“We have to import huge amounts of chemicals and fertilizers worth thousands of crores. Consequently, input cost goes up, expenses of farmers increase and the kitchen budget of the poor also goes up,” he said.

Farmers from across the country joined the event virtually. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath too did that.

The Prime Minister said that those who will benefit the most from natural farming will be 80 crore farmers, especially those who have less than two hectares of land.

“They spend a lot of money on chemical fertilizers. If they adopt natural farming, their cost will considerably come down.”

Zero budget natural farming refers to farming without taking any credit or spending money on purchased inputs. Desi cow, its dung and urine play an important role from which various inputs are made on the farm and provide necessary nutrients to soil, Modi said.

Zero budget farming seeks to end farmers’ dependence on loans and drastically cut production costs.

The government is implementing Zero Budget Natural farming viz Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP) as a sub scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) to promote traditional and indigenous agricultural practices.

The scheme mainly emphasises exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs and promotes on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching, use of cow dung-urine formulations and other plant-based preparations.

While noting that chemicals and fertilizers had contributed significantly to Green revolution, Modi said there is need to look for alternatives.

“Natural farming will play important role in the transformation of Indian agriculture in 21st century,” he said.

A myth has been created that crop yield would be affected without chemical fertilizers, he said. While the truth is contrary to this, he said, underscoring the need for adopting natural farming.

He laid emphasis on re-learning ancient knowledge and adopting them as per the requirement of modern times.

Modi said many experts have reaffirmed that indigenous or native cow has an important role to play in natural farming. Further, they have said that from cow dung and cow urine one can find solutions to not only protecting crops but also enhancing soil fertility.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Home Amit Shah, who also heads the Ministry of Cooperation, said that in order to promote natural farming it is important that farmers get a fair price for their produce.

He said the Ministry of Cooperation is working towards setting up a network of laboratories across the country to do soil testing and certify that the soil is chemical free. The labs would certify organic produce so that they get access to global markets.

New Delhi, Nov 29,2021: Parliament on Monday passed a Bill to repeal the three Farm Laws. The Bill was passed in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha without any debate, even as the Opposition MPs pressed for it.

The Bill, brought in Parliament on the first day of Winter Session, was passed within minutes of introduction in both Houses, as Opposition MPs protested, demanding a debate.

As Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar introduced the Bill, the Opposition’s chorus for a debate grew louder. Speaker Om Birla said he would allow the debate only if the House was in order, and the bill was passed within minutes of being introduced.

In the Rajya Sabha,the Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge was allowed to speak by Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan. Some members from the ruling benches also objected to it.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, however, said that since the whole House agreed on the Bills, there was no need for a debate. The Bill was then passed through voice vote.

The Bill would repeal three laws – the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance, Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The Bill will now go for the assent of President Ram Nath Kovind, and once he signs the bill, a notification would be issued about the laws being repealed.

Raigad (Maharashtra) , February 20,2021: Strawberries normally grow at places with cold temperatures, but an uncle-nephew duo has scripted history by growing them in the relatively warm Vavanje village of Panvel taluka.
Sajjan Pawar and his nephew Prashant Pawar conducted an experiment which has turned out to be successful so far. They planted a thousand saplings of strawberry in November. With an expenditure of merely Rs 15,000, they are selling strawberries at Rs 300 per kilogram and have managed to earn Rs 45,000 so far.
The duo attended a farmers’ fair in their area and got inspired by a farmer who had cultivated strawberry in Mahad, about 130 kilometres far from Panvel.

“We got the idea of cultivating strawberries here after we visited an Agriculture department fair. During the exhibition, we saw farmers from Mahad had cultivated strawberries. I thought if this is possible in Mahad then our Panvel is not far from Mahad. First, we did it on an experimental basis, and then we planted 1,000 saplings. We got good results. The size, quality, and taste of strawberries are also good,” Sajjan Pawar told ANI.
The uncle-nephew duo is getting overwhelming support and demand for their organic produce. However, they are unable to cater to the current demand and are planning to cultivate strawberries on more land.
“In the coming times, we are planning to cultivate strawberries on 4-5 acres land. We are getting demand. We want to create Panvel brand like Mahabaleshwar brand,” he said.
Farmers in the village are also seeking the duo’s help to cultivate strawberries in their fields.

Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) , February 18,2021: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Thursday said that ‘rail roko’, the blockade of trains as part of protests against farm laws, will be done in a peaceful manner and food and refreshments provided to people stranded due to the protest. He also stated that he will not join politics as he considers it “a big disease”.
“Rail roko protest will begin at 12 pm and go on till 3-4 pm. Trains are not plying anyway. It’ll be done peacefully. We’ll provide water, milk, lassi and fruits to people who are stranded. We will inform them about our issues,” he said.
“Today we have two rallies in Hisar and I am going there. I am going to a rally in Mumbai tomorrow. We will hold rallies all over the country. Farmers are suffering everywhere. The only way to get rid of the problems is to give legal backing to MSP,” he said.
He also condemned the violence that happened at Red fort on January 26 and said that Bharatiya Kisan Union has no connection with those responsible.
Speaking about his upcoming visit to West Bengal and the extension of the agitation to West Bengal, he said: “We will talk to farmers there. Their crops are not being sold at MSP. We have got nothing to do with elections.”
He dismissed any possibility of him entering the political arena.
“Politics is a big disease, I will stay away from it,” he said.
In view of the protest, Railways has deployed 20 additional companies of the Railway Protection Special Force across the country with a focus on Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Farmers have been protesting at the different borders of the national capital since November last year, against the three newly enacted farm laws – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

New Delhi, June 30,2021: The Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan completed one year on Tuesday, said the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
“The centrally sponsored Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, launched under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, to enhance the competitiveness of existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food processing industry and promote formalization of the sector, marks the completion of its one year”, read the release by the Ministry.
Launched on June 29, 2020, the PMFME Scheme is currently being implemented in 35 States and Union Territories. The online portal for the application of the PMFME Scheme was made live on January 25, 2021. More than 9000 individual beneficiaries have registered on the portal, out of which more than 3500 applications have been successfully submitted under the scheme.
Under the One District One Product (ODOP) component of the PMFME Scheme, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries approved ODOP for 707 districts for 35 States and UTs, including 137 unique products as per the recommendations received by States/UTs.
The GIS ODOP digital map of India has been launched to provide details of ODOP products of all the States and UTs. The digital map also has indicators for Tribal, SC, ST, and aspirational districts. It will enable stakeholders to make concerted efforts for its value chain development.
Under the PMFME Scheme, the Ministry signed three joint letters with the Ministry of Rural Development, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has signed six Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED), National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), and Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETI).

An agreement has been signed with the Union Bank of India as the Nodal Bank of the scheme and MoUs with 11 banks as official lending partners for the PMFME Scheme.
Under the Capacity Building component of the PMFME Scheme, the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) and the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT) have been performing a key role in providing training and research support to selected enterprises/groups/clusters in partnership with the State Level Technical Institutions. The training of 371 Master Trainers has been conducted under the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) & various food domains.
NIFTEM & IIFPT have prepared training modules on 137 ODOPs which include 175 Presentations, 157 Videos, 166 DPRs, and 177 Course Content/Handbooks. Training of 469 District Level Trainers has been conducted in 18 States/UTs and in progress in other States. 491 District Resource Persons have been appointed across 302 districts.
Under the scheme, 54 Common Incubation Centres have been approved in the 17 States and UTs like Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, J&K, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Odisha, and Uttarakhand. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries in collaboration with the IIFPT has developed an online portal for submission of Common Incubation Centre proposals and an online common incubation centre map for the facilitation of details of incubation centres across the country.
The component under PMFME for providing seed capital to SHGs is being implemented with the support of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and its network of State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLMs) operating at the state level. The PMFME Scheme envisages financial support of Rs. 40,000 for working capital and purchase of small tools for each member of SHGs engaged in food processing activities. To date, NRLM has recommended 43,086 SHG members to State Nodal Agencies (SNA) for an amount of Rs 123.54 crore SNA has approved the seed capital of 8040 members and disbursed the amount of Rs 25.25 crore to SRLM.
Under the scheme, MoUs have been signed with NAFED and TRIFED to take up the marketing and branding support for 10 products each. NAFED has selected products like Pineapple, Millet based products, Coriander, Makhana, Honey, Ragi, Bakery, Isabgol, Turmeric, and Cherry for branding and marketing support. TRIFED has selected products like Honey, Tamarind, Spices, Amla, Pulses/Grains/Millets, Custard Apple, Wild Mushroom, Cashew, Black Rice, and Wild Apple under the scheme.
All the 35 participating States and UTs have constituted/ identified their respective State Nodal Agencies, State Level Approval Committees, District Level Committees, and State Level Technical Institutions. Moreover, a call centre has been established at NIFTEM to address queries and guide the stakeholders of the Scheme.
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries in collaboration with States/UTs and Agricultural Universities is conducting nationwide promotion and publicity of the PMFME Scheme to sensitize the stakeholders via radio, print media, offline workshops, webinars, regional language brochures/booklets, outdoor publicity, and over digital media via website, apps and social media platforms. The PMFME Scheme monthly e-newsletter is being sent to more than 5 lakh stakeholders. The PMFME Podcast series has been launched to interact with Agri-business incubators, industry experts, and startups.
To commemorate 75 years of India’s Independence, under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries is conducting 75 Unique One District One Product (ODOP) webinars/offline workshops across the country in collaboration with States/UTs, NIFTEM, and IIFPT. A weekly series of success stories titled “Kahaani Sukshma Udyamon Ki” has been launched to bring 75 stories of existing micro food processing enterprises.

Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan), October 18,2021: Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday said that if the Centre would provide a Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantee through a law, they can resolve the farmers’ agitation against the farm laws.

Pointing out that the agitating farmer would not compromise on less than the MSP guarantee law, Malik said that it is the only thing that farmers need.
“If the government (Centre) provide MSP guarantee through a law then it can be resolved (farmers’ agitation against the three farm laws). There is only one thing so why are you (Centre) not fulfilling it? They (farmers) will not compromise on less than MSP,” he said.
Farmers have been protesting nationwide since November 26 last year against the three newly-enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

New Delhi, Aug 19,2023: Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Giriraj Singh on Friday inaugurated Meghalaya Pineapple Fest – 2023, at the iconic Dilli Haat, New Delhi.

The three-day festival aims to showcase not only the exceptional quality of Meghalaya’s succulent Kew pineapples but also the rich cultural heritage of the region.

Praising the Meghalaya government for the initiative for organising the Pineapple Fest in the national capital, the Union Minister said, “It is a step in the right direction towards promoting sustainable agricultural practices, fostering inter-state cooperation, and enhancing the livelihoods of farmers.”

Sharing his thoughts on the significance of agricultural diversity and collaboration between states, Singh said, In the context of our nation’s agricultural landscape, diversity is not just a word; it’s a treasure trove of opportunities. Meghalaya’s pineapples have garnered a reputation for their exquisite taste and quality”.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the Meghalaya Pineapple Fest is more than just a celebration of our state’s succulent produce, but a platform to share the diversity of our culture, the innovation in our agriculture, and the unity that binds our people.

“Our pineapples are not merely fruits; they are a testament to the fertile land, dedicated farmers, and the rich legacy that Meghalaya carries. As we gather here in New Delhi, far from the rolling hills and serene landscapes of Meghalaya, we bring a piece of our home to share with the world. Let us cherish the moments of togetherness, embrace the culture, and savor the sweetness of Meghalaya, right here in the heart of New Delhi,” he said.

The Chief Minister also took pride in informing the gathering that pineapples from Meghalaya are now being sold across malls in Dubai, Kuwait and Sharjah with persistent effort the state government and all stakeholders.

“The Meghalaya pineapples are famous for their high-sugar content (brix value of 16-18) and low sourness. The pineapples in the State are mostly being cultivated without any use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, resulting in significantly lower heavy metal and pesticide residue in the fruit. These traits make them highly suitable for lucrative international and national markets,” he said.

On the occasion of the 77th Independence Day, Meghalaya had outlined its ambitious plan for ‘Magnificent Meghalaya.’

Aspiring to double the State’s GDP, Meghalaya identifies agriculture and allied sectors as pivotal drivers of economic growth and this sector has the potential to create lakhs of employment opportunities in the next five years, the CM had said.

The North-Eastern States contribute a whopping 51.18 percent to the total pineapple production in the country, with Meghalaya contributing 7.69 percent (APEDA 2021-22), making it one of the top five pineapple producing States in India.

Sikar (Rajasthan), February 24,2021: Issuing a threat to the Central Government, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader, Rakesh Tikait on Tuesday said if the three laws are not repealed, the farmers will march to the Parliament on 40 lakh tractors.
Speaking at a farmers’ rally in Sikar in Rajasthan, Tikait said, “Our next call will be for a march to Parliament. We will tell them before marching. This time it won’t be just 4 lakh tractors but 40 lakh tractors will go there if farm laws are not taken back.”
Tikait also demanded that a new law should be enacted ensuring minimum support price for farmers.

On February 18 at a maha panchayat at Kharak Punia in Haryana, Tikait said the protesting farmers will take the agitation to the poll-bound West Bengal if the Centre does not concur with their demands against the new farm laws.
He again reiterated the claim the next day and said “Talks are going on taking out a tractor rally to West Bengal.”
Farmers broke barricades to enter Delhi and indulged in vandalism across several parts of the national capital during their Kisan tractor rally organised to protest against the Centre’s three new farm laws on January 26. Several public and private properties were damaged in acts of vandalism by the protestors. A total of 22 FIRs have been filed by the Delhi Police with one of them mentioning the incident at ITO where a farmer died after his tractor overturned.
Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Agartala, Aug 19,2023: As many as 20,000 hectares of agricultural land of Tripura have already been brought under organic cultivation of aromatic rice, pineapple, pepper, turmeric, and green chilly, where around 19,900 farmers are involved in farming activities, claimed Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath here on Saturday.

Inaugurating a sales counter for organic crops run by Northeast Regional Agriculture Marketing Company Ltd (NERAMAC) in the city, Nath said besides the availability of locally grown organic crops and agricultural products of the state, products produced by self-help groups and local entrepreneurs will also be available in the outlet.

The minister also flagged off a mobile van that will move around the city to sell organic produce.

The NERAMAC will open more outlets at Agartala Railway Station, Sabroom, and Srimantapur Integrated Check Posts to promote the state’s agriculture and horticulture products among tourists, and the process has begun to send about 32 MT of processed maize from the state to Maharashtra through a private agency. The first consignment of 16 MT of processed maize was dispatched on Saturday.

“So far, at least 26 MT of aromatic rice, 62 MT of ginger, 14 MT of turmeric, and 149 MT of pineapples grown organically have been marketed in the state in the financial years 2022–23 and 2023–24.”

Tripura has produced about 50,000 MT of pineapples organically on 50086 hectares of land in the state,” Nath stated.

He added that the queen variety of pineapple has already received Geographical Indication, and the state government has been working on acquiring similar tags for scented lemon, jackfruit, and Sabri banana, which are abandoned in Tripura and growing naturally at a commercial scale.

After the BJP-led government came to power in 2018, the first international export of pineapples and lemons began, and now a steady supply chain of the produce has been developed, and gradually Tripura will become self-reliant in agriculture and horticulture production with the support of PM Fasal Bima Yojana and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi,” Nath added.

New Delhi, November 3,2023: Terming millets as part of India’s ‘Super Food Bucket’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the nutri-rich coarse grain will also reach every corner of the world just as Yoga did.
“In India, we have given it (millets) the identity of Sri Anna. On the initiative of India, today once again an awareness campaign regarding millets has started in the world. I believe that just as International Yoga Day took Yoga to every corner of the world, now Millets will also reach every corner of the world,” PM Modi said after inaugurating the three-day World Food India 2023 here in the national capital.
Millets are also the most secure crops for small farmers as they are resilient and climate-adaptable in both hot and drought environments. India produces all the nine commonly known traditional millets viz. Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Finger Millet, Foxtail Millet, Proso Millet, Little Millet, Barnyard Millet, Browntop Millet and Kodo Millet.
Millet is a common term for categorizing small-seeded grasses that are often called Nutri-cereals. Most of the states in India grow one or more millet crop species. The government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi spearheaded the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution for declaring the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets and the proposal of India was supported by 72 countries.
In his address, PM Modi said India not only has cultural diversity but also a rich variety of cuisines. This food diversity, according to him, serves as a dividend for investors around the globe.
“There is as much cultural diversity in India as there is food diversity. Our food diversity is a dividend for every investor in the world. Today, the way curiosity towards India has increased in the whole world, it has also brought a huge opportunity for all of you,” PM Modi said.
India is rapidly urbanising, and with the increase in employment opportunities, the demand for packaged food is also on the rise.
“To align with these ambitious policies, your plans should be equally ambitious. In the food processing sector, there are three main factors contributing to its success: small farmers, small industries, and women,” PM Modi said.
In the past nine years, the export of processed food has increased by 150 per cent, PM Modi told the gathering.
“Today, our agri-exports have reached the 7th rank globally. In the food sector, there is no field in which India has not made progress. This growth might seem rapid, but it is the result of consistent and dedicated efforts. During our government’s tenure, India has, for the first time, implemented an agri-export policy. We have established a network of logistics and infrastructure throughout India,” he noted.
The World Food India featured regional cuisines and royal culinary heritage, wherein over 200 chefs would participate and present traditional Indian cuisine, making it a unique culinary experience.
The event aims to showcase India as the ‘food basket of the world’ and celebrate 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
The event is poised to host participants from over 80 countries, including CEOs of prominent food processing companies. It will also feature a Reverse Buyer Seller Meet, with over 1200 overseas buyers from more than 80 countries.
The Netherlands will serve as the partner country, while Japan will be the event’s focus country.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Aug 8,2023: When Canadian dairy farmer Ben Loewith’s calves are born next spring, they will be among the first in the world to be bred with a specific environmental goal: burping less methane.

Loewith, a third-generation farmer in Lynden, Ontario, in June started artificially inseminating 107 cows and heifers with the first-to-market bull semen with a low-methane genetic trait.

“Selectively breeding for lower emissions, as long as we’re not sacrificing other traits, seems like an easy win,” Loewith said.

The arrival of commercially available genetics to produce dairy cattle that emit less methane could help reduce one of the biggest sources of the potent greenhouse gas, scientists and cattle industry experts say.

Burps are the top source of methane emissions from cattle. Semex, the genetics company that sold Loewith the semen, said adoption of the low-methane trait could reduce methane emissions from Canada’s dairy herd by 1.5% annually, and up to 20%-30% by 2050.

The company this spring began marketing semen with the methane trait in 80 countries. Early sales include a farm in Britain and dairies in the US and Slovakia, said vice-president Drew Sloan.

If adopted widely, low-methane breeding could have a “profound impact” on cattle emissions globally, said Frank Mitloehner, professor of animal science at University of California Davis, who was not involved in developing the trait.

Some dairy industry officials remain unconvinced about low-methane breeding, saying it could lead to digestion problems.

Canada’s agriculture department said in an email that it has not yet assessed the methane evaluation system underlying the product but that reducing emissions from livestock was “extremely important.”

Livestock account for 14.5% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Methane is the second-biggest greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide.

While farmers can feed additives to cattle to reduce methane production, their effects wear off once cattle stop eating them and they are not approved for use in the United States, Mitloehner said.

The low-methane breeding material is the product of a partnership between Semex and Canada’s milk-recording agency Lactanet and based on research by Canadian scientists.

Lactanet in April released the world’s first national genomic methane evaluation, and has produced results from Holstein cows and heifers on 6,000 farms, representing nearly 60% of Canada’s dairy farms.
BREATH CAPTURE

The registry drew on seven years of research by University of Guelph and University of Alberta scientists to measure the methane of dairy cattle.

The scientists captured the exhalations of cattle to measure them for methane, and then compared the data against genetic information and milk samples.

Methane emissions from Canadian dairy cows vary widely, from 250 to 750 grams per day, said Christine Baes, professor of animal biosciences at University of Guelph, who worked on the project.

Selecting for the low methane trait could lock in lower and lower emissions for successive generations, she said.

“The breakthrough here is linking these different components to have a national breeding value estimation for methane emissions based on real breath of animals,” Baes said.

“We also have genomic information and we match those up and create almost a telephone book to say, ‘this animal has these genes and produces this much methane.'”

Semex is not initially charging extra for the methane trait, said Michael Lohuis, Semex’s vice-president of research and innovation. He declined to provide sales projections but expects sales to remain slow until financial incentives emerge.

The Canadian government currently offers no incentives for low-methane cattle breeding, but the agriculture department said in an email that Ottawa is working to introduce offset credits for reducing methane through better manure management.

Some countries and food companies have begun to encourage farmers to move to lower-emitting cattle.

New Zealand will begin taxing farmers for methane from cattle in 2025.

Nestle (NESN.S) and Burger King parent Restaurant Brands International (QSR.TO) are tackling the methane problem in their supply chains by changing what cattle eat.

Mitloehner said he expects companies to eventually recognize low-methane breeding, too.

“Genetic change is permanent and cumulative across future generations so it can add up to substantive reductions,” Lohuis said. “This is certainly not the only tool dairy producers can use to reduce methane on-farm, but it may be the simplest and lowest-cost approach.”

Other dairy experts said such an approach could be problematic.

Juha Nousiainen, senior vice-president at Valio, a Finnish dairy, warned that breeding cattle to burp less methane could create digestive problems.

Methane is produced by microbes in the cow’s gut as it digests fibre, not by the animal itself, he said.

Back on his farm, Loewith is eager to see how the breeding decisions will play out.

“If it’s something that you’ve doubled down on generation after generation, then the impact becomes more significant.”

Lalitpur, Oct 29,2021: Congress general secretary and in charge of Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reached Lalitpur by train on Friday morning to meet the families of the farmers who died due to fertilizer shortage.

Ms Vadra, for a change took a train from Lucknow to reach Lalitpur on Friday morning.

Party sources here said that Ms Vadra reached Lalitpur in the morning and after resting for a while she will go to the villages to meet the families of the farmers, who died due to fertilizer shortage.

The Congress alleged that there is a severe shortage of fertilizers in the entire Bundelkhand including Lalitpur.

Many farmers died due to shortage of fertilizers including one farmer who committed suicide and another farmer died while standing in queue for fertilizer in Lalitpur.