Agriculture in India : News, Updates, Discussion & Analysis




This is Jugraj Singh - a, UK national who died of cancer in 2017 . So this video obviously predates recent events. Why is this important ? Because Jugraj was a prominent Sikh community organizer , leader & influencer in the Sikh diaspora especially UK.

What's even more important was his brother Sunny Hundal who's allegedly a journalist was spitting venom against the Modi govt for the farm laws.

Hence on odd days farm laws are good. On even days farm laws are bad for the Sikh community, Punjab, hence for India.

I won't be surprised in the least if a few years from now there's a demand for reform in the agricultural sector & for bringing back those laws once again from Punjab.


Incidentally Capt Amarinder Singh who encouraged these protesters to Delhi didn't manage to caplitalise on this move. But that's a story for another day.



And this is self explanatory.

@Maler ; @Cole_phelps
 

Finally one of those rare videos by Clutterji which is worth every second of it's running time . Don't miss this. It outlines the massive distortions in our agriculture sector & the steps to be taken to reform it which of course we won't be undertaking.
 

India becomes the largest producer of sugar in the world​

The government on Wednesday claimed that India has become the largest producer of sugar in the world in the year 2022-23, more than Brazil, while it would be the second largest exporter of sugar.

Sugar production in 2018-19 was 332 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) after discounting diversion of 3 LMT for ethanol; in 2019-20, it was 274 LMT (after discounting diversion of 9 LMT for ethanol); in 2020-21, the production increased to 310 LMT (after discounting diversion of 22 LMT for ethanol) and for 2021-22, it is 335 LMT (after discounting diversion of 35 LMT for ethanol).

The production of sugar has increased and so has sugar exports. In sugar seasons 2017-18, 2018-19 & 2019-20, only about 6.2 LMT, 38 LMT & 59.60 LMT of sugar was exported. "In sugar season 2020-21 against target of 60 LMT, about 70 LMT have been exported. In the current sugar season 2021-22, against the projected 100 LMT exports, contracts for export of about 90 LMT have been signed, about 82 LMT sugar has been dispatched from sugar mills for export and approximately 78 LMT have been exported. Export of sugar in current sugar season 2021-22 is the historically highest," Subodh Singh, Joint Secretary, Food, told media persons.

About 80 per cent of sugar is produced in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka and because the two states south of Narmada are nearer to the ports, export takes place more from these states.

Earlier, late last night, the government has restricted sugar export up to 100 LMT from June 1 till October 31, 2022 with a view to maintain the domestic availability and price stability during the sugar season 2021-22 (October-September).
 

India’s wheat production likely to touch all-time high of 112 million tonnes​

India’s wheat production may set a new record this rabi season and surpass 112 million tonnes due various factors such as favourable weather conditions and increase of around 1.5 million hectares in the wheat acreage across the country, including in the agriculture -dominated states of Punjab and Haryana, the scientists of the ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR) in Karnal have predicted.

Last year, the scientists had predicted that the wheat output may touch 112 million tonnes but inclement weather and early heatwave in March had affected both early and late varieties, resulting in yellowing and shrivelling of wheat grain in northern states of the country.

The overall production of wheat reached 106.84 million tonnes, reporting a dip of 2.75 million tonnes as compared to 109.59 million tonnes estimated during the 2020-21 season, revealed the Fourth Advance Estimates of Production of Foodgrains for 2021-22 released by the Union ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare.

“As per our estimates and experiences, we are hopeful that the country’s wheat production may reach an all-time high this year and go beyond 112 MT,” said Gyanendra Singh, IIWBR director.

Answering a query on the key factors that could be behind the rise in the produce, he said that this year, the country has witnessed an increase of around 1.5 million hectares in the wheat acreage, which is likely to reach 31.5 million hectares against 30 million hectares of the last year.

Besides, a bumper wheat crop season is expected this year due to the ongoing weather conditions as there is a strong possibility of a longer winter spell, especially in the northern wheat growing belts of the country.

“Another reason for better yield and produce is the increase in the seed proportion of the new high yielding climate resilient varieties developed by the IIWBR,” he said, adding that the area under wheat in Punjab and Haryana is also likely to increase this year.

On the bad weather impact on wheat in Punjab and Haryana last year, he said that due to high temperature, the grain moisture in the grains reduced to around 8-9% from the normal 12-14% which directly led to a fall in the overall production. But this resulted in a better-quality harvest of wheat because of proper drying of the grain, he added.

However, the scientists of the IIWBR have also advised the farmers that the ongoing weather conditions are also favourable for the spread of Yellow Rust- a major wheat rust disease and they need to take proper care to protect their crop, especially those farmers who are cultivating old varieties of wheat.
 
government is likely to make available nano-diammonium phosphate (nano-DAP) and a mix of single super phosphate (SSP) and urea to farmers from the next kharif season. In June 2021, cooperative IFFCO launched nano urea in liquid form as an alternative to conventional urea.



Benefits of nano fertilizer -
  • Nano-particles increase nutrients use efficiency and minimizing the cost of environment protection.
  • Improvement in the nutritional content of crop and quality of the taste
  • Optimum use of iron and increase protein content in the grain of the wheat
  • Enhance plant growth by resisting diseases and improve anti agent and deeper rooting of crops.
  • Effects of nano -fertilizer on seeds germination and growth parameter of the plant
  • Nano fertilizers can easily penetrate into the seed and increase availability of nutrient to the growing seedlings.
 
Saw adani sticker on my morning apple today . Dint know they have a apple firm in HP .


Corporate farmer link is indeed far more beneficial to farmer than the arthia farmer link . Better technology , bigger market , less wastage and better income .
 
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Jammu and Kashmir's agriculture department will launch commercial farming of one of the costliest mushrooms Shiitake in September after successful field trials of the cultivation of this Japanese-origin variety.

 
In a historic milestone for the state of Mizoram's farming community 7.5 tonnes of Bird’s Eye Chilli harvested by farmers from Lunglei, Siaha and Lawngtlai Districts in southern Mizoram flagged off to USA . This is part of an initiative under the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region .

 
Chilli growers in Punjab's border district of Ferozepur are setting an example for other farmers for coming out of the wheat-paddy crop cycle and successfully reaping rich dividends without depending on the traditional crops.




they earn around Rs 1.50 to 2 lakh per acre out of chilli crop after deducting input costs and other expenses. The income is way above an average of Rs 90,000 per acre one can make out of wheat and paddy . chilli of Ferozepur is now being recognised and traders from other places like Ganganagar in Rajasthan and even Andhra Pradesh have started coming to buy the crop from here.