Ministry Of Agriculture

Farmers' protest march updates: Catch all the latest updates on the farmers' protest here

Punjab Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Saturday launched a helpline number and asked farmers to register complaints on it if they find any unfair practice during the special field inspection being conducted to assess crop loss due to inclement weather. Dhaliwal said he himself is supervising the ongoing work of 'girdawari' by visiting fields. He said the state government was fully committed to compensate farmers for their crop loss due to the rough weather. "My effort is that every farmer gets due compensation but if any farmer is facing inappropriate or unfair practice in the 'girdawari' process, then a concerned farmer can register his complaint on 9309388088 without any hesitation," Dhaliwal said in a statement here. He further said complaints can be made through WhatsApp on this number. The minister further said the complaint lodged on this number will be taken seriously and immediate action will be taken. He assured that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's promise

In a Q&A, Svein Tore Holsether says his company is looking at more expansions in India as well

A total of 269 districts in 27 states have started distributing fortified rice under the Targeted Public Distribution System, achieving a 100 per cent target set for second phase by March 2023

Union Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra on Thursday said the government is hopeful of a record wheat production of 112.18 million tonne in 2022-23 crop year ending June despite inclement weather conditions in some parts of the country affecting grains quality. The government has projected a record wheat production at 112.18 million tonne in the 2022-23 crop year (July-June). Wheat production had declined marginally to 107.74 million tonne in the previous year due to heat wave in some states. "Because of the inclement weather in the last two weeks, there has been some damage to the wheat crop. But the production loss will be minimal. We are hopeful of achieving the overall production target of 112.2 million tonne," Chopra said. The secretary said quality norms for wheat procurement has been relaxed in Madhya Pradesh and the Centre will soon take a call on relaxing quality norms for wheat procurement in Punjab and Haryana. The procurement by state-owned FCI and state agencies have alread

Several left wing trade unions held a rally here in Ramleela ground on Wednesday with hundreds of workers and farmers in a show of solidarity against the BJP-led central government's alleged disregard of their basic needs and loss of livelihoods. The Masdoor-Kisan Sangarsh rally was held by the Centre of Trade Unions (CITU), All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), and All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU). The leaders speaking at the rally warned the government that the rally was an indication of the surging anger of the workers of the country, an official statement from the collective said. Hundreds of workers, farmers, and agricultural workers from different parts of the nation, including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Gujarat, participated in the rally, the statement said. The workers demanded from the government policies that allow access to education, healthca

The new Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, announced recently, will help in promoting exports of sectors from e-commerce, batteries for electric vehicles and farm equipment, experts said on Tuesday. India on March 31 came out with the new policy which aimed at pushing rupee trade, increasing outward shipments to USD 2 trillion by 2030, and promoting e-commerce exports, amid global uncertainties. Rumki Majumdar, Economist at Deloitte India, said that the policy emphasises on the manufacturing and export sectors with a long term view. Sectors such as batteries for EVs, green hydrogen, and garment, amongst others will benefit from the policy, she said, adding that with over 80 per cent of trade being done in the USD, encouraging trade in Indian rupee will be a relief. "It will also add to its resilience to external shocks and improve negotiating capabilities in international trade," Majumdar said. Shashi Mathews, Partner at IndusLaw, said that through the policy, the government's focus

The PM-KISAN Yojana aims to supplement the financial needs of land-holding farmers

The technology will provide an additional source of income to farmers, help reduce stubble burning in North India

Procurement of wheat for Rabi marketing season 2023-24 has been to the tune of 10,727 metric tonnes till March 27 as compared to nil procurement last year.

The government on Tuesday said it is too early to predict any damage to the wheat crop due to heat stress in February. In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, "In the month of February 2023, though the maximum temperature was hovering around 32-33C in most of the northern plains, it did not impact the wheat grain growth since the crop canopy temperature can be easily modulated by 2-3C less than the air temperature by irrigation." During March 16-22 period, he said scattered to fairly widespread light /moderate rainfall has been received over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan due to which the maximum temperatures were near normal or below normal over these parts." "In the current scenario, it is too early to predict any damage to the wheat crop due to heat stress," Tomar said. Wheat is the main rabi crop, harvesting of which has started in some parts of the country. The government has projected a record wheat output o

The government on Monday said it has constituted a committee to monitor the stock of tur dal held by importers, mills, stockists and traders in order to check hoarding and speculation. The government is also closely watching the stock position of other pulses in the domestic market to take necessary preemptive measures in the event of unwarranted price rise in the coming months, an official statement said. The decision has been taken in view of the reports of market players not releasing stocks despite regular arrival of imports in good quantities, it added. The committee, under chairmanship of Additional Secretary Nidhi Khare, will monitor tur stocks in close coordination with the state governments. Earlier on August 12 last year, the government had issued an advisory to the state governments and Union Territories to enforce stock disclosure in respect of tur dal under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Further, in order to facilitate smooth and seamless import, the government

"There will be no shortages of fertilisers in the kharif season. We have adequate stocks, and our companies have made arrangements in advance," Mansukh Mandaviya said

The Tamil Nadu government will provide cooperative crop loans to the tune of Rs 14,000 crore to farmers in the State during 2023-24, Agriculture Minister M R K Panneerselvam said on Tuesday. During 2022-23, a total of 16.43 lakh farmers were provided crop loans for Rs 12,648 crore through the cooperative department. Also, interest-free cooperative loan of Rs 1,500 crore will be given to farmers for goat rearing, dairying, poultry and fisheries activities, he said while presenting the budget for agriculture department in the Assembly. About Rs 500 crore has been allocated to provide incentive to paddy growers at the rate of Rs 100 and Rs 75 per quintal, respectively, for fine and bold varieties, for the procurement period next year. Millet festivals would be held under the Tamil Nadu Millet Mission to create awareness among consumers and increase the millet consumption. "As the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, it is proposed to

Narendra Singh Tomar, on Sunday, lauded the work of WFP in promoting food self-sufficiency and supporting governmental and global efforts to ensure long-term solutions to the challenge of hunger

The government on Friday said fertiliser cooperative major IFFCO and state-owned Coal India Ltd (CIL) will manufacture Nano DAP for a period of three years. A notification in this regard was issued on March 2, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Bhagwanth Khuba said in his written reply to the Lok Sabha. Di Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) is the second most widely consumed fertiliser after urea in the country. The minister further said IFFCO has informed that it is setting up a Nano DAP plant at its Kalol unit, Gujarat with a production capacity of 2 lakh bottles of 500 ml per day. "Nano DAP will be available in the market across the country after commencement of commercial production," he added. On its benefits, the minister shared that preliminary field trials were conducted by IFFCO and CIL on select crops in select institutes of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The report has indicated that with the use of Nano DAP as seed treatment and foliar application

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday said there has not been any effect seen so far on wheat crop due to high temperatures and it will be too early to say about the likely impact. On whether there has been any adverse impact seen in wheat crop as harvesting has started in some states like Madhya Pradesh, Tomar said, "Weather-related challenges are always there in front of agriculture." "Lekin main samjhta hoon ki abhi koi aisi stithi nahi hai. Koi prabhav pada hai, aisa kahna jaldbazi hogi (But I think, there is no such situation as of now. It will be too early to say that there has been any impact)," the minister told reporters here. Tomar was speaking on the sidelines of an event organised here by Plant Based Food Industry Association (PBFIA). Wheat is a major rabi (winter-sown) crop. On February 20, the government formed a committee to monitor the situation arising out of any unusual rise in temperature and its impact on the wheat crop, and also to issue .

The data related to monsoon and crop production for the decade suggest that despite uneven monsoon rains over the years, Indian agricultural output has remained largely immune to rainfall patterns

More than 11,200 tillers in Punjab, who have been occupying over 4,000 acres of land for generations but had no title rights, will get the ownership after paying due compensation as President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to a legislation in this effect, officials said on Thursday. The Punjab Bhondedar, Butemar, Dohlidar, Insar Miadi, Mukarraridar, Mundhimar, Panahi Qadeem, Saunjidar, or Taraddadkar (Vesting of Proprietary Rights) Bill, 2020 was passed by the Punjab Assembly in 2020 when the Congress government led by Amarinder Singh was in power. "The President gave assent to the Bill passed by the Punjab Assembly," an official said. The move allows property rights to more than 11,200 tenants occupying over 4,000 acres land after paying due compensation. It is expected that the legislation will empower tillers of such land, who belong mostly to the economically and socially weaker sections of society, the official said. These tenants have been in occupation of small parcels of

Govt said it has directed two of its agencies to "immediately intervene" and purchase red onion crops from the market after prices fell significantly over last month, resulting in protests by farmers