Page 2 - Agriculture Ministry

Is DBT the solution for agri subsidy transfers? There is no direct answer

In India, farmers receive subsidised supply of inputs as agriculture subsidies and the difference between the actual cost of supplying and the price paid by the farmers is reimbursed to the suppliers

Wheat sowing up 15% to 10.14 mn hectares so far; pulses coverage dips: Data

Area sown to wheat has risen by 15 per cent to 101.49 lakh hectares while pulses acreage has declined in the current rabi (winter) season so far compared to the year-ago period, according to the Agriculture Ministry data released on Friday. Sowing of wheat, the main rabi crop, begins in October and harvesting starts in March-April. Besides wheat, gram and mustard are other major crops grown during the rabi season of the 2022-23 crop year (July-June). According to the latest sowing data, wheat has been sown in 101.49 lakh hectares till November 18 of this rabi season as against 88.46 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. The higher area under wheat has been reported from Punjab (7.18 lakh ha), followed by Rajasthan (4.24 lakh ha), Uttar Pradesh (2.59 lakh ha), Maharashtra (1.05 lakh ha), and Gujarat (0.67 lakh ha), data showed. However, the area sown to pulses remained lower at 73.25 lakh hectares so far this rabi season as against 76.08 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. Among .

Agriculture Ministry okays setting up 100 fodder-centric FPOs in 2022-23

The government has finally designated National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) as the implementing agency for setting up of 100 fodder-centric Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) during this fiscal to address the fodder deficit situation in the country. The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in 2020 had proposed the establishment of fodder-centric FPOs and requested the agriculture ministry to allow such FPOs under the central scheme "Formation and Promotion of 10,000 new FPOs". The proposal was considered seriously and the agriculture ministry finally issued an order on November 4. "The competent authority in the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has approved to designate NDDB as implementing agency under the scheme of formation and promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to form and promote FPOs, primarily fodder centric, and animal husbandry activities as a secondary activity (fodder plus model)," the order said. NDDB has been ...

India opposes group consultation on food subsidies programme at WTO

The members had expressed concern with India's "lack of full transparency" in taking recourse to the Bali Decision as well as in replies to certain questions raised in the Agri Committee

Wheat arrivals in India at 12-year high during Aug-Sept across markets

According to the agriculture ministry's data, wheat arrivals are the highest since 2010 when the amount was 4.38 MT

How genome sequencing could open several prospects for pomegranate farmers

The sequencing, the result of six years of hard work, has unlocked several mysteries about pomegranates which are sometimes called 'wonder-fruits' due to their immense nutritional value

Kharif sowing nears to end; paddy acreage down by 5.51%: Agri Ministry

As sowing of kharif (summer) crops almost comes to an end, paddy planting continued to lag behind as sown area under this crop fell 5.51 per cent from last year to 401.56 lakh hectare so far, according to the agriculture ministry. Besides paddy, there is marginal lag in sowing of pulses, oilseeds and jute/mesta. Consequently, the total sown area under kharif crops declined 1.24 per cent to 1,097.57 lakh hectares so far this kharif season, as against 1,111.36 lakh hectares in the year-ago period, it said. Sowing of kharif crops had begun with the onset of southwest monsoon from June. Harvesting of some kharif crops has started and will be in full swing from October. Releasing the latest sowing update, the agriculture ministry said area planted to paddy remained lower by 5.51 per cent at 401.56 lakh hectares (ha) so far this kharif season of the 2022-23 crop year (July-June), as against 425 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. Less coverage in paddy area was reported from Jharkhand

Deficit in paddy sowing narrows to 4.5%; Jharkhand worst hit: Agri Ministry

The deficit in paddy sowing has reduced to 4.52 per cent at 399.03 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing kharif season on revival of rains in some states, but it is badly affected in Jharkhand, according to agriculture ministry data released on Friday. Paddy sowing in Jharkhand has halved to 8.25 lakh hectares so far this kharif season, compared to 17.62 lakh hectares in the year-ago period, the data showed. Paddy is the main kharif crop, sowing of which begins with the onset of southwest monsoon from June. Paddy sowing is now almost over as the crop will be harvested from October. About 80 per cent of India's total production comes from this season. The government expects 6-7 million fall in kharif rice production based on the crop condition till last week. According to the ministry data, there was 12.39 per cent lag in paddy sowing till August 12 of this kharif season. However, the deficit in paddy coverage has reduced to 4.52 per cent at 399.03 lakh hectares now when compared to

RBI to run pilot for digitising Kisan Credit Card lending in MP, Tamil Nadu

Project aims to prune costs and turn-around time for borrowers, will entail automation of various processes within banks and integration of their systems with those of service providers

Centre provides 1.5 mn tonnes of chana at discount for states' programmes

Procurement limit for tur, urad and masur raised

Ministry to seek Cabinet nod for allowing projects access agri fund: Tomar

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday said his ministry will soon seek the Cabinet nod for a proposal to allow emerging technology-based farm projects like hydroponics

Monsoon rains will progress, too early to comment on paddy sowing: Tomar

Data from Agriculture Ministry showed that as of July 15, the paddy sowing was down by 17.4% to 128.50 lakh hectares this Kharif season as against 155.53 LH in corresponding period of previous year

CBI arrests agriculture ministry officer Padam Singh, 3 others for bribery

Cash of Rs 1,29,63,450 was recovered from the premises of Padam Singh and Rs 56,86,000 allegedly belonging to the public servant was recovered from the premises of others," said the CBI official.

Govt unearths leakages of Rs 100 crore in urea usage in two months

Per year, about 1-1.2 million tonnes of urea meant for farming gets diverted towards industrial use, say officials

Lag in kharif sowing to be covered in July as monsoon progresses: Official

Till last week, area sown to total kharif crops was down 9.27 per cent at 406.66 lakh hectare as compared to the year-ago period.

Pawar urges PM Modi to raise sugar export quota by another million tonnes

Production of the sweetener is expected to be higher than earlier estimates

Govt to organise week-long nationwide campaign for farmers from April 25

As part of the campaign beginning April 25, farmers' fair will be organised at each Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) along with field exhibition on natural farming, an official statement said

Agri ministry to start campaign to highlight farm sector achievements

More than 1 crore farmers and stakeholders are expected to participate in the campaign through direct (offline) and virtual (online) medium across the country

About 2,349 FPOs formed in last two years under central scheme: Tomar

"During the last two years, 2,349 FPOs have been formed under the said scheme," Tomar said in his written reply to the Rajya Sabha

Rs 375 cr pending for reprocessing under PM-KISAN since 2019: Govt

Tomar said the cumulative number of failed transactions of PM-KISAN were at 69,02,227 from February 1, 2019, till November 30 of this year