Karnataka Minister tells insurance firms not to set up their offices within premises of Agriculture Department The Karnataka government has directed insurance companies to mandatorily include names of family members of farmers as nominees while providing insurance coverage for crops under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).Minister for Agriculture B.C. Patil has instructed officials of insurance companies to include family members of farmers as nominees to ensure payment of insurance amount to nominees in case of death of the insured member/farmer.So far, insurance firms have not been including nominees while offering crop insurance cover to farmers, which has caused a lot of difficulties in payment of insurance amount to families of farmers, according to official sources in the Agriculture
Tag: agriculture
Cabinet gives nod to pact between India, Fiji for co-operation in agriculture sector
The MoU also provides for establishment of Indo-Fiji Working Group for dealing phytosanitary issues, and any other form of cooperation. The government on Wednesday approved a pact between India and Fiji for co-operation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Agriculture of Indian government and Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Fiji in this regard. The MoU between India and Fiji provides for cooperation in various areas including promotion of joint ventures between private sectors of both countries. The agreement also provides for exchange of research personnel, scientific experts, specialists, and technical trainees; technology transfer;
₹10,000-cr. scheme for agri coops to set up health infra in rural areas
Loans can be used to set up PHCs, support medical education, diagnostic services, pharmaceutical businesses, blood banks etc. Agricultural cooperatives will soon be able to access a ₹10,000-crore fund for the creation of health infrastructure. With COVID-19 putting a spotlight on the shortage of health facilities in rural areas, the National Cooperative Development Corporation, an autonomous institution under the Agriculture Ministry, rolled out the Ayushman Sahakar scheme to extend term loans worth ₹10,000 crore to co-ops for the next five years.“Our primary motivation is access to healthcare for farmers in rural areas. That driving spirit gets amplified because of COVID-19. The pandemic has re-emphasised the gaps in healthcare in the country,” NCDC Managing Director Sundeep Nayak told The Hindu.Over
Kharif foodgrain production likely to be record 144.52 million tonnes in 2020-21: Agriculture Minister
Foodgrain production stood at 143.38 million tonnes during the 2019-20 kharif season, as per official data Foodgrain production is pegged at record 144.52 million tonnes in the 2020-21 kharif season notwithstanding COVID-19 crisis, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Friday.Foodgrain production stood at 143.38 million tonnes during the 2019-20 kharif season, as per official data.Currently, harvesting of kharif crops is underway. Rice is the main kharif crop.“Foodgrain production will be better than last year. As per the initial estimates, foodgrain production is projected to be 144.52 million tonnes in the 2020-21 kharif season,” Mr. Tomar said addressing a digital conference organised by industry body CII.Production of cash crops such as sugarcane and cotton is also expected to be good,
Forecasts of heavy rains raise concerns about kharif crops
Forecasts of heavy rains across key central and western growing regions have stoked fears of potential crop losses in the second half of September, industry officials said.Last week, the weather office said the monsoon, which turned patchy in the first week of September, will pick up in most parts, with rains expected in some of the key farm belts.Spurred by monsoon rains, farmers have planted a record acreage with crops such as rice, corn, cotton, soybeans and sugarcane.Rains were 17% above average in June but July rains were 10% below average. The monsoon picked up again in August and were 27% above average.Heavy rains in August damaged some cotton, pulse and soybean crops in a few pockets. In the
Copious monsoon rains spur summer crop sowing in India
Farmers generally start planting rice, corn, cotton, soybeans, sugarcane and peanuts, among other crops, from June 1, when monsoon rains typically arrive in the country Indian farmers have planted 79.9 million hectares with summer crops so far, according to the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, up 18.3% from last year as robust monsoon rains spurred sowing in the world's leading producer of farm goods.Farmers generally start planting rice, corn, cotton, soybeans, sugarcane and peanuts, among other crops, from June 1, when monsoon rains typically arrive in India. Sowing usually lasts until July or early August.Monsoon rains play a crucial role in agriculture, which employs 50% of India's 1.3 billion people, as nearly half of the country's farmland lacks
Budget 2019: The road to agriculture and rural prosperity
A truly agriculture and rural development-focussed Budget, it has adequately met the twin objectives of growth and inclusiveness. When doubling of farmers’ income agenda is being rigorously pursued by the government, a fresh slew of measures through this Budget will only firm up the prospects of the agriculture and rural development sectors. The crux of the Budget is ‘sustainability’ in every aspect, be it agriculture practices or economic viability. An announcement of formation of 10,000 new FPOs over the next five years is a step towards the same. With this, the economies of scale can be harnessed to achieve the goal of doubling farmer’s income by reduction in input costs and assuring better price realisations by the farmers for
Budget 2019-20 first take: The road to rural prosperity
“Sustainability has largely remained at the centre of this Budget”. A truly agriculture and rural development-focused Budget has adequately met the twin objectives of growth and inclusiveness. When the agenda of doubling farmers’ income is being rigorously pursued by the government, a fresh slew of measures through this Budget will only firm up the prospects of agriculture and rural development sectors. The crux of the Budget is ‘sustainability’ in every aspect, be it agricultural practices or economic viability. An announcement of the formation of 10,000 new FPOs (Follow-on Public Offer) over the next five years is a step towards the same. With this, the economies of scale can be harnessed to achieve the goal of doubling farmers’ income by
Lending a helping hand to coconut farmers
For R. Prabhu, a farmer who has nine acres under coconut trees at Kodingam, a village located 25 km from Pollachi, there are several challenges in maintaining the farm. Water availability is a major issue, he says. Ground water is available at 1,000 feet and he has been using borewell for water supply for almost 20 years. Mr. Prabhu raises both traditional and hybrid varieties of coconut trees. Apart from the challenges in managing water supply, he says, there have been pest attacks on hybrid trees for which he used common pesticides available in the market. Guidance to farmers However, about seven months ago, he came across a poster at a local dairy society about a project called Kalpavriksha
Ravaged by a caterpillar: on the armyworm invasion in India
First detected in Karnataka only in May this year, the fall armyworm, a native of the Americas, has already spread as far as West Bengal and Gujarat, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Priyanka Pulla reports on the deficiencies in India’s quarantine regime It is a hot day in September, and two men are prising open the leaves of maize in a field in Karnataka’s Chikkaballapur district. The crop is two months away from being harvested, but the leaves look diseased. Some have streaks of white on them, while others are peppered with holes. Soon, one of the men, entomologist Arakalagud Nanjundaiah Shylesha, spies the culprit behind these holes — a small greenish-brown worm with dark lines along