17.05.2016

Monsoon to drive rural demand: FM

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said a lot was riding on mosoon as it would not only help agriculture but also rural demand, something that has so far been subdued.

“We need to see the actual monsoon. If it is good, then this will not only boost agriculture but also will create another strong pillar—rural demand,” he said on Monday.

Two fertiliser godowns coming up at Pachamalai

Work on construction of fertilizer godown in progress at Top Sengattupatti in Pachamalai in Tiruchi district.— PHOTO: B. VELANKANNI RAJ Work on construction of two fertiliser godowns each with a capacity of 100 tonnes has been in progress at Pachamalai to cater to the needs of the tribal farmers.

The fertiliser godown will be attached to the Large Scale Adivasi Multi Purpose Society (LAMPS) at Then Puranadu and Manalodai villages – two

strategic locations selected for the expeditious distribution of fertilisers to the farmers.

Although paddy, cashew, and gall nut are under cultivation in large area in the hills, it is the tapioca farmers who will benefit mostly through the godowns.

“Tapioca growers need bulk quantity of potash and mixed fertiliser which they have to go down the hills up to Uppilliyapuram or Athur, incurring additional expenditure and labour.

Hence, we decided to construct the godown for the immediate and timely supply of fertilisers,” says an official of the Cooperation Department.

The work is being executed at an estimate of Rs. 28 lakh each sanctioned by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.

“Mixed fertiliser has been in huge demand for the tribal farmers, particularly tapioca cultivators, Hence, the NABARD sanctioned the funds,” says S. Suresh Kumar, Assistant General Manager, NABARD, Tiruchi.

Work on the construction of the godowns would be completed in four months. Each godown will have a plinth area of 840 square feet. It had been protected with anti-rodent measure.

Farmers to get seed at last year kharif rates

The Telangana government will supply seed of all varieties to farmers in the coming kharif at rates that ruled during the season last year.

The government will bear the financial burden on account of increase in the rates after factoring in the subsidy component, Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy told presspersons after a video conference with Collectors, Joint Directors of Agriculture, and District Cooperative Officers of all districts to discuss the preparations for the ensuing agricultural season.

For the first time, Mr. Reddy said the government decided to decentralise issue of permits to procure seed from mandal to village.

The farmers need not have to go to mandal agriculture offices but get the permits from primary agriculture cooperative societies where both agriculture and cooperative officers will be available. The farmers will get

permits on production of pattadar pass books. In case of tenant farmers, there is no need for the physical attendance of patta holders.

The cooperative societies have to submit indents of seed requirement to the government. The cooperative banks will support the financial needs of societies.

Mr. Reddy also said the government had removed the ceiling on supply of subsidised seed to farmers.

The farmers earlier got subsidised seed for a maximum of five acres. The cap was removed totally. All farmers will get adequate seed and fertilizer in kharif as there was no shortage.

About 8.5 lakh quintals of seed for all crops was ready for supply on subsidy. He urged farmers not to go for cotton crop which constituted 42 per cent of the sown area as it did not give returns. Instead, soyabean and pulse crop could be grown.

The Minister stressed on coordination between agriculture and cooperation departments at the video conference to improve delivery to farmers.

Fisherfolk to be encouraged to adopt floating cage tech

Deputy Speaker Mandali Buddha Prasad on Sunday promised to take the initiative to help involve the fisher folk in the cultivation of high-valued fish species through the floating cage technology.

Mr. Buddha Prasad inspected the cage cultivation adopted by progressive farmer Lanka Raghu Sekhar in the Krishna.

At least two tones of Asian sea bass and silver pompano was harvested in the 12 m x 12 m cage installed in the river before its confluence with the Bay of Bengal.

The Indian Council of Agriculture Research’s Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Visakhapatnam, has experimented on the cage cultivation in the Krishna under the aegis of Mr. Sekhar.

Addressing the gathering of progressive aqua farmers, CMFRI’s Mariculture division head (in-charge) Imelda Joseph said that the CMFRI was keen on encouraging farmers to reap the benefits of cage cultivation.

“We have plans to encourage and support cage cultivation in Andhra Pradesh,” said Ms. Imelda.

CMFRI Visakhapatnam head Sudeep Gosh and other experts documented the growth and various brackish water parameters for extensive cultivation of the list of fish species through the floating cage method.

Research centre

T.V. Ramana, dean, Fisheries Department, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Tirupati, said that he would recommend to the university to set up a ‘brackish water research centre’ at the M.V.K.R. Fisheries Polytechnic College in Bhavadevarapalli of Nagayalanka mandal in Krishna district.

Students of the college have been studying the floating cage cultivation method since long.

Drought conditions prevail in 33 mandals of Nellore district

Rural workers migrating to urban areas for livelihood

After the heavy rains last December, the weather conditions did not continue to be favourable for the agricultural sectorin Nellore district which has resulted in drought conditions prevailing in nearly 33 out of the total 46 mandals in the district.

The situation is more serious in the uplands mandals like Udayagiri, Rapur, Duttaluru and other areas.

Consequent upon the lack of rains and failure of crops in affected mandals, the rural workers have started migrating to urban centres, especially Nellore city, in search of work. Some are becoming roadside vendors of tender coconut water, sugarcane and so on.

Fodder shortage

Lack of timely rains has also caused hardships to the farmers in mandals located nearer to the coastal area like Sullurupeta, Doravarisatram, Vakadu,

Chillakuru and others. Cattle owning farmers are facing more problems because of shortage of fodder in the villages in upland areas. They are demanding that the government open fodder depots to offer free services so as to save the livestock.

Ch. Koti Reddy, president of the Nellore District Farmers’ Association, has stressed the need for initiating measures to solve the problems of farmers in upland areas.

The opposition parties have also begun questioning the government and the district administration with regard to the prevailing drought conditions and the steps that have been taken to safeguard the interests of the farmers and the agricultural workers.

Employment opportunities

The officials are being targeted with regard to the aspect of creating employment opportunities to the rural poor under the National Rural Employment Guarantee (NREGS) scheme.

“As per the guidelines, 100 days of work per person should be created. It is not happening which is the reason why the rural workers are migrating in search of a livelihood,” said District Congress Committee president Panabaka Krishnaiah.

Mr. Krishnaiah has also expressed fears over the possibility of Somasila reservoir in Nellore district not receiving required inflows in the coming years if Telangana is allowed to construct projects on the Krishna and the Godavari rivers without permission from the Central agencies.

As per the guidelines, 100 days of work per person should be created. It is not happening which is the reason why the rural workers are migrating in search of a livelihood

Panabaka Krishnaiah

DCC president

Farmers & climate change

Ninety per cent of total cropped area of pulses may be under rainfed agriculture (“Insure farmers against climate change”, May 12), but steps should be taken to increase investment in irrigation facilities.

For example, our productivity of rice is half that of China but we use up to three times more water to produce a tonne of grain.

Improved irrigation will not only increase productivity but also reduce imports.

Focussing on crop varieties that can withstand flooding, popularising bio-saline farming in coastal areas and creating awareness among farmers about climate-resilient agriculture are steps that must be undertaken.

M. Ram Sundar, Theni, Tamil Nadu

In India we have large numbers of tenant farmers which many people are perhaps unaware of.

Whenever crop is damaged, it is the owner and not the tenant farmer who is compensated.

In looking for solutions, a system that provides each village timely rain forecasts and information about crop pests and epidemics in various seasons must be thought of.

A debt moratorium policy on drought-distressed hotspots and areas facing climate change calamities should be announced.

Compensation under insurance for crop losses should be in such a way that a farmer gets the amount equivalent to the average crop yield of the respective crop.

T.S.N. Rao, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh

The johad type of farming (in west India) must be popularised across the rest of India.

Here, a johad, or an earthen structure with concave-shaped barriers, catches and conserves rainwater to help improve percolation and groundwater recharge.

It is built across a slope and has a high embankment on three sides. The fourth is open for rainwater. Soil must be enriched with organic fertilizer. Crop improvement and diversification must be thought of.

Ankit Galgat, Panipat, Haryana

Tobacco growers seek Centre’s intervention

Farmers in trouble following crisis in the tobacco sector.— PHOTO: KOMMURI SRINIVAS As market slide continued in the wake of the Union Health Ministry enforcing larger pictorial warning from April 1, tobacco growers in Prakasam district went on the warpath seeking the Union Commerce Ministry’s intervention to create buoyancy in the market.

With the major cigarette manufacturers stopping production following the Health Ministry’s notification making it mandatory display pictorial warnings on 85 per cent space of cigarette packets, farmers from different auction platforms staged a sit-in in front of the Collectorate urging Union

Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to direct the trade wing of the Tobacco Board to enter the market.

The growers from different auction platforms, including Vellampalli, Ongole, Kondepi and Tangutur, raised slogans in support of their demands, including announcement of a rehabilitation scheme for ryots volunteering to quit tobacco cultivation as part of the Centre’s strategy to phase it out over a period.

Charge against traders

Leading the protest, Virginia Tobacco Growers Welfare Association president Ch. Seshaiah alleged that the market moved southwards with traders forming a syndicate to deny a fair price to the growers by making an issue out of the larger pictorial warning at the middle of the marketing season.

It was unfortunate that the manufacturers who had given indents for 70.53 million kg had hardly lifted 12.55 million kg so far, said another former Tobacco Board member M. Bangarababu.

Former Tobacco Board member Ch. Ranga Rao said on the other hand, the exporters, who offered higher prices initially, kept away from the market on the pretext of lack of confirmed orders from overseas buyers.

Fall in price

While the price of bright grade tobacco fell by Rs. 10 per kg, the medium grade went down by Rs. 15 per kg, explained YSR Congress farmers’ wing district president M. Subba Reddy.

As part of the tobacco reduction strategies, the Centre should compensate the ryots ready to dismantle the tobacco barns and provide some incentives for switching to other crops, Rythu Collie Sangham district secretary P. Koteswara Rao said.

Good prospects for Muthalamada mango growers

(Palakkad): Though the scorching heat has affected yield, mango growers in Muthalamada, Kerala’s mango hub, are expecting good business this season due to high demand and rise in prices.

The drought-like situation in North India has caused a dip in mango production, which has driven demand for Muthalamada mangos.

Growers who have taken up organic cultivation are getting huge returns.

“The loss in production due to extreme summer conditions is compensated by the rise in demand and high prices,” said S. Guruvayurappan, a farmer and environmentalist.

Muthalamada mangoes reach the world market much before those of international competitors from Peru and Venezuela.

Exports alone account for Rs.200 crore per season.

“Exporters have started flocking our villages. But, the size of mangoes is small compared to previous years. This may be due to climate change,” said Mohan Kumar, general secretary, Muthalamada Mango Merchants Association.

Fresh mangoes are taken in trucks to wholesale markets. Strict quality control is in place for mangoes meant for Gulf and European countries.

Muthalamada produces almost all most sought-after varieties of mangoes in India — Alphonso, Neelam, Mallika, Malgova, Chenthooram, etc. The panchayat has over 600 contractors, 36 registered exporters, and 20 mango-parking facilities.

These units provide jobs to as many as 15,000 people during the season as pluckers, sorters, and packers.

In the wake of allegations that the mango orchards use heavy dose of pesticides, many have come up this time with organically cultivated mangoes with a high price tag. Ashrayam, a local Non-Governmental Organisation, is now training villagers in manufacturing mango-based organic products.

A farmer’s ‘natural solution’ to agricultural crisis

Kailashmurthy of Doddainduvadi village has turned 10-acre farm into a heaven of diverse horticultural crops

Leading by example:Kailashmurthy at his farm at Doddainduvadi village of Chamarajanagar district.— Photo: Special Arrangement

Imagine an oasis in an arid region with a water table at 30 ft against nearly 1,000 ft in most parts of the region; or forest ecology in a barren landscape.

That is what Kailashmurthy has achieved following the concepts of natural farming at Doddainduvadi village in Kollegal taluk of Chamarajanagar district.

The 10-acre land has been a “natural farm” since 1988, as it entails no chemical inputs and has reversed the groundwater table-level, improved soil fertility and strengthened the biodiversity of the landscape.

Reversing depletion

In what is a rare example of reversing depleting ground water table, Mr. Kailashmurthy said, “The water table was at 35 ft in my farm in 1984, and after switching to natural farming methods, it came up to 30 ft.”

Inspired by Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer and philosopher of the ‘One Straw Revolution’ fame, Mr. Kailashmurthy, a retired bank official-turned-natural farmer, introduced two concepts — no ploughing and no weeding.

“The author had advised against use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides to which I decided against ploughing and weeding,” he said.

This was based on his conviction that the introduction of compatible plants would not only tackle the menace of weeds but add to soil fertility and the symbiotic relationship in nature addresses any imbalance on its own obviating the need for human interference. And the results have been good, he added.

The farmland is teeming with diverse horticultural crops ranging from mango to banana, papaya, guava, jackfruit, litchi, orange, butterfruit, and mosambi and has recreated a forest ecosystem, said the farmer. At a time when forest cover is shrinking adding to global warming and the resultant climate change, switching to natural farming will help address them, he said.

Curbing cultivation costs

“It will curb the growing cost of cultivation in the conventional agricultural methods being followed by farmers in present times owing to increase in the

use of chemical fertilizers etc. even as the yield per acre is declining. Secondly, it recreates forest ecology by increasing biodiversity and help curb the negative impact of climate change,” he explained.

He has another 11 acres of land at Madarahalliwhere he has taken up paddy cultivation. And all it needs is sunlight and minimum water.

The land has been a “natural farm” since 1988,

as it entails no chemical inputs

Rodents eating away farm produce at Pachamalai

Farmers say the problem becomes acute at the time of harvest

SMOKING OUT:A farmer places a pot with burning dry leaves to smoke out the rodents near a burrow on Pachamalai.— PHOTO: B. VELANKANNI RAJ The rodent menace has been posing a challenge to the tribal farmers of Pachamalai as the produce is being destroyed by rats causing extensive loss to them.

Paddy cultivators are the worst hit in the hills as they have to take extra care to protect the crop.

Paddy fields are spread over different hamlets across the hills and do not form a continuous cluster.

Farmers adopt different strategy to protect the paddy from the rodent menace.

Paddy cultivators adopt conventional methods of killing the rats inside the burrows. They keep a pot around the rat hole.

“We fill the pot with dry leaves and ignite it before keeping it at the rat hole. Smoke from the pot kills the rat instantly,” says T. Ponnusamy, a farmer at Top Sengtattupatti.

Farmers, however, want more advanced techniques to be introduced on hills to trap the rats as at least 10 per cent of paddy is damaged because of the rodent menace.

“The problem is more acute during the time when the field is ready for harvest,” says Nallathangal, another farm worker.

Farmers opt for solar power

Demand for solar pumpsets in Vijayapura district goes up significantly

Another option:The limited supply of electricity has been prompting the farmers to switch over to solar-powered pumpsets in Vijayapura district.— Photo: Rajendra Singh Hajeri

Depleting water sources owing to intense heat in the prevailing summer and insufficient power supply: these are the primary factors that prompted a significant increase in the demand for solar pumpsets in the district.

Numerous farmers, mainly the horticulture farmers of the district who essentially depend on water to for the crops, have been facing water shortage and inordinate power cuts.

“The horticulture farmers, growing especially lemon, grape and pomegranate, needs constant supply of water to save their crops mainly after pruning.

If they fail to supply adequate water, then crops will wither away, and they will have to replant it which is heavily expensive and take no less than three years to start bearing fruits,” said Mahantesh Chavan, a grape farmer.

In such a situation, the solar-powered pumpsets have come as blessing for the horticulture farmers.

The pumpsets have answer to all the critical problems the farmers face.

The farmers, who have installed solar-powered pumpsets and have been seeing its success, say that the pumpsets ensure at least eight hour of uncut power which allows them to supply adequate water to their crops.

“We get only three hours of three-phase electricity.

This does not meet our demand. Moreover, we have to keep waiting for the power keeping aside all the routine work.

With solar-powered pumpsets, we can supply water as per our convenience.

Even the shallow water in the borewells can supply water for longer hours with these pumpsets,” said Manjunath Patil, a grape farmer of Tidagundi village of the taluk, who has installed two such pumpsets to save his 30-acre grape farm.

He said that after the installation of the pumpset nearly two months ago, he has saved his crop from drying up.

Speaking to The Hindu , Dastagir Walikar, one of the major suppliers of solar-powered pumpsets, said that in last two months alone, he has supplied around 40 pumpsets compared only a dozen last year.

He said that the cost of 5 HP pumpset is around Rs. 5 lakh, 10 HP is Rs. 9 lakh while 15 HP costs around Rs. 13 lakh.

“The government offers Rs. 1.94 lakh subsidy on each pumpset of any capacity,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Patil advised farmers to go for solar-pumpsets which he believes is cost-effective in the long-run.

The benefits

· Farmers say that solar pumpsets ensure at least eight hours of uninterrupted power

· Around 40 pumpsets supplied in last two months alone, compared to a dozen last year: supplier

· ‘The government offers Rs. 1.94 lakh subsidy on each pumpset’

Two years of reform Substantial progress has been made towards restoring economic momentum. Much remains to be done. With nearly 80 per cent of the poor living in rural areas, the government has rightly given the highest priority to reviving agriculture. A major initiative to create a genuine national agricultural market through e-auctions in mandis across the breadth and length of the nation has been launched.

It promises to bring remunerative prices to farmers. The government has permitted 100 per cent FDI in the food chain as long as the produce originates domestically.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi To boost productivity in agriculture, the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) is being implemented in mission mode with emphasis on low-hanging fruit, such as command area works of projects otherwise complete. The government has given high priority to drip and sprinkler irrigation. It is creating soil- and seed-testing facilities at 2,000 retail outlets of fertiliser companies. The Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Programme, with much of the cost covered by the government, has also been launched. The NITI Aayog will soon unveil a model land-leasing law to help modernise tenancy laws across states. On the external front, the cap on FDI in insurance, which had remained stuck at 26 per cent for more than a decade, has finally been raised to 49 per cent. Defence has been opened to FDI with the cap through the automatic route recently raised to 49 per cent from 26 per cent.

A 100 per cent FDI in defence is permitted through the approval route. FDI up to 100 per cent has also been permitted in marketing of food products produced in India; high-tech and capital-intensive activities in railways; coffee, rubber, cardamom, palm and olive plantations; manufacturing of medical devices; e-commerce marketplace; and non-bank automatic teller machines (ATMs). Early in its tenure, the government introduced legislation to auction coal and other natural resources. The reform brought increased transparency to the process with several auctions conducted in quick succession. The government has auctioned 31 coal mines and allotted another 42 mines to state entities for total proceeds of approximately Rs 3.4 lakh crore and six mines of minerals for Rs 18,000 crore. Among the early reforms was also the end to diesel subsidy with the price fully deregulated. The government has introduced the Shram Suvidha portal to curtail inspector raj. The portal allows firms to self-certify compliance with Central labour laws with inspections conducted via a random selection of enterprises. The government has amended the Factories Act, 1948 to allow women to work night shifts and increase overtime hours per week. It has also amended the Apprenticeship Act, 1961 to encourage firms to take more apprentices. A campaign to improve the ease of doing business has led to a significant simplification of procedures, especially in the states. Telangana now gives its entrepreneurs the right to time-bound clearance of business proposals. Encouraged by the Central government’s liberal approach towards amendments by states to Central laws on the Concurrent List, Rajasthan,

Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat have amended several Central labour laws. The Haryana assembly has also voted similar amendments. In Gujarat, firms of all sizes located in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Special Investment Regions (SIRs) and National Investment and Manufacturing Zones (NIMZs) now have the right to lay off workers as long as they pay the latter 45 days worth of wages for each year worked. For long, commentators have emphasised the need for a modern bankruptcy law. Absent such a law, firms find exit out of an activity a daunting task, which in turn discourages them from entering many profitable activities. Recognising this, the government has just enacted the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Act, 2015. act amalgamates all existing laws on corporate and individual insolvency and bankruptcy and provides a time-bound process of exit through professionals. Under the previous government, mega tax assessments under the draconian retrospective tax law had pushed investor confidence to an all-time low. Soon after taking charge, the present government announced its commitment not to initiate any new cases under that law. It has made good on that promise while also offering a way out to firms charged under the law by the previous government. These firms have a one-time opportunity to settle the cases by paying the assessed tax with no interest or penalty applied. Negotiations with Vodafone are already underway. There currently exist a total of Rs 5.5 trillion worth of tax disputes under various laws. As a further step towards reducing tax uncertainty, Budget 2016-17 offers to settle the cases involving less than Rs 10 lakh in dues without penalty as long as the dues are paid.

Cases involving more than Rs 10 lakh in dues can also be settled on payment of 25 per cent of the minimum imposable penalty. The government has announced its intention to reform the corporate profit tax by eliminating myriad exemptions and reducing the tax rate to 25 per cent. As a first concrete step, Budget 2016-17 offers the option of 25 per cent tax plus surcharge and cess to companies incorporated beginning March 1. There has been a total absence of any allegations of corruption during the two-year tenure of the government. Often overlooked, this is a major achievement in a country that has seen corruption scandals break out under virtually every government in recent decades. According to rankings by the Economist magazine, the wealth of crony capitalists in India has fallen to 3 per cent of the GDP in 2016 from 18 per cent of the GDP in 2008. This narrative of reform initiatives of the government is by no means complete. I have not mentioned the efforts by the government to introduce the Goods and Services Tax and to amend the Land Acquisition Act, 2013. Nor have I touched on fiscal consolidation, monetary policy framework, cooperative federalism, replacement of the Planning Commission by the NITI Aayog, repeal of 1,178 redundant laws, the smart cities mission and social-sector initiatives. These reforms, within a span of two years, represent substantial progress towards restoring the momentum of the economy. But given the large volume of counter-productive laws, regulations and rules that exist, much remains to be done.

Government to introduce special protection measures for ‘desi’ cows

Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar, addresses the inaugural session of a one-day national conference on ‘Gaushalas.’ The centre is planning a slew of measures to protect illegal smuggling and slaughtering, in order to conserve ‘gauvansh’ (cow clans) and ‘gaushalas’ (cow sheds) in the country. (Hindustan Times Photo) The centre is planning a slew of measures, including creation of exclusive dairy plants for ‘desi’ cows, producing cow fodder under MGNREGA and empowering animal welfare boards to take action against illegal smuggling and slaughtering, in order to conserve ‘gauvansh’ (cow clans) and ‘gaushalas’ (cow sheds) in the country. Two Union Ministers whose departments deal with subjects of the bovine -- Forest Minister Prakash Javadekar and Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh --- addressed a national seminar on ‘gauvansh’ and ‘gaushalas’ on Monday, and sought the help of various state governments, farmers and cow

owners to help protect the animal, which they said, is the “back bone” of the Indian economy. Javadekar, while addressing participants from across the country, said his ministry is working on a plan to ensure that the ‘gauchar bhoomi’ (grazing land for cows) is protected and government programmes like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme be utilised to produce healthy grass for cows which can be subsequently given “free” to farmers and people who have such livestock. “The protection of the grazing land for cows is the most important subject. We are working on a new scheme and proposal for which we will also write to all states. The plan is to keep some land in the periphery of jungles for producing healthy and quality grass for cows and we can do this under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA. We can then provide this grass as fodder for cows to farmers and others like ‘gaushalas’ for free,” Javadekar said. The Minister added the government will soon make an “on ground” assessment of grass lands in the state and after that will take a “policy and administrative” decision as required. He said they are also looking at measures which can be implemented so that the productivity of a cow is utilised by way of urine and cow dung after it stops producing milk and the owner of the cattle is not forced to sell it which later falls into the trap of smugglers. The Union Minister for Forests and Environment said he is “ordering” the various Animal Welfare Boards in the country to take “immediate cognisance” of incidents like smuggling and cruelty to cows and send a report to his Ministry in 1-2 month’s time so that some “action” can be taken in such cases. “The Animal Welfare Boards have law in their hands and we will see how can they help us,” he said.

The Minister said the agenda for calling this day-long conference in the national capital was three-pronged. “We have to see how can we meet the challenge of increasing cow’s productivity (in terms of giving more milk and post that), how can one take better care of cows and how can their security be ensured against smugglers and other cruel incidents (slaughtering),” he said.

Monsoon delay not to affect crop sowing: Weather dept

A farmer removes dried grass from his rice field against the backdrop of pre-monsoon clouds on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. (Reuters File Photo) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday the late arrival of the monsoon will not delay crop sowing and that rains are expected to make rapid progress after their arrival around June 7. IMD chief Laxman Singh Rathore also told Reuters he was sticking to the original forecast of above-average rainfall this year after two straight years of drought that cut farm income. Monsoon rains, considered as the lifeblood for agriculture in the country, typically arrive on the southern tip of Kerala by around June 1 and cover the entire country by mid-July. On Sunday the IMD said the monsoon would arrive by June 7.

“There’s a semblance of normality in the forecast that rains would arrive by June 7. In effect, I don’t see any impact on sowing or overall agricultural productivity,” Rathore said in an interview. Heavy rains have lashed Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the past few days and showers are expected to hit interior areas of Karnataka in the next few days, he said. “Pre-monsoon showers will set the stage for sowing and rains are expected to gather momentum once monsoon arrives by June 7,” Rathore said. Millions of farmers plant rice, cane, corn, cotton and soybean crops in the rainy months of June and July. Harvesting starts from October. Current weather patterns suggest that the monsoon would make a rapid progress once rains arrive on the Kerala coast, said KK Singh, chief of agricultural meteorology. “At the moment there is cause for concern at all. We are set to have plentiful rains this year,” Singh said. The weather office last month said El Nino - a warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean that can lead to dry spells in South Asia - is fading and giving way to La Nina in which the same waters cool. The monsoon season delivers about 70% of India’s annual rainfall. It is critical for the country’s 263 million farmers because nearly half of their farmland lacks irrigation. Bountiful rains could keep a lid on inflation and also encourage the Reserve Bank of India to cut interest rates after the central bank in April eased its repo rate by 25 basis points to its lowest in more than five years.

‘Soil awareness, market key to success of organic farming in MP’ While the Madhya Pradesh government has declared its intentions of promoting organic farming in a big way, experts say that creating awareness about soil nourishment without using chemicals, simplifying of certificate

process and providing marketing platform will be the key for successful implementation.

State agriculture department officials say that the government is taking a slew of initiatives to promote organic farming. (Pic for representation) Addressing a convention in Ujjain on Friday, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other dignitaries, including agriculture experts stressed on replacing the existing chemical-dependent farming methods with organic farming to make it more profitable. The total production of raw organic commodities in Madhya Pradesh, however, has declined in the past five years due to steep fall in organic cotton production. Madhya Pradesh accounts for nearly 40% of India’s total organic cultivation area. Experts say that vast potential remains untapped due to poor policy implementation and lack of awareness. “The problem is that most officials do not understand the basic concept behind organic farming. It is not only about using vermi-compost, but all the procedure has to be followed, including cropping pattern, green manure and so on,” former director of state agriculture department Dr GS Kaushal said. He attributed

the rapid decline in organic commodities production to the shift from organic cotton to BT cotton. “The state government will have to create awareness among farmers on how to enrich the soil using natural methods. Then, farmers will need to get the products certified and also need a platform for marketing the produce,” said Deepak Suchde, a renowned expert in organic farming. State agriculture department officials say that the government is taking a slew of initiatives to promote organic farming. “The government is promoting organic farming in 16 districts where the utilisation of chemical fertilisers is way below the state and national average. We are addressing all the aspects of organic farming – from cultivation to packaging, branding and marketing of the products,” said Rajesh Rajora, state principal secretary (agriculture). What is organic farming? Organic products are grown under a system of agriculture without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in an environmentally friendly manner. In this method of farming, the focus is on preserving the reproductive and regenerative capacity of the soil. Studies show that excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides has adversely impacted soil fertility in Punjab and has led to an increase in cancer cases.

ASEAN-India FTA hurts balance of trade in rubber, says RRII study

Surge in raw material imports, especially natural rubber, nullifies India’s advantage in finished rubber products

The ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA) has negatively affected India’s balance of trade in rubber and rubber products, impacting the strategic commercial importance of the inter-linkages among the constituent segments of the domestic rubber sector.

The surge in raw materials imports, especially natural rubber, has nullified the country’s historically inherited advantages in the external trade in finished rubber products, leading to a negative balance of trade to the tune of $866.9 million in the post-AIFTA phase.

The trade deficit in rubber and rubber products with ASEAN has registered a quantum jump from $98.8 million (2004-05 to 2008-09) to $611.6 million (2009-10 to 2013-14), according to a study titled ‘ASEAN-India FTA and India’s balance of trade in rubber and rubber products:

A preliminary assessment’, carried out by the Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII).

Raw material to blame Joby Joseph and K Tharian Goerge, who carried out the study, said the import intensity of raw materials in the external trade with ASEAN has been the major contributory factor for the deteriorating balance of trade.

The sector-wise decomposition of the trade performance shows an 89.5 per cent increase in India’s favourable balance of trade in finished rubber products against 415 per cent growth in the negative balance of trade, especially for raw materials, including natural rubber, synthetic rubber and reclaimed rubber.

The RRII analysed three products representing raw materials, intermediate products and finished products based on their shares in the total value of imports from ASEAN.

Technically Specified Natural Rubber (TSNR), thread of vulcanised rubber, intermediate products, and radial tyres used in motor cars (including station wagons and racing cars) represented the three product groups.

The average negative balance of trade in the selected products with ASEAN increased from $51.7, $2.0, $1.8 million during the pre-AIFTA phase to $336.6, $4.5, $21.5 million, respectively, during the post-AIFTA phase.

Among the three products, thread of vulcanised rubber, and radial tyres used in motor cars are categorised under the ‘sensitive track’, with tariff reduction commitments, whereas TSNR is in the exclusion list.

Despite that, TSNR accounted for the highest negative balance of trade, which underlines the raw material intensity of India’s imports under the AIFTA.

Indonesia stands to gain Indonesia retained its status as the major source of imports of TSNR during both phases; it improved its share (57.9 per cent) during the post-AIFTA phase.

The emergence of Vietnam as a major source of import of TSNR is another significant development.

The early indications on the impact of AIFTA on rubber and rubber products highlight the need for identifying the structural weaknesses in various segments in the context of the growing market integration process.

The need of the hour is to implement interlinked policy measures for raw material, intermediate and finished products segments to ensure the historically inherited resilience of the Indian rubber sector.

Met predicts heavy rain in parts of TN, Kerala

Extends watch for depression by a day The India Met Department has extended its watch for a depression in the South-West Bay of Bengal by another day as convection (process of cloud-building) around a preparatory system failed to measure up to mark.

Earlier, it had expected the existing well-marked low-pressure area to become a depression by Monday and further into a deep depression by Tuesday.

Satellite image taken on May 16, 2016 (10.30 IST)

Revising schedule

It was expected that the deep depression would cross the South-East coast of Tamil Nadu between Pamban and Nagapattinam the same day. The Met has is apparently revising the schedule now.

On Monday, the Met said that the well-marked ‘low’ has moved slightly north from the previous day’s coordinates to settle over Sri Lanka, adjoining Gulf of Mannar and South-West Bay of Bengal.

It may not cross the Pamban-Nagapattinam stretch, but instead may move north-northwest-ward over the waters towards the North Tamil Nadu coast (around Chennai).

During this phase, the Met expects it to deepen into a depression. This will bring heavy to very rain to many parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Same track

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts too predicts the same track for the system. It says the system would intensify a round off the Chennai-South Coastal Andhra Pradesh coast by Thursday.

Another round of intensification is likely off the coast of South Coastal Andhra Pradesh-Odisha following which the system may move steer itself slightly away from the coast.

The European Centre takes the storm towards the Myanmar coast for landfall by May 23. Weakening of the system in this manner will also cause the monsoon flows to wane across the Arabian Sea.

There is some revival in the flows indicated from May 26, but these would be routed via Sri Lanka into the Bay of Bengal and across Indo-China.

A counter-view is provided by the US National Centres for Environmental Prediction which says the system may cross the Puducherry coast and moving into interior Tamil Nadu where it would weaken.

Andaman onset

Meanwhile, the Met has retained its prediction for the monsoon to break over Nicobar Islands, South Andaman Sea and adjoining South Bay of Bengal by tomorrow.

Overnight rain in many parts of South Tamil Nadu and Kerala on Monday morning affected the voting trends as both the states went for polls.

The rains are expected to pick up vigour over the next couple of days as the well-marked ‘low’ matures in the neighbouring seas.

Heavy to very heavy rains have been forecast for parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the process; squally winds are likely off and along the coast of Tamil Nadu.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture out into the seas until Thursday, the Met outlook said.

Cap on subsidised seed supply goes

In a significant move, the Telangana government has removed the upper cap on the supply of subsidised seeds to farmers.

“Till now, a farmer could get subsidised seeds only for a maximum of two hectares. We have removed it totally.

All farmers will get adequate seeds for their agricultural land as mentioned in the pattadar passbooks for the ensuing Kharif season,” Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Minister for Agriculture and Cooperation, Telangana, told newspersons.

Further, the quantum of seeds to be supplied has been increased from 5.69 lakh quintals to 8.50 quintals.

While requesting farmers to reduce cotton cultivation and replace it with that of soyabean and pulses, Reddy said these seeds will be offered without any ceiling to the farmers at the prices last year.

Special dairies planned for ‘desi’ cows

A slew of measures including creation of exclusive dairy plants for ‘desi’ cows, producing cow fodder under MGNREGA and empowering animal welfare boards to take action against illegal smuggling and slaughtering are being planned by the Centre in order to conserve ‘gauvansh’ and ‘gaushalas’ in the country.

Two Union Ministers whose departments deal with subjects of the bovine – Forest Minister Prakash Javadekar and Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh – today addressed a national seminar being held here on ‘gauvansh’ (cow clan) and ‘gaushalas’ (cow shed) and sought help of various State governments, farmers and cow owners to help protect the animal who they said is the “back bone” of the Indian economy.

Coonoor tea prices at 10-week high

Following low supplies, average prices rose to 10-week high of ₹97.51 a kg at Sale No: 19 of Coonoor Tea Trade Association (CTTA) auctions.

In all, 95 per cent of the offer of 8 lakh kg was sold.

Vigneshwar Speciality Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings, auctioned by Paramount Tea Marketing, topped the leaf market and the entire CTTA auctions this week when Jay Kay Enterprises bought it for ₹278 a kg.

Hittakkal Speciality’s Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings (₹266), auctioned by Paramount Tea Marketing, and Darmona Estate’s Broken Orange Pekoe Small (₹221) were the only other Leaf grades, among both CTC and orthodox teas, which fetched over ₹200/kg.

In the CTC Dust auction, Vigneshwar Speciality Pekoe Dust, auctioned by Paramount Tea Marketing, topped when MM Enterprises bought it for ₹260.

Hittakkal Speciality’s Pekoe Dust (₹251), auctioned by Paramount Tea Marketing was the only other CTC Dust grade which fetched over ₹200/kg.

In the orthodox market, Kodanad topped at ₹255 a kg followed by Kairbetta ₹215, Chamraj ₹228 and Havukal ₹214.

Selling pressure dissolves sugar

Sugar prices on the Vashi market declined by ₹10-15 a quintal on back of producers’ higher selling pressure amid routine demand.

Maharashtra’s mills sold the commodity at ₹10-20 lower on Saturday as stockists stayed away from fresh bulk buys.

Naka rates were steady.Arrivals were at about 59-60 truck loads and local dispatches were at 57-58 loads.

The Bombay Sugar Merchants Association’s spot rates: S-grade ₹3,562-3,652 (3,562-3,662) and M-grade ₹3,636-3,742 (3,642-3,756). Naka delivery rates: S-grade ₹3,560-3,620 (3,560-3,620) and M-grade ₹3,600-3,700 (3,600-3,700).

Monsoon delay not to affect crop sowing: IMD Current weather patterns suggest that monsoon would make a rapid progress once rains arrive on the Kerala coast, said K. K. Singh, chief of agricultural meteorology

India's weather office said on Monday the late arrival of the monsoonwill not delay crop sowing and that rains are expected to make rapid progress after their arrival around June 7.

Laxman Singh Rathore, chief of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), also told Reuters he was sticking to the original forecast of above-average rainfall this year after two straight years of drought that cut farm income.

Monsoon rains, the lifeblood for agriculture-dependent India, typically arrive on the southern tip of Kerala by around June 1 and cover the entire country by mid-July.

On Sunday the IMD said the monsoon would arrive by June 7.

"There's a semblance of normality in the forecast that rains would arrive by June 7. In effect, I don't see any impact on sowing or overall agricultural productivity," Rathore said in an interview.

Heavy rains have lashed Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the past few days and showers are expected to hit interior areas of Karnataka state in the next few days, he said.

"Pre-monsoon showers will set the stage for sowing and rains are expected to gather momentum once monsoon arrives by June 7," Rathore said.

Millions of farmers plant rice, cane, corn, cotton and soybean crops in the rainy months of June and July. Harvesting starts from October.

Current weather patterns suggest that the monsoon would make a rapid progress once rains arrive on the Kerala coast, said K. K. Singh, chief of agricultural meteorology.

"At the moment there is cause for concern at all. We are set to have plentiful rains this year," Singh said.

The weather office last month said El Nino - a warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean that can lead to dry spells in South Asia - is fading and giving way to La Nina in which the same waters cool.

The monsoon season delivers about 70% of India's annual rainfall. It is critical for the country's 263 million farmers because nearly half of their farmland lacks irrigation.

Bountiful rains could keep a lid on inflation and also encourage the Reserve Bank of India to cut interest rates after the central bank in April eased its repo rate by 25 basis points to its lowest in more than five years.

NCAER pegs GDP growth for FY16 at 7.6% The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) has scaled up India's economic growth projection to 7.6 per cent for 2015-16, from the earlier 7.4 per cent.

It pegged the growth marginally higher at 7.7 per cent for 2016-17, due to a pickup in theagriculture sector on the back of expected normal monsoon. "NCAER's annual model for gross domestic product (GDP), at 2011-12 prices, estimates GDP growth rate at 7.6 per cent for 2015-2016 and forecasts it at 7.7 per cent for 2016-17," the council said in its latest quarterly review. In its previous quarterly review, it had projected the economy to grow by 7.4 per cent in 2014-15. Its new projections are in line with the government expectations for 2015-16. The data would be released by this month end. NCAER predicted exports to contract 1.6 per cent in 2016-17, which would be their third year of decline. Despite the agriculture sector expected to perform better, NCAER believed that the economy would grow just one percentage point higher in the current financial year than that of 2015-16. The government expects the economy to grow in the range of 7-7.75 per cent, but said the growth may turn out to be higher if the farm sector performs well. The council said the agriculture sector has witnessed feeble growth on account of drought for two successive years. The average rate of growth in the agricultural and allied sectors' for 2014-15 and 2015-16 has been a low 0.5 per cent. Two consecutive years of sub-par monsoon have had a significant impact on the output of both food as well as non-food crops. The Indian Meteorological Department has predicted monsoon for 2016-17 at 106 per cent of the long period average (LPA). However, in the industrial sector, the manufacturing sector, after showing robust growth in the second quarter, has slowed down consistently in the third and fourth quarter.

The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) recorded a 2.4 per cent rise in 2015-16, against 2.8 per cent in 2014-15.

In the fourth quarter, IIPmanufacturing was in a "recession" (-1.1 per cent) and the overall IIP grew by 0.2 per cent on a y-o-y basis. In the fourth quarter, capital goods contracted by 15.4 per cent and consumer non-durables by 3.9 per cent on a y-o-y basis.

IISR developing sugarcane varieties for water-stressed environment As it will require less amount of water to proliferate

In the backdrop of rising public discourse on recurringdroughts and falling ground water levels, the Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR) is now developing new varieties, which require less amount of water to proliferate.

A few years back, the water element was almost a non-issue with the researchers and breeders of new sugarcane varieties with the Institute. "All the new researches and breeding projects are now mandated to develop such varieties, which perform well even in water stressed environment," IISR Principal Scientist Dr A K Sah told Business Standard.

He said along with the consideration about water conservation, the new sugarcane breeding programmes also aimed at tackling the menace of red rot and insects or pests, which cause extensive damage to the cash crop.

In fact, IISR has already developed an early maturing and high yielding variety of sugarcane, which could be cultivated in areas facing both drought or flood situations. Known as CoLK 94184, the new variety could help farmers harvest up to 75-80 tonnes per hectare as 'plant crop', followed by 70 tonnes for the next 2-3 years as 'ratoon crop'.

While combining the attributes of early maturity and good 'ratooning', CoLK 94184 is also tolerant to water logging, moisture deficit and top borer (most common sugarcane pest in UP), and resistant to red rot and smut diseases.

Since it could withstand moisture stress and water logged conditions, which are mostly prevalent in North Central Zone, the new variety is suitable for cane growers in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

"At present, this new variety is being cultivated over an estimated area of 10,000 hectares in UP," Sah informed. However, compared to the total cane acreage of 23 lakh hectares in the state during 2015-16 crushing season, it was a miniscule and needs extension.

Meanwhile, UP Sugar Mills Association (UPSMA) Secretary Deepak Guptara said the industry was always supportive of cane varieties, which had good juice content and resistant to pests and other vagaries of nature, including drought or floods.

Recently, India has been witnessing debates whether cane plantations should be discouraged, since it needed large amount of water for irrigation and optimum growth and juice content. The scientific community and sugar industry has maintained although cane needed water, much of it was retained in the form of juice.

Gujarat sees 95% crop production despite two successive years of drought Gujarat has made significant progress in micro-irrigation, with 100% coverage of drip/sprinkler irrigation being achieved in 3789 villages Despite two successive years of deficient rainfall, Gujarat has recorded 95% crop production, the State administration estimated.

In a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the state's drought situation, measures taken by the state government was also discussed. The meeting attended by Chief Minister Anandiben Patelwas also told that the work done by the state government for the water grid has resulted in only 568 tankers being required for water distribution in some remote tail areas, a PMO statement said. The Prime Minister, while appreciating this effort, called for further action to completely eliminate the need for tanker supply, the statement said. Patel gave details of the work done by the state government towards water conservation, recharge and creation of water bodies. She said 1.68 lakh check dams, 2.74 lakh farm ponds, 1.25 lakh Bori Bandhs have been made with storage capacity of 42.3 billion cubic feet water, benefitting 6.32 lakh hectares. Piped water supply is being provided to 77% of households in the state, the Chief Minister said. The meeting was told that the measures undertaken have resulted in a reasonable amount of drought-proofing, despite deficient (about 80% of long-term average) and skewed temporal distribution of rainfall, it said. Despite two successive years of drought, crop production in the state has been estimated at 95% of the normal. The state has made significant progress in micro-irrigation, with 100% coverage of drip/sprinkler irrigation being achieved in 3789 villages. The creation of an elaborate canal network under the Sardar Sarovar Irrigation Scheme, has led to a significant increase in crop yields, and a positive impact on farm incomes, the Prime Minister heard and emphasized on value addition in horticulture and cash crops. Measures to boost progress in fishery, bee-keeping, pearl culture, and seaweed, were also discussed.

The meeting ended with a resolve on the part of the Centre and state to work together, the PMO said. The Prime Minister is in the process of meeting Chief Ministers of 11 drought-hit states. He has already met eight Chief Ministers.

Farmers demand better onion price

The women farmers, who are a part of the Shetkari Sanghatna, on Monday, presented a memorandum to the district administration seeking minimum support price of Rs 2,000 per quintal for the onions, as the market price of their produce is touching new lows. "The farmers who has but in his sweat, blood and tears to ensure they got some crop - despite the drought - are now facing problems because the market prices are falling steadily. Why is the government not putting put its best foot forward to shield the farmers against the losses by providing minimum support price?" questioned Nalini Jagzap, of the Shetkari Sanghatana, Mahila Aghadi. The farmers coming from Yeola, Lasalgaon, Niphad talukas met the collector seeking his attention toward their grievences that the market returns for the produce of onion was not encouraging at all and also warned that this could lead to unfortunate events in the lives of the farmers. The farmers spend about Rs 25 to 30 thousand per acre for the crop and at the same time expect better returns so that they can carry ahead with agriculture. "But the current returns not only help the farmers get the amount they have invested in the farms. We therefore demand that the government give the farmers only the things that are necessary," Ranjana Kahandal, another farmer said.

Guj saw 95 pc crop production, meeting chaired by PM told

Despite two successive years of deficient rainfall, Gujarat has recorded 95 per cent crop production because of the measures taken by the state government, a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the state's drought situation was told. The meeting attended by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel here was also told that the work done by the state government for the water grid has resulted in only 568 tankers being required for water distribution in some remote tail areas, a PMO statement said. The Prime Minister, while appreciating this effort, called for further action to completely eliminate the need for tanker supply, the statement said. Patel gave details of the work done by the state government towards water conservation, recharge and creation of water bodies. She said 1.68 lakh check dams, 2.74 lakh farm ponds, 1.25 lakh Bori Bandhs have been made with storage capacity of 42.3 billion cubic feet water, benefitting 6.32 lakh hectares. Piped water supply is being provided to 77 per cent of households in the state, the Chief Minister said. The meeting was told that the measures undertaken have resulted in a reasonable amount of drought-proofing, despite deficient (about 80 per cent of long-term average) and skewed temporal distribution of rainfall, it said. Despite two successive years of drought, crop production in the state has been estimated at 95 per cent of the normal, the meeting was told. The meeting was told that the state has made significant progress in micro-irrigation, with 100 per cent coverage of drip/sprinkler irrigation being achieved in 3789 villages.

The creation of an elaborate canal network under the Sardar Sarovar Irrigation Scheme, has led to a significant increase in crop yields, and a positive impact on farm incomes, the Prime Minister heard and emphasized on value addition in horticulture and cash crops. Measures to boost progress in fishery, bee-keeping, pearl culture, and seaweed, were also discussed. The meeting ended with a resolve on the part of the Centre and state to work together, the PMO said. The Prime Minister is in the process of meeting Chief Ministers of 11 drought-hit states. He has already met eight Chief Ministers. AKK AKK

No NOC for crop loan; disbursal from today

In a major decision that would benefit the farmer community in general, the state government has waived the condition of submitting no objection certificate (NOC) from banks and societies while seeking fresh crop loan. The government has also decided to waive the stamp duty on the mortgage by farmers for availing crop loan. "The easy crop loan distribution scheme would be launched from Wagda village of Kelapur tehsil on May 17," informed state-sponsored Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swavlamban Mission, headed by Kishor Tiwari, in a press note on Monday. The scheme is being implemented at the behest of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who had, after a review meeting on April 28 last, announced that the state would ensure credit supply to even those farmers who had defaulted on loan repayment after 2012. Such farmers would be given crop loan afresh on or before May 31 after their defaulted crop loan rehabilitation is done, the press note further said.

The Maharashtra State Co-Operative Bank and Bank of Maharashtra have been instructed to release crop loan to the farmers on filing an affidavit and not to insist for a no objection certificate (NOC) from banks and societies. "We have proposed to hold a review meeting at 4 pm on Tuesday at Pandharkawda Panchayat Samiti meeting hall wherein the review of crop loan rehabilitation, EGS works, food and health security and similar issues would be taken up for consideration," Tiwari said and urged the tehsildars, BDOs, DDR and sub divisional agriculture officers to inform the farmers about the public hearing through talathis, gram sevaks and agriculture assistants working under them.

Monsoon delay not to affect crop sowing: Weather office chief

The chief of the India Meteorological Department said he was sticking to the original forecast of above-average rainfall this year after 2 years of drought that ravaged crops.

NEW DELHI: India Meteorological Department said on Monday the late arrival of the monsoon will not delay crop sowing and that rains are expected to make rapid progress after their arrival around June 7. Laxman Singh Rathore , chief of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), also told Reuters he was sticking to the original forecast of above-average rainfall this year after two straight years of drought that cut farm income. Monsoon rains, the lifeblood for agriculture-dependent India, typically arrive on the southern tip of Kerala state by around June 1 and cover the entire country by mid-July. On Sunday the IMD said the monsoon would arrive by June 7. "There's a semblance of normality in the forecast that rains would arrive by June 7. In effect, I don't see any impact on sowing or overall agricultural productivity," Rathore said in an interview. Heavy rains have lashed southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the past few days and showers are expected to hit interior areas of Karnataka state in the next few days, he said. "Pre-monsoon showers will set the stage for sowing and rains are expected to gather momentum once monsoon arrives by June 7," Rathore said. Millions of farmers plant rice, cane, corn, cotton and soybean crops in the rainy months of June and July. Harvesting starts from October. Current weather patterns suggest that the monsoon would make a rapid progress once rains arrive on the Kerala coast, said K. K. Singh, chief of agricultural meteorology. "At the moment there is cause for concern at all. We are set to have plentiful rains this year," Singh said. The weather office last month said El Nino - a warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean that can lead to dry spells in South Asia - is fading and giving way to La Nina in which the same waters cool.

The monsoon season delivers about 70 per cent of India's annual rainfall. It is critical for the country's 263 million farmers because nearly half of their farmland lacks irrigation. Bountiful rains could keep a lid on inflation and also encourage the Reserve Bank of India to cut interest rates after the central bank in April eased its repo rate by 25 basis points to its lowest in more than five years. Gujarat saw 95% crop production, meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi told

Anandiben Patel gave details of the work done by the state government towards water conservation, recharge and creation of water bodies.b NEW DELHI: Despite two successive years of deficient rainfall , Gujarat has recorded 95 per cent crop production because of the measures taken by the state government, a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the state's drought situation was told. The meeting attended by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel here was also told that the work done by the state government for the water grid has resulted in only 568 tankers being required for water distribution.

The Prime Minister, while appreciating this effort, called for further action to completely eliminate the need for tanker supply, the statement said. Patel gave details of the work done by the state government towards water conservation , recharge and creation of water bodies. She said 1.68 lakh check dams, 2.74 lakh farm ponds, 1.25 lakh Bori Bandhs have been made with storage capacity of 42.3 billion cubic feet water, benefitting 6.32 lakh hectares. Piped water supply is being provided to 77 per cent of households in the state, the Chief Minister said. The meeting was told that the measures undertaken have resulted in a reasonable amount of drought-proofing, despite deficient (about 80 per cent of long-term average) and skewed temporal distribution of rainfall, it said. Despite two successive years of drought, crop production in the state has been estimated at 95 per cent of the normal, the meeting was told. The meeting was told that the state has made significant progress in micro-irrigation, with 100 per cent coverage of drip/sprinkler irrigation being achieved in 3789 villages. The creation of an elaborate canal network under the Sardar Sarovar Irrigation Scheme, has led to a significant increase in crop yields, and a positive impact on farm incomes, the Prime Minister heard and emphasized on value addition in horticulture and cash crops. Measures to boost progress in fishery, bee-keeping, pearl culture, and seaweed, were also discussed. The meeting ended with a resolve on the part of the Centre and state to work together, the PMO said. The Prime Minister is in the process of meeting Chief Ministers of 11 drought-hit states. He has already met eight Chief Ministers.

UN agricultural arm IFAD to grant $150 million to India in next 3 years

The Rome-based agency has been working in India since 1978. It has provided $17.7 billion in grants and low-interest loans to projects reaching about 45.9 crore people in rural areas to reduce poverty. NEW DELHI: United Nation's International Fund for Agricultural Development ( IFAD ) will provide grants worth $150 million (about Rs 1,001 crore) to India in the next three years to aid the farm sector, a top official said. "IFAD will invest $150 million in the next three years for the agriculture sector in India," Oscar Garcia, Director, Independent Office of Evaluation (IOE), IFAD told PTI. The Rome-based agency has been working in India since 1978. It has provided $17.7 billion in grants and low-interest loans to projects reaching about 45.9 crore people in rural areas to reduce poverty. "We see that the projects take longer time to run, around 16 months on an average. That affects the performance of the overall project. We understand the reasons why this happens, because we are working in remote areas where sometimes the state capacity is not that strong," he said.

The agency has shared the concern with the government, and both of them are working collectively on the issue. Garcia said IFAD wants to make sure that benefits of its interventions in the rural areas remain once the projects are over to ensure sustainability of the work. "I think better convergence with the schemes and programmes of the government of India is a very good way to ensure a better sustainability of benefits," Garcia said. The Lead Evaluation Officer, IOE, IFAD Fabrizio Felloni said there is a need for better linkages of farm produces with markets that will improve the efficiency and make households self sufficient. Felloni said IFAD projects in rural areas have been able to improve the material conditions of the households and health of women , among others. The agency is also introducing technological solutions so that farmers can fetch better prices of their produces, he said. "The Government of India assured funding in public programmes. But we look more and more on quality and that the projects are well targeted," Felloni said, adding it will communicate these with state and central governments to scale up the projects in future. On the recurring drought conditions in India, Garcia said there is a need for more sustainable use of water resources in rural areas as well as more conscious approach towards natural resources management. Besides, to reduce the wastage of perishable produces in India due to lack of infrastructure, IFAD is working with other UN agencies to fill the gap, he said. "We are aware of some other initiatives taking place to improve the efficiency of distribution chain to reduce waste of food , which accounts close to 40 per cent. We will be partnering other UN agencies who are working in this field," Garcia said.

Spices Board sets up pesticide residue analysis lab

The facility was inaugurated by Spices Board Chairman A Jayathilak at Mahape in Navi Mumbai. MUMBAI: Spices Board has set up a Quality Evaluation Lab (QEL) at Navi Mumbai for pesticide residue analysis and microbial food safety in spices and its products, as part of its efforts to meet global food safety norms. The facility was inaugurated by Spices Board Chairman A Jayathilak at Mahape in Navi Mumbai. The lab would act as a centre of excellence to decontaminate the pesticide residue in spices, the board said in a statement. "It will also make a national data base on application of pesticide contamination in spices. It will elevate us to meet the global standards and export quality spices," he said. The OEL , the eighth of such facility established by the agency, is equipped with chromatographic and spectroscopic analytical instrumentations. Besides, it is equipped with latest immuno, molecular, biochemical and

spectroscopic instrumental techniques for the detection and enumeration of micro-organisms in food. This structural steel building has greater earthquake resistance and being pre-engineered building, minimal water as consumed for construction in this drought year, Jayatilak added. Use of plastic in agriculture can boost output by Rs 68,000 crore: Report

Plasticulture refers to use of plastics in agriculture in a scientific manner which not only improves the productivity but also optimises the input resources. NEW DELHI: A wider use of plastics in agriculture can reduce the losses in harvesting, and increase the value of output by Rs 68,000 crore, according to a report. Plasticulture refers to use of plastics in agriculture in a scientific manner which not only improves the productivity but also optimises the input resources.

Use of plastics in farm sector is an interesting proposition as it can help reduce pre and post-harvest losses, the Tata Strategic Management Group (TSMG) said in its report on role of plastics in agriculture. "It is estimated that the agriculture output can be increased by Rs 68,000 crore by using proper plasticulture applications like drip irrigation, mulching etc," it said. The report was released by Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture Hukmdev Narayan Yadav at a FICCI event here. He said plastic industry should promote sustainable development by investing in technologies that protect environment. The report also suggests that the innovative plastic packaging and handling techniques can promote proper harvest management which will in turn contribute towards agriculture GDP. Proper application of micro-irrigation technologies can result in water saving by up to 50-70 per cent and can help increase productivity by 30-100 per cent, the report added. It also notes that the government should create an environment for promoting plasticulture by easy and efficient sanction of subsidies . Maharashtra farmers sell premature sugarcane to mills What this indicates is a likely steep fall in sugar production next season, on top of this year’s 19% drop in Maharashtra, the nation’s top producer of the sweetener. PUNE: Vikas Bhosale, whose farm is located on the bank of Ujani dam's backwater, sold his premature sugarcane to jaggery making units as he could not get enough water for the crop. There are many others like the 41-year-old in a state that is facing the worst drought since 1972.

What this indicates is a likely steep fall in sugar production next season, on top of this year's 19% drop in Maharashtra , the nation's top producer of the sweetener.

Sugar mills in the state finished their crushing operations, producing 83.79 lakh tonnes of sugar compared with last year's 103.26 lakh tonnes. Next year, output could fall by as much as 28 lakh tonnes, according to some estimates. With mill-level sugar prices ruling around Rs 36 a kg, under the government's watchful eyes, mills are desperate to keep the prices at least at the current levels. Meanwhile, even as the debate continues over whether it is worth to let the water-guzzling sugarcane take away all the water in a state where only 18% of the arable land is irrigated, sugarcane fields on huge tracks in western Maharashtra are turning yellow. "Looking at the current condition of the standing crop, we think that the next year's sugar production will remain around 55 lakh tonnes. However, a better estimate will be available only after we get the ground-level assessment, which is being carried out by the government agencies,"

said Sanjiv Babar, managing director of the Maharashtra State Co-operative Sugar Factories Federation. Officials of the state sugar commissionerate confirmed the possibility of a substantial decline in sugar production next season. "Sugar production can decline by 20 lakh tonne to 25 lakh tonne in the next season," said an official.