MANAGE-Samunnati Agri Startup Awards 2022 last date to apply 31st July

 

Competition Eligibility

1. Participating entities must be 2- to 7-year-old Agri-Tech/Ag-Aligned start-ups.
2. Participating entities permit MANAGE and Samunnati to use its name, URL, photos and videos for promotional purposes
3. Submission of false information subjects the concerned entity to elimination
4. Participating entities will not be offered any travel allowance
5. Jury’s decision is final and binding

• Important Dates:

1. Application open : 1st June 2022
2. Application Close: 31st July 2022
3. Award Event : 26th August 2022

Click here to Register 

More details check Official Website

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Agricultural Current Affairs From Jan 2022 to June 2022

 

Agricultural Current Affairs From Jan 2022 to June 2022

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Indian Institute of Spices Research Receives ‘Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR Institution Award’

 ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research in Kozhikode has been awarded the ‘Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR Institution Award’ for the year 2021. The award was presented to C. K. Thankamani, Director of the Institute, by Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in New Delhi.

This award was given based on the institute's performance over the last five years. It consists of a Rs10 lakh cash award, a citation, and a plaque.

This award is given to institutes based on several criteria, including significant output/outcome from research activities, the number, and quality of research publications, technologies licensed/commercialized, infrastructure developed, and capacity-building efforts. This is the third time that the IISR has received this honour.

"The award is a timely recognition for the institute's hard work and dedicated efforts in developing several cutting-edge technologies for advancing spice farming and addressing the real challenges faced by the spice farming community," Thankamani said.

Bindu Joseph, a young Kozhikode farmer, was awarded the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Antyodaya Krishi Puruskar. The award honours the contributions of marginal, small, and landless farmers to the development of integrated and sustainable agricultural farming models.

About ICAR- Indian Institute of Spices Research

The Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), Kozhikode (Calicut), is a major Institute devoted to spice research and is a constituent body of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). It began as a Regional Station of the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, engaged in spice research in 1976.

In 1986, the former Regional Station of CPCRI in Kozhikode and the Cardamom Research Centre in Appangala, Karnataka merged to form the National Research Centre for Spices, with headquarters in Kozhikode, Kerala. Recognizing the significance of spice research in India, the Research Centre was renamed Indian Institute of Spices Research on July 1, 1995.

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International Day Of Cooperatives - 6th July 2022

 

International Day Of Cooperatives:

100th International Day of Cooperatives was observed.

• India celebrated the day under the theme “Building a Self-Reliant India and a Better World through Co-operatives”.
• The International Day of Cooperatives was declared by the United Nations General Assembly on 16th December 1992, on the first Saturday of July.
• The purpose of this festival is to promote cooperatives globally and foster an environment that will foster their expansion and profitability.
• The occasion highlights the cooperative movement’s contributions to tackling the major issues addressed by the United Nations as well as to enhancing and expanding the alliances between the cooperative movement internationally and other actors.
• It aims to raise awareness of cooperatives and further the values of the movement—
  • International solidarity,
  • Economic efficiency,
  • Equality,
  • Global peace.
• Theme for 2022: Cooperatives Build a Better World.

 

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National Farmers Database

 The Centre has created a National Farmers’ Database with records of 5.5 crore farmers, which it hopes to increase to 8 crore farmers by December by linking it to State land record databases, according to Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

• Farmers’ database is key to advances in digital agriculture. Agriculture has to be linked with digital technology, scientific research and knowledge.
• The national database was created by taking data from existing national schemes such as PM-KISAN, soil health cards and the insurance scheme PM Fasal Bima Yojna.
• So far, 5.5 crore farmers had been identified in this manner.
• The Minister urged the States to create their own databases using the national database’s federated structure and also allow linkages to the land records maintained by the States.
• With the help of State governments, a total of eight crore farmers would be included by the end of the year. He also urged to study the Karnataka model for digital agriculture presented at the conference.
• In July, Mr. Tomar told the Lok Sabha that the database could be used “for targeted service delivery with higher efficiency and in a focussed and time-bound manner” and that it was the core for the proposed Agristack digital agriculture ecosystem.
• Already, companies such as Microsoft, Amazon and Patanjali had been asked to develop technology solutions for farmers using data from the database.
• Activists have raised privacy and consent concerns about using farmers’ data in such a way.

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Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK)

 Centre government, for the first time issued uniform specifications for Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK) for grade A & Common Rice. The specifications have been issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

• The fortified rice is to be distributed under various government schemes, including the public distribution system (PDS) and midday meals in schools, by 2024.

Rice fortification:

• The country has high levels of malnutrition among women and children.
• According to the Food Ministry, every second woman in the country is anaemic and every third child is stunted.
• India ranks 94 out of 107 countries and is in the ‘serious hunger’ category on the Global Hunger Index (GHI).
• Malnutrition and lack of essential nutrients in poor women and poor children poses major obstacles in their development.
• Food fortification is defined as the practice of adding vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed foods during processing to increase their nutritional value.
• It is a proven, safe and cost-effective strategy for improving diets and for the prevention and control of micronutrient deficiencies.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), defines fortification as “deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in a food so as to improve the nutritional quality of food and to provide public health benefit with minimal risk to health”.
• According to the Food Ministry, fortification of rice is a cost-effective and complementary strategy to increase vitamin and mineral content in diets.
• According to FSSAI norms, 1 kg fortified rice will contain iron (28 mg-42.5 mg), folic acid (75-125 microgram) and Vitamin B-12 (0.75-1.25 microgram).
• In addition, rice may also be fortified with micronutrients, singly or in combination, with zinc (10 mg-15 mg), Vitamin A (500-750 microgram RE), Vitamin B1 (1 mg-1.5 mg), Vitamin B2 (1.25 mg-1.75 mg), Vitamin B3 (12.5 mg-20 mg) and Vitamin B6 (1.5 mg-2.5 mg) per kg.
• Since the nutrients are added to staple foods that are widely consumed, this is an excellent method to improve the health of a large section of the population, all at once.
• Fortification is a safe method of improving nutrition among people. The addition of micronutrients to food does not pose a health risk to people.
• It does not require any changes in food habits and patterns of people. It is a socio-culturally acceptable way to deliver nutrients to people.
• It does not alter the characteristics of the food—the taste, the feel, the look.
• It can be implemented quickly as well as show results in improvement of health in a relatively short period of time.
• This method is cost-effective especially if advantage is taken of the existing technology and delivery platforms.

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India's record rice harvest poses fertile challenges for farmers

 Farmers in India are gathering in the largest rice crop in history, which promises record exports, while making sure to keep up their longest-running protest, set to turn a year old next month.

The sit-in against controversial agriculture reforms is taking place in the capital, miles away from the five acres (2 hectares) of lush green rice paddies tended by Sukrampal Beniwal in his village of Munak, in the northern state of Haryana.

"We'll not budge until the government rolls back the laws," he said, referring to three measures the farmers, demonstrating by the tens of thousands in New Delhi, say will threaten their livelihoods.

Farmers in the breadbasket state have joined hands to bring in the mammoth crop and make sure that every time a group sets off to harvest rice, a similar number leave to join the protest on the outskirts of New Delhi, Beniwal said.

"Because of our camaraderie, we have quite successfully dealt with the two competing challenges: managing the protest against legislation and harvesting a big crop," he added.

Introduced in September last year,the legislation deregulates the agriculture sector, letting farmers sell produce to buyers beyond government-regulated wholesale markets, where growers are assured of a minimum price.

While small farmers say the changes make them vulnerable to competition from big business, and threaten the eventual loss of price support, the government says the reforms will bring them new prospects and better prices

Yet, with global food prices near decade highs after a surge of 30% in rates for cereals over the past year, India's problem of plenty also offers a dazzling opportunity.

The new harvest will boost exports to help the South Asian nation cement its status as the dominant supplier of the world's most critical grain, traders say.

"Indian prices are very attractive at a time when demand is rather strong from many buyers, including China and a clutch of countries in Africa," said Aditya Garg, a leading exporter of the grain.

"In fact, for non-basmati rice, many Indian exporters have received orders from a lot of new buyers in Egypt, Sudan, Tanzania and Iran."

Coming at a time of flat output in traditional export powerhouses Vietnam and Thailand, the higher supply will let New Delhi offer more competitive rates to undercut any rivals.

Output of summer-sown rice in 2021/22 will hit a record 107.04 million tonnes, the farm ministry says, while combined output of summer and winter rice will hit 125 million, or about 24.5% of global rice output, its largest ever.

Coupled with upgraded export facilities, that volume will allow India to repeat, or even surpass, last year's record export tally of 20 million tonnes, filling growing demand for the staple from buyers across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

India is elling 25% broken rice, a non-basmati variety preferred by most overseas buyers, at $345 a tonne on a free-on-board basis compared to $360 offered by Thailand, the world's second biggest rice exporter, dealers said, with some cargoes even sold at $320 a tonne.

CHANGE UP

Farming sustains almost half of India's population of nearly 1.4 billion and makes up about 15% of a $2.7-trillion economy.

Rice is India's biggest foreign exchange earning farm commodity, with shipment worth $8.82 billion in the fiscal year that ended in March 2021, government figures show.

Until two seasons ago, India's annual rice exports averaged about 11 million to 12 million tonnes.

But shipments soared to 20 million tonnes for a record share of 40.7% of global trade last season, data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows, after growing problems in Southeast Asia pushed up the prices of rivals to make Indian non-basmati shipments attractive to hungry global buyers.

"As climatic conditions helped our farmers raise the country's rice production, we've permanently become an even bigger player in the international market, and our share will grow," said trader Rajesh Paharia Jain at Unicorp Pvt Ltd.

In Munak, 130 km (80 miles) from New Delhi, the rice farmers showed no sign of relenting.

"Our record crop shows we are making India more than self-reliant in food, and the government shouldn't insist on laws that will spell doom for agriculture," said rice grower Ravindra Kajal.

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The government is promoting 20 indigenous and internationally popular exotic fruit crops this year: Narendra Singh Tomar

 On Friday, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the Center will promote the expansion of acreage and production of 10 types of exotic fruit trees of commercial importance and popularity in the world as well as many varieties. native fruit trees of high nutritional value this year. “This year, 8,951 hectares for exotic fruits and 7,154 hectares for indigenous fruits will be planted,” Tomar said at a conference to celebrate the "International Year of Fruits and Vegetables".

The state governments have been given targets for 2021-22 for area expansion of these crops, an official statement quoted Tomar having said at the event.

The event was organised by the Union Agriculture Ministry in collaboration with the UN body Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Tomar further said while India is the world's second largest producer of horticulture crops, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that the country needs post harvest food processing revolution and value addition amid increased agri-production.

The Prime Minister has advocated for increased private sector participation along with research and development in the agriculture sector, he added India produces about 12 per cent of the global fruits and vegetable production. The country's horticulture production in 2020-21 was record 329.86 million tonnes, higher than 320.77 million tonnes in the previous year, he added.

The minister expressed hope that India can achieve the goal of bringing fruits and vegetables to the plate of the poorest of the poor, not as a special food but as a daily necessity.

Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal and FAO Representative in India Tomio Shichiri were among others present at the event.

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APEDA offers to facilitate connection to the market for Kerala IG tagged rice

 

APEDA has offered to hold buyers and sellers meetings on a regular basis in order to provide a proper market connection for the promotion of Kerala GI tagged rice.

The uniqueness and flavor of Kerala GI rice and the demand of the Indian population in importing countries provide good opportunities for the commercialization of GI rice, said Simi Unnikrishnan, Deputy Director General of APEDA, New Delhi.

At a farmer-scientist interface on GI-labeled rice organized by the Kerala Agricultural University, he noted that Kerala's share of rice production in the country is only 0.51 percent, which is due to the expansion of the area and the takeover of MASCAR. Recommended technologies can be improved.

Lack of adequate storage :

• India ranks first in rice exports and China, the Philippines and Nigeria are the main rice importers. However, excessive use of pesticides, lack of high-quality seeds, premature rainfall, and irregular supply of required quantities of rice that did not meet world standards were the constraints on rice exports. Traceability, pesticide residues are the biggest challenges when exporting rice to European countries. The lack of adequate storage facilities at the village level leads to a deterioration in quality that often leads to product rejection, he said.

• APEDA would help farmers export their products at the best prices if the quality prescribed by importing countries and a continuous supply of the products were guaranteed, she added.

GI registration :

• speakers suggested a collaboration between farmer associations and marketing agencies, helping with the registration of authorized users, creating business models with the support of funding agencies for GI registration, advertising through social networks and GI rice online marketing to increase your profitability sooner.

• A platform has also been requested to create a platform to add more farmers to Palakkadan Matta Farmers' Producer Company Ltd to grow GI rice and to support KAU and APEDA for commercialization.

• Speakers expressed concern about the use of the Palakkadan Matta trademark by intermediaries in other states and called for government intervention to curb the illegal use of that trademark. They also highlighted the need to improve rice value creation skills in order to improve farmers' incomes and attract rural youth to rice

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Telangana Government giving priority to Fish Farming

 The State government has been giving priority to the welfare of fishermen, said Stambadri Urban Development Authority (SUDA) Chairman, Bachu Vijay Kumar.

The Chairman, along with Mayor P Neeraja, released fishlings, supplied free of cost to fishermen by the government, into Lakaram Tank here on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, he said the TRS government was promoting caste-based professions on a large scale in the State.

Besides agriculture, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao is keen on developing the allied sectors too. The promotion of aquaculture by the government with the free supply of fish seed has been reaping rich benefits to the fishermen community all over Telangana, Vijay Kumar noted.

He appealed to the fishermen to make use of the government schemes and grow economically. Local corporator and senior TRS leader Karnati Krishna and others were also present.

At another programme, Vijay Kumar distributed essential commodities under the aegis of a charitable organisation Gospel for Tribal Social Service Society (GTSSS) in Khammam.

Essential items like rice, sugar, cooking oil, salt, wheat flour, multi-vitamin tablets, vitamin C tablets and sanitisers were given to around 200 poor families in the 35th and 36th municipal Divisions.

The SUDA Chairman appreciated the founder of GTSSS, Bishop M Jacob for helping the needy who were affected due to Covid-19 crisis. Corporator Pasumarthi Rammohan, GTSSS representatives Y Srivenu, V John Reddy, N John, G Murali Krishna Reddy and others were present.

About GTSSS:

 Jacob Marineni, a native Indian brother, founded GTSSS. GTSSS is committed to bringing the hope of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and His love to a suffering and dying humanity through practical means. "The Gospel in one hand and bread in the other," says GTSSS.

It is involved in a variety of ministerial activities such as church planting, Bible college operation, educating and housing orphans and handicapped children, providing a home for the aged and poorest, providing medical care for lepers, conducting free medical clinics etc.as the Lord opens doors.

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France will ban plastic packaging for most fruits and vegetables from January 2022

 

To comply with a law passed in February 2020, France has published a list of around 30 types of fruits and vegetables that will be sold without plastic packaging from January 1.

Apples, bananas, and oranges are among the fruits and vegetables on the list, which includes leeks, eggplants, and round tomatoes.

“We use an inordinate amount of single-use plastic in our daily lives. The recycling law aims to reduce the use of single-use plastic and increase its substitution by other reusable and recyclable materials or packaging, ”the ministry said in a statement.

It is estimated that 37% of fruits and vegetables are sold with packaging and the measure is expected to save more than one billion unnecessary plastic containers each year.

According to Francois Roch, president of the French Association of Fruit Traders, the switch to cardboard will be impossible in such a short time.

"Selling in bulk is also difficult because a lot of customers are touching the fruit and people don't want other customers to touch their fruit," he explained.

The packaging restriction is part of the government's multi-year program to phase out plastic. Plastic straws, cups and cutlery, as well as Styrofoam take-out boxes, will be banned in France from 2021.

Sliced ​​fruits and a limited amount of fragile fruits and vegetables can be sold in plastic packaging for the time being, but this will be phased out at the end of June 2026.

Plastic wrapping for cherry tomatoes, green beans, and peaches will be prohibited by the end of June 2023, and endives, asparagus, mushrooms, certain salads and herbs, as well as cherries, will be prohibited by the end of 2024.

Raspberries, strawberries, and other fragile berries must be sold without plastic by June 2026.

Water fountains in public places must be provided by 2022 to decrease the usage of plastic bottles; press and publicity publications must be distributed without plastic wrapping; and fastfood restaurants may no longer supply free plastic toys.

France will also ban the use of throwaway crockery in fastfood restaurants for meals served onsite from January

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Cabinet Approves Rs 28,655 Net Subsidy to P & K Fertilizers for Rabi Season for the Benefit of Farmers ; additional grant to DAP

 The government announced on Tuesday a net subsidy of Rs 28,655 crore for phosphate and potash (P&K) fertilizers for October / March of this fiscal year to ensure that farmers get affordable nutrients during the rabbi planting season.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Nutrient Based Subsidy Rates (NBS) for Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizers for the period from October 2021 to March 2022. The Rabi season begins in October.

 According to the NBS, the funding rates for N (nitrogen) per kg have been set at Rs 18,789, P (phosphor) Rs 5,323, K (potash) Rs 10,116 and S (sulfur) Rs 2,37, according to an official statement. 

The NBS rate, which was raised in June for the Kharif season (April / September), has been extended through March 2022, according to sources.

Although the NBS rate was not increased, sources said that through a one-time special package, the government provided additional subsidies of around 6.5 billion rupees to DAP (diammonium phosphate) and three other NPK fertilizers to help keep retail prices high.

 After urea, DAP is the most used by farmers. According to an official statement, the "total amount of the renovation will be 28,602 million rupees".

The government said it had also provided a special one-time package of additional subsidies to DAP for a preliminary additional cost of Rs 5,716 billion.

A one-time special package of additional subsidies was provided for the three most consumed NPK varieties, namely NPK 102626, NPK 2020013 and NPK 123216, at the price of Rs 837 crore.

The general subsidy required could be Rs 35,a hundred and fifteen crore, the announcement said.

The CCEA additionally authorized the inclusion of potash derived from molasses (0:0:14.5:0) beneathneath the NBS Scheme.

"Net subsidy required for Rabi 2021-22 after deducting financial savings could be Rs 28,655 crore," as in keeping with the announcement.

In June additionally, the CCEA had raised the subsidies for DAP and a few different non-urea fertilisers with the aid of using Rs 14,775 crore.

The government had allocated nearly Rs 79.6 billion for fertilizer subsidies in the 202122 budget and the figures may increase after additional subsidies are made available. sources said that total fertilizer subsidies would exceed Rs 1 million lakh this fiscal year.

In listing the benefits, the government said Tuesday that the additional subsidy would allow all PandK fertilizers to be readily available to farmers during the 202122 Rabi season at subsidized / affordable prices.

The center supports farmers and the agricultural sector by continuing the previous level of subsidies and awarding special packages with additional subsidies for DAP and three mainly consumed NPK varieties. 4,444 "There will be Rs 438 per bag for Di Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Rs 100 per bag for NPK 102 626, NPK 202 013 and NPK 13216 respectively to keep the prices of these fertilizers affordable for farmers," the statement said.

In June, the government increased the DAP subsidy by 140 percent to Rs 1,200 per 50 kg bag to ensure that farmers continue to obtain this important fertilizer at an affordable price despite rising world prices.

The government provides fertilizers, namely urea and 24 types of P&K fertilizers, to farmers at subsidized prices through manufacturers / importers.

The P&K fertilizer subsidy will be regulated by the NBS program as of April 2010.

In the case of urea, the center has set the maximum retail prices and reimburses the difference between the MRP and the cost of production in the form of subsidies.

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Vegetable prices in Delhi rise 25%, wholesalers blame rain and rising fuel prices

 The state capital is experiencing a 25% increase in vegetable prices, infuriating wholesalers who claim that rain and a rise in fuel prices are the main reasons behind the price increase.

Adil Khan, president of Azadpur Agricultural Market, said: “Generally, the prices of vegetables go up after the rainy season. But this time the situation is a little different. The way fuel prices are rising is causing problems Vegetables arriving in Delhi come from other states. And from Azadpur Mandi it is shipped to NCR and North India. Due to the rise in diesel prices, the price increased by 15 percent ”.

“The effects are shown like this in vegetables and fruits. The price that went up due to the rainy season will go down over time, but I think the price that went up for diesel will go down when the central government cuts fuel prices, "Khan said.

" The situation in Azadpur Mandi is that they have to buying vegetables from distant places as crops in neighboring states have been spoiled by the rain. When the new harvests arrive, the prices of vegetables will go down. There will certainly be a drop in vegetable prices later this month. In general, vegetable prices increase by 10-15% after monsoons and decrease when new crops arrive. But this time it went up 25 because of the increase in fuel prices, "Khan added.

Mahesh, a wholesaler from Okhla Mandi, said:" Tomatoes used to cost 1020 rupees in the wholesale market, now it is 40 rupees, the reason is a increased rains in Maharashtra and Karnataka, where all crops have been damaged. That's why prices have gone up. "
" An increase in fuel prices is also one of the reasons, but the main reason for the increase in vegetable prices is the rain. The work is less than before. We don't have much work. Products sell, but not the way they used to be. People have no money. After Covid, everyone is lost. A person who used to buy 1 kg of tomatoes will now buy 250 g. People are consuming less because prices have risen, ”he added.
Abdul Rasheed, another Okhla Mandi wholesaler, said: “There is inflation. Consumption is less. The goods that go on the market are less. Fuel prices are going up. It has a direct impact on the cost of goods. There is no income. The goods are not for sale. Everyone is worried be it consumers or be it, sellers. Business is finished".
Abrar Ahmed, a wholesaler at Okhla Mandi said, "The price of Ridged Gourd (Tori) is 2030 rupees per kg. Earlier we used to get it at 1214 rupees. We used to sell it at 1516 rupees and earn 12 rupees from it. Today the price is 30 rupees. So if we give a customer the price of Rs 40, they refuse to buy it. It is not just the vegetables that are expensive. There is inflation in everything, be it oil, grain, "said Ahmed.

Mohammad Yameen, a wholesaler from Okhla Mandi, said:" A fortnight ago the price of onions was 2025 rupees per kg. Today the price is Rs 3035 kg. One of the reasons for the price increase is the rain. Crops are damaged by rain in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Haryana. Another reason why transportation costs increased. Another reason why transportation costs increased. Customers come, but fewer goods are sold. "

Gasoline in Delhi costs Rs 104.44 per liter, while diesel is available for Rs 93.17. In Mumbai, gasoline costs Rs 110.41, while diesel is available for Rs. Diesel costs Rs 101.03.

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