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08 Jun, 2023 News Image UP s share in fruits & vegetables cultivation in the country up from 7.2% to 9.2% in a decade

As per the Agroforestry Report 2023, cultivation of fruits and vegetables has gradually become a field of immense possibilities for the farmers of Uttar Pradesh. The reasons for this include, the Yogi Government’s consistent appeal to the farmers to diversify cultivation of crops according to market demand for better income; production of high-quality plants in Centers of Excellence and Mini Centers of Excellence, which are then provided to farmers at minimum rates; controlled temperature and humidity for protected cultivation and the modernization of markets (mandis).

According to the report, the share of state in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables has increased from 7.2 percent to 9.2 percent in he country within a decade while the Gross Value Output (GVO) obtained from it has increased from Rs 20,600 crore to Rs 38,000 crore.
 
Horticulture center of excellence will be built in every district
 
It is noteworthy that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has always encouraged farmers towards cultivation of fruits and vegetables since his first term in view of its immense potential both in terms of its consumption in the domestic and international markets as well as for the growth of processing units.
 
More than a year ago, when the Yogi Government took over for the second time in the state, it set an ambitious target for the Department of Agriculture regarding expansion of the area of cultivation, increase in yield and processing for the next 5 years. As per the plan, the area under horticulture crops has to be expanded from 11.6 percent to 16 percent and food processing from 6 percent to 20 percent in UP by 2027.
 
This has been done considering the possibility of a large number of processing units to be set up, which will require fruits and vegetables as raw material on a large scale.
 
Horticulture infrastructure will in every district by 2027
 
Quality planting material (plants and seeds) plays the most important role in achieving the set target in horticulture. For this, the government will set up an Excellence Centre, Mini Excellence Center or Hi-Tech Nursery in every district within a stipulated time period. For example, the Center of Excellence is under construction in Chandauli, Kaushambi, Saharanpur, Lucknow, Kushinagar and Hapur.
 
Similarly, Mini Centers of Excellence are functional in Bahraich, Ambedkar Nagar, Mau, Fatehpur, Aligarh, Rampur, and Hapur. Mini centers of excellence/hi-tech nurseries are also under construction at Sonbhadra, Moradabad, Agra, Sant Kabir Nagar, Mahoba, Jhansi, Barabanki, Lucknow, Chandauli, Gonda, Balrampur, Badaun, Firozabad, Shamli and Mirzapur. By 2027, he government plans to have such infrastructure in every district.
 
Encouragement of the government led to increase in area of cultivation & yield
 
Due to the encouragement from the government and increasing possibilities, the area under cultivation of fruits and vegetables has increased by more than 1.01 lakh hectares and the yield by more than 0.7 percent in the last 6 years.
 
To provide quality plants to farmers, the Indo Israel Centres of Excellence for Fruits and Vegetables were established in Basti and Kannauj, respectively.
 
Government promoting protected cultivation to grow off season vegetables
 
To grow quality plants and vegetables out of season by controlling moisture and temperature, the work of promoting protected cultivation is also going on continuously by employing Indo-Israel technology.
 
In the last 5 years, 177 hectares of poly house/ shed net were expanded for the production of flowers and vegetables, benefiting 5549 farmers. Constant efforts are made to continue this trend in Yogi-2.0.
 
Dr. SP Singh, Vegetable Scientist said, 'The most effective means of increasing the income of the farmers in Uttar Pradesh is the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and spices. Having 9 types of agro-climatic zones, cultivation of all types of fruits, vegetables and flowers is possible in different regions. Small-marginal farmers will play an important role because they constitute about 90 percent of the total number of farmers, doing traditional farming of paddy, wheat, sugarcane etc. If their income is to be increased then they should be encouraged for the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and flowers.'

 


 Source:  newsroompost.com
08 Jun, 2023 News Image Kolkata to host BIMSTEC Expo and Conclave next week
Kolkata, Jun 7 (PTI) A BIMSTEC Expo and Conclave will be held in Kolkata next week, aiming at bringing together government officials, policymakers and business leaders from the member countries.
 
The three-day event starting on June 13 will be attended by over 400 trade and industry representatives from seven BIMSTEC member countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, according to an ICC statement.
 
The conclave will also have a high-level session with over 140 speakers from the BIMSTEC region.
 
The event will focus on a range of issues, including trade facilitation, agri-food, infrastructure development, digital connectivity, sustainable tourism, advancement of healthcare, tea, gems and jewellery, climate change, startups, and fostering innovation.
 
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organisation that was established in 1997. The region has a combined population of over 1.68 billion people and a GDP of around USD 2.88 trillion.
 
The programme is being held at a time when Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are facing economic headwinds.
 
The event will provide a platform for businesses to showcase their products and services, and to network with potential buyers and partners among the countries, the statement said.
 
It will also help promote cross-border collaboration and contribute to the growth of regional trade and investment.
 
The region has the potential to become a major economic powerhouse, but it needs to address a number of challenges, including trade barriers, infrastructure bottlenecks, and regulatory issues, the statement said. PTI BSM NN NN
 
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

 Source:  theprint.in
08 Jun, 2023 News Image Horticulture emerges as eco growth driver in Telangana
Telangana’s horticulture sector is driving agricultural innovation and economic growth. Covering an extensive area of 12.94 lakh acres, the sector produces a remarkable 61.64 lakh MTs of crops. Despite occupying only 7 percent of the total agriculture area, horticulture contributes 34 percent to the Agriculture Gross Value Output (GVO) and excels in various crops, ranking high in areas such as chillies, turmeric, mangoes, and vegetables.
 
After the formation of Telangana, the government prioritised the horticulture sector through various subsidy programmes, including the NMEO-Oil palm, Per Drop More Crop (PDMC - RKVY) for micro-irrigation, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), National Bamboo Mission (NBM), and Sub-Mission on Agro-Forestry (SMAF).
 
The establishment of Centres of Excellence (COEs) in Jeedimetla and Mulugu further enhanced training and demonstration opportunities for farmers. The first CoE, dedicated to vegetables and flowers, is located in Jeedimetla (V), Medchal district, covering an area of 10.35 acres. The second CoE, focused on fruits, is situated in Mulugu (V), Siddipet district, spanning an area of 53.25 acres.
 
Pandal cultivation, promoted under the RKVY scheme, has gained popularity, covering 4,564 acres and benefiting 3,945 farmers with financial support of Rs 45.54 crore. Urban farming initiatives have encouraged households to cultivate vegetables in backyards and terraces, with over 5,900 kits distributed to 4,330 households. The National Bamboo Mission focuses on increasing bamboo plantation in non-forest lands, with 2.21 lakh bamboo plants distributed. The Sub-Mission on Agro-Forestry promotes tree plantation alongside crops and livestock, benefiting 1,064 farmers with 7.61 lakh plantations.
 
Telangana participates in the Cluster Development Programme, with Mahabubnagar district selected as a pilot cluster for mango cultivation. This initiative addresses various aspects of the horticulture value chain, and Prasad Seeds Pvt Ltd has been accepted as the Implementing Agency for the Mahabubnagar Mango Cluster.
 
Encouraged new varieties in Fruit Crops: Mango, Guava, Citrus, Pomegranate, Custard apple and many more
 
Varieties –
 
Mango: Dashehari -35, Arunika, Ambica.
 
Sweet Orange: Katol Gold & Brazilian Oranges
 
Mandarins: Nagpur mandarins
 
Acid Lime: NRCC-7
 
Lemon: Konkan lemon
 
Guava: Arka Kiran &Arka Rashmi, VNR – Bihi
 
Pomegranate: Bhagwa, Super Bhagwa
 
Custard Apple: NMK-1
 
Tamarind: Ananta Rudhira&TettuAmalika
 
Jamun: CISH-J 37 From CISH Lucknow, Konkan bahadoli.
 
Turmeric: ACC 48 (Pragathi), ACC79, Released by IISR, Calicut,
 
♦ Encouraged New Fruit crops suitable for Telangana: Apple ber, Date Palm and Dragon Fruit.
 
♦ Encouraged New Technologies / Best practices: High Density Plantations in Mango, Trellies, Creeper Mesh for Vegetables, Mulching, Raised Bed, Poly house & Shade net.

 


 Source:  thehansindia.com
08 Jun, 2023 News Image NABARD s Mango Fest 6.0 from June 8
In the fest, different varieties of mangoes including Sundarja, Kesar, Chosa, Langda and Dussehri, produced from the different NABARD-supported Wadi projects in the state will be exhibited and put on sale. The mangoes will be directly sourced from the farmers’ fields and no chemicals are used for ripening of the produce.
 
In this scheme, fruit production is not the only objective, but it also includes sanitation, soil and water conservation, making barren land cultivable and empowering women.
 
Mango stalls will be set up at NABARD Regional Office, Bittan Market. All the city dwellers can visit here for chemical free mangoes. These stalls will open on June 08 from 11.00 am and will remain open till June 12.
 
Since, the year 2023 is being celebrated as International year of Millet (IYOM) hence in addition to mangoes, products of millets from the Wadis and NTFP products are also available to the residents of Bhopal city.

 Source:  freepressjournal.in
08 Jun, 2023 News Image AP plans export park to help organic farmers
Considering huge demand in national and international markets, AP State Organic Products Certification Authority (APSOPCA) will soon set up an integrated export park to promote exports of organic produce.
 
Agriculture minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy attended a workshop on export opportunities for agricultural, horticultural and processed food products conducted by APSOPCA in the city on Tuesday and discussed key issues relating to organic farming. The minister stressed that many farmers were facing losses due to huge investment on pesticides, chemical fertilisers and hybrid variety seeds and organic farming is the only alternative to get better profits.
 
'Farmers are running behind traditional farming and spending huge amount on pest management and others. Despite huge investment they are earning poor price. Many countries are opposing the products cultivated in traditional way considering residues of pesticides. We are eyeing to encourage organic farming in a big was as it involves less investment. Farmers can generate better profits with organic farming as organic produce has huge demand in national and international markets,' Govardhan Reddy said.
 
He added that many traders were coming forward to offer much higher price to organic produce than the minimum support price (MSP) fixed by the government.

 Source:  timesofindia.indiatimes.com
08 Jun, 2023 News Image Centre hikes kharif crop MSPs, ?143 increase for paddy
Farmers’ organisations protest, demand MSP in tune with rising costs of inputs including fertiliser and irrigation
 
The Centre has set the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy sown in the kharif or monsoon season at ?2,183 per quintal, a hike of ?143 per quintal in comparison to last year. The 2023-24 MSPs for 17 kharif crops and variants were approved at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, .
 
The sowing of the crops, mainly paddy, has started in most States. While the Centre said that its aim was to ensure reasonably fair remuneration for the farmers and to encourage crop diversification, several farmers’ organisations said that the increase was not in tune with rising input costs.
 
Highest increase’
 
Food Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters after the CCEA meeting that farmers will benefit from the increase in the MSP at a time when the retail inflation is declining. 'In agriculture, we have been fixing MSP from time to time based on the recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). The increase in MSP of the kharif crops for this year is highest compared to the previous years,' he said.
 
Apart from paddy, new MSPs have been set for major pulses. The MSP for moong is ?8,558 per quintal, an increase of ?803 from last year, one of the highest increases among kharif crops. The MSP for tur or arhar has been set at ?7,000 per quintal, which is estimated to be 58% above the cost of production. This is in keeping with the Centre’s promise to set MSPs which are at least one and a half times the all-India weighted average cost of production.
 
Bajra, tur margins high
 
'The expected margin to farmers over their cost of production are estimated to be highest in case of bajra (82%) followed by tur (58%), soybean (52%) and urad (51%). For the rest of the crops, the margin to farmers over their cost of production is estimated to be at least 50%,' said an official statement.
 
The MSP of ‘A’ grade variety of paddy has been increased to ?2,203 per quintal from ?2,060. For jowar (hybrid) and jowar (maldandi) the rates are ?3,180 and ?3,225 per quintal respectively. Last season, it was ?2,970 and ?2,990. For maize, the increase is ?128 per quintal and the new rate will be ?2,090. For ragi, this year’s MSP will be ?3,846 per quintal, which is an increase of ?268.
 
Among oilseeds, the MSP for sesamum is ?8,635 per quintal, ?6,377 for groundnut, and ?4,600 for soybean. In the case of niger seed, the new MSP is ?7,734 per quintal, and for sunflower seed, it is ?6,760. For cotton (long stable) and cotton (medium stable), the MSPs are at ?7,020 per quintal and ?6,620 per quintal respectively.
 
‘Faulty production estimates’
 
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a platform of about 500 farm outfits, questioned the Centre’s claims and said that the new MSPs were not linked to the real expenses of farming. Senior SKM leader Ashok Dhawale said that the MSP for kharif crops is nowhere near the C2+50% formula proposed by the Swaminathan Commission.
 
'The cost of production estimates given by the government are themselves extremely faulty and underrated, and thus the MSP figures are also very unsatisfactory. The SKM and All India Kisan Sabha express anger at the constant short-changing of farmers by the BJP regime led by Narendra Modi, and vow to intensify their struggle for a fair and just MSP, which can only be won by changing the current BJP government in the general elections next year,' he said in a statement.
 
Senior farm leader Hannan Mollah said that the Centre has not taken into account the increase in irrigation costs and fertiliser costs. 'The government has betrayed the farmers by announcing MSP far below C2+50%. It has not put up the ‘Report on Price Policy of Kharif Crops for 2023-24 Season’ by the CACP yet,' he added.
 

 Source:  thehindu.com
08 Jun, 2023 News Image Bangladesh government approves import of 280,800 tons of onions
In a press release on Monday, the Ministry of Agriculture stated that the government of Bangladesh has approved the import of 280,800 tons of onions. Earlier, Agriculture Minister Md. Abdur Razzaque told reporters that the Ministry of Agriculture will give permission or IP to import onions from Monday. The ministry has taken this decision to protect the interests of all consumers, including mitigating the suffering of the working people and the limited income people due to the abnormal increase in onion prices.
 
The price of onion fell to Tk 75 per kg after the announcement of the imports from India. In the wholesale market of Khatunganj, onions that sold above Tk 90 to 95, have been offered for sale at Tk 75 per kg at the beginning of the day on Monday. However, buyers are hard to find.
 
Retail traders do not want to buy onions from the market due to the fear that the price will fall further. As a result, no matter what price is given, buyers are not found in the wholesale market. Because onion is mainly bought by retail traders.

 Source:  freshplaza.com
08 Jun, 2023 News Image As we have ample stocks, no need for wheat imports now: DGFT
At 26.2 million tonnes currently, wheat procurement has surpassed last year’s total procurement of 18.8 million tonnes
 
As wheat procurement for the current season draws to a close, the Government is optimistic that there is enough stock available with farmers and traders to meet domestic demand and there will unlikely be a need for imports.
 
'As of date, the need for import has not been felt. Production has been good. Since there is a prohibition in force, that means there is adequate stock with farmers and traders. The FCI (Food Corporation of India) also has adequate stocks,' Santosh Sarangi, Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), told businessline.
 
Wheat procurement in the current rabi season was at 26.2 million tonnes (mt) as of June 6, which has already surpassed last year’s total procurement of 18.8 mt. The wheat stock with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has improved to 31.2 mt as of May 30 from 29.03 mt as of May 1, whereas the annual requirement of the government for public distribution and other welfare schemes is 18.4 mt.
 
Despite untimely rains, major contributing factors to healthy procurement this year have been the grant of relaxation by the government in quality specifications of wheat affected by rains, opening of procurement centres at village and panchayat level, carrying out procurement through co-operative societies, gram panchayats, and arhatias, and permission to engage FPOs for procurement operations, the Food Ministry said last week in a statement.
 
However, looking at the mandi prices prevailing in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during the current procurement season, where normally farmers used to sell below minimum support price (MSP), many traders are sceptical about the government’s estimate of record production of nearly 112 mt. The Roller Flour Millers Association of India, which hired a private agency, has pegged the production close to 103 mt.
 
Some traders may be spreading rumours about a possible shortage of wheat and the need to import as they want a rate increase for the wheat stock they have aggregated, another official tracking the matter said.
 
'It is difficult to believe that any stockist will buy at a higher price. Had the production been at record, prices could not have gone above MSP when exports are banned, and there is no possibility of opening the window this year,' said a trader. With current duty of 40 per cent at $290/tonne free-on-board, wheat is unlikely to be imported even in southern ports, the trader said. Any decision on import has to be at zero duty, and it may help cool the sentiments, he added.
 
The all-India average retail price of wheat has softened from a peak of ?33.21/kg in February to ?31.27/kg in May, but it is still higher by 6.5 per cent from a year ago (May 2022). Atta (wheat flour) prices were higher by 10.5 per cent at ?36.42/kg last month from a year ago, though down from a record ?37.8/kg in February this year, consumer affairs ministry data show.
 

 Source:  thehindubusinessline.com
08 Jun, 2023 News Image Malaysia: Bernas increases rice imports by 150,000 tonnes to prevent supply disruption
Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Chan Foong Hin said the additional rice import was decided during its engagement session between the ministry and Bernas last week which found higher demand for the staple food in the market now compared to last year.
 
'The government frequently holds engagement sessions directly with Bernas to ensure the issues of the industry are dealt with quickly.
 
'Therefore, the possible shortage of rice as raised in the Chinese media is inaccurate. In the current situation, retailers are facing lower domestic rice supply and they will import more rice via Bernas,' he said.
 
He was speaking at the winding up of the debate on the Auditor-General’s Report Series 2 at Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (June 7) in reply to Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka) who wanted to know the measures taken by the government to ensure an adequate supply of rice for the people.
 
While touching on the 30% profit sharing of rice imports with rice farmers, Chan said it was not part of the 10 social obligations contained in the company's concession agreement with the government.
 
'This is one of the proactive steps taken by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his negotiations with Bernas to assist padi farmers... we welcome the proposal to include the matter as one of the social obligations after being finalised by the ministry.
 
'The ministry is still in the process of finalising the detailed mechanism for the implementation of this 30% profit sharing and will make an announcement once it is resolved,' he said. - Bernama

 Source:  thestar.com.my
07 Jun, 2023 News Image Focus on agriculture exports to raise income of farmers: AP Minister to exporters.
Agriculture Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy has said the State is taking all measures to ensure more income to farmers with less investment.'There is a great demand for agricultural products sans pesticide residue in the international market. They need to take up organic cultivation for a better price for their produce,' he suggested.
 
Inaugurating a workshop involving farmers and exporters here on Tuesday, the Agriculture Minister underscored the need to further enhance the farm product exports from the State to increase its share in the total agriculture exports from India.
 
Revealing that products of agriculture, horticulture and allied sectors are being exported to 100 countries from the State, he said a target has been fixed to double the exports by next year. He urged exporters to come forward to ensure better income to farmers for their produce by focusing on agri exports from the State.
 
Asserting that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is making efforts to provide more benefits to the farming community, he said the government is extending all the required support to the farmers.Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Gopal Krishna Dwivedi said the government is planning to set up an ‘Integrated Export Park’ to resolve the problems of farmers.

 Source:  newindianexpress.com