agricultural

YEMEN---MOCHA TOWN ,LARGEST EXPORTER OF  COFFEE



Recently, scientists from which among the following countries have developed a
bio-fertilizer product?
[A]India and USA
[B]India and France
[C]India and Switzerland
[D]India and Britain
India and Switzerland
With India keen to roll out second green revolution, scientists have developed biofertilisers
use of which has led to increased yields of up to 30 per cent in wheat, rice
and pulses over conventional soil nutrients. The bio-fertiliser technology, developed
under the Indo-Swiss Collaboration in Biotechnology, was transferred to the two
fertiliser companies for commercialisation. The product (bio-fertiliser) is good as it is
environment friendly, has good effect on the yield and the nutrient absorption is
substantial. The use of the bio-fertiliser also led to better nutrient absorption by
plants which resulted in improved nutritional quality of the grains. The developers of
the product said that it will be available in the market in a year's time, can reduce
dependence on chemical fertilizers by up to 25 per cent. The bio-fertiliser technology
is a collaborative research programme involving three Indian research partners -
The Energy and Research Institute, Indian Institute of Technology - Delhi, and
Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology and three Swiss
research partners - University of Basel, University of Neuchatel, and Research
Institute of Organic Agriculture.

Union Government Body CCEA lifted Export Ban on Some Milk Products

The Union Government body, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 1 November 2012 lifted the export ban on milk products, especially on whole milk powder (WMP), dairy whitener, infant milk foods and other milk products till March 2013.

In February 2011 to meet the domestic supply of Milk Products the Union government had imposed ban on export of all kinds of milk products that is skimmed milk powder (SMP), whole milk powder (WMP), dairy whitener, infant milk foods, casein and casein products.

However the ban was withdrawn in for Casein in April 2012 and for Skimmed Milk Powder (SMP) in June 2012.

The decision of withdrawing the export ban was taken in to consideration by CCEA after acknowledging the flush season of milk that started in October which had improved the supply of milk within the country.

As per the Government Statistics, there is a stock of 1.12 lakh tonnes of milk powder in the country. As much as 300 lakh kilos of milk per day were procured in the country in September 2012 while sales were to the tune of only 260 lakh kilos per day.

Govt announces Minimum Supporting Price for cotton

November 8th, 2012

In a move aimed at stabilizing the cotton prices which have witnessed sharp plunge and are operating around Minimum Support Price (MSP)levels,  the government announced revised minimum support price (MSP) for cotton for early commencement of minimum support price operations.

The government revised MSP prices for medium staple cotton from Rs. 2800 per quintal to Rs. 3600 per quintal and for long staple cotton from Rs. 3,300 quintal to Rs. 3, 900 per quintal for cotton season 2012-13.

What is the reason behind the decline in prices?

Despite increase in domestic consumption, the sharp decline in global trade and increase in world stocks have put a downward thrust on cotton prices, which is reflected in Indian cotton markets also. Domestic prices have reached MSP levels in some places of the State of Andhra Pradesh and are close to MSP levels in Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

Tobacco Board went Hi-Tech, Launched e-auction in Karnataka

Tobacco Board  launched the first tobacco e-auctioning platform located at Periyapatna in Mysore district in Karnataka.The Tobacco Board plans to introduce e-auctioning in all the 11 auction platforms in Karnataka by the end of November 2012.

The e-auctioning system is going to provide farmers an assured and remunerative price for their crop through a transparent bidding process.

Although earlier farmers were getting remunerative prices in the manual auctioning system and receiving assured payments in time, there were certain disadvantages such as cartelisation of trade, discrimination in the allotment of bales, price ceiling, and errors in recording the price and weight. To curb such malpractices and to ensure transparency in the bidding process, it was decided to go for e-auctioning.

The concept of e-auction was implemented as a pilot project for marking of Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco at J.R. Gudern–II auction platform in Andhra Pradesh in 2008 season for a limited period and later at Hunsur for five months. 

NIIT Technologies Ltd., New Delhi, is the service provider and had designed the e-auction project in all the auctioning platforms under build-own-operate model for six years. 
There are nearly 42,000 registered tobacco cultivators in Karnataka which is going to be benefitted from the system.







KING OF FIBER IS------COTTON


BROWN PAPER CROP-----JUTE




INDIA IS THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF MILK




PRODUCTIVITY IN INDIAN AGRICULTURAL IS LOW BECOS OF INEFFICENT FARMING TECHNIQUES, LACK OF CHEAP AND EASY AVAILABILITY OF CREDIT, ABSENCE OF IRRIGATION OVER A LARGE PART OF THE SOWN AREA







ICAR scientists discover wonder seeds
A group of scientists from the ICAR (Indian Council for Agricultural Research), ICAR, Agartala, Tripura have made the breakthrough of wonder seeds which need less land and give high yield. The unit of Tripura has been experimenting these seeds for the last 8 years.






Bollgard II Roundup Ready Flex – Monsanto’s next-gen cotton technology Monsanto:
 St Louis, US-based seed technology company.
 World’s leading producer of the herbicide glyphosate, marketed in the Roundup brand, and in other brands.
 2nd largest producer of Genetically Engineered (GE) seed; it provides the technology in 49% of the genetically
engineered seeds used in the US market.

Almost 10 years after it brought in the second generation Bollgard-II technology that furnished twin protection to the
cotton plants, Monsanto is all set to roll out BOLLGARD II Roundup Ready Flex technology for cotton in 2013. This third
generation biotechnology product would offer protection against weeds, besides continuing protection against insects.
Bollgard II Roundup Ready Flex (BGII RRF) would provide protection against weeds, besides extending protection
against insects.
Roundup-Ready Flex (RRF): The new technology is called the RRF technology which will provide the plant the internal
strength to withstand herbicides. While other weeds around the plant die after application of herbicide, those with this
technology will live on.
Monsanto’s controversial history in India
Monsanto India Limited (MIL): A subsidiary of the Monsanto Company, USA.
Monsanto has had a controversial history in India.
 Usage of Terminator genes: Monsanto has been accused of using terminator genes in its seeds, causing
demonstrations against the company in India.
 Higher Cost: Monsanto’s GM cotton seed was the subject of NGO agitation because of its higher cost. In 2009,
high prices of Bt Cotton were accused for pushing farmers of the district Jhabua into severe debts when the crops
went bad due to deficiency of rain.
 Child labor: A subsidiary of Monsanto is alleged to employ child labor in the manufacture of cotton-seeds in
India.
 Farmer suicides: A short documentary by Frontline (U.S. TV series) suggested
that farmers using genetically modified seeds promoted by Cargill and
Monsanto have led to rising debts and forced them to commit suicides.
 Seed Piracy: Indian farmers cross GM varieties with local varieties using plant breeding to yield better strains, an
illegal practice termed "seed piracy".
 Bio Piracy: In February 2012, European and Indian activists started opposing a patent on virus resistant traits of
indigenous melon varieties in India which was awarded to Monsanto. The activists lay claim it was not an
innovation of Monsanto but instead bio-piracy. Employing conventional breeding techniques, certain virus
resistance was carried out from an Indian melon to other melons. European law forbids patents on conventional
breeding, in this case, traits on indigenous Indian melons. The activists lay claim it is bio-piracy since the plants
originated in India and were registered in international seed-banks.





JUTE-----GOLDEN FIBRE


largest producer of castor seed-------GUJARAT





RICE BOWL OF INDIA--------CHATTISGARGH check( andra pradesh)
WHEAT BOWL OF INDIA-----PUNJAB
EGG BOWL OF INDIA-----ANDRA
SOYA BOWL --------MADHYA PRADESH





RICE-----100 TO 150 CM
WHEAT- 75 TO 100 CM
RAGI---50 TO 100 CM
BAJRA-----40 TO 50 CM







MAJOR OIL SEEDS------- MUSTARD 1ST, SOYABEAN 2ND, GROUNDNUT, SESAMUM



bio fertilizers

phosphate solubilising bacteria is used as a bio fertilizer


millet----sorghum



KHARRIF CROPS-------COTTON,MAIZE,GROUNDNUT

RABI----MUSTARD



LARGEST PRODUCER OF GRAPES-----KARNATAKA



RICE PRODUCING STATES IN DESECNDING ORDER------WB,AP,UP,PUNJAB,TN





THE MOST ADVANTAGES CROP OF GREEN REVOLUTION IS WHEAT



HIGH YEILD VARIETY OF CROPS IN INDIA------ARJUN AND SONALIKA ARE HYBRID VARIETY OF WHEAT PRODUCED BY INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH










COTTON

KANPUR IS THE MANCHESTER OF NORTH INDIA
AHEMEDABAD IS   MANCHESTER OF INDIA
MAHARASTRA IS LEADING PRODUCER OF COTTON TEXTILE







CASH CROP------COTTON,SUGARCANE,OIL SEEDS




LOW PRODUCTIVITY IN INDIAN AGRICULTURE
1.UNECONOMIC AND FRAGMENTED HOLDINGS

NOT THE REASON IS--- NO USE OF HYV SEEDS, INEFFICIENT LABOUR FORCE




COTTON INDUSTRY PROVIDES MAXIMUM EMPLOYMENT COMPARED TO JUTE,SUGARCANE AND CEMENT INDUSTRY

main objective to buy food grains directly from framers
1.prevent black marketing

not a reason---------trade and earn revenue, become the sole controller of food grain supply





SUGARCANE---
INDIA SECOND IN PRODUCTION OF SUGARCANE AND FIRST IS BRAZIL


‘Tea’ to be declared National Drink of India by April 2013
Tea will be declared as national drink of India by April 2013. This was announced by Planning
Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia at Jorhat in Assam at a function celebrating the
212th birth anniversary of first Assamese tea planter and Sepoy Mutiny leader Maniram Dewan.
Assam government has already declared tea as the ‘State Drink’ and also asked the Centre to declare it
as the ‘National Drink’.
 Assam Tea Planters Association was the first tea producers’ association formed by the Indian planters during the pre-independence period. It was come into being on 23rd June in 1935 by 17 tea planters of the region.









* The approximate average fertilizer consumption in India per hectare of land is 140 Kg.

With average fertilizer consumption at 144.14Kg per hectare in India is using much less quantities of chemical fertilizers compared to other developing countries. But imbalance use of chemical fertilizers coupled with low addition of organic matter and neglect of micro and secondary nutrients over the years has resulted in nutrient deficiency and deterioration of soil health in many parts of the country, particularly in the intensively cultivated Indo-Gangetic plains.

* The new variety Rajarajan 1000 is of Rice Variety.

47 varieties of Hybrid paddy have been developed and released/notified for cultivation in the country. System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is being promoted under National Food Security Mission - Rice for increasing the production and productivity of rice. SRI has been named as Rajarajan 1000 to commemorate 1000 years celebration of Tanjore Big temple. SRI demonstrations under the scheme are being promoted for 0.4 hectare area each by providing the assistance of Rs.3000/- per demonstration. National Food Security Mission - Rice is being implemented in 144 districts of 16 states.












Govt demands FCI to hire private godowns to store fresh crop
Food Minister K V Thomas held that the state-run FCI (Food Corporation of India) has been called for to hire private
godowns in order to store fresh crop and he called food-grains storage as a challenging task in view of the record yield.
He held that efforts are on to make extra storage capacity for storing fresh wheat crop being procured presently by
FCI. The government currently has capacity to store 66 million tonnes of wheat and rice. He said the FCI has also been
asked to enhance its capacity utilization beyond the existing 85 per cent. He also said that the government could
consider releasing wheat and rice in the open market and through ration shops.
To this, Food Secretary B C Gupta endorsed that in order to relieve pressure on storage, the Food Ministry is taking a
proposal before the panel of Ministers to apportion extra 8 million tonnes of food-grains to BPL families.
As per the latest data released by the Agriculture Ministry, the nation is approximated to have harvested record rice
crop at 103.41 million tonne and wheat crop at 90.23 million tonnes in the 2011-12 crop year.






NHM: Centre allocates Rs 14 hundred Crore to various states
Under National Horticulture Mission (NHM), nearly Rs 14 Crore allocated by Centre in the current
financial year to several states.
Objective:
 To give impetus to promote cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers and spices.
 Making available horticultural produce, improving economic condition of farmers and increasing exports.
Under NHM, Central government contributes 85% of total outlay while 15% is contributed by State Governments. A
total of 372 districts are covered under NHM in 17 States and UTs.








Government forms NCFC to provide in season crop forecasts,
assessment of drought situation
The government launched National Crop Forecast Centre (NCFC) in New Delhi. The NCFC, named
aftergreat Indian statistician P.C. Mahalanobis, has been set up in collaboration with Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO).
With the technical support from Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad and National Remote
Sensing Centre, Hyderabad, NCFC will start providing crops forecasts and drought assessments from
this kharif season (2012-13).
 The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation prepares advance estimates of crop output through various
technologies like remote sensing and geographic information system ( GIS).
 The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) through its programme the National Agriculture Drought
Assessment and Monitoring System (NADAMS) provides data on drought assessment in various states during the
monsoon season.
Objectives and functions of the NCFC:
 Multiple forecasts of 11 major crops namely Rice (Kharif & Rabi), Jowar (Kharif & Rabi), Maize, Bajra, Jute, Ragi,
Cotton, Sugarcane and Groundnut (Kharif & Rabi), Rapeseed & Mustard and Wheat at National/State/District
Level.
 Operationalization of existing methodologies developed by ISRO regarding crop forecasts as part of Forecasting
Agricultural output using Space, Agro-meteorological and Land based observations (FASAL) and drought
assessment based on National Agricultural Drought Assessment and Monitoring System (NADAMS) Project on
immediate basis.
 Inclusion of additional crops in crop forecast and sub-district level moderate to high resolution drought
assessment in the entire country in collaboration with ISRO within a period of 2 years.
 Development & refinement of crop forecasts and drought assessment based on current and future trends in
satellite and related technologies within a period of 3 years.
 Maintenance and statistical analysis of database comprising all data generated/used as part of the FASAL and
NADAMS projects, forecast of results from India Meteorological Department (IMD), State Agricultural Statistics
Authorities (SASAs), Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), ICAR etc. for making operational forecasts of selected
crops and making the same available regularly to decision makers and identified users.
 Assimilation of results of crop forecasts information from the projects/programmes such as flood, drought
monitoring etc. and generation of the required information.
 Evolution of the Centre to coordinate use of geomatics in other fields of agriculture such as cropping system,
horticulture, soil and its health, rainfed area assessment & its management planning and estimation of damage
due to natural calamities by the end of XIIth Plan.

 In the long run, work towards assessing the crop prospects using remote sensing and geographic information
system on a global level.








India slips to 7th position in Coffee production

India slipped to 7th position in the world Coffee production in 2011-12 from 6th in the
previous year with a share of 4%. Brazil produced 33% of the world's coffee,
followed by Vietnam (15.2%), Indonesia (6.3%) and Colombia (5.9 %). The Coffee
Board has estimated 3,14,000 tons for the season in 2011-12, this includes
1,01,500 tons of Arabica and 2,12,500 tons of Robusta.









Govt to sell more grains through open market, PDS
In order to clear space for stashing away fresh grains, several options are being considered by the Govt, including
providing more food-grain into the PDS (Public Distribution System) and selling extra wheat via a re-worked open
market sale scheme.
The government plans to push in an additional 14 million tonnes of grains in the PDS this year, over and above last
year’s allocation of 56 million tonnes. A high-powered meeting on storage and procurement issues on April 30, 2012 is
anticipated to discourse all alternatives to vacate storage space. It will be chaired by PM Manmohan Singh





India forecasts average monsoon rains this year
Earth Sciences Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh held that India is probable to experience
average monsoon rains this year, thus forecasting a third straight year without drought.
Deshmukh held that the rains during the June-September season are probable to be 99% of

the long-term average. The state-run India Meteorological Department (IMD) considers rains between 96-104% of a
50-year average of 89 cms in the entire 4-month season as normal. The last time there was a drought with rains below
this range was 2009 and before that, in 2004.
The rain forecast ardently watched by traders and policymakers. Monsoon rains, essential for agricultural output and
economic growth, irrigate about 60% of farms in the world’s 2nd-biggest producer of rice, wheat, sugar and cotton.
The farm sector accounts for nearly 15% of India’s nearly $2 trillion economy.
This most recent government forecast is also in conformity with last week’s estimate of a global weather forum.
IMD held that the Monsoon is probable to have average rainfall in 2012 in spite of fears that the El Nino weather
pattern may come forth in the second half of the season. In 2009, the El Nino weather pattern turned monsoon rains
patchy, leading to the most terrible drought in almost 4 decades. Rains were within long-term averages in following
years, assisted by La Nina. El Nino, an abnormal warming of waters in the equatorial tropical Pacific, is linked with poor
rains or a drought-like situation in Southeast Asia and Australia. The La Nina weather pattern, which is linked with
heavy rains in south Asia and flooding in the Asia-Pacific region and South America, and drought in Africa, finished in
March. In the meantime before El Nino appears, weather officials articulate a neutral condition continues over the tropical Pacific.












For Climate Resilient Farming, plans being carried out by India
Implementation of several schemes/programmes intensified by India’s Agricultural Ministry in order to make
agriculture in India Climate Resilient by implanting and mainstreaming several adaption measures.
Noteworthy among these schemes/programmes are:-
 Macro Management of Agriculture
 Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)
 National Food Security Mission
 National Horticulture Mission
 National Mission on Micro Irrigation


For studying impacts of climate change on Indian agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture has also been carrying out:-
 National Network Project on Climate Change
 National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture
Agro produce has not recorded any downslope due to climate change and advancement of the seasonal cycle period.
Rather, the production of food grain has reached a record level of 244.78 million tonne during 2010-11. During this period, nation has also experienced highest ever production in wheat, pulses, oilseeds and cotton.












Govt trashes subsidy on select fertilizers
Govt has trashed the subsidy given to fertilizer companies on ‘Secondary Movement’ of Phosphatic and
Potassic fertilisers (P&K) from April 1, 2012.
 The government provides subsidy to fertilizers companies for transportation of these crop nutrients,
as per 3 components.
 But, the government will be providing freight subsidy on direct road movement of P&K fertilizers from plant or
port to the district headquarters (except single super phosphate) as per the actual distance subject to a
maximum distance of 500 km.
 The government to also provide additional freight subsidy for Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal
Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar and the 7 North-Eastern states.
Why the distance of 500 km fixed for the direct road movement by the Govt?
In order to ensure no loss of business to railways in terms of fertilizer movement.
What is ‘Primary Movement’ of fertilizers?
The movement of fertilizers from port or plant by rail to various rake points is called ‘primary movement’ and the cost
involved is reimbursed on the basis of railway receipts.
What is ‘Secondary Movement’ of fertilizers?
‘Secondary movement’ is the transportation of fertilizers from the railway rake points to the district headquarters,
which was around Rs 300 per tonne.
Why Govt aims at providing additional subsidy to North East and other hilly states?

The government aims to provide additional subsidy to North East and other hilly states owing to the difficult terrain
and high transportation cost as companies are reluctant to move fertilizers there citing under recovery on account of
freight and consequential losses.




Bt crop doubles India’s cotton output

Bt Cotton has more than doubled India’s cotton production. By 2011-12, almost 90% of cotton area is covered under Bt
cotton and production has more than doubled. Cotton crop yields have gone up almost 70% and export potential for
more than Rs 10,000 crore worth of raw cotton has been created.





Study: White rice intake increases risk of Type II diabetes
As per a Study in the British Medical Journal every serving of polished rice a day increases the risk of Type II diabetes
by 11%. Polished rice also called ‘White Rice’, and a serving refers to nearly 160 grams. As per the authors from the
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, increased consumption of white rice is linked with rise in risk of Type 2
diabetes, especially in Asian (China and Japan) populations. A stronger +ve correlation b/w polished rice intake and rise
in risk of diabetes for Asians than for Western populations.
This research may have implications for Asians, including Indians, whose staple food is rice.
Two-fold Reasons why Polished Rice (White Rice) increases the risk of Type-II Diabetes:
 White Rice mainly contains Starch and polishing removes many vital nutrients found in the bran viz.
Fibre, Magnesium, Vitamins Lignans (a group of Chemical Compounds acting as Anti-Oxidants). Also, it is has
been found that insoluble Fibre and Magnesium reduce the risk of Type-2 diabetes.
 In contrast to the Brown rice, the Polished Rice contains a High Glycaemic Index (an indicator of glucose-raising
effect of a food) and is a key contributor of dietary glycaemic load. Higher dietary Glycaemic load is generally
associated with the rise in risk of diabetes.
Thus, the damaging effects of polishing are two-fold —
a) It removes the key nutrients that would cut the risk of diabetes.
b) It raises the Glycaemic index, thus mounting the risk of the type-2 diabetes.




Rice

Scientists develop new strain of Rice that could boost Crop Yields
Scientists developed a new strain of rice that could boost the crop yields by 20%. They have identified the mysterious
gene in rice that helps its roots to absorb phosphorus more efficiently. The gene will be now transferred to
contemporary varieties of rice using classic methods of cross-breeding, not genetic engineering.
What is the need of this strain and how it will help?
 Many soil types bond tightly to phosphorus, due to this tight-bonding only a minute quantity of the mineral is
absorbed by the plant roots. To meet the needs of Phosphorus, farmers seek help of phosphorus fertilizers. But
in poor countries, this option costs too much, which means the plant is left undernourished and it leads to low
yields. The new strain will help solve this problem by making the roots of the plant efficiently absorb the mineral,
reducing the cost burden and boosting the yield.





India to record highest ever production of Rice, Wheat and cotton
As per the Union Agriculture Minister, during 2011-12 India to record highest ever production of Rice,
Wheat and Cotton. Food grain probable to touch a record level of 250.42 million tonnes. It was a result
of the efforts of the farming community supported by government initiatives and participation of
stakeholders. He also announced that various fresh initiatives to raise the agricultural production from
existing cultivated area in particular from high potential rainfed agriculture have been taken. In order to
increase the farm production, the Govt is also planning for a programme for agricultural mechanisation
during the 12th-five year plan.

The Union Agriculture Minister also informed that 2012 is being launched as the “Year of Horticulture” in order to bring horticulture development in India to the centre stage.








18 seed banks in country to aid farmers

As per the Agricultural Minister Sharad Pawar, 18 seed banks are presently functioning in India and they are sufficient
to meet the needs of the farmers. They are located in different States including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat,
Haryana, MP, Mahrarashtra, Odisha, Punjab, TN, Uttarakhand and UP.
In addition to these seed banks, National Seed Corporation and State Farms Corporation of India also maintain seed
banks.





tea

PGI tag to boost Darjeeling tea exports
 Darjeeling tea exports are set to increase by volume and value, following its registration as a Protected
Geographical Indication (PGI) product from India.
 Darjeeling Tea is the first Indian product to be recognised by the European Union as a Protected GI.