Connect with:
Saturday / September 7. 2024

logo
mobile-logo
Home2022January (Page 10)
AgroPolicy, Sugar industry

Guidelines have provision for two years moratorium and then five years of repayment expected to provide relief to financially weak sugar mills which have availed SDF loans

In order to facilitate rehabilitation of financially weak but economically viable sugar mills that have availed loans under the Sugar Development Fund Act, 1982, the Department of Food and Public Distribution issued guidelines for restructuring of SDF Loans under Rule 26 of the SDF Rules 1983 on 03.01.2022. The complete Guidelines are available at https://dfpd.gov.in/sdfguidelines-sdf.htm and at https://sdfportal.in.

The outstanding amount of default of SDF loans is Rs. 3068.31 crores (as on 30.11.2021) which include Rs. 1249.21 crores as Principal amount, Rs. 1071.30 crores as interest and Rs. 747.80 crores as additional interest due to default.

These guidelines are uniformly applicable for SDF loans availed by all types of concerns, including co-operative societies, private limited companies and public limited companies.

The guidelines have provision for two years moratorium and then five years of repayment which is expected to provide big relief to financially weak sugar mills which have availed SDF loans. Waiver of additional interest in full will be given to the eligible sugar factories. The rate of interest will be changed to the interest rate as per the prevailing bank rate on the date of approval of the rehabilitation package as per SDF Rule 26 (9) (a). These points will facilitate the reduction of the debt burden over these defaulting sugar mills.

A sugar factory that has been incurring cash losses continuously for the last three financial years or sugar factory’s net worth is negative, and the sugar factory is not closed/has not ceased to crush cane for more than two sugar seasons, excluding the current sugar season is eligible to apply for re-structuring.

Guidelines have provision for two years moratorium

Company News, Inputs, Machinery - Pre-harvesting, Machinery – Post-harvesting

The autonomous tractor will be available to farmers later this year.

John Deere, an American corporation that manufactures agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, has revealed a fully autonomous tractor at CES 2022, that’s ready for large-scale production. The machine combines Deere’s 8R tractor, TruSet-enabled chisel plow, GPS guidance system, and new advanced technologies. The autonomous tractor will be available to farmers later this year.

The autonomous tractor serves a specific purpose: feeding the world. The global population is expected to grow from about 8 billion to nearly 10 billion people by 2050, increasing the global food demand by 50 per cent. All of these factors impact a farmer’s ability to farm during the most critical times of the year.

  • The autonomous tractor has six pairs of stereo cameras, which enables 360-degree obstacle detection and the calculation of distance.
  • The autonomous tractor is also continuously checking its position relative to a geofence, ensuring it is operating where it is supposed to, and is within less than an inch of accuracy.

To use the autonomous tractor, farmers only need to transport the machine to a field and configure it for autonomous operation. Using John Deere Operations Centre Mobile, they can swipe from left to right to start the machine.

John Deere Operations Centre Mobile provides access to live video, images, data and metrics, and allows a farmer to adjust speed, depth and more.

The fully autonomous tractor will be on display from January 5-8, 2022 at John Deere’s CES booth, located in Central Plaza at the Las Vegas Convention Centre.

The autonomous tractor will be available to

Agrotech, Dairy, Supply Chain

The collaboration is aimed at helping organisations across the large, in-country supply chain leverage innovative technologies designed to meet regulatory and consumer demands.

PerkinElmer Inc, a global leader committed to innovating for a healthier world, has announced a collaboration with Everest Instrument as its head dairy solutions distributor in India. Everest Instruments is a leading, advanced automation, digital solution, and device provider for the Indian dairy industry. The collaboration is aimed at helping organisations across the large, in-country supply chain leverage innovative technologies designed to meet regulatory and consumer demands, like the recently announced PerkinElmer IndiScope FT-IR raw milk analyser.

Commenting on the value that the collaboration will bring to customers, Shripad Joshi, president, PerkinElmer India & South Asia, said, “India is the world’s leading producer of milk and the Indian government is promoting quality production through intensive infrastructure development and dairy development programmes. Our exciting connection with Everest Instruments will help us further assist India’s dairy industry as it looks to meet growing regulations and ever-evolving consumer demands more effectively and efficiently. Our new IndiScope analyser, for example, developed in India and available globally, establishes key quality indicators and detects adulterants right at milk collection points in just 30 seconds.”

PerkinElmer’s dairy and milk testing portfolio covers composition testing, as well as detection of veterinary residues, adulterants and pathogens in liquid and solid forms, spanning from collection points through processing and food production plants.

The collaboration is aimed at helping organisations

Agrotech

According to the report, the fastest-growing market is North America and the largest market is Asia Pacific

The global agriculture equipment market size was estimated at $112.84 billion in 2021. The agriculture equipment includes various mechanised equipment such as tractors, harvesters, plant protection equipment, and irrigation equipment that helps in agricultural activities. This modern and technologically advanced equipment helps in producing higher yields with fewer efforts. Further, it saves time by boosting the activities, reduces the use of labour, and saves labour cost.

Agriculture is the primary source of food across the globe. And with the rapid increase in the global population, the demand for food has increased rapidly, creating pressure on the food supply chain. Therefore, the demand for modern agriculture equipment has increased in order to obtain higher yields in less time, thereby propelling the growth of the global agriculture equipment market.

The growth rate from 2021 to 2030 has been projected at a CAGR of 4.6 per cent. According to the report, the fastest-growing market is North America and the largest market is Asia Pacific. The companies covered are CNH Industrial NV, EXEL Industries, Mahindra and Mahindra, Deere & Company, Kubota Corporation, Tractor and Farm Equipment, AGCO Corporation, SDF S.p.a., Bucher Industries AG, CLAAS, ISEKI & Co.

According to the report, the fastest-growing market

Agro Universities

The handbook covers statistics of Punjab, soil testing laboratories in Punjab, the minimum support price of different crops

The agricultural handbook and desk calendar of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) were released by DK Tiwari, Vice-Chancellor and Financial Commissioner, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. Both the handbook and calendar have been published by the Communication Centre, PAU. Tiwari lauded PAU’s efforts in bringing out the calendar and handbook which covers statistics of Punjab, soil testing laboratories in Punjab, the minimum support price of different crops, improved crop varieties recommended in Punjab, planting of orchards, list of fruit nurseries, ornamental trees for Punjab, etc.

Dr Jaskarn Singh Mahal, Director of Extension Education, said the handbook also highlights a summary of a package of practices for vegetable crops, recommendations of fruit trees according to zones, important plant diseases and their management, etc.

Dr Tejinder Singh Riar, Additional Director Communication, said the Handbook aims at promoting crop diversification in Punjab.

Present on the occasion were Dilraj Singh, Secretary, Agriculture, Punjab; Dr Gurvinder Singh, Director of Agriculture, Punjab; and Krunesh Garg, Member, Punjab Pollution Control Board.

PAU also released a brochure of the Communication Centre of PAU. Speaking on the ocassion, Dr Jaskarn Singh Mahal, Director of Extension Education, said the centre plays a significant role in disseminating and updating the scientific knowledge of farmers through, print, electronic and social media. The centre has given a new direction to its programmes keeping in view the challenging times of pandemic, he added. Since its inception, it started with farm publications and presently, it is spreading its wings across Punjab and other states through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools.

The handbook covers statistics of Punjab, soil

Agro chems – Pesticides, Company News

The company is the leading manufacturer of pesticides

Ahmedabad-based Meghmani Organics has acquired Kilburn Chemicals for Rs 132 crores. The company is the leading manufacturer of pesticides present across the entire value chain with a strong pool of product baskets and a global presence in almost all continents. The company is also into the manufacturing of Phthalocyanine-based pigments with 14 per cent global market share and amongst top three (capacity wise) global pigments players.

The company is the leading manufacturer of

Company News

The company has been advised by expert non-profit Good Food Institute India (GFI India) on product and positioning strategy

ITC will launch plant-based burger patties and nuggets providing the taste of chicken to consumers through retail, e-commerce and foodservice establishments in the country’s top eight cities. The company has been advised by expert non-profit Good Food Institute India (GFI India) on product and positioning strategy.

Hemant Malik, Divisional Chief Executive – Foods, ITC said “There is no large pan-Indian brand in the plant-based protein segment in India. We have worked with some global partners to ensure there is no compromise either on the product texture, quality and taste. We want to
enjoy the early mover advantage in India. The meat market is huge with 72 per cent of Indians being non-vegetarians and [the market] is estimated today at $45 billion. Given the growing concerns around wellness and sustainability, India has the potential to emerge as a large market for plant-based alternatives.”

The company has been advised by expert

Agro Universities, Live Stock, Nature

The MoU will ensure the widespread availability of anti-methanogenic supplements across different parts of the country and seasons

ICAR-NIANP and Radiant Chem Industries, Chennai have entered a functional-industry linkage through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for undertaking collaborative research to develop the anti-methanogenic product (s) using industrially available tannins. The MoU was signed by Dr Raghavendra Director, ICAR-NIANP and Bharat Jain from Radiant Chem Industries, Chennai. To ensure the widespread availability of anti-methanogenic supplements across different parts of the country and seasons the MoU will play a key role.

The contribution of global cattle and buffaloes to the annual enteric methane emission is 77 and 13 per cent, respectively. India has about 13 per cent of the global population of cattle and 53 per cent of the global population of buffaloes and these account for 4.92 and 2.91 Tg of annual global enteric methane emission from the respective species.

ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology has carried out systematic and comprehensive research and developed phyto-sources based anti-methanogenic products such as Harit Dhara and Tamarin Plus.

The MoU will ensure the widespread availability

AgroPolicy, Trade

APEDA basket rose to $20,674 million during 2020-21 from $17,321 million in 2011-12.

According to data by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), exports of agricultural and processed food products under Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) basket rose to $20,674 million (Rs 15,30,50 crore) during 2020-21, from $17,321 million (Rs 83,484 crore) in 2011-12.

Non-Basmati Rice has emerged as India’s top export item among the many agricultural and processed food product exports under APEDA basket, contributing close to one fourth of the total exports in 2020-21.

Top three products in the APEDA export basket in 2020-21 were Non-Basmati Rice (23.22 per cent share), Basmati Rice (19.44 per cent) and Buffalo Meat (15.34 per cent) and these products together account for 58 per cent of total shipments.

India’s Non-Basmati rice exports was valued at $4799.91 million (Rs 35,477 crore) in 2020-21, with Basmati Rice exports a close second at $4018.71 million (Rs 29,850 crore), followed by Buffalo Meat exports at $3171.19 million (Rs23,460 crore).

Benin, Nepal, Bangladesh, Senegal and Togo were the top importers of Non-Basmati Rice from India in 2020-21. Major export destinations for Basmati Rice in 2020-21 were Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Yemen and United Arab Emirates. For Buffalo Meat exports, the top importing nations were Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, Egypt and Indonesia.

“We continue to focus on creating infrastructure for boosting exports by focusing on clusters in collaboration with state governments while taking into consideration aim of Agriculture Export Policy, 2018,” Dr M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA, said. 

The rise in export of agricultural and processed food products has been largely due to the various initiatives taken by APEDA such as organising B2B exhibitions in different countries, exploring new potential markets through product specific and general marketing campaigns by active involvement of Indian Embassies.

APEDA basket rose to $20,674 million during

Agro Universities, Live Stock

GADVASU organised a one-week training programme on Scientific Pig Farming for SC farmers of Punjab under the scheme RKVY-12-B.

The Department of Livestock Production Management, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana has recently organised a one-week training programme on Scientific Pig Farming for SC beneficiaries/farmers of Punjab under the scheme RKVY-12-B.

Dr Kulvinder Singh Sandhu, Dr Daljeet Kaur, and Dr Subhash Chandra coordinated the training under the leadership of Dr Yashpal Singh, course director and head of the department. Ten trainees participated in the training programme and attained knowledge on the various aspects of scientific pig farming like breeds and its selection, feeding, housing, clean meat production, vaccination protocols, disease prevention and economics of pig farming.

Practical exposure on scientific managemental practices like handling, recording of temperature, record keeping and needle teeth cutting was given to the trainees. Dr Parkash Singh Brar, Director Extension Education was the chief guest and distributed the certificates to the trainees. Dr Brar informed that a large population is still involved in unhygienic and low-profit unscientific pig farming, so there is a need to train the farmers to adopt scientific pig farming to increase their profit.

Commodities like 25 kg starter feed and university mineral mixture along with five-year Vigiyanak Pashu Palan subscription were distributed to encourage the trainees to shift to scientific pig farming practices.

GADVASU organised a one-week training programme on

Finance

The first tranche of $750M was raised in March and April 2021.

UPL Limited a global leader of crop protection products and sustainable agricultural solutions has announced, has raised a second tranche of $700 million sustainability linked loan (SLL) on December 31, 2021, with a reduction of interest cost by 35bps and an opportunity for a further reduction of 5bps on achievement of sustainability indicators agreed with the banks.

The first tranche of $750 million was raised in March and April 2021. Of the $1.45 billion, the debt maturity for $1.25 billion gets extended by two years to FY 2026 (against FY2024 earlier).

In 2021, the company was ranked as the highest performing top tier, global crop protection company amongst its peers by Sustainalytics for the second year running. UPL also recorded strong performances in the most recent Dow Jones Sustainability Index (61 per cent improvement on 2018 score) and FTSE Russell (68 per cent higher than industry average).

UPL is on a mission to re-imagine sustainability across everything it does – developing and distributing solutions that secure our future whilst safeguarding the environment.

The first tranche of $750M was raised

Agrotech, Finance

CNH Industrial is committed to delivering value to its shareholders and stakeholders

CNH Industrial officially commences 2022 trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in the US and Borsa Italiana’s Euronext Milan in Italy as a fully focussed agriculture and construction player. As the parent company to globally respected agriculture and construction brands and the innovations and services that drive them, CNH Industrial is committed to delivering value to its shareholders and stakeholders.

The new beginning for the CNHI ticker is the result of a long-planned strategic operation to separate CNH Industrial’s ‘On’ and ‘Off’ Highway businesses. Since announcing the spin-off in 2019, management has worked to set up the new organisation and set out its long-term priorities. With the delivery of this milestone, the company looks forward to presenting its future direction at its Capital Markets Day on February 22, 2022. Details on this event and live stream will be forthcoming.

“Today we are excited to usher in the new CNH Industrial, the result of detailed strategic planning, hard work and boundless determination. I want to congratulate our entire team, and our Senior Leadership Team in particular, for driving this to completion and thank the Board of Directors for overseeing this operation to its successful conclusion. As a pure player in agriculture and construction, we will bring our undivided attention to bear on supporting our customers and dealers. This involves developing innovative products and processes to enhance productivity; accelerate profitable growth, and spearhead our ambitious ESG plans to ensure we act in full respect of people and the planet,” said Scott W Wine, CEO, CNH Industrial.

CNH Industrial is committed to delivering value

Supply Chain

Under the agreement, Nisun will provide Biandijin with procurement services for grain and oil products.

Nisun International Enterprise Development Group, a provider of innovative comprehensive solutions through an integration of technology, industry, and finance, has announced that it has signed a cooperative supply chain agreement with Henan Huangchuan Biandijin AGRI-FOOD (Biandijin). Under the agreement, Nisun will provide Biandijin with procurement services for grain and oil products, including rice, millet, mung bean, sesame and flour, among others.

Biandijin is a comprehensive grain processing enterprise that engages in the purchase, processing and sale of grain and oil products. It serves retail customers through grocery chains in Henan province and well-known domestic enterprises, such as Sanquan Food and Synear Food, through cooperation.

With the agriculture industry as one of its core service segments, Nisun implements a comprehensive digital management process from procurement, warehousing, logistics, sales to operations in providing solutions to the grain and oilseeds supply chain, a sub-sector of agri-food industry chain. Under the agreement, Nisun will leverage its advanced technology, equipped with risk control measures, to serve Biandijin with professional, high-quality, end-to-end supply chain products with a digitalised, networked and standardised operating model. Simultaneously, Nisun will help Biandijin address challenges attributable to increased demand for grain and oil products through centralised procurement. In addition, through Nisun’s systematic management and effective control over core points in supply chain, Biandijin will be able to further expand, enhance competitiveness and achieve sustainable growth.

Under the agreement, Nisun will provide Biandijin

Agro chems – Fertilizers, Agro Universities, Agrotech, R&D

Discussions were held on doubling farmers’ income in the country

Dr Ashok Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR recently inaugurated the administrative building and farmers’ hostel of KVK, Dahigaon, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. In his inaugural speech, Dr Singh highlighted the KVK’s efforts for doubling the farmers’ income in the country. The DDG stated that the introduction of additional enterprises like poultry farming; goat rearing, horticulture nursery and mushroom cultivation, etc., will help in doubling the farmers’ income.

The Government of India’s focus on natural farming and organic farming by the use of bio-fertilisers, bio-pesticides and judicious use of chemical fertilisers was underlined by Dr Singh. The Deputy Director-General stressed linking the farmers with markets through the Farmers’ Producers’ Organizations (FPOs), crop residue management, conservation agriculture, reducing the cost of cultivation, processing and value addition.

Dr Narendra Ghule Patil, President, Marutrao Ghule Patil Shikshan Sanstha highlighted the challenges and opportunities in front of farmers and the role of KVK in resolving them more strategically.

In his address, Dr Lakhan Singh, Director, ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra applauded the KVK’s work, especially, the large scale adoption of BDN-711 (Pigeon Pea), Phule Vikram (Chickpea), Phule Samadhan (Wheat), Sugarcane Nursery and Climate-Resilient Technologies.

The senior officials of the State Department of Maharashtra along with ICAR Institutes, State Agricultural Universities and more than 200 farmers and extension functionaries participated in the event.

Discussions were held on doubling farmers’ income