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Acquaculture, AgroPolicy, Finance, India, Schemes - NABARD

Financing for shrimp farming, processing and export will be facilitated through NABARD.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2024-25. In the first budget of the Modi 3.0 government, Sitharaman said that government has drawn a road map for Vikasit Bharat with 9 priorities agenda which includes productivity and resilience in agriculture and energy security.

The Union Finance Minister said financial support for setting up a network of Nucleus Breeding Centres for Shrimp Broodstocks will be provided.  Sitharaman said Financing for shrimp farming, processing and export will be facilitated through NABARD.

Financing for shrimp farming, processing and export

AgroPolicy, Finance, India, Schemes - Govt

This substantial funding is set to bring transformative changes to India’s agricultural landscape.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2024-25. In the first budget of the Modi 3.0 government, Sitharaman said that government has drawn a road map for Vikasit Bharat with 9 priorities agenda which includes productivity and resilience in agriculture and energy security.

While presenting Union Budget 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that Rs 1.52 lakh crore has been allocated for agriculture and allied sectors in the Budget for 2024-25 fiscal. Stating that agriculture was a key agenda of the government, Sitharaman said productivity and resilience will be in focus when formulating policies. This substantial funding is set to bring transformative changes to India’s agricultural landscape.

This substantial funding is set to bring

AgroPolicy, Finance, India, Schemes - Govt

Around 6 crore farmers will be brought into the Farmer Registry System. Kisan credit cards will be enabled in at least five states.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while presenting the Union Budget 2024 on July 23 that Government has set out an ambitious plan to facilitate implementation of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in agriculture over 3 years, bringing over 6 crore farmers under the formal land registry system.

Sitharaman added that Buoyed by the success of pilot projects, the government will facilitate implementation of DPI for agriculture over the next 3 years. Under the project Agri Stack the government plans to conduct digital crop survey in 400 districts in FY2024, bringing over 6 crore farmers into the formal Farmer Registry System.

 FM said that around 6 crore farmers will be brought into the Farmer Registry System. Kisan credit cards will be enabled in at least five states.

Around 6 crore farmers will be brought

AgroPolicy, India, Oilseeds, Pulses, Vegetables

Government will promote Farmer Producer Organisations, cooperatives and startups for vegetable supply chain including for collection and storage and marketing.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2024-25. In the first budget of the Modi 3.0 government, Sitharaman said that we have drawn road map for Vikasit Bharat with 9 priorities agenda which includes productivity and resilience in agriculture and energy security.

Mission for pulses and oil seeds

The FM said that in order to achieve self -sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds, government will strengthen its production, storage and marketing. As announced in the interim budget, a strategy has been put in place to achieve Atma Nirbharta in oilseeds such as mustard, groundnuts, sesame, soyabean and sunflowers.

Vegetable production and supply chain

A large-scale cluster for vegetable production will be developed closer to major consumption centres. Government will promote Farmer Producer Organisations, cooperatives and startups for vegetable supply chain including for collection and storage and marketing.

Government will promote Farmer Producer Organisations, cooperatives

AgroPolicy, India, Organic

 Implementation of Natural farming will be done through Scientific institutions and willing grampanchayats.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2024-25. In the first budget of the Modi 3.0 government, Sitharaman said that we have drawn road map for Vikasit Bharat with 9 priorities agenda which includes productivity and resilience in agriculture and energy security.

FM said that in the next two years 1 crore farmers across the country will be initiated into natural farming. Government will support them with certification and branding. Implementation will be done through Scientific institutions and willing grampanchayats. 10,000 need-based bio-input resources will be established

 Implementation of Natural farming will be done

AgroPolicy, R&D

 Government will undertake a comprehensive review of agricultural research set up to bring the focus on increasing productivity and developing climate resilient varieties of crops

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2024-25. In the first budget of the Modi 3.0 government, Sitharaman said that we have drawn road map for Vikasit Bharat with 9 priorities agenda which includes productivity and resilience in agriculture, energy security.

FM said the government will focus on transformation agricultural research. Government will undertake a comprehensive review of agricultural research set up to bring the focus on increasing productivity and developing climate resilient varieties of crops. Government will provide funding to research in private sector. Domain experts from government and private sector will oversee the conduct of such research.

Sitharam also said that 109 new high -yielding and climate resilient varieties of 32 field and horticulture crops will be released for cultivation by farmers.

 Government will undertake a comprehensive review of

Agribusiness, AgroPolicy, Allied Industry, Finance, India

Livestock sector grows at CAGR of 7.38 per cent; fisheries sector grows at 8.9 per cent between 2014- 15 and 2022-23.

Economic Survey 2023-24 was presented in the Parliament today by Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Economic Survey shows that the allied sectors of Indian agriculture are steadily emerging as robust growth centres and promising sources for improving farm incomes. From 2014-15 to 2022-23, the livestock sector grew at an impressive Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.38 per cent at constant prices. The contribution of livestock to the total GVA (at constant prices) in agriculture and allied sectors increased from 24.32 per cent in 2014-15 to 30.38 per cent in 2022-23. In 2022-23, the livestock sector contributed 4.66 per cent of the total GVA, significantly boosting the per capita availability of milk, eggs, and meat. The fisheries sector, a crucial contributor to the Indian economy, makes up about 6.72 per cent of the agricultural GVA and has grown at compound annual rate of 8.9 per cent between 2014-15 and 2022-23 (at constant prices). This “sunrise sector” supports approximately 30 million people, particularly marginalised and vulnerable communities.

Economic Survey states that the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) facilitates investments from individual entrepreneurs, private companies, FPOs, and Section 8 companies and Diary Cooperative (included by merging Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund in AHIDF) in key areas like dairy processing, meat processing, animal feed plants, and breed improvement technology. The government provides a 3 per cent interest subvention to the borrower and a credit guarantee of up to 25 per cent of total borrowing. As of May 2024, 408 projects have been sanctioned by the lending banks/ NABARD/NDDB worth Rs 13.861 Crore, generating 40,000 direct employment opportunities and benefiting more than 42 lakh farmers.

Economic Survey stated that in 2022-23, India achieved a record fish production of 17.54 million tons, ranking third globally and accounting for 8 per cent of global production. To bolster this sector, a comprehensive intervention has been developed in the form of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) with the objective to enhance seed and fish production and other extension services. To address the sector’s infrastructure needs, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) was introduced in 2018-19 with a total fund size of Rs 7.52 thousand Crore. So far, 121 proposals have been recommended for Rs 5.59 thousand Crore as a concessional rate.

Food Processing Sector:

As per Economic Survey, India is the largest producer of milk and the second largest producer of fruits, vegetables and sugar. The food processing industry in India is one of the largest employers in organized manufacturing, with a 12.02 per cent share in the total employment in the organised sector. The value of agri-food exports, including processed food exports during 2022-23, was USD46.44Billion, accounting for about 11.7 per cent of India’s total exports. The share of processed food exports also increased from 14.9 per cent in 2017-18 to 23.4 percent in 2022-23.

Economic Survey highlights that the GVA in the food processing sector has increased from ₹1.30 lakh crore in 2013-14 to Rs 1.92 lakh crore in 2022-23. The sector constituted 7.66 per cent of GVA in Manufacturing in 2022-23 at 2011-12 prices.

Livestock sector grows at CAGR of 7.38

AgroPolicy, Finance, India

 Total area coverage of all oilseeds has increased from 25.60 million hectares in 2014-15 to 30.08 million hectares in 2023-24 registering 17.5 growth.

Economic Survey 2023-24 presented in the Parliament today by Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Economic Survey says that smallholder farmers need to move to high-value agriculture. The Survey says once the incomes of smallholders increase, they will demand manufactured goods, spurring a manufacturing revolution.

Economic Survey says that the Indian agriculture sector provides livelihood support to about 42.3 per cent of the population and has a share of 18.2 per cent in the country’s GDP at current prices. The sector has been buoyant, which is evident from the fact that it has registered an average annual growth rate of 4.18 per cent at constant prices over the last five years and as per provisional estimates for 2023-24, the growth rate of the agriculture sector stood at 1.4 percent.

Economic Survey states that the Investment in agriculture research and support of enabling policies have contributed substantially to food security. It is estimated that for every rupee invested in agricultural research (including education), there is a payoff of Rs 13.85. In 2022-23, Rs 19.65 thousand Crore was spent on agriculture research.

Economic Survey calls for enhancing private sector investment in agriculture saying it is vital to provide impetus to the agriculture sector. Investment in technology, production methods, marketing infrastructure, and reduction in post-harvest losses need to be scaled up. A greater focus on post-harvest infrastructure and the development of the food processing sector can reduce wastage/loss and increase the length of storage, ensuring better prices for the farmers.

Economic Survey says that in 2022-23, foodgrain production hit an all-time high of 329.7 million tonnes, and oilseeds production reached 41.4 million tonnes. In 2023-24, food grain production is slightly lower at 328.8 million tonnes, primarily because of poor and delayed monsoons. The domestic availability of edible oil has risen from 86.30 lakh tonnes in 2015-16 to 121.33 lakh tonnes in 2023-24. The total area coverage of all oilseeds has increased from 25.60 million hectares in 2014-15 to 30.08 million hectares in 2023-24(17.5 percent growth). This has reduced the percentage share of imported edible oil, from 63.2 per cent in 2015-16 to 57.3 per cent in 2022-23, despite rising domestic demand and consumption patterns.

Economic Survey suggests that to promote efficiency in agriculture marketing, and improve price discovery, the government implemented the e-NAM Scheme and as of 14th March 2024, more than 1.77 Crore farmers and 2.56 Lakh traders have been registered on the e-NAM portal. The Government of India launched the scheme to form and promote 10,000 FPOs in 2020 with a budget outlay of Rs 6.86 thousand crore till 2027-28. As of 29 February 2024, 8,195 FPOs have registered under the new FPO scheme, and equity grants of Rs 157.4 crore were released to 3,325 FPOs. Credit guarantees cover worth ₹278.2 crore was issued to 1,185 FPOs.

Economic Survey states that the Agricultural price support assures farmers of remunerative returns, increasing income and allows the Government to ensure a stable supply of staples at reasonable prices. Accordingly, the Government has been increasing the MSP for all Kharif, Rabi and other commercial crops with a margin of at least 50 per cent over the all-India weighted average cost of production since the agricultural year 2018-19.

Economic Survey shows that to provide social security to the most vulnerable farmer families, the Government implements Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojna (PMKMY). The scheme offers a monthly pension of Rs 3,000 to the enrolled farmers on the attainment of 60 years of age, based on a nominal premium between Rs 55 to Rs 200 per month paid by the applicant (in the age group 18 to 40 years) subject to exclusion criteria. As of 07 July 2024, 23.41 lakh farmers have enrolled under the scheme.

Economic Survey, on focusing to reduce the use of chemical fertilizer, states that the PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment, and amelioration of Mother Earth (PM-PRANAM) initiative incentivises states to reduce chemical fertiliser use. It promotes sustainable methods such as the use of alternative fertilisers, viz. Nano Urea, Nano DAP, and organic fertiliser.

 Total area coverage of all oilseeds has

Agro Universities, Animal Health, India, R&D

 The novel method of blood collection will be helpful for research purposes.

ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been granted a patent for an invention entitled ‘A new and safe method of blood collection from farm Pigs’.

The invention describes an innovative technique of blood collection in which blood is collected from a different anatomical site of farm pigs which has not been described earlier in patented and non-patented literature. The invention does not require any premedication before the collection of blood and at least 20-30 ml of blood can be collected at a time from an animal. This technique is applicable to pigs of any age group and blood can be collected multiple times a day. In the present investigation, blood can be collected without any discomfort to the animals, does not require any special care after collection of blood and animals can be returned immediately to their respective pens.  Thus, the novel method of blood collection will be helpful for research purposes.

This technology was invented by a team of scientists comprising Dr. Arun Kumar De, Dr. Perumal P, Dr. Jai Sunder, Dr T. Sujatha, Dr. D. Bhattacharya, Dr. P.A. Bala and Dr. E.B. Chakurkar

 The novel method of blood collection will

Agbiologicals, Agribusiness, Biostimulants, Middle East countries, R&D

More than one dozen novel microbes identified for row crops suffering from extreme weather conditions.

 Israel based ICL, a leading global specialty minerals company, and Lavie Bio Ltd., a leading ag-biologicals company and subsidiary of Evogene Ltd. announced a significant milestone in their collaboration to develop bio-stimulant solutions for key row crops facing various abiotic stresses. By leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), Lavie Bio has computationally identified more than a dozen novel microbial candidates believed to have commercial viability as bio-stimulants for crops grown under extreme weather conditions, including drought.  While this process can normally take several years, the collaboration achieved success within its first 12 months – thanks to Lavie Bio’s proprietary Biology Driven Design (BDD) technology platform.

The ambitious AI-driven program, jointly developed by ICL and Lavie Bio, has identified novel microbe-based biological solutions that, when combined with fertilizers, are expected to be a game changer in overcoming various abiotic stresses under different weather conditions. By focusing on bio-stimulants that enhance crop resilience to such conditions, the collaboration has aimed to deliver tangible benefits to farmers, including a 5% to 10% increase in yield, on average.

As part of this AI-driven achievement, more than a dozen novel microbe candidates, which met the product requirements for efficacy, stability, shelf life and fertilizer compatibility, were computationally identified and verified in multiple greenhouse trials. The microbes were discovered and validated using Lavie Bio’s BDD technology platform, powered by Evogene’s MicroBoost AI tech-engine, and achieved a remarkable prediction rate from computer modelling to greenhouse validation – a rate ten times higher than the industry standard, according to company estimates.

This success paves the way for field trials in both the U.S. and Brazil in the second half of 2024, with results available by year-end. Lavie Bio will continue to leverage AI to drive product development and optimization, while ICL will guide the development and lead the way to product commercialization. The parties aim to start the regulatory process in 2026, just three years from program initiation.

“We are pleased to collaborate with Lavie Bio in the search for a novel solution to address a significant and proven market need in regions strategic to ICL,” said Dr. Elinor Erez, vice president of R&D for ICL Growing Solutions. “This partnership exemplifies our commitment to pioneering advanced and unique biostimulant solutions for our customers, which aligns with our strategic vision to lead in agricultural innovation and sustainability and ensuring food security. The discovery process yielded candidate microbes that were validated in the green house, thanks to Lavie Bio’s exceptional capabilities and their structured and efficient discovery platform. We are excited to move forward to field trials and are confident any future novel product will revolutionize how the agricultural community approaches plant resilience and productivity.”      

“We are very proud of the collaborations’ significant progress, which was achieved by leveraging artificial intelligence to drive rapid advancements in our research,” said Amit Noam, CEO of Lavie Bio. “Using ICL’s deep agricultural expertise has been essential in focusing Lavie Bio’s discovery efforts and has enabled us to advance to field trials in multiple target geographies quickly. Our team did a remarkable job of pushing our discovery process and platform to new heights, continuously improving computational accuracy and reducing both the time and cost to market for our novel products.”

More than one dozen novel microbes identified

Agribusiness, Agro chems – Fertilizers, Company News, Europe, Sustainability

The partnership that helps drive the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices will include approximately 1,000 farms, covering a total of around 128,000 hectares across the EU and the UK.

PepsiCo Europe and Yara announced today a long-term partnership in Europe aimed at providing farmers with crop nutrition programs to help decarbonize the food value chain.

As part of the partnership, which spans multiple countries, participating PepsiCo Europe farmers will be equipped with best-in-class crop nutrition products and advice as well as precision farming digital tools. This will allow them to increase nutrient use efficiency (NUE), boost yields and reduce the carbon footprint of their crops. Yara, the leading crop nutrition company in Europe, will supply PepsiCo with the products and services.

The partnership, which will help drive the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices, will include approximately 1,000 farms, covering a total of around 128,000 hectares across the European Union and the UK. Efforts will initially focus on potatoes, a key crop for PepsiCo, and then expand to other crops such as oats and corn. Fertilizers are the biggest opportunity to reduce emissions as fertilizer production and in-field emissions account for half of PepsiCo’s average potato carbon footprint in Europe.

This partnership will also further scale up sustainable nutrient management practices across the PepsiCo farmer groups. This will include full season crop and soil data capture and monitoring using PepsiCo’s CropTrak and ML Analytics tool, and will be complemented by Yara’s digital solutions offering, for example digital satellite imagery via the AtFarm platform and the MegaLab soil analysis.

Yara will deliver up to 165,000 tons of fertilizer per year to PepsiCo, covering around 25 per cent of their crop fertilizer needs in Europe by 2030. These fertilizers will be mostly Yara Climate Choice fertilizers, which include low-carbon footprint fertilizers produced from either renewable ammonia (Herøya, Norway) or low-carbon ammonia via carbon capture and storage (CCS), currently under construction in Yara Sluiskil. The mix will also include Yara’s standard premium nitrate-based mineral fertilizers produced using natural gas, which have a carbon footprint that is around 50% lower than most non-EU fertilizers thanks to the use of catalyst technology. The aim of the partnership is to upgrade to Yara Climate Choice fertilizers over time as production scales up and technologies mature so that all of the 165,000 p.a. tons are Yara Climate Choice fertilizers by 2030.

The collaboration underlines the companies’ shared commitment to building a more sustainable food system in line with the European Union’s climate targets. At the same time, it will support farmers through transition costs to ensure their livelihoods are not adversely impacted.

“This partnership with Yara aligns with our end-to-end transformation known as PepsiCo Positive (pep+) and will be critical as we transition towards the net-zero food system of the future. Targeting Scope 3 emissions is central to our pep+ agenda, but it can be one of the most challenging areas to directly influence. Providing our farmers with fertilizers that have a lower carbon footprint and supporting them to improve crop nutrition end-to-end will allow us to make a significant step towards our target of achieving net zero by 2040,” said Archana Jagannathan, Chief Sustainability Officer at PepsiCo Europe.

“To grow a nature-positive food future and transform our food system, we need to collaborate across the food value chain. We’re excited to work with first movers like PepsiCo to help make this a reality. Decarbonizing food production will be critical to delivering on the Paris Agreement – and farmers will play a key role in helping us get there,” said Mónica Andrés Enríquez, Executive Vice President for Europe at Yara.

The partnership that helps drive the adoption

Agro Universities, Company News, R&D

The scholarship embodies joint commitment of CIMMYT and DCM Shriram to nurture next generation of researchers and foster innovation in agricultural sciences.

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) unveiled the bust of Dr Sanjaya Rajaram – One of world’s most influential wheat breeders and World Food Prize Laureate and– at the DialogueNEXT conference, held at CIMMYT, Mexico on 10-11 July 2024. This momentous event featured the launch of the ‘Rajaram-DCM Shriram Scholarship,’ aimed at fostering the next generation of agricultural scientists while honouring Dr. Rajaram’s legacy.

‘Rajaram-DCM Shriram Scholarship’ is a result of a long and fruitful association between CIMMYT and DCM Shriram Ltd reflecting their shared vision to help farmers achieve higher productivity in wheat. The scholarship embodies their joint commitment to nurture next generation of researchers and foster innovation in agricultural sciences. The unveiling of Dr Rajaram’s bust is a tribute to his enduring influence in agriculture and lifelong dedication to improving global food systems.

Sanjay Chhabra, Executive Director and Business Head, states, “All of us, at DCM Shriram, are proud of our fruitful association with CIMMYT and with Dr Rajaram. The Wheat Seed Development Program at DCM Shriram is driven by Dr Rajaram’s passion and it continues to deliver superior wheat varieties to the Indian farmers.”

Anand Shriram, Senior Vice President, adds, “We, at DCM Shriram, are extremely delighted to have contributed to building this memorial bust of Dr Rajaram and in setting up the “Rajaram – DCM Shriram Scholarship” to help young scientists upgrade their skills. It will not only offer financial support to outstanding students focused on research and innovation in crop improvement but also inspire aspiring scientists through the profound legacy of Dr Rajaram.”

The scholarship embodies joint commitment of CIMMYT

Agribusiness, Farm Mechanisation, Finance, India, Machinery - Pre-harvesting, Machinery – Post-harvesting

The plant produces approximately 2,000 tractor variants, ranging from 35 to 120 horsepower across the two brands.

CNH, a global leader in agriculture with its New Holland and Case IH brands –marks the production milestone of 700,000 tractors at its manufacturing site in Greater Noida. The plant produces approximately 2,000 tractor variants, ranging from 35 to 120 horsepower across the two brands. Gerrit Marx, the new CEO of CNH attended the milestone ceremony during his recent visit to India – affirming the Company’s commitment to this market and its continued growth.

Since commencing production in 1999, the site has expanded its capacity to produce 60,000 tractors annually. Currently, the Greater Noida plant manufactures tractors, engines, Power Take Offs (PTOs), and axles for the domestic market and exports to over 75 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and North America.

“I’m delighted to celebrate the milestone of manufacturing 700,000 tractors together with our CEO and the India team. This accomplishment underscores our dedication to ‘Made in India’ and advancing agricultural development in the country,” commented Narinder Mittal, Country Manager & Managing Director, CNH India & SAARC. “It is a result of our team’s hard work and reaffirms our customers’ trust in our products. India holds a significant position on the international stage, offering immense opportunities and scale. Our focus on technology and innovation will continue to drive our success here.”

Spread over 60 acres, the Greater Noida plant is one of the most advanced tractor manufacturing sites in the country with some 1,200 employees. The facility prides itself on promoting sustainability, using energy from solar panels installed on its roof, and its ongoing afforestation project that adopts the Miyawaki Project Methodology – namely densely planting a range of native woodland plants.

CNH India operates in the country through its Case IH, New Holland, and CASE Construction Equipment brands, delivering for over 25 years on its promise to provide world-class products from its ‘Made in India’ operations. In 2018, the company launched its financing arm CNH Capital India to offer financing solutions across its portfolio.

The plant produces approximately 2,000 tractor variants,

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Foodgrains, India, Oilseeds

By measuring moisture levels, farmers and traders can ensure better preservation, reduce risks of spoilage, and maintain optimal conditions for storage and transportation.

The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India organized a meeting with all stakeholders to discuss the draft rules for moisture meters used for measuring moisture level in cereal grains and oilseeds. Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs chaired the meeting.

The amendment aims to incorporate specifications for the moisture meters in measuring moisture levels in cereal grains and oilseeds.  Rules will specify the metrological and technical requirements, test methods and maximum permissible errors for the type approval of grain moisture meters used in commercial transactions of cereal grains and oilseeds. Various manufacturers, users, scientific institutions, laboratories, State Government Legal Metrology Departments and VCOs participated in the meeting.

A moisture meter is a specialized device used to measure the moisture content in various substances, particularly cereal grains and oilseeds in agriculture. It provides accurate readings that are crucial for determining the quality and storage suitability of these commodities. By measuring moisture levels, farmers and traders can ensure better preservation, reduce risks of spoilage, and maintain optimal conditions for storage and transportation. The proposed inclusion of moisture meters in the Legal Metrology Rules aims to standardize and regulate their accuracy, enhancing fairness and transparency in agricultural trade practices.

The draft rules pertaining to moisture meters were made available for public feedback on May 30, 2024, inviting comments from all stakeholders, by the end of June, 2024.  All the comments received on the draft rules were discussed in detail during the meeting.

All the stakeholders supported the proposed amendment for inclusion of moisture meters used for measuring moisture level in cereal grains and oilseeds. They emphasized the importance of implementing these rules in the best interest of farmers and other stakeholders involved in the agriculture sector.

By measuring moisture levels, farmers and traders