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HomePosts Tagged "government of India" (Page 3)
Acts & Schemes – Centre, India, Start ups

Agri startups one of key partners to boost agriculture exports

Kailash Choudhary, Minister of State (Agriculture and Farmers Welfare), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India said that soon an accelerator programme of Rs 500 crore will be started to take forward the successful initiatives of Agri Startups in which DARE, DPIIT, Agri Incubators, agriculture universities, research institutes, investors and other stakeholders will be included.

Choudhary said that there will be a separate division of Agriculture Startup to be set up in the Ministry to be led by Joint Secretary. “A cell will also be created to work as a single window agency to facilitate all the linkages required for agri startups,” he added.

Dr Sudhanshu, Secretary, APEDA, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, GoI, emphasised that increasing agriculture exports is a national imperative and Agri startups are potential partners in this journey. Efforts are being made to promote and support agri startups for engagement in agri exports and strengthening of the startup ecosystem.

Agri startups one of key partners to

AgroPolicy, Finance, Schemes - Govt

It will ensure sustainability of credit flow in the agriculture sector as well as ensure financial health and viability of the lending institutions.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved to restore Interest Subvention on short term agriculture loans to 1.5 per cent for all financial institutions. Thus, Interest Subvention of 1.5 per cent will be provided to lending institutions (Public Sector Banks, Private Sector Bank, Small Finance Banks, Regional Rural Banks, Cooperative Banks and Computerized PACS directly ceded with commercial banks) for the financial year 2022-23 to 2024-25 for lending short term agri-loans up to Rs 3 lakh to the farmers.

This increase in Interest Subvention support requires additional budgetary provisions of Rs 34,856 crore for the period of 2022-23 to 2024-25 under the scheme.

Increase in Interest Subvention will ensure sustainability of credit flow in the agriculture sector as well as ensure financial health and viability of the lending institutions especially Regional Rural Banks & Cooperative Banks, ensuring adequate agriculture credit in rural economy.

Banks will be able to absorb increase in cost of funds and will be encouraged to grant loans to farmers for short term agriculture requirements and enable more farmers to get the benefit of agriculture credit.  This will also lead to generation of employment since short term agri-loans are provided for all activities including Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Poultry, fisheries.

Farmers will continue to avail short term agriculture credit at interest rate of 4 per cent per annum while repaying the loan in time.

Keeping in view the changing economic scenario, especially increase in the interest rate and lending rates for the financial institutions especially Cooperative Banks and Regional Rural Banks, The Government has reviewed the rate of Interest subvention provided to these Financial Institutions. It is expected that this will ensure adequate credit flow in agriculture sector to the farmer as well as ensure financial health of lending institutions.

To address this challenge, Government of India has proactively decided to restore Interest Subvention on short term agriculture loans to 1.5 per cent for all financial institutions.

It will ensure sustainability of credit flow

AgroPolicy, Bee keeping

 Events will focus on encouraging farmers towards honey farming by ensuring quality production.

To harness the export potential of honey in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a ‘sweet revolution’ through promotion of beekeeping and allied activities, the government has planned to organise a series of events across the country in collaboration with state governments and farmers.

One such event is scheduled to be organised by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, for export promotion of honey involving exporters, stakeholders and government officials in Chandigarh, where focus would be to encourage farmers towards honey farming by ensuring quality production.

Given the manifold rise in honey consumption across the globe especially after the pandemic due to its natural immunity booster characteristics and a healthier alternative to sugar, APEDA is aiming is to boost honey exports through ensuring quality production and market expansion to new countries as at present, India’s natural honey exports are majorly dependent on one market, the United States, that account for more than 80 percent of the exports.

As a part of the government’s AtmaNirbhar Bharat initiative to boost honey production, the government has approved an allocation of Rs 500 crore for the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) for three years (2020-21 to 2022-23).

 Events will focus on encouraging farmers towards

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, India, Machinery – Post-harvesting

Time limit for the testing process of tractors used for Agriculture will be slashed from nine months to just 75 working days.

The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has reduced the time limit for the testing process of tractors used for Agriculture from nine months to just 75 working days. This development comes as a big gift for the agriculture sector during the celebration of the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” on 75th year of India’s Independence.

Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and on the directions of the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, the Ministry / Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has taken this positive initiative in order to promote mechanization in the agriculture sector in the country and to ensure the availability of suitable tractors for the farmers. In order to implement the new, effective and speedy testing process of tractor testing, revised guidelines have been issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to the Central Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute (CFMTTI), Budni and other concerned officers, which will be effective from 15th August, 2022.

Time limit for the testing process of

AgroPolicy, Sugar industry

To increase income of farmers, Government has increased FRP by more than 34% in past 8 years.

Keeping in view interest of sugarcane farmers (Ganna Kisan), the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane for sugar season 2022-23 (October – September) at Rs. 305/qtl for a basic recovery rate of 10.25 per cent, providing a premium of Rs 3.05/qtl for each 0.1 per cent increase in recovery over and above 10.25 per cent, & reduction in FRP by Rs. 3.05/qtl for every 0.1% decrease in recovery. However, the Government with a view to protect interest of sugarcane farmers has also decided that there shall not be any deduction in case of sugar mills where recovery is below 9.5 per cent. Such farmers will get Rs 282.125/qtl for sugarcane in ensuing sugar season 2022-23 in place of Rs. 275.50/qtl in current sugar season 2021-22. FRP of sugarcane is fixed to ensure a guaranteed price to sugarcane growers. Government has increased FRP by more than 34% in past 8 years.

The A2 + FL cost of production of sugarcane (i.e actual paid out cost plus imputed value of family labour) for the sugar season 2022-23 is Rs 162/qtl. This FRP of Rs. 305/qtl at a recovery rate of 10.25 per cent is higher by 88.3 per cent over cost of production, thereby ensuring the promise of giving the farmers a return of more than 50 per cent over their cost. The FRP for sugar season 2022-23 is 2.6 per cent higher than current sugar season 2021-22.

Decision will benefit 5 crore sugarcane farmers (Ganna Kisan) and their dependents, as well as 5 lakh workers employed in the sugar mills and related ancillary activities. 9 years back, FRP was only Rs 210/ qtl in sugar season 2013-14 & only about 2397 LMT of sugarcane was purchased by sugar mills. Farmers were getting only about Rs. 51,000 cr from sale of sugarcane to sugar mills. However, in past 8 years Government has increased FRP by more than 34 per cent. In the current sugar season 2021-22, about 3,530 lakh tons of sugarcane of worth Rs. 1,15,196 crores was purchased by sugar mills, which is at all-time high.

To increase income of farmers, Government has

AgroPolicy, Supply Chain, Transportation

For Indian freighters and P2C (Passenger-to-Cargo) Aircraft primarily around 25 airports focusing on North Eastern, Hilly and Tribal region and 28 airports in other regions/areas.

For facilitating and incentivising movement of agri-produce by air transportation, Airports Authority of India (AAI) provides full waiver of Landing, Parking charges, Terminal Navigational Landing Charges (TNLC) and Route Navigation Facility Charges (RNFC) for Indian freighters and P2C (Passenger-to-Cargo) Aircraft primarily around 25 airports focusing on North Eastern, Hilly and Tribal region and 28 airports in other regions/areas. Further, after evaluation of Krishi Udan 2.0 five more airports have been included, making it to 58 airports. Currently, Prayagraj airport is included under Krishi Udan Scheme 2.0. All perishable commodities are covered under Krishi Udan Scheme in the country.

Krishi Udan Scheme 2.0 was announced on 27 October 2021 enhancing the existing provisions, mainly focusing on transporting perishable food products from the hilly areas, North-Eastern States and tribal areas.

Krishi Udan Scheme is a convergence scheme where eight Ministries/Departments namely Ministry of Civil Aviation, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER) would leverage their existing schemes to strengthen the logistics for transportation of Agri-produce. The scheme assists farmers in transporting agriculture products so that it improves their value realisation. Krishi Udan scheme provides air transportation and logistics support for perishable agri-produce as per the need.

For Indian freighters and P2C (Passenger-to-Cargo) Aircraft

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, IT

 Government is providing assistance up to Rs 75 Lakh per mandi for creating infrastructure under e-NAM platform

Government had launched FPO trading module during Covid-19 pandemic to enable FPOs to upload their produce from collection centres/ farm gate with picture/ quality parameter for online bidding without physically bringing their produce to the mandis. So far, 2177 FPOs have been onboarded on National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) platform.

On 14th July, 2022, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare launched the Platform of Platforms (PoP) under e-NAM which involves integration of various service providers platform/ on boarding of service providers such as trading, transportation, sorting, grading, Fintech, warehousing and other aspects of value chain etc. to enhance farmers accessibility digitally to multiple number of buyers, service providers etc. PoP will enable Farmers, FPOs, Traders and other stakeholders to access a range of services offered by multiple service providers, thereby increasing choice to the stakeholders.

Further the e-NAM platform is made interoperable with Rashtriya e-Market Services Private Limited (ReMS) platform of Government of Karnataka which will facilitate famers of both platforms to sell their produce in other platform thereby increasing their market access.

Under the e-NAM scheme, Government of India is providing assistance up to Rs 75 Lakh per mandi for related hardware/ infrastructure including for quality assaying equipment and for creation of infrastructure like cleaning, grading, sorting, packaging and compost unit etc. An established quality assaying lab in e-NAM mandis is a requisite for Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) that assess and certify the quality of produce, which helps famers in getting prices commensurate with quality of their produce. Further, provision has been made in FPO trading module wherein FPOs can upload their produce from collection centres/ farm gate with picture/ quality parameters.

 Government is providing assistance up to Rs

AgroPolicy, India, Supply Chain, Warehousing

In the last three years, a total of 2314 projects have been assisted with capacity created of 64.32 Lakh MT under AMI scheme of ISAM.

The Government is implementing Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI), a sub-scheme of Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM) under which assistance is provided for construction/ renovation of godowns/ warehouses in the rural areas in the States to enhance the storage capacity for agriculture produce. Since 01.04.2001 and up to 30.06.2022, a total of 41,452 storage infrastructure projects (Godowns), with storage capacity of 725.7 Lakh MT for beneficiaries including farmers have been assisted under AMI sub-scheme in the country.

Since 01.04.2001 to 30.06.2022, a total of 37 projects assisted with capacity created of 1.83 Lakh MT in the State of Jharkhand and 1599 projects assisted with capacity created of 31.43 Lakh MT in the State of Rajasthan.

 Under the scheme, Government provides subsidy at the rate of 25 per cent and 33.33 per cent on capital cost of the project based on the category of eligible beneficiary. Assistance is available to Individuals, Farmers, Group of farmers/growers, Agri-preneurs, Registered Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Cooperatives, and state agencies etc. The scheme is demand driven.

Further, Government has approved a Central Sector Scheme of financing facility viz., Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) of Rs 1,00,000 Crore to provide a medium-long term loan facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest market infrastructure including warehousing facility and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support. Under the scheme, a total number of 9516 applications for warehouse facilities have been sanctioned for a total amount of Rs 7618 crore which includes sanction of 14 warehouse facilities in the State of Jharkhand for an amount of Rs 9.9 crore. and 550 warehouse facilities in the State of Rajasthan for an amount of Rs 371.8 crores.

In the last three years, a total of 2314 projects have been assisted with capacity created of 64.32 Lakh MT under AMI scheme of ISAM.

In the last three years, a total

AgroPolicy, Supply Chain, Warehousing

Surplus government land identified at 33 locations out of 66 locations tendered under the project

With a view to modernize storage of food grains and to ramp-up the storage capacity for food grains in India, a new model ‘Hub & Spoke’ Model for implementation in Public Private Partnership (PPP) Mode has been proposed. Under ‘Hub and Spoke Model’ meant for development of wheat silos across the country, the Department of Food & Public Distribution has proposed to develop a capacity of 111.125 LMT of Silos at 249 locations across the country.

The proposed Silos to operate under Design, Build, Fund, Own & Transfer (DBFOT) (FCI’s land) and Design, Build, Fund, Own & Operate (DBFOO) (Land of concessionaire/other agency) mode, through implementing agency i.e., Food Corporation of India (FCI).

As the land acquisition becomes the most crucial part of the DBFOO project, in order to facilitate availability of land to the Concessionaires, this Department took up the issue of identification of suitable surplus land, if any, with the concerned State Governments.

With the sustained efforts of the Department of Food & PD, various meeting with the State Governments and cooperation by the State Governments, some land parcels have been identified by the State Governments for lease/transfer of the same to respective concessionaires under applicable rules.

As on date, Punjab state has confirmed availability of govt/panchayat land at 26 locations i.e., Rajpura, Kalanour (North), Aulakh, Balad Kalan, Gharancho, Nadampur, Tangori, Sundra, Chao Majra, Chilla, Raipur Khurd, Mauli Baidwan (Biotechnology Park), Radiala, Dairi, Dahanasu (High Tech. Cycle Vally), Mattewara, Nasrali, Manewal, Gorsian Qadar Baksh, Naya Nangal, Mulepur, Reona Ucha, Reona Niwan, Mehadian, Wazirabad & Nabipur.

In UP state, 2 locations Auraiya & Badaun have been found suitable after preliminary survey. State of Gujarat has identified one location for construction of Silo at Banaskatha. MP state has identified 4 locations Ujjain, Dhar, Guna & Damoh.

Hub and Spoke Model is a transportation system which consolidates the transportation assets from standalone locations referred to as “Spoke” to a central location named as “Hub” for long distance transportation. Hubs have a dedicated railway siding and container depot facility while the transportation from Spoke to Hub is undertaken through road and from Hub to Hub via rail. This model by harnessing the efficiency of railway siding, promotes cost efficiency through bulk storage & movement, reduces cost and time of handling and transportation and simplifies operational complexities in addition to economic development, infrastructure development & employment generation in the country.

Surplus government land identified at 33 locations

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Sustainable Energy, Transportation

Initiative also includes Green Warehousing utilizing green solutions such as natural light or energy efficiency lighting, automated and compact storage systems and roof top solar.

Government of India is committed to reduce the emissions from shipping sector and promote the development of net zero and low-emission solutions. By 2030, all the Major Ports are to be made fully self-sustainable on electricity. All the energy requirements of the port are to be met through renewable sources. Initiative also includes Green Warehousing utilizing green/ natural solutions such as natural light or energy efficiency lighting, automated and compact storage systems, roof top solar, using HVLS fans and rainwater harvesting, informed Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal in the Lok Sabha.

To develop global standard ports in India, Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 has identified initiatives such as developing world-class Mega Ports, transhipment hubs and infrastructure modernization of ports. MIV 2030 estimates the investments to the tune of Rs. 1,00,000–1,25,000 Crores for capacity augmentation and development of world-class infrastructure at Indian Ports.

The Sagarmala programme is the flagship programme of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to promote port-led development in the country through harnessing India’s 7,500 km long coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and strategic location on key international maritime trade routes. As a part of Sagarmala Programme, more than 800 projects at an estimated cost of around Rs. 5.5 lakh crore have been identified for implementation during 2015 to 2035 across all coastal states an Eastern and Western side of the country. Sagarmala projects includes projects from various categories such as modernisation of existing ports and terminals, new ports, terminals, Ro & tourism jetties, enhancement of port connectivity, inland waterways, lighthouse tourism, industrialization around port, skill development, technology centres, etc. Further, under holistic development of coastal districts, a total of 567 projects with an estimated cost of around Rs. 58,000 crores have been identified.

Initiative also includes Green Warehousing utilizing green

AgroPolicy, Org. Chart – Centre

All India retail prices of tomatoes drop by 29% compared to last month and onion down by 9% compared to last year

The all-India retail price of tomato has registered a 29 per cent decline over last month as market arrivals improved with the onset of monsoon rains. The retail price of onion is also largely under control at 9 per cent below last year level.

The government has built up a reserve stock of 2.50 lakh tons of onion in current year which is the highest ever onion buffer stock procured. The procurement for the buffer has helped in preventing mandi price of onion from crashing this year despite a record production of 317.03 lakh tons reported by Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.

The onion stocks from the buffer will be released in a calibrated and targeted manner during the lean months (Aug – Dec) to moderate price rise. The stocks will be released through targeted open market sales and also offered to states/UTs and government agencies for supplies through retail outlets. Open market releases will be targeted towards states/cities where prices are increasing over the previous month and also in key mandis to augment the overall availability.

All India retail prices of tomatoes drop

AgroPolicy, Trade

The NE region witnessed an 85.34 per cent growth in the export of agricultural products in the last six years as it increased from USD 2.52 million in 2016-17 to USD 17.2 million in 2021-22.

APEDA signs a MoU with Assam Agriculture University, Jorhat to conduct various training programmes on pre-harvest and post-harvest management and other research activities to give boost to the export of horticulture products grown in North-Eastern (NE) states, the government is now up with a robust strategy to promote locally produced agricultural products to the international markets. The NE region is geopolitically important as it shares international boundaries with China and Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal and Bangladesh making it the potential hub for the export of agricultural produce to neighbouring countries as well as other foreign destinations.

As a result, there has been a significant increase in the export of agricultural produce from NE states like Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Meghalaya in the last few years. The NE region witnessed an 85.34 percent growth in the export of agricultural products in the last six years as it increased from USD 2.52 million in 2016-17 to USD 17.2 million in 2021-22. The major destination of export has been Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Middle East, the UK and Europe.

To provide potential market linkages, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Development and Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, organised field visits of importers to have first-hand information about the qualitative cultivation practices being followed by farmers. Importers were mostly the Middle East, far Eastern countries, and European nations and Australia, etc.

In the last three years, APEDA organised 136 capacity building programmes on export awareness across the different parts of NER. Highest, 62 capacity building programmes were held in NER in 2019-20, while 21 in 2020-21 and 53 such programmes were organised by APEDA in the year 2021-22. Apart from capacity building initiatives, APEDA facilitated 22 International Buyer-Seller Meets as well as trade fairs in NER in the last three years.

APEDA also organised organized conference on the Export Potential of Natural, Organic and Geographical Indications (GI) Agro Products in Guwahati on June 24, 2022 to tap the abundant export potential of organic agricultural products from Assam and neighbouring states of NER.

APEDA aims at creating a platform in Assam for the exporters to get the products directly from the producer group and the processers. The platform will link the producers and processors of Assam and exporters from other parts of the country that would expand the base of the export pockets in the North-Eastern states, including Assam and increase the employment opportunities among the people of the state.

The NE region witnessed an 85.34 per

Agro chems – Chemicals, Agro chems – Fertilizers, R&D

The state-of-the-art Nano-urea plant of IFFCO at Kalol can produce 1.5 lakh bottles of urea per day and company is planning eight more such plants.

Agrochemical major IFFCO has declared that it has secured the patent on its revolutionary Nanotechnology-based fertilizers IFFCO Nano Urea and IFFCO Nano DAP.IFFCO has received the patents on its revolutionary IFFCO Nano Urea and IFFCO Nano DAP for 20 years from the Patent Office of the Government of India.

A true novel example of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Atmanirbhar Krishi, this is a giant leap forward in the realization of PM’s dream of Sahkar se Samriddhi or Prosperity through Cooperation, mentioned the company in the release.

 Dr. U S Awasthi , MD IFFCO shared the good news through a tweet. The MD wrote, “This intellectual property of IFFCO Nano Urea and Nano DAP will strengthen the Indian economy by reducing input cost to agriculture, double the income of farmers in line with the dream & inspiration of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji.”

It bears recalling that IFFCO Nano Urea and IFFCO Nano DAP are next-generation fertilizers benefiting farmers and the environment. These products will be instrumental in reducing soil, air, and water pollution.

These novel products require fewer quantities to produce high quantities of quality crops, while at the same time keeping the soil healthy. This effort to save our soil from excessive use of chemicals, a long-standing vision and commitment of IFFCO, underlines the release.

It bears recalling that Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated World’s First Nano Urea Plant by IFFCO & dedicated it to the Nation in a largely attended cooperative event, held at Gandhi Nagar in Gujarat in May this year.

Speaking on this occasion, Modi said that he feels extremely happy to inaugurate the world’s first Nano-fertiliser plant. He further said that the power of one bag of urea will now be available to farmers in a half-liter bottle which will reduce transportation costs and will benefit small farmers immensely.

“The state-of-the-art Nano-urea plant of IFFCO at Kalol can produce 1.5 lakh bottles of urea per day and they are planning eight more such plants. This will truly revolutionize the sector making agriculture in India Atmanirbhar thus reducing dependence on urea imports’ ‘, the PM said congratulating IFFCO.

The state-of-the-art Nano-urea plant of IFFCO at

AgroPolicy, Bamboo industry, Trade

The policy amendment will reduce high input cost of raw bamboo and make the bamboo-based industries, mostly in the remote rural areas, financially profitable

Government of India has lifted the export prohibition on bamboo charcoal, a move that would facilitate optimum utilisation of raw bamboo and higher profitability in the Indian bamboo industry. Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), which is supporting thousands of bamboo-based industries in the country, was persistently requesting the government to lift the export restriction on bamboo charcoal. Chairman KVIC Vinai Kumar Saxena had written to the Minister of Commerce and Industries, Piyush Goyal, seeking to lift the export restriction on bamboo charcoal for the larger benefit of the bamboo industry.

“All the bamboo charcoal made from bamboo obtained from legal sources are permitted for export subject to proper documentation/ certificate of origin proving that the bamboo used for making charcoal has been obtained from legal sources,” read the notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

Chairman KVIC, Saxena thanked Minister of Commerce and Industries, Piyush Goyal for the policy amendment saying the decision would reduce the high input cost of raw bamboo and make the bamboo-based industries, mostly in the remote rural areas, financially profitable.

Notably, the Indian bamboo industry, at present, is grappling with extremely high input cost owing to inadequate utilisation of bamboo. In India, bamboo is mostly used in manufacturing of Agarbatti wherein, a maximum of 16 per cent is used for manufacturing of bamboo sticks while the remaining 84 per cent of bamboo is a complete waste. As a result, the bamboo input cost for round bamboo sticks is in the range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 per MT as against the average bamboo cost of Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 per MT.

However, export of bamboo charcoal would ensure complete utilisation of the bamboo waste and thus make the bamboo business more profitable. Bamboo charcoal for barbeque, soil nutrition and as a raw material for manufacturing activated charcoal, has great potential in international markets like the US, Japan, Korea, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France and the UK.

The policy amendment will reduce high input