Centre
gears itself to face the weather flux
After
a long bout of freak weather in the country, the failure of the
monsoons and extreme fluctuation in temperatures, the Centre has
finally announced a Rs 10-crore project to study the impact of climate
change on agriculture in the country. According to the project,
a part of the 10th Plan, 15 research institutes across the country
will separately quantify the impact of weather change on agriculture
as well as list measures that would need to be adopted to protect
hilly areas, coastal eco-systems, fisheries and rain fed crops.
Learning
from the extensive drought conditions this year that caught the
country unawares, S Nagarajan, Director of the Indian Agricultural
Research Institute, remarked that the scientists are concentrating
on two aspects: developing new varieties that would adapt to varying
temperature, rainfall and radiation patterns. And, advising farmers
on changing conventional practices of irrigation and fertiliser
management. “This year, we have advised farmers to create a micro-climate
by increasing the frequency of irrigation and reducing the amount
of water per irrigation,” he added.
Vital
to the research is the Phytotron Centre, located in the Pusa Institute
in New Delhi, which has systems that can simulate changes in temperature,
radiation and gases breaking
research barriers. Here, scientists are isolating the germplasm
that is best adapted to a climate change.
Techtalk
for cotton growers
The
Technology Mission on Cotton, which is already in the process of
setting up farmers’ information centres in market yards, is conducting
talks with software companies to develop a package, providing information
pertaining to the cultivation of cotton, according to a Government
official.
The
official declined to name the software companies, but added that
the software package would provide information such as agro-climatic
conditions of soil, fertility status, rainfall – amount and distribution,
names of pests and related symptoms. It would also include sources
of availability of antibiotics and fungicides, suitability and prices
of seeds, and their availability, fertilizer dosages, procedure
for application, availability and pesticides to be used.
Besides,
information regarding agriculture implements, crop insurance, credit
availability, interest rates, harvest practices, transport storage,
crop situation in India as well as internationally will also be
incorporated.
Critical
information, such as prices prevailing in the market yard and neighbouring
yards, prices in other states, international prices and policy decisions
of various cotton growing state governments, will also be made available.
Farmers
to be decision makers
Union
Minister for Agriculture, Ajit Singh has said that the Agriculture
Produce and Marketing Act should be amended to provide farmers with
choices on sales. This, coupled with cooperatives, is what will
help make agriculture the driver for the economy, said Mr Singh
at a seminar on ‘Opportunities in Agri-Business’ organized by the
Government of Maharashtra and Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, in Mumbai on January 14, 2003.
Advocating
contract farming, Mr Singh said private sector investments were
needed in areas like organic farming, expected to go up to Rs 3
billion in 10 years. More companies should follow the lead taken
by HLL and ITC.
Mahesh
Vyas, Chairman, Centre for Monitoring the Indian Economy, said India
could become a global player in agriculture but lacked technology
and implementation.
Test
the seed and eat the fruit
To
help farmers raise production and productivity of soyabean, the
Indore-based Soyabean Processors Association of India (Sopa) has
started to provide seed testing services for farmers.
Expanded
facilities at the Sopa laboratory have made it possible to offer
the service of testing soyabean seed samples for germination at
a concessional rate for growers, according to Rajesh Agrawal, Chairman.
In order to close the technology gap, the association has conducted
50 frontline demonstrations in agricultural fields under real farm
conditions with appropriate production technology using different
varieties.
With
improved technology, the yield of soyabean reached a maximum of
35 quintal per hectare, with an average of 17 quintals per hectare,
Mr Agrawal pointed out. Addressing
over 4,000 farmers from different parts of the state gathered at
the Kisan Vikas Sammelan recently organised by Sopa, Mahendra Singh
Kalukheda, Agriculture Minister of Madhya Pradesh, called upon farmers
to use the right seed to ensure better quality and quantity.
India
favours Bt cotton
The
genetically modified and highly controversial Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)
cotton was commercially introduced in the Indian markets in January.
The Government on January 15, 2003 gave a green signal to the introduction
of transgenic cotton in the country saying its commercial release
has helped tackle the insect menace.
“Around
70 per cent of the farmers in Andhra Pradesh exposed to Bt Cotton
variety have responded favourably to its commercial release because
of the variety being resistant to pests,” said Mangala Rai, Director
General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, during an interface
with the media. He remarked that 65 per cent of the insecticides
used in cotton production are because of the bollworm and if the
genetically modified varieties are resistant to the pest, their
cultivation must be encouraged. Trials and tests are being conducted
in nine locations to introduce transgenic cotton in Punjab and results
are expected by March, he added.
New
mango varieties introduced
The
Indian Agricultural Research Institute (Iari) has introduced two
new mango varieties, which have an acidic-sweet taste and also developed
a technology to prevent infection of mango fruits by insects.
According
to Dr S Nagarajan, Director of Iari, the two mango varieties – Pusa
Arunima and Pusa Surya – with characteristics such as acidic-sweet
taste, golden colour and a cylindrical nut, would help the country
in competing with Philippines in mango exports to Europe. The varieties
are the result of crossing different varieties – Amrapali and Sensation
– and had been notified last year by the institute.
Mr
Nagarajan added that the new fumigation technology helped in killing
the eggs of the insect once it was inside the fruit.
The
infection was acting as a barrier to mango exports. At present the
exports are mainly for Indians in Middle East and England, he said,
adding that the new developments would help in promoting exports
to the European markets.
Grain
exports run smoothly
Logistical
hassles, including shortage of rail wagons, failed to have any major
impact on the country’s food grain exports and in December alone,
nearly one million tonnes was lifted from the government godowns
for sale abroad.
According
to latest official data, during April-December 2002, the total exported
grain added to a massive 96 lakh tonnes that included 578 lakh tonnes
rice and 381 lakh tonnes wheat. “Traders who claim exports have
come to a halt are also striking deals for global sales. In December,
3,25,000 tonnes of rice and an all-time high of 6,11,000 tonnes
of wheat were lifted from our granaries,” a senior government official
said. He also added that the Managing Director, Food Corporation
of India, has been authorised to revalidate those release orders
under which grains have not been lifted in time owing to non-availability
of rakes.
But
he remarked that the Railways couldn’t be blamed over the issue
of rail-rakes, as unprecedented foggy conditions prevailed this
month, which resulted in a very slow movement of grains from mill
to port.
From
fields to agri parks
A
national rural technology park spread over 65 acres is being set
up at the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), Rajendranagar,
near Hyderabad. The total cost, estimated to be Rs 20 crore, is
to be met by the funds from the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
Already, Rs 5 crore has been provided for acquisition of land and
other related expenditure, according to an official of NIRD.
The
park, to come up behind the NIRD campus, will showcase the rural
technologies relevant for small, marginal farmers and entrepreneurs
in the rural areas.
It
will also provide first-hand knowledge and exposure to the various
relevant and appropriate technologies for the chief executives of
district rural development agencies who come to the NIRD for training.
FIs
offer Syngenta stake to parent
Financial
institutions (FI), including UTI, mutual funds and insurance companies,
have tendered a large part of their holdings in the Swiss agrochemical
major Syngenta in response to its open offer to buy out the 49 per
cent public holding in its Indian arm, Syngenta India. The offer,
which opened on December 30, 2002 ended on January 28, 2003.
HSBC
Securities & Capital Markets was the advisor to Syngenta. The
Swiss parent has increased its stake to almost 86 per cent through
the open offer. The offer price has been set at Rs 130 for each
equity share of Rs 5. Sources said that the purpose of the open
offer was to delist the company. Syngenta AG was formed two years
ago by a combination of the agri-businesses of Swiss multinational
Novartis and British life sciences major AstraZeneca. In India,
Syngenta has embarked on a product realignment exercise aimed at
phasing out old products and bringing new ones. It has ceased production
of phosphamidol and will now phase out monocrotophos, which was
once a very popular pesticide. The company’s Goa plant has also
been revamped and expanded.
Breeding
cow population in UP
The
Union Agriculture Ministry has approved a three-year programme and
sanctioned considerable funds to improve the productivity of cows
and buffaloes in Uttar Pradesh using genetic engineering.
India
is one of the key players in the milk industry, but the overall
productivity is low. The world average is more than two tonnes of
milk in each lactation cycle of an animal but India’s average is
less than a tonne, which is why a 10-year national project in this
regard was launched in the year 2000.
To
enhance this project further the Uttar Pradesh grant has been sanctioned
so that 16 other States can also be covered through the project.
Union
Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh has already handed the first instalment
of Rs 10.6 crore, a fifth of the three-year sanctioned amount for
Uttar Pradesh, to the State Government.
The
aim is to either use artificial insemination or high-quality bulls
on all breedable cattle in the State. The plan is a comprehensive
one, also involving the training of rural youth to provide these
services, besides vaccination, cattle insurance, field recording,
evaluation and health care.
No
high rise for rice this year
The
rice crop that was exposed to a severe drought earlier during the
kharif season, causing a 125 lakh tonnes fall in kharif rice production,
is suppose to continue with its bad days in the present season too.
As
Indian rabi rice harvest is only a fraction of kharif production,
the loss cannot be made good. The US Department of Agriculture has
forecast a combined kharif and rabi Indian rice crop of 78 million
tonnes.
But
Chinese production too will be down by 2.5 million tonnes this rice
season. As other producers, including Thailand and Vietnam, are
expected to have a normal output, India will be principally responsible
for pulling down the world rice production by nearly 12 million
tonnes to 380.288 million tonnes in the current season, the lowest
since 1995-96.
Indian
rice exports will be hit considerably in the following season. The
beneficiary will be Vietnam with estimated export of 4.25 million
tonnes in 2003. Thailand will export 7.75 million tonnes as the
world leader in rice exports. The year is estimated to end with
stocks of 104.9 million tones worldwide, the lowest in 15 years.
Blame
game on wheat export default
India
has been defaulting on wheat export contracts made after December
18, 2002 as the Government had since stopped its allocation of luster
loss wheat. “Exporters have had to default on wheat export contracts
made after December 18,” said a trader with a Hyderabad based global
trading firm, adding that hardly any wheat cargoes were moving to
ports. The trader also said that the inability of exporters to meet
commitments was affecting India’s credibility in the global wheat
market.
The
government stopped allocating luster loss wheat since December mainly
because of the reduced availability of rail wagons to transport
the wheat from warehouses to ports, and to build domestic food stocks.
“There is utter confusion in the Indian wheat export market,” said
a trader with an international trading firm in Ahmedabad. “The government
needs to give a clear indication on what its export policy is.”
Traders say although the government has stopped allocating luster
loss wheat, it isn’t clear whether it wants to stop exports. “Indications
are that the government wants a go-slow policy,” he added.
Cashew
to get cash this year
“Looking
at the crop situation today, it is estimated that the raw cashew
nut production of the country may touch or cross 5 lakh tonnes during
this year, provided unexpected calamities in terms of biotic and
environmental stresses may not intervene during the forthcoming
few months, which are critical for this crop,” said Dr Abdul Salam,
Associate Dean, Kerala Agriculture University (Neeleswaram campus),
who heads the cashew production forecast unit for Directorate of
Cashew and Cocoa Development.
Because
of the favourable weather conditions, better nut-set and absence
of pest attacks so far, signals that the crop this year in Kerala
and Karnataka is expected to be higher by 15-20 per cent.
The
other States in the western coast are likely to maintain last year’s
production level. As for the eastern coast, the conditions, so far,
have been encouraging and hence a better crop could be expected.
