The IMD defines a normal monsoon as one which delivers between 96 and 104 per cent of the 50-year average rainfall for the season.
'Over the next 20 years, we would be adding almost 10 million people to the workforce every year!' 'And we won't be able to give employment to even 2 million out of the 10 million every year.' 'Don't forget, it keeps adding every year.'
Imports of milk, foodgrains, edible oils and pulses, considered sensitive for domestic producers, surged by 40.5 per cent in 2009-10 to Rs 65,564 crore (Rs 655.64 billion).
Temperatures in 17 locations breached 48 degrees Celsius on Monday, with the relentless heat affecting health and livelihoods across large parts of northwestern and central India.
The country's exports grew 5.37 per cent year-on-year to $27.24 billion in January 2021, mainly driven by healthy growth in pharma and engineering sectors, according to provisional data of the commerce ministry. Trade deficit during the month narrowed to $14.75 billion from $15.3 billion in January 2020. It was $15.44 billion in December 2020. Imports in January 2021 rose 2 per cent to $42 billion.
The agriculture ministry has projected the foodgrain production in 2006-07 at 209.17 million tonnes, the highest since 2001-02, when it touched a record 212.85 million tonnes.
India, the world's second largest producer, had produced a record of 80.71 million tonnes wheat in 2009-10 crop year (July-June) despite a severe drought. Wheat is grown only in rabi season.
Giving a clear signal to the world that the US is all set to tap the China market, the US Department of Agriculture last week opened a new agricultural trade office in Chengdu, the capital of southwest China's province of Sichuan.
India's agriculture ministry has identified a list of around 80 special products that should get tariff treatment as part of the World Trade Organisation's current Doha Round negotiations.
About 60 per cent of the total cultivable area of 140 million hectares is rain fed, but monsoon has stopped in its tracks over Konkan region of Maharashtra on June 7, although it arrived earlier than usual on May 23. There were fears that a poor monsoon could hit the economy, which is already suffering from the global slowdown.
A new study on the impact of global warming on global food production by researchers of a US university says that in 20 years since 1981, there had been an annual loss of about $5 billion for the major cereal crops in the world. The Chennai-based MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) is implementing a project on vulnerability assessment and enhancing adaptive capacity to climate change (V&A Programme) in semi-arid India.
With inflation topping the government agenda, economists have told Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to focus on policies to boost agricultural productivity in the upcoming Budget for 2011-12.
Ratan Tata-promoted Electrodrive Powertrain Solutions or Electra EV has raised USD 25 million in equity capital from GEF Capital for a minority stake. The Tata Group patriarch set up Electra EV in 2017 and the company designs, manufactures and supplies EV powertrains systems across passenger and commercial vehicle segments. It also has products for the agriculture and off-highway segments.
Bharat Krishak Samaj demanded that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana should be replaced with a new crop insurance and compensation scheme.
The onset of the southwest monsoon is being keenly watched this year as it may provide an early sign regarding its progress over the Indian subcontinent, particularly when El Nio is expected to rear its head during the latter half of the season.
'By 2020 around 34% of India's population will be in the 15-34 age group.' 'More than 70% of them live in rural areas.' 'Their energy and enthusiasm need to be tapped in order to meet their aspirations and transform agriculture and the rural economy,' says P K Joshi.
The export of more than 100 agricultural and processed food items have increased by 24.43 per cent to Rs 39,461 crore (Rs 394.61 billion) in 2008-09 from Rs 31,712 crore (Rs 317.12 billion) in the previous year due to substantial growth in fresh fruits and vegetables, meat products and processed foods, government's agri-export promotion body APEDA chairman Asit Tripathy said in New Delhi on Monday.
A report of the state agriculture department says that farmers across the state are growing high-value crops like capsicum, tomato, cucumber and leafy vegetables through the adoption of greenhouse/polyhouse technology.
In times of global challenges, G-20 presidency gives an opportunity to strengthen India's role in the global order, she added. The government is implementing scheme to supply free foodgrains to poor under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) with expenditure of Rs 2 lakh crore from January 1, the finance minister said.
The US has downsized world's rice production by 15 million tonnes following an estimated decline in output of an equal quantity of the grain in India possibly due to drought.
India's gross domestic product (GDP) can grow at seven per cent or more, provided the process of reforms is expedited, the World Bank has said.
The finance minister has increased the quantum of rural credit, with particular emphasis on short-term crop loans for small farmers and focussed heavily on improving food storage and processing infrastructure as well as supply chain management.
'When manufacturing or even services cannot generate the kind of employment they are looking for, they prefer to be unemployed rather than under-employed.'
Municipal corporations penalise late property tax payments. 'Penalties can include attachment of properties, bank accounts, rent and other movable assets," says Anand Moorthy, co-founder, Square Yards.
Both Putin and Zelenskyy have invited the prime minister to visit Russia and Ukraine respectively after the Lok Sabha elections, sources said, adding they see Modi as a "peacemaker".
'The revival of household savings and investment is the litmus test of whether we are on the road to recovery,' says Nitin Desai.
A three-member committee on Bt brinjal, appointed by the Andhra Pradesh government, has recommended not to allow commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal in the state.
Without making any direct reference to the three new farm reform laws or to the three-month-old agitation by farmers, Modi said there is a need for expanding options for the country's farming community to sell agri produce.
Increased investment in agriculture, particularly in Africa, is necessary, but it must benefit those who are food insecure, stressed the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter.
'Had they agreed to our demands that we raised two years ago, we would have never started our agitation again.'
According to an Andhra government statement, Naidu 'reposed confidence' in the PM's leadership.
Union Budget 2013-14 was positive for the Aluminium products sector.
India's economic growth is likely to reach pre-COVID-19 levels by the end of the 2021-22 fiscal as the GDP contraction in this financial year is expected to be less than 8 per cent, Niti Aayog vice chairman Rajiv Kumar said on Sunday. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has also revised its forecast of economic growth for the current fiscal year (2020-21) to (-)7.5 per cent as against its earlier forecast of (-)9.5 per cent.
After several revisions in sugar output data by the Union government, now the US Department of Agriculture has modified its figures on India's sugar production, saying that it may touch 252 lakh tonnes during the 2006-07 season.
Exim Bank pointed out that recent performance of the manufacturing sector in India is indicative of an underlying inertia.
India may be a largely agrarian economy; but the country remains a marginal player in world agricultural trade, says the latest annual report from the ministry of agriculture.
This period of strong growth not only offers opportunities but also calls for strategic considerations to ensure sustainable development and equitable prosperity in the years to come, suggests Sujan Hajra.
On the occasion of Chinese president Xi Jinping's two-day visit, Indian exporters are looking for a big boost in export of agricultural commodities, especially the ones that have been impacted by the ongoing trade war between the United States and China.
The state government will wait and watch till August 15 before declaring the affected areas, state Agriculture Minister Naren De said in Kolkata.
