Horticulture has Potential to boost overall farm sector with over 7% growth for the last 5 years (NHM reveiew)

Horticulture has seen significant jump in area, production and export with help from the National Horticulture Mission in the last five years. This came out in the meeting of the General Council of the Mission, which met under the Chairmanship of Shri Sharad Pawar, Agriculture Minister. The Council took stock of the implementation of Scheme over the years. The interventions under the Mission have helped in increasing the production of horticultural commodities from 166.9 million tonnes in 2004-05 to 226.9 million tonnes by 2009-10, registering a growth rate of about seven percent per year. There has been consistent increase in the exports of horticultural produce, which has reached the level of Rs. 13,423.76 crore during 2009-10.

With the implementation of the Scheme in the last five years, an area of 16.57 lakh hectares has been brought under horticultural crops. About 2.78 lakh ha of senile orchards have been rejuvenated. Organic farming has been taken up in 1.37 lakh ha. Besides, 2.47 lakh honey bee colonies along with hives have been distributed to farmers for enhancing productivity through cross pollination.

High priority has been accorded under the Horticulture Mission to promoting protected cultivation, particularly for taking up cultivation of vegetables under green houses and shade net houses in the peri-urban areas. Besides, protected cultivation of flowers is gaining momentum in various parts of the country.

Collaborative efforts have been made with the Government of Israel for getting state-of-the-art technology for cultivation of fruits and vegetables by creating Centres of Excellence. One such Centre of Excellence for Vegetables has been commissioned at Karnal, Haryana in January, 2011 with Mission’s support to the tune of Rs.6.00 crore.
Infrastructure facilities such as 2192 nurseries, 309 number of scientific infrastructure viz. Leaf Tissue Analysis Lab, Disease Forecasting Units, Bio Control Labs and Plant Health Clinics have been established in the public and private sector with the active participation of ICAR Institutes, State Agriculture Universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK).

Under post harvest management, 1091 pack houses, 285 cold storage units, 4 controlled Atmosphere (CA) stores, 16 refrigerated vans and 264 mobile/ primary processing units have been set up. Moreover, 172 markets, including 9 wholesale markets, have been established for facilitating marketing of horticulture produce. Two Terminal Markets, one at Patna and the other at Erode, Tamil Nadu have been approved for setting up under the Public Private Partnership mode during the current year. These markets will have facilities to ensure transparency in operation and better price realization by the farmers.
Rs. 8809 crore has been earmarked for the Mission during the Eleventh Plan, out of which Rs. 2728 has been released till 2009-10. A provision of Rs. 986 crore has been earmarked for the current year (2010-11) against which an amount of Rs. 779.20 crore has been released so far.

The Mission is being implemented in 371 identified districts, in eighteen States and three UTs covering about 60 major horticultural crops. The Scheme guidelines have been revised recently to provide better incentives to the farmers and entrepreneurs involved in the development of horticulture. Some of the key areas identified for action by the Mission include evolving a robust mechanism to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change, strengthening of cold chain and market infrastructure and better delivery mechanism. It was noted by the General Council that with high potential for growth, the horticulture sector is expected to play a significant role in boosting the overall growth rate in the farm sector.

“Agriculture ministry is concerned with production of grains like rice, wheat, sugarcane and pulses, and we does not have any direct role in cultivation of vegetables… farmers themselves decide which crop to grow seeing the local conditions. If any farmer grows any particular vegetable, we neither have control over it nor do we have any scheme for it. ”

Sharad Pawar, Agriculture Minister gone berserk on being asked about the food commodities, particularly the vegetables (onions and tomato) prices touching a newer peak and the Ministry’s measures to tame the soaring prices.

Sharad Pawar expresses 'helplessness' on high food inflation

Expressing his "helplessness" on high food inflation, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar today said the farmers must get right value for their produce so that they are encouraged to increase production of essential farm commodities to rein in price rise. He, however, said that it was states' responsibility to ensure proper distribution of food grains to the people through ration shops while the Centre is responsible for production, procurement and moving the produce to godowns.

Speaking on high inflation mainly due to soaring vegetables prices, Pawar said, on the one hand he has to answer for escalating vegetable prices and on the other hand farmers are complaining of not getting adequate price. "On the issue of high inflation, I am cornered by fellow parliamentarians and media in Delhi who ask when the prices of vegetables will fall... on the other hand when I go to villages farmers complain that they are not getting adequate price for their produce. "I get beating from both sides. Urban population is unhappy over rising prices while farmers in the villages complain for not getting adequate price," he said and posed question "you tell me what shall I do?" Pawar was speaking at a function in Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR), Kanpur.

The minister noted that if farmers would not get proper price than how their families will survive. "Priority of our government is that the farmers shall get adequate price for their produce. For this the government is making efforts like providing cheaper farm loans," he said. Pointing out that land is getting scare and population is increasing fast, Pawar urged farm scientists to come up with new variety of seeds and technology which will help farmers grow more on lesser area of land.

The Union agriculture minister said it's priority of the government to ensure increase in production, procure them at adequate price and than move it to godowns. From there it goes to state governments which ferry them to ration shops. "It's duty of the state governments to ensure that foodgrains reach beneficiaries in a proper manner," he added. Pawar paid a visit to IIPR to discuss latest research works and interact with pulses' farmers.

On government measures in the field of agriculture, he said earlier the Union government was providing Rs80,000 crore as farm loans at a relatively higher interest rate, but now it has raised the loan amount to Rs3.70 lakh crore on which only 4% interest rate is charged. Ten years back the government used to provide subsidy amount of Rs20,000 crore which now has increased to Rs80,000 crore, the minister said. The minister noted that while the country has adequate production of foodgrains like sugar, wheat and rice, but expressed concern over fall in domestic production of pulses and edible oil due which the country has to import them.

"India is producing 14 million tonnes of pulses while the consumption of the commodity is 18 million tonnes. The shortage of four million tonnes is met through imports," he said. Likewise, due to shortage of production of edible oil the country has to go for its import, he added. Pawar is paying a visit to all the agricultural research institutes of the country to boost farm production.

Warmer winter could affect wheat crop

Winter months are getting more warmer than usual. The trend has started to affect the cultivation of wheat. Agro-meteorologists believe if the present weather conditions continue for a week, the wheat yield could decrease by 15-20 per cent. According to Aniruddha Dubey, agro-meteorologist at Chandra Shekher Azad (CSA) Agriculture University, the day temperature is seven degrees above normal and it is not suitable for wheat cultivation. He said that wheat irrigation requires a moderate temperatures of 20-23 degrees Celsius of maximum temperature and 4-5 degrees Celsius (minimum temperature). If the temperature exceeds this limit, the crop develops moisture which leads to early maturation. "High temperature and no rains make crop susceptible to moisture stress. It would lead to early ripening of the grains. Generally, wheat is planted November and December. If the existing temperature prolongs for a week, it can disturb the cycle of wheat which is still in the milking and flowering stage," Dubey added. UP is the largest wheat producer in India, providing 35% of total wheat production. This year, the target of wheat production is over 300 lakh tonnes. During 2009 and 2008, wheat production in the state stood at 275 lakh tonnes and 255 lakh tonnes respectively. The annual mean temperature of Kanpur region has increased by 3 degree Celsius in past three years. This year, from January 20 onwards, there has been a rise in the day and night temperatures. The day temperature has increased from 21 degrees Celsius to 28 degree Celsius in February, which is seven degrees more than the normal temperature (23 degree Celsius). Similarly, the night temperature has also increased from 5 degree Celsius to 10 degrees. Weather scientists say that the trend of variation in temperature is being observed since the past three years. From 2009, the trend has become apparent and it is evident that it is the impact of global warming that has made the winter months more warmer. However, from Monday morning the direction of the winds had changed. The westerly winds are now being taken over by easterly winds, which can lead to partial cloud coverage and two to three degrees decrease in day temperature in the coming days.

Mukherjee projects 6 percent farm sector growth

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday projected farm sector growth of 6 percent and hoped the dip in factory output in November was temporary. 'With normal monsoons, we are looking at a significant rebound in agriculture and allied sector growth at about 6 per cent,' the finance minister said. 'Exports have also done reasonably well with growth in April-November 2011 at 26.7 percent,' he said at a pre-budget meeting with economists. In the first half of 2010-11, the Indian economy recorded an overall growth of 8.9 percent, back on the high growth path in the years prior to the global financial crisis, he said. 'The recovery has been broad-based with agriculture, industry and services all contributing to the consolidation of the growth momentum,' he said. 'Though industrial growth during November 2010 has slipped to 2.7 percent, cumulative growth from April is still high at 9.5 percent compared to 7.4 percent during the corresponding months of 2009-10.' This was the fifth in the series of pre-budget consultations held by the finance minister with stakeholders of different sectors. The others were with stakeholders in agriculture, captains of Indian industry, representatives of different trade unions and NGOs. Mukherjee said India was fortunate in surviving the global financial crisis without major disruptions and had recovered its growth momentum much faster than most others.

TNAU to set up labs to analyze toxic residues on vegetables

Analysis of toxic residues on food, particularly vegetables will soon be possible as the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University plans to set up Pesticide Testing Laboratories at its constituent colleges in Madurai and Killikulam, according to a top university official TNAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Murugesa Bhoopathi said farmers resort to 12 to 15 sprays of chemical pesticides for vegetables, which results in toxic residues in harvested produce. These laboratories would analyze them, he said. He stressed the need to increase vegetable productivity to meet projected demand of 170 million tons in 2025 against the present 109 million tons and said the demand could be met through improved Integrated Pest Management practices. Though the area under vegetable crops occupied only about two per cent of cultivated area in the country, it consumes 13 to 14 per cent of total pesticides used for agriculture, he said, addressing a function of 'Farm school on All India Radio,' recently. By adopting IPM practices with special emphasis on biopesticides, farmers can reduce pesticide load on crops and supply quality vegetables to the consumers, he said.

Is India ready to embrace GM food crops?

Debates and researches are continuing across the world on GM crops and its repercussions on environment and other plants. Many countries including India remained hesitant even to experiment with the latest technology in agriculture which could feed the millions of people added every year to the food chain. In India, GM food crops are not allowed to cultivate and only BT cotton is cultivated via this technology, which proved useful to boost output many folds. The use of BT cotton has fostered Indian yields since the season of 2000-2001. But this doesn’t prompt Indian authorities to experiment with a food crop.

India last year rejected requests for BT Brinjal after holding public consultations across several cities and meeting up with farmers, scientists, environment activists and ordinary citizens. Indian society still sees the technology through suspected eyes and believed that unquestionable benefits in the short term could lead to potential risks to human health and country’s agriculture heritage in the long term. However, many agriculture scientists in the country remained hopeful and of the opinion that exploiting the progress in science and technology was essential to enhance agricultural productivity.

They think opposition to GM seeds was superstitious and application of GM seeds would increase productivity and address the issue of malnutrition. On the other hand, some argues that Indian farmers aren’t’ well equipped to deal with the latest technology and without basic knowledge of the system, it could harm other crops and surroundings and eventually their own health. Indian society as a whole too wasn’t prepared for such a technology, they added. Many strikes and protests that may occur will virtually put the whole nation to a standstill even if two or three food crops are allowed to cultivate through this technology.

They pointed out that even in the US, where the USDA recently allowed GM sugar beet cultivation under strict conditions with no threat to the environment and other plants, the opposition remained strong.

The USDA and other authorities there are supporting the technology and the USDA in their part completed an environmental impact study in a hurry to bypass a court ban that halted the planting of GM sugar beets until the completion of USDA study. Considering the fact that GM sugar beets are planted on more than 1 million acres in 10 states in the US and supply half the nation's sugar, this was a significant move. However, in India the situation was entirely different and needs more studies before introducing them to the vastly agriculture based economy like India. Genetically modified food should not be allowed as there is inadequate scientific understanding of their impact on environment and human health, argues some others.

They argued that India required following the European Union which has banned the cultivation of GM crops.

Yet others said the opposition to GM foods comes from out of fear of new technology. Recently a senior politician from a prominent Left party publicly supported the use of GM crops by saying opposition to GM crops was superstitious. It was not right to blindly oppose development in science and technology and authorities must show positive attitudes towards. It is estimated that there are over 40 plant varieties that have completed all scientific studies for cultivating on a bigger scale. It might take years for GM crops to make a mark in India, but once in, it will not only play a big role in country’s self sufficiency in food sector but also help tremendously to its economic boosting.

Government can’t guarantee equal access to food for all: CJI

The government can’t be expected to provide food, education and healthcare to all but relief would be offered to the deprived sections, Chief Justice of India SH Kapadia has said while advocating the adoption of minimum core approach. Saying that the financial meltdown has ushered in a paradigm shift from equality in terms of equal access to minimum core approach, the CJI said, “Equal access to food cannot be given. You cannot have access to all in a population of one billion but those who are below the poverty line can have it.”

Speaking at the 17th Commonwealth Law Conference in Hyderabad, Kapadia said that there is no way to ensure that everyone has access to everything though it would be an immediate need to address the issues related to people below the poverty line. Being held after about 40 years, the conference has brought about 800 delegates and includes chief justices and jurists from 54 countries. Prime minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday inaugurated the biennial five-day conference.

Blaming the stagnation in the agriculture sector for the scarcity of food, Kapadia said that the industrial and services sectors have recorded a 12 per cent growth while the growth of agriculture has remained at about 4%. Addressing it straight to the prime minister sitting on the dais, Kapadia said, the government should consider setting up of a system of Indian Regulatory Service on the lines of IAS or IPS.

Agriculture growth target at 4 % for 12th Plan: Montek

The Planning Commission todaysaid the annual agriculture growth target for the 12th FiveYear Plan (2012-17) would be set at 4 per cent as it was inthe previous two plans. The Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek SinghAhluwalia also said, "During the current five year plan(2007-12) we are likely to achieve average farm growth ofabout 3.5 per cent, which would be little lower than targeted4 per cent." Ahluwalia who was conferred a doctorate degree ofscience by Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) here,stressed on the need for more investment in agriculture research. "The investment in farm research should be 2 per cent ofagriculture gross domestic product (GDP) which ranges from0.5-0.6 per cent at present," he said.

Ahluwalia also expressed concerns over relatively loweragriculture yields in India compared to the developed world. He pointed out that production could be increased only byreducing knowledge deficit. The government expects the agriculture sector growthoutput during 2010-11 at over 6 per cent, which is the highestin the Eleventh Plan. The farm growth is significant in the back drop of highfood prices in the country. The performance of the farm sectorwas dismal in the previous fiscal as the growth was just 0.2per cent against the annual average target of 4 per cent in the 11th Plan (2007-12), on account of widespread drought.

In the first year of the 11th Plan, the farm growth was recorded at 4.7 per cent, which slowed down to 1.6 per cent in2008-09. Besides, the annual average farm growth during the 10thPlan (2002-07) also missed the 4 per cent target, and grew instead at the rate of 2.13 per cent.

The deceleration in agriculture growth, which began in the Ninth Plan (1997-02) period, has become a major area of concern as half of country's population derives greater part of their income from agriculture. The annual average farm growth which was 4.72 per cent in 8th Plan (1992-97), slowed down to 2.44 in 9th Plan and further to 2.13 per cent in 10th Plan period.

Climate-resilient farming

That climate change will impact Indian agriculture is a foregone conclusion. In what way precisely is not clear, though some clues are emerging through various research projects to capture these signals and assess their impact on crops, livestock, fisheries and other fields.

The most widely trusted estimate indicates that crop yields may drop 4.5 to 9.0 per cent as a result of climate change in the next three decades, depending on how much temperatures rise and the impact of extreme climate in different parts of the world. A dent of this level in crop productivity translates into an overall cut of around 1.5 per cent in India’s gross domestic product (GDP), given that agriculture accounts for 15 per cent of total GDP.

Business as usual will put the country’s food security in jeopardy and cause widespread distress among farmers by threatening their livelihood security. Strategies to mitigate global warming by slashing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions alone will not help much. That’s because India contributes just 4 per cent to the world’s total harmful emissions. Its domestic efforts to reduce it further may, therefore, make little difference to overall global warming. The real need is for strategies to adapt agriculture to impending climate change.

Fortunately, the country’s farm scientists are unlikely to be caught unawares on this count. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), which runs the country’s national agricultural research system, has recently augmented its efforts to combat climate change by launching a new research-cum-technology demonstration project called "National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture" (NICRA). This project received Cabinet approval on December 15, 2010, with an outlay of Rs 350 crore for the remaining two years of the current plan. The project will probably continue in the 12th plan (2012-17).

"The project will concentrate on creating research and capacity-building infrastructure and on conducting on-farm demonstrations of available climate-resilient technologies," says ICAR director-general S Ayyappan. A significant aspect of this project is that it is entirely India-centred and focuses on finding location-specific solutions to climate change challenges.

Infrastructure to carry out basic and strategic research will help create capacity for developing technologies for medium- to long-term challenges. In the shorter run, the project aims to transfer to farmers climate adaptation technologies that are already available.

Significantly, about 100 of the most vulnerable districts in 27 states will be selected for field demonstrations of climate-resilient technologies. About 100,000 farmers are expected to benefit directly from this exercise. Millions of others will gain in the long run with the dissemination of these technologies and evolution of new ones.

It is critical to recognise that the consequences of global warming will vary from region to region. The mean temperature in India has risen by 0.6 degrees centigrade in the past 100 years. It is not certain whether the rate rise in warming will accelerate or decelerate, though most fear the former case. Evidence also suggests that weather extremes, such as drought, unusually heavy downpours, flash floods, intense heat and cold waves and the like may steadily exacerbate. All this bodes ill for agriculture, livestock and fisheries. Even more worrisome is the projection that though the overall amount of annual rainfall in India will increase, the number of rainy days will shrink.

This will increase uncertainties about crop yields, increasing the risk element in farming.

While many of these challenges can be tackled through technological interventions, some others may need policy support in addition to science-induced resilience. Agricultural scientists, on their part, can develop new crop varieties capable of withstanding stresses caused by heat, cold or water related factors. They can also conceive other kinds of technologies and cultivation practices to create tolerance to climate extremes. But the government, on its part, will need to revamp and expand arrangements for crop insurance and other means of hedging the heightened risks posed by climate change.

Ultimately, what we need is the ability to convert the challenge posed by climate change into an opportunity to mitigate the vulnerability of Indian agriculture.

Pak competition may hit India’s basmati rice exports

Aromatic basmati rice exports from India may dip by 10 per cent to 1.8 million tonnes in the 2010-11 fiscal due to the increased competition posed by neighbouring Pakistan’s produce in Europe, a trade body said. “Total basmati rice export in both volume and value terms are expected to fall by 10 per cent from a year earlier. Exports volume may fall to 1.8 million tonnes,” All-India Rice Exporters Association President Vijay Setia told reporters.

Mr. Setia attributed the slump in exports to growing competition from neighbouring Pakistan in Europe due to pesticide concerns. “Indian farmers are spraying pesticide even after the flowering stage of the crop. And the EU is objecting to this,” he said. In addition, Indian exporters are not keen to export basmati to Iran -- one of their biggest markets -- due to delays in receiving payment for shipments on account of sanctions imposed by the U.S. and United Nations against the Middle East nation over its suspected nuclear programme, said Mr. Setia.

“Iran payment is coming very slowly as it is being routed through Dubai. As a result, it is affecting our market and realisation,” he said. In the 2009-10 fiscal, the country shipped 2.01 million tonnes of basmati rice, mainly to the UAE, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Europe and the US. The export realisation from overseas shipments of Indian basmati was Rs. 10,838 crore last fiscal, he said. In terms of value, exports were down by Rs. 2,500 crore in the review period. The value realisation was $ 1,060/tonne in the first ten months of the current fiscal, compared to $ 1,160/tonne in the same period last year, it said.

Meanwhile, the agri-export promotion body APEDA had recently said India’s total basmati rice exports in the entire 2010-11 fiscal are unlikely to be lower than last year, though a decline in shipments was seen for a brief period in 2010. According to the crop survey conducted by Apeda, total basmati rice production is estimated at 7 million tonnes in the 2010-11 crop year, almost 10 per cent higher than the output of 6.4 million tonnes recorded in the previous year.

Anand Agri-varsity to develop GM Isabgol

In a latest development in the field of crop biotechnology, Gujarat-based Anand Agriculture University (AAU) is developing a genetically modified Psyllium (Isabgol) husk, which will be resistant to the fungal disease called 'downy mildew' and will provide higher yield. "We are trying to increase the genetic reactibility of the plant, which will make it resistant to downy mildew fungal disease. This disease reduces the quality of the crop and also the yield. The transgenic process is being carried out under the marker assisted selection (MAS), wherein we have successfully identified the DNA marker for the plant," said R S Phogat, professor and head, department of agri-biotechnology, Anand Agriculture University. The university took up the research after the complaints from the farmers with regard to the disease and lower yield. "Many farmers from north Gujarat had raised the issue of poor crop quality and reduced yield for psyllium, better known as isabgol. We have taken up the research for this crop and expect to come out with a GM seed that protects the plant from diseases and improves quality and quantity of the crop," added Phogat. Commenting about the safety of the new isabgol seed, Phogat informed, "The transgenic technology that we are using by infusing genes into plants directly, is safer than that is used for BT crops, which has genes infused via bacteria," he said adding that the research will take around 5-7 years to complete.

India produces around 90,000 to 100,000 tonnes of Isabgol every year of which Gujarat accounts for around 22-26 per cent share. The productivity of the crop has remained in the range of 632 kg to 672 kg per hectare in the state. Other major producing states in India are Rajasthan, MP and Harayana.

Isabgol has been an important cash crop for foreign trades. The husk of the grain isabgol has vast applications including medicines. It is also used as a stabilising agent for ice creams besides being an effective laxative. The country dominates the world market in the production and export of isabgol with about 80 per cent of the global supplies. According to the latest data provided by the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), India exported isabgol husk to the tune of 20,658 tonnes valuing Rs 381 crore fur the year 2009-10. In the current year 2010-11, (April - June) total exports of isabgol husk were registered at 19,726 tonnes worth Rs 125 crore. Gujarat holds around 35 per cent share in the country's total production of Psyllium Husk.

Around 90 per cent of the total production of Isabgol in the country is exported, of which 93 per cent is of husk. Major export destinations for husks and industrial powders are US, some European countries including the UK, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, Pakistan and Gulf countries. The US alone buys around 75 per cent of the total supplies from India.

The area under isabgol cultivation is going down at a rapid pace due to climatic adversaries and farmers are shifting to other crops like jeera and fennel seeds or saunf. "Last year, the returns from Saunf and jeera was much higher than isabgol, therefore many farmers have shifted from isabgol to these crops. This has reduced the isabgol acreage almost by 50 per cent over last year. More over, this year, the climatic extremities increased risk from isabgol farming," said a trader in Nagor near Jodhpur in Rajasthan. This has sparked off prices of isabgol. The prices in the spot markets have increased from Rs 4,650 per quintal in the beginning of January to Rs 5,050 per quintal by the end of the month. In last one week alone, the price increased by around Rs 500 per quintal to Rs 5,400 per quintal.

Anand Agri-varsity to develop GM Isabgol

In a latest development in the field of crop biotechnology, Gujarat-based Anand Agriculture University (AAU) is developing a genetically modified Psyllium (Isabgol) husk, which will be resistant to the fungal disease called 'downy mildew' and will provide higher yield. "We are trying to increase the genetic reactibility of the plant, which will make it resistant to downy mildew fungal disease. This disease reduces the quality of the crop and also the yield. The transgenic process is being carried out under the marker assisted selection (MAS), wherein we have successfully identified the DNA marker for the plant," said R S Phogat, professor and head, department of agri-biotechnology, Anand Agriculture University. The university took up the research after the complaints from the farmers with regard to the disease and lower yield. "Many farmers from north Gujarat had raised the issue of poor crop quality and reduced yield for psyllium, better known as isabgol. We have taken up the research for this crop and expect to come out with a GM seed that protects the plant from diseases and improves quality and quantity of the crop," added Phogat. Commenting about the safety of the new isabgol seed, Phogat informed, "The transgenic technology that we are using by infusing genes into plants directly, is safer than that is used for BT crops, which has genes infused via bacteria," he said adding that the research will take around 5-7 years to complete.

India produces around 90,000 to 100,000 tonnes of Isabgol every year of which Gujarat accounts for around 22-26 per cent share. The productivity of the crop has remained in the range of 632 kg to 672 kg per hectare in the state. Other major producing states in India are Rajasthan, MP and Harayana.

Isabgol has been an important cash crop for foreign trades. The husk of the grain isabgol has vast applications including medicines. It is also used as a stabilising agent for ice creams besides being an effective laxative. The country dominates the world market in the production and export of isabgol with about 80 per cent of the global supplies. According to the latest data provided by the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), India exported isabgol husk to the tune of 20,658 tonnes valuing Rs 381 crore fur the year 2009-10. In the current year 2010-11, (April - June) total exports of isabgol husk were registered at 19,726 tonnes worth Rs 125 crore. Gujarat holds around 35 per cent share in the country's total production of Psyllium Husk.

Around 90 per cent of the total production of Isabgol in the country is exported, of which 93 per cent is of husk. Major export destinations for husks and industrial powders are US, some European countries including the UK, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, Pakistan and Gulf countries. The US alone buys around 75 per cent of the total supplies from India.

The area under isabgol cultivation is going down at a rapid pace due to climatic adversaries and farmers are shifting to other crops like jeera and fennel seeds or saunf. "Last year, the returns from Saunf and jeera was much higher than isabgol, therefore many farmers have shifted from isabgol to these crops. This has reduced the isabgol acreage almost by 50 per cent over last year. More over, this year, the climatic extremities increased risk from isabgol farming," said a trader in Nagor near Jodhpur in Rajasthan. This has sparked off prices of isabgol. The prices in the spot markets have increased from Rs 4,650 per quintal in the beginning of January to Rs 5,050 per quintal by the end of the month. In last one week alone, the price increased by around Rs 500 per quintal to Rs 5,400 per quintal.

No to cotton export cap hike

Textile ministry is not in favour of exporting cotton above the specified cap of 55 lakh bales (170 kg each). Textile minister, Dayanidhi Maran, said that the government is taking steps to bring down the prices of the natural fibre in the domestic market. He said, “The government will allow export of only 55 lakh bales of cotton which is surplus and, on no account, we’ll allow more cotton to be exported.” The government had earlier allowed export of 55 lakh bales for the 2010-11 marketing season (October- September) of which 36 lakh bales have been shipped so far. Several textile industry bodies, including the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Tirupur Exporters association, have sought restrictions on cotton exports, citing rising prices and their impact on finished goods.

Rebuttal for NAC

Within a fortnight of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rejecting the Sonia Gandhi-led NAC’s suggestions to link NREGS wages to minimum wages in states, an expert panel appointed by the PM has said that it “will not be possible to implement the National Advisory Council’s” recommendations for the proposed national food security legislation. Going against the NAC recommendation to provide “legal entitlement” to about 75 percent of the population, the panel, chaired by C Rangrajan, chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, has favoured legal entitlement to only the “priority group”, covering the rest with a varying quantum depending on the availability of foodgrains, and through executive order.

Jain Irrigation to form NBFC

Indian Micro irrigation giant, Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd (JISL), is moving towards setting up of a non- banking finance company (NBFC) to look into financing the farmers’ needs. It has acquired a rich pool of tacit and direct knowledge on the customer base of small farmers through its strong dealer network. The company indicated that it has observed inadequate / untimely credit being delivered to small farmer segment for his agricultural need. So, Jain Irrigation has decided to promote an NBFC with an overall objective of serving the small farmer and rural constituency to bridge the current gap. Jain Irrigation also indicated that this will reduce receivables in its balance sheet and significantly improve the working capital cycle for its micro irrigation business. The company’s board has already approved the move and will apply for a nod from the Reserve Bank of India for the same this quarter. It normally takes 3-4 months for the approval to come through. JISL is hoping that the NBFC will help boost its sales. “Farmers need timely and adequate credit which the NBFC can provide and it can also improve JISL’s balance sheet by reducing debtors,” Mr Ajit Jain, Director, JISL said. To begin with, the company will finance just the purchase of its own products.

Cotton output to remain low in 2011

India's cotton production in 2010-11 would be lesser by two million bales (170 kg), according to estimates made by The Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA). According to the recent estimate by SIMA, India’s cotton crop will be 30.9 million bales which is 2 million less than the recent estimate by the Cotton Advisory Board (CAB) of India. SIMA has 400 members from South India belonging to the textile industry. The Cotton Advisory Board, on January 6, estimated the cotton production for the 2010-11 to be 32.9 million bales (170 kg each) and the total domestic consumption to be 27.5 million bales. J. Thulasidharan, Chairman of SIMA, in a recent press statement mentioned that with the current cotton production scenario, Indian mills will face supply shortfall from this July, which will lead to a sharp increase in yarn prices. He has requested the Ministry of Textiles to take up the cotton export matter with the Ministries of Commerce and Agriculture. SIMA wants the cotton export ceiling to remain 5.5 million bales (170 kg each).

“Past sins” behind farmers’ suicides

In less than a month, eight farmers in Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh, Raisen, and Betul districts have ended their lives due to mounting loan and crop failure. Politicians are busy sending jitters to the ruling government; but the worst for CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan came from his own partyman and present Agri minister, Ramakrishna Kusmaria, who blatantly blamed farmers’ ‘past sins’ for the rising suicide graph in the state! Earlier, in September 2009, this minister claimed to have spotted a UFO in his home district Damoh and linked crop damages to the unusual phenomenon! Eight farmers, including four in Damoh district in Bundelkhand region adjoining UP, have committed suicide in a month in Madhya Pradesh. Damoh, Narsinghpur, and Gadarwara are known for cultivation of good quality arhar lentils. But this year, the crop failed because of unusual cold hovering over many parts of the state, ruining farmers’ dream for a good arhar harvest.

Bamboo trail

At the start of this new decade, the Ministry of Environment & Forest (MoEF) looked confused about the Botany of Bamboo, whether it is grass, tree, or weed. By simply putting bamboo on a list in the forest Act, the MoEF has been able to control its use and trade, earning revenue for itself in return (10-15Th cr with 15% annual growth). Although, scientifically, bamboo has always been classified as grass and, historically, it was also treated as weed in the country when the colonial regulators wanted to clear it at large scale. Economic values can't rob the taxonomic importance of any species, which clearly placed it under the family "Poaceae". There are always certain necessary differences between science and fiction, but the real need is to establish the fact using the scientific documentation. At last, after a lot of trial and tribulations, MoEF accepted the Bamboo as Grass. So now, a major share of trade is all set to go to the local and tribal communities.

A homage to Th. Sivasailam

A. Sivasailam, Chairman and Managing Director of Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE), was laid to rest on January 12, 2011. He was born on August 24, 1934, and headed one of the largest south Indian conglomerate ‘Amalgamations group’ for more than three decades. He was also a Padma Shri recipient and often regarded as the ‘Father of Indian Tractor Industry’. As one of the founding members of the Tractor Manufacturers Association, Mr Sivasailam’s commitment and sizeable contribution to the growth of the Indian tractor Industry will long be remembered. The list of awards Mr. Sivasailam received is long, including the prestigious Padma Shri. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award of the All-India Management Association, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Society of Indian Automotive Manufacturers, the Golden Jubilee Lifetime Contribution Award by the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from SAE India. He was also honoured with the Outstanding Industrialist Award by the National Institute of Quality Assurance. The Tamilnadu Agricultural University conferred the degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) on him, in recognition of his contributions to agricultural business management and industrial development.

Wikileaks revelation about GM

Wikileak cables not only revealed the American game plan for the Iraq war and other areas, but also touched the domain of agriculture with US being advised by its officials to wage a military style trade war against the European countries that oppose GM crops. The US embassy in Paris in 2007, when France moved to ban GM corn by Monsanto, recommended that the US “calibrate a target retaliation list that causes some pain across EU since this is a collective responsibility, but also focuses in part of the worst culprits (those opposing GM crops).” A cable mentioned; “opportunities exist to press the issue with the Vatican, and in turn to influence a wide segment of the population in Europe and the developing world.” In other newly released cables, US diplomats around the world are found to have pushed GM crops as a strategic government and commercial imperative.

John Deere to set up second Indian facility

John Deere, the largest tractor manufacturer in the world, is planning to set up its second Indian facility very soon. This facility would be in addition to its existing plant at Pune, which mainly produces large (50 HP and above) and medium (40-50 HP) tractors. Currently, the Pune plant manufactured 50,000 odd tractors in 2010, of which 35,000 units were sold domestically and the balanced exported to 46 countries. The proposed facility, the location of which is yet to be decided, will primarily manufacture small 30-40 HP tractors. John Deere has an eight per cent share of the Indian market. It is the No. 1 player in the large HP tractors. The new plant is expected to commence the production towards the end of 2012. It is aimed at bolstering the company’s presence in the small HP segment in the Indian market.

Dow discovered new molecule

Dow AgroSciences has identified a new lead molecule for advancement in its alliance with Hyderabad-based GVK Biosciences. This newly identified compound has been selected for its ability to address a key product goal as part of Dow’s growing agricultural chemicals business. Dow Agrosciences had signed discovery research agreement with contract research firm GVK Bio over a couple of years ago to generate new molecules for synthesis and testing as fungicides and insecticides in crops. The two companies have benefited from the expertise in medicinal chemistry and chemo-informatics at GVK BIO, in combination with Dow's agricultural chemical capabilities. The objective of the collaboration was to speed up the search for promising active ingredients for innovative crop protection products. It takes 8-10 years to move from the discovery stage to bringing the molecule in the market. The next step is to conduct field trials in different climatic conditions. The molecule is developed after the successful outcome. The two companies have benefited from the depth of expertise in medicinal chemistry and chemo informatics. They have filed for the Intellectual Property rights too. Both the companies hope that this molecule will be a blockbuster. Experts are of the view that a blockbuster in agricultural segment could fetch anywhere around $300 million as revenues per year!

Boost to Organic farming

Bihar government has started 'organic farming promotion programme' for the cultivation of organic crops in all districts. The state government has decided to develop 38 'organic grams' for which a sum of Rs 255 cr has been sanctioned for five years. This programme is being run under the leadership of AK Sinha, Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC). At the district level, District Agriculture Officer (DAO) has been entrusted with the task of monitoring the programme. Any farmer residing in the chosen villages and having land possession certificate (LPC) can do organic farming. For this, the minimum land requirement is one acre and the maximum is four hectares. In return, farmers growing organic crops will get all the benefits from the government. Farmers in these villages are producing only organic vegetables and fruits, including potato, cauliflower, tomato, cabbage, peas, ladyfinger, carrot, litchi, guava, mango, etc. Under this plan, the government aims to help these farmers in producing natural fertilizers, organic manures, and bio- pesticides. For the first time in India, farmers in the state will get 50% subsidy for the production of vermi-composed.

NABARD institutes Chair for Rural Business

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has instituted a NABARD Chair Unit for Rural Business at the Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB). Dr Amar KJR Nayak from the Strategic Management Area of the XIMB has been posted as the NABARD Chair Professor from January 1. NABARD MD, Dr KG Karmakar, XIMB Dean-Administration Rev Fr PD Thomas, and Dr Nayak signed an agreement for the Chair Unit recently. The NABARD Chair Unit will engage in action research to develop a sustainable development prism for the small and marginal farmers/producers of rural India.

Milk powder export to grow by 87.5 per cent in 2011

India's export of milk powder in 2011 is expected to grow by 87.5 per cent on increased production of milk in the country, according to a recent report released by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Sufficient carry-over stocks from 2010 may increase non-fat dry milk (milk powder) exports from India in 2011. It is said that the overall exports of milk powder in 2010 stood at around 8,000 tonnes. In the current year, the country is expected to export around 15,000 tonnes of milk powder, which is 7,000 tonnes more than the last year's export. India, generally, exports only a small percentage of its total production of milk products due to its growing supply deficit and increasing domestic dairy prices, report mentioned. Last year, the government had allowed the duty free import of 30,000 tonnes of milk powder in 2010 to meet the projected shortage of milk supply during the summer season due to concern over the availability of fodder, following the reports of delay and deficient monsoon. However, better-than-expected monsoon in the later half of 2010 has pushed the production of milk in the country. The report also pointed out that due to the availability of surplus milk powder in the current year, the country may not have to import milk powder.

Agri Varsities in a soup…

Four national universities of repute are in serious trouble after it came to light that they have entered a “secret pact” with one of the leading food brands in the country to promote its goods during their nutrition awareness programs in government run schools. Nestle India had signed a confidential MoU with four universities, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Ludhiana; National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana; University of Mysore in Karnataka; and the GB Pant University for Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, under which Nestle sponsored nutritional awareness programs back in 2009.

The MoU states: "This MoU, its existence and all information exchanged between the parties under this MoU or during the negotiations preceding this MoU is confidential to them and may not be shared with a third party." In keeping with this condition, PAU refused to give information when an RTI application was filed seeking information about the MoU and the details of the nutrition education programme. Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) argues that the MoU basically allows Nestle to indulge in brand promotion in the guise of nutritional programs in the public education system. BPNI went on to say that when it had filed an RTI with PAU seeking information, the university refused to give it and, instead, wrote a letter to Nestle asking its opinion about the RTI application. The questions raised are: Why should a national university take the permission of a private company to give information under the RTI Act? They are duty-bound to provide the information. After all, what is so secretive about the contents of a nutritional program? They have sold their autonomy and independence as a national institution to a corporate entity for a paltry sum of Rs 2.5 lakh, the sum Nestle is paying PAU for this project.

Technology at work…

Krishnagiri district of Tami Nadu, located at the border of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, has seen several cases of pilferage and cross border smuggling of essential commodities meant for public distribution. But now, it has become history, as the district administration has implemented a novel way of keeping a tab on the whole process, right from the point of dispatch from stockyard till the point of delivery to the card holders. The entire chain of network is manned by Geographical Positioning System (GPS), which is fitted into every truck carrying the grains, and tracked online by the co-operative department official. If there is any diversion or a long stopover, the official on duty can alert the field officer to check the status of the vehicle. To check pilferage from fair-price shops, electronic weighing machines have been installed and, at the time of sale, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) enabled handheld billing machine is used. Each time a sale is conducted at a shop, the machine prints a bill and the bill is generated in the local language Tamil for the convenience of users and the salesman. As it gets generated, the billing details are updated in the central database and a report is generated periodically to monitor the pilferage. This pilot project will be rolled out in 12 more districts of the state, including Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem, and Tiruchirapalli.

Farm loan@1%

Madhya Pradesh government led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced that co-operative banks would provide farm loans at a meager interest rate of 1 per cent from the upcoming financial year. The state also plans to waive off a year’s interest on standing loans and reduce the interest rate for the following years from 12 per cent to 3 per cent. Besides, government also suspended recovery of loans from farmers affected by recent natural calamities like unseasonal heavy rains and drought, and their land rent were waived off too. All the state department officials are directed by the Chief Minister’s office to have liberal approach while assessing crop losses; otherwise they may face disciplinary action. With this, MP becomes the first Indian state to announce such waivers, which is supposed to come amid reports of farmers committing suicide due to crop failure and recent losses due to frost.

Beating inflation, Andhra way….

Today, food inflation, particular in fresh fruits and vegetables, has become the biggest cause of worry, not only for the common men but also for the Governments. Looking into the same, the Andhra government has come up with a unique initiative to tame the unwarranted situation, which was, till now, in the public domain. The state government has introduced two different family packages of vegetables at subsidised rates. The first package is available for Rs 99, which consists of 1kg each tomato, potato, brinjal, carrot, 1 cauliflower, 1 cabagae, 250 gm green chilli, and 2kg onion. The other pack, priced at Rs 49, will have 1kg tomato, 550 gm each potato, brinjal, carrot, 1 cauliflower, 1 cabbage, 250 gm green chilli, and 1kg onion. This is part of the government’s market intervention scheme. This facility is provided to consumers in all Rythu Bazaars /farmers’ market run by the state government across the state. At present, there are about 100 Rythu Bazaars in the state. This is a first of its kind initiative taken by the Andhra government to supply vegetables and essential commodities in Rythu Bazaars in order to quell rising food prices. This scheme will be implemented in all the districts and the transportation costs will be borne by the govt. The state government will do a review meeting after a month to look into the need of further extension of the scheme.

Rubber and Pineapple intercrop

A win-win situation has been created for both rubber and pineapple growers. It works like this. The pineapple farmers take the rubber plantations on lease for three-and-a-half years. Apart from growing their own crop, the pineapple farmers have to buy rubber saplings, prepare the pits, and plant them as per guidelines of the Rubber Board and the grower. In simple words, pineapples and rubbers trees grow side by side for three years but only till one point. Growers are allowed to plant pineapple shoots in between two rows of rubber saplings. It is the responsibility of the pineapple farmer to take care of the rubber plants for the next three years until the tree forms a canopy, forcing the pineapple to quit the field. The trend of cultivating pineapple as an intercrop in rubber estates began a decade back in the Vazhakkuam region of Ernakulam district. Rubber benefited when small-scale pineapple cultivators of Vazhakkulam, the largest pineapple producing region in the country, began scouting for bigger and newer plots of land to expand their activity. Now, pineapple has become a common cultivation in rubber-growing regions of Kerala. In the past, pineapple farmers had to plead with rubber cultivators to give their land on lease at the time of replantation. But now, rubber planters are approaching the pineapple growers to use their land for cultivation. And as the trend grows, rubber-growing giants such as Harrison Malayalam Plantations and Kottanad Plantations Limited have also started leasing out hundreds of acres of land to pineapple cultivators at the time of replantation. A pineapple farmer has to spend Rs 1.25 lakh per acre in the first year of cultivation, which includes the cost of rubber replantation. In the second and third year, the cost of rearing the rubber and pineapple comes down to Rs 55,000 and a farmer would get a minimum profit of Rs 20,000 from an acre during the three-year planting period. These days, no one would plant pineapples on less than five acres of land. If one cultivates pineapples on 50 acres of land, he would get a profit of Rs 10 lakh. Pineapple farmers, who do not replant rubber, would give Rs 20,000 as lease amount. Out of 640 members of the Pineapple growers’ association, nearly 400 farmers belong to Vazhakkulam and nearby places in Ernakulam district. Farmers have even moved to the Konkan belt and north of Goa, in search of land.

Banana chips rising on branding…

For years, banana chips production was done by an unorganised sector in the major banana growing areas of Kerala and bordering Tamil Nadu districts. With the entry of branded snack food companies, this cottage industry is set for a make-over. Besdies the domestic market, the companies tend to target overseas markets such as US, Australia, UAE, Egypt, Singapore, Thailand, and other Gulf countries in the view of Indian diaspora considerable presence in these regions. Due to the value addition brought by the companies, Banana chips are now sold in more than 10 varieties and flavours like Malabar masala, chilli, pepper, sugar, fruit, and mint flavours. These chips are sold at anywhere between Rs 180- 200 per kg. The spurt is mainly in the region of Kerala and adjoining districts of Tamil Nadu. Coimbatore has almost become the hub of banana chips with the presence of over a dozen companies engaged in banana chips production and exports. ‘Nenthran’ variety of plantain, which is mainly used in the quality chips production, is grown in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is very suitable for making chips and has high nutritional value. The demand is high for banana chips. But now the problem is the scarcity of raw materials. So, the industry is in talks with Coimbatore based Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and Avinashilingam University to develop good-quality bananas that can be grown round the year to fulfill the demand of raw material.

Basmati’s fragrance at risk…

Experiments carried at Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) point that global warming may rob the exquisite basmati fragrance. This variety of rice may lose not just its aroma, but the famous long grains may also get shorter. Dr. H Pathak, principal investigator of IARI’s Climate Change Challenge Programme, found that Tarawari basmati grown in research fields in Delhi did not grow long enough and wasn't as fragrant as it should have been when cooked. He said that global warming might be to blame for the disappointing basmati produced in the 2006-07 experiment. Temperatures, that year, had crossed 26 degree Celsius in September when the basmati flowers and, 15 to 20 days later, when the grain begins to fill out, because of which a shrivelling of the grain was seen. Consequently, it failed to grow to the right length. The heat also destroyed fatty acids stored in the grain, which gives basmati its distinct fragrance when cooked. IARI has been receiving regular complaints from farmers about a sudden warming that is damaging rice crops. Pathak says the best solution would be to bring planting dates forward, so that high temperatures in September don't affect the crop. The other solution would be to develop a new, heat-resistant basmati variety, though they generally have smaller yields. Yet, no extensive field studies have been done so far; but if true, global warming may have enormous implications for India's prized basmati crop.

Exclusive agri budget

Karnataka is likely to be the first state in the country to have an exclusive budget for agriculture with a corpus fund of Rs 5,000 crore per year. Agriculture Minister, Umesh Katti, said that discussions with the chief minister were on to present a separate agriculture budget. “There are plans to present the agriculture budget the next day after the presentation of the general budget,” the minister said. Katti said farmers had no access to several facilities that other sectors have. A separate budget for agriculture would help farmers get minimum support prices, relief for cross loss, and a scientific price mechanism. A few laws will have to be amended to provide for the separate budget, the minister added.

Vidyasagar P. awarded

Vibha Seeds CMD, Vidyasagar Parchuri, has been awarded with the "Outstanding AgBio Leadership Award” at AgBio Global Summit, 2011, at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore. This recognition comes for his outstanding commitment and leadership vision in promoting Research & Innovation and Development of quality hybrid seeds and crop genetics programs for the benefit of farmers. His work also maintained our national pride in food security and agriculture education, and the welfare of the Indian farming community at large. The award has conferred by Maryland India Business Round Table Inc. (MIBRT), USA. Vidyasagar Parchuri, the Chairman and Managing Director of Vibha Seeds Group, is a shining example of entrepreneur in seed industry. He has demonstrated how dedication, attention to details, and sheer hard work can transform lives for many, especially the needy rural populace. The meteoric rise of his group of companies in the very competitive Indian Seed Industry is due to his vision and multi-pronged strategy. He attributes his success to key factors such as exploiting novel germplasm, application of emerging technologies, quality seed production and seed conditioning, and timely supply of seeds, along with required training to the farmers. He takes great pride in his own passion for the farmer-centric approach and focused commitment to conduct research and business to bring in and deploy the best technologies and business practices with the sole purpose of modernizing the ailing Indian agriculture.