'Country will become self-sufficient in oilseeds and pulses production in the coming years'
The Dollar Business Bureau Radha Mohan Singh the Agriculture Minister, while addressing the 89th foundation day of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) remarked that ' India will become self- sufficient in pulses and oilseeds production in the coming years with the government taking steps to boost yields through use of better quality seeds and technologies.' India imports over 5 million tonnes of pulses and 14.5 million tons of vegetable oils(edible and non-edible) every year. The minister said, that the government is focussed in not only increasing production but taking steps to make agriculture, income-centric as part of its target to double farmers' income by 2022. He asked the scientists to take up this mission and achieve the target and also ensure the overall development ...
Local oilseed crushers want government to raise import duties on edible oils
The Dollar Business Bureau The Indian government is under pressure from the local oilseed crushers to raise the import duties on edible oils after domestic oilseed prices slumped way below the government support levels. Cheap edible oil imports from Malaysia, Brazil, Indonesia and Argentina are crushing the demand of local oilseeds like rapeseed and soybeans while farmers are struggling to compete with them. The prices of local oilseeds slumped to a new low, over the past 14 months due to bumper crop production. Affluent oilseed farmers are pressurising the government to increase the import duties to encourage domestic oilseed cultivation for 2017-18. Davish Jain, Chairman of the Soybean Processors Association while speaking to the press said, “It's high time to do it. The sowing ...
Ministry of Agriculture estimates record foodgrains production in 2016-17
The Dollar Business Bureau The Ministry of Agriculture has released the second production estimates of foodgrains for the crop year ending 2016-17 (July-June). A fairly good monsoon after two consecutive years of sparse rainfall has boosted production estimates to record levels of 271.98 mt (million tonnes). This year's forecast beats the highest foodgrains production record of 265.04 mt achieved in 2013-14 by 6.94 mt. There is an 8% increase in comparison to last year's (2015-16) production levels which stood at 251.57 mt. The current year's estimate is higher than the average foodgrain production in the last five years (2011-2012 to 2015-16) by 14.97 mt. Rice, pulses, wheat, maize, tur, urad, oilseeds and coarse cereals are the categories that are likely to achieve record production this year. Sugarcane and Jute & Mesta production is likely to reduce, according to a report released by the Ministry of Agriculture. The foodgrains basket is inclusive ...
Wheat sowing rises 7%, pulse acreage up 11% this Rabi season
The Dollar Business Bureau Notwithstanding the government’s demonetisation scheme, sowing area of wheat increased 7% to 313.14 lakh hectares this season, while that of pulses also went up 11% to 157.68 lakh hectares so far during the ongoing Rabi (winter-sown) season. "As per preliminary reports received from the states, the total area sown under Rabi crops as on January 20, 2017, stands at 628.34 lakh hectares as compared to 592.36 lakh hectare this time in 2016," said an official statement. On November 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 notes, generating countrywide speculations that the cleanup drive will enormously hit the country’s agriculture sector. But thanks to good monsoon and higher support price, wheat was sown in 313.14 lakh hectares ...
