Indianfarmers

News >

Bt brinjal gets biotech regulator’s approval

The Indian biotechnology regulator Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has given its green signal to the environmental release of Bt brinjal, the first genetically modified food crop to be allowed in the country.

However, the Government is said to have reserved its opinion on allowing Bt brinjal, news reports said, against the backdrop of the controversy over commercially allowing a GM food product and the impact it could have on the health of people. At present, Bt cotton is the only GM crop allowed in the country. BL 151009

Farm credit flow target- 35% met by August 09 :

Farm credit worth Rs 1,13,569 crore has been extended in the first five months of this financial year up to Aug 09, against Rs 72,236 crore in the corresponding period last year. The farm credit target for banks this fiscal is Rs 3,25,000 crore, of which Rs 1,85,000 crore is for short-term credit.

Institutional credit to the agriculture sector touched Rs 2,87,150 crore by March 2009, exceeding the target of Rs2,80,000 crore.

Among the commercial banks, public sector banks disbursed Rs 1,64,350 crore (57.2 per cent), whereas private banks lent Rs 59,313 crore (20.7 per cent) to the agriculture sector. Cooperative banks gave credit worth Rs 36,762 crore (12.8 per cent) and RRBs Rs 26,724 crore (9.3 per cent) in 2008-09. PTI 211009

Credit flow to MSMEs up 100% in 2 yrs: RBI :

Credit flow to MSMEs had doubled from Rs 1,27,000 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 2,57,000 crore in 2008-09. In 2007-08, credit flow to the sector was Rs 2,13,000 crore. R B I. FE Oct 10, 2009

Sugar SAP raised to Rs 200 a quintal by Punjab Govt :

The Punjab Government today fixed the State Assured Price (SAP) for sugarcane at Rs 200 per quintal for the crushing season of 2010-11.

In order to ensure availability of sufficient stock of sugarcane for current sowing season, the crushing operations of sugarcane will start from 25th November for all the sugar mills and private gur manufacturers.
For the crushing season of 2009-10, the state government had already fixed the SAP sugarcane at Rs 180 per quintal. ET 201009

Sugar Crisis :

In case of sugar, the country is facing a shortage and is meeting the demand through imports. Production of sugar is estimated at 160 lakh tonnes for current season while the country has a demand size of 230-240 lakh tonnes.

Two issues may impede a quick expansion of area under cane cultivation. One is continuing large cane arrears. Two, the very fact that cane is a long duration crop because of which growers have to wait for 12-14 months for the crop to grow and mature before they actually receive any income. Because cane growers have to spend money upfront on inputs but wait for a long period to be able to receive payment, they constantly face liquidity crunch. This seems to be huge de-motivating factor. BL191009

Rice production predicted to be down by 16 mt :

Rice production this year could be 16 million tonnes (mt) below the 2008-09 level due to twin-impact of drought and floods. The PMEAC, earlier this week, projected the decline in foodgrain production this season by as much as 11 mt. India produced record 99.15 mt of rice in the 2008-09 season. Buffer stocks of rice as on 1st October are 153 lakh tones against minimum stock of 52 lakh tonnes.

Wheat buffer stocks aplenty :

As per the norm, there should be a minimum stock 110 lakh tonnes of wheat as on October 1 every year; buffer stocks of wheat are 284 lakh tonnes.

Agri Research- 60% spent on salaries :

India is spending just about 0.34 per cent of agricultural GDP in agricultural research and development (R&D) as compared to a world average of one per cent, 0.72 per cent in sub-Sahara Africa and 0.40 per cent in China. It is estimated that more than two-third of the nation’s agricultural R&D expenditure is spent on salaries. An increased outlay of Rs 1,20,000 crore in the 11th Plan compared with about Rs 5,400 crore during the 10th Plan emphasises this commitment. BL 201009

'India can generate 48,000 Mw through wind energy' :

India has a potential of generating over 48,000 Mw through wind energy farms, and for that it would require just 1 per cent of its land, according to an estimate by the Centre for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET). B S 151009

Food Prices Soaring @ 13% :

On a yearly basis, food items witnessed a steep rise in prices. In particular, raw food articles were 13 per cent costlier following a rise in prices of potatoes by 104 per cent, onions by 35 per cent, milk by 10 per cent, pulses by 23 per cent and rice by 13 per cent. As for manufactured goods, processed food items rose by 16 per cent while sugar was dearer by 45 per cent as on 10th October. TH 221009

Poor storage may cause food shortage :

"The shortage of storage capacity became acute this year because of a bumper crop in 2008-09. We had 55 million tonnes of foodgrain reserves but the storage capacity with Food Corporation of India (FCI) is to the tune of 30 million tonnes. As a result 25 million tonnes of foodgrains are being stored outside godowns. There is an urgent need to develop the storage capacity to prevent wastage of foodgrains. BS 151009

Avg. Income of babus 800% more than Avg. income of farmers :

Average salary of central govt employee is Rs 2,40,000 per annum and he is protected form price rises. Average incomes per annum of those affected by drought are:

1)	Agri wage labourer :	Rs 21,295
2)	Subsistence farmer :	Rs 31,245
3)	Farmers with
	Marketable Surplus :	Rs 64,633
	Average Rural Income :	Rs 48,372
	Average Urban Income :	Rs 1,27,383 (1:2.65%)
(Source: Invest India Incomes and Savings Survey 2007)

Are the poorly rendered services of babus worth 800% more than the life sustaining food produced by farmers?
Are the services rendered by the urban populace enjoying comfortable basic facilities, worth 265% more than the services rendered by rural populace living with poor sanitary, health, education, electricity, water, road and communications facilities?