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| Rain Deficit-141 districts drought-hit, P M-Agl GDP Est down by 0.5%, RBI Survey |
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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said there was drought in 141 districts in the country and that people must be prepared for a further rise in the prices of essential commodities as there was a shortfall of six million hectares in the area under paddy crop this kharif owing to deficient southwest monsoon. Funds to enhance food production under for Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna and Food Security Mission were also lying utilised by some state, he bemoaned. The Prime Minister empahasised upon the chief secretaries of drought affected states to immediately bring into operation contingency plan for crops, drinking water, fodder, human and animal health and keep a close watch on the availability of foodgrains and prices of essential commodities. |
| It is feared that the shortfall in sowing may have a far-reaching implication for farm economy and overall GDP growth. |
| RBI survey sees agriculture growth slowing down : |
Agricultural growth in the current fiscal could slow down to 2.5 per cent from estimated 3 per cent, according to the latest Survey of Professional Forecasters by the Reserve Bank of India. The survey, released on Friday, says that industrial growth could increase to 4.3 per cent from 4.1 per cent and services could grow to 8.3 per cent from 7.5 per cent in 2009-10.The eighth round of the survey also revised upwards GDP growth to 6.5 per cent, from 5.7 per cent in the last survey. TH 090809 |
| AP heads for worst drought in 50 yrs : |
The state is heading for the worst drought in more than 50 years with the southwest monsoon showing no signs of reviving. During this season, the state has received a meagre 153.8 mm rainfall against the normal quantum of 624 mm. “This is the lowest-ever rainfall recorded in the last 50 years,” said a senior agriculture official. “The last such season was in 1956 when the state got 59 per cent less than normal rainfall.”Seeing the severity of the issue, the State Government may declare three-fourths of the mandals drought-hit, and seek Central assistance. |
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Seven districts reported deficits of 60 per cent to 99 per cent. The remaining districts, barring the three North coastal districts, registered deficits between 20 per cent and 59 per cent.This has impacted almost all crops. Paddy and groundnut were sown in just 26-56 per cent of the normal area. Sugarcane, maize, onion and tur dal were sown in 51-75 per cent, while cotton is slightly better off with 76-100 per cent sown area. |
| Crop yields may drop 20% in UP : |
Scanty rainfall has upset sowing of major Kharif crops in Uttar Pradesh, raising apprehensions of a drop of 20 to 30 per cent in yields this season. till the last week of July, paddy has been sown in 29.85 lakh hectares (lh) as opposed to the target of 59.5 lh. At this rate, sources in the agriculture directorate said, paddy sowing would barely touch 50 lh. |
| Rains playing truant in Maharashtra : |
With the rains playing truant in Maharashtra, the coverage of cereals has declined nine per cent, foodgrains are down five per cent while oilseeds acreage has declined six per cent compared with last year data. According to data released by the State Agriculture Department, sowing of major crops such as rice has declined 36 per cent while that of sunflower 50 per cent. BL 080809 |
| 2. Dip in the area under sugarcane to 42.50 lakh hectares |
as on July 17 from 43.79 lakh hectares in the same period last year. The country's sugar production is projected to dip to about 150 lakh tonnes for this season from about 264 lakh tonnes in 2007-08. India, the largest consumer of sugar in the world, needs about 225 lakh tonnes of the sweetener for its annual domestic consumption. The lower output has resulted in a higher price of sugar, which is currently selling at Rs 27-30 a kg in retail markets, compared with Rs 16-17 a kg a year before |
| Demand-supply gap in sugar may touch 5 mn tonnes : |
India's sugar production may fall short of demand by at least 5 million tonnes in the 2009-10 season. "Latest production estimates are coming at 16-17 million tonnes. While India, the largest sugar consumer in the world, needs 22.5 million tonnes of sugar during the 2008-09 season, the demand may exceed 23 million tonnes in the 2009-10 season, the company said in an update of information for investors. The country's sugar output is projected to slump to just 15.5 million tonnes compared to about 26.4 million tonnes last season. PTI 030809 |
| 3. First Ensure Food Production and then Assure Food Security : |
The proposed Food Security Act must place an obligation on the government "to encourage food production through sustainable and equitable means, and ensure adequate food availability in all locations at all times". Noted economist Jean Dreze |
| 4. Wheat purchase ends; procurement reaches 253 LT : |
Wheat procurement rose by 13 per cent to 253 lakh tonnes, compared with 225 lakh tonnes in the same period last year, according to the data by the Food Corporation of India. Even the production has touched an all-time-high of 80.58 million tonnes in the 2008-09 crop year, according to the government's fourth advance estimate which surpassed 2007-08 season's record output of 78.57 million tonnes. PTI 040809 |
| 5. 'Vegetable oil import may surge 35 pc this year' : |
(PTI): India's vegetable oil imports may rise by 35 per cent to 8.5 million tonnes on higher domestic consumption by the end of October. India, the world's second-largest buyer, had imported 6.3 million tonnes of vegetable oil in the 2007-08. India depends heavily on overseas purchase to meet its annual domestic consumption of about 12.5 million tonnes. PTI 060809 |
| 6. Crop Insurance : |
| As many as 46.55 lakh farmers have been paid insurance claims under the National Crop Insurance Scheme (NIAS) in 2008-09, as many as 190 lakh farmers have been covered under it. BL 040809 |
