Archive
Author: Maruine Jones
From the archive
Reporting from earlier editions of The Agrotech Daily. Figures, prices and policies may have changed since.
- Machinery, United KingdomDemocratising autonomy: the rise of aftermarket tractor conversion kitsRetrofit kits from AgXeed, Trimble's PTx, Monarch Tractor and John Deere can make existing tractors autonomous, though compatibility, downtime, insurance and liability remain hurdles.
- Policy & trade, Jammu and KashmirGovt opens up agriculture, horticulture and allied sectors to all communities in J&KJammu and Kashmir's Administrative Council has allowed agriculturists to sell land to non-agriculturists with official permission, up to 20 kanals for farming and 80 kanals for orchards.
- Soil, water & climate, IndiaSubsistence farming: a threat to Indian agricultureSubsistence farming, common across India, relies on rain, simple tools and small plots, leaving small farmers and labourers exposed to crop failure and climate change.
- Inputs & crop science, IndiaNational Fertilizers Limited (NFL) noted steep growth in the sale of non-urea fertilisersNational Fertilizers Limited reported sharp growth in sales of non-urea fertilisers from April to October 2020, led by bentonite sulphur and single super phosphate.
- Policy & trade, Punjab12 casualties in farmers’ protest in Punjab against the Centre’s farm lawsTwelve people have died during Punjab's protests against the Centre's farm laws, and BKU-Ugrahan is refusing to cremate two bodies until families get more than the state's Rs 3 lakh compensation.
- Deals & capital, IndiaAre investments in agriculture organised?With public investment in agriculture falling, the government is leaving new farm infrastructure to private investors, many of them indebted farmers, and more policy support is needed.
- Policy & trade, IndiaMSP set for kharif crops far lower than the cost of production: states write to the CentreStates including Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Maharashtra have told the Centre that kharif MSPs fall well below their cost of production and asked for higher rates.
- Inputs & crop science, GlobalBlooming business: fascinating facts about floricultureOutlines the history and uses of floriculture, the global flower trade led by the Netherlands, and the industry's challenges, from labour costs to supply chain disruption.
- Deals & capital, United KingdomMuddy Machines: how this London AI robotics startup raised £7.8 million to automate crop harvestingLondon robotics company Muddy Machines raised £7.8 million in Series A funding led by Octopus Ventures in October 2024 to scale up its AI-guided robots for harvesting asparagus and other vegetables.
- Soil, water & climate, GlobalThe benefits and challenges of sustainable agriculture, and how farmers can adopt more eco-friendly practicesExplains how crop rotation, cover crops, conservation tillage and integrated pest management benefit farms, the hurdles to switching, and how farmers can make a start.