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Policy & trade
Farm policy and regulation in India and the UK: support prices, procurement, schemes, standards and the rules of trade.
From the archive
Reporting from earlier editions of The Agrotech Daily. Figures, prices and policies may have changed since.
- Policy & trade, IndiaWTO Agreement on Agriculture should be revised, remarks former Indian envoysA group of former Indian envoys has written an open letter calling for the WTO Agreement on Agriculture to be amended, saying it reflects double standards, and backing India's farm laws.
- Policy & trade, Uttar PradeshUP government needs to balance the investment between the common expenditure and budget allotmentUttar Pradesh's ₹5.50 lakh crore budget for 2021-22 leaves little room for welfare and development spending, as salaries, pensions and debt servicing take most revenue.
- Policy & trade, IndiaGovernment to provide marketing support to states that implement “One District One Product” planThe Centre will offer market linkage and processing or export support through FPOs to states whose farmers grow an identified product in each district in the rabi season.
- Policy & trade, PunjabRailways blame Punjab farmers for the non-functioning of trains even though the agitation has movedNorthern Railway says services in Punjab can resume only once tracks are cleared of protesters, while farmer groups say they are blocking only three branch lines serving private power plants.
- Policy & trade, PunjabPunjab government to give MSP by means of direct bank transferPunjab will pay MSP directly into farmers' bank accounts in the coming procurement season after the Centre refused the state another exemption from direct benefit transfer.
- Policy & trade, GlobalThe impact of trade policies on agricultureTrade policies shape prices, market access and competitiveness in agriculture, and increasingly complex trade agreements bring both hurdles and new market openings for farmers.
- Policy & trade, DelhiNH-24 carriageway connecting Delhi to Ghaziabad opens after a month of restrictionDelhi Police reopened the NH-24 carriageway from Delhi to Ghaziabad, restricted since February 1 because of the farmers' protest at the Ghazipur border.
- Policy & trade, Global5 overlooked issues that largely impact agricultureA look back at five issues in global agriculture: food insecurity, insect farming, food system finance, digital agriculture and planning food supply for growing cities.
- Policy & trade, IndiaFarm unions extended support to the “Bharat Bandh” call today given by CAITFarm unions backed the traders' body CAIT's Bharat Bandh on 26 February against fuel prices, the e-way bill and GST, alongside the transporters' body AITWA.
- Policy & trade, IndiaUnder Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, the seventh instalment is releasedThe government began paying the seventh Rs 2,000 instalment of PM Kisan from December 1, 2020, and farmers can check payment status online or through the app.
- Policy & trade, IndiaNo government financial support under SDF to sugar mills for a yearThe government will not fund sugar mill capacity expansion under the Sugar Development Fund, citing surplus stocks, and will review the decision after 2021-22.
- Policy & trade, IndiaBy 2025 Indian chemical sector would grow to $300 billion, says GowdaChemicals and Fertilisers Minister DV Sadananda Gowda said policy changes to attract foreign investors could grow the chemical industry from $165 billion to $300 billion.
- Policy & trade, IndiaSupreme Court attempts at getting individual opinions of the farmers through the agriculture panelThe Supreme Court-appointed committee on the farm laws opened a portal for individual farmers' views, while member Anil Ghanwat said repeal was not on the cards.
- Policy & trade, GujaratBullet train project in India has already invited around 1900 complaints from the farmersGujarat's legislature was told farmers have filed around 1,908 complaints against land acquisition for the Ahmedabad to Mumbai bullet train, most of them in Surat.
- Policy & trade, IndiaCabinet approves hike in MSP for kharif cropsThe Cabinet raised the MSP for common grade paddy by Rs 72 to Rs 1,940 a quintal, with the largest increases for sesamum, tur and urad to encourage farmers to grow oilseeds and pulses.
- Policy & trade, United KingdomUK’s House of Commons to debate India’s ongoing farmers’ protest issueA UK parliamentary e-petition on protesters' safety and press freedom in India's farmers' protest passed 100,000 signatures, making it eligible for a Westminster Hall debate.
- Policy & trade, IndiaFarm laws 2020 to benefit farmers, says CEA SubramanianChief Economic Adviser K V Subramanian said on January 30 that the farm laws will benefit farmers, while protesting unions fear the loss of MSP and mandis.
- Policy & trade, IndiaOne District One Focus Produce (ODOFP) scheme by government to be launchedThe agriculture ministry has assigned a focus product to each of India's 728 districts under One District One Focus Produce, to be promoted in clusters through existing government schemes.
- Policy & trade, PunjabAmid scuffle between Centre and Punjab, CM Capt. Amarinder Singh begins dharna in DelhiPunjab chief minister Amarinder Singh began a sit-in in Delhi, accusing the Centre of halting rail services to Punjab amid farmer protests over the farm laws.