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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, JharkhandJharkhand government to waive agricultural loans worth up to Rs 50,000Jharkhand will waive farm loans of up to Rs 50,000 for about 9.07 lakh farmers, with Rs 2,000 crore sanctioned this fiscal, and has approved crop relief and livestock schemes.
- Policy & trade, GlobalThe future of food labeling and food safetyDiscusses how food labelling has evolved and how barcodes, QR codes, NFC tags and blockchain could improve label accuracy, food safety and traceability.
- Policy & trade, IndiaGovernment gives a 3-day window to traders to meet onion stock limitsThe Centre has asked states to give onion traders three days from purchase before stock limits of 25 tonnes for wholesalers and 2 tonnes for retailers apply, as it tries to curb prices.
- Policy & trade, IndiaTalks between government and farmers remained inconclusive for the ninth time in a rowTalks between the Centre and about 40 farmer unions again ended without agreement, with the government ready to amend the farm laws but not repeal them. The next round is set for January 19.
- Policy & trade, IndiaFood Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS) to get operational in the whole nation from 1st of November, 2020, says FSSAIFSSAI is extending its cloud-based Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS) nationwide from 1 November 2020, replacing the FLRS licensing platform in use since 2011.
- Policy & trade, IndiaRecent agriculture schemes by the NDA governmentA guide to seven farm schemes launched by the NDA government, from eNAM and PM-KISAN to crop insurance, irrigation and organic farming programmes.
- Policy & trade, BiharBihar’s blueprint of abolishing the mandi system in 2006 is not a beacon of hopeFarmers in Begusarai say Bihar's abolition of the mandi system left them without fair prices, storage or irrigation, offering a case study for the new farm laws.
- Policy & trade, ChhattisgarhChhattisgarh passed an agricultural bill against Centre’s farm lawsChhattisgarh's assembly has passed the Krishi Upaj Mandi (Amendment) Bill, 2020, allowing deemed mandis and electronic trading in response to the Centre's farm laws, but without an MSP guarantee.
- Policy & trade, IndiaIndia celebrates 15th of October as Women Farmers’ Day or Rashtriya Mahila Kisan DiwasIndia marks 15 October as Rashtriya Mahila Kisan Diwas, recognising women farmers, who make up a large share of cultivators and farm labourers but receive less pay and support.
- Policy & trade, Punjab‘Rail Roko’ agitation in Punjab over agriculture Bills damages railway operationsFarmers in Punjab began a three-day rail blockade against the Union government's agriculture Bills, and the Railways cancelled at least 14 special trains from the Ferozepur division.
- Policy & trade, Uttar PradeshGhazipur border tensions: farmers’ protestFarmers at the Delhi-UP Ghazipur border refused a Ghaziabad administration ultimatum to vacate the site after the Republic Day tractor rally, as police deployed heavy security.
- Policy & trade, IndiaSC shows faith in government, refuses to entertain pleas seeking enquiry into R-Day violenceThe Supreme Court declined on February 3 to intervene over violence during the farmers' Republic Day tractor rally, saying it was confident the government was enquiring into it.
- Policy & trade, IndiaOne lakh tonnes of onion buffer stock to be released: Mr Narendra Singh TomarNarendra Singh Tomar said one lakh tonnes of onion buffer stock is being released through NAFED to curb rising prices, and accused Congress of double standards on farm laws.
- Policy & trade, IndiaIn the wake of another looming protest, Centre opens its doors to farmers for discussion on farm lawsMinisters Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal said the Centre is ready to talk to farmers about the farm laws and that MSP procurement will continue, citing higher paddy purchases.
- Policy & trade, IndiaFarmers: “the mitochondria of India”Covid-19 lockdowns shut markets and cut farmers' access to labour, seed and fertiliser, hitting incomes and pushing some to leave farming for other work.
- Policy & trade, HaryanaHaryana farmers in trouble due to lack of buyers in paddy procurement seasonPaddy piled up in Haryana's mandis after the state moved to buy directly from farmers at MSP, with farmers reporting rejections over moisture and millers and arthiyas protesting.
- Policy & trade, IndiaIndia’s ascent as the Shree Anna hub: a promising futureMillets are regaining ground in India through nutri-cereal status, the Millet Mission and the International Year of Millets, with exports reaching USD 64 million in 2021.
- Policy & trade, PunjabRBI has cleared over Rs 21,000 crore towards CCL for wheat procurement in PunjabThe RBI has released Rs 21,000 crore in cash credit limit for Punjab's wheat procurement, the bulk of what the state sought to buy 105.60 lakh tonnes this season.
- Policy & trade, United KingdomEnvironmental income opportunities for UK farmers: understanding public schemes and emerging private marketsUK farmers can earn from Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship payments, woodland and peatland carbon credits, biodiversity net gain and water company schemes as delinked payments shrink.