Agriculture - Current Affairs for May, 2016

Further regulating the cotton seed market, government caps royalty fee on new GM cotton traits at 10 percent. This will hurt biotech majors. After a period of five years, royalty would reduce 10 percent of initial value every year. If the GM technology loses its efficacy, technology provider would not be eligible for any royalty. Issuing a notification on licensing guidelines for GM cotton seeds , the agriculture minister has also capped upfront fee for the new GM trait at INR 25 lakh to be paid in two equal instalments. A new format for bilateral agreements has been prescribed.

Union Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh, on May 12 said that the Rajendra Agriculture University, PUSA, Samastipur has been given the status of Central University. He added that with this, long pending demand of the people of Bihar has been fulfilled.

• Parliament cleared Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University Bill-2015, yesterday. First, Rajya Sabha and then Lok Sabha, passed the Bill, unanimously. Subsequently Hon’ble President Shri Pranab Mukharjee signed on it, yesterday.
• This is the first Central Agriculture University of the State and the second Central Agriculture University of the country.

Real agricultural growth is expected to rise 1.1 percent in 2015-2016 despite below normal monsoon in the previous year, as per Nomura report. The Japanese financial services major has indicated that the ongoing diversification in the agriculture sector reduced volatility in farm income and agricultural outputs.

• Composition of Indian agriculture changes from largely food-grain dominated sector to other core and ancillary activities such as horticulture and livestock.
• Reduced dependence on food-grain output is a reason why volatility in agricultural GDP growth has moderated.
• Despite below normal monsoon rainfall in 2015, real agriculture GVA growth is projected to rise 1.1 percent in FY16.

Three improved varieties of Khesari dal namely Ratan, Mahateora and Prateek have been released for general cultivation in MP, Bihar, Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand.

• These have been found to be safe for human consumption due to the presence of very low level of a neurotoxin called Beta- ODAP.
• Production of pulses during the last 5 years has increased from 14.7MT in 2009-2010 to 19.3MT in 2013-2014. Second advance estimates for total pulse production in 2015-2016 is around 13.2 MT
• While there is no ban on Khesari dal, its sale and storage are prohibited

Indian Agricultural Research Institute has developed early maturing archer genotype which is of determinate habit, short statured and suited for close planting. It can also be used for mechanical harvesting and matures in 120 days.

• The genotype is being evaluated in different agro ecologies in All India Coordinated Research Project on Pigeonpea

Production of fish in Himachal Pradesh has risen by 9.2 percent during 2015-2016 as against the previous fiscal. Production this year was recorded at 11,798.72 metric tonne. Trout production has reached 417.23 metric tonne which was 61.03 metric tonnes higher than the previous year. according to a spokesperson from the fisheries department. Govindsagar maintained highest level of fish production her hectare in the nation

• Close to 581.73 lakh carp seeds and 17.50 lakh trout seeds were produced and revenue of INR 465.59 lakh was generated at the Fisheries department.
• Three carp hatcheries, five hectare nursery ponds and 29 hectares of large fish ponds were being set up
• Creation of post harvest infrastructural facilities like ice plats, mobile fish vans and insulated boxes are being provided to reservoir fishermen.

Research for developing HYV of coconut in the country will be undertaken by Indian Council of Agricultural Research- Central Plantation Crops Research Institute Kasaragod, State Agricultural Universities and Coconut Development Board

• Five drought tolerant, tall varieties from ICAR Institutes and one variety from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore have been released for cultivation.
• Veppankulam-3: Drought tolerant, High yield
• Kalpatharu: Drought tolerant, High yield
• Chandrakalpa- Drought tolerant, High Oil yield
• Kalpa Pratibha- Drought tolerant, High Oil yield, tender nut
• Kalpa Mitra- Drought tolerant High nut, oil yield, tender nut
• Kalpa Dhenu- Drought tolerant, high oil yield

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, GoI under the scheme Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture promotes green house technologies under protected cultivation. Assistance to the degree of 50 percent is provided to farmers for establishing green houses up to 4000 sq mts beneficiary

• ICAR has standardised low cost net and poly houses for cultivating important high value vegetable crops