The marathon talks between three Union ministers and leaders of protesting farmer unions concluded without a resolution here late Thursday while Union minister Arjun Munda termed the discussion as “positive” and said that another meeting will be held on Sunday. The farmer leaders said they will continue to stay put at the two borders of Punjab and Haryana. Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai represented the Centre at the meeting over the farmer unions’ various demands, including a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
Tag: Agriculture
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Gujarat date farmers see red as Bangladesh raises import duty
Express News Service
AHMEDABAD: Bangladesh’s decision to raise import duties on Gujarat’s renowned Kutchi ‘Dates’ has dealt a severe blow to date palm farmers in the region. The import tax on Khaarek (Dates) from Rs 10 per kilogram has surged seven times to Rs 80 per kg. This significant increase has led to a halt in exports to Bangladesh, leaving Kutch farmers facing a surplus of unsold stock.
Kutchi Khaarek is among the distinctive food products that Gujarat’s Kutch region exports to various countries worldwide. However, this year has been particularly challenging for Kutch farmers.
On one hand, they had to endure the adverse impacts of the BiparJoy storm, and on the other hand, continuous rains have severely hampered Khaarek production. Now, with the steep rise in import duties by Bangladesh, the situation has become even more daunting for the farmers.
The heightened import duty on Kharek from Rs 10.83 to Rs 80 has led to increased prices, making it unaffordable for people in Bangladesh, thereby causing a cessation of exports. Jamal Shaikh, a Kutchi Khaarek exporter, highlighted the sudden escalation in taxes by the Bangladesh government. In 2021, the tax was 10.83 paise, which rose to Rs 33 in 2022 and eventually reached 64.50 rupees in the new budget of 2023, only to be raised to Rs 80 shortly after.
This drastic change has had a significant impact on the economics of the trade. For instance, the tax payment on a full truck of Khaarek increased from Rs 3.5 lakh in 2022 to Rs 6.5 lakh in 2023, and further to 8.5 lakh rupees after the subsequent week. Consequently, Bangladeshi importers are reluctant to conduct business under such circumstances.
AHMEDABAD: Bangladesh’s decision to raise import duties on Gujarat’s renowned Kutchi ‘Dates’ has dealt a severe blow to date palm farmers in the region. The import tax on Khaarek (Dates) from Rs 10 per kilogram has surged seven times to Rs 80 per kg. This significant increase has led to a halt in exports to Bangladesh, leaving Kutch farmers facing a surplus of unsold stock.
Kutchi Khaarek is among the distinctive food products that Gujarat’s Kutch region exports to various countries worldwide. However, this year has been particularly challenging for Kutch farmers.
On one hand, they had to endure the adverse impacts of the BiparJoy storm, and on the other hand, continuous rains have severely hampered Khaarek production. Now, with the steep rise in import duties by Bangladesh, the situation has become even more daunting for the farmers.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
The heightened import duty on Kharek from Rs 10.83 to Rs 80 has led to increased prices, making it unaffordable for people in Bangladesh, thereby causing a cessation of exports. Jamal Shaikh, a Kutchi Khaarek exporter, highlighted the sudden escalation in taxes by the Bangladesh government. In 2021, the tax was 10.83 paise, which rose to Rs 33 in 2022 and eventually reached 64.50 rupees in the new budget of 2023, only to be raised to Rs 80 shortly after.
This drastic change has had a significant impact on the economics of the trade. For instance, the tax payment on a full truck of Khaarek increased from Rs 3.5 lakh in 2022 to Rs 6.5 lakh in 2023, and further to 8.5 lakh rupees after the subsequent week. Consequently, Bangladeshi importers are reluctant to conduct business under such circumstances.
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G-20 meet: India to launch portal to ensure that farmers get seeds of best quality
Express News Service
CHANDIGARH: The Union government will soon launch a seed traceability system to ensure the availability of good quality seeds to farmers. India has also developed some climate resilient varieties especially of wheat, which was a major area of discussion in the second agricultural working group meeting of G-20 to make agriculture sustainable with a climate smart approach. Digitalization for agricultural transformation and the global promotion of millets were also discussed.
Taking to the media here on Thursday after the inaugural session of the meeting, Samuel Praveen Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, said, “We are developing a seed traceability portal, which will shortly be launched. It will clearly indicate what kind of seed reaches the farmers to ensure that they get the best quality seeds.”
“We have about two lakh frontline extension workers reaching out to farmers. We are now working on a digital portal called digital extension platform,” he added.
ALSO READ | Pandemic preparedness on agenda in meeting of G-20 science advisors in Uttarakhand
Kumar said, “In this second agricultural deputies meeting of the agricultural working group (AWG), major focus areas are how to make agriculture sustainable and how we are coping with climate change. India has developed some climate resilient varieties especially when it comes to wheat. Despite a heat wave, we could manage production of 1.6 million metric tonnes. The idea is to have interactions with other countries, as Asia is the biggest producer and a major consumer. We have major countries like China, Japan, Korea and Thailand which are regularly contributing in exchanging ideas on what are the strategies we can use to become climate resilient.”
“Secondly, we are focusing on millets as this is the International Year of Millets. Millets are a climate smart produce that not only have nutritional value but also make agriculture sustainable. In the budget announcement, the Indian Institute of Millets has been declared as a centre of excellence so now that will be a focal point to collaborate with other international organisations. The focus is to mainstream millets so that the common man starts eating them. We are creating awareness on millets which we call a ‘Super Food’. Millet production is 18 metric million tonnes in India, which is a global leader in this,” he said.
Kumar said, “The third area is digitalization of agriculture transformation as we are developing the Agristat and other IT related platforms. Climate resilient innovation and technology is the way out. In the third meeting, scientists will be discussing the education and research part of the agenda,” he said.
The 19 member countries, 10 invited countries, and 10 international organizations at the meeting will focus on drafting the communiqué and addressing four thematic areas — food security and nutrition, sustainable agriculture with a climate smart approach, inclusive agricultural value chains and food systems and digitalization for agricultural transformation.
CHANDIGARH: The Union government will soon launch a seed traceability system to ensure the availability of good quality seeds to farmers. India has also developed some climate resilient varieties especially of wheat, which was a major area of discussion in the second agricultural working group meeting of G-20 to make agriculture sustainable with a climate smart approach. Digitalization for agricultural transformation and the global promotion of millets were also discussed.
Taking to the media here on Thursday after the inaugural session of the meeting, Samuel Praveen Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, said, “We are developing a seed traceability portal, which will shortly be launched. It will clearly indicate what kind of seed reaches the farmers to ensure that they get the best quality seeds.”
“We have about two lakh frontline extension workers reaching out to farmers. We are now working on a digital portal called digital extension platform,” he added.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
ALSO READ | Pandemic preparedness on agenda in meeting of G-20 science advisors in Uttarakhand
Kumar said, “In this second agricultural deputies meeting of the agricultural working group (AWG), major focus areas are how to make agriculture sustainable and how we are coping with climate change. India has developed some climate resilient varieties especially when it comes to wheat. Despite a heat wave, we could manage production of 1.6 million metric tonnes. The idea is to have interactions with other countries, as Asia is the biggest producer and a major consumer. We have major countries like China, Japan, Korea and Thailand which are regularly contributing in exchanging ideas on what are the strategies we can use to become climate resilient.”
“Secondly, we are focusing on millets as this is the International Year of Millets. Millets are a climate smart produce that not only have nutritional value but also make agriculture sustainable. In the budget announcement, the Indian Institute of Millets has been declared as a centre of excellence so now that will be a focal point to collaborate with other international organisations. The focus is to mainstream millets so that the common man starts eating them. We are creating awareness on millets which we call a ‘Super Food’. Millet production is 18 metric million tonnes in India, which is a global leader in this,” he said.
Kumar said, “The third area is digitalization of agriculture transformation as we are developing the Agristat and other IT related platforms. Climate resilient innovation and technology is the way out. In the third meeting, scientists will be discussing the education and research part of the agenda,” he said.
The 19 member countries, 10 invited countries, and 10 international organizations at the meeting will focus on drafting the communiqué and addressing four thematic areas — food security and nutrition, sustainable agriculture with a climate smart approach, inclusive agricultural value chains and food systems and digitalization for agricultural transformation.
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Mid-march snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda leaves fruit growers worried
By PTI
BHADERWAH: Fresh snowfall on Monday in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district has left farmers a worried lot due to fear of damage to fruit crops as the trees are currently in bloom.
According to officials, snowfall ranging between two inches to one foot was recorded in different high-altitude areas, including Kota Top, Jatani, Kansar, Thanhala, Baach Dhar, Shankhoja, Chenera, Kaljugasar and Sivili.
Amid the continuous snowfall, the district administration has issued an advisory asking people not to venture near avalanche-prone areas and has also suspended vehicular traffic on Bhaderwah-Basohli-Pathankot and Bhaderwah-Chamba interstate roads.
Farmers, especially fruit growers, claimed that some areas received snowfall on March 20 after a long gap, catching them unprepared as they have already started working in their orchards after prolonged winters.
“We have already started ploughing our maize fields and were expecting to have a good crop of apricot, almond, peach and walnut as these trees were in the bloom,” Saif Din Dhakkar, a farmer of village Kota Top, told PTI. He said the unseasonal snowfall and the sudden dip in temperature have done a lot of damage to the fruit-bearing trees.
ALSO READ | Farmers stare at huge losses due to rain, hailstorm
Additional Superintendent of Police, Bhaderwah, Kameshwar Puri said most of the higher reaches in Bhadarwah and Bhallesa are witnessing fresh snowfall since morning. “We have issued an advisory to the people residing in hilly slopes to avoid venturing outside especially near avalanche-prone areas till weather conditions improve,” he said.
He said the traffic on the interstate highways was suspended as a precautionary measure after the snowfall rendered a 30-km stretch from Thanala to Khundi Maral on Bhaderwah-Chamba road and 25-KM stretch from Thantera to Chattar Galla pass on Bhaderwah-Basohli road slippery. “It is still snowing and no vehicles will be allowed to move beyond Thanalla on Bhaderwah-Chamba road and Thanthera on Bhadarwah-Basohli-Pathankot road,” Puri said.
Students who had started going to school after extended winter vacations with some of them appearing in class 10 and 12 annual examinations next month are finding it difficult to cope with the winter-like conditions. “We have just started attending our classes after a long break. We fall in a hard zone and our exams are commencing from the first week of April but after the snowfall, we are not able to reach our school at this crucial juncture,” said Mohd Arif (16), a class 10 student of village Kharangal- Bhalessa.
BHADERWAH: Fresh snowfall on Monday in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district has left farmers a worried lot due to fear of damage to fruit crops as the trees are currently in bloom.
According to officials, snowfall ranging between two inches to one foot was recorded in different high-altitude areas, including Kota Top, Jatani, Kansar, Thanhala, Baach Dhar, Shankhoja, Chenera, Kaljugasar and Sivili.
Amid the continuous snowfall, the district administration has issued an advisory asking people not to venture near avalanche-prone areas and has also suspended vehicular traffic on Bhaderwah-Basohli-Pathankot and Bhaderwah-Chamba interstate roads.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Farmers, especially fruit growers, claimed that some areas received snowfall on March 20 after a long gap, catching them unprepared as they have already started working in their orchards after prolonged winters.
“We have already started ploughing our maize fields and were expecting to have a good crop of apricot, almond, peach and walnut as these trees were in the bloom,” Saif Din Dhakkar, a farmer of village Kota Top, told PTI. He said the unseasonal snowfall and the sudden dip in temperature have done a lot of damage to the fruit-bearing trees.
ALSO READ | Farmers stare at huge losses due to rain, hailstorm
Additional Superintendent of Police, Bhaderwah, Kameshwar Puri said most of the higher reaches in Bhadarwah and Bhallesa are witnessing fresh snowfall since morning. “We have issued an advisory to the people residing in hilly slopes to avoid venturing outside especially near avalanche-prone areas till weather conditions improve,” he said.
He said the traffic on the interstate highways was suspended as a precautionary measure after the snowfall rendered a 30-km stretch from Thanala to Khundi Maral on Bhaderwah-Chamba road and 25-KM stretch from Thantera to Chattar Galla pass on Bhaderwah-Basohli road slippery. “It is still snowing and no vehicles will be allowed to move beyond Thanalla on Bhaderwah-Chamba road and Thanthera on Bhadarwah-Basohli-Pathankot road,” Puri said.
Students who had started going to school after extended winter vacations with some of them appearing in class 10 and 12 annual examinations next month are finding it difficult to cope with the winter-like conditions. “We have just started attending our classes after a long break. We fall in a hard zone and our exams are commencing from the first week of April but after the snowfall, we are not able to reach our school at this crucial juncture,” said Mohd Arif (16), a class 10 student of village Kharangal- Bhalessa.
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Centre okays launch of nano liquid DAP fertilisers, says will benefit farmers
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday said the government has approved the launch of nano liquid DAP (di-ammonium phosphate) fertiliser for the benefit of farmers and making the country self-reliant.
Fertiliser cooperative IFFCO, which introduced nano liquid urea in 2021, on Friday announced that the government has approved the launch of its nano DAP fertiliser in the market.
“After nano urea, the government has now given approval to nano DAP as well,” Mandaviya said in a tweet.
He tweeted that this is one more achievement towards achieving self-sufficiency in fertilisers. This is going to benefit farmers, Mandaviya said.
On Friday, IFFCO managing director U S Awasthi tweeted that the IFFCO Nano DAP has been approved by the ministry of agriculture and notified in the Fertiliser Control Order (FCO) based on its encouraging results.
“IFFCO will manufacture #NanoDAP; a game changer for Indian agriculture & economy,” he tweeted.
In December, Awasthi had said IFFCO would soon launch nano DAP at Rs 600 per 500-ml bottle, a move that will help India save foreign exchange and also reduce government subsidies significantly.
One bottle will be equivalent to one bag of DAP, which currently costs Rs 1,350.
IFFCO is also planning to launch nano-potash, nano-zinc and nano-copper fertilisers, he had said.
In June 2021, IFFCO launched nano urea in liquid form as an alternative to conventional urea.
It has set up many manufacturing plants in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh to produce nano urea.
There is no government subsidy on nano urea and it is being sold at Rs 240 per bottle.
For conventional urea, the government provides a huge subsidy to ensure that the farmers get the soil nutrient at a reasonable price.
The country’s domestic urea production is around 26 million tonnes, while demand is about 35 million tonnes.
The gap is met through imports.
India also imports DAP and MoP (muriate of potash) in huge quantities to meet its domestic demand.
NEW DELHI: Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday said the government has approved the launch of nano liquid DAP (di-ammonium phosphate) fertiliser for the benefit of farmers and making the country self-reliant.
Fertiliser cooperative IFFCO, which introduced nano liquid urea in 2021, on Friday announced that the government has approved the launch of its nano DAP fertiliser in the market.
“After nano urea, the government has now given approval to nano DAP as well,” Mandaviya said in a tweet.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
He tweeted that this is one more achievement towards achieving self-sufficiency in fertilisers. This is going to benefit farmers, Mandaviya said.
On Friday, IFFCO managing director U S Awasthi tweeted that the IFFCO Nano DAP has been approved by the ministry of agriculture and notified in the Fertiliser Control Order (FCO) based on its encouraging results.
“IFFCO will manufacture #NanoDAP; a game changer for Indian agriculture & economy,” he tweeted.
In December, Awasthi had said IFFCO would soon launch nano DAP at Rs 600 per 500-ml bottle, a move that will help India save foreign exchange and also reduce government subsidies significantly.
One bottle will be equivalent to one bag of DAP, which currently costs Rs 1,350.
IFFCO is also planning to launch nano-potash, nano-zinc and nano-copper fertilisers, he had said.
In June 2021, IFFCO launched nano urea in liquid form as an alternative to conventional urea.
It has set up many manufacturing plants in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh to produce nano urea.
There is no government subsidy on nano urea and it is being sold at Rs 240 per bottle.
For conventional urea, the government provides a huge subsidy to ensure that the farmers get the soil nutrient at a reasonable price.
The country’s domestic urea production is around 26 million tonnes, while demand is about 35 million tonnes.
The gap is met through imports.
India also imports DAP and MoP (muriate of potash) in huge quantities to meet its domestic demand.
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No coffee or sandwich, these Cafeterias set up by Assam agriculture dept have a unique purpose
Express News Service
GUWAHATI: This is not an urban cafeteria where one chooses one’s coffee and sandwich.
The Assam agriculture department is trying to promote the cultivation of the best varieties of paddy under a newly-launched programme called ‘Rice Varietal Cafeteria’. It is a part of Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART).
Following field visits, officials of the agriculture department, APART and Agricultural Technology Management Agency will support farmers under the programme. They are provided with seeds of 10-12 paddy varieties. The department tries to find out which variety gives a good harvest and in which region followed by an analysis of its qualities.
The cafeterias established in four ADO circles of Golaghat district are helping farmers choose the best variety of paddy for cultivation. District Agricultural Officer Nabin Ch Bora inaugurated the cafeterias at Borchapori under Morongi ADO circle and Betoni Pathar under Sarupathar ADO circle on Friday.
The beneficiaries were assisted with paddy varieties such as Ranjit Sub 1, Swarna Sub 1, Kola Joha, Rongdoi, Kaal Jeera Joha, Bor Dhan, Nahar Sali, Bokul Bora, Bahadur, Black Rice, CR 501, Keteki Joha, Bokul Joha, Kunkuni Joha, Black Rice, Bora, Sokuwa and Goya.
According to official sources, the Rice Varietal Cafeteria is being implemented to test the characteristics, performance, resistance, production yield of different varieties of paddy – all planted under the same conditions on a trial basis.
The entire exercise – from seed-sowing to harvesting – is closely monitored by the officials of agriculture department, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), APART and ATMA, Golaghat besides seed dealers, Assam State Seed Certification Agency, farmers and rice millers.
“The stakeholders select the best varieties of rice based on crop characteristics, yield and yield-related parameters such as plant height, duration-in-days, disease resistance, pest resistance, effective tillers, grain type, grain colour etc,” the sources said.
The sources also said that following the analysis of crop, the department would suggest the farmers which varieties they should cultivate in different ADO circles.
“The farmers can also self-analyse and then decide what they should go for. The whole idea is to promote a region’s best paddy varieties,” the sources added.
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Centre invites farmers to talks, APMCs to get interest bonus
By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet in its meeting on Thursday sought to calm the nerves of agitating farmers by allowing inclusion of Agriculture Produce Marketing Cooperatives (APMCs) in the interest subvention scheme unveiled in the Union Budget of Rs one lakh crore for creation of agriculture infrastructure.Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar reiterated his appeal to renew talks with the farmer unions, saying that they have benefited in the past seven years of the various initiatives taken by the government for agriculture, including direct payments of the MSP (Minimum Support Prices) procurement of food grains.
Tomar, briefing the Cabinet decision, said the interest subvention scheme has been amended to allow the projects for the strengthening of the APMCs within the ambit of the scheme. He also said that the individuals, Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs) and others can taken up 25 projects, but in different locations and claim interest subventions for Rs 2 crore loan for each.
He also said the state cooperatives can take up more than 25 projects under the scheme, which was unveiled in the Union Budget this year. Also, Tomar informed that the Cabinet has amended the Coconut Board to crate the post of a CEO and chairman who will be from a farming background, while the scope of the entity will be expanded to explore opportunities abroad.
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Excess irrigation over northern India risking agriculture in other regions
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Climate researchers have discovered that excess irrigation over northern India shifts the September monsoon rainfall towards the north-western part of the subcontinent, increasing widespread weather extremes over Central India. These meteorological hazards expose the vulnerable farmers and their crops to risks of failure.The study, which establishes that monsoon precipitation is sensitive to the choice of irrigation practices in South Asia, can help plan agricultural practices in this region.
South Asia is one of the most heavily-irrigated regions of the world, largely using groundwater, and its major summer crop is paddy, cultivated in flooded fields. Hence it was pertinent to study how such practices can influence the monsoons that form the fulcrum of this agro-based economy.
Subimal Ghosh, Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and Convener at Interdisciplinary Programme in Climate Studies (IDPCS), a Centre of Excellence at IIT Bombay supported by the Department of Science and Technology and his climate group, investigated the impact of agricultural water use on the Indian Summer Monsoon using a climate model.
ALSO READ | Is deforestation penalty irrational?
The research published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters arrived at the above findings.
In another study, Professor Subhankar Karmakar from IDPCS, IIT Bombay, and his research group identified for the first time that risks for rice and wheat have increased in the recent decade, with wheat facing it at a two-fold higher magnitude than rice.
The study followed the Assessment Report 5 of IPCC definition to quantify ‘Risk’ and has been published in Environmental Research Letters.
Increasing crop risk is predominantly driven by the decreasing number of farmers, and the wheat risk is also attributed to increasing minimum temperatures during the crop-growing season. This study provided compelling evidence indicating that the hydro-climatic hazards related to precipitation extremes and drought are specifically alarmingly increasing the crops’ risk as compared to temperature extremes.
Another finding obtained from this study was extreme rainfall in recent decades in Central India has been increasing, and this is also caused by an increase in irrigation and consequent increase in evapotranspiration (the sum of evaporation from the land surface plus transpiration from plants).
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Rising prices of fertilisers worry farmers in Maharashtra
By PTI
AURANGABAD: Farmers in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district have raised concern over the rising prices of fertilisers amid the grim COVID-19 situation and sought help from the government ahead of the upcoming sowing season.When contacted, state Agriculture Minister Dada Bhuse told PTI that they have written to the central government to reduce the prices of fertilisers.
Notably, the Centre recently said it is considering subsidies to offset rise in global prices of raw materials of phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers in a bid to ensure their availability to farmers at subsidised rates across the country.
The government said it was taking all necessary steps to safeguard the interests of farmers during the COVID-19 crisis.
Farmer Deepak Joshi from Devgaon in Paithan said the rising prices of fertilisers have upset his farming budget.
He said his crop yield last year got sold at lower prices than normal as there were no buyers due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
“Government agencies suggest use of fertilisers while sowing seeds.
Not only fertilisers, but the cost of every activity has gone up due to fuel price hike.
Earlier, two bags of fertilisers used to cost around Rs 1,100 each.
Now, each bag costs around Rs 1,925,” he said.
Farmer Ishwar Sapkal from Soyegaon town also expressed similar woes.
“To cultivate jowar for a yield of 100 kg of grains, we need need 25 kg fertiliser which costs Rs 1,000 now.
Last time, I fetched a price of Rs 1,000 per quintal for my jowar crop.
So there was no profit at all,” he said.
Sakpal has 40 acre of land and this year, he has taken up cultivation of turmeric, ginger and cotton which need less amount of fertilisers as compared to other crops.
Kalidas Apet, working president of the pro-farmer outfit Shetkari Sanghatna, said the increase in rates of fertilisers is justified only if farmers get the right price for their produce.
Local agriculture expert Vijayanna Borade said the current second wave of COVID-19 coupled with the fuel price hike and rising prices of fertilisers were a big cause of worry for farmers.
“The government gave Rs 2,000 each to farmers through the Kisan Samman Yojana, but it has got neutralised with the fertiliser price hike.
The Kharif season yield this year may go down and cause shortage of food grains,” Borade claimed.