KERAFED to procure coconut at Rs 5,100 support price soon
Kozhikode, Feb 8 : The co-operative sector, Kerala Kerakarshaka Shakarana Federation (KERAFED) would start procurement of coconut at a support price of Rs 5100 per quintal soon. Read Full Story

Grow fresh tomatoes, beans on your roof tops
London, Feb 10 : People in cities can grow enough of lettuce, beans and tomatoes for consumption by utilising roof tops of the building they stay in. Read Full Story

Rose prices set to soar ahead of Valentine's Day
New Delhi, Feb 8 : With less than a week to go for Valentines' Day, the surge in demand for roses is likely to quadruple their price, a survey here said Wednesday. Read Full Story

Trout egg production in Kashmir reaches 45 lakh
Srinagar, Feb 7 : Trout egg production has reached 45 lakhs in Kashmir valley, while the sale of trout fish has touched 100 tonnes during the current financial year. Read Full Story

Mishra submits list of 33 farmers to Food Minister
Kolkata, Feb 6 : Alleging that farmers' suicide were continuing in West Bengal, Opposition Left Front today submitted a list of 33 'victims' to Food Minister Jyotipriya Mallick demanding urgent measures to contain the 'tragedies.' Read Full Story

Use of yeast in flour can add nutritional value
Chandigarh, Feb 6 : The use of yeast in flour can add not only to its nutritional value but can also decrease the effect of pesticides and chemicals. Read Full Story

Northeast farmers unaware about crop insurance: Expert
Guwahati, Feb 6 : Farmers across India have been making claims for crop losses under the central government's National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS), but those in the northeastern states, mainly in Assam, are not even aware any such scheme exists, said an expert. Read Full Story

Climate change seminar for women scientists
Dehradun, Feb 6: Experts today stressed that climate change was a major challenge for developing countries like India that face large climate variability and are exposed to enhanced risks from climate change. Read Full Story

State Agricultural Ministers to meet on Feb 8-9, discuss PDS
New Delhi, Feb 6 : Food and Agriculture Ministers from states will meet here on February 8-9 to Discuss reforms in the Public Distribution System (PDS) and improvement in the Targeted PDS (TDPS). Read Full Story

Rs 12.28 crore distributed among saffron growners in Kashmir
Srinagar, Feb 6 : Under National Mission on Saffron (NMS), an amount of Rs 12.28 crore has been distributed among the saffron growers in the Kashmir valley, where a spice park was being set up to ensure quality control and marketing of saffron. Read Full Story

'Nanjangud Rasa bale' on verge of extinction
Mysore, Feb 5 : The famous and delicious 'Nanjangud Rasa bale', a variety of banana, mainly grown in Mysore district is on the verge of decline due to lack of research to sustain the variety. Read Full Story

Amul receives Green Globe Foundation Award
Ahmedabad, Feb 3 : The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF), largest food products marketing organisation of country, has won the 'Green Globe Foundation Award' in the Manufacturing Category at the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2012. Read Full Story

CIRB to develop 'Model Buffalo Village' during 12th 5 yr plan
Hisar, Feb 1 : India has over 105 million buffaloes constituting about 59 per cent of the total world buffalo population. Read Full Story

Scheme for dairy farmers at investors meet
Kannur, Kerala, Feb 1 : The Animal Husbandry Department will launch a Rs 20-crore project in the district with Central aid benefitting 3,996 dairy farmers in the seven dairy blocks in the district, District Animal Husbandry Officer, Dr N K Abdul Saleem, informed today. Read Full Story

CCS Haryana Agri University signs agreement on genetic resources
Chandigarh, Feb 1 : CCS Haryana Agriculture University has signed an agreement with National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) for the evaluation of Germ Plasm. Read Full Story

Members of Agriculturists Association hold demo
Puducherry, Feb 1 : Members of Puducherry Agriculturists Association, affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) today took out a procession and held a demonstration near the Legislative Assembly demanding enhanced cyclone relief. Read Full Story

Monsanto opens Breeding Station for Hybrid Corn, Vegetables
Bangalore, Jan 30 : Monsanto India today launched its new breeding station, second in the country, to develop and test new varieties of hybrid corn and vegetables in Karnataka. Read Full Story

Israel grows purple carrots, tiger-striped tomatoes
Jerusalem, Jan 31 : Ever heard of purple carrots or black or tiger-striped tomatoes? Farmers in Israel have now grown differently-coloured varieties -- not as a result of genetic modification but through crossbreeding with wild vegetables. Read Full Story

Agromet meet in Bhopal on Feb 8
Bhopal, Jan 30 : With the objective of improving dissemination of weather-based agro advisories to its users, a state-level meeting of Integrated Agromet Advisory Services will be organised in the state capital on February 8. Read Full Story

Farmers to take out rally to demand more relief post cyclone
Puducherry, Jan 30 : The Federation of Agriculturists Associations here would organsie a vehicle rally from Ariyankuppam near here to the Puducherry legislative assembly to press for more 'Thane' cyclone relief. Read Full Story

Agromet meet in Madhya Pradesh capital on Feb 8
Bhopal, Jan 30 : With the objective of improving dissemination of weather-based agro advisories to its users, a state-level meeting of Integrated Agromet Advisory Services will be organised in the state capital on February 8. Read Full Story

Rs 300 crores released for east India agriculture
New Delhi, Jan 30 : The Government of India said it has released Rs 332.87 crore to seven states for extending green revolution to east India in the current financial year (2011-12) on Monday. Read Full Story

Pesticides sale has come down: farmers wary about use
Tiruchirapalli, Jan 29 : P Murugesa Bhoopathi, Vice Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has said the annual sale of pesticides has come down to 3,500 tonnes now from 11,500 tonnes in 1970, thanks to a sustained campaign and extension services by the agriculture department. Read Full Story

Jharkhand produces record Kharif crop
Ranchi, Jan 29 : For the first time since its creation in 2000, Jharkhand has produced more Kharif food grain than it consumes at a record 55 million tonnes -- almost double compared to previous years Read Full Story

SFAC to provide capital for agri-business ventures in Kerala
Kochi, Jan 27 : Ready to pump in money to agri-business in Kerala, the Small Farmers' Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC) is inviting entrepreneurs to propose ventures for funding. Read Full Story

India's second rubber park comes up in Tripura
Agartala, Jan 27 : India's second industrial rubber park has come up in Bodhungnagar in western Tripura to boost the country's elastic polymer industry. Read Full Story

Himachal Pradesh farmers rejoice over bumper citrus fruit production
Sirmaur, Jan 27 : Favourable climatic conditions have led to a bumper production of 'Kinnu' in the Dhaulakuan area of Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur District this year. Read Full Story

Prime Minister constitutes an expert committee for sugar sector
New Delhi, Jan 27 : The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has constituted an expert committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. C. Rangarajan, Chairman Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, to examine issues relating to the sugar sector. Read Full Story

Himachal apple yield looks ruddy again
By Vishal Gulati, Shimla, Jan 25 : Bountiful snowfall in Himachal Pradesh, the country's prominent apple basket, has brought cheer to growers after a season of dismal production. Good snow at this point of time means a bumper crop in the coming season. Read Full Story

Mizo farmers reap benefit from oil palm cultivation
Aizawl, Jan 23 : The Government of Mizoram is increasingly promoting oil palm cultivation in the state with multiple aim of generating jobs, benefiting farmers and attracting edible oil makers. Read Full Story

Now, a pesticide-free way of killing weeds
London, Jan 22: It could be what gardners have long wished for -- a gadget that kills weeds in a jiffy without requiring noxious pesticides. Read Full Story

Chandigarh's mango growers in a pickle
By Japjeet Duggal, Chandigarh, Jan 22 : The early flowering of mango trees in and around Chandigarh has left the growers worried, with horticulturists saying it could indicate an impending poor yield this season. Read Full Story

Spices Board to organise ''Sughandha sangamam''
Kochi, Jan 21 : The Spices Board will organise ''Sughandha sangamam'', a series of programmes to initiate sustainability in spices development in coordination with agriculture universities, state departments of agriculture and horticulture, exporters and traders throughout the spice growing states in the country. Read Full Story

Wheat sown in 294.07 lakh hectares
New Delhi, Jan 20 : According to the latest information, wheat has been shown in 294.07 lakh hectare against 290.98 lakh hectare last year on this date. Read Full Story

Pepsico initiative boosts Bengal potato growers
Kolkata, Jan 20 : While reports of farmers' suicides in West Bengal rattle the new government, there is a silver lining in the commitment of a giant multinational to procure more potatoes from its growers in the state. Read Full Story

Rice procurement crosses 196 lakh tonne
New Delhi, Jan 19 : Rice procurement in the Kharif Marketing Season 2011-12 (October-September) has crossed the mark of more than 196 lakh tonne. Read Full Story

Pepsico to procure 80,000 tonnes of potato from Bengal
Panpara (West Bengal), Jan 19 : PepsiCo India, which has set a target to procure 60,000 tonnes of potato from West Bengal in the current fiscal, plans to raise the figure to 80,000 tonnes. Read Full Story

Himachal farmers going organic - 25,000 of them
By Vishal Gulati, Shimla, Jan 18 : Going organic is the new mantra in Himachal Pradesh, with over 25,000 farmers cashing in on the high demand and remunerative prices of organic food - be it fruits, vegetables or pulses. Read Full Story

No plan to increase urea price: Fertiliser minister
New Delhi, Jan 16 : The Indian government Monday spiked newspaper reports that it was seeking to increase by 40 percent the prices of urea, the most widely used soil nutrient in the country. Read Full Story

India to launch spoken web service for farmers
By Richa Sharma, New Delhi, Jan 13: Soon farmers across the country can get their agriculture and weather-related queries answered quickly. The Indian government is planning to launch a spoken web service that will provide an interactive medium for the farming community. Read Full Story

Delhi govt asks milk producers to ensure safety and pureity
New Delhi, Jan 11 : Delhi Health Minister A K Walia today instructed all the branded and bulk milk producers to ensure supply of pure and safe milk in the national capital by establishing a number of checks and balances at every stage. Read Full Story

Govt purchases above 8.77 MTs paddy
Hyderabad, Jan 10 : The government agencies have so far purchased about 8.77 MTs of paddy through purchasing centres during the current Khariff marketing season in the state. Read Full Story

Haryana to keep watch on crops amid cold conditions
Chandigarh, Jan 9 : In view of the prevailing cold conditions, the Haryana Agriculture Department has asked its officers to check crops regularly in their respective areas and report immediately if they notice any kind of disease in the crops. Read Full Story

Onion traders on strike
Nashik, Jan 9 : Trading at the main Onion markets was affected as merchants today decided not to participate in auctions due to the Mathadi workers levy issue. Read Full Story

Kunjumol Jose wins Karshakashri 2012
Kottayam, Jan 9: Kunjumol Jose (51) of Naduvilepurackal Parathode in Idukki district won the prestigious Karshakashri 2012 award given to the most outstanding farmer of the state. Read Full Story

Haryana to implement new 'Bee Keeping' scheme
Chandigarh, Jan 8 : Haryana Agriculture department has decided to implement a new 'Bee Keeping' schemes to encourage supplement sources of income of farmers belonging to scheduled castes including agriculture and non-agriculture labourers. Read Full Story

Rs 70 cr betel leaf UP crop damaged due to inclement weather
Lucknow, Jan 6 : Betel leaf (paan) crop worth Rs 70 crore was destroyed in Uttar Pradesh due to fog and frost this year. Read Full Story

NESCAFE PLAN launched to support coffee farmers in India
Madikeri,Karnataka, Jan 6 : Nestle India has launched NESCAFE PLAN in the country. Read Full Story

BKU farmers block rail traffic in Punjab, Haryana
Chandigarh, Jan 5 : The rail traffic in Punjab and Haryana was disrupted by the agitating farmers of the Bhartaiya Kisan Union (BKU) today under its 'Rail Roko' agitation to press for their demands. Read Full Story

Fertilizer production increases in India
New Delhi, Jan 5 : In November, 2011 production of Urea had been more than the target by 0.26 lakh MT, the government said on Thursday. Read Full Story

Farmers continue protest over shortage of fertiliser
Kaithal, Jan 4 : Nothwithstanding the assurance given by district authorities for improving supply of fertiliser in the area, the farmers today continued their protest with road blockade at many places. Read Full Story

NABARD unveils credit plan for West Bengal
Kolkata, Jan 4 : The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has envisaged ` 51710.97 crore as potential credit flow for the state of West Bengal as priority sector lending by the banks for the financial year 2012-13. Read Full Story

Apple growers condemn hike in fertilizer price
Shimla, Jan 3 : Himachal Seb Utpadak Sangh has strongly condemned the State Government for steep price hike of fertilizers and also for not providing them timely to the farmers and fruit growers. Read Full Story

States to get easy distribution system with intro of Security BIll
Kochi, Jan 2: Union minister of state for food and civil supplies Prof K V Thomas today said with the introduction of the proposed Food Security Bill states would not have to bear any additional burden, instead they would have great relief in public distribution system. Read Full Story

Kadiyapu Lanka nursery stalls in agricultural exhibition
Kakinada, Jan 2 : The 36th agricultural, industrial and horticulture exhibition being opened at the Raja tank here tomorrow will be a novel one with having more amusement events along with commercial and horticultural stalls. Read Full Story

Andhra Pradesh CM's assurance to Poultry sector
Hyderabad, Jan 2 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy today assured AP Poultry Federation President D Sudhakar and AP Breeders Association and Sneha Poultry Group Managing Director Rami Reddy and others that his Government will extend all possible help, support and incentives to the Poultry sector. Read Full Story

'Thane' cripples life of farmers engaged in cashew, jack fruit culti
Cuddalore, Jan 2 : ''Thane'', the severe cyclonic storm, which wreaked havoc in this coastal district, crippled the lives of farmers engaged in cashew and jack fruit cultivation. Read Full Story

Haryana to organise Vegetable Festival at Gharaunda
Chandigarh, Jan 2 : The Haryana government has decided to organise the first 'Vegetable Festival' at Centre of Excellence for Vegetables, an Indo-Israel project set up at Gharaunda in district Karnal, from January 17 and 19. Read Full Story

Farmers protest against fall in onion prices
Hubli, Karnataka, Jan 2 : Farmers in North Karnataka today staged protest in Hubli and Gadag APMC markets when they suspected malpractice during the grading of the onion. Read Full Story

Rice procurement crosses over 164 lakh tonne
New Delhi, Jan 2 : Rice procurement in the Kharif Marketing season 2011-12 (October-September) has crossed the mark of more than 164 lakh tonne. Read Full Story

No scientific method in Ginseng cultivation in Nagaland yet
Kohima, Jan 02 :Though the cultivation and usage of medicinal plant Panax Ginseng in the high altitude places in Nagaland is a very old practice, so far there were no scientific methods in Ginseng cultivation here. Read Full Story

India needs an evergreen agricultural revolution: RBI
New Delhi, Jan 1 : Expressing concern at the high level of regional and inter and intra state disparities in agricultural production and productivity, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) feels that India needs to invest more in agriculture and allied sectors. Read Full Story

Cyclone-hit Andaman farmers demand compensation
Port Blair, Dec 29 : Though the severe cyclonic storm Thane has moved away from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, its influence has caused serious losses to farmers in remote North and Middle Andaman region. Read Full Story

Paddy procurement in Haryana at all-time high
Chandigarh, Dec 29: The gvernment's agencies have made an all-time high procurement of 29.23 lakh tonnes of paddy this season, a Haryana minister said Thursday. Read Full Story

Sugar free strawberries cultivated in Uttarakhand
Ramnagar, Dec 29 : Farmers in Ramnagar in Uttarakhand's Nainital District have taken up sugar free strawberry cultivation with an aim to ensure that the patients suffering from diabetes are able to consume it. Read Full Story

New scheme to promote apiculture among Haryana farmers
Chandigarh, Dec 29 : With a view to encourage farmers belonging to Scheduled Castes, including agriculture and non-agriculture labourer, to adopt Bee Keeping as sources to supplement their income, the Haryana Agriculture Department has implemented a new scheme for their benefit. Read Full Story

Farmers to resort to rasta roko to check distress sale
Baripada, Dec 28 : Pulled down by the lack of effective measures of the block and district-level administration to check ''distress sale'' of paddy, farmers of Mayurbhanj's Rasgovindpur block staged a ''mass dharna'' in front of the BDO office at Rasgovindpur here today. Read Full Story

NABARD sanctions Rs 31.13 cr drinking water supply in Himachal Pradesh
Shimla, Dec 28 : National Agriculture Bank and Rural Development has sanctioned Rs 31.13 crore as loan from its Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) to the Himachal Pradesh government for a major Lift Based Drinking Water Project, which will be implemented by the Irrigation and Public Health Department (IPHD). Read Full Story

Agriculture infrastructure needs attention from Banks: Nabard
Bangalore, Dec 27: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Executive Director B H Shekhawat today urged the state government and banks to pay greater attention to infrastructure development besides lending for agricultural activities. Read Full Story

NABARD approves Rs 100 cr water supply project for Rewari
Chandigarh, Dec 26 : National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has approved a Rs 100.47 crore project of nine schemes to improve supply of drinking water in district Rewari in Haryana. Read Full Story

Paddy procurement in Chhattisgarh crosses 30 lakh tonnes
Raipur, Dec 25: The Chhattisgarh government has procured 30 lakh tonnes of paddy worth over Rs 3,273 crore at support price from the farmers of the state so far. Read Full Story

Paddy procurement in Chhattisgarh crosses 30 lakh tonnes
Raipur, Dec 25: The Chhattisgarh government has procured 30 lakh tonnes of paddy worth over Rs 3,273 crore at support price from the farmers of the state so far. Read Full Story

Jharkhand youth take up turmeric farming to prevent being drawn to Maoists
Jamshedpur, Dec 24: Young villagers from Raisindri village in Jharkhand's Jamshedpur District have taken to turmeric cultivation to avoid being lured by Maoist propaganda. Read Full Story

Cardamom auctions from Dec 27
Kochi, Dec 23 : The cardamom auctions will resume on Decemeber 27 in Puttady Spices Park of Spices Board. Read Full Story

Haryana to set up State Agriculture Innovation Fund
Hisar, Dec 23 : Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today announced to set up a Haryana State Agriculture Innovation Fund with an initial corpus of Rs two crore and an increase of Rs one crore would be made in this fund every year. Read Full Story

Haryana to issue electronic smart cards to farmers
handigarh, Dec 23 : The Haryana government has decided to introduce a new scheme of issuing electronic smart cards to the farmers in the state. Read Full Story

Shiv Sena comes out in support of farmers
Nashik, Dec 23 : Shiv Sena today launched a 'Rasta Roko' to protest the slump in prices of Onions and demanded remunerative prices for farmers for their produce in Yeola on Vinchur road in the district. Read Full Story

Wheat sown in 265.5 lakh hectares: Reports
New Delhi, Dec 23 : According to the latest information received from the field, wheat has been shown in 265.5 lakh hectare against 264.93 lakh hectare last year on this date. Read Full Story

What's sucking Meghalaya's famed oranges dry
By R.R. Kharmujai , Shillong, Dec 23 : They have in the past been certified as the "best, sweet and juicy oranges" by central horticulture authorities. But the famed Khasi Mandarin oranges of Meghalaya are under threat from pests and outside varieties of the fruit. Read Full Story

Paddy arrival in Haryana increases by 1.47 lakh tonnes
Chandigarh, Dec 22 : The arrival of paddy in the mandis of Haryana so far has increased by about 1.47 lakh tonnes as compared to total arrival of the last year. Read Full Story

More than 6,000 fish found dead in south Kashmir
Srinagar, Dec 22 : More than 6000 fish were found dead in a farm set up by an unemployed youth with the assistance of fisheries department in south Kashmir district of Anantnag, official sources said here today. Read Full Story

'India needs to hike yield of pulses'
Kolkata, Dec 22 : Stating that yield per hectare of pulses in India is low compared to the world average, the country's apex body of pulses and grains industry and trade Thursday called for increasing the yield as the dependency on import is growing day by day. Read Full Story

Khasi orange threatened by imported saplings
Shillong, Dec 21 : The identity of Meghalaya's Khasi Mandarin, also locally known as Sohniamtra Khasi, is under threat due to the import of orange saplings from outside the state. Read Full Story

Low import duty hits Himachal silk growers
Shimla, Dec 20 : Reduction in import duty on raw silk has severely hit the domestic industry, impacting the livelihood of over 9,000 farmers engaged in sericulture in Himachal Pradesh, a government official said here Tuesday. Read Full Story

Assocham calls for reforms to direct credit flow to agri sector
New Delhi, Dec 20: Industry body Assocham today called for wide-ranging reforms and policies to direct credit flow to the agriculture sector and encourage contract farming for financial inclusion across the country. Read Full Story

"Commercialise agriculture for rural economy "
New Delhi, Dec 20 : Industry body ASSOCHAM on Tuesday called for wide-ranging reforms and clear policies to effectively direct credit flow to the agriculture sector and encourage contract farming for furthering financial inclusion across the country. Read Full Story

MPs team to visit rural areas to probe agricultural crisis: Pawar
New Delhi, Dec 19 : A special committee of parliamentarians will visit the rural areas to fathom agricultural distress in the country, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said Monday. Read Full Story

Tamil Nadu CM sanctions grant of Rs 80 cr to Agriculture Coop Societies
Chennai, Dec 17 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today sanctioned a grant of Rs 80 crore to 400 Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies in the state to buy farm equipments. Read Full Story

Pranab to review with Southern states flow of credit to agriculture
New Delhi, Dec 17 : Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will hold meeting with Chief Ministers of Southern Zone States and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) and Financial Institutions (FIs) in Bengaluru tomorrow. Read Full Story