Kharif rice procurement target set at 495 lakh tonnes
As India is heading for a record rice acreage during the current kharif season, the government has set a higher rice procurement target of 495.37 lakh tonnes (lt) for the 2020-21 kharif marketing season (KMS), an official statement said here on Monday.
India bans export of all varieties of onion
India on Monday prohibited the export of all varieties of onion except those cut, sliced or in powder form. “The export of all varieties of onion…is prohibited with immediate effect,” the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification. The ban includes Bangalore rose onions and Krishnapuram onions.
These varieties of onion were free for export till now.
“Rates have increased and there is shortage of onion in the domestic market. While this shortage is seasonal, a huge amount of exports were done in the last few months during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said an official aware of the development.
India exported $198 million of onions in the April-June period of FY21 and $440 million in the entire 2019-20.
MSP will stay, farmers will get investment, technology: Govt on farm sector bills
Defending its two bills on farm sector introduced in Lok Sabha, the government on Monday said they will help the farmers get a remunerative price for their produce as well as private investments and technology.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, while introducing the bills to replace the ‘The Farmers’ Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020 and ‘The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, said that almost 86 per cent of farmers have agricultural land of less than two hectares and they are often unable to benefit from minimum support price (MSPs)
