Agriculture Current Affair 18 July 2020

Kharif sowing up 21% at 692 lakh ha

With reservoirs having 50 per cent more water as compared to last year and the country receiving 10 per cent more rainfall than normal, the area under kharif crops jumped 21 per cent to 692 lakh hectares (lh), as compared to 572 lh sown in the corresponding week last year, as per data released by the Agriculture Ministry on Friday.

Oilmeal imports cross 1.1 mt as demand from feed industry rises

Amid rising demand from the feed industry, India registered record oilmeal imports in four years at 11,42,902 tonnes (1.1 mt) for the year 2019-20.

According to Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) data, India’s oilmeal/oilcake imports rose to 11,42,902 tonnes worth ₹3,218 crore for 2019-20 as against 6,70,709 tonnes worth ₹2,558 crore in 2018-19. The value of imports rose by 26 per cent.

Agri Ministry notification to ban Glyphosate irks farmers

The July 7 draft notification by the Union Ministry of Agriculture to banthe use of Glyphosate, has caused concern in the agriculture, plantation and agriculture fraternity. They are questioning the logic behind the move as the well-known weed killer has been in use for many decades.