Agriculture Current Affair 19 March 2022

Mustard seeds output to rise 29% to 109.5 lakh tonnes in 2021-22: COOIT

Edible oil industry body COOIT has estimated the country’s mustard seeds production to rise 29 per cent to 109.50 lakh tonnes in the rabi season of 2021-22 crop year. The output of mustard seeds, which is grown in rabi (winter-sown) season, stood at 85 lakh tonnes in the previous year.

Central Organisation for Oil Industry & Trade (COOIT) finalised the estimates of mustard seeds production during its 42nd annual conference, which was held at Bharatpur in Rajasthan on March 12-13, it said in a statement on Monday.

As per the COOIT data, mustard seed production is estimated at 109.5 lakh tonnes in 2021-22. The area under coverage has been pegged at 87.44 lakh hectares while the average yield is seen at 1,270 kg per hectare.

JSW Cement signs MoU with Punjab Renewable Energy Systems to use agricultural waste as biomass

JSW Cement, part of US$ 13 billion JSW Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Punjab Renewable Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd (PRESPL) to use agricultural waste as biomass energy in its cement-manufacturing operations.

“The circular economy principle is an integral part of our business model. Last year, we made a small beginning wherein nearly 5 per cent of our fuel requirement was met through alternate fuels,” said Parth Jindal, Managing Director of JSW Cement.

According to the MOU, Punjab Renewable Energy Systems will build a sustainable supply chain of agricultural waste to be utilized as biomass energy in the clinkerization and grinding process of JSW Cement at its manufacturing units.

‘Bayer’s digital solutions will boost farmers’ lives’

Werner Baumann, chairman of Germany’s $50-billion agrochemicals-to-pharmaceuticals giant Bayer AG, said the company will invest heavily in India in the next few years. Also the company’s chief sustainability officer, Baumann said Bayer will help the Indian government double farmers’ incomes over the next few years. Baumann spoke with ET Prime’s Vikas Dandekar at the Economic Times Global Business Summit about Bayer’s business plans in India and what it aims to do on the sustainability front. Edited excerpts:

Bayer has been present in India for the last 125 years. That’s a long history. How do you see your business going from here?

India is very important to us, looking at the huge footprint that this country has. Our ability to contribute towards making these dreams become reality starts with access to our products across our entire portfolio. Our largest presence is in agriculture, which is very important for India with the government’s focus on doubling farmers’ income over the next few years to come.