Kharif area up, but rains hit standing crops in 15 states
Timely and quick spread of monsoon this year did help boost the kharif acreage, but the heavy spell of rains witnessed across several parts of the country over recent weeks are seen spoiling the party for several farmers this cropping season.
“There have been extreme weather events in the form of heavy rains in some parts of the country which affected the standing crops,” said Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar informed the Parliament on Friday.
Farmers being misled on Agrarian Reform Bill: PM Modi
Farmers are being misled to oppose the Agrarian Reform Bill according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a series of tweets, Modi defended the Agrarian Reform Bill that was passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. “Some people who have been in power for decades, have ruled the country, they are trying to confuse the farmers on this subject, lying to the farmers,” Modi said.
The ruling National Democratic Alliance has been split on the Agrarian Reform Bill. In a tweet on Thursday evening, Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Harsimrat Kaur Badal announced “I have resigned from the Union Cabinet in protest against anti-farmer ordinances and legislation. Proud to stand with farmers as their daughter & sister.”
Chemical pesticides should be used as a last resort: Pramod Magar
The Yavatmal district of the Vidarbha region in Maharashtra has been a centre of cotton farmers’ suicides for the past 15 years, due to crop losses and pests attacks. In September 2017, the district was against struck with a larger tragedy, when a large number of farmers and farm labourers died while spraying chemical pesticides on pink bollworms (PBW). It also led to a long-term effect on the health of those who survived the poisoning. This year, too, the PBW infestation has been seen in Yavatmal as well as in neighbouring districts, but the number of attacks has not crossed a threshold that will cause economic damage.
