Agriculture Current Affair 23 August 2020

India’s soybean output to surge by over 31.5% : Soybean Processors Association of India

The Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA) has estimated India’s 2020-21 soyabean area will rise by over 8%, while production will increase by over 31.5% to 122.475 lakh tonnes compared to the previous year.

“An extensive field survey of soybean crop in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan was undertaken by two teams of SOPA from August 15 to 20. The teams travelled more than 6000 km and interacted with a number of farmers on the field,” said a release from SOPA.

Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra will be the main contributors to the rise owing to an increase in acreage and yields. Similarly, in Rajasthan, the area and production are likely to increase, it said.

Rain, sowing data and labour movement predict an early and plentiful harvest

We don’t get such good weather often,” says Kirpal Singh over the phone from Kairana in western Uttar Pradesh. “It rains well and then the sun shines for a few days. Then it rains again,” Singh, who cultivates sugarcane and rice, says.

“It is ideal for farming.”

ED gives consent for removal of 800,000 tones of paddy attached under PMLA

After a brief legal battle, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has consented to permit the removal of 800,000 tonnes of paddy stored in three warehouses which were attached by it under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The legal dispute had arisen between the agency and KRBL Ltd, the manufacturer of India Gate basmati rice, after the agency in December 2019 took possession of the warehouses, valued at over Rs 15 crore, belonging to the company.