When Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain travels to the remote Nogaon area of Uttarakhand this week, he will flag off a refrigerated apple van, a vital link of the cold chain that has been developed for the first time in the hill state.

Jain will also study an inclusive business model of small and marginal farmers in the apple value addition business chain. Initiated by Stichting Het Groene Woutd (SHGW), a Dutch family foundation and social investor, and NGO Sri Jagdamba Samiti (SJS), this model has helped create employment, income, technical skill and capacity among the apple growers of Uttarakhand.

New Delhi: In a bid to help small farmers get better price realisation, the National Advisory Council (NAC) has recommended the creation of ‘farmers companies’ with the support of the government, which would deal with critical issues such as market linkage and value-addition in the farm sector.

In a recent meeting, the NAC, headed by UPA-II chairperson Sonia Gandhi, urged the government to provide financial support for creation of farm producers’ companies under the existing Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) for the farm sector.

The use of technologically advanced seeds is currently much lower in the production of rice than in other crops

Rice output in India can be raised at least 15-20 per cent through increased use of hybrid seeds, a Rabobank study said. The use of technologically advanced seeds is currently much lower in the production of rice than in other crops. Of the total annual rice output in India — around 99 million tonnes, according to US Department of Agriculture estimates for the 2012-13 season — only three per cent is produced through hybrid seeds. The remaining quantity comes through breeding of conventional seeds.

The Bombay High Court has asked a seed manufacturing company to pay compensation of Rs 45 lakh to 164 farmers in Maharashtra for supplying defective seeds as a result of which the crop quality suff

The TEC was appointed to address certain issues related to agricultural biotechnology in India

Perceiving a grim picture, scientists at the weekend referred to the recommendations of the Technical Expert Committee (TEC) appointed by the Supreme Court as taking the country in the opposite direction, halting the progress required to cater to the growing needs of the country. The TEC was appointed to address certain issues related to agricultural biotechnology in India

Hybrid seeds, including biotech seeds, represent new business opportunities in India based on yield improvement, according to Usha Barwale Zehr, chief technology officer of Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company.

“Approximately 7,000 plant species are estimated to be used for human consumption, of which just four crops - wheat, maize, rice and potato - provide half of the total world food production and 15 crops contribute two-thirds. Many of these crops are grown in India, which has the potential to become a major producer of biotech rice and vegetables,” she told Business Standard.

Plant will manufacture agricultural implements, hydraulic reversible plough, seedbed preparation implements, cultivators & disc harrows

Germany based Agro equipment manufacturer Lemken GmbH & Co. KG has set up a manufacturing plant in Nagpur with the investment of Rs 60 crore. The plant will manufacture agricultural implements, hydraulic reversible plough, seedbed preparation implements, cultivators & disc harrows. This Lemken's first manufacturing plant out of Europe.