However, there was no hike in direct benefit transfer (DBT) of PM-Kisan benefit, negating speculations that it would be raised to ₹7,500-8,000/year from ₹6,000

Experts said as the allied sectors in the agri ecosystem are doing extremely well, the Finance Minister’s focus on animal husbandry, fishery in the Budget is timely and can not only offset, but also boost progress in the agriculture sector.

In her interim Budget speech, Sitharaman said a comprehensive programme for supporting dairy farmers will be formulated following the success of existing schemes such Rashtriya Gokul Mission, National Livestock Mission, and Infrastructure Development Funds for dairy processing and animal husbandry.

She said the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), which has benefited 38 lakh farmers, would be stepped up to enhance aquaculture productivity from 3 tonnes per hectare to 5 tonnes per hectare. Further, PMMSY funds will be utilised to help double aquaculture exports to ₹1 lakh crore and set up five integrated aquaparks.

According to Saroj Mahapatra, executive director at NGO PRADAN, the government should explore public-private partnerships to boost farmers’ incomes.

In the fertiliser sector, she said application of Nano DAP on various crops will be expanded in all agro-climatic zones, similar to nano-Urea. This announcement has been seen by CRISIL as a measure to bring down the fertiliser subsidy bill. “A bottle of nano DAP costs 50-55 per cent lower than an equivalent 50 kg bag of conventional DAP,” it said, adding subsidy on ‘phosphatic’ fertilisers, on average, accounts for 18-20 per cent of the fertiliser subsidy bill.

Self-sufficiency in oilseeds

A strategy will be formulated to achieve ‘atmanirbharta’ for mustard, groundnut, sesame, soybean and sunflower oilseeds.

“Building on the initiative announced in 2022, a strategy will be formulated to achieve ‘atmanirbharta’ for oilseeds such as mustard, groundnut, sesame, soybean, and sunflower. This will cover research for high-yielding varieties, widespread adoption of modern farming techniques, market linkages, procurement, value addition, and crop insurance,” Sitharaman said recently.

In the 2022-23 Budget speech, the Finance Minister announced: “To reduce our dependence on import of oilseeds, a rationalised and comprehensive scheme to increase domestic production of oilseeds will be implemented.”

In 2023-24 Budget speech, it was mentioned that after taking some steps (mostly routine in nature like release of newer varieties), the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said that the promise of a comprehensive scheme got “Substantially implemented under National Food Security Mission (Oilseeds) and National Mission of Edible Oil (Oil palm).”

“It will be interesting to see how this fresh promise of atmanirbharata will be implemented. In effect, the Ministry had earlier negated the need for a separate comprehensive scheme, even though it was announced in the Budget,” said a former agriculture secretary. He also said that the planned scheme already announced by cooperation minister Amit Shah while launching the scheme on maize rolled out by cooperative body Nafed, could be the one for oilseeds.

The agriculture growth was an average 3.7 per cent from FY15 to FY23, as against 3.4 per cent between FY05 and FY14. The farm sector grew at 4.0 per cent during FY23 from the previous year. But in FY24 it is estimated that the farm sector growth may be 1.8 per cent.

According to former CACP Chairman Ashok Gulati, a little downward pressure on crops can be compensated by reasonably a good output from livestock and fisheries. He had said that the biggest contributor to farm growth is from milk sector and livestock is doing pretty fine due to its lower base earlier.

Source: The Business Line

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Sources said the agriculture ministry is currently working with Indian Institute of Maize Research, Punjab to boost maize production through developing high yielding varieties which have higher recovery for ethanol.

Officials said that developing high starch varieties to increase ethanol recovery is being worked out.

The agriculture ministry also identified 53 districts high yielding districts in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab and Bihar for expanding maize area.

The development of maize clusters around ethanol plants is being initiated by the agriculture ministry.

The ministry has urged private sector to leverage public private partnership for integrated agriculture value chain development scheme for maize to ethanol production.

Currently 10.74 million hectare (MH) is under maize output and the aim is to expand area by one MH in the next couple of years.

Under the crop diversification paddy, the focus is being given to divert paddy grown in Indo-Gangetic plains and north-western plans to maize.

In addition, under a plan approved, the farmers cooperative Nafed and National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) will purchase maize from the farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and supply to companies for ethanol production.

While globally maize is the primary feed-stock for ethanol production, it is used in India mostly for animal feed and industrial use.

Source: Financial Express

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The startup will use the fresh funding to ramp up its operations and expand its footprint across the country. The capital will also be deployed to shore up its tech stack, diversify product portfolio, venture into new segments and double its network of partners in the next six months.

“The investment from S2G reinforces our mission of transforming the Indian aquaculture landscape through a  phygital approach. The funds come at a critical juncture as we gear up for our next phase of growth to capture new opportunities, with an intense focus on expanding our operations in major markets,” said Aquaconnect founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Rajmanohar Somasundaram.

Commenting on the fundraise, managing director at S2G Ventures Kate Danaher added, “As a leading organisation in the second largest aquaculture market in the world, we believe Aquaconnect is ideally positioned to capture meaningful market share and contribute to a future of sustainable growth across the sector.”

Founded in 2017 by Somasundaram, Aquaconnect is a full-stack aquaculture platform that leverages AI and remote sensing data to predict demand for farm inputs and the supply of harvest produce.

Cashing in on this data, it operates offline last-mile touchpoints that connect aqua farmers with farm input brands. It also partners NBFCs to offer formal credit services to its retail partners and seafood buyers to address working capital needs.

Aquaconnect claims to be present in six states and have more than 500+ on-ground partners. It also claims to serve more than 30 brands and have scaled up its revenues by 4X in the last fiscal year.

This comes more than a year after the startup last raised USD 15 Mn as part of a Series A funding round led by Lok Capital in December 2022. Prior to that, it also secured USD 8 Mn in venture debt from Trifecta Capital in early 2022.

The startup is also backed by names such as Louis Dreyfus Company Ventures, Suneight Investments, AgFunder, Omnivore, Rebright Partners, among others.

It competes with the likes of names such as AquaExchange, Captain Fresh, Eruvaka, among others.

Curiously, the development comes just days after AquaExchange secured USD 6 Mn in its Series A funding round led by London-based PE firm Ocean 14.

India’s aquaculture market continues to be a largely unorganised space that is populated by local players. But as exports and domestic consumer demand for seafood rise, Indian aquaculture startups are looking to tap into technology to streamline procurement of feed and predict market trends.

As per a report, India’s aquaculture industry is projected to grow to a market size of USD 29.37 Bn by 2028.

Source: Inc42

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Due to the war with Ukraine and other factors, egg production in Russia has significantly decreased. As a result, there are reports that Russia may need to import eggs from other countries, including India, and Namakkal could take advantage of this opportunity.

Valsan Parameswaran, secretary of the All India Poultry Products Exporters Association (AIPPEA), said that talks with Russia for exporting eggs are only at the primary stage. “There are many processes, including trade policies, certification process, quality standards, and many terms and conditions, that are to be discussed and finalized.

The latest information says that egg production is now better in Russia. At present, we cannot exactly say whether Namakkal eggs will be exported to Russia. Union and state governments are helping poultry owners export eggs to foreign countries. The major demand of poultry owners are incentives for egg exports as the price of eggs is changing everyday,” Mr. Parameswaran added.

According to a poultry owner, there was a long-pending demand to declare Namakkal an avian influenza disease-free zone, because an outbreak of bird flu in any part of the country would affect the export of eggs from Namakkal. Declaring Namakkal an avian influenza disease-free zone will save poultry owners from losses, and precautionary measures introduced by the government and animal husbandry department were being followed, he added.

It is notable that Tamil Nadu is the second largest producer of eggs in the country after Andhra Pradesh. But in terms of exports, Namakkal is first place in India with 95% of its table eggs being exported.

Source: The Hindu

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Mike Weber, co-owner of Sunrise Farms received a devastating news in January that put his commercial business in jeopardy. The chickens in his farms tested positive for avian flu. As per government rules, his company was left with no choice but to euthanize all the egg-laying hens in his farms.

“It’s a trauma. We’re all going through grief as a result of it”, claimed Weber after slaughtering his entire flock of 550,000 birds. The deed was done to prevent other farms in California‘s Sonoma County from being infected by the pathogenic flu. Weber further reminded that despite Petaluma being the ‘Egg Basket of the World’, its egg baskets had been subjected to such pain.

This heartbreaking grief follows a year after the bird flu had already resulted in the poultry industry being majorly struck with record high prices. Reportedly, a state of emergency has been declared in Sonoma County due to the destruction caused by the contagious virus.

More than a million birds have been euthanized in the last two months, further resulting in an economic crisis for the farmers and even the customers. The outbreak has also spread further to California‘s Merced County.

How to prevent Avian flu from spreading further?

Flocks of ducks, geese and other waterfowl are responsible for carrying the virus without getting affected themselves. Their dropping propagate the deadly virus to chicken farms. Therefore, curbing the disease on a human level isn’t as easy as it may seem.

State Veterinarian Annette Jones has still come up with some ways to handle the issue. One of these measures requires the farmer to locks their bird indoors till June. This will especially play a huge role in cutting down the cases as migration will still continue for a few more months. California Poultry Federation’s president Bill Mattos also seconds this notion (AP).

A UC Davis researcher – Rodrigo Gallardo – has even advised the farm owners to be wary of simpler factors that may be taken for granted in this case. Farmers should keep their clothes and shoes clean as another means to keep infections at bay. Chickens being tested for avian flu is a second obvious if the birds drop in masses.

Source: Hindustan Times

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In India, despite the significant challenges posed by the potential impact of El Niño, soybean production is forecasted to reach 12 million tonnes in the marketing year 2023–24. This optimistic outlook is driven by expanded domestic oilseed processing capacity, creating increased demand for Indian soybeans, albeit against a backdrop of relatively muted consumption.

Geo-political uncertainties, particularly the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, further complicate the landscape for the Indian soybean market. Global trade and logistics disruptions from these geopolitical concerns add an element of unpredictability, influencing market dynamics. India’s role as the largest global importer of vegetable oil, coupled with recent changes in import duties, contributes to the complexity of the soybean market.

While there has been a reduction in basic import duties on refined soyabean oil and sunflower oil from 17.5% to 12.5%, the overall impact on the soybean market remains intricate, especially with imports from key countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Argentina, Ukraine, and Russia. Considering these intricate dynamics, the soybean price outlook for the coming 2-3 months suggests a marginal upward movement, with expectations to test the level of Rs. 5300-5350 in the Indian spot markets.

Source: Investing.com

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Cumulative total fishmeal production during the first 11 months of 2023 saw a significant dip of approximately 16%, in contrast to the production reported through November 2022, the IFFO said in a press release.

El Niño severely impacts Peru, with 41% drop in fishmeal production. The primary factor behind this decline is without doubt the 41% year-on-year decrease in fishmeal production in Peru.

The El Niño phenomenon severely impacted Peru’s fishing activities during 2023, leading to the cancellation of the April-June first fishing season. This setback had a substantial ripple effect on overall global fishmeal production, the IFFO notes.

In recent days, Peru has also closed its second fishing season with only 75% of the quota captured.

Fish oil output decreased by 20% YoY
Fish oil fared no better in 2023, with a nearly 20% year-on-year decrease in total cumulative output during the same period. Once again, Peru took the spotlight as the main contributor to this negative performance due to supply shortages resulting from reduced landings and lower oil yields.

Chile emerged as the sole exception, registering a positive change year-on-year thanks to healthier catches and higher-than-average oil yields in the southern region of the country.
The countries analyzed in the IFFO reports include Peru, Chile, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, UK, Ireland, Faroe Islands, USA, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Mauritius, and Spain.

China Faces Slowdown in Fishmeal Imports
In parallel with this global decline in raw materials, China, a major player in the fishmeal market, is experiencing a slowdown in fishmeal imports.

Off-takes of imported fishmeal from China’s main port warehouses are estimated at nearly 15,000 metric tons in week 2 of 2024. This figure is below the amount reported in week 1 of the same year and falls short of the average estimated for the same week over the period of 2014-2023.

The total fishmeal arrivals into China have recently slowed down, failing to compensate for off-takes from the main ports’ warehouses. Consequently, the total stock of imported fishmeal has slightly decreased, though it remains above the average value reported for week 2 between 2019 and 2023.

Source: IFFO

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All parts of cassava/tapioca – leaves, stem, tuber and rind – contain the compounds called cyanogenic glucosides (CNGs), that is, linamarin and lotaustralin (in the ratio 93:7), which are hydrolysed by endogenous enzyme linamarase to acetone cyanohydrin which may break down spontaneously liberating free hydrogen cyanide. Both acetone cyanohydrin and free cyanide are toxic,” according to the advisory.

Cassava leaves contain about 10 times higher amount of CNGs than roots. The CNG content of cassava leaves decreases with the increase in the age of the leaves. The rind contains 10-30 times higher cyanoglucoside content than the edible parts. Feeding crushed peels or leaves immediately after crushing or without proper drying poses a high risk of cyanide poisoning in animals, according to the advisory.

Tuber/roots of non-bitter cultivars can be fed to the animals after peeling in the raw form. Nevertheless, cooking in water by slowly raising the temperature (tuber pieces should not be put into boiled water) is also advisable.

Boiling in water (by slowly raising the temperature) or slow sun drying for 12-18 hours can remove up to 80-90% of the cyanoglucosides present in the leaves.

Since peels contain high amounts of CNGs, it needs to be processed separately to bring down the toxic compounds to safer levels. Crushing the peels and allowing it to remain at room temperature by spreading on a mat for about 5-6 h and then completely drying the crushed peels in sunlight is the best way to remove cyanide.

Source: The Hindu

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Over the past year, officials and scientists from the department of fisheries and the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture tested thousands of hectares of saline wasteland unfit for crops in 25 districts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab, marking out clusters where shrimp aquaculture could be productive, one of the persons said, seeking anonymity.

The scientists found that productivity of the farmed crustaceans or output per hectare is roughly the same in Haryana as the world average at about 6-7 tonne, making it potentially a major centre for shrimp farming. Most shrimp is farmed in the country’s coastal states.

In India, shrimp farming has been supported by the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization and Asian Development Bank and the country is one of the biggest exporters of cultured shrimp. Indian seafood sector is gearing up for accelerated growth with both houses of Parliament passing the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill 2023, according to industry reports. The country is currently the second-largest aquaculture shrimp producer at 900000 tonne in 2022, after Ecuador.

Globally, shrimp farming is freshwater guzzling, run by large companies and seen as ecologically damaging. The highly automated shrimp industry often does not prioritize local employment and tends relocate in the face of tough regulations. Ecological activists call it the “hamburger connection” in which central American rainforests are razed to culture shrimps that end up in burgers.

“The difference with the shrimp hubs in these states will that they will be eco-friendly, using technologies such as biofloc and will come up only on unproductive wasteland,” said Sagar Mehra, joint secretary in the fisheries department.

The shrimp clusters are aimed at generating 50,000 local jobs, from direct employment to those around ancillary warehousing and cold storages. A modern aqua park in Bhiwani built with a funding of INR 100 crore will serve as a training centre, a second official said, declining to be named.

Each kilogram of shrimp farmed generates about 15,000 litres of effluent, often with toxic residues. This stew is often released untreated into the groundwater, contaminating the drinking water of local communities.

The shrimp hubs in northern India will utilize biofloc developed by the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, which will treat excreta and other wastes on site and convert them into feed for the crustaceans.
The Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana – where funding is shared on a 60:40 basis between the Centre and states — aims to create aquaculture assets enough to generate 5.5 million livelihoods nationally till 2025. Funds will be made available to new shrimp farmers through this micro-credit scheme.
The districts chosen for the project include Rohtak, Fatehabad and Gurugram in Haryana, besides Mathura, Agra and Hathras in Uttar Pradesh. They also include Fazilka, Muktsar and Mansa in Punjab; and Ganganagar and Churu in Rajasthan.

“The key to this project’s success will be to ensure there is handholding from start to finish and export avenues and remunerative prices are ensured through market linkages,” said CV Balakrishna, a former marine consultant with the FAO. For exports, agreements are expected to be signed with Marine Products Export Development Authority, the first official said.

Source: Hindustan Times

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Both the crop varieties and the new technology were approved by the university’s research council, at its three-day recently concluded meeting. The new crop varieties would be recommended for release as per the government norms.

Giving details of the new varieties and technology developed by the university, PRO Rajyavardhan said ‘Shaktiman 6’ is a kharif variety of hybrid maize that matures in 90-95 days. This variety is resistant to leaf blight disease.

This variety contains 9.87% quality protein, 0.81% tryptophan, and 5.52% lysine. The height of this light yellow-colored plant ranges from 180-190 cm. Under normal conditions, this variety yields 67 quintals per hectare. Similarly, the new mustard variety ‘Rajendra Supfalam’ is of medium length which matures in four months.

Source: Times Of India

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