KBP welcomes formation of agriculture advisory council

Kissan Board Pakistan (KBP) has welcomed Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif'sNawaz Sharif's decision to form agricultural development advisory council and give incentives to agriculture sector so that it could play its pivotal role for economic, social and political stability in the country.
Addressing a meeting of the farmers' organisation here on Sunday, central president of KBP Sardar Zafar Hussain Khan said that the real representatives of the forming community should be included in the council in order to make it a worthwhile and result-oriented institution.
He said the government must realise that it is the agriculture sector that is backbone of the economy, provides food security to the nation and major source of raw material for textile, tannery, cottage industries and SMEs. He regretted that the farmers are agitating for not getting proper prices of their produce and hard work and are being forced to pay inflated electricity bills, high prices of fertilisers, pesticides and other agriculture inputs that have unbearably increased cost of production, Sugar mills are also blackmailing and fleecing the growers by not starting the crushing season on time and forcing them to sell their commodity at throw away prices, he added.
Zafar assured that the farmers can bring about a real economic revolution if they were given incentives and financially viable prices of their commodities keeping in view the cost of production. There is a vast scope to increase per yield of various crops provided farmers were given necessary incentives, he added.
The KBP president also called upon the Prime Minister to call a meeting of the countrywide representative bodies of farmers as in case of trading community and industrialists to have their input for quantum jump in the agriculture production.
KBP office bearers Sarfraz Ahmad Khan, Chaudhry Manzoor Gujjar, Haji Mohammad Ramzan, Chaudhry Noor Elahi Tatla, Dr Mohammad Nawaz Cheena, Dr Abdul Jabbar and Malik, Fiazul Hassan Bhutta also attended the meeting.

News Source: Business Recorder  News collected: agrinfobank.com Team

Farmers demand cut in fertiliser prices

Friday, 19 July 2013

Various representative bodies of farmers have demanded reduction in prices of fertiliser at least by Rs 500 per 50 KG bag, as urea price has sharply dropped in the international market. Chairman Pakistan Agri-Forum Dr Ibrahim Mughal was particularly critical of local fertiliser manufacturers, who despite getting cheap gas were sell urea at exorbitant prices.
Dr Mughal recalled that when the urea manufactories were getting subsidised gas at the rate of Rs 103 per MMBTU, about five years ago, they sold 50 KG bag at the rate of Rs 750. Now the government is supplying gas to the fertiliser manufacturing units at the rate of Rs 130 per MMBTU, the companies are selling urea at the rate of Rs 1700 per 50 KG bag.
He said the international fertiliser manufacturing units buy gas, the basic ingredient of urea, at the rate of Rs 440 per MMBTU, and they sell the commodity at the rate of Rs 2250 per bag. He said local fertiliser manufacturing units annually produce five million tons (100 million 50 KG bags) urea but the utilisation of fertilisers has dropped by 15 to 20 percent due to unaffordable prices of urea, resultantly Pakistan's crops yield is on the decline while population is on the increase.
President Basmati Growers Association Hamid Malhi said that the agriculture sector was not a priority of the Punjab government as it has left the farming community atthe mercy of the market manipulating forces. He said that Kharif crops cotton, rice, sugarcane, maize, vegetables and fodder were the backbone of Pakistan's economy but the government was not moved to support the agriculture sector by supplying inputs to the farmers at reason prices.
Malhi said that agriculture sector needed at least 30 million bags of 50 KG for Kharif crops. As there has been a steep fall in the prices of fertiliser in the international market by about $100 per ton, it is incumbent upon the federal and provincial government to provide a relief of Rs 500 per bag. He emphasised that poverty alleviation could only be done by boosting agriculture production.

Source: Business Recorder

Paddy farmers a confused lot

Farmers in the district who have raised paddy nurseries in anticipation of good harvest in rabi season, are in confused as to go ahead with transplantation of the seedlings from nurseries to the main fields or drop the cultivation at nursery-stage itself to minimise the losses.

Reason for it is the continuing poor monsoon coupled with insufficient release of water from reservoirs for irrigation.

Already, it has been a poor season for paddy in the district this year with acreage under the crop been almost nil in the just-ended kharif season.

According to official statistics, paddy nurseries have come up on 110 acres to produce the seedlings required for 1,300 hectares of paddy cultivation during the just-commenced rabi season.

K.C.M. Balasubrmaniam, a progressive farmer and a former agriculture economist of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, told The Hindu that in the present drought-like situation, it would be ‘technically’ unwise to go for transplantation to main cultivable areas as preparatory works in the main field itself requires lot of water.

“But with paddy is seen as a major grain crop, the district administration could try out a solution to ensure transplantation by going for micro-level interventions.

“Accordingly, the farmers who are struggling the most for the water need to be identified and then provide them with at least six hours of uninterrupted power supply daily for almost two months as ‘emergency cases’ to enable them draw groundwater for irrigation,” he said.

Considering the seriousness of the situation and protect the paddy acreage, the department of agriculture is planning to enthuse the farmers to go for a ‘modified’ implementation of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technique so that whatever water available through canal irrigation could be judiciously used.

“Use of SRI methodology has advantages as it requires ‘reduced height of standing water’ when compared to traditional cultivation practices,” Joint Director of Agriculture M.K. Sherif said.

This apart, the department will also be distributing power weeders at subsidised rates to remove weeds for ensuring better root growth and power sprayers to help farmers fight pest attacks.

Agriculture: 1 million farmers to get tips by phone

Farmers would have to provide their CNIC numbers, mobile numbers and details related to their agriculture land and crop for registration, says official. IMAGE: CREATIVE COMMON

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FAISALABAD:

The provincial government aims to teach farmers how to use modern production methods by sending them information on their mobile phones.
Agriculture Department officials said that by March the government planned to register one million farmers in the programme. The farmers will be trained to use modern technology to increase production, they said. Moreover, farmers will also be able to ask for solutions to specific problems by sending questions via their mobile phones.
They said that farmers would have to provide their CNIC numbers, mobile numbers and details related to their agriculture land and crop for registration. The details will be sent to a communication technology centre set up at the office of the agriculture director general. The centre will communicate with the farmers.
The Agriculture Department (Faisalabad extension) has been given a target of registering 20,000 farmers for the programme. A registration cell has been set up under the supervision of District Officer Chaudhry Abdul Hameed.
The DO said that the department hoped the programme would improve the farmers’ knowledge of crops and production.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2012.

Textile ministry joins farmers in denouncing trade with India

By Zafar Bhutta

Published: November 22, 2012

The Ministry of Textile Industry now says that the future of local industry seems bleak because of the “hasty” decision to open Pakistani markets for Indian textiles.

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ISLAMABAD: After Pakistani farmers’ recent lobbying to prevent imports of agricultural produce from India, the Ministry of Textile Industry, too, seems to be getting cold feet ahead of the liberalisation of trade between the two estranged neighbours. Its apprehensions over the import of Indian textiles have surfaced hardly a month before the government is expected to phase out its negative list for goods tradable with India.

The Ministry of Textile Industry now says that the future of local industry seems bleak because of the “hasty” decision to open Pakistani markets for Indian textiles. It claims that allowing imports at reduced rates under the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) regime will swallow up the domestic textile sector.

Echoing similar concerns first raised by farmers on imports of India’s agricultural produce, the ministry says that the Indian textile industry enjoys “huge” subsidies and tariff protection, which will lead to imbalances in the market and affect Pakistani farmers. It has argued that India and Bangladesh have realised the importance of the textile sector in their economic development, growth of exports and generation of employment and therefore protect their industry. The ministry says that Pakistan should also protect its textile sector, which it fears will be “destroyed” after the entrance of Indian goods into domestic markets.

“We have still not been able to export more than $272 million worth of goods to India, whereas India has exported around $1.5 billion worth of commodities to Pakistan, being allowed 1,900 tariff lines,” the textile ministry said in its comments on trade with India after the grant of the MFN status. It added that Pakistan exported only $45 million worth of textile products to India in 2010, whereas India exported $566 million worth of textile products to Pakistan while the negative list was still in force.

Under the South Asian Free Trade Area (Safta) agreement, tariff rates are to be held between 0%-5% on all products not on a country’s sensitive list. Initially, Pakistan had 1,183 tariff lines on the sensitive list, out of which 293 pertained to textile products. Recently, the Ministry of Commerce whittled the sensitive list by 20% and the sensitive list now contains only 242 textile tariff lines. The Ministry of Textile Industry is worried that there is no indication that India or Bangladesh have done the same, or intend to do so.

“Almost all textile lines in which Pakistan has export potential are itemised in India’s sensitive list. Other than this, India has kept high non-ad valorem duties on most textile products (around 700 tariff lines) which form barriers to Pakistan’s exports,” the textile ministry cautioned. The textile ministry also alleged that India’s multilayered tariff system damages Pakistan’s export prospects to the country.

“India has huge state-owned textile mills and cotton trade. India has also banned the export of cotton, which results in lowering the cost of cotton for Indian textile industries and losses for Pakistani importers of cotton,” the textile ministry additionally noted.

The textile ministry has said that a tariff level for trade with India should be computed scientifically to ensure optimal rates. The ministry also warned that as far as trade defence mechanisms are concerned, Pakistan may have laws in place, but the country has limited experience in handling anti-dumping measures and limited resources to implement protective policies.

“A highly-skilled, well-budgeted and resourceful organisation, along with an organised domestic sector, may take years to develop. Till such time, there will be no mechanism available for the defence of the domestic sector,” the textile ministry says.

It also claimed that the private sector lacks the capacity to initiate or develop a strong case to invoke trade defence laws on the basis of a decrease in capacity utilisation and or loss in domestic market share, as no reliable data has been maintained as far as local production and sales is concerned. Recourse to such data is an important requisite for any kind of defensive action under the World Trade Organization’s laws.

On the other hand, the Indian textile industry – which is the second largest in the world – is enjoying a large protected domestic market, which ensures economies of scale, said the ministry. It said it fears the opening of borders will just increase the outreach of Indian textiles under the umbrella of SAFTA tax regimes.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2012.

Do farmers markets boost area economy?

Ten years ago, farmers markets in Michigan were few and far between, with only 90 existing in the state. Today, the state boasts more than 250 farmers markets, and a recently-released report finds these markets are more than just a place to shop for local produce. Farmers markets also can boost the economy and provide jobs.

While farmers markets are growing in numbers nationally, they could be doing a lot better, according to a report released Thursday by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). What’s holding farmers markets back? Federal policies that favor industrial agriculture at their expense, the report stated.

“On the whole, farmers markets have seen exceptional growth, providing local communities with fresh food direct from the farm,” stated Jeffrey O’Hara, the author of the report and an economist with UCS’s Food and Environment Program. “But our federal food policies are working against them. If the U.S. government diverted just a small amount of the … subsidies it (gives to) industrial agriculture to support these markets and small local farmers, it would not only improve American diets, it would generate tens of thousands of new jobs.”UCS released the report just a few days before the 12th annual U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Farmers Market Week, which starts Sunday. According to the report, “Market Forces: Creating Jobs through Public Investment in Local and Regional Food Systems,” the number of farmers markets nationwide more than doubled between 2000 and 2010, jumping from 2,863 to 6,132, and now more than 100,000 farms sell food directly to local consumers.

According to the report, all that growth happened with relatively little help from public funding. Last year, for example, the USDA spent $13.7 billion in commodity, crop insurance and supplemental disaster assistance payments mostly to support large industrial farms, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The agency spent less than $100 million that year to support local and regional food system farmers.

The fact that farmers markets are growing without the help of public funding, however, could show that farmers markets aren’t in need of such assistance, said John Pridnia, who started the Port Austin Farmers Market with his wife, Lisa, seven years ago. He said the federal government spending money to help start farmers markets would be another example of waste.

“We started ours with a hope, a desire and the energy to succeed,” Pridnia said. “We started with minimum expenditures.”

Pridnia agrees, though, that farmers markets help boost the local economy. He sees it for himself every weekend in Port Austin.

“It’s a phenomenal positive for the business community,” he said. “Shoppers stay in town for hours after the market closes to have lunch and (visit businesses). They linger and enjoy the town.”

Pridnia said a farmers market is a tremendous asset to any community, regardless of the size of the community or the market itself.

“We have over 150 vendors, but some farmers markets have 15 vendors, but it doesn’t matter the size — the joy is still there,” he said.

He said he would pit any small-town farmers market against one in an urban community.

“Bigger is great, but it’s not always better,” he said.

Pridnia said he and Lisa are invited every year to other communities around the state to give presentations on starting a farmers market. He said so far, they’ve conducted the presentations in about a dozen communities.

“It’s astounding how popular our market is,” he said. “It’s a place for shoppers to access food direct from the farming community. It’s a place to enjoy the day. It’s also become a social event, not only for the shoppers, but for the vendors. The vendors have created a family among themselves.”

Pridnia said organizing the Port Austin Farmers Market is definitely a “labor of love” and it wouldn’t be possible without the help of volunteers.

Pigeon started a weekly farmers market this summer, and it ran in June and July. Amish produce and baked goods were available, along with other products. On average, there were five to seven vendors each week, said Brandis Mallais, Pigeon Chamber of Commerce vice president.

“A friend and I would travel to Port Austin’s farmers market on weekends to get fresh produce and flowers, and we thought it would be nice to have it here (in Pigeon),” Mallais said.

Pigeon had a building next to the Pigeon Historical Museum that was not being used, and Mallais said the building was meant for a farmers market. She talked with a co-worker at Thumb National Bank, who had connections to some Amish families. The Pigeon Farmers Market flourished from there.

“It’s another reason for people to come to town,” she said. “It’s giving people more of an opportunity to stay local.”

The goal for next year is to start in May and to provide a wider variety of products, she said.

Mallais said she doesn’t believe farmers markets really need public funding.

“If anyone needs it, it’s the growers,” she said.

Considering that agriculture is one of the top industries in Michigan, it seems anywhere in the state would be a prime locale for a farmers market. The state produces more than 200 agricultural commodities, from tart cherries to maple syrup, pickles, cheeses and salsas to beef and fish products, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture.

“The agri-food sector in Michigan generates more than $70 billion for our economy, employs one million Michigan workers, and it’s still growing,” said Elaine Brown, executive director of Michigan Food & Farming Systems. “Shopping at farmers markets like this is a wonderful way to support and industry and make fresh, healthy food available for everyone.”

When growers sell directly to consumers, most of the money recirculates locally. In 2007, the most recent USDA figure, direct agricultural product sales amounted to a $1.2 billion-a-year business.

“The fact that farmers are selling directly to the people who live nearby means that sales revenue stays local,” O’Hara stated in a release. “That helps stabilize local economies.”

Keeping revenues local also can mean more job opportunities, the UCS report stated. Last summer, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack asked Congress to set a goal in the 2012 Farm Bill of helping at least 100,000 Americans to become farmers by, among other things, providing entrepreneurial training and support for farmers markets. O’Hara’s report takes up Vilsack’s challenge and argues that supporting local and regional food system expansion is central to meeting that goal.

In the report, O’Hara identified a number of initiatives the federal government could take to encourage new farmers and the growth of farmers markets in the upcoming Farm Bill. For example, the report called on Congress to:

• Support the development of local food markets, including farmers markets and farm-to-school programs, which can stabilize community-supported markets and create permanent jobs. For example, the report found that the Farmers Market Promotion Program could create as many as 13,500 jobs nationally over a five-year period, if reauthorized, by providing modest funding for 100 to 500 farmers markets per year.

• Level the playing field for farmers in rural regions by investing in infrastructure, such as meat-processing or dairy-bottling facilities, which would help meat, dairy and other farmers produce and market their products to consumers more efficiently. These investments could foster competition in food markets, increase product choice for consumers, and generate jobs in the community.

• Allow low-income residents to redeem food nutrition subsidies at local food markets to help them afford fresh fruits and vegetables. Currently, not all markets are able to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

“Farmers at local markets are a new variety of innovative entrepreneurs, and we need to nurture them,” said O’Hara. “Supporting these farmers should be a Farm Bill priority.”

LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS

• Port Austin Farmers Market

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until Oct. 15

Intersection of Lake and State streets, downtown Port Austin

(989) 738-7600

www.portaustinfarmersmarket.com

• Sebewaing Farmers Market

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 20

Center Street, downtown

www.sebewaingchamber.com

• Pigeon’s Farmers Market is done for the year, but the goal is to start it up again in May 2012. Call (989) 453- or visit www.pigeonchamber.com.

What Is Agribusiness?

In short, agribusiness is the business of farming. However, the word is a loaded term, especially among critics of corporate farming. For people who view large-scale commercial farming negatively, agribusiness is the antithesis of traditional small-scale family farms. For people involved in it, of course, the word is simply a convenient shorthand for saying that one is in the business of agriculture.

Agribusiness includes the production, processing, and supply of agricultural goods that range from lettuce to corn syrup. Companies may focus on things like cut flowers, fresh vegetables, or byproducts of farming such as fuels derived from farm waste. Agribusiness also encompasses farming equipment, machinery, chemicals, suppliers, and personnel. Several large companies control the bulk of the share of business, especially in the United States; this has been a cause for criticism among people who are concerned about monopolies and price fixing.

Several things characterize agribusiness, differentiating it very distinctively from family farming. The first is the scale, which is typically quite large. The second is considerable vertical and horizontal integration. For example, a company might own a facility that processes frozen vegetables, along with a controlling share in farms which produce these vegetables and companies which provide personnel to harvest and transport them. Agribusiness is also distinguished by being run like a true business, with administrators rather than farmers at the helm of companies in the agriculture business.

This highly efficient and streamlined organization allows agribusiness to keep food costs low. This is an important priority for many consumers and governments, who also appreciate its standardization, which is in theory supposed to limit the possibility of food borne contamination and other issues with the food supply.

The rise of agribusiness began in the 20th century, when citizens of countries in the developed world began flocking to their cities, leaving a shrinking population of farmers struggling to meet the demand for food. Over time, agricultural companies arose, using their size and business experience as leverage to create a highly efficient system of farming and transporting agricultural goods. One major criticism of agribusiness is that it has been too successful, driving down price points and forcing small farms out of business as they cannot compete with big firms.

Critics have also expressed concerns about a heavy focus on chemicals to control problems which arise on farms. Pesticides, herbicides, and a variety of pharmaceuticals are all often a big part of agribusiness, for example. It also distances people from the source of their food, as any glance at the produce section at a major market will confirm; rather than meeting food producers, people can purchase grapes from Chile, peppers from Africa, and rice from China.

A rich harvest of awards for innovative farmers

The University of Agricultural Sciences-Bangalore presented awards to 205 innovative farmers, including 96 women. A horticultural scientist and an extension official were also honoured for their contribution to the welfare of farmers.

In the past, these annual awards were presented in the presence of thousands at the annual Krishi mela. However, the award presentation was low-key this year as the mela was not held owning to drought in the State.

But this did not deter the spirit of the farmers, who with their families, turned up at the ceremony. Governor H.R. Bhardwaj presented the State and district-level awards.

The Dr. M.H. Mari Gowda National Best Horticultural Scientist Award went to Nazeer Ahmed of Shimoga district, who is at present serving as Director of the Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture in Srinagar.

Their feats

The Dr. M.H. Mari Gowda State-level Best Horticultural Farmer Award was presented to Devendrappa Honnakerappa Goneppanavar of Hosalli village in Gadag district, who has not only reaped rich harvests on four acres of dry land through organic and integrated farming, but has mentored a large number of farmers. He shared the award with Ashok Kumar of Rampura village in Kolar taluk, who is known for his experiments with water conservation while growing vegetables and horticultural crops.

The Corporation Bank-sponsored Corp awards were presented to N.R. Surendra of Nijayappanadoddi in Ramanagaram taluk, who has excelled in integrated farming and K.B. Pratibha of Jyothi Mallapur of Arsikere taluk who found success in dairy farming.

Dr. Dwarakinath Best Extension Worker Award, instituted by the former Vice-Chancellor of UAS-Bangalore, was presented to B. Raghu, Senior Assistant Horticultural Director of Kanakapura. The Dr. Dwarakinath Best Farmer Award went to a farmer couple from Kundapur — Thimmanna Hegde and B.M. Vijaya Hegde — for their success in integrated farming and for inspiring others.

Young get recognition

As many as 33 innovative farmers, including 16 women, were honoured with district-level Best Farmers’ awards. In addition, 166 young farmers, including 78 women, were honoured with taluk-level Best Youth Farmer awards, introduced from last year to inspire and retain youth in farming.

A scientists-farmers’ interaction meet was also held in which farmers spoke of various problems affecting their crops with experts.

Speaking on the occasion, UAS-B Vice-Chancellor K. Narayana Gowda stressed the need for retaining farm youth in agriculture. Dr. Gowda, incidentally, heads a committee constituted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to suggest ways to retain youth in farming.