BHUBANESWAR: The Krushak Morcha of the BJP on Wednesday assailed the State Government for its failure to solve the farmers’ problems. Presiding over a meeting of the State functionaries of Krushak Morcha here on Wednesday, president of the farmers wing Mahesh Sahu said that the farmers are yet to get compensation for crop loss they sustained last year due to natural calamities.

India on Wednesday signed the gas sale purchase agreement (GSPA) for the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (Tapi) gas pipeline, which upon completion would diversify its gas basket. With domestic gas output stagnating, the $7.6-billion Tapi gas project provides a ray of hope.

In five years, the country would have access to imported natural gas, in addition to imported liquefied natural gas and domestic sources, including coal bed methane gas.

Drought and disease have devastated life of coconut growers in the district. Rubbing salt into their wounds is the slump in price of copra and coconut.

Various diseases, including pest attack and stem bleeding, have ravaged crops on thousands of acres. Coconut trees in the rain-fed regions of Madhugiri, Pavagad, Sira and Koratagere have withered, leaving the distraught farmers in debt trap. The diseases have destroyed crop in and around 15 acres of plantation at Baragur in Chikkanayakanahalli taluk and scores of acres in Hosakere, Nittur, CS Pur hoblis in Gubbi taluk

To make judicious use of irrigation water, the Punjab government has launched a mega project costing Rs 36 billion titled “Punjab Irrigated Agriculture Productivity Improvement” under which drip & sprinkler irrigation system would be installed on 120,000 acres along with improvement of 9000 water courses for which farmers will be provided huge subsidy.

Approximately 3000 Laser Land Levelling Units would also be provided on subsidized rates to farmers for land levelling under the project. This was disclosed by Secretary Agriculture Punjab, Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad.

The Sri Lankan government is to provide the fertilizer subsidy currently granted to paddy cultivation to supplementary crop cultivations as well.

Wild Life and Agrarian Services Minister S.M. Chandrasena has said the Rs. 350 fertilizer subsidy granted to paddy cultivations would be granted to supplementary crop cultivations from today (21).

The fertilizer subsidy is to be granted to corn, soya, green gram, cowpea, chili peppers and vegetable cultivations.

To make judicious use of irrigation water, the Punjab government has launched a mega project costing Rs 36 billion titled "Punjab Irrigated Agriculture Productivity Improvement" under which drip & sprinkler irrigation system would be installed on 120,000 acres along with improvement of 9000 water courses for which farmers will be provided huge subsidy.

Approximately 3000 Laser Land Levelling Units would also be provided on subsidised rates to farmers for land levelling under the project.

The Centre is contemplating to hike retail prices of urea by 10 per cent. The proposal is likely to be put up before the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs soon for its consideration.

A panel, led by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, had last year approved a new draft urea policy, which proposed partial freeing of retail prices, allowing companies to hike urea prices by 10 per cent in the first year of policy implementation.

Pointing out that higher fertiliser subsidy on urea has led to unbalanced fertiliser usage in parts of the country, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Tuesday sought the support from MPs to incentivise the subsidy towards balanced fertiliser usage. “Initially, the government focussed on enhancing fertiliser usage. As a result, agricultural productivity was increased by 50 per cent with the help of fertilisers during the first Green Revolution. But now we find that the increased fertiliser usage is not witnessing commensurate productivity increase.

New Delhi Concerned over the adverse impact of fertilisers on soil and crops, government plans to reduce subsidy on them and divert funds to organic manures, bio-fertilisers, green manures and promotion of organic farming.

“During the first Green Revolution, productivity was increased by 50% with the help of fertilisers. But today balanced fertilisers are needed. Urea is being used by farmers in high quantity which is affecting productivity,” agriculture minister Sharad Pawar informed Lok Sabha on Tuesday.