Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday shot off a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar asking him to allot more mega food parks in the state to provide impetus to agro-processing sector and benefit the farmers. The mega food parks, a flagship programme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, aims at boosting growth of food processing industry through facilitating establishment of food processing infrastructure backed by supply chain.

BHUBANESWAR: The National Dairy Plan ‘Mission Milk - Next Revolution’ was launched by the State Government through Omfed and the Odisha Livestock Resource Development Society (OLRDS). The diary plan is a part of the national scheme launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Processing. The plan, which will cover 14 states, will be implemented by the district milk unions in six years starting from this fiscal. Under the plan, which involves 2.7 million cows, scientific breeding, artificial insemination and modernisation of dairy infrastructure will be taken up.

The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) is all set to roll out its ambitious, 15-year-long National Dairy Plan, envisaging an outlay of Rs 17,300 crore, with the Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, launching its first phase here on April 19. The Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, will be the chief guest at the ceremony to be held at the NDDB headquarters. The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industry, Dr Charan Das Mahant, will also be present, an NDDB official said here on Tuesday.

The government has decided to throw its might behind private purchases of farm land overseas to ensure food security for India. The agriculture ministry has sought views from other ministries on an institutional mechanism to extend sovereign support to India Inc’s acquisition of farm land abroad that could include guaranteed buyback of harvest from the cultivation overseas.

Netherlands will collaborate with Madhya Pradesh in the development, expansion and scientific orientation of agriculture and horticulture sectors in the State. Netherlands’ Consul-General Marijke A Van Drunen Littel called on Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan here on Wednesday and evinced interest in making investment in agriculture and horticulture as well as industrial sectors in the State.

Welcoming Littel, Chouhan said that Netherlands will be made knowledge partner of Madhya Pradesh in agriculture and horticulture sectors.

Not to accept such crops from this month

The Kerala Roller Flour Millers Association and the All Kerala Bread Manufacturers Association have called for an immediate ban on open air releases of genetically modified (GM) food crops.

The call comes in the wake of reports that the controversial Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) Bill will be tabled in the coming winter session of Parliament.

Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged Union Minister for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries Sharad Pawar to take steps to delay the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) by three years.
A chamber delegation comprising senior president S. Rethinavelu, president N. Jegatheesan and other office-bearers met the Nationalist Congress Party leader in New Delhi on Monday and presented a memorandum containing various demands.

The Centre’s programme to bring about a green revolution in eastern India was allocated . 400.02 crore this year, down 8% from the previous year. The cut in allocation comes despite the apparent priority accorded to the initiative to improve crop productivity in the seven eastern states of Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh (Eastern) and West Bengal. The scheme was allocated . 435 crore last fiscal.

Union Agriculture and Food Processing Minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said the Centre must consult States on genetically modified (GM) food crops.