BASF said on Thursday it will undertake trial cultivation of potatoes containing genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) this year on less than one hectare on sites in Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.

The German chemicals group said in January it will transfer its main research into GMOs crops from Germany to the United States because of continued resistance to the crops in Europe.

But BASF said it would continue trials of crops still undergoing the lengthy European Union approvals process.

SHILLONG: With an aim to bring holistic approach to development in the agricultural sector, the Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), a strategic policy initiative to secure overall development of the Scheduled Tribes was introduced by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) at Mawpyrshong village in East Khasi Hills District.

GUWAHATI, Feb 2 – Agriculture Minister Nilamoni Sen Deka today said that the State was going to witness a boom in potato production with an expected yield of 1.90 lakh quintals from the high-quality seeds distributed by the Government. The expected production figure excludes the yield from seeds procured by farmers on their own. The Government had distributed 75,000 quintal seeds among the farmers with the objective of enhancing potato production.

Acting on the directives of the Centre, States such as Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana are ready with their annual plans to boost horticulture production.

Besides these States, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa have also drawn the annual action plan for 2012-13 horticulture year, sources in the Agriculture Ministry said.

The Centre has asked the States to ensure that Annual Action Plans for the horticulture year are cleared by April 15, they added.

RAJSHAHI : Farmers of the region are seen showing much interested in seed-potato farming in net house method for multiplying the tissue- culture based seed-potato successfully.
Number and acreage of the modern farming method has been enhanced significantly for the last couple of years due to its better output.
Abu Hena Mostofa Kamal, a commercial farmer of Mollikpur village under Paba upazila, has transplanted 4,000 plantlets while Mustafiz of Ghipara village 2000 plantlets and they were very busy nurturing their growing plantlets.

Potato farmers in West Bengal can look forward to some respite from market volatility next year. Encouraged by a beeline of interested farmers and keeping in tune with its corporate growth plan, PepsiCo India is planning to increase its procurement from West Bengal by almost one-third to 80,000 tonnes (60,000 tonnes) in 2012-13.

The procurement was just about half at 40,000 tonnes in 2010-11.

Brussels BASF, the German chemical group, has abandoned efforts to sell genetically modified products in Europe, including its Amflora potato, because of overwhelming opposition to the technology, the company said Monday.

“There is still a lack of acceptance for this technology in many parts of Europe — from the majority of consumers, farmers and politicians,” said Stefan Marcinowski, a board member with responsibilities for plant biotechnology. “Therefore, it does not make business sense to continue investing in products exclusively for cultivation in this market.”

Farmers' representatives and agriculturists have termed the current year as the worst ever period for the agricultural sector, which witnessed steep increase in agricultural input prices, levying of General Sales Tax (GST) and decline in the prices of different crops, hampering the growth of the sector as well as denying prosperity to the growers.
Farmers Associates Pakistan (FAP) President Dr Tariq Bucha while talking to Business Recorder here on Tuesday said that levy of General Sales Tax (GST) put an additional burden of Rs 84 billion on the growers.

16 firms/institutions have been allowed to conduct experiments by panel

The government’s non-chalance over the issue has raised concerns in many quarters. It has been over two months since the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) gave its approval to 16 companies and research institutions to conduct open air/field trials on 13 crops and 38 Genetically Modified Organisms in Karnataka.