Content

1. CROP PRODUCTION ............................................................................................1

 Perennial variety of Rice ..................................................................................................... 4

 Kalanamak Rice .................................................................................................................... 4
 ‘Joha Rice’ varieties of North-eastern India ..................................................................... 5
 Genetically engineered (GE) cotton ................................................................................... 6
 Coffee (Promotion and Development Bill), 2022............................................................. 7
 Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA) ......................................................................................... 8
 Rice ........................................................................................................................................ 9
 Sugarcane ........................................................................................................................... 10
 Jute ...................................................................................................................................... 10
 Technologies for Primary Processing, Storage and Valorisation of Onions................ 11
 Millets (International Year of Millets (2022-23)) ........................................................... 11
 Dragon Fruit ....................................................................................................................... 13
 India’s Tea industry ............................................................................................................ 14

2. FERTILIZERS ................................................................................................... 15

 Manure ................................................................................................................................ 15
 One Nation One Fertiliser (ONOF) ................................................................................... 16
 UREA IMPORTS .................................................................................................................. 17
 Nano Urea........................................................................................................................... 18
 POTASH FERTILIZER........................................................................................................... 18

3. SCHEMES ........................................................................................................ 21

 National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) ................................................ 21

 Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY) ........................................................................ 22
 Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) ........................................................ 23
 Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) .................................................................. 24
 National Agriculture Market (eNAM) ............................................................................. 25
 ‘Kisan Bhagidari, Prathmikta Hamari’ Campaign .......................................................... 25
 Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) or Bhu-Aadhar ........................... 26
 Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS) ......................................................... 26
 Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS):................................................................................. 26
 One Nation, One Fertilizer Scheme: ................................................................................ 27
  National Agriculture Market (eNAM) ............................................................................. 27
 Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY) ........................................................................ 27
 AgriStack: .......................................................................................................................... 28
 Digital Agriculture Mission: ............................................................................................. 28
 Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM): ................................................ 28

4. TYPES OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES .............................................................. 29

 Zero Tillage......................................................................................................................... 29
 Regenerative Agriculture ................................................................................................. 29
 Natural Farming ................................................................................................................. 30
 Seed-ball method of plantation ....................................................................................... 31
 Green Revolution ............................................................................................................... 32

5. FINANCE .......................................................................................................... 35

 Agriculture Financing in India .......................................................................................... 35

 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies .............................................................................. 36
 Schemes for Agricultural Financing ................................................................................ 37

6. ORGANIZATION ................................................................................................ 39

 National Agriculture Market (eNAM) ............................................................................ 39

 Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) ................ 39
 National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) ...... 40
 Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) ......................................................... 40
 Food Corporation of India (FCI) ....................................................................................... 40
 Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA): 41
 Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) ......................................... 41
 International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) .............. 41
 National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) ..................................... 42
 Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX): ................................................................................ 42

7. TECHNOLOGY .................................................................................................. 43

 E- Technology in Agriculture ............................................................................................ 43

 IOT in Agriculture .............................................................................................................. 44
 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Agriculture .................................................. 44
 Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) .................................................................... 45
 Drones ................................................................................................................................. 45
 Precision Agriculture ......................................................................................................... 45
  Big Data & Analytics ......................................................................................................... 46
 Government’s role in enabling agtech ............................................................................ 46

8. MISCELLANEOUS .............................................................................................. 49
 Cooperative societies to benefit farmers ........................................................................ 49
 Restructuring under Sugar Development Fund (SDF) Rules 1983 .............................. 50
 Northward shift of sugarcane production in India: NSO .............................................. 51
 SEBI ban on Agri commodities trade .............................................................................. 52
 Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2023 ......................................................................... 52
 World’s largest grain storage plan................................................................................... 53
 THEMATIC CURRENT AFFAIRS
UPSC CSE Prelims exam requires a candidate to link and interlink
Current Affairs with the syllabus and the static concepts.

It’s important to note that simply compiling current affairs won’t suffice;
it’s crucial to learn how to utilize and link them effectively.

To aid in this process, we have categorized the entire UPSC prelims

syllabus into actionable and easy-to-understand themes, and current
affairs have been blended into these themes.

Thematic Current Affairs will help you in:

 Division of entire syllabus- theme wise

 Revision of concepts and current affairs together
 developing the skill to interlink theory and contemporary
developments
 Concise and precise information for quick coverage

Join our Telegram Channel for Peer to Peer Discussion

Prelims Sampoorna 2024 UPSC CSE Current Affairs

 1
Crop Production

LIST OF MAJOR CROPS PRODUCING STATES IN INDIA

Cereals

Wheat Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana

Gram Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu

Barley Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan

Bajra Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan

Rice West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu

Cash Crops

Poppy Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh

Sugarcane Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra

Oil Seeds
Coconut Kerala and Tamil Nadu

Groundnut Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu

Sesame Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan

Rape & Mustard Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh

Linseed Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh

Sunflower Maharashtra and Karnataka

1 Agriculture
 Fibre Crops
Silk Karnataka and Kerala

Hemp Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh

Cotton Maharashtra and Gujarat

Jute West Bengal and Bihar

Plantations
Rubber Kerala and Karnataka

Coffee Karnataka and Kerala

Tobacco Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh

Tea Assam and Kerala

Spices
Turmeric Andhra Pradesh & Odisha

Ginger Kerala and Uttar Pradesh

Cashew Nuts Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh

Pepper Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu

Largest Producers in India

Each state is responsible for contributing to the overall GDP rate and the economic development to our
countries. Here is the list of the largest producers of each crop and the state which is responsible for its
massive production.

Major Crops in India Producing states in India

The largest producer of sugarcane in India Uttar Pradesh

The largest producer of potato in India Uttar Pradesh

The largest producer of tea in India Assam

The largest producer of paddy in India West Bengal

The largest producer of wheat in India Uttar Pradesh

The largest producer of saffron in India Jammu & Kashmir

The largest producer of jute in India West Bengal

The largest producer of tobacco in India Andhra Pradesh

Agriculture 2
The largest producer of bananas in India Tamil Nadu

The largest producer of onion in India Maharashtra

The largest producer of cashew nuts in India Maharashtra

The largest producer of cassava in India Tamil Nadu

The largest producer of black pepper in India Kerala

The largest producer of cotton in India Gujarat

The largest producer of litchis in India Bihar

The largest producer of garlic in India Madhya Pradesh

The largest producer of coffee in India Karnataka

The largest producer of large cardamom in India Sikkim

The largest producer of bamboos in India Assam

The largest producer of small cardamom in India Kerala

The largest producer of chilli in India Andhra Pradesh

The largest producer of groundnut in India Gujarat

Agricultural Productivity
India is a top producer and exporter of a diverse variety of important crops ranging from pulses and
jute to wheat, rice, cotton, fruits, and vegetables. India’s agri-exports have been growing from
strength to strength, touching the highest ever level at USD 50.21 billion in 2021-22. In 2023, so far,
non-basmati rice, sugar, basmati rice, and spices have been the top exported commodities from
India.

3 Agriculture
 1. PERENNIAL VARIETY OF RICE

CONTEXT
Farmers in China are now growing a perennial variety of rice called PR23 which does not need to be
planted every year.

About Perennial rice

 Perennial rice are varieties of long-lived rice that are
capable of regrowing season after season without
reseeding; they are being developed by plant geneticists
at several institutions.
 Perennial rice—like many other perennial plants—can
spread by horizontal stems below or just above the
surface of the soil but they also reproduce sexually by
producing flowers, pollen and seeds.
 As with any other grain crop, it is the seeds that are
harvested and eaten by humans.
What is PR23?
 Researchers at the Yunnan University
have developed a variety of perennial rice
named PR23 by cross-breeding regular
annual rice Oryza sativa with a wild
perennial variety from Africa.
 In 2021, the variety was grown by more
than 44,000 farmers in southern China.
 Unlike regular rice which is planted every
season, PR23 can yield eight consecutive
harvests across four years.

Rice production in India:

 India is the world’s second largest rice producer after China and the largest exporter with a 40%
share in global trade.
 India has the largest area under rice cultivation.
 It is a tropical plant, and it flourishes comfortably in a hot and humid climate.
 Rice is mainly grown in rain-fed areas that receive heavy annual rainfall. That is why it is
fundamentally a kharif crop in India.
 India is the leading exporter of the Basmati Rice to the global market.
 West Bengal has the highest production of rice in India.
 It is grown during both summer and winter crop seasons.

2. KALANAMAK RICE

CONTEXT
Indian Agriculture Research Institute has successfully tested two new dwarf varieties of Kalanamak
rice in Uttar Pradesh that give double the yield.

The new varieties

 Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1638
 Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1652

Agriculture 4
What is Kalanamak Rice?
 Kalanamak rice is a traditional variety of paddy with
a black husk and powerful aroma.

 It is regarded as a gift from Lord Buddha to the

people of Sravasti (capital of ancient Kosala)
when he visited the region after enlightenment.

 It is grown in 11 regions of the terai region in

the north-east of Uttar Pradesh and in Nepal.

 The traditional variety has been prone to

‘lodging’, a reason for its low yield.

 Its yield is barely two to 2.5 tonnes per hectare. (Lodging is a condition in which the top of the plant
becomes heavy because of grain formation, the stem becomes weak, and the plant falls on the
ground.)

 The traditional Kalanamak rice is protected under the Geographical Indication (GI) tag system
(2013).
 In 2018, it was awarded the “One District, One Product” label of Siddharth Nagar district, an
aspirational district in Uttar Pradesh’s Terai belt.

Terai belt
The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in northern India and southern Nepal that lies south of the outer
foothills of the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This lowland
belt is characterised by tall grasslands, scrub savannah, sal forests and clay rich swamps.

3. ‘JOHA RICE’ VARIETIES OF NORTH-EASTERN

INDIA

CONTEXT
As per the Ministry of Science, Joha rice, aromatic rice cultivated in the North-eastern region of
India is effective in lowering blood glucose and preventing diabetes onset and hence is an effective
nutraceutical of choice in diabetes management.

About Joha Rice:

 Joha is a short-grain winter paddy known for its significant aroma and taste.

 The traditional claims are that the consumers of Joha rice have a low incidence of diabetes and
cardiovascular diseases.

 These Rice two unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid (omega-6) and linolenic (omega-3) acid.

5 Agriculture
 4. GENETICALLY ENGINEERED (GE) COTTON

CONTEXT
Recently, the approvals for the biosafety research trials (BRL) were revealed in the minutes of
the 149th meeting of Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC).

 Three states have refused to give ‘No-Objection Certificate (NOC)’for the trails.

About Bt-cotton:
 Bt cotton is engineered to produce a toxin derived
from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis
(Bt) that is toxic to certain insect pests, such as the
bollworm.
 This toxin helps protect the cotton plants from
insect damage, reducing the need for synthetic
insecticides and increasing yields.
 Another trait commonly introduced in GM
cotton is herbicide tolerance.

The GE-Cotton:
 Genetically engineered cotton, also known as genetically modified cotton or GM cotton refers
to cotton plants that have been altered through genetic engineering techniques to exhibit specific
traits.
 Genetic engineering involves;
 The manipulation of an organism’s genetic material, typically by introducing genes from other
organisms, to confer desired characteristics.
 The most prominent example of genetically engineered cotton is Bt cotton.

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC): GEAC is the statutory committee constituted
under the “Rules for the Manufacture, Use/Import/Export and Storage of Hazardous Micro Organisms/
Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells (Rules, 1989)” framed under Environment (Protection)
Act, 1986.

Recent GM-Cotton alterations:

 A German multinational company ‘Bayer AG’ is going to introduce the modification in cotton plant
which will allow farmers to spray the herbicide ‘glyphosate’.
 The transgenic cotton — Bollgard II Roundup Ready Flex (BG-II RRF) contains three alien genes;
 the first two (‘cry1Ac’ and ‘cry2Ab’) being isolated from a soil bacterium,
 Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt, and coding for proteins toxic to the American bollworm, spotted
bollworm and tobacco caterpillar insect pests.

Agriculture 6
  The third gene, ‘cp4-epsps’, is sourced from another soil bacterium, Agrobacterium tumafaciens.

Cotton production in India:

 India is the largest producer of cotton in the world and the third largest exporter.
 It is also the largest consumer of cotton in the world.
 Top Cotton Producing States in India are Gujarat and Maharashtra. Telangana, Andhra Pradesh.
 It is a Kharif crop that comes from the natural fibres of cotton plants, which are native to
tropical and subtropical regions.
 Cotton plants have a large growing period which can extend up to 200 days.
 Growing cotton starts between December and March.
 These plants require a relatively high temperature (21-30°C) over a long growing season.
 Cotton is a less water-intensive crop as it is a xerophyte, which can grow in dry, arid environments.
 India is the country to grow all four species of cultivated cotton;
 arboreum
 Herbaceum (Asian cotton)
 barbadense (Egyptian cotton)
 hirsutum (American Upland cotton)
 hirsutum represents 94% of the hybrid cotton production in India and all the current Bt cotton
hybrids are G. hirsutum.
 India is the only country that grows cotton as hybrids and the first to develop hybrid cotton back
in 1970.

5. COFFEE (PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT

BILL), 2022

CONTEXT
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is planning to replace the 80-year-old Coffee Act with the
new Coffee (Promotion and Development Bill), 2022. The government has also proposed to repeal the
decades old laws on tea, spices and rubber, and introduce new legislations in order to increase the
ease of doing business and promote the development of these sectors.

About Coffee Act, 1942

 The Coffee Act, 1942 was first introduced during World War II.
 Aim: to protect the struggling Indian coffee industry from the economic downturn caused by the
war.

7 Agriculture
 About coffee production in India:
 India is the third-largest producer and exporter of coffee in Asia, and the sixth-largest producer
and fifth-largest exporter of coffee in the world.
 Coffee production in India is dominated in the hill tracts of South Indian states, with Karnataka
accounting for 71%, followed by Kerala with 21% and Tamil Nadu (5%).
 Indian coffee is said to be the finest coffee grown in the shade rather than direct sunlight anywhere
in the world.
 The two well-known species of coffee grown are the Arabica and Robusta.
 The first variety that was introduced in the Baba Budan Giri hill ranges of Karnataka in the 17th
century.
 Arabica has higher market value than Robusta coffee due to its mild aromatic flavor.
 Brazil is, the largest coffee producer in the world.
 Nearly 70% of India’s coffee is exported, largely to European and Asian markets.

Climatic Conditions required for growing Coffee:

 Well drained, loams containing a good deal of humus and minerals like iron and calcium are ideal
for coffee cultivation.
 Coffee plants require a hot and humid climate with temperatures ranging between 15°C and 28
°C and rainfall from 150 to 250 cm.
 Frost, snowfall, high temperature above 30°C and strong sun shine is not good for coffee crops
and is generally grown under shady trees.
 Dry weather is necessary at the time of ripening of the berries.
 Stagnant water is harmful and the crop is grown on hill slopes at elevations from 600 to 1,600
metres above sea level.

6. ASIAN PALM OIL ALLIANCE (APOA)

CONTEXT
The apex edible oil industry associations from five major palm oil importing countries of Asia - India,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal -- have come together to form the Asian Palm Oil
Alliance (APOA).

About Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA)

 The Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA) is initiated by the Apex Solvent Extractors association of five
South-Asian countries – India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
 Objective: To gain collective bargaining power, to make imports sustainable and to safeguard the
economic and business interests of the palm oil consuming countries.

Agriculture 8
 The alliance would work towards ensuring that palm oil is recognised as a high-quality, economical,
and healthy vegetable oil and to change the negative image of palm oil.
 The membership of APOA would be further expanded to include companies or industry bodies
associated with production or refining of palm oil across the continent
 It will further work towards increasing the consumption of sustainable palm oil in member countries.

About Palm oil:

 Palm oil is derived from the oil palm tree which is native to West Africa and grows best in tropical
climates with abundant water.
 It is a humid tropical crop and thrives best in temperature ranging from 22 °C to 24 °C. They
require at least 5-6 hours of bright sunshine per day and 80% of humidity for optimum growth.
 Palm oil is a very productive crop. It offers a far greater yield at a lower cost of production than other
vegetable oils. It produces high-quality oil used primarily for cooking in developing countries.
 It is used in food, beauty products and as a biofuel
 Indonesia and Malaysia together account for almost 90% of global palm oil production. Around 8
MT of palm oil is imported from Indonesia and Malaysia while other oils like soya and sunflower
come from Argentina, Ukraine, Brazil and Russia.
 India is the largest importer of palm oil in the Asian region and accounts for 15% of global imports
followed by China – 9%, Pakistan – 4% and Bangladesh – 2%
 It is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of oil plants.
 It is resistant to oxidation and therefore gives products longer shelf life.

7. RICE
 India is the world’s second largest rice producer after China and the largest exporter with a 40%
share in global trade.
 India has the largest area under rice cultivation.
 It is a tropical plant, and it flourishes comfortably in a hot and humid climate.
 Rice is mainly grown in rain-fed areas that receive heavy annual rainfall. That is why it is fundamentally
a kharif crop in India.
 India is the leading exporter of the Basmati Rice to the global market.
 West Bengal has the highest production of rice in India.
 It is grown during both summer and winter crop seasons.
 Climatic Requirements
 In India rice is grown under widely varying conditions of altitude and climate. Rice cultivation in
India extends from 8 to35ºN latitude and from sea level to as high as 3000 meters.
 Rice crop needs a hot and humid climate. It is best suited to regions which have high humidity,
prolonged sunshine and an assured supply of water.
 The average temperature required throughout the life period of the crop ranges from 21 to 37º
C. Maximum temp which the crop can tolerate 400C to 42 0C.

9 Agriculture
 8. SUGARCANE
Important regions/ zones for sugarcane cultivation in India
 There are two distinct agro-climatic regions of sugarcane cultivation in India, viz., tropical and
subtropical
 Tropical region Shared about 45% and 55% of the total sugarcane area and production in the country,
respectively.
 Sub-tropical region accounted for about 55% and 45% of total area and production of sugarcane
respectively.
 Tropical Sugarcane region: The tropical sugarcane region consists of states of Maharashtra, Andhra
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Pondicherry and Kerala.
 Sub-tropical sugarcane region: Around 55 per cent of total cane area in the country is in the sub-
tropics. U.P, Bihar, Haryana and Punjab comes under this region.
 Crop distribution:
 Sugarcane growing countries of the world are lying between the latitude 36.70 north and 31.00
south of the equator extending from tropical to sub-tropical zones.
 In India sugarcane is cultivated all over the country from latitude 80 N to 330 N, except cold hilly
areas like Kashmir valley, Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.

9. JUTE
 Jute is the crop of hot and humid climate.
 It is Carbon neutral crop.
 Also known as ‘golden fiber’, is one of the longest and most used natural fiber for various textile
applications.
 Temperatures ranging from 25-30 °C and relative humidity of 70%–90% are favorable for successful
cultivation.
 Minimum rainfall required for jute cultivation is 1000 mm. It requires 160-200 cm of rainfall weekly
with extra needed during the sowing period.
 Soil type : New grey alluvial soil of good depth receiving silt from annual floods is most suitable
for jute However, jute is grown widely in sandy looms and clay loams specially river basins.
 PH range between 4.8-5.8 is best for its cultivation so Jute cultivation in red soils may require high
dose of manure.
 Plain land or gentle slope or low land is ideal for jute cultivation. In India, Ganga delta region is
excellent for jute cultivation as this region has fertile alluvium soil and favorable temperature along
with sufficient rainfall. This fertile geographic region is shared by both Bangladesh and India (mainly
West Bengal).
 Main jute producing states- The jute crop is grown in nearly 83 districts of seven states - West
Bengal , Assam , Orissa , Bihar , Uttar Pradesh , Tripura and Meghalaya . West Bengal alone accounts
for over 50 percent raw jute production.

Agriculture 10
 Main jute producing countries- The leading world’s jute producing countries are India, Bangladesh,
China and Thailand. India is the world’s largest producer of raw jute and jute goods, contributing to
over 50 percent and 40 percent respectively of global production.
 Jute is the 2nd abundant natural fiber in the World after Cotton. Almost 85% of world’s jute
cultivation is concentrated in the Ganges Delta.
 Bangladesh is the largest exporter of Jute in the world. India is placed second in export and first
in the production of raw jute and jute goods.

10. TECHNOLOGIES FOR PRIMARY PROCESSING,

STORAGE AND VALORISATION OF ONIONS

CONTEXT
Centre announced a Grand Challenge for development of “Technologies for Primary Processing,
Storage and Valorisation of Onions”.

About Onion cultivation in India:

 India is the second-largest onion-growing country in the
world and the Indian onions are famous for their pungency
(sharp smell, and taste) and are available round the year.
 There are 3 sowing seasons for the onion crop in India–
 Kharif (10%)
 Late Kharif (20%)
 Rabi (70%)
Lean months
 Though onion is grown in three
seasons, the Rabi crop harvested
during March and May is the mainstay
of India as it accounts for 65% of annual
production.
 Normally, the price is lower during
these months due to more supply.
 It is critical to successfully store these
Rabi onions to maintain the market
supply during lean months.

 The Rabi onion crop is the mainstay of India and the price  The same crop must continue to meet
the consumer demand till the month of
of the onion is normally lower during these months due to
October-November.
greater supply.
 In 2020-21, the major onion-producing states are Maharashtra (39%), Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh
(17%), Gujarat, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Telangana.
 The major export destinations are Bangladesh, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, UAE, Nepal and Indonesia.

11. MILLETS (INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF MILLETS

(2022-23))

CONTEXT
The year 2023 has been observed by the United Nations as the International Year of the Millet,
following a proposal by India, which wants to position itself as a global hub for millets.

11 Agriculture
What is Millet?
 Millet is a collective term referring to a number of small-seeded annual grassesthat are cultivated
as grain crops, primarily on marginal lands in dry areas in temperate, subtropical, and tropical
regions.
 Examples: jowar (sorghum), ragi (finger millet), Kodo (Kodo millet), kutki (little millet), kakun (foxtail
millet), Sanwa (barnyard millet), cheena (proso millet), kuttu (buckwheat) and chaulai (amaranth).

Positives of millets:
 Nutritionally superior traits:Millet’s score over rice and wheat in terms of minerals, vitamins, and
dietary fibre content, as well as amino acid profile.
 For example,Bajra (pearl millet) has iron, zinc, and protein levels comparable to that of wheat, but
it’s gluten-free and has more fibre.

Agriculture 12
 It can address the problem of “hidden hunger” arising from the consumption of energy-dense but
micronutrients-deficient foods.

 The rotis from bajra make one feel fuller for longer, as they take more time to digest and do not
raise blood sugar levels too fast.

Advantages as a crop:
 Millets are hardy and drought-resistant crops.
 This has to do with their short duration (70-100 days, against 115-150 days for rice and wheat)
 lower water requirement (350-500 mm versus 600-1,250 mm) and
 Ability to grow even on poor soils and in hilly terrain.

Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) contribution:

 Hybrid varieties: Pusa-1201, a hybrid bajra that gives an average grain yield of over 2.8 tonnes
and a potential of 4.5 tonnes per hectare.
 Characteristics: It matures in 78-80 days.
 It is resistant to downy mildew and blasts, both deadly fungal diseases.

12. DRAGON FRUIT

 The dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) is indigenous to the Mexico.

 It is a member of the cacti family.

 It is also known as ‘Pitaya’, ‘Pitahaya’, strawberry pear,
noblewoman and ‘queen of the night’ throughout the
world.
 It is now produced mainly in Vietnam, helping it to boost
its economy.
 Mizoram tops among the States that cultivate this fruit
in India.
 The red and pink varieties of the fruit give better yield.
 It costs approximately about 400 per Kg in India.
 Climatic Condition
 It is hardy and grows in diverse climatic conditions
with varied soils, especially in the semi-arid and
arid regions of India.
 It prefers slightly acidic soil and can tolerate some salts in soil too.
 Flowering and fruiting of dragon fruits coincide with the monsoon season in India (June to
November).

13 Agriculture
 13. INDIA’S TEA INDUSTRY
 In India, tea is cultivated in almost 15 states, of which Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and
Kerala are the major tea-growing states, accounting for nearly 98% of the total production.
 India is also known for producing some of the finest teas in the world, like the Darjeeling, Assam,
Sikkim, Nilgiris, and Kangra tea varieties.
 However, India’s tea exports declined marginally to around 196 million kg in 2021 from 210 million
kg in 2020.
 Small tea growers (STGs) and industry stakeholders fear the news of the tea consignments being
rejected in the international market may further hit the Indian tea sector.
 According to available data, about 52% of tea in the country is produced by STGs.

Darjeeling Tea, called the ‘Champagne of Teas’, was the first Indian product to get the GI
(Geographical Identification) tag in 2004 for its distinctive aroma and flavour.



Agriculture 14
 2
Fertilizers

1. MANURE

CONTEXT
Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has launched NDDB MRIDA Limited, a
wholly-owned subsidiary company of National Dairy Development Board to take forward manure
management initiatives across the country.

What is NDDB MRIDA Limited?

 NDDB MRIDA Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary company of the National Dairy Development
Board.
 It was established as an Unlisted Public Limited Company under the Companies Act, 2013.
 It is a first-of-its-kind company focussing on efficient utilisation of dung by creating a manure
management value chain which will immensely contribute to enhancing the livelihoods of dairy
farmers and at the same time contribute towards Swatch Bharat Mission and promotion of green
energy.
 It will undertake research and development on cost-effective technologies for efficient dung
management.
 Promoting usage of dung-based manure will gradually lead to replacement of chemical fertilisers
with organic manure thereby reducing dependency on India’s dependency on imports.

What are Manures?

 Manures are the organic materials derived from animal, human and plant residues which contain
plant nutrients in complex organic forms.
 Manures with low nutrient, content per unit quantity have longer residual effect besides improving
soil physical properties compared to fertilizer with high nutrient content.
 Major sources of manures are:

15 Agriculture
  Cattle shed wastes-dung, urine and slurry from biogas plants
 Human habitation wastes-night soil, human urine, town refuse, sewage, sludge and sullage
 Poultry Jitter, droppings of sheep and goat
 Slaughterhouse wastes-bone meal, meat meal, blood meal, horn and hoof meal, Fish wastes
 By-products of agro industries-oil cakes, bagasse and press mud, fruit and vegetable
processing wastes etc.
 Crop wastes-sugarcane trash, stubbles and other related material
 Water hyacinth, weeds and tank silt
 Green manure crops and green leaf manuring material

2. ONE NATION ONE FERTILISER (ONOF)

CONTEXT
The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers announced recently to implement One Nation One Fertiliser
Scheme.

About “One Nation One Fertiliser” scheme:

 The scheme would be done by introducing a “Single Brand for Fertilisers and Logo” under the
fertiliser subsidy scheme named “Pradhanmantri Bhartiya Janurvarak Pariyojna” (PMBJP).
 The scheme would extend to all four fertilisers – Urea, Di-Ammonium Phosphate, Muriate of Potash
and complex NPK – with BHARAT pre-fixed.
 The single brand name would be BHARAT UREA, BHARAT DAP, BHARAT MOP and BHARAT NPK etc.
respectively for all Fertiliser Companies, State Trading Entities (STEs) and Fertiliser Marketing Entities
(FMEs).
 Under the scheme, companies are allowed to display their name, brand, logo and other relevant
product information only on one-third space of their bags.
 On the remaining two-thirds space, the “Bharat” brand and Pradhanmantri Bharatiya Jan Urvarak
Pariyojana logo will have to be shown.

Central government subsidy on fertilizers:

 Fertiliser sector is highly subsidised area wherein the maximum retail price (MRP) is fixed for urea
and subsidy is fixed for non-nitrogenous fertiliser phosphate and potassium (P and K).
 Nearly 80 per cent of the cost of production of urea and P&K is being paid to fertilisers manufacturers
in the form of central government subsidy.
 As for freight subsidy, about Rs 3,038 crore per annum for urea and Rs 3,300 crore per annum for
P&K would be paid out this fiscal year.

Agriculture 16
 3. UREA IMPORTS

CONTEXT
India aims to end imports of urea from 2025 as the nation boosts its local production capacity with
the commissioning of new plants

Urea imports in India

 India is among the world’s largest buyers of fertiliser, besides China, Brazil, and the US.
 India imports four types of fertilisers:
 Urea
 diammonium phosphate (DAP)
 muriate of potash (MOP)
 nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium (NPK)

17 Agriculture
 India, the top importer of urea, imports about 30% of its average 35 million tonnes of annual
consumption of the crop nutrient.
 India imports urea from a number of countries, including Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United
Arab Emirates.

4. NANO UREA

CONTEXT
State-run Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd (RCF) and National Fertilizers Ltd (NFL) plan to
build five new factories to manufacture super-efficient nano-urea under a licence from IFFCO Ltd, a
development that promises to ease India’s mounting fertilizer subsidy burden.

About:
 Nano Urea is a nanotechnology
based revolutionary Agri-input
which provides nitrogen to plants.
 Nano Urea is a sustainable
option for farmers towards smart
Higher Crop Increased Better food
agriculture and combat climate income for
Yields quality
change. farmers

 Nano urea is a patented and

indigenously made liquid that
contains nanoparticles of urea, the
most crucial chemical fertiliser for
farmers in India. Reeduction Easy to store
Environment
 A single half-litre bottle of the in chemical Friendly and transport
Fertilizer Usage
liquid can compensate for a
45kg sack of urea that farmers
traditionally rely on, it is claimed.
 Nano urea (Liquid) contains 4 % nanoscale nitrogen particles. Nanoscale nitrogen particles have a
small size (20-50 nm); more surface area and number of particles per unit area than conventional
urea.

5. POTASH FERTILIZER

CONTEXT
In a significant step towards ensuring long-term fertiliser availability for the farming community,
India’s fertiliser companies- Coromandel International, Chambal Fertilizers and Indian Potash
Limited signed a MoU with Canpotex. Canpotex, Canada will supply up to 15 LMT of Potash annually
for 3 years

Agriculture 18
Reason behind this MoU:
 Government of India has been encouraging the domestic fertiliser industry for establishing supply
linkages through long term partnerships with resource rich nations.
 Given India’s high dependence on imports of raw material and fertiliser minerals, these partnerships
provide secured availability of fertilizers and raw materials over a period of time and also offer price
stability in volatile market conditions.

About Potash:
 Potash, which is source of Potassium, is used both for direct application as Muriate of Potash
(MOP) as well as in combination with ‘N’ & ‘P’ nutrients in NPK fertilizers.
 India meets 100% of its Potash requirement through imports.
 The country imports approximately 40 LMT MOP annually.
 Department of Fertilizer has included PDM (Potash derived from Molasses) in the Nutrient
Based Subsidy Scheme (NBS) scheme to support indigenous sources of Potash.
 Similar initiatives have been taken fertilizers industries for manufacturing of Potash from Spent
Wash.



19 Agriculture
Agriculture 20
 3
Schemes

1. NATIONAL MISSION FOR SUSTAINABLE

AGRICULTURE (NMSA)

CONTEXT
The government has had several initiatives and sub-missions under the National Mission for
Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), which began in 2014-15,

About NMSA
 NMSA derives its mandate from Sustainable Agriculture Mission which is one of the eight Missions
outlined under National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
 It aims at promoting sustainable agriculture through a series of adaptation measures focusing on
ten key dimensions encompassing Indian agriculture namely;
 Improved crop seeds
 livestock and fish cultures
 Water Use Efficiency
 Pest Management
 Improved Farm Practices
 Nutrient Management
 Agricultural insurance
 Credit support
 Markets
 Access to Information
 Livelihood diversification
 NMSA give special emphasis on soil & water conservation, water use efficiency, soil health
management and rainfed area development.

21 Agriculture
 The focus of NMSA will be to infuse the judicious utilization of resources of commons through
community based approach.
 National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), includes programmatic interventions like
Soil Health Card (SHC), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Mission Organic Value Chain
Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER), Rainfed Area Development (RAD),
National Bamboo Mission (NBM) and Sub-mission on Agro Forestry (SMAF).

Program Components
NMSA has following four (4) major programme components or activities:

 Rainfed Area Development (RAD): RAD will adopt an area based approach for development
and conservation of natural resources along with farming systems. This component will introduce
appropriate farming systems by integrating multiple components of agriculture such as crops,
horticulture, livestock, fishery, forestry with agro based income generating activities and value
addition.
 On Farm Water Management (OFWM): OFWM will focus primarily on enhancing water use
efficiency by promoting efficient on-farm water management technologies and equipment. This will
not only focus on application efficiency but, in conjunction with RAD component, also will emphasize
on effective harvesting & management of rainwater.
 Soil Health Management (SHM): SHM will aim at promoting location as well as crop specific
sustainable soil health management including residue management, organic farming practices by
way of creating and linking soil fertility maps with macro-micro nutrient management, appropriate
land use based on land capability, judicious application of fertilizers and minimizing the soil erosion/
degradation.
 Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture: Monitoring, Modeling and Networking (CCSAMMN):
CCSAMMN will provide creation and bidirectional (land/farmers to research/scientific establishments
and vice versa) dissemination of climate change related information and knowledge by way of
piloting climate change adaptation/mitigation research/model projects in the domain of climate
smart sustainable management practices and integrated farming system suitable to local agro-
climatic conditions.

2. PARAMPARAGAT KRISHI VIKAS YOJNA (PKVY)

CONTEXT
“Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY)” aims at development of sustainable models of organic
farming through a mix of traditional wisdom and modern science to ensure long term soil fertility
buildup, resource conservation and helps in climate change adapatation and mitigation.

About PKVY
 Launched in 2015, a sub-component of Soil Health Management (SHM) scheme under National
Mission of Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).

Agriculture 22
 It primarily aims to increase soil fertility and thereby helps in production of healthy food through
organic practices without the use of agro-chemicals.
 PKVY also aims at empowering farmers through institutional development through clusters approach
not only in farm practice management, input production, quality assurance but also in value addition
and direct marketing through innovative means.
 Participatory Guarantee System under PGS-India programme will be the key approach for quality
assurances under the PKVY.
 The farmers will have option to adopt any form of organic farming in compliance of PGS-India
standards.
 While adopting a system it must be ensured that the system adopted is compatible to the area and
crop and assures optimum yield and provides adequate measures to manage nutrients, pests and
diseases.

Model Organic Cluster Demonstrations

Model Organic Farm

 Funding pattern under the scheme is in the ratio of 60:40 by the Central and State Governments
respectively. In case of North Eastern and Himalayan States, Central Assistance is provided in the
ratio of 90:10 (Centre: State) and for Union Territories, the assistance is 100%.

 Farmers will have the flexibility to use appropriate package of practice(s) best suited to their situations.

3. PRADHAN MANTRI KRISHI SINCHAYEE YOJANA

(PMKSY)

CONTEXT
The overreaching vision of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) will be to ensure access
to some means of protective irrigation to all agricultural farms in the country, to produce ‘per drop
more crop’, thus bringing much desired rural prosperity.

23 Agriculture
About PMKSY
 Launched in 2015, PMKSY seeks to achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level.
 PMKSY has been formulated amalgamating schemes viz. Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme
(AIBP) of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation; Integrated
Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) of Department of Land Resources; and On Farm
Water Management (OFWM) component of National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) of
Department of Agriculture and Cooperation.
 All the States and Union Territories including North Eastern States are covered under the programme.
 PMKSY is to be implemented in an area development approach, adopting decentralized state level
planning and projected execution, allowing the states to draw their irrigation development plans
based on district/blocks plans with a horizon of 5 to 7 years. States can take up projects based on
the District/State Irrigation Plan.
 The National Steering Committee (NSC) of PMKSY under the chairmanship of Prime Minister, will
provide policy direction to programme framework.
 A National Executive Committee (NEC) under the chairmanship of Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog will
oversee the programme implementation at national level.

4. PRADHAN MANTRI FASAL BIMA YOJANA

(PMFBY)

CONTEXT
PMFBY provides a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop thus helping in stabilising
the income of the farmers.

About the Scheme

 The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna was launched on 18th February 2016 by Prime Minister Shri
Narendra Modi.
 The Scheme covers all Food & Oilseeds crops and Annual Commercial/Horticultural Crops.
 The scheme is implemented by empanelled general insurance companies.
 Selection of Implementing Agency (IA) is done by the concerned State Government through bidding.
 The scheme is compulsory for loanee farmers availing Crop Loan /KCC account for notified crops
and voluntary for other others.
 The scheme is being administered by Ministry of Agriculture.
 Integration of land records with the PMFBY portal, Crop Insurance mobile-app for easy enrollment
of farmers and usage of technology such as satellite imagery, remote-sensing technology, drones,
artificial intelligence and machine learning to assess crop losses are some of the key features of the
scheme.

Agriculture 24
 The scheme makes it easier for the farmer to report crop loss within 72 hours of occurrence of any
event through the Crop Insurance App, CSC Centre or the nearest agriculture officer.
 Premium cost over and above the farmer share is equally subsidized by States and GoI. However, GoI
shares 90% of the premium subsidy for North Eastern States to promote the uptake in the region.

5. NATIONAL AGRICULTURE MARKET (ENAM)

CONTEXT
National Agriculture Market (eNAM) is a pan-India electronic trading portal which networks the
existing APMC mandis to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities.

About National Agriculture

Market (eNAM)
 Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) is the
lead agency for implementing eNAM under the aegis of
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government
of India.
 It envision to promote uniformity in agriculture marketing
by streamlining of procedures across the integrated
markets, removing information asymmetry between
buyers and sellers and promoting real time price discovery
based on actual demand and supply.
 It aims to integrate the APMCs across the country through
a common online market platform to facilitate pan-India
trade in agriculture commodities, providing better price discovery through transparent auction
process based on quality of produce along with timely online payment.
 e-NAM is not a parallel marketing structure but rather a device to create a national network of
physical mandis which can be accessed online.
 It seeks to leverage the physical infrastructure of the mandis through an online trading portal,
enabling buyers situated even outside the Mandi/ State to participate in trading at the local level.

6. ‘KISAN BHAGIDARI, PRATHMIKTA HAMARI’

CAMPAIGN
 Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare organized the ‘Kisan Bhagidari, Prathmikta Hamari’
campaign.
 ‘Kisan Bhagidari, Prathmikta Hamari’ was organised as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
 The key objective of the awareness session was to generate mass awareness amongst fishers, fish
farmers, livestock & dairy farmers and other stakeholders about various schemes being implemented
by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and encourage them to avail the benefits.

25 Agriculture
 7. UNIQUE LAND PARCEL IDENTIFICATION
NUMBER (ULPIN) OR BHU-AADHAR
 Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) system is a 14-digit Alpha–numeric unique ID for
each land parcel based on Geo-coordinates of vertices of the parcel.
 ULPIN has, so far, been rolled out in 24 States.

8. GENERIC DOCUMENT REGISTRATION SYSTEM

(NGDRS)
 In order to have a uniform process for registration for deeds/documents, “One Nation One
Registration Software Namely National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS)” is
being implemented in States/UTs.
 Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (erstwhile National Land Record
Modernization Programme) was revamped and converted as a Central Sector Scheme with effect
from 1st April, 2016 with 100% funding by the Centre.
 The objective of DILRMP is to develop a modern, comprehensive and transparent land record
management system with the aim to develop an Integrated Land Information Management
System which will inter alia:
 improve real-time information on land
 optimize use of land resources
 benefit both landowners & prospectors
 assist in policy & planning
 reduce land disputes
 check fraudulent / benami transactions
 obviate need of physical visits to Revenue/Registration offices
 enable sharing of information with various organisations/agencies
 Government has approved extension of DILRMP for a period of five years i.e 2021-22 to 2025-26.

9. OPEN MARKET SALE SCHEME (OMSS):

 OMSS refers to the selling of food grains by the government/government agencies at predetermined
prices in the open market from time to time.
 This scheme aims to enhance the supply of grains, especially during the lean season and thereby to
moderate the general open market prices, especially in the deficit regions.
 The Food Corporation of India (FCI) on instructions from the Government sells wheat and rice in the
open market from time to time.
 This enhances the supply of wheat and rice especially during the lean season and moderates the
open market prices, especially in the deficit regions.

Agriculture 26
 10. ONE NATION, ONE FERTILIZER SCHEME:
 The scheme will consist of a “Single Brand for Fertilisers and Logo” under the fertilizer subsidy
scheme named “Pradhanmantri Bhartiya Janurvarak Pariyojna” (PMBJP).
 The scheme would extend to all four fertilizers – Urea, Di-Ammonium Phosphate, Muriate of Potash,
and complex NPK – with ‘BHARAT’ pre-fixed.
 The single brand name would be BHARAT UREA, BHARAT DAP, BHARAT MOP, and BHARAT NPK, etc.
respectively for all Fertiliser Companies, State Trading Entities (STEs) and Fertiliser Marketing Entities
(FMEs).
 Under the scheme, companies are allowed to display their name, brand, logo, and other relevant
product information only on one-third space of their bags.
 On the remaining two-thirds of the space, the “Bharat” branded Pradhanmantri Bharatiya Jan Urvarak
Pariyojana logo will have to be shown.

Need of the Initiative:

 India is among the world’s largest buyers of fertilizer, besides China, Brazil, and the US.
 India imports four types of fertilizers:
 Urea
 diammonium phosphate (DAP)
 muriate of potash (MOP)
 nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium (NPK)

11. NATIONAL AGRICULTURE MARKET (ENAM)

 National Agriculture Market (eNAM) is a pan-India electronic trading portal which networks the
existing APMC mandis to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities.

12. PARAMPARAGAT KRISHI VIKAS YOJNA (PKVY)

 “Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY)” aims at development of sustainable models of organic
farming through a mix of traditional wisdom and modern science to ensure long term soil fertility
buildup, resource conservation and helps in climate change adapatation and mitigation.

About PKVY
 Launched in 2015, a sub-component of Soil Health Management (SHM) scheme under National
Mission of Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
 It primarily aims to increase soil fertility and thereby helps in production of healthy food through
organic practices without the use of agro-chemicals.

27 Agriculture
 13. AGRISTACK:
 The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has planned creating ‘AgriStack’ - a collection of
technology-based interventions in agriculture.

14. DIGITAL AGRICULTURE MISSION:

 This has been initiated for 2021 -2025 by the government for projects based on new technologies
like artificial intelligence, block chain, remote sensing and GIS technology, use of drones and robots
etc.

15. SUB-MISSION ON AGRICULTURAL

MECHANIZATION (SMAM):
 Under this Scheme, subsidies are provided for purchase of various types of agricultural equipment
and machinery.
 Other Digital Initiatives: Kisan Call Centres, Kisan Suvidha App, Agri Market App, Soil Health Card
(SHC) Portal, etc.



Agriculture 28
 4
Types of Agricultural Practices

1. ZERO TILLAGE

CONTEXT
In the face of rising global challenges like climate change and water scarcity, agriculture needs
sustainable and innovative practices such as zero tillage, to secure our food supply and conserve
precious water resources.

What is Zero Tillage?

 Zero tillage (also known as no-till farming and conservation tillage) is a method that refrains from
traditional ploughing and tilling the soil before sowing crops.
 Instead, it involves directly drilling seeds into untilled, moist soil, leaving the ground undisturbed.
 The benefits of this practice are manifold, with one of the most significant being water conservation.

2. REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

CONTEXT
The Regenerative agriculture has been receiving much attention from all the stakeholders, as can be
effective in building resilience of agroecosystems.

What is Regenerative Agriculture?

 Regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach to agriculture that focuses on the interconnection of
farming systems such as, soil health, food quality, biodiversity improvement, water quality and air
quality.
 It was used by Indigenous communities centuries ago, long before industrial agriculture occurred.

29 Agriculture
Principles Involved:
 Minimize soil distribution through conservation tillage
 Diversify crops to replenish nutrients and disrupt pest and disease life cycles
 Retain soil cover using cover crops
 Integrate livestock, which adds manure to the soil and serves as a source of carbon sinks.

Conservation tillage is a tillage system that creates a suitable soil environment for growing a crop
and that conserves soil, water and energy resources mainly through the reduction in the intensity of
tillage, and retention of plant residues.

3. NATURAL FARMING

CONTEXT
Zero-Budget Natural Farming has attained a wide success in many states of India especially in the
Southern states. Government is stressing on this farming calling for a back to the basics of the Indian
agriculture.

What is ZBNF?
 Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZNBF) means raising crops without using any fertilizers and pesticides
or any other external materials.
 There are four pillars of Zero Budget Natural Farming:
 Jivamrita/jeevamrutha is a mixture of fresh cow dung and aged cow urine of an indigenous
breed of cow. It provides nutrients and also acts as a catalytic agent that promotes the activity of
microorganisms in the soil, as well as increases earthworm activity.
 Bijamrita/beejamrutha is a treatment used for seeds, seedlings or any planting material. It is
effective in protecting young roots from soil and seed-borne diseases. Add Bijamrita to the seeds
of any crop: coat them, dry them well and use them for sowing. For leguminous seeds, just dip
them quickly and let them dry.
 Acchadana – Mulching. It protects top soil during cultivation and does not destroy it by tilling.
It promotes aeration and water retention in the soil.
 Whapasa – moisture: It is a condition where water molecules and air molecules are present in
the soil. Zero Budget Natural Farming irrigation level is reduced and irrigation is done only in
noon and that too in alternate rows.
 Intercropping, contours and bunds, local species of earthworms and cow dung are other
principles of Zero Budget Natural Farming.

Push to Natural Farming (Union Budget 2022-23)

 The Central Government will promote natural farming throughout the country.

Agriculture 30
  States will be encouraged to revise syllabus of agricultural universities so as to meet the needs
of natural, zero-budget and organic farming.
 ICAR (Indian Council of Agriculture Research) has already constituted a committee for
developing syllabus and curricula of Natural farming at undergraduate and post graduate level.
 Government is implementing a dedicated scheme of Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati
Programme (BPKP); Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) etc.

4. SEED-BALL METHOD OF PLANTATION

CONTEXT
The method of Seed Balls plantation is showing positive results.

About Seed balls:

 It is a ball made from clay, seeds and compost or humus.
 Seed balls are used to replant areas where the natural flora has been destroyed.

31 Agriculture
 It is a technique of propagating plants from seeds without opening up the soil using traditional
methods like ploughing.
 Traditional methods of seeding have certain disadvantages.
 The seed is sown on top of the soil, so it may get dried out by the sun, blown away by strong
winds, washed away by rains or eaten by birds.
 But when seed balls are used, the hard clay casing protects the seeds from excessive heat, winds,
heavy rains and nibbling birds.
 The moisture in the clay of the seed ball helps the seeds to germinate.
 Additionally, cotton fibres or liquefied paper may be mixed into the seed ball while preparing it, to
increase its strength.

5. GREEN REVOLUTION

CONTEXT
Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, widely recognized as M.S. Swaminathan, the renowned
agricultural scientist and a pivotal figure in India’s ‘Green Revolution,’ has peacefully passed away at
the age of 98, due to age-related ailments.

Who was M.S. Swaminathan (1925-2023)?

 Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan (S. Swaminathan), is known as the Father of Green Revolution
in India.
 Born in Kumbakonam on August 7, 1925 to M.K. Sambasivan, a surgeon, and Parvati Thangammal,
Swaminathan had his schooling there.
 His keen interest in agricultural science coupled with his father’s participation in the freedom
movement and Mahatma Gandhi’s influence inspired him to pursue higher studies in the subject.
 Green Revolution paved the way for quantum jump in productivity and production of wheat and rice
through adaptation of chemical-biological technology.

Swaminathan Commission
 In 2004, the Union government made Dr. Swaminathan chairman of the National Commission
on Farmers.
 The panel submitted five reports in two years to the Centre. Its main recommendation was that
minimum support price should be at least 50% more than the weighted average cost of production.

Important Revolutions
White Revolution (Operation Flood, 1970s-1990s) Father of Revolution: Dr. Verghese Kurien

Period: 1970-1996

Agriculture 32
 Grey Revolution (Wood Production/ Fertilisers) Father of Revolution: M.S. Swaminathan

Period: 1960-70

Blue Revolution (Fish Production) Father of Revolution: Dr. Arun Krishnan

Period: 1973-2022

Golden Revolution (Jute Production) Father of Revolution: Nirpakh Tutaj

Period: 1990s

Pink Revolution (Onion Production) Father of Revolution: Durgesh Patel

Period: 1970s

What are high-yielding varieties of crops?

 High-yielding varieties of crops (HYVs), produced a higher yield of crop per hectare in comparison
to traditional variants.
 These variants are produced using a combination of traditional breeding steps and biotechnology,
which includes genetic diversity.
 The resulting HYVs are usually disease-resistant and have a higher tolerance to conditions like
 IR8, a variety of rice developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) that could
produce as much as seven tonnes of rice per hectare compared to traditional seeds that could
produce only two tonnes per hectare, was one of the main HYVs grown during the Green Revolution.
 This “miracle rice” was first introduced in the Philippines and was produced by crossing a tall high-
yielding strain from Indonesia called Peta with a sturdy dwarf variety from China called Dee-Geo-
woo-gen.
 Other HYVs grown during the Green Revolution in India included Kalyan Sona and Sonalika varieties
of wheat which were considered to be of good “chapati-making” quality and had a “amber grains
and good yield potential” (few varieties of Mexican dwarf wheat which were procured earlier were
rejected because of their red colour).



33 Agriculture
Agriculture 34
 5
Finance

1. AGRICULTURE FINANCING IN INDIA

CONTEXT
Agricultural lending and financing play a crucial role in India’s agriculture sector.

Source of Agricultural Finance

The source of agriculture finance in India can be classified as institutional and non-institutional sources.

 Institutional Source: Cooperative Banks, Rural Regional Banks, Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs).
 Non-Institutional Source: Moneylenders and other informal sources

Cooperative Primary Agricultural Credit Societies are the grass root level arms of the
Societies short-term co-operative credit structure. PACS deals directly with the rural
(agricultural) borrowers, give those loans and collect repayments of loans
given and also undertake distribution and marketing functions.

Cooperative societies is a State Subject under Entry 32 of the State List

of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. While cooperative
societies functioning within a single state are governed by the Cooperative
Societies Act of their respective states, cooperative societies functioning
in more than one state/UT are governed by the Multi-State Cooperative
Societies Act, 2002 under the purview of the Government of India (GoI).

Land Also called the mortgage banks, they are registered under the co-operative
Development societies act. The offer long-term loan with land as collateral
Banks

Scheduled They offer loan to farmers for buying equipment and costs related to
Commercial activities after harvest.
Banks

35 Agriculture
 Regional Rural RRBs ensure adequate credit for agriculture and other rural sectors.
Banks According to the RRB Act 1976, RRBs provide financial assistance to farmers,
Medium and Small Enterprises (MSMEs), local craftsmen, and artisans for
agriculture, industries, trade, commerce, and their economic development.

Microfinance Microfinance is a way to provide banking services to small entrepreneurs

and those in need of financial support. The loan can be provided by a micro
finance company, banks, non-government organizations, cooperative, non-
bank financial institutions, or other legal-regulated entities. Microfinance
loan programs come with small loan amounts, low collateral requirements,
and short repayment periods.

National Bank NABARD is the main regulatory body in the country’s rural banking system
for Agriculture and is considered as the peak development finance institution which
and Rural is established and owned by the government of India. NABARD offers
Development refinance to regional rural banks, state co-operative, district central co-
(NABARD) operative and state government as well.

2. PRIMARY AGRICULTURAL CREDIT SOCIETIES

CONTEXT
The Budget has announced Rs.2, 516 crore for computerisation of 63,000 Primary Agricultural
Credit Societies (PACS) over the next five years.

Primary Agriculture credit

societies (PACS)
 PACS are village level cooperative credit
societies that serve as the last link in a three-
tier cooperative credit structure headed by
the State Cooperative Banks (SCB) at the state
level.
 Credit from the SCBs is transferred to
the district central cooperative banks, or
DCCBs, that operate at the district level.
 There are about 95,000 PACS in the
country of which only 65,000 are active at present.
 According to the union home minister, all Panchayats must have one such body by 2027.
 This will be helpful in promoting farming and dairy activities at the grassroots level.
 The cooperation ministry is working on a plan to set up multi-purpose PACS in Panchayats over the
next five years.

Agriculture 36
 3. SCHEMES FOR AGRICULTURAL FINANCING

CONTEXT
Besides traditional lending, agricultural financing in India also involves various other forms ofcredit
support, such as crop loans, Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, agricultural term loans, and agricultural
insurance.

Important Schemes
 Crop loans: Crop loans are short-term loans provided to farmers for the cultivation of crops. These
loans are sanctioned for a crop season, and the repayment period typically ranges from 6-12 months.
The loans are provided to meet the farmers’ cultivation expenses, such as the purchase of seeds,
fertilizers, pesticides, and other inputs.
 Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme: Launched in 1998, the scheme aims to provide affordable credit
to farmers for crop production, animal husbandry, and other agricultural activities. KCCs are issued
by banks and other financial institutions and are a type of revolving credit, which means that the
credit limit can be used, repaid, and used again.
 Agricultural insurance: Agricultural insurance provides protection to farmers against crop losses
due to natural calamities, such as floods, droughts, and pest attacks.
 Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): It is a crop insurance scheme launched by the
Government of India in 2016. The scheme provides insurance coverage to farmers for any crop loss
due to natural calamities, pests, or diseases.
 Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): The scheme was launched in 2016 to provide crop
insurance to farmers in case of crop failure due to natural calamities. Under this scheme, farmers pay
a nominal premium of 2% for kharif crops, 1.5% for rabi crops, and 5% for horticulture crops, while
the rest of the premium is paid by the government.
 Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY): PMKSY was launched in 2015 to promote water
conservation and efficient use of water resources in agriculture. The scheme provides financial
assistance to farmers for various activities such as micro-irrigation, water harvesting, and watershed
development. As of March 2021, the scheme had covered over 19.53 lakh hectares with a total
financial assistance of over INR 8,282 crore.
 Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY): RKVY was launched in 2007 to promote agricultural
development in India. The scheme provides financial assistance to farmers for various activities such
as crop diversification, value addition, and marketing. As of March 2021, the scheme had covered
over 15.25 lakh beneficiaries with a total financial assistance of over INR 44,089 crore.
 Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF): AIF was launched in 2020 to provide financial assistance to
farmers for various infrastructure development activities such as cold storage, warehouses, and food
processing units. Under the AIF, a total amount of INR 1 lakh crore has been allocated for the period
2020-2029. The AIF is implemented through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Farmers
Producers Organizations (FPOs), Self Help Groups (SHGs), and other eligible entities.



37 Agriculture
Agriculture 38
 6
Organization

1. NATIONAL AGRICULTURE MARKET (ENAM)

 eNAM is an online trading platform for agricultural commodities in India.
 It seeks to network the existing Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) and other market
yards to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities.
 NAM is a “virtual” market but it has a physical market (mandi) at the back end.
 Following are the benefits of eNAM:
 The market facilitates farmers, traders and buyers with online trading in commodities.
 The market is helping in better price discovery and provides facilities for smooth marketing of
their produce.
 Over 90 commodities including staple food grains, vegetables and fruits are currently listed in its
list of commodities available for trade.
 The eNAM markets are proving popular as the crops are weighed immediately and the stock is
lifted on the same day and the payments are cleared online.

2. TRIBAL COOPERATIVE MARKETING

DEVELOPMENT FEDERATION OF INDIA (TRIFED)
 The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) came into existence in
1987.
 It is a national-level apex organization functioning under the administrative control of Ministry of
Tribal Affairs, Government of India.
 TRIFED organizes National Tribal Craft Expo called “AADISHILP”, painting exhibition called “Aadi
Chitra”, “OCTAVE” for North Eastern Artisans and Tribal Artisan Melas to facilitate the sale of their
products.
 Promote sustainable livelihood systems for tribal people by marketing development and ensuring
remunerative price for their products, provide minimum support price and value addition of
Non-Timber Forest Produce (Minor Forest Produce), empower them through meticulous capacity
building, augment their resources substantially, Develop marketing partnership with Central/State
Government agencies and other development partners through establishing convergence and
coherence in activities.

39 Agriculture
 3. NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE
MARKETING FEDERATION OF INDIA LTD
(NAFED)
 NAFED is an apex organization of marketing cooperatives for agricultural produce in India, under
Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India.

 It was founded in October 1958 to promote the trade of agricultural produce and forest resources
across the nation.

 NAFED is now one of the largest procurement as well as marketing agencies for agricultural products
in India.

 With its headquarters in New Delhi, NAFED has four regional offices at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and
Kolkata, apart from 28 zonal offices in capitals of states and important cities.

 In 2008, it established, National Spot Exchange, a Commodities exchange as a joint venture of

Financial Technologies (India) Ltd. (FTIL).

4. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE MARKET COMMITTEE

(APMC)
 Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) is a statutory market committee constituted by
a State Government under the Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act in respect of trade in
certain notified agricultural or horticultural or livestock products.

 APMCs are intended to be responsible for:

 Ensuring transparency in pricing system and transactions taking place in market area;
 Providing market-led extension services to farmers;
 Ensuring payment for agricultural produce sold by farmers on the same day;
 Promoting agricultural processing including activities for value addition in agricultural produce;
 Publicizing data on arrivals and rates of agricultural produce brought into the market area for sale;
and Setup and promote public private partnership in the management of agricultural markets

 There are about 2477 principal regulated markets based on geography (the APMCs) and 4843 sub-
market yards regulated by the respective APMCs in India.

5. FOOD CORPORATION OF INDIA (FCI)

 The Food Corporation of India sells surplus stocks of wheat and rice under Open Market Sale
Scheme (Domestic) at pre-determined prices through e-auction in the open market from time to
time to enhance the supply of food grains.

 This procedure is followed especially during the lean season and thereby moderates the open
market prices especially in the deficit regions.

Agriculture 40
 FCI conducts weekly auctions for the OMSS for wheat on the platform of the National Commodity
and Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX).

6. AGRICULTURAL & PROCESSED FOOD PRODUCTS

EXPORT DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (APEDA):
 The APEDA was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed
Food Products Export Development Authority Act.
 The Authority replaced the Processed Food Export Promotion Council (PFEPC).
 It functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
 The Authority has its headquarters in New Delhi.
 APEDA is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion and development of the products
such as Fruits, Vegetables and their Products, Meat and Meat Products, Poultry and Poultry Products,
Floriculture and Floriculture Products etc.
 APEDA also functions as the Secretariat to the National Accreditation Board (NAB) for
implementation of accreditation of the Certification Bodies under National Programme for Organic
Production (NPOP) for organic exports.

7. MARINE PRODUCTS EXPORT DEVELOPMENT

AUTHORITY (MPEDA)
 The MPEDA was set up by an act of Parliament during 1972.
 The Act empowers MPEDA to regulate exports of marine products and take all measures required for
ensuring sustained, quality seafood exports from the country.
 MPEDA is given the authority to prescribe for itself any matters which the future might require for
protecting and augmenting the seafood exports from the country.
 It is also empowered to carry out inspection of marine products, its raw material, fixing standards,
specifications, and training as well as take all necessary steps for marketing the seafood overseas.

8. INTERNATIONAL CROPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE

FOR THE SEMI-ARID TROPICS (ICRISAT)
 The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is an international
organization which conducts agricultural research for rural development.
 Headquarter: Hyderabad, Telangana
 It was founded in 1972 by a consortium of organisations convened by the Ford and the Rockefeller
foundations.
 Its charter was signed by the FAO and the UNDP.
 Since its inception, host country India has granted a special status to ICRISAT as a UN Organization

41 Agriculture
 operating in the Indian territory making it eligible for special immunities and tax privileges.
 Management: ICRISAT is managed by a full-time Director General functioning under the overall
guidance of an international Governing Board.
 ICRISAT genebank serves as a repository for the collection of germplasm of the six mandate crops
– sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut; and five small millets –
foxtail millet, little millet, kodo millet, proso millet and barnyard millet.

9. NATIONAL COMMODITIES AND DERIVATIVES

EXCHANGE (NCDEX)
 NCDEX is a commodities exchange dealing primarily in agricultural commodities in India.
 The NCDEX is located in Mumbai but has offices across the country to facilitate trade.
 Exchanges like the NCDEX have also played a key role in improving Indian agricultural practices.
 Barley, wheat, and soybeans are some of the leading agricultural commodities traded on the
NCDEX.

10. MULTI COMMODITY EXCHANGE (MCX):

 It was established under the Forward Markets Commission (FMC) in 2003.
 It is an online platform that enables online trading, settlement and clearing of commodity futures
transactions.
 It acts as a platform for providing risk management (hedging).



Agriculture 42
 7
Technology

1. E- TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE

CONTEXT
Digital technologies are finding increasing use in the agriculture, and farmers are increasingly
becoming more informed, as various measures are taken to provide them ready access to technology
and information.

Emerging Agriculture Technologies

 Agriculture Sensors: These sensors can detect moisture and nitrogen levels. This information can
be used to determine when to water and fertilize rather than rely on a predetermined schedule.
 Weather Tracking: Drones, remote sensors, and satellites gather 24/7 data on weather patterns
in and around the fields. This provides farmers with vital information on temperature, rainfall, soil,
humidity.
 Satellite Imaging: It allows for real-time crop imagery. It lets a farmer examine crops as if he or she
were standing there without actually standing there. Reviewing images on a weekly basis can save a
farm a considerable amount of time and money.
 Pervasive Automation: It refer to any technology that reduces operator workload.
 Minichromosomal Technology: Using minichromosomes, agricultural geneticists can add dozens
and perhaps even hundreds of traits to a plant.
 Radio-frequency identification (RFID) Technology: RFID based sensors provide information that
can be associated with farming yields.
 Vertical Farming: Vertical farm technology Vertical farming a component of urban agriculture is the
practice of producing food in vertically stacked layers.
 Farmers in all areas can use it to make better use of available land and to grow crops that wouldn’t
normally be viable in those locations.
 Blockchain in Agriculture: Blockchain technologies can track all types of information about plants,
such as seed quality, and crop growth, and even generate a record of the journey of the plant after
it leaves the farm.

43 Agriculture
 Internet of Things (IOT): The buzz word in precision farming lately has been IOT. In IoT-based smart
farming, a system is built for monitoring the crop field with the help of sensors (light, humidity,
temperature, soil moisture, etc.) and automating the irrigation system.
 Drone Technology: Drones can help in the analysis of soils and drainage, crop health assessment
and are being used in variable rate application of liquid pesticides, fertilisers and herbicides.

Steps taken by the Government in the Direction

 AgriStack: The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has planned creating ‘AgriStack’ - a
collection of technology-based interventions in agriculture.
 Digital Agriculture Mission: This has been initiated for 2021 -2025 by the government for
projects based on new technologies like artificial intelligence, block chain, remote sensing and
GIS technology, use of drones and robots etc.
 Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM): Under this Scheme, subsidies are
provided for purchase of various types of agricultural equipment and machinery.
 Other Digital Initiatives: Kisan Call Centres, Kisan Suvidha App, Agri Market App, Soil Health
Card (SHC) Portal, etc.

2. IOT IN AGRICULTURE
 IoT is used as a smart farming solution for monitoring the crop field from anywhere.
 It involves using sensors to track
 soil moisture
 crop health
 livestock conditions
 temperature, etc
 IoT technologies make it possible to create automated irrigation structures where water resources
can be managed efficiently.
 By collecting crop data such as moisture and temperature, IoT technologies can help determine the
right amount of water for crops every season.

Internet of Things (IoT)

The IoT describes the network of physical objects—“things”—that are embedded with sensors,
software, and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other
devices and systems over the internet.

3. GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS) IN

AGRICULTURE
 GIS in agriculture relies on technology such as drones and satellites to understand crop position and
types, fertilization level, soil status, and related information.

Agriculture 44
 With data generated from GIS remote sensing devices and software, farmers can determine the best
location for crop planting in the field and make informed decisions on how to improve soil nutrition.

Geographic information system (GIS)

 A geographic information system (GIS) is a system that creates, manages, analyzes, and maps
all types of data.
 GIS connects data to a map, integrating location data (where things are) with all types of descriptive
information (what things are like there).
 This provides a foundation for mapping and analysis that is used in science and almost every
industry.

4. CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE

(CEA)
 Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is a method of cultivating plants in a fully regulated
environment.
 It is also known as ‘vertical farming or indoor farming.’
 In this type of cultivation, all the plant’s needs are met by artificially providing them with water,
nutrients, and light using hydroponic, aquaponic, and aeroponic techniques.

5. DRONES
 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or drones are increasingly becoming useful in crop and livestock
management.
 For example, farmers can use sensor-equipped drones to monitor the growth of plants, detect
disease stress, monitor field temperature, and spray pesticides or fertilizers at desired locations on
the field.

Drones
 Drone is a broad term that can refer to any unmanned aircraft.
 Drones are small or medium-sized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
 They can drive remotely and autonomously, and they’re capable of maintaining a controlled,
sustained level of flight.
 The drone system combines robotics with aeronautics.

6. PRECISION AGRICULTURE
 The increase in the global population has led to increased food production per capita.

45 Agriculture
 However, this has also led to water shortages due to irrigation purposes.
 To combat these issues, farmers are turning towards precision agriculture as it can save them both
time and money.

Precision Agriculture
 Precision agriculture is a rapidly evolving farm management system that involves the use of sensor
technology, AI, GIS, and IoT to collect and analyze data about the soil, plants, and animals.
 It allows for more targeted use of inputs such as water, fertilizer, plant nutrients, pesticides,
seeds, and labor.
 Precision agriculture deviates from conventional agriculture practices, where a uniform method is
employed over a large area regardless of soil quality or topography variations.

7. BIG DATA & ANALYTICS

 The farm is becoming a data factory, with sensors and other technology collecting thousands of data
points about everything from soil quality to humidity and crop yields.

 Big data & analytics can help farmers decide when to plant and harvest, how much water or fertilizer
to use, and how much seed they should sow.

8. GOVERNMENT’S ROLE IN ENABLING AGTECH

CONTEXT
Between 2013 and 2020, the agtech landscape in India grew from less than 50 start-ups to more
than 1,000. India’s government has also taken several policy steps and conducted pilots to foster
technology and innovation in the agricultural sector:

Important Policy Measures

Development of  AgriStack or India Digital Ecosystem for Agriculture (IDEA) has

the “agristack” been under development since 2020.
 It aims to
 help the use of data in agriculture to promote data-driven agriculture
 help facilitate the shift in the markets from physical APMC
infrastructures to digital e-Markets

Agriculture 46
Digital Soil-Health  A digital soil-health-card program entails mapping soil composition
Card and quality at the farmer level.
 It could help agtech companies in India to promote precision-farming
initiatives and tailor offerings for specific farmer groups.

Direct Benefit  This initiative directly transfers subsidies for fertilizers and other goods
Transfer to the farmer.

 It authenticates the farmer’s identity at points of sale and through

verification.
 It could significantly encourage the adoption of fertilizers and reduce
leakages in transportation, maintaining affordability for smallholder
farmers.

National  This pan-India electronic online trading portal connects existing

Agriculture Market Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis, forming a
(eNAM) unified national market for agricultural commodities that ensures
better prices for farmers through the transparent auction process.

Agriculture  The Agriculture Accelerator Fund, announced in the budget for 2023-
Accelerator Fund 24, aims to encourage agri-startups by young entrepreneurs in rural
areas.
 The Fund will aim at bringing innovative and affordable solutions
for challenges faced by farmers, and will also bring in modern
technologies to transform agricultural practices, increase productivity
and profitability.

Digital Public  Digital public infrastructure for agriculture is to be built as an open

Infrastructure for source, open standard and inter operable public good.
Agriculture  This will enable inclusive, farmer-centric solutions through relevant
information services for crop planning and health, improved access
to farm inputs, credit, and insurance, help for crop estimation, market
intelligence, and support for growth of agri-tech industry and start-
ups.



47 Agriculture
Agriculture 48
 8
Miscellaneous

1. COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES TO BENEFIT FARMERS

CONTEXT
The Union Cabinet has approved the formation of three new cooperative societies to focus on seed
availability to farmers, organic farming and exports, benefiting farmers.

Key-highlights
 Societies: The Cabinet approved the establishment of the;
 National Export Society
 National Cooperative Society for Organic Products
 National Level Multi-state Seed Cooperative Society
 Need of the initiative: Cooperatives that are associated with farmers, farmers’ income and agriculture
production are an important part of rural India.
 Significance: These cooperative societies will help realise the vision of “Sahakar Se Samriddhi”
(prosperity through cooperatives), and boost rural growth and farmers’ income.

What are Multi-state Cooperative societies?

 They are societies that have operations in more than one State, for instance, a farmer producers
Organisation that procures grains from farmers from multiple states.
 At present, India has more than 1,500 multi-State cooperative societies, with the highest number
being in Maharashtra.
 The MSCS Act 2002 was passed to govern such cooperatives whose members and areas of operation
are spread across more than one state.

Ministry of Cooperation:
 Formed in: 2021
 Objectives of creation of the new ministry:

49 Agriculture
  To realize the vision of “Sahakar se Samriddhi” (prosperity through cooperation).
 To streamline processes for ‘‘Ease of doing business’’ for co-operatives and enable the
development of Multi-State Co-operatives (MSCS)
 To provide a separate administrative, legal, and policy framework for strengthening the
cooperative movements in the country.
 To deepen the cooperative as a true people-based movement reaching up to the grassroots
level.

2. RESTRUCTURING UNDER SUGAR

DEVELOPMENT FUND (SDF) RULES 1983

CONTEXT
The Department of Food and Public Distribution issued guidelines for restructuring under Sugar
Development Fund (SDF) Rules 1983.

About Sugar Development Fund (SDF)

 The SDF is used to grant loans to the sugar mills for facilitating the rehabilitation and modernization/
Bagasse based co-generation power projects/ production of anhydrous alcohol or ethanol from
alcohol/ conversion of existing ethanol plant into Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) plant and development
of Sugarcane.
 The loans are provided at a concessional rate of 2% below the prevailing bank rate.

About new guidelines

 These guidelines are uniformly applicable for SDF loans availed by all types of concerns, including
Co-operative Societies, Private Limited Companies and Public Limited Companies.
 The restructuring of SDF rules is aimed to facilitate rehabilitation of financially weak but economically
viable sugar mills which have availed loans under the Sugar Development Fund (SDF) Act, 1982.

Sugarcane pricing in India

Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP):

 The FRP is the minimum price that sugar mills have to pay sugarcane farmers to insulate them from
increasing input costs.
 The FRP is linked to a basic recovery rate of sugar, with a premium payable to farmers for higher
recoveries of sugar from sugarcane.
 It is determined on the basis of recommendations given by the Commission for Agricultural Costs
and Prices (CACP), an expert body under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, and in
consultation with state governments.

Agriculture 50
 State-Advised Prices (SAPs):
 Some States including Uttar Pradesh declare SAP for sugarcane considering the cost of production
and productivity levels.
 The SAP is generally higher than the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP).

3. NORTHWARD SHIFT OF SUGARCANE

PRODUCTION IN INDIA: NSO

CONTEXT
Six sugarcane-producing northern Indian states saw a 42 per cent increase in their output value
between 2011 and 2020 while that of five states from the south declined 32.4 per cent during the
same period, according to the latest National Statistical Office (NSO) report.

Latest National Statistical Office (NSO) report findings:

 The report consists of data on output value from agriculture, forestry, and fishing.
 Increased trend: The cumulative production value of sugarcane in Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand increased from Rs 30,216 crore to Rs 42,920 crore in real
terms over the decade.
 Decreasing trend: Meanwhile, the sugarcane output in the five southern states of Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra declined from Rs 26,823 crore to Rs 18,119
crore in the corresponding period.

Reason for Northward shift:

 Northward shift in sugarcane production is on account of larger irrigated area in the region and
higher State Advisory Price (SAP) over and above the Centre’s Fair and Remunerative Price
(FRP) being offered in the north, especially by Uttar Pradesh.
 For example, the UP government pegged sugarcane SAP at Rs 340 per quintal last year whereas
sugarcane farmers in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra were only able to realise prices in
the range of Rs 280-310.
 Although Maharashtra is the leading sugar producer in India, Uttar Pradesh has the highest
sugarcane output value in the country.
 Barring Karnataka, which saw a marginal increase of 0.9 per cent in the output value, other sugarcane-
producing southern states like Telangana and Maharashtra also saw their output value decline by
nearly 50 and 27 per cent, respectively.
 Data sourced from the Reserve Bank of India shows total sugarcane production in the five southern
states has come down from 181.35 million tonnes (mt) to 130.65 mt during the 2011-2020 period
while the production in the six northern states has increased from 161.7 mt to 222.51 mt.

51 Agriculture
 4. SEBI BAN ON AGRI COMMODITIES TRADE

CONTEXT
Amid the continued suspension of derivates trading in seven Agri commodities, the farmers have
launched agitation outside the office of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in
Mumbai.

Derivative trade in commodities

 Agricultural commodities like cotton, paddy, soya bean, soya oil, mustard seed, etc., are traded
on the National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) and the Multi Commodity
Exchange (MCX).
 Derivatives are short-term financial contracts that are bought and sold in the market.
 Profits are made in the derivatives trade by predicting the price movements of the asset that
underlies the contract. The derivatives trade can be in futures and options.
 In a futures contract, a supplier pledges to sell a certain quantity at a fixed price at a future date.
 Also, farmers can put fixed amounts of their products, which fit the quality standards of the exchange,
to be sold at a fixed price, almost like price insurance.
 Both contracts can be excited by either the producer or the trader by paying a margin price to the
exchange.

5. BASIC ANIMAL HUSBANDRY STATISTICS 2023

CONTEXT
The Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying released the Basic Animal Husbandry
Statistics 2023 (milk, egg, meat and wool production 2022-23) based on Animal Integrated Sample
Survey (March 2022-February 2023) during the National Milk Day event at Guwahati.

The Mains Findings of Statistics are:

The Production of Milk, Egg, Meat and wool in the country is estimated annually based on the results
of Integrated Sample Survey (ISS) which is conducted across the country in three seasons i.e., summer
(March-June), Rainy (July-October) and winter (November-February).

 Milk Production: The total Milk production in the country is estimated as 230.58 million tonnes
during 2022-23 registered a growth of 22.81% over the past 5 years which was 187.75 million tonnes
in 2018-19.
 It was found that the highest milk producing State during 2022-23 was Uttar Pradesh with a share
of 15.72 % of total milk production followed by Rajasthan (14.44 %), Madhya Pradesh (8.73 %),
Gujarat (7.49 %), and Andhra Pradesh (6.70 %).
 In terms of annual growth rate (AGR), the highest AGR recorded by;

Agriculture 52
 Karnataka (8.76%) followed by West Bengal (8.65%) and Uttar Pradesh (6.99%) over the previous
year.
 Egg Production: The total Egg production in the country has estimated as 138.38 billion nos. during
2022-23 registered a growth of 33.31% growth over the past 5 years as compared to the estimates
of 103.80 billion numbers during 2018-19.
 The major contribution in the total Egg production comes from Andhra Pradesh with a share of
20.13 % of total Egg production followed by Tamil Nadu (15.58 %), Telangana (12.77 %), West
Bengal (9.94%) and Karnataka (6.51 %).
 In terms of AGR, the highest growth rate was recorded by West Bengal (20.10%) and followed by
Sikkim (18.93%) and Uttar Pradesh (12.80%).
 Meat Production: The total Meat production in the country is estimated as 9.77 million tonnes
during 2022-23 registered a growth of 20.39 % over the past 5 years as compared to the estimates
of 8.11 million tonnes in 2018-19.
 The major contribution in the total meat production comes from Uttar Pradesh with 12.20 % share
and followed by West Bengal (11.93 %), Maharashtra (11.50 %), Andhra Pradesh (11.20 %) and
Telangana (11.06 %).
 In terms of annual growth rate, the highest Annual Growth Rate (AGR) has recorded in Sikkim
(63.08%) followed by Meghalaya (38.34%) and Goa (22.98%).

6. WORLD’S LARGEST GRAIN STORAGE PLAN

CONTEXT
Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the constitution and empowerment of an Inter-Ministerial
Committee (IMC) for facilitation of the “world’s largest grain storage plan in cooperative sector” by
convergence of various schemes of the Ministries of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Consumer
Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Food Processing Industries.

Key Highlights:
 The Ministry of Cooperation is implementing a pilot project in at least 10 selected districts of
different States to ensure timely and uniform implementation of the plan in a professional manner.
 The committee will lay guidelines for creating infrastructure such as godowns, for agriculture and
allied purposes, at selected ‘viable’ Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).
 The plan will be implemented by utilising the available outlays provided under the identified schemes
of the respective Ministries.
 Lack of agricultural storage capacity leads to wastage of food grains and farmers are forced to sell
their crops at low prices.
 This plan will enable PACS to provide storage facilities and undertake many other activities, such as
Fair Price Shop and Custom Hiring Centres.
 Farmers could sell their crops to PACS by receiving some advance payment at the Minimum Support
Price, and get the balance after the PACS sold the food grains in the market.

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