COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has advised potato farmers to start sowing in February-March as prices of good quality potato would be around Rs 25-27 per kg in May-June.
It said potato sown in February-March is harvested in May and June and considering the expected price, farmers can sow potato crop.
India produced 46.39 million tonnes of potato over an area of 2.024 million hectares in 2013-14. Uttar Pradesh with 32 per cent, West Bengal (26 per cent) and Bihar (14 per cent) accounted for more than 70 per cent of total production.
The area and production of potato in Tamil Nadu was 5,350 hectares and 1.16 lakh tonnes in 2013-14, an increase of 35 per cent and 34 per cent, respectively, as compared to last year, it said.
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
The Devendra Fadnavis government in Maharashtra has decided to unlock more agricultural land for industrial use as the state government pulls all stops to attract more investment and maintain the status of a preferred business destination.
The floor space index (FSI) for setting up industries in agriculture zone is set to be raised by 150 per cent from 0.2 to 0.5 now. FSI is a development tool that defines the extent of construction permissible on a plot. It is the ratio of built-up area to the total plot area.
Besides this, the government has launched the process of doing away with provisions of the Bombay Tenancy and Agriculture Lands Act, 1948, which impose restrictions on the use of agricultural land for industrial use. Following a meeting chaired by Fadnavis last month, the state Industries Department has approached the Revenue department with a proposal in this regard, senior official confirmed. “The department has sent comments to the Revenue department for amending the Act for purchase of land for “genuine” industrial purpose,” a presentation made by the Industries department to Fadnavis on the proposal’s status said.
But the initiative to roll out a red carpet to industry captains won’t just be restricted to Maharashtra’s semi urban and urban centres. Senior government officials confirmed that a cabinet note had been finalised to do away with what is seen as the restrictive Industrial Location Policy (ILP) for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Further the government is also planning to ease the River Regulation Zone policy to ease norms pertaining to industrial activity in proximity to a river’s high flood line (HFL). The government has already sought the opinion of the law and judiciary departments in this regard, officials said.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis, who reviewed initiatives taken to improve ease of doing business in Maharashtra on Thursday, ordered action against industries who fail to utilise the allotted land within five years after having obtained non agriculture (NA) permission. “There are several instances where the land has not been put to use. The administration must impose a penalty in such cases initially, and then take back the land,” Fadnavis said.
During the meeting, heads of eight government departments and the Mumbai civic corporations made presentations on their plans to reduce the number of approvals required for setting up industries and the time taken for these. With 65 permissions or approvals needed to set up a business in the state now, the World Bank recently rated Maharashtra at the bottom of the pack at 142 when it comes to ease of doing business. On November 17, Fadnavis had directed all departments to bring down permissions sought by at least 25 per cent and reduce the time taken for these to 10 per cent.
Apurva Chandra, Principal Secretary, Industries, said that the “MIDC has already brought down the number of permissions from 14 to five.” Prior permissions for change of use, provisional fire approvals, and various infrastructure facilities including water, power, drainage, sewage treatment plants have been removed. Ajoy Mehta, Principal Secretary, Environment, said that his department was drafting a detailed policy to simplify environmental clearances. Mumbai civic commissioner Sitaram Kunte informed that “permission for building approvals will be brought down from 25 to 16.”
Courtesy : Indian Express
Hail storm struck several villages of Niphad, Sinnar, Malegaon, Chandwad, Baglan,
Deola and Yeolatalukas in Nasik districts on 11th December. This storm was associated with high
winds and un-seasonal rain. Deola received a rainfall of 16.3 mm and Yeola received 10.4 mm
on 11th December. Subsequently a rainfall of 18.5 mm was received in Dindoritaluka and
17.5mm in Sinnartaluka on 12th December. Rainfall in Malegaon taluka was 15 mm and in Deola
13 mm on 12th December. The damage to agricultural and horticultural crops due to hail storms
was state to be severe in some villages like Ruee, Satana, Chandwad and Wadner Bhairav. Crops
like grapes, pomegranate, onion, maize, vegetables and wheat in the hail storm struck areas were
damaged and the extent of damage is being assessed. Apart from Nasik district, some areas in
Dhule and Jalgaon districts were also affected due to hail storms. Leaf shedding, damages to
fruits/branches, flower/fruit drop were the type of damages occurred due to this hail episode. The
extent of area affected due to hailstorms was initially put at about 38,000 ha. Further, it is learnt
that majority of the horticultural gardens were covered by crop insurance. Stray incidents of
cattle loss were also reported. Sri Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra on his visit
to the hail hit areas observed the utility of imported hail nets in protecting the grape orchards. He
promised to make arrangements for the indigenous production of hail nets.
Contingency measures recommended in hail hit horticultural crops:
Grapes
- Remove berries affected by hailstorm and high intensity rainfall and apply Trichoderma to
such orchard to control fungus attack.
- If damage occurred to the stem and other branches of already harvested orchards, spray
copper fungicides.
- Due to hot and humid climate there is possibility of increasing incidence of downy mildew
and fruit flies. It is advocated to spray Metalaxyl 0.05%, Mancozeb 0.2% or Cymoxanil
0.05%,Dimethomorph 0.1% or phosphoric acid 0.2% for management of downy mildew.
Any systemic insecticides such as prophenophos may be sprayed to control fruit flies.
Pomegranate
- Under cloudy and humid conditions, the intensity of oily spot may increase. Suitable
measures like removal and burning of affected leaves, branches and fruits and then
application of 1% Bordeaux mixture or 25 g COC + 10 lit water may be done. If humid climate lasts for long time then after one week, spray 2.5 g Bromopol dissolved in10 lit of
water
- Remove hailstorm affected fruits. As per tree age and damage caused by hailstorm maintain
proper number of fruits by thinning. If Mrigbahar fruits are ready, then quickly harvest.
- Ifdamage is 100% in AmbeBahar orchard then it is suggested to manage MrugBahar
effectively for those half damaged branches by cutting and providing proper shape. If the
orchards are more than 5 years old, apply a booster dose of 19:19:19 fertilizer @300 g per
tree and give light irrigations at fortnight intervals.
- If damage is 50% in AmbeBahar orchard then following contingent measures may be
followed:
- Bring back the trees to the upright position and provide support with bamboo.
- As a long term strategy, establish wind breaks made of shevari and maize straw.
- Apply recommend dose of nutrients and apply nitrogen fertilizers dose in 3-4 splits.
- Apply 1% Bordeaux mixture or COC to affected stems.
- Spray orchard with 1% Bordeaux mixture (1 kg CuSO4 +1 kg CaSO4 +100 lit water) or 25 g
COC fungicides in 10 lit of water.
In field crops such as onion, wheat and vegetables, drain out excess water. In onion, purple blotch
and alternarialeafspot may develop and hence take up spray of mancozeb or chlorothalonil @0.2%.
Courtesy : ICAR
