This Is Artha News Rss Feed. 19 May 2012 07:40:45 http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/default.aspx An article on the state of unorganized agriculture in India makes a case for building out a more robust food retail supply chain. The article sites that with high levels of damage to produce, middle men who take advantage of farmers, and a lack of an appropriate organized network, produce often reaches the consumer at a mark up of around 2000%. This presents an opportunity for businesses to build cold chains and direct better technology to farms, enabling both the farmer to receive a higher profit and consumers to receive better quality produce at a lower cost. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=1 1 02 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000 Indian social venture capital firm Aavishkaar Venture Management has recently invested in Insight and Intellect Farms, an Indian horticulture company that promotes sustainable farming practices through modern technology and high quality production and distribution. The investment is expected to help the company improve its supply chain management systems and processes and support high quality production. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=2 2 21 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000 ReportLinker has recently made available a report on the agriculture and food industry in India in 2011. The report covers the market size, consumption and production levels, warehousing and cold chains, and the food processing sector. Major players and areas for growth opportunities have also been assessed. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=3 3 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000 A few months ago, India’s largest pulp and paper company, Ballarpur Industries Ltd. (BILT), responded to the Business Call to Action (BCtA) (a global network of business leaders applying their skills to the challenges of poverty), by bringing 5,000 Central Indian farmers into its supply chain. In its efforts to promote sustainable tree farming and connect farmers to the formal market, the company will offer them financing to purchase pulpwood tree seeds, technical inputs, and guaranteed buy-back of the crops. Ballarpur’s new approach provides farmers with a steady source of income while also ensuring a steady source of raw materials for the company. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=32 32 02 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000 BBC photographs depict how Indian non-profit International Development Enterprises (IDEI) distributes affordable, eco-friendly irrigation equipment that helps small-scale Indian farmers sustain two to three crops a year. Irrigation technology, such as a treadle pump that is sold for as little as $12, is promoted in villages through movie demonstrations and follow-up rickshaw and jeep campaigns. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=33 33 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Mansukh Jagani, from Gujarat was named one of India’s seven most powerful rural Indians by Boston-based Forbes magazine. Jagani first developed the multi-use vehicle in 1994 and has since further refined it to be able to level, plough, weed, and sow farmland for approximately $0.20 per acre. It is both a fuel efficient and low-cost machine (up to 40% less than a conventional tractor), which helps farmers reduce their reliance on cattle, relatively expensive to maintain, to care for their land. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=34 34 14 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000 The World Bank is directing close to $8 million towards a watershed development project in Uttarakhand. The project, which started in 2004, required additional funds due to an increase in the price of goods and services since then. The watershed project has been developed to support agribusiness activities in the state. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=117 117 22 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), India’s largest dairy cooperative has started to procure approximately 700,000 – 800,000 litres of milk daily from dairy farmers outside of Gujarat to meet demand. The cooperative plans to increase its procurement from outside Gujarat from its current 7-8% of total procurement to 50% of total procurement so as to benefit a greater number of farmers. The cooperative pays its farmers up to $9 per 100kg of milk. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=118 118 29 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 In their efforts to monitor milk yields, Punjab’s Progressive Dairy Farmers Association (PDFA), are set to scientifically record yields from their cattle using certified software. The recordings will allow them the “highest-yielding cows and bulls born of such an alliance.” The information could benefit even small scale dairy farmers as their cattle could generate offspring, which could yield a greater amount of litres of milk per lactation. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=119 119 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 Israel and India may launch an agricultural fund to help develop the Indian agricultural sector. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=178 178 03 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000 Having experienced the highest cotton prices in the past 140 years, India is expecting to see increased acreage for sowing cotton in the major cotton growing states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. A large number of Indian farmers in these two states as well as Punjab and Haryana have already shifted from the production of other crops such as soyabean, groundnut, and rice to cotton production given the high prices. The President of the Cotton Association of India, Dhiren N. Seth, predicts continued increased acreage of up to 10-15% in 2011-2012. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=208 208 09 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000 An organic farming conference is to be held at the end of June in Bihar, India. The conference will bring together 60 agricultural scientists from India and around the world to discuss various aspects of organic farming. Their perspectives, combined with information from farmers and other agricultural experts, will help form a plan for organic farming in Bihar. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=209 209 20 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000 Market-oriented development is necessary if developing countries are to revolutionize their agricultural and food sectors. William Dar, Director General of the International Crops Research Institute of the Semi-Arid Tropics addressed the Global Summit on Green Revolution II – Growth Engine for Transformation in June in Hyderabad, explaining that nutritional and income security for smallholder farmers requires significant public investment. A study on a green revolution was also launched, emphasizing the need for public, private, and civil sectors should come together to promote agricultural development. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=210 210 17 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000 Boston-based company Promethean Power plans to further develop its innovative milk refrigeration system for countries in which temperatures regularly go above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and have inconsistent power supply. The company recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation to continue building the system. Countries like India, where there is both high levels of milk production and consumption, are Promethean’s target market. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=231 231 27 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000 India’s largest dairy cooperative, the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), had sales turnover of approximately $2.2 billion in the fiscal year 2010-2011. This has contributed to sales turnover of approximately $3 billion for its brand, Amul. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=150 150 02 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000 A New York Times blog discusses the irrigation situation in India for millions of small-scale farmers. Those who have access to drip irrigation systems are seeing high yields and profits. However, the majority of Indian farmers use flood irrigation techniques or are dependent only upon the monsoon, thereby only having variable yields. While lower cost efficient irrigation systems are being developed, such as those by Jain Irrigation, most farmers are still unable to afford them. Nevertheless, conglomerates such as Godrej, seem to be purchasing some even more lower cost and simple systems to be distributed to small-scale farmers in efforts to increase crop yields and reduce water consumption. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=81 81 14 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000 The Hindu discusses challenges for farmers in actually reaping the benefits of sales of perishable commodities such as fruits and vegetables. In an agricultural supply chain that is dominated by middle men and comission agents that work in the space between farmers and retailers, the largest profits are often realized by those taking advantage of fragmented supply chains, lack of information, and lack of transparency. Currently however, large brands are also taking profits away from farmers, as farmers "share in the consumer price keeps reducing even as the consumer keeps paying more." The article states that in India, perishable commodities often have a 50% mark up when sold in urban markets. The article also puts forth potential conditions for when retail policy is being finalized for big brands and during foreign direct investment. One such condition stipulates that "Foreign Direct Investment in retail can be allowed provided 75 per cent of the total retail sales of agriculture produce are purchased directly from the farmers." In trying to make farmers more productive and profitable, the Government of India has increased funding to help build capacity among such farmers. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=264 264 31 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000 Ramesh S. Arunachalam discusses sugarcame farmers in India as an example of a low-income group that can be provided with appropriate financial services even when the microfinance industry is going through a transition. Traditionally, small sugarcane farmers are part of a tripartite model through which contract farming allows a farmer to receive a bank loan to purchase inputs and pay labourers for producing sugarcane and sugar factories purchase the sugarcane and provide technical assistance to the farmer. However, as in the example presented by Arunachalam, the system often works against the smallholder farmer. Farmers may not receive necessary technical assistance or good quality inputs (seeds and fertilizers) to begin with, which results in a poor harvest. In addition, sugar factories may delay orders, which results in over-ripe crops. Finally, inadequate transportation systems can lead to delays and ruin the quality of crops, which results in less profit for farmers. Consequently, Arunachalam argues that farmers must receive more consistent and fair financial services, which can be done through microfinance institutions, rural banks, and mandates by the Reserve Bank of India. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=278 278 03 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000 Micro-irrigation maker Jain Irrigation and beverage company Coca-Cola are teaming up to invest $2 million in technology to help mango farmers double their yields. As the largest manufacturer of mango pulp, puree, and concentrate in India, Jain Irrigation supplies 60% of its mango pulp production to Coca-Cola, which uses it in its juice drinks and brands such as ‘Maaza.’ With a growing fruit beverage industry in India, Coca-Cola hopes to further secure its supply of mango pulp by investing in advanced technology and training farmers in Ultra High Density Plantation practice, which can help them significantly increase their yields. http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=289 289 14 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000 **URGENT** : eFarm needs Volunteers for an upcoming 'Farmer's Mela' exhibition at Bangalore next week. (Ideally people from Chennai or bangalore ). Krishi Mela, is an annual event at Univ of Agri Sciences, Hebbal draws more than 5 lakh farmers across S.India. This year it is going to be held between Nov 16-21, in Bangalore at the UAS campus in Hebbal, bangalore. eFarm is putting up a booth at the exhibition and would be showcasing our work /offerings and launch our new Farmer portal - eFarmDirect. There is lot of backend work which is happening at our Chennai office as well. Tonnes of fun, Loads of goodies and the experience of the BIGGEST mela of your life awaits those who sign up ! Key areas of volunteer work - (Both Chennai and Bangalore ) • Sales & Marketing : Pre-event preparation of brochures, media DVDs, coordination, Customer handling, Counter sales • Event Management : The 'fall guys' who can get anything done, and fixing anything which isn't done - ON TIME ! • Graphic design/Multimedia : Design of Brochures, Banners,Marketing material like T-shirts, Badges etc., - The 'arts' ad 'works' - kewl, chic and dirt cheap ;-) • IT/Tech Support : Website development , Android front end dev, LAN setup at venue - whiz kids, fast fingers ! • Content writers/Bloggers : Translations of content to local languages, Blog/Audio-Video Log, Press & Media coordination • Helpdesk : Handle customer queries, Multi-language interpreters, Backoffice coordination • Cash management: Handle Point Of Sale activity at the venue- the 'bean' counters , literally !! • Cheer leaders - Just be our buddies/fans , spread the word in FB/Twitter, handle the water cans and chai breaks ,come over to cheer our team, - sorry, bikinis not allowed per our HR policy ;-) To volunteer - Pls contact : Veena (veena@efarm.in) or Sasanka (sasanka@efarm.in). Ph 044-43577236 / 9176072449. If you are not a madrasi or bangalurian, you can still chip in, as lot of tasks can be done over net/web. Do let us know your preferences. Key links : • Univ. Of Agri Sciences, Bangalore (event organisers) : www.uasbangalore.edu.in • eFarm : www.efarm.in Btw, if you would to sponsor/ donate equipment/ offer rentals at subsidised costs do reach out to Srivalli (valli@efarm.in) . http://www.arthaplatform.com/News/newsdetail.aspx?id=310 310 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000