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Gruner Renewable Energy has launched Kisani Urjaa Pvt. Ltd. (KUPL), marking its entry into the agtech sector with a $1 million investment aimed at enhancing farmer livelihoods through digital innovation and sustainable practices. The initiative addresses the significant issue of agricultural waste in India, where approximately 620 million tonnes are generated annually, with only 25-30% effectively utilized. KUPL focuses on efficient waste management solutions, particularly for paddy straw, to combat environmental degradation caused by practices like stubble burning. The company has introduced the Kisani Mobile App, which connects farmers to its services, allowing them to register available feedstock for easy collection scheduling. Founder Utkarsh Gupta emphasized the goal of creating a cleaner, greener future for farming communities by transforming agricultural waste into a valuable resource, thereby promoting sustainability and enhancing income opportunities for farmers. 
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Mar 20 2025, 5 pmeznews.inIn a recent meeting in Hyderabad, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Chairman Shaji K V briefed Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on the bank's ongoing initiatives in the state. NABARD is providing financial support for various infrastructure projects, including agriculture, irrigation, and healthcare. The discussions focused on collaboration opportunities under a Central scheme aimed at enhancing cooperation among cooperatives and promoting new primary agricultural societies. The Chief Minister expressed his commitment to supporting NABARD's efforts in agriculture and rural development, which are vital for the state's economy. Additionally, they explored potential partnerships in the power sector, the construction of storage facilities through self-help groups, and the development of palm oil processing capacities, as well as initiatives for micro, small, and medium enterprises. This collaboration underscores the importance of cooperative structures in bolstering the agricultural sector in Telangana.
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Mar 21 2025, 10 pmeznews.inIndian Railways has resumed importing wheel components from China due to a shortage of wheelsets, as its Rail Wheel Factory in Bengaluru faces production halts linked to axle supply issues. To address this, the Railways has ordered 60,000 to 70,000 axles from China and established a swap deal allowing wagon manufacturers to use surplus imported wheels for private orders, provided they supply all Indian-made wheels for public projects. This arrangement, effective until May 2025, aims to mitigate delays in railway deliveries. Despite the challenges, including a ₹200 crore axle line project in Bengaluru facing delays, wagon production has remained steady, averaging 3,557 wagons per month since October. The new axle line is expected to stabilize by mid-2025, enhancing self-reliance in wheelset production.
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Mar 21 2025, 8 pmeznews.inUnion Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, addressed the Lok Sabha on Friday, defending the Modi government's implementation of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) policy, which was previously criticized by the UPA government. Chouhan invited the Opposition to propose actionable suggestions for agricultural improvement, emphasizing Prime Minister Modi's commitment to farmer welfare. He noted that while the government had fulfilled its promise to set MSP at 50% over production costs, farmers continue to demand a shift to the comprehensive C2 cost basis as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission. Chouhan highlighted a significant increase in agricultural budget allocations since 2014, surpassing ₹10 lakh crore, compared to ₹1.5 lakh crore during the UPA's decade in power. He also announced the launch of a Digital Agriculture Mission, which will provide farmers with unique digital IDs to enhance their identification and support.
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Mar 21 2025, 9 pmeznews.inThe Indian government has commenced wheat procurement in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, with Rajasthan starting early and relaxing quality norms to facilitate the process. As of March 21, approximately 900 tonnes have been procured in Rajasthan since March 10, while Madhya Pradesh has seen around 17,000 tonnes since its procurement began on March 15. The Centre has set procurement targets of 60 lakh tonnes for Madhya Pradesh and 20 lakh tonnes for Rajasthan, with both states offering bonuses above the minimum support price (MSP) of ₹2,425 per quintal. The relaxation of quality standards in Rajasthan allows for a higher percentage of shrivelled and broken grains, aimed at alleviating farmer distress amid concerns of potential crop yield drops due to adverse weather. The government has mandated that wheat procured under these relaxed norms must be consumed within the state, placing the responsibility for quality deterioration during storage on the state government.
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Mar 21 2025, 8 pmeznews.inThe Indian rupee recorded its largest weekly gain in over two years, appreciating by 100 paise against the US dollar, as foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) shifted to net buying after a period of selling. The BSE Sensex rose 0.73% to close at 76,905.51, marking its highest weekly gain in more than four years, while the NSE Nifty 50 increased by 0.69% to 23,350.40. The rally was driven by strong performances in realty, PSU, and financial stocks, with the broader market indices also outperforming benchmarks. FPIs purchased equities worth ₹7,470.36 crore on Friday, despite domestic institutional investors offloading shares. Analysts attribute the positive momentum to anticipated reductions in risk-free rates and a correction in the dollar index. Market capitalization on the BSE surged to ₹40.92 lakh crore, with SBI Life and NTPC among the top gainers.
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Mar 21 2025, 8 pmeznews.inIndia's engineering goods exports for the fiscal year 2024-25 are projected to fall short of the targeted $118 billion, potentially reaching only $115 billion, according to the Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC). This decline follows a 7% drop in exports in February, with a similar trend expected in March, largely attributed to US President Donald Trump's recently imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium. EEPC Chairman Pankaj Chadha noted that approximately $5 billion of India's annual $20 billion engineering exports to the US would be impacted, with $1 billion already in transit facing tariffs upon arrival. As the US remains the primary market for Indian engineering goods, the industry faces challenges in diversifying due to increased competition and tariffs affecting all exporting countries. New Delhi is negotiating tariff concessions under a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) to mitigate the impact of reciprocal tariffs set to take effect on April 2.
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Mar 21 2025, 7 pmeznews.inIndia's tobacco exports have surged, doubling in value over the past four years, driven by increased global demand and production shortfalls in Brazil and Zimbabwe. According to the Commerce Ministry, exports reached $1.84 billion by February 2025, marking a 38.59% increase from the previous year, with projections suggesting they could hit $2 billion by March. Yashwanth Chidipothu, Chairman of the Tobacco Board, attributed India's robust production to effective COVID-19 vaccination efforts that allowed uninterrupted agricultural activities, unlike competitors who faced significant disruptions. Brazil's production plummeted from 700 million kg to around 460 million kg due to excessive rainfall, while Zimbabwe's output fell from 300 million kg to 260 million kg due to drought. This global shortage has led to heightened demand for Indian tobacco, with auction prices rising by approximately 10% this year, benefiting local growers significantly.
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Mar 21 2025, 7 pmeznews.inAgri-tech startup Fuselage Innovations has been recognized as the winner of the Startup Pitch Hub at the Convergence India 2025 Expo in New Delhi. The Kochi-based company, which specializes in drone technology for agricultural applications, has secured fully sponsored exhibition spaces at the Expand North Star in Dubai this October and G-TEX Europe in Berlin next May. Founded in 2020 by siblings Devan and Devika Chandrasekharan, Fuselage aims to enhance sustainable agriculture and food security through innovative digital solutions that monitor fertiliser application and disease outbreaks via aerial observation. The startup, which is incubated under the Kerala Startup Mission, also earned a place at the Super Challenge 2025 Startup Conference in Berlin and previously received the Prem Beht Excellence in Innovation Award. Additionally, Fuselage was selected for the UK’s Global Entrepreneurship Program in 2023, establishing its headquarters in the UK.
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Mar 21 2025, 7 pmeznews.inIndia and the United States are actively negotiating a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) aimed at reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers to enhance trade between the two nations, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that discussions are ongoing to establish a framework that would facilitate market access and expand trade. With a deadline approaching for US President Donald Trump to announce reciprocal tariffs on countries with high tariffs, including India, the Indian Commerce Ministry is consulting with various departments to identify less sensitive agricultural products for potential tariff reductions. While the US average tariff stands at 3.3%, India's is significantly higher at 17%. The BTA aims to boost bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030, with the first phase expected by Fall 2025. India is seeking to delay the implementation of US tariffs until the agreement is finalized.
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Mar 21 2025, 7 pmeznews.inThe Indian government has reported a significant reduction in the premium liability of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), with rates dropping from 15.9% in 2020-21 to 10.8% in 2023-24, following various interventions. Union Minister for Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a budget allocation of ₹12,242 crore for 2025-26, down from ₹15,864 crore in revised estimates for 2024-25, while also highlighting an increased outlay of ₹69,515.71 crore for the scheme from 2021-22 to 2025-26. The government is also focusing on climate resilience in agriculture through the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture and the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture project, which aims to develop technologies to combat climate change impacts. Additionally, the Tea Board has introduced a Price Sharing Formula to ensure fair prices for tea growers, while addressing wage delays for workers at certain tea estates due to financial issues within Andrew Yule & Company Ltd.
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Mar 21 2025, 6 pm
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