15.11.2018

Canada - Potatoes left in field following poor autumn harvest conditions

Potato growers suffered major losses, and a lot of onions and carrots were never pulled from the ground this fall. And some farmers are still out combining their corn and sunflowers over snow-covered fields. But, by and large, cereal crops and most vegetables fared well despite a near-drought summer followed by a cold, wet fall. "It just takes some patience this year," provincial crop analyst Anastasia Kubinec said. The hardest hit were potato growers who couldn’t harvest eight per cent of their crop. About 5,200 of 64,000 planted acres weren’t harvested because fields didn’t dry out. Portage la Prairie farmers were hard hit, with several losing half their potatoes. "It’s an unprecedented figure," Dan Sawatzky, general manager of the Keystone Potato Growers Association, said. "The potato producers association has been around for 50 years and never had to abandon that many acres." Potato growers started harvests in the second week of September, and that’s when the cold, damp weather moved in. "You can’t dig potatoes when the soil’s too wet," Sawatzky said. Then frost hit on Oct. 11 and the season was over. Yields were averaging the third-best on record for what was harvested. "It’s a huge impact. It could set some farms back four to five years as far as their ability to expand," Sawatzky said. About 55 farms grow potatoes in Manitoba. Not all producers have crop insurance. But coverage levels range from 50 to 80 per cent, minus 15 per cent for not having to harvest the potatoes, of a 10-year average yield. That’s not great compensation with yields increasing in the past few years, Sawatzky said. Some potatoes have already been imported from Alberta to supply processors. Some vegetable producers have reported a total loss of the onion crop, but Mayfair Farms near Portage only lost 20 per cent of its crop, manager Melanie Moran said. "We mostly hobbled through it. It was a different harvest," she said. About 80 acres of carrots went unharvested at Jeffries Brothers Vegetable Farms, owner Roland Jeffries said. "We had to leave some in the ground because it was too wet. We just couldn’t get out and dig," Jeffries said. Jeffries Brothers also grows parsnips, zucchini, asparagus, red beets and strawberries. There are some crop producers with 80 per cent of their corn still in the field in southwestern Manitoba, said Bill Campbell, Keystone Agricultural Producers’ president. There are still a few fields of wheat and canola that were not harvested, added Campbell, who farms near Minot, south of Brandon. Cereal crops harvested late are typically downgraded to Grade 3 or feed grade, he said. It could have been a lot worse, Campbell said. "For the most part, agriculture had a surprisingly good year," he said. The last provincial crop report at the end of October estimated 20 per cent of sunflowers and 40 per cent of corn was still in the fields. "It’s not the weather anymore" that’s preventing those crops from being harvested but "drying capacity," crop analyst Kubinec said. "Producers are taking crop off and drying it as they go. Or, if they don’t have a dryer, they’re waiting until it gets a bit colder so it’s not as high in moisture content," she said. "As long as we don’t get six feet of snow, combining in these conditions is no issue. It’s actually easier now because the ground is frozen solid." Source - https://www.winnipegfreepress.com

14.11.2018

Canada - Predators taxing livestock ranchers

Predation losses are mounting, and producer frustration is growing. The issue of livestock kills is once again high on the agenda of beef producers as they gather at district meetings this fall. Wolves and other predators repeatedly take out animals, and aggravation is mounting that solutions to a problem as pressing as this gain so little traction year after year. Why it matters: Manitoba livestock producers have been suffering from rising predation losses for a number of years, but say they can’t get any action on their concerns. “I’m not going to say I’m as frustrated as producers are because I’d probably get run out of town, but we are certainly frustrated as well,” Brian Lemon, Manitoba Beef Producers general manager, said at District 9’s meeting October 23, attended by Interlake producers who are being especially hard hit from repeat wolf kills and feel a real threat to livelihoods. Some have reported losses as high as 10 per cent of herds, plus there are other production losses such as from cows aborting pregnancies due to predation stresses. One faint hope now lies with the Livestock Predator Protection Working Group (LPPWG)’s efforts, however. It is now in the very earliest stages of putting together a pilot program that will demonstrate the kind of supports producers need. MBP has just received funding approval through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) to help this group, which also includes sheep and goat producers, to start designing a pilot project. Lemon says the group is still in its infancy and the design work lays ahead, but generally there are three main components to such a program. There will be a way to remove problem predators. There will be a reasonable compensation program for producer losses. And there will be a program of on-farm risk assessments to help producers do what they can to minimize losses. That would include herd management practices such as more regular pasture checks, timely disposal of deadstock so it doesn’t attract predators, and so on, Lemon said. “One piece of the puzzle is always going to be making sure that producers do the proper risk assessments,” Lemon said. The term ‘problem predators’ will be key in helping the public understand what livestock producers’ concerns are, and what they’re specifically asking for, Lemon said. “We’re not trying to remove all predators,” he said. “We’re trying to remove the ones that have developed a taste for beef and threaten our livelihoods.” These right now predominantly include wolves worrying Interlake producers, but coyotes, bears and even cougars kill cattle, too. Lemon said the real work ahead lies with convincing the rank and file within the Department of Sustainable Development, whose focus is largely on the protection of wildlife, that even as beef producers ask for protection from these problem predators, they also play a key conservation role on the landscape — and that they value wildlife, too. “Increasingly, we as beef producers recognize that there is this intersection between the environment and beef production, and what that means is increasingly there’s an intersection between (the) Agriculture and Sustainable Development (ministries),” he said. What’s needed is a better understanding of that because “that gives us a chance to tell our story differently,” he told the District 9 producers’ meeting. “It’s a long, slow process, but we’re kind of pulling the Titanic around an iceberg here.” Manitoba’s beef producers are by no means alone in their predicament. The Manitoba Sheep Association (MSA), representing over 400 sheep and lamb producers in Manitoba is also at the table of the LPPWG. Its members continuously lose animals to predation, said Kate Basford, MSA executive director of the MSA and a Winnipegosis-area sheep producer. “It’s definitely something that we talk about all the time,” she said. “As you can well imagine, if cattle are being predated sheep are that much more vulnerable to be taken down by any number of animals. At one time it was just coyotes. There’s an area not far from me that has a bad wolf problem. It seems to come in cycles.” Basford added that sheep producers do often deploy guard dogs because their flocks are so vulnerable to predation and many have found them an effective deterrent. “The value of a few dogs goes a long way,” she said. Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC) statistics show in 2017 there were 1,878 predation claims covering all types of livestock, including beef, sheep and goats. More than $1.8 million was paid out in compensation to producers for their losses. So far, halfway through the reporting period for 2018, there have been 1,387 total claims for predation kills across the province. That number also includes 326 wolf claims in 2018 specifically. But, producers also insist the MASC numbers don’t tell the whole story, due to the fact its Wildlife Damage Compensation Program only compensates those who can provide sufficient evidence of a predator kill. Aside from being unable to provide an accurate account of the situation, that also means lost revenues amounting to tens of thousands of dollars among hardest-hit producers. Lemon said MBP is continuing its voluntary cattle loss survey asking producers to help their organization better define the scope of the problem. “We continue to collect the surveys,” he said. “Anecdotally, talking to producers I’ve heard from a couple losing as much as 10 per cent of their herd. Those would be the extremes probably. It’s something we’ll add up when we’re done with our district meetings and we should have numbers towards the middle of November.” Source - https://www.manitobacooperator.ca

14.11.2018

India - Kashmiri apple; an industry which faces destruction due to ignorance

Kashmir is the home of delicious tasty fruit Apple in the world. Every year tonnes of apples are exported in the outside Mundis of the country from Kashmir. About 75% of apple production in India comes from Jammu and Kashmir. The production of apples and the cultivation area both had increased from last 15 to 16 years in the state.  Though the production has increased, the condition of farmers has not improved. The largest apple producing district in the Kashmir valley is Baramullah, lies about 76 km from Srinagar summer capital of Jammu And Kashmir State. There are different kinds of apples grown in the valley. Some of them are pure delicious, American, Maharaj,Kulu Dilicious, etc. Lal Ambri, Sunhari, Akbar, Firdous, Shireen, Shalimar Apple-1, Shalimar Apple-2 are the new varieties of Apples released by SKUAST-K. Apple is commercially the most important temperate fruit and is fourth among the most widely produced fruits in the world after banana, orange and grape. Although apple can be grown in all temperate regions including both the northern and the southern hemisphere it is not possible in the tropical climate of the south Asia. Hence apple is grown in the Kashmir valley because of the climatic conditions prevailed there. With Rs 9000 crore plus turnover, the apple cart is the main mover and shaker of Kashmir’s countryside economy. Since the Kashmir culture is unique in world. The locals easily identify the fruits grown in the valley with their names. The apple in Kashmir is locally called ‘Chunt’. Most of the delicious apple is found in northern parts the quality of delicious depends upon the weather conditions and also on the soil. The soil which is considered best for the production of apple trees is mountainous soil which the valley has as most of area of the valley is mountainous. Their also some lower areas in the valley which are not considered best for the production, such as soils Locally called demb is not considered fit for the production. Source: Jammu and Kashmir Horticulture department According to official data, the area under cultivation for apples in Jammu and Kashmir jumped from 141.7 hectares in 2011-12 to 157.28 hectares in 2012-13.But production has declined. One of the main reasons, the officials said, is that traditional fertile apple fields have given way to unplanned urbanization and conversion into residential areas. Overall, the national domestic production also declined to about 18.85 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 from about 25 lakh tonnes in the previous year. Dwindling supplies from the 2016-17 crop caused prices for the 2017-18 crop to start out strong, especially for varieties in high demand that experienced supply shortages. Fruit quality for the 2017-18 crops was reported better than last year. Similar to the 2016-17 crop, the 2017-18 crop was large. The industry is optimistic about fruit size and quality, which should improve marketability. Pricing will remain favorable for growers with modern varieties while those with dated or less desirable fruit may continue experiencing declining demand. A research institute Sher-Kashmir-Institute-of Agriculture Science and Technology Kashmir (SKUAST-K) was established in the valley to help the farmers how to increase the production.The institute gives advice to farmers about the use of fertilizers, pesticides and diseases of the apple fruit, how to use fertilizers and pesticides in apple orchards. Apple cultivation came to Kashmir in 1930. In the beginning, the total area covered under apple trees were 12000 hectares. But with the time it increased many folds. First the apple trees were grown in the spore town of the valley. Though the plantation first started from the northern part of valley. But it spread with the great speed in the other parts of valley. The southern parts of the Kashmir soon become prominent in the apple production. The southern districts of Kashmir Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian are leading producers in the apple production today. The Shopian district which is mostly covered by apple trees and is known for its quality of apples in the country. In overall production Baramullah is the leading producer of apple in Kashmir and in Shopian comes in second place in production. The main reasons behind the widespread plantation and cultivation of the apple were due to its high output. The production also increases far and wide in the valley. Since the climate in the valley is of temperate type it is best suitable for the apple production. A major snowfall on fourth day of this November in Kashmir had destroyed the apple trees which had led to destruction of this industry. According to an estimate, apple industry suffered a loss of 5000 crore rupees. The snowfall which destroyed the trees and even the apples which where not been plucked at that time had destroyed the hope of apple growers. Soon after the snowfall large numbers of people were seeing crying loudly in their apple orchards. “it is our property it our hope we can do nothing without this this is our property and we love it more than our children,” said Abdu Hamid Naik, an apple grower. The apple orchard of Abdul hamid was almost completely destroyed with the destructive snow which fall in the starting of this month. Despite this destruction the government is not paying too much attention to this industry. The unconditional snowfall left many questions in the minds of growers. What can we do now because an apple tree takes 10 to 15 years to give fruit? When this apple trees were broken into pieces what is left for us. They are seeing towards the government to get a relief for the destroyed apple trees.because according to horticulture survey about 60percent of trees was destroyed by snowfall. Source - http://www.dailyhawker.com/

14.11.2018

Argentina - Rains could affect the quality of pears and apples

According to the first private reports of the apple and pear harvest in the region of the Valley of Rio Negro and Neuquen, there's been a slight growth in the apple production when compared to the last season. In pears, the situation is not so clear. Even though the first official data hasn't been released yet, most of the producers and businessmen consulted have stated that their production has increased by around 10% and in some cases up to 20%. Taking this data into account, the pear and apple harvest for the 2018/2019 season should yield around 1.1 million fruits. While there were no major frost damage in most of the productive valley so far this spring, there were two hailstorms that affected crops in Roca and Villa Regina. This season's problem is not the volume but the quality of the fruit. The large number of rainy days there's been in the region has a direct impact on the activity, as the orchards must be treated with agrochemicals to prevent fungal diseases. In many areas of the Valley producers have already made three applications, but as wet weather continues, they might have to continue with this type of treatment in the coming weeks. Each application costs around 100 dollars per hectare. That is to say that a producer with 25 hectares in production, has already invested more than 250,000 pesos to date. A cost that, no doubt, was not contemplated by producers at the end of the winter, when they forecast how many applications they'll need in the season. It's not the best scenario, taking into account the large amount of abandoned land and the higher probabilities of pest propagation, as the Valley is expected to be very hot and have a high humidity n the coming days. According to official sources, the fruit sector will have a more accurate forecast or the 2018/2019 harvest before the end of the year, as this is key to programming the season. Source - http://www.freshplaza.com

14.11.2018

USA - Lake, Mendocino grape growers push for federal aid to help with smoke-taint damage

Grape growers from Lake and Mendocino counties are lobbying for federal disaster aid as a result of smoke damage to their crop from the Mendocino Complex fires this summer. Lake County growers have already lost at least $37.1 million from smoke-tainted grapes this year, according to a survey by the Lake County Winegrape Commission. The 2017 crop was valued at $84 million before those grapes were turned into wine. Likewise, Mendocino County grape growers are expected to release their own survey soon that also will show they suffered extensive losses. That crop was valued at $120 million last year. Local and state winegrape industry officials on Sunday sent a letter to U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, asking him to push to include the industry in disaster-aid legislation that may move through Congress soon. That effort is specifically designed to help timber growers who were harmed by Hurricane Michael that barreled through Florida, Georgia and Alabama last month. “This year, persistent exposure to heavy smoke, produced by uncontrolled wildfires, resulted in substantial losses to winegrape growers in Lake and Mendocino counties,” wrote John Aguirre, president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers, along with leaders of various farm groups from Lake and Mendocino counties. “When grapes subjected to heavy smoke exposure are processed into wine a matrix of compounds may be released that impart smoky, ash-like aromas and taste to the resultant wine,” they wrote. Numerous Lake County growers have seen their contracts canceled by big wineries such as Treasury Wine Estates and Constellation Brands Inc. over such smoke concerns. They have been forced to either discount their winegrape crop, make their own bulk wine out of the questionable fruit, or in the worst case scenario leave it hanging on the vine and hope their crop insurance will cover the losses. The local growers are asking Congress to extend a program that covered some industry losses from the 2017 California wildfires into this year’s fires, and allow that relief to go into 2020 to provide a safeguard for problems that may be discovered during bottling or in the marketing of the wine. The groups also want the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish a better testing protocol to detect for smoke compounds in grapes and $5.25 million to support research on smoke exposure to winegrapes. “With so many constituents in the grape-growing community, I am acutely aware of the challenges facing many growers in Lake and Mendocino counties following this summer’s tragic fires, Thompson said in a statement. “I am working with my colleagues to pursue every avenue of federal assistance,” he added. Thompson owns a 20-acre vineyard in Lake County. Source - https://www.pressdemocrat.com

14.11.2018

USA - Cold snap brings snow, slows harvest - again

With harvesting about three-quarters complete in most areas of the state, Mother Nature continued her relentless pressure on farmers trying to finish fall harvest. Heavy rain at the start of the week turned to snow as a cold snap settled over the state, leaving farmers only a few days to get off as much corn and soybeans as possible. Temperatures well below normal — in the 20s and 30s for daytime highs — and 2 inches of snow last Friday with flurries throughout the weekend, kept fieldwork progress slow, according to the U. S. Department of Agriculture Wisconsin Crop Progress and Condition report. High winds and sun cleared the ground in southern Wisconsin though and freezing temperatures started to firm the soil. However, lingering snow cover in northern Wisconsin worsened already poor field conditions, insulating the mud and sticking to standing crops, according to the crop report. "Considerable acres of soybeans" couldn't be harvested in Green County as progress slowed last week. Some corn was harvested, but soil conditions remained wet, according to the report. Snow last week caused some farmers across the state to give up on the idea of fourth crop hay.  (Photo: Colleen Kottke/Wisconsin State Farmer) Rain on Sunday stopped all field work in Clark County where a lot of corn and soybeans are still on the fields and have to wait until the ground freezes to get crops harvested. The story was the same across the state. Rain in Shawano County made fields difficult to maneuver in. "A hard freeze firmed the ground up, but significant snowfalls took the frost out again," the Shawano reporter said. "The snow also stayed on the corn so that we could not combine it at these temperatures." In Fond du Lac and Washington counties, field work ground to a halt with 1.70 inches of rain between Nov. 4 - 6. "The inch or two of snow that fell on the 9th hasn't really complicated things more," the reporter noted. "The significant corn and bean acreage still in need of harvest will have to wait until the ground freezes deep enough to let the equipment pass over. With high temps running 15 degrees below normal this might be sooner rather than later." Many farmers had to abandon harvesting fourth crop hay, due to timing of corn silage harvest and the very wet fall, according to the the Kewaunee and Door County reporter. "Some of them had to make the call and harvest it during the last two weeks to help with inventories," the reporter said. "We'll see how the winter treats those fields, but they're expecting to take hay out in the spring if they need to. Corn and soybean harvest continues very slowly with rainfall nearly every day." Lots of corn fodder was harvested for bedding in St. Croix County. Manure application took place in Eau Claire County as many storage units are reaching maximum capacity. Some producers in Vernon County were still trying to plant some cover crops. Fall harvest and tillage picked up where soil conditions allowed equipment to operate in Outagamie and Waupaca counties. Farmers in Sawyer County joined many others across the state waiting for the ground to freeze to harvest remaining standing corn and beans. Source - https://www.wisfarmer.com

13.11.2018

Canada - Rain worries potato growers

Fall weather complicated the harvest of potatoes in Canada, which is not yet over. Indeed, in order to harvest, potatoes must be dry and not too cold. On Prince Edward Island, the provincial agency estimates that $40 to $50 million could be lost if the harvest does not continue before the advent of freezing temperatures. Beyond financial losses, farmers will be unable to meet customer demand. Source - http://www.freshplaza.com

13.11.2018

USA - Crop Insurance will integrate with elevator data, app

Rain and Hail (the ag division of Chubb) and Myriad Mobile have announced a partnership to integrate crop insurance data with the Bushel app and its customers—elevators, cooperatives, and ethanol plants. This will digitally connect farmers to their grain destination and triangulate together with their crop insurance agent. The end goal is to streamline the reporting process as part of the Multiple Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) program. “Chubb is committed to the agriculture business and is continually looking for ways to simplify the crop insurance program for growers,” Scott Arnold, President of Rain and Hail said in a news release. “The addition of Bushel to our platform provides growers and agents a quick and efficient way to report critical production information that can help save them time during their busy harvest seasons.” The pilot program was conducted in 2018, and the companies say it will expand nationwide in 2019. Source - https://www.agprofessional.com

13.11.2018

USA - Hurricane Michael caused $1.5 billion in agriculture losses, mostly in forestry

Florida suffered almost $1.5 billion in agriculture losses due to Hurricane Michael hitting the Panhandle last month, a new report from the state government finds. On Friday, outgoing state Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam announced that the timber industry suffered the overwhelming majority of agriculture losses from the hurricane as that sector lost $1.3 billion while other agriculture industries suffered almost $200 million. “Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle, and many of Florida’s rural communities, which rely heavily on agriculture, took the worst hit. As we continue to rebuild, we must prioritize rural economic development programs at the local, state and federal levels,” Putnam said on Friday. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ preliminary report, the losses are as follows: Total Florida agriculture: $1,481,843,193 Forestry: $1,289,023,465 Cotton: $49,877,183 Cattle: $43,319,925 Peanuts: $23,049,369 Nurseries and Floriculture: $16,117,366 Poultry and Eggs: $10,026,000 Vegetables: $8,613,841 Other Field Crops: $7,282,946 Dairy: $6,435,000 Aquaculture: $5,000,887 Fruits: $4,356,663 Tree Nuts (including pecans): $4,089,676 Apiary: $1,960,000 “This report summarizes estimated crop losses and total losses for each commodity group. Crop losses include: reduced agricultural sales due to wind or flood induced product losses, decreased yields, spoiled product, and dead livestock. Total losses include crop losses in addition to ancillary losses experienced by producers, such as: debris cleanup, additional feed or harvest costs, damage to land, infrastructure, and equipment,” the Florida Agriculture Department noted. “These estimates are based on data obtained from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, the UF-IFAS Reports on crop damage from hurricane Michael, Timber Damage Estimates prepared by the Florida Forest Service, and individual assessment surveys the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services conducted with industry leaders and individual producers.  These are early estimates and the total agricultural economic losses resulting from Hurricane Michael may change.” Source - https://www.floridadaily.com

13.11.2018

India - Snow-hit farmers demand crop insurance

Scores of fruit growers and traders from south Kashmir staged a massive protest, demanding implementation of crop insurance and adequate compensation to farmers affected by the recent snowfall that inflicted heavy damage on apple orchards. Untimely snowfall on November 3 and 4 has not only destroyed hanging fruits, but also damaged apple trees in orchards across Shopian. The protest was held under the banner of Jammu and Kashmir Kisan Tehreek (JKKT), whose general secretary Ghulam Nabi Malik demanded immediate monetary relief to farmers and implementation of crop insurance scheme in the Valley. Last week, the governor's administration had approved enhancement of the quantum of relief from Rs 18,000/ha to Rs 36,000/ha for damage to perennial crops like apple. While welcoming increase in compensation, Malik said the package was still inadequate. The payment at the enhanced rate wouldn't exceed Rs 4,000 per affected farmer having land less than one ha, he said, pointing out the fact that the package covered sown/planted areas only. "The recent snowfall caused a deadly blow to agriculture and horticulture sectors of the Valley. We estimate the losses to be over Rs 1,500 crore. It will be wrong to say that only apple orchards have suffered damages. Snowfall has caused widespread devastation," Malik said. Gulzar Ahmad Dar, an affected fruit grower from Shopian, said unexpected snowfall has not only caused damage to the hanging fruits but has broken tree branches. "It will take at least ten years for the damaged trees to come back to their original state to be able to bear such a huge quantity of apples," Gulzar added. Aadil Ahmad, a fruit grower from Rafiabad area of north Kashmir, said the snowfall damaged 30% of apple crop. Reports of damage to apple orchards came from areas such as Kandi and Abhama in Pulwama district, and Keller in Shopian district. Orchardists in these areas said apples had fallen from trees due to snow and both fruits and trees had suffered damage. Mohammad Shafi, a fruit grower from Keller, said branches of hundreds of trees were damaged in his village. In central Kashmir's Budgam district, apple growers said fruits worth crores of rupees got damaged at several places, including Charar-e-Sharief, Pakherpora, Chadoora, Budgam, Khan Sahab, Beerwah, Khag, Soibug, Magam, Arizal, Palpora and Poshker. Official figures reveal that apples worth Rs 10,000 crore are exported every year, making it the most valuable industry of the state. The sector has been successful in providing direct and indirect employment to 25 lakh people, according to official figures. Source - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

13.11.2018

Canada - Prince Edward Island farmers say 15% of crops still in ground

Last week, Bryan Maynard, the co-owner of Farm Boys Inc. was waiting for fields to dry enough so that his crew could get back to harvesting the 30% of their potato crop that's still in the ground. Further west, in Alma, Wendell Dunbar said he’s down to his last 20 acres or so. “The first few rains didn’t hurt too much. Actually, it helped,” he said of the early October precipitation that followed an arid growing season. “But now it’s beyond that.” Besides the deluge of rain over the past month, the fields have endured some cold nights. “We need help,” Dunbar said, suggesting crop insurance will not even cover cost of production. He’d like to see the P.E.I. Potato Board become vocal about what he views as a disastrous crop. Besides dealing with poor harvesting conditions, Dunbar said this year’s poor growing season has him harvesting only “half-a-crop”. Back on Maynard’s farm, the farmer said the yield in his area is relatively good, but he sympathizes with growers further west, like Dunbar, where the growing season was the driest he’s seen in a long time. He said the crop Island-wide will be impacted by the rain and the frost. “I’ve heard a statistic that there was 30% of the crop left on P.E.I. when those conditions became really serious,” he said. P.E.I. Potato Board general manager Greg Donald said the latest estimate has 15% of the Island’s crop, approximately 13,000 aces, still in the ground as of Wednesday. Source - http://www.freshplaza.com

12.11.2018

India - Under Modi’s crop insurance scheme, premiums up 350% but farmers' coverage stagnant

In January 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a revamped crop insurance scheme, his government’s flagship scheme for farmers, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). It would “bring about a major transformation in the lives of farmers”, Modi had said at the time. However, after the implementation of the PMFBY, the number of farmers covered by crop insurance has gone up only by 0.42%. On the other hand, premiums paid to insurance companies have increased by 350%, according to data that the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare provided under a Right to Information (RTI) application. When the government announced the new scheme, it said that the PMFBY “incorporates the best features of all previous schemes and at the same time, all previous shortcomings/weaknesses have been removed”. It claimed that farmers will have to pay lower amounts as premium and that through the use of technology, the government will ensure ‘quicker settlement of claims’ compared to the previous crop insurance schemes. Government claims not borne out by data For the two seasons that the PMFBY has been implemented (2016-17 and 2017-18), insurance companies – private and public – collected a gross premium of Rs 47,408 crore. Total claims paid as on October 10, 2018 was Rs 31,613 crore. For 2014-15 and 2015-16, when the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS) were operational before getting subsumed under the PMFBY, the gross premium collected was Rs 10,560 crore. And total claims paid, at Rs 28,564 crore, was in fact more than the premium collected. Source: RTI response of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s welfare dated October 10. Farmers express no confidence, but premiums continue to increase So, under the PMFBY, gross premium collected increased by Rs 36,848 crore or 348%, but the coverage has remained pretty much stagnant. In 2015-16, before the launch of the PMFBY, 48.55 million farmers in India were enrolled in the existing crop insurance schemes. By the end of 2017-18, two years into the PMFBY and despite insurance companies having collected Rs 47,408 crore as premium, the number of farmers covered by crop insurance has increased by only two lakh, or 0.42%. In fact, during the first year (2016-17) of the PMFBY, the total number of farmers covered increased to 57 million. But in the next year (2017-18), the number fell to 48 million, a drop of 14%. Signalling that farmers’ initial expectations regarding the benefits of the scheme were not met, a large proportion – of those who could, since enrolment in PMFBY is compulsory for farmers who take crop loans – opted out. Source: RTI response of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s welfare dated October 10, 2018. Similarly, the total crop area insured has increased from 46.39 million hectare to only 49.04 million hectares after the implementation of the PMFBY. And as in the case of number of farmers insured, the coverage area also declined between 2016-17 and 2017-18. Compare this with the target that the Modi government had set for itself – bringing 100 million hectares under PMFBY by 2018-19. The target remains as far as it was when the scheme was initiated. Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha in August, the minister of agriculture and farmer’s welfare admitted that there had been a decline in coverage. He stated that “announcement of Debt Waiver Scheme in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, farmer’s perception of mitigated risk in 2017-18, which was a good monsoon year, deduplication due to Aadhaar being made mandatory for coverage etc.” were the reasons. Despite the fall in the number of farmers insured and coverage area, the total premium collected by insurance companies has not fallen. It has actually increased. In 2016-17, the total premium collected was Rs 22,362 crore. This went up to Rs 25,046 crore in 2017-18. The average premium per farmer went up by 31% to Rs 5,135 in 2017-18. According to Siraj Hussain, former agriculture secretary and now a senior fellow at the think tank ICREAR, more detailed analysis of data at the state level is required to pinpoint why premiums have increased. “We have to look at data and analyse the state and the crops where the premiums have increased. But, in principle, if you add more conditions e.g. cover for crop damage due to stray animals and penalties proposed in PMFBY modified guidelines 2018, the companies are likely to take such factors into account while quoting the premium rates,” he told. Claims paid increase marginally, but delays are a major cause for concern In the two years that PMFBY has been in place, total claims paid to farmers have increased only marginally, despite the total premium having increased by more than 4.5 times. For the two years before PMFBY, farmers were paid total claims worth Rs 28,564 crore. For the two years after PMFBY, the data provided by the ministry shows that total claims paid have only increased by 10% to Rs 31,613 crore as of October 10, 2018. Thus, the surplus for insurance companies till that date is Rs 15,795 crore, almost a third of the premiums collected. However, it is important to note, the ministry points out, that “a majority of claims for rabi 2017-18 are yet to be estimated/approved by company”. The ministry added that in the data provided, 99% of the amounts reflected as claims paid for 2017-18 are for kharif 2017 and only 1% reflect claims paid for rabi 2017-18. The RTI response, on which our analysis is based, is dated October 10, over four months after the rabi harvest ended in May. According to the PMFBY guidelines, claims should be settled within two months of harvest. Recently, the government also announced that it would impose a 12% penalty on insurance companies which delay payments. Despite this, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, as of October 10 2018, could not even provide the figure for estimated claims for the 2017-18 Rabi season. One of the key complaints of farmers with the PMFBY, as reported earlier, has been that their claims are not settled in time. Farmers argue that if their crop suffers damage in one of the sowing seasons, it means that they have not earned any surplus for that particular season. Consequently, they are short of cash to sow for the next season. Crop insurance can be useful if the claims are paid to farmers before sowing for the next season begins. “See, if the rabi crop is damaged then claims need to be paid before the kharif sowing takes place. Otherwise how will the farmer sow?” said Vikal Pachar, who has been leading farmers in Bhiwani and Sirsa in their struggle against ICICI Lombard since February this year for settlement of their claims pertaining to kharif 2017. Insurance companies made ‘super normal profits’   A recent performance evaluation of the PMFBY by the Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad) concluded that the financial management of the scheme needs to be tweaked to “ensure companies do not make super-normal profits”. The report, supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, also noted that “too many insurers (18 in 2017-18) have been empanelled”. “Many of them do not have adequate experience and infrastructure and intent of servicing public good,” it said. The report also added that in the future it would be “advisable” to restrict the number of empanelled insurance companies to just ten for “better monitoring and administration”. Source - https://thewire.in

12.11.2018

China - Potato production down 20%, potato reserve fell by 30%

Potatoes are, according to Sannong Zhongguo, the fourth-largest staple food in China. There are four major production areas, the one in the north includes four north-eastern provinces (Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Xinjiang), as well as the northern part of Hebei, the northern part of Shanxi, and the north-western part of Shaanxi. This production area accounts for half the overall surface area devoted to potato plantation in China. The potato harvest season was over in most production areas by the last week of October, although the north of Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia was still finishing up. Data shows that the overall surface area devoted to potato plantation decreased in 2018, and the production volume per hectare also decreased. The potato production volume reached 23.95 million tons, which is 5.83 million tons less than in 2017, or a decrease of 19.58%. Production areas in Gansu and Ningxia experienced relatively heavy rainfall this year, but they also suffered from quite severe potato blight. Original estimates in August predicted an increased production volume, but those predictions have changed to a decrease in production volume. This was quite clear at the beginning of the potato harvest in Gansu and Ningxia, which began 15-20 days earlier than last year. The volume of potatoes that enters storage also decreased this year, with conservative estimates predicting a decrease of 30% and other estimates going as high as 50%. Source - http://www.freshplaza.com

12.11.2018

Canada - Ontario farmers facing ‘catastrophic’ disease outbreak in feed corn

Due to a “catastrophic” disease outbreak in this year’s corn crop, Ontario farmers say they will likely need federal and provincial help. “We are facing one of the most severe outbreaks of DON in corn that we have ever seen, and some areas of the province are being hit especially hard,” Markus Haerle, chair of the Grain Farmers of Ontario, said in an open letter to the organization’s membership Friday. The situation is “at a catastrophic level, at this point,” he said, adding that “it is only getting worse.” DON is a type of vomitoxin caused by a disease called Gibberella Ear Rot, which leads to fungus on the ear of the corn. Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regulations limit the level of vomitoxin to prevent livestock from getting sick. Crops with vomitoxin levels above the accepted limit cannot be sold as livestock or human feed. It does not pose a threat to human health. There are limited alternative markets, including the ethanol industry, for crops with vomitoxin levels above the accepted thresholds. As a result, the grain is often unsellable and farmers aren’t paid. “I know that there are frustrations (with) the insurance process, and we continue to recommend to everyone that they engage Agricorp as soon as possible,” Haerle said. Agricorp is Ontario’s crop-insurance provider. Federal and provincial officials, including Ontario Agriculture Minister Ernie Hardeman, have been informed of the situation, Haerle said. A meeting with Hardeman and leaders from the corn industry, including the Grain Farmers of Ontario, has been called for next week. The Grain Farmers of Ontario are also looking into other “relieve options for revenue loss.” Those enquiries could include asking for federal agriculture-disaster funding, Haerle added. “We all know that AgriStability is not going to help, and we are exploring other relief options for revenue loss, including AgriRecovery,” he said. AgriStability is a joint federal-provincial risk-management program designed to stabilize farmers’ incomes when margins fall. Payments are currently triggered when a farmer’s profits fall to a certain level. Producers can claim a series of eligible expenses, such as fertilizer, feed and fuel as part of their calculations. The program has faced criticism from farmers who wanted it reformed. In a report last May, an external review panel tasked with taking a closer look at Canada’s suite of business risk-management programs found AgriStability in its current form is not meeting the needs of producers. Meanwhile, AgriRecovery is a joint federal-provincial program designed to provide financial reprieve and cover extraordinary costs incurred during times of disaster, including weather-related events such as flooding and drought. The program is triggered at the request of the provinces, and the cost is shared 60:40 between the federal government and the provinces. Source - https://ipolitics.ca

12.11.2018

India - Saffron ready for harvest destroyed by snowfall

More than 20,000 families in over a hundred villages of Pampore are involved in cultivating saffron. Saffron farmers have suffered huge losses in the past 10 years with the 2014 floods causing severe damages. Farmers have been demanding compensation from the state government for the 2014 losses, but instead of the compensation has now arrived untimely, heavy snowfall, damaging as much as half the total crop. Farmers told that they have been demanding a crop insurance scheme from the government since many years. Abdul Majid Wani, president of the Saffron Growers Association, said that the association members have sent representations to higher officials including Divisional Commissioner Kashmir and Chief Secretary to J&K government. He said that they have been assured compensation after assessment of the loss is done. Chief Agriculture Officer Pulwama Mohammad Yousuf Shah told that the flowers that had bloomed have been destroyed by the snowfall, but if the temperature rises in the coming days more flowers are expected to bloom. He told that if there is no bloom from now onwards, the estimated losses incurred by farmers would be up to Rs 70 crore. He further told that the crop loss so far has been more than 50 percent. Saffron growers have been claiming that the industry was already on a decline for years and the government has done nothing to revive the sector. Saffron growers in Pampore have incurred losses at a time when the crop was ready to be harvested. “The saffron industry is declining every passing day. Many farmere are desperate and are trying to find opportunity to transform their lands either into orchards or into residential and commercial uses,” said a farmer, Mohammad Sultan, adding that the much-hyped ‘saffron mission’ of the government has only led to decline in saffronproduction since it was launched. Source - https://kashmirreader.com

12.11.2018

Canada - Severe hailstorms drive up claims

Every cloud has a silver lining, as the saying goes, but for the prairie growing season of 2018, the silver lining came without many clouds — hail clouds in particular. The Canadian Crop Hail Association released its hail summary Nov. 1, noting lack of moisture in many areas this summer resulted in fewer storms than average. However, severity in terms of crop damage was high in the few storms that did gather. Of particular note for the CCHA was a June 14 storm that hit all three prairie provinces from Picture Butte, Alta., to Morden, Man. “Some insurers reported this to be one of the costliest June storms on record,” the CCHA said in its report. Overall, 2018 was an average year for claims but there were higher than average claim payments. Payouts of more than $161 million were made on more than 11,200 claims in Western Canada. Because 2017 was a record low hail year, there was an eight percent decrease in producer paid premiums this year. Alberta had lower than average hail damage, the CCHA said, but damaging events started early, on June 9. Two other events, on June 14 and June 25, produced more than 100 claims with an average of more than $12,000 per claim. Three storms in July (13, 19 and 20) made up 31 percent of the year’s claims. As a result, total Alberta payments were slightly more than $25 million, on par with 2017, the CCHA said. In Saskatchewan, June 14 saw the first hailstorm, which was severe. However, the most expensive events were July 7, 9 and 10, which resulted in more than $34 million in losses on more than 1,750 claims. Total hail payments in the province were more than $98 million for the year, compared to $47 million in 2017. Manitoba’s hail season began on June 14 as well and proved one of the most expensive on record, said the CCHA. It resulted in more than 675 claims. Some companies reported average claims of more than $20,000. July was quiet, but on Aug. 3 hail led to more than 800 claims in an area north of Duck Mountain to Swan River and from the west border to the Interlake. More hailstorms were reported in Manitoba on Aug. 26, Sept. 3 and Sept. 16 when much of the crop was still in the field. The CCHA said total hail payments in the province were more than $37 million, compared to $22 million in 2017. Source - https://www.producer.com