03.08.2015

India - Farmers to get Compensation for Crop Damage Due to Natural Calamities

India - Farmers to get Compensation for Crop Damage Due to Natural CalamitiesState Government is empowered to undertake necessary relief measures in the wake of natural calamities like, drought, hailstorm, pest attack & cold wave/frost from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) which is readily available with them. Additional financial assistance, over and above SDRF, is considered from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for natural calamities of severe nature on receipt of Memorandum from the State Government. State Government is empowered to undertake necessary relief measures in the wake of natural calamities like, drought, hailstorm, pest attack & cold wave/frost from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) which is readily available with them. Additional financial assistance, over and above SDRF, is considered from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for natural calamities of severe nature on receipt of Memorandum from the State Government. On request by any State Government, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation constitutes and Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) to visit the States for assessing damages including crop loss for recommending financial assistance from NDRF. Based on the report of the IMCT, Sub Committee of National Executive Committee (SC-NEC) recommends extent of admissible assistance as per laid down items and norms of assistance from NDRF/SDRF for approval of the High Level Committee (HLC) to sanction central assistance from NDRF. The norms for relief under SDRF/NDRF are Rs. 6800/- per hectare for rainfed crops, Rs. 13,500/- per ha. For assured irrigated crops and Rs. 18,000/- per ha. for all type of perennial crops, where crop loss is more than 33% and above. The financial assistance from SDRF/NDRF is providing immediate relief and is not compensation for loss/damage to crops. Crop insurance is a financial tool to insure farmers against crop losses on payment of admissible premium to the insurance company. Under the crop insurance schemes claims are paid to only those farmers who insured their crops and paid premium under any of the notified crop insurance scheme. Admissible claims are worked out and paid as per the provisions of the respective schemes. The norms of assistance, is reviewed comprehensively after the award of successive Finance Commission taking into account various factors including the price rise. The Government of India has issued order on revised items and norms of assistance under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)/National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) on 8th April, 2015. The extant norms inter-alia provide for assistance to the farmers in the form of Agriculture Input Subsidy (where crop loss is 33% and above as against the earlier norms of 50%) for damage caused to all types of agriculture and horticulture cropped areas due to the notified natural calamities. Government of India has also enhanced the assistance amount to the farmers by 50% in the revised norms. This information was given by the Minister of State for Agriculture Shri .Mohanbhai Kalyanjibhai Kundariya in Rajya Sabha today. Source - http://www.thehansindia.com/

03.08.2015

Armenia - EFSD to provide country with $50 million loan to finance modernization of irrigation systems

Armenia - EFSD to provide country with $50 million loan to finance modernization of irrigation systemsThe Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD) will provide Armenia with a $50 million loan to finance a project designed to modernize irrigation systems, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) said in a statement. The preliminary agreement was reached as a result of talks between the bank and an Armenian delegation headed by deputy finance minister. EDB said the parties worked out a blueprint loan agreement that will be submitted soon for the approval of EFSD Board. The Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD) will provide Armenia with a $50 million loan to finance a project designed to modernize irrigation systems, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) said in a statement. The preliminary agreement was reached as a result of talks between the bank and an Armenian delegation headed by deputy finance minister Armen Gevorgyan. EDB said the parties worked out a blueprint loan agreement that will be submitted soon for the approval of EFSD Board. The signing of the agreement is tentatively scheduled for September 2015. According to EDB, $40 million will be provided by the EFSD as a soft loan and the $10 million will be provided by the government of Armenia as a co-financing. The money will be used to build and restore 8 gravity irrigation systems with a total length of 70.4 km, 8.1 kilometers of main canals, 54.1 kilometers of inter-farm canals and 277.8 kilometers of farm irrigation networks. The project also involves a set of measures to increase the responsibility of water users and improve the management of water users associations. The implementation of the five-year project is to kick off in late 2015 or early 2016. The project is part of a long-term national program for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of irrigation and drainage networks. Source -http://arka.am

03.08.2015

Armenia - Drought may damage crops

Armenia - Drought may damage cropsDry weather in Armenia may damage potato, wheat and cabbage crops, said the head of Armenia's Farmers' Union. He said that the union had conducted a study in Shirak province and found that the drought had already damaged potato seed tubers. The head of Armenia's Farmers' Union also said he had repeatedly asked the agriculture ministry to improve irrigation infrastructures in the country, but his request remains unanswered. Dry weather in Armenia may damage potato, wheat and cabbage crops, saidHrachya Berberyan, the head of Armenia's Farmers' Union. «We are deeply concerned over the ongoing dry weather that began 45 days ago,» he said. «Scant rains have no impacts. If weather doesn't change soon, this will jeopardize potato, wheat and cabbage crops.» Berberyan said that the union had conducted a study in Shirak province and found that the drought had already damaged potato seed tubers. He said he had repeatedly asked the agriculture ministry to improve irrigation infrastructures in the country, but his request remains unanswered. «The irrigation system in the country is monopolized and we are constantly struggling against this,» Berberyan said. «We know that there is water in water reservoirs, though we are told the opposite. That is why we appealed to the agriculture minister asking him to implement reforms in irrigation system as soon as possible.» However, 2015 is a good year for Armenia as a whole – peaches and apricots are abundant and a good crop of grapes is expected. According to the agriculture ministry's reports, 691,400 tons of potatoes and 8,000 apricots were gathered in Armenia in 2014 against 660,500 tons and 88,800 respectively in 2013. Source -http://arka.am

31.07.2015

Strengthening El Nino good for U.S. and China, bad for Peru and Australia

Strengthening El Nino good for U.S. and China, bad for Peru and AustraliaIn California, they’re counting on it to end a historic drought; in Peru, they’ve already declared a pre-emptive emergency to prepare for devastating flooding. It’s both an economic stimulus and a recession-maker. And it’s likely to increase the price of coffee, chocolate and sugar. It’s El Nino — most likely, the largest in well over a decade, forecasters say. A lot more than mere weather, it affects lives and pocketbooks in different ways in different places.In California, they’re counting on it to end a historic drought; in Peru, they’ve already declared a pre-emptive emergency to prepare for devastating flooding. It’s both an economic stimulus and a recession-maker. And it’s likely to increase the price of coffee, chocolate and sugar. It’s El Nino — most likely, the largest in well over a decade, forecasters say. A lot more than mere weather, it affects lives and pocketbooks in different ways in different places. Every few years, the winds shift and the water in the Pacific Ocean gets warmer than usual. That water sloshes back and forth around the equator in the Pacific, interacts with the winds above and then changes weather worldwide. This is El Nino. Droughts are triggered in places like Australia and India, but elsewhere, droughts are quenched and floods replace them. The Pacific gets more hurricanes; the Atlantic fewer. Winter gets milder and wetter in much of the United States. The world warms, goosing Earth’s already rising thermometer from man-made climate change. Peruvian sailors named the formation El Nino — the (Christ) Child — because it was most noticeable around Christmas. An El Nino means the Pacific Ocean off Peru’s coast is warm, especially a huge patch 330 feet (100 meters) below the surface, and as it gets warmer and closer to the surface, the weather “is just going to be a river falling from the sky,” said biophysicist Michael Ferrari, director of climate services for agriculture at the Colorado firm aWhere Inc. Around the world, crops fail in some places, thrive elsewhere. Commercial fishing shifts. More people die of flooding, fewer from freezing. Americans spend less on winter heating. The global economy shifts. “El Nino is not the end of the world so you don’t have to hide under the bed. The reality is that in the U.S. an El Nino can be a good thing,” said Mike Halpert, deputy director of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center. This El Nino officially started in March and keeps getting stronger. If current trends continue, it should officially be termed a strong El Nino early in August, peak sometime near the end of year and peter out sometime next spring. Meteorologists say it looks like the biggest such event since the fierce El Nino of 1997-1998. California mudslides notwithstanding, the U.S. economy benefited by nearly $22 billion from that El Nino, according to a 1999 study. That study found that 189 people were killed in the U.S., mainly from tornadoes linked to El Nino, but an estimated 850 lives were saved due to a milder winter. A United Nations-backed study said that El Nino cost Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela nearly $11 billion. Flooding in Peru destroyed bridges, homes, hospitals and crops, and left 354 dead and 112 missing, according to the Pan-American Health Organization. The mining industry in Peru and Chile was hammered as flooding hindered exports. Though this year’s El Nino is likely to be weaker than the 1997-1998 version, the economic impact may be greater because the world’s interconnected economy has changed with more vulnerable supply chains, said risk and climate expert Ferrari. Economic winners include the U.S., China, Mexico and Europe, while India, Australia and Peru are among El Nino’s biggest losers. On average, a healthy El Nino can boost the U.S. economy by about 0.55 percent of gross domestic product, which would translate more than $90 billion this year, an International Monetary Fund study calculated this spring. But it could also slice an entire percentage point off Indonesia’s GDP. Indonesia gets hit particularly hard because an expected El Nino drought affects the country’s mining, power, cocoa, and coffee industries, said IMF study co-author Kamiar Mohaddes, an economist at the University of Cambridge in London. The expected El Nino drought in parts of Australia has started and may trim as much as 1 percent off of the country’s GDP, said Andrew Watkins, supervisor of climate prediction services at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Tony Barnston, lead El Nino forecaster at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at Columbia University, cautioned that while El Nino has predictable effects and this one is strong, what happens next is not exactly certain. But Peruvians are worried. Abraham Levy, director of Ambiental Andina, which advises businesses on meteorology- and hydrology-related issues, believes this El Nino could lead Peru into recession. Important export crops such as mangos and asparagus that grow in coastal valleys are already being adversely affected by the unseasonably high temperatures, said Levy. “The export mango crop has not yet flowered,” he said. “And if we don’t have flowers we don’t have fruit.” And then there’s the flooding. Peru declared a pre-emptive state of emergency this month for 14 of its 25 states, appropriating some $70 million to prepare. Hilopito Cruchaga, the Civil Defense director in Peru’s northern region of Piura, said authorities are clearing river beds of debris, reinforcing river banks with rock and fortifying reservoir walls. Sandbags and rocks are also being piled up. “If the sea stays this hot at the end of August I’m afraid we’re doomed,” he said. Source- http://www.japantimes.co.jp/

31.07.2015

USA - Better weather hasn’t helped crops

USA - Better weather hasn’t helped cropsAnyone who’s driven the rural byways of north central Ohio lately without getting stuck behind a farmer transporting hay or straw should consider himself lucky. Local agricultural producers, blessed for the first time this summer with several consecutive days of sunshine, seasonally warm temperatures and no rain whatsoever, had a lot of catching up to do last week, and did just that. Warmer temperatures spurred crop development. Precipitation was lighter and less frequent, and sunny weather favored wheat harvest and baling of straw and hay.Anyone who’s driven the rural byways of north central Ohio lately without getting stuck behind a farmer transporting hay or straw should consider himself lucky. Local agricultural producers, blessed for the first time this summer with several consecutive days of sunshine, seasonally warm temperatures and no rain whatsoever, had a lot of catching up to do last week, and did just that. “Warmer temperatures spurred crop development. Precipitation was lighter and less frequent, and sunny weather favored wheat harvest and baling of straw and hay,” the Great Lakes regional office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service said in its latest Ohio crop weather report. “The benefits of rescue efforts such as nitrogen application in corn was apparent. Growers continued application of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides, resorting to aerial applications in fields too soggy to support equipment.” However, despite the vastly improved weather, crop conditions in Ohio didn’t really improve last week. The USDA said 37 percent of the state’s corn crop was in good shape for the week ended Sunday, with 33 percent rated fair, a slight improvement over 36 percent good and 34 percent fair a week earlier. Meanwhile, 35 percent of soybeans were in good condition and 35 percent fair, the USDA said, but the percentage of beans rated poor rose from 16 percent the week before to 17 percent last week. Most of Ohio’s winter wheat had been harvested as of Sunday at 81 percent, although the five-year average is 98 percent. While 31 percent of that crop is good and 30 percent fair, a sizable 23 percent has fallen into the poor category, according to the USDA. “Growers harvesting wheat found sprouting in lodged fields, low test weights, and vomitoxin levels created difficulties in marketing the crop,” the USDA said. “Quality of hay harvested was reduced by over-maturity, and supply may be an issue this winter.” As of Sunday, 56 percent of the state’s alfalfa hay fields had undergone a second cutting, compared to 78 percent at the same point last year. The USDA said 60 percent of Ohio’s topsoil had adequate moisture as of Sunday, although 38 percent was still in surplus. Locally, Fredericktown is harboring a precipitation surplus of 4.34 inches since April 1, Marion 3.95 inches and Mansfield 2.04 inches, while Bucyrus is essentially normal at 0.48 inches above average. Statewide, the largest rainfall surpluses are in northwest Ohio at Lima, Pandora, Paulding and especially Van Wert (20.62 inches). Cheryl Turner, statistician for the USDA’s Ohio field office, said dairy herds in the state produced 455 million pounds of milk last month, 0.7 percent lower than a year earlier. Finally, Turner reported that 95,800 mink pelts were produced in Ohio in 2014. Nationwide, half of the pelts produced are black, followed by mahogany and blue iris. Save the dates The farm bureaus in Richland, Morrow and Delaware counties will host a “Grow It. Know It. Give It” fundraiser from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at Flying Horse Farms, 5260 Ohio 95, Mount Gilead. The dinner will help further the mission of the farms and provide operating expenses for the children’s vegetable garden. The camp provides experiences to hundreds of children with serious illnesses and their families each year, for free. The dinner Aug. 22 will be prepared by Joseph Motter of Malabar Farm Restaurant. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased through Aug. 17 from the Morrow County Farm Bureau at 800-327-6055. The Ohio Agriculture Department will sponsor a collection for farmers wishing to dispose of unwanted pesticides from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Crawford County Fairgrounds, 610 Whetstone St., Bucyrus. The pesticide collection and disposal service is free, but only farm chemicals will be accepted. Paint, antifreeze, solvents and household or non-farm pesticides will not be accepted. Source - http://www.bucyrustelegraphforum.com/

31.07.2015

USA - Cold spares late-season Michigan blueberries

USA - Cold spares late-season Michigan blueberriesDespite an expected strong showing from late-season elliot blueberries, the Michigan blueberry crop will be down significantly this year, and cold winter weather that caused June drop damaged bushes, affecting future production. Late-season Michigan fruit fared much better than early-season fruit, said chief operations officer for Paw Paw, Mich.-based Spiech Farms. But the overall effects of the cold winter and subsequent June drop on the 2014-15 crop will be heavy when final damages are measured.Despite an expected strong showing from late-season elliot blueberries, the Michigan blueberry crop will be down significantly this year, and cold winter weather that caused June drop damaged bushes, affecting future production. Late-season Michigan fruit fared much better than early-season fruit, said Tim Spiech, chief operations officer for Paw Paw, Mich.-based Spiech Farms. But the overall effects of the cold winter and subsequent June drop on the 2014-15 crop will be heavy when final damages are measured, Spiech said — and the effects will continue to be felt next season and beyond. In late July Spiech Farms was finishing the third picking of its blue variety crop in southern Michigan and the second picking of its northern blue crop. Late-season elliots, which should start harvesting the week of Aug. 3, survived the winter much better than earlier varieties, Spiech said. “We’ll have more in the later deal than we had early, which is completely backwards. The elliots pulled through pretty well.” Spiech estimates that about 90% of the company’s elliots, which will likely be harvested through the first week of September, should be harvested. Salinas, Calif.-based Naturipe Farms LLC will finish earlier with mid-season varieties, but when the season is over, it should wind up looking similar to 2014, said Mario Flores, director of blueberry product management. “Michigan this year is trending similar to last year, and not much different than a typical year for the season, due to the increased acres of late-season varieties and more acreage in the northern part of the state blueberry production area.” About 46 million pounds of fresh-market Michigan fruit will likely be produced this season, Flores said. About 47 million pounds shipped in both 2014 and 2013. Chris Hodgman of Hodgman Blueberry Plantation expected his company to harvest very high-quality fruit into mid-September, though volumes would start to taper off in the last week of July or early August. “We’re at our peak now,” Hodgman said July 24. “The quality is excellent, the best in years.” The short blue variety crop could lead to a market gap in August, said Eric Crawford, president and CEO of Sunrise, Fla.-based Fresh Results LLC. “It appears that the fresh blueberry crop in Michigan is going to finish much earlier this year than normal, and total volumes will be well below previous estimates. We are predicting a virtual gap in production during the first week of August through the 10th as we transition from bluecrop to elliot varieties.” As for the early-season crops, it was hard as of late July to put an overall estimate on losses, since some farms were hit much harder than others, Spiech said. “Some farms were down 20%, some 90%. It was farm to farm, cold pocket to cold pocket.” Bushes less than one year of age and bushes older than five or six years were hit particularly hard, which will have a lingering effect on production. “The next two or three seasons will be down.” Source - http://www.thepacker.com/

31.07.2015

USA - The State's Climate Is Changing

USA - The State's Climate Is ChangingWhen we think of climate change, we often imagine melting ice caps, rising sea levels that engulf small islands and changes to habitats that decimate entire species. Yet the reality of climate change for Illinois — and other inland states — will be slow, almost imperceptible transformations that cause long-lasting, difficult problems. Although less dramatic, climate change will be no less disruptive for Illinois. The repercussions will be complex and influence everything from human health to electricity costs. Even our ability to grow crops will change. When we think of climate change, we often imagine melting ice caps, rising sea levels that engulf small islands and changes to habitats that decimate entire species. Yet the reality of climate change for Illinois — and other inland states — will be slow, almost imperceptible transformations that cause long-lasting, difficult problems. Although less dramatic, climate change will be no less disruptive for Illinois. The repercussions will be complex and influence everything from human health to electricity costs. Even our ability to grow crops will change. What will Illinois' climate be like in the future? The effects of climate change will not be uniform. Some areas of the world will experience warming, while others become cooler. Likewise, some areas will dry up, while others become wetter. Globally, this information is available from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an organization that assesses the most recent research on climate change. For Illinois, the U.S. Global Change Research Program predicts that the number of days each year with temperatures over 95 degrees Fahrenheit will more than double by the middle of this century. The southern part of the state is expected to have more than 20 additional days with such scorching temperatures. Even northern Illinois and Chicago will have some areas with 15 or more days of extreme heat. In fact, the average Chicagoan is likely to experience more days above 95 degrees Fahrenheit by mid-century than the average Texan does today. Rainfall, storm damage, floods and droughts are also expected to be significantly nimpacted by climate change. Spring rainfall in Illinois will likely increase by up to 10 percent in central Illinois and by 10 to 20 percent in northern Illinois. An increase in spring rainfall will add to the number and severity of annual floods. In the summers, droughts will become more likely. Source - http://wuis.org/

31.07.2015

Nigeria - Rainfall Destroys Fish Farms in Abuja

Nigeria - Rainfall Destroys Fish Farms in AbujaFish farmers in Dutsen Alhaji, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), last week, suffered losses as heavy rainfall, which lasted from Wednesday till Thursday morning, flooded many farms and swept away thousands of fishes. The heavy and prolonged rain caught the farmers unprepared as it has been irregular this season. Recounting his ordeal, one of the farmers said, that he went to the farm after the heavy rain that lasted throughout the night, only to discover that some ponds were seriously affected, especially those located along the bank of waterways.Fish farmers in Dutsen Alhaji, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), last week, suffered losses as heavy rainfall, which lasted from Wednesday till Thursday morning, flooded many farms and swept away thousands of fishes. The heavy and prolonged rain caught the farmers unprepared as it has been irregular this season. Recounting his ordeal, one of the farmers, Mallam Bala, said, "I went to the farm after the heavy rain that lasted throughout the night, only to discover that some ponds were seriously affected, especially those located along the bank of waterways. "It is painful to see farmers lose their investments in just few hours. "This is more so as some of the fishes have reached harvesting stage," he lamented. Another farmer, Alhaji B.S. Abubakar, who already negotiated with a buyer, said he woke up to discover that his 1, 000 fishes were reduced to just 80 kilograms. "I had already negotiated with a buyer who even went to the farm to assess the fishes a day before the disaster happened, only for me to wake up in the morning with the sad news of what happened the previous night," he lamented. Another farmer in the area, who lost over 5,000 fishes due for harvest, was forced to harvest the remaining ponds due to the fear of what might happen again. When Daily Trust visited the area, some farmers were seen taking preventive measures to protect their farms from being washed away by flood. "I have widened the water-releasing channel in my ponds so that water can easily flow out," Mr. Bitrus Yusuf, one of them said. Source - http://allafrica.com/

31.07.2015

USA - Excessive rainfall washes away crops, profits for many in farming industry

USA - Excessive rainfall washes away crops, profits for many in farming industryThe window for planting soybeans in Missouri is from April 20-July 15. In those 87 days this year, Audrain County received more than 30 inches of rain, more than twice the average. Local soybean farmers waited patiently for the rain to stop and the mud to dry up so they could get in their fields and start planting. Across Audrain County, above-average precipitation this year led to all kinds of woes for farmers, from moisture-loving toxins invading last year’s wheat crop, to uneven corn growth due to standing water, to more than 25,000 acres of unplanted soybean fields.The window for planting soybeans in Missouri is from April 20-July 15. In those 87 days this year, Audrain County received more than 30 inches of rain, more than twice the average. Local soybean farmers waited patiently for the rain to stop and the mud to dry up so they could get in their fields and start planting. But by mid-July, the waiting game was over, and many of the farmers had lost. Across Audrain County, above-average precipitation this year led to all kinds of woes for farmers, from moisture-loving toxins invading last year’s wheat crop, to uneven corn growth due to standing water, to more than 25,000 acres of unplanted soybean fields. Daryl Huchteman, executive director for the local office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said the loss in yields doesn’t just affect farmers. “It affects local dealers, because people aren’t buying things like fuel and fertilizer if they can’t even get in their fields to work,” he said. “And the farmers can’t go into town and buy a new car if they didn’t make a profit this year. Really, the whole county is rooted in agriculture.” And the damage from the rains hasn’t even been fully tallied yet: Huchteman said he expects the total number of unplanted acres to double by the end of the season. He said there is a chance some soybean crops planted late in July might thrive, but they will be more at risk for frost in the later part of the season. Farmers who purchased treated soybean seeds, which must be planted immediately, will not be able to sell them back to the dealer or recover the cost of the seeds with insurance. “A lot of people depend on insurance, but insurance does not fully cover the loss,” Huchteman said. Soybeans were not the only crop to suffer from the extreme rainfall this year. Huchteman said the downpours washed away pesticides in many fields, leaving the crops vulnerable to insects. The rains also brought a 50 percent reduction in yields for pasture crops such as alfalfa. Standing water from flooding caused corn crops to grow unevenly, making the corn difficult to harvest. Bob Boyce normally grows soybeans and corn on his farm in nearby Benton City, but this year, there was only corn to tend to. “A lot of farmers didn’t get their crops planted this year,” he said. “It’s frustrating because last year was one of the best crops, and this year was the worst.” He also said the poor returns for this year have a snowball effect on the following year, as farmers are working on more limited means when it comes to buying supplies and equipment for the next year. While the loss is hard to swallow for even a seasoned farmer like Boyce, he said it can be devastating for young farmers. “It’s hard on the ones who are just starting out. You’re not going to see established farms getting sold at the courthouse, but you might see some older men retire.” Source - http://www.mexicoledger.com/

30.07.2015

Uganda - As disease threatens Uganda’s banana crop, ActionAid and anti-GMO groups fan fears

Uganda - As disease threatens Uganda’s banana crop, ActionAid and anti-GMO groups fan fearsUganda’s number one staple, banana, locally known as matooke has been under attack by a bacterial disease, banana xanthomonas wilt, that causes the plant to wilt away or to ripen prematurely and rot away. The disease that has taken a decade continues to threaten the household food security of many Ugandans. Cultural control measures like uprooting plants with symptoms, cutting the male buds, and to a lesser extent adoption of disease free tissue culture planting materials have tried to curb the spread.Uganda’s number one staple, banana, locally known as matooke has been under attack by a bacterial disease, banana xanthomonas wilt, that causes the plant to wilt away or to ripen prematurely and rot away. The disease that has taken a decade continues to threaten the household food security of many Ugandans. Cultural control measures like uprooting plants with symptoms, cutting the male buds, and to a lesser extent adoption of disease free tissue culture planting materials have tried to curb the spread. These control methods seem not to be sustainable. In desperation, local authorities are arresting farmers who “allow” their plantation to get infected. But farmers have no way of knowing that healthy looking plants might actually be infected, but only appear healthy for a short time. Four farmers in Uganda’s rural area of Bushenyi were recently arrested in an operation that the authorities say will take up to a month and will likely result in more arrests. As these farmers are being punished for committing the crime of growing a susceptible variety of banana, Ugandan scientists have developed transgenic banana varieties that are 100% resistant to the wilt. The GMO rescue is being blocked, at least for now, by anti-GMO activists. Why is it taking long for Ugandan farmers to get access to resistant transgenic varieties? The current resistant transgenic lines have already been tested in trials over three generations and the resistance have not broken down. What is left, aside further safety tests, is to subject these crops to various ecological conditions across the country to select the best lines for farmers. Uganda lacks a comprehensive regulatory framework to govern the processes beyond the trials; the existing law only allows for research. The Biotechnology and Biosafety Bill that the activists have been fighting to block would, if passed, establish a competent authority to oversee the research and deregulation process and path the way to commercialization. Without the law these resistant varieties will remain in laboratories rather than in fields, and farmers and the public will be helpless to confront the spread of the disease that is wiping away their main source of food. ActionAid has led the demonization campaigns. After several embarrassing investigations into its anti-GMO propaganda efforts, the NGO “repentened” for propagating non-factual information about GMOs, but then continued its campaign covertly. With ActionAid in retreat, the majority party in Uganda’s parliament endorsed the Biosafety Bill, and endorsements followed from a good number of legislators on the minority side. The activists are not doing well either in Tanzania. When Tanzanian ministers and legislators visited Uganda’s research facilities, they returned and amended its formerly prohibitive law to allow research to be conducted without undue encumbrances. No activists have come to the defense of the poor subsistence farmers who are being arrested because the banana wilt is sweeping through their plantations. Claims that their real goal is to “help the vulnerable” appear empty. It is increasingly clear that ActionAid and its allies are fighting for their own ideological agenda and not for the poor. If they cared about hard pressed farmers they would throw their support behind the resistant transgenic banana varieties that could help stave off a pending disaster. Source - http://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/

30.07.2015

USA - ND Crop Condition and Progress report, June 27

USA - ND Crop Condition and Progress report, June 27For the week ending July 26, 2015, warm and dry conditions were experienced in parts of the State, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Eastern areas received up to an inch of rain; however, dry conditions and signs of drought stress were reported in the west. There were 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 11 short, 75 adequate, and 14 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 7 short, 82 adequate, and 11 surplus.For the week ending July 26, 2015, warm and dry conditions were experienced in parts of the State, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Eastern areas received up to an inch of rain; however, dry conditions and signs of drought stress were reported in the west. There were 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 11 short, 75 adequate, and 14 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 7 short, 82 adequate, and 11 surplus. Field Crops Report: Winter wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 7 poor, 27 fair, 54 good, and 11 excellent. Winter wheat coloring was 92 percent, well ahead of 70 last year. Mature was 27 percent, well ahead of 3 last year. Durum wheat condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 17 fair, 63 good, and 19 excellent. Durum wheat headed was 92 percent, well ahead of 47 last year, and ahead of the five-year average of 73. Coloring was 51 percent, well ahead of 9 last year and 19 average. Spring wheat condition rated 0 percent very poor, 3 poor, 13 fair, 65 good, and 19 excellent. Spring wheat headed was 99 percent, ahead of 89 last year and 92 average. Coloring was 66 percent, well ahead of 26 last year and 37 average. Mature was 13 percent, ahead of 2 last year. Barley condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 15 fair, 69 good, and 14 excellent. Barley coloring was 80 percent, well ahead of 32 last year and 43 average. Mature was 9 percent, ahead of 1 last year. Oats condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 13 fair, 67 good, and 15 excellent. Oats coloring was 79 percent, well ahead of 27 last year and 38 average. Mature was 6 percent, near 3 last year. Corn condition rated 0 percent very poor, 4 poor, 16 fair, 67 good, and 13 excellent. Corn silking was 54 percent, well ahead of 31 last year, but near 53 average. Soybean condition rated 0 percent very poor, 4 poor, 15 fair, 67 good, and 14 excellent. Soybeans blooming was 86 percent, ahead of 76 last year and 78 average. Setting pods was 51 percent, well ahead of 31 last year, and ahead of 37 average. Canola condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 14 fair, 65 good, and 19 excellent. Canola coloring was 33 percent, ahead of 23 last year, but near 29 average. Sunflower condition rated 0 percent very poor, 8 poor, 18 fair, 66 good, and 8 excellent. Sunflowers blooming was 25 percent, well ahead of 3 last year, and ahead of 12 average. Flaxseed condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 15 fair, 75 good, and 8 excellent. Flaxseed blooming was 96 percent, ahead of 84 last year and 82 average. Coloring was 28 percent, well ahead of 4 last year, and ahead of 12 average. Dry edible peas condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 16 fair, 67 good, and 15 excellent. Dry edible peas dropping leaves was 46 percent. Dry edible beans condition rated 0 percent very poor, 6 poor, 20 fair, 60 good, and 14 excellent. Dry edible beans blooming was 75 percent, ahead of 64 last year, but near 73 average. Setting pods was 27 percent, near 30 last year, but behind 33 average. Potatoes condition rated 3 percent very poor, 5 poor, 26 fair, 51 good, and 15 excellent. Potatoes blooming was 96 percent, ahead of 86 last year and 89 average. Rows filled was 64 percent, well ahead of 38 last year, and ahead of 54 average. Alfalfa condition rated 2 percent very poor, 9 poor, 28 fair, 51 good, and 10 excellent. Alfalfa hay first cutting was 96 percent, ahead of 91 last year, but near 95 average. Second cutting was 34 percent, well ahead of 9 last year, and ahead of 20 average. Sugarbeet condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 17 fair, 62 good, and 19 excellent. Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 18 fair, 65 good, and 13 excellent. Stock water supplies rated 0 percent very short, 4 short, 87 adequate, and 9 surplus. Source - http://www.farmandranchguide.com/

30.07.2015

South Africa - El Niño is sucking SA dry

South Africa - El Niño is sucking SA drySouth Africa is experiencing its worst drought in two decades, and the new El Niño, which began in March and will probably peak at the end of the year, could make it a whole lot worse. An El Niño is when trade winds across the Pacific Ocean digress from their usual patterns, causing ocean temperatures to rise and affecting weather patterns. Meteorologists say the El Niño could be the biggest since the notorious 1998 one.South Africa is experiencing its worst drought in two decades, and the new El Niño, which began in March and will probably peak at the end of the year, could make it a whole lot worse. An El Niño is when trade winds across the Pacific Ocean digress from their usual patterns, causing ocean temperatures to rise and affecting weather patterns. Meteorologists say the El Niño could be the biggest since the notorious 1998 one. Mark Tadross of the Climate Systems Analysis Group at the University of Cape Town said: "During an El Niño, we are more likely to have lower than normal rainfall over southeast Southern Africa, including northern parts of South Africa. Professor Coleen Vogel, a drought expert at the University of the Witwatersrand, said adapting to these conditions involved trying to reduce water loss. Farmers should harvest rain water and mulch plants to save water. Source - http://www.timeslive.co.za/

30.07.2015

USA - Nebraska wheat's condition is among the worst

USA - Nebraska wheat's condition is among the worstAs harvest winds down, wheat crops nationally and in some states, including Nebraska, show a big percentage looking poor or worse. Nebraska's latest crop condition report showed the hard red winter wheat crop rated 15 percent very poor, and 20 percent poor, 32 percent fair, 31 good, and 2 excellent. Harvest in Nebraska is at 81 percent, about average. That was the biggest percentage of poor and very poor of any hard red winter wheat-growing state in the nation, according to the last national report by the USDA.As harvest winds down, wheat crops nationally and in some states, including Nebraska, show a big percentage looking poor or worse. Nebraska's latest crop condition report showed the hard red winter wheat crop rated 15 percent very poor, and 20 percent poor, 32 percent fair, 31 good, and 2 excellent. Harvest in Nebraska is at 81 percent, about average. That was the biggest percentage of poor and very poor of any hard red winter wheat-growing state in the nation, according to the last national report by the USDA. Earlier this month, USDA predicted Nebraska’s winter wheat crop will be 54.6 million bushels this year, down 23 percent from a year ago, because of a variety of adverse weather reasons. The last condition report of the crop year for Kansas, the biggest wheat producer, which is done harvesting, showed 10 percent very poor and 20 percent poor condition at mid-July. Oregon and South Dakota, too, among the winter wheat states, showed more than 30 percent of the crop in very poor and poor condition. Nationally, at last report by the 18 winter-wheat states, 7 percent of the crop was very poor and 16 percent poor. A year ago it was 22 percent very poor and 22 percent poor, so this year is actually an improvement. The quality of some of the first soft winter wheat harvested by U.S. farmers this year is the worst in at least 17 years, according to U.S. Wheat Associates, after heavy rain fell across eastern states where it is grown. Some elevator managers said the crop was fit for nothing but livestock feed. The most recent government estimate is for total U.S. wheat production to reach a three-year high, but the state of the winter crop shows how quickly the outlook for crops can worsen because of adverse weather. Source - http://journalstar.com/

30.07.2015

Kazakhstan - Rains leave country facing further drop in wheat output

Kazakhstan - Rains leave country facing further drop in wheat outputWet weather has cost Kazakhstan the chance of a recovery in its wheat output – and indeed left farmers, whose crop last year was hurt by rains, facing the weather risks entailed with a late harvest. The US Department of Agriculture bureau in Astana forecast a second successive year of declining wheat output in Kazakhstan, to 12.8m tonnes, rather than the increase to 13.5m tonnes that the department itself has forecast. And the bureau signalled the potential for further losses, given that harvest looks like being delayed until October.Wet weather has cost Kazakhstan the chance of a recovery in its wheat output – and indeed left farmers, whose crop last year was hurt by rains, facing the weather risks entailed with a late harvest. The US Department of Agriculture bureau in Astana forecast a second successive year of declining wheat output in Kazakhstan, to 12.8m tonnes, rather than the increase to 13.5m tonnes that the department itself has forecast. And the bureau signalled the potential for further losses, given that harvest looks like being delayed until October. "If October is wet, then it will be hard to avoid low-quality and losses," the bureau said. 'Significant negative impact' The caution reflected rains which had started in mid-September last year, "lasted through the end of fall and continued as snow," and resumed in mid-May, leaving soil "oversaturated" when the 2015 spring sowing programme began. "Some experts believe that delays in planting in northern Kazakhstan reached one month, which has a significant negative impact on vegetation development." Furthermore, some 15-20% of crop officially reported as planted in northern Kazakhstan in fact went unseeded. "Farmers with insufficient machinery were only able to complete 50-60% of their sowing," the bureau said. And growers who did better on plantings are grappling with the weeds and wheat rust, a fungal disease, encouraged by the wet weather. Dent to exports A poor quality crop would represent a second in a row for Kazakhstan, which saw its 2014-15 harvest affected by the rains which started in September, just when combines are typically beginning to roll. In some areas this allowed "no chance for normal maturation and harvesting", forcing growers to leave crop standing through the winter for harvesting in a dry spell in April. However, the bureau also noted that "grain exporters confirm that Kazakhstani exports in 2014-15 were affected by the poor quality of wheat produced. "The 2014-15 Kazakh crop had a malty flavour, lower test weight and lower protein content." Kazakh wheat exports in 2014-15, on a September-to-August basis, were forecast down 26% at 6.0m tonnes, a level at which they were expected to remain in 2015-16. Russian record The weakened expectations for Kazakh wheat output this year contrast with improved forecasts for Russia, which had appeared poised for a poor harvest after a dry autumn sowing period last year. The Russian farm ministry on Wednesday said that its Krasnodar region had, with harvest almost over, achieved a record 9.8m tonnes in production of grains and pulses this year, up 650,000 tonnes from a year ago. The region's wheat output had risen to 8.7m tonnes, on a yield of 5.92 tonnes per hectare. Source - http://www.agrimoney.com/

30.07.2015

Australia - Forecast for dry conditions a risk to crops

Australia - Forecast for dry conditions a risk to cropsAustralia's agricultural sector can expect above-average rains in the western part of the country over the next three months, while some southeastern regions could be unseasonably dry, according to the nation's Bureau of Meteorology. The outlook reflects the much warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean, and an El Nino weather system in the Pacific, the bureau said in a notice on its website. An El Nino typically brings warm, dry conditions for much of the Australian east coast.Australia's agricultural sector can expect above-average rains in the western part of the country over the next three months, while some southeastern regions could be unseasonably dry, according to the nation's Bureau of Meteorology. The outlook reflects the much warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean, and an El Nino weather system in the Pacific, the bureau said in a notice on its website. An El Nino typically brings warm, dry conditions for much of the Australian east coast. Such conditions are unfavourable for production of wheat. Grain growers face a high risk of reduced wheat harvests this winter due to El Nino, according to Andries Potgieter, a scientist at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation. "The July modeling suggests that the likely impact of El Nino on the winter crop this season could be very significant," Potgieter said. Wheat growers throughout Australia face a high-risk of low yielding crops for the 2015 winter cropping season, but the effect will vary from region to region, he said. Source - http://www.reuters.com/

29.07.2015

США - DaaS обещает фермерам ряд преимуществ

США - DaaS обещает фермерам ряд преимуществ