Mumbai, Apr 17 () The Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday said there are a few slivers of brightness amidst the encircling gloom and hoped that India will stage a sharp V-shaped recovery in 2021-22 as projected by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).Softening inflation, Das said would make available more policy space to the central bank to address risks to the growth going forward.The IMF has projected sizable V-shaped recoveries for 2021, close to 9 percentage points for global GDP. It expects India to record a sharp turnaround and resume its pre-Covid pre-slowdown trajectory by growing at 7.4 per cent in 2021-22. The RBI Governor said, over the last three weeks, there have been a few data releases on domestic developments (including on factory output), but they are too disjointed to allow a comprehensive assessment of the state of the economy. "Yet, there are a few slivers of brightness amidst the encircling gloom," he said, and cited his March 27 statement on continuing resilience of agriculture and allied activities on the back of all-time highs in the production of food grains and horticulture, with huge buffer stocks of rice and wheat far in excess of the buffer norms. He further said that by April 10, pre-monsoon kharif sowing had begun strongly, with acreage of paddy – the principal kharif crop – up by 37 per cent in comparison with the last season. States such as West Bengal, Telangana, Odisha, Assam, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh are leading in sowing activity despite the lockdown. On April 15, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast a normal south west monsoon for the 2020 season, with rainfall expected to be 100 per cent of the long period average. "These early developments bode well for rural demand, supported as they are by accelerating fertiliser production up to February 2020," Das said. The robust growth of 21.3 per cent in tractor sales up to February 2020 - as against a contraction of 0.5 per cent in April-February last year – may provide an offset to farm labour shortages on account of the lockdown, he added. He, however noted the index of industrial production (IIP) for February showing that industrial output accelerated to its highest rate in seven months actually does not capture the impact of Covid-19. Latest data on exports too has turned out to be much more severe than during the global financial crisis. The governor further said that in the period ahead, inflation could recede even further, barring supply disruption shocks and may even settle well below the target of 4 per cent by the second half of2020-21. "Such an outlook would make policy space available to address the intensification of risks to growth and financial stability brought on by COVID-19. This space needs to be used effectively and in time," Das said. In its February bi-monthly monetary policy, the RBI had projected the GDP growth for 2020-21 at 6 per cent. In the next monetary policy released in late March, the RBI said the implied real GDP growth of 4.7 per cent for fourth quarter of 2019-20 in the second advance estimates of the National Statistics Office within the annual estimate of 5 per cent for the year as a whole "is now at risk from the pandemic's impact on the economy". As regards the outlook for 2020-21, RBI had said (March 27) that apart from the continuing resilience of agriculture and allied activities, most other sectors of the economy will be adversely impacted by the pandemic, depending upon its intensity, spread and duration. If Covid-19 is prolonged and supply chain disruptions get accentuated, the global slowdown could deepen, with adverse implications for India, it had said, while sharply slashing the key lending rate by 75 basis points to 4.4 per cent. Global financial markets remain volatile, and emerging market economies are grappling with capital outflows and volatile exchange rates. Crude oil prices remain in a state of flux, despite the agreement on production cuts by OPEC plus countries. NKD CS ANSANS

RBI Guv hopes India will stage sharp V-shaped recovery in 2021-22

New Delhi, Mar 31 () Farmers can delay wheat harvesting till April 20 without incurring any major losses as temperature in the growing states is still below the long-term average, government research body ICAR said on Tuesday, while advising farmers to take precautions amid the rapid spread of coronavirus in India. Normally, wheat harvesting begins from March-end. The government has pegged a record wheat output of 106.21 million tonnes in 2019-20 crop year (July-June) on the back of good rains as against 103.60 million tonnes in the previous year. In its latest advisory to farmers, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) sad, "The temperature in most wheat growing areas is still below long-term average and therefore likely to delay wheat harvesting by at least 10-15 days beyond April 10, therefore, farmers can delay wheat harvesting till April 20 without incurring any significant loss." This would give farmers enough time to manage logistics for procurement and announcement of dates, it said. ICAR said the movement of combine harvesters within the state and between states is permitted, and asked farmers to ensure that the workers engaged in repair, maintenance and harvesting operation adopt safety measures for coronavirus. Currently, manual harvesting of mustard -- the second most important rabi crop -- is underway and threshing is due wherever it is already harvested. ICAR said harvesting of lentils, maize and chillies is in progress, while that of grams is fast approaching. Sugarcane harvesting is also at its peak, while it is also time for manual planting in the north. In its advisory, the agri-research body asked farmers to engage only "familiar persons to the extent possible and after reasonable enquiry as to avoid the entry of any suspect or likely carrier (of the coronavirus) during field activity." "Prefer mechanized operations over the manual wherever feasible. Only the essential numbers of persons should be allowed to accompany the machine," it said. In case of manual field operations of harvesting/ picking, accomplish the operation in 4-5 feet spaced strips assigning one strip to one person. This will ensure adequate spacing between the engaged labours, it added. ICAR further asked farmers to stagger field operations wherever possible, and avoid engaging more number of persons on the same day. "All the persons engaged should use masks and ensure hand washing with soap at reasonable intervals. Maintain safe distance of 3-4 feet during rest, taking of meals, transfer of produce at collection point, loading/unloading," it said. With regard to rabi paddy, ICAR said the crop in southern states has been widely affected due to 'neck blast' disease. Therefore, adequate precautions should be taken while spraying of recommended fungicide by contract sprayers/ farmers. In horticultural crops at fruiting stage such as mango, adequate precautions should be taken in handling inputs and mixing while carrying out field operations related to nutrient spray and crop protection. Besides, delivery and washing of equipment should also be undertaken. ICAR said farm machines and implements should be sanitized at entry point and at regular intervals. All transport vehicles, gunny bags or other packaging material should also be sanitized The collection of the produce may be done in small heaps spaced at 3-4 feet and field level processing should be assigned to 1-2 persons/heap to avoid crowding. Proper sanitation and cleanliness of threshers for harvested maize and groundnut is to be maintained, especially when machines are shared and used by farmer groups. Copious washing of machine parts frequently touched with soap is advised, it added. For post-harvest, storage and marketing of farm produce, ICAR asked farmers to take precautions while performing drying, threshing, winnowing, cleaning, grading, sorting and packaging operations at the farm level. "Ensure proper drying prior to storage of harvested grains, millets, pulses at farm/home and do not use reuse previous seasons jute bags to prevent pest infestation. Use treated and dried gunnies after soaking in 5 per cent neem solution," it said. Farmers should take enough personal safety measures while loading and transporting farm produce and participating in sale at market yards/auction platforms, it said. ICAR said seed producing farmers are allowed to transport their produce to seed companies with supporting documents, and asked them to take precautions while receiving payments. Farmers should take precautions while direct marketing/supplying vegetables such as tomato, cauliflower, green leafy vegetables, cucumbers and other cucurbits from farms. "Seed processing/packaging plants and transportation of seed from producing states to growing states (south to north) is essential to make available seed for ensuing kharif crops. SSG seed for green fodder for sowing in April in north comes from southern states," ICAR added. LUX RVK

Farmers can delay wheat harvesting till Apr 20 as temp is below long-term average: ICAR

<ul><li><keyword id="6964390" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-quality-levels-in-delhi">Air quality levels in Delhi</keyword>, the most polluted mega-city in the world, had already dropped to ‘poor’ on Monday and is expected to worsen.</li><li>Farmers continue to burn stubble with some in Punjab recently protesting against the lack of compensation for using alternatives to crop burning. </li><li>There seems to be a lack in coordinated action among governments.</li></ul>Despite ample warnings, it appears that Indian authorities have again been unable to wield enough pressure or incentivise farmers sufficiently in Northern India to halt the practice of burning stubble. <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/stubble-burning-doubles-delhi-pollution-harvard-study/articleshow/63593281.cms">Studies</a> have shown that this stubble burning contributes to at least half of the pollution and toxic haze problem in India’s capital region. The air quality in Delhi and surrounding cities reach toxic levels every year in October and November as the temperature drops and the pollutants stay suspended as the wind slows down. While the number of stubble burning sites seem lower than last year according to satellite data, that number might go up in the coming week. Air quality levels in Delhi had already dropped to ‘poor’ as of Monday, according to the Air Quality Index. A combination of stubble burning in the Northern states, vehicle exhaust and construction dust contribute to toxic levels of pollution in Delhi, which is the most <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/delhi-world-s-most-polluted-city-mumbai-worse-than-beijing-who/story-m4JFTO63r7x4Ti8ZbHF7mM.html">polluted city</a> in the world, according to the World Health Organisation. Despite penalties and a ban in place by the National Green Tribunal on stubble burning, farmers in have continued to burn stubble. Some farmers in Punjab have also recently been protesting against the lack of compensation for using alternatives by<a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/defiant-farmers-burn-stubble-post-videos-online-5403716/"> posting videos </a>of stubble burning online. Insufficient compensation In recent years, India’s central and state governments have attempted to introduce financial incentives and subsidies on the farm equipment needed to help farmers switch to cleaner methods of getting rid of harvest stubble instead of burning crop residue to clear farmlands for the next sowing season. However, farmers contend that despite the subsidies these machines are still very expensive and the cost of these machines has shot up further ever since the government announced these subsidies. Instead, the farmers have demanded <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Politics/TnZW7bjXA3wHbeqqDYd3pM/Delhis-air-quality-set-to-worsen-as-stubble-burning-intensi.html">direct compensation</a> of ₹200 ($2.71) per quintal of paddy harvested. One farmer in Punjab <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Politics/TnZW7bjXA3wHbeqqDYd3pM/Delhis-air-quality-set-to-worsen-as-stubble-burning-intensi.html">told</a> the Mint - “The number of machines that have been purchased on subsidy will not even cover 10% of Punjab’s paddy area... besides it costs farmers over ₹5,000 per acre for straw management by rented machines.” Additionally, Punjab also imposes a fine of ₹2,500 per acre, which dwarfs in comparison to the cost of alternatives, farmers say. “I will set fire to my farm to clear it. If need be, I will pay the fine because there is no other option,” a farmer in Punjab <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/india/delhi-still-grasping-for-breath-as-stubble-burning-continues-in-punjab-haryana-1546059.html">told </a>News18. Removing crop residue is also seen as a labour-intensive process in both Punjab and Haryana, both states have shifted to high mechanisation in recent years. With farm labour being either unavailable or too expensive, burning the stubble is seen as a cheaper option. To be sure, efforts are also underway by various non-governmental and local organisations to create a market for the stubble for use in biofuels, for instance, but they will take time to catch on. The governments also appear to be lacking in coordinated action to address the problem. Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has reportedly said that his government took up the issue with the other state governments but no “concrete action” had been taken by them. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/sympathies-with-farmers-but-dont-burn-crop-residue-amarinder-singh-1932592">urged </a>the central government to grant ₹100 per quintal as compensation to Punjab farmers, failing which he said it would be tough for the state to control stubble burning. Delhi also plans to implement emergency measures in the coming weeks if the air quality worsens including a prohibition on burning of waste, curb on construction activity and the use of diesel generator sets in the city.

Indian govt on back foot as stubble burning worsens air pollution in the national capital

Mumbai, May 20 () Mumbai's popular street snacks like 'bhel puri', 'paani puri' and 'vada pav', which used to be relished by people cutting across community and class barriers, have no takers now during the lockdown, throwing street food vendors and roadside stalls out of business. Till some time back, street food was a thriving business in Mumbai, but since the coronavirus outbreak, many vendors have returned to their native places while others are staring at an uncertain future. Kanhaiya, who ran a paani puri stall at Bhuleshwar in Zaveri Bazaar of south Mumbai, returned to his native village near Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh after his business dried up. "In mid-March, when some coronavirus cases were detected in the state and the government ordered closure of malls, swimming pools, gyms, I realised that I should leave for my native place. When malls are shut, what value will I have," he told over phone from his village. He is now busy working at his family farm land, growing wheat, sugarcane and paddy. Asked if he willcome back, Kanhaiya said, "Let's see how the situation unfolds. Even though I have a farm in the village and a house of my own, agriculture is unreliable. Never know what you have sown will remain, it depends on rain. At my shop in Mumbai, I could at least make some savings." He has been missing his stall at Bhuleshwar, which was the hub of wholesale and retail cloth, gold, diamond, steel, plastic and readymade garments. Taxi drivers and low wage workers frequently visited the area, where 'puri bhaji', 'bhel puri', 'vada pav' and 'dosa' were available at prices ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 200. Three khau gullies in Bhuleshwar, streets near the Churchgate station, Flora Fountain in Fort, Bombay Stock Exchange and other areas in south Mumbai used to be packed with food stalls and canteens selling snacks at cheap prices on normal days, but now these areas wear a deserted look. Pappu Singh, another 'paani puri' vendor from Vile Parle area, also left for his native village Khedlakhurd in Dausa district of Rajasthan amid the lockdown. "I used to earn Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 every month and lived at a rented room in Vile Parle with my sons. I came back when business started suffering," he told over phone. "I am penniless since the last two months. There is no water or work in my village. I have been surviving on roti- mirchi (flat bread and chilly)," he said. "There is nothing in my farm. I will sow bajra (pearl millet) if there is good rain. I am waiting for the situation to normalise so that I can resume work," he added. His son Narender singh, who works at a 'bhel puri' shop in Vile Parle, however, did not leave Mumbai as he felt the lockdown will not prolong. "I and seven workers are staying at the 'bhel puri' shop and we are getting food. The owner hails from our village," Narender said. His employer Sandeep Sharma, owner of the 'Sharma Bhelpuri' outlet in Vile Parle, said his business is affected by this unprecedented crisis. "My 16 employees were mostly from my native place in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Some from UP have left and those who stayed back are living in my shop and godown. They are my family, so it is my duty to look after them in such harsh times," Sharma said. He also feels it is time to reinvent the business model once the COVID-19 crisis ends. "We are thinking of starting 'sev puri' and 'paani puri' takeaways and supply our 'chutneys' hygienically packed to general stores which are open," Sharma said. "Business is anyways low during monsoon. I don't think people will prefer eating'bhel puri' and 'paani puri' when normalcy returns. They will be scared to eat outside and would rather spend on more important things in life," he added. Santosh Sawant, a 'vada pav' stall owner in suburban Santacruz, said business owners like him are now confused about their future. "When my business shut two months ago, I looked after my staff members who were staying in two rooms that I own. I gave them moneyand food. But, on May 15, they left for their native places without informing me. They were my employees for last 15 to 20 years and I can't start my business again without them," he said. But, Sawant is hopeful that his employees will return as he used to acknowledge their hard work. "My focus has always been on quality food and my customers know it. I am sure when things normalise, my business will resume. But I am working on how to take it forward. I am thinking of taking home delivery orders right now," he said. Sagar, whose mother used to supply tiffins to staff at the Vidhan Bhavan, secretariat and the Shipping Corporation of India in south Mumbai, said his business was already down after his father died last year and mother became ill. Since the lockdown, their tiffin service has completely shut down. Sagar said his mother used to sit on the footpath opposite the secretariat in the afternoon to get more customers who would stop by for a quick lunch of Malvani food. "Since our business closed, I even tried taking up other jobs, but didn't have much luck after everything came to a standstill due to the lockdown," he said. Franchise broker Pravin Jagtap said nearly five lakh people worked in the micro-business sector of fast food and takeaway joints, which has been badly hit by the lockdown. A lot of youngsters had joined the business before the COVID-19 crisis took it all away. "Those who have paid the one-time franchise fees and have taken loan will not be able to pay the shop rent and bank dues due to business losses. After the situation normalises, these shops will have to be careful about health and hygiene issues to get customers back," he said. Rents will also be unaffordable in future and prices will go up due to inflation, he claimed. "Mumbaikars have already forgotten the habit of eating out," Jagtap said. Writer and culinary expert Ajit Joshi said," The street food of Mumbai, that found a place in Bollywood films, international documentariesand food shows, is going to be missed." A large number of office-goers used to depend on the street food, he added. MR GK GK

Mumbai's street food business in jeopardy due to lockdown

Untimely shower in April is definitely taking a toll on the fresh sows in the northern parts of India. The ravi harvest in North and West India including onions in Maharashtra have been badly affected due to unseasonal rain and storm. However, a recent survey by a <keyword id="2808232" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="private-weather-forecaster">private weather forecaster</keyword> comes as a breather for the farmers. The <keyword id="6376779" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Skymet">Skymet</keyword> conducted survey points out that that the country will receive normal rains during the June-September monsoon season. 
 
As per a news report by The Economic Times, the government's India Meteorological department (IMD) is expected to forecast on the same by April 23. Local authorities use IMD's prediction to decide on their monsoon preparations. However, global forecasters are of opinion that 2015 in Indian agriculture might be largely impacted bby El Nino. El Nino has a history of adversely impacting monsoon rain. In the past decade, 2002, 2004 and 2009 were drought years due to the phenomenon 
"2014-15 has become an El Nino year as the Oceanic Nino index has crossed the threshold value of 0.5 for five consecutive times since September 2014 till March end. We expect it to last till May 2015 and thereafter go down, thereby not making any impact on Indian monsoon," GP Sharma, vice-president of meteorology at Skymet told the ET. 
 
Skymet expects a few dry patches in parts of northwest, central and south India but on the whole it is optimistic of normal rains in 2015. In its March forecast it has said that the monsoon rainfall might be 102 per cent of long-period average for the period June to September. 
As per the news report in the financial daily, average rainfall over India for June-September would be 89 cm. The long-term average is the average rainfall for the past 50 years. A deviation of up to 4 per cent on both sides is considered as normal. Anything beyond 10 per cent is excess rainfall, or drought. 
 
DS Pai, head of the long range forecast at IMD told the ET, that they were analysing the latest forecast and by April 22-23 come with their first forecast for the Indian monsoon. "We are monitoring data and will not like to comment on El Nino impact at this stage," he said. More than half of the population in India being directly or indirectly dependent on farms, rain is indispensible element of survival. The ET predicts deficient rains could drive up inflation, especially <keyword id="67286" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Food-inflation">food inflation</keyword>, affecting the steps to put the <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword> back on track. In 2009, the country's worst drought in nearly four decades drove up food inflation to as much as 20 per cent and it took years for it come to bearable levels. 
Land preparation and sowing of kharif crops, largely paddy, soyabean, cotton, pulses such as pigeon peas (arhar) and green gram (moong), coarse cereals like bajra and jowar, pick up with the onset of the monsoon in the country. 
 
 
(Image: Reuters)

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RBI Guv hopes India will stage sharp V-shaped recovery in 2021-22

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Farmers can delay wheat harvesting till Apr 20 as temp is below long-term average: ICAR

PTI

Indian govt on back foot as stubble burning worsens air pollution in the national capital

Rimin Dutt

Mumbai's street food business in jeopardy due to lockdown

PTI

The monsoon's going to be just fine this year

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Full transcript of PM Narendra Modi's TV interview

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You Searched For "paddy sowing" and got 6 results

RBI Guv hopes India will stage sharp V-shaped recovery in 2021-22

PTI

Farmers can delay wheat harvesting till Apr 20 as temp is below long-term average: ICAR

PTI

Indian govt on back foot as stubble burning worsens air pollution in the national capital

Rimin Dutt

Mumbai's street food business in jeopardy due to lockdown

PTI

​The monsoon's going to be just fine this year

BI India Bureau

Full transcript of PM Narendra Modi's TV interview

BI India Bureau

The monsoon's going to be just fine this year