Month: August 2024
The arrival of tropical storms, like this year’s Tropical Storm Barry, coincides closely with the typical date for onset of Florida’s so called ‘rainy season’ that generally runs from late May to October. Although Florida fishermen experienced a record ‘dry season’ this year, the occurrence of drought during the cooler winter and spring months was hardly unusual. Bass fishing in [tag-ice]Lake Okeechobee suffered as water levels reached all-time lows, exposing large areas of lake bottom and leaving many boat ramps high and dry.
There has been a silver lining to the drought for the Florida strain of largemouth bass living in Lake O, as some locals call it. The Army Corps of Engineers began a project last year to scrape decades of accumulated “muck” off the exposed lake bed. Phosphorus and nitrogen runoff from fertilizers used on farms, golf courses and lawns has been building up in Okeechobee ever since the natural flow of water out of the lake was reversed early in the 20th century to help retain a supply in Lake O for agriculture and drinking water. These chemicals generate unnatural spread of certain plants and algae which overgrow then die off and coat the bottom this the toxic “muck.”
The bass fishing in Okeechobee should benefit both from Barry’s rain and the new sections of the natural sandy bottom of Lake O revealed after the dredging. As the water levels rise, natural grasses will reclaim the cleaned areas, dissolved oxygen levels should increase in the absence of the artificial plant blooms, and much new spawning habitat will open to the monster bass Lake Okeechobee is famous for.
Bass fishermen headed to Lake O should expect to find the bass in heavy grass cover. Try the new Okeechobee Rig, a lure developed specifically for fishermen flipping for bass in dense brush or grass cover. You’ll need to be casting strong braid or mono to effectively haul out hooked bass – at least 20lb test, but 30-60lb braid is commonly used on the tournament trail. I set up with Power Pro rigged with a Seaguar Flourocarbon leader.
CII today organized a Seminar on Reforms in the APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) Act , and its impact in the Southern States. This is an initiative of the Agri Business Sub-Committee, CII-Southern Region. Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Shankarlal Guru, Chairman-International Society for Agricultural Marketing said Agricultural sector is in urgent need of reforms by the respective State governments to help drive the economy to a higher growth rate that is expected by the policy makers, but a comprehensive agenda for reforms in this crucial sector is yet to emerge. Hence, the need for Agriculture to be made a central subject and not a state subject, thus alienating it from politics, said Mr. Guru. Contract farming should be encouraged as it will help bring technology and modern practices into the agriculture sector – opined Mr. Guru.
The APMC Act in each state of India requires all agricultural products to be sold only in government – regulated markets. These markets impose substantial taxes on buyers, in addition to commissions and fees taken by middlemen, but typically provide little service in areas such as price discovery, grading or inspection. A key impact of this regulation is the inability of private sector processors and retailers to integrate their enterprises directly with farmers or other sellers, eliminating middlemen in the process. Farmers also are unable to legally enter into contracts with buyers. This leaves no incentives for farmers to upgrade, and inhibits private and foreign investments in the food process sector.
Also addressing the audience was Mr. Sivakumar, Chairman Agri Business Sub-Committee, CII-Southern Region and Chief Executive – Agri, ITC Ltd. Said that Agri business in India is at a transition point. Having sailed through the shortage economy to an economy with surplus in grains, it is important that Governments at the Centre and State recognize the need for inclusive growth to take agriculture forward in India. Setting the context for the day’s discussion, Mr. Sivakumar emphasized that in spite of employing about 57% of the population of the country, agriculture on contributes 27% to the GDP of India. This distortion makes agriculture not a lucrative employment generator and hence, keeping with the global view, India needs to carve out opportunities in agri-exports sector. Contract farming and direct marketing to retail chains and processing units are the need of the hour he said.
Regulations to keep pace with these needs are required, which need alternative marketing mechanisms. Hence, reforms in the APMC Act are recommended in various fields, he added.
Making a presentation on “Aligning State Policies with emerging new marketing models”, Prof. S Raghunath from the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore, emphasized the need for an effective and efficient distribution system for agri-produce and provision for supply-demand transparency. Since the main objective of the APMC Act was to prevent exploitation of farmers by various intermediaries, reforms were required in the Act, with changing face of agriculture and the agricultural supply chain, opined Prof Raghunath. India is the largest producer of vegetable in the world, with a total share of 15% of global produce. 8% of world’s fruits are produced in India, ranking it second in the world market. In spite of this, there is a high cumulative wastage of 40% in India, informed Prof. Raghunath. Inadequate infrastructure and lack of organized supply chain were the main cause for such a disparity, he said. Thus, reforms in this sector need to catch up with the pace of development in the economy and dis-intermediation and participation of organized players in the sector will remove the lacunae, opined Prof. Raghunath.
Centre asks states to amend APMC Act
In a move to allow farmers to directly sell their produce to industry, contract farming and setting up of competitive markets in private and cooperative sector, the Centre has asked the state government to amend the Agricultural Produce Marketing Act.
Under the present Act, the processing industry cannot buy directly from farmers. The farmer is also restricted from entering into direct contract with any manufacturer because the produce is required to be canalised through regulated markets. These restrictions are acting as a disincentive to farmers, trade and industries.
The government has recently approved a central sector scheme titled Development/strengthening of agricultural marketing infrastructure, grading and standardisation.
Under the scheme, credit linked investment subsidy shall be provided on the capital cost of general or commodity specific infrastructure for marketing of agricultural commodities and for strengthening and modernisation of existing agricultural markets, wholesale, rural periodic or in tribal areas.
The scheme is linked to reforms in state law dealing with agricultural markets (APMC Act). Assistance under the new scheme will be provided in those states that amend the APMC Act.
The Centre has asked the state governments to inform as to whether necessary amendments to the APMC Act have been carried out, in order to notify the reforming states for applicability of the scheme.
Along with the Centre, the industry is also interested in the amendment to the APMC Act as it restricts the growth of trade in agricultural commodities.
The policy regime pertaining to internal trade is particularly restrictive. The agricultural sector continues to be hamstrung by a plethora of controls, which were introduced during the era of shortages, said the PHDCCI.
Meanwhile, a decentralised system of procuring wheat and rice would make the Public Distribution System more cost effective, the government has said.
DISH Network, one of the leading satellite TV providers in America has grown over the years by leaps and bounds, due to its exclusive programming packages. Entertainment has reached next level with DISH Network that delivers some of the finest and most popular channels right into your homes. You have the most gripping time with your family and friends, if you are a DISH TV subscriber. Moreover, DISH Network now brings several a la carte channels that guarantee ultimate satellite TV programming. Just include these a la carte services to your programming package and tailor-make your viewing selection. Isn’t this interesting? You can now add some of the channels that you love the most with other packages and enjoy viewing them as well.
With DISH Network, you are privileged to enjoy more options while picking your much-loved channels. You can include DISH a la carte channels and enjoy programs based on your preferences. So, what are you waiting for? Sit back at home, for now you will get bored at home. Browse through a pool of channels and keep watching DISH Network a la carte packages coupled with your regular pack. You are sure to have the best home entertainment ever just reclining on your couch.
Under the DISH Network a la carte packages, you have a plethora of DISH channels to select from. Wondering what are these? Well, if you are a sports fanatic, then you can just add Sportsman Channel with your other pack at a nominal rate as low as $3 per month. This channel is specially meant for those who love shooting, hunting, and fishing. The channel delivers the best information on destinations, on how-tos, and brings entertaining programs for American Sportsman. For international sports experience, the best choice would be FOX Soccer Plus, which airs live and exclusive soccer tournaments from the best leagues across the countries.
Outdoor channel can be added with other pack at a price similar to Sportsman channel and you can enjoy Americas best fishing and hunting experience on satellite TV. it is an inspiring channel that educates as well as entertains Americans. In case, you are looking for something that brings programs on natural wellness and living good, then perhaps, Veria TV is your best pick as a la carte channel. You can this one at $5 every month. RFD TV may be the choice for those who are a bit socially inclined. If you have it in you and want to serve the rural America, then you can grab all the related information on agriculture, horse training and latest rural news on RFD.
For any movie buff, Epix 3 is the right selection at $7 each month to enjoy the best first-run flicks, latest Hollywood releases and original series from different genres to keep you entertained. And yes, the Spanish-speaking people in America can just not let pass the Cine Latino channel. If you want to enjoy best Spanish productions from Spain and Latin America, then add this channel from DISH a la carte services.
Agriculture machineries and tools suppliers specialize in the manufactures of agricultural implements and specialized equipment for a variety of farming needs. The manufacturers like Toro, Coronet, New Holland, Unverferth, Woods Equipment Co., Worksaver Inc., Yetter Farm Equipment Co., Ag-Chem, AGCO, Automatic Ag Products, Beard Industries, Orthman, Seedburo, Bigham Brothers, Blu-Jet, Bomford Turner, Brillion Iron, Northwest Tillers, Stover Equipment Co. Inc., Sukup Manufacturing Co. Brownie Manufacturing Co. and Butler Mfg. Co. have an established presence in this niche market and are standing up to competition from the majors. The Agricultural Suppliers have some of the latest and most modern models of equipment in their stocks. These models have been well received in the market and are worth the money. Since agriculture farming equipment is considered a market for consumer durables, the market also looks at the price. The American and European markets are quality conscious and are not very price sensitive. The market capturing depends on the quality of the product. There are other Agriculture machineries and tools suppliers like Case, Murray and Snapper. These manufacturers are very popular in the North America segment and in Europe. Most of the suppliers are good with the quality and production range they have. Also they have the capacity to make it big and stand up to the giants like Honda, Ford, John Deere. The farming equipment makes the tasks associated with farming easier and the operations more productive. Such equipment mostly includes Tractors, Combines, Hay Equipment and the like. Agriculture machineries and tools suppliers offer many listings for equipment used in agricultural farming, cattle ranching, dairy and poultry to name a few. From planting all the way through to harvesting these farm equipment dealers have the proper equipment that farmers need. Whether the buyers are searching for new or used tractors by John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Agco, Massey Ferguson, Kubota, McCormick or others, along with combine, forage harvester, planter, tillage equipment, or other agricultural equipment, you can find the listing at Fuzing. The fuzing agriculture chemical suppliers directory is a leading B2B portal for global buyers searching manufacturers, exporters and suppliers. There is an agriculture chemical page bringing you to our handpicked agricultural chemical manufacturers, exporters and suppliers from various regions. If you are an agricultural chemical supplier, exporter, manufacturer, factory, vendor or trading company/agent, and want to list in this supplier directory, please click Fuzing.com. The author is familiar about the topics like international trade, business to business marketplace & online trade scenario. He generally writes for site Fuzing.com on Industrial Hardware And Tools Suppliers [http://way2trading.com/companies-category/agriculture.html] for more information about-way2trading.com which is a leading online B2B company and provides a feasible environment for exchanging agriculture related information like agriculture equipments and agricultural tools manufacturers. Working since 2012, it has its offices pan in India and enjoys high credibility throughout the business spectrum. way2trading is considered as one of the largest B2B companies in India