Indian Farmers Increase Sowing of Rice and Pulses as of June 20
Farmers have planted pulses on 944,000 hectares of farmland, climbing 42% from a year earlier, the ministry said in a statement late Monday. Cotton planting has increased to 3.1 million hectares, up 7.4% from a year earlier, it said.
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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
AI robots fill in for weed killers and farm hands
Oblivious to the punishing midday heat, a wheeled robot powered by the sun and infused with artificial intelligence carefully combs a cotton field in California, plucking out weeds. As farms across the United States face a shortage of laborers and weeds grow resistant to herbicides, startup Aigen says its robotic solution -- named Element -- can save farmers money, help the environment and keep harmful chemicals out of food. "I really believe this is the biggest thing we can do to improve human health," co-founder and chief technology officer Richard Wurden told AFP, as robots made their way through crops at Bowles Farm in the town of Los Banos. "Everybody's eating food sprayed with chemicals." Wurden, a mechanical engineer who spent five years at Tesla, went to work on the robot after relatives who farm in Minnesota told him weeding was a costly bane. Weeds are becoming immune to herbicides, but a shortage of laborers often leaves chemicals as the only viable option, according to Wurden. "No farmer that we've ever talked to said 'I'm in love with chemicals'," added Aigen co-founder and chief executive Kenny Lee, whose background is in software. "They use it because it's a tool -- we're trying to create an alternative." Element the robot resembles a large table on wheels, solar panels on top. Metal arms equipped with small blades reach down to hoe between crop plants. "It actually mimics how humans work," Lee said as the temperature hit 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) under a cloudless sky. "When the sun goes down, it just powers down and goes to sleep; then in the morning it comes back up and starts going again." The robot's AI system takes in data from on-board cameras, allowing it to follow crop rows and identify weeds. "If you think this is a job that we want humans doing, just spend two hours in the field weeding," Wurden said. Aigen's vision is for workers who once toiled in the heat to be "upskilled" to monitor and troubleshoot robots. Along with the on-board AI, robots communicate wirelessly with small control centers, notifying handlers of mishaps. - Future giant? - Aigen has robots running in tomato, cotton, and sugar beet fields, and touts the technology's ability to weed without damaging the crops. Lee estimated that it takes about five robots to weed 160 acres (65 hectares) of farm. The robots made by the 25-person startup -- based in the city of Redmond, outside Seattle -- are priced at $50,000. The company is focused on winning over politically conservative farmers with a climate friendly option that relies on the sun instead of costly diesel fuel that powers heavy machinery. "Climate, the word, has become politicized but when you get really down to brass tacks farmers care about their land," Lee said. The technology caught the attention of Amazon Web Services (AWS), the e-commerce giant's cloud computing unit. Aigen was chosen for AWS's "Compute for Climate" fellowship program that provides AI tools, data center power, and technical help for startups tackling environmental woes. "Aigen is going to be one of the industry giants in the future," said AWS head of climate tech startups business development Lisbeth Kaufman. "I think about Ford and the Model T, or Edison and the light bulb -- that's Kenny and Rich and Aigen." gc/arp/des/mlm
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Canada wants new trade partners. But markets like India and China come with major obstacles
International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu says Canada has a chance to build new partnerships as U.S. tariffs continue to pummel world economies. But landing deeper ties with major markets like the U.K., India and China means overcoming irritants and fraught diplomatic relationships. "There's an appetite with partners and allies all around the world to do more with Canada," Sidhu said in an interview with CBC's The House. "There is an opportune window that we have to jump on." Sidhu told guest host Janyce McGregor that success to him is "getting businesses more comfortable dealing with overseas markets." He said Canada "should be screaming at the top of our lungs" about what it can offer the world. Since becoming minister of international trade, Sidhu has helped Canada deepen its trade relationship with countries like Ecuador and the United Arab Emirates. But larger markets like the United Kingdom, India and China that could play a big role in easing Canada's reliance on the U.S. are much more complicated. Canada has tried to deepen its economic ties with these countries before, but trade discussions either fizzled out or diplomatic tensions stymied discussions. In January 2024, the British government walked away from trade negotiations. A major sticking point was how much tariff-free access U.K. producers should have to the Canadian cheese market. Sidhu said the U.K. "is an important partner for Canada" and he met with his counterpart, British Secretary for Businesses and Trade Jonathan Reynolds, to discuss how to build up Canada-U.K. relations. When asked whether Canada's new law to protect supply management is blocking the U.K. from returning to trade discussions, Sidhu said Canada "has always remained at the negotiating table," the Liberal government will "never dismantle supply management" and that he wants to focus on trade "opportunities." There are signs of progress. In May, British High Commissioner Rob Tinline said the U.K. wants Canada to put forward a bill ratifying its accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Weeks later, Ottawa announced plans to do so this fall, allowing the British to enjoy trade with Canada under the terms of that agreement. During the G7 summit, Carney and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to designate new high commissioners. Both countries expelled top diplomats after the RCMP accused agents of the Indian government of playing a role in "widespread violence" in Canada, including homicides. When asked whether he sees a path for trade talks to resume between Canada and India, Sidhu said his constituents and Canadians at large are asking for "more connectivity between Canada and India." Sidhu also said trade and other business-to-business dealings have "been continuing over the last number of years on an upward trajectory." He said the government is taking a "step-by-step approach," and that restoring diplomats is an important step. Canada has also been making trade moves with China. Sidhu said the two countries have agreed to convene the Joint Economic and Trade Commission "to work through some of these issues and problems." In March, China announced it would apply tariffs on Canadian agricultural and food products as retaliation against levies Ottawa introduced last year on Chinese-made electric vehicles, steel and aluminum. China applied a 100 per cent tariff on Canadian canola oil, oil cakes and pea imports, and a 25 per cent duty on Canadian aquatic products and pork. Sidhu said he sees an openness to addressing Canada-China trade issues "and so we'll continue building on that. But the first part is to have those conversations being started… "Diplomacy can do wonders and we need to make sure that we're able to have those conversations with countries around the world. And that's exactly what I'll be doing."
Yahoo
5 hours ago
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HD Hyundai to Transplant 'Korean Shipbuilding DNA' into India
Signed comprehensive MOU for cooperation in shipbuilding with Cochin Shipyard Limited, India, on July 4 To provide ship design, equipment support, and technical collaboration — marking HD Hyundai's full-scale entry into the Indian market "Accelerating India's national maritime vision — forging new market opportunities through partnership" SEOUL, South Korea , July 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- HD Hyundai is joining forces with India's largest state-owned shipyard to strengthen its influence in the Indian and global markets. HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, the intermediate holding company overseeing HD Hyundai's shipbuilding operations, announced on Sunday, that it has signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), India's largest state-owned shipbuilder, to establish long-term cooperation in the shipbuilding sector. CSL, with its main yard located in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Kochi, is the largest shipbuilding yard in India, with the Indian government holding a 67.91% stake. The company has extensive capabilities in the design, construction, and repair of a wide range of vessels, from commercial ships to aircraft carriers. Over the past five years, CSL has successfully delivered a total of 70 vessels, including 60 small commercial ships and 10 naval vessels. Through this agreement, the two companies will pursue strategic cooperation across a range of areas, including design and procurement support for CSL, technical collaboration to enhance productivity and ensure global-quality standards, and the advancement of workforce capabilities through improved training systems. In particular, both parties have agreed to jointly explore new shipbuilding orders in the Indian and international markets. The partnership aligns with India's maritime development roadmaps, including the 'Maritime India Vision 2030' and the 'Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047,' both announced by the Indian Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways to foster growth in the maritime industry. In support of these visions, India established a Maritime Development Fund worth approximately INR 250 billion (KRW 4 trillion) this year and is expanding policy support to strengthen its domestic shipbuilding sector and maritime infrastructure. India's shipbuilding industry has witnessed rapid growth in recent years. According to market research firm Ken Research, the country's shipbuilding and repair market, valued at approximately USD 90 million in 2022, has surged to over USD 1.12 billion by 2024, a more than twelvefold increase. The market is expected to continue expanding at an average annual growth rate exceeding 60% until 2033. Through this partnership, HD Hyundai aims to strengthen its presence in the Indian market, the world's most populous country, while further enhancing its global competitiveness in the shipbuilding industry. "This collaboration will serve as a springboard for both HD Hyundai and CSL to reach new heights, while also marking a turning point in accelerating India's national maritime vision," said an HD Hyundai official. "By leveraging HD Hyundai's accumulated technological expertise and experience, we will support CSL in enhancing its global competitiveness, while also seeking opportunities for shared growth with Korean equipment suppliers." Meanwhile, HD Hyundai is actively expanding its global collaboration network beyond India. In April, the company signed an MOU with Huntington Ingalls Industries, the largest defense shipbuilder in the United States, followed by a strategic partnership agreement with Edison Chouest Offshore in June. In addition, HD Hyundai has been accelerating efforts to create synergies in the global shipbuilding sector by expanding defense cooperation, such as joint submarine development, with Peru's state-run SIMA shipyard in November of last year. Maritime India Vision 2030 A mid-term strategy established by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) to enhance the competitiveness of India's maritime industry and position the country as a global hub for shipping and shipbuilding. The plan aims to elevate India into the ranks of the world's top 10 shipbuilding nations by 2030. Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 A long-term maritime development roadmap created to commemorate the 100th anniversary of India's independence in 2047. It identifies sustainable port development and the advancement of the shipbuilding industry as core priorities, with the goal of positioning India among the world's top five shipbuilding nations by 2047. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE HD Hyundai Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
