Latest news with #TamilNaduAgriculturalUniversity
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
TNAU has disbursed ₹8.98 crore as grants to 85 agri startups since 2019
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, has disbursed grants to the extent of 8.98 crore to 85 agri startups since 2019, under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana - Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sectors Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR), a flagship scheme of the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare to strengthen infrastructure in Agriculture and Allied sectors. The allied sectors constitute Crop Husbandry (including Horticulture), Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Dairy Development, Agricultural Research and Education, Forestry and Wildlife, Plantation and Agricultural Marketing, Food Storage and Warehousing, Soil and Water Conservation, Agricultural Financial Institutions, other Agricultural Programmes and Cooperation. TNAU is one among 24 R-ABIs (RKVY-RAFTAAR Agribusiness Incubators) identified by the Central Government for fostering Agripreneurship and Agri-Business ecosystem across the country, through facilitating financial aid to potential agri startups and nurturing a system of business incubation. The TNAU has been conducting two programmes under this scheme: Agripreneurship Orientation Programme (AOP) for a grant up to ₹5 lakh, and Startup Agribusiness Incubation Programme (SAIP) ) for a grant of up to ₹25 lakh. Earlier this week, R. Thamizh Vendan, Registrar and Acting Vice-Chancellor, TNAU, disbursed ₹35 lakh for 10 SAIP Cohort III Grantees as third instalment, ₹17.80 lakh for 11 AOP Cohort IV Grantees as second instalment and ₹35.40 lakh for 13 AOP Cohort V Grantees as first instalment. In total, ₹88.20 lakh were given to 34 grantees of SAIP cohort III and AOP cohort IV and V. The grant, Prof. Vendhan said, has been effective in retaining the youth in agriculture and to support agri-based startups to innovate and implement new technologies for sustainable and profitable agribusiness. The grantees have planned to utilise the grant for development of products and upscaling their startups in agri and allied ventures, E. Somasundaram, Director, Agri-Business Development, TNAU, said. RKVY-RAFTAAR, sources added, is being implemented as a Centrally-sponsored scheme in the ratio of 60:40 (Government of India and State Share respectively) except in case of north-eastern and hilly States where the sharing pattern is 90:10. For union territories, the grant is 100% as Central share.
The Hindu
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Paddy farmers in Anamalai block in ‘wait and watch' mode; to start sowing after determining water adequacy
Farmers in Anamalai block where paddy is grown predominantly in Coimbatore district are in a 'wait and watch' mode to ascertain water adequacy, before commencing their sowing for this cultivation season. Though there was copious rainfall from the recent spell of Southwest monsoon, farmers are still faced with inadequacy of flow in the Aliyar river at this point of time for two reasons: the desilting works in the distributary network and the diversion of water from the Aliyar Dam to the system dams. According to Agriculture Department sources, even last year, sowing commenced only during July, and harvest was carried out during November-December for the short-duration crop variety. Anamalai block in Coimbatore district accounts for the highest extent of paddy cultivation in 580 hectares. Barring 2023, a drought year, the farmers cultivate paddy for two cycles in a year in the block. The crop sown during mid-January was harvested during April. The land has been kept fallow by the farmers awaiting certainty of water release. Farmers raise both fine and bold varieties of paddy crop in the block. The Ko 51, a high-yielding, fine-grain rice variety developed by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) is sown in the block. The cropping of the short-duration variety is carried out over a duration of 105 to 110 days. Two types of bold variety paddy crops: ADT 37 and ASD 16 are also raised in the block suiting the soil conditions. Traditional crop varieties are least preferred by the farmers as the marketing support is not strong. There are signs of erstwhile coconut farmers switching over to cultivation of paddy, cholam (sorghum) and ground nut crops, according to officials. Mono-cropping had made coconut susceptible to pest attacks, and aged plantations attacked by pests are being removed for switching over to agricultural crops, official sources added.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
TNAU forecasts normal southwest monsoon in Tamil Nadu
COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has forecast a normal southwest monsoon from June to September for most districts in Tamil Nadu this year. Near normal rainfall is expected in Coimbatore, Tirupur, Karur, Namakkal, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari districts, according to TNAU. As per the seasonal forecast released by the varsity on Tuesday, Chennai would receive 430 mm of rainfall against its normal rainfall of 440 mm, while Coimbatore would receive 185 mm of rainfall against 210 mm between June and September 2025. The forecast was developed based on the Southern Oscillation Index and Sea Surface Temperature values of the Pacific and Indian Oceans using Australian Rainman International V43 software at the Agro Climate Research Centre of TNAU, said a statement. The forecast said Madurai would receive 298 mm of rainfall against its normal average of 325 mm and Trichy would receive 260 mm against 277 mm. Among all the districts in TN, the Nilgiris is expected to receive the highest rainfall of 860 mm, followed by Kancheepuram (462 mm) and Chengalpet (450 mm). Tuticorin would receive the lowest rainfall of 59 mm against its normal of 67 mm. Tirupur and Erode are forecast to receive 130 mm and 245 mm of rainfall, respectively, while Salem would receive 410 mm, according to TNAU.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
TNAU releases district-level rainfall forecast for Southwest monsoon
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, on Tuesday released the district-level seasonal rainfall forecast for Southwest Monsoon season, 2025 (June to September). The rainfall forecast was calculated based on the Southern Oscillation Index and Sea Surface Temperature values of Pacific and Indian Oceans by using Australian Rainman International V.4.3. software at the university's Agro Climate Research Centre. The TNAU presented its forecast at 60% probability level. Normal rainfall (±10 per cent deviation from long term rainfall) is expected in most of the districts in Tamil Nadu. Near normal rainfall (-10 per cent deviation from the long-term rainfall) is expected in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Karur, Namakkal, Thenkasi, Tirunelveli, Tutucorin and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu. The predicted rainfall (in mm) have been grouped under different zones. North Eastern Zone (Normal rainfall in mm, predicted rainfall, and percent deviation in brackets): Chennai (440, 430, -2), Chengalpattu (450, 450, 0), Cuddalore (360, 370, 3), Kallakurichi (410, 385, -6), Kancheepuram (479, 462, -4), Ranipet (450, 430, -4), Tiruvallur (456, 440, -4), Tirupathur (416, 400, -4), Tiruvannamalai (449, 449, 1), Villpuram (405, 405, -5), Vellore (453, 422, -7). West zone: Coimbatore (210, 185, -12), Erode (260, 245, -6), Tiruppur (151, 130, -14). North West zone: Dharmapuri (392, 380, -3), Krishnagiri (375, 377, 1), Namakkal (336, 300, -11), Salem (421, 410, -3). Cauvery Delta zone: Ariyalur (377, 355, -6), Karur (199, 175, -12), Mayiladuthurai (295, 300, 2), Nagapattinam (279, 267, -4), Perambalur (279, 269, -4), Thanjavur (314, 315, 0), Tiruvarur (302, 280, -7), Tiruchirapalli (277, 260, -6). Southern Zone: Dindigul (308, 296, -4), Madurai (325, 298, -8), Pudukkottai (330, 326, -1), Ramanathapuram (135, 135, 0), Sivaganga (417, 421, 1), Theni (215, 205, -5), Tenkasi (174, 150, -14), Tuticorn (67, 59, -12), Tirunelveli (128, 108, -16), Virudhunagar (190, 175, -8). Hilly Zone: The Nilgiris (875, 860, -2).
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
TNAU makes progress in developing parameters to determine desired character in offspring of worker bees
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), under the aegis of All India Coordinated Research Project on Honeybees and Pollinators, has made progress in developing parameters to arrive at desired character in off-springs of worker bees. Over the last two years, researchers in the Department of Agricultural Entomology have standardised the age in the lifespan of worker bee when the semen production is high. Research in artificial/instrumental insemination was currently progress, the success of which would pave the way for honey-producers to be assured of desired character of off-springs, said V.R. Saminathan, Professor of Entomology and Principal Investigator for All India Coordinated Research Project for Honey Bees and Pollinators. The project also covered molecular identification to address the Thai sacbrood virus (TSBV), which posed a major threat to honey bee colonies in South India, and research on strain variation in honey bees, Prof. Saminathan said. During December, 2024, the TNAU conducted a State-level training offered by the National Bee Board on various essential aspects of Bee keeping: Identification of bee species and social organisation of bees; Rearing Indian bees in boxes, general and seasonal management; Bee forage, yield increase of crops through cross pollination; Honey extraction; and Enemies and diseases of bees and their management. The TNAU Agritech portal states that the production of apiary honey in the country has reached 10,000 tons, valued at ₹300 million. In Tamil Nadu, raw honey is mostly procured from Janunamarudhur in Tiruvannamalai district and Marthandam in Kanyakumar district. The government provides financial support by supplying bee-hives to the tribals on hill areas, SC/ST under Western Ghats Development programme and Integrated Tribal Development Programme. The Central Government had, during November 2020, initiated the Honey FPO programme of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED). The TNAU, on its part, had been reaching out to farmers through monthly-training programmes to initiate them into producing bee wax, propolis, royal jelly, and bee venom. So far, at least 8000 farmers in Tamil Nadu had undergone training in bee keeping at TNAU, Prof. Saminathan said. On May 20, the TNAU celebrated the World Bee Day on the theme: 'Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all', highlighting the critical roles bees and other pollinators play in agrifood systems.
