DATES:27.11.2014

ControlofTikkadiseaseingroundnutThe groundnut leaf spots (early leaf spot and late leaf spot)commonly called as “Tikka” disease cause nearly completedefoliation and yield loss up to 50 per cent or more dependingupondiseaseseverity.The leaf spot disease epidemics are affected by weatherparameterssuchashotandwetconditions.Underfieldconditions,initialsymptomsof lateleafspotwerenoticedat45-50daysaftersowingofgroundnutcrop.The most prominent symptoms appeared on the foliage in thebeginningandlaterlesionsonstemalsodeveloped.BrownlesionsThe characteristic brown coloured lesions first appeared on thelowerleaveswhichwereusuallysmallerandalmostcircular.Earlyand late leaf spots in peanut can be differentiated on bases ofcolourofspotandyellowhalo.Incaseofearly leafspotcolour isreddishbrownwhile incaseoflate leaf spot it is dark brown. Yellow halo is conspicuous andspreadinginearlyleafspotbutdullandlimitedtomarginsofspotinlateleafspot.Management—Leafspot infecteddiseasedplantmaterialsshouldbeproperlydestroyed.—Growingresistantgenotypesanddoseedtreatmentwithatalc-based powder formulation of Pseudomonas fluorescens reducedtheseverityoflateleafspot.— Spraying of Trichoderma viride (5 per cent) and Verticilliumlecanii(5percent)canreducethediseaseseverity.—Neemleafextract(5percent),Mehandi(2percent),neeemoil(1per cent), neem kernel extract (3 per cent), can effectivelycontainthedisease.

—TwospraysofHexaconazole(0.2percent),Carbendazim(0.1percent)+Mancozeb(0.2percent)Tebuconazole(0.15percent)andDifenconazole(0.1percent)reducedleafspotdisease.— Bavistin at 0.1 per cent, followed by 2 per cent neem leafextract+1.0percentK2Osignificantlyreducedtheseverityofleafspotdisease.(Dr. Utpal Dey ,Department of Plant Pathology, Vasantrao NaikMarathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, Maharashtra. D. N.Dhutraj is Associate Dean & Principal, College of Agriculture,Badnapur, VNMKV, Parbhani, Maharashtra, email:utpaldey86@gmail.com)NovelwaytoproducesaferdrinkingwaterMaking drinking water a lot safer by killing an overwhelmingnumber of bacteria and most viruses is now possible. A novelresearch to this end was carried out by a team led by Prof. T.Pradeep,DepartmentofChemistry,IndianInstituteofTechnology(IIT),Madras.InMay2013, thesameteamwasable toachieveonly100timesreduction in bacterial load and negligible reduction in viral loadthroughsustainedreleaseof50partsperbillion(ppb)ofsilverionsindrinkingwater.But in the latest study, the team was able to achieve 1,00,000timesreductioninbacterialloadand1,000timesreductioninviralload by synergistically combining silver with carbonate ions. Thedrastic improvement in antimicrobial performance was achieveddespitetheteamusingonly25ppbofsilverions,halftheamountusedintheearlierwork.“A novel way has been found to save 1,300 tonnes of silverannually, which would have been unrecoverable otherwise,amountingtoasavingofRs.4,600crores,”Prof.PradeeptoldthisCorrespondent.The amount of carbonate and silver used was well below thepermissible level in drinking water. Tap water was used for theexperiments.Theresultsof thestudywerepublishedacoupleofdaysagoinNatureGroup’sjournalScientificReports.

“A fundamental result thatcameoutofourearlierstudywas thattheantibacterialactivityofsilvercanbetunedbysimplemethods,”Prof.Pradeepsaid.“Everybodywasstudyingsilverinisolationbutwelookedatsynergisticallycombiningsilverwithsomeotherions.”Explainingwhatpromptedhimtocombinesilverwithanother ion,hesaid:“Itwasintuition(basedonchemistry).Whenyousaythereisaneffectofaniononanorganism,whatitmeansisthattheionhastogetintothebodyofanorganism.Thepenetrationhastogothrough several steps. Each one is a chemical binding process.Therefore,silvercanbetunedbyionsormolecules.”The search for ions that can be combined with silver withoutcausingtoxicitytohumanseventuallyledtocarbonates.“It’s a very common ion in water. It is also cheap and easilydeployable.Sowestayedwithcarbonate,”Prof.Pradeepsaid.The team had earlier found that silver was able to destroy theintegrity of the cellmembraneandalsodamage theDNA. In thecaseofcarbonates,severalperipheralmembrane-boundproteinsget removed. “We found that the peripheral proteins of theorganismswere cleaned up after treatment with carbonates,” hesaid.Asa result,moresilver ionswereable topenetrate theexposedcell surfaces of bacteria and virus much more effectively andquickly.Hence,alargequantityofpathogenicmicroorganismswasdestroyed.Antibacterial and antiviral effects were tested onE.coliandStaphylococcus aureusand MS2 bacteriophage (virus).Both bacteria and virus were destroyed within 15 minutes ofcontacttime.Carbonatesandsilverwere released intowaterat thesame timebut their contact areas with water were controlled by playingaroundwiththeirsizes.“Bycontrollingthesizeoftheparticles,onecaneffectivelycontroltheconcentrationofionsinwater,”hesaid.Sincecarbonategetsdissolvedmorequicklythansilver,carbonateparticles were sand-sized while silver was nanosize. “We wantmoredissolvedcarbonatesthansilverinwaterascarbonateshaveto first remove the peripheral proteins of a cell,” he said. The

amount of dissolved ions inwater is 25 parts per billion (ppb) ofsilverand20partspermillion(ppm)ofcarbonate.Prof. Pradeep is confident that there is scope for moreimprovement.“Youcanstillmakeitbetterbycontrollingtheactivityofsilverbysynergizingwithotherions,”hesaid.Assured, monthly income alone can retain youthinagriculture

Theentirefamilyofthefarmerisinvolvedinfarmingwork.Photo:M.J.PrabuInspiteofallitsimportance,agriculturestilllackstheglamourofafull-timejobforyoungpeopletotaketheplunge.Themainreasonmanytraditionalfarmersandseveralyoungstersattributetothisisthatitisnotremunerativeorreliable.“If traditional farmers themselves say this then how does ayoungster get attracted into this linewhich ismainly seen as animageofanoldmanlookingattheskyforrains?Itisonlypossibleifweareable toassureamonthly incomeofat leastRs.50,000fromahectare.Onlyifwecanassurethisincomecantherebeanymeaning for all these talks on attracting and encouragingyoungsterstogetintothisline,”saysMr.S.S.Rajsekar,ManagingTrustee,NationalAgroFoundation(NAF),Chennai.Not losetouchRemunerationorreturnoninvestmentisveryimportant,butatthesametimeyoungpeoplemustnotlosetouchwithtradition.Inthe

rushoflearningtheyshouldnotforgettheimportanceofploughing—whichprovidesfood.Mr. Bhaskar Reddy, a progressive farmer from KizhmaruvathurvillageinKancheepuramdistrict,isastandingexampleastohowfarmingcanbefinanciallyrewardingandatthesametimehehastakencaretoseehistwoeducateddaughtershavenotlosttouchwiththeirfamilyactivity.Besides studying, his daughters help him with the everydayactivitiesonhisfive-acrefarm.As the region is predominantly a paddy and sugarcane growingbeltlikeseveralothers,Mr.Reddywasalsogrowingthesame.Butthe cropsprovednot so remunerativeandhedecided to sell hislandsandmovetoChennai.“Manyofourrelativesandfriendshadsoldtheirlandsandmovedtocities.Butsomethingwithinmeheldmeback.Adecision Iamvery glad of today, asmy land isworthmuchmore thanwhat itwassomeyearsback,”saysasmilingMr.Reddy.Bettert imesHisfortunesturnedforthebetterafterheapproachedtheNationalAgroFoundationforhelpandguidance.Hesoughttheirexpertadviceonhowtoswitchovertoshorttermcashcropsandwasadvisedtotakeupvegetablefarmingofsuchcropsasbrinjal,watermelonandmuskmelon.NAF also provided him technical assistance on cultivationpracticesfromseedtoharvest.Whenmajorityoffarmerswhoareengagedinfarmingarefindingitdifficult to engage agricultural labour, Mr. Reddy and his familystartedworkingontheirfarm.Byinvolvinghisfamilymembers,hesavesaboutRs.1lakhannually.ModerntechnologiesModern technologies like drip irrigation, soil plastic mulching,fertigation, annual soil fertility test are all being implemented.Judiciousblendingoforganicandbiologicalwaysofpestcontrolisbeingcarriedoutinhisfarm.TodayMr.ReddyisabletoearnRs.1lakhin3-4monthsfromhisbrinjalcrops.

Once thebrinjalswereharvestedhecultivatedwatermelon in thefields and in threemonths timewas able to earn nearly Rs. 3.5lakhsasnetprofitfortheayearbygrowingwatermelons.Healso started a nursery to supply vegetable seedlings to otherfarmers for different crops from which he earns Rs.1.5 lakhadditionally“AftercompletingmystudiesIpreferhelpingmyfatherinhisfieldand do not intend seeking a job in some company. Today, anengineering graduate earns between Rs.15,000 to Rs.20,000 amonthwhereas Iamable toearnmuchmoreworking inmyownfield,”saysoneofhisdaughters.“From a failure farmer I have been able to come out as asuccessful person only because I learned and implemented newtechnologies inmy fields.Farmersshouldalwaysconcentrateongrowingvegetablesapartfromregularpaddycropssinceitfetchesbetterreturnsinashorttime,”hesays.FelicitatedThe farmer was recently felicitated by the Chairman of theNABARDforhiscontributiontowardssustainableagricultureFor more information contact Mr. M. R.Ramasubramaniyan,Executive Director on mobile: 9444864884, website:www.nationalagro.org.in, email: nafsree@gmail.com andBhaskarReddy, Reddiar street, Keelmaruvathur, Melvaruvathur post,Cheyur taluk, Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu, mobile:8940039953and9944577533

Exposing Delhi ’s air pol lut ion, from the back ofanautorickshaw

American scientist Joshua Apte travels in an autorickshaw topresentalarmingfindingsforanyonewhospendstimeonorneartheroadsinthiscityof25million.TheautorickshawlurchedthroughNewDelhi’scommuter-cloggedstreets with an American scientist and several air pollutionmonitors in the back seat. Car horns blared. A scrappy scooter

buzzed by belching black smoke from its tailpipe. One of themonitorsspiked.

JoshuaAptehasalarmingfindingsforanyonewhospendstimeonor near the roads in this city of 25million. The numbers are farworse than the ones that have already led the World HealthOrganisationtorankNewDelhiastheworld’smostpollutedcity.

Averagepollution levels,dependingon thepollutant,were50percent to eight times higher on the road than urban backgroundreadings, including official ambient air pollution measures,according to research by Mr. Apte and his partners at theUniversity of California, Berkeley, and the Indian Institute ofTechnologyDelhi.

“And you have to keep inmind that the concentrations at urbanbackground sites, where these official monitors are, are alreadyvery high,” he said. The measures “are actually some of thehighestlevelsinairpollutionmadeinsidevehiclesanywhereintheworld”.

Thepoint is particularly important forNewDelhi residents, abouthalf ofwhom livewithin 300metres of amajor road.NewDelhi,likemostcities,placestheirairmonitorsfarfromprimarypollutionsourceslikehighwaysorindustrialplantssothatnosinglesourcecan affect ambient readings, which are meant to represent anaveragepollutionexposurefromallsources.

“Officialairqualitymonitorstendtobelocatedawayfromroads,ontopofbuildings,andthat’snotwheremostpeoplespendmostoftheirtime,”Mr.AptesaidasTheAssociatedPressjoinedhimonapollution-monitoringride-along.“Infact,mostpeoplespendalotoftimeintrafficinIndia.Sometimesone,two,threehoursaday.”

Outdoorairpollutionkillsmillionsworldwideeveryyear,accordingtoWHO,includingmorethan627,000inIndia.Oneofthebiggestculprits inIndiaisvehiculartraffic—carownershipinthecountryof1.2billiongrew from20million in1991 to140million in2011,andisexpectedtoreach400millionby2030.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken steps to cut down thepopularity of cars running on diesel, one of the dirtiest burningfuels,bypegging itscost toworldmarketpricesandscrappingadiscountthathadencourageddieselconsumption.

But experts say that, unless India raises fuel standards tointernationalnorms,pollutionlevelsthatarealreadyoftendeemedunhealthyorhazardouswillescalate.Unchecked, today’svehicletrends in Indiacould lead toa three-fold increase in levelsofPM2.5by2030thetinyparticulatematterbelievedtocausethemostdamagetohumanhealthaccording toastudy thismonthbyTheEnergy and Resources Institute in New Delhi, University ofCalifornia,SanDiegoandtheCaliforniaAirResourcesBoard.

Still,fewIndiancitieshaveairqualitymonitors.NewDelhiofficiallyhas 11, though experts say the readings can be erratic and thereportingopaque.Thecity reportsseveralkeypollutantsand thismonth launched an air quality index, boiling down the ambientreadings to a single daily number indicating whether the air ishealthy,poor,harmfulorhazardous.

Mr. Apte, who in January starts as an assistant professor ofenvironmentalengineeringattheUniversityofTexas,Austin,saidthat such indices, while perhaps easier for citizens to digest,represent vague urban background readings and can’t helpresidentsunderstandexactlywhatriskstheyface.

What ordinary people really want to know are answers toquestions like, “‘should I be taking a walk outside in thisneighbourhood right now?’ ...‘Is it safe formychild tobeplayingcricketonthefieldhere?’”hesaid.

Mr.Apte’sgoalwastohighlightthehugedifferencesbetweentheurban background readings and ground-level pollution alongroads. His approach to gathering his data involved twice-dailyrush-hourdrivesfromthecitycentretoasoutheastsuburb.

For comparison, he also took readings from inside regular carswiththewindowsrolledup,andfromarooftopmonitorthatstoodfor ambient air quality readings or what the government mightrecordandreporttothepublic.

Levels of black carbon, a good indicator of diesel exhaust andpoorly-tuned vehicle performance, were more than three timeshigher than the ambient readings. The average level of ultrafineparticles, especially tiny forms of PM 2.5, was more than eighttimeshighersohighthatApte’sequipmentbrokewhenheinitiallytriedtomeasureit.Ultrafineparticleshavebeenstudiedlessthanother forms of pollution but are believed to be particularlyhazardous.

Environmental consultant AjayOjha, who works on air quality inPune,saiditwilltakemoreworktoshowpolicymakerstherisksofairpollutionandhowtoaddressthem.

“Theproblem isnobodyownsairpollution.Nobody is individuallyresponsible. So unless the public is demanding action, officialshave no reason to even bring it up,” he said. “...Moreunderstandingisneededbeforepeoplewillstarttogetupset.”

Policymakers disagree about which sources of pollution are themostworrying,with car traffic, industriesandpowerplants, trashburningandsmallbusinesseslikebrickkilnsallvyingforattention.

To Mr. Apte, that simply means there are lots of ways to startclearingtheair.

“Thegoodnewsaboutairpollution inDelhi is that there’sa lotofreally low-hanging fruit in termsofsectors thatwecanchoose totarget,”hesaid.

ProtectingbiodiversityAbout3percentofIndia’slandareaisdeemedasprotectedareain the form of Project Tiger reserves or as sanctuaries for otherflagshipspeciessuchas thegrizzledsquirrel, theNilgiri tahrandthe lion tailed macaque (“Protecting biodiversity with rigour,”Nov.25).

Whilethehabitatwithintheseconfinesiswell-protected,poachingremains a concern. Buffer forests contiguous to protected areasareunderpressure.NGOsandtheforestdepartmentneedtotapinto corporate social responsibility funds to develop a healthyconservationeconomyaroundmaintainingandrestoringthehealthof buffer forests. Buffer forests also serve as vital migratorycorridors, ensuring that inbreeding is limited. India also has vaststretchesofforestsinprimeconditionthatdonotcomeunderthedefinition of a wildlife reserve. These include large swathes offorests around the Western and Eastern Ghats, the Vindhyas,Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. These forestsoccupyalandmassmuchlargerthanprotectedareasandneedtobeprotectedat all costs.Protectingourbiodiversity is ‘not just anicethingtodo’,butanimperative.

Thanjavur off icials gear up to meet farm inputsdemand

Monitoring Official asks cooperatives to be ready with adequatestocksofinputsAll cooperative institutions dealing with agricultural inputs mustkeep adequate stocks to meet the demands of farmers inThanjavurdistrict,InformationSecretaryandMonitoringOfficerM.RajaramtoldofficialshereonWednesday.Speaking during the inspection of facilities and institutions, Mr.Rajaram said that in themidst of the thick of action in the deltadistrict, farmers would be requiring several inputs. The PrimaryAgricultural Cooperative Societies that vend inputs to theirmembers must plan the requirement in advance and stockadequatelytoensureavailabilityofmaterialinquicktime,hesaid.Officialsmustassesstherequirementsincoordinationwithvariousdepartments, including Agriculture, Public Works, Cooperation,andRevenue,Mr.Rajaramsaid.As for theprivate fertilizer retailoutlets,Mr.Rajaram said anymalpracticewould attract stringentlegalaction.

The senior official called upon the district officers to createawareness about various State government schemes underimplementation in thedistrict among themassesso that benefitsreachedthemexpeditiously.InspectingthemechanisedagriculturaloperationsatapaddyfieldinThennamanaduvillageinOrathanaduregion,Mr.Rajaramsaidfarmmechanisationwasgainingacceptancebecauseofshortageoffarmhands.HeinspectedtherenovationworkattheSemburantankinPattukkottaibeingundertakenatacostofRs.2.4lakh.The official inspected PACS at Soorappallam, the ForestDepartmentnurseryatSeruvaviduthi,andaprivate fertilizer retailoutletatPappanadu.After thefieldvisit,Mr.Rajaramreviewedtheprogressofwelfareanddevelopment schemesbeing implemented in thedistrictwiththeofficialsfromvariousdepartments.District Collector N. Subbaiyan, Joint Director of Agriculture J.Sekar, and Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies S.Subramanianwerepresent.

Loan,subsidyforsett inguppoultryunits:Governmentloansandsubsidyhavesofarbeenprovidedto140poultry units in the backward areas of Perambalur district underthe development of poultry clusters by the Animal HusbandryDepartment.Announcing this at a meeting of bankers and government staff,P.MadusudanReddy,Sub-Collector, said that a sumofRs. 8.25lakhisrequiredforestablishingapoultryunitof5,000chicken.Ofthis,thegovernment’ssubsidycomponentisRs.2,06,250,andthatof National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development is Rs.4,12,500.Thesesubsidiesaregivenonlyafterthepoultryunitsareset up. The Sub-Collector gave away loans to five farmers forestablishingpoultryfarms.IndianOverseasBankloantothetuneof Rs.17,84,000 was distributed to P.Marudamuthu andP.Alagesan of Veepur, M.Angamuthu, M.Veeraputhiran ofRanjankudi,andSekarofAnnamangalam.

Chandrasekaran, Assistant GeneralManager, Thanjavur Region,RajaRukkumanthagan,ChiefManager,P.Aruldasan,LeadDistrictManager,IndianOverseasBank,participated.Usefert i l izerstotheminimum,farmerstold

Excessiveusewillspoilsoil’shealthandmakeitunfertile:expertFarmers should scale down application of chemical-basedfertilizers and pesticides and instead use organic manure andnaturalwastestorejuvenatethesoil,saidagricultureofficialshereonWednesday.At a seminar on advanced techniques in paddy cultivation, theysaidthatwithaviewtohelpingthefarmers,aDainchaseedfarm,agreenmanureproducingcrop,hadbeenraisedon40hectarestoproduce20tonnesofseedsfordistributiontopaddyfarmers.JointDirectorofAgricultureP.SampathKumarsaidfertilizerswerenecessary for crops. But plants as well as the land would notrespond to excess application of fertilizers. The excess fertilizerwouldspoilthesoil’shealthandmakeitunfertile.Soiltestingalonewould determine the quantum of fertilizer required for a land. Achangeinthecolouroftheleafwasnotasymptomofshortageoffertilizer.Itcouldbedeficiencyofmicro-nutrients.TamilNaduwassecond largestuserofpesticidesand fertilizers.On Kodaikanal hills, farmers used to give eight to 10 sprays forbeanscrop.Suchanactwouldpoisonvegetablesandaffect thehealthofthepeopleultimately,hepointedout.ThegovernmenthadsetuptheDainchaseedfarmsothatfarmerscouldraisetheircrops in30daysanddo in-situploughingbeforeraising paddy. Such a measure would meet nitrogen needs andreduceureause,headded.FACTSeniorZonalManagerP.Subramanian said theyhadhadsold 2,500 tonnes of fertilizers in October. Fertilizers formed themajorinputcostsforfarmers.Minimisingitsusewouldbringdowntheproductioncost,headded.

Solaroptionentai lsattractivesubsidyforfarmersInstead of waiting endlessly for power connection, K.Thirumoorthy, a progressive farmer of A. Perumapalayam, hasembracedthesolaroptionentailingattractivesubsidytoirrigatehis4.5acrefieldwhereheraisesvembutrees.With only 20 per cent contribution, plus tax, amounting to a littleoverRs.95,000for thenearlyRs.4 lakhproject,Thirumoorthy isable to heave a huge sigh of relief. Under the guidance of theAgricultural Engineering Department, Thirumoorthy has availedhimselfof50percentsubsidyprovidedunderNationalAgricultureDevelopmentProgramme,and30percentroutedthroughMinistryofNewandRenewableEnergy.ThefiveHPsolarPhotovoltaicpumpingsystemisabletowetthegrowing trees in the entire length and breadth of the 4.5 acresthroughdripirrigation.And,forinstallingthedrip-irrigationsystem,Thirumoorthy had already benefited from substantial subsidybenefitunderanothergovernmentscheme.The pump was functioning with nearly 52 per cent efficiency,Agriculture Department officials explained to District Collector S.Prabakaranduringan inspectiononWednesday.TheAgriculture,Agriculture Engineering, and Horticulture Departments are mid-waythroughinstalling168solarpumps-69inErodeDivisionand99inGobiDivision-acrossthedistrict.“Initially,thesanctionwasmadeonlyfor50solarpumpsets.Thenumberswereincreasedinviewofthedemand,”saidM.Selvaraj,JointDirectorofAgriculture.Thepanelsgenerateenoughenergytopowerthepumpfor8to12hourseveryday,hesaid.According to the farmer, solar energy is the best and ultimateoption for farmscategorisedasnon-serviceareas thatareoutofbounds of conventional energy transmitted through Tamil NaduGenerationandDistributionCorporation.Agriculture department officials explained that the farmers’ shareof investment was quite nominal, considering the severalthousands of rupees they would otherwise have to spend onoperatingoilenginesanddieselpumpsets.Mostofall,theymakethemostofnaturalenergyandsafeguardthefarmsfrompollution.

Avianinf luenza:Cull ingonin3Keraladistr ictsSpecial teams wearing protective aprons and masks began amassivecullingoperation in threedistrictsonWednesdayaspartof control and containment measures to prevent the spread ofavianinfluenzavirusinKerala.As many as 1,800 birds, most of them ducks, were culled inKottayamdistrict after theday-longoperationby six teams,eachledbya veterinarydoctor.The15 teamsdeployed inAlappuzhaand one team in Pathanamthitta were continuing their work lateinto the night, according to V. Brahmanandan, Director, AnimalHusbandryDepartment.The birds are killed by twisting the neck to cause cervicaldislocationandthecarcassesburntusingwoodandkerosene.Atsomeplaces, the culling teamsmetwith resistance from farmersincensedoverthelossofthebirdswhichconstitutetheirlivelihood.A quarantine officer from the Union Department of AnimalHusbandry,DairyingandFisheries (DADF) isscheduled toarrivehereonThursdaytooverseethecontrolmeasuresadoptedbytheState.The officer is expected to visit the affected areas after holdingdiscussionswithStatedepartmentofficialshere.Twoscientists from thedepartmentwhoarealready in theStatevisited the panchayats in Kottayam and Alappuzha where massmortalityofducksoccurredoverthelastfewdays.Meanwhile,thedeathofducksinsomepartsofErnakulamdistrictonWednesdaysparkedfreshfearsaboutthespreadofthevirus.Dr.Brahmanandansaidsamplesofthedeadbirdshadbeensentforanalysis.Hesaidbio-securitymeasureshadbeentightenedatpoultryfarms.KepcoimposescurbsThe Kerala State Poultry Development Corporation (Kepco) hasstrengthenedbio-safetymeasuresatitsfarmsatKudappanakunnuinThiruvananthapuram,Kottiyam inKollam,andMala inThrissurdistrict.KepcoManagingDirectorNoushadAlitoldTheHinduthatall employees and visitors to the farms would be thoroughlyscreenedbeforeentry.TheregulationswouldbeapplicabletotheCorporation’sintegratedfarmsalso.

Krishik Samaj wants hort iculture col lege to besetupinKalaburagiTheKalaburagiunit of theKrishikSamajhasdemanded that theState government establish a horticulture college in Kalaburagidistrict to provide new avenues for increasing area underhorticulturecultivation.President of the samaj Siddaramappa Patil Dangapur toldpresspersons here onWednesday that despite the efforts and afavourable climate and available land for cultivating horticulturecrop,justover23,400hectareshavebeenutilisedinthedistrict.Mr.Dangapursaidthatthecurrentcropinsuranceschemewasnotbeneficial to the farmers and the State Cabinet, meeting inKalaburagi on Friday, should take a decision to urge the Uniongovernment to replace the existing insurance scheme with ascientifically-preparedinsurancescheme.Itshouldbenefitthefarmersandcompensatedthosewhohadlosttheir crop due to various reasons. He said that a mechanismshould also come in force to ensure immediate compensation tofarmerswholosttheircropduetonaturalcalamities.Mr.DangapurewantedthegovernmenttofixRs.6,500perquintalas the procurement price of red gram taking into account theincreasingcostofcultivationandlabourcost.Mr.DangapursaidthattheexistingAgricultureResearchStationofthe the University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur should beupgradedasacentreforexcellenceinresearchanddevelopmentactivitiesofthepulses.‘Currentcropinsuranceschemeshouldbereplaced’ AfairtoboostorganicfarmingAimed at boosting organic farming, Green Veg, a city-basedcollectiveof farmingenthusiasts, is organisinganagricultural fairattheJubileeHallinthecityfromDecember3to6.Organisedincollaborationwithdifferentgovernmentdepartments,the four-day fair will also form part of the organisation’sobservance of International Year of Family Farming. “Along withthefair,wehavealsoenvisagedaseriesofprogrammestoattract

youngsters toorganic farmingandfarm-relatedactivities,”saidV.Sidhique,secretaryofthecollective.The fairwith the theme ‘Preserve theold,butknow thenew’willhave separate sections for agricultural produce and plantingmaterialss. Organic Farming, Honey Fest and Dairy Fest will besome of the sub-sections of the fair. Besides a wide variety ofvalue-added agricultural products, the fair will showcase newtechnologies and tools to be used for converting farming as aprofitableenterpriseinthechanginglabourscenario,Mr.Sidhiquesaid.Accordingtohim,stallswillalsobeallowedforthosewhoplantodisplaytheiruniqueproductswithgeographicalindication(GI)tag.The fairwithdifferent farmseminarsand interactionprogrammesplannedaspartofitwillalsobeavenueforaspiringfarmersandpotential investors to come together and understand thepossibilitiesofthefiled.As part of the fair, an award for the best backyard vegetablegardeninthecityhasbeeninstitutedbytheorganisers.Avarietyof competitions related to the field of farming including in folkwisdom, Njattupattu, Koithupattu, painting and quiz for schoolstudentshavealsobeenarranged.Fordetailsaboutthefairandregistration,call9947991428.Four-dayfairbeginsonDecember3

SeedsfarmsinspectedC. Ezhilarasu, Assistant Director of Seed Certification, inspectedthe government state seed farms set up at Pudurpalayam nearPullampadi to fulfil thedemandsof foundationseed for theentireseedmultiplicationprogrammeinthisdistrict.During this samba season, a total of seven paddy varietiesincludingCO(R)50, improvedWhitePonni,SambaMahsuri,CO43,ASD19,ADT39andADT(R)49havebeencultivatedon45acres at this farm. M. Suresh Kumar, Seed Certification Officer,assessedthestandardofseedsanditsquality.They advised R. Shobana, Agricultural Officer (FarmManagement)toensurequalityinseedproduction.

KCRseekssupportforpoultry industry

Budgetary allocation to the poultry industry increased to Rs.220crore

EATHEALTHY:Poultryworkersdressedaschicksandhens lendadashofcolour at the 8th edition of the Poultry India show-2014 that opened inHyderabadonWednesday.-PHOTO:NAGARAGOPAL

Poultry India 2014, the eighth annual edition of an event thatserves as a forum for stakeholders to discuss opportunities andchallenges, got under way with Telangana Chief Minister K.ChandrasekharRaourgingtheCentretotakemeasurestosupporttheindustry.Inaugurating the three-day programme at the Hitex exhibitioncomplex here onWednesday,Mr.Raoasked theCentre to takesteps against permitting the import of chicken legs. India, on thecontrary,hesaid,couldexportchickenlegsifneedbe.Any move to allow import will have a crippling effect on theindustry,hesaid,pointingoutthatTelanganawastheleaderinthepoultry industry intermsofproduction.Assuringhisgovernment’ssupport to thepoultry industryandhighlighting theadvantagesofcomingtotheState,theChiefMinisterinvitedinvestments.The State government, he said, has increased budgetaryallocation to the poultry industry from Rs.90 crore last year toRs.220crore.“Wearealsogivingpowersubsidytothesector,”headded.Telanganahasalsoagreed toconsiderexemptingpoultry

equipment from VAT. “We have given the sector the status ofagriculture.Weappeal to theCentre toextendasimilargesture,”Mr. Rao said. Hard-selling the State as “most suitable” for thepoultry industry, theChiefMinister saidunder the ICDSscheme,the State government had enhanced procurement from 3 croreeggs a year to 5 crore. It was also considering a suggestion toincreasetheweeklysupplyofeggstogovernmenthostels.

KAU develops new model of coconut treecl imbingmachine

Amodified version of the coconut tree climbingmachine developed by theresearch wing of Agricultural Research Station of the Kerala AgriculturalUniversity.–Photo:BySpecialArrangementTheResearchandDevelopmentwingoftheAgriculturalResearchStation (ARS) of the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) hasdevelopedacoconuttreeclimbingmachineonwhichtheusercansitandoperate.

Til lerforcoconutf ieldsThestationhasalsodevelopeda tiller forcoconut fields. “Havingdevelopedandpopularisedmachineryforcompletemechanisationofpaddy farming in various typesof fields, includingPokkali, theKAUnowfocusesoncoconutfarmingandhomesteadfarmingforwhich a mechanisation package was hitherto unavailable,” saidKAUViceChancellorP.Rajendran.He said that the initiatives should boost coconut farming in theState.CheapermachineARSheadU.Jaikumaransaidthatthenewclimbingmachinewasan improvementontheearlierversionofKeraSurakshaCoconutClimbermadeofstainlesssteel.Itislighterandcheaper.“Thenewmachineisfastenedtothepalmusingflexiblesteelrope.In the previous version, a curved stainless rod was used. Thefastening can be adjusted, even while operating the machine,according to thegirthof thepalm.ThemachinecostsRs.3,000.The earlier model cost Rs. 8,500.We plan to test it through 14ModelAgroServiceCentresin14districts,”headded.The tiller can create basins in coconut fields. A basin of 1.8 mradiuscanbecreatedaroundthetreein10minuteswithtwo/threerotations.Itconsumes1.5litresofdieselperhour.RemotecontrolTheARS is alsoworking on developing a remote control for thetiller.Training programme on l ivestock, poultrymanagement

TheprogrammewasheldinafarmatSeithunganallurinTuticorindistrict.

A five-day State-level training programme on ‘Advances inlivestock and poultry management towards sustainable incomegeneration’ was conducted by Veterinary College and ResearchInstitute(VCandRI)hererecently.The programmewas conducted in co-ordinationwith AgriculturalTechnology Management Agency (ATMA), Tirunelveli, at theDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry ExtensionEducation,VCandRI,Tirunelveli,inwhich10progressivefarmersfromAlangulamunionparticipated.Faculty members from various departments of the VC & RIprovided training to the farmers inscientific techniques in rearingcattle, sheep, goats and poultry to enhance profit of theseenterprises. The participants were taken to a farm atSeithunganallur in Tuticorin district for a training in integratedfarmingpractices. Thebeneficiaries visited cattle, goat, desi fowlandturkeyunitsandalsofodderunits,whereleadingvarietieslikeCo4,desmanthusandCoFS29aregrown.S.Prathaban,Dean,VCandRI,whopresidedoverthevalediction,elaborated on the importance of livestock in agriculture inaugmentingfarmers’revenue.C. Chandrasekaran, Joint Director of Agriculture, Tirunelveli,stressed the importance of integrated farming system andexplained the salient features of ATMA scheme. Training inputsandbooksonfarmingweredistributedtothebeneficiaries.C.Manivanan,ProfessorandHead,DepartmentofVeterinaryandAnimal Husbandry Extension Education, VC and RI, and S.Senthilkumar, Assistant Professor in department, addressed thefarmers.

WorkshoponorganicpolicyThe Kerala Agricultural University and the State HorticultureMissionwillholdaworkshopon‘ImplementationoforganicpolicyinKasaragod’hereonThursday.Itwillexaminesalientfeaturesofthe policy, agro-ecological characteristics of Kasaragod district,initiatives by various agencies, intervention by public sectororganisationsandconcernsofstakeholders.Prisonersharvestgroundnutcrop

ThevarietycalledTG37-AwasdevelopedbyBARCThe day was drawing to a close but a group of inmates of theVelloreCentralPrisonwerebusyatfieldharvestingthegroundnutcropsthattheyhadcarefullycultivatedoverthelastthreemonths.OnWednesday,groundnutcultivatedon4.5acresof landby theVelloreCentralPrisonwasreadyforharvest.TheTG37-Avarietyof groundnut, which was developed and released by BhabhaAtomic Research Centre (BARC), was sowed during the end ofAugust.ThePrisonsDepartmenthadbroughtintheinitiativetoreformandrehabilitateprisoners.Thosewithanagriculturebackgroundwereengaged in these agricultural activities, said V. Karuppannan,SuperintendentofVelloreCentralPrison.BARC had distributed 350 kg of the groundnut variety to theprisonsatSivagangai,MaduraiandPalayamkottai.“ThePalayamkottaiprisonharvested thegroundnutcrop inJune.Theyhad received140kgsofseedsandharvested5,600kgs in102 days. These seeds were again distributed to the prisons atCoimbatore,Salem,Cuddalore,VelloreandPuzhalinChennaiforcultivation,” J. Daniel Chellappa, senior scientist, TechnicalCoordinationWing,BARCsaid.BARC had developed 42 varieties of seeds, including oil seedsand pulses, considering various factors such as environment,climate and soil condition. “The TG 37-A variety of groundnut isrichinoilandprotein.Thepodfillingisgood,”hementioned.HesaidthattheVelloreCentralPrisonhadworkedhardtoconvertanalmostbarrenlandintoacultivableone.

Theprisonhad takenupcultivationof thegroundnut varietywithtechnical assistance from theDepartment of Agriculture, Vellore.G.C.Singh,assistantdirectorofAgriculture,Velloresaidtheyhadtested the soil and found that it was suitable for cultivatinggroundnut.“The seeds were treated with pseudomonas, a bio pesticide,beforesowingtopreventdiseases.Itwasthensowedusingseeddrill machine. Basal fertiliser was applied to the soil as per therecommendationofthesoiltestlabandmicronutrientmixturewasalsoapplied,”heexplained.TheseedswerealreadythreetofourmonthsoldwhenitcametoVelloreforsowing,hesaid,addingthatnowaterwasappliedandtherewas no pest attack. “This is a rain-fed crop. The prisonershadcultivatedredgramandhorsegramasintercrops,”hesaid.Sixty-six-year-oldNatarajan,aninmateoftheprison,saidatotalof44prisonerswereworking in the fieldandallwere farmers. “Wehave cultivated red gram, lady’s finger, coriander, cholam andvegetables in the surrounding area of the prison,” he said. Theyspendeighthoursatthefieldfrom8.30a.m.Mr. Karuppannan added that once the groundnut was harvestedcompletely,theywillapproachgovernmentfordirectiononwhattodonextwiththeseeds.

Adverseweatherstuntsgrowth:study

PeruvianchildrenbornaroundElNino in1997-98grew less thannormalChildren inPeruon the front lineofaseverecyclicalwarmingofthe Pacific Ocean in 1997-98 suffered stunted growth, showinghowextremeweathercancauselastingdamagetohealth,astudysaidonTuesday.The study of 2,095 children born between 1991 and 2001 invillages around Tumbes in northern Peru found that those bornduring or just after the El Nino weather system, which causedfloods,damagedcropsandtriggeredillnessessuchasmalariaanddiarrhoea,grewlessthannormal.

"TheElNinohadabigeffectbyreducingfoodavailability,"WilliamCheckley, one of the authors at JohnsHopkinsUniversity in theUnitedStates, toldReuters.Childrenagedunder three, a crucialperiodforgrowth,werehardesthit.Overall,children inareasapparentlyhardesthitby floodswere4cm(1.6inches)shorterthannormalbytheageof10,hesaid.Stunting has been linked with decreased mental and physicalcapacityinlaterlife."If adverse weather events affect a significant portion of youngchildren of a country, then they have the potential to adverselyaffect the future of a community as a whole," said the study byscientists in theUnitedStates,PeruandBritain,published in thejournalClimateChangeResponses.A U.N. report this month said downpours linked with El Ninoevents,whichtypicallyhappeneverythreetosevenyearsandcandisrupt weather worldwide, may intensify because of climatechange.Reuters

Cane growers welcome decision to make dripirr igationmandatory

Therearenearly10 lakhsugarcane farmers in theStateandabout12 lakhacresoflandisundersugarcanecultivation.—photo:M.a.SRIRAMSugarcane cultivators in the region have welcomed thegovernment’smovetomakedripirrigationmandatoryforthecropbut arewary of the proposed tri-partite businessmodel involvingthegovernment,farmersandsugarfactoriesorprivateagencies.

The government proposes to make drip irrigation mandatory forwater-intensive crops like sugarcane in a bid to conserve bothwater and power. However, it is the “business model’ that hasraisedsuspicions.Kurubur Shanthakumar, president, Sugarcane Cultivatorsassociation, toldTheHinduthat the farmers should not be boundby any of these agreements with either the government or thesugarmills and should be free to install the drip irrigation facilityfromanentrepreneuroftheirchoice.“Let the government subsidise the installation cost to farmers onproducing the receipt or deal directly with the farmers,” saidMr.Shanthakumar.While the government’s objective is laudable,many farmerswhoswitched over to drip irrigation last year have not received thesubsidy promised to them, said the association. It claimed thatmorethanRs.300crorewaspendingtothefarmers.Theassociationreiterateditsdemandthatfarmersbefreetoinstallthe system without the government entering into an agreementwithathirdparty.Theassociationsaidtherewerenearly10lakhsugarcanefarmersintheStateandabout12lakhacresoflandwasundersugarcanecultivation.Theyieldperacreisaround35tonnesto40tonnesintheState,which cultivated 4.4 crore tonnes of sugarcane in the previousyear. The introduction of drip irrigation is expected to enhanceproductionsignificantly,whichcanincreasefarmers’income.

Drybeltgetswatershedmanagementprojects

Rs.13.14-croreprojectforUsilampatti,T.Kallupattiblocks

There isgoodnewsfor farmers inandaroundUsilampattiandT.Kallupattiblocksinthedistrict.Two integrated watershed management projects (IWMP) arecoming up in the two blocks, which are considered arid regions,covering10,900hectares.The Union Ministry of Rural Development has earmarked Rs.13.14 crore for the project, which would be carried out over aperiodoffiveyears,startingfrom2014.

Already, the district has seven watersheds under the IWMP inUsilampatti, Sedapatti, Kottampatti, Melur, Alanganallur andVadipatti.Duringarecentreview,Centralgovernmentofficialsweresatisfiedwith the functioningof these IWMPsandMaduraidistrictbaggedtwomoreprojects,saidIWMPProjectManagerS.Kanagaraj.Explaining the implementation of the project, he said that in thefirstyearateamwouldconductinteractivemeetingswithvillagers.Termed as participatory rural approval, awareness campaignswould be held in those villages. “For the last 30 days, we havebeenconductingfamiliarisationcampsinModagaminT.Kallupattiblock,”headded.Inthenextphase,adetailedprojectreportwouldbepreparedandself-help-groups formedsimultaneously.After this, theprocessofidentification of persons with land, landless labourers and thosehavinglivestockwouldbetakenup.“TheobjectiveoftheIWMPisto increase water-holding capacity in dry belts, which helps inincreasinggroundwaterpotential,”saidProjectOfficerJayasinghGnanadurai.Theteamwouldlookintolandreclamationandlookforplantation,whichwouldincreasethecropprospects.InterestedfarmerswouldbegivensupportextensivelyandtheUniongovernmentofferedasubsidyofover50percent,AssistantEngineerT.Baskaransaid.Speaking about the utilisation of funds, Extension Officer T.Valarmathi said that for landless labourers, implementswouldbegivenwhilelocalartisanswouldgetsupportfromrevolvingfund.Wherever feasible, the team would form federations of self-helpgroupsandeachunitwouldgetuptoRs.2lakhwithwhichitcansetuplivestockordairyfarm.Evenentrepreneurialtrainingwouldbeimpartedforaspirants.CollectorL.Subramanian,whoisthechairmanoftheIWMP,saidthattheultimateobjectiveoftheprojectwastoincreasethewater-holdingcapacity.

Leafbl ightdiseasehitspaddygrowth

AgriculturescientistslookingatthepaddyaffectedbybacterialleafblightatafarmnearPudukottaionWednesday.The incidenceofbacterial leafblighthasbeenamajorattackonpaddy fields inpartsof thedistrict followinga fall in temperature,higherlevelinrelativehumidityandformationofmist.The problem is noticed in various fields in Tiruvarangulam,Karambakudi,Annavasal,Tirumayam,AranthangiandPudukottaiandManamelkudiblockswhereabout55,000hectareshasbeencoveredduringthecurrent‘samba’season.Luckily,itisintheinitialphaseandcanbecontrolledthroughearlyintervention, says R.P. Gnanamalar, Professor and Head, KrishiVigyanKendra,whichhastakenupastudyonthepaddyaffectedbytheleafblight.Explaining the symptoms of disease, she said that it firstdiscoloured the leaf. Small, water-soaked spots on the borderappearatthetipoftheleafonlytospreaddownwardsandmiddlepartoftheleaf,leavingasmallgreenpatchatitscentre.Infectionin the seedling leads to its death within a couple of weeks aftertransplantingthenursery.The yellowing of young leaves is another symptom. Fall intemperature, high level in relative humidity and mist caused thedisease.

RemedialmeasuresS.Mathiazhagan,AssistantProfessorofPlantPathology,saidthatthe seedlings should be carefully handled while transplantingthem.Weeds should be fully cleared as they act as a breedingground for the bacteria. Apart from fields, weeds on the bundsshould be cleared. Excess nitrogen or poor supply of potassiumand phosphorous was another factor for the incidence of thedisease.Hesaidthatsprayingofabout40kgoffilteredcowdungextractanacrewouldgoalongwayincontrollingdiseases.Spraying of a mix of streptomycin sulphate, tetracycline copperoxychloride (500 grams an acre) would effectively control theproblem.Farmersinneedofanyassistancecouldcontacthimbydialling9944520544

Chicken farmers in the soup as f lu scare watersdownprice:Badnewstravelsfast.Andpoultrytradersknowitbetter.Poultry meat price fell between 10 and 20 per cent in theErnakulam market on Wednesday as news of bird flu in somedistricts spread. Farmers have blamed what they called an“overreaction”tothedevelopmentsbythepublic.AtraderinKochisaidbirdmeatwassellingforjustoverRs.80akg in the retailmarket and that thewholesalers had not loweredbird price. But farmers fear that the situation might get grimmerwith media coverage of culling of ducks in Alappuzha andKottayamdistricts.A poultry farmer here said Ernakulam had one of the largestconcentrations of broiler birds among districts in Kerala andreceivedabout25lakhone-day-oldchicsperweek.Thedistrictisalsohometoabouttwocrorebroilerbirds.Perumbavoor, Moovattupuzha, Piravom, Ayavana, Koovappadyetc in the district have big concentration of poultry farms. Thedominantsystem in theState is thatbigpoultrybusinesshousesoutside theStateprovidechicsand feed to farmers.The farmers

are paid between Rs. five and six a kg of meat when thecompaniesbuybackthebirds,saidafarmerhere.Ithasdevelopedwellsothatbigmeatbirdsarenolongerimportedinto the State in large quantities and Kerala now producesbetween60and70percentofitspoultrymeatrequirement.TheStatereceivesaroundonecrorechicsperweek,saidKeralaPoultryDevelopmentCorporationsourcesonWednesday.Internalproductionofchicsrangebetween10and15lakhpermonth,theysaid.Per capita consumption of poultrymeat inKerala is 10.8 kgper year.Keralaalso importsabouta croreof eggsperdayandlocalproductionisintherangeof30and40lakhperday.

Sericultureawaitsbigboost inChittoor

Administrationtoofferfacilitiestofarmersunderoneroof

Sericulture inChittoordistrict isexpected togetaboost,with thedistrict administration deciding to provide all facilities to farmersunderoneroof.

DistrictCollectorSiddarthJainhasdirectedthesericulturewingtosubmitareportbyDecember15onthefeasibilityofeitherthefullwaiverofpropertytaxorbringingitdowntothemaximumlevelforsilkworm rearing sheds in the district, with Madanapalle,PalamanerandKuppamformingthecorebelt.NeedforcollectiveeffortsThe collective efforts of farmers and officials are expected totransform a stagnant rural economy into a dynamic and buoyantindustrialeconomy.Officials brought to the notice of theCollector thatmunicipalitieswere imposing property tax on rearing sheds up to Rs. 5,000 aunit, which farmers have opposed. The Palamaner areacontributesmorethan800metrictonnesofsilkannually,thankstothepresenceofoverahundredrearingsheds.Similarly,KuppamandMadanapallezones, too,makesubstantialcontributions to silk production. In spite of steps taken by thegovernment to bolster silk production, the rural industry stilldepends on Karnataka for the final output, resulting in hugeexpenditureatthedomesticfront.ReelingunitsConsidering the fact that 70per cent ofmalbari plantation in theState isspreadacrossRayalaseema,withChittoorcontributingasignificant share, thedistrict administrationaimsat strengtheningthe existing reeling units at Palamaner, with more subsidies onbuildingsandrearingsheds, involvingyouth in the industry,apartfromconductingperiodicalawarenesscampaignsforthebenefitofentrepreneursSuff icientwatersupplyforrabiappearsbleakFarmers getting sufficient water supply during Rabi seasonappearstobebleakasthereisaconsiderabledeficitinthesupply.IrrigationMinisterDevineniUmamaheswaraRaosaidtherewasadeficitof54tmcftagainstthetotalrequirementof197tmcftinbothTelangana and AP. The water available at present atNagarjunasagarprojectwas122tmcftand3.42tmcftatSrisailam.TheshortfallcouldbeseenfromthefactthatKrishnadistrictalonewould require42 tmcft for the season.However, thegovernment

was taking measures to address the farmers’ issues. A cabinetcommittee would be formed and district level teams of irrigationofficialswouldbeconstituted.Theteamswouldapproachfarmerstogetfirsthandinformationabouttherequirement.“Basedonthefarmers’feedback,necessarymeasureswillbeinitiated,”hesaid.Later,during theDistrictReviewmeeting,hesaidmany irrigationlands were encroached. He instructed authorities to initiatestringentactionagainstthoseinvolvedinsuchactivities.

Dessertoftheday:HowtomaketheperfectMalai Kulf i

MalaiKulfi(Source:nishamadhulika.com)It’sverydifficulttosaynotothissweetandcreamydelight,eveninwinters.Themouth-wateringMalaiKulficanbeeasilypreparedathome.

MalaiKulf i Ingredients1ltrFullcreammilk1/2cup(80-90grams)powderedsugar8-10Cashewnuts4GreenCardamom10-12PistachiosMethod*Takemilkinautensilandboil.

Takemilkinautensilandboil.(Source:nishamadhulika.com)*Cutcashewsinsmallpiecesandpistachiosinthinpieces.Peelandmakecoarsepowderofgreencardamom.* Stirmilkafterevery1-2minuteandcookuntil itgets thickandhalfinquantity.Nowaddchoppedcashewsandpistachiosinmilk.Allowthemilktothicken.Alsoaddpoweredsugarandcardamompowderinthemilkandmix.Boilmilkforanother1-2minute.*Takeoffmilkfromflameandallowittocool.

When milk comes to room temperature, store it in a air tightcontainer and place it in deep freezer for 6-8 hours. (Source:nishamadhulika.com)* When milk comes to room temperature, store it in a air tightcontainerandplaceitindeepfreezerfor6-8hours.*Whenkulfigetsset,takeitoutfromfreezer,cutintopiecesandserveimmediatelywithin10minutes.

When kulfi gets set, take it out from freezer, cut into pieces andserve immediately within 10 minutes. (Source:nishamadhulika.com)

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6commonhealthconcernsthatmenignoreWith women known to suffer serious health issues these days,men's health concerns have taken a backseat. However, thisyear's International Men's Day brings the spotlight back on thehealth of this gender. Among the many health issues plaguingthem, here are the sixmost common ones that men should notignore.Chest pain:Mostmenassociatechestpainwithaheartattack,but there are several other health conditions that share thissymptom. A lung condition such as pneumonia, a pulmonaryembolism,orasthmaarealsoassociatedwithconstantchestpain."With increasing stress levels and unhealthy food habits,gastrointestinal health condition such as acid reflux or stomachulcer are common among men. These conditions cause severechest pain and should not be ignored," says Dr. Hemant Mittal,consultant psychiatrist, counsellor and motivational speaker.Breathlessness:Fallingshortofbreath isacommoncomplaintamong men, and it indicates serious health concerns related tocardiovascular system. Itmightalso indicate lungdiseases, suchas lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, or pulmonaryhypertension.Infact,breathlessnessisalsosignofanemia,whichiscommoninmenthesedays.Fatigue:Menexperienceextremetirednessandanongoinglackofenergyonaregularbasis.Insomecasesitgoesevenfurthertoinclude lack of motivation, negativity and lack of sleep. "Fatiguecanalsobeasymptomofamoreseriousphysicalorpsychologicalhealth condition. Cancer, congestive heart failure, diabetes,arthritis, infections,andkidneyor liverdiseasearea fewseriousailmentsthatarelinkedtofatigue,whichshouldnotbeignored.It

canalsoindicatethemalfunctioningofthethyroidgland,"saysDr.Pravin Dehana, general physician.Depression:Statistics indicate that men are more prone todepression,thereasonbeingmenundergoalotofstress—froma lotofexpectations to fulfill for familyandsociety.This leads torestlessness, stress and depression as they are not vocal abouttheirproblems. "Depression results fromoveractivityof thebraintrying to get neurochemicals (like serotonin, norepinephrine,dopamine)tofunctionfromalloverthebody.Thebrainthengoestoashutdownmode.While,indepression,thebrainstopsalotofactivity to preserve these chemicals, which leads to anger andsuicidalthoughts,"saysDr.HemantMittal.Memory loss:It'snotassimpleasforgettingwhereyoukeptthecheque book or those important papers. Forgetfulness is morecommon in men than women. "Forgetfulness can be caused byage to some extent. However, it can also indicate several otherserious issues like Alzheimer's disease, brain tumours, braindamage or inflammation, etc. Vitamin deficiencies also causememoryloss,whichisnotisnotagoodsign,"addsDr.Mittal.Urinarycrisis:Justlikewomen,menalsoundergogenitalissueswhich are largely ignored. Bloody urine or trouble in urinatingamongmenisofseriousconcern,asitcanbeduetokidneyandliverdisorders.Bloodyurinecanbeasymptomforprostatecancerand kidney stone, inflammation of bladder. "If ignored, this canlead to further complications among them. Enlarged prostate orprostate cancer is very common among men, but men tend toignore the early signs, which aggravate the problem," says Dr.AnandBiswas,DNBUrology.

What is the theme of international Men's Day2014?Celebrated in over 80 countries across the globe,International Men's Day (Nov 19) honours the contribution menmake to the society—as sons, brothers, husbandsand fathers.Although the prime focus of the day being celebrated this yearincludes men's health, gender equality and highlighting positivemalerolemodels.

TransfatsbadforbraintooTrans fats are bad not only for your waistline but also for yourbrain,showsastudy.Every gram of dietary trans fatty acids consumed in a day waslinked with 0.76 fewer words recalled, which means 11 fewerwordsrecalledwiththehighesttransfatintakecomparedtothosewhoconsumedleasttransfats."Trans fatsweremoststrongly linkedtoworsememory, inyoungand middle-aged men, during their working and career-buildingyears," said Beatrice A. Golomb, professor of medicine atUniversityofCalifornia,SanDiego(UCSD).Forthestudy,presentedattheAmericanHeartAssociation(AHA)2014ScientificSessionsrecently,researchersanalysedthecross-sectionalrelationbetweentransfatintakeandwordmemorytestin1018 adults, who had no previous history of coronary arterydisease."Fromahealthstandpoint, transfatconsumptionhasbeenlinkedtohigherbodyweight,moreaggressionandheartdisease," saidGolomb.

Foods have different effects on oxidative stress and cell energyandthetransfatsdocontributetooxidativestress,aprocessthatdamagescells,researchersfound.

Yoursugarandyourkidneys–What’stheconnection?Diabetescandamagethekidneysandcause themto fail.Failingkidneys lose their ability to filter out waste products, resulting inkidneydisease.HowDoesDiabetesCauseKidneyDisease?When our bodies digest the protein we eat, the process createswaste products. In the kidneys, millions of tiny blood vessels(capillaries)witheven tinierholes in themactas filters.Asbloodflows through the blood vessels, smallmolecules such aswasteproducts squeeze through the holes. These waste productsbecomepartoftheurine.Usefulsubstances,suchasproteinandredbloodcells,are toobig topass through theholes in the filterandstayintheblood.Diabetes can damage this system. High levels of blood sugarmakethekidneysfiltertoomuchblood.Allthisextraworkishardon the filters. After many years, they start to leak and usefulproteinislost intheurine.Havingsmallamountsofproteinintheurineiscalledmicroalbuminuria.Whenkidneydisease isdiagnosedearly,several treatmentsmaykeepkidneydiseasefromgettingworse.Havinglargeramountsofprotein in the urine is called macroalbuminuria. When kidneydisease is caught laterduringmacroalbuminuria, end-stage renaldisease,orESRD,usuallyfollows.

In time, the stress of overwork causes the kidneys to lose theirfilteringability.Wasteproductsthenstart tobuildup intheblood.Finally, the kidneys fail. This failure, ESRD, is very serious. ApersonwithESRDneeds to havea kidney transplant or to havethebloodfilteredbymachine(dialysis).Allpeoplewithdiabeteshaveariskofdevelopingdiabetickidneydisease. There are certain risk factors that increase the risk ofdevelopingthiscondition.Theseare:Apoorcontrolofyourbloodsugar(glucose)levels.Thelengthoftimeyouhavehaddiabetes.Themoreoverweightyoubecome.Havinghighbloodpressure-Thehigheryourbloodpressure, thegreateryourrisk.The better a person keeps diabetes and blood pressure undercontrol,thelowerthechanceofgettingkidneydisease.Hence,itisvital to see a doctor regularly. The doctor can check bloodpressure, urine (for protein), blood (for waste products), andorgansforothercomplicationsofdiabetes.Yoursugarandyoureyes:UnderstandthecomplicationsHighbloodsugarincreasestheriskofeyeproblemsfromdiabetes.Infact,diabetesistheleadingcauseofblindnessinadultsage20to74.Highbloodsugar indiabetescausesthe lensof theeyetoswell,which changes your ability to see. To correct this kind of eyeproblem, you need to get your blood sugar back into the targetrange.Itmaytakeaslongasthreemonthsafteryourbloodsugar

is well controlled for your vision to fully get back to normal.Blurred vision can also be a symptom of a more serious eyeproblemwithdiabetes.Diabetescanaffectyoureyeinanumberofways:Themostseriouseyeconditionassociatedwithdiabetes involvesthenetworkofbloodvesselssupplyingtheretina.Thisconditioniscalled diabetic retinopathy, if not treated in time proliferativeretinopathymayleadtoblindness.The changes in blood sugar levels resulting from diabetes canaffect the lens inside your eye, especially when diabetes isuncontrolled.Thiscanresultinblurringofvisionwhichcomesandgoes over the day, depending on your blood sugar levels.Alonger-termeffectofdiabetesisthatthelensofyoureyecangocloudy,thisiscalledacataract.Noteveryonewhohasdiabetesdevelopsaneyecomplication.Ofthose thatdo,manypeoplehaveaverymild formof retinopathywhich may never progress to a sight-threatening condition.Youcanreduceyourriskofdevelopingeyeproblems,importantlyretinopathy,orhelptostopitfromgettingworseby:ControllingyourbloodsugarlevelsTightlycontrollingyourbloodpressureControllingyourcholesterollevelsKeeping fit, maintaining a healthy weight and giving up smokingRegular retinal screening, at least once a year, is amust for alldiabeticpatients.Earlydetectionandtreatmentpreventssightloss.Mostoftheeyecomplicationsindiabetescanbetreated,butit isvitalthattheyarediagnosedearly.Theycanonlybedetectedbya

detailed examination of your eye carried out at a specialist eyecentre. As youmay not have any symptoms related to eyes, anannual retinal screening is essential.Research shows that if eyeproblems are identified early, through retinal screening, andtreatedappropriately,blindnesscanbepreventedin90percentofthoseatrisk.Stopsitt ingfor longhours, i t ’snothealthyDoyouspendlonghoursatworkjustseatedatyourdeskandthengohomeandparkyourselfonthesofa?Watchout!Sittinghasbeenregardedakintosomethingasharmfulassmokingandhavinghardlyanyphysicalactivityissaidtobeahealth hazard. It can lead to painful neck and back aches,decreased insulin sensitivity and increase the risk of stroke andheartattack.What the study said:As per reports, a study revealed thatlesseningthesittinghourscouldcanhelppeopleinprotectingtheagingofDNAandevenpossiblyextendtheirlifespan.Itwasfoundthat reducing sedentary activity appeared to lengthen telomeres,which sit on the end of chromosomes, theDNA storage units ineachcellandlongevityandahealthylifestylehavebeenlinkedtotelomerelength.What can help:Lunchhourworkoutsareinbigdemandabroadwhereemployeessqueezeinsometimeintheirlunchbreaktodolightexercises.Fromofficeyoga,dodoinghalfanhouronacrosstrainerandbalancingonanexerciseball,there'salotyoucando.If nothing else, take awalk around the block or try the StairwellClimb,where ascend and descend the stairs a few times (if youhavekneetroubles,avoidthis).

ConsumingyoghurtdailycouldlowerdiabetesriskIncluding yogurt in your daily diet could lower your risk ofdevelopingType2diabetes,astudysays.Consumption of one28g serving of yogurt per day is associatedwith an 18 percent lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, the findingsshowed."Wefoundthathigherintakeofyogurtisassociatedwithareducedrisk of Type 2 diabetes, whereas other dairy foods andconsumption of total dairy did not show this association," saidseniorresearcherof thestudyFrankHufromtheHarvardSchoolofPublicHealthintheUS.Thefindingssuggestthatyogurtcanbeincorporatedintoahealthydietarypattern,Huadded.Type2diabetesisachronicconditionthatoccurswhenthebodydoes not produce enough insulin, or the body's cells developresistancetoinsulin.Ithasbeenshownthatprobioticbacteriafoundinyoghurtimprovefatprofilesandantioxidantstatus inpeoplewithType2diabetesandtheresearcherssuggestthiscouldhavearisk-loweringeffectindevelopingthecondition.The researchers pooled the results of three prospective cohortstudies that followed the medical history and lifestyle habits ofhealth professionals. The study involved a total of 289,900participants.Within the three cohorts, 15,156 cases of Type 2 diabeteswereidentifiedduringthefollow-upperiod.

Whenadjusting for chronic disease risk factors suchasageandBMI(bodymassindex)aswellasdietaryfactors,itwasfoundthathigh consumption of yogurt was associated with a lower risk ofdevelopingType2diabetes.Thefindingswereconfirmedwhentheauthorsconductedameta-analysis,incorporatingtheirresultsandotherpublishedstudiesuptoMarch2013.ThestudyappearedinthejournalBMCMedicine.

Whyyoumust includespinachinyourdiet

Spinachhasanumberofhealthbenefitsandanexcellentsourceof iron,vitaminA,CandK.So,youmust includespinachinyourdietWinter is thebest time toenjoyyourshareofspinach.And therearesomanywaystoaddspinachinyourdiet.Apartfrommakingspinachparathas,youcanalsoaddspinachwhilemakingdalandspinach rice also tastes delicious. You can also include spinachwhile cooking pasta, soups. You can also add spinach whilecookingothervegetabledisheslikepotato,pumpkinorbrinjal.Addspinach toyoursandwitch,wrapandenjoyyourshareofhealthyfoodalso.Onalazywinterevening,whenyouarenotinamoodto

cookanelaboratemeal,sauteespinachinoliveoilwithgarlicandseasonwithfreshlygroundblackpepper.Thisfreshlymadedishofsauteed spinach goes well with cheese sandwitch. Spinach canalsobeusedtomakeexcellentdips.There are a number of reasonwhy youmust include spinach inyourdiet.Spinachisanexcellentsourceofiron.Inadditiontothat,spinachisalsorichinvitaminK,vitaminA,vitaminCandfolicacidaswellasagoodsourceofmanganese,magnesiumandvitaminB2.VitaminAisalsonecessaryforthegrowthofallbodilytissues,including skin and hair. Spinach and other leafy greens high invitamin C are necessary for the building and maintenance ofcollagen,whichprovidesstructuretoskinandhair.So,ifyouwanthave shining healthy skin and hair, then have your share ofspinach.Vitamin K is essential for maintaining strong bone health. Lowintakes of vitamin K have been associatedwith a higher risk forbonefracture.So,makesurethatyouincludespinachinyourdiet.Spinach is high in fiber which help to prevent constipation andpromoteahealthydigestivetract.

9foodsyouthinkarehealthyHow true are their claims? 9 health foods that are, actually diet-sabotagingfareSoyoupickedupapacketofoatbiscuitsbecausethetertrapackclaims it's 'fat free', 'zero-cholesterol' and 'no transfat'.Well, watch out, because these sort of packaged foods containotheringredientsthatmayharmyourhealthtwiceover.Haveyoueverwonderedabouttheclaimshealthilycookedornaturalvarietythat scream 'health food' from counters and menus may bemaking?

Advertising and misinformation surround what we eat, makingevery food appear healthy--even if the reverse is true. Here arenine diet-offenders hiding behind the facade of `healthy' food.BranmuffinsTreat theseasacaloriecake,notahealthycoffeecompanion.Atypicalbranmuffinhasmorethan400caloriesandupto15gramsof fat, with most of the calories coming from sugar, butter andrefinedflour.Ifyoudocraveone,makealow-fatversionathomewithwhole-wheatflourandcanesugar.SushiSushi rolls can be deceiving because they're packed tightly andlooksmall,butsomearecaloriebombsjustwaitingtoexplodeupyourwaistline.Asinglerollcanpackmorethan500calories.Avoidany roll that includes the following ingredients: tempura (which isanotherwordfordeepfried),creamcheese,shreddedcheese,orspicymayosauce.DriedfruitsWhile theyare loadedwithvitaminsandminerals,dried fruitsarealsofreecaloriesonaplatter.Withmorethan100caloriesper¼cupserving,caloriescanaddupquicklywhenyou'reeatingdriedfruit.Sodon'tgettoocarriedawaywhilemunchingondrieddatesorapricots.Stick to two-threetoenjoy theirhealthbenefits.But ifyoutrulywanttosteerclearofunnecessarycalories,tryfreshfruitsinstead.You'llbeabletoeatasatisfyingservingforfewercaloriesandfeelfullerwithfluids.MuttoncutletsMany people think that ordering a mutton cutlet sandwichedbetweentwobunsiskindertothewaistthanabeefburger.Don'tbe fooled. The average restaurant-style mutton burger, forinstance, hasmore than 600 calories and 30 grams of fat - and

that'swithout the bun or toppings.Don't worry about the type ofmeatyouchoosewithyourburger.Instead,limityourportion,orgoopen-faced.MargarineInabattlebetweenbutteranditsartificialcompetitor,theoriginalwins.Althoughbothhavethesameamountofcalories,margarinehas more transfat, which simultaneously raises your bad (LDL)cholesterol and lowers good (HDL) cholesterol. It's that oneingredient dietitians say you should avoid. To limit your risk ofheartdisease,stick to the real stuff.Andchoosewhippedbutter,which has a lower caloric density. Or better still, stick to home-madebutterorghee.Reduced-fatpeanutbutterWhenmanufacturers take fatoutofpeanutbutter, they replace itwithsugars.Asa result, reduced fatpeanutbutterhas thesametotal calories as the original, butmore than twice the amount ofcarbs.It'sbettertosticktotheregularstuff.You'll eat less, because the full fat version is far more filling.ProteinbarsProtein bars are vitamin and protein-infused candy bars andcontain more than twice the amount of fat and carbohydrates abrownie would; not to mention chemicals and preservatives. Soavoid. But if youmust, then look for options that have less than180caloriesand5gramsfat,andprovideatleast5gramsoffibre.

YoghurtNatural yoghurt is a good source of calcium and vitamin D. Butsomepackagedvarietieshaveasmuchfatandsugarasabuttercookie.Sticktothegoodolddahiathome.Flavouritonyourownwithfruitandhoney.Fromthecounters,pickplainGreekyoghurt,whichofferstwiceasmuchproteinandhalftheamountofcalories.Fat-freesaladdressingIfyou'rewatchingyourbloodpressure,steerclearof thisstuff. Injust twosmall tablespoonsof fat-free Italiandressing,you take inupto500mgofblood-pressure-raisingsodium.That'sathirdofthetotalamountyoushouldeat inanentireday. Instead,makeyourownlow-saltdressingbycombiningbalsamicvinegar,lemonjuice,and flavour-packed seasoning like pepper, turmeric andmustardseeds.

Recipe:Instant jalebis

SyrupsoakedfriedspiralsPreparationt ime:10minutesCookingt ime:40minutesServes:4-5

Recipeingredients:1cupflour½cupyoghurt1heapedteaspoonbakingpowderApinchorangefoodcolorClarifiedbutter(desighee)oranyhydrogenatedfat(likeDaldaorRath)todeepfry2cupssugar1cupwaterRecipemethod:Putthesugarandwatertoboil.Reducetheflameandsimmertillyouattainaonestringconsistency.(about15minutes).Tocheckconsistency,takeadropofslightlycooledsyrupbetweenindexfingerandthumbandpresstogether.Lightlyraisethefinger.Ifthesyruppullsupaswelltogetathread,thesyrupisready.Removefromfire.Mixwellthebakingpowderintotheflour.Addtheyoghurt,foodcolorandmixwell.Addenoughwatertomakeathicksmoothbatter.Fillthebatterinapipingbagoracheeseclothinwhichaholearound4mmdiameterhasbeenmade.

Heata1"layeroffatorgheeinashallowflatbottomedpan.Thegheeshouldnotbetoohot.Pipethebatterincirclesandcrossthecircletoensurethatthespiralstaystogether.Pipearound4-5jalebisatatime.Allowthesizzletodieoutalittleandturnthejalebiswhenfirm.Cookonalowflametillthebubblesdieout.Frytoalightgoldenbrown.Removethejalebistoamoderatelywarmsyrupandallowthejalebistosoakthesyrup(approx..3-4minutes).Servehot.Indiancookingwithanol ivetwistBeittheextravirginoliveoilorthepomace,Indianrecipescookedinoliveoilmakeforanequallydelectabletreat.Usingoliveoil for Indianrecipesmakesadishequally tasty.Plusthe benefits of olive oil as an elixir for good health renders ahealthyappealtoadish.Oilve oil can be used in all the recipes like various vegetablepreparation,curriesandalsotomakedosas.Eventhoughtheoliveoilisexpensiveascomparedtootheroilsavailableinthemarket,itshealthpropertiesmakesoliveoilasamusthaveinyourkitchen.Almosteveryotherdishlikeapalakpaneer,tadkewalidal,rajma,jeerarice,dumaloo,coconutrice,dosa,masaladosa,puliyogareetccanbecookedinoliveoilwithoutcompromisingonthetaste.Infact,oliveoilwithitsrichtextureenhancesthetasteofaparticulardish.

Ifyouwanttostartcookingwitholiveoil,trytheoilfirstbyusingitonce a week. Once your system starts liking the taste, you canmakeoliveoilpartofyourdailycookingregimen.

Recipe:Chickenclubsandwich

Here's how you can make a yummy chicken club sandwich athome.Ingredients1/2tablespoonsoliveoil1chickenfilletSeasaltFreshlygroundpepper2thickslicesofbread1/2ofanavocado,peeledandchopped1tablespoonmayonnaise1bunchrocket2rashersbacon,cooked1/2tomato,slicedJuicefrom1/2lemonPotatochips

Method-Cook thechicken.Heat theoil ina fryingpanoverahighheat.Place the chicken in the pan, season with salt and pepper andcookfor3minutes.Turnoverandcookforafurther3minutes.-Slicethechickenbreast.Whenthechickenbreastsarecooked,removefromthepanandcutinto1cmslices.Leavetorest.- Make the mayonnaise. Place the avocado, lemon juice, salt,pepperandmayonnaiseintothefoodprocessorandprocessuntilsmooth.Placeinabowlandkeepononeside.-Spreadaspoonfulofavocadomayonnaiseonasliceofbread,topwithahandfulofrocketsalad,thenchicken,baconandslicedtomato.- Finish with another spoonful of the mayonnaise and place theremainingsliceofbreadontop.Cutthesandwichinhalfandservegarnishedwithsaladandpotatochips.Recipe:GulabjamunPreparationt ime:20minutesCookingt ime:30minutesMakes:16RecipeIngredients:1½cupMilkfudge(khoya)¼cupgratedcottagecheese¼tspSodabicarbonate3tbspRefinedflour(maida)¼tspGreencardamompowder2cupsSugar2cupsWaterClarifiedbutter(ghee)orrefinedoiltofryRecipeMethod:Gratekhoyaandmashcottagecheese.Mixthetwoalongwithsodabicarbonate,refinedflour,greencardamompowderand

kneadwelltogethertomakeasoftdough.(Ifrequired,addaliitlewatertomakeasoftdough).Divideintosixteenequalportionsandshapeintoballs.Prepareasugarsyrupwithsugarandtwocupsofwater.Clearthesyrupbyremovingthescum,ifany.Heatghee/oilinapan.Theoilshouldbeenoughtoimmersetheballswell.Addtheballsanddeepfryonlowheattillgoldenbrownincolour.Drainandsetasidefor3-4minutes.Soakinthehotsugarsyrupforatleasthalfanhourbeforeserving.

Mixedtrendinpepperprices

Kochi, November 26:Pepperpriceswitnessedamixed trendon Wednesday with the futures contracts on the regionalcommodityexchangemovingupandthespotpricesrulingsteadyonlimitedactivities.As the Karnataka sellers mainly from Sakleshpur andChikamagaluru were offering pepper atRs.690/kg delivered

anywhereinIndiawithoutbillnodemandiscomingtotheterminalmarket, market sources toldBusinessLine.They said thisphenomenonhassloweddownupcountrydemandalso.On the IPSTAplatform,DecemberandJanuarycontractsmovedup byRs.1,000 andRs.800 a quintal respectively toRs.67,500andRs.62,500. Spot prices remained unchanged atRs.69,800(ungarbled)andRs.72,800(garbled).Exportpricesweresteadyataround$11,400atonne.

KeventerAgro ropes in 500 farmers to plant newbananavarietyKolkata, November 26:KeventerAgroLtdhaslinkedupwith500 farmers in West Bengal for Grand Nine variety of tissue-culturedbananacultivation.Thelink-upistheoutcomeofaCII-USAID[ConfederationofIndianIndustry-USAgency for InternationalDevelopment] projectwherefarmersoffiveblocksofNadiadistrictwerepersuadedtocultivatethe banana variety. Keventer,which has a fruits trading division,willbuythetheentireproduction.Sunil Kajaria, President – Strategy of Keventer,toldBusinessLinethat the company was ready to procure 5,000tonnes of the banana variety in the next ninemonths at marketrates. Under the project, 2,000 subsidised saplings of this pest-anddisease-resistantvarietywillbehandedovertofarmers.Kajaria said this variety results in around 40 per cent higherincome for the farmers compared to the traditionalRobusta.Theproject saw introduction of the variety – also known as G9 – inNadiadistrictoftheStatewherejutecultivatorswerelookingforachangeover forbetter farmearnings.TheG9bananavarietyhasthree consistent crop cyclesin two years comparedwith once-a-year of the Robusta variety, common in the State. Though thecurrent area of cultivation of the improved variety is just 100hectares, it cangoup tosome6,000hectaresover thenext fewseasons.Another2,500farmersarelikelytotakeupfarmingoftheG9varietyafterseeingthefruitsoftheproject.

TheRs.600-crore Keventer has a 36 tonnes-a-day banana-ripeningunitatBarasatNorth24Districtsome30kmnorthofthecity. The unit caters to the demands of the State capital only.KeventerdealsinbothRobustaandG9varieties.TheWestBengalAgricultureDepartmentistryingtoweanfarmersaway from high-yield production approach to a higher-incomeapproach.Market-drivenagriculture is leading theStategraduallytowardsexportsinanumberoffoodcrops.

US model sees wet weather for coastal TN,peninsulathisweekThiruvananthapuram,November26:Arain-drivingMadden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) has been active over the Indian OceanduringthepastfewdaysandhasbeengeneratingsomeimpactfortheBayofBengalaswell.Theseawatershereseemtohaverespondedinkind,tossingupalow-pressure area closer toSri Lanka than to south-east coastalTamilNaduoverthepeninsula.ArabianSea-boundIndiaMetDepartmentprojectionssuggestthatthe‘low’maygrazepast south Sri Lanka and emerge into the Arabian Seawhere itredevelopasastrongerweathersystem.Itwouldcutapath towest-northwest, fanningmoisturealong theWestCoastandtriggeringsomerainovertheregion.IndiaMet has forecast a general increase in rainfall activity overSouthIndiafromtheweekend.Rainorthundershowersmaybreakout over Konkan, Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, south Gujarat,Saurashtra,coastalKarnatakaandLakshadweep.Meanwhile, indications are that the MJO wave could move intoSouth China Sea and progressively into the west Pacific withimplicationsfortheboththewaterbodies.WeathersystemsTheEuropeanCentreforMedium-RangeWeatherForecastsseesaprocessionofweathersystemsofvaryingstrengthmovingwestfromthewestPacificintotheSouthChinaSea.

Thesearemostly cyclonic circulations/low-pressure areas exceptinonecasewhere itcouldgrow into typhoonstrengthand targetthePhilippines.ButtheEuropeanCentredoesnotseethemimpactingtheBayofBengalexpectforanoddlow-pressurearealikelytobegeneratedtothesoutheastofsouthAndamanSea.TheUSClimate PredictionCentre sees scope of varying rainfallfor Tamil Nadu and rest of adjoining peninsula during the weekendingDecember1.WesterndisturbanceThiswill largelyresultastheprevailing‘low’inthesouthwestBayeruptsoverSriLankaandadjoiningsoutheasttipofTamilNadu.In theNorth, dense fog hungover JammuandKashmir,Assam,Meghalaya and Tripura on Wednesday morning as a warmwestern disturbance called in over north-east Afghanistan andadjoiningPakistan.Shallow fog rolled out also over Punjab, Uttarakhand, east UttarPradesh, and Bihar. The westerly is expected to cross theinternationalborderandenternorth-westIndiainduecourse.IndiaMetexpectsthiswillcausenighttemperaturestoperkupbyacoupleofnotchesasassociatedcloudspreventavailablesolarradiationfromescapingtheground.Butnight temperatureswill remainbelownormalby three to fourdegCelsiusbelownormal foranothercoupleofdayssince itwilltakeasmanydaysforthewesterlytoextenditsinfluencethere.AreIndiancastoroi l exporterssel l ingthecountryshort?After a subdued period of trading well belowRs.4,000 a quintalduetoinventoryoverhang,castorseedpriceshavebeguntolookupinthelasttwomonths,thankstotheimprovedmarketoutlook.But prices have largely remained bound in the rangebetweenRs.4,600andRs.4,700.Reportsfromproducingcentressuggestthatcastorseedgrowersmaynotexactlybedelightedwiththecurrentprices,yetthereisasenseofreliefthatpricesareedgingup.Clearly,seedavailability

is tightening as evidenced by castor seed production trends andcastoroilexportoverthelasttwoyears.From22lakhtonnes(lt)in2011-12,seedproductiondeclinedto19.6ltthefollowingyearandthento16.9ltin2013-14.At the same time, castor oil exports have maintained a robustpace. From 4 lt in 2011-12, shipments increased to 4.3 lt thefollowingyearandthento4.7ltin2013-14.Inthefirstsixmonthsofthecurrentfiscal,castoroilexportstotalled2.4lt.Themarket fundamentals clearly point to tightness in availabilitywhichisreflectedinsomewhathigherpricesbeneficialtofarmers.However, there are lobbies opposed to rising castor seed pricesandtheyhavealreadyraisedthealarm.For instance,processorsofcastorseedandexportersofcastoroilwant tosource therawmaterial at the lowest possible prices. However, policymakers,commodity exchanges and the market regulator have to take abroaderviewofthemarketstructureanddynamics.Tobesure,Indiaistheworld’sdominantproducerofcastorseedandexporterofcastoroil,enjoyingasmuchas80percentmarketshare. The world market has seen prices as high as $2,800 atonneandaslowas$1,200inrecentyears.Buthighpricesaretheexceptionratherthanthenorm.Highexportprices that reflect themarket fundamentals and India’s dominantposition in the world market invariably benefits castor seedgrowers. Indeed, India holds a near-monopoly position; and yetobtains export prices that hardly reflect this near-monopoly.Questionsarenowbeing raisedabout thepricesatwhichexportdeals are signed.Are Indianexporters throwingawaya valuableindustrial oil at low prices that in turn denies seed growersremunerativeprices?AccordingtotheAgricultureMinistry’sfirstestimate,thecropsizeis 19.6 lt compared with the target of 16.5 lt. However, tradereportssuggest that thecropsizecouldbe lowerbecauseofbadweatherconditions.In2013-14,thegovernmentrevisedthecastorseedproductionestimatefrom18.6ltto16.9lt.Itisexpectedthatthis year too, the estimate will be lowered to reflect marketrealities.

ForeigninnovatorseyeIndia’sagromarketFirmsfinditmorelucrativethanotherdevelopingnations

GarneringinterestFarmersthrongahybridseedstallatAgro-Tech2014inChandigarhAkileshKumarNew Delhi, November 26:Alongside industrymajorsatCII’s11thAgroTechsummit,whichendedonTuesday,wereanumberofsmallforeigninnovatorskeentotapintotheIndianmarketwhichthey felt afforded opportunities far greater than other developingmarkets.Quantum Mechanical Technology Inc (QMTI), a firm from aCanadiandelegation,waslookingforIndianpartnersandinvestorstobringanovelfoodprocessingtechnologytoIndia.Perfectf i t “Weofferagreentechnologythatuseselectricitythatmakesfoodlast longerwithoutdestroyingmicrobial life. It improves the taste,keepsgrainshealthyandsavesmoney.It’saperfectfitforIndiaasit would prevent spoilage which is an issue here,” said MichaelDrabiuk,aQMTIrepresentative.Primarily tested on pulses, the technology could be adapted toprocess between 1 tonne to 20 tonnes a day. The equipment,which costsabout $150,000 (Rs.93 lakh), canbemanufacturedcheaperinIndia.

“I’ve worked with the Chinese before and it wasn’t the bestexperience. I havea team inNewDelhi since the last twoyearsandI’vehadnoreasonformistrust,”headded.Russia-IndiarelationshipLLCNaturalResources,aRussiangroup,began field trialsof itsownorganicfertiliserbranded‘WEALTH’aroundIndiathreeyearsago.The teamhasworkedcloselywith farmers in theSouthandplanstotestitsproductonteainAssam.“TheRussia-India relationship is special; ouraim isn’t to just sellthe product. We partner with farmers, mainly those working inorganiccultivation,”saidElenaYatsenko,Directorof InternationalDevelopment, Natural Resources. Sapropel, formed by thedecomposition of organic matter, is the main component of thefertiliser.Itregeneratessoilhealthandstimulatescropqualityandyield.Yatsenko feltwithRussia looking to importhigh-quality foodafterimposing a ban on Western imports this August, there waspotentialforWEALTHtoprovideIndianfarmerswithanalternativedestinationfortheirproduce.BobBeharirunsEnviroWay(EW),aCanadian biotechnology company that uses ‘green chemistry’ totreatmunicipalandindustrialwastewater.He felt the lack of importancegiven towater in Indiawasworsethanotherdevelopingcountriesbecauseofthehugepopulationatrisk.“We grow strains of microbes which are introduced into effluenttreatment plants to clean wastewater. The energy requiredotherwise iscutby50percentwhichmakesup theusers’cost,”saidBehari.EWhasitsIndianofficeinNewDelhiandhastiedupwithseveralcompaniesincludingPepsiCo.ManysynergiesSome credited the new BJP-led Government and felt synergiescouldfinallybetakenforward.“WeinCanadahavethetechnologyand India has the people. Indian farmers are keen and I find acommitment to move forward now. The new government hasprovidedanewdirectionanditcouldbeabanneryearforIndia,”saidBonnie deMoissac, aCanadianGovernment representativefromManitoba.

Organicbakesandcakes

NamrathaVippalastartedbakingoutofpassion.Shewouldstudyduring the day and bake till dusk. So when she started hercompany in 2009, the nameDuskMillerwas an obvious choice.Today, five years later, what started as a passion is now a full-fledgedbusiness.Namratha is currently one of Hyderabad’s favourite bakers,whether for private parties or for corporate orders.Her products,which sell like hot cakes (pun intended), include chocolate rosecookies, vanilla cupcakes and lemon cakes. “Our products areorganicandwealsomakeourownbutter.And that isoneof thereasonswhyourbakesarewellknowninthecity,”shesays.Talkingabouthowshestartedthecompanyshesays,“MyfriendslovedwhatIbakedwhenIwasdoingmyengineeringcourse.Oneday,theytoldmetostartsellingcupcakesatthecollegecanteenandthat’sprettymuchhowitallstarted.”“We started doing corporate orders and that’s how our clientelegrew,”shesays.Frompartiestoordersforthefestiveseason,oneneedstoplaceanorderatleastaweekinadvance.Namrathaand

herteamoffiveensurethattheproductsareasfreshaspossible.“Weusuallybakeovernightsothatwhentheordersarepickedup,theproductsarefresh.”Aboxof12minicupcakesoraregularboxof six from Dusk Miller costs around Rs 300 and a box of 12cookiescostRs200.

Give thanks: tradit ional recipes prepared duringThanksgiving

RoastedstuffedturkeyIngredients1largeturkey25gmsalt25gmcrushedpepper25gmwhitepepperpowder25gmpaprikaflakes25gmchoppedcelery1tsporegano1tsprosemary1tspthyme50mlvinegar25gmmustardpaste2tbspWorcestershiresauce,100mloliveoil

Stuff ing1500gmchickenmince250gmchoppedchickensausage25gmchoppedparsley100gmcheddarcheeseSalttotaste1tbspwhitepepperpowder,25mloliveoil200gmcrotonherbsBraising50mloliveoil1tsporegano1tsprosemaryFor the roast:Afewcelerysticks,leeks,apodofgarlic,onions(thevegetablesneedtoweigh300gm)Garnish:Broccoli, potato wedges, French beans carrot,cranberryMethod:Cleantheturkeythoroughlyanddrainthewater.Mixallthemarinadeingredientstogether.Applythemarinadeinsideandoutsidetheturkey.Putitinthefreezerovernight.Stuff ing:Mixallthestuffingingredientstogetherthoroughly.Afterstuffingtheturkeyuseathickneedleandthreadtoclosetheopenendsoftheturkey.Roasting:Take a tray large enough to hold the stuffed turkey.Makeabedofdicedcarrot,onion,celery,leeks,wholegarlic(onepod)crushedpeppercornandafewbayleaves.Placethestuffedturkeyonthisbedandcoverwithsilverfoil.Cook in a pre-heated oven at 180-200ºC for at least 2-3 hours.Every half hour use a brush and baste the turkey (using thebraisingingredients).Afterithasbecomegoldenbrowntakeitoutoftheovenandletitcool.Steamallthegarnishingvegetablesandplacetheturkeyonadecorativetrayandgarnishwiththesteamedvegetables, the roasted vegetables and cranberry. You can alsousetheturkeydripfromthetrayintheovenasasauce.

PumpkinpierecipeIngredients(Forthesweetpastrybase)150gmicingsugar300gmbutter450gmflourPumpkincustardmix600gmcookedpumpkinpuree480gmcookingcream6eggs125gmsugar10gmcornstarch35gmhoney3gmcinnamonpowder2tspvanillaextractWhippedcreamMethod:To make pumpkin purée from scratch, cut a medium-smallsugarpumpkininhalf.Scrapeouttheinsides.Lineabakingtraywithfoil.Placethepumpkinpiecesonthe linedbakingsheetand bake at 180ºC until a fork can easily pierce them. Removefrom oven, let it cool, scoop out the pulp. You can also cut thepumpkinintosectionsandsteaminasaucepanuntilsoft.Cream the icing sugar and butter to a smooth paste and slowlyaddtheflourtotheabovepastetillitcanbemoulded.Refrigeratethedoughfor30minutes.Roll thedoughand layer it into thepiedish and set aside. Beat eggs and sugar and slowly add thecooking cream to this with the pumpkin puree. To this add thecornstarch, honey, cinnamon powder and vanilla extract one byoneandmixwell.Pourthepumpkincustardmixintothesweetpastrypiemouldandbakeinapreheatedovenat200ºCfor15to20minutes.Itisdonewhen a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool thepumpkinpieonawire rackandgarnishwithwhippedcreamandsprinklecinnamonpowderbeforeservingit.