APSC Prelims and Mains Notes, APSC Test Series
Water use efficiency in relation to crop production Land and water scarcity are major constraints to the production of food required to meet the quantitative and qualitative shifts of the world’s demand in the mid-twenty-first century. Whereas land and water availability are constrained on a global scale, there are important regional and crop-specific differences that … Read more
Storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce Storage The agricultural sector in India accounts for about 14% of GDP and 10% of export earnings. India’s arable land area of 159.7 million hectares (394.6 million acres) is the second largest in the world, after the USA. Its gross irrigated crop area of 82.6 million … Read more
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRY ü Sustained efforts – Stabilized Primary sector ü Technology in agriculture – bringing together global leaders in cutting edge technologies to aid small and marginal farmers ü Drought – a thing of the past – Sustained growth in Agriculture and Allied sectors – Growth despite deficit rainfall ü Soil Health Cards to farmers – distribution … Read more
Post harvest technology and value addition in Food Processing While increased productivity is an essential component of a vibrant agricultural sector, improved post-harvest handling and processing is essential to ensure high-quality products reach the markets. Too often, even when the yields are high, producers lose income due to poor post-harvest practices. Effective post-harvest … Read more
Swaminathan commission for Agriculture Development The National Commission on Farmers (NCF) was constituted on November 18, 2004 under the chairmanship of Professor M.S. Swaminathan. The Terms of Reference reflected the priorities listed in the Common Minimum Programme. The NCF submitted four reports in December 2004, August 2005, December 2005 and April 2006 respectively. The fifth … Read more
Agro-climatic zones of india An “Agro-climatic zone” is a land unit in terms of major climates, suitable for a certain range of crops and cultivars. With the 329 million hectares of the geographical area the country presents a large number of complex agro-climatic situations. India is divided into 15 agro-climatic zones.The 15 agro-climatic … Read more
Grading and Standardization of Agricultural Products Standardization and grading are the first steps in the value-chains of an agricultural produce as it travels in a market channel to the consumer. Price of a produce has to be commensurate with quality, the assessment of which depends on a responsive system of grading and standardization. Hence, it … Read more
Concept of organic farming, seed certification Organic farming is an alternative agricultural system which originated early in the 20th century in reaction to rapidly changing farming practices. Organic farming continues to be developed by various organic agriculture organizations today. It relies on fertilizers of organic origin such as compost manure, green manure, and … Read more
Re-imaging agriculture through the lens of food processing industry The COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated the criticality of food security and food surplus management in the current policy space. To this end, policy steps in the agriculture sector in recent years have shifted their orientation from sustenance to marketing. However, the sector is still exposed to … Read more
Food Processing, and Food Packaging & Marketing v Food Processing Industry (FPI) in India is a sunrise sector that has gained prominence in the recent years. Easy availability of raw materials, changing lifestyles and favourable fiscal policies has given a considerable push to the industry’s growth. v FPI serves as a vital link … Read more