Agriculture TNT

Agriculture machinery is a term used to refer to all equipments, tools and machines that are used to aide production on the farm. It is amazing that in the whole of the United States, a mere 2% of the total population is able to feed the rest of the 98% population! This has been so because of the agricultural machineries in place.

The technological advancement in the manufacture of the machinery is on the upward trend. Tractors have had major advancements; computer monitoring systems, GPS locators, and self-steer programs. It is possible that in the near future, little human intervention will be needed to work on the firm given advancements such as nanotechnology and genetic engineering where submicroscopic devices and biological processes respectively are being used to perform tasks on the farm. These are tools which have made it possible for almost accurate precision in carrying out functions thus optimum efficiency is achieved on the farm. Less fuel and fertilizer among other inputs in the course of production are used thus increasing returns on investments.

So what are key points to keep in mind to achieve leverage with agriculture machinery?

Take a thorough look at your farm, your assets versus your liabilities, and opportunities versus your threats. If necessary, get the help from experts so that you come up with a good strategic plan. Let everyone on the farm get involved in the whole process.

Get to determine what machinery is necessary to achieve the targets and smart goals that are laid down in the strategic plan. There are those immediate ones while other machineries may follow later at other stages of the agriculture process on the farm.

Once the machinery is determined, research around the market to determine which would be the best machine at the best price. This should also be checked against the return on investment for each of the machines. Be careful with cheap machines, they may not last. At the same time, good machines can be gotten at pretty cheap prices if care is taken to research for prices.

Once the machines are purchased, proper care should be taken while the machines are in use. This will ensure maximization of the machines utility period. In some cases, farmers have been able to use the machines beyond its life period.

Keep checking on popular web sites and online agricultural magazines for any new technologies in the industry as this will continue to ensure high levels of productivity at a cheaper price.

Agriculture machinery has been a source of economic leverage for investors in the agriculture sector. A continuous research on the internet sites together with other resources and development of the agriculture machineries will increase profits for the investor. Proper planning is needed to guide one into procuring the best machinery for the specific farm.

These days there are several career choices for younger generation, some of these industries are more lucrative than the others and even in this modern times industries such as agriculture and forestry is still an option. However, does a career in agriculture can be as satisfying in terms of prospects and salaries as one in finance, insurance or engineering? Career paths in agriculture have its own pros and cons and we shall investigate these in the following next chapters.

First of all let us start our investigation with the prospective salary conditions. Salaries in agriculture are clearly lower than in any high paying industries. This lower figure are supported with a higher job security; large business entities working in this field are often enjoy continuous government funding in order to compensate the high business risks associated with animal husbandry and crop production such as weather conditions, pests and various diseases. Hence, being employed in a private agricultural business entity the employees can always feel the protective hands of the government yet not in that extent as those employed in the public sector.

People working in agriculture also enjoy a very healthy lifestyle involving long walks in the countryside and generally being outdoors on a regular basis. Those who are employed in finance and insurance spend weeks and months in overcrowded office environment surrounded by fluorescent lights and flickering screens. This sort of environment combined with high stress can often lead to serious health implications thus making a career in the agriculture seeming more valuable than are those in the highflying investment banking.

Should you become fed up with the work in rural settings you can always move to your nearby city and try to find another job there; with your skills you gained being in the management in an agricultural enterprise means that you have acquired a good set of transferable skills. These will always valued well in other industries as well thus you can be sure that a career change will not mean a great difficulty for you at all.

Last but not least, working in the agriculture naturally brings you in the heart of many small rural communities meaning that you will be socially accepted and you can be a useful part of such a community. Working in an office of a multi-national IT-firm can leave you with a strange feeling that you are not more than a number on a spreadsheet.

Having investigated several attributes of an agriculture-related career it is easy to accept that in contrast of lower salaries there are plenty of advantages making this career choice more valuable than the rest. Also, if you are still concerned because of lower salary prospects you can be assured; living in the country is always cheaper than living in a large city, so at the end the day your salary might even have a positive balance compared to one of an IT-executive.

CII today organized a Seminar on Reforms in the APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) Act , and its impact in the Southern States. This is an initiative of the Agri Business Sub-Committee, CII-Southern Region. Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Shankarlal Guru, Chairman-International Society for Agricultural Marketing said Agricultural sector is in urgent need of reforms by the respective State governments to help drive the economy to a higher growth rate that is expected by the policy makers, but a comprehensive agenda for reforms in this crucial sector is yet to emerge. Hence, the need for Agriculture to be made a central subject and not a state subject, thus alienating it from politics, said Mr. Guru. Contract farming should be encouraged as it will help bring technology and modern practices into the agriculture sector – opined Mr. Guru.

The APMC Act in each state of India requires all agricultural products to be sold only in government – regulated markets. These markets impose substantial taxes on buyers, in addition to commissions and fees taken by middlemen, but typically provide little service in areas such as price discovery, grading or inspection. A key impact of this regulation is the inability of private sector processors and retailers to integrate their enterprises directly with farmers or other sellers, eliminating middlemen in the process. Farmers also are unable to legally enter into contracts with buyers. This leaves no incentives for farmers to upgrade, and inhibits private and foreign investments in the food process sector.

Also addressing the audience was Mr. Sivakumar, Chairman Agri Business Sub-Committee, CII-Southern Region and Chief Executive – Agri, ITC Ltd. Said that Agri business in India is at a transition point. Having sailed through the shortage economy to an economy with surplus in grains, it is important that Governments at the Centre and State recognize the need for inclusive growth to take agriculture forward in India. Setting the context for the day’s discussion, Mr. Sivakumar emphasized that in spite of employing about 57% of the population of the country, agriculture on contributes 27% to the GDP of India. This distortion makes agriculture not a lucrative employment generator and hence, keeping with the global view, India needs to carve out opportunities in agri-exports sector. Contract farming and direct marketing to retail chains and processing units are the need of the hour he said.

Regulations to keep pace with these needs are required, which need alternative marketing mechanisms. Hence, reforms in the APMC Act are recommended in various fields, he added.

Making a presentation on “Aligning State Policies with emerging new marketing models”, Prof. S Raghunath from the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore, emphasized the need for an effective and efficient distribution system for agri-produce and provision for supply-demand transparency. Since the main objective of the APMC Act was to prevent exploitation of farmers by various intermediaries, reforms were required in the Act, with changing face of agriculture and the agricultural supply chain, opined Prof Raghunath. India is the largest producer of vegetable in the world, with a total share of 15% of global produce. 8% of world’s fruits are produced in India, ranking it second in the world market. In spite of this, there is a high cumulative wastage of 40% in India, informed Prof. Raghunath. Inadequate infrastructure and lack of organized supply chain were the main cause for such a disparity, he said. Thus, reforms in this sector need to catch up with the pace of development in the economy and dis-intermediation and participation of organized players in the sector will remove the lacunae, opined Prof. Raghunath.

Centre asks states to amend APMC Act

In a move to allow farmers to directly sell their produce to industry, contract farming and setting up of competitive markets in private and cooperative sector, the Centre has asked the state government to amend the Agricultural Produce Marketing Act.

Under the present Act, the processing industry cannot buy directly from farmers. The farmer is also restricted from entering into direct contract with any manufacturer because the produce is required to be canalised through regulated markets. These restrictions are acting as a disincentive to farmers, trade and industries.

The government has recently approved a central sector scheme titled Development/strengthening of agricultural marketing infrastructure, grading and standardisation.

Under the scheme, credit linked investment subsidy shall be provided on the capital cost of general or commodity specific infrastructure for marketing of agricultural commodities and for strengthening and modernisation of existing agricultural markets, wholesale, rural periodic or in tribal areas.

The scheme is linked to reforms in state law dealing with agricultural markets (APMC Act). Assistance under the new scheme will be provided in those states that amend the APMC Act.

The Centre has asked the state governments to inform as to whether necessary amendments to the APMC Act have been carried out, in order to notify the reforming states for applicability of the scheme.

Along with the Centre, the industry is also interested in the amendment to the APMC Act as it restricts the growth of trade in agricultural commodities.

The policy regime pertaining to internal trade is particularly restrictive. The agricultural sector continues to be hamstrung by a plethora of controls, which were introduced during the era of shortages, said the PHDCCI.

Meanwhile, a decentralised system of procuring wheat and rice would make the Public Distribution System more cost effective, the government has said.

Healthy, nutritious and tasty food keeps us going each day. But when we sit with that bowl of greens and other colorful salads thinking we are eating healthy food, are we really sure it’s healthy? It may look fresh, green, and nutritious, but there are also very harmful chemicals like urea, sulfur, chlorides and other chemicals along as well. These nasty chemicals are present in the produce we eat in varying levels due to the fertilizers and pesticides used to grow the crops. But its labeled organic, which means you dont have to worry about that, right? Well, the growers can claim they didn’t spray the crops with these pesticides or fertilizers, but do they have control over underwater tables and air that has the runoff and chemical aerosol from a much polluted environment?

The science of Hydroponics offers an innovative path to a healthy food supply where you know how your food is produced, and what went into it. Hydroponics is the growing of plants in nutrient solutions with or without an inert medium (as soil) to provide mechanical support. Simply put, Hydroponics is the science of growing plants in mineral and nutrient enriched water without soil. This may sound strange to some, but plants really dont need soil to grow because the nutrients and minerals they need are not part of the soil itself. The most important thing to the plants are the select nutrients that they require to synthesize their food. The mechanical support of soil can well be substituted by coir, wood fibre, gravel, sand and various other media. Hydroponics can be used for large scale agriculture and right in your home as well. Hydroponics has many advantages such as less labor and garden maintenance, pests and diseases are easily avoided as the climate can be controlled, plants are free from weeds and will thus grow healthy ensuring that we get good, wholesome and non-toxic food on our table.

Hydroponics is a great way to grow our crops and other plants in a pollution free and controlled environment. The yield from hydroponics is typically much higher than conventional farming and may very well have the solution to the food shortage problem on earth. It may also help us save the flora and fauna of the earth which is nearing extinction by replacing large-scale agriculture. The water usage for Hydroponics is as little as 1/20th of the water required for conventional agriculture, thus reducing the strain on earth water resources as well.

Choosing Hydroponics over conventional agriculture and gardening will help our environment and may be part of the answer to global warming and climate change. We can then ensure that our future generations will inherit an earth where their eyes can still feast on the verdant green of forests and when they enjoy a meal, they can be sure that no nasty chemicals are making their way into their bodies.

Agriculture machineries and tools suppliers specialize in the manufactures of agricultural implements and specialized equipment for a variety of farming needs. The manufacturers like Toro, Coronet, New Holland, Unverferth, Woods Equipment Co., Worksaver Inc., Yetter Farm Equipment Co., Ag-Chem, AGCO, Automatic Ag Products, Beard Industries, Orthman, Seedburo, Bigham Brothers, Blu-Jet, Bomford Turner, Brillion Iron, Northwest Tillers, Stover Equipment Co. Inc., Sukup Manufacturing Co. Brownie Manufacturing Co. and Butler Mfg. Co. have an established presence in this niche market and are standing up to competition from the majors. The Agricultural Suppliers have some of the latest and most modern models of equipment in their stocks. These models have been well received in the market and are worth the money. Since agriculture farming equipment is considered a market for consumer durables, the market also looks at the price. The American and European markets are quality conscious and are not very price sensitive. The market capturing depends on the quality of the product. There are other Agriculture machineries and tools suppliers like Case, Murray and Snapper. These manufacturers are very popular in the North America segment and in Europe. Most of the suppliers are good with the quality and production range they have. Also they have the capacity to make it big and stand up to the giants like Honda, Ford, John Deere. The farming equipment makes the tasks associated with farming easier and the operations more productive. Such equipment mostly includes Tractors, Combines, Hay Equipment and the like. Agriculture machineries and tools suppliers offer many listings for equipment used in agricultural farming, cattle ranching, dairy and poultry to name a few. From planting all the way through to harvesting these farm equipment dealers have the proper equipment that farmers need. Whether the buyers are searching for new or used tractors by John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Agco, Massey Ferguson, Kubota, McCormick or others, along with combine, forage harvester, planter, tillage equipment, or other agricultural equipment, you can find the listing at Fuzing. The fuzing agriculture chemical suppliers directory is a leading B2B portal for global buyers searching manufacturers, exporters and suppliers. There is an agriculture chemical page bringing you to our handpicked agricultural chemical manufacturers, exporters and suppliers from various regions. If you are an agricultural chemical supplier, exporter, manufacturer, factory, vendor or trading company/agent, and want to list in this supplier directory, please click Fuzing.com. The author is familiar about the topics like international trade, business to business marketplace & online trade scenario. He generally writes for site Fuzing.com on Industrial Hardware And Tools Suppliers [http://way2trading.com/companies-category/agriculture.html] for more information about-way2trading.com which is a leading online B2B company and provides a feasible environment for exchanging agriculture related information like agriculture equipments and agricultural tools manufacturers. Working since 2012, it has its offices pan in India and enjoys high credibility throughout the business spectrum. way2trading is considered as one of the largest B2B companies in India