Agricutlure

Rize has raised $31 million in a Series B round of equity and debt to expand in Vietnam and Indonesia. The company is also evaluating an India entry, likely starting with southern rice farmers, within the next six months to a few years.

A teasing sky is chocking central India’s fields and threatening harvests worth millions. Some Basmati growers and tribal farmers now face a brutal choice: wait for the rain, or pack for the factory floor.

The government aims to support 150,000 small farmers with ₹8,550 crore for farm equipment access, promoting mechanisation and reducing stubble burning through the establishment of custom hiring centres, enhancing productivity and resource efficiency in agriculture.

West Bengal is set to join the Centre’s Digital Agriculture Mission after the BJP government took charge, enabling farmer integration into AgriStack. The move aims to improve subsidy delivery, crop monitoring, insurance, credit access and data-driven policymaking for millions of farmers.

Crystal Crop Protection will acquire FMC India’s crop protection commercial operations, including a licence to FMC brands sold in India.

The department of expenditure in coordination with the agriculture ministry, is drafting a proposal to create 65,000 clusters of 50 hectares each under the National Mission on Natural Farming

Field reports suggest that these short-duration crops, grown between rabi and kharif seasons, are largely holding up, supported by timely irrigation, said M.L. Jat, secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, and director general, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Demand for diesel for harvesters and tractors surges as farmers begin to reap wheat around 10 April. Farmers fear the curbs on sale of diesel in portable containers will cause a supply shortage during the crucial harvest season. Read how farmer unions are addressing the crunch situation.