Thursday, December 30, 2010

Working In Agriculture



A wide variety of agriculture jobs exist, ranging from hands-on field work to complex positions in agricultural engineering. Specific job categories include agribusiness, agricultural inspection, agriscience, and farm work. Some positions are learned on the job, while others will require a college degree and specialized training.

Agriculture jobs in the business sector involve working with companies that grow and sell crops and livestock. The distribution, buying, and trading of produce may be supervised. The work typically includes marketing, price analysis, drafting contracts, and farm management. Most of these positions will require a four-year degree or higher, as well as good communication and people skills.

Agricultural inspectors often work for government offices that establish and enforce health and safety regulations regarding the food supply. These inspectors make sure that farms and processing plants are following the proper procedures where food safety is concerned. This usually involves testing livestock for harmful diseases and inspecting food for dangerous microbes and other contaminants.

An agricultural scientist works to improve the quality and safety of both farm animals and crops. These positions are often found in universities and research labs. The agricultural jobs may include improving farm equipment technology to increase the quantity and quality of goods, finding cures for diseases that affect livestock and crops, and discovering more effective methods of pest control. A strong background in science, math, and engineering is necessary for this position.

Farming was likely the very first agriculture job; in addition to crops and livestock, it may also involve specialized animal breeding. To ensure healthy crops, the art of plowing, planting, and fertilization must be learned for each crop type. The responsible use of pesticides is also important, as well as the routine maintenance of facilities and equipment. A production manager may be employed to oversee progress, while also finding ways to increase production using less time and money. Many farm positions are seasonal, employing extra workers during certain months to pick fruits and vegetables.

To trace the latest information in agricultural scenario and agro industry, agricultural, products, reserves, Indian importers, Trade Leads, business directories, catalogs and product reviews, www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Investment in Agriculture



The procedure of investment in land that awaits future urban development has been carried out for generations by both big businesses and private investors. For several it has been a gainful venture, resulting in many folks gathering large land portfolios and substantial amounts of wealth. Mainly, this investment has taken place in agricultural plots surrounding towns, villages and cities as these are seen as ripe for development as settlements expand. This type of investment has recently been opened up to the masses with many companies offering chances to unite funds for part ownership of land.

The chances to harvest large financial rewards from land investment are great. In some cases it is not even required to offer a large financial inoculation, part ownership schemes have allowed investors to begin investment in land for as little as fifty pounds, paid on a weekly basis. As a result investors differ from those attempting to build up a retirement nest egg to those struggling to get on the possessions stepladder.

In terms of the rewards some estimates consider that an investment of twelve thousand pounds could lead to a return of more than fifty. This will take about ten years but when compared to other investment opportunities the returns are excessive; obviously however, as with most investments the greater the risk, the higher the profits. As a result, those allowing for buying land should always research a number of companies carefully as an approach without intimate knowledge can be seen as foolish. This appraisal should include an appraisal of a company's credibility and past history in giving investors honest returns.

In the media the land investment business has not received the best of press in recent years. There are still a large number of companies out there that is measured trustworthy; all it takes is a little effort in researching the industry to find them. Once this research has been carried out, the returns from share purchasing can obtained quickly.

Eventually a company that appreciates the privilege of investors to research proposed opportunities is the ideal; in addition, they should also readily supply this information so their clients can make informed choices pertaining to any investments. Part of this information should include reports from local authorities on the transport links, mains supply and chances of planning permission for any plot of land. It is worth remembering however that while the benefits are certainly there, they are never guaranteed; investment is a risk and hence there is always the chance of losing money. As the demand for land for housing continues to grow however, this risk is reducing to some extent, through astute financial investment, profits should become realism.

As well as the profits, many investors are choosing land as a way to avoid certain government legislation. For example, agricultural land and forestry is a great way to get certain tax breaks; one example is that owners of these types of land do not have to pay legacy tax as long as they have been in ownership of this land for more than two years; with certain dodge, this type of investment is also a way to avoid the capital gains tax.

Obviously investment in land is popular with many. Thanks to a selection of companies it has also been opened up to members of the general public making speculating an attractive profit making chance. As government plans to increase towns and speed up residential construction continue with pleasure, investing can be seen as a truly sensible way to make money.

To trace the latest information in agricultural scenario and agro industry, agricultural, products, reserves, Indian importers, Trade Leads, business directories, catalogs and product reviews, www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Farmers Around the World Should Be Encouraged to Use Biopesticides



Farmers and growers have always used some natural methods to both deal with plant pests and diseases as well as to strengthen the soil.

After all, what is compost but decomposing vegetable matter which is then put back into the soil to improve its richness, fiber content and the nutrients plants need for growth.

Plant extracts were arguably the earliest agricultural bio pesticides, as history records that nicotine was used to control plum beetles as early as the 17th century. There were also experiments using mineral oils as plant protectants in the 19th century.

Bio pesticides most frequently used on specialty crops like specific fruits. A 2006 study estimated that orchard crops had the highest rate of bio pesticide use at 55%.

Bio pesticides are derived from natural materials like animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals. Plants like mint, neem, papaya and garlic as well as baking soda have applications as pesticides and are considered to be bio pesticides.

It was after the 1960s that modern bio pesticides research really took off following a change of attitude to chemical-based pesticides that were widely used during the 1960s and 70s and the attitude change is often attributed to Silent Spring, a book by American naturalist Rachel Carson.

The book the severe effects of organochlorines on humans and the environment; the book triggered the environmental movement and also led to subsequent bans on organochlorine pesticides.

Dave Moore, senior researcher in invasive pest management at the Center for Agricultural Bio science International (Oxford, UK) suggests that more and more organic farming is embracing bio pesticides, especially in the developing countries of Africa and newly-industrialized emerging economies like China and India.

He said: "In many parts of the world biopesticides are accepted easily, where available, and are seen as totally compatible with organic."

In India, for example, anyone cultivating vegetables in a residential area is required to use only bio pesticides. The Asian and Australasian market for microbial- and nematode-based pesticides is estimated to be worth approximately $132.5 million per annual and has grown by 35.7% since 2004.China, India and Japan are thought to be the three largest markets in the region, and most of the products used have been researched and developed locally.

In Europe the estimated market share is 26.7% and again is projected to grow. The most widespread use of biopesticides is in the US.

One of the main difficulties in promoting wider use of biopesticides and other low-chem agricultural products is that they tend to be geographically limited in use and locally-specific in their effects on pests, viruses or fungi.

This makes them costly to research and produce, apart from the costs and time involved in getting them through the trial and registration process, while at the same time limiting the market in which they can be sold.

There is now a growing body of evidence that they are better for the environment, the land and for growing healthy, natural food free of chemical residues and that they have the potential to contribute to reduced damage of the soil as well as reducing the widespread incidence of hunger in less developed parts of the world.

www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.

The Reasons Agriculture is Important



Why is agriculture important? The concept of 'food security' is fundamentally important, and for that reason, agriculture is important. The task of feeding its people has been perhaps the first priority of its rulers throughout history. As such, agriculture is considered to be the very basis of political and social stability of a nation since times immemorial.

Moreover, the agricultural sector plays an important role in the sphere of providing large scale employment to people. Large and moderately large farms employ workers to undertake the various jobs relating to cultivation of crops and care of farm animals. In most of the countries of the world, agriculture still remains the biggest sector responsible for the employing and feeding a large percentage of the population.

Agriculture is also important from the point of view of appraising the standard of a country's development, based on the competence of its farmers. Poorly trained farmers cannot apply the advanced methods and new technologies. The prominence of science and technology in the development of agriculture is quite clear from the words of Deng Xiaoping -

The development of agriculture depends first on policy, and second on science. There is neither any limit to developments in science and technology, nor to the role that they can play in the field of agricultural growth'.

Though agriculture often plays a contributory role in the 'Gross Domestic Product' - GDP - of most countries, it nevertheless requires a substantial boost from both the local and the international community.

Agriculture is traditionally based on bulk manufacturing. Harvesting is done once a season, most of the times, and stocked and used later. In fact, some thinkers opine that people have begun to adopt 'batch processing' and 'stocking' in manufacturing, as a result of the practices from agricultural thinking. Before industrialization, people with the biggest stocks of food and other supplies were considered more stable, and they were able to face challenges of nature without having to starve.

So important is the role of agriculture that new concepts keep 'cropping up' to give the traditional activity a modern turn. One such new concept the world is raving about these days is - the importance of 'organic farming'. There is evidence that, apart from their numerous other benefits, organic farms are more sustainable and environmentally sound, giving agriculture a new dimension.

The importance of agricultural practices was further established when 'Organic food' began as a small movement decades ago, with gardeners and farmers rejecting the use of conventional non-organic practices. With the growth of the Organic food market now outpacing much of the food industry, many big companies have ventured into it. With the emergence of multi-national companies, and with the creation of a legal certification framework such as the Soil Association, there is every doubt that the very definition of organic food will change, making it more of a commercial activity than ever before!

In fact, modern agriculture has already undergone a sea-change from the ancient times. Today, the importance of agriculture lies in the fact that it is practiced both for subsistence as well as commercial reasons!

To trace the latest information in agricultural scenario and agro industry, agricultural, products, reserves, Indian importers, Trade Leads, business directories, catalogs and product reviews, www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.