1.   

Govt considers building global brand for Indian wheat

With India’s wheat exports from central pool picking up pace in the last few months and also fetching good returns in the international market, the government is hopeful of ending 2012-13 financial year with 20 million tonnes in stocks, same as the last year despite a 9.8 million tonnes rise in procurement. This has wiped off the fears of huge losses that would have occurred as over 6 million tonnes of surplus wheat was stored in unscientific places around June, besides prompting the government to mull over building brand for Indian wheat in the global markets by continuously exporting it.

2.   

Dutch govt to set up farmer training centres in Punjab, HP

An MoU signed between the Indian and Dutch Governments may give a new dimension to farming in northern India, with the Netherlands setting up Centres of Excellence in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Speaking on the sidelines of a CII conference on the Indian farm sector, Arie Veldhuizen, Counselor for Agriculture, Nature & Food Quality, Embassy of Netherlands informed said two Centres of Excellence would come up in Punjab and one would be set up in Himachal Pradesh.

3.   

Indo-China relations: Global trade vs knowledge exchange surplus

It is an extraordinary story of triumph of pragmatic economic interests of both the countries overtaking long term historical problems and tensions. China has about $25 billion worth of trade surplus with India which Indian prime minister recently pleaded with Chinese leadership to reduce. But if we were to calculate the knowledge exchange index as a measure of Global Innovation Learning index, then situation might become different.

4.   

India-New Zealand FTA likely by 2013

New Zealand today said it expects to conclude the negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India by next year and it would work passionately to address the issue of high duties levied on its products here. "We are at a stage of serious negotiations. We believe good relationships are not build in haste. It could take three months or 12 months. But we hope to conclude by next year," New Zealand Primary Industries Minister David Carter said on the sidelines of an interactive meet organised by FICCI.