1.   

Country's foodgrain stock at 64 million tonnes

Foodgrain stocks held in various government godowns across the country stood at 64 million tonnes (MT) as of July 1 this year. "The foodgrains stock in the country with government procurement agencies as on July 1, 2011, is 64 million tonnes, comprising 26.85 million tonnes of rice and 37.14 million tonnes of wheat," an official statement said today. As per government norms, Food Corporation of India (FCI) should have 21.2 MT of wheat and rice available in its buffer stock as .....

2.   

India-Indonesia to begin talks on Monday for Free Trade

With an objective to double its trade with Indonesia in the next four years, India will formally launch on Monday negotiations for a comprehensive free trade pact with a key Southeast Asian nation. Besides breaking the tariff walls on merchandise trade, the agreement would also enable professionals from the two countries to take up short-term business assignments in each others' markets. The scope would also cover easing of .....

3.   

Agri schemes set to be rationalised in 12th Plan

The Ministry of Agriculture, which is entrusted with the task to implement 50 odd Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), will have lesser schemes in the 12th Five Year Plan period (2012-17). The 50 odd schemes with a total outlay of Rs 15,034 crore in 2011-12 would be reduced to 6-7 schemes in the 12th plan. “The schemes would be re-structured in a way that no developmental scheme is dropped. The idea is to club small symmetrical schemes under few big schemes so that the States have more flexibility in .....

4.   

Contaminated US melons not imported to UAE, authority says

A variety of melon that caused an outbreak of listeria in the US is not imported to the UAE, the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) said yesterday. "The melons sold in the UAE market are safe," the authority said. The outbreak, which has been traced to the Colorado cantaloupe variety of melon, has caused up to 16 deaths and affected at least 72 people in 18 states, making it the deadliest food poisoning outbreak in the US in more than a decade, the Associated .....