1.   

Govt taking steps to push economy back on 7-8% growth path

President Pranab Mukherjee today exuded confidence that the government's policy initiatives will soon put Indian economy back on the high growth trajectory of 7 to 8 per cent. "A number of measures aimed at investment revival, strengthening macro-economic stability and ramping up infrastructure will certainly posit India back into the high growth trajectory of 7-8 per cent," Mukherjee said at a SCOPE awards ceremony here.

2.   

Existing foreign trade policy may continue till 2014-end

The Government is examining the option of extending the existing Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) till the end of the calendar year to address uncertainties faced by exporters due to delay in the new policy. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has floated an internal proposal to officially notify extending the existing FTP provisions till December 31. “The proposal will be examined by the Commerce Minister who will take a call on the matter. She may discuss it with the Finance Minister,” a Commerce Ministry official told BusinessLine.

3.   

Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman apprises PM Narendra Modi on WTO issues

Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi about developments at the ongoing WTO trade talks at Geneva which had hit a road block following India's tough stand over the food stockpiling issue. The meeting came against the backdrop of World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General Roberto Azevedo suggesting three alternatives to end the impasse.

4.   

Japan to import 38,620 tonnes feed wheat and barley via tender

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture said it would import 9,820 tonnes of feed-quality wheat, and 28,800 tonnes of barley for livestock use, via a simultaneous buy and sell (SBS) auction that closed late on Wednesday. The ministry had sought 120,000 tonnes of feed wheat and 200,000 tonnes of feed barley to be loaded by Jan. 31, 2015 and arrive in Japan by Feb. 27 in the tender that is usually conducted weekly.