1.   

Move to speed up India FTA

New Zealand and India want to fast track a proposed free trade agreement that will treble trade between the two countries from $1.2 billion to $3b by 2014. Trade Minister Tim Groser and India's Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma told about 200 attendees at an India-New Zealand Joint Business Council meeting in Auckland this morning that the economic agreement would be top of the agenda during the next two days' discussions.

2.   

Pakistani mangoes to make debut in US market

The United States is likely to import around 500,000 tons of mangoes from Pakistan this year, while Pakistani exporters have been advised to fulfil the packing requirements of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), a statement said on Friday.

3.   

Russia - More demand for meat

Russian meat and poultry consumption may rise as much as 15 percent in the next few years, according to OAO Cherkizovo Group, the country’s second- largest poultry producer. Meat demand may come to between 74 kilograms (163 pounds) and 75 kilograms per capita in 2016, implying a gain of at least 14 percent from the current 65 kilograms, General Director Sergei Mikhailov said today in Moscow, where the company is based.

4.   

Food processing industry poised for huge growth, new trends key, meet told

“The food processing industry is on the verge of massive growth due to increasing demand for safe and hygienic processed food on off-the-shelf basis for the expanding working class including women.