1.   

Convenience foods and retail reforms in India

Nowadays improvement in food system is probably reflected in market via product label presentations to meet out consumers’ demand for transparency to recognise product and packaging convenience like portability, reseal ability, single service and soon. In India, the packaged food industry, with 90 per cent contribution of ready-to- eat segment in Financial Year 2013, has been steadily escalating at a CAGR of 15 per cent from FY 2007 to FY 2013.

2.   

WTO deal to benefit SME exporters

Red tape is a big deterrent to exports, be it of domestic or international origin. While bureaucratic hurdles at domestic level have always remained a big challenge for our exporters, red tape of international origin is no less a worry. Paperwork and administrative hurdles at borders and unnecessary international regulations often result in delays, uncertainty and high transaction costs, and instances abound when hardworking exporters have to suffer massive losses due to such barriers.

3.   

India's November exports up 5.86% on-year

India's November exports rose 5.86 percent from a year earlier, while imports fell 16.37 percent, the country's trade ministry said on Wednesday. November imports were the lowest since March 2011, Reuters quoted a trade ministry official as saying. India's benchmark stock index was little changed around 21,150 points following the data, while the rupee added 0.4 percent to 61.29 per dollar.

4.   

55 Agreements in Agriculture Signed with Various Countries

Ministry of Agriculture has signed 55 umbrella MoUs/Agreements with various countries for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors. The areas for cooperation in these MoUs/Agreements inter-alia include enhancing investment in agriculture, cooperation in research and development, increasing productivity, post-harvest management, value addition/food processing, plant protection, animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries, enhancing trade and encouraging business to business engagement etc.