1.   

Indian exports up 13% in August, trade deficit dips to $11 bn

Indian exports rose to a two-year high of 13 per cent in August on account of improved global situation, enabling trade deficit to fall to a four month low of USD 11 billion, aided by subdued gold imports. Gold imports, which has been pushing up current account deficit (CAD) and putting pressure on Indian rupee, dipped to USD 0.65 billion in August from USD 2.2 billion in the previous month. Exports, for the second month in a row, increased by 12.97 per cent to USD 26.14 billion, while imports declined by 0.68 per cent to USD 37 billion.

2.   

Non-basmati rice exports to rise as Russia lifts import ban

India expects significant rise in export of non-basmati rice following Russia's lifting the ban on the commodity, a top government official said today. "Now Russia has lifted ban on import of non-basamti rice from India and we hope to make significant gains in the Russian market. They have also removed ban on oilseeds," Commerce and Industry Secretary S R Rao told reporters here. The Russian Federation had imposed the ban eight months ago due to the presence of khapra beetles pest in rice and aflatoxin contamination of peanuts.

3.   

Overseas markets see rise in value of Indian wheat

Indian wheat particularly produced in Madhya Pradesh is high on demand in the international market, food ministry officials said. Beating the earlier trend when more and more Indian wheat was believed to be imported for animal feed in many countries now because of the good quality produce in MP, Punjab and Haryana are being used for human consumption. Senior food ministry sources said that so far about 42.5 lakh tonnes in 2012-13 while the target set was 45 lakh tonnes.

4.   

'India has been very supportive of objectives of ASEAN by 2015': Khurshid

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Tuesday said India has been very supportive of the objectives that the ASEAN Community wants to achieve by 2015 and the initiative for ASEAN integration. "We look forward to applauding your sense of achievement in 2015. Looking to the future, I would like to emphasize that as the ASEAN countries integrate better amongst themselves; it is necessary that their integration with India also progresses apace," said Khurshid.