1.   

Fruit diplomacy to get a push

Besides visas, intellectual property rights and bilateral trade issues, commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma is going to push for fruit diplomacy of sorts during his meeting with US trade secretary Michael Froman. He will push for greater market access for fruit such as mangoes, pomegranate, litchi and grapes during the series of meetings finance minister P Chidambaram and he will have with top US officials. Both are currently in Washington.

2.   

India, Vietnam trade set to cross $7 b by 2015: Khurshid

Economic ties between India and Vietnam are on track and may cross $7 billion by 2015, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said on Thursday. Speaking to the media after the 15th meeting of the India-Vietnam Joint Commission, the Minister said investments by Indian companies total about $936 million in 86 projects in sectors such as oil and gas exploration, mineral exploration and processing, sugar manufacturing, agro-chemicals, IT, and agricultural processing.

3.   

Indo-US trade yet to reach full potential: Pritzker

US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker has said that Indo-US trade and business relationship is yet to reach its full potential, maintaining that more work needed to be done in this regard. Noting that the last year bilateral trade between the two countries reached USD 94 billion, Pritzker said the target set by the US India Business Council (USIBC) to increase it to USD 500 billion, is doable.

4.   

World cereal output to set new record this year: FAO

World cereal production is set to hit a new high this year because of favourable climatic conditions in major growing countries, including India. Data compiled by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations showed world cereal production would hit 2,479 million tonnes (mt) this year, an estimated increase of 7.2 per cent. The FAO puts world wheat output in 2013 at 704 mt, an increase of 6.8 per cent, which more than recoups the previous year's reduction and represents the highest level in history.