1.   

Sharma to meet Chidambaram to seek sops for exports

Admitting that $360 billion exports target is difficult to achieve, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma today said he would soon meet the Finance Minister to seek subsidy on loans for certain sectors to boost industrial production and exports. Sharma said that interest subvention is critical for some sectors, both from the point of view of manufacturing as well as exports.

2.   

Buffalo stakes rise in India

INDIA is known for its love of all things bovine. And now it is set to make a considerable income from its cattle, or more specifically, its buffalo. India plans to become the world's biggest exporter of bovine meat this year, led by its massive jump in production from buffalo. A report released on Monday by Rabobank said India's bovine production this year would reach 2.16 million tonnes, spiking from just 609,000 tonnes three years ago.

3.   

Wheat export prospects brighten as global supplies shrink

After months of buoyancy following crop downgrades resulting from the US Midwest drought, global agricultural commodity markets are now on a correction spree with prices of grains (mainly corn), oilseeds (mainly soyabean), sugar, coffee and cocoa to name a few weakening. The one major exception is wheat. World wheat production forecast for 2012-13 is being steadily downgraded.

4.   

Indonesia to buy about 150,000 tonnes of Indian rice

Indonesia's state procurement body Bulog is in talks to buy 100,000-150,000 tonnes of rice from India to boost stock levels, but may ship less than half of its total rice import permits issued for this year, a trade ministry official said on Tuesday. Earlier this month, Indonesia's foreign trade Director-General Deddy Saleh said Bulog planned to import 100,000 tonnes of rice from India as it looked to create buffer stocks of about 2 million tonnes.