1.   

Bali deal to benefit global trade: Anand Sharma

"We were clear that we will not negotiate when it comes to food security rights of poor people in developing countries," said Commerce Minister Anand Sharma referring to the recent WTO negotiations at Nusa Dua, Bali, where he had led the Indian delegation. He was addressing an audience of top corporate CEO as keynote speaker on the first day of Business Today's two-day MindRush conclave held at The Oberoi, Gurgaon.

2.   

Horticulture Mission leads to increase in vegetable production to 159.51 million tonnes in 2012-13

The production of vegetables has increased from 129.07 million tonnes in 2008-09 to 159.51 million tonnes in 2012-13. National Horticulture Mission (NHM) is being implemented since 2005-06 in 18 States & 3 UTs for the holistic development of horticulture in the country. The remaining States are covered under Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH). Under NHM and HMNEH assistance is being provided for activities such as vegetable seed production, protected cultivation, organic farming and INM/IPM measures for vegetables.

3.   

India-ASEAN free trade pact to help develop North East region

The free trade agreement between India and ASEAN nations will help in developing the North East region, Union Minister Salman Khurshid said here today. The FTA between India and ASEAN is expected to boost bilateral trade to USD 100 billion by 2015. External Affairs Minister Khurshid also said the government was urging the ASEAN to make concentrated efforts to explore opportunities in the North East region.

4.   

India, Pakistan hint at resuming trade talks

Pakistan on Friday raised fresh hopes of normalization of trade relations with India and indicated that it was willing to speed up the process of allowing more goods to be imported via the land border but refused to either provide a firm deadline or commit to grant most favoured nation (MFN), an issue that has been pending for 17 years. But, sources present during commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma's meeting with Shahbaz Sharif, chief minister of Punjab province of Pakistan and Khurram Dastgir Khan, the junior minister for commerce from Pakistan, said there were "strong signals" from across the border that they would look to "speed up" the decisions.