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Rice exports from India may rise on Thai supply cut

India, the world’s second-largest rice producer, may ship 2 million tonne before March as African buyers seek cheaper alternatives to supplies from flood- hit Thailand, according to KRBL, an exporter. “Today the cheapest rice is available in India, and that is why there is a lot of demand,” Anil Kumar Mittal, chairman of the New Delhi-based exporter, said in a phone interview. “Indian supplies of white rice are at least .....

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Govt to upscale cold storage capacity scheme

The Government plans to scale up the scheme for creation of cold storage capacities in the country with a view to bridge the shortfall of around 10 million tonnes, according to the Food Processing Industries Ministry. “Taking note of the high demand and gap in the requirement of cold storage, the ministry is planning to upscale the scheme and the Planning Commission has already accorded in-principle approval for the same,” said the Food Processing Industries Ministry in a .....

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Farm sector growth to touch 3.5% during 11th Plan: Montek

Contrary to certain views that growth in the Indian agriculture sector has stagnated, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, said the Commission expected growth in this sector to touch 3.5 per cent during the Eleventh Plan Period, as against 2 per cent in the previous Plan Period. “Latest figures show that monsoons were good in the current year and even marginally above normal. So there has been no stagnation in the .....

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India, Pakistan top rice sources

The UAE's position as the world's biggest re-exporter of rice can be reinforced by an increase in imports from Southeast Asia whose rice exports to the UAE are quite low, according to industry reports. Figures from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade showed that in 2010 the biggest exporters of rice to the UAE were India ($908.4 million/Dh3.3 billion) and Pakistan ($354.8 million), comprising 67 per cent and 26 per cent of the total received from .....