1.   

China signs pacts with India to help bridge trade deficit

China may soon resume imports of oilmeal and buy more pharmaceuticals, marine products and buffalo meat in a bid to narrow the widening trade gap between the two countries. The two sides signed three memorandums of understanding (MoU) on Monday to facilitate exports of the items identified as priority by India. “Since China agreed to sign MoUs for facilitating import of items of primary interest to India, we are hopeful that this time the country is more serious about bringing down impediments so that our exports could rise.

2.   

RBI cuts time to bring back export earnings

In a bid to attract dollars into the country in the face of rising current account deficit (CAD), the Reserve Bank of India has brought down the realisation period of sale proceeds for exporters from 12 months to nine months from the date of export, with immediate effect. For exporters, the enhanced period of one year for realisation and repatriation to India, of the amount representing the full value of goods or software exported, from the date of export was available till March 31, 2013.

3.   

Odisha bags mango export contract from Finland

The horticulture department of the state government, which has been promoting mango cultivation on commercial basis for last few years, has received mango export order from Finland. The overseas sales will take place once the Bhubaneswar airport starts functioning as an international airport. "We are promoting the sales and export of local mangoes. We have got an order from Finland. The quantum of export is expected to go up after the functioning of the international airport," said Sanjiv Chadha, director of horticulture.

4.   

Conference: Move to promote honey industry of Northeast India

To provide interface to farmers engaged in honey business and industry, a honey season is organised in Guwahati where leading industries in the segment and exporters are expected to participate. North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC), a public Enterprise under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) along with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry ( FICCI) is organizing the national level conference on bee keeping and honey Industry at Guwahati on May 22.