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Basmati rice now going places

CLASSICAL Italian chefs may dismiss it as an act of blasphemy, but Alfonso Lomonaco has dished up a risotto recipe with Basmati rice. Italy’s iconic rice dish is made only with high – starch, short or medium grained varieties such as Arborio and Carnaroll, but Bangkok – based Lomonaco has shown that Basmati is a worthy substitute in a brilliantly illustrated coffee table volume, Basmati: Fragrance, Flavour & Finery, which is being released on .....

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Wheat futures to rise on increase in demand and government support

India's wheat futures are expected to rise this week on increase in consumer demand and on support from the government's move to increase minimum support prices, analysts said. India will pay nearly 10 percent more in 2012 over the current year to local farmers for buying wheat to ensure better returns to growers as inflation continues around 9 percent, the government had announced last week. "Demand for wheat usually goes up during .....

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Iffco to set up integrated dairy firm in Andhra Pradesh

Iffco will kick-start dairy by end of this financial year. With rapid increase in domestic demand for milk and milk-based products, the dairy industry in India is likely to reach about Rs 5,00,000 crore in four years. “We are awaiting a few clearances. We expect them to come shortly and start our business by end of this (financial) year. Then it would be stabilised over the next financial year,” Rakesh Kapur, joint managing director at .....

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EU: Banana import licenses to be abolished

Freshfel says that 'administratively burdensome and costly' banana import licenses will be removed on 1 January next year. Freshfel Europe has praised the decision of the EU Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets to abolish the bloc's banana import license system. According to the European fresh produce association, it has advocated the repeal of banana import licenses for .....