1.   

India proposes changes in trade pact at WTO Bali meet

India has proposed changes in the trade facilitation agreement to address the concerns of developing countries in the proposal that tops the agenda of the WTO's Bali ministerial scheduled for early December. The trade facilitation agreement aims to smoothen cross-border trade by removing red tape, improving infrastructure and harmonising Customs procedures. Seen as the developed countries' agenda, the emerging economies have sought relaxations in the legally binding clauses like clearing shipments within three hours.

2.   

US, India partner to aid farming in Africa

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Wednesday announced three partnerships with Indian organisations to share low-cost agricultural innovations and technologies with African countries. USAID has granted financial awards to three Indian organizations through its India-Africa Agriculture Innovations Bridge Programme, aimed at sharing Indian innovations with African countries for increased food security and nutrition under Feed the Future, the US government's Global Hunger & Food Security Initiative," said an US embassy release here.

3.   

India Basmati Rice Exports Likely to Increase 11% to 4 Million Tons in FY 2013-14

India’s basmati rice exports are likely to grow to around 4 million tons in the fiscal year 2013-14 (April – March), up around 11% from around 3.6 million tons exported in FY 2012-13, according to local sources. Traders in India say that better returns and government’s crop diversification program have helped boost basmati rice production in Punjab and Haryana, two main basmati rice producing states in India. India produced around 7.1 million tons of basmati rice in 2012-13, and some trade sources say that production is likely to increase by around 30% to around 9 million tons in 2013-14.

4.   

Government invites farm research projects under NFSM

Government today invited farm research projects for funding under the centrally-sponsored scheme National Food Security Mission (NFSM). About Rs 200 crore has been earmarked for supporting scientific research on subjects crucial for attaining goals of the Mission during the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17), it said. "The Agriculture Ministry has issued guidelines on how research institutes can submit research projects to it for funding under the NFSM scheme," an official release said.