North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd. (NERAMAC) is a PSU under Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. It supports farmers/ producers of the region to obtain remunerative prices for their produce, as well as to enhance the agricultural, procurement, processing & marketing infrastructure of the Region.

 

NERAMAC procured more than 140 MT of produces like Pineapple, Avocado, Black Rice, Cashew nut, Large Cardamom, Cinnamon, and Black Pepper etc. in 2023 under its umbrella brand ‘NE Fresh’. It also provided market linkages for fresh pineapple and other vegetables. NERAMAC has product basket of 130+ products in the retail segment. Around 30 local entrepreneurs/MSMEs associated with NERAMAC for branding and marketing of their processed products.   Retails products are marketed through 12 stalls/retails outlets of NERAMAC covering seven cities/towns. Including two, One Station One Product (OSOP) stalls at Kamakhaya and Dimapur Railway stations.

 

NERAMAC also launched Brand ‘NERAMAC Premium’ for marketing of G.I. tagged products. NERAMAC has facilitated the User Authorization registration of 1308 farmers of NER for all 13 G.I. registered Agri-Horti products during the year.  This is a significant milestone for development of the agri-horti sector of the North East Region.

 

Under the scheme "Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Produce Organizations (FPOs)” of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India, 205 FPOs has been formed across NER covering 15,500 farmers.

 

NERAMAC participated/organized 17 events and covered around 2000 farmers/entrepreneurs. During the year, Cashew Processing Plant (CPP) of NERAMAC at Agartala revived and started functioning with the fund support from NEC and Integrated Ginger Processing Plant (IGPP) at Byrnihat, Meghalaya revived under PPP mode.

 

North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council (NECBDC) completed plantation of 900 hectare in the three districts of Assam, which covered 3.30 lakh saplings and 750 farmers’ beneficiaries.

 

Capacity building, skill up gradation and trainings are the main activity of NECBDC. During the period, NECBDC conducted 21 training /skilled development training programme and   has been trained more than 463 persons in cane and bamboo.

 

The Bamboo Based Craft Concentration Centre at Sovima Village, Dimapur, Nagaland funded by North Eastern Council (NEC), Ministry of DoNER, Government of India (Project Cost Rs.448.46 Lakh) was completed and inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Nagaland Shri Neiphiu Rio on 22nd November 2023 in the presence of many dignitaries. The Centre will focus on traditional and modern Handloom and Handicrafts of Nagaland for domestic and international market.

 

Around 115 occupational Health Safety Kit was also distributed to artisans of NECBDC Clusters of Assam and Manipur.

Pulses imports are seen rebounding to a six-year high in the current financial year on shortfall in domestic output following deficit rainfall in growing areas. Trade estimates that pulses imports are likely to touch 3 million tonnes(mt) during the current financial year, an increase of around 31 per cent over last year’s 2.29 mt.

 

The shortfall in domestic output due to weather vagaries led to prices spiralling in recent months. The government, besides opening up imports of yellow peas till March 31, 2024, has extended the window for duty-free imports of pulses such as lentils (masur), tur (pigeon pea) and urad (black matpe) till March 2025, to boost the supplies and keep prices under check.

 

Lentils tops 1 mt?

'Chana output was good last year, while the moong bean production was not that encouraging this kharif as it was affected due to the dry spell in Rajasthan. We are still dependent on imports for the pulses varieties such as tur, urad and lentils. We will end up importing almost 3 mt of pulses this financial year' said Bimal Kothari, chairman, India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA).

 

As per the DGCIS data, India has already imported over 1.96 mt of pulses during the April-October period of the current financial year, valued at over Rs.14,057 crore ($1.69 billion). Of this, the imports of lentils is reported to have crossed a million tonnes.

 

India had imported a record 6.5 million tonnes of pulses during 2017-18, when yellow peas were imported in large quantities. Imports declined in the subsequent years after restrictions were placed on varieties such as yellow peas, chick peas and moong.

 

Sowing down

As of December 29, the pulses acreages in the current rabi season was down at 142.49 lakh hectares (lh) over 153.22 lh a year ago. This was mainly on account of a dip in chana acreage at 97.05 lh over 105.80 lh a year ago. However, the area under lentils has seen a marginal increase at 18.68 lh (18.02 lh).

 

The trade expects chana output to be lower by 10-15 per cent on account of a drop in acreage, while the production of lentils is likely to increase with favourable weather in the key producing States of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

 

 

Wheat production is expected to touch a new record of 114 million tonnes in the ongoing 2023-24 crop year on higher coverage and provided weather conditions remain normal, a top food ministry official said on Wednesday. The last leg of sowing of wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, is underway and will continue till next week. Till last week, wheat was planted in 320.54 lakh hectares, as per the official data.

 

Wheat production stood at a record 110.55 million tonnes in the 2022-23 crop year (July-June), compared to 107.7 million tonnes achieved in the previous year.

 

'We expect that total area under cultivation of wheat will increase this year and God willingly if the climate is alright the production will be 114 million tonne that's what the agriculture ministry has indicated informally to us,' Food Corporation of India (FCI) Chairman and Managing Director Ashok K Meena told reporters.

 

Area sown to wheat crop is also showing an increase compared to the last year. There was a deficit of one per cent in some states but that will also be made up in the first week of January, he said.

 

'If that is the level of production, we are very confident that we will be able to procure more than our requirement and also additional stocks needed for the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) for next year,' he noted.

 

When asked if the central nodal agency plans to step up procurement considering the opening wheat balance of 76 lakh tonnes to be on April 1, which is just enough to meet the buffer requirement, the FCI chief said: 'We will try our best to provide minimum support price to all farmers. Because of the open market sale, the indications are prices have stabilised and are not higher than it was last year.

 

'Since the wheat MSP is higher by 7 per cent than the last year, we hope that lot of farmers will be willing to give their produce to the FCI,' Meena said.

 

Last year, the FCI's wheat procurement stood at 26.2 million tonnes, higher than the annual buffer requirement of 18.4 million tonnes.

 

This year's wheat crop will be ready for harvest from April onwards.

 

FCI is the central nodal agency that buys rice and wheat to ensure MSP to the farmers and distributes the same for free to 81 crore poor via ration shops. It also uses surplus grain via OMSS to boost domestic availability and check prices.

 

As many as seven items from Odisha received the GI tag by the Chennai-based Geographical Indications Registry on Tuesday. With these new entrants, the total number of GI-registered products in Odisha rose to 25.

The new items include the Odisha Khajuri Guda, Dhenkanal Magji, Similipal Kai Chutney, Nayagarh Kanteimundi brinjal, Dongria Kondh embroidery shawl, Koraput Kalajeera rice and the paintings of Lanjia Saora.

 

'It is a matter of pride that seven products from Odisha were registered in the GI registry. Each of these products hold a distinct identity deeply rooted in the state’s cultural fabric. All the GI products need to be marketed and promoted across the state and outside and made available in shops,' cultural and GI researcher Anita Sabat said.

She added, 'GI owners, users and facilitators must ensure correct representation through proper research and documentation by stakeholder consultation and sharing information about the correct geographical area, number of producers, artisans, weavers and farmers, which will make the process of GI registration easier.'

 

'As these products gain official recognition on the national stage, the state government must launch them in the global market,' Manas Mohapatra, an expert in cultural affairs said.

We also published the following articles recently

 

Supplies of petroleum products resumes from Bathinda

After the intervention of the state government, supplies of petroleum products resumed from oil depots of Indian Oil Corporation (IOL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) under police protection. Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray and Senior Superintendent of Police Harmanbir Singh Gill held a meeting with representatives of oil companies and drivers, assuring them of their safety and police protection during supplies. However, long queues persisted at petrol stations as the supplies had not reached all stations yet. District officials urged people not to panic as supplies have resumed, albeit with some delay.

 

Odisha collects state GST of Rs 2,578 crore in December 23

Odisha's state GST collection in December 2023 reached Rs 2,578 crore, marking a growth rate of 70.07% compared to December 2022. The state has collected a total of Rs 17,419.6 crore as state GST up to December 2023, registering a growth rate of 31.61% over the previous year. The collection under all Acts monitored by the commissionerate of commercial tax and GST in Odisha during December 2023 is Rs 3,665.2 crore. Meanwhile, India's GST collections in December 2023 amounted to Rs 1.65 lakh crore, a 10.28% increase compared to December 2022.

 

Nabard Consultancy Services (NABCONS), the subsidiary of Nabard has forecast the millets segment in Karnataka to grow by 18-20 per cent annually over the next five years on rising awareness of the nutri-cereals and the promotional initiatives taken by the State government.

 

NABCONS, which conducted a study on the impact of the International Trade Fairs (ITFs) on the growth of the millets sector in Karnataka during 2017-23, has pegged the current millets market in the State at ?975 crore. “The ITFs have played a major role for market creation for millets in Karnataka. The millets sector will see a compounded annual growth rate of 18-20 per cent over the next five years,' said Sandeep Dharkar, DGM, Nabard.

 

Realising the importance of millets, Karnataka had taken a path-breaking step to organise the international trade fairs on millets and organics in the State. The ITF was started in the year 2017 and the State has successfully organised four ITFs till 2023. The fifth edition of the ITF on millets and organics is to be held in Bengaluru from January 5-7.

 

Millet producer groups

The NABCONS study revealed that the number of millet producer groups such as the State federation, FPOs, FPCs and millet clusters increased to 1,619 during 2023 as against 167 in 2017 and the mass awareness of the millets enhanced the demand in urban areas. Also, the number of millet processors and manufacturers in the State increased to 423 in 2023 as compared to 65 in 2017. As a result of various schemes promoted by the Karnataka government, many processors and manufacturers have come forward to promote and popularise millets, the study said. Also, the number of exporters exporting millet products has increased to 86 as of 2023 as compared to 15 before 2017.

 

Exports of millet and millet-based products from Karnataka stood at ?36 crore during 2022-23. The number of retail outlets, bulk traders and other marketeers such as distributors, dealers and online traders increased to over 894 across the State by 2023 with more than 500 in Bengaluru alone catering to the high-quality processed millets in modern packages and value added products.

 

Another impact of the ITFs was that the FPOs/FPCs have turned into big time traders involving in price negotiations, discussion on quality, supply and long relationships, which has helped them earn 15 per cent additional income avoiding the intermediaries, Dharkar said. Further, Dharkar revealed that based on the knowledge gained from ITFs, the packaging of millet products has seen an improvement with greater transition to biodegradable packaging and smart and intelligent packaging supporting product quality and traceability.

With the demand for cashew remaining robust, the markets – both domestic and global – have remained vibrant in 2023, driven mainly by the growing popularity of the commodity as a health-conscious snack choice.

 

The rising awareness of nutritional benefits of cashew, particularly in western markets, has augmented the sales, especially when the consumers are opting for healthier snack alternatives. However, the demand was also subject to fluctuations due to the residual impacts of the Covid pandemic, which affected consumer spending patterns and disrupted global supply chains, said J Rajmohan Pillai, Chairman of Beta Group which owns the brand NutKing.

 

On the pricing front, he said the cashew industry witnessed significant volatility due to supply chain challenges, including increased logistics costs and production inefficiencies which had a direct impact on prices. Besides, weather anomalies in key cashew-producing regions like West Africa and Southeast Asia led to fluctuations in crop yields, thereby affecting global supply and prices. The geopolitical landscape, particularly trade policies and international relations involving major cashew-exporting countries, also played a critical role in shaping the price dynamics, he said.

 

Rapid shift

In India, he said the cashew market has seen a rapid shift in the consumption pattern in recent years, primarily owing to flavoured assorted cashew products occupying an increased share in the retail market space. However, the market is likely to be hampered as the local population prefers other lighter snacks, available at lower prices, for on-the-go snacking.

 

Largest consumer

Quoting figures, he said India remains the world’s largest consumer of cashews, processing almost half of global cashew kernels and consuming 40 per cent of the global output. The market size is expected to grow from $2.31 billion in 2023 to $2.79 billion by 2028.

 

On the prospects in 2024, Pankaj N Sampat of Samsun Traders said, 'we can expect the market to be steady. Downside is very limited. Unless something dramatic happens on the supply side, there will not be any big jump in prices. But I have a strong feeling that prices in 2024 will be somewhat higher than the lows we have seen in Q2/Q3 of 2023.

 

Cashew supply, according to him, has been comfortable for the last few years mainly because of built-up over-supply, which is almost completely used up. There is not much chance of any big increase in supply in the short term. On the contrary, there is some doubt about what impact El Niño will have on the 2024 crop, especially in Vietnam and Cambodia.

 

There is a reasonable possibility of a rise in consumption due to the lower prices and better availability, coupled with a good probability of economic growth in most countries, he added.

 

The government on Wednesday notified exports of 8,606 tonnes of raw cane sugar under the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) scheme to the US for the fiscal year 2024. Shipments under the TRQ enjoy relatively lesser customs duties. After the quota is reached, a higher tariff applies to additional imports.

 

'The quantity of 8,606 MTRV raw cane sugar to be exported to USA under TRQ scheme from 01.10.2023 to 30.09.2024 has been notified,' the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a public notice.

 

India, the world's second-biggest producer and the largest consumer of sugar, has a preferential quota arrangement for sugar export with the European Union as well. The DGFT said that the quota will be operated by Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

 

In July 2023, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) had announced the country-specific (including from India) and first-come, first-served in-quota allocations of the TRQs on imported raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar, and sugar-containing products for Fiscal Year 2024 (October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024).

TRQs allow countries to export specified quantities of a product to the United States at a relatively low tariff, but subject all imports of the product above a pre-determined threshold to a higher tariff.

 

Countries ranging from large economies like Europe, and the UK to smaller ones, including Oman and Peru, want to have a free trade agreement with India due to the country's large and rapidly growing market, a report by economic think tank GTRI said. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that by implementing a trade deal (FTA) with India, countries can access the Indian market with less or no import duties on substantial trade.

 

This gives their companies an advantage over others in selling to the Indian market.

 

Additionally, since India currently does most of its importing (over 75 per cent) from countries it does not have FTAs with, these agreements are particularly appealing as they offer a significant new market opportunity in India.

 

'Everyone wants to do an FTA with India. Countries ranging from large economies like the US, Europe, Japan, and the UK to smaller ones like Oman, Peru, and Mauritius either already have or actively seeking an FTA with India. The main reason is India's high import duties, which make it difficult for these countries to access India's large and rapidly growing market,' it said.

 

However, it said that India may not see a big increase in exports from FTAs under negotiations.

 

The countries with which India is negotiating trade agreements already have low import duties.

 

'For example, the UK's duties are 4.1 per cent, Canada's 3.3 per cent, and the USA's 2.3 per cent. In contrast, India's import duties are higher at 12.6 per cent,' GTRI Co-Founder Ajay Srivastava said.

 

Also, a substantial share of imports from these nations are already happening at zero MFN (most favoured nation) duties, he said.

 

Canada's 70.8 per cent of imports are already happening at zero MFN duty. The same is the case with Switzerland (61 per cent), the US (58.7 per cent), the UK (52 per cent), EU (51.8 per cent).

 

'In contrast, in India only 6.1 per cent of global imports are undertaken at zero MFN duty. Given this, India might not see a big increase in exports after these FTAs because these countries already have low or no import duties,' Srivastava added.

 

On the other hand, countries like the UK and Canada could benefit more from the FTAs, as they will be able to sell their products in India without the high duties that India usually imposes.

 

The report suggested the government six steps while negotiating these deals and that includes creation of common exclusion list for merchandise trade negotiations; and focusing on obtaining real market access on the ground.

 

The other suggestions include doing sectoral agreements with poor and developing countries instead of trade deals involving goods, services, and investments; and negotiate new subject areas such as environment, labor, data governance, digital trade, gender, small and medium enterprises, anti-corruption, and sustainable food systems, carefully.

Karnataka has set a target of doubling its millets export, hoping to build further on the Millets and Organics International Trade Fair being organised from January 5 to 7.

 

Disclosing this to mediapersons in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy said Karnataka had exported 7,764 tonnes of millets and their value based products, amounting to about ?36 crore during 2022-23.

 

Now, the State wanted to increase exports by a minimum of two folds in about a year, he said, while observing that there was a huge potential for Karnataka as the State accounted for nearly 40% of the country’s millet production.

 

The major export destinations included U.S., Australia, UAE, Canada, Qatar, Thailand and Singapore, he noted.

 

The major products that had been exported include sorghum, jowar, ragi and their value added products. They had been mostly sourced from the districts of Ballari, Koppal, Bengaluru Rural, Haveri and Chitradurga, the Minister said.

 

Karnataka had exported agri and allied produce to the tune of ?25,287 crore during 2022-23, he pointed out.

 

Purpose of fair

The Minister said the fair was being held for the fifth time by Karnataka mainly to provide marketing avenues for the millet and organic produce besides bringing all stakeholders under a common platform. The intention was to promote the use of these healthy millets on the one hand and to provide market for farmers on the other, he explained.

 

Karnataka State Agricultural Produce Processing and Export Corporation Limited is the nodal agency for organising the fair which is being held at Bengaluru Palace Grounds, in partnership with several national and international research institutes including Indian Institute of Millet Research and GIZ of Germany. A total of two lakh persons were estimated to participate in the fair which would have 300 stalls.

 

Companies and stakeholders from various countries including Germany, Australia, U.S., Oman, Spain, Indonasia, France, Vietnam, UK, UAE and Bangladesh had confirmed their participation in the fair, said the Minister. As many as 100 stalls have been reserved for Karnataka Pavilion in which FPOs, farmers’ groups, Universities and research organisations.

 

The fair would have an exhibition, buyer-seller-meets and international conferences. Farmres’ workshops would also be organised on methods of cultivation, packaging and certification, he said. The visitors can relish a variety of millet delicacies at the food court.

 

Despite a ban on rice exports, India continues to feed the world, especially its strategic neighbours such as Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Iran, as well as the wider Asean region.

 

According to government data analyzed by Mint, rice export to South Asian countries alone was $567 million in the first eight months of the current 2023-24 fiscal, as compared to $1.24 billion in the corresponding period last year.

 

In the case of Asean countries, rice export was at $341 million in April-November 2023 as compared to $541 million in the same period of 2022. The South Asian countries named above are not part of Asean.

 

The figures show that rice export is taking place to these countries under bilateral arrangements in spite of the ban, although prices may not be comparable.

 

The exports are taking place at the government-to-government level and those are being facilitated by National Cooperative Exports Ltd, a government export body which was set up under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002 to export agricultural produce and allied items.

 

However, industry leaders predicted that the ban will keep prices of essential food items in check and make rice available for distribution among beneficiaries of PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana for free for the next five years.

 

“The government is doing a commendable job by keeping domestic prices in check and providing food to neighbouring countries,' said Rajnikant Rai, CEO of ITC’s agribusiness division.

 

Rice export to Iran—a key neighbouring country—has scaled up to $60 million in November 2023 from $4.25 million in October, registering a growth of 1,314%, while oil meals export to the country grew from $1.22 million in October 2023 to $46.52 million in November—registering a growth of 3,713%, the data showed.

 

The overall growth of rice export to South Asian countries was up 478% in November 2023 as compared to October, government data showed.

 

India exported rice to Bhutan worth of $0.94 million in November from $0.78 million in the last month, recording 21% growth.

 

Rice worth $5.77 million exported to Nepal in November, which was $3.64 million in October.

 

In the ASEAN region, Vietnam recorded the highest 171.43% growth in rice export as it grew from $5.39 million in October to $14.63 in November 2023. Indonesia imported Indian rice worth $1.80 million in November from $1 million in the last year.

 

As of now, the government cleared exports of 2.77 million tonne (mt) of non-basmati white rice to 14 key Asian and African nations, including Singapore, Nepal, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

 

In addition to white rice, India allowed export of 14,184 tonne wheat, 5326 tonne atta, 15,226 tonne maida and 48,804 tonne broken rice to Bhutan on 30 November. On the same day (30 November), export of broken rice was allowed to Mali (1 lakh tonne), Senegal (5 lakh tonne), Gambia (50,000 tonne ), and Indonesia (2 lakh tonne).

 

India imposed a ban on wheat and its products such as atta, suji (semolina) and maida in May 2022 and on broken rice in September 2022. Amid higher inflationary pressure primarily due to skyrocketing food prices, the government in July 2023 banned exports of non-basmati white rice, imposed a 20% export duty on parboiled rice and set a minimum export price (MEP) of $1,200 per tonne for basmati rice in August 2023.

 

The ban on rice was necessitated after the reduction of public stock in the Central pool resulting in a steep rise in the prices of key staple food cereal.

 

However, after the ban, rice prices shot up significantly in the global market, making India’s strategic partner asking for the foodgrain in tranches. Later on in October 2023, the MEP on Basmati was revised to $950 per tonne.