The eagerly anticipated 2nd Edition of World Food India 2023, a global mega food event, is set to take place from November 3rd to November 5th, 2023, at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. This grand event, organized by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), promises to be a spectacular showcase of India's vast potential in the food processing sector.

 

Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Jal Shakti, Prahlad Singh Patel, highlighted India's status as one of the world's fastest-growing economies and a hub of investment opportunities, particularly in the food processing sector. During a media briefing in New Delhi, he emphasized that World Food India 2023 is a dedicated effort to present the sector's immense potential to global stakeholders.

 

One distinctive feature of this event is its comprehensive, whole-of-the-Government collaborative approach. Eleven central Ministries/Departments and their associated autonomous bodies are actively participating, underscoring the extensive support the government is providing to boost the food processing industry. As of now, 23 States/Union Territories and exhibitors from 16 countries have already confirmed their participation in this grand event. More stakeholders are expected to come on board as the event draws closer.

 

Minister Patel also revealed that the event would witness substantial international representation, with approximately 10 overseas Ministerial and official delegations from various countries participating. To facilitate global business opportunities, a Reverse Buyer Seller Meet, in collaboration with the Department of Commerce and its associated commodity boards, is scheduled to take place during the event. This meeting is anticipated to host around 1,000 overseas buyers from more than 75 countries. In total, over 900 exhibitors are expected to participate.

 

 Minhaj Alam, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, shared details about the event's layout and arrangements. The exhibition will span multiple halls and open spaces at Pragati Maidan and Bharat Mandapam, ensuring a conducive environment for exhibitions, B2B (business-to-business), B2G (business-to-government), and G2G (government-to-government) meetings and collaborations.

 

The second edition of World Food India 2023 will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, at the iconic Bharat Mandapam in Pragati Maidan on November 3rd. The event will also feature the valedictory address by the Hon'ble President, Draupadi Murmu, on November 5th. In a testament to its international scope, the Netherlands will be the 'Partner Country' for this edition, while Japan and Vietnam are designated as 'Focus Countries.'

 

For food enthusiasts and industry professionals, the experiential Food Street curated by Celebrity Chef Ranveer Brar is sure to be a highlight. This attraction, spanning three zones, will feature a sustainable food theatre with a focus on Shree Anna or millets, regional cuisine pavilions representing various parts of India, street food, and dishes from the royal culinary heritage of India. A particularly exciting endeavor is the attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the longest dosa. Sixty to eighty chefs will collaborate to create a millet dosa exceeding 100 feet in length, showcasing their dedication and culinary skill.

 

In celebration of the International Year of Millets 2023, an astounding installation comprising 50,000 tetra-pack containers of millet beverages will be created and distributed to underprivileged children. In addition to these culinary delights, the expected 75,000 visitors over the three days will be treated to cultural programs, including dance and musical performances.

 

With its impressive scope and the commitment of the government, the event is poised to be a significant driver of growth in India's food processing sector.

The Indian government yesterday approved export of 170,000 metric tonnes of non-Basmati white rice to Malaysia as mark of special friendly gesture between the two countries.

 

'The decision by the Government of India is reflective of the close ties between India and Malaysia and in line with India’s continued policy of supporting efforts of governments in the friendly countries towards safeguarding domestic food security,' according to the Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.

 

The decision to allow special allocation of white rice to Malaysia was conveyed by Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir over a telephone call on the same day, it added.

 

Zambry expressed his appreciation to the Government of India for extending support to the Malaysian people in view of the current supply situation.

 

The necessary notification for the export of the special quota of non-white Basmati rice for Malaysia has been issued by Indian Directorate General of Foreign Trade on October 18, it added.

 

Since September, consumers in Malaysia have witnessed a significant increase in the price of imported white rice due to the global rice supply disruption caused by climate change and export restrictions imposed by major rice-exporting countries, including India.

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and Textiles, Sh. Piyush Goyal highlighted the role of PM GatiShakti in project prioritization, optimization and evidence-based decision making for enhancing ease of living and ease of doing business. While addressing the Workshop on ‘Development of Digital Learning Resources for Capacity Building on PM GatiShakti National Master Plan’, organised yesterday by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in collaboration with the Capacity Building Commission (CBC), the Minister said that data-driven training and capacity building is important for ensuring wider adoption of PM GatiShakti principles for the multimodal infrastructure and logistics development.

 

Shri Goyal also launched a training module on ‘Role of CBIC in PM GatiShakti’, developed for the Ministry of Finance which showcases use of PM GatiShakti for streamlining customs operation for promoting logistics efficiency. The Workshop was also graced by the Chairman, CBC, Sh. Adil Zainulbhai; Special Secretary (Logistics), DPIIT, Smt. Sumita Dawra; and Member, CBC, Sh. Praveen Pardeshi.

 

Special Secretary (Logistics), DPIIT highlighted the transformative approach of PM GatiShakti initiative that has enabled Ministries/ Departments and States/ UTs to efficiently plan big ticket infrastructure projects. She said that a huge capex push for overall capital investment of INR 10 lakh crores shall aid people centric development via effective and integrated planning of resources.

 

Chairman, CBC appreciated the massive participation from CTIs, state ATIs, Central Ministries and industry experts for the joint workshop showcasing the innate principle of PM GatiShakti – ‘the whole of government approach’.

 

The Workshop focused on institutionalizing and regularising training and capacity building of Government Officials on PM GatiShakti principles; Deliberating upon the content, structure and design of sector-specific training modules on implementation of PM GatiShakti approach in planning and development of Infrastructure and Logistics. These training modules, included in Foundation/ Induction / mid career courses of all the CTIs and State ATIs, shall also familiarize the officers with data-driven decision-making in the Logistics Sector.

 

The workshop was broadly divided into two sessions. Session 1 was a panel discussion on Mainstreaming PM GatiShakti approach in Curriculum of CTIs and State ATIs for a developed India; and Session 2 observed discussion and deliberations in 4 parallel breakout groups for focussed group discussion on Sector-specific training needs & course content and framework for effective delivery mechanism.

 

Key takeaways from the workshop was:

 

To provide access to dummy data-based application modules (based on successful case studies) at induction-level for enriched PM GatiShakti experience.

Establishment of induction labs for simulation-based learning.

Facilitate the development of interactive digital courses based on the training need assessment while integrating the PM GatiShakti principles for training of all officers.

Conversion of existing courses in CTIs and State ATIs into digital courses at IGoT platform.

Explore the possibility of building capacities for developing spatial transformation plans/predictive plans using AI, Blockchain, and other advanced technologies.

To mainstream regular training and capacity building courses on PM GatiShakti principles at Central Training Institutes (CTIs) and State Administrative Training Institutes (State ATIs), a joint workshop on ‘Development of Digital Learning Resources for Capacity Building on PM GatiShakti National Master Plan’, was held yesterday by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in collaboration with Capacity Building Commission (CBC).

 

Over 70 participants covering Officials from selected CTIs including Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), National Academy of Indian Railways; state ATIs such as Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre (MRSAC), Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA); concerned line Ministries/Department, and representatives from CBC empanelled agencies, attended the workshop.

 

For wider adoption in planning for economic and social infrastructure at district and block level, PM GatiShakti is further integrated in the Aspirational Blocks Programme. The CTIs and State ATIs will act as resource centres and support the government official in rigorous utilization of PM GatiShakti NMP for holistic area-development planning.

 

The workshop is one of the measures undertaken for Logistics Human Resources Development & Capacity Building Strategy of National Logistics Policy. Other initiatives taken includes the following:

 

To sensitise CTIs and State ATIs on the integration of courses on PM GatiShakti into their ongoing curricula, a Webinar was held with all CTIs and State ATIs along with CBC on 4th August 2023.As on date, 17 CTIs and 19 State ATIs have appointed Nodal officers for the same.

A MoU between DPIIT and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya regarding capacity building in logistics was signed on 4th October 2023.

Since the launch of PM GatiShakti on 13 October, 2021, 39 Ministries of Govt of India, and all 36 States/UTs have been onboarded on PM GatiShakti platform. Significant achievements have been made and showcased at various national and international forums. This includes G-20 Seminar on Trade Infrastructure at 3rd Trade and Investment working group (TIWG) at Kevadia, Exhibition at B-20, 2023 Regional Cooperation and Integration Conference in Georgia, and five regional workshops across the country. This flagship initiative has also garnered attention from various countries such as Nepal, Japan and Vietnam. Furthermore, a ‘Compendium of PM GatiShakti’ on success stories of PM GatiShakti usage by both Central Ministries & States/UTs has been published.

India has withdrawn its three-month long ban on rice exports to Nepal. 

 

In a notice issued by India's Department of Commerce on Wednesday, it is mentioned that India will now export 95,000 tons of rice to Nepal. Such exports will be carried out through the National Co-operative Exports Limited of India.

 

In mid-July, India announced a ban on the export of non-Basmati white rice. India announced a ban on rice exports in an effort to control rising food prices in their domestic market.

 

Last year, too, India had banned the export of broken rice and slapped a 20 percent duty on export of husked rice, semi-milled and wholly-milled rice. The three-month long restriction was lifted only in December 2022. 

 

Nepal imports large quantities of paddy and rice from India. With the announcement of the ban on rice export by India, the price of rice has soared in the Nepali market. 

 

The Government of Nepal had been repeatedly writing letters, requesting its southern neighbor to lift the export restriction on rice. Nepal had sought permission to import 100,000 tons of rice. In response, India has now agreed to export 95,000 tons of rice to Nepal.

 

Government records show that Nepal fulfills around 20 percent of its demand for rice through imports. Of around seven million tons of demand, around 1.5 million tons of rice is imported.

 

India is the world's top exporter of rice, accounting for about 40 percent of the global trade in grains produced. Along with India, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan and the USA are other top rice exporters. 

 

The major buyers of rice are countries like China, the Philippines and Nigeria. India has set quotas for Nepal, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Malaysia and the Philippines, among others, to sell the farm product.

Launching an agricultural roadmap for Bihar, President Droupadi Murmu Wednesday called for climate-friendly agricultural practices and suggested that the state’s farmers take up organic cultivation.

 

'For some time, Bihar has received less rain. Otherwise, rivers and ponds have been part of its identity. Water conservation is required. Climate-resilient agriculture will play a key role in environment conservation. There has been growing demand for organic farming now… it is good to know that the state government has developed an organic farming corridor along Ganga,' she said in Patna.

 

Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav were present at the launch of the fourth Agricultural Roadmap that will run till 2028.

 

The President said it was heartening to learn that the agriculture roadmap provides for mega food parks and export infrastructure. She also praised increased productivity in wheat and maize farming in Bihar and spoke of how the state had become one of the top producers of honey, makhana and fish.

 

Calling herself the daughter of a farmer, Murmu also said she would like to return to her village after her tenure as President — to engage in farming.

 

The Chief Minister reminded Murmu of JD(U)’s support for her Presidential candidature and requested her to visit Bihar frequently. This was Murmu’s first visit to Bihar after becoming President.

 

The President accepted the invitation and termed herself a 'Bihari' as her home state of Orissa had historical links to Bihar.

 

Saying Bihar had a key role in making India a developed country, Murmu called it the land of Buddha where there was no place for 'ill-will and conflict'.

 

CM Nitish said: 'The fourth agriculture roadmap involves a cost of Rs 1.62 lakh crore from agriculture and other departments. Our farmers have excelled in potato and rice farming besides recording high productivity in production of vegetables. We have identified 9 lakh crore acres, mostly in North Bihar where there is water-logging for 8-9 months in a year. We have been developing it for fish and specialised farming. We have already become self-reliant in fish production.'

 

The CM also requested Governor Arlekar to assess the agriculture roadmap and give his feedback to departments concerned.

 

The Custom authority does not need to send an imported food item for clearance to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) if it is meant for re-export or production of value-added items, which are only for exports, the authority has clarified.

 

The clarification came after several business groups and industry associations approached the regulator in the view of objections raised in some quarters.

 

The advisory should also facilitate ease of doing business. The FSSAI stated that consignments don’t need clearance if they are imported for use in a company’s sister concerns or wholly-owned subsidiaries, meant for 100 per cent export production.

 

However, this is subject to a defined relationship agreement between the two entities and accompanied with a sanitary or health certificate issued by the competent authority of an exporting country.

 

The food importers may take a self-declaration to the Customs authority, following which the concerned official may issue a ‘not in scope’ certificate to facilitate the import. 

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Rabi Crops for Marketing Season 2024-25. 

 

Government has increased the MSP of Rabi Crops for Marketing Season 2024-25, to ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce. The absolute highest increase in MSP has been approved for lentil (masur) at Rs.425 per quintal followed by rapeseed & mustard at Rs.200 per quintal. For wheat and safflower, an increase of Rs.150 per quintal each has been approved. For barley and gram an increase of Rs.115 per quintal and Rs.105 per quintal respectively, has been approved.

 

Minimum Support Prices for all Rabi crops for Marketing Season 2024-25

(Rs.per quintal)