The Centre has decided to curb sugar exports for an indefinite period as per a Director-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) notification. On Wednesday, the DGFT notified the sugar export policy which extended the restrictions that have been in place since October 2022. Though the policy allows exports with prior permission from the government, the Food Ministry is unlikely to issue any permit this year, except some quantities through diplomatic channels.

 

Restriction on export of sugar (Raw Sugar, White Sugar, Refined Sugar and Organic sugar) is extended beyond October 31, 2023, till further, the DGFT said, adding other conditions will remain unchanged. The notification has also clarified that export restriction will not be applicable to sugar being exported to the European Union and US under tariff rate quota (at concessional duty) as per prescribed procedure.

 

El Nino threat

When sugar was put under restricted category from June 1, 2022, it was made clear that shipments may be allowed with permits issued by the Food Ministry, which will be continued in principle as per notification.

 

However, the Food Ministry is unlikely to issue any sugar export quota in the current season (October-September) considering tight supply situation in the domestic market, sources said. There is an expected drop in production, though it may be higher than estimated annual demand of 27.5-28 million tonnes (mt).

 

'The government will likely build higher domestic stock for 2024-25 season in view of potential threat from El Nino to sugarcane crop next year as the opening stock in current season is around 6 mt, which is just enough for domestic demand for October and November,' a source said.

 

Higher ethanol demand

Besides, there will be higher requirement of sugarcane for ethanol as the government has set a blending target of 15 per cent for 2023-24 ethanol year (November-October), up from 12 per cent target in 2022-23.

 

In a notification issued on October 28, 2022, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade said that the restriction on sugar exports – mandatory for exporters to have a prior permit from the Food Ministry – would be in place until further orders or October 31, 2023, whichever was earlier. For the 2022-23 sugar season, permits were issued for export of 6.2 mt.

 

Sugar mills in Maharashtra are expected to start crushing around Dussehra and in Uttar Pradesh factories may begin operation from last week of this month.

 

The Centre had earlier expected 5-5.5 mt of sugar diversion towards ethanol against 4.1 mt last season. But, considering the crop situation in Maharashtra and Karnataka, the diversion may not be that high, sources said. Sugar is not actually diverted to produce ethanol, which is made out of molasses or sugarcane juice/syrup or grains. The estimate is based on how much quantity of sugar could have been produced from the same quantity of sugarcane that gets diverted towards ethanol.

 

Though Indian Sugar Mills Association had on August 2 estimated sugar production for current season to drop to 31.68 mt (after diversion towards ethanol) from 32.8 mt in 2022-23 season.

Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Jal Shakti Shri Prahlad Singh Patel has emphasised that India is one of the fastest-growing economies with many investment opportunities, especially in the food processing sector. Breifing the media on second edition of  World Food India 2023 in New Delhi today he said World Food India is an effort towards projecting potential of the sector before global stakeholders. He pointed out that the event is a unique example of whole of the Government collaborative approach, as 11 central Ministries/ Departments & their associated autonomous bodies are participating in it.

 

Shri Patel said so far 23 States/UTs and exhibitors from 16 countries have consented to participate in the event & more stakeholders are likely to be on boarded in remaining days of the event.

 

The Minister further apprised of the wide international representation in the event & about 10 overseas Ministerial & official delegations from many countries are participating in the event. He said a Reverse Buyer Seller Meet is also being organized in association with Department of Commerce & its associated commodity boards as part of the event & it is likely to have participation of about 1000 overseas buyers from more than 75 countries. In all the event is likely to witness participation of more than 900 exhibitors.

 

Shri Minhaj Alam, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries informed that exhibition is being held in Hall Nos 1,2,3,4,5,6 & 14 in addition to various activities in open space of Pragati Maidan & Bharat Mandapam. He provided brief of the arrangements at the venue for facilitating exhibitions, B2B, B2G & G2G meetings and collaborations.

 

The second edition of the global mega food event, World Food India 2023, is being organised by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) from 3rd-5th November 2023 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, will inaugurate the event at the iconic Bharat Mandapam in Pragati Maidan on 3rd November, in the presence of Shri Pashupati Kumar Paras, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries. The Hon’ble President, Shrimati Draupadi Murmu will present the valedictory address on November 5th.The Netherlands will be the ‘Partner Country’ in this edition of World Food India, while Japan and Vietnam are ‘Focus Countries’. 

 

The experiential Food Street, curated by Celebrity Chef Ranveer Brar, promises to be the chief attraction for food enthusiasts and industry professionals alike. Spread over 3 Zones, it boasts a sustainable food theatre with a focus on Shree Anna or millets; pavilions showcasing regional cuisines from all corners of the country, street food as well as food from the royal culinary heritage of India.

 

Also on the cards is an attempt at setting a Guinness Record for the longest dosa in the world. 60 to 80 chefs will be working together to create a millet dosa over 100 feet long, a testament to the dedication and skill of the team effort.

 

To celebrate the International Year of Millets 2023, a monumental installation of 50,000 tetra-pack containers of millet beverages will be created and distributed to underprivileged children. The 75,000 visitors expected to visit over three days will also be treated to cultural programs, including dance and musical performances. The success of World Food India 2023 will establish a Global Food Event in the country at par with similar marquee events across the globe.

India exported 22.76 lakh tonnes (lt) of oilmeals during April-September of 2023-24 against 17.62 lt in the corresponding period a year ago, registering a growth of 29.15 per cent.

 

Data provided by the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) showed that India exported 3.30 lt of oilmeals during September 2023 against 2.40 lt in September 2022, up 37.35 per cent.

 

BV Mehta, Executive Director of SEA, said India was outpriced in the international market in the case of soyabean meal last year. India exported 5.86 lt of soyabean meal during the first six months of 2023-24 against 1.21 lt in the corresponding period of 2022-23.

 

Export of rapeseed meal increased to 13.44 lt during April-September 2023-24 against 12.40 lt during the period. Castor seed meal export from India increased to 1.81 lt in the first half against 1.54 lt a year ago.

 

Rice bran shipments down

However, there was a decline in the export of ricebran extractions during the first six months of the current financial year. India exported 1.51 lt of ricebran extractions during April-September 2023-24 against 2.04 lt in the corresponding period of 2022-23.

 

Mehta said India exports around 5-6 lt of de-oiled ricebran every year to Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand, etc.

 

Stating that India exported around 1.5 lt during April-July 2023-24, he said the Government prohibited export of of de-oiled ricebran with effect from July 28 until November 30. This decision has seriously affected domestic ricebran processors and export of de-oiled ricebran, he said.

 

Korea top buyer

Oilmeals from India are exported to countries such as South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and Bangladesh.

 

South Korea imported 4.62 lt of oilmeals from India during the first six months of 2023-24 (5.29 lt in April-September of 2022-23). This included 3.41 lt of rapeseed meal, 98,080 tonnes of castorseed meal, and 23,091 tonnes of soyabean meal.

 

Vietnam imported 3.02 lt of oilmeals from India during April-September 2023-24 (3.11 lt). This included 90,540 tonnes of ricebran extraction, 1.62 lt of rapeseed meal, 49,162 tonnes of soyabean meal, and 748 tonnes of groundnut meal.

 

Thailand imported 3.74 lt of oilmeals from India during the first six months of 2023-24 (3.58 lt). This included 3.63 lt of rapeseed meal, 6,193 tonnes of soyabean meal, 4,666 tonnes of ricebran extraction, and 701 tonnes of castorseed meal.

 

Bangladesh imported 4.35 lt of oilmeals from India during April-September 2023-24 (1.81 lt). This included 27,771 tonnes of ricebran extractions, 2.38 lt of rapeseed meal, and 1.68 lt of soyabean meal.

The two-day Congress of the International Association of Agricultural Museums (CIMA), organised in collaboration with the Heritage Foundation, commenced at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) on Monday.

 

World Food Prize winner Dr Gurdev Singh Khush, who was the chief guest at the opening ceremony, praised the university for hosting Asia’s first agricultural museums conference and underlined the tireless efforts of Punjab’s farmers and scientists in ensuring food security and reviving agriculture.

 

Dr Khush highlighted PAU’s museums as tributes to the state’s agricultural heritage and culture, encapsulating the wisdom and efforts of the farming community. He traced the transformative impact of agriculture on human history, connecting societies and fostering the growth of civilisation.

 

'Museums serve as ideal platforms for preserving and showcasing diverse agricultural practices, tools, irrigation techniques, and crop cultivation methods through generations. Additionally, they facilitate research and collaboration, paving the way for revolutionary farming practices in the future,' he said.

 

PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal lauded the event as a significant milestone in promoting the cultural fabric of agriculture and underscored the vital role of agriculture in Punjab’s culture, emphasising how the university’s museums condense the intricate relationship between ecosystems, land, water, seeds, fertilizers, and sustainability.

 

Professor Debra Reid, curator of Agriculture and Environment at the Henry Ford Museum, USA, discussed the significance of bringing the congress to India and highlighted the country’s growing importance in agriculture. She also noted the shift in the congress’s focus from primarily European to an increasingly Indian perspective.

 

A book on the museums of PAU was also released during the event.

The state government will felicitate the progressive farmers, primarily those engaged in cultivation of millets, during a three-day workshop scheduled to be organised in Lucknow’s Indira Gandhi Pratishthan between October 27 and 29.

 

According to a state government spokesperson, farmers from six divisions -- Lucknow, Kanpur, Ayodhya, Basti, Azamgarh and Devipatan -- will participate on the first day of the convention titled Sri Anna Mahotsav and state level millets workshop. The event will be inaugurated by CM Yogi Adityanath.

 

The second day will see participation by farmers from Saharanpur, Meerut, Aligarh, Agra and Moradabad. On the final day (29 October) farmers from Gorakhpur, Bareilly, Varanasi, Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Prayagraj and Mirzapur division will participate in the convention.

 

The state government aims to bring in at least 50 progressive farmers from every district to the workshop. Besides this 10 representatives of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) and 10 technical assistants will participate in the conference.

 

This comes ahead of the scheduled Krishi Kumbh scheduled in December. 'The government is encouraging farmers under Millets Year,' the spokesperson said.

 

Besides, teachers and children of agricultural universities and two colleges will also participate in the workshop.

 

The government will also create awareness about the production, consumption, marketing, export etc. of millets. As many as thirty five FPOs will be given certificates for seed money, the spokesperson said.

 

In a significant development that would open up new opportunities for Indian poultry in the global market, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has approved the country's self-declaration of freedom from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu, in specific poultry compartments (approved farms) in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

 

India is currently the third-largest producer of eggs (130 billion) and the fifth-largest producer of poultry meat (4.5 million tonnes) in the world. During the 2022-23 fiscal year, India exported poultry and poultry products to 64 countries, generating revenue of 134 million USD.

 

Zoning and compartmentalization are strategic tools used to establish and maintain groups of animals with specific health statuses for the purposes of international trade and disease prevention or control. It involves defining a sub-population of animals with a specified health status within the national territory.

 

'The maintenance of this status relies on stringent management and husbandry practices that adhere to the standards outlined in the WOAH terrestrial code and recommendations related to specific disease chapters,' said a statement from the ministry of fisheries and animal husbandry that had submitted a self-declaration of freedom from (HPAI) in 26 poultry compartments in four states to the (WOAH).

 

Referring to the approval that came on Friday, coinciding with World Egg Day, the ministry a day after said, 'This recognition by WOAH signifies India's commitment to international biosecurity standards and will contribute to enhancing the export potential of Indian poultry and poultry products, including meat and eggs.'

 

Bird flu was first detected in India in Maharashtra in February 2006. Since then, the country has experienced its annual outbreaks in different regions, leading to substantial economic losses. The disease had been reported in 24 states and union territories, resulting in the culling of over 9 million birds to control its spread, in the past.

Though late rains and dry spells were a cause of concern in the first few weeks of the kharif season, Telangana has registered a record paddy area of 26.30 lakh hectares (lh) as against a normal area of 20.17 lh.

 

The area under paddy was 13.89 lh in 2014-15, the first kharif season after the State was formed.

 

As per the Union Ministry of Agriculture, the kharif paddy acreage went up by 1.89 per cent to 411.95 lh compared to 404.27 lh during the same period last year.

 

The present condition of the crop in some areas of the State, however, is said to be precarious. 'There is no rain for over a month now and water in smaller tanks is not enough to water the crops at this crucial stage of the crop. If there is no rain in the next one week, it might cause serious harm to the crop,' S Malla Reddy, a leader of Telangana Rythu Sangham, said.

 

Millet, cotton area down

This has resulted in a reduction in the area for millets and cotton. Redgram area is reduced to 1.91 lh against a normal area of 3.11 lh while the maize area fell to 2.13 lh against the normal area of 2.88 lh.

 

The area of cotton fell to 18.11 lh against the normal area of 20.23 lh.

 

According to the third Advance Estimates of Production of Food grains for 2022-23, rice production estimate was 175.27 lakh tonnes (lt) in the State.

 

The Agricultural Market Intelligence Centre of Prof Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) forecast that Paddy-Grade-A and Paddy-Common could trade in price ranges of Rs.2,250–2,720 and Rs.2,185–2,250 a quintal respectively during October 2023.

The pace of tur imports from Mozambique has slowed down significantly, resulting in slower correction in domestic tur prices. Indian importers alleged that more than 1.5 lakh tonnes of tur have been lying at the ports in Mozambique for more than a month as the exporters of that country are 'holding the tur cargo to ransom.'

 

India has been facing shortages of pulses like tur, urad and masur. Although retail inflation eased to 5.02% in September, prices of pulses rose from 13% in August to 16.4% in September.

 

Tur prices have stabilised following the recent government measure of tightening the stock limit on traders and processors. 'However, the prices of African tur, which have declined by 5%, could have reduced by another 10% if the imports had been smooth,' said a pulse importer from Maharashtra.

 

'Tur dal prices have been stable for some time. However, the prices of the African whole tur with skin, which were expected to decrease to Rs.75-80/kg, have only declined to Rs.90/kg from a high of Rs.95-96/kg due to slower pace of imports from Mozambique,' the importer added.

 

'Some the traders from Mozambique are trying to artificially increase the prices and block supplies to India.'

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. 

India will allow exports of non-basmati white rice to Nepal, Cameroon, Malaysia, Philippines, Seychelles, Ivory Coast and the Republic of Guinea, a government notification showed on Wednesday.

 

India in July banned exports of non-basmati white rice and later imposed a 20% duty on exports of parboiled rice.