A 30-member official delegation from the UK will start the next round of negotiations for a free trade agreement with the Indian team here from Monday to close remaining issues so that the two countries conclude the talks soon, an official has said. Both countries have recently concluded the 13th round of negotiations. A team led by Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal was in London last week to give an impetus to the talks.

 

The UK team dealing with investment-related matters is already here, and the talks for the proposed bilateral investment treaty (BIT) with finance ministry officials are progressing at a faster pace.

 

'The 30-member team will be here tomorrow, and both sides are attempting to close the remaining issues, such as rules of origin. Everything is at the closure level,' the official said.

 

The 'rules of origin' provision prescribes that minimal processing should happen in the FTA country so that the final manufactured product may be referred to as goods originating in that country.

 

Under this provision, a country that has inked an FTA with India cannot dump goods from some third country in the Indian market by just putting a label on it. It has to undertake a prescribed value addition in that product to export to India. Rules of origin norms help contain the dumping of goods.

 

The investment treaty is being negotiated as a separate agreement between India and the UK.

 

These investment treaties help in promoting and protecting investments in each other's country. The main point of contention involved in this pact is about the mechanism for the settlement of disputes.

 

The BITs help in promoting and protecting investments in each other's countries.

 

India has proposed to first utilise all local judicial remedies for settlement of disputes before initiating an international arbitration.

 

To provide duty concessions in the automobile sector, several rounds of consultations have been held with the domestic players in India.

 

According to an expert, UK-based automakers like JLR, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, and Aston Martin cater to the luxury segment, while Indian manufacturers are mostly in the mass segment and are mainly dominated by small and mid-size passenger cars and two-wheelers.

 

The Indian industry is demanding greater access for its skilled professionals from sectors like IT, and healthcare in the UK market, besides market access for several goods at nil customs duties.

 

On the other hand, the UK is seeking a significant cut in import duties on goods such as scotch whiskey, automobiles, lamb meat, chocolates and certain confectionary items.

 

Britain is also looking for more opportunities for UK services in Indian markets in segments like telecommunications, legal and financial services (banking and insurance).

 

Alcoholic beverage industry body Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) director-general Vinod Giri said that for Scotland Whiskey (bottled), India can consider reducing the import duties to 100 per cent immediately from 150 per cent and then 50 per cent in 10 years.

 

Similarly, for bulk imports, the duties can be cut down to 100 per cent immediately and then 50 per cent in 10 years as the bulk imports are treated as intermediate goods in the domestic market. The Indian alcoholic beverage market is worth USD 52 billion.

 

Replacing France, India became the top buyer of Scotch whisky by volume in 2022, according to the Scotch Whisky Association.

 

The bilateral trade between India and the UK increased to USD 20.36 billion in 2022-23 from USD 17.5 billion in 2021-22.

President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, will inaugurate the international research conference, From research to impact: Towards just and resilient agri-food systems, on October 9, 2023 at NASC Complex, Pusa in New Delhi. The four-day long conference is hosted by the CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The two institutions are joining forces to leverage national and international research to ensure that women take up their rightful leadership roles and spearhead the transformation of agriculture and food systems everywhere. Other honorable key speakers will include Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar; India’s G20 Sherpa Shri Amitabh Kant; and CGIAR interim Executive Managing Director Professor Andrew Campbell.   

 

Briefing media about the conference today, Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Dr Himanshu Pathak said that the conference, and its theme, is significant in wake of the recent G20 Summit that unequivocally endorsed women-led development. 'This includes recognizing and promoting leadership and decision-making roles for women in relation to climate change, food security and nutrition', Dr. Pathak added.

 

The conference is designed to share cutting-edge knowledge and bridge the gap between research and practice to foster gender-equal and socially inclusive, resilient food systems, added Dr Nicoline de Haan, Director of the CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform.

 

'Globally, gender inequality in agri-food systems remains a very significant challenge – and current inequalities are being made worse by crises such as COVID-19 and climate change. Overall, women are often less food secures than men, and they are hit harder by external shocks, such as floods and droughts. We are combining research, evidence and practical understanding to guide policy-makers and investors towards best-bet solutions that can help us get on track to achieve global goals on gender equality and women’s empowerment,' Dr de Haan added.

 

In this conference, the CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research are convening a one-of-a-kind global network of gender researchers and bringing them together with other researchers, practitioners and policymakers to take stock of agricultural gender research to date and propose innovations that can help make agri-food systems more equitable, just and resilient.

 

More than 140 oral presentations, 85 posters, 25 high-level plenary and keynote speakers as well as 60 parallel sessions will be featured in this event. International exhibitors and Indian women entrepreneurs will showcase their work and innovations. Conference delegates will represent a wide range of research institutes, national agricultural research and extension systems, non-government organizations, civil society organizations, funding partners, policy-making bodies and the private sector.

 

ICAR, accompanied by CGIAR and other research partners, continues to guide and shape the future of India’s 126 million smallholder farmers. As a CGIAR Impact Platform, GENDER aims to broker knowledge to co-create agricultural solutions that work for women and contribute to equitable, resilient and prosperous societies. Partnering with ICAR, one of the world’s biggest national agricultural research and extension systems, offers CGIAR and its research partners a unique and welcome opportunity to collaborate, connect with on-the-ground demand and achieve large-scale impact.

 

ICAR, with its 113 ICAR institutes and 76 agricultural universities spread across India, will play an essential role in identifying evidence-based priorities and innovations that can translate the G20 commitments on women’s leadership on climate action, food security and nutrition into positive outcomes for women and men farmers, as well as for entire communities. CGIAR can contribute to this process by providing world-class expertise, evidence and proven solutions.

 

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal met with CEOs of leading UAE companies Emaar, Sharaf and DP World in Dubai today and discussed their investment plans in India. He assured them of Government of India’s commitment to facilitate UAE investments into India.

 

Shri Goyal is on his third visit to the UAE as Minister of Commerce and Industry in the last 2 years. This highlights the importance that India attaches to its economic and commercial partnership with the UAE.

 

Earlier today, Shri Goyal interacted with leading food sector companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and Egypt. Given India’s pre-eminent role as the food security partner in the region, the meeting focussed on ways to promote greater trade and investments in the food sector between India and the GCC countries. Shri Goyal’s interaction also provided a platform for the industry representatives to share their insights and perspectives on building robust food sector cooperation between India and the region.

 

The Minister also met with leading Indian Chartered Accountants (CA) based in the UAE. The interaction focussed on enhancing the India-UAE relationship. The Minister encouraged the CA community to contribute to the ‘Amrit Kaal’ of India.

NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Al Etihad Payments (AEP) for Domestic Card Scheme (DCS) Implementation in UAE. AEP is an indirect subsidiary of the Central Bank of UAE (CBUAE). As per the agreement,  NIPL and AEP will work together to build, implement, and operationalize UAE's national domestic card scheme. The DCS will aim to facilitate the growth of e-commerce and digital transactions in the UAE, bolster financial inclusion, support the UAE's digitization agenda, increase alternate payment options, reduce the cost of payments, and enhance the UAE's competitiveness and position as a global payments leader.  The partnership aligns perfectly with NIPL's mission to offer its knowledge and expertise to assist other countries in establishing their own cost-efficient, and secure payment systems.

 

The DCS solution is based on the principles of sovereignty, speed to market, innovation, digitization, and strategic independence. The DCS solution provided by NIPL consists of a RuPay stack and value-added services like fraud monitoring services and analytics. NIPL will also assist AEP in formulating the operating regulations for their domestic card scheme.

 

RuPay is an indigenous, highly secure, and widely accepted card payment network in India. RuPay cards have debit, credit, and prepaid propositions. More than 750 Million RuPay cards are in circulation as of date. RuPay cards make up more than 60% of total cards issued in India, with every second Indian having a RuPay card now. These cards are issued through the entire banking spectrum, including public sector, private, and small banks.

 

India's world-renowned Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is driving massive transformation in the payment space. DPI framework includes digital identity, digital payments, and digital data exchange layers - a combination of these three is the force behind the fintech revolution in India. Simply speaking, in India, nearly every adult has access to banking services, a way to remotely authenticate themselves (through Aadhar), and access to the internet through efficient and affordable mobile connectivity.

 

A combination of these factors makes India the third largest fintech ecosystem in the world, with rapidly surfacing unicorns. India has witnessed an exponential growth of 367% in customers participating in digital transactions in the last five years, with an active customer base of more than 340 million.

Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Shri Sunil Barthwal paid an official visit to Brazil from October 1st to October 4th, 2023, for the 6th meeting of the India-Brazil Trade Monitoring Mechanism (TMM). He was accompanied by a delegation of 20 business leaders representing the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The visit was happening in the backdrop of the sharp growth in the bilateral trade which had doubled over the last two years reaching US$16 Billion. It was aimed at strengthening this rapidly growing commercial engagement between the two countries.

 

During his interactions with the Brazilian officials, the Commerce Secretary commended Brazil for their support during India’s G20 Presidency and conveyed India's commitment to support Brazil when it assumes its G20 Presidency.

 

The Indian delegation engaged in discussions, business meetings and explored new trade opportunities with key Brazilian organizations, including Confederation of Industries of Brazil, the Commercial Association of Sao Paulo, Federation of Industries of the State of Sao Paulo (FIESP) and industries in Rio de Janeiro demonstrating their strong commitment to boost bilateral trade and investment prospects.

 

On October 2nd, 2023, the delegation participated in various trade facilitation activities aimed at nurturing the growing trade relationship between India and Brazil. A productive meeting with the Commercial Association of São Paulo provided a platform to discuss potential trade collaborations. The day concluded with an interactive session with Indian companies operating in Brazil, fostering closer ties within the business community and identifying new opportunities for promoting trade.

 

A breakfast meeting was held on 3rd October, with Brazilian companies that have invested in India, highlighting the Indian government's commitment to support foreign investors. This meeting also included discussions on new trade and investment opportunities. Shri Barthwal interacted with representatives from leading MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) companies in Brazil and engaged with the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP), a crucial industry chamber in the region.

 

On October 4th, 2023, the Commerce Secretary co-chaired the 6th meeting of the India-Brazil Trade Monitoring Mechanism (TMM) with Secretary of Foreign Trade for the Federative Republic of Brazil, Ms. Tatiana Lacerda Prazeres in Brasília. Both sides extensively discussed matters related to bilateral trade and outlined a roadmap for its further enhancement.

 

Shri Barthwal also held comprehensive discussions with the Vice Minister of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services, Brazil, H.E. Mr. Marcio Elias Rosa to advance the economic and commercial partnership between the two nations.

 

The visit concluded with an interaction with leading industries & members of the Confederation of National Industries of Brazil over the opportunities provided by India’s dynamic economic growth including on transfer of technology, investments etc. He also invited Brazilian industries to be part of the growing supply chain to India.

 

The deliberations and interactions during this visit signal a promising growth for India-Brazil trade relations. These engagements have set a positive tone for future dialogues, with a dedicated focus on exploring new trade opportunities and strengthening bilateral integration through Global Value Chains.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) on Thursday more than halved its global goods trade forecast for 2023 to 0.8%, from 1.7% estimated in April, amid a global manufacturing slowdown.

 

The trade slowdown appears to be broad based, involving a large number of countries and a wide array of goods amid a continued slump that began in the fourth quarter of

2022, the multilateral trade body said in its Global Trade Outlook and Statistics Update: October 2023.

 

'The exact causes of the slowdown are not clear, but inflation, high interest rates, US dollar appreciation, and geopolitical tensions are all contributing elements,” the WTO said.

 

However, the 3.3% growth projected for 2024 remains nearly unchanged from the previous estimate of 3.2%.

 

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the expected slowdown of trade was a cause for concern because it could depress the living standards of people around the world, particularly in poor countries.

 

Iron and steel, office and telecoms equipment, textiles and clothing contributed to the slowdown while automative products were an exception where sales have risen.

 

Falling commodity prices and appreciation of the dollar have pushed world merchandise trade down 5% on-year in the first half of 2023, according to the report.

 

Risks, growth

The WTO said risks to its forecast were balanced. A sharper than expected slowdown in China and resurgent inflation in advanced economies would require keeping interest rates higher for a longer period.

 

'The data suggest that goods continue to be produced through complex supply chains, but that the extent of these chains may have reached their high-water mark,' the WTO said.

 

As per the report, Asia’s export growth is

expected to turn positive in the second half of the year while Europe’s is expected to flip into negative territory.

 

Import volume growth is expected to turn positive in Asia and North America in the second half of 2023 whereas Europe’s imports could remain weak.

 

The organisation’s forecast does not cover services, but it said that growth was moderating after a strong rebound in international tourism in 2022. Global commercial services trade rose 9% in the first quarter of 2023, down from 19% in the second quarter of 2022, the WTO said.

Grocery retailer SPAR Group (SPPJ.J) is exploring potentially importing eggs from several southern African countries as South Africa's worst outbreak of avian flu hits egg supplies and threatens the supply of chicken meat.

 

South Africa is currently grappling with an outbreak of a high-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), a bird flu which spreads rapidly in an infected flock causing a high death rate.

 

Producers have warned of chicken meat shortages in the coming weeks after millions of chickens were killed by the outbreak.

 

Meanwhile grocery retailers Woolworths (WHLJ.J) and Pick n Pay (PIKJ.J) are limiting the amount of eggs shoppers can buy due to limited stock availability.

 

SPAR is working closely with its approved private label suppliers and partners to secure stock and also 'actively collaborating with bigger suppliers and exploring new opportunities to ensure a consistent egg supply and further reduce risk,' Jacques Roets, divisional commodities manager for the SPAR Group said.

 

'This diversification strategy includes discussions with several southern African countries to potentially import eggs,' Roets added.

 

Last week, RCL Foods (RCLJ.J) said its poultry unit Rainbow culled 410,000 chickens, while its peers, including the country's largest integrated poultry processor Astral Foods (ARLJ.J) and Quantum Foods (QFHJ.J), said the outbreak was ravaging a sector already burdened by South Africa's electricity crisis and rising costs.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Thursday clarified that addition of protein binders in milk and milk products are not permitted. Additives that have not been specified in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011, cannot be added, a release said.

 

Sources said this clarification comes at a time when certain players are adding protein binders to offer thicker texture in dairy products such as curd.

 

'Binding agents have emerged as an important and required class of ingredients to manufacture a wide range of new food products, especially semi-solid or solid foods. However, such application is known to affect the digestibility of the protein bound and thus can affect the biological and nutritive value of milk proteins. Protein binding also influences the bioavailability and distribution of active compounds,' the FSSAI noted in an advisory.

 

The food safety authority added that every dairy product has its unique and 'well-accepted' textural and other sensory characteristics. 'Hence, addition of any binding material like protein binders to milk and milk products is not warranted to modify the textural or sensory parameters,' it added.

 

The food safety authority pointed out that milk protein on its own is a good source of essential amino acids; they are easily digestible and do not contain any anti-nutritional factors like many plant-based proteins. 'In addition, milk and milk products contain a wide array of proteins with biological activities ranging from antimicrobial ones to those facilitating absorption of nutrients, as well as acting as growth factors, hormones, enzymes, antibodies and immune stimulants,' it added.

 

FSSAI said it remains 'dedicated' to maintaining 'natural integrity and quality' of food products and will continue to prioritise the health and well-being of the consumers.

 

The government has started procuring paddy and about 12.21 lakh tonne of the grain has been purchased from farmers at minimum support price (MSP) so far, according to the food ministry. Paddy worth Rs 2,689.77 crore has been procured from 99,675 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Haryana at MSP, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

 

The harvesting of kharif paddy, which has been sown on a slightly higher area of 411.96 lakh hectare this year, started last week.

 

Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies have undertaken procurement at MSP to create a buffer stock as well as protect the interest of farmers.

 

The ministry is targeting to procure 521.27 lakh tonne in the current season as against the actual purchase of 496 lakh tonne in the year-ago season.

 

Churpi is prepared from the milk of Arunachali yak, which is a unique yak breed found in West Kameng and Tawang districts of Arunachal Pradesh. Yak Churpi, a naturally fermented milk product made from yak milk, has been given recognition as a Geographical Indication (GI) of Arunachal Pradesh.

 

Dr Mihir Sarkar, Director, ICAR- National Research Centre on Yak said it is a major boost to the pastoral production systems and yak rearing in the country.

 

Churpi is an excellent source of proteins and is frequently used as a substitute for vegetables by tribal yak herders in the vegetation-starved cold and hilly mountainous regions of the state. It is also mixed in vegetable or meat curry and is eaten with rice as a staple food in tribal households. It is considered an integral part of the tangible cultural and tribal heritage of Arunachal Pradesh- says Sarkar.  

 

Arunachali yak breed is reared by tribal yak pastoralists known as Brokpas who migrate along with their yaks to higher reaches (at an altitude of 10,000 ft and higher) during summers and descent to mid-altitude mountainous regions during winters. Since the product is prepared at such a high altitude, it is also expected to provide benefits to the tribal herders against cold and hypoxia besides providing enriched nutrition, Dr Vijay Paul, Principal Scientist of NRC-Yak who was associated with the GI application process informed.

 

ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak, Dirang applied for registration of this unique yak product.  The institute is closely working with the Brokpas rearing Arunachali yaks and is helping them through research and extension support. The services rendered by the institute assume greater significance in the light of the fact that yak population throughout the country has been declining at a fast pace due to enormous hardships and dwindling gains associated with pastoral yak rearing. The registration of yak Churpi of Arunachal Pradesh as a GI is going to serve the cause of yak conservation and yak pastoralists’ socio-economic upliftment.