Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution is organizing a 'National Conference of Food Ministers' on Wednesday, 5th July 2023 in New Delhi. The conference is aimed at developing an action plan for the procurement of coarse grains during Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2023-24, discussing key initiatives undertaken by the Government for effective implementation of PMGKAY, disseminating best practices of States/UTs, and strengthening the focus on food and nutritional security.

 

Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Commerce & Industry and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal will chair the Conference. The Conference would also be graced by the Union Ministers of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Ms. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Ministers of Food & Civil Supplies of States/UTs.

 

The key highlight of the Conference would include the launch of the sugar-ethanol portal by Shri Piyush Goyal. Other key agenda points for discussion include the implementation of SMART-PDS, Supply Chain Optimization, grading of procurement centres, and transformation of Fair Price Shops (FPSs), among others.

 

The conference will serve as a platform to reflect upon the challenges and opportunities for achieving the transformation of the food and nutrition security ecosystem in the country and lay down the roadmap for 2023-24.

 

In the last 9 years, the Department of Food and Public Distribution has undertaken numerous initiatives ensuring targeted and timely delivery of food grains to the poor and vulnerable sections of society. The implementation of the flagship scheme, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) from January 1, 2023, has further enabled the provision of free food grains to nearly 80 crore beneficiaries.

 

Through these significant measures, TPDS has been strengthened and its efficiency enhanced. To further sustain the progress and improvement in the system, the Department is planning to introduce new initiatives to enhance the efficiencies of the system and strengthen the focus on food and nutritional security.

 

The Conference will witness the presence of Food Ministers and Food Secretaries from States/UTs across the country, and promote collaborations and knowledge sharing for the overall development of the area of food and civil supplies.

 

This significant gathering aims to discuss and strategize on crucial agendas concerning procurement of coarse grain/millets, grading of procurement centres, effective implementation of PMGKAY, implementation of SMART - PDS, the launch of sugar-ethanol portal & 9-year achievement booklet by the Union Minister, rice fortification and various other important topics.

 

The conference will provide an opportunity for all the participants to exchange ideas, insights, and best practices to enhance the functioning of the food and civil supplies sector.

The UAE-India Economic Summit, themed 'Fostering Synergies – Uniting the Falcon and Tiger Economies,' took place on July 3, 2023, at the ADGM Auditorium in Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi. The event, jointly hosted by SBI Capital Markets Limited (SBICAPS) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), brought together industry leaders from India and the UAE, and marked the official opening of SBICAPS ADGM Branch Office.

 

The summit featured engaging panel discussions on topics such as startups, sustainability, green energy, capital markets, and stressed asset resolution. Prominent figures in attendance included Dinesh Khara, Chairman of State Bank of India, Sunjay Sudhir, Indian Ambassador to UAE, Hamad Sayah Al Mazrouei, CEO of ADGM Registration Authority, along with senior representatives from ADGM and SBICAPS.

 

During the summit, Deepak Kalra emphasized India's commitment to enhancing its national economy and overcoming structural challenges through the ambitious Amrit Kal vision. This strategic approach aims to leverage emerging sectors including renewable energy, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and digital innovation to create significant opportunities for growth and development.

 

The Amrit Kal vision aligns with the objective of improving the lives of Indian citizens by bridging the rural-urban development gap and reducing government intervention in their lives. Key priorities identified under this vision include inclusive development, reaching the last mile, infrastructure development, and investment, with a focus on harnessing the potential of green growth, power, and the financial sector.

 

During the  summit, Indian Ambassador to UAE Sunjay Sudhir highlighted the successful implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and India. This landmark agreement, the first-ever CEPA for the UAE and India's first with any Middle Eastern country, has reinforced trade relations between the two nations. 

 

The UAE has consistently remained India's second-largest export destination, third-largest trading partner, third-largest source of crude oil, and second-largest source of LPG and LNG, said the top diplomat. 

 

Notably, in the first year of CEPA implementation, bilateral trade between India and the UAE grew at an impressive rate of around 20%, surpassing India's overall export growth rate of 5.3%. The hydrocarbon sector, including the import of crude oil from the UAE and the export of refined products and lubricants to the UAE, witnessed significant gains.

 

Additionally, sectors such as electrical machinery, jewelry, agriculture, and automobiles have also benefited from the agreement.The positive effects of CEPA extend beyond trade, as evidenced by the UAE's emergence as the fourth-largest foreign direct investor in India during the financial year 2022-23, with an investment of approximately $3.5 billion. This showcases the agreement's ability to attract foreign investment and foster economic growth, he added.

 

The conference featured a series of panel discussions addressing key topics in the new economy. The panel on startups explored the investment landscape, early-stage funding, challenges faced by creative startups, and the role of technology in supporting their growth. 

 

The sustainability and green energy panel delved into discussions on financing options for sustainable projects, climate-conscious investments, regulatory aspects of sustainable finance, and the impact of carbon trading. The capital markets panel examined various facets of capital markets and investment opportunities, including debt capital markets, the real estate sector's relationship with capital markets, and alternative investment options. 

 

The final panel focused on stressed asset resolution, highlighting strategies and best practices for addressing such assets in the current economic landscape.

 

The UAE-India Economic Summit has not only strengthened trade ties but has also paved the way for increased investments, promoting growth and prosperity for both nations. The event served as a platform to explore further avenues of collaboration and leverage the immense potential of bilateral cooperation between the UAE and India.

Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal has said that India's remarkable economic scale and market potential have played a pivotal role in enabling startups to flourish and thrive in the global startup ecosystem. While addressing the ‘Startup20 Shikhar’ at Gurugram, Haryana today, Shri Goyal said that there must be a global effort to nurture inclusive, supportive and sustainable startup ecosystems in all parts of the world to address global challenges.

 

Shri Goyal said that it is not just the role of individual nations but the collective responsibility of all nations to support innovation and the startup ecosystem. Highlighting the importance of the discussions on startups in the G20, the Minister said that the focus has to be on facilitating exchange of ideas, best practices and funding mechanisms and promoting collaborations in Research and Development. 

 

The Minister lauded the Startup20 Engagement Group and said that this engagement of diverse experiences and knowledge is aimed to foster collaboration and bridge gaps between countries. Shri Goyal expressed hope that participants, both local and international, will leave with valuable memories, learnings, and connections to further nurture their own startup journeys and contribute to the growth of the entrepreneurial community in their respective nations. The Minister said that India is delighted to engage with its partner countries through Startup20 and remains committed to sharing experiences and working together to encourage the new generation of job creators who are reshaping the future.

 

Shri Piyush Goyal pointed out that India is in a unique position with huge talent and skill of its demographic dividend that is attractive for the startups. He said that India has a unique startup culture and large market potential, which are truly beneficial for startups.

 

The Minister further said that India, a relatively new entrant in the startup ecosystem has already become the world's third-largest startup ecosystem. Shri Goyal added that the country's aspirations extend beyond this achievement, with a focus on fostering entrepreneurship among not only the youth but also individuals from diverse age groups. He said that over the last seven years, India's 100,000 registered startups, including more than 100 unicorns, have made significant contributions to various sectors such as health, finance and agriculture and generated employment opportunities and given a spur to innovation.

 

Shri Goyal highlighted that Gurugram, known as an economic powerhouse in the state of Haryana, showcases the dynamic landscape of India's startup  ecosystem with over 100 Fortune 500 companies, leading tech firms, and numerous startups.

UK trade minister Nigel Huddleston on Tuesday said the 2030 roadmap with India will bring immense benefits for both countries. Speaking at an event here, the minister said it will deepen cooperation and bring both the countries even closer.

 

'The 2030 roadmap agreed by our Prime Ministers in May 2021 is a practical plan to transform the relationship between United Kingdom and India. It will bring immense benefits for both the countries. We have committed to doubling trade between the two great nations,' Huddleston said.

 

He said both UK and India have global interests and global reach. 'We are science and technology superpowers. We worked together on the Covid vaccine which saved hundreds of lives in several countries,' Huddleston said.

 

In 2022, the volume of bilateral trade between India and the UK stood at GBP 36 billion, supporting half a million jobs in both the countries.

 

The minister said of the great global challenges, none is more urgent than climate change. 'We are proud to work with India and support initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the coalition for disaster-resilient infrastructure,' the minister said.

 

He also announced deepening of cooperation between the UK and West Bengal in electric mobility and sustainable construction sectors.

 

He said to address the barriers for faster adoption of electric vehicles, UK had worked with the West Bengal government to bridge the skill gaps in the ecosystem in the EV space.

 

'Together (UK and West Bengal) we will make the transition to zero emission vehicles faster, more affordable and accessible to all,' he added.

 

Meanwhile, both the UK and India are negotiating a free-trade agreement which has completed the tenth round of talks.

 

Huddleston, who arrived here on Monday on a two-day visit to the metropolis, also met former West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra.

 

'A pleasure to speak with @DrAmitMitra to reaffirm the UK's commitment to bolstering economic growth in this vibrant state. Also committed participation in the Bengal Global Business Summit, to which we brought the largest international delegation last year,' he tweeted.

 

The UK minister also met Sanjiv Goenka, the chairman and MD of the RPG Sanjiv Goenka Group, and discussed business ties and opportunities.

 

'Really productive meeting with Sanjiv Goenka - Chairman and MD of @rpsggroup. We discussed UK-India trade and how a UK-India FTA could help address obstacles to trade, reduce tariffs, and open doors for businesses - creating jobs and opportunities for economic growth,' the minister tweeted.

 

India is its 12th largest trading partner accounting for 2.1 per cent of its total trade.

 

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said Huddleston is on a three-day visit to South Asia, which covers Kolkata and Dhaka in Bangladesh, focused on unlocking more opportunities for British companies to grow trade and two-way business flows.

New initiatives to bolster economic connectivity and trade and the inclusion of Iran as a new member state are expected to be among the outcomes of the virtual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit being hosted by India on Tuesday.

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will be among the leaders hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the summit, which was originally expected to be held in-person.

 

India is chairing the SCO for the first time since it became a full member of the grouping, along with Pakistan, in 2017.

 

This will be the first multilateral meeting joined by Putin since a brief rebellion by the Wagner mercenary group on June 24. Besides Iran joining as a full member of the SCO during Tuesday’s summit, Belarus is set to sign a memorandum of obligations to become a member state, with the process expected to be completed in 2024.

 

The summit is set to begin with the prime minister’s remarks at 12:30pm and this will be followed by statements by other leaders and deliberations. The meeting is set to conclude by 2:45pm.

 

Regional security, especially the situation in Afghanistan and ways to counter radicalism and extremism, and the Ukraine crisis and its fallout on the Global South are expected to figure in deliberations at the summit, people familiar with the matter said.

 

Besides the SCO Summit declaration or the New Delhi Declaration, the Indian side has proposed four thematic joint statements – on cooperation in deradicalisation strategies, digital transformation, sustainable lifestyles to address climate change and promotion of millets – for adoption during the summit.

 

While India has signed on for the SCO’s initiatives to enhance economic connectivity and trade, it has kept away from any measures that endorse China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The people said this stance will continue at Tuesday’s summit.

 

Initial reports had suggested the summit would be held in-person, though the leaders of China and Pakistan did not provide formal confirmation about their attendance till last month, affecting the planning for the meeting. The Indian side has not formally offered any reason for holding the summit virtually.

 

The summit is being held against the backdrop of India’s strained relations with both China and Pakistan.

 

A military standoff between India and China on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) for the past three years has taken bilateral relations to their lowest point in the last six decades, while ties between New Delhi and Islamabad have hit rock bottom over the issue of terrorism.

 

The summit is expected to discuss the regional security situation, the Ukraine crisis and bolstering cooperation between SCO states, especially ways to strengthen economic connectivity, the people said. In this context, India has taken a number of steps to enhance connectivity and trade with Central Asian states in recent years.

 

The theme for India’s presidency of SCO is 'SECURE' or security, economic development, connectivity, unity, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and environmental protection.

 

India also created five pillars and focus areas of cooperation under SCO – start-ups and innovation, digital inclusion, empowering youth, traditional medicine, and shared Buddhist heritage. New initiatives in these sectors are expected to figure in the joint declaration and other documents to be issued at the conclusion of the summit, the people said.

 

The SCO, created in 2001, currently comprises India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India’s association with the grouping began as an observer in 2005.

The consumer awareness about millets is relatively high with 87.3 per cent of those surveyed having heard about them, a survey conducted by Wholsum Foods that owns millet-based food brands such as Slurrp Farm and Mille, said.

 

The survey, conducted among 550 consumers across the country to understand their awareness and willingness to include millet in their everyday life, saw the highest participation by millennials (58.9 per cent), while 54.5 per cent of overall respondents were females.

 

Among those aware of millets, a significant portion (74.6 per cent) became familiar with them during their childhood, suggesting the influence of early exposure to millets as a staple food, while more recent awareness has been primarily driven by news and Government advertisements. About 83.5 per cent of respondents have tried millets, indicating a relatively high adoption rate, while 38.8 per cent used millet as a rice supplement, showcasing its potential as an alternative to traditional rice.

 

Taste plays a key role in millet adoption, the survey said with 31.3 per cent of respondents expressing a willingness to include millets in their diet if they taste better, while pricing remains a significant factor with 22.9 per cent of respondents looking at affordability. As awareness about millets continues to grow, factors such as taste and affordability have emerged as significant considerations hindering millet adoption.

 

Healthy diet

The survey revealed that 40.9 per cent of the respondents already follow or are in the process of switching to a healthier diet, while 34.2 per cent were still considering adopting a healthier lifestyle, suggesting an opportunity for promoting healthier eating habits. Top reasons for switching to a healthier diet were wanting a better lifestyle (38.5 per cent) and improving the weight loss journey (35.3 per cent).

 

Further, the survey pointed out that 59 per cent of millennials and a significant 41 per cent of Gen Z individuals are motivated to follow or switch to a healthier diet to maintain a better lifestyle. Additionally, 69.01 per cent of millennial respondents are driven by their weight loss goal, while only 30.98 per cent of the Gen Z respondents prioritise weight management as their reason for adopting a healthier diet.

 

The survey further revealed that 73.1 per cent of respondents are endeavouring to incorporate more fibre into their diet. This aligns with the growing awareness of the health benefits associated with a high-fibre diet. Furthermore, 58 per cent of respondents expressed a desire for nutrient-rich food, while 52.2 per cent emphasised the importance of increasing protein intake.

 

The survey indicates a clear shift towards plant-based protein sources as 54.5 per cent of respondents opted for vegetarian options. Additionally, 44.4 per cent of respondents mentioned including more lentils, which are a nutritious plant-based protein source. In contrast, only 26.7 per cent of respondents preferred animal-based protein sources/meat.

 

India on Monday allowed imports of potatoes from Bhutan without any license for one more year till June 2024. Earlier it was allowed till June 30 this year.

 

India imported fresh or chilled potatoes worth $1.02 million in 2022-23.

 

'Import of potatoes...is allowed from Bhutan without any import license, up to June 30, 2024,' the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) said in a notification.

 

In a separate notification, the DGFT said that the import of 17,000 metric tonnes of fresh (green) areca nut without a minimum import price (MIP) condition from Bhutan will also be allowed through LCS (land customs station) Chamurchi (INCHMB).

 

Rice exports

In a trade notice, the directorate laid out a procedure for allocation of quota for export of broken rice on humanitarian and food security grounds, based on requests received from governments of other countries.

 

It has extended the last date for submission of application for obtaining license for the export of broken rice to Senegal, Gambia, and Indonesia, upto July 6.

 

'In case of any mis-declaration by any applicant or any applicant failing to export the allocated quota to the respective country(ies), within the specified time period, will be black listed for the next two financial years,' the DGFT added.

CSIR-CFTRI (Central Food Technological Research Institute) sees the One Week One Lab (OWOL) as a platform to promote and exhibit advanced research, novel technologies, expertise, start-of-the-art facilities in food science.

 

Through this programme, the Mysuru-based CSIR-CFTRI strives to raise awareness, foster collaboration among other diverse stakeholders and facilitate the exchange of ideas, to ultimately drive innovation within the food industry.

 

The institute has developed several innovative products. Pioneering efforts include development of infant foods, ready to eat mixes, parboiling of paddy, spirulina, wellness and super foods. It has a major understanding of food analytics for ensuring safe foods, omnics technologies for molecular understanding, intelligent automation and the application of big data as an enabler for healthy foods. Further, CFTRI also facilitates cluster development activities for technology upgradation. Skill development and capacity building in food processing to boost entrepreneurship and foster growth of small-scale units.

 

In an effort to accelerate One Week One Lab, CFTRI called on the food industry experts for a 5-day event spanning July 3 to July 7 to deliberate on subjects that could spur the development of food research and technology. The institute stated that there was immense scope for transfer of technology for the products it developed and launched during the event.

 

At the event, CFTRI announced the process for the production of soluble and insoluble arabinoxylan from wheat bran. Arabinoxylan (AX) is one of the important dietary fibres found in cereal bran. Several scientific reports clearly demonstrated its benefits to human health. The current process uses wheat bran as starting material to extract soluble and insoluble arabinoxylan enriched fractions. The process is cost-effective compared to the existing processes. The process is greener, reagents and equipment used are indigenously available, and have a history of safe use in the food industries. The AX-rich products can be used as ingredient in the following products; bakery, breakfast cereals & snacks, confectionery, dairy, meat products, infant food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and animal nutrition.

 

It also developed a production process for yeast. The process technology for bakers yeast is divided into upstream and downstream processing. The upstream primarily involves rejuvenation of yeast strain and preparation of inoculum (10%) for the production scale. Here the batch fermentation process is established at 100 L scale. After harvesting the yeast culture with time elapsed 24 h, feeding is initiated. After completion of feeding step, the obtained culture is converted to wet cake by centrifugation, following by washing with autoclaved distilled water and again centrifuging. The obtained cake is removed aseptically and packed using wax paper. The unwrapped wax packet can be used within 20-30 days when stored at 4oC for baking applications.

 

Yet another product was the launch of SeaSlim a  barley-seaweed based anti-obesity supplement, which helps in regulating body weight by reducing the food intake, plasma glucose and blood and adipose lipid level and can be used as low-glycemic index food.

ProChile, a Chilean organization that promotes resource rich country globally, is keen to bring the Latin American agro-food varieties to India from apples to wines.

 

Chilean food like kiwifruit, cherries, blueberries, apples, walnuts, and wines are becoming popular in India.

 

Ignacio Fernandez Ruiz, the General Director of ProChile, visited India recently to explore new opportunities. He was joined by representatives from SOFOFA, a trade association in Chile. The delegation's goal was to strengthen the relationship between Chile and India, Ruiz told ET. ‘Know Chile through Wines’ was also part of Ruiz's mission.

 

India’s exports to Chile had been growing steadily since 2009. The expanded preferential trade agreement began implementation in May 2017 and since then India’s exports to Chile have increased. The trade has now picked up and recovered in 2021-22.

 

India’s export to Chile is diversified and constitute motor vehicles/cars, drug formulations, chemicals, products of iron & steel, manmade yarn, fabrics, cotton fabrics, made-ups, RMG Cotton including accessories, auto components, electric machinery and equipment, leather goods, rubber products, bulk drugs, drug intermediates, footwear of leather, iron and steel, aluminum & its product, ceramics & allied products, RMG manmade fibres etc. The top 25 principal commodities constitute 94% of India’s total exports to Chile during 2021. The top 10 constitute the 70%.

 

Chile can play a big part in India’s green energy transition. Chile with the largest lithium reserves worldwide, is ready to partner with India on tapping into the lithium value chain.

Food Corporation of India (FCI) will sell through e-auction nearly 8 lakh tonnes (lt) of foodgrains on Wednesday (July 5) as part of the government’s efforts to cool domestic prices of wheat and rice. According to State-wise tenders issued over the last three days, the Government has offered to sell 4.07 lt of wheat and 3.86 lt of rice under the open market sale scheme (OMSS).

 

In a shift from its earlier policy, the Government has decided to hold the e-auction every week. Earlier, it was supposed to be on alternate weeks, one-grain type a week.

 

Punjab allotted more

Except in three States, where minor adjustments have been done in allocation, all other States have been allotted the same quantity as was in the first round of tender, officials said. Only 85,580 tonnes of wheat were sold, at an average Rs.2,136/quintal, against 4.08 lt on offer in the first round of e-auctions held last week.

 

On the other hand, in the first round of rice e-auction Punjab has been allotted 1.5 lt, which is 39 per cent of the total quantity on offer.

 

'Since Punjab has excess stock, the offering is also higher,' an official source said. However, traders said the allocation has not been justified as many consuming States have not received adequate quantity whereas Punjab, which is predominantly a wheat-consuming State, has received a huge allotment.

 

5 States skipped in rice

There is no auction in rice announced for Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Assam, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. Officials said that due to on-going procurement of rabi-grown paddy some States have been excluded since there is a possibility of recycling. However, millers said that due to the reserve price fixed at Rs.3,100/quintal, there is no scope for recycling.

 

In the on-going season (October-September), the Government buys the majority of paddy at Rs.2,060, which comes to Rs.3,075 in terms of rice.

 

Bihar has been allocated 30,000 tonnes of rice in the first e-auction, while Uttar Pradesh got 15,000 tonnes and West Bengal 2,300 tonnes. Odisha has been allotted 10,000 tonnes, Jharkhand 17,000 tonnes, Andhra Pradesh 7,000 tonnes, Karnataka 33,000 tonnes and Kerala 10,000 tonnes.

 

The conditions such as bidders should have an FSSAI licence and cannot re-sell the rice to bulk buyers, as in the wheat auction, have been retained in the rice tender, too. Similarly, the maximum cap of 100 tonnes per entity as well as having a GST number in a state to be eligible to participate in that State have been retained in rice auction guidelines.