The Ministry of Food Processing Industries organized a significant roundtable discussion with the Heads of Foreign Missions in India, aiming to encourage overseas participation in the highly anticipated World Food India (WFI) 2023. The event took place at the prestigious Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi.

 

The second edition of the esteemed 'World Food India 2023' is scheduled to be held from November 3 to 5, 2023, at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. This international platform seeks to showcase India's thriving food processing sector while also fostering collaborations and attracting investments from global stakeholders. The event is being organized in conjunction with the International Year of Millets 2023 activities and will focus on promoting millets (Shree Anna), organic produce, and indigenous processed food.

 

The roundtable discussion was co-chaired by Anita Praveen, Secretary of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, and Shri Prabhat Kumar, Special Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs. The event saw the attendance of Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Charge d'Affaires, and senior representatives from a diverse range of countries.

 

In total, 47 countries were represented during the interactive session. The discussion involved senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Department of Commerce, APEDA, MPEDA, and other Commodity Boards. Additionally, representatives from organizing bodies such as FICCI, Invest India, and EY were also present to participate in the deliberations.

 

During the roundtable, Secretary Praveen and Special Secretary Kumar briefed the representatives on various aspects of the World Food India 2023 event. They highlighted India's unique contribution to global food security, emphasizing its vast resource base and substantial consumer market, which makes it an attractive proposition for overseas stakeholders. The discussion also shed light on the different sub-sectors of food processing, including machinery, technological innovations, sustainability, and more.

 

The participating representatives were informed about the extensive preparations made for the event and the abundant opportunities available for participating countries and business entities. The embassy representatives expressed their appreciation for the event's significance in the current global food scenario and pledged their active participation from their respective countries. They also assured the presence of robust food processing sector contingents from their nations.

 

World Food India 2023 demonstrates a 'Whole of Government Approach,' with various ministries, departments, and government organizations collaborating to pool their strengths and ensure the event's success. Partners include the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Ayush, Ministry of DONER, Ministry of MSME, Commodity Boards, and more.

 

The event will feature industry professionals' meetings, B2B/G meetings, exhibitions, a specially curated food experience arena called the Food Street, and a Reverse Buyer Seller Meet (RBSM), making it an unparalleled value proposition for participating stakeholders.

 

Giving India-Africa relations another boost, Union Minister of Education and Skill Development Dharmendra Pradhan flagged off Gabon’s first Agri- SEZ project. The project will be implemented by AOM group with Centurion University as its technical and knowledge partner. 

 

30 farmers and 20 B.Sc./M.Sc. agri and B.Tech/M.Tech engineering students from Gajapati district will be travelling together as agri-technical and technical consultants for the agriculture SEZ, being developed under this project. Gajapati district is an aspirational district of Odisha. 

 

Expressing happiness over the development, Pradhan said that from Gajapati to Gabon, from Cheetahs to Climate Change, India-Africa relationship is going from strength to strength. It is a new chapter in that relationship. He also expressed confidence that the establishment of an Agriculture and Food Processing Special Economic Zone in Gabon will be a significant milestone towards enhancing food security and self-sufficiency in the country.

 

The minister said that, in the last 9 years, India-Africa relations have gone from strength to strength, recording more than 35 high level visits from India and more than 100 similar ones from Africa. Anti-colonial solidarity, diasporic goodwill, and the principle of 'South-South' cooperation, among others, are also playing a significant role in strengthening the partnership between India and the African continent. 

 

Pradhan also said that development partnership is a key pillar in India’s Africa policy. Being a trusted partner in the journey of socio-economic development, India has extended concessional loans of over US$ 12.3 billion to Africa and US$ 700 mn of grant assistance with development projects in various sectors.

 

He also spoke of India's G20 presidency, adding that its an opportunity to enhance India's role in amplifying the voice and concerns of the Global South and developing countries. India's G20 presidency is scripting another chapter in strengthening India- Africa relations.

 

The minister said that Gabon and other African countries have a lot to learn from India’s development journey and recent initiatives like the Aspirational Districts Program. He also spoke about India-Africa long standing relations in the areas of education and skill development.

A three-day meeting of Agriculture Ministers under the Agriculture Working Group (AWG) of the G-20 got underway in Hyderabad on Thursday with the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar reiterating India’s commitment to share knowledge and experience in the global interest of the agriculture sector.

 

Exuding confidence that the deliberations will help find solutions to the challenges facing the sector and associated areas, the Minister said India is ready to work with the G-20 countries and remains committed to food security and nutrition. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has evolved policies in that direction and ensuring their successful implementation, Mr. Tomar said.

 

Food security and nutrition with a focus on improving social protection systems to promote agro-diversification and enhance food security figures on the top of the priority areas of the AWG. Other priorities include supporting sustainable agriculture and financing green and climate resilient agriculture with a climate smart approach; strengthening infrastructure for small and marginal farmers; enhance the resilience and efficiency of value chains and digitalisation for agricultural transformation.

 

According to an official release, Mr.Tomar said the government is encouraging crop diversification to enable the farmers to get more revenue and minimise losses. Many initiatives have been implemented in states like Punjab and Haryana. He hoped farmers across the country will also adopt the changes in coming years. Organic farming is also being encouraged and Rs.1,500 crore has been spent on the implementation.

 

India is developing climate resilient seeds so as to mitigate crop losses due to climate change. Such initiatives will be useful to other countries facing similar climate change related issues, he said. More than 200 delegates from member countries, invited countries and international organisations are participating in the G-20 AWG meeting, which will be inaugurated on Friday and followed by ministerial meetings. On June 17, the G20 agriculture ministers will come out will a declaration and further road map on agriculture sector.

 

On Thursday Minister of State for for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Kailash Choudhary inaugurated an exhibition featuring 71 stalls focused on a number of areas, including waste to wealth management, post-harvest, smart and precision farming, agri innovations and value chain management. The stalls have been set up by ICAR institutes, other Ministries, private companies and agri start-ups as well as Telangana government, showcasing their recent achievements.

 

Agriculture Deputies meeting with the delegations from member countries, invited countries and international organisations and panel discussions formed part of the day one proceedings.

 

The ‘Atreyapuram Pootharekulu’, a sweet made of rice and jaggery, has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

 

The entry into the Geographical Indications Registry (GIR) mandates that the production of the sweet be confined only to the Atreyapuram village on the banks of the Godavari in Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh.

 

On June 14, the GIR, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, had registered ‘Pootharekulu’ sweet variety under the ‘Food’ category, as the four-month statutory period to challenge the claims by the applicant expired by then.

 

How is it prepared

Coarse rice is made into a batter. A cloth is then dipped in the batter and put on a hot inverted pot to make edible thin films called ‘poothareku’, which is then stuffed with jaggery powder and cashew and rolled to make a sweet.

 

'At least 400 women of Atreyapuram are into the activity in the village. Situated on the banks of the Godavari, the village has the history of making the sweet for over three centuries,' claimed the Sir Arthur Cotton Atreyapuram Putharekula Manufacturers’ Welfare Association (SACAPMWA) in its application for the GI tag.

 

As per the official website of the GIR, the ‘Atreyapuram Pootharekulu’ (Certificate No. 483) was registered on June 14 with a validity of up to December 2031.

 

'The credit goes to the women of the village. Their skill in making the delicacy has brought laurels to the village and fame to the Konaseema region, apart from generating employment to scores of villagers,' SACAPMWA treasurer Gadiraju Prasada Raju told The Hindu.

 

'Rice is the main ingredient. We prefer the MTU-3626 paddy variety for its taste and adhesive feature,' Mr. Prasada Raju said.

 

The MTU-3626 variety is locally known as ‘Bondalu’, which is extensively grown in the Konaseema region and consumed in Kerala.

 

The Centre for Intellectual Property Rights & Technology of the Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU), Visakhapatnam, had extended its support to the association in the application and documentation for the GI tag.

In order to ensure availability of edible oil to consumers at affordable prices, the Central Government has reduced the Basic Import Duty on Edible Oils. An order to this effect was issued by the Department of Food and Public Distribution vide Notification No. 39/2023 - Customs, dated 14th June, 2023 wherein the Basic Import Duty on Refined Soyabean Oil (HS Code 15079010) and Refined Sunflower Oil (HS Code 15121910) has been reduced from 17.5% to 12.5% with effect from today. This will remain in force till 31st March, 2024.

 

The decision is expected to augment the earlier measures taken by the Government to reduce the prices of Edible Oils in the domestic market. The Basic Import Duty is an important factor which impacts the landed cost of Edible Oils which in turn affects the domestic prices. Reduction in Import Duty on Refined Sunflower Oil and Refined Soyabean Oil will benefit the consumers, as it will help in easing the domestic retail prices.

 

The Import Duties on Refined Soyabean Oil and Refined Sunflower Oil were last reduced from 32.5% to 17.5% in October, 2021. This was done as during the year 2021, the international prices were very high, which was getting reflected in the domestic prices as well.

 

The Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution is closely monitoring the prices of Edible Oil in the country and ensuring its adequate availability to consumers.

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the Indian Oilseeds & Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on March 8, 2023, to enhance India’s oilseed production, improve quality and boost exports.

 

The MoU was signed by ICRISAT’s Director General, Dr Jacqueline Hughes, and IOPEPC’s Chairman, Nilesh Vira, with the aim of strengthening long-term cooperation to increase the quantum and quality of oilseeds grown in India.

 

In order to boost oilseed production, the collaboration will focus on expanding cultivated areas, deploying scientific technologies, and collaborating at all levels, including providing farmers with better quality certified seeds and strengthening the supply chain of oilseeds.

 

In addition, the partnership will promote food safety principles, recommend policies and programmes to the Government of India and support the growth of the Indian oilseed sector.

 

During the discussions, Vira stressed the importance of developing climate-resilient oilseed crops, given the unpredictable weather patterns affecting India’s agriculture. He cited the challenge faced by farmers in growing aflatoxin-free groundnuts, a crop that is increasingly in demand in the export market.

 

'Farmers want oilseed crops that can withstand climate vagaries. Changing monsoon patterns are affecting oilseed crops that usually take 110-120 days to mature. Farmers do not want to grow oilseeds due to unpredictable weather and we need to find solutions,' said Vira.

 

Emphasising the need to increase India’s oilseed production, Kishore Tanna, Director-Groundnut Panel Convenor, IOPEPC said that India is importing 15 million tonnes of edible oil and that’s because farmers do not want to grow oilseeds, especially groundnuts.

 

Tanna also drew attention to the fact that groundnut exports to the European Union had dropped to around 6000-7500 tonnes due to stringent import rules on aflatoxin that call for levels of not more than 2 – 4 PPB for various grades of groundnut.

 

ICRISAT’s Director General, Dr Hughes, highlighted the need to eliminate intermediaries in the export value chain, thereby increasing the profits for smallholder farmers. She also emphasised ICRISAT’s commitment to finding solutions to eliminate aflatoxin in groundnuts, which has detrimental effects on all consumers.

 

'Aflatoxin elimination is a doable challenge for ICRISAT, and partnership with IOPEPC will help ICRISAT focus on key areas of intervention applicable for the peanut sector in India,' said Dr Hughes.

 

The visiting team shared several avenues to shorten the export value chain and establish direct connections between farmers and exporters. One successful example they cited was the short value chain for soybeans in Rajasthan and Gujarat, which has the potential for replication in other crops. They also mentioned the growing popularity of e-markets as another potential avenue for connecting farmers and exporters.

 

The MoU signing was attended by ICRISAT staff Dr Sean Mayes, Stefan De Greling, and Dr Janila Pasupuleti, and convened by ICRISAT’s Product Placement Lead Dr Ashok Kumar and Ramesh P Kolath, Deputy CEO, IOPEPC.

 

IOPEPC is recognised by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, and serves as the common forum for Indian oilseeds and vegetable oils exporters, foreign buyers, the Indian government, R&D agencies for oilseeds and vegetable oils in India, international agencies, and many other official bodies and authorities globally.

Agricultural officials of Iran and India have agreed to form a joint committee for agricultural cooperation between the two countries within the next three months, Mehr News Agency reported on Saturday.

 

As reported, the agreement was reached in a meeting between Iran’s Deputy Agriculture Minister Mohammad Mehdi Borumandi and Secretary of India’s Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry Manoj Ahuja in New Delhi.

 

Borumandi, who has traveled to New Delhi to hold talks on the agricultural cooperation between Iran and India, met with his Indian counterpart to review the latest status of bilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture.

 

The officials also agreed to hold the first joint working group on agricultural cooperation between the two countries in the near future.

 

In the meeting, Borumandi stressed Iran’s readiness for cooperation in various fields including horticultural products, medicinal plants, combating plant pests, agricultural technologies, exchange of professors and experts, and cooperation between research institutions of the two countries.

 

He considered the removal of tariff barriers on agricultural trade as a necessity for the future expansion of relations.

 

Manoj Ahuja, for his part, highlighted the cultural and geographical affinities between the two nations and expressed his country’s readiness to develop agricultural relations with Iran.

 

Welcoming the fields proposed by the Iranian side for cooperation, the Indian official announced that the ban on the exports of kiwi to India, which had been temporarily prohibited since last year due to quarantine considerations, has been lifted.

 

The trade between Iran and India reached $510 million in the first quarter of the current year, according to the data released by India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

 

According to the report, agricultural products and especially rice had the largest share in India’s exports to Iran. Rice accounted for 63 percent of the total volume of exports, while fruits with $15 million, and tea with $10 million ranked second and third.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal said that PM GatiShakti must be effectively leveraged using the Area Development Approach to extend benefits to the nation beyond the infrastructure sector. Shri Goyal chaired a meeting to review the progress of PM GatiShakti with DPIIT and eight concerned ministries in New Delhi last evening. The Minister emphasized upon the participating Ministries/Departments to harness the full potential of the integrated platform to further accelerate India's infrastructure and economic growth.

 

Shri Goyal said that the Agriculture sector can be supported by setting up common facilities on agricultural lands by cooperatives and start-ups using the integrated framework of PM GatiShakti and data from the National Master Plan (NMP). The Minister highlighted that the Area Development Approach under PM GatiShakti can be used for engaging with aspirational districts of NITI Aayog.

 

Besides senior officials from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the meeting saw representation from M/o Road Transport and Highways, M/o Railways, M/o Ports, Shipping and Waterways, M/o Civil Aviation, M/o Power, M/o Petroleum and Natural Gas, Department of Telecommunication (DoT), M/o New and Renewable Energy, Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) and National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC).

 

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal said that India and Africa are natural partners with historical and cultural ties. While delivering the Keynote Address at the 18th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on 'India-Africa Growth Partnership' in New Delhi today, the Minister recounted that Mahatma Gandhi first practised principles of Satya and Ahimsa in South Africa and Mr. Nelson Mandela took forward this invaluable legacy. 

 

The Minister mentioned his recent interaction with 15 Ambassadors from the African region which was a step towards strengthening this relationship. He said that the bilateral trade of India with Africa grew by 9.26% in FY 2022-23 reaching almost $100 Billion. Shri Goyal said that the exports and imports were approximately balanced with exports being US$ 51.2 Billion and imports being US$ 46.65 Billion in FY 2022-23. He expressed confidence in achieving the goal of doubling the trade volume to US$ 200 Billion by 2030. The Minister said that the young aspirational population can help achieve this goal.

 

Shri Piyush Goyal said that 27 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) of Africa benefit from the Duty-Free Tariff Preference on non-reciprocal basis already and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) can be explored with other African countries as well. 

 

The Minister stated that the spirit articulated by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi over the last 9 years of developing together as equal partners guides the India-Africa relationship. Shri Goyal said that this spirit has solidified the foundation of this partnership and established brotherhood. He quoted the Prime Minister and said that 'Africa will be at the top of our priorities. We will continue to intensify and deepen our engagement with Africa. As we have shown, it will be sustained and regular'.

 

Shri Piyush Goyal said that the India-Africa relationship has the potential to help fulfil dreams and aspirations of around 1/3rd of the world’s population. He said that both India and Africa are blessed with demographic dividend and with skill development and education of youth, this partnership can drive the global progress in this century.

 

The Minister highlighted how India can be the voice of the Global South and take the voice of the Global South at multilateral forums. Shri Goyal stressed upon creation of a powerful voice of the Global South to influence the geopolitics of the world ensuring equitable and inclusive growth. Shri Piyush Goyal mentioned that India is a friend in need and friend in deed for Africa. He said that during COVID-19 pandemic, India provided support for her African brothers and sisters in the form of medicines, vaccines and other equipment in the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. 

 

Shri Goyal stressed upon collaboration between India and Africa in the field of renewable energy to make the dream of 'One World, One Grid” come true. He said that India and Africa are uniquely poised to become the leaders in production of renewable energy especially solar energy with interconnected grids through overland and underwater transmission lines. The Minister said that this potential of affordable energy for all throughout the day must be leveraged effectively and praised the participation of more than 20 African countries in the International Solar Alliance (ISA). 

 

The Minister said that India strongly believes that Africa’s rise globally is an absolute necessity in present times and is working together in a fast-track manner to achieve this ambition. He said that India’s Startup Revolution and Digital Public Infrastrcuture like Unified Payment Interface (UPI), CoWIN, One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC), Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) have been helpful in enhancing Ease of Doing Business and ease of living and can be replicated successfully for the benefit of Africa. Shri Goyal also suggested exploring further cooperation in the field of logistics like roadways, railways and ports and a diverse, robust and resilient supply chain between Africa and India. 

 

Shri Goyal said that both India and Africa shared the values of Equality and Liberty. He said that the seed of the Conclave was sown in 2005 which has since blossomed and strengthened the relations between India and Africa. The Minister noted the vital role played by the Conclave in bringing together business leaders and policymakers from India and Africa at one platform for further enhancing the partnership.

State agriculture minister Badal Patralekh on Monday formally rolled out Gaudhan Nyaya Yojana which will initially be implemented in five districts in the state on a pilot basis and will be fanned out gradually depending on its outcome.

 

Under this scheme, the state government will procure cow dung from farmers and convert it into vermi-compost, which will again be sold back to the cultivators at subsidised rates to reduce their dependency on chemical fertilisers. Also, the scheme is aimed at aiding farmers’ income.

 

While launching the scheme, the minister said that the government aims to set up 572 vermi-compost units in the five districts for production of organic fertilizers. Organic Farming Authority of Jharkhand (OFAJ) will be the nodal agency for implementation of this scheme.

 

Addressing the farmers and milk producers at the formal launch ceremony-cum-workshop, Patralekh said, 'The government wants to promote organic cultivation in the state for overall uplift of the farmers. Under this scheme, farmers of the state will be able to get vermi-compost at Rs.8 per kg. The government will procure cow dung at Rs.2 per kg from cow owners/khatals and gaushalas to process vermi-compost. The government has earmarked Rs 100 crore for this project.'