Under the National Horticulture Mission Scheme, farmers in the region will be financially supported to grow trees and expand their horticulture activities. The initiative aims to promote crop diversification and provide farmers with a self-sufficient environment while improving their income.

 

The announcement regarding the grant was made during a meeting of the District Management Mission Committee by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Varjeet Walia. The horticulture sector in Sangrur has been growing rapidly due to the government's ongoing efforts to encourage farmers to adopt this subsidiary occupation.

 

Dr. Nirwant Singh, deputy director of the horticulture department, explained that the department has directed officials to encourage the cultivation of guava, kinnow, strawberry, peach, flowers, net house, plastic mulching, low tunnel, poly house, high-quality vegetables, beekeeping, mushroom production units, mushroom spawn lab, hybrid seeds and seed infrastructure unit, onion storage, and vermicompost, among other things.

 

According to Singh, any farmer in the region can apply for financial support under the National Horticulture Mission Scheme by contacting the department's block or district office. The scheme aims to promote horticulture activities in the region and support farmers in improving their income.

 

Notably, the Malerkotla district was formed a few years ago from the undivided Sangrur district. The announcement of the Rs 4.07 crore allocation highlights the government's commitment to promote horticulture in both districts.

 

The government's efforts to promote crop diversification and support farmers in expanding their horticulture activities through financial assistance under the National Horticulture Mission Scheme is expected to improve the income of farmers and promote the growth of the sector.

The GI-specific products not only protect the unique identity and quality of these products but also create employment opportunities for local communities.

 

A central government agency has authorised 800 farmers and entrepreneurs to use the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for 13 agricultural products of the northeastern region, an official said.

 

The 13 produces are Arunachal Orange, Tezpur Litchi and Karbi Anglong Ginger of Assam, Kachai Lemon and Chak-Hao' Black Rice of Manipur, Khasi Mandarin orange and Memang Narang orange of Meghalaya, Mizo Chilli of Mizoram, Naga Tree Tomato and Naga Sweet Cucumber of Nagaland, Queen Pineapple of Tripura and Sikkim Large Cardamom and Dalle Khursani chilli of Sikkim.

 

The North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC), under the DoNER Ministry, will forward the 800 user authorisation applications for usage of these products from the eight NE states to the Geographical Indication Registry, Chennai.

 

NERAMAC Managing Director Commodore Rajiv Ashok (Retd) said on Thursday that the initiative is a significant step towards promoting and protecting the traditional agricultural practices and products of the NER region.

 

The initiative will provide recognition to the unique qualities and reputation of NER agricultural products and protect them from misuse and imitation, he said.

 

The authorisation process of farmers will enhance the competitiveness of the farmers in domestic and international markets and create opportunities for increased income and livelihood, he said.

 

Renowned GI expert Dr Rajni Kant Dwivedi has also pointed out the importance of Northeastern Region (NER) specific GI products and emphasised the need for a comprehensive approach to promote these.

 

The GI-specific products not only protect the unique identity and quality of these products but also create employment opportunities for local communities, he said.

After two successful editions in virtual mode, Startup India, Department of Promotion for Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce organized the third edition in the form of first-ever physical Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Startup Forum in New Delhi recently. The engagement aimed at expanding the startup interactions amongst the SCO Member States, nurturing the spirit of innovation, generating more employment and encouraging young talent to build innovative solutions. 

 

The forum witnessed physical participation from SCO Member States including a delegation of government officials, private industry players, incubators and startups. Union Minister of State, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Shri Som Parkash delivered the keynote address highlighting the role of Startup Ecosystem in boosting the economy of a nation. Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Smt. Manmeet Kaur Nanda addressed the delegation about India’s startup journey and initiatives for promoting startups by the Government of India.

 

This engagement focused on the spirit of collaboration and entrepreneurship. It aimed at promoting innovation development, particularly through the creation of common platforms and the facilitation of ideas and best practices among the SCO Member States. Various startup-to-startup bilateral meetings were conducted in promoting and achieving this agenda.

 

In addition, the delegates also attended a workshop conducted by Startup India on the ‘Role of Bilateral and Multilateral Engagements in developing startup ecosystem’. The workshop included an interactive session to understand various models of engagements that can be undertaken to develop closer ties between these nations and boost the startup ecosystem in SCO nations.

 

Later, the delegation visited Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT) at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, where a startup showcase was organised. The participants visited the facility to receive first-hand experience of the Indian startup ecosystem. During this tour, the participants were equipped with the know-how of entrepreneurship in India and opportunities for expanding their businesses to India. The incubator visit also focused on highlighting the nuances of funding, mentorship, and opportunities provided to support startups at the scaling stage in India.

 

By leading such engagements, India undertook an opportunity to share the opportunities of expanding the innovation footprint, knitting the whole ecosystem together and inspiring other SCO Member States to take up similar programs.

 

Previously, Startup India had organized various initiatives for SCO Member states including:

 

1.   SCO Startup Forum 2020: The SCO Startup Forum laid the foundation for multilateral cooperation and engagement for startups among the SCO Member States.

 

2.   SCO Startup Forum 2021: The two-day Forum was held virtually through a customized platform representing the Indian culture in augmented reality. SCO Startup Hub, a single point of contact for the SCO startup ecosystem, was launched in this forum.

 

3.   Focused Mentorship Program: A 3-month long virtual mentorship series ‘Starting-Up’ was organized for the nominated startups, to build capacity among the SCO Startup founders.

There is a huge potential for growth in the expansion of business and engagement between India and Canada, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said.

 

Goyal was addressing the Trade and Investment Promotion event for the agricultural and food processing sector with Indian companies and Canadian importers in Toronto on May 10, according to an official release.

 

He said that value addition of food products is a priority area and Indian businesses must focus on quality, scale, design, and packaging to earn the confidence and trust of consumers and businesses in Canada.

 

World Food India show in November 2023 can serve as the platform that can showcase the best of India and collaborate with businesses across the world, the minister said.

 

'There is multifold growth potential in the bilateral trade of India-Canada in this sector,' he said.

 

He also encouraged the Canadian companies to hold Board meetings in India.

India exported basmati rice worth about Rs 38,524 crore (nearly $ 4.79 billion) in the 2022-23 fiscal (April-March, a jump of about Rs 12,109 crore from 2021-22, as per the data from the Kolkata-based Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS). In terms of value in rupees, Indian exports of the long-grained aromatic rice were about 45.84% higher in 2022-23 than the previous fiscal.

 

According to the DGCIS data, India exported about 39.47 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) basmati rice, valued at Rs 26,415 ($ 3.47 billion) in 2021-22. The country exported about 45.61 lakh metric tonnes of basmati rice in 2022-23, about 6.14 LMT (15.55%) more than 2021-22.

 

As per the DGCIS data, India had exported basmati rice to 149 countries in 2022-23 while in 2021-22 the country had sold the commodity to 153 countries.

Iran was the biggest importer of the Indian basmati rice in quantity at about 9.98 LMT followed by Saudi Arabia at 9.54 LMT and Iraq, a distant third at 3.64 LMT.

 

Other big importers include United Arab Emirates (3.15 LMT), Yemen Republic (2.89 LMT), United States of America (2.04 LMT), Kuwait (1.56 LMT), United Kingdom (1.43 LMT), Oman (1.12 LMT) and Jordan (1.05 LMT).

 

In terms of value in rupees, Saudi Arabia was the biggest buyer, paying Rs 8,362.25 crore for the Indian basmati rice followed by Iran (Rs 7,838 crore), Iraq Rs 3,032 crore), UAE (Rs 2,689.1 crore) and Yemen Republic (Rs 2,473 crore).

Other big buyers of the basmati rice in terms of value include US (Rs 1,920 crore), Kuwait (Rs 1,276 crore), United Kingdom (Rs 1,109 crore), Oman (Rs 1,013 crore) and Jordan (Rs 934 crore).

The love for mangoes in summers isn't just limited to Gujaratis and Indians but the Americans too! With increased demand from the US, exports of mangoes from Gujarat are expected to scale new heights and grow by at least 45%, suggest estimates by Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation Limited (GAICL).

 

The sweet, succulent, tropical burst of flavours packed in Gujarat's mangoes are in high demand in the international market too.

 

For instance, Gujarat recorded direct exports of 445 metric tonne (MT) mangoes to the United Kingdom and Middle East in 2022-23, according to GAICL. However, an additional demand coming from the US with orders pouring in huge volumes has already led Gujarat's mango cultivators to export 65 MT to the USA alone. This accounts for a lion's share of 55% of the total mango exports from Gujarat at 114 MT so far, according to GAICL. Exports are expected to increase as the season progresses.

 

The United States Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) has approved the Gujarat Agro Radiation Processing Facility (GARPF) in July 2022. This gives Gujarat's mango farmers and exporters an added advantage with additional demand pouring from the US.

 

'With good demand, the exports are expected to surpass the 2021-22 level of 608 MT this year. By far we have already exported 65 MT and the new Cargo facility developed by GAICL near Ahmedabad will further give a boost to exports. Till date, Kesar and Alphonso mango varieties which are the pride of Gujarat were exported through Maharashtra,' said DH Shah, managing director, GAICL.

 

'Retail outlets in UK, Canada placing orders'

 

The Gujarat Agro Radiation Processing Facility (GARPF) will in fact, boost demand for Kesar varieties from Gir and Kutch regions of the state. 'This year exports are better than last year because crops are better and prices are almost the same as last year. There is good demand from the UK, Middle East and Canada as well. Retail outlets in these countries are placing good orders this year,' said Darshil Shah, an Ahmedabad based mango exporter.

 

Gujarat is expected to see record direct exports this year, according to exporters. 'The direct access to the US market has opened up newer avenues for exporters . The air freight rates have also come down from Rs 240 per kg to Rs 140 per kg in a year. If the government supports exporters by lowering the 18% GST rate on mango exports, overall demand in the international market may further grow.'

More than 100 tons of Alphonso, Mallika, Banganapalli and Badami varieties of the Mango fruit that are grown in the state are being exported to countries like Bangladesh, US and a few other countries.

 

Decks are being cleared under the aegis of Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation to begin exports of mangoes for which a pack house has been established near Chintamani.

 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there were no exports of the fruit for the last two-three years.

 

This year, however, mangoes are getting ready to be exported to countries such as Singapore, UK, US, Bangladesh, Gulf and many others by the Corporation.

 

Besides, a pack house has been set up by the Karnataka State Agricultural Produce Processing & Export Corporation Limited (KAPPEC) in Pujanahalli to store tons of mangoes and export the fruit. The KAPPEC has already constituted a team of technical experts to oversee the packaging of mangoes in the pack house. The market is likely to get a good produce of the mangoes by the first or second week of May and exports are likely to commence soon, according to the KAPPEC officials.

 

C G Nagaraj, managing director of Karnataka State Mango Development and Marketing Corporation, says 'We had sent a sample of 400 kilos of mangoes to France last month. Now, there is a demand for more than 100 tons of mangoes from other countries. The fruit will be lifted from the Maadikere pack house near Chintamani and exported. Badami, Mallika, Banganapalli and other varieties of mangoes are being exported.'

 

Lower mango yield

 

This year, the yield of mangoes has been considerably lower than expected due to the unseasonal rainfall received in some parts of mango growing areas due to which mango flowers have either fallen off or withered away.

 

Although a few fruit-bearing flowers have become fruits due to the sunlight some of them have also fallen off. The prices of mangoes are likely to go up this year as a result of lower yield, Nagaraj said.

 

Currently, mangoes are grown in 1.9 lac hectares of land in Karnataka. On average, the state produces 12-15 lac tons of the fruit. But, due to unseasonal rainfall, the yield this year is likely to fall to 7-8 lac tons. Mainly, there are three mango growing zones in the state. Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural, Tumakuru and Ramanagara districts are identified as one zone where 75% of the mangoes that are exported are being grown. Belagavi, Dharwad, Hubballi are Haveri form the second zone which constitute 20% of the produce. Koppal, Bagalkot, Chitradurga, Ranebennur and Davanagere form the third zone where 5% of the mango crop is grown.

Amid talk of hoarding of pulses such as tur (pigeon pea) and urad (black matpe) by the private trade in Myanmar, India on Wednesday warned the exporters in the neighbouring country that it may look at importing these items on a government-to-government (G2G) basis if supplies are not eased. It is understood that the exporters of these pulses from Myanmar, a large supplier, are taking advantage of the scarcity in India, which has led to a firm price trend in recent months.

 

Trade sources, who attended the virtual meeting convened by the Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh on Wednesday to take stock of the situation on the availability of these two varieties of pulses, confirmed the development.

 

Ban on private trade

'The government has warned the exporters of Myanmar that if they are taking advantage of the of the scarcity in India, then we will impose a ban on private trade and will buy on a G2G basis. The Consumer Affairs Secretary has given them a friendly warning. In fact, the Myanmar trade association president assured that they are not hoarding the cargo and will augment the supplies,' said Bimal Kothari, President, India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA).

 

To manage the current scarce situation of tur, Kothari said IPGA has suggested certain measures to the government including the promotion of other alternate pulses like chana dal and masur dal, which are available in abundance and at minimum support prices.

 

'Also we advised them that government agencies should not buy tur in any of tenders of various schemes such as mid-day meals or ICDS among others. We have suggested that tur be replaced with chana dal or masur dal or yellow peas, which are in abundant supply and are a cheaper and good source of protein,' Kothari said. He said about half a million tonnes of tur are purchased through government tenders annually for various schemes.

 

Boosting supplies

The Indian government has been taking steps to ensure that the supplies of these two pulses are eased through imports so that prices are kept under a check. The imports of tur and urad are kept open till March 2024 to boost the supplies as the domestic output of these pulses was impacted due to erratic weather pattern. In the recent past, following a firming trend in prices of tur and urad, the Centre had directed the pulses importers to declare stock availability in a routine transparent manner.

 

Rahul Chauhan of IGrain India said the prices of tur have moved up in Myanmar in tandem with the domestic prices. Tur lemon, which was quoting at around $835 per tonne as on March 1, 2022, has now moved up to $1,080 . Also, African exporters have raised their quotes by $50 for the upcoming crop, he said.

 

As per the second advance estimate, production of tur, a kharif crop, has dropped to 36.66 lakh tonnes in the 2022-23 crop year to June against 42.20 lakh tonnes a year ago, while urad output for both kharif and rabi season has been estimated lower at 26.82 lakh tonnes against 27.76 lakh tonnes a year ago on account of excess rains.

Daily wheat procurement has dropped to 0.2 million tonnes (mt) since Wednesday May 10 from about 0.5 mt on May 2 with arrivals of the grain declining at agricultural produce marketing committee (APMC) yards and procurement centres. Despite this development, the government hopes to procure around 27 mt of wheat this year, which is about 8.5 mt more than the annual demand under the food security law and other welfare schemes.

 

Though it (27 mt) is lower than estimated procurement (34.15 mt), it is much more than the requirement (18.4 mt), Food Corporation of India Chairman Ashok K Meena told businessline. He said, for the first time, there was no distress call from any quarter to ensure procurement as farmers this year were getting either minimum support price (MSP) or more.

 

'As much as 85 per cent of arrivals in Uttar Pradesh are purchased by the private sector, who are offering more than MSP. The arrivals will henceforth dwindle slowly as those who wanted to sell to the government have already done,' Meena said. 'It is a good situation that while farmers are getting good prices for their wheat, the government is also able to buy more than its requirement,' he said.

 

Up from 15-year low

Asked if the surplus leaves scope to make provision for open market sale scheme (OMSS), he said 'Of course, there will be some quantity for it.'

 

Wheat procurement in the on-going season has surged 42.8 per cent to 25.41 mt as of May 10 in the ongoing season (April-June) against 17.8 mt a year ago, according to the latest official data. The official purchases in the country dropped to a 15-year low of 18.79 mt in the 2022-23, prompting the government to ban export that still continues.

 

 

Also read: India argues at WTO in favour of its MSP scheme for foodgrain

 

Out of 28.7 mt targetted from three States — 13.2 mt in Punjab, 8 mt in MP, and 7.5 mt in Haryana — almost 87 per cent has been achieved, so far.

 

Punjab has shown a 26 per cent increase in purchases at 11.93 mt as of May 10 from the year-ago level of 9.47 mt, Haryana has reported a 53.3 per cent jump at 6.24 mt from 4.07 mt a year ago, and in Madhya Pradesh, wheat purchase is up by 67.7 per cent at 6.76 mt, from 4.03 mt.

 

Procurement in Uttar Pradesh, the largest wheat producer, reported a 16.9 per cent fall to 0.18 mt from 0.21 mt, official data show. But Rajasthan contributed 0.3 mt to the Central Pool stock so far, against only 758 tonnes in the year-ago period.

 

M.P. offers scope

Punjab, which had a share of over 70 per cent in total daily arrivals of wheat a week ago, has reported a 20 per cent share on May 10, whereas, on the same day, 55 per cent of total arrivals was reported from Madhya Pradesh. Since Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have little scope amid the private sector’s aggressive buying and near exhaustion of stocks in Punjab and Haryana, only MP offers some scope, experts said.

 

'Now you will see reduced procurement every day because maximum wheat, which could have come from the farmers of Punjab and Haryana has already been purchased by FCI and State agencies,' said Navneet Chitlangia, senior vice-president of the Roller Flour Millers Federation of India. As farmers are getting better prices than MSP in UP and Rajasthan, they are showing the least interest to sell their wheat to the government, he said.

 

'Mills in the Southern States are procuring wheat from MP. So, the government will end up at 27-28 mt this year,' Chitlangia said.

The finance ministry has exempted imports of crude soya bean and sunflower oils from basic customs duty and agriculture infrastructure and development cess till June 30, subject to certain conditions. The duty exemption is applicable only for importers holding TRQ (Tariff Rate Quota) licence for 2022-23 fiscal.

 

Under TRQ, a certain volume of imports are allowed at relatively low tariffs. Once the volume limit is reached, a higher tariff applies to additional imports. TRQ is allotted to importers by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

 

Through a notification, the finance ministry allowed imports of crude soya bean oil and crude sunflower oil at zero basic customs duty and zero AIDC for TRQ licence holders for FY23 up to the June 30, 2023.

 

 

'This notification shall come into force on the 11th day of May, 2023, and nothing contained in this notification shall apply after the 30th of June, 2023,' the ministry said.