Wheat procurement has surged 36.6 per cent to 21.31 million tonnes (mt) as of April 28, from 15.6 mt a year ago, according to the latest official data. The procurement target has been fixed at 34.15 mt for the entire season, which ends on June 30.

 

According to official data, mandi prices have declined to Rs.1,780/quintal in Madhya Pradesh and to Rs.1,800/quintal in Rajasthan during the procurement season, which started on April 1. The MSP in Uttar Pradesh is at Rs.2,125/quintal. On the other hand, the maximum mandi rate in MP on April 26 was reportedly Rs.2,698/quintal, in Rajasthan Rs.2,580/quintal, and in UP Rs.2,250/quintal

 

Punjab has shown a 16.6 per cent increase in purchases to 9.99 mt as of April 28, from the year-ago level of 8.57 mt. The target for the year is 13.2 mt. The state contributed the maximum wheat, more than half the total purchases made in the Central Pool last year, which saved the Centre when exporters and traders paid higher than MSP in other states.

 

Procurement in Madhya Pradesh is up by 65.2 per cent at 5.45 mt, from 3.3 mt, whereas the target is to buy 8 mt by June 15. Last year, the Centre could purchase only 4.6 mt, against a target of 12.9 mt from MP.

 

Haryana has reported a 53.2 per cent jump at 5.67 mt from 3.7 mt a year ago, and the largest wheat-producer, Uttar Pradesh, reported a 2.8 per cent dip in procurement at 119,378 tonnes, from 122,805 tonnes as on April 28 a year ago, official data show.

 

Among other states, the government has bought 82,770 tonnes (against 749 tonnes year-ago) in Rajasthan. Gujarat is yet to purchase any quantity, while Bihar has reported procurement at 255 tonnes. The government aims to buy 1 mt from Bihar, 0.5 mt from Rajasthan and 0.2 mt from Gujarat.

 

Wheat procurement in the country dropped to a 15-year low of 18.79 mt in the 2022-23 season (April-March).

 

The commerce ministry has asked export promotion councils to work on export targets for current fiscal year and chalk out a detailed road map to achieve that. According to exporters, issues related to the country's outbound shipments were discussed during a meeting chaired by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on April 24.

 

India's goods and services exports together touched an all-time high of USD 770 billion last fiscal year.While merchandise exports touched USD 447 billion, services exports are estimated at about USD 322 billion.

 

'The ministry has asked us to work on new exports target for this fiscal and explain ways to achieve,' an exporter said.

 

He said it was emphasised that states and Indian missions abroad be involved in achieving the new target.

 

There was also a discussion on organising a major buyer-seller meet to showcase India's prowess in exports.

 

Latin America and African countries hold huge potential to boost exports.

 

Apparel Export Promotion Council Chairman Narendra Goenka, who participated in the April 24 meeting, said though there are global economic uncertainties, the sector is likely to grow by 5-10 per cent this fiscal.

 

The country's merchandise exports are likely to cross USD 500 billion this fiscal due to healthy demand for domestic goods in key global markets, including the US, and benefits from trade pacts, according to exporters.

 

'Together with goods and services, we are targeting exports of USD 900 billion this fiscal,' FIEO Director General Ajay Sahai said.

 

Free trade agreements with the UAE and Australia would provide a huge platform to boost exports in those markets.

 

Ludhiana-based engineering exporter and Hand Tools Association President SC Ralhan said there are healthy signs of economic growth in the US, which accounts for about 18 per cent of India's total outbound shipments.

 

Mumbai-based exporter and Chairman of Technocraft Industries Sharda Kumar Saraf too said that this fiscal would be better than last year for India's exports.

Wheat procurement has surged 36.6 per cent to 21.31 million tonnes (mt) as of April 28, from 15.6 mt a year ago, according to the latest official data. The procurement target has been fixed at 34.15 mt for the entire season, which ends on June 30.

 

According to official data, mandi prices have declined to Rs.1,780/quintal in Madhya Pradesh and to Rs.1,800/quintal in Rajasthan during the procurement season, which started on April 1. The MSP in Uttar Pradesh is at Rs.2,125/quintal. On the other hand, the maximum mandi rate in MP on April 26 was reportedly Rs.2,698/quintal, in Rajasthan Rs.2,580/quintal, and in UP Rs.2,250/quintal

 

Punjab has shown a 16.6 per cent increase in purchases to 9.99 mt as of April 28, from the year-ago level of 8.57 mt. The target for the year is 13.2 mt. The state contributed the maximum wheat, more than half the total purchases made in the Central Pool last year, which saved the Centre when exporters and traders paid higher than MSP in other states.

 

Procurement in Madhya Pradesh is up by 65.2 per cent at 5.45 mt, from 3.3 mt, whereas the target is to buy 8 mt by June 15. Last year, the Centre could purchase only 4.6 mt, against a target of 12.9 mt from MP.

 

Haryana has reported a 53.2 per cent jump at 5.67 mt from 3.7 mt a year ago, and the largest wheat-producer, Uttar Pradesh, reported a 2.8 per cent dip in procurement at 119,378 tonnes, from 122,805 tonnes as on April 28 a year ago, official data show.

 

Among other states, the government has bought 82,770 tonnes (against 749 tonnes year-ago) in Rajasthan. Gujarat is yet to purchase any quantity, while Bihar has reported procurement at 255 tonnes. The government aims to buy 1 mt from Bihar, 0.5 mt from Rajasthan and 0.2 mt from Gujarat.

 

Wheat procurement in the country dropped to a 15-year low of 18.79 mt in the 2022-23 season (April-March).

Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, along with Shri Rajbir Singh, Managing Director, NAFED, commemorated the launch of the first of its kind ‘Millets Experience Centre (MEC)’ at Dilli Haat, INA, New Delhi today. NAFED in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) established the Millets Experience Centre with an aim to raise awareness on Millets and encourage its adoption among general public.

 

Acting upon India’s proposal supported by 72 countries, the United Nations General Assembly declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023). The declaration positioned India at the forefront of the celebrations and the Government of India has been working on ‘mission mode’ to champion millets as a crop good for farmer, environment and consumer. The ministry-led initiative of establishing a consumer-oriented ‘Millets Experience Centre’ would not only promote the dietary benefits of the ancient grain, but also popularize millets or Shree Anna as a nutritional powerhouse fit for cooking a variety of dishes like Millets dosa, Millets pasta etc. In addition to a unique dining experience, customers can also purchase a variety of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products from local millet start-ups at the MEC.

 

In his inaugural address, Shri Tomar praised India’s dynamic celebration of IYM 2023, led by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Highlighting the visionary efforts of the Prime Minister, starting from the declaration if the National Year of Millets in 2018 and further with the International Year of Millets (IYM), Shri Tomar said India is gearing towards becoming a ‘Global Hub’ for Millets. The setting up of the MEC is a step in that direction, he added. Situated in the heart of Delhi, Dilli Haat is a national & cultural hub for visitors from all around the world, the MEC will further help the global outreach of the local millets and provide visitors a chance to witness India’s ‘Millet Movement’, he said.

 

Shri Tomar also highlighted that the year-long celebrations for millets (Shree Anna) will entail myriad activities aimed at creating awareness around the environmental, health and economic benefits of millet farming.

 

Shri Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, also highlighted the government-led initiatives for mainstreaming millets. Speaking about the collaboration of NAFED and MoA&FW, he said that ventures like the Millets Experience Centre would help widen the horizon for consumers who are actively looking for healthier alternatives and bring visibility to India’s robust millet-based start-up community. He also added that more such Millet Experience Centres are likely to open across Delhi and other states very soon through partnership with retail chains, hotels and F&B industry.

 

Shri Rajbir Singh, Managing Director, NAFED, praised the joint efforts by the MoA&FW and NAFED for the initiatives being undertaken for the promotion of Millets (Shree Anna) and execution of IYM-2023. He said that the Millets Experience Centre (Shree Anna) is a unique concept that will help in the recognition of the immense potential of millets (Shree Anna) as a versatile and healthy grain. He added that this MEC (Shree Anna) will enable the consumers to enjoy an expansive Millet menu and an ‘in-store’ shopping experience featuring a wide variety of millet-based products developed by home grown startups- all under one roof. He further said that the millets (Shree Anna)-based products will also be instrumental in promoting healthy snacking among customers, encouraging them towards adopting healthier millets-centric diets.

Surpassing the target of $23.56 billion, exports of major agriculture and processed products (broadly divided under 27 categories) promoted by nodal agency Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) jumped 8.74 per cent to $26.72 billion during the last fiscal from $24.57 billion in 2021-22.

 

Pulses, Basmati rice, guar gum, groundnut and poultry products were the top performers which registered over 32 per cent growth rate. However, wheat, floriculture and meat (other than buffalo, sheep and goat meat) exports declined.

 

Due to thesudden ban imposed by the Centre on wheat exports last May, which still continues, the volume dropped to 4.69 million tonnes(mt) worth $1.5 billion from 7.24 mt a year ago.

 

India’s agricultural exports, including marine products and spices, surged about 20 per cent to $50.21 billion during 2021-22, in which APEDA-promoted products had over 50 per cent share. The government is yet to release the total agri export performance.

 

Top earners

In the APEDA basket, rice (both basmati and non-basmati) remained the top forex earner at $11.14 billion during 2022-23 against $9.67 billion in 2021-22. Data show that though Basmati rice had an impressive performance, the low rise in the non-Basmati segment dragged the overall growth in the rice sector to 15.2 per cent.

 

Exports of non-Basmati rice were 3.62 per cent up at $6.36 billion, while that of Basmati were up 35.3 per cent at record $4.79 billion last fiscal from year before.

 

APEDA’s major exporting destinations were Bangladesh, UAE, Vietnam, USA, Nepal, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Iran, and Egypt last year. 'The rise is significant in agri-exports amid the geopolitical tensions and we are committed to perform better with the focus on several key products identified already,' said M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA. The emphasis on Shri Anna (millets) and their promotion via G20 meetings will be booster for its exports, both of raw grains and valued-added products, he added.

 

Export of pulses grew to $662 million in 2022-23, up 84 per cent from $359 million a year before. Shipments of poultry products grew by 89 per cent to $134 million from $71 million, while that of guar gum increased by 38 per cent to $617 million. Export of groundnuts rose 32 per cent to $832 million, that of processed vegetables by 24 per cent to $509 million($412 million).

 

Fresh fruits and vegetables exports were up by 5.7 per cent to nearly $1.79 billion from $1.69 billion, while processed fruits and vegetables exports were up by 19 per cent to reach $1.42 billion ($1.19 billion). Exports of alcoholic beverages grew by 18.5 per cent to $325 million from $274 million.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday asserted that 'deeper globalization' and a 'broadening of India's interest' is the reason that Latin America is no longer considered 'a region too far, adding that India's trade with it is approaching a volume of 'USD 50 billion'.

 

The EAM made the above remarks while apprising the diplomatic corps and students in the Dominican Republic about India's engagement with Latin America.

 

During his speech, Jaishankar spoke on three themes: How does India approach the world and secure its growing global interest; How is India engaging Latin America; What should India - today's and tomorrow's - mean to you (Dominican Republic).

 

Following his speech, Jaishankar tweeted, 'Happy to speak to diplomatic corps and young minds of the diplomatic school of @MIREXRD, Dominican Republic. Offered my thoughts on - How does India approach the world? How is India engaging Latin America? What should India - today's and tomorrow's - mean to them? Watch my speech to know the answers.'

 

The External Affairs Minister, during his first official visit to the Dominican Republic, while speaking further on India's engagement with Latin America said, 'In the last decade there has been a conscious deepening of this process. Our trade with Latin America is today approaching a volume of USD 50 billion. Our export to Brazil at USD 6.48 billion is more than Japan at USD 6.18 billion. That to Mexico at USD 4.43 billion is more than to Canada at USD 3.7 billion. In fact, with the Dominican Republic, our exports at USD 329 million is more than some ASEAN partners. The deeper globalization and a broadening of India's interest, Latin America is no longer considered a region too far.'

 

Underlining India's growing investments, he said, 'Surge in investments in the energy sector, India today imports crude from Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Guyana. Our presence in sectors like IT, pharma and two-wheelers is increasing.'

 

Jaishankar also noted India's growing political coordination with regional blocs of Latin America, 'The political engagements are growing in parallel. Since 2016, we have a structured engagement with CELAC. Similarly, there is an arrangement to regularly interact with CARICOM and SICA. India is an associate member of Pacific alliance.'

 

Explaining the students of diplomacy about what should India - today's and tomorrow's - mean to them, Jaishankar said that as the fifth largest economy, India's economic presence will be more strongly felt in this region.

 

'Not just as a most populous country but also one of growing skills and talent, we are becoming increasingly central to the global workplace. The big change of our era is digital revolution. In that sense, India's digital experience holds lessons for the world,' he said.

 

Noting other major steps taken by India, Jaishankar said, 'A parallel story is taking place in the domain of health. Covid period recognised India's true potential in health sector. In a world that is more self-obsessed India has stepped in providing humanitarian assistance.'

 

Prior to this, the External Affairs Minister stated the different aspects of 'How does India approach the world?'

 

'Like any other country, India's most pressing priorities are in its neighbourhood. Given its size and economic strength, it is very much for the collective benefit that India takes generous and non-reciprocal approach to cooperation with smaller neighbours.'

 

Jaishankar also explained them India's Neighbourhood First Policy, which focuses on peaceful relations with its South Asian neighbours.

 

He said, 'This what we have done in the last decade under the leadership of PM Modi and Neighbourhood First Policy. It has seen a dramatic expansion in connectivity, contact and cooperation across the region. The exception to this is, of course, Pakistan in view of the cross-border terrorism it supports,' adding, 'Whether it is the Covid challenge or more recent debt pressure India has always stepped up for its neighbours.'

 

Jaishankar, in his lecture, explained India's global ties in all directions. He said, 'Beyond South Asia, India is developing a concept of extended neighbourhoods, in all directions. With ASEAN, this has taken the form of what we call the Act East Policy that has opened up a pathway to a deeper engagement with the Indo-Pacific that is being pursued amongst others through a mechanism, called the Quad.'

 

'Towards the West, there has been a perceptible intensification with India's relationship with the Gulf and with the Middle East. One reflection of that, is a new grouping called I-2U-2, comprising India, Israel, UAE, USA,' he added.

 

The External Affairs Minister also said, 'To the South, the outlook that shapes India's thinking goes by the acronym of Sagar, an Indian word for oceans. First time in 2015, PM Modi articulated a comprehensive view that span the entirety of Indian oceans and its islands. These subsequently became the building block for the Indo-Pacific vision that merged thereafter.'

 

He added, 'To the North, India has been pursuing a strategy of connecting to Central Asia more effectively and this has taken the form of structured engagements across multiple domains.'

 

On Friday, Jaishankar arrived in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic for his first official visit to the country.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday said the government is making efforts to boost the production and consumption of millets. He was speaking after inaugurating the 'Millets Experience Centre (MEC)' at Dilli Haat, INA, in the national capital.

 

Co-operative NAFED in collaboration with the agriculture ministry established this centre to create awareness about the benefits of millet and encourage its adoption among the general public.

 

Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja and Nafed MD Rajbir Singh were present at the event.

 

'We are making efforts to enhance production, yield, processing and consumption of millers in the country,' Tomar said.

 

The minister highlighted that there are multiple health benefits of consuming millet as it is nutritious.

 

Tomar said millets are climate resilient and can be grown in less water and with minimal use of fertilisers and pesticides.

 

He said an increase in the production of millet will also boost the income of farmers, especially small and marginal ones.

 

Tomar noted that a large number of startups are doing a commendable job in the field of millet.

 

He rued that importance of millet in a plate of food got reduced over the years.

 

Acting upon India's proposal supported by 72 countries, the United Nations General Assembly declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023). The declaration positioned India at the forefront of the celebrations.

 

The government has been working on 'mission mode' to champion millet as a crop good for farmers, the environment and consumers.

 

Tomar highlighted that the year-long celebrations for millets (Shree Anna) will entail myriad activities aimed at creating awareness around the environmental, health and economic benefits of millet farming.

 

The ministry-led initiative of establishing a consumer-oriented 'Millets Experience Centre' would not only promote the dietary benefits of the ancient grain but also popularise millets or Shree Anna as a nutritional powerhouse fit for cooking a variety of dishes like Millets dosa, Millets pasta etc.

 

In addition to a unique dining experience, customers can also purchase a variety of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products from local millet startups at the experience centre.

 

Ahuja highlighted the government-led initiatives for mainstreaming millets.

 

Speaking about the collaboration of NAFED and the ministry, he said that ventures like the Millets Experience Centre would help widen the horizon for consumers, who are actively looking for healthier alternatives and bring visibility to India's robust millet-based startup community.

 

Nafed MD Rajbir Singh said the centre is a unique concept that will help in the recognition of the immense potential of millets (Shree Anna) as a versatile and healthy grain.

 

He added that this centre will enable the consumers to enjoy an expansive Millet menu and an 'in-store' shopping experience featuring a wide variety of millet-based products developed by homegrown startups - all under one roof.

 

Singh further said that the millets-based products will also be instrumental in promoting healthy snacking among customers, encouraging them towards adopting healthier millets-centric diets.

 

India produces more than 170 lakh tonne of millet. Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Sawan, Kangni, Cheena, Kodo, Kutki and Kuttu are some of the major millets.

Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, delivered the inaugural address at the 'India Calling Conference 2023' organized by the Indian Merchants Chamber in Mumbai. During his address, he highlighted the contribution of companies from small countries, such as the Czech Republic and Poland, to the supply chain of big companies around the globe.

 

Minister Goyal appealed to all to aim for a 47 trillion dollar economy when India reaches the year 2047. He added that India has tried to formalize the economy and has met with great success. The spirit of team, competitiveness, and positivity are necessary for success, and that kind of spirit can be seen in Mumbai, which is not only the financial capital but also the fun capital of India, he added.

 

Minister Goyal said that every single geography in the world has a lot of hope and expectation from India, and though it can be sometimes daunting, it shows the confidence of the world in India's future. He said, 'India reflects the vision of the world as one Economy. While Commerce Industry teams are negotiating Free Trade Agreements with a deep focus on protecting India's interest, India believes that true prosperity happens when the whole world prospers. India believes in Vaccine Maitri under which it delivered 278 million doses to poorer countries mostly free because India feels safe when the world is safe.'

 

The Minister further added that the 'Panch Pran' given by the Prime Minister can be realized only if it becomes the commitment of the entire nation. He emphasized that the vision of a developed India will not be possible without the 'Nari Shakti' of India and a corruption-free nation. He applauded the commitment of the industry to social causes and said that all of us are determined for a better future for India.

 

During the conference, Dinesh Joshi, Chairman, IMC International Business Committee, highlighted the success story of 'Make in India' initiative, where India has turned out to be one of the most favored manufacturing hubs. He mentioned that India's smart phone exports have increased from zero to 90,000 crores, and centers of excellence are being set up for the manufacture of electronics, pharma, textiles, and solar manufacturing. He also noted that India has made considerable progress in sectors such as defense, space, hydrogen energy, and fintech.

 

Anant Singhania, President, IMC, in his welcome address, said that India is now the 5th largest nation by GDP, up from 10th place since 2014. He highlighted the government's initiatives to link ordinary Indians to their electronic identity through a set of digital services, which has caused the cost of technology to drop. This and the conducive ecosystem created by the Government of India have transformed the startup scene in India, making India the world's third-largest startup hub, he observed. He also noted how India has gone from creating 1 Unicorn/year to 42 Unicorns in 2021 and in a span of 10 years emerged as the number 1 mobile data consuming nation.

 

Union Minister Piyush Goyal also extended an invitation to those present to join him in listening to the 100th episode of Mann Ki baat on April 30.

HyderabadAt the maiden Food Conclave 2023 held here on Saturday, Telangana has bagged projects worth Rs.7,218 crore in various food processing, aquaculture, edible oil and meat processing industries.

 

Addressing the valedictory of the conclave, Telangana IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao said the fresh investment proposals have the potential to generate 58,458 jobs.

 

'We are also working on the supply chain linkages where we will connect the industry to the farmers of the State by effectively deploying the agriculture extension system,' he said.

 

'We are creating farmer producer organisations (FPOs) to provide plug-and-play supply chains for the food processing Industry. We have set a target to build Special Food Processing Zones on an aggregate area of 10,000 acres in the State,' he said.

 

Ramesh Chand, a Member of NITI Ayog, has called for efforts to promote corporate investments in agriculture production. 'The share of corporate investments is just 0.3 per cent in production agriculture. Their investments may be there in areas like warehousing but in production agriculture is low.

 

'We need to increase this. In order to facilitate this, we need to have discussions with policymakers, academia and farmers,' he said.

 

Addressing the inaugural of the maiden Food Conclave 2023 here on Saturday, he said 11 out of the 17 SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) are directly or indirectly tied to agriculture. 'If we don’t fix the problems in agriculture, we can’t achieve the goals,' he said.

 

K T Ram Rao (Center), Minister for Industries and Commerce along with other dignitaries at the inaugural plenary at the Food Conclave 2023 at Hyderabad Saturday, April 29, 2023.

 

About 100 top leaders from agri, food processing industry and policy makers are speaking at the conference which is focusing on the five revolutions of – Green (agriculture), Yellow (edible oils), Blue (aquaculture), Pink (meat and poultry) and White (dairy), discussing the opportunities in these areas.

 

All you need to know about the Telangana government’s ‘The Food Conclave’  All you need to know about the Telangana government’s ‘The Food Conclave’  

 

Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary (IT and Industries), Government of Telangana, said a strong food processing policy would help in doubling the farmers’ incomes. 'We offer the best value proposition for the industry to set up their investments in food processing industries,' he said.

 

He said the State government would make the Food Conclave an annual event.

 

Singireddy Niranjan Reddy, Agriculture Minister, Government of Telangana delivering address at the inaugural plenary at the Food Conclave 2023 at Hyderabad.

 

Telangana Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy said the cultivated area in the State went up to 2.20 crore acres now from 1.31 crore acres in 2014-15, the year when the State was formed. The food grain production went up to 2.70 crore tonnes from 68 lakh tonnes during the period.

 

'The area under cotton went up by 44 per cent over the area of 41 lakh acres at the time of the formation of the State,' he said.

While Ukraine, a major grain exporter, has had to seek alternative shipping routes through neighboring countries due to its own Black Sea ports being blocked and later limited by Russia's invasion, Romania has refrained from implementing a ban.

 

However, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Slovakia have taken individual measures to safeguard their local markets from a surge of Ukrainian agricultural goods.

 

Millions of tonnes of grains and oilseeds, cheaper than those produced in the European Union and duty-free, ended up in Central and Eastern Europe, with local farmers complaining about distorted demand and pricing for local products. The European Commission announced earlier this month that it would take emergency 'preventive measures' for wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, and rapeseed, compensating local farmers and only allowing grain to enter the five countries from Ukraine if it was intended for export to other EU members or the rest of the world.

 

Daea stated that the Commission's actions were contingent on nations lifting their unilateral bans. If a deal cannot be reached, Daea stated that the Commission will take action to prohibit exports to Romania in particular.

 

'Negotiations with the states are still ongoing,' Daea said to reporters following discussions in Brussels and Luxembourg.'Romania will be protected by a European Commission decision, and farmers will be compensated.' 

 

On Tuesday, the European Union's agriculture head voiced confidence that surrounding countries will soon ratify an agreement allowing Ukrainian grain to enter their country for export elsewhere.