Millets make a debut at the Konkan fruit fest this year — the year that celebrates this grain — with a fruit and millet dish competition.

 

Participants can get any homemade product that has at least one millet and fruit, or nut as the key ingredient. The dish has to be prepared by the contestant and have a portion size of 200ml or 250gm.

 

Even the fancy dress contest this year will permit participants to dress in the millet theme.

 

The Konkan Fruit Fest will be held from April 21 to 23 from 10am to 8pm at the Francisco Luis Gomes garden, Campal, Panaji.

 

Honey farmers will also debut at the event, with this year’s edition hosting the best honey competition for the first time. Participants have to present home-produced honey in a 100ml glass jar. The quantity of honey should not be more than 50gm. On the label, participants must mention the location from which the honey was collected. Only two types, Apis cerena indica and Trigona spp, will be accepted in the contest.

 

The spotlight will also be on the tender jack fruit (TJF), identified under One District, One Product of PM-FME program for North Goa.

 

'The Konkan Fruit Fest seeks to give it a boost,' said founding member of the Botanical Society of Goa, Miguel Braganca. 'One multi product fruit processing unit has been set up at Pale-Velguem for the same under the CSR of Goa Shipyard Ltd,' he added.

 

Berries like jamun, kanttam (Indian cherry), churna, amboram (mulberry), charam (charoli), and kokum (garcinia) will also be in focus, along with other summer fruits like the bull’s heart (anona).

India hardly exports $30 billion worth of merchandise to China, though the latter imports $2 trillion worth of goods from across the globe, said Kong Xianhua, Consul General, Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China.

 

'We are keen to promote a balanced trade with India,' the Consul General said in a statement at an interactive session organized by MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai.

 

'Indian companies should look at the Chinese market seriously by creating awareness about their local brands in the Chinese market. I invite Indian entrepreneurs to visit China and identify potential buyers for their products,' Xianhua said with the objective of exploring the huge untapped export potential for India.

 

Stating that many Chinese entrepreneurs are interested to visit India to explore new trade and investment opportunities, Xianhua said, 'I intend to facilitate bilateral exchange of trade and business delegation to promote two-way trade and investment. I also propose to organize an India-China Entrepreneur Summit in Mumbai to strengthen two-way investment.'

 

Earlier in his welcome remarks, Vijay Kalantri, Chairman, MVIRDC WTC Mumbai pointed out, 'Economic cooperation plays an important role in strengthening bilateral ties between India and China. India’s trade with China grew from a meager $2 billion 15 years ago to more than $150 billion. But the major cause of concern is that the official trade deficit with China is $100 billion and if we include the unofficial imports, then the total deficit runs to more than $150 billion as a lot of Chinese goods is routed to India through Hong Kong, Dubai, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and other Asian countries. In order to promote bilateral trade and reduce this deficit, both the countries need to explore actionable steps to facilitate Indian exports to China,'

 

Speaking about the role of WTC Mumbai in promoting balanced bilateral trade, Kalantri said, 'WTC Mumbai can work with the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai to bring a delegation of Chinese buyers and organize a buyer-seller meet to promote Indian exports to the Chinese market. WTC Mumbai can also recommend visas for genuine Chinese investors looking for investment opportunities in India. WTC Mumbai will also work closely with the Chinese Consulate in Mumbai to process Chinese visas for Indian businessmen. WTC Mumbai can collaborate with China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) of China to promote bilateral trade and investment. We can also collaborate with the two largest Chinese banks, viz. ICBC and Bank of China to promote their investment in Indian projects. WTC Mumbai also suggests both governments explore trade settlement mechanisms in local currency to promote bilateral trade.'

Renewing its ties with India, the popular International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) signed a five-year plan in Varanasi on Wednesday.

 

Between 2023 and 2028, the Philippines-headquartered IRRI and ICAR will work to establish a framework to develop market-oriented rice varieties with higher genetic gains, develop climate-resilient rice systems, and towards bettering rice health and nutrition.

 

The work plan was signed between Dr. Jean Balié, (IRRI director general) and Dr. Himanshu Pathak (ICAR chief) revitalising the non-profit’s 60-year-old collaboration with India. The signing event was held in the backdrop of the G20 MACS conference that concluded in the city on Wednesday.

 

'While IRRI and India’s collaboration has evolved over the years, so have the needs, expectations, and the environment of doing business in relation to what is happening in India and globally. IRRI...has been a staunch supporter of research and development to address the continuously changing challenges of the agri-food system,' said Dr Balié said on the occasion.

 

Most delegates condemn war in Ukraine

 

Most representatives from G20 member states who attended the G20 MACS in Varanasi on Wednesday, opposed and condemned the Russian aggression on Ukraine since February last year, a senior official said.

 

The chair’s summary and outcome document released on the occasion read: '...Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed that it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy constraining growth, increasing inflation, disrupting supply chains, heightening energy and food insecurity, and elevating financial stability risks. There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions.'

 

'Paragraphs 3 and 4 of this document, as taken from the G20 Bali Leaders’ Declaration (15-16 November 2022), were agreed to by all member countries except Russia and China,' it added.

Export of oilmeals from India witnessed a 103.33 per cent growth in terms of value and 82.58 per cent growth in terms of tonnage during 2022-23.

 

Data available with the Solvent Extractors’ Association (SEA) of India showed that India exported 43.36 lakh tonnes (lt) of oilmeals valued Rs.11,401.30 crore during 2022-23 against 23.74 lt valued Rs.5,607.09 crore in 2021-22.

 

BV Mehta, Executive Director of SEA of India, said the export earnings went up by up by 103 per cent due to sharp increase in export of soyabean meal and rapeseed meal.

 

India exported 10.22 lt of soyabean meal valued at Rs.4,725 crore in 2022-23 against 3.72 lt valued at Rs.2,206 crore in 2021-22.

 

He said the fall in local soyabean price to the level of Rs.4,500 a quintal from the highest level of Rs.7,640 in April 2022, encouraged larger crushing and better price parity. This made export of soyabean meal attractive in the last six months.

 

Positive trends

South-East Asia is the major consumer of Indian soyabean meal where India has a logistic advantage and also can supply in small lots.

 

Mehta said the rupee depreciation is also pushing the overall export. This helped India to revive the export of soyabean meal in new crop since November 22.

 

Export of rapeseed meal increased to 22.96 lt valued Rs.5,188 crore in 2022-23 against 8.66 lt valued Rs.2,035 crore in 2021-22. India’s rapeseed meal export broke the earlier highest record export of 12.48 lt in 2011-12.

 

He said currently India is the most competitive supplier of rapeseed meal to South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and other Far-East countries. The better realisation from rapeseed (mustard) oil and the export of rapeseed meal not only supported the domestic price of mustard seed but also encouraged higher coverage under the mustard crop during the last rabi season.

 

Major importers

South Korea imported 9.14 lt of oilmeals from India during 2022-23 (compared with 6.43 lt in 2021-22). This included 6.15 lt of rapeseed meal, 2.58 lt of castor seed meal, and 39,928 tonnes of soyabean meal.

 

India exported 10.29 lt (6.09 lt) of oilmeals to Vietnam during 2022-23. This included 4.01 lt of rice bran extraction, 2.89 lt of rapeseed meal, 3.32 lt of soyabean meal and 5,877 tonnes of groundnut meal.

 

Thailand imported 7.80 lt of oilmeals from India during 2022-23 (1.51 lt in 2021-22). This included 7.05 lt of rapeseed meal, 58,067 tonnes of soyabean meal, 4,038 tonnes of groundnut meal, 11,208 tonnes of rice bran extraction, and 954 tonnes of castorseed meal.

Along with the famous white Brinjal of Ramnagar, the famous Langda mango has got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. As per the latest list of GI & Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) 11 items from Uttar Pradesh have been given the tag. During the COVID-19 period, GI applications were filed for 20 UP based products in collaboration with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

 

Out of this, 11 could manage to get the prestigious GI tag which included seven products that come under the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme of UP government and four food items from the Varanasi region.

The United States becoming India's largest trading partner is a testament to the strengthening of bilateral ties between the two democracies, a prominent Indian American Congressman has said, underlining that the partnership increases both the prosperity and security of the two nations and the broader world.

These remarks were made by Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi on Tuesday in response to recent news that the US has emerged as India's biggest trading partner in 2022-23 on account of increasing economic ties between the two countries.

 

According to the provisional data of India's Commerce Ministry, the bilateral trade between India and the US has increased by 7.65 per cent to USD 128.55 billion in 2022-23 as against USD 119.5 billion in 2021-22. It was USD 80.51 billion in 2020-21.

The rapid growth of trade between the United States and India is a testament to the ties between our democracies growing stronger as our partnership increases both the prosperity and the security of our nations and the broader world, Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat, said.

 

Even as the United States has become India's largest trading partner, it is essential that we continue to recognise the enormous potential for further growth to strengthen both of our economies and create American jobs, Krishnamoorthi said.

America is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus. In 2022-23, India had a trade surplus of USD 28 billion with the US.

Barkat was speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry's India Israel Business Forum in Delhi. He is bringing a delegation of Israeli businessmen to India for a series of talks with business and government figures. Barkat stated that the Israel-India FTA will be discussed with Indian ministers later on Monday.

 

'The FTA should cover a wide range of topics, including Agrotech and health care. India's economy is growing to become the world's third largest. What I see here is a huge mutual opportunity, and we're here to take advantage of it,' Barkat explained.

 

'Take a look at the chip industry; Israel is very strong in this industry and has a lot to offer. We should take a serious look at how to co-develop ideas; there are a lot of joint ventures here,' he said, emphasizing the need of pushing for semiconductors, which are included in almost every modern electrical product.

 

'We are going to focus on issues and business clusters in which Israel has a competitive advantage, one of which I found that there is interest here, which we call desert technologies to improve quality of life in deserts, managing water, creating water, saving water, creating energy from the sun from the wind in a distributed way, and that tailors to deserts food production agrotech creating food from the sea using hydroponics.'

The Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS) of G20 nations on 'Sustainable Agriculture and Food System for Healthy People and Planet' concluded successfully at Varanasi today.

 

General (Dr.) V K Singh (Retd.), Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Road Transport and Highways inaugurated meeting on 17th April 2023.

 

About 80 delegates from G20 Member States; Invited Guest Countries, International Organizations participated in the meeting.

 

Dr.Himanshu Pathak, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) chaired the meeting for three days (17-19 April 2023).

 

The discussions were focused on Innovations and Technological Interventions for Agri-Food Systems Transformation, Frontiers in Science and Technology for Achieving Food Security & Nutrition, Biofortification in Food Crops for Enhancing Nutritional Value, Tropical Seaweed Farming for nutrition and blue growth, Millets And otHer Ancient Grains International Research Initiative (MAHARISHI), One Health as an Integrated and Unifying Approach: Partnerships and strategies for coordinated action, Transboundary Pests and Diseases: R&D Priorities for resilient agri-food systems, Climate Resilient Technologies and Innovations for sustainable agri-food systems, Nature-Positive Agriculture: Science and Innovations for building resilient agri-food system, Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI): Reducing GHS emissions and increasing crop yields.

 

Digital Agriculture and Traceability, Digital Technological Solutions for reducing Food Loss and Waste, Agri-tech Startup Ecosystem, Pluralistic Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (EAS): partnerships for improving lab to land and outreach, Smallholder and Family Farming: G20- Global South Cooperation forAgri-R&D, Public-private Agri-R&D for Public Goods: Experience in Generating and Accelerating Innovations.

 

The meeting adopted chair summary cum outcome document focussing on major area of cooperation in agricultural research and development for food security and nutrition, digital agriculture, resilient agri food systems and public private partnership in agricultural R&D.  MACS 2023 also supported launching of MAHARISHI which inter-alia will include.

 

Establish mechanisms to connect researchers and institutions working on identified grain crops to enhance the dissemination of research findings, and identify research gaps and needs.

Establish web platforms to connect researchers, exchange data, share communication products and thematic briefs to encourage research and information sharing.

Organize capacity-building activities and international workshops and conferences.

Performance identification and recognition to scientists

MAHARISHI secretariat shall be housed at Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad with technical support from ICRISAT, One CGIAR Centres and other International organisations.

 

On the sidelines of G20 MACS, bilateral meetings were held with France, United Kingdom, Argentina and Germany for future collaboration in agriculture research.

 

The bilateral meeting was also held with Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy . In the meeting Dr. Pathak emphasized that the FAO and ICAR may develop collaborations for strengthening extension service through KVKs.Dr. Ishmahane Elouafi, Chief Scientist, FAO also expressed keen interest in extending cooperation in extension service. Dr. Selvaraju Ramasamy, Senior Agriculture Officer, FAO also joined the meeting.

 

Indo-German bilateral meeting discussed to address the challenges of Food Loss and Waste Prevention targeting SAARC Region.

 

The Government made arrangements to give a taste of the unique experience of India’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage to the foreign delegates arriving at Varanasi. The state government and district administration made a very exhaustive and grand arrangements for providing the basic amenities for the movement of delegates as well as showcasing the cultural heritage and local folks to the delegates arrived at Varanasi from developed and developing countries across the world.

 

During the course of the meeting, the delegates were taken on a cruise ride to witness the scintillating view of Ganga Aarti followed by a Welcome dinner and cultural program is organized at Taj Ganges. The delegates were also taken to Sarnath. They were given a guided tour of ASI Museum and Buddha Stupa and also witnessed the Light and Sound show. Subsequently, the Cultural Performance for delegates were arranged at the serene surroundings of the Buddha Theme Park.

 

The Delegates visited Trade Facilitation Centre on 19th April 2023 and had a glimpse of textile history of the city along with live demonstrations of the local artisans making their products. A small exhibition of leading institutions of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and State Agriculture Department, IRRI-SARC including other organisations such as NDDB, APEDA was also organized at TFC. The delegates were shown live preparations of millets dishes at the venue. Thereafter, Farewell Dinner and cultural performances was organized.

 

The MACS Chair Dr. Himanshu Pathak thanked all the delegates for their participation & contribution and handed over the MACS Presidency to Brazil.

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar today launched the SATHI (Seed Traceability, Authentication and Holistic Inventory) Portal and Mobile App, a Centralized Online System for seed traceability, authentication and inventory designed to deal with the challenges of seed production, quality seed identification and seed certification. It has been developed by the NIC in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on the theme of ‘Uttam Beej – Samriddh Kisan’. On this occasion, Shri Tomar said that the Government of India is constantly trying to overcome the challenges and difficulties faced by Agriculture sector through various schemes and programmes. SATHI portal is an important step in this direction. When its use starts right to the grassroot level, it will prove to be a revolutionary step in the field of agriculture.

 

Chief guest Union Minister Shri Tomar said that Agriculture is of great importance to India. This importance has increased in the changing scenario. Earlier, we had only the aim of fulfilling our needs in agriculture, but at present the expectations of the world are also increasing from India. In such a situation, it is our responsibility to help feed the world while dealing with all the challenges of agriculture, climate change etc. Shri Tomar said that seeds, pesticides, fertilizers and irrigation play a major role in agriculture. Inferior quality or spurious seeds affect the growth of agriculture. This causes loss to the farmers, it also affects the agricultural production of the country. It has been said from time to time that we should devise such a system so that the market of spurious seeds is checked and quality seeds reach the farmers, for this the SATHI portal has been launched today. In this era of climate change, new types of pests are affecting the crops, on which agricultural scientists should focus their research to eradicate the menace. If we are able to save this loss, then we can save 20 percent of the entire agricultural production.

 

Union Minister Shri Tomar said that the first phase of SATHI (Seed Traceability, Authentication and Holistic) portal has just been launched. He directed the officials to ensure that the second phase does not take long. Efforts should be made to increase awareness so that the farmers get full benefit from it. There will be a QR code under this system, through which the seeds can be traced. Training should be imparted through Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Krishi Vigyan Kendras and State Governments. He urged all the states to join the Seed Traceability System.

 

SATHI portal will ensure quality assurance system, identify the source of seed in the seed production chain. The system will consist of integrated 7 verticals of the seed chain - Research Organisation, Seed Certification, Seed Licensing, Seed Catalogue, Dealer to Farmer Sales, Farmer Registration and Seed DBT. Seeds with valid certification can only be sold by valid licensed dealers to centrally registered farmers who will receive subsidy through DBT directly into their pre-validated bank accounts.

 

Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Manoj Ahuja, Joint Secretary (Seed) Shri Pankaj Yadav and other officers were present in the programme, while key officials of the States and ICAR joined through video conference.

The proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between Israel and India should be as wide as possible to enable more and more trade as it brings people together, Israel's Minister of Economy and Industry M K Nir Barkat said on Tuesday. The minister said he will hold discussions with the Indian side regarding an FTA between the two countries, negotiations for which have been going on for over a decade.

 

'As a government to government I am going to be proposing to your ministers to naturally expand the free trade agreement, focus on business development in a smart way, share knowledge and experience as much as possible,' Barkat said at a CII event during his visit here.

 

He said both sides will have to focus on complementary areas for the proposed free trade deal where India and Israel hold a competitive advantage.

 

'It (FTA) should be as wide as possible to enable more and more trade as free trade brings the people together,' Barkat said.

 

He added that Isreal has a lot to offer in sectors like agrotech, healthtech and foodtech and it translates into a lot of trade from both directions. 'So from my perspective, we are coming as open as possible,' the minister said.

 

The minister also wished that India and Israel double trade every two years. Replying to media queries on the event's sidelines, Barkat described the idea of I2U2 grouping of India, Israel, UAE and the US as 'really smart'.

 

'I think that the more time will flow you will see that the relationship and the bonding has a lot to offer because the UAE and Israel are small but well positioned. The American and the Indian economies are large and very complementary,' he said.

 

On alternate plans in the context of Chinese supply chain constraints and Russian sanctions, he said, geopolitical challenges in the world enable more creativity and more development. The minister said he sees a huge mutual opportunity in India, adding, 'We are here to exploit it'.