In a positive sign for state government's efforts in the agriculture sector, Telangana has witnessed almost 40% increase in agriculture exports between 2020 and 2022. While agriculture exports stood at Rs 6,337 crore in 2020-21, it rose substantially to about Rs 10,000 crore in 2021- 22.

 

According to the data recently released by the central government, Telangana and Maharashtra are two states which have shown marked growth in agriculture exports. In just five years, from 2017-18 to 2021-22, it has increased from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore in Telangana.

 

Telangana's top exports include cotton, spices, cereals and meat. According to experts, the exports from Telangana have improved due to innovative methods, increased use of technology and cold storage facilities.

 

'Considering that Telangana has no coastline, the improvement clearly shows how better infrastructure has helped the sector grow substantially,' said Kotha Bhaskar Reddy, an exporter from NiIzamabad who deals in fruits.

 

As per the data, cotton exports totalled Rs 3,055 crore in 2021-22, while spices, coffee and tea accounted for Rs 1,936 crore. Cereals contributed Rs 1,480 crore and meat exports accounted for Rs 268 crore. The state also exports rice, maize, lemon, grapes, mango and soyabean.

 

The data from the state also shows that total foreign direct investment inflows in the agriculture sector in the country have a high share from Telangana. The state attracted FDI worth Rs.3,000 crore between 2019- 2021.

 

Currently, state is focussing on increasing the exte-nt of oil seed farming which will increase exports base.

Nepal has requested India to supply 300,000 tonnes of wheat to avoid a major spurt in local flour prices.

 

The shortage of wheat has already made the flour prices dearer in the domestic market, although prices have dropped to some extent since March.

 

The Nepal government expects that the requested consignment would start coming from the new fiscal year 2023-24, or after mid-July.

 

According to reports, more than 80 percent of the world’s wheat is being consumed as flour.

 

Four mill owners, however, said that the proposed quantity needs to be imported from India as soon as possible or else, the price of flour in the country will go through the roof.

 

Nepali consumers are already battling high inflation, which has reached near 8 percent.

 

According to the World Bank’s latest report, inflation in South Asia is set to fall to 8.9 percent this year.

 

However, weaker currencies and delayed domestic price adjustments are contributing to a slower than anticipated decline in inflation.

 

Elevated global and domestic food prices are contributing to greater food insecurity for South Asia’s poor who spend a larger share of their incomes on food.

 

Last week, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies sent a letter to the Indian government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting a consignment of 300,000 tonnes of wheat.

 

Urmila KC, under secretary of the Industry Ministry, said that the import of 300,000 tonnes of wheat would start arriving from the beginning of the next fiscal year.

 

'As the domestic harvesting season has also started, we will analyse the production and demand gap and make further decisions,' she said. 'We have not received any comments from the Indian government regarding our request,' KC added.

 

After India imposed a ban on wheat exports in May last year, it set a quota of 50,000 tonnes for Nepal in December.

 

Out of the 50,000 tonnes of wheat, 6,800 tonnes are being imported jointly by the Food Management and Trading Company and Salt Trading Corporation.

 

'We cannot say when the wheat will arrive as the procurement process has not yet been started. 'The Indian government is yet to decide on the seller,' said Kumar Rajbhandari, information officer at the Salt Trading Corporation.

 

The Industry Ministry published a notice on August 8 last year requesting the sugar and flour producers to submit paperwork to apply for quotas. The Indian government has also imposed a quota system on the import of sugar.

 

According to Nepal Flour Mills Association, the mills have received only 33,000 tonnes of wheat so far and are yet to receive the remainder.

 

'If the new batch is delayed, the domestic wheat producers may jack up prices on the pretext of the Indian ban,' said Dinesh Kumar Agrawal, senior vice-president of the Nepal Flour Mills Association.

 

'During this time of the year, which is the harvest period, I used to receive 21 tonnes of wheat daily in my factory from domestic producers. But currently, I am receiving only a small amount,' Agrawal said, adding that it looks like the domestic suppliers have started hoarding wheat.

 

The flour mills are operating at 20 percent of their capacity due to the limited availability of domestic wheat, he said.

 

The price of flour started to jump in the local market after India put a ban on the export of wheat flour on May 13, 2022 due to a decline in its production.

 

The price of flour nearly doubled to Rs95 per kg.

 

But prices started cooling down as soon as India allotted the quota to Nepal.

 

'We need at least 600,000 tonnes of wheat for the next fiscal year. As Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is going on an official visit to India soon, he should make a special request to his counterpart to allocate a sufficient quota for Nepal,' Agrawal said.

 

'We are weak in negotiations. Writing a request letter is not enough to bring the required quantity of wheat on time and prevent shortages,' Agrawal said. 'The government-to-government talks are a must for the ease in the supply of wheat,'

 

In the last fiscal year, Nepal’s wheat harvesting rose by less than 1 percent to 2.02 million tonnes. This fiscal year, experts say due to the late winter rainfall, which is good for the wheat crop, the output may go up.

 

Wheat is sowed in December and harvested in March.

 

Last May, India imposed a ban on wheat exports after an unseasonal hot weather hurt the wheat crop, sending local prices soaring besides causing food security risks to India.

 

According to a Reuters report, India is considering extending the ban on wheat exports as the world's second-biggest producer seeks to replenish state reserves and bring down the domestic prices. The Indian government is unwilling to open wheat exports until mid-2024, the report said.

 

Heatwaves in northern and central India during the crop ripening period are threatening to dent its wheat production for a second straight year, the report said.

 

The higher temperatures in March have been estimated to trim wheat output by 4 million to 5 million tonnes in India, the report added.

 

Nearly 85 percent of the flour mills in Nepal were forced to shut down due to the Indian government's ban on wheat exports. The ban also created a shortage of refined flour and wheat flour in the local market.

Madhya Pradesh horticulture and food processing department has identified a total 18 products, as specialty of different areas in the state, to apply for geographical indication (GI) to help global promotion of the same.

 

Excited with Rewa district’s Sundarja Mango recently receiving the coveted GI tag, horticulture and food processing department has prepared a list of total 18 products including jeeravan of Indore, Alirajpur’s Noorjahan mango, Kumbhraj dhania of Guna, Bhata (eggplant) of Narsinghpur district’s Barman Ghaat, Khursani Imli of Mandu, Balam Kakdi of Sailana, Khargone’s red chili.

 

Other products that the department is making effort to get the GI tag are mango of Betul, Jabalpur’s peas and water chestnut, sitafal of Seoni, Malwi Potato, Malwi garadu, Narsinghpur district’s jaggery, banana of Burhanpur, Chhattarpur district’s paan, Kodo-Kutki of Dindori along with eggplant and tomato (Deshi) of Balaghat district.

 

'All these products are unique and famous for many reasons including the qualities and the characteristics that is essentially due to the place of the origin for the climate, soil and other natural conditions at the particular geographical area,' Nidhi Nivedita, director at the horticulture and food processing department said.

 

'The GI tag not only helps in global promotion of the products, but also in promoting the conservation of local traditional production processes and protecting and adding value to the cultural identity of local communities,' she said.

 

'All these unique 18 products will be registered to get the GI Tag as the state government and the department are committed help the unique horticulture harvest earning a distinguished identity in the country and across the world, along with right value of the same,' she said, adding that Rewa district’s Sundarja Mango is the horticulture product that recently received the GI Tag.

 

Other products that have received the tag include Wrought iron crafts and Gond painting of Dindori, Ujjain’s Batik print, Gwalior’s handmade carpet, Waraseoni handloom saree & fabrics, Jabalpur’s stone craft, Morena’s Gajak along with Sharbati wheat that is mainly produced in Sehore and Vidisha district of MP.

Basmati, a long-grain aromatic rice, has been grown in India for many centuries and is an unalienable part of Indian culture, religion and all occasions of celebration.

 

India is the leading producer and exporter of Basmati rice because major amount and varieties of Basmati rice are produced in the Indian subcontinent's Himalayan region. The particular agroclimatic condition of this region as well as methods of harvesting, processing unique to the farming practices of these areas are behind the characteristic features of Basmati.

 

The areas of Basmati rice production in India are the Union Territory of J&K and states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand and western Uttar Pradesh.

 

India has a big population to feed, yet it is the largest exporter of rice in the global market. Out of India's total rice exports, Basmati constitutes not only the biggest USP, but also significant quantity of its rice export.

 

The geographical indication (GI) tag is about recognising a country's unique crop and origin of the genome of the crop giving a brand identity as well as identity to the country of origin. From this point of view, it is extremely important to safeguard the brand identity of the country of origin. Granting a GI tag is not meant for politically balancing the claims and cross claims.

 

India is the largest rice producer after China, i.e., it is ranked second in the list of top 10 producers while Pakistan is at eighth position.

 

India's total rice production is estimated at about 130 million tonne as against about 112 million tonne of wheat, making it the leading foodgrain producer in the world. As far as Basmati rice is concerned, India and Pakistan are the two largest producers, followed by Nepal, Iran, and the United States. But the fact should never be forgotten that India accounts for over 70 per cent of the Basmati rice production.

 

The top three exporters of Basmati rice are India with 783,151 shipments followed by Pakistan with 28,884 and China at the third spot with 5,278 shipments. Thus, on the principle of primacy the GI tag is well-deserved by India.

 

India is ahead of all other Basmati rice producing countries in terms of varieties and quality. So far India has 34 identified varieties of Basmati rice including Basmati 217, Basmati 370, Type 3 (Dehraduni Basmati), Punjab Basmati, Kasturi, Mahi Sugandha, Pusa Basmati, etc.

 

These varieties are evidence of the agro-climatic suitability of northern and western India for the Basmati crop. We could say that Basmati is God-gifted to India and probably this is the reason that in almost all religious and cultural ceremonies, Basmati rice is one of the major presences in rituals as well as menu, right from birth, marriage celebrations of life and death.

 

Politics with GI tag erodes the credibility of global institutions which decide about it. The way the issue of Basmati rice is being politicised in Europe and Oceania is not desirable. India is the natural choice for the award of GI for Basmati rice.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday (local time) while speaking at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) on Free Trade Agreements in Washington said that FTAs are being signed in a much 'faster' way nowadays and also informed that the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations are 'going on as we speak.'

 

This confirmation comes at a time when a recent report suggested that the FTA talks between the two countries are suspended over the UK's failure to denounce vandalism by Khalistsupporters outside the Indian High Commission in London last month.

 

'Free Trade Agreements are being signed in a much faster way nowadays. We've just concluded one with Australia. Earlier we concluded with UAE, Mauritius and with ASEAN. We have extended quota-free and tariff-free regime to Least Developed Countries,' the Finance Minister said.

 

Speaking on India's wish to pursue trade with multilateral groups, she said, 'I think India has shown very clearly its initiative is working out well in pursuing with countries and agreeing to have FTA with them. We've had agreements with ASEAN, free trade agreements both in goods and services with ASEAN, we have had with Korea, with Japan. So free trade agreements have bilaterally or with multilateral groups been the route which India has had till before 2014 and now between 2019 and today, we've had at least three major agreements signed. So, we shall proceed in that route, with the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Canada. All three are happening now as we speak, the negotiations are going on. So we shall go in those preferential routes.'

 

Earlier today India dismissed as 'baseless' reports in British media stating that it had halted talks for a free trade agreement with the United Kingdom over the attack on the Indian high commission in London last month, government sources said on Monday.

 

London-based newspaper The Times in its April 10 edition citing senior British government sources reported that the Indian government has 'disengaged' from trade talks and made it clear that there would be no progress 'without a public condemnation of the Khalistan movement.'

 

The India-UK Free Trade Agreement talks were launched on June 17, 2022.

 

Sitharaman further urged World Trade Organisation (WTO) to bring transparency in terms of moratorium.

On this occasion, Tomar stated that we have emerged from the British era's enslavement mentality, and that the entire scenario has altered as a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Minister Tomar stated that there was a time when our country had talent but we were unable to recognise it. There was no place for these gifted individuals to display their abilities.

 

This is why the talented were becoming dissatisfied with the country and were forced to leave, but this is no longer the case. Prime Minister Modi recognized the situation and worked to build a positive climate in the country, as a result of which not just India but the entire world has changed.

 

According to Tomar, there were just 31-32 startups in the country prior to 2014, but the number has already risen to over 6,500. They number almost 2,000 in the agriculture industry alone. He stated that the entire globe is now recognising India's greatness and accepting its stature.

 

Union Minister Tomar stated that under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, India's identity has been established throughout the world, and India's standing has improved.

 

This is why India's Prime Minister could halt the war between Ukraine and Russia by stating, 'First, let our citizens be evacuated,' demonstrating India's growing power in global events.

 

Similarly, in welcoming our Prime Minister, US President Joe Biden stated that there is only one sun, one world, and one Modi, which restores India's pride of place in the global community.

 

The Startup Conclave was also attended by Omprakash Sakhlecha, MSME Minister in the Government of Madhya Pradesh, Member of Parliament Vivek Shejwalkar, and Laghu Udyog Bharati office bearers, including National Organising Secretary Prakash Chandra, National President Baldevbhai Prajapati, All India General Secretary Ghanshyam Ojha, and All India Secretary Sameer Mundra.

The Maharashtra government’s initiative to tag more than 400 million alphonso mangoes – the annual production – to certify the genuineness of the product is yielding results. Buyers’ demand for GI tagged alphonso mangoes – grown in Konkan regions like Ratnagiri and Devgad – is on the rise and hence farmers, too, are registering for the same.

 

The wholesale APMC market in Vashi receives an average of over 40,000 mango boxes from the Konkan region daily. The region got the GI tag mark in 2020 and so several mango growers are supplying GI-tagged mangoes to the market.

 

The same is the case with the direct-to-home from farms sale of mangoes with more private companies and mango farmers selling such GI-tagged mangoes directly to the buyers straight from the farms.

 

'There are often mangoes from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and other areas which are passed off as Ratnagiri or Devgad alphonsos which are high in demand. The GI tagging ensures the customers get the real stuff from the Konkan region and cannot be taken for a ride,' Sanjay Pansare, APMC director (fruit), said.

 

Raigad, Sindhudurg and Thane districts have got GI tags, he said, adding, 'This has led to the increased interest of the retailers in GI tagged alphonsos at the APMC market as their customers are then assured of what they are purchasing.'

 

KisanKonnect, an online farm-to-doorstep supplier, in its third year of operation in Navi Mumbai, Mumbai and Pune is offering GI-tagged alphonso mangoes directly from the farms as its procurement and processing unit in Navi Mumbai has seen a major boost in demand for such mangoes.

 

'We are witnessing an increasing demand for GI-tagged mangoes from various markets. When the markets are flooded with a variety of mangoes with lesser information known about their origin and authenticity, the GI-tag helps the buyers know the right Alphonso mangoes, its place of origin and authenticity,' said Nidhi Nirmal, business head and director of KisanKonnect Safe Foods Private Limited.

 

She added that they have developed a GI-tagging solution by which the buyer comes to know about the point of origin of the mangoes, the exact location of the orchards and other details.

 

'We are expecting to sell about 75,000 mango boxes with GI-tagging this season,' said Nirmal.

 

Prakash Chougule 40, a farmer from Ratnagiri, said that many mango varieties from other parts of the country and even South Africa are being sold as alphonso mangoes to gullible customers at a cheaper price.

 

'This affects our business,' he added. 'Through GI-tagging customers get the taste of authentic alphonsos that come from the right place and are high in quality. It is not as if all alphonso farmers have registered for GI tagging, but the number is increasing as everyone wants to benefit from it.'

 

Subhamoy Ghosh, 52, a resident of Kopar Khairane, recently ordered GI-tagged alphonsos, as the earlier box of mangoes that he bought from APMC was not up to the mark.

 

'It is difficult to believe the vendor when he claims to be selling alphonso, as every mango that looks like it is sold as such,' he said. 'I have asked my friends to get GI tagged alphonsos, as you do not want to compromise on it as they are available for a limited period.'

Traders and millers of pulses have requested the government to increase the minimum support price (MSP) of pigeon peas (tur dal) to encourage the farmers to grow the pulse.

 

'The production of pulses has been low this year and hence the prices were ruling high. Encouragement from the government will help farmers choose the crop,' said Suresh Agrawal, president, Dal Mill Association.

 

Prices of tur and urad jumped 8-10% last month which prompted the central government to set up a committee to monitor the situation pulses, although the prices have dropped since then.

 

Agrawal added that tur takes longer time in the field compared to moong and other pulses, which makes it the least preferred legume for farmers. The MSP of tur is also lower than moong at Rs 6600/quintal as opposed to Rs 7755 of moong.

 

India has already decided to import additional quantities of tur dal (pigeon peas) in the marketing year 2023-24 to meet the domestic demand as production in the country is expected to drop.

 

The marketing year for tur is from December to November.

 

Tur is mainly imported from east African nations and Myanmar. The Centre had earlier extended the import of tur and urad pulses under the 'free' category for another year, till March 31, 2024, according to a notification by the Department of Commerce.

 

The decision has been taken to ensure seamless import of these pulses and palm oil to augment the domestic availability and ensure affordable rates for consumers.

Exports of soyameal and value-added soya products were up by 110 per cent for the first six months of the oil year 2022-23 starting October. This was mainly on account of huge purchases by Vietnam and neighbouring Nepal and Bangladesh.

 

According to Soyabean Processors Association of India (SOPA), shipments of the meal were up at 9.99 lakh tonnes for the October-March period of oil year 2022-23 against 4.74 lakh tonnes in the year-ago period.

 

The production of soyameal for the period was higher at 48.59 lakh tonnes (33.52 lakh tonnes). However, due to the dip in market arrivals of soyabean during March, crushing also slowed down.

 

'Due to falling soyabean prices, farmers are holding stocks due to which, arrivals in March were much lower compared with the previous month. Soyabean crushing was also lower than expected. Demand for soyabean food products was also lower. We expect to achieve or slightly better the export target for soyabean meal which is 14 lakh tonnes,' DN Pathak, Executive Director, SOPA said.

 

Vietnam, a major buyer

Vietnam has bought over 4.34 lakh tonnes (lt) of soyameal, accouting for about 43 per cent of the overall Indian shipments. Nepal was the second largest buyer followed by Bangladesh.

 

Other large buyers of the Indian soyameal include the US, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand among others. SOPA has targeted exports of 14 lt, higher than 6.44 lt logged in last year.

 

SOPA has estimated the production of soyabean during 2022 kharif season at 120.4 lt. Including the carry forward stocks of 25.15 lt and likely imports of 2 lt, the total availability is expected to be 147.55 lt.

 

Market arrivals of the bean during the Octpber-March were up 26 per cent at 77 lt against 61 lt a year ago. Imports of soyabean are lower at 1.57 lt compared with 2.48 lt a year ago.

A three-day meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (ACS) of G-20 countries will take place as first of five meetings of G-20 slated in Varanasi from April 17.

 

Talking to TOI on Saturday, district magistrate S Rajalingam said, 'First of the series of five G-20 events scheduled in Varanasi will be meet of ACS. All necessary preparations on the part of district administration has been completed to host the event.'

 

The PIB released the agenda of ACS meet as per which senior level officials, policymakers, scientists, and experts of the G-20 member states and invited countries and international organizations will participate to discuss and identify R&D priorities in agriculture and strengthen cooperation for sustainable agriculture and food systems transformation.

 

This year the theme of the ACS meet is sustainable agriculture and food systems for healthy people and planet under the overarching G-20 theme ‘One Earth-One Family-One Future’.

 

The important areas for discussion during the MACS are role of scientific innovations in sustainable agriculture and food systems for food security and nutrition, promoting millets and ancient food grains, resilient and nature-positive agriculture, digital agriculture, and public-private partnership in agricultural R&D.

 

The excursion for delegates to Sarnath, Ganga aarti, and trade facilitation is also included in the program. The meeting will be held under the Chairmanship of Secretary, DARE & DG, ICAR with active involvement and support of the state government and district administration.