1. Home
  2. Market Intelligence
  3. Market News
Back
02 Mar, 2023 News Image FSSAI issues FAQs on application for vegan logo endorsement.
The FSSAI has issued a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on application for vegan logo endorsement in order to placate queries of the food businesses involved in manufacturing of such products.
 
The food authority has stated that the products which are not required to apply for vegan endorsement include products which are vegan by default like raw agricultural commodities viz. Rice, cereals and pulses, oil seeds, dry fruits and so on. Agriculture commodities which are minimally processed without any addition of other ingredients viz. Oil, wheat flour and raw agriculture/ horticulture commodities singly or mixed without any addition of other ingredients.
 
For registration, same product with multiple variants and two or more different products from the same firm, a separate application for each variant/product needs to be submitted and the same shall not be considered under single application.  
 
Also, if there is any change in only design of Front of the Pack, the FBO need not resubmit the application.
 
Further FSSAI has said that, as long as there is no change in the product ingredient, additives and processing aids (addition of new ingredients, additives and processing aids or removal of existing ingredients, additives and processing aids) the FBO need not re-submit the revised documents/ labels each time for only change in quantification of the ingredients.  
 
For vegan endorsement having multiple manufacturing units, the food authority has stated that the vegan logo endorsement is given for the applied product for particular manufacturing site.
 
Hence, in case of multiple manufacturing facility for single product, the retailer/marketer must apply with separate application for each manufacturing site.
 
And, to get vegan logo endorsement, if the product is approved, the Food Business Operator is required  to submit the approval letter (Form-B) to the concerned licensing authority through FoSCoS (Food Safety Compliance System) for endorsement of the vegan logo on the product applied.

 Source:  fnbnews.com
02 Mar, 2023 News Image Indian govt s rice procurement at 93% of target up 2% year-on-year.
The Indian government has procured nearly 93 per cent of the paddy targeted from the kharif season in the first five months of the current marketing season to September. Initially, the target was 518 lakh tonnes (lt) but it was subsequently revised to 521 lt after procurement was higher in Haryana. However, the revised target for the kharif season for which the harvest began is 514.72 lt.
 
As rice procurement has been falling constantly every month since November in Tamil Nadu, the target for the state has been revised lower to 12.9 lt against the initial target of 19.9 lt. This has resulted in an overall downward revision in the pan-India target, an official source said.
 
According to official data, the overall rice procurement in October was 114.34 lt (up 12 per cent from a year ago), 104.39 lt in November (up 13 per cent), 137.2 lt in December (up 9 per cent), 81.4 lt in January (down by 29 per cent) and 41 lt in February (up 21 per cent).
 
The procurement of kharif-grown paddy in West Bengal will continue until May 31 and in Assam, upto June 30. It will end in Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Karnataka on March 31. In other States, the procurement is already over.
 
99 lakh beneficiaries
Pan India procurement in terms of rice was 478.3 lt worth over Rs 1.47 lakh crore until February 28 against 469.9 lt in the year-ago period, which has benefitted nearly 99 lakh farmers who are able to sell their paddy at minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2,060/quintal (Grade A variety).
 
But the absolute increase of 8.4 lt from a year ago can be attributed to higher procurement in West Bengal, where it has reached 14.71 lt as of February 28 from 7.27 lt as of January 31. 'There was some error in the year-ago procurement data until February 28 as it could not be updated with the latest and remained at 3.72 lt - same as on January 31' the official source said.
 
In Uttar Pradesh, the procurement has already exceeded the target of 40 lt, reaching 43.8 lt against 43.6 lt a year ago whereas, in Bihar, the purchase is reported to be at 28.17 lt, marginally down from 30.09 lt. The target for Bihar is to purchase 30 lt in terms of rice from kharif crop.
 
The procurement in Punjab and Haryana has been completed with 122 lt and 39.5 lt, respectively, being purchased. While the purchase in Punjab is lower by 3.5 lt (down by 2.8 per cent), it is 2.4 lt more (up by 6.6 per cent) in Haryana.
 
In Chhattisgarh, the rice procurement ended at 61.6 lt, the same as last year despite 16 lt being purchased in November by advancing the buying schedule by a month from normal. In Odisha, the purchase has reported a 14 per cent jump to 40.9 lt whereas in Telangana it is up by 8.3 per cent at 43.5 lt. There was some revision in last year’s procurement in Telangana which led to showing an increase as it was 9 per cent lower this season until January 31. Madhya Pradesh has reported a 30.9 lt purchase, a notch higher from 30.7 lt year-ago.

 Source:  thehindubusinessline.com
01 Mar, 2023 News Image Farmers making exemplary contribution to Food Security with their agricultural produce

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar has said that the spirit of our farmers is like that of the Indian soldier, - the way soldiers protect the nation by standing bravely on the borders, in the same way our farmer brothers and sisters generate agricultural produce, making an exemplary contribution to Food Security. If farmers don't work in the fields then we will not have food grains to fill our stomach despite having money. Our Agriculture sector is very important for 140 crore Indians, farmers should be treated with respect. Shri Tomar said this today as the chief guest at the Third Convocation ceremony of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar).

Union Minister Shri Tomar said that in view of the importance of agriculture in the country, the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given priority to this sector. Till before 2014, the budget of Agriculture sector used to be about 25,000 crores, whereas today in the Modi Government the Agriculture budget is Rs. 1,25,000 crores. For the development of agriculture, work is being done through technology. Concrete work is being done to improve the financial condition of 86 percent small farmers of the country. The Central Government is constituting 10,000 new FPOs, on which Rs 6,865 crore is being spent. As technology advances, educated youth will get more employment opportunities in the villages; with the increase in employment in the villages, the Agriculture sector will emerge a bigger pillar of strength of the country. Shri Tomar said that the agriculture sector is full of challenges, facing which the government is moving ahead with positivity. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana has been implemented to compensate the loss of farmers, in which, as compared to the farmers premium of Rs. 25,000 crores, claims worth Rs. 1.30 lakh crore has been paid as claims. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi has been implemented for income support to Small Farmers, in which Rs. 6,000 is being given annually in 3 installments with complete transparency, disbursed directly into farmers’ bank accounts. Till now, more than Rs. 2.40 lakh crore has been given to crores of farmers.

Shri Tomar said that due to the hard work of farmers, efficiency of scientists and visionary policies of Prime Minister Shri Modi, India has today become a country that supplies to the world. The whole world is amazed to see the determination, technology and positive thinking with which the government is moving forward under the efficient leadership of the Prime Minister. More than 100 countries of the world look towards India with the expectation that India will help when needed, we have to accept this challenge and work. It is our responsibility to meet the needs of the country, while keeping in mind the expectations of the world, we have to prepare for the needs of the year 2050 from now itself. To attract the new generation to the traditional field of agriculture, there is a need to make timely changes. Crop diversification and new techniques will have to be adopted. Today, entire world is left spellbound with India's achievements in various fields including cashless transactions. We are also ahead in the production of agricultural products. We also have a leading role in Animal Husbandry, Fisheries & Beekeeping.

He said that whenever it comes to economic analysis, some countries do not want to praise us, but still they are bound to say that India will emerge as the fastest growing economy in the coming times. For the next 25 years, during the ‘Amritkaal’, our speed should be faster. Looking at the political conditions of the world, we have to develop ourselves in such a way that when we celebrate the centenary year of the country's Independence, we should be included in the category of Developed countries. For this, the villages and farmers will have to be strengthened.

During the convocation, degrees were awarded to 635 students, including 260 girls. Ms. Purva Sharan, a student of Fisheries College, was bestowed the Visitor's Gold Medal for securing the highest marks. Ms. Rinto Nandi of Tirhut Agricultural College, Dholi, was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal for the best performance in the postgraduate examination. Ms. Manisha Bhardwaj of Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay Forestry College, Piprakothi, Ms. Nikita of Agricultural Engineering College, Ms. Jayanti Kumari of Humanities College and Mr. K.M. Veethi of Community Science College were awarded the Gold Medal.

In the program, ‘Mushroom Samosa’, prepared by the University, was released, which has recently received a patent. Advanced varieties of sugarcane and various technical books were released. On the occasion, Shri Tomar inaugurated the administrative building and farmers’ hostel of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sukhet (Madhubani), Narkatiaganj (West Champaran), Lada (Samastipur), Turki (Muzaffarpur), complex of Tiranga Park, Banana Research Center at Goraul (Vaishali) and the sprawling Agricultural Museum of the University. The program was attended by the Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary, Vaishali MP Smt. Veena Devi, Muzaffarpur MP Shri Ajay Nishad, Samastipur MP Shri Prince Raj, Director General of ICAR, Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Chancellor Shri Prafulla Mishra and Vice Chancellor Dr. P.S.  Pandey among other dignitaries.


 Source:  PIB News
01 Mar, 2023 News Image India expects its proposed FTA with EU to be a game changer: S Jaishankar.
India expects its proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) to be a game changer and is looking forward to a mutually advantageous conclusion to the negotiation for the pact within a 'short planned timeline', external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday.
 
'We expect the India-EU FTA will be a game changer for the India-EU relationship. We look forward to a mutually beneficial, mutually advantageous conclusion to the negotiation process within a reasonably short planned timeline,' Jaishankar said, addressing the gathering at a Confederation of Indian Industry event.
 
'Europe and India can strengthen each other’s strategic autonomy by reducing dependencies, cooperating on critical technologies and ensuring supply-chain restructuring. The India-EU FTA is, therefore, our very important goal,' he said.
 
In June last year, India and the EU restarted the negotiations for the long-pending trade and investment agreement after a gap of more than eight years.
 
Jaishankar said India and the EU believe in a multi-polar global order, share a commitment to promoting effective multilateralism and are increasingly considerate of each other’s geopolitical, economic, strategic and security concerns.
 
'India’s new approach to trade agreements addresses issues of non-tariff and behind-the-border barriers, quality standards and related benchmarks,' said Jaishankar.
 
He said the recently unveiled Trade and Technology Council will provide the structure and strategic guidance to the partnership between the two sides. The council is expected to facilitate exchange of critical technologies relating to an array of domains, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors and cybersecurity.
 
The council is the EU’s second such technology partnership after the first one with the United States which was firmed up in June 2021.
 
'I would like to say that India’s relations with Europe are stronger and deeper than ever before and this event itself is a testimony of that assertion,' said Jaishankar. 'Between us rests the largest democratic and free market space globally. The business communities of India and Europe have a large stake and an enabling role in this transformation.'

 Source:  economictimes.indiatimes.com
01 Mar, 2023 News Image Two-day Kisan Mela & Agricultural Exhibition Concludes in Bundelkhand.
A two-day agriculture fair and exhibition was organized at Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, depicting the pride, prosperity, and the progressive farmers of a self-reliant India. On 27 February, 2023, on the closing ceremony of the fair, the farmer brethren, received answers to several queries and relevant information was communicated at the numerous stalls.
 
The 13th installment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme was also released to the farmers. This installment will contribute to the development of the agriculture sector. The chief convenor of the Agri -Expo, Dr. Anil Kumar welcomed the gathering. Dr. US Gautam, Deputy Director General (Agriculture Extension), ICAR New Delhi, was the chief guest on the concluding day. Dr. Adarsh Singh, Divisional Commissioner Jhansi, Dr. Vinod Kumar Student Manager Dr. Sanjay Singh Director General UPCAR, Uttar Pradesh, Junaid Ahmed CDO Jhansi, Pulkit Garg Municipal Commissioner etc. were special guests. Dr. Anand Kumar Singh, Deputy Director Horticulture ICAR New Delhi, addressed the Expo through the online platform.
 
The Expo and Kisan Mela were presided over by Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh, Vice Chancellor, Rani Laxmi Bai Central Agricultural University. The guests, through their respective speeches, suggested avenues and possibilities of agricultural product processing and export in Bundelkhand. They remarked that to increase the production, processing, and branding of agricultural products in Bundelkhand, there is a need to increase the product quality and subject experts need to come forward to increase production of pulses, oilseeds, coarse grains, and horticulture in Bundelkhand, and to make it a regional identity.
 
Special products of Bundelkhand like kathia wheat, ginger, tulsi, betel leaf, groundnut etc. can be given GI tagging to increase their export potential. Further it was felt that in the field of horticulture, experts will have to work for ensuring quality of plants and their certification. By increasing the participation of youth(Arya Project), progressive farmers, and women in agriculture, income and employment can be generated through agricultural product processing, value addition, and packaging. Income can be increased by taking production throughout the year, adopting integrated farming systems, diversification, and new techniques.
 
Also, the social and economic development of the area can be strengthened. The university needs to take concrete steps to provide technical assistance to FPOs in Bundelkhand, and cultivation of dates, chironji, ber, dragon fruit etc can be promoted. It is possible to develop entrepreneurship by starting agriculture start-ups for agricultural students and youth.
 
Divisional Commissioner Dr. Adarsh Singh said that at present the country is celebrating Amrit Kaal, Jhansi Mandal has received the maximum investment proposals in the conference held in the state. The challenge lies in getting those proposals off the ground. This year has been declared as the International Millet Year. Red Kathia wheat of Bundelkhand region is very beneficial for health, and is in huge demand, but is not available anywhere other than this region. Hence farmers can benefit by producing Kathia wheat in a scientific way. He further said that the climate of Bundelkhand is favorable for the cultivation of nutritious grains in which there are immense possibilities. Jalaun's peas and Jhansi's groundnut market is the biggest market of the state. He appealed to the farmers to take advantage of the Agriculture University.
 
Jhansi Chief Development Officer Junaid Ahmed said that agri start-ups have an important role in agriculture, and if Kathia wheat gets GI tag, it can be easily promoted. He also praised the ginger produced in Baruasagar. Municipal Commissioner Pulkit Garg said that we have to become job providers and not job seekers. Start-ups can be launched and farmers can ne engaged. The Jhansi Municipal Corporation will soon select 30 start-ups and train them. Chief Guest Dr. US Gautam DDG, Delhi said that farmers will have to work according to Bundelkhand’s environment. It may be a rocky area, but there are immense possibilities of pomegranate, ber, chironji, dragon fruit etc. The Government of India runs several schemes for the farmers and the farmers are being benefitted by them. 721 Krishi Vigyan Kendras are working for the farmers across the country. Krishi Vigyan Kendra has done the first line demonstration on the fields of 6800 farmers.
 
The Vice Chancellor, Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh said that Bundelkhand region has its own specialty, its climate bears something that cannot be grown anywhere else. The farmer produces his crop but getting the right price is the biggest challenge. He said that earlier the farmers here used to import nutritious food grains and this nutritious grain has to be brought into the mainstream farming. He said GI tag, high quality nurseries, start-ups of pulses etc. have to be explored for export opportunities while ensuring the participation of farmers, scientists, entrepreneurs etc.
 
A total of 4 technical sessions were organized in this conference, in which – Experts from all over the country, shared their views on possibilities of value addition and export in agriculture, expansion of agricultural production union and startup, possibilities for promotion and export on pulses, oilseeds and main crops, challenges and forest products of Bundelkhand, fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants.
 
An Android based mobile app, 'Bundeli Agricultural Marketing',  has been developed in the project 'Integrated Platform for Agri-Entrepreneurs (Farmer-Consumer-Entrepreneur)' funded by Agricultural University and NABARD. The app was released and inaugurated by the guests. Through this mobile app, farmers, consumers, and entrepreneurs of Bundelkhand will be able to connect with their consumers and showcase their products in a better way. University agricultural scientists Dr. Tanuj Mishra, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, Dr. Arpit Suryavanshi, Dr. Shailendra Kumar and Saurabh Singh Gaur are involved in this project. NABARD, APEDA, Bundelkhand Chamber of Commerce, State and District Administration of Jhansi and Uttar Pradesh Government have played an important role in the conference. The farmers appreciated the new models of farming in the fair, and queried about them.
 
While appreciating this fair, the Divisional Commissioner expressed his gratitude to all the officers including the Vice Chancellor of the University for inviting them to this program. On this occasion, an MOU was signed between the University and Tara Blooms Private Limited. On the concluding day of the fair, farmers were demonstrated drone-flying techniques.  The Shri Anna and DWR Jabalpur stalls got the first place in the educational institution category in the fair. NHRDF, New Delhi got second place and Bundelkhand University got third place. For first place in the category of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Shivpuri, M.P, Bharari was second and Jalaun, in third place. In the farmer group category, Balini, Jhansi got first prize, Manpura Mushroom Jhansi and Basant Mahila FPO got second and Aakar, Jhansi got third prize. In private and NGO category, IFFCO stood first, BAIF UP, second and RCOT eva Agri Science got third prize. All these awards were given by the Vice Chancellor. On this occasion Dr. A.R Sharma, Dr. S.S Singh, Dr. S.K Chaturvedi, Dr. B.K Vehra, Dr.V.P Singh, Dr. S.S Kushwaha, Dr. Mukesh Srivastava, Dr M.J Dobariyal , all the officers of Grassland, CAFRI, Agriculture Department, Horticulture Department, and Jhansi Division were present along with the Heads of the Departments of the University, scientific, academic and non-academic employees. The stage was moderated by Dr. Alka Jain and Dr Nishant Bhanu.

 Source:  krishijagran.com
01 Mar, 2023 News Image Mizoram to Export Chillis to the United States.
The Northeastern state of Mizoram will soon be earning from one of the most popular agricultural products of the state. This will be the first time that the state will be exporting this farming produce to the United States.
 
The bird’s eye chilli is one of the most popular agricultural products from the state of Mizoram. It has a major demand in the local markets both for fresh consumption and for making pickles. And now, it will be made available in the markets of the United States announced the agriculture minister of Mizoram.
 
Replying to a question by the leader of the opposition in the Mizoram state assembly and the chief of the Zoram People’s Movement, Lalduhoma , the agriculture minister announced that a consignment of 7.5 metric tons of the organically cultivated bird’s eye chilli will be flagged off for the United States. This consignment will be sent soon after the completion of the budget session of the state, which is scheduled to end on Tuesday.
 
The agriculture minister of the state, C Lalrinsanga also mentioned that the state government had already obtained the Geographical Identifier Tag or GI Tag for the particular variety of chilli as Mizo Chilli and that the product was successful in passing the tests for the confirmation of organic products in Bangalore.
 
He also mentioned the state government is working towards the implementation of the Fostering Climate Resilient Upland Farming System in six districts of the state under the Externally Aided project for the improvement of jhum cultivation in the state. He went on to add that a three-tier integrated farming system will also be implemented in 20 villages distributed across six districts.

 Source:  sentinelassam.com
01 Mar, 2023 News Image Denmark proposes a framework between India and Europe to increase trade, says Foreign Minister Rasmussen.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen on Tuesday said that Denmark was 'advocating a framework' to increase trade between India and Europe.
 
During an interaction with the media after the beginning of the two-day CII-India Europe Sustainability Conclave, the Danish minister said, 'Denmark is a small country but I am proud to say that we are a prosperous country and that we have gained all our prosperity trading with other nations.' Denmark has traded with India for the last 400 years, he said.
 
'We now due to the geopolitical situation due to the pandemic, the rise of China, the war in Ukraine where globalisation could be pushed backwards, which is not in our best common interest,' the foreign minister said.
 
Denmark and India have also committed to a green strategic partnership to promote green energy and sustainability.
 
According to a statement from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the two-day conclave that began today is one of the largest congregations of senior ministers, policymakers and business leaders from European countries and India, cutting across sectors.
 
The Conclave focuses on the strategic role of the India-Europe partnership in changing the geo-political scenario, strengthening bilateral engagements and discussions on emerging economic opportunities.
 
India and the EU have recently announced three Working Groups within the India-EU TTC for strategic cooperation in Trade, cooperation in Green Transition and cooperation in Digital Partnership.
 
The EU is one of India’s largest trade partners. The bilateral trade was in excess of US$ 115 billion in 2021-22, which is the highest ever.
 
Besides bilateral and regional discussions, the conclave presents opportunities in different sectors such as – healthcare, IT and IT-enabled services, maritime and logistics, defence, smart manufacturing, agriculture and food processing, education, power and energy, infrastructure and more.
 
Earlier today, in the inaugural session of the conclave, Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India’s relations with Europe are stronger and deeper than ever before.
 
'India is today one of the leading countries in climate change mitigation commitments and environmental protection. Our Low-Carbon Development Strategy lays out the path to a carbon-neutral economy while taking into account specific development goals. We have the third biggest installed renewable energy capacity in the world. Without stressing about our ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions to the UNFCCC, let me say that we will reach our goals even earlier,' Jaishankar remarked.
 
'Looking ahead, India’s ambitious Green Hydrogen policy incentivizes an indigenous ecosystem for local needs and exports. In this, we have already seen collaborations between many major European firms and Indian companies,' Jaishankar highlighted the importance of green ties.
 
Jaishankar also referred to the remarks from foreign minister Rasmussen on the green transition, saying, 'Electric vehicles, as Minister Rasmussen noted, will be the next big thing for a green transition of India’s urban landscape. Green transition is also the core of our sustainability goals and it is enshrined in our agenda for the G20 presidency, and in fact, Prime Minister Modi’s LiFE Initiative adds the dimension of individual responsibility and ownership of our environment, in synergy with India’s declared climate and environmental goals.'

 Source:  financialexpress.com
01 Mar, 2023 News Image India, UAE working to finalise rupee-dirham arrangement for trade: Envoy.
India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are engaged in technical discussions to finalise a rupee-dirham arrangement for trade as part of the efforts to build on the free trade agreement signed by the two countries last year, UAE ambassador Abdulnasser Jamal Alshaali said in an interview.
 
The UAE is also keen on revisiting the arrangement for flights to India and introducing flights to more Indian destinations to help bring down airfare, Alshaali said. The envoy further said the UAE has played a role in the past in addressing tensions between India and Pakistan, though any future role in this regard would be up to both countries. 
 
What are the new areas that India and the UAE are looking at? Could you tell us about the UAE’s participation in the G20 as a guest country?
 
This is the second year in a row that we are participating in G20 as a guest country and I think the lessons that everyone has been taking from this is we are even much better organised internally now to manage such participation. The first participation was in 2011, also as a guest country, but we were chairing the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) at the time and it was the French presidency. Then it was the Saudi Arabian presidency [in 2020], and we were chairing GCC. Last year with Indonesia and this year with India, we were invited as a guest country. Doing it three times in four [different] years gave us a better momentum internally in terms of who’s in charge of what, the two separate tracks, the working groups, high-level participation and so on. As of now, in India, the official taking part in working group meetings has always been at the ministerial level and we haven’t downgraded that at any point and this is going to continue all the way to the summit.
 
As far as the relationship goes, I think one thing that captures this is that we have a minister visiting almost every month, if not two ministers. For example, we had (minister of state for foreign trade) Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and Minister of State Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh coming to the Uttar Pradesh Investor Summit. We had minister Thani going to Bangalore to inaugurate the Ducab Grpoup’s office. We had Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan last November. We have the head of the Federal National Council coming in next month, and [Sheikh Abdullah] coming in [for the G20 foreign ministers meeting]. You can see there is quite some momentum here. The political relationship is obviously great. But what we are also working on is expanding economic and trade ties and to keep doing so over the coming years.
 
Are there any particular issues that the UAE would like to highlight while participating in this year’s G20?
 
We want to be an active participant and we want to be a part of the G20’s social fabric. Given where the UAE stands today, regionally and globally, I believe we have quite a strong position to navigate all of the turbulence, regardless of what’s happening around the globe, and we’re able to bridge various opinions and different points of view.
 
Where does bilateral trade stand almost a year after the signing of the India-UAE comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA)? What is being done to build on this?
 
At the moment we are at $44 billion in non-oil trade. The target is $100 billion by 2027. The reason we use this figure is because there is a strong partnership in terms of energy security and oil export to India. The figure that we focus on is non-oil. We want to make sure we’re investing in the various sectors that are important to both countries, whether they fall within the CEPA or they don’t fall within it. We want to make sure we expand the aviation ties, we want to invest in food security and by extension, food park projects in different states. Part of this also is taking the CEPA and raising awareness about it. It’s been almost a year since the implementation of the CEPA and you want to max out on that and you want to see if there are more things to be done. We just launched the UAE chapter of the UAE-India Business Council, we’re going to also launch the UAE-India CEPA Council, which is part of the CEPA mandate and that would be looking specifically at sectors that both countries want to focus on as part of the CEPA framework.
 
Have you kind of identified any sectors in this regard?
 
Space, defence, food security, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, cultural engagements – those are the main ones. There’s also energy security for both countries, which includes renewable energy.
 
There has been a demand for several years now for revisiting the aviation arrangements between India and the UAE as the flights have been maxed out. Has there been any progress on this?
 
The conversation has been ongoing for quite some time now, and you’re right, both sides have maxed out. UAE airlines have maxed out, Indian airlines have maxed out and you can see it from the prices. If you check the price of a ticket today, it’s more than 50% higher than it used to be a few years back or it used to be pre-Covid. That’s already a market signal which we need to pay attention to because we are talking about this entire relationship and aviation is a crucial point in expanding this relationship. If you can’t make sure that you have enough flights and enough seat capacity on this route, then it’s very difficult to expand anything else.
 
There is also a request from the UAE side to fly to more destinations in India?
 
There is. It’s not just expanding the current capacity, but also to additional points. Again, this is an ongoing conversation and the aviation sector in India has been going through privatisation. There are all kinds of agreements happening and we understand that, but this is something important for both markets because otherwise, I don’t see how prices are going to go down anytime because it’s a simple demand-supply question.
 
Any progress on the rupee-dirham arrangement for trade? Has anything been worked out?
 
The technical conversation is ongoing. There has been an agreement to settle a certain [amount] of trade between the two countries, just not having to go through a third currency. Let’s see, this conversation is an ongoing conversation at the technical level and how they can proceed with it. We also have the remittance facility to make it more direct and easier. There’s still technical issues to be discussed and agreed on.
 
Given that the UAE is set to host COP28, how do you plan to ramp up cooperation with India on renewable energy? Is there any particular area that you’re looking at, such as wind or solar energy?
 
It’s everything. What we’re trying to do is to be a part of India’s goal and achieving their renewable energy target. At the same time, the UAE is expanding its renewable energy investments worldwide. We are in 40 countries and we want to make sure that we expand our portfolio in different countries.
 
In terms of COP28, the main focus that we have at the moment is how can we find areas of cooperation and expand on them that overlap between the G20 and the COP28 presidency. We’re supporting India’s presidency and the Indian government has been doing great in managing the engagements and obviously, we can count on India’s support in the COP28 presidency as well.
 
Can India and the UAE also work together on funding technology transfers to developing countries as part of climate transition?
 
One thing that India has been focusing on is South-South cooperation, which is why also they came out with the theme of [being the] voice of the Global South. In that sense, you could tell even from the countries that have been invited to the G20 that this is an area of focus. You can’t work on aspects that impact those countries without having those countries as part of the conversation. As the UAE, we stand in a very good position to navigate all of that. We are able to relate to what troubles the countries of the Global South and at the same time be able to bridge them with developed nations.
 
Is any work underway to build on India’s arrangement with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) for strategic energy reserves?
 
It is where it is right now. It’s been a major success for the relationship. Energy security is important both for the UAE and for India, and we want to be part of India’s energy security. The fact that the strategic oil reserve has been agreed on and it’s been established and has been ongoing for quite some time, it is quite helpful and constructive, especially given the current state of affairs. I think this was probably, on both sides, a very good foresight into the future and making sure that you know we stabilise the market for our partner.
 
Any talk [on expanding the arrangement] would be at a technical level, but obviously, this will be up to the Indian government and how they want to take this forward.
 
Could you tell us more about the UAE’s plans to invest in food parks and renewable energy in India under the I2U2 framework? Has the practical work for this started?
 
The Gujarat government shared a proposal on specific food commodities and their levels of production and those were shared with [the holding company] ADQ on the sidelines of the I2U2 Business Forum, which took place in Abu Dhabi last week. There was also a conversation between ADQ and officials from Gujarat, so the conversation is ongoing.
 
ADQ has been the one involved in food parks for quite some time. The initial problem has been that this has been passed on quite a few times, but now ADQ is the main stakeholder from UAE and they have recently met on the sidelines of the I2U2 Business Forum.
 
Would these investments be in Gujarat or would you also look at other states?
 
Well, for now, it’s Gujarat. But then, if it works in Gujarat and this seems quite feasible, then this can be expanded elsewhere because the whole idea is looking into food security and establishing the infrastructure for better logistics, better shipping, etc. If it works and it’s easy, then replicate it everywhere else.
 
The pandemic showed the importance of food security because the Indian side continued to supply food to the UAE despite disruptions.
 
This is the connection that I was trying to make between energy security and food security. Food security is important for us. We don’t produce that much food and we import a lot of it. And it’s quite vital for us that we have a partner that we can rely on, and India is a reliable partner when it comes to that.
 
How does the India-France-UAE trilateral plan to ramp up cooperation in areas such as climate change, green technologies and defence?
 
It is in a very early stage when it comes to the official part of it. As a conversation, this probably has been mentioned here and there a few times. We don’t want to just focus on the bilateral aspect of the relationship with India, but we want to expand other forums. So we want to look into multilateral stuff. I2U2, for example, is a great platform for trilateral cooperation. The main idea here is you have excellent relations with certain countries. We have excellent relations with certain countries. France has excellent relations with certain countries, and we want to leverage the commonalities between all of those, whether it’s country-wise or sector-wise.
 
pecifically in defence cooperation, are you looking at joint development of hardware?
 
The conversation is still going on. We had a high-level visit last September, so they came here and met with their counterparts and they moved around. They’re looking at everything. We have our own production capabilities. India is big on “Make in India” in terms of defence production. What we’re trying to find or work on in the future is also expanding this area of cooperation.
 
In terms of people-to-people contacts and cooperation in education, what’s on the table to take things forward?
 
We have been working on the cultural exchanges and making sure there’s people-to-people contacts. That people can easily fly between the two countries. We want to also see more Indians coming in to study in the UAE.
 
We want to always have some sort of exhibition taking place, whether it’s in the UAE or in India. For instance, we recently had the Bollywood exhibition at the Louvre in Abu Dhabi and we want to keep that kind of engagement going. We recently had Jindal Global University sign an MoU with the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy. IIT-Delhi would be meeting with the Diplomatic Academy as well. At the moment, [IIT-Delhi officials] are touring Abu Dhabi for their [planned] campus. Those are ongoing engagements and we want to make sure that we maximize on them.
 
At a time when growing numbers of Indian students are going to Europe for further studies, what is the UAE’s unique selling point when it comes to attracting them?
 
I think the unique selling point here is that we have global universities based in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and we are just three hours away. There’re cultural similarities. People have been living in the area for quite some time. We have Emiratis living in India, even though in a much smaller number. When you look at it, why would you send your kids to study 11 hours away when you could just send them to a place three hours away? We have France’s Sorbonne University, the New York University from the US and a few British schools and if you have IIT-Abu Dhabi as well, then there you go.
 
Are there any new initiatives to boost cooperation in the fight against terrorism and radicalisation?
 
For both countries, counter-terrorism is important and this has been very clear from everything that came out from both countries. In all cases, this will always be an area of interest for us, as much as it is for India and we will always continue to look into how we can expand our cooperation.
 
The Pakistan prime minister recently spoke about asking the UAE leadership to help build a bridge with India. There were reports that the UAE and Saudi Arabia helped reduce tensions between India and Pakistan in 2019. Where does the UAE see itself in this process?
 
So our relationship is good both ways, right? And we have played such a role in the past, but again this is going to be up to both countries and whether this is something that they would want us to do or not. But as a country, we continue to maintain very good relations with both countries.

 Source:  hindustantimes.com
01 Mar, 2023 News Image Indore: Efforts on to get GI tag for wild mango in state.
Here comes good news for Indore and Madhya Pradesh as forest department will work to attain Geographical Indication (GI) tag for wild mangoes in the state. The forest department will begin the possible GI tag analysis and reporting of mangoes in Betul district. 
 
Currently, India has 8 varieties of mangoes that have GI tagging in different states. If MP can score on the wild mangoes and teak, then it would add the state’s mangoes on the country’s map as unique. 
 
GI tag is given to an entrepreneur or a group of businessmen of a particular area/state/country to manufacture goods of good quality. The GI tags are issued as per the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
 
The department will soon organise a workshop in which experts on teak and jungle mango will discuss in detail and then the proposal will be prepared. This will enable teak and wild mango to get international recognition
 
Earlier, the state had conducted GI tagging of various regional crops including Basmati rice, and Sharbati wheat.
 
As per forest officials, Betul teak wood is preferred all over the country due to its good quality. There are 100-year-old trees in the forest of the district, which are tall and straight. Surprisingly, there is no lump in it, as per officials. 

 Source:  freepressjournal.in
01 Mar, 2023 News Image Centre asks States to firm up plans on onion procurement to help farmers.
The Centre has asked States to firm up their plans to procure onions as farmers are protesting in Maharashtra due to low prices. Though exports are in full swing and higher during April-December of the current fiscal, prices may not see any significant jump as the rabi crop is set to arrive in a month’s time, experts said.
 
Agriculture Commissioner P K Singh held a meeting with State government officials where he asked them to draw up a plan for procurement to help farmers, sources said. The expectation of a bumper rabi harvest, which has a longer shelf life compared to onion grown during the kharif season, has created a bearish sentiment in the market, a senior Agriculture Ministry official said.
 
'There are no restrictions or prohibitions on the export of onions from India,' the Commerce Ministry said on Sunday as Nationalist Congress Party’s Supriya Sule had raised concerns on onion exports a day earlier via Twitter.
 
Record high exports?
According to the government’s agri-export promotion body APEDA, shipments of onions have surged to 17.22 lakh tonnes (lt) worth $394.13 million during April-December of 2022-23. For the entire 2021-22 fiscal, 15.37 lt in were exported. This year’s onion exports may top the record 24.18 lt of exports in 2016-17, the official said.
 
There has been a supply glut of late kharif variety as farmers are eager to sell their entire produce within three days of harvest fearing wastage due to rise in temperature in February. Late kharif crop is normally sold by farmers within a week of the harvest as its shelf life is too short.
 

 Source:  thehindubusinessline.com