Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day trip to Thimphu from Thursday and Friday, days after his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay visited India, will lead to several new initiatives in energy, infrastructure and cross-border trade, said people with knowledge of the matter. This will bolster bilateral ties amid China’s push to expand its outreach in the Himalayan kingdom.
India’s basmati shipments are set to cross the $5 billion-mark during the current financial year on robust demand from traditional markets in Middle East and other markets such as the United States and the United Kingdom.
Rice is considered India’s most important food crop. It is a staple food and is a primary source of diet for the majority of the population in the country. Rice is cultivated using various methods, depending on the type of soil in that region. In India, a combination of traditional and modern methods are used to harvest rice crops. The salinity of the soil poses a severe threat to rice production, which results in stunted growth, and leaf damage and leads to lesser production of rice.
