Telangana will host the Global Rice Summit-2024, which will be held in India for the first time between June 4 and 6.

More than 500 stakeholders including exports, experts, researchers, and market forces from various countries and Indian states will participate if the state government passes a crucial resolution seeking the Centre to tweak the policy on rice export ban since a lot of stock is pending with states including Telangana.

 

The event will be held in partnership with International Commodity Institute (ICI).

Divulging the details of the conference along with agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, ICI’s Indian representative Samarendu Mohanty, said India has thousands of rice varieties, which are offered to exporters across the globe. 'We want other countries to have a glimpse of what India and Telangana have, as the country is the biggest rice exporter in the world. Telangana has become the biggest rice producing state in the country, and this conference will be a platform for interaction and building networks,' Mohanty said. 'We will invite heads of International Rice Research Institute.'

ICI is an NGO working in rice production and export research trends. ICI CEO Jeremy Zwinger said the conference will open up many opportunities.

 

Explaining its objectives, member of ICI, a former associate of the dean of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University, professor Janaiah Aldas said: 'Promoting the rice exports, providing a knowledge platform, showcasing various varieties from rice from India and Telangana will be the focus,' he said.

 

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) took a major step towards achieving the goal of 'One Nation, One Commodity, One Regulator' by improving the ease of doing business in the food sector. This initiative, discussed and approved in the 43rd meeting of the FSSAI held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Union Health Secretary, Apurva Chandra, marks a significant milestone in India's regulatory landscape. The meeting saw the approval of various amendments across different Food Safety and Standards Regulations.

 

Notably, these amendments aim to streamline the certification process for food products, eliminating the need for Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) or AGMARK certification. Once finalized, food businesses will only require FSSAI certification, reducing the bureaucratic hurdles previously faced.

 

Expanding Standards: Mead, Alcoholic RTDs, and More

Among the approved amendments are the standards for Mead (Honey wine) and Alcoholic Ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, reflecting the evolving consumer preferences and industry trends. Additionally, revisions to the standards of milk fat products and the introduction of standards for Haleem, a traditional dish comprising meat, pulses, grains, and spices, further exemplify FSSAI's commitment to encompassing a diverse range of food products under its regulatory purview.

 

Comprehensive Manuals for Regulatory Compliance

In a pioneering move, the FSSAI approved comprehensive manuals of methods of analysis to ensure regulatory compliance across food products. This initiative underscores FSSAI's proactive approach towards enhancing food safety standards and promoting consumer welfare.

 

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

Recognizing the importance of stakeholder engagement, the amendments across different regulations are slated for draft notification to invite comments from stakeholders before finalization. The inclusive approach adopted by FSSAI encourages inputs from industry associations, consumer organizations, research institutes, farmers' organizations, and various government bodies, fostering a collaborative ecosystem for regulatory development.

 

The meeting witnessed the participation of key stakeholders, including G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, CEO of FSSAI, along with officials from various ministries and departments, such as Health and Family Welfare, Commerce, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Law and Justice, and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises.

 

The approvals and amendments ratified in the 43rd meeting of FSSAI exemplify the Authority's commitment to enhancing food safety standards, promoting regulatory efficiency, and fostering a conducive business environment in India's food sector.

Aiming to check very high prices of potatoes, the Bangladesh government has approved the import of 34,000 tonnes of potatoes from India. A total of 25 tonnes of potato arrived in Bangladesh through Dinajpur’s Hili land port from India on Saturday afternoon. As a result, the price of potatoes came down to Taka 25-30 per kg at retail markets from Taka 40-45  in the country.

 

Land port officials told the local media persons that the government has decided to import potatoes from India to rein in the soaring price of the vegetable ahead of Ramadan. A total of 49 traders will be able to start importing the potatoes from Saturday or Sunday, he added.

 

A local wholesale trader said that the price of potato went out of control due to shortage of the supply in Bangladesh's market last year. On October 30, the Bangladesh government allowed import of potatoes from India to maintain supply and to keep the situation normal. Since then, the price of imported potatoes has come down in the market. Following the market stability, Bangladesh again stopped importing potatoes through Hili land port from December 15.

Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna on Monday informed the House that three new schemes are being started by the state government to encourage agriculture.

 

These are the State Agriculture Development Scheme, World Bank Assisted Agri Scheme and establishment of automatic weather stations and automatic rain gauges in the development blocks and Gram Panchayats of the state, for which provisions of Rs 200 crore and Rs 60 crore are proposed respectively.

 

The Mukhyamantri Khet Suraksha Yojana is also set to begin, for which an allocation of Rs 50 crores has been made.

 

The total reported area in the state is 241.70 lakh hectares, out of which cultivation is being done in 160.95 lakh hectares. The Yogi Government has set a target of achieving a 5.1 per cent growth rate of the agriculture sector in the state.

 

Rs 2400 crore is proposed for supplying electricity to private tube wells of farmers at concessional rates, which is 25 per cent up compared to the current financial year.

 

Rs 449 crore 45 lakh is proposed for the implementation of PM KUSUM Yojana, which is more than double as compared to the current financial year.

 

The ban on giving new private tubewell connections in the dark zone has been lifted, which directly benefited about one lakh farmers.

 

The benefit of seasonal tariff and facility of temporary electricity connection was provided for irrigation of Rabi crop in Bundelkhand region.

 

In the year 2023-2024, about 37 lakh Kisan Credit Cards were issued till October 2023.

 

Under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, compensation of Rs 831 crore was given to about 10 lakh insured farmers until October 2023 for the financial year 2022-2023.

 

Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, an amount of about Rs 63,000 crore was transferred to the accounts of 2 crore 62 lakh farmers through DBT by December 2023.

 

Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana, small and marginal farmers of the state are provided with a fixed monthly pension of Rs 3000 – both men and women – upon attaining the age of 60 years.

 

A record sugarcane price payment of more than Rs 2 lakh 33 thousand 793 crore was made to about 46 lakh sugarcane farmers by the present government from the year 2017 to January 29, 2024. This sugarcane price payment is Rs 20,274 crore more than the combined sugarcane price payment of Rs 2 lakh 1 thousand 519 crore in the previous 22 years.

 

For the crushing season 2023-2024, the price of early maturing sugarcane varieties has been increased from Rs 350 to Rs 370, of common varieties from Rs 340 to Rs 360 and of unsuitable varieties from Rs 335 to Rs 355 per quintal.

 

Under Narendra Dev University of Agriculture and Technology, Ayodhya, the teaching and learning work of Agricultural College, Gonda, has started from the academic session 2023-2024.

 

Rs 100 crore is proposed for various new courses in agricultural and technological universities and colleges. Rs 100 crore is proposed for the establishment of Mahatma Buddha Agricultural and Technological University, Kushinagar.

The finance ministry has asked banks to engage with exporters and importers and expedite resolution of their problems while appropriately examining compliance requirements. In a statement the finance ministry noted that banks will work closely with Department of Commerce and export promotion councils for trade facilitation and early resolution of problems.

On Monday, financial services secretary Vivek Joshi held a review meeting to address banking and insurance related issues faced by exporters and importers. 'To ensure a seamless process, banks were advised to engage with clients to expedite resolution of their problems while appropriately examining compliance requirements,' the ministry noted in a statement.

 

The meeting was attended by senior officers from Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Commerce, and Ministry of Finance. Functionaries of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) along with Chairman, State Bank of India (SBI) and senior executives of major commercial banks.

 

Joshi asked banks to classify issues faced by them in different categories and indicated that they may consider seeking necessary regulatory guidance from RBI and also develop a standard operating procedure through Indian Banks Association (IBA).

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal encouraged industry’s constructive feedback and collaborative engagement to shape the policies, procedures and effectiveness of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. While delivering a keynote address at the ‘PLI Perspectives: A Stakeholder Meeting’ organized by the Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry yesterday at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, he applauded the efforts of all the PLI beneficiaries for driving the vision of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, to make India a global hub for manufacturing. 

 

Shri Goyal urged the industry champions to intensify their focus on enhancing competitiveness within their respective sectors, fostering a business environment that stimulates innovation, efficiency, and adaptability. He also emphasized on the importance of the industry's concentration on prioritizing production of high-quality goods which is aligned with the broader objective of the PLI Scheme, ensuring that the benefits extend to both businesses and consumers. 

 

Shri Goyal further highlighted the imperative of cooperative collaboration where beneficiary companies were urged to work hand-in-hand with the government and fellow stakeholders, creating a collaborative ecosystem for sustainable growth. The Minister further added that the Government Officials of the implementing Ministry/ Department must hold regular consultation and roundtables with their respective PLI beneficiary. 

 

Overall achievement of PLI Schemes was also discussed during the meeting. Actual investment of Rs. 1.07 lakh crore have been realized (till December’23) which has resulted in production/ sales worth Rs. 8.70 lakh crore and employment generation of around 7 lakhs (direct & indirect). Exports have exceeded Rs. 3.40 lakh crore, with substantial contribution from key sectors such as electronics, pharmaceuticals & food processing. Incentive amount of around Rs. 4,415 crore disbursed under PLI Scheme for 8 sectors. 

 

In the opening session, Secretary, DPIIT, Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh highlighted achievements of PLI Scheme and its potential to revolutionize the manufacturing sector going forward. The opening session was followed by two interactive sessions covering all the 14 sectors, with the objective of exploring areas of collaboration between the Government and industry champions and creating a clear action plan for successful implementation of PLI Schemes. It provided a unique forum for industry leaders, experts, and Government Officials to engage in insightful discussion and exchange valuable insights on the impact of PLI Schemes. 

 

During the interactive sessions, representatives from beneficiary companies expressed their perspectives on the PLI Schemes, sharing valuable insights into their experiences, challenges faced, and suggestions for improvement to enhance effectiveness and streamline implementation processes. The engagement proved to be a constructive platform for open communication between industry stakeholders and the implementing Ministries/ Departments. The meeting facilitated immediate discussions on raised issues, allowing for on-the-spot clarification and resolution by the concerned Ministries/ Departments, demonstrating a commitment to addressing challenges promptly. 

 

The objective of the Meeting was to bring all stakeholders on a common platform, fostering a sense of ownership to facilitate sharing of knowledge and experiences, good practices and success stories ultimately contributing to the successful implementation of PLI Schemes. 

 

Around 1200 delegates, from beneficiary companies under PLI Scheme for 14 sectors, came together to discuss and chart out the strategy for effective and seamless implementation of PLI Schemes. The meeting also witnessed participation from senior officials of NITI Aayog, 10 implementing Ministries/ Departments viz. DPIIT, M/o Electronics & Information Technology, D/o Telecommunications, M/o Heavy Industries, M/o New & Renewable Energy, M/o Civil Aviation, D/o Pharmaceuticals, M/o Food Processing Industries, M/o Textiles & M/o Steel and respective Project Management Agencies (PMAs) under PLI Schemes. 

 

The meeting concluded with a joint commitment from all participants to actively engage in the PLI Schemes and maximize the utilization of the available incentives to their fullest extent. 

There is no adverse impact on India's exports and imports so far due to the Red Sea crisis, an official said. The official said that the transportation cost has increased as the shippers are taking a long route.

 

'There is no impact in volume terms so far. Only the transportation cost is up. It has risen for all the countries. It has not affected the trade adversely so far. We have to see the long term demand, but it will depend on the EU and the US,' the official added.

 

These two regions account for over 30 per cent of the country's total exports.

 

However, exporters said that they are keeping their fingers crossed as due to the significant jump in freight cost, India's exports may be impacted.

 

The trade data for January will be released by the commerce ministry on February 15. In December last year, exports rose marginally by one per cent to USD 38.45 billion.

 

Due to the attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels on commercial ships, the movement of goods from the Red Sea, the world's busiest shipping route, has disrupted the global supply chains as vessels have to take long routes for exports and imports.

 

The immediate ripple effects are seen in increased freight costs, mandatory war risk insurance, and significant delays due to rerouting.

 

According to think tank GTRI, the average container spot rates have more than doubled since early December 2023.

 

Basmati rice exporters face freight costs soaring to USD 2,000 per 20-tonne container for destinations around the Red Sea, marking a 233 per cent increase, it has said in a report.

 

Houthi group has been using drones and rockets to target ships, which are transporting goods through the strait of Bab al-Mandab, which is a crucial shipping route connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean.

 

The strait, vital for 30 per cent of global container traffic, has seen increased tensions with various incidents in 2023, including attacks and military manoeuvres by regional and global powers.

 

India is heavily reliant on this route for trade and energy imports and due to the disruptions, exporters here have to diversify their trade routes.

 

Strikes have been continuing for many years but escalated this year sharply, with militants now using anti-ship ballistic missiles.

 

To avoid attacks, most large shipping firms, since December 15 last year, have stopped using the Bab al-Mandab straits for trade with Europe via the Red Sea and Suez Canal. The closure of this route snaps a critical trade link between Europe and India and all of Asia.

 

Ships going to Europe will now move via a much longer route around the Cape of Good Hope, the bottom tip of Africa. This change increases voyage distances by 40 per cent and raises transportation time and cost.

 

The two main shipping routes from India to Europe are via Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, Suez Canal and Red Sea; and via Cape of Good Hope, encircling Africa.

 

The Red Sea route is shorter and faster, making it the preferred option for most shipping companies. It starts from major Indian ports like Mumbai, JNPT, or Chennai, heads westward through the Arabian Sea, enters the Red Sea, and navigates through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea.

 

From there, ships can reach various European ports depending on their destinations.

 

On the other hand, the Cape of Good Hope route is longer and slower than the Suez Canal route, but it avoids the potential for delays or disruptions.

 

It is used for bulk cargo shipments where time is less critical or when political instability in the Middle East raises concerns about using the Suez Canal.

 

It starts from the Indian ports, heads southward across the Indian Ocean, rounds the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa, and then sails northward along the west coast of Africa before entering the Mediterranean Sea and reaching European ports.

 

India is heavily reliant on this strait for its crude oil, LNG imports and trade with the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been implementing a Central Sector Scheme- 'Operation Greens (OG)'– A scheme for development of Tomato, Onion and Potato (TOP) value chain since 2018-19. The coverage of the scheme has since been expanded from 3 crops (Tomato, Onion & Potato) to 22 perishables crops which include 10 fruits, 11 vegetables (including TOP) and 1 marine i.e. shrimp as per the Union Budget 2021.

 

The scheme has two pronged strategy of Price Stabilization Measures (short term measure) and Integrated Value Chain Development Projects (long term measure). Under the short term interventions of the scheme, MoFPI provides transportation (including air)/storage subsidy for eligible crop @ 50 % of eligible cost. In case of export, subsidy towards transportation charges is payable only upto Indian borders. Subsidy released under Short Term Interventions of the OG scheme is as below:

 

 (Rs. in crore)

FY	Kisan Rail	Subsidy (Short Term)	Total
2020-21	23.33	1.58	24.91
2021-22	54.46	3.74	58.20
2022-23	0	29.99	29.99
2023-24	0	2.00	2.00
Total	77.79	37.31	115.10

MoFPI through implementation of the Central Sector Scheme, namely, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), interalia, helps in creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet across the country. The scheme not only provide a boost to the growth of food processing sector in the country but also helps in, interalia, reducing wastage of agricultural produce, increasing the processing level and enhancing the export of the processed foods.

 

MoFPI is also implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme- PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFME) for providing technical, financial and business support for setting up/upgradation of 2 lakh Micro Food Processing Enterprises. Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme also launched by MoFPI for the period 2021-22 to 2026-27 to create global food champions and improving the visibility of Indian food brands abroad.

 

No State/UT-wise allocation and release of funds is made specifically for promotion of exports, under any of the above three schemes implemented by MoFPI.

 

This information was given by Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Km. Shobha Karandlaje) in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

The inter-mandi trade on e-NAM (National Agriculture Market) witnessed more than two times growth during the first nine months of 2023-24.

 

Replying to a query in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, Arjun Munda, Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, said inter-mandi trade increased from Rs.436.3 crore during 2022-23 (April-December) to Rs.1,137.1 crore in 2023-24 (April-December).

 

Inter-state trade on e-NAM increased from Rs.1 crore during 2022-23 (April-December) to Rs.40 crore in 2023-24 (April- December). As on December 31, a total trade value of Rs.3 lakh crore was recorded on e-NAM platform.

 

e-NAM is a pan-India electronic trading portal which seeks to network the existing physical APMCs (agricultural produce market committees) through a virtual platform to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities. This platform provides a single window service for all APMC-related information and services. This includes commodity arrivals, quality and prices, buy and sell offers, provision to respond to trade offers and electronic payment settlement directly into farmers’ account, among other services.

 

As many as 1,361 mandis were integrated with e-NAM platform as on March 31, 2023, and 1.8 crore farmers were registered with it.

 

AI to tackle agri problems

To a separate query on the use of AI (artificial intelligence) to tackle problems in agriculture, the Minister said the Ministry has employed AI methods to address various challenges in the agricultural sector to aid farmers.

 

Giving the example of ‘Kisan e-Mitra’, an AI-powered chatbot to assist farmers with queries about the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi) scheme, he said this solution supports multiple languages and is evolving to assist with other government programmes.

 

Referring to the use of National Pest Surveillance System for tackling the loss of produce due to climate change, he said this system uses AI and Machine Learning to detect crop issues, enabling timely intervention for healthier crops.

 

Wheat, rice production

To another question on the production of foodgrains, Munda said the country witnessed a record foodgrain production of 3,296.87 lakh tonnes (lt) during the agricultural year 2022-23, registering an increase of 30.82 per cent compared to 2,520.25 lt in 2014-15.

 

He said the production of rice, wheat and pulses stood at 1,357.55 lt, 1,105.54 lt and 260.58 lt, respectively, during 2022-23, registering an increase of 28.7 per cent, 27.77 per cent, and 51.90 per cent over their respective production of 1,054.82 lt, 865.27 lt and 171.54 lt in 2014-15.

 

'The growing foodgrains production in the country is due to higher budget allocation to agriculture sector and successful implementation of various scheme and programmes by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare,' he said.

 

PM KISAN

To a separate question on the recovery of funds under PM-KISAN, the Minister said a few states reported instances of fraudulent transactions under the scheme. Following this, recoveries have been made from fraudulent beneficiaries by the state governments concerned. A total Rs.335 crore has been recovered from such beneficiaries, he said.

 

As per operational guidelines of the scheme, it is the responsibility of the states/union territories to identify and verify the eligible beneficiaries under the scheme. Benefits are transferred to the beneficiaries through direct benefit transfer mode on the basis of verified data received from the states/union territories on the PM-KISAN portal. To help the states/union territories for automated validation of the beneficiaries’ data, PM-KISAN portal has been integrated with the portals of Unique Identification Authority of India for aadhaar authentication; with Public Finance Management System for validation of account and Government employees / pensioners data; with Income Tax department for validation of income tax payee status; and with National Payment Corporation of India for account validation and Aadhaar-based payments.

 

Eligible farmers are enrolled and deceased / ineligible beneficiaries are removed by way of continuous verification and validation of the beneficiary’s data. The states/union territories have been provided with the option to mark beneficiaries as eligible to ineligible and vice versa after due verification. eKYCof all the beneficiaries is also done to verify their status. States/union territories have been asked to expedite the process for saturation of the scheme with all the eligible beneficiaries and removal of ineligible beneficiaries, he said.

 

Surya Pratap Shahi, said that the country has achieved self-reliance in food production and is also exporting agricultural products, contributing to the economic strength of farmers.

 

Uttar Pradesh agriculture and farmers welfare minister, Surya Pratap Shahi, said that the country has achieved self-reliance in food production and is also exporting agricultural products, contributing to the economic strength of farmers. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a three-day regional agricultural fair at the Indian Vegetable Research Institute on Saturday, Shahi emphasised the government’s commitment, guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and led by chief minister Yogi Adityanath, to work in the farmers’ interest.

 

Shahi also described about the active agricultural and farmer-oriented initiatives undertaken by the Uttar Pradesh government, including the establishment of new agricultural universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and comprehensive improvements in the marketing system, along with contributions to food processing.

 

Dr Mangala Rai, former secretary and director general of ICAR, stressed the promotion of soil health through the widespread use of microorganisms. He urged farmers, agricultural institutions, and policymakers to consider future challenges such as food and nutrition security, climate change effects, organic products, food grain storage, agricultural marketing, processing, and self-employment in agriculture.

 

Deputy director general of ICAR, US Gautam, highlighted the use of various agricultural extension and engineering measures to enhance farmers’ income. The potential improvement in farming is done through artificial intelligence and drone technology, he added.

 

Assistant director general of ICAR, Dr Sudhakar Pandey, mentioned that the fair facilitates direct communication with farmers at various levels, raising awareness about current challenges and providing insights into coping strategies. Farmers from different states were honored during the event, and awards were distributed, with the participation of prominent officials from ICAR Headquarters.