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04 Dec, 2023 News Image Nagaland CM calls for use of modern farming methods to achieve self-sufficiency in food grains.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Saturday stressed on the need for amalgamation of the traditional method of farming with technology and scientific research for self-sufficiency in food grains and economic viability.
 
There is a need for bringing in modern farming to enhance productivity, he said.
 
Rio was speaking at the inaugural function of the two-day Millet Festival commemorating the culmination of the International Year of Millets organised by the Department of Agriculture coinciding with the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland at Kisama here.
 
Climate change along with unpredictable seasons and rainfall have badly affected the farmers of the state, he said.
 
Cultivation of millet in the northeast has been targeted, realising that most of the states of the region get rice and spices from other parts of the country as the region does not produce sufficient quantities of food grains, Rio said.
 
'Our indigenous farming is of diminishing return and therefore knowledgeable people with graduate or diploma in agriculture should come forward to take up progressive farming, including horticulture and veterinary,' the chief minister said.
 
Congratulating the traditional millet farmers for receiving the awards for producing substantial quantities of millet, Rio asked officials to purchase good quality seeds.
 
'As we culminate the International Year of Millets, let us make a good beginning and spread out the cultivation of millet with good seeds,' he said.
 
Advisor for Agriculture and MLA Mhathung Yanthan said that the GI registration process for four known varieties of millets in Nagaland has been initiated.
 
Millet gradually found its place in Nagaland, and from around 12,000 hectares, the cultivation has expanded to 19,000 hectares and it will continue to grow, he said.
 
The demand for millets in urban markets has increased manifold because of its nutritional value, he added.

 Source:  deccanherald.com
04 Dec, 2023 News Image India seeks deal with Argentina & Brazil for pulses imports.
After signing memorandum of understandings (MoUs) with Mozambique, Malawi and Myanmar for importing pulses, India has approached Argentina and Brazil for deals under which the South American countries will undertake to grow tur and urad varieties with an obligation to export the products to India.
 
Sources told FE that discussions have been initiated with Argentinian authorities for growing pulses varieties which India imports in substantial quantities.
 
Rohit Kumar Singh, secretary, department of consumer affairs recently held discussion with Argentina ambassador in India Hugo Javier Gobbi for growing pulses in the South American country.
 
In a recent visit of Brazilian officials from the agriculture ministry to the country, India urged Brazilian authorities to explore the possibility of the deal.
 
Officials said that the government is aiming to reduce the import dependence of pulses varieties from a few countries.
 
The domestic consumption of pulses in South American countries is small while pulses such as urad and tur can be grown in these countries because of conducive weather conditions and are likely to be grown there for the purpose of exports to India, an official said.
 
This year, India has imported 2.28 million tonne (MT) of pulses – 1.08 MT (lentil), 0.77 MT (tur or pigeon pea) and 0.42 MT (urad or black gram) mostly from Australia, Canada, Myanmar, Mozambique, Tanzania, Sudan and Malawi so far.
 
Brazil annually produces 3 MT of varieties of beans – black, copea and mungo which is enough to meet domestic demand as well as some exports to Vietnam, Pakistan and Egypt.
 
In addition, India is also exploring the possibility of growing pulses, especially tur and urad in Ethiopia and Tanzania to boost domestic supplies.
 
Earlier, India had signed an MoU with Mozambique for import of 0.2 MT of arhar annually for five years when the retail prices of tur skyrocketed to `200 a kg in 2016. This MoU was extended for another five years in September, 2021.
 
In 2021, India entered into MoUs with Malawi and Myanmar for the import of 50,000 tonne and 0.1 MT of tur per annum, respectively, till 2025.
 
Out of a record pulses production of 26.05 MT in 2022-23 crop year, chana (gram) has a share of 50%. The country has been self-sufficient in chana and moong varieties of pulses.
 
“Despite record production of pulses, there has been a gap between demand and supply of pulses in the country as its key source of protein for a large vegetarian population,’ an official said.
 
Currently, the government has abolished import duties on three varieties of pulses – tur, lentil and urad for curbing rise in prices due to domestic shortfall in production.
 
According to an estimate about 15% of domestic consumption of pulses is met through imports.
 
The retail inflation in ‘pulses and products’ category in October rose to 18.79% year-on- year mainly due to sharp spike in prices of arhar (40.94%), gram (11.16%) and moong (12.75%).

 Source:  financialexpress.com
04 Dec, 2023 News Image India s H1 poultry exports up 43% on demand from Oman, Sri Lanka and Japan.
Exports of poultry products such as eggs and egg powder have registered a 43 per cent growth at $81 million in the first six months of the current financial year. In the same period last year, the value of the poultry shipments stood at $57 million.
 
Exporters said strong demand from countries such as Sri Lanka, Malaysia and from traditional markets in West Asia such as Oman among others have contributed to the growth in the segment. Global factors including the impact of the Ukraine war also contributed to the demand for the Indian poultry products, said Valsan Parameswaran, Secretary, All India Poultry Exporters Association.
 
Sri Lanka bought close to 100 containers of Indian eggs in recent months, Parameswaran said. The number of eggs in each container is about 4.87 lakh. Malaysia has bought some 10 containers to meet the shortfall in the domestic supplies, he said.
 
Indian exporters are getting enquiries for eggs from Bangladesh and Afghanistan apart from others.. The demand from Bangladesh is likely to be catered by egg producers around West Bengal, he said. Also, the demand for the value-added products such as egg powders is on the rise, he said. About 10-15 lakh eggs are crushed daily to produce value-added products, Parameswaran said.
 
Prices surge
Egg prices have shot up by close to 40 per cent in the key producing regions of Namakkal on the reduction in placement by the producers. Egg prices are expected to decline from January-February onwards, due to higher placements in the recent weeks, and that may help the exporters in the new year, Parameswaran said.
 
Per the official data, India’s poultry exports touched a high of 6.64 lakh tonnes valued at $134.04 million during the 2022-23 fiscal, almost double from that of the previous year. In 2021-22, the poultry shipment volumes were 3.20 lakh tonnes valued at $71.03 million.
 
In the first six months, the shipments of poultry products touched 4.96 lakh tonnes valued at $81.21 million. Oman continues to be the largest buyer of Indian poultry products, accounting for close to a fourth of the shipment value, followed by Japan and Sri Lanka, which accounted for a tenth each. Other major buyers of Indian poultry products this fiscal include Maldives, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar among others.
 

 Source:  thehindubusinessline.com
04 Dec, 2023 News Image Region has gone from no agri-exportzone to becoming its hub: APEDA chief.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Friday jointly celebrated this first-ever achievement of 100 MT export of agricultural exports from LBSI Airport in a month. To commemorate this milestone, APEDA also held a workshop under the Krishi Udan Scheme (KUS), aimed at empowering agriculture and uplifting agri and perishable cargo. Speaking on the occasion, APEDA chairman Abhishek Dev complimented the exporters, farmers producer organisations (FPOs) and other stakeholders of Varanasi region, where there had been no export of agriculture products, for taking the export to the significant level in the last 3-4 years. MoCA’s senior economic advisor Piyush Srivastava, emphasised the integration of FPOs into the agricultural export supply chain through schemes like KUS. 'As per feedback from regional stakeholders, necessary interventions from the ministry are made for further changes, if required any scheme for promoting export of horticulture produce,' he said. Providing details of the progress made in perishable goods export from Purvanchal, APEDA regional head CB Singh, remarked, 'Before achieving the first-ever 100 MT monthly agri export, APEDA, in collaboration with all stakeholders, will continue efforts to convert this opportunity into 1000 MT monthly in near future.' Singh highlighted how Varanasi region, once lacking in agri-exports due to insufficient infrastructure, has transformed into a hub of it. With the establishment of a robust quarantine and customs clearance facilitation centre at LBSI Airport, numerous exporters now operate in the region, utilizing air routes for agricultural product exports, he said. 'Apart from fresh green vegetables, mangos and others, a variety of agricultural products such as fresh marigold, water chestnut, cranberry, banana, among others, have been successfully exported to international markets, showcasing the region's capability to meet global demand,' he added. APEDA officials mentioned, KUS with its focus on ensuring seamless, cost-effective, and time-bound air transportation for agri-produce, especially from Northeast, hilly, and tribal regions, is set to further enhance the agri-export trend from the Purvanchal region.


 Source:  timesofindia.indiatimes.com
04 Dec, 2023 News Image India s focus on infrastructure empowering the economy: Shri Goyal.
India’s focus on infrastructure is empowering the economy and giving it a fillip, said Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles while addressing the Inaugural session of ‘3rd India Debt Capital Market Summit 2023 - Onwards & Upwards’.
 
The Union Minister said that massive investments both from the government and from the private sector, directed towards infrastructure is boosting the infrastructural capabilities of the country. He said competitive source of financing is attracting investments from those who are looking for greater safety. He said the stock market is also hitting a 4 trillion mark for the first time and India being amongst the top five global markets has huge opportunities. He pointed out that the country is the fifth largest economy in the world and the fastest growing economy at 7.6%, this quarter. 'The world trusts India today,” Shri Goyal said mentioning that the country stands at the cusp of a very bright future as a trusted partner of the world and as a vibrant democracy where people recognize and respect the rule of law.
 
Shri Goyal said that in the Amrit Kal, we dream of a Viksit Bharat where we are on our journey towards developed and prosperous India. He said India will add $30 trillion to our 3.7 trillion by 2047.
 
Shri Goyal said a resilient debt capital market will be the catalyst for innovation, entrepreneurship and infrastructure development. He noted that massive urbanization will happen over the next few decades even as Tier 2 cities are also going to become metropolitan cities. Rural Areas incomes are rising, raising spending power across the country. Futuristic sectors like AI, semiconductors, electric vehicles, will be powering our future. Green and sustainable energy will be the way forward and the capital markets and debt markets are playing their role in our energy transition to a low carbon economy. Shri Goyal urged the corporate world to Invest in India without the fear of missing out.
 
The Minister said between 2010 and 2013, there was weak macro-economic fundamentals, foreign exchange crisis and FCNR bonds were raised in 2013 paying a significantly higher interest rate on foreign currency borrowings, inflation used to persistent at elevated levels of 10%to 12%, bank debts was growing irrationally, fiscal deficits were high. It was then in 2014 when Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi took over.  He said that PM was very focused on ease of doing business and reduction of compliance burden, decriminalizing several laws, removing some of the redundant laws from the statute book. 'It was a holistic plan, which helped India double its foreign exchange reserves in the last 10 years,” he said adding on that the country is in a sweet spot today where it can be confident that for many years to come, it won't have a crisis of the sort that was seen in 2013.
 
Shri Goyal said that India has been able to increase exports of goods and services, almost 55% - from 500 billion in 2021 to 776 billion last year. He said that with two conflicts going on around the world and there is a prospect of recession in the developed economies. Still, he said, he is confident of growth in the export numbers even in the current year.

 Source:  pib.gov.in
04 Dec, 2023 News Image EU Agriculture Commissioner s Visit to India: Promoting European Excellence in Agri-Food at SIAL & VINEXPO 2023.
European Union Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski is scheduled to visit India from December 7 to 9, accompanied by a delegation of over 50 European businesses in the agri-food sector. On December 7, he will inaugurate the EU Pavilion at the SIAL & VINEXPO 2023 exhibitions in New Delhi. The pavilion will showcase a variety of agri-food products from Europe, emphasizing their quality, safety, authenticity, and sustainability standards.
 
During the visit, Commissioner Wojciechowski will engage in bilateral meetings with Indian Ministers responsible for Agriculture, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, as well as with representatives from Niti Aayog. These meetings will provide a platform to discuss EU and Indian agricultural policies and address market access challenges faced by EU operators in India.
 
The EU holds the position of honor at SIAL and VINEXPO 2023, launching the ‘More than food’ campaign to actively promote exceptional European agricultural products to Indian businesses and consumers. Commissioner Wojciechowski will be part of the opening ceremony, joined by a delegation of 50+ businesses aiming to showcase their products and explore business and matchmaking opportunities with Indian counterparts.
 
The EU Pavilions at SIAL and VINEXPO play a vital role in facilitating centralized matchmaking opportunities for Indian buyers, retailers, and distributors. These interactions aim to establish new partnerships that benefit both EU companies and their Indian counterparts, contributing to a better understanding of the Indian market’s specific needs and preferences.
 
Commissioner Wojciechowski expressed, 'At the EU Pavilions, we offer an immersive journey into the world of European agricultural products, focusing on quality, safety, authenticity, and sustainability. We aim to inform and inspire Indian buyers, retailers, and distributors through cooking demonstrations, information sessions, and tastings over three exciting days.'
 
Visitors to the EU Pavilion at SIAL, can savor a diverse selection of European food products from 27 EU Member States. The VINEXPO Pavilion, provides an opportunity to experience the world of European beverages, including premium wines, beers, and spirits.
 
Key events at SIAL & VINEXPO 2023 include the official opening ceremonies, cooking demonstrations by Star Chefs Guntas Sethi Bhasin and Ajay Chopra, B2B matchmaking sessions, and conferences focusing on food excellence, safety, quality, authenticity, and sustainability. These events aim to enrich the understanding of European products in the Indian market and promote successful business partnerships.

 Source:  financialexpress.com
04 Dec, 2023 News Image 1st batch of potatoes grown in EUP takes off for Gulf.
After mango, fresh green vegetables and other agricultural products, now Purvanchal's potatoes are Gulf-bound. The first ever consignment of potatoes grown by the farmers of the region took off for Gulf countries from Varanasi’s Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport on Friday.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Friday jointly celebrated this first-ever achievement of 100 MT export of agricultural exports from LBSI Airport in a month.
APEDA estimates setting of new benchmarks in perishable goods export from this airport by the end of current financial year as it handled 598 MT of perishable cargo till November end, while in 2022-23 financial year, only 561 MT of perishable cargo was handled. On November 16, the first consignment of 400 kg of marigold flowers from east UP had been flown to the markets in the Gulf region. Farm Producer Organisers (FPOs) promoted in the region had started exporting green chilies and other fresh vegetables, Banarasi Langda mangoes, banana plant products and other things to the foreign shores in this fiscal.
 
Karnataka IT exports jump 27% to Rs 3.2 lakh crore, contributes 42% to India's IT exports
Karnataka's IT exports grew 27% to Rs 3.2 lakh crore in 2022-23, accounting for 42% of India's IT exports. The Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) 2023 showcased tech leaders, startups, and investors from over 30 countries. Karnataka is home to 14,000 startups and 40 unicorns, solidifying its position as a global innovation hub. Bengaluru ranks 8th in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index. Karnataka is also the preferred destination for global capability centres (GCCs), hosting 40% of GCCs in India. The state has added approximately 20 new GCCs every year from 2000 to 2022. Karnataka is home to over 5,500 IT/ITeS companies, 750 MNCs, and has significant shares in electronics design, machine tools manufacturing, aerospace & defense manufacturing, and biotechnology exports. The state government has set up a Skill Advisory Committee for emerging technologies to bridge skill gaps. Karnataka deputy chief minister seeks private sector participation and support from foundations to equip rural education centers with emerging tech skills.
Bengalurus first-ever Kambala ends on a grand note
The city hosted Tulunadus historic buffalo sport Kambala at Palace Grounds. Over five lakhs witnessed the two-day mega affair. 160 pairs of buffaloes competed in the race. The event also featured puppets representing Tulunadu culture, a museum showcasing the regions lifestyle and coastal food, and musical performances by Arjun Janya, Shamita Malnad, Indu Nagaraj, and Gurukiran, as well as the traditional Huli Vesha (tiger dance).
Agricultural conversion, afforestation degrading grassy vegetation & its biodiversity, study finds
A collaborative study conducted in Maharashtra, including Pune, highlights the need for immediate attention to the fast-shrinking old-growth savannas, home to rich endemic herbs. The study shows that tillage agriculture and afforestation are threatening tropical savanna plant communities. Plantations reduce native plant diversity, and native species do not recolonize fallow land. Restoration policies should move away from tree plantation as the sole solution. This study brings a change of perspective to nature conservation and biodiversity, emphasizing the importance of other rich ecosystems.

 Source:  timesofindia.indiatimes.com
01 Dec, 2023 News Image Punjab Agri Export Corporation: Department starts weekly organic mandi.
City residents can explore the freshness of locally sourced organic produce at Doaba Organic Market, which started on Sunday.
 
The weekly mandi is the initiative of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in cooperation with Punjab Agri Export Corporation. Notably, only certified farmers by the Agriculture Department could sell products at the mandi. Farmers from Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr and Hoshiarpur came to sell their produce and processed products on Sunday.
 
People can buy fresh, organic vegetables, jaggery, pulses, mustard oil, among other products every Sunday between 12 pm and 2 pm from Kheti Bhawan, Ladowali Road, near DC Complex, Jalandhar.
 
The prices of items will be decided by a committee of farmers and technical guidance will be arranged by the Department of Agriculture and Horticulture.
 
'It is a good opportunity for everybody. Certified organic farmers are part of the mandi. Indulge in the goodness of nature every Sunday,' said Jaswant Rai, Chief Agriculture Officer Jalandhar.
 
Sukhdip Hundal, Deputy Director of Horticulture Department, Kapurthala, said it was a great initiative and one must come and visit here.
 
Paramveer Singh Bimb from Birampur village in Hoshiarpur and a captain in Merchant Navy was part of the mandi. He said he got certified around seven years ago. 'We grow vegetables, pulses and basmati on 15 acres of land. We process the products and then sell these further,' he said.
 
Singh has a stall at the mandi where he sells pulses, turmeric, seasonal vegetables, mustard oil and unpolished basmati, among others.
 
While talking about organic farming, Singh said they preferred cow-dung based farming in which they don’t use any chemical or pesticides in their crops.
 
'We use khatti lassi and other natural fertilisers,' he said, adding that the prices of the products were customer-friendly.

 Source:  tribuneindia.com
01 Dec, 2023 News Image Kashmiri Kishtwar Saffron Gets Prestigious GI Tag, Graded Grade 1.
Saffron, or Zaffran is one of the most precious spices in history and recently, Kashmir's Kishtwar saffron has been recognised with a GI Tag for its unique and outstanding quality.
 
Saffron is revered as one of the most – if not the most – expensive spices in the world. The delicate strands, hand-collected from the stigmas of crocus flowers can cost lakhs per kilogram. And among the most expensive, and highest quality saffron, comes from Kashmir. There are a few major growing regions that have won acclaim and recently, Kishtwar Saffron, from the Kishtwar Region of Jammu and Kashmir has been bestowed with the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indications Registry
 
A GI tag is a mark of quality, which acts as a mark of intellectual property and solidifies that the product originates from a specific geographical region and bears unique and valuable characteristics due to its place of origin. The origins of Kishtwar saffron can be traced to the scenic Kishtwar region, nestled in the mountainous landscapes of Jammu. Referred to locally as 'Kung' and nationally as 'Kesar,' this spice holds pivotal economic importance in this secluded district. Mandal, the saffron production area, encompasses around 120 hectares of cultivable land, establishing Kishtwar as a significant hub for saffron cultivation.
 
Kishtwar has gained renown for producing the most valuable saffron harvest, popularly known as Kumkum. This esteemed variety not only signifies the economic significance of saffron cultivation but also carries cultural value as a symbol of freshness and purity. Saffron, referred to by its Sanskrit name 'Kum-Kum' or 'Lohit,' holds a place as a cultural heritage in the region.
 
Aside from winning the GI tag, Kishtwar saffron was also awarded a Grade 1 quality rating when 1150 grams of saffron flowers harvested from Berwar underwent thorough physical and chemical analysis at the India International Kashmir Saffron Trading Centre (IIKSTC), Dussu Pampore. This process resulted in the extraction of 110 grams of fresh saffron filaments and 20 grams of top-tier dry Lacha saffron, subsequently designated as Grade 1.
 
The quality of Kishtwar saffron stands out, even when compared to the well-known Pampore saffron from Kashmir. This superiority is attributed to various factors, including the quality of the land, climate conditions, and the meticulous technique of plucking flowers and separating the red and yellow carpels from the petals.
 
Since manual saffron production is a labour-intensive process, these achievements mark a significant win for the growers and producers of the area and stand as a testament to years of dedicated work. The GI tag and subsequent Grade 1 award are a big step towards improving the economic climate of Kishtwar for the growers and for the reputation of Kashmiri saffron. 

 Source:  slurrp.com
01 Dec, 2023 News Image India sells over 4 million tonnes of wheat in open market from FCI stock in 5 months.
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) sold 2.84 lakh tonnes (lt) of wheat in the open market through auction on Wednesday, taking the total to nearly 42 lt so far, since weekly sales of the grain from the government reserves began on June 28 under the open market sale scheme (OMSS) to control domestic prices.
 
The weighted average selling price of wheat was Rs.2,128/quintal on November 29 e-auction, which almost same as was in the previous week, official sources said. But, the weighted average selling price was Rs.2,279/quintal.
 
Record participation
There was a record participation of 2,420 bidders in the last wheat auction despite traders being kept out of the process and stringent checking happening to ensure only processors get the wheat so that atta (flour), maida and sooji prices will remain under control, an official source said.
 
The average selling price on November 15 auction dropped to Rs.2,233.61/quintal from Rs.2,251.79 in its previous week. But, the rates have started moving up in past two rounds of auction.
 
The government has increased the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat for next rabi marketing season (April-March) to Rs.2,275/quintal from Rs.2,125 in the 2023-24 season.
 
The Food Ministry has announced that wheat sales under the open market sale scheme (OMSS) will continue till March 31, 2024, and 101.5 lt will be offloaded to keep the prices in check. So far, 23 rounds of auction have been completed in which 41.81 lt of wheat have been sold, officials said, adding there may be another 17 rounds by March 31.
 
Govt steps to cool prices
'As seen by the interest of bidders in past few weeks, there could be another 48-50 lt of wheat FCI can sell maximum by March 31, taking the total to about 90 lt this year,' a flour miller said.
 
The government has taken a number of steps to keep wheat prices under check. While traders have been kept out of the auction by allowing only processors to take part, the per bidder quantitative cap has been hiked to 200 tonnes from 100 tonnes in each round from November 1 so as to ensure higher availability in the market.
 
The government has also introduced verification of last three months of electricity bills of the processing plant/unit before issuing the release order to the successful bidders. This is primarily done to keep traders out of the auction, directly or indirectly, officials said.
 
Besides, 2.28 lt of wheat has been allocated at concessional rates to cooperative organisations Kendriya Bhandar, NCCF and NAFED for converting the grain to atta and sell to the public under ‘Bharat Atta’ brand at a maximum retail price of Rs.27.50/kg. Of the 78,450 tonnes of indent placed by these agencies, the lifting was only 44,246 tonnes as of November 28.
 

 Source:  thehindubusinessline.com