Removal of non-tariff barriers in G20 nations such as minimum maturation condition for whisky will help in increasing exports of alcoholic beverages from India, apex body for liquor firms Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) said on Tuesday.

 

CIABC Director-General Vinod Giri said that the G20 countries not only account for 80 per cent of global alcoholic beverages imports, they also allow higher product prices and better operating margins.

 

However, India has a miniscule share of that pie, accounting for just 0.1 per cent of their imports.

 

'It is therefore a massive opportunity not only from the volume point of view but also from the value and profits. G20 nations have great interest in it. While allowing them better access to our markets, we must ensure a return access by demanding the removal of non-tariff barriers such as minimum maturation conditions for whisky that these countries have put up to protect their own industry,' Giri said.

 

He added that many Indian alcoholic beverages products are comparable with the best in the world quality-wise, but attracting customers is not an easy task in highly competitive markets of the G20 countries.

 

'The G20 presidency with India has helped on that front by moving India towards the centre of this grouping. It has increased engagement with India and we hope it spills over to an interest in Indian products and a favourable disposition towards them,' he said.

 

Giri also said that so far exports of alcoholic beverages have been driven by the industry with little intervention or support from the government, but the push by India's trading partners like the UK and Australia for liquor and wine has made the government take notice of the industry.

 

Seeing the opportunity in India, countries like the UK are seeking significant duty cuts on whiskey.

 

'We note a welcome interest in the government on promoting export of Indian alcoholic beverages products now. India is amongst the largest liquor markets in the world,' he said.

 

Besides removing barriers, he suggested that Indian missions abroad can help in promoting domestic products by serving those in their official functions.

 

'This is a great endorsement and this is what every other country does. Our trade fairs and exhibitions should include Indian products. We must showcase our indigenous liquor like Feny, Mahua etc. to the world as a specialty,' Giri said.

 

Alcoholic beverage exports from India to G20 countries are just 12 per cent of India's total alcohol exports.

 

G20 countries import USD 56.8 billion of alcoholic beverages, out of which India's share is just USD 36.7 million.

 

G20 has 43 members and not 20 countries. These include 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, the UK and the US) and the European Union (27-member group). Three EU countries -- France, Germany, and Italy -- are counted among 19 countries.

 

Share of G20 nations in India's merchandise export was 64 per cent and import was 52.4 per cent in 2022.

 

India's leading export destinations among G20 nations in 2022 were the US (USD 91 billion), the EU (USD 87 billion), China (USD 17.5 billion), the UK (USD 14.4 billion), Turkiye (USD 10.7 billion) and Saudi Arabia (USD 10 billion).

 

The country's leading import suppliers last year included China (USD 118.5 billion), the EU (USD 59.1 billion), Saudi Arabia (USD 43.3 billion), the US (USD 38.4 billion), Russia (USD 34 billion), Australia (USD 19.2 billion), Korea (USD 18.9 billion), and Japan (USD 13.9 billion).

The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has facilitated the first-ever consignment of banana plant products from Varanasi to the UAE by air, boosting agricultural exports. APEDA plans to integrate more farmer producer organizations into the export supply chain. The Purvanchal region has seen a surge in demand for its perishable products, leading to a 248% increase in agricultural product exports in Q1 2022-23 compared to the same period last year. The region has become a preferred export destination for horticultural products, catering to Gulf countries, European nations, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

 

In a boost to agricultural products exports, the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), ministry of commerce & trade, has facilitated the maiden consignment of banana plant products – including fruit, flower, and leaf – from Varanasi to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by air.

 

During the virtual flag-off ceremony, APEDA chairman Abhishek Dev emphasised the immense potential of agricultural products exports from Uttar Pradesh.

 

Reaffirming APEDA’s commitment to fostering international market linkages, Dev said, 'We have planned to integrate more farmer producer organizations (FPOs) into the agricultural export supply chain.'

 

The banana products consignment was sourced from the Zamania Fed Farmer Producer Company, Gazipur, UP and transported via air route from Lal Bahadur Shastri International (LBSI) Airport to the UAE on Monday, said Dr CB Singh, deputy general manager APEDA, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar.

 

Singh said that these developments are the result of APEDA’s sustained efforts, driving farmers and FPOs in the Purvanchal region to engage in export-oriented production. The region’s perishable products have seen a surge in demand in the international market, contributing to a 248% increase in agricultural product exports in the first quarter of the current fiscal compared to the same period in the previous year (2022-23).

 

In the financial years 2021-22 and 2022-23, 157 metric tonnes and 561 metric tonnes of vegetables and fruits were exported from Uttar Pradesh, said Dr Singh.

 

APEDA’s establishment of an office in Varanasi in 2020, with support from the Uttar Pradesh government, marked a significant milestone.

 

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the region has emerged as a preferred export destination for horticultural products, including green chillies, okra, pointed gourd, green peas, mangoes, litchi, bananas, Ivy Gourd (kundru), guava, drumstick, jackfruit, brinjal, amla, lemon, and more, catering to Gulf countries, European nations, Nepal, and Bangladesh, said Dr Singh.

 

Currently, the Varanasi region boasts numerous exporters, and the facilitation of agricultural product exports via air routes has been made possible through the establishment of robust quarantine and custom clearance facilitation centers at the LBSI Airport.

Nepal is ready to collaborate with India to promote the cultivation and consumption of millets, which have high nutritional value, as a staple food, agriculture and livestock minister Beduram Bhushal has said.

 

Speaking at an event here on Tuesday, Bhushal congratulated India for taking the lead in the millet campaign, aptly renaming the grains as 'Shree Anna' or auspicious grains.

 

Bhushal emphasised the potential health benefits of promoting millet as a staple food, highlighting its high nutritional value.

 

Noting that the United Nations has launched a campaign to promote the consumption of millets at India's initiative, the minister underscored Nepal's readiness to join hands with New Delhi in the campaign.

 

In 2021, India proposed to the UN to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYOM). The proposal received support from 72 countries and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets.

 

The Embassy of India in Kathmandu, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Nepal, organised the programme to commemorate the International Year of Millet 2023.

 

During the event, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Shrivastava emphasised the importance of India and Nepal's cooperation in the field of agriculture for millet production and exploring its market potential.

 

'Millets can provide solutions to the challenges of climate change and global food security,' he said.

 

Food experts who spoke at the event highlighted the nutritional value of millet and stressed the need to promote its mass production, recognising its immense potential in export markets.

 

Millets, known as one of the oldest crops cultivated by mankind, are resilient, capable of thriving in adverse weather conditions, and require minimal irrigation facilities.

 

Various types of millets are available in the market, including kodo, foxtail, barnyard, browntop, little millet, bajra, and porso -- all known for their rich nutritional content.

There is reason enough to cheer for Malda. Growers of the three varieties of mangoes that had been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2008 from the Malda region, were handed over the GI certificates on Tuesday. 

 

In the presence of Ujjwal Biswas, state minister of Science, Technology and Biotechnology department, the district administration handed over the certificates to growers of Khirsapati (Himsagar), Fazli and Laxman Bhog varieties of mangoes. 

 

From now on, buyers and sellers will not have to verify the quality of these three varieties of Malda mangoes from certified growers. The GI label and a logo for these mangoes will be now designed.

 

The GI tag will emerge as a big boost, especially in the field of exports. A total of 235 growers of Malda have been identified to be handed over the certificates. Mangoes grown outside the GI region cannot bear the names — Khirsapati (Himsagar) Fazli and Laxman Bhog.

 

A programme was held at Malda Town Hall on Tuesday after which the farmers were selected and the programme was arranged to hand over GI recognition certificates to them. Biswas said: 'The Ashwina variety of Malda is also under process for GI tag. Further, the amsatwa (dried mango pulp) can also be considered for the same. More farmers will get such GI tag certificates in future.'

 

Loknath Kumar, a mango grower of Araidanga area in Ratua II block who has been associated with mango cultivation for 25 to 30 years, said: 'Even if mangoes are grown organically, their quality is checked when they go to other states or abroad. The GI tag has given confidence to the farmers and traders.'

 

Minister of state for Irrigation, Sabina Yasmin, said: 'In future, I hope that other types of mango and litchi will also get GI recognition.'

 

Nitin Singhania, District Magistrate Malda, said: 'With the GI tag, farmers will show more interest in growing these species of mangoes. In other parts of the country and the state, these mangoes will have added values as they have GI certification.'

Director General of Foreign Trade, Santosh Sarangi on September, 01, 2023 reportedly announced that the government intends to tap the districts for promoting exports of goods/services produced/manufactured in these to enhance overall exports of the country. Stating that districts have a huge potential for increasing the country’s exports, he said, at present only 70 districts out of the 750 districts in the country account for 80 % of total exports of the country.

 

Sarangi said, India has a huge potential for export of electronic items, white goods, and processed foods, and with the kind of growth rates the country has been experiencing for the last 15 years, she can aspire to become a Middle-Income Economy in the near future. In addition, the series of Free Trade Agreements India has signed, or is in the process of signing, will give greater access to Indian goods to the export markets of these countries, helping raise India’s exports to GDP ratio more than the present 22 %.

 

Genesis of the idea to set up district export hubs

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given a call from the ramparts of the Red Fort in his Independence Day Speech in 2019 to convert each district into an export hub making Districts active stakeholders in the promotion of exports of goods/services produced/manufactured in these.

 

Following this, the Department of Commerce had launched the DEH initiative in 2019, under which the Government of India is collaborating with the State governments to harness the potential of districts to transform them into Export Hubs.

 

Approach to involve districts

 

Each district in India can be characterised as an exclusive source of distinct and distinguished products, that remains untapped. If the potential of each District is tapped fully, it can fuel economic growth, generate employment, boost rural entrepreneurship & enhance exports, helping the country to achieve the goal of Self-reliance, it is opined.

 

Earlier, Export Promotion as a subject was dealt by the Central Government only, without any active, credible mechanism, involving the State or the District level Stakeholders into the decision-making process to promote goods and services produced at the grassroots level.

 

To boost local production, and the need to make Districts active Stakeholders in driving export growth of local products/services therefore necessitated Decentralising the Export Promotion Activity to help fill the existing gaps and bottlenecks in exporting identified products/services from these.

 

Further, under the new Foreign Trade Policy which came into effect from April 01, 2023, government plans to aid homegrown businesses by taking forward the Districts as Export Hubs uplifting the export value of districts across the country.

 

The objectives the scheme wants to achieve:

 

Provide export opportunities to MSMEs, farmers and small industries in the overseas markets, with a focus on District led Export Growth for Self- reliance;

Attract investment in the district to boost manufacturing and exports and provide ecosystem for Innovation/ use of Technology at District level to make the exporters competitive;

Help reduce transaction cost for the exporters at various stages of export cycle and generate employment in the district;

Provide platforms for global reach to products and services from the district through E-commerce and Digital marketing.

Institutional mechanism in districts

 

District Export Promotion Committees are constituted in each District & all key officers related to agriculture, horticulture, livestock, fisheries, handicrafts, handlooms and industry in the district, and the Lead Bank Manager along with key Export Promotion Councils, Quality and Technical Standards Bodies, Government of India departments like MSME, Heavy Industry, Revenue and Textiles become a part of the DEPC;

The initial meetings in the identified Districts are conducted by the DGFT Regional Authorities in collaboration with the District and State Authorities;

DEPC will focus on the specific actions required to support local exporters / manufacturers in producing exportable products in adequate quantity and with the requisite quality, and reaching potential buyers outside India.

 

The primary function of the DEPC is to prepare and act on District Specific Export Action Plans in collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders from the Centre, State, and the Districts.

 

Decentralising export promotion

 

The Department of Commerce through Directorate General of Foreign Trade is working with the State / UT Governments in a phased manner to achieve the objective of increasing production, exports & generating economic activity to achieve the goal of Self-reliant India.

 

In this process:

 

In the initial phase, products/services with export potential in each District are identified and Institutional Mechanism in the form of State Export Promotion Committees at the state level and District Export Promotion Committees at the district level are created to provide support for export promotion to address the bottlenecks for export growth in the districts;

Specific action plans to increase exports are finalised by the DEPCs in each District through District Specific Export Action Plans while State Export strategy/policy and State Agricultural Plans are finalised by the States/UTs at their levels;

The District wise export data is now being generated by the ICEGATE (Indian Customs Electronic Gateway)/DGCIS (Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence & Statistics) to track the export performance from each District.

Progress made up to January, 2023

 

State Export Promotion Committees have been constituted in all the 36 States/UTs

District Export Promotion Committees have been constituted in all the 36 States/UTs.

Products/Services with export potential have been identified in all 733 Districts across the country, including Agricultural & Toy clusters and GI products in these Districts.

Epilogue

 

Coordinated and synergised effort towards trade and export promotion by the Central Government, State Governments and the District administration would enhance manufacturing activities, promote goods and services exports, support MSMEs and local artisans/craftsmen, broaden coverage of e-commerce linkages with Districts, promote GI products, improve logistics, agricultural sectors and increase employment opportunities in the districts. This is bound to lead to accrual of wide-ranging economic benefits, including investment, manufacturing & the overall export growth of the country.

The G20 Technical Workshop on 'Climate Resilient Agriculture' commenced on September 4th in Hyderabad, India, organized by the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

 

This three-day workshop aims to facilitate discussions on climate change challenges and foster international cooperation to enhance countries' abilities to address these climate-related agricultural issues.

 

The inaugural session of the workshop saw the participation of Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

 

Addressing the workshop, S.K. Chaudhari, Chairman of the Technical Workshop for Climate-Resilient Agriculture, highlighted the potential for G20 nations to lead in developing climate-resilient practices for sustainable agriculture. Location-specific Climate Resilient Technologies (CRTs) are already being demonstrated in India to cope with climate variability, read the release.

 

The workshop's agenda includes discussions on upscaling climate-resilient agriculture case studies and experiences, policy considerations, financial aspects, and institutional requirements.

 

Additionally, on September 5th, the delegates will visit the ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) Hyderabad to explore advances in millet research as part of the International Year of Millets 2023.

 

The following day, the delegates will visit Shilparamam, Hyderabad, to experience live performances of Indian folk artists showcasing traditional dance forms and cultural products.

 

Finally, on September 6th, the delegates will explore the ICAR-CRIDA Hayathnagar Research Farm, gaining insights into crop management and agriculture practices.

 

This workshop serves as a platform for international collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the development of strategies to address climate change's impact on agriculture, read the release.

 

India seeks to enhance its research and development initiatives in millet farming and collaborate with other nations in advancing these crops.

 

The safety and security of all delegates have been diligently arranged for during their stay in Hyderabad, ensuring a successful and productive event.

The Indian government’s decision to allow exports of 1.43 lakh tonnes (lt) of white rice to Singapore, Mauritius and Bhutan through the National Cooperative Exports Ltd (NCEL) has been welcomed as a boost to the co-operative sector. 

 

But a section of the trade is of the view that NCEL, which was allowed to be set up by the Union Cabinet in January this year, lacks experience in the export market and may not stand up to the demands of buyers abroad. 'The Centre’s move to allow exports of white rice through NCEL is a welcome step. It will further boost the co-operative societies and also farmer producer organisations (FPOs),' said Rajesh Paharia Jain, a Delhi-based exporter.

 

Paddy FPOs to benefit

NCEL has been set up under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002. All cooperatives are eligible to become its members. Responding to a question last month in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Home and Co-operation Amit Shah said NCEL will focus on 'exporting surpluses available in the co-operative sector by accessing wider markets beyond the geographical contours of the country, thereby, increasing the demand of Indian co-operative products/services'. 

 

NCEL will have an authorised share capital of ?2,000 crore in which the initial paid-up share capital will be ?500 crore. The initial contributions for the capital have been shared equally by Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative (IFFCO), Krishak Bharati Cooperative (Kribhco), National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed), Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) and National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC). 'There are 160 FPOs that deal with paddy. Haryana co-operative federation HAFED trades in Basmati. Nafed and Kribhco purchase from the open market. And GCMMF is well-versed with not just procuring from farmers but also ensuring remunerative payment for them. In such circumstances, giving NCEL permission to export rice is a good decision,' said an agricultural expert who did not wish to identify.

 

A Kribhco official said rice exports would be done through procurement of rice from cooperatives and FPOs only as mandated by NCEL bylaw.

 

Govt’s objective

'The Centre is wrong in allowing only NCEL to export white rice to the three countries. Bureaucrats do not know much about trading. We can only pray that they will not damage our reputation,' said a South India-based trader without wishing to identify.

 

NCEL could probably handle exports now since there is no competition and it is the sole agency permitted. But when exports open up, the organisation could stand exposed, said the trader.

 

The agricultural expert said in 1990, 17 per cent of exports from the US were through the co-operatives sector and their share in the global market was nine per cent. 'The Indian government’s objective of floating the NCEL is to make the co-operative sector strong so that farmers can begin to be directly involved in exports,' the expert said.

 

'The motive of allowing NCEL to export seems good. But can it withstand the challenges in the global market? This is the main concern of the trade,' said a trade analyst. 

 

Reasons for the ban

The Centre allowed exports of 1.43 lakh tonnes of white rice to the three countries as a special case and on a government-to-government (G2G) basis following requests from the respective heads of State as the nations’ food security was under threat. 

 

While curbing rice exports as part of its efforts to tame surging prices and meet domestic demand, the government said it would consider G2G exports on grounds of food security. 

 

Though the area under rice has increased during the current kharif season, the Centre fears production could be lower in view of floods damaging paddy in north India and a long dry period affecting the crop in south India. 

 

India’s maritime connectivity will get a big boost with Thai shipping line –Regional Container Lines (RCL)– deciding to upgrade its service, connecting major hubs in Southeast Asia, India and the Gulf countries. Saudi Arabia’ King Abdulaziz Port will now be part of the route for the shipping line, which will start from Cai Mep Port in Vietnam. It will then touch upon Laem Chabang in Thailand, Port Klang in Malaysia, Nhava Sheva in Mumbai, Jebel Ali just off Dubai, and Sohar in Oman besides the Saudi port. Trade and economic activities in the entire stretch are expected to surge amid changing power dynamics the world over.

 

The service will extend from the current 35 days to 42 days.

 

Though the RCL continues to deploy one vessel in this cargo service, an analyst said that at a later stage, more vessels could use this route.

 

'For India, this particular route will be hugely beneficial as New Delhi looks to integrate more with the Southeast Asian giants as well as the Gulf. This particular shipping line connects India with both the worlds and will enhance trade activities in the post Covid era,' the analyst told.

 

Later this year, the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is also slated to start a liner service from Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Islamic Port, connecting Mundra and Nhava Sheva in India. This is expected to lead to a surge in economic activities between the Gulf nations and India.

 

After India and the UAE signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, New Delhi is now keen to ink the proposed free trade agreement at the earliest with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Saudi Arabia and UAE will also join the BRICS bloc next year. India is already strengthening trade with these countries in its own rupee.

 

Meanwhile India and ASEAN have an FTA but the two are looking to review the existing treaty in a bid to make it more fruitful and effective for both.

 

India shares maritime  borders with Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia among other nations. Therefore for New Delhi it is key to boost maritime transport facilities. As India now looks to increase its cargo handling capacity at the ports by 300 per cent by 2047, connectivity with key hubs will benefit.

The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed) and National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) have sold over 900 tonnes of onion during August 30-31 through online platform e-NAM, officials say.

 

The 900 tonnes sale includes 152 tonnes traded through inter-state transactions. The sale of onions through e-NAM platform was the government’s swift response to the traders’ protest in certain Maharashtra mandis, where they had halted auctions to oppose to the 40 per cent export duty imposed on onions. In response, the government directed both Nafed and NCCF to explore alternative avenues for releasing the surplus onion stock.

 

Sale objective

'The objective is to make the alternate route open for disposal as any disruption in supplies at any point of time could have a negative impact on our price control efforts,' said a government official involved in disposal of onion from buffer stock.

 

Nafed, which had initiated the disposal through e-NAM, has been able to sell 5,08.11 tonnes within a State after taking the physical stock from Lasalgaon, Maharashtra, while National Consumer Cooperative Federation (NCCF) has used both intra mandi within the State and inter-State transactions.

 

Both the agencies are hopeful of increasing sales through e-NAM if more traders are brought on the platform during auction, convincing them of the quality and logistics issues, sources said. The government has already facilitated on the e-NAM portal the logistics value chain in agri trade so that the buyers have the option to make arrangement for physical transport of the commodities, an official said.

 

After the government decided to offload onion in the market from the 3-lakh tonne buffer stock already created, before it was expanded to include another 2 lakh tonnes, NCCF has sold about 21,000 tonnes and Nafed about 15,000 tonnes. The Centre on August 11 announced that it would release onion in the open market from the buffer stock by targeting key markets in States or regions where retail prices are ruling above the all-India average rate.

 

Nafed has so far sent over 3,000 tonnes of onion to various mandis in Haryana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh and has sought the Consumer Ministry’s approval to start selling in mandis in Uttar Pradesh, official sources said. In Uttar Pradesh, major towns such as Lucknow, Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Kanpur are likely to be covered initially and later on other places may also be included depending on the response, sources said.

 

Quality assurance

NCCF sources said of the 152.5 tonnes sold through e-NAM as inter-State trade, 61 tonnes have been sold in Punjab and remaining quantity in Dhanbad as buyers have been assured of the quality as they have booked the trade online, while the onions are located at Lasalgaon.

 

The average realisation by NCCF through e-NAM in inter-state transactions was higher at about Rs.2,200 a quintal, whereas through intra-State auction it was about Rs.1,975. On the other hand, Nafed’s average realisation (all intra-state auctions) was about Rs.2,155, sources said.intra-state

 

'It all depends on prevailing market rate at a particular mandi on the date of auction where the buyer is located. Since, these agencies are conduction auctions at those select places where arrivals are lower or prices are higher, the selling rates also vary accordingly,' the official said.

A curated tour of the 1,200-acre Pusa-IARI campus has been organised on September 9 for the first ladies and spouses of the G20 leaders.

 

Millets will be the flavour of the day as not just cuisines, but startups dealing with 'super food', and celebrity chefs, and an exhibition will fete the visiting first ladies and spouses of G20 leaders as they visit the sprawling Pusa campus of IARI here while their better halves discuss geopolitics.

 

A curated tour of the 1,200-acre Pusa-IARI campus, the cradle of the green revolution in India, has been organised on September 9 for the first ladies and spouses of the leaders attending the G20 Summit to help them learn about India's rich agricultural heritage and taste a millet-based feast prepared by renowned celebrity chefs.

 

A majority of G20 leaders, including US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, have already confirmed their participation at the summit.

 

According to official sources, the first ladies and spouses of the dignitaries will be guarded by the specially-trained men and women commandos of another paramilitary force -- Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

 

The first ladies and spouses of the participating heads of G20 countries have been extended a special invitation to an agriculture exhibition, said a senior government official associated with preparations.

 

They will have a unique opportunity to savour a millet-based feast prepared live by renowned celebrity chefs, including Kunal Kapur, Ajay Chopra and Anahita Dhondy.

 

Joining these chefs will be two culinary experts from the ITC group -- Kusha Mathur and Nikita Mehra.

 

In the 'Live Cooking Area', the chefs will prepare a 'full course meal' with a focus on millets.

 

From appetisers, salads, and main courses to desserts, the magic of millets will be showcased in its full glory.

 

The special guests will also get a first-hand experience of making rangoli using millets with two distinct themes -- 'Harmony of Harvest' and 'Unity in Sustenance'.

 

'The Ministry of Agriculture is adding a vibrant touch to the G20 Spouses Program at the NASC Complex with two exquisite millets based rangolis,' the official said.

 

These artistic creations will not only showcase India's expertise in integrated farming systems but will also highlight its significant role in bolstering global food and nutritional security.

 

Using indigenous agricultural crafts, ancient grains, and creative flair, these installations will encapsulate India's agricultural heritage and commitment to sustenance.

 

The first ladies and spouses will also get a chance to interact with farmers and agri-startups to learn about India's rich agriculture heritage, practices, and success stories.

 

The government has also planned a dedicated agriculture-themed excursion that will seek to acquaint the spouses with the strides taken across the vast agriculture space in India.

 

'An integral component of the event will be an exhibition of 15 startups that through unique and innovative solutions are integrating technology to address ground-level challenges and thereby digitising agricultural practices,' the official added.

 

The exhibition will cover the themes of 'Climate Smart Agriculture', 'Innovating the Agriculture Value Chain', 'Revolutionizing Agri-logistics and Supply Chains', 'Quality Assurance for Sustainable Consumption' and 'Millets: Sustaining Health, Empowering Agriculture'.

 

The guests from G20 members are also scheduled to interact with 22 enterprising women farmers from 11 millet-producing states who are orchestrating a millet renaissance in their respective milieu.

 

It may be mentioned that India's resolution to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM) was supported by 72 members of the United Nations General Assembly, providing the country with a unique opportunity to promote millets on the global stage.

 

As a part of the exhibition an 'Agriculture Street' will also be on display, showcasing the agriculture value chain from Seeding to Feeding harmonising ancient agricultural practices with modern technological advancements.

 

The official further said the event will offer the spouses an immersive experience highlighting the remarkable diversity of Indian agriculture.

 

It will also provide a first-hand glimpse into the transformative role of technology and innovation in shaping the future landscape of the agricultural sector.

 

The agriculture value chain-themed stalls will display the first-hand journey of millets from the inception of seeds to the culmination of nourishing meals.

 

'The special guests will get to know the journey of millets from farm to fork.

 

The displays at the exhibition will offer a rare opportunity for distinguished guests to witness the integration of every step, all working in coordination to create meaningful value for end users,' the official added.

 

The visitors will also get a chance to interact with several Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), which have assumed a critical function within the supply chain, ensuring the accessibility of essential inputs for farmers.

 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are also among the G20 leaders who have confirmed their participation at the summit.