The Horticulture Department is set to recommend a rise in subsidy in the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme for providing subsidy to fruit growers on the purchase of pesticides. In the proposal that the department has prepared after taking feedback from its field officers, it will also recommend the simplification of the process to avail the grant.

 

The department is recommending these changes to the government following almost a zero response from fruit growers to the scheme introduced last year, which replaced the direct sale of subsidised pesticides by horticulture officials in their outlets across the state. 'There has been little response to the scheme, so we are reconsidering it,' Horticulture Director RK Pruthi had said.

 

'The proposal is ready and will be sent to the government in a few days,' said a Horticulture official. As per the scheme, a grower is entitled to a subsidy of Rs 4,000 per hectare for temperate fruits such as apple and pear, and Rs 2,000 per hectare for sub-tropical fruits such as mango and guava. Also, they need to upload their land documents on the portal to avail the subsidy.

 

Even as the growers are demanding that the DBT scheme should be scrapped and the old system be brought back, the department is unlikely to roll back the scheme. 'We are looking to improve the scheme and make it more grower friendly. We are asking all growers to make Udyan cards and digitise them. The scheme will be available only to the growers having Udyan cards,' he said.

Netherlands has emerged as fourth popular destination for Indian exports. Netherlands Rotterdam Port is playing a big role in promoting Indian trade to Europe and the country is proving to be New Delhi’s gateway for exports to the continent. The Make in India can support Dutch companies to invest in India and a great example is the collaboration between Dutch shipbuilder Royal IHC with Cochin Shipyard Limited, Netherlands envoy to India Marten van den Berg told ET’s Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury.

 

Netherlands has emerged as the fourth popular destination for Indian exports. What are contributing factors behind this ?

The Netherlands has always been a very open economy with great logistical infrastructure. Our harbor Rotterdam is the largest and most efficient harbor in Europa. Therefore, not only Indian exports to the Netherlands, but also many Indian exports to Germany, France and Belgium enter through the Netherlands. India is doing very well with trade, it registered the highest ever exports in 2022.

 

An important part of Indian exports was fuel. Rotterdam, being a key harbor for fuel imports, was a so called a natural export destination of Indian fuel exports to the EU. But also a high level of commodities export contributed to the rise. Because of the excellent hinterland connections the Netherlands is a gateway to Europe and therefore an important destination for exports to Europe of commodities, like Indian commodities.

 

For us the Make in India initiative is a policy to better connect India with global supply chains. We are supporting Dutch companies looking for diversification of supply chains to look to the opportunities in India. We do that in close consultation with Invest India.

 

Invest India is a great partner for foreign investors in India. The Make in India can support Dutch companies to invest in India. A great example is the collaboration between our Dutch shipbuilder Royal IHC with Cochin Shipyard NSE -2.93 % Limited. Under the Make in India initiative they are going to build dredgers for DCI to meet the increasing demand in India for dredging services.

 

What are Netherlands plan for becoming gateway for Indian exports and investments in Western and Northern Europe based on its advantage of ports. Is there any plan for collaboration in shipping sector?

We are connecting nearly half a billion consumers in the European hinterland to global producers. The Netherlands has a world class port, a great Amsterdam airport, an extensive network of waterways, a strong road transport sector and a network of rail infrastructure. We offer the best infrastructure facilities, but it is ultimately for the private sector to decide where to invest.

 

We believe strongly in a market driven process. Because of our strong economy we see many foreign companies investing in the Netherlands. There are also over 200 Indian companies present in the Netherlands. Companies like TCS NSE -4.42 %, HCL, Wipro NSE -5.33 %, Infosys NSE -5.35 %, Tech Mahindra NSE -5.36 %. Not only because of the infrastructure but also because of our high tech private sector, our strong institutions and skilled labor force.

 

We see many Indian companies using the Netherlands as a hub in Europe and we very much welcome Indian companies. It is also great to see that Indian people feel at home in the Netherlands. English is our second language, there are many Indian restaurants, we play cricket, although not as good as in India and there is a very good connectivity from Amsterdam Airport to several Indian cities.

 

How would you characterize visit of Indian President to Netherlands and your Foreign Ministers visit to India.

Extremely positive. It was the first state visit after Covid19, so everyone in the Netherlands was very exited. There was a very warm welcome from our Royal family and our Prime Minister. There was a strong engagement from the whole Dutch cabinet. We celebrated 75 years of diplomatic ties and friendship. During the visit the Indian President named a new breed of a tulip called Maitri, as a symbol of the special and long friendship between India and the Netherlands.

 

It was the first Head of State visit from India to the Netherlands in more than three decades. India and the Netherlands have a natural partnership and there are many synergies in our relation. We both are democracies, we value rules based systems and a pluriform society. Both our economies are market and innovation driven. We are working closely together on water, agriculture, climate and health.

New Delhi [India] May 18 (ANI/Hunk Golden and Media): Announced by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries Government of India (MOFPI) and Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA) is set to organize the 1st Plant Based Foods Summit with Good Food Institute India (GFI India) as organising partner. The event, which is slated for Thursday, May 26, 2022, will be organized at Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi, in the presence of Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of Food Processing Industries.

 

This is a unique event in many ways - i) inviting food scientists to collaborate with young startups, ii) cooperation with the Plant Based Foods Association of the USA, with their CEO Rachel Dreskin and Chairperson of the Board Nicole Sopko also participating the summit and iii) plant-based foods startups coming forward to communicate through their product tastings.

 

The aim of this summit is to offer strategic opportunities to the players in the plant-based foods industry and facilitate a platform for networking that elicits conversations surrounding the market size, emerging technologies, existing concerns facing the industry, and contributions leaders in powerful positions can make. The summit is also likely to facilitate the tasting of plant-based foodsproducts during the conference time as well as in the afternoon Business-to-Business Meetings.

 

Keeping in mind the response rate, the upcoming event anticipates the attendance of 100+ scientists and 100+ entrepreneurs that would observe, as well as participate, in the summit to share their insights on the industry position. Other than that, the event is also expected to have a report launch on 'The Dawn of a Plant-based Age: India to Lead the Way to World Food Security and Nutrition', which will be unveiled by the HonorableMinister.Reportedly, the paper covers different aspects of the plant-based foods industry; namely The Global Plant-based Industry, Current Plant-based Foods Industry and Market Trends in India, Plant-based Foods as a Strategic Opportunity for India, and Recommendations for the Government of India and other stakeholders to support the plant-based foods sector.

 

Sanjay Sethi, Executive Director, PBFIA, said, 'The Indian diet is carb-heavy, which means our protein intake is drastically low. However, our country has immense geographical and agricultural capacity to produce plant-based protein. The Plant Based Foods Industry Association's goal is to meet India's protein requirements by creating a reliable system for plant-based foods businesses. The association will help build and support such initiatives with expert support, infrastructure, and guidance from food scientists. PBFIA is an initiative that ushers the next era of health, sustainability and prosperity for farmers and plant-based food businesses.

 

Sethi added, to this end, PBFIA is hosting the 1st Plant Based Foods Summit on the May 26, 2022 New Delhi. The summit is a unique platform that aims to bring together the entire plant-based foods industry and key stakeholders viz. government functionaries, scientific community, related food industry, institutes and NGOs'.

 

A separate round of discussionon the Policy Side of Government, Quality Policy of Products, and Supply Chain and Logistics are also scheduled to take place during the event. Some of the major points in focus are the inclusion of plant-based components in MoFPI programs, support from ministries, reclassification of plant-based foods as perishable items, extending assistance with research and development, a collaboration between research institutions, prioritization of infrastructure development, establishment of multiple 'centers of excellence', and striking direct contact with distributors for setting up more plant-based foods businesses.

 

The keynote speakers for the day-long summit include Anita Praveen, Secretary MoFPI; Dr Sudhanshu, Secretary APEDA; Inoshi Sharma, Executive Director SBCD and Regulatory Compliance FSSAI; V.K. Vidyarthi, General Manager APEDA; Rachel Dreskin, CEO Plant-Based Foods Association, USA; Sanjay Sethi, Executive Director PBFIA; Jyoti Vij, Dy Secretary General FICCI; RitojaBasu, Deputy Director- Food and Agriculture Center CII; Dr M. Loganathan, Director, NIFTEM-T; Dr Anandharamakrishnan, Former Director NIFTEM-T; Varun Deshpande, Managing Director GFI India; Abhishek Sinha, Co-Founder and CEO GoodDot, Sunil K. Marwah, CEO FICSI; and Sohil Wazir, CCO, Blue Tribe Foods.

 

Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA) is a CEO-led body formed to support and help develop India's nascent plant-based food ecosystem. Headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana, PBFIA aims to:

 

-Create a network connecting organizations, food handlers, start-ups, investors, and consumers

 

-Help businesses in this sector grow through networking, collaboration, and disseminating technical and market information and research

 

-Highlight and promote the benefits of the plant-based industry to improve health, food security, fair practices, and meet sustainable development goals

 

-Secure a plant-forward future for its members in times of conflict

 

-Partner with organizations and other industry bodies with a similar philosophy and vision on the principles of cooperation and collaboration

 

-Advocate policy changes to check trade barriers or unfair practices which act as roadblocks to the growth of the industry

 

This story is provided by Hunk Golden and Media. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Hunk Golden and Media)

CAIRO: Egypt's supply minister said on Tuesday a deal with India to directly purchase 500,000 tonnes of wheat outside the usual tender system had been agreed but not signed yet.

 

Supply Minister Aly Moselhy told Reuters about the deal earlier this week, shortly after India announced a ban on wheat exports because of a heatwave curtailing local production.

 

India's government confirmed on Tuesday that it would still allow shipments awaiting customs clearance and exports to Egypt, often the world's largest importer of wheat.

 

'We have agreed but we haven't made the contract,' Moselhy told reporters in Cairo on Tuesday when asked about the deal to procure 500,000 tonnes from India. He repeated an earlier statement that deals between governments would not be affected by the ban.

 

Egypt was currently focussed on collecting wheat from the local harvest, which typically runs until July or August, rather than imports, Moselhy added.

 

Egypt's wheat imports, usually secured through tenders, have been thrown into doubt by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February due to heavy dependence on Black Sea wheat.

NEW DELHI: Wholesale wheat prices fell 19% in Madhya Pradesh and by 6% in Rajasthan after the government decided to control wheat exports over the weekend. Uttar Pradesh was the sole exception among major wheat producing states where prices have marginally increased.

 

Industry sources said there was a minor correction in prices late Tuesday after the Centre eased the ban on wheat exports by allowing consignments handed over for inspection or registered with the customs department by May 13 to go through.

 

The strict controls, which are effective May 13, are meant to cool down domestic prices with an exception made for orders that had been booked earlier.

 

With trucks piling up at the Kandla port, the commerce ministry on Tuesday said, 'Wherever wheat consignments have been handed over to customs for examination and have been registered into their systems on or prior to May 13, 2022, such consignments would be allowed to be exported.' The government also allowed the export of an Egypt-bound consignment of 61,500 tonnes that of wheat for Egypt, which was already being loaded under loading at Kandla.

 

Brokerage firm Barclays on Tuesday said that the ban on wheat exports is only 'marginally positive' for the domestic inflation outlook.

 

Soon after the government clarification, global prices dropped 2.3% before rising around 3.3% by late evening. Prices in the international market have risen following curbs announced by India.

 

Market data, however, pointed to softening in local mandis. The maximum price in MP dropped to Rs 2,015 a quintal on Monday compared to Rs 2,500 on May 10. Similarly, in Rajasthan it fell to Rs 2,600 a quintal compared to Rs 2,767 a week ago. Another set of data from the Agmarknet run by the government showed that the wholesale wheat prices in some mandis in Gujarat fell by Rs 200 per quintal post the export curb.

 

'There has been some correction in wholesale prices after the government’s clarification came for exports. We have to wait and watch for the next few days,' a trader in UP said.

The Philippines could retain its status as the world’s second largest buyer of rice for the fourth consecutive year in 2023, when total import volume is projected to reach 3 million metric tons (MMT).

 

In its monthly global grain report, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said the Philippines’s rice imports this year and next year would hit the 3-MMT level.

 

This is the first trade projection made by the USDA for calendar year 2023. The agency said China, which is expected to purchase 6 MMT, will remain as the world’s top buyer of rice.

 

The international agency said it expects local rice production in the Philippines to stay flat next year and this will provide opportunities for higher imports to meet the growing demand for the staple.

 

'Flat production and ample stocks keep imports steady even as consumption grows,' the USDA said in its report released recently.

 

The USDA projected that the Philippines’s rice output next year would slightly decline to 12.411 MMT from a projected record of 12.474 MMT this year.

 

The country’s total rice production this year would be 58,000 MT higher than the 12.416 MMT recorded output last year, based on USDA data.

 

The USDA said the Philippines’s total rice consumption would increase as consumers shift to the staple from more expensive wheat-based products, which are affected by the spike in raw material prices due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

 

'Consumption is also up in the Philippines as the high price of wheat is expected to raise consumption of rice for food,' it said.

 

USDA data showed that the country’s total rice consumption next year would expand by 150,000 metric tons (MT) to 15.35 MMT from an estimated total requirement of 15.2 MMT this year. Likewise, the USDA projected that total rice consumption of the Philippines this year would be 5 percent higher than last year’s 14.45 MMT.

 

The country’s rice imports in the first quarter surged by almost 70 percent year-on-year to 985,139.995 MT as importers brought in more staple food in anticipation of tighter world supply and lower domestic output.

 

Latest Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) data showed that rice imports during the January-to-March period were 404,057.065 MT higher than the 581,082.93 MT recorded last year.

 

In March alone, about 414,243.005 MT of rice entered the country.

 

Historical BPI data showed that the 985,139.995 MT of rice imports from January to March is the highest first-quarter import volume recorded by the country since the implementation of rice trade liberalization law in 2019.

 

Agriculture Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Research Fermin D. Adriano cited two possible reasons for the rise in imports: the importers’ expectation of tighter global staple supply and the projected lower domestic rice output.

 

Adriano said some wheat-eating countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and Middle East are projected to shift to rice due to global supply problems caused by the Ukraine-Russia war.

 

He also said the expected decline in local palay production due to the reduction in fertilizer use had prompted importers to bring in more rice from abroad.

 

An industry group told the BusinessMirror earlier that the election season had contributed to the need for more rice imports given the demand for low-cost rice.

 

'The election campaigns and relief operations, however, created the demand for low-priced rice in the market that can be supplied by some countries like Myanmar,' multisector industry group Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement (Prism) said.

 

The group said the current government 'can ill afford' a repeat of the 2018 rice price crisis when prices of palay and milled rice skyrocketed and caused inflation to accelerate.

 

'Panic buying and long queuing for rice can be disastrous for public image during election.'

Afghanistan's Ambassador to India, Farid Mamundzay, on Wednesday praised India's decision to extend relaxation of fumigation rules on agricultural imports.

 

Farid Mamundzay, Afghanistan’s Ambassador to India, on Wednesday praised India for relaxing the fumigation norms on agricultural products imported to India till May 2023. The envoy said that the move will ease trade between our countries.

 

Taking to Twitter, Farid Mamundzay said, 'Appreciate Indian Ministry of Agriculture’s decision to relax the fumigation regulations for imports of agricultural commodities until May 2023. Afghan traders consistently requested this move, which will not only ease trade between our countries but will also benefit.'

The Indian Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu will hand over a box of Indian mangoes to the staff of US President Joe Biden at a mango promotion event in Washington DC Thursday, the first after the resumption of the fruit’s export from India to the US following nearly two years of restriction owing to Covid-19.

 

These mangoes were sourced and packed by Pune-based exporters Rainbow International. Five varieties — Kesar, Alphonso and Goa Mankur from Maharashtra, and Hiimayat and Baiganpalli from Andhra Pradesh — were procured after the Indian Embassy contacted it for the fruits for this event, director of Rainbow International A C Bhasala told The Indian Express.

 

The mangoes, Bhasala said, were packed and sent to the US by air freight on Monday. 'It was collected by the embassy officials on Tuesday and was repacked. The box will be handed over (to President Biden’s staff) on Thursday,' he said.

 

Bhasala, one of the leading mango exporters in the country, said that his company had earlier sent mangoes to the White House on a personal level and that this would be the first time their produce would be part of an official delegation’s visit to the US.

 

This event is being held to popularise Indian mangoes in the US. The Indian ambassador to the US routinely hosts such events and invites prominent personalities in the diplomatic circuits or sends Indian produce such as mangoes to them. Such events are held in most countries by the Indian embassies or high commissions during the mango season.

 

Following a gap of nearly two years, mango exports to the US resumed this year after the Centre secured the approval of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for it. The export of Indian mangoes was restricted by the US in 2020 as USDA inspectors were unable to visit India for inspection of irradiation facilities due to restrictions imposed on international travel because of the coronavirus pandemic.

To commemorate the critical role of agricultural startups in the Indian economy, the DA & FW at the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare is hosting the AgriStartup Conclave 2022, which will be inaugurated by the agriculture minister.

 

Agri Startup Conclave - 2022, organised by DA & FW at Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare on May 24, 2022 at Subramaniam Hall NASC Complex, Pusa, New Delhi, will take place under the RKVY - RAFTAAR Scheme.

 

To commemorate the critical role of agricultural startups in the Indian economy, the DA & FW at the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare is hosting the AgriStartup Conclave 2022, which will be inaugurated by the agriculture minister.

 

Objective of Conclave:

The conclave will promote an exchange of ideas among various key stakeholders, including central and state government officials, start-ups from the broader ecosystem, incubators, FPOs, academicians, and all KPS and RABIS.

 

An exhibition of selected seed-stage startups is planned for the conclave. The exhibiting startups will have the opportunity to interact with the visiting farmers, FPOs, government officials, corporates, and investors to discuss potential collaboration opportunities.

Wheat importers in Asia were scrambling to find new sources of supply on Monday after India banned exports of the grain at the weekend in a bid to keep a lid on soaring domestic prices, trade sources told Reuters.

 

Importers, especially those in Asia, were banking on wheat from India, the world's second-biggest producer, after exports from the Black Sea region plunged following Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

 

Russia and Ukraine jointly account for about 30% of global wheat exports. Ukraine's exports are severely hampered because the war has forced it to close its ports, while Russia's exports have been hit by Western sanctions.

 

 

'Asian importers are likely to be in deep trouble. India was the Ukraine/Russia alternative especially for feed wheat. (They are) already today casting around for alternatives,' said a Europe-based wheat trader at a global trade house.

 

He said importers in Asia were even looking to buy more Russian wheat despite payment problems linked to sanctions on Russian banks and elevated shipping insurance premiums.

 

Benchmark wheat futures in Chicago jumped by their 6% limit on Monday as markets reacted to the surprise ban, which came just days after New Delhi said it was targeting record wheat shipments of 10 million tonnes this year.

 

Its policy reversal now means only exports backed by letters of credit (LCs), or payment guarantees, issued before May 13 can proceed.

 

That equates to only about 400,000 tonnes, industry sources told Reuters, adding that 1.8 million tonnes is now trapped at the country's ports.

 

Traders holding that wheat face heavy losses because they will have to cancel their export deals and resell onto a weakening domestic market.

 

'It started already this morning. Traders (who don't have LCs) had to announce cancellation of contracts. I'd assume from mid-June there will be no more (India) shipments,' said a second Europe-based wheat trader.

 

India's export ban, prompted by a heatwave that has cut harvest prospects and pushed domestic prices to a record high, also comes amid output issues in traditional export powerhouses Canada, Europe and Australia.

 

Traders say the ban could drive global prices to new record peaks, hitting poor consumers in Asia and Africa particularly hard.

 

Top destinations for Indian exports include Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal and Turkey, and top global wheat buyer Egypt recently agreed to make a first ever purchase of Indian wheat.

 

That deal is officially still on the cards as India has said it will still allow exports to countries that request supplies 'to meet their food security needs', but market experts are sceptical.

 

'There's uncertainty over how much will be exported to countries India considers having food security needs. They might just export to friendly neighbouring countries,' said Carlos Mera, agri commodities analyst at Rabobank.