1. Home
  2. Market Intelligence
  3. Market News
Back
02 Aug, 2023 News Image Farmer Welfare Scheme.

Details of five major schemes launched by the Government during the last four years are given in the Annexure. The efforts of Government for positive implementation of the schemes are yielding good result and the income of the farmers is improving. As a part of “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has released a book, which contains compilation of success stories of 75,000 farmers out of innumerable successful farmers whose incomes have increased more than two times.

A comprehensive range of central sector and centrally sponsored schemes has been implemented by the Government to address various aspects of agriculture and benefit farmers including small and marginal farmers. However, there are currently no plans to implement a distinct policy for smaller farmers.

Annexure

Brief of five major schemes introduced by the Government during the last four years for farmers’ welfare

Sl No.

Scheme

Brief description

1.

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme is being implemented with a view to provide income support to all landholding Farmers’ families across the country to enable them to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs.  The Scheme, effective from 1.12.2018, aims to provide a payment of Rs.6000/- per year for the farmers’ families with cultivable land holding, subject to certain exclusions.  The financial benefit of Rs.6000/- is being released by the Central Government in three 4-monthly installments of Rs.2000/- over the year directly into the bank accounts of the eligible farmers under Direct Benefit Transfer mode.

2.

Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)

The Government of India has launched the Central Sector Scheme (CSS) for “Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)” in the year 2020. Formation & promotion of FPOs are to be done through Implementing Agencies (IAs), which further engage Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBOs) to form & provide professional handholding support to FPOs for a period of 05 years including preparation and execution of business plan for the concerned FPOs for ensuring better marketing opportunities & market linkages on sustainable basis.

3.

Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)

In order to address the existing infrastructure gaps and mobilize investment in agriculture infrastructure, Rs 1 lakh crore Agri Infra  Fund was launched under Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund is a medium - long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and credit guarantee support.

4.

National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)

A new Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely, National Mission on Edible Oil (NMEO)-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) has been launched by Government of India to promote oil palm cultivation for making the country Aatamnirbhar in edible oils with special focus on North-Eastern States and A&N Islands. The Mission will bring additional area of 6.5 lakh ha under Oil Palm plantation with 3.28 lakh ha in north-eastern states and 3.22 in Rest of India in next 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

5.

National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM)

Keeping in view the importance of beekeeping, a new Central Sector Scheme entitled National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM) was launched in 2020 under AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan for its implementation in the field for overall promotion and development of scientific beekeeping & to achieve the goal of “Sweet Revolution”.
 

 

This information was given by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.


 Source:  pib.gov.in
01 Aug, 2023 News Image Hopeful of finalising certain FTAs in next few months, says Piyush Goyal.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said he is hopeful of India finalising certain free trade agreements (FTAs) in the next few months, which would help promote exports. India is in the final stages of concluding FTA negotiations with the UK. The country is also negotiating similar pacts with Canada and European Union (EU).
 
'We can leverage the free trade agreements with the UAE and Australia and we are hopeful that in the next few months, we will finalise many more free trade agreements to help you grow your business with zero duty on finished leather products and footwear available for you to exploit bigger and better markets,' Goyal said while addressing footwear industry representatives here.
 
The minister also asked the industry to focus on quality and sustainable manufacturing processes to tap business opportunities in the developed world.
 
The Indian footwear and leather industry is not only a major foreign exchange earner but being a labour-intensive sector, it also provides employment to approximately 4.5 million people, 40 per cent of whom are women.
 
He said that India has the capacity to become the world's largest and best-quality footwear manufacturer.
 
India is the second largest exporter of leather garments, third-largest exporter of saddlery and harnesses and fourth-largest exporter of leather goods in the world.
 
More than 95 per cent of the production units in this sector are micro, small & medium enterprises (MSME) units.
 
Further Goyal said that Indian size of footwear will be launched soon to help distinguish Indian footwear around the globe and reduce dependence on foreign sizing trends.
 
He suggested industrialists explore FTAs for technological collaborations, joint ventures of non-leather footwear, thus increasing the export of the country and enhancing the domestic market with Indian products.
 
Goyal highlighted the beauty of Kolhapuri footwear of Maharashtra and Mojari footwear of Rajasthan, stating that it should be an area of attraction for international buyers as well.
 
Talking about quality, he said the government has issued quality control norms for the sector and the government is ready to set up testing facilities for certifications.
 
Goyal urged the stakeholders to expand the business while keeping the focus on quality and sustainability, eco-friendly process, waste management, and exploring renewable sources for electricity.
 
Not only do we need to enhance our design capabilities to move up the value chain, but also bring in more investments and technology to scale up the production and produce innovative products, he added.

 Source:  economictimes.indiatimes.com
01 Aug, 2023 News Image India resumes pomegranate export to US.
APEDA in collaboration with the National Plant Protection Organisation of India, US-APHIS, the Maharashtra government, and the Agriculture Marketing Board and National Research Centre on Pomegranate has facilitated the export of the first trial consignment of pomegranate to the US by air route.
 
The shipment of the 'Bhagwa' variety of pomegranate with high antioxidant content from Maharashtra was carried out by APEDA-registered INI farms, one of the biggest exporters of fruits and vegetables. The best-known variety in India, Bhagwa, has generated a lot of demand. As part of the pilot project, 150 boxes (450 kg) of pomegranates were air-shipped to New York from the Vashi market in Navi Mumbai. 
 
The US imposed a ban on Indian pomegranate in 2017-18 after concerns were raised over fruit fly infestation in the pomegranate seeds. After the Indian government’s initiative to discuss the matter with the US, the ban was lifted in 2022 following the fulfilment of quality standards. 
 
Rising production in India
The Indian pomegranate production is growing by 20 to 25 per cent every year, according to the APEDA. The demand is rising, both at the domestic level and in the export market.  India is a growing player in destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. According to APEDA, India competes with various players globally, but it manages to stand out with unique varieties.
 
UAE is the major importing country of Indian pomegranates, accounting for nearly 32 per cent of Indian global exports. India produces pomegranates throughout the year, hence its production basket is empirically larger than other countries.

 Source:  thehindubusinessline.com
01 Aug, 2023 News Image India basmati rice exporters get requests for early shipments.
Indian rice exporters have been receiving requests from buyers to advance shipments of basmati rice after New Delhi banned exports of non-basmati white rice to dampen local prices, industry officials told Reuters.
 
The world's biggest exporter of rice surprised buyers earlier this month by imposing a ban on exports of non-basmati white rice after retail rice prices climbed 3 per cent in a month after late but heavy monsoon rains caused significant damage to crops.
 
'Buyers are requesting early shipments because they fear that the government might put restrictions on exports of basmati rice as well,' said Atul Garg, managing director at GRM Overseas, a leading exporter of basmati rice.
 
Buyers usually sign long-term contracts with the assurance of dispatching a certain quantity every month. However, some of the buyers are now requesting to ship in August what was supposed to be shipped in September and October, he said.
 
India exported around 4.5 million metric tons of basmati rice in 2022-23, with Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and the United States among the top buyers.
 
Non-basmati white rice, which India has banned for export, is mainly purchased by Senegal, Benin, Togo, Bangladesh, and Cote d'Ivoire.
 
India never banned exports of basmati rice in the past but did impose export taxes in 2008.
 
'We are assuring buyers that there is no possibility of a ban on basmati rice exports but some buyers are afraid due to the government's recent decisions,' said another exporter based in New Delhi.
 
India banned wheat exports in a surprise move last year and later imposed restrictions on exports of sugar and rice.
 
Basmati rice is mainly produced in the northern states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh, which were flooded earlier this year because of extremely heavy rainfall.
 
But basmati rice growing areas have increased in 2023 and production is likely to be higher than last year, said Vijay Setia, an exporter.
 
'Many farmers in Uttar Pradesh are shifting to basmati rice from non-basmati because of higher prices,' Setia said.

 Source:  economictimes.indiatimes.com
01 Aug, 2023 News Image Tamil Nadu tops GI chart with 58 tags; three more products join the league.
Three more products, unique to Tamil Nadu, have obtained the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, further strengthening the state’s top rank in the list of GI products.
 
The GI registry is to confer GI recognition for Jaderi Tiruman (Namakatti) that adore the foreheads of top deities and Vaishnavites all over the world, the delicious Matti Banana of Kanyakumari district and the Chedibutta sarees of Tirunelveli district. These are the new entrants to the GI hall of fame which has nearly 420 products so far.
While Tamil Nadu’s tally has reached 58 now, Uttar Pradesh is in second position with 50-plus products, followed by Karnataka with 48, said IPR attorney P Sanjai Gandhi, adding that the tally is as of April. Some more products have been granted the GI tag during the April-July period as well, he told TOI.
Sanjai Gandhi alone has obtained GI recognition for 40 products for various cooperative societies and government departments. Ever since Tamil Nadu government appointed him attorney two years ago, he obtained 17 GI tags. At least 15 products from Tamil Nadu are awaiting the GI registry’s nod, he said.
The GI application for Jaderi Tiruman, filed on behalf of Jaderi Thiruman (Namakatti) Producers Society in Jaderi in Thiruvannamalai district, said one of the most visible external symbols of Hindu identity is the unique mark worn on the forehead. Worshippers of Lord Vishnu wear a tilak in the shape of 'U' (called Naamam), which is believed to protect the wearer from evil.
 
The finger-length white Jaderi Tiruman made of hyrous silicate minerals has immense cultural, religious and medicinal significance. About 120 families in the tiny village of Jaderi in Tiruvannamalai district have been making these Namakatti for about three centuries and supplying them all over India and abroad.
The natural ingredients available in Thenpoondipattu village are collected and made into Namakatti by artisans after a tedious and time-consuming process. The skills are traditionally and hereditarily transferred from their forefathers.
The selection of the appropriate kind of clay itself requires expertise. The rocks are then crushed by the traditional rollers drawn by Tow bulls (chekku maadu). The clay is then put through a filtering process and stored in tanks for 20 days until it turns white. After this, the clay paste is cut into finger-shaped Namakattis which are sun-dried for four days. The Namakattis are then exported to Vishnu temples across the world.
The production of Namakattis depends on the climatic condition as it needs a lot of sunlight to dry, said Sanjai Gandhi, adding that the white tilak cools the forehead, protects the wearer and prevents energy loss. It is used to adorn the foreheads of idols, men, and temple elephants as well as to cure stretched skin after childbirth.
The GI tag has been conferred on Kanyakumari Matti Banana based on an application by Kanyakumari Banana and Horticulture Farmers Producer Company Limited.
Matti banana (musa sapidisiaca) is a diploid cultivar commercially grown in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. Kanyakumari located in the high rainfall zone with annual rainfall about 1,469 mm. Matti banana is mostly grown in the Agatheeswaram, Thovalai, Thiruvattar taluks, and it is a traditional table banana cultivar having medicinal value, said Sanjai Gandhi.
The fragrant fruit is known for its sweet and sub-acid flavor, firm texture and powdery nature. The 15-month crop is considered a rare variety and is grown only in the hills of South Travancore (Undivided Tamil Nadu and Kerala) near Nagercoil. Its bunches weigh 12 to19 kg with 9 to 10 hands containing fairly long fingers.
Kanyakumari Matti banana has other variants like Semmatti (red Matti), Thaen Matti (Honey Matti) and Malai Matti (Hill Matti).
Though banana is not generally recommended to infants for upto six months, Matti variety is included in the diet of infants in Kanyakumari area due to low TSS value. Tribes of Western Ghats use the corm extract of Matti as cure for jaundice.
The applicant has traced the Matti reference in several literature and government records, and also said one medium-size banana would provide approximately 13% of our daily manganese needs. Manganese helps our body make collagen and protects our skin and other cells against free radical damage. Potassium in banana helps our body maintains a healthy heart and blood pressure. The low sodium and high potassium combination help to control high blood pressure. Bananas are also rich in vitamin C that protects our body against cell and tissue damage.
Application for the third GI tag-winner, Chedibutta Sarees, has been made by Veeravanallur Sowrashtra Weavers Cooperative Production and Sales Society Limited in Tirunelveli district.
The name Chedibutta is a combination of two Tamil words -- ‘Chedi’ (plant) and ‘Butta’ (motif or design). Chedibutta saree has the iconic 'plant and flower' motif woven on the border and Pallu (edge of the saree), and these small Buttas punctuated beautifully all over the saree. This flower plant design or the Chedibutta design is the intrinsic characteristic of this saree, said Sanjai Gandhi.
It is totally a handloom product made in in art silk and cotton mix fabric. One Chedibutta saree contains eight Chedibutta designs in the body and 5 on the Pallu. The saree is woven using art silk thread while the Chedibutta designs are made using brightly coloured cotton threads.
The entirely manual process involves preparation of cotton yarn using a Charkha and the preparation of the warp beam to the complete weaving process of the saree. The weavers do not use a power loom or a peddle loom. The Chedibutta design is not made by Jacquard machines either. Multiple cotton colour yarns are used to make each design and there are colour variations from design to design within a single Saree. The weavers use pirns to wind the weft yarn during the pirn-winding process and shuttles are used as carriers of yarn during weaving.
The Chedibutta saree has a soft texture which is suitable for the tropical climate. It is comfortable in summer and warm during the winter. Due to the nature of the raw materials used, these sarees do not wrinkle easily and are easy to maintain. They weigh light too.

 Source:  timesofindia.indiatimes.com
01 Aug, 2023 News Image Rice planting gathers pace as monsoon rains revive.
Indian farmers have planted 23.7 million hectares with summer-sown rice so far, according to the farm ministry's latest data, up 1.71% year-on-year, as crucial monsoon rains revived in July and helped farmers accelerate sowing.
 
Higher rice planting in India, the world's second biggest producer of the grain, will ease concerns about the lower output of the staple.
 
Earlier this month, India ordered a halt to its largest rice export category - a move that will roughly halve shipments by the world's largest exporter of the grain.
 
Farmers typically start planting rice, corn, cotton, soybeans, sugarcane and peanuts, among other crops, from June 1, when monsoon rains are expected to begin drenching India. Sowing usually lasts until July and early August.
 
Summer rains are crucial as nearly half of India's farmland lacks irrigation.
 
India received 10% below normal rains in June, but in some states, the rainfall deficit was as much as 60% below average.
 
The India Meteorological Department defines average, or normal, rainfall as ranging between 96% and 104% of a 50-year average of 87 cm (35 inches) for the four-month season.
 
India's weather office has forecast an average amount of rain in July despite the likely emergence of the El Nino weather pattern.
 
July rainfall is crucial as it accounts for most of the precipitation for the four-month-long monsoon season.
 
This year, the delayed arrival of monsoon rains and lower rainfall in some southern, eastern and central states held back the planting of summer crops even as the monsoon covered the entire country nearly a week in advance.
 
Some regions in India, including breadbasket states such as Punjab and Haryana, have received torrential rains in July, triggering floods. Still, dry weather conditions prevail in some parts of the country.
 
Farmers planted 17.1 million hectares with oilseeds, including soybeans, 2.3% more than a year earlier. Corn was planted on 6.9 million hectares, almost unchanged from last year. The cotton area was marginally lower at 11.8 million hectares.

 Source:  economictimes.indiatimes.com
01 Aug, 2023 News Image FSSAI for monitoring fruits & veggies against use of pesticides in high doses.
The food authority has ordered for monitoring the sale of fresh fruits and vegetables in the markets, as media reports have surfaced about these commodities having pesticides and harmful chemicals in high doses.
 
The FSSAI has written to all the Food Safety Commissioners in the country referring to the various media reports regarding vegetables and fruits having pesticides and harmful chemicals in high doses, being sold in major cities across India.  
 
Further NHRC has also taken suo-moto cognisance of the issues relating to excess use of pesticides by the farmers and has directed for taking measures to minimise pesticide risk and promotion of alternative systems directed of cultivation.   
 
The order reads, 'In order to curb the menace of excess use of pesticides during pre-marketing treatment of fruits and vegetables with the pesticides, it is requested to keep strict vigil in your respective State/UT on such Food Business Operators (FBOs) who are involved in the manufacturing/repacking fresh/surface-treated/minimally processed fruits and vegetables.'
 
The FSSAI has also asked to employ measures like surveillance/ enforcement and awareness activities to ensure that the fresh fruit, vegetables comply with the provisions of FSS –Contaminants, Toxins and Residues - Regulations.  
 
'In addition, awareness building measures through information, education, communication activities under Eat Right initiative may be conducted in fruit and vegetable markets/mandis to educate consumers and food businesses about the issues,' the order further reads.
 

 Source:  fnbnews.com
01 Aug, 2023 News Image India-UK FTA: Next meet looks to build consensus on rules of origin, IPR.
With the 12th round of negotiation a few days away, India and the United Kingdom (UK) hope to build consensus on three key issues –- rules of origin (ROO), intellectual property rights (IPR), and investment treaty -– in the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between both nations.
 
The negotiations are currently at a crucial stage, with the next round of negotiation expected in the second week of August.
 
In  the case of rules of origin chapter, the principles have been agreed upon. However, the modalities are still being worked out, a person aware of the matter said on Friday.
 
'In rules of origin, we are doing things at the international level for the first time. We are going for product specific rules… Every product will have a specific rule, whether it is value addition or change in tariff heading,' the person said.
 
In any FTA, rules of origin determine the criteria for which goods are eligible for free imports, with the larger idea to avoid routing of products manufactured in third countries to India.
 
There has also been a ‘broad consensus’ on the sticky issues in the goods chapter–automobiles and whiskey. Significant cuts in tariffs on whiskey and automobiles have been some of the key demands from the UK. The person, however, said that despite the broad consensus on these goods, 'nothing is agreed till everything is agreed'.
 
Of the 26 policy areas or chapters, 19 have been substantially closed for negotiations. Both sides are ‘very close’ to concluding the trade deal and both sides hope to sign much before the year ends. 'We are very close and are trying to conclude the talks as early as possible,' the person said.
 
The uptick in the momentum of negotiation comes in the backdrop of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and commerce secretary’s visit to London amid hectic negotiations earlier this month to discuss the progress of the proposed pact.
 
Both countries are also looking to sign an investment treaty as a separate agreement (Bilateral Investment Treaty) and conclude it simultaneously with the trade agreement. One of the contentious issues that the UK is uncomfortable with is the exhaustion of ‘local remedies’ clause under India’s model bilateral investment treaty (BIT) that India adopted seven years ago. Another issue that bothers foreign investors is the narrowed down the definition of ‘investment’ needed to qualify for BIT protection from an ‘asset’ based to an ‘enterprise’ based one.
 
Both the nations had kick-started formal negotiations in January 2022 and had set an ambitious Diwali/October-end deadline for the trade pact. The deadline was missed as both sides were not able to iron out the differences in providing greater market access for certain goods and services.
 
The UK is India’s 15th largest trade partner, with total trade at $20.36 billion in FY23.
 

 Source:  business-standard.com
01 Aug, 2023 News Image Govt invites applications from exporters for allocation of wheat quota for Bhutan.
The government has invited applications from exporters to allocate quota for exports of wheat to Bhutan during 2023-24 on humanitarian and food security grounds.
 
In a trade notice, the DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade) has laid out a detailed procedure for allocation of quota for export of wheat, ‘atta’ and ‘maida’ on humanitarian and food security grounds, based on requests received from Bhutan.
 
It said the government has approved export of 14,184 tonne of wheat grain; 5,326 tonne of wheat flour (atta); 15,226 tonne of maida to Bhutan in 2023-24.
 
'Accordingly, applications are invited from exporters for allocation of quota,' it said.
 
As per the procedure, the minimum threshold for these products will be 100 tonne by land transport to the neighbouring country.
 
'Application would be allowed only if the exporter applies for quantity more than the minimum threshold,' it said.
 
In a separate notification, DGFT said it has banned exports of de-oiled rice bran till November 30 this year.
 
India is a major exporter of de-oiled rice bran, used in the cattle feed industry.
 
'Export policy of de-oiled rice bran is amended from free to prohibited with immediate effect up to November 30, 2023,' DGFT, under the commerce ministry, said.Govt invites applications from exporters for allocation of wheat quota for Bhutan
 

 Source:  indianexpress.com
01 Aug, 2023 News Image India to host World Coffee Conference for first time in September.
India would host the fifth World Coffee Conference (WCC) for the first time in Asia from September 25 to 28 in Bengaluru. WCC also announced tennis player Rohan Bopanna as its brand ambassador.
 
'Sustainabilty through Circular Economy and Regenerative Agriculture' is the central theme for the event.
 
The event logo and theme were unveiled at an event here on Monday.
 
Producers, curers, roasters, exporters, policy makers and researchers from 80-plus countries would gather at WCC 2023, it was stated.

 Source:  economictimes.indiatimes.com