The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal today said Education will act as a bridge between India and Australia. Education and Commerce, engaging with Technology, will empower us towards Action, he said.

 

'It has always been an important element of our partnership. In the post-Covid world, we must explore possibilities of hybrid programmes,' said Shri Goyal, in his address during an Interaction with Students of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney.

 

Terming the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (IndAus ECTA) as a 'natural partnership', Shri Goyal said India is looking at tripling steel production capacity and energy efficiency.

 

'A lot of the good work that researchers come up with does not get that kind of scale, that kind of opportunity to operationalize,' said Shri Goyal. 'With that scale we can make medical care more affordable, with that scale we can make technology come to serve larger numbers of people, manufactured at scale, using the talent that we have in both countries, possibly the talent in Australia coming up with game changing research, the talent in India helping it to manufacture that at scale, use that at scale, serving large sections of society in the world and from there taking it to the rest of the world. And I do believe that such partnerships are important for the world' he added.

 

Inviting the University of NSW to expand its footprint in India, Shri Goyal said the India-Australia partnership can truly transform the lives of our people.

 

Later addressing the Business Leaders Meeting, organised by Business Council of Australia, Shri Goyal said business will be the framework on which all other engagements between the two sides will prosper.

 

'You can actually take your technologies, take the wonderful innovations that you are generating out your laboratories, research institutions or universities to a large market like India, use the talent and skills that Indians offer, possibly to Make in India for the large Indian population and for the world, - Make in India for the World,' he said.

 

IndAus ECTA will help us double our bilateral trade in the next 5-6 years and by 2030 we must aspire for a $100 billion bilateral trade target, he said.

 

'I do agree that if you have to reach a 100 billion, we will have to drill it down to more specifics. In those specifics also comes in the soft power, eg we will have to look at much deeper engagements in our Science & Technology, in our research, in our education, we will have to align standards. So we will have to get our standards bodies to look at working with each other, so that products can seek seamless access in other’s markets,' said Shri Goyal, while interacting with the host of the show.

 

Shri Goyal said India will set up the Invest India Office and in a few months time open a Trade Promotion Office in Australia in order to realise the potential of the IndAus ECTA.

 

India is looking to boost its egg and poultry exports in the wake of the war in Ukraine which has wrecked that country’s exports of the produce. New Delhi plans to quickly establish exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, among Ukraine’s largest markets for the products.

 

While it hasn’t featured in the list of major egg-producing nations in Europe, Ukraine was considered to be the poultry source for large parts of Central and Eastern Europe till a decade ago. Ukrainian company Avangardco remains the continent’s biggest egg producer, producing both shelled eggs and egg products.

 

Much of India’s push to capture Ukraine’s international markets revolves around boosting sales of Indian poultry meat and eggs in the UAE. The Emirates accounted for almost 40 percent of Ukraine’s egg exports, according to the Ukraine State Statistical Service.

 

In December 2021, the UAE lifted a five-year-old ban on the import of eggs and other poultry products from India. The move followed an assurance by New Delhi that it would follow biosafety norms set by the World Organisation for Animal Health to prevent infection from bird flu. This change in policy allowed India to export table eggs, hatching eggs and day-old chicks to the country.

 

'The largest shipments of bird eggs from India flow to Oman and Maldives, followed by Indonesia, Vietnam, Russia, Japan and Vietnam. Overall, the Middle East is the largest market for eggs. However, despite being the largest buyer in the region, the UAE has historically bought only a fraction of all Indian poultry products that flowed into the region. We want to change that,' a commerce department official said.

 

Ukraine’s poultry industry had been taking major hits even before the Russian invasion began in late February. In 2021, Ukraine’s egg production plummeted by 25 percent (3 billion eggs) compared to 2020, according to the Ukraine Association of Poultry Producers, media reports from that country had earlier reported.

 

Ukraine’s poultry stock dropped by 11 million head during the past two years, while broiler meat production decreased by 40,000 tonnes, the reports said. Most of this was blamed on unprecedentedly high electricity, natural gas and feedstuff prices in the aftermath of successive waves of the Covid pandemic.

 

However, long-term contracts and industry linkages meant that Ukrainian companies continued to monopolise supplies to the UAE and other markets right up to the beginning of the war.

 

Hopes of poultry boost

 

In India, egg production had been growing at a rate of 8 percent annually according to government estimates. Tamil Nadu is the biggest egg exporter state in India accounting for more than half of all such shipments. It is followed by Maharashtra and Kerala. The combined share of these top three states in egg exports is a huge 95 percent.

 

Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh are also witnessing fast growth in the poultry sector. The segment still has major room for growth given that eggs only constituted the 629th most exported item from the country.

 

'India’s push to sell poultry products abroad came after the government saw the massive export opportunities in the agri space, just waiting to be exploited. Poultry meanwhile has been increasingly favoured by farmers as a source of added income in parts of the country,' said a senior official from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority.

 

Export of poultry products stood at $71 million in FY22, up 21 percent from $51.7 million in FY21, he said.

 

Overall exports of agricultural products (including that of marine and plantation products) for 2021-22 crossed $50 billion, the highest level ever achieved. According to the provisional figures released by the government, agri exports grew by 19.9 percent during 2021-22 to touch $50.2 billion, up from $41.87 billion. This was higher than the growth of 17.6 percent achieved in 2020-21.

Export prices of rice in India dipped this week as supplies increased following the extension of a government scheme to provide subsidised grains, while rates in Vietnam and Thailand were mostly flat amid softer demand and rising output.

 

Top exporter India's 5% broken parboiled variety was quoted at $365-$369 per tonne this week, down from last week's $367-$370.

 

'In the open market supplies have improved as government has started distributing free rice and wheat to poor people. Local prices are coming under pressure,' said an exporter based in Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

 

Thailand's 5% broken rice prices were quoted at $408-$412 per tonne, not far from last week's $408-$410.

 

Traders said there has been a slight increase in demand but not enough to impact prices as shipping and logistic costs have declined slightly, 'maybe due to stabilization after initial shock from the war in Europe.'

 

More rice from recent harvests is also entering the market, traders added.

 

There is also a steady demand for animal feed in the international and domestic market, a rice trader said.

 

Vietnam's 5% broken rice were offered at $400-$415 per tonne on Thursday, unchanged from a week ago.

 

'Supplies are building up, but export activity is quiet as the shipping cost is very high,' a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City said.

 

Farmers in the Mekong Delta have harvested around 75% of the winter-spring crop, the largest harvest of the year, traders said.

 

Vietnam exported 1.5 million tonnes of rice valued at $731 million in the first quarter this year, up 26.3% in terms of volume and up 12.9% in terms of value year on year, government data showed on Thursday.

 

Meanwhile, domestic rice prices in Bangladesh stay elevated despite good crops, while the government offered subsidised grain to poor people.

As of now, there is no proposal for recommending Whistling Village (Kongthong) in the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya as a Geographical Indication.

 

As on 4th April, 2022, the Office of Geographical Indications Registry has registered thirty-five (35) Geographical Indications Applications from North Eastern Region of India. The list in enclosed as Annexure – A.

 

Two (02) Geographical Applications, i.e., Memong Narang and Khasi Mandarin have been registered from State of Meghalaya.  

 

No such proposal is under consideration as of now.

India's agricultural products export touched a new milestone by crossing $ 50 billion for the financial year FY22. This would be the highest level ever achieved for agriculture exports.

 

The provisional data of DGCI&S showed that the agricultural exports have grown by 19.92% during 2021-22 to touch $ 50.21 billion. The growth rate is remarkable as it is over and above the growth of 17.66%, at $41.87 billion, achieved in 2020-21 and has been achieved in spite of unprecedented logistical challenges in the form of high freight rates, container shortages, etc. This achievement over the past two years will go a long way in realizing the Prime Minister’s vision of improving farmers’ income.

 

As per the data, the highest ever exports have been achieved for staples like rice (% 9.65 billion), wheat ($ 2.19 billion), sugar ($ 4.6 billion), and other cereals ($ 1.08 billion). Wheat has recorded an unprecedented growth of more than 273%, jumping nearly four-fold from $ 568 million in 2020-21 to touch close to $ 2119 million in 2021-22. An increase in exports of these products has benefitted farmers in states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, etc. India has captured nearly 50% of the world's market for rice.

 

Meanwhile, exports of marine products also reached the highest ever at $ 7.71 billion, benefitting farmers in the coastal states of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Spices exports have touched $ 4 billion for the second year in a row. Despite facing tremendous supply-side issues, coffee exports have crossed USD 1 billion for the first time, which has improved realizations for coffee growers in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

 

In a statement, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said, 'this achievement is the result of sustained efforts on the part of the Department of Commerce and its various export promotion agencies like APEDA, MPEDA, and various commodity boards. The Department has made special efforts to engage State Governments and district administrations in promoting agriculture exports.'

 

To ensure that the farmers benefit from exports, the Department of Commerce has made special efforts to provide export market linkage directly to farmers and FPOs. A Farmer Connect Portal has been set up for providing a platform for farmers, FPOs/FPCs, and cooperatives to interact with exporters.

 

'This approach has resulted in agriculture exports taking place from hitherto unexplored areas. Exports have taken place from clusters like Varanasi (fresh vegetables, mangoes), Ananthpur (banana), Nagpur (orange), Lucknow (mango), Theni (banana), Solapur (pomegranate), Krishna & Chittoor (mango), etc. Initiatives like ‘Happy Banana’ train, an exclusive train with reefer containers to transport bananas from Anantapur to JNPT, Mumbai have been taken to boost exports from unconventional areas,' the ministry said.

 

Further, the ministry said, 'Department of Commerce is continuing efforts to promote agriculture export so that the momentum gained over the past two years is sustained and agriculture exports touch new highs over the coming years.'

 

As per the ministry, the Covid-19 outbreak in the first quarter led to rising in the demand for staples, which provided an opportunity for increasing agriculture exports. Due to the institutional framework, already in place at State and district levels, and special efforts made to overcome the pandemic-induced bottlenecks, India was able to rise to the occasion and emerge as a reliable supplier of food. Even during the current crisis due to the Russia–Ukraine war, the world is looking at India for supplies of wheat and other food grains.

The food industry is facing a digital transformation. Going forward, it will be necessary to digitise processes and procedures for food safety in such a way that they can be audited and monitored online., here is a description of the processes that food manufacturers should go through to reach that point.

 

The signs are clear: digital food safety can no longer be put on the back burner. Initiatives such as 'New Era of Smarter Food Safety'by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and 'Race to the Top'by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) make it unmistakably clear that the topic of digital track & trace in the food industry is gaining importance. Full traceability is already a prerequisite for certain products to access some Asian markets. China, for example, requires product types to be fully traceable before it will permit it to be sold in its domestic market. Countries like Australia are also very proactive in promoting relevant food safety initiatives.

 

In addition, manufacturers are also increasingly being confronted by the big players in the food retail sector imposing stricter requirements for farm-to-fork traceability, which must be embedded in digital supply chain management.

 

In response, food manufacturers must begin focussing on data collection, which is the essential starting point for any project that seeks to improve food safety through greater traceability. The great news is this can also aid other digitalisation initiatives that the manufacturer may be working on. For example, the collection, analysis and digital availability of food safety data can also help to optimise the efficiency of production processes.

 

This is just the start though. Digital food safety is a process in itself, and here are the key steps to take:

 

Step 1: Conduct an audit of data being collected and current food safety processes

 

The efficient collection of data is a basic requirement so that it can then be made available across the entire supply chain, in an accessible, i.e. digital, form. Therefore, a comprehensive audit must be carried out to determine the current data status. Many of the required food safety data and processes should already be available in the company and should be well documented, as they should already have been determined in the context of food safety certifications. For example,  production line critical control points ought to have been  identified  through earlier HACCP certification and appropriate inspection systems should already be installed there.

 

Nevertheless, the audit usually proves to be a challenging task. A look into practice today reveals a highly fragmented picture of how audit data relevant to food safety is recorded, collected and stored in the process flows of manufacturers. It is common to find that this data is already highly networked in part, but it is also  often still gathered using tools such as USB sticks, or manually with pen and paper. From a technological point of view, the complexity is demanding, as the systems on the shop floor are of different ages and use a wide variety of protocols, network infrastructures and management processes. Older software solutions and devices in particular were originally not designed for open IoT / Industry 4.0 communication, as is standard today for new investments.

 

Manufacturers are therefore faced with the challenge of migrating a colourful hodgepodge of hardware and software into a unified digital food safety program. This is no walk in the park, but it is a manageable task. Global standards and communication protocols, uniform ID coding and standardised transformation events meanwhile significantly reduce the level of complexity. Examples are OPC U / A, GS1 Digital Link and EPCIS 2.0.

 

It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to approach the assessment of the current situation with great care and attention to detail. The more carefully the homework is done in the management of information, the more it pays off in the medium and long term, both for a smooth and cost-efficient migration to digital food safety, and as an enabler for further digitisation initiatives.

 

Step 2: Develop your digitalisation strategy

 

The  key strategic questions are, which specific applications need to be mapped, and what are the company's long-term digitisation goals? Are we seeking merely regulatory and market compliance with minimal effort, should the now digitally-available data also be used to optimise the production processes, or should we be aiming for a profound and sustainable digital transformation of the company with a view to IoT and Industry 4.0? Each of these scenarios requires a different plan, schedule, and capital cost. Each scenario has a different outcome.

 

Data exchange is central  to digital track & trace, enabling the identification of the whereabouts of specific batches at a specific point in time  in a matter of seconds. The task is to analyse the data pool, to convert analogue processes into digital ones and to find a suitable cloud data management solution.

 

In this phase of strategic development, it is advisable to talk to suppliers and manufacturers of the systems installed on the shop floor at an early stage. Many companies - as we often find out in our conversations - are surprised at what they are already capable of doing in terms of data acquisition and provision. The digitisation of food safety does not mean a complete system replacement as a rule. A simple device upgrade or the purchase of a software option are often sufficient. When selecting a suitable cloud data management provider, it is important to ensure that it is very familiar with the food safety landscape, that it uses open global standards and fully supports the use of the data provided in any web-based application.

 

Step 3: Secure and build up expertise

 

All internal and external stakeholders relevant to digital food safety who participate in the process must be identified. It is important to determine which knowledge and know-how is available and where it is available in the company for food safety digitalisation. In addition to your own company, a corresponding assessment and evaluation must also be carried out for all partners in the network who are involved in the applications and are supposed to access them. Talking to the stakeholders in the value chain is an important part of the process. Based on this, an overview of the existing expertise and the knowledge gaps that have yet to be closed must be created. Guidelines for data sharing must be formulated and it should be specified who should have access to specific data and information, and in which phases of the product life-cycle they require it.

 

Step 4: Institutionalise change management

 

The digitisation of food safety is a process that entails organisational changes in work practices and affects the interests of a wide variety of departments in the company - from purchasing to production to marketing. The cultural change associated with this transformation process must be managed proactively and carefully. Employees have to understand and accept that the higher level of data transparency required also includes those involved outside of their own company. Leadership quality and demonstrated commitment to the project are required here in order to drive the changes forward. It is advisable to put together a multi-stakeholder group that works out the common advantages of digitisation, but also formulates common reservations and concerns. Senior executive sponsorship and a continuous exchange of information with the management teams on the progress of the transformation programs are essential to keep the change process on track and under control. A road-map with manageable, incremental and intermediate goals must be formulated; Applications are to be identified in which the company can benefit most quickly and easily from digitisation.

 

Summary

 

By taking a more strategic approach to adopting digital food safety and planning the digital transformation of the supply chain, food manufacturers are well positioned to make the transition inexpensively, with minimal business disruption, and when it is necessary or desirable. Many companies will find - perhaps to their surprise - that they are already in a good starting position to initiate the transformation process. The technology may seem complex, but it is relatively easy to use.

 

Digital identity

 

How do physical products get their digital identity in the cloud?

 

The digital identity in the product cloud is a unique web identity and mini data storage device that is linked to the product and enables product-related data to be collected, organised and shared with applications. A QR code or an NFC / RFID tag, for example, can serve as a digital identifier on a  physical product. For this purpose, existing serialisation functions, for example, can be used at the item or batch level. These can convert an existing serialisation identity into a digital identity in the cloud. If the manufacturing line does not yet have a serialisation function, it can be supplemented with a print function or with a pre-printed serialised label. This physical identifier is then linked to the digital identity in the cloud, usually using an inline scan process. This means that every product that comes off the production line receives a 'take-away digital identity'in the Product Cloud. From this point on, applications that want to work with data from and about this product can interact with its digital identity online via web APIs. This makes it much easier to track products over their entire life cycle, for example. However, digital identity not only provides more and deeper insights into the supply chain, it can also support a number of operational applications. In this way, a product can be located more easily and quickly in the event of a recall, and consumers, in turn, can interact directly with the digital web identity of the product (e. g. checking its authenticity, proof of origin and tracking, Interaction with e-commerce applications etc.).

The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal has said the India-Australia trade pact will raise bilateral trade from the present $26-27 billion to $100 billion by 2030, much faster than initial expectation of rising to $50 billion in five years. The excitement generated by the agreement has increased business optimism on both sides, he said while addressing the University of Melbourne along with Mr. Dan Tehan, Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment in Melbourne today.

 

'Together this marriage can truly have far reaching dimensions for both our economies and, if I dare say, for the rest of the world also where we can collectively engage and have an outreach to other parts of the world,' he said.

 

The minister invited Australian businesses to invest in India. 'We offer you transparency. We offer you our trust, rule of law. We are two democratic nations, two people who love sports, both are members of the Commonwealth,' he said.

 

The minister also addressed members of the business community from both countries at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Shri Goyal said India and Australia have complementarities that can benefit both countries, - India’s huge market and Australia’s investible surplus. He said the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (IndAus ECTA) will unlock the huge market of almost 1.4 billion consumers in India to Australian industries.

 

'We are now One, that’s what the Unity Agreement is all about. And at this watershed moment in our relations, I think it’s only appropriate that we break every barrier between the two countries whether it’s movement of goods, services, people, technology, education, science, medical knowledge, we break all these barriers, see how we can work together as true brothers,' said Shri Goyal.

 

Shri Goyal said there is huge potential in areas like textiles, pharma, hospitality, gems and jewellery, IT, Startups etc. and Accountancy in Services, that will create huge employment in both countries.

 

'Let’s see some more Tasmania lobsters in New Delhi possibly, or wine from South Australia coming down into Indian shelves, we’ll probably have a lot more Bangaloreans coming down to Melbourne to serve you in your IT space, we’ll have a lot more jewellers from Prime Minister’s home state of Gujarat, from Surat coming down to sell their wares in the stores in Australia, lots to do together, lot of potential in different areas. I hope this partnership will grow and we will all grow along with this partnership,' he added.

 

Shri Goyal said there is huge scope for trade in Services. While Australia is a preferred destination for Higher Education for most Indians, the IndAus ECTA paved the way for resolution of a big obstacle for India’s IT sector to grow in Australia.

 

'I am delighted that we have been able to resolve a long pending issue about taxation of the IT industry that was kind of holding back greater business with Australia. That being behind us, there’s huge potential,' he said.

 

Shri Goyal observed that many thousand years ago, Australia and India were part of same supercontinent and then the brothers were separated due to continental break-up. Today, our governments are trying to bring them together with increasing partnership on political, economic, security and sporting front. Our relations are as strong and resilient as the mighty Pacific Ocean, he said.

 

'Well, as they say, there’s a saying in Hindi, ‘dair aaye, durrast aaye’, - Even though you may be late, but it’s good that you are there. And I think that’s the sentiment that the Indus-Ekta Agreement has for all of us,' he said.

 

Later, delivering the keynote address at Lunch with Business Leaders, organised by the Australia India Chamber of Commerce (AICC) in Melbourne, Shri Goyal termed the IndAus ECTA as an important milestone that will contribute to widespread development of multi-sectoral economic value chains. Shri Goyal said it will have a positive economic multiplier effect in both economies.

 

'I believe that here is a partnership between two countries which don’t compete with each other at all, they actually complement each other,' said Shri Goyal. 'The focus that we are putting on Make in India dovetails so beautifully into the strengths of Australia, the natural bounty that you are all endowed with,' he said.

 

Shri Goyal said that India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken several bold initiatives since 2014 towards Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business to ensure a better quality of life for all.

 

'We believe when the people of India have a better quality of basic necessities, they will be able to contribute much more to the Indian economy, to the society, be better citizens of the country. And the next stage, obviously, as the demand, as the expectations of our people increase, we will be needing to provide economic growth, we will be needing to provide jobs. There will be millions, hundreds of millions who will own their first automobile, there will be hundreds of millions who want to buy a dishwasher, a washing machine, there will be hundreds of millions who will be looking for better nutrition, better quality of healthcare, better quality of education,' said Shri Goyal.

 

'And that’s where the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement can actually make a significant impact on the lives of the people of India and similarly provide huge opportunities for the people of Australia, working together, to meet the needs and aspirations of this billion plus people,' he added.

 

Complimenting the leadership of Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Scott Morrison, Shri Goyal said the role of the former Australian Prime Minister and Australian PM’s Special Envoy on Trade, Mr. Tony Abbott and Australia’s Trade Minister, Mr. Dan Tehan were instrumental in capping the long pending trade pact between the two nations.

 

'The world is going through tumultuous times, we’ve been grappling with Covid and other situations which are a cause of serious concern for all of us, but within those boundaries of problems, I think, (the fact that) India and Australia have demonstrated a unity of mind, a unity of purpose and a shared commitment to come together, expand our people to people relations, expand our business to business relations, strengthen the political partnership of our two leaders and two governments,' he said.

 

Earlier, paying his tributes to the veteran cricketer, late Shane Warne who hailed from Melbourne, the Minister said that he had his admirers in India as well and that millions of cricket fans mourned over the sudden demise of the ‘King of Spin’.

 

'He was unique in more ways than one,' said Shri Goyal, conveying his deepest condolences to the cricketer’s family and friends.

India’s exports of agricultural products, including marine and plantation products, for 2021-22 hit a record at $50 billion. That was up 20% on year.

 

As per the provisional figures released by DGCIS on Wednesday, the export growth has been achieved mostly because of a surge in shipments of rice, marine products, sugar, buffalo meat, raw cotton and wheat.

 

'This growth in agricultural products exports has been achieved in spite of unprecedented logistical challenges in the form of high freight rates, container shortages etc,' according to a statement by the ministry of commerce.

 

It stated that growth in agri-exports will go a long way in realising the Prime Minister’s vision of improving farmers’ income.

 

Highest ever exports have been achieved for items like rice ($9.65 billion), wheat ($2.19 billion), sugar ($4.6 billion) and other cereals ($1.08 billion). Wheat shipment has recorded a spike of more than 273% to $2.1 billion in 2021-22 in comparison to previous year.

 

The commerce ministry statement noted that increase in agri-exports of these products has benefitted farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra etc.

 

'India has captured nearly 50% of the world market for rice,' it stated.

 

Export of marine products, at $7.71 billion last fiscal has benefitted farmers in the coastal states of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

 

Spices exports touched $4 billion for the second year in a row. The statement noted that despite facing tremendous supply side issues, coffee exports have crossed $1 billion for the first time, which has improved realisations for coffee growers in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

 

According to an official statement, the surge in agri exports has been achieved because of sustained efforts on the part of the Department of Commerce and its various export promotion agencies like APEDA, MPEDA and various commodity boards.

 

'The Department has made special efforts to engage state governments and district administrations in promoting agriculture exports,' it stated.

 

The agricultural products have been exported from clusters like Varanasi (fresh vegetables, mangoes), Ananthpur (banana), Nagpur (orange), Lucknow (mango), Theni (banana), Solapur (pomegranate), Krishna & Chittoor (mango) etc.

 

Initiatives like ‘Happy Banana’ train, an exclusive train with reefer containers to transport bananas from Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh to JNPT, Mumbai have been taken to boost exports from unconventional areas.

Wheat-producing states can explore new export markets following a surge in global demand for wheat in wake of the Russia-Ukraine war. Madhya Pradesh has already taken the lead by waiving the mandi fee on private wheat purchase for export, said Atish Chandra, chairman and managing director of the Food Corporation of India.

 

Chandra said, 'The quality of Indian grain has improved and there is global acceptance of wheat produced here. Though the FCI cannot export wheat, there lies an opportunity to create long-term markets, which could be the permanent established markets. Wheat is already getting a good premium from exporters, over and above the MSP of Rs 2,015 per quintal.'

 

Chandra is on a visit to Punjab and Haryana to oversee the arrangements for wheat procurement.

 

Food and Supplies Department officials said though there had been some discussion on waiving the mandi fee for exporters, no decision had been taken yet. 'This is because so far the private purchase of wheat in Punjab mandis is just five per cent of the total,' a senior officer said.

 

Meanwhile, Chandra said he was 'very happy' with the wheat purchase arrangements in Punjab. 'There has been record movement of wheat this year from the state and we are in a better position to store grains,' he said.

 

Punjab has a total of 178.5 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of storage space, of which just 38 LMT is available. 'We are insisting that Punjab completely does away with covered and plinth (now called transit) storage and build scientific storage space,' he said.

 

Chandra added that the Government of India was also happy that Punjab had come up with its action plan on crop diversification, which appeared to be sustainable and achievable.

 

Major Issues wih govt resolved

 

The FCI resolved some major issues with a government delegation led by Secretary, Food and Supplies, Gurkirat Kirpal Singh in a meeting that lasted for three hours.

 

Custody and maintenance charges to be given as per the balance sheet submitted by the government. While Rs487 cr was released earlier, another Rs14 cr agreed upon for release now

 

It was also decided that Punjab would do away with transit storage by September 30. Pact on settlement of storage charges of godowns under the PEG scheme also reached

Minister of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (West), Sanjay Verma on Wednesday (April 6, 2022) informed that India and Netherlands have signed four agreements on the sidelines of President Ram Nath Kovind`s state visit to the Netherlands. 

 

Verma, while addressing a special briefing in Netherlands, informed that India-Netherland partnership is significant, not just in content but also in terms of the pace and momentum generated by periodic meetings between the leadership of the two countries. 

 

'Indian President has visited the Netherlands after 34 years. There were four agreements signed on the sidelines of the visit. First is the Extension of MoU on bilateral cooperation in the field of Ports, Maritime Transport and Logistics,' he said. 

 

'2nd is Extension of MoU with State Archives Department, Kerala and National Archives of Netherlands on the execution of Shared Cultural Heritage; third is MoU for Cosmos Malabaricus Project between Leiden University and Kerala Council of Historical Research and National Archives of Netherlands,' Verma added. 

 

The fourth agreement is the Extension of the Programme of Cooperation between the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, Government of Netherlands.

 

India committed to strengthening its bond with diaspora: Kovind

Additionally, President Ram Nath Kovind, during the reception of the Indian Community in the Netherlands, said that India is deeply committed to strengthening its bond with the diaspora and attending to its needs.

 

'We have taken several initiatives under the maxim of 4Cs - Care, Connect, Celebrate and Contribute. The Overseas Citizen of India cards has been issued to give status and privileges in many areas. Travel to India has been facilitated through the issuance of long-term visas and E-visa. To increase the participation of the diaspora youth and familiarize them with Indian youth and their Indian roots, we started the Know India Programme and Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children for the children of Persons of Indian Origin to join Indian universities for higher education. We would like you to avail these initiatives and actively participate in them,' he said.

 

The President underlined that the safety, security, welfare and well-being of Indian citizens in all parts of the world is a priority for India. 

 

'In every corner of the world, over the last two years, the Government has made special efforts to enable our citizens to return home during the worst phase of the COVID-19 pandemic by undertaking the `Vande Bharat` mission. Recently, Operation Ganga brought back more than 22,000 Indian citizens, largely students, who were stranded in the conflict zone in Ukraine. As the Prime Minister said, humanity was at the core of Operation Ganga, not the colour of passport,' he said.

 

President Kovind’s visit to celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties

President Ram Nath Kovind, along with First Lady Savita Kovind, is on a visit to the Netherlands from April 4-7. President Kovind was accompanied by Loganathan Murugan, Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Dilip Ghosh, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha).

 

The maiden visit of the President of India to the Netherlands marked an important milestone as India and the Netherlands celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations this year. It is also the first Head of State visit from India to Netherlands in more than three decades.

 

'The State visit of the President, which took place as both India and the Netherlands celebrate 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties, reflected and reiterated the commitment to further deepen the relationship for mutual benefit of both peoples,' the MEA added.