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19 Jun, 2023 News Image

India weighs barter trade with crisis-hit Egypt in credit line talks - sources.

India is weighing a proposal to begin barter trade in goods like fertiliser and gas with Egypt as part of a wider deal that could see New Delhi extending a credit line worth several billion dollars to Cairo, sources told Reuters.

An agreement is likely to be announced later this month during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit to Egypt, which faces a prolonged foreign currency shortage, a source with knowledge of the matter said.

'The agreement would allow Egypt to make purchases in rupees and bartering is being considered as a means to settle this debt through the sale of Egyptian products that might be of use for India,' the source said.

India's foreign ministry is consulting with departments on their appetite for fertiliser and gas from Cairo as part payment for the credit line, an Indian official said.

New Delhi is keen to diversify its fertiliser imports, especially after 2021, when some Indian states faced shortages due to Chinese export restrictions and a record price surge.

As part of the facility, Egypt is keen to take wheat supplies, among other items, but New Delhi is unlikely to ship the grain due to its wheat export ban, the Indian official added.

India, the world's second-largest wheat producer, banned wheat exports in May 2022 to help control rising domestic prices, rescinding a plan to export 3 million tons of wheat to Egypt in the year 2022/23. Egypt now depends mostly on Russia for the grain.

'It's a negotiation. Which companies will be involved and in which commodities? All of that is still in discussion,' Egypt's supply minister Ali Moselhy told Reuters.

'There are a lot of discussions but up until now the model is not defined,' said Moselhy, who did not specify the size of a possible credit line.

The other sources from India and Egypt did not wish to be identified as they are not authorised to speak to the press.

India's external affairs ministry, finance ministry, trade minister, and Egypt's foreign ministry and trade ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

India exported $4.11 billion of goods to Egypt in the last fiscal year, while importing $1.95 billion.

Egypt has deferred payments for its large wheat purchases, in some cases by months, due to shortage of funds, Reuters reported last month.

Egypt is trying to stabilize an economy hit by the pandemic and high commodity prices, prompting foreign investors to pull about $20 billion out of its financial markets.

Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com

19 Jun, 2023 News Image

Basmati rice favoured by exporters to be replaced by improved variety.

PUSA1121, a popular variety of basmati rice known for its aroma and long grains, and favoured by exporters, will no longer be recommended by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, a top official said. The unit of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) would instead promote a new and improved variety of the aromatic rice labelled PUSA1885.

'PUSA1885 is the new alternative to PUSA1121 as all its characteristics such as aroma, grain length, off white colour and best cooking results have been retained while adding resistance to the pest attacks,' IARI director A K Singh said.

The new variety will require much less agrochemicals and will save farmers as much as Rs.3,000 per acreon pesticides, while the yield will be four to seven quintals more, he added. The yield of PUSA1121, introduced in 2003, typically ranges between 18-20 quintals per acre.

India exports some Rs.40,000 crore worth of basmati every year to North America, Europe and the Middle East. PUSA1121 is also a household name among rice eaters in the north India. In Punjab, the premium grain is grown in over 12 lakh acres. Neighbouring Haryana grows it on another 13 lakh acres.

Farm scientists say the gene pool of PUSA-1121 has weakened and it has lost its resistance to pest attacks, particularly neck-blast, forcing growers to resort to heavy sprays of fungicide tricyclazole.

The IARI will conduct farmer awareness drives to promote the new variety in the basmati growing states of Punjab, Haryana, UP , Himachal Pradesh and J&K, Singh said. They will be given seed packets of 1kg for trial. 'One kilogram of trial seeds can be multiplied to 500-800 kg...,' Singh said. In the recent past, some shipments of basmati rice from India have been rejected when traces of tricyclazole were found in them. Importing nations have since tightened rules to check for harmful chemicals in the rice.

Two other basmati varieties, PUSA1401 and PUSA1509, have also been replaced by PUSA1847 and PUSA1886. 'All three new varieties are resistant to pests and give 20% more yield than their older versions,' said Singh.

Exporters were, however, apprehensive that a change in nomenclature would confuse buyers.

'In my opinion, the acronym for the new varieties should have been similar such as Super PUSA1121 so that there is no confusion among the buyers,' said Ashok Sethi, an official of the Basmati Exporters Association. A sudden change in name may impact sales, he said.

The new varieties could benefit farmers for their higher yields and resistance to pests, said Vijay Setia, another exporter. Marketing the new varieties can be done once the improvements are evident, he said.

The Punjab government hopes that PUSA1885 will be grown over at least 20% of the total area under the premium crop, said Gurvinder Singh, director at the state agriculture department.

Source: hindustantimes.com

19 Jun, 2023 News Image

Mango exports to US double, realisation high.

India’s exports of Alphonos, Kesar and Banganpalli mangoes to the high-value the United States market has more than doubled in the current season (April-June) compared to the year-ago period, because of a decline in air freight and a new irradiation facility in Ahmedabad.

Sources told FE that mango exports to the US have crossed 2,000 tonne in the current season, up from 891 tonne in the 2022-23 season. The exports of Banganpalli and Kesar varieties have commenced this season to South Korea, another high value market. Exports to the United Kingdom is currently being undertaken.

Exporters said that Alphonso and Kesar varieties have been sold in the US market at a premium of $ 9/a kg and $ 7/ a kg respectively.

Trade sources said that one of the factors behind the spike in mango exports to the US and the UK this year has been the low cost of air freight rates, which rose sharply in the last few years because of the pandemic, has ‘normalised’ since then.

'The price gap between an Indian mango and those sourced from South American countries has reduced and because Indian mangoes are sent through air freight, its aroma and freshness is preserved while mangoes from South America is transported through road to the USA,' Kaushal Khakhar, CEO, Kay Bee Exports, one of the leading mango exporter from Maharashtra, told FE.

Currently, mangoes exported to the US undergo an irradiation process, where fruit is exposed to gamma radiation, which kills insects or pesticides inside the fruit while countries such Japan and South Korea seek imports of fruits which have undergone vapour heat treatment and hot water treatment for eliminating presence of pests.

Officials said that the irradiation facility at Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation, Ahmedabad, along with similar facilities at Vashi (Navi Mumbai), Nasik and Bengaluru has helped expand mango exports to a high value market such as the United States.

The exports of mangoes were halted in 2020 and 2021 as inspectors from the United States department of agriculture (USDA) could not visit India for inspection of irradiation facilities due to travel restrictions because of Covid19.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Development Authority (APEDA) has assisted state government agencies in setting up vapour heat treatment facilities in Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Vashi (Maharashtra), Nuzvid and Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh).

India is the world’s largest producer of mangoes, followed by China. However, it exports less than 1% mainly because of lack of sea container protocol and air freights are expensive. The uniqueness of Indian mangoes is its sweetness and smaller size.

For mangoes exports, APEDA has identified 15 clusters in Maharashtra (Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg), Gujarat (Junagarh, Valsad, Kutch and Navsari), Uttar Pradesh (Saharanpur, Meerut and Lucknow), Telangana (Rangareddy, Mehboobnagar and Warangal) and Andhra Pradesh (Krishna, Chittoor and Kurnool).

In 2022-23, the United Arab Emirates (46%), United Kingdom, US (9%), Qatar (8%) and Kuwait (6%), had 84% share in India’s value of fresh mango exports.

Source: financialexpress.com

19 Jun, 2023 News Image

India, US authorities working to quickly conclude pact for faster customs clearances.

India and the US are working to ‘quickly conclude’ the mutual recognition agreement (MRA) for authorised economic operators of both countries to expedite customs clearances, CBIC Chief Vivek Johri said on Friday.

The two countries in September 2021 entered into anA to recognise the AEOs of both countries. The AEO programme enables Customs administration to identify safe and compliant exporters and importers and to provide them with better facilitation.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a CII event, Johri said the customs authorities of India and the US had discussions to recognise the AEOs of both countries and give reciprocal benefits.

As part of the agreement, customs authorities of one country visit the other and evaluate their AEO programme and make sure that the features that are there for accrediting an entity as an AEO are strong enough to make the entity risk-free.

'That evaluation has already been done, and the language and the text of the agreement have also been worked out. Now it is going through vetting so we will try and conclude it quickly,' Johri said.

Asked by when the AEOA would be implemented, Johri said there is no fixed timeframe for it.

'There is a process that we have to go through and it goes to Cabinet for approval because it’s an international agreement. So we are going through the process,' said the chief of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

In 2022-23, the US was India’s biggest trading partner and bilateral trade between the two countries stood at USD 128.8 billion.

India’s exports to the US were USD 78.54 billion, while imports were USD 50.24 in 2022-23.

India already has implemented similar AEOA agreements with other countries, like Korea. 'We are talking to the US and some other countries also,' Johri added.

Source: indianexpress.com

16 Jun, 2023 News Image

Gabon s first Agri-SEZ project flagged off, scripting a new chapter in India-Africa relations.

Giving India-Africa relations another boost, Union Minister of Education and Skill Development Dharmendra Pradhan flagged off Gabon’s first Agri- SEZ project. The project will be implemented by AOM group with Centurion University as its technical and knowledge partner.

30 farmers and 20 B.Sc./M.Sc. agri and B.Tech/M.Tech engineering students from Gajapati district will be travelling together as agri-technical and technical consultants for the agriculture SEZ, being developed under this project. Gajapati district is an aspirational district of Odisha.

Expressing happiness over the development, Pradhan said that from Gajapati to Gabon, from Cheetahs to Climate Change, India-Africa relationship is going from strength to strength. It is a new chapter in that relationship. He also expressed confidence that the establishment of an Agriculture and Food Processing Special Economic Zone in Gabon will be a significant milestone towards enhancing food security and self-sufficiency in the country.

The minister said that, in the last 9 years, India-Africa relations have gone from strength to strength, recording more than 35 high level visits from India and more than 100 similar ones from Africa. Anti-colonial solidarity, diasporic goodwill, and the principle of 'South-South' cooperation, among others, are also playing a significant role in strengthening the partnership between India and the African continent.

Pradhan also said that development partnership is a key pillar in India’s Africa policy. Being a trusted partner in the journey of socio-economic development, India has extended concessional loans of over US$ 12.3 billion to Africa and US$ 700 mn of grant assistance with development projects in various sectors.

He also spoke of India's G20 presidency, adding that its an opportunity to enhance India's role in amplifying the voice and concerns of the Global South and developing countries. India's G20 presidency is scripting another chapter in strengthening India- Africa relations.

The minister said that Gabon and other African countries have a lot to learn from India’s development journey and recent initiatives like the Aspirational Districts Program. He also spoke about India-Africa long standing relations in the areas of education and skill development.

Source: ddnews.gov.in

16 Jun, 2023 News Image

India s overall exports in May 2023 stands at US$ 60.29 Billion.

India’s overall exports (Merchandise and Services combined) in May 2023* is estimated to be USD 60.29 Billion, exhibiting a negative growth of (-) 5.99 per cent over May 2022. Overall imports in May 2023* is estimated to be USD 70.64 Billion, exhibiting a negative growth of (-) 7.45 per cent over May 2022.

Table 1: Trade during May 2023*

		May 2023 (USD Billion)	May 2022 (USD Billion)
Merchandise	Exports	34.98	39.00
Merchandise	Imports	57.10	61.13
Services*	Exports	25.30	25.13
Services*	Imports	13.53	15.20
Overall Trade (Merchandise +Services) *	Exports	60.29	64.13
	Imports	70.64	76.32
	Trade Balance	-10.35	-12.20

* Note: The latest data for services sector released by RBI is for April 2023. The data for May 2023 is an estimation, which will be revised based on RBI’s subsequent release. (ii) Data for April-May 2022 has been revised on pro-rata basis using quarterly balance of payments data

Fig 1: Overall Trade during May 2023*

India’s overall exports (Merchandise and Services combined) in April-May 2023 is estimated to exhibit a negative growth of (-) 5.48 per cent over April-May 2022. Overall imports in April-May 2023 is estimated to exhibit a negative growth of (-) 9.63 per cent over April-May 2022.

Table 2: Trade during April-May 2023*

		April-May 2023 (USD Billion)	April-May 2022 (USD Billion)
Merchandise	Exports	69.72	78.70
Merchandise	Imports	106.99	119.18
Services*	Exports	51.14	pib.gov.in
Services*	16 Jun, 2023 MoFPI Hosts Roundtable with Heads of Foreign Missions to Discuss Global Participation in World Food India-2023. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries organized a significant roundtable discussion with the Heads of Foreign Missions in India, aiming to encourage overseas participation in the highly anticipated World Food India (WFI) 2023. The event took place at the prestigious Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi. The second edition of the esteemed 'World Food India 2023' is scheduled to be held from November 3 to 5, 2023, at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. This international platform seeks to showcase India's thriving food processing sector while also fostering collaborations and attracting investments from global stakeholders. The event is being organized in conjunction with the International Year of Millets 2023 activities and will focus on promoting millets (Shree Anna), organic produce, and indigenous processed food. The roundtable discussion was co-chaired by Anita Praveen, Secretary of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, and Shri Prabhat Kumar, Special Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs. The event saw the attendance of Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Charge d'Affaires, and senior representatives from a diverse range of countries. In total, 47 countries were represented during the interactive session. The discussion involved senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Department of Commerce, APEDA, MPEDA, and other Commodity Boards. Additionally, representatives from organizing bodies such as FICCI, Invest India, and EY were also present to participate in the deliberations. During the roundtable, Secretary Praveen and Special Secretary Kumar briefed the representatives on various aspects of the World Food India 2023 event. They highlighted India's unique contribution to global food security, emphasizing its vast resource base and substantial consumer market, which makes it an attractive proposition for overseas stakeholders. The discussion also shed light on the different sub-sectors of food processing, including machinery, technological innovations, sustainability, and more. The participating representatives were informed about the extensive preparations made for the event and the abundant opportunities available for participating countries and business entities. The embassy representatives expressed their appreciation for the event's significance in the current global food scenario and pledged their active participation from their respective countries. They also assured the presence of robust food processing sector contingents from their nations. World Food India 2023 demonstrates a 'Whole of Government Approach,' with various ministries, departments, and government organizations collaborating to pool their strengths and ensure the event's success. Partners include the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Ayush, Ministry of DONER, Ministry of MSME, Commodity Boards, and more. The event will feature industry professionals' meetings, B2B/G meetings, exhibitions, a specially curated food experience arena called the Food Street, and a Reverse Buyer Seller Meet (RBSM), making it an unparalleled value proposition for participating stakeholders. Source: krishijagran.com
16 Jun, 2023 Andhra Pradesh: GI tag for Atreyapuram Pootharekulu . The ‘Atreyapuram Pootharekulu’, a sweet made of rice and jaggery, has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The entry into the Geographical Indications Registry (GIR) mandates that the production of the sweet be confined only to the Atreyapuram village on the banks of the Godavari in Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh. On June 14, the GIR, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, had registered ‘Pootharekulu’ sweet variety under the ‘Food’ category, as the four-month statutory period to challenge the claims by the applicant expired by then. How is it prepared Coarse rice is made into a batter. A cloth is then dipped in the batter and put on a hot inverted pot to make edible thin films called ‘poothareku’, which is then stuffed with jaggery powder and cashew and rolled to make a sweet. 'At least 400 women of Atreyapuram are into the activity in the village. Situated on the banks of the Godavari, the village has the history of making the sweet for over three centuries,' claimed the Sir Arthur Cotton Atreyapuram Putharekula Manufacturers’ Welfare Association (SACAPMWA) in its application for the GI tag. As per the official website of the GIR, the ‘Atreyapuram Pootharekulu’ (Certificate No. 483) was registered on June 14 with a validity of up to December 2031. 'The credit goes to the women of the village. Their skill in making the delicacy has brought laurels to the village and fame to the Konaseema region, apart from generating employment to scores of villagers,' SACAPMWA treasurer Gadiraju Prasada Raju told The Hindu. 'Rice is the main ingredient. We prefer the MTU-3626 paddy variety for its taste and adhesive feature,' Mr. Prasada Raju said. The MTU-3626 variety is locally known as ‘Bondalu’, which is extensively grown in the Konaseema region and consumed in Kerala. The Centre for Intellectual Property Rights & Technology of the Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU), Visakhapatnam, had extended its support to the association in the application and documentation for the GI tag. Source: thehindu.com
16 Jun, 2023 India ready to work with G-20 in agriculture sector . A three-day meeting of Agriculture Ministers under the Agriculture Working Group (AWG) of the G-20 got underway in Hyderabad on Thursday with the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar reiterating India’s commitment to share knowledge and experience in the global interest of the agriculture sector. Exuding confidence that the deliberations will help find solutions to the challenges facing the sector and associated areas, the Minister said India is ready to work with the G-20 countries and remains committed to food security and nutrition. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has evolved policies in that direction and ensuring their successful implementation, Mr. Tomar said. Food security and nutrition with a focus on improving social protection systems to promote agro-diversification and enhance food security figures on the top of the priority areas of the AWG. Other priorities include supporting sustainable agriculture and financing green and climate resilient agriculture with a climate smart approach; strengthening infrastructure for small and marginal farmers; enhance the resilience and efficiency of value chains and digitalisation for agricultural transformation. According to an official release, Mr.Tomar said the government is encouraging crop diversification to enable the farmers to get more revenue and minimise losses. Many initiatives have been implemented in states like Punjab and Haryana. He hoped farmers across the country will also adopt the changes in coming years. Organic farming is also being encouraged and Rs.1,500 crore has been spent on the implementation. India is developing climate resilient seeds so as to mitigate crop losses due to climate change. Such initiatives will be useful to other countries facing similar climate change related issues, he said. More than 200 delegates from member countries, invited countries and international organisations are participating in the G-20 AWG meeting, which will be inaugurated on Friday and followed by ministerial meetings. On June 17, the G20 agriculture ministers will come out will a declaration and further road map on agriculture sector. On Thursday Minister of State for for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Kailash Choudhary inaugurated an exhibition featuring 71 stalls focused on a number of areas, including waste to wealth management, post-harvest, smart and precision farming, agri innovations and value chain management. The stalls have been set up by ICAR institutes, other Ministries, private companies and agri start-ups as well as Telangana government, showcasing their recent achievements. Agriculture Deputies meeting with the delegations from member countries, invited countries and international organisations and panel discussions formed part of the day one proceedings. Source: thehindu.com
16 Jun, 2023 Iran, India agree on forming joint agricultural co-op committee. Agricultural officials of Iran and India have agreed to form a joint committee for agricultural cooperation between the two countries within the next three months, Mehr News Agency reported on Saturday. As reported, the agreement was reached in a meeting between Iran’s Deputy Agriculture Minister Mohammad Mehdi Borumandi and Secretary of India’s Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry Manoj Ahuja in New Delhi. Borumandi, who has traveled to New Delhi to hold talks on the agricultural cooperation between Iran and India, met with his Indian counterpart to review the latest status of bilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture. The officials also agreed to hold the first joint working group on agricultural cooperation between the two countries in the near future. In the meeting, Borumandi stressed Iran’s readiness for cooperation in various fields including horticultural products, medicinal plants, combating plant pests, agricultural technologies, exchange of professors and experts, and cooperation between research institutions of the two countries. He considered the removal of tariff barriers on agricultural trade as a necessity for the future expansion of relations. Manoj Ahuja, for his part, highlighted the cultural and geographical affinities between the two nations and expressed his country’s readiness to develop agricultural relations with Iran. Welcoming the fields proposed by the Iranian side for cooperation, the Indian official announced that the ban on the exports of kiwi to India, which had been temporarily prohibited since last year due to quarantine considerations, has been lifted. The trade between Iran and India reached $510 million in the first quarter of the current year, according to the data released by India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry. According to the report, agricultural products and especially rice had the largest share in India’s exports to Iran. Rice accounted for 63 percent of the total volume of exports, while fruits with $15 million, and tea with $10 million ranked second and third. Source: en.krishakjagat.org
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