Turkey's state grain board TMO has started making provisional purchases of wheat in an international tender which closed on Tuesday with about 175,000 tonnes initially bought, traders said.

 

The tender seeks 335,000 tonnes and more purchases are expected later on Tuesday.

 

The tonnages purchased in TMO’s tenders are provisional and still subject to final confirmation in coming days. Purchases can be reduced or cancelled completely.

 

Red milling wheat of 12.5% and 13.5% protein content is sought in a series of consignments to several Turkish ports.

 

Both imports and wheat already in warehouses in Turkey can be offered in the tender. Traders said some export houses have been shipping Russian wheat into Turkey in advance of sales to escape repeated increases in Russia's export taxes.

 

Traders reported these provisional purchases with port of unloading/delivery, tonnes sold, protein content, seller, price in dollars a tonne c&f and if to be delivered from a warehouse in Turkey: Port Tonnes Protein Seller Price If warehouse Iskenderun 25,000 12.5% Altin Ates $345.70 warehouse Iskenderun 25,000 12.5% Viterra $345.80 warehouse Mersin 50,000 12.5% Tiryaki $351.40 warehouse Izmir 25,000 12.5% Yayla $350.15 warehouse Izmir 25,000 12.5% Sierentz $345.15 Derince 25,000 12.5% Erser $344.30

 

The tender continues an active period of grain importing by Turkey to cool local prices and secure domestic supplies in the face of a serious reduction in the country’s cereals crop after drought, traders said.

 

In its last reported wheat tender on Dec. 21, the TMO bought about 320,000 tonnes at the lowest price of $354.90 a tonne c&f. 

India on Wednesday announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host the first India-Central Asia Summit in a virtual format on January 27 as part of the country’s engagement with the extended neighbourhood.

 

The development follows the government’s decision to go ahead with Republic Day celebrations on January 26 without any foreign leader as chief guest because of a surge in Covid-19 infections.

 

The Indian side had earlier invited the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to be chief guests, though no formal announcement was made by any of the countries.

 

The external affairs ministry said the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will participate in the virtual summit, described as the 'first engagement of its kind between India and the Central Asian countries at the level of leaders'.

 

The summit reflects New Delhi’s growing engagement with the Central Asian states, part of India’s 'extended neighbourhood', and is symbolic of the importance attached by leaders of India and Central Asia to a comprehensive and enduring partnership, the ministry said.

 

At the summit, the leaders are expected to discuss steps to take India-Central Asia relations to newer heights, and exchange views on regional and international issues, 'especially the evolving regional security situation', the ministry said.

 

Modi had visited all the Central Asian states in 2015, and there have been exchanges at high levels at bilateral and multilateral forums. The India-Central Asia Dialogue at the level of foreign ministers, the third meeting of which was held in New Delhi in December, has given impetus to relations between the two sides.

 

'The participation of the secretaries of national security councils of Central Asian countries in the Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan held in New Delhi on November 10, 2021 outlined a common regional approach on Afghanistan,' the external affairs ministry said.

 

This is the second year in a row that the Republic Day celebrations have been affected by the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. The rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the past few weeks and recent violent protests in Kazakhstan, which resulted in the death of more than 220 people, were factors that went against the participation of the Central Asian leaders, people familiar with the matter.

 

Last year, India went ahead with truncated Republic Day celebrations without a chief guest after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called off his visit at the last minute because of the rapid spread of a strain of the coronavirus in Britain. It is extremely rare for the Republic Day celebrations, seen as a high point in the country’s diplomatic calendar, not to have a chief guest.

French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain on Tuesday reaffirmed commitment to trade relations in the Indo-Pacific ahead of next month's Indo-Pacific forum scheduled in Paris next month.

The French Envoy was interacting in Facebook Live session and answered questions related to France's commitment in the Indo-Pacific in the near future.

 

The Indo-Pacific Forum is scheduled to be held in Paris next month on February 22.Earlier, French Ambassador to India, Emmanuel Lenain said that France will use its European Union presidency from January to June to take European Union-India ties to an even greater strategic level.

 

Further, on January 1, 2022, France took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the Presidency coincides with Presidential elections scheduled in France this year April.

On the other hand, French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain's statement comes at a time when India-France is cementing their strategic cooperation as envisaged during French Defence Minister Florence Parly's visit to India last December. (ANI)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday spoke with his counterparts from Sweden and Hungary and with the EU foreign policy chief, during which they reviewed bilateral trade ties among other issues.

 

In a series of tweets, the EAM mentioned about his separate telephonic interactions with the three top officials.

 

During his conversation with Hungarian FM Péter Szijjártó, the two discussed bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, education, mobility and health.

 

'A good discussion with FM Péter Szijjártó of Hungary.

 

'Discussed bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, education, mobility and health.

 

'Confident that the positive momentum of 2021 will grow further in 2022.

 

'Look forward to welcoming him in India soon,' he posted.

 

On his talk with Swedish FM Ann Linde, he said the two discussed the Covid situation, on Nordic cooperation, and green transition

 

'Nice to speak to FM @AnnLinde of Sweden.

 

'Conversation covered the Covid situation, green transition and Nordic cooperation.

 

'Our bilateral relationship continues to advance steadily.'

 

He also spoke with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell Fontelles. They reviewed trade and investment, connectivity, and strategic facets of India-EU cooperation, as well as Afghanistan and Myanmar.

 

'A warm conversation with EU HRVP @JosepBorrellF ,our first this year.

 

'Reviewed trade & investment, connectivity, climate action and strategic facets of India-EU cooperation.

The India pavilion, one of the largest and most visited pavilions at EXPO2020 Dubai, has crossed the 8 lakh footfalls milestone.

 

The pavilion was inaugurated by Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, on 1 October 2021 and has so far clocked 8,00,103 visitors as of 18 January.

 

Taking to microblogging site Twitter, Goyal said, 'Yet Another Milestone! Footfall at the India Pavilion at @Expo2020Dubai crosses the 8 Lakh mark. Underlining India’s Growth Story, the buzz at #IndiaAtDubaiExpo continues to captivate people with our rich heritage & ambitious growth opportunities.'

 

A new yellow revolution has finally taken off, as farmers expand the area under the crop by a quarter, conjuring up visions of endless mustard fields — a popular Bollywood staple. 

 

The development comes even as the country is still dependent on edible oil imports. The 'right' price for mustard this year has worked the wonders that several initiatives in the past could not do.

 

According to the latest sowing data, acreage under mustard (including toria and taramira) has expanded by 24 per cent to a record 90.45 lakh hectares (lh), exceeding even the government-set target. 

 

Even average yield will help

 

The area under mustard alone has touched 84.76 lh (up 24.9 per cent). Before the start of the 2021-22 rabi season sowing, the government targeted increasing the output to 122.4 lakh tonnes (lt) from 75.8 lh. The production was 101.12 lt in 2020-21.

 

'Even if the average yield is 1.5 tonnes per hectare, production will be 135 lt from the latest sowing areas. However, the next 10-15 days are crucial for the crop amid prediction of rainfall by the weather bureau,' said PK Rai, director of Bharatpur-based Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research. The yield was 1.51 tonnes per ha in 2018-19 and fell to 1.36 tonnes per ha the following year, he said.

 

Minimum temperatures at night may stay near-normal or slightly above normal in most parts of north-west and central India (including Madhya Pradesh) during January 20-26, according to India Meteorological Department. Though no significant cold wave is seen, dense fog is likely over many parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

 

The weather bureau has forecast light or moderate isolated to scattered rainfall over plains of north-west and adjoining central India, mainly during January 20-22. Overall, precipitation is likely to be normal to above-normal over north-west India, it said.

 

Output seen at 110 lakh tonnes

 

Industry body Central Organisation for Oil Industry and Trade (COOIT) estimates mustard output at around 110 lt this year. 'The government has been trying to encourage mustard cultivation and the results have started showing. This bodes well for the industry and consumers alike, as prices of mustard oil may remain stable over the next few months,' said Suresh Nagpal, chairman of COOIT.

 

In many states, mustard is currently either in the flowering or pod formation stage, and the persisting cloudy weather is not good, experts say, advising States to guard against 'white rust' pests. Though there are varieties resistant to white rust, farmers prefer high-yielding varieties, Rai said, adding that Giriraj and RH 725 remain popular in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

 

The Centre had released 1.2 lakh hybrid and 5.98 lakh high-yielding seed mini-kits for distribution among farmers during this rabi season.

Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday held a meeting with officials of his ministry and the Commerce Ministry on kickstarting multi-modal logistics hubs in India. On Tuesday, he said on Twitter that alongside necessary infrastructure, it was equally important to make our cargo movement processes seamless and customer-friendly.

 

He said he chaired a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Department of Commerce on the way forward for kickstarting multi-modal logistics hubs in India.

 

Department of Commerce works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

 

'Suggested institutionalising a Project Management Group with stakeholders spanning ministries and concerned industries to identify and address the prevailing challenges,' Scindia said.

As many as 2,000 new companies from 106 countries, mainly the UK, India, Pakistan, the Philippines and Lebanon, registered with the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone (SPC Free Zone) in 2021, it said on Sunday.

 

The number of newly registered publishing companies and allied businesses has risen over the previous year, reflecting the emirate’s ongoing efforts to attract investments in diverse economic sectors, including creative industries, through the free zone’s portfolio of advanced services and state-of-the-art facilities that cater to investors’ needs.

 

Covering an area of 40,000 square metres, SPC provides 600 furnished offices for publishing entrepreneurs and 6,000 square metres of space for investors planning to create their own spaces. It also houses more than 20 conference rooms, stores, service facilities, and a public administration branch of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship to speed up investor visa processing.

 

Open 24/7, SPC Free Zone offers investors a wide range of benefits, including 100 per cent foreign ownership for all nationalities, 100 per cent repatriation of capital, 100 per cent exemption from personal income tax, corporate tax, import and export tax, as well as access to all other services at cost-effective rates, including manpower, energy, living, printing, and logistics.

 

Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone was awarded the Quality Management System Certificate (ISO 9001:2015) in 2021. In the same year, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mashreq Bank to offer priority access to various financial and banking services to investors and entrepreneurs in different market sectors.

Since the grape export season started last week, the Nashik district has exported around 58 containers, with 760 MT of grapes, to various European countries in the past four days.

 

According to the officials of the state agriculture department, of the 760 MT of grapes that have been exported, 375 MT have been sent to the Netherlands, 33 MT to Poland and 26 MT to Romania among others.

 

Manik Patil, the director of Grape Exporters Association of India (GEAI), said the grape season has been delayed this year by three-four weeks due to the pruning of vineyards done in November.

Usually, pruning of vineyards takes place in the district in October, but given the unseasonal rainfall in December for the past two years, the grape farmers delayed their harvest. During the same period last year, Nashik district had exported around 1.29 lakh tonnes of grapes.

 

Of 1.29 lakh tonnes grapes exported in 2020-21 (Dec-April), 96,000 tonnes were exported to European countries like the Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom etc, while the remaining 33,000 tonnes were exported to non-European countries like Russia, Malaysia, UAE etc.

 

The district had exported 1.16 lakh tonnes of grapes during the grape season in 2019-20.

Patil said that they are expecting the grape export to be the same as last year, but the grape exporters are facing some issues this season.

 

He said that there has been a huge rise in freight charges in the last three years. This year, the shipping freight charges have doubled from US$ 4,000 to US $ 8,000 a container.

Moreover, the packaging material prices have also increased by 30%.

 

Earlier, a 5 kg box would cost Rs 46, which has now been increased to Rs 60 per box.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to defer the enforcement of the direction that seeks display of information regarding nutrition on ‘menu’ in a food service establishment.

 

The food service establishments have been given time until June 30, 2022, to comply with the order.

 

According to an order issued by the food authority, although the direction shall come into force from January 1, 2022, the enforcement with regards to said direction shall start from July 1, 2022.

 

'After considering the facts represented by the hotel and restaurant associations that Menu Labelling is being introduced for the first time in the country and the hotel & restaurant industry is still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic disruptions, it has been decided that, in order to grant some additional time to the FBOs to adopt the practice of Menu Labelling in a self-compliant manner, no sampling of the food items listed on the menu cards/boards/booklets by the FBOs shall be carried out to check or verify the respective declarations of calorific value and nutritional information till 30th June, 2022,' read the order issued by the FSSAI.

 

The order directed the food safety officials that any non–compliance may be addressed by issuing an improving notice under the FSS Act for further compliance.

 

Under these provisions, the FBOs need to list the nutritional information and calories of the food items served in the establishment except some specific foods including food service for immediate consumption such as served in hospitals, hotels, or by food services vendors or halwais.

 

Further, the regulation specifies that food service establishments having Central licence or outlets at 10 or more locations need to provide nutritional info as specified under these regulations for the food items sold by them to consumers upon request in the form of booklets or handouts or on their websites.