India and Egypt have reaffirmed their commitment to the founding values of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), international law and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states. It was mentioned in a joint statement released on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi held wide-ranging talks covering bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

 

On economic ties, the statement mentioned that the Egyptian side is considering the possibility of allocating a special area of land for the Indian industries in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCEZ), adding that 'the Indian side can arrange for the master plan'.

 

The Suez Canal, connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, is one of the world's busiest trade routes. About 12 per cent of the global trade passes through the canal each day.

 

The statement said India would encourage its companies, which have the potential to establish overseas investments, to make use of the available investment opportunities in Egypt.

 

'In this context, the Egyptian side considers the possibility of allocating a special area of land for the Indian industries in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCEZ), and the Indian side can arrange for the master plan,' it said.

 

The Egyptian president, who arrived here on a three-day visit on Tuesday, attended the Republic Day celebrations as the chief guest.

 

The joint statement noted that Modi and Sisi reviewed the status of the bilateral relationship based on the pillars of closer political and security cooperation, deeper economic engagement, stronger scientific and academic collaboration as well as wider cultural and people-to-people contacts.

 

'The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism, the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law, the founding values of the Non-Aligned Movement, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states,' the statement said.

 

Though it did not mention any context or country, the reference to sovereignty and territorial integrity of states came amid growing global concerns over China's aggressive military muscle flexing and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

 

'The two sides take into consideration the cultural and social sensitivities of all states and, in this regard, they agreed to work together to promote and safeguard these basic principles through regular consultations and coordination at bilateral and multilateral levels,' the statement mentioned.

 

It said Modi and Sisi expressed concern over the spread of terrorism across the world and agreed that it poses one of the most serious security threats to humanity.

 

'Both leaders condemned the use of terrorism as a foreign policy tool. They called for 'zero tolerance' for terrorism and for all those who encourage, support and finance terrorism or provide sanctuaries to terrorists and terror groups -- whatever their motivation may be,' the statement said.

 

It said the two leaders emphasised the need for concerted and coordinated action by the international community, with the objective of eradicating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism.

 

'They reiterated their condemnation of efforts, including by States, to use religion to justify, support and sponsor terrorism against other countries,' it said.

 

'They also called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist networks and their safe havens, infrastructure, their financing channels and preventing cross-border movements of terrorists,' the statement added.

 

Both leaders reiterated their common resolve in promoting the values of peace, tolerance and inclusiveness and making concerted efforts to fight terrorism and violent extremist ideologies.

 

'They emphasised the need for a holistic approach to counter terrorism and violent extremism, which includes inter alia disrupting the use of the internet and social media and preventing the use of religious centres to radicalise youth and recruit terrorist cadres,' the statement said.

 

It said Modi and Sisi also agreed on the need to hold the joint working group meeting on counter-terrorism on a regular basis to exchange information and best practices.

 

The two sides agreed on enhancing the interaction between their respective national security councils.

 

The joint statement said the two leaders look forward to deepening cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied services, while noting the importance of strengthening the supply chain of food articles.

As part of its promotion strategy for agri exports, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) proposes to use river names as tag line and branding for Indian agri products.

 

APEDA is identifying agri products that can be sourced from the Gangetic, Brahmaputra, Cauvery and Godavari river basins, among others, across the country.

 

'We have an excellent number of unique and distinct agri and food product range, products specific to regions, states and geographical indication (GI) too. APEDA intends to promote and create a niche market and branding of these unique products. In fact, we intend to promote river as a tag line and brand for promotion of Indian agricultural and food products. We want to identify our products with the production centres,' M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA, told Business Line on the sidelines of Agriculture Day organised by Hubballi-based Deshpande Foundation.

 

'We will work out a systematic strategy where the entire country will be covered. Promotion of natural and vegan products also offers uniqueness and identity to producers and farmers as a whole. Value-added and diversified product promotion will be APEDA strategy to strengthen value chain management,' Angamuthu said.

 

Pitching to overseas restaurants

He said GI-tagged agri products were receiving a good response in overseas markets. 'Last year we exported over 101 GI-tagged products and retail chains were keen to display them,' he said.

 

Angamuthu said APEDA is also working with Indian restaurants to promote agri exports. 'There are over 1.5 lakh dedicated Indian restaurants overseas. We intend to promote our agri product through Indian restaurants, not only to our Indian diaspora but also the entire world,' he said.

 

As of 2022, India exports agri products to over 200 countries as compared to 150 about 10 years ago. India, which is currently the eighth largest exporter of agri products, aims to be among the top five by 2030, he said.

 

The exports of agri products monitored by APEDA grew 16 per cent to $17.435 billion during April-November in the current financial year, compared to $15.072 billion in the same period last year. APEDA exports stood at $24.74 billion during 2021-22.

In the wake of the United Nations General Assembly declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries is hosting Millets Mahotsav across 20 States and 30 Districts in the country with the aim of creating awareness about the nutritional benefits, value addition, consumption and export potential of Millets. The districts include Mandla (Madhya Pradesh), Vizianagaram (Andhra Pradesh), Bhojpur (Bihar), Mahbubnagar (Telangana), Dharmapuri (Tamil Nadu), Agra (Uttar Pradesh), Karbi Anglong (Assam), Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu), Dang (Gujarat) , Parvathipuram Manyam (Andhra Pradesh), Komaram Bheem (Telangana), Almora (Uttarakhand), Nuapada (Odisha), Bathinda (Punjab), Palakkad (Kerala), Davangere (Karnataka), Tapi (Gujarat), Barmar (Rajasthan), Kullu (Himachal Pradesh), Tumkur (Karnataka), Bhind (Madhya Pradesh), Nandurbar (Maharashtra), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Sukma (Chhattisgarh), Mahendragarh (Haryana), Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh), Kalimpong (West Bengal), Khunti (Jharkhand) and Jamui (Bihar).The series of events are being hosted under the PMFME Scheme of the Ministry under ‘Millets Mahotsav’ which commenced from Mandla, Madhya Pradesh on 21-22 January 2023 followed by the event in Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh on 22-23 January, 2023.

 

The series of events are being hosted under the PMFME Scheme of the Ministry under ‘Millets Mahotsav’ which commenced from Mandla, Madhya Pradesh on 21-22 January 2023 followed by the event in Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh on 22-23 January, 2023.

 

The event was inaugurated by Shri Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy, Hon'ble Deputy Speaker, Government of Andhra Pradesh in the presence of Shri Praveen Kumar Director, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Shri Majji Srinivasa Rao, ZP Chairman, Vizianagaram, Smt. Vempadapu Vijayalakshmi, Mayor, Vizianagaram Municipal Corporation, Shri. Bellana Chandra Sekhar, Hon'ble Member of Parliament, Vizianagaram, Shri Indukuri Raghuraju, Hon'ble Member of Legislative Council  and Government of Andhra Pradesh at Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh today. During his inaugural address,  Shri Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy touched upon the importance of millets and the immense market potential for millet-based value-added products. He informed the stakeholders about the various initiatives undertaken by the Government of India to support the food processing sector and cited the role of the PMFME (Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme in empowering micro-food processing enterprises by providing financial, technical and business support across the value chain.

 

The two-day event was aimed at bringing all the stakeholders of the food processing sector with special focus on millets, on a common platform and encompassed a wide range of activities like exhibition and sale of various millet-based products, informative sessions on millet processing, interactive sessions between industry experts and micro food processing enterprises, SHGs, FPOs engaged in food processing, Buyer Seller Meet where the leading industry players participated and networked with the food processing Micro Entrepreneurs followed by a cultural program by indigenous groups, Book Launch showcasing 75 Millet recipes and cash prizes awarded to the millet recipe contest winners. The event witnessed an overwhelming response with around 1000 participants attending the two day event including micro food processing enterprises, self-help groups, farmer producer organizations, producer cooperatives, etc.

 

The exhibition focused on various Millet-based products such as flour, pasta, vermicelli, suji, ready-to-eat snacks along with showcasing processing machinery. The products were also open for sale, providing a great opportunity for the micro-entrepreneurs of Andhra Pradesh to not only participate in technical sessions but also generate revenue and forge partnerships for stronger market reach.

 

In addition to the Millets Mahotsav, a mega-food event is also being organized by the Ministry from 3rd to 5th Nov 2023 in New Delhi to provide a unique platform to all stakeholders i.e. producers, food processors, equipment manufacturers, logistics players, cold chain players, technology providers, academia, start-up & innovators, food retailers, etc. to interact and have a dialogue. The event is slated to be the biggest-ever congregation of dignitaries, global investors and business leaders of major global and domestic food companies which would put India firmly on the global food landscape.

 

Being grown in more than 130 countries, Millets are considered traditional food for more than half a billion people across Asia and Africa. Millets are important by the virtue of their mammoth potential to generate livelihoods, increase farmers’ income and ensure food & nutritional security all over the world. India is one of the leading producers of millets in the world with an estimated share of around 41 percent in global production. Recognizing the enormous potential of Millets, which also aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Government of India (GoI) has prioritized Millets. Spearheaded by the Honourable Prime Minister, the Government of India’s proposal for International Year of Millets (IYoM) 2023 was accepted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The declaration has been instrumental for the Government of India to be at the forefront of celebrating IYoM.

 

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Rajasthan, has organized a two-day Agriculture Festival-Exhibition and Training at Dussehra Ground in Kota, Rajasthan on 24th-25th January 2023 to make Kota Division an advanced and a leading player in the field of agriculture and rural development. The exhibition was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla and Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, Shri Kailash Chowdhary.

 

Shri Lalchand Kataria, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Government of Rajasthan and Shri Udayalal Anjana, Minister of State, Cooperation Department, Government of Rajasthan were also present at the inauguration ceremony. Apart from them senior officials from Central Government, State Government and Indian Council of Agricultural Research and around 15,000 farmers, agri startups, corporates bankers, extension workers and employees of private agricultural institutions participated in the first day of the event.

 

Shri Samuel Praveen Kumar, Joint Secretary (Extension), Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India delivered the welcome address. Shri Dinesh Kumar, Principal Secretary (Agriculture), Government of Rajasthan shared the details of the programme.

 

Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla said that India is an agricultural country. Our country is at the forefront in food production. In the changing agricultural landscape, we should resolve to use contemporary practices, and using innovation, we should aim to become a frontline country in the world. He said that AatmaNirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) will be realized when our farmers use new agricultural practices, innovation, value addition, more crop per drop etc. Shri Om Birla stressed on the use of horticulture, startups and drones. He said that through Startups, we have worked to bring down production cost in some instances, and in other cases we have increased production, at some places we have set up food processing units and at other places we have achieved value addition.

 

Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, Shri Kailash Chowdhary, while addressing the farmers, said that keeping in view the global scenario of the agriculture sector, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has implemented several important schemes for the progress of Indian agriculture. This is a proof of dedication towards farmers and efforts being made to increase their income. An unprecedented increase has been made in the budgetary allocation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The combined budget allocation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in the year 2013-14 was Rs 30,223.88 crore, which has been hiked by more than 4.59 times to Rs 1,38,920.93 crore in the year 2022-23.

 

Shri Lalchand Kataria, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister, Government of Rajasthan said that to improve the financial condition of the farmer, there is a need for new technology, innovation, animal husbandry, traditional farming, all of which has been displayed here. Through the startups, farmers will get information about how to store, how to do farming with less water, how to plough the field with less cost.

 

Shri Udayalal Anjana, Minister of State, Cooperative Department, Government of Rajasthan said that both Agriculture Department and Cooperative Department are complementary to each other. Farmers should be educated by organizing such fairs, which will strengthen their economic condition. Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla and Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, Shri Kailash Choudhary also inaugurated the drone demonstration by flying the drone themselves.

 

In this exhibition, 150 stalls have been set up to provide farmers with updated information related to agriculture. Keeping in view the important role of startups in the field of agriculture, 75 stalls of Startups have been set up in this exhibition, which is one of the main features of the exhibition. Information about the schemes being run by the Central and State Governments for the farmers is being provided through the various stalls set up in the exhibition. Along with this, private sector companies / organizations related to the supply of various inputs for agriculture have also displayed their products.

 

After the formal inauguration of the two-day agriculture festival, exhibition and training programme, parallel farmer training sessions were organized in three training rooms on modern and scientific agricultural techniques on the subjects of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and dairying. Two training programmes each were organized in all the three auditoriums this afternoon. Farmers were taught the nuances of remunerative farming by various subject experts. Six training programmes were organized on contribution of Quality Seeds in crop production, advanced cultivation of guava and amla in Farmers Producer Organization Kisan Bazar, Kota division, Climate Smart Farming Practices, Sheep Farming for additional income and importance and use of Nano Urea in Sustainable Farming etc.

 

Vote of thanks was delivered by Smt. S. Rukmani, Joint Secretary (M&T), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers, Government of India.

In 2022, India managed to seal two major free trade agreements, one with Australia and the other with the UAE, increasing the probability of some more being finalised in 2023. In an interaction with businessline, Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal discusses the trade land-scape for 2023 and the importance of FTAs. Excerpts:

 

Q

Can exporters expect some handholding from the government in these difficult times when world trade growth is shrinking?

We are all the time available to  support and help our exporters and that’s a continuous process. As issues get flagged off, the government does its inter ministerial consultation and, wherever possible, takes proactive measures to support Indian industry. So we are a 24 hour government available to our business community, particularly the exporters for any problem that they may face.

 

Just now, I spent three hours on a video conference (VC) with all the export promotion councils. We made copious notes on what steps we can take (to increase exports). All of them have committed to me that they will be pushing in this quarter for maintaining this momentum to the best of their ability.

 

The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes are all recent. All are in the phase of being developed. But some have also started enjoying the fruits. Bluestar MD  Vir Advani just came and said his company was one of the first to start  air conditioning facility unit under PLI for white goods and they are already exporting.

 

Q

India will soon host the next Indo Pacific Economic Forum (IPEF) meet. Do you think there could be some pressure on India to get into the trade pillar of the negotiation?

You think Prime Minister Modi can be pressured? This country protects its own interests? We have, at the moment, opted out of the trade pillar because we don’t know the final contours. We don’t know whether there are any binding commitments or some restrictions which can hurt our manufacturing or economy. 

 

So, until we see exactly the contours and the benefits, we have said we will observe.

 

If we find that it is in India’s interest, we’ll be happy to join. We have not walked out or not stopped it like we walked out of RCEP. It is just that we have not yet opted for it. In the other three pillars we are there.

 

Q

How does India plan to resolve the tough issues it faces in its FTA negotiations with the UK? Is an early harvest pact still being considered? 

Our approach (in the India-UK FTA) is to focus on what is acceptable to both countries and  not allow the sensitive issues to scuttle our discussions. But with Canada we are looking at an early harvest. It’s called an early progress trade agreement, in which we are hoping to capture the low hanging fruits so that businesses can start enjoying the fruits faster.

 

Q

How soon can the FTA with Canada be finalised? Wasn’t the proposed deadline December 2022?

We have never had any deadlines. Those could be estimates. But there are a lot of issues in the ministerial consultations. Please bear in mind Australia, UAE both are non manufacturing countries. They don’t have a big manufacturing base. So the businesses complement each other. Whereas with Canada, while they are also not much of a manufacturing base, with them we have to go into more details. 

 

The UK is a country manufacturing many products. So we have to do it very carefully. Every item has to be seen with great detail. 

 

Q

How are the FTA talks with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) progressing?

Unfortunately, the term of the GCC’s Secretary General is over and the new one has not yet been appointed. Once he comes in, we will have to finalise a few elements of the terms of reference (ToR).

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said that in the talks for the proposed free trade agreement between India and the UK, the focus is on what is acceptable to both countries and not allow sensitive issues to scuttle the discussions. He also said that student visas are never part of a free trade agreement (FTA).

 

India has recently concluded the sixth round of talks with the UK and the next round will be held soon.

 

Negotiations with the UK started on January 13 last year with an aim to boost bilateral trade and investments. The bilateral trade between the two countries increased to USD 17.5 billion in 2021-22 compared to USD 13.2 billion in 2020-21. India's exports stood at USD 10.5 billion in 2021-22, while imports were USD 7 billion.

 

'With UK , our approach is let's focus on what is acceptable to both the countries and let us not allow sensitive issues to scuttle our discussions,' Goyal told reporters here.

 

When asked about a statement of a UK official that granting more students visas for India is not part of this agreement, Goyal said: 'Have you ever heard of student visas being part of FTA? How many students go there (UK) to study? It's never a part of an FTA'.

 

British trade minister Kemi Badenoch, who is in-charge of the negotiations, recently stated that the trade agreement is expected to be clinched this year but it won't involve any boost of free movement visa offers for Indians.

 

In an interview with 'The Times' recently, the UK Secretary of State for Trade also ruled out any major similarities between the FTA the UK struck with Australia post Brexit and the proposed deal with India.

 

Goyal said FTAs are never negotiated either in newspaper articles, news conferences or in public functions, and these agreements are 'serious' functions that happened amongst officials and at higher political levels also discussed when required.

 

'That's hardcore negotiations and it has to be a win-win for both countries,' he added.

 

Talking about the proposed trade deal with Canada, the commerce minister said that with Canada, India is looking at an early harvest agreement, which is called an early progress trade agreement .

 

In this, 'we are hoping to capture the low hanging fruits, so that the businesses can start enjoying the fruits faster and when people start seeing the benefits,' he added.

 

Replying to a query on India's decision to opt out from the trade pillar of the 14-member Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), Goyal said if India would find it in the interest of the country, it will be happy to join that pillar.

 

India opted out from the trade pillar 'because we do not know the final contours, we don't know whether there are any binding commitments, we don't know whether there will be any restrictions which can hurt our manufacturing or hurt our economy.

 

'So until we see exactly what are the contours that are there and what are the benefits that are there, until that time we have said, we will observe what you (13 members of the IPEF) all are doing ,' he said.

 

India has not yet opted for it, as it is waiting to see what would be the final contours of this trade pillar and what it will get, he added.

 

The IPEF was launched jointly by the US and other partner countries of the Indo-Pacific region on May 23 in Tokyo. The 14 IPEF partners represent 40 per cent of global GDP and 28 per cent of global goods and services trade.

 

The framework is structured around four pillars relating to trade, supply chains, clean economy, and fair economy. India has joined three pillars - supply chains, clean economy, and fair economy.

 

India will host the next special negotiation round of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) from February 8-11 next year.

 

On the PM Gati Shakti initiative, the minister said that besides efficient planning of roads and railways, PM Gati Shakti portal is being used for unique ideas.

 

Citing examples, he said the portal is helpful in finalising locations for the proposed PM Mitra (Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel) parks.

 

It is also used to match the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) and FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) labs with the industries.

 

'We have mapped all the labs of the country on the PM Gati Shakti platform...So if the cement industry is in one place, cement testing should be there, and not 500 km away,' he said adding the platform is helping social sectors also.

 

He added that give lakh fair price shops have also been mapped and now 'we are mapping' number of transactions on each shop, 'so we will be able to know which are the shops where nobody goes, we can remove some of them and which are the shops which are over loaded'.

 

Goyal was here to participate in the inaugural session of the B20 India Inception Meeting here, organised by industry chamber CII.

Export prices of Indian white rice have increased by over 10 per cent over the past fortnight to nearly a 30-month high. The surge in prices is in view of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) procuring more rice for the central pool and global currency movements, exporters and traders said.

 

The Centre’s decision to end the distribution of free grains under Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), which is in addition to the normal supply under various welfare schemes, has also resulted in the prices rising, they said. 

 

This is because those who were getting rice under the scheme are now seeking rice from the open market. 

 

Near MSP levels

'Exporters have to compete with the FCI to get rice. This has pushed up rice prices. Once it ends procurement, we could see some correction,' said New Delhi-based exporter Rajesh Paharia Jain.

 

FCI procurement of kharif rice is 20 per cent higher year-on-year, he said. 

 

'Parboiled prices have increased by 30 per cent in the past couple of weeks to Rs.29,000 a tonne from Rs.22,000. Talks of Bangladesh buying rice under a government-to-government deal have pushed up the price,' said VR Vidya Sagar, Director, Bulk Logix.

 

According to data from the Agmarknet portal, a unit of the Agriculture Ministry, paddy prices were up at Rs.2,419.46 a quintal last week compared with Rs.2,054 a year ago. This year, the MSP for paddy has been fixed at Rs.2,040 for the current crop year to June. 

 

Data from the Consumers Affairs Ministry show that the average wholesale price of rice is currently Rs.3,328.43 a quintal, up 9.12 per cent year-on-year. 

 

Most of the rise in the price happened in the past week, he said. 

 

'Rice prices have increased to near minimum support price (MSP) levels and this has resulted in export prices surging,' said BV Krishna Rao, President, The Rice Exporters Association. 

 

Still competitive 

According to the Thai Rice Exporters Association, India’s 5 per cent broken white rice price has increased by $40 a tonne since the third week of December to $443-47 a tonne. The price of 25 per cent broken white rice has gone up by $50 to $428-32.

 

Only parboiled rice has not witnessed such a rise, though its prices have risen by $15 to $388-92 a tonne. Despite the surge in prices,  Indian rice is still the most competitive. However, the Indian cereal currently holds only a $15/tonne advantage over Vietnam. 

 

'Indian white rice prices will top $450 in a week’s time once the markets open up abroad after the Chinese lunar New Year. We have to see how the Vietnam market opens on February 1,' said Bulk Logix’s Sagar. 

 

Good for sector

Exports to Africa are taking place, though there is a general shortage of supplies in the market, he said. 

 

TREA’s Rao said the increase in rice prices is good for the industry since only 'actual millers' are buying in the domestic market. 'Various States such as Tamil Nadu are buying rice from the open market, pushing up prices,' he said.

 

'Prices have increased despite the arrival of new crop in West Bengal. We are exporting rejected grains from parboiled sortex,' said M Madan Prakash, President of the Agricultural Commodities Exporters Association.

 

Even prices of such grains have increased to nearly $320 free-on-board (f.o.b). 

 

Set to cool

However, the current trend may not hold for long since 'the surge' is not sustainable, said Sagar. 

 

'Prices are likely to correct once the Vietnam market opens,' he said. 

 

'The market is caught between two rice seasons in Thailand. Once the new crop arrives there, prices will cool down,' said Rao. 

 

'Once FCI ends its procurement, it will be only traders in the market. It will bring down prices,' said Jain. 

 

But a trade analyst, who did not wish to be identified, was sceptical saying, 'the market sentiments are based on physical supplies. Looks like the data on production may not be right.'

 

Rice prices are up since the production during the kharif season has been estimated lower at 104.99 million tonnes (mt) this year compared with 111.76 mt last year. This was because paddy sowing was affected by deficient rains in West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. 

 

According to data from FCI, rice stocks are at an 8-year low of 12.35 mt as of January 1 but unmilled paddy stocks are at a record high of 47.62 mt (31.9 mt of rice). 

Economic ties between the UAE and India were under the spotlight at a summit showcasing the historic and future links between the two nations.

 

Dubai Chambers hosted the India-UAE Partnership Summit and ministers and officials revealed the scale of trade between countries.  

 

More than 30% of the start-up community in Dubai is represented by Indians, while Indian companies and NRI-owned entities have generated around 1 million jobs in the UAE.

 

UAE-India trade

Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, inaugurated the summit with an opening keynote where he highlighted that the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has given a natural boost to key sectors such as food and agriculture products as well as gems and jewellery.

 

The CEPA Agreement signed in 2022 by the UAE and India will increase trade exchange by 120 per cent, from $45bn to $100bn and services trade to $15bn in the next five years.

 

Goyal said: 'India and the UAE are both pursuing dynamic trade and investment policies. India hopes to see its exports touch $1tn in the near to medium term.

 

'Our growing bilateral trade will play an integral role in the UAE’s efforts to double the size of its economy by 2030. The destinies of the UAE and India have been inextricably intertwined for centuries.

 

'A closer collaboration, trust and the spirit of entrepreneurship will create limitless opportunities for our economies, our industries, our cities, and our people, now and for generations to come. This is the vision that CEPA aims to turn into reality.'

 

He also highlighted the various cooperation prospects which include the rupee-dirham trade, the virtual trade corridor, the food corridor and leveraging UAE and India’s start-up ecosystems.

 

Sectors such as textiles, green energy (wind, solar and hydro), connectivity infrastructure (airports, ports and roads) as well as waste management, were also among the areas of opportunity for both countries.

 

During his keynote address, Mohammad Ali Rashid Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, revealed that the number of new Indian companies that joined Dubai Chamber of Commerce in 2022 exceeded 11,000, bringing the total number of Indian companies registered with the Chamber to more than 83,000.

 

This reflects the strength of economic, investment and trade links between the two countries and the importance of economic partnerships in promoting future bilateral relations.

 

Lootah pointed out that the international office of Dubai International Chamber, one of the three chambers operating under the Dubai Chambers, in Mumbai plays an important role in developing mutual relations and attracting more Indian start-ups and SMEs to the emirate.

 

He confirmed that this year will see expansion in the Chamber’s Mumbai office activities to keep pace with the growing momentum in bilateral relations.

 

He added: 'Our international offices, including our office in India, work in line with the Dubai Global initiative announced by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, to cement the emirate’s position as a business and investment hub that attracts international investment and supports the expansion of local businesses to overseas markets.'

 

Organised by the International Business Linkage Forum (IBLF) in partnership with Dubai International Chamber the summit highlights the two nations’ bilateral relations with a focus on opportunities in manufacturing and start-ups, agritech and food processing, the future of health, and fintech and investment.

 

Dubai International Chamber seeks to attract multinational companies based in India and expand the Dubai’s trade ties with the India market.

 

Through the IBLF exclusive network of prominent personalities globally, the summit offers the chance to explore synergies, growth areas and sectors where both nations might work together for mutual benefit.

 

As both economies predict strong growth in 2023, the summit calls for exploring opportunities in new sectors, moving away from the current trading patterns to new areas, reflecting both nations’ desire to develop significant digital economies and ignite greater innovation.

 

Rajiv Podar, Chairman IBLF said: 'The bilateral trade is set to touch $88bn in 2022-23. Traditionally food and energy securities has been the prime focus between the UAE and India, however CEPA focuses also on the SME sector opening a flood of opportunities across the sectors.'

 

Dinesh Joshi, President IBLF and Chairman of SatyaGiri Group of Companies, said: 'The visionary leadership of India and the UAE has reinforced our existing relations which will have a long-lasting impact in the coming times.

 

'The signing of the CEPA in 88 days shows the commitment from both nations. The India UAE Partnership Summit aims to bring the stakeholders from both sides to develop strong synergies.'

 

While petroleum products and jewellery remain the most exported goods from India to Dubai, the summit serves to underline India’s growing expertise in fields including technology, healthcare and finance.

Under India-Israel agricultural cooperation, 30th Indo-Israel Centre of Excellence (CoE) was inaugurated in Gignow, Bhiwani, Haryana on 22 January 2023. This coincides with India and Israel nearing the completion of 30 years of full diplomatic relations.

 

Jai Parkash Dalal, Minister of Agriculture, Government of Haryana; Kamal Patel, Minister of Agriculture, Government of Madhya Pradesh and Ambassador of Israel to India, Naor Gilon jointly inaugurated the centre.

 

This centre, established as part of the Indo-Israel Agricultural Project (IIAP), is dedicated to semi-arid horticultural crops. Israel, which is famous for 'making the desert bloom', is a pioneer in developing sustainable technologies and solutions for all agricultural sectors. For many decades, Israel has successfully overcome harsh climatic conditions and knows how to maximise resources in an arid environment.

 

Speaking on this occasion, Ambassador Naor Gilon said, 'This is a significant milestone in the agricultural cooperation between Israel and India. It is extraordinary as this is the 30th Centre of Excellence inaugurated as our countries are nearing the completion of 30 years of full diplomatic relations. With this inauguration, we now have 30 fully-active Centres of Excellence in different states across India. More such centres are in the pipeline. These centres are increasing farmers’ yield and productivity while diversifying local crops and improving the quality of produce.'

 

The establishment of the centres has been possible due to the coordinated efforts of the Government of India, state governments and MASHAV (Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation) at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

These centres provide a suitable platform for a rapid transfer of technology to Indian farmers. New agricultural technologies such as protected cultivation, drip irrigation and fertigation are demonstrated here. The methods and technologies are adapted to the local conditions and requirements of the Indian farmers, with the intent of significantly increasing their income.

 

Every year, the centres produce more than 40 million premium-quality vegetable seedlings, and over 500 thousand high-quality fruit plants, and train more than 120 thousand Indian farmers.

 

MASHAV also brings many Israeli experts to India and trains the trainers at these centres throughout the year. Similarly, Indian agricultural officers heading these centres receive training in Israel. For example, over 60 Indian government officials visited Israel to receive training last year.

 

The Israel-India agricultural cooperation has deepened and widened since full diplomatic relations were established in 1992. During the initial period of the establishment of the Centres of Excellence, the newest technologies in a range of agricultural fields were brought from Israel and implemented at these centres. Over the years, the agricultural cooperation between the two countries has further expanded. Now Israeli technologies and know-how are being transferred and manufactured in India, further boosting the ‘Make in India’ initiative and benefiting the entire world. The newly inaugurated centre is one such example, which will demonstrate Israel-based agricultural technologies produced in India such as drip irrigation, mulching, and greenhouses among other solutions.

Food and beverages consumption and demand is increasing every day. In today’s times, when both husband and wife are working, the eating habits have changed and people depend more on frozen food.

 

Warehousing plays a pivotal role in managing and storage of food and beverages, and agriculture and food security market. As any business grows and expands, they look for more reliable and effectively organised supply chain management and warehousing services. Some people might see it as an unnecessary expense, but it saves a lot of money and boosts productivity. Depending on the type of product - dry or frozen, a warehouse has different method and technique of storing it.

 

Most companies produce goods in bulk which need to be stored and prevent them from any damages. Storing your products in warehouses reduces the risk of spoilage and contamination. Warehousing is a great way to store goods that are not needed immediately. With quality and quantity, it also looks after availability of products for the customers.

Businesses, therefore, consider warehousing as an essential tool in creating value for customers. Here are some key reasons to know why warehousing is crucial for your businesses.

 

Easy Distribution

It becomes difficult for factories to manufacture as well as store the product. When factories being far away from city and the place of consumption, the product may not get delivered on time or may be spoiled. Therefore, storing product in cold storages of warehouse near the cities helps to reduce the delivery time. Nowadays warehouses provide the service of supply too which reduces cost. Whether it is a raw material or a finished product, it comes convenient for manufacturer to deliver it to the customer fresh.

 

Inventory and cost reduction

A well-managed warehouse can provide you with a centralised tracking system for your inventory. Having an efficient warehouse system helps you in managing and fulfilling orders while reducing the order cycle time. It is therefore designed in a way that can handle all your warehouse activities with utmost precision and full-proof security. Having a just-in-time inventory increases efficiency. The cost of inventory is reduced by storing only the quantity desired to keep the inventory full. This way companies can reduce costs as well as manage the delivery of goods without hassle. With sustainable inventory management and advanced storage planning, you can store food and agricultural crops and distribute items more efficiently.

 

Solving seasonal crises

During the harvest season a lot of agricultural products are cultivated. With demand, it gets supplied but during off season the demand is high but product is not available, because of storing products in warehouse will keep the product available for a season and the problem gets solved. It makes the seasonal product available for entire year.

 

Safety standard

Food products require special handling. Warehouses follow safety standards and maintain hygiene for the products. Warehouse provides facility at each step from how the product is stored till it reaches its destination.  

 

Protected packaging is used for a smooth and safe journey on the road. Generally, companies do not have in-house storage facilities. They outsource services for advanced packaging and carrying out timely deliveries.

 

Cold storage

India is the first in fruit and second in vegetable production in the world. Having a cold goods store is the best method for preventing food damage. The storage and distribution of these fruits and vegetables is carried out in a manner where the temperature is monitored to keep them fresh and edible for a longer period of time.

 

Better customer experience

Warehousing is an important part of your customer buying experience. It ensures that the products ordered are in stock, fresh and the customers get what they have ordered. Your inventory is well managed with warehousing. With increase in online sale, customer expects fast delivery. If a customer demands goods, then warehousing ensures that the product is available for quick delivery, and also prevent product from getting lost and stolen during handling. Therefore, it can increase productivity and leave a great customer experience.

 

Security is priority

You look for security first, wherever you go. It’s the same for running a business. Warehousing protects your goods. It offers services that will store your goods at the right temperature preventing it from any spoilage. They are supervised by specialists and firefighting personnel. Products stored in warehouses are also typically insured. It ensures higher chances to receive compensation from the insurance company in case of damage, fire or theft.

 

Advancement in technology

With the help of latest warehousing technology, product can be stored in by various ways and makes it easy to identify and know their expiry date. When kept in warehouse, the shelf life of the product also increases. It provides you with the information of your product’s expiry date, which helps you to strategise your business plan before you face any loss.

 

Vision 2030

India’s population is expected to rise to 1.515 billion in 2030. With the rise of population, the demand for fruits and vegetables will also rise. And as India is one of the leading countries in production of fruits and vegetables, for the supply to work and fulfil the demands smoothly, logistics and warehousing needs to be upgraded. Warehousing will nearly become a billion-dollar industry in the future. The demand is not only in metro cities but also in tier-II and tier-III cities. India will see enhanced growth in the coming years for warehousing services.

 

Conclusion

Warehousing is the most important component of supply chain management. With effective inventory and risk management and advanced technology, increase your business productivity in time. Food warehouses which are managing fresh food are now becoming vibrant, efficient centre for manufacturers. Fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products often have a short shelf life which is why they need to be transported with speed. Hence, it is one of the few industries that rely heavily on warehousing services.