India's soymeal exports could more than double in the 2022/23 marketing year, as drought in top exporter Argentina lifted global prices, prompting buyers to turn to the south Asian country with cheaper rates, four industry officials told Reuters.

 

The revival in the exports of the animal feed has boosted soybean crushing in India and the availability of soyoil, which could reduce imports of soyoil and palm oil by the world's biggest buyer in coming months.

 

Oil mills have contracted to export around 160,000 tonnes of soymeal for January shipments and another 100,000 tonnes for February shipments, mostly to Asian countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, Japan and Nepal, the officials said.

 

'Exports demand for Indian soymeal has been improving since it is cheaper than supplies from Argentina,' Hemant Bansal, vice president, oilseed crushing and refining at Patanjali Foods Ltd told Reuters. 'Asian buyers are saving on freight as well due to the proximity.'

 

Bansal estimated India's soymeal exports in the current marketing year could rise to 1.5-2 million tonnes, from 644,000 tonnes a year ago.

 

Soymeal prices rose in the world market as Argentina's soybean production was forecast to fall to 41 million tonnes in 2022/23 due to drought, from 48 million tonnes previously estimated.

 

India's soymeal exports in the first three months of the 2022/23 marketing year, which started on Oct. 1, jumped 223% to 325,409 tonnes, according to trade body the Solvent Extractors' Association of India.

 

Soybean crush margins have improved due to recovery in soymeal exports, but the correction in soyoil prices in the past few days is threatening to wipe out the margins, said Manoj Agrawal, an exporter.

 

Soyoil and palm oil imports were seen declining in the coming months with improvement in local supplies, a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trade house said.

 

Edible oil availability has improved because of higher imports in the December quarter and as soyoil supplies are rising from domestic soybean crushing, he added.

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is likely to start open market sale of wheat this month to curb abnormally high prices of the cereal.

 

'The FCI will likely undertake open market sale of 2-3 million tonnes (MT) of wheat to bulk buyers such as flour millers by the end of January,' said a senior official, who did not wish to be identified.

 

Wheat prices in the Delhi market touched a record Rs 3,070 per quintal this week, said traders.

 

Till last year, the Centre used to sell excess wheat held by government agencies in the open market through tendering. It used to maintain continuous availability of the wheat in the market and also regulate prices during the lean season.

 

This year, however, the government’s wheat procurement fell to 18.79 million tonnes in the 2022-23 marketing year from 43.44 million tonnes due to a fall in domestic output and aggressive purchase by private parties. After having initially encouraged exports at the beginning of the 2022-23 wheat season, India had to ban the outbound shipments as a severe heat wave reduced the country’s production.

 

After clubbing the free ration scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana with the National Food Security Act, it will be left with wheat which can be allocated for the open market sale scheme.

 

The current stock of wheat with the FCI stands at 17.170 MT, down from 33.012 MT a year ago.

 

In the current season, area under wheat has increased to 33.7 million hectares from 33.2 million hectares last year, as per the data released by the agriculture ministry last week.

 

Wheat is a key rabi or winter crop and is mostly grown in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

 

This year, farmers have used new seeds – such as such as DBW 187, DBW 303, DBW 222, DBW 327 and DBW 332 – which have better tolerance to heat and are high yielding.

 

The FSSAI has decided to allow instant modification in food licences for non-high risk standardised products and the provision will be available only to the existing licensed manufacturers through FoSCoS (Food Safety Compliance System).

 

According to the FSSAI, generally the modifications in a licence are related to changes in company details such as address, name, communication details, product details, addition of new products in the licence and so on and usually the manufacturers wish to add only standardised products (non-high risk) in the already existing licence.

 

An official with the FSSAI stated that the matter was examined by the food authority during its 40th meeting and for ease of doing business and streamlining the process of modification of licences, it decided to allow ‘Instant Modification’ of licence in case of modification applications for the addition of any of the standardised food products under the Vegetable Oil and Processing Units Kind of Business (KoB) and General Manufacturing KoB except the High-Risk Food Categories numbers 01, 08, 09, 13 and 99.

 

Further, the modification fee shall be Rs 1,000 (plus any differential fee due to change in fee slab within the same category of licence).

 

At present, all the modification applications have to be scrutinised by the concerned Licensing Authority/Designated Officer for issuance of the modified licence in a similar manner, as that of new licence applications with similar processing time as defined Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses Regulations while the FBOs required to ensure that the Registering or Licensing Authority always has up-to-date information on their food business establishments and shall inform the relevant Authority of any modifications or additions or changes in product category, layout, expansion closure, or any other material information based on which the licence was granted and such information shall be conveyed before the changes occur.

 

Millet Magic Foundation and World Trade Center Bhubaneswar organized a curtain raiser for the Advanced Agriculture Conclave 2023 scheduled to be organized on February 2 at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar.

 

The curtain raiser witnessed launch of ''MILLET-ARY' a platform for welcoming International Year of Millet.

 

'MILLET-ARY' will be a common platform for all the stake holders to connect for the said purpose of promoting millets. The fleet intends to work yearlong to create a complete value chain for 100 FPO and stakeholders of Millet and provide them with whatever help needed.

 

'MILLET-ARY' will have advisors – Government bodies, Scientists, Financial experts, Agriculturists, Marketers, Logistic solution providers, Compliance experts etc. from stakeholders such as APEDA, OUAT, Odisha Millet Mission, Micro Finance bodies, Department of Agriculture Government of Odisha

 

'MILLET-ARY' will be a solution to every requirement for creation of value chain for millet. It will be like Yellow Pages, you raise a query and 'MILLET-ARY' provides a solution by linking to the right platform.

Mangala Rai, former secretary Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Director General of Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) stressed the need for human resource development and technology development for boosting secondary agriculture.

 

He was speaking after inaugurating a five-day international conference on Vegetable Oils at PJTSAU University auditorium here on Tuesday. Welcoming the gathering, ADG (Oilseeds & Pulses), ICAR, Sanjeev Gupta recalled how technology mission on oilseeds has ushered yellow revolution in oilseeds and tripled the oilseed production in the country.

 

Member of Parliament and Chairman Karnataka Oilseeds Federation Annasaheb Shankar Jolle, Chairman of the NDDB Meenesh Shah, Vice Chancellor of Sri Konda Laxman Horticultural University Neeraja Prabhakar, Director of ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research R.K. Mathur and managing director of Fare Labs Dwijendra Mathur participated in the programme.

 

Mr. Annasaheb Shankar Jolle called for development of short duration and high yielding oilseed varieties to make India Atma Nirbhar in oilseeds. Dr. Mathur pointed out that there is huge potential for micro edible oils from micro algae as a healthy alternative.

 

Mr. Meenesh Shah said production of quality oilseeds, effective extension, support from oil cooperatives and forward linkages in oilseeds are the major steps required for boosting the oilseed production. Ms. Neeraja Prabhakar reiterated that for a given area, oil palm yields more oil when compared to other oilseed crops. Research, trade and policy strategies will be deliberated and a road map will be prepared for increasing oilseed production in the country.

On January 11, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the setting up of a national-level cooperative society for organic products under the Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002, with support from relevant ministries following the principle of 'Whole of the Government Approach'. To capitalize on their comparative advantage, the government believes cooperatives must think globally and act locally.

 

'We have market, we have demand from consumers in terms of its health benefits. Cooperatives are critical if you want benefits to reach farmers directly,' he said on Monday at a meeting with various stakeholders. He went on to say that the difference in prices between organic and regular wheat is about Rs 20-25, and that this is where cooperatives come in to help farmers get more value for their produce.

 

The cooperative society will manage various activities related to the organic farming sector, such as providing certified and authentic organic products, unlocking the demand and consumption potential of such products in India and abroad, branding and marketing through facilitation, testing, and certification at a low cost, and other related aspects.

 

The cooperative is named National Cooperative Organics Limited and has five promoters — Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (which sells its products under brand Amul), National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), National Consumers Federation of India (NCCF), National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), and National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), the secretary said. The primary promoter is NDDB.

 

The cooperative society will have an authorised capital of Rs 500 crore, but it will begin with Rs 100 crore (Rs 20 crore by each promoter). Its registered office will initially be at NDDB's head office in Anand, Gujarat. The global organic produce market is estimated to be worth Rs 10 lakh crore, with India accounting for Rs 27,000 crore.

 

Organic product demand is increasing all over the world, and India has everything it needs to expand exponentially. The United States, Canada, Germany, and China are among the top consumers. It is estimated that this sector has the potential to grow at a 15% annual rate globally. It is approximately 20-25% in India.

 

Australia has the most area under organic cultivation, followed by Argentina and India. The largest single source of pollution, according to the World Health Organization, is sewage. On what the government intends to do to increase the area and productivity of organic crops in India, the secretary stated that he believes the entire ecosystem will evolve as proper marketing improves.

Karnataka’s  Department of Agriculture, which is hosting the fourth edition of the ‘Millets and Organics-International Trade Fair’ between January 20 and 22, 2023,  at the Tripura Vasini Palace Grounds is expected to see a slew of novel ready-to-eat and -serve products. This is in an effort to accelerate the pace of cultivation and consumption of millets in the daily diet of people as part of the International Year of Millets.

 

Millets are the most common organically cultivated grain. Most organic products are millet based. The fair will feature an exhibition of around 300 stalls of more than 110 companies and an international pavilion with organisations from various countries. There will also be farmer workshops, conferences and food courts featuring millets and organic food.

 

There will be free stalls provided for start-ups and a 50% discount offered for women entrepreneurs. The international pavilion will include participants from South Korea, Germany, Uganda, the UK, Malaysia and the Netherlands. Additionally, there will be stalls featuring produce from Kerala, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has notified the amended rules for calculation of Composition Fee for extending Export Obligation under Advance Authorization Scheme by amending Para 4.42 of  Handbook of Procedures (2015-20) vide Public Notice No.52/2015-20 dated 18th January,  2023.

 

The simplification of calculations for Composition Fee helps in automation and faster service delivery by making the process more efficient and easier to understand. The previous formula for Composition Fee was convoluted and difficult to understand, which made the process more tedious and strenuous for exporters. However, the revised Composition Fee formula, which is based on a specific rate for different levels of the 'CIF value of Authorisation', is more straightforward and easier to calculate. 

 

This will help automate the entire Export Obligation extension process with minimal human intervention, further eliminating the risk of errors and misconceptions. 

 

Automation of the process will reduce the need for manual calculations and paperwork, which will ultimately lead to faster service delivery. This will be beneficial to exporters as it will reduce the time and effort required to complete the Export Obligation extension process. 

 

Additionally, automation will also reduce the risk of errors and misconceptions, which will further improve the efficiency of the process. The process of automation is being taken up under the IT-revamp project of DGFT and shall be notified separately. Simplification of calculations also helps in the 'Ease of Doing Business' objective by reducing the complexity and making the process more straightforward for exporters.

 

By simplifying the calculations for Composition Fee, the DGFT is working towards this objective by making the process more efficient and easier to understand for exporters. This will ultimately lead to trade facilitation and ease of doing business. 

All meat and its products to be exported as 'halal certified' only if it is produced, processed and packed under a valid certificate issued by a certification body accredited by a board of the Quality Council of India, according to the commerce ministry's draft guidelines on the subject. With the aim of streamlining the halal certification process for export of meat and meat products from India, the draft guidelines on halal certification for export of meat and its products are proposed by the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT).

 

The guidelines said that the certification bodies would follow the procedure laid down as per the Indian conformity assessment scheme (i-CAS) - halal.

 

It added that the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) would be designated as the overall monitoring agency for this purpose.

 

'All meat and meat products to be exported as 'halal certified' only if it is produced, processed and packed under a valid certificate issued by a certification body duly accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB), Quality Council of India,' the draft guidelines said.

 

These draft guidelines are being circulated for the public/industry comments and feedback. The views can be sent by February 17 for compilation and to prepare the final guidelines.

 

With an objective to streamline the certification of meat and meat products as halal from the country, a scheme titled 'India Conformity Assessment Scheme (i-CAS)' has been developed.

 

There is no mandatory halal certification system in India regulated by the government as India does not have a national regulation for the certification. However, certification is undertaken in India through private organisations which have been accredited/recognised by the importing countries.

 

'As the monitoring body for halal meat and meat products, APEDA shall have the mechanism to ensure that the certification and export of halal products has followed the i-CAS requirements,' it said.

 

The global halal food market reached a value of USD 1978 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach USD 3,907.7 billion by 2027.

 

It said that India's large Muslim population represents huge opportunities for halal-based entrepreneurs.

 

However, in India, the country's halal industry is still in its infancy. There are no specific labelling requirements for halal food products imported into India.

 

In India, FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) certification can be seen on almost all the processed foods but the government neither mandates halal certification nor does it provide a unifying regulatory law hence it is important to have halal regulations in place in India.

 

Halal certification is given by many private companies in India which marks the food or products permissible. The major halal certifying organisations in India include Halal India Pvt Ltd and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust.

 

The International Halal Accreditation Forum (IHAF) is an international network of accreditation bodies mandated to enforce halal standards in their economies.

 

It added that all the major importer countries for halal products have their own regulations for importing halal products.

 

Countries across the globe including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, UAE, Pakistan and others have their own halal standards; however, so far there has been no global halal standards.

 

The rapid growth of halal industry has not only led to the halal technologies and innovations but also the halal related laws and regulations which is still not harmonised globally, it said.

 

'In India certification bodies who are certifying the halal trade being impanelled in the country of export but halal monitoring is still a subject of discussion in absence of authority, regulation and monitoring of products under halal certification,' it added.

 

Due to changed consumer perception, the halal market not only attracts muslim population but also non-muslim consumers, it said.

 

'The issues and challenges in halal trade in India are lack of authoritative control, regulation, regular monitoring, enforcement, awareness of the industries, changed consumer perception, cost, market competitiveness, and supply chain management,' it added.

 

By outlining these problems, it is hoped that this guideline will give thought to discuss suggestions and identify solutions for the problems that have been raised so that food business operators in India have solid platforms to implement the halal concept in their businesses, it said.

Indian farmers need to shift from rice to millet cultivation to reduce high water consumption, India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant on Wednesday said, adding that only millets should be given in the Centre's flagship Poshan Abhiyan. Addressing an event organised by industry body CII, Kant said millets are nutritious and rich in micronutrients, particularly protein, and the challenge is to push the consumption of millets to a higher level in India.

 

'India needs to move away more and more from rice and wheat cultivation, and produce and export more and more millets.

 

'Cultivation of millets will also help save water,' he said.

 

Kant noted that the private sector needs to play a key role in making millet the superfood of India.

 

'All Poshan Abhiyan schemes should only give millets,' former Niti Aayog CEO said.

 

In 2018, the Centre launched its flagship programme, the Poshan (Prime Minister's Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment) Abhiyaan to draw national attention to and take action against malnutrition in a mission mode.

 

Also, speaking at the event, Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, said that millets are the traditional food of India and can be grown in very difficult regions also.

 

'We are also looking at an international audience to sell our millet-based products. Recently, 5-6 Indian companies exhibited their millet-based products in an exhibition in Brussels,' he said.

 

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) CEO G Kamala Vardhana Rao said that the ministry of health has written to states, saying millets should be served in jails also.

 

Rao said millets melas will be organised in 100 cities.

 

'We have planned to start health clubs in schools also,' he added.