India’s arecanut acreage rises 30%, but production and productivity decline.
India has seen an increase of around 30 per cent in area under arecanut cultivation in the past five years. However, total production and productivity have declined significantly. Total area under arecanut cultivation increased from 8.49 lakh hectares (lh) in 2021-22 to 11.06 lh in 2025-26 (second advance estimates), an addition of 2.56 lh. Non-traditional arecanut-growing states such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in south India, and Meghalaya and Nagaland in north-east India, have seen significant growth in area and production over the last five years.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
Standardization of Ayush medicines.
The Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Drugs Rules, 1945 have exclusive regulatory provisions for Ayush drugs. It is mandatory for the manufacturers to adhere to the prescribed requirements for licensing of manufacturing units & medicines including proof of safety & effectiveness, compliance with the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) as per Schedule T and Schedule M-I of the Drugs Rules, 1945 for Ayurveda, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani and Homeopathy drugs respectively and to follow the quality standards of drugs as prescribed in the respective pharmacopoeia.
Source: pib.gov.in
Implementation of Agristack and Digital Agriculture Mission.
AgriStack is the farmer-centric Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) built as a public good for efficient, easier and faster service and scheme delivery to the farmers. It provides a comprehensive profile of every farmer, such as farmer’s details, land records, crops grown, and assets such as livestock and fisheries. It consists of three foundational registries associated with the agriculture sector, i.e., Farmer Registry, Geo-Referenced Village Maps and Crop Sown Registry, all created and maintained by the State Governments/ Union Territories. The Farmer Registry created under AgriStack is designed to serve as a foundational database for the efficient, transparent and faster delivery of agricultural services. Farmer Registry is being integrated with various farmer-centric schemes services and digital platforms to expedite credit disbursements, access to crop insurance, weather advisories, MSP-based crop procurement systems etc.
Source: pib.gov.in
Steps to increase production of oilseeds and pulses.
The National Mission on Edible Oils-Oilseeds (NMEO-OS) was approved on 3rd October, 2024 to boost domestic oilseed production and to strive towards self-reliance in edible oils. The mission aims to increase primary oilseed production from 39 million tonnes (2022-23) to 69.7 million tonnes by 2030-31.
Source: pib.gov.in
Implementation of National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM).
Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) a Central Sector Scheme through National Bee Board (NBB). The objectives of National Beekeeping and Honey Mission are to promote scientific beekeeping for holistic growth of beekeeping industry, increasing production of honey and beehive products, income & employment generation, providing livelihood support to farm and non-farm households, women empowerment through beekeeping, to strengthen beekeepers by developing institutional framework through collective approach and to enhance agriculture/ horticulture production. Under the scheme project based assistance is provided to eligible Implementing Agencies (IAs) forwarded by the Central/ State Nodal Agencies for various activities. These include setting up of Integrated Beekeeping Development Centers, honey testing labs, bee disease diagnostic labs, Quality Nucleus Stock Development Centre, capacity building, technology demonstration, empowerment of women through beekeeping etc. NBHM also supports marketing, branding, value addition and Research & Development.
Source: pib.gov.in
India successfully concludes the 16th BRICS Trade Ministers' Meeting in Jaipur under its BRICS Chairship 2026.
The 16th BRICS Trade Ministers' Meeting concluded successfully today at Jaipur, Rajasthan, under India's BRICS Chairship, 2026. The Meeting was chaired by Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry and was attended by Shri Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Shri Rajesh Agrawal, Commerce Secretary. Held under the overarching theme, 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability', the meeting was preceded by the Third Meeting of the BRICS Contact Group on Economic and Trade Issues (CGETI), held on 3 and 4 August 2026 in New Delhi.
Source: pib.gov.in
India parliamentary panel urges swift US trade deal, support for exporters hit by tariffs.
An Indian parliamentary panel on Thursday urged the government to quickly conclude a proposed bilateral trade pact with the United States, while safeguarding domestic interests and securing stable, predictable market access for key exports. The panel, which submitted its report to both houses of parliament, said the pact should cover sectors including generic medicines, critical minerals, smartphones, engineering goods, auto components, chemicals, textiles, marine products, leather goods, gems and jewellery.
Source: reuters.com
Russia moots rail link to India as Strait of Hormuz disruptions threaten trade.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin has said that Russia needs to create a railway link to the Indian Ocean to reduce risks of disruptions in maritime traffic via the Bosphorus Strait and Strait of Hormuz. In an interview with TASS news agency, Khusnullin said, 'A rail link to the Indian Ocean should also be explored. Risks related to the Bosphorus and the Strait of Hormuz might require alternative routes: through Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Any options providing access to India are acceptable.'
Source: wionews.com
India’s $110B Food Export Opportunity Food Processing Could Turn India Into a Global Food Hub.
India could unlock a massive $110 billion export opportunity in food processing, according to a paper by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER). India is already a major agricultural producer, with huge output of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and other farm products. However, much of this produce is exported or sold in relatively raw form, limiting the value India can capture. Greater investment in food processing, cold storage, logistics, supply chains and technology could allow Indian agricultural products to be converted into packaged, ready-to-eat and longer-lasting products that command higher prices in international markets. The opportunity also comes with major challenges.
Source: wionews.com
India Exports Over 7,000 Tonnes of Makhana to More Than 20 Global Destinations in FY26.
India exported more than 7,000 metric tonnes of makhana and value-added makhana products to over 20 international destinations in fiscal year 2025-26, including the US, the Middle East and Africa, the government said on Saturday. The exports come as India seeks to expand the global market for makhana, with Bihar accounting for nearly 85 per cent of the country’s production.
Source: indianewengland.com