India's grape sector bets on new varieties to weather future seasons.
Five months of non-stop rain turned vineyards into swamps. Harish More recalls how it messed with the fruit set, with only about 45-50% of the normal crop making it to market. 'Quality held better than last year in certain spots, but volumes were down by 50-55% overall. Exportable grades of Thompson Seedless fetched USD 1.5-1.7 per kg, Jumbo Blacks USD 1.7-2 per kg, at 20-30% above recent averages, owing to tight supply,' he mentions.
Source: freshplaza.com
West Bengal Lifts Interstate Ban on Potato Trade, Launches Crackdown on Recruitment Scams.
The West Bengal government has withdrawn all restrictions on the interstate movement of potatoes, a decision expected to provide major relief to farmers, traders, and cold storage operators across the state. The earlier restrictions, imposed under the previous TMC government, had reportedly affected potato growers by limiting market access and creating price pressures during peak harvest periods.
Source: potatopro.com
India needs to raise food grains production to 450 million tonnes by 2047: Chaudhari.
Shimla, India needs to increase food grains production to 450 million Tonnes by 2047, and make information and communication technology-driven agricultural efficiency a national imperative, Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) Director General SK Chaudhari said on Wednesday. Speaking at the inauguration of FAI's four-day national training programme on information and communication technology (ICT) for smart fertiliser management in Kufri, Shimla, Chaudhari stressed that making the intelligent use of technology in agriculture and the fertiliser sector was no longer an option but a national priority.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
'Confident' US-India trade deal will be finalised in 'coming weeks': Ambassador Gor.
Highlighting the strong economic ties and momentum between the two democracies, US Ambassador Sergio Gor on Thursday expressed immense confidence regarding the finalisation of a landmark bilateral trade deal between Washington and New Delhi in the 'coming weeks and months.' Speaking at the Annual Leadership Summit of the American Chamber of Commerce in Delhi, Ambassador Gor underscored the core economic vision driving the negotiations, stating, 'President Trump's goal is to facilitate bilateral trade in a way that creates lucrative opportunities for American businesses and workers. Our current interim trade agreement is on the table to be finalised, unlocking prosperity for both nations.'
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
US team may visit India next month for trade talks: Piyush Goyal.
The US team is likely to visit India next month for trade talks with their counterparts here, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday. The Indian side visited Washington, DC, in April for an in-person round of meetings with their US counterparts to finalise the details of the interim pact and take forward the negotiations under the broader bilateral trade agreement (BTA).
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
UN cuts India's 2026 GDP forecast to 6.4 pc, still among fastest-growing economies.
The United Nations has revised downward India's economic growth forecast for 2026 to 6.4 per cent from its earlier projection of 6.6 per cent, citing global uncertainties and economic shocks arising from the ongoing West Asia crisis. As per the report released by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) on Tuesday, India, however, remains one of the fastest-growing major economies.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
IIRR’s direct seeded rice initiative increases yields by 8-13%.
A Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) initiative by the Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR), an Indian Council of Agricultural Research agency, in partnership with the SBI Foundation, has shown that rice yields can rise 8-13 per cent over conventional transplanted cultivation across seasons. The project also demonstrated a 21-23 per cent reduction in cultivation costs per acre, leading to higher net returns for farmers.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
Basmati rice to millet bars: PM Modi gifts India's finest grains to FAO Chief.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented elements from India's diverse agricultural heritage as gifts to the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), during his visit to Italy. The Prime Minister presented India's finest grains, which included Red Rice from Keralam, Gobindobhog Rice from West Bengal, Basmati Rice from the Indo-Gangetic plains, Joha Rice from Assam, Lala Namak Rice from Uttar Pradesh and millet bars from various regions of Maharashtra.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
With major update to NPOP, organic foods now face tighter regulatory controls.
India’s organic food sector is facing tighter regulatory controls after a major update to the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) officially took effect on May 18, 2026. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), which operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, implemented the change by amending Annex 3 (17) of the NPOP 8th Edition. The revision introduces a strict new framework for food additives and carriers allowed in processed organic foods.
Source: fnbnews.com
Eastern India’s agriculture sector can achieve new heights: Chouhan.
Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while addressing a press conference during the Eastern Regional Kharif Agriculture Zonal Conference in Bhubaneswar, said, 'Eastern India’s agriculture sector can achieve new heights through a subject-specific, region-specific and state-specific roadmap developed jointly by the Centre and the States.' He said the zonal conference, comprising Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal, emerged as a meaningful platform for detailed deliberations on food security, nutrition, farmers’ income, crop diversification, integrated farming, balanced fertiliser use, Farmer ID, pulses and oilseeds, natural farming, horticulture and agricultural infrastructure.
Source: fnbnews.com