APEDA to set up office in Patna: Dy CM.
Deputy CM and agriculture minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said on Saturday that the Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) will establish its regional office in Patna.' APEDA will boost agricultural exports from Bihar and increase the existing potential threefold in the next three years. In 2023, exports were worth $17.6 million. We aim to triple that,' Sinha said in an agriculture department communiqué.He added that APEDA would help improve farmers' income by promoting farming as a commercial venture through standard export practices. Key products with strong export potential include ‘shahi litchi', ‘makhana', vegetables, and maize. Bihar contributes 71% of the country's ‘shahi litchi', 85% of ‘makhana', 9% of vegetables and 7% of maize.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Cold Chain Infrastructure and Value Addition through PMKSY.
Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is implementing a Central Sector Umbrella scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY)'. Under various component schemes of PMKSY as on 30.06.2025, a total 1601 number of projects have been approved all over the country, out of which 1133 projects have been completed/operationalized, with total approved grant of Rs. 5365.32 crores creating a total preservation and processing capacity of 255.66 LMT/Annum, benefitting 3415102 no. of farmers and generating 433639 no. of employment. Under the integrated cold chain and value addition scheme of PMKSY, a total 395 no. of cold chain projects have been approved. Out of which,27 projects have been approved in Uttar Pradesh including 01 project each in Auraiya and Etawah districts.
Source: pib.gov.in
Steps to enhance Agriculture Infrastructure.
The Government has undertaken several initiatives to enhance agricultural infrastructure and ensure better income for farmers through schemes such as Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Agriculture Marketing Infrastructure (AMI), Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture(MIDH), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana(RKVY), Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) etc.
Source: pib.gov.in
'It’s been a promising export season for Indian onions'.
India's onion exports are back on stable ground this season, supported by strong production, eased government policies, and a growing demand in Asian markets, says Harsh Jariwala, Managing Partner at onion exporter Raion Export. 'So far it's been a promising season compared to last year, particularly after the government removed export duties and restrictions,' he mentions.
Source: freshplaza.com
Significant rise in acreage of oilseeds, pulses in Uttar Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a rise in the cultivation of oilseeds and pulses with the Kharif season witnessing a significant expansion in the acreage of sesame, groundnut, and soybean, an official statement said on Thursday. According to the latest data from the Agriculture Department, in 2024, the total area under oilseed crops stood at 432.25 thousand hectares, which has jumped to 547.14 thousand hectares in 2025, it said.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
Indian, Canadian govt representatives hold discussions on trade and investment.
Catalysed by business associations, Indian and Canadian government representatives have held multiple discussions in recent days focused on trade and investment. On Wednesday, the Indo-Canadian Business Chamber (ICBC) organised a business roundtable in Toronto, a closed-door dialogue on the 'evolving' India-Canada economic relationship. The special guests featured Sara Wilshaw, Canada’s Chief Trade Commissioner and Assistant Deputy Minister at Global Affairs Canada, the country’s foreign ministry, and India’s Acting Consul General in Toronto Kapidhwaja Pratap Singh.
Source: hindustantimes.com
Indian Govt to reduce broken rice percentage in 50 lakh tonnes of FCI stock.
After the success of a pilot project last year in four States, the Centre is ready with a plan to segregate broken grain percentage in as much as 50 lakh tonnes (lt) of rice this year. This will improve the quality of the cereal and potentially increase its value in the market when auctioned.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal and J-K to benefit from free trade agreement.
Farmers and food-processing units are set to benefit from the India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) as basmati rice, cotton, groundnut, fruits, vegetables, onion, pickles, spices, tea and coffee, etc, would be exempt from duty when exported to the UK. Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand are major producers of basmati rice, vegetables and fruits. Cotton is another crop grown across the plains in northern states while fruits form a chunk of Himachal Pradesh’s economy.
Source: tribuneindia.com
PM Modi London visit highlights: Prime Minister leaves for Maldives after concluding U.K. visit.
India and the U.K. on Thursday (July 24, 2025) signed a landmark trade deal to boost two-way trade by eliminating tariffs on cars, textiles, whisky and range of other products as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his U.K. counterpart Keir Starmer firmed up the ‘Vision 2035’ strategy to expand ties in areas of defence, technology, clean energy and migration. Following the Modi-Starmer talks at Chequers, the countryside residence of the British PM, India and the UK also unveiled a defence industrial roadmap for co-development and co-production of key defence products and platforms.
Source: thehindu.com
Higher market access to help boost farm exports.
India’s exports of agricultural and processed food products to the UK are expected to get a significant boost with elimination of tariffs on over 95% of these items under the India–UK comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA). The pact would provide smallholders farmers of the country preferential access to the UK’s $ 63 billion agricultural market.
Source: financialexpress.com