The indigenous variety of dates of Kutch (Kachchhi Desi Kharek) has received the GI tag (Geographical Indication) from the GI Registry. It will now boost the branding of Kutchi dates and benefit thousands of farmers who grow dates in this arid and semi-arid region. Kutch produces 85% of total dates of India.

 

Unidates Farmer Producer Company Limited, a farmer producer organisation (FPO) in Bhuj, had applied in June 2021 for the GI tag with the help of Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University (SDAU) that runs the Dates Palm Research Station at Mundra in Kutch.

 

SDAU director of research C M Muralidharan said, 'In all, 17 products receiving the GI tag on Monday and our dates are one of them. The 500-year-old variety finally received the GI tag. This tag will give a special identity to the dates of Kutch — the way Darjeeling is famous for its tea, Kutch will be famous for its date. It will allow the farmers to charge premium rates and will boost export.'

 

Farmers who want to take benefit of the GI tag have to become members of this FPO by by applying to it. A committee will examine the fruits grown by them on a particular farmland and allow the membership. A member- farmer can then legally use the logo of the GI tag.

Assistant research scientist Kapil Sharma at the Dates Palm Research Station said, 'A majority of farmers grow dates in Kutch using seeds and because of that, there is a diversity in the fruits. Dates are cultivated in other parts of Gujarat but the taste of

Kutch dates is unique because of the local the environment — partial humidity, partial dry condition and the coastal belt.'

In Kutch, dates are cultivated in about 19,000 hectares and the yearly production is around 1.8 lakh tonne from 20 lakh trees. The date season starts from June 15 every year.

About 80% production in Kutch is of Desi Kharek and the rest is of Barhi. Kutch dates are grown in two colours — yellow and red. The trees are highly tolerant to salinity and can adapt to extreme drought and heat conditions.

 

UIIC Assistant Recruitment 2024: Last date to apply today

The United India Insurance Co. Ltd. (UIIC) is set to conclude the online application process for the Assistant post on January 8. Notably, there has been an extension from the initial deadline of January 6 for applying to the Assistant recruitment position. Interested candidates are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity and complete their applications before the updated closing date.

Sankashti Chaturthi 2024 Date, Time and Significance

Sankashti Chaturthi is an auspicious day dedicated to Lord Ganesha. It occurs every month on the fourth day or Chaturthi Tithi during the Krishna Paksha. In Maharashtra, people observe fast and offer prayers to seek blessings for their family's well-being. The puja rituals include taking a holy bath, cleaning the house and puja room, offering flowers and Boondi Laddoo, reciting Sankasthi Katha, and chanting Aarti. The fast is broken in the evening with Sattvik food.

The commerce ministry has set up a task force to identify and resolve trade barriers being faced by exporters in other countries, a move which would help provide greater market access to domestic goods, an official said. The development assumes significance as many times India's exports suffer from these barriers such as time taking prior registration requirements and unreasonable domestic standards/rules in many countries.

 

'We have constituted a task force within the ministry where we will be looking at the trade barriers, and technical barriers. The ministry has been focusing on how to improve systems, and improve standards,' the official said.

 

The ministry is also looking at improving mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) with different countries so that product standards are as per the requirements of the importing countries.

 

Standards for goods and services should help in promoting global trade and not act as non-tariff barriers, the official added.

 

According to a report of the economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), India needs to act in a fast-track manner for removal of non-trade barriers (NTBs), being faced by domestic exporters in different countries like the US, China and Japan, to achieve one trillion dollar outbound shipment target for goods by 2030.

 

It has asked for upgrading domestic systems, in cases where Indian products are rejected due to quality issues; and retaliating if unreasonable standards or rules continue to obstruct exports from New Delhi.

 

Key Indian exports that routinely face high barriers include chillies, tea, basmati rice, milk, poultry, bovine meat, fish, chemicals products to EU; sesame seed, black tiger shrimps, medicines, apparels to Japan; food, meat, fish, dairy, industrial products to China; shrimps to the US; and bovine meat to South Korea, the report has said.

 

According to the report, the other products which face these barriers include ceramic tiles in Egypt; chili in Mexico; medicines in Argentina; microbiological reagents in Saudi Arabia; electrical, medical devices, household appliances in Brazil; veterinary pharmaceuticals, feed additives, Machinery in Russia.

 

Most non-tariff measures (NTMs) are domestic rules created by countries with an aim to protect human, animal or plant health and environment. NTM may be technical measures like regulations, standards, testing, certification, pre-shipment inspection or non-technical measures like quotas, import licensing, subsidies, government procurement restrictions.

 

When NTMs become arbitrary, beyond scientific justification, they create hurdles for trade and are called NTBs (non-tariff barriers).

Indian exporting firms need to gear themselves up to comply with new EU norms as the European Union is moving towards a paperless customs process from June 3 this year. The development assumes significance for domestic exporters as the European Union (EU) accounts for about 17 per cent of India's total merchandise exports. In 2022-23, India exported goods worth USD 75 billion to EU as against the country's total exports of USD 451 billion in that financial year.

 

The EU has proposed to implement the second phase of its Import Control System (ICS) from June 3 this year. ICSD 1 was applicable to the air mail and express deliveries from March 15, 2021, and then it was extended to air cargo from March last year.

 

The 'ICS2' will now be extended to cover all type of imports using ships, trains, trucks also on June 3, 2024. First two phases covered 15 per cent imports into the EU, third and final phase cover balance 85 per cent of the imports by value.

 

It added that the new system is streamlining the customs clearance process by eliminating the need for physical paperwork at borders.

 

Paper documents may be required only for a small category of specific types of goods or certain trade lanes. Also, while the EU customs goes digital, it recognises that international trade might still involve paper documents, like bills of lading or commercial invoices, it said.

 

GTRI Co-Founder Ajay Srivastava said that the EU's system will also focus more on checking goods that might be risky, so that safe goods can move through customs faster.

 

The risk assessment for each shipment is based on various factors, including the type of goods, the origin and destination countries, the trader's compliance history, and any intelligence or risk indicators available.

 

'Indian exporters need to be well-prepared and compliant with the new system that will kick in from June 3, 2024. They need to provide accurate and complete commodity information for the product being shipped, including the Harmonized System (HS) code, detailed descriptions, value, and weight,' he said.

 

Data provided to ICS2 should align with information on commercial invoices, bills of lading, and other accompanying documents.

 

According to the new system, the data upload to ICS2 should happen before the goods arrive in the EU, often through the carrier's system, and late submissions can lead to delays and potential penalties.

 

He added that exporters have to keep copies of all submitted data and related documents for potential inspections or audits and they should be prepared to answer questions and provide further information if requested by customs officials.

 

Incorrect or missing data, late submissions, or failure to cooperate with authorities can result in financial penalties for the shipper, GTRI said, adding inaccurate or incomplete information can lead to delays in customs clearance, impacting shipping deadlines and potentially adding costs.

 

'Ship or air carriers and postal operators have the main responsibility for filing the ENS with ICS2 before the goods arrive in the EU. This includes ensuring all data is accurate and timely, as they face penalties for non-compliance,' it said.

 

'While carriers bear the brunt of responsibility for filing the ENS and penalties for non-compliance, the accuracy of the information ultimately comes from the exporter. Therefore, both parties have a vested interest in ensuring data quality and timely submission to avoid delays and potential fines,' it added.

 

GTRI said that Indian exporters should start their preparations as non-compliance with ICS2 regulations or errors in data submission could lead to delays in customs clearance and potential fines, resulting in financial losses and operational disruptions.

 

To avoid these, Srivastava said that Indian exporters must register in the ICS2 system and train their personnel on the new requirements and procedures.

 

This may involve fees for registration and training programmes. They also need to upgrade their existing software and IT infrastructure to comply with ICS2 data formats and electronic submission requirements.

 

'Some Indian exporters may need to seek professional support to navigate the complexities of ICS2 and ensure compliance. Smaller businesses with limited resources might struggle to adapt to the new system as quickly as larger competitors, potentially putting them at a disadvantage,' he said.

 

Overall, early preparation, investing in technology solutions, and seeking guidance from relevant trade bodies can help Indian exporters benefit from the new system.

 

Further, GTRI said that the EU frequently intercepts Indian exports of chilies, tea, basmati rice, milk, poultry, bovine meat, fish, chemicals, generic drugs, and ayurvedic drugs to EU on various grounds and the domestic exporters and the government must closely monitor how the EU treats such products under this new system.

 

For Indian exporters and the Indian government, adapting to this new system is not just a requirement but an opportunity to streamline their export processes and strengthen their position in the EU market, it added.

 

India's imports from the EU stood at USD 61 billion in 2022-23. The two-way trade increased to USD 136 billion. The EU is one of the largest trading blocs for India. Both sides are also negotiating a free trade agreement to further boost trade ties.

India and the UAE have begun Rupee-Dirham direct trade in local currencies, and the two sides plan to expand bilateral trade to $100 billion under their free trade pact, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said Wednesday.

 

'The kind of expansion we’re seeing in India-UAE partnership be it food security or education…We have an agreement to

Promote Rupay cards…and have an agreement between UPI (Unified Payments Interface) and their counterpart in UAE,' Goyal said the India-UAE Business Summit as part of the 10th edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024 being held in Gandhinagar.

 

He said that there is significant traction in the idea to connect India and Europe through the Middle East through the India-Middle East- Europe corridor and that both countries are expanding partnership new areas such as the startup bridge and the Bharat Bazar which DP World is developing in the UAE.

 

'In first year of the CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement), we have increased our trade. This is only the beginning,' Goyal said, and assured the UAE of making the upcoming ministerial conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization a 'grand success'. MC13 will be held in the UAE on February 26-29.

 

Emphasising that the two sides have political stability, business friendly polices, transparency in governance and large skilled manpower pool, Goyal said: 'India’s large market also gives opportunities to the UAE to invest more into the economy and deploy large amounts of petrodollars.'

 

Earlier in the day, he said that PM Gati Shakti will become a planning tool for the entire world in the years to come.

 

'In the past, it was considered normal in India if an infrastructure project got delayed by 8-12 years and its cost went up…As a nation, chalta hai (casual attitude) was our approach,' he said, adding that a project that gets delayed is the worst form of corruption.

In a remarkable display of global interest, the 7th edition of Indus Food, India’s largest B2B trade fair, attracted investors from over 30 countries keen on exploring opportunities within India’s thriving food industry.

 

The event, inaugurated by Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Monday, provided a dynamic platform for leading F&B companies to interact with international buyers.

 

Among the enthusiastic investors was Debbie from South Africa, who expressed keen interest in India’s diverse culinary offerings. Exploring avenues for collaboration, she focused on products like peanuts and millets, aiming to facilitate value addition in her business.

 

'We are here to explore and try to find suppliers of peanuts, millet, anything that can be available that is your roasting, so mainly value addition in that line. We also deal with almond butters, cashew butters and macadamia butters,' she told The New Indian.

 

'Those are some of the things that we are also looking at and learning about the Indian markets. How it can easily relate or correlate with the South African market and how best we can get products from India and supply South Africa. Also make products from South Africa and supply India so that there is a mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries,' she added.

 

Speaking about their presence at the event, Debbie credited the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC) for funding their visit, emphasising the committee’s role in fostering a mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries. With a market boasting a staggering 1.4 billion people, India’s growing food industry presents lucrative opportunities for international investors.

 

Recognising the significance of millets, Debbie acknowledged their nutritional benefits, aligning with the United Nations General Assembly’s declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets. She stated, 'I have a rough idea of millets. They are good in terms of dietary fibre and it’s good for our guts.'

 

Meanwhile, exhibitors at the fair shared their positive experiences, highlighting the platform’s ability to showcase their products to investors from diverse countries such as Oman, Kuwait, China, Tanzania, Europe, Vietnam, Nepal, the UK, Turkey, and more.

 

Anil Jalgaonkar, Sales Executive at Fillpack, a packaging specialist, highlighted the significance of international interactions, saying, 'We interact with new people here; many foreigners come here. We acquire numerous clients under one roof. We have clients from Egypt, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.'

 

Fillpack, known for supplying packaging machines to prominent Indian businesses like Amul, Mother Dairy, and Haldiram, underscores the fair’s role in fostering global business connections.

 

Amit Kumar, Founder of Nutglow, specialising in Makhana (Foxnut) and value-added products, shared receiving offers from Hong Kong, Iraq, Oman, and Kuwait. Hailing from the lesser-known city of Darbhanga in Bihar, Nutglow stands out as an entrepreneurial success story, employing around 30 people.

 

The Indus Food fair continues to serve as a pivotal platform, bridging gaps and fostering international collaboration within the vibrant landscape of India’s food industry.

India’s exports in 2023-24 will be more than that achievement of last year’s $776 billion, despite fall in commodity prices and loss of exports worth about $20 billion due to restrictions on exports of certain commodities, the Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, said here today. 

 

In an interaction with the media, Goyal observed that India’s exports had grown 55 per cent in two years, from around $500 billion to $776 billion. He disagreed that the 55 per cent growth was due to the base effect caused by depressed exports during the Covid-19 years, pointing out that in the previous ten years or so, India’s exports were around $400-500 billion. 

 

He said that 'such scorching growth' cannot be sustained, especially when the domestic demand was 'so huge'. You can only export when you have an export surplus, the minister said. To illustrate, he made that point that the Indian steel industry had told him that they had no exportable surplus because there was such a big demand in India. 

 

'In terms of foreign trade, we are doing very well,' he said. 

 

On the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), Goyal said that it would hurt the European economy, making all goods expensive. Prices of commodities such as cement, steel and aluminium would go up, and therefore, infrastructure costs would go up, he observed. Asked if the Europeans were not aware of this, the minister said that the EU was aware of the consequences of CBAM, but was under 'political pressure from some States'.

 

Asked if he thought EU would not bring in CBAM, Goyal said, 'if they are smart, they will not bring it in, but if they get stuck in political compulsions, they will hurt their economy.' 

 

He said that India would not be affected much because 'we don’t export cement; our local demand for steel is so much that our steel exports to Europe are not that significant; we do not export aluminium, we only import fertilizers.'

 

Asked if India’s engineering goods exports to Europe would be affected, he said that in engineering goods,' the element of CBAM is very miniscule.' He said that India’s engineering goods exports were less worried about CBAM and more about the 'headache of paperwork.' 

 

He, however, said that India, like many other countries, would retaliate (impose higher duties on goods imported from Europe.) 

 

The minister said that while negotiations with EU and the UK for Free Trade Agreements were going on, more countries (including Russia) were expressing interest in having free trade agreements with India. 

Indian exports of processed food grew 150% in the last nine years, said Piyush Goyal, minister for commerce & industry, consumer affairs, food & public distribution and textiles, adding that the country's agricultural exports stood at an aggregate of about $53 billion during this time.

 

Praising India's diverse food industry and the burgeoning demand for Indian foods globally, the minister emphasised on the need for large-scale food processing, product branding and export focus to provide better value to farmers, generate employment and enhance the country's earnings.

 

India has 158 food and agri Geographical Indications (GIs) and the identification of 708 unique food items across districts under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, the minister said, while inaugurating the 'Indus Food 2024', an exhibition to showcase India's vibrant and diverse food ecosystem at the India Exposition Mart, Greater Noida. The minister also highlighted India's economic strengths as the fastest-growing large economy, attributing the success to solid macroeconomic foundations and a youthful demographic dividend.

India's focus should be on export of large-scale food processing rather than exporting only raw materials, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday. ??He remained optimistic about agriculture exports during the current fiscal topping last year's $53 billion, despite restrictions on shipments of certain key commodities, including rice, wheat and sugar. ??With special mention of social media influencers for promoting Indian culinary and cuisines, he stated that the diverse food culture has given India a global recognition

 

India's focus should be on export of large-scale food processing rather than exporting only raw materials, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday.

 

He remained optimistic about agriculture exports during the current fiscal topping last year's $53 billion, despite restrictions on shipments of certain key commodities, including rice, wheat and sugar.

 

'Food exports from India hold an immense potential. This is the time for India for a fusion of technology and taste,' said Goyal.

 

Goyal highlighted India's strengths as the fastest-growing large economy, attributing the success to solid macroeconomic foundations and a youthful demographic dividend. He further emphasised on street foods and the indigenous food culture of India.

 

With special mention of social media influencers for promoting Indian culinary and cuisines, he stated that the diverse food culture has given India a global recognition. 'When I go to different parts of the country, and they offer their local delicacies, it is truly mouth watering... each of these products is unique in itself. The social media influencers have also helped people to recognise these products,' he added.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India discuss ties

 

The UAE and India are developing closer economic and political ties as the two countries work towards a trade relationship expected to reach $100bn by 2027.

 

This week President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, met to discuss the strong, historic ties between the UAE and India.

 

The two leaders explored ways to further these relations to advance the progress and prosperity of both nations and their people, within the framework of their comprehensive strategic and economic partnership.

 

UAE-India trade

 

During the talks, both sides emphasised their mutual commitment to expanding the scope of bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of the economy, energy, technology, climate action, and sustainable development.

 

They also agreed to leverage all available opportunities to achieve the objectives of their developmental partnerships.

 

Sheikh Mohamed noted that the relationship between the UAE and India is not only historic and well-established, but also serves as a model for evolving relations based on mutual interests and strategic partnership.

 

He pointed out that both countries are on the right path to achieving the goals of their comprehensive economic partnership.

 

Narendra Modi expressed his thanks to Sheikh Mohamed for his support in strengthening UAE-India relations. He confirmed his country’s dedication to further develop and expand these ties, capitalising on the numerous opportunities to foster and elevate them in the future.

 

Following the meeting, the UAE Ministry of Investment signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with India, setting out frameworks for the expansion of bilateral investment cooperation in the renewable energy, food processing and healthcare sectors.

 

The agreements were signed by the respective Indian ministries, underscoring the UAE’s strong commitment to supporting the continued development of India’s prospering economy, which is estimated to grow by 7.3 per cent during the current fiscal year.

 

Economic engagement between the UAE and India is multidimensional and rapidly growing, underpinned by a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two nations which came into effect in May 2022.

 

Bilateral trade between the UAE and India amounted to $84.5bn between April 2022 and March 2023 and is expected to increase to $100bn by 2027.

 

The UAE is also the seventh-largest investor in India, with an estimated investment of $18bn in 2023.

 

The three MoUs are between the Ministry of Investment of the UAE and:

 

 

MoU on investment cooperation in the renewable energy sector

 

Investment cooperation in renewable energy projects to be implemented in India under the agreement can reach up to 60 gigawatts.

 

In support of global efforts to tackle climate change, a transition to clean energy is a priority for India.

 

The country aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 and meet 50 per cent of its electricity requirements from renewable energy sources by 2030.

 

As a result, there are plans to increase India’s renewable energy capacity to 500 gigawatts, reduce the emissions intensity of its economy by 45 per cent and reduce one billion tons of carbon dioxide.

 

The Indian government estimates that the country’s shift onto a low-carbon path will require more than $10tn of new investments by 2070.

 

The MoU between the UAE and India focuses on forging effective collaboration by building relationships between public and private organisations.

 

The agreement additionally proposes the implementation of incentives to support pertinent initiatives and aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge.

 

MoU on investment cooperation in food park development

 

Under the agreement, the parties are committed to developing food park projects and driving other initiatives in the food processing sector that contribute to global food security.

 

The investment cooperation aims to harness cutting-edge agritech, clean tech, and renewable energy solutions, symbolising a significant partnership between the UAE and India.

 

The MoU centres on establishing robust and efficient collaboration through the development of bilateral relationships between public and private organisations.

 

The agreement also proposes introducing incentives to bolster relevant initiatives and seeks to facilitate the exchange of knowledge.

 

Food processing is considered a “sunrise sector” in India, which is boosted by the Mega Food Park Scheme, a key government initiative launched in 2008 aimed at providing modern infrastructure facilities for food processing along the value chain.

 

The Scheme provides financial support to public and private entities in setting up clusters of food processing units, known as “food parks”, which bring farmers, processors, and retailers together and utilise advanced climate technology to minimise waste, conserve water and maximise crop yields. India currently has 24 operational mega food parks, with numerous others at various stages of implementation.

 

India’s food processing sector is one of the largest in the world, developing at an average annual growth rate of 8.3 per cent in the past five years.

 

The output of the sector is expected to reach $535bn by 2025-2026.

 

The industry is expected to play a vital role in the overall growth of the country’s economy.

 

MoU on investment cooperation in innovative healthcare projects

 

The MoU lays special emphasis on precision health, i.e., personalised healthcare based on a person’s unique genetic, genomic, or biological composition to help achieve well-being and optimal health.

 

The development of a genomic centre of excellence is being evaluated as one of the possible projects under the MoU.

 

The healthcare sector in India is estimated to be around $372bn. Factors such as affordable treatment, advanced technology, a wide range of specialties as well as access to international markets have accelerated the growth of this industry.

 

As the most populous country in the world, India has made affordable, accessible and increasingly innovative healthcare a priority, facilitated by increased public health expenditure year-on-year.

Experts urged scientists to focus on breeding varieties that have international acceptance at the national conference on floriculture in Bengaluru that began on Tuesday.

 

The three-day ‘National Conference on Recent Trends and Future Prospects of Floriculture in India’ is organised by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) in collaboration with the Society for Promotion of Horticulture and ICAR, New Delhi.

 

The national confernece aims to bring together experts, researchers and stakeholders to deliberate on the recent trends, share knowledge and discuss the future prospects of floriculture in India.

 

SWOT analysis

 

Sudhakar Pandey, ADG (Hort), ICAR, New Delhi presented a SWOT analysis and roadmap, emphasising the imperative for fostering a vibrant and sustainable future for Indian floriculture and mentioned that climatic conditions in the country wer congenial for growing variety of ornamental crops. The rich biodiversity can help in identifying the indigenous flower crops and their further popularisation for commercial cultivation, he said.

 

Ramesh D S, Horticulture director, Karnataka, underscored a crucial message for the researchers urging them to concentrate on breeding varieties attaining international acceptance. Aligning research efforts with global standards is deemed indispensable for nurturing innovation in the field. He also urged the farmers to consult experts and scientists before venturing into new crop cultivation.

 

T Janakiraman, Vice-Chancellor, YSR Horticulturual University, Andhra Pradesh, in his address emphasising the seminar’s significance in advancing horticultural research, highlighted the journey marked by innovation in breeding, the integration of artificial intelligence and the global impact on the exports.

 

Recalling the growth of floriculture industry in India, Janakiraman said that flower have moved from backyards of the farm houses to the global markets.

 

SP Das, Director, National Research Centre on Orchids, Sikkim, emphasised the need for breeding varieties of flower crops resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses.