Exports of fruits and vegetables from India saw an 11 percent increase in value to $1.8 billion during the financial year 2023-24, despite a 10 percent decline in volume to 3.91 million tons. Floriculture exports also rose by eight percent to $208 million, with a slight decrease in volume to 34,132 tons, as reported by the Agricultural And Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda). Hyderabad International Airport has witnessed a 25 percent growth in the export of fruits and vegetables in the first half of FY2024-25, according to Pradeep Panicker, CEO of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA). Poultry exports, notably hatching eggs, resumed during this period with a volume exceeding 800 tons. This growth is attributed to the addition of new exporters and the advanced infrastructure at GMR Aero Cargo Logistics Terminal.

 

Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doraiswami, said on Tuesday that the Keir Starmer government is ready to restart negotiations with India and added that the Free Trade Agreement is an 'ongoing process' as they completed their internal review in July.

 

India has pitched for easing of mobility rules in the European Union under the proposed trade deal, while also seeking lowering of non-tariff barriers, along with duty cuts to ensure that exports from the country actually benefit, instead of getting stuck in a maze of complicated rules and standards that the trading bloc is known to erect.

 

India has rejected consignments of apples, nuts, alcoholic beverages and sushi from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Japan, China and Turkey this year because they fell short of the standards set by it.

 

Observed annually on November 26, National Milk Day commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr.Verghese Kurien, celebrated as the 'Father of the White Revolution' in India. Born on November 26, 1921, in Kozhikode, Kerala, Dr. Kurien was instrumental in transforming India from a milkdeficient nation to the world's largest producer of milk. This day underscores the transformative impact of India’s dairy sector, a key contributor to nutritional security, rural empowerment, and economic growth.

 

The food regulator has notified rules related to omission of Agmark, BIS and ISI certifications on certain food categories under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations.

 

The Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) initiated the season's inaugural banana export train from Tadipatri, Andhra Pradesh on November 22, 2024. The train, loaded with 680 tonnes of bananas for export by SK Exports, is heading towards Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Mumbai. From JNPT, the bananas will be dispatched to various international markets. This operation is aligned with efforts to enhance the movement of agricultural produce from India to global destinations.

 

The Bangladeshi interim government is planning to import 50,000 tonnes of rice from India in its bid to increase the country's food stock.

 

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the launching of the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) as a standalone Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare.

 

Banana cultivators in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, are set to export approximately 680 metric tons of the G-9 banana variety to Middle Eastern countries, including Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Bahrain. This marks the district's first instance of exporting bananas via maritime routes, transitioning from traditional road transport to other cities.