Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) is now on an aggressive mode to display its novel technologies and products. In this regard, it is playing host to the National Horticulture Fair (NHF) 2023 at its location in Hessarghatta in Bengaluru. The event will be held between February 22 and February 25, 2023.

 

Titled as Innovative Horticulture for Self-Reliance, the event is positioned to woo buyers and sellers from across the country. This is in sync with the Union government's Production Linked Incentive scheme to increase employment opportunities of off-farm jobs and ensuring remunerative prices of farm produce and higher income to farmers.

 

The four-day event will provide an in-depth understanding on the vegetable and medicinal crop varieties for import substitution. It will provide a peek into pollination for protected cultivation. It will detail on the leaf curl virus disease for which IIHR has ample research findings. There is focus on the carotenoid content rich marigold varieties. There is increased attention to flower wastage utilisation. Further it will encourage terrace gardening solutions for urban horticulture, production technologies for horticulture fruits, specifically Kamalam and avocado. Besides, there will be solutions for the farmers and other nurseries on the access to cost-effective traps for the management of invasive pests which is bane to an agriculturalist.

 

There is an expansive exhibition area and the profile of the participants includes those dealing with seeds and planting materials, plant nutrients, plant protection chemicals, green poly-house, garden accessories. 

 

There will also be displays of FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisations), SHGs (Self Help Groups) and FIGs (Farmer Interest Groups).

 

In addition, the presence of government, non-governmental organisations, corporate and financial bodies will give a broader perspective of support and assistance to the fair where business visitors will have a wider access to services for decision-making.

 

There are ICAR-AITC services and products, marketing agencies and functionaries, business incubation centres, food processing, irrigation systems and agriculture export services.

 

Workshops and seminars will create a better awareness on the novel technologies. It will educate the prospective users and provide a chance to interact with experts in the field. They will be discussing the viability of relevant of the particular technologies in and access to the latest information and new skills related to the concerned processes.

Nagaland Agriculture and Horticulture Departments participated in the three-day Expo-One Organic North East Conference-cum-Industry and Organic FPO Conclave which began on February 3 at Khanapara, Guwahati.

 

Organised by the Department of Agriculture Assam and Sikkim State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation Ltd (SIMFED) and APEDA, the Nagaland departments participated to promote various organic products grown in the state, informed a press release received here on Monday.

 

The NE organic conclave is to promote organic farming and prospects and potentials, marketing strategies, overcoming logistics issues and industry mentorship to emerging FPOs, it said.

 

Highlighting on Organic Farming under Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCDNER) in Nagaland during the interaction, Jacob Yanthan, Additional Director, Department of Agriculture, informed that the State has already covered and certified 13,000 ha and formed 38 Farmers Producers Organization (FPO) under the Mission. He also informed that another 10,000 ha is in the process for certification for a total of 23,000 ha during the third phase, and about 23,000 farmers have been benefited.

 

Yanthan stated that the main objectives in participating the NE first Expo for organic exhibition events is to showcase and promote the products that are produced in the state of Nagaland  such as cereals, pulses, species and other related organic crops. He also added that in a few years, the state will be able to produces various organic products through organic farming.

 

During the three-day event, the department of Agriculture and Horticulture also displayed and sold various organic products like pineapple, oranges, ginger, Naga king chilly, oilseeds, brown rice, glutinous  rice , garlic, Job’s tears, millet, cardamom, kiwi, banana chips, jam chilly, etc.

 

The inaugural of the exhibition was grace by Atul Borah, Minister of Agriculture, Horticulture Government of  Assam, the release informed.

India and the EU on Monday announced the establishment of the three Working Groups under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council and their Terms of Reference. TTC was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen during the latter’s visit to India in April 2022.

 

The TTC is a strategic coordination mechanism that will allow both partners to tackle challenges at the nexus of trade, trusted technology and security, and thus deepen cooperation in these fields between India and the EU. The TTC with India is only the second such Council for the EU and the first such mechanism for India.

 

The TTC will be co-chaired on the Indian side by the Ministers for External Affairs; Commerce & Industry; and Communications, Electronics & Information Technology.

 

Under the TTC, the following three Working Groups have been established: i). Working Group on Strategic Technologies, Digital Governance and Digital Connectivity: Chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology ii). Working Group on Green & Clean Energy Technologies: Chaired by Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India & Working Group on Trade, Investment & Resilient Value Chains: Chaired by Secretary, Department of Commerce.

Minister S Jaishankar on Monday held wide-ranging talks with visiting Canadian Foreign minister Melanie Joly with a thrust on boosting overall bilateral engagement, including in areas of trade and investment.

 

Joly, who began her two-day visit to India on Monday, said both ministers reviewed the progress in bilateral relations, which are anchored in shared democratic values, growing economic linkages, security cooperation, mobility of students and professionals and strong people-to-people ties. 'Both sides expressed interest in deepening collaboration across domains and looked forward to the Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA),' the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

 

The MEA said India welcomed the announcement of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, given the shared vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

 

'They exchanged views on India’s priorities during its ongoing G20 Presidency and agreed to work together to ensure its success,' said the MEA statement.

 

The statement also said that the ministers had the opportunity to deliberate on contemporary issues, including developments in India’s neighbourhood, Ukraine and cooperation in the United Nations. 'Both sides strengthened their commitment to deepen bilateral ties,' it said.

 

Joly also met officials of a number of Canadian business firms operating in India.

 

'India’s economic and population growth are driving demand for education, health services, food, critical minerals and green infrastructure. These are all sectors of Canadian strength and we must grasp these opportunities,' she tweeted.

Seedbed preparation, especially for rice and wheat crops, is highly mechanised in India compared to other crops, the Centre told the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

 

Replying to a query on the mechanisation of Indian agriculture, Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, said farm mechanisation levels assessed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for major cereals, pulses, oilseeds, millets and cash crops indicate that the seedbed preparation operation is highly mechanised (over 70 per cent) for major crops.

 

In seedbed preparation, the mechanisation level is higher in rice and wheat crops as compared to other crops. However, mechanisation level for sowing operation is the highest for wheat crop at 65 per cent, he said.

 

Harvesting and threshing operations are the least mechanised (lower than 32 per cent) for major crops, except for rice and wheat crops. In case of harvesting and threshing, the mechanisation levels in rice and wheat crops are more than 60 per cent.

 

The mechanisation level in planting/transplanting operation for sugarcane is 20 per cent, he said. The adoption of mechanisation by the farmers depends on various factors such as socio-economic conditions, geographical conditions, crops grown, irrigation facilities, etc., the minister said.

 

Darjeeling tea

To a separate question on the production of Darjeeling tea, Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, said the production of Darjeeling tea in India stood at 6.54 million kgs (mkg) and exports at 3.02 mkg till November of 2022.

 

India produced 7.01 mkg and 6.70 mkg of Darjeeling tea in 2021 and 2020, respectively. The export of Darjeeling tea from India stood at 3.56 mkg and 3.10 mkg in 2021 and 2020, respectively.

 

Tea Board under the Tea Development and Promotion Scheme has been extending financial assistance to the tea stakeholders across the country, including Darjeeling Tea, she said.

 

Stating that Darjeeling tea is protected by certification trademark and Geographical Indication, the minister said it has a distinct logo.

 

Sugar export curbed

To a query on sugar exports, Anupriya Patel said export of sugar has been moved from ‘free’ to ‘restricted’ list during sugar season 2021-22 with effect from June 1 2022. The restrictions on export of sugar have been extended up to October 31 2023. This has been done in order to prevent uncontrolled export of sugar and with a view to ensure sufficient availability of sugar for domestic consumption, she said.

 

India exported 66.67 lakh tonnes (lt) of sugar valued $3211.30 million till November of 2022-23. Export of sugar from India had reached a record of 104.57 lt, valued $4602.65 million in 2021-22.

 

Rubber import

To a query on the import of natural rubber into India, Anupriya Patel said around 4.18 lt of natural rubber (NR) valued Rs.6279.9 crore was imported during April-December of 2022-23. The country had imported 5.46 lt of NR valued Rs.7702.7 crore during 2021-22.

 

With the objective to regulate the import of NR, the government had increased the duty on import of dry rubber from 20 per cent or Rs.30 per kg, whichever is lower, to bound rate of 25 per cent or Rs.30 per kg, whichever is lower, with effect from April 30, 2015.

 

The government had also reduced the period of utilisation of imported dry rubber under advance licensing scheme from 18 months to six months in January 2015. The port of entry for import of NR had also been restricted to ports at Chennai and Nhava Sheva in January 2016.

 

In the Union Budget 2023-24, the rate of custom duty on compound rubber has been increased from 10 per cent to 25 per cent as that on NR. “The above steps are expected to promote domestic production of natural rubber and keep its prices buoyant,” she said.

 

PMFBY

To a query on Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Narendra Singh Tomar said the total number of farmer applications for the scheme was at 8.32 crore during 2021-22. Farmers paid a premium of Rs.3,772.1 crore, State governments paid a premium of Rs.13,929.9 crore and the Centre paid a premium of Rs.12,562.1 crore during 2021-22. Claims paid under the scheme was Rs.14,716.9 crore during 2021-22.

 

As per provisions of the PMFBY/RWBCIS (Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme), premium from farmers, along with Central and State governments’ share in premium subsidy, is paid to the insurance company concerned for acceptance of risk and payment of claims.

 

Insurers save premium in good seasons/years and pay high claims, if any, in bad years from the savings made in the good years, he said.

 

Further, difference between premium collected and claims paid may not be the margin/profit for the insurance companies as there is a cost of reinsurance and administrative cost which generally range up to 10 per cent to 12 per cent of gross premium. This cost also has to be borne by the insurance companies.

 

Out of the total crop insurance business under the scheme, about 50 per cent is shared by the five public sector insurance companies, the minister said.

In order to increase the level of food- processing industry and encouraging rural entrepreneurship across the country including rural areas, Ministry Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is implementing Central Sector Umbrella Scheme Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY), Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) and Centrally sponsored PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme.

 

Union Minister of State for M/o Food Processing Industries, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel informs Rajya Sabha, in a written reply to a question, that the PMFME Scheme provides financial, technical and business support for setting up/upgradation of 2 Lakh micro food processing enterprises through credit linked subsidy during five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25 with an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore.  Under component schemes of PMKSY, MoFPI mostly provides financial assistance in the form of grants-in-aid to entrepreneurs for creation of modern infrastructure and setting up of food processing / preservation industries including Cold Chains with associated infrastructure like primary processing facilities, collection centres, pre-conditioning, pre-cooling, ripening, packing etc.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar informed the Parliament that the export of agricultural and allied products witnessed a significant increase during the last few years.

 

During 2019-20, the export of agricultural and allied products was valued at Rs 2,52,400 crore which increased to Rs 3,10,130 crore in 2020-21 and showed an increase of 22.87 per cent.

 

Exports of agricultural and allied products touched an all-time peak of Rs 3,74,611 crore during the last one year i.e. 2021-22, an increase of 20.79 per cent, according to a statement released by the ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare on Friday evening.

 

In the western region, Gujarat and Maharashtra led in the export of agriculture and allied products, followed by Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal in the eastern region, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana in the central or northern region while Karnataka and Kerala led in the southern region, according to the Minister.

 

Among the commodities exported, the value of marine products increased by Rs 13,734.61 crore in the fiscal year of 2021-22 while the value of sugar went up by Rs 13,676.12 crore.

 

During 2021-22, the value of exported wheat increased by Rs 11,672.37 crore while rice, with the exception of Basmati, surged as much as Rs 10,168.39 crore in the fiscal, the Minister wrote in a written response.

 

While the export of raw cotton, which included waste, grew Rs 7,038.66 crore in value, the other cereals' value went up by Rs 2911.04 during 2021-22.

 

Exports of dairy product went up Rs 2,352.93 crore in value during 2021-22 while coffee rose Rs 2,273.97 crore in value.

 

Export of castor oil increased by Rs 1,952.36 crore in value during 2021-22 while the miscellaneous processed items' value grew by Rs 2,311.86 crore.

In general, Australia is an exporter of resources and commodities. The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) assists in a cycle. You can imagine Australian cotton coming to Tamil Nadu, being knitted in Coimbatore and surrounding regions and those manufactured garments going back to Australia. The other place it is happening is in the mining industry. There are a number of Tamil Nadu manufacturers supplying parts to the Australian mining industry such as enormous wheels that go on the big mining trucks and pumps. Our mining industry uses them to extract coal and other resources and they come back to Tamil Nadu to provide affordable electricity and inputs. So, it is a very nice circular economic relationship between Australia and Tamil Nadu. There are a lot of examples, where Australia-based companies looking to manufacture for the Indian market will do it in Tamil Nadu using Australian engineering and design.

 

How does the ECTA mutually benefit Australia and Tamil Nadu?

It should enhance the already close ties between Australia and Tamil Nadu. For instance, the government of Western Australia last year opened an office in Tamil Nadu given the potential they see. Victoria, which is the southeastern state of Australia, has a very strong education sector and there could be many more education exchanges. South Australia, a big agriculture producer including of high-end wine, is also excited about the opportunities in Tamil Nadu. Each of these states will have their own angle that they are pursuing. So, ECTA is a strategic signal that should see everything become closer, deeper, building on a strong base.

 

Is there a scope for Australia to raise its exports to India of finished goods under the new trade agreement?

I think there should be some increase in the export of high-end manufactured goods. Australia does not have a large manufacturing sector. We are a resources and service economy. So, I would expect to see some increase. But where we think the big benefits will come for Australia is in high-end food and beverages products such as Australian lamb meat and lobsters. We do hope the market for Australian wine will continue to grow as well.

 

Tamil Nadu is the Detroit of India. Will the state play a major role in the electric vehicle sector in Australia?

We are very interested in the concept. We know that Ola is looking at investment opportunities in Australia. We do not manufacture cars in Australia. So, we have to buy vehicles from other countries.

 

ECTA makes an arrangement for work and holiday visas for young professionals. How will this help?

Improved mobility for people between Australia and India. We deeply value the contributions of the Indian diaspora in Australia. We want to see more skilled people from India travelling to Australia for working and investing. These mobility components of the ECTA should facilitate that. There are large Diwali festivals in most Australian towns now and Pongal is celebrated there. So, the more Australians come to know India, the more keen they are to know even more.

 

How much will exports increase between Australia and Tamil Nadu by 2030 under the ECTA?

The overall two-way trade should double.

 

Any updates on the ongoing discussion on ECTA?

ECTA we consider as the first innings. We are continuing to work with India for the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which would take up some concepts that Australia has in some of our other FTAs like government procurement, investments and digital economy. These are some of the newer disciplines in FTAs and we are exploring with India. CECA would be sort of a second innings.

With the Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) emerging as aggregators of farm produce, the Agricultural and Processed Foods Export Development Authority (APEDA) has started focussing on capacity building of these entities to help them carry out direct exports.

 

'There is positive momentum and progress in agri and food export because of the positive contribution and support from FPOs and FPCs. They are working as direct sourcing points and aggregators too. Also, exporters are finding it easy to source directly from FPOS and FPCs. APEDA is doing capacity building and hand holding for them to do direct exports,' said M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA.

 

Thousands of FPOs/FPCs have been formed in recent years across various states and the Government plans to create 10,000 FPOs by 2024.

 

'We are targeting over 1000 FPOs to train them to become direct exporters by March 31 this year. The RCMC (Registration cum Membership Certificate) will be issued along with IEC (Importer-Exporter Code) documents so they can directly export and avail all support from APEDA for doing the same,' Angamuthu said.

 

So far, about 701 FPOs/FPCs have been trained by APEDA across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, among others. The contribution of FPOs and FPCs is visible in the increase in demand for agri and food product export from India. The trained FPOs will be exporting millets, horticultural products, and Geographical Indication (GI) products, among others, Angamuthu said.

 

APEDA has formulated a robust strategy to promote the export of millets and its value-added products to achieve $100 million target by 2025. As a part of Millets Export Promotion strategy, APEDA has also released a comprehensive global marketing campaign assessing India’s potential and accordingly E-catalogued 30 importing countries and 21 millet-producing States. APEDA is associating with Indian Missions in importing courtiers to promote millets and value added products.

 

India exports agri-products to over 200 countries and is currently the eighth-largest exporter of agri-products. The exports of agri-products monitored by APEDA grew by 16 per cent to $17.435 billion during April-November in FY23 over the same period as last year’s $15.072 billion. APEDA exports stood at $24.74 billion during 2021-22.

The US has emerged as India's top destination for merchandise exports during April-December this fiscal at USD 59.7 billion, Parliament was informed on Friday. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the government has taken a series of measures to promote the country's exports.

 

The steps include an extension of existing foreign trade policy till March 31; an extension of interest equalisation (subsidy) scheme on pre and post-shipment rupee export credit till March 31 next year; and a roll-out of Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme.

 

According to the data provided by the minister in his reply, the US was followed by UAE (USD 23.31 billion); Netherlands (USD 14.1 billion); China (USD 11 billion); Singapore and Bangladesh (about USD 9 billion each).

 

In reply to a question on startups, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash said that Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) is implemented from April 2021.

 

'Under the Scheme, Rs 477.25 crore has been approved to 133 incubators of which Rs 211.63 crore has been disbursed as on 31st December 2022,' Parkash said.

 

SISFS aims to provide financial assistance to the department for the promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT)-recognised startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialisation to enable these startups to graduate to a level where they will be able to raise investments from angel investors or venture capitalists or seek loans from commercial banks or financial institutions.

 

Under the scheme, funds are disbursed to eligible startups through eligible incubators across India.

 

Similarly, as on December 31, 2022, under the Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) Scheme, Rs 7,980 crore has been committed to 99 AIFs (alternate investment funds) and Rs 3,400 crore has been disbursed to 72 AIFs.

 

The FFS scheme does not directly invest in startups, instead provides capital to SEBI-registered AIFs, known as daughter funds, who in turn invest money in growing Indian startups through equity and equity-linked instruments.

 

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has been given the mandate of operating this fund through a selection of suitable daughter funds and overseeing the disbursal of committed capital.