A UK Foreign Office minister mentions in Parliament that the negotiations between Britain and India for the ambitious Free Trade Agreement (FTA) are moving further along, with the next round of talks set to take place very soon. He asserted the importance of a strong deal, stating that it could boost the country's economy.

 

UK Foreign Office minister for South Asia, Lord Tariq Ahmad also said that Britain's relationship with India is central to its foreign policy as it is one of the world's biggest economies, is a key partnership.

 

Ahmad was responding to the debate entitled 'The Importance of the Relationship Between the United Kingdom and India' in the House of Lords on Thursday, tabled by British Indian peer Baroness Sandy Verma.

 

He confirmed that negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) are 'well advanced', with the next round of negotiations set to commence very soon.

 

'It is true that, as we set up and strengthen this relationship, the United Kingdom's relationship with India is central to UK foreign policy,' said Ahmad.

 

'As one of the world's biggest and fastest-growing economies, India is a key partner to the UK... We are also looking at lowering non-tariff barriers on medical devices to benefit British exporters, and are well advanced in our negotiations for an ambitious and balanced free trade agreement,' he said.

 

A strong trade deal with India could boost the UK economy by billions of pounds over the long term, helping families across the country, he said.

 

'Cutting red tape and high tariffs could also make it easier and cheaper for UK companies to sell in India, driving growth and supporting jobs,' he added.

 

As part of a review of the progress across all sectors of bilateral cooperation, including defence, health and climate action, the minister also addressed the issue of timelines related to a UK-India FTA.

 

'As an update, we have now completed six rounds of negotiations for a trade deal and will begin the next round very soon... Several noble Lords talked about timelines.

 

'I assure them that we are working those through specifically, but it was very much by mutual agreement to ensure that the trade deal signed is not rushed but properly thought through, and that all chapters are discussed in an exhaustive manner so that we reach a deal that is of mutual benefit to both countries and their peoples,' the minister said.

 

As per the official UK government data, the India-UK bilateral trade currently stands at around 29.6 billion pounds a year. Both sides formally launched FTA negotiations in January last year with former prime minister Boris Johnson announcing a Diwali deadline for its conclusion.

 

However, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak committed to working 'at pace' towards an FTA that does not 'sacrifice quality for speed' after that October deadline was missed amid political turmoil in the UK.

 

The sixth round of negotiations to finalise the deal concluded last month with detailed draft treaty discussions across 11 policy areas over 28 separate sessions.

 

The UK government has said its target for the FTA is to achieve a deal to cut tariffs and open opportunities for UK services such as financial and legal, making it easier for British businesses to sell to the Indian economy.

 

Verma opened the debate by highlighting the recent creation of the India (Trade and Investment) All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), backed by the British Indian think tank 1928 Institute as its secretariat. She revealed that the cross-party group is scheduled to take its first delegation to India in April.

 

'We believe that the group will provide a strong Parliament-wide link that will not just strengthen political engagement and understanding but will build on what will become the free trade agreement for us to make this century one of the strong foundations, strong collaborations and new partnerships,' she said.

 

Lord Karan Bilimoria spoke of the need for large prime ministerial delegations to India and called on Prime Minister Sunak to lead one 'as soon as possible'.

 

'Today India has the presidency of the G20. Today India has a vision to become, in the next 25 years, the second-largest economy in the world with a GDP of USD 32 billion,' he said.

 

'The Indian express has left the station. It is now the fastest train in the world-the fastest-growing major economy in the world. The UK must be its closest and most trusted friend and partner in the decades ahead,' he added.

Malaysia has emerged as the new market for India’s eggs exports with a shipment of 5 million eggs last month from Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, considered the country’s hub.

 

Industry sources said with the robust demand from Malaysia, India is likely to ship another 10 million eggs each in January and February, 2023 to the south-east Asian country.

 

Malaysian Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Mohamad Sabu recently visited Namakkal to assess facilities at hatcheries for egg imports to the country.

 

According to Valsan Parameswaran, Secretary, All India Poultry Products Exporters Association, India exports around 1.5 million eggs daily from Namakkal to mostly middle east countries including Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.

 

'Opening up of egg exports to Malaysia would give us market access to south-east Asia,' Parameswaran told FE. The eggs were exported using Chennai port while traditionally India sent shipments through  Tuticorin port.

 

Last month, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) expedited the certification process and facilitated ‘first ever trial shipment of eggs’ from Namakkal to Malaysia.  A consignment of 0.1 million eggs were airlifted from the Tiruchirapalli airport last month to Malaysia.

 

Following the approval of Malaysian authorities, 10 containers of eggs (5 million pieces) were shipped last month.

 

According to an official note, the Malaysian Agriculture and Food Security Minister approached the Indian Embassy at Kuala Lumpur, seeking to import Indian eggs to their country as it faces a shortage of table eggs for the past few months.  'As chicken and eggs are part of their staple food, it is considered as a serious food security issue by the Malaysian Government,' the note stated.

 

'With the commencement of shipments of eggs to Malaysia, opportunities to expand shipment of eggs would expand across other south-east Asian countries including Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines,' M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA, said. He said that talks will be initiated with these countries for expanding egg exports.

 

In Namakkal, around 50-60 million eggs are produced daily by around 1000 layer birds firms and around 3% of eggs produced here  are exported. In addition, Namakkal supplies around 12 million eggs daily to Kerala, six million eggs to Tamil Nadu government’s noon meal and rest are supplied to other states

 

Meanwhile amidst the rising exports of eggs, the eggs prices have witnessed an increase because of domestic demand during the winter months. Inflation in eggs in December, 2022 was reported at 6.91%.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal asked businesses to adopt a sustainable and green approach in business practices. He asked them to use the forum of B20 along with G20 to look at how we can collectively work towards a sustainable and equitable future agenda. He was addressing the Inception Meeting of Business 20 (B20), the official G20 dialogue forum with the global business community in Gandhinagar today.

 

Shri Goyal paid his tributes to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his birth Anniversary today and said that he was one of the leading lights of our freedom struggle. The Minister said that Netaji envisioned a nation where every single citizen of the nation had a share in its prosperity.  

 

The Minister applauded the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, of peace and dialogue, orderly and inclusive growth and humane approach and said that India wanted to be a responsible global citizen, be it in the sphere of climate change or digital public infrastructure. Shri Goyal said that through the theme of G20 in India- ‘one earth one family one future’ - we wished to inspire the world to care for each other, to have a greater degree of dialogue and greater concern for the planet and the future of our children.

 

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he said that we had inherited this world as trustees and it is our duty to leave behind a better world for next generation. We have to respect intergenerational equity- we do not have the right to use up all the resources of this planet, he added.  

 

The Minister highlighted that India had always stood for sustainable development. He mentioned that it was one of the top 5 countries in the world in terms of adopting and implementing environmental goals. India regularly files UNFCCC report and has already exceeded its goal for 2030, of having a 40 percent share of renewable energy in its installed capacity in 2021. India takes each sustainable development goal very seriously, he said.

 

Speaking of India’s amazing journey of growth, Shri Goyal said that India had grown almost 12 times in the last three decades inspite of several black swan events. He added that transformational steps had been taken by the government to take inclusive growth to every section of society without discrimination and to the remotest corners of the nation.

 

The Minister noted that the Prime Minister had relentlessly focussed on 4 ‘I’s of investment in infrastructure, integrity, inclusive development and international outlook to lend wings to Indian economy. He spoke of some of the transformational initiatives of the government. He said that the Digital India  Mission had ensured that the levels of connectivity we have in telecom today and what is being planned over the next 2 years would catapult us to amongst the top 5 or 6 countries in terms of technology. It will help us achieve inclusive economic growth smartly.

 

He stressed that the government had succeeded in securing the basic needs of life such as food, shelter, clothing, education, healthcare etc. to people, enabling, empowering and inspiring them to aspire for the better things in life. He noted that even during the heights of the pandemic, no death due to starvation had taken place in the country, thanks to several government initiatives including the mission to provide more than adequate foodgrains to almost 800 million across the country. He underscored that India had the world’s largest and successful free healthcare program, covering 500 million people. He said that 35 million families who were at the bottom of the pyramid, who were the most deserving, yet the most deprived, have been given homes with all the basic amenities. He added that the government had also succeeded in raising farmers’ income.

 

Shri Goyal noted that the while the world was worried about how India would cope with the pandemic, it had converted that fear into hope and emerged as a bright spot in the global economy. No other market in the world as large as the India opportunity today, he said and added that India hoped to power the world economy through collaborations and cooperation amidst competition and asked both Indian and foreign companies to serve the world using India as the base.

 

The Minister said that businesses that come to India have always succeeded because of our competitiveness. He opined that India offered the rule of law, inspiring and decisive leadership, transparent government policies, no opaque models and no hidden subsidies. He cited the example of a British Company that was manufacturing in UK, supplying to a few countries, and achieving a modest turn over. A few years ago, this company set up manufacturing in India and due to the competitiveness of Indian manufacturing and our ability to launch newer products through design and innovation, the company now supplies products to over 110 countries around the world from India at affordable and competitive prices, he said. He also spoke of another tech-giant which already has 5-7 percent of manufacturing happening in India and plans to scale it upto 25 percent.

 

He expressed hope that by August, we would have a robust framework for B20 and we succeed in taking a message of responsibility, care and concern, a message of togetherness and oneness, a message that we will all work together for a better future for our children, from India to the world.

 

India assumed the Presidency of the G20 from 1 December 2022. G20 is a premier forum for international economic cooperation. Established in 2010, B20 is among the most prominent Engagement Group in G20, with companies and business organizations as participants. B20 leads the process of galvanizing global business leaders for their views on issues of global economic and trade governance and speaks in a single voice for the entire G20 business community.

 

B20 will operate through 7 Task Forces and 2 Action Councils entrusted to develop consensus-based policy recommendations to the G20.

 

Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology; Shri Amitabh Kant, G20 India Sherpa and Shri N Chandrasekaran, Chairman Tata Sons, who is the Chair of B20 India, Shri Anurag Jain, Secretary, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and other dignitaries were present at the gathering. More than 200 overseas delegates including CEOs and business executives, from G20 member countries and invitee countries apart from more than 400 delegate from within the country took part in the B20 India Inception Meeting.

B20 deliberations would see discussions on broad areas of climate action, innovation, digital global cooperation, resilient global value chains, fostering financial inclusion, empowering societies etc. The B20 Inception Meeting will culminate on 24 January 2023.

Several food companies are taking advantage of the International Year of Millet in 2023, including Britannia, Wholsum Foods, and Symega Food Ingredients, by either expanding their product lines or improving their existing products using millets, according to stakeholders.

 

There are many new items coming out this year, according to Shauravi Malik, Co-founder, Wholsum Foods Pvt Ltd, which owns the millet-based food brands Slurrp Farm and Millé.

 

She said, 'We plan to introduce millet-based snacks, ragi cookies, and other items under our kids’ brand Slurrp Farm. As for Millé, we want to bring millets to the center of people’s plates; the idea is to make millet a ubiquitous ingredient.'

 

Malik added, 'An increased level of awareness about eating millets, the need for both nutrition and food security, and the importance of having food that we can grow without a lot of water, pesticides, or fertiliser has led to the growth and popularity of millet-based products.'

 

FMCG giant Britannia, which sells millets-based products under the NutriChoice brand, says it will continue to build the brand through product innovation.

 

Sudhir Nema, Chief Development & Quality Officer, Britannia Industries Limited said, 'We are innovating on functional ingredients and foods by incorporating more super grains, seeds, nuts, and fruits with whole grains and processing technologies. We are also engaging with our partners and looking for appropriate opportunities in this evolving space.'

 

‘Superfoods’

In 2020, India produced 12,490 million tonnes of millets, and accounted for 41 per cent of the world’s share, according to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

 

'Millets are referred as superfoods for being gluten-free and for having micronutrients. Moreover, millets are rich in dietary fibre and have a resistant starch that works as a prebiotic. In fact, people are willing to pay a premium, often to the tune of more than 50 per cent, in their conscious pursuit of optimum nutrition,' said Nema.

 

The global superfoods market size in 2020 was $172 billion, and it is expected to reach $287 billion by 2027, he added.

 

Symega Food Ingredients, which is engaged in manufacturing and marketing natural colours, flavours and savoury blends, has added alternative milk from various kinds of grains and millets.

 

'As this year is the International Year of Millets, we see a lot of traction on millet-based products. In fact, we have developed milk out of various millets like Jowar, Bajra, Barley, and more,' said Santosh Stephen, Managing Director, Symega Food Ingredients.

 

It offers its products by partnering with brands and start-ups, and co-develop and co-manufacture them under their label.

 

Consumer acceptance

Tata Consumer Soulfull Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Consumer Products Limited, also sells millet-based food products under the Tata Soulfull brand.

 

While participating in the fourth edition of Millets & Organics-International Trade Fair 2023, held in Bengaluru, Prashant Parameswaran, MD and CEO, Tata Consumer Soulfull, said, 'We expect that millets will gradually evolve to become a mainstream category, and with 2023 being celebrated as the International Year of Millets, the acceptance for this grain will significantly grow among consumers.'

 

Parameswaran added, 'Our product range, which includes snacking, mini meals, and breakfast cereal, is positioned to cater to the trend, and we look forward to making our products available to more consumers across the country.'

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, in association with Department of Agriculture, Government of Rajasthan, is organizing a two-day event, – ‘Krishi-Mahotsav: Pradarshani evam Prashikshan’ scheduled to be held on 24th-25th January 2023 at Dussehra Ground, Kota, Rajasthan to make Kota Division of Rajasthan advanced and leading in the field of agriculture and rural development. Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Animal Husbandry & Fisheries, Dr. Sanjeev Balyan, Rajasthan state Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Shri Lalchand Kataria, and Rajasthan Minister of State, Department of Cooperation, Shri Udaylal Anjana will be present in the inaugural ceremony. Apart from them, senior officers of Central Government, State Government and Indian Council of Agricultural Research and about 35,000 farmers, Agri startups, Corporate bankers, extension workers and employees of private agricultural institutions will also be present.

 

Through the exhibition organized in Krishi Mahotsav, information about the various schemes of Central and State Government will be disseminated through exhibitors. Also, private sector companies/institutions related to supply of various inputs of agriculture will display their products through stalls. In this exhibition, 150 stalls will be set up to provide updated information related to agriculture to the farmers. Keeping in view the need for Startups in the field of agriculture, 75 stalls of Startups will be set up, which is one of the main features of this exhibition.

 

During this Krishi Mahotsav, a programme to train about 5,000 farmers on subjects related to agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry is also being organized in two sessions. A special workshop on Agriculture Infrastructure Fund is also being organized for the benefit of farmers. Scientists from agricultural research institutes, agricultural universities, agricultural zonal centers and all officers and employees of the Agriculture Department as well as about 35,000 farmers are expected to participate in this two-day grand event.

 

The specialty of this event is to get more and more participation of farmers interested in adopting new technology in agriculture and adopt modern innovative agriculture practices. All farmers are being encouraged and trained to adopt advanced agricultural production system, new agricultural technology and advanced agricultural machinery to make farming a profitable enterprise.

 

Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Minister of Animal Husbandry & Fisheries, Shri Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ms. Shobha Karandlaje and Rajasthan state Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Shri Lalchand Kataria will be present at the closing ceremony. It is important to organize such events from time to time and give the right direction to the farmers of the region to help in enhancing the income of farmers and also make farming sustainable.

India has emerged as one of the top three countries in the world where the area under organic agriculture expanded the maximum in 2020, according to latest data.

 

The total increase under organic cultivation globally in 2020 was 3 million hectares (mh), out of which Argentina accounted for 7,81,000 hectares (up by 21 per cent), followed by Uruguay at 5,89,000 hectares (28 per cent) and India at 3,59,000 hectares (16 per cent), according IFOAM -Organics International data.

 

Of the world’s total 74.9 mh under organic farming, Australia has the highest at 35.7 mh, whereas India has 2.8 mh. In contrast, out of total 34 lakh organic producers in the world, 16 lakh farmers in India are into certified organic farming.

 

Experts said unless and until the government takes concrete steps, the growth in organic agriculture may not see any significant improvement. Issues such as the certification process and its costs are key to the growth and there is no one particular department or agency for it. Works are fragmented and span across several organisations and ministries, experts said.

 

Aid for farmers

As reported by businessline in December 2022, the Cabinet is yet to approve Agriculture Ministry’s Rs.2,481-crore proposal to launch the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF). The mission is supposed to be implemented from the current fiscal until 2025-26, with a target to bring on fold 7.5 lakh farmers to practice non-chemical natural farming on 7.5 lakh hectares. Under the scheme, farmers will get a maximum of Rs.15,000/hectare (until 2025-26) depending on loss in income, if any, after switching over to natural farming.

 

The target realisation of enrolling 7.5 lakh farmers will take at least four years since the entire process of capacity building of farmers through formation of clusters, their certification and also organising them as FPOs is very slow, officials said. Since certification will also be there for these farmers, experts wonder how these products would get exported unless they are labelled as ‘organic.

 

For the export purpose, the government needs to take a call on branding under either organic or natural farming or some other name so that no one gets confused and the crops receive better prices in the market, said an expert.

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, along with PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PHDCCI) in association with National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCD) as a knowledge partner, organised a one-day exhibition and conference as 'India Cold Chain Conclave' in New Delhi recently. The conference was organised with the objective to bring together all the stakeholders on one common platform where they can contribute thoughts and ideas for the growth of industry in a sustainable manner and to explore ways of reducing post-harvest losses with relevant technologies. An exhibition was also organised concurrently to demonstrate Innovations and Excellence in Cold Chain Sector by industry leaders.

 

The conclave and exhibition was inaugurated by Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. He said that Ministry of Agriculture recognises the importance of the cold chain industry in ensuring food safety, reducing food waste and increasing the shelf life of perishable products and ministry has set up an extensive outlay of policies and programmes to give strength to this sector. Technological innovation is crucial for the growth and development of the Indian Cold Chain industry. With the advent of advanced refrigeration and cooling systems, the industry is now able to store and transport goods at much lower temperatures, which helps to extend the shelf life of perishable products. This has led to an increase in the export of perishable goods from India, as the products can now reach international markets in better condition.

 

During the conclave, approval of the product-specific horticulture clusters in various parts of the country under the Horticulture Cluster Development Programme of MoA&FW was accorded. On this occasion, Ahuja handed over the letter of acceptance to the five Cluster Development Agencies and Implementing Agencies for respective Clusters viz. Apple in Shopian (J&K), Banana in Ananthapur (Andhra Pradesh), Grape in Nasik (Maharashtra), Mango in Mahbubnagar (Telangana) and Turmeric in West Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya), out of 12 selected clusters for pilot phase. The respective Implementing Agencies include FIL Industries Pvt. Ltd., Desai Agrifoods Pvt.Ltd., Sahayadri Farms Post-Harvest Care Limited, Prasad Seeds Pvt. Ltd. and Meghalaya Basin Management Agency through their Cluster Development Agencies namely JK HPMC, Andhra Pradesh Horticulture Development Agency, Maharashtra State Horticulture and Medicinal Board, Telangana State Horticulture Development Corporation Limited and Meghalaya State Agricultural Marketing Board.  It was also announced that the applications for 7 other pilot clusters namely Mango for Kutch and Lucknow, Pomegranate for Solapur & Chitradurga, Banana for Theni, Apple for Kinnaur and Pineapple for Sepahijala are under process.

 

Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary (DA&FW), said that the Indian cold chain industry is expected to experience significant growth in the coming years. The increasing demand for perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, and meat products, as well as the rise in e-commerce and online grocery sales, are driving this growth. As the demand for these goods continues to grow in India, the government recognises the need to support the development of the cold chain industry in order to ensure food security and public health.

 

Priya Ranjan, Joint Secretary (Horticulture), said that the Agriculture Ministry, under the dynamic leadership of Agriculture Minister, is working fast in understanding the new needs which are emerging on the cold chain front and we are progressing ahead with various programmes initiated to bring new developments in the cold chain sector.

 

During technical sessions, various issues relating to logistics and cluster development to unlock cold chain development prospects, cold chain energy efficiency, refrigeration technology and importance of Internet of Things in cold-chain and so on were deliberated in detail by the delegates with the objectives to bring improvement of the development of cold-chain industry in sustainable manner.

 

The event was attended by other senior officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, APEDA and Bureau of Energy Efficiency. The conclave was also attended by over 250 participants/delegates belonging to various Government departments, corporates, technology providers, traders, exporters, researchers and other stakeholders from various parts of the country.

A UK Foreign Office minister mentions in Parliament that the negotiations between Britain and India for the ambitious Free Trade Agreement (FTA) are moving further along, with the next round of talks set to take place very soon. He asserted the importance of a strong deal, stating that it could boost the country's economy.

 

UK Foreign Office minister for South Asia, Lord Tariq Ahmad also said that Britain's relationship with India is central to its foreign policy as it is one of the world's biggest economies, is a key partnership.

 

Ahmad was responding to the debate entitled 'The Importance of the Relationship Between the United Kingdom and India' in the House of Lords on Thursday, tabled by British Indian peer Baroness Sandy Verma.

 

He confirmed that negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) are 'well advanced', with the next round of negotiations set to commence very soon.

 

'It is true that, as we set up and strengthen this relationship, the United Kingdom's relationship with India is central to UK foreign policy,' said Ahmad.

 

'As one of the world's biggest and fastest-growing economies, India is a key partner to the UK... We are also looking at lowering non-tariff barriers on medical devices to benefit British exporters, and are well advanced in our negotiations for an ambitious and balanced free trade agreement,' he said.

 

A strong trade deal with India could boost the UK economy by billions of pounds over the long term, helping families across the country, he said.

 

'Cutting red tape and high tariffs could also make it easier and cheaper for UK companies to sell in India, driving growth and supporting jobs,' he added.

 

As part of a review of the progress across all sectors of bilateral cooperation, including defence, health and climate action, the minister also addressed the issue of timelines related to a UK-India FTA.

 

'As an update, we have now completed six rounds of negotiations for a trade deal and will begin the next round very soon... Several noble Lords talked about timelines.

 

'I assure them that we are working those through specifically, but it was very much by mutual agreement to ensure that the trade deal signed is not rushed but properly thought through, and that all chapters are discussed in an exhaustive manner so that we reach a deal that is of mutual benefit to both countries and their peoples,' the minister said.

 

As per the official UK government data, the India-UK bilateral trade currently stands at around 29.6 billion pounds a year. Both sides formally launched FTA negotiations in January last year with former prime minister Boris Johnson announcing a Diwali deadline for its conclusion.

 

However, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak committed to working 'at pace' towards an FTA that does not 'sacrifice quality for speed' after that October deadline was missed amid political turmoil in the UK.

 

The sixth round of negotiations to finalise the deal concluded last month with detailed draft treaty discussions across 11 policy areas over 28 separate sessions.

 

The UK government has said its target for the FTA is to achieve a deal to cut tariffs and open opportunities for UK services such as financial and legal, making it easier for British businesses to sell to the Indian economy.

 

Verma opened the debate by highlighting the recent creation of the India (Trade and Investment) All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), backed by the British Indian think tank 1928 Institute as its secretariat. She revealed that the cross-party group is scheduled to take its first delegation to India in April.

 

'We believe that the group will provide a strong Parliament-wide link that will not just strengthen political engagement and understanding but will build on what will become the free trade agreement for us to make this century one of the strong foundations, strong collaborations and new partnerships,' she said.

 

Lord Karan Bilimoria spoke of the need for large prime ministerial delegations to India and called on Prime Minister Sunak to lead one 'as soon as possible'.

 

'Today India has the presidency of the G20. Today India has a vision to become, in the next 25 years, the second-largest economy in the world with a GDP of USD 32 billion,' he said.

 

'The Indian express has left the station. It is now the fastest train in the world-the fastest-growing major economy in the world. The UK must be its closest and most trusted friend and partner in the decades ahead,' he added.

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar said that the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is very sensitive towards the small farmers of the country. Shri Modi, with foresight, raised the issue of Millets in the United Nations, where the resolution of the Government of India was adopted with the support of 72 countries and as per the United Nations declaration, the year 2023 is now being celebrated under the leadership of India as the International Year of Millets. Behind this, the main objective of the government is to increase the production and productivity, processing and exports of millets, which will ultimately help the farmers of the country.

 

Union Minister Shri Tomar said this in Bengaluru today as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the International Trade Fair on Millets and Organic Products. Shri Tomar said that Millets crops can be grown in less water. Millets also help in increasing the income of farmers. With the increase in the production and consumption of millets in the country, its export will also increase, which will benefit a large number of farmers. He lauded the efforts of Karnataka Government to increase the production and consumption of millets and termed the signing of MoUs worth Rs. 201 crore rupees as an important milestone. He also praised the incentives provided to the farmers of the state.

 

Shri Tomar said that the Center and the State Governments are running many important schemes for the welfare of the farmers including increasing their income. Farmers are being given an annual income aid of Rs. 6,000 through the Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) Scheme. Besides, farmers in Karnataka are being given an additional annual income support of Rs. 4,000 each. With the aim of increasing the potential of majority of small farmers, the Prime Minister Shri Modi has initiated setting up of 10,000 new Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in the country, on which the Government of India is spending Rs. 6,865 crore. He appreciated the enthusiastic contribution in formation of new FPOs across the country as well as in Karnataka. Shri Tomar said that many programmes have been launched by the Center to make agriculture advanced and the farmers prosperous.

 

On the occasion, Shri Tomar gave away awards in various categories. The Union Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers and New and Renewable Energy, Shri Bhagwanth Khuba, Agriculture Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Surya Pratap Singh Shahi and state Horticulture Minister Shri Dinesh Pratap Singh, besides Agriculture Minister of Karnataka, Shri B.C. Patil were present at the function.

The central government has decided to institute special awards to promote natural farming in the country, announced Kailash Choudhary, Minister of State for Agriculture, while speaking at a function in Pune.

 

'The awards will be given in three categories which will include award for individual farmer for best natural farming, award for agricultural scientists for research on natural farming and award for the Krishi Vigyan Kendra for promotion of natural farming,' said Choudhary.

 

He was speaking at a conference on natural farming and millets at Pune.

 

Choudhary said that henceforth, the agricultural scientists will have to do research on natural farming. 'So far, the research on natural farming has been done only by the farmers. The scientists now need to take forward the research done by the farmers. They should not have any confusion about natural farming in their mind. Agricultural scientists will now have to do research on natural farming. They will also have to take training about natural farming,' said Choudhary.

 

The United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets and India is leading the global awareness campaign about millets. 'If millets can reach the plate of each person, then it can reduce the number of hospitals to a certain extent in the world. We have requested the five star and the seven star hotels to keep millets in their menu. People can contribute to spreading awareness about millets by keeping millet items on the menu at marriages,' said Choudhary.