Leading South Korean feedmaker Nonghyup Feed Inc. (NOFI) has issued an international tender to purchase up to 95,000 tonnes of animal feed wheat and 60,000 tonnes of feed barley, European traders said on Wednesday.

 

The deadline for submissions of price offers is also Wednesday, Oct. 19, they said.

 

The wheat is sought in two consignments which can be sourced from worldwide origins except Argentina, Pakistan, Denmark, China, India and eastern Europe, they said.

 

The first wheat consignment of about 30,000 tonnes is for arrival in South Korea around Dec. 20. Shipment is between Nov. 16-Dec. 5 if sourced from the U.S. Pacific North West coast, Australia or Canada; Oct. 27-Nov. 15 if from the U.S. Gulf or western Europe, Oct. 22-Nov. 10 from South America or Nov. 1-Nov. 20 from South Africa.

 

The second consignment of up to 65,000 tonnes is for arrival around April 2023. Shipment in 2023 is between March 17-April 5 if sourced from the U.S. Pacific North West coast, Australia or Canada; Feb. 25-March 16 if from the U.S. Gulf or western Europe, Feb. 20-March 11 from South America or March 2-March 21 from South Africa.

 

The barley is sought in two 30,000 tonne consignments from worldwide origins excluding eastern Europe.

 

The first consignment is for arrival in South Korea around Dec. 20. Shipment is between Nov. 16-Dec. 5 if sourced from the U.S. Pacific North West coast, Australia or Canada; Oct. 27-Nov. 15 if from the U.S. Gulf or Europe and Oct. 22-Nov. 10 from South America.

 

The second consignment is for arrival in South Korea around April 20, 2023. Shipment is between March 17-April 5 if sourced from the U.S. Pacific North West coast, Australia or Canada; Feb. 25-March 16 if from the U.S. Gulf or Europe and Feb. 20-March 11 from South America.

Six ambassadors/high commissioners of India to different nations on Tuesday suggested to the state government to export its horticulture products to different countries.

 

The Indian mission heads — ambassadors to Indonesia, Tunisia, Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, Romania, Ethiopia and high commissioner to Jamaica — are currently putting up in Imphal for their four-day visit to Manipur to study various development aspects.

 

They held interactions with senior state officials before visiting an organic outlet in Imphal East district. On learning Manipur’s high-value horticulture products, they proposed for exporting them to various countries to generate revenue.

 

On Monday, the ambassadors met chief minister N Biren Singh at his office and discussed a wide range of issues, including promotion of Manipur’s cultural heritage in Europe, Africa and other international fora.

India is expected to produce around 36.5 million tonnes of sugar in the new season that began on Oct. 1, a leading industry body said on Monday, up 2% from the previous season.

 

India, the world's biggest sugar producer and the second biggest exporter behind Brazil, churned out around 35.8 million tonnes of the sweetener in the 2021-22 season, according to the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), a producers' body.

 

Mills will produce around 36.5 million tonnes of sugar during the current season after diverting 4.5 million tonnes of sugar for ethanol production.

 

During the previous 2021-22 season, mills diverted 3.4 million tonnes of sugar for ethanol.

 

During the 2022-23 sugar season, India is likely to achieve a target of 12% ethanol blending with gasoline. India's carryover sugar stocks on Oct. 1, 2022, when the current season started, totalled around 5.5 million tonnes, and domestic consumption is expected at around 27.5 million tonnes, ISMA said in the statement.

 

As a result, mills can export around 9 million tonnes of sugar, ISMA said. India is poised to allow around 5 million tonnes of sugar exports in the first tranche for the current 2022-23 season.

 

'We will announce this year's sugar export quota within a week,' said Sudhanshu Pandey, the most senior civil servant at the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. India exported more than 11 million tonnes of sugar in the previous 2021-22 season.

 

But this year, the government is expected to allow mills to export around 5 million tonnes of sugar in the first tranche and let mills ship out more later during the season, after having a better sense of this year's production.

 

India has a relatively short window to export sugar as the Brazilian output could dampen global prices by April, ISMA said, urging the government to soon announce this year's export quota.

 

Cashing in on attractive global prices traders have already started signing deals to export raw sugar for the current 2022-23 season.

The Chairman of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) – Dr M. Angamuthu claimed that the northeastern state of Sikkim is capable to set an example in the Indian organic market.

 

Addressing the day-long International Buyer-Seller Meet, Dr Angamuthu emphasized making Sikkim an 'export hub of organic agricultural products'.

 

'Sikkim is a pioneer in organic products. Therefore, in the upcoming days, we intend to promote Sikkim’s purest form of organic produce both nationally and globally. Let’s collaborate and promote Sikkim as the finest destination in terms of horticulture and value-added organic goods,' – he stated.

 

The event was attended by the state Minister of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services – Lok Nath Sharma. It also witnessed the presence of importers from Oman, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Indonesia, Singapore and Japan, as well as exporters from different parts of India.

 

In his address, Sharma highlighted the possibilities and future scope of exporting dairy products, spices and horticultural commodities in collaboration with APEDA by developing market linkages of Sikkim’s organic products in the global arena.

 

Lauding the efforts of APEDA in export promotion, Sharma also sought the intervention of APEDA in playing a crucial role to showcase the agricultural and horticultural products of Sikkim, such as ginger, turmeric, large cardamom, orange, etc., to international buyers.

 

Congratulating APEDA for organizing the event in the state of Sikkim Sharma anticipated that the programme would be crucial for Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs), Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and aspiring entrepreneurs to be exporters by acquiring knowledge from the professionals.

 

The Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Sikkim’s Commerce and Industries Department – HK Sharma highlighted various activities initiated under MSME. He also pointed out the objectives of PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprise (PMFME), Sikkim Skilled Youth Start Up Scheme and provision of subsidies.

 

Likewise, the Secretary of the Agriculture Department – Jigmee Dorjee Bhutia stressed the need for setting-up Sikkim as a food production hub and marked the programme as essential for the benefit of the farming community.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has said the UK is eager to secure a trade deal with India to boost both economies and that Brexit has meant that Britain no longer has a Eurocentric mindset towards trade or visas.

 

Addressing a Diwali event organised by UK-based India Global Forum (IGF) in London on Tuesday evening, the Indian-origin Cabinet minister spoke of being a proud member of the British Indian community and hailed the contribution made by the Indian diaspora to British life.

 

In an apparent effort to override her recent controversial remarks about Indians forming the largest group of visa overstayers, the minister said the UK's villages, towns and cities have been 'profoundly enriched by immigration from India'.

 

'Naturally, there is an economic imperative for our countries to work together, which is why we are so eager to secure a trade deal,' said Braverman.

 

'But the boost to our economies is not the only virtue in making our friendship even stronger. We have a shared vision that by 2030 we will enjoy an even stronger partnership... As a Home Secretary, I particularly value the cooperation on security matters between our two countries. This is vital, on a domestic level in India and in the UK but also more broadly on an international scale, especially in the Indo-Pacific,' she said.

 

With Diwali no longer the target deadline for a draft free trade agreement (FTA), Braverman sought to reiterate that the Liz Truss-led government remains determined to build on the momentum set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

 

'Candidly, leaving the European Union (EU) means the United Kingdom is better placed to think outside of the Eurocentric mindset, look to every horizon and cherish and nurture relationships with old friends like India. The points-based immigration system means that we no longer favour people from Europe over people from elsewhere. Meanwhile, around a quarter of all foreign students in the UK are from India,' she noted.

 

Dressed in a lehenga for the Diwali celebrations attended by other senior parliamentarians, business leaders and diplomats, the minister also reflected upon her very personal connect with India and spoke of being struck by how 'fresh and vibrant' the India-UK relationship always feels on her travels 'from Kerala to Bihar, from Delhi to Calcutta'.

 

'India is in my heart, she's in my soul, she's in my blood. I'm very proud that my father has his roots and his family home in Goa and my mother can trace her ancestral origins to Madras,' she said.

 

'India is part of my own heritage, I'm Indian on both sides of my family. My mother came here from Mauritius and my father came here from Kenya. They felt a deep connection and love for Britain even before they came here. It is a love that I share. And, I have never seen any inconsistency in that, for no inconsistency exists,' she added.

 

The minister said she wanted British people to be able to 'drink deeply of Indian culture', through visiting, studying and working in India and by throwing themselves into it in the UK, where entry must be based on 'merit, not the ability to pay people smugglers, whose wicked lethal trade we have to smash'.

 

'We consume food, music, movies and art from each other's countries voraciously. The story of India and the story of the UK are so intimately linked that they are to a great extent the same story,' she declared.

The Union Inter-Ministerial Meeting with the States on the issues of Crop Residue Management was chaired by the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar with the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupendra Yadav and the Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala in co-chair. The three ministers held intense discussions with the states to check the burning of stubble. Shri Tomar said that there is a need to fix the accountability of the collectors in the affected districts by the respective State Governments, while Shri Yadav said that the states should implement effective measures immediately. Shri Rupala stressed on proactive steps, especially for the problem of stubble burning in Punjab.

 

In the high-level review meeting, senior officials of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi state government and top officials of all the three central ministries as well as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Central Pollution Control Board, Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, Ministry of Power and senior officials of other central ministries and departments participated. It was informed in the meeting that the states need to ensure effective utilization of 2.07 lakh machines already supplied by the Center during the last 4 years and 47,000 machines being provided during the current year. Under the Central Scheme on Crop Residue Management, the Government is already providing financial assistance to Punjab, Haryana, U.P. and NCT Delhi to combat air pollution in Delhi NCR due to stubble burning. Rs. 601.53 crore has already been released by the Center during the current year so far. Also, out of the amount given in the last four years, about Rs 900 crore is available with the states. The need for effective utilization of funds provided by the Government of India to the states for stubble management was emphasized in the meeting.

 

Shri Tomar said that the states should promote widespread use of bio-decomposer developed by the Pusa Institute for effective in-situ decomposition of stubble. He said that the Central Government has tried its best to fulfil the expectations of states. If the state governments also work diligently in the same way, it will bring good results. Especially, if effective checking is done on stubble burning in Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts of Punjab, then half the job will be done, because these two districts are facing the maximum problem. Effective control in these four states will also help contain the problem from spreading to other states. If we work with holistic efforts in a planned manner, the availability of fodder for cattle will also be easy. Shri Tomar said that a workshop is being organized in Pusa, Delhi on 4th November, in which farmers from Punjab and adjoining areas have been called for this purpose, senior officers of Punjab should also participate in this workshop so that their doubts regarding the Pusa decomposer are cleared. Shri Tomar said that Pusa decomposer is the cheapest and most effective solution for Crop Residue Management, which needs to be promoted.

 

Environment Minister Shri Yadav said that more than two lakh machines given by the Center are sufficient, it is necessary that they should be fully utilized for addressing the problem. Other contributing factors of pollution have also been considered by the Center. Emphasizing on effective control to prevent stubble burning, especially in Punjab, Shri Yadav called upon the state’s Chief Secretary to take immediate and appropriate action as well as to promote the use of Pusa decomposer.

 

During the meeting, explaining the need to implement appropriate IEC activities for the targeted farmers, the states have been advised to make a strategic plan by deploying all the necessary resources and deal with the situation. Considering the benefits of bio decomposer, states have been advised to demonstrate this technology in farmers' fields on a large scale. During the current year, a target has been set to bring more than 8.15 lakh hectares of land in the states under the ambit of this technology. To promote and disseminate the ex-situ use of stubble by mapping the demand of stubble from biomass-based power plants, bioethanol plants and nearby industries as well as to reach out to all the stakeholders through Kisan Melas, publications, seminars, consultations, it has been urged to undertake IEC activities for awareness among farmers through intensive campaigns with their participation. This will effectively control stubble burning.

Taking major policy initiatives for Agriculture Startups, the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar made several key announcements today. In the Agri Startup Conference organized on the second day of PM Kisan Samman Sammelan at Pusa Mela Ground, Delhi, Shri Tomar informed that a high-level steering committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of Agriculture Minister for overall guidance of the Agriculture Startup ecosystem. A Rs. 500 crore accelerator programme for taking forward and popularizing the successful initiatives of Agri Startups will be started.

 

Amidst a large gathering of Agri Startup delegates, Shri Tomar announced that an Executive Committee would be constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary Agriculture, comprising of concerned agencies like DARE, DPIIT, agricultural incubators and knowledge partners, agricultural universities, research institutes, top investors and other stakeholders. Also, a separate Division will be created under the chairmanship of Joint Secretary for Agriculture Startups in the Ministry of Agriculture. A cell will also be created to work as a single window agency for Agri Startups to facilitate all linkages required with certification agencies, financial institutions, agricultural universities etc. Shri Tomar informed that a marketing linkage will be created with organizations like e-NAM and NAFED to meet the market needs of the products developed by the Agri Startups. A portal will also be developed to create a database for all Agriculture Startups and monitor their development. Shri Tomar said that efforts will be made to organize Agri Startup Conclave at national and regional level to promote Startups in Agriculture sector.

 

Shri Tomar said that in the last eight years, it has been the constant endeavour of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi that India should emerge strong on the global political stage. if the power of our country's farmers, youth, Startups etc are harnessed in a planned manner with an eye on the targets, the day is not far when India will stand on the political platform of the world to guide everyone. Whenever Prime Minister Shri Modi has gone abroad, apart from meetings, he has encouraged the NRIs by interacting with them. We are proud of our brothers and sisters who have the capacity to nurture the world. Shri Modi has given a call to make a self-reliant India and vocal for local; in such a situation, those who once flaunted branded foreign pens in their shirt pockets, today they feel pride in carrying bamboo wood pens made by self-help groups. Earlier, there was a race to go abroad and get jobs, but today many of our young colleagues are taking pride in starting an enterprise or find livelihood in India itself, quitting lucrative jobs abroad. These changes are a good sign. Eight years ago there were only 80-100 Agricultural Startups, whereas after becoming the Prime Minister, as a result of relentless efforts of Shri Modi, today their number is more than 2,000, out of which hundreds of them have been provided training and financial assistance under the scheme of Ministry of Agriculture. The target of the Central Government is to take this number to 10,000.

 

The Union Minister said that the government is committed to develop technology. The government wants our startups to be useful to the country and the world by solving the existing challenges. In this direction, the Ministry of Agriculture, along with the Department of Agriculture Research and Education (DARE) and other institutions including the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are working with utmost commitment. Shri Tomar said that it is necessary to popularize technology, only then people will get its real benefit, as well as technology should be affordable to the common man. Startups should work by deciding their focus and sector, so that farmers can draw full benefits of their output. In view of the rising population of the country and the world, one should also work for food security, especially in view of the challenges of climate change. Startups should innovate with vision and determination. Following the call of the Prime Minister, we have to be successful in making India a developed nation by the centenary year of our Independence. Shri Tomar said that the Government of India has stood shoulder to shoulder and walked step by step with the Startups towards this goal.

 

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary and Sushri Shobha Karandlaje were also present on the occasion. Agriculture Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja and Director General of ICAR, Dr. Himanshu Pathak also addressed the conclave. Initially, representatives of hundreds of Startups from across the country put forward their key suggestions to the ministers. Earlier, Union Minister Shri Tomar along with both the Ministers of State visited various stalls and inquired about the Startups.

The FSSAI has decided to restrict the entry of high-risk food products and specify 61 ports of entry from where these products will be allowed to enter into India. These ports of entry are directly manned and managed by the FSSAI.

 

The high risk food products include milk & milk products, egg powder, meat & meat products including poultry, fish & their products, food for infant nutrition/infant food, and nutraceuticals, health supplements, food for dietary uses, probiotic and prebiotic foods, & food for special medical purpose.

 

The FSSAI has issued an order in this regard stating that to regulate and ensure the safety of food being imported in the country and to envisage a robust import control system ensuring efficient monitoring and traceability of high risk products, 'it has been decided that import of high risk food products as specified shall be permitted through 61 ports only which are directly manned and managed by FSSAI office/officials.'

 

The order added that to further facilitate ease of doing business while ensuring the mandate of safe food imports in India, comments/suggestions are invited from all the stakeholders in this regard within 30 days from the date of publication of this order, i.e., from October 17, 2022.

In the first five months of this financial year — April to August — India exported double the quantity of wheat compared with the same period in 2021-22, official data show. This is in spite of a slowing of exports after the sudden ban announced by the government in mid-May.

 

India exported 43.50 lakh metric tonnes (lmt) of wheat during April-August 2022-23, which was 116.7 per cent more than the corresponding months last year, according to Department of Commerce data.

 

Exports were boosted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February, which led to a major spike in demand for Indian wheat. Exports in April touched 14.71 lmt, more than 500 per cent higher that the 2.42 lmt exported in April last year. After the ban announced on May 13, exports for that month fell to 10.79 lmt, which, however, was still 164 per cent higher than the 4.08 lmt exported in May 2021.

 

Exports have fallen thereafter — 7.24 lmt in June, 4.94 lmt in July, and 5.80 lmt in August compared with 4.57 lmt, 3.75 lmt, and 5.22 lmt in June, July and August 2021 respectively.

 

India exported wheat to 44 countries in April — the most (3.35 lmt) to Bangladesh and the least to the United Kingdom (2,000 metric tonnes). The number of national export destinations fell to 31 in May (Bangladesh was again on top), and sharply thereafter following the ban.

 

India exported wheat to 11 countries in June 2022, only five countries in July (Indonesia, Bangladesh, Korea, the UAE, and Angola), and eight in August (Bangladesh, the UAE, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Bhutan).

 

Indonesia emerged as the top buyer of Indian wheat in the months after the ban. Of the 18 lmt of wheat exports in this period, about 7 lmt went to Indonesia. In the five-month period from April to August, Indonesia has been the No. 2 export destination for Indian wheat after Bangladesh (8.06 lmt and 11.12 lmt respectively).

 

The export of atta (wheat or meslin flour) too has more than doubled in the first five months of the current financial year — 4.49 lmt compared with 1.64 lmt during April-August 2021. Somalia, the UAE, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and Djibouti were the top 5 buyers of Indian flour during April-August 2022.

The Indian government is likely to allow the export of refined flour ( maida) and semolina ( suji) made from imported wheat in addition to wheat flour ( atta) against advance authorisation and by units in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and export-oriented units (EOUs), if such requests come from processors, an official tracking the matter has said.

 

Last week, the government allowed the export of wheat flour against advance authorisations and by SEZ units and EOUs, to be produced from imported wheat and without procurement of domestic wheat.

 

' Atta, maida and suji have the same HS code. But in last week’s notification, in the item description, only wheat flour is mentioned. So, at present only export of wheat flour is allowed. However, if processors wants to export maida and sooji as well, they will have to apply to the government and wastage norms need to be fixed by norms committee,' the official told businessline.

 

India allows export of flour processed from imported wheat; releases procedure on broken rice export

The atta will have to be exported within 180 days from the date of import of the wheat consignment

 

After the government extended the ban on export of wheat to wheat products including wheat flour, refined flour and semolina in August, wheat processors sought government permission to import wheat to carry out value-added exports.

 

Heatwave hits crop

New Delhi banned wheat exports in May this year after an unseasonal heat wave affected the crop and domestic prices increased. The ban on wheat exports and, subsequently, on wheat flour, refined flour and semolina was placed to ensure that there is no shortage in the domestic market.

 

If the government allows export of refined flour and semolina as well, processors will need to follow the same conditions prescribed for export of wheat flour, the official said. 

 

According to the notification issued for wheat flour last week, exports that take place under the advance authorisation scheme–which allows duty free imports of inputs provided it is mandatorily used in products that are to be exported within a specified time — the procedures to be followed will be provided in the handbook of procedures.

 

Actual user condition

'Export of wheat flour (atta) by 100 per cent EOUs and units in the SEZ will be subject to pre-import of wheat condition. The wheat flour (atta) will have to be exported within 180 days from the date of import of the wheat consignment. The import shall be subject to actual user condition and transfer of imported raw material, for any purpose including job work, shall not be permitted. Procurement of domestic wheat for the purpose of export of wheat flour will not be allowed,' the notification said.

 

Entire production of milling process has to be exported and no remnants of the milling process will be allowed to be retained in the country, except the wastage that is approved by the Norms Committee, it said.