Sugar production in India, the world's second largest producing nation after Brazil, is estimated to increase by 2.90 per cent to 31.9 million tonnes in the ongoing 2021-22 marketing year, according to the first estimate released by the trade body AISTA on Thursday. With estimated production of 31.9 million tonnes plus opening stock of 8.3 million tonnes with mills, the total availability of sugar in the country is expected to be 40.2 million tonnes in the current marketing year, slightly lower than the previous year, it said.

 

However, the supply of sugar in the country would be sufficient to meet the domestic consumption, which is estimated to be at 27 million tonnes in the 2021-22 marketing year, it added.

 

Sugar marketing year runs from October to September.

 

In case of exports, the All India Sugar Trade Association (AISTA) said the outbound shipments are estimated to be lower at 6 million tonnes in the current 2021-22 marketing year, as against 7.2 million tonnes in the previous year.

 

'The actual exports in 2021-22, would depend upon the level of domestic sugar prices vis-a-vis international sugar prices,' the trade body noted.

 

According to the AISTA's first estimate, the country's sugar production is expected to be at 31.9 million tonnes in the 2021-22 marketing year, as against 31 million tonnes in the previous year.

 

Out of the total estimated sugar production for this year, mills in Uttar Pradesh -- the country's leading sugar producing state -- are estimated to produce 10.5 million tonnes of the sweetener in the 2021-22 marketing year, lower than 11.1 million tonnes in the previous year.

 

However, production in Maharashtra -- the country's second largest sugar producing state -- is estimated to be higher at 11.5 million tonnes, as against 10.7 million tonnes, while that of in Karnataka -- the country's third largest sugar producing state -- the production is expected to be 4.8 million tonnes, as against 4.7 million tonnes in the said period.

 

Sugar production is pegged to be slightly higher at 1.1 million tonnes in Gujarat, at 1 million tonnes in Tamil Nadu, and at 3 million tonnes in other states, the data showed.

 

'The above estimates of 31.9 million tonnes of sugar production excludes the diversion of sucrose for ethanol production,' AISTA said.

 

It is estimated that 3.1 million tonnes of sucrose would get diverted in the current marketing year for ethanol production from B-heavy molasses and sugarcane juice, it added.

 

AISTA also said the domestic sugar consumption is estimated to increase by 2 per cent to 27 million tonnes in the 2021-22 marketing year, from 26.5 million tonnes in the previous year.

 

The first estimate has been arrived at after considering the estimated sugarcane production, sugar production, recovery rate and drawl rate achieved so far in the current marketing year, as well as likely diversion of sucrose for production of ethanol from B-heavy molasses, it said.

 

Sugarcane crushing is going on, AISTA said and added that it will come out with a second production estimate for the 2021-22 marketing year by February-end or early March.

 

Bangladesh has emerged as the top destination for exported Indian pomegranates over the last few years. Ease of transportation and relatively relaxed import norms have helped Indian growers take their fruit to Bangladesh even as the share of export to European countries has dropped.

 

Grown mostly in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat, pomegranate has emerged as a major export crop for drought-prone areas of the state. Over the years, Indian exports have become stagnant at around 50,000-60,000 tonnes as concerns over the quality of the fruit eclipsed the growth potential. While the European Union is a major market where the fruit fetches premium prices, the standards governing quality are higher there.

 

Prabhakar Chandane, president of All India Pomegranate Growers Association, said non-availability of export-ready fruit has, over the years, seen European markets slipping slowly out of Indian exporters’ hands. Last fiscal, India had exported 68,502.9 tonnes of the fruit, of which 36,906.77 tonnes had gone to Bangladesh. In the current fiscal, of the 53,524.31 tonnes of the fruit, 31,185.84 tonnes have been exported to Bangladesh.

 

One of the main reasons for the neighbouring country emerging as a major export destination is the ease of transport and the relatively relaxed quality norms. 'Last three years, just before the season, unseasonal rains and attack of mildew have affected our ability to export,' said Chandane.

 

'The fruit can be exported to Bangladesh round the year and thus we can send our produce even when the European season is over,' he said.

 

While exports have taken a hit, registration of farmers who are ready to export their produce have seen a sizeable jump. The Agriculture department registers plots for export and outlines steps to ensure the fruits meet the prescribed residue content. The steps include measured application of pesticides and fungicides, which could be detected in residue levels before exports. This fiscal, 5,000 farms have to registered, of which 1,000 have been registered.

The Centre has set a target to increase area under zaid crops (excluding paddy) — grown between rabi and kharif seasons — by 29 per cent at 52.72 lakh hectares (lh) this year. Of this, 21.05 lh will be under pulses, 13.78 lh under oilseeds and 17.89 lh under coarse cereals.

 

Paddy area in the last summer season was about 40 lh and that may remain in the range of 30-40 lh this year though the government wants diversification from rice, an official said. Summer rice is grown mainly in West Bengal, Telangana, Karnataka, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Bihar.

 

Pulses , cereals

 

Among pulses, moong is the most preferred one and the government targets 17.58 lh under summer moong, mainly in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, against 14.45 lh actual last year. In oilseeds, major summer grown crops are groundnut and sesame where the targets are fixed at 7.6 lh and 5.25 lh, respectively. Among coarse cereals, summer maize has been targeted in an area of 8.79 lh against 7.85 lh actual last year.

 

The additional area increase targeted is to come from rice fallows, inter-cropping in oil palm and sugarcane, besides the normal summer areas, the official said.

 

Post-monsoon, the country received 44 per cent more than normal rains at 177.7 mm during October-December and in the first three weeks of January the rainfall was nearly three times higher than average at 31.8 mm.

 

Addressing the annual conference on summer crops, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the objective of the conference was to review the performance of these crops during the preceding three cropping seasons and fix crop-wise targets for the coming summer season in consultation with the State governments. The priority of government is to increase production of oilseeds and pulses where large imports are required, he said.

 

Fertilisers supply

 

Tomar also asked participating States in the conference to plan in advance for their fertilisers needs and provide estimates to the Centre and ensure sufficient quantity of crop nutrients are made available in time. He suggested that States should work towards increasing the use of NPK and liquid urea to reduce the dependence on DAP fertiliser.

 

The Fertilisers Secretary Rajesh Kumar Chaturvedi said that adequate and timely availability of fertilisers would be ensured in ensuing season and the government has estimated total availability of urea at 255.28 lakh tonnes (lt), DAP 81.24 lt, MOP 18.50 lt, NPKS 76.87 lt and SSP 34 lt for Kharif 2022.

India is expected to host Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian next week, close on the heels of the India-Central Asia summit, amid tension in the Gulf region that could adversely impact energy prices and the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

 

This would be the Iranian foreign minister’s maiden visit since his appointment last year. The agenda of the visit will include the Afghan situation, transit to Afghanistan and Central Asia, current developments in West Asia following the UAE-Houthi battle and trade ties, according to people aware of the matter.

 

The other issue that will figure high on the agenda of talks between the visiting minister and his Indian counterpart is the optimum use of Chabahar Port. While Iran will help in the transit of Indian wheat consignment to Afghanistan, the Taliban regime under Pakistan’s influence might try to limit India’s access to the port.

 

India is extremely keen to use the port for connectivity to Central Asia. India, Iran and Afghanistan had entered into a trilateral arrangement for the use of Chabahar Port under the erstwhile Ghani government. Later, India-Iran-Uzbekistan formed a trilateral for the use of the strategically located port and there was speculation that Afghanistan might join to make it a quadrilateral of sorts.

 

Besides, a preferential trade agreement with Iran is on the cards. India is keen to push the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) for connectivity to Russia via Iran. There are plans by India, Iran and Russia to link the Chabahar Port with the INSTC which would also enable the Central Asian states to access the Indian Ocean Region via the port. Iran’s entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as a member could further bolster India-Iran ties in the region.

 

Ahead of the visit, Amir-Abdollahian sent Republic Day greetings and called for expansion of all-out relations. “Warm wishes to my colleague Indian FM@DrSJaishankar and the government and people of the Republic of India as they celebrate their Republic Day. Will continue to work towards further expansion of all-out relations, bilaterally, regionally and at international fora,” he tweeted on Tuesday.

 

The recent developments in the Gulf are a cause for worry for India as the situation might lead to a surge in oil prices if the conflict lingers and spreads. Besides, the developments may once again sharpen divergences between various actors in the region, requiring India to bring all its experience in balancing its approach which has been appreciated by all states in the region. India enjoys enormous goodwill across the Arab world.

 

Iran, like India, favours an inclusive regime in Kabul that comprises representatives from all ethnic communities. The issue is expected to figure high on the agenda of Jaishankar’s meeting with Amir-Abdollahian. The two had met twice last year.

 

Iran, which has centuries-old cultural and political influence in Afghanistan as a neighbour, does not want to play second fiddle to Pakistan. It is keen to push representation of Hazaras – Shias, who account for 10 per cent of Afghanistan’s population – in Kabul’s power structure and safeguard their future.

National Bee Board (NBB) organized a National Conference on Beekeeping Sector in collaboration with National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED), Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) & National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) on 24.01.2022. More than 600 participants from Government as well as the private sector, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs)/ Central Agricultural Universities (CAUs), Beekeepers and other stakeholders involved in beekeeping occupation, etc. attended the conference.

 

During the conference Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India spoke on National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM), a central sector scheme launched by Govt. of India for overall promotion & development of scientific beekeeping in the country. The implementation of NBHM will be proven a huge step in achieving the “Sweet Revolution” in the country.

 

Shri Likhi expressed that NBHM will help in filling gaps in infrastructural facilities for honey and linking marginal beekeepers in an organized way for dealing with adulteration in honey. NBB has launched Madhukranti Portal for traceability of honey & other beehive products viz.; bee pollen, bee wax, bee venom, propolis, etc. NBHM has the aim to create a network of honey testing labs covering all parts of the country and for this 100 FPOs of beekeepers will be proved as the center. He suggested including honey FPO beekeeping society/ cooperative/ firms for better sustainability in the honey sector.

 

Dr N. K. Patle, Additional Commissioner (Horti.) and Executive Director (NBB) emphasized on implementation of the NBHM scheme effectively all over the country and to provide factual benefits to beekeepers and other stakeholders associated with beekeeping occupation. To increase the income of beekeepers, it is advisable that along with the production of honey, other beehive products viz.; royal jelly, bee pollen, bee wax, bee venom, propolis, etc. should also be produced.

 

Dr Balraj Singh, Coordinator, AICRP on Honey Bee & Pollinator, ICAR, New Delhi, mentioned that currently there are 25 AICRP centres in the country, which are actively involved in research in beekeeping/ pollination. ICAR is on the way to creating Pollinator Gardens under AICRP centres across India. The first such type of Pollinator Garden has been established at Govind Bhallabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand.

 

Dr Arjun Singh Saini, Director General (Horticulture) spoke on the status and strategy for implementation of the Madhukranti Portal in Haryana. He informed that about 816 beekeepers with 1,29,652 honeybee colonies are registered on Madhukranti Portal from Haryana State.

 

Shri Pankaj Prasad, Additional Managing Director and Shri Unnikrishnan, General Manager from NAFED informed that NAFED is creating 65 clusters/ Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs) of beekeepers/ Honey Processors. These 65 FPOs will be part of the honey corridor linking northwest to north-eastern regions. NAFED is aiming at bringing all these 65 FPOs associated with honey production for creating requisite infrastructure under the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission. Shri Ashish Tiwari, Head, Organic & Specialty (ISAP), informed that 5 FPOs have already been formed/registered allotted by NAFED.

 

Shri Abhijit Bhattacharya, NDDB stated that NDDB has an approach of creating Honey FPOs in the line of Dairy Cooperatives for getting the benefit of infrastructural facilities available with Dairy Cooperatives/ Milk Unions.

 

Mrs Seema Bhatnagar, General Manager, TRIFED informed that TRIFED is already involved in promoting beekeeping in tribal parts of the country and procuring wild honey and has also exported to various countries honey worth Rs. 115 lakhs during 2020-21.

 

A brief process of registration on the Madhukranti Portal was also demonstrated to participants/ beekeepers of this conference by Shri Jai Prakash, Senior Manager, Indian Bank. Registration with Madhukranti Portal will help the beekeepers during the migration of bee colonies and also to get insurance.

 

The questions of the participants were addressed during the Conference.

South Korea's leading feedmaker Nonghyup Feed Inc. (NOFI) has issued an international tender to purchase up to 207,000 tonnes of animal feed corn and up to 195,000 tonnes of animal feed wheat, European traders said on Wednesday.

 

The deadline for submission of price offers in the tender is also Wednesday, Jan. 26.

FSSAI has issued a draft inviting comments on proposed amendments in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations related to sheep milk and standards of olive oil amongst others.

 

The draft proposed addition of the standards for sheep milk wherein the Fat content is fixed at 3.0 and SnF content at 9.0.

 

It proposed additional standards for variants of olive oil related to ‘Absorbency in ultra-violet K270’.

 

The absorbency has been fixed for extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, ordinary virgin olive oil, refined olive oil, olive oil, refined olive –pomace oil, refined olive –pomace oil, and olive-pomace oil.

 

Further, it includes standards for moringa oil. According to the draft,  moringa oil means the oil obtained by process of expressing clean and sound moringa seed (Moringa oleifera).

 

The draft added additional sub regulations related to standards of oils and fats. A clause 2.2.9 has been added related to Solvent Extracted Crude Vegetable Oils (not for direct human consumption).

 

The clause says that-

 

(1) Solvent extracted crude vegetable oils mean vegetable oils extracted using food grade hexane from sources mentioned in standards of respective edible oils under sub regulation 2.2.1 of these regulations. The oil shall be clear, free from rancidity, adulterants, sediment, suspended and other foreign matter, separated water and added colouring and flavouring substances. These oils shall also be free from Argemone oil.

 

(2) These oils as such are not for direct human consumption and shall be refined before human consumption. The oils so refined, shall conform to the standards specified for respective edible oils laid down under regulation 2.2.1 (16).

 

The draft also details out the standards such oils need to conform.

 

In addition, the draft laid provisions for desiccated coconut. It proposes that the product having oil content 35-60% shall be labelled as “Reduced Fat Desiccated Coconut’.

Backed by rains this month which helped ongoing sowing operation and served the standing crops well in most states, the overall acreage of rabi (winter sown) crops is all set to create a new record in what may eventually lead to bumper output of foodgrains for a second successive pandemic-hit year.

 

Though the acreage of wheat this season continues to be marginally less than its sown area in the corresponding period last year, the higher acreage of oilseeds and pulses may help in setting the new record. Acreage data of agriculture ministry as on last Friday showed the total sown area under rabi crop at 680 lakh hectares compared to 672 lakh hectares during corresponding period last year — an increase of over 1%. It, however, reported an increase of nearly 9% compared to normal sown area (625 lakh hectares) of rabi crops during corresponding period. The normal sown area is calculated as an average of last five years’ acreage.

 

The high acreage this year indicates the possibility of higher output of foodgrains in the 2021-22 crop year compared to previous year’s production. Although the acreage of wheat was around 4 lakh hectares less as on last Friday, pulses’ sown areas showed an increase of over 1 lakh hectares and acreage of oilseeds showed an increase of over 18 lakh hectares (23%) compared to its sown areas during corresponding period in 2019-20.

 

'Substantial increase in acreage of oilseeds is attributed to farmers’ choice in its favour which is influenced by higher hike in MSP of mustard and rapeseed. Higher sown area along with favourable weather conditions including a wet spell at appropriate time will help farmers in getting higher output in 2021-22,' said an official in agriculture ministry.

 

The ministry has already estimated higher production of kharif (summer sown) crops, including record output of paddy in 2021-22, indicating how this along with high rabi crops’ output will make the current year more productive than the previous one.

 

Total production of kharif crops in India is estimated at record 150 million tonnes (MT) which is over 12 MT higher than the average production of previous five years (2015-16 to 2019-20). As far as paddy is concerned, its output during 2021-22 is estimated at 107 MT which is over 9 MT higher than its average output of the past five years.

Trade between India and South Africa has exceeded the USD 10 billion target set by the leaders of the two countries, Consul General Anju Ranjan announced at a reception here on Wednesday to celebrate India's 73rd Republic Day.

 

'India-South Africa trade has crossed the landmark. We have achieved the 100 per cent target and now it has increased from USD 10 billion to USD 11.6 billion,' Ranjan said.

 

This was despite the restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in both countries, she added.

 

'We were able to organise many commercial activities despite the challenges of lockdowns, sometimes in India and sometimes in South Africa.

 

'We held many virtual exhibitions and buyer-seller meets in different sectors like ceramics, telecom, agriculture, printing and textiles during this period to improve bilateral trade between the two countries,' Ranjan said.

 

'In between, we were able to send delegations to India for physical buyer-seller meets and exhibitions for food processing and handicrafts,' the diplomat said as she highlighted that new ties were forged through visits to the various provinces of South Africa.

 

'Notwithstanding the pandemic, the improvement in trade relations between our two countries is a positive step. We aspire to do much more in the coming months in the areas of spices, IT, telecom, mining, pharma and textiles,' Ranjan said.

 

In his keynote address, High Commissioner Jaideep Sarkar lauded the Indian companies who were contributing to the economic development of South Africa.

 

'I am happy to say that over 150 Indian companies have invested more than USD 10 billion in South Africa, employing over 20,000 South African nationals. These companies bring critical skills, technology and entrepreneurship and create jobs, income and wealth for both India and South Africa,' he said.

 

Sarkar also congratulated the global Indian diaspora, which he said is now an influential community.

 

'We are equally proud of the Indian diaspora in South Africa, whose journey since 1860 is a story of struggle, sacrifice and hardship. Its contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle and later to building a free, democratic and multi-racial South Africa is well-recognised,' he said.

 

'India has always been an all-weather friend of South Africa and Indians and Africans have had historically close ties spanning centuries. We look to the diaspora to further expand, enhance and enrich these bonds in the years to come,' Sarkar added.

 

Maropene Ramokgopa, Special Adviser on International Relations to President Cyril Ramaphosa and a former Consul General in India, said the Red Fort Declaration signed by the late president Nelson Mandela and then Indian prime minister HD Deve Gowda in 1997 paved the way for the successful trade relations between the two countries.

 

'The Red Fort Declaration has really been able to assist us to be able to reach a lot of bilateral trade and also broad policies that we share today. If it was not for that declaration, I do not believe that we would have been able to be where we are today,' she said.

 

'India and South Africa have been working together to reshape the international agenda in many international groupings, from the corporate world to the G20,' Ramokgopa added.

DGTR (Directorate General of Trade Remedies) of the Department of Commerce has issued 56 final findings since April, 2021 in in Anti-Dumping (AD)/Countervailing Duties (CVD)/Safeguard (SG) investigations.35 more investigations have been started since April, 2021 and many more are in pipeline.

 

It may be noted that the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) is a quasi-judicial body functioning under the aegis of the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. The DGTR serves as a watchdog against unfair trade practices resorted by the producers/ exporters in foreign countries and aims to create a level playing for the Indian industry. The unfair trade practices that the DGTR acts against are in the form of dumped imports or subsidised imports or imports that circumvent existing anti-dumping/countervailing duties. DGTR also protects the domestic industry from surge in imports that harm the Indian industry.

 

The function of the DGTR is to conduct an elaborate investigation into the complaint filed by the Indian domestic producers allegedly injured by the unfair trade practices adopted by foreign producers/ exporters and then take a decision on whether or not to recommend imposition of duty. Final decision regarding imposition of duty recommended by the DGTR is taken by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

 

An application to initiate an investigation is generally filed by the domestic industry, after which, the DGTR initiates the investigation and invites participation of all stakeholders – domestic industry, foreign producers, exporters, importers, users and their associations. The DGTR then gathers evidence from each stakeholder to examine the allegations of domestic industry. It is only after the detailed and elaborate examination of facts, data and legal submissions of stakeholders that DGTR arrives at the conclusion regarding recommendation of duty depending on whether or not the domestic manufacturers have suffered material injury or threat of material injury by the dumped or subsidized imports.

 

  All investigations are required to be concluded within 12 months. This period is extendable upto 18 months. However, the average time to complete the investigation has consistently been reduced by the DGTR and it usually endeavours to complete most investigations within 5-7 months for ensuring a faster relief to the domestic industry.

 

Several reforms have been carried out by the Directorate in its processes and procedures through greater use of digital platform, simplification of application formats, annexures and questionnaires and introduction of self-certification in conducting trade remedy investigations.

 

 These steps will minimize the need of physical interface and lead to enhanced speed, efficiency and transparency and will usher in a new regime of trade facilitation by substantially reducing compliance burden on the stakeholders.

 

Introduction of sampling procedure recently for fragmented industry will greatly reduce compliance burden for such segment of domestic industry and facilitate enhanced availment of trade remedy instruments by MSMEs and fragmented industry. 

 

Initiatives were also taken for amendment in the Anti-Dumping, Countervailing and Safeguard Rules. Anti-circumvention provisions have been strengthened and anti-absorption provisions introduced.

 

The duties recommended by the DGTR have had a positive impact on several Indian industries. The Indian industries that have benefited from this duty have been able to enhance their production capacity, attract substantially moreinvestments, and generate more employment.