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Agro Universities, Agrotech, Finance, IT, R&D

Researchers of International Rice Genebank (IRG) aim to apply a combination of AI and high-throughput phenotyping methodologies to assess the IRG rice collection’s tolerance to abiotic stresses.

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is receiving 2 million USD in grant funding from Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, to harness the power of Artificial intelligence (AI) towards fast-tracking the development and deployment of high-yielding, climate-resilient rice varieties to sustain and increase rice production in the face of climate change.

Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, has set up this competitive grant to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Through this grant, the researchers from IRRI’s Fit-for-Future Genetic Resources unit that steward the International Rice Genebank (IRG) aim to apply a combination of AI and high-throughput phenotyping methodologies to assess the IRG rice collection’s tolerance to abiotic stresses such as flooding, drought, and salinity – making a laborious, costly, and time-consuming process more efficient. This will also promote the enhanced utilization of the genebank’s resources.

“IRRI’s genebank is the world’s largest rice gene bank and holds, in trust, over 132,000 varieties originating from 132 countries. This rich resource is used for breeding to develop new and better rice varieties. At present, only five percent of this resource is used due to limited information on its collections, as we lack appropriate, cost-effective, and high-throughput phenotyping methodologies. AI will undoubtedly unlock the genebank’s full potential in helping address these critical food security challenges,” said IRG Head, Dr. Venuprasad Ramaiah.

Google.org’s AI for the Global Goals Impact Challenge is part of Google’s company-wide commitment to help accelerate progress towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. IRRI is one of 15 organizations receiving support through the $25 million philanthropy challenge for projects that use AI to accelerate progress towards these goals. Out of many submitted proposals, 15 were selected for funding. Importantly, all of the projects will be open-sourced so other organizations can build upon the work.

“Each of the 15 selected organizations share our vision for using AI to accelerate progress on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and each organization brings their own expertise to help move the needle,” said James Manyika, Google’s SVP of Research, Technology & Society. “We are inspired by the possibilities they see for how AI can be harnessed to help people solve societal problems, and are excited about the collective impact they will have over the next three years.”

Based on projections, the IRRI team foresees economic returns of at least 30 billion USD from the project’s implementation after five years from release. The project also presents an opportunity for the capacity strengthening of national research institutions’ staff, which will bring further long term benefits.

“The project is expected to bring a significant impact on food security and biodiversity conservation while promoting social, nutritional, gender, equity, and entrepreneurship benefits, and building the resilience of rice-growing and consuming countries to climate change. We thank Google for their support in this meaningful initiative,” said IRRI Interim Director General, Dr. Ajay Kohli.

Researchers of International Rice Genebank (IRG) aim

Company News, India, Sustainability

Both partners believe that by leveraging collective expertise, resources, and shared vision, they can introduce cutting-edge solutions that safeguard crops, nurture the soil, and promote sustainable solutions within the agriculture sector in India

Koppert India and PI Industries Ltd. (PI) signed a strategic alliance recently to foster advancements in sustainable agriculture practices and jointly innovate in the domain of Agriculture Biologicals.

As the global agricultural community grapples with the challenges of climate change, dwindling resources, and increasing food demand, the urgency to pivot towards eco-friendly and sustainable crop & soil protection solutions becomes paramount. Both partners believe that by leveraging collective expertise, resources, and shared vision, they can introduce cutting-edge solutions that safeguard crops, nurture the soil, and promote sustainable solutions within the agriculture sector in India.

Commenting on the occasion Mayank Singhal, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director, PI Industries Ltd. said, “We take great pleasure inking this understanding in the presence of the (demissionary) Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte. With a very apparent requirement to ensure food security, the importance of joint biological portfolio development cannot be emphasised more. This partnership towards development and practice of sustainable agriculture perfectly captures the hopes and aspirations of global communities”.

Sharing his views on the development, Henri Oosthoek, Advisory Board member of Koppert added, “Biological crop protection is at the forefront of reshaping agriculture. By harnessing the power of nature and science, both partners aim to work towards sustainable agriculture, ensuring resilient crops, healthier soil and a safer environment. This alliance will amplify our shared commitment towards innovation, research, and the proliferation of sustainable practices within the agricultural sector.”

Both partners believe that by leveraging collective

Company News, Floriculture, World

The Gerbera Catalogue for 2024 offers an overview of both new additions and long-time favourite varieties within Standard, Mini, Pomponi, Mini Pomponi and Piccolini

HilverdaFlorist shares two exciting new catalogues for the year 2024. These editions present the commercial Gerbera assortment as well as a wide range of other Cut Flowers (Limonium, Alstroemeria, Dianthus, Scabiosa, Gypsophila and Helleborus).

The catalogues collectively introduce over 40 new varieties, representing the forefront of product development and innovation. Both catalogues feature a vibrant spectrum of new colours, enhanced key attributes, unexpected versatility, and in-depth insights provided by HilverdaFlorist’s assortment managers, marketing and R&D experts, breeders, and managing directors of subsidiaries.

The Gerbera Catalogue for 2024 offers an overview of both new additions and long-time favourite varieties within Standard, Mini, Pomponi, Mini Pomponi and Piccolini. The Cut Flower Catalogue 2023 beautifully showcases Alstroemeria, Dianthus, Gypsophila, Helleborus, Limonium, and Scabiosa varieties. Discover new specialities and brands now! Both catalogues are available in print and online via hilverdaflorist.com.

In line with the catalogue launches, the Gerbera and Cut Flower show greenhouses in De Kwakel, Netherlands, burst into a display of flowers, offering a unique opportunity to witness the introductions of the new season in week 45.

From November 7 to 9, HilverdaFlorist will also unveil its latest innovations at the Royal FloraHolland Trade Fair in Aalsmeer. Furthermore, HilverdaFlorist’s subsidiary companies, HilverdaFlorist Colombia and Murara Plants in Kenya, will participate in the International Floriculture Trade Fair (IFTF) in Vijfhuizen from November 8 to 10. In the same week, HilverdaFlorist invites visitors to the open days in the show greenhouses at Dwarsweg 15 in De Kwakel.

HilverdaFlorist focuses on the breeding, propagation and development of an extensive range of cut flowers, pots and garden plants. With a trusted, global network of subsidiaries, distribution partners and production locations, HilverdaFlorist provides local support and premium young plant material, suitable for every climate and evolving cultivation requirements.

The Gerbera Catalogue for 2024 offers an

AgroPolicy, India, Interaction

The 14th World Spice Congress commenced on Friday, September 15 in Navi Mumbai where Amardeep Singh Bhatia, IAS, Additional Secretary, Government of India said, the India Spice market will reach the milestone of $10 billion export by 2030.

The mega spice event, the 14th World Spice Congress (WSC) commenced on Friday, September 15 at the CIDCO Exhibition Centre at Vashi in Navi Mumbai where around 1300 delegates both from India and internationally participated with great enthusiasm. Amardeep Singh Bhatia, IAS, Additional Secretary, Dept. of Commerce, Government of India, during his inaugural address for the 14th edition of the WSC said that India’s spice export is $4 billion and is expected to reach $10 billion by 2030.

“India is a leading player in the global spice industry. Traditionally India has been the spice centre of the world. In order to ensure that India continues to maintain its traditional strength there are several things to work on in the entire chain of spices from growers to marketers,” he added. “It is a shared responsibility of the government and Spices Board to come up with schemes and programmes to facilitate testing labs, assessment quality standards, etc. This three-day event will give a lot of business opportunities to all the stakeholders, delegates, exhibitors and producers,” he said.

Highlighting the potentials of the Indian spices industry, D Sathiyan, Secretary, Spices Board, said, “The spices legacy is part of human culture. India is the spice bowl of the world. There is tremendous potential to explore product development, biotech, etc. in India. More than 75 spices are grown in India and each state has spices to offer. The future of the world spice industry will be discussed at the three-day event of World Spice Congress.”

The first day of the event commenced with the inauguration of an exhibition highlighting the variety of spices and value-added spice products as well as innovative technologies and solutions in the spices industry and a visual presentation on Indian Spice Sector by D Sathiyan, Secretary, Spices Board. While presenting he highlighted the illustrious journey of the Indian Spice industry, current trends, emphasizing technology, sustainability, and the demand for unique blends. With an eye on the future, he ignited optimism for the industry’s boundless growth potential in an increasingly diverse world.

                                                                                                                    By Abhitash Singh

The 14th World Spice Congress commenced on

Agro chems – Pesticides, Company News, India

 Developed in collaboration with Nissan Chemical Corporation, Japan.

Leading agrochemical company Dhanuka Agritech Limited has introduced a new herbicide ‘Tizom’ that will help farmers in controlling weeds in sugarcane crop and enhance farm profitability from Sugarcane cultivation. Company has introduced Tizom for Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu farmers and will soon tap other states too.

Introduced in collaboration with Nissan Chemical Corporation, Japan, ‘Tizom’ is a groundbreaking herbicide whose unique composition and properties promise to revolutionize weed control in sugarcane farming. Two key active ingredients of ‘Tizom’- Halosulfuron Methyl 6% + Metribuzin 50% WG – provide an effective solution for controlling a wide range of weeds, including narrow leaf weeds, broadleaf weeds and Cyperus rotundus. Thus, it plays a pivotal role in increasing the productivity of sugarcane crop.

Commenting on the introduction of Tizom, Rahul Dhanuka, Joint Managing Director, Dhanuka Agritech Limited said, “Tizom will further strengthen our robust sugarcane portfolio and will be extremely helpful to sugarcane farmers. The introduction of Tizom is also a testament of our continuous endeavour to offer the best solutions to farmers and help enhance their income.”

“We at Dhanuka have aggressive growth plans in the current financial year and we plan to introduce a slew of products lined up during the remainder of the current fiscal year,” he added.

As part of Dhanuka’s unwavering focus on serving the needs of Indian farmers and strengthening its position in the crop care product segment, following the launch of 6 biologicals, 2 herbicides and 1 insecticide, Tizom is 10th product launched in this financial year.

One of the major advantages of Tizom is that it targets and eliminates weeds while leaving sugarcane crops unharmed. Moreover, Tizom offers prolonged weed control, allowing farmers to enjoy a weed-free environment for an extended duration.

Throwing more light on the benefits that Tizom brings to the table, Manoj Varshney, National Marketing Head of Dhanuka Agritech Limited said, “The selectiveness is crucial for protecting the sugarcane plants from weeds and ensuring optimal growth and yield. Such a unique offering is the need of the Indian farmers and we at Dhanuka are determined to provide noble solutions to farmers.”

 Amit Mishra, Senior Portfolio Manager for Herbicides at Dhanuka too expressed similar thoughts and said that Tizom would eliminate a major obstacle for Indian sugarcane farmers and may simplify crop management and enhance productivity.

On the part of Nissan Chemical Corporation, Japan, Dr R.K. Yadav, Managing Director, Nissan Agro Tech India Pvt. Ltd., and Yasuhiko Teraoka, International Business Head at Nissan Chemical Corporation reiterated their commitment to providing quality products to support Indian farmers in the future as well.

 Developed in collaboration with Nissan Chemical Corporation,

AgroPolicy, Foodgrains, India

Telangana joins as the state partner at the World India Food Summit 2023

Telangana hosted the prestigious World Food India’s Telangana Summit, a significant event that brought together key stakeholders in the food processing sector.

The summit in Hyderabad was graced by the presence of eminent dignitaries, including Telangana’s Principal Secretary, Jayesh Ranjana, and the Ministry of Food Processing and Industries’ Additional Secretary, Minhaj Alam.

Jayesh Ranjan in his address highlighted the key features of the Telangana Summit, and the inauguration of the first-of-its-kind Millet Incubation Centre, supported under the PMFME Scheme. He also announced that Telangana as the state partner for the New Delhi event will Telangana Pavilion, and urged startups and small businesses to participate and showcase their inventions at the Pavilion. The last date for submissions is 10 October 2023.

Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) has been granted Rs. 268.76 Lakhs for this project, situated in the capital city of Telangana.

The Millet Incubation Centre offers a diverse range of processing facilities, including primary and secondary millet processing, extrusion lines for vermicelli, pasta, and noodles, bakery lines, and a puffing line. This expansion aims to double the number of entrepreneurs benefiting from these facilities and promote the nutritional value and versatility of millets, such as Sorghum, Pearl millet, Finger Millet, Proso millet, Foxtail millet, Kodo millet, Little millet, and Barnyard Millet.

Millets, often referred to as ‘nutri-cereals’ or ‘Shree Anna,’ have garnered attention for their high nutritional content, including calcium, zinc, iron, and a low glycemic index. To meet the increasing demand for ready-to-eat, ready-to-cook, and ready-to-serve millet products, the Millet Incubation Centre introduces technology for value-added products like biscuits, pasta, noodles, and more under the brand “MILLET-PLUS.”

This event highlights the significance of millet on a global scale, addressing food security, nutrition, and climate resilience. It aligns with various government schemes, such as PMFME, PMKSY, and PLIS, aimed at boosting the food processing sector, with subsidies and support for micro-food processing enterprises.

All entrepreneurs, including millet-based and other food processing industries, are encouraged to actively participate in World Food India 2023. It provides a global platform to showcase unique products, innovations, and success stories while fostering networking, collaborations, and learning from global best practices.

Telangana joins as the state partner at

Agrotech, Company News, India, R&D, Seeds

In this cutting-edge facility’s Plant Pathology units, NSPL will focus on developing pest and disease-resistant crop varieties, promising higher yields and reduced reliance on pesticides.

Bengaluru based Namdhari Seeds Pvt. Ltd. (NSPL), recently inaugurated a state-of-the-art greenhouse facility, dedicated to enhancing its existing Plant Pathology and Seed Health operations. This cutting-edge facility spans an impressive 58,000 square feet, meticulously designed to adhere to international standards and incorporate the latest technological advancements. NSPL has always been committed to upholding world-class research, testing, and product quality development standards.

Speaking at the inauguration, Gurmukh Roopra, Namdhari’s Group CEO said, “We recognize that there are multiple challenges at the farmer level that need scientific solutions. As a result, we have taken steps to invest in forward-looking tools and solutions for our researchers, effectively reiterating our commitment to providing world-class products for our farmers and consumers well into the future.”

In this cutting-edge facility’s Plant Pathology units, NSPL will focus on developing pest and disease-resistant crop varieties, promising higher yields and reduced reliance on pesticides. This endeavour aligns seamlessly with NSPL’s core ideals of promoting plant health for the betterment of both farmers and consumers. Simultaneously, the Seed Health units will dedicate their efforts to developing, validating, and aligning pathogen testing protocols with international standards like ISTA and ISF. This facility will serve as the cornerstone for testing seeds for commercial purposes, research, or domestic and foreign markets.

Recently three of NSPL’s laboratories—Quality Control (QC), Molecular Biology, and Seed Health achieved accreditation from the prestigious National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories (NABL). This positions NSPL among the elite few companies in India with accreditation for all three testing laboratories. As NSPL continues to embrace future technologies, this new greenhouse facility and NABL accreditation serve as beacons illuminating the path to even greater success.

“These dual milestones are a powerful testament to NSPL’s unwavering dedication to excellence in agriculture. Our state-of-the-art greenhouse and NABL-accredited labs signify our commitment to providing the highest quality seeds and groundbreaking solutions. With these resources, we are now better equipped than ever to serve the needs of both farmers and consumers, ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for all.” said Sameer Sawant, President (Seeds Business), Namdhari Seeds. As NSPL continues to embrace future technologies, this new greenhouse facility and NABL accreditation serve as beacons illuminating the path to even greater success.

In this cutting-edge facility's Plant Pathology units,

Agrotech, Company News, India, Inputs

Mankind Agritech will collaborate closely with ITC’s MAARS initiative, an innovative “phygital” ecosystem combining physical and digital solutions to empower farmers.

Mankind Agritech Pvt. Ltd (a Mankind Pharma Group company) has entered into a strategic partnership with the Agri Business Division of ITC Limited to empower the Indian farming community with technology-enabled high-quality sustainable agricultural solutions. This partnership is aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity, support farmers’ livelihoods and help strengthen the nation’s agricultural sector.

Mankind Agritech will collaborate closely with ITC’s MAARS initiative, an innovative “phygital” ecosystem combining physical and digital solutions to empower farmers. ITCMAARS delivers a diverse range of crop-agnostic hyperlocal services, enabling farmers to boost their incomes and adopt environmentally sustainable practices. This partnership offers ITC a competitive edge in the agritech market, providing farmers with a more comprehensive and effective suite of agricultural solutions, ultimately enhancing their productivity and profitability. The collaboration between the two companies is dedicated to empowering farmers, focusing on improving productivity, reducing costs, and mitigating risks through access to Mankind’s cutting-edge technologies.

This strategic collaboration would enrich Indian agri spectrum by leveraging Mankind’s prowess and expertise in agricultural inputs. Additionally, it fosters demand-responsive value-chains, promote climate-smart agriculture digitally empower farmers.

Speaking about this partnership, Partha Sengupta, President Mankind Agritech said, “We are very proud and delighted to announce this strategic partnership in agriculture with one of India’s major conglomerates – ITC Limited, which has been a pioneer in the field of farmer empowerment. By conducting on-ground collaborative team activities and showcasing product performance through demonstrations and consultation services, this initiative aims to bridge the gap between the Indian agrarian community and their advisory needs with regards to the latest sustainable agri-input solutions that also address environmental concerns.”

Sengupta further added: “Weedicides, insecticides, fungicides, plant growth regulators, and biologicals are just a few of the cutting-edge crop care solutions that Mankind Agritech will provide to Indian agriculturists, enabling them to maximise their produce while ensuring easy accessibility to world class quality products at affordable Indian prices.”.

Rajnikant Rai, Divisional Chief Executive, Agri Business Division, ITC said, “The ITCMAARS ‘Phygital’ model encompasses physical engagement on the ground with FPOs as the pivot, whilst bringing the power of digital technologies to farmers in the form of a super app and offerings. It also enables delivery of high-quality products such as farm inputs to the farmers right at the village level through partnerships with leading Inputs companies. The platform is also building an ecosystem for new age AgTech startups to ‘Plug and Scale’. ITCMAARS aims to progressively cover as many as 4,000 FPOs, empowering 10 million Indian farmers by 2030.”

“This partnership between Mankind Agritech and ITC is yet another important step towards ITC’s vision to usher in Next Generation Agriculture and ensure that Indian farmers have access to the best-in-class sustainable agri-input solutions right at their doorstep”, Rai added.

Mankind Agritech will collaborate closely with ITC’s

Agrotech, Company News, India, IT, Start ups

This iOS launch opens up new possibilities for farmers, Farmer’s Producer Organizations (FPOs), government departments, agri-input, and agri-output companies.

edge satellite-driven product, the Sat2Farm mobile app, to iOS users. This move is set to revolutionize farming practices, providing precision farming advisories to enhance crop yields and minimise input costs for farmers worldwide.

The Sat2Farm Application, previously available on Android, offers detailed farm-level information covering extensive areas with real-time data minimizing the necessity for labor-intensive farm management tasks. This cost-effective approach supersedes traditional methods and plays a pivotal role in advancing precision agriculture and sustainable crop management. It enables farmers with varying land sizes, from small to large holdings, to embrace precision farming practices. With over 1 lakh acres already benefiting from the Android version across the globe, this iOS launch opens up new possibilities for farmers, Farmer’s Producer Organizations (FPOs), government departments, agri-input, and agri-output companies.

The increasing trend in smartphone penetration worldwide, coupled with the expansion of iOS availability, greatly enhances the potential for Sat2Farm to tap into a broader and more diverse market spectrum.

Sat2Farm offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to empower farmers with precision farming tools. These include the ability to assess soil health, monitor crop health, access real-time soil moisture data, and receive accurate 15-day weather forecasts without the need for physical intervention. Additionally, the app provides valuable insights through its pest and disease advisory system, allowing farmers to proactively address potential threats to their crops. The app utilises satellite data to detect essential soil macronutrients such as N, P, K, Soc and pH values accessible within a click, eliminating the need for physical soil sampling. This sets the app apart from any other similar offerings in the market.

The Sat2Farm App features collectively contribute to significant benefits for farmers, including a remarkable 25 per cent to 30 per cent increase in crop yield, a substantial 50 per cent reduction in the usage of pesticides and fungicides, a 50 per cent boost in farm income, a 30 per cent improvement in crop water productivity, and a 5-10 per cent reduction in agri-input costs. Perhaps most notably, Sat2Farm eliminates the need for capital expenditure (CapEx), making it an accessible and cost-effective solution for farmers seeking to optimize their agricultural practices.

Dr Sat Kumar Tomer, and Dr. Yukti Gill co-founders of Satyukt Analytics Private Limited, emphasized the app’s significance, saying, “Sat2Farm empowers farmers to transform their day-to-day agricultural practices using satellite-based precision farming. We are committed to helping farmers increase their income while also promoting sustainable agriculture.”

This iOS launch opens up new possibilities

Agrotech, Company News, Finance, India, Start ups

Company plans to utilise the funds for expanding its Agrani platform & Khet Se Kitchen Tak Initiative.

Noida based full-stack agri-tech firm Leads Connect announced that it has raised Rs 500 crores ($62.5 Million) from BL Agro Industries Ltd, a leading FMCG company, with an aim to enhance its agro-tech stack that would provide more value to farmers.

The funding from BL Agro in Leads Connect would be spread over a period of three years leading to controlling stake by India’s leading FMCG firm. Leads Connect specializes in farm analytics and advisory through agri-tech driven data analytics and modelling, crop cutting experiments, risk management, financial services (farmer loans), and procurement from farmers. The funding will be utilised by Leads Connect towards technology advancement, increase reach among farmers, FPO, co-operatives, and expanding the beneficiary farmer base through establishment of AGRANI Centres in various cities, running awareness generation campaigns, mergers & acquisitions, contract farming, and investment in Research for Deep-tech and AI/ML in agriculture as well as to improve quality procurement and supply chain cycle for BL Agro.

Through further development of its AGRANI (Agriculture & Disaster Risk Analytics using Next Intelligence) platform, Leads Connect aims to enhance its Khet Se Kitchen Tak initiative. The Agrani platform is a Space Tech-AI based Multi-Event Real Time Analytics Omni-Channel Platform for Delivering end-to-end Precise, Hyperlocal, Context, & User Driven Agri-FinTech Services.  There are three apps of the Agrani platform – Agrani Kisan app for farmers, Agrani Saathi for agents, VLE (Village Level Entrepreneurs) and employees and Agrani PRO for FPO, Agri Businesses, exporters and trading houses.

Commenting on the investment, Navneet Ravikar, Chairman and Managing Director, Leads Connect Services, said, “Our partnership with BL Agro will help us to expand agri-tech and agri-fintech in the country and bring in more value to Indian farmers.”

Welcoming the association, Ashish Khandelwal, Managing Director, BL Agro said, “We are delighted to announce our strategic investment in Leads Connect aimed at creating a new chapter in the Indian agri-tech industry. Over the next three years, we would be investing Rs.500 crore leading to a controlling stake in Leads Connect. The synergies of BL Agro and Leads Connect will help Indian farmers get more value by improving market linkages.”

Overwhelmed with the response it has received for its Agrani platform, Leads Connect now plans to set up Brick and Mortar Agrani Kendra throughout India bringing the farm advisory, financial services and market linkage to the doorstep of farmers/Agri-businesses. Apart from increasing yield efficiency, Leads Connect offers digitalisation and end-to-end analytics, including Geospatial Intelligence, SpaceTech and Drone as a Service (DrAAS) for precision farming. Leads Connect also plans to introduce the Agrani platform into the dairy value chain soon.

The Khet Se Kitchen Tak is a farm-to-fork solution that is designed to help improve the productivity and sustainability in the agriculture sector. The initiative will see more than 100 FPO enrolling for the project and will benefit around 50000 farmers initially in UP, Haryana, Telangana and Rajasthan, for the crop value chain in the next six months and then roll out pan India.

Company plans to utilise the funds for

Poultry, SAARC, Supply Chain, Trade

Under the BIMSTEC Cooperation, India will be annually exporting eggs worth Rs 350 crore to Sri Lanka

Tamil Nadu poultry farmers in Namakkal are gearing up to export eggs to Sri Lanka as part of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). Under the BIMSTEC Cooperation, India will be annually exporting eggs worth Rs 350 crore to Sri Lanka’s State Trading Corporation to help the island nation tide over the crisis. This is part of a 350-crore initiative from the Indian government to help Sri Lanka overcome their economic crisis.

Sri Lanka has been facing an economic crisis and a shortage of poultry feed, leading to a shortage of eggs and a significant increase in their cost. Currently, an egg costs Rs 13.

The Sri Lankan cabinet has approved a proposal to import 90 million chicken eggs per month to reduce egg prices in the country. The BIMSTEC has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sri Lankan State Trading Corporation for the supply of onions, red chillies, pulses and chemicals to the island nation.



Under the BIMSTEC Cooperation, India will be

Horticulture, North America, Supply Chain, Trade

Removal of additional retaliatory duties and additional rates for the import of US apples, walnuts and almonds will not result in any negative impact on domestic producers

With the decision to resolve six outstanding World Trade Organisation (WTO) disputes between the US and India through Mutually Agreed Solutions in June 2023, India has withdrawn additional duties on eight US-origin products, including apples, walnuts and almonds vide notification number 53/2023 (Custom).

Additional duties of 20 per cent each on apples and walnuts and Rs 20 per kg on Almonds were imposed on the US’s products in 2019 over and above the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) duty as a retaliation to the US’s state protectionist measure of increasing tariffs on certain steel and Aluminium products. These additional duties imposed by India on US-origin products have been withdrawn as the US agreed to provide market access to Steel and Aluminium products under the exclusion process. There is no reduction on the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) duty on apples, walnuts and almonds, which still applies to all imported products, including US-origin products, at 50 per cent, 100 per cent and Rs 100 per kg, respectively.

Further, DGFT, vide its notification number 05/ 2023 dated 8 May 2023, made an amendment in import policy for Apples under ITC (HS) 08081000 by applying MIP (Minimum Import Price) of Rs 50 per Kg for imports from all countries except Bhutan. Therefore, this MIP will also apply to apples from the US and other countries (excluding Bhutan). This measure would protect against the dumping of low-quality apples and from any predatory pricing in the Indian market.

This measure will not result in any negative impact on domestic apple, walnut and almond producers. Rather, it will result in competition in the premium market segment of apples, walnuts and almonds, thereby ensuring better quality at competitive prices for our Indian consumers. Thus, the US apples, walnuts and almonds would compete on the same level playing field as all other countries.

The market share of the US apples dwindled as other countries benefited from the imposition of additional retaliatory duties on the US apple and walnut imports. This is evident in the increase of apple imports from countries besides the US, from $ 160 million in FY 2018-19 to $ 290 million in FY 2022-23. Turkey, Italy, Chile, Iran, and New Zealand emerged as prominent apple exporters to India, effectively acquiring the market share once held by the US. Similarly, in the case of walnuts, the imports increased from $ 35.11 million in FY 2018-19 to $ 53.95 million in FY 2022-23, and Chile and UAE became the largest exporters to India. In the last three years, the import of almonds has been about 233 thousand MT, while domestic production is only 11 thousand MT, and India is highly dependent on imports. Therefore, the removal of additional duties will now ensure fair competition among the countries which are exporting these products to India.     

Removal of additional retaliatory duties and additional

Supply Chain, Trade, Vegetables, World

ToBRFV detected in a batch of imported tomatoes and peppers

Russia’s Primorsky interregional department of Rosselkhoznadzor prevented the import of tomatoes and peppers from China due to the identification of an object quarantined for the EAEU.

The Office of Rosselkhoznadzor at the phytosanitary control post Pogranichny during state control over batches of imported products with a total weight of 23.9 tonnes and 25.1 tonnes, samples of vegetables were selected for research.

According to the test report, Primorsky International Airport, in a batch of tomatoes from China with a total weight of 4.4 tonnes, a quarantine object for the EAEU was detected – the Tomato brown rugose fruit virus.

The second batch of vegetables was examined by the Primorsky branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution VNIIKR. According to the test report dated September 8, 2023, in samples from a batch of fresh peppers, regular and hot, with a total weight of 2.4 tonnes, an EAEU quarantine object was also detected – the Tomato brown rugose fruit virus. At the discretion of the product, owners will be destroyed.

ToBRFV detected in a batch of imported

Agro Universities, Agrotech, R&D

Among wheat varieties, new recommendations comprising PBW Zinc 2, PBW RS 1 and PBW 826 will be the major highlight

In a bid to advocate the adoption of climate-resilient varieties and resource conservation technologies, various departments of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) will put up stalls and hold field demonstrations during the two-day Kisan Mela to upgrade the knowledge and skills of the farmers, farm women and youths to enable them to reap substantial agri-economic rewards.

Among wheat varieties, new recommendations comprising PBW Zinc 2, PBW RS 1 and PBW 826 will be the major highlight. Besides, PBG 10 of chickpeas, IPFD 12-2 of field peas and Ajmer Fennel 2 of fennel are some of the other new varieties which will be the area of focus. Live demonstrations will be given on varieties of vegetable crops, techniques of nursery raising, resource conservation technologies, nutrition garden models, and integrated pest management in different crops. In addition, exhibitions will be put up on in-situ rice straw management, mushroom cultivation, low tunnel and net-house technologies for vegetables, PAU fruit fly trap and termite trap, leaf colour chart, irrigation and drip irrigation techniques in orchards, establishment of disease-free citrus nursery, system of layout of orchards, herbal gulal from petals of different flowers, and gladiolus varieties, cut foliage, dry and fresh flowers. Farmers will also be provided marketing tips for poplar and eucalyptus wood.

In agricultural engineering and processing, farmers will be apprised of PAU Smart Seeder, Surface Seeder, spraying system with unmanned aerial vehicle/drone, improved grain storage methods, mini rice mill, maize dryer, turmeric processing, agro-processing complex, honey processing and related equipment, onion storage structure and jaggery processing. Apart from this, experts will explain vodka production from Kufri Pukhraj, red wine production from grapes, the value addition of millets, the value addition of button mushroom via paste preparation, low alcoholic carbonated beverages, and healthy and value-added products.

Field demonstrations on surface seeding-cum-mulching, a low-cost and easy technique for paddy residue management, as well as dragon fruit cultivation (recommended varieties are Red Dragon 1 and White Dragon 1), will also be given. Thrust will also be laid on demonstrating biogas generation from paddy straw (dry fermentation), paddy straw bale geysers for heating water and large-scale fixed dome-type biogas plants for dairy farmers.

Among wheat varieties, new recommendations comprising PBW