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Agri Genomics, Agrotech, R&D, Textile industry, World

Through this USDA-NIFA grant, HudsonAlpha will build several high-quality hemp genomes

Faculty Investigator Alex Harkess’ laboratory at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, and their collaborators New West Genetics, were recently awarded a three-year, $650,000 United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) grant that aims to unlock the full potential of industrial hemp, a versatile plant used for centuries as a source of industrial fibre, seed oil, food, and medicine. 

In changing climate, there is a growing need for more adapted and sustainable crops. Industrial hemp is a promising candidate for sustainable fibre, protein, and oil because it has a deep, massive root structure that sequesters more carbon than typical row crops, requires lower inputs, and has greater drought and pest resistance. 

Hemp plants are also interesting from a biological standpoint because they have separate male and female sexes. Among the two, female hemp plants possess greater commercial value due to their higher biomass production and exclusive ability to yield seeds that are rich in beneficial lipids and proteins. As a result, hemp breeders strive to achieve a substantial proportion of female plants thriving in their cultivated areas. This emphasis on maximising female hemp plants aligns with the broader objective of harnessing the crop’s sustainable qualities to thrive in our changing climate.

HudsonAlpha Faculty Investigator Alex Harkess, PhD, and his lab are experts at studying the genetic basis of sex in plants. Through this USDA-NIFA grant, Harkess and his lab will build several high-quality hemp genomes and use them to identify and analyse the hemp sex chromosome pairs. Using a pipeline developed in the lab, the team will identify the master sex determination genes in hemp, which can be modified to control sex and increase the proportion of female plants, leading to a higher yield of fibre, oil, and protein. Breeding more female hemp plants will increase the yield and quality of hemp fibre, grain, and oil crops, making it a sustainable and valuable crop for farmers and consumers alike.

“Separate male and female sexes have evolved hundreds if not thousands of times in plants, and finding the genes that control sex determination is so challenging because most plants do it very differently from each other,” said Harkess. “These genes are found on sex chromosomes, the most challenging chromosomes to sequence and assemble in plants. However, with HudsonAlpha’s historical expertise in plant genome sequencing, we are now able to reveal the full complexity of sex chromosomes in species like hemp and finally narrow in on the genes that control this agriculturally and economically valuable trait.”

Through this USDA-NIFA grant, HudsonAlpha will build

AgroPolicy

The Centre also advised that the price to distributors by the manufacturers and refiners also needs to be reduced immediately so that the price drop is not diluted in any way

The Department of Food and Public Distribution in a meeting on July 6, 2022, has directed leading Edible Oil Associations to ensure reduction in the MRP of edible oils by Rs 15 with immediate effect.

The Centre also advised that the price to distributors by the manufacturers and refiners also needs to be reduced immediately so that the price drop is not diluted in any way. It was also impressed upon that whenever a reduction in price to distributors is made by the manufactures/refiners, the benefit should be passed on to the consumers by the industry and the Department may be kept informed on regular basis. Some companies which have not reduced their prices and their MRP is higher than other brands have also been advised to reduce their prices.

During the meeting it was discussed that the international prices of imported edible oils are on a downward trend which is a very positive picture in the edible oil scenario and, therefore, the domestic edible oil industry needs to ensure that the prices in the domestic market also drop commensurately.

It may be recalled that in May 2022, the Department had convened a meeting with the leading edible oil associations and according to sources, the MRP of Fortune Refined Sunflower Oil 1 litre pack had been decreased to Rs 210 from Rs 220 and MRP of Soyabean (Fortune) and Kachi Ghani oil 1 litre pack from Rs 205 to Rs 195. The reduction in oil prices came in the wake of Central Government reducing the import duty on edible oils making them cheaper. 

The Department is continuously monitoring the prices and availability situation of edible oil in the country and it is imperative that the benefit of reduced duty structure on edible oils and the continuous significant drop in prices at the international market be immediately passed on to the end consumers without fail.

The Centre also advised that the price

Biofuel industry, Finance, Schemes - Banks, Sustainable Energy

The agreement is designed to ensure that payment received by ethanol plants is utilised for servicing the finance extended by these banks

The Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) – Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) have entered into a long-term purchase agreement (LTPA) for upcoming dedicated ethanol plants across India. The first set of Tripartite-cum-Escrow Agreement (TPA) was signed among OMCs, project proponents and banks of the respective ethanol plant projects in presence of Sandeep Poundrik (IAS), Principal Secretary, Department of Industries, Government of Bihar, Ashwani Bhatia, MD State Bank of India and Sukhmal Jain, Executive Director I/C, Marketing Corporate, BPCL.

State Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank and Indian Bank are three banks who are involved in this tripartite agreement with OMCs and project proponents. The agreement is designed to ensure that payment received by ethanol plants is utilised for servicing the finance extended by these banks.

As per the agreement, ethanol produced by these dedicated ethanol plants shall be sold to OMCs for blending with Petrol as per Govt of India’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Program. Payment towards the supply of ethanol shall be credited to the escrow account maintained with the financing bank to ensure servicing of the loan as per schedule. TPAs were signed with Micromax Biofuels, Bihar, Eastern India Biofuels, Bihar, Muzaffarpur Biofuels, Bihar, K P Biofuels, Madhya Pradesh and Visag Biofuels, Madhya Pradesh.

In Ethanol Supply Year 2021-22, India achieved 9.9 per cent ethanol blending, consuming 186 crore litre of ethanol, saving over Rs 9000 crores of foreign exchange. However, the government has advanced the target of achieving 20 per cent blended ethanol by 2025, which is commonly known as E20 target. The major challenge is the deficit of ethanol to achieve this target. As per E20 scenario, the country requires 1,016 crore litre of ethanol to achieve the target in 2025-26. But, there is a deficit of approx. Rs 650 crore of ethanol as per the current availability. These five projects are likely to contribute to around 23 crore litres of ethanol per annum.

Ethanol blended petrol not only gives us a cleaner environment as it produces 38 per cent lesser carbon dioxide emission, as well as, supports the rural economy with investment in rural areas and employment generation.

The agreement is designed to ensure that

Oilseeds

The order aims at regulating storage and distribution of edible oils and oilseeds besides, keeping check over hoarding in the country

Centre has chaired a meeting with States/UTs to implement Stock Limit Order of edible oils and oilseeds. The Government of India has notified an order on February 3, 2022, specifying the stock limit quantities on edible oils and oilseeds upto June 30, 2022 with a view to provide impetus to the various steps taken by the Government to cool the prices of edible oil in the country.

The Stock Limit Order empowers the Union Government and all States/UTs to regulate storage and distribution of edible oils and oilseeds. This would also help the Government in checking hoarding of edible oils and oilseeds in the country. A Meeting was held by the Department of Food & Public Distribution on February 8, 2022, with all States/UTs for discussing the implementation plan of the above order dated 3rd February, 2022.

During the meeting it was emphasised that States/UTs authorities may enforce Stock Limit Quantities Order without causing any disruption in the supply chain and also any undue hardship to bonafide trade.

For edible oils, the stock limit specified is 30 quintals for retailers, 500 quintals for wholesalers, 30 quintals for retail outlets of bulk consumers i.e., big chain retailers and shops and 1000 quintals for its depots. Processors of edible oils would be able to stock 90 days of their storage capacities.

For edible oilseeds, the stock limit is 100 quintals for retailers, 2000 quintals for wholesalers. Processors of edible oilseeds would be able to stock 90 days production of edible oils as per daily input production capacity. Exporters and importers have been kept outside the purview of this Order with some caveats.

The order aims at regulating storage and

Environment, Interaction

Experts from different backgrounds explained the latest advances proving the commitment of producing countries to sustainable palm oil production

The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) has organised a webinar ‘Net-Zero Emissions: Achievements and Way Forward in the Palm Oil’s Production’ on January 26, 2022. The webinar presented facts and figures on palm oil industry is well on its way to achieving carbon neutrality.

During the opening session, MEP Seán Kelly underlined the need for a partnership between the European Union and producing countries, and reaffirmed that palm oil can be produced sustainably. MP Kelly’s statement assuring progress on sustainability was confirmed by CPOPC Executive Director Tan Sri Dr Yusof Basiron, who insisted that the palm oil industry had started working on carbon neutrality well before other sectors and recalled the crucial role of this oil in the development of producing countries.

Experts from different backgrounds explained the latest advances proving the commitment of producing countries to sustainable palm oil production. The scientific data presented during the event, once again demonstrated that the false narratives concerning palm oil, in particular concerning its role in deforestation, must and can be debunked.

Dr Rosediana Suharto, Director of the Indonesian NGO Responsible Palm Oil Initiative, clarified that deforestation in Indonesia is constantly decreasing and that the palm oil industry is constantly evolving to operate in a sustainable way, in accordance with the strict measures of the government. She emphasised the crucial role of smallholders as well as their interests in the global palm oil debate.

The importance of smallholders was also highlighted by Dr Ruslan Abdullah, Malaysian Palm Oil Council, who gave a comprehensive overview of Malaysia’s performance in reducing CO2 emissions compared to other countries. other countries, outlining national measures to improve palm oil production and reduce GHG emissions.

Experts from different backgrounds explained the latest

AgroPolicy, Interaction

Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar said that under the leadership of PM Modi, the Government wants to make India self-reliant in the field of palm oil.

The National Mission on Edible Oil- Oil Palm Business Summit for states other than North Eastern States has been inaugurated by the Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar, in Hyderabad on December 28, 2021. Aiming to give wide spread information on newly launched centrally sponsored scheme on edible oils, the Government is organising business summits across the country. This is the second such summit of the Mission, the first was held in Guwahati for North Eastern states in early October this year.

Addressing the Business Summit, the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar assured all the state governments that there will be no shortage of resources for the successful implementation of the National Mission on Edible Oil – Oil Palm. Tomar said that under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, the Government wants to make India self-reliant in the field of palm oil.

Appreciating the efforts made by the Government of Telangana to increase palm oil production, Tomar said that he sees Telangana as an emerging leader in oil palm production.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Kailash Choudhary said “At present, we have to import edible oil. Today’s business summit will prove to be important to find a solution to this import.” Expressing his confidence in Mission, he said that with the help of scientists’ research, farmers’ hard work and the government’s support, this mission will achieve its target and will make a significant contribution in making India self-reliant. In order to boost the edible oils’ production, remunerative prices and assured procurement of oilseed crops is being done by the Government, he added.

Distribution of registration certificates for the Farmer Producing Organisations (FPOs) were also done on the occasion.

Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh