News Analysis - Agriculture

Agriculture

• 1. Govt Panicking on Wheat (March 19, 2007)
  In a series of moves that includes undue hikes in procurement price and import plans despite strong forecasted production, the government is sending messages that it is anticipating large shortages in wheat.<More>

• 2. NABARAD Bonds Worth Rs. 5000 cr (March 19, 2007)
  The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) plans to raise Rs. 5000 crore (USD 1.13 billion) through capital gains bonds to provide refinance to cooperative institutions for stepping up farm and rural credit.<More>

• 3. U.S. Prelim Anti-Dumping Duty on Shrimp (March 05, 2007)
  The U.S. Department of Commerce announced preliminary anti-dumping duty (averaging 10.54%) on shrimp from India, China, Vietnam, Brazil, Ecuador, and Thailand.<More>

• 4. China to Buy India Coffee (February 27, 2007)
  Specialty Coffee Association of Hong Kong & the People's Republic of China Director Barry Yuen said that China has an estimated five million coffee drinkers whose needs are mostly met through imports.<More>

• 5. Indo-Australia Trade Prospects (January 30 , 2007)
  In an interview with Deccan Herald, Australian Trade Commissioner for South Asia Michael Moignard advocated increased trade and value addition from Australia to boost bilateral trade levels from USD 8.6 billion.<More>

• 6. Bird Flu in South Korea, Egypt, Indonesia (January 22, 2007)
  South Korean official revealed plans to cull “273,000 poultry within a 500 meter radius” while Egypt reported the 11th death and Indonesia culled thousands of chicken after the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu was found.<More>

• 7. UK Interests in Indian Agriculture (January 18, 2007)
  The largest business delegation from the UK totaling representatives from 150 businesses has promised investments in food processing, agriculture retail, and manufacturing and also seeks deregulation of financial, legal services, and retail sectors.<More>

• 8. More Areas for Wheat & Maize (January 16, 2007)
  An Agriculture Ministry note claims that the area with wheat and maize cultivation this year is larger than that of 2005-06 in Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh lending hope of higher production of these staple crops.<More>

• 9. Widespread Protest against GM Rice Trials (November 23, 2006)
  Throwing their weight behind farmers protesting Genetic Engineered (GE) rice trials, rice exporters beseeched the Government to “pay heed” to “Chinese and US rice scandals” and warned of “disastrous consequences for the country, the industry, and farmers.”<More>

• 10. Indo-Mozambique Agriculture Plan (November 22, 2006)
  India and Republic of Mozambique signed a work plan to cooperate in agriculture includes training programs for Mozambique experts in India, and technical assistance in agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, and fisheries.<More>

• 11. 2.6MT of Wheat Imported (November 22, 2006)
  The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) said it has already received 2.6 million tons (mt) of the 5.5 mt of wheat and 5 more ships with .3mt will arrive by November 25th with 12 ships are currently discharging .63mt at Kandla, Vizag, Mundra, Cochin, and Tuticorin.<More>

• 12. Second Green Revolution Needs Major Reform (November 10, 2006)
  Investigations and studies behind consistent suicides by farmers around the country is increasingly pointing to “avoidable, man-made” conditions ranging from drop in financial support, lack of agricultural support systems, to impractical Federal policies.<More>

• 13. Manufacturing, Agri, Power Key to GDP Growth (November 09, 2006)
  While the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in Tenth Financial Plan ending March 2007 is the highest growth ever achieved in a 5 year period, the rate of growth is expected to be lower than the projected 8% at 7.2% because of slowdown in manufacturing sector.<More>

• 14. Slow Inflow of Imported Wheat (October 26, 2006)
  Ministry of Agriculture disclosed that about 2 million tons (mt) or 40% of the ordered 5.5 mt will reach India by mid-November at various ports—Mumbai, Chennai, Visakhapatanam, Kandla, and Mundhra.<More>

• 15. Improved Climate Forecasting for Agri Productivity (October 25, 2006)
  The Ministry of Earth Sciences is proposing a new 5-year plan which will provide easily available improved weather forecasting for farmers in the hope that this will improve agricultural productivity and therefore positively impact economic growth.<More>

• 16. Action to Increase Wheat Production (October 23, 2006)
  India has formulated an Action Plan to increase production and productivity of wheat by targeting 50% of wheat cultivation areas in 138 districts of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, and West Bengal.<More>

• 17. India, Ethiopia Plan Agri Cooperation (October 17, 2006)
  Following a request by the Ethiopian Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry , India is considering a proposal by the Department of Agricultural Research and Education to send a 4-member team to salinity and give technical advice to boost production.<More>

• 18. Macro Indicators Strong, Agri Worrisome (October 11, 2006)
  Although economic growth is at 7.5%-8%, inflation in check at 5%-5.5%, investments in Telecom & IT estimated at USD 16 billion, and more reforms on financial and retail sector in the offing, the Indian economy continues to roar but Agriculture continues to be a major worry.<More>

• 19. Cotton Output Up (October 05, 2006)
  Industry estimates predict a rise in cotton output to 260-275 lakh bales against 245 lakh bales last year despite crop damage due to floods in Maharashtra and Gujarat earlier with the use of genetically altered and hybrid cotton seeds.<More>

• 20. SC Halts Genetic Foods (September 27, 2006)
  The Supreme Court (SC) asked the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) to halt approvals to genetically modified products till it can determine that these foods have been sufficiently tested and safe for human consumption. <More>

• 21. Poultry Broiler Set to Grow (September 27, 2006)
  The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicted that India’s poultry broiler meat productions is likely to grow by 10% to 2.2 million tons (mt) in 2007 because of strong domestic demand and the nation is free from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).<More>

• 22. IBSA Sets Goals (September 19, 2006)
  With the end of the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) first summit in Brazil , the world’s largest democracies in developing countries set common goals in the world’s political, economic, and social forums and promised better calibration of policy making..<More>

• 23. Four Ships with Wheat in South (September 14, 2006)
  A Ministry of Food note said that four ships are offloading .155 million metric tons (mmt) of wheat at Chennai, Cochin, and Vizag ports out of which 78,380 mt has already been distributed. An additional 6 ships have arrived with .325 mmt of wheat and are being fumigated, quality checked, and berthed.<More>

• 24. Govt Reduces SGRY Grain Allotment (September 13, 2006)
  The Ministry of Rural Development announced that it will allocate lesser amount of food grain for Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY), a food-for-work program, to laborers from 5 kilograms to 3 kilograms because of “limited availability.”<More>

• 25. Increase in Import of “Sensitive” Items (September 12, 2006)
  Ministry of Commerce and Trade says that the total import of “sensitive” items during April-May 2006 has been Rs.2792 crores (USD 606 million) compared to Rs.2524 crore (USD 548 million) last year or an increase of 10.6%.<More>

• 26. Record Tea Output but Shortage Predicted (September, 06 2006)
  The India Tea Association (ITA) estimated that India will continue to be the largest tea producer with 930 million kilograms (mkgs) (2 mkgs more than last year) but predicted a shortage of 27 mkgs in India due to growing domestic and international demand.<More>

• 27. No End to Wheat Shortages (August 22, 2006)
  Delays in arrival of 3.5 million tons (mt) of imported wheat for the public distribution system in South India and the lack of traction from importers to import wheat at discounted 5% customs duty is resulting in higher prices in the open market.<More>

• 28. Palm Oil Duty Cut(August 14, 2006)
  Citing desire to control prices of palm oil, the Federal Government announced that it will cut customs duty on both crude and refined palms oil and plamolein by 10% to 70% that is estimated to cost the nation Rs. 650 crore (USD 141 million).<More>

• 29. India to Export Sugar(August 02, 2006)
  Expecting a large increase in sugar production, Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar told the Parliament that the Government is considering allowing its export but said that a review is required in October based on actual output.<More>

• 30. WTO Stalled, Will Take Months to Revive (July 27, 2006)
  Global talks on trade under the World Trade Organization (WTO) collapsed with developing nations led by India blaming the developed nations led by the US for intransigence in cutting back farm-subsidies in violation of the Honk Kong Agreement.<More>

• 31. Increased Food grain Output Likely (July 24, 2006)
  The Federal Agriculture Ministry (AM) said that food grain production is expected to be 5.01% higher at 208.3 million tons (mt) in 2005-2006 versus 198.36 mt a year ago because of better output from rice and oilseeds but wheat production is only marginally higher. <More>

• 32. Cotton Industry Tries to End Child Labor (June 19, 2006)
  Several stakeholders in the cotton industry came together in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh to end the employment of an estimated 21,000 children in cottonseed production farms.<More>

• 33. Govt Clarifications on Farm Sector FDI (July 14, 2006)
  The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry clarified that it will allow 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) under the automatic route for certain activities in the agriculture and plantation sector.<More>

• 34. US to review dumping duty on Indian shrimps (July 13, 2006)
  Trying to stem growing differences in trade, the US Department of Commerce chose three Indian shrimp exporting companies to review their export statistic and performance to formulate a anti-dumping duty structure for Indian shrimp.<More><./font>

• 35. Spices Exports Up (June 07, 2006)
  For millenniums, Indian nations have exported prices to Egypt, Rome, China, Israel, Srivijaya (Sumatra), and Kadaram (Malaysia) in return for ships laden with gold; but in the last decades, this sector has hardly received any attention from the Government.<More>

• 36. Soya Oil Imports Up 10% (May 31, 2006)
  Edible oil import is set to increase 10% because of a spike in soyabean oil imports while palm oil import is expected to be flat and rape seed mustard below expectations. <More>

• 37. Govt to Allow GM Soya Oil Import (April 20, 2006)
  Ministry of Environment & Forests said that it intends to allow the import of genetically modified (GM) Soya oil into India if it meets certification criteria to be defined by the Government.<More>