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	Organic wheat farming attracts farmers Drastic rise in US shrimp prices Kerala milk price hike from today Kerala hikes milk prices by Rs 3 a litre India extends ban on Chinese dairy products EU pressure to open up India’s dairy market India has to reposition itself in FP productivity and commercialisation: Sahai China to tip India on storage of food grains Seafood exporters look towards East for growth Shrimp exporters to benefit from oil spillage Anand to get a mega food park AP CM approves Rs 35-cr expansion for AP Dairy Industry wants harmonisation of FSSA with international laws India and China to strengthen technical collaboration in food sector Fisheries need a separate ministry: Kalam Big increase in support prices of pulses, paddy by Rs 50 a quintal India and Canda together for food processing Matsyafed launches food supplement tablets Poultry industry set for a boom, consumption of chicken to double by 2014 EU team to inspect seafood export facilities Israel to work in Rajasthan on water, farming More food grains to APL families at reduced prices, move to relieve FCI stocks Chandigarh comes up with a draft to regulate meat and poultry sector MoFPI keen to support Karnataka food industry with dedicated and modern food test lab Govt to set up lab for testing of meat, poultry products India refuses to remove restrictions on pork, poultry imports Sahai rues about Arunachal Pradesh -- 85 registered FP units, only a few operational US to continue dumping duty on Indian shrimps Dairy items, food grains lead import of key items Panel recommends continuing trawling ban in Kerala Amrita calls to link small milk producers to the market Marine exports cross $2 billion mark, despite recession & stronger rupee Sahai signs agreement with Vietnam on agri production, food processing Maharashtra to set up regulatory authority for the dairy sector Cheese improves immune system: Scientists Market driven farming need of the hour Dairy industry can help India to bring sustainable energy Assocham seeks policy to reduce use of pesticides in the farm Decision on milk prices soon UNIDO's ‘traceability system' ensures quality of Bangladeshi seafood
	Organic wheat farming attracts farmers
	Tuesday, June 29, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai Over 11,000 acres of land has been brought under organic farming in Punjab and Haryana under a scheme sponsored by the Union Government. While 6,050 acres has so far come under organic farming in Punjab, Haryana has been using 5,000 acres under organic farming, according to a report in The Financial Express. To promote organic farming in Punjab and Haryana, farmers are being provided technological inputs including training and farm level advisory services according to standards set by the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), National Organic Programme (NOP) and the European Union (EU) for organic farming. The organic certification as per international standards is being done keeping in mind domestic as well as exports markets. OneCert, an internationally reputed organic certification agency approved by the Apeda (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) has been appointed for certification. Organic farming aims to use natural manure instead of synthetic fertilizers that enhance productivity for a short measure. The new concept aims to help many small and marginal farmers who failed to adopt organic farming due to lack of technological awareness, high cost of certification and unavailability of ready market. Efforts by the two state governments are surely bringing results as organic wheat, already costlier, is already doing exceptionally well in the market. Hafed and Markfed have set up counters across the states to sell desi wheat which is currently priced at Rs 120 for a 5-kg bag (Rs 24 a kg), much more than regular wheat sold in mandis. The Punjab government has even opened an outlet, Five Rivers Shop, at Hauz Khas in Delhi. Food and Beverage News
	Drastic rise in US shrimp prices
	Monday, June 28, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai According to the Associated Press, the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board says that although much of the Gulf of Mexico remains open to commercial fishing, shrimp is down to just 30 per cent of normal production. Combined with an already-tight global shrimp market, the oil spill is likely to mean much higher prices. Shrimp is the US’s No. 1 seafood — Americans typically eat about 4 lbs (around 2kg) a year and Louisiana tops in the US shrimp production. Still, the shrimp market is global and only about 7 per cent of shrimp consumed in the US comes from the Gulf, according to the National Fisheries Institute. Wild shrimp from the Gulf typically compete with farmed shrimp from Asia and South America, and seafood dealers have been able to turn to these other sources, at least for now. Seafood dealers say they are not seeing oil-contaminated product—a sensitive point among Gulf seafood producers who worry that customers will avoid eating their catch. President Barack Obama stressed the point, saying, “So let me be clear. Seafood from the Gulf is safe to eat, but we need to make sure that it stays that way.” Fisheries Institute spokesman Gavin Gibbons said some wholesale price increases for Gulf shrimp have been more than 40 per cent. Even imported shrimp have gone up by about 13 per cent. Shrimp prices had been rising even before the oil spill. The supply of larger shrimp from overseas had declined after some Asian farmers had production problems, while others switched to selling smaller sizes. Also, the US government barred the import of wild-caught shrimp from Mexico because crews were allegedly failing to take precautions to protect sea turtles from getting caught in their nets. Coincidentally, that ban went into effect on April 20, the same day as the rig explosion that triggered the spill. Food and Beverage News
	Kerala milk price hike from today
	June 27, 2010 Thiruvananthapuram The revised prices of milk declared in the State by the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, or Milma, would come into effect from Monday. Announcing this here, Milma's Managing Director, Mr Sanjib Patjoshi, said that toned milk (500 ml) would now be priced at Rs 11.50 and the Milma ‘smart double-toned' (500 ml) at Rs 11. The Milma Rich (500 ml) would be priced at Rs 13 and the Milma Jersey (500 ml) at Rs 12.50. The Milma brand of curd would now cost Rs 14.50 for a 500 ml pack, Mr Patjoshi said, adding that the sachets bearing the new prices would arrive only later. — Our Bureau The Hindu Business Line
	Kerala hikes milk prices by Rs 3 a litre
	Saturday, June 26, 2010 Our Bureau, New Delhi Milma, Kerala’s dairy cooperative, has increased milk prices by Rs 3 to Rs 23 a litre as a short-term measure to bridge the demand- supply gap in milk production. It is also readying to increase milk output through French bovine breeds which reportedly yield a whopping 60 litres of milk per cow. While the state’s milk production per year has increased from 20.8 lakh litres to 21.3 lakh litres, it is still 20% short of the demand. Karnataka and Maharashtra dairies meet Milma’s milk demand, but these are not considered too economic, forcing the state to look to its own resources to boost production. A recent study by Kerala Agriculture University has said that disproportionate increase in demand for milk and milk products is pushing up demand. During the Sabarimala pilgrim season, Kerala’s demand for ghee and ice-cream went through the roof Out of the increased price, Rs 2.76 per litre would go to the farmer, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said. This is the fifth time that the LDF government has hiked milk prices, but never before it had wedged in such a steep increase. “To stop 14 lakh families in dairy farming from leaving the sector, the consumer will have to take a hike,” state animal husbandry minister C Divakaran said. “The P K Mahanty report on the milk supply chain had mooted a hike of at least Rs 4 per litre,” Milma chairman P T Gopala Kurup said, adding that the increase was also part of the state’s desperate drive to step up milk production by 30% in an year. Food and Beverage News
	India extends ban on Chinese dairy products
	Saturday, June 26, 2010 Our Bureau, New Delhi The union ministry of commerce & industry on Thursday (June 24) said that the government had further extended the ban on import of milk and milk products from China for another six months. The items prohibited for import into India from the neighbouring country would include chocolate and chocolate products, candies, confectioneries and food preparations with milk as an ingredient. The ban was notified by the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) in the commerce ministry and imposed in December 2008, whereas imports of milk and milk products from China have been prohibited since September 2008. Though the DGFT had not cited any reason for the ban, it was understood, it was over fears of Chinese milk containing melamine, a deadly chemical, sources said. With inputs from PTI Food and Beverage News
	EU pressure to open up India’s dairy market
	*Thursday, June 24, 2010* India was under tremendous pressure to open up its market in dairy produce, especially cheese, from European nations. But India has advocated that milk and cheese should be excluded from the scope of free trade agreements under negotiations with the European Union. New Delhi fears that by opening up its market, small farmers would be forced into deeper poverty. However, when talks were held recently, EU officials stepped up their efforts to have India’s agricultural markets liberalized amid complaints from anti-poverty activists that EU has shown scant concern for the plight of India’s rural poor. In India, dairy sector assumes critical importance as it provides work and livelihood to landless farmers but EU cheese makers want the protection given to them dismantled. When EU-India free trade talks were launched in 2007, European Dairy Association had said that the taxes levied by India on imported food were “unrealistically high.” But critics said that by lifting of such taxes Indian farmers would not be able to withstand competition. Trade analysts say that the EU wants to include dairy within the scope of an agreement with India because of the crisis facing the European milk farmers. According to Paul Goodison from the European Research Office, the EU is “keen to get any market opening abroad “ in a bid to compensate for the troubles facing milk farmers at home. Food and Beverage News
	India has to reposition itself in FP productivity and commercialisation: Sahai
	Monday, June 21, 2010 Our Bureau, New Delhi Union minister of food processing industries Subodh Kant Sahai has said that India has to reposition itself in terms of productivity and commercialisation in quite a few promising sectors. “The food processing industry is one among them and displays enormous potential to promote such activities in a big way,” Sahai said. Speaking at the inauguration of the Investors’ Meet and a training-cum-awareness programme on prospects of food processing industry in Gujarat, organised by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), Sahai said India could engage in large scale development of food processing industry and can notch a niche in the world economic scenario. The minister said there are umpteen investment opportunities in the food processing sector. This include cold chain projects, value added centres for agri products, fresh produce exports by air and sea, marine export, farm implements and seeds, organic farming and many other unexploited areas so far. “There is need for more trained and competent entrepreneurs who can set up their own businesses and look beyond the existing processes and take innovative ideas and challenges ahead in the sector. Such workshops and training programmes would give immense exposure to young and prospective entrepreneurs which the country need the most,” he added. In his presidential address, Baratsinh Solanki, minister of state for power, said the Indian food processing industry was touching the domestic and global markets in a remarkable manner. “In the next ten years, because of the large scale development of the food processing industry, India will be viewed as the global food factory. Gujarat produces various agricultural crops and has a comprehensive agro-industrial policy, which paves the way for large-scale growth of agro industry,” Solanki predicted. Food and Beverage News
	China to tip India on storage of food grains
	Saturday, June 19, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai India will take a few tips on storage of food grains from China, will probably help India to find a solution to the persistent problem of food wastage running to over Rs 50,000 crore. The confirmation on cooperation between India and China in areas of storage came after the official visit of a delegation led by K V Thomas, minister of state for agriculture, consumer affairs, food & public distribution to China from June 7 - 11, 2010. The delegation visited China to study modern food grain storage facilities in China, its applicability in India for largescale food grain storage and to explore areas of cooperation in this sector. Thomas said that a team of technical experts and construction engineers from FCI ( Food Corporation of India) and CWC (Central Warehousing Corporation) and some state agencies would visit China to further study the modern storage construction and preservation methods used for food grain storage. Also, a group of technical experts from China would be invited to visit India during October-November, 2010, to visit storage facilities in this country and interact with the officials of FCI/CWC. Under the 7-Year Guarantee Scheme of the government, about 127 lakh tonnes of additional storage capacity is to be created in various parts of the country in addition to 50 lakh tonnes in DCP States. Parts of these new facilities will be created in the form of silos and temperature-controlled warehouses. The delegation met officials of the State Administration of Grain which is the main agency for coordinating procurement and storage of food grains in China. It also visited the Academy of State Administration of Grain which specialises in grain quality control and research and is the apex grain testing laboratory in China. Thomas also met Chinese Vice Minister of Agriculture, Niu Dun, and discussed matters of mutual importance. The visit comprised field visits to modern food grain storage facilities at Dalian port, Shanghai and Guangzhou and the Dalian Commodity Exchange. A member of the delegation explained the modern technology being used for silos and flat-type warehouses with climate-control and mechanised handling and interacted with field officials on the storage, temperature control and preservation techniques being employed. Food and Beverage News
	exporters look towards East for growth
	C.J. Punnathara Kochi, June 18 Every year, with the onset of the monsoon season the catch from the seas improve and price of fish falls. However this year, the prices continue to rule firm at most of the West coast harbours and markets. But the seafood exporters are not worried as the catch of shrimp, cuttlefish and squid from the seas — the major items of export — continue to be good and arrivals at the markets continues unhindered. Shrimp, cuttlefish and squid together accounted for over 57 per cent of the value of seafood exports last year. “Going by the present trends, seafood exports would continue unhindered despite the overall rise in the price of fish,” sources in the trade said But they were not bullish about resurgence in global demand this year. While the economic downturn seems to be waning across the global markets, periodic alarm bells ring from several countries in Europe, which is posing a potent threat to Indian seafood exports. EU as a destination remains the single most dominant market for Indian seafood exports and accounted for close to 30 per cent of the total value last year. *Oil spill impact* The oil spill spreading across Gulf of Mexico is expected to gravely hamper the fishing operations in the US and limit the total catch. Its impact is already evident in escalating prices of shrimp which is reported to have increased 40 per cent. But the benefits are not expected to percolate down to the Indian exporters. The recent spike in the rate of anti-dumping duty for Indian shrimp exports to the US continues to be a cause of concern. The shortfall in fishing from the productive Gulf of Mexico is more likely to benefit exports from other Latin American and South-East Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, China and Taiwan, rather than from India, the sources added. The importance of the US as an export destination has also been coming down over the years. As a result of the anti-dumping duties, Indian seafood exports to the US declined from 61,703 tonnes valued at $424.51 million in 2002-03 to 33,382 tonnes valued at $211.06 million in 2009-10 – a sharp decline of 50 per cent in value and nearly 46 per cent in quantity. From being the biggest export destination, the US today accounts for just 5 per cent of the country's seafood exports and 10 per cent of the value. *East markets* Revealing its resilience, the Indian seafood industry has successfully shifted to other destinations. With resurgent growth in volume and value of exports to China and other South Asian countries, exports to the East is now way ahead of the West in both volume and value. China was the second largest export destination accounting for 21 per cent of the volume and 18 per cent of the value. South East Asia accounted for close to 22 per cent of the volume and 15 per cent of the value. The acceleration to India's seafood exports are expected to come from China and other South East Asian countries this year, rather from the US. The growth from the EU will depend on how fast they are able to overcome the economic downturn and resume the accelerated rate of growth. The Hindu Business Line
	Shrimp exporters to benefit from oil spillage
	Thursday, June 17, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai A surge of hope is erupting among the seafood exporters, especially of shrimps, with the consequence of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Since the April spill, shrimp prices in the US have gone up by 40 per cent as supply has weakened. With one-third fisheries in the Gulf being forced to shut, less shrimp is being caught, reported the Business Standard. According to experts, prices are expected to rise further. US consumers also get shrimp from Mexico, Brazil, India and Southeast Asian nations such as Taiwan and Vietnam. The initial price rise is expected to stabilise soon, but reports from the US say, it may take months before the catch of fish and shrimp from the Gulf reaches the normal level. The oil spill will impact sea turtles, fish, marshes and other wildlife for many years to come. This is a chance for India to increase exports as prices are likely to rise The major benefit of this supply vacuum is likely to be taken not by India but by East Asian countries such as China, Taiwan and Vietnam with the price advantage they have due to production of the low-cost Vannamei grades, which India has barely begun. For diverse reasons, Indian exporters are giving more thrust to European, Food and Beverage News
	Anand to get a mega food park
	Thursday, June 17, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai Anand district in Gujarat, also known as the land of white revolution, is likely to get a mega food park over the next few months, as confirmed by union minister for food processing industries Subodh Kant Sahai. Sahai also announced that Central Gujarat comprising districts of Anand, Kheda, Nadiad, Valsad and Navsari would be declared as a food processing corridor to focus investments in the region. The union minister was speaking at a function organised by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), CII, and the ministry of food processing industries to highlight the investment opportunities in the food processing sector. Sahai said, "Anand in Gujarat is likely to get a mega food park. I could visit again in the next 3-4 months for inaugurating this park." The Centre releases funds of Rs 50 crore for the development of such mega food parks. The union ministry of food processing industries is promoting this mega project to boost the country's growing food processing sector. The scheme is expected to facilitate achievement of Vision 2015 of the ministry to raise processing of perishables in the country from the existing 6 per cent to 20 per cent, value addition from 20 per cent to 35 per cent and the share in global food trade from 1.5 per cent to 3 per cent by the year 2015. Food and Beverage News
	AP CM approves Rs 35-cr expansion for AP Dairy
	Our Bureau Hyderabad, June 15 The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Dr K. Rosaiah, on Tuesday approved a Rs 35-crore expansion plan for Andhra Pradesh Dairy. The expansion plan will help AP Dairy to process about 6 lakh litres a day. The Chief Minister reviewed the functioning of AP Dairy Development Corporation and the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Divisions. He also approved the establishment of milk chilling centres at Madakasira and Kalyandurg in Anantapur district. The centres will cost Rs 3.30 crore. During the meeting, the Chief Minister agreed to the proposal to recruit 120 veterinary doctors, 400 veterinary compounders and 400 hospital attendants. The sustenance allowance to Gopalamitras has been enhanced from Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000 a month. According to projections, the State Fisheries Department expects to target 14.50 lakh tonnes of fish during the financial year against the 13 lakh tonnes of 2009-2010. While in absolute numbers it is not clear how much the Fisheries Department contributed, it has added 2.39 per cent to the Gross State Domestic Product. The department has proposed to take up development of nine wholesale and 34 retail fish markets at Rs 10.50 crore. In the 23 reservoirs, the department plans to stock 3.42 crore fingerlings (80-100 mm). As a part of the Prime Minister's package to support fisheries department, 16 districts will be covered, taking up 1,035 hectares of fish ponds. Claiming that Andhra Pradesh is largest State with livestock population, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said efforts are underway to further consolidate this position by extending support to the AP Sheep and Goat Development Cooperative Federation. The Hindu Business Line
	AP Industry wants harmonisation of FSSA with international laws
	Monday, June 14, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai Keeping in view the impact of Food Safety and Standards Act on food processing industries in India, FICCI has conducted a study to garner responses on various issues and challenges that industry perceives and finds out ways to craft regulatory reforms that produce better outcomes, which are both economically desirable and feasible. The study revealed few interesting facts. It said that about one-third of the industry was unaware about the FSSA and therefore ignorant about the rules there under. These will need to be mandatorily implemented in the near future. The majority (86%) of the industry, however, appreciated the consolidation and unification that has happened with the FSSA. Around 10% of the respondents looked forward to further unification of duplicate requirements like the BIS, Agmark with the FSSA. About 92% of the industry hoped for harmonisation of the new rules under the FSSA with internationally accepted standards like Codex, amongst which the most important issues were food categorisation system, food additives and labelling. The industry also felt that they were not adequately represented in the authority and looked forward to increased representation. Around 25% of the respondents thought it was important that FSSAI issued guidline notes and FAQs, along with legislations, for consistent interpretation and ease of implementation. Food and Beverage News
	India and China to strengthen technical collaboration in food sector
	Saturday, June 12, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai Minister of State for agriculture KV Thomas has held a series of meetings with Chinese authorities to strengthen technical collaboration in food sector between the two countries. He had wide ranging discussions on issues of mutual interest to India and China with a Chinese delegation led by Vice Minister Niu Dun. Thomas is on a six-day tour of China since June 7. He is accompanied by senior officials of the food ministry, Food Corporation of India (FCI) and Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC). The minister is expected to visit Shanghai before returning to India on June 12. The minister visited the SGA headquarters and was apprised of the details of the grain trade operations in China. He was also shown the advanced grain inspection, classification and standardisation laboratories built with international collaboration. At present, China has about 0.52 billion tonnes of food grain production and stores about 0.32 billion to be released through a huge market intervention scheme through its State Administration of Grain (SGA). Further, China has expressed interest to send its delegation to India in October to identify areas of technical collaboration and training needs for experts of the two countries. The minister’s visit is taking place at a time when India is engaged in creating additional storage capacity of 170 lakh tonnes of food grains. The PPP (public private partnership) based guarantee schemes it has offered have just started picking up interest amongst investors. Food and Beverage News
	Fisheries need a separate ministry: Kalam
	Thursday, June 10, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai Dr A PJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India, visited Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Cochin, on June 6, 2010, in connection with the World Environmental Day and International Year of Biodiversity celebrations There Dr Kalam proposed the idea of creation of a separate union ministry for fisheries in order to give impetus to fisheries development. Kalam stressed on the need for conservation of over-exploited capture fishery resources. He addressed the issues of property rights in the inland and coastal fisheries to facilitate management and finding technological solutions for seasonal problems of the fisher population He said that CIFT has to spearhead the strategies to conserve biodiversity of the aquatic resources. He also suggested an action plan for increasing fish production in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and developing it as a fisheries hub. There was a need for establishing coastal PURAs (Providing Urban Facilities in Rural Areas) with physical, electronic, knowledge and economic connectivity in order to ensure food, nutritional and livelihood security of the coastal populations. Dr Kalam also pointed out at the importance of producing clean bio-fuel from marine algae. He said, “With the growing demand for food, upward trend in seafood exports and with growing constraints on land availability for agriculture, the fisheries sector will be playing a prominent role as a revenue earner, food supplier and job provider. In this connection, the role of fisheries technology institutions like CIFT, would be extremely important for taking the nation’s fisheries sector to the next level of development. “ He proposed five missions for economic prosperity of the fishing community and fishermen villagers, which the R&D organisations needed to pioneer with the government and other organisations. Establishment of PURA in coastal areas; about 200 PURAs are to be established along the coastline of India Capacity building of fishermen through training in deep sea fishing, processing, value addition, packaging and marketing Conducting unique courses by CIFT for the benefit of fishermen in preservation of fresh fish, processing technologies, value addition and marketing, with venture capital support Sending fishermen abroad in batches for training to countries where fish production and processing are highly developed Facilitation of higher studies for children of fishermen in engineering, medicine, biotechnology and management through an appropriate mechanism by the government. Dr Kalam was specifically invited to speak on biodiversity as the United Nations has declared the year 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB), in order to raise awareness of the consequences of the loss of biodiversity and the year is to be celebrated under the slogan “Biodiversity is Life.” Food and Beverage News
	Big increase in support prices of pulses, paddy by Rs 50 a quintal
	Friday, June 11, 2010 Our Bureau, New Delhi In a bid to boost production of pulses which has consistently fallen short of annual demand by 3-5 million tonnes over a decade, the government on Thursday hiked the minimum support price of tur, moong and urad by a whopping Rs 700, Rs 400 and Rs 380, respectively. It also announced an additional incentive of Rs 5 per kg for procurement agencies. Post increase, the minimum support price for tur will be Rs 3,000, moong Rs 3,170 and urad Rs 2,900l per quintal. The MSP for pulses, considered to be the wholesale market benchmark, is just about 30-35% of retail prices of some varieties like tur (arhar), moong and urad. The MSP for paddy has also been increased by Rs 50 per quintal for both common and grade A varieties to Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,030 per quintal, respectively, for the 2010-11 crop year. Last years, the government announced a bonus of Rs 50 above the MSP of Rs 900 per quintal. Similar offer may be extended this year when procurement starts in October, according to sources. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) went beyond the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), which suggested a price of Rs 2,800 per quintal for tur dal, considering the importance of this pulse. Pulses prices jumped sharply late last year as kharif production dropped due to poor monsoon. In the oil seeds category, the support price for groundnut has been increased to Rs 2,300 a quintal from Rs 2,100. Soya bean (black) price has been increased to Rs 1,400 a quintal from Rs 1,350. The MSP of yellow variety of soya bean now stands at Rs 1,440 a quintal against Rs 1,390 last year. The MSP of sunflower has been increased to Rs 2,350 a quintal from Rs 2,215. Sesamum support price price has gone up to Rs 2,900 a quintal, while that of nigerseed went up to Rs 2,450 from Rs 2,405. In coarse cereals, the MSP of both maize and bajra has been raised to Rs 880 per quintal. Jowar (hybrid) MSP has been hiked by Rs 40 a quintal to Rs 880 and jowar at Rs 900 a quintal Food and Beverage News
	India and Canda together for food processing
	Thursday, June 10, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai The minister of food processing industries, Subhodh Kant Sahai, has said that India and Canada should cooperate in the field of growth and development of technologies for food processing industries. While attending an event organised for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between the two countries, he said, the memorandum would give India a global educational experience and training to create high quality and competent manpower for the growth of food processing sector. The MoU was signed between the Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology, Thanjavur, and the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. It calls for an exchange of collaborative research, training, curriculum and institutional development and exchange of faculty and students. Rob Norris, minister of education and law of Saskatchewan was also present on the occasion. The MoU was signed by Dr K Alagusundaram, director, Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology and Dr Bret Fairbairn, Provost and vice president, academic, University of Saskatchewan. Senior officials from the ministry of food processing industries were also present. The MoU also ensures short term exchange of faculty, students and staff for the purpose of research sabbaticals and advanced training. It will provide coordination and joint research and development, lectures, training and distance education, academic programmes, study and research. Food and Beverage News
	Matsyafed launches food supplement tablets
	Ties up with CIFT for over-the-counter product. Our Bureau Kochi, June 9 Kerala State Co-operative Federation for Fisheries Development (Matsyafed) in technical collaboration with Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) has introduced Chitosan capsules in the market, claimed to be a natural food supplement against obesity, overweight and high blood cholesterol level. Chitosan is used as an OTC food supplement all over the world for more than 40 years. Matsyafed has introduced the product as part of venturing into commercial activities and this is a first step by a Government cooperative society in Kerala to the healthcare sector, Mr V.V.Saseendran, Chairman, Matsyafed, said at a press meet. *Quality control* The product is extracted hygienically from the exoskeleton of fresh marine prawns, crab and lobsters in technical collaboration with CIFT, which maintains the quality control of the product, he added. Matsayfed has established a high-tech plant at Neendakara in Kollam district with a capacity to produce 1.5 lakh capsules aday at an investment of Rs 1.10 crore. The company is also in the process of setting up a Glucosamine plant with international standards at Punnapra in Alappuzha district at a cost of Rs 4crore for producing drugs for arthritis. It is awaiting necessary clearance from the departments concerned in this regard, Mr P.Kesavan Nair, Managing Director, said. *Clinical studies* Speaking on the occasion, Dr D.M.Vasudevan, Department of Biochemistry, Amrita Institute of Medical Research, Kochi, said that extensive clinical studies undertaken on various aspects of Chitosan found that the product appeared to be a non-toxic, well tolerated effective natural product in helping people achieve weight reduction, normal BP and blood cholesterol reduction. Matsyafed, the apex body of 666 primary fishermen cooperative societies, has registered a net profit of Rs 15.46 crore for the first time in its history on a turnover of Rs 314.21crore in 2009-10. This year, the company has set a turnover target of Rs 400crore, Mr Nair added. The Hindu Business Line
	Poultry industry set for a boom, consumption of chicken to double by 2014
	Wednesday, June 09, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai Consumption of chicken in the country is expected to double in the next five years. The eating out phenomenon coupled with more quick service restaurant chains is changing the consumption profile of Indians, according to a report in The Economic Times. The Rs 40,000-crore domestic poultry industry produces 240 crore birds commercially every year. To cope with the doubling of demand by 2014-15, the industry will need to grow at a rate of 12-15% annually, says P G Pedgaonkar, dy general manager, Venkateshwara Hatcheries, Pune. By then, the poultry industry could become a Rs 60,000-65,000- crore sector. He maintained the current chicken consumption is under 3 kg per head a year and it may increase to 4.5-5 kg per head, factoring in an increase in the population. Other players such as the Mumbai-based Godrej Agrovet and the Coimbatore-based Suguna group maintained that the current consumption is just over 2 kg per head annually, but both agreed that consumption is expected to double by 2014-15. Godrej Agrovet managing director B S Yadav said, "The consumption of chicken doubles every five-six years, so we expect it to double by 2014-15. This will require huge investments but banks have lost huge sums of money through growers going bankrupt, so the investment needed for capital formation is not happening. Every one will have to invest, from poultry farms to breeders and hatcheries since this is an investment-intensive business. Consumption may be ready to increase but the matching infrastructure to handle it is not ready," Yadav said. Outlining the issues the poultry industry faces, Suguna group managing director B Soundararajan said, "We have already made the capital investment to tackle 50% of the growth in the next five years. The infrastructure will be adequate to meet the requirements for the next two years." Industry players agreed that the capacity expansion, pushed by the growth in consumption, will require farmers being able to handle birds for six to seven weeks, which means investment on land. Pednekar added that capacity increase can be effected through an increase in efficiencies, a sort of debottling of existing facilities, and by an increase in automation. Food and Beverage News
	EU team to inspect seafood export facilities
	Our Correspondent Madurai, June 7 A delegation from the European Union is expected to visit Tuticorin in September to assess the conditions and infrastructure facilities available at the fishing harbour for seafood export trade, according to Mr. K. Rajendramany, Assistant Director, Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Sub-regional Office, Tuticorin. Speaking at Tuticorin recently, he said that Tuticorin has earned a name in the business of seafood exports. The value in 2009-10 touched Rs 9,921 crore through shipment of 6,63,603 tonnes. *Sea freight assistance* To make the seafood export attractive, MPEDA has been offering sea freight assistance for export-import trade, in addition to offering financial assistance to fishermen to enhance the quality and value-addition under many subsidy schemes. For promotion of ornamental fish breeding units, MPEDA has been providing assistance up to 50 per cent of the infrastructure cost. Awareness camps for fishermen are also being conducted on methods to be adopted on post-harvest and pre-harvest management. *Processing plants* Twenty-two fish processing plants, nine ice plants and two fish meal oil plants are registered with MPEDA. Five chilled fish exporters, ten dry fish exporters and three live fish exporters are operating from the region covering Ramanathapuram, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Thanjavur districts, he added. The Hindu Business Line
	Israel to work in Rajasthan on water, farming
	Saturday, June 05, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai Israel is planning to work in Rajasthan in cooperation with the local authorities on issues like water quality and agriculture. According to news reports, Israeli ambassador Mark Sofer recently discussed the issue in detail with chief minister Ashok Gehlot at a meeting in Jaipur. Earlier to the meeting, Sofer told reporters that Israeli mission to India was planning to initiate works in the desert state to improve quality of water and agriculture and also wanted to set up a centre of excellence to educate and train farmers on advance technologies and techniques. "Our main thrust in the first stage will be on water and agriculture related crucial issues which included purifying and recycling of sewage water for reuse, salinity, creating new water sources, improve farming etc;" Sofer said. Israel may sign free trade agreement After meeting the chief minister, Sofer also mentioned that preliminary negotiations would commence and a team of experts from Tel Aviv would be reaching New Delhi to discuss signing a free trade agreement between India and Israel. "The Indian Government has decided to go ahead with the free trade agreement. So, we are bringing our experts and the talks will start tomorrow (Saturday). So, we are very excited about that," he informed. He further noted that this landmark agreement would give a major boost to both economies. "I reckon that the negotiations will take a bit of time. These are very tough negotiations, they affect industry, agriculture and transfer of know-how. It's not easy," he added. Food and Beverage News
	More food grains to APL families at reduced prices, move to relieve FCI stocks
	Friday, June 04, 2010 Our Bureau, New Delhi The Centre has significantly reduced the price of wheat and rice given to states under the "special allocation scheme" targeted at above poverty line (APL) families. As Food Corporation (FCI) faces acute shortage crunch, the scheme has been relaunched with the new price to encourage states to lift more from their allocated quantities. Under this special allocation to states, each APL family was allocated 10 kg of food grains per month over and above the allocations made under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). The Scheme was launched in January 2010. According to sources, states lifted around one million tonnes of rice and wheat out of the total allocation of around 4 million tonnes under this special scheme. The price of wheat was fixed at Rs 1,080 per quintal while rice was sold at the 'minimum support price (MSP) derived rate.' The food ministry, in its order on May 25, further reduced the price of wheat for this special allocation to Rs 845 per quintal and for rice the price has been brought down to Rs 1,185 per quintal. The ministry has also asked the states to include even BPL families under the scheme if they want to buy more than their BPL quota. "We have made a fresh allocation of 1.37mt of rice and 1.68mt of wheat under the scheme," said a food ministry official. As on May 1, the FCI has food grain stocks of 60mt which is far above the strategic reserve and buffer stock norms. FCI allocates wheat and rice to the states under the TPDS to the tune of 24-26mt per annum. Besides it has to keep around 16mt of wheat and rice for strategic reserve and buffer stocks norms. Smaller quantities of food grains are also allocated to the armed forces. Food and Beverage News
	Chandigarh comes up with a draft to regulate meat and poultry sector
	Wednesday, June 02, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, the civic body of Chandigarh city, has come up with a draft of “Regulation for the sale of Meat, Fish and Poultry Bylaws, 2010,” and has sent it to the UT administration for approval. The draft is meant to ensure hygiene when it comes to sale of non-vegetarian food products in Chandigarh., reported The Times of India. The suggested measures seek that shops selling meat chopped on the premises should have drains with sloped floors so that fluids like animal blood flow into the city sewer. Another requirement of the draft is that all meat or poultry sold in the city should be obtained from MC slaughter house, which shall be duly stamped. Hotels, restaurants, boarding houses, snack bars or similar establishments are also to use such meat only. Also, stale or unstamped meat and poultry found unfit for human consumption shall be seized or destroyed under the orders of a medical officer for health, meat inspector or meat supervisor. Another prominent measure that the draft suggests is that live animals put on sale in shops for consumption would be seized and their meat sold in an open auction after slaughter. Birds will be slaughtered for Rs 5 each at the MC-run facility. Significantly, the draft also says that the processed meat, fish and poultry must be kept in a deep freezer or in wire gauze covering at shops and their premises shall be air-conditioned. PK Sharma, additional commissioner-cum-secretary to the MC told TOI, “We have sent the draft to the UT administration and the officials’ decision is awaited.” Food and Beverage News
	MoFPI keen to support Karnataka food industry with dedicated and modern food test lab
	Thursday, April 29, 2010 Our Bureau, Bangalore The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is keen to set up a food test lab in Bangalore to speed up the results required for exports. “We are willing to set up a food test lab of global standards in Bangalore. The food industry in the state can come out with details of the infrastructure availability,” said Ajit Kumar, joint secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, at an interactive session with food sector officials in Bangalore at the behest of the BCIC (Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce). Currently the Karnataka food industry needs to send the samples for export to the Central Food Technology Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, which takes time. In order to speed up the process and to make the food industry vibrant, an advanced food lab was mandatory, he said. While no details of investment were disclosed, Kumar said a built-up area of 3,000 sq. ft was needed. One of the locations to set up the lab was the University of Agricultural Sciences. There were also suggestions by the food industry on land available at Yelahanka, close to the Bangalore International Airport. This would allow the food sector to have better proximity for exports. The setting up of the lab would be overseen by the Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology, Thanjavur, which is a research and development centre set up under the aegis of the MoFPI. Dr. Vasant Kumar, additional secretary, Department of Food Processing and Harvest Technology, said that state food industry also took the opportunity to highlight the paucity of human resources, and the poor infrastructure in the state. He said that despite the presence of 10 agro climatic zones in the state which enables cultivation of food grains and horticulture crops, the food sector had not taken off. Karnataka also pioneered the concept of Food Parks. Of the 6 sanctioned food parks at Malur, Hiriyur in Chitradurga, Jewargi in Gulbarga, Bagalkot, Mysore and Bangalore, only two at Hiriyur in Chitradurga and Jewargi in Gulbarga were ready to take off. There need to be speedy financial assistance from the Centre as the food parks were on a standstill mode for a while. According to the joint secretary, MoFPI, the reason for a slow decision on the food parks was the inadequate response from the state government, but now with the positive progress of the food parks, efforts would be made to increase the momentum for assistance. Other issues put forth were on hike in subsidy and need for guidelines on contract farming. Food and Beverage News
	Govt to set up lab for testing of meat, poultry products
	*Thursday, May 06, 2010* In order to increase exports of meat and poultry products from the country, a quality testing laboratory would be set up in Delhi next month, Union Food Processing Minister Subodh Kant Sahai said. "To facilitate exports, the National Meat and Poultry Processing Board would be establishing the first meat and poultry food testing lab in Delhi that would start functioning by June 30, Sahai said at the Board's second national conference in New Delhi. He also said that at least four more such laboratories would be required in order to facilitate easier quality testing of the products. Noting that India, which has the largest livestock population in the world (42 crore), has only 2 per cent share in the global meat market, Sahai said that appropriate measures needed to be taken to increase this. The eggs were hatched after 22 hours of incubation at a temperature range of 28-30º C. The percentage of hatching was 80 per cent and the total number of newly hatched larvae was estimated as 1.5 million. The newly hatched larvae measured in total length from 2.2-2.7 mm. The mouth opening was formed on 16.03.2010 (on 3rd day post hatch). The mouth opening of the newly hatched larvae measured around 200 μ. Upgrading slaughter houses, training butchers and arranging for transportation facilities that refrigerate the meat and poultry products from the point of production to supply are needed in order to increase exports. Food and Beverage News
	India refuses to remove restrictions on pork, poultry imports
	Thursday, May 11, 2010 Our Bureau, New Delhi India has refused to remove restrictions on import of pork and poultry products imposed last year as a preventive measure against the spread of bird flu despite mounting pressure from the EU and the US at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), according to a report in The Economic Times. At a recent meeting of the WTO committee on sanitary and phytosanitary measures in Geneva, the US and EU representatives protested that the restrictions were not justified as their exports did not violate the standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). “We are well within our rights to impose restrictions as we have been affected by the bird flu virus in the past and don’t want to take any risks,” a commerce department official said justifying India’s stand. Poultry and meat exports from the US and the EU were banned by several countries following the outbreak of the avian influenza. Subsequently, certain countries such as the Philippines, have lifted the ban. India had also announced that import of unprocessed meat would no longer be blocked for reasons of influenza, but said only heat-treated pig meat could be allowed, a measure not in line with international standards, the EU said. India should provide scientific evidence justifying its strict measures to bring its import requirements in line with international standards, the EU said. Refuting the allegations, India has said that the notification issued in August last year prohibited the import of poultry and poultry products and live pigs from countries reporting both highly pathogenic and low pathogenic avian influenza. India’s technical experts had observed that symptoms of highly pathogenic avian influenza were noticeable and the infection could be controlled, but low pathogenic avian influenza might pass unnoticed and controlling the infection could become difficult. Additionally, there was no data available confirming that low pathogenic avian influenza could not mutate into highly pathogenic avian influenza. Imports are currently allowed based on the avian influenza status of the exporting country. The official said that comments received from trading partners on this notification were under examination. Food and Beverage News
	Sahai rues about Arunachal Pradesh -- 85 registered FP units, only a few operational
	Wednesday, May 12, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai Food processing units in Arunachal Pradesh could be started on a missionary zeal, said minister for food processing industries Subodh Kant Sahai while expressing his concern over lack of proposals from investors to set up industries in Arunachal Pradesh despite its vast potential. The minister addressed the "Investors Meet" organised by the Mofpi and Indian Chamber of Commerce at Itanagar. He rued that despite the state has over 85 registered units under the government only a few are working. To develop state's food processing level, Sahai encouraged investors to enjoy the facilities especially formulated to benefit them and the food processing industries. "The Central government is interested in developing the industry in the North-East, especially in Arunachal Pradesh," he said. Further, he announced any technical college in the state wanting to introduce degree and diploma courses in food processing will get 100 per cent grant for infrastructure, laboratory and other facilities. Mofpi, jointly with the state government, has drafted the food processing policy, Sahai said, adding very soon it would give a fillip to the food processing sector here. Food and Beverage News
	US to continue dumping duty on Indian shrimps
	C J Punnathara Kochi, May 16 In a major blow to the country's marine export sector, the US Department of Commerce has decided to continue with the anti-dumping duty levied on shrimp exports from India. Following the expedited Sunset Review, which was mandatory after the initial decision to impose anti-dumping duty was first announced five years ago, the US Department of Commerce has found that “the revocation of the anti-dumping duty would lead to a continuation or recurrence of dumping.” This decision will impact frozen warm water shrimp exports from Brazil, India, China and Thailand into the US. “We were hopeful that the Sunset Review would spell the end of anti-dumping duty. But the difficult situation is likely to continue and our final hope rests with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) from which a final decision is expected, or later from the WTO. At best, ITC might call for a fresh audit in which case we hope the decision is revoked,” Mr Anwar Hashim, President of the Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI), said. The decision has been a big blow for the country's aquaculture industry, trade sources said. The production of black tiger shrimp from India had been declining over the past five years, mainly due to lower export volumes. The industry was hoping that a favourable judgement in this regard would revive the aquaculture sector. Any major revival now seems distant, they added. Part of the problem seems to have been the sort of response that was provided to the US Department of Commerce. While no substantive response was forthcoming from Brazil, China and Thailand within the stipulated 30-days period, India alone was the exception. The US DOC determined that the Indian substantive response was not adequate since it failed to provide the volume and value of exports for certain specific time periods. India's response India, for its part, requested that the adequacy request be reviewed and the US DOC responded by stating that it still found the Indian response inadequate. With the expiry of the 30-day deadline, the US DOC went in for the shorter expedited sunset review instead of the full fledged review. Now the Indian exporters are hoping that the ITC will call for a fresh audit and the Indian side is given a patient hearing. Indian shrimp exports have faced tough times ever since anti-dumping duties were imposed, five years ago. Although annual reviews have brought down the level of anti-dumping duties from the 10.17 per cent levels to 0.79 per cent levels, the industry still faces several problems. The interim order of the Fourth Administrative Review has hiked the rates to 2.22 per cent. The non-repayment of customs bonds worth $50 million, which has been outstanding to the exporters for several years now, has been another major issue. As a direct consequence of the anti-dumping duty, Indian shrimp exports to the US has fallen by one-third from Rs 950 crore to Rs 611 crore, industry sources said. The Hindu Business Line
	Dairy items, food grains lead import of key items
	*The total import of sensitive items for the period April 2009-February 2010 was Rs 59,981.11 crore, up 39 percent.* Our Bureau New Delhi, May 18 Import of dairy items during April 2009-February 2010 surged by a massive 275.5 per cent to Rs 284.88 crore, while that of foodgrains shot up 211 per cent to Rs 91.97 crore. In April 2008-February 2009, import of milk and other dairy products was only Rs 75.86 crore and foodgrains imports were just Rs 29.57 crore. The dairy products imports mainly comprise skimmed milk powder and butter oil brought in by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to meet shortfall in milk procurement of its subsidiary, Mother Dairy, and other co-operatives. With their procurement lagging behind, liquid milk supplies have been affected in many States. The other sensitive items that recorded huge increase in April 2009-February 2010 were pulses, edible oils, rubber as well as tea and coffee. Imports of edible oils rose 65.3 per cent to Rs 24,025.63 crore during the above period, while that of pulses increased by 62.9 per cent to Rs 9,667.86 crore. Tea and coffee imports went up by 39.4 per cent to Rs 256.05 crore, according to an official data released on Tuesday. The Government has permitted duty-free import of pulses, edible oils, sugar, rice, wheat and dairy products (subject to a quantitative limit) in its efforts to curb food inflation. The total import of sensitive items for the period April 2009-February 2010 was Rs 59,981.11 crore, up 39 per cent from Rs 43,208.84 crore during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. However, imports of automobiles during the period under review declined by 27.5 per cent to Rs 1,035.11 crore, while alcoholic beverages fell by 10.5 per cent during the same period to Rs 327.68 crore. Imports of small-scale industry items such as umbrella, toys, locks, writing instruments, tiles and glassware also contracted. The other items that recorded a decline in imports were cotton and silk (-27.2 per cent) as well as marble and granite (-8.7 per cent). Import of sensitive items accounted for 5.1 per cent of the country's total imports during April 2009-February 2010 as against 3.2 per cent in the previous financial year. The gross import of all commodities during April 2009-February 2010 was Rs 11,80,124 crore as compared with Rs 12,89,412 crore during the same period of the previous year. Imports of sensitive items from Indonesia, China, Brazil, Myanmar, Malaysia, Korea, the US, Japan, Canada, Argentina, Ukraine, Thailand, Australia and Czech Republic have gone up, while those from Germany, Cote D' Ivoire and Tanzania have shown a decrease. The Hindu Business Line
	Panel recommends continuing trawling ban in Kerala
	Our Bureau Kochi 19 May 2010 The commission appointed by the Government two years ago to study trawling ban has recommended continuation of the ban in the present form, the State Fisheries Minister, Mr S. Sarma, has said. Speaking at a meeting with various organisations of fishermen and boat owners to discuss the implementation of the ban, the Minister urged them to cooperate with the ban. The Cabinet had also reached a decision to that effect, he said. The Hindu Business Line
	Amrita calls to link small milk producers to the market
	Thursday, May 20, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai While addressing the international conference on dairy industry on the theme “Public Private Partnership for Inclusive Growth,” organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on May 14, 2010, in New Delhi, Dr Amrita Patel, chairman, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), said that dairying would continue to be milk production by the masses and not mass production. The industry’s collective aim should be to ensure that the smallest producer needs to be linked to the market to ensure a livelihood. According to Dr Patel, the projected demand for milk by 2021-22 was estimated at 200 million tonnes which implied that milk production would have to be doubled. NDDB has drawn up a National Dairy Plan (NDP) covering a span of 15 years, which lays a path and provides strategies to lead the second milk revolution. The NDP envisages doubling milk production by improving productivity and ensuring that the organised sectors – both the cooperative and the private sector – increase their share of the marketable surplus from 30 per cent to 65 per cent. A steady increase in the productivity of cattle and buffaloes will be achieved by improving their genetic potential in a scientific manner. “Animals will have to be fed adequately so that the benefit of higher genetic progress actually results in enhanced milk production. The challenge before us is being innovative in taking the available technologies to our farmers” she said. The financial outlay for expansion of the processing capacity of cooperatives/producer companies would be around Rs 12,000 crore. “Information and communication technologies now give opportunities to look at growing the dairy business with much less or virtually no intermediation, as we now have new ways of linking up with our producers and facilitating them to transact their business through methods that they would also find more convenient and efficient,” Amrita concluded. Food and Beverage News
	Marine exports cross $2 billion mark, despite recession & stronger rupee
	Thursday, May 20, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai Despite global recession and a stronger rupee, marine exports crossed the $2-billion mark for the first time in the 2009-10 fiscal, said Leena Nair, chairperson of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA). Last year, India’s seafood exports faced tariff hurdles in the US markets as the fourth review by the US International Trade Commission increased duty by a whopping 300%, while the EU put hurdles in the form of mandatory catch certificates for all seafood products. Weathering all the bottlenecks, the country’s seafood exports crossed all previous records in volume, rupee value and dollar realization in 2009-10. Indian seafood export volumes grew 10.08 per cent to 6,63,603 tonnes while rupee realisation grew 15.26 per cent to Rs 9,921.46 crore during 2009-10. Foreign exchange earnings were up 10.32 per cent at $2.105 billion. Addressing a press conference in Kochi, Ms Nair said the industry had been impacted by a host of factors beyond its control but for which the realization would have gone up to Rs 200 crore and $ 50 million during last year. Shrimp continued to dominate Indian seafood exports accounting for 42 per cent of dollar realizations. The strengthening of the rupee continued to daunt Indian exporters. As a result, the unit value realization from shrimp export increased a meager 1.53 per cent. Frozen fish repositioned itself as the principal item in terms of quantity and second largest in value. Dominating the volumes, it accounted for 38 per cent of the total quantum of marine exports realizing 20 per cent of the total foreign exchange earnings. Although cuttlefish exports continued to grow in volume and value, the foreign exchange earnings were hampered and there was 7 per cent decline in unit value realisation. While export of squid registered a nominal growth in volume, the realization in rupee and foreign currency registered a fall. While several countries in the EU continued to reel under the after-effects of the global recession, the region continued to be the largest market accounting for more than 30 per cent of the foreign exchange realization. Accelerating exports to China made it the second largest buyer, accounting for about 18 per cent value realization. Exports to West Asian countries had increased by 27 per cent while South East Asian countries imported 62 per cent more during the last fiscal, Ms Nair said. Exports to countries like Libya, Reunion Islands, Australia, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Tanzania, Ukraine and Brazil also registered a positive growth. After EU and China in first and second position, with 30.07 per cent and 17.73 per cent respectively, it was followed by South East Asia (14.61%), Japan (12.96%), US (10.02%), West Asia (5.57%) and other countries (9.05%). Food and Beverage News
	Sahai signs agreement with Vietnam on agri production, food processing
	Friday, May 21, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai Union food processing minister Subodh Kant Sahai has signed bilateral cooperation agreement with Cao Duc Phat, minister of agriculture and rural development of Vietnam on May 12 in Hanoi, Vietnam. India and Vietnam will establish a joint committee to strengthen bilateral cooperation in agricultural production, food processing, trade and investment. Sahai, said, “We hope to advance cooperation with Vietnam in food processing and animal feed production. I also invite Vietnamese business houses to invest more in food processing technology in India.” The Indian government will create favourable conditions for investors from Vietnam, Sahai assured. During the period from 2003 to 2008, bilateral trade between Vietnam and India grew from $490 million to $2.48 billion. However, due to the global economic recession in 2009, the trade stood at $2.05 billion. Food and Beverage News
	Maharashtra to set up regulatory authority for the dairy sector
	Saturday, May 22, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai The Maharashtra government is planning to set up a regulatory authority to control rising milk prices in the state. The state is planning to set up a regulatory authority to control milk prices for the benefit of the consumers, according to Nitin Raut, minister for animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries. Mumbai's daily milk requirement is 54 lakh litres, of which 30% is from government dairies and the rest is supplied by private players. The government has no direct control over the private firms and the regulatory authority would serve the purpose. It would also ensure proper prices are paid to farmers who sell the milk. The state government will also be holding a meeting with Mother Dairy and National Dairy Development Board to chalk out a State Dairy Plan with special focus on Mumbai, Raut confirmed. "Mumbai is the biggest milk and milk products market and the state intends to take help from Mother Dairy to design a plan on the lines of Delhi so that the need would be fulfilled. Food and Beverage News
	Cheese improves immune system: Scientists
	*Our Bureau, Mumbai* Recently, scientists in Finland have discovered that cheese can help preserve and enhance the immune system of the elderly by acting as a carrier for probiotic bacteria. The new research, published in FEMS Immunology & Medical Microbiology, reveals that daily consumption of probiotic cheese helps tackle age-related changes in the immune system. Dr Fandi Ibrahim, lead author from University of Turku in Finland, said, “The increase in the proportion of aged individuals in modern society makes finding innovative ways to thwart the deterioration of the immune system a priority. The intake of probiotic bacteria has been reported to enhance the immune response through other products and now we have discovered that cheese can be a carrier of the same bacteria.” Dr Ibrahim’s team believes that the daily intake of probiotic cheese can tackle the age-related deterioration of the immune system known as “immunosenescene.” To tackle immunosenescene, the team targeted the gastrointestinal tract, which is the main entry for bacteria cells into the body through food and drink and is also the site where 70% of vital immunoglobulin cells are created. “The aim of our study was to see if specific probiotic bacteria in cheese would have immune enhancing effects on healthy older individuals in a nursing home setting,” Dr Ibrahim added Food and Beverage News
	Market driven farming need of the hour
	Monday, May 24, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai Market-driven agricultural research is the need of the hour to ensure livelihood security in rural areas. It requires optimisation, efficiency and transparency in the operational system, stated Dr K Kasturirangan, member, planning commission, while delivering the inaugural speech at the National Meet on Technological Innovations in Agriculture in New Delhi. While lauding the role of National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) for providing a platform for innovations in agricultural research system, Dr Kasturirangan said that agricultural research should be viewed in continuum for making available technologies for production, protection, post-harvest management of produce, with emphasis on input use efficiency, sustainability, diversification, quality assurance, favourable policy framework, marketing and trade. He suggested that an operational system should be devised and regularly updated and upgraded to develop and support secondary agriculture in the country for moving towards holistic development. He said it was working on an ambitious plan to boost secondary agriculture, which includes value-addition to farm products, in the 12th Five-Year Plan. Secondary agriculture encompasses activities such as extracting medicines from herbs, vitamins from food grains, fibre boards from rice straw, oil from rice bran and so on. “We are already working on an action plan to promote secondary agriculture in the 12th Plan period (2012-2017). The assessment is in progress,” said K Kasturirangan. “Many projects get started but implementation at a large scale for the benefit of many is a big concern.” he added.NAIP aims at increasing farm productivity, commercialization of agriculture and alleviation of rural poverty. Earlier, Dr S Ayyappan, secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education and director general, Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), in his address apprised the challenges being faced to maintain sustainable food and nutritional security for the nation. He emphasised that poverty, productivity and profitability were key areas to focus upon. The two-day meet being organised by the NAIP (May 21-22, 2010), was a flagship project of the ICAR funded by the World Bank for a period of approximately six years (2006-12). In the ensuing technical sessions the progress achieved so far and the challenges were deliberated upon and recommendations made to put the project in a fast track mode. Consortia leaders/principal investigators of the sub-projects from different parts of the country participated in the meet along with consultants and functionaries of the NAIP. The total project cost of NAIP is $ 250 million of which $200 million is funded by IDA. The main goal of the project is to contribute towards achieving the national objectives such as improvement of food security and agricultural productivity, commercialisation of agriculture and reduction in rural poverty. Food and Beverage News
	Dairy industry can help India to bring sustainable energy
	Wednesday, May 26, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai In a latest research, Hewlett-Packard Laboratories (HP Labs) found that the manure output of cows and the heat output of data centres could be leveraged to create an economically and environmentally sustainable operation. In a new research, the company claims that a farm of 10,000 dairy cows can address the power demands of one mega watt (MW) data centre and will even have power left over to support other needs on the farm. Data centres and farms can work together to create a system to this end. "There is an industry need to explore new concepts in data centre design," says Tom Christian, senior research scientist in HP's Sustainable IT Ecosystem Lab, and project lead. And while the idea of cow-powered data centers may sound esoteric, says Christian, "there's a lot of value to be found in challenging conventional wisdom to solve issues faced today and ten years from now." Environmentally sustainable Research from HP Labs indicates that the heat generated by the data centre can be tapped to enhance the efficiency of the anaerobic digestion of animal waste. As a result, methane gas is produced and this in turn generates power for the data centre. Energy demands are increasing each day, particularly in developing countries like BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and this research finding can solve the waste problems faced by dairy farms and the power demands of the data centres in a sustainable manner. Chandrakant Patel, fellow and director of HP's Sustainable IT Ecosystem Lab, says, "This symbiotic relationship helps address the dual challenge of reducing farm pollution and making data centres more environmentally sustainable. We believe that innovation in technology is our greatest asset in solving energy and environmental issues." According to an estimate by HP researchers, dairy farmers would break even in costs within the first two years of using a system like this. Later, they will be able to earn about $2 million annually in revenue from selling waste-derived power to data centre customers. Food and Beverage News
	Assocham seeks policy to reduce use of pesticides in the farm
	Saturday, May 29, 2010 Our Bureau, Mumbai The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has sought a long-term farm policy so that current crop patterns are diversified and use of chemicals and pesticides in them are gradually discouraged and replaced with environment friendly materials. The suggested policy should prescribe a time period of 3 years to yield desired results and gradually move Indian agriculture on to achieve radical changes in it and especially so, in India’s rural economy. The proposed policy should also promote farmer industry interaction by putting in place efficient supply chains to connect farmers to urban consumers and processing industries. In addition, it should aim at for creating a stake for retail stores in farmer's prosperity and introduce drip irrigation facilities and intensify focus in crop diversification patterns and motivate farmers to gradually discard excessive use of chemicals to ensure higher yield with environment friendly materials. In a statement, ASSOCHAM president, Dr Swati Piramal demanded that in proposed long-term farm policy, enough incentives to be provided to farmers to integrate them with animal husbandry & poultry and introduce short-term commercial crops comprising floriculture, horticulture, cultivation of herbs and spices for raising rural farm incomes. Food and Beverage News
	Decision on milk prices soon
	Thiruvananthapuram, 30 May 2010 The State Government will take a decision on hiking the milk price on getting the P.K. Mohanty Committee report, according Mr C. Divakaran, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Civil Supplies. The Minister was speaking at the launch of the Gosuraksha livestock insurance scheme here on Saturday. No scientific study had been conducted on the issue. In the past, the State Government had gone by the recommendations of the apex milk marketing federation, Milma. The State Government has proposed to hike the pension of milk farmers since it was aware of the plight of the 14 lakh families in the sector. The Government would also seek to retain as many farmers as possible in the sector by supporting their cause to the extent feasible, the Minister said. The Hindu Business Line
	UNIDO's ‘traceability system' ensures quality of Bangladeshi seafood
	Our Bureau New Delhi, May 31 The seafood industry in Bangladesh got a shot in the arm with the recent introduction of a traceability system, to ensure that quality standards and the Bangladesh national quality management system are accepted internationally. Piloted by the Vienna-based United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and implemented in cooperation with the Geneva-based International Trade Centre (ITC), the new traceability system ensures continuing access to export markets for Bangladesh seafood and in particular to the European Union (EU). According to UNIDO, Bangladesh needed a proven traceability system, because Bangladesh and other similar shrimp exporting countries have been operating with a large number of very small suppliers and a complex and irregular system of intermediaries. Traceability is a crucial element in quality assurance, and especially in food safety. It implies that, through detailed record keeping throughout the value chain, the origin of a faulty product or batch could easily be identified in order to block further supplies until fault is rectified. *Pilot scheme* In cooperation with Bangladesh Department of Fisheries, UNIDO designed and introduced a complete traceability system entailing, among others, pilot scheme followed by industry-wide implementation, registration of all 1,79,325 shrimp farms by area, collecting depots, ice plants and export processing plants licensed and regularly inspected. There is also training on traceability involving 9,804 farmers, 1,325 collection depot mangers and staff and 409 export processing plant managers, 48 ice factory managers and 600 inspectors and extension officers. The advent of traceability coupled with improvements in testing, inspection and hygienic practices would ensure continued access to major export markets for Bangladesh seafood industry. Neighbouring countries have also shown interest in learning and benefitting from the Bangladesh experience, as they find their marine product export consignments being rejected at the entry ports for want of safety standards, particularly in the EU. The Hindu Business Line

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