[Ip-health] on BIO-FUELs + BIRD FLU + BASMATI RICE + GMOs + IDRC + Global Agri-Industries + Barley + Palm Oil
Indian Society For Sustainable Agriculture
indiansocietyforsustainableagri@yahoo.co.in
Mon Feb 25 14:00:52 2008
--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
NEWS Bulletin from Indian Society For Sustainable Agriculture And Rural D=
evelopment
**********************************
1. Bird flu affected await govt sops
On BIO-FUELs----
2. Pest control on bio-fuel crops needed
3. Even as GoM deliberates, some states kick off bio-fuel schemes
4. Sugar industry seeks special status for ethanol
5. Canada to help set up next gen bio-fuel projects
6. New BASMATI RICE variety can resist bacteria - (also researches in GMO=
s)
7. Row over crude palm oil duty
8. DBT to search bio-molecules for new antibiotics
9. Canada's envoy in India to head IDRC
10. India to host first global agro-industries meet
11. Barley gains attention of beer industry
12. Govt expects wheat output to touch 75 mt
------------------------------------------
Bird flu affected await govt sops
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Bird-flu-affected-await-govt-sops/27=
6644/0
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Sunday , February 24, 2008 at 2251 hrs IST
New Delhi, Feb 24 The poultry industry, which has suffered losses on acco=
unt of the recent outbreak of avian flu in West Bengal, is eagerly waiting =
for the government's subvention on interest rates charged on loans extended=
to them by banks.
The Reserve Bank of India, last week, had issued guidelines to banks sugg=
esting a one-year moratorium on repayment of outstanding loans, conversion =
of working capital loans into term loans, and re-schedulement of term-loan =
repayment as a relief to the affected poultry industry.
According to sources, the finance minister P Chidambaram may announce the=
government's subvention rates on loans extended to the poultry industry ei=
ther before the Budget or may spell it out in his Budget speech.
The Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar had earlier announced that th=
e government would work out separate relief packages for the poultry sector=
- one exclusively for poultry farmers in West Bengal and the other for the=
poultry industry in the country as a whole, which has suffered in sales du=
e to a dip in prices in the country and the ban imposed by different countr=
ies on Indian poultry imports. The government's package would include subve=
ntion rates on interest charged by banks.
He had assured that the financial package would be an improved one over t=
hat announced in March 2006 on account of the outbreak of bird flu. The Mar=
ch 2006 package contained 4% interest subvention, a one-year moratorium per=
iod for repayment of loans, conversion of working capital into loans, and e=
xtension of fresh loans for working capital.
"The poultry industry had demanded zoning of poultry areas in the country=
based on geo-climatic conditions, so that exports from bird flu-free zones=
can be business as usual, ban on export of corn and soybean to augment fee=
d availability, 7% central government's interest subvention on loans, and a=
two-year moratorium on repayment of loans," said Anuradha Desai, chairpers=
on of the National Egg Coordination Committee.
The government has turned down the proposal for zoning of poultry areas, =
even though the industry had pointed out such zoning or compartmentalisatio=
n exists in the US and is allowed by the world animal health organisation -=
OIE. It has also refused to impose a ban on exports of corn or soybean.
India has a poultry population of 489 million (nearly 3% of world's poult=
ry), out of which 51% is concentrated in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and We=
st Bengal. Due to the recent incidence of avian flu in West Bengal, culling=
operations were undertaken not only in this states but also in parts of th=
e neighbouring states - Assam, Bihar, and Jharkhand
------------------------------------
Pest control on bio-fuel crops needed
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Pest-control-on-biofuel-crops-needed=
/276729/0
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Sunday , February 24, 2008 at 2354 hrs IST
New Delhi, Feb 24 The Hyderabad-based Central Research Institute for Dryl=
and Agriculture (CRIDA) has said that plantation of different tree borne oi=
lseeds in wastelands under different agro-climatic conditions can be taken =
up for production of bio-fuels. But pests control needs adequate attention.
CRIDA has conducted on-farm experimentation in three districts in Andhra =
Pradesh, namely Anantapur, Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda alongwith the state go=
vernment's rainshadow area development department. In general, the experime=
nts showed the survival of Jatropha was about 95% after two years of planti=
ng and that of Pongamia was around 98% after a year of planting.
"Experiments on pruning of Jatropha plants in different districts have sh=
own good response to the treatment at a height of 45 cm and 60 cm from grou=
nd level by reflecting in increased number of branches (10-15 per plant) an=
d also vigorous growth", said GR Rao of CRIDA.
However, with a view to develop good plant growth, the inflorescene shoul=
d be removed during the first year. It was observed that the pruning had re=
flected in more pest problems as pruned plants had more vigor and also beca=
use of pruning injuries, he said
CRIDA suggested that legume intercropping should be taken up in the three=
-year gestation period of Jatropha plantation with a view to provide immedi=
ate income to the farmer and improving soil fertility. It experimented with=
such intercropping of pigeonpea, blackgram and horsegram in 2006. The spac=
ing should, however, be at least 3m between rows of Jatropha while that for=
Pongamia at least 5x4m. Still wider spacing of 6x4m or 6x6m is preferred f=
or Pongamia to get good growth.
According to CRIDA study major pests were, however, observed on bio-fuel =
plants namely Semilooper (Archaea janata), red hairy caterpillar (Amsacta a=
lbistriga), leaf webber (Pempelia morosalis), stem girdler, grass hoppers, =
Defoliater, leaf and inflorescence webber (Pempelia morosalis), spotted bug=
s (Scutellera nobilis/Chrysocoris purpureus), scale insects (Megapulvinaria=
maxima), leaf miner, leaf blight and leaf galls (Eriophyes cherian).
CRIDA initiated on-station trials with Jatropha way back in 1992 and on P=
ongamia since 2003. It identified 218 Jatropha species and over 197 Pongami=
a species in Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and collected and screened g=
ermplasm on the basis of oil content in the seed and thereafter short-liste=
d 42 Jatropha accessions and 23 Pongamia accessions for evaluation.
"The screened accessions of Jatropha and Pongamia are being evaluated in =
progeny trials. Germplasm of these two species were exchanged with network =
partners, representing all state governments for multi locational trials," =
said Rao
He said that CRIDA has taken up standardized mass multiplication and othe=
r agro technologies for raising elite accessions of Jatropha and Pongamia a=
nd intiated trials on inter and intra specific breeding in Jatropha. The ne=
gative and positive interactions in bio-fuel plants based agro-forestry sys=
tems were being evaluated to develop a sound agro-forestry system suitable =
to dryland areas.
Grafting in Pongamia standardization and performance of grafts vis-avis s=
eedlings were being evaluated in the fields, he said and added that CRIDA h=
as already designed a mini oil expeller by modifying the screw and oil cham=
ber of traditional oil expeller to suit the needs of extracting oil from Ja=
tropha and Pongamia....
---------------------------------------
Even as GoM deliberates, some states kick off bio-fuel schemes
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Even-as-GoM-deliberates-some-sta=
tes-kick-off-biofuel-schemes/276702/0
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Sunday , February 24, 2008 at 2337 hrs IST
New Delhi, Feb 24 : Some state governments, without waiting for a decisio=
n by the group of ministers (GoM) on bio-fuels, headed by agriculture minis=
ter Sharad Pawar, have gone ahead with their own programme of large-scale p=
lantation of Jatropha.
"We have launched our Jatropha plantation programme taking a cue from the=
Planning Commission's document, National Mission on Biodiesel. We are awar=
e that the GoM on bio-fuels is deliberating the issue. The broad policy of =
the central government has already been enunciated in the Planning Commissi=
on document. The GoM is discussing incentives to be provided and the work o=
f central government agencies in aiding implementation of the programme," S=
K Shukla, executive director of Chhattisgarh Bio-fuel Development Authority=
(CBDA), told FE.
The CBDA, which is headed by the chief secretary of the state, has identi=
fied 15.7 million hectare out of 201.5 million hectare revenue fallow land =
in different parts of the state for Jatropha. Chhattisgarh has 170.18 milli=
on hectare of degraded forest land in 17 out of 18 districts which can used=
for Jatropha plantation. "But for this, we need clearance from the Union m=
inistry of environment and forests," Shukla said. The Indian Railways also =
owns 7,309.557 hectare land along the tracks and other holdings amounting t=
o 1,096.871 hectare, which can be used for Jatropha, he added.
State government agencies have raised about 390 million Jatropha saplings=
in nurseries and have distributed them free to farmers for planting in 1,5=
5,000 hectare in the last three years. In 2008-09, 200 million Jatropha sap=
lings would be raised in nurseries. Chhattisgarh has also announced support=
prices for Jatropha seed at Rs 6,500 a tonne, Karanj seeds at Rs 6,000 a t=
onne and for Jatropha and Karanj oils at Rs 18 per litre. Also, it has fram=
ed a new policy for leasing out wastelands to investors. In addition, the N=
ational Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is being used for Jatropha planta=
tion.
The Bio-fuel Authority of Rajasthan, too, has identified 2,106.8 hectares=
in 11 districts for Jatropha, said PC Chaplot, of the directorate of exten=
sion education in Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology.=
The state is also exploring the possibility of diverting 2% to 3% farm lan=
d for Jatropha in the form of hedges around fields for protecting crops, wa=
ter harvesting as well as acting as a windbreak.
In the south, Karnataka has set up an autonomous Bio-fuel Board with memb=
ers drawn from institutions, agriculture universities, forest and agricultu=
re departments, industry and NGOs for integrated development of the bio-fue=
l programme and formulating support prices for seeds, oil and oilcakes, KV =
Sarvesh, of the state agriculture department told FE.
In Uttarakhand, Uttaranchal Bio-fuel Board has been set up. Uttaranchal B=
iodiesel Ltd, a company having its corporate office in Mumbai and registere=
d office in Delhi, is setting up a sate-of-the art multi-feed bio-fuel refi=
nery for production of 600 tonne per day (TPD) bio-fuel. The primary feedst=
ock for the refinery would be Jatropha oil.
Of late, emphasis is being given to the use of Pongamia seed oil as a sub=
stitute for diesel in electricity generation in rural areas of Tumkur and R=
amanagara in Karnataka and Adilabad in Andhra Pradesh. Jatropha oil is bein=
g directly used in place of diesel for tractors and water lifting devices i=
n Tamil Nadu and Punjab.
----------------------------------
Sugar industry seeks special status for ethanol
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Sugar-industry-seeks-special-status-=
for-ethanol/276212/
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Saturday , February 23, 2008 at 0059 hrs IST
New Delhi, Feb 22 As the government is becoming proactive in promoting bi=
o-fuel programme in the country, the sugar industry is eagerly waiting for =
a reduction in excise duty on molasses, which is currently high at Rs 750 a=
tonne. The sugar industry has also sought for placing ethanol in the "spec=
ial category of goods" under clause 5A of the Central Sales Tax Act, so tha=
t the state governments will not impose local taxes on this commodity.
At present, there is a provision for mandatory doping of auto-fuel with 5=
% ethanol throughout the country, with the exception of the northeastern re=
gion and hilly areas. All states except West Bengal and Tamil Nadu have imp=
lemented the 5% mandatory doping programme. The government has plans to inc=
rease ethanol doping to 10% from October 2008.
The government has also allowed the sugar mills to deploy appropriate tec=
hnology to source ethanol directly from sugarcane juice instead of followin=
g the molasses route, which is costlier. Molasses, a byproduct of the indus=
try, is processed into ethanol.
Speaking to FE, the director-general of Indian Sugar Mills Association (I=
SMA), SL Jain said, "At present, the excise duty on molasses is Rs 750 a to=
nne which is about three times the price of molasses, being in the range of=
Rs 200 to Rs 350 a tonne in different parts of the country. The issue of r=
eduction in excise duty on molasses and placing ethanol in the special cate=
gory of goods under clause 5A of the Central Sales Tax Act is pending befor=
e the group of ministers (GoM) headed by the Union agriculture minister, Sh=
arad Pawar. As the GoM could not decide on this issue so far, we expect the=
finance minister, P Chidambaram, appreciating the urgency of the situation=
, would address the problem in the forthcoming Union Budget."
Jain also alleged that there were also problems of deliberate delays in l=
ifting of ethanol by the oil companies.
------------------------------------
Canada to help set up next gen bio-fuel projects
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Canada-to-help-set-up-next-gen-biofu=
el-projects/275284/
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Thursday , February 21, 2008 at 0009 hrs IST
New Delhi, Feb 20 Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) roped in =
Saskatchewan University in Canada for advanced researches in second generat=
ion technologies for bio-fuels.
IARI director, SA Patil said, "Agri residues such as bagasse, wheat straw=
, sorghum and maize starws, leaf litter and various other plant biomass, wh=
ich have not been adequately utilised for energy production, provide ample =
opportunities for use as bio-fuels. Conversion of biomass to clean energy s=
uch as hydrogen, ethanol and biogas offer promising solutions. We have ente=
red into an agreement with the Saskatchewan University in Canada for four s=
pecific projects on bio-fuels."
One project is for conversion of biomass to ethanol using different techn=
ologies like acid hydrolysis and super critical carbon dioxide to produce f=
ermentable sugars, which will be converted to ethanol via fermentation. Ano=
ther project is production of bio-diesel from Jatropha and other tree beari=
ng oils (TBOs) using ultra sound technology.
Other two projects are for conversion of waste biomass to biogas and biof=
ertilisers and for biomass conversion to hydrogen through super critical wa=
ter process.
The dean in the college of engineering in the Saskatchewan University, Ja=
nusz Nozinski said, "Saskatchewan province is a leader in production of pea=
s and lentils. We also export to India. Chickpea in India and Canada face a=
mong other stresses, the disease of Ascochyta blight. We have signed and ag=
reement for collaborative research on identification and development of mol=
ecular markers linked to Ascochyta blight resistance."
Breeding of chickpeas for resistance with mutually shared breeding popula=
tions for multi-region, multi-race based disease screening and phenotyping =
will be taken up along with identification and charcterisation of races and=
resistances in the germplasm. The joint collaboration would also aim at re=
searches in plant genomics (SNP markers for diagnostic and molecular breedi=
ng), development of transgenic crops resistant to abiotic stresses and QTL =
identification.
--------------------------------------
New basmati variety can resist bacteria - (also researches in GMOs)
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/New-basmati-variety-can-resist-bacte=
ria/270955/
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Saturday , February 09, 2008 at 0115 hrs IST
New Delhi, Feb 8 The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) has de=
veloped an improved variety of its Pusa Basmati-1 rice called Pusa-1460 res=
istant to bacterial leaf blight.
"As the Pusa Basmati-1 developed by us was not resistant to bacterial lea=
f blight, we developed Pusa-1460 which has the same agronomic features of P=
usa Basmati-1 in addition to being resistant to bacterial leaf blight," sai=
d the IARI director, S A Patil.
He said that IARI also developed many new cultivars, which were released =
for cultivation in different agronomic conditions. The high-yielding wheat =
variety HD2932 was released and notified for late sown variety of wheat for=
central and peninsular zone of the country. The LES-1-27 (Pusa Mustard-21)=
low cruces acid (single zero) variety of Indian mustard has been released =
by Central Varietal Release Committee for several states in northern India =
for timely sown irrigated conditions.
Two mustard varieties (Pusa Mustard 24 and Pusa Mustard-22) and one short=
duration pigeonpea variety, Pusa 2002 have also been identified for releas=
e. An extra early maturing variety of Hirsutum cotton, PSS2 (Arvinda) with =
determinate habit and tolerance to hot humid conditions has been released f=
or West Bengal.
Among horticulture crops, Patil said that a variety of IARI's Pusa Ujwal =
- Ash gourd - has been identified for commercial cultivation in Zone VII. S=
everal new hybrids in rose and gladiolus have been developed.
He said that several studies on identification and sequencing of novel ge=
nes and promoters, transgenic research and development and structural and f=
unctional genomics were taken up.
Entomopathogenic nematode for attracting and killing subterranean termite=
s has been developed. A biopesticidal formulation 'Pusa Nema Gel' based on =
an indigenous heat tolerant entomopathogenic nematode, steinernema thermoph=
ilum, has been found to be highly efficacious against the subterranean term=
ite infestation on maize and is ready for commercialisation.
-----------------------------------
Row over crude palm oil duty
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Row-over-crude-palm-oil-duty/275750/
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Friday , February 22, 2008 at 0025 hrs IST
New Delhi, Feb 21 The tariff structure on vegetable oils has become a con=
tentious issue between the two opposing sections of the industry. The produ=
cers of hydrogenated vegetable oil (vanaspati) want the duty on crude palm =
oil (CPO) to be reduced to 20%, while the manufacturers of refined vegetabl=
e oils want the duty to remain at the existing 46.35%, which they say is "a=
lready quite low."
Both the sections of the industry have made separate presentations to the=
Union finance minister, P Chidambaram before the Union Budget, staking the=
ir demands with justifications.
The secretary general of Indian Vanaspati Producers' Association (IVPA), =
SP Kamrah said that the main raw material for the industry, CPO, was being =
imported at 45% basic duty as against the import of the final product - van=
aspati - against zero duty under free trade agreements with Nepal and Sri L=
anka. This had made the industry uncompetitive in terms of prices. The cost=
for Indian producers was Rs 880 for 15 kg pack while that for Sri Lankan p=
roducers was Rs 810, he said
The IVPA alleged, "The higher duty on CPO against the duty-free import of=
vanaspati from neigbouring countries has created a uneven playing field. F=
or example, in Sri Lanka, duty levied on CPO is $ 25 (Rs 1,000) per tonne w=
hile in India it is Rs 8,225 a tonne."
Kamrah said that though duty-free import from Nepal was limited to only 1=
00,000 tonne, in actual practice about 150,000 tonne more were being smuggl=
ed into India. He demanded that vanaspati producers be allowed to import CP=
O against a flat rate of duty at Rs 4,000 a tonne instead of the present ad=
voleram duty. Alternatively, pending this decision, the government should =
allow vanaspati producers to import CPO at 20% duty.
The chairman of the Central Organisation for Oil Industry and Trade (COOI=
T), Davish Jain said that with the freezing of tariff values for different =
grades of vegetable oils at August/September 2006 levels, the effective dut=
y has already become quite low - 18.67% for CPO and 16.81% for crude soybea=
noil. Any further reduction in tariff would adversely affect the oilseed gr=
owers. Taking advantage of further reduction in tariff, the overseas export=
ers would raise oil prices imperiling the benefits due to consumers.
-------------------------------------
DBT to search bio-molecules for new antibiotics
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/DBT-to-search-biomolecules-for-new-a=
ntibiotics/276000/0
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Friday , February 22, 2008 at 1916 hrs IST
New Delhi, February 22: The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has initiat=
ed a Rs 24.86 crore network project for screening of bio-molecules from mic=
robial diversity in different ecological niches, in response to the growing=
demand for new and more effective antibiotics.
The demand more effective antibiotics is growing particularly due to the =
increase in bacterial resistance to antibiotics. In 2005, worldwide sales o=
f oral antibiotics totaled $ 25 billion, including US sales of $ 8.5 billio=
n ($ 7 billion for adults and $ 1.5 billion for children). The market for a=
ntibiotics is seen growing at a fast pace with adult and pediatric prescrip=
tions growing at 8.5% and 10.8% respectively.
Briefing mediapersons in New Delhi on Friday, the Union Science and Techn=
ology Minister, Kapil Sibal said that the the Rs 24.86 crore project initia=
ted by DBT will involve nine institute with NPIL Research and Development L=
td (NRDL) as an industrial partner. The DBT would contribute Rs 17.98 crore=
while NRDL would contribute Rs 17.98 crore.
The project envisages a mega scale screening programme for various enviro=
nmental isolates. This is the first project in the country where industry a=
nd academia will work together to screen such a large number of bacterial i=
solates. Different academic institutes will isolate organisms specific to d=
iverse ecological niches. For each sample, isolation of bacteria will be ca=
rried out on 30 different growth media.
This multi-institutional effort will generate approximately 7000 isolates=
per month (~1000 per institute), which will be regularly sent to NRDL. Scr=
eening will be carried out for anti-cancer, anti-infective, anti-diabetes a=
nd anti-inflammation properties. In addition to culture dependent method, t=
he culture independent approach will also be taken up for a few selected sa=
mples.
The project will lead to selection of potential candidate molecules, whic=
h will be taken to process scale-up strategies with appropriate partners. T=
he credit sharing in this project amongst the PI and industry has been mutu=
ally worked out and an agreement has been signed on 22nd February 2008 in t=
he presence of Sibal.
A separate microbial repository will be set up at National Centre for Cel=
l Science (NCCS), Pune to maintain the 2,00,000 isolates generated under th=
is project. This would be the largest such facility in the country and woul=
d confirm to International Depository Authority (IDA) standards.
Sibal also informed that the method for diagnosis of tuberculosis by smea=
r microscopy, culture and polymerase chain reaction using processed clinica=
l samples and kit thereof' developed by the Delhi-based All India Institute=
of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) was transferred by Biotech Consortium India Li=
mited (BCIL) to Arbro Pharmaceuticals Ltd., a Delhi based pharmaceutical an=
d diagnostics company.
The technology developed by Jaya Sivaswami Tyagi at AIIMS with support fr=
om the DBT, enables TB detection (pulmonary and extra-pulmonary infection) =
with high sensitivity and specificity.
The devR gene of M. tuberculosis was identified in Tyagi's laboratory at =
AIIMS and used to develop PCR assays. The PCR test is based on amplificatio=
n of a short segment of the devR gene. The sensitivity of PCR is >90 % in b=
oth sputum and CSF samples and 45 =96 85 % in extra pulmonary samples inclu=
ding pleural fluid, pleural tissue and lymph node biopsy specimens. The spe=
cificity has ranged between 66 =96 100% in various studies carried out on p=
ulmonary and extra pulmonary samples. The performance of PCR is significant=
ly better than the conventional tests and PCR promises to be a very valuabl=
e tool for rapidly diagnosing extra pulmonary tuberculosis.
An Indian patent was granted for this technology and national phase filin=
g in various countries was completed. The results of most of the studies ar=
e published in international peer reviewed journals.
The technology will find use in any laboratory that handles M. tuberculos=
is and MOTT bacilli-containing specimens. In addition to tuberculosis it is=
also suitable for the diagnosis of other mycobacterial diseases by smear m=
icroscopy and culture and by PCR with the use of species-specific amplifica=
tion primers....
-----------------------------------
Canada's envoy in India to head IDRC
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Canadas-envoy-in-India-to-head-IDRC/=
275574/
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Thursday , February 21, 2008 at 2009 hrs IST
New Delhi, February 21: Canada's High Commissioner in India, David M Malo=
ne has been appointed as the President of the International Development Res=
earch Centre (IDRC).
His appointment was announced on Thursday by the Canada's Minister for Ex=
ternal Affairs, Maxime Bernier, a press release issued by the Canadian High=
Commission said.
Malone will replace Maureen O'Neil. And take charge of his new responsibi=
lity on July 1, 2008.
In New Delhi, where IDRC has located one of its six regional offices, Mal=
one said: "I will be tremendously sorry to leave India, an assignment I hav=
e loved.
But I am delighted to be offered the opportunity to work with the very im=
pressive IDRC Board and staff on a broad range of issues highly relevant to=
India and on which India's leadership will be of systemic importance to de=
velopment efforts in the rest of the world."
IDRC is a Crown corporation created by Parliament in 1970 to help develop=
ing countries use science and technology to find practical, long-term solut=
ions to the social, economic and environmental problems they face. Support =
is directed toward building an indigenous research capacity to sustain poli=
cies and technologies that developing countries need to build healthier, mo=
re equitable and more prosperous societies.
IDRC works collaboratively with many federal government departments, espe=
cially Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada and the Canadian Inte=
rnational Development Agency. Guided by a 21-member international Board of =
Governors, IDRC reports to Parliament through the Minister of Foreign Affai=
rs.
"Mr. Malone is an accomplished diplomat and respected scholar His immense=
experience in the field as well as in academic research covers areas such =
as international economic trends, conflict prevention and human rights. He =
will be a great asset to the Centre, " said Bernier.
Malone joined the department of external affairs in 1975 and served in in=
creasingly senior positions in Ottawa, Cairo, Amman and New York.
He is currently Canada's High Commissioner to India and non-resident Amba=
ssador to Bhutan and Nepal, managing Canada's largest diplomatic mission ab=
road.
From 1998 to 2004, he was President of the International Peace Academy in=
New York, an independent non-profit research organization. He has taught a=
t a number of universities in Canada, France and the United States and has =
published numerous books and articles on international relations.
---------------------------------------
India to host first global agro-industries meet
http://www.financialexpress.com./news/India-to-host-first-global-agroindu=
stries-meet/276580/
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Sunday , February 24, 2008 at 1803 hrs IST
New Delhi, February 24: India will host the first four-day global confere=
nce on agro-industries, to be held in Delhi from April 8, 2008. The Global =
Agro-Industries Forum (GAIF) will promote the importance of agro-industries=
for economic development and poverty reduction, a press release of GAIF sa=
id.
Around 500 senior representatives from the agro-industry, governments, te=
chnical and financing institutions, civil society and UN agencies will disc=
uss the potential of agro-industries and the challenges they are facing.
The conference will be jointly organised by the UN Food and Agriculture O=
rganization (FAO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (=
UNIDO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in c=
lose collaboration with the Indian government.
The Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh will officially inaugurate th=
e Forum on April 9, in the presence of The FAO director-general Jacques Dio=
uf, UNIDO director-general Kandeh K. Yumkella, IFAD President Lennart Bage.
Rapid globalisation, market liberalization, and urbanization have created=
new opportunities for countries to trade agricultural and food products. H=
owever, they have also created challenges and increased risks. Countries wi=
th inefficient agro-industries are likely to be left behind those with mode=
rn and efficient agro-industries. While high-income countries add, on avera=
ge, US$180 of value by processing one tonne of agricultural products, devel=
oping countries generate only $ 40 of value per tonne, the press release sa=
id.
Increasing the market opportunities particularly for small-scale producer=
s in rural areas, by improving their production, processing and marketing c=
apabilities, will be one of the main issues of the conference. Delivering b=
etter products at lower prices could be beneficial for poor consumers and c=
ould also create employment opportunities.
The GAIF will also encourage dialogue between the private and public sect=
or in order to foster partnerships for developing competitive agro-industri=
es.
--------------------------------------
Barley gains attention of beer industry
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Barley-gains-attention-of-beer-indus=
try/264029/
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , January 21, 2008 at 2351 hrs IST
New Delhi, Jan 21 The orphan crop, barley, is now gradually gaining the a=
ttention of the industry for preparation of beer. SKOL Breweries Ltd of the=
SAB Miller-India is encouraging farmers in Rajasthan to cultivate the type=
of malt barley required by the industry.
Barley grown in India has high protein content of 13% to 15% as a coarse =
cereal it caters to poor man=92s nutrition needs. But as a neglected crop, =
the area under barley has been fast decreasing over the years. In the last =
year, area under barley was only 0.671 million hectare.
The reason being that farmers prefer to cultivate crops which has higher =
support prices and greater market demand.
=93Market demand for a crop can be created if alternate uses are put in p=
lace. Right now Indian barley has few alternate uses. The high protein cont=
ent in Indian barley is not suitable for making beer. Ideally the protein c=
ontent in barley should be in the range of 7% to 10% if it is to be used in=
the beer industry, =93 said the director of corporate affairs and communic=
ation in SAB Miller-India, Sundeep Kumar.
He said that in previous year out of the total production of 1.227 millio=
n tonne barley, only 200,000 tonne was used for making beer. =93We are sour=
cing seeds from different countries and trying to find out the right ones t=
hat can be crossed and backcrossed with the Indian variety,=94 he said.
SAB Miller-India has selected Rajasthan as an ideal place where barley ca=
n be grown under suitable climatic conditions for having lower protein cont=
ent required by the beer industry. It has launched a programme called Saanj=
i Unnati for educating farmers to sow the right type of certified seeds and=
practices."
"Much depends upon the agronomic practices of farmers in producing the ri=
ght type barley. We are advising farmers on input uses," said Robert Persyn=
, general manager of Semper, who is rendering technical expertise for the S=
aanji Unnati programme. The marketing aspect is taken up by Cargill India.
Rajasthan produces about 431,000 tonne barley (35.% of country's producti=
on) over 183,000 hectare area (28.8% of country's barley area). Normal prod=
uctivity in the state is 2354 kg per hectare.
-----------------------------------------
Govt expects wheat output to touch 75 mt
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Govt-expects-wheat-output-to-touch-7=
5-mt/269891/
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 at 2320 hrs IST
New Delhi , Feb 6 The government expects that with favourable weather con=
ditions the wheat output in the current season would cross 75 million tonne=
.
Briefing the mediapersons at the sidelines of the 65 th general council m=
eeting of the National Cooperative Development Corporation in Delhi on Wedn=
esday, Pawar said ; =93This is one of the best year for wheat production. T=
he cold weather is favourable. We expect wheat output to cross 75 million t=
onne.=94
He, however, said that the cold weather and frost have caused damage to m=
ustard crop, mangoes and grapes in some areas.
He the culling of birds in the avian flu affected West Bengal was almost =
complete. The government would work out two separate revival packages =96 o=
ne would be exclusively for West Bengal where 75% of the affected were smal=
l backyard poultry farmers and other would be for the poultry industry whic=
h have suffered from the downturn in sales and prices on account of the inc=
idence of bird flu in West Bengal.
While appreciating NCDC for its =91spectacular=92 performance, Pawar aske=
d this apex financial institution in the cooperative sector to re-orient it=
s decision making process to respond to fast emerging challenges.
He emphasized that large investments would be required to achieve 4% annu=
al growth of the farm sector in the XI Plan. Though the annual growth rate =
has shown a rising trend in the last two years, reversing the deceleration =
experienced during the previous Plans would need further mobilizing resourc=
es, creating infrastructure, facilitating easy availability of inputs, orga=
nizing research and technology development, institutional support services =
and putting in place contingency measures to safeguard crops from natural c=
alamities.
The cooperative sector would have to play an important role in this endea=
vour, the minister said. NCDC has chalked out an ambitious programme of Rs.=
19640 crore for the XI Plan. The NCDC has shown record performance on all =
major parameters in 2006-07.
----------------------------------------
---------------------------------
Save all your chat conversations. Find them online.