Cannabis: Why seed industry estimates that India will lose $25 billion business in the next five years
The Indian seed industry estimates that India has a $25-billion cannabis (marijuana) business in the next five years and the government must allow research and development and export of cannabis seeds to countries where it is being used for making biofuels, bio-plastic and in the pharma industry.
If not cultivation, the government must permit the seed industry to carry out cannabis research and development that will help to curb bio-piracy and genetic contamination said Indra Shekhar Singh, Director – Policy and Outreach, National Seed Association of India (NSAI) speaking to BusinessLine.
Punjab introduces 4 Bills to negate Centre’s farm reform laws
Asserting that he was prepared to resign rather than bow to “injustice” meted out to Punjab farmers, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday warned of possible disruption of “peace and threat to national security” due to the new farm laws enacted by the Centre.
Singh said he was uneasy and upset over the situation and wanted to understand the Centre’s decision to cause such “suffering” to farmers amid the Covid-19 crisis.
ISMA raises sugar production estimate to 310 lt for 2020-21
Sugar production in the current season is expected to be around 310 lakh tonnes (lt) as compared to estimated 274 lt in the previous sugar season, which closed on September 30, according to first advance estimate of sugar production released by Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) on Monday.
This is after the estimated diversion of 20 lt sugar for producing ethanol using B heavy molasses and cane juice. Last year, 8 lt sugar was diverted for ethanol production, it said in a statement.
