Agriculture Current Affair 11 March 2022

India’s sugar exports accelerate on global price rally, weak rupee

Indian sugar mills signed contracts to export 550,000 tonnes of the sweetener in recent days, as surging global prices and a weak rupee made overseas sales lucrative, four dealers told Reuters.

Higher exports from the world’s second-biggest sugar producer could check the rally in global prices , which have been buoyed by a spike in crude oil prices and lower output in top exporter Brazil.

The shipments will also help India reduce its stockpile and support the local prices of the sweetener, crucial in ensuring millions of cane farmers get government-mandated prices.

Government working on fast-tracking drone adoption in farm sector: Official

Three concerned departments of the government are working jointly to fast track drone adoption in the farm sector, according to a senior official of the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (DPPQS) Ravi Prakash. The Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC) under the DPPQS has received applications from eight crop protection companies seeking permission for conducting trials of drones, he said.

Discussing the issue virtually at an industry roundtable organised by CropLife India and non-profit body ThinkAg, Prakash said drones are affordable for farmers and help in superior produce.

“The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the agriculture ministry and CIB&RC are working jointly to fast track applications and adoption of drones in the agriculture sector, including crop health monitoring and spraying of soil nutrients,” Prakash having said at the roundtable discussion, according to a statement.

LULU group of Hypermarket to start trail of sourcing Ginger from Assam

Agriculture and horticulture from across the Assam displayed a wide range of their products to importers from Sri Lanka, Dubai, Bangladesh, Oman, Netherlands, Singapore, Greece

Zulfikar, Director LULU group of Hypermarket declared that due to positive approach of Assam Government and APEDA, it is decided to start trials of sourcing Ginger from Assam, the group declared that they will be starting trials of 150 MTs ginger sourced from Assam within next fortnight. Upon the successful trials, long term agreements will be finalised taking support from APEDA and state of Assam

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority(APEDA) organised one-day International Buyer Seller Meet (IBSM) on March 10, 2022 in Guwahati.