Food Security

Syngenta may look to increase manufacturing under Make in India: CEO

Rowe talks about Syngenta's strong presence in India for a long time

Budget 2024: Agri sector's wish list for developed, self-reliant India

The Budget is an opportunity for the government to create an agricultural sector that will ensure food security and economic prosperity for the nation

Blade-like object found in-flight meal: FSSAI issues notice to TajSATS

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on Thursday issued an improvement notice to flight catering company TajSATS after a passenger found a blade-like object in a meal served onboard an Air India flight from Bengaluru to San Francisco. The incident occurred on June 9, and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) conducted an inspection at TajSATS Bengaluru from where the food item was supplied. "We have issued an improvement notice to TajSATS, following a detailed inspection at TajSATS Bengaluru," FSSAI CEO Kamala Vardhana Rao told PTI. Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, an improvement notice can be issued to a food business operator if it has failed to comply with any regulations and is required to take measures within a reasonable period. The company has been asked to comply with the improvement notice within 15 days, he said. Air India and its catering partner TajSATS are owned by the Tata Group, The airline on Monday had "deeply apologis

Pralhad Joshi: From mining coal to building green energy and food security

Joshi is considered a trusted ally by MPs across parties and this has helped him push for coal reforms in states and get support from various departments such as railways and shipping

Danfoss calls for means to help India get closer to net-zero ambitions

Climate change and rapid urbanization is likely to result in increased demand for food, water and energy, Ravichandran Purushothaman, President, Danfoss India has said. Danfoss engineers solutions that increase machine productivity, reduce emissions, lower energy consumption, and enable electrification. According to Purushothaman, India's cooling demand is expected to grow 10-fold by 2030 and it is imperative to meet the same through sustainable means to help the country get closer to its net-zero ambitions. "We are working towards bridging the tech and skill gap, helping farmers and businesses reduce food loss and improve food security in the Indian cold chain," Purushothaman said. With around 14 per cent of food worldwide lost due to a lack of effective refrigeration, enough to feed 1 billion people, Danfoss has called for more attention on the need to establish sustainable and energy-efficient cold chain infrastructure. When it comes to the Indian Cold Chain Infrastructure, a .

UN praises Odisha govt's disaster management, food security, millet mission

UN resident coordinator in India Shombi Sharp has commended the Odisha government's initiatives in disaster management, food security, 5T governance, Human Development Indicators (HDI) indicators, and the Millet Mission during a meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Naveen Niwas here. Sharp, visiting Odisha, discussed the state's development trajectory and its collaboration with UN agencies, noting their fruitful partnership. He lauded Odisha's progress in enhancing HDI indicators and its disaster management efforts, particularly under Patnaik's leadership, which prioritised community-led systems following the Super Cyclone in 1999. Sharp highlighted Odisha's recognition as a leading state in disaster management, citing international accolades for its handling of Cyclone Phailin and Cyclone Fani. "Today, Odisha is recognised as a leading state in managing disasters. The UN felicitated Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in 2013 for handling the Cyclone Phailin in 2019 with the Ne

Govt orders weekly wheat stocks reporting from April 1 to prevent hoarding

The stock holding limit on wheat is also set to expire on March 31, 2024 after which traders have to give details of their inventories on a regular basis

Rethink the way we grow food

The fact is that the European farming system, which epitomises modern agriculture as we know it today, has survived only because of massive subsidy

WTO: India argues to finalise permanent solution to public stockholding

At the 13th ministerial conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Abu Dhabi, 164 member nations are participating in negotiations on agriculture

Govt seeks solution to long-pending food stockpile issue at WTO meet

India on Monday called on WTO members to find a permanent solution to the long-pending public food stockpile issue, saying it is directly related to achieving the sustainable development goal of zero hunger by 2030. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) should not negotiate rules on non-trade-related subjects like climate change, gender, and labour and rather these should be addressed in respective intergovernmental organizations. "I re-emphasize that the development agenda would remain incomplete without a permanent solution on public stockholding (PSH) for food security purposes which is directly related to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030, Goyal said. This continues to be a long-pending issue for the last few decades and despite having a clear mandate agreed by the members in the past, finding a permanent solution on PSH remains an unaccomplished agenda on which we have to deliver in MC13. Trade

WTO ministerial: Permanent solution to food security may be some time away

WTO draft text proposes to 'agree, adopt' a binding framework until next meet

WTO meet: India to seek permanent solution to food security issues

India will strongly oppose a China-led proposal for an investment facilitation pact besides pressing for finding a permanent solution to public stock holding of grains for food security and protection of the interests of fishermen at the WTO ministerial meeting beginning Tuesday. The Indian delegation is led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. The four-day 13th ministerial conference (MC13) will start on February 26 in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Trade ministers of 164 member countries of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) are meeting against the backdrop of the uncertain global economic situation due to the Red Sea crisis, the Ukraine-Russia war and the Israel-Hamas conflict. The key issue of India's interests at the meeting relates to finding a permanent solution for its minimum support price (MSP) issue for food security, agricultural reforms, fisheries subsidies, e-commerce moratorium on import duties, dispute settlement, and WTO reforms. *Food securi

Govt increases authorised capital of FCI from Rs 10K cr to Rs 21K cr

The government has increased the authorised capital of state-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) from Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 21,000 crore to enhance the operational capabilities and fulfill its mandate effectively, the Food Ministry said on Saturday. FCI is the central government's nodal agency that undertakes procurement of foodgrains at a minimum support price (MSP) to protect the interest of farmers. It also maintains strategic stocks and distributes the grains under different welfare schemes. "The increase in authorized capital is a significant step towards enhancing the operational capabilities of FCI in fulfilling its mandate effectively," the ministry said in a statement. FCI resorts to cash credit, short-term loan, ways and means etc. to match the gap in the fund requirement. The increase in the authorised capital will reduce the interest burden, decrease the economic cost and ultimately affecting the government subsidy positively, it said. With this infusion of capital, th

BIS, AGMARK certification no longer must for food products: FSSAI

Sources said this decision taken at the meeting will go a long way in fostering ease of doing business in the food business in the country

Consensus on food security solution at WTO meet next month difficult: GTRI

Reaching an agreement on food stockpile issue at the WTO meet next month is difficult as both developed and developing countries have diverse views on the matter, economic think tank GTRI said on Tuesday. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that developed countries like the US argue that India's programme could distort trade. The issue will figure in the 13th ministerial conference (MC 13) at Abu Dhabi from February 26-29. MC is the highest decision making body of the 164-member Geneva-based global trade body WTO. "MC13 might not resolve the issue, showing the conflict between developing countries wanting to protect food security and developed countries pushing for free trade," the GTRI said in its report. India's top priorities for the MC13 include securing a permanent solution for its public stockholding (PSH) programme. This programme seeks flexibility in food procurement and pricing, crucial for India's food security needs. The PSH programme is a policy tool unde

India for fast tracking talks to find food stockholding solution at WTO

India has asked WTO members to fast-track talks on finding a permanent solution on the public stockholding for food security issue at the ministerial-level meeting of the WTO in February, but some countries differ on this, an official said. The issue was discussed at a WTO (World Trade Organisation) agriculture negotiations meeting held on January 16. In the meeting, the US stated that "given members' deeply divergent views", a permanent solution for public stockholding for food security purposes by the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC) is "not possible", the Geneva-based official said. The MC is the highest decision-making body of the Geneva-based global trade watchdog WTO. The 13th MC meeting is scheduled for next month in Abu Dhabi. In its presentation, India stated that the public stock-holding (PSH) has to be dealt with separately on a "fast track mode and emphasized that it has to be delivered at MC13", the official added. According to the officials, the US has stated that ..

Pakistan's military men want to kickstart Green Revolution in the country

Pakistan's government argues that corporate farming is essential to ensuring food security for its 240 million people

Truckers' stir: HC issues notices to state, Centre on PILs over fuel supply

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the state and the Centre after hearing two PILs seeking its direction to both governments to ensure an adequate supply of essential commodities including fuel and foodgrains, in view of the strike by truckers. The Public Interest Litigations came up for hearing before the division bench of Chief Justice R Malimath and Justice Vishal Mishra. The PILs were filed by Akhilesh Tripathi and Nagrik Upbhokta Margdarshak Manch, both from Jabalpur. State Advocate General Prashant Singh assured the high court to take necessary action in this matter. Advocate Pankaj Dubey, appearing for petitioner Tripathi, submitted that due to the strike called by the All India Motor Transport Congress, Madhya Pradesh Tanker Workers Association and Samyukta Transport Morcha (India), there is a panic situation in Madhya Pradesh. Seeking directions from the HC to the Union and MP governments, Dubey said they are duty-bound to ensure smooth ...

Dry weather, export curbs to strain global 2024 staple food supplies

Global wheat, corn and soybean prices - after several years of strong gains - are headed for losses in 2023 on easing Black Sea bottlenecks and fears of a global recession

Asia lags behind pre-pandemic levels of food security, UN agency says

Hunger remains a chronic problem in Asia, with 55 million more people undernourished in 2022 than before the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation says in its latest assessment of food security in the region. Most of those living without enough to eat are in South Asia, and women tend to be less food secure than men, the report says. The FAO's study focuses on food supply, consumption and dietary energy needs and is designed to capture a state of chronic energy deprivation that stunts growth and saps productivity and quality of life. The share of people in the region suffering from such undernourishment fell to 8.4 per cent in 2022 from 8.8 per cent the year before. But that's higher than the 7.3 per cent of people who were undernourished before the pandemic began, sending some economies into a tailspin and depriving millions of people of their livelihoods. Natural disasters and disruptions to food supplies, often linked to climate change, have added to those