Page 5 - Food

Nepal requests India to supply rice, sugar to avert possible food scarcity

The Nepal government has requested India to facilitate the supply of paddy, rice and sugar, a senior official said here on Wednesday, as a precautionary measure to mitigate any possible food scarcity in the upcoming festive season. The request was made through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Indian authorities last week, Commerce and Supplies Ministry Joint Secretary Ram Chandra Tiwari said. "Nepal has requested India to provide one million tonnes of paddy, 100,000 tonnes of rice, and 50,000 tonnes of sugar," he said. Though there is no immediate shortage of rice and sugar in the market, there are rumours about its possible scarcity following India's decision to ban the export of non-basmati white rice to the international market. So as a precautionary measure, the Nepal government has asked India to supply these food items, Tiwari said. There are also concerns that traders might resort to hoarding these goods, potentially driving up prices as the festive season approaches,

India might cut or abolish wheat import tax: Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra

India in June imposed a limit on the amount of wheat stocks traders can hold, for the first time in 15 years, to bring down prices

Closely monitoring prices, demand-supply situation of food items: Centre

The government is closely monitoring the prices as well as the demand-supply situation of all essential food items, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary on Tuesday said while asserting that it is committed to balancing the interest of both consumers and farmers. The government has formed a panel to regularly monitor the prices and availability situation, he added. "The government is monitoring the prices and availability of food items. It takes measures to boost domestic availability and keep prices under check," Choudhary said as he was replying to a question about food inflation and the recent export ban on non-basmati white rice. He was speaking at an event to launch ITC's postal stamp on millets in collaboration with India Post. Based on the demand-supply situation and retail price, he said the government decides on imposing export duty or putting restrictions on exports. The minister said there is no problem on the supply front of food items in the ...

Food Pharmer takes on big bread brands, says brown, multigrain unhealthy

Revant Himatsingka, known as Food Pharmer, has also attacked Bournvita for having high sugar content in the past, prompting a legal notice from Cadbury

Food packets being prepared for flood-affected people: Punjab Minister

Some areas in Punjab including in Patiala and Sangrur have witnessed flood-like situation due to heavy rainfall

Manipur stares at food shortage as ethnic violence affects farming

Agriculture has been affected in Manipur as many farmers are unable to tend to their fields due to the ongoing ethnic violence, and if the situation does not improve, food production in the northeastern state will be affected, a senior official said on Wednesday. Department of Agriculture Director N Gojendro told PTI that farmers were unable to cultivate at least 5,127 hectares of agricultural land, leading to a loss of 15,437.23 metric tonnes till June 28. "If the farmers are unable to cultivate paddy this monsoon season, the loss will increase by the end of July. The department has, however, readied fertilisers and seeds that can be harvested in a shorter period of time and required lesser amount of water," he said. There are around 2-3 lakh farmers in the state cultivating paddy on 1.95 lakh hectares of agricultural land. Thoubal district has the highest yield per hectare in the state, he said. Farmers fear that there might be a shortage of locally grown 'Meitei Rice', leading

PM Modi asks DU students to ensure their food taste remains unchanged

"Don't change everything completely, leave some things as they are," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Friday and asked Delhi University students to ensure the taste of delicacies at food stalls in around the university's North and South Campus remains unchanged. Addressing the valedictory ceremony of Delhi University's centenary celebrations, Modi spoke about universities setting a roadmap for themselves with a focus on innovations and made references to some popular hangout joints for students. "Don't change everything completely. Leave some things like they are. The tea and noodles served at Patel Chest in North Campus, Momos of Chanakya in South Campus -- you have to ensure that their taste should no change," he said amid huge applause from the audience. The North and South Campus of Delhi University are known for their hangout spots that are frequented not only by students but also others. Prime Minister Modi took a metro ride to reach Delhi University. During his journey, he

Zomato introduces open food trends data platform to aid restaurant partners

Online food delivery firm Zomato Ltd on Friday introduced an open data analysis platform for food trends aimed to help its restaurant partners in taking a data-driven approach on prices, dishes and location. Zomato Food Trends is an open platform accessible to the general public free of charge and it will "provide insights by analysing data from millions of transactions across hundreds of cities in India", the company said in a statement. "Restaurant partners can use these insights to customise their strategies and undertake data-driven decisions to accelerate and amplify their success," it added. It has been introduced with "an aim to support both current and budding restaurant partners in taking a data-driven approach towards decision making", the company said. The food trends platform allows its restaurant partners to view demand and supply gaps that have been zoomed in to a locality level, price distribution and demand trends for different dishes or cuisines, and demand-supply

Plant-based meal packages associated with lower BMI in children: Study

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital explored if providing weekly plant-based snacks to families seeking food assistance

Top 5 GHG emitting nations responsible for 40% food supply emission in 2019

Food consumption in the five highest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting countries, including India, was responsible for more than 40 per cent of global food supply chain emission in 2019, according to a study. The research, published in the journal Nature Food, found that action to protect the planet against the impact of climate change will fall short unless emissions are reduced from the global food system, which now makes up a third of man-made GHG emissions. The largest emission increase within food supply chains is triggered by beef and dairy consumption in rapidly developing countries, such as China and India, while emissions per head in developed countries with a high percentage of animal-based food declined, the researchers said. The team noted that the growth of the global population and rising demand for emission-intensive food are likely to boost emissions further. "A global shift in diets, including reducing excessive intake of red meat and improving shares of plant-based ..

Food shoppers more likely to choose lower price over health: Study

When faced with a choice -- lower prices or healthier foods -- people are more likely to choose lower prices, according to a new study of food consumer shopping behaviours

Samosa, jalebi, pizza, burger and more banned during Amarnath Yatra 2023

Acting tough on junk and unhealthy food, SASB said on Sunday that foods, including halwa puri, samosas, jalebi, gulab jamun, etc., will not be served to Yatris during this year's Himalayan pilgrimage

McDonalds, Burger King, Jumboking are top burger brands in country: Report

Investment banking firm Kennis Ventures Private Limited, lists out the top organised players in the burger industry, primarily focused on selling burgers to Indian consumers

17% of Sri Lankan population still in moderate acute food insecurity

With 17% of population still in moderate acute food insecurity, especially in regions of Indian-origin Tamil in the tea plantations and former war affected Northern and Eastern Tamil settlements

Public investment in agri-food systems up 22% in 2022: FAO report

"We must act together, and quickly, to tackle these global challenges for a healthier, more sustainable future that leaves no one behind"

Food Processing Ministry seeks suggestions for 'World Food India' event

The Food Processing Industries Ministry on Thursday said it has sought suggestions from other ministries and departments for the second edition 'World Food India 2023' to be held during the first week of November. The first edition of the 'World Food India' was launched in 2017 with the objective of introducing the world to rich Indian food culture as well as promoting investments in the diverse food processing sector of the country. The second edition aims to celebrate 2023 as the International Year of Millets and to bring the global food processing industry together. An inter-ministerial committee meeting, chaired by Anita Praveen, recently discussed the government's preparedness so far for this event, an official statement said. "All central ministries and departments were requested to share suggestions on the planned sessions of World Food India and participate in the event activities as well as support the ministry in awareness creation," it said. Further, the Investment ...

Take action against officers responsible for supplying spoiled rice: GFP

In August last year, the Civil Supplies Department drew criticism after 241 tonnes of 'toor daal' was found spoiled in its warehouses

Meghalaya Spice Trail: Food pop offers best of northeastern cuisine

An ongoing food pop-up, "Meghalaya Spice Trail", is giving a unique twist to local northeastern delicacies by transforming into gourmet delights. The 10-day festival, being held at The Pullman Hotel here, is curated by Shillong-based food connoisseur Tanisha Phanbuh. From sauted and pickled Mushrooms to 'Jadoh Risotto' (rice with meat) and 'Doh Neong' (pork in black sesame seed gravy), the special culinary treat promises to have a fair share of exotic regional dishes for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. "Being born amongst the vibrant flavours of Meghalaya, I intend to carry the essence of the Northeast and aim to spread the aroma to the metropolitan cities through these pop-ups. "It is my conscious effort to start a conversation around the delicacies of Meghalaya, and I feel that by joining hands with Pullman, New Delhi Aerocity, I can bring them to the spotlight, making it a mainstream gourmet delight for its patrons," said Phanbuh, who was among the top 20 contestants of ..

The thread that connects food and ethnicity, identity, history, religion

If we are what we eat, then what are we? This collection of essays, 'Turmeric Nation: A Passage Through India's Tastes' (Speaking Tiger)

F&V start-up Pluckk acquires DIY meal kit brand KOOK for $1.3 million

Pluckk, a digital lifestyle-oriented fresh food brand in the fruits and vegetables (F&V) space, on Tuesday announced the acquisition of KOOK, an Indian food-tech startup that offers a range of DIY meal kits, at a deal value of USD 1.3 million. The acquisition was through a combination of cash and equity, the company said in a statement. KOOK offers do-it-yourself (DIY) ready-to-cook meal kits that make cooking easier for everyone by providing pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes. With a reputation for catering to various dietary preferences and cooking skills, KOOK has a strong presence in Delhi and Mumbai. "With KOOK's strong target audience and expertise in meal kits, Pluckk is well-positioned to deliver the best quality fresh food to end-consumers in this thriving USD 15 billion market," it said. Speaking on the acquisition, Nelson D'Souza, CFO, Pluckk, said, KOOK's demonstrated expertise in building a world-class product in the meal-kit space, coupled with ...