During the same period, the gross value of output (GVO) per establishment also increased from Rs 3,98,304 to Rs 4,63,389…reports Asian Lite News
India’s unincorporated non-agricultural sector has registered a robust increase in employment with both manufacturing and services segments recording a significant expansion in establishments in the post-Covid period, according to a survey released by the Ministry of Statistics on Friday.
“The unincorporated non-agricultural sector employed about 11 crore workers from October 2022 to September 2023, up from 9.8 crore in 2021-22, showing a healthy labour market growth. This 7.8 per cent annual growth demonstrates the sector’s capacity to generate employment,” the survey said.
Sector-wise, the maximum annual growth in employment during the period was observed in the ‘other services’ sector (13. 42 per cent), followed by the manufacturing sector (6.34 per cent).
According to the survey, the estimated number of establishments grew by 5.88 per cent from October 2022 to September 2023 in comparison to April 2021 to March 2021. Construction activity was excluded from the figures.
The majority of the workers in the non-agricultural unincorporated sector are informal workers. The survey shows that the average annual earnings for informal workers rose to Rs 1,10,982 in 2022-23 from Rs 1,06,381 in 2021-22. This reflects improved wage conditions in the informal sector, the survey said.
During the same period, the gross value of output (GVO) per establishment also increased from Rs 3,98,304 to Rs 4,63,389.
This indicates increased productivity with more efficient use of resources, including labour, which is critical for sustained economic growth and competitiveness, the survey pointed out.
The gross value added (GVA) also grew by 9.83 per cent (at current price) during this period.
The unincorporated non-agricultural sector plays a pivotal role in the Indian economy, contributing significantly to employment, gross domestic product, and the overall socio-economic landscape.
The sector also supports the incorporated sector by acting as suppliers and service providers, thereby forming an integral part of the domestic value chain, the survey added.
Saba Sanabel flour is grown using a chemical-free process and is fertilised only with natural manure, it has earned five quality and safety accreditation certifications…. reports Asian Lite News
The Sharjah Department of Agriculture and Livestock (SDAL) has announced that the wheat farm located in Mleiha yields “Saba Sanabel” flour boasting the highest protein content globally, exceeding 19 percent.
The success of Sharjah wheat is credited to the initiatives and supervision of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, according to Dr. Engineer Khalifa Al Tunaiji, Chairman of the Department of Agriculture and Livestock.
“Saba Sanabel” is now considered the best type on the planet thanks to its exceptionally high protein content and lack of any fertilisers, pesticides, or other potentially dangerous compounds.
Al Tunaiji attributed the high percentage of Sharjah wheat “Saba Sanabel” produced at the Mleiha wheat farm to the organic farming system. This system helps improve the fertility and content of the soil, which in turn ensures that the wheat grains are of higher quality and type.
He also stressed the need to use desalinated water for irrigation, which is free of contaminants. This results in an increase in grain production and protein content because water speeds up the transfer of dry matter from stems and leaves to grains, a key component in plant development.
Since SDAL’s “Saba Sanabel” flour is grown using a chemical-free process and is fertilised only with natural manure, it has earned five quality and safety accreditation certifications.
Thus, Sharjah wheat is free of toxins and chemical components that could change its nature as a food ingredient or make it more productive. It meets the quality and safety criteria applicable in the UAE, which boosts customer trust and helps it compete in the markets. As a result, it is the first national product to get the “Made in the UAE” logo.
The requirements will apply to the exporters of wheat, corn, barley, oilseeds and some other products…reports Asian Lite News
The Ukrainian government introduced new rules for agricultural exports, the cabinet press service has said.
The rules include a clause that Ukrainian companies which sell certain foodstuffs abroad have to register as agricultural exporters within government agencies, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a resolution published on the government website.
The requirements will apply to the exporters of wheat, corn, barley, oilseeds and some other products.
According to the new rules, only companies that have no tax debts and are not involved in bankruptcy court procedures could be registered as verified foodstuffs exporters.
The rules, effective till December 31, 2024, are aimed at preventing law violations in the export of agricultural goods.
Ukraine exported more than 67 million tons of grain and oilseed products in the 2022-2023 marketing year, which ran between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023.
Landmine Horror Continues
At least 264 civilians have been killed in landmine-related explosions in Ukraine since the start of the war with Russia, a specialized formation of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry has said.
Since February 2022, at least 561 landmine incidents have occurred in Ukraine, also injuring 571 others, the State Special Transport Service said on Facebook on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported.
Most of the incidents happened on farmland fields, roads, yards and forests, it said.
According to the Ukrainian government, about 174,000 square km of the country’s territory is potentially littered with landmines and other unexploded ordnance.
The Group of Seven also called for the “extension, full implementation and expansion” of a grain deal that has been essential to export Ukrainian produce through the Black Sea…reports Asian Lite News
Agriculture ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies on Sunday adopted a statement pledging to promote policies to support the growth of sustainable agricultural productivity in order to strengthen food security, which has been threatened by climate change and the crisis in Ukraine, Jiji Press reported.
At the meeting, the ministers also compiled “Miyazaki Actions,” an action plan that gives outlines of policies to be implemented by each country in efforts to achieve sustainable agriculture and food systems, such as making use of existing domestic agricultural resources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and facilitating responsible private sector investment. Japanese agriculture minister Tetsuro Nomura, who chaired the meeting, told a joint press conference that the G-7 statement and action plan are “a very significant outcome that would make a difference in food security.”
They will be reflected in discussions at the G-7 summit in the western Japan city of Hiroshima in May.
The ministers said in the statement that they are “deeply concerned about the devastating impact the crisis in Ukraine is having on food security globally.”
The Group of Seven also called for the “extension, full implementation and expansion” of a grain deal that has been essential to export Ukrainian produce through the Black Sea.
G7 agriculture ministers “recognized the importance” of the deal, following a two-day meeting in Miyazaki, Japan. “We strongly support the extension, full implementation and expansion” of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, they said in a communiqué.
Under the pact, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, some 28 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain have been exported since last July, including to poor countries facing the brunt of the global food crisis.
But Russia is threatening to walk away from the agreement unless its demands are met, portending a return to the full-scale maritime blockade that halted Ukraine’s grain exports in the months after Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February last year. The Kremlin has warned that ship registrations would only continue until May 18.
“We condemn Russia’s attempts to use food as a means of destabilization and as tool of geopolitical coercion and reiterate our commitment to acting in solidarity and supporting those most affected by Russia’s weaponization of food,” the G7 ministers said in the communiqué.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday warned on Telegram that if the G7 moved to ban exports to Russia, Moscow would terminate the grain deal. The G7 countries are reportedly considering a near-total ban on exports to Russia.
The call comes as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to meet with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres in New York in coming days to discuss an extension of the deal beyond May 18.
India bets big on agritech, investors pump in money.
Farmtech startups raised $1.5 billion across 140 deals, a 185 per cent year-over-year increase…report Asian Lite News
Indian agrifood startups received a record $4.6 billion in investment in FY 2021-22, up 119 per cent year-over-year, as the country overtook China as Asia-Pacific’s biggest funder of agrifood-tech innovation, a report showed on Wednesday.
Farmtech startups raised $1.5 billion across 140 deals, a 185 per cent year-over-year increase, according to the report by VC firms AgFunder and Omnivore.
Restaurant marketplaces and e-grocery startups secured close to $3 billion, around 66 per cent, of the total investment.
Deal activity also increased to 234 in FY2022 compared to 189 deals in FY2021.
Downstream startups raised $3.8 billion, a 115 per cent increase from $1.77 billion in FY2021.
Growth chart. (File Photo: IANS)
This significant growth is due to Swiggy, which raised $1.2 billion accounting for 38 per cent of total investment in Indian agrifood startups.
eGrocery startups raised $934 million across 42 deals, a 4x jump from $244 million across 25 deals in FY2021.
“To see investment levels surpass all other countries in the Asia-Pacific region and compete on the global stage is indicative of the impressive range and depth of innovations coming from the country and potential to impact the agrifood industry as a whole,” said Michael Dean, founding partner, AgFunder.
Investment in online restaurants and meal kits saw a remarkable recovery at $301 million in FY2022, almost 4x more than $64 million in FY2021, said the report.
Upstream investment leapt 300 per cent to $1.2 billion up from $312 million. The participation of generalist VCs, bigger deals sizes, and higher deal count contributed to this increase.
“It has caught the attention of generalist VCs the world over who understand that agrifood tech is key to the transformation of India’s massive agricultural sector and rural economy,” said Mark Kahn, Managing Partner, Omnivore.
The APEDA also plans to raise awareness among the stakeholders in the food export industry by showcasing its impact on human beings through different digital platforms, including social media sites…reports Asian Lite News
India has set a goal of exporting $23.56 billion worth of agricultural products in 2022-23, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement released on Sunday.
APEDA, which is an export promotion organisation for agricultural products of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has created an outreach strategy for the promotion of agricultural exports in order to reach the USD 23.56 billion export goal. Under this strategy, 300 events will be organised in the current year to increase exports.
The APEDA also plans to raise awareness among the stakeholders in the food export industry by showcasing its impact on human beings through different digital platforms, including social media sites.
The suggested outreach strategy is intended to forge a solid and ongoing relationship with exporters, farmers, agripreneurs, food processors, logistics providers, foreign exchange management companies, etc. using a variety of mainstream publications, electronic channels, and well-known social media platforms by highlighting a list of potential products with a wealth of export potential.
Following the lead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has made a strong case for the creation of “AtmaNirbhar Bharat,” the emphasis is on encouraging budding agricultural entrepreneurs to pursue agriculture export as a lucrative career by providing them with technical training and hands-on experience.
A programme for agribusinesses to take advantage of export potential from India’s diverse agroclimatic zones is also being proposed by the ministry of commerce and the industry’s top agro-export promotion authority.
Due to its therapeutic and health benefits, India has a significant potential for exporting items with the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. Hence, orientation programmes have been organised to raise awareness among stakeholders for GI products in the North Eastern Region (NER).
According to the outreach approach, it has been suggested that GI registry owners join an association to improve cooperation and build a bridge between GI stakeholders and the government.
The proposed programmes, which would be organised under the outreach strategy, would concentrate on issues such as the automation and mechanisation of the agricultural supply chain; the Agri Export Policy; one district and one product; pre- and post-harvest practises that are on par with SPS and Global GAP; the logistics and infrastructure needed for integrated cold chain management; and measures for addressing these issues.
According to the Ministry, highest ever exports have been achieved for staples like rice ($9.65 billion), wheat ($2.19 billion), sugar ($4.6 billion) and other cereals ($1.08 billion)…reports Asian Lite News
India achieved a record high of agriculture exports in 2021-22, which crossed the $50 billion-mark, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Wednesday.
As per the provisional figures released by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), agri exports grew by 19.92 per cent in 2021-22 to touch $50.21 billion.
“The growth rate is remarkable as it is over and above the growth of 17.66 per cent at $41.87 billion achieved in 2020-21, and it has been achieved in spite of unprecedented logistical challenges in the form of high freight rates, container shortages etc.,” the Ministry said.
“This achievement over the past two years will go a long way in realising the Prime Minister’s vision of improving farmers’ income,” it added.
According to the Ministry, highest ever exports have been achieved for staples like rice ($9.65 billion), wheat ($2.19 billion), sugar ($4.6 billion) and other cereals ($1.08 billion).
“Wheat has recorded an unprecedented growth of more than 273 per cent, jumping nearly four-fold from $568 million in 2020-21 to touch close to $2,119 million in 2021-22.
“Increase in exports of these products has benefitted the farmers in states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra etc. India has captured nearly 50 per cent of the world market for rice,” the Ministry said.
Besides, the data showed that export of marine products, at $7.71 billion, is also the highest ever, benefiting farmers in the coastal states of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
“Spices exports have touched $4 billion for the second year in a row. Despite facing tremendous supply side issues, coffee exports have crossed $1 billion for the first time, which has improved realisations for coffee growers in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu,” it said.
The ministry said that this achievement is the result of sustained efforts on the part of the Department of Commerce and its various export promotion agencies like APEDA, MPEDA and various commodity boards.
“The Department has made special efforts to engage state governments and district administrations in promoting agricultural exports. In order to ensure that the farmers benefit from exports, the Department of Commerce has made special efforts to provide export market linkage directly to farmers and FPOs.
“A ‘Farmer Connect Portal’ has been set up for providing a platform to the farmers, FPOs or FPCs, and cooperatives to interact with the exporters. This approach has resulted in agriculture exports taking place from hitherto unexplored areas,” the Ministry said.
The statement also said that exports have taken place from clusters like Varanasi (fresh vegetables, mangoes), Ananthpur (banana), Nagpur (orange), Lucknow (mango), Theni (banana), Solapur (pomegranate), Krishna and Chittoor (mango), among others.
“Initiatives like ‘Happy Banana’ train, an exclusive train with reefer containers to transport bananas from Anantapur to JNPT, Mumbai, have been taken to boost exports from unconventional areas,” it said.
In addition, the Ministry said that the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic during the first quarter of 2020 resulted in increased demand for staples, which provided an opportunity for increasing agriculture exports.
“Because of the institutional framework already in place at the state and district levels, and the special efforts made to overcome the pandemic-induced bottlenecks, India has been able to rise to the occasion and emerge as a reliable supplier of food.
“Even during the current crisis triggered by the Russia–Ukraine war, the world is looking at India for supplies of wheat and other foodgrains,” the statement said.
India's agriculture & allied sector demonstrates its prowess at Expo 2020
At the India Pavilion, the theme of ‘Food, Agriculture, and Livelihood’ was represented by celebrating the diversity of Indian Agriculture…reports Asian Lite News
The ‘Food, Agriculture and Livelihood fortnight’ at the Indian Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai concluded with the sector highlighting India’s investment-friendly policies, growth opportunities and showcasing country’s core strengths across different areas of Agriculture and allied sectors to the global investors.
At the India Pavilion, the theme of ‘Food, Agriculture and Livelihood’ was represented by celebrating the diversity of Indian Agriculture under four major sub-sectors: Millets, Horticulture, Organic and Food Basket of the World (dairy, poultry & fisheries). The stories shared through the sub-sectors also covered Food Processing & Cooperation, which are also pillars for future growth.
Starting on 17th February 2022, the fortnight was inaugurated by Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare along with Smt. Shubha Thakur, Joint Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
The inaugural ceremony also included the opening of the Millets Food Festival along with introductory conversations amongst the Government & Private sector. The inaugural delegation invited audience to participate in seminars/conferences, roundtable meetings and country-level meetings scheduled during this period, to interact with government delegation, businesses, and entrepreneurs from across the globe.
Indian Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai
A high-level inaugural delegation, comprising of senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAHD), Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Ministry of Cooperation (MoCoop), was chaired by Dr. Likhi. The delegation also included representation from the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) and several food, hospitality and farm companies.
In addition to the excellent display at the Indian Pavilion, senior level delegation from India added required enthusiasm and acceleration by participating in meetings with senior officials and investors from Zimbabwe, Vietnam, Morocco & Myanmar. The participants explored areas of cooperation in agriculture, rural development, fisheries & the seafood sector, in order to boost exports and strengthen the trade relations.
The UAE is a significant market for agricultural produce from India, the inaugural delegation interacted with key officials from the prominent companies like Al Dahra, Grand Hypermarket, Lulu Hypermarket, RNZ enterprises, Choithram group, Aqua Bridge, Sharaf Group, Jaleel holdings, DP World, Transworld etc. The delegation participated in 8 G2G meetings, 20 G2B Meetings, 63 B2B meetings and visited several country pavilions, during the fortnight.
In line with the recent declaration of the year 2023 as the ‘International Year of Millets’ by the United Nations General Assembly, India’s advantage as a major Millet producer was highlighted during the expo. Millets production not only supports small farm holders but also contributes towards achieving food safety and nutrition as a whole. A seminar on Millets was conducted to highlight India’s potential and tremendous opportunities of this sub-sector, for stakeholders across the Millets value chain including processing & export.
The second delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture was led by P.K. Swain, Additional Secretary, Priya Ranjan, Joint Secretary and Smt. Chhavi Jha, Joint Secretary, from the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, presided over the activities and events planned to showcase Emerging technologies, Organic & Horticulture sectors. ALSO READ: Book on India’s battle launched in Expo 2020
Given the current scenario of Indian agriculture, technological innovations and advancements will determine the parameters of success. Hence, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare hosted a seminar on ‘Emerging Technologies in Farm Machinery, Digitization & Opportunities for Entrepreneurships’. The seminar focused on showcasing the innovative and relevant technological interventions that will impact the overall productivity and competitiveness of India’s farm sector through farm mechanization, digitization and entrepreneurship development.
The seminar organized on the subject ‘Indian Organic and Horticulture Sector-Moving Up the Value Chain’, further emphasized on the progress made in these sub-sectors to improve quality and access high-value markets. The seminar attracted participation from the government & private sector and business houses expressed interest to increase export/import volumes in this segment.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) had several engagements at the Dubai Expo from the 28th of February to the 2nd of March, Atul Chaturvedi, Secretary, DAHD, GoI virtually connected with the heads of prominent companies like Al Dahra and the Lulu Group to apprise them of the various opportunities and schemes that they could explore within India’s dairy, livestock, and animal feed sectors. The objective of such engagements is to one attract more investments in India’s dairying and livestock infrastructure so that there are higher profit margins and more jobs created within India, and secondly it also seeks to promote Indian exports to countries within the Middle East and beyond. Thus, the Secretary DAHD shone the spotlight on the major steps taken towards enhancing traceability, adopting technology, and encouraging startups in the country’s animal husbandry and dairy sector. As a next step, the Invest India team will conduct market research, location analysis, and assist the interested companies with their India entry plans.
The Taliban administration is making efforts to encourage more national and international businessmen to invest in various sectors…reports Asian Lite News
Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Afghan caretaker government’s acting Deputy Prime Minister, has chaired a cabinet meeting, reviewing the agriculture situation and discussing agriculture land survey for foreign investors, according to the country’s General Directorate of Administrative Affairs on Tuesday.
During the meeting, the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock was instructed to locate lands for foreign investors, the office said in a statement.
The meeting also decided that potential revenues in the sector should only be collected by the country’s state-run banks, according to the statement.
The administration is making efforts to encourage more national and international businessmen to invest in various sectors, Xinhua news agency reported.
Meanwhile, The shipment of Indian wheat for Afghanistan to be transported through Pakistan is expected to start in early February after both sides finally agreed on the modalities following months of discussions, a media report said on Saturday.
It will be rare when India transports goods using Pakistan’s land route to Afghanistan as Islamabad would otherwise never permit two-way trade between New Delhi and Kabul, said The Express Tribune report.
But an exception has been made due to the precarious humanitarian situation in Afghanistan with Pakistan allowing one time permission to India to transport 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat through the Wagah border, the report said.
It took both the sides several weeks of discussions to agree on the modalities.
Initially, Pakistan wanted the transportation of humanitarian assistance goods to Kabul in its trucks under the banner of the UN.
But India made a counter proposal and wanted the food grain to be shipped to Afghanistan either in Indian or Afghan trucks, the report said.
The two sides then agreed that wheat would be carried by Afghan trucks and a list of Afghan contractors was shared with Pakistan, The Express Tribune further said.
Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar told a weekly news briefing on Friday that all arrangements were now put in place and Islamabad was waiting for the date of the first consignment.
Diplomatic sources told The Express Tribune that the shipment would start in early February.
As per the modalities, India has to transport the total amount of wheat within 30 days of the first consignment.
The two countries have decided to cooperate on Afghanistan despite their otherwise tense relationship, the report added.
AFGB approves $210mn loan to unlock Nigeria's special agro-industrial processing zones
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has said it has approved a $210 million loan to unlock Nigeria’s agriculture sector potential and promote industrialisation through the development of strategic crops and livestock…reports Asian Lite News
In a statement on Tuesday, the bank said the loan, with $160 million directly offered by the bank and $50 million from the Africa Growing Together Fund (AGTF), will co-finance phase 1 of the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) program in Nigeria that could affect the lives of millions of people in Africa’s most populous country.
The AGTF, set up by the AfDB and the People’s Bank of China, finances eligible sovereign and non-sovereign guaranteed development projects in Africa, Xinhua news agency reported.
AFGB approves $210mn loan to unlock Nigeria’s special agro-industrial processing zones
The SAPZ program is a flagship of the bank’s Feed Africa Strategy, with plans to establish these zones in 18 African countries, including Nigeria, according the AfDB.
The AfDB’s financing for this program represents “one of the bank’s most ambitious operations in terms of scale and scope to date,” said the statement, adding phase 1 of the project will target seven Nigerian states and the country’s Federal Capital Territory and is expected to benefit about 50 million people.
“The project will support Nigeria’s efforts to raise agricultural productivity, promote investment, create wealth and jobs, and transform rural areas into corridors of economic prosperity,” said the statement.
The first phase of the SAPZ program will be implemented with co-financing from other partners, including the International Fund for Agricultural Development, in the amount of $538 million, it added.
Nigerian government and the AfDB signed the SAPZ agreement in December 2019 to explore development solution in the rural landscape for agricultural transformation across the most populous African country.
