India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 26Dec'15 !

1. Come January 1, government-run Air India will no longer serve non-vegetarian food to its economy class passengers on flights of up to 90 minutes duration. The national carrier has also decided to strike off both tea and coffee from its lunch and dinner.
2. Onion exports fall 18%  to 4.86 lakh tonnes during April-September on govt restrictions.
3. Rashtriya Krishi Mela - Chhattisgarh 2015 Agricultural Exhibition & Conference
 Dec 26, 2015 To Dec 28, 2015, Exhibition Ground, Infront of Indira Gandhi Krishi MahaVidyalaya, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
4. IIT & CII - FACE Certified Food Professional Course: Batch IV, Start Date: Dec 15, 2015, End Date: Dec 30, 2015 Venue: IIT Kharagpur Campus, India 
5. 4th Edition - AgriCon 2015, Engineering Excellence for Agriculture, Mar 04, 2016, Venue: Hotel Hilton, Jawaharlal Nehru Rd, Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 25Dec'15 !

1. Corporates evince keen interest in Floriculture cultivation sector in India as 90% of demand is now met via imports.
2. Amul's Aggregator model aimed at eliminating middlemen from supply chain & providing higher remuneration to farmers. In this model, private players could be incentivised to work as aggregators to collect farm produce and sell it to consumers.
3. NABARD to provide assistance of Rs 75 crore to Rajasthan for infrastructure facilities and financial literacy at village level.
4. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade excluded Onions from Minimum Export Price (MEP) restriction.
5. Climate - Rapid warming of the Indian Ocean may potentially turn this biologically productive region into an ecological desert, according to a new study by scientists at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 25Dec'15 !

1.  SFP (Sustainable Farm Partners) seeks $40m to convert US row crops to organic through share crop leases.
2. Dairy Crest has bought out its joint venture partner for £6M as it prepares to start selling a prebiotic widely used in infant formula.
3. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published its long-awaited final rule on Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals (FSVP).
4. Mass spectrometry has broken through in food more than other sectors primarily because contaminant testing depends on trace analysis, says Agilent.
5. As the global dairy industry grapples with issues of oversupply and the changing face of product mixes, Asia-Pacific countries will hold massive sway over the direction the market takes over the coming 12 months, according to the US Dairy Export Council.

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition udpates - 24Dec'15 !

1. The revenue share from the organized dairy segment could rise to 25% of India's total dairy market by fiscal 2018, up from 19% in fiscal 2015.
2. Government of India (GOI) launched two mobile Apps - The AgriMarket Mobile App and Crop Insurance Mobile App, developed by the in-house IT division of the Agriculture Ministry and can be downloaded from Google Store or mKisan portal.
3. Indian tea industry faces major challenges affecting production, quality and costs due to climate changes viz. Droughts, floods & severe attack of pests.
4. Cabinet approves Rs 3,000 crore scheme for fisheries sector that covers about 14.50 million fishers.
5. Indonesia has decided to open its market for Indian rice, pharmaceuticals and bovine meat, a big breakthrough for the country to diversify its export basket to the Southeast Asian nation with which India has a huge trade deficit.
6. According to a Survey, Nearly 70% of the agricultural households in India owned land less than 1 hectare while 0.4% such households possessed more than 10 hectare.
7. The India Met Department has forecast heavy rain at isolated places over south coastal Tamil Nadu from December 27 as part of an easterly wave activity directed towards Sri Lanka.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 24Dec'15 !

1. CDPQ leads C$300m raise for Canadian dairy processor.

2. Pontifax leads $17m funding round for agri robotics.

3. Campbell Global acquires 100,000 acres of Washington timberland.

4. Sustainable timber fund raises $130m .

5.American Farmland acquires almond and fruit land in California.

6. In the Food & Agriculture Technology Market, Volumes are set to surpass $4 billion by the end of the year, breaking all records.

7. Four traditional farming systems i.e. One in Bangladesh (Floating Gardens) and 3 in Japan have been acknowledged by U.N. for their importance to Global Agriculture.

8. A New Zealand report has set out a series of actions to ensure the dairy industry's future food safety capability, building on the 'good shape' of the sector in 2015.

9. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will provide millions of dollars in funding to reduce rural poverty and increase the incomes of thousands of households and smallholder families in south Asia.

10. Nestle scientists are working on a new formula for slow-relese coffee, something that could conceivably spread the effects of caffine out over a longer period of time.

11. China's biggest fruit distributor (Joyvio Group) has merged with one of its major fruit producers(Golden Wing Mau group) to create the country's largest fruit business.

12. Pinnacle Foods’ $975 million acquisition of Boulder Brands gives it a better foothold in the fast-growing refrigerated and health food segments.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition udpates - 23Dec'15 !

1. The $170m fund has invested in a forestry concession in Indonesia, and plans to make a second in Indo-China early next year.
2. Anterra leads $5.5m agri data round.
3. Abacus Emerging Markets and state-owned KazAgro will bridge the gap between local agribusinesses and foreign investors in Kazhakastan.
4. After years of battling undernutrition, Africa is facing an emerging threat of obesity and the two must be considered simultaneously, according to the director of nutrition at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). 
5. A coalition of international labour rights and environmental groups has questioned whether audits carried out by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) were robust enough to root out members that used slave labour.
6. Tetra Pak has signed the Paris Pledge for Action at COP21, joining other major signatories from the food and beverage industry including Nestlé, Diageo, The Kellogg Company and Mars Incorporated.
7. In the drinks segment, Ball Corporation has won Brazilian approval of its proposed £5.4bn ($8.2bn) acquisition of Rexam.
8. Körber technology group has completed its acquisition of Efacec Handling Solutions strengthening its presence across Portugal, Czech Republic, India, Singapore, and Spain.
9. Moderate drinking could reduce the risk of death for people with early stage Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal.
10. US retail sales of Greek yogurt have been picking up strongly over the past year, according to the latest Nielsen data*, with year-on-year (YoY) percentage growth up from 4.6% in the latest 52 weeks, to 6.1% in the latest 26 weeks, 7.4% in the latest 13 weeks, and 9.2% in the latest four weeks.
 

AgriSolve partner's with kCubeConsulting !

1. 'AgriSolve' partner's with 'kCubeConsulting' to provide Geo-Spatial solutions for Agriculture(Crop) Industry. Talks have been concluded in this regard on Thursday (17Dec'15).

2. AgriSolve's strong social network of Blogspot, Linked In, 3100+Farmers on FaceBook and 250+Farm Companies, Agriprofessionals on Twitter will be leveraged to promote the services.

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 18Dec'15 !

1. Cashew export shipments have plunged 37 per cent in volumes and 31 per cent in value in November 2015 from a year ago.
2. Indian Government asks private companies to invest in agri-extension services that would focus on educating farmers about the application of scientific research and new knowledge of agri-practices. At present, farm extension services are being provided mainly by the public sector.

3. The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University here has cautioned farmers in coastal districts of the State of possible pest infestation to the crops in the aftermath of the recent rains.
4. In a programme on agricultural project management sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt.Of.India, Officers of Agriculture ministries of six countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar) have underlined the need to study the impact of El Nino while preparing agricultural projects.
5. The centre has urged states to introduce e-Market platform (Electronic agriculture market) that would cover 250 mandis by September'2016.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 18Dec'15 !

1. Rabobank says in Brazil, wet weather has made production more difficult, tightening global supplies.

2. Moringa agroforestry fund holds €84 million final close.

3. Egypt’s Qalaa Holdings has sold a mothballed cheese company and the Sudanese division of its sweets producer in deals totalling almost US$10m, the group announced this month.

4. Bioscience company Chr Hansen wins €75m from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to 'develop new microbial solutions'.

5. Symrise wins €125m EIB loan for nutrition and skin R&D.

6. Serbian confectionery industry receives €250m loan from European Investment Bank.

7.  Dollar sales of Plum Organics urge 44% in 2015 in measured channels in the past 52 weeks.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition udpates - 17Dec'15 !

1. Moringa agroforestry fund holds €84 million final close.
2. Australian herd numbers have fallen, which could open up more export opportunities for competitors to US and Chinese markets in Brazil, India and Argentina.
3. Argentine president Mauricio Maccri relaxes Foriegn exchange rules and scraps taxes on Agriculture exports.
4. Wheatsheaf leads $20m raise for indoor farming specialist.
5. DuPont, Dow merger – ‘likely to be one of the biggest M&A transactions of 2016.
6. Specialty rice producer Amira sees significant potential for Basmati to win the hearts of Americans, who lately have been flirting more with Indian food and ancient grains.
7. Royal Hawaiian Orchards is aiming to hit $100m in wholesale sales within five years after expanding its macadamia offerings, says the company's CEO.
8. USDA announced the availability of $3.4 million for research projects in support of the new International Wheat Yield Partnership (IWYP) program.
9. Australia and China are set to foster closer ties in agricultural research and wine production with the launch of a new collaborative research centre at the University of Adelaide's Waite campus in South Australia.
10. Korean scientists have discovered a small molecule EPPS that destroys the protein plaques that build up in the brain of those in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
11. India’s food regulator never “banned” Maggi noodles but instead issued a show-cause notice to Nestlé for an explanation about lead levels and product labelling, a court has heard.
12. Saudi Arabia will see US$8bn in new aquaculture investment according to the Ministry of Agriculture, while Kuwait’s fish market troubles continue as shrimp prices rise.
13. Though the direct impact of rising temperatures on agricultural yields is widely known, researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) press that the processing and packaging steps of the global food system are crucial intervention points to protect global food security.

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 14Dec'15 !

1. Attempts for a breakthrough on a special safeguard mechanism to protect poor farmers against an indiscriminate rise in imports spearheaded by India and other developing countries of the G-33 alliance have failed to yield results.
2. India's vegetable oil imports in November rose 13 per cent from a year ago to 1.34 million tonnes.
3. Maharashtra CM calls on farmers to adopt new agriculture technologies in order to improve and increase their farm yield.
4. Blow to Monsanto as agriculture ministry set to control cotton seed prices.
5. Aimed at boosting farm productivity, Indian Prime Minister has allocated Rs 100 crore to states to prepare soil health cards.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition udpates - 12Dec'15!

1. The organic industry is the fastest growing segment of U.S. agriculture, with sales growing from $1 billion in 1990 to nearly $35 billion in 2012.

2. AeroFarms Raises $20m Series B from Global Investors.

3. Government-led Coalition (U.S., Sweden, Germany) Invests $12.9m into Clean Energy Agtech for Emerging Markets.

4. Google Campus Inspires UK’s First Agtech Startup Facility, Farm491.

5. Ripple Foods Raises $14m Series A to Launch Plant-Based Milk Product.

6.  2.5 years after opening a $206m, 350,000 sq ft factory in Batavia, New York, PepsiCo and German dairy giant Theo Müller Group have agreed to count their losses and exit their joint venture (Muller Quaker Dairy). The plant has been sold to Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) for an undisclosed sum.

7. Kellogg will work with its suppliers directly for the first time to help reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2050.

8. DuPont and The Dow Chemical Company have ended speculation by announcing they are to merge and the combined company will be called DowDuPont.

9. Australia and China are set to foster closer ties in agricultural research and wine production with the launch of a new collaborative research centre at the University of Adelaide's Waite campus in South Australia.

10. Asia-Pacific is home to the country with the world’s highest rate of diabetes and also one of the lowest, the annual International Diabetes Foundation “Atlas” reveals.

11. A European Commission report says the EU market for dairy commodities and milk imports will grow 2.4% annually up to 2025 as European demand rises.

12. According to a U.N report, an Elnino effect would possibly result in rains & floods in South India between now and Feb'16.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition News - 09Dec'15 !

1.  Liontrust will invest in aquaculture and water testing. The fund, expected to be approved in Dublin next year, will rely on globally rising water prices, as well as the demand for water safety in China and salmon from Norway.
2. Eurostat’s report shows that while one in four farm holdings disappeared between 2003 and 2013, the average size of each holding went up by 38 percent.
3. Using drugs that are crucial to humans in livestock could claim 10 million lives each year by 2050, a UK report warns.
4. Prosetta Bio-science secures $31m private placement and looks at cell-free protein synthesizing systems to find new treatments for animal and human diseases.
5. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) will result in greater accountability for food safety and is expected to reduce incidence of foodborne illness, according to the partner of a law firm - Hogan Lowells.
6. The number of illnesses in the E. coli O26 outbreak linked to Chipotle Mexican Grill has risen to 52.
7. Asda, the Co-operative and Marks & Spencer (M&S) were all forced to recall products last week over mislabelled allergen advice that could cause health risks to allergen sufferers.
8. Each year as many as 600 million, or almost one in 10 people in the world, fall ill after consuming contaminated food, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
9.  Nestlé claims it has become the first major confectioner in the UK & Ireland to source all its cocoa 100% sustainably.
10. The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ordered that Canada and Mexico accept a third of the compensation they were seeking for economic losses caused by the USA’s country-of-origin labelling (COOL) rules for beef and pork.

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 08Dec'15 !

1. With the introduction of Noodle's by Baba Ramdev's Patanjali group, the market has heated up.

2. Ahead of the World Trade Organisation’s 10th Ministerial in Nairobi from December 15-18, hundreds of big farmer organisations across India have urged the government not to give in to pressure by rich nations to cap subsidies.

3. With pulses supplies improving but prices still ruling comparatively high, the Centre has released over ₹90 crore to various agencies (FCI, NAFED, SFAC) for procurement to create a buffer stock. 

4. The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) – which started the initiative of marketing pulses – aims to create a strong brand that offers quality pulses in the country, as it looks to scale it up with a long-term view. Its wholly-owned subsidiary Mother Dairy Fruits & Vegetables is selling pulses under brand Safal.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 08Dec'15 !

1. Each year as many as 600 million, or almost one in 10 people in the world, fall ill after consuming contaminated food, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
2. Poland occupies 46% of central Europe’s supplements markets that will grow collectively at 7.6% annually until 2020 with improved economic indicators, analyst PMR has said.
3. Saline water overflows from Atlantic ocean a real cause of concern to the Farmlands of Senegal.
4. Food and drink businesses with a turnover of more than £36M a year should prepare now to comply with the new Modern Slavery Act or risk “disaster”, warns law firm Roythornes, after Nestlé revealed plans to stamp out labour abuses in its supply chain.
5. The world packaging machinery market will grow by 4.9% over the next three years to reach €40.3bn in 2018, according to Ucima, the Italian Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Association.
6. The European Commission has launched an IT system which will be used to exchange information on cross-border violations of EU food chain rules such as food fraud.
7. Monsanto urges Philippines to embrace GM and biotech to avoid food crisis.

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition udpates - 07Dec'15 !

1. Soil Fertility Testing cards will be issued to all the Farmer's in the country by the next 3 years, the Indian P.M is quoted as saying.

2. Mobile Soil Fertility testing vans are being deployed one in every district of Andhra Pradesh.

3. Andhra Pradesh Govt. issued orders that if anyone resorts to Artificial ripening of fruits using Carbide, a 6 months jail and 1 Lakh penalty will be handed over to them.

4. One in every Five food items in the country are found to be of low quality and misleading the customers. Uttarpradesh, Madhyapradesh and Punjab are the top Three states in the category of states compromising on Food Security.

5. Rising temperatures due to greenhouse gases (Global Warming) and El Nino are said to be taking a toll on the wheat crop s as late planting in the hottest year on record is set to delay the harvest and severyly hit farm yields, magnifying rural distress.

6. With no end in sight to the pricing tussle with Mahyco-Monsanto – the Bt cotton technology provider – the seed industry has approached the Centre to intervene and resolve the knotty issue. Invoking the Patent Act, Competition Act or the Environment Protection Act, the industry asked the government to help fix the price of cottonseed, including the royalty fee (or trait value).

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition udpates - 05Dec'15 !

1. Asian markets have led demand for vegetable ingredients (Puree of Carrot, Courgette, Kale), but the appetite from US and European markets has increased and this growth is expected to continue gathering pace, according to SVZ.
2. An Indian Minister of State for Finance has mentioned that Farm/Agriculture loans will not be waived off but instead, a National Crop Insurance programe will be implemented thoroughly and by offering farm loans at a low interest rate of 7%. The 33% crop damage criteria will be considered instead of the earlier 50% one for crop insurances.
3. The Agriculture Ministry has proposed further hike in import duty of edible oils by 5 per cent in a bid to protect the interest .
4. Wet spells may revisit Chennai for 10 more days, says US agency.
5. The Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad is organising an ICAR-Industry meet today (Saturday) to display of technologies and services with potential of commercialisation.
 

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 05Dec'15 !

1. China on road to reforming agri finance services - Jilin province is to pilot a scheme which will see banks provide more loans and financial services to agribusinesses.
2. With Global Warming, Irrigated crop acreage in the US could decline as soon as 2020.
3. With a goal to collect video and sensor data related to Agriculture, Drone Aviation raises $4m for tethered drone system.
4. Zero Gravity Solutions, the producer of space-tech agri products raises $3m for plant nutrient system and also expects to gain listing on a senior exchange in 2016.
5. Tetra Pak has expanded its OneStep processing technology for milk from powder partnering with Sadafco dairy in Saudi Arabia, one of the largest producers of recombined milk products.
6. Tetra Pak and its sister company DeLaval, part of Tetra Laval Group, have signed a five-year agreement with the Dairy Association of China to train 150 Chinese dairy farm managers over the next five years to run large-scale dairy farms.
7. A British organic dairy cooperative (OMSCo) has broken into the one of the world’s most lucrative markets after being awarded the UK’s first licence to export organic products to China.
8. The dairy market is more than adequately supplied into 2016, as there is likely 400,000 metric tons of excess dairy across the world, mostly in the form of powder, according to the US Dairy Export Council.
9. High in protein and omega-3, Peruvian sacha inchi has ‘superfood’ potential, according to a supplier of its oil and protein powder.
10. Danone, One of France’s biggest dairy companies has unloaded its failing Chinese infant formula unit to Yashili in a deal worth US$159m.
11. Danone-Nutricia has invested €240m in a new production plant in the Netherlands on the back of double-digit sales growth of infant formula products such as Aptamil and Nutrilon.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition udpates - 04Dec'15 !

1. Supplements of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract may improve muscle strength, size, and recovery, say results of a new randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study.
2. Italian researchers have developed a functional pasta rich in polyphenols and fortified with probiotic strain Bacillus coagulans.
3. The EU has pledged to spend £4.8M (€7M) in combating “a dangerous plant pathogen” that targets fruit trees, such as olive trees, and grave vines.
4. UK organic meat producers explores the potential of exporting to China following the granting of a licence via the Soil Association and the Organic Food Development and Certification Centre of China (OFDC).
5. Tyson Foods, the US food company, is to close two of its prepared food plants, affecting the jobs of 880 people.
6. According to recent DNA research, Russians were the first to bring cheese to Europe 4,000 years ago.
7. The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) will host the 92nd Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum in Arlington, Va. on Feb. 25-26, 2016. The theme would be "Transforming Agriculture: Blending Technology and Tradition."
8. Dairy ingredients, including milk powder, whey, lactose and casein, are slated to reach $59.8bn by 2020 Globally, with yearly growth of approximately 5.6%, according to a recent report.
9. Each year as many as 600 million, or almost one in 10 people in the world, fall ill after consuming contaminated food, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
10. More than 1,400 international food and drink exhibitors descended on Paris for the Food Ingredients Europe (FiE) show this week.
11.The dairy market is more than adequately supplied into 2016, as there is likely 400,000 metric tons of excess dairy across the world, mostly in the form of powder, according to the US Dairy Export Council.

India Agriculture, Food & Nutirition update - 04Dec'15 !

1. Indian investor IBS Synergies has unveiled plans to invest about US$150m (€140.6m) in a greenfield project related to Poultry Industry in Romania.

2. The Indian Govt has suggested that the Agricultural Equipment & Tool Manufacturers list M.R.P rate, on every product sales (Rotovators etc) to the farmers.

3. Companies working in the food processing sector -- from Field Fresh to Cargill -- feel more investment is required in farmland for building up infrastructure and providing technology to Indian farmers.

4. To meet its growing demand, India needs to lift its annual food production to 333 million tonnes by 2050 against the current level of 252 million tonnes, according to a Grant Thornton-FICCI report.

5. India's sugar production rose 24 per cent to 23.60 lakh tonnes (LT) in the first two months of the current marketing year on higher output from Maharashtra. India is the second largest producer and biggest consumer of sugar in the world.

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 03Dec'15 !

1. Agriculture growth is likely to be “moderate” in the current fiscal as prospects of both rabi and kharif crops have been affected by vagaries of monsoon, the Reserve Bank of India said.
2. India will soon become an urea surplus state from a deficit state and start exporting it, Union Fertiliser Minister said. Urea production is expected to rise by 7 per cent to a record 24 million tonnes this fiscal year.

3. The total cotton output in the country is estimated to be 370.50 lakh bales for the 2015-16 season which began on October 1, an industry body said.

4. Flooded Chennai would need to be prepared to deal with rain of varying intensity for another fortnight, according to the US Climate Prediction Centre.  India Met Department has on Wednesday extended the ‘heavy to very heavy rain’ forecast for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry for four more days until Sunday.

5. In view of higher dal prices in the retail market, the govt had decided to create a buffer stock and accordingly NAFED, SFAC to procure 40,000 tons pulses for Rs 350 crore.

6. The forthcoming 10th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) scheduled to be held at Nairobi from December 15-18 poses tough challenges for developing nations including India related to matters of Food Security, Special Safegaurd Mechanisms/Measures, MSP (Minimum Support Prices), Subsidies etc.

7. The Andhrapradesh Govt seeks support from Japan on Agriculture/Food industry front promising 10Lakh acres.

 

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 02Dec'15 !

1. The overall Indian food industry is expected to be worth US$65.4bn by 2018, a research report has estimated.
2. India readies to combat malnutrition through fortification programme; Food processing minister calls for FDI in produce retailing; and e-Commerce start-up brings ayurvedic formulation to an app.
3. Sharwood’s wants to become the No. 1 brand in the US for pre-made Indian sauces and accompaniments, just like it is in the U.K., by instituting Thursday as “curry night,” according to the food brand’s maker Premier Foods.
4. Commerce Ministry to hold meeting with pulses importers tomorrow to decide on the amount of pulses to be imported by PSUs.
5. In view of higher dal prices, NAFED and SFAC to procure 40,000 tons of pulses for Rs 350 crore.
6. India imported 3.76 lakh tonnes wheat in April-September from Australia.
7. The 'soaker trough' spraying rain into Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and coastal Andhra Pradesh will not get a move off its current perch over South-West Bay of Bengal until Saturday, global weather maps show.
8. India is close to attaining 4% growth in agriculture while grappling with a new set of challenges in the form of stressed natural resources and climate change.
9. According to various industry estimates pests and disease infestation amounts to crop losses worth Rs 50,000 crore each  year in INDIA.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 02Dec'15 !

1. GreenSoil raises €50-€70 million to invest in Europe and Israel.
2. SLM Partners seeks $100m for sustainable farming in Chile.
3.  Agriculture has attracted more overall capital ($3.9bn) in 2015.
4. Caixa Capital Risc, Middleland Capital and Novozymes joined Monsanto to raise €5.7m series A  equity for Madrid-based PlantResponse Biotech.
5. The Chinese drone maker DJI is using new capital to move into sophisticated agricultural drone technology, and plans to open a new research facility in Silicon Valley.
6. With a  $32m deal, Farmland Partners acquires 7,400 acres of Louisiana farmland.
7. High-resolution accurate mass mass spectrometry capabilities can take food safety testing to ‘another level’, according to Thermo Scientific.
8. Foodborne outbreaks accounted for 3,301 illnesses, 225 hospitalizations and 30 deaths, according to an analysis of a reporting system in Canada.
9. Oman and Japan have agreed to form a US$400m investment fund focused on food and agribusiness, aimed at boosting the industry in Oman as well as Japanese exports.
10.  From closing out its $7 million Series A round of funding in September 2014 on AgFunder, the agriculture-focused online investment platform, 'aWhere' is now partner to some of the top names in agribusiness - Sage Insights, John Deere, DN2K, MyAgCentral, AgVerdict, Willbur-Ellis etc.
11.Fonterra's work with FOSS and Arla Foods on a method to screen for adulterants served as a foundation for the development of its award-winning Milk Fingerprinting technology.
12. US agencies are investigating 19 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 (STEC O157:H7) infections linked to rotisserie chicken salad made and sold in Costco Wholesale stores.
13. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will sample and test cucumbers and hot peppers in fiscal year 2016 under a sampling program.
14. As Singapore’s National Environment Agency launches a campaign to curb food wastage, it was revealed that residents each dumped roughly 150kg of food last year.
15. Japanese savoury snack manufacturer Calbee UK will make a “significant investment” in its Deeside factory in Wales and boost staff numbers to 100, after winning a contract to supply 650 Tesco stores, the firm has revealed.
16.Dietary supplementation with olive oil may protect blood vessels from the deleterious effects of air pollution, suggests a new study from the US Environment Protection Agency.
17. Nestlé has launched a one-finger KitKat made with edible gold leaves for $16 a bar at its Chocolatory boutiques in Japan.
18. Around 32 of 1400 exhibiting companies (3%) have pulled out of the industry event Food Ingredients Europe (FiE) next week in Paris following the city’s fatal attacks, despite efforts from the organiser to up security.
19. The Russian government has imposed sanctions on food imports from Turkey in protest after a Turkish jet shot down a Russian warplane, stepping up the unofficial sanctions of last week.
20. General Mills has rolled out its $500m higher-fiber brand Fiber One to retailers in the UK for the first time.
21. Supplements of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract may improve muscle strength, size, and recovery, say results of a new randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 24Nov'2015 !

1. Tyson Foods is recalling more than 50,000 pounds of chicken wings because of an “off odour” scent, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS).

2. Campbell Soup Company is recalling 355,000 cans of SpaghettiOs Original due to a potential choking hazard posed by pieces of red plastic found in some cans.

3. Six players – Danone, Raisio, Unilever, Cargill, BASF and Arboris – have formed a group to propel cholesterol-lowering plant stanols and sterols science into the media and policy spotlights to raise awareness of the multi-billion global euro category.

4. High-resolution accurate mass mass spectrometry capabilities can take food safety testing to ‘another level’, according to Thermo Scientific.

5. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded $2 million in grants to support research on nutrition education and obesity prevention for disadvantaged children and families at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Utah State University.
 

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 24Nov'15 !

1. The 4th National Convention on Millets being organised by the Millet Network of India on November 25 & 26, 2015 in collaboration with Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS), Hyderabad.

Venue:
Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS)
Begumpet, Hyderabad - 500016, Telangana,INDIA.
Tel No: +91-40-2340 2789, 2341 6780, 2341 6610/11/12/13.
Fax: 91-40-2340 6808; Mail to : post@cess.ac.in

2. As per a key member of NITI Aayog, the decline in share of cooperatives in total farm credit is a cause for concern and needs to be corrected. Also financial inclusion in the sector has three dimensions – geographical distribution of farm credit, more long-term credit, and larger role of cooperatives.

3. Representatives from poultry industry in Asia will gather in Hyderabad for three days from November 25 to discuss the status of the industry, challenges and opportunities. About 700 delegates from 40 countries would attend the conference.

4. Odisha Government asks Centre to reduce crop loan interest due to drought.

5. There is an imperative need to usher in another green revolution in the agricultural sector to optimise production by adopting sustainable farming techniques, according to Andhra University Vice-Chancellor.

6. Israel is offering the latest technology to farmers to improve production and there is scope for increasing vegetable and fruits production in Tamil Nadu by four times, as per Acting Consul General of Israel.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition udpates - 23Nov'15 !

1. USDA injects $56m to improve Ghana poultry sector and the funding is targeted at improving poultry health and feed stocks.

2. Cultivian Sandbox leads $5 million raise for Los Alamos-based data analysis company Descartes Labs,  to convert a glut of agriculture data into useful information for precision agriculture.

3. USDA (U.S.Department of Agriculture) commits $350m to preserve farmland.

4. While investors from China and several other countries has shown interest, Australia blocks sale of S Kidman & Co Farm Lands to foreign investors.

5. Malnourished children in Kenya are to receive €4.5m nutrition supplements as part of a UNICEF-backed programme.

6. After an “exhaustive and rigorous scientific review” the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finally given AquaBounty Technologies the green light to introduce the first genetically engineered (GE) animal (Salamon Fish) to the human food supply.

7. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that glyphosate, a herbicide used on food crops, is unlikely to cause cancer and recommends raising safety levels.

8.  In fiscal year (FY) 2015, U.S. agriculture and related exports to China totaled $25.9 billion, comprising approximately 16 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports.

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition udpates - 23Nov'15 !

1. Faced with fodder shortage in the country which is about 35.6 per cent of green fodder and about 10.9 per cent of dried fodder, Indian Agriculture Minister said the government will bring out a national fodder policy to boost domestic production.
2. Indian farmers have grown winter-sown crops on 24.22 million hectares so far this year, down 12.6 percent from a year earlier.
3. According to latest estimates, Agriculture accounts for about 15 percent of India's $2 trillion economy, with three-fifths of its 1.25 billion people depending on it for their livelihood.
4. India's sugar production rose by 33 per cent to 7.61 lakh tonnes till November 15th in the current marketing year on higher output.
5.  The Government proposes to merge all existing schemes in the fisheries sector with an outlay of Rs 3,000 crore.
6. With less than a month to go for the 10th WTO ministerial meet in Nairobi, a substantial package acceptable to all members looks increasingly elusive. The informal session on agriculture negotiations failed to narrow the differences between members on a range of issues viz. Elimination of subsidies by end of 2018 for developed & by 2021 for developing countries, Objections raised by Australia on Sugar subsidy credits issued by USA to India. Also a consensus on special safeguard measures for poor farmers made by the G-33 group needs to be arrived at. 

India Agriculture & Food updates - 20Nov'15 !

1. Torrential Rains impact in 5 districts of Andhra Pradesh is estimated at 3000 Crores and the state govt requested the centre for an immediate relief of 1000 crores.

2. High levels of environmental pollution have been blamed for being among the causes for elevated vitamin D deficiency in India after a study found that three-quarters of the population did not produce enough of the compound.

3. India’s breakfast cereal market has grown over 22% per year since 2009 as America’s cereal industry awaits a full recovery.

4. The Central Agriculture Minister asked Drought affected states of Bihar, U.P, Odisha, Jharkhand, Telangana and Andhra to submit memorandum to seek relief.

5. Maharashtra government to provide 40 Lakh energy efficient agri pumps to it's farmers by 2019, in an aim to reduce power bills to farmers to a low cost of 85 Paise per unit.

6. The 43rd annual session of International Pepper Community (IPC), an inter-governmental organisation for the promotion of pepper production and trade by the pepper producing countries, will be held at Mysuru from November 22 to 25.

7. Prices of agricultural commodities have shot up by as much as 25 per cent since the merger of Forward Markets Commission FMC) with Securities & Exchange Board of India (Sebi) six weeks ago.

8. Thailand trade team visits coconut farms in Tamil Nadu. 

 

Global Agribusiness, Food & Nutrition round up - 20Nov'15 !

1. Private companies from China and other countries have shown significant interest in acquiring Kidman Farms, Australia’s biggest agricultural land holdings.

2. Water Management Platform SWIIM Raises $3m Series A from Aussie Family Office.

3. Descartes Labs Raises $5m Series A for Artificial Intelligence Analysis of Agriculture Imagery.

4. General Mills coughed up $820m to buy Annie’s last year. But it has also signaled its intention to invest in brands at an earlier stage in their development via its 301 Inc venturing arm and a recent tie up with equity crowdfunding site CircleUp.

5. Irish dairy and ingredients giant Ganbia is acquiring Californian protein bar specialist thinkThin for $217m (€200m).

6. Swisslog has won a €43m order with Almarai dairy, in Saudi Arabia, to automate its distribution logistics for its operations in Al Kharj, to be completed by 2018.

7. Fonterra is to sell its 50% stake in DairiConcepts, its joint venture with Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), to the US dairy giant.

8. The number of ill people in the E. coli outbreak from Chipotle restaurants has been cut from 50 to 37, by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

9. The tie-up between AB InBev and SABMiller could be a threat to Global public health, particularly in emerging markets such as Africa, say scientists while AB InBev pledges positive impact.

10. USDA announced the availability of $350 million to help landowners protect and restore key farmlands, grasslands and wetlands across the nation through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), created by the 2014 Farm Bill.

11. International GPS technology giant Trimble is set to acquire the assets of privately held AGRI-TREND, a Canadian-based company operating the largest network of independent agricultural consultants in North America.

12. One of the biggest startups, AgBiome, has raised over $50 million from venture capital investors to advance its natural fungicide product for use in organic farming, including a $34.5 million investment from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation back in August 2015.

13. Tel Aviv University and Peking University have executed a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint research institute for food security in China’s Shangdong Province.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 19Nov'15 !

1. Countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (Japan, China etc) currently account for up to 42 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports, totaling $63 billion.
2. Obese people are absorbing less vitamin E when they actually require more to help counteract the effects of metabolic stress, say researchers.
3. A number of specific foods including potato chips, refined grains, processed meats, and soda are all associated with excess weight gain, finds new research.
4. UK palm oil imports were 72% sustainable in 2014 – up from 55% in 2013, according to an annual progress report from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
5. Around the world, more than 3.8 billion adults (52%) had an unhealthy weight in 2014 – 39% were overweight and 13% were obese. A healthy weight is not about the quantity of the kilos in relation to height, but about the quality of these kilos in relation to the body composition.
6.ADM has opened a premix plant in Nanjing, making it the agribusiness group’s third livestock industry targeted facility in China.
7. Most of China’s nine major lysine manufacturers, which between them account for over 61% of the global market, are back up and running, but nearly all of them are still on a go slow, said Chinese based analyst firm CCM.
 

India Agriculture & Food news - 19Nov'15 !

1. The Central Govt has decided to pay a production subsidy of ₹4.50/quintal directly to cane farmers in the 2015-16 season to ensure they get timely payment of arrears amounting to over ₹7,000 crore owed by sugar mills. The move is expected to cost the exchequer about ₹1,147 crore.
2. Potato output to take a hit this season (U.P, West Bengal & Punjab) over bad weather, lack of interest among farmers, prices might as well go up soon.
3. The spike in tomato prices to over Rs 60 per kg due to disrupted supplies from rain-hit South India is "temporary" and rates are expected to ease in coming days, government said.
4. As per an ASSOCHAM study, sugar prices may rise next year as its production is expected to come down, while at the same time farmers are shifting to other crops.
5. Over 5,366 tonnes of pulses have been offloaded in the markets so far out of a total 1.32 lakh tonnes seized from hoarders in raids conducted by the states, a move aimed at boosting supply and easing prices.

6. Continued Torrential rains in the Coastal Andhra Pradesh region (Nellore District) affected 900 crores worth Aquaculture segment.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 18Nov'15 !

1. AgFunder targets $5m raise for maker of VetGun.

2. Blue Road seeks $500m in first agri buyout fund.

3. Whilst seafood sales are going swimmingly, the chilled processed meat category is under pressure globally, although volume declines could be tempered by value gains, says Euromonitor International.

4. The European Commission has approved the acquisition of The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) and Cobega (Spain) for joint control of Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) in the UK.

5. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that glyphosate, a herbicide used on food crops, is unlikely to cause cancer and recommends raising safety levels.

6. Nearly three quarters of the food and drink marketing seen by children in Scotland is for junk food, according to new research that the Scottish Government will use to push for stricter UK-wide advertising rules.

7. Novozymes has launched a tool to quickly detect the lactose content of milk, allowing producers in emerging markets without costly lab equipment to tap into the free-from trend.

8. Italy’s antitrust agency is investigating seven olive oil producers due to concerns about the quality of products supposed to be the ‘extra virgin’ variety.

9. 3M Food Safety has launched a molecular detection assay for Salmonella and has already gained AOAC PTM certification.

10. Guidelines beefing up potential penalties for food safety and hygiene offences in England and Wales will come into effect from next year.

11. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Food Safety Commission of Japan (FSCJ) have renewed their memorandum of scientific cooperation on data collection and sharing related to risk monitoring and assessment.

12. Leatherhead Food Research (LFR) is relocating its headquarters from Leatherhead to a new heritage site near Epsom in a £9M move.

13. Many Finnish children are exceeding safe intake levels of heavy metals from food and drinking water, although exposure is falling, says a new study from the Finnish food safety authority, Evira.

14. Irish dairy and ingredients giant Ganbia is acquiring Californian protein bar specialist thinkThin for $217m (€200m), as it boosts its bar presence.

15. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued three final rules related to Produce Safety, Foreign Supplier Verification Programs and Accredited Third Party Certification under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

16. The £71bn takeover of SABMiller by AB InBev is likely to result in further consolidation among the remaining brewers, a leading expert on large-scale mergers has claimed.

17. The world packaging machinery market will grow by 4.9% over the next three years to reach €40.3bn in 2018, according to Ucima, the Italian Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Association.

18. Tyson Foods is recalling more than 50,000 pounds of chicken wings because of an “off odour” scent, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS).

20. Irish dairy and ingredients giant Ganbia is acquiring Californian protein bar specialist thinkThin for $217m (€200m), as it boosts its bar presence.

21. Around the world, more than 3.8 billion adults (52%) had an unhealthy weight in 2014 – 39% were overweight and 13% were obese. A healthy weight is not about the quantity of the kilos in relation to height, but about the quality of these kilos in relation to the body composition.

22. Neogen Corporation has developed a test to detect E. coli O157:H7 which provides results within 12-24 hours.

23. U.S.D.A Deputy Agriculture Secretary and Ghanaian Minister of Food and Agriculture plans to announce two Food for Progress agreements to support agricultural development and trade within Ghana's poultry sector.

24. USDA announced $4.8 million in grants for 74 projects spanning 39 states to support efforts to connect child nutrition programs with local farmers and ranchers through its Farm to School Program.

India Agriculture & Food updates - 18Nov'15 !

1. Grama Bharathi is conducting a conference on Natural Farming for IT & Other professionals who want to involve in farming directly or indirectly. Shri. Subhash Palekar, chief proponent of natural farming would be conducting this event. The objective of the conference is three folds:

•To learn the farm ecosystem and the impact of chemical residue in the agricultural products
•To learn the techniques of natural farming and implement it
•To establish a network of farmers and consumers
http://gramabharthi.org/cnfit/

DATE & TIME: November 28 and 29 , 2015 8 AM to 6 PM [Both days], Breakfast-Lunch provided
VENUE: Sardar Patel Auditorium, Keshav Memorial Institute of Technology [Adjacent lane to Deepak Theatre], Narayanaguda, Hyderabad.

2. India's breakfast cereal market has grown at an annualised rate of just over 22% since 2010, with Kellogg's, Bagrry and PepsiCo Quaker together capturing more than three-quarters of the market.

3. In the latest twist in the long drawn out Maggi noodle saga, India's food regulator FSSAI has petitioned the supreme court to quash an earlier ruling to lift a ban on the popular instant noodles brand.

4. Torrential rains in Andhra Pradesh state resulted in 2.5 Lakh hectares of Paddy crops loss in the twin Godavari districts.

5. India stands at 80th position as per 2015 Global Hunder Index of 104 nations and 12 Crore Hectares of Land has undergone deterioration as protection/preventive measures needs to be taken, the President of India is quoted as saying in 29th Anniversary of Govind Vallabh Pant agricultural university.

6. With an Investment of Rs.1505 crores, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural university will be scaled up to International standards, the Chief Minsiter of A.P is quoted as saying. Also steps will be taken to dig 1 Lakh agriculture bores with a fund increase of Rs.25K to 50K per bore.

7. Barring an extreme weather event, India - the world's second-biggest sugar producer and the top sugar consumer is set to cement its position as a net exporter because of remunerative sugarcane prices.

8. About 60 companies and 500 delegates are expected to participate in the India International Coffee Festival 2016 that will be held in Mumbai from 2016-January 19to 23.

India Agriculture News - 16Nov'15 !

1. India and Brazil signed an MOU agreement to engage in collaborative projects for raising productivity of cattle and buffaloes in a meeting between agriculture ministers(National Dairy Development Board -NDDB and EMBRAPA) of the two countries in New Delhi.
2. Rice prices may surge in the coming months as stocks are depleting fast on the back of deficient rains and fall in output, a study by industry chamber ASSOCHAM said, urging the government to closely monitor prices and stocks as the domestic demand for rice is huge.
3. With crop output decreasing due to heavy rains, Tomato prices reached an all time high of Rs.90 per kilogram for High/Superior grade Tomatoes in Asia's largest Tomato market of Madanapalle in Andhra Pradesh (INDIA). The range of Tomato prices varied from Rs.36 to Rs.90 for low to high quality grades in two telugu states of A.P and Telangana.

4. Due to depression in South of Bay of Bengal, Moderate to Heavy rainfall is being observed in Tamilnadu, Pondicherry, Rayalaseema Regions of A.P in India and the cyclonic trend is expected to continue for the next 2 days.

 

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 14Nov'15 !

1. Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) has inserted Bt 1 (Cry1AC Mon531) into a desi variety to solve the two important problems that the farmers face – reduce the duration of the crop and avoid hybrids that guzzle scarce moisture in rain-fed areas.
2. The total area of pulses sown under Rabi crops as on November 13, 2015, is 123.28 lakh hectares," Agriculture Ministry said in a statement.
3. The state-run Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) purchased 87 lakh bales (of 170 kg each) in the 2014-15 marketing year.
4. The Telangana government is preparing ground to give approvals to multinational seed giants to conduct field trials of genetically modified crops (GM Crops).

5. The excess rainfall regime over South Peninsula, including Tamil Nadu, is expected to sustain for another 10 days to at least until November 22, according to latest projections. Apart from Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, South Interior Karnataka and Kerala fall under this region.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition udpates - 14Nov'15 !

1. Blue Road seeks $500m in first agri buyout fund.
2. The Swedish investment firm Kinnevik sells Polish farm business company Rolnyvik for more than $46m, but holds on to agri investments in Russia.
3. AgFunder targets $5m raise for maker of VetGun.
4. Chinese foreign agri investment will recover says Rabobank exec.
5. The European Commission has approved the acquisition of The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) and Cobega (Spain) for joint control of Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) in the UK.
6. Fonterra has started production at its whole milk drying factory in Pahiatua (P3), New Zealand - the first of its kind to be built on an earthquake fault line.
7. Foodborne Salmonella outbreaks accounted for 3,301 illnesses, 225 hospitalizations and 30 deaths, according to an analysis of a reporting system in Canada.

8. Food produced in Israeli-occupied territories, considered illegal under international law, must be clearly labelled as such in EU countries - a decision that has provoked strong opposition from Israel.
9. The Swedish Food Safety Authority (NFA) has urged consumers not to buy products containing DMBA – a novel substance used to replace the banned stimulant DMAA.
10. Novozymes has launched a tool to quickly detect the lactose content of milk, allowing producers in emerging markets without costly lab equipment to tap into the free-from trend.
11. The former CEO of McDonald’s Don Thompson has joined Beyond Meat, the US-based company which aims to replace animal protein with plant protein.
12. Food manufacturers remain sharply divided over FDA proposals to crack down on added sugar, with General Mills and other big names such as Kellogg and Unilever strongly opposed; and Nestlé, Mars, and KIND LLC in favor.
13. Major food commodity prices rose in October, spurred by weather-driven concerns about sugar and palm oil supplies, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
14. A study suggests consumers have positive emotional responses to yogurts that are vanilla-flavored or low in fat.
 

INDIAN Region Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 11Nov'15 !

1. Indian government allowed 100 per cent FDI in five plantation crops, mainly coffee, rubber, cardamom, palm oil tree and olive oil tree via automatic route.

2. India's National Collateral Management Services (NCML) said it has signed a pact with AFGRI, South Africa's largest agri-business company, for collaboration  into areas like cross-border trade flow, grain management and marketing, trade finance and collateral management, inspection, testing and certification, geo mapping, weather intelligence and crop estimation

3. $90m Nestlé plant opens in Malaysia;

4. China and India’s grocery markets are set to grow in double digits to US$2.4tr by 2020, according to the latest forecast by food and grocery researchers IGD.

5. Signature International, which already has a production facility built to European standards in the city of Nashik 200 miles north of Mumbai has plans to build 20 flatbread manufacturing plants across the Indian subcontinent within the next five to 10 years.

6. SEAF India fund sees strong US and SE Asia interest targeting to raise $150m. The fund will invest $20m to $25m in small and medium enterprises, including food supply and other agribusinesses in India.

7. The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) has entered into three partnerships (CNHFA, UNIDO, CNCA) involving China to boost food safety.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 11Nov'15 !

1. The 119,000 acre acquisition of Lousiana timberland from the $662m Molpus Fund IV  brings acreage managed by the firm to 1,875,000.

2. Barclays Kenya launches agribusiness unit.

3. Syngenta and DSM team up to bring more biotech into agri.

4. SmartVet has developed a disruptive platform to deliver medication to livestock. Since its product launch in 2014, the company has experienced rapid market adoption with sales of $7M in FY2015.

5. The global bioplastics production capacity is set to increase from around 1.7 million tonnes in 2014 to approximately 7.8 million tonnes in 2019, according to the European Bioplastics association.

6. The chocolate market will exceed $26bn in the US by 2018, according to a recent report.

7. USDA will invest $8 million in the Ogallala Aquifer Initiative (OAI) in Fiscal Year 2016 to help farmers and ranchers conserve billions of gallons of water annually while strengthening agricultural operations.

8. Since the start of the Mississippi River Basin Initiative in 2009, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has worked with more than 600 partners and 5,000 farmers to make conservation improvements on more than 1 million acres in the region.

Indian Region Agriculture updates - 08Nov'15 !

1. China and India’s grocery markets are set to grow in double digits to US$2.4tr by 2020, according to the latest forecast by food and grocery researchers IGD.

2. India's fast food sector continues it's lightning growth, with ASSOCHAM estimating it will grow reach Rs.25000 crore (US$3.8bn) by 2020.

3. Apac cheese market to leap to $15.5bn by 2021.

4. India will screen genetically modified (GM) cotton hybrids on sale in the country to identify the varieties that are resistant to whitefly, a pest that recently caused extensive damages to crops.

5. DestaGlobal, an online marketplace aimed at providing agri-input to farmers, has raised ₹13 crore from its US-based investor Ron Boehm.

6. Indian dairy sector’s wait to enter Russia grows longer , with Russian standards body seeks a meeting with Indian experts on quality issues.

7. The greenhouse rental service is becoming increasingly popular among Haryana farmers, who are growing 6 million seedlings annually by paying a nominal fee to an Indo-Israel vegetable centre at Gharaunda near Karnal.

8. Machine-to-machine (M2M) communications can help save up to 18 to 20 per cent of product cost in agriculture and bring in revolutionary changes in sectors like transport, healthcare and public distribution.

Global Agricutlure, Food & Nutrition Roundup - 08Nov'15 !

1. Gladstone acquires $4m-worth of Florida farmland.

2. Organic crops are more profitable, but take-up is slow. Organics make up less than 1% of US corn and soy acreage despite higher returns.

3. The commercial distribution of agriculture technologies, and how to get them in front of farmers, is one of the main hurdles that agtech companies and their venture capital partners face, according to speakers at the World Agri-Tech Investment Summit in London this week.

4. ExactTarget Co-Founder Chris Baggott to Create $1bn Company Using Uber and Food Trucks.

5. Rabobank estimates that Agtech companies will Attract Over $4bn in Investment in 2015.

6. The UK government's Agri-Tech strategy was identified a key national industry and was awarded £160 million in funding by the Treasury department.

7. Chilean fund Sembrador raising $50m for permanent crops in Colombia.

8. A study suggesting men consuming two or more sugary drinks per day are more likely to suffer heart failure does not provide conclusive evidence, say medical professionals while industry calls it 'unhelpful'.

9. Eagle Product Inspection has partnered with J-Pak, in Africa, to distribute its x-ray inspection systems for applications including bakery, dairy, snacks, confectionery, cereals and grains. It can also detect contaminants in powdered tea, coffee, baby formula milk powder, fruit juice, plastic bottles of milk, glass bottles and cans of lemonade.

10. Major food commodity prices rose in October, spurred by weather-driven concerns about sugar and palm oil supplies, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

11. The abandonment of the one-child policy in China is expected to grow sales of infant formula by 10-15%, with 1.5-2 million more babies likely to be born each year in the country.

12. Cargill plans to close its chocolate plant in Lititz, Pennsylvania axing 130 jobs in January 2016 as it restructures its manufacturing footprint in its chocolate and cocoa business.

13. A number of specific foods including potato chips, refined grains, processed meats, and soda are all associated with excess weight gain, finds new research.

14. Fears of job losses following the merger of Kraft and Heinz appear to have been realised, as the food giant announced factory closures and job cuts in North America.

15. Helping small-scale farmers and producers in developing countries to access the global marketplace can help to boost nutrition and development, say the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

16. Italian milk and wheat company Newlat has acquired Kraft Heinz’s infant and health foods manufacturing plant in Parma for an undisclosed sum.

17. Nomad has completed its acquisition of Findus becoming the largest frozen food in Western Europe, it announced yesterday.

18. World's biggest rice brand Uncle Ben's and Food giant MARS pledged to sustainable source 100% of their rice by 2020.

19. $90m Nestlé plant opens in Malaysia;

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition roundup - 1stNov'15 !

1. Tesco has agreed to the £250M sale of 14 land development sites across southern England, in a further sign that the supermarket race for space has come to an end.

2. Ukraine’s largest poultry producer, MHP, plans to acquire 100,000 hectares (ha) of agricultural land and several businesses inside and outside of the country.

3. The EU plans to offer a €40 million subsidy programme to the Zimbabwean meat and livestock sector, aimed at resuscitating a struggling industry whose processors are operating at well below capacity.

4. Russian meat giant Miratorg is to invest RUB160 billion (US$2.5bn) on production projects in the next five years in an effort to double its pork and beef capacity and increase its international standing.

5. Tetra Pak has launched a new high-capacity extrusion line, considered to be highest in the world, for large scale production of ice cream sticks and sandwiches. It can produce up to 43,200 ice cream products per hour; with the lowest system cost.

6. The Global Dairy Trade (GDT) Price Index declined by 3.1%  - the first fall in the average price on the platform since the beginning of August.

7. Canada has lifted a ban on beef and processed beef from 19 EU member states which has been in place since the 1996 BSE scare.

8. The EU paid up to six times too much for fish under its flagship ‘fishing partnership agreements’, a new report by the Court of Auditors has said.

9. Nestlé has expansion opportunities in developing markets in Asia and Latin America for its leading confectionery brand KitKat, according to the company’s head of chocolate countlines.

10. US Marshals have seized about 5,000 cases of ready-to-eat frozen Jonah crab products processed by Rome Packing due to food safety concerns.

11. An over-simplistic image of impoverished, malnutritioned Africa is being used to push the case for genetically modified organisms (GMOs), a senior Harvard professor has warned.

Global Agriculture Investment roundup - 1stNov'14 !

1. US forms taskforce constituting a group of more than 2 dozen stakeholders will deliver recommendations for exemptions and streamlining measures by 20 November for unmanned drone registrations.

2.  Backed by 280 investors in the first six months of this year, Agtech companies raise record $2bn in first half of year.

3. The 'Seed 2 Growth' venture fund hopes to expand access to healthy, sustainable food through investment in new innovators in agri by raising a capital of $125m fund.

4. Bill Gates-backed Beyond Meat raises $17m Series E and Obvious Ventures, the VC firm set up by Twitter founders Evan Williams and Biz Stone, is understood to be the investor.

5. American Farmland Company launches $55m IPO, offering 6m shares at $8.00 each, but the stocks fell on the first day of trading.

6. Established food and agri businesses must ensure innovative technologies are harnessed with more investment in Agtech, as per Rabobank.

7. Korean venture firm backed by Korean messenging app giant Daum Kakao buys 33% in hi-tech farmer Manna CEA,  moving into controlled environment farming with its new deal.

8. Louis Dreyfus Group, one of the world’s largest agricultural commodity traders, has teamed up with emerging markets firm Bamboo Finance to launch  $50m sub-Saharan Africa fund.

9. Oman and Japan launch $400m agri fund.

10. Australia eyes institutions for $1bn infra and agri fund.

11. An unnamed Chinese-Israeli investor group is expected to add to the $4m Agrinnovation close

-Courtesy: AgriInvestor

Press coverage of 'AgroMate - GSM Based Pumpset Controller' deployment by 'AgriSolve' !

http://epaper.andhrajyothy.com/detailednews?box=aHR0cDovL2VjZG4uYW5kaHJhanlvdGh5LmNvbS9GaWxlcy8yMDE1MTAyNzEwMjcwMjI4NDY3MjguanBn&day=20151027

'AgriSolve' appointed as Dealers for "AGROMATE - GSM Based Pumpset Controllers"

1. Sritan Group has appointed my company 'AgrSolve Crofting Solutions Pvt.Ltd. (OPC)', as "Madanapalle Mandal & Chittoor District" level dealers for award winning "AGROMATE - GSM Based Pumpset Controllers" manufactured by NGE Industries.
2. AgriSolve has successfully field tested 'Agromate' product during the past 10 days.

3. Please contact: 9491451957, for more details.

 

AgriSolve's 1 Year accomplishments !

Eversince it's inception in Nov'2014, 'AgriSolve Crofting Solutions Pvt.Ltd (OPC)' founded by me (Naga Vamshidhar Ratakonda) can boast of the following !

1. AgriSolve is the first One Person Company (OPC) incorporated in the combined states of A.P & Telangana.

2. AgriSolve is one of the first few One Person Companies in Agriculture & Related sectors in INDIA.

3. AgriSolve is the only Agriculture OPC to have visitors from 27+countries on it's website within the first 6 months of launch.

4. AgriSolve is also the first company to cover and broadcast comprehensive news on Agriculture, Food & Nutrition areas at the State, Central and Global level through Social Media (Linked In, Face Book, Twitter, Blogger).

5. AgriSolve is a rare company to have done Consulting, Development & Technology Product deployments in the field of Agriculture, Education/Training and Farm house advisory with in first 1 year of incorporation.
 

6. AgriSolve also had a rare opportunity to present it's views on topics of Agriculture, Sustenance & Preservation at 'Nature for Life' event held by Indian Science Congress.

7. AgriSolve also held social responsibility of Providing suggestions to State and Central Governments through PgPortal.

8. AgriSolve is also into 'Giving Back' i.e. encouraging writers in literary circles, donating to temples and Poor.

9. AgriSolve is the first to deploy 'GSM based pumpset controller' succesfully in Madanapalle Madal of Chittoor District (A.P, INDIA).

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 21Oct'15 !

1. Backed by 280 investors, Agtech companies raise record $2bn in first half of year.

2. The private equity firm BC Partners is making its first agri acquisition in more than 15 years, buying Dutch flower breeder Dümmen Orange for a reported €500m.

3. Farmer shareholders approved 50% stake sale of Silver Fern to Shangai Maling, the subsidiary of Chinese state-owned Bright Food in return for a NZ$261m capital injection.

4. Melon juice concentrate reduces cellulite on thighs but not stomach, according to a recent study by French ingredient supplier Bionov.

5. The worlds biggest packaged food manufacturer, Nestlé, has revised its growth target for the year to 4.5%, after the Maggi noodle recall in India knocked sales and under-calculated U.S. Skin Health rebates weighed down profits.

6. An over-simplistic image of impoverished, malnutritioned Africa is being used to push the case for genetically modified organisms (GMOs), a senior Harvard professor has warned.

7. India is one of the fastest growing industrial markets for beverage air and gas compressors, according to FS-Elliott as it opens a wholly owned subsidiary, FS Compressors India, with offices in Pune and Bangalore.

8. USDA announced $12.5 million in loans and grants for 39 projects that will help rural businesses in 21 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

9. The United Nations estimates that worldwide demand for food will increase 70% by 2050.

10. Drinking cranberry juice may improve vascular function and blood pressure, says a new study funded by the Cranberry Institute.
 

'AgriSolve' first to Deploy 'GSM based PumpSet Controller' in Madanapalle Mandal (A.P, INDIA) !

1. For the first time in Madanapalle Mandal of Andhra Pradesh State (INDIA), AgriSolve has deployed award winning 'GSM Based PumpSet Controller' designed by 'AgroMate' !

2. Attached are photographs of 3Phase PSU, Device & Antenna.

3. All the features of Power On/Off, Motor On/Off, Water Flow are tested and found to be working well after deployment.

4. Madanapalle is the biggest Revenue Mandal in India with majority of people in Agriculture profession.

5. 'AgriSolve' are also the sole dealers for these 'GSM Based Pumpset Controllers'.

Contact: 9491451957, 08571-231957

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 11Oct'15 !

1. Karnataka waives interest on crop loans, announces relief package.

2. All the 42 mega food parks sanctioned by the government will be fully operational in the next three years, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

3. The National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (Nabard) said it will invest Rs 342 crore in Andhra Pradesh, to create warehousing capacity to store 6 lakh metric tonnes of food items.

4. Whitefly destroys two-third of Punjab's cotton crop, 15 farmers commit suicide.

5. The first tranche of 250 tonnes of onions imported by the government has already arrived while the entire consignment of 2,000 tonnes will arrive by the end of this week, which will help boost domestic supplies and check rising retail prices.

6. India Met Department has declared the formation of a monsoon depression in the Arabian Sea this morning and heavy rainfall has been forecast at many places over coastal Karnataka and Kerala during next 24 hours.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition udpates - 11Oct'2015 !

1. Impossible Foods, one of a new wave of Silicon Valley-backed companies promising to “transform the global food system”, has raised $108m in its latest round of financing, and says its first product – a plant-based burger that precisely replicates the taste and texture of meat – should hit the market by the end of 2016.

2. Mars Incorporated has opened a pre-competitive research and training facility in China to address food safety.

3. The a2 Milk Company (a2MC) is seeking to raise NZ$43m (US$28.5m) to support growth in Australia, New Zealand and key international markets.

4. Quorn Foods has been sold to Filipino branded consumer goods company Monde Nissin for £550M, ending months of speculation.

AgriTechnology Focus - 'AgroMate': GSM Based Pumpset Controller !

Award Winning 'GSM Based Pumpset Controller' from AgroMate !

http://www.agromate.in/downloads/

Works for motors of any capacity

Easy to install

Operate with any SIM operator in your region

Use your existing mobile to operate the device

Miss call or SMS to operate

Works with Single phase or Three phase power supply

Phase preventer power supply unit to protect device and pump

External antenna for better signal input

Water flow sensor to turn off the motor during dry run

Useful for motors used in farms, factories,etc

Useful for domestic applications such as water heater, A/C etc.

SMS alerts for motor ON

SMS alerts for motor OFF and duration of run time

SMS alerts when SIM Changed

SMS and also a call from device to alert when Power restored

Register up-to 4 users per device

Android APP for easier usage, status inquiry

Android APP for scheduling the motor run times

LCD display screen

SIM signal indicator on LCD

Motor run status indicator on LCD

Works with any model of starters

SMS alerts during power failure

Manual ON/OF Feature

Email: Sales: sales@agromate.in | Support: support@agromate.in

Phone: 1800-3000-9696

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 9thOct'15 !

1.  IFC backs Ukrainian agri producer Astarta, with $35m debt package.

2. Tanzania puts large rice and sugar farms up for sale and is inviting international and domestic investors to make offers for 60,000 hectares of prime sugar and rice-producing land in the southern agricultural region.

3. Nestlé Pakistan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore.

4. Around 140m children worldwide currently benefit from school milk programmes, according to a survey conducted by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) and the International Dairy Federation (IDF).

5. Food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture are vital to achieving the entire set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, FAO director-general warned.

6. USDA helped to kick off the nation's harvest season by announcing nearly $35 million in new funding through four grant programs to support local and regional food systems, including farmers markets.

7. Nineteen countries have requested to opt out of GM cultivation in Europe – but while the Commission says the opt-out clause is necessary for such a complex issue, campaigners are calling it ‘Kafkaesque’ and one scientist warns Europe is walking 'an ethical tightrope'

8. The European Union (EU) will make a decision on whether to ban fish imports from Thailand by December, while the EU gave out ‘yellow cards’ for illegal fishing to Comoros and Taiwan.

9. Taking into account studies from around the world, a group of researchers have concluded that calcium does not make for stronger bones.

10. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), currently account for up to 42 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports, totaling $63 billion.

11. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded more than $113 million in program grants to support farmers growing fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops, also known as "specialty crops," through research, agricultural extension activities, and programs to increase demand and address the needs of America's specialty crop industry. 

12. The UK government is calling on businesses, R&D scientists and agricultural producers to submit their proposals for salt, sugar, fat and fibre reformulation with the chance to win up to €13.5 m in funding.

13. Developing countries in Asia account for roughly 90% of the world’s monosodium glutamate consumption, out of a 3m tonne market worth US$4.5bn.

14. The International Rice Research Institute (Irri) has filed the genomic sequences of more than 3,000 rice varieties in a move that boosts plans to set up a global data exchange system for crop genetic resources

India Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 1stOct'2015 !

1. Women tea pluckers in Kerala to scale up stir (go on strike) for ₹500 daily wage, while UPASI (United Planters Association of India) terms the demand as unrealistic.

2.Australia, EU, Colombia and Brazil has questioned India’s decision to make it mandatory for sugar millers to export 5 million tonnes (8% of world trade in sugar) during the 2015-16 sugar season (October-September) for subsidized prices.

3. With the withdrawal of monsoon in the grain bowl states of Punjab and Haryana, the weather department recorded scanty rains this monsoon.

4. The government today said it is not considering any proposal to ban export of basmati rice.

5. The Tamil Nadu government today announced enhancing the MSP for paddy, making it Rs 1,520 per quintal for fine paddy and Rs 1,460 for the common variety, for the current year's kharif season.

6. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will inaugurate the 4 day long 'National Agriculture and Orange festival' in WARUD, (AMRAVATI district) tomorrow. The event is being jointly organised by Maharashtra government and 'Krishimitra Events'.

7. The government is likely to give incentives to sugar mills to pay cane growers, government and trade sources.

 

Global Agriculture Food & Nutrition updates - 1stOct'15 !

1. A new EU-funded research project involving partners across the EU, as well as in China, will help reduce food waste by 30% by 2025, say those behind the project.

2. Strawberries and blueberries may boost brain health by enhancing motor performance and improving working memory, says a new study.

3. Jackfruit, a previously hard-to-find but popular meat substitute among vegans, is going mainstream in the US with two manufacturers launching ready-to-eat product lines featuring the fibrous plant as a main ingredient.

4. Japan and Portugal have signed a memorandum of cooperation to work together on food safety.

5. A tougher food safety law will come into effect in China next month to bring more stringent sanctions for violations, including economic penalties, while defending whistleblowers more stridently.

6. USDA awarded nearly $20 million through 385 grants to help support the start-up or expansion of rural small businesses.

7. America may be a nation of black tea drinkers, but increasingly they are reaching for green tea for its health benefits, rich cultural experience and diverse flavor profile.

8. Last year 587m litres of coconut water were sold globally, and consumption is predicted to rise by a further 15% in 2015.

9. Russia will not lift the current ban on Western food imports until "at least 2018," a Russian dairy expert has predicted.
 

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 28Sept'15 !

1. Investment-grade farmland prices have doubled to £12,500 an acre over five years, with prices soaring faster than luxury London homes, according to Knight Frank research.

2. The government has blocked the purchase of the country's largest dairy farm (Lochinver), halting the Chinese conglomerate's (Shangai Pengxin's) ambition to build a NZ$1bn farm empire.

3. Stripes Group invests $50m in California almond milk producer.

4.Farmland Partners eyes international expansion as it launches $25m offer.

5. Ireland and China signed an agreement to co-operate on food safety and build on agri-food partnerships.

6. Governments must to stop food manufacturers and distributors producing and selling unhealthy, cheap, salty junk food, warns World Health Organisation (WHO) advisor Professor Francesco Cappuccio.

7. Mumbai has banned slaughter and the sale of meat, following a demand from the strictly vegetarian Jain community, sparking outrage among meat-eaters already upset by a permanent beef ban imposed this year.

8. Latvia has banned the use of trans fats in domestically produced and imported food, joining ranks with Austria, Hungary and Denmark - but campaigners are pushing for an EU-wide ban.

9. Food Industry Asia (FIA) will scale-up food safety capacity building in ASEAN and China after signing an agreement with the World Bank for the Global Food Safety Partnership (GFSP).

10.  USDA announced $2.5 million in grants for projects to educate new and underserved farmers about USDA Farm Service Agency programs that can provide financial, disaster or technical assistance to the agricultural community.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 17Sept'15 !

1. Sigma-Aldrich has signed an agreement with Public Health England (PHE) to manufacture and supply Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) for use as controls in food, water and environmental testing microbiology laboratories.

2. Nescafé is abandoning its traditional websites in favour of Tumblr: a move aimed to appeal to millennial consumers and particularly those using smart phones and tablets.

3. Halloumi cheese and infused oils that could pose a serious health risk are among the products that have been recalled over the past week.

4. Eating a Mediterranean-style diet with extra-virgin olive oil may lower the risk of developing breast cancer, according to a new analysis of a trial in Spain.

5. USDA announced the award of $20.5 million through its Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program for 45 projects that will develop and advance the conservation of natural resources.

6. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has furthered its interest in the Turkish dairy sector with a €10m loan.

7. Consumption of low-fat milk and yogurt is associated with a decreased risk of frailty among the elderly, according to a recent study.

8. Dairy processors with technology leverage of Filtration, Ultraviolet (UVA) light and Sound, have the ability to produce milk and dairy beverages with a shelf life of up to 90 days, without the off-taste caused by heat treatment. Processors can also separate key components and recombine them to produce milk higher in protein, lower in fat and lactose-free.

9.Farmers across the 28 European Union (EU) Member States will share €420m in European Commission (EC) targeted financial aid.

10. A total ban on trans fats in processed foods could prevent deaths from coronary heart disease, claims researchers. 

11. Scientists have identified a genetic defect in oil palms, called bad karma, which reduces yields – a finding that could save industry both time and money.

World Organic Story !

1. Globally Organic Farming is in practice in 130 Countries spanning 4.3 Crore Hectares.

2. In Organic farming, yields are 9.2% less while investment costs are 11.7% low and Organic Foods are 20-40% costlier.

3. America (USA) is the biggest Organic Foods Market in the world, followed by France, Germany and Canada.

4. India stands in 10th position with 5.1 Lakh Hectares of Organic cultivation. 70% of it's organic exports include Basmati Rice, Sugar, Grains and Millets. National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) is pioneering Organic effort in the country. Madhyapradesh, Himachal Pradesh & Rajasthan are the top 3 states in this arena.

5. In Bhutan 95% Crops and 98% Fruit varieties are cultivated using Organic methods.

6. Organic farming spreads across 21 Lakh hectares in China.

7. Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Bangladesh are fast catching and showing inclination towards Organic Farming.


 

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 15Sept'15 !

1. International food commodity prices saw the sharpest fall in nearly seven years as the FAO index plummeted by 5.2% in August.

2. The European Commission (EC) is part-funding a project that will examine the use of high voltage electric nano pulses to sterilize raw milk.

3. Poor economic outlook hits Chinese beef industry and Garlic prices from China on the rise.

4. A rare form of graphite, better known for helping charge battery-powered gadgets, is currently being investigated by scientists in South Australia as a potential soil conditioner.

5. The African country, Nigeria has called on foreign investors to invest in its large agriculture sector, as it looks to reduce its reliance on imported foods and expand its exports beyond oil.

6. One Earth Foods Investments is developing Cambodia's first state-of-the-art coconut plantation, with a $5 Million investment.

7. Frutarom has acquired 79% of Spanish firm Nutrafur in a €10.3 m sale which will help the company develop its portfolio of natural plant extracts for food preservation.

8. E.coli linked to prepacked salads has sickened 40 people in the UK, according to Public Health England (PHE).

9. Cargill will pay a $110,000 civil penalty over alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at its Vitamin E manufacturing facility in Eddyville, Iowa.

10. Latvia has banned the use of trans fats in domestically produced and imported food, joining ranks with Austria, Hungary and Denmark - but campaigners are pushing for an EU-wide ban.
 

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition udpates - 13Sept'15 !

1. Imperial College London has partnered with ADMIT BioSuccInnovate Consortium to investigate how agricultural waste can be used to make biodegradable packaging.

2. Reseraches found the increasing usage of Flax Seeds, Oil & Powder (Lin Seeds) would deteriorate Psoriatic condition of affected patients acting as an immune booster, antoxidant.

3. Many multinational food and beverage brands are missing their biggest chance to address climate risks, according to the global non-profit group CDP, which says companies need to work closer with suppliers to improve agricultural emissions.

4. Drinking 500 ml of water around 30 minutes before main meals could help obese and overweight people to lose more weight, according to new research.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition udpates - 11thSept'15 !

1. The Danish food authorities have introduced a guidance value on fluorinated substances in food packaging, which includes baking paper, pizza boxes and food wrapping.

2. Multivac says it is planning massive investments in Germany, US, UK and Japan with the first announcement being a €15m plant for machine parts in Bulgaria.

3. After successfully raising $627,644 from 8,015 supporters via Kickstarter, Minneapolis-based Hidrate Inc will launch its HidrateMe smart water bottle product in December.

4. Almost 300 people in U.S. have been sickened by Salmonella in an outbreak linked to cucumbers imported from Mexico.

5. Dairy producers will receive the "most significant part" of a €500m ($558m) European Commission (EC) agricultural support package announced, but the European Milk Board (EMB) regarded the package as 'very dissapointing'.

6. High intakes of saturated fats could lead to an increased risk of inflammation and tissue damage, say scientists.

7. E.coli linked to prepacked salads has sickened 38 people in the UK, according to Public Health England (PHE).

8. Nestlé UK and Ireland has partnered with the National Centre for Food Manufacturing at the University of Lincoln to find the chocolate makers of the future.

9. Dairy industry representatives have welcomed the European Commission’s £362.5M (€500M) aid package for farmers but criticised its refusal to lift the intervention price.

10.. Scotland’s food and drink sector turnover has grown at twice the UK rate since 2008, taking it to a record £14.3bn in 2013, according to the Scottish government.

11.  The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is developing an open-access database to measure water usage in the Middle East and North Africa, to improve water productivity and reduce scarcity issues.

12. Kuwaiti consumers boycotting fish in protest at unprecedentedly high prices have forced market rates down, and drawn support from government officials.

13. New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra has opened a NZ$37m (US$23.5m) plant in Indonesia - its first manufacturing facility in the South East Asian country.
 

India Agriculture & Food updates - 6thSept'15 !

1. NDDB’s (National Dairy Development Board) Pashu Poshan app crosses 1,000 downloads.

2. A senior Government advisor pitched for “no irrational resistance” to genetically-modified (GM) crops and believed that nanotechnology could help Indian agriculture overcome problems of food scarcity.

3. With prices of pulses skyrocketing, the Government has decided to import an additional 5,000 tonnes of tur dal through state-owned MMTC in the coming days.

4. Westbengal is planning to setup Cold Storage in all Kisan Mandi's.

5. The seventh Biofach India together with India Organic, an important organic fair in the country, will be held at Kochi from November 5 to 7.

6. Kerala's all-women network Kudumbashree has decided to expand organic farming extensively across the state.

7. About 30-40 lakh tonnes of onions get wasted every year due to inadequate storage facilities in the country, a senior Commerce official.

Global Agriculture, Food & Nutrition updates - 6thSept'15!

1. Solidus Solutions is working on scaling up a process to produce solid board with tomato plant fibres.

2. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken action against three firms (Univar), including two dairy companies (Advanced Food Products & Milk Specialities Global), for Clean Water Act violations.

3. The FDA has taken another step in its war on powdered caffeine. The controversial ingredient linked to a pair of deaths was the subject of a slew of new FDA warning letters to companies selling the substance to consumers.

4. Peru is set to triple its fruit and vegetable production within the next 5 years to 3 million tonnes.

5. Ongoing consumer interest in gluten-free foods has opened a door for less common ancient grains (amaranth, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, sorghum, teff and wildrice) to step into the limelight that wheat, rye and barley have dominated for so long.

6. There is a direct link between salt intake and obesity, says 1200-strong CASH study – but health experts say the findings should be taken with a pinch of salt.

7. Mondelēz International has opened a $30m line in Poland to produce popular brands such as Milka, Cadbury and Oreo as it anticipates a recovery in Europe’s chocolate market.

8. Vietnam's fizzy drinks market going great guns as category escapes tax.

9. General Mills has struck a deal to sell its Green Giant and Le Sueur vegetable businesses to B&G Foods, for approximately $765m in cash.

10. Arla Foods has installed technology to measure potential milk spoilage which it believes will reduce overall testing time by 300%.

11. Upgraded biosecurity measures to combat fruit fly will be introduced in Australia, bringing added confidence to international trade markets.

12. Europe is facing an “epidemic” of folic acid-preventable neural tube defects (NTD), spina bifida and anencephaly, researchers have said.

13. European supermarkets are losing out on halal meat sales because of trust issues and a lack of clear labelling, driving Muslim consumers to independent butchers, according to Euromonitor