NEWS Bulletin from Indian Society For Sustainable Agriculture And Rural Development
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1. WTO: Bailing out the current food crisis on agenda WTO: Bailing out the current food crisis on agenda
On BILATERALs-
2. India-Sri Lanka FTA a win-win situation: Ficci
3. Australia pledges $20 mn for research with India
4. India, France to cooperate on weather forecasting, transport
5. Wheat purchase by FCI, govt agencies touches record high - Corporate houses stay away
On TOBACCO---
6. 'Bidis contain more nicotine than cigarettes'
7. States told to promote science & technology
On SW MONSOON RAINS--
8. Monsoon to strike Kerala coast on May 29: IMD
9. Prepare for an early monsoon
10. Monsoon may hit Kerala a week in advance
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ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Tuesday , May 13, 2008 at 1919 hrs IST
Posted online: Tuesday , May 13, 2008 at 1919 hrs IST
The WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy's suggestion that speedy negotiations in multilateral trade can solve the present crisis of soaring food prices, perhaps has few takers.
His attempt to convene a mini-ministerial on May 19 has become a distant hope and the presentation of revised texts for farm and industrial goods negotiations by the chairs of respective negotiating committees is likely to be delayed.
The issue of rising food prices was raised at the WTO General Council meeting in Geneva on May 7 for the first time and discussed in some details. Contrary to Lamy's proposal some African countries called for demystifying the link between rising food prices and completion of the Doha Round, instead of rushing through a deal on the pretext of solving the problem.
Though some developing countries like Uruguay, Brazil, China and Mexico have supported Lamy's proposal that a quick conclusion to the Doha Round would offer medium to long-term solutions to the current crisis, there are still many who view it with much skepticism India supported successful conclusion of Doha negotiations but did not link it to the food crisis.
It is evident that the present food crisis was created deliberately. The massive use of food crops for fuel in Europe and North America and displacement of food crops in many countries by cultivation of bio-fuel crops like Jatropha and other non-food crops are deliberate attempts to engineer a food crisis.
Not only this the bio-fuel programme has caused such a horrible situation which was not experienced earlier - the global food prices are now linked to the volatility of fossil oil prices. The reports of UNCTAD, UN–ESCAP and OECD speak of the food crisis caused by bio-fuel programme in the developed world.
Why such a situation was deliberately created? The developing countries in general were long complaining that the heavily subsidised agriculture in the developed world have been depressing global food prices to the disadvantage of the farmers in the Third World who do not get remunerative prices for their produce.
Thus the present turnaround situation was deliberately master-minded so that the developing countries, LDCs and net-food importers give up their demand for phasing out of food subsidies in the developed world. It was also done with the intention that the developing countries, LDCs and net-food importers lower their tariff barriers and open up for imports and help the US to continue with its dubious 'food aid' programme.
Why should the Third World pay for this turnaround situation master-minded in the developed world? The game of subsidy is still there - the ongoing bio-fuel programme is heavily subsidised and incentivised. This highly subsidised bio-fuel programme which endangers food security should be immediately scrapped through an international agreement. For meeting energy needs other viable options should be explored.
This modern neoliberal corporate-led architecture is at a point of collapse. There are enough indications to prove it. The weakening of US dollar, the sub-prime crisis and meltdown in the global equity market show that this artificial architecture has its inherent weakness. To overcome and survive, the global manipulators have created new problems - there is an increased investment in the commodity futures market and food trade, which have also contributed to the global food price rise. The farmers do not benefit from the current food price rise at all - only the market manipulators stand to benefit.
With a view to shift the blame, the US President, George Bush and the Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice said that the food crisis was due to increased consumption in populous countries like India and China. But Bush should know that the annual per capita grain consumption in US is 1,046 kg, while in India it is only 178 kg.
Switzerland, Japan and US have also said that food export bans imposed by some developing countries have contributed to soaring global food prices. The fact is that some developing countries imposed export bans with a view to check their domestic price inflationary trends. If the developed countries are interested in curtailing the policy space given to countries, it is really a matter of concern.
The pertinent issue which the world leaders need to consider is that in the midst of soaring food crisis and prevalent hunger, major food Companies reaped huge profits. The net income of Monsanto for the three months ending February, 2008 more than doubled to $ 1.12 bn from $ 543 mn in the same period in 2007. Its profits increased from $ 1.44 bn to $ 2.22 bn.
Cargill's net income soared by 86% from $ 543 mn to $ 1.030 bn and that of Archer Daniels Midland soared by 42% from $ 363 mn to $ 517 mn.
Index-fund investment in grain and meat increased almost five-fold to over $ 47 bn in the past year according to the Chicago-based AgResearch Co.
At the recent Agricultural Forum convened by the US Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on April 22, 2008 to discuss these problems, while the official position was to play down speculation and stress fundamentals, such as low physical stocks and increased demand from China and India, all farmers and trade associations blamed the problem mainly on speculative surge from long-only funds.
They pointed out that the present situation of high prices which should normally have benefited farmers was actually causing concern. The accompanying high price volatility has led to convergence problems, more basis volatility and a near breakdown of risk management tools that futures Markets normally provide. This has increased risk faced by farmers; put farmers, local elevators and other buyers of commodities under pressure of margin requirements and lending limits; and is causing problems in physical marketing.
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India-Sri Lanka FTA a win-win situation: Ficci
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , May 12, 2008 at 2213 hrs IST
New Delhi, May 11 Mineral fuel and its products and iron and steel are now among the top five items of India's exports to Sri Lanka, following the free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries. Mineral fuel and products have emerged as the largest export item of India to Sri Lanka, with more than 30% share in the total exports in 2006-07. Its exports registered an unprecedented increase from almost nil to $702 million in 2006-07.
Other top items of India's exports to Sri Lanka are automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and cotton. Auto sector exports increased by more than four times to reach $335 million in 2006-07, constituting 15% of India's exports to Sri Lanka. In the post FTA-period, India's exports of iron and steel increased four times, that of pharmaceuticals by three times. However, the share of India's cotton exports fell from 13% to 4%.
Major items of imports from Sri Lanka are vegetable and animal fat oils, copper products, electrical machinery, coffee, tea, rubber.
India-Sri Lanka FTA signed in December 28, 1998 was operationalised from March 1, 2000 with phased implementation by both sides - for India 2003 was the last year for full implementation and for Sri Lanka it was March 2008.
The FTA covers 5,112 items for duty free or preferential treatment and taking into account the asymmetry between the two countries, Sri Lanka was accorded special and differential treatment.
The apex industry body, Ficci, said that the FTA has resulted in a win-win situation for both and "a pioneering attempt in trade liberalisation in South Asia." India's exports to Sri Lanka increased from $640 million in 2000-01 to $2.2 billion in 2006-07, with an annual growth rate of 25%. Sri Lanka's exports grew from $45 million in 2000-01 to $470 million in 2006-07,with an annual growth rate of 47%.
The Ficci noted that Indian investment in Sri Lanka increased to $8.5 million, while Sri Lankan investment in India remained relatively ver small
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Australia pledges $20 mn for research with India
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 at 2049 hrs IST
Posted online: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 at 2049 hrs IST
New Delhi, May 7: The Australian government has pledged $20 million for research work to be undertaken with India for improving the yield of food crops, developing new membranes for water desalination from carbon nanotubes and new materials and methods for separating hydrogen for future pollution-free fuels
Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and India's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) signed an agreement on Wednesday to implement the project over a period of five years. "The Australian government has decided to dole out $ 20 million under the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF)," said the Australian High Commissioner to India, John McCarthy.
In 2001, the two institutions exchanged letters to signal their intent to build increased mutual understanding and awareness and in 2003 CSIR, CSIRO and seven other international research organisations together formed the Global Research Alliance. This alliance aims to facilitate international research cooperation in an effort to address the problems facing the developing world. The Indian Science and Technology Minister, Kapil Sibal visited Australia in February 2008 to discuss the modalities of further cooperation in research work.
The development of new methods in plant breeding that would lead to increased yield in food crops and also benefit farmers in developing countries. The findings pertain to methods for reducing the cost of commercial hybrid seed production and also allowing farmers to propagate their own hybrid seed by a process called apomixes, said the Director-General of CSIR, Samir K Brahmachari.
Recent efforts in several laboratories around the world to identify genes controlling apomixis have relied on mutation coupled with genetic screens in model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana to look for mutants that show aspects of apomixis.
The hypothesis here is that apomixis results from altered action of genes that function in the normal pathway of sexual development in plants (i.e. during meiosis, gamete formation, and fertilization). If this is the case then it may be possible to identify mutants whose features show aspects of apomixis.
Such approaches have provided valuable clues about processes that may contribute to apomixis, however none of the mutants identified to date have been demonstrated to result in generation of a functional component of apomixis and the formation of viable seed that show aspects of apomixis.
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India, France to cooperate on weather forecasting, transport
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Thursday , May 15, 2008 at 2340 hrs IST
Posted online: Thursday , May 15, 2008 at 2340 hrs IST
New Delhi, May 14 France has offered to help India to upgrade its weather forecasting system and its transport sector, including dedicated freight corridor for fast movement of goods.
The French minister of state for transport, Dominique Bussereau said, "Meteo-France International and India Meteorological Department (IMD) have signed a letter of intent for availing French expertise in end-user services and management of severe weather events. Indian Railway Board and SNCF International (French Railways) have signed a MoU for promoting bilateral cooperation."
He said that Farance would help India in modernization of airways, development of ports and transport infrastructure in Delhi.
Meteo-France international is the dedicated agency of Meteo-France for international activities, including technology transfer worldwide. It has an exclusive position in the meteorological world, acting as a unique integrator of all meteorological infrastructure components through a turnkey global project approach.
The first phase of IMD upgradation process to be implemented in two years will aim at strengthening at strengthening the critical information system at the headquarters in Delhi and as well as that in Pune, Kolkata centres.
Bussereau who is leading a business delegation said that India needs to develop its public transport system, including high speed railways, metro railway system and tramways. He said that development of public transport system was necessary with a view to reduce energy consumption and the number of private vehicles-which was necessary for combating climate change. He advocated private sector involvement in public transport system and said that the French Companies having expertise would be willing to invest in India.
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Wheat purchase by FCI, govt agencies touches record high
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Wheat-purchase-by-FCI-govt-agencies-touches-record-high/306744/
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Thursday , May 08, 2008 at 2321 hrs IST
Posted online: Thursday , May 08, 2008 at 2321 hrs IST
New Delhi, May 7 The wheat purchase by the government designated agencies is gathering momentum day by day as big corporate houses have almost stayed away from making much of the bulk purchases.
So far the wheat purchase by government designated agencies in 10 major producing states is 17.426 million tonne as against the target of 15 million tonne. The government purchase of wheat is increasing at an average rate of 3,38,512 tonne per day.
The level of wheat procurement shows that the government would be able to meet its maximum buffer stock norm for the year which is set at 17.1 million tonne on July 1.
According to the chairman and managing director of the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Alok Sinha, the main reason for the increased purchase of wheat by the government agencies is the remunerative minimum support price (MSP) for wheat fixed at Rs 1,000 a quintal and the big corporate houses shying away from making much of the bulk purchases.
He said,"Last year the purchases by government agencies were lower as the corporate houses made brisk purchases outside the regulated Markets, which were tax free and went unrecorded. As a result wheat arrivals in the regulated Markets were lower This year the government made it mandatory for the corporate houses to declare their purchases if it were above 10,000 tonne (last year this declaration limit was fixed at 50,000 tonne)."
When asked as to why the big corporate houses shyed away from making brisk purchases, Sinha said : "possibly they are scared that they have to declare their purchases if they are above 10,000 tonne. Besides there are many public allegations that the corporate houses are purchasing grains and hoarding it to create artificial scarcity."
According to Sinha, last year the corporate houses made purchases amounting to about 20% of the recorded arrivals while in the current season it was around 7%. The arrival of wheat in the regulated Markets has increased to 18.97 million tonne as compared to 11.27 million in May 7 of the previous year.
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'Bidis contain more nicotine than cigarettes'
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Tuesday , May 13, 2008 at 0125 hrs IST
Posted online: Tuesday , May 13, 2008 at 0125 hrs IST
New Delhi, May 12 A study done by the Union health and family welfare ministry along with partner agencies shows that bidis contain class A carcinogens, toxins and poisonous substances responsible for lungs cancer, oral cancer, heart diseases, other lung disorders and addiction and even tuberculosis.
Bidis are small hand-rolled leaf-wrapped tobacco products and bidi smoking is common in South Asia. Though bidis contain much less tobacco than cigarettes , it delivers far more nicotine and other toxic substances, the study said.
The World Health Organisation, Healis-Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and US Department of Health and Human Services are the partner organization along with the Union health ministry who sponsored the study done under the leadership of Prakash C Gupta and Samira Asma.
According to the study entitled – Bidi Smoking and Public Health - bidi smoke contains high levels of tobacco specific nitrosamines (NNN & NNK) – two most potent cancer causing agents. Compared to unfiltered cigarette, bidi smoke contains higher levels of carbon monoxide, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, phenol, volatile phenols, benz(a)anthracine and benzo(a)pyrene.
There are about 2,90,000 growers of bidi tobacco and more than 4.4 million bidi workers in India. A ban or restriction on bidi sector, therefore, may cause some employment problem, unless alternative works are suggested for bidi tobacco growers and workers. Faced with such a situation the Union health secretary, Naresh Dayal said, "To impose a ban or any restriction on the bidi sector is not under the mandate of the health ministry. Our job is to generate awareness. We can suggest a logo on bidis signifying the dangers of its consumption. Now the matter is subjudiced and we can think of it only after the court order."
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States told to promote science & technology
Commodities Bureau
Posted online: Tuesday , May 13, 2008 at 2146 hrs IST
Posted online: Tuesday , May 13, 2008 at 2146 hrs IST
New Delhi, May 12 The Centre has urged the state governments to draw up their action plans for development of science and technology.
Addressing the state ministers for science and technology, the Union S&T minister, Kapil Sibal said that the Union government was willing to fund the expenses arising out of preparation of the state plans.
This is the first meeting of the state science and technology ministers convened by the UPA government. The meeting was attended by S&T ministers from 9 states which included Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh. Delhi was represented by the chief minister, . Sheila Dikshit. Senior science and technology officials representing 26 States and Union Territories also participated in the meeting.
Sibal also suggested to the states to expand their science and technology councils with adequate representations from the industry, NGOs and state and central government representatives. He urged the state governments to set up Vision Councils within 30 days, clearly defining the path of progress. Noting that there are no institutes of the Central Council of Industrial Research in some states like Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and northeastern India, Sibal said that immediate programmes of capacity building and human resources development would be undertaken throughout the country by CSIR and the department of biotechnology.
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Monsoon to strike Kerala coast on May 29: IMD
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 1908 hrs IST
Posted online: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 1908 hrs IST
New Delhi, May 14: The official weather forecasting agency, India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the South-West Monsoon may arrive at the Kerala coast on May 29, which is three days earlier than the scheduled date. The forecast is subjected to a model error of +/- 4 days
With the strengthening of monsoon winds and widespread rainfall activity, the South-West Monsoon advanced into southeast Bay of Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands on May 12, almost eight days in advance. The monsoon system usually advances by its two wings – the eastern wing which advances over Bay of Bengal and the western wing which advances over the Arabian Sea.
Quoting the forecasts of global agencies, Center for Ocean Land Atmosphere Studies (COLA), International Research Institute for Climate Studies and Policy (IRI) and the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast, FE on May 13 had said that the South-West Monsoon may arrive at the Kerala coast about five to seven days earlier.
The IMD while making its present forecast has taken into consideration six predictors – minimum temperature over north-west India, pre-monsoon rainfall peak over southern peninsula, outgoing long wave radiation over south China Sea, lower tropospheric zonal wind over southeast Indian Ocean, upper tropospheric zonal wind over the east equatorial Indian Ocean and outgoing long wave radiation over south-west Pacific region.
The IMD, in its initial forecast made on April 16, this year had said that average cumulative rainfall over the country in the four-month monsoon season would be 99% of the long period average of 89 cm. This forecast is subjected to a model error of +/-5 %.
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National Network - In THE INDIAN EXPRESS
Prepare for an early monsoon
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 0033 hrs
Posted online: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 0033 hrs
NEW DELHI, MAY 12: Here is some good news. The South-West Monsoon is likely to hit Kerala coast about five to seven days before the scheduled date of June 1.
A convection developing in the Arabian Sea may cause a strong south equatorial current to push the monsoon system to the Kerala coast at an earlier date, according to some global forecast models. The forecast made by the US-based Center for Ocean Land Atmosphere Studies (COLA) shows the arrival of dark monsoon clouds along Kerala coast in May 20-28. Another US based agency, International Research Institute for Climate Studies (IRI) has predicted heavy rains on the west coast. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is expected to forecast the arrival of the monsoon at the Kerala coast within next two days.
Already the persistence of convection over southeast Bay of Bengal has caused early arrival of the monsoon in the Andaman Seas. Usually the south-west monsoon arrive at south Andaman Seas around May 15. This year it arrived on May 10.
According to IMD, the formation of low pressure area in the adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal coupled with further strengthening of westerlies would further cause the advancement of the monsoon in its eastern arm. The European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast has also predicted on this line.
Thus both the eastern and the western arms of the monsoon system are likely to cause early arrival of the monsoon on the mainland. Recent events in Malaysia, Thailand and forecasts by global agencies confirm early arrival of the monsoon.
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Monsoon may hit Kerala a week in advance
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Tuesday , May 13, 2008 at 2158 hrs IST
Posted online: Tuesday , May 13, 2008 at 2158 hrs IST
New Delhi, May 12 Here is some good news. The South-west Monsoon is likely to hit Kerala coast about five to seven days before the scheduled date of June 1.
A convection developing in the Arabian Sea may cause a strong south equatorial current to push the monsoon system to the Kerala coast at an earlier date, according to some global forecast models. The forecast made by the US-based Center for Ocean Land Atmosphere Studies (COLA) shows the arrival of dark monsoon clouds along Kerala coast in May 20-28. Another US based agency, International Research Institute for Climate Studies has predicted heavy rains on the west coast.
The India Meteorological Department is expected to forecast the arrival of the monsoon at the Kerala coast within next two days. Already the persistence convection over southeast Bay of Bengal has caused early arrival of the monsoon in the Andaman Seas. Usually, the south-west monsoon arrive at the South Andaman Seas around May 15. This year it arrived on May 10. Weather forecasters have predicted widespread rains over Andaman and Nicobar islands during the next three to four days and further strengthening of westerly winds in the region.
According to IMD, the formation of low pressure area in the adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal coupled with further strengthening of westerlies would further cause the advancement of the monsoon in its eastern arm. The European Centre for medium range weather forecast has also predicted on this line.
Thus, both the eastern and the western arms of the monsoon system are likely to cause early arrival of the monsoon on the mainland. Recent events in Malaysia, Thailand and forecasts by global agencies confirm early arrival of the monsoon.
India's 750 million farmers rely on the timing of the June-September monsoon season to decide which crops to grow.
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