NEWS Bulletin from Indian Society For Sustainable Agriculture And Rural Development
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1. Rising prices may change India's stand at WTO
2. Farmers, industry flummoxed over soaring inflation
3. Assocham seeks ban on futures trading in agri commodities
4. BIRD FLU spreads to Tripura
on GMOs-----
5. Now a kit to detect GM traces in food
6. IARI : Celebrating 50 years of spearheading agri-education
on Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme---
7. Micro-monitoring of NREGS planned as scheme expands
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Rising prices may change India's stand at WTO
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , April 07, 2008 at 0255 hrs IST
New Delhi, Apr 6 In the backdrop of the rising global prices and the government resorting to drastic cuts in tariffs on many agricultural commodities, India's negotiating position at the farm talks in the WTO may be weakened.
The recent rise in global prices has completely changed the earlier scenario where the developing countries accused the developed world for depressing global prices through heavy subsidies and thereby minimizing the gains of Third World producers. Several factors are, however, responsible for the turnaround in the global situation. The reports of UNCTAD, UN ESCAP, OECD and other UN agencies have held massive bio-fuel programme in Europe and in the US as one of the main cause for the rise in global food prices.
The bio-fuel programme in the developed world backed by heavy subsidies has caused many farmers to cultivate crops for producing fuel rather than for food.
The prices of bio-fuels have shot up in tandem with the fossil oil prices and the bio-fuel prices have had a spilling effect on food prices
The member of the Planning Commision, Abhijit Sen agrees with the view and says : "The government has reduced tariffs with the good intention of importing food at cheaper prices to combat the price inflationary trend in the country. But this may soften our negotiating position at the WTO as we have already begun reducing our tariff barriers. It now would be difficult for the developing countries to raise the issue that developed countries' subsidies depresses global prices. Many poor net food-importing countries are facing problems of importing food at high prices."
Another factor contributing to the rise in global food prices is the subprime crisis and the meltdown in the equity market. The investors are now shifting their investments to commodity Markets. Sen says : "The same thing is seen happening in India also."
However, at the global level there are few big corporate players who dictate the prices of food. Even the farmers in the developed world do not benefit from the price rise. For instance the Canadian Wheat Board paid farmers between $ 260 to $ 284 a tonne for various qualities of non-durum wheat, while the global prices peaked to over $ 250 a tonne on March 27, this year. In India farmers were paid Rs 850 a quintal while wheat was imported at Rs 1650 a quintal.
India has banned exports of some agro commodities and discouraged exports of other commodities and has reduced tariff barriers to facilitate cheap imports with a view to check the rising domestic price inflationary trend. But opening for imports at this stage would result in "importing inflation" when global prices are high.
The Chairman of the Central Organisation for Oil Industry and Trade (COOIT), Davish Jain has rightly pointed out that the major exporting countries very well know that the populous countries like India and China would import food at any cost to meet their needs and therefore would not hesitate to jack up prices.
The same has been the case with vegetable oil imports. Thus faced with such a situation the India and the developing countries would need to find a suitable alternative way in handling global trade....
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Farmers, industry flummoxed over soaring inflation
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , April 07, 2008 at 0007 hrs IST
New Delhi, Apr 6 The government has gone into a panic mode as the inflation rate, as measured by the point-to-point movement of the wholesale price index, reached a 40-month high at 7% for the week ended March 22, 2008. As inflation is likely to increase further, experts feel that the situation neither benefits the farmers nor the industry and the government has failed to recognise the reality of the situation and act accordingly.
As per rise in food prices is concerned, shortfall in production cannot be singled out to be a problem. Country has achieved a record grain production of 219.32 million tonne (mt) in 2007-08, including 94.08 mt rice, 74.81 mt wheat, 36.09 mt coarse cereals and 14.34 mt pulses. Cotton output is estimated at 23.38 million bales while oilseeds output is estimated at 27.16 mt.
However, despite good production the average retail price of common variety of rice is ranging around Rs 25 per kg and that of wheat flour around Rs 16 per kg. Against the rising prices, the farmers were paid only Rs 745 per quintal for common variety paddy and Rs 850 a quintal for wheat. Thus the farmer has not benefited much from the recent price rise.
Some believe that excessive holding of stocks by corporates and private parties in the trade might have caused the inflationary pressure on prices. Reacting to the situation the member of the Planning Commission, Abhijit Sen said, "if there is hoarding of stocks the government should take up massive de-hoarding drive across the country."
The president of the apex industry body, Assocham, Venugopal N Dhoot said, "futures trading in agricultural commodities should be banned for sometime till the situation improves. I am confident that price situation would improve by August, this year. In the meantime the government should facilitate smoothening of the supply chain, ban exports for the time being and subsidise some essential goods. The RBI should increase the bank interest rate and CRR."
Rice exporters say that the government by effecting frequent hikes in the minimum export price (MEP) for non-basmati rice and imposing a MEP on basmati rice has not only contributed to the global price rise, but has also added to the sentiments for price rise in the country.
The chairman of the central organisation for oil industry and trade (COOIT), Davish Jain criticised the government's recent decision to reduce tariffs on vegetable oils. He said that on March 20, when India decided to reduce duty on crude palm oil (CPO) by about $115 a tonne, Indonesia slapped an export tax of $140 on export of CPO, thereby dashing India's hopes of importing crudepalm oil at cheaper prices....
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Assocham seeks ban on futures trading in agri commodities
Commodities Bureau
Posted online: Sunday , April 06, 2008 at 2015 hrs IST
New Delhi, Apr 5 Industry body Assocham has called for a temporary ban on futures trading in agri commodities with a view to arrest the price inflationary trend in the country. It has also called for a temporary ban on agri exports.
Releasing a study, India 's FTAs and Indian Industry, here on Saturday,
Assocham president Venugopal N Dhoot said, "The price inflation has touched a 40-month high level of 7% for the week ended March 22. It is a matter of grave concern as it may eat into the benefits of the growing Economy. Our Economy should grow well over 9%. Futures trading in agri commodities should be banned for sometime till the situation improves. I am confident that the situation would improve by August, this year."
He also suggested that the government should take measures like banning exports of agri commodities to increase its availability in the country. If necessary, the government should subsidise some essential commodities and facilitate smoothening of its distribution. Dhoot also urged that the Reserve Bank of India should take steps to increase the bank interest rate and the cash reserve ratio (CRR) as these measures would help to contain the price inflationary trend.
Regarding the proposed free trade agreements (FTAs), which India has planned to sign with other countries, Dhoot said that industry should be taken into confidence before the final deal. "We are in favour of trade, but the deal should be designed in such a manner so that it turns out to be a win-win situation for both parties. We want that a preferential trade agreement (PTA) should be signed before an FTA."
He said that India should be careful in signing FTA with China as that country "enjoys an added advantage of keeping its currency devalued under a different condition." He said that India with a higher tariff regime at about 12.5% may be called upon reduce its duty to the level of china at 6%, which may cause problems to the industry. Another concern was the growing India 's trade deficit with China—from $ 506.74 million in 1994-95 to $ 1424.04 million in 2004-05, he said.
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Bird flu spreads to Tripura
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , April 07, 2008 at 1944 hrs IST
New Delhi, April 7 The bird flu is now not confined to West Bengal alone. It has now spread to Tripura which is also adjoining Bangladesh.
The High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal has confirmed positive result for Avian Influenza in respect of one sample collected from village Mohanpur in Mohanpur gram panchayat in Salema block in Kamalpur sub-division of Dhalai district in Tripura on Monday. The focal point of infection is just half a kilometer from the international border of Bangladesh
In pursuance of the above test results, a notification has been issued to the Tripura government and others concerned.
According to a press lease of the Union government, the officers of both the central and state governments have already reached the affected area and formulated a plan of action to launch control and containment operations against the disease. The area of infection has been sealed and no movement, to and fro, of poultry and poultry products is being allowed. The required number of rapid response teams have already been constituted. The culling operations will start on April 8, 2008 and involve 15,000 to 20,000 poultry birds, mostly in backyard. These are likely to be completed in three days. The local administration, in association with veterinary authorities, have already started holding meetings in the area to sensitize the villagers about the disease.
In West Bengal,apart from notification of outbreak of Avian Influenza among poultry in Jalpaiguri district on March 27, 2008, no further outbreaks have been notified.
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Now a kit to detect GM traces in food
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , April 07, 2008 at 1921 hrs IST
New Delhi, April 7: The department of biotechnology (DBT) in collaboration with the Hyderabad based Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) has developed a diagnostic kit for rapid detection of genetically modified (GM) traces in food by going to the level of DNA. Earlier a diagnostic developed by the Central Institute for Cotton Research could detect by going only to the level of protein.
"If this new kit is used it can resolve the claims of genetic contamination of conventional crops by GM crops. We can also use this diagnostic kit for checking imported food which may contain traces GM matter," said the DBT secretary MK Bhan.
The diagnostic kit has been validated for detection from whole or crushed seeds of Bt cotton and Bt rice crops. Both these crops have been genetically modified to express cry 1 Ac and cry 2 Ab transgenes from Bacillus thuringensis and hence called Bt crops. Transgenic crops differ from conventional crops as their genetic make-up has been altered by artificial introduction of a "transgenic cassette".
The diagnostic kit developed by CDFD in collaboration with DBT employs the polymerase chain reaction technique for rapid detection of five elements in the transgenic cassettes like the promoter CaMV 35S, transgene cry 1 AC or cry 1 Ab, marker gene npt II and the end-signal NOS-T.
The detection of four of these elements is based on primers designed indigenously in CDFD and cross validated by other national laboratories, while the detection of CaMV 35S is based on primers designed to ISO standards, which are likely to be adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards. "These tests have been shown to be useful in detecting Bt cotton and Bt rice seeds at an admixture as low as 0.4% with non-Bt seeds," said Bhan.
He said that this diagnostic kit can also be used for Bt brinjal, Bt cauliflower, GM mustard with barnase/barstar gene and GM tomato with osmotin gene. Five institutions in the country namely CDFD, Hyderabad, Central Food Technology Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad and Indian Toxicological Research Institute (ITRC), Lucknow are now using this diagnostic kit.
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IARI : Celebrating 50 years of spearheading agri-education
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , March 31, 2008 at 0058 hrs IST
Much of what Indian agriculture is today is due to the work of state agriculture universities and deemed agriculture university like the Delhi-based Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI).
The work for ushering in green revolution in the country began in 1960s with the support of the US Land Grant Universities and curricula of agriculture colleges underwent changes.
IARI was established in 1905 at Pusa in Bihar and was subsequently relocated in Delhi in 1936 after a major earthquake that damaged the institute's building at Pusa. The premier national institute for agriculture research, education and extension was accorded the status of a deemed university by the University Grants Commission Act of 1956. Thereafter, IARI set up a post-graduate school in 1958.
On the celebration of the golden jubilee year of the IARI post graduate school, the institute's director, SA Patil said: "Over the years, since the initiation of green revolution to the present day, we have been developing newer and newer technologies to cope with the problems confronting Indian agriculture. Our curricula are designed to include many modern day aspects like the intellectual property rights regime, agriculture marketing and prices, innovation in farm mechanisation, water and irrigation management, biotechnology, nano-science, organic farming, bio-resources, climate change apart from conventional crop and livestock sciences. A new course on plant bio-security has been introduced in the discipline of plant genetic resources."
According to the report of the dean compiled by HS Gaur, the main strength of IARI is faculty of 460 members in 23 disciplines, of whom 345 are recognised as research guides. In 2008, 17 new scientists were inducted in the post-graduate faculty and 35 faculty members were included as research guides.
The out-sourced faculty is also invited to take part in the teaching programmes. IARI deputed its 19 faculty members to 16 foreign countries for participation in training and workshops. It has established linkages with the 15 affiliated institutes of the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). A number of foreign students are pursing their education in IARI.
However, post-graduate education in agriculture in India is not 50-year-old. The director-general of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Mangla Rai said: "There are colleges which have been offering post-graduate education in agriculture over 100 years. IARI as a deemed university has just completed 50 years of its post-graduate education. Govind Ballav Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Uttarakhand was the first state agriculture university to be set up in the country in 1960. In 1997, it was adjudged as the best among state agriculture universities."
Rai also alleged that much could be done to improve agriculture education and research if the budgetary allocations were raised by the government. "We have been long demanding that the central government's budgetary allocation for farm education and research be raised to at least 1% of the agricultural GDP." There are others who feel that a substantial amount of the budgetary allocation covers administrative costs, eating into the allocation for research.
In 2005-07, the ICAR had entrusted the National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM) to carry out an assessment of quality rating of colleges of the state agriculture universities (SAUs). About 28 SAUs consisting of 125 colleges have been surveyed by NAARM. Each benchmark indicator has several parameters and a total of 71 parametres were considered.
The XIth Plan has proposed revamping of agricultural education and the ICAR feels that the funds allocated are not sufficient.
In the recent conference of vice-chancellors of agriculture universities convened by ICAR, it was suggested that the government allow utilisation of funds under Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana for expansion of teaching research capacity of SAUs in identified priority areas. It was also proposed to set up educational museums in agricultural universities....
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Micro-monitoring of NREGS planned as scheme expands
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , April 07, 2008 at 2227 hrs IST
New Delhi, April 6 : The report card of states on the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NGRES) is mixed. However, the rural development ministry, which has been responsible for implementation of the scheme since February 2006, has refused to spell out which are the best or worst performing states. ''In states, where there are good performance in some districts and panchayats, there are bad performance in other districts and panchayats. The performances have to be judged at the micro level'', said rural development minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh.
Painting a rosy picture at the macro level, the minister said NREGS, which was expanded last week to cover all districts in the current year, had provided jobs to 3.08 crore households against a demand for 3.10 crore till February 2008. A total of 121.64 crore persondays employment was generated in phase I and II covering 330 districts. Out of 121.64 crore persondays employment, the scheduled castes had a share of 27.04%, while the Scheduled tribes had a share of 30%. Persondays of employment provided to a family is 40 days. Of the total, about 51.24% of jobs went to women, he added.
However, with reports pouring in about leakages and flaws in NREGS, Singh said his ministry had invited non-governmental ogranisations (NGOs) to participate in the monitoring process. ''We have invited the participation of NGOs in implementation and social audit'', he added.
The United Nations has already launched a forum of NGOs, Solution Exchange, for monitoring the scheme. However, some NGOs feel that the right lessons should be learnt from the experience of the Maharashtra Employment Guarantee Scheme (MEGS), which has been operational since several years. MEGS was set up in the drought period of the early 70s. Data shows that employment through this scheme was between 1/10th to 1/3rd of the number of days of employment of rural workers. The participation of women in the MGES was between 30% to 40%.
Sarit Rout of CYSD, a Bhubaneswar-based NGO working in Nabarangpur district, said they had helped the Orissa government train members for mobilising people and form unions. The government has used NREGA application software to issue job cards and prepare a database to systematise its implementation in 32,000 villages in 3,672 gram panchayats. She suggested that local vigilance groups be formed for each panchayats to identify BPL (below poverty line) families.
KS Gopal of the Hyderabad-based Centre for Environment Concerns, said a hand-held biometric reader for making payments was being used in 10 panchayats of Annantpur district in Andhra. Priced at Rs 26,000, it makes payment to the worker at her habitation. ...
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