#Sugar export Data 2022-23

[seaireximsolution-blog]

The Sugar Export Industry in India: Key Players and Global Influence

India, one of the largest sugar producers in the world, has a significant role in the global sugar market. As the country continues to ramp up its production and export capacity, it is crucial to understand the key players in this industry, the dynamics of global sugar trade, and the technical details involved, such as the HSN codes list used for categorizing sugar and sugar products. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the top 10 sugar exporters in India, examines the position of the world largest exporter of sugar, and explains the relevance of HSN codes in the sugar trade.

The Sugar Industry in India

India’s sugar industry is a vital part of its agricultural and industrial landscape. The country produces a substantial amount of sugarcane, which is processed into sugar and other by-products. This industry not only meets domestic demand but also contributes significantly to exports, making India a crucial player in the global sugar market.

Top 10 Sugar Exporters in India

India’s sugar export market is dominated by several key players, each contributing to the country's significant export volume. Here is a detailed look at the top 10 sugar exporters in India:

Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar Ltd. One of the largest sugar producers in India, Bajaj Hindusthan exports substantial quantities of sugar to various countries, leveraging its extensive production capacity.

Balrampur Chini Mills Ltd. Known for its efficient operations and high-quality sugar, Balrampur Chini Mills is a prominent exporter with a strong presence in international markets.

Shree Renuka Sugars Ltd. With a global footprint, Shree Renuka Sugars is a major player in both domestic and international sugar markets, exporting large volumes annually.

EID Parry (India) Ltd. Part of the Murugappa Group, EID Parry is renowned for its quality sugar and has a significant export portfolio.

Triveni Engineering & Industries Ltd. Triveni is a well-established name in the sugar industry, exporting substantial amounts of sugar to various global destinations.

Dhampur Sugar Mills Ltd. Known for its innovative practices and high-quality products, Dhampur Sugar Mills has a strong export business.

Dalmia Bharat Sugar and Industries Ltd. Dalmia Bharat is a key exporter, benefiting from its robust production facilities and strategic export operations.

Simbhaoli Sugars Ltd. Simbhaoli Sugars has a long history in the industry and a strong export presence, known for its quality and reliability.

Bannari Amman Sugars Ltd. With a reputation for quality, Bannari Amman Sugars exports significant quantities of sugar, catering to international demand.

Andhra Sugars Ltd. Andhra Sugars is a major exporter, leveraging its production capabilities to meet global market requirements.

The World’s Largest Exporter of Sugar

Brazil holds the title of the world largest exporter of sugar. The country’s favorable climate, vast agricultural lands, and advanced production techniques enable it to produce and export massive quantities of sugar. Brazil’s dominance in the global sugar market is a result of its efficient sugarcane industry and strategic export policies.

Brazil’s sugar industry is highly efficient, with advanced technologies and economies of scale that make it a competitive player in the global market. The country’s sugarcane production is integrated with ethanol production, allowing for flexibility and resilience against market fluctuations. This dual-product approach helps Brazil maintain its position as the top exporter by balancing sugar and ethanol outputs based on global demand and price trends.

Understanding HSN Codes and Their Relevance in Sugar Trade

Harmonized System Nomenclature (HSN) codes list are essential for international trade, including the sugar industry. These codes are used to classify products systematically, facilitating trade and ensuring compliance with international standards.

HSN Codes List for Sugar:

1701.11: Raw cane sugar, not containing added flavoring or coloring matter.

1701.12: Raw beet sugar, not containing added flavoring or coloring matter.

1701.91: Refined cane or beet sugar, containing added flavoring or coloring matter.

1701.99: Other sugars, such as chemically pure lactose, maltose, glucose, and fructose.

These codes are crucial for exporters and importers to correctly classify their products, ensuring smooth customs clearance and adherence to international trade regulations. Using the appropriate HSN codes helps in avoiding legal issues and delays in the shipping process.

The Dynamics of Sugar Export from India

India's position as a leading sugar exporter is a result of several factors, including favorable climatic conditions for sugarcane cultivation, government policies supporting the sugar industry, and the efficient operations of major sugar companies. The country exports sugar to various regions, including Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, meeting the growing global demand.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Indian Sugar Export Market

Despite its strengths, the Indian sugar export market faces several challenges, including price volatility, international competition, and regulatory hurdles. However, there are also significant opportunities:

Market Expansion: Exploring new markets can help Indian sugar exporters diversify their customer base and reduce dependence on traditional markets.

Value-Added Products: Developing and exporting value-added sugar products, such as specialty sugars and organic sugar, can open new revenue streams.

Sustainability Practices: Adopting sustainable and eco-friendly practices can enhance the global competitiveness of Indian sugar and attract environmentally conscious consumers.

Conclusion

The sugar export industry in India is a vital component of the country’s economy, driven by major players who contribute significantly to global sugar trade. With Brazil as the world largest exporter of sugar and the crucial role of HSN codes in facilitating international trade, understanding the dynamics of this market is essential for stakeholders. While challenges exist, there are ample opportunities for growth and expansion in the Indian sugar export sector. By leveraging these opportunities, Indian sugar exporters can continue to thrive in the competitive global market.

[anamseair]

https://www.seair.co.in/blog/sugar-export-data.aspx

Explore the global sugar export landscape with Seair Exim Solutions. Gain valuable insights into the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the world sugar market. Stay informed and make informed decisions for your business growth. Discover export possibilities and strategic insights in our comprehensive blog on the world sugar trade.

[importexport-data]

How to Export Honey from India

Honey has been an integral part of Indian culture for centuries, featuring prominently in traditional remedies, Ayurveda, and daily consumption. Not only is it cherished in Indian households, but it also holds significant religious importance, being one of the five foods offered to Hindu devotees as per Sanatana Dharma. This deep-rooted tradition, combined with the global demand for natural and health-conscious products, positions India as a major player in the honey export market.

As of 2020–21, India's honey exports were valued at US$96.77 million, reflecting the burgeoning potential of this sector. This comprehensive blog explores the opportunities for honey export from India, the leading exporters, and the updated honey HS codes.

Why Start the Honey Export Business in 2024?

India's agricultural heritage and the global demand for honey make starting a honey export business in 2024 a lucrative opportunity. The trend towards natural sweeteners over sugar and artificial substitutes is driving the demand for honey worldwide. Consumers are increasingly health-conscious, and willing to pay a premium for high-quality, natural products like honey.

India, being the world's sixth-largest honey exporter, stands to benefit significantly from these global trends. The unique qualities of Indian honey, coupled with rising international demand, make 2024 an opportune year to enter the honey export business. However, success in this venture requires careful preparation, market research, and an understanding of export data.

How Much Honey is Exported from India?

India's honey exports have shown a steady increase in recent years. In the fiscal year 2022-23, India exported 79,929.17 metric tonnes (MT) of honey, valued at over US$203 million. This marked an increase from the previous year, where 74,413.05 MT of natural honey worth $163.77 million were exported. The export value further rose to $190.06 million by February 2023.

India ranks as the seventh largest producer and exporter of honey globally. In 2021-22, an estimated 133,200 metric tons of honey were produced in India. The domestic honey market was valued at Rs 23.3 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at an 8.4% CAGR, reaching Rs 38.8 billion by 2028.

Honey Export from India: Top Export Destinations

Indian honey enjoys significant demand in several international markets. The top destinations for Indian honey exports are:

United States: The US is the largest importer of Indian honey, accounting for nearly 80% of exports in some years. The demand for high-quality honey varieties is growing rapidly in the US market.

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia is another key market, with a preference for lighter-colored honey.

United Arab Emirates: The UAE is a rising market for Indian honey, driven by factors such as a growing population and increasing disposable income.

Bangladesh: Indian honey is in high demand in Bangladesh due to its low price and perceived health benefits.

Canada: With a rising preference for honey, Canada represents a developed market where Indian honey can meet the demand.

These markets highlight the thriving export potential for Indian honey, with the United States leading by a significant margin. In the fiscal year 2020-21, 59,999 metric tonnes of natural honey worth Rs. 716 crore (US$96.77 million) were exported from India, with 44,881 MT going to the United States alone.

Top Honey Exporting Countries in 2023

The global honey export market is dominated by a few key players. In 2023, the top honey exporting countries were:

China: $176 billion

New Zealand: $38.99 billion

Argentina: $37.11 billion

Ukraine: $36.57 billion

Spain: $34 billion

Germany: $27 billion

Brazil: $19.7 billion

Belgium: $13.8 billion

Australia: $11.6 billion

Hungary: $11 billion

China emerged as the leading honey exporter, capturing a significant share of the global market. The total value of honey exports in 2023 was $2.68 billion.

How to Export Honey from India?

Establishing an export honey from India involves several key steps and documentation requirements. Here is a detailed guide to get started:

Business Registration: The first step is to register your business with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). Choose the appropriate business structure and comply with the necessary legal requirements, including tax registrations such as GST and FSSAI.

Market Research: Conduct thorough market research to understand the demand, competition, and regulatory requirements in target markets. Platforms like ExportImportData.in can provide valuable insights and data to help analyze market trends and opportunities.

Identify Top Exporters: Some top honey exporters in India include Royal Bee Honey, Dabur Honey, FOREVER Bee Honey, Himalaya Honey, Patanjali Honey, Zandu Honey, Apis Honey, and Nature's Gift Honey. Knowing the key players can help in benchmarking and strategizing.

Find Buyers and Distributors: Identifying potential buyers or distributors is crucial. Utilize market research websites and data-driven platforms like ExportImportData.in to find reliable trading partners and obtain updated statistics.

Documentation and Compliance: Ensure you have all necessary documents, including an export license, certificate of origin, FSSAI food license, and any other relevant certifications. Compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and other regulatory bodies is essential.

Final Thoughts

The honey export sector in India is poised for significant growth in 2024, with major markets like the United States, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bangladesh, and Canada driving demand. Successful entry into this market requires meticulous planning, adherence to regulatory requirements, and comprehensive market research.

By leveraging updated market insights and data, Indian honey exporters can tap into the burgeoning global market and elevate their businesses. For further information and detailed analysis, platforms like ExportImportData.in offer invaluable resources to help navigate the complexities of the honey export industry.

In conclusion, the potential for honey export from India is immense. With the right strategies and a deep understanding of market dynamics, entrepreneurs can capitalize on this growing sector and achieve significant success in 2024 and beyond.

[sayani78544544]

Indian agricultural exports to boom despite restrictions on wheat, rice, sugar.

To diversify the shipments, India’s trade minister said on Monday that the country’s agricultural exports will jump in fiscal 2023/24 despite restrictions imposed on wheat, rice and sugar despite that.

India, the world’s second largest producer of wheat, rice and sugar, imposed a ban on exports of these commodities last year in an attempt to minimize soaring domestic prices. kisan App These restrictions may lead to the shortage of $4 billion to $5 billion this year as Reuters reported last month.

krishi App Trade minister Piyush Goyal said in his address to a conference in New Delhi, “We had agri exports in the aggregate of about $53 billion in 2022/23, and we expect the number to increase in the current year despite the restrictions placed on the export of rice, wheat or sugar. State-run trade body APEDA data revealed that exports of meat and dairy, cereal preparations, and fruits and vegetables increased between April and November this year.

[importglobals03]

Global Food Import/Export Brazil Data- October 2022-23

As per the latest Custom Import Export Data Brazil imported USD 166 billion and exported USD 209 billion of goods, making the country among the world’s 30 largest exporters and importers. The country’s main trade partners are China, United States, Argentina, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, South Korea, Mercosur and the EU.

As per the Brazil Import Data the main food imports of the country are wheat, fresh and processed vegetables, dairy products, fresh and processed fruit, corn, and vegetable oils. The main import partners are United States, Argentina, Chile, Netherlands and Italy.

Brazil is the small producer of food ingredients which makes the country highly dependent on imports of food ingredients. China and some European countries are the major exporters of intermediate products to Brazil intended to be used in the food and feed industries. Brazil also imports an important ingredients and additives from the United States of America.

Brazil is the 13th largest US export market for consumer oriented food products in Latin America. The total US consumer food exports to Brazil dropped 2% to US $212.7 million in the year 2021, representing nearly 29% of the agricultural total.

Brazil imported US$ 206.6 million in processed foods from US in 2021, ranking 10th in the region and an increase of 8%. The top processed food exports to Brazil in 2021 from USA are food preparations and ingredients, alcoholic beverages, fats and oils, syrups and sweeteners, condiments, sauces, jams and jellies, snack foods, processed and prepared dairy products and chocolate and confectionery.

As per Brazil Export Data the country exported soybean, soybean meal, sugar, beef, poultry, corn, cotton, pork, coffee, and citrus. The value of agricultural exports of Brazil in the year 2021 reached $ 125 billion.

The country has made remarkable transformation from being an exporter of tropical agricultural products like coffee, sugar, cacao in the 1960s and 1970s to becoming a major global supplier of soybeans, soybean products, corn, cotton, sugar, coffee, orange juice, meat, and ethanol since the early 21st century.

As per the Shipment data, the agricultural exports of the country hit a record of US$ 120.6 billion in the year 2021. This means a surplus of US$ 105.1 billion in the agricultural trade balance. In the December 2021, the agricultural exports reached US$ 9.9 billion. The main export destinations of Brazil’s agricultural products are China, European Union, the United States, South Korea, Japan, Chile, Iran, and Turkey.

Global Food Import/Export USA data – October 2022-23

[eximpedia1]

Ban on Sugar Exports is a Government Measure to reduce rising food prices

To keep an eye on domestic prices and availability, the Centre Government has prolonged the restriction on sugar exports by one year, until October 31, 2023. The action is viewed as a step towards containing the rising price of food. After the price of sugar had risen rapidly, the government restricted its exports in May of this year, with the prohibition taking effect from June 1 to October 31, 2022. In this article, we will discuss the latest notification on sugar exports ban to reduce rising food prices.

Central Government Ban Sugar Exports to Reduce Rising Prices

The Centre Government has extended the ban on sugar exports by one year, to October 31, 2023, in order to monitor domestic pricing and supply. The action is seen as a move to slow the increase in food prices. In May of this year, the government imposed export restrictions on sugar after the commodity's price had increased significantly. The restriction will be in place from June 1 until October 31, 2022.

India is about to impose a ban on sugar exports as a preventative move to secure its own food supplies, continuing its protectionism after a little over a week ago barring wheat sales.

According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the administration intends to set a limit on sugar exports at 10 million tonnes for the marketing year that goes through September. The insider, who asked to remain anonymous because the information is private, stated that the goal is to make sure there are sufficient stockpiles before the next sugar season begins in October.

According to the source, the decision might be announced soon. India, which has Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Dubai among its main clients, was the second-largest sugar exporter in the world after Brazil last year.

A request for comment was not immediately answered by a spokeswoman for the trade or food ministries. Up to 1% was added to London-traded sugar futures. Balrampur Chini Mills Ltd. fell 10%, and Shree Renuka Sugars Ltd. fell 14% among Indian producers.

The globe was caught off guard earlier this month when India restricted wheat exports after a heatwave devastated some crops, pushing up benchmark prices. In recent weeks, as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which caused an increase in already skyrocketing global food prices, governments have taken increasingly aggressive measures to outlaw sales overseas, notably in Asia.

Other recent actions by Asian nations include Malaysia's suspension of poultry exports and Indonesia's restriction on palm oil exports. Also Known USA importers data.

An international trading company dealer in Mumbai stated, "The limit of 10 million tonnes is fairly big, and both mills and the government will be delighted with this." In accordance with the rules of his employer, he declined to give his name.

After exporting 10 million tonnes, India would have 6 million tonnes of sugar on hand when the 2022–23 season started, which would be enough to meet the demand for the country's festival season in the third quarter of the year, according to the dealer. At EximPedia, you can obtain useful market analysis and trading reports around the world. We provide reliable USA Import Data, US customs import data, and Import Export Trade Data etc. If you have any query related to Import Export, our professionals will assist you and help to grow your business worldwide. 

[gwendolynlerman]

Discovering the world

Saint Kitts and Nevis 🇰🇳

Basic facts

Official name: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Capital city: Basseterre

Population: 54,338 (2023)

Demonym: Kittitian, Nevisian

Type of government: federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Head of state: Charles III (Monarch)

Head of government: Terrance Drew (Prime Minister)

Gross domestic product (purchasing power parity): $1.8 billion (2023)

Gini coefficient of wealth inequality: no data

Human Development Index: 0.838 (very high) (2022)

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Fun fact: It is the smallest state in the Western Hemisphere, in both area and population.

Etymology

Christopher Columbus named the larger island after Saint Christopher, his patron saint. The name of the other island comes from the Spanish name Nuestra Señora de las Nieves (“Our Lady of the Snows”), after the white clouds that usually cover the top of Nevis Peak. Nevis used to be called Saint Martin, as it was first sighted on Saint Martin’s Day.

Geography

Saint Kitts and Nevis is located in the Caribbean and belongs to the Lesser Antilles. It lies between Anguilla and Antigua and Barbuda.

There are two climates: dry-winter tropical savanna in Saint Kitts and tropical monsoon in Nevis. Temperatures range from 23 °C (73.4 °F) in winter to 26 °C (78.8 °F) in summer. The average annual temperature is 25.3 °C (77.5 °F).

The country is divided into fourteen parishes. The largest cities in Saint Kitts and Nevis are Basseterre, Sandy Point, Monkey Hill, Cayon, and Trinity.

History

800: arrival of the Arawak

1000: Carib settlement

1493: first European sighting

1627-1635, 1666-1971: English and French control

1629: Spanish raid

1635-1666: French control

1671-1816, 1833-1882: Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands

1816-1833, 1951-1958, 1962-1980: Saint Christopher–Nevis–Anguilla–Virgin Islands

1882-1951, 1980-1983: Saint Christopher and Nevis

1934-1939: labor unrest

1958-1962: West Indies Federation

1983-present: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis

Economy

Saint Kitts and Nevis mainly imports from the United States, Italy, and Türkiye and exports to the United States, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. Its top exports are beer, electrical circuit protector, and juice.

The main industry is tourism. Services represent 70.7% of the GDP, followed by industry (25.8%) and agriculture (3.5%).

Saint Kitts and Nevis is a member of the Caribbean Community, the Commonwealth, the Organization of American States, and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States.

Demographics

92.5% of the population has African origins, 3% is multiracial, and 2.1% descends from Europeans. The main religion is Christianity, practiced by 94.6% of the population, 81.3% of which is Protestant.

It has a negative net migration rate and a fertility rate of 1.5 children per woman. 31.1% of the population lives in urban areas. Life expectancy is 76.9 years and the median age is 35.7 years. The literacy rate is 97.8%.

Languages

The official language of the country is English. Saint Kitts Creole is also widely spoken.

Culture

British influence is the greatest, but there are also Carib, French, and Irish influences. Traditional arts and crafts include pottery, rug weaving, and woodwork.

Men traditionally wear a long, white shirt and loose brown pants. Women wear a long, white dress with puff sleeves, a brown apron, a checkered scarf around the waist, and a matching head wrap.

Architecture

Traditional houses in Saint Kitts and Nevis have colorful wooden walls and tin roofs.

Cuisine

The Kittitian and Nevisian diet is based on fish, meat, rice, and vegetables. Typical dishes include conch fritters (conch meat mixed with eggs, flour, onion, and spices), goat water stew (a stew of dumplings, goat, papaya, and tomato sauce), guava cheese (guava pulp and sugar set into a jelly-like consistency), pelau (chicken, pigtail, rice, salted cod, and vegetables), and sugar cakes (sugar cubes with coconut and spices).

Holidays and festivals

Like other Christian countries, Saint Kitts and Nevis celebrates Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. It also commemorates New Year’s Day and Labor Day.

Specific Kittitian and Nevisian holidays include Carnival Day on January 2, Emancipation Day on August 1, Culturama Day on August 2, National Heroes’ Day on September 16, and Independence Day on September 19.

Culturama Day

Other celebrations include the Black San Bang-a-Lang, which features music, pageants, and parades; the Cayon Green Valley Festival, when car competitions and gospel services are hosted, and IFlamboyant, where artists showcase their work.

Cayon Green Valley Festival

Landmarks

There is one UNESCO World Heritage Site: Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park.

Other landmarks include the Immaculate Conception Co-Cathedral Catholic Church, Port Zante, the Romney Manor, Timothy Hill, and the Wingfield Estate Sugar Plantation Ruins.

Romney Manor

Famous people

Alexander Hamilton - founding father of the United States

Atiba Harris - soccer player

Caryl Phillips - writer

Ellie Mattinson - singer

Eulalie Spence - playwright

Fatisha Imo - model

Kathryn Bertine - cyclist

Kim Collins - athlete

Livingstone Bramble - boxer

Mechelle Liburd - netball player

Mechelle Liburd

You can find out more about life in Saint Kitts and Nevis in this article and this video.

[onlevelup01]

AURANGABAD: Pandarinath Ausarman, a wiry 45-year-old with slicked-back hair, has just harvested maize in two of his 17 acres at Eklahera village, just outside Aurangabad city in the drought-prone Marathwada region of Maharashtra.He says he had read somewhere that the Central government had announced a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 1,700 for a quintal of maize. But all he was offered by traders was Rs 1,100-1,200. “MSP is just on paper. It doesn’t reach the farmers,” he says, dejected, sitting outside a temple with a few other fellow farmers.This is not the story of just Ausarman. Rural disquiet is spilling from the hinterland to highways, it is winding its way from paddy fields to Parliament Street. In late September, thousands of farmers marched from Haridwar to Delhi, demanding a loan waiver and a higher MSP. In March, 25,000 farmers walked from Nashik to Mumbai. Farmers’ fury can impact elections. 66394215 The BJP faced that wrath in the Saurashtra region in last year’s Gujarat assembly elections. It again felt the blow in the by-poll to the Kairana parliamentary seat in western Uttar Pradesh. What bearing will it have on Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan — two states that have been roiled by massive farmers’ agitations and which go to polls a few weeks from now, along with Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram? What will be the message from the angry kisan to the BJP in the 2019 general elections? 66394735 In 2016, midway into his term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a kisan rally in Bareilly that it was his dream to see the farmers’ income double by 2022. In an interview with ET Magazine, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh reiterates it: “We have increased import duty on several commodities, raised minimum support price (MSP), widened insurance cover and invested big time in farm mechanisation, irrigation and modernisation. These... will definitely give results in the coming years. By 2022, farmers’ income will double at the least.” (Read full interview) Is this claim realistic? According to a report by NITI Aayog, a government think tank, between 1993-94 and 2015-16, the income per cultivator grew at an annual rate of just 3.4%. To achieve Modi’s and Singh’s objective, the report adds, farmers’ real income will have to grow at 10.4% annually between 2015-16 and 2022-23 — more than three times the past growth rate. 66394998 Making the government’s task even harder is the fact that agriculture has grown at just 2.5% annually in the four years of Modi rule, compared with 3.6% in the previous 10 years, when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power. Could this, combined with farmers’ anger over inadequate prices for their produce and demand for loans to be waived, pose problems for the BJP and its allies in 2019?Minimum SupportEvery year, the government announces MSP for 23 crops, but it does not mean much except in crops like paddy and wheat, which the Centre procures from some states at MSP. For other crops, market factors determine the prices. The government also has a fair and remunerative price for sugarcane, a crop with big political ramifications in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.The farmer Pandarinath Ausarman pinned his hopes on maize only when cotton, the main crop in the region, began to fail him. He grows cotton in 10 acres. Rainfall in the administrative block, within which his village falls, was less than 40% of the average this year. That, in combination with pink bollworms, has resulted in cotton plants sporting a withered look, with very few cotton bolls to be seen. His yields dropped to a fifth of last year’s — so he was betting on maize. That, too, has failed him. 66394580 66394598 In October, the average wholesale price of maize across the country is around Rs 1,480, still lower than MSP, according to government data. Most of the 14 kharif crops, for which MSP was announced earlier this year, have prices lower than MSP: prices of pulses like urad, tur and moong are 15-25% below MSP.Around 1,380 km north of Aurangabad, in Pathanpur village in Meerut Cantonment in Uttar Pradesh, 70-year-old Ram Singh is having a hard time growing sugarcane, owing to outstanding dues from sugar mills. “We have yet to get payments for our 2016 crop delivered at a local mill. We expect a payment of Rs 2 lakh. We have again taken a loan for this year’s crop. It’s a vicious cycle.” He adds that payments are not remunerative. “Last year we got Rs 315 per quintal; our costs worked out to Rs 280.” In its supplementary budget passed in September, the UP government proposed to advance Rs 4,000 crore as a soft loan to private mills to pay farmers and set November 30 as the deadline for mills to settle arrears.The total dues owed by the country’s sugar mills to farmers are reportedly over Rs 13,500 crore. 66394690 The Union government in June announced a relief package of Rs 4,050 crore for sugarcane farmers, after the BJP’s defeat in Kairana in the sugar belt of western UP. It was followed by another Rs 5,500 crore package in September. Sugarcane farmers are believed to play a crucial role in 35-40 Lok Sabha seats in UP (out of the total 80) and 10-15 seats (out of 48) in Maharashtra, the country’s biggest states. The BJP is in power in 18 out of the total 29 states, including UP and Maharashtra, either on its own or as an ally in the ruling coalition.The Union government claimed that with the recent MSP announcement, it had fulfilled its promise of prices 50% higher than the cost of production. But the difference between the MSP and the cost of production is under 20% for most kharif crops, when costs like rentals for leased land and imputed rent for owned land are factored in. “There is a conceptual problem with our MSP. Prices cannot be determined just by costs. You need to look at demand also,” says Ashok Gulati, agricultural economist.The body that fixes the MSP has suggested that the government pay the difference between the MSP and market prices, similar to a scheme called Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana in Madhya Pradesh. This may result in a huge financial burden on the government — if market prices are 10% lower than MSP, it could be Rs 56,500 crore, and if they are 30% lower, it could be Rs 1.7 lakh crore, according to one estimate.“It is foolish to expect traders to buy at MSP and then threaten to jail them for a year if they don’t,” says Prithviraj Chavan, a senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister, referring to an aborted state government plan to penalise traders who don’t buy at MSP.The agriculture minister says the government’s efforts are aimed at ensuring prices that are above MSP. “MSP should be seen as a fall-back mechanism.” But how the government can do that is unclear. Some believe that exports is the solution to price fluctuations.“There is, however, no major effort to find export markets,” says Vasant P Gandhi of the Centre for Management in Agriculture at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad. Exports of principal agri commodities declined in 2014-15 and 2015-16, but have picked up since. In 2017-18, they amounted to Rs 2.5 lakh crore. 66394622 Agriculture Minister Singh says the muted growth in the sector in the past four years could be attributed to drought in 2014 and 2015.“The results of our effort will take time to fructify. They have begun to show in terms of numbers,” he adds, referring to agriculture growth in recent quarters — 4.5% in December 2017-March 2018 and 5.3% in April-May 2018. “This shows how the trend will be in the coming years.” The southwest monsoon this year, which accounts for 70% of India’s annual rains, has ended up being below normal, contrary to the Indian Meteorological Department forecast. It is the lowest since 2015.Waiver in the AirFarm loan waivers are often used by governments as a political tool to win over voters and as a temporary fix for farm distress. Since 2016, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka and Rajasthan have announced waivers for loans amounting to at least Rs 1.3 lakh crore. Gulati believes these waivers will spoil the culture of credit in the country. But Chavan defends waivers: “If there are two-three consecutive years of drought, what will the farmer do? We do not have a robust crop insurance system.”The UPA announced a loan waiver of Rs 60,000 crore in 2008. Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, political analyst, believes that and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act were instrumental in the UPA’s victory in 2009. “But I’m not sure farm-loan waiver is enough to overcome caste-based politics.” Jagannath Navale, a cotton and maize farmer like Ausarman in a nearby village, says he will vote for Modi again in 2019 if he announces a farm loan waiver. 66394795 “Those who haven’t repaid their loans for years benefit from waivers, while people like us who repay regularly don’t, so why should we repay loans?” What the Maharashtra government, or any BJP-ruled state government, does or does not for farmers may have an impact on the general election if voters see the state government as an extension of the Centre, since both are helmed by the same party.One of the Modi government’s key initiatives is the PM Fasal Bima Yojana, a crop insurance scheme that cornered 28% of the Department of Agriculture’s budget in 2018-19. The government is targeting coverage for 50% of the gross cropped area in 2018-19, but might miss the target, given that last year, the coverage was reportedly only 24%, down from 30% in 2016-17. The number of farmers covered also declined from 57.25 million in 2016-17 to 48.75 million in 2017-18. 66394660 One of the reasons the government gave for the fall in numbers was the debt waiver schemes announced by UP and Maharashtra. Farmers have to pay a maximum of 2% of the sum insured for kharif crops, 1.5% for rabi crops and 5% for commercial and horticulture crops and the balance premium is shared equally by the Central and state governments.Minister Radha Mohan Singh says the scheme will benefit farmers. “Compared with the last two years of UPA rule in which only 6.66 crore farmers were covered, we gave cover to 10.61 crore farmers in 2016-17 and 2017-18. Scale of finance is ascertained and premium is fixed according to estimated production. The insured money per hectare has gone up from UPA’s Rs 17,500 to Rs 38,035. Earlier the premium was high and risk coverage was limited. Plus, there was a cap on actual benefits. Our PM increased cover, removed capping and cut premium as well.”Prem Shankar Pathak, a paddy farmer in Birsinghpur village in Sewapuri, Varanasi, says the premium for the scheme should come down further. “Getting payment is a challenge sometimes. I know of many farmers in nearby villages whose standing crop of paddy was ravaged by unseasonal rains but they have yet to recover any losses. When they approach banks, they are turned away for want of papers.” Varanasi is represented in the Lok Sabha by the prime minister.Pramod Aggarwal, a scientist with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, points to the logistical difficulty in assessing fields for the crop insurance scheme. “All the kharif crops mature around the same time. Samples need to be collected from millions of hectares within a span of 15 days. It’s humanly impossible.”The minister says there is greater focus on agriculture sector during the Modi rule than under UPA. “Farm budget under the UPA in 2009-14 was Rs 1,21,082 crore; our budget in 2014-19 has been to the tune of Rs 2,11,694 crore,” he says. “Crop insurance cover has more than doubled in terms of insured amount.Budget for mechanisation of farming has been increased more than 10 times. Rs 40,000 crore corpus has been created for 99 irrigation schemes; all of them will be completed in a year.”However, if the upcoming assembly elections signal that farmers are unhappy with the BJP, then the Union government may quickly offer some sops before the general election. While that may be politically expedient for the party in the short run, agriculture needs a more reasoned approach if it is to be sustainable in the future.(With inputs from Prerna Katiyar in Meerut) from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2SnLaUv

[gwendolynlerman]

Discovering the world

Antigua and Barbuda 🇦🇬

Basic facts

Official name: Antigua and Barbuda

Capital city: St. John’s

Population: 94,300 (2023)

Demonym: Antiguan and Barbudan

Type of government: unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Head of state: Charles III (Monarch)

Head of government: Gaston Browne (Prime Minister)

Gross domestic product (purchasing power parity): $2.6 billion (2023)

Gini coefficient of wealth inequality: no data

Human Development Index: 0.826 (very high) (2022)

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Fun fact: Antigua has 365 beaches—one for each day of the year.

Etymology

In Spanish, antigua means “ancient” and barbuda means “bearded”. Christopher Columbus may have named the first after an icon in the Seville Cathedral known as Santa María la Antigua (Saint Mary the Ancient). The name of the second may refer to either the male inhabitants or the bearded fig trees.

Geography

Antigua and Barbuda is located in the Caribbean and belongs to the Lesser Antilles. It lies to the southeast of Puerto Rico.

The islands have a tropical rainforest climate. Temperatures range from 23 °C (73.4 °F) in winter to 30 °C (86 °F) in summer. The average annual temperature is 26.9 °C (80.4 °F).

The country is divided into six Antiguan parishes and two dependencies, Barbuda and Redonda. The largest cities in Antigua and Barbuda are Saint John’s, All Saints, Piggotts, and Liberta, all located in Antigua.

History

3100 BCE: earliest settlements

500 BCE-545 CE: Saladoid culture

1200: Arawakan arrival

1493: first sight by Europeans

1500: Carib arrival

1632: the English settle in Antigua

1685: English settlement in Barbuda

1701: slave revolt

1729: slave revolt

1833: abolition of slavery

1872: annexation of Redonda

1958-1962: West Indies Federation

1967: associated statehood

1981: independence

Economy

Antigua and Barbuda mainly imports from the United States and China and exports to Suriname, Poland, and Germany. Its top exports are refined oil, cruise ships, and gas turbines.

Tourism accounts for more than half of the GDP, so services represent 78% of the GDP, followed by industry (20%) and agriculture (2%).

Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the Association of Caribbean States, the Caribbean Community, the Commonwealth, the Organization of American States, and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States.

Demographics

87% of the population is black, 5% is mixed, 2% is white, and 6% belongs to other races. The main religion is Christianity, practiced by 93% of the population, 67% of which is Protestant.

Antigua and Barbuda has a positive net migration rate and a fertility rate of 1.96 children per woman. Only 25% of the population lives in urban areas. Life expectancy is 77.6 years and the median age is 32.7 years. The literacy rate is 99%.

Languages

The official language of the country is English, but Antiguan and Barbudan Creole is more widely spoken. Around 10% of the population speaks Spanish.

Culture

Antiguan and Barbudan culture was influenced by West African and British traditions. Musical styles are predominantly of African origin, while popular sports such as cricket and soccer are a colonial legacy. Many families are matrilocal.

Men traditionally wear a white shirt, a vest, and pants made of madras, a cotton tartan fabric. Women wear a white blouse and a skirt or a dress and a headband with the same fabric.

Architecture

Traditional architecture is characterized by white or colorful, wooden walls, sheet metal roofs, and broad verandas. English colonial architecture survives in military and religious buildings.

Cuisine

The Antiguan and Barbudan diet is based on fish, meat, pasta, rice, and vegetables. Typical dishes include ducana (a sweet potato dumpling), fungee (a dish made of corn flour and okra), peanut brittle (flat broken pieces of sugar with embedded peanuts), pepperpot (meat stew with spices), and raspberry and tamarind stew.

Holidays and festivals

Like other Christian countries, Antigua and Barbuda celebrates Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. It also commemorates New Year’s Day and Labor Day. Carnival is celebrated on the first Monday and Tuesday in August to commemorate the abolition of slavery.

Independence Day takes place on November 1 and National Heroes’ Day is celebrated on December 9.

Other celebrations include the Gemonites Moods of Pan Festival, when steel pans are played, and Wadadli Day, which commemorates the islands’ original inhabitants.

Landmarks

There is one UNESCO World Heritage Site: Antigua Naval Dockyard and Related Archeological Sites.

Other landmarks include Betty’s Hope, the Codrington Bird Sanctuary, Fort James, the Rendezvous Bay, Shirley Heights, and St. John’s Cathedral.

St. John’s Cathedral

Famous people

Cejhae Colin Greene - athlete

Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers - athlete and model

DJ Red Alert - DJ

Heather Doram - artist and actress

Jamaica Kincaid - writer

Keita de Castro - soccer player

Maurice Hope - boxer

Nellie Robinson - teacher and founder of the first school to admit children of all races

Viv Richards - cricketer

Zahra Airall - activist, movie director, and writer

Zahra Airall

You can find out more about life in Antigua and Barbuda in this article and this video.