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Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has urged officials to ensure sufficient supplies of fertilizers and seeds for farmers ahead of the kharif season, coinciding with the anticipated above-normal monsoon, projected to exceed the long-term average by 5%. During a review meeting, Chouhan assessed the progress of summer crop sowing, which has reached 73.08 lakh hectares, up from 63.34 lakh hectares last year. Notably, paddy coverage has increased to 31.67 lakh hectares, while summer pulses have also seen significant growth, particularly in greengram and blackgram. The minister emphasized the need for arrangements that benefit farmers and ensure full procurement of crops. Additionally, he highlighted the rise in horticulture area and yield, urging officials to balance consumer prices with fair compensation for farmers, particularly in light of falling tomato prices due to a good harvest. 
Published: Apr 29 2025, 8 pmeznews.inIn Kochi, P. Hemalatha, Secretary of the Spices Board, inaugurated a one-day sensitisation programme focused on the 8th edition of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) for spices. The event, held in collaboration with APEDA, aimed to enhance awareness of updated NPOP standards for sustainable spice production and promote the export of organic spices. Key figures, including B. N. Jha, Director (Marketing) of the Spices Board, and Saswati Bose, General Manager of APEDA, addressed participants, emphasizing the importance of sustainable agriculture for food safety, farmer profitability, and environmental conservation. Hemalatha highlighted that the NPOP guidelines are crucial for organic spice production aligned with nature. The programme featured technical sessions covering organic certification, market trends, and challenges, with Thejas Thayyil from Biowin Agro Research discussing the global demand for organic spices. The initiative aims to deepen stakeholders' commitment to sustainable practices in the spice industry.
Published: Apr 29 2025, 10 pmeznews.inDespite Pakistan's airspace closure, IndiGo is moving forward with its European expansion, launching ticket bookings for new flights to Amsterdam and Manchester next month. The low-cost carrier plans to operate these routes from a major Indian city on a three-day and four-day schedule. However, the airspace restrictions will necessitate adjustments to around 50 international routes, leading to the cancellation of flights to Almaty and Tashkent until May 2025. IndiGo is exploring alternative strategies, such as rerouting over the Arabian Sea or using a hub-and-spoke model similar to its Kolkata-Vietnam operations. The airline will utilize its Boeing 787 Dreamliner for these European routes, having secured a damp lease agreement with Norse Atlantic Airways for four aircraft. IndiGo aims to solidify its presence in the European market as part of its broader strategy to become a global player by 2030, according to CEO Pieter Elbers.
Published: Apr 29 2025, 8 pmeznews.inIndia has once again been placed on the 'priority watch' list in the US Trade Representative's (USTR) annual report on intellectual property rights, highlighting ongoing challenges in the protection and enforcement of IP rights. The report, which assessed over 100 trading partners, noted that while India has made strides in raising awareness and engaging with the US on IP issues, significant long-standing concerns remain unaddressed. Issues include potential patent revocations, lengthy waiting periods for patent grants, and vague interpretations of the Indian Patents Act. Additionally, the report pointed to ongoing copyright violations, such as unauthorized file sharing and commercial-scale photocopying. Despite India's rationale for limiting IP protections to enhance technology access, high customs duties on IP-intensive products persist. The USTR plans to continue discussions with India on these matters through the Trade Policy Forum's Intellectual Property Working Group.
Published: Apr 29 2025, 8 pmeznews.inTelecom giants Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea have urged Noida International Airport to permit the deployment of a common In-Building Solution (IBS) for enhanced telecom connectivity within the airport, bypassing third-party infrastructure providers. In a letter reiterating a previous request from August 22, 2024, the companies emphasized that under the Telecommunication Act, 2023, and the Telecommunication Right of Way (RoW) Rules, 2024, public authorities must grant access to licensed telecom service providers for network development. The telcos argue that allowing a third party to control IBS installation would create a bottleneck and monopolistic conditions, leading to arbitrary charges for service providers. They assert that a coordinated approach to infrastructure deployment would ensure high-quality connectivity for passengers and airport staff while minimizing disruptions. The companies possess the legal authority and technical expertise to implement the necessary telecom infrastructure efficiently.
Published: Apr 29 2025, 7 pmeznews.inThe Indian pulses trade is urging the Union government to impose a minimum import duty of 50% on yellow peas to align their landed price with the minimum support price (MSP) of chana (gram). Currently, yellow peas can be imported duty-free until May 31, 2025, a policy extended multiple times to mitigate rising prices amid declining domestic gram output. Bimal Kothari, Chairman of the India Pulses and Grains Association, highlighted that the influx of duty-free yellow peas has suppressed chana prices, adversely affecting farmers' earnings. The landed price of yellow peas is approximately ₹3,400-3,550 per quintal, while the MSP for chana is set at ₹5,650 for the 2025-26 marketing season. India’s yellow pea imports surged to over 32.13 lakh tonnes from December 2023 to March 2025, with Canada and Russia being the primary suppliers. Overall pulses imports rose by 46% in value terms to $5.47 billion during 2024-25.
Published: Apr 29 2025, 7 pmeznews.inTop trade officials from India and the US are working towards an early bilateral trade agreement, focusing primarily on goods, with hopes to finalize it during a 90-day pause on US reciprocal tariffs. Discussions held in Washington DC last week aimed to establish the first phase of the deal by fall 2025, as reported by the Commerce Department. The interim agreement may include tariff cuts on various products, although the specifics will depend on ongoing negotiations. India is optimistic about avoiding reciprocal tariffs, which were recently imposed by President Trump at 26% on countries with trade surpluses, including India. Additionally, the US is seeking significant tariff reductions on items like automobiles and whisky, while addressing complex non-tariff barriers related to imports and intellectual property. The USTR's Special 301 Report has placed India on its 'priority watch' list for IP issues, highlighting ongoing challenges in protection and enforcement.
Published: Apr 29 2025, 7 pmeznews.inVemuri Chowdary, Group Director of ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre, emphasized the need for an integrated approach to Agriculture 4.0 during the Agri Vision 2025 conference organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry in Telangana. He highlighted that precision agriculture can reduce costs and boost yields, particularly as climate change increasingly affects farming. Chowdary advocated for a farmer-centric strategy over policy-level solutions, noting that satellite monitoring can enhance crop management and yield estimation. Amit Vastyayan from EY stressed the importance of making technology accessible to marginal and women farmers, as India's agricultural productivity lags behind global standards. Anil Kumar V Epur pointed out the significant yield disparities compared to other nations, while V Praveen Rao called for the development of predictive digital technologies. R S Reddy, Chairman of CII Telangana, concluded that digital innovations must align with sustainable practices to tackle challenges like climate change and market volatility.
Published: Apr 29 2025, 7 pmeznews.inThe Indian government has increased the wheat procurement target in Madhya Pradesh by 1 million tonnes to 7 million tonnes for the current year, following a successful harvest across the state. The national procurement target now stands at 32.27 million tonnes, with daily procurement exceeding 1 million tonnes, indicating effective preparations by agencies. Madhya Pradesh has seen over 300,000 tonnes of wheat arrive at procurement centres, with nearly 250,000 tonnes purchased on a single day. Meanwhile, Punjab leads in procurement, reaching 9.52 million tonnes, while Haryana has reported 6.37 million tonnes. In contrast, Uttar Pradesh's procurement remains a concern, with only 0.7 million tonnes purchased, falling short of its 3 million tonne target. The Agriculture Ministry anticipates a record wheat production of 115.43 million tonnes for the 2024-25 crop year, up from 113.29 million tonnes the previous year.
Published: Apr 29 2025, 7 pmeznews.inThe Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) is expanding its operations beyond traditional railway funding, as Chairman and Managing Director Manoj Kumar Dubey announced a strategic shift towards financing public-private partnership (PPP) projects, metro rail, and rapid rail initiatives. This diversification aims to tap into high-margin opportunities, with new projects expected to yield margins of 2x to 3x. In the first quarter following this shift, IRFC secured funding for assets worth ₹14,000 crore, including a ₹5,000 crore loan to NTPC Renewable Energy. The company maintains a competitive edge with low operational costs and a zero non-performing asset record, positioning itself favorably against banks and non-banking financial companies. For FY26, IRFC targets disbursements of ₹30,000 crore, equivalent to ₹90,000 crore in traditional railway lending. The board has approved a ₹60,000 crore fundraising plan, utilizing various bond types and loans to support its growth strategy.
Published: Apr 29 2025, 5 pm
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