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Heritage Foods has reported a decline in net profit for the quarter ending December 31, 2025, with earnings falling to ₹34.50 crore from ₹43 crore in the same period last year. However, the company achieved a revenue increase to ₹1,126.91 crore, up from ₹1,042 crore year-on-year, marking its third consecutive quarter of revenues exceeding ₹1,100 crore. The firm attributed this resilient growth to effective execution and disciplined cost management, despite facing significant industry challenges, including adverse weather and rising input costs. Procurement prices surged due to milk shortages, with the average raw milk cost rising 9% to ₹45.55 per litre, while the average selling price increased by 4.9% to ₹57.31 per litre. Executive Director Brahmani Nara noted that the commissioning of new ice cream and flavoured milk capacities in the fourth quarter would enhance the company’s ability to meet growing demand for value-added products. 
Published: Jan 29 2026, 4 pmeznews.inA recent survey has recommended that India's fertilizer subsidy be restructured to better align with agro-climatic zones and specific cropping patterns, as fertilizer needs vary significantly across different crops and soils. It noted that while fertilizer application rates have increased, yield responses have plateaued or declined, prompting calls for a modest increase in urea prices, currently fixed at ₹267 per 45 kg bag, with direct subsidies transferred to farmers. The government currently subsidizes nitrogen, phosphorous, potash, and sulphur at varying rates. NITI Aayog Member Ramesh Chand emphasized the complexities of implementing direct benefit transfers (DBT) for fertilizers, suggesting that farmers may face higher costs. However, the survey argued that India's digital agriculture infrastructure could facilitate this reform, allowing for precise tracking of nutrient use and timely financial support to farmers. It also highlighted the need for balanced fertilization to restore soil health and improve crop resilience.
Published: Jan 29 2026, 5 pmeznews.inIndia's commercial aircraft fleet is set to triple to 2,250 aircraft over the next decade, positioning the country as the third-largest civil aviation market globally by 2035, according to Airbus India’s President Jürgen Westermeier. Speaking at a press conference during Wings India 2026, Westermeier highlighted that this significant expansion is fueled by a booming aviation market and Indian airlines' aspirations to enhance their international presence. He also noted that passenger traffic in India is projected to grow at an impressive rate of 8.9% annually, outpacing other major economies and exceeding the long-term global average. This growth reflects the increasing demand for air travel in the country, underscoring India's rising prominence in the global aviation sector.
Published: Jan 29 2026, 5 pmeznews.inIndia is positioning itself as a key destination for global energy investment, with a $500 billion roadmap aimed at bolstering its energy infrastructure to support its rapid economic growth. In an interview, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Chairman Arvinder Singh Sahney emphasized that the country's ambition to become the world's third-largest economy necessitates significant investments across various sectors, including exploration, refineries, petrochemicals, renewables, and green hydrogen. He highlighted the importance of international collaboration, particularly with the EU and Canada, to leverage advanced technologies for sustainable energy solutions. Sahney clarified that IOC's procurement strategy is driven by commercial viability rather than geographical preferences, allowing for flexibility in sourcing crude oil and other energy products. He noted that fluctuations in energy purchases from the U.S. are dictated by market dynamics, underscoring the company's commitment to diversifying its energy portfolio to meet growing demand.
Published: Jan 29 2026, 5 pmeznews.inThe Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) has urged the government to implement key policy changes in the upcoming Budget to bolster the domestic edible oil sector. In its pre-Budget memorandum, SEA highlighted the need for measures that enhance farmer earnings, promote local processing, and reduce reliance on imports. President Sanjeev Asthana called for a uniform customs duty on all crude edible oils to eliminate market distortions and support price stability. He also expressed concerns over duty-free imports from Nepal, which have adversely affected domestic refining capacity and farmer incomes. Additionally, SEA requested a dedicated ₹5,000 crore fund for soybean minimum support price (MSP) procurement to alleviate financial pressures on farmers. The association also proposed a uniform GST rate on de-oiled rice bran to address tax anomalies and improve competitiveness. Overall, SEA's recommendations aim to strengthen India's agricultural resilience and food security.
Published: Jan 29 2026, 5 pmeznews.inThe Economic Survey for FY26 has highlighted the detrimental effects of cross-subsidisation in both railway and electricity sectors, noting that high freight rates distort competition with road transport, leading to inflated commodity and consumer prices, as well as increased logistics costs. The report, presented in Parliament, advocates for the rationalisation of freight rates to enhance revenue, encourage a shift from road to rail transport, and stimulate economic activity. Currently, freight earnings constitute about 68% of railway gross traffic receipts, primarily from coal, but this reliance has resulted in a ₹5,257 crore loss from passenger operations. The Survey also addresses the power sector's cross-subsidisation, where higher tariffs for industrial users subsidise lower rates for domestic consumers. The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aims to rectify these inefficiencies by promoting cost-reflective tariffs and eliminating cross-subsidies within five years.
Published: Jan 29 2026, 4 pmeznews.inThe Economic Survey 2025-26 has highlighted significant challenges within India's Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), noting that extended insolvency timelines can lead to asset deterioration and loss of stakeholder confidence. As of March 2025, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) faces a backlog of nearly 30,600 cases, with an estimated clearance time of almost a decade, far exceeding the mandated 330-day resolution period. The Survey identified institutional constraints at both the court and Resolution Professionals (RPs) levels, with only 30 NCLT benches managing cases and less than half of the 4,527 registered RPs actively authorized. Despite the introduction of the Pre-Packaged Insolvency Resolution Process (PPIRP) in 2021, its uptake has been minimal due to procedural complexities and a lack of awareness. The IBC Amendment Bill 2025 aims to address these issues through procedural reforms and a framework for cross-border insolvency, emphasizing the need for capacity scaling alongside legal improvements.
Published: Jan 29 2026, 4 pmeznews.inThe Economic Survey for FY26 highlights a notable shift in household savings towards market-linked instruments, particularly equities, driven by structural changes in the financial system and evolving risk preferences. Retail participation in capital markets surged, with over 2.35 crore new demat accounts added in the first nine months of the fiscal year, bringing the total to over 21.6 crore. The report attributes this growth to stable macroeconomic fundamentals, promising corporate earnings, and technological advancements that simplify investor onboarding. While net additions to the investor base have moderated, domestic investors have shown resilience, with cumulative inflows into equity markets significantly surpassing those from foreign investors over the past five years. The share of individual investors in equities rose to 18.8% by September 2025, reflecting a tenfold increase in individual equity holdings since FY14. However, retail engagement in corporate bonds remains limited, indicating a potential area for future growth in India's financial landscape.
Published: Jan 29 2026, 3 pmeznews.inThe Economic Survey for FY26 highlights significant challenges in the integration of renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind, due to their material and capital-intensive energy storage requirements. Kerala is taking proactive steps to address these issues by mandating battery storage for new solar installations, with specific requirements based on system size, aimed at mitigating the intermittency of solar power. The Centre is also promoting battery energy storage systems (BESS) through policy interventions, including a gross metering mechanism that offers higher tariffs for customers with storage capabilities. Recognising the critical role of energy storage, the Central Electricity Authority estimates that India will need approximately 336 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of storage capacity by FY30. To facilitate this, the government has introduced funding schemes and incentives, including a ₹18,100 crore Production-Linked Incentive scheme to boost domestic manufacturing of advanced energy storage technologies.
Published: Jan 29 2026, 3 pmeznews.inPassenger traffic at Indian airports is set to surge from 412 million in the financial year 2024-25 to 665 million by 2030-31, according to the Economic Survey FY26 presented in Parliament. Despite this growth, India currently operates only 0.11 airports per million people, lagging behind major aviation markets like the US and China. The number of operational airports has risen from 74 in 2014 to 164 in 2025, bolstered by public and private investments. Key to this expansion is the Greenfield Airports Policy, which has approved 24 new airports, with 13 already operational. Modernisation efforts since 2019-20 have increased passenger-handling capacity to 575 million annually. Additionally, air cargo volumes have grown significantly, and regional connectivity initiatives have operationalised 657 routes. Future plans include adding 120 new destinations and enhancing technology adoption in the aviation sector.
Published: Jan 29 2026, 3 pm
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