BUSINESS
How the government launched its own Bharat brands to keep food grain prices under control
After Bharat Dal and Atta succeeded in keeping the prices of these food items from running away, the government is now reportedly mulling the launch of Bharat Rice
WORLD
Suez crisis: As US military takes control, shipping lines prepare to restart ops
With the deployment of the US-led OPG, Maersk said it was preparing to resume shipping operations. MSC Mediterranean is expected to hold a high-level meeting on December 27.
BUSINESS
Trade restrictions estimated to slash farm exports by $4 billion
The ban on non-basmati rice exports from India has resulted in higher prices and increased demand for both basmati and parboiled rice in export markets
BUSINESS
Consumer Affairs Ministry mandates selling of welding electrodes by kilograms
Manufacturers have been selling electrodes by number, rather than by weight or diameter. As a result, buyers were often sold packs that had a standard number, but weighed less than they should have.
BUSINESS
Government hopes to reduce tur prices to Rs 130/kg by February
Improved availability of tur dal and a seasonal decline in demand are expected to lower prices.
BUSINESS
Suez Canal closure worries industry but government confident of minimal impact
While there is expectation that global militaries will step in soon and secure the Red Sea and the Suez Canal by the end of the week, a prolonged delay in reusing them may lead to a 30-40 percent rise in cost of transportation
BUSINESS
Over 48 lakh tonne wheat sold in open market sales but rice finds few takers
In order to increase the availability of wheat and rice in the open market to ameliorate inflationary trends in wheat and rice prices, Food Corporation of India, has been offloading wheat and rice in the market through weekly e-auctions.
BUSINESS
Logistics cost for 2021-22 between 7.8-8.9 percent of GDP says govt
As per the government’s ‘ballpark’ assessment, the logistics cost stood between 8.7-9.9% of GDP in 2011-12, which rose to 8.8-10% in 2012-13, and then fell below the maximum upper bound of 9.4% of GDP between 2014-15 till 2021-22
BUSINESS
MC Exclusive | Government body pulls up Amazon India for ‘dark’ practices forcing consumers to sign up for Prime membership
Following a crackdown on Amazon's dark pattern practices in the US, the Indian government is also looking to take action against the e-commerce giant.
BUSINESS
Govt to offload 7 lakh tonne onions by late February to bring down prices to Rs 35 a kilo
Onion prices could fall to Rs 20 a kilogram by March, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Singh has told Moneycontrol.
BUSINESS
Food On Fire: How has the government tackled the inflation inferno
The retail prices of key agricultural produce such as rice, wheat, onion, and sugar have been on an upswing in the last six months. Notwithstanding the government’s efforts, Crisil expects prices to remain elevated due to supply-side issues.
BUSINESS
Oil ministry says ban on use of sugarcane juice won't hit ethanol blending; experts raise concerns
On December 7, the central government told sugar mills not to use sugarcane juice for ethanol production in ESY (ethanol supply year) 2023-2024, which began this month.
BUDGET
Budget@10 | Direct cash transfers a hit but farm infrastructure still a miss
The government’s main theme in successive budgets has been an attempt to double farmer incomes and put money directly in their hands.
BUSINESS
Govt to procure tur directly from farmers at market rates to build buffer stock
The average retail price of the commodity has jumped from Rs 112 per kg last year to Rs 155 per kg as of December 5, a rise of over 40 percent.
BUSINESS
MC Exclusive | Govt to come out with estimate for logistics costs by year-end: DPIIT Special Secretary Dawra
The government was earlier expected to announce the baseline estimate by October, but the process has been delayed due to the complexity involved in accurately coming out with an estimate.
ASSEMBLY-ELECTIONS
Rumble In The Jungle: How the BJP battled for the tribal vote, and won
A slew of schemes targeted towards the tribals including strategic moves by the BJP by appointing tribal leaders in key positions of power may have tilted the scales in favour of the BJP
POLITICS
Political parties go all out to woo women voters as their numbers rise steadily
As per election analyst Sanjay Kumar, a slight tilt has been noticed in favour of parties which have provided schemes meant for women.
ECONOMY
India’s agricultural growth records sharpest decline in 4.5 yrs on account of erratic monsoon
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in its first advance estimate for the kharif crop has projected a dip of about 9 million metric tonnes (mmt) of foodgrains on year
BUSINESS
Want to stamp out farm fires? Higher MSP for alternative crops may be the way
An immediate solution could come in the form of assured MSPs for basmati or organic varieties of rice such as PR126, Pusa Basmati-1509, Pusa Basmati-1692, instead of the current widely used PUSA-44 variety, farm expert Indra Shekhar Singh says.
BUSINESS
Government asks travel firms to clear pending refunds or face legal action
An estimated 8,000 refunds totalling as much as Rs 50 crore, arising from cancellations during the lockdowns, are yet to be paid to consumers.
BUSINESS
India frames new rules to expedite visa clearance for Chinese nationals working in PLI sectors
New visa norms will help streamline approvals for visas to Chinese nationals.
BUSINESS
E-commerce policy ready after over 80 meetings, to come out ‘very soon’: Consumer Affairs Secretary
The delay, he says, was due to the involvement of two central ministries in the process as DPIIT wanted to promote e-commerce while consumer affairs sought to protect the interests of the consumer.
BUSINESS
MC Interview| Service charge blatantly misleading, an unfair trade practice: Consumer Affairs Secy
If restaurateurs want to give higher wages to their staff, they should increase the prices of their offerings rather than fool consumers by charging a fee that looks like a government levy, he argued.
BUSINESS
MC Interview | Govt intervention in food commodities to help FMCG sales: Consumer Affairs Secretary
The steps being taken by the government such as launch of ‘Bharat Dal’ or ‘Bharat Atta’ will not affect big FMCG brands but actually improve the sales of the industry, Consumer Affairs Secretary, Rohit Kumar Singh, said.
