The government is set to provide 1.52 mln tn of certified seeds for sowing in the upcoming rabi season, 8% higher than the quantity farmers need, in order to help meet its target of record wheat output in 2020-21 (Jul-Jun), a senior government official said. Basmati rice output in the country is expected to rise by 10% on year to nearly 6.3 mln tn in 2020-21 (Jul-Jun), A.K. Gupta, director of the Basmati Exports Development Foundation under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority said. The US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service has scaled up its estimate for India's cotton crop in 2020-21 (Aug-Jul) to 29.4 mln bales (1 US bale = 218 kg) from 28.9 mln bales projected earlier, citing rise in acreage. The government has set the cap for sugar that mills can sell in October at 2.3 mln tn, higher than 2.2 mln tn for September, the food ministry said in a notification. Spices Board India from today will resume morning and evening auctions for small cardamom at its e-auction centres--Bodinayakanur and Puttady. India's merchandise exports increased 5.3% on year to $27.40 bln in September, the first year-on-year increase in seven months, according to preliminary data released by the commerce and industry ministry. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said quality products and better technology will help boost India's exports, not government subsidies.
Source:-moneycontrol.com