DATE:21.11.2014

More crop yields adding more CO2 toatmosphere

TheHinduCO2absorbedbyplantsduringspringandsummerisreleasedbacktotheatmosphereinautumnandwinter.A sharp rise in food production to meet the demands for risingpopulation accounts for asmuchas 25 per cent of the seasonalincreaseincarbondioxide(CO2),findsnewresearch.Thecarbondioxideabsorbedbyplantsduringspringandsummeras they convert solar energy into food is released back to theatmosphereinautumnandwinter.ItisnotthatcropsareaddingmoreCO2totheatmosphere;rather,if cropsare likeasponge forCO2, thespongehassimplygottenbiggerandcanholdandreleasemoreofthegas,thestudynoted.“This is another piece of evidence suggesting that when we(humans)dothingsatalargescale,wehavetheabilitytogreatlyinfluencethecompositionoftheatmosphere,”saidco-authorofthe

studyChrisKucharik fromUniversityofWisconsin-Madison intheUS.Withglobal foodproductivityexpectedtodoubleover thenext50years,thefindingsshouldbeusedtoimproveclimatemodelsandbetter understand the atmospheric CO2buffering capacity ofecosystems,theresearcherspointedout.“Global climatemodels do not represent the important details ofagro-ecosystems and theirmanagement verywell,”Mr. Kucharikadded.The study found that, while the area of farmed land has notsignificantly increased, the production efficiency of that landhas.Intensiveagriculturalmanagementoverthelast50yearshashadaprofoundimpact.Mr. Kucharik attributes this to improvements in plant breeding,post-World War II fertilization innovations, irrigation and otherhuman-poweredtechnologies.ThestudyappearedinthejournalNature.

Samba,thaladiplannedon4,500hectaresTransplantation of samba and thaladi corps are going on in fullswing in Karaikal and the agriculture department expects toachieve thecoverage targetwithinaweekdue to timelyonsetofnortheastmonsoon.Speaking toThe Hindu, the Additional Director for Agriculture,K.Mathiazhagan, said the department has expected to coversambaandthaladicropsonover4,500hectaresindifferentpartsofthedistrictandthefarmershadalreadyraisedthecropsonover4,000hectaressofar.Theremainingareawouldbecoveredwithina week due to conducive weather. In the first week of October,paddy fields in the low-lying areaswere inundated due to heavyrain. However, officials of the agriculture department swung intoaction to supply seedlings to farmers to take up transplantationafresh.

There are 11 ‘Uzhavar Udaviyagams’ (Farmers’ Aid Centres) indifferentpartsofthedistrictandanofficialintherankofAgricultureOfficer has been deputed to extend technical aid and otherassistancetotheneedyfarmerswithanintentiontoachievegoodyield during the samba and thaladi seasons. The AgricultureDepartmenthasdistributed100tonnesofureatofarmerssofar.Rs. 180 crore disbursed as agriculture loan:Minister

Proposaltoconstructmoregodowns,hesaysAgricultureloanstothetuneofRs.180crorehavebeendisbursedso far this year to farmerswith small holdings, saidEnvironmentMinisterThoppuNN.D.VenkatachalamhereonWednesday.Theloanshavebeenforwardedtoasmanyas27,473farmers,theMinister said speaking at the All India Cooperative WeekCelebrationsorganisedatdistrict-level.ExceedstargetHonouring cooperative unions that had excelled during the lastyearwithprizes,theMinistersaidlastyearcroploandisbursementof Rs. 197.71 crorewas achieved against a target of 183 crore.Likewise, loanstothetuneofRs.77.10crorehavebeengrantedto women self-help-groups for undertaking income-generationactivitiesduringthisyearsofar,Mr.Venkatachalamsaid.The Minister also informed that a proposal for constructingadditionalgodownshasbeenforwardedtothegovernment.DistrictCollectorS.Prabakaran;ErodeMayorMalligaParamasivam;JointRegistrar of Cooperatives Ramadoss; and other senior officialstookpart.

Areaundercult ivationexpectedtogrow

Agriculture official attributes it to favourable monsoon inthedistrict

Morearea isexpected tocomeundercultivation in thedistrictbyMarch 2015 when compared to last year, Department ofAgriculturehaspredicted.While paddy was cultivated in 35,835 hectares last year, thepredictionfor2014-15indicatesthatnearly55,000hectaresoflandwillcomeunderpaddycultivationbyMarch.“Weseeariseinlandundercultivationbecausethemonsoonhasbeenfavourableinthedistrict.Whilethetotalrainfallreceivedin2013was615.72mm,asof November 7 this year the district has received 666.92 mm,”JaisinghGnanadurai,JointDirectorofAgriculture,said.While the prediction for cultivation of paddy, millets, pulses,oilseeds, cotton and sugarcane for March 2015 is high whencompared to March 2014, the area under cultivation till Octoberremains low. While the area under paddy cultivation in October2013was17,329hectares, the figure forOctober2014standsat10,877hectares.“ManyfarmersinMelur,KottampattiandTirumangalamareyettostart paddy cultivation since they are expecting more rains andwaitingforthetankstofillup.ButwiththestorageinMullaperiyar

damnearing142feet,manyfarmersinthePeriyarayacutinMelurhavecommencedfarmactivities,”Mr.Jaisinghsaid.Aproductiontargetof3.16milliontonneshasbeenfixedforpaddycultivatedinanareaof62,100hectares.Whileaproductiontargetof1.36milliontonneshasbeenfixedformilletsraisedinanareaof62,700hectares,thetargetforpulsesin10,893hectaresis8,474milliontonnes.

Compensation sought as paddy harvesters gokaput

KuttanadDevelopmentAgencyhasrecommendedgovt.topayRs.20,000peracretofarmers

Six of the nine available combine harvesters belonging to the districtpanchayatarenotinworkingcondition.

:TheKuttanadDevelopmentAgencyhasrecommendedtheStategovernment to compensate paddy farmers ofNeelamperoorwithRs. 20,000 per acre for agricultural losses incurred due tomalfunctioningcombineharvesters.Accordingtovice-chairmanofthegovernment-constitutedagency,Veliyanad Mathachan, the harvest in nearly 400 acres of theKozhichal Thekku padasekharam, coming under theNeelamperoor Krishi Bhavan, has been severely affected due tothenon-availabilityofharvesters.

Result: the harvesting for thepunchaseason which should havebeenwrappedupin120daysfromthetimeofsowingwasyettobeconcludedevenafter180days.The delay in harvesting has resulted in widespread damage topaddy.Whilethepaddyfieldsprovidedpaddyintherangeof25to30quintalsperacre, theprocurementhas fallendrastically to10quintalsperacre.Asaresult,thefarmersstoodtolosenearlyRs.21,000 per acre from what they would have received had themachinesfunctionedwithoutdefects.Tohelpfarmerstideovertheunexpected crisis, the government must provide adequatecompensation immediately to those farmers who were able toprovide less than 10 quintals of paddy per acre,Mr.Mathachansaid.He said compensations must be disbursed on the basis of thedocuments issued by the Supplyco at the time of procurement.Thiswouldpreventcorruption,hesaid.Elaborating on the difficulties faced by paddy farmers, Mr.Mathachansaidsixofthenineavailablecombineharvesterswerenot in working condition. The machines belong to the districtpanchayat.Heclaimedthemachineoperatorsbeginworkonlyby11a.m.andmostly left the fieldsby4p.m., therebydelaying theharvestoperations.DistrictCollectorN.Padmakumar,whoisalsothechairmanoftheagency, has assessed the situation and directed the officials toexpedite the process in the remaining areas that were yet to beharvested,Mr.Mathachanadded.

Procurementcentres tobuy ragi,jowarfromMonday

Procurement centres will start buying farmers’ produce at fourAgriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) in Mysurudistrict from Monday. The centres will buy ragi and jowar at asupportpriceofRs.2,000aquintalfixedbythegovernment.Deputy Director of Food and Civil Supplies K. RameshwarappatoldThe Hinduthat all arrangements for the launch had beenmade.Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Corporation had beenappointedastheagencyforpurchasingragiandjowar,hesaid.Mr. Rameshwarappa said government permission was beingawaited for purchasing paddy and maize at support price. “Ongetting approval, the same procurement centreswill start buyingmaizeandpaddy,”hesaid.Thetaskforceat thetaluk-levelmustmeeteveryMondayandsendastatusreportonthepurchasestothe district-level task force, he said. “Managers and otherauthorities at the procurement centres should buy produce fromfarmers.Middlemenshouldbekeptoutof thecentres,”he tolda

meetinghereonWednesday.Mr.Rameshwarappasaiddirectionshad been issued to take steps to ready warehouses of theKarnataka State Warehousing Corporation and the privatewarehousesforstoringfoodgrainspurchasedfromfarmers.Coop.societiesexceedcroploantargetRuralIndustriesMinisterP.MohangaveawayfinancialassistancetothetuneofRs.1.17croreto71beneficiariesattheCooperativeWeek celebrations held on the premises of the CentralCooperativeBankhereonWednesday.Speaking on the occasion theMinister said that the exposure ofthecooperativebankstocroploanswasgrowingyearafteryear.He said that as many as 18 Primary Agricultural CooperativeSocieties (PACSs) had given away Rs. 1.17 crore assistance tothefarmersforthepurposeofdeepeningthefarmwells,purchaseofpowertillersandsoon.Since the cooperative societies were playing a pivotal role inimprovingtheruraleconomythegovernmenthadtakenmeasurestorevivethesicksocieties,headded.AllovertheStatetherewere23centralcooperativebanksand4,530PACSsbesidesoneState-levelcooperativesociety.Thesesocietieshadexceeded the targetofRs.4,500crorecroploansfixedtillMarch31,bygivingawaycroploanstothetuneofRs.4,716.16crore.Forthecurrentfinancialyear2014-2015acroploantargetofRs.5,000crorehadbeensetforthecooperativesector.OfthisasumofRs.3,252.74crorewasalreadydisbursedtoover6.34lakhfarmers.Toenablethefarmerstostoretheirproduceandtogetloanonthestock the government had set up 3,317 godowns, with totalstoragecapacityof4,11,300tonnes,atacostofRs.379.79crore.InVillupuramdistrict25PACSsand threemarketingsocietiesonthehilly terrainhadbeensetup to renderefficientservice to thefarmingcommunityandothers,Mr.Mohansaid.For 2014-2015 fiscal a crop loan target of Rs. 5,000crorehasbeenset

Interestgroupmaximisesprofi t forfarmersMembers of the Mahadevi Farmers’ Interest Group involved incultivating small onions atVelampatti village in Thathaiyengarpetin thedistricthavestarted reaping thebenefitsofdirectlydealingwith traders, thanks to the initiative of the Department ofAgriculture Marketing and Agri Business. This link helps tradersget aroundmiddlemenbyprovidingdirect tie-upbetween tradersand producers. For long, these small farmers largely relied oncommissionagentstoselltheirproduce.Thefarmers’interestgroupfloatedbythedepartmentafewyearsago now helps traders visit the fields of the group members topurchasetheirproducedirectlyfromthefield.OnWednesday,R.Natarajan,oneof themembersof thegroup,soldfivetonnesofshallotstoatraderfromtheadjoiningNamakkaldistrict. The sale fetched the farmer Rs. 27 a kg, said Mr.Saravanan,presidentofthegroup.Spotpayment“ThefarmerwasabletogetRs.1.35lakhrightathisfieldthattooin a hassle-free transaction,” said R.Chandrasekaran, deputydirector, Department of AgricultureMarketing andAgri Business.ThetradervisitedthefieldatVelampattivillageandthetransactionwaseffectedimmediately.“It saves timeandmoney for theproducerwhootherwisehas toincur additional expenditure of taking the small onions to thecommission agents,” Mr. Chandrasekaran said and added thatsimilar trader visits would be organised in Uppilliyapuram blocksoon.

Fresh stock of urea to meet demand for secondcrop

All-outefforts:CollectorSajjansinghR.Chavantakinga lookata fieldwherecultivation of paddy has been taken up as second crop inShenbagaramanpudurvillageinKanyakumaridistrictonThursday.Afreshstockof750metrictonnesofureaarrivedinKanyakumaridistrict to meet the demands of farmers during second cropcultivationthatbeganafortnightago,saidCollectorSajjansinghR.ChavanhereonThursday.AddressingreportersatFloricultureResearchStation inThovalai,Mr. Chavan said the department had enough stock of fertilizers,including urea, Di-Ammonium-Phosphate (DAP), MOP andComplex,atallthePACS.Asthefarmershadstartedsecondcropcultivation,874tonnesofurea,423 tonnesofDAP,181 tonnesofMOPand360 tonnesofComplex Fertilizers were distributed. Fresh stocks of urea weredispatchedtothePACSfromTirunelveli.Of the targetareaof16,900hectares forpaddycultivationduringthe second crop, farmers had started cultivating on 11,686hectares,headded.E. Sakku (65), a farmer from Rethinapuram, got a subsidy ofRs.99,000 under theWestern Ghats Integrated Farming SystemUnit topurchase twomilchcows,11sheep,30hens,createdripirrigationfacilities,farmpond,vermi-compostunitandraisefodder

and fruit crops.He saidhe spentRs.1.5 lakh for theproject andwashappytoearnhislivelihood.N.Devadoss,afarmerfromThidal,gotRs.4,65,500assubsidytoset up a ‘polygreen house’ for cultivating marigold flowers andvegetables on a rotation basis under the National HorticultureMission(NHM).Theengineeringwingofagriculturedepartmentundertookvariousworks,includingconservationofsoilinplacessuchaswiredcheckdamsandcheckdams,atanestimatedcostofRs.1.26crorethisfinancial year. Awiremesh check dam had been constructed atThidalvillageduringlastfinancialyearatacostofRs.45,000.A sum of Rs.3,04,480 was released to Arim Stellabai ofAzhagiapandipuram in Thovalai taluk as subsidy forcommissioninga5HPsolarpoweredpumpset.Tenbeneficiarieswere selected for the scheme, and once the fund was receivedfromthegovernment,itwouldbedisbursedtothem,theCollectorsaid.Farmers couldmake use of the unit daily for four hours, as themotor could pump about 70,000 litres per day, he added. PonKaathaperumal, Joint Director, Elango and K. Kalavathy, DeputyDirectors of Agriculture Department, P. Sivakumar, AssistantDirector, Horticulture Department, and P. Nainar, Professor andHead,FloricultureResearchStation,TNAU,werepresent.Mullaperiyar leveltouches142feetAfter a gap of three-and-a-half decades and a relentless judicialbattle,thelevelintheMullaperiyardamtouchedthe142-footmarkaroundmidnightonThursday.PWDofficialssaidthelevelwasexpectedtocross142feetsoon.Rainwasmore thanmoderate in thedamsitesince theevening,andtheinflowwasalsogood,theysaid.Intheafternoon,theyhadreducedthedischargetothelowest.

But celebrations started in Cumbum. Farmers burst crackers atGoodalur and Cumbum and distributed sweets. Even the PWDofficials decorated the Pennycuick Memorial with lights anddisplayedamulti-coloursignboard,mentioningtheachievement.The Theni District Farmers Association described it as a historicday,andtheexcesswatercouldbeutilisedtostore1,485tanksinfivesoutherndistricts.The level touched the136-footmarkonNovember4. In thenext17 days, it reached142 feet, thanks to the torrential rains in thecatchmentslastweek.Subsidy to farmers in Ariyalur for cult ivatingtuber

Thedistrict administrationhasasked farmers to come forward toavail themselves of subsidy for cultivation of “Kanvali kizhangu”(gloriosasuperba),amedicinalherb,inAriyalurdistrict.Normally, cultivation of this herb was taken up on 250 acres oflandinSenthurai,T.Pazhur,andJayamkondamareas.Colchicine,an alkaloid derived from the seeds of the creeper, is used forpreparingAyurvedhaandUnanidrugs.AsubsidyofRs.68,750 isgiven per hectare for the cultivation of this herb. Farmers canregistertheirnamesbyproducingcomputerchitta,adangal,copiesof rationcard,banksavingsaccountbookwithAssistantDirectorof Horticulture in their respective areas for getting subsidy, saidA.Saravanavelraj,DistrictCollector.

Reduce protein intake in feeds, poultry farmerstoldWiththeskyexpectedtoremaincloudyoverthenextthreedays,poultryfarmerswereaskedtoreduceproteininchickenfeed.Aweatheradvisorybulletin fromAgrometFieldUnitofVeterinaryCollege and Research Institute and Regional MeteorologicalCentre, Chennai, said that the prevailing temperature will pavewayforincreaseinfeedintakeinthepoultry.

Thiswillincreasetheeggweightinadultbirds,butwillreduceeggshell quality. Hence poultry farmers are asked to reduce proteinandensureminimumVitaminDinlayerchickenfeed.Sincefarmerswhohavecultivatedgreengramandblackgramasrain fedcrops,canseemosaicdiseases transmittedbywhite fly.Hencetheyareaskedtospraymonocrotophosormethyldemetonattherateof200mlfor100litreanacre.

Tomatopricenosedives

Bumperharvestsfollowinggoodrains

Problem of plenty:Bumper harvests in local farms and huge arrival fromoutside make tomato dirt cheap in the Velanthavalam market.–Photo: K.K.Mustafah

Bumper harvests in local farms coupled with huge inflow fromneighbouring States saw tomato prices plummeting in theVelanthavalam market, which controls vegetable distribution incentralKerala.PricedoverRs.17 fora kilogram till lastweek,allvarieties of tomato have become dirt cheap over the last threedays.According to farmers, good rains yielded bumper crops in thefarmsofVadakarapathi,EruthempathyandKozhinjamparagramapanchayats. Hybrid varieties from Andhra, Mysore,Ottamchathram, Pazhani, Dindigual and Erode also flooded themarket.TheVelanthavalammarkethasbeenwitnessingthearrivalofover60tonnesoftomatoesadayforthelastoneweek.Itwashardly30tonnesinthepreviousweek.

Farmers’pl ightThefarmgatepriceofa15-kgboxoftomatoeshasplummetedtoRs.60thisweekinthetomatofarmsofthethreepanchayats.Manyfarmers are allowing the ripe tomatoes to rot to avoid labourchargesforpluckingthem.According to K. Sivapraksha, a farmer from Eruthempathy, theexpense for cultivating an acre of tomato would come aroundRs.50,000.TransportationtoVelanthavalamisanadditionalcost.Manyfarmershavetakenhugebankloans.“Tomato cultivation is profitable only if the farm price of a 15-kgboxfetchesatleastRs.120.Currently,wearenotabletomeettheexpensesof farming,”saidM.Shanmughan,another framer fromtheregion.“Theproductionishighwhencomparedwithpreviousyears.Betterirrigation facilities and unexpected rains have contributed to thehighyield,”saidM.Sashikumar,amerchantatVelanthavalam.The Velanthavalam market is regulating supply to Malappuram,Kozhikode,ThrissurandErnakulam.Bumper harvests in local farms and huge arrival fromoutside make tomato dirt cheap in Velanthavalammarket

‘Sirukizhangu’growstobethefarmer’schoice

FarmerS.Gomathinayagamshowing ‘Sirukizhangu’cultivatedonhisfieldatManthiyoorvillagenearKadayam.

Withgoodrainfall,cultivationofSirukizhangu(Coleusparviflours),alsoknownasChinesepotato,hasyieldedthedesiredresultsforthe farmers of Ambasamudram taluk in the district. SinceSirukizhangu became the choicest horticultural crop amongfarmers of Kadayam, Ambasamudram and Pappakudi blocks, itscultivationincreasedconsiderablyoverthelastyear.Thisyear,theareaundercultivationofthiscrophasgoneuptoanextentof300hectares, whereas it was only 160 ha during the last year,according toDeputyDirector ofHorticultureS.RajaMohammed,Tirunelveli.Conducive agroclimatic conditions, especially red sandy soil withgood drainage, water resources, photoperiodic response andpositive activation of tuber development, humid warm weatherduringthevegetativephasewithcoolanddryweatherduringtuberdevelopmentperiod,haveall togethercontributedtothesuccess.“It is a herbaceous annual crop, spreading or prostrate withsucculent stem. Unlike other tuber crops, this is a transplantedvegetable. The tubers are rich source of carbohydrate. TheAfrican-originplantisalsogrowninIndia,SriLankaandalongtheIndo-China border. The optimum temperature for the growth anddevelopmentrangesfrom25to30degreeCelsius,”hesaid.Awelldrained loamy soil health condition with a pH range of 5.5 to 7wouldbe ideal for the tuberization.Tuberscouldbeharvested infivemonthsafterplanting,hetoldTheHinduonThursday.Farmers of these blocks preferred this 180-day crop, since itrequiredlesswaterwhencomparedtoothercrops.Moreover,thefarmerswerealsocontentwithabettermarketpriceatAlangulamandPavoorchathram.S. Gomathinayagam, a successful farmer of Manthiyur village,Kadayamblock,saidhewasharvestingthecropcultivatedontwoacres during late April and expecting about 14 to 15 tonnes ofyield. “The crop fetches a good price of Rs. 26 per kilo at thePavoorchatram market. About 60 to 70 kilograms of tubers arebeingsolddaily.”

CO2 emissions must be ni l by 2070 to preventdisaster:U.N.

REUTERSAnenvironmentalactivistanchorsalargeballoonina2009filephoto.TheworldmustcutCO2emissionstozeroby2070atthelatesttokeepglobalwarmingbelowdangerouslevelsandpreventaglobalcatastrophe,theU.N.warns.By 2100, all greenhouse gas emissions — including methane,nitrousoxideandozone,aswellasCO2—mustfall tozero, theUnitedNationalsEnvironmentProgramme(UNEP)reportsays,orthe world will face what Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange(IPCC)scientistshavedescribedas “severe,widespreadandirreversible”effectsfromclimatechange.FinitecarbonbudgetTheUNEP reportpublishedonWednesday isbasedon the ideathat the planet has a finite ‘carbon budget’. Since emissionssurged in the late 19th century, some 1,900 Gigatonnes (Gt) ofCO2and1,000Gtofothergreenhousegaseshavealreadybeen

emitted, leaving less than 1,000 Gt of CO2 left to emit beforelockingtheplanetintodangeroustemperaturerisesofmorethan2Cabovepre-industriallevels.Jacqueline McGlade, UNEP’s chief scientist, toldTheGuardianthat scientific uncertainties about the remaining carbonbudgethaddiminishedandtherealuncertaintynowwaswhetherpoliticianshadthewilltoact.“The big uncertainty is whether you can put enough policies inplace from 2020-2030 — in the critical window — to allow theleast-costpathways [to loweremissionsand temperatures] tostillstand a chance of being followed,” she said. “The uncertaintieshaveshiftedfromthesciencetothepolitics.”All scenarios in the UNEP report now require some degree of‘negative CO2 emissions’ in the second half of the century,through technologies such as carbon capture and storage or,possibly, controversial, planetarywide engineering of the climateknownasgeo-engineering.UNEP is “extremely interested” in thesubjectandisplanningareportinthemonthsahead.Considerationshouldalsobegiventocompensatoryschemesforinvestorsinfossilfuelscompaniestoaddressthe‘strandedassets’issue,Ms.McGladeadded.Sheacknowledged“donorfatigue”aheadofapledgingconferencefor the Green Climate Fund on Thursday — which has so farrackedupcloseto$10bn(£6.4bn)—andcalled forup to20percent of the finalmoney pot to come from citizen bonds for localenvironmentprojects,withtheremaining80percentsplitbetweenpublicandprivatesources.Maroš Šefèoviè, the European Commission’s vice-president forenergy union told a Brussels press conference that the reportwouldbeofuseinpreparingblocpositionsfornextmonth’sLimaclimatesummit.The EU has not, however, supported UNEP’s call for zerogreenhousegasemissionsby2100.

Climateneutral i tyChristianaFigueres,theUnitedNationsFrameworkConventiononClimate Change (UNFCCC)’s executive secretary, said: “Thisimportant reportunderscores the reality thatat somepoint in thesecond half of the century, we need to have achieved climateneutrality—orassometermitzeronetornetzero—intermsofoverallglobalemissions.”Akeythemeintheemissionsgapstudyisthecost-effectivenessof takingearlyactionandthedangersofnotdoingso.—©GuardianNewspapersLimited,2014

HolySmokeisheretol ightuptheculinarysky

ThewallmuralatHolySmoke

Ithappened.Andwedidn’tevenhavetosacrificetoGreat

Cthulhu. Holy Smoke,which just raised shutters in

Gurgaon, gives us the meaty mainstay we have beenwaiting for. The space is explicitly carnivorous, from the

butcherhookshangingfromafauxrailtothemonumental

bar supported bymoulds of very real goat carcasses totheseverely industrialabattoir interiors.Theentirescene

isdominatedbyamassivemuralofaneldritchbull,attired

likeaTexantycoonanddiningonabountyofitsbrethren,and an open kitchen, complete with “Walter” a smoking

oven,capableofholdingfoursucklingpigs.Essentiallyit’s

ourDaliesquevisionofheaven.The menu is as brawny as the surroundings with

vegetarian options appearing as mere extras in a cast

whichisamedleyofmeatsred,whiteandpinkaswellaspiscine. There is an elaborate sliders’ menu, boasting

around20variants,availableiner,slidesofthreeandsix

apartfromaslewofstartersandmains.Theliquorlicenseis justabout to lurch in,withasheetofshakesactingas

thefiller.

We start with the sliders, a set of three: The ClassicCheeseburger, Sloppy Joe and Char Su. It would be

superfluous to try andqualify the flavours captured thus;

suffice to say there is no way back from this slide.Whetherit’sthedebauchedporkinthecharsuorthewell-

groundbeefpattyfortifiedwithapplesmokedbacon,grain

mustardandketchupwhichmakesup thecheeseburger,

theslidersmorethancompensatefortheirstaturefroma

sheerexuberanceoftaste.TheBuffaloWingsaremammothandthecolourofaSan

Antoniosunset,witha flamingspice indexwell-tempered

by twinoasis’ofbluecheeseand ranchdressing.Theseareeasily thebestof theirkind in thecityandour future

benchmarkforallthingsbuffalo.

Then there are the ribs; the mainstay of any BBQestablishment. They come on a slate-like slab, looking

almostdryandprosaic.Andthenyoubitein;leadingtoa

supernova of flavours in your mouth, better than Nolancouldcaptureit in3D.Thepork ischarryandfirmonthe

outside and melting and fatty on the inside with an

insidious taste of smoked apple. The apple doesn’tdominate thedishsomuchasmeld into it, leading toR-

rated sounds of appreciation. If the hallmark of a good

mealisthesilenceaccompanyingit,HolySmokedeliversanexperiencesimilartoameetingofTrappists.

Mealfortwo:Rs2,500(includingtaxes,excludingalcohol)Address: First floor,Cyber Hub, Gurgaon. Contact:

3310608

From Aamti to Vada Pav: A sl ice of simple yet

exoticMaharashtriancuisine

Here's how you can define Maharashtra cuisine - Addictive. PotentDrug.SinfullySpicy.Unforgettable.

Addictive.PotentDrug.SinfullySpicy.Unforgettable.Here

is a slice of the simple yet unabashedly exoticMaharastrian’scuisine.

You can always know a Maharastrian neighbour by the

whiff of aamti.A rather simple yet tasteful preparationoflentils (dal), it isoneof the fewMaharastriandishes that

emerged from theVidharbha regionandwentstraightup

to Goa, and some parts of Southern Karnataka too.Thankstoitssimplicity–evenagirlofelevencanmakeit

withease– thedal todayhasover51different versions,

and none of it involves any complexity of chopping orgrinding.

Aamti,arathersimpleyettastefulpreparationoflentils(dal),itisoneofthefewMaharastriandishesthatemergedfromtheVidharbharegion

Such was the popularity of this comfort simple dal that

MaharajaShivaji–oneof thetruebluebloodkingtoruleMaharastra–learntnotonlyhowtomakeit,butalsomade

itapartofhisarmyenergizingmeal.Itwasagreatsource

ofprotein,easy tocarryandcouldbemadewithmeagerresources.

However, aamti isn’t the only legendary dish that has a

historytoit.Thevada(oftheMumbaifamousvadapav)isyetanotherrevolutioniser.AbreakfaststaplefromMumbai

toNasiktoAlibaugandfurther,thevadawasaThursday

special when the fish eating Pune Saraswat Brahmindidn’t get his meat dose. But it wasn’t till Bal Keshav

Thackeray put it inside the Irani bun and distributed

among his party workers, that vada pav really became

VADAPAV-todayasignaturedishthatthefinancialcityisknown for. Till then vada was a “sukkha nashta” (dry

breakfast) served to traders on the move. A Gaud

Saraswat cuisine specialty, the vada tells the story of itscitythroughitsfilling.

Fromtheordinarybatatamasala,astapleinMumbaiand

nearbyareas,thevada’sfillingtakesonthequintessentialcoconutbatatamasalaasyoustartheadingtothecoastal

region of the Maharastra, which is known much for its

local vegetarian fare as it is known for its lip-smackinglyaddictive fishandmeat fare.The riseof vadapav led to

theriseofitsotherbrethrenslikethefamousKutchiDabeli

andUsal andMissal. The former, aKutch delicacy,waslater transformed by adding spicy chutney and sev to

make itmoreMumbai-ishtyle.Of courseMumbaikarsdid

theirownadditionofspicesandonions tomake thedishmoreaddictive.

Theriseofvadapav ledto theriseof itsotherbrethrens

like the famous Kutchi Dabeli and Usal andMissal[/caption]

However, more than these famous snacks, what

Maharastra is really known for is its non-vegetariancuisine, especially the variety of fish preparation that

bears a fond resemblance to the cooking style down

south. Like the use of fresh grated coconut and coconutmilk.Theuseofbothfreshanddriedkokumfortheadded

tanginess;and,thecoconutvinegar,whichisomnipresent

inmostoftheGoandishestoday.Areasonforthiscouldbe thecoastline thatMaharastrashareswithmostof the

other states, or as food historian point towards – the

‘make’ of the Maharastrian cuisine. Unlike other statecuisines,Maharastriancuisine isaconfluenceofnumber

ofcommunitiesthatmadethestatetheirhomeatdifferent

times like the Malvani, the Konkani Goan and GaudSaraswat Brahmin cuisines. Later of course there has

beenanadditionofParsi (patranumachchiandchicken

farcha), the Bori, Irani and East Indian community. Themost influential however has been the Konkani, the

Malvani and of course the Saraswat Brahmin cooking

stylethathavemademostoftheMaharastraculinaryfaretoday.

Takeforinstancethebombilfry,whichhascomefromthe

Saraswatcommunity,forwhomfishisn’tjustanotherfoodfromthesea,butablessingfromGod.Forcenturies,fish

was an integral part of every Saraswat Brahmin’s life.

Such was the attraction towards fish, that each son ordaughterborninthecommunitywasfirsttaughtaboutthe

fish and its importance. In fact, history speaks about a

timewhenaSaraswatBrahmingirl’stalentwasjudgedbyhowcrispyherfriedfishwas.Thebarometerwassimple:

crispy from the outside and soft inside. The addition of

rava(semolina)cametobringinmorefishesintothefriedgenre.Oyster,which theycalledsea fruit,andcrabcurry

wasyetanother innovationof theSaraswatclan, just like

thenumerousbhajiandsaag(greenleafyvegetable).TheKokumKhadhi, known for its tanginess,was yet another

Saraswat gift to the Maharastrian cuisine, along with

numerouspicklesandpapads.Thedriedfishdishes,unlikemuchbelieved,isaSaraswat

discovery,giventhatBrahminsbackintimecouldneither

tillthelandnorfish,andthisbecameawaythattheycouldregularly satiate their cravings for fish. Later on the Koli

community,thefirstresidentsofMumbai,tookthetradition

ofdrying fish to the tideover themonsoons,andperiodsofdryspell.FishotherwiseforKoli(fishermancommunity)

people had a different albeit interesting existence.

Exposedtobothavarietyoffishesandspices,theirswasmore of gourmet style cooking. Even the fried fish had

masala thatwere akin to those used in a rasa (curry). It

wasabrilliantformofcooking,giventhatunlikeSaraswat,theKonkaniandMalvanicommunityenjoyedafierypalate

fordishesthatwereknownforthespicinessofhotchillies

along with sweetness of coconut and tanginess fromkokum. Itwason thisbase thatmostof theGoandishes

arebased–especiallythefamousGoanFishCurry,which

isn’t as hot as the koliwada fish or theMalvani seafoodvariety, but has the three essential qualities – spiciness,

tanginessandsweetness,all inequalproportion.Mostof

Maharastrian cuisine started mostly as a fish-base dishbeforeitwasadaptedforotherformsofmeat–especially

chicken—in the later years. The reason for this was

simple:Maharastriancuisinewasbasedontheprincipleofutilisinglocalproduce.Result,whilethemixofspicesand

use of kokum and other souring agent with coconut

remained the same – only in theNorth dry coconut tookplace of the fresh one – the style of cooking and main

ingredientschangedshape.SoMalvaniFishCurry,bythe

time it reached the mainland of Pune, incorporatedchicken as amain ingredient. Fish Koliwada, which was

popularised by the immigrants of Pakistan, had a prawn

variation too. And Kavda Curry, an extremely deliciousdishmadeofalocalKonkanibirdcalled‘Khavda’hadboth

akurli (crab)andchickenvariety.Whatdifferentiated the

dishesbesidesthechangeofthemainingredients,whichwas according to the local produce, was also the

spiciness. While Kohlapuri dishes were known for firing

the taste buds, Malvani had a more palate coatingexperience.Theotherdifferencewastheaccompaniment.

Like the belt of Alibaug was known for growing great

qualityoftendliandsaagandeventuallyvegetariandisheslike avre bendi became a part of themeal served here.

Khatkhate became theGoan vegetarian option.Made of

seasonal exotic vegetables, it was one of the specialstewsmadetocelebrateweddings,anniversaryandgreat

occasions. Incidentally, Khatkhate in Maharastra suffers

fromamistakenidentity.

While the goan variation is a stew prepared during

occasions, head towardsMalvan and it becomes a ladu(sort of croissant), which is dry and crispy and had as

breakfast. Yet another fine example is the ukadiche

modak,afavouriteduringGaneshChaturthi,andMalvaniMalpua, which Asif Jha, a vizier of the Mughal Empire,

popularisedinhislateryearsduringramzan,wasagainto

digestthefierycoastalfoodofMaharastra.

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LowVitaminDlevelsmayleadtoearlydeathVitaminDdeficiencyisnotjustbadforyourbonehealth,itcanalsoresultinvariousotherdiseasesleadingtoanearlydeath,researchshows.Thestudybasedonexaminationofgeneshasestablishedforthe first time a causal relationship between low Vitamin Dlevels and increased mortality, the researchers claimed."WecanseethatgenesassociatedwithlowVitaminDlevelsinvolve an increasedmortality rate of 30 percent and, morespecifically,a40percenthigherriskofcancer-relateddeaths,"said Shoaib Afzal, medical doctor at Herlev Hospital,CopenhagenUniversityHospitalinDenmark."Animportantfactorinourstudyisthatwehaveestablishedacausalrelationship,"Afzaladded.When thesunshinesonourskin, theskinproducesVitaminD.Evidence suggests that sunshine has a positive effect onourhealth,butsunburnsmustbeavoidedastheyincreasetherisk of skin cancer.A diet rich inVitaminDor the intake ofVitamin D supplements can also cover our need to someextent.Thestudyinvolved96,000peoplefromlarge-scalepopulationstudies in Denmark. VitaminD levels weremeasured usingbloodsamples from thestudies,andspecificgeneticdefectswere examined. All participants were followed for mortalityfrom1976until2014."OurstudyshowsthatlowVitaminDlevelsdoresultinhighermortality rates," Borge Nordestgaard from University ofCopenhagensaid.

8IndianspicesthatpreventcancerNoteverybattleisstruckbyawaveofviolenceandnoteveryfightculminatesinbloodshed.When the opposition in question is an adamant disease likecancer, our armoury should be packed with a lifestyle ofregular health check-ups and a diet including foods thatdoubleasanti-canceragents.WhenactressLisaRaywasdiagnosedwithmultiplemyeloma,arelativelyrarecancerofthebonemarrow,allshesaidwas,"I'll beat cancer". Carrying this spirit of defeating a diseaseoften labelled 'incurable', we try to find out diet methods,especially in the selection of spices that can avert themultiplyingofmalignantcellsinthebodythatgraduallymatureintoinsurmountablecancercells.Our grandmothers would in no time prepare us a glass ofwarmmilkwithsaffronsprinkledontopwhenwewentcryingto herwith bruise on our knee orwound on the elbow. Theherbal turmericpastesoothedminorcutsandhealedallskinrashes.Theseage-oldkitchentricksarelittlemorethanmerequick-fix tactics.Spices like turmericandsaffronare inherentwithmedicinal properties that, when incorporated to our dietfromanearlystagestrengthensourbodiesagainstinvasionoftoxins,bacteriaandvirus.SeniorconsultantsurgicaloncologistDr.B.NiranjanNaikandsenior clinical nutritionist, Fortis La Femme, Shipra SaklaniMishra, inform us about the goodness of Indian spices withcancer-fightingpropertiesand thenecessityof their inclusiontooureatinghabits.

Turmeric/Curcumin:This is the king of spices when itcomes to dealing with cancer diseases, besides it adding azestycolour toour foodon theplatter.Turmericcontains thepowerfulpolyphenolCurcuminthathasbeenclinicallyproventoretardthegrowthofcancercellscausingprostratecancer,melanoma, breast cancer, brain tumour, pancreatic cancerand leukemia amongst a host of others.Curcumin promotes'Apoptosis'- (programmed cell death/cell suicide) that safelyeliminatescancerbreedingcellswithoutposingathreattothedevelopment of other healthy cells. In cases of conventionalradiotherapy and chemotherapy, the surrounding cells toobecomeatargetinadditiontothecancercells.Therefore,theside-effectsareimminent.Fennel:Armedwithphyto-nutrientsandantioxidants,cancercells have nothing but to accept defeat when the spice isfennel. 'Anethole', a major constituent of fennel resists andrestrictstheadhesiveandinvasiveactivitiesofcancercells.Itsuppresses the enzymatic regulated activities behind cancercell multiplication. A tomato-fennel soup with garlic or freshsaladswith fennelbulbsmake foran idealentreeprior toanelaboratecoursemeal.Roastedfennelwithparmesancanbeanotherstarpick.Saffron:A natural carotenoid dicarboxylic acid called'Crocetin' is the primary cancer-fighting element that saffroncontains.Itnotonlyinhibitstheprogressionofthediseasebutalsodecreasesthesizeofthetumourbyhalf,guaranteeingacompletegoodbyetocancer.Thoughitisthemostexpensivespiceintheworldforitisderivedfromaround250,000flowerstigmas(saffroncrocus)thatmakejustabouthalfakilo,afewsaffron threads come loaded with benefits you won't regretpaying for. Saffron threads can be used in various ways:

Cumin:Yes,itaidsdigestionandprobablythatiswhywelikechewingahandfulof cuminseedsat theendofeverymeal.However, its health benefits go beyond. A portent herb withanti-oxidantcharacteristics,cuminseedscontainacompoundcalled 'Thymoquinone' that checks proliferation of cellsresponsible for prostate cancer. So, instead of loading yourusualsnackoptionswithcaloriesandoil,add thisseasoningtoyourbread,friedbeansorsauceandmakethedishrichinflavourandhighonhealth.Youcanrediscoverthemagicofcumininyourregularbowloftadkadalandricetoo!Cinnamon:It takes not more than a half teaspoon ofcinnamon powder every day to keep cancer risk away. Anatural food preservative, cinnamon is a source of iron andcalcium. Useful in reducing tumour growth, it blocks theformation of new vessels in the human body. Some of theeffective ways of including cinnamon in your diet are:-Startyourdaywithacupofcinnamontea(inleaforsachet)Makeyourbreakfastmealasuperhealthyone; justaddthiswonderspicetoyourmorningoatmealandyouaregoingwell!-A fruity delight comprising chopped apples, a few walnutsandyourmagicpotioncinnamon-Honey and cinnamon in your glass of milk before going tobed;nocancernightmaresassured!Oregano: More than a pizza or pasta topping, oreganoconfirms its worth as a potential agent against prostatecancer. Consisting of anti-microbial compounds, just oneteaspoonoforeganohasthepoweroftwocupsofredgrapes!Phyto-chemical'Quercetin'presentinoreganorestrictsgrowthof malignant cells in the body and acts like a drug againstcancer-centricdiseases.

Cayenne Pepper/Capsaicin (Chil l i peppers):Apromising spice with anti-cancer properties, an overdose ofchilli peppers however should be restrained. Capsaicininduces the process of apoptosis that destroys potentialcancer cells and reduces the size of leukemia tumour cellsconsiderably. It canbeconcluded thatapart fromsettingourtonguesonfire,chillipepperscanscarecancerpathogensofftoo.Ginger:Thishumblespiceboastsofmedicinalqualities thathelp lowering cholesterol, boost metabolism and kill cancercells.Easilyaddedtovegetabledishes,fishpreparationsandsalads,gingerenhancestheflavourincooking.Chewonfreshparsleyiftheodourbothersyou.Others: Cloves, anise, basil, garlic, caraway, fenugreek,mustard,mintleaves,rosemary,Limonin(freshlemon),virginolive, vinegar and avocado are other cancer-fighting dietcomponents.Dr.KMedhi,SeniorConsultant,MedicalOncologyinformsuson other diet habits that can keep cancer risk at bay:1.Aplant-baseddietwithavarietyoffruits,vegetables,nuts,grainsandbeansisthebestorganicwaytofightcancer.2.Addfibre:Replacewhitericewithbrownriceinmeals3.Substitutewhole-grainbreadforwhitebread;chooseabranmuffinoverapastry4.Snackonpopcorninsteadofpotatochips.5.Eatfreshfruitswithskin.

6.Omega-3fattyacidsfightinflammation.7.Cookwitholiveoilinsteadofregularvegetableoil8.Avoidpackagedorfriedfoodsthatarehighintrans-fats9.Avoidprocessedsalt.Celticseasalt/Himalayansaltcanbeconsumedsparingly.10. Cancer patients: Do not load your diet with turmeric orCurcuminsupplementswithoutdoctor'sconsultorprescribeddosage.Cancer f ighting salad recipe: Couscous salad withsundriedtomatoIngredients:CouscousWheat-120gmsTurmeric-1gmSalt/pepperToTasteSundriedtomato-2nosOlives(black/Green)-2noseachMintleaves-2sprigLemonjuiceGingerdicesBellpepperdices-15gmOliveoil-2Tsp

SaffronPickleonion-2nosLettuceleavesMethod:1.Takeapanandaddsalt,pepper,turmeric,couscous,oliveoilandsaffron.Steamthecouscousfor5minutesandchillimmediately.2.Nowaddlemonjuice,bellpepper,olives,sundriedtomato,pickleonion(chopped)anddiceginger.Mixwellandaddmint.Moulditontopoflettuceleavesandservechilled.(RecipecontributedbyChefDiwasWadhera,ExecutiveChefatMosaicHotels,Noida)ipshita.mitra@indiatimes.co.in

AgegracefullywiththehelpoftherightfoodYou are what you eat' is an adage one should remembereverytimeyouareabouttoeat.Makingantioxidantsapartofyour daily diet, eating more fibrous andcolourfulfruits aresome of the tips that can help you age gracefully.Include antioxidants in your diet:When it comes torepairingdamagedcells inyourbody,youneedantioxidants.Thedamagethatourskinsuffersdailythankstotherelentlesssun rays, theeverpresentpollution can be repaired withantioxidants.Theyalso reduce inflammation in thebodyandrestore balance in the system.TriptiGupta, lifestyle nutritionconsultant says, "Green tea is rich

inEGCG(epigallactocatechingallate), a popular antioxidantknownforfightingcancer,cardiovascularconditionsandmuchmore." Antioxidants can help increase the elasticity of yourskin.How to do it : Eat berries like blueberries,strawberries,citrusfruitslikeoranges,mosambiandalsoleafygreen vegetables. You could also have prescribed naturalantioxidantsupplement.Choose the right fatty acidsMaintain a balance betweenOmega3andOmega6FattyAcids:It is important to maintain a balance between the Omega 3andOmega6fattyacidsformaintainingcellularhealthandforreduction of inflammation. Nutritionist and health consultantKarishma Chawla says, "Omega 3 rich foods are avocado,olive oil, salmon, tuna, walnuts, flaxseeds."How to do it : You should reduce your intake of foods thatare over processed and refined. Avoid tinned and cannedfood.Avoidtakeaways.Grillingorboilfoodathomeinstead.Salmon, mackerel, sardines - eat these oily fish grilled orbroiled.Avoidcookingwithbutterandghee.Optforhealthieroils.Eating at regular intervals and balancing sugarlevels:Ifyoukeephungryforlongerintervals,excessinsulinmaybeproduced and that can lead to ageing and inflammation.Consulting nutritionist and clinical dietitian Pooja Makhija

says, "Eat small meals at two to three hour intervals."Howtodo it : Yourmealsshouldcompriseleanwhitemeats,complex carbohydrates, and antioxidant rich vegetables.If you are eating at two-hourly breaks your small meals inbetween the lunch and dinner should have good qualitynutritivesnacks likeparboiledvegetablestickswithhummusetc.Avoidhavinganexcessofcoffeeandtea.Support immune function:Withage, the immunesystemofthebodylosesitsefficiencyandstopsworkinglikeitwouldotherwise. When your immune system works well, then thebody's natural defenses against all kinds of diseases andillnesses function to full capacity and you are safe fromdiseases. You need to boost your immunity.How todo it : Thebestwaytodoitistomakesurethatyougetatleasteighthoursofsleep.Exercise every day:If you thought you need to exerciseonly if you are fat, then you need to think again. Exercisingregularly also increases your energy, boosts your immunesystemandincreasesbonedensity.Howtodoit : Walk for at least 40 minutes daily.Use the staircase at every opportunity.Practiceyogaandpilatesonceortwiceaweek.

AgramofturmericdailycouldboostmemoryAddingonlyagramof turmeric toone'sbreakfastcouldhelpimprovethememoryofpeoplewhoareintheearlystagesofdiabetes and at risk of developing cognitive impairment, astudyindicates.For the study, professor Mark Wahlqvist from the MonashAsia Institute at the Melbourne-based Monash Universitytested theworkingmemory ofmen andwomen, aged 60 ormore, who had recently been diagnosedwith untreated pre-diabetesinTaiwan.Working memory is widely thought to be one of the mostimportant mental faculties, critical for cognitive abilities suchasplanning,problemsolvingandreasoning.Intheplacebo-controlledstudy,subjectsweregivenonegramof turmeric with an otherwise nutritionally bland breakfast ofwhitebread.Their working memory was tested before and some hoursafterthemeal."We found that thismodest addition of turmeric to breakfastimprovedworkingmemoryoversixhoursinolderpeoplewithpre-diabetes,"professorWahlqvistadded.Turmeric's characteristic yellow colour is due to curcuminwhich accounts for three to six percent of turmeric and hasbeen shown by experimental studies to reduce the risk ofdementia.

"Our findings with turmeric are consistent with earlierobservations as they appear to influence cognitive functionwhere there is disordered energy metabolism and insulinresistance,"Wahlqvistsaid.ThestudywaspublishedintheAsiaPacificJournalofClinicalNutrition.

Vizagtobeahubforcommercialfarming

RepresentativeimageVisakhapatnam:Vizagwillshortlybecomeahubformanyrarecrops in the region owing to its excellent fertility. The area issuitableforcropslikeapples,strawberry,grapes,pepper,basmatirice,organiccoffeeandmanyothers.Theaverageannualrainfallinthiszonethat includespartsofVisakhapatnamandSrikakulamdistrictsisupto200cm.Thedistricthascoast,plainsandhillyareasoftheEasternGhatsflankingontheNorthandWesternpartsoftheagencyregionwith

analtitudeofabout900metresdottedbyseveralpeaksexceeding1,200metres.Sizeableareasinthedivisionhaveblackcottonsoilandothersarehilltrackswithrichbiodiversity.The agriculture department and the Centre for Cellular andMolecular Biology recently planted some apple varieties inChintapallimandalonanexperimentalbasisandtheyaregrowingwell despite being hit by strong winds during Cyclone Hudhud.Officialshavealsosownbasmatiriceonafewacres.“Last year, on an experimental basis we cultivated broccoli, redcabbage,lettuce,greenpepper,andbrusselssprouts.Thequalitywas very good. Strawberry, grapes and basmati were also tried.Blackpepper,coffee,andrajmaarebeingextensivelygrown,"saidDrC.ChandraSekharRao,seniorscientist,HorticultureResearchStation,Chintapalli.Strawberry,grapesandbasmatihavebeen triedout in theVizagzone.Theseareasarealsosuitableforfruitslikepeach,Japaneseplum,avocado,litchi,andcocoa.Scientists have plans to introduce kiwi or Chinese gooseberryshortly. “We have tested environmental suitability for kiwi and itcanbegrown.Wehaverecentlyplantedsomewhitegrapeplantsin our research station for observing their growth. Some tribalfarmersintheregionhavealreadywitnessedgoodyieldofgrape,green apple that they have grown in their backyard," said Dr N.Venugo-pala Rao of Regional Agricultural Research Station,Chintapalli.

Tea sector in South seeksGovt help to t ide overcrisisCoimbatore,November20:TheteaindustryintheSouthhassought immediate interventionof theGovernment to save it fromthecurrentcrisisitisfacinginviewoflowpricesforthebeverage.IthasalsoaskedfortheimmediatereconstitutionoftheTeaBoardandappointmentofafull-timeChairmanfortheBoard.

“We faced a similar crisis in 2001, but the situation was not asalarming as it is now. There was a crisis in 1985 too,” said AKMani,formerKeralaMLAandmember,TeaBoard..Today, plantations in Kerala are struggling to survive. The levyofRs.700 a hectare as plantation tax and land tax ofRs.500,revision in lease rentals toRs.1,300 a hectare is posing a hugeburdenontheplantations,”.Voicingconcernoverthesteepdeclineinteapricesandmountingcostofproductionandinputs,thePresidentoftheUnitedPlanters’AssociationofSouthern IndiaVijayanRajessaid: “Thesalepriceof tea has crashed fromRs.145 a kg a year ago toRs.80 now,butthecostofproductionhasrisentooverRs.85akg.Thesectoris bleeding. Any further fall in the sale pricewould only result inclosureofteagardens,renderingmillionsjobless”.TheStateshouldconsiderbringingdown thevalueadded tax forthe estate sector from 5 per cent to one as is being levied onBoughtLeafFactories.Hugeamountsduetoproducersundervariousschemesareyettobe released. Unless necessary clearance is given for release offunds, itwouldbe impossible to implement theschemes.And forthis, the Government should consider constituting a Board andappointingaChairmanatthehelmtoaddresssuchissues.The Upasi President has also appealed to the Government toconsider concessional electricity tariff for the plantations by notlinking it with other industries. “Notwithstanding such issues,buyersinsistonvariouscertificationwithoutofferinganyadditionalprice.Coconutoi l continuestosl iponslackdemandKochi, November 20:Coconut oil prices continue to declinefurtherwithpricesdroppingtoRs.400aquintalbothinKeralaandTamil Nadu this week. Prices are ruling atRs.14,400 in Kerala,whileinTamilNaduitstoodatRs.13,000.Thalath Mahmood, Director, Cochin Oil Merchants Association(COMA), attributed it to the absence of local demand aswell asthe sluggishness in upcountry and corporate buying. With lowarrivals, he said the declining trend is likely to continue in the

comingweeks.Healsopointedoutthatcorporateshavemanagedtogetamplestockstomeettheirproductionrequirements.Copra prices too lostRs.200/quintal. The prices stoodatRs.9,200inTamilNaduwhereasitwasRs.9,800inKerala.Our ErodeCorrespondent adds:Coconutoil lostRs.10akgonWednesday at Erode. “Till Monday, price of coconut oil wasatRs.2,100 for 15 kg. Suddenly on Wednesday the pricedecreased toRs.1,900-1,950.However, therewerenobuyersastheyareexpectingafurtherdrop,”saidRMPalanisamy,atrader.Meanwhile,thecoprapriceisalsodecliningandonWednesdayitwas sold atRs.9,750-10,150 a quintal and edible copra alsodecreasedtoRs.9,600.

Post-Hudhud, a bitter season awaits AnakapallejaggerytradeVisakhapatnam, November 20:The Anakapalle jaggerymarket in Visakhapatnam district, the largest in Andhra PradeshandTelangana,has takenahugehit in theaftermathofHudhudcyclone.Arrivalshavenotyetpickedupevenafternearly40daysafterthecyclone.OnWednesday,4,000 lumps(of15-17kgapiece)arrived to theyard at Anakapalle and the priceswere in the range ofRs.240-290per10kg,accordingtotradesources.Evennowinmanyofthejaggery-producingvillagespowerhasnotbeenrestoredtoagriculturalconnections.Farmersarepreparing jaggeryby running thecanecrushersandjaggerypansondiesel. It isadding to thecostofproductionandtheproductionhassufferedasaresult.Usually, the Anakapalle market receives on an aggregate fourmillion lumps (of 15-17 kg a piece) in a season and the arrivalsbegin in October-November, but gather momentum only afterDecember. They continue up to April-May and then the slackseasonbegins.“Thisyear,becauseofthecyclonethearrivalshavesufferedbadlyinOctober-November,andonly thisweek the inflowhas touchedthe4,000-lumps-a-daymark.This trendwillcontinue foratleastafortnight as power has not yet been restored to agricultural

connections. Only in December arrivals may improve,” says KButchiRaju,anotedtrader.Accordingtofarmers,theremaybeashortfallof8-10lakhlumpsthis season due to the cyclone. “The trade feels there will be asubstantial reduction, but we cannot hazard a more accurateguess, as there is no accurate estimate of crop damage yet.However,therehasbeensubstantialdamage,”ButchiRajusaid.Anakapalle MLA PS Govind said he had impressed upon theTrancoofficials theneedtorestorepowerasearlyaspossible tothefarmconnectionsinthearea,but“itmaytakesomemoretime,at least 20 days or so.” He said he had pleaded with theGovernmenttoprovidedieselonsubsidytofarmerstillthen,asthecostofproductionofjaggerywasgoingup.There are three co-operative sugar factories in Visakhapatnamdistrict - oneatTummapala, the secondatChodavaramand thethirdatYetikoppaka.Thejaggeryproductionalsodependsonthefunctioningofthefactories.TheTummapalafactoryisalwaysinacrisisand, if itdoesnotcrushsugarthisseason,thearrivalsmayimproveatthejaggerymarket.Iran’sbanonbasmati importstohitexportersShipmentstothecountrydownbythreelakhtonnessofarinthecurrentfiscal

Chennai/Bangalore,November20:Indianriceexporterswillbebadlyhitbyageneralbanon importsof rice imposedby Iranrecently.Thebanwillfurtherdepresspricesofbasmatiriceinthedomesticmarket.

Iran has barred rice from other countries as its local crop isreported to be good this year. Tehran has imported over 1.25million tonnes (mt)of rice thisyearduringApril-Julyagainst1.45mt in the same period a year ago. Iran bought over 2.5 milliontonnesofbasmatiricefromIndiainthelasttwoyears.“We feel theban is temporary,but itwillhitexporters.Priceswillalso come under pressure,” saidMP Jindal, President of the AllIndiaRiceExportersAssociation.Jindal, who is Chairman of Best Foods International, a majorexportertoIran,saidofficialsoftheindustrybodyaremeetingtheCommerce Secretary on Friday to take up the issue atgovernment-levelwithIran.According to Agricultural and Processed Food Products ExportsDevelopment Authority (Apeda), basmati exports to Iran duringApril-JulywerevaluedatRs.1,732croreagainstRs.1,810croreayearago.AK Gupta, Advisor to Apeda, said, “though the ban seemstemporary,itmayleadtolossofourmarket,whichwemayormaynot regain”. Gupta said the exports to Iran were lower by aboutthree lakh tonnes in the current fiscal so far. Overall, basmatiexports this fiscal may end lower by 5-7 per cent at around 3.5milliontonnes,Guptaadded.The consensusamong Indianexporters is that Iranmay re-openitsmarketsbyend-JanuaryorearlyFebruary.PricesplungeCurrently, the basmati paddy is ruling at aroundRs.2,960 aquintal, far lower than theRs.5,360 it fetched during the sametimeayearago,inPunjabandHaryana.

ThemarketseemstohavefactoredintheIranianbanasrumourshavebeenfloatingaroundoverpastthreeweeks,anexportersaid.Basmatipricesaredownbyabout30percentoverlastyear,alsoinfluencedbyahighercropinIndia.“Ourproductionishigherbyabout30-35percenthigherthanlastyearwithoutputbeinghigherinthenon-traditionalStatessuchasMadhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and eastern UP,” said Anil Mittal,ChairmanofKRBL, the largestproducerandexporterofbasmatirice.WhileKRBL’sexposuretoIranhasbeenminimalataround15,000tonnesannually,Mittalsaid thedemand fromEuropewason therise.Earlierthisyear,IrancutimportsofIndianbasmatiriceafteritimposed new standards on chemical contamination.Dissatisfaction over the quality of rice being delivered by Indianexportersalsoledtoafallinshipments.India-IranpactIndiaandIrancreatedabartersystemtwoyearsagotoovercomeWesternsanctionsfollowingadisputewithTehranoveritsnuclearprogramme. In exchange for Iranian oil, India offers Tehran rice,soyameal and pharmaceuticals. Under the trade arrangement,Indiapaysforpartofthecrudeoil itreceivesfromIraninrupees.ThefundsarethendepositedatthePublicsectorUCOBankandused topayexporters forshipmentof foodandotherproducts toIran.“Exporterswill takeahit sincepricesarebound to fall inviewofthe ban. They deserve it since they have been ignoring othermarketsat thecostof focusingon Iran,” saidanofficialofa riceexporting firm not wishing to identify himself. India is alreadypaying dearly for focusing on only Iran to export soyameal. InSeptember,soyamealexportsplungedtolowerthan1,000tonnesinviewofIrancuttingitsimports.AsaresultoffocusingonIran,IndianexportershadneglectedorignoredothermarketssuchasJapanandKorea.