As the India-Asian free trade agreement (FTA) has to be finalized by June 2006, the ministry of commerce has the Herculean task of operational out the details, counting identification of key exports & imports and the rates of responsibility to be offered for promoting two-sided trade flanked by the countries involved. There are also complex negotiating issues on rules of origin and value addition, apart from negative lists.
The India-Asian FTA must have come earlier. The economic association, in the light of our historic commercial ties and geographical nearness, has gained momentum since the nighttimes, when we opened our economy. Since 1993, India has been productively pursuing a 'Look East' policy to enhance economic cooperation with its neighbors in the East.
India's 'Look East' policy has ongoing bearing fruits and the economy is harvesting handsome dividends. Asia, exclusive of the Middle East, accounts for 32% of our global exports, while the share of imports is 24%. In the last five years, India's exports to Asian contain increased by over 280%. Imports from Asian have augmented by around 220%.
NEW DELHI: India, the world's largest mango maker, is set for a big push to sell its succulent "king of fruits" to countries like Japan and the United States, officials say.
The mango is inhabitant to India, which grows 12mn tones of the fruit, more than half the world's output.
But India's exports amount to just 7% of the world mango deal, according to government figures.
"It's almost negligible - peanuts," said A S Rawat, from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
But APEDA expects Indian mango exports to go up sharply in the next year, and has been operational hard to open up markets like Japan and the United States.
"You can safely presume a 50% (rise) next year," S Dave, the export group's director, said.
His hopefulness is based in part on what appears to be rehabilitated interest in both the United States and Japan for the mango.
"The United States is looking forward to eating Indian mangoes," US President George W Bush said on a visit to India in March in what was dubbed "mango diplomacy" by the Indian media.
Right now India exports about 65,000 tones of mangoes, up from now under 50,000 tones five years ago, typically to Europe and the Middle East. It began selling to China two years ago.
"Definitely we need to increase (shipments) . we have a niche product and people know our varieties," Rawat said.
But with more than 1,000 varieties of mangoes, in dissimilar hues, shapes, sizes, it hardly seems likely that foreign consumers can be acquainted with all of them.
Meanwhile, a group from the United States Department of Agriculture is arriving this week to work out technological issues, US embassy spokesman David Kennedy said.
"I think it's hopeful," said Kennedy. "We're working on it with the regulatory authorities."
Kennedy will not comment on when American consumers may be able to buy Indian mangoes, but Dave, of the Indian export group, said he expected it to happen by next year. -AFP
Are you not sure how to increase your fruit and vegetable intake? Start the day with 100 per cent fruit or vegetable juice. Slice bananas or strawberries on peak of your cereal. Have a salad with lunch, and carrot sticks for an afternoon snack. Include a vegetable with dinner and you by now have the optional five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. If you need more than five, try adding a piece of fruit for a snack or an extra vegetable (like carrots or green beans) at dinner.
. There are so many choices when selecting fruits and vegetables. Have you ever tried kiwi fruit? How about asparagus? Try amazing new that helps you reach your goal.
. Keep things fresh and attractive by combining fruits and vegetables of different flavors and colors, such as red grapes with pineapple chunks, or cucumbers and red peppers.
. When you keep fruits and vegetables visible and easily accessible, you tend to eat more; for example, store cut-and-cleaned produce at eye-level in the refrigerator, or keep a big bowl of fruit on the table.
You can get some of your fruits and vegetables at restaurants too. Try some of these healthy choices:
. Veggie pizza
. Pasta with vegetables (but look at out for those high-fat cream sauces))
. Fresh vegetable wraps
. Vegetable soup
. Small salad (instead of fries)
. Plenty of fresh vegetables from the salad bar.
A tropical location, lush greenery, moisture-rich loamy soil and production-friendly climate-all these make Bangladesh one of the distinguished growers of a vast range of fruits and vegetables of faultless quality.
The quantum of export is not big, but large enough to cater to the large ethnic population of the south Asian sub-continent residing in the UK and the Middle East. They have provided to be the main consumers of Bangladeshi produce. The present export of vegetables is over 10,000 MT per year. There has been a cheering growth of export of fresh fruits and vegetables to other European countries also in recent years.
Bangladesh has an agro-based economy and her fertile alluvial plains are ideal for the farming and growth of export of fruits and vegetables.
Improved of technology has led to various increase in production for export.
The changing seasons see Bangladesh producing a diversity of fruits and vegetables. The winter brings ripe oranges and other citrus fruits, cauliflower, and cabbages as well; summer brings succulent mangoes, leeches, water melons, brinjals, yam and also ladies fingers; monsoon brings sweet and juicy pineapples. A assortment of bananas are available all the year round.
Fruits and vegetables growers have taken various steps not only to augment production but also to get better the standard of quality. The government has created the infrastructure and is as long as promotional support. Export village for fresh fruits and vegetables have been set up with backward linkages urbanized between the producer and the exporter, soft loans are being provided to the producers and facilities have been shaped for better processing and packages. Fruits and vegetables being simply perishable, storing facilities have been fashioned at the airport to facilitate reshipment and make the same strong for emergency.
With a countrywide road-rail network, an global airport and two sea-ports, Bangladesh is all set to serve the world in the greater than before supply of fresh fruits and vegetables.
A Queensland producer who grows native rainforest fruits for epicure foods has been named Australia's first Rural Woman of the Year.
It is the first time the seven states and territory winners have been in line for a national award and Martha Shepherd, from Eumundi on the sunlight Coast hinterland, says she couldn't have conventional a higher accolade.
"It's a tremendous honor to be representing rural women, they're such an amazing group to begin with," she said.
"But also to have the opportunity to represent the award nationally and show how significant it is for the careers and the future of the many rural women.
"It certainly has been transformational for me, just at the state level."
They have the right idea over in Europe. Let's start cheering people to eat more fruits and vegetables.
Although Europeans are eating worse now than they did 47 years ago -- with diets too rich in sugar and saturated fats, agriculture and right farming policies can help promote healthy diets, pointed out an economist with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The FAO's Josef Schmidhuber told representatives from member countries of the Regional Offices for Europe of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the FAO that the "FAO is actively promoting fruit and vegetable manufacture for both health and for income-generation for producers," FoodNavigator.com reported.
Hurrah! Cool idea. Now why don't they do that over here?
The FAO economist also said that an ongoing joint WHO/FAO plan on fruit and vegetables represented "an exciting avenue for prolonged cooperation in the health, education and agriculture sectors."
American leaders and celebrities, are you listening? We could get some ideas from our European brethren.
A number of uncommon fruits are flexible for planting almost everywhere and require almost no care besides contribution uncommonly unique and delectable flavors.
Take American persimmon, for example. The translucent, orange skin of these golf ball-sized fruits encloses a soft fleshy tissue that tastes something like a wet, dried apricot drizzled with honey down with a dash of spice. The key to enjoying this fruit is planting a named diversity, and one that could ripen within your growing season.
Just plant, weed and water the first year, then crop fruits for the next few decades.
Pawpaw is one more fruit that's very easy to grow. It's sometimes called "banana of the north" as its creamy, white flesh tastes something like banana -- with some vanilla custard and a bit of mango and avocado mixed in.
Again, expect best results from planting grafted trees of named varieties, such as Sunflower, Taylor and Overlies. Plant two different varieties to get the cross-pollination wanted to set fruit; both trees will bear.
Mulberry is a cosmopolitan plant, growing wild over much of the country. The blackberry-like fruits of the majority wild mulberries are tasty, perhaps too sweet, but for topnotch flavor, plant a named variety such as Illinois Ever bearing or Oscar.
COLLEGE STATION – Nutritionists, medical researchers and agricultural scientists would convene here June 6 for "Partnering for a Healthy tomorrow," a conference for researchers who collaborate on studies aimed at preventing or even curing human disease.
"We want people to know about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables," said Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of the Texas a&M University Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center, which is hosting the event. "We'll showcase the benefits of these foods in preventing disease."
The event begins at 8 a.m. on June 6 in the Bush Library's Annenberg Presidential Center at Texas A&M, 1000 George Bush Drive W., College Station. The public is invited.
The morning includes the release of "Citrus Health Benefits," a set of research papers published by the American Chemical Society. Patil said that in addition to the scientific reports, each chapter provides "a summary in lay terms" about what the findings mean to consumers.
The day also includes presentations about cancer preventatives found in fruits and vegetables, how diet impacts disease control and prevention and studies that show the successful impact of freeze-dried strawberries against that disease.
Afternoon sessions would offer reports on breeding and genetics, public policy and health promotion.
A tour of the center, opened to the public, will be June 7, 9-11 a.m.
Fuzhou city on China's mainland has established 40 tons of fruit and vegetables from Taiwan. Two hundred kilos included varieties incoming from Taiwan for the first time.
Nine varieties of fruits and vegetables have just been arranged open access to the mainland market including lettuce, taro, loofah, broccoli, bitter melons and also Chinese cabbage.
This batch of produce was laden a week ago and transported to Fuzhou via Japan. Experts say eight days of transportation might affect produce freshness.
Yang Jinfa, Fujian Super Modern Agriculture Group said: "Long transportation time adds to the cost. If there are direct flights, the cost would be reduced by 30 per cent. We're now calling for direct transportation of fruits and vegetables between the mainland and Taiwan to increase cross-straits agricultural exchanges and cooperation."
These Taiwan fruit and vegetables would arrive at the Fuzhou Cross-Straits Conference on Economy and Trade on Thursday. Fuzhou residents could also buy the items at local supermarkets.
What is it about the summer months that stir up a spirited streak in the otherwise mild-mannered food geek? Sure, the farmers markets run over with heirloom tomatoes and just-picked stone fruit, but there's amazing about the more obscure produce that unleashes our inner Iron Chef. So read along and dazzle your foodie friends with esoteric information about corn fungus tacos and candied Buddha's hand.
FRUITS
Buddha's hand
Strange facts If the 5,000 fingers of Dr. T were crossed with a chiefly bumpy lemon, it would almost certainly look like this semitropical citrus fruit. The mutant variety of the citron is a favorite in Asia, and fable says that it was carried from India to China by monks for whom the alien-looking fruit was a sign of health and happiness. The mad scientists at new Alameda tiki bar Forbidden Island are bringing inner calm to bar goers everywhere with their drink Buddha's Palm, a riff on the Arnold Palmer that include Hangar One's citron Buddha's hand vodka.
Prep tips since the inside of the Buddha's hand is nearly all pith and has small fruit, it is most prized for its peel, which can be candied or tested. Throw candied zest into approximately any custard-based dessert, from panna cotta to homemade ice cream, for a surprising and agreeable textural and flavor contrast. Chef Mourad Lahlou from Aziza sprinkles Buddha's hand zest on his slow-cooked taglines'. Lazy cooks could just put the exotic-looking fruit on the counter or hang it in the closet for a natural air freshener. Trust us, everyone would be asking about that new scent you're wearing!
Fresh finds when shopping for this fragile fruit, take note of vibrant, firm specimens with glossy peels. Also, check every crevice cautiously for signs of mold or softness. Hamada Farms sells Buddha's hand at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, and it's also obtainable at Rainbow Grocery and Berkeley Bowl.
When it is a matter of beating breast cancer, a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found women who eat less fat and more fiber from fruits and vegetables could lower cancer risk at least 9%. A separate study of fruit and vegetable intake in both smokers and even non-smokers by researchers at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center had similar results for lung cancer. Nutrition researcher Debra Kummels said it is likely all of us could benefit from just meeting the recommended minimum nutritional guidelines. "Get your 5 a day if you're a child, 7 a day if you're a woman, and 9 a day if you're a man." with 9 Servings? That is a lot, so let's take a second and show you what that really looks like:
A typical salad might give you both of those servings, but that means you'd still need to add at least one orange, a cup of raw broccoli, 20 grapes, a whole artichoke, 1/2 cup of cranberry juice, several large asparagus spears and two handfuls of berries (especially blueberries). "They (blueberries) have the highest anti-oxidants of any fruit," Debra said.
Antioxidants and photochemical are the natural cancer fighting compounds in these foods that is why it is recommended that you don't just get 5-9 each day, but also 4 different colors. Dietitians recognize the minimum amount of fruits and vegetables people should get every day could be hard for many people. They say fruit juice is just another way to meet the goals and a large apple could count as two servings.
LAHORE: The export of fruits and vegetables was boosted to $40 million in 2004-05, and substantial progress is also very much expected in the current fiscal year because of the environment offered by the government to exporters, said Punjab Agricultural Marketing Minister Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon at the meeting to review the facilities for fruit and vegetable exporters on Sunday.
The meeting was told that more than 282 million kilogram’s of fruits had been exported, earning $92 million in foreign exchange, whereas almost 173 million kilogram’s of vegetables worth $51 million had been exported in 2004-05. Plans had been made to increase the export of fruits, vegetables and flowers, the minister said, adding that a modern Citrus Resource Centre was being established in Bhalwal to improve the storage system for the fruit.
Rana said the 31 fruits and vegetables markets were being improved and development work on market committees was being carried out at a cost of Rs 1.18 billion. He said flower markets were being established to improve marketing and boost the export of flowers. Market committees of Punjab would be computerized by the end of this year, he said, adding that electronic display boards were also being set up in major cities.
Researchers affiliated with the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) have reported that women who are in the highest quartile of fruit and vegetable consumption had a significant reduction in the risk of the developing colorectal adenomas.
Diet is clearly an important factor in the development of the colorectal cancer. This is apparent from the divergent incidence in many different cultures where the main variable is diet. However, the exact food products are associated with a decreased or even increased incidence of colorectal cancer is controversial.
Most studies have shown that increased intake of red and the processed meats are associated with an increased incidence of colorectal cancer. Increased dietary fiber has been more controversial with positive and also negative studies reported. Fat intake does not seem to be an adverse risk factor, but then obesity is clearly a risk factor. There has been quite little convincing data that vitamin supplementation affects colorectal cancer, and there is the suspicion that natural foods are quite preventative than artificial vitamins. The current study would tend to substantiate this.
These researchers looked at the association between fruit and also vegetable intake and the prevalence and incidence of adenomas of the distal colon. They used data from over 35, 000 women in the NHS who had undergone colonoscopy or even sigmoidoscopy between 1980 and 1999 and correlated these findings with dietary histories. They found that frequent consumption of fruit was associated with a 42% reduction in the incidence of polyps (5 or more servings a day). They also found that vegetable consumption was associated with a 39% reduction in the incidence of polyps (5 or more servings of per day). They also reported that eating 5 or even more servings of legumes per week was associated with a 33% reduction in the incidence of polyps.
Research has shown that many fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients, special compounds that have all kinds of good healthy benefits capable of everything from improving eyesight to reducing the risk of cancer.
The chemical names and biological processes of these phytonutrients might be too complex, but there is an easy way to incorporate them into your diet.
Fortunately, many nutrients are very pigments, the natural dyes that make fruits and vegetables a certain color. So to get all those health benefits, just be sure when “eat a rainbow” of colorful fruits and veggies every day.
Here are some of the important phytonutrients are also associated with each color:
Red fruits and veggies such as strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon and also cherries are associated with lycopene and anthocyanins that could help strengthen collagen proteins in the body and prevent lung, prostate and stomach cancers.
Orange produce such as carrots, squash, citrus and fresh melons are associated with beta-carotene and limuloids that could protect against chronic bronchitis, asthma and emphysema, reduce the risk of cataracts and lung cancer, and help decrease cholesterol levels.
Yellow veggies like yellow bell peppers, corn and legumes are very much associated with limuloids and beta-carotene, as well as zeaxanthin that have the added benefits of protecting vision and preventing tumors and cancer in the colon, breast and prostate glands.
Greens like spinach, collard greens, broccoli and good tomatillos are associated with lutein, saponins, and glucosinolates that could help preserve eyesight, maintain heart and skin health, increase enzyme activity to detoxify cancer-causing agents and help lower lipid levels.
Blue fruits like blueberries, grapes and plums are associated with anthocyanins that could strengthen collagen proteins and help prevent colon, cervical and prostate cancer.
Purple produce like grapes, raspberries and eggplant are also associated with anthocyanins as well as flavonoids that have the added benefit of providing anti-inflammatory and pain relief.
THIRTY-SIX-YEAR old Kenyan, Mr. Charles Korir is State Coordinator and Liaison Officer of the World Health Organization in Lagos. In this interview with Chioma Obinna, he gives insight into his personal health and also explains why every meal should be taken with fruits. Excerpts:
“I usually wake up by 5.30 AM and I never go to bed before 11:30 in the night. The first thing I do in the morning is to stretch myself as soon as I wake up. I make sure I do this for at least 10 minutes every day. It is a very good thing to stretch yourself immediately you wake up everyday. I do this virtually to keep myself fit.
Health is wealth; there is no wealthy man who is not healthy. How can you generate wealth, if you are not healthy, because health generation requires effort and you need to be healthy to power the effort and generate the wealth?
I am very sensitive about my health. Whenever I do not feel well, I make sure I seek wise counseling and medication.
I like eating local food. If I am having early dinner, I prefer local foods but if it is a late dinner I will prefer rice, fish, vegetables and fruits. Virtually every meal that I have including breakfast goes with fruits.
I eat fruits always because fruits help the digestion. Fruits are also very rich in vitamins.
My advice to busy executives is that they should get time to exercise. They can buy some gym equipment and install in the house and when you are really very busy, and you can’t go to the gym, utilize the equipment to advantage. Exercise goes a long way in making people healthy and I spend some minutes exercising every day.
I cannot say a particular day is my best moment health wise but I will tell you that every Saturday, after office hours at about 1.00 PM, I join my friends and we all go to the beach. Afterwards, by 4:30 PM I go to the gym.
Due to the nature of my work I go to the gym once a week although I would love to go more often. This has made life easy for me. I hate missing to spend my Saturdays as usual. I don’t have a sad moment because I am always a happy person since I am healthy.
The last time I was admitted in the hospital was in 1994 when I was involved in a motor accident. I like traveling, site-seeing and walking on the beach. I also read a lot.
My best artiste is Papa Ajasco. I like watching him when I am relaxing my body. I admire several people one of who is my mother. She has always taken care of me and is very particular about my health. It was she who taught me that every meal goes with a fruit and glass of milk. This is what makes us Kenyans good in long distance race.
I am fulfilled in life because I am happy with what I do. I work in public health and I am happy to work there because I deal with health. I see the actions that I take that are changing people’s lives and that is really what is fulfilling.
Reportedly, for last few years in succession fruit traders are engaged in the dangerous practice of spraying chemicals on fruits and even injecting the same on them to give these a very premature ripe look to enhance their appeal to consumers. But such business motive could be fatal for those who consume such fruits because the chemicals used are called to be carcinogenic for human beings and even animals. They could cause cancer and also other ailments. There are reasons to be apprehensive that the hazardous practice is continuing in the continuing fruit season as law enforcement proceedings against the same are not noted.
A mobile court is seen fining food caterers and also food producers of different kinds. Unfortunately, these activities have not extended the fruit sellers and this is a very serious oversight on their part because hazardous ripening of fruit poses a serious public health threat.
It is unthinkable that official authorities who should be worried about the threat to public health on this score could remain indifferent and uncaring. The news about ripening fruits in a health hazarding way may have led to a crackdown on such fruit sellers by now to eliminate their harming potential and then to create disincentives for such action in the future. However, it is better to be late than never.
The Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institution (BSTI) are normally engaged in testing all kinds of consumer products to settle on their standard or safety. Fruits cannot be outside their authority and range of activities. Clearly, they have the powers to force the distributors of such fruits to open their shops for their collection of samples and also for testing of the same. If the BSTI authorities do this in relation to a number of large fruit sellers, then, it is believed; others would get the message and take steps on their own to stop this dangerous practice out of an anticipation of facing punitive measures for doing otherwise. Therefore, the BSTI needs to turn its attention to this need immediately.
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