DATE:14.11.2014

Rivalsturnthetablesoncl imate

Wednesday’s dealbetween the world’s two biggest emitters ofgreenhouse gases (GHGs) raises the prospect of a robustinternationalagreementinParisnextyear.Althoughthetwocountriesaccount for over one-third of global GHG emissions, the U.S. andChina have for the best part of the last 20 years been hostage toeconomic arguments to act decisively on globalwarming.Now, theU.S.haspromisedtocutemissionsbyanextentof26to28percentbelow2005levelsby2025,whichwouldmarkanear-doublingofthecurrent pace of reductions. As for China, President Xi Jinping haspledgedthatthecountry’semissionswouldpeakbyaround2030;bythat time, solar and wind power would account for 20 per cent ofoverallenergysources.Thisisbasedonprojectionsofaslowdownineconomicgrowth,aphase-outofobsoletepowerplantsandariseinthe share of renewables. In the absence of further details,environment experts and activists remain unsure of the fullimplicationsof the latest agreement.But thepolitical significanceofthe agreement is clearly beyond doubt. The latest announcementsrepresentahugeadvanceovertheentrenchedpositionsheldbythetwocountriesuntilrecently.Washingtondidnotratifythelonelegally-bindingglobalpacttocutemissions—the1997KyotoProtocol—asit opposed the view that developed and developing countries haddifferentiated responsibilities on countering global warming. Beijingwas exempted from the requirements of the Protocol in view of itsstatusasadevelopingcountry.

The proposals presented by the U.S. and China follow theannouncement last month of a 40 per cent reduction in GHGemissions by 2030 for the entire European Union. Together, thepackagefromthesethreemainplayerswouldcreatethemomentumfor other major high carbon footprint countries to come up with

matchingcommitmentsaheadofupcoming talks inLimaanda finaldeal in Paris. Notable among these are India, Indonesia, AustraliaandBrazil.Inthemeantime,PresidentBarackObamawouldhavetosell thedeal toaRepublican-dominatedCongress,with itsshareofclimate-sceptics.TheleadersoftheGroupof20countriesmeetinginBrisbane this weekend should act on their commitment to reducesubsidies for the further exploration of oil, gas and coal. TheSeptember 2014 report of theGlobalCommission on theEconomyand Climate also makes a strong case against the prevailing highsubsidies regime. Beijing and Washington should exert theirconsiderable clout to realise this objective at the earliest. Such aneffort would be consistent with their pledge to increase reliance onrenewableenergy.

Raincontinuestobatterdelta

Threepersons,includingonewoman,electrocuted

HeavyrainscontinuedtolashNagapattinamandKaraikaldistrictsforthethirddayonThursday.

Holidaywas declared for educational institutions in the two districtsfollowing intermittent rain. Low-lying areas in Vedarnayam,Thalaignayiru, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Sirkazhi, Porayar,Thirumarugalandsurroundingareaswereinundated.

Fishermeninfewpartsofthedistrictkeptawayfromtheseaduetoadverseweathercondition.However,agriculturedepartmentofficialssaidthattherainwouldnotaffectthecropsmuch.

Amaximumrainfallof12cmwasrecordedatThalaignayirufollowedby 10 cm each in Vedarnayam and Thirumarugal; 9 cm inNagapattinam;7.6 inMayiladuthurai;7 inKollidam;7 inManalmeduand3cminTharangambadiduringthe24-hourperiodendingat8.30a.m.onThursday.

Therainlefttwopersonsdeadinthedistrict.Arunagiri(48),alinemanofKeezvelur,was electrocutedwhileworking on an electric post torestorepowerconnectiontothehouseofoneSreenivasanofNagalurvillageonWednesdaynight.

Anotherperson,Vijayarajan(28)ofAttankaraiStreetnearAthalaiyurin Thirumarugal union, who attempted to restore the powerconnection tohisneighbour’shousebyclimbingonanelectricpostwas electrocuted when he came in contact with a live wire onThursday.

THANJAVUR:WidespreadandintenserainlashedseveralpartsofThanjavurandTiruvarurdistrictsonThursday,extendingthecurrentwet spell deep into theweek.Holidaywasdeclared for educationalinstitutions for theday inviewof the torrential rain.Evenduring theshortrespites,theskyremaineddarkandcloudy.

ThelowpressureintheBayofBengalhadbroughtcopiousrainsforthedeltadistrictsthisnortheastmonsoonseason.TiruthuraipoondiinTiruvarur district recorded 14 cm rainfall while nearby Muthupettairegistered11cmduringtheperiod.

InThanjavur,Madukkurregistered9cmtotopthetablefollowedbyTiruvidaimarudur and Kumbakonam 5 cm each. Pattukottai andLowerAnicutclocked4cmeach.

Thechiefamountofrainfall(incm)recordedinvariouscentresduringthecorrespondingperiod includeAdirampattinamandManjalaru -3each; Budalur and Tiruvaiyaru – 2 each; Ayyampettai, PapanasamandEachanviduthi1cm.

In Tiruvarur district, the bout of rains that intensified on MondaycontinuedtowetallareasonWednesdaynightandonThursday.

InTiruvarurdistrict, thetownofTiruvarurrecorded9cm;KudavasalandNannilam-6cmeach;MannargudiandNeedamangalam4.5cmeach;PandavaiyaruHead3cmandValangaiman2cm.

A 65-year-old woman belonging to Pykkanadu near here waselectrocutedonThursday.

PolicesaidK.VasammalhadcometobewithhersisteratKarikkottainear here when she accidentally tripped and fell on the earthingchordofanelectricpole.

PERAMBLAUR:Fairlywidespread rainfallwasexperienced in thisdistrictonWednesdayandThursday.

Rainfall recorded till 8.30 a.m. on Thursday (in mm): Thaluthalai33.60, Veppanthattai 21.60, Perambalur 21, Chettikulam 19 andPadalur7.

FarmvarsitytakesupstudyofPanjappurwatersamples

‘Objectiveistoknowlevelofmetalsinwater’

Scientists and research scholars of TNAU-Anbil DharmalingamAgricultural College and Research Centre in Tiruchi on Thursdaytesting the samples of treated sewage water used for irrigation.—PHOTO:A.MURALITHARANThe Tamil Nadu Agricultural University’s Anbil DharmalingamAgricultureCollegeandResearchInstituteinNavalurKuttapattunearhere has taken up a research project on the impact of the use oftreated sewage water being let out for irrigation in the peripheralvillagesofTiruchi.

The project was sanctioned in April this year under the All IndiaCoordinatedResearchProject onManagement ofSalt-affectedSoilandUseofSalineWaterinAgriculture.

ThesewagewaterfromthetreatmentplantinPanjappurreachestheCauveryviaKoraiyar,coveringadistanceof18km.Enroute,about300 acres of land is being irrigated, with 200 acres accounting forpaddywhilebananaandflowersaregrownonabout100acres.

“Themainideaoftheresearchistoascertainthepresenceofheavymetals in the sewage water,” says P. Pandiyarajan, Dean of thecollege.

Ateamofscientistsandresearchscholarsofthecollegehavebeenworking on the project, collecting samples of the sewage water ateightplaceseverymonth.

“WehaveidentifiedPanjappurinletarea,outletpoint,SriKuzhumayiAmman temple zone, Uyyakondan Tirumalai, Woraiyur, ThaalavarUbayam, Ettarai, and the tail-end point near the Cauvery forcollecting the samples of water every month,” say P.Balasubramaniam, Head of Department of Soil Science, and L.Chitradevi,AssociateProfessor.

Thescientistsmonitor thevariation in thewatersamples fromplaceto place and from season to season. They have noticed a distinct

change in the water samples last week after the onset of themonsoon.

Two laboratoriesareused forconducting theanalThe resultsof theresearch would be released after one year as more number ofsamplesweretobecollected,theysay.

Livestock research,management institutes needed in newState

‘Araku-PaderuareaisidealtosetupVeterinaryBiologicalResearchInstitute’

Leveraging the strength of existing veterinary colleges for basicresearch and development, seeking an ICAR Central LivestockProduction and Management Institute, a cutting edge discipline oflivestock development incorporating economics, extension andentrepreneurship development, upgrading existing facilities to highstandards and theAnimalHusbandryDepartment and opening onemoreveterinarycollegeareamongthemeasurerssuggestedbyDr.N. S. R. Sastry, a livestock specialist, for improving livestock andpoultryproductioninthenewState.

OnthenewstatenothavinganyCentralresearchanddevelopmentinstitutes, he suggests with some modifications in the policies thesituationcanbeovercome.

Stressing the importance of the new State developing its ownVeterinary Biological Research Institute, Dr. Sastry suggests thatAraku-Paderuareawouldbe the ideal location inviewof thecoolerclimate,withsub-centresinRayalaseemaandSouthCoastalAndhra.

Tomeet the requirement ofDiseaseDiagnostics andEpidemiologyLab,hesuggestsexistingcentresineachofthethreeregionsmaybedevelopedintoreferrallabsinsteadofonebigcentre.

To facilitate research, all-India coordinated ICAR and NationalAgriculture Innovation Project (NIAP) research and developmentprojectsshouldbesetupintheveterinarycolleges,hesays.

BesidesthenewStateshouldseekregionalcentresofNational-levelAvianResearchInstitute,Buffaloandsheepresearchinstitutesinthecolleges.

Since livestock rearing is a crucial livelihood activity in the NorthAndhra a new veterinary college should be set up in the region assuggestedbyan ICARTechnicalCommitteeasearlyas in themid-eighties,saysDr.Sastry,arecipientofEminentScientistinLivestockProductionaward.

To overcome the recurrent problemof feed and fodder scarcity, hesuggests that using modern technology and unconventional feedsand dry fodder feed blocks should be made at some centres anddistributedinthedeficitdistricts.

Communication from field level via video conferencing and tele-medicineand fillingvacantpostsareamong theothermeasureshesuggests.

Araku-Paderu area is ideal location to set up VeterinaryBiological Research Institute, in view of cooler cl imate,with sub-centres in Rayalaseema and South CoastalAndhra.

N.S.R.Sastry

Livestockspecial ist

1350cr.forevacuationl inesforsolarandwindprojects

CentretogivefundsfromNationalGreenEnergyFund

GivingafilliptotheStategovernment’seffortstopromoterenewableenergy, the Central government has agreed to provide Rs. 1,350croretotheStateenergyutilitiesforconstructionofevacuationlinesforsolarandwindpowerprojects.ThefundswouldbeprovidedfromtheNationalGreenEnergyFund.

TheCentrehadalsoagreedforaproposaltoenhancethenumberofagriculturalpumpsetstobereplacedbysolarbasedpiumpsetsfrom4,000 to8,000.TheCentrewould,accordingly, provide30per centcostincurredonthereplacementofpumpsetsasgranttotheState.

The Union Ministry of Power, according to Energy Departmentofficials,haddirectedtheWesternCoalFieldstosupplyanadditionalquantum of one million tonne coal to Andhra Pradesh to enableincrease in coal stock position andmake thermal power generationcomfortable.TheCentrehaddeclaredseveralothersopstotheStateduring a high-level reviewmeeting held atNewDelhi onThursday.EnergySecretary,AjayJainwhoparticipatedinthemeetingsaidtheStatehadrequestedtheCentretoextenditsassistanceinrenovationandmodernisationof the thermalpowerplants inDr.NarlaTataraoThermal Power Station in Vijayawada and Rayalaseema thermalpower station that served more than 20 years. The Centre’sassistance was also sought in strengthening of distribution andtransmissionnetworksofthesouthernandeasternpowerdistributioncompanies as also the network of the Transmission Corporation ofAP.

Mr. Jainhadexplained theCentralauthorities that theStatewas inthe process of preparing detailed project reports for improvingdistributionnetworkinruralandurbanareas.TheStatewasaheadofits counterparts in its preparedness for implementation of theambitious power for all programme launched by the Central

government for providing qualitative and reliable supply toconsumers. The meeting was chaired by Union Power Ministry’sspecialsecretaryR.N.Choubey.

Centreeyesanti-dumpingtaxonimportedarecanut

UnionMinisterforChemicalsandFertilizersAnanthKumarsaidhereon Thursday that the Union government was thinking of thepossibilitiesofimposinganti-dumpingtaxonimportedarecanut.

Speaking to presspersons on the sidelines of a function here onThursday,Mr.AnanthKumarsaidthegovernmentwasawareofthehardshipsofarecanutgrowersduetothecrashinprices.

There was a demand to impose special import duties on importedarecanuttosafeguardtheinterestoftheIndiangrowers.

TheUniongovernmenthadalreadyimposedtheanti-dumpingtaxonsilk.“Thesamemaybeextendedtoarecanutalso.IwilltakeupthematterwiththeUnionCommerceandFinanceMinisters,”headded.

The Union government was holding parleys with the InternationalCropsResearchInstitutefortheSemi-Arid-Tropics(ICRISAT)totakeupthesoiltestmappingoftheagriculturelandsintheentirecountry.

Monsooncalamitiesclaim123l ives

Monsoon calamities have claimed 123 lives in fourmonths startingJune1thisyear.

ThehighesttollwasreportedformMalappuram,16deaths,followedby Kasaragod andKannur, 15 deaths each. TheStatewill have todistributeRs.1.84croreascompensationtothesedeathsthathavedirectbearingonthemonsooncalamities.

The four-month-long period, which was marked by heavy rainbattering the State, left another 24 injured. The rising waters alsoravaged the agriculture sector leading to crop loss besidesdestructing a large number of houses. The calamity figures wereaccountedtillSeptember15.

The State Relief Commissioner has sought Rs. 184.5 crore asCentralassistancetobedistributedascompensationforthecalamity-hitareas.ACentralteamiscurrentlytouringtheStatefortakingstockofthedamage.

Kerala has pointed out that its State Disaster Response Funds(SDRF) would soon be exhausted, as it had huge commitments tomeet.TheSDRF“hasacommitmentdeficitofnotlessthanRs.147crore,” which has forced the State government to seek Centralassistanceagain.

Raichurgrowershitbycottonpricecrash

PricedroppedfromRs.4,000lastweektoRs.3,500onThursday

It was a bad day for Sharanabasava, a grower from DevasugurvillageinRaichurtaluk,whohadbroughttwominilorriesofcottontoRaichurhopingforagoodprice.

Unfortunately,thepriceofcottonhadfallenfromRs.4,000aquintalaweek ago to Rs. 3,500 a quintal on Thursday. With no otheralternative before him, he sold his crop and was returning homeunhappy.

“IhavespentaroundRs.20,000 forgrowingeightquintalscotton inanacrethisyear.WecouldsurviveonlyifwegetapriceofRs.4,500a quintal. The price crash has destroyed my hopes of repayingloans,”hesaid.

Mr.Sharanabasavawasoneamongthethousandsofgrowersinthedistrictwhohadcultivatedcottoninmostoftheiragriculturallandthisyear considering the price of around Rs. 5,000 per quintal for theproduce last year.Thepricedropwas indeedanadditional blow tothefarmersastheyhadalreadysufferedlowyieldduetofluctuatingrainfall. The drought and floods this year had shrunk their yield toeightquintalsperacrecomparedwithlastyear’s13quintalsanacre.

On Thursday, whenThe Hinduvisited the Raichur cotton market,onceknownasthesecond-largestcottonmarketinAsia,mostofthecotton coming to the city was sold out before entering the marketyard.

Nexus

“The cotton ginning mills in the city have a wide network ofcommissionagentswhonegotiatewithgrowersbeforetheyreachtheAPMCcottonmarket,andbringtheircotton-ladenvehiclesdirectlytothe mills on the promise of better price. After half of the cotton isunloadedfromthevehicles,themillownersquotelowerpricesraisingquestions over quality. The growers normally don’t take the pain ofreloadingthecroporreturntotheAPMCmarketastheyarenotsureofgettingabetterpriceoverthere.Theywouldsimplysellatthepricequotedbythemillowner,”saidShashidharHaravi,agrowerwhowasa victim of such a deal. The collective understanding among millowners and their nexus with commission agents was largelyresponsibleforpricecrash,hesaid.

State president of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS)Chamarasa Malipatil blames the State government’s “insensitivity”towardsfarmersforthepricedecline.“Cottongrowerswerefirsthitbydraught and then floods. Now they are being hit harder by thegovernment thathasnotcomeupwithascientificminimumsupportprice(MSP)forcotton,”hesaid.

ConsideringtheinvestmentofaroundRs.20,000anacreindrylandandaroundRs.25,000anacreinirrigatedlandforcottoncultivation,thegovernmentshouldfixanMSPofRs.6,000perquintal,hesaid.

Krishnadist.off icialsgearupforgreendrive

THE HINDUVillagers passing through lush green paddy fields andcoconutorchardsatKonaseemainWestGodavaridistrictofAndhraPradesh.Photo:Ch.VijayaBhaskarThe areas of Paritala, Nandigama, Vissannapet, Avanigadda andNuzvidinKrishnadistrictmaysoonbeflushwithgreenery,thankstotheState-sponsored‘KarthikaVanamahotsavams’designedtousheringreeneryaround.TheKrishnadistrictadministration isgearinguptohostthegreendriveinthesefiveregionsonNovember17.

Addressing a meeting held in this connection with officials of theSocialForestryDepartmentonThursday,CollectorM.RaghunandanRao said in keeping with the decision of the State government tocelebratetheoccasionasaStateeventonagrandscale,aposseofofficialshadbeenappointedtoensureeffectiveresult.

An action plan had been drawn for planting of saplings on a largescale under the drive and free saplings could be acquired from theSocialForestryDepartment,hesaid.

InformingthattheMunicipalDepartmentwouldbegiven500saplingsagainst 200 to the Panchayat Raj wing, Mr. Rao said the sapling-plantingactivitycouldgoalongwayinpavingthewayforecologicalandsocialdevelopment.

As part of a five-year plan (2015- 2020), a target has been set toplantsaplingsin15,752hectaresacrossKrishnadistrictin2015-16.

Hesaidtheauthoritieswerekeenongrowingbanyan,peepal,neemand other medicinal trees and officials must identify spots such asgovernment offices, panchayats, social welfare hostels, irrigationtanksandcanalbundsandinformtherespectivedepartmentheads.

Hesaidthegovernmenthaddecidedtotakeupplantationof1croresaplings every year under the drive and every individual must feelresponsible towards making this drive a grand success. DFO P.AshokKumarsaidthedistricthad21percentofforestandtherewasaneedtoenhancethegeographicalareato33percent.

Thesweetspot

Therewere tworecentsignificantevents in theworldofsugar.First,theSupremeCourtupheldtheAllahabadHighCourt’sordertoforcesugar mills inUttarPradeshto sell sugar stocks to pay arrears tosugarcanefarmers.Second,theresultsoftheMaharashtraassemblyelections and thenewBJP government threaten to shake

upstatepolitics,whichare firmly linked to thesugar industry.Whilethetwoareseeminglyunrelated,adeeperanalysisshowshowbothare important in the context of the complicated web that is thesugarindustryinIndia.

It isdifficultnottosympathisewiththesituationofcanefarmersand

thesubsequenthighcourtandSupremeCourtdecisions.But this is

hardly a simple story in which capricious mill owners and greedy

banksareexploitingpoor farmers.Therealculprit lies fartherafield,

having todowithperversegovernmentpolicies insettingexcessive

sugarcanepricesalongwithprohibitivecontrolsonsalesofsugar.

Tounderstandthismess, letusstartwithsugarcanepricing.Pricing

cane is far from straightforward, given characteristics peculiar to

growing, harvesting and processing sugarcane. First, since cane

takes a longtimeto grow before it can be harvested, production

cannot adjust quickly to demand. Second, after it is harvested and

cut,itmustbecrushedtoextractjuicewithinaday,orelseitdriesout

andlosesvalue.Thismeansfarmerscannot justcutcaneandshop

around for thebestprices. Finally, there are economies of scale in

cane crushing, which means large factories need to optimise the

harvest,transportandcrushingofcane,andcan’tjustrelyonbuying

itinspotmarkets.

Becauseofthis,andinordertoincentiviseinvestmentinsugarmills,

governments have historically given mills local monopsony power

throughasystemofcommandareasunderwhichfarmerswereonly

allowed to sell cane tomills in their area.Even though this system

has since been abolished in manyplaces,newmills still cannot be

locatedwithin15kmofcurrentones,andfarmersremainbeholdento

the mills in their area. In order to protect them, Central

andstategovernmentssetMSPsforcane.

Under such conditions, most economists would agree that

somestateintervention is warranted.Economictheory, however,

clasheswith the reality ofIndianpolitics.Populist governments face

theconstanttemptationtoraisesupportprices,particularlyinelection

years,andstateadvisorypricesforcaneareoftenmuchhigherthan

eventheCentralstatutoryminimumprice.Overall,Indiahassomeof

theworld’shighestsugarcaneprices.

Atthesametime,Indiaisthelargestconsumerofsugarintheworld.

Sohowdoesthegovernmentmeettheneedforsugarwhilekeeping

cane prices high? Controls on the sale of sugar. The level of

interventionissuchthatanyonelookingatthesugarmarketmaywell

believe she has been transported to the pre-1991 control raj: the

governmentregulatesmonthlyquantitiesofsugarthatcanbesoldby

mills; it controls exports and imports; it forcesmills to sell a certain

proportion of their sugar stocks at a loss to the PDS. It even

mandatesthatsugaronlybesoldinjutesacks.

Atthispoint,youwouldberighttobelievethatsomethingdoesn’tadd

up with high input but low output prices. You would be wrong,

however, to feel too sorry for sugar mills. In order to support this

untenable situation, the Central andstategovernments direct an

impressive array of sops towards sugar mills through subsidised

creditandotherinputs,forgivenloans,loanguarantees,bailoutsetc.

Suchpoliciescontributetoboomandbustcyclesinthesugarmarket.

Sowhydotheycontinue?This iswhereelectionsandpoliticscome

in. It is an open secret that, in the major sugar-producing states

inIndia,controlofsugarmills—setupascooperatives—allowsone

tocontrol ruralpolitics.A recentarticle in thisnewspaperdescribed

howthis“givespoliticalleaderscontrolovereconomicactivityandan

opportunitytoprovidepatronagetopeople”.

Hence, it is theimportanceof sugar mills in politics that has

beenresponsiblefor confused policy. This is exemplified by the

politicalmanoeuvringfollowingtheelectionresultsinMaharashtra:a

BJPMLAopenlyadmittedthatthepartywasconsidering“itsstrategy

togetpower in this [sugar]sector”.This isnotnecessarily limitedto

Maharashtra.ReportssuggestthatUPChiefMinisterAkhileshYadav

wantstoopenasugarmillinAzamgarh,anareawherepreviousmills

havefailed.

Yet there are some signs of change. After decades of propping up

failing cooperatives,Maharashtrawas slowly retracting subsidies,

leadingtothegradualacquisitionofthesemillsbyprivatecompanies.

Private sugar mills now produce almost 30 per cent of the sugar

inMaharashtra, a scenario inconceivable 10 years ago.Meanwhile,

the SupremeCourt verdict couldmake banksmore cautious about

lending to sugar mills, making it harder for governments to keep

financingunviableones.

Ofcourse,privatemills couldalsobecapturedbypoliticians.Credit

from state-owned banks could still be directed to sugar mills.

Ultimately,as longasthedual interferencebygovernmentsonboth

sides—unreasonablyhighminimumcanepricesandunreasonable

limits on sugar sales — continues, so will the volatility and

unpredictability.

Thewriter isassistantprofessorofeconomicsatDartmouthCollege,

US

Cow’smilkcandeliverAIDSdrugtoinfantsA novelmethod of altering a protein in cow’smilk to bind with an

antiretroviral drug promises to greatly improve treatment for infants

and young children suffering from HIV/AIDS, according to

anewstudy.

Oneofthemostcommonlyprescribedantiretroviraldrugsfortreating

andpreventingHIV infection,Ritonavir,hasundesirablesideeffects

andimportantoral-deliveryproblems.

Itsphysicochemicalpropertieschallengeitsadministrationtoinfants,

said Federico Harte, associate professor of food science at

PennsylvaniaStateUniversity.

“Ritonavirhasahighhydrophobicityandlowsolubilityinwater,which

leadtoalowdissolutionrateinthegastrointestinalfluidand,hence,

toinsufficientbioavailability.

“The liquid formulation used to treat infants over onemonth of age

contains43percentethanolandhasanawfulflavourthathasbeen

describedasbitter-metallic,medicinal,astringent,sourandburning,”

Hartesaid.

“Moreover, when coming into contact with the stomach mucosa,

Ritonavir causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Therefore, we

need to develop alternative paediatric formulations ofRitonavir and

overcomeitspoorwatersolubilitytoimproveitsoraladministrationto

infantsandchildren,”addedHarte.

Tosolve thatproblem,Harte looked toagroupofproteins incow’s

milkcelledcaseins.Caseinproteinsformsphericalaggregatescalled

casein micelles, which areresponsible, incidentally, for the white

colourofmilk.

The caseinmicelles inmammals’milk are natural delivery systems

foraminoacidsandcalciumfrommothertoyoung,andmightdeliver

Ritonavirmoleculesaswell,Hartesaid.

“Ihavebeenworkingwithbovinecaseinmicellesforafewyearsnow,

and we have investigated the structure and functionality of these

proteins,”hesaid.

“What we found is thesemicelles are able to carry molecules that

haveverylittlesolubilityinwater,thathavelowmolecularweightand

thatareveryhydrophobic–suchasRitonavir,”saidHarte.

Harte discovered that subjecting milk to ultrahigh-pressure

homogenisation enhances the binding properties of the casein

micelles.

Milk was homogenised at between 400 and 500 megapascals,

disassociatingthecaseinmicellesandimprovingtheprotein’sbinding

qualitiestoattachtodrugmolecules.

Anestimated3.4millionchildrenarelivingwithHIV/AIDS,according

totheWorldHealthOrganisation.

Nine out of 10 of them live in resource-limited countries in sub-

SaharanAfrica,whereeffectiveantiretroviral treatments still arenot

widelyaccessibleoravailable,researcherssaid.

The research was published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical

Research.

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Lovethejackfruit:Hawaiifarmer

OnavisittoDakshinaKannadaandKasargoddistricts,MrLovemetprogressive farmers and fruit growers with the help of friends andfeelstheyhavealottoofferpeopleofHawaii.Mangaluru:Mangaluru farmers are proving an inspiration to theircounterparts in Hawaii and elsewhere thanks to progressivefarmer,KenLovefromthefamousUSisland.OnavisittoDakshinaKannadaandKasargoddistricts,MrLovemetprogressive farmers and fruit growers with the help of friends andfeelstheyhavealottoofferpeopleofHawaii.Spottingtheuniquegraftingmethodfollowedbyfarmer,JackAnil inPuttur for growing jackfruit, Mr Love posted photographs onFacebook and his friends back homewere so impressed that theynowwanttouseittoo.

“AnilhasdevelopedauniquesystemofyoungtreebudgraftingwhichI saw when I met him four days ago. I took photographs and myfriends in theUSAandPhilippinesweresoglad tosee it that theytoowant to follow it,” saysMrLove , adding that Indiahasa largenumber of jackfruit varieties which people from other countrieswouldliketotaste.“Theywantthesaplings,fruitandalsoitsvalue-addedproducts.Butthere is nobody or no place from where one can get completeinformationaboutjackfruitinIndia.Growersneedtoformsomethinglikea“JackfruitClub,”whichwouldbeaone-stopshopforjackfruit,”hesuggests.

Foodhabitstoagegracefully

Here are some food habits that will help you age gracefullyNobody can reverse one's age and ageing is an inevitable part ofone'slife.ButherearesomefoodhabitstokeepinmindthatwillhelpyouagegracefullyControl your fat intake:Fat is high on calories which is bad forthe skin and body. Avoid foods that high on fat content.Pile up on fresh fruits and vegetables:Avoid packed fooditemsand food that isnot very fresh. Instead,eat lotsof fresh, rawfruits and vegetables which will give you a fresh look.

Control your medicine intake:Substitute your calcium and irontabletswith food itemswhicharenaturalsupplementsof these.Addmore fish, fruits, leafy greens and nuts to your diet.Not too much oil : Avoid eating very greasy food and using toomuchoil tocookyour food in.Substituteunhealthyoilwitholiveoil,butonlyifyouarenotgoingtofryyourfoodinit.Improvecooking techniques:Makemoreuseof roasted,boiledand stir fried food. Avoid fried food, frozen food and packed fooditems.

Eatingtoomuchofagoodthingisalsobad

Justbecausenutsandfreshfruitsaregoodforyoudoesn'tmeanyoueat a bowlful. Dieticians discuss the science of portionIt's greed of another kind. But city dieticians are concerned thathealth consciousMumbaikars are taking it too farwhen consumingfoods they believe are good for them."Often, when they learnsomething is healthy, they consume it in excess," says Bhakti RSamant, chief dietician at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital.Just likewith tastycarbpackedsnacks,healthyeatscanalsowreckhavocwithyourbodyifyoudon'tkeepcount.Oats,everyweight-losschaser's favourite, is a common example. "I've also seen patientswhoatethreebowlsofdalia(brokenwheat)inonemeal.Thisdefeatsthepurposeofstayingfit,"shesays.Portion size, explain experts, is gauged according to the nutrientvalue and calorie count each individualmustmeet per day. This isrelated toyour frame,weightandactivity level.Toplanyourmeals,

lifestyle nutrition consultant Tripti Gupta, offers a simple rule ofthumb, "For most cereals and pulses, your source of protein, therecommended intake should be two grams per kg of bodyweight.Excesscanleadtoweightgain."Underestimateyourphysicalactivityandyouare likely to runoutofenergybytheendoftheday.ConsultingdieticianJyotiLalwanisays,"Ifyouareactive,youwillburncaloriesacquiredfromfood.Ifnot,thebodywillconvertitintofats."Regardless of whether a packaging insists its content are `low fat',overindulgencewillmakeyouputonweight.Here'sourlistofpopularhealthy eats that need to be consumed in moderation.SOYASERVINGSIZE200gminonemeal;occasionallyWholesoyfoodscontainhigh levelsofhealthyproteinand fibre thathelpreducebadcholesterol. But soya also contains large amounts of biologicallyactive compounds called isoflavones. Excessive and regularconsumption can activate the oestrogen receptors in the body,causing hormonal imbalance." For men, it means infertility, poorlibido,forwomen,infertility.LEAFYGREENSSERVINGSIZE30-35gmpermeal.Slightsteamingveggieshighinoxalic acid can reduce their acidic content and increase nutrientsLarge servings are dangerous since greens contain oxalic acid, achemicalthatcanleadtocalciumdeficiency,kidneystoneandgout."Itstealsthebodyofcalcium,causingmusclepainandkidneystone,"says Gupta. Spinach has the highest level of oxalic acid.

FRESHFRUITSERVING SIZE5-6 pieces of strawberry, 10 of grape, 3 longpiecesofpapaya,watermelon,muskmelon,1medium-sizedappleororangeRichinfibre,vitaminCandnutrients,fruitscandonowrong,right? Toomuch, however, can lead to weight gain andmake youacidic."Nevereatmorethanthreefruitsinaday.Theycanbehighincalories and sugar. An apple is equal to two oranges in calorificcontent,"saysSamant.OATSSERVING SIZE60 gm or 1.5 cup Oats are packed with solublefibrewhichreduces`bad'cholesterol(1.5cupofoatmealprovides6gm of fibre). The problem is with eating too much. To make itpalatable, you add sugar or worse, pick flavoured packs withadditives. That knocks the break fast staple right off its pedestal.WHITEMEATSSERVINGSIZE2mediumpiecesof fishchickenFishandchickenbreasthavelongbeencanvassedasheavyweightcarriersofproteinwith minimal calorific content. A grilled fish or chicken paired withsaladisbelievedtobetheidealmid-daymeal.Sometimes,eatingitinexcess can tip your protein intake."Each gram of protein has fourcalories. The body stores all excess calories as fat," explainsSamant.Excessiveproteincanalsoleadtoliverandbraindisorderssinceitleadstotheproductionofammonia,whichtheliverisunabletofilter.

DRYFRUITSERVING SIZE15 gm/day is all you need A dried apricot is afractionofthesizeofafreshone,butitpacksinthesamenumberofcalories and sugar. Also, methi and pumpkin seeds and almonds.Theycontainoxalatesandphytates-acidsthatcausekidneyandgallbladderstoneifeateninexcess."Luckily,theyarewatersoluble.So,soaktheminwaterbeforeeating,"Guptasuggests.

10easystepstopain-proofyourbody

With time, we start conditioning ourselves to accept that joint painand arthritis are natural signs of aging and are to be expected.Many things can lead to chronic joint pain, but it is important torememberthatpainisyourbody'swayofsendingamessage-inthiscaseit'sthatyourbodyneedshelp.Whileyoucantakeawaythepainwithmedication,buttoreallyhelpyourbody,youshouldidentifytherootcauseofthepainandthenapplythecorrectmethodtogetridofit.Ifanypartofthejointiscompromised,beitthroughtrauma,injuryorinflammation,youwillexperiencepain.Jointpainhasbecomemorecommon with age as years of physical strain takes its toll on theshoulder,elbows,hipsandwristsmostly.You canpractice these simpleprecautionarymeasures to ensureapain-freelifestyle.1.Startwith thebasicsbyevaluatingyourexercisepattern, injuries,bedandevenyourworkstation.

2.Keep trackof yourpainbymaintainingadaily journal,whichwillhelpinidentifyingrecurringpattern.3. Assess your stress levels and accordingly consider stress reliefactivities-lightexercise,yoga,andmeditation.4.Ifthepainispersistent,youcanoptforsomeadvancetherapywithmagnets. Magnetic therapy is effective in controlling arthritic pain.'Magnet wraps' strapped above the kneecap has proven to havereducedarthriticswellingandsofteningofjointinflammation.5.Dehydrationhasbeenoneof theunderlyingcausesof jointpain.Consumptionofmagnetizedwaterhasapositiveeffect on relievingjointpain.6.Poorposture,over thecourseof time,affectsour joints.Fatigue,badsleepingposition,sittinginfrontofthecomputeratworkforlongdurations, and extensive travelling has an adverse effect on yourposture. Light stretches during the course of the day can help inmaintaining a good posture, which will also help in minimizingbackacheandmuscularpain.7.Wearing high heeled and ill-fitted shoes frequentlyweaken bodyalignment, eventually putting pressure on the joints. Opt for shoeinserts/gel heels and insoles, they not only absorb shocks but alsokeepsyouranklefromrolling.

8.Postmenopause,womensufferfromgradualboneloss.Thiscanbe controlled by consuming mineralized water on a regular basis.Calciumisparticularlyimportantasitisoneofthemajorconstituentsinkeepingyourbonesstrongandhealthy.Magnetizedwatercontainsessential minerals such as iron, calcium and magnesium that arecrucial for maintaining bone density and preventing osteoporosis.9.Consumingawholesomedietconsistingofessentialmineralsandproteinswillmaketheboneshealthyandstrong.Avoidfoodstuffthatisrichincarbohydratesandfattyacids,likefriedandprocessedfooditems, sugar & dairy products, because these food items canconstitutetotheswellingofjoints.10.Lightlymassagingthekneesandtheshouldersusingoliveoilcanhelp significantly in relieving joint pain and inflammations. Whilemassaging the joint, thedirectionofyourstrokesshouldbe towardsthe heart. However, if you feel the pain is unusual and is causingextremedifficultyinyourday-to-daylife,thenconsultaphysician

Nearly70,000childrensufferfromdiabetes!

Five-year-oldKratiDhawanoftencomplainedofabdominalpainandeven lost weight. She underwent a series of tests for stomachinfection, which tested negative. It was only after the girl's mothersaidherdaughterwasdrinkingalotofwaterandurinatingfrequentlythatshegotblood-sugartestsdonewhichconfirmedtype1diabetes.Krati,whohadtobeimmediatelyputoninsulin-whichifnotstartedcouldhavepushedherintocoma-isnottheonlyone.

Anincreasingnumberofchildrenaredevelopingdiabetes,withupto90percentofallchildhooddiabetesbeingtype1,wherechildrenaredependentoninsulinforsurvival."Mostchildrenwith type1diabetesarenotdiagnosedon time.Theawareness levelsabout thediseasearenotashighas theyshouldbe,acommonassumptionbeingthatdiabetesaffectsadultsandnotchildren," I.P.S Kochar, paediatric adolescent endocrinologist anddiabetologistatIndraprasthaApolloHospital,toldIANS.According toRichaChaturvedi, diabetologist and endocrinologist atPushpawati Singhania Research Institute (PSRI) Hospital, thoughtherehasnotbeenanincreaseintype1diabetesamongchildreninIndia,type2diabeteshasrecordedanincrease,whichsheattributestorisingchildhoodobesity.Chaturvedi said it was also because children were having a "highcaloricdiet, junkfood,thereisalotof inactivity, lessoutdoorgamesandmoreofindoorgames"."Around 70,000 children under the age of 15 suffer from type 1diabetes.Another40,000havebeendiagnosedwithtype2diabetesandthisfigureisgrowingbyfivepercenteachyear."Sixty-eightpercenturbanchildrendon'texerciseregularly.Obesityisalso a common factor.Nearly nine percent of adolescents betweennineand18yearsofagehavemoreabdominalfat,"Chaturvedisaid.Diabetes describes a group of metabolic diseases in which thepersonhashighbloodglucose(bloodsugar),eitherbecause insulinproductionisinadequate,orbecausethebody'scellsdonotrespondproperlytoinsulin,orboth.

While type 1 is an autoimmune disease where children aredependenton insulin forsurvival, type2 isdue to insulin resistanceand is seen in obese children with a family history of diabetes.According to the Diabetes Foundation of India, about 50.9 millionpeople in Indiasuffer fromdiabetes,and this figurewas likely togoupto80millionby2025,makingitthe'DiabetesCapital'oftheworld.Manoj Chadha, consultant endocrinologist at Hinduja Hospital inMumbai, told IANS that type 1 diabetes in children was in largemajority,withcertainpocketsinthesouthandthenortheastreportingequalincidenceofbothtypesinchildren.Listing a few symptoms, Chadha said: "Excessive urine, thirst andhunger,unexplainedweightlossandfatiguearesomeofthecommonsymptoms.Alloftheseoccurduetoinsulindeficiency."AnupMisra, chairmanof theFortisC-DOCcentre of excellence fordiabetes and metabolic diseases, said: "Diabetes is beginning toappearmuch earlier in life in India,meaning that chronic long-termcomplicationsarebecomingmorecommon.""There is a 100 percent rise in diabetes in the age group of 20-40years," he said, adding that many patients were below 20 years.Abhishek Kulkarni, paediatric and adolescent endocrinologist at theJaslok Hospital and Research Centre in Mumbai, said the diet ofchildren with type 1 diabetes should have age appropriate calorieswith normal proportions of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.Experts said only type 2 diabetes can be preventedwith a healthylifestyle,exerciseandavoidingobesity.

While type1diabetescanbewellmanagedanddetectedearly, theexperts all unanimously called for greater awareness levels."The society and government should promote healthy lifestylethrough advocacy and legislation, if required," Ajay Kumar Ajmani,senior consultant, endocrinology, at BLK Super Specialty Hospital,toldIANS.He said schools and teachers can also adopt a fewmeasures likefocussing on the quality of canteen food, replacing junk food withlight,healthyfoodandalsogivingpreferencetooutdoorgames.

Whypeoplecryevenwhentheyarehappy

Peopleovercomestrongpositiveemotionswith tearsof joy, saysastudy, adding that crying actually helps them recover from thesituation."Tears flow when people are overwhelmed with strong positiveemotionsandpeoplewhodothisseemtorecoverbetterfromthosestrong emotions," said psychologist Oriana Aragon at the YaleUniversityintheUS."People restore emotional equilibrium with these expressions," sheadded.Aragon and her colleagues at Yale ran participants through someemotionalscenariossuchascutebabiesoracryingspousewho isreunitedwithhersoldierhusbandreturningfromwar,andmeasuredtheirresponses.

They found that individuals who express negative reactions topositivenewswereabletomoderateintenseemotionsmorequickly.They also found people, who are most likely to cry at their child'sgraduation are most likely to want to pinch a cute baby's cheeks.There is also some evidence that strong negative feelings mayprovokepositiveexpressions.Forexample,nervous laughterappearswhenpeopleareconfrontedwith a difficult or frightening situations, and we also smile duringextremesadness."The new discoveries begin to explain common things that manypeople do but do not even understand themselves," Aragon said."These insights advance our understanding of how people expressandcontroltheiremotions,whichisimportantlyrelatedtomentalandphysicalhealth,thequalityofrelationshipswithothers,andevenhowwellpeopleworktogether,"sheconcluded.ThepaperwaspublishedinthejournalPsychologicalScience.

Researchers studying cl imate changeadaptationamongTamilNadufarmers

TIRUNELVELI: Researchers from Ashoka Trust for Research inEcology and the Environment (ATREE) and AzimPremji University(APU)haveinitiatedan18-monthstudyonclimatechangeadaptationamong farmers in theManimutharu Irrigation area in theTirunelvelidistrictofTamilNadu.

The study, funded by South Asian Network for Development andEnvironmentalEconomics(SANDEE),will look intohowfarmersarecopingwith irregularmonsoon, frequentdroughtsandfloods-someoftheimpactsofclimatechange.A peculiar situation is prevailing in theManimutharu Irrigation area.Water has not been released to the 80-foot channel from theManimutharudam in the last threeyears.However,waterhasbeenreleasedtothe40-footchannel.Thishasresultedinasituationwhereasetofvillageshas receivedwaterwhereasanothersetofvillageshave been experiencing a drought-like situation.Thishasgivenresearchersanopportunitytounderstandhowfarmersare coping with water shortage. The study will be helpful in policymaking,accordingtoresearchersfromATREE.

AfterUS-Chinadeal,Indiamayhavetoresetclimategoals

NEWDELHI:TheUS-Chinajointpledgetotakeactionstolimittheircarbon emissions may put pressure on India to commit somethingsubstantial by March next year when all countries are expected tocome out with their 'intended' goals of cutting emissions.The development is also seen as something that may trigger aclamourwithinIndiatode-linkitselffromChinaaheadofthemake-or-break global climate negotiations in Paris next year.Climate experts and environmentalists, on the other hand, believethatwhateverthetoptwoemittershavepledgediswellshortofwhatisneededfromthemtolimitwarmingto2degreesCelsiusbytheendofthecentury.

Shyam Saran, former special envoy of the PM on climate change,said, "This agreementwas expected.With a declared peak year of2030, China can continue ?increasing ?its carbon emissions untilthen,whichcouldbeaquestionableachievementforclimatechange."Indiahas, inamannerofspeaking,alreadyacceptedanemissionsceiling. In 2007, then PMManmohan Singh said India's per capitaemission would never exceed the average per capita emissionachievedbythedevelopedworld.Thelowerthelatter,theceilingforIndiatoowouldhavetobelower."Asectionwithin thegovernmentbelieves theUS-Chinadealwould,bydefault,giveIndiaenoughelbowroomtopeakitsemissionsome15or20yearsbeyond2030-theyeararoundwhichChinapromisedtoreachitspeakemission.ItmeansIndiamaytakeiteasyonitsmitigationpartandratherfocuson adaptation and increasing its share of renewable energy in thecountry's total energy mix - the stand which the Narendra Modigovernment may take while de-linking itself from China atinternationalplatformsonclimateissue.Commentingonthedeal,SunitaNarain,directorgeneralofCentreforScienceandEnvironment,said,"Itisaself-servingdealinwhichbothcountrieshaveagreed to converge their per capitaemissionsat 12tonnes in2030.This isahigh levelofemissionandnot in linewithmeeting the 2 degree Celsius temperature target mandated byIPCC."

She added, "India should push for a principle-based emissionsreduction target for all countries.This is theonlywaywecan forcetheUSandChinatoreducetheiremissionswhichareinlinewiththeplanetarylimits."

Experts say India shouldworkwithdeveloping countries to reachaconsensusonclimatedeal.CSE experts believe that India should now work harder withdevelopingcountriesandpushforanambitiousglobaldealwhich isequitable and saves the world from catastrophic climate impacts.Pointingout that the "dealputsasub-standardbenchmark forothercountriestofollow",CSE'sclimateexpertChandraBhushansaid,"Inthe name of getting a consensus in 2015, these two countries areforcingacatastrophicbusiness-as-usualdealontheworld.ThisdealisalsoarealitycheckforthegovernmentofIndiaaboutitsstanceonglobalclimatenegotiations.IndiawillhavetodecidewhetheritwantstofollowtheUS-Chinadealorcarveoutadifferentpathforitself."

Organicvegetablefair

Bangalore,November13:

Sahaja Organics, Nabard and SVP India will hold an organicvegetable fair in Bangalore on November 15 and 16 atMarigowdaHall, Lal Bagh, Bangalore. For details, call 080-26612315 or9945382209.OurBureau

‘Harvesting a fruit crop amonth can help t ide over labourcosts’

Mangalore,November13:

MostIndianfarmerscomplainaboutlabourshortagethesedays.ThecaseisnodifferentinHawaii.

In a recent chat withBusinessLine, Ken Love, a Hawaiian fruitgrowerandExecutiveDirectorofHawaiiTropicalFruitGrowers,saidthathegot feedbackabout labourshortageduringhisvisit to India,andsomefarmersinformedhimthattheypay$4-6adayforlabour.

InHawaii, thewage rate is around $15 an hour. “Even atwhatwehavetopaywecannotgethelp,”hesaid.

Accordingtohim,thediversityofcropscanhelptacklethisproblem.

Stating thateverymonth there isanothercropor two toharvest forhim,hesaidahalf-acregetspickedveryquickly.

Givingtheexampleofdifferentvarietiesofavocados,hesaidinsteadofharvestingSharwilavocadosinJanuary,nowthereareafewtreesof Kahaluu avocados to harvest in October, Malama avocados inNovember,andLindaavocadosinMarch.

There is always something to harvest; something to sell to thewholesaler the grocery store or to some chefs who use fruits asingredients,hesaid.

“Wearebetteroffwhenwecansellalittleofmanydifferentcropsatdifferenttimesinsteadofalotofoneortwoitemsatonetimeofyearwheneveryoneelsehasthesamecrop,”Lovesaid.

In the long run, the growermakesmoremoneywith lesswork andlesserstress.However,headvisedthatthegrowermayhavetobuildmarketsforsomeoftheunusualfruits.“Butonceyoudo,youwillbefaraheadofthosewhodon’t,”headded.

Pricefallupsetsrubberoutput

Thesharpandsustainedfallinpriceshassparkedaseriousconcernover India’srubberoutput this year, as small-and medium-scalefarmers have reportedly neglected the crop.InOctober,themonthlyproductionwas58,000tonnes—33percentless than the 86,000 tonnes in the same month last year.

October toDecember is thepeak rubber season in India, aswinterfavourstheproductionofmorelatex.Around35percentofthetotalyearly production is carried out during this time.Butthisyear,thestoryisdifferent.Plantersclaimthatrubbertappinghas not picked up. “No rubber is being tapped inmost plantations,especially the small- and medium-scale ones, for the last threemonths, as the current price will not even cover the wages of thelabourers,” said Benny Kuriakose, a planter based in Kasragode,around550kmnorthofstatecapitalThiruvananthapuram.Thepriceof benchmark gradeRSS-4 rubberhas dropped to Rs 118 per kgacross the state. In the northern districts, many farmers want todispose of their plantations. Many farmer have stopped tappingcompletely, leading to the whopping fall in production. ConsumptionincreasedonepercentinOctoberandamajorchunkofthe domestic demandwasmet through import, which increased 28percent.Lastyear,theimportfigureforOctoberwas28,880tonnes;this year, it rose to 36,865 tonnes.“The low production has been continuous for the last eight to 10months. It is likely to continue for the rest of the year,” said N.Radhakrishnan,aleadingKochi-basedtrader,addingthattherubberplanterswereinaseriousquandary.For theApril-Octoberperiodof thisyear, theproductiondroppedby10percent to3,90,000 tonnescompared to4,31,000 tonnes in thesameperiodlastyear.

Ontheconsumptionside,however,thetrendwasreverse.AccordingtotheRubberBoard,itincreasedby3.4percent.Totalconsumptionfor thisperiod thisyearwas5,92,485 tonnescompared to5,73,110tonnes.Sources said the difference between production and consumptionwas likely to cross a deficit of 2,00,000 tonnes till the end of thefinancialyear,makingimportsinevitable.Globally,thepriceofrubberwaslessthaninthedomesticmarketbyRs16-18perkg.Theimportwouldweakenthepriceinthedomesticmarketfurther,asthe industries would not depend on the local supply anymore.DuringtheApril-Octoberperiod,Indiaimported2,63,683tonnes—25per cent more than the figure last year, 2,10,580 tonnes. Sourcessaid, importsmay cross 4,00,000 tonnes in this financial year. Thiswill be an all time high.AlthoughthereisanoutcryinKeralaforbanningimport,itwillnotbepossible as the domestic production is too low The end-useindustries, especially tyre makers, have to ensure supply. So, anysortofactionaffectingimportwilljeopardisetheindustries.

Onion dehydration industry stares at reduction inseasonbytwomonths

The season might be reduced to four months from theusual six months at onion dehydration unit located inSaurashtraHigheronionpricesarisingoutofshortsupplymightmeanasmallerseason for theonion dehydrationindustry this year. According todehydration units in Saurashtra, mainly concentrated in MahuvatalukaofBhavnagardistrict,inGujarat,theseasonmightbereducedtofourmonthsfromtheusualsix.“Whiteonion,which isgenerallyused fordehydration,will reach themarketsinDecember.WewillbeginpurchasingbyDecember-endorJanuary beginning. We expect production to decrease because ofdelayed and weak monsoon and lower sowing. As a result, theseason may be short by two months this time," said Kirit Mehta,president, All India Dehydration Association.According to industry sources, arrival ofkharifonion has not yetbegun from other producing states such as Maharashtra andKarnatakatoGujarat.Now,only10,000-12,000bagsarriveadayatthe Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) at Mahuva,downfromtheusual17,000-18,000bags.Under normal circumstances, onion dehydration commences inJanuaryandcontinues till July.However, theseason isexpected toend byMay this time because of low production and unfavourableprice.

ThepriceofdehydratedonionintheinternationalmarketisbetweenRs120andRs130akg.The industryneeds toreducetheprice toRs100-110akgduringtheseason,forwhichthewholesalepriceinthe domestic market of onion should be below Rs 10 a kg.AsgarChattariya, secretary,All IndiaDehydrationAssociation, said:“Priceisthebiggestfactorforthedehydratedonionindustryandwehave to maintain both the domestic as well as the internationalmarkets. If we do notmaintain prices, we will lose business in theglobalmarket.”AnypriceaboveRs10akg inthedomesticmarket isnotviableforthedehydrationindustry.OnionpriceisintherangeofRs7-12akginthewholesalemarket.He said, “If the price of onion goes above Rs 10 a kg during thecurrent season, it will spell trouble for us and in that scenario, wehave no choice but to close production before time.”Theoniondehydration industrydependson themarketas ithasnobigmarketinthecountry.India has75dehydrationunits, ofwhich65are located inMahuva.Industry experts say while 15 per cent of dehydratedonionsisconsumed domestically, the rest is shipped to Europe, theUS andRussia,amongothercountries. Industrysourcessay10kgof freshoniongives1kgofdehydratedonion,astherawcommoditycontainsaround90percentofwater.Onekgofdehydratedonion turns into10kgonceputintowater.

Indo-USfooddealatWTOIndia today achieved a major victory with the USA agreeing to itsproposal on food security issues at WTO, a development that willpave the way for a breakthrough to end the three-month longstalemate. The agreement comes two days ahead of the G-20Summit in Australia, which will be attended by Prime MinisterNarendraModi and other world leaders including theUSPresidentBarackObama. The two-daymeet begins on Saturday in Brisbaneand WTO related matters are likely to come up during discussionbetweenworldleaders.Aspertheagreement,theUSAwillsupportIndia'sproposalatWTOthat'peaceclause',crucialforuninterruptedimplementationofIndia'sfood security programme, should continue indefinitely until apermanentsolutionisfound.This will enable India to continue procurement and stocking offoodgrain for distribution to poor under its food security programmewithout attracting any kind of action fromWTOmembers even if itbreaches the 10 per cent subsidy cap as prescribed by themultilateraltradebody.As per the Bali agreement, the peace clause was to continue till2017.ThedifferencesonthepublicstockholdingoffoodgrainsbetweenthedevelopedcountriesledbytheUSAanddevelopingnationsincludingIndia led to an impasse over ratification of the trade facilitationagreement (TFA) at Geneva in July. The agreement between theUSA and India, according to WTO Director General RobertoAzevedo, will provide a basis to intensify consultations with otherWTO members to overcome the present stalemate and promptlyimplementallBaliministerialdecisions.Briefing reporters, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said:“India and the US have successfully resolved their differences

relatingtotheissueofpublicstockholdingforfoodsecuritypurposesin theWTO inamanner thataddressesourconcerns.ThiswillendtheimpasseattheWTOandalsoopenthewayforimplementationoftheTFA”.Onthedevelopment,theUSTRsaidthatbothIndiaandtheUSA have reached an understanding on implementation of Balidecisions.“The bilateral agreement makes it clear that a mechanism underwhich WTO members will not challenge such food securityprogrammesunderWTOdisputesettlementprocedureswillremaininplaceuntilapermanentsolutionregardingthisissuehasbeenagreedand adopted,” the USTR today said. Following the agreementbetween the two importantplayersof theWTO, itshighestdecisionmakingbodyGeneralCouncilwilldeliberateupontheproposalinthesecondweekofDecember.