Agriculture World August 2018

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Industrial Use of Vegetable Oil

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Perspectives on household waste In conversation with

Thai Ambassador AUGUST 2018

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I C U LT U R E a g r i c u l At G u R r e

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Editor-in-Chief MC Dominic Directors Shiny Dominic MG Vasan Editor V R Ajith Kumar

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Technical Editors Dr. B C Biswas Dr. Mahendra Pal (Vet. Sci.)

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Assistant Editor Karthika.B.P Associate Editors Sreeja.S.Nair Monika Mondal Dr. Sangeeta Soi Asha Sadasiv Sr. Correspondent Imran Khan Correspondent Vibhuti Narayan Social Media Head Aniket Sinha

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Interview with Thailand Ambassador Monika Mondal

Interview with SOPA Director Monika Mondal

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil Asha Sadasiv

Industrial Use of Vegetable Oil Karthika B P

Perspectives on Household Waste

Dr M Rajeshwar Naik & Dr V Ravinder Naik

Drip Irrigation: A Disease Management Strategy K K Sharma & D S Rana

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Photo Story

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Off Season Vegetable Cultivation under Low Cost Polyhouse R

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Usha Ramesh

K Yadav & B S Tomar

Extrusion Cooking: A Fast Growing Industry V R AjithKumar

Plant Breeding: A Journey from Art, Science to Technology Dr Navdeep Singh Jamwal

Neutraceutical Regulations of FSSAI Pradip Chakraborty

Super Absorbent Hydrogels for More Drop per Crop Sanjay Swami

Pesticides in Indian Scenario Pushpendra Koli

Sr. Marketing Exectives Chunki Bhutia Poonam Bishwakarma Rinki Pundir

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Editorial

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nion Government declared a reasonably good minimum support price(MSP) for all Kharif crops, that will definitely boost the farmers income than that of the previous year. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made such a historic decision eyeing the coming state elections and the central election.

By announcing it, Union Government fulfills its commitment of providing at least 150 percent of the cost of production announced in 2018-19 budget. The MSP will benefit the farmers who cultivate paddy, jowar, bajra, ragi, maize, arhar, moong, urad, ground nut, sun flower seed, soya bean, sesamum, niger seed and cotton.

The assessment was made over all paid costs such as hired human labour, bullock labour/ machinery labour, rent paid for leased land, expenses on use of material inputs like seeds, fertilizers, manures, irrigation charges, depreciation on implements, miscellaneous expenses and inputted value of family labour. If the Government machinery works properly to procure the crops directly from the farmer and on time, the farmer suicide will become an old story for India and the Government can pride on that.

It is really a paradigm shift from the agricultural policies followed since now and may help in doubling the farmers’ income by 2022. It will also help the farmers to shift from traditional crops to those which help to earn more. In fact, the increase in the MSP of Niger seed at 1827 per quintal, moong by 1400 per quintal, sun flower seed by 1288 per quintal and cotton by 1130 per quintal is unpredicted. The highest percentage increase in MSP is for ragi (52.47%) followed by jowar (42.94%). The committee considered the nutrition insecurity, soil infertility and water depletion of our country, while the MSP of pulses and millets increased reasonably. MSP of arhar has been raised by Rs.225 per quintal yielding a return over cost by 65.36% and urad by Rs.200 per quintal with return over cost by 62.89% to maintain inter crop price parity. Similarly, the MSP of bajra has been raised by Rs.525 per quintal yielding a return of 96.97% over cost.

The success of this promulgation depends largely on the active involvement of Food Corporation of India (FCI), National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), Small Farmers Agri Business Consortium, Cotton Corporation of India and other designated agencies. Presently, the procurement system is poor and ill equipped. A minimal satisfactory system exists only for paddy and that too in selected states. Should the Government have a concrete plan on procurement of all Kharif crops ? It really be a political tool and hope that may work in this election year !!

MC Dominic Editor-in-Chief

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International news

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Coffee improves heart functions in elderly

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rinking four cups of coffee daily enhances the function of heart cells as well as help recover from heart attacks, say researchers. The study, conducted on mice showed that coffee promotes movement of a regulatory protein. This might be a healthy addiction, especially in older adults. The study was published in the journal PLOS Biology.

The researchers examined behavioral patterns of a group of mice. The findings revealed that coffee promotes movement of a regulatory protein into mitochondria -- cell powerhouse -- which further enhances their function to protect cardiovascular cells from damage. The scientists revealed that the protein called p27, an inhibitor of the cell cycle, was present

in mitochondria in the major cell types of the heart.

This p27 promoted migration of endothelial cells, protected heart muscle cells from cell death and triggered the conversion of fibroblasts into cells containing contractile fibres - (all of these factors were crucial for repair of heart muscle after myocardial infarction or heart attack) and did so at a concentration that is reached in humans by drinking four cups of coffee, the researchers said. Caffeine was found protective against heart damage in pre-diabetic, obese mice, and in aged mice. And scientists are affirmative that coffee’s protective effects should work like a charm for human beings too.

Biogenic to convert light to energy

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cientists at the University of British Columbia have found a cheap, sustainable way to build a solar cell using bacteria that convert light to energy. These solar cells called “biogenic” are made of living organisms could become as efficient as the synthetic cells used in conventional solar panels. These types of bacteria are adept at converting light to energy.

of 0.686 milliamps per square centimetre -- an improvement on the 0.362 achieved by others in

Solar cells are the building blocks of solar panels.

They do the work of converting light into electrical current. Previous efforts to build biogenic solar cells have focused on extracting the natural dye that bacteria use for photosynthesis. It’s a costly and complex process that involves toxic solvents and can cause the dye to degrade.

The UBC researchers’ genetically engineered E. coli to produce large amounts of lycopene -- a dye that gives tomatoes their red-orange colour and is particularly effective at harvesting light for conversion to energy. The researchers coated the bacteria with a mineral that could act as a semiconductor, and applied the mixture to a glass surface.

With the coated glass acting as an anode at one end of their cell, they generated a current density 8

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the field. The researchers hope that they can find a way in which the dye can be produced indefinitely, without killing the bacteria. www.krishijagran.com

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SMOOTHING WRINKLES IN CELLS COULD REVERSE AGEING

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KOALA BEAR GENOME DECODED

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team of Australian and international scientists have made a significant break-through successfully sequencing the full koala genome, with the findings published in Nature Genetics .The koalas of Australia have been an unsolved mystery among scientists for their strange eating habits, they enjoy the leaves of eucalyptus that would be toxic or even fatal to most mammals —and their exceptional parental care.

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cientists have found that removing wrinkles inside our cells could be the key to curing or preventing unwanted effects of ageing such as diabetes, fatty liver disease and other metabolic diseases even turning back the clock on ageing itself. The age-related complications may be the result of our cells’ ‘nuclei’ the compartment containing our DNA – getting wrinkly which prevents our genes from functioning properly, the researchers found. The findings, published in the journal Aging Cell, suggest that it may be possible to use viruses to smooth the surfaces of nuclear membranes which encase the nucleus and restore the cells to functioning as they did in the glow of youth.

The membrane wrinkling stems from a lack of a substance called lamin, a cellular protein that comes in various forms. By putting the appropriate lamin back, it might be possible to smooth out the membrane.

In the study, the researchers showed that the location of our DNA inside the cell’s nucleus is critically important. Genes that are turned off are shoved up against the nuclear membrane. But with age, our nuclear membranes become lumpy and irregular, and that prevents genes from turning off appropriately. Looking at a model of fatty liver disease, researchers found that our liver become studded with fat as we age because of the wrinkly nuclear membranes.

The accumulation of fat in the liver can cause serious health effects, increasing the risk of Type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, even potentially leading to death.

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The whole genome was found to consist of over 26,000 genes. The genome provides a springboard for the conservation of this biologically unique species. Researchers found expansions within a particular gene family (P450 gene) and reported that these genes help the koala detoxify the eucalyptus leaves. These genes were found to be expressed in many tissues, especially the liver, indicating its role in detoxification.

The highly accurate genomic data will provide scientists with new information that will improve conservation efforts, aid in the treatment of diseases, and help to ensure the koala’s long-term survival.

Researchers also found novel lactation proteins in the koala bears. They reported that these proteins protect the young ones in the pouch and help it develop a strong immune system. Koala bears are born after just 34-36 days of gestation without an immune system and spend almost six months developing in the pouch. It also appears these proteins may have an antimicrobial role, showing activity against a range of bacterial and fungal species, including Chlamydia pecorum, the strain known to cause ocular and reproductive disease in koalas. The koala bear has a highly specific diet and habitat loss and clearing of native vegetation has brought down its population.

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International news

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Biggest krill companies limit fishing in Antarctic waters

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ntarctic krill fishing companies have announced that they will voluntarily stop operating in key areas around the Antarctic Peninsula. Krill are small crustaceans that are a keystone species in the Antarctic, forming a crucial part of the food web. They are a vital food source for animals including whales, seals and penguins.

They also help sequester carbon from the atmosphere, which can help to mitigate the effects of climate change.

There are huge numbers of krill in Antarctic waters, but some studies show that their numbers have declined in recent decades, which has prompted groups like Greenpeace to campaign for the krill fishing industry to stop operations in sensitive areas.

The five companies that have made the commitment together form the Association

of Responsible Krill Harvesting Companies (ARK), and represent 85 percent of the Antarctic krill fishing industry, according to Greenpeace. They will cease fishing in certain ecologically sensitive areas around the Antarctic Peninsula by 2020.

The announcement was made at Greenpeace’s Antarctic 360° event in Cambridge, UK. Fishing for Antarctic krill has fallen since its peak in the 1980s, but there’s been a recent revival to service a growing demand for dietary supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids, and to provide feed for fish farms. The ARK companies also pledged support for the creation of a network of marine protected areas, including a protective area spanning 1.8 million square kilometers in the oceans around Antarctica, a proposal put forward by the EU.

Plants may soon create own fertilizer from thin air to scientists Himadri Pakrasi and Maitrayee Bhattacharyya.

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t may soon be possible to engineer plants that can develop their own fertilizer by using atmospheric nitrogen to create chlorophyll for photosynthesis, according to a team of Indian-origin researchers in the U.S. The researchers from Washington University in St. Louis engineered bacteria that uses photosynthesis to create oxygen during the day, and at night, uses nitrogen to create chlorophyll for photosynthesis.

The research, published in the journal mBio, could eliminate the use of some human-made fertilizer, which has a high environmental cost.

This discovery could have a revolutionary effect on agriculture and the health of the planet, according

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The research rooted on the fact that, although there are no plants that can fix nitrogen from the air, there is a subset of cyanobacteria that is able to do so. The bacteria used in this research, Cyanothece, are able to fix nitrogen because it has a circadian rhythm.

Cyanothece photosynthesis during the day, converting sunlight to the chemical energy they use as fuel, and fix nitrogen at night, after removing most of the oxygen created during photosynthesis through respiration, researchers said.

The research team took the genes from Cyanothece, responsible for this day-night mechanism, and put them into another type of cyanobacteria, Synechocystis, to coax it into fixing nitrogen from the air too. The next steps for the team are to dig deeper into the details of the process, perhaps narrow down even further the subset of genes necessary for nitrogen fixation.

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Tree of 40 fruits

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ree of 40 fruits, Is it an artwork or reality? Surely, this question will arise in your mind. Simply, we can say that it’s an art turned reality.

In 2008, while searching for specimens to create an art project based on a multicolored flower tree, Sam Van Aken, an art teacher who had grown up on a farm, purchased a three-acre orchard at the New York State Agricultural Experimental Station. This orchard, which was about to close, produced a large number of drupes fruits (peaches, apricots). There he created the first Van Aken Tree of 40 Fruit that provides 40 different types of fruits.

Working with a group of over 250 varieties of drupes, Sam Van Aken developed a timeline of when each of them blossomed and began grafting them onto a tree. Once the tree was about two years old, Van Aken used a technique called bud grafting to add more varieties to separate branches.

In 2013, after five years of work involving several grafted branches, the first Van Aken Fruit Tree was completed. There are currently 16 in museums, gardens, and private collections.

The Van Aken Tree looks like a regular tree most of the year, but in spring it is full of colors, white, pink, red, and purple flowers. Then, with the arrival of summer, different varieties of plums, peaches, apricots, nectarines, cherries, and almonds start to appear.

These Van Aken Tree specimens are not only beautiful but also help to preserve the diversity of the drupes. Globally, these fruits are selected for commercial cultivation based primarily on how long they last, then what size they grow in, how they look and, finally, their taste. That means that there are thousands of varieties of drupes in the world, but only a few are considered commercially viable, even if they are not the best tasting or most nutritious.

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National news

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INDO-GERMAN COOPERATION ON SEED DEVELOPMENT PROJECT EXTENDED

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he Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Germany has extended the Indo-German Cooperation on Seed Development project by three years. It has also announced establishing an Indo-German Knowledge Centre in Hyderabad for capacity-building of seed industry in India, particularly Telangana.

TEA BOARD PLANS TO BRAND TRIPURA TEA As part of promoting Tripura tea in national and international markets, Tea Board of India is planning a logo and brand for the brew from the state. In Tripura, about 6,885 hectares of land are under tea cultivation and the state has 56 operational tea estates of which 42 are privately owned.

Recently, a news agency has reported that a huge amount of processed tea from Tripura is smuggled through the border and sold as Assam tea or Darjeeling tea in markets.

Experts assume that this new decision for branding will mitigate the chances of smuggling and will increase the demand for Tripura tea in global markets.

Officials of the Agriculture Department said that the existing two-year Indo-German seed project initiated to support the Indian seed industry in providing the country’s farmers with high-quality seeds, strengthening their competitive position and improving conditions for international cooperation would conclude by the year-end.

Centre to link 22,000 rural markets to e-NAM portal

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he Central government has announced that 22,000 rural markets would be linked to the electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) by 2020 as part of its drive to double the income of farmers.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat opined that these 22,000 rural markets will be upgraded to Gramin Agricultural Markets and linked with the e-NAM to enable farmers’ sale directly to potential buyers.

At present, 585 regulated mandis in 14 States are linked with the electronic National Agriculture Market (eNAM) launched in April 2016.

The e-NAM is a pan-India electronic trading portal, a network of the existing Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities. The portal provides a single window service for all APMC related information and services.

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WORLD

Walmart invests $ 2 million in ICRISAT Agri project

CMFRI to implement cage farming project in Kerala

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he Central Marine Fisheries Institute (CMFRI) is going to make a significant move in domestic fish production in Kerala. It will implement Rs 15 crore projects to launch 500 cage farming units in the state. The farmers will be offered subsidy and technical support to carry out the cage culture under the scheme funded by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad.

The programme will be implemented in coastal districts of the state. It is aimed at improving the living standards of the people in the coastal regions of the state, besides ensuring the availability of quality and fresh fish across the state.

Species such as sea bass, pearl spot, cobia, pompano and red snapper will be farmed in cages with a size of 4 metre width and length and 3 metre depth.

Walmart Foundation has invested $2 million in a project headed by International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropic (ICRISAT) to support small holder farmers in Andhra Pradesh. The project aims at improving their business model to realize better value chain and a better income.

The two-year project will cover 6,000 smallholder farmers including women farmers in the dry lands of Andhra Pradesh. The project will set up community-based millet and legume processing facilities. It will provide access to training and more productive plant varieties, besides educating buyers in the market about the nutritional value of grain legumes to help boost demand.

Representatives of Walmart and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropic (ICRISAT) launched the project in New Delhi. The project will have twin objectives of doubling farmers’ income and addressing malnutrition in rural areas.

About 40 percent of the total expense will be given as subsidy to the farmers who conduct farming individually or in groups. Women and SC/ST category will get 60 percent subsidy. In addition to this, three aqua one labs will be set up in the state to help farmers for the smooth conduct of the cage farming. The lab will provide services such as water quality check, sediment analysis, seed transportation, disease management etc.

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National news

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INDIA-DENMARK COOPERATION ON ANIMAL HUSBANDRY & DAIRY GOT APPROVAL

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he Union Cabinet gave approval for the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India and Denmark in the field of animal husbandry and dairy.

The MoU, which was signed on April 16, 2018, aims to develop bilateral cooperation in the field of animal husbandry and dairying for the purpose of broadening the existing knowledge base on dairy development and institutional strengthening.

Under the agreement, a joint working group consisting of representatives from both the countries will be created to formulate joint programmes, facilitate cooperation and consultation and subsequent evaluation. According to the officials, the Danish partnership is expected to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise in the areas of animal breeding, animal health and dairy fodder management besides helping in raising production and productivity of Indian livestock.

NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR SHRIMP FEED

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isheries University of Tamil Nadu has developed a new feed that will aid in the growth of the vannamei shrimp and the tilapia fish.

The feed named Nutrifloc has been developed by using biofloc, a new technology that obviates the need for the use of plankton in aquaculture. The technology reduces the use of water, brings down power consumption and cuts the cost of feed. With the adoption of

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the technology, aquaculture can be done indoors as well since sunlight would be required only for those using plankton.

The team has applied for a patent for the technology. According to University, due to an increase in shrimp production that has lead to a fall in prices, many farmers have been forced to sell at very low prices.

This feed would cost at least �20 less per kg than the commercial fish-meal based feed and would evidently help farmers.

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COTTON MISSION MAHARASHTRA SIGNS MoU WITH MCX

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aharashtra Government has signed MoU with Multi Commodity Exchange of India Limited (MCX), India’s largest commodities exchange platform, to launch Cotton Mission to empower cotton farmers in the state.

The mission aims to create value chain with final market linkages for thousands of cotton farmers in Vidarbha region of the state.

Under this mission, MCX will partner with state agriculture department and other agencies to work loosely with Farmer Producer Organizations and help them connect to its organized market network for building their capabilities. It will work with State Government to identify and create farmer groups and work towards equipping these groups to access regulated markets. This will also enable farmer to participate in transparent price discovery mechanism and sell their produce in national market for better price realization.

WORLD NDRI TO PRODUCE 25 CLONES OF ELITE BUFFALO

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aryana centered National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), in collaboration with the Hisar-based Central Institute for Research on Buffalo (CIRB), is planning to produce multiple copies of elite buffalo bull by using animal cloning technique. Under this project, assigned by ICAR, the NDRI will produce 25 elite bulls in four years to meet the increasing demand of superior germplasm in the country.

Though India has the world’s largest population of buffaloes, which contribute to about 55 percent of the total milk production in the country, the percentage of elite animals is very low. Recently, the researchers have found a method to produce cloned embryos from tissues obtained from dead animals, including buffalo, cattle and dog.

INDIAN SPICE EXPORT TOUCHES A RECORD IN FY18

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uring 2017-18, India exported a record 10,28,060 tonnes of spices and spice products valued at Rs 17,929.55 crore, against 9,47,790 tonnes worth Rs 17,664.61 crore in the previous year.

According to Spices Board, compared to the target of 1.023 million tonnes, valued at Rs 17,665 crore for FY18, the achievement was 100 per cent in terms of volume, 101 per cent in rupees, and 105 per cent in dollar terms. Small cardamom, chilli and cumin are the major gainers this year. Other spices include garlic, asafetida and tamarind and value added products like curry powder, spice oils and oleoresins have also increased the demand for Indian spices.

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Exports of small cardamom created an all-time record, with shipments of 5,680 tonnes valued at Rs 609.08 crore as against 3,850 tonnes worth Rs 421.50 crore a year earlier, registering an increase of 48 per cent in volume and 45 per cent in value. Chilli export fetched an amount of Rs 4,256.33 crore for 4,43,900 tonnes, While volumes increased by 11 per cent , the value declined by 16 per cent from the previous year due to volatility in prices of chilli in international markets. Mint products fetched the second highest revenue among spices with a volume of 21,500 tonnes worth Rs 3,228.35 crore. The value rose by 28 per cent but volumes fell 3.5 per cent. Cumin exports touched 1,43,670 tonnes valued at Rs 2,418 crore, increasing 21 per cent in volumes and 23 per cent in value.

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Corporate news

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Parijat introducing three news products to fight against pests Crystal Crop launches seven new products in India

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gro-chemical firm Crystal Crop Protection has launched seven new products to boost farm productivity.

Two fungicides ‘Azotrix’ for paddy crop and ‘Pluton’ for tomato crop to control diseases, and two herbicides ‘Penoxa’ to check weeds in paddy and ‘Penadril Plus’ for crops like cotton, chilli and soyabean has been introduced, the company said in a statement.

Among insecticides, the company has launched three products ‘Neo Super’, ‘Lunox’ to kill lepidopteran pests and ‘Umpire’ for sugarcane. Crystal Crop Protection has diversified into seeds, exports and agri-equipment businesses.

IG International ties up with Peru’s Camet Trading for Avacado importing

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eading fresh fruit importer IG international has tied up with Camet Trading, Peru’s leading fresh and processed fruit trader, to import fresh Peruvian avocados to India.

Through the first sea shipment of Peruvian Hass avocados, IG International will receive a 40-foot container carrying 4,000 boxes of avocados, which will be distributed in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Cochin.

IG International imports 31 global varieties of fruits from across 22 countries. With the introduction of Hass and Fuerte avocados from Camet Trading in India, the company has further expanded its wide range of fresh fruit offerings to cater to the growing demand for exotic fruits in the country. Camet Trading produces both Hass and Fuerte variants of avocados, and is one of the leading exporters of Hass avocados in Peru.

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grochemical firm Parijat Industries has launched three new products Aadat, Tegata & Rakha in India this Kharif season for control of different insects, pests and diseases and to improve farmers’ yield.

Aadat is a unique combination of an insecticide and a fungicide and is focused for use in paddy cultivation. It is useful for the management of insect and disease inoculum in paddy like blast and stem borer. Aadat controls insects through contact as well as systemic mode of action. It offers an assured control with the two most proven molecules. The product has been launched as a vaccination program for rice saplings in nursery before transplantation that offer preventive benefits for the crop through its adult life.

Tegata is again an insecticide. This product gives complete protection against Stem Fly, Girdle Beetle, Semilooper etc in Soybean.

Furthermore, it is registered for use in Cotton, Maize, Groundnut and Chili against different pests such as Jassids, Aphids, Thrips, Bollworms, Fruit Borer, Shootfly, etc.

The third product Rakha is another prime herbicide that is useful to control narrow leaf weeds in Soybean, Cotton, Groundnut, Blackgram and Onion. It will help farmers to control different weeds and thus increase the productivity of the field. Rakha completes Parijat’s comprehensive weed management portfolio in Soybean and already strong with its Shapat and Imaze Super molecules. www.krishijagran.com

AG R I C U LT U R E

WORLD IFFCO launches e-commerce platform for farmers

I ASSOCHAM AWARDS DHANUKA AGRITECH WITH ‘WATER MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE AWARD’ 2018

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hanuka Agritech Limited, India’s leading agrochemicals company, has won the ASSOCHAM Water Management Excellence Award 2018 in the ‘Excellence in the field of water education and awareness’ category.

The company has been awarded for promoting water conservation for farmers at various levels.

Under its flagship campaign ‘Khet ka pani khet mein aur gaon ka pani gaon mein’, Dhanuka Agritech has undertaken multiple initiatives to popularize water conservation practices. Every year, the company celebrates World Water Day in partnership with prestigious National Institutes and State Agricultural Universities and organizes educative lecturers by industry leaders on water conservation.

ndian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), a large-scale fertilizer cooperative federation has taken another step to serve and connect the farmers digitally by launching a social e-commerce app and web portal, “IFFCO iMandi”. iMandi is a strategic investment

by IFFCO eBazar Ltd, which is 100percent subsidiary of IFFCO with iMandi Pte Ltd, a Singapore based technology company. The objective of this initiative is to bring the benefits of digital technologies to every farmer, and bring the digital revolution to rural India, according to the statement released by IFFCO. iMandi would address all needs of the farming community and aims to cater to captive user base of 55 million farmers, said U S Awasthi, IFFCO Managing Director. The App was launched in Chandigarh.

The company has also implemented various water harvesting units in various parts of Rajasthan so that farmers have access to water for irrigation. In addition, Dhanuka had made a ‘community water centre’ in Banethi Village in Rajasthan for providing fluoride-free safe drinking water to people. The company strongly supports the government’s agenda for water conservation for irrigation and promotes ‘Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana’ for enhanced water efficiency through `Per Drop More Crop’.

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Interview

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Thailand eyes India as potentially a robust trade partner (In conversation with Thai Ambassador to India - H E Chutintorn Gongsakdi)

Monika Mondal

Associate Editor, Krishi Jagran monika@krishijagran.com

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aving studied Economics and then his participation in international forums like WTO & APEC, the Ambassador of Thailand to India has a very affirmative stance on the Indo-Thai economic and commercial participation. The countries which share a total trade of $10 billion, though has many common problems but they are very different in many aspects.

Thailand, lately opened its first store by CP group in India, which was supported by the

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Ministry of Food Processing and hence the partnership between nations seems to be turning robust. Both the country’s population is formed by majority of farmers and those who are associated with farming. H. E. Mr. Chutintorn Gongsakdi draws light on few of the distressed and envisages a prospect for the development of both the nations.

The excerpts from the interview with our representative Monika Mondal

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The farmers in both the countries grapple with similar kinds of troubles, lack of education and innovation. Countries like us work really hard but are not getting paid worth the labour. Most of the farmers do have small holdings in both the countries.

What is the state of agriculture in Thailand ?

Agriculture contributes to 4% of Thai GDP. As in most of the countries, agriculture is treated as a political tool and hence the sector being one of the most important one is not the biggest income earner. The technology is trying to push the agri economy to move from primitive practices.

How do you compare the economical & social conditions of farmers in India and Thailand ?

The farmers in both the countries grapple with similar kinds of troubles, them being lack of education and innovation. Countries like us work really hard but are not getting paid worth the labour. Most of the farmers do have small holdings in both the countries. But the Thai farmers are diverging ways with news means of farming. Most of our agri exports are still limited to raw produce, but we should be taking the plunge to get more processed food and value added products.There is struggle between modern farming, large contract farming and independent farmers. Independent farmers are moving towards organic farming, where low price is less of a factor. Farmers are opening their option to many multi national companies, who are offering them contract farming.Farmers are not the richest people in society, because one can make more from other professions, than farming. Prices fluctuate a lot, suppose for once the prices for rubber are drawn good, next year due to super harvest, the prices contract.

How are the trade relations between India and Thailand ?

We do a trade of about $10 million, from which India exports $3 billion worth of products to Thailand. Thailand exports few food products, computer parts, air conditioning, clothes and car parts to India,while India exports few machineries and computer parts to Thailand. We need to explore the markets well and expect the engagement to flourish in the time to come.

We also share the trade business of $10 million with our neighbour Cambodia and hence,

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With India the possibilities are large. India is taking over some of the companies especially service industry. Also, a lot of Thais come to India for higher study.

Thailand is one of the largest exporters of agri commodities. How do you look at it ?

Thailand takes the number 12 on the ladder of largest exporters. USA, being number 1, exports about $10 billion, and us being at 12, exports only $2 billion. To be amongst the top 5 exporters, the numbers should touch the mark of at least $5 billion. Though we are largest exporters amongst others, but substantially we need to make huge progress.

Please comment on the governmental support and policy intervention for the Thai Agriculture ?

Government supports the farmers in the same way in which Indian government supports the farmers with price guarantee schemes and other developments. Smart farming project is ongoing in the country under which the young farmers are given exposure to countries like Holland, which works as an inspiration to the farmers of the country. Few selected farmers get this privilege and they promulgate innovative ideas amongst the community.

These innovations fills the development voids which other wise is difficult considering lack of knowledge and capital to invest. Farmers are experimenting with hydroponics and organic produce, where getting fair price is less of a factor. Unlike the farmers of developed countries, where they use airplanes for crop protection, the farmers of India & Thailand might not fly airplanes sooner, but Govt. is just looking forward for decent returns.

What is the major problem that you generally witness, being the ambassador of Thailand ?

Thailand has a peculiar image in the people’s mind, generally the name Thailand is replaced by beaches, tourism spots and food, but there are other fronts to the country as well which are yet to be properly highlighted. The trade engagement between the two countries is in nascent stage and I wish to upscale the $10 billion frontier.

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Soya has

tremendous health benefits

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he Soybean Processors Association of India, fondly called SOPA, is the national apex body of soybean processors, exporters, trade intermediaries, facilitators and farmers. At present, the Association has 340 members including 115 solvent extraction plants. SOPA also works directly with the farmers to help them improve productivity. Lately there has been keen interest in the Soybean cultivation and a lot of farmers globally are surrendering the lands to soybean, drawing good returns. The Executive Director SOPA, Mr. D N Pathak in the following excerpts, tells about the state of Soybean industry in the country and the world.

What is the status of Soybean processing industry in the country as of now ?

Soybean cultivation started in India in 1971 with an area of mere 32318 hectares and a production of 13728 tonnes with an average yield of only 426 20

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kilos per hectare. The growth in area was very fast and by 1979, the area under soybean was 496000 hectares and production of 283000 tonnes. The area under soybean has been growing steadily and stood at 101.5 Lakh hectares in Kharif 2017. The industry increased its processing capacity over the years and new plants were installed. However, the production could not keep pace with the installed capacity and there were several other factors which changed the industry’s fortunes over the years. The global production of soybean grew from 220 Million tonnes in 2005-06 to 336.7 Million metric tonnes in 2017-18, creating an oversupply and fall in prices of soybean and its products. Cheap imports of edible oils added to the already suffering industry’s woes and many plants had to close down, as Indian soybean meal lost its export market to competition because of our high prices.

Some facts about current status of the industry are given below : www.krishijagran.com

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It is the most economical source of vegetable protein of highest quality. Regular intake of soybean protein has tremendous benefits on human health.

D. N .

Pa th

ak

,E x.

Di

re c tor, S

O PA

Monika Mondal

Associate Editor, Krishi Jagran monika@krishijagran.com

Area under Soybean Cultivation (Kharif 2017) Farmers growing Soybean Production of Soybean (MP=50%, MS=35%, Raj=9%) Solvent Extraction units Refineries Employment Industry turnover Export Earning Investment

How as an institution is SOPA engaged with the farmers ?

Our engagement with farmers includes seed multiplication, farmers service centre for input supply, agriculture extension including training programmes, front line demonstrations, telecast of educational films and distribution of literature on production technology. As a part of service to the farmers, SOPA does sample testing, seed germination and purity testing, soybean www.krishijagran.com

~ 101.5 Lac Ha. ~ 55 Lac ~ 83.5 Lac Tons ~ 225 + ~ 500 + ~ 12 Lac ~ Rs. 40,000 Crore ~ Rs. 15,450 Crore + ~ Rs. 33,000 Crore (US$ 6 Billion)

and soybean meal testing in its well equipped laboratory. Two demonstration farms are used to give on-the-spot training to the farmers in crop production technology.

Are there any differences in the processing technology of Soybean oil in India and abroad ?

Soybean crushing is done through solvent extraction process and the technology used AUGUST 2018

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all over the world is same. However, Indian solvent extraction plants are relatively smaller as compared to US, Brazil and Argentina. Plant size in India ranges from 400 TPD to 1000 TPD as against plants as large as 20000 TPD there.

Other than oil, what are the possibilities of alternative products from Soybean?

There are huge possibilities of producing value added products from soybean for food, industrial nutraceutical and pharma uses. Currently, only about 10% of soybean crushed in India is used for value added products. Food use of soybean has tremendous potential as soybean is the most economical source of high quality protein and can be used to address the rampant mal-nutrition in India. The government should create awareness among the masses about the good qualities of soybean food by a media campaign which will create demand for soy value added food products and help the industry and the farmers.

How is the soybean industry performing presently ? What are the challenges associated with this sector ?

The soy sector faces many challenges such as low productivity of soybean resulting into low production which results in very low capacity utilisation of the plants. Indian soy productivity is only around 1000 Kg per hectare as compared to an average of 3000 kg per hectare in the world.

This low productivity results in high price of soybean and soybean meal. In a normal monsoon year, India would produce 10-11 million tons of soybean meal making it necessary to export soybean meal because the local demand of meal is only around 5 to 5.5 million tons and the surplus must be exported. However, we are outpriced in the world market due to high soybean mealprice.

Global and National production and consumption of Soya Oil (in Million MT).

Sectors like animal husbandry are dependent on Soybean as feed. How do you see the potential ?

The soy processing industry is largely dependent on feed industry, mainly poultry and aqua feed because the soybean meal produced from soy processing is the raw material for feed industry.

The current demand of soybean meal for poultry and aqua feed is around 5 million tons and animal feed industry does not use soybean meal because of its higher price than other de-oiled cakes and the perception that soybean meal may not be a great advantage for use in animal feed.

Is there any difference in the quality of oil, produced by processing the Organic or Chemically treated soyabean ?

The organic farming of soybean is very small for several reasons such as low productivity, little perceived advantage for the farmers who have to grow only organic products in the farm throughout the year. It is suspected that a lot 22

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Global and National Production and Consumption of Soya oil (in Million MT) 2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

Production World

49.301

51.529

53.789

55.261

57.684

India

1.386

0.990

1.620

1.368

1.620

World

47.775

52.135

53.423

54.706

57.151

India

4.100

5.250

5.200

4.850

5.100

Domestic Consumption

We believe that any technology which results in higher productivity or helps the farmers in any way should be adopted.

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of so-called organic soybean grown in India is not really organic. Most of the soybean grown in India uses chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

However, there is no adverse effect on oil quality from normally grown soybean as the use of chemicals is very small and within the tolerance limits.

GM soybean is being produced in many nations, what are your views on the introduction of same in India?

We believe that any technology which results in higher productivity or helps the farmers in any way should be adopted. However, the current clamour for use of GM Soybean cultivation is based more on a sentimental perception that it will increase yields rather than a fact. The currently available herbicide tolerant GM seeds do not result in yield increase per se, not in the 24

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Indian conditions where the farm size is too small. It is an established fact that the yield potential of Non-GM soybean varieties grown in India is around 3 tons per hectare and the low productivity is namely because of bad seed and other inputs quality, poor farming techniques and lack of training. Unless these issues are addressed, mere use of HT GM Seeds is not likely to help.

The example of US, Brazil and Argentina is not relevant as the minimum farm size there is over two thousand hectares as compared to less than one hectare in India.

Import and Export status of the Soybean oil and other products ? What are the issues related to export?

India is highly dependent on import of edible oil. Therefore, the question of export of soybean oil does not arise. However, we used to export www.krishijagran.com

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Cheap imports of edible oils added to the already suffering industry’s woes and many plants had to close down, as Indian soybean meal lost its export market to competition because of our high prices.

more than 4 million tons of soybean meal till 2012-13 and the export market was gradually lost to almost 10% in the next three years because of our higher prices. There has been some revival of soybean meal exports in 2016-17 and we hope to regain our export market, thanks to the increase in export incentive on soybean meal.

India is the lone country in the world which has the USP of producing Non-GM soybean only.

There is a big demand for Non-GM soybean meal in the developed world particularly Europe and Japan. However, we have not adequately marketed this USP and we have requested the government to start a market campaign for brand India Non-GM soybean meal. Logistic cost such as high rail and road freight, port charges, nonavailability of railway rakes are some of the issues being faced by the soybean meal exporters.

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While GM Soya is yet not introduced in India, Soya Oil is imported from other nations, How do we check the quality of the imported soya oil?

The government has specifically permitted import of soybean oil produced from GM Soybeans.

There is no check or comparison of the imported soy oil with indigenous oil. To our knowledge, no complaints have been received about quality of imported soybean oil.

It has been said, that soybean is comprised of complex protein,how does it benefit human health ?

Protein comprises of several amino acids and soybean protein is known to have the best combination of various amino acids. It is the most economical source of vegetable protein of highest quality. Regular intake of soybean protein has tremendous benefits on human health.

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Asha Sadasiv

Associate Editor, Krishi Jagran ashasadasiv74@gmail.com

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egetable oils are derived from seeds of vegetables and fruits that have oil content and these oils have become a rather important part of the diet for most. They are normally liquid at room temperature, but can become solid via a high-tech process known as hydrogenation. Hydrogenation is the chemical process by which liquid vegetable oil is turned into solid fat. In the food industry, hydrogen is added to oils to make them more solid, or ‘spreadable’.

Fatty acids are the building blocks of the fats in vegetable oil. Vegetable oils contain variable mixes of three types of fatty acids: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids only have single bonds in their chemical structure, while mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids have double bonds.

The double bonds give the oil a kinky structure

that makes it liquid at room temperature.

Hydrogenation of vegetable oil transforms some unsaturated fatty acids into saturated fatty acids.

Partially hydrogenated oils contain trans fatty acids, or trans fats, which are thought to be more harmful than saturated fats. When the liquid vegetable oil is fully hydrogenated, however, almost no trans fats remain. In partial hydrogenation, the resulting fats are semi-solid at room temperature.

Benefits Hydrogenated oils can be sold directly as ‘spreads’. They are most commonly found in foods that also have saturated fat, such as, margarine, packaged snacks, baked foods, especially premade versions, biscuits, cakes, ready-to-use dough, fried foods, coffee creamers, both dairy and nondairy products.

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils

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The hydrogenated oil helps to prolong the shelf-life of the food and maintain flavour stability. It do not spoil or go rancid as easily as regular oils.

EU’S BAN ON PALM OIL MAY NOT SOLVE BIODIVERSITY LOSS, IUCN REPORT

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alm oil has been a subject of debate in recent years, notably after its banning by the European Union. But the recent study report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reveals that the banning would not reduce the biodiversity loss.

The hydrogenated oil helps to prolong the shelf-life of the food and maintain flavour stability. Hydrogenated vegetable oils do not spoil or go rancid as easily as regular oils.

Drawbacks Hydrogenated vegetable oil is one of the most dangerous products ever to be poured into the food we eat.

Hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) elevates health risk to a whole new level. Recent scientific research suggests that it may be responsible for an unknown, but certainly very large, number of heart attacks.

Clinical researchers have discovered that ingesting just two grams a day of HVO – the amount contained in just one doughnut fried in this type of fat – increases an individual’s risk www.krishijagran.com

The report added that the palm oil production was threatening over 190 species, which includes orangutans, gibbons and tigers. Areas into which palm oil could potentially expand are home to more than half of the world’s threatened mammals, and almost two-thirds of all threatened birds. However, the existing vegetable oils that could replace palm oil would be far more damaging to the environment because they would need more land.

Many environmental groups have campaigned against the use of the product. British supermarket chain Iceland recently took the step to remove all palm oils from its branded products with more environment friendly alternatives such as sunflower oil.

The report points out that current approach to prevent deforestation have only made marginal improvements, but there is potential to improve sustainability. Solutions include increasing the yields of existing plantations, better management of areas left untouched by development etc. Greater efforts to enhance the sustainable use of palm oil and stoking consumer awareness in major consumer countries, such as India and China, could also have a major impact, the report says.

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Trans-fats keep production costs down, and most consumers remain unaware of their dangers, believing, wrongly, that the real peril to their health lies in saturated fats such as palm oil and butter, which are actually far less. of heart disease by 23 per cent. This makes HVO much more dangerous to health than the saturated fats such as butter it often replaces. It distorts cholesterol levels, encourages obesity, causes inflammatory conditions, and can even be a cause of infertility. Hydrogenated vegetable oil is also widely used in bakery products, restaurants and takeaways, where it usually does not have to be labelled and declared as being present.

Trans-fats were discovered back in 1903, when oil was boiled to more than 260 degree Celsius in the presence of a metal catalyst such as nickel. The result was that its molecular structured, mutated, hard, greasy, grey lard-like substance like “the skin of a corpse”. The original purpose in making it was to create a cheap form of candle wax as an alternative to the more expensive tallow. This wax could also be used in mass food.

Trans-fats keep production costs down, and most consumers remain unaware of their dangers, believing, wrongly, that the real peril to their health lies in saturated fats such as palm oil and butter, which are actually far less.

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TEA SEED OIL

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cientists at Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, have reported that oil extracted from the seeds of some of the tea varieties grown in Assam may be beneficial to health. They say it is good for the heart because of the high levels of unsaturated fatty acids that have been found in it.

The researchers studied eight tea seed stocks for their biochemical and physical properties and found that in as many as seven unsaturated fatty acids constituted for more than 90 percent of the total fatty acids, which ranged from 90.49 percent to 97.79 percent. Five had high levels of mono-unsaturated fatty acids which ranged from 49.56 to 63.86 percent. The findings have been published in the journal, Current Science.

Scientists claim that in terms of quality, tea seed oil is comparable to olive oil. In China, about 15 percent of the population reportedly uses it for cooking. Tea plants produce large seeds. The kernels, which make up about 70 percent of the tea seed weight, are rich in oil and can be stored easily. They can also be a source of antioxidants and emollients for skin care.

The study assumes particular importance for India because there is a widening gap between the demand and domestic availability of edible oil in the country.

There is also a demand for oil with a high nutritive value. As India is one of the largest producers of tea in the world, the use of tea seed to produce edible oil could turn out to be a remarkable achievement.

Currently, tea seeds are almost fully used to produce planting material. Under normal circumstances, seeds can be harvested from the third year onwards. At this stage, the seed yield is about 6.42 quintals per hectare.

It doubles after five years of planting and around six times after eight years. The scientists did their study on tea fruits collected at two developmental stages: seven and eight months after seed development, and when they are fully matured.

Source: India Science Wire

However, a major drawback comes from their trans fats, which raise “bad” LDL cholesterol and lower “good” HDL cholesterol. Saturated fats in hydrogenated vegetable oils also raise “bad” LDL cholesterol.

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Indo- Thai has LOTS to Share “C

P group is like TATA to Thailand.

They are present in every walk of life.” Said H.E. Mr. Chutintorn Gongsakdi.

Founded in 1921 as a seed trading store for Thai farmers, the Charoen Pokphand, CP Group has grown over the years into an integrated food production, distribution and retail business. Today it is considered as one of Thailand’s largest private company and one of the world’s largest conglomerates, which is headquartered in Bangkok, with interests spanning across agribusiness and food, retail and distribution, telecommunications, plastics, automotive, pharmaceutical, property and financial investments.

LOTS Wholesale Solutions, a part of the USD 50 billion Charoen Pokphand Group (“CP Group”) and a wholly owned subsidiary of Siam Makro Public Company Limited (“Siam Makro”) from Thailand launched its first store in India in July this year.

The company had announced its foray into India at the World Food India 2017 with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth INR 1,000 crores signed with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. With its initial footprints in Delhi NCR, LOTS Wholesale Solutions will help generate 5,000 direct and indirect jobs over the next five years.

Tanit Chearavanont, Managing Director, LOTS Wholesale Solutions announced, “ Through this store, the registered members of LOTS Wholesale Solutions will enjoy the benefits of a vast assortment of high-quality food and non-food products. Fresh produce will be directly sourced from local farming communities, which will help farmers increase their income whilst reducing wastage during

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transportation and storage.”

Companies like CP works on a business model which helps in bringing the new technology to farmers and hence supports in increasing the productivity. A few percentage of return is vowed to the farmers and the investments on the field are made by the company. The farmer does not need to sell his/her land, and can work with the company in a cooperative environment. Indirectly the farmer positions himself as investor. Such projects are being run in countries as China, Cambodia and 20 more.

The 3 Cs on which the company works are : Country, Community And Company. The firm believes in benefiting the country and its community and hence what is left is for the company. ” They don’t need to make a lot, because they sell a lot, which makes them capable of helping the farmers and taking the risk in a very price-hostile and vulnerable sector.” Mentions Ambassador of Thailand to India.

With Thailand’s augmenting interest in India’s market, many of the firms are planning to enter the food sector and automobiles industry, following the steps of Koreans and Japanese firms.

Invest India, which is the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of India acts as the first point of reference for investors in India. The agency is working on everyday level, trying to find solutions for such companies to enter in India. Working on South East Asia focusing on Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia is a confidence booster for Thai companies to look upto New Delhi.

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Industrial Use of Vegetable Oil Karthika B P

Associate Editor, Krishi Jagran karthika@krishijagran.com

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egetable oils are liquid vegetable fats that remain in the liquid form at room temperature. These are most commonly extracted from various parts of plants such as seeds, fruits, or plant seedlings. In terms of application the vegetable oil market is categorized under Culinary Uses, Industrial Uses, Pet Food Additives, Fuels and others.

which accounts for 48 percent of the world total.

China and India together make up 30 percent of the world total. Chinese demand is mainly for soybean oil, followed by canola and palm oils.

India is a major consumer of canola oil, as well as palm oil and butter. Indonesia and Malaysia also contribute to overall consumption, especially in palm oil.

Food Industry

Culinary uses

There are approximately 40 known plants worldwide that produce oil or fat suitable for human consumption. Edible oils are primarily produced from palm, soybean, sunflower, canola, mustard, coconut oil etc. According to the reports, Asia is the major consumer of vegetable oil,

Many vegetable oils are primarily consumed directly or indirectly as ingredients in food. As an ingredient it serves a number of purposes by giving texture and flavour to the food items.

Secondly, these are used for cooking other food items.These are also used for searing,

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Soybean is leguminous at the same time increase the productivity of soil with nitrogen fixing abilities which helps farmers in obtaining better yields for crops succeeding soybean, such as wheat, mustard, onion and the varieties of Rabi vegetable oil etc.

roasting, baking, deep frying and seasoning, as well as making sauces, dips and dressings.

Soybean, rapeseed, canola, sunflower, safflower, peanut, cottonseed etc are the major vegetable oils used in the food industry.

Rapeseed Oil Rapeseed oil is a kitchen basic, made of crushed seeds of the plant. It has a light yellow colour with a subtle, neutral taste, and the unrefined variety offers a hint of nuttiness. It also stands out due to its high vitamin E content, with approximately 50 percent polyunsaturated fatty www.krishijagran.com

acids. Rapeseed oil is mainly used for making salad and is suitable for quick frying.

Soybean oilSoybean oil is made of crushed soybeans. It accounts for more than 50 percent of global vegetable oil production. It has a high protein level, with a mild flavor and a pleasant smell. It also contains lots of unsaturated fats, mainly omega 3 fatty acids.

Olive Oil Olive oil is one of the popular types of vegetable oils. Because of its potential health benefits, it is used as a major ingredient in many dishes.

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Sesame Oil Sesame oil is an expert ingredient when it comes to Asian cuisine. It is used for seasoning vegetable, meat, fish and rice dishes.

Sunflower Oil Sunflower oil is extracted from the seeds of sunflower. It has a mild flavor and a wonderful yellow colour. It is commonly used in food as frying oil. Unrefined sunflower oil is a traditional salad dressing in Eastern European countries.

Sunflower oil is also an ingredient in sunflower butter.

Safflower Oil

Palm oil is made from the flesh of the palm fruit.

It is orange in colour, with a slightly nutty aroma.

Palm oil is a major ingredient in foods as well as in the cosmetic industry.

Safflower oil is obtained either by pressing peeled seeds or from raw seeds. It is used in food industry, pharmaceutics and cosmetology.

Oil from raw seeds is used for production of non-yellowing light drying oil, for soap boiling, for production of linoleum. Safflower oil cake is commonly used for making feeds.

Cotton seed oil

Pet Food Additive

It is extracted from the cotton seeds which are the by-products of cotton fibre production.

Cottonseeds are rich in oil and proteins and are therefore used for cottonseed oil production and as a feed supplement for cattle and sheep. It is considered as a major ingredient in potato chips, French fries, mayonnaise, oriental dishes and spicy foods because of its flavour stability.

As it is a rich source of vitamin E, vegetable oil is used in the production of pet food and food additives. However, modern research in many mammals now shows that excessive amounts of some vegetable oils are actually causes or fuel for a wide range of health complaints.

Palm Oil

Rice Bran Oil Rice bran oil is known for its high smoke point of 232 °C and mild flavour, making it suitable for high-temperature cooking methods such as stir frying and deep frying. Rice bran wax which is secondary by-product obtained from rice bran oil is used as a substitute for carnauba wax in cosmetics, confectionery, shoe creams etc. It can be also used as a source for fatty acid and fatty alcohol.

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Manufacturing Industry Biofuels It has been said that vegetable oils were the primary lubricants for machinery and transportation vehicles for thousands of years until the discovery of petroleum. Petroleum, primarily on the bases of improved performance, quickly replaced vegetable oils as the lubricant.

Now, with increased petroleum costs, decreased petroleum reserves, and environmental concerns as major factors, vegetable-based oils for lubricants are making a steady comeback. www.krishijagran.com

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As per new regulation, all oils packed in consumer packs will be required to clearly label the right portion of content in blend. This step will lead to the reduction of adulteration in vegetable oils.

Vegetable oils are increasingly used as a substitute for fossil fuels. It can be used as an alternative fuel in diesel engines and heating oil burners. When vegetable oil is used directly as a fuel, in either modified or unmodified equipment, it is referred to as straight vegetable oil (SVO).

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel that can be made from SVO in a chemical process called trans esterification that involves a reaction with methanol using caustic soda as a catalyst.

Biodiesel has different properties than SVO and results in better engine performance. In particular, biodiesel has a lower boiling point and viscosity than SVO. Because of its improved qualities, vehicle and engine manufacturers generally approve the use of biodiesel blends in their products.

Cosmetic Industry Many of the cosmetic and hair care products on the market today are mainly derived from vegetable oils, which impart antistatic, plasticizer www.krishijagran.com

and viscosity properties. Linoleic acid present in the vegetable oils, especially sunflower oil, soybean oil, safflower, corn oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, grape seed oil and wheat sprout oil, plays a significant role in the protection of skin. In dry skin it prevents loss of water and normalizes the skin metabolism. So,vegetable oils are used as the base of creams, emulsions, cosmetic milks and creams, ointments, hair conditioners, brilliantine, cosmetic masks, protective lipstick, bath fluids, nail varnish and nail cleaners. In cosmeceutics, they are used both as base and active ingredients.

Overall, vegetable oil industry is growing because of increases in demand, changing food choices and increased industrial uses. Oils are occasionally substituted for each other in specific market areas in reaction to long-term trends affecting price or consumer perception of the individual oils. But the major limiting factor in industrial uses of vegetable oils is that all such oils are susceptible to becoming rancid.

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Rice Bran Oil is the only vegetable oil that contains Gamma-Oryzanol, which is 4 times stronger than vitamin E as an antioxidant and helps to reduce bad cholesterol absorption, prevent cardiovascular disease and slow down the aging process.

Rising

Rice Bran Oil

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ice bran oil is an increasingly popular vegetable oil that renders many advantages over other commonly used vegetable oils in the culinary world. It is extracted from the oily layer in between the husk and the white rice. Recently, World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized it as one of the healthiest cooking medium. This is the only vegetable oil that contains Gamma-Oryzanol, which is 4 times stronger than vitamin E as an antioxidant and helps to reduce bad cholesterol absorption, prevent cardiovascular disease and slow down the aging process.

We know that most of our cooking oils are derived from vegetable sources.

The major components of all cooking oils are PUFA (Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids), SFA (Saturated fatty Acids) and MUFA (Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids). Besides these, there are other micronutrients present. All these major fatty acid groups are beneficial to human health provided they are consumed in the right quantity and in the right proportion. The National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad recommends an optimum intake of 30gms per day of good quality fat for a healthy adult. However, it also recommends the fat be consumed in a balanced proportion. The proportion recommended is 27% – 33% SFA, 27% – 33% PUFA, 33%-40% MUFA. Rice bran oil is the only cooking medium which has an ideal SFA-MUFA-PUFA ratio which is closer to the recommended levels of WHO. Another added advantage of rice bran oil is its high smoke point which makes it perfect for stir frying or deep frying. It can maintain its nutritive quality even at high temperatures also.

Rice bran oil is most commonly used in Asian countries, including India, Japan and China, primarily because rice is a staple food in their cuisines. In Japan,

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the people have used rice bran oil in their daily meals for decades. Consumption of rice bran oil in this country in 2017 reached 90,163 tons, up 10,000 tons compared to 2016. Japan used about 53 percent of its total volume of rice bran to extract oil in 2017, but the country’s rice bran oil production capacity rose only by 3.7 percent in the last decade, from 63,378 tons in 2006 to 65,731 tons in 2017. Japan previously exported rice bran oil, but now it has to import this product from other developing countries to meet the local demand.

When comes to Indian scenario, rice bran oil production holds an immense potential particularly in vegetable oil sector. As per Solvent Extractors’ Association data, India RBO production is tremendously increasing 50 thousand tons annually. India is a leading producer of rice bran oil followed by Japan, Thailand and China. The rice bran oil production in the country is currently at 9 lakh tons against the potential of 14.6 lakh tons i.e. 75 percent of total global production of 1.2 million tons.

Recently, more than 300 KFC restaurants in India have abandoned palm oil to use rice bran oil.

According to Dr. B.V Mehta, Executive Director Solvent Extractors’ Association of India, during his presentation in the International Conference on Rice Bran Oil 2018 held in Vietnam, hundreds of food and food technology corporations in the world have invested in research and production of rice bran oil, which shows that the demand for rice bran oil in the world is increasing strongly.

Advantages of Rice Bran Oil • • • • • •

Longer Shelf life More micro nutrients Less absorption of oil during frying More stable at high temperatures Provides better taste and flavor to food Frying takes less time, so it saves energy

However, the biggest difficulty for countries participating in the world rice bran oil production chain is the technology and quality of raw materials.

Vietnam is considered as one of the largest rice bran oil producing countries in the world. But, it still lacks good quality rice that meets the criteria for rice bran oil production. Vietnam has used 10 percent of its rice output for this potential industry. Experts say that the amount of oil extracted from 1kg of rice is lower than that from 1kg of soybean or sunflower seeds. It takes from 150kg to 200kg of rice paddy to produce 1 liter of pure rice bran oil, so the output of rice bran oil is not high and the production cost is higher than other common types of cooking oil for about 10 percent. In addition, another major challenge against the popularization of rice bran oil, especially in India, is the misunderstanding about its dark colour.

There is a common belief among the customers that the cooking oil with light yellow colour shows the better quality of oil. But, the dark colour of rice bran oil is due to the highly nutritious components which impart its immense health benefits.

Source: The Solvent Extractors’ Association of India

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Cosmetology

AG R I C U LT U R E

Indu Narayan

Health and beauty specialist indunarayan2@gmail.com

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Beautiful You

egetable oils are great not only for health but also for enhancing beauty.

Try out these beauty tips with some of the vegetable oils.

OLIVE OIL

Pre-shampoo hair treatment Olive oil has been used for hair treatment since Ancient Egyptian times. The treatment is as follows. First warm olive oil in hot water or in the microwave. Then apply it generously to the ends of hair and scalp. Leave it upto 20 minutes. Then shampoo it out.

Lip scrub Combine ½ tsp of coarse sugar with a tsp of olive oil for a chapped lip fix. You can also add a splash of lemon juice for added flavor and acidic exfoliating properties.

Ear-wax remedy

is as an intense moisturizer. This works as an all over treatment for extra dry skin. Olive oil is good for eczema also.

Diaper-rash treatment There are only a few products that are safe for both babies and adults. Olive oil is perfect for the sensitive skin of babies and as a moisturizing remedy for cradle cap too.

Cracked heel repair Split, rough heels need moisture to heal. After exfoliating with a pumice stone, apply olive oil to feet. Put on socks to lock in the hydrating treatment as you sleep.

Make-up brush cleaner Take an antibacterial soap and olive oil in 2:1 ratio and clean make –up brush with that.

MUSTARD OIL

If you often have ear-wax build up, turn to olive oil to flush out the clog. For 3 or 4 nights, put a few drop in the ears before bed to help loosen excess wax.

Cuticle conditioner For stronger nails use olive oil as your cuticle softner.

Moisturiser The best and most widespread use for olive oil 36

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Mustard oil is rich in vitamin B complex, vitamin A, Vitamin E, calcium, protein and omega-3 fatty acids. No wonder it can be used as a remedy for so many skin problems. Mustard oil works wonders if you have dark spots in skin and chapped lips. If you have flawless skin, you should put into practice the following tips.

Mix 1 tbsp each of coconut oil and mustard oil and massage well your skin every night for 15 minutes and then wash off with a mild face wash . In a few days you will notice your skin not only getting lighter but also softer .Take 1 tsp turmeric powder, 2-3 strands of saffron, 1 tsp sandal wood, 1 tbsp gramflour and 1 tsp of mustard seeds. Add 2 tbsp of mustard oil to this mixture and mix well. Use it twice a week to scrub off the skin and keep skin infection at bay!Get rid of acne.

The Omega3 fatty acids present in this glorious oil, cures even the most persistent acne. Its anti-inflammatory properties and anti-bacterial properties help your skin fight irritating pimples.

By smearing mustard oil in skin it will keep tan and acne in distance..

WORLD up, making your skin look supple and soft. It is an excellent source of vitamin E which has the tendency to go deep into your skin’s layers. It prevents early graying. The anti oxidants present in the oil not only provide skin nourishment but also help in keeping the skin young. It prevents early signs of hair graying. Use warm rice warm oil and massage your hair twice a week. To make the most of it , add 2-3 drops of this oil to your shampoo as well. Rice bran oil prevents dark circles and enhances the blood circulation around the eye area and prevents puffy eyes and dark circles.

SOYA BEAN OIL OR SOY OIL Soya bean oil or soy oil is a part of many beauty products including skin enhancing products.

According to studies, natural compounds of soy oil are extremely good for keeping the skin

RICE BRAN

Bran oil is used as a natural care product .

This oil has flavonoids which can do wonders for skin and hair. This is rich in omega-3 and 6 fatty acids which help to nourish the hair.

If you have frizzy hair, use bran oil. This will make your hair thicker and easily manageable.

To reap its benefits, massage your hair using this oil before hair wash. This will keep your hair follicles healthy. It also has power to protect skin from ultra violet rays. To prevent damage caused due to sun’s u v rays, you can use rice bran oil.

Take 2 drops of rice bran oil and gently massage it over your face until it is fully absorbed. This oil will protect your skin from pollution and also act as a natural sun screen. It acts as a make up remover also. The natural antioxidants present in the rice bran oil could help you get rid of www.krishijagran.com

excessive make healthy. One of the major benefits of soy oil is that it is very good for protecting from u v rays. It helps to cure skin damage and gives it a glow. This oil is beneficial in the treatment of skin damages which are occurred due to air pollution as well. Strong anti oxidant properties of soy oil are great for improving skin health. Vitamins are the source of anti oxidants in soy oil. These antioxidant properties help to protect skin damage and keep the skin healthy and young. Soy oil is an effective anti-wrinkle and anti aging oil. Regular use of soy oil on skin improve the overall tone of the skin and make it healthier and youthful. Soy oil is also considered a healthy oil for hair. It improves the health of hair by making it strong.

Soy oil is an excellent natural compound for healthy skin and hair.

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Waste Management

Perspectives on household waste Dr.M.Rajeshwar Naik, Sai Veena Pratyusha K and Dr. V. Ravinder Naik*

Soil Health Care Diagnostic Laboratory, Dept. of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College f Agriculture, *Senior scientist (Agril Extension),AICC and PJTSAU Press Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Hyderabad-30 Telangana, India

O

f the total India’s GDP, 17.4% is contributed from agriculture. The total production is worth of $336.92 billion dollars. India stands in second position in terms of agriculture production. Out of the total agricultural output in the world, India contributes to 7.68%.Despite of all this, importance of agriculture in India is consistently decreasing over the years.

There are several reasons which directly or indirectly affect the agriculture production. Some of them are: Small and fragmented land holdings: Average size of land holding is 0.4 ha in 2014 which was 2.28 ha in 1970. This shows that the increasing population over the years has lead to the consistent decrease in individual land holdings.

Seeds: Irrespective of the effects of government and private sectors in the production of hybrids and better yielding varieties, yet a major amount of population are still using improper seeds.

Manures, fertilizers and biocides: A common notion that more is the amount of fertilizer use more is the yield still prevails in the country. Due to this, depletion of the soil occurs which leads in declivity of the production. Measures are taken to make the soil salubrious but the effect can be really nullified is still a question.

Irrigation: Irrespective of being the second largest irrigated country, only one third of the crop area is being irrigated. Rainfed farming is mostly practiced.

Lack of mechanization: Because of financial and maintenance problems, the farmers in India do not prefer buying machinery. The mechanization part is constricted only to some of the farm activities such as: land preparation, sowing, harvesting and post harvesting. But when compare to previous statistics the machinery acceptance and usage has come a very long way. Power availability per hectare has increased from 0.2 KW in 1970’s to 14 KW in 2003.

Table : GDP And Its Sectoral Share (1999-2000 prices) Year

Agriculture Industry and Allied

Services

1950-51

55.9

14.9

29.2

1970-71

45.2

21.7

33.1

1980-81

38.1

25.9

36.0

1990-91

33.2

25.2

41.6

2006-07

20.5

24.7

54.8

2007-08

19.4

24.9

55.7

Source:www.economics discussion.net

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It is the everyday wastage from the households.

India has 248,408,494 households. Assuming that each household per day can produce a minimum of 0.5kg of domestic wastage, we can understand the amount of wastage generated.

Soil erosion: Fertile soil in large amounts are being washed away every year due to the tropical climate and lack of soil conservation practices which again leads to siltation of water reserves which leads into a major problem.

Agricultural marketing: The marketing of agricultural produce still depends on the middle men and hoarders. In most cases the farmers are forced to reach the private individuals for loans than the public sector banks and cooperative societies. Selling of the produce to the lender at a very low cost when compare to market price as the return of loan and high rate of interest is

became an overburden to the farmer. According to an estimate, 85% of wheat, 75% oil seeds in Uttar Pradesh and 90% of jute in west Bengal, 70% of oil seeds, 35% of cotton in Punjab are sold in the village itself due to loan related issues. In many cases , the middlemen involved in the business of approximately 48% of rice, 52% of groundnut and 60% of potatoes .To overcome all these, the government has introduced many schemes and many practices and it makes sense gradually.

Inadequate storage facilities: Farmers are often forced to sell the produce at the prevailing prices due to lack of storage facilities. Such distress sales deprive the farmers of legitimate income. The parse committee estimated post harvest losses to be 9.3% of which nearly 6.6% are due to lack of storage facilities. The central government scheme for establishment of national grid of rural ware houses since 1979 was of a great help to curb these losses.

Inadequate transport: One of the major handicaps in Indian agriculture is the lack of cheap and efficient transport system. The cheap system is not efficient and the efficient system is not cheap.

Bullocks and tractors are the major system of transport in most of the places in this day and age.

Scarcity of capital: The advancement of technology is leading to a raise in the capital. Even now the main suppliers of capital and loan to the

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Waste Management

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Benefits of compost on environment and agriculture ELECTRICITY HEAT

CHIP ENGINE

BIOGAS

WASTAGE AND HOUSE HOLD AND BUSINESS

PASTEURISATION

FOOD WASTE

AGRICULTURE

BIOFERTILIZER

farmers are money lenders, traders and commission agents who charge a high rate of interest or purchase the agriculture produce at a very low rate.

According to rural Indian committee the share of money lenders in 1950-51 is high as 68.6% and in 1975-76, 43% of credit needs of the farmers. There has been a steady increase in institutional credit to the farmers. Cooperative banks, regional rural

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DIGESTOR

DIGESTATE TREATMENT

banks, commercial banks have come in a great number whose rate of interest is comparatively low for crop loans and that helped millions of farmers.

The role soil plays in agriculture: Soil: It is defined as the organic and inorganic material on the surface of earth that provides the medium for plant growth. Soil health is important

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A common notion that more is the amount of fertilizer use more is the yield still prevails in the country. Due to this, depletion of the soil occurs which leads in declivity of the production to cater the growing food needs. America with one fourth of the population and less than half of area than India has more productivity due to various reasons and one among them is the soil fertility.

Chemicals are the major reason that leads to soil depravity. Indian farmers are under a notion that more the chemicals more the yield. Well this may hold true sometimes only to the vegetative or the plant growth but it definitely will reduce the productivity and the fertility of the soil. The usage of pesticides in India is 76% against the world average of 44%.

Domestic wastage: It is the everyday wastage from the households. India has 248,408,494 households.

Assuming that each household per day can produce a minimum of 0.5kg of domestic wastage, we can understand the amount of wastage generated.

Instead of dumping this we can compost it and used for improving the soil productivity.

Why food waste is unique as compost agent?

Food waste has unique property as a raw compost agent. This is because of the high moisture content and low physical structure. One of the important step to be followed is to mix fresh food waste with the bulking agent. This helps in absorbing the excess moisture and give structure.

Bulking agents: With high C/N ratio such as sawdust, yard waste are used as bulking agents. One www.krishijagran.com

of the major problem with food compost is its foul odor because of ammonia and huge quantities of lechate. This can be reduced by continuous stirring of the pile at regular intervals. The food waste can be divided into pre consumer and post consumer food waste.

Pre consumer food waste is easiest to compost. This food waste is generally separated from the rest of the waste and prevents it from the contaminants.

Post consumer food compost is more challenging because of the need of separation. The waste is subjected to contaminants and a procedure should be made on how to separate this waste. Depending on the feasibility, flexibility, volume, labor, atmosphere, and attitude, food can be separated.

Benefits of compost on environment and agriculture: Environment: • • • • • • • •

Water and soil conservation Protects ground water quality Minimizes odors from agriculture area Avoid methane production and lechate formation in landfills Prevents erosion and turf losses Reduces the needs of pesticides and fertilizers Binds heavy metals and prevent them entering into water resources Off form materials can be added AUGUST 2018

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Instead of using chemicals solely deterring the soil properties, negative impact on environment, a simple concept of house hold wastage can show a huge difference. In fact, use of the food waste leads to a better tomorrow.

•

Facilitates reforestation, wet lands, restoration of wild life habitat

total porosity, soil resistance to penetration, aggregation, hydrolic conductivity base exchange capacity and soil erosion.

Agriculture:

SOME FACTS:

• • •

•

50% chemical fertilizers and 50% MSW combination of municipal solid waste compost has given the best plant growth, health and yield of potato, corn and squash.

•

For horticultural crops like beet root the yields have shown a tremendous increase around 32.8%

•

Conditions where the wastes along the chemicals in small quantities have given amazing yields in some states like Chandigarh, M.P, Punjab, and Haryana.

•

Due to the high increase in moist level of the soil and carbon content the yields increases and sometimes double.

• • • • • • • • • •

Long term stable organic matter Buffer soil PH Adds organic matter, humus and cation exchange capacity to regenerate poor soils Suppresses certain plant diseases and parasites Increases the yield Increases the length and concentration of roots in some crops Increase the soil nutrient content and water holding capacity Reduces fertilizer equipment Restores soil structure Increase earthworm population Provides slow gradual release of nutrients reducing loss from contaminated soils Moves manure to non traditional market Brings higher price for originally grown crops

Food industry: • • • •

Reduce solid waste disposal fees Recycling which helps in production of raw ingredients Helps close the food wastage loop Reduces need for more landfill space

EFFECTS OF RECYCLE FOOD WASTE ON SOIL PROPERTIES: The positive impact of organic waste application is mainly that of the improvement of physical properties of the soil such as structure, water holding capacity, soil temperature, bulk density,

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By this compost we are cutting down the major input and doubling the output. The average small and marginal farmer for one acre of crop spends a minimum of 4 thousand on fertilizers. Using the household waste alone or even the conglomerate with chemical fertilizer can reduce the input of a minimum 2 thousand rupees which eventually adds up to the output .

Instead of using chemicals solely deterring the soil properties, negative impact on environment, a simple concept of house hold wastage can show a huge difference. In fact ,use of the food waste leads to a better tomorrow. It is a cost effective, successful, useful and a bit time taking process which can show its impact on agriculture industry.

Hence, it is the duty of the government, the consumers and the farmers to follow this procedure.

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Edible oil

Increase vegetable oil production, curb imports Dr. B.K Singh **

Chairman, BKC Weathersys Pvt Ltd Email – bk@weathersysbkc.com (Former UN Advisor, Stc - worked for Edible Oil Industry for 30 years)

Oil Seed Demand Supply Balance

I

ndia occupies a prominent position in the world oilseeds industry with contribution of around 10% in worldwide production.

However demand of edible oils is significantly higher than the domestic production, leading to heavy dependence on imports. In financial year 2016 India’s total edible oil demand stood at approx 24 million tonnes out of which 9 million tonnes was met from domestic production rest 15 million tonnes were met by imports.

Imports valued at around Rs. 65,000 crore, constituted around 2.5% of India’s total import bill.

Domestic consumption of edible oils has been increasing substantially over the years and has touched the level of 23.49 million tonnes against www.krishijagran.com

domestic availability of 8.64 million tonnes during 2015-16.Demand is likely to increase further with enhancement in income and population.

Demand, consumption and import of edible oils during last 3 years are given below in Table 1.

The Indian economy has been doing well with a growth rate between 6% and 7%. Besides, increased per capita consumption, India’s population itself is also rising with almost 20 million more mouths each year. This is leading to increase in demand and increased imports as domestic production is unable to keep pace with increasing demand.(Table 2) Let us look at the Indian production of all vegetable oils?

Recently published SEA’s estimates of vegetable oil production largely comprising of edible AUGUST 2018

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Edible oil

Table 1: Demand and supply of vegetable oils (Quantity in million tonnes) Year

Demand/Consumpti

Domestic

2013-14 2014-15

on

Availability

21.17

10.19

24.16

9.58

Import 10.98 14.59

2015-16

23.49

8.64

14.85

2016-17

21.75

7.05

15.20

2017-18

22.75

7.66

15.12

Table 2-Imports of edible oils in India (Quantity in Thousand Tonnes) 0 2017-

2016-

2015-16

2014-15

2012-13

18(expected)

17

Soya oil

3,400

3,500

4,235

2,986

1,090

Palm oil

9,850

9,190

8,567

9,478

8,240

Sun oil

2,150

2,130

1,516

1,542

980

Laurics

200

100

100

250

340

Rape oil

300

330

320

356

30

Total

15,000

15,250

14,738

14,612

10,670

It is common knowledge that indigenously grown high value and healthy oils such as Soybean oil, Groundnut oil, Sunflower oil and Mustard oil are blended with a much cheaper imported oil primarily, palm. oils evidences strong growth in production of indigenous edible oils. Indigenous availability of nearly 8.5 million tons of domestically produced vegetables oils will severely affect projected import of over 15 million MTS. (Table 3) Indigenous oils hold the future.

Weathersys is in a business of advisories to farmers and our research shows that monsoon over soybean growing areas in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan is going to be near normal in 2018. It is expected that the area of sowing for soybean in these states will be more than the preceding year.

Through fasal salah app of Bkc WeatherSys, it has come to our notice that farmers from some other 44

AUGUST 2018

states, not known for soybean production are also going to cultivate soybean in 2018.

Our first hand assessment shows noticeable new acreages being bought under cultivation of Soybean in states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.Thus it could safely be concluded that Soybean production is going to increase in coming years.Indian Farmers are also inclined to cultivate more areas under Soybean because of higher MSP’s (Rs33990/ ton) announced by Government Of India for year 2018.

Soybean is leguminous at the same time increase the productivity of soil with nitrogen fixing abilities which helps farmers in obtaining better yields for crops succeeding Soybean, such as www.krishijagran.com

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Table 3: Domestic availability of vegetable oils.

US-China trade conflict presents India with a great opportunity to higher tariff on import of soyabean from US.it will make Indian soyabean more attractive to China and result into higher crush margins for India soya industry Wheat, Mustard, Onion and the varieties of Rabi vegetable oil etc.It is also noteworthy that the packers of blended oil as per new regulation of FSSAI have to necessarily mention the percentage of composition of the blends. It is common knowledge that indigenously grown high value and healthy oils such as Soybean oil, Groundnut oil, Sunflower oil and Mustard oil are blended with a much cheaper imported oil primarily, palm.

Blending/adulteration factors alone depresses the prices of indigenously produced high value oils mention above to great extent. This kind of unchecked/adulteration pushes higher imports of Palm oil.As per new regulation ,all oils packed in consumer packs will be required to clearly label the right portion of content in blend. This step will lead to the reduction of adulteration in vegetable oils. Several leading brands are known to mix/blend different oils and sell their product as refined soya or mustard etc. Now this is expected to stop and it’s effects will be clearly visible in the markets. Pure Mustard Oil and www.krishijagran.com

Soybean oil prices will definitely go up. This will also push up seed prices. This step is expected to make gains for farmers who will be ever more encouraged to put additional acreage to oil seed. Combined effect of such factors will have depressing effect on demands of imported cheaper palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia.

US-China trade conflict presents India with a great opportunity to higher tariff on import of soyabean from US.it will make Indian soyabean more attractive to China and result into higher crush margins for India soya industry. This kharif , cottonseed, rice bran, sunflower production are also expected to rise because of good monsoon.

Come rabi, when mustard is grown. Surely this election year government will increase the minimum support price of mustard as well and in 2018-19 mustard production will also get a big boost.Palm oil will continue to play an important role in Indian vegetables oil markets, but it’s total import may remain stagnant at 18 million MTS.

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Drip Irrigation

AG R I C U LT U R E

*KK Sharma1, DS Rana2 and Abrar Yousuf3

1Scientist (Plant Pathology), Regional Research Station (PAU), Ballowal Saunkhri, Balachaur-144521, SBS Nagar, Punjab, 2 Senior Scientist (Economics), Regional Research Station (PAU), Ballowal Saunkhri, Balachaur-144521, SBS Nagar, Punjab 3 Scientist (Soil & Water Engineering), Regional Research Station (PAU), Ballowal Saunkhri, Balachaur-144521, SBS Nagar, Punjab *Email of corresponding author: kksharma@pau.edu

T

he environment (macro and micro) factor of ‘disease triangle’ plays a crucial role in disease development where the weather component is most important risk factor for occurrence of any disease. Pathogen infested crop residue initiates and stimulates growth and development of particular pathogen, especially in a dense crop canopy due to irrigation for a longer period of time. It creates humid conditions and favorable microenvironment for their development.The risk of soil-borne and water-borne pathogens carried from diseased fields with surface irrigation water and their further dissemination among healthy plants either through flood method or can be decreased by opting system like drip irrigation whereas the initial high cost is compensated with lower cost in terms of lesser water, power, labour and agro-chemicals, to control diseases and pests.

Drip or trickle irrigation is an alternative method of conventional irrigation which supplies water and agrochemicals directly in the root zone of the plant through a network of pipes, valves and emitters. The drip irrigation has gained very prompt popularity among growers during the past 30 years under the limited available water conditions in addition to better delivery system of fertilizers and pesticides in simpler, safer and more cost effective way. Drip irrigation was introduced to the United States in the 1960s and currently is used for growing many crops in different countries. Studies say that surface drip irrigation would be less conducive to phytopathogens than conventional system of irrigation since it maintains a relatively dry soil surface and maintains crop water requirements. It is suitable for almost all types of crops but it is especially recommended for vegetable and horticulture crops.

General advantages of drip irrigation: Besides the major advantage that it directly supplies water to the root zone as required by the plant some other general advantages include the following: •

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Direct supply of water to root zone in drip irrigation decreases the area of soil supplied AUGUST 2018

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The drip irrigation has gained very prompt popularity among growers during the past 30 years under the limited available water conditions in addition to better delivery system of fertilizers and pesticides in simpler, safer and more cost effective way.

Drip irrigation A disease management strategy

with water and hence, growth of weeds is also reduced and thus the cost required for weeding operation reduces significantly.

•

Smaller amounts of water applied over a longer duration of time prevents soil erosion and nutrient runoff which provide ideal growing conditions for crop plants.

•

The on-farm irrigation efficiency of the properly designed and managed drip irrigation system is about 90 per cent whereas the same is only about 40 per cent for surface method of irrigation.

•

Water is supplied to plants on the basis of phenological requirements.

Disease and environment management related advantages •

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Drip irrigation provides a potential delivery system for precise, safe & economic application

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Drip Irrigation

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of fertilizer and pesticides directly to root zone for managing soil-borne disease and pest effectively.

•

Reduced disease incidence is achieved with decreased time of leaf wetness, splash (foliar pathogens) and limited movement and dispersal of soil-borne pathogens.

•

The restricted movement of nematodes in nonrhizospheric zone leads to their natural suppression to somehow and the nematodes present in the rhizospheric zone easily became active and susceptible to nematicides applied through drip irrigation system.

•

The soil application of nematicides is a major concern related to groundwater contamination among society and environmentalist which can be minimized by precise & lower amount of nematicide delivered through drip irrigation.

Some instances of disease management through drip irrigation Drip irrigation has been successfully used for the management of some diseases caused by fungi, bacteria and nematodes. Irrigation alone through trickle method was effectively demonstrated by Daugovish et al. (2012) to reduce C. acutatum inoculum in nursery soil and diminution in disease severity of strawberry anthracnose in nursery transplants and subsequent plant stunting and yield losses in strawberry production �elds in California.

Similar results were obtained by Funt et al. (1982), where it was found effective to reduce nematode 48

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population associated with peach root viz., Xiphinema americanum and Pratylenchus penetrans.

Another study by Brown et al. (2002) suggested that stem rot disease of potato was less likely to occur in drip irrigation as compared to sprinkler irrigation. Drip irrigation delayed the appearance of Alternaria Late Blight disease on pistachio leaves and fruits in orchards as compared to flood irrigation (Goldhamer et al. 1993). Advantage of subsurface drip irrigation over conventional furrow irrigation was observed by Subbarao et al. (1997), where he reported reduced incidence of lettuce drop (Selerotinia minor) and corky root (Rhizomonas suberifaciens) resulting in higher yield.

Some other studies revealed successful use of drip irrigation as a delivery system to enhance the efficacy of chemical and bio pesticides against target pathogen(s). According to Overman & Price (1984) avermectin (Avid) @ 0.146 to 0.584 kg a.i. / ha/ week for 13 weeks was found very effective to reduce the nematode population in chrysanthemum when used through drip irrigation. Dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) fumigant was applied through spot drip method as a post-plant treatment against different species of plant parasitic nematodes and soil borne pathogens on established grapevines

by Cabrera et al. (2014) who reported signi�cant reduction in citrus, root-knot, pin and ring nematodes up-to 60 cm soil depth at 15, 45 and 150 days after fumigation. Population of Pythium ultimum was also decreased in this treatment.

In Florida, Kokalis-Burelle and Dickson (2003) effectively demonstrated soil application of Plantpro (an iodine based water soluble compound) through drip irrigation for the management of root www.krishijagran.com

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knot nematode in tomato although no significant differences were recorded related to yield. Besides this, use of bio-agents namely Bioyield (Paenobacillus macerans and Bacillus amloliquefaciens) with trickle irrigation achieved significant higher yield of tomato (Burelle et al. 2002). Wennemann (2003) used drip irrigation successfully to deliver entomopathogenic nematodes viz., S. carpocapsae, S. feltiae, S. glaseri and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora in soil.

Drip irrigation lowers the risk of disease occurrence and development, since water is supplied directly to root zone, which prevents the dispersal of pathogens.

To reduce risk of disease development, during the growing season, growers can manipulate the environmental component of the “disease triangle� through modification of the microclimate within the crop canopy by application of drip irrigation.

In the future, drip irrigation might be used in crop management systems, by facilitating the delivery of reduced amount of pesticides and biological control agents in the rihzosphere.

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In the future, drip irrigation might be used in crop management systems, by facilitating the delivery of reduced amount of pesticides and biological control agents in the rihzosphere.

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Photo Story

AG R I C U LT U R E

PLASTICS, A THR I

s plastic really a threat to cattle ! ofcourse, it’s affecting by plastics which are disposed by us.

Cattle are one of the major sources of income and source of healthy food for the rural people. It plays an essential role in human life since they were domesticated.

Certain sects worship the cows and a few others eat. Disputes on this issue make many social problems recently.

But the plastic menace to cattle is above all these facts.

In Indian states , it is a common phenomena that the farmers set free their cattle to eat grass in their locality .These wandering animals find their food in the street garbage which we normally throw in plastic covers. When they try to eat it from the garbage bin, they intake the plastic covers as well. Due

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HREAT TO CATTLE to this, the digestive system collapses and it probably ends in painful death of the animal. The primary reasons behind this issue are lack of green grass and the high plastic usage.

Plastics are affecting not only the cattle but the Mother Nature itself. When plastic tends to disrupt our environment it’s affecting humans as well by way of pollution, diseases etc.Though we are aware of dangers the plastics bags and polythene making to our environment, we close our eyes for convenience. But it’s high time to accept the reality and let’s take the responsibility to say “NO TO PLASTIC”. We have to create awareness among the public and have to save the Earth for future generations of all animals that include our children too!!

Images & Story by Usha Ramesh

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Protected Cultivation

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Off-season vegetable cultivation

under Low-cost POLYHOUSE

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Protected technology in high value vegetable crops can be established as a small scale industry in major vegetable growing areas of our country by progressive farmers especially in peri-urban areas.

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R.K. Yadav*, B. S. Tomar, H.Choudhary, A.D.Munshi, T.K.Behera and Zakir Husain

Division of Vegetable Science, IARI, New Delhi-12 *Email of corresponding author: rkyadavneh@gmail.com

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ndia is the second largest vegetable producer in the world next to China with total production of 176 million tonnes from an area of 10.2 million hectare with productivity level of 17.3 t/ha (NHB Database 2017). Though the vegetable sector is growing very fast, still we have to go a long way to meet the rising demand of ever increasing population. To achieve this target, we have to increase our vegetable productivity by incorporation of newly developed hybrids and high yielding varieties as well as adoption of various technologies, like protected cultivation, drip and sprinkler irrigation, off-season vegetable production, container & terrace gardening etc.

The low cost polyhouse technology is economical even for small and marginal farmers, who cannot afford huge cost of high-tech poly house. Many times farmers produce good amount of cucumber, capsicum and tomatoes during main season, which eventually leads to the market glut and fall in price.

On the other hand, due to extreme weather during winter, it is difficult to grow high value vegetables like tomato, capsicum, cucumber, gherkin, bittergourd etc. in open field condition. Therefore, low-cost polyhouse technology was introduced for off-season production of vegetable nurseries as well as for raising crops of high value vegetables under protected structure.Keeping above in view, two types of low cost polyhouses i.e. polyhouse for raising nursery and crops, and low height poly structure for raising crops with temporary protection were constructed. Seedlings as well as crops of various vegetables were grown under these structures. The recommended cultural practices were followed to raise a good crop. The method of raising vegetable nursery and crop and cost of various protected structuresare given below.

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Table1: Cost of low cost polyhouse for raising vegetable nursery (Size of structure (10m (L) x 5m (W) x 7´ (H)) = 50m2 ) S.No

Particulars

Rate (Rs.)

Expenditure (Rs.)

1.

13 PVC pipes (20´, 1.25´´ size)

Rs. 400/-

5,200/-

2.

16 PVC pipes (20´, 0.75´´ size)

Rs. 300

4,800/-

3.

Polythene

100 m2

Rs. 19/-

1,900/-

4.

Sutli

1 kg

Rs. 400/-

400/-

5.

Bamboo Bench

9 m x1.5 ft. (3 Nos.)

-

2,000/-

6.

Labour charges

4 Nos.

Rs. 300/-

1,200/-

Grand Total

15,500/-

Table2: Performance of various vegetables under low cost polyhouse (100 m2)

Crop

Variety

Spacing (cm)

Crop duration (Months)

Total Estimated Production Sale Price (kg/100 m2) (Rs./kg)

Total Income (Rs.)

Gherkin

DG-6

50 x 50

4

270

50

13,500

C h e r r y Pusa Cherry 60 x 50 Tomato Tomato-1

5

650

75

48,750

Tomato

DPTH-60

60x50

5

1300

40

52,000

Bitter gourd

Pusa Rasdar

60 x 50

4

400

60

24,000

Cucumber

Pusa Seed Cucumber-1

less 50 x 50

4

1200

30

36,000

Musk melon

Pusa Sarda

60 x 50

3

500

30

15,000

1. Raising nursery under low cost polyhouse The low cost poly houses were made with PVC pipes and tied with sutli. These structures were covered with 700 gauges (200 µm) UV stabilized polythene sheet. The seedlings were raised in two types of containers viz. polybags and protrays. Well-decomposed and sieved farmyard manure(FYM) in combination with sand and soil in ratio of 2:1:1 by volume was used as growing media. For cucurbits, the polybags of 9x5 cm sizes were filled with the above mixture keeping 2-3 cm vacant from the top. 3-4 fine holes were made in the bottom of filled bags to drain extra water during irrigation. The filled bags were kept inside poly house in groups in such a way that one person can easily sow the seeds and do the intercultural operations.

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A poly house of 10 x 5 m size could accommodate 8000 polythene bags (9 x5 cm sizes) on ground.

The vertical space of polyhouse was occupied by preparation of two stories bamboo benches on which 7000 seedlings of cucurbits were raised in protrays filled with same media in same way. One seed was sown in each bag during last week of December after treating them with Thiram @ 3g/ kg seed. After sowing of seeds, a thin layer of sand was put to fill the top of the polybags in order to facilitate proper germination and to avoid crust formation. Immediately after sowing of seeds, light irrigation was given by watering can, which contained Captaf @ 2ml/litre of water. After one week of sowing again new seeds were sown, where seed germination could not take place. After 30-35 days of sowing, when the seedlings became 10-12 cm long and four true leaves had emerged, they www.krishijagran.com

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Table3: Cost of temporary protected low height low cost poly-house for raising vegetable crops (Size of structure (20m (L) x 5m (W) x 3´ (H)) = 100 m2) S.No

Particulars

Expenditure (Rs.)

1.

30 PVC pipes ( 20´, 0.75´´size) @ Rs. 300/- per pipe

9,000/-

2.

10 PVC pipes (20´, 1´´ size) @ Rs. 400/- per pipe

4,000/-

3.

Polythene sheet ( 700 Gauge, 12 x 5m) = 110 m2 @Rs. 19/- per m2

2,090/-

4.

Sutli (1kg)

400/-

5.

Labour charges 5 No. @ Rs. 300/- Per labour/per day

1,500/-

Total

16,990/-

were kept outside the polyhouse for 2-3 days for hardening by holding irrigation for two days.

Hardening of vegetable seedlings before transplanting in the main field was found very effective in reducing transplanting shock and also resulted in better crop stand. In the first week of February when danger of frost was over, the seedling were transplanted on the northern slope of prepared channels in the field after removing the polythene bags with the help of blade without distributing the earth ball. The seedlings raised in protrays were pulled with soil ball by pressing soil media upwards from the bottom of the tray. After transplanting, light irrigation was given for better establishment of plants. The cost of construction of polyhouse (50m2) is given in Table 1.

As we know that the high-tech nurseries are raised in soilless media (cocopeat, perlite and vermiculite mixture) and the nursery management and plant nutrients supply is a specialized and tedious work, as these soilless media do not contain any nutrient. Soilless media is prepared by mixing cocopeat, vermiculite and perlite in the ratio of 3:1:1 respectively. In case of soilless media the plant nutrients should be applied externally through drip or by making liquid solution. In soilless media, nutrients are applied in the different solution form of NPK, for example, N: P: K (1:1:1) @ 140 ppm is applied once in a week through the fine sprinkler to maintain the uniformity in application of nutrients.

However, in our experiment, the FYM: sand: soil mixture was found easy to manage even by small and marginal farmers residing in remote areas and no additional supply of nutrients was required from outside. Seedlings were raised in protrays and polybags which helped in proper germination, provided independent area for each seed to germinate, reduced the mortality rate, maintained uniform and healthy growth of seedlings, easy in handling and storing, reliable and economical in transportation.By adopting this technique, a cucurbit crop was raised one and a half months in advance than normal method of direct seed sowing in the field. Similarly the nursery of other vegetables like tomato, chilli, capsicum, cole crops etc. can be raised and sold to get higher profit.

The nursery was raised for 45 days under this structure; however, the same structure can be used for round the years by applying various types of cladding materials. Under low cost nursery structure of 50 m2, a net profit of Rs.9,500/was earned during first year by raising off-season nursery of cucurbitaceous and solanaceous vegetables, as the fixed cost for raising structure was high during first year. The net profit increased

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Economics of raising nursery under poly house Size of structure (10m (L) x 5m (W) x 7’ (H)) No. of seedlings 8000 (polybags) + 7000 (protrays) Seedling sale price @ Rs.2/- per seedling Investment cost (polyhouse, polybags, protrays) = Rs. 20,500/Net profit 1st year (30,000 – 20,500) Net profit 2nd year onwards (30,000 – 5000)

significantly in second year up to Rs 25,000/- due to drastic reduction in fixed cost.The economics of raising vegetables nursery is given above.

2. Low cost polyhouse technology for raising crops The low cost polyhouses which were used for raising nursery were utilized for raising crops during winter season. The high value crops like tomato, cherry tomato, cucumber (Parthenocarpic),gherkin, bitter gourd (gynoecious) and musk melon (Sarda Type , yellow skinned, non-netted) were grown during second fortnightof November.

The temperature inside polyhouse was 6-100C higher than outside. All the recommended cultivation practices of these crops were followed to raise a good crop. Harvesting of gherkin started from last week of January. A total income of Rs.36,000/-and 48,750/- was earned by growing cucumber (parthenocarpic) and cherry tomato under low cost polyhouse of 100 m2 area, respectively.Harvesting of cherry tomato was started from mid-February. By growing one crop of bitter gourd a gross income of Rs. 24,000/was recorded and through gherkin a total income of Rs. 13,500/- was achieved. This profit can be enhanced further by raising more than one crop under same structure.This structure was utilized for raising crops from November to March i.e. for one crop of 4-5 month duration. However, with the 56

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= 50m2 = 15,000/= Rs. 30,000/= 15,500 + 5,000 = Rs.9, 500/= Rs.25, 000/-

same structure other crops like coriander, lettuce, beet leaf (palak) etc. can also be grown by utilizing different types of cladding material like shade net etc. and the net profit can be enhanced further.

3. Growing crops under temporary protected low height polyhouse Vegetable crops like French bean, amaranth and summer squash which are determinate in growth habit and cannot be grown under open field condition during winter season were successfully grown under low height low cost temporary poly structure which was found highly suitable for raising these crops during winter season. Seeds were sown on raised bed during second fortnight of November and whole bed was covered with low height poly structure after sowing and it was made airtight. The seeds germinated due to conducive environment under protected structures. Once all the seeds had germinated the polythene sheet was removed daily from both end during sunny days and again bed was covered in evening to maintain the inside temperature optimum. All the cultural practices recommended for cultivation of the crops under protected structures were followed. In February, when outside temperature was ideal and frost chances were over, the polythene sheet was removed and structure was dismantled and kept safely for future use. www.krishijagran.com

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Table4: Off-season vegetable production under temporary protected (winter protection) Low Height Polyhouse (100 m2) Crop

Variety

Spacing (cm)

Crop duration (days)

French bean

Contender Pusa Parvati

50 x 7

110

Total Production (kg/100 m2) 75

Total Estimated Sale Income Price (Rs./kg) (Rs.) 60

4,500

Pusa Alankar 50 x 50 S u m m e r Australian Green Squash Pusa Pasand

115

675

30

20,250

Pusa Lal Chaulai 50 x 50 Pusa Kiran

120

125

30

3,750

Amaranth

The polyhouse structure may last for 3-5 years and only polythene sheet may be replaced as per need from time to time. This structure was also utilized for raising crops from November to February i.e. for one crop of 3-4 month duration.

French bean was harvested during first week of February. The results showed that French bean recorded a total income of Rs. 4,500/- during first year, however, summer squash, which is a bush type cucurbit, harvesting was started from second week of February and it recorded a total income of Rs. 20,250/-from an area of 100 m2. In case of amaranths, harvesting was started from last week of January and it recorded total income of Rs. 3,750/. The polyhouse structure may last for 3-5 years and only polythene sheet may be replaced as per need from time to time.This structure was also utilized for raising crops from November to February i.e. for one crop of 3-4 month duration. However, with the same structure other crops like, coriander, beet leaf (Palak) etc. can also be grown by utilizing different types of cladding material like shade net

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etc. and the net profit can be enhanced further.

Cultivation of high value off-season vegetable crops under low cost protected structure have been found a viable technology for growing various vegetables viz. tomato, capsicum, cucurbits, French bean, amaranth etc. during winter season.

The off-season production obtained thus fetches higher price in the market. Therefore, to enhance productivity and to ensure profitability of the small and marginal farmers, off-season nursery as well as vegetables cultivation under low cost poly-house is found to be economical and profitable enterprise.

Protected technology in high value vegetable crops can be established as a small scale industry in major vegetable growing areas of our country by progressive farmers especially in peri-urban areas.

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Agri Industry

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Extrusion cooking a fast growing industry

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Extrusion cooking is a high temperature short time cooking process designed for processing of starchy as well as proteinaceous materials with the help of shear energy and additional heating of the food materials to its melting point.

V.R.Ajith kumar

Editor, Agriculture world Email- ajith@krishijagran.com

E

xtrusion technology ,well known in the plastic industry, has now become a widely used technology in the agri food processing industry , where it is referred to as extrusion cooking. It has been employed for the production of engineered food and special feed. Extrusion cooking is a high temperature short time cooking process designed for processing of starchy as well as proteinaceous materials with the help of shear energy and additional heating of the food materials to its melting point. In this changed rheological status, the food is conveyed under high pressure through a die or a series of dies and the product expands to its final shape. This results in very different physical and chemical properties of the extrudates to those of the raw materials used. The use of extrusion cooking has distinct advantages like versatility, high productivity, low cost, product shapes, high product quality and production of new products. During extrusion process, the food ingredients undergo various changes such as starch gelatinisation and dextrinisation, protein denaturation ,inactivation of raw food enzymes, destruction of naturally occurring toxic substances, degradation of fat and formation of starch protein oil complexes and destroying microbial count in final product.

Popular extrusion cooked products

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•

Extrusion cooking is used for the manufacture of many food stuffs, ranging from the simplest expanded snacks to highly processed meat analogues .

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Direct extruded snacks , ready to eat cereal flakes and a variety of breakfast foods produced from cereal material and differing in shape , colour and taste and easy to handle in terms of production.

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Snack pellets – they are half products destined for fried or hot air expanded snacks like pre cooked pasta

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Baby food, pre cooked flours, instant concentrates and functional components

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Pet food , aqua food, feed concentrates and calf milk replacers AUGUST 2018

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Extrusion cooking is used for the manufacture of many food stuffs, ranging from the simplest expanded snacks to highly processed meat analogues.

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Texturized vegetable protein used in the production of meat analogues.

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Crisp bread, bread crumbs, emulsion and pastes.

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Baro thermally processed products for the pharmaceutical, chemical, paper and brewing industry.

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Confectionary – different kinds of sweets and chewing gum.

The growing popularity of extrusion cooking in the global agri food industry led many indigenous manufacturers to implement it on an industrial scale . Extrusion cooking offers a chance to use raw materials which have not previously displayed great economic importance . They include taba bean , cassava ,sweet potato etc. It can be implemented with relatively low effort , does not require excessive capital investment and the technology is user friendly and offers multiple application.

Extrusion cooking technique There are many conventional methods of classification of food extruders , but , the most practical are based on the factors given below : 1) The method of generating mechanical friction energy that converted into heat during extrusion. a) Antogenic , in which the source of heat is the friction of the particles of the materials caused by the screw rotating at high speed. b) Isothermic ( heated) c) Polytropic( mixed ) 2) The amount of mechanical energy generated ( two types of extruders) a) low pressure extruders producing relatively limited shear rate. b) high pressure extruders generating large amounts of mechanical energy and shear.

3) The construction of plasticizing unit where both the barrel and the screw may be designed as a uniform, integrated body fixed with separate modules.

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History In 1935, the application of single screw extruders for plasticating thermoplastic materials became more common as a competitor to hot rolling and shaping in hydraulic press equipment . Later, twin screw extruders , both co rotating and counter rotating were developed for food products. Shortly after, single screw extruders came into common use in the pasta industry for the production of spaghetti and macaroni type products. Further research advanced the single screw extruder to produce from 100 kilos per hour to several tons per hour.

The development of many different technologies seems to have been catalyzed by World War II , as was that of extrusion cooking technology. In 1946, in the US, the development of the single screw extruder to cook and expand corn and rice snacks occurred. In combination with an attractive flavouring , this product type is still popular and the method of producing snacks with single screw extruder equipment is , in principle, still the same.

A wide variety of extruder designs is offered for this purpose. However, it should be mentioned that the old method of cutting pre shaped pieces of dough out of a sheet with roller cutters is still in use, because the complicated shapes of snacks lead to very expensive dies and die heads for cooking and forming extruders. Here, the lack of knowledge of the physical behaviour of a tempered dough and the unknown relations www.krishijagran.com

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of the transport phenomena of heat , mass and momentum to the physical and physicochemical properties of the food in the extruder are clearly noticed. Although modern control techniques are very helpful in controlling the mass flow in single screw extruders, in many cases, it is a big advantage to use extruders with better mixing and more steady mass flow than single screw equipment can offer. In the mid 1970, the use of twin screw extruders for the combined process of cooking and forming of food products was introduced to provide more or less forced flow and for better results.

Processing of biopolymers It is a known fact that all chemical changes in food are irreversible. A continued treatment after such an irreversible reaction in an extruder should be a temperature, time and shear controlled process leading to a series of completely different functional properties of the produced food.

Now a days, food familiar extruder equipment manufacturers design process lines, where the extruder cooker is part of a complete line. Here , the extruder is used as a single or twin screw reactor and the pre heating /pre conditioning step is performed in a specially pre conditioner . The forming task of extruder has also been separated from the heating and shearing. The final shaping and forming has to be done in a second and well optimized post die forming extruder , processing the food mostly at a lower water level www.krishijagran.com

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than in the first reactor extruder. In such a process line, cooked and pre shaped but unexpanded food pellets can be produced with the use of the extrusion cooking equipment in process lines, their tasks became more specialized.

Single screw extrusion cookers The design of single screw extrusion cookers is relatively simple. The roles of the screw is to convey, compress, melt and plasticize the material and to force it under pressure through small die holes at the end of the barrel. The necessary condition for moving the material is a proper flow rate and no sticking to the surface of the screw.

In food extruders , sticking effects are prevented by the force of friction of the material against the barrel wall, which is facilitated by suitable grooving of the inside of the barrel. Their role is to increase the grip resistance and to direct the flow of the forced material. The more friction, the less spinning of the material and easier transport forward is the principle. Single screw food extruders process relatively easy materials characterized by a high friction coefficient , such as maize or rice grits.

Twin screw extrusion cookers Twin screw extrusion cookers are much more complex and more universal in terms of design.

They have gained extensive popularity with producers of extrusion –cooked food and feed because of their high versatility, lower energy AUGUST 2018

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The growing popularity of extrusion cooking in the global agri food industry led many indigenous manufacturers to implement it on an industrial scale . Extrusion cooking offers a chance to use raw materials which have not previously displayed great economic importance. consumption and the ability to broaden the production assortment significantly. Its only disadvantage is the more complicated design and the cost of acquisition. Now a days, co rotating food extruders are used to a greater extent due to their high productivity, good mixing and high screw speed. They are characterised by good efficiency of the material transportation, mixing, plasticizing and extrusion. The self wiping and intermeshing flights of the screws effectively force the material to move forward , in effect, no material is locked in the space between the surface of the barrel and the screw. They are often referred as self cleaning machines. The flow of mixed material in co rotating twin screw extruders is balanced without any discontinuity. This is a decisive factor in the use of these extruders for the production of crisp bread or sponge fingers, the products with a higher quality of external surface.

Counter rotating twin screw food extruders are special purpose machinery . Their screws rotate much more slowly but can mix the material effectively and their work resembles a positive displacement pump generating high pressure in the barrel closed C-shaped chamber on the screws, which is needed for high viscosity material. The back flow of material in these extruders is very small due to the tiny clearances between the screws and the barrel. They are predominantly used for the production of confectionary , chewing gum and for the processing of fiber and cellulose rich materials. Counter rotating extruders can easily be degassed.

Modern twin screw food extruders are designed in such a way that raw materials can be fed to the extruder by more than one feeder , even at different locations through the barrel. Now fluid components can be fed separately , which is an additional advantage. Now a days ,twin screw food extruders have a modular construction where screws are built up out of several different elements, mounted on the screw shaft. These elements are handling transport, mixing, 62

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compressing and melting. By proper setting of the elements, the operator is able to control the behaviour of material inside the extruder and influence the scope of physical and chemical processes in the course of an extrusion cooking process. Sophisticated extruders can be very useful production tools but only in the hands of conscientious and experienced operators. Where production is limited to one or two relatively easy products, a more cost effective solution would be to use simpler single screw food extruders.

The latest state of art is that the control of the production process is fully automated. In the case of high volume production rates, this is indispensible, since only a properly programmed control system is fast enough to control the production flow as it responds immediately to failures of the working equipment.

The market expects new food products fancy in shape, taste and raw material composition as well as attractive from an economic point of view. Extrusion cooking technology can meet these expectations however one needs specialized knowledge.

References: 1.

Extrusion cooking- craft or science- Van Zuilichem, Netherlands

2.

Extrusion of foods- Harper.J.M, Florida

3.

Extrusion cooking and related technique- Leszek Mosciki and Dick.

J.Zuilichem

4.

Extrusion cooking, technology and applications – R.Guy, Florida

5.

Twin screw extrusion – Janssen, Amsterdam

6.

Extruded products from tuber crops – Dr.J. T.Sheriff, Dr.M.S.Sajeev and Dr.G.Padmaja, CTCRI

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Vegetable

AG R I C U LT U R E

Vinod Subramaniyam

F

MD, Alterneit Lifestyles Pvt Ltd Email - vinodmsubramaniam@gmail.com

riendship is a bond between two persons to support each other on his bad days. If a plant has given such a naming means that the plant really helps the planter on his bad days. It is true when we consider the qualities of “friendship spinach”(Souhrida cheera in Malayalam) or lettuce tree . In this era of over use of pesticides in vegetables, this leafy vegetable which resist the pest on its own ,needs much attention. Another speciality of lettuce tree is that

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it will survive all climatic conditions. It is rich in vitamins and proteins and are widely cultivated in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The scientific name of lettuce tree is Pisonia grandis and another species is P. alba. They belong to the family of Nyctaginaceae, commonly called as 4 o’clock plants and are in 33 varieties with 290 flowering plants. Pisonia is a small, evergreen foliage tree or a large shrub

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that reaches a height of four to seven meters.

The leaves are long and pointed and about 30 cm in length. They are of a pleasing pale green colour. Lettuce tree is known by different names in different languages. Lachaikottei and Nachukottei in Tamil, Sule sappu in Kannada , Lanchamundaku in Telugu, velati salet in Gujarati and Chinai salit in Hindi.

Use Its daily use will control diabetics, arthritis, elephantiasis and diseases in the alimentary canal. It is basically anti diabetic and acts as a stimulant. The study conducted by Subhasree.B, Bhaskar.R, Lekshmi.R and Ligina Susan ( Food chemistry,2009- page 1213-1220) proved that ethanolic extract from pisonia reduces blood sugar reasonably. Subhashini.K, Sreepathy, Poonkothai.G, Lalitha.P reported that pinitol contained in pisonia works as anti diabetic agent( Journal of Natural Medicinevol.11/1(2011) 39-45 , Department of Chemistry , Avinashilingam University for women , Coimbatore , Tamil Nadu) It is also identified as a medicine for arthritis (Ambalagan.N, Rajanikanth.K.N, Kishore, Gnanasam.S, Thomas Leonard.J, balakrishnan.K, Ramachandran.S and Sridhar – SK Analgesic, Anti Inflammatory and Diuretic activities of Pisonia grandis – Journal of Natural Product Science ,8 (3), 97-99 and 2002 ) The study conducted by A.Elumalai, M.Chinna Eswarayya and Habeebur Rahman of Department of Pharmacognosy, Anurag Pharmacy College, Andhra Pradesh published in International Journal of Pharma and Bio science , Vol.3/Issue 1/ Jan –Mar 2012 ) revealed its anti oxidant, anti fungal , anti microbial and anti diabetic characters . It acts as a defensive mechanism against loss of movement and a good remedy for burn and inflammation. The study conducted in 2006 under the leadership of Sunil from Tropical Botanical Garden, Palode, Thiruvananthapuram revealed that pisonia is good to reduce blood sugar and to improve the functions of liver and kidney.

WORLD had become popular among foreign as well as domestic tourists in Tamil Nadu region. The mature leaves by their quality and quantity make good cattle feed. It also has the power to curb air pollution and hence planted aplenty in Tamil Nadu roads.

Planting The plant grows well in any soil, but being a littoral plant it shows preference for sandy soil. It is propagated through cuttings, which root easily in sand. Cuttings should be kept in a place where sunlight falls on them. Over watering and lack of light and warmth in the rainy season can rot the newly forming leaves on the cuttings. It can also be grown in pots and sacks.

Recipes PISONIA DAL CURRY

Ingredients Pisonia leaves - 10 ( wash and chop ) ,Sambar dal – ½ cup(cook and mash),Green chilly – 2 , Garlic – 2 pods(chopped),Cumin¼ teaspoon ,Turmeric powder – a pinch,Small onion – 4 ( 2 whole and 2 sliced ),Mustard – ½ teaspoon, Oil- 2 teaspoon,Whole red chilly – 1 ( cut into 2 ), Grated coconut – 1 cup, Salt for taste Method

Tribes widely use its leaf, stem and root for preparing medicines for diabetics and arthritis. Its diuretic character and control capacity of body temperature and energy releasing characters makes it special among the green vegetables.

Its young leaves are very tasty as a side dish and used for making salads, curries and snacks.

In TN villages, the leaves are often used as a main ingredient for ‘sambar’ and ‘rasam’. The cutlet and vadai made of leaves of Lachaikottei www.krishijagran.com

Cook dal and then mash it with a spoon.

Add pisonia leaves, 2 small onion, green chilly , turmeric powder and salt in water and boil. Grind coconut with garlic and cumin. Add this mixture into the curry. After a few minutes , remove from the fire. Heat oil in a pan . Add mustard seeds. When seeds crackle, add sliced small onions and whole red chilly . Pour this over the curry.

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Mix and serve hot.

PISONIA KOFTA

Ingredients Pisonia leaves – 15, Onion- 1 slice, Galic -4-5 pods(chopped),Oil-1 teaspoon, Green chilly2 (slit into 2 ), Mustard seeds -1/2 teaspoon Method Wash and shred pisonia leaves. Sprinkle with salt water. Heat a span and put oil. Crackle mustard seeds ,add onion, green chilly and garlic. Saut’e till golden brown. Add pisonia leaves and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for one minute. Open the lid and spread the total mixture and cook for 2 minutes again and remove from fire . Serve hot.

PISONIA THORAN Ingriedients Pisonia leaves – 5 (chopped), Soya chunks – 2 cup, Potato -2 (cook and mash), Carrot-1 (chopped), Capsicum-1 (chopped), Ginger – a small piece ( chopped), Pepper powder – ½ teaspoon, Salt to taste, Garam masala- ½ teaspoon, Green chilly -2 (chopped), Onion2 (chopped),Oil-2 teaspoon, Wheat flour- 2 cup, Turmeric powder – a pinch Method Ingredients Soak soya chunks in water for 2 hours.

Cook in water and add salt,pepper powder and garam masala. Heat oil in a pan ,saut’e onion and carrot for a minute, add ginger, green chilly, capsicum , pisonia leaves and again saut’e. Add soya mix with mashed potatoes. Shape this mixture into small balls in palm and dip in the batter of wheat flour, turmeric powder and salt and deep fry in oil.

PISONIA STIR FRY

Pisonia leaves – 15(wash and chop), mustard seeds-1/2 teaspoon, turmeric –a pinch, small onion – 1(whole), red chilly – 2(cut into 2), curry leaves -5-6, oil- 1 teaspoon, grated coconut – half cup Method Wash and shred pisonia leaves. Sprinkle salt water. Crush grated coconut with garlic and chilly. Heat oil in a pan and crackle mustard seeds. Add small onion slices ,red chilly and curry leaves. Add pisonia leaves and crushed coconut mixture and turmeric. Cook in low flame for 2 minutes and remove from fire.

PISONIA CUTLET Ingredients Pisonia leaves -10 (wash and shred), potatoes – 3(cook and remove skin and mash),onion-2(slice), green chilly-2(chopped),garlic-10 cloves(chop into small pieces), ginger-a 66

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WORLD chapathis and bake on a hot tawa. Serve hot

small piece (chop into small pieces), oil- for fry, turmeric –a pinch, garam masala- 1 teaspoon, pepper powder- 1.5 teaspoon, salt to taste, corn flour-1/2 cup ( mix with water to form a medium thick batter), bread crumbs- 200 gm Method Heat a pan, put oil and saut’e onion, green chilly, ginger and garlic(just to remove moisture). Add mashed potato and mix well. Add pisonia leaves, turmeric powder, garam masala, pepper powder ,salt and mix well. Remove from fire and cool. Shape into cutlets , dip in corn flour mixture and coat with bread crumbs and deep fry in oil. Serve with tomato sauce or mint chutney.

PISONIA ROTI

Ingredients Wheat flour – 250 gms, Pisonia leaves – 15, hot water-as needed, salt to taste.

with curries .

PISONIA SOUP Ingredients Pisonia leaves – 15 (wash and shred into small pieces), onion- 1 (sliced),ginger- a small piece(chop),garlic -4 pods (chopped), pepper corns -8, basmati rice – 2 teaspoon Method Pull all ingredients in a sauce pan with water and bring to boil for 10-15 minutes

.Remove and grind in a mixie and again boil the mixture with remaining water. Serve hot with salt and pepper powder.

PISONIA AVIAL

Method Ingredients Mix wheat flour and chopped pisonia leaves with hot water and salt and make a smooth dough. Shape into small balls , spread as www.krishijagran.com

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ion-2(whole),curd-3 tea spoon(beat well with fork), grated coconut – ¼ cup, curry leaves-10, oil- 2 tea spoon, salt to taste ,green mango piece-2, cumin seeds -1 teaspoon Method Wash pisonia leaves and shred into small pieces after removing the mid rib. Grind coconut, green chilly , cumin and small onion with salt in a mixie. Mix the paste with pisonia leaves and cook in a pan with a little water. When half boiled, add mango pieces and curd. After full boiling , add curry leaves and oil and mix. Serve hot.

a minute. Add sliced onion and saut’e till golden brown.Add cooked mutton/ chicken to the pan with water if necessary. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Add pisonia paste and mix for one minute and remove . Serve hot with garnishing .

PISONIA PANEER CURRY

PISONIA MUTTON/ CHICKEN CURRY Ingredients Pisonia leaves – 20 (wash and shred), mutton/ chicken – ½ kg, ginger – a small piece (grind to paste), garlic -5 pods (grind to paste), cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon, garam masala powder – 1 and a half teaspoon , oil-3 teaspoon, turmeric powder – a pinch, chilly powder -2 teaspoon, coriander powder – 1 teaspoon, onion-3( sliced) Method

Ingredients

Wash pisonia leaves and shred into small pieces and boil in water for one minute.

Remove and put in iced water for 5 minutes and grind to a thick paste. Cook mutton/ chicken with turmeric powder ,chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt in a pressure cooker. Remove when 3/4th of boiling . Heat oil in a pan .Add cumin seed ,ginger garlic paste and stir for

Corriander leaves- 2 teaspoon ( grind to paste),Corriander leaves – 5,turmeric powder-a pinch,black salt- ¼ teaspoon, salt to taste, lemon -1 (for juice), pisonia leaves – 15 , paneer -200 gm(cut into cubes), oil-2 teaspoon, garlic – 10-15 pods(chop) ,cumin seed -1 teaspoon , green chilly -4, onion- 2 (to slice), curd- 4 teaspoon) Method Wash pisonia leaves and shred into small pieces and boil in water for one minutes.

Remove and put in iced water and then grind to a thick paste. Heat oil in a pan ,add cumin seeds , chopped garlic and stir in slow flame. Add onion and green chilly and saut’e for 3 minutes in medium flame. Add curd, coriander powder, turmeric , black salt and salt . Mix well , add pisonia paste and coriander paste .Mix well ,add paneer cubes , mix and remove from fire. Pour lemon juice and mix. Serve hot. (Add fresh cream or butter if needed)

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Technology

Plant Breeding

A Journey from Art, Science to Technology Dr. Navdeep Singh Jamwal Asst. Prof. Abhilashi University, Mandi, UP Email - navadeepjamwal1986 @gmail.com

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griculture has evolved with the evolution of human race. About 1,35,000 years ago ,modern human race has evolved.

Initially, human were hunters and

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food gatherers. Domestication of plants by them was started around 10,000 years ago, wheat and barley were initially cultivated. During that era agriculture was completely an art but due to work

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World has witnessed the success of plant breeding in the form of green revolution, with the efforts of Dr. Borlaug (father of green revolution) the dwarf genes from ‘Norin 10’ wheat had been transferred to Mexican varieties. Further, with the hard work of Dr. M.S. Swaminathan,Mexican wheat varieties were introduced to India resulted in green revolution or wheat revolution in this region. of Gregor John Mendel (father of genetics) in plant genetics modern plant breeding came into existence. World has witnessed the success of plant breeding in the form of green revolution, with the efforts of Dr. Borlaug (father of green revolution) the dwarf genes from ‘Norin 10’ wheat had been transferred to Mexican varieties. Further, with the hard work of Dr. M.S. Swaminathan ,Mexican wheat varieties were introduced to India resulted in green revolution or wheat revolution in this region. Now, mankind has

moved far ahead from the era of green revolution.

Now, new challenges are waiting i.e. increasing population, decreasing cultivable land and changing climate. The only solution is to develop the crop varieties according to need of particular regions and quick replacement of old varieties with new ones with changing climate. To achieve this solution ,plant breeding has to be equipped with new tools. Before discussing the new tools the knowledge of basic principles is important.

Basically, plant breeding works on two principles viz., variation and selection.

Variations among plants are created naturally by introduction (bringing varieties from one region to other) or artificially by hybridization (crossing of two species), mutation (using X-rays, gama rays, Ethyl methane sulfonate), polyploidy (by changing chromosome number) and genetic engineering (introducing new genes). Once the variation has been created, next step is the selection of desirable ones. Selection is always aided by markers. It may be a morphological marker (plant height, flower colour etc.) or biochemical marker (Protein or allozyme) or molecular markers (DNA markers).

Due to the limited number, stage specificity and environmental influence on first two markers, the focus has diverted towards molecular markers.

The era of molecular markers have divided into three generations where first generation (1980-1990) are hybridization based markers (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism), second generation markers (1990-2000) are based on polymerase chain reaction (amplified fragment length polymorphism and simple sequence repeat) and third generation markers (2000 onwards) are DNA sequencing based markers (expressed sequence tags and single nucleotide polymorphism). These third generation markers are getting importance day by day due to availability of next generation sequencing methods.

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These methods have capability to sequence billions of base pair in single operation.

The robustness and cost effectiveness of next generation sequencing (NGS) methods can be understood by the fact that the first human genome took 13 years and 1 billion US dollars to sequence, whereas today with help of NGS it take one day and 3000 USD only. The major NGS platforms for sequencing are developed by Roche, Applied Bio Systems and Illumina. These sequencers have significantly reduced the cost of sequencing from 3000 USD/Mbp(millions of base pairs) with sanger method (initial method of sequencing) to 0.05 USD/Mbp. The success of these next generation sequencing is estimated by the fact that nearly 112 plant species have sequenced till now ,since the sequencing of first plant species Arabidopsis in 2000. The sequencing has opened new vistas for research and development of new and improved crop varieties.

The marker assisted selection (MAS), marker assisted back-crossing (MABC), marker assisted recurrent selection (MARS) and pyramiding of genes are the possible applications of DNA makers in crop improvement. Further, sequencing enables to look out for genes of interest not only within the species to produce ‘cisgenics’ but also between kingdom to produce ‘transgenic’.

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India has witnessed the success of such gene reshuffling where Bt gene cloned from soil born bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis and inserted into cotton resulted in protection of cotton crop from deadly insects like bollworms. Now, about 98% of cotton grown in India is Bt cotton.

Another example is of ‘golden rice’ where vitamin A deficiency among population of developing world is tackled by introducing �-carotene (precursor of vitamin A) synthesis pathway in rice.

It was achieved by introducing two gene viz., psy gene (phytoene synthase) from daffodil and crtI gene (carotene desaturase) from the soil bacterium Erwinia uredovora.

Similarly, many ambitious projects around the world has been formulated due to availability of sequencing information i.e. ‘C4 rice project’ where anatomy and bio-chemistry of rice will be changed to make it more efficient for photosynthesis and water use. If this will happen, the yield of rice will increase by 50% and the water use efficiency will be doubled. The agriculture is always moving so as the plant breeding, new avenues have been added since its evolution. It was an art at that time and with the evolution of plant science it became art and science, now with the involvement of next generation sequencing, it is becoming an art, science and technology. www.krishijagran.com

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R&D

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Planter’s pride-foot rot tolerant black pepper

‘IISR THEVAM’ !

B.Sasikumar*,V.Srinivasan and SJ Anke Gowda** ICAR- Indian Institute of Spices Research, PO Marikunnu,Kozhikode-12.

Email:sasikumarsooranadu@gmail.com

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hytophthora foot rot is a devastating malady affecting black pepper vines of all ages across time and space. Vine death is complete in the affected plants.

Though integrated control measures are available, it is less effective in saving the affected vines in the advance stages of infection or preventing the occurrence and recurrence of the malady. Disease resistant varieties are the cheap, durable, most effective and safe option to prevent crop loss due to diseases in any crop. In case of black pepper, the variety ‘IISR Thevam’ has fulfilled this long felt need of a foot rot disease tolerant variety!

‘IISR Thevam’, a selection of the popular cultivar ‘Thevan mundi’, is released by the ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode during the year 2005 after a series of trials involving many a black pepper varieties in the hot spot areas of foot rot disease, starting with the first trail at the then Tata Tea Estate, Valparai, Tamil Nadu. Among the many varieties evaluated, only Coll.1041 (the pre release identity of ‘IISR Thevam’) survived in the sick soils naturally infested with the foot rot pathogen. Owing to its disease tolerance coupled with high yield and good quality, Coll.1041 was christened as ‘IISR Thevam’ and released! (The suffix ‘Thevam’ denotes the origin of the variety from the mother clone ‘Thevan mundi while the prefix ‘IISR’ is the acronym for Indian Inst. of Spices Research).

Over the years ‘IISR Thevam’ has become a favourite of planters across the country and planters root for the rooted cuttings of ‘IISR 74

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Thevam’, over other black pepper varieties/ hybrids.

Mr. HS Dharmaraj(46),Geetha Estate (15 ha.),Honkaravally,Saklespur,Ph.9448156453 is having about 2020 vines of ‘IISR Thevam’ of varying ages. ‘I will rank ‘IISR Thevam’ as number one variety owing to its disease tolerance coupled with high yield and good quality’ ,asserts the young planter! .Mr. Dharmaraj gets an yield of 8-11kg(dry) from a 9 year old vine with a bulk density of 570g/litre(L) while other varieties record bulk density below 540g/L. Berries of ‘Thevam’ are bold and attractive. ‘ Which other black pepper varieties have this high yield and good quality coupled with disease tolerance’? quips Mr.Dharmaraj. And hence he and his father Mr.HN Santhiah(74) are planning to replace other black pepper varieties in the estate with ‘Thevam’ and for the same they are starting an exclusive nursery for ‘IISR Thevam’.

An ace quality coffee grower who bagged second prize in the prestigious Ernest Illy International www.krishijagran.com

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Over the years ‘IISR Thevam’ has become a favourite of planters across the country and planters root for the rooted cuttings of ‘IISR Thevam’, over other black pepper varieties/hybrids.

Coffee Award 2017 held at New York recently, Mr. Dharmaraj is also in the business of black pepper export. He has installed all the necessary infrastructure facility for sorting, grading and packing of black pepper at his homestead and is assisted by Mrs. Nanditha Dharmaraj in the venture. Mr. Dharmaraj is of the opinion that the bold and attractive berries of Thevam have an advantage in the export market too.

Mr. Dharmaraj takes utmost care in all aspects of black pepper cultivation and processing.

Integrated nutrient and plant protection schedule are adopted in the estate. The vines trailed on live standards are provided with drip irrigation as done for the coffee plants. Many planters/farmers regularly visit the estate to get acquainted with the practices of Mr. Dharmaraj. This year so far 1200 visitors came to the estate ! After seeing the performance of ‘Thevam’ at the Geetha Estate, many planters from Karnataka are approaching the ICAR-IISR Regional Station, Appangala for planting material of the variety. *Present address:SEKT,D6,Varada,Kurup’s lane,PO Sasthamangalam,Thiruvanathapuram-10.

Heravanad Post,Madikeri-57120.

Rooted cuttings of IISR Thevam can be obtained from: 1.Manager, ATIC, ICAR-IISR,Kozhikode-12. Ph.0495-2730704.

2.Head, ICAR-IISR Regional Station, Appangala, Madikeri, Ph.08272245451/08272-245514/08272-298754.

3.Mr. Martin Manuel, Elavunkal(H),

Thalayad PO, Unnikulam, Kozhikode-673574. Ph.9495613499.

4.Mr. Girish N Hegde, Sahyadri Nursery and Farm, Halkodu Village, Edagigaleman Post, Sagar Taluk, Shimoga. Karnataka.

Ph. 9448146432.

5. Mrs.Tabira, C/o. Mr. Abdul Nabeel, Pattorakkal, Natura, Meppayyur PO, Pin-673524. Ph.9495083753.

6. Mr. NT George, Nedumkallel, Venappara, Kozhikode-673582.

Ph.9048227237.

** ICAR-IISR Regional Station, Appangala, www.krishijagran.com

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Nutraceutical Regulations of FSSAI Pradip Chakraborty

Former Director, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Mob: 9953689010,Email. pradipchakraborty91@yahoo.com

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utraceutical product is a food or fortified food product that not only supplements the diet but also assists in treating or preventing disease and provides medical benefits.

Nutraceuticals are not tested and regulated to the extent of pharmaceutical drugs. The word nutraceutical is combined from the words nutrition and pharmaceutical. Earlier in the absence of regulations, nutraceutical products were considered as proprietary food.

With the implementation of the regulation on nutraceuticals , manufacturing as well as import licenses can be generated straightaway under

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food category 13.6(food supplements) , provided ingredients and additives are listed in various schedules specific to the product.

The Food Business Operators (FBO) need to submit information on the purity criteria at the time of application for license or when demanded by the Food Authority. In addition to the specific labelling requirement under these regulations, the product shall also comply Food Safety and Standards ( Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011. The product shall also comply with the Food Safety and Standards ( Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.Nutrition and nutrient content claim for the product can

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Nutraceutical product is a food or fortified food product that not only supplements the diet but also assists in treating or preventing disease and provides medical benefits. also be made. Such content claims would be based on supporting data related to that particular food and the content of nutrients and nutrition.

For product led health claims, prior approval of the FSSAI by submitting the relevant documents is required.

Salient features of the Nutraceuticals Regulations Mere combination of Vitamins and Minerals shall not be considered as health supplements without known and established nutritional or beneficial physiological effect. Recommended Dietary Allowance( RDA) are based on the guidelines issued by the National Institute of Nutrition- Indian Council of Medical Research ( NIN-ICMR). However, these are the minimum RDA. NIN is in the process of finalising maximum RDA like United States Food and Drug Administration(USFDA) which has both minimum and maximum RDA. Ingredients and additives which are missing in this regulations are considered as novel food/ novel ingredients for which specific approval www.krishijagran.com

is required from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India ( FSSAI) following due procedure posted in the FSSAI website.

Confusion about the Nutraceuticals Regulations No regulations in the world is foolproof. There is always scope for development and evolution.

In the Nutraceutical regulations, Chapter 7(IV), a nutraceutical ingredient which is not listed in the regulations but it’s safety has been established in India or any other country shall be manufactured or sold on prior approval of the FSSAI. However, in 7(V), such application shall be accompanied by documented history of usage of at least 15 years in India or 30 years in the country of origin. This is contradictory as the product, being a novel food, has no scope of usage of 15 years in India.

This Clause 7(v) needs to be removed from the regulations.Similarly ,As per Chapter 7(2)(I), the nutraceuticals shall contain any of the ingredients specified in Schedule I or II or IV or VI or VII or VIII. However, as per Chapter 7(3)(I), no ingredient other than those specified in Schedule AUGUST 2018

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While importing ingredients and products, importer should check that ingredients are within the permitted list mentioned in various Schedules, specific to the product. They should also see that the dosage of vitamins and minerals are within the permissible limit prescribed in the regulations.

VI , shall be used as nutraceutical. As a result, both nutraceutical and health supplements can be manufactured and sold as nutraceutical product.

Scientifically, for nutraceuticals at least one ingredient from Schedule VI would be required while ingredients specified in other Schedules permitted in the nutraceutical category may or may not be used. This has been clarified in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) issued by the FSSAI but FAQ has no legal validity. Regulations needs to be suitably amended to clear the confusion.

Advantages of the Nutraceuticals Regulations With the implementation of the regulations, a number of proprietary food are now considered as standardised product ,for which license can be generated directly without waiting for approval from the FSSAI. Innovative food products will fall under novel food category for which specific approval is required from the FSSAI with authenticated safety studies. However, the only concern is unless the approval process is speedy, expansion and growth of nutraceuticals business in India will hamper. Once a novel ingredient is approved by the FSSAI, it will be notified in the official gazette of the FSSAI and included in the list of approved ingredient. Subsequently, other FBOs need not to apply separately for approval of the same ingredient. There is total flexibility for the manufacturer/ importer of the nutraceutical product falling under the regulations if the product contains approved ingredients and additives, specific to various schedules.

Change in Apex Regulator Apex Regulator , FSSAI, is now more cooperative with the FBOs and Industry Associations.

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specialist, have been included in a number of committees constituted by the FSSAI. In spite of this, some draft regulations notified in the website for stake holders comments are still pending.

It needs aggressive persuasion by the Industry Associations to convert draft regulation into gazette notifications as gazette notification is the only valid legal document. Apex regulator should also amend the defects in the regulations without further delay.

Key features of the regulations, where industry should focus The regulations are applicable to foods covered under eight categories namely: 1) Health Supplements 2) Nutraceuticals 3) Food for Special Dietary Use( FSDU) 4) Food for Special Medical Purpose ( FSMP) 5) Food with added Probiotic ingredients 6) Food with added Prebiotic ingredients 7) Speciality food containing plant or botanical ingredients 8) Novel Food

Schedules which contains permitted list of ingredients and additives Schedule I - contains list of vitamins and minerals and their components.

Schedule II - contains list of amino acids and other nutrients. www.krishijagran.com

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WORLD probiotics ( live microorganisms ).

Schedule VIII - is the list of Prebiotic compounds.

Regulations also mention specific labelling information for each categories of products, in addition to the compliance of the Food Safety and Standards ( Packaging and Labelling) Regulations,2011, the products should also comply with Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations,2011.

The regulations also deals with health claims and nutrients and nutrition claims. While formulating nutraceuticals, health, dietary supplements, industry should focus on the list of ingredients, additives with maximum permissible limit, compliance of specific labelling requirements and claims, if any.

Impact on import of ingredients and product

Schedule III - contains values for vitamins, minerals allowed to be used in FSDU & FSMP (other than those intended for use in infant formula) Schedule IV- contains list of plant or botanical ingredients .

Schedule VA- is the list of food additives for health supplements, nutraceuticals and food with added prebiotics and probiotics.

Schedule VB - is the list of food additives for FSDU and food with added probiotics and prebiotics.

Schedule VC - is the list of food additives for FSMP ( other than those products intended for foods for infants) and food with added probiotics and prebiotics.

Schedule VD - is the list of food additives for FSMP ( other than those intended for infant foods); formula for sliming purpose and weight reduction and food with added probiotics and prebiotics.

Schedule VE - is the list of food additives to be used( at GMP levels) for nutraceuticals, FSDU ( other than foods for infants), FSMP, food with added probiotics and prebiotics, speciality food containing plant/ botanical ingredients and health supplements.

Schedule VF - is the list of food additives to be used as tablets, capsules and syrup for all the above mentioned categories under Schedule VE. Schedule VI - is the list of ingredients as nutraceuticals.

Schedule VII - is the list of strains as www.krishijagran.com

While importing ingredients and products, importer should check that ingredients are within the permitted list mentioned in various Schedules, specific to the product. They should also see that the dosage of vitamins and minerals are within the permissible limit prescribed in the regulations. Labelling should comply with the specific labelling instructions of the regulations, in addition to the Packaging and Labelling Regulations, 2011. Claims, if any, should be supported by the relevant authentic studies. Product should also comply contaminants, toxins and residues regulations, 2011. Importers should follow import regulations of FSSAI for clearance of their import items.

Opportunities- Beyond India for exports Exports of food products are not within the purview of the FSSAI. It is being looked after by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Imported and domestic foods are being regulated by the FSSAI. Standards for food items to be exported should comply with the standards specified by the importing countries and may be different from FSSAI standards.

However, export oriented unit should obtain manufacturing license from the FSSAI if the product is manufactured in India. If some portion is sold in India, then domestically sold items must comply FSSAI regulations and the retailer should obtain FSSAI license for selling the product in Indian market. Since most of the raw materials are available in India and AUGUST 2018

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Ingredients and additives which are missing regulations are considered as novel food/ novel ingredients for which specific approval is required from FSSAI following due procedure posted in the FSSAI website. cost of labour is cheap, exporter may take the opportunity to manufacture the product, particularly health supplements, in India and export it to the overseas countries from where we have been importing these products till date.

New Ingredient or New Product Approval- which is the right way?

Product Approval is granted to a product after examining the safety studies of the ingredients and additives, packaging and labelling compliances, and claims, if any. Now product approval is limited to novel food only. Product approval is better than the ingredient approval because novel ingredients in the product are also approved during product approval process.

However, fees for product approval has been fixed at Rs 50,000/ per product which is quite high. Earlier it was Rs 25,000/ per product.

Also , there should be some time limit for product approval.

Role of Standards Review Group of the FSSAI In the regulations, a number of grey areas and lacuna have been noticed which should be addressed by the Standards Review Group (SRG). Though FSSAI issued FAQs on the regulations, but FAQs are not legal documents. Regulations

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which was notified in the official gazette is only legal documents. Even Supreme Court of India also said that the regulators should regulate through regulations only. Supreme Court of India had declared all the advisory issued by the FSSAI null and void. Hence, regulations needs to be amended and SRG has a great role to play. Some components have been left out which needs to be addressed by the SRG. Creatine monohydrate which is essential nutrient particularly for sports nutrition has been left out. Since Creatine Monohydrate is synthesised from L- Leucine, L- Isoleucine and L- Valine, which are all approved essential amino acids, Creatine Monohydrate should be considered as an approved product.Delay between draft regulations and final gazette notifications should be minimised. Draft regulations of nutraceuticals, health supplements were kept pending for more than a year. Even draft regulations of Cholostrum and Cholostrum products has been notified in the FSSAI website on August 8,2017. It is a long pending regulation which needs to be finalised and notified in the official gazette without further delay.

Though the regulations had become effective from 6th January,2017 and enforcement started from 1st January,2018, in the absence of proper training on this regulations of the state food safety officers and the officers of the FSSAI, problems may emrge as the regulations has lot of contradictions. These anomalies are to be removed as early as possible.

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Hydrogel

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SUPER ABSORBENT HYDROGELS FOR MORE CROP PER DROP

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WORLD The application of such a technology which has been tested is a ‘water reservoir’ in agriculture to be used in arid and desert regions of the world, where scarcity of water resources is a relevant issue.

Sanjay-Swami

School of Natural Resource Management College of Post Graduate Studies, (Central Agricultural University), Umiam (Barapani) - 793 103, Meghalaya, India E-mail: sanjayswamionline@gmail.com

S

ynthetic polymers in the form of crystals or tiny beads available under several trade names such as super absorbent polymers, root watering crystals, drought crystals and crystal soil are collectively known as Hydrogels. Super absorbent polymers are synthetic compounds and are produced artificially. These materials are made from potassium polyacrylate and polyacrylamide copolymers and are capable of quickly absorbing water after contact with it and holding it up to many times of its volume and as the result ,increase water retention in the related soil.

These materials are odorless , generally colorless and do not pollute soil, water and plant tissues.

The Technology The internationally patented technology is represented by a novel class of macro-molecular superabsorbent hydrogels, able to absorb more than 1.5 liters of water per gram of dry material, once in contact with liquid water or water solutions.

During the sorption process, the material turns from a glassy state to a gel-like material, able to store the water even under significant compression.

The water can be released from the material under a diffusion mechanism, activated by a gradient of humidity between the inside and the outside of the material, or by phase inversion in a non-solvent for the polymer. The application of such a technology which has been tested is a ‘water reservoir’ in agriculture to be used in arid and desert regions of the world, where scarcity of water resources is a relevant issue. To this aim, the hydrogel is mixed, www.krishijagran.com

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Since that super absorbents absorb water hundreds times of its own weight and being converted to long lasting gels, have a special place in agriculture, landscaping, erosion control and desert reduction. in the dry form, to the soil in the area close to the plant roots. The soil is watered and the water not absorbed by the plant roots is stored in the hydrogel which swells, and releases water to the cultivation as far as the soil is de-watered. This process allows high saving of water resources and a re-distribution of water available for cultivation in other human-related applications. Different classes of superabsorbent hydrogel have been developed.

The last generation is a cellulose-based hydrogel cross-linked by citric acid, and using only ‘food grade’ reagents.

Applications of Super absorbents in Agriculture In agriculture, superabsorbent polymers are used as a soil additive, as reservoir of nutrients, and as water superabsorbent in the soil. Properties of this material are dependent on many factors, such as their chemical and compositional characteristics, soil texture, plant species and also environmental factors. Super absorbent polymers made from Polyacrylamide are of these materials and are used as water adsorbents for increased capacity of the soil to absorb and retain water and this property is very important to encounter the impacts of dehydration and reduce impacts of drought stress in crops.

Biodegradation rate of super absorbent polymers in soil depends on the dimensions of soil particle and amount of organic matter. Also, with decreasing oxygen in soil and in turn reducing activities of bacteria, biodegradation rate of super absorbent polymers will be reduced. Super absorbent polymers have influence on water infiltration rate in soil, bulk density, soil structure and the rate of evaporation from the soil surface. Moreover, the super absorbent polymers while raising water-holding capacity of light soils can address soil permeability problems of heavy soils and difficulties in washing fertilizers.

Since that super absorbents absorb water hundreds

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times of its own weight and being converted to long lasting gels, have a special place in agriculture, landscaping, erosion control and desert reduction.

Quickly absorbing water and keeping it by super absorbents, raises absorption efficiency of water obtained from scattered rainfall. In the case of irrigating soil, they increase irrigation intervals. The amount of this increase depends on the physical conditions of the soil, climate of the region and the utilization amount of super absorbents in soil. According to their pH close to neutral, super absorbents have no adverse effect on the soil, and are not considered as toxic in soil. Also, after 4-7 years, depending on the type and composition of soil, they are destroyed by microorganisms and do not cause environmental pollution. In addition to retaining water, super absorbents due to continuous volume change (expansion during inflation and contraction during losing water) will increase amount of air in the soil. These compounds will cause better performance of some types of fertilizers and also better activities of soil microorganisms by increasing the air content in soil and because of carrying negative charge in the hydrated state, they have the capability to attract some positive ions of the soil. Super absorbent polymers cause to increase aggregate stability and prevent crust formation, prevent on-farm runoff formation and reduce soil erosion. And the most important benefit of hydrogel usage is preventing deep penetration of water of root environment and leaching salts and its effect on the accumulation of proline and soluble sugars.

Use of super absorbent hydrogels can reduce crises such as soil erosion, frequent droughts or providing food security requires knowledge of their behaviors and performances in the soil and hence, it is necessary to carry out researches on effects of different types of super absorbents; comparison of their different particle sizes; quantities and methods of their use for different plant species under different climatic and soil textures.

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Articles invited

A

griculture World invites articles on agricultural innovations, new technologies, research findings, success stories of farmers from various fields ( Agriculture, Horticulture, Poultry, Dairy, Fisheries etc) ,Food technology and all types of agricultural related subjects from scientists, officials, researchers , students, journalists, corporate heads and R&D institutions . We are planning to publish specials as follows.

September 2018– Diary October 2018– Fisheries (JAPAN SPECIAL)

November 2018– Tuber crops December 2018 – Sugarcane January 2019 – Cotton February 2019 – Rubber March – 2019 – Jute We solicit both special and general articles for the coming issues. We started a new page on corporate news and all corporate PROs are requested to send details of innovations and creative inputs from your end on or before 15th of every month. We will incorporate relevant content in that page. Kindly send the articles with maximum of 2000 words with quality photographs on the subject, authors profile and passport size photo of the author to aweditor@krishijagran.com

FEED BACK round the world, all the living beings love and like banana fruit and the demand and A consumption are moving upward, surprising

the trade and industry.

India has the unique distinction to hold 29 percentage of the global area, holding the credit as the largest banana growing country in the world. But the sad factor is our poor record in the production of value-added products and its trade.

“Agriculture World” the finest farm magazine

of India reports that banana flower could be used for cancer prevention and treatment.

This wonder news is revealed in an article written by Dr Beela GK and Sharada bai of the College of Agriculture Vellayani. Some more; the journal also reveals a wonderful recipe to prepare ‘banana flower wine’. 2 more wonderful uses from the most sought after fruit of the world...

R Heli Former Director, Agriculture Department, Kerala

We invite your opinion and suggestions on the articles published in the magazine and your comments on the subjects discussed. Please send the feedback with full name, address and Mobile number to feedback@krishijagran.com or write to Feed back, Agriculture World, Editorial Office, A-5, Elankam Gard ens, Vellayambalam, Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala -695010.

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Pesticides in Indian Scenario

Pushpendra Koli*, S. N. Rokde and Nitish Rattan Bhardwaj1 *Division of Plant Animal Relationship, ICAR-IGFRI, Jhansi, U.P.-284003 AICRP, ICAR- IGFRI, Jhansi, U.P.-284003 1Corresponding author E-mail: kolipushpendra@gmail.com

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ince the introduction of green revolution, intensive farming is growing day by day. In order to protect the crops from pests and to obtain more yield, in about 61 to 70 % cultivable area under irrigated conditions , farmers are using increasing quantum of pesticides on all crops.

The total production of pesticides is 1,39,000 MT per annum out of which 219 MT pesticides are of technical grade whereas, 4,000 formulations are in vogue. The consumption of pesticides is 41, 822 MT. In case of fibre crops, maximum pesticides are used. In cultivation of cotton crop, maximum quantum (56%) pesticides are used. Further, in fruit crop, vegetables, spices, oilseeds and pulses cultivation, 39 % pesticides are used. As per one 86

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survey, there has been 1.2 to 2.6 % enhancement in use of pesticides which is a matter of serious concern. Due to this mankind is facing many challenges. During the year 2010 the contribution of insecticides, fungicides and herbicides in total pesticides use were 51.4, 32.63 and 15.83 percent respectively.

India is the fourth largest country procuring organochemicals after USA, Japan and China.

In India majority of the farmers use pesticides indiscriminately due to a variety of reasons such as illiteracy, lack of technical knowhow, certain prejudices and myths. Out of the total pesticides manufactured in the country, 50 percent goes to www.krishijagran.com

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domestic consumption and rest is exported.

As per an analytical study by Tata strategies, insecticides contribute a sizable 60 percent followed by fungicides (18%), herbicides (16% ) bio-pesticides (3% ) and other (2%) .

State wise consumption of pesticides A comparison of states revealed that, Andhra Pradesh(undivided) consumes highest (24%), followed by Maharashtra (14%), Punjab (12%), Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (9%), Karnataka and Gujrat (8 %), Tamilnadu, Haryana and West Bengal (6%) and Others (15 %).

Quantum of pesticides used As pr an estimate, In India 0.6 kg pesticides are S.N.

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used per hectare. But as compared to India, in other countries the pesticide use is much more e.g. In Taiwan it is 17 kg /ha followed by china (13 kg), Japan (12 kg /ha), USA and Korea (7 kg / ha) and UK and France (5 kg/ha).

Common pesticides used on forage crops Fungicides used on fodder crops: Thiram, Maneb, Zineb, Bavistin, Reedomil, Metasystox.

Carbondenzim, Kerathane, Oxycarboxin etc.

Insecticides used on fodder crops: Carbofuron, Endosulphan , Malathion, Chlorpyriphos, Dimethoate, Methomyl, Parathion, Permektin benzoate, Acephate etc.

The various pesticides detected in different categories of items are given underneath

Pesticides used

Vegetables

Malathion, Monocrotophos, Dicrotophos Chlorpuriphos, Phorate, Cypermethrin,

Fruits Cereals Spices Milk Eggs Pork

Cyfluthrin , Cypermethrin,,Aldrin Fenitrothim, Trizophos, Quinolphos, Dichlorvos,Ethion Quninolphos Chlorpuriphos, Endosulphan , Lindane ,DDT,BHC Lindane ,DDT,BHC Endosulphan , Cypermethrin

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Pesticides

India is the fourth largest country procuring organochemicals after USA, Japan and China. In India majority of the farmers use pesticides indiscriminately due to a variety of reasons such as illiteracy, lack of technical knowhow, certain prejudices and myths.

Adverse effects of pesticides use on soil: The earthworms present in the soil die due to use of pesticides especially soil fumigants and pesticides like chlorpyriphos, fenverlate used for soil drenching.

Adverse effects of pesticides use on soil microorganisms due to use of pesticides the soil remain deprived of the benefits of microorganisms such as rhizobia, azatobactor PSB etc. The microorganisms present in the soil die. Ripple effect is very common.

Adverse effects of pesticides use on plants Certain crop plants suffer from use of wrong herbicides e.g in cotton crop due to use of 2-4 D malformation occurs in the cotton crop which leads to crop failure and economic loss to the farmer.

Adverse effects of pesticides use on animals

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Various heavy metals are used in the manufacture of certain organo chemicals such as lead, cadmium and mercury. These are very hazardous for animal health. These metals percolate in milk through vegetation/ forage consumed by the livestock / cattle.

Effects on pets These days some drugs such as clinar are used for ectoparacite control in case of pets. Many a times the pet owners do not take proper prophylactic measures and do not use mouth nets/muzzles so they lick their own body and they may suffer from poisoning.

Effects on human health In one of the most horrifying incident which took place in 1984 when methyl isocyanate gas was accidently released by an insecticide manufacturing company Union Carbide in Bhopal. About 20000 persons died and several

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The use of pesticides is necessary because it plays a significant role in agricultural production. However, exposure to pesticides both occupationally and environmentally causes a range of problems. became disabled in the said tragedy. The adverse effects of the tragedy were multiple. Besides, direct deaths and apparent wounds, changes in the genome were observed in case of some ruminants.

This is alarming situation for the whole mankind.

The number of cases of cancer are enhancing day by day throughout the world. Neurological disorders ,hormonal imbalances and common poisoning are also increasing.

Issues •

Indiscriminate use of pesticides

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Illiteracy among farmers regarding pesticides use. Due to this whatever pesticide is given by

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the village shop keeper is used by the farmers.

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Wrong use of pesticides : Majority of farmers do not know the correct pesticide to be used on crops for a variety of reasons such as illiteracy, lack of knowledge etc.

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Incorrect dose of pesticides: Majority of farmers have certain misconceptions about the dose of pesticide to be used for pest control. When insecticide such as endosulphan is mixed in water then initially for some time it becomes slightly milky but after some time it disappears. Majority of farmers are not convinced with his phenomenon and they add more quantum

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of insecticide in water so that it becomes dark cloudy unless and until the solution to be sprayed becomes cloudy they add more pesticide. Due to this the insect species intended to be killed does not die completely but they become resistant. As a result of this on one hand the farmer looses insecticide, money and then he has to purchase another pesticide which involves more time, money and labour.

•

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Wrong selection of pesticide: Many farmers do not know the difference between a fungicide and an insecticide or difference between a contact poison and systemic poison etc . Whatever the shop keeper in the village says the farmer follows him. This result in loss of money and crop too.

Creation of awareness amongst the farmers is the main issue.

Remedies •

Biological pest control Integrated Pest Management - Components – early land preparation including deep ploughing during summer, Use of pheromone traps, bird perches, trap crops such as marigold, use of friend insects such as lady bird beetle etc.

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Use of biological pesticides such as neem seed kernel extract , Azatirectin etc.

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•

Creation of awareness amongst farmers and proper training in the village itself .

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Provision of trainings comprising method demonstrations at the village level for rural youth and farmers.

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Judicious use of correct pesticide, use of appropriate dose etc.

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Use of new molecules (such as Corazon, acephate) each time.

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Organic farming that will increase plant health, strength and resistance to insects.

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Making arrangements for provision of technical knowhow on entomology/plant protection to the farmers at their door step.

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Provision of plant protection material to the farmers at village level itself.

•

The use of pesticides is necessary because it plays a significant role in agricultural production. However, exposure to pesticides both occupationally and environmentally causes a range of problems. Pesticide safety measures, regulation of pesticide use, proper application technologies, adoption of integrated pest management technologies, minimizing the exposure to pesticides and creating awareness amongst the farmers are some of the key strategies to be adopted to control the ill effects. www.krishijagran.com

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