Category: Other
China agri firm to buy Pakistan farmland
ISLAMABAD, (AsiaPulse) – China Green, considered that country’s biggest private agriculture company, is looking to buy 10,000 acres of farmland in Pakistan on lease to grow fruits and vegetables. Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Mir Israrullah Khan Zehri, held a meeting with a trade delegation of China Green. Zehri said that Pakistan […]
Indian onion farmers hit by state meddling
NEW DELHI, Nov 28 (AsiaPulse) – Moves by the Indian government to further reduce the export price of onion from US$350 a tonne stems from a steep 24 per cent decline in overseas shipments of the staple. India’s onion export has declined by about 213,000 tonnes during April to November 20 this year, agri-cooperative Nafed, […]
India hikes foreign currency deposit rates
MUMBAI, Nov 28 (AsiaPulse) – Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday hiked interest rates on Non-Resident (External) Rupee term deposits and Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Banks) deposits, a move expected to increase the flow of foreign exchange amid the weakening domestic currency. “Interest rates on fresh Non-Resident (External) Rupee (NRE) Term Deposits for 1-3 years […]
Sri Lanka storms kills 16, over 30 missing
Nov 26, 2011 (LBO) – Heavy rain and strong winds that lashed Sri Lanka yesterday had left 16 people dead and at least 33 missing in several parts of Sri Lanka, the island’s disaster management office said. Authorities are still searching for more than 30 fishermen reported missing. Heavy winds that lashed the island had […]
Sri Lanka tea prices fall
Nov 25, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tea prices fell at this week’s Colombo auctions with reduced demand and brokers saying the island is unlikely to match last year’s annual production owing to a slower recovery in crops. A key buyer also kept out of the first day of the auctions owing transport problems involving […]
India FDI up 41-pt to US$22.5bn to September
NEW DELHI, Nov 25 (AsiaPulse) – Foreign Direct Investment in India surged by 41 per cent to US$22.5 billion during the January-September period this year, despite the uncertain global economic environment. During January-September 201O, the country had attracted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) worth US$15.97 billion. Experts maintained that the government should further streamline policies and […]
Indian firms look for cost savings as rupee falls
NEW DELHI, Nov 24 (AsiaPulse) – Indian FMCG firms are turning to efficient cost management and local procurement of raw materials to offset increasing pressure on margins due to the weakening of the rupee that has spiked input costs. Having already taken a series of price hikes this year, the firms have little room to […]
India power ministry drops Ernst & Young for evaluation errors
NEW DELHI, Nov 23 (AsiaPulse) – India’s Power Ministry has banned international consulting firm Ernst & Young (E&Y) from taking up any further assignments in the sector after anomalies in the evaluation of bids for the Sasan project were highlighted in a report by power sector expert P.S Bami. “We issued a show-cause notice to […]
Sri Lanka sugar plantation takeover seen “illegal”
Nov 23, 2011 (LBO) – A listed Sri Lankan sugar plantation that is among businesses taken over by government under a new expropriation law has said the seizure was illegal as it does not fall within the ambit of the new regulation. The statement said action by the officers of the state to enter the […]
India to privatize oil firm
NEW DELHI, Nov 21 (AsiaPulse) – India’s Disinvestment Ministry says it has received in-principle clearance from the Petroleum Ministry to proceed with the sale of government equity in Oil India Ltd. “Correspondence was going on for last six months… We got Petroleum Ministry in-principle approval yesterday for disinvestment in OIL. We have to work out […]
Sri Lanka to give incentives for rice export, aquaculture
Nov 21, 2011 (LBO) – The state will give incentives to process rice for export, aquaculture in especially in former war torn areas in the east of the island, president Mahinda Rajapaksa said presenting a budget for 2012. Rajapaksa said funding for improved seed production and agriculture extension services for paddy will be increased. Rice […]
Sri Lanka to distribute unused plantation land among small farmers
Nov 21, 2011 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan government is to take back 37,000 acres of unused land from regional plantations companies and distribute it to small farmers, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said. The lands to be re-distributed will be given small holder families for 30 years. The small farmers will also be given low cost […]