Gherkin : The Pickle King Of India

Gherkins the pickle King of India As we know there is growing Worldwide demand for Gherkins. India has crossed the $200 million mark of export of agricultural processed product, - pickling cucumber, which is globally referred to as gherkins or cornichons, in the last financial year India has exported cucumber and gherkins to the tune of 1,23,846 metric tonne," commerce and industry ministry said in a statement on Sunday. In 2020-21, India had sent 2,23,515 metric huge loads of cucumber and gherkins with a worth of $223 million. 

SO basically, what is Gherkins, and why it has been in demand? 

Gherkin (Cucumis anguria) known to be Bur Gherkin or Western Indian Gherkin belongs to the Gourd family grown for its fruits that is used as savourly pickled fruit. Sharing the same nutritional value to cucumber the only difference they share is of different cultivar Groups. Basically savoury pickled or cured cucumber (usually known as a pickle in the United States and Canada, and a gherkin in Britain, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand) is a cucumber that has been cured in brackish water, vinegar, or other arrangement and left to mature for a while, by either inundating the cucumbers in an acidic arrangement or through souring by lacto-aging. Salted cucumbers are regularly essential for blended pickles These are basically traded under 2 categories:1) Prepared 2) Preserved with vinegar or acetic acid or some other preservatives India shares 15% of Gherkins World’s Population Demand.

It is currently exporting to more than 20 countries, with major destinations being the US, France, Germany, Australia, Spain, South Korea, Canada, Japan, Belgium, Russia, China, Sri Lanka, and Israel.

 In the 1990s Gherkins Cultivation consisting of preservation and exporting was started by southern parts of Indian states like Karnataka extended towards Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. Development of gherkins is done under Contract Farming agreement cultivating by around 90,000 Small and Marginal Farmers with a yearly creation area of 65,000 sections of land, the assertion said. Handled gherkins are sent out in mass as modern natural substances and in containers as prepared to eat. Its mass creation is as yet possessing a high portion of the gherkin market. In India, there are around 51 significant organizations delivering and sending out gherkins in drums and prepared to-eat buyer packs. 

Also, Organisations Like APEDA have taken an initiative to promote and Regulate under Various Food Processing units and Infrastructural development Programmes. All the gherkin assembling and trading organizations are either ISO, BRC, IFS, FSSC 22000 ensured and HACCP affirmed or have every one of the certificates 

It may be seen as the wealth booster for our Indian farmers with short duration periods of 90 days and may give direct Profit of Rs 80,000 in 1 Acre. Also, Our Country shares Favourable Climatic Conditions for its Cultivation And it can be grown throughout the years in all seasons. They hold Resistant towards frost and fairly towards pests and diseases

Gender Specific Impediments in Agriculture

Closing the global gender gap would grow to Food Production and sustainability for futures According to the FAO, on the off chance that women farmers get close enough to similar assets as their male partners, the whole world will eat as well. So Abruptly We know gender Bias has been running for ages but the only persons who will suffer are the women. Why our policies and society are paralyzing the entitlements by biasing women in Agriculture. The roots of problems begin at recognizing their efforts and sincerity towards their work Inherent 

Gender bias in the economic system: are limiting the women to access financial credits for buying the inputs required also these are making them dependent on male counterparts for Capital investments. It was discovered that the main 4% of women approach institutional credit in the Indian territory of Uttar Pradesh. Land, as a resource, likewise shapes insurance for bank credits. On the off chance that women don't have properties on their names, they are inaccessible to a profit of credit benefits for their homesteads. This would also lead to disparities in knowledge among women Absence of cash pushes them to utilize obsolete innovation and old strategies for creation, hence, in the end, affecting the yield of their homesteads Addressing gender equality is essential in achieving sustainability and increasing the productivity and reducing poverty and food security to the optimum level. 

Invisible, unpaid labor force: A report by Oxfam referenced that in India, 75% of full-time Farm laborers are women and contribute 60 to 80 percent of the country's yearly yield. In any yield season, women are assessed to put 3,300 hours in planting and collecting, when contrasted with 1,860 hours that are put by men in the cultivating movement. However, their enormous commitment goes unnoticed, both on account of families and the public authority. The report additionally referenced that 33% of ladies in India work on the Farms possessed by their folks, spouses, or parents-in-law. On 12.8 percent of ladies in the nation own territory in their name. Indian Women just own 12.8% of the country's land 

Unequal Market Access: For the male-dominated agricultural markets, it becomes difficult for Women to bargain for getting the adequate price discovery of their Commodities and haggle with the traders and arhtiya for Negotiations. India's past rural guidelines essentially guaranteed that crop deal costs cross country in India stayed near the value floor set by the public authority, said the Mahila Kisan Adhikar Manch - a casual gathering of about 120 women farmer associations and their partners - in an assertion. The gathering fears the new "time of divided and unregulated business sectors" will be even less "Women's Farmers agreeable" than the old framework. 

Lack of education, knowledge, and extension: however these are leading them away from the latest changes preventing their access to better information and market linkages to extension services Women oriented self-help groups and FPO & FPC are working together to bring their aggregation back into the form for the better upliftment of the Country.

 Government Policies and laws: are making them recognize their true potential by denying and hindrances their institute support. The reason is the society in which we are living we don,t see them as the potential and primary earners of the family and do not list them, title owners. However, in the U.S, they don't face the same restriction as per one women farmer who says the persistent gender bias in Agriculture is Easier for Her family. 

During the 'Kisan Sansad' at Jantar Mantar, the women farmers had said that these difficult stretches had shown that ladies and men structure the mainstays of horticulture in the country. While in certain families men approached to dissent for a really long time at a stretch on the Capital's boundary, ladies assumed responsibility for homes, kids, and homesteads. In different occurrences, in the event that ladies approached to be a piece of the dissent, it was the ones who took up the obligations at home. Notwithstanding buckling down on the fields all day, every day, the brush-off towards their endeavors by families and the specialists will quite often lastingly affect ladies. The self-destruction rates by women farmers are regularly under-addressed in India. All things considered, one Women farmer ends her life consistently in Maharashtra's Amravati region. women's admittance to equity through Judiciary is as of now restricted. Among rustic social orders, ladies moving toward the Courts or the Police are as yet peered downward on. Barriers facings by women farmers are mostly by the dominated societies

 Also worldwide efforts for uplifting women farmers have been gaining momentum Big firms like PepsiCo is teaming up with the CARE organization for building the engagements by equipping them with Technical as well as Hi-tech knowledge To build a Sustainable environment in the Campaign by promoting awareness among the and offers them equal opportunities which they deserve The World bank also make gender equity in the agriculture and food sector a specific goal

"If you teach a man to farm, his family will eat. If you teach a woman to farm the whole community will eat"

House Plants- The Natural Air Purifier

With the overarching air contamination and diminishing oxygen level due to urbanization and the current pandemic around us, we as a whole are pushed and disturbed about how to support this condition and what estimates we should take to make the air around us somewhat better and unadulterated. The current contamination level has expanded a great deal, causing a thick layer of dimness, even the sun rays can't reach us. This circumstance is causing some medical issues in our country. 

In 1989, NASA found that houseplants can ingest unsafe poisons from the air, particularly in encased spaces with little wind stream. This examination has been the reason for more up-to-date learns about indoor plants and their air cleaning capacities. While plants have less drive than air purifiers, they're increasingly common, practical, and restorative. 

Plants are additionally known to: 

• increment state of mind and efficiency 
• improve focus and memory 
• diminish pressure and weariness   

For this, you can plant any of the beneath some air purifier plants, motivated by NASA research. So proceed to develop plants that refine the air in your home or office and make the indoor air new.

          Peace lily   ( Spathiphyllum wallisii )  

• One of the few houseplants that bloom indoor. The flowers have good fragrance and bloom throughout the summer.  
• It's better if you keep the plants in shady areas and keep the soil moist without overwatering.
• This plant has a high transpirational rate, thus humidity in the surrounding area. 
• It removes ammonia benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene from the air.
• It is a toxic Plant. Leaves are harmful to kids and pets. 

          Bamboo Palms (Chamaedorea seifrizii)

• This plant is known for its elegance and height. Can grow up to 4 to  12 feet long.It prefers bright but indirect sunlight.
• High transcriptional capacity thus keeps the area moist.
• you better keep the soil of plant moist and mist occasionally to prevent spider mites.
• It removes formaldehyde, benzene, carbon monoxide, xylene, chloroform from the air.
• Non-toxic Plant.

       ) Snake Plant  (Dracaena trifas

• It has a long life and does not need much care.
• It's OK if you water the plant occasionally.
• This plant prefers drier conditions and some sun.
• It removes benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene

            

          Bosten fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

• This plant is relatively easy to grow.
• Loves to stay in a cool place with high humidity and indirect sunlight.
• This plant is relatively finicky, need to water them regularly. Loves to stay moist.
• Depending upon humidity and moisture in your home, need to water them or mist their leaves daily.
• It removes formaldehyde and xylene from the air.

          Golden pathos  (Epipremnum aureum)

• This plant can tolerate lots of negligence and is forgiven when overwatered and quite effective in removing many air pollutants.
• This Plant can grow in a variety of conditions and can grow up to 8 feet long.
• Water the plant when the soil gets dry and trims the tendrils when plants get too big.
• It removes formaldehyde, xylene, toluene, benzene, carbon monoxide from the air. 
•  Keep the plant out of reach of pets      

                         

           Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis miller)

• This plant is easy to care for grow very easily.
• The leaves of this plant contain clear liquid that has wound healing, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Don't need to water the plant regularly. It prefers dry conditions.
• It removes formaldehyde from the air. 

                                                                                                           

   

Be that as it may, if you can keep a  small portion of these great evergreen plants in your home, and can make the demeanor of your home cleaner and new.

Also, it will help you survive in this pandemic period by Providing you the Fresh and Natural Oxygen that helps each and everyone fighting you on this battlefield

                                                          "Stay Safe"

Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan - Strengthening Indian Farmers

Rs 1 lakh crore Agri Infrastructure Fund for Farmer entryway foundation for farmers. 

Financing office of Rs. 1,00,000 crore will be accommodated subsidizing Agriculture Infrastructure Projects at farmers' door and conglomeration focuses (Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies, Farmers Producer Organizations, Agriculture business visionaries, Start-ups, etc.).The impetus for the advancement of homestead entryway and total point, reasonable and monetarily feasible Post Harvest Management foundation. Reserve will be made right away. 

Rs 10,000 crore plot for Formalization of Micro Food Enterprises (MFE) 

A Scheme advancing the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi: 'Vocal for Local with Global effort' will be propelled to help 2 lakh MFEs who need specialized up-gradation to accomplish FSSAI food principles, assemble brands and showcasing. Existing small scale food ventures, Farmer Producer Organizations, Self Help Groups, and Cooperatives to be bolstered. The emphasis will be on ladies and SC/ST possessed units and those in Aspirational locale and a Cluster-based methodology (for example Mango in UP, Tomato in Karnataka, Chili in Andhra Pradesh, Orange in Maharashtra and so forth.) will be followed. 

Rs 20,000 crore for Fisherman  through Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) 

The Government will Launch the PMMSY for incorporated, economical, comprehensive advancement of marine and inland fisheries. Rs 11,000 crore for exercises in Marine, Inland fisheries and Aquaculture, and Rs. 9000 crore for Infrastructure - Fishing Harbors, Cold chain, Markets, and so on will be given. Enclosure Culture, Seaweed cultivating, Ornamental Fisheries just as New Fishing Vessels, Traceability, Laboratory Network, and so forth will be key exercises. There will be arrangements of Ban Period Support to anglers (during the period fishing isn't allowed), Personal and Boat Insurance. This will prompt Additional Fish Production of 70 lakh tones more than 5 years, Employment to more than 55 lakh people, and twofold the fares to Rs 1,00,000 crore. The emphasis will be on Islands, Himalayan States, North-east, and Aspirational Districts. 

National Animal Disease Control Program 

National Animal Disease Control Program for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis propelled with complete expense of Rs. 13,343 crore to guarantee 100% immunization of dairy cattle, wild ox, sheep, goat, and pig populace (all-out 53 crore creatures) for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and for brucellosis. To date, 1.5 crore dairy animals and wild oxen labeled and immunized. 

Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund - Rs. 15,000 crore 

An Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund of Rs. 15,000 crore will be set up, with a means to help private interest in Dairy Processing, esteem expansion and steers feed foundation. Impetuses will be given for setting up plants for the fare of specialty items. 

Advancement of Herbal Cultivation: Outlay of Rs. 4,000 crore 

The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) has bolstered 2.25 lakh hectare territory under the development of therapeutic plants. 10,00,000 hectares will be canvassed under Herbal development in the next two years with an expense of Rs. 4,000 crore. This will prompt Rs. 5,000 crore pay age for Farmers. There will be a system of provincial Mandis for Medicinal Plants. NMPB will bring an 800-hectare zone by building up a passage of restorative plants along the banks of Ganga. 

Beekeeping activities – Rs 500 crore 

The government will actualize a plan for: 

• Framework advancement identified with Integrated Beekeeping Development Centers, Collection, Marketing and Storage Centers, Post Harvest and worth Addition offices and so forth
• Execution of gauges and Developing detectability framework 
• Limit working with push on ladies; 
• Advancement of value core stock and honey bee raisers. 
• This will prompt increment in pay for 2 lakh beekeepers and quality nectar to consumers.

From 'TOP' to TOTAL - Rs 500 crore 

"Operations  Greens" run by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) will be stretched out from tomatoes, onion, and potatoes to ALL products of the soil. The Scheme would give half sponsorship on transportation from surplus to inadequate markets, half appropriation on capacity, including cold stockpiles and will be propelled as the pilot for the following a half year and will be stretched out and expanded. This will prompt better value acknowledgment to a Farmers, decreased wastages, moderateness of items for shoppers. 

Following measures for Governance and Administrative Reforms for Agriculture Sector:- 

Alterations to the Essential Commodities Act to empower better value acknowledgment for Farmers The Government will change the Essential Commodities Act. Agribusiness foodstuffs including grains, eatable oils, oilseeds, heartbeats, onions, and the potato will be deregulated. The stock breaking point will be forced under extremely outstanding conditions like national catastrophes, starvation with a flood in costs. Further, No such stock breaking point will apply to processors or worth chain members, subject to their introduced limit or to any exporter subject to the fair request. 

Horticulture Marketing Reforms to give advertising decisions to Farmers 

A Central law will be detailed to give - 

satisfactory decisions to the Farmer to sell their produce at gainful cost; 

boundary-free Inter-State Trade; 

a system for exchanging of agribusiness produce. 

Horticulture Produce Pricing and Quality Assurance: 

The Government will finish a facilitative lawful structure to empower ranchers to connect with processors, aggregators, huge retailers, exporters, and so forth in a reasonable and straightforward way. Hazard moderation for Farmers guaranteed returns and quality normalization will shape a vital piece of the system.

AGRICULTURE FUTURE TRADING a way forward

Enigma of the Indian agricultural sector that is contributing towards the larger portion of the Indian economy. Still, it has to suffer lots whether from the low yield (as per World bank statistics FY2014, per hectare yield in India is amongst the lowest in the world. India stands at 3tonn/hectare as compared to compare to the global average of 4tonn/hectare. Developed countries like the USA(7), UK(7)and Germany(7) are achieving higher than India due to better practices)to the maximum profit margins and price discovery
The future is market-based instruments for managing and analyzing the risks which help in the efficient agricultural market establishment. The main aims of Futures markets enable the farmers to deliver the crop at a specified price at some future date. The clearing houses of the commodity exchanges guarantee the performance of these contracts. A farmer, who is uncertain about the prices of his produce, can cover his risk by selling a futures contract sometime before the harvest day. Also, farmers are not able to sell there product directly to ultimate buyers, on account of APMC. As the production, supply, and distribution of many Agri commodities are still governed by the state. These are forces to sell their commodity to the local aggregators. This is increasing the interference of a number of  Intermediaries. Problems of standardized costs are boosting up higher. This is the main reason for the price variation of commodities among different trading centers. Commodity exchanges are playing a significant role by facilitating the integration of agriculture credit, securitization of Agricultural production, and Future market leading the more efficient for the farmer to predict there earning and Future Investment plans. This is possible mainly due to major reforms in the field of the exchanges present, there are 2 nationalized exchanges viz NCDEX  and MCX.NCDEX is the leading future trading of Agri commodities. Exchanges like  NCDEX'S electronic mode of grading and conformance both the parameters of futures that is quality and quantity have helped to the established amalgamation of the market place that is accessible to market participants, on time, ignoring the barrier of locations crossing the country.Reinforcement of future market has explored the logistics and warehousing development. Farmer's problem of price Fluctuations has been offsets the price risk by hedging. Hedging is insurance against abnormal or unusual price changes or minimizing price risk. Hedging is a way to reduce risks exposure by taking an offsetting position in closely related commodities. The future effectively locks in the price of a commodity today even if it will be bought or sold in physical form in the future.NCDEX  future like mustard seeds, Guar/Guar Gum, cotton oil, soya oil, and Chana best hedging tool available is highly correlated to spot prices and that makes future perfect tools. Correlation between the spot price and price of future contracts (Basis risk is the difference between future and spot price For better participation in future trading and efficient hedging, liquidity of future commodity is an important feature for farmers.

Sea weed Farming "the ocean of opportunities"

From the beginning, India has been venerated with ample sources of sumptuous possibilities. India has recognized the bountiful expedience that its seashore offers. Blessed with the tremendous coastline of a total of 7516.6 km varying from 3214 km from north to south and 2933 km from east to west.
Seaweed as its name gives misinterpretation of a useless plant whereas it is the novel the miracle of the sea. It is usually grown in shallow water areas. seaweeds are rhizosphere algae lacking true stems, roots, and leaves. It is a renewable source rich in vitamins and minerals there are 900 species of green seaweed,4000 red species, and 1500 brown species found in cooler temperature of nature.out of which only 221 species of seaweeds are utilized commercially of this 145 species are used for food and 110 species for phycocolloid production leading to the significant sources of Alginates, Agars, and Carrageenans. As we know Agar has been working as a vital source in the food production and pharmaceutical industry. Apart from rich in minerals it translucent and hold the medical ailment properties. Asia is the pioneer in the world for seaweed cultivation & more than 80% is contributed by China, Korea, and Japan.
India get into the focus in 2006 when Pepsico opted for contract farming of seaweed in Tamil Nadu having commercially used for its various confectionary units and majorly for Dry weed Export. After Pepsico, CSMCRI (Central Salt & Marine Chemical Research Institute) has potentially identified various market opportunities for seaweed trade in the Bhavnagar, Gujrat. Today the Bigman like Tata Chemical, Coromandals fertilizers, Seth's company, and Marl Pelcare Company is having huge market growth from these seaweeds. Also, Kappaphycus alvarezii has been started cultivated by seaweed fishing communities in India. According to some reports by media, the seaweed cultivator earns Rs. 2000 crore a year. The inputs are negligible whereas for dried Rs. 86000 per year.
Currently, seaweed, grown in Tami Nadu &Gujrat & around Lakshadweep, Andaman&Nicobar Island. Also, the rich coastline bodies of seaweeds in Mumbai, Ratnagiri, Goa, Karwar, Varkala, Pulical in Tamil Nadu and Chilika in Orissa are embodied successfully. Basically, there are 3 methods of seaweed harvesting like Single Rope Floating Raft (SRFR), Fixed Bottom long line method(Coir Rope & Nylon Rope) and Integrate Multi intrinsic Aquaculture. The Global seaweed market size valued $ 4,097.93 million in 2017 projected to reach $ 9075.657 by 2024 with CAGR of 12.09 from 2018 to 2024.

COVID-19 AFFECTING THE INDIAN FARMER

COVID-19 "THE FATE OF INDIAN FARMER”

Till now farmers were not reliving from onion crises they were struck hard by the new venom in the field COVID-19 preceding to the lockdowns which would be serious crises and also farmers are facing daunting cropping seasons from freezing labor forces to a shortage of seed and fertilizers.

The agriculture sector is in a very crucial state as this is the beginning of the rabi harvest season and also the news of erratic rainfall destroying the crops have been heard from the different parts of India so mainly who will suffer more the big question from the beginning of era the Indian farmers they were not getting any buyers they have to stop their stock in the middle of the supply also, there is no proper warehouse availability to them affecting supply chain slowdown and shortages.

A glut of question arises Will the farmers will get public procurement during the pandemic? Will, there would be clear communication between the government and the farmer for there food production safety?
                                                                                                 

But what about crops like wheat, barley and mustard must be looked for proper storage channels but what about the perishables?  we have seen rural farmers in different states of India were  dumping and feeding their perishables to their livestock meanwhile there were seen the flowers like gerbera, gladioli, and  bird’s paradise production was also affected by the fear of  lockdown the export of exotic crops have been drastically affected as we know India export Good amounts of lettuce, strawberry, Brocolli, celery, parsley, etc to the  entire world as the demand for these exotic were in peak during the summer but what next this is still a big question which will never answer by anyone

This would be bewildering a big question for the future as the Food production and food safety of the whole world has been staggered by this pandemic also this may also lead to the shortage of supply as the production of the rabi crop is mostly affected meanwhile  China and India is the leading producer of wheat in the world Followed by Russia and both the strong countries have been violently ruptured by the effect of the COVID-19 this may be arousing the inquest among the entire world.

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