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<ul><li>Lay’s Wafer Style mimics the crunchy papad to turn into a ‘meal must-have’</li><li>Lay’s will be adding to a long list of traditional South Indian snacks like murukku, banana chips and <keyword id="1871379" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="tapioca">tapioca</keyword> chips</li><li>They recently launched <keyword id="115385" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kurkure">Kurkure</keyword> Masala Munch with gingelly oil which is used in South India</li></ul><keyword id="54572" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PepsiCo">PepsiCo</keyword> has built its Lay’s brand in India by experimenting with Indian flavours, adding in as many ‘local’ tastes as possible. During this process, the company discovered that they can bite into the South Indian market much easily as chips and wafers are a part of the meal, unlike anywhere else in the country. “Our Southern consumers love a delightful crunch and texture on their plate. Their meal is incomplete with the taste and crunch of the popular chilli or pepper papad,” explained Dilen Gandhi, Sr Director, Marketing – Foods category, PepsiCo India. The company launched a new product called Lay’s Wafer Style which mimics the crunchy papad, and turn into a ‘meal must-have’. Pepsi has decided to put more muscle into marketing and innovating in a growth market like India. This is one of the few markets for the global major, with ‘double digit’ growth, Pepsi said in its annual report. The company does not provide nation-wise growth numbers. Overall, the snacks business has been growing at 5% for the cola major, contributed heavily by growth in India and China. Tea-time to meal-time In South India, the market is wider and better. Everywhere else in the country, snacks are a tea-time affair but being an integral part of every meal can increase their volume and also regularize sales. Their latest venture is to supplant a traditional fried and homemade pappadam, and integrate into South Indian meals. “Lay’s Wafer Style will prove to be the perfect companion to their traditional Sambhar rice (lentil stew rice), Rasam Rice (soupy rice), Dal Rice (lentil rice), Curd Rice, Lemon (flavoured) rice, or Palak Pappu Rice (Spinach lentil rice),” said Gandhi. This product has been launched across a range of salt and chilly flavours. Many states, many flavours The South market is as broad as it is deep. The chips and snacks market is extremely fragmented with local brands at every nook and corner especially in South India. Lays will be adding to a long list of traditional snacks right from murukku to banana chips to tapioca chips amongst others. They will also have to compete with makers who has mastered the needs of the market for years. For this global player, these new products are a step in that direction, competing with the price and taste of a multitude of localized players. Pepsi claims that their products have been received well in this market. They have recently launched Kurkure Masala Munch with gingelly oil which is the most used oil in South India. The American food and beverage company has managed to identify a sweet spot common across the five states of Southern India. This strategy of customizing their products to suit local tastes across this diverse country, is not limited to South alone. They will be taking up more such products deep into the various flavours across India. “Wherever we see an opportunity for a local connect with consumers, we have been and will continue to customise our offerings accordingly,” Gandhi said. With Indian subcontinent that has a multitude of needs, expanding in variety is the need of the hour; which is something Pepsi has learnt in the last 30 years of its operations in India.

Lemon rice and Lay’s wafers: Pepsi hits a spice spot in South India

New Delhi, Mar 2 () Dutch firm Royal DSM, plans to introduce its pre-mixed micro-nutrient daily home fortifier 'Nu-Shakti' in north India soon. Nu-Shakti is a first of its kind product category that is based on home fortification to enhance essential nutrients and vitamins without altering taste, odour or appearance of their daily food. Currently, Nu-Shakti products -- fortified rice and wheat flour kernels, fortified orange-flavoured beverage mix; and vitamins and mineral mix -- are being sold in Tamil Nadu alone. "It's been six months since we launched Nu-Shakti. We are still in a pilot stage and present only in Tamil Nadu right now. However, we are evaluating other markets in north India. We will finalise one of the northern states for the launch in a month,' DSM India Business Director Alok Kohli told . The product was first launched in Tamil Nadu because the severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children under age of five in the state was higher than the national average of 7.5 per cent, as per the National Family Health Survey, Kohli said. The fortified rice and atta kernels products are available at Rs 5 per sachet at present. The company has sold around 5,00,000 packs of these products so far and going forward the figures are expected to rise with increased awareness about fortification, he said. Kohli explained one sachet of fortified rice kernel is sufficient to mix with one kilo of traditional rice. It can be mixed with rice before cooking and store it else can be used while cooking rice. The same is for fortified atta (wheat flour) kernel. To address malnutrition in the country, the central government is working on a pilot scheme to sell fortified rice to the poor through ration shops at a subsidised rate. Founded in 1902, DSM Group has annual net sales of about 10 billion euro with approximately 23,000 employees and is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. LUX DRR

Royal DSM plans to launch 'Nu-Shakti' home fortifier in north India

<ul><li>The total rain from south west monsoon has been 40% less than the average.</li><li>The deficit is as high as 56% in south India and farmers have been asked to avoid sowing for crops like rice that need a lot of water.</li><li>Central India comes a close second with a rain deficit of 41% until June 19.</li><li>The crisis in rural India may become a significant factor in the upcoming budget.</li></ul> India is already suffering from a severe water shortage in many parts of the country and the rain Gods have not been merciful yet. That would put pressure on the Narendra Modi government, particularly on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, ahead of the upcoming budget to ensure the rural distress in the country does not worsen any further. The total rain from south west monsoon has been 40% less than the average. The deficit is as high as 56% in the southern peninsula --Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Goa. The central parts of the country, states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhatisgarh, come a close second with a rain deficit of 41% until June 19. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 The shortage is therefore the worst in the rice growing areas and therefore the farmers have either delayed or reduced the sowing of crops like rice, sugarcane and cotton, all of which need a lot of water, according to government data. This is part of the government's contingency plan in the 648 worst-hit districts of the country. What's worse, farmers have <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/chem-/-fertilisers/fertilisers-to-turn-10-costlier-as-potash-rates-rise/articleshow/69657956.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">to pay up to 10% more for fertilisers</a> this sowing season, than what they paid last winter, thanks to a rise in global prices for potash due to stronger demand, the key raw material, and a weaker rupee. Tractor sales Expectations of a poor monsoon also affect the purchase of farm equipment like tractors. The impact has been visible already in the 15% fall in tractor sales in May compared to the same time last year. That's bad news for Mahindra and Mahindra, which makes nearly 31% of its revenue from tractors alone and things have been far from rosy for a while now. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 The gloomy expectations have been evident in the share price too, which has lost over 31% in the last one year. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 All eyes are now on the budget, and both the country's millions of farmers as well as companies like M&amp;M hope for some sort of relief package that soften nature's blow on the rural economy. There are some encouraging signs with the President Ram Nath Kovind announcing a ₹25 trillion fund to protect the rural economy. The income guarantee scheme of ₹6,000 a year has been extended to the country's 145 million farmers. India has also appealed to China to lower tariffs on agricultural exports from India. Rural consumption has already slumped sharply and a poor monsoon may only worsen it. The government will have to think of other measures to support the economic recovery. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/there-is-a-lot-of-bad-news-that-modi-has-to-budget-for-this-year/articleshow/69635372.cms">There is a lot of bad news that Modi has to budget for this year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/modi-government-sets-up-two-cabinet-panels-to-check-falling-gdp-employment/articleshow/69670523.cms">Modi government sets up two cabinet panels to check falling GDP, employment</a>

The shortfall in rains is the worst in South India and it will affect rice and oilseeds production as well as tractor sales

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11906678" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="thailand" source="Orion">Thailand</keyword> and <keyword id="11906679" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="vietnam" source="Orion">Vietnam</keyword> — two of the world's top <keyword id="11909002" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rice" source="Orion">rice</keyword> producers — are talking about hiking prices.</li><li>Thailand's government spokesperson said they are aiming to increase farmer income and bargaining power.</li></ul>Two of the world's top rice producers are in discussions to raise prices together, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/thailand-vietnam-rice/update-1-thailand-aims-for-pact-with-vietnam-to-raise-rice-prices-idUSL2N2XJ0GG">Reuters</a> reported, citing Thai government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana."We aim to raise rice prices, increase farmer income and increase bargaining power in the global market," Thanakorn said on Friday, per Reuters. "The rice price has been low for more than 20 years while the cost of production has been increasing."Thailand and Vietnam are the world's second- and third-largest rice exporters after India. A price increase in the staple grain would be bad <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">news</keyword> for billions of people across the world, especially as it comes on top of soaring <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/wheat-prices-soar-over-4-india-bans-exports-commodities-2022-5">wheat</a> prices.Thai Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit told reporters on Friday that the country's rice exports are getting a boost this year due to a recovery in global demand and as the country's currency falls to a five-year low against the US dollar, which is used in the trade of commodities internationally, per <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-27/thailand-wants-to-join-hands-with-vietnam-to-control-rice-trade">Bloomberg.</a>Vietnam's agriculture ministry did not immediately respond to Insider's or Reuters' requests for comments.Vietnam's <keyword id="11894142" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="food" source="Orion">Food</keyword> Association played down the prospect of measures to boost prices ahead of a June meeting with its Thai counterparts."The meeting will focus on measures to cooperate in sustainable food production," Nguyen Ngoc Nam, the chairman of Vietnam's Food Association, told Reuters. "It's not reasonable to talk about raising or controlling rice prices at this time when the global food price is on the rise."Neither Thailand nor Vietnam are facing a shortage in rice supply this year, according to data from the <a href="https://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/wasde0522.pdf">US Department of Agriculture.</a> However, like in many countries, inflation in both countries has risen sharply in the last year, putting pressure on the government to soften the impact on their populations. About 30% and 40% of the population in <a href="https://thailand.un.org/en/103307-thai-agricultural-sector-problems-solutions">Thailand</a> and <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/cb3956en/cb3956en.pdf">Vietnam</a> respectively are employed in the agricultural sector, according to the United Nations.Consumer prices in Thailand are hovering around a 13-year high, having gained 4.71% on-year in April, according to data from the country's <a href="http://www.indexpr.moc.go.th/price_present/cpi/data/index_47_e.asp?list_month=04&amp;list_year=2565&amp;list_region=country">Commerce Ministry.</a> Prices in Vietnam rose 2.86% on-year in May, according to data from the <a href="https://www.gso.gov.vn/en/cpi/">country's statistics office.</a>But consumers could turn to other major exporters for rice — like top exporter India — for supplies."If Thailand and Vietnam try to jack up the prices, obviously price-sensitive buyers in Africa will shift towards India," B.V. Krishna Rao, president of the All India Rice Exporters Association, told Reuters. He said neither country has approached India about participating in a rice cartel, Reuters reported.Benchmark export prices for Thai rice have averaged $420 a metric ton this year — 16% higher than India's $363 a ton, per Reuters. Indian trade and government sources told <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-has-no-plans-curb-rice-exports-local-supplies-surge-2022-05-26/">Reuters</a> on Friday that there were no plans to limit rice exports.

2 of the world's top rice producers are reportedly in discussions about hiking prices, and it's bad news for buyers

New Delhi, Apr 2 () India has used the peace clause of the WTO to provide excess support measures to rice farmers for marketing year 2018-19 in order to meet the domestic food security needs of its poor population.Under the Peace Clause, WTO members refrain from challenging any breach in prescribed subsidy ceiling given by a developing nation at the dispute settlement forum of the Geneva-based organisation.Subsidies over and above the prescribed ceiling are seen as trade distorting. The limit is fixed at 10 per cent of the value of food production for developing countries like India.In a notification, India has informed the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that the value of its rice production was USD 43.67 billion in 2018-19 and for that it provided subsidies worth USD 5 billion, which is in access of prescribed 10 per cent ceiling."India's breach of commitment for rice, a traditional staple food crop under a provision of the Agreement on Agriculture arises from support provided in pursuance of public stockholding programmes for food security purposes, which were in existence as of the date of the Bali Ministerial Decision on Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes," the notification said.It said that the country's public stockholding programmes for food security purposes (covering rice and a number of other commodities) have been consistently reported to the WTO.The stocks under the programme are acquired and released in order to meet the domestic food security needs of India's poor and vulnerable population, and not to impede commercial trade or food security of others, the notification said."For these reasons, the breach of the limits for rice is covered by the peace clause set out in the Bali Ministerial Decision on Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes and the General Council Decision," it added.Before the harvest during each Rabi / Kharif crop season, India announces the minimum support prices (MSP) for procurement on the basis of the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), which along with other factors, takes into consideration the cost of various agricultural inputs and a reasonable margin for farmers for their produce.The Centre and state governments, through their agencies such as Food Corporation of India (FCI), National Agricultural Cooperative Federation of India (NAFED) and others, procure foodgrains from farmers at the MSP in order to meet the overall demand of different welfare schemes. RR BALBAL

Used peace clause to provide excess support to rice farmers: India to WTO

<ul><li>The US has said that India’s p<keyword id="13726" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="rice">rice</keyword> support schemes for rice and <keyword id="47374" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wheat">wheat</keyword> violate the <keyword id="6357761" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="WTO">WTO</keyword>’s 10% cap on <keyword id="113746" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="subsidies">subsidies</keyword> for agricultural products. </li><li>India has refuted the claims and will challenge the notification at a WTO meeting in June 2018. </li><li>However, the situation is unlikely to be resolved in the foreseeable future due to India’s domestic policies with respect to food security as well as the fundamental flaws of the WTO’s agriculture agreement. </li></ul>Earlier this week, the Office of the US <keyword id="44844" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Trade">Trade</keyword> Representative, Robert Lighthizer, said that it had issued <a href="https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2018/may/united-states-issues-first-ever-wto">a counter-notification</a> - the first ever of its kind - against India for violating the WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture. The US government alleged that India underreported its subsidies and that its scheme of minimum price support (<keyword id="133827" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="MSP">MSP</keyword>) for wheat and rice was against the rules of the agreement. The US explained that India’s price support for wheat and rice constituted more than 60% and 70%, respectively, of the value of total production between 2010 and 2013 - the years that India provided data for. The WTO’s agriculture agreement stipulates a 10% cap on market price support as a proportion of total production. In response, India’s trade envoy J.S Deepak debunked the claims, explaining that the US had used <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Politics/fbwI9rXUmaGWFRoUr1tiJO/India-rejects-US-charge-on-price-support-steps-breaching-WTO.html">“flawed assumptions and erroneous methodologies”</a> in its calculations. Limited scope for resolution The Indian government is expected to challenge the notification at the next meeting of the WTO’s Committee on Agriculture, which is scheduled for June 2018. While it remains to be seen what its argument will be, it can seek to differentiate the support given by the central government and state government (the WTO rules only cover central support) or even point to discrepancies in <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/india-prepares-to-counter-us-charges-on-farm-subsidy/articleshow/64118140.cms">currency conversions. </a> Despite India’s justifications, however, the situation is unlikely to be resolved in the foreseeable future. Not only does this have to do with India’s domestic policies with respect to its farmers and food security, but also due to the fundamental flaws of the WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture. Domestic policies vs international trade commitments The Indian government is faced with a choice of either keeping its citizens and farmers happy or abiding by the WTO’s rules. It is obvious that it will side with its electorate. The government spends a lot of money on food subsidies and price support schemes. It has allocated <a href="https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/ub2018-19/bag/bag6.pdf">nearly ₹1.7 trillion</a>, or 7% of its total budgeted expenditure, in its Union Budget for 2018-19 to food subsidies. These subsidies are an important component of the country’s National Food Security Act of 2013, which is aimed at providing essential grains at subsidised prices. Rice and wheat constitute the bulk of government procurement and are hence, given the most price support. Under the act, rice and wheat are priced at <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/wheat-at-rs-2kg-rice-at-rs-3kg-know-all-about-modi-govts-food-security-act-implemented-across-states-from-november-1/437392/">₹2/kg and ₹3/kg</a>, respectively. Even though the price support schemes are for domestic purposes and not for trade, India has consistently drawn the ire of the US and other developed members of the WTO. Due to India’s status <a href="https://in.reuters.com/article/usa-trade-india-grains/india-giving-rice-and-wheat-production-vast-support-u-s-tells-wto-idINKBN1IA2Q4">as one of the world’s top exporters of rice</a>, these countries are concerned that its domestic policies have led to excessive production and consequently, a spill into global markets. Given India’s emphasis on food security for its people, it does not look like the country will curb its support for rice and wheat production anytime soon. In fact, in February, the BJP government also announced a universal minimum price support scheme for all kharif and rabi crops at <a href="http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=176062">1.5 times their total production cost</a> as part of a plan to double farmer’s incomes by 2022. An outdated and unfair WTO agreement Despite being drawn up in 1995, the WTO’s <a href="https://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/14-ag.pdf">Agreement on Agriculture</a> is still enforceable today. And it does not take into account current market prices when measuring subsidies. Rather oddly, the agreement measures a country’s minimum support price scheme in comparison to prices of agricultural products between 1986 to 1988. Simply put, under the agreement, if the minimum support price of a product is more than what its price was 30 years ago, the difference is calculated as a subsidy. Furthermore, this subsidy should not exceed 10% of the crop’s production value. Additionally, the agreement separates agricultural subsidies <a href="https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/agric_e/agboxes_e.htm">into three categories-</a> green box, comprising non-trade distorting schemes; blue box, comprising subsidies that are slightly trade-distorting; and amber box, which comprises subsidies that are significantly trade-distorting and need to be phased out. This system <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2013/nov/27/farming-subsidies-distort-advantages-food-insecurity">fails to take the needs of developing countries fully into account.</a> While the subsidies that rich countries mostly provide, like direct income support to farmers, come under the green box category, minimum price support schemes, which are used by many developing countries for food security and public stockpiling, go under the amber box. The unfair nature of the Agreement on Agriculture was a key talking point at the WTO meeting in Bali in 2013. Following the passage of its National Food Security Act that year, India realised <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/india-softens-stand-on-food-subsidies-at-wto-bali-meet-prospects-rise/articleshow/26059578.cms">that its food subsidies would exceed the 10% cap</a>. Hence, a <a href="https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/mc9_e/desci38_e.htm">“peace clause” </a>was implemented wherein developing countries like India were given an additional four years to comply with the norms. In December 2014, the time period for the peace clause <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/understanding-the-permanent-solution-at-wto/">was made indefinite </a>until a permanent solution was reached. Which leads us to now It does not look like India will compromise on its domestic policies. A possible solution could be the revision of the Agreement on Agriculture. And what would this entail? Subsidies should be calculated in accordance with current prices and the public stockpiling programmes of developing countries should be excluded from consideration or given lesser weightage. But it is unlikely that this will happen anytime soon. There doesn’t seem to be any danger of a trade war as it would be significantly worse for all parties involved than the current state of affairs - an indefinite stalemate. So the US and India will keep squabbling in the hope that one of them relents.

America doesn’t like India’s farmer subsidies and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaniz/3232739813/">Flickr/Urijamjari</a>Rice feeds about half of the world.</div>Commercially available rice imported into the U.S. contains <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22099990">levels of lead far higher</a> than what's considered safe, according to a study by the American Chemical Society and reported by Jason Palmer of the BBC.
The U.S. imports 7 percent of its rice. The team sampled packages from Bhutan, Italy, <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword>, Taiwan, India, Israel, the Czech Republic, and Thailand — accounting for 65 percent of U.S. imports — and found that rice from China and Taiwan had the highest <keyword id="23204" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="lead">lead</keyword> levels.
When calculating lead intake, the team factored in how much rice particular demographics consume in a given day. 
Levels more than 10 times the "provisional total tolerable intake" (PTTI) set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are considered concerning to health.
The study found that lead levels for non-Asian adults ranged from 20 to 40 times above the PTTI. For Asian children it was 120 times.
Rice is very susceptible to environmental pollutants in irrigation water, and several rice-producing countries use unsanitary agricultural practices.
"If you look through the scientific literature, especially on India and China, they irrigate their crops with raw sewage effluent and untreated industrial effluent," Lead researcher Dr. Tsanangurayi Tongesayi of Monmouth University told the BBC.
<div class="image-container" style="width:630px"><div class="image"></div><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/labourers-sow-rice-in-a-paddy-field-on-may-17-2007-near-news-photo/74365303">Majid/Getty Images</a></div>
<a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/china/111122/rice-2.0-toxic-rice-cadmium-poisoning-global-economy">Up to 10 percent</a> of rice grown in China contains heavy metals that probably entered the fertile farmlands in China’s south through industrial waste and sewage disposal.
Lead is harmful to organs and the central nervous system, especially in young children.
Rice products also contain "<a href="http://www.wkyc.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=261779">moderate to moderately high</a> levels of arsenic" (which is also highly toxic), according to a <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/daniellegould/2012/10/11/whats-in-your-rice-a-lot-of-arsenic-says-consumer-reports/">study</a> by Consumer Reports. Palmer notes that Dr. Tongesayi has also worked on quantifying arsenic contamination, and plans on testing the prevalence of other heavy metals.
"With a globalized food market, we eat food from every corner of the world, but pollution conditions are… different from region to region, but we ignore that," Tongesayi said.
The study will be published in the Journal of Environmental <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">Science</keyword> and Health. The FDA told the BBC that it "plans to review the new research on lead levels in imported rice released today."

Americans Are Eating Rice Containing 'Harmful Levels Of Lead'

Best electric rice cooker in India in 2023

<ul><li>The <keyword id="6983392" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Baishui-Glaciers">Baishui glaciers</keyword>, which are known as the world’s Third Pole, are melting twice as fast as 2005. </li><li>The glaciers, situated between India and China, have lost 60% of their mass and shrunk by 250 meters since 1982. </li><li>The Ganges, Indus and Brahmaputra rivers in the <keyword id="873165" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-subcontinent">Indian subcontinent</keyword> all originate from these glaciers, whose melting could have dire consequences for the respective river basins. </li><li>The rivers currently enable states like West Bengal, Assam and Uttar Pradesh to be the largest agricultural producers in the country. </li></ul>A cluster of Chinese glaciers are melting at an unprecedented rate — and could have disastrous consequences for India. The Baishui glaciers are the world’s third-largest frozen area of water in the world, and are melting at double the rate since 2005. The disappearance of 60% of its mass, according to a report <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/melting-glacier-in-china-draws-tourists-climate-worries/2018/10/20/78aaef7a-d4d1-11e8-a4db-184311d27129_story.html?utm_term=.c5fe9c8a7319">published</a> in the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/21562202">Journal of Geophysical Research</a>, could have disastrous consequences for India. Trouble for India The shrinking of the world’s ‘<a href="https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/about/">Third Pole</a>’ has immediate consequences of India. Temperatures in the region have increased by 1.5 degrees Celsius, as compared to pre-industrialisation levels, causing the glaciers to not only shrink by 250 meters but also lose 60% of their mass. More than 500 small glaciers in the area have also disappeared altogether. The glaciers are also the source of 10 of Asia’s largest rivers – including the Ganges, Brahmaputra and the Indus. Their melting has huge implications for these rivers, and could affect the livelihood of over 1.3 billion people. The most immediate effect will be on farmers, who depend on the melting waters of the glacier for the irrigation of water-intensive crops. In fact, rice, wheat and sugarcane account for 90% of India’s crop production are the <a href="https://www.oav.de/fileadmin/user_upload/5_Publikationen/5_Studien/170118_Study_Water_Agriculture_India.pdf">most water consuming</a> crops in India’s agricultural scene. The problem isn’t that excessive water will flood the fields and destroy crops. These rivers are already picketted with dams and irrigation canals that can handle the excess water. The issue is that <a href="https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/if-80-water-consumption-in-india-is-for-agriculture-why-is-it-unregulated-and-inefficient/">India’s agricultural water requirements</a> are barely being met, despite the immoderate water supply. So once this water runs out, the river basins will exclusively depend on <a href="https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1306/1306.2709.pdf">monsoon rains</a> to replenish themselves. The underwater aquifers that are in place within agricultural regions are already struggling with their water tables. The use of water is so extensive in these regions that water is being used faster than it can be replaced. The fall in food production will, in turn, hurt India’s food security. The Ganges river basin, the largest in India, provides water to West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, the largest rice-producing states in the country. This isn’t good for a country whose population largely depends on rice as their staple diet. Even the production of wheat, sugarcane, jute and basic vegetables is threatened, as the primary regions where they are produced overlap with the affected river basins. Tea plantations in the northeast Indian state of Assam will also be affected, as the <keyword id="179908" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Brahmaputra-river">Brahmaputra river</keyword> irrigates them. The effects transcend India. The Third Pole expands over the Himalaya-Hindu Kush mountain range and the <keyword id="74610" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tibetan-plateau">Tibetan Plateau</keyword>, spelling bad news of India’s neighbours as well. Even, Pakistan needs to be on its toes, since 60% of the country depends on the <keyword id="162118" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indus-River">Indus river</keyword> for its irrigation requirements.

A glacier in China is melting at an unprecedented rate — but it is India that may end up paying the price

New Delhi, Jan 8 () LT Foods Ltd on Monday announced its venture into around Rs 1,000 crore Indian premium and healthy snacks segment, which is still at nascent stage, with the launch of 'Kari Kari' in the domestic market.
 Kari Kari is a crunchy, light, healthy and premium rice snack.
 The company also plans to roll out more products within the premium category in future to broaden the offerings to wider genre, the company said.
 Daawat-Kameda (India) Pvt Ltd, a joint venture company between LT Foods Limited and Japan's rice crackers company Kameda Seika launched 'Kari Kari', LT Foods Ltd Chairman &amp; Managing Director Vijay Kumar Arora told reporters here.
 "Based on changing consumer needs and preferences and the demand for tasty and healthy snacks, the company has ventured into the premium snacks category in India with its rice based snacks 'Kari Kari'," he said.
 The premium snacks category is growing at a rate of 20-25 per cent per annum in the country.
 "There is a huge opportunity in the fast growing premium segment, which has seen many new Indian and global entrants in recent years. The focus is on evolving consumer preferences to healthy and innovative flavours and formats," the company said. SID RVK

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