Cultivation of basmati rice in Visakha Agency mootedagritech.tnau.ac.in/daily_events/2014/english/november/12_nov_14... · Cultivation of basmati rice in ... Girijans, which includes

DATE:12.11.2014

Cult ivation of basmati r ice in VisakhaAgencymooted

BasmatiricesownbyRegionalAgricultureResearchStationatChintapallionexperimentalbasisinVisakhaagencyarea.-Photo:ByArrangementGirijans who are into paddy cultivation in the Agency area ofVisakhapatnamdistrict,might havea reason to smile in thenexttwoyears.Plansareafootbythegovernmenttocultivatebasmatiriceinthe11mandalsoftheAgencyarea.TheRegionalAgricultureResearchStation (RARS),atRVNagarinChintapallimandal,hassowed30varietiesofbasmationafewacres,onexperimentalbasis.AccordingtoSeniorScientistofRARS,D.Sekhar,theyhadbeentoyingwiththeideasincelasttwoyears.In2013,thescientistsofRARSsowed twovarieties–SumathiandSugandhi -both failedduetopestsandotherproblems.“Thisyear,wesowed30exportqualityvarieties,andarehopefulthatafewwouldclick,”hesaid.Basmati rice is mostly cultivated in states like Punjab, Haryana,Rajasthan,JammuandKashmir,HimachalPradesh,UttarakhandandinsomepartsofUttarPradeshandBihar.

According to Mr. Sekhar, this variety of flavoured rice needs acoolerclimateandtheclimaticconditionof theAgencyareasuitsit. “Thenormal temperature in theAgencyareabetweenOctoberand January is about 8 to 13 degree Celsius and this suits thebasmativariety,”hesaid.According to him the yield per acre could be between 20 to 22quintalsandthepricingcouldvarybetweenRs.80to110perkg.In the Agency area, about 40,000 acres are under paddycultivationbytheGirijans,whichincludesterracefarming.“If we are successful with our experiment, then at least 20,000acrescanbeconverted tobasmaticultivation.The rateperkg istwicemorethanwhatisbeingpresentlycultivatedandifpackagingandmarketing is takenupby somegovernment agency suchasGCC,itwillhugelybenefittheGirijans,”saidMr.Sekhar.Accordingtohim,thedemandfortheIndianvarietiesishighfromcountries like Saudi Arabia and Iran and if the Girijans cancontribute a small percentage to the total export, which wasaround37lakhtonnes,valuedatoverRs.29,000croreinthelastyear,gooddaysareaheadforthepaddycultivatorsintheAgencyareas.Cane growers to get incentives, loans toswitchtodripirr igation

TheHinduTheRs. 4,500-crore project, to be implemented in the next threeyears,willhelpconserve180tmcftofwaterannuallyintheState.FilePhoto

To conserve water and help farmers get better yield, the Stategovernment has decided to offer sugarcane growers incentivesand loans to shift to drip irrigation.Minister forWaterResourcesM.B. Patil told presspersons here on Tuesday that the growerswouldbetoldtoswitchtodripirrigationfromJanuary.TheRs.4,500-croreproject, tobe implemented in thenext threeyears, would help conserve 180 tmcft of water annually in theState,hesaid.TherewouldbeatripartiteagreementbetweentheStategovernment, sugarcanegrowersandsugar factoryowners.WithanestimatedRs.40,000requiredtosetupagoodqualitydripirrigationsystem,theDepartmenthaddecidedtoofferasubsidyofRs.10,000andthesugarfactorieswouldgiveanincentiveofRs.5,000.TheMinistersaid that thoughsugarcanewasbeinggrownon4.5lakh hectares of land in the State now, the permissible limit,henceforth, would be 40,000 hectares. “The remaining cropcultivated on 4.1 lakh hectares is not permissible. By shifting todripirrigation,farmerswhoaregrowingsugarcaneonthe4.1lakhhectarescangettheircropregularised,”theMinistersaid.Applications invited for supply of solardryersThedistrict administrationhas invitedapplications from individualfarmers and farmers groups registered as societies to avail theschemeforsupplyofsolardryersat50percentsubsidy.Thescheme implemented through theDepartmentofAgriculturalEngineering envisages supply of solar dryers for dryingvegetables, fish, meat, chillies, herbs, and other food products.The process would help ensure produce did not lose theirnutritionalvalue.Farmersorfarmers’societiesinterestedininstallingthedryerscanapproach the Agricultural Engineering Department. Those fromAndhanallur, Manikandam, Tiruverumbur, Manapparai,Vaiyampatti, andMarungapuri unions can approach the office of

theAssistantExecutiveEngineer,AgriculturalEngineeringat JailCornerinTiruchi.ThosefromMusiri,Thottiyam,Thathaiyengerpet,Thuraiyur, and Uppilliyapuram can apply with the AssistantExecutive Engineer of the Department in Musiri and those fromLalgudi, Pullampadi, and Manachanallur panchayat unions canapproach the Assistant Executive Engineer of the department inLalgudi,anofficialreleasesaid.

·Governmenttoprovide50p.c.subsidyforsolardryers · Farmers can approach Agriculture EngineeringDepartment Pleatosavetexti lesectorfromcollapseUrgingtheStateGovernmenttosavetextilesectorfromcollapse,theFederationofAllTradeandIndustriesAssociation(FATIA)hasexpressed apprehensions over fructification of the proposal forestablishingcommoneffluent treatmentplantworthRs.700crorebenefittingproductionunits inErode,Namakka,KarurandSalemdistricts.TheapprehensionhasbeencausedbytheemphasisoftheTamilNadu Pollution Control Board on ‘polluter pays principle’, N.Sivanesan, FATIA president, said in a letter toChiefMinisterO.Paneerselvam.CETPsWhiletheGovernmentmustcomeforwardtoestablishtheCETPs,the expenditure incurred towards operating them could becollected from the industrial units.The textile sector rankingnextonly to agriculture in termsof employment generation,measuresmustbeinitiatedtosafeguardthetextileprocessingunits.Thenumberof textileprocessingunits hasdwindled to328 from1,578 over the years due to the pollution control norms, Mr.Sivanesansaid,seekingagovernmentorderbasedontheprojectreportpreparedfortheproposedCETPsworthRs.700crore.

In view of the difficulties in fulfilling the zero liquid dischargenorms,stepsmustbetakenfordivertingtheeffluentgeneratedbytheindustrialunitstothesea.AsinGummudipoondi,acentreforsolidwastemanagementmustbeestablishedintheWesternregion.Also,textileindustriesmustbe permitted to transport sludge to cement companies, Mr.Sivanesansaid.NGT formeasures tosnuffout crop residueburningOctober-November is thebeginningof the smog season inDelhias farmers inPunjabandHaryanaburncropresidueonfieldsasper the rice-wheat rotation system. However, the AgricultureMinistry has told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that theenvironmentally-harmful practice has intensified in the recentyears.The Ministry submitted a copy of the ‘National Policy forManagementofCropResidues(NPMCR)’beforeaBenchheadedbyNGTChairpersonSwatanterKumar,whereitsaidthattheissuedemands appropriate policy package of technical and policyinterventions for crop residue management and promoting itsdiversifieduse.TheTribunalwashearingapetitionfiledbyenvironmentalactivistVikrantTongadhighlightinghowstubbleandcropresidueburningby farmers in November in States like Punjab causes blindingsmoginDelhi-NCR,whichisahealthhazard.Mr. Tongad’s counsel Rahul Choudhary told the Bench that theMinistryofEnvironment&Forestsisrequiredtotakesteps,whichithasfailedtoso.He relied on images captured as recently as November 6 byNASA’sAquaandTerrasatellitesshowinghundredsofagriculturalfiresinfieldsnearDelhi.ItshowedsuchfirespeakinginaspanofmerelytwodaysandthesmokefromittravellingtowardsDelhi.TheBenchasked theAgricultureand theEnvironment&ForestsMinistriestotakeconcretestepstocullthispractice.TheNGThadearlier expressed displeasure on being informed that the

Environment Ministry was not being invited to any meeting andthat the Ministry of Agriculture had gone ahead with preparingguidelines as national policy in consultation with the CentralPollutionControlBoardforcontrollingandpreventingthepollutionarisingfromcropburning.Statingthatasperavailableestimates,burningofcropresiduesispredominantinHaryana,Punjab,UttarPradeshandWestBengal,the Ministry said NPMCR includes strategy for promotion oftechnologies for optimum utilization and in-situ management ofcrop residue to prevent loss of soil nutrient, mineral andimprovementofsoilhealth.Italsostated that thestrategycomprisespromotionofdiversifieduses of crop residue for purposes such as power generation,productionofbio-ethanol,packingmaterialforfruitandvegetable,utilizationforpaperindustry,compostingandmushroomcultivationinpublicprivatepartnershipmode.Thepolicy also includes controlling crop residueburning throughformulationofsuitablelawsandexecutiveorders.TheNPMCRalsotalksaboutincorporationofcropresidueintothesoil. It also suggests composting and mushroom cultivation.Besides this, it also talks about extending subsidy to farmers forhiring resource conservation machinery from agriculture servicecentreatthetimeofharvesting.Agardenful l of l i fe

Didyouknowthatlikeplants,afieldorgardenalsohaslife?Allwemeanisthatthepresenceofsmallinsectsandrodentsinagardenmakeitalive.Insectslikethedragonfly,prayingmantis,ladybugs,millipedes,ants,treelizards,butterflies,spidersandawholelotofothers--humming,buzzing,teemingwithlife.We cannot stress enough the important role that insects play inagriculture:theyformthebasisoftheentireplantecosystemandarecriticalforagardenorfieldtothrive.Haveyouevergoneonaschoolvisittoafarm?Ifyouhave,thenyoumighthavehadaglimpse intohowmuch life there is,belowtheplacidsurface.TheyhavearoletoplayForexample,takespiders.Youhaveprobablyseentheirwebsathome,butdidyouknowthattheyareequallyathomeinthefields?Spiders are excellent predators and are known to keep pests atbay. Anthills signal the presence of ants in the field or in thegarden.They thrive inporoussoil rich inhumus.Antsmake longdeepchannels in thesoilwhichallowsrainwater topercolate intotheground.Evenrats--whichfarmersdetest--areafriendofthesoilbecausewhentheirburrowsserveaswaterchannels toallowrainwater toseepdeepintothesoil.Fromsnakes to theshinyblackdotted ladybirdbeetle,all insectsplaytheirpartperfectlyintheecosystem.Themorenumberoffloweringandfruitplants,themoretheinsectandbirdactivity.Fromthehummingbirdwhichvisitsflowerstocollectnectartothetree lizard that changes its skin colour to match the leaves andbark, all of them contribute significantly in increasing plantpropagationandkeepingpestsincheck.It isonlyushumanswhohavenotbeenable toreallyappreciatethe myriad creatures in the garden and field and mindlesslyextinguish these tiny yet beneficial lives using strong chemicalsandspraysthinkingitwillhelpincreaseyields.

YoumustunderstandonethingclearlyandthatisNATUREshouldbe left alone.Nature is the best teacher and knows how to takecareof itselfandusaswell.There isnobenefit inmeddlingwithnature’s intrinsic abilities and try to prove that our knowledge issuperior.Evenourbest scientific technologiesare insignificant infrontofnature’sexpertise.Harmless,non-bruisingpotatoesarehere

A potato genetically engineered to reduce the amounts of apotentiallyharmful ingredient inFrenchfriesandpotatochipshasbeen approved for commercial planting, the Department ofAgricultureannouncedFriday.The potatoes’ DNA has been altered so that less of a chemicalcalledacrylamide,whichissuspectedofcausingcancerinpeople,isproducedwhenthepotatoisfried.Thenewpotatoalso resistsbruising,acharacteristic longsoughtbypotatogrowersandprocessors for financial reasons.Potatoesbruised during harvesting, shipping or storage can lose value orbecomeunusable.ThebiotechtubersweredevelopedbyJ.R.SimplotCo.,aprivatelyheldcompanybasedinBoise,Idaho,whichwastheinitialsupplierof frozen French fries to McDonalds in the 1960s and is still amajor supplier. The potato is one of a new wave of geneticallymodifiedcropsthataimtoprovidebenefitstoconsumers,notjusttofarmersasthewidelygrownbiotechcropslikeherbicide-tolerantsoybeans and corn do. The nonbruising aspect of the potato issimilar to that of genetically engineered nonbrowning apples,developed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits, which are awaitingregulatoryapproval.

ProtestsBut theapproval comesassomeconsumersarequestioning thesafety of genetically engineered crops and demanding that thefoods made from them be labelled. Ballot initiatives calling forlabelling were rejected by voters in Oregon and Colorado thisweek, after food and seed companies poured millions of dollarsintocampaignstodefeatthemeasures.The question now is whether the potatoes which come in theRusset Burbank, Ranger Russet and Atlantic varieties will beadopted by food companies and restaurant chains. At least onegroupopposed tosuchcropshasalreadypressedMcDonalds torejectthem.Geneticallymodifiedpotatoesfailedoncebefore.Inthelate1990s,Monsantobegansellingpotatoesgeneticallyengineered to resistthe Colorado potato beetle. But the market collapsed after bigpotato users, fearing consumer resistance, told farmers not togrowthem.—NewYorkTimesNewsService

JapanfacesbuttercrisisA shortage has led the government to import butter for the firsttimeinmanyyears

Japaneseshoppersareupinarmsoveraseriousbuttershortagethat has forced Tokyo to resort to emergency imports, as somegrocerslimitsalestooneblockpercustomer.Someshopshelvesarebareandstoresaretrumpetingthearrivalofnewsupplieswithpostersinthewindowsannouncing“Wehavebutter!”With Christmas cake-baking season fast approaching, socialmedia has been abuzz over the shortage, with Twitter user@justastarter1 claiming to be a “butter refugee” after trailingbetweenshopswithoutsuccess.ExhaustedcowsThe agriculture ministry said the problem is linked to a broilingsummer that left the nation’s cows exhausted and unable — orunwilling—togeneratetheirusualmilksupply.The bovine strike has sapped supply just as dairy farmers trimtheir herds to copewith Japan’s dwindling population and fallingdemand.And with farmers prioritising supply for liquid milk to keep thesupermarketshelvesstocked,Japannowfacesashortage in theraw material used to produce butter — popular among homebakers.In a bid to try and keep the nation’s kitchens operating, thegovernment in May imported 7,000 tons of butter, and a further3,000tons inSeptember, thefirst timeinyearsTokyohasraidedforeigndairymarkets.“JudgingfrominventorylevelsattheendofSeptember,stockpilesare down 30 percent from a year earlier so we’re in a shortagetrend,”saidanagricultureministryofficial.But not many farmers are willing to raise milk production, theofficialadded.“Theyareconcernedaboutwherethedairyfarmingindustrywillgointhefutureastheyseefeedpricessoaring,”hesaid.A sharply weaker yen has sent the price of imported feed grainskyward.AFP

Science fair from tomorrow; 8,000 studentstoparticipate:TheKozhikoderevenuedistrictsciencefair—Sasthrolsavam—meanttoshowcaseandmarketthecreativeandconstructiveskillsof students in various fields, including science, informationtechnology,mathematics,socialscienceandworkexperience,willbeheldatfiveschoolsinthecityfromThursdaytoSaturday.Asmanyas8,000studentsrepresentingvariousschools from17sub-districts in different sections, including LP, UP and HS, willparticipateinthefestival,saidtheorganisingcommitteemembersled byDeputy Director of EducationGireeshCholayil at a pressconferencehereonTuesday.NinescienceeventsCompetitions will be held in nine science events, eightmathematicsevents,sevensocialscienceevents,sevenITeventsandinasmanyas35workexperienceevents.The work experience fair will be held at the Government ModelHigherSecondarySchool and theB.E.MGirlsHigherSecondarySchoolsimultaneously,whilethescienceandITfairwillbeheldattheSt.Joseph’sAngloIndiaGirlsHigherSecondarySchool.Himayathul Islam Higher Secondary School will host the SocialScience Fair while the Mathematics Fair will be held at the St.Joseph’sBoysHigherSecondarySchool.VocationalexpoThe annual Vocational Expo, organised by the students ofvocationalhighersecondaryschools(VHSS) fromKozhikodeandWayanad districts, would also be held alongwith Sasthrolsavamthisyear,saidDr.Cholayil,whomaintainedthatstudentsfromasmany as 38 VHSSs from the two districts will showcase theirproductsatthefair.TheVocationalExpowillbeheldattheGovernmentModelHigherSecondarySchoolinthecityonFridayandSaturday.“Productsinvariouscategorieswillalsobeputupforsaleatthefair,”hesaid.Students pursuing vocational courses in different disciplines,including engineering, paramedical, agriculture, fisheries,veterinary,andcommerce,willdisplaytheirproductsatthefair.

Competitions will be held in four different categories, ie., MostCurriculumRelated,Most Innovative,MostMarketable andMostProfitable.CareerseminarsA few career seminars meant for vocational higher secondarystudentswillalsobeheldaspartofthefair.Mayor A.K. Premajam will inaugurate Sasthrolsavam at theGovernment Model HSSS on Thursday morning. A.Pradeepkumar,MLA,willpreside.

CMsmeetl i f tshopesofTBcanalfarmersThehigh-levelmeetingofChiefMinistersofKarnatakaandAndhraPradesh lifted thehopesof farmersunderTungabhadraLLCandHLC.Theheadsoftwostatesmainlyfocusedonmodernisationofcanalstoincreasetheflow.TheareaunderLLCisshrinkingyearafteryearduetotheexcessutilization in the upper reaches. The LLC was designed to draw1800to2200cusecsfromtheTBdamtosupplywatertoareasinKarnatakaandAndhraPradesh.Thecanalwasearmarked24tmcftforA.P.areasbuttheallocationis done proportionately based on the realisation of water in TBdam.Thecapacityofthereservoirdeclinedduetosilt.The canal flows to a length of 450 km including 131 km inKarnataka, another 120 km in both states and 200 km purely inAndhra Pradesh. The canal irrigates 1.51 lakh acres in A.P.especiallyinKurnooldistrict.Thecanalflowstoalengthof72kminmountainousterrainwhereno cultivation is possible. However, majority of water is lostbetween72to131kmwherethewater isdivertedthrough illegalholes and pipes. It has been a regular practice that irrigationofficialsofA.P.patrolthecanalbundsarmedwithaxescuttingtheillegalpipesusedtostealwater.Asagainstthedesignedflowof670cusecs,only200cusecswasrealizedatA.P.borderattimes.Thefarmersandpolitical leadershave been agitating for parallel canal to check the pilferage.

However, the Karnataka government gave its consent formodernisationofthetwocanalswhichislikelytoimprovetheflow.TheHLCwasearmarked32 tmcftbutonlyoneof it reached theayacutinAnantapurandKurnooldistrict.Themodernisationwilldefinitelyarresttheplugintheinitialyearsbutthetwogovernmentsshouldalsoarriveatanunderstandingtosustainthearrangement.

AtoxicSutlej:Whoistoblame?As the river roars down the Himalayas, untreated wastes fromfactoriesandtanneriespolluteitThrough his bloodshot, ruined eyes, ten-year-old Roshan Singhstruggles to read his favourite comic book before readying forschool in this remote and desolate village along the Indian-Pakistanborder.Singh, whom doctors say will soon be blind, has always drunkgroundwaterdrawnfromcommunalhandpumpsthatexpertssayis highly toxic and responsible for maiming scores of residentsyoungandold."I fear theworstall thetime.Myparentsalsoworry formea lot,"Singh said, nervously tugging at his school shirt in Dona NankavillageinPunjabstate.SincecomingtopowerinMay,PrimeMinisterNarendraModihaspledgedtocleanuptheGangesriver,describingitspollutionasanationalshame.But in India's northwest frontier, where another river is heavilycontaminatedwithlead,uraniumandothermetals,residentshavelongbeenlefttofendforthemselves."Wheelchairshavebecomeawayoflifehere.Thisisourdestiny,"said65-year-oldfarmerMaunSingh,sittingnexttotwoofhissons,aged25and18,whohavegoneblind.Hisvillageandseveralothersareclusteredaroundacreekattheendof theSutlejriver.TheSutlejroarsdownfromtheHimalayasthroughIndiaandintoneighbouringPakistan-beforeturningbackintoIndiaagain.

Experts suspect Indian factories and Pakistan tanneries pouruntreated waste into the river where it eventually gathers andsettlesinitstranquiltailend,seepingintothegroundwater.AlthoughscientistsareunsurewhetherIndiaorPakistan,orboth,are to blame for the contamination, the consequences arestaggering.Blindness, deformed limbs, premature greying of hair, learningdisabilities and skin diseases are common among the 1,200residents,whilewheelchairscanbeseeneverywhere."It is not just onestudent, I haveseensomanyothers forced toquit school because of blindness or some other problem," saidlocalschoolprincipalLovjeetSingh,addingthat108outof270ofhisstudentsaresufferingfromsomediseaseordeformity.'Unfit forconsumption'Thestenchofcowdung fills theair inDonaNankawheresmall,brick houses are flanked by narrow lanes. Open drains runalongside the lanes, infested with flies and mosquitoes, wherechildrenplay.Foryears, impoverishedfarmersandtheir familieshavereliedonwells, ponds, irrigation reservoirs and handpumps for their waterforcooking,cleaninganddrinking.Tests conducted on groundwater in 2012 in four districts by thestate-runBhabhaAtomicResearchCentershowed42percentofthe samples had concentrations of uranium above permissiblelimits for drinkingwater. Punjab has no uraniummines but locallawmaker Bhagwant Mann accuses tanneries in Pakistan andheavyindustriesinPunjabofmakingthegroundwatertoxic."Stringent laws should be framed to stop factories fromdumpingtheir untreatedwaste into rivers. I see this as the only solution,"Mannsaid.SomeexpertsalsoblametheGreenRevolution in the1960sthatsaw a doubling of farm yields in Punjab, known as the breadbasket of India, but also increased soil and water contaminationthrough hiked pesticide use. Whoever is at fault, Surjit SinghRakhra, state minister for water supply and sanitation, said thegovernment was working hard to halt the health problems,includingpartneringwiththeWorldBanktofindsolutions.AFP

What do you think should be the immediate steps to betaken to save this vi l lage from futher suffering?Assumeyou are the vi l lage head and send in a 100-wordresponse in this regard to [email protected] withyournameandotherdetails.(Subjectl ine:Toxic)

WidespreadraininNagapattinamWidespread rain lashed different parts of the district onTuesdayasskyremainedovercastthroughouttheday.Farmersexpressedapprehensionthattheheavyraincouldhittheircropsastheyhadalready applied fertilizers. At some places in Vedaranyam,ThalaignayiruandSirkazhi,farmershaveplantedseedlingsafreshaftertheyoungcropwasdamagedintheearlierrain.

OniongrowersstageprotestsUpset over falling onion prices, farmers from different villages ofHubballi taluk and other places took to the streets on Tuesdayseeking government intervention in ensuring better prices for thevariouscategoriesofonion.Twogroupsoffarmersstagedtwoprotestsontheissue.WhilethefirstwasstagedatKitturChannammaCirclewhere farmers fromdifferent villages of Hubballi taluk threw onion on the road as amarkofprotest,thesecondstartedfromtheAPMCYardpremisesat Amaragol and concluded at Unakal Cross where the officialsmetthem.Atboththeplaces,farmersraisedslogansagainstthegovernmentfor failing to take steps to check the falling prices of onion anddemandedthatabetterpricebefixedforthecrop.Theyallegedthatmerchantsweretryingtoexploitonionfarmersatatimewhentheywereseverelyaffectedbyheavyrainresultingindamagetostandingcrop.They said that while in retail markets onion still fetched a goodprice, their produce brought to the APMC yards were beingauctionedatvery lowprices,whichwas insufficient tomeeteventhetransportationcostoftheyield,fromfarmtoyard.

Online payment mode for paddyprocurementlaunched

Joint Collector K Surendra Mohan launching the facility in Khammam onTuesday.-PHOTO:G.N.RAOPayment forpaddyprocuredfromthefarmersbythegovernmentagencies would be made through online mode in the districthenceforth.Joint Collector K Surendra Mohan formally launched the e-Paymentsystemexclusivelyforonlinedisbursementofmoneyforthe paddy purchased from the farmers by the Civil SuppliesCorporationatafunctionheldhereonTuesday.In the online system, the cash will be directly remitted into thesaving accounts of the farmers towards the price of paddypurchased from them by the government agencies. On theinauguralday,cash to the tuneofRs.12,66,976was remitted tothe bank accounts of six farmers those who sold their paddy atvariousState runpaddyprocurement centres in thedistrict threedaysago.FarmersthrongprocurementcentresAsthedistrictadministrationhasbeenofferingremunerativepriceformaizewith online paymentwithin 72 hours, the farmers fromneighbouringdistrictstoostartedarrivingheretoselltheirproduce.FarmersfromKarimnagarandNizamabadhavebeenapproachingtheprocurementcentrestoselltheirproduce.

Weareforcedtoopennewaccountsfortheminbanksandmakeonlinepayment,”saidJointCollectorA.Sarath.So far thedistrictadministrationhasmadeapaymentofRs.36crore,paddy(Rs.26crore) and maize (Rs.10 crore) to 9,700 farmers. Theadministration has opened 248 procurement centres across thedistrictandhasbeenofferinganMSPofRs.1,450forpaddyandRs.1,310formaize.Bidtopromotevegetablefarming

District panchayat president S. Jayamohan launches a vegetable seedproductionschemeinKollamonTuesday.As part of the ongoing projects being carried out to promotevegetablefarminginthedistrict,aschemetoproduce10differentvegetablesseeds for farmerswas launchedbydistrictpanchayatpresidentS.JayamohanonTuesday.Inhisinauguraladdress,Mr.Jayamohan said that the aim of the scheme was to make thedistrictself-sufficientinatleastsomeofthevegetables.Theseedswillbeproducedbyindividualhouseholds.Thosewithaminimum of 10 cents of land can become beneficiaries of thescheme. The vegetable seeds to be produced are long beans,bittergourd,snakegourd,ladiesfinger,cucumber,chillies,greens,tomato,pumpkinandbrinjal.Theseedsforthepurposewillbegivenfreeofcost.Inadditiontoseeds,organicfertilizerswillbegiventothefarmersat75percentsubsidy, 50 per cent subsidy on plant protection materials andRs.2,000forpreparingeach50centsoflandfortheseedcrops.

Mr.JayamohansaidthatthegeneralcalculationisthatRs.32,000willbetheexpenseforfarmingvegetableseedcropson50centsof land. Of that, the district panchayat will pay Rs.24,000 assubsidy.He said that when it came to farming for seed production, theharvest might not be up to the expectation of the farmers. Tocompensatethis,thedistrictpanchayatwillprocurethevegetablesmeant for seed production at prices higher than the prevailingmarketpricesoftherespectivevegetables.

FarmersopposebanontobaccoThe Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) has urged thegovernmentnottoenforcebanonchewingtobaccoinahurry.Following the directions from the Union Ministry of Health andFamily Welfare, the officials of the Department of Health andFamily Welfare in Karnataka have prepared a Cabinet noteseekingpermissiontobansmokelessandchewingtobacco.As a major chunk of arecanut is consumed with tobacco, theproposal had resulted in a sharp decline in the prices.Eventobacco growers would incur huge losses if the ban were to beenforced,H.R.Basavarajappa,workingpresidentofKRRS,saidatapressconferencehereonTuesday.Intheinterestofpublichealth,thebanshouldbeenforcedontheproductionandsaleoftobaccousedforbothchewingandsmokingpurpose.Prior to enforcement of ban, the government should extendfinancial assistance to tobacco growers to switch over toalternative crops. The government should ensure that prices ofarecanut remainedstableevenafterban isenforcedon tobacco,hesaid.

Mullaperiyarwaterlevelr isesto139feet: The water level in the Mullaperiyar dam touched 139 feet onTuesdaywithaspurtininflow.The storage, whichwas 138.7 feet two days ago, was going upvery slowly owing to poor or no rainfall. Sudden showers in thecatchmentsincreasedtheinflowto1,049cusecsfrom756cusecs.ThedischargeonTuesdaywas450cusecs.EvenastheincreasecheeredfarmersintheCumbumValley,thesudden increase in discharge and huge withdrawals hasdampenedtheirhopes.PWDofficialshaveplannedtoincreasethedischargetoimprovethestorageintheVaigaidamthathas52.59feetofwater.The inflowwas495cusecsand1,760cusecswasdischargedfromittoirrigatestandingcropinMaduraiandDindiguldistricts.Officials have already drawn more than 2,000 cusecs from theMullaperiyarwhenthelevelcrossed138feet,adaybeforethevisitof the Supreme Court-appointed three-member supervisorycommittee.FarmerswonderedwhytheofficialsweresokeenonimprovingthestorageoftheVaigaidamwithoutincreasingthewaterlevelto142feet in the Mullaperiyar. Members of Uthamapalayam BarAssociation recently picketed the Theni-Kumuli highwaydemandingtheincreaseinthelevelto142feet.

Environment,faithandreligionArecentstudyshowsthatharshweatherconditionsandhardshipmayleadhumanstobelieveinpowerfulgodsPlagues, floodsand faminesoftenplaya central role in religiousstories. Research suggests theymay have also helped start thebeliefinsomegodsinthefirstplace.Astudyof583religioussocietiesaroundtheworldhasconcludedthathumansaremorelikelytobelieveinpowerfulandjudgmentalgodsduringtimesofhardshipandextremesofweather.

Dr Carlos Botero, a biologist at North Carolina State University,wholedthework,saidtheharshertheconditions,themorelikelywasbeliefinapowerfuldeity.“Environmental duress and environmental uncertainty can makelife very difficult and there is pretty good evidence that theseconditions tend to promote sociality in non-human animals,because group living can help individuals thrivewhen conditionsaregoodandsurvivewhentheysuddenlyturnbad,”Boterosaid.“We believe that similar reasons may explain the links betweenthis particular aspect of religiousbeliefs and resource scarcity orenvironmental uncertainty. Among humans, there is also goodevidencethatreligiousbeliefsmayhelpshapesocialbehaviourby,forexample,promotingcooperation,fairnessandhonesty.”OtherfactorsThe researchers behind the latest study warn againstoversimplifying the spread of religions and said they hope toinvestigate how trade, conquest and spread of language alsoplayedarole.—©GuardianNewspapersLimited,2014Thestudy The study, published in the journal Proceedings of theNational Academy of Sciences, used historical, socialand ecological data from between 1900 and 1960 for583 tradit ional societies with rel igious beliefs aroundthe world. These included common religions l ikeChristianity and Islamalongwith rarer rel igions suchasZahv, thebeliefsystemof theAkhapeople insouth-eastAsia. The researchers used detailed cl imate, rainfal l andplantgrowthdataforeachareatobuildupapictureof how religious belief compared to the ecologicalcondit ionseachsocietywasl ivingin. Conclusions Overall they foundthebeliefstructuresweredrivenbyacomplex combination of social, ecological and historicalfactors. Theemergenceof rel igionhas longbeenexplainedasaresult of either culture or environmental factors but not

both. But the researchers found that food scarcity andcl imate instabil i ty were particularly strongly associatedwithbelief inhighgodsthatenforcedamoralcode.Thismight help to explain why rel igions such as Christianityand Islam emerged in parts of the world that havesuffered extreme climatic changes and where faminewasrife.

Dead fish in Rio Olympic bay bafflescientists

Dead fish are washed ashore on a beach in Paqueta Island, located atGuanabarabayinRiodeJaneiro,Brazil.photo:afpThousands of dead fish have begunmysteriously washing up inthe polluted Rio bay that will host sailing events at the 2016Olympics-andexpertsareatalosstoexplainwhy.GuanabaraBayhasalreadybeenthesubjectofconcernamongstsailorswhoaretocompeteinRiobecauseofthehumansewagethatgetspumpedintoitswaters.The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has expressedconfidencethatGuanabarawillbefitforpurposebythetimeofthegames.Buttherecentappearanceofthousandsofdeadfish,andthefoulstenchoftheirrottingcarcasses,hasattractedfurtherscrutinywiththeOlympicslessthantwoyearsaway.

Scientists are baffled by the phenomenon but say there is noevidencesofartosuggestpollutionisthecause.ThefoulodourfirsttookovertheusuallypeacefulPaquetaIsland,wherecarsarebannedandthepopulationof4,500peopletravelsonhorsebackorbicycleamongtheonlybaobabtreesinBrazil.Withthehelpofabulldozer,amunicipalcompanyhasremoved20tonnesofdeadsabalofish-fromtheClupeidaefamilyofherringsandsardines-aswellasfourdeadseaturtles."Testsshowedthat this isnotamatterofchemicalor toxicwaterpollution," Rio do Janeiro State University oceanographer DavidZeesaid.LeandroDaemonof theNational Institute for theEnvironment,orINEA, agreed that water testing had not identified any toxicchemicals or any unusual change in thewater's pH (potential ofhydrogen),salinityoroxygen."We have no answer yet about what happened, but we cancertainlyexcludethehypothesisofachemicalpollutionkillingthefish,"hesaid.'Don'tgoin' Butnoteveryoneissosure.Worried fishermen and islanders are pointing the finger at thepetrochemicalactivitiesofstategiantPetrobras."Wewanttoknowwhysomanyfishhavedied.Therottensmellishorribleandtherearemanyfliesontheisland.Theauthoritiestellus nothing," said Vilma Leocadio of the Paqueta citizens'association."Weareafraid,wedonotbathe in theseaanymoreanddonotbuyfishhere."RosimereFigueiredo,52,saidPaquetawasindistress.FiveofthefishweresentonTuesdaytotheFederalUniversityofRio de Janeiro's biology department for analysis, and the resultswillbeannouncedinaweek.Expertswanttoknowifthereareanysignsofpollutionordiseaseintheentrailsorgills.Hightemperaturestoblame?Onehypothesis isthattheculprit ispredatoryfishing.Atthistimeofyear,fishingisprohibited,butitiscommonforfishermentostill

work,catchingfishlikesabalothathavealowermarketvalue,Zeesaid.But theexpert said the likeliest scenariowas that thedeathsarecausedby"thermalpollution"ofthewater."Sabalo are very sensitive to any lack of oxygen. Warm watertemperaturessuchas those recordedseveraldaysago - rangingfrom27 to30degreesCelsius (81 to86Fahrenheit) - inshallowwaterdecreasethesolubilityofoxygen,"Zeesaid.AFP

Can plants be made to withstand cl imatechange?Offeringfreshinsightsintohowplantsregulategeneticmaterialsothatsomegenesareturnedonwhileothersareturnedoff,anewstudy has revealed howplants could better adapt to and surviveenvironmentalswingssuchasdroughtsorfloods.“Ifyouunderstandhowplantsregulate theirgeneticmaterial,youcan possibly manipulate that in certain circumstances so thatplants can withstand environmental changes,” said Daniel VerafromtheFloridaStateUniversity(FSU).Thestudyshowedhowchromatin (acomplexofmacromoleculesfoundincells,consistingofDNA,proteinandRNA)isorganisedinacell.The research team exposed 12 different samples of a maizegenome to an enzyme to cut through the DNA, except where itwas protected by proteins — a method to chart the so-calledchromatinlandscape.Despitecarefulcontrolof theexperiment,certain regionsofDNAdifferedwildlyfromonesampletothenext.Eventually,thegroupdiscoveredthatthesevariableregionswerehypersensitivetotheenzyme.Once they discovered the root of the problem, researcherswereable to control the enzyme reaction and show that these sameregionswerelikelysitesofgeneticregulation.IANS

ForaquirkystartofdayThreefriendsdecidedtoquit their jobstoservenutritious,offbeatbreakfasts

Three’scompanyNikhil,HaripriyaandAshwin

It isn’teverydaythatyoufindpeoplewhogiveupsomethingtheylike to pursue something they love. That is pretty much howBrekkie rolled out about amonth and a half ago. Three friends,NikhilBehl,HaripriyaRaja,andAshwinChandrasekaran,launchedBrekkie, which serves delicious, nutritious and slightly offbeatbreakfasts to people's homes and office desks.Ashwin explains:“Each Brekkie consists of a big bite, for example a spinachparatha,asmallbitesuchasahoneyyoghurt fruitmuesli,andalittle treat like an oatmeal cookie.” In addition to their deliveries,they’vealsogotalittlefoodcarttuckedawayneartheentranceofCornerstoneParkinIndiranagar.“Wearefoodies,andwelovetoeat,”Haripriyasays.“Yes,thereisaneedforconvenientfoodoptionsinthecitybutourpriorityisnotjust serve food, but serve great food. We change things up,experimentandkeepthingsfreshandexciting.Wewantbreakfasttobeyourroutinewithout it feeling likeoneandthat’swhatgivesBrekkieitsedge.”Nikhil, who is originally from Punjab, has studied engineering.However since his passion always rested with the markets, hecurrently works at a wealth management startup in addition tobeingapartneratBrekkie.Haripriyaalsostudiedengineeringbutwentintoadvertisingwheresheworkedasabrandplannerbefore

quittingittomakethisventureherfull-timejob.Ashwin,whogrewup in the Netherlands and has an educational background inInvestment Analysis and FinancialManagement, also has ampleexperienceinadvertisingandbrandingbutBrekkiecurrentlytakesupthemajorityofhistime.“Conversations over our Friday night drinks used to always drifttowards doing things, and more importantly, doing thingsdifferently. Brekkiewas one ofmany ideas that came up - but itwastheonewealwaysseemedtoreturnto,”Nikhilrecounts.The three are clearly quite themixed bag but and although theyare doing something different from most of their peers, Ashwinpointsout,“Weprobablywouldn’tbedoingit if itwasn’t for them!Our family, friends and colleagues were the ones that initiallyconvincedusthatwewereontosomething.Theyconstantlyeggedusontoexplorethingsfurtherandprovidedinvaluablesupportandadvicealthough,Ithinkalotofthemused‘feedback’asanexcusetogetsomefreegrub!”AtBrekkie,thereisanewmenueveryday.“Ourdailymenusareasurprise for our customers. We plan out what we are going toserve up well over a week in advance. Not only is this vital forsourcingour ingredientsbut italsogivesusanoverviewofwhatpeoplehavebeenmunchingon.Weaimtoserveamaindishnotmorethantwiceinamonth,”saysNikhil.Thetriowakeupat4a.m.tofixthebreakfasts.Theyagreeit’sstillearlydaysforthem,butAshwinsays:“Thepastmonthandahalfhas convinced us that we are onto something.We now want toreachmorepeopleandplacesinBangalore.We'reintheprocessof streamlining our operations and preparing ourselves forexpansion.”Brekkie operates from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. For details visitwww.brekkie.inThis column features those who choose to veer off thebeatentrack.

WaystostopyoursugarcravingNutritionand fitnessexperts say thereareways to reduce sugarcraving,reportsfemalefirst.co.uk*Alittleofthesweetstuffisfineinmoderation.*AccordingtoMartinBudd,naturopathandauthorofWhyAmISoExhausted,whenweare tired,weusesugar.Somakesureyoubuildinpropersleep.*Youcouldflavourfoodanddrinkswithvanillaorspicessuchasnutmegorcinnamonandcardamom.*Oftenour littlesugar treatsareawayofdealingwithemotionalissues.Beforeyou takeabite,stopand thinkaboutwhyyouaredoingthisandworkthroughthatemotion.* Introducing greens into the diet, raw and preferably juicedwithvegetablessuchasceleryandcucumber,arenotonlydetoxingbuthelptoregulatebloodsugar.* Nutrient deficiencies can make cravings worse. The fewernutrientdeficiencies,thefewercravings.

Neonatal period vital to reduce infantmortali tyrate:experts

Morefocusonthefirst28daysoflifeafteraninfantisborn,isvitalto reduce InfantMortalityRate (IMR) in theStates of TelanganaandAndhraPradesh,UNICEFofficials saidhereonTuesday.Atpresent,theIMRinboththeStatesiscloseto41perthousandlivebirths with rural areas considerably having more IMR than theurbanareas.

A combination of factors including nutritional status of mothers,their age of marriage, immunisation, delayed initiation ofbreastfeedingamongmanyothersimpactIMR.“Thefirstfewdaysafter infant’s birth, the neonatal period, is very important for thesurvival of infant. Focus on this will bring down IMR in AP andTelangana,” said Dr. Sanjeev Upadhyaya, Health Specialist,UNICEF.Therearestudies that indicate thatonly49percentofwomen inthese twoStates receive ironand folicacid forat least100daysduring pregnancy as recommended, said UNICEF officials in amediameetonMaternalandChildHealth.Anaemia,which isa leadingcauseformaternalmortalityandlowbirth weight, is a widespread public health problem affectinginfants,children,adolescentgirlsandwomenofreproductiveage.Morethanhalfofallmarriedwomenareanaemicandone-thirdofthemaremalnourished,severalstudiessay.Another factor impacting IMR is mother’s age, experts said.According to a NFHS study in 2012, the IMR is 89 for mothersbelowtheageof20ascomparedtowomenintheagegroupsof20-29and30-39years in India.Almost13percentofgirlsagedbetween15-19yearshavebegunchildbearinginAndhraPradeshandTelangana.UNICEFexpertssuggested thata lotofattentionshouldbegiventomicronutrientdeficienciesofVitaminAandIronand Folic Acid till the age of five years and Iron and Folic Acidsupplementationforchildrenfrom6to60months.

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SmokingupsriskofdevelopingsecondcancerA large study has found that cigarette smoking prior to the firstdiagnosis of lung (stage I), bladder, kidney or head and neckcancer increases the risk of developing a second smoking-associatedcancer."As survival improves for a number of smoking-related cancers,patientsarelivinglonger;however,smokingmayincreasetheriskof developing a second smoking-related cancer among thesesurvivors,"saidMeredithS.Shiels,leadstudyauthorandresearchfellow with the National Cancer Institute's Division of CancerEpidemiologyandGenetics.Researchers examined data from five cohorts which included2,552 patients with stage I lung, 6,386 with bladder, 3,179 withkidneyand2,967withheadandneckcancer.Theyfoundthattheassociationbetweensmokinganddevelopinga second primary smoking-associated cancer was similar to theassociation between smoking and developing a first primarysmoking-associatedcancer.Patientswhosmokedmorethan20cigarettesperdayhada5.41-fold higher risk of developing cancer than individuals who haveneversmoked.Notably,currentsmokingatanylevelincreasedtheriskofoverallmortalityacrossallcancerdiseasesites.

"Our study demonstrates that health care providers shouldemphasise the importance of smoking cessation to all theirpatients, including cancer survivors," Shiels concluded.ThestudywaspublishedintheJournalofClinicalOncology.

FightacoldwiththesesuperfoodsThesesuperfoodscanavoidacoldandeverything related to thediseaseWinterisjustroundthecorneranditistimetoboostyourimmunityto fight the cold weather. Here are some superfoods which willhelpyoudothat:Fish:All varieties of oily fish contain fatty acids that boostimmunityandfighthealthissueslikecoldandflu.Garl ic:Raw garlic produces antioxidants which fights cold andboostsimmunitylikenothingelse.Tea:Nothing works like a steaming hot cup of tea in the coldweather. It not only soothes a sore throat but also containscomponentswhichfightflu.Mushrooms:These contain antioxidants, potassium, vitaminsand fiber which boost one's immunity and fight cold.Sweet potatoes:Sweetpotatoesareverygood formaintainingone'shealthinthecoldweather.Theyproducecompoundswhichare converted into vitamin A, which is essential for strongimmunity.

Dosanddon'tsforDiabeticsIndia is known today as the Diabetes capital. It is a matter ofincreasing concern as 1 in 5 people today is predisposed todiabetesduetotheirlifestyle.Therearenamelytwotypesofdiabetes;Type1Diabetes(Insulindependent) and Type 2 Diabetes (Weight Managementdependent).Type 2 Diabetes is a dreaded medical condition described byelevated fasting sugar or post prandial sugar levels which couldleadtosecondarycomplicationsinotherorganssuchastheheart,kidney,footandeyes.OnWorldDiabetesDay,we tel l youhowdietandweightmanagement can help control and maintain normalsugarlevels.Listed below are few essential guidelines for Diabetics.Eatingat regular intervalshelpskeep thesugar levelsconsistentandavoidshypoglycemia.Replacingsimplecarbohydratessuchas(rice,whitebread,whitepasta, maida) with complex carbohydrates such as oats, bajra,jowar, ragi and wheat would help avoid rise in the sugar levels.Opt for a low-carbmeal consisting of roti, vegetable, salad, eggwhites or skim paneer instead of a fullmeal which includes roti,rice,dal,vegetableandsaladatonetime.It is advisable to eat either one portion of protein (skim milkproducts, chicken, fish, egg whites) and a portion of fibre(vegetables, fruits, salads) or Omega 3 fats (fish, flaxseeds,walnuts)ineachmealtohelpacceleratemetabolismandpromotefatlossandtherebyeffectivesugarcontrol.

Itisimportanttoincorporateexerciseintodailylifestyle(5daysofwalking for 45 minutes) to maintain sugar levels and induce fatlossandmaintainlevels.1tspmethiseeds,soakedokrawater,1tspcinnamonand1glassdudhi karela juice are few home remedies which are known tocontroldiabetes.ChromiumPicolinateisamineralknowntohelpmaintainandovera long period of time; lower sugar levels in diabetics whenconsumed15minsbeforeacarbohydrateloadedmeal.Regular checks on the glucometer are most effective way tomonitor thedaily food intakeand itseffecton thesugar levels todeterminetherightfoodoptionsfordiabeticsandtheoptionstoberestricted or minimised due to their effect on the sugar levels.Controllingor losingweight is themost effectiveandguaranteedwaytomanagediabetes.It is essential to maintain a low binge eating or food cheatingrecord to 1- 2 times a week; be it rice, maida, potatoes.Toconclude,diabetesmanagementthroughdietaryinterventionisthe most effective way to help the body combat and controldiabetes alongwith necessarymedication. It is never too late tomakethechange.HaveaproperbackEven as you spend hours browsing the internet on yoursmartphone/laptop,makesurethatyouareneglectingyourbackIn a recent study published inThe Telegraph, it wasmaintainedthatcomputersandmobiletelephonesarecausinganincreasein

back problems for teenagers in United Kingdom. The study alsostated that 84%of youngadults in theUKsuffer frombackpainduetoextensiveusageofmobiledevices,tablets,laptopsandthelike.TheIndianscenario isnodifferent,actually.Talkingabout it,Dr. Garima Anandani, spine specialist at Qi Spine Clinic, statedhowshetreatsveryyoungpatientsof16to17yearssufferingfrombackacheona regular basis. Inmost cases, theproblem is discbulge."Correctingone'sposturesolvesmostbackacheproblems,"sheadds.The bitter truth: Back pain is caused predominantly due to poorposture fromusingmobiledevices.Astartlingrevelation fromthestudystated-mostadults,ofallagegroups,spentasmuchtimehunched over a computer, tablet, smartphone, or other digitaldevice as they spent sleeping. This resulted in over half thepopulationexperiencingneckorlowerbackpain.Areyouavictimof'textneck'?Extensiveusageofmobilephonesdoesn't only cause back issues, it affects the neck too. A newcondition dubbed 'text neck' is on the rise due to the amount oftime people spend hunched over their mobile phone and tabletcomputerscreens.Peoplewhotextalotcanalsodeveloppainintheirthumbsandwrists.WeakSpine:Thespineismadeupofmultiplesmallbones,inter-vertebral discs that act as shock absorbers. Due to incorrectusage, thesediscsstartdryingup in the lowerspinewhichbearstheload.Thisweakensthespine.CervicalSpondylitisandrelatedcases of neck-pain or stiff neck is a commonproblemespeciallyafter increasing use of mobile phones (and computers). Thesymptoms includepain in theneck, shouldersandback. It couldbe radiatingdown to theshoulders, forearms,palmsand fingers.The ache may be continuous or intermittent in nature.

Causesofaweakback:Unhealthylifestyle,lossofweightcontrol,lackof rest,andan insufficient intakeofVitaminD,VitaminB12,calcium and protein are the major reasons for youngsterscomplaining about severe neck and back pain.Do it right:Mindyourposture.Havingaproperposturewillsolvehalfofyourproblems.Whileusingyourdigitalgadgets,sitwithastraight back in a comfortable position. Keep it at a reasonableheight in front of you. And take proper rest. Not to talk about abreak fromyour smartphonesand laptops.Remember to indulgeinsomephysicalexercise,outdooractivitiesandthelike.The Indian scenario is no different, actually. Talking about it,Dr.GarimaAnandani, spine specialist atQiSpineClinic, statedhowshe treats very young patients of 16 to 17 years suffering frombackacheona regular basis. Inmost cases, theproblem is discbulge."Correctingone'sposturesolvesmostbackacheproblems,"sheadds.The bitter truth: Back pain is caused predominantly due to poorposture fromusingmobiledevices.Astartlingrevelation fromthestudystated-mostadults,ofallagegroups,spentasmuchtimehunched over a computer, tablet, smartphone, or other digitaldevice as they spent sleeping. This resulted in over half thepopulation experiencing neck or lower back pain.Areyouavictimof'textneck'?Extensiveusageofmobilephonesdoesn't only cause back issues, it affects the neck too. A newcondition dubbed 'text neck' is on the rise due to the amount oftime people spend hunched over their mobile phone and tabletcomputerscreens.Peoplewhotextalotcanalsodeveloppainintheirthumbsandwrists.

WeakSpine:Thespineismadeupofmultiplesmallbones,inter-vertebral discs that act as shock absorbers. Due to incorrectusage, thesediscsstartdryingup in the lowerspinewhichbearstheload.Thisweakensthespine.

SubstitutesugarwiththeseinyourdietThat cutting downon sugar is important tomaintain good healthandgreat physique is known.While completely ignoring sugar isalso not advisable, you can always substitute them in your diet.Hereare twoof themostcommonandhealthyaliases forsugar:Jaggery:Addjaggerytoyourcoffee/teainsteadofsugar;youcanuseitwhenyouarecookingdalandcurries,too."Jaggeryisrichiniron, and having a few grams of it every day will maintain thehaemoglobin level in the blood, without increasing the risk ofdiabetes. It's also rich in potassium, and hence, reduces waterretention in the body. Jaggery also acts as a catalyst, activatingthe digestive enzymes in our body," says Swastik Mishra, adiabetologist.Honey:The many benefits of honey is widely known andsubstituting this for sugar is definitely an advantage. NutritionistanddieticianAnushaMsays,"Honeyhelpsinpreventingcoldandcough,itstrengthenstheheartandalsopurifiesblood.Consuminga spoon of honey with lemon in lukewarm water early in themornings will also aid weight loss. Since honey is not acidic innature, it canbeusedbyeveryone."So,addadashofhoney inyourbeverageanddessertsinsteadofsugar.5Unusualvitamin-deficiencywarningsignsVitaminsymptomsmaybesubtleatfirst,buttheyincreaseasthedeficiencyworsens.Adiet rich inprocessed food isoneof themainculprits,asideoftheconsumptionoflackoffood.Butthemainconcernremainsthatall the chips and biscuits that you so love strips you off all the

essential nutri ents. Junk fare is mostly `dead food' and seldomhas any nutrients to contribute to your health and wellbeing.Besides, it doesn't help absorb them properly as it messes withyour digestive tissues. So although you may not suffer from adisease, there's a chance that you may end up with impairedfunctioning, because vitamins are co-factors for all the bio-chemical reactions in the body. That impaired functioning cansometimesmanifest in strangeways. It's your body trying to tellyousomething.So listen to it.While fatigue,shortnessofbreath,dizziness, pale skin, irregular heartbeats and weight lass areapparent, there are unusual vitamin-deficiency warning signs.1.SIGNAL:Red or white acne like bumps, on the cheeks, arms, thighs andbuttDEFICIENTIN:EssentialfattyacidsandvitaminsAandD.FIXIT:Tankuponthesunshine.Longhoursinair-conditionedspacesandpollutionmakeithard.Evensunscreenlotionpreventsabsorption.Consuming fish, sardine, tuna, egg, and green leafy vegetablesalsohelps. Increasehealthy fats likedairyproducts inyourmeal.Addsalmonandwalnutsandalmonds,andseedslikegroundflax,and chia in your diet. For vitamin A, eat plenty of leafy greens,papaya and colourful veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, andcapsicum.Thisprovidesbeta-carotene, aprecursor to vitaminA,whichyourbodywillusetomakethevitalnutrient.2.SIGNAL:Tingling, prickling, and numbness in hands, feet or elsewhere.

DEFICIENTIN:B vitamins like folate (B9), B6, and B12. It's a problem directlyrelated to the peripheral nerves andwhere they end in the skin.These symptoms can be combined with anxiety, depression,anaemia, fatigue, and hormone imbalances.FIXIT:You can fix the vitamin B group largely with your diet. Opt forbrownrice,millet,wheatgerm,nuts,wheatbransproutedgrains.Egg,chicken,mutton,salmon,banana,broccoli,redkidneybeans,asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage and all green leafy vegetables.3.SIGNAL:Cracks at the corners of your mouthDEFICIENTIN:Iron,zinc,andBvitaminslikeniacin(B3),riboflavin(B2),andB12.It'scommonifyou'reavegetariantonotgetenoughiron,zinc,andB12. Likewise, if you're skimping on essential immunity-buildingprotein because of excess dieting.FIXIT:Eatmorepoultry,salmon,tuna,eggs,chicken,tomatoes,peanuts,andlentils.IronabsorptionisenhancedbyvitaminC,whichhelpsfightinfection.Combinethesefoodswithbroccoli,andcauliflower.Ensure that youalsoeatdairyproducts like yoghurt, paneerandghee.4.SIGNAL:Musclecrampsintheformofthrobbingpainintoes,calves,archesoffeet,andbacksoflegsDEFICIENT IN: Magnesium, calcium, and potassium. If it'shappeningfrequently,it'sasignthatyou'relackinginthese.Andif

you're training hard, you can lose more minerals (and water-soluble B vitamins) through heavy sweating.FIXIT:To fix potassium, have oranges, bananas, peanuts, beans,coconutwater.Formagnesium,gofordarkgreenleafyvegetable,nuts and soybean.Almonds, figs, carrots, raisins, brown rice,cashewarerichsourcesofcalcium.5.SIGNAL:Red, scaly rash on your face and excessive loss of hairDEFICIENTIN:Biotin(B7),knownasthehairvitamin.Whileyourbodystoresfat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), it doesn't store most B vitamins,which are watersoluble. Also, eating raw eggs makes youvulnerable,becauseaproteininraweggscalledavidininhibitsthebody'sabilitytoabsorbbiotin.FIXIT:Cooked eggs (cooking deactivates avidin), salmon, avocados,mushrooms,cauliflower,soybeans,nuts,andbananas.Coconutoilforweightloss?How to incorporate coconut oil into your diet to lose weight.The health benefits of coconut oil are numerous, includinghaircare,skincare,stressrelief.Butitcanalsobeusedforweightlossandtoregulatemetabolism.Create low calorie baked goods by substituting coconut oil forbutter.

Toss in raw vegetables before roasting. Add lemon juice, thymeandbake.Makeahealthysnackbycombiningpopcornkernelswithcoconutoil.Make low calorie and high nutrient coconut oil mayonnaise. Cuttheamountofoliveoilinhalfandusehalfcoconutoil,halfoliveoilforcaloriereduction.

VegandiethelpsgetridofthoseextrakilosA new study has found that people who follow vegan diet arelikelier to shed weight faster than those who consume a dietcontainingmeatanddairy.The study, conducted by the University of South Carolina,compared the amount of weight lost by those on vegan diets tothose on a mostly plant-based diet, and those eating anomnivorous diet with a mix of animal products and plant basedfoods.Attheendofsixmonths,individualsonthevegandietlostmore weight than the other two groups by an average of 4.3percent,or16.5pounds.Thestudyfollowedparticipantswhowererandomly assigned to one of five diets on the dietary spectrum:vegan which excludes all animal products, semi-vegetarian withoccasionalmeatintake;pesco-vegetarianwhichexcludesallmeatexcept seafood; vegetarianwhichexcludesallmeatandseafoodbutincludesanimalproducts,andomnivorous,whichexcludesnofoods.Participantsfollowedtheirassigneddietaryrestrictionsfor6months, with all groups except the omnivorous participating inweekly group meetings. Those who stuck to the vegan dietshowed the greatest weight loss at the 2 and 6 month marks.

The lead author on this study, Gabrielle Turner-McGrievy notedthat the diet consumed by vegan participants was high incarbohydrates that rate lowon the glycemic index, and said thatthestudymighthelpalleviatethefearsofpeoplewhoenjoypasta,rice, and other grains but want to lose weight. The study alsoshowed the greatest amount of decrease in the fat of veganparticipants, and saturated fat levels at the two and six monthchecks,hadlowerBMIs,andimprovedmacronutrientsmorethanother diets. The study is published inInternational Journal ofAppliedandBasicNutritionalSciences.6healthbenefitsofcoconutwaterQuitea rageamong international celebs likeMadonnaandDemiMoore,herearereasonswhyyoushoulddrinkfreshnariyalpaaniregularly.RegulatesbloodpressureAccording to research, coconut water helps improve bloodcirculation,lowershighbloodpressurelevels,therebyreducingtheriskofheartattacksandothercardiovascularissues.Itisalsosaidto control your blood sugar levels.Help lose weightIfyouareonaweightlossspree,coconutwatershouldbeamust-haveinyourdietchart.Lowinfat,drinkingthisbeveragecanhelponefeelfullandreducecravings.IncreasesimmunityRich in nutrients and vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, thiamin andpyridoxine, and folates, coconut water has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties that can help increase your body's immunesystemandfightviralinfectionslikeflu.

ForpregnantwomenDoctors often recommend coconut water during pregnancy as ithelps fight constipation, heart burn and slow digestion.ImproveskidneyfunctionDue to itsminerals, potassium andmagnesium content, coconutwater isbeneficial toapersonsufferingfromanykidneydisease.This water also acts as a diuretic and increases the flow andproductionofurine.ForyourskinIf you have acne or pimple problems or want to retain itsyouthfulness, apply coconut water on your face and leave itovernight.Duetoitsrepairingproperties,itcanevenbeappliedtohandsandnails.

WhyyoushoulddrinkorangejuiceDrinkingaglassoforangejuiceadaycankeepyourskinglowingand keep cold away. Orange juice is known to contain a highpercentageofVitaminC,which ishelpful inboostingthe immunesystem.So,youwillbe less likely tocatchvarious illnesses,suchascoldorflu.Also,medicalstudiesshowthatorangejuicemayhelplowerboth cholesterol and blood pressure levels.What'syoursqueeze?Don'tmixsugarwithorange juice.Always remember thatyoudonotneedtodrinkawholelotoforangejuiceinordertogetthesehealthybenefits.Infact,sinceorangejuiceisfairlyhighincalories,avoid drinking too much of the stuff. If you are drinking cannedorangejuice,thenbesuretocheckthesugarcontentonthelabel

when choosing orange juice if you reallywant to get the highestamountof healthbenefits fromyourorange juiceand,ultimately,prevent weight gain (since high sugar levels can cause it).Pulpf ict ionIt is often said that orange juice containing pulp tends to behealthierforthebody,butitisanissuethatisoftendebated.Ifyouhave a stomach condition, remember that orange juice is veryacidicandfor thatreason, itmaycauseastomachupset.Duetoits acidity, orange juice can also cause tooth damage , if leftuncaredfor.

Warm winter likely in store as temperaturesincreaseHyderabad:Winterthisyearisturningouttobewarmerwiththemaximum temperaturesupbyalmost threedegreeCelsiuswhencomparedtothelasttwoyears.While themaximumrecordedtemperatures in the first twoweeksof November in 2012 and 2013 saw an average of 30 and 29degree Celsius respectively, this year it rose to more than 32degree Celsius. However, the minimum temperatures remainedalmostconstant.“ThesuddenchillexperiencedfromtheendofOctoberisaresultof cold northerly winds that blow down south bringing down thetemperature.However, thepatternof temperatureand settingonwinterhasbeenanormalphenomenonandisprettyconstant.Dueto the low pressures and the presence of different systems, thetemperatureswillnotdipdrastically.

Theywillonlydiponce there isnoeffectof systems.The lowestmaximumtemperatureofpeakwinterseasonisusuallycalculatedfromthesecondweekofDec.tothefirstweekofJanuary,”saidM.Narsimha Rao, Assistant Meteorologist, Meteorological Centre,Hyderabad.Meanwhile,Three flights bound for the city were diverted toBenga-luruearly onTuesdaymorningdue toheavy fogover theRajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad that reducedvisibilitysignificantly.The Etihad flight from Abu Dabhi, Air Arabia flight from SharjahandanAirIndiaflightfromMuscat,whichwerescheduledtolandatabout3am,werediverted.Officialssaid that in thecaseof fog, thepilotsmake thedecisionconsideringthesafetyofthepassengers.Theflightslandedinthecitybetween6amand8.30am.

Ayushministrybattlesforgoodhealth

A total of 43 posts of professors are lying vacant in the twoAyurvedacollegesinTelangana.Hyderabad:The formation of a separate Ayush ministry at theCentrewithministerofstate(independentcharge)ShripadYessoNaik at the helm is a reason to cheer, but the state of the

department inTelangana is such that practitioners claim that thebenefitswillnotreachthem.DrMalluPrasad,CentralCouncilofIndianMedicinemember,said,“We don’t have a commissioner or even an additional director.With thestatebifurcationand lackofemployees, thisdepartmentissufferingthemost.We need to fill the vacant posts of professors and principals orelsethecollegeswillnotbeeligibleforadmissions.ThedeadlineisDecember31,and there isnomove to recruitdue to thedivisionprocess.Education, employment andalso the fundsbeinggranted for thevarious schemes may not be available for us due to thesereasons.”A total of 43 posts of professors are lying vacant in the twoAyurveda colleges inTelangana.The two colleges inHyderabadand Warangal do not have professors and there are 18 postsvacantforundergraduatecourseand11forpost-graduatecourseinHyderabad.As Warangal has only undergraduate course there are 14vacancies. Similarly, 94 posts are vacant in Nizamia GeneralHospitalandover40postsarevacantinHomeopathycolleges.These are the growing problems which are plaguing thedepartmentandwithschemes for infrastructure,drugcontrolandeducationbeinglaunched,thepractitionersareaworriedlot.AseniorhomeopathydoctorintheGovernmentCollegesaid,“ThebenefitswillreachTelanganaonlywhenthistangleissortedout.The centre has drafted the policy, but it is for the state toimplementit.Tillwestreamlineandputitinordernobenefitscanbeavailedof.There isaneedtodraftproperproposals,channelisemoneyandalsoprioritiseourneeds.”Thepresentworryinmostcollegesandteachinghospitals is tomakeupwith thedeficit ofmanpowerasthatwillbeamajorhitchinsecuringadmissionsfor2015-16.Meanwhile Telangana faces lack of Ayurvedic drugsBuilding confidence in Ayurvedic doctors is the motto of theCentral government but doctors claim that theground realities inTelanganaareverydifferent.

Apart from the bifurcation blues that the department is grapplingwith,themajorproblemisnon-availabilityofdrugs.Former principal of Ayurveda College, Dr S. Sarangapani said,“TheinitiativesbytheCentreareverygoodbutinrealitythedrugsprescribed by doctors are not available in the governmentdispensaries.This is the first levelof frustrationsufferedbymanyofus.Thereare 45 medicines short-listed which are required for commonailments. But these are not available most of the time at thegovernmentstores.”Thesehitchesareprovingtobeamajorproblemforyoungdoctorswhogetfrustratedandthenswitchtoallopathicmedicines.The college has been conducting motivational and retentiontraining to ensure that the young doctors do not drift to otherstreams.“But the struggle is toomuch.Sometimes, the frustration level istoohigh.AlsopatientscometoAyurvedicdoctorsaftertheyhavetried other forms of treatment which then becomes a very longdrawnprocess.Low pressure system may bring rainfall to TamilNaduChennai:Theweatherdepartmenthasforecastincreasedrainfallover TamilNadu in the next two-three days.Attributing the likelyrainfalltoalowpressuresystemhoveringoverthesoutheastBayof Bengal and its neighbourhood at present, Mr S.R. Ramanan,director, Area CycloneWarning Centre, Regional MeteorologicalCentre,saidonTuesday,“Thereisapossibilitythattheremightbescatteredrainfallinafewplacesinthestate,includingChennai.”Mr Ramanan noted that they were monitoring the low pressuresystem, which has a potential to become a well-marked lowpressure area in the next 24 hours. “Since the direction of thewinds is westerly and heading towards Tamil Nadu, the state isexpected to receive some showers,” he added.Significantly, untilTuesday when there was a brief spell of rain recorded by the

Meenambakkamobservatory(0.6mm),therehasbeennorainfallinthecityfornearlyaweek.Though the northeast monsoon season (October–December)startedwith a bangwith Chennai alone, at one stage, recordingrainfall well in excess of normal levels, the past few days havealmostbeendry. “The lackof rainfallduring thepast fewdays isduetomuchof themoisture-ladenwindsmovingtowardsAndhraPradesh,and thusTamilNaduwasnot theprimerecipientof therainfall,”theweatherofficialsaid.Till Tuesday, Chennai received 450. 4 mm rainfall in the NEmonsoonseason,aconsiderable increaseovertheexpected409mm. Overall, the state has recorded 270.1 mm, a marginal riseoverthe261.6mmexpectedintheperiod.

Wirelesstechtohelpimprovecropoutput

Thistechnologycanalsodetectanychangeinchemicalpropertiesin the crop and immediately alert the farmer , calling forintervention”.Mysuru:Taking scientific farming to the doorsteps of farmers,the Maharaja Institute of Technology (MIT) has come up with a

WirelessSensorNetwork (WSN) thatcanbe installed in fields tohelp them improve theiragriculturalproductivityand fetch themagoodpricefortheircrops.Developedbya12-memberteam,includingfacultyandstudentsofMIT, in collaboration with the Sri Kshetra Dharmstala RuralDevelopment Programme (SKDRDP) , the technology has beentested successfully over 100 acres in three villages ofSrirangapatna,PandavapuraandIlavala.Explains team head, Dr. Mahesh Rao, “When installed in thefields, thewirelesssensornetworkcollectsallnecessarydataonsoilmoisture,weather,thecropaswellasthemarketpricingandfeeds it to the APSIM simulation software, which then tells thefarmer precisely the type of crop he should grow with the leastamountofinputtogetthemaximumprofit.”PointingoutthatChinahadincreaseditsappleproductionfromsixmetrictonnesperhectarein1998to15metrictonnesin2010withtheuseofWSNtechnology,hesays,“Wetoocanachievesimilarresults.This technology can also detect any change in chemicalpropertiesinthecropandimmediatelyalertthefarmer,callingforintervention”.Saysanotherteammember,Dr.KiranKumar,“WedidasurveyinJuneandfoundthatthepriceoftomatowasRs800perquintalinMysoreandRs1,900inKarwar.If farmers inMysorewere toldabout this inadvance theywouldhave sold their produce in Karwar. Now with the help of thistechnologyfarmerswilllearnaboutstate-widemarketingdynamicsandthepricingoftheircropbeforeharvest.”All the interested farmer has to do is install a sensor costingRs2,000 in his field and subscribe to the simulation software. “Thefarmer will get periodic alerts via SMS for a nominal fee,” Dr.Kumarexplains.

Notakersfor33%CoonoorteaCoonoor,November11:The demand continued to be weak at Coonoor Tea TradeAssociation auctions forcing prices to crash to an averageofRs.63.31 a kg at Sale No: 45 fromRs.63.80 in the previousweek.Thiswasthelowestpricein12weeks.Nevertheless,teasworthRs.3.08croreremainedunsoldbecausetherewerenotakersforasmuchas33percentoftheoffer.AmongCTCteas,VigneshwarEstatetoppedwithRs.184akg.Inall,28marksgotRs.125andmore.Kodanad, Kairbetta, Havukal topped the Orthodox marketatRs.218each.Inall,38marksgotRs.125andmore.Quotationsheldbybrokers indicatedbids rangingRs.40-46akgforplainleafgradesandRs.90-120forbrighterliquoringsorts.TheyrangedRs.42-49forplaindustsandRs.120-175forbrighterliquoringdusts.

Milk cooperatives are losing the ‘cream’ towhitecollar jobsVeterans foresee challenge of keeping youth interested incontinuingWhiteRevolutionAnand(Gujarat),November11:He isoneof thepioneersof independent India’smostsuccessfulstory of theWhiteRevolution. A resident ofGopalpura in Ananddistrict,GordhanbhaiVaghjibhaiPatelhasanextraordinarytaletosharewithhisgrandchildren.

Narrating his experience of working with the father of WhiteRevolution, Dr Verghese Kurien toBusinessLine, thisnonagenarianequatesthesuccessofmilkcooperativemovementwith nothing less than a victory over profiteering private milkplayers.Modernisationeffect“Wewere fortunate tohave leaders likeTribhuvandasPatel,whofounded the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union in1946 on the advice of Sardar Patel. This was a fight againstprivate players and to secure our milk and farmers’ right,” saysPatel,whoalongwithfourothersweregiventheDairyExcellenceAward by the Union AgricultureMinister RadhaMohan Singh atthe Golden Jubilee Celebrations of National Dairy DevelopmentBoard(NDDB)inAnandrecently.TheseedsofmilkcooperativemovementinIndiaweresowninasearly as in 1946-47. Decades later, farmers are experiencing acompletemakeoverofthemilkcooperatives.Income has gone up multiple times with innovations andtechnology upgradation making milk production and processingattractiveasanalliedactivitytofarming.“Those were the tough days when we used to carry the metal(brass)canstothecollectioncentres.Forthemilksoldinmorning,money was paid only in the evening and so on. Now, it is allcomputer-based. Collection centres have better storage andtestingfacilitiesandfarmersgetmoneyinstantly,”says85-yearoldresident of Ajarpura, Maganbhai Naranbhai Patel, who hadaccompanied former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on hishistoric visit toAjarpura in 1964. It was after his visit, the ‘Amul’modelofcooperativeswasmadepopularacrossthecountry.White-collar lureThemovementhascovered15.1millionmilkproducersin1.6lakhvillages under 189 district cooperative milk unions nationally.Today, India’s milk production is 137 million tonnes against 20millionin1951.Now the challenge, according them, lies in keeping the youthinterestedinthemovement.

“It is getting difficult to manage cattle single-handedly. Earlier itusedtobeajoint-family;hencetheresponsibilitygotdistributedforfarms, cattle and milk. Even costs of rearing the animals havegone up,” says Chirag Patel, grandson of Fulabhai VaghjibhaiPatelofSamarkhavillage.Chirag,apostgraduate inhistory, isno longer interested inmilkbusinessandhasshiftedtoAnandtownaftersellinghis11cattleandissearchingforajob.“Thelureforurbanlifestyleandsalariedwhitecollarjobsistakingthe new generation away from this i profession. Althoughmodernisationhasmadethingseasyinthemilksector,somehavestarted looking for an easier life. That is sad,” says Maganbhai,whoownstwocowsandtwobuffalobuthisgrandsonisinterestedinsalariedjobaftercompletinghisMBA.DeviationsYet, some examples are encouraging enough. Rahul Rathod, inhis early 30s, the grandson of Pujabhai Jenabhai Rathod ofRavalpura has decided to inherit the three-generation-old familymilkbusiness.“Modernisationandmoneyare there in thebusiness. Iwill followmygrandfather’sfootsteps,”saysRahul.

‘Nostockl imit’ forcommexwarehousesMumbai,November11:Commodity market regulator Forward Markets Commission hasexempted goods stored in the warehouses servicing commodityexchanges from the purview of stock holding limits imposed byStateGovernments.Condit ionalexemptionWarehouses exempted from stock limit under the EssentialCommoditiesActhavetomakeavailabledataongoodsstoredinthewarehouseonareal-timebasis.State Governments impose stock limits whenever prices of aparticularcommodityspurtsinshortspanoftimewithoutanymajorreason.

Last year, the commission made it mandatory for all commodityexchange-accreditedwarehouses to registerwith theWarehouseDevelopmentRegulatoryAuthority.QuotingfromtheConsumerAffairsMinistrynotification,FMCsaidanadvisoryinthisregardhasalsobeenissuedtoalltheStates.Samir Shah, Managing Director, National Commodity andDerivativesExchange, said the exchangehas longbeenarguingwith the regulator and ministry that stocks stored in exchange-recognisedwarehousesplayaneconomic role inpricediscoveryandcannotbecomparedwiththatofhoarding.Hindrance“ThestocklimitsimposedbyStateGovernmentsofteninterferedinthepricediscoveryprocessandposedahurdleinconvergenceofspotandfutureprices,”hesaid.TheFMCorderhasboughtinmuch-neededclarityandmaybringbackinvestorswhowerekeepingawayfromthefuturesmarketforfear of a raid. It will also help resurrect volumes on the futuresexchange that are on the downtrend since the governmentimposedcommoditytransactiontaxlastyear.Afewchanatradersat Bikaner in Rajasthan and sugar producers at Kolhapur inMaharashtra recently faced the wrath of their respective StateGovernmentsaftertheyimplementedstocklimits.Anticipatingclarityonwarehousestocklimitstobringinvolumesinlong term, Shah said it would boost hedgers and tradersconfidence and bring them on the exchange platform over aperiod.

Coconutoi l losesRs.200/quintalKochi,November11:Coconut oil prices have declined byRs.200 a quintal within aweekinKeralaandTamilNadu.Copra prices also started moving southwards toRs.9,800 perquintal in Tamil Nadu (Rs.10,000) andRs.10,000 a quintal inKeralaagainstlastweek’spriceofRs.10,200.

According to Thalath Mahmood, Director, Cochin Oil MerchantsAssociation(COMA),themarketissteadywithaslightmomentumincorporatepurchasingduetolowercopraprices.However, soapmanufacturers still prefer palm kernel oil tomeettheirproductionrequirements,consideringcostliercoconutoil.Bharat Khona, former Board Member, COMA, said the sluggishdemand, high prices and short supply of copra has forcedcorporatesandupcountrybuyerstostayawayfromthemarket.Theymayre-enteroncethemarketstabilises.

TurmericgleamsonN.Indiaorders Erode,November11:Orders from North India and quality arrivals boosted prices ofhybridturmericinErodemarkets.ThehybridfingervarietywasupRs. 250 a quintal and the root variety by Rs. 50. At the ErodeTurmeric Merchants Association sales yard, the finger turmericfetchedRs.3,199-6,691aquintal;therootvarietyRs.3,159-6,027.SalemHybrid:ThefingervarietywassoldatRs.5,880-7,841;therootvarietyRs.5,519-6,169.Ofthe1,047bagsonoffer,266weresold.OurCorrespondent

MixedtrendinedibleoilsMumbai,November11:Theedibleoilsmarketwitnessedamixedtrendinspot,whileinthefuturespricesstabilisedafterextendingpreviousday’sloss.On the Bombay Commodity Exchange, palmolein and cottonrefinedoildeclinedbyRs.2andRs.5for20kgeach.VikramGlobal Commodities (P) Ltd quotedRs.635/10 kg forMalaysian Super Palm November delivery. Liberty was quotingpalmoleinforRs.510-512,superpalmoleinRs.537andsoyabeanrefined oilRs.612. Ruchi was quoting palmolein atRs.510,soyabeanrefinedoilRs.601andsunflowerrefinedoilRs.635.BCEspotrates(Rs./10kg):groundnutoil830(820),soyarefinedoil 600 (600), sunflower exp. ref. 575 (580), rapeseed ref. 728(728),andpalmolein498(500).

TNAU offers external doctoral programmeinagricultureCoimbatore,November11:Aspiring topursueadoctoralprogramme inagriculture,butstuckfor want of a guide or institution to register? Tamil NaduAgricultural University has come to the aid of such aspirants byinvitingonlineapplicationfromeligiblecandidatesforadmissiontoExternalPhDprogrammein26disciplinesforcalendaryear2015-16.ThelastdateforreceiptofapplicationisDecember8.The external PhD programme is expected to open up researchopportunitiestothousandsofaspirantsnotonlyinIndiabutthoseabroad . Under this, candidates can register under a ResearchSupervisor approved by TNAU, said TNAU Vice-Chancellor KRamasamy. To qualify for admission, the candidate should haveobtainedaMaster’sDegreefromanyStateAgriculturalUniversityin the discipline in which doctoral programme is pursued andshould have put in two years of professional experience in aprivateorGovernmentorganisation.Theregistrationwouldbevalidforaminimumperiodoffouryearsandamaximumofeight.Applicationswill be accepted only in electronic format. However,the hard copy of the application along with the necessarydocumentsasmentionedinthebrochureshouldbesenttoTNAU,Coimbatorebeforethedeadline.

Google to launch mobile app for smallenterprisesChennai,November11:Googlewillsoon launchamobileapptohelpsmallandmedium-size business get online. This will be part of the company’s“Digitising India” mission to help SMBs establish an Internetpresenceand connectwith potential customersonline, accordingtoKSuryanarayana,HeadofSMBsales,GoogleIndia.Most of the SMBs have ignored the potential of the Internet togrow.Quoting a survey, Suryanarayana said that out of the 48millionSMBs,only5-6percentbusinesseshaveawebsite.Butnearly40per cent of the SMB owners have a smartphone, which can beusedtodeveloponlinepresence,hetoldnewspersons.Theappwillbemadeavailablenextmonth,hesaidwithoutgivinganyfurtherdetails.The US-based technology company is on a road show to helpSMBssucceedonline.According to a latest research conductedbyZinnov on behalf ofGoogle,only8-10percentofthetotalSMBscanimmediatelygainfromadoptingInternet technologiesandgrowtheirbusinessesbyadvertisingonline.The challenge has been lack of awareness on the benefits ofInternetandtheknow-howrequiredtosucceedonline.Google along with Confederation of India Industry has launchedGoogle SME Heroes, which will showcase and celebrate localSMBsthathaveembracedtheInternettogrowththeirbusiness,hesaid.