The Indian government’s pre-budget Economic Survey reports a significant increase in private equity (PE) investments in the agritech sector over the past four years. With an annual growth rate of more than 50%, the sector has seen a surge in investment.
This growth is driven by several factors, including increasing demand for quality food, concerns about climate change and food security, and renewed investor interest in the emerging industry. The survey found that the yearly increase in private equity investments amounts to approximately INR 6,600 crore.
The survey also highlighted the existence of over 1,000 agritech startups in India that support farmers in improving their farming methods. These startups are playing an important role in driving innovation and growth in the sector.
The increasing investment in agritech startups is a positive sign for the future of the agriculture industry in India, and it is likely that this trend will continue as technology continues to advance and play a larger role in agriculture.
The Government of India, in the survey said, “This is slowly gaining acceptance with farmers… Crop yield prediction models using artificial intelligence and drones for monitoring soil and crop health have been initiated. Smart farming also enables crop diversification, which will help farmers reduce their dependence on monsoons for water.”
The agritech startups has raised 3 times the funding in 2022 compared to 2020. The sector also witnessed valuations shooting up and continued funding with unwavering investor interest. Thus, there seems to be no end to the party.
In addition, the report further stated that over 500 startups in India are focused on the millet value chain, coining along with the United Nations declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
The Indian Institute of Millets Research has provided support to 250 of these startups through their incubation program, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana – Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sectors Rejuvenation (RKVYRAFTAAR). This is a notable development as it highlights the government’s efforts to promote and support the growth of startups in the millet sector.
The focus on millets in India is a crucial step towards addressing food security concerns and promoting sustainable agriculture practices. The increased investment and support for startups in this sector will lead to continued growth and development in the future.
The food and beverage (F&B) industry in India is significant to India’s economy, contributing 3% to its GDP and providing livelihood to over 7.3 million people. This industry is expected to grow at 14.2 % (CAGR 2020-2024) and will continue to be the largest employing industry in the country with 9 Million people across existing and emerging regions.
as the sector has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, The F&B sector is eagerly awaiting the Union Budget 2023 as the year which serves as a foundation for stupendous growth in the coming years. The industry is hoping for measures that can help revive the sector and provide relief to businesses that have been struggling to stay afloat.
Measures that can help the industry recover and rejoice:
The sector is hoping for relaxation in Section 115JB – Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) with a waiver for two years from April 2023 to March 2025. This will help to reduce the tax burden on businesses operating in the F&B industry.
A reintroduction to the Input Tax Credit on GST is also helpful and expected for the industry. Currently, F&B is the only industry without any provision for Input Tax Credit.
The industry is yet to receive a covid relief package and has faced challenges due to high inflation and shortage of products, and reducing taxes for a period can provide much-needed support for these Food SMEs to bloom.
The industry also wishes to see measures that will aid the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs play a crucial role in the food industry, and the budget could help support their growth by providing access to financing and other forms of support. This would help these businesses become more stable and increase their competitiveness in the market.
Another key expectation is the extension of investment-linked benefits under Section 35 AD for brownfield hospitality projects to the ongoing capital expenditures (CAPEX) of hotels and resorts. This will provide a significant boost to high-quality brownfield CAPEX and capacity expansion, driving investment and employment within the sector.
The budget is also expected to modify the Leave Travel Allowance (LTA) rules, making it possible to include the amount spent on hotel stays as an LTA expense. Additionally, payments made by foreigners in rupees at hotels should be considered as foreign exchange earned for the Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) scheme.
The 2023 Union Budget could also consider tax breaks and incentives for businesses in the F&B industry, such as reducing corporate tax rates, offering subsidies for modernising equipment, and easing compliance requirements. These measures would help small businesses to invest in growth and create new job opportunities.
Another important aspect that the F&B industry is hoping to see in the Budget 2023 is a reduction in food inflation. The government could address this issue by providing support for the agricultural sector and taking steps to improve the supply chain of food products.
The F&B industry also hopes to see an improvement in the regulatory environment, with a simplified and streamlined process for obtaining licenses and permits. This would not only make it easier for businesses to operate, but also encourage more entrepreneurs to enter the sector.
Overall, the F&B industry is hopeful that the 2023 Union Budget and the Indian Government will take steps to support and promote the important sector of the economy. As a result, it helps create more jobs, increases economic growth, and boosts the overall competitiveness of the country.
Most Indians consider the samosa as a humble road snack however it’s far plenty, tons extra than that. It is an ancient image in addition to delectable proof that there’s nothing new approximately the manner of globalization. Widely taken into consideration as a quintessentially Indian delicacy, only a few understand that the samosa does now no longer have an Indian origin.Â
The deep-fried, tightly-packed percentage of highly spiced goodness that we notion belonged to India is honestly a scrumptious and well-travelled immigrant from Central Asia!
Origin of Samosa!
The samosa’s origins surely lie lots of miles away withinside the historical empires that rose withinside the Iranian plateau on the sunrise of civilization itself. The gastronomic literature of tenth-century Middle Eastern cuisine, especially early medieval Persian texts have many mentions of the sanbosag, an early relative of the samosa and an etymological cousin of the Persian pyramidal pastry, samsa.
Other historic money owed additionally talk over with sanbusak, sanbusaq or even sanbusaj as tiny mince-crammed triangles, eaten via way of means of journeying traders around campfires and packed in saddlebags as a snack for an extended journey. According to those bills, it became a way for those travelling traders that the crammed triangle to travel from Central Asia to North Africa, East Asia and South Asia.
In India, it changed into brought via way of means of the Middle Eastern cooks who migrated for employment for the duration of the Delhi Sultanate rule, even though a few debts additionally credit score traders for bringing the fare to this a part of the world. Later, having earned the advantages and love of the Indian royalty, the samosa quickly has become a snack shape for the king.
Ibn Batuta, the medieval Moroccan tourist who visited India withinside the 14th century, has chronicled the glittering banquets on the courtroom docket of Muhammad bin Tughlaq. According to his money owed, a dish referred to as sambusak — triangular pastry full of mince, peas, pistachios, almonds and different tasty fillings — turned into positioned at the guests’ plates proper after the sherbet was sipped. Other guides followed.
Likewise, Sufi scholar, musician and famed poet Amir Khusrau wrote of the samosa being loved by nobles withinside the royal Indian courts withinside the 12 months of 1300.
Earlier still, a ninth-century poem through Ishaq ibn Ibrahim-al-Mausili additionally celebrates the sanbusaj. Indeed, we’ve it at the authority of Abul Fazl, scholar-statesman extraordinaire, writer of Ain-i-Akbari and one of the mythical 9 gemstones of Akbar’s courtroom docket, that the samosa became a dish relished with the aid of using the Mughal Emperors.
An exciting be aware of right here is the breadth of social training in making and consuming the samosa, with the dish recorded in each change route and noble houses. The samosa proudly wore each the grand stamp of royal approval in addition to the sincere humility of being a snack of the streets. Herein lies a touch on the dish’s continued, unwavering recognition and success, even loads of years into its lifetime – its universality.
How Britishers love Samosa over the years?
The Britishers too fell in love with the samosa on their arrival in India and they, at the side of the Indian diaspora, took the tasty tidbit with them to some distant corners of their colonial empire. The samosa settled withinside the hearts of humans everywhere, main to the evolution of more than one local version.
There are some of the sorts in India itself, and they are all served with chutneys. According to samosa aficionados, a samosa is deemed ideal whilst the crispy crunch of the gently golden casing contrasts fantastically with the smooth texture and highly spiced flavour of the filling. The maximum famous and not unusual place filling is made from boiled potatoes, inexperienced peas, onions, inexperienced chillies, ginger and spices
While the north Indian model of samosa is large, the model referred to as the singhara (famous in West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand), is smaller and has trickier folds. Also, the potatoes are reduced fine (now no longer boiled however cooked) and in some instances combined with peanuts, the occasional raisin or the strange cashew nut. The Hyderabadi luqmi, on the opposite hand, is precisely meat-stuffed and some distance flakier than the ordinary samosa fed on somewhere else in India.
The January 25 release of Shah Rukh Khan’s comeback movie, “Pathaan,” has already surpassed a number of milestones at the box office. The movie, which also stars John Abraham and Deepika Padukone, is reaching new heights of success every single day.Â
The Spy Thriller is Shah Rukh Khan’s first movie in four years following the 2019 release of “Zero”.Â
Shah Rukh Khan shared some amusing tales and behind-the-scenes details about the making of “Pathaan” with the media after the movie’s release. He claimed that Shah Rukh Khan absolutely hated the unique, home-cooked spaghetti that John Abraham used to deliver to the movie set.
Funny Foodie Story told By Shah Rukh Khan!
“John’s spaghetti is in the works.” John Abraham prepares a special pasta. Sirf apna pizza khau, iska pasta kabhi na khau, main soch raha hu. “I’m thinking about eating only my pizza and avoiding his homemade pasta,” Shah Rukh Khan said in the video. He went on to say that John Abraham would offer him his homemade spaghetti and that he would bring homemade pizza to the set.Â
“The movie had just one mistake, but I was unable to mention it aloud due to my love for John.” “However, I want to express myself fully today,” he admitted.
He truly begged John Abraham to “stop eating that pasta,” saying, “Bhai, woh pasta, tu bhi khana chhod de.” “He has an unpleasant taste.” The pasta has a very distinct flavor. Aisa lagta hai, 20 saal cupboard mein rakha hai aur nikal ke chabana shuru kar diya. It appears to have been kept in the cabinet for 20 years before being pulled out and served, as Shah Rukh Khan stated.Â
SRK also said that John Abraham would only consume his homemade spaghetti and nothing else. “And he only consumes that.” cardboard, cardboard, cardboard, cardboard, pasta, pasta, pasta!”
Shah Rukh Khan surprised fans with a surprise appearance in Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt‘s blockbuster “Brahmastra” on the professional front. Along with “Pathaan,” he can’t wait for “Jawan” and “Dunki” to come out this year. Additionally, Khan will make a cameo appearance in “Tiger 3,” which stars Salman Khan.
KFC, McDonald’s, and Starbucks spring to mind when we discuss drive-through eateries. In India, the drive-thru idea of international restaurant chains is quite common, but it appears to be the opposite outside. A well-known chain of Indian restaurants, Chaiiwala has launched the UK’s first drive-thru restaurant. This only serves to highlight how Indian cuisine is becoming more and more well-known outside of India.
Indian street food is already incredibly popular in our nation; it’s amazing to see it gaining similar popularity abroad, and not only among individuals with similar tastes. Nothing is shocking about this, though, because no one can resist the allure of our street food.
Chaiiwala is the restaurant that has launched the drive-thru location. The renowned restaurant first opened its doors in Delhi in the 1920s and then developed locations in the UK, where it now serves Indian street food and beverages. It is certain to increase the popularity of Indian food with its new drive-through restaurant on Manchester Road in Bolton.
The enticing menu is Chaiiwala’s biggest feature. All of our favourite Indian dishes, like aloo tikki burgers, butter chicken rolls, aloo paratha, Mumbai mac ‘n’ cheese, and pani puri, are offered here. Even the beverage menu is intriguing, offering drinks like pink chai, nimbu pani, garam chocolate, and kadak chai. All the things are reasonably priced, as we would anticipate.
There are currently more than 70 Chaiwala restaurants around the world, most of them in the UK. The brand’s first-ever offering is the drive-thru location.
Indian street food appears to be sweeping the globe. A desi street food restaurant in the US called “Chai Pani” recently won the James Beard Foundation Awards in Chicago’s “America’s Most Outstanding Restaurant” category. The same organization gave Indian-born chef Chintan Pandya of the New York City eatery Dhamaka the James Beard Award for “Best Chef: New York State.”
The Indian superfood we need to speak approximately isn’t a seed, flower, herb, or spice. Yet it’s by far every one of our favourite meals. If you grew up in India, the probabilities are you adore and adore this too.
Yes, the desi superfood that we’re speaking about, is khichdi. This combo of rice and lentils has been a staple for Indians for centuries. Almost every city, state, and area in India has its call and twist for khichdi.
From the travels of Jean Baptiste Tavernier withinside the 1600s to the kitchens of the Mughal generation that gave the standard dish an imperial twist, khichdi has determined numerous mentions at some point in history. Did you already know that Ayurveda sings praises for its recovery abilities? Ancient texts name it a tridoshic meal as it facilitates altering the 3 doshas or energies that affect your bodily and intellectual processes.
An entire protein that packs a dietary punch, khichdi is great to use on your intestine and digestive system. It cleanses and rejuvenates your system, can assist enhance liver features,s and combat situations like ulcers and acidity.
Want to provide it with a dietary enhancement and improve its recovery properties? Cooking it withinside the framework of nature and including anti-inflammatory spices like turmeric (haldi) and cumin (jeera) can improve its recovery properties.
Why do we name Khichdi a superfood?
It is one of the maximum easy but most powerful superfoods our historic Indian knowledge and lifestyle have blessed us with. It is excessive time that we redefine superfoods. When we permit meal lobbies to outline what a superfood is, those are repackaged and offered at exorbitant charges overnight. So, we want to reclaim our strength to begin labelling superfoods.
Look at our conventional Indian cuisine, wherein our ancestors used meals as medication for years and years. When we are saying meals as medication, this doesn’t imply that you leap off all of the meds and use them as a replacement. It works hand-in-hand.
Believe us, whilst you begin the use of meals and lifestyle as a medicinal drug, there’s a massive opportunity that you could paint together along with your docs to wean off your medicinal drug in maximum cases. There is a huge fee for going again to our roots and relishing khichdi.
Gajar ka Halwa, also known as “Carrot Pudding,” is a traditional dessert that is popular in India and Pakistan. It is made from grated carrots, milk, sugar, and ghee (clarified butter), and is often garnished with nuts such as almonds and pistachios.
Significance: Gajar ka Halwa holds a special place in Indian cuisine and culture. It is a traditional dessert that is often served at weddings and special occasions. Its sweet, rich taste and creamy texture make it a beloved treat among people of all ages.
Taste & Cultural Aspect: The taste of Gajar ka Halwa is sweet and creamy, with a hint of nuttiness from the ghee and nuts. The texture is smooth and velvety, making it a perfect dessert to end a meal. The dish has a rich cultural significance as it is often made during festivals like Diwali and enjoyed by families and friends.
Cuisine:
Gajar ka Halwa is a popular dessert in Indian and Pakistani cuisine. It is a traditional dish that has been passed down for generations and is enjoyed by people of all ages.
Consumption Times Gajar ka Halwa is typically consumed as a dessert, after a meal. It can be enjoyed warm or cold and can be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for added flavor.
Combos to Try:
Gajar ka Halwa can be enjoyed on its own or paired with other traditional Indian desserts such as Ras Malai or Kulfi. It can also be paired with a hot cup of chai for a comforting and satisfying treat.
Who Can Consume This?
Gajar ka Halwa is a dessert that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a popular treat among vegetarians and can be made without ghee for those who follow a vegan diet.
Nutritional Value:
Gajar ka Halwa is a rich and indulgent treat, but it can also be a source of vitamins and minerals. Carrots are a good source of beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body, and also contain vitamin K, potassium, and fiber.
Health Benefits:
Carrots are known for their high beta-carotene content, which may help to protect against certain types of cancer and also promote healthy vision. Gajar ka Halwa can be a good source of vitamin A and potassium, which are essential for maintaining healthy skin, teeth, and bones.
Variations of the Dish Gajar ka Halwa can be made with different types of nuts, such as cashews or walnuts, for added flavor and texture. It can also be made with condensed milk for a richer and sweeter taste.
Certainly! Here’s an updated paragraph with the “khoya” keyword:
Gajar ka Halwa, a traditional Indian dessert, is cherished by individuals of all ages. Its sweet and creamy taste, enriched further by the addition of khoya, embodies a cultural significance that renders it a beloved treat. Enjoyed either on its own or paired with other traditional Indian desserts and beverages, it promises a deeply satisfying and comforting experience. Though it may contain higher levels of sugar and ghee, when prepared with fresh ingredients, it can also serve as a source of essential vitamins and minerals. Ultimately, Gajar ka Halwa stands as a delicious and comforting dessert, offering a nostalgic taste of traditional Indian cuisine.
Gulmarg, a hill station in Kashmir, has a new attraction for tourists – a glass igloo restaurant located amid snow-covered mountains. Kolahoi Green Heights, a hotel in Gulmarg, has claimed to have developed the first glass igloo restaurant in the valley, building on their success of earlier creating the valley’s first snow-covered restaurant.
Tourists can be seen flocking around the glass igloos in the region. They enjoy their meals and take photographs in this glass-wall restaurant.
In 2020, the hotel made the biggest Igloo in Asia, followed by the biggest Igloo in the world in 2021. Now in the current winter, they made a glass igloo, which is the first such igloo in the Kashmir valley.
Mesmerizing Glass Igloo Restaurant!
Hamid Masoudi, Hotel Manager, said, “We took this concept from Finland and built three igloos in the courtyard of our hotel which was not seen anywhere before. Then we also built three igloos at phase one of Gulmarg which are very much appreciated by the visitors here.”
He further said that an imported fabricated material has been used for this unique igloo. This unique glass-fronted restaurant keeps the interior heat insulated as well as offers the best views.
“Eight people can sit in it at a time in each of these glass igloos. We are trying to give a different kind of experience to tourists,” Masoudi added.
Sayakh, a Tourist to snow-covered Kashmir shared that he had come to the Kashmir Valley and wanted to spend time in Gulmarg and the glass igloo restaurant elevated his overall experience during his trip.
The tourist said, “Sitting in it felt like I was peering through the window of heaven. It doesn’t seem so cold as well in this glass-enclosed restaurant. The view outside with a cup of coffee and this unique experience, I consider myself lucky.”
“Hack-A-Cashew,” a new program from the Confederation of Indian Industry(CII) and the Goa Institute of Management (AIC-GIM), aims to increase the cashew harvest in Goa. Startups and business owners are encouraged to come up with creative ways to improve the state’s cashew crop yield, quality, output, and value-added goods.
The cashew business in Goa has had to deal with the unusual problem of having plenty of lands but not using enough of it for cultivation. The “Hack-A-Cashew” program seeks to address these issues by fostering innovative concepts for mechanical, digital, agritech, value addition, and sustainable cashew production solutions.
The CII and AIC-GIM teams have met with a variety of cashew producers and industry professionals to better understand the problems they are facing in terms of production. Despite having a lot of uncultivated lands, these problems include a lack of geographical indication labelling and poor rates for cashew crops, which lead to low exports.
Startups that already offer services for other states, crops, or regions are also encouraged to apply for this program. These services can be tailored for cashews. The chosen startups will be given the chance to test their ideas in Goa and will be given money to scale up their solution, product, or prototype.
AIC-CEO, GIM’s Rajesh Joshi, said, “Through ground-breaking concepts and methods to boost cashew yield in the state, this one-of-a-kind program aims to revive the cashew ecosystem in Goa.” “We anticipate that the hackathon will provide a forum for concepts that can rekindle and reinvigorate interest in the different procedures involved in growing, producing, and processing cashew nuts while also giving them a competitive edge.”
Goa’s main cash crop is the cashew, and the “Hack-A-Cashew” program presents a special chance for the state to build on its long history of cashew farming and ensure the industry’s future success. Visit http://aicgim.in/hackacashew to apply for this program. Startups and business owners are urged to do so.
The “Hack-A-Cashew” initiative is a fantastic way for startups and business owners to have a positive impact on the cashew industry in Goa and possibly get funding to develop their solutions.
By bringing together creative people and cashew professionals, this program hopes to bring back interest in cashew farming and make the different steps in making cashew nuts more efficient.
Modernizing its prison system is what the Indian state of Maharashtra is doing. One way it does this is by utilizing modern farming technologies in the prison farms. In addition to increasing the total output and effectiveness of the farms, this action aims to give inmates useful agricultural knowledge and experience.
Traditional sources of food and revenue for the state in Maharashtra include the prison farms. They give the convicts access to fresh produce while also making money by selling extra crops. These farms have, however, encountered a number of difficulties, such as low productivity, outmoded agricultural methods, and a lack of qualified staff. These issues are anticipated to be resolved and marked advances made through the employment of modern farming technology.
Precision agriculture methods, such as precision irrigation, soil sensing, and data analysis, will be used in jail farms to integrate current farming technology. These methods will aid in maximizing crop production while lowering water use and boosting output. Additionally, precision farming will make it simpler to keep track of the development of crops and act promptly in case any issues arise.
The effectiveness of the prison farms will also be improved by the introduction of modern farming tools like tractors and other machinery. This will not only increase food production but also cut down on the amount of manual labor needed, allowing prisoners to concentrate on other things.
Utilizing modern farming technology would help the prison farms produce more while also giving inmates useful agricultural knowledge and experience. When they are released, this will make it easier for them to obtain jobs in the agricultural industry, decreasing the probability that they would go back to a life of crime. The inmates will receive instruction in using cutting-edge farming tools and methods, including soil analysis and crop management.
The surrounding community is anticipated to benefit from the application of contemporary farming technology in prison farms. A greater supply of fresh produce will be available because of the increased crop production, and it will be priced affordably in neighborhood markets. The local economy will receive a much-needed boost from this, and local residents’ quality of life will rise as a result.
In conclusion, the Maharashtra jail farms’ utilization of modern farming technology is a positive development for the state’s prison system. In addition to enhancing the farms’ productivity and efficiency, it will give the convicts significant agricultural knowledge and experience. In addition to enhancing the neighborhood economy and raising local residents’ standards of living, this will serve to lessen the risk that inmates will return to a life of crime.
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