Agriculture
Organic food certification scheme being formulated
TO offset the impending threat of soil and environmental degradation, alternate, eco-friendly use of land cultivation, particularly of edible crops is necessary. Organic farming offers such an alternative as all activities under it are focussed on buildi ng up soil fertility through the adoption of crop management methods suitable to site-specific situations.

More Asian nations to introduce transgenic crops
IN the next five-year span, at least half-a-dozen Asian countries are expected to introduce transgenic crops, according to the scientists at the media workshop organised here by the International Society for Plant Pathology (ISPP) on the occasion of the first Asian Congress of Plant Pathology (ACPP).

Commodities
Cotton output seen at 165 l bales
COTTON production in the country during the next season (October 2000-September 2001) has been estimated to be around 165 lakh bales (of 170 kg each) as against 157 lakh bales this season.

Rubber
Big scope for expanding rubberwood exports
THERE is a tremendous scope for the expansion of rubberwood exports and development in downstream processing. These areas are still left unutilised in the country. This will create higher value-added products, according to rubber industry sources.

Tea
Good demand at Kochi tea sale
A GOOD, general demand persisted for almost all varieties of tea at the Kochi tea auction. Of the quantity of 8,75,000 kg on offer in the dust category, CTCs were dearer by Rs. 1-2.

`Agronomic practices key to tea quality, competitiveness'
THE Indian tea will have a competitive edge, both in quality and quantity by streamlining agronomic practices, according to Dr. N. Muraleedharan, Director, UPASI Tea Research Institute.

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