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On August 1, India’s Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an above normal rains forecast for the second half (August to September) of the southwest monsoon. Cumulative rainfall as of August 11 was seven percent above the long period average (LPA), with central and southern India receiving 16 percent and 23 percent above normal rainfall respectively.

India is at a crossroads as it seeks to achieve its goals of becoming a top three economy, a significant supplier of value-added products, and a global political leader in the next 20 years. The road India is pursuing will require significant changes and improvements in its legal system, infrastructure, and domestic support policies, especially for agriculture.

On July 15, 2024, the Government of India’s Department of Consumer Affairs, Weights and Measures Unit/Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, published its proposal to amend Rule 3 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.

On August 7, India’s Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) published Office Memorandum L-11/1/2019-Trade (E-11542) granting another three-month extension in the implementation of the integrated veterinary health certificate for import of milk and milk products.

This report provides a list of consultants conducting market research and handling inquiries into Indian agriculture, agribusiness, food retail, food/agricultural economics, and rural affairs.

This GAIN-INDIA report updates the FAS New Delhi (Post) GAIN-INDIA | IN2022-0086 | India’s FSSAI Requires Mandatory Registration of Foreign Food Manufacturing Facilities for the Import of Certain Categories of Foods report (October 24, 2022).

India’s oilseeds production in marketing year (MY) 2023/2024 (October-September) is forecast to remain flat at 41.5 million metric tons (MMT), mostly unchanged from MY 2022/2023. Unseasonably heavy spring precipitation and a predicted El Niño weather pattern in the wake of severe April-June heatwaves will expose summer oilseed crops to greater incidences of plant stresses and thus impact yields.

On March 31, 2023, India’s Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying/Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), published its integrated veterinary health certificate (VHC) for the import of milk and milk products into India.

On February 28, 2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Second Amendment Regulations (2023) in the Gazette of India (Notification No. STD/FA/A-1.30/No.1/2020-FSSAI).

The potential to introduce U.S. origin food processing ingredients into the Indian market remains strong, due to rising demand for snacking and consumer-oriented food products.

FAS Mumbai estimates marketing year (MY) 2023/24 India cotton production at 25.5 million 480 lb. bales on 12.4 million hectares area planted, a decrease from the previous year due to the expectation that farmers will shift cotton acreage to higher return crops such as oilseeds and pulses.

FAS New Delhi (Post) forecasts India’s market (MY) 2023/2024 (April-March) wheat production at 108 million metric tons (MMT) resulting from 31.9 million hectares.