Food Financial News

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Low rainfall may hit India’s water reservoir replenishment, raising concerns among farmers and policymakers. Water reservoir levels stand at 44.7% of total capacity as of 9 April, better than last year, but experts warn that weak rainfall could hurt irrigation, fuelling worries over farm output and inflation in Asia’s third-largest economy. Mint explores.As per the Central Water Commission(CWC), water level in 166 key reservoirs stands at 44.7% of total live capacity, higher than last year (38%) and above the normal benchmark of 35%.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.NEW DELHI: The Centre plans to buy 1 million tonnes of chana (gram) to build adequate buffer stocks to manage potential supply shortfalls and ensure steady availability in the open market, two officials said.The purchases through the Price Stabilisation Fund are part of graded measures to keep prices of essential food grains stable and prevent market volatility amid forecasts of a below-normal monsoon this year and the possibility of El Niño, a weather phenomenon that increases the risk of drought and reduced crop yields.“The procurement drive will be carried out under existing price support mechanisms, with agencies stepping in to buy from farmers both to support farm-gate prices and to maintain retail price stability,” one official said.India’s chana production climbed 6.2% to 11.8 million tonnes in FY26, with the yield up 1.6% to 1,238 kg per hectare.“Chana production has improved significantly this crop year compared to last year, largely due to the import duty on chana and yellow peas. This has supported domestic prices and encouraged higher sowing.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.For centuries, Santhal and Gond tribes in central and eastern India have called the mahua tree the ‘tree of life’ as an ode to its versatility: from a nutrient-dense edible flower to local arrack to cooking oils made from seeds, it’s sturdy wood is used in carpentry and nearly every part of the tree is used in traditional medicine.Add the latest end-use of madhuca longifolia, the scientific name for the mahua tree: turn its bitter-sweet flowers into fine chocolates and granola for the discerning and well-paying urban consumer.Meet Rishabh Lohia, a young social entrepreneur from Ranchi in Jharkhand, giving mahua the contemporary makeover. A former student of economics who found inspiration in Nobel laureate Amartya Sen’s writings, Lohia left his family’s real estate business in 2024 to launch Wild Harvest, a packaged food brand specializing in mahua products.For Lohia and his partner Ashali Bhandari, building Wild Harvest is akin to creating a new category in the ever-expanding fast-moving consumer goods basket.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.If you want proof that multilateralism is limping and hobbling, all you have to do is look at the latest ministerial of the World Trade Organization (WTO) held last month. The talks ended without any consensus over a global trade deal, adding yet another episode to years of paused global trade agreements.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Economists often talk of ‘inflationary expectations’ and one may be left wondering what these mean. In essence, the argument goes that present inflation is not relevant as this has already been witnessed. What is important is future inflation, which is why expectations of price levels matter.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.New Delhi: India’s food regulator has cracked down on a key ingredient in popular wellness supplements, ordering a halt to the use of ashwagandha (withania somnifera) leaves and their extracts amid safety concerns flagged by the Ministry of Ayush, according to a government official and documents reviewed by Mint. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India said only the roots of ashwagandha—an Ayurvedic staple herb widely marketed for stress relief, muscle recovery and cognitive support—are permitted, and has directed states to act against violations.The move could disrupt formulations in India’s $38.77 billion nutraceuticals industry, where ashwagandha is a key product with its market estimated at $928.5 million in 2026.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.India’s food safety regulator has moved food recalls from paper trails to real-time digital tracking.The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched a dedicated “Food Recall” portal in March 2026, integrated into its FoSCoS licensing system, creating a centralized cloud-based hub to track recalled products.The shift comes after high-profile recall episodes — from Maggi noodles in 2015 to recent concerns over spices and protein supplements — exposed the delays and opacity in manual systems.The new framework aims to significantly reduce the time between identifying a food safety hazard and removing the product from the market.Mint explains.The “Food Recall” portal is a web-based facility integrated into FoSCoS. Each recall is assigned a unique identification number, allowing digital monitoring and public access to recall information.All new recalls initiated by enforcement authorities — including Designated Officers (DOs) and Central Licensing Authorities (CLAs) — must now be created directly in the FoSCoS system using official logins.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.NEW DELHI: Orkla India, the listed maker of MTR foods and Eastern spices, is gearing up for its next phase of growth with a cash-rich balance sheet to fund acquisitions, even as it pivots towards convenience foods and digital channels—moves that could stretch its traditional operating model.“We are a cash-generating company. We generate anything between ₹300-400 crore annually… money is not a constraint," Sanjay Sharma, managing director and chief executive officer at Orkla India, said in an interview with Mint.The debt-free company is evaluating partnerships and buyouts of regional brands as it looks to expand beyond its southern stronghold.The push comes as Orkla works to stabilize performance after its listing in November last year, part of its parent’s strategy to create independent portfolio companies and drive local value creation.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Mumbai: India’s fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies are set to report a largely steady March quarter, with demand holding up despite a complex operating environment. However, a volatile mix of commodity swings, geopolitical tensions and emerging inflationary pressures is beginning to cloud the outlook, even as companies rely on calibrated pricing and cost controls to protect margins.Large listed players such as Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), ITC Ltd, Nestle India, Dabur, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd and Marico Ltd are expected to reflect these cross-currents in their March quarter earnings, which will kick off later this month.“FMCG companies will be able to maintain a status quo in the domestic market this quarter,” said Ankur Bisen, senior partner and head of retail, consumer products, food and e-commerce sectors at consulting firm The Knowledge Company.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Every now and then, you come across a news article about someone deleting food delivery and over-the-top entertainment apps from their phone and going on to save a substantial amount on monthly expenses. These stories feel nice, and somewhere, we all wish we could do that too. But who does not want to have some pizza when watching an IPL match at home or watch the latest shows on an OTT platform?“If you ask most people what they spend on “extras”, they’ll think of a big dinner or a weekend trip.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Two data releases on 13 April held important messages for the government on ensuring food security and shielding the livelihood of citizens. First, inflation estimates released by India’s ministry of statistics for March suggest food inflation is rising faster than overall inflation. Second, early monsoon forecasts point to a high likelihood of deficient rains in 2026.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) latest projections for the global economy are broadly along expected lines, but its view on India springs a surprise. The multilateral lender now sees India’s growth exceeding what it had forecast before the outbreak of war in West Asia. At 6.5%, India’s projected GDP growth for 2026-27 is 0.1 percentage point higher than published in the January World Economic Outlook of the IMF and 0.3 percentage point higher than its October view.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.A new report suggests that India's budget and mid-scale hotels may be overbuilt by global standards, offering far more amenities than their international counterparts. Features such as multiple restaurants, banquet halls, and event spaces have become standard across categories, driven by strong demand for weddings and social gatherings.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Facing a gas supply squeeze amid the West Asia war, India is considering a steep increase in blending compressed biogas (CBG) into city gas networks—potentially up to 20%—in a phased manner to reduce import dependence and cushion supplies, said two people aware of the discussions.The blending mandate for city gas distribution (CGD) entities was 1% as of fiscal year 2026 (FY26), to be gradually increased to 3%, 4% and 5% in FY27, FY28 and FY29, respectively. The government is now considering enhancing this to well beyond 5% and with a much more stringent timeline.This underscores a policy shift towards scaling domestic CBG output, as India prioritizes essential gas use and looks to ease pressure on liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports.Natural gas is processed to produce piped natural gas (PNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) as fuels for cooking and mobility, respectively.Government is pushing for a higher adoption of piped or city gas by domestic as well as industrial users due to the acute shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the more commonly used cooking fuel.The government's focus on compressed biogas is gaining momentum amid the energy supply crunch due to the West Asia war, with India depending on the region for 40% of its natural gas imports.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.With a parched monsoon forecast and a fertilizer supply chain disrupted by conflict in West Asia, Indian agriculture is caught between two raging storms. The India Meteorological Department has predicted a below-normal monsoon, while national fertilizer stocks sit at less than half of what’s required for the upcoming Kharif season.As El Niño threatens to dry up the fields and imported urea becomes harder to secure, the resilience of India's food production and the stability of rural demand are facing their toughest test in years.Mint explores whether these twin challenges will spark a spike in food prices or significantly dent farmers’ incomes.The four-month monsoon spanning June-September is critical for two reasons: India receives about 70% of its annual rainfall during these months, and nearly 45% of the country's farmland lacks irrigation, leaving it solely dependent on these rains.The India Meteorological Department has forecast the monsoon to be below normal at 92% of the long-period (50-year) average.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.As investors gauge the full impact of the West Asia war on crude oil-led inflation, another problem seems to be emerging. The India Meteorological Department and private forecaster Skymet Weather Services predict rainfall in the June-September monsoon season may fall short of the long-term average.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The Centre is building a digital system to track the sale of its urea, in an effort to curb diversion and hoarding of its most-utilized fertilizer at a time of broken supply chains and concerns of food security.The new system, spearheaded by the Department of Fertilizers, will require Aadhaar-based biometric authentication through a mobile app currently under development, two people familiar with the plan said. At a later stage, the system will also integrate farmers' land records, crop details, and fertilizer requirements based on landholding.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Retail inflation edged higher to 3.4% from a year ago in March from 3.2% in February, government data issued on Monday showed. The main driver was dearer food, whose prices rose 3.9%, quicker than February’s 3.5% increase. Inflation in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels was at about 2% while transport prices were flat.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.After building a ₹1,000-crore FMCG business on ghee over four decades, GRB Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd.

The El Niño phenomenon could result in one of the driest monsoons in India in at least eight years.Private forecaster Skymet has predicted: the rainfall is likely to be 94% of the long-period average (LPA), or below-normal. While the predictions are in line with broader expectations of low rainfall, Skymet is known for giving more conservative predictions than the official India Meteorological Department (IMD).Both agencies fail to predict the intensity of rainfall accurately more often than not, but Skymet’s track record has worsened in recent years.

India is set to more than double its export quotas for wheat, including for its flour products atta and maida, two people aware of the decision said. The move was cleared recently by a top panel monitoring supply of essentials amid the West Asia war, they said.