Category Archives: World Opinion

Coffee Exports From India Seen Climbing as Record Crop Looms

Coffee shipments from India may increase the most in four years as prospects for a record crop in Asia’s third-largest producer spur farmers to liquidate inventory.

Exports will rise as much as 10 percent in the year through March 2016 from 286,516 metric tons last year, said Ramesh Rajah, president of the Coffee Exporters Association of India. That would be the biggest gain since 2011-2012, when sales jumped 11 percent to 333,181 tons, data from the state-run Coffee Board show.

Rising sales from India to mostly Europe and Russia will add to a global surplus forecast by Societe Generale SA and weigh on robusta prices in London. Supplies from the South Asian nation may help bridge a shortfall in shipments from Vietnam, where farmers are hoarding the most beans in at least five years on speculation prices will rally further. Robusta accounts for about 70 percent of India’s exports.

“With a larger crop expected next season, the small farmers will keep selling” as they can’t bear the storing and logistic costs, Rajah said by phone from Bengaluru on July 14. “The crop was low in 2014-15 and farmers held back and the prices went up.”

Robusta futures last month rose 9.3 percent, the most since February 2014, and traded 1 percent lower at $1,688 a ton on ICE Futures Europe on Friday. Arabica, which advanced 5 percent in June in New York, was down 0.6 percent at $1.2805 a pound. Societe Generale predicts a surplus of 905,000 bags of 60 kilograms each this year.

Monsoon Boost
Production in India will rise 8.7 percent to a record 355,600 tons in 2015-16, the board estimates. Timely monsoon rains have boosted crop prospects, according to Anil Kumar Bhandari, a member of the state-run agency.
“We are heading for a very good crop,” Bhandari said by phone from Bengaluru on July 13. “The coffee-growing belt in Karnataka and Kerala has got adequate rains.”

Exports rose 12 percent to 102,850 tons between April 1 and July 13 from the same period a year earlier, provisional data from the board show. Italy, Germany and Russia were among the top buyers of Indian coffee.

source: http://www.bloomberg.com / Bloomberg Business / Home> Business / by Pratik Parija / July 17th, 2015

More on General K.S. Thimayya

MORE ON GENERAL K.S. THIMAYYA

Sir,

A few readers have written about General K.S. Thimayya in these columns with reference to your Abracadabra dated May 28. May I add further to some already written.

In 1957, Gen. Thimayya became COAS (Chief of Army Staff) superseding two of his seniors. V.K. Krishna Menon was the Defence Minister, had made a name in UN and other international forums, with high calibre and intelligence. Thimayya’s tiff with Menon was not personal. Whenever Menon visited Army units and interacted with Jawans (soldiers), he used to ask pointed questions on their grouse against any of their officers. It is something not liked by the senior officers who were accompanying the Defence Minister.

It was a question of discipline in the Army. Gen. Thimayya sent his resignation letter to Prime Minister; the rumour was that the other Chiefs were to follow if the resignation was accepted. Prime Minister Nehru tactfully handled the situation; General withdrew the resignation.

Gen. Thimayya wanted to write a book about his experiences in war fronts but the Government did not permit as he was in the service. Thimayya happened to meet one American writer Humpry Evans, who stayed with the General for sometime, made notes and got it published in US. The book “Thimayya of India” having a glossy wrapper on the cover with an impressive photograph of the General reviewing a Guard of Honour presented to him at West Point ( US Academy to train Defence officers).

Though he retired in 1961, his services were requisitioned directly by UN, to head a Peace Keeping Force at Cyprus — a small Island in Mediterranean, off the coast of Turkey and Greek, which had won Independence under Archbishop Makarios from Britain. However, it had to face a civil war between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot (mostly Muslims). Gen. Thimayya as head of the Peace Keeping Force did very well in separating the warring factions and brought peace.

Gen. Thimayya died in Nicosia (Cyprus) in Dec.1965. His body was brought to Bangalore; his wife and only daughter were there. Last rites were performed and the body was buried with all military honours and 17 gun salute. The Government of Cyprus honoured him by issuing a commemorative stamp and naming a street after him.

Gen. Thimayya was an alumnus of the Bishop Cotton Boys School, Bangalore. The alumni of the school celebrate “Gen. Thimayya Day” every year by arranging lectures by senior Army Officers and other dignitaries.

— Capt. (Retd.) A.K.Char / V.V.Mohalla, 28.6.2015

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Voice of the Reader / Sunday – July 05th, 2015

Canada Open title a big boost ahead of World Championship: Ashwini Ponnappa

New Delhi:

Ecstatic after winning the Canada Open women’s doubles title with Jwala Gutta, Indian shuttler Ashwini Ponnappa said that consistency has been the key to their success and this victory is a big boost ahead of the prestigious World Championship in August.

File photo of Ashwinin Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta. AFP Photos.
File photo of Ashwinin Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta. AFP Photos.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games gold-medallist pair of Ashwini and Jwala defeated the top-seeded Dutch pair of Eefje Muskens and Selena Piek 21-19 21-16 to clinch the USD 50,000 Canada Open Grand Prix tournament on June 28.

“It is a fantastic win. We have been playing well and have been consistent. Winning the tournament just before the world championship is a great boost. Naturally, the World Championship in August is the next target for us,” Ashwini told PTI from Calgary.

India’s best doubles pair, Ashwini and Jwala, won as many as four bronze medals last year but a title win has eluded them and Ashwini said it was nice to win a trophy after a long time.

“Jwala and I have done well last year too. We won bronze medals at the ABC, Uber Cup, Asian Games in Incheon and silver at the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow. We also reached the semifinals at the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold and then last week at the US Open. So we have been consistent but we have won a title after a long time. It is great to break the draught,” Ashwini said.

Ashwini and Jwala had taken a break post the London Olympics and this is their first title since their reunion after the 2012 Games.

The duo trained separately for some time but now with the World Championship round the corner, they will once again start training together.

“We have been training separately. I train at the national camp in Bangalore under Yusuf sir or Tom John, while Jwala is with Mohd Arif Sir, but since we have played together so much, we know each other’s game and we gel well at the tournaments. But for the World Championship, Jwala will come to Bangalore and we will be training together,” said Ashwini, who alongwith Jwala won the 2011 World Championship bronze medal.

source:http://www.firstpost.com / FirstPost.com / F.Sports> Home> Front Page> Latest News> Sports News / pTI / June 29th, 2015

Mumbai to host the 3rd Edition of “World Tea & Coffee Expo” ™ 2015

· International destination Mumbai ensures substantial participation of Indian & International companies
· Global Market for RTD Tea & Coffee growing at a healthy rate annually
· Buying delegations from Iran, Dubai, Nepal, Russia & UK planned

Mumbai, the commercial capital of India, shall host the 3rd World Tea & Coffee Expo 2015, India’s only International trade show dedicated to the Tea & Coffee Sectors. With over 100 exhibitors from 10 countries and dedicated country pavilions, this International Tea Coffee show in India promises an even bigger presence to provide the perfect environment for the hot beverage industry to meet face-to-face and develop real business opportunities. The 2015 edition is to be held at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai INDIA from 1st Oct to 3rd Oct 2015 and shall cater to a prospective visitor base of over 6000 buyers from across India and abroad – up from the visitor count of 4100 witnessed during the second edition held in Sept 2014.

In addition to a display of innovative and exotic products, machineries, accessories, technologies, vending machines and certifications from the entire gamut of the Hot beverage sector, additional activities planned at the Expo include: B2B match-making, Workshops & Championships, a High Level 2-day Conference by Industry leaders, academicians and policy makers, export/import guidance kiosks, Knowledge zone etc.

Says Priti M Kapadia, Director, Sentinel Exhibitions Asia P Ltd, the organizer of the show, “Mumbai is a city where the best and the most serious converge for doing business. Mumbai attracts the serious players from the length & breadth of India and also from aboard which results in high value deals and alliances. The 2015 edition of this unique trade fair will also see buying delegations from Iran, Nepal, Dubai, and Russia.

The stupendous success of the 2nd World Tea & Coffee Expo 2014 @ Mumbai, INDIA in September 2014, has established this Expo as the official Industry show with just two editions under its belt. This is India’s only International Trade Show dedicated to Tea & Coffee and is supported by Ministry of Commerce through Tea Board of India and leading associations and chambers from across the world have pledged their support to this important industry initiative.

The Expo offers huge potential for appointing Distributors, Bulk orders, joint ventures, franchising, networking, knowledge-sharing, meeting government officials, marketing alliances, and overall branding. WTCE has become the platform for the launch of new and exotic tea & coffee products. For a visitor, Workshops and seminars are the other important part of the event, which will help them to understand the depth of this industry, gain knowledge, understand benefits and also to taste the products on the spot. Skill development shall be the main theme of the workshops which will be conducted by experts in the field. Adds Kapadia, “For the International Tea & Coffee conference, we are in touch with a number of international speakers and some of them have already confirmed.”

The global market for RTD (Ready-to-Drink) Tea and Coffee is expected to reach $125 billion by 2017 with an annual growth rate of 11%. The Asia-Pacific region is the largest market and also showing maximum growth. To capitalize on the growth trend in the RTD Tea & Coffee, companies are investing heavily on modernization of machineries, Quality Up-gradation & Product Diversification as also branding, innovations and market expansion. The Upscale café culture has contributed significantly to the growth of both Coffee & Tea in India with exotic branding and packaging coupled with a dynamic product mix are driving the demand. Drinking habits and lifestyles have changed in the last 8 – 10 years and people are now willing to pay more for quality. India is the 2nd largest producer, 2nd largest consumer and 4th largest exporter of tea with a 23% share in global production, a 12% share in world tea exports and a per capita consumption of about 725 grams (2013-14 figures). The 6th largest producer of the coffee in the world, India exports more than 80% of its coffee presently but a rising domestic demand at 7% annually may change this scenario completely over the next decade or so. The trend towards health consciousness, coupled with increased competitive pressure, will further push new product development in the next five years, which will in turn boost industry demand. Most International companies which have entered India are doing brisk business and expanding their operations. The World Tea & Coffee Expo is the catalyst for International companies to target this huge market.

WTCE will determine trends, create awareness on optimization of product lines, enable networking with peers, industry stalwarts, academia and government officials. The vision of the World Tea & Coffee Expo is to facilitate and expand the Indian Beverage business by providing all sourcing requirements under one roof. Organized by Sentinel Exhibitions Asia P Ltd [SEA], a part of the Mumbai-headquartered Sentinel media group, WTCE is established as the VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY and as the Gateway to Indian markets.

For further information please log onto www.worldteacoffeeexpo.com or call on +91 22 28625133 or email to info@worldteacoffeeexpo.com

Jwala Gutta-Ashwini Ponnappa match best-ever ranking

Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa jumped from 15th to 13th in the latest rankings
Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa jumped from 15th to 13th in the latest rankings

New Delhi (IANS):

India’s most successful women’s doubles shuttlers Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa rose two places to be at No.13, matching their career-best in the latest rankings released by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Thursday.

Jwala and Ashwini, who won the women’s doubles bronze at the 2011 World Championships, reached the semi-finals of the US Open Grand Prix Gold which helped them rise up the ladder.

Manu Attri and B. Sumeeth Reddy also jumped two places to be ranked No.24 in the men’s doubles following their finals appearance at the US Open on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Indian shuttlers maintained their positions in singles.

Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal is still No.2 with P.V. Sindhu at No.14 among the women. In men’s singles, Kidambi Srikanth, Parupalli Kashyap and H.S. Prannoy are still on No.3, 10 and 12, respectively.

There is no Indian representation in top-25 of mixed doubles.

Indian shuttlers are currently participating at the ongoing $50,000 Canada Open Grand Prix in Calgary.

source: http://www.sportskeeda.com / SportsKeeda / Home> Badminton> News / IANS / June 25th, 2015

New Chaywa coffee shops in the train stations

ChaywaKF27jun2015

One of the Coca-Cola’s brands, Chaywa coffee shop, has opened two new coffee shops in Park Station and Pretoria Gautrain station.

Chaywa has developed a commercially viable On-The-Go coffee solution for rail and bus commuters designed to deliver convenient, quick service, for busy commuters on the go. Commuters are encouraged to Grab-a-coffee-and-go.

Located in prime positions within the PRASA/Metrorail-owned buildings with easy access to Gautrain stations, the Chaywa coffee shops are easily accessible to consumers travelling in and around Gauteng from Johannesburg Park and Pretoria Stations.

All Chaywa coffee is freshly brewed at the point of purchase and goes from bean to cup in approximately 30 seconds. Imported green coffee beans from South America, Asia and Africa are used to produce the finest tasting beverages and state of the art technology is applied to roast these beans to perfection and create deeper aromas and fuller flavours.

Bread and Butler will supply Chaywa choffee shop with all the food items on the menu such as self-serve sandwiches and individually wrapped confectionary such as muffins and doughnuts. Menus are created to allow for quick changes in consumer demands, trends and weather patterns.

source: http://www.mzansilife.com / Mzansi Life / Home / by Tumi Dzonzi / June 25th, 2015

Rohan Bopanna Delighted to Win Stuttgart Open

The Stuttgart Open was Rohan Bopanna’s fourth title of the year also having won two hard court tournaments with Daniel Nestor in Sydney and Dubai.

Picture was tweeted by Rohan Bopanna @rohanbopanna. /  © Twitter
Picture was tweeted by Rohan Bopanna @rohanbopanna. / © Twitter

Stuttgart:

After clinching the men’s doubles title at the Stuttgart Open with Romanian partner Florin Mergea, Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna said it was the perfect platform to warm-up for the lone grass court Major, Wimbledon, which starts on June 29.

“Great feeling winning the title here in Stuttgart,” Bopanna tweeted on Sunday after his win.

The fourth seeds took just an hour and 12 minutes to beat Austrian-Brazilian third seeds Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares 5-7, 6-2, 10-7 in the final.

“Being the first week on the grass leading up to Wimbledon is always nice. Not only playing on grass but winning a title gives us a lot of confidence,” the 35-year-old Indian said.

His partner Mergea was equally excited to win the title. The duo won their first crown together last month at the Madrid Open, which is a clay court tournament.

“It is my first title on grass, the first time I actually had four wins on grass since I started playing again. I am really happy to come and win a second title with Rohan,” Mergea said.

This was Bopanna’s fourth title of the year also having won two hard court tournaments with Daniel Nestor in Sydney and Dubai.

source: http://www.sports.ndtv.com / NDTV Sports / NDTV Sports> Tennis> News / by Press Trust of India / Thursday – June 16th, 2015

ExpoEspeciales 2015, the Most Important Specialty Coffee Expo in Latin America and the Caribbean

Bogota, Colombia (Marketwired via COMTEX) :

Under the motto, “Colombia, a renovated vision,” the 8th edition of the International Specialty Coffee Expo, ExpoEspeciales Cafe de Colombia, will be held from October 15 to 18, 2015 in Corferias, the most important exhibition and events center in Bogota, Colombia.

ExpoExpeciales Cafe de Colombia has become the most important international specialty coffee expo in Latin America and the Caribbean, due to the number of attendees each year, the high caliber of its academic agenda, the relevance of industry-related topics, and the opportunity to network at the highest level, thanks to its business matchmaking forum.

ExpoEspeciales is organized by the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) as part of its value added strategy, in order to promote the production of the highest-quality coffees from different regions of Colombia, the country that produces the world’s best Mild Washed Arabica coffee.

ExpoEspeciales is also a propitious platform for consumers and coffee industry professionals that attend from different countries across Latin America, as well as buyers from Asia, North America and Europe.

ExpoEspeciales, which takes place every year in different cities of Colombia, integrates the entire coffee value chain and brings together farmers, traders, buyers, visitors and coffee lovers in one single place.

In addition to being an excellent showcase for coffees from different Colombian regions, this expo is also a platform to present and spread market trends and innovations on a national and global scale. It features spaces that facilitate commercial, cultural and academic exchanges, as well as sharing of experiences and knowledge between industry participants.

For the second time, the expo will host the business matchmaking forum, organized by the FNC and ProColombia (formerly ProExport, the Colombian government’s agency for promotion of non-traditional exports, attraction of foreign investment and positioning of Colombia as a world-class touristic destination).

Producers, suppliers and distributors of products and services will be able to get in contact with buyers and companies interested in learning about offers and business models that can make them grow within the coffee industry.

International Convention of the Women’s Coffee Alliance

This year, within the framework of ExpoEspeciales Cafe de Colombia, “Coffee & Trade Beyond Barriers,” the IV Convention of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA), will be held. It is organized by the IWCA itself and the FNC.

This educational and networking forum, to be held on October 15 and 16, will attract more than 300 members of the international coffee sector, including producers, exporters, importers, roasters and baristas, as well as industry analysts and IWCA chapter members from around the globe. A broad selection of subjects that impact men, women and families involved in the seed-to-cup process will be explored.

“The IWCA represents coffee-growing women from producing countries to empower them, make them visible, get support programs and show the importance of women in the coffee value chain,” Ana Maria Lleras, coordinator of the FNC Coffee-Growing Women Program, explains.

10th Colombian Barista & 5th National Cup Tasters Championships

It is worth highlighting the 10th Colombian Barista Championship and the 5th National Cup Tasters Championship, two other events of great tradition that will take place within the framework of this important expo. The barista champion will represent Colombia at the 2016 World Barista Championship, which will be held in Dublin, Ireland.

The 5th National Cup Tasters Championship awards the professional coffee cupper who demonstrates speed, skill and accuracy to distinguish the taste differences in specialty coffees. The winner will represent Colombia at the World Cup Tasters Championship.

Varied Academic Agenda

A rich and varied academic agenda, with top-notch speakers, will allow attendees to familiarize themselves with relevant industry issues, such as the diversity of Cafe de Colombia, the FNC’s specialty coffees strategy and industry trends, among others.

Other events enriching the academic agenda include food pairing shows and the traditional Q meeting, co-organized by the FNC and the Coffee Quality Institute, as well as activities under the “Toma Cafe”, Colombia’s National Program to support coffee consumption led by FNC.

A bit of history

ExpoEspeciales was first held in 2008, in the city of Neiva, Huila, and was created to strengthen the industry and encourage greater dynamism in the coffee business.

With great success every year, this event promotes a coffee-growing region of Colombia. 2015 will mark the expo’s 8th edition, with a steadily growing number of attendees. Other cities that have hosted the expo include Ibague (2009), Pasto (2010), Bogota on two previous occasions (2011, 2013), Popayan (2012) and Medellin (2014). The 4th edition, which was held in 2011 in Bogota, brought together more than 19,000 people, as this event was held in conjunction with the World Barista Championship. In 2015, the Colombian capital will once again serve as the venue for the event.

This annual expo traditionally features the following exhibitors:

— Coffee growers and associated industry groups (cooperatives,
associations).
— Departmental Coffee Growers Committees.
— Manufacturers and distributors of machinery for the coffee
post-harvest processing, equipment and supplies for the industry
(threshers, roasters) and coffee shops.
— Threshing and roasting companies.
— Exporters.
— Non-governmental and industry supporting entities.
— Financial institutions.
— Certifiers, among others.

As visitors and buyers:

— Coffee growers.
— Representatives, managers and professionals of the coffee sector.
— Coffee roasters and traders.
— Cup tasters.
— International buyers.
— Academics.
— Professional baristas from establishments such as hotels, restaurants,
coffee shops and bars.
— General public.

For more information visit: www.expoespeciales.com

source: http://www.marketwatch.com / Market Watch / Home> Real Estate> Press Release / Marketwire LP / June 09th, 2015

MR Poovamma clinches silver in the 400m at the Asian Athletics Championships

Poovamma though missed the Olympic mark
Poovamma though missed the Olympic mark

India have bagged their second medal at the Asian Athletics Championships, that is currently being played in Wuhan, China with MR Poovamma clinching the silver in the 400m. event.

The Kodagu-born athlete clocked a timing of 53.07 and thereby clinched her second consecutive silver at the Asian Championships after her silver medal win at the 2013 edition of the Championships, that were held in Pune.

But her medal, here though, seems like it might have come at a cost as she fell behind the Olympic qualification mark by 1.07 seconds.

This is now India’s second medal after Inderjeet Singh won Gold on Day One of the competition with an effort of 20.41m.

source: http://www.sportskeeda.com / Sports Keeda / Home> Athletics> Asian Athletics Championship> News / by Shankar Narayan / June 04th, 2015

Around The World Holidays to host German delegation in Coorg in July

Around The World Holidays will host a German delegation in Coorg, Karnataka this July.

According to Siddalingappa S, Managing Partner, Around The World Holidays and Vice President, ETAA South India Chapter, “This is the first time that we are hosting a huge delegation from Germany for a four-day conference at Orange County Coorg. We will be hosting 46 pax.”

Established six years ago, Around The World Holidays began operations in the India and Bangkok travel markets, informed Siddalingappa.

The company now provides honeymoon tours to destinations like Bali, Turkey, and Spain, and also offers packages to Jordan, and Philippines, among others. It also promotes domestic destinations, offers student visa services to the UK, Canada, and Italy, and helps students studying abroad in many ways like co-ordinating with universities.

According to Siddalingappa, Outbound Tourism has increased 15-20 per cent in the last year to destinations like Spain and Bali. Inbound Tourism is also on the rise to places like Kerala, Karnataka, and Goa.

Around The World Holidays has been an ETAA member for three-and-a-half years. Siddalingappa said that the Association serves as a learning platform, as many travel agents meet and share their knowledge about the industry.

source: http://www.travelbizmonitor.com / Travel Biz Monitor.com / Home> Top Stories> Details / TBA Staff, Bengaluru /Saturday – May 23rd, 2015