Indian farmer Kamlaben harvests her damaged cotton crop. Sam Panthaky / AFP
Indian farmer Kamlaben harvests her damaged cotton crop. Sam Panthaky / AFP

Pests eat into India's cotton industry exports



India's cotton exports are expected to take a hit because of attacks by pests in major cotton-growing districts in the country.

Cotton crops in Maharashtra particular, where much of the country's cotton is grown, have been attacked by pink bollworms, which eat the crop. Estimates suggest that close to half of the crop has been affected by the pest. Cotton crops have also been hit by the bollworm in the states of Gujarat and Telangana.

Cotton exporters say that they are anticipating a significant impact on outflows abroad.

“This year exportable surplus will be around six million bales,” Nayan Mirani, a partner at Khimji Visram & Sons, an Indian cotton exporter, told Reuters. “Production estimates are revised down due to the pest attack.”

The news agency reported industry officials had earlier pegged estimates for exports at 7.5 million bales, weighing 150kg each.

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Read more:

Why India's famed cotton industry is under threat

With economy looking more robust India may hold interest rates

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The Times of India newspaper reported last week that almost 50 per cent of the cotton crop in Maharashtra had been attacked by the bollworm, adding that official estimates had revealed losses of 150 billion rupees (Dh8.52bn) as a result. Tens of thousands of farmers have applied to authorities for compensation because of this hit.

India is the world's second-largest exporter of cotton after China.

Many Indian farmers have been using genetically modified seeds to grow cotton, known as Bt cotton seeds, which were approved by India's government in 2006. Cotton grown from these seeds is supposed to be resistant to the bollworm. But farmers are reporting that the crops have become resistant to the pest over the past couple of years and are increasingly being attacked.

Angel Commodities, a broking firm headquartered in Mumbai, says that cotton prices have been pushed higher because of the impact of the pest and that cotton futures are also set to trade higher as a result of the destruction.

India's biggest markets for cotton exports include Bangladesh, China, and Vietnam.

Fund-raising tips for start-ups

Develop an innovative business concept

Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors

Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19

Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.) 

Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months

Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses

Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business

* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna

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The Specs:

The Specs:

Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Power: 444bhp

Torque: 600Nm

Price: AED 356,580 incl VAT

On sale: now.

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Generational responses to the pandemic

Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:

Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.

Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.

Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.

MATCH INFO

Liverpool 4 (Salah (pen 4, 33', & pen 88', Van Dijk (20')

Leeds United 3 (Harrison 12', Bamford 30', Klich 66')

Man of the match Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

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RESULTS

1.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winners: Hyde Park, Royston Ffrench (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)

2.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Shamikh, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard

2.45pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Hurry Up, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

3.15pm: Shadwell Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 (TB) Dh575,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Blown by Wind, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer

3.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh72,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Mazagran, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.

4.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh64,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner: Obeyaan, Adrie de Vries, Mujeeb Rehman

4.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.

RACECARD
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How Alia's experiment will help humans get to Mars

Alia’s winning experiment examined how genes might change under the stresses caused by being in space, such as cosmic radiation and microgravity.

Her samples were placed in a machine on board the International Space Station. called a miniPCR thermal cycler, which can copy DNA multiple times.

After the samples were examined on return to Earth, scientists were able to successfully detect changes caused by being in space in the way DNA transmits instructions through proteins and other molecules in living organisms.

Although Alia’s samples were taken from nematode worms, the results have much bigger long term applications, especially for human space flight and long term missions, such as to Mars.

It also means that the first DNA experiments using human genomes can now be carried out on the ISS.

 

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:

Ajax 2-3 Tottenham

Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate

Final: June 1, Madrid