Indian prime minister Narendra Modi came to power promising job creation and, among other things, the reform of the agricultural sector. Our story about unacceptably high levels of pesticides and other chemicals in some food imported from India reveals a fertile area for Mr Modi’s campaign promises to be realised. While the UAE conducts spot checks on food consignments entering the country, the onus falls squarely on the Indian government and on Indian farmers to export quality products in the first place.
Issues with Indian food exports failing to fall in line with international food safety standards are not new. A lack of regulatory oversight in the agricultural industry and the extraordinarily high amount of synthetic pesticides and ripening agents used in the industry are the chief culprits.
The UAE has decided that the entry of chilli peppers, mangoes and cucumbers will be barred unless there is an official residue analysis report provided for each consignment. The barring of imports could spell disaster for Indian producers because the UAE is one of the top four markets for Indian fruit and vegetables and one of the world’s biggest importers of its mangoes and onions.
The solution to this problem boils down to simple economics. With the boom in popularity of organic produce around the world, it is clear that customers in India’s key export markets demand high-quality and safe produce. While authorities in the UAE have taken swift action to ensure the Indian food consignments abide by safety regulations, consumers will simply look to other markets if the problems continue.
Thus, it is in the interest of Indian producers to push for better regulation and safety standards at home. In April, Mr Modi unveiled a measure to use digital platforms to regulate wholesale agricultural markets in the state of Karnataka. It is hoped that the new trading mechanism will ensure that farmers get a fair price for their produce. These so-called e-markets will also streamline the agricultural industry and remove corruption.
Such an initiative is needed in the regulation of food exports. The introduction of better controls with clear guidelines for acceptable produce would dramatically help Indian’s agricultural industry. Time is running out for Indian farmers as consumers around the world have become more savvy and have options closer to home.
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
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Roger Federer's 2018 record
Australian Open Champion
Rotterdam Champion
Indian Wells Runner-up
Miami Second round
Stuttgart Champion
Halle Runner-up
Wimbledon Quarter-finals
Cincinnati Runner-up
US Open Fourth round
Shanghai Semi-finals
Basel Champion
Paris Masters Semi-finals
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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