UPSC EXAM CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR DATE 26 JUNE 2022

The Lowest wheat procurement in 15 years

From an all-time high last year, procurement of wheat is set to hit a 15-year low this season, falling below existing stocks for the first time.

Zero Current Procurement Scenario:

The 18.5 million tonnes (mt) likely procurement this time will be theLowest since the 11.1 mt bought in 2007-08.This is the first time that wheat procured from the new crop (18.5 mt) is less than the public stocks at the start of the marketing season (19 mt).

Reason for low Procurement:

2 main reasons for procurement plunging to a 15-year-low this time -

1.Export Demand:

In 2021-22, India exported a record 7.8 mt of wheat.

✔Supply disruptions from the Russia-Ukraine war have led to skyrocketing prices and a further increase in demand for Indian grain.Indian wheat getting exported at about $350 or Rs 27,000 per tonne free-on-board (i.e. at the point of shipping).The farmers are realising well above the minimum support price(MSP) of Rs 20,150/tonne at which the government is procuring.

2.Lower ProductionThe sudden spike in temperatures from the second half of Marchhas taken a toll on yields. in most wheat-growing areas farmers have reported a 15-20%decline in per-acre yields. A smaller crop, in combination with export demand, has resulted inOpen market prices of wheat crossing the MSP in many parts of India.

The shorter the distance to the ports, the higher the premium that exporter/traders have paid over the MSP.Many farmers are holding back their crops.Such "hoarding" by farmers was seen in the recent past in soyabeanand cotton, too, again driven by soaring international prices.O Availability at Government level:

With opening stocks of 19 mt and expected procurement of 18.5 mt,government agencies have 37.5 mt of wheat available for 2022-23.The normative buffer or closing stock requirement for March 31 is7.5 mt.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana scheme

The last two years have also witnessed substantial offtake under the scheme.10.3 mt in 2020-21 and 19.9 mt in 2021-22

✔ Open market sales to flour mills (2.5 mt and 7.1 mt, respectively).One can expect wheat prices to firm up and a rerun of whathappened in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Conclusion:

The relatively tight supplies in wheat this time is compensated for by the comfortable public stocks of rice. A good monsoon should further augment availability from the ensuing kharif crop and tide over the shortages in wheat.

ENVIRONMENT

■ Protest against move to 'shift' proposed heritage park in Manipur

 People living in the villages surrounding the Keibul

Lamjao National Park (KLNP) in Manipur have now taken up

the cudgels to ensure that the government does not shift

the proposed heritage park from the approved site.

What was Proposed?

Construction of a heritage park at a cost of ₹46 crore.

Construction of traditional thatched houses of the different communities in this park.

A museum of the Indian National Army (INA), which hoisted the first Indian flag near the Loktak lake.

Keibul Lamjao National Park:

State-Manipur.

Area- 40 sq. km.

Animals- marbled cat, Asian golden cat, Eld's Deer (Shangai)/dancing deer.

Known for a rare floral species known as Phumdis floating decomposed plant material.

Smallest national park of Manipur.

Salt sector crisis pinches livelihood of lakes

1. Farmers and workers engaged in salt industry are facing distress due to lack of proper system for wages and social security
2. At present India is the world's third largest producer of salt after US and China, Gujarat ( almost produces 80 percent of total salt produced in india) followed by tamilnadu Rajasthan, Andhra pradesh,maharashtra  are the major salt producers of the India
3. Where himachal pradesh and Rajasthan, salt is harvested by the mining process while in other sites salt is produced by the solar evaporation method of  sea water
4. Some of the major salt sites of India are : 1.sea brine, 2.lake brine ,3.sub soil brine and rock salt deposits 
5. Salt is under the union list of 7th schedule, making central government control all aspects of salt industry 
6. Slat commissioner organizations, an attached office under ministry of commerce and industry is entrusted with the above task
7. Government has de-licensed the salt industry (1996-97)

Issue faced

  

            Archaic laws :laws that are govern salt industry were framed by                                                     britishers

           Lack of price support 

           Occupational health hazards:chronic dermatitis (skin ulcers)                                                                                    premature loss off vision coneal                                                                                  growth etc

KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK AND RESERVE FACES NEW THREAT FROM INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES

• An invasive special species is an
•  organism that causes ecological as well as economic  harm in environment where it is not native 
• The field director of khaziranga 
• has submitted a list of 18 invasive plants that are silently taking over the landscape at coast of indigenous
•  grasses ,shrubs and the tree also
• Some identified species have herbal properties but they have more toxicity that's why 
• their utility is outweighs 
• Herbivores usually avoid the invasive plants, which are regenerates at the alarming speed 
• Several invasive species such has Bombay Ceiba etc species are to be identified 
• Although permission has been sought under wildlife protection  act ,1972 to go in for experimental  
• culling ,cutting,slashing uprooting and girdling of invasive species 
• Situated in Assam, KNP is a unesco world heritage site 1985 and has the largest population of the one horned rhinoceros in the world 

KNP also a tiger reserve from 2006 where KNP refers to khaziranga national park 

The New Quad: 12U2

India, Israel, the US, UAE are participating in the 12U2 summit

The US President will host a virtual summit with the Prime Minister of India, Israel Prime Minister and UAE President during his visit to West Asia from July 13 to 16. The new grouping will be called "12U2" - "I" for India and Israel and "U" for the US and UAE.

12U2 Grouping

Previously called, the 'International Forum for Economic Cooperation, the group is already being dubbed the 'New Quad' or the 'Middle-Eastern Quad' along the lines of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD).

Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD):

The QSD often called the 'Quad' is a strategic dialogue between the United States, India, Japan and Australia.

The dialogue was started in 2007 in response to increasing Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and was accompanied by one of the largest joint military exercises of the modern era, the Malabar Exercise