In these turbulent times, the [Indian] pharma sector has shown comparative resilience and has been relatively less impacted. There are two reasons for this: the domestic pharma market continues to experience healthy growth and the demand for generic (a biological equivalent of an originator pharmaceutical product) medicines is on the rise in international markets.Let me add here, that like other sectors , pharma is not completely immune to the slowdown and global economic crisis, but the impact is less severe. Over the past two years, the $8 billion domestic pharma industry has grown at a rate of more than 12%.
It is likely to see high single digit growth in 2009. The growing incidence of lifestyle diseases, rising disposable incomes, greater penetration of health insurance and expanding medical infrastructure will continue to foster growth in the domestic market. The fact is that however bad the economic environment, demand for medicines is relatively inelastic.
We are fortunate that prices of medicines in India are extremely low compared to other nations whose governments are clamouring to bring down their healthcare costs. They are encouraging the use of quality, affordable medicines from India. The need for medication is also growing with the ageing world population and changing disease patterns. Read More…
Some sectors still immune to global recession – Indian pharma
Posted in Health and Pharma, India
Where India meets Mexico
Tradition and modernity makes a beautiful blend in the 16 paintings by Delhi-based artist, Nitai Das who is currently exhibiting his collection at Jehangir Art Gallery.In his artworks, done with oils and acrylics, Nitai has combined Indian traditional and Mexican folk art with a few contemporary touches. So, while the subjects of his plays are traditional gods and goddesses, the style with which he has executed them, according to the artist, has evolved over several years of research and practice.
Behind the harmonic strokes of the paintbrush on the canvas, there are angry words conveyed by the artist – a message against the aimless imbibing of Western influence into our traditional artworks. Das explains, “Folk art is probably one genre where we have little choice to copy from Western art. When young artists blindly copy from Western artists, it is a blow to our indigenous evolution of art.”
To complement thousand-year-old indigenous Indian art, Das has combined elements from Mexican folk art, a tradition that took birth in the cradle of a civilisation that is one of the oldest to have formed on the face of the earth. However, it was no mean task. It took years of research and experimentation that culminated in the current collection.
Posted in Arts, Culture and Society, India, Mexico
Indian Agri cos record biggest profit gains in first half
The Agriculture sector is one of the recession-proof sectors in the next decade. With India adding 15 million people every year, the world’s population increasing by 70 to 90 million every year and millions in the middle class eating more and higher quality food nice profits will be assured for a long time. Some of these companies are perfectly positioned to make acquisitions in Argentina and Brazil.
The Economic Times
In the farm inputs and machinery sector, Coromandel Fertiliser, RCF, Excel Industries, Punjab Tractors, Excel Crop Care, Liberty Phosphate, Swaraj Engines, Nagarjuna Agrichem and VST Tillers Tractors reported higher profit growth in the first half of the fiscal year.
Technorati Tags: agribusiness, fertilizers, ag equipment, india
Posted in Agriculture, India
India May Allow Duty-Free Imports of Raw Sugar
India, the world’s biggest consumer of sugar, may allow mills to import the raw sweetener duty free in two weeks to ease a local shortage and prevent an increase in domestic prices before elections next year.The government plans to allow refiners to buy sugar from overseas for processing and sale in the local market without paying a 60 percent duty, said an industry association official, who didn’t want to be identified as the proposal has yet to be approved by the cabinet. The mills will need to export the same quantity within two years, he said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is seeking re-election, wants to curb the cost of commodities including food grains, sugar and edible oil. Increased imports by the south Asian nation may boost global sugar prices that have fallen 14 percent in six months.
Posted in Agriculture, Commodities, India
Argentinean biodiesel will get a $900 million boost
Despite a drop in global prices for both crops and oil, the Argentinean biofuel industry projections remain optimistic for 2009 as multi-million dollar projects continue to move forward.
Almost 900 million dollars are to be invested in the construction of new biodiesel plants by 2010, as well as in new sugar mill projects designed to position the country as one of the main producers of ethanol in the world.
This figure adds up to 1,200 million if we were to include the 300 million dollars already invested in biodiesel plants already operating in the country.According to Claudio Molina, executive director of the Argentinean Biofuel and Hydrogen Association, approximately fifteen biodiesel plants have opened, needing a total investment of 282 million dollars since 2006.
These plants have a combined annual production capacity of 1.5 million tons. A significant number of these plants are located in Gran Rosario, Santa Fe province, home to most oil producers in the country.
According to a document published by the Argentinean Chamber of Renewable Energy, by year-end 2008 Argentina’s biodiesel will account for 10% of the world’s production, which will establish the country as the third global producer, with revenue estimated around 1,500 million dollars.
More than 90% of biodiesel exports are destined to the US, even though the final destination may be Europe, which up until November amounted to almost 1 million tons.
Read More…
India and Latin America: Water Scarcity vs. Abundance
Posted in Agriculture, Argentina, Brazil, India, Latin America, Paraguay, Uruguay, Visualizations | Tags: India, Latin America, southern cone, water resources
Thought for the day
“I’m beginning to see some improvement”
- Pablo Casals, considered the greatest cellist ever, when asked in his 90s why he was practicing 3 hours a day
- Never stop learning
Posted in Inspiration
UN Says Latin American & Caribbean Economic Growth to Slow in 2009
Latin American Herald Tribune –
Economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean will fall next year to 1.9 percent from its estimated level of 4.6 percent for 2008, the U.N. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean said ThursdayIn its Preliminary Balance 2008, Santiago-based ECLAC – however – emphasized that 2008 has been the sixth consecutive year of growth for the region, a period during which the labor market indicators also improved and poverty fell.
Almost all the region’s countries gave priority to macroeconomic equilibrium and generated budget surpluses, Alicia Barcena, the ECLAC executive secretary, emphasized upon presenting the document. Barcena said that today the region is better prepared to confront the global economic slowdown, but it is certainly not immune to it.
Looking at individual countries, this year it was Uruguay that led the region’s growth with a rate of 11.5 percent, followed by Peru at 9.4 percent; Panama, 9.2 percent; Argentina, with growth of 6.8 percent; and Ecuador, 6.5 percent and Brazil at 5.9 percent.
Technorati Tags: 2009 economic growth, latin america
India’s Surya Roshni to replace traditional bulbs with eco-friendly lamps
Surya Roshni Ltd has decided to reduce the production of traditional bulbs in a phased manner and replace it with more eco-friendly lamps due to increasing environmental concerns.“The European Union has drafted a plan to switch over to low-energy bulbs from high power consuming bulbs by 2011-12, so we too decided to convert to a energy efficient lamp manufacturer by gradually cutting down production of traditional bulbs,” Mr Jaiprakash Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director, Surya Roshni Ltd, said while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday.
He also said that Surya Roshni has launched a nation-wide campaign for creating awareness about conserving energy and educate more than one lakh retailers on the use of energy efficient lamps.
The company currently has a 25 per cent market share in domestic lighting products market. It exports its products to around 45 countries. “Major expansions have been planned in high mast, sodium lamps, energy efficient lighting products for various sectors including highways, sports facilities and housing,” he said. The company currently has a production capacity of 25 million Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) but intends to increase this to 60 million in the next two years.
Technorati Tags: lighting, energy efficient, CFL, supplier
Green buildings to change India’s skyline by 2010
There will be over 1,000 green buildings dotting the Indian skyline by 2010 saving energy. Already 375 buildings are under construction. Indian industry will also be a key player in the $40-billion green building material business in the world. There will be over 50,000 accredited green professionals in the country to make India a leading player in green building business and technologies.The green building goal is set by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). It envisages one billion sq ft of green building footprint to be registered for certification by 2012, 1,000 green buildings to be registered by 2010, a major share in the $40-billion market for green building materials by 2012 and training of 5,000 IGBC accredited green building professionals by 2010.
“With a modest beginning of 20,000 sq ft, green footprint in the country in 2003, today about 375 green building, including 77 houses, measuring over 25 million sq ft, are being constructed all over India under the IGBC Green Homes Certification programme’’, C N Raghavendran, chairman, IGBC, Chennai chapter, said here on Monday. With the current growth rate, India would be one of the world leaders in green buildings and technologies, he said.
In his address at the three-day `Energy Summit 2008’ – energy efficiency in buildings, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), he said, green buildings save up to 30% to 40% energy compared to other new buildings mainly through an integrated approach to design and construction.
Technorati Tags: green buildings, infrastructure, design, energy savings
Posted in Energy, India, Infrastructure
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