Developing countries are expected over the next three years to spend more than 100 times what the U.S. might spend over six. Almost $4 trillion of this estimated $6.3 trillion outlay is linked to China, but major commitments also are coming from governments and private sources in Brazil, India, Russia, Mexico, South Africa and the Middle East.

Investing in emerging markets’ building boom

Companies that build or maintain infrastructure — roads, bridges and more — in China, Brazil and other emerging markets are set to gain in coming years. Aaron Visse of the Forward Global Infrastructure Fund talks with MarketWatch’s Jonathan Burton.

To be competitive in the global marketplace, stoke economic growth, and keep exploding populations from becoming explosive, emerging markets have no choice but to spend and build, on everything from ports to power plants.

Rewards, and risks

Economic stability is not the only purpose for infrastructure spending; there’s a strong political motive as well. Domestic infrastructure projects create skilled jobs and improve people’s quality of life. People everywhere want clean water, working sanitation, and reliable power and transportation.

Infrastructure spending across the emerging markets is still robust, though private enterprise is expected to cover more costs and liabilities going forward, particularly in Brazil and India.

Brazil, notably, is hosting soccer’s World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016 — two events that require a functional infrastructure.

Emerging markets nowadays also have access to capital to make these investments happen, unlike a decade or so ago when they were considered low-quality, high-risk backwaters. These countries are in sound financial shape, and not as leveraged as mature North America, Europe and Japan.

“It’s a better story at a lower price,” he said of the developing countries. “If the global growth story improves, emerging markets keep outperforming. If it’s murky, they still continue to outperform because their story is less murky.”

The best way for investors to succeed is to focus on three of the hottest infrastructure sectors in emerging markets: energy and power; transportation and logistics, and water and the environment.

Punjab is all set to go for mechanization of sowing and  harvesting process of sugarcane crop, keeping in view the cost effectiveness of mechanization besides seasonal shortage of labour during peak seasons.

This was indicated by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is part of Indian delegation to Brazil that is led by Union Agriculture Minister Mr. Sharad Pawar.  Mr. Badal said that Punjab’s farmers would have to adopt automated technology to keep the cost of agricultural inputs in the lower bracket, besides endeavoring for efficient new technology.

The Deputy Chief Minister along with Ministers from other States today visited the farmers and their fields in rural Brazil in the state of Sao Paulo. The delegation on the second day to their visit to Brazil, had on the spot assessment of the sugar cane production technology.  Badal evinced great interest in the actual display of the fully mechanized sowing techniques where a highly mechanical planter completes the entire process, of furrow opening, placement of seed, application of fungicide and coverage of the seed with earth, in a single pass. He was informed that machine can plant upto 10 acres in a day without involving any manual labour. The Deputy Chief Minister also watched the display of single row mechanical harvester’ this can harvest clean, cut and load the cane into trucks for transportation to the sugar mill. Mr. Badal was told that this machine can harvest upto 25 acres of sugar cane in a day.

Two new tablets, one an Android avatar and the other a Windows 7, are due to be launched, not by an electronics company from South East Asia but from Colombia.

Engadget reported that two Bogota-based companies are due to launch two 10-inch tablets.

Compumax is targeting an Android-based tablet sporting a Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz Cotex A9 microprocessor with 32GB in internal memory and 512MB RAM.

Another company Smart PC is aiming at a Windows 7 based slate that runs on Atom N450 processor. The tablet will have 320GB hard drive and 2GB RAM. It will also have a DVD writer.

Both the companies claim that the tablets have been indigenously built in Colombia sourcing parts from other countries.

The Android tablet will be christened Hyper Android and will cost about $387 while the Windows tablet will be called Smart Touch and will cost $608. Both the machines are due to be released in Peru in October.

via http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/60517/20100908/colombia-android-windows-7-tab…

With an aim to enhance economic ties, India and Brazil discussed investment opportunities in sectors like infrastructure during the visit of State Minister of Commerce and Industry, Jyotiraditya Scindia to Sao Paulo.

Scindia, who is leading a 12—member business delegation to Brazil, Peru and Chile, met Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade Miguel Jorge yesterday and reviewed the bilateral commercial relations.

“They discussed the possibilities of further strengthening the commercial relations and the prospects of investments and joint ventures in sectors like oil and gas, agriculture, infrastructure, sugar, IT, automobiles and renewable energy,” a statement issued here today said.

Scindia also inaugurated the India-Latin America and Caribbean Conclave (Brazil) in Sao Paulo.

Colombia’s Ambassador to India Juan Alfredo Pinto announced that 132 Indian businesses will travel to Colombia to participate in Bogota‘s International Trade Fair in the first week of October.

“We have concluded a six month preparation process that included six promotional events in Delhi, Mumbai, Calcuta, Chennai, Bangalore and Combatore, with the support of the Indian Council for the Promotion of Exports and with the participation of Proexport,” Pinto said.

“Indian businesses and institutions picked up on [Colombia's] Bicentennial of Independence celebrations and we integrated that into our efforts to encourage Indian businesses to come to the Bogota Fair. They are interested in our market and we do not hide our desire for Indian representatives, distributors and partners to invest in Colombia,” Pinto continued.

Under the name Indee Colombia 2010, the Indian Council along with Proexport promoted exports in the sectors of engineering, capital goods, plastics, packing, mining, metallurgy, energy, electricity, telecommunications and information technology.

Trade between Colombia and India has increased by 200% over the last two years from $350 million in 2007 to $1 billion in 2009.

As an influential member of the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu), SA will, together with India, begin preliminary negotiations this year with South America’s biggest regional trading bloc, Mercosur.

Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay make up the full membership of Mercosur. Other South American countries, such as Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, have been granted associate membership. Oil-rich Venezuela has signaled its intention to become a full member.

Speaking at the opening of the India Show yesterday, Mr Davies said the balance of economic forces favours developing countries and this development is the major factor that has influenced Sacu’s decision to pursue this agreement.