Palm | Kelapa Sawit

How to Make Homemade Orange Peel Oil | Food Science | Orange peel contains volatile oils with various chemical components such as terpenes, sesquiterpenes, aldehydes, esters and sterol 3. Details of orange peel oil chemicals composition are as follows: 

Orange peel oil can be used as a flavor of the beverage products, cosmetics, and sanitary. The price of citrus oil extracts are relatively expensive.

Orange peel oil extraction process can be done with a simple method by using simple and unexpensive equipments.

Milk | Food Sciences | Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the main source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. In early lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the antibodies from mother to child and can reduce the risk of many diseases of children. The exact composition of raw milk varies by species and a number of other factors, but it contains significant amounts of saturated fat, protein and calcium and vitamin C. Cow's milk has a pH ranging from 6.4 to 6.8, making it slightly acidic.

In almost all mammals, milk is fed to infants through breastfeeding, either directly or by expressing the milk to be stored and consumed later. Some cultures, historically or currently, continue to use breast milk to feed their children until they are seven years old.

Human infants sometimes are fed fresh goat milk. There are known risks in this practice, including those of developing electrolyte imbalances, metabolic acidosis, megaloblastic anemia, and a host of allergic reactions.

In many cultures of the world, especially the Western world, humans continue to consume milk beyond infancy, using the milk of other animals (especially cattle, goats and sheep) as a food product. For millennia, cow's milk has been processed into dairy products such as cream, butter, yogurt, kefir, ice cream, and especially the more durable and easily transportable product, cheese. Modern industrial processes produce casein, whey protein, lactose, condensed milk, powdered milk, and many other food-additive and industrial products.

Humans are an exception in the natural world for young children consume milk past, despite the fact that many people have some degree (some as little as 5%) of lactose intolerance, a feature that is more common among people of African or Asian descent. The sugar lactose is found only in milk, forsythia flowers and a few tropical shrubs. The enzyme needed to digest lactose, lactase, reaches its highest level in the small intestine after birth and then begins a slow decline unless milk is consumed regularly. On the other hand, are often the groups that continue to tolerate milk have exercised great creativity in using the milk of domestic ungulates, not only cattle but also sheep, goats, yaks, water buffalo, the horses, reindeer and camels. The largest producer and consumer of cattle and buffaloes in the world is India. [ agriculture commodities ]

Alcohol Consumption In Norway | agriculture commodities | Small amounts of alcohol usually involves a little risk of damage to human health. Consumption of large amounts merely provides "rusvirkninger," and accompanied by an increased risk of accidents and injuries.

Alcohol can also affect a number of medicines and drugs, and the body turnover of these. The repeated consumption of alcohol over time increases the risk of developing diseases and addiction.

In 2006, each 15 years Norwegian drank over 6.46 liters of pure alcohol on average. Half of the alcohol came from beer. It shows statistics from the National Institute of Drug Abuse. In addition to this, unregistered consumption from cross-border trade, smuggling and home production.

Men and women with higher income drink alcohol. Geographically, the consumption of Oslo and Akershus are the highest. It was proofed by an interview survey of adults over 24 years. Among men and women over 60 are respectively 17 and 30 percent who do not drink alcohol at all. For other age groups, the figures are only a third of this. (Strand and Steiro 2003.)

Average age at onset of alcohol appears to be stable in Norway, with approximately 14.5 years for beer and 15 for wine. In the second half of the 1990s, alcohol consumption among young people from about 3 liters to 4.5-5.0 liters of pure alcohol per year. - agriculture commodities

India sugar prices july 7 2011: sugar industry needs de-regulation | Agricultural Commodities Prices | Building cane price arrears will also harm the farmers, who he feared would move away from sugarcane cultivation in 2012-13. With increase in domestic demand, the country will then be forced to import at high prices, Murkumbi said. He said in the sugar season 2009-10, around Rs 45,000 crore was paid to farmers as cane price, this year it is expected to rise to about Rs 51,000 crore. However, the industry continued to be controlled by the government which was harming the industry, he claimed. 

Certain percentage of sugar produced had to be handed over to the government at a given price for public distribution system. Such a practise was not followed in other parts of the world, he said. The government, he said, must procure sugar at the market price and then make it available to the PDS at a subsidised rate, to safeguard the interest of sugar producers. Sugar prices in India were 30 per cent lower than global prices, he added. The ISMA demanded abolition of levy sugar obligation on sugar mills and of monthly regulated release mechanism. It also demanded fast-tracking of the national ethanol programme. He said around 600,000 tons of molasses had to be exported as it could not be sold. If this had been converted into ethanol, it could have addressed one per cent of the country''s petrol requirement. | Agricultural Commodities Prices |

Margarine | agriculture commodities - food sciences | Margarine was first invented in France by a chemical expert named Hippolyte Mege-Mouries in 1869. The discovery of margarine is actually triggered by the situation in France at the time where the price of butter is very expensive so many people who can not afford it. This happens as a result of the influence of industrial revolution where a lot of farmers who left the farm and go for the city and work in industries. Consequently, there is a shortage of production so the price of butter became expensive because of high demand. To overcome this situation then in 1869 Napoleon III as ruler of France at that time held a contest and will give prizes to anyone who can find a cheap butter substitute, a replacement would have properties such as butter. Hippolyte Mege-Mouries won the competition because he was able to find what is desired by Napoleon III is a cheap substitute for butter. Mege-Mouries named his invention with margarine, the name is derived from Greek words "margarites" that have meaning "pearl". Named the pearl because the fat of margarine when forming dense granules shaped like a shiny crystal of pearls.

The characteristics of margarine that stands out is more plastic, solid at room temperature, a bit hard at low temperature, texture is easily applied, and quick to melt in mouth.

Margarine divided into table margarine and kitchen margarine . For the kitchen margarine is not required the addition of vitamins A and D. Margarine is an emulsion-shaped food products in the oil-water mixture, which is about 16 percent of water in at least 80 percent vegetable oil or fat. Fat phase is generally composed of vegetable oils, some of which have been compacted in order to obtain the desired plastic properties of the final product.

Margarine was originally made from animal fat but now exclusively made only from plant oils. Margarine practically have a calorific value equivalent to the butter, easy to digest, usually equipped with vitamins A and D. Margarine vegetable has long been recommended as a substitute for butter because they contain unsaturated fat and less cholesterol. According to one study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, replacing butter with margarine in the diet significantly lowers blood cholesterol levels.

Margarine was originally created by converting the unsaturated fats (hydrocarbon double bond) becomes saturated (single bond) through the process of hydrogenated. Saturated fats are fats that form the crystal plays an important role in determining the texture of margarine and make it stay solid at room temperature. However, the incomplete hydrogenation process are not resulting the formation of trans fatty acids which can raise the level of LDL cholesterol and depress HDL .[ agriculture commodities | food sciences ]

Russia continues to export wheat | agriculture commodities news july 3 | agriculture commodities | Russia, one of the world's largest wheat exporter, to stop exports to safe domestic supplies.

Russian wheat exports have resumed after a one year suspended due to severe drought and catastrophic fires that destroyed a third of the country's harvest.

Russia, which had become the third largest wheat exporter in the world, stopping exports to secure supply for domestic consumption.

However, this year's crop is estimated to be better than projected, and based on the rainfall in May and June, the weather experts predicted last year's drought will not happen again this year.

Some Russian officials now estimate, Russia will export up to 15 million tonnes of wheat in 2011. They say they are monitoring carefully the conditions in the country while the country's exports increased.

Russian wheat prices have declined in recent weeks, officials said if prices began to rise in the country, they have a 6 million ton grain reserve to stabilize prices.

It is not clear how much until the Russians resumed exports would affect the international grain market. [ agriculture commodities ]

Meat Consumption Pattern of Urban Domestic | Study | Food Sciences | Agriculture Commodities | Abstract: Animal products are an important part of the diet of urban households in different income classes. However, the concerns of consumers' receive little attention to design has a low profile issues such as lack of credibility and consumer advocacy or pressure groups. The situation is further complicated by the fact that studies on patterns of urban or rural meat consumption information.

The study used information on the cities in the metropolitan area of ​​Nairobi consumer survey by the Institute Tegemeo with the Office of Statistics (CBS), the frame appears at the end of 2003. The survey data is complimented with slaughter numbers and prices of VSF-Suisse, and several slaughterhouses in Nairobi.

This study characterizes household meat consumption in Nairobi and compares per adult equivalent consumption across income quintiles. It further examines the factors influencing domestic consumption including meat prices, channels of acquisition and the traits of the household head for instance education, gender and age.

The results indicate that meat is consumed by a large proportion of the sample but essentially remains a luxury good whose consumption increases with increasing income.

Middle and high-income households consume significantly large amounts of beef, chicken and eggs within the home compared to low-income households. This phenomenon reveals that health concerns especially for red meat do not necessarily influence consumption levels for both low and high-income groups. However, the consumption of chicken and eggs by high-income and educated groups appear to be responding to health concerns. Chevron (goat meat) and mutton (sheep) are hardly consumed at home. Channels of acquisition influence price and ultimately consumption patterns especially for chicken and eggs where there exists some form of product

differentiation.

The above represents a potential to increase domestic meat, there are low-income groups, but only to take advantage of lower prices or higher incomes. While the government is focusing on the productivity of livestock on the rise, consumers 'concerns' should be duly taken into account.

Policies for livestock development must adapt to changing consumer behavior and deal with marketing systems that prevent the translation of the productivity gains in fuel economy. By: Paul Gamba [ Food Sciences, Agriculture Commodities ]

Swiss alternative energy: the use of green energy was booming | agriculture commodities - commodity prices - food sciences | Cold temperatures, favourable economic conditions and population growth combined to push energy consumption to record levels in 2010. The Federal Energy Office (FEO) reported Swiss energy consumption rose to 911,550 terajoules (tj) last year, smashing the previous record of 895,250tj reported in 2008.

The FEO said the use of green energy was “booming”, with increased use of wood heaters, up 7.7 per cent, district heating up 12.7 per cent, solar power up 13.5 per cent and biogas up 7.3 per cent.

Consumption of extra-light fuel oil rose 5.5 per cent, while natural gas consumption jumped 10.8 per cent.

Increased consumption of diesel and aviation fuels – up 3.9 and 5 per cent respectively – and a 3.6 per cent decrease in petrol consumption, confirmed a growing trend to replace petrol with diesel, the FEO said. @ agriculture commodities

The Coconut, Cocos nucifera | agriculture commodities - commodity prices - food sciences | Coconut is produced from coconut tree that grow abundantly in the tropics, especially along the beachlines or the seafront. A lot of processed foods and products made from coconuts we can find and enjoy. From the meat to the water of coconut can be used as a culinary product.

Coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae (palm family). Coconut is the only species accepted on the genus Cocos. The term "Coconut" may refer to the whole coconut palm, seeds, fruits or nuts that are not a "botanical nuts". Cocoanut spelling is an old form of the word.

Coconut palm can be found in many parts of the tropics, the coconut is known for its versatility as evidenced by the many domestic, commercial and industrial of its parts.

Coconuts are part of daily diet for many people. Its endosperm is known as edible "meat" of coconut, and when it is called dried copra.

The oil and milk of coconut are commonly used in baking and frying, coconut oil is also widely used in soaps and cosmetics. The clear liquid Coconut water is a refreshing drink and can be processed to produce alcohol.

The Shells, and leaves of coconut can be used as material to produce different products for decorating and furnishing. It 'also a cultural and religious significance in many societies that use it.

Sugar, a source of carbohydrates for human | agriculture commodities - commodity prices - food sciences | Sugar is a term for a type of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose and fructose, which is characterized by a sweet taste. In the product of foods, sugar is almost exclusively refering to sucrose, which is completely refined (free sugar) form, which is mainly from sugar cane and sugar beets, even if are present in natural form in many carbohydrates. Other free sugars are used in industrial food preparation, but generally known as the more specific names - glucose, fructose, fruit sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc.

Currently, Brazil is the largest sugar producer in the world.

Sugar, because of its simple chemical structure, it was assumed (without research) to raise blood glucose levels more rapidly than starch, but the results of more than twenty studies have shown that sugar and starch cause an increase blood glucose in similar rates. This has shown that control of all carbohydrates are needed to control blood sugar in diabetics, the idea behind the calculation of carbohydrates. Some experts believe that consuming excessive amounts of sugar does not increase the risk of diabetes, although the excess of calories to consume large amounts of sugar can lead to obesity, which can increase the risk of diabetes.

But a 2010 meta-analysis of eleven trials with 310,819 participants and 15,043 cases of type 2 diabetes found that "SSBs(sugar sweetened beverages) may increase the risk of [metabolic syndrome] and type 2 diabetes-not only obesity, but also by increasing the dietary glycemic load, which leads to insulin resistance, β cell dysfunction, and inflammation. "

As an overview of chronic illnesses associated with consumption and obesity, independent of the WHO meta-studies specifically distinguish between free sugars ("all monosaccharides and disaccharides added to foods by the manufacturer, cook or the consumer, plus sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices "), sugars naturally present in food.

Reports before 2000, the limits on free sugars is less than 10% carbohydrate intake, in terms of energy, rather than mass, and since 2002 has been directed at the total population of less than 10%. consultation Committee recognized that this goal is "controversial. However, the consultation noted that studies show no effect of free sugars is too much emphasis on the restrictions." (P57).

While contribution sugar to dental caries, sugar-free is also recommended to be less than 10%. There are " convincing evidences of human intervention studies, epidemiological studies and animal experiments, and the association between the number and frequency of sugar intake and tooth decay", while other sugars (complex-carbohydrates) consumption is usually associated with a lower tooth decay. Reduction of  tooth caries was observed in subjects with hereditary fructose intolerance. @ agriculture commodities

Chocolate, the most popular type and flavor of foods | agriculture commodities - commodity prices - food sciences | Chocolate is a raw food or products made from the seed of the tropical tree Theobroma cacao. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America, with its first documented use around 1100 BC. Most Meso-american people used chocolate as a drinks , including the Aztecs, who made a drink called Xocolatl, a Nahuatl word meaning "bitter water". The seeds of the cacao tree have an intense bitter taste and must be fermented to develop flavor.

After fermentation, the cacao beans are dried, cleaned, and then roasted, and the bark/shell is removed to produce the nibs of cocoa. The coocoa nibs are then ground to cocoa mass, raw chocolate in rough form. Since this is usually the cocoa mass is liquefied, then molded with or without other ingredients, it's called chocolate liquor. Chocolate liquor can be produced to two products: the cocoa butter and cocoa solid. No sweet baking chocolate (bitter chocolate), contains primarily cocoa solid and cocoa butter in varying proportions. The large chocolate consumed today in the form of sweet chocolate, combining cocoa butter or other fats, cocoa solid  and sugars. Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate also contains milk powder or condensed milk. White chocolate contains cocoa butter, sugar and milk but no cocoa solids.

The cocoa solid contains alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine which have physiological effects on the body. This is relating  to serotonin in the brain. In some studies it was found that chocolate, eaten in moderate, can lower blood pressure. The presence of theobromine makes chocolate toxic to some animals, especially dogs and cats.

Chocolate has become one of the types of the most popular foods and flavors of the world. Gifts of chocolate molded into different shapes have become traditional on certain holidays: chocolate bunnies and eggs are popular on Easter, chocolate coins on Hanukkah, Santa Claus and other symbols of the Christmas holidays, and heart chocolate or chocolate heart-shaped boxes of Valentine's Day. Chocolate is also used in hot and cold beverages, to produce chocolate milk and hot chocolate. About three-quarters of world production of cocoa beans takes place in West Africa. @agriculture commodities

About Rubber, agricultural commodities - The rubber was known to indigenous peoples in the America before the arrival of European explorers. In 1525, reported from Padre d'Anghieria, he had seen Mexican tribes playing with rubber band balls. The first scientific study of the rubber was made by Charles de la Condamine, when he found it during his trip to Peru in 1735. A French engineer who Condamine met in Guyana, Fresnau studied rubber on its home ground, and concluded that it was nothing but a "type of  condensed resin oil."

The first use of rubber is an eraser. It was Magellan, a descendant of the famous Portuguese navigator, who suggested this use. In England, Priestley popularized it as they became known as India rubber. The word rubber in Portuguese - borracha - comes from one of the first applications of this product, when used to replace the leather containers Borrachas the Portuguese used to transport wine.

Returning to the work of La Condamine, Macquer suggested that the rubber could be used to produce flexible tubes. Since then, a number of craftsmen have been involved in the rubber goldsmith Bernard, Winch herbalist, Grossart, Landoll and others. In 1820, British industrialist Nadier produced rubber threads and tried to use in clothing accessories. This was the moment when America was captured by the rubber boom and waterproof footwear used by indigenous peoples has become a success. Waterproof fabrics and snow boots were manufactured in New England.

In 1832, the factory was established, Rosburg. Unfortunately, the cold affect the natural vulcanized rubber products, in which case they are fragile and tend to gum together if left in the sun, all to discourage the consumer. For a long time trying to develop a method to update properties of the rubber (as well as nitric acid) that almost destroyed it in 1840, Goodyear discovered vulcanization, almost by accident.

An interesting fact: in 1815, a humble Sawyer - was one of the leading manufacturers in the UK - Hancock. He had invented a rubber mattress and through an association with the Macintosh, he produces the famous raincoat called "Macintosh." He also discovered how to cut, roll and press the rubber on an industrial scale. He also noted the importance of heat during the pressing process, and built a machine for this purpose.

MacIntosh discovered the use of benzene as a solvent, while Hancock has found that, before peeling and heating were needed to ensure that the rubber is completely dissolved. Hancock also discovered how to make rubber balls. Finally, in 1842, Hancock came into possession of vulcanized rubber produced by Goodyear, search and find the secret of vulcanization, which brought him an immense fortune.

In 1845, RW Thomson invented the pneumatic tire, the inner ring, and a textured tread. In 1850, the toy is made of rubber, as well as solid and hollow balls for golf and tennis. Velocipede invention by Michaux that in 1869 led to the discovery of solid rubber, after which a hollow rubber, and finally re-invented the tire, because Thomson's discovery was forgotten. The physical properties of rubber were finally studied, Bouchardt discovered how to polymerize isoprene between 1879 and 1882, obtaining products with properties similar to rubber. The first is a bicycle tire in 1830, and in 1895, Michelin was bold idea to adapt the tire to the car. Since then, the rubber was an excellent position in the global market.

As Rubber is an important raw material, which has a major role in modern civilization, chemists soon became curious to learn more about its composition, in order to synthesize it. In the nineteenth century, the work has focused on this goal, soon discovered that the rubber is an isoprene polymer.

The Russians and Germans broke fresh ground efforts to synthesize rubber. But the resulting products can not compete with natural rubber. Until the First World War that Germany - put pressure on the environment - has been developed in industrialized countries a synthetic version of this product. This was the beginning of a massive development in the field of synthetic rubber in the world, the production of elastomers.

Journal - Menthol cigarettes and smoking cessation behaviour: a review of tobacco industry documents - | agriculture commodities - commodity prices - food sciences | Abstract: Objective: To determine what the tobacco industry knew about menthol's relation to smoking cessation behaviour. 

Methods: A snowball sampling design was used to systematically search the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library (LTDL) (http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu) between 15 May to 1 August 2010. Of the approximately 11 million documents available in the LTDL, the iterative searches returned tens of thousands of results. A final collection of 509 documents relevant to 1 or more of the research questions were qualitatively analysed, as follows: (1) perceived sensory and taste rewards of menthol and potential relation to quitting; and (2) motivation to quit among menthol users.

Results: Menthol's cooling and anaesthetic effects mask the short-term negative physiological effects of smoking such as throat pain, burning and cough. This provides superficial physical relief as well as psychological assurance against concerns about the health dangers of smoking that would otherwise motivate smokers to quit. Menthol smokers, particularly women, perceive the minty aroma of menthol cigarettes to be more socially acceptable than non-menthol cigarettes. 

Discussion: Consumers believe menthol's sensory effects equate to health protections and that menthol cigarettes are more socially acceptable than non-menthol cigarettes. Menthol in cigarettes may encourage experimenters who find non-mentholated cigarettes too harsh, including young or inexperienced users, to progress to regular smoking rather than quitting, and may lessen the motivation to quit among established menthol smokers. The perception of menthol cigarettes as more socially acceptable lessens the impact of smoking denormalisation on quitting motivation. Menthol makes cigarettes easier and more palatable to smoke and less desirable to quit among established smokers. Fewer smokers quitting contributes to the incidence of tobacco-related diseases. 

Author: Stacey J Anderson

Keywords: tobacco, cigarettes, Menthol, smoking, cessation, behavior, industry, anaesthetic, effects, sensory, smoker, health protection

Abstract - Kenya Agricultural Commodity Exchange (KACE): Linking smallscale farmers to markets Abstract: - KACE is the first and only national agricultural commodity exchange in Kenya, and it differentiates itself by dealing with a variety of commodities of which maize and beans are the most heavily traded. KACE acting as an intermediary further empowers rural farmers with market information and provides capacity enhancement, business training and technical assistance.

In contrast, the Nairobi Coffee Exchange and the Tea Auction each trade one commodity each. Prior to the formation of KACE, smallscale farmers lacked access to mainstream markets for agricultural produce, leaving them vulnerable to the forces of the market, as well as to exploitation by country buyers. Smallscale farmers were offered very low prices because individual farmers generally produce small amounts that translate into poor bargaining power. Small scale farmers were characterized by small farms, low education, low levels of technology, lack of access to quality markets and low levels of organization. In addition to this, for any one crop, the marketing chain consists of multiple middlemen, each taking a margin at every stage between producer and consumer and to have a competitive final price the small scale farmer bears the losses. The country buyers took an additional part of this margin, and were not above squeezing prices to the extent that the subsistence farmers at the bottom of this chain were often forced to sustain losses. In the long term this was clearly not sustainable, as evidenced by rising poverty levels.

The main activities of KACE include linking farmers and mainstream buyers by collecting information on the prices in different markets of various commodities on a daily basis from market vendors then availing them to the farmers in real time. Modern information communication technology (ICT) makes this possible through mobile phone handsets and personal computers. Trades are made through competitive bids and offers, once a buyer and a seller agree to trade, KACE acts as a clearing house and arranges the financial and logistical aspects of the sale thus giving the farmers options as well as bargaining power. KACE’s services include: a mobile phone short message service (SMS), interactive voice response (IVR) service, daily radio bulletins, a live radio auction service and online computer services.

Author: Winifred Karugu. Lead organization: MSME. Sector: Agriculture, ICT. Inclusion of the poor: Consumer. Theme(s): Environmental impact, Climate Change, Public‐Private Partnerships. Country: Kenya.

Bitter Orange for Fat Burner Pills - These slimming pills have become extremely popular in the United Kingdom and their effect is noticeable in as less as fifteen minutes. They have revolutionized the industry of weight loss and slimming products and the best part is that there is no need to alter either the current exercise regimen or the diet plan to accommodate these pills as a part of the weight loss plan. These fat burners do not just provide a quick burst of energy but energizes people through the day due to the carefully chosen and remarkable ingredients. People are known to feel energetic even after an intense workout.@ agriculture commodities

A few of the other key benefits of the product are speeding up the metabolic processes of the body that transforms it into a virtual fat burning machine. It also enhances the short term energy reserves and eliminates all the cravings for a midnight snack that affects an entire day’s diet plan where meals are carefully planned. Those sudden hunger pangs cause a lot of damage and prevent people from reaching their target weight. These pills contain bitter orange, caffeine anhydrose, extracts of green tea, Guarana, and N-Acetyl-L-Carnitine. They also boost alertness and concentration and enhance mental focus that further increases the efficacy of sticking with a good diet and exercise plan.@ agriculture commodities

indian agricultural commodities, alcohol product prices june 23 - Bottoms up, as wine prices hit rock-bottom: To lure tipplers in search of cheaper alternatives to expensive hard liquor, wineries are planning to bring down prices to Rs 100-150 per bottle. Good news for Mumbaikars who have been searching for that elusive substitute to drown their sorrows, ever since alcohol prices skyrocketed.

Noting the soaring liquor prices, wineries are cleverly planning to lure them in the direction of wines, by bringing down their prices. For the wine industry which has been struggling to deplete its 2.3 crore litres of surplus stock for nearly two years now, the recent taxation on hard liquor came as a much necessary, and well-timed stroke of serendipity.

MiD DAY had earlier reported that following the taxation imposed on liquor, Mumbai's hospitality industry had witnessed a significant 10 per cent decline in beer sales.

(May 19, 'Dip in beer sales this summer.') Liquor companies were compelled to increase their prices in April, following the steep hike in excise duty on liquor products imposed by the Maharashtra state government.

This new tax structure also imposed a 50 per cent duty hike on country liquor and Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) and an exorbitant 100 per cent duty hike on beer.

Wine, however, enjoys a 100 per cent excise duty exemption in Maharashtra.

Speaking to MiD DAY, Jagdish Holkar, president of the All India Wine Producers Association (AIWPA) said, "Since April, wine sales have shot up, by at least 30 per cent. This can be attributed to the hike in hard liquor prices."

He continued, "A thorough analysis of our clientele revealed that till date we have only been catering to the taste of the elite.

We realised that it would be more profitable for us in the long run if we could expand this wine-bibbing clique to include the middle classes.

Some wine companies came up with clever strategies and brought down wine prices. This has diverted the attention of the alcohol drinkers towards wine." Holkar revealed that the cost of wine is likely to come down by 35 per cent soon.

This means that a bottle of wine will soon be available for the throwaway price of Rs 100 to Rs 150.

A wine shop owner from Pune spoke about the changing trends in alcohol consumption, noticeable among the youth.

In his opinion, "It is the youth mostly who prefer the healthier wine to hard liquor, as an accompaniment to their fare at restaurants. Concern for health and price are the two major factors pulling crowds in the direction of wines," he said.

Holkar revealed that owing to low grape production due to climatic factors, wine production has gone down from 15 million litres to 7 million litres this year. "Looking at the current trends, we are anticipating that wine sale will remain high for next few years as well," he said.

Rajesh Jadhav, director of Rajdheer Wines, Nashik said, "The rise in wine sales cannot be attributed solely to the recent hike in liquor prices. The different factors will become clear only by the next financial year."

Jadhav admitted that wine sales had gone up, compared to last year.

A senior official from the excise department grudgingly agreed with Holkar's contention, saying, "This is considered off season for wine sales, yet sales are constant. So it can be said that sales have gone up."

Corn, Maize: the conventions of naming - The term "maize" comes from the Spanish form of Maiz, a Taino word for the original plant. This was the term used in the UK and Ireland, where he is now usually called "sweet corn", the most common type of plant known to the people there. Sweet corn is harvested earlier and eaten as a vegetable instead of a grain.

Outside the British Isles, another common term for corn is 'maize'. It was originally the term for other cereals. In North America, its meaning has been restricted since the 19th century for corn, and was reduced to "corn". Corn term now refers specifically to the colorful "corn" (corn Flint) cultivars.

When using scientific and formal, the "corn" usually used in a global context. Similarly, most of the commercial, the "corn" used frequently. In Britain, Australia and other English speaking countries, the word "corn" is often used in culinary contexts, particularly in naming products such as popcorn and corn flakes. Although it should be noted that in the United States, the term "corn" is almost unknown. "Corn" is used in agricultural and scientific references.

Corn, one of the world's most important food crop - Maize or Corn (Zea mays L. ssp. from Spanish:  Maiz after Taino: mahiz), known in many English speaking countries, such as mealie / mielie or corn, is a cereal domesticated by the indigenous peoples in Central America in the prehistoric times. By main classification it's included to vegetable, but is technically a fruit.

The Olmec and the Maya, cultivated corn  in many varieties in the area of central and southern Mexico, to grind and cook them - corn - in a process called nixtamalization. Between 1700 and 1250 BC, the culture spread through much of America. Any large or dense populations in the region has developed a network based on the large trade and surplus of corn. In case of contact with Europeans in the Americas in the late 15th - early 16 th centuries, explorers and traders of maize was introduced in Europe and other countries through trade. Maize spread to the rest of the world due to its popularity and its ability to grow in different climates.

Corn is the most widespread crop in the Americas with 332 million metric tons grown annually in the United States (although 40% of the harvest - 130 million tons -. It is used for corn ethanol). Transgenic corn (GM = genetally modified) represented 85% of corn planted in the United States in 2009. While some corn varieties grow to 12 meters (39 feet) high, most commercially grown corn was raised in a standard height of 2.5 meters (8.2 feet). Sweet corn is usually shorter than field corn varieties.

Cotton Prices Outlook, June 18 - Cotton prices are holding near the bottom of a 5-month trading range, well below March's record high of $2.27 a pound, the highest price since cotton began recorded-trading 140 yrs ago. 

Bearish factors include (1) slack Chinese demand after May China cotton imports fell for a fourth month, -27% y/y to 145,000 MT, and (2) US cotton exporters in the week ended Jun 10 reporting more canceled orders than purchases for the eleventh straight week.

Bullish factors include (1) USDA's Jun 9 cut in its 2010/11 US cotton production estimate to 17 mln bales and the cut in its 2011-12 global cotton production estimate to 123.77 mln bales, (2) USDA's weekly crop conditions that show the US cotton crop as of Jun 12 in 28% good-to-excellent condition vs. last year's 62%, and (3) strong Chinese demand that reduced global supplies after 2010 China cotton imports surged 86% y/y to 2.84 MMT.

Weekly US cotton exports (week ended Jun 9) were 219.0 thousand running bales; cumulative 2010/11 (Aug-July) exports up +38% y/y.

Fundamental Outlook- Bull market correction -Cotton prices are consolidating well below their record high after the USDA lowered its US export estimates and from recent weakness in Chinese demand. The longer-term trend remains bullish on global supply concerns and a global stocks/use ratio of 36.3%, the tightest since 1993-1994. @ commodity prices

Cocoa commodities: Cocoa prices news june 17 2011 - Ivorian cocoa prices rise on strong demand: ABIDJAN, June 17 (Reuters) - Cocoa farmgate prices in Ivory Coast's cocoa growing regions rose last week, Coffee and Cocoa Bourse (BCC) figures showed on Friday, amid strong demand from grinders and exporters.

Prices for the West African state's main export have been rising slowly but steadily since April and the end of a violent four-month power struggle that killed thousands and brought the economy to its knees.

In the coastal region of San Pedro, BCC figures showed the average farmgate price jumped to 700 CFA francs ($1.51) per kg from 660 CFA francs the previous week.

Farmers said strong competition in the region led mainly by grinders was supporting prices.

"Prices are rising because of the grinders. They are buying lots of cocoa compared to this time last year," said Labbe Zoungrana, who farms near San Pedro.

In the southern region of Aboisso the average price was at 640 CFA francs per kg from 625 CFA francs, according to the BCC figures, though farmers contacted by Reuters said they were receiving around 600 CFA francs per kg.

"Prices are up, but they're not over 600 CFA," said Etiene Yao, who farms near Aboisso.

The BCC did not publish prices for the centre-western region of Daloa, but farmers said they rose to 600 CFA francs per kg from 550 to 575 CFA francs the previous week, as exporters were seen buying.

"Merchants, purchasers and exporters are still buying up cocoa," said farmer Attoungbre Kouame.

The BCC also did not publish prices for the western region of Soubre, but farmers said the price remained steady at around 650 CFA francs per kg as beans were of good quality.

A purchases manager of an international cocoa exporter said prices at the port of Abidjan ranged from 725 CFA francs to 880 CFA francs per kg from between 775 and 875 CFA francs the previous week.