About six months back, I had posted a tweet about
'bhut jolokia', the hottest chilli in the world, to which some Americans have taken fancy.
Then I had mentioned that it would not be long before the CIA realised that “administering” it the wrong way would get even the most hardened criminals to 'sing'!
Well, for once,
Indian defence scientists have beaten the Americans, a bit differently though. They have developed a grenade filled with bhut jolokia. Its smell is so pungent that it will numb and immobilise terrorists and enemy troops. Work is also on to use it in teargas shells and as a powder that can be used by women to protect themselves.
Hope Haldirams and others take note that there might be significant cost savings if they use it as a food ingredient!
Want to do your bit save the planet from global warming? Turn vegetarian. The Global Warming Potential (GWP) of non-vegetarian dishes is many times more than that of vegetarian ones.
According to a
study carried out by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute to examine the carbon footprints of 24 food items, it takes 900 litres to produce one kg of wheat and 15,000 litres for the same quantity of mutton, in addition to 10-12 kg of crop products as cattle feed.
One aspect that the study has apparently not considered is that cooking meat takes much longer too. If the GWP impact of the additional fuel required for the purpose is taken into account too then the picture will only get worse.
So, drive you Nano, but say no-no to non-veg.
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Picture: Hindustan Times
As we look back on 2009 one thing becomes obvious. Living nay surviving has become an expensive affair. Call it failed monsoons or "supply side economics", those in the food trade has never had it so good. Both ends of the chain, i.e., the farmer and the consumer have got the rough end of the stick.
Food prices have spiralled out of control and the officialdom pegs it at 20%. The consumer sees prices have increased by close to 100%. Government is at pains to assure us that the shortfall in foodgrain output is not serious and we have adequate buffer stocks. Yet, prices seem to go and stay up. Is there more to it than meets the eye.
The supply chain has many layers of intermediaries and there is massive profiteering. News about crop failure gets prominence and there is large scale and organised hoarding. Those at mandis openly talk of a corporate house has picked up hundreds of truckloads of pulses at levels of Rs. 23 - 30. These are now available at close to Rs. 100/-.
Is this happening with Government blessings and some are partners in the loot?
Posted by
Vinod_Sharma
Labels:
food
Scientists at the Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) in Orissa may have found an answer that could prove to be a life saver for millions in India, besides being useful for troops located in remote areas.
They have developed a variety of rice that
cooks simply on being soaked in water, inspired by a similar low-yielding rice,
komal saul, that is grown only in Assam. Experts at CRRI have managed to develop a hybrid of a strain of this rice with a high-yielding variety of regular rice, and have named it Aghunibora.
Successful field trials suggest that this miracle rice could be grown in different climates across India. This is exciting news in a country that has a third of the world's malnutritioned children. The really poor will be able to have a meal without having to light a fire.
About six months back, I had posted a tweet about 'bhut jolokia', the hottest chilli in the world, to which some Americans have taken fancy.
