Tag: US

Employment Background Screening

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About fifty years back, hiring a person was a simple process. All you had to do after receiving the application was a quick cross reference with previous employers and hire the person. In many cases, even that was not done; people were hired simply because a neighbor or a friend had something good to say about them. Hiring was a matter of gut instinct.

Not any longer. Today, this casual attitude towards hiring your employees could cost you billions of dollars in lost lawsuits.

A security agency had to pay $3 million after their guard had stolen from a client. Subsequent checks revealed that the employee had a colorful criminal record. ?A sales firm had to pay $175,000 in negligent hiring lawsuits when its sales representative was caught forging signatures.

Many companies have lost millions of dollars in negligent hiring lawsuits because they did not uncover vital information through employment background screening.

The Society for Human Resource Management says that 95% of HR professionals in charge of hiring employees conduct employment background screening before they hire. This is a whopping 35% increase from the 60% who used to screen employees in the 1990s. There seems to be a reason for this sudden jump: more than 40% of job applications submitted in the US contain false or fabricated data. More than 9% of the employees who have agreed to get their backgrounds checked are hiding criminal histories. Thus, it is obvious that hiring is contingent on successful employment background screening.

A thorough employment background screening exposes information that was intentionally withheld or mistakenly omitted. Often, employees embellish the truth, particularly when it comes to educational qualification, expertise or experience. Such hidden information may have serious repercussions if it is discovered in a tricky situation. Needless to say, access to such data will stop you from hiring antisocial elements.

Employment background screening consists of a number of checks: background checks, drug tests and psychometric testing. This helps employers ascertain claims regarding qualification, education, previous employment and criminal history. It also helps them uncover any blemished in the person’s character.

Background searching services are offered by a large number of online services and private investigators. When choosing the right company, select a company that has access to a wide network of information. Most screening companies retrieve data from a common pool of data stored with government agencies. They then dig further for criminal history, credit data, sexual offense registration information and other sensitive material. All the data collected on the potential employee is then compiled into a single background check report. The company you employ must be able to give you quick results, because you obviously don’t want to lose a good employee to your competition.

Whether you conduct an in-house background screening or employ the services of a background screening company, it is necessary to go through the claims of your potential employee with a fine-toothed comb. Companies that fail to perform their due diligence before hiring may have to close shop if the worst happens.

Effective Weather Protection Solutions In Construction

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Weather protection solutions are becoming increasing necessary in today’s business needs. These structures are necessary for protecting people and equipments from different climatic conditions. These portable buildings have variety of applications in the construction industry. These shelters provide temporary storage area, work as a site for equipment servicing and repair work, and for storing construction materials dry. Different sizes provide different utilities which makes them ideal for construction sites.

These temporary shelters can be used for a cement cover base, equipment repaid facility and work area for laborers. This allows bringing outdoor work inside. The demand of these temporary shelters is increasing every day and its popularity can be estimated from the fact that even US military uses it for many applications like equipment and vehicle maintenance centers. Some of these temporary fabric shelters are as simple as a rolling canopy spread over a boat or a truck. These shelters are an energy efficient solution for temporary storage at construction sites and the best part is that these structures are absolutely green conscious

These are effective weather protection solutions for construction sites because it fulfils the one of the most important needs of construction business – These shelters are able to keep Construction, concrete and aggregate products dry on the jobsite. Another advantage is that these shelters are made up of translucent materials which provide sufficient natural light to work inside – thus saving energy. These eco friendly shelters provide weather protection for rebar forming and fabrication.

Construction shelter manufacturers excel at providing coverage for on-site construction supplies, which eliminates the risk of water damage. These shelters are low cost, take few days to build and they can be moved within a project and from one site to another to maximize their use. A custom designed fabric shelter can be designed for the majority of construction business needs.

What is power plant rental

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A power plant, or power station, is an important facility in the generation of electricity. Virtually all power stations consist of a generator, in which a rotating turbine converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. Most power plants are fuelled by fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas, while others depend on nuclear power.

In recent years, power plant rental has become popular around the world, in both developed economies like the UK and the US and more unstable regions like Pakistan. But what exactly is power plant rental and what benefits does it bring?

Why do energy companies hire power plants?

Essentially, rental power plants are set up to temporarily increase power capacity for instance, after an emergency or during short-term peaks in demand. For instance, a particular area of a country may have a high concentration of power plants. If that region experiences an earthquake, a flood or another natural disaster, these plants may be unable to generate power. In order to pick up the shortfall, the government or energy companies can hire power plants to meet national energy demands until the region re-builds and its permanent power plants function once again.

Rental power plants are also used to implement season peak shaving. Peak shaving happens when some power plants are used only during hours of busy activity for instance, after work hours on weekdays or during a World Cup final – so the national grid doesnt buckle under the strain of peak demand. Additionally, power plant hire offers a handy, flexible option when the national grid is undergoing routine maintenance, and can help prevent outages in countries that are dependent on hydro-power but are suffering from drought.

Benefits of hiring a power plant

One of the main benefits of hiring a power plant rather than building a new, permanent station is that they can be quickly available when necessary. For instance, natural disasters often have unforeseeable consequences. If a countrys power capacity is suddenly lowered because of a natural disaster, rental power plants can quickly step in to make up the shortfall. Their short-term nature means that hired power plants can be quickly disengaged when they are no longer needed too, which may be more cost-effective for governments and energy firms in the long run as they involve less capital expenditure.

Another advantage of power plant hire is its flexibility. If a rented power plant is found to have insufficient capacity, for instance, it can be quickly expanded. Similarly, if its found to be too big, energy companies can ask to decrease capacity, and thereby save money while still meeting the demand for electricity.

Six Trends That Will Shape Brazil’s Consumer And Retail Market

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Consumer and retail businesses in Brazil can anticipate a promising future. Employment rates and consumer groups are growing, while political risk, economic uncertainty and inflation continue to stabilize. Overall, the retail market grew by 15.7% in 2009; slightly over the 14% forecast growth. The segments presenting the highest growth were automobiles, at a record 32%, furniture and domestic appliances (25%), clothing and shoes (16%), tobacco and beverages (15.5%) and pharmaceutical and cosmetic items (15%).

Boosted by an increase in the level of salaries and a reduction in unemployment, the retail segment in Brazil avoided the effects of a stronger negative GDP brought about by the reduction in exports and foreign direct investment in the country. The emergence of the C SES level, those who receive a maximum of US$2,700 per month, was and still is one of the main pillars of such growth. This group now receives 46% of all salaries paid, against only 37% in 2003.

The rise of Brazil retail market

Over the years, many Brazilian companies have become more competitive and innovative in most segments. Procurement and purchasing have become very sophisticated, along with the rise of cost and pricing specialists. Innovative sales promotions and services are backed by customer surveys and trend analysis and help enhance the typical Brazilian shopping experience.

Examples include in-store wine cellars and extended services, from in-store beauty and gastronomy consultants to food and photo printing kiosks, or extended warranties to mobile recharges and flash promotions at cash registers.

Brazil is also probably the most advanced and demanding country in Latin America, in terms of innovative and creative advertising campaigns, and has been leading in this area for at least two decades. Brazilian agencies are constantly winning international awards for their creative advertisements for consumer brands.

Besides creating great advertisements, some social media groups are now being monitored by larger retailers, who are also “twitting” their promotions to an increasingly larger group of connected consumers. Price differentiators are no longer the sole tool to attract and retain a client that demands good service, variety, and good pricing “” all this to be reported in some sort of forum or online group afterwards.

The intense degree of competitiveness is also expressed in advertising campaigns where some companies appear to be edging ever closer to the limits allowed by legislation.

When traditional tools seem to be exhausting their power, innovation will determine success or failure. To excel in the future, consumer and retail companies in Brazil should dedicate time to understanding their constantly changing groups of customers in a constantly changing environment.

Six trends that will shape the market

How companies fare in the future will be determined by how well they capitalize on six important market trends that will shape the consumer and retail industry. Here are some predictions about where the market will be heading.

1. Continued consolidation ”
Many local consumer and retail companies have been turning to mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in order to capture economies of scale, fight off domestic and foreign competition as well as secure leadership positions within their segments. Several have become multibillion-dollar market heavyweights in the last 12 months alone.

With companies like Unilever reporting Brazil as their second largest market; making up 21% of global sales and contributing US$6 billion per year to the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company; international consumer and retail players are increasingly finding Brazil attractive.

Indeed, Brazil will remain one of the top M&A destinations within the global consumer and retail landscape for several important reasons:

Latin American hub ”
Due to its geographic position, level of industrialization and developed services industry, Brazil is considered a hub to Latin America. Argentina is the second most important destination of Brazilian exports after the US, while Chile, Colombia and Mexico are located just around the corner, so to speak.

Base for manufacturing
“FMCG products such as personal hygiene goods, consumer electronics such as mobile handsets and domestic appliances, as well as processed foods such as potato chips to frozen vegetables, are manufactured in Brazil and shipped to neighboring countries.

Robust economic growth
“Sound economic development as well as two long-awaited events; the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro; are certain to boost the infrastructure, telecommunications, retail and services sectors, among others. GIA estimates that an estimated 2 to 3 million new jobs will be created in Brazil over the next six years.

Large domestic market
“One important consequence of the recent growth in Brazilian economy has been the emergence of the “C SES level”, represented by over 40% of the population that is steadily migrating from poverty levels into consumer levels. In addition to this, the sheer size of Brazil”s entire 190 million population cannot be ignored.

Prediction: Brazil will reduce its dependence on foreign investment, as local companies continue to grow, consolidate and benefit directly benefit from a stronger internal market.
”
2. Impact of social media trends
“E-commerce in Brazil has been growing at over 30% per year since 2000, reaching close to US$ 5 billion in 2009 “” even if broadband, at just slightly less than six percent, is not yet a reality for most people. Brazil also has one of the most well developed online banking systems in the world.

In addition, the country occupies leading positions in terms of number of Internet users (63 million or 35% of the population) and there is ample space for further growth. The time they spend surfing the Web and on social media websites such as Orkut, MSN, and the recently discovered Facebook is phenomenal. At 48h 26min per month, Brazilians spend more time web surfing than their peers in the US (42h 19min) and the UK (36h 30min), based on July 2009 estimates.

Such high Internet usage and participation in social media impacts the way companies sell to and communicate with the market, as consumers compare products, share experiences with peers and, more importantly, participate in the creation of products and even management of companies. Innovative companies are keeping blogs and Twitter accounts to listen to their customers voice their opinions on store layouts, product development and even competing products.

Prediction: The development of certain retail segments such as hypermarkets and even the automobile industry may see radical changes, as consumption migrates from the physical to the online environment.
”
3. The potential of the “unbanked”
“The banking industry saw an important chapter in 2009, when second tier Ita acquired Brazil”s third largest bank, Unibanco, to become the country”s largest bank. It usurped the position of market leader, Bradesco, a position it had held for close to 50 years.

Both groups now plan on targeting the 49% of the population who are “unbanked”, either through new branches to be opened in remote areas of the country, or through partnerships with popular retail chains, who typically sell on credit and are thus already playing the role of a bank. (The “unbanked” are those who do not have any bank accounts, and thus have no access to other financial services such as loans and insurances.)

Prediction: Consumer and retail segments in Brazil will benefit when banks increase their reach through retail stores. This is a trend already in place.
”
4. Greater credit card penetration
“Brazilians have been more inclined to pay with cash, which is typically drawn from automated teller machines (ATMs) only once or twice a month. Credit in Brazil accounts for nearly 40% of gross domestic product, far behind the 70% average of other emerging countries. Over 50% of the population does not have a credit card.

Banks and retail chains are addressing this gap. Bradesco, in partnership with Banco do Brasil, will be launching a credit card in August 2010 that targets lower SES level consumers. Most retail stores offer their private label cards, especially to those people who have little or no access to bank credit.

Prediction: Consumption trends, especially those relying on online transactions, will change, as more and more people become accustomed to using credit.
”
5. Emphasis on being eco-friendly
“Recent panels presented in the World Economic Forum in Davos showed that Brazilian consumers are more demanding than their European counterparts in their concerns about the environment and how products are manufactured or disposed of.

Companies that fail to respect at least the basic environmental rules in the region are at risk of being rejected by a good percentage of local customers. The trend can already be observed in some supermarkets which have started selling eco-friendly products, diminishing the use of plastic bags and providing recycling collection centers.

Prediction: Consumer and retail companies will begin to change their product formulas and possibly even eliminate some product packaging. Examples include the cardboard boxes that come with toothpaste tubes or any excess plastic packaging from a variety of products.
”
6. An aging population
“Store sizes in Brazil have been shrinking, partly due to the aging population, as older shoppers prefer not to carry heavy shopping bags home. Catering to an aging population is not a fad. Life expectancy in Brazil increased from 69.5 years in 1998 to 72.7 years in 2008.

Prediction: Companies will need to develop tools and methodologies to understand this groups needs in order to tap this market successfully. This demographic change also calls for tailored and profitable products and services, such as the tourism industry, industrialized food companies and gym centers.”

With the ground paved for rapid growth in the retail segment in Brazil, consumer and retail companies need to beware of sudden changes that can occur in emerging markets. The entrance of a new player, a merger or an acquisition for example, can change the competitive scenario quite drastically. Demographic and cultural changes can also have far reaching implications.

As competition becomes ever more intense, companies will need to become more concerned with segmenting, positioning and promoting their products and services accurately. All this can only be achieved by close listening to and monitoring the markets they are in.

Agriculture Industry In India

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Agriculture in India has a long history. Since more than 10,000 years majority of Indians are dependent on the industry. As agriculture is counted the main business of most of the people, it plays a significant role in the overall socio economic development of the country. According to the Annual Report 2009-2010 of the Ministry of Agriculture the total geographical area of India is 328.7 million hectares of which 140.3 million hectares is net sown area, while 193.7 million hectares is the gross cropped area.

Among world nations, India is the largest producer of fresh fruits. It mainly produces Sesame seeds, fennel, badian, jute, cashew nuts, pulses, ginger turmeric, mangoes, chillies and peppers. India holds the second largest population of cattle. It has around 281million cattle.

It holds the second position in producing cashew, cabbage, cotton seed, fresh vegetables, garlic, cardamom, onions, wheat, rice sugarcane, tomatoes, coconut, ground nut, tea, green peas, cauliflower, potato and inland fish.

India is a country which produces tobacco, rapeseed, coconut and tomatoes in large amount. So, it is called the third largest producer of these produce. The Indian Agriculture Research Institute (INRI) was established in 1905. INRI was responsible for the research leading the Indian Green Revolution of the 1970s. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is the apex body in agriculture and related fields. They have to look after all researches and education of the related field. The union minister of Agriculture is the president of ICAR. The Indian Agriculture Statistics Research Institute looks after and develops new techniques, and they design the experiments, analyses data in agriculture and they develop the strategies to get maximum from animal and plant breed. However, Government of India has set up Farmers Commission to completely evaluate the agriculture program but still farmers are facing some problems.

According to World Bank : Indian Branch the allocation of water is insufficient and unsustainable. The irrigation infrastructure is deteriorating. At some places the overuse of water is currently being covered by pumping facility but as these are falling by foot of underground water each year, this is a limited resource. Secondary, farmers in India are mostly illiterate, socially economically backward or incapable of developing new ideas. They are inadequate or inefficient to implement fast and progressive actions. Farmers are facing the problems of finance and lack of marketing services for farm produce. Still as agriculture being the Indian business, future of agriculture in India is bright.

Government is taking active interest in agriculture and it is giving the highest priority to it. The Tenth Plan allocation was comparatively lower than 11th Plan. The 11th Plan is considerably higher over the 10th plan. An amount of US$19 billion has been allocated for the Ministry of Agriculture during the Eleventh Five Year Plan. Agriculture is one of the strongholds of the Indian economy and accounts for 14.6 percent of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009-2010, and provisional percent of the total export is 10.23 percent. Moreover, the agriculture sector, provides employment of 52 to 55 percent of the work force.

As per the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) farm output will grow by 10 percent to 114 million ton (MT) in the Kharif season, while in winter season( Rabbi season) is expected to increase 2 percent that will be around 116.6 MT. According to Agricultural and processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) Indias exports of fruits, vegetables, cereals and processed food products was worth US$ 1.14billion during April May 2010-11. Middle East, Asia, Africa, and South America are developing countries in which 70 percent of the Indias agriculture and processed food is being exported.

This data makes it absolutely clear that Indian Economy is largely governed by the Industry, which is still largely dependent on the uncertainties of rainfall and other natural forces. We have a social responsibility to support the agricultural industry in every possible manner.

URL: http://www.made-from-india.com/article/Agriculture-Industry-In-India-821.html

Put Your Water Heating Bill On An Energy Diet

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Heating water for domestic purposes – showers, laundry, dishes, and the rest – accounts for 12% to 26% of a home’s energy use. That’s between $240 and $520 for an average US household. But you can put your hot water system on an energy diet without sacrificing comfort. The 6 strategies below range widely in cost and complexity but all will reduce your energy bills and your carbon footprint.

#1 – Insulate Your Water Tank

If your water storage tank was made before 2004 there is a very strong possibility you are throwing money down the drain in standby heat losses.

Insulating an older water tank can reduce standby heat loss by up to 45 percent!

#2 – Insulate Your Homes Hot Water Pipes

It is a fact that every inch of bare hot water pipe running through your home is costing you money. As hot water is transported through through bare pipes there is significant heat loss which translates into wasted energy and dollars.

#3 – Find and Repair Leaks and Drips

Leaky faucets can be a pain and in a lot of cases just ignored. However, if your leaky faucet happens to be on the hot water side you could be throwing dollars down the drain every day.

Good news is most leaks are easily handled by homeowners and translate into immediate savings.

#4 – Add a Thermal Expansion Tank

When the water inside your water tank is heated it actually expands. When there is no expansion tank the water can leak out of the tanks pressure valve or cause a leak in your piping or worse case actually ruin the tank.

The easy solution is to install a Thermal Expansion Tank.They are fairly easy to install and will literally protect your entire hot water system.

#5 – Add a Gravity-Fed Recirculation System

A typical household can waste up to 11,000 gallons of water each and every year waiting for hot water to make the trip from the water tank to the shower or sink.

Recirculation systems use a pump and are capable of deliver instant hot water to everyone, eliminating the wait.

#6 – Throw Your Old Tank Away and Try Newer Technology

Install a newer more efficient tank. Current models are a lot safer and come with better insulation which makes them cheaper to run.

Try a Tankless System – on demand water systems eliminate the need for a storage tank and deliver heated water as it is needed throughout the house.

Plug into the sun. Of course there is an upfront charge but from that point forward your heated water is basically free. Solar water heating systems routinely deliver savings from 70 to 80 percent.

Foreign currency exchange rates Influences and retail options

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Buying foreign currency is an act of purchasing certain currency which is not the form of money that is generally being used and circulated in your own country. For example, if you are in the US, the generally accepted and used form of currency is the US dollar. If you reside in Germany, the local form of money that is generally circulated and used in almost all business transactions in the country is Euro. Therefore, if you want to have Euro, and that you are in the United States, what you should do is to but foreign currency. The price in buying foreign currency is determined by the ever-changing currency exchange rates. Foreign currency exchange rate is deemed ever-changing since it varies for from hour to hour and from time to time. Literally, the exchange rates are largely influenced by the issue on supply and demand of the currency subject to the exchange. The currencys supply and demand is also influenced by different issues that include market psychology, political conditions, and economic factors. Hence, in buying foreign currency, it is better to consider these factors. The market psychology as well as traders perceptions on a particular market can possibly affect and change the foreign currencys price. Political conditions, as another factor, can be international, regional, or internal. This condition profoundly impacts on the value of the money in purchasing foreign currency. As an example, if one nation currently experiences political leadership, investors may raise their doubts and lose confidence which may consequently lower the currency value of the nation. The economic factors that affect foreign currency exchange include the regulations which the government agencies disseminate; the economic conditions revealed by government and non-governmental institutions, as well as other indicators in the economy. Where to purchase foreign currency

There are many competing stores in the United States that offer good deals in buying foreign currency. Their competition generally evolves in making the best offer of currency exchange in their area. As the buyer, it is important for you to take note of the exchange rates these competing stores offer and select the one that make you the best exchange deal.

Another option where you can make your foreign currency buying is the airports. However, airports rarely offer better exchange rates than others do; so, it is suggested that you make your purchase of the foreign currency before you had to the airport. Around the world, almost every airport says that buying foreign currency is easy once you land at you r destination. But once again, buying foreign currency is typically not so good in airports since they offer a bit higher exchange rates. Not all airports have offer currency exchange. You also do not intend to land in a place where currency exchange desk is not available, anyway.

If you started your foreign travel or vacation already, and then you need to buy foreign currency, you may as well purchase foreign currency from many large hotels aside from the many currency exchange retail stores. Like the airports, hotels do not usually offer fantastic rates. But if buying foreign currency is needed, hotel is another option for you.

Barbados Sapphire Beach Holiday Rental Experience

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A new addition to the wealth of accommodation choices for holiday rentals in Barbados. Sapphire Beach Condominiums or Condos in Barbados for short was opened in December 2009 and select luxury self-catering apartments have been rented since then.

The property is a well laid-out 54-apartment complex with excellent Facilities spread over three separate ocean facing buildings and was designed by renowned architect Ian Morrison. It benefits from over 370 feet of beachfront which extends and expands onto the popular Dover Beach with its white sand and crystal clear turquoise waters. ALL apartments are beachfront and have direct ocean and beach views.

The location of the property very near St Lawrence Gap or The Gap on the south coast provides a level of convenience few other properties offer as many shopping, dining, entertainment and activity options are within easy walking distance. As a result, guests at Sapphire Beach in Barbados do not require a vehicle to access much of what visitors require such as banking and dining to grocery facilities and more.

The international airport in Barbados, Grantley Adams International Airport (airport code BGI), is a short 15 minute drive to the east and the island’s main city and shopping centre, Bridgetown is a similar short drive to the west.

Among the facilities available at Sapphire Beach in Barbados are two large beachfront pools, private off-road parking and a fully equipped gym. Common amenities to all apartments include air-conditioning, fully equipped Italian kitchens, telephone, cable TV and wireless internet.

Sapphire Beach extends onto Dover Beach which is one of the longer and wider white sand beaches found on the island and has mostly calm waters and is safe for swimming year-round. For the safety of locals and visitors alike there is a daily lifeguard presence as can be identified by the yellow lifeguard hut found there and on many of the other popular swimming beaches. Because of its beauty and popularity, Dover Beach hosts a wide range of both water sport and other beach rental service providers such as SunFish and catamaran sailing, boogey board, snorkel, beach lounges and umbrella rentals to name a few.
The property is located a short 15-minute drive from the airport in the south east and also from the main city Bridgetown in the south west. Barbados is a mostly flat coral island of only 21 by 14 miles (166 square miles) so getting anywhere is a short drive by comparison to most other travel destinations. As a mature holiday destination, the islands infrastructure such as road and road signage are also well developed.

Barbados is well-known for being safe and for the friendliness of its people so getting around and seeing the sights is recommended and locals will be happy to offer directions should you lose your way. Aside from renting a car, visitors can utilize the available public transportation of Government operated Mercedes coaches or the smaller privately owned busses and vans which can take you anywhere for no more than US$1.00 per trip. Bus stops are located along almost every road and in the case of Sapphire Beach are no more than five minutes’ walk away.

Through its history Barbados has been a British colony from 1628 to 1966 when it gained its independence as a independent island. As such the language spoken is English with a Caribbean flare or dialect referred to as Bajan. Islanders are referred to as Barbadians or Bajans. It functions as a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, modeled on the British Westminster system, with Elizabeth II, Queen of England, as head of state. The island has had a history of stability both in its governance and its economic management and low crime making it an ideal location for investment. Unlike many of the other Caribbean islands, it has its own currency which is the Barbados dollar and is pegged to the US dollar with an exchange rate of 2 to 1 i.e. BDS$ 2 = 1 $US.

Indian Agriculture Sector At The Cusp Of A Revolution

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In the recent years, India has put up an impressive growth performance at the agricultural front, almost 30% as per the latest report. Thanks, to the public and private sector investments flowing in at a continuous pace.

Agriculture is Indian economys mainstay and it comprises 18.5 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

In the last two years agriculture and its allied sectors have registered a noteworthy growth rate of 4% as opposed to the average annual growth rate of 2.5% during the 10th Five-Year plan.

The current thrust on the Agricultural Sector has been mainly possible due to sizeable number of initiatives adopted in the recent years. Say, for instance, public sector investment in the farm sector has grown from 1.8% in 2000-01 to 3.5% in 2006-07, private sector investment has increased from 8.9% in 2003-04 to 9.9% in 2006-07.

According to a report, agri-biotech sector in India has been growing at a mind-blowing rate of 30% since the last five years, and it is likely to maintain this growth rate in the future. The report further adds that agriculture biotech in India has immense growth opportunities and the country could become a forerunner in the production of transgenic rice and several other genetically engineered vegetables by 2010.

The food processing sector, which is considered to the prime driver of the Indian Economy, is currently growing at 13.5% as opposed to 6.5% in 2003-04.

Production

Riding on the back of agro-climatic conditions and rich natural resource base, India, today has become the worlds largest producer of numerous commodities,

The country is the leading producer of coconuts, mangoes, milk, bananas, dairy products, ginger, turmeric, cashew nuts, pulses and black pepper. Further, it is also the second largest producer of rice, wheat, sugar, cotton, fruits and vegetables.

According to the report of Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), crop production is estimated to increase by 1.7 per cent during FY 10. Foodgrain production is projected to rise by 1.1 per cent. Of which, wheat production may remain at the same level of 80-million tonnes as estimated for FY 09. Rice production may swell by 1.1 per cent to 98.8-million tonnes. Manufacturing of coarse cereals and pulses is also expected to rise in FY 10.

Also, India is the second-largest producer of cotton. The yield may rise 10% to about 32 million sales in 2009-10. Cotton output in 2008-09 is being pegged at 29 million bales, as per the projections by state-owned Cotton Advisory Board.

Indias coffee yield is estimated to touch at 3.1 lakh tonne in 2009-2010, 4.4% higher compared to 2008-09, according to the Coffee Board.

Exports

According to APEDA- government’s agri-trade promotion body- India’s Agricultural and processed food products clocked a 38 per cent increase in the 200708 fiscal, on the back of increased shipments of coarse cereals like maize, jowar and barley. According to official report, India exported 17.5 million tonnes worth of agricultural and processed foods valued at US$ 6.39 billion in FY 200708 as opposed to 10.9 million tonnes in the previous year.

APEDA believes that exports will grow further due to growing demand from Asian and African markets that are vigorously obtaining rather cheaper Products from emerging markets like India.

Today, 70 per cent of the countrys agricultural and processed foods exports are send to developing countries in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and South America.

Investments

* India may shell out US$ 14.05 million for the development of organic spices by 2012, specially turmeric, chilli, and ginger.

* Monsanto Company is planning to spend US$ 9.8 million to set up scholars program to support research and production of rice and wheat, through plant breeding techniques.

* DuPont has taken over Nandi seeds for US$ 8.3 million.

* To cultivate drought hit areas of the Telangana region, the Andhra Pradesh government has approved US$ 773.68 million for the Pranahita-Chevella Lift Irrigation Scheme to be made functional here.

* Tata Chemicals will be setting up a manufacturing plant for customised fertilisers at Babrala in Uttar Pradesh. The company is planning to invest US$ 10.02 million in this facility which is having a production capacity of 20 tonne per hour.

Government Initiatives

Few of the initiatives taken by the government to speed up growth include:

* The government has given approval for 60 Agricultural Export Zones (AEZs).

* The National Food Security Mission aspires to enhance the production of rice, wheat and pulses by 10 million tonnes, 8 million tonnes and 2 million tonnes, respectively by the end of the 11th Plan.

* The Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana was introduced in 2007. Under this scheme the States will be offered US$ 5.01 billion over the 11th Plan period for investment in various projects.

* Agro and allied sectors have been allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) via the automatic route.

Road ahead

With the governments special focus on this sector, the agriculture segment is all set to play a more proactive role in the economy.

In the 200910 budgets, the government has initiated various steps to support the growth of this sector in order to achieve self-sufficiency in food grains.

Agriculture credit may probably touch US$ 67.14 billion for the year 2009-10. In 2008-09 agriculture credit flow was at US$ 59.3 billion.

Protect The Agriculture State Idaho From The Bad Effects Of Pollution Through Dumpster Rental

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The contribution of agriculture towards GDP of the country is one percent but it still occupies place among the major sectors of the economy of the US. Idaho is the agriculture state and it is affected by the pollution generated from the industries. The waste that is transmitted from the industries is piped into streams and lakes and is contaminating water and affecting the agriculture sector in the state.

Idaho is an agriculture state and is a producer of nearly one third of potatoes grown in the US. The recent growth of industrialization is affecting the agriculture sector of the state. The agriculture land of the state is supplied water contaminated with the waste emitted from industries, the agricultural land is producing less than what it actually can.

The agriculture sector the main source of economy of the state can no longer yield the expected results if the same situation continues to exist. The waste generated by these industries is disturbing environmental balance of Idaho which is very important for proper growth of the crop. Immediate action should be taken to protect the environment from pollutants that are emitted from the industries and other projects that are carried in the state.

Government of Idaho has taken many steps in this regards. They focused at Ground Water Quality Protection, Surface Water Quality and BMP Evaluation, Idaho State Pesticide Management Plan, Smoke Management & Crop Residue Disposal. They run a special month namely Pollution Prevention month which encourages business organizations, communities, individuals, and schools to join in one of the activity that protects the environment of Idaho from the bad effects of pollution. some of these activates include Prevention, elimination, or minimizes the production of waste or pollutants at its source, Use non-toxic or less-toxic products, Conserves energy or water, Re-uses materials rather than throwing them away.

Number of industries participated in the activity and the state experienced significant reduction in the impact of pollution in that particular month. The importance of practicing these activities should be enlightened in the society. The residents of state should take initiative to participate in such activities but restricting these kinds of practices to a single month would yield no great results, it should be an ongoing process.

Environmental protection of the state is facing a great problem at this juncture. In spite of great benefits of these activities only few business organizations, individuals; industries come forward to share their responsibility in environmental protection. Most of them step back fearing that it is tough process. Not everybody in the state will be ready to sacrifice their comforts for the sake of protecting the environment.

Not a worry, a wonderful option is at your door step now; you can now put all these aspects into action without sacrificing any of your comforts. How? Dumpster rental Idaho is the one stop solution for all the problems. Minimization of waste production is always advisable. But it sometimes becomes inevitable, when you rent a dumpster in Idaho, the trash will be recycled in environmental friendly manner and the impact of trash generated will be less. Dumpster rental Idaho will recycle all the eligible trash and transfer the rest to the landfill so there is no chance for the dump to get disposed in the streams and lakes. Dumpster rental Idaho will help you to maintain the environmental balance and protect the water of state from being polluted there by helping in increase of agriculture production of the state.

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