Latest news with #Cooperative
The Hindu
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Farmers in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts demand withdrawal of CIBIL score requirement for crop loans
Farmers in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts submitted petitions to the government on Monday demanding withdrawal of the directive issued last month by the Department of Cooperation, Food and Consumer Protection to the Cooperative banks to sanction crop loans at seven percent interest rate solely on the basis of the scores of Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited. Insistence on CIBIL scores would deny most of the farmers, who have been facing difficulties in settling the previous loans in the Cooperative banks due to difficult circumstances, the opportunity to avail themselves of the utility of the fresh crop loans, Easan Murugasamy, founder of Tamil Nadu Farmers' Protection Association said. Even the extent of credit is low. Against expenditure of ₹76,000 incurred for raising paddy crop on one acre, the Cooperatives Department releases agriculture loan to the extent of only ₹36,000, M. Ganesan, another senior functionary of the association, lamented. The farmers urged the government to take note of the clarification issued by the RBI that it had not issued any specific instructions regarding requirement of CIBIL score for grant of agricultural loan. The Department of Financial Services, Government of India, had, during 2019, issued advisory to banks to waive the processing, documentation, inspection, ledger folio charges and all other service charges for KCC/crop loans upto ₹3 lakh. Further, the RBI vide its notification dated 06 December 2024 'Credit Flow to Agriculture – Collateral free agricultural loans' had raised the limit for collateral-free agricultural loans from ₹1.6 lakh to ₹2 lakh., the farmers pointed out Referring to the deliberations during the May 2025 session of Lok Sabha, farmers said the Central government had taken note of the plight of farmers and had directed the nationalised banks not to ask for CIBIL scores to sanction loans for agricultural and allied purposes.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Boil in the bag funerals could be given go-ahead
People could soon be able to choose to be boiled and flushed down the drain instead of cremated or buried. A consultation on funerary methods by the Law Commission is proposing legal approval of alkaline hydrolysis and human composting as new ways of disposing of people's bodies. Alkaline hydrolysis uses water, alkaline chemicals, heat and pressure to break down a body into liquid and pieces of bone, which can take between two and 18 hours. Bones and teeth survive the process and are ground into a powder to be returned to the family, while the rest of the body is broken down into liquid, which can be sent to the sewers. These funerals have been known as a water burial or resomation, but have colloquially been dubbed 'flushed away' and 'flush and bone' rituals. The Law Commission states the process is fundamentally different from burial and cremation and yet there is no clear regulatory approval of the process, effectively barring it from being used in Britain. People can choose a water burial in parts of Australia and Canada. A site in Navan, Ireland, is the first of its kind in Europe, which costs around €1,500 (£1,260). The Co-operative announced in 2023 it was hoping to bring water burials to British customers in what it called the 'biggest change to funerals in over 120 years'. But this endeavour failed as a result of regulatory hurdles that made it impossible under current laws. A spokesman from Co-op Funeralcare said: 'At Co-op Funeralcare, we are committed to serving the needs of our member-owners and clients and offering the most sustainable and affordable services. 'In 2023, we announced our ambition to pilot Resomation in the UK, and we subsequently worked closely with the Government to explore the regulatory requirements to introduce this service across the nation. However, we did not proceed with this as, at the time, we were unable to find a path through the current regulatory framework. 'We welcome The Law Commission's review and encourage exploration into alternative methods that provide consumers with greater choice and deliver environmental benefits.' 'Have a cup of granddad' There is currently 'no specific regulation of new funerary methods' in England and Wales. The consultation proposes that the law is changed to allow for new funeral methods to be approved and to define regulations. Criminal offences for improper use are also proposed. Alkaline hydrolysis was used as a funerary method for the bodies of five deceased people in 2019 as part of a specially authorised study into the process. Dr Lian Lundy, of Middlesex University, a wastewater specialist, conducted the analysis and says that it can take between four and 18 hours to complete, depending on various factors such as the concentration of chemicals and water temperature. Her analysis found that the water a body boils in is full of compounds that are safe to be put back into the wastewater supply. She said: 'We collected the wastewater and analysed it for the sort of parameters used for trade effluent and all the pollutants that we looked at fell well within the range of values they would accept. 'From a technical perspective, for the parameters we looked at, it wasn't an issue. 'It's a system that could be added to a church or added to any location. So it would potentially be a completely different model for disposing of the dead. She added: 'Yorkshire Water collected the samples using their methods and then they analysed them in their labs. I just got an Excel spreadsheet and analysed the data. 'From a water quality perspective, our study didn't indicate there were any issues with discharging to sewer. The biggest hurdle, Dr Lundy said, was social acceptability and not chemical or water safety. 'I think it's because it's a new process and people don't really understand it,' she said. 'And when it does get into the newspapers, it tends to be quite sensationalised, as in, 'flushing grandma down the toilet' and 'have a cup of granddad'. 'But there's a lot that goes into the sewer that we don't really think about – waste from mortuaries and hospitals and all sorts of things that we don't know about. So from that perspective, it's not really any different. 'Some people view it as basically mixing up my loved one with poo in the sewer and they don't like that. However, some people see returning to the water environment as being a gentler approach.'
The Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
N. Sembilan to expand MADANI cooperative
SEREMBAN: The MADANI Cooperative and Agro MADANI Sales Programmes will be expanded to all districts in Negeri Sembilan, providing local communities with access to essential goods at prices lower than market rates. State Entrepreneurship, Human Resources, Climate Change, Cooperatives and Consumerism Action Committee chairman S. Veerapan said the initiative is also the best platform to strengthen the network of cooperation between the community and government entities in the state. He said the initiative implemented by the Negeri Sembilan branch of the Cooperative Commission of Malaysia (SKMNS) and the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) showed that the government agencies are attentive to the hardships the people are currently facing. 'The MADANI Cooperative Sales and Agro MADANI Sales Programmes reflect the spirit of unity, cooperation, and compassion, which form the backbone of the MADANI framework that emphasises the values of sustainability, well-being and social justice. 'Through this sales initiative, we not only market products and services of cooperative members but also instill entrepreneurial spirit and support community economic development,' he told Bernama during the programme which was held in conjunction with the Aidiladha celebration here today. Also present was SKMNS director Radiatul Fitri Dollah. At the same time, Veerapan said SKMNS and FAMA are also planning to organise the programme monthly for civil servants and visitors at Wisma Persekutuan here, allowing them to purchase daily necessities at reasonable prices. He said the proposal is a new initiative to help civil servants purchase essential items such as beef, chicken, eggs, sugar, flour, festive cookies, spices and snacks at 20 per cent below market prices. 'Today, 20 vendors are participating and we hope more traders will join in the future. The proposal to hold this sales monthly is a good initiative and needs to be further refined,' he added. In a related development, Radiatul Fitri said 51 out of 787 cooperatives in the state were found to be inactive last year and 15 were successfully revived through the agency's development programmes. 'We have various rehabilitation programmes, and we also collaborate with the National Cooperative Movement (Angkasa) and other agencies to help cooperatives become active again. 'However, it ultimately depends on the board and members of the cooperative themselves whether they choose to reactivate or not,' he said.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
N. Sembilan to expand MADANI cooperative and Agro Sales Programme statewide
SEREMBAN: The MADANI Cooperative and Agro MADANI Sales Programmes will be expanded to all districts in Negeri Sembilan, providing local communities with access to essential goods at prices lower than market rates. State Entrepreneurship, Human Resources, Climate Change, Cooperatives and Consumerism Action Committee chairman S. Veerapan said the initiative is also the best platform to strengthen the network of cooperation between the community and government entities in the state. He said the initiative implemented by the Negeri Sembilan branch of the Cooperative Commission of Malaysia (SKMNS) and the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) showed that the government agencies are attentive to the hardships the people are currently facing. 'The MADANI Cooperative Sales and Agro MADANI Sales Programmes reflect the spirit of unity, cooperation, and compassion, which form the backbone of the MADANI framework that emphasises the values of sustainability, well-being and social justice. 'Through this sales initiative, we not only market products and services of cooperative members but also instill entrepreneurial spirit and support community economic development,' he told Bernama during the programme which was held in conjunction with the Aidiladha celebration here today. Also present was SKMNS director Radiatul Fitri Dollah. At the same time, Veerapan said SKMNS and FAMA are also planning to organise the programme monthly for civil servants and visitors at Wisma Persekutuan here, allowing them to purchase daily necessities at reasonable prices. He said the proposal is a new initiative to help civil servants purchase essential items such as beef, chicken, eggs, sugar, flour, festive cookies, spices and snacks at 20 per cent below market prices. 'Today, 20 vendors are participating and we hope more traders will join in the future. The proposal to hold this sales monthly is a good initiative and needs to be further refined,' he added. In a related development, Radiatul Fitri said 51 out of 787 cooperatives in the state were found to be inactive last year and 15 were successfully revived through the agency's development programmes. 'We have various rehabilitation programmes, and we also collaborate with the National Cooperative Movement (Angkasa) and other agencies to help cooperatives become active again. 'However, it ultimately depends on the board and members of the cooperative themselves whether they choose to reactivate or not,' he said.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
3 roasters tell BI why your cup of coffee is getting more expensive — and it's not only because of tariffs
The coffee market has never been so volatile. Coffee prices are climbing due to a trifecta of climate factors, geopolitical turmoil, and tariffs. Your cup of coffee may only increase in price, as cafés have yet to feel the full effects of tariffs. In February, Cooperative Coffee Roasters founder Matt McDaniel emailed his wholesale clients announcing price increases — two varieties went from $11 a pound to $13, while another two went from $12 a pound to $14. He also increased prices at his coffee shop attached to the roasting facility. About 125 miles east of Cooperative's roastery in Asheville, North Carolina, you'll find Summit Coffee's flagship location in Davidson, where the price of coffee increased by $0.10 a cup in February. That's a relatively small adjustment, said Summit Coffee CEO Brian Helrich. However, Spencer Ford knows of many coffee shops that have had to increase prices by more than a dime a cup. Ford is a trader at Royal Coffee. He buys green coffee from all over the world, imports it to the US, and sells it to coffee roasters. Most of his clients, recently, have been "kind of freaking out," he said — and for good reason. "In my career, this is the most volatile time, in terms of just the commodity price of coffee, that we've ever seen," he told BI. When Ford first started trading coffee, the commodity price was less than $1 per pound. The previous commodity market high hit a little over $3 back in 1977. In the fall of 2024, it started to spiral upward and traded up to $4.40 a pound in the new year. And that was before President Donald Trump's tariffs entered the picture and further rattled the coffee industry. Due to a trifecta of climate factors, geopolitical turmoil, and tariff uncertainty, coffee producers are paying more and passing on these costs to consumers. The average price per pound of ground coffee sold to consumers was about $7.54 in April, a record high and up from $6.06 a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Ever since Helfrich started buying coffee in 2014, the coffee market has been "pretty stable and low," he said. "It's been minor fluctuations, up and down 20 cents, 30 cents." The spike to above $4 in early 2025 can be attributed to a confluence of factors. "Everything that could be a variable has become a variable," said Helfrich. For starters, there's the impact of climate change. Helfrich points to Brazil, the world's largest coffee exporter, which has dealt with frost and severe drought in recent years. Extreme weather can hurt coffee plants and result in a smaller crop yield. If Brazil expects to produce 30 million tons of coffee but, in actuality, produces 27 million, "all of a sudden supply demand happens and people start freaking out." Remember that previous commodity market high of about $3 in 1977? That was due to the so-called Brazilian black frost, where freezing temperatures kill plants without forming any visible white frost. "We've seen frost in Brazil like two out of the last five years," Ford said of the once-rare phenomenon. And then there's general global unrest. Attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, for example, have disrupted key shipping routes. Helfrich said he had to send some of his coffee shipments on a more southern route to avoid attacks, which led to additional shipping time and costs. As supply has been decreasing, demand has been increasing, added Helfrich: "There are a lot of new coffee drinkers in the developing world." The commodity price of coffee has dipped since its peak — it's around $3.70 per pound, as of May 2025 — but that's still higher than it's ever been, and Helfrich expects it to remain in the $3.70s. Tariffs have added another layer of complexity to the already volatile coffee market. Cooperative and Summit haven't felt the side effects of tariffs yet, since they purchase their raw green coffee beans so far in advance. "That's the interesting thing. Coffee that was already on the water was not subject to tariffs," said McDaniel. "And so it'll definitely be a downstream effect. It's something that we'll start seeing in coffee that arrives in June and July." Helfrich has a coffee supply that will last through about November and said he isn't putting anything new under contract right now: "This usual six-to-12-month runway we have, we're letting that get shorter and shorter and shorter in hopes that maybe that coffee market goes down, maybe the tariffs go away." There's risk in sitting and waiting, too. "It'll come time for us to decide if we want our partner in Peru to send us a shipping container of coffee," he said. "If we locked it in right now, we'd be paying a 10% tariff fee. If we decide to wait a little bit and be patient, they might sell their coffee to somebody else, and then, while we might be able to get coffee at a lower price, the coffees we've always relied on are not going to be available." Helfrich hasn't completely avoided tariffs. At the peak, when tariffs on Chinese imports hit 145%, he owed an extra four-figure bill on his coffee bags, which are manufactured in China. "We had already paid our 50% deposit on the bags — they were produced — and in order to receive the shipment, we had to pay an over $8,000 instant tax bill. We couldn't switch to a US producer because we didn't have enough time," said Helfrich. "It more than doubled the price of our bags, which, across 20-something thousand bags, hurts." Ford's company is just now starting to pay the 10% tariff on all imported goods. Time will tell how that extra cost impacts the business and, ultimately, consumers. "Right now, we can still average some of the untariffed stuff that we have already, so we don't have to raise everything so dramatically," he said. "But eventually, we're going to run out of untariffed inventory." Chances are, your cup of coffee or bag of beans will start to cost even more, potentially as early as this summer. Especially if tariffs persist, roasteries and cafés "don't have a choice," said Helfrich. They rely on importing because most parts of the US cannot grow coffee. "The reality is, everybody's going to raise prices a little bit since I don't think it's going back down. I think we need to get used to a slightly new normal." Before you start complaining, keep in mind that coffee might cost closer to what it always should have. "Coffee has historically been undervalued. We take it for granted in the US as this cheap pick-me-up, and that neglects the reality of coffee and what it takes to even have it," said McDaniel. "This is an agricultural product that's only grown in the tropics, and high-quality coffee is only grown in really high elevations. There is so much human labor associated with growing coffee, harvesting coffee, processing it, preparing it to be exported, and then bringing it into the country." How big a price jump will vary from business to business. "It's the coffee companies that don't roast their own coffee that are going to get hurt the hardest — because roasters have to increase prices," said Helfrich. Cafés like his that roast in-house have more control. For the shops that outsource, "If a roaster needs to raise its prices, then the coffee shop just has to deal with that accordingly." Another factor is how much a business first raised its prices pre-tariffs. "Depending on whether the roastery or the business raised their prices enough initially to cover the tariff increase as well, then maybe they won't have to raise them again," said Ford. "But my thinking is that, in a couple of months, as roasters and importers start running out of untariffed inventory, the price will go up again because they're going to be buying everything at the new, higher price." He's less sure about how consumers will react. So far, he hasn't seen any drop-off in demand. "People might be upset, but it might not stop them from buying," said Ford. "Coffee consumption in the US has been pretty resilient to price rises. Now, how much they go up before people start saying, 'this is crazy,' I don't know." Read the original article on Business Insider Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
