India

The erratic behaviour of the weather this year may impact India’s increasing prominence as a global rice exporter, as a weaker-than-expected southwest summer monsoon has led analysts to revise forecasts for production and export volumes.

Faced with a subdued economic prognosis, in September the government introduced a law that will relax regulations for foreign direct investment (FDI) and ease the business environment for foreign entrants to the retail sector. The politically sensitive ruling, issued on September 20 by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, allows for 51% FDI in multi-brand retailing and comes swiftly on the heels of a September 14 cabinet ruling that relaxes the sourcing norms for foreign retailers investing beyond 51%.

Having recorded higher-than-expected growth in the second quarter of 2012, India should see a welcome fillip for an economy struggling to replicate the stellar performance of recent years.