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Unisame appreciates TDAP on disbanding QRC to boost
rice export
July 11, 2015KARACHI - The Union of Small and Medium
Enterprises (Unisame) has appreciated the bold and positive steps taken by the
Ministry of Commerce (MINCOM) through the Trade Development Authority of
Pakistan (TDAP) to disband the Quality Review Committee (QRC) and serving
one-month final notice to the staff with golden handshake.The notice period expires
on 6th August 2015 and it will be an end to the faulty system created by vested
interest several years ago. Rice exporters will be free to export their rice
without PSI by QRC.
President Unisame Zulfikar Thaver said the committee had become futile and also a hurdle in the export of branded rice. The rice exporters needed a free hand to export rice under their own brands with basmati and other superior varieties of rice which is non-basmati.Besides it was against the concept of pre-shipment inspection (PSI) which is always by a third party. The QRC was abused by its former managers who used it as a tool to subdue their competitors and MINCOM realised this fact and shifted the premises of QRC to an independent location and also took the management under their control to make it independent, transparent and impartial.
Nevertheless the system was
challenged and caused embarrassment to the law makers. PSI is the prerogative
of the buyer and it is always the buyer who nominates the PSI company.Pakistani
rice is considered tasty and even our 1121 which is non basmati has an aroma
and for this reason Pakistani 1121 rice is sold at a premium as compared to
Indian 1121 rice. Of course our basmati rice is the best in the world and
elongates on cooking and is tasty and has a special flavour with aroma. Every
effort must be made to maintain its distinguished position.Unisame is thankful
to Hamid Malhi the managing director of Basmati Rice Growers Association of
Pakistan for advocating the case for GI registration in the international
forum.Thaver thanked the print and electronic media, the committee and patrons
of Unisame who stood behind him in the cause of disbandment of QRC and
facilitating the rice exporters.
We should try to
sell our rice in the Brazilian market
Dear Editor,
The agreement with Venezuela, which is Guyana’s main buyer of rice
and paddy, will come to an end in November 2015. Farmers and millers will face
a serious threat to their earning position as Suriname will be selling its rice
and paddy on the Venezuelan market. The cancellation of the rice deal will have
consequences for a rice-producing country like Guyana. It is not clear what is
responsible for this, but it was reported that these two countries were engaged
in talks.
Guyana was warned by some analysts ever since the inception of the
agreement in 2005, not to place too much reliance on the oil for rice barter
trade, because Venezuela would not be able to sustain the concessionary oil to
countries of the region due to the falling price of oil on international
markets .
The previous administration knew that the oil for rice and paddy
PetroCaribe deal might collapse due to political upheaval and the declining
economy of Venezuela, but never disclosed this to the rice farmers and millers.
Venezuela has already signed a contract with Uruguay to supply rice for oil
owed.
Guyana’s rice production last year reached around 633,000 tonnes
and was very dependent on the Venezuelan market. It will now have to find new
markets like Jamaica, Europe, Brazil, Panama, Guatemala and Nicaragua, etc,
since the agreement will end in November 2015. Guyana producers will have to
expect that new markets will inevitably threaten the comparatively high prices
presently being enjoyed. Venezuela is a lucrative market for Guyanese rice,
because the payments are higher than in the case of Caribbean and European
countries.
The Guyana government should move to conduct bilateral trade
negotiations with Brazil with a view to enhancing the trade in rice between the
two neighbouring countries. Brazil can now be our base market in South America,
to which we could supply 450,000 metric tonnes. This could be an important
breakthrough for the rice industry as we seek to export rice to markets outside
the traditional areas. Further, the Brazilian market could be outlined in our
new strategic plan and this would be a good opportunity which couldn’t come at
a better time.
I am sure that if Guyana meets the quality of rice and
requirements of the Brazil market, the quotas will increase. We can also launch
our product in their markets as these areas will be better positioned to teach
us the business culture. Therefore, let’s not waste time with Venezuela, but
rather work assiduously to make our mark in the Brazilian marketplace. A
country which depends for oil on external sources partly paid for by the
bartering of rice and paddy, will be in a vulnerable position. Moreover, a
country like ours is susceptible to serious political pressures from Venezuela.
Oil in the past has been used as a weapon in the ruthless power-play which
characterizes the ‘game of nations.’
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Khan
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2015/opinion/letters/07/11/we-should-try-to-sell-our-rice-in-the-brazilian-market/
Following the scent of Ramzan
Chefs Arul and Saravanan sampling biryani at Amirunissa. Photo:
R Ravindran
The holy month
brings with it some exciting food. SHONALI MUTHALALY explores the nooks of
Chennai to sample some.
The sky is a vivid inky blue. At
6.45 p.m., it theatrically frames the multi-domed Thousand Lights Mosque. The
sun goes down, and the muezzin’s call to prayer begins.It’s the fourth week of
Ramzan, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting. It gets darker,
and then suddenly begins to rain. We gather under a generously wide arch that
serves as an entrance to the 19th Century mosque and watch volunteers hand out
dates, glasses of water, and bowls of nombu kanji, ladled from large shiny
vessels as Iftar begins.
Chef Arul Santhosh leans forward to whisper that the nutritious
gruel is an ideal way to break a day of fasting. A combination of rice and
lentils, it’s spiced with biryani masala, which gives it, its unique flavour.
Further down Peter’s Road, a 10-minute walk away, we pause at Ameerunnisa Begum
Sahiba Mosque, where the nombu kanji is being handed out to anyone who wants a
meal. Chef Saravanan emerges with a jug filled with piping hot kanji, which he
pours into little paper cups for us to taste. It’s unfamiliar, but unexpectedly
comforting, laced with finely-chopped ginger, chunks of tomato and a gentle
smattering of green chillies. The rain, which had paused briefly, begins again
as we dive into a car and drive towards Royapettah.
An hour earlier we had gathered at The Park, Chennai, over bowls
of rich haleem topped with golden-brown onions and slices of lime. Over the
past couple of weeks, the two chefs aided by Darshini Ashok, the curator of the
walk, travelled across the city to research Chennai’s unique Iftar traditions.
As we spoon up haleem, brought in from Fisherman’s Fare, the restaurant that
first made haleem mainstream in Chennai, the team argues good-naturedly about
the best in the city. (The Park also makes a sophisticated, creamy version, by
the way.) There’s no conclusive contender, though everyone agrees that
Hyderabad’s legendary Pista House’s new Triplicane franchisee is definitely
worth checking out.
Now, all squashed cheerfully
together in a car, en route to MR Sons Bakery, famous for its ‘Ande ki Mithai,’
a baked egg-centric dessert, Darshini, between a bout of giggles, tells us how
she and the chefs — resplendent in their white coats — navigated their way
through Zam Bazaar by intently sniffing the air and following the best scents.
As it turns out, the rather prosaic-looking bakery is a great find. Because,
between its deceptively dreary shelves, filled with slices of staid cakes and
cookies, there’s a beat-up tray filled with their signature dessert: Ande ki
mithai. The advantage of having chefs show you around quickly becomes obvious,
as Chef Arul gently teases the recipe out from the chatty staff. “They beat the
egg whites till they’re fluffy, then add flour, khoa and nuts.” The mixture is
sweetened with honey before it’s baked for an hour, till it sets to a
pleasingly wobbly consistency. They make about six trays a day, each weighing
six kilos, and by the time the shop closes, they’re always sold out.
We walk through Zam Bazaar, stopping at intervals to investigate
little ramshackle shops selling a bewildering, and completely unrelated,
collection of goods: loofas, Sarsaparilla syrup, brooms and an astonishingly
wide array of macaroni. After much careful consideration — since the area is
full of biryani joints — the chefs have chosen Amirunissa, based solely on the
powerful fragrance of their biryani. The little space, fronted by two massive
vessels blackened by age and thousands of hours over wood fires, has a sign in
front announcing that they use “Leghorn country chicken”. Considering
this is a breed originating in Tuscany, Italy, that seems unlikely, but some
quick Googling throws up an old article inThe Hindu that throws some light on the
mystery. It’s more likely the Namakkal Desi Chicken, which is “a combination of
four breeds of chicken that includes two Indian native birds — Naked Neck and
Kadaknath — and two American and English cross varieties — White Leghorn and
Rhode Island Red.”
Handing us plates piled with biryani, Chef Saravanan says
Amirunissa’s signature is using massive pieces of chicken. “They cut each
chicken into four. So every customer gets a quarter,” he says. The cook says he
makes about 400 kilos a day; a number that sounds quite incredible, till he
mentions that they also have a couple of other outlets. With long grain basmati
rice and meat that practically falls off the bone, the biryani is
skilfully-made, and competitively priced at Rs. 70 a plate for chicken, and Rs.
110 for mutton. The mutton is the better of the two, and it helps that the
service is impressively attentive.
In the mood for dessert, we walk
to Basha Halwa Wala and scrutinise their menu. There are some truly baffling
entries, including ‘Bitrot halwa’. So when we see ‘Damka Roat’ we assume it’s
just another spelling mistake. Fortunately, the chefs ask them to pull out a
tray because it’s spectacular: a fudgy baked concoction of suji roasted with
ghee, then blended with khoa before being baked. However, what makes them truly
endearing is their flashy website, which the staff suggest we look at. Proudly
advertising their wares, they describe their beetroot halwa as “delicious
excellence”, which sounds like a hyperbole — till you see what they call their
milk khoa: “Voluptuous desire of addiction.”
Five new Aman varieties released
Abu Bakar
Siddique
The government released five new Aman varieties including two
stress-tolerant paddy varieties yesterday with an aim to boost the country’s
rice production.Of the varieties, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) has
developed four and Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) developed
the other one.Each of the BRRI varieties bear different specialities including
saline-tolerance, drought- tolerance, aromatic and zinc-enriched qualities.The
BRRI varieties were initially named BRRI 70, 71, 72 and 73, said the
institute’s Director General Jibon Krishna Biswas. However, issues surrounding
naming one of the varieties “71” caused the official naming to be postponed
until getting the response of Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, he added.
In addition to these new varieties, Bangladesh has already
developed seven more saline-tolerant, three drought-tolerant and two
submergence-tolerant paddy varieties.“Apart from the extreme climate tolerance and
specific specialities, all of the newly invented varieties have a high-yielding
capacity. The government has released those as it wants to increase the
production of rice on the limited space of land,” said Anwar Faruque,
additional secretary of the Agriculture Ministry.Of the new varieties, the BINA
Dhan 17 is able to produce seven tonnes of Aman paddy per hectare which is the
highest so far, while the average Aman paddy production rate is 3.5 tonnes per
hectare.
And all the newly introduced Aman varieties have the average
production capacity of 5 to 5.5 tonnes per hectares.Since the country’s
independence, the government-owned research institutes have invented 83 rice
varieties. Of them, BRRI has introduced 66 varieties and BINA has introduced 17
varieties. Of the total rice varieties, BRRI introduced 33 Aman and BINA
released 13 Aman varieties.According to the Department of Agriculture Extension
(DAE), the annual paddy production in Bangladesh is around 3.38 million
tonnes.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/jul/13/five-new-aman-varieties-released#sthash.ggQoKAcE.dpuf
Senate
panel starts inquiry today on fake rice
By Christina Mendez (The Philippine Star) | Updated July 13, 2015 - 12:00am
Video grab from ANC shows the styrofoam-like appearance of the
synthetic rice, which is reportedly made from potatoes, sweet potatoes and
resin. Philstar.com/File
MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Cynthia
Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, will
preside today over the public hearing on the distribution and sale of fake
rice.Presidential assistant on food security and agricultural modernization
Francis Pangilinan, National Food Authority Administrator Renan Dalisay,
Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina, and Department of Science and Technology
Assistant Secretary Raymond Liboro were invited to attend the hearing at the
Senate building’s Laurel Room.Villar expressed concern that the consumption of
fake or synthetic rice might pose health hazards. “Whether you consume it
once or over the long term, the fake rice should not be eaten because it
reportedly has plastic. It is not good for digestion,” she said.To illustrate
the dangers of eating plastic rice, Villar noted that consumption of plastic
causes death to farm animals. “I am told that if a farm worker wants to
hurt your farm animals, they would just feed them plastic. Then they will die
in a few months,” she said.
“When you open the dead animals, you will find
plastic in their abdomen,” Villar added.The senator also wants to know from
experts the difference between the reported fake rice and the fortified rice
being developed at the International Rice Research Institute.She said there is
a need for government and the agriculture sector to work together to improve
the country’s local rice production.
Villar, whose committee had earlier
conducted a probe on the alleged rice smuggling in the country, also called on
local government officials to help farmers in the provinces. She issued
the same concern for other farm products such as onions, garlic and ginger.The
Senate panel also asked representatives from the Food and Drug Administration,
Department of Justice, Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation,
and the rice industry to attend the inquiry.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/07/13/1476367/senate-panel-starts-inquiry-today-fake-rice
Phil Rice News
PhilRice
has new exec
President Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed
Dr. Calixto M. Protacio, a horticulturist and academician, as the new executive
director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).
Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala swore
him into office on 10 July replacing DA Assistant Secretary Edilberto M. De
Luna who served as the officer-in-charge after the retirement of Dr. Eufemio T.
Rasco, Jr. in February. During the Leadership Turnover Ceremony, Protacio asked
for the support of all PhilRice staff members to continue serving the Filipino
farmers.
Protacio has worked with various institutions,
such as the University of the Philippines Los Baños as professor and director
of the Institute of Plant Breeding and Crop Science Cluster, Philippine
Agricultural Scientist as editor-in-chief, University of California, Riverside
as post-doctoral research associate, Pennsylvania State University and
Louisiana State University as graduate research assistant. He finished his
Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Major in Horticulture, at the University of
the Philippine Los Baños and PhD in Plant Physiology from Pennsylvania State
University, USA. Protacio hails from Guinobatan, Albay.
PhilRice
recommends rice varieties for rainy season
Planting early-maturing and high-quality rice
varieties is vital for the rainy days. Dr. Norvie Manigbas, head of PhilRice’s
Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Division, said that after the onslaught of
drought, the next challenge is to select the varieties suited for the rainy
days. Farmers are advised to plant varieties, which stand at most 100 cm with
strong stems that can withstand 40-60 kph wind speed. Some of these varieties
are PSB Rc14, PSB Rc68, NSIC Rc9, and NSIC Rc222.
“There are also varieties released in 2011,
which are good for dry conditions or for areas that normally experience delayed
or almost no rainfall. These Sahod Ulan varieties are NSIC Rc272, NSIC Rc274,
NSIC Rc278, NSIC Rc284, NSIC Rc286, NSIC Rc288, NSIC Rc346, and NSIC Rc348,”
Manigbas said. Rainfed areas are also prone to flooding. The varieties suited
for this condition are PSB Rc18 (Ala), which can withstand 5-7 days of complete
submergence, NSIC Rc194 (Submarino 1), which can survive, grow, and develop
even after 10-14 days of complete submergence, and PSB Rc68 (Sacobia), a
submergence- tolerant and a drought-resistant variety. These varieties can
recover when submerged during vegetative stage.
Additionally, PhilRice also emphasizes
reduction of fertilizer application rates. “While fertilizers are beneficial
for plants, in high amounts, they may cause lodging. Fertilizers cannot be
maximized, as there is a limited amount of sunlight during the rainy season.
Depending on soil analysis results and recommended nutrient requirement rates,
it is better to reduce fertilizer application rates by 20-30% in wet season,”
Manigbas explained. For more information on rice varieties for wet season,
please contact the PhilRice Text Center at 0920-911-1398.
New
PhilRice-bred varieties
The members of the National Cooperative Test
(NCT) approved more than 20 inbred and hybrid varieties in 2014 developed by
public and private rice breeding institutions.According to PhilRice plant
breeder Dr. Oliver Manangkil, among the newly-released varieties, 1 hybrid
(Mestiso 55) and 2 inbreds (Tubigan 28 and Tubigan 30) were developed by
PhilRice. NSIC Rc354 or Tubigan 28 is an early-maturing variety (112 days) with
higher resistance to common rice pest and diseases such as bacterial leaf
blight (BLB), blast (B), green leafhopper (GLH), white stemborer (WSB) and
yellow stemborer (YSB).
It has an average
yield of 5.3 t/ha across season and 5 t/ha in wet season (WS). NSIC Rc358 or
Tubigan 30 has an average maximum yield of 9t/h. It is early-maturing at 114 days
with an intermediate amylose content of 19.7% with long (6.8 mm) and slender
grain (3.2mm); premium milling recovery (72.4%), fair brown rice (78.6%) and
grade 1 (54.6%) head rice recovery. The hybrid NSIC Rc368H or Mestiso 55 boasts
a maximum yield of 10 t/ha. It has intermediate amylose content of 18.9% with
long (7.3 mm) and slender grain (3.3mm), premium milling recovery (70.4%), fair
brown rice (77.5%) and grade 1 (52.2%) head rice recovery resulting in very
good grains and eating quality.
The PhilRice-bred
varieties are recommended to be planted in irrigated lowland areas. Other
varieties approved by NCT were developed by the International Rice Research
Institute (IRRI) and private companies such as Syngenta, Bioseed, Advanta, and
Long Ping. According to Dr. Norvie Manigbas, head of the Plant Breeding and
Biotechnology Division, the newly-released varieties are location-specific.
“This means that the yield and other major characteristics of each of the
varieties are fully expressed in a particular location; thus, better
performance,” Manigbas said.
NCT is a nationwide testing scheme that
identifies superior varieties that confers resistance to current insect and
disease problems, climatic stresses, and new market demands. It is the last
post-breeding stage before a rice line is approved for commercial cultivation.
چاولوں کے ذریعے جسم کو زہریلے مواد سے پاک کرنے اور دردوں سے نجات
حاصل کرنے کا قدیم چینی نسخہ
10 جولائی 2015 (18:22)
- لاہور(نیوزڈیسک)ہمیشہ
سے ہی چاولوں کو جسم کے لئے فائدہ مند سمجھا جاتا ہے لیکن آج ہم آپ کو چاولوں
کے ذریعے جسم سے زہریلے مواد اور دردوں سے نجات کا قدیم چینی نسخہ بتائیں گے،
جو افادیت میں اپنا ثانی نہیں رکھتا۔
بنانے کا طریقہ
اگر آپ کی عمر 30سال یا زائد ہے تو آپ کو 30کھانے کے چمچ چاول ضرور کھانے چاہئیں۔چاولوں کو دھو لیں اور انہیں ایک شیشے کے جار میں ڈالیں۔اب اس جار کو گرم پانی سے بھر دیں اور بند کرکے فریج میں رکھ دیں اور ایک دن بعد جار سے پانی نکال دیں۔اب جار میں سے ایک چمچ چاول لیں اور اسے تین منٹ کے لئے عام پانی میں بغیر نمک کے پکالیں۔ہر صبح اسی طرح چاول خالی پیٹ کھائیں اور اس کے تین گھنٹے تک کوئی چیز نہ کھائیں۔اب پھر جار کو گرم پانی سے بھر کر ڈھکن لگا کر اسے فریج میں رکھ دیں اور اگلی صبح یہ عمل دوبارہ کریں۔اس طریقے کو تب تک جاری رکھیں جب تک تمام چاول ختم نہ ہوجائیں۔
چین کے اس قدیم نسخے کا راز یہ ہے کہ جب چاولوں کو پانی میں بھگویا جاتا ہے تو اس کا سٹارچ نکل جاتا ہے ۔چونکہ چاول معدے میں ہضم نہیں ہوتے بلکہ یہ آنتوں میں ہضم ہوتے ہیں لہذا ان کی افادیت بڑھ جاتی ہے۔اس طریقے کی وجہ سے ہمارے جسم سے زہریلاموادنکل جاتا ہے اور خون بھی صاف ہوجاتا ہے لہذا ہماری کمر،گردن اور جوڑوں میں درد بھی ٹھیک ہونے لگتا ہے۔اس جادوئی نسخے کے بعد آپ اپنے آپ کو جوان اور ہلکا پھلکا محسوس کرنے لگیں گے۔
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