Nigeria spends N10tr
on rice, sugar, wheat since 2005
The Federal Government yesterday said the country has spent over
N10 trillion on the importation of rice, sugar, wheat and fish since 2005.The
government said the figure indicated that the country spends over N1 trillion
year importing the food items.The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Sonny Echono, said Nigeria’s food
import bill is growing at an unsustainable rate of 11 per cent, while the
country continued to rely on the importation of food from the global
market.Echono spoke during a two-day workshop on Food Crisis Prevention and
Management Charter held at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development in Abuja yesterday.
He added that import dependency was hurting Nigeria farmers,
displacing local production and creating unemployment.According to him,
Nigeria’s unemployment rate is spiralling, driven by the wave of four million
young people entering the workforce every year with only a small fraction able
to find employment.“Nigeria became a net importer of food and major importer of
wheat, rice, sugar and fish. Importation of these four commodities accounts for
over N1trillion in foreign exchange every year since 2005. The Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) showed that Nigeria is the world’s largest importer of United
States hard red and white winter wheat with an annual food import of
N635billion.
“It is also the second largest importer of rice (N700billion last
year), sugar (N217billion) and fish (N97billion). Nigeria’s food imports are
growing at an unsustainable rate of 11 per cent per annum while relying on the
import of expensive food on global markets fuels domestic inflation,” he said,
lamenting that Nigeria imports what it can produce in abundance.According
to him, import-dependency is hurting local farmers, displacing local
production and creating job loss.Echono, who was represented by the Director of
Agriculture, Mr. Damilola Eniayeju, explained that Nigeria had vast arable land
for cultivation, adding that this must be harnessed by stakeholders in order to
effectively prevent food crisis and reduce import to its barest minimum.
He noted that the country has about 174 million people to feed
daily as well as its neighbours, adding that it was time to start thinking of
massive agricultural production for export.“Nigeria has huge agricultural
potential, with over 84 million hectares of arable land, of which only 40 per
cent is cultivated. A population of over 167 million making it Africa’s largest
market; and 230 billion cubic meters of water, making it one of the richest
sources for agricultural growth in the world.“Agriculture contributes to rural
people’s livelihoods by providing them with food and income. In addition,
agricultural exports have potential to contribute to the national economy
through generating foreign exchange and improving the balance of payments.“The
fact that the bread basket region–Northcentral part of Nigeria, has the lowest
unemployment rate (nine per cent) in the country suggests that increasing
investment in agricukture is a frontal attack on the unemployment challenge,”
Echono added
http://thenationonlineng.net/nigeria-spends-n10tr-on-rice-sugar-wheat-since-2005/
Have Scientists Found A Way To Feed The
World Without Warming The Planet?
JUL 23, 2015 2:50PMCREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK
Aside from corn, rice might be the
single most important staple crop on Earth. According to the International
Center for Tropical Agriculture, more than 3.5 billion people around the world depend on rice for at least 20 percent of
their daily caloric intake. But rice is also a major source of methane, a
potent greenhouse gas that’s more effective, at least in the short term, at
trapping heat than carbon dioxide.
Now, scientists at the Swedish
University of Agricultural Sciences think they’ve found a solution: a
high-yielding, low-methane type of rice that can cut methane emissions from
rice cultivation by up to 90 percent.To create the starchy, climate-friendly
rice, the scientists transferred a single gene from barley to rice that
stimulates the production of starch in grain and stems. According to the study,
published this week in Nature, previous research has shown that rice plants with smaller root
systems tended to expel less methane than plants with larger roots, and the
scientists hoped that by emphasizing starch growth in the stems and grains, the
rice plants would naturally grow smaller root systems.
Root systems in rice secrete the
carbohydrates created by photosynthesis — when rice paddies are flooded, the
oxygen-devoid environment provides the perfect breeding ground for
methane-producing bacteria that feed on these carbohydrates. By reducing the
size of the rice plants’ roots, the scientists hoped that they could curb the
amount of methane produced in the fields.To test how the modified rice plants
fared in the real world, the scientists planted the rice in two different
fields in China, alongside conventional rice, which served as a benchmark. Over
three years, they measured the methane emitted by the plants in the fall and
summer, near the end of the growing season. They also took measurements of
starch content in the plants’ stems, roots, and seeds.
They found the modified rice plants
extremely effective at producing starch and curbing methane emissions. In the
summer, when temperatures were highest, the modified rice cut methane emissions
to 0.3 percent of conventional rice. On average, the modified rice produced
less than 10 percent the methane of conventional rice, while providing 43
percent more grain per plant.In an essay in Nature that accompanied the study’s
publication, Paul Bodelier, a researcher at the Netherlands Institute of
Ecology who was not directly involved with the study, called the findings “a
tremendous opportunity for more-sustainable rice cultivation,” but cautioned
that large-scale trials are necessary before moving forward with full-scale
commerical use.
Without more trials, Bodelier
wrote, it’s difficult to know how the genetic modification impacts the rice
cultivar’s long-term chances for survival. It’s also important to study how the
plant’s root system impacts microbes in the soil — microbes that themselves
contribute to the production and consumption of
greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide,
and methane.In an interview with the Los
Angeles Times, Bruce Linquist, a plant scientist at the University
of California at Davis, echoed Bodelier’s sentiment.
The research is too preliminary to
know for sure how the genetic modification impacts methane production, Linquist
said, and there is some concern that smaller root systems might impact the
plants’ ability to take up nutrients.Even if further trials prove the efficacy
of the modified rice, it faces huge hurdles in order to become commercially
viable. Largely in response to public distrust of genetically modified foods,
no genetically modified rice has ever been successfully used in commercial
production. Golden rice — a genetically modified strain of rice that contains beta carotene to combat malnutrition in developing countries — was ready for
full-scale use in 2002, but has faced staunch opposition that has kept it from market for over a decade.
Despite public distrust — a January
poll conducted by Pew found that 57 percent of Americansthink
genetically modified foods are generally unsafe to eat — nearly all scientific
evidence suggests that genetically modified foods pose no threat to human health.There
is some concern, however, about the environmental impact of genetically
modified foods. Crops like Roundup-resistant soy or corn have led to a marked increase in the use of
herbicides in the United States, though some
studies have also shown that genetically modified crops have led to a decrease
in the use of some pesticides. Since the low-methane strain of rice isn’t bred
to be herbicide or pesticide resistant, this most likely won’t be an issue with
this particular strain — though the way that its root-system interacts with microbes
in the soil is something to watch.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/07/23/3683754/gmo-rice-climate-change/
SCIENTISTS WARN OF
RISK OF ARSENIC IN RICE
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2015
Scientists at Queens University in Belfast are warning of the risks
of arsenic in rice, in particular for babies and young children.
They have found that using plenty of water during cooking can
significantly cut the level of arsenic.Coffee percolators have been found to be
particularly good for cooking rice.Inorganic arsenic is found in all types of
rice, where its grown under flooded conditions which causes soil minerals,
including arsenic, to be absorbed by the plant.A range of health problems
including bladder and lung cancer can be caused by arsenic consumption.
Professor Andy Mehang of Queens University said that babies in
particular can be at risk.
"There's more concern over young children," he said.He
added: "Their exposure to arsenic from rice is three times higher than
adults, so I'd be especially careful to avoid as much as possible a reliance on
rice products for young children - and there are many of them out there.
http://www.carlow-nationalist.ie/2015/07/23/scientists-warn-of-risk-of-arsenic-in-rice/
Stuttgart
Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center researchers working to fight rice
blast
According to
Dr. Yeshi Wamishe, Extension plant pathologist, along with Dr. Jarrod Hardke,
Extension rice agronomist of the UA Cooperative Extension Service, blast has
been reported in four counties in Arkansas (Desha, Prairie, Arkansas and
Greene).
By Stuttgart Daily Leader Staff
Posted Jul. 23, 2015 at 4:22 PM
As most rice farmers in Arkansas know, rice
blast is one of the most devastating rice diseases.According to Dr. Yeshi
Wamishe, Extension plant pathologist, along with Dr. Jarrod Hardke, Extension
rice agronomist of the UA Cooperative Extension Service, blast has been
reported in four counties in Arkansas (Desha, Prairie, Arkansas and Greene). It
has occurred in fields planted with Jupiter and CL 151 varieties. Last year,
almost all rice-producing counties in Arkansas reported blast disease on
several varieties, including Jupiter and CL 151. The extent of damage varied
among the producers surveyed.
Because the blast pathogen is air, seed or residue-borne,
it can easily move long distances and attack the leaves and seedheads of the
rice plant. It can cause dramatic yield loss on susceptible rice varieties
under certain conditions.The Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center
(DBNRRC) has worked with university colleagues to develop new tools for
producing blast resistant rice varieties. Drs. Yulin Jia and David Gealy
recently had these new findings published in the prestigious science journal,
Molecular Plant Microbe Interactions.
Working with scientists from Washinton
University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of
Arkansas Rice Research and Extension Center, they sought to understand the
genetic basis of weed adaptation in rice to blast disease. The scientists evaluated
the disease reactions of 60 U.S. weedy rice accessions with 14 blast races
commonly found in Arkansas and southern U.S. rice production areas, and
investigated the QTL’s (quantitative trait loci where rice genes contribute
small effects) associated with blast resistance in two major ecotypes of U.S.
weedy rice. They discovered that U.S. weedy rice had a broad resistance
spectrum.
Using a new genetic technique called genotyping by
sequencing (GBS) with next gen DNA sequencing, they identified 28 resistance
QTLs in two U.S. weedy rice groups. When they compared with
publically available databases, they found the resistance genes at these
resistance QTLs are novel, suggesting that U.S. weedy rice is a potential
source of novel blast resistance genes for resistant breeding.According to Dr.
Yulin Jia, “This is the first report to investigate the quantitative trait loci
with resistance to rice blast in U.S. weedy red rice.
”These findings not only provided important insights
into the molecular basis of the adaptive evolution of weeds, but also
discovered a potentially important resistance resource for U.S. rice
breeders.Five genetic loci with broad resistance spectra defined in weedy rice
can be used to breed for durable resistance to blast pathogens. These newly
identified blast resistance genes from weedy red rice can be readily used in
combination with deployed major blast resistance genes to effectively prevent
blast disease in Arkansas. For more information, contact Jia at the
DBNRRC.
http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/article/20150723/NEWS/150729782
GMO Rice Produces
Higher Yields, Less Greenhouse Gases
An alteration of a single gene
produces a strain of rice that yields more grain but creates less methane,
researchers say. The finding could bring more sustainable rice production to
help feed the world, they say.
(Photo : Spencer Platt | Getty Images)
A new strain of GMO rice, with just
a single altered gene, shows significant increases in yield per acre while
reducing emission of methane, a greenhouse gas even more potent than carbon
dioxide.A single gene borrowed from barley has created the new strain that
produces 43 percent more rice grain per plant while creating significantly less
methane, researchers say.With more than half of the world's population
consuming rice as a dietary stable, rice paddies around the world constitute
one of the largest human-linked sources of methane, with a greenhouse gas
effect 20 times that of carbon dioxide.
It is estimated global rice production puts between 25 million and
100 million metric tons of methane into the atmosphere each year.The
researchers inserted a barley gene into the rice to cause it to store more
carbon in the form of starch and sugar in its stems and grains, and less in its
roots, they report in their study appearing in the journal Nature.In rice paddies, the plants' roots leak carbon into the soil,
where it is converted into methane by microbes. With less carbon in the roots,
there is less raw material for the microbes to work on, the researchers
explain.In laboratory tests and field trials in China, methane emissions from
the GMO rice were 0.3 percent compared with 10 percent produced by non-modified
rice, they say.
"For three years of field trials it worked very well," says study senior author Chuanxin Sun of the Swedish University of
Agricultural Sciences.At the other end of the plants, the grain was starchier
than conventional rice, increasing the food yield of the plants.The dual
benefits — higher yield with lower methane emissions — suggest "a
tremendous opportunity for more-sustainable rice cultivation," Paul
Bodelier, a microbial ecologist at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology, wrote in an essay accompanying the published Nature study.It could be the better part
of 10 years before this new strain of rice is widely available, the researchers
caution, as more testing and more extensive field trials need to take place
first.
It will also take years to selectively breed the genetic
modification into a new variety of rice in sufficient volume to begin sending
it to farmers for planting and harvesting, they say."Right now, of course,
it's a GMO issue, and we cannot deliver this variety directly to farmers,"
says Sun. "We have to use traditional breeding methods and breed the new,
society-acceptable variety for farmers.
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/71475/20150723/gmo-rice-produces-higher-yields-less-greenhouse-gases.htm
Rice cooked
in coffee maker can reduce arsenic intake
Rice has 10 times more
arsenic than other foods because it is grown in flood plains.
By Stephen Feller
| July 23, 2015 at 12:33 PM
Up to 85 percent of arsenic in rice, absorbed from
soil in floodplains, can be removed by cooking it in a coffee maker instead of
boiling it in a pan. Photo by Mrs_ya/Shutterstock
BELFAST, Northern Ireland, July 23 (UPI) -- Researchers are suggesting people cook rice in a coffee maker
instead of boiling it in a pan to reduce potentially harmful levels of arsenic
in the food.Rice contains on average 10 times more arsenic than other foods
because it is grown in flood plains. This causes inorganic arsenic to be
released by soil minerals, which are then absorbed by the plant."This is a
very significant breakthrough as this offers an immediate solution to
decreasing inorganic arsenic in the diet," said Andy Meharg, a professor
of Plant and Soil Sciences at Queen's Institute for Global Food Security, in a press release.Researchers sought a simple way to
remove arsenic from rice by testing two types of percolating technology, one a
normal store-bought coffee maker using tap water and the other using freshly
hot distilled water recycled by condensing boiling-water steam.
Both methods removed up to 85 percent of arsenic depending on
the type of rice. The steam method of percolating on average removed 59 percent
of arsenic from white rice and 69 percent from whole grain rice. The
store-bought filtration coffee maker removed and average of 49 percent of
arsenic from samples of 6 white and 6 whole grain brands of coffee."We
discovered that by using percolating technology, where cooking water is
continually passed through rice in a constant flow, we could maximize removal
of arsenic," Meharg said. "Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic can
cause a range of health problems including developmental problems, heart
disease, diabetes and nervous system damage. However, most worrying are lung
and bladder cancers."The researchers said that children and infants were
of most concern for arsenic poisoning because they eat about 3 times as much
rice as adults, and their organs are still developing.
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2015/07/23/Rice-cooked-in-coffee-maker-can-reduce-arsenic-intake/4051437665024/
Rice Expo
scheduled for Aug. 7 in Stuttgart
Posted: Thursday, July 23, 2015 9:06 am
By
Mary Hightower U of A System Division of Agriculture
Gov. Asa Hutchinson will deliver
the keynote at this year’s Arkansas Rice Expo, set for Friday, Aug. 7, in
Stuttgart.The half-day event opens at 8 a.m. at the Grand Prairie Center, 2709
U.S. 165 in Stuttgart. There is no cost to attend and the event ends with a
catfish lunch. Field tours of research plots, food demonstrations and family
fun are all part of the expo, a salute by the University of Arkansas System
Division of Agriculture to rice production in Arkansas.“Arkansas is America’s
No. 1 rice state, growing more than half of the rice produced in the United
States,” said Mark Cochran, head of the UA System’s Division of Agriculture.
“The Rice Expo is our opportunity
to celebrate the successes of the farmers who make agriculture the state’s
largest industry and share some of the exciting developments from our research
and extension programs.“We also see the Rice Expo as our open house – an
invitation for the community to meet our researchers and extension educators
and see their work first-hand,” he said. “We are very pleased that Gov.
Hutchinson will be our keynote speaker this year.”The governor is scheduled to
speak at 11 a.m.Hutchinson is no stranger to the Arkansas Rice Expo, having
attended the last two years.
Rice industry issues
This year’s event features breakout
sessions that focus on issues looming large in the rice industry, including the
implications of rice trade with Cuba, marketing rice and managing barnyardgrass.Expo-goers
will get an up close and personal look at the work being done for the rice
industry by Division researchers, who will be leading field tours.Event
attendees with problems in the garden or landscape can take advantage of the
plant disease clinic by bringing samples for diagnosis.There will also be a
feral hog exhibit, food preservation clinic, equipment display and an update on
crop application technologies.Staff from the Arkansas 4-H Youth Development
program will be there with activities for youngsters.Don’t miss the cooking
demonstrations and tastings, and see the finalists in the rice recipe contest
and the creativity on display in the rice tabletop centerpiece competition.
http://mymonticellonews.net/news/article_0222825c-3144-11e5-86db-335bed00ccbe.html
PH may import more rice
as El Nino worry persists
Reuters
Posted at 07/23/2015 4:20 PM | Updated as of 07/23/2015 6:24 PM
MANILA (UPDATE) - The Philippines, one of the world's biggest rice importers,
could ship in more to boost buffer stocks and keep local prices stable because
of an El Nino dry weather pattern now forecast to last until next year,
potentially hurting the local harvest."The economic managers have
indicated that they are reassessing the rice supply-demand conditions for the
rest of the year (to see) if there is a need to do another importation,"
Zeno Ronald Abenoja, director at the Department of Economic Research of the
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, said on Thursday.The central bank is represented
in the National Food Authority Council (NFA), which approves rice
imports.Purchases this year have reached 750,000 tonnes - 550,000 tonnes from
Vietnam and the rest from Thailand.
The NFA has permission from President Benigno Aquino to import
an additional 250,000 tonnes if drought conditions worsen and hurt local rice
production.Timely imports of the staple have prevented a repeat of last year's
spike in rice prices caused by damage to supply chains from Super Typhoon
Haiyan in late 2013. Food prices have a weighting of 39 percent in the consumer
price index.Central bank Governor Amando Tetangco, in an interview with Reuters
on Tuesday, said he saw no need to alter monetary policy settings for now but
cited the potential threat of an extended El Nino as one of the reasons to be careful.
Inflation is expected to inch up later in the year, after
slowing to a two-decade low in June, due to the potential impact of the
worsening dry spell and possible adjustments to electricity prices.Latest
government data shows local rice prices have fallen around 5 percent from a
year earlier. The expectation now is for the domestic harvest to be
"lean" in the third quarter before rebounding in the final three
months, Abenoja said.The Philippines' weather bureau forecasts a "moderate"
El Nino that is likely to intensify and last until early next year.Private rice
traders have also been given permission to import 805,200 tonnes of rice with a
tariff of 35 percent, although so far they have applied to ship in only about
300,000 tonnes.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/07/23/15/ph-looking-import-extra-rice-el-nino-intensifies
PHL world’s
8th biggest rice producer by 2016–World Bank
July 23, 2015
The Philippines will be the world’s eighth-largest rice producer
by the end of 2016, according to the latest report released by the World Bank.In
the report, titled Commodity Markets Outlook, the World Bank estimated that the Philippines is estimated to
produce 12.4 million metric tons (MMT) of milled rice by the end of 2016. In 2015
the World Bank estimates that the country will produce some 11.9 MMT of milled
rice.The world’s largest rice producer is China, which is estimated to produce
146 MMT by 2016 and 144.5 MMT of milled rice by 2015.“Global rice production is
set to increase in 2015-2016 by 4 MMT [from last season’s 476 MMT] in response
to better crops in Asian rice-producing countries, including China, India and
Indonesia,” the report stated.
With the expected increase in production, the World Bank
estimated that the country’s rice imports will decline to 1.3 MMT by the end of
2016 from the expected 1.7 MMT this year.This will make the country the world’s
sixth-largest importer of the commodity by 2016. The largest importer of rice
is also China which is expected to import some 4.7 MMT by 2016.The World Bank
estimated that the Philippines’s rice stocks may reach 2.5 MMT by 2016. This is
higher than the rice stocks this year, which is estimated at around 2.1 MMT.The
report also bared the World Bank’s rice-price estimates, particularly for
Thailand-sourced rice. Data showed that the prices are expected to escalate to
$410 per metric ton (MT) by 2025 from $400 per MT in 2015.
“Agricultural prices fell 2.6 percent in the quarter, due to
large declines in food commodities— especially edible oils and grains— on
further improvements of supply conditions and despite some adverse weather in
North America and El Niño fears.The World Bank expects agriculture prices to
average 11 percent below 2014 levels this year, revised downward from 9 percent
in April,” the World Bank said.Meanwhile, the World Bank increased its 2015
forecast for crude oil prices from $53 in April to $57 per barrel after oil
prices rose 17 percent in the April to June quarter.
The World Bank reports that energy prices rose 12 percent in the
quarter, with the surge in oil offset by declines in natural gas (down 13
percent) and coal prices (down 4 percent).However, the World Bank expects
energy prices to average 39 percent below 2014 levels. Natural gas prices are projected
to decline across all three main markets—the US, Europe and Asia—and coal
prices to fall 17 percent.Excluding energy, the World Bank reports a 2-percent
decline in prices for the quarter, and forecasts that nonenergy prices will
average 12 percent below 2014 levels this year.“Demand for crude oil was higher
than expected in the second quarter. Despite the marginal increase in the price
forecast for 2015, large inventories and rising output from Opec [Organization
of the Petroleum Exporting Countries] members suggest prices will likely remain
weak in the medium-term,” said John Baffes, senior economist and lead author of
Commodity Markets Outlook.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/phl-worlds-8th-biggest-rice-producer-by-2016-world-bank/
Japan may
allow import of less than 100,000 tons rice under TPP
The
Yomiuri Shimbun/Asia News NetworkThursday, Jul 23, 2015
TPP minister Akira
Amari aims to reach agreements with his US and Australian counterparts in
separate talks later this month. Photo: Reuters
The government considers allowing less than 100,000 tons of rice
to be imported from the United States and Australia under the Trans-Pacific
Partnership free trade agreement, it has been learned.Under Japan's planned
tariff-free import quota for rice as a staple food, the amount for the United
States could be increased to 70,000-80,000 tons, while Australia would be
granted about one-tenth of the US amount, according to sources.TPP minister
Akira Amari aims to reach agreements with his US and Australian counterparts in
separate talks later this month, the sources said.
http://business.asiaone.com/news/japan-may-allow-import-less-100000-tons-rice-under-tpp
Govt.
allocates Rs.6,000 Mn for Yala season paddy purchases
Published inLatest -
Defence
The government has allocated 6,000 million rupees to purchase
paddy for Yala Season, the Cabinet Spokesperson Rajitha Senarathne said at the
Cabinet Press briefing held today at the Government Information Department.He
said the Cabinet has granted approval to release a loan of Rs.6,000 million to
the Paddy Marketing Board for these purchases. The Bank of Ceylon will provide
4,000 million rupees and the people's bank the balance Rs.2,000 rupees to meet
this requirement. It is expected to purchase 120,000 M/T of paddy from all
districts in the country. The Sub committee on paddy purchase which was
appointed by the Cabinet has met on Wednesday(22) to discuss the
modalities of the process and to adhere new purchasing methods in order to
implement the process effectively.
Govt.
allocates Rs.6,000 Mn for Yala season paddy purchases
Published inLatest -
Defence
The government has allocated 6,000 million rupees to purchase
paddy for Yala Season, the Cabinet Spokesperson Rajitha Senarathne said at the
Cabinet Press briefing held today at the Government Information Department.He
said the Cabinet has granted approval to release a loan of Rs.6,000 million to
the Paddy Marketing Board for these purchases. The Bank of Ceylon will provide
4,000 million rupees and the people's bank the balance Rs.2,000 rupees to meet
this requirement. It is expected to purchase 120,000 M/T of paddy from all
districts in the country.The Sub committee on paddy purchase which was
appointed by the Cabinet has met on Wednesday(22) to discuss the
modalities of the process and to adhere new purchasing methods in order to
implement the process effectively.
Thai
government told to 'cut water use'
ALL STATE agencies have been told to cut water use by 10 per
cent while people in the country, businesses and the industrial sector have
also been urged to save and reduce water usage during this severe drought
period.Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha issued the instructions while
presiding over the first National Water Resource Committee meeting at
Government House yesterday.
The committee was given strategies on water resource management
to increase water access nationwide and to tackle drought and flood issues in
the long term."There are 12 projects aimed at solving shortage for every
kind of water use.The agriculture sector will get maximum water share, followed
by water for sustaining the ecology, for domestic use and for industrial
use," Prayut explained.The 12 projects would prioritise increased tap
water accessibility and focus on preventing drought and flood in the long term.According
to the plan, a total of 7,490 villages would have access to piped water by
2021.The irrigation area will increase to 8.7 million rai in 2026 because of
more ponds and artesian wells to supply water for farmlands.
The total water available for agriculture in 2026 will rise to
7,842 million cubic metres, up sharply from the present 2,074 million cubic
metres.It is estimated that the overall expense on the projects until 2016
would be up to Bt80 billion.Prayut insisted that the government was looking
after every sector and emphasised that everyone should use the water within
their quota."If everyone doesn't use water responsibly, there will surely
be a water shortage for all sectors because all activities share the same water
source," he warned.Water Resources Department director Jatuporn Buruspat
said to save water and be a role model for others, Prayut had ordered
government agencies to cut water use by 10 per cent from the current 19 per
cent of tap-water share.
Jatuporn said that while domestic, business and industrial water
consumers were not ordered to reduce water usage, the government would urge
them to voluntarily save water.Regarding the agricultural sector the biggest
consumer of water he said Prayut had told the Agriculture Department to
encourage farmers to grow plants that needed less water and to re-zone
agricultural land use.He said long-term solutions included considering ways to
draw water from international rivers to Thailand; finding ways to use water at
the bottom of dams; construction of pipes to send raw water for domestic use in
the capital directly from the northern region's water source."Those plans
are for the future, which still require further feasibility studies of possible
impacts, and negotiation with all stakeholders," he added.
Meanwhile, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has granted 5,000
packs of drinking water to drought-affected residents in Pathum Thani's
Thanyaburi, Lam Lukka and Nong Seu districts, a senior official at the
Princess' Personal Affairs Division, Pradith Arnpothong, said yesterday.Rice
farmers in the Chao Phraya basin yesterday started pumping water into their
rice fields after the government approved the water release on Tuesday.
Ayutthaya Governor Apichat Todilokvechm said four sluice gates - Chao Ched, Lad
Chado, Phak Hai and Khanom Jeen were opened, allowing the irrigation of more
than 100,000 rai of rice fields in Sena, Phak Hai and Bang Sai districts.
In Lop Buri's Tha Wung district, Bang Nga subdistrict
municipality workers installed more pumps to deliver water from Chao Phraya
River to the area's 16,000 rai of dying crops, half of which could be saved by
this operation.In Phichit's Muang district, farmers persisted with pumping the
remaining water from an irrigation canal onto rice fields, in defiance of the
Royal Irrigation Department's orders to suspend the activities in keeping with
the government's policy.Uttaradit's Sirikit Dam reportedly received 17 million
cubic metres of water per day due to the increase in rainfall and local farmers
were advised to dig a pool to store the water.Dam director Suthep Lertmongkol
said the dam would still release 11 million cubic metres of water daily until
August as per the Cabinet resolution. The dam level was at 276 million cubic
metres or four per cent of capacity, which is considered critical, he added.
http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/thai-government-told-cut-water-use
PH may import more rice
as El Nino worry persists
Reuters
Posted at 07/23/2015 4:20 PM | Updated as of
07/23/2015 6:24 PM
MANILA (UPDATE) - The Philippines, one of the
world's biggest rice importers, could ship in more to boost buffer stocks and
keep local prices stable because of an El Nino dry weather pattern now forecast
to last until next year, potentially hurting the local harvest."The
economic managers have indicated that they are reassessing the rice
supply-demand conditions for the rest of the year (to see) if there is a need
to do another importation," Zeno Ronald Abenoja, director at the
Department of Economic Research of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, said on
Thursday.The central bank is represented in the National Food Authority Council
(NFA), which approves rice imports.
Purchases this year have reached 750,000 tonnes - 550,000 tonnes
from Vietnam and the rest from Thailand. The NFA has permission from President
Benigno Aquino to import an additional 250,000 tonnes if drought conditions
worsen and hurt local rice production.Timely imports of the staple have
prevented a repeat of last year's spike in rice prices caused by damage to
supply chains from Super Typhoon Haiyan in late 2013. Food prices have a
weighting of 39 percent in the consumer price index.Central bank Governor
Amando Tetangco, in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, said he saw no need
to alter monetary policy settings for now but cited the potential threat of an
extended El Nino as one of the reasons to be careful.
Inflation is expected to inch up later in the year, after
slowing to a two-decade low in June, due to the potential impact of the
worsening dry spell and possible adjustments to electricity prices.Latest
government data shows local rice prices have fallen around 5 percent from a
year earlier. The expectation now is for the domestic harvest to be
"lean" in the third quarter before rebounding in the final three
months, Abenoja said.The Philippines' weather bureau forecasts a
"moderate" El Nino that is likely to intensify and last until early
next year.Private rice traders have also been given permission to import
805,200 tonnes of rice with a tariff of 35 percent, although so far they have
applied to ship in only about 300,000 tonnes.
USA Rice Gets In-depth Look at Japan Market
Yumi Kojima leads the discussion
TOKYO,
JAPAN -- Last week USA Rice leaders engaged in the export trade to Japan
received a detailed briefing on USA Rice's promotional activities in Japan,
where the focus is on the quality and safety of U.S. rice and the promotion of
U.S. medium grain rice to the foodservice sector, deli operators, and
retailers. U.S. rice is under particular
challenge today because the depressed domestic price of Japanese rice, coupled
with the high costs imposed by the Japanese government in the operation of the
Simultaneous Buy-Sell system, severely reduces the cost competitiveness of
imported U.S. rice.
Yumi
Kojima, head of USA Rice's representative office in Tokyo, outlined Japan's
domestic rice market situation, the relative competitive position of imported
rice from various origins to Japanese rice, and outreach and promotion efforts
to consumers, bloggers, restaurants, and retailers.While here, the USA Rice
team also attended the 18th annual U.S.-Japan rice technical meeting and met
with staff from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural
Service posted to the U.S. embassy.
"These
annual meetings are an excellent and important venue for discussing and
resolving technical issues with our Japanese counterparts with the goal of
better mutual understanding and more efficient rice trade between our two
countries," said Alex T. Balafoutis, U.S. delegation chairman and vice
president, PGP International, Inc.
Both sides exchanged reports on the
rice supply and demand situation in the United States and Japan, the U.S. rice
export situation, and concluded with a discussion and overall positive
assessment of the quality of U.S. rice. In addition to Chairman Balafoutis, the
U.S. delegation included Todd Burich, ADM Rice; Jess Errecarte, SunWest Foods;
Jim Higa, Sun Valley Rice Co.; Kirk Messick, Farmers' Rice Cooperative; Michael
Rue, rice producer, and USA Rice COO Bob Cummings.
Contact: Bob Cummings (703)
236-1473
USA Rice
Federation
EPA Sets New Threshold for SPCC
Rule
|
 WASHINGTON, DC -- Recently the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) Office of Emergency Management released the findings of a study
to determine the aggregate aboveground oil storage capacity threshold for
farms subject to the Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure
(SPCC). The EPA storage capacity report was a requirement of the Water
Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014.
Without a
national registration database of aboveground oil storage tanks on farms, EPA
used anecdotal and other data to determine that the original 1,320 gallon
capacity threshold was appropriate. However, the WRRDA required a new
threshold of between 2,500 gallons and 6,000 gallons. EPA has opted for
the minimum 2,500 gallon threshold as the new trigger for compliance under
SPCC -- a move that EPA states will exempt more than 80 percent of farms in
the United States.
In response to
the new WRRDA report, Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) plans to reintroduce
the Farmers Undertake Environmental Stewardship (FUELS) Act, which
modifies EPA's SPCC regulations applicability on farms and raises the
exemption level for a single container up to 10,000 gallons.
A fact sheet on the WRRDA-compliant SPCC rule for
farms can be found here.
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Nigeria: Kebbi
Targets 500,000 Tonnes of Rice From Local Farmers
By Garba Muhammad
Birnin Kebbi — The Kebbi State Government has initiated a
programme to, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), provide
support to rice farmers for the production of 500,000 metrics tonnes of rice
this year.Governor Atiku Bagudu made the disclosure when he received delegates
of commercial rice millers and farmers led by the Special Adviser to the CBN
Governor on Finance, Mr Paul N. Eluhaiwe, in Birnin Kebbi.He stressed the need
to obtain rice quality project certification, adding that the state government
already has in store, 9,000 tonnes of rice.He called on commercial millers to
provide seedling on the variety their firms preferred, to enable farmers
produce the required quality.
According to the governor, "additional farmland would be
cleared and young farmers would be provided with funds and extension services
to boost production."Strategies would be worked out for transportation of
produce to the designated centres," he said.The CBN delegation and the
commercial rice millers earlier undertook tour of some rice production centres
in Bunza, Suru, Jega, Birnin-Kebbi and Argungu to assess quality and variety of
rice proposed for processing in commercial quality.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201507231470.html
Pakistan
asks Kenya to lower import duty on rice
Facing surplus rice stocks of close to 1 million ton
due to fallingCOMMODITY
PRICES
in the international market, Pakistan has asked Kenya to lower the
import duty on Pakistani rice which is affecting rice exports.Finance Minister
Ishaq had a meeting with Kenyan High Commissioner Prof Julius Kibet Bitok on
Thursday. The minister highlighted the issue regarding enhancement in import
duty on Pakistani rice by Kenya and asked for a review of the matter.He said
that enhancement of the duty was affecting Pakistani rice exports to Kenya. The
matter regarding import of Kenyan tea in Pakistan was also discussed with
emphasis on efforts to ensure import through regular channels.
in the international market, Pakistan has asked Kenya to lower the
import duty on Pakistani rice which is affecting rice exports.Finance Minister
Ishaq had a meeting with Kenyan High Commissioner Prof Julius Kibet Bitok on
Thursday. The minister highlighted the issue regarding enhancement in import
duty on Pakistani rice by Kenya and asked for a review of the matter.He said
that enhancement of the duty was affecting Pakistani rice exports to Kenya. The
matter regarding import of Kenyan tea in Pakistan was also discussed with
emphasis on efforts to ensure import through regular channels.
It is important to mention that Pakistani exporters
use Kenya as a hub for exports to the Africa region. Pakistani exporters are
facing stiff competition from Indian, Thai and Vietnamese exporters. Pakistan,
for the last two years, has not managed to export its surplus rice and this
year another bumper crop of 7 million tons is expected which is estimated to
increase the exportable surplus for current 0.6 million tons to over 1 million
tons.The lowering internationalCOMMODITY
PRICES are impacting the farmer, whose cost of production is estimated
around Rs 70,000 per acre but in return they are getting Rs 36,000 per acre.
The government is under pressure to buy the surplus stocks from the rice mills
and export them on government to government basis to protect the farmers
are impacting the farmer, whose cost of production is estimated
around Rs 70,000 per acre but in return they are getting Rs 36,000 per acre.
The government is under pressure to buy the surplus stocks from the rice mills
and export them on government to government basis to protect the farmers
Weekly Rice Sales, Exports Reported
|
WASHINGTON, DC -- Net rice sales of 9,400 MT for
2014/2015 were down 91 percent from the previous week and 88 percent from the
prior four-week average, according to today's Export Sales Highlights report.
Increases were reported for Venezuela (30,000 MT switched from unknown
destinations), Haiti (14,300 MT), Mexico (6,800 MT), New Guinea (3,200 MT),
and Canada (1,300 MT). Decreases were reported for unknown destinations
(28,000 MT), Turkey (20,000 MT), and Taiwan (300 MT). Net sales of 132,400 MT
for 2015/2016 were reported for Iraq (60,000 MT), Iran (60,000 MT), unknown
destinations (5,500 MT), and Honduras (3,400 MT).
Exports of 92,400 MT were up noticeably from the previous week and up 53 percent from the prior four-week average. The primary destinations were Venezuela (30,000 MT), Haiti (14,300 MT), Mexico (12,700 MT), Japan (12,000 MT), and Ghana (7,000 MT). This summary is based on reports from exporters from the period July 10-16, 2015. |
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open-July
23
Nagpur, July 23 Gram and tuar prices reported higher in Nagpur
Agriculture Produce
and Marketing Committee (APMC) here on good buying support from
local millers amid weak supplyfrom producing regions because of rains. Healthy
rise in Madhya Pradesh pulses and reporteddemand from South-based millers also
boosted prices, according to sources.
* * * *
FOODGRAINS & PULSES
GRAM
* Gram varieties ruled
steady in open market here but demand was poor.
TUAR
* Tuar gavarani recovered
in open market on increased demand from local traders amid
tight supply from
producing belts. Estimate about weak production in this season
also activated
stockists.
* Batri dal and Lakhodi
dal firmed up in open market here on good seasonal demand
from local traders amid
restricted supply from producing regions.
* In Akola, Tuar -
7,100-7,200, Tuar dal - 10,100-10,300, Udid at 9,500-9,900,
Udid Mogar (clean) -
11,000-11,400, Moong - 7,000-8,000, Moong Mogar
(clean) 9,800-10,100,
Gram - 4,100-4,200, Gram Super best bold - 5,700-5,900
for 100 kg.
* Wheat, rice and other
commodities remained steady in open market
in thin trading
activity, according to sources.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC
auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg
FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 3,800-4,590 3,800-4,510
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 6,700-7,530 6,700-7,480
Moong Auction n.a. 6,000-6,400
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800
Gram Super Best
Bold 6,000-6,200 6,000-6,200
Gram Super Best n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,700-5,800 5,700-5,800
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a.
Gram Mill Quality 5,350-5,550 5,350-5,550
Desi gram Raw 4,550-4,650 4,550-4,650
Gram Filter new 5,950-6,150 5,950-6,150
Gram Kabuli 5,600-7,100 5,600-7,100
Gram Pink 6,500-6,700 6,500-6,700
Tuar Fataka Best 10,600-10,850 10,600-10,850
Tuar Fataka Medium 10,200-10,500 10,200-10,500
Tuar Dal Best Phod 9,700-9,900 9,700-9,900
Tuar Dal Medium
phod 9,200-9,500 9,200-9,500
Tuar Gavarani New 7,700-7,800 7,650-7,750
Tuar Karnataka 8,100-8,300 8,100-8,300
Tuar Black 11,000-11,300 11,000-11,300
Masoor dal best 8,000-8,300 8,000-8,300
Masoor dal medium 7,700-7,900 7,700-7,900
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold 9,500-10,500 9,500-10,500
Moong Mogar Medium
best 8,800-9,200 8,800-9,200
Moong dal Chilka 8,800-9,200 8,800-9,800
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 9,600-9,900 9,600-9,900
Udid Mogar Super best
(100 INR/KG) 11,200-11,800 11,200-11,800
Udid Mogar Medium (100
INR/KG) 10,600-11,000 10,600-11,000
Udid Dal Black (100
INR/KG) 9,200-9,600 9,200-9,600
Batri dal (100
INR/KG) 4,600-5,000 4,400-4,800
Lakhodi dal (100
INR/kg) 3,300-3,400 3,250-3,350
Watana Dal (100
INR/KG) 3,300-3,400 3,300-3,400
Watana White (100
INR/KG) 3,100-3,200 3,100-3,200
Watana Green Best (100
INR/KG) 3,200-3,800 3,200-3,800
Wheat 308 (100
INR/KG) 1,400-1,500 1,400-1,500
Wheat Mill quality(100
INR/KG) 1,550-1,700 1,550-1,700
Wheat Filter (100
INR/KG) 1,300-1,500 1,300-1,500
Wheat Lokwan best (100
INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,200-2,400
Wheat Lokwan medium
(100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100 1,900-2,100
Lokwan Hath Binar (100
INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100
INR/KG) 3,200-3,700 3,200-3,700
MP Sharbati Medium (100
INR/KG) 2,550-2,850 2,550-2,850
Rice BPT New(100
INR/KG) 2,750-2,900 2,750-2,900
Rice BPT (100
INR/KG) 3,050-3,300 3,050-3,300
Rice Parmal (100
INR/KG) 1,600-1,750 1,600-1,750
Rice Swarna new (100
INR/KG) 2,200-2,450 2,200-2,450
Rice Swarna old (100
INR/KG) 2,500-2,700 2,500-2,700
Rice HMT new(100
INR/KG) 3,100-3,600 3,100-3,600
Rice HMT (100
INR/KG) 3,800-4,200 3,800-4,200
Rice HMT Shriram
New(100 INR/KG) 4,200-4,500 4,200-4,500
Rice HMT Shriram old
(100 INR/KG) 4,500-5,100 4,500-5,100
Rice Basmati best (100
INR/KG) 8,000-10,000 8,000-10,000
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500
Rice Chinnor new (100
INR/KG) 4,500-4,800 4,500-4,800
Rice Chinnor (100
INR/KG) 5,100-5,500 5,100-5,500
Jowar Gavarani (100
INR/KG) 2,100-2,350 2,100-2,350
Jowar CH-5 (100
INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500
WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 33.2 degree Celsius (91.8 degree Fahrenheit),
minimum temp.
24.7 degree Celsius (76.5 degree Fahrenheit)
Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a.
Rainfall : 9.6 mm
FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky. Rains or thunder-showers likely.
Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 33 and 25 degree Celsius
respectively.
Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery
prices, but included in market prices.)
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/07/23/nagpur-foodgrain-idINL3N1033GD20150723
The best
and worst baby foods revealed
JULY 23, 2015 5:30PM
Smart choices ... a new study has named the best and worst baby
foods on the market. Source: Supplied
THE best and worst baby foods have been revealed in a new study
that finds nearly half of Australia’s baby foods get a four out of five star
health rating.Australia’s baby foods have been hailed as healthier
than salt and sugar-laden products in Britain and Canada.However, parents are
warned more than half of all commercial baby foods are fruit-based and there is
a risk babies could develop a sweet tooth.
“Their relatively high sugar content deriving from
fruits requires close attention to ensure these foods do not replace more
nutrient dense foods, given children have an innate preference for sweet
tastes,” the study says.The research by the George Institute which looked at 309 baby food products shows 30 per cent
of products are high in sugar.Only six per cent were high in saturated fat and
only six per cent were high in salt, the study published in the Journal of Maternal Child Health shows.“The message for mums and dads is that generally
the products are good, but some aren’t good,” says University of Sydney researcher Professor Victoria Flood.Only 25 products had a Health Star Rating of less than 3
stars while 45 per cent were four out of five stars.
Look out ... babies could develop a sweet tooth from fruit-based
treats. Source: Getty Images
The
study found the worst baby foods tended to be dry finger food products and
snack bars.
The
four worst products were:
Heinz Little Kids Yoghurt Muesli Fingers Fruit Salad had 38.5
grams of sugar and 75 grams of salt per 100 grams.Rafferty’s Garden Fruit Snack
Bars Blueberry Banana Apple contained 40.1 grams of sugar and 170 grams of salt
per 100 grams.Heinz Little Kids Wholegrain Cereal Bars Apple and Strawberry
with yoghurt flavour had 35 grams of sugar and 80 grams of salt per 100 grams.Rafferty’s
Garden Fruit Snack bars with banana had 37.2 grams of sugar and 220 grams of
slat per 100 grams.The study found Australianj baby foods had less sugar and
salt than foods in the UK and Canada.
Healthier ... Australian baby foods had less salt and sugar than
foods in the UK and Canada. Picture Getty Images.Source: Getty Images
The four best products were Only Organic Pasta Bolognese which
contains just 4.2 grams of sugar and 20 grams of salt per 100 grams.
Best baby food ... Only Organic pasta bolognese. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
Rafferty’s Garden Beef with Veggies and Basmati Rice
had 1.3 grams of sugar and 15 grams of salt per 100 grams.Only Organic Pear,
Purple Carrot, Blueberry and Quinoa had 4.6 grams of sugar and 11 grams of salt
per 100 grams.Heinz Little Kids Tender Beef and Vegetable had 2.9 grams of
sugar and 35 grams of salt per 100 grams.Obesity experts have hailed the first
three years of a child’s life as crucial to setting up their food preferences
for life.They warn overloading children with sweet and salty foods will
establish a lifetime preference for these sorts of flavours associated with
obesity inducing junk foods.
Think about it ... the first three years of a child’s life are
crucial to setting up their food preferences for life. Source: Getty Images
Professor Flood says parents should persevere with
introducing vegetables to their children.“Sometimes you’ve got to do it 10,15,
20 times before they will take it,” she says.Commercial baby foods are consumed
by 90 per cent of children by the time they are nine months old so their impact
on the child’s food preferences cannot be over stated.The market for commercial
baby food is growing at 4.8 per cent a year and is now worth $300 million a
year.“Part of the increase in this market can be attributed to time-poor
parents needing to make quick food decisions and that isn’t likely to change
any time soon, so we need to get it right,” says George Institute for Global
Health Professor Bruce Neal.
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
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USA Rice Federation
Download/View
On-Line the above News in pdf format,just click the following link
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