No fake rice in Davao City, test
results show
Friday, August 07, 2015
LABORATORY analysis of the
alleged "fake" rice reported in Davao City last June of this year
showed no evidence of syntheticity, multi-agency scientific test results
showed.National Food Authority-Davao Provincial Manager Virgilio B. Alerta told
Sun.Star Davao in a phone interview that with the series of tests conducted by
various government agencies, there is no cause for alarm among rice consumers
in the city and the country."May this development put an end to the issue
that continuously bothered the consumers, there is no fake rice in the city and
in the country as a whole. Investigation and tight monitoring were made but we
found no evidence to confirm the existence of fake rice in the city and it
appeared that the questionable rice was a result of food mishandling," he
said.
A summary of the results of tests
was conducted by the Food Development Center (FDC), Philippine Rice Research
Institute (Philrice), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), and the Food and Drugs
Administration (FDA) of the Department of Health (DOH).Based on the test
results, Philrice conducted a DNA analysis on the rice sample and found that it
was positive for rice DNA. The IRRI said the sample was "more similar to
rice standard" than to sweet potato or corn starch.The alleged cooked fake
rice sample is "morphologically different" or different in form and
structure from the cooked NFA rice sample because further investigation showed
that the rice sample underwent retrogradation process that resulted from a
series of freezing, thawing, and heating that rice sample went through, RITM
results bared.
Meanwhile, the NFA-FDC is
currently undertaking quantitative analysis on the DBP content of the sole 25
grams sample that tested positive with DBP.NFA Administrator Renan B. Dalisay
said in a statement, "It is clear from the series of tests conducted by
various agencies is that there is no existence of `fake rice' in our country.
What we have is an isolated case of chemically contaminated sample which may
have been the result of mishandling or pure neglect to safeguard the rice from
contaminants.""The government, through its various agencies involved
in food technology and nutrition, exhausted all means to analyze the samples
submitted to NFA to ensure that the nation's basic food is safe and free from
any contamination," secretary Francis Pangilinan, presidential adviser on
food security, said in a statement released by the NFA central office.
Even as exhaustive tests have not
yielded any cause for alarm, the NFA remains vigilant and will never waver in
its regular market monitoring activities."As we close this issue, our
continuous inspection and monitoring will still be done to ensure that no
smuggled "fake" rice will proliferate especially in Davao
region," Alerta said.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2015/08/07/no-fake-rice-davao-city-test-results-show-423368
Rice Importers Urge CBN To Review Policy On 41
Items Not Valid For Forex
They want to be allowed to use proceeds of
their export to ship into the country the needed quantity of the commodity to
close the gap between supply and demand.“The Central Bank just issued a
circular to say those items, which had already been classified as not valid for
forex, cannot be funded at the interbank market, from proceed of exports and
Bureau de Change sources.“So our plea is for the government to take a look at
each of our members, do their profiling and allow the genuine ones to use their
export proceed to bring in rice, because many of them are exporters also.“Government
can consider those who had already keyed into the backward integration
programme to use their export proceed so that gradually we can reduce the
importation of the commodity by encouraging local production.
”According to Sahibu, Nigeria
could be self-sufficient in rice production in the next three years if their
plea is considered. He said six million tones of the commodity is needed yearly
in Nigeria, going by the last consumption statistics, but local production has
not exceeded 2.5 million tons per annum, hence a need to close the gap with
importation.“For the importers of rice, we are seeing this policy as a tactical
ban on rice importation because you can no longer access Dollar to pay for your
supplies. The implication of this tactical ban is huge. The importers will
become jobless and there will be famine in the land. Nigerians consume six
million tons of rice yearly, but local production is a little below 50 per cent
(N2.5 million tones).“So you have 3.5 million tons as a huge gap to be bridged
either by legal importation or by smuggling. Smuggling of rice is going to
double and the economy of neighbouring countries will witness a boom because
they will ship into their country more rice to be smuggled into Nigeria.
”Shaibu applauded the
government’s backward integrated programme, saying that it is a step in the
right direction. He said his members have invested in rice farming and milling
and would continue to assist government in the execution of its policies on
rice.However, he asked that the government should provide the enabling
environment. “There should be adequate power supply, because our members are
running the mills on diesel, bring down cost of production, put the bad roads
in good shape, revive the decayed infrastructure, tackle corruption to
encourage people into farming business.”
http://www.informationng.com/2015/08/rice-importers-urge-cbn-to-review-policy-on-41-items-not-valid-for-forex.html
Rice Field Day planned in
Richvale
Posted Aug. 7, 2015 at 11:37 AM
Sponsored by the California
Cooperative Rice Research Foundation, University of California, and the United
States Department of Agriculture, the Annual California Rice Field Day will be
held Wednesday, August 26 at the Rice Experiment Station in Biggs.This
informative day gives rice growers and others the opportunity to observe and
discuss research in progress at the Rice Experiment Station including rice
equipment vendor display.Registration and poster viewing is offered between
7:30 and 8:30 a.m., followed by the General Session which will include a
business meeting with reports by the Chairman and treasurer of the California
Cooperative Rice Research Foundation, the rice Research Trust, and the
California Rice Research Board.
It will conclude with the presentation
of the California Rice Industry Award.From 9:30 a.m., to noon, field tours will
be conducted of the research nurseries focusing on breeding, disease
resistance, weed control, and entomology and a Rice Equipment Display. The
tours will be followed by a luncheon at noon. There is no charge for this
event.The Rice Experiment Station is located 2.5 miles west of Highway 99 on
Highway 162 towards Butte City. Further information can be obtained at www.crrf.org or by
calling the Rice Experiment Station at 530-868-5481.
http://www.gridleyherald.com/article/20150807/NEWS/150809747
Government Jobs 2015: Indian
Institute of Rice Research Recruitment for 36 Posts
Suggested
Readings: Jobs 2015,Government jobs,Government jobs 2015,Jobs,Recruitment,Recruitment 2015,ICAR,Junior Research Fellow,Senior Research Fellow
Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad under Indian
Council of Agricultural Research has invited applications from interested and
eligible candidates to apply for 34 Senior Research Fellow/Research Associates
and Junior Research Fellow/Technical Assistant/Office Assistant/Data Entry
Operator posts .The candidates need to walk in for the interview conducted for
the posts by the competent authority on August 18th and 19th,
2015. The positions would be on temporary basis and would be done for various
projects under the Institute.
Indian Institute of Rice Research
(IIRR) which was formerly known as DRR was established by Indian Council of
Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 1965. The national headquarter of the Institute
is at Hyderabad and it has since its inception contributed significantly in the
field of development of rice production and its safety of it. The institute
through its various programmes, researches and appropriate measures, has
ensured the food security of the country intact.
http://www.prepsure.com/news/government-jobs-2015-indian-institute-of-rice-research-recruitment-for-36-posts/
Research says white bread and rice leads to depression
A new study suggests that rice and white bread increase the
depression risk in the older women. But foods like vegetables, whole grain
foods and roughage will make them stay far away from the depression.
RESEARCH SAYS WHITE BREAD AND RICE
LEADS TO DEPRESSION
As told by the researchers, redefined foods
will lead to the hormone changes and reduced the sugar levels in the blood and
gives rise to the depression symptoms.Proper nutrition can be followed to treat
and control the depression, as published in the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says. Three out of every hundred
older women will suffer depression.When the research is conducted among 70
thousand women, it was found out that there is a link between the depression
and carbohydrate consumption.People who consume more amounts of carbohydrates
will increase the sugar levels in the blood. More the carbohydrates are refined
more it is affected to the sugar level.Refined foods like white rice and white
bread lead to the reduction of sugar levels in the blood which leads to
fatigue, mood changes, and depression etc.
There’s no fake
rice–NFA
Citing a series of tests on various rice
samples, the National Food Authority (NFA) debunked allegations that there is
“fake rice” in the country.NFA administrator Renan B. Dalisay said in a report
that the 25-gram sample of allegedly fake rice from Davao City was found to
have traces of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a chemical compound used in making
flexible plastics.However, Dalisay said this seemed to be an isolated case and
was therefore no cause for alarm among rice consumers.In an advisory, NFA said
that more than a month after a 25-gram sample of alleged “fake rice” was
reported in Davao City, a series of tests conducted by various government
agencies proved that other rice samples were not contaminated with DBP.
The tests were conducted by NFA’s Food
Development Center (FDC), Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice),
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Research Institute for
Tropical Medicine (RITM), and the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) of the
Department of Health (DOH).PhilRice conducted a DNA analysis on the rice sample
from Davao City and found it positive for the rice DNA. The IRRI said the
sample was “more similar to rice standard” than to sweet potato or corn starch.The
RITM said the alleged cooked fake rice sample was “morphologically different”
or different in form and structure from the cooked NFA rice sample because
further investigation showed that the rice sample underwent retrogradation
process that resulted from a series of freezing, thawing, and heating that rice
sample went through.
The NFA-FDC is currently undertaking
quantitative analysis on the DBP content of the 25-gram sample that tested
positive for DBP.“What is clear from the series of tests conducted by various
agencies is that there is no existence of “fake rice” in our country,” Dalisay
said. “What we have is an isolated case of chemically contaminated sample which
may have been the result of mishandling or pure neglect to safeguard the rice
from contaminants.”From the time the NFA was alerted on the alleged fake rice
on June 30, its monitoring teams patrolled the markets on a daily basis
nationwide to ensure that only genuine rice was being sold to the public,
Dalisay said.
In a span of five weeks, the NFA responded to
over a hundred reports and complaints about suspected fake rice from concerned
citizens across the country, but none of the samples tested proved positive of
any contamination, he explained.Secretary Francis Pangilinan, presidential
adviser on food security, said the government exhausted all means to analyze
the samples submitted to NFA.“The rice sample from Davao which tested positive
for dibutyl phthalate remains to be the only positive case of chemical
contamination. This is just a clear case then of food mishandling. As we close
this issue, we remind the public to be very cautious in their own food handling
practices as the government will continue to ensure that food, especially rice,
will be available, affordable, accessible and safe for the public,” Pangilinan
said. Riza T. Olchondra
Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/711317/theres-no-fake-rice-nfa#ixzz3iSAGzWc3
India to ship 10,000 tonne of rice
bran oil this fiscal
By PTI | 9 Aug, 2015, 12.36PM IST
The country produces 155
million tonne paddy and has a potential to produce 8.76
million tonne of rice bran and 1.53 million tonne of rice
bran oil.India was the highest producer of rice bran oil with an output of
9.5 lakh tonne in 2014-15, followed by China with
2 lakh tonne and
Japan 80,000 tonne.MUMBAI: India is expecting to ship 10,000 tonne of rice bran oil this
financial year after the government eased restrictions on its bulk sale, giving
a boost to small rice millers, an industry body said. The country was exporting
about 2,000 tonne of rice bran oil last year mainly in consumer packs,
according to data from the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA). "Lifting
of the government restriction is a great boost to the industry and will help
small rice millers across the country.
We expect to export 10,000 tonne rice bran oil
during this financial year," SEA Executive Director B V Mehta said. Mehta
said SEA is now looking at new export destination for shipping of rice bran
oil, which fetches a premium over other edible oils. Also rice bran oil is
considered healthier and meets the recommendation of a well blended combination
of SFA, MUFA and PUFA. "There has been very good demand from countries like
Japan and Thailand. We
will also start exploring new destinations like Australia, New Zealand, the US
for exports of rice bran oil," he added.
Earlier
due to the restrictions, all output was absorbed in the domestic market, he
said. Mehta said the country produces 155 million tonne paddy and has a
potential to produce 8.76 million tonne of rice bran and 1.53 million tonne of
rice bran oil. India was the highest producer of rice bran oil with an output of
9.5 lakh tonne in 2014-15, followed by China with 2 lakh tonne and Japan 80,000
tonne. The country produces the best quality of rice bran oil with more than
150 solvent extraction units producing the edible oil. The total global
production of the rice bran oil is 15 lakh tonne. India is expected to produce
9.97 lakh tonne this year.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/india-to-ship-10000-tonne-of-rice-bran-oil-this-fiscal/articleshow/48410881.cms
Global Rice Bran Oil Conference
highlights India's leadership position
Saturday, August 08, 2015 08:00 IST
Rashmi Nair, Mumbai
Saturday, August 08, 2015 08:00 IST
Rashmi Nair, Mumbai
India's position as world leader in
production of quality rice bran oil, a fast emerging healthy cooking medium,
was discussed in detail at Global Rice Bran Oil Conference held here on Friday.
The two-day conference will conclude on Saturday.Experts from India and other
top rice producing countries like China, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam were
present as speakers discussing their country's rice production, position, and
promotion and growth prospects of rice bran oil as a healthy oil.
The highlight of the inaugural session was the
launch of celebrity chef Harpal Singh Sokhi's book Exotic Cooking with Rice
Bran Oil. The event started with Pravin Lunkad, president, Solvent
Extractors Association of India (SEA), addressing the inaugural session. He
stated, "It was a great pride that India produces the best quality of rice
bran oil and it has emerged as the largest producer of this oil in the world.
Rice bran oil has a total production of 950,000 tonne per annum."He was
followed by Dr A R Sharma, president, IARBO.
He said, "IARBO has decided to
organise international conferences on rice bran oil in different countries. The
first international conference was organised in Wuhan, China, in May 2014. This
is the second international conference on rice bran oil and with your support
we will indeed organise many more across the world. We have today about 400 key
delegates and special invitees from India and overseas attending this
conference. We have several exhibitors here with us, who will showcase
their products and disseminate information on latest technologies on rice bran
oil and value-added products developed by them."
Others who spoke included P Goenka, director, 3F industries Ltd; Prof. Xuebing Xu, GM, Wilmar Global R&D Centre, China; and Dr V Prakash, scientist, CSIR. Prakash stated, "In the coming years, world will look to India as a leading supplier of rice bran oil." While, the Session 1 had country presentation on future prospects and current scenario of the industry, the Session 2 had various inputs on how rice bran oil will inculcate wellness and health in a person’s lifestyle. Another key aspect was a detailed insight on the nutritional significance of oil and its blends with pharma, food and edible oil industry. At the end of the session, stress was on making changes in lifestyle to inculcate the use of rice bran oil. All in all, the conference discussed important topics such as nutrition & health benefits, patronisation by medical fraternity, regulatory issues, and quality control.
http://www.fnbnews.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=37628§ionid=1
Pakistan: Six
working groups formed to address challenges faced by agri-sector:Ahsan
8/7/2015
Right Vision News
Right Vision News
ISLAMABAD, Aug. 7
-- Government has formed six working groups to formulate suggestions in order
to address issues and challenges being faced by the farming community in the
country on the back drop of decreasing trend of the agriculture commodities in
international market. Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms,
Professor Ahsan Iqbal told media after attending a meeting on issues of
agriculture sector in the country here at Planning Commission here Wednesday.
The event was
organized by Planning Commission of Pakistan with an aim to device a proper
mechanism to safeguard the farming community and agriculture sector from the
after effects of decreasing trend in agri-commodities including wheat, rice, cotton and
maize in international markets.The minister said that six working groups on
different crops including wheat, rice, cotton, maize, sugarcane, vegetables and
agri-inputs were formed during the meeting.
These working groups, he said would put
forward their recommendations to take appropriate steps for safeguarding the
local farming community and agriculture sector from the crisis created after
down fall of the prices of agri- commodities in international market, he
remarked. The recommendations, he said would be submitted before the Prime
Minister for his approval adding that all efforts would be made to overcome the
crisis and for the development of the sector, he added. Crisis of decreasing
price trend of agriculture products was an international crisis and farmers of
other countries like Vietnam, Thailand and India were also facing the similar
challenges, he observed. Ahsan Iqbal said that government alone could not be
able to overcome the issues adding that stability in the commodity market was
vital for the sustainable development of the agri-sector and prosperity of
country.
"Our research
and development institutions were also responsible for this crisis as they were
unable to introduce modern and innovative technologies in the agri-sector for
cultivation, value addition and marketing", he maintained. Steps would be
taken to introduce modern technologies and value addition of agri-produces to
compete with the products of other countries in international market to capture
the due share of exports. The minister said that recently the export opportunities for local agri- products were
expended to the markets of Iran and Russia adding that Russia has shown
interest to import rice and potatoes from Pakistan.
The government was
also making efforts to boostexports by utilizing its diplomatic missions abroad to
fetch a reasonable foreign exchange by exporting the surplus agriculture production. Efforts were
also afoot to improve the agro-based industry in order to develop the rural
industry to alleviate poverty from the rural areas of the country adding that
in PSDP 2015-16, government has introduced projects for olive cultivation in
different areas. To a question, he said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) projects were mainly consists of energy generation and infrastructure
development adding that the planed routes under the project would be completed
as soon aspossible.
Ahsan Iqbal
welcomed the decision of Supreme Court on petitions against 18th and 21st
constitutional amendments and said that it shows that all political forces in
the country and institutions were on same page to rout out the menace of
terrorism from the country. Replaying to another question, he said that it was
high time to promote the culture of patience and tolerance in country and
called upon the Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan and participate
in National Assembly session. Ahsan Iqbal said that government whole heatedly
wants to unite all political forces to work together for the development and
prosperity of the country
Published by HT
Syndication with permission from Right Vision News. For any query with respect
to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor athtsyndication@hindustantimes.com
http://www.world-grain.com/news/news%20home/LexisNexisArticle.aspx?articleid=2421079262
White Bread and Rice May Increases
Depression Risk In Women
White Bread and Rice May Increases Depression
Risk In Women |PakistanTribe.comNEW YORK – Consuming foods rich in
carbohydrates, such as white bread and white rice, may cause mood changes,
fatigue and other symptoms of depression in post-menopausal women.According to
researchers, a diet high in refined carbohydrates may lead to an increased risk
for new onset depression in postmenopausal women.The study by James Gangwisch
and colleagues in the department of psychiatry at Columbia University Medical
Centre (CUMC) looked at the dietary glycemic index, glycemic load, types of
carbohydrates consumed, and depression in data from more than 70,000
postmenopausal women who participated in the US National Institutes of Health’s
Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study between 1994 and 1998.
Pakistan’s Mango Diplomacy and more ………….
August 8, 2015, 7:18 pm
by Rajeewa Jayaweera
I read with much interest the recent article titled "Pakistan’s Mango Diplomacy and Lanka’s Insect Fear" in a daily publication written by one Dr Ranga Kalansooriya. He had narrated how in early July 1977, Pakistan’s military ruler and President Gen. Zia Ul Haq had sent a gift consignment of Pakistan’s Multan mangoes to Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike (Mrs. B).
It had been returned with a message
informing of her inability to "accept a gift from a person whose hands
have the blood of Pakistan’s elected Prime Minister on them". Kalansooriya
further stated of a consignment of mangoes sent by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
to President Sirisena recently which our Foreign Ministry in their infinite wisdom
had rejected for ‘technical reasons’ without the knowledge of President
Sirisena. Similar consignments sent to Prime Minister Modi, Sonia Gandhi and
President Mukherjee notwithstanding the current heightened tension in Indo-Pak
relations had been accepted by recipients.After some thought, I decided to
write this piece. It involves Mrs. B and President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Theirs was a warm friendship based
on mutual respect for each other and the two countries they governed. They
successfully navigated through occasional minor irritants so common in
diplomatic relations.These are anecdotes narrated to me by my father Stanley
Jayaweera (SJ), a career officer in the Ceylon Overseas (Foreign) Service from
1954 till 1988. He was Number 2 at the Ceylon/Sri Lanka High Commission in
Islamabad from February 1972 till June 1975.Sometime around 10 pm one evening
in early 1973, our family was readying for bed when the phone rang and the
Chief Clerk of the High Commission informed SJ of a telegram with the
classification "Top Urgent/ Top Secret" which had been delivered to
him a few minutes earlier (there were no faxes or email in those days). Top
Urgent telegrams were in code. A ‘one time pad’ was required to decipher Top
Secret telegrams and code books were in SJ’s custody. The High Commissioner at
the time, a wealthy businessman from Galle and 10 years younger to SJ was away
from the country resulting in Jayaweera being acting High Commissioner.
He rushed to the Chancery with the
Chief Clerk who deciphered the telegram. It was a personal message from Mrs. B
to Bhutto informing of critical rice stocks in Colombo sufficient for less than
two weeks and seeking Bhutto’s assistance in obtaining an urgent consignment.Running
out of rice in addition to prevailing long bread queues and rationing of
essential foods at the time would have brought about food riots and possibly
the fall of the government.By 1973 SJ had developed a wide contact base in the
Pakistan bureaucracy especially in the Foreign Ministry. He immediately called
the Chief of Protocol with whom he was on first name terms and requested an
urgent appointment with President Bhutto the following morning to hand over a
personal message from Mrs. B and returned home.
The phone rang once again close to midnight
and the Chief of Protocol informed Bhutto had granted the requested appointment
at 1.00 am. SJ just managed to make it after getting into his national dress
and summoning the ambassadorial vehicle and driver for the journey to the president’s
residence.The president had received him in his study dressed in silk pyjamas
and dressing gown with a cognac snifter and Cuban cigar in his hand. A cigar
was offered which was declined. The cognac offered was accepted. Bhutto who had
met SJ on a few previous occasions had enquired after his family and had asked
for Mrs. B’s message. After reading it he had requested the telephone operator
to get the Food Commissioner on line. SJ had been privy only to one side of the
conversation. The other side can only be imagined. Bhutto had asked what the
level of rice stocks in the country was. SJ had gathered from the conversation
that eight ship loads of rice had been shipped to Peru (or Chile which I
forget) resulting in stocks being low. He instructed his Food Commissioner to
divert four ships to Colombo.
Within minutes, the Food
Commissioner was on the line again informing all eight ships, some belonging to
the Pakistan Shipping Corporation, had cleared Pakistan waters and it was too
late to divert especially as it was a competitive tender Pakistan had won and
non-compliance would have consequences. Bhutto had exploded stating "who
is the President of this country, you or me?" "Our good friend Madam
Bandaranaike in Colombo needs our help and I intend to help her. Please divert
four ships to Colombo, call me back and confirm it to me".
A little later when SJ had shown
the desire to depart, Bhutto had said "let the good lady enjoy a good
night’s sleep. You can inform her tomorrow morning that the job is done"
and had poured refills of cognac. Within a short while, the Food Commissioner
was back on line confirming that four of the ships had been instructed to
change course to Colombo. Sometime later when SJ took his leave after thanking
the president on behalf of his government, Bhutto had said "this is what
friends are for – to help each other. There is no hurry. Please request your
Food Commissioner to get in touch with mine. We will charge a reasonable rate
on best possible terms".The four ships arrived in Colombo Port within a
few days and eased the rice shortage averting a disaster for Mrs. B and her
government until a much larger consignment was purchased from Burma. The
Pakistani government eventually charged a per ton rate below the rate they had
obtained from the Peruvian (or Chilean) tender.
Bhutto who became Prime Minister
from August 1973 due to a change in the country’s Constitution, invited Mrs/ B
for a state visit to Pakistan in early 1975. She was accorded the rare honour
of addressing a joint session of the Pakistan National Assembly and Senate
where her speech was received with a standing ovation. The honour of addressing
a joint session had previously been accorded only to the Shah of Iran and
Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, both generous contributors to Pakistan’s economy.
Bhutto’s prime ministerial Falcon jet was laid at Mrs. B’s disposal for her
journeys from Islamabad to Lahore and Lahore to Karachi.A curious but
interesting incident took place during Mrs. B’s state banquet to Bhutto. It
need be stated that a change of our High Commissioners had just taken place and
the incumbent, a retired lawyer and former Senator had been in Pakistan for
less than 10 days when Mrs. B arrived for her state visit. As such, SJ was the
only diplomatic officer in Islamabad for nearly three months and handled all
arrangements assisted by the Trade Commissioner in Karachi who played a very
supportive role.
Mrs. B had informed SJ she would
like veteran Pashtun politician Khan Abdul Wali Khan invited to the state
banquet hosted by her. That was easier said than done as Wali Khan’s National
Awami Party had by then been banned and relations between him and Bhutto were
anything but cordial. Foreign diplomats were discouraged from visiting some
areas in NWFP as the Pakistan government could not guarantee their safety.
Hence the policy was that invitations to those in NWFP be channelled through
the Protocol Division of the Foreign Ministry who would take responsibility for
delivery. SJ knowing this particular invitation to Wali Khan had little chance
of delivery, after handing over the original invitation to the Protocol
Division hired a vehicle from American Express as his own vehicle had a CD
number plate and journeyed to NWFP to personally deliver a copy to Wali Khan
who had assured SJ he would attend if amongst the living. SJ had warned Mrs. B
of the frosty relations between Bhutto and Wali Khan.Senior Pakistan officials
had seemed distinctly uncomfortable when Wali Khan arrived at the function.
The Chief of Protocol could not help
whispering "I say Stanley, what have you done?" Obviously the
invitation given to the Protocol Division was meant to be ‘lost’ ! At the end
of the function, Mrs. B made it a point to thank Wali Khan for accepting her
invitation when Bhutto was within hearing range thus taking full responsibility
for the invitation. She had also told SJ "Stanley, thank you for arranging
Wali Khan’s participation". The shrewd Bhutto guessing what had transpired
had commented "Madam, your man in Islamabad is an efficient man"
followed by a wink to SJ – his way of saying "no offence taken". No
heads rolled at the Pakistan Foreign Ministry or in the Protocol Division.
Relations remained ever so cordial and the matter put to rest by all concerned.
Little wonder that Mrs. B returned
the gift of mangoes from Ge. Zia with a curt message. It was he who overthrew
Bhutto in 1977 in a coup d’état and sent him to the gallows in 1979. When Mrs.
B returned Gen. Zia’s consignment of mangoes, she was sending a clear and
distinct message expressing Sri Lanka’s stand on a particular issue.One wonders
as to what message was being transmitted when our Foreign Ministry decided to
reject Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s gift to our President on ‘technical
grounds’ and permit customs officials to consume it. Had the concern been
purely a ‘quarantine’ issue, friendly relations, good diplomacy and common
sense demands that the mangoes be accepted graciously, a thank you note sent
and the consignment placed in quarantine.
Literally hundreds of Indian and Pakistani
mangoes, apples and other fruits are brought into the country daily by our
workers returning from the Middle East with no quarantine certificates or fear
of insects.Would a gift consignment of Californian peaches from President Obama
or Granny Smith apples from Prime Minister Cameron have been returned for
‘technical reasons’ or handled differently by our Foreign Ministry?.
Pakistan remained steadfast in their unstinted support to Sri Lanka during its 30 years long conflict with LTTE terrorism, a hallmark of the friendship consolidated by Mrs. B and Bhutto as evidenced in the two anecdotes and further developed by subsequent leaders. Let that friendship not be squandered by the current handlers of our Foreign Affairs.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=129666
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Belarus suggests development of mineral deposits to Pakistan
10 August 2015
13:36 |
Belarus suggests development of
mineral deposits to Pakistan
According to the source, Pakistan is busy developing major infrastructure projects, which include the development of mineral deposits. Belarus can offer the relevant experience and technologies. Apart from that, Pakistan now has a shortage of electricity. The country has to develop power grids. Cooperation with Belarus may come in handy as well, said Vladimir Ulakhovich.
Belarus intends to supply more machine-building equipment to Pakistan. “Concrete agreements have been reached with regard to a number of Belarusian enterprises. The possibility of increasing mutual trade in food is also being discussed. The relevant logistics is not simple. Negotiations on exporting more Belarusian milk powder and baby food are underway. In turn, Pakistan is ready to export fruits and vegetables to Belarus. We expect that the creation of platforms for interaction between the business circles and further development of the legal base will produce results,” said the Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
During the session of the business council on 10 August the Pakistani side was represented by companies specializing in petrochemical industry, export and import operations, machine building, manufacturing of food products and other areas. Vladimir Ulakhovich underlined that Pakistan is an important market for Belarus in the Asian region. “Pakistan is the world's sixth largest country in terms of population numbers. The importance of stepping up contacts with Pakistan should be evaluated bearing in mind the need to diversify export,” he stressed.
Vladimir Ulakhovich reminded that on 11 August the program of business events will be continued with a Belarusian-Pakistani business forum and bilateral negotiations between representatives of business circles. Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif is expected to take part in the opening of the business forum. Pakistani companies are interested in establishing business ties with Belarusian companies in the sphere of chemical and textile industries (sales of cotton, fabrics, and materials), machine building (acquisition of industrial machines, mining and agricultural vehicles, spare parts for Belarusian vehicles). Potential partners are also interested in the processing and sales of raw materials for the civil engineering industry and the export of agricultural products (vegetables, fruits, leguminous and cereal crops, rice, sunflower oil).
For the last eight years Belarus-Pakistan trade has been varying from $50 million to $120 million per annum. Belarus' main exports are tractors (Pakistan is one of the main non-CIS markets), potash fertilizers, synthetic yarn, tires, braid made of synthetic yarn. The main imports are rice, styrene polymers, fruits, food, leather goods, fabrics, textile products.
In 2014 Belarus-Pakistan trade totaled $58.2 million. Belarus' merchandise export to Pakistan amounted to $42.6 million (100.3% as against 2013), with import at $15.6 million (98.5%). In 2014 Belarus exported considerably more potash fertilizers (twice as much), parts and accessories for automobiles and tractors (30%), synthetic yarn braid (20%). Export of tractors slightly dropped (78 units down).
In January-May 2015 Belarus' merchandise export to Pakistan amounted to $19.3 million (117.8% as against January-May 2014).
http://eng.belta.by/all_news/economics/Belarus-suggests-development-of-mineral-deposits-to-Pakistan_i_83648.html
Govt
allows export of rice bran oil in bulk
Mumbai, August 9:
The Government has allowed export of rice bran oil in bulk and other edible
oil in branded consumer packs of up to five kg with a minimum export price of
$900 (₹57,363) a tonne. Trade expects rice bran oil exports to jump sharply to
10,000 tonnes this fiscal against 2,000 tonnes achieved last year.
Untapped markets
India produces about 10 lakh tonnes of rice bran oil annually and is largely consumed in the domestic market. Bran, the brown layer on rice grain, has 10-25 per cent oil content. Though the rice bran oil is considered cheap and healthier, it has not gained popularity among Indian consumers as it does not have any particular taste unlike groundnut, soybean or sunflower oils.
India produces about 10 lakh tonnes of rice bran oil annually and is largely consumed in the domestic market. Bran, the brown layer on rice grain, has 10-25 per cent oil content. Though the rice bran oil is considered cheap and healthier, it has not gained popularity among Indian consumers as it does not have any particular taste unlike groundnut, soybean or sunflower oils.
India, one of the largest consumers of edible oil, imports about 10 million
tonne (mt) of edible oil per annum. It meets about 60 per cent of its vegetable
oil demand of 17-18 mt through imports.
Speaking on the sidelines of Global Rice Bran Conference organised by the
Solvent Extractors’ Association, Dr V Prakash, Scientist with Council of
Scientific and Industrial Research said, “The decision to allow rice bran oil
export in bulk without any limit may push up prices in the domestic market as
producers would find it easier to sell it abroad than packaging and labelling
for the domestic market.”
However, he added,
given the poor demand and low awareness of the benefits of rice bran oil, bulk
exports will not have much impact for consumers.
Though India is the
second largest producer of rice after China, the nation has not fully explored
the potential of producing rice bran, which can be also be used in the pharma
sector.
Competition brewing
China is slowly getting used to rice bran oil and it’s a matter of time before it becomes the leading supplier of this oil.
China is slowly getting used to rice bran oil and it’s a matter of time before it becomes the leading supplier of this oil.
Remedial measures
“India should consider importing raw rice bran from Thailand and do the value addition here to produce the oil,” said Prakash. BV Mehta, Executive Director, Solvent Extractors’ Association said there is good demand for Indian rice bran oil in countries such as Japan and Thailand.
“India should consider importing raw rice bran from Thailand and do the value addition here to produce the oil,” said Prakash. BV Mehta, Executive Director, Solvent Extractors’ Association said there is good demand for Indian rice bran oil in countries such as Japan and Thailand.
Since rice bran oil
has no particular taste, it can be easily blended with any oil and may be
imported back into India as a value added product or olive oil. Incidentally, the
demand for rice bran oil in India is more in non-paddy growing northern and
western regions than in the eastern and southern parts.
(This article was
published on August 9, 2015)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/govt-allows-export-of-rice-bran-oil-in-bulk/article7519082.ece
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