Need for better rice farming, milling,
processing, marketing
Amanullah
Khan
Karachi
—Despite having a huge rice crop and export surplus Pakistan rice lagging
behind due to gross negligence of this sector, said President UNISAME Zulfikar
Thaver. It is very unfortunate that rice industry which is ranked as the second
biggest after textiles is left mercilessly neglected. Regardless of the fact
that it employs huge number of entrepreneurs from farm land to factories. The
SME rice farmers, millers, processors, traders and exporters are in turmoil due
to the step motherly treatment of the government. The cost of production has
gone high and this has made the rice industry
non-competitive.
non-competitive.
The farm inputs have become costly. The only answer to survival is value addition, quality bench mark and entering non traditional markets. Thaver urged the ministries of agriculture, commerce, industry and science and technology to co-ordinate with one another for the uplift of the rice sector. UNISAME after carrying out a study of the requirements for the uplift of the sector stated that dedicated efforts are required from grass root level from modernization of farming, milling, processing, packing and marketing. The union called upon the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) under the ministry of industries and the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) under the ministry of science and technology to join hands for modernization of the rice industry.
It also requested SMEDA and PCSIR to take up the issues of paddy drying, parboiling, steaming and preparation of iron and vitaminized rice and also pre-cooked rice. Various products can be made from rice flour and rice grains if PCSIR could educate the sector on increasing shelf life of the products. PCSIR is capable of doing great work for the sector Thaver said. The Rice Research Institute under the ministry of agriculture also needs to do more and developed new varieties. We have only a handful of varieties whereas our neighbour India has many and we need to compete in the global markets. The ministry of commerce needs to intervene in the basmati Geographical Indication (GI) matter and also the basmati trade mark issue and resolve the matter with the Intellectual Property Organization and the Registrar of Trade Marks in national interest.
Another very important aspect is the marketing, we have lost the markets of Iran, Gulf and Middle East. Although we have never really entered Europe and USA, there is scope as our super basmati rice is far superior to the 1121 non basmati rice of India. The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) will need to make great efforts to popularise our super basmati rice which is tasty, aromatic and cooks exceedingly well and is undoubtedly the best rice in the world. Another very important facility required for the exporters is the finance facility for export to third world countries and to buyers who are banking with low rating banks.
There is urgent need for export credit insurance at low premium just like India has done to promote exports to third world countries. The third world countries have rice as their staple food. India has captured their markets and we are lagging behind. Same is the case with Iran unless the facility for smooth transactions exist there can be no break through. India developed the currency agreement with Iran long ago whereas we were not yet ready to displease the sanction authors. Now with the re-entry of Iran in the SWIFT international currency exchange the possibilities look bright nevertheless Pakistan will have to re-enter the Iranian market with deligence to promote our super basmati rice
Gov’t
supports people suffering loss because of drought, salinity
Minister
of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat ordered local governments in
the Mekong delta to support farmers who suffered loss from drought and
salinity.Paddy field in the Mekong delta die en mass due to drought and
salinity (Photo: SGGP)
Accordingly,
more than 45,000 households in islet Tan Phu Dong are hauntingly worried about
shortage of water for daily activities. Tien Giang's authority has planned to
use barges to bring fresh water to gratis supply to residents in the
islet.Meanwhile, in the Mekong delta province of Kien Giang, 34,000 hectare of
paddy field in districts An Minh, An Bien, Vinh Thuan and U Minh Thuong were
totally destroyed due to drought and salinity, threatening thousand of the winter-spring
fields in Hon Dat District.6 out of 12 Mekong delta provinces have submitted to
government and the Prime Minister for timely support.
After
Prod, Rice Federation Springs to Action
Khmer
Times/May Kunmakara
Monday,
07 March 2016
The Cambodia Rice Federation
(CRF) will work closely with the government to curb Vietnamese rice imports
flooding the domestic market and channel more lending to domestic millers so
that they can compete with rivals in neighboring countries, it said yesterday
in a statement.The statement follows years of criticism from industry insiders,
who say imported rice from Vietnam and Thailand has been undermining domestic
millers, farmers and exporters. The federation has also been
criticized for being sluggish and incompetent.Early last week, a group of
“activist” millers and exporters within the federation bypassed its senior
leaders and sent a letter to the Ministry of Commerce warning that the rice sector
could collapse within two years if the government did not take swift action.
They warned that besides driving
domestic millers out of business a failure to address threats to the industry
as well as weaknesses in its value chain would cause massive uncertainty,
poverty and unrest in rural areas as farmers would not be able to sell their
paddy. Yesterday’s letter from the CRF
said that to effectively deal with the challenges facing the rice sector, it
had identified short-, medium- and long-term solution.The highest priority is
to curb the import of milled rice from neighboring countries, which local
millers cannot compete with, the letter said.“For the short term, the CRF has
asked the government to intervene on the issue and
to request that all milled rice exporters be required to have import licenses
to check on quality and hygiene [of imported rice],” the letter from the CRF
said.
The CRF’s priority for the
medium-term is addressing the shortage of working capital to buy paddy during
the harvest season, high interest rates on loans and high electricity costs for
rice millers.“The CRF will deal with the issues through our own committees and
the 9th private sector-government working group to study the possibility of
making a request to the government for intervention by offering loans at low
interest rates and affordable electricity costs for rice millers,” the letter
added.Song Saran, president of miller and exporter Amru Rice, told Khmer Times
yesterday that exporters and millers who are members of the federation have
been pushing it to address urgent issues, such as the flood of Vietnamese rice
entering the domestic market, that are damaging the sector.“It has a huge
impact on Cambodian farmers, consumers and rice millers. It is not too late to
act now, but it will be too late if the recommendations of the rice millers and
exporters are not taken into account and implemented soon,” said Mr. Saran.
“We ask the government to
intervene and help reduce the cost of production and inject or mobilize soft
loans to support existing rice millers to enable them to buy paddy from
farmers.”Khan Kunthy, general manager of Brico, a local miller and exporter,
welcomed the promise of action by the CRF. The problems raised in yesterday’s
letter had been discussed for years but little has been done to address them,
he said.
“Of course, it is too late. But
doing something now is better than doing nothing because over the last two
years the CRF’s work has been really slow,” he said.He also criticized the
government, which set a policy of exporting 1 million tons of milled rice a
year by last year, saying it had not followed up with a strategy or budget to
meet this goal.“I think the CRF alone cannot iron out all the issues or
challenges we are facing,” he said. “We need cooperation with the government
and ministries.
“We need to see a commitment from
the government to deal with the issues as the private sector has already
followed their policy,” said Mr. Kunthy, who added the high cost of electricity
and transportation made Cambodia’s milled rice more expensive than that from
neighboring countries by $60-$70 per ton. The CRF’s letter to the
Ministry of Commerce also called for soft loans to domestic rice millers and
exporters of about $500 million at 4 percent per annum interest to help develop
infrastructure, and to cut electricity costs to $0.10 per kilowatt hour so
millers can become as competitive as their counterparts in Thailand and
Vietnam.It also called for a warehouse to be built at Sihanoukville port with a
capacity to hold 20,000 tons of rice.CRF president Sok Puthy Vuth said the
federation is committed to working closely with the government, relevant
ministries and stakeholders to resolve the issues facing the rice sector.The
CRF also has its own plans for dealing with many other challenges or issues in
the rice sector, including transportation fees, warehouses at the ports,
irrigation systems, other warehouses and silos and seed supply, he explained.
A farmer gathering rice in Takeo province.
KT/Chor Sokunthea
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/22407/after-prod--rice-federation-springs-to-action/
354 kg PDS rice seized
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STAFF REP
Officials of the Vigilance and
Enforcement (V&E) Department conducted raids in Bobbillapadu village in the
district on Monday and seized huge quantity of rice meant for the Public
Distribution System (PDS).On receiving information that rice stocks were being
smuggled, the vigilance team led by Assistant Registrar Venkateswara Rao and SI
Satyanarayana intercepted one lorry and two vans, in which 354 bags of PDS rice
were loaded.They took Narasimha Rao into custody.“The vigilance authorities
arrested the accused several times and seized rice stocks, worth some lakhs of
rupees, earlier.
The modus operandi of
the accused is to collect rice from Fair Price shop owners and also from the
public and sell the stocks to rice millers in East Godavari district at higher
price,” said Krishna District Regional Vigilance and Enforcement Officer (RVEO)
Y.T. Naidu. Following the directions of the higher officials, the accused would
be booked under the PD Act.Earlier, the V&E sleuths arrested the accused
five times and seized PDS rice loaded in six lorries. A case under Section 6
(a) of Essential Commodities Act has been registered, the RVEO said.“Narasimha
Rao appointed agents to collect rice in villages. He would procure rice through
the agents in villages at Rs. a kg and sell the same at Rs. 15 a kg .The
accused has been in the illegal trade for the last few years,” said V&E
Assistant Director Ch. Srinivasa Rao.
The
accused has been in the illegal trade for the last few years, says official
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/354-kg-pds-rice-seized/article8326346.ece
Report calls
for action to keep rice sector afloat
A group of rice millers and
exporters critical of the direction in which the rice industry is being
steered submitted a detailed report to the Commerce Ministry yesterday, warning
that local producers were being driven to bankruptcy and calling for immediate
action, such as a quota on rice imports and debt rescheduling for millers, to
alleviate the sector’s woes.The report expands on a presentation made during a
meeting last week between the group, whose initiative is called Rice Industry
Strategic Key Solution (RISKS), and Commerce Minister Sun Chanthol, in which
its members outlined the rice sector’s deteriorating conditions and cast blame
in part on the ineffectual governance of the Cambodian Rice Federation
(CRF).Following the presentation, Chanthol requested a more detailed report on
the situation and recommendations, which he said would be forwarded to Prime
Minister Hun Sen.
Of the suggested action, the group prioritised the imposition of
a quota on the import of milled rice from Vietnam, which they say makes local
millers less competitive, as well as working with commercial banks and
microfinance institutions to delay millers’ debt payments.“According to
estimates, around 700,000 tonnes to 800,000 tonnes of milled rice was imported
from Vietnam in 2015,” the report reads. “These imports from Vietnam have
‘taken over and invaded’ the local rice market.”The RISKS group, which has
grown from 18 members last week to 24 now, claims that the flood of milled rice
imports from Vietnam has driven 40 per cent of Cambodian millers out of
business in the last three years.
The proposed rice quota, the group says, would limit foreign
imports to 100,000 tonnes a year and add a 35 per cent tax to the invoiced
price of the imported rice. It said similar measures have been implemented in
other countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.“We have a lot of our
own potential for rice export, so there is a case for a quota limiting the
import of rice” said Kann Kunthy, CEO of Battambang rice miller Brico. “We have
already studied this suggestion and it will have no issues with WTO
regulations.”Kunthy said the group’s nine-point solution needed to be addressed
in the next three months if the government wanted millers to reach its
ambitious one-million-tonne per year milled rice export target.“We have done 50
per cent of the work by finding solutions and the government has to help
complete the remaining 50 per cent by implementation,” he said, adding the CRF
has failed to address the industry’s troubles since it was formed two years
ago.
Softening its initial demand, the RISKS group urged the
government to help millers obtain $250 million in soft loans at 4 per cent
interest per annum, while pushing back their loan obligations.
“We suggest that banks and microfinance institutions reschedule
the loan payments for rice millers in order to give them a chance for
survival,” said Song Saran, CEO of Amru Rice and a member of the RISKS
initiative.Other solutions listed in the report include stricter enforcement of
punitive action for millers found mixing local and imported rice, reducing the
cost of electricity for millers and elimination of the value-added tax (VAT)
for millers.
In response to the group’s first meeting with the Commerce
Ministry, the CRF issued a press release last week stating that it was looking
at three key issues – rice imports from neighbouring countries, shortage of
financing options for millers and high electricity costs.
“The CRF is trying their best to work with relevant stakeholders
to seek solutions for the rice sector and requests that all members join us and
find a solution together,” said CRF president Sok Puthyvuth.
Bi-Weekly Market Briefings for
03/07/2016
RICE OUTLOOK
The USDA is forecasting larger acreage and production for rice
in 2016-17. Overall, rice acreage is forecast at 2.8 million acres planted with
2.77 million acres harvested. Total production is forecast at 211.5 million
cwt. On the demand side, domestic demand and exports are both forecast to
recover as total use is forecast at 14 million cwt (6.2 percent) above 2015-16
levels. With demand expected to increase more than production, rice stocks are
reduced 1 million cwt to 40.9 million cwt, and the average price is unchanged
from 2015-16.
As for long-grain rice, production is forecast to increase 22 million cwt to 155 million cwt in 2016-17, but total supply is only up 18.9 million cwt from last year, due to a reduction in beginning stocks. The increase in production will be mostly offset by a 12 million cwt (13.6 percent) increase in domestic consumption, and a 5 million cwt (7.2 percent) increase in exports. The sharp increases in demand will lead to an increase of 1.9 million cwt in ending stocks to 24.9 million cwt. Overall, the USDA is forecasting a strong growth in both production and demand in 2016. If the market fails to show the robust demand growth, current forecast prices are likely to come under significant pressure.
03/07/2016 Farm Bureau Market
Report
Rice
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Long
Grain Cash Bids
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
|
Long
Grain New Crop
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
|
|
||
|
Futures:
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rice Comment
Rice futures posted sharp gains in
early dealings, but closed near the middle of the day's trading range. Most
active May made a run at resistance at $11 before being unable to hold onto
gains. The market continues to absorb disappointing export news. Weekly export
sales of 91,200 tons weren't enough to generate any upward momentum. USDA
pegged US acreage at 2.8 million acres, up from last year's 2.6 million. This
week's weather will put a stop to any field work, as most of Arkansas is
forecast to get 6+ inches of rain
USA
Rice Promotions Lead to Increased Sales and Economic Opportunity for Small
Business Entrepreneurs
MEXICO
CITY, MEXICO -- Two years ago, sisters Carmen and Guadalupe Soria participated
in USA Rice cooking classes here to learn about the economic benefits of
cooking with rice and how to make paellas using U.S. rice. The sisters
took those lessons to heart and opened a home-based business selling paellas
every Friday.
"At
the beginning we used three kilos (6.6 pounds) of rice each week and now we are
using 10 kilos (22 pounds) of U.S. rice every week," said Carmen
Soria. "Before the USA Rice training we only knew how to cook one
rice recipe. Now we are using U.S. rice in a variety of recipes and we
also have our own small business! We hope to expand our sales and rent a
little place to sell our paella every day."
About
80 miles south of Mexico City, Maria Teresa is also benefiting from the lessons
taught in USA Rice seminars. Maria Teresa enthusiastically participated
in USA Rice's training classes and cook-offs in 2014 at the Centro de Salud
Morelos (Health Center Morelos) where she too learned to make a variety of rice
recipes and paellas. In 2015, she began to prepare paellas for her family
and friends who encouraged her to sell her tasty paellas for special occasions.
"Now
I am selling two kinds of paellas at local street markets and making very good
profits without spending too much money or time," says Maria Teresa.
"I am also serving a variety of rice dishes to my family every day."
USA
Rice surveyed more than 2,000 participants of USA Rice promotional activities
in Mexico and found that prior to attending an event only 54 percent had a
positive image of rice, regardless of origin. They saw rice as time
consuming to cook, fattening, and limited in its use. After participating
in USA Rice seminars or in-store promotions, more than 90 percent of the
participants reported a positive image of rice, with U.S.-grown rice gaining
considerable favor over rice from other origins.
"These
two stories show how USA Rice promotions help increase use of U.S. rice in our
export markets, provide economic benefits to the participants, and turn them
into de facto ambassadors for U.S. rice," said John Valpey, chairman of
the USA Rice International Promotion Committee.
Valpey
added, "This is just a snapshot of the consistent and positive results
from the training USA Rice has conducted in Mexico for the past two decades
that has led to increases in Mexican consumption of rice, most of which comes
from the United States."
://www.themalaymailonline.com/eat-drink/article/iron-house-kopitiam-pulling-in-the-crowd-with-delicious-local-food#sthash.McABlIGF.dpuf
Iron House
Kopitiam: Pulling in the crowd with delicious local food
Sunday March 6, 2016
08:44 AM GMT+8
08:44 AM GMT+8
SERI KEMBANGAN, March 6 — If you thought Seri Kembangan is the
other end of the world, you will be surprised to discover it isn’t. With the
Seri Kembangan exit on the MEX highway, it’s actually just a mere 30 minutes
from Damansara or even Shah Alam. This makes eateries around the new village
like the super popular Iron House Kopitiam incredibly accessible.
Opened last August, the kopitiam is run by millenials Wong Yun
Soon (or Soon as he prefers to be called) and his girlfriend, Tan Mei Syn. The
24-year-old accounting and finance graduates swapped their corporate lives to
run their own F&B business. Rather than falling into the cafe scene, Soon
who is a self-confessed foodie decided to open this kopitiam with a menu that
preserves his own heritage.
Soon keeps things safe with local crowd-pleasers like pan mee,
nasi lemak, Hainanese chicken chop and steamed items paired with rice. Desserts
are icy creations like cendol, ABC and tangy ai yu jelly with canned longans. A
daily tong suiis also available.
Prices for their dishes are kept affordable, their small portion
of pan mee is RM5.50. Originally, Soon’s target audience was young college kids
from the nearby universities. To his surprise, his food won him fans like
families and even older folks.Taste the food served and you know why there’s
always a queue for a table here... it’s delicious and well executed. Soon uses
top quality ingredients and the cooking skills in the kitchen are exemplary.
Case in point, the sambal sotong is perfectly cooked without any rubbery bits that often plague
this dish.
Here he uses basmati rice for fluffier healthier grains making
each spoonful of that fragrant rice a little less sinful. Their fried chicken
also gets top marks for its juicy tender meat paired with crispy golden skin.
Rather than go full-on with the spices usually found in the Malay versions, he
decided to be cautious and reduce them to appeal to the Chinese palate. That
has worked as diners are lapping up the fried chicken, as it’s a must-eat here
for everyone.
He also prefers to not use any colouring with the dish. There is
also none of those commercial French fries served on the side but homemade
potato wedges. Even the simple salted fish pork patty is well executed here —
aromatic with the use of salted fish blended with the minced pork and with a
nice texture that has a slight bite to it. This is paired with rice cooked with
fried shallots to give it an extra oomph.
Iron House Kopitiam, Lot 65639, Jalan BS 3/1,
Section 1, Taman Bukit Serdang, Seri Kembangan, Selangor.
Open: 6pm to 12.30am
Open: 6pm to 12.30am
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/eat-drink/article/iron-house-kopitiam-pulling-in-the-crowd-with-delicious-local-food#sthash.McABlIGF.dpuf
Minister
of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat ordered local governments in
the Mekong delta to support farmers who suffered loss from drought and
salinity.Paddy field in the Mekong delta die en mass due to drought and
salinity (Photo: SGGP)
Minister Cao Duc Phat and his mission team yesterday toured the
Mekong delta province of Tien Giang to understand more about the drought and
salinity intrusion in the region.Minister Phat lauded the measures carried out
by residents and government in Tien Giang Province noting that the condition
will last longer; accordingly related agencies need to adopt more measures
against the natural disaster to protect paddy field and people’s
living.Governments should give VND2 million (US$89.7) and VND1 million
(US$44.8) per hectare to farmers whose paddy fields were destroyed up to 70
percent and below 70 percent as a support respectively.As per People’s
Committee in Tien Giang Province’s report, the province has so far had 1,020
hectare of the winter-spring paddy field which was destroyed due to early
salinity intrusion. Despite of related agencies and inhabitants’ efforts to
fight against salinity and drought, more areas of paddy field are estimated to
be effected; additionally, productivity of around 7,000 hectare of the
winter-spring crop in districts Go Cong Dong, Go Cong Tay and Go Cong Town will
be reduced from 20 percent to 50 percent.
Accordingly, more than 45,000 households in islet Tan Phu Dong are
hauntingly worried about shortage of water for daily activities. Tien Giang's
authority has planned to use barges to bring fresh water to gratis supply to
residents in the islet.Meanwhile, in the Mekong delta province of Kien Giang,
34,000 hectare of paddy field in districts An Minh, An Bien, Vinh Thuan and U
Minh Thuong were totally destroyed due to drought and salinity, threatening
thousand of the winter-spring fields in Hon Dat District.6 out of 12 Mekong
delta provinces have submitted to government and the Prime Minister for timely
support.
Rice Prices
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in
domestic market.
|
Arrivals
|
Price
|
|||||
|
Current
|
%
change |
Season
cumulative |
Modal
|
Prev.
Modal |
Prev.Yr
%change |
|
|
Rice
|
||||||
|
Bazpur(Utr)
|
1190.00
|
-74.49
|
23288.41
|
2000
|
2089
|
7.12
|
|
Karimganj(ASM)
|
80.00
|
33.33
|
1220.00
|
2200
|
2200
|
-26.67
|
|
P.O.
Uparhali Guwahati(ASM)
|
77.00
|
2.67
|
2593.50
|
2100
|
2100
|
-19.23
|
|
Dhing(ASM)
|
76.00
|
-14.61
|
2209.20
|
1800
|
1800
|
-18.18
|
|
Barasat(WB)
|
65.00
|
NC
|
1625.00
|
2300
|
2300
|
2.22
|
|
Goalpara(ASM)
|
52.50
|
-24.68
|
276.60
|
1800
|
1800
|
-
|
|
Jorhat(ASM)
|
52.00
|
30
|
935.00
|
2700
|
2700
|
-
|
|
Samsi(WB)
|
50.00
|
NC
|
14960.00
|
2900
|
2900
|
-
|
|
Junagarh(Ori)
|
46.22
|
-27.75
|
765.13
|
2100
|
2100
|
-4.55
|
|
Gauripur(ASM)
|
42.00
|
-22.22
|
2032.50
|
4500
|
4500
|
-
|
|
Lanka(ASM)
|
40.00
|
14.29
|
1810.00
|
1750
|
1750
|
-
|
|
Bishnupur(Bankura)(WB)
|
40.00
|
NC
|
1600.00
|
1950
|
1950
|
-9.30
|
|
Khatra(WB)
|
39.00
|
2.63
|
687.00
|
2200
|
2250
|
-8.33
|
|
Taliamura(Tri)
|
32.00
|
-8.57
|
307.00
|
2300
|
2300
|
-
|
|
Dhekiajuli(ASM)
|
26.00
|
8.33
|
655.50
|
2000
|
1900
|
5.26
|
|
Bohorihat(ASM)
|
25.00
|
38.89
|
211.40
|
1975
|
2100
|
-19.39
|
|
Diamond
Harbour(South 24-pgs)(WB)
|
22.00
|
10
|
330.00
|
1900
|
1850
|
-11.63
|
|
Mirzapur(UP)
|
15.00
|
NC
|
1051.00
|
1930
|
1935
|
NC
|
|
Divai(UP)
|
14.00
|
-6.67
|
199.00
|
2075
|
2080
|
2.98
|
|
Dibrugarh(ASM)
|
13.00
|
44.44
|
755.30
|
2400
|
2400
|
-
|
|
Raiganj(WB)
|
10.00
|
NC
|
595.00
|
2850
|
2850
|
18.75
|
|
Katwa(WB)
|
9.00
|
5.88
|
104.00
|
2400
|
2400
|
NC
|
|
Dibiapur(UP)
|
8.00
|
NC
|
77.00
|
2260
|
2250
|
2.73
|
|
North
Lakhimpur(ASM)
|
7.90
|
-34.71
|
962.60
|
1900
|
1900
|
-
|
|
Karanjia(Ori)
|
6.00
|
9.09
|
185.30
|
2600
|
2600
|
4.00
|
|
Hailakandi(ASM)
|
4.00
|
NC
|
99.00
|
2700
|
2700
|
NC
|
|
Imphal(Man)
|
3.30
|
-5.71
|
134.30
|
2900
|
2900
|
NC
|
|
Islampur(WB)
|
3.20
|
6.67
|
191.40
|
2150
|
2150
|
-
|
|
Bonai(Bonai)(Ori)
|
2.00
|
-33.33
|
68.10
|
2000
|
2000
|
-9.09
|
|
Thoubal(Man)
|
||||||
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/article8323504.ece
Why China’s tech companies are about to start making rice
cookers
C.
Custer7:00 AM on Mar 8, 2016
Turning up the heat
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun and Gree
Electric CEO Dong Mingzhu – both of whom are representatives the Two Meetings –
are apparently fired up about China’s lack of top-quality
rice cookers. “I’m very angry about Chinese people going to other countries to
buy rice cookers,” Dong said. “I think it’s a real shame, and sad. There’s no
excuse for China not to make good rice cookers with so many electronics
companies out there.”
Lei Jun seems to agree. Of
Chinese consumers’ fondness for Japanese rice cookers, he said: “I first
thought it was just that everyone prefers foreign products, but then I did some
research on Japan’s rice cookers and discovered they’re really very good.”
“Their technical level really far
surpasses those in China,” he added.Their remarks have been widely reported. A
story about Deng’s comments, for example, is now one of the most popular
stories on Sina’s popular tech portal. Rice cookers have gone viral.
Do it for China
The discussion of rice cookers
is, of course, symbolic. What China’s business celebrities and pundits are
really discussing is China’s mostly-deserved reputation for producing
lower-quality products. But the discussion has already blown up: a Sina Tech
article on Dong’s comments has attracted nearly a thousand comments. Now numerous tech sites are already speculating that Xiaomi will come out with a
rice cooker.
That might sound like a joke, but
it isn’t. Xiaomi actually announced plans to produce a smart rice cooker even before the Two Meetings, so
the Xiaomi rice cooker is definitely happening. But that’s probably just the
tip of the iceberg.
I think the viral “rice cooker”
discussions happening now will make the “smart rice cooker” a kind of patriotic
vanity project that will attract other Chinese hardware companies too. The
“made in China rice cooker” is being turned into a symbol of China’s tech prowess
(or lack thereof), and I highly doubt that Xiaomi will be the only tech company
that wants to prove China can cook rice just as well as – or even better than –
Japan.
So yeah, get ready for rice
cookers that play nice with your smartphone, because China’s probably about to
make a whole heap of them.
ABOUT C.A Tech in Asia editor focused primarily on China, with special
interest in public service, environmental, and video game tech. Follow me on
Twitter as @ChinaGeeks.
https://www.techinasia.com/chinas-tech-companies-start-making-rice-cookers
100,000 hectares eyed for
hybrid rice production
Monday,
March 07, 2016
THE country's
agribusiness cluster of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines
East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga) is targeting a total of 100,000 hectares for
expansion of hybrid rice production area in the sub-economic region.This will
be undertaken by the SL Agritech Corporation (SLAC), a subsidiary of Sterling
Paper Group of Companies.The target was being discussed and highlighted by the
BIMP-Eaga Agribusiness cluster during the recently-concluded Strategic Planning
Meeting (SPM) 2016 hosted by Davao City last month.“The SL Agritech is
currently in the process of exploring available and potential areas for
expansion of the hybrid rice production especially in Mindanao,” Romeo
Montenegro, director for investment promotions and public affairs of Mindanao
Development Authority (Minda) and the Philippines National Secretariat
Alternate head said.
He added
that the plan has to be understood by everyone as the undertaking is not for
rice for production but for seeds for propagation.“Awareness and proper
education for this expansion is important, because if we implement this now on
a rice land that are designed for producing, practically they will not allow
any of these expansion, we need to inform them that hybrid rice production is
not for food production but its purpose is to produce more seeds that will be
propagated by the Philippines and the rest of the BIMP-Eaga,” Montenegro
said.Based on the SLAC website, the company is performing research work on
hybrid rice varieties suitable to tropical conditions prevalent in the
Philippines. The company’s primary purpose is promoting the development,
commercialization and growth of hybrid rice technology.Grown in the choicest
farmlands and having the best rice breeding technology in the Philippines, SLAC
ensures the quality and benefits of its rice. SLAC has been certified with the
ISO 9001:2000 for Hybrid Seeds and Hybrid Rice Production last February 2009.
Meanwhile,
the Philippines is set to pioneer hybrid rice farming in Malaysia next month
thru SLAC. For the initial pilot testing, the local hybrid rice and seeds
producer will ship out a minimum of 100 kilos of seeds where quarantine
processes are already being arranged.In a report, “the pilot testing will be
spearheaded by a private Malaysian company, Titijaya Land Berhad (TLB), in
partnership with the Malaysian government through agricultural state research
agency Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute
(Mardi).”Meanwhile, the agribusiness cluster also agreed to construct and install
more coco coir processing centers in the sub-economic region starting this
year.The coco coir processing center in Caraga, Davao Oriental was already
established and completed costing some $80,000.The agribusiness cluster
envisions a sustainable, competitive and climate-resilient BIMP-Eaga
agro-industry and fisheries.
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on
March 08, 2016.
Latest issues of Sun.Star Davao also available on your mobile phones,
laptops, and tablets. Subscribe to our digital editions at epaper.sunstar.com.ph and get a free seven-day trial.
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