Today Rice News Headlines...
·
Unisame urges ministries to
join hands to promote rice export
·
Good advice from WB
·
Need for better rice farming,
milling, processing, marketing
·
Scots only at their best for a
few hours
·
Iron House Kopitiam:
Pulling in the crowd with delicious local food
·
What to do with agriculture in
2016 and beyond (Part VII)
News Detail...
Unisame urges
ministries to join hands to promote rice export
Our Staff Reporter
March 06, 2016
KARACHI
- Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has invited the attention of
the ministries of commerce, industry, science and technology and agriculture to
the urgent need to join hands for the modernization of rice farming, milling,
processing and marketing and to enable it to meet the global
challenges.President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said 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 noncompetitive.
The cost of production has gone high and this has made the rice industry noncompetitive.
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 develop
new varieties.
We have only a handful of varieties whereas our neighbour India has many varieties to compete in the global markets.He suggested that 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.nother very important aspect is the marketing; we have lost the markets of Iran, Gulf and Middle East.Though 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.
We have only a handful of varieties whereas our neighbour India has many varieties to compete in the global markets.He suggested that 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.nother very important aspect is the marketing; we have lost the markets of Iran, Gulf and Middle East.Though 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.He said 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 diligence to promote our
super basmati rice
http://nation.com.pk/business/06-Mar-2016/unisame-urges-ministries-to-join-hands-to-promote-rice-export
Good advice
from WB
THE World Bank has added its
voice to the calls for the Philippines to focus on agriculture as the best way
to confront the country’s biggest problem of mass poverty.If the Philippines
can bring down the price of rice from the present P35 per kilo, to P15 which is
the equivalent of rice prices in Thailand and Vietnam today, the poor, who
spend 20 percent of their income on rice, get an immediate increase in their
spending power, World Bank’s Roger Van den Brink said. Van den Brink, lead
economist of the World Bank Poverty Reduction and Economic Management for East
Asia and the Pacific, was speaking at the Arangkada Philippines Forum in Pasay
City the other day.
It has long been asked why
Thailand and Vietnam farmers are able to produce rice at costs that are less
than half of what it costs us in the Philippines, when it was at the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños, Laguna, where they
learned the modern production techniques they use today. IRRI developed
high-yielding rice varieties and the planting and harvesting techniques that
are now in wide use in those two countries. In contrast, many Philippine
farmers cling to their traditional practices, producing little more than their
own needs.
Former Senator Francis
Pangilinan, who once served as Presidential Assistant for Food Security and
Agricultural Modernization, said last week that the government has to work very
closely with Filipino farmers to win them over to the new high-yielding rice
varieties and to the modern production techniques needed for these varieties –
to hold their hand, so to speak, as they leave the comfort of their traditional
farm practices.
Van den Brink, in his talk at the
World Bank forum, also stressed the importance of extension work among farmers
– along with greater investments in research and development, more farm
infrastructure such as roads and irrigation, and securing farmers’ property
rights and improving their health and education.
The World Bank official called on
the Philippine government to revisit its present policies on agriculture and
manufacturing which, he said, have failed to grow sustainably. The next
administration, he said, should focus on the needs not only of small farmers
but also of small and medium enterprises.There are indeed less than four months
before the end of the current administration. But that should not stop it from
stepping up, even now, its extension work with farmers, with the approach of
the next planting season which begins with the rains this May.
http://www.tempo.com.ph/2016/03/06/opinion/editorial/good-advice-from-wb/#bIeC5LqkoWUKSKXO.99
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
industrynon-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.
Scots only at their best for a few hours
Dawn Renton
dawn.renton@jpress.co.uk
Residents of Scotland spend just four-and-a-half hours ‘at their
best’ per day according a recent survey.
So what is holding residents of Scotland back from being at their best in the day? Three out of five people reported that they felt low on energy in the workplace, with 85 per cent of respondents adding that they struggled to shake off the workplace energy slump even when back home.
Constant access to the internet and phone calls emerged as the two most common distractions in the day for Scottish residents, leading to 32 per cent of people forgetting why they entered a room in the first place. For a quick energy boost, 42 per cent of people in Scotland grabbed a cup of coffee to battle the mid-afternoon lull with, despite more than half confessing to this being an unhealthy habit.
Dr Sarah Schenker, dietitian, said: “It’s not surprising to hear that many people turn to sugary snacks in an attempt to boost energy levels, but actually this is a mistake as the energy is short-lived and they quickly feel just as tired as they did before. Sometimes this can lead to a negative cycle of snacking and feeling lethargic, which could ultimately lead to weight gain.
“Breaking deeply-ingrained snacking habits to make sensible food choices that reflect lifestyle and energy needs can be the turning point for many to overhaul energy levels and improve wellbeing
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
The must-eat here is their signature nasi lemak with fragrant
rice cooked in coconut milk and served with crispy golden fried chicken,
sambal, hard boiled egg, cucumbers, ikan bilis and peanuts. — Pictures by Choo
Choy MaySERI 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.
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.
The busy kitchen at the back of
the kopitiam.Their best seller is the nasi
lemak with their signature fried chicken leg served on an enamel plate. At
RM10.50, it’s the most expensive item and also found on every table here. As
Soon wanted his nasi lemak to be authentic, the rice has a rich coconut milk
taste.
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.J4NtpDpW.dpuf
What to do with agriculture in 2016 and beyond (Part
VII)
‘There are those who look at things the way
they are, and ask why… I dream
of things that never were, and ask
why not?’
– Robert Kennedy
What to do with rice
For the most part policies,
legislation and public appropriations needed to make our agriculture more
productive, competitive, equitable and sustainable are in place. The
appropriate policies, directions and priorities have been dealt with
comprehensively by the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) of
1997, the Fisheries Code of 1998 and other related enactments by Congress. The
appropriations of the Department of Agriculture (DA) have more than doubled to
P90 million during the last five years.
What is sorely lacking is smart
program planning, execution and coordination by the many agencies of
government, both national and local, particularly by the DA.
However, there remain a number of
very important but contentious issues for which we have yet to attain closure.
Among them are rice policy, agrarian reform, devolution of extension services,
subsidized interest rates for farmers, promotion of organic agriculture versus
conventional farming, and adoption of genetically modified crops, livestock and
fishes (GMOs).
Easily the most contentious is the
long-standing national policy of rice self-sufficiency. Some academics, mostly
economists, contend that the rice self-sufficiency policy stands in the way of
a more productive and competitive agriculture. Public resources monopolized by
the rice program could have been better spent on other commodities and concerns
with higher rates of return.
The National Food Authority (NFA)
which is tasked with: 1) securing our rice suppl,y 2) making affordable rice
available to consumers, and 3) supporting the price of palay to protect
incomes of farmers is seen as miserably failing in accomplishing its three
objectives. Worse NFA is incurring huge losses in the process.
Since the domestic cost of
producing rice is higher than the landed cost of imported rice, to critics of
the current policy, the better policy is simply importing rice to bring down
the cost of food in order to make more people food secure and to moderate the
demand for higher wages. Filipino rice farmers will be encouraged and assisted
to shift to other crops and enterprises where they can be competitive.
Can we attain 100 percent self-
sufficiency in rice? Yes, we can! We are perennially short by 10 percent each
year. We can cover the extra tonnage by raising our national average palay
yield from 3.3 tons to 3.7 tons per hectare. In fact the average palay yield of
the top ten rice producing provinces is already 4.0 tons per hectare (L.
Gonzales, STRIVE Foundation 2014 survey).
But the real challenge is at what
cost?! Our average cost of producing a kilogram of palay is P12.38, way above
the P10 per kilogram and P7 per kilogram costs of Thailand and Vietnam from
whom we import rice.
Philippine rice is not competitive
with Thailand and Vietnam rice mainly because of labor cost. The man-days
required to grow a hectare of irrigated rice are 69, 23 and 10 man-days,
respectively, for the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
In order to dramatically reduce
labor costs we need to do the following: 1) introduction of more tractors for
land preparation, 2) wider adoption of direct seeding technology to replace
hand transplanting of seedlings which is very labor intensive, and 3)
introduction of more mini-combines which perform harvesting and threshing in
one operation.
Major Strategy 1: Further
intensification of rice production in favorable areas
Rice is the staple for majority of
Filipinos. This cultural reality is not going to change any time soon.
Therefore the more prudent course of action is to produce as much rice as we
can, as cheaply as we can, and import the rest from our neighbors – Thailand,
Vietnam and Myanmar.
In truth, this had been effectively
the national policy for rice all along. The rice self-sufficiency timeline of
2013 of the current administration was just rhetoric and hot air.
Unfortunately, the current administration committed the folly of promising rice
self-sufficiently by 2013 with a little surplus for surplus for export. Had
they modestly targeted 95 percent rice adequacy, they will have crowned themselves
with glory by now.
Even now the better farmers in the
top ten rice producing provinces are able to produce rice at P7 per kg (L.
Gonzales, STRIVE Foundation 2014 survey) which is competitive with imported
rice. The main strategy therefore is further intensification of rice production
in the favorable areas through 1) universal adoption of high yielding hybrids
and certified inbred varieties, 2) higher rates of fertilization i.e. closer to
the recommended rate of 150 kilograms of NPK nutrients per hectare, 3) further
mechanization and adoption of direct seeding technology to reduce labor costs,
and 4) more effective management of irrigation and drainage systems.
Major Strategy 2: Crop
Diversification and Multiple Cropping for Higher Incomes
It will be a mistake to focus on
rice cropping alone to improve the welfare of farmers and landless workers, who
constitute the majority of poor Filipinos. Income from rice monocropping from
an average two-hectare irrigated rice farm can barely meet the food needs of a
family of five. Diversification into and multiple cropping with other higher
value crops both to create more employment and more value added should be fully
developed as options.
Major Strategy 3: Substitution with
brown rice, white corn grits and cassava
Rice self-sufficiency can be
attained both by increasing supply and by reducing demand through greater
consumption of substitutes like brown rice, white corn grits and other starchy
foods like cassava, sweet potato and cooking banana.
Brown rice is not a variety of
rice. It is rice with only the husk removed and not polished white. It gets its
name from the rice bran or aleurone layer which covers the whole grain. Rice
bran is rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals thus making brown rice more
nutritious than polished white rice.
Brown rice likewise requires 65
percent less energy to process and results into 10 percent more grain recovery.
In fact, if all the palay we produce were processed into brown rice (i.e. not
polished), we should be self-sufficient in rice.
The other significant way of
moderating demand for rice is the promotion of white corn grits. For many
Filipinos in Eastern Visayas and parts of Mindanao, their preferred staple is
white corn grits either alone or mixed with rice. Not only are white corn grits
cheaper, they are also more healthful than polished rice because of their
higher dietary fiber content and lower glycemic index which should be welcome
wellness traits to increasing number of Filipino diabetics.
The third option is promoting
production and consumption of other starchy foods. Cassava is the preferred
staple in some parts of Muslim Mindanao. Sweet potato and cooking banana (saba)
can replace rice as breakfast food.
Gradual lifting of quantitative
restrictions on rice imports
Under the World Trade Organization
rules to which we are committed, the quantitative restrictions on rice imports
will have to be completely lifted by 2017. Simulation studies show that rice
farmers will suffer a 29 percent decline in income. Many of the three million
rice farmers who are poor in the first place will further swell the ranks of
beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer program.
It is grossly unfair to impose on
the poor rice farmers alone the full burden of adjustment. The prudent and humane
course is to sue for time, say a period of ten years, within which period the
rice quantitative restrictions will be gradually lifted to give time to the
rice farmers in favorable areas to attain higher levels of productivity to
compete with imports. Likewise, to give time to the other farmers to shift from
rice farming to other enterprises.
What to do with NFA
To rely on private industry to
maintain the country’s strategic food reserve is risky and irresponsible. At
the minimum we need an agency to hold our food reserve and manage momentary
food shortages after calamities and natural disasters. Better yet the
Philippines should lead in the effort to establish a regional food reserve to
which all the ASEAN members can subscribe.
The huge losses that NFA incurs is
allegedly due to the policy of buying high and selling low (there could be
other reasons!) NFA should be relieved of the conflicting burdens of lowering
the retail price of rice but providing price support for palay at farmgate. NFA
will no longer have any excuse for losing money.
Since rice traders make money from
cheap rice imports, the least NFA should be expected to do is not to lose
money.
As we always did in the past, the
national government should assume the debts of NFA, reconstitute it and baptize
it with a new acronym.
To be continued. . . (Part IX)
***
Dr. Emil Q. Javier is a Member of
the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and also Chair of the
Coalition for Agriculture Modernization in the Philippines (CAMP). For any feedback
, email eqjavier@yahoo.com
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