Vietnam’s farm export revenue to
set record high of $32.1bn in 2016
HANOI: Vietnam's agro-forestry-fishery export revenue is expected to set
a record high of 32.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, some 1.7 billion U.S.
dollars higher than that of 2015, despite harsh natural disasters, according to
the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Monday.
The country's farm industry is
forecast to see a trade surplus of 7.5 billion U.S. dollars this year.
According to the ministry's chief Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Vietnam has been facing
continuous natural disasters so far in 2016. At the beginning of the year,
historic cold spell that had never happened in the past 60 years stroke 14
northern localities, causing great damage on local agriculture.
After that, a historic drought and
saline intrusion happened in Central Highlands and southern Mekong Delta
regions while recently, since the beginning of October, historic heavy rains
flooded eight central localities with rainfall ranging from 2,300 to 2,700 mm,
said Cuong.
Due to natural disasters and an
environmental incident that caused mass fish death in the central region, in
the first six months this year, growth of the farm sector went down 0.18
percent year-on-year. However, the sector managed to grow 1.2 percent
year-on-year in the whole year. Tran Dinh Luan, deputy head of the ministry's
Fishery Directorate, said on local Tien Phong (Pioneer) online newspaper that
in January-June period, the country's shrimp output failed to hit 200,000 tons.
However, the output rocketed to 650,000 tons in the second half this year.
Vietnam's shrimp exports are
estimated to hit 3.2 billion U.S. dollars while the export revenue of catfish
also flourished with over 1.7 billion U.S. dollars. The fishery sector is
likely to rake in some 7 billion U.S. dollars.
Meanwhile, the livestock industry
saw a "boom" in 2016, with total pig heads rising to 29.1 million and
total poultries to 364.5 million, said the ministry. Hoang Thanh Van, head of
the ministry Livestock Production Department, said in the past year, Vietnam
exported some 600,000 tons of pigs to China worth over 1 billion U.S. dollars.
With more efforts, the livestock sector can export up to 2 million tons of pigs
to the market, Van said. At the same time, the year 2016 marked the first time
that fruit and vegetable exports surpassed rice in terms of export revenue.
In 2016, Vietnam's fruit and
vegetable export revenue is expected to hit 2.4 billion U.S. dollars, up 31.2
percent year-on-year. Other key items that saw growth in export revenue this
year included coffee (up 25.5 percent year-on-year), cashew nuts (up 18.3
percent), pepper (up 12.7 percent) and seafood (up 6.3 percent) among others.
The country has had as many as 10 items that have export revenue of over 1
billion U.S. dollars
http://dailytimes.com.pk/business/27-Dec-16/vietnams-farm-export-revenue-to-set-record-high-of-321bn-in-2016
Vietnam to extend rice trade deal with
Philippines
27.12.2016
The Government has issued a resolution, approving the extension of
its rice trade agreement with the Philippine Government. Vietnam to extend rice
trade deal with Philippines, vietnam economy, business news, vn news,
vietnamnet bridge, english news, Vietnam news, news Vietnam, vietnamnet news,
vn news, Vietnam net news, Vietnam latest news, Vietnam breaking news.Under the
resolution, Vietnam will continue to supply rice for the Philippines through
the exchange of notes and approval of exchange notes.The Government tasks the
Foreign Ministry, in coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, with
finalising and sending exchange notes to the Philippines to extend the
agreement and carry out relevant procedures.
The 2010 rice trading agreement is due to lapse on December 31, 2016 and expected to be extended for the 2017-2020 period.The Philippines is among the biggest importers of rice from Vietnam. However, the rice shipments to the Philippines have experienced a downturn recently.The Vietnam Food Association said domestic businesses have a chance to boost rice exports as the Philippines plans to import 293,100 tonnes of rice from Vietnam to meet food demand during the 2017 between-crop period.Last August, Vietnam also won a bidding to provide 150,000 tonnes of rice for the Philippines.
Vietnam-Philippines bilateral trade topped 2.92 billion USD in 2015. It increased by 15.3 percent year on year to 1.52 billion USD in the first half of 2016, including 1.08 billion USD of Vietnam’s exports, up 17.5 percent.
The 2010 rice trading agreement is due to lapse on December 31, 2016 and expected to be extended for the 2017-2020 period.The Philippines is among the biggest importers of rice from Vietnam. However, the rice shipments to the Philippines have experienced a downturn recently.The Vietnam Food Association said domestic businesses have a chance to boost rice exports as the Philippines plans to import 293,100 tonnes of rice from Vietnam to meet food demand during the 2017 between-crop period.Last August, Vietnam also won a bidding to provide 150,000 tonnes of rice for the Philippines.
Vietnam-Philippines bilateral trade topped 2.92 billion USD in 2015. It increased by 15.3 percent year on year to 1.52 billion USD in the first half of 2016, including 1.08 billion USD of Vietnam’s exports, up 17.5 percent.
Missouri’s rice and biodiesel industries rank high
In
2015, Missouri produced about $149 million of rice and about $6.3 billion of
biodiesel, according to state agriculture director Richard Fordyce. Missouri’s
rice production is ranked 4th in the nation. The state’s biodiesel production
is ranked 2nd in the country.
State Ag Director Richard Fordyce
“Those
things are significant to the bottom line of Missouri agriculture. They’re very
important to the things that we do in Missouri.”Mouri’s rice producers are
primarily in the Bootheel.Missouri exports agriculture products to at least 100
countries. More than $1 billion of the state’s agriculture products were
exported to Mexico last year – making it Missouri’s top trading partner.
“Corn
and soybean exports are going into Mexico by rail. We exported more in 2016
than we did in 2015 and more in 2015 than we did in 2014,” says Fordyce.Canada
is Missouri’s second largest agriculture trading partner with more than $454
million in exports in 2015.A recent study released shows that the value added
impact of Missouri’s agriculture industry is $33 billion statewide. More than
375,000 jobs are tied to Missouri agriculture and tax revenues are more than $6
billion a year.
ttps://www.missourinet.com/2016/12/27/missouris-rice-and-biodiesel-industries-rank-high/
Can cover
crops work in a rice rotation?
A
report from the 2016 Southern Agricultural Soil Health, Cover Crops and Water
Management Conference
David
Bennett |
How can producers begin to use cover crops in rice rotations?
Trent
Roberts, soil fertility specialist with the University of Arkansas, has some
ideas.
“We’ve
looked at soybeans going into rice or coming out of rice and going into
soybeans,” says Roberts. “With rice in the system it really adds another level
of challenges to deal with.“I believe that’s a large part of the reason cover
crop adoption in Arkansas has been limited up until now. Rice is grown in a lot
of our production systems and that hinders the use of cover crops.”
Roberts
and colleagues are well aware of the difficulties producers face. “But if we
can get cover crops to work with rice in the rotation then we can make them
work anywhere. If you can make cover crops work with rice, any other rotation
should be a piece of cake.”
Timing
The
primary limitation with rice and cover crops is the timing of the cash crop
harvest. “If you look, our optimum planting window for cover crops in most of
Arkansas is from around September 15 to October 15. Well, that usually means
more than half the soybeans are still in the field. Plus, 40 to 50 percent of
the rice is in the field during that time frame.
“If
you’re harvesting rice on October 1, that doesn’t give you much time to come
back and get the stubble and residue taken care of followed by planting a cover
crop before it gets too cold.”
Among
the main things researchers are focusing on with the project “are novel ways to
get the cover crop established in such a short time. When following rice, we’re
actually looking at how well we can no-till cover crops into rice residue.”
Among
the best approaches they’ve found is, following rice harvest, “rolling the
stubble down and planting the cover crops no-till into the residue. It’s
surprising how well that’s worked. That eliminates the need to burn or plow to
get rid of the residue. But it lets you get the cover crop in without a lot of
extra work.”
The
project is being funded through an NRCS Conservation Innovation grant. “The
idea behind that grant is the NRCS provides money to researchers to demonstrate
new conservation technologies.
“The
past three or four years, we’ve done a lot of small-plot work at research
stations around the state. For the past two winters, we’ve also done research
with on-farm demonstrations.
“We’ve
tried to find producers interested in cover crops but didn’t have the technical
advice they needed. Cooperators are in Lawrence County, Jackson County,
Arkansas County and Jefferson County.
“When
we talk with rice producers, the most common question regards species
selection. ‘What in the world can I plant following rice that’ll grow?’ We’ve
looked at that extensively and cereal rye, Austrian winter pea and black oats
all tend to do well after rice. Austrian winter field pea is one of my favorites
to work with because it tends to do fairly well in saturated soils or soils
that will be fairly wet for the winter.”
Geese
One
of the big problems has turned out to be pressure from migrating geese. “Think
about the areas we’re trying to the research – geese like to hang out there,
it’s in the flyway. They certainly have an affinity for Austrian winter pea.
Now, some growers don’t think that’s all together a negative because the birds
may be eating the peas and leaving the winter wheat alone.
“One
thing we’ve found is if we blend black oats with winter pea the geese are less
prone to eat. For some reason they just don’t like black oats.”
As
for insects or disease pressures from working with cover crops, “we haven’t
seen anything. There are potential issues that could arise but we haven’t seen
any of that. We’re trying to follow Best Management Practices – burn down three
to four weeks before planting rice to help prevent any of those issues.
“Sometime
in March, before cooperators begin to apply burndown herbicides, we want to
have tours of the demonstration fields. Anyone interested should watch for
dates on that. Producers can attend and learn how this works in a real-world
environment.”
The
demonstrations have been purposely spread out in different soils, different
production systems and using different equipment. “A producer may say ‘I only
have X type of planter. Can I use that?’ Chances are, we have a cooperator
who’s already tried it. One of the biggest tools we have in implementing cover
crops is folks who’ve already tried them
http: //www.deltafarmpress.com/rice/can-cover-crops-work-rice-rotation
Rice stocks sufficient for Nina-hit areas –
NFA
State-run National Food Authority
(NFA) on Monday assured that it has enough stocks in its warehouses,
particularly in areas directly hit by Typhoon Nina.
In a statement, NFA
Officer-in-Charge Tomas Escarez said he has already put on alert status all NFA
local offices in the Bicol Region, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal
and Quezon) and Metro Manila for the smooth disbursement of rice
requirements.The grains agency is working together with the Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Disaster Risk Reduction Management
Council at the provincial and regional level, local government units (LGUs) and
Philippine Red Cross (PRC), Escarez added.
“We are ready to issue their rice
requirements anytime. We have a standing memorandum of agreement (MOA) with
these relief agencies so they can withdraw rice from NFA during calamities and
emergencies,” he said.
According to the Philippine
Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (
Pagasa), Typhoon Nina made landfall in Catanduanes in Bicol Region on Christmas
Day and continued to bring heavy rains and gusty winds as it crossed the
Southern Tagalog provinces toward the National Capital Region (NCR or Metro
Manila) on Monday.
The NFA local office in the Bicol
Region has issued a total of 10,804 bags to the LGUs broken down as
follows: Albay, 2,550; Camarines Norte, 144; Camarines Sur, 6,673 bags;
Catanduanes, 35 bags; Masbate, 325 bags; and Sorsogon, 1,077 bags.
Escarez said the NFA’s rice
inventory in Region 5 stands at 360,651 bags, Region 4 at 820,000 bags
and 2,759,603 bags for NCR.The agency’s nationwide rice inventory is 11,283,567
bags as of December 24, 2016.Escarez said field offices in these regions were
instructed to issue the best quality rice to LGUs and relief
agencies.“Likewise, the food agency’s Operations Center nationwide has been
activated to ensure a 24-hour response and regularly monitor weather
bulletins,” he added
http://www.manilatimes.net/rice-stocks-sufficient-nina-hit-areas-nfa/303768/
DA urged to prepare for unrestricted rice importation
By Jess Diaz (The Philippine Star) | Updated
December 25, 2016 - 12:00am
MANILA,
Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) was urged yesterday to prepare
for the unrestricted importation of rice beginning June next year, when volume
and tariff restrictions are lifted.The lifting of restrictions is part of the
country’s compliance with the World Trade Organization agreement, to which it
is a signatory.Mindoro Occidental Rep. Josephine Sato said Agriculture
Secretary Emmanuel Piñol should come up with plans to cushion the impact of the
import limits removal on the lives of rice farmers, their families and the
farming sector.
“It’s
less than six months before our farmers start to feel the impact of imported
rice flooding the market. The DA and other government agencies should prepare
for the adverse repercussions of unlimited importation,” Sato stressed.Lifting
the restrictions, she pointed out, would mean that importers are free to flood
the market with cheap rice from Thailand, Vietnam and other foreign sources.The
scenario could lead to the gradual death of the local rice farming sector,
which is considered inefficient compared to Vietnam and Thailand, from where
the Philippines has been importing rice, she added. Sato believes that the big
rice-producing provinces – Mindoro, Isabela, Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan – would
bear the brunt of the adverse effects of unrestricted and tax-free rice
importation.
She
wanted to know what help the DA and other concerned agencies could extend to
rice farmers and their families.Among the solutions she sees are providing
farmers with free or subsidized inputs, like seeds and fertilizer and free
irrigation, and training them on farming in general, to wean them out of rice
planting if this would no longer be profitable.A special fund could also be set
up out of the previous and current rice import tariffs to finance the safety
nets for the affected farmers, Sato said.According to farmers’ groups and rice
traders, farm inputs in Thailand and Vietnam like seeds, fertilizer and
pesticides are cheaper, thus the Thai and Vietnamese rice farmers are able to
sell their produce at a much lower price.They said Thai and Vietnamese farmers
also harvest more per hectare because of irrigation and modern technology.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/12/25/1656612/da-urged-prepare-unrestricted-rice-importation
DA urged to prepare for unrestricted rice importation
By Jess Diaz (The Philippine
Star) | Updated December 25, 2016 - 12:00am
MANILA,
Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) was urged yesterday to prepare
for the unrestricted importation of rice beginning June next year, when volume
and tariff restrictions are lifted.The lifting of restrictions is part of the
country’s compliance with the World Trade Organization agreement, to which it
is a signatory.
Mindoro
Occidental Rep. Josephine Sato said Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol should
come up with plans to cushion the impact of the import limits removal on the
lives of rice farmers, their families and the farming sector.
“It’s
less than six months before our farmers start to feel the impact of imported
rice flooding the market. The DA and other government agencies should
prepare for the adverse repercussions of unlimited importation,” Sato stressed.
Lifting
the restrictions, she pointed out, would mean that importers are free to flood
the market with cheap rice from Thailand, Vietnam and other foreign sources.
The
scenario could lead to the gradual death of the local rice farming sector,
which is considered inefficient compared to Vietnam and Thailand, from where
the Philippines has been importing rice, she added. Sato believes that the big
rice-producing provinces – Mindoro, Isabela, Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan – would
bear the brunt of the adverse effects of unrestricted and tax-free rice
importation.
She
wanted to know what help the DA and other concerned agencies could extend to
rice farmers and their families.
Among
the solutions she sees are providing farmers with free or subsidized inputs,
like seeds and fertilizer and free irrigation, and training them on farming in
general, to wean them out of rice planting if this would no longer be
profitable.
A
special fund could also be set up out of the previous and current rice import
tariffs to finance the safety nets for the affected farmers, Sato said.
According
to farmers’ groups and rice traders, farm inputs in Thailand and Vietnam like
seeds, fertilizer and pesticides are cheaper, thus the Thai and Vietnamese rice
farmers are able to sell their produce at a much lower price.
They
said Thai and Vietnamese farmers also harvest more per hectare because of
irrigation and modern technology.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/12/25/1656612/da-urged-prepare-unrestricted-rice-importation
Tariff scheme for rice high on agenda after quantitative
restrictions expire
0 0 Google +0 0
Posted on December 27, 2016
THE PHILIPPINES is rushing to set
a tariff scheme for rice after the lapse of the quantitative restriction (QR)
regime.
In a phone interview last week, National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Ernesto M. Pernia said that the
Committee on Tariff and Related Matters which he chairs, will meet “soon,”
possibly early next year, to discuss the matter.
The committee advises the president on tariff and related matters and on the effects on the country of various international developments and recommend national positions for international economic negotiations, among other roles.
Mr. Pernia and Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez have expressed their intent to allow the QR scheme to lapse.
However, an official from the Department of Agriculture (DA) says that preparations for the tariff regime on rice will take more time because of the need to go through the legislative processes.
“It takes time... Congress will still need to amend the law,” said the undersecretary for the Agriculture Department’s Planning and Policy Division Segfredo R. Serrano in an interview with reporters last week.
The required amendments involve Republic Act 8178 or the Tariffication Act of 1996 which authorizes the president to set import duties on the staple grain upon the expiry of the country’s waiver for the special treatment on rice.
The NEDA has been proposing to adopt the same import duties applied on rice -- 35% -- corresponding to the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement -- in-quota and 40% out-of-quota of the minimum access volume which by July will revert to its 2012 level of around 350,000 metric tons from the current 805,200 MT, pursuant to Executive order 190 series of 2015.
During the negotiations for the second extension, which was granted in 2014, the Philippines had agreed to, among others, increase the MAV to 805,200 MT and reduce the in-quota tariff to 35% corresponding to the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) duty and a most-favored nation (MFN) rate of 40% for volumes imported outside the MAV.
The failure to tarrify, according to Mr. Serrano, may bring upon the country the burden of cases that may be raised by WTO-members to the dispute settlement body of the WTO for the failure to implement duties established on the basis of under the Agreement on Agriculture under the Uruguay Round.
“We stand to face trade disputes immediately,” the DA official added.
Previously, lapses of the QR without the benefit of a legislative-approved tariff system were treated in “good faith” with the retention of concessions to other WTO members.
However, the reversion to the pre-2012 tariff levels, contained in Executive Order 190, which was issued last year by then President Benigno S.C. Aquino III, may take away such “good faith” options.
According to Section 2 of the order, “the concession entered by the Philippine government shall cease to exist upon the expiration of the waiver.”
“It will depend on our trading partners if they want to raise a dispute... The problem is we are certain to lose and may have to pay compensation...,” added Mr. Serrano, who has been pushing to start renegotiations for another extension as early as 2014.
Such compensation will depend on the WTO’s dispute settlement board, which may involve the slashing of import duties on other commodities even outside agriculture. -- Janina C. Lim
The committee advises the president on tariff and related matters and on the effects on the country of various international developments and recommend national positions for international economic negotiations, among other roles.
Mr. Pernia and Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez have expressed their intent to allow the QR scheme to lapse.
However, an official from the Department of Agriculture (DA) says that preparations for the tariff regime on rice will take more time because of the need to go through the legislative processes.
“It takes time... Congress will still need to amend the law,” said the undersecretary for the Agriculture Department’s Planning and Policy Division Segfredo R. Serrano in an interview with reporters last week.
The required amendments involve Republic Act 8178 or the Tariffication Act of 1996 which authorizes the president to set import duties on the staple grain upon the expiry of the country’s waiver for the special treatment on rice.
The NEDA has been proposing to adopt the same import duties applied on rice -- 35% -- corresponding to the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement -- in-quota and 40% out-of-quota of the minimum access volume which by July will revert to its 2012 level of around 350,000 metric tons from the current 805,200 MT, pursuant to Executive order 190 series of 2015.
During the negotiations for the second extension, which was granted in 2014, the Philippines had agreed to, among others, increase the MAV to 805,200 MT and reduce the in-quota tariff to 35% corresponding to the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) duty and a most-favored nation (MFN) rate of 40% for volumes imported outside the MAV.
The failure to tarrify, according to Mr. Serrano, may bring upon the country the burden of cases that may be raised by WTO-members to the dispute settlement body of the WTO for the failure to implement duties established on the basis of under the Agreement on Agriculture under the Uruguay Round.
“We stand to face trade disputes immediately,” the DA official added.
Previously, lapses of the QR without the benefit of a legislative-approved tariff system were treated in “good faith” with the retention of concessions to other WTO members.
However, the reversion to the pre-2012 tariff levels, contained in Executive Order 190, which was issued last year by then President Benigno S.C. Aquino III, may take away such “good faith” options.
According to Section 2 of the order, “the concession entered by the Philippine government shall cease to exist upon the expiration of the waiver.”
“It will depend on our trading partners if they want to raise a dispute... The problem is we are certain to lose and may have to pay compensation...,” added Mr. Serrano, who has been pushing to start renegotiations for another extension as early as 2014.
Such compensation will depend on the WTO’s dispute settlement board, which may involve the slashing of import duties on other commodities even outside agriculture. -- Janina C. Lim
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=tariff-scheme-for-rice-high-on-agenda-after-quantitative-restrictions-expire&id=138238
Scientists
alarmed over soil degradation
VietNamNet
Bridge - Agricultural land in Vietnam has been overexploited because of
inappropriate cultivation methods, scientists say.
The
great achievements of Vietnam’s agriculture in the last decades are undeniable:
Vietnam has turned from a country with food shortages into a big farm produce
exporter.
However, Vietnamese farmers, after a long period of trying to increase productivity and race after export growth, have seen the agricultural development slow down.
Scientists have warned about pollution caused by inappropriate cultivation methods, warning that this is the reason behind unsustainable development.
However, Vietnamese farmers, after a long period of trying to increase productivity and race after export growth, have seen the agricultural development slow down.
Scientists have warned about pollution caused by inappropriate cultivation methods, warning that this is the reason behind unsustainable development.
|
The great achievements
of Vietnam’s agriculture in the last decades are undeniable: Vietnam has
turned from a country with food shortages into a big farm produce
exporter.
|
In
Mekong Delta, farmers now have three rice crops a year instead of two, a
controversial issue, especially in the context of climate change and salinity.
The experts, who oppose the 3-crop method, said that intensive farming would dry them out because it doesn’t have time to rest.
Meanwhile, the additional rice output created by the third crop cannot compensate for the damage it causes to the soil.
In other countries, farmers only have two crops a year and let the land ‘relax’ in the remaining time to create high-quality farm produce. Land needs to recover, be protected against insects, and have balanced pH.
In the Mekong Delta, with the three-crop model, farmers rely on fertilizer and pesticides to obtain the highest possible yields.
A recent survey in the delta showed that households spend VND20-25 million each on fertilizer and pesticides for each hectare of rice field.
The abuse of chemical fertilizer and pesticides not only is seen on rice fields, but also on vegetables and industrial crops.
Scientific research has found waste in using fertilizer in coffee, rubber and pepper cultivation in the central region, Central Highlands and southeastern region.
It is estimated that farmers have to spend VND30-40 million on fertilizer and pesticides for every hectare of coffee and rubber.
The unreasonable use of fertilizer and pesticide, plus uncontrolled deforestation in the Central Highlands and southeastern region have contaminated the once fertile land.
Scientists have repeatedly warned about the sulfur poisoning of the land in the Central Highlands. Prior to 1996, the land suffered from the lack of sulfur with the sulfur concentration of 15-30 ppm, because of which coffee gardens had low yield.
However, there are clear signs of sulfur abundance. 17.6 percent of land samples out of 114 tested samples were found as having the sulfur concentration of 30 ppm, while 23.5 percent 32-100 ppm and 59 percent over 100 ppm
The experts, who oppose the 3-crop method, said that intensive farming would dry them out because it doesn’t have time to rest.
Meanwhile, the additional rice output created by the third crop cannot compensate for the damage it causes to the soil.
In other countries, farmers only have two crops a year and let the land ‘relax’ in the remaining time to create high-quality farm produce. Land needs to recover, be protected against insects, and have balanced pH.
In the Mekong Delta, with the three-crop model, farmers rely on fertilizer and pesticides to obtain the highest possible yields.
A recent survey in the delta showed that households spend VND20-25 million each on fertilizer and pesticides for each hectare of rice field.
The abuse of chemical fertilizer and pesticides not only is seen on rice fields, but also on vegetables and industrial crops.
Scientific research has found waste in using fertilizer in coffee, rubber and pepper cultivation in the central region, Central Highlands and southeastern region.
It is estimated that farmers have to spend VND30-40 million on fertilizer and pesticides for every hectare of coffee and rubber.
The unreasonable use of fertilizer and pesticide, plus uncontrolled deforestation in the Central Highlands and southeastern region have contaminated the once fertile land.
Scientists have repeatedly warned about the sulfur poisoning of the land in the Central Highlands. Prior to 1996, the land suffered from the lack of sulfur with the sulfur concentration of 15-30 ppm, because of which coffee gardens had low yield.
However, there are clear signs of sulfur abundance. 17.6 percent of land samples out of 114 tested samples were found as having the sulfur concentration of 30 ppm, while 23.5 percent 32-100 ppm and 59 percent over 100 ppm
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/environment/169873/scientists-alarmed-over-soil-degradation.html
Rice imports still under study after typhoons
1 0 Google +0 0
Posted on December 28, 2016
THE GOVERNMENT is waiting to
assess the impact of three typhoons on major rice-producing provinces in the
fourth quarter before deciding whether it will resort to rice imports next
year, the National Food Authority (NFA) said.
|
RELATED STORIES
|
The NFA said it has a pending proposal for another 250,000
metric tons of government-to-government rice imports in the first quarter of
2017, which remains subject to approval.
“The NFA’s recommendation for rice importation is still for evaluation of the NFA Council,” said Marietta J. Ablaza, spokesperson for the state-run agency, in a phone interview last week.
Among the factors being evaluated were the impact on production of typhoons Karen and Lawin, which hit the country in October, and typhoon Nina this week.
The importation deal, should it push through, will be slated under a government-to-government procurement scheme.
Typhoons Karen and Lawin caused estimated losses of 516,133 MT of palay, or unmilled rice, valued at P11.03 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture’s Nov. 4 damage report.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that palay output may come in at 17.91 million MT for 2016, lower than the 2015 total of 18.15 million MT, after a prolonged dry spell reduced the area harvested this year.
In a statement released over the weekend, the NFA, however, assured that rice stocks are sufficient in typhoon Nina-affected areas with the agency’s release of more than 10,000 50-kilo bags for distribution to typhoon victims.
The National Economic and Development Authority’s (NEDA) director for agriculture, natural resources and environment, Mercedita A. Sombilla, who chairs the NFA Council, said that the domestic supply and demand situation of rice will still have to be assessed some time in January.
Even in light of the recent typhoon, Ms. Sombilla said that the government sees no urgent need for the Philippines, one of the world’s top rice importers, to open up orders for imports.
“We are still assessing damage to agri. I would think (it is) not necessary since all rice planted are supposed to be harvested now,” Ms. Sombilla, also a NEDA Assistant Secretary, said in a text message on Tuesday.
On Monday, the typhoon cut through southern Luzon and the eastern Visayas, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the weather bureau also known as PAGASA.
The country has 250,000 metric tons remaining from a standby authority to import 500,000 MT approved by the previous government.
As of Nov. 1, rice stocks stood at 3.30 million MT, sufficient for 97 days of consumption.
The initial 250,000 MT standby authority was awarded to the world’s top rice exporters on Aug. 31 -- with Thailand and Vietnam winning 100,000 MT and 150,000 MT, respectively, under the government-to-government import scheme.
In addition, the NFA in September opened up to private traders the importation of an additional 805,200 metric tons of rice under the minimum access volume (MAV) scheme.
The MAV rice importation program allows private traders to apply for the delivery of 293,100 MT each from Thailand and Vietnam.
Under the omnibus origin scheme, importers can also buy up to 50,000 MT each from China, top suppliers India and Pakistan, up to 15,000 MT from Australia, up to 4,000 MT from El Salvador, and 50,000 MT from any other country.
In its list of applicants posted Dec. 21 on its Web site, the NFA has so far authorized shipments totaling 641,080 tons from Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, and India.
All rice under the MAV importation scheme is expected to arrive in the country not later than Feb. 28 next year and is subject to a 35% tariff. -- Janina C. Lim
“The NFA’s recommendation for rice importation is still for evaluation of the NFA Council,” said Marietta J. Ablaza, spokesperson for the state-run agency, in a phone interview last week.
Among the factors being evaluated were the impact on production of typhoons Karen and Lawin, which hit the country in October, and typhoon Nina this week.
The importation deal, should it push through, will be slated under a government-to-government procurement scheme.
Typhoons Karen and Lawin caused estimated losses of 516,133 MT of palay, or unmilled rice, valued at P11.03 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture’s Nov. 4 damage report.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that palay output may come in at 17.91 million MT for 2016, lower than the 2015 total of 18.15 million MT, after a prolonged dry spell reduced the area harvested this year.
In a statement released over the weekend, the NFA, however, assured that rice stocks are sufficient in typhoon Nina-affected areas with the agency’s release of more than 10,000 50-kilo bags for distribution to typhoon victims.
The National Economic and Development Authority’s (NEDA) director for agriculture, natural resources and environment, Mercedita A. Sombilla, who chairs the NFA Council, said that the domestic supply and demand situation of rice will still have to be assessed some time in January.
Even in light of the recent typhoon, Ms. Sombilla said that the government sees no urgent need for the Philippines, one of the world’s top rice importers, to open up orders for imports.
“We are still assessing damage to agri. I would think (it is) not necessary since all rice planted are supposed to be harvested now,” Ms. Sombilla, also a NEDA Assistant Secretary, said in a text message on Tuesday.
On Monday, the typhoon cut through southern Luzon and the eastern Visayas, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the weather bureau also known as PAGASA.
The country has 250,000 metric tons remaining from a standby authority to import 500,000 MT approved by the previous government.
As of Nov. 1, rice stocks stood at 3.30 million MT, sufficient for 97 days of consumption.
The initial 250,000 MT standby authority was awarded to the world’s top rice exporters on Aug. 31 -- with Thailand and Vietnam winning 100,000 MT and 150,000 MT, respectively, under the government-to-government import scheme.
In addition, the NFA in September opened up to private traders the importation of an additional 805,200 metric tons of rice under the minimum access volume (MAV) scheme.
The MAV rice importation program allows private traders to apply for the delivery of 293,100 MT each from Thailand and Vietnam.
Under the omnibus origin scheme, importers can also buy up to 50,000 MT each from China, top suppliers India and Pakistan, up to 15,000 MT from Australia, up to 4,000 MT from El Salvador, and 50,000 MT from any other country.
In its list of applicants posted Dec. 21 on its Web site, the NFA has so far authorized shipments totaling 641,080 tons from Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, and India.
All rice under the MAV importation scheme is expected to arrive in the country not later than Feb. 28 next year and is subject to a 35% tariff. -- Janina C. Lim
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=rice-imports-still-under-study-after-typhoons-&id=138318
The Rice Research and Extension Center:
Making real-world challenges the focus
By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of
Agriculture
As the nation’s No. 1 rice
producer, the economy of Arkansas places a premium on every aspect of the
crop’s production, from the the availability of unique and hardy varieties, to
the financial success of our producers in the field, to the impeccable quality
of the finished product.
As the primary institution of
higher education in support of agriculture in the state, the University of
Arkansas System Division of Agriculture spends a significant portion of its
resources and efforts working to make sure rice, and the people behind it,
succeed.
Nathan McKinney, interim director
of the Rice Research and Extension Center, came to the research station in the
summer of 2016, after serving various roles in the Division of Agriculture’s
Cooperative Extension Service and Agricultural Experiment Station.
McKinney said he encourages his
researchers—there are about a dozen scientists attached to the RREC—to take a
“portfolio” approach to their research. Solving problems that rice growers face
today is the highest priority.
“That’s what I call ‘applied’
research,” McKinney said. “Most of our effort is targeted towards answering
present-day questions or applying a new approach, a new variety or technology
to solve a problem.
“However, part of that research
portfolio is also forecasting what problems producers may see 10 years from
now,” he said.
“Some of our far-reaching, basic
research is trying to answer the question, ‘what happens when rice is exposed
to high nighttime temperatures?’” McKinney said. “And what causes the
physiological stress in rice under various climate conditions? What
physiological pathways can we exploit to overcome heat stress? We have
fundamental questions that we currently have no answers for—we have some blank
spots in our knowledge of the physiology of rice.”
Although researchers at the RREC
conduct studies on other crops essential to Arkansas and the region including
corn, soybeans and wheat, the focus is on rice.
Jarrod Hardke, Extension rice
agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, has been with the RREC since 2012.
He described his applied agronomic work at the research center as research
aimed at affecting production-based recommendations.
“We look at every variety of rice
available to us, from both commercial seed companies and those varieties we
breed ourselves, to see what works best under a range of conditions,” Hardke
said. “One of the biggest points of emphasis is on-farm cultivar
trials—actually comparing the different varieties and hybrids a grower has to
choose from to observe their relative differences on various farms under
different production systems.”
Over the course of multiple years
and weather cycles, Hardke said, the Division of Agriculture is able to
synthesize data that gives growers the best shot at success, from choosing the
best cultivar for their soil to dealing with pests and environmental pressures
as they arise.
Hardke said that over the long
term, rice research in the state evolves through the extension and feedback
process, as agronomic data is pushed out to growers through Cooperative
Extension Service agents, and agents deliver feedback back to researchers.
McKinney said the research has
also been guided by challenges specific to Arkansas and the region, such as a
potential scarcity of groundwater in the near future.
“Our irrigation engineer, Chris
Henry, has introduced a wealth of ideas new to Arkansas farming, and various
water conservation measures for rice production,” McKinney said. “So that’s
broadened the scope of the station’s research.
“We’ve also had a rice breeding
program here for 60 years or so, but we’ve recently added a hybrid breeding
emphasis. A new hybrid breeder joined us in November of 2015,” he said. “Hybrid
seed production in rice is relatively new, and it has broadened the scope of
our breeding program.”
McKinney said all the researchers
working under the RREC’s umbrella are to some degree involved in evaluating
constant and increasing environmental stresses, and taking measures to help
growers overcome those challenges.
“For example, this year and in
some recent years, it’s turned out that high nighttime temperatures created a
lot of yield and grain quality problems for rice producers,” McKinney said.
“It’s robbed us of millions and millions of dollars. And we’re attempting to
solve that problem. Some of the pieces of the puzzle are falling in place, but
there are still other pieces we’re trying to discover.
“Everybody on this station is
involved with that, either directly or indirectly. All of our scientists have their
hands in it,” he said.
Researchers and staff at the RREC
also work closely with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dale Bumpers
researchers at the nearby Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center, also
located in Stuttgart, as well as other entities, including the Mid-South
Breeding Consortium.
“We’re bringing in the best
resources to collaborate with, and to give us ideas and input,” McKinney said.
Hardke said the facility is
unique in that it remains the only fully faculty-staffed research extension center
in the state.
“We house all relevant
disciplines in the faculty here at the station, permitting us to be housed
right in the heart of the rice-growing region of the state, performing our
work,” Hardke said. “We’re here, we’re accessible. Our full time job is rice,
the rice industry and its improvement. That’s how all our time is spent—that’s
unique to this location.”
To learn more about rice research
and agricultural production in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative
Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.edu.
http://www.hpj.com/crops/the-rice-research-and-extension-center-making-real-world-challenges/article_714d7312-7a9b-5102-8b3a-9f7c0dd053d2.html
Rice imports still under study after typhoons
December 28, 206
THE GOVERNMENT is waiting to assess the impact of three typhoons
on major rice-producing provinces in the fourth quarter before deciding whether
it will resort to rice imports next year, the National Food Authority (NFA)
said.
The NFA said it has a pending proposal for another 250,000
metric tons of government-to-government rice imports in the first quarter of
2017, which remains subject to approval.“The NFA’s recommendation for rice
importation is still for evaluation of the NFA Council,” said Marietta J.
Ablaza, spokesperson for the state-run agency, in a phone interview last week.
Among the factors being evaluated were the impact on production of typhoons Karen and Lawin, which hit the country in October, and typhoon Nina this week. The importation deal, should it push through, will be slated under a government-to-government procurement scheme.
Typhoons Karen and Lawin caused estimated losses of 516,133 MT of palay, or unmilled rice, valued at P11.03 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture’s Nov. 4 damage report. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that palay output may come in at 17.91 million MT for 2016, lower than the 2015 total of 18.15 million MT, after a prolonged dry spell reduced the area harvested this year.
In a statement released over the weekend, the NFA, however, assured that rice stocks are sufficient in typhoon Nina-affected areas with the agency’s release of more than 10,000 50-kilo bags for distribution to typhoon victims.
The National Economic and Development Authority’s (NEDA) director for agriculture, natural resources and environment, Mercedita A. Sombilla, who chairs the NFA Council, said that the domestic supply and demand situation of rice will still have to be assessed some time in January.
Even in light of the recent typhoon, Ms. Sombilla said that the government sees no urgent need for the Philippines, one of the world’s top rice importers, to open up orders for imports.“We are still assessing damage to agri. I would think (it is) not necessary since all rice planted are supposed to be harvested now,” Ms. Sombilla, also a NEDA Assistant Secretary, said in a text message on Tuesday.On Monday, the typhoon cut through southern Luzon and the eastern Visayas, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the weather bureau also known as PAGASA.The country has 250,000 metric tons remaining from a standby authority to import 500,000 MT approved by the previous government.
As of Nov. 1, rice stocks stood at 3.30 million MT, sufficient for 97 days of consumption.
The initial 250,000 MT standby authority was awarded to the world’s top rice exporters on Aug. 31 -- with Thailand and Vietnam winning 100,000 MT and 150,000 MT, respectively, under the government-to-government import scheme. In addition, the NFA in September opened up to private traders the importation of an additional 805,200 metric tons of rice under the minimum access volume (MAV) scheme. The MAV rice importation program allows private traders to apply for the delivery of 293,100 MT each from Thailand and Vietnam. Under the omnibus origin scheme, importers can also buy up to 50,000 MT each from China, top suppliers India and Pakistan, up to 15,000 MT from Australia, up to 4,000 MT from El Salvador, and 50,000 MT from any other country.
In its list of applicants posted Dec. 21 on its Web site, the NFA has so far authorized shipments totaling 641,080 tons from Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, and India.All rice under the MAV importation scheme is expected to arrive in the country not later than Feb. 28 next year and is subject to a 35% tariff. -- Janina C. Lim
Among the factors being evaluated were the impact on production of typhoons Karen and Lawin, which hit the country in October, and typhoon Nina this week. The importation deal, should it push through, will be slated under a government-to-government procurement scheme.
Typhoons Karen and Lawin caused estimated losses of 516,133 MT of palay, or unmilled rice, valued at P11.03 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture’s Nov. 4 damage report. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that palay output may come in at 17.91 million MT for 2016, lower than the 2015 total of 18.15 million MT, after a prolonged dry spell reduced the area harvested this year.
In a statement released over the weekend, the NFA, however, assured that rice stocks are sufficient in typhoon Nina-affected areas with the agency’s release of more than 10,000 50-kilo bags for distribution to typhoon victims.
The National Economic and Development Authority’s (NEDA) director for agriculture, natural resources and environment, Mercedita A. Sombilla, who chairs the NFA Council, said that the domestic supply and demand situation of rice will still have to be assessed some time in January.
Even in light of the recent typhoon, Ms. Sombilla said that the government sees no urgent need for the Philippines, one of the world’s top rice importers, to open up orders for imports.“We are still assessing damage to agri. I would think (it is) not necessary since all rice planted are supposed to be harvested now,” Ms. Sombilla, also a NEDA Assistant Secretary, said in a text message on Tuesday.On Monday, the typhoon cut through southern Luzon and the eastern Visayas, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the weather bureau also known as PAGASA.The country has 250,000 metric tons remaining from a standby authority to import 500,000 MT approved by the previous government.
As of Nov. 1, rice stocks stood at 3.30 million MT, sufficient for 97 days of consumption.
The initial 250,000 MT standby authority was awarded to the world’s top rice exporters on Aug. 31 -- with Thailand and Vietnam winning 100,000 MT and 150,000 MT, respectively, under the government-to-government import scheme. In addition, the NFA in September opened up to private traders the importation of an additional 805,200 metric tons of rice under the minimum access volume (MAV) scheme. The MAV rice importation program allows private traders to apply for the delivery of 293,100 MT each from Thailand and Vietnam. Under the omnibus origin scheme, importers can also buy up to 50,000 MT each from China, top suppliers India and Pakistan, up to 15,000 MT from Australia, up to 4,000 MT from El Salvador, and 50,000 MT from any other country.
In its list of applicants posted Dec. 21 on its Web site, the NFA has so far authorized shipments totaling 641,080 tons from Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, and India.All rice under the MAV importation scheme is expected to arrive in the country not later than Feb. 28 next year and is subject to a 35% tariff. -- Janina C. Lim
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=rice-imports-still-under-study-a
DA wants QR on
rice extended by 2 years
MANILA - The Department of
Agriculture insists that quantitative restrictions on rice should be extended
by two more years instead of being allowed to lapse beginning July 2017. According
to Secretary Manny Piñol, the recent national consultations showed farmers
would like a two-year extension, which DA is supporting.
"This is the position of DA right now. We'd like to ask for a two-year extension. We believe within the next two years we can support farmers and make them competitive with other rice producers," Piñol said.
The agriculture secretary said higher tariffs on beyond-quota rice imports should remain, as local farmers still cannot compete on the global stage.
"This is the position of DA right now. We'd like to ask for a two-year extension. We believe within the next two years we can support farmers and make them competitive with other rice producers," Piñol said.
The agriculture secretary said higher tariffs on beyond-quota rice imports should remain, as local farmers still cannot compete on the global stage.
The average cost of producing
unmilled rice in the country is currently 12 pesos per kilo, or double the
6 pesos per kilo in Vietnam.
In a statement, the DA said that "with many Filipino farmers flocking to the urban areas to find other means of livelihood and those who are unable to compete with cheaper imported rice shifting to other jobs, domestic rice production will drop."
In a separate statement, Piñol said a flood of imports may force Filipino farmers to seek other means of livelihood and this will affect domestic rice output.
"We also see the supposed benefits of full liberalization - such as cheaper rice for all consumers - as temporary. We expect this to quickly exert pressure on rice demand in the thinly traded international markets and steadily increasing international prices. We may actually end up with higher rice prices, of which we have no control or influence," said the DA. This situation can lead to a dependence on imports, which, while cheap at the start could turn out to be more expensive in the long run, the DA pointed out.
"Even if we have the foreign exchange resources to buy from the international market, there may not be enough as international supplies become increasingly vulnerable to climate change impacts on exporters," added the DA.
Piñol claimed supply can also be an issue even if the Philippines is able to afford the rates charged by international suppliers.
The country, he said, will be vulnerable to unilateral action by exporters, who, for example can impose bans without being sanctioned by the World Trade Organization.
In a statement, the DA said that "with many Filipino farmers flocking to the urban areas to find other means of livelihood and those who are unable to compete with cheaper imported rice shifting to other jobs, domestic rice production will drop."
In a separate statement, Piñol said a flood of imports may force Filipino farmers to seek other means of livelihood and this will affect domestic rice output.
"We also see the supposed benefits of full liberalization - such as cheaper rice for all consumers - as temporary. We expect this to quickly exert pressure on rice demand in the thinly traded international markets and steadily increasing international prices. We may actually end up with higher rice prices, of which we have no control or influence," said the DA. This situation can lead to a dependence on imports, which, while cheap at the start could turn out to be more expensive in the long run, the DA pointed out.
"Even if we have the foreign exchange resources to buy from the international market, there may not be enough as international supplies become increasingly vulnerable to climate change impacts on exporters," added the DA.
Piñol claimed supply can also be an issue even if the Philippines is able to afford the rates charged by international suppliers.
The country, he said, will be vulnerable to unilateral action by exporters, who, for example can impose bans without being sanctioned by the World Trade Organization.
For the DA, another two years will
allow the country to achieve rice self-sufficiency, cancelling the need for
tariff protections that have been extended several times by the WTO.
'2 years not enough'
Economist Agustin Arcenas, however, doubts two years will be enough.
The University of the Philippines professor said "it doesn't make economic sense anymore to keep insisting that we produce our own rice."
He reminded everyone that "the reason we are not a major producer [is that we cannot match the productivity] of Thai and Vietnamese farmers."
Two years "is short," Arcenas insisted, adding, "I mean, we've been trying for many years and we haven't gained headway in productivity."
'2 years not enough'
Economist Agustin Arcenas, however, doubts two years will be enough.
The University of the Philippines professor said "it doesn't make economic sense anymore to keep insisting that we produce our own rice."
He reminded everyone that "the reason we are not a major producer [is that we cannot match the productivity] of Thai and Vietnamese farmers."
Two years "is short," Arcenas insisted, adding, "I mean, we've been trying for many years and we haven't gained headway in productivity."
The proposal found support with the
National Irrigation Administration, although the agency's own target extends
past two years to 2021.
NIA administrator Peter Laviña said
the two years' extension "is not our target...but we will support DA if
that's the target. We'll support [that]; of course [there are limitations
because we are] undertaking infrastructure projects" and immediate water
will not be available as these projects pend. "We will not be able to
achieve rice self-sufficiency without irrigation."
Meanwhile, the DA's position is at odds with the National Economic and Development Authority, which says the removal of the rice quantitivate restrictions will bring down domestic food prices.
Piñol said the DA is preparing contingency plans and may also insist on stricter inspections to make sure that rice imports are safe for consumption.
Meanwhile, the DA's position is at odds with the National Economic and Development Authority, which says the removal of the rice quantitivate restrictions will bring down domestic food prices.
Piñol said the DA is preparing contingency plans and may also insist on stricter inspections to make sure that rice imports are safe for consumption.
Programs to increase domestic
production will continue, particularly the flagship Masaganang Ani 6000 scheme,
where 1 million hectares of farmland will receive support in the form of hybrid
rice seeds, sufficient fertilizer and irrigation, and mechanization.
http://interaksyon.com/business/135617/da-wants-qr-on-rice-extended-by-2-years
Rising price
of rice/Rice miller blames minister
2016-12-28 08:10:24
He said the rice millers had
stocks of Samba and Keeri Samba that would suffice till April but that there
were insufficient stocks of Nadu. He said the government had a large stock of
Nadu.
He said it was unfair to blame
the rice mill owners for the rise in the price of rice.
He expressed these views at a
media briefing, yesterday (27) at the Hilton Colombo Residences.
He said he had decided to meet
the media, as a responsible rice producer and rice buyer and a person with a
political background, because a large number of allegations had been made
against him.
I am the main person who is
blamed for the rise in the price of rice. As a responsible businessman I have
to explain the situation to the public. I will fight until the authorities
implement a proper programme, he said
http://www.dailymirror.lk/121338/Rising-price-of-rice-Rice-miller-blames-minister
Wild rice side
dish is gluten-free
We all have our favourite winter
dishes and mine is stuffing — or dressing, technically, since I don't stuff it
in a turkey.Rosemary, sage, thyme, dried cranberries and a little sausage work
winter-wonderland magic for me.
My oldest daughter is also a fan.
Valentine is also gluten intolerant. For several years, I simply made my
holiday dressing with dried gluten-free bread cubes, but we wanted other
options. This Wild Rice Holiday Stovetop Dressing fits the bill.
It has all the classic taste of
my grandma's holiday stuffing, and none of the gluten, so my daughter can enjoy
it. Plus, it's pulled together in under 30 minutes in one pan on the stove.
Easy. (You can also use brown rice if you prefer, which will add a little extra
fibre and protein, but note that the cooking time will be longer.)
One link of turkey sausage is
enough to add flavour and richness, so this dish is comforting without being
overly heavy. Note, you can omit sausage entirely and use vegetable broth to
make this dish vegetarian. Typical holiday herbs — rosemary, thyme and sage —
can be dried or fresh, so use whatever you are buying for the rest of your
meal.
Cubed butternut squash adds a
touch of colour, sweetness and vitamins — feel free to change up the
squash/rice ratio and add more if you want a more veg-leaning side.
A small sprinkling of dried
cranberries and pecans complete the holiday touch.
But feel free to serve this dish
any time — it's a perfect complement to any grilled or roasted meat or fish.
Wild Rice Stovetop Dressing
Makes 4 servings
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 link sweet Italian turkey
sausage, casing removed
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup butternut squash cubes
½ tsp dried thyme, or 1 tsp fresh
thyme, chopped
½ tsp dried rubbed sage, or 1 tsp
fresh sage, chopped
1 tsp dried rosemary, or 2 tsp
fresh chopped rosemary
1¼ cup wild rice blend (usually
wild rice and basmati mixed)
¾ cup chicken or turkey broth
¾ cup water
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup chopped toasted pecans
Salt and pepper
Start to finish: 25 minutes
Cook the sausage in the olive oil
in a large saucepan over medium high heat, until meat is golden, about 4 minutes.
Add in the celery and onion and cook until softened, about 3 more minutes. Add
the garlic, squash cubes, herbs and rice blend and sauté for 1 minute. Add the
broth and water, and raise temperature to high and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, stir the rice once,
and then cover and reduce the temperature to low and allow to simmer gently,
covered tightly, for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, toss in the dried
cranberries (quickly covering again) and let sit covered tightly for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid, stir, taste for seasoning, add toasted pecans and serve.
Per serving: 314 calories (80 from fat); 9
grams fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 4 milligrams cholesterol; 554 mg
sodium; 58 g carbohydrate; 6 g fibre; 8 g sugar; 7 g protein
The Hamilton
Spectator
How we
actualised Kebbi rice dream
Gov Bagudu ON DECEMBER 28, 20165:17 AMIN NEWSCOMMENTS
By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor For the first time, Kebbi
State Governor, Atiku Abubakar
Bagudu, has revealed the strategies adopted by his administration
to turn the state into the leading rice-producing centre in Nigeria, giving
farmers real value for their labour and investments in the process. Bagudu, who
spoke in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, said his love for his people and
the need to create a sustainable means of livelihood for them, motivated him to
take what he calls ‘unusual steps’ to transform rice business farming in the state into a
business venture.
The governor disclosed that on assuming office and discovering the
huge rice potentialities in his state, he immediately put down a princely sum
of N4 billion as seed money to convince the Bank of Industry and the Central
Bank of Nigeria of its readiness to partner with them in giving financial
assistance and inputs to rice farmers in the state to go into commercial
farming. He pointed out that with the capital outlay and the agreement it
entered into the with the BOI, his administration also designed a template
where each farmer agreed to produce at least six tonnes of rice per hectare of
land after being given a minimum of N210,000 per hectare to cover farm inputs
and seedlings. Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), with his
Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu holding a 10kg of the Lake Rice
during the official launch at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, Ikeja, on
Wednesday, December 21, 2016.
The governor said that under the arrangement, no fewer than 78,000
farmers had been fully registered under the state’s rice programme with the
Central Bank of Nigeria, known as Anchors Borrowers Programme, ABP. Bagudu, who
expressed satisfaction with the results of the state’s collaboration with the
CBN and the BOI in pushing the rice revolution agenda, disclosed that Kebbi
State has been able to produce 1.4 million tonnes of rice this year as a result
of the effort. The governor said: “We
have had very successful dry and wet rice farming seasons and as a result,
farmers in Kebbi State have recorded at least 1.4 million tonnes of rice this year.
‘’The next thing we need to do is to handle the distribution of the rice we
have produced so that Nigerians can begin see the local rice, which is by far
better than the imported paddy rice from outside.
” “To be able to do that successfully, we are going into
partnership with Lagos State, which is like a window to the world and we are
going to mobilise all stakeholders, including market women, to be shareholders
in the plant we are going to use in processing and distributing rice from
Lagos.’’ Bagudu, who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Rice
and Wheat Production in Nigeria, expressed optimism that Nigeria might have
attained self-sufficiency in rice production, considering the fact that all the
rice millers in the country currently had enough stock to process and sell to
the market. “My thinking is that we have achieved self sufficiency in rice
because as we speak, we have enough paddy rice for millers across the country.
‘’I can tell you that there is no miller in Nigeria today who does
not have enough stock to process. This gives us the confidence that Nigeria may
be self sufficient in rice production,” the governor said. He said a total of
sum of N27 billion disbursed to 219,837 small holder rice farmers nationwide,
who have successfully cultivated at least 246,837 hectares of rice under the
ABP. Bagudu said that no fewer than 17 states in the country had so far keyed
into the ABP rice programme cultivating at least two commodities with
comparative advantage to the respective states
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/12/actualised-kebbi-rice-dream-gov-bagudu/
Expect
branded segment sales to increase by 3% to 32%: KRBL
"Things have steamlined now
(post-demonetisation) and the demands are exceeding and we feel that our
branded segment sale will increase by 3 percent from 29 percent to 32 percent
in the domestic market", Anil Mittal, CMD of KRBL told CNBC-TV18 in an
interview. Anil Mittal (more) CMD, KRBL |
In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Anil Mittal, CMD
of KRBL spoke about the latest
happenings in his company and sector. "Because of our brand strength, our
realisations are also very high both in export as well as in domestic", he
said. Talking about demand post-demonetisation, he further added, "Things
have steamlined and the demands are exceeding and we feel that our branded
segment sale will increase by 3 percent from 29 percent to 32 percent in the
domestic market". Below is the verbatim transcript of Anil Mittal's
interview to Reema Tendulkar and Nigel D'Souza on CNBC-TV18. Nigel: Are things
looking up because the stock price is telling us that but more importantly the
paddy procurement season that is coming to a close, so could you tell us how
much of a quantity have you got in this season and more importantly what has
been the average price?
A: As far as KRBL is
concerned we are today carrying the highest level of inventory from the old
crop of last two years. Besides, in the current crop also we have purchased
about half a million tonne, which is also at a quite decent price and the
prices have increased by about Rs 300 a quintal, Rs 3 per kilogram. So both
ways even the new crop and the old crop we are at a very advantageous position.
Nigel: Average inventory, low cost inventory what would that be at?
A: That low cost
inventory today average would be around Rs 32 a kilogram. Reema: The new crop
of which you purchased about 0.5 million tonne, what was the price? A: It is
around Rs 2,480 per quintal that Rs 24,800 a tonne. Reema: What are the current
prices and therefore what is the benefit KRBL currently enjoys because of the
fact that your inventory is at a lower price? A: Today we have an advantage of
about Rs 3,000 a tonne as far as the new crop is concerned but as far as the
old crop is concerned, it is difficult to quantify that because Rs 30 -- we are
near about to the cost of the paddy. So we have many type of rice. So I feel
that is the real bonus which KRBL -- all the time we have used stock which
gives us the premium and because of our brand strength, our realisations are
also very high both in export as well as in domestic. That is the advantage we
have there.
Nigel: Let us talk
about your domestic business. Q2 wasn't great, you were telling us that the
second half will be better. Because of demonetisation, has it had an impact on
your business around 50 percent of your revenues come in from the domestic
market itself so has demonetisation dampened demand or anything on that sort?
A: Q1 was okay but Q2
from November 8 -- initially 15-20 days we felt the heat about it but now
things have steamlined and the demands are exceeding and we feel that our
branded segment sale will increase by 3 percent from 29 percent to 32 percent
in the domestic market. Reema: What does it mean? In Q3 what could be the
revenues the company will enjoy on a consolidated basis?
A: Q3 we are expecting an EBITDA of about
21-22 percent from tier II compared to around 17-18 percent in the previous
quarter. Reema: Topline? A: It is difficult to say because the prices are
fluctuating so much definitely the topline may not increase but the EBITDA will
increase significantly. Reema: Revenues will decline, margins will go up? A:
Not that it will decline, we might close significantly maybe by one percent,
two percent -- we normally tell our investors that it will increase by 10
percent but it may not increase to that level. Nigel: You gave us a sense about
the domestic market, you are saying that demand now is going up after a pain of
around 15-20 days, I want to know about the export market, has the Iran ban
gone out of the way because that will clearly help you in terms of sales, that
is point number one?
Point number two I was
going through an article and China has given their release, they are looking to
import rice from 14 companies, have you participated over there, is there any
visibility over there, could you tell us because you are one of the leading
suppliers in our country?
A: Our name is
definitely there in China, we have already cleared our plan for the importation
of basmati rice but still there is no significant business with China. However,
we feel in the new year the business should start and we are hopeful that by Q4
we will be having some turnover with China also.
Nigel: Could you
quantify the opportunities because China is saying that they want to import 14
companies, I guess the opportunity is significant then?
A: The opportunities are significant but we do
not know to what level China will fulfil its promise because we are -- they are
always inclined towards Pakistan but under the pressure of Indian government
they have cleared our units but we do not know what will be the final outcome
though we are expecting some business to start. Once the business starts then
only we can tell you what would be the final outcome
http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/expect-branded-segment-sales-to-increase-by-3-to-32-krbl_8168881.html
http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/expect-branded-segment-sales-to-increase-by-3-to-32-krbl_8168881.html
Quality rice
bound for China
Mon, 26 December 2016
Cambodian rice millers recently secured access to China’s
immense market after two separate Chinese government bodies deemed their
products satisfied its sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards. The Post’s Cheng Sokhorng spoke to Hean Vanhan, undersecretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, about approvals
by China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and
Quarantine (AQSIQ) and the China National Cereal, Oil and Foodstuffs
Corporation (COFCO), as well as the challenges of meeting SPS requirements.
China’s COFCO has approved 18 Cambodian rice millers for export,
while AQSIQ has approved 28. What is the difference between the two agreements?
The 18 rice millers were part of
a memorandum of understanding between the Cambodian Rice Federation (CRF) and
COFCO, presided over by Green Trade. The Ministry of Agriculture was not
involved in this deal and we have no control or responsibility over these rice millers.
On the other hand, the AQSIQ
specifically requested us to evaluate those rice millers who had sufficient
capacity for high-quality milling according to the criteria of the Chinese
government. The 28 rice millers we selected from 50 applicants had already
demonstrated their capacity to satisfy the criteria of the Ministry of
Agriculture.
What are the main technical challenges of meeting SPS
requirements, and where do most exports fall short?
We have found that most rice
millers do not fully understand the SPS requirements. They claim that their
machines are modern and equipped with the latest technology, so the milled rice
they produce is smooth, unbroken, shiny and uniform. While this might satisfy
consumers, who put high value on the appearance of rice, these are only the
physical attributes.
But this is not the quality that
SPS regulates, and is not what we negotiated with the Chinese government. The
quality we look for in SPS is that the rice is free of pests and chemicals, and
complies with food safety guidelines. Pests could devastate China’s
agricultural industry, so China strictly controls its borders.
The main barrier for exporting
rice to China is that millers don’t realise how strict they are on quality.
Even if you had just a lone seed of grass mixed into a shipment of rice it
would be rejected at the Chinese border. If the shipment is destroyed or
returned to Cambodia the rice miller will obviously lose a lot of business, so
it is better for them to understand and comply with the SPS requirements.
What should rice millers focus on in order to satisfy China’s
SPS requirements?
Millers should focus on both the physical appearance and SPS quality of their rice. They have to identify the source of the paddy rice, check its moisture and chemical levels, properly store it, and use the correct packaging codes.
Millers should focus on both the physical appearance and SPS quality of their rice. They have to identify the source of the paddy rice, check its moisture and chemical levels, properly store it, and use the correct packaging codes.
How many SPS labs and inspection facilities does Cambodia have?
Currently we have only one central laboratory, which is able to inspect about 90 of the 100 types of agricultural products we export. Another lab is being built with Chinese support on the University of Agriculture campus on Phnom Penh’s Chroy Changvar peninsula.
Currently we have only one central laboratory, which is able to inspect about 90 of the 100 types of agricultural products we export. Another lab is being built with Chinese support on the University of Agriculture campus on Phnom Penh’s Chroy Changvar peninsula.
We are also establishing six SPS
bureaus near our borders to inspect products and issue export certificates. So
far, 90 percent of the construction is finished.
The physical building is one
factor, but more importantly is the capacity of the SPS inspectors who will
work there. We are currently seeking Chinese investment in installing an online
platform able to inspect products and transfer data to and from our
headquarters in Phnom Penh, as well as to issue export certificates.
Laos to
increase rice exports to China in 2017
Vientiane (VNA) - Laos plans to increase
rice exports to China in 2017 after the quality of Lao rice sold to the world
largest population market was found satisfactory by Chinese buyers.
Laos began shipping rice to China in 2015. In 2016, it exported 4,200 tonnes of sticky rice and purple rice. The figures are expected to increase to over 8,000 tonnes in 2017, as the demand from the Chinese market increases.
The launch of the Lao organic rice market in China is considered as a breakthrough for Lao rice to access one of the world's biggest markets.
Since 2000, Laos has exported over 300,000 tonnes of rice annually to Vietnam, Thailand, China and other countries.
The main rice products come from central Savannakhet province under the 2 3 Investment Promotion Scheme. Under this scheme, farmers contribute their land and labour force, while the company provides funding, technical assistance and a consumption market.
Major challenges for Lao farmers are the comparatively high cost of rice products and transportation compared to those of neighbouring countries, according to Lao agriculture officials.
This fiscal year, the country’s rice production reached 4.12 million tonnes and is predicted to increase to 4.35 million tonnes in 2017. Laos plans to produce about 5 million tonnes of rice by 2020 to ensure food security in the country.–VN
Laos began shipping rice to China in 2015. In 2016, it exported 4,200 tonnes of sticky rice and purple rice. The figures are expected to increase to over 8,000 tonnes in 2017, as the demand from the Chinese market increases.
The launch of the Lao organic rice market in China is considered as a breakthrough for Lao rice to access one of the world's biggest markets.
Since 2000, Laos has exported over 300,000 tonnes of rice annually to Vietnam, Thailand, China and other countries.
The main rice products come from central Savannakhet province under the 2 3 Investment Promotion Scheme. Under this scheme, farmers contribute their land and labour force, while the company provides funding, technical assistance and a consumption market.
Major challenges for Lao farmers are the comparatively high cost of rice products and transportation compared to those of neighbouring countries, according to Lao agriculture officials.
This fiscal year, the country’s rice production reached 4.12 million tonnes and is predicted to increase to 4.35 million tonnes in 2017. Laos plans to produce about 5 million tonnes of rice by 2020 to ensure food security in the country.–VN
http://en.vietnamplus.vn/laos-to-increase-rice-exports-to-china-in-2017/104897.vnp
Vietnam to extend rice trade deal
with Philippines
The Government has issued a resolution, approving the extension of its rice
trade agreement with the Philippine Government.
Under the resolution, Vietnam
will continue to supply rice for the Philippines through the exchange of notes
and approval of exchange notes.The Government tasks the Foreign Ministry, in
coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, with finalising and
sending exchange notes to the Philippines to extend the agreement and carry out
relevant procedures.
The 2010 rice trading agreement
is due to lapse on December 31, 2016 and expected to be extended for the
2017-2020 period.
The Philippines is among the
biggest importers of rice from Vietnam. However, the rice shipments to the
Philippines have experienced a downturn recently.
The Vietnam Food Association said
domestic businesses have a chance to boost rice exports as the Philippines
plans to import 293,100 tonnes of rice from Vietnam to meet food demand during
the 2017 between-crop period.Last August, Vietnam also won a bidding to provide
150,000 tonnes of rice for the Philippines.
Vietnam-Philippines bilateral
trade topped 2.92 billion USD in 2015. It increased by 15.3 percent year on
year to 1.52 billion USD in the first half of 2016, including 1.08 billion USD
of Vietnam’s exports, up 17.5 percent.
VNA
https://m.vietnambreakingnews.com/2016/12/vietnam-to-extend-rice-trade-deal-with-philippines/
Paddy Marketing Board releases paddy
stocks to mills to avert rice shortage
Sun, Dec 25, 2016, 08:26 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Sun, Dec 25, 2016, 08:26 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Accordingly
the PMB will release 10,000 metric tons of paddy at its Polonnaruwa District storage
facilities to the rice mill owners in all districts.PMB Chairman M.B.
Dissanayake said that all mill owners, including the small and medium scale
mill owners, will be given up to 500 metric tons of paddy.
The
government recently instructed the Cooperatives Wholesale Establishment (CWE)
under Ministry of Industry and Commerce to buy 20,000 metric tons of paddy
(both White rice and Nadu) from the Paddy Marketing Board immediately and
release the paddy to millers.The move was initiated to reduce the rising prices
of rice in the market and to provide the public with rice needed without a
shortage during the festive season.The government also has decided to import
10,000 Metric tons of rice.
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_16B/Dec25_1482677805CH.php
Forsaking farmers suffering from CKDu not an
option
December 27, 2016, 7:20 pm
By Dr Kamal Wickremasinghe
Dr U. P. de S Waidyanatha’s (Dr W)
gyrations against the suggestion of this writer in The Island of 7 December,
that the ban on Glyphosate should be maintained in view of its suspected role
on the Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown origin (CKDu) are typical of the
tactics employed by those associated with the chemicals industry against any
sign of challenge to their dictums. In fact, reading Dr W’s criticism takes the
mind back to an article titled, "Taking arms against the mercenaries"
in New Scientist (issue 2028) of 4 May 1996 by the Scottish moral philosopher
Alastair Mcintosh of the University of Edinburgh.
Mcintosh’s article focused
primarily on the 1993 British White Paper on science and technologywhich he
described as "a business executive’s charter", due to the utilitarian
view of science it promoted through a regime of trade related intellectual
property (IP) rights. He saw the emerging IP rights agenda as an attempt to
replace colonialism with ‘colonising knowledge’ through global patents and
copyrights. In a telling coincidence, Mcintosh had chosen the example of Sri
Lanka to illustrate the impact of new patented seed varieties that heavily
depended on fertilisers and pesticides in replacing local varieties, asserting
that only 27 of Sri Lanka’s 280 traditional rice varieties were still available
at the time.
Alastair Macintosh’s repudiation of
‘industrial agriculture’ came three decades after the introduction of the ‘semi
dwarf’ ricevariety IR8, the so-called Miracle Rice that marked the start of the
fraud branded the Green Revolution. The developing world, as usual, fell for a
cynical marketing ploy for agrochemicals, engineered by the
deceptively-labelled International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) — a joint
venture between the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations — formed with the
objective of gaining control over the supply of Asia’s staple food, rice:
graphs depicting population growth against estimated figures of rice production
were used to spread fears of an impending famine, promising developments in
plant breeding might just be the trick that would avert the impending disaster.
The trick with dwarf rice — in addition to its unpalatability — however, was
that it stood no chance of survival in the fields without the protection provided
by ‘ship loads’ of weedicides and pesticides, produced and marketed by American
multinationals. It took more than 25 years for the developing world to open
their eyes to the deception.
Reading Dr W’s zealous defence of
glyphosate — based on a nearly classic example of the informal fallacy of
‘attacking a straw man’ — makes one wonder whether some people may have been
living in a parallel universe. More disturbingly, the attack shows the
effectiveness of Western propaganda in corrupting modern "science"
and converting so-called ‘scientists’ in the developing world — those without
critical thinking capacity at least— to play the role of ‘pied pipers’ for
their schemes.
The proposition put forward by Dr W
seems to be that glyphosate is not nephrotoxic "at levels recommended for
weed control" of 1mg/kg body weight. In saying so, Dr W appears to place
absolute faith in Monsanto’s propaganda, dismissing contradictory local and
international research evidence (cited below). Dr W’s appeal for the continued
use of Glyphosate, however, appears to be based on the grounds that Sri Lankan
agriculture will be unable to function without it. Probably, Dr W will benefit
from better informing himself urgently of the pre-20th century agricultural
achievements in our little island, which took place thousands of years before
the advent of agrochemicals and patented seeds in the 1960s and 1970s.
The best way of addressing the
‘straw man technique’of Dr W would be to restate the essence of the 7 December
article: continuing from opening comments on president Sirisena’s unjustified
attack on the media, the issue of CKDu in Sri Lanka was addressed following a
brief foray in to the work of twoSri Lankan CKDu research teams based at the
Universities of Peradeniya and at Rajarata,respectively, and the debate between
them on the possible cause(s) of CKDu.
The primary focus on the article was to suggest a pathway for future government policy and action in managing the dreaded disease from a public health perspective, rather than to buy in to the debate on its possible cause(s). This writer was careful to present a summary of views of the two research teams — observing that the Peradeniya team appeared to be suffering from an unjustified ‘superiority complex’ as displayed by attempts to denigrate the work of the Rajarata team — emphasising that both sides of the current argument are based on nothing more than ‘opinions’. (Dr W seems to be biased in his reference to the glyphosate view as a ‘hypothesis’, while seemingly keen to spread almost all other speculation as gospel truths. He also condemns Rajarata work as published in a ‘fee-levying journal run by a Chinese living in Switzerland’, refuted by several highly reputed chemists in Sri Lanka - presumably all in the Peradeniya team.)
This writer’s primary contention,
after a few brief comments on the medical phenomenon of causation, was that
final agreement on the causes of CKDu was not essential or even necessary in
order for the government to take action aimed at ameliorating the problem. The
aim was to point to the Precautionary Principle (developed in the wake of the
"smoking debacle") that has been deployed by international and
national bodies for several decades now. The Precautionary Principle prescribes
that scientifically establishing cause and effect relationships is not relevant
for government action under situations where an activity raises threats of harm
to human health.
Weak limbs of a straw man
Based on a classic ‘straw man argument’, Dr W accuses this writer of ‘missing the wood for the trees’, and of having not studied the matter in depth and totality, adding: "Contrary to KW’s assertion, the recommendations in the Consultation Report do not in any way support the ban on glyphosate". It needs to be emphasised that, notwithstanding evidence of widespread use of glyphosate causing the destruction of ‘woods’ around the world including all grasses, broad leaved plants and trees, this writer certainly did not miss the wood for the trees.
I never said that the Consultation
Report supported the Glyphosate ban. Such an assertion was not necessary to
support the thrust of the case I was making in the article. I merely stated
that the recommendations of the Consultation as given on the Chapter on Moving
Forward of the Report (p29-34) — of surveillance, research, priority
interventions, social services, capacity building and monitoring and
accountability —was medically and scientifically prudent. I meant to compliment
the lack of any apparent attemptsby the Consultation to reverse the ban on
glyphosate.
The major worry about Dr W’s reaction to the article, however, is his refusal to believe the existence of evidence of any association between glyphosate and CKDu (similar to Bradford Hill criteria pointing to the relationship between lung cancer and smoking) that justify the adoption of the precautionary principle. After repeating the demonstrable untruth that there has been no "acceptable" scientific evidence to link glyphosate and CKDu — and that all glyphosate measurements in soil, vegetable and water in Sri Lanka are far below safety limits established for EU and USA — Dr W expects this writer to appreciate the same: not on one’s life!
Evidence of links between
glyphosate and kidney disease
The following references — a small sample of what is available — are provided for Dr W’s easy reference of the links between glyphosate, its formulations and kidney damage:
1.Wunnapuket al.,(2014).Use of a glyphosate-based herbicide-induced nephrotoxicity model to investigate a panel of kidney injury biomarkers. Toxicol Lett, 225(1):192-200.
2. Maet al.,(2015). Immunological
and histopathological responses of the kidney of common carp (Cyprinus
carpioL.) sublethally exposed to glyphosate. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol,
39(1):1-8
3. Mesnageet al.,(2015).Transcriptome profile analysis reflects rat liver and kidney damage following chronic ultra-low dose Roundup exposure. Environ Health, 14:70-84(Dr W needs to pay special attention to the work of Dr Michael Antoniou of the Gene Expression & Therapy Group at King’s College, London).
4. Larsenet al.,(2012). Effects of
sub-lethal exposure of rats to the herbicide glyphosate in drinking water:
reduced glutathione and lipid peroxidation in liver, kidneys and small
intestine. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol, 34(3):811–8.
The above papers are examples of demonstrations of kidney damage caused by glyphosate and its formulations in specialised, non-standard in vivo studies as well as in vitro studies using specific mammalian cell lines or other test systems and aquatic species.These studies contrast with Monsanto "research" that follow a standardised study design with a limited range of endpoints, mainly focussed on the oral route of exposure, focussed on glyphosate only, excluding glyphosate-based formulations. Such studies naturally overlook important aspects of toxicity and underestimates risks and hazards associated with chemicals.
Third World scientists need to be
guided by a critical, conscionable mindset
It is worrying that many scientists who consider themselves ‘experts’ and exhibiting laughable signs of elitism (such as the group of signatories who requested a review of the glyphosate ban) do not appear to be critically analysing the information at their disposal.
An independent, rigorous personal
review of the possible toxicity of glyphosate or any other chemical compound to
humans needs to begin with an analysis of its chemical structure and mode(s) of
action and the potential for replicating such in human systems under exposure.
Glyphosate is known to act in plants by preventing the binding of phosphoenol
pyruvate to the active site of the plant-specific enzyme
5-enolpyruvoyl-shikimate-3-phosphate synthetase (EPSPS). Phosphoenolpyruvate
however, is a core metabolite in all organisms, and glyphosate is known to
adversely affect a number of enzymes in the cytochrome P450 (CYP) ‘super
family’ found in all domains of life, carrying out a variety of metabolic and
biosynthetic processes.
This information shows glyphosate has the potential to interfere with numerous mammalian biochemical pathways, including inhibition of numerous enzymes, causing metabolic disturbances and cell and tissue damage. Genotoxicity and endocrine disruption that lead to chronic health and developmental effects also has been demonstrated.
In addition, glyphosate
formulations may contain a number of so-called ‘inert’ ingredients, most of
which are considered trade secrets and not publicly revealed. An important
ingredient in some glyphosate formulations is the surfactant polyethoxylated
tallow amine (POEA)
— a fat rendered from cattle and
sheep fat — added to improve penetration of glyphosate into the target plant.
Information available at least since 1997 has showed that POEA was more toxic
to fish and amphibians than glyphosate itself. Although Monsanto product fact
sheets do not disclose the POEA content in its products, analyses from the US
and New Zealand have showed contents varying between 15 and 20%. Other
formulations may contain much higher levels, even as high as 60-80%, as in the
formulation Genamin (Ethoxylated adjuvants of glyphosate-based herbicides are
active principles of human cell toxicity. Mesnage et al 2013, Toxicology,
2012.09.00).
The effects of POEA on humans can vary from
simple eye irritation to penetration of cell membranes, disrupting their
structure and function. Other ‘inerts’ such as propylene glycol,glycerine,
sodium sulfite, sodium benzoate, sorbic acid, o-phenylphenol, Methyl
p-hydroxybenzoate have all caused geneticdamage,reducedfertility,andanaemia in
laboratory tests.
Moving on to the specific issue of kidney damage, kidney and liver are the main target organs for glyphosate with studies showing disruption of gene expression, alterations of enzyme levels, interference in mitochondrial metabolism, oxidative damage and kidney tumours. Metabolic studies of farm and laboratory animals have showed residue levels of glyphosate and its metabolite Aminomethyl phosphonic acid (AMPA) 10-100 times higher in kidneys (European Food Safety Authority, 2015).
Histopathological
changes in the kidneys of male rats following oral Roundup administration,
included necrotic cells and pycnosis (irreversible condensation of chromatin in
the nucleus of a cell), apoptotic cells and total cell death.The tubular
interstitial nephritis associated with mononuclear cell infiltration,
glomerularsclerosis, tubularatrophy, and tubular proteinurea associated with
CKDu in Sri Lanka could be manifestations of such damage at nuclear or chromosome
level.
Devil is blacker than you mayhave
guessed
An assessment of ‘believability of Monsanto’s assurances that glyphosate is "safe to sprinkle on toast" needs to be preceded by considerations of its corporate history: Monsanto fails abysmally on these grounds.
Monsanto was founded by a man named
John Francis Queeny in 1901, and named the company after his wife Olga Mendez
Monsanto. The company’s first product was saccharin, sold to a soft drink giant
as an artificial sweetener, later expanding into industrial chemicals and
drugs, becoming the world’s largest maker of aspirin. In the 1950s, Monsanto
introduced polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to the world — initially hailed as
a wonder chemical with limitless applications — until it was identified as a
potent carcinogen implicated in reproductive, developmental and immune system
disorders. In 2003, Monsanto reached a USD 700 million settlement with the
residents of West Anniston, Alabama who had been affected by the manufacturing
and dumping of PCBs. The jury in the case held Monsanto liable on all counts it
considered - including negligence, nuisance, wantonness and suppression of the
truth. PCBs were eventually banned by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent
Organic Pollutants in 2001, after causing 50 years of devastation.
The most disgraceful episode of
Monsanto’s history came in the 1960s when it along with DOW Chemical,
producedthe dioxin-containing herbicide Agent Orange for use in the US invasion
of Vietnam, causing a half-million Vietnamese civilian deaths, a half-million
Vietnamese babies born with birth defects, over three million Vietnamese
contaminated, and thousands of US veterans suffering or dying from its effects
to this day. Internal company memos introduced in court in a 2002 trial showed
Monsanto was fully aware of the deadly effects of dioxin in Agent Orange, but
hid them from the public to maintain sales to the US government, assuring their
own "research" that concluded dioxin posed no negative health
concerns whatsoever.
In response to the first US Agent Orange class-action lawsuit filed by military personnel in 1980, Monsanto first denied any link between Agent Orange and the veterans' medical problems. Later, in 1984, they settled the class-action suit out of court, offering USD 180 million as compensation. Similar claims by the affected Vietnamese were dismissed by the US legal system in 2004. After seven years of litigation, in 2013, Monsanto reached a settlement with the town of Nitro, West Virginia, agreeing to pay USD 93 million for compensatory damages, clean up, and ongoing monitoring of dioxin contamination in the area around a plant where Agent Orange was made.
Faced with mounting claims for
damages caused by its poisons trade, Monsanto merged with Pharmacia &
Upjohn in 2000, hiving-off its chemicals business and rebranding itself as an
agricultural company. Then Monsanto became one of the first companies to apply
the biotechnology industry business model of recouping the research and
development costs through the use and enforcement of biological patents to
agriculture.
In 2008 Monsanto agreed "to
assume financial responsibility for all litigation relating to property damage,
personal injury, products liability or premises liability or other damages
related to asbestos, PCB, dioxin, benzene, vinyl chloride and other chemicals
it manufactured.
In 2015, a French appeals court found Monsanto guilty of chemical poisoning of a farmer who had used the aniline herbicide Alachlor (chloroacetanilide), the second most widely used herbicide in the US banned in the European Union, ordering the company to "fully compensate" the grower.
In 2005, it admitted to the US
Department of Justice J violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and
making false entries into its books and records, in a case involving a USD
50,000 bribe paid in 2002, to a high-level official in Indonesia's environment
ministry responsible for the agency's assessment on its genetically modified
cotton. Monsanto was fined USD1.5 million.
Monsanto has also got into trouble
repeatedly for its bold lying on product safety. In 1996, the Attorney General
of New York ordered Monsanto to pull ads that claimed Roundup was "safer
than table salt" and "practically nontoxic" to mammals, birds
and fish. In 1999, the UK Advertising Standards Authority condemned Monsanto
for making "misleading, unproven and wrong" claims about its
products. In 2001, French environmental and consumer rights campaigners brought
a case against Monsanto for misleading the public asRoundup having
noenvironmental impact. In 2007, Monsanto and its French distributor were
convicted of false claims on biodegradability of Roundup and fined. Monsanto
appeal up to the French Supreme Court failed in 2009. In August 2012, a
Brazilian Regional Federal Court ordered Monsanto to pay a USD 250,000 fine for
false advertising.
The problems of science
Ultimately, however, the
issues relating to glyphosate the Sri Lankan government is trying to come to
grips with are complicated by the twentieth century developments in the field
of science that has lost its intellectual honesty. Science has been ‘corporatised’
and scientific communications increasingly tied to propaganda for particular
social and economic theories oriented to the goals of the Western states and
capitalism. It has become a form of Higher Superstition showing logical flaws
and sloppy scholarship, reinforced by a compliant peer review system that seems
to have replaced ‘falsifiability’ with ‘consensus’ as the primary test of
objective knowledge.
Brian Martin, professor of social
sciences at the University of Wollongong (Australia), whose speciality is
situations in which scientific research that threatens vested interests can be
suppressed, identifies a number of direct and indirect mechanisms, ranging from
the denial of funds, promotion and tenure, through to the creation of a
"general climate of fear" — employed by universities and corporations
for the purpose.
Attempt to present science as the
unitary, ethereal and ultimate system of objective knowledge could not succeed
any longer. In the final analysis, scientists have no guaranteed method to
determine the reality of nature — or, indeed, the nature of reality. They can
only develop models to describe it, based on the models drawn partly from
current ideas about society, giving rise to circular reasoning: a central
metaphor in Charles Darwin’s views on human evolution, competition — a struggle
in which the fittest survive — was based on ideas about society presented
earlier by Thomas Malthus, who described society as inherently competitive. The
social Darwinists who came after D arwin emphasised only the competitive
aspects of Darwin’s hypothesis, providing a convenient justification for
ruthless capitalist exploitation.
The problems of knowledge and truth engendered by modern science have evolved in the Twentieth Century to a form that strongly limits the knowledge that people could gain in the future in the complex areas of biology, medicine and environmental science. A new scientific epistemology in which scientific uncertainty regarding the system is acknowledged, and the extent of validly available knowledge is humbly defined, demarcated and integrated, before attempting to alter the course of Nature — as in the treatment of end-stage conditions in medicine — should govern our approach to all issues including how to deal with the one about glyphosate.
In the light of above reasoning,
there are clear indications that glyphosate is capable of causing generalised
cell damage, effects on the endocrine system and organ damage. As to its role
in relation to CKDu, it is completely plausible that its causative role is
activated only when associated with other factors, as has been suggested by the
Rajarata University research team. Placing utmost trust in assurances by a
company of the ilk of Monsanto would be tantamount to forsaking the farmers
sick with CKDu!
That should never happen
Laos to
increase rice exports to China in 2017
Vientiane (VNA) -
Laos plans to increase rice exports to China in 2017 after the quality of Lao
rice sold to the world largest population market was found satisfactory by
Chinese buyers.
Laos began shipping rice to China in 2015. In 2016, it exported 4,200 tonnes of sticky rice and purple rice. The figures are expected to increase to over 8,000 tonnes in 2017, as the demand from the Chinese market increases.
The launch of the Lao organic rice market in China is considered as a breakthrough for Lao rice to access one of the world's biggest markets.Since 2000, Laos has exported over 300,000 tonnes of rice annually to Vietnam, Thailand, China and other countries.The main rice products come from central Savannakhet province under the 2 3 Investment Promotion Scheme. Under this scheme, farmers contribute their land and labour force, while the company provides funding, technical assistance and a consumption market.
Major challenges for Lao farmers are the comparatively high cost of rice products and transportation compared to those of neighbouring countries, according to Lao agriculture officials.This fiscal year, the country’s rice production reached 4.12 million tonnes and is predicted to increase to 4.35 million tonnes in 2017. Laos plans to produce about 5 million tonnes of rice by 2020 to ensure food security in the country.–VNA
Laos began shipping rice to China in 2015. In 2016, it exported 4,200 tonnes of sticky rice and purple rice. The figures are expected to increase to over 8,000 tonnes in 2017, as the demand from the Chinese market increases.
The launch of the Lao organic rice market in China is considered as a breakthrough for Lao rice to access one of the world's biggest markets.Since 2000, Laos has exported over 300,000 tonnes of rice annually to Vietnam, Thailand, China and other countries.The main rice products come from central Savannakhet province under the 2 3 Investment Promotion Scheme. Under this scheme, farmers contribute their land and labour force, while the company provides funding, technical assistance and a consumption market.
Major challenges for Lao farmers are the comparatively high cost of rice products and transportation compared to those of neighbouring countries, according to Lao agriculture officials.This fiscal year, the country’s rice production reached 4.12 million tonnes and is predicted to increase to 4.35 million tonnes in 2017. Laos plans to produce about 5 million tonnes of rice by 2020 to ensure food security in the country.–VNA
http://en.vietnamplus.vn/laos-to-increase-rice-exports-to-china-in-2017/104897.vnp
Record-high paddy production this
fiscal
Published: December 27, 2016 5:15 am On: Business
SUJAN DHUNGANA
Kathmandu, December 26
Owing to favourable monsoon this year, production of paddy has
surged to a record high of 5.23 million metric tonnes this fiscal.
According to the yet-to-be-released data of Ministry of
Agricultural Development (MoAD), which was obtained by The Himalayan Times,
paddy production has gone up by 21 per cent this year compared to fiscal year
2015-16 when total production stood at 4.3 million metric tonnes.
Though the paddy production in the last fiscal had been hit owing
to the border blockade that resulted in fuel crisis and supply constraints of
seeds and fertilisers, the total production this year is still higher by nine
per cent compared to paddy production of 4.8 metric tonnes in 2014-15.
The last all-time high paddy production was recorded in 2011-12,
when the total production stood at 5.07 million metric tonnes.Paddy, which is a
staple crop, accounts for one-fifth of total agricultural GDP of the country.
While the contribution of agriculture sector in the country’s gross domestic
product (GDP) is around one-third, paddy accounts for more than 50 per cent of
the total agriculture production.As highly improved paddy seeds were supplied
to the farmers, damage rate of paddy was lower this year which also contributed
in increasing production, according to MoAD officials. “Productivity of paddy
has increased to almost 3,300 kg per hectare compared to some 2,900 kg per
hectare recorded a few years ago.
Production in metric tonnes; Source: MoAD
Government officials also cited the surge in paddy production to
increase in plantation area this year. “Due to favourable monsoon, farmers
planted paddy in larger area of land this year as compared to previous years,”
a MoAD source said.Increase in paddy production means that the country will
import less rice in the ongoing fiscal year. As per government statistics,
Nepal is importing rice worth more than Rs 20 billion every year.
However, production of other crops like millet and maize has not
changed significantly this fiscal compared to previous fiscal. As per MoAD
data, 2.26 million metric tonnes of maize and 306,215 metric tonnes of millet
have been produced in the country in 2016-17.
A version of this article appears in print on December 27, 2016 of
The Himalayan Times.https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/owing-to-favorable-record-high-paddy-production-this-fiscal-in-nepal/
Rice exports drop
Submitted by Eleven on Sun, 12/25/2016 - 12:34
Writer:
Nilar
Until mid-December this fiscal year, nearly 600,000 tonnes of rice
have been exported, about 110,000 tonnes down on last year, according to the
Ministry of Commerce.
From April 1 to December 16, the country exported around 590,000
tonnes of rice compared with more than 700,000 tonnes last year.
Myanmar exports rice mainly to China through Muse but also to more
than 30 other countries by sea.
This year’s rice exports have fallen as
the Chinese authorities imposed tighter controls at Muse and fighting took place between the Tatmadaw and ethnic rebels near Muse in late November.
Muse saw exports worth more than US$2.2 billion and more than
US$1.1 billion of imports.
The border trade saw a drop of over US$238 million in exports and
more than US$6 million in imports year on year, according to the ministry.
The Myanmar Rice Federation says a greater proportion of rice is
now being exported by sea with about 60,000 tonnes sailing to African
markets a month.
It is currently the rice harvest.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:YmWBtqEeNCgJ:www.elevenmyanmar.com/business/7167+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk
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