29th December,2016 daily global,regional and local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine

 

Govt urged for holistic approach to promote exports

December 28, 2016

KARACHI: Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) horticulture exports head Ahmad Jawad said decreasing exports result in unfavourable balance of payments, pressure on the exchange rate, and rupee depreciation, which again increases the imports bill, creating a vicious cycle.Talking to media, Jawad said the exports of almost all the countries in South Asia were on the rise. “Unfortunately, with Pakistan, it is the opposite case.” In the fiscal year 2015-16, Pakistan’s exports witnessed a 12 percent decrease from $23.6 billion to $20.8 billion. This is an awkward and embarrassing situation for Pakistan, given the fact that we had been awarded the GSP Plus status by the European Union to help boost our exports.According to the economic survey of Pakistan 2014–15, the country’s exports remained stagnant at $24–25 billion (and it actually decreased in the year 2016), while Bangladesh’s exports surpassed the $30 billion mark last year, and are set to hit the $34 billion mark this year.

The reason for decreasing Pakistani exports is the sluggish growth in the Islamabad’s major trading partners - UK, US, and China, high cost of production due to electricity shortfall, and delays in order deliveries because of non-availability of energy inputs.Among Pakistan’s major exports, rice, cotton, leather, jewelry and the chemical sector have been hit hard by the slump in exports. Given the current scenario of Pakistan’s dwindling exports, a strategy for bolstering them becomes imperative, Jawad said.

One of the primary ways of enhancing exports is to support entrepreneurship and to create new avenues for growth by guiding the youth. "We should identify other export opportunities from Pakistan and inform the investors and the public about them so that more people can take part in the value creation process. Similarly, there are many other opportunities available in the supply chain of many finished products like in the untapped horticulture sector, which is constantly ignored."

Jawad mentioned the example of Bangladesh, which imports cotton from other countries, but was now the fifth largest textile exporter in the world owing to its value-added textile exports. In Pakistan, data shows that the export of cotton yarn has been down by 32 percent, but the export of readymade garments has improved by around 4.2 percent in the current fiscal year. This speaks volumnes about the importance of value-addition.

“Similarly, in the meat and dairy sector, we can export frozen meat products, powdered milk, cheese and other value-added creative products instead of exporting raw products,” he said.

FPCCI panel chief also said Philippines, which has half the population of Pakistan, has roughly $25 billion of exports in the global outsourcing industry (part of the service sector), even Dubai earned $36.4 via tourism in 2015. “Pakistan’s workforce is also skilled and it can become a major player in the global outsourcing industry if given proper attention by the government,” he added.

The tourism potential is also great here for both adventure seekers and history enthusiasts. “We have got some breath taking scenery, palatable food, and a wonderful cultural history for the global tourists,” the FPCCI chief added.Jawad urged the government to take a more liberal view of the situation, and develop a multipronged strategy towards the promotion of exports.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/174862-Govt-urged-for-holistic-approach-to-promote-exports

Vietnam earns 2.2 billion USD from rice export this year

VNA WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2016 - 21:06:00

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam exported an estimated 4.88 million tonnes of rice this year, earning 2.2 billion USD, down 25.8 percent in volume and 21.2 percent in value year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

In December alone, 399,000 tonnes of rice worth 181 million USD were shipped abroad. China remains the largest rice importer of Vietnam with a market share of 35.9 percent. In the past 11 months, Vietnam shipped 1.61 million tonnes worth 722.2 million USD to the country, down 20.5 percent in volume and 11.7 percent in value from 2015. Ghana is Vietnam’s second largest rice importer with an 11.1 percent market share. 

Markets with strong drops in Vietnamese rice imports are the Philippines (down 65 percent), Malaysia (48 percent), the US (33 percent), Singapore (30.7 percent), Indonesia (22 percent), the Ivory Coast (21.5 percent), and Hong Kong (19 percent). The falling rice export is attributable to prolonging El Nino phenomenon in the central and Central Highlands, saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta, and flooding in the north, the central and the Central Highlands. Rice production this year decreased in both cultivation area and output, particularly in the south. The total rice output is estimated at 43.6 million tonnes, down 3.3 percent from last year.-VNA

http://en.vietnamplus.vn/vietnam-earns-22-billion-usd-from-rice-export-this-year/105032.vnp

 

RICE PRODUCTION WILL INCREASE IN 2017- HOLDER

Published December 20, 2016

Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder yesterday, during the 2017 Budget debate, told the National Assembly that rice production is expected to increase by 1.3 percent in 2017.Minister Holder explained that rice production declined during 2016 by 12.7 percent to 600,000 metric tonnes due to El Nino weather conditions. Minister Holder pointed out that a number of farmers also exited the industry due to the loss of the high priced Venezuelan market. Minister Holder explained that 3,311 hectares were lost out of the 76,717 hectares sown.It was reported that production for 2015 was 1,058,129 tonnes which was equivalent to 687,784 tonnes. That was 80,840 tonnes or 8.27 percent higher than the production of paddy for 2014.

The research station at Burma continues to work diligently to improve rice varieties being offered to farmers, Minister Holder explained.The Agriculture Minister stressed that to achieve an improved rice variety; the rice industry requires improved management practices, seeding rates, sowing methods and disease management.Government is diligently employing various technologies in the effort to reduce the impact of a severe weather.The government is pursuing diversification to specialty rice varieties, with increased emphasis on the development of value-added production such as rice/wheat flour blend, rice noodles, pasta and pre-cooked rice products for 2017.

http://agriculture.gov.gy/2016/12/20/rice-production-will-increase-in-2017-holder/

 

Rice imports still under study after typhoons

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.

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

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=rice-imports-still-under-study-after-typhoons-&id=138318

Two types of champions coming forward to save our farmers

December 28, 2016, 8:55 pm 

I read the exchange between Dr. U. Waidyanatha (UW) and Dr. Kamal Wickremasinghe in the Island regarding the so-called plight of our farmers. What is "the plight of farmers" that is being discussed?

Nearly two dozen eminent doctors, agriculturist, chemists etc., appealed to the President against the ban on Glyphosate, a popular weed killer. Today, the farmer's herbicide has been banned, and his fertilizer has been cut by legislators who follow a vociferous majoritarian public opinion (MPO) with a fear of agrochemicals; alternative "organic" fertilizers or herbicides are not available; the farmer cannot sell his paddy because the MPO says that the rice is "full of toxins" like arsenic, cadmium and glyphosate while the mainstream scientists say, "no, your rice is good and safe"; (the weed killer said to cause kidney disease is banned, but the farmers are still falling ill; the weeds grow and the farmer has no extra manual labour; he is broke and his health is failing and he cannot sell his land and go to a healthy place because of colonization rules!

This is the plight of the farmer, also eloquently reported by Victor Ivan (7 Aug. 2016, Ravaya).Dr. U.W is a veteran agriculturist who lives in Kandy and has served the coconut, rubber, and paddy growers for decades, dedicating his life to agricultural science. Dr. Kamal Wickremasinghe (KW) is a socio-political columnist living in Canberra, Australia. As far as I know, KW is not an agriculturist. He is an articulate majoritarian public opinion (MPO) holder, while Dr. UW represents main-stream agricultural science. I am a science writer for the popular press, and lecturer in a technical college. So I stand between the two mindsets and present my observations on the controversy.

A recent Sirara-Pethikade interview (23-12-2016) of Professor Dharmawardana (a past Professor at Sri Jayawardenapura and a pioneer in food science in Sri Lanka) is also very germane to the discussion. Prof. D points out that main-stream scientists (MSS) and the MPO are often at loggerheads on matters in science policy. MSS opposed tobacco and pointed out that already in late 19th century that it was injurious to health. But the public adored the cigarette until recently, with film stars and politicians giving an image of glamour to smoking. Mainstream academics like Prof. John Yudkin pointed out six decades ago that sugar was a deadly substance. It is only now that the public is giving faint support for reducing the sugar levels in soft drinks.

Mainstream scientific opinion has argued against eating meat since at least 1970. Red meat has also been classified as a class-II carcinogen by the International Agency for Research into Cancer (IARC). The IARC is mandated to signal a health Hazard, and not a health Risk. All open flames are fire hazards, but not necessarily a fire risk – for example, a flame in a safety lantern is not a fire risk. A health HAZARD becomes a health RISK only if people are exposed to the hazard above a threshold. Eating "too much" red meat becomes a health risk. Petroleum and diesel fumes are a class-I hazard AND a health risk. Strangely, no one has demanded their ban citing a "precautionary principle"

Thus mainstream academics have led the warning against tobacco, sugar, consumption of fat and meat. However, agrochemicals are both good and bad. The green movement began in the 1970s, heralded by Rachel Carson's book "Silent Spring". It created a public mindset that is ever suspicious of all agrochemicals, and even pasteurization of milk, fluoridation of municipal water or vaccinations. That the environment is "polluted" is a common MPO. Health-food & back-to-nature websites, and the internet blogs of self-styled "alternative" medical-gurus like Dr. Mercola are very popular and extremely lucrative to the Mercola types. Some of the public are so frightened that they drink only bottled water even in modern municipalities, or install reverse-osmosis machines in their homes.

They want agrochemicals banned claiming "precautionary principles". Dr. Kamal Wickremasinghe's line of thinking fits this majoritarian public mindset which is not only militant, accuses main-stream scientists of being agents of agro-business. Dr. KW's accusations against UW and other scientists are sweepingly general and similar to Donald Trump's branding all Mexicans as rapists, rogues and drug dealers. KW refers to Alastair Macintosh's silly article of 1996 to take "arms against the mercenaries".

KW generalizes the discussion about mercenaries and glyphosate to cover the alleged "loss of traditional rice varieties", and in the same breath declares that the Green revolution is a fraud. Such extreme positions are standard beliefs of the lunatic fringe of the green movement, and prevent anyone from mo.unting a meaningful dialogue. Neither Macintoch nor KW is probably aware that it was the mainstream scientists at Bathalaoda who preserved the germ lines of the traditional rice varieties. Furthermore, if not for the work of the Bathalagoda and Kundasle scientists from 1920 onwards, providing food for this nation, it would have lost not just its traditional rice varieties, but a good part of its people. But that is a long story.

The erroneous information probably went to Dr. KW in Canberra from Alastair Macintosh in Scotland, who got it from the Indian activist Shiva Vandana via her Sri Lankan acolytes. It is a pity that KW did not visit Bathalagoda to get the facts from the source.

It is NOT true that main-stream academics are in the pay of the agro-business. In fact, university scientists have been zealous watch dogs of environmental incursions, and participate extensively in international regulatory bodies like the WHO. Furthermore, ignoring the fact that columnists like KW will accuse scientists of being mercenaries, main-stream scientists have fearlessly come forward to defend the use of the very simplest mineral fertilizers (rock phosphate, Urea, Nitrate) and a well-known popular herbicide known as Glyphosate whose use is inextricably linked with genetically modified (GMO) foods that are now common in North America. Some 117 Nobel laureates, writing to the Washington Post on 4th July 2016 rebuked advocacy-organizations like Greenpeace for false propaganda and for funding skewed experiments designed to support their preconceived positions. Interestingly, Dr. KW comes up with references falling into the category of skewed experiments?

All the available data were evaluated by the Joint Committee on Pesticide Residues (JCPR) of the WHO and the FAO when they issued their risk assessment on May 16th, 2016. Owing to the misunderstandings created by the IARC classification of Glyphosate as a Class-II carcinogen, many governments including Australia and New Zealand (NZ) reviewed Glyphosate once again. The report issued by NZ should interest Dr. KW living in Australia. NZ evaluated all the research available by 2016 and the judgment was that Glyphosate posed absolutely no health risk.

1. Report of the JCPR, May, 2016: http://www.who.int/foodsafety/jmprsummary2016.pdf

2. Report of the NZ-government, August 2016: http://www.epa.govt.nz/hazardous-substances/pop_hs_topics/glyphosate_learn/Pages/default.aspx

3. Review of the Glyphosate debate by Canadian Scientists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE_vjC0z-z4

The majority of scientists are agreed that the consumption of water from a class of shallow household wells is the cause of kidney disease and presented empirical evidence for it, and that agrochemicals have nothing to do with it. But Dr. KW is persuaded that it is glyphosate and arsenic, because a "new breed of intellectuals" (led by a psychic lady and some politicians) have said so, although so far without evidence. Dr. KW even senses a battle between "Peradeniya elites" and others! That is enough for him to invoke the precautionary principle and declare those who hold the opposite opinion to be mercenaries!

BodhiDhanapal
Canada

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=157932

Rice imports still under study after typhoons

12/28/2016 
BusinessWorld

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.

http://www.world-grain.com/news/news%20home/LexisNexisArticle.aspx?articleid=2698672141

VN earns $2.2b from rice export this year

Update: December, 29/2016 - 11:28

Viet Nam News

The decline in rice export is attributed to the prolonged El Nino phenomenon in the central and Central Highlands, saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta and flooding in the north, central and Central Highlands. — Photo doanhnghiep.vnNỘI  —  Việt Nam exported an estimated 4.88 million tonnes of rice this year, earning US$2.2 billion, down 25.8 per cent in volume and 21.2 per cent in value year-on-year.

This was revealed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. In December alone, 399,000 tonnes of rice worth $181 million were shipped abroad. China remains the largest rice importer of Việt Nam with market share of 35.9 per cent. In the past 11 months, Việt Nam shipped 1.61 million tonnes worth $722.2 million to China, down 20.5 per cent in volume and 11.7 per cent in value from 2015. 

Ghana is Việt Nam’s second largest rice importer with an 11.1 per cent market share. Markets with strong drops in Vietnamese rice imports are the Philippines (down 65 per cent), Malaysia (48 per cent), the United States (33 per cent) and Singapore (30.7 per cent), as well as Indonesia (22 per cent), the Ivory Coast (21.5 per cent) and Hong Kong (19 per cent). The decline in rice export is attributed to the prolonged El Nino phenomenon in the central and Central Highlands, saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta and flooding in the north, central and Central Highlands. Rice production this year decreased in both cultivation area and output, particularly in the south. Total rice output is estimated at 43.6 million tonnes, down 3.3 per cent from last year. — VNS

http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/348892/vn-earns-22b-from-rice-export-this-year.html#O0mJbJBhldlXZbr2.99

USDA announces latest installment of conservation funding

USDA providing $225 million for new round of conservation programs, expects $500 million in matching funds from partner organizations.

Dec 27, 2016

       

USDA has announced funding for 88 new projects under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program or RCPP, the agricultural conservation initiative created in the Agricultural Act of 2014 or the 2014 farm bill.The federal government is providing $225 million for the projects, but USDA expects public and private partners to contribute another $500 million for the conservation efforts, according to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.Among the biggest projects are two that will provide $15 million to rice-specific Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program conservation practices in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri and to supplement construction of a reservoir for irrigation water in Texas.“RCPP plays a critical role in connecting partners with producers to design and implement conservation solutions that benefit both natural resources and agriculture,” Vilsack said. “The farm bill is the largest source of federal funding for private lands conservation, and RCPP is contributing innovative conservation solutions to communities across the country.”

Vilsack said RCPP offers new opportunities for the NRCS, conservation partners and agricultural producers to work together to harness innovation, expand the conservation mission, and demonstrate the value and efficacy of voluntary, private lands conservation.

Stronger rural economies

“The program is increasing investment in conservation from a diversity of partners, leading to cleaner and more abundant water, improved soil and air quality, enhanced wildlife habitat, and stronger rural economies. (For more information on the RCPP, visit http://bit.ly/2iBbnw9.)

Water quality and drought are dominant themes in this year's RCPP project list with 46 of the 88 projects focusing on water resource concerns. More than a fourth of the projects are focused on improving fish and wildlife habitat.

USA Rice Federation, through its USA Rice-Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership, was awarded funding for two projects bringing $15 million to the Mid-South and Gulf Coast's rice-growing regions. The NRCS funds, along with $15-plus million in financial and in-kind support of 45 companies and organizations, will help producers implement a variety of conservation practices on their operations.USA Rice took the lead for the Mid-South Graduated Water Stewardship Program, which was awarded $7 million to be used for rice-specific EQIP and CSP contracts in Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and Central and Northeast Louisiana.

Good timing for farmers

The second project, is led by the Lower Colorado River Authority and was awarded $8 million to supplement the building of a conservation reservoir in Eagle Lake, Texas to provide water for irrigation and flooded water bird habitat across 50,000 acres of ricelands.“The notification that our proposals were awarded is just thrilling, the news of this funding could really not have come at a better time,” said Jeff Durand, Louisiana rice farmer and co-chair of the Rice Stewardship Partnership.

“As producers we’re dealing with an ongoing streak of low commodity prices and luckily, the wide suite of practices available through EQIP and CSP will, in most cases, improve our bottom lines and add to our overall sustainability as an industry.”

Speaking at the USA Rice Outlook Conference in Memphis, USDA-NRCS Chief Jason Weller said he was “proud of the partnership NRCS has with the rice industry...for your commitment to being partners with us to invest in conservation and really be national leaders in production agriculture.”With today's announcement, the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is investing a total of $825 million in 286 projects, bringing together more than 2,000 conservation partners who have committed an estimated $1.4 billion in financial and technical assistance, Vilsack said.

Signups in late 2017

By 2018, NRCS and its partners, including Indian tribes, nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, private industry, water districts, universities and many others, will have invested at least $2.4 billion through RCPP.Since 2009, USDA has invested more than $29 billion to help producers make conservation improvements, working with as many as 500,000 farmers, ranchers and landowners to protect over 400 million acres nationwide, boosting soil and air quality, cleaning and conserving water and enhancing wildlife habitat.Signups for portions of the latest round of projects could occur by late 2017.

For more on USDA’s work in conservation and forestry, visit http://medium.com/usda-results.

http://www.deltafarmpress.com/rice/usda-announces-latest-installment-conservation-funding

Plastic’ or not? Over 100 bags of fake rice seized in Nigeria

Paul Adepoju and Yemisi Adegoke, CNNPublished: December 28, 2016, 8:14 am

CNN.com

LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) — Nigerian authorities have seized 2.5 metric tons of reportedly fake rice during the holiday season.On Tuesday, the Nigerian Custom Service said it intercepted 102 bags of a brand called Best Tomato Rice after the recipient of a gift of rice alerted authorities. The health ministry released a statement on Friday urging Nigerians to remain calm after preliminary findings found no evidence that the rice was plastic or consisted of toxic chemical substances. Yet, the country’s National Agency for Food Drug Administration Control has not released their investigative report.

The health minister’s statement contradicts earlier reports from customs officials.Mamudu Haruna, comptroller of the Federal Operations Unit, called it “plastic” rice at a press briefing in Lagos Thursday. “We have done the preliminary analysis on the plastic rice. After boiling, it was sticky and only God knows what would have happened if people consumed it.”Haruna described the importers of the fake rice as “economy saboteurs” seeking to capitalize off of Nigerians looking for bargains during the Christmas and New Year holiday season.

It is unclear where the shipment of rice originated. “A consultant said he was given 221 bags to distribute,” Jerry Attah, the public relations officer for the assistant superintendent of customs, told CNN.One customer who avoided a potential mishap was Kikelomo Adediti. She said she bought 10 cups of the product (about 2 kg) from a small retailer in the Ikeja area of Lagos, in November.

“It looked perfectly normal and cost less [than regular rice] so I thought I got a great deal. Normally it would take about 20 minutes [to cook] but after 30 minutes it was still hard. I added more water and the aroma was chemical in nature so I decided to discard it thinking it had expired,” she told CNN. Adediti didn’t formally report the incident.

In another case, a woman who received rice as a gift noticed something was wrong after cooking it. Her husband then called customs officials.

Plastic, resin or none of the above

Yet, it’s still unclear what the rice is made of.“If you look at it it’s rice. If you look at the pictures it’s rice. If you cook it and eat it it’s rice. It’s only when you touch it you’ll feel it that you realize it’s not,” Attah told CNN.

“That’s why I call it fake rice, not plastic rice. To me it’s more like flour coated in maybe rubber… I don’t know the kind of formulations or chemicals they use,” he said.Attah said that a total of 221 bags — each weighing 25 kilos — came into Nigeria, but only 102 were recovered, which means 119 have already been distributed.

Nigerians’ love for rice

Rice is a major staple food in Nigeria and a favorite holiday meal, often prepared as jollof rice.It is estimated that Nigerians consume 6 million metric tons of rice per year; in 2013, former minister of agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said the country spends more than $1 billion annually to import rice.“Though rice contribute a significant proportion of the food requirements of the [Nigerian] population, production capacity is far below the national requirements. In order to meet the increasing demand, Nigeria has had to resort to importation of milled rice to bridge the gap between domestic demand and supply,” according to Professor Tunji Akande, author of An overview of the Nigerian Rice Economy.

Forex woes

With imports adversely affected by the country’s foreign exchange woes and the continued rise of the dollar against Nigeria’s currency the Naira, the cost of rice has more than doubled.Bags of rice were on sale for NGN22,000 in Bodija market Ibadan and other major Nigerian markets on Thursday, compared with about NGN10,000 a year ago.The desire for cheaper rice makes Nigerians vulnerable to counterfeit foods industry: “Rice is very expensive and people are looking for where to get it at cheaper rates. If a regular bag costs NGN17,000 but the plastic one is being sold for 9,000, many Nigerian families will buy it,” said economics expert Lanre Adigun.

“This is further aided by the porous nature of Nigeria’s borders. Since the Nigerian government had already banned rice importation into the country through the land borders, the commodity is still being smuggled into the country through the border with Benin Republic. You can go to any market and you will see all sorts of rice imported through the land borders,” said Feyikemi Oladokun, a nutrition expert who works with the agriculture ministry in Kwara state.

Not just Nigeria

In 2011, a Korean news report revealed some fake rice is produced from potatoes that are shaped as rice with the addition of industrial resin. Even when cooked, the report said the rice remained hard.Dr. Victoria Feyikemi of Babcock University Hospital Ogun state, Nigeria, said the medical consequences of consuming such products can be severe because the fake rice has synthetic resin that is harmful to the body.“When you eat three bowls of this rice, you are basically ingesting one vinyl bag and the toxicity and associated pathologies are numerous. We cannot afford to add plastic rice-associated medical emergencies to our numerous health challenges in Nigeria, remember we are still struggling with Lassa fever,” she said.

http://khon2.com/2016/12/28/plastic-or-not-over-100-bags-of-fake-rice-seized-in-nigeria/

 

Rice millers brought under control, farmers get MSP

THE HANS INDIA |    Dec 29,2016 , 04:56 AM IST

      

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A huge quantity of rice bags lying in godowns of rice millers in Kamareddy

Kamareddy:  Gone are the days when rice millers used to dictate terms to the agricultural market in selling their food grains. It used to be very difficult to get back the rice from them given under the Custom Milling Rice (CMR) quota. However, with the government setting up purchasing centres and the officials of the civil supplies department acting tough on the directions of the Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, the millers are returning the milled rice immediately to the government. They have returned 2,75,430 quintals of rice  and this is the outcome of some of the reforms undertaken in the civil supplies department.

Under the CMR, the State government initially purchases husked rice from the farmers and later allocates it to various mills for processing. Under the levy price policy, the rice millers are permitted to sell a certain percentage of rice procured by them in the open market and the remaining levy rice is again collected by the government agencies at a minimum support price. The State government decided to set up large number of purchasing centres to enable the farmers to sell their produce at a minimum support price without being exploited by the middlemen or brokers.

Initially, the officials estimated that the government would be able to purchase  one lakh of food grains at various purchasing centres and review meetings were conducted in the district in this regard in which the Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Pocharam Srinivas Reddyand District Collector N Satyanarayana took part.However, they were able to collect more than what they imagined. A total of 1.20 lakh metric tonnes of good grains were collected in all the 147 purchasing centres in the district.  As many as 35,000 farmers were paid Rs 147 crore in the process.

The District Collector allocates the quota or grains to the rice millers directly on the basis of the capacities of the millers. For milling one quintal of rice, each miller was being paid Rs 32. According to estimates, while 79,000 metric tonnes of rice has to return under CMR, the civil supplied department has got back 27, 543 metric tonnes of rice, which is 34. 5 per cent of the total allocated grains.  The millers are returning the rice fast without creating any hurdles as District Collector Satyanarayana, Joint Collector Sathaiah and district civil supplies officer Ramesh are closing monitoring them.

The rice that is returned after milling has to be supplied to the hostels of various schools under the fine rice scheme taken up on a prestigious note by the government. In order to implement this, 550 metric tonnes of rice (5,500 quintals) are needed.Earlier, rice had to be imported from the Andhra region, incurring a lot of expenditure. But now, there is no need. The government is taking the necessary steps taking into consideration the needs of the district.

 The government set up a large number of food grains purchasing centres, thus, cutting the rice milers to size.  As a result, the rice millers are now trying to keep the farmers in good humour by offering minimum support price to them.Now, the farmers are coming to the government purchasing centres to sell their produce so that they may not be taken for a ride by the middlemen or millers. They are hoping to make some profits.    

-BY Ambeer Rajasekhar

http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Nizamabad-Tab/2016-12-29/Rice-millers-brought-under-control-farmers-get-MSP/270936

Rice millers protest demand of bribe by FCI officials

Members of the Rice Millers Association argue with police officials during a protest outside the FCI depot in Jagraon on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

Jaswant Shetra

Jagraon, December 28

A high drama was witnessed outside the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Jagraon depot, today when members of the Rice Millers Association, Jagraon, held a protest outside it.While raising slogans against the FCI authorities, the members of the association led by its Jagraon president Hari Om alleged that the FCI officials demanded bribe from them for dumping their rice in the depot.“Earlier, we used to pay bribe to the FCI officials but after demonetisation, we are not able to pay bribe to them due to which we are being harassed,” alleged Hari Om.He also objected to the presence of RTI activist Kapil Bansal in the FCI office claiming that the FCI authorities accept bribes from rice millers through Bansal.

Bansal, on the other hand, said he had sought information about some rice mills under the RTI Act due to which some rice millers were targeting him.“I visited the FCI office today to ask about the status of information I had sought under the RTI Act”, claimed Bansal.After some time, a police team also reached the spot. The police tried to pacify the protesting rice millers. But they continued raising slogans.When the SSP, Jagraon, Opinderjit Singh Ghuman, got information about the matter, he rushed DSP (D) RS Bhullar to the spot. The rice millers also lodged a written complaint with the police alleging that the FCI authorities demanded bribe from them.

Confirming that the police have received a complaint from the association, Bhullar said they would investigate the matter and an appropriate action would be taken in this regard.Denying the allegations of demanding bribe, Ravi Srivastav Assistant Manager, FCI Jagraon depot, said the protest was the result of an internal dispute between the rice mill owners and they were wrongly blaming the FCI authorities for the same.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/rice-millers-protest-demand-of-bribe-by-fci-officials/343112.html

Business booming in Parksville Qualicum Beach for Cedar Sky Foods

Co-founders of Cedar Sky Foods, the husband and wife duo of Chris and Crystal Niddrie, stand in front of their store at 1065 Herring Gull Way in Parksville, where they cook locally-sourced products and make healthy meals for sale in the community.

Parksville posted Dec 27, 2016 at 9:00 AM

AMBER-LEA MARIE

Special to The NEWS

Husband and wife co-founders of Cedar Sky Foods, Chris and Crystal Niddrie, say they are making it their mission to source and use local, sustainable ingredients to match the needs of people in Parksville Qualicum Beach.

“We’re a commercial food production facility, and have been in business for over 10 years,” said Crystal. “We just started out doing retail products for customers who can order from our website. They can either pick up or we can deliver from Qualicum Beach to Nanaimo.”

Both born and raised in Alberta, Crystal said the couple decided to move their family and business to Vancouver Island last year.

“We outgrew our business space in Calgary and needed to move our facility,” Crystal said. “We opened (in Parksville) in May, and since being here, we’ve found the community to be so supportive of our business. People walk in just to shake our hands and welcome us.”

“A lot of our retail customers are seniors, busy professionals and busy parents — anybody who really needs help in the kitchen with meal preparation,” said Crystal. “We have a lot of entrées for one, and in the New Year we’re going to be expanding with a lot more family-size and family-friendly entrées.”

Since transitioning to Island life, business on the West Coast has boomed for the Niddries.

“It was our intent in moving here that because we’re in such close proximity to so many fabulous farmers and growers, that we wanted to use that produce to create great products,” said Crystal. “We try to use and source local ingredients as much as possible, lots of B.C. produce.”

From braised pork ribs with pineapple rice and chef’s vegetables, to butter chicken with basmati rice, Chef Chris’ culinary background, Chef de Cuisine designation and Red Seal certification sauté together well when creating in the kitchen.

“We have quite a variety of different types of meals,” said Crystal, mentioning that they do have vegetarian meals as well.

Extra consideration comes into play when trying to meet the needs of people with food restrictions.

“We get a lot of customers that are looking specifically for gluten-free and nut-free products, so we can satisfy that,” said Crystal. “We are a dedicated gluten and nut-free facility,”

Crystal noted that their food is great for anybody: “You don’t have to have restrictions to enjoy our products.”

In addition to Cedar Sky Foods’ chef-prepared, frozen, retail meals, the Niddries said when they moved here  they continued doing food products for wholesale and food service products for grocery stores.

“It was certainly a challenge to move our business and re-establish customers, but things are going very well,” said Crystal. “It has been well worth it for us and our family and our overall happiness.”

Cedar Sky Foods is located in the Parksville Industrial Area at 1065 Herring Gull Way. Call 250-248-5663 or email: info@cedarskyfoods.com

http://www.pqbnews.com/business/408416056.html

Asia Rice-Thailand, Vietnam dull amid year-end holidays

By Mai Nguyen | HANOI

Dec 28 Rice markets in the world's biggest exporters of the grain saw barely any deals amid Christmas and New Year holidays, traders said on Wednesday.Prices in Vietnam, the world's third-biggest rice exporter, were little changed from last week, with Vietnam quoting 5-percent broken rice RI-VNBKN5-P1 at $335-$345 a tonne, FOB basis, compared with $335-$350 a week earlier."Market is just quiet during this Christmas and New Year holiday; there's only a few traders selling domestically as they have some stockpile left, but no exports," said a Ho Chi Minh City-based trader."There's some private contracts with the Philippines about to be shipped and there's barely any order from China," said another trader in Vietnam.

Vietnam is estimated to ship 4.88 million tonnes of rice in 2016, down 25.8 percent from a year earlier, the agriculture ministry has said.Thailand is also expected to have no new rice order until after the New Year holiday."It's quiet... prices are the same in Thai baht, but the depreciation of Thai baht made them look less in dollar terms," said a Bangkok-based trader.The trader quoted the benchmark 5-percent broken rice RI-THBKN5-P1 at $355-$360 a tonne on Wednesday, compared to $360 a week ago.

(Reporting by Mai Nguyen in Hanoi; Additional reporting by Pairat Temphairojana in Bangkok; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri)

http://in.reuters.com/article/asia-rice-idINL4N1EN2G3

Ag news top 10 in 2016

Courtesy of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture

Wednesday

Posted Dec 28, 2016 at 1:13 PM

  

Based on an informal poll of agricultural experts across the state, here are the top 10 Arkansas agricultural stories of 2016:

By Ryan McGeeney / UofA Division of Ag

The 2016 season proved a difficult year for many Arkansas growers. Severe flooding in August impacted production to the tune of an approximately $50 million crop loss, and an unprecedented political season cast doubt on the future of international trade agreements and farm subsidies.

Based on an informal poll of agricultural experts across the state, here are the top 10 Arkansas agricultural stories of 2016:

1. Widespread reports of dicamba drift injury in soybeans, as some growers begin in off-label applications on new dicamba-resistant Monsanto crops. We covered the initial reports of drift injury in July, as well as some of the fallout, as the Arkansas State Plant Boardweighed its options as Monsanto edged toward bringing a new dicamba-based herbicide technology to market.

2. Arkansas growers suffer nearly $50 million in crop losses due to significant August flooding, and a disaster declaration issued. After weeks of heavy, intermittent flooding in August, agronomists and economists with the Division of Agriculture estimated a significant economic loss for Arkansas producers. Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson a federal disaster declaration for 12 counties.

3. Researchers with University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission begin tracking spread of chronic wasting disease in deer and elk throughout Arkansas. As reports of chronic wasting disease in deer and elk persisted, biological researchers in the state embarked in an effort to determine the location and prevalence of the disease in deer and elk herds in the state.

4. Tony Windham steps down as director of the Cooperative Extension Service after 28 years with the University of Arkansas System. After initially working with Arkansas growers as an economist in 1988, Windham was eventually appointed associate vice president for agriculture and director in 2010. Mark Cochran, vice president-Agriculture and head of the Division of Agriculture, named Dr. Rick Cartwright as interim director.

5. Arkansas officials visit Cuba as the U.S. considers lifting trade sanctions. As a major producer of both rice and poultry, Arkansas may prove particularly attractive to the island nation as a future trading partner.

6. The Division of Agriculture's Rice Research and Extension Center unveils its new Foundation Seed Facility in Stuttgart.Replacing a facility that had stood since the 1950's, the Division of Agriculture opened its news Foundation Seed Facility in August.

7. Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal appears to stall as voters chose between two presidential candidates, both of whom stated they were against it. After months of diplomacy and wrangling, the wide-reaching trade agreement, which would broadly liberalize trade rules and tariffs, may ultimately fail to come to fruition. In March, Ambassador Darci Vetter of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative spoke about the proposed trade agreement at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law.

8. Arkansas cotton growers rebound from 2015's historic low acreage of 210,000 acres, planting about 57 percent more acreage.Although we've never strictly been "the land of cotton," growers on the Arkansas side of the Delta came back strong with increased acreage.

9. Kudzu bugs expand in eastern Arkansas.After almost five years of waiting, the inevitable finally arrived: Kudzu bugs made their way across the Delta, into Arkansas, poised to begin affecting soybeans in the fall. Division of Agriculture etymologists and agricultural agents wasted no time in training county agents in identifying and controlling the pests, in an effort to arrest their further spread.

10. Arkansas growers abandon grain sorghum in 2016, after huge spike during the previous year. Easy come, easy go. Citing dismal market prices and an impending threat from sugarcane aphids, Arkansas growers quickly ended their single-season love affair with the row crops.

For more information about agriculture in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent, or visit www.uaex.edu

http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/news/20161228/ag-news-top-10-in-2016

 

Half-rice order in eateries pushed

Published December 28, 2016, 10:00 PM

by Charissa M. Luci

The head of the House Committee on Health wants to require restaurants, hotels, inns, canteens, steakhouses, eateries and other food establishments to add an order of half rice on their menus to address rice wastage.Quoting the data from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan has filed House Bill (HB) 2855 to reduce rice wastage.

Tan said each Filipino wastes an average of three tablespoons or nine grams of rice daily, which is equivalent to 3.3 kilos per year.“It seeks to penalize the practice of some restaurants, hotels, inns, canteens, steakhouses, eateries and the like of refusing to serve order of rice from a customer if it be less than one cup,” she said.The bill was originally sponsored by Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the previous Congress.According to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), with 94 million people and nine grams of wasted rice per day, the total wastage comes to 308,000 tons, which is 36 percent of 2011 rice imports.

It translates to at least $535,000 (P23 million) every day or $223 million a year, an amount sufficient to feed 4.3 million people, Tan noted.“This measure will considerably reduce rice wastage on these business establishments by letting their customers to order just the right amount of rice that they can consume,” she said.Under HB 2855, food establishments must charge their customers half the price for the half rice they are serving.”“Half rice” shall mean one half cup of the one full cup of rice served.The bill suggests a fine of R20,000 for the first offense, R50,000 for second and R100,000 for the third and succeeding offenses.

http://news.mb.com.ph/2016/12/28/half-rice-order-in-eateries-pushed/

IRRI’s golden anniversary: a tribute

December 29, 2016 at 12:01 am by Rudy Romero

Every year in modern times is marked by centenaries or golden anniversaries of well-known events and institutions. The year that is about to end is no exception. One of the celebrated institutions that have marked their golden anniversaries in 2016 is the International Rice Research Institute. IRRI has done remarkable work on the world’s most widely consumed cereal and I don’t want its golden anniversary to pass into history without contributing a little tribute to the many that it has received since July, the month in 1966 when it was founded.

IRRI is one of four institutions established over the years, with the support of Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN to conduct research and development work on the world’s four most common staples. There are international research institutes for corn (in Mexico), potatoes (India) and wheat.IRRI was established on the basis of funding commitments from two of the world’s wealthiest foundations—the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation and the Ford Foundation. The decision to locate the IRRI facilities in Los Baños was made with UP Los Baños research cooperation in mind. Its first director, Dr. Vernon Chandler, is probably the best-remembered of the directors who have headed IRRI in the last 50 years.

It was not long before IRRI announced its first research breakthrough. That was the now-legendary IR-8, a rice strain developed from a combination of a Taiwanese strain and an Indonesian strain. IR-8 was designed to cope with the age-old Asian cultural problems of water logging during the typhoon season and proneness to tillering. IR-8 was said to have ushered in the Green Revolution. The Philippine government was overjoyed that the rice research breakthrough was achieved in the Philippines.But IRRI did not stop with IR-8. It went on to develop a succession of miracle rice strains, each new one better than the last. The other IRRI-developed rice strain that achieved the greatest success and recognition was IR-36, developed several years after IR-8.

IRRI proved to be a victim of its enormous success. After IR-8, IR-36 and a few other strains in-between, the world – and this country—stopped being amazed by IRRI’s successive research breakthroughs. People here and abroad came to take IRRI and its achievement capabilities for granted.With less fanfare, IRRI continues to soldier on in its still-impressive Los Baños facilities. In the world of agricultural research—and particularly research on rice —IRRI remains a powerful force.

Thoughtful Filipinos are bound to ask, despite all the rice-culture breakthroughs achieved by IRRI: why is Philippine agriculture still so unproductive and why is the Philippines still one of the world’s top rice importers? Why do IR-8 and the Green Revolution appear to have gone for nought?

For the answer, one must not look to the unsound, inconsistent and unsustained policies of the Philippine government towards the agricultural sector in general and the rice industry in particular. IRRI can only produce research breakthroughs; governments have to make good use of the breakthroughs.Carry on with your fine work, IRRI. By no means have you ceased to be appreciated. Best of luck for your next 50 years.

http://thestandard.com.ph/opinion/columns/business-class-by-rudy-romero/225301/irri-s-golden-anniversary-a-tribute.html