Thursday, June 22, 2017

Rice Today-Rice News Today-IRRI NEWS - 22nd june,2017 Daily Global Regional National Rice News

Unlimited rice, empty stomachs

By: Gideon Lasco - @inquirerdotnet

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 12:30 AM June 22, 2017

I don’t think Cynthia Villar anticipated that her comments on prohibiting “unlimited rice” will draw so much resentment and ridicule. But as she probably knows by now, “unli rice” is not just a gluttonous indulgence for Filipinos but also a compensatory recourse for those with limited means. I hope she also realizes that prohibitionism is not always the answer to our health problems.

To be fair to the senator, however, the idea of discouraging Filipinos from eating too much rice has been raised by experts for many years. In 2012, PhilRice lamented that each Filipino wastes two tablespoons of rice every day, “which, when not wasted, could result in import savings as high as P6.2 billion and could feed 2.6 million hungry Filipinos in a year.”

Her pronouncements mirror PhilRice’s lament and actually sound like something a nutritionist would say: “If possible, we should shift to brown rice so Filipinos would eat less and so that finally, we can be self-sufficient… Unlimited rice is bad for the health. We should learn how to eat more vegetables.” In this, the doctor in me heartily agrees with her.

Of course, what drew the most attention was her misguided suggestion that fast-food chains’ offerings of “unli rice” be prohibited. But now that she has backed down from it, her overall concerns remain salient. Leaving the specifics of rice sufficiency to the economists and agriculturists (which Cielito Habito discussed in his latest column here), what can we do to improve our state of (mal)nutrition?

To appreciate the magnitude of the problem, we have to bear in mind that one in three Filipino children remains stunted. Aside from making Filipinos among the shortest in the region, stunting has dire consequences for children’s health and overall development. Rice, in this context, remains very important because for many Filipinos, it is the main source not just of carbohydrates but also of protein. Ironically, while many are eating too much rice, the poor need more of it.

Instead of prohibiting unlimited rice, a more positive approach is to incentivize the offering of whole-grain (i.e., brown, red, or black) rice, which satiates the eater faster, has more fiber and vitamins, and is easier to produce (even if longer to cook). Surely, increased demand will lower prices.

Another is to go beyond rice and encourage the consumption of other kinds of carbohydrates. Granted, our very word for eating, “kain,” is linguistically and cognitively related to the word for rice, “kanin”—many Pinoys don’t feel full if they don’t eat rice. Also, our viands are prepared in such a way that their flavors are balanced by rice: Can you imagine eating kare-kare by itself?

There are alternatives, however, that can take the place of rice—though we may need to develop more recipes for them. Despite their lowly reputation, root crops like kamote, gabi and ube are uber-healthy, not to mention easy to grow. There’s white corn, too—which UP Los Baños scientists recommend mixing with rice.

But beyond carbohydrates, a big problem is protein energy malnutrition—the lack of ulam caused by the prohibitive cost of meat and fish. In olden days, Filipinos had more diverse sources of protein: Even insects (now recommended by the World Health Organization) were part of the diet.

What may be more culturally acceptable and practical today, however, are beans and legumes. As the Food Nutrition Research Institute’s Charina Javier tells me, farmers usually plant these in between rice cropping cycles to enhance soil quality. Encouraging the public to embrace beans and root crops, alongside being “rice-ponsible” (as the Department of Agriculture puts it), will surely go a long way.

But what of the urban poor with nary a place to lay their heads, let alone plant crops? Ultimately, we must also address the structural causes of hunger and malnutrition, which include the flooding of our markets with cheap but unhealthy food, the miserable plight of our food growers, and, above all, the extreme poverty that leaves people with no choice but to eat what little — if any — food they can find.In this age of “unli rice,” no Filipino should have to live with an empty stomach.

Comments to gideon.lasco@gmail.com

http://opinion.inquirer.net/104983/unlimited-rice-empty-stomachs#ixzz4kiw9Coli

New decree to help Vietnamese rice exporters

The Ministry of Industry and Trade is drafting a decree to remove bottlenecks for domestic rice exporters, especially small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The decree, replacing Decree 109/2010/NĐ-CP on rice export and business, is expected to take effect from January 1, 2018, after which businesses will be able to engage in the free trade of rice without quantitative restrictions.The decree also removes regulations of criteria for businesses to be eligible to export rice, as well as the floor prices set for rice shipments.

Pham Thai Binh, director-general of Trung An Co Ltd in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, said some articles in the old decree hindered the development of rice export firms.For example, in early June 2017, the ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on rice trading with Bangladesh, which is valid until 2022.Under the MoU, Vietnam will export one million tonnes of rice to Bangladesh annually. This offers a huge opportunity for Vietnam to boost exports of this staple grain, build a rice brand and connect with farmers.

However, under the decree 109 which is still being enforced, the Vietnam Food Association authorised the Northern Food Corporation and the Southern Food Corporation to realise the MoU. Other companies have to seek trade deals with partners in other markets.Binh said the involvement of the Government in seeking contracts was good for Vietnamese agriculture, but all businesses should be able to join this activity to promote trade in foreign markets.Rice export businesses require a closely linked chain from farmers to exporters, thus when exporters face difficulties in seeking consumption markets, then farmers’ production will also be affected, Binh said.

Vo Minh Khai, director-general of Vien Phu Organic – Healthy Food Company from the southernmost province of Ca Mau, said that over the past years, rice enterprises that were small scale but produced high-quality rice had not been able to bring their products to the world market.To export their rice, they had to depend on large companies as intermediaries. Therefore, revising the old decree would create a level-playing field for small rice export firms to proactively access the global market, Khai said.The new document will also enable businesses to invest in producing high-quality products to compete with rivals from Thailand and Cambodia, he added.

Promoting high-quality brands

Vietnam has exported rice for nearly 30 years, with the first amount of 1.4 million tonnes in 1989 grossing US$310 million in turnover. In 2006, the country earned US$2.1 billion from selling 4.9 million tonnes of rice abroad.Vietnamese rice has not created a strong brand in the world market.So far, worldwide consumers mostly knew Vietnamese rice products as 5% broken rice or 25% broken rice, rather than by a specific name.

Bình said that under the situation, many types of Vietnamese high-quality rice were being sold under foreign names.In fact, many types of high-quality Vietnamese rice such as ST, Jasmine, Hoa Sua and Loc Troi were being exported, but the export volumes had not met the demand of importers.Le Thanh Tung, an official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the decree would create conditions for rice exporters, even small- and medium-sized one, to access directly with importers, help promote Vietnamese rice brands more easily and prevent trade fraudulence.

Vo Hung Dung, Director of the Can Tho-based branch of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that changes in the rice business policy would force enterprises to operate and develop under the market mechanism, and find ways to strengthen their reputation in the world market."Rice enterprises having strong reputation also means Vietnamese rice brands will be promoted," Dung added.

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/180641/new-decree-to-help-vietnamese-rice-exporters.html

Upturn in fortunes forecast for Thai rice

Workers pack rice bags at an export plant in Thailand’s central Chainat province. Reuters

BANGKOK (Bangkok Post) – With state rice stockpiles nearly sold off and major rice-producing nations suffering bad weather, Thai rice exports are likely to hit a record high this year, say government and industry officials.Thailand’s 2017 rice exports are tipped to reach 11 million tonnes, the most ever, because of rising demand in rice-importing countries at a time that production in grower countries is falling.

Duangporn Rodphaya, director-general of the Commerce Ministry’s foreign trade department, said several rice-importing countries have approached Thailand asking to buy more rice.She said falling state rice stocks have ignited concerns that supply in rice-exporting countries is falling, spurring buyers to rush to secure supply.

“The decline in Thai state rice inventories has helped cut the pressure on global rice prices and also created more room for the price to rise further this year,” said Ms Duangporn.

State rice stocks rose to a historical high of 18.9 million tonnes prior to 2014 after an aggressive rice subsidy scheme, whereby the state offered to buy rice directly from farmers at higher-than-market prices.The tocks have since fallen sharply to 2.1 million tonnes, of which 1.6 million tonnes was edible-grade white rice and 500,000 tonnes was inedible-grade rice suitable for ethanol production.

Falling government rice stocks also helped cut pressure on global prices, exporters said, adding the prices were expected to rise further over the next few months as there was fresh demand from traditional importing countries that have approached Thailand at a time of limited supply.

Charoen Laothamatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said those countries include Iran, Iraq, Bangladesh and the Philippines. “Some clients that used to import Thai rice but stopped buying over the past several years because of quality issues have come back,” said Mr Charoen.

But Thai rice supply is limited because of the 2016 drought and the government’s policy to encourage farmers to switch to other lucrative crops such as sugar, which has substantially cut supply from the off-season rice crop.

Rice production from the off-season crop dropped by more than 40 percent from 9 to 10 million tonnes on average over the past few years to just 5 million tonnes this year, according to data supplied by the Agriculture Ministry.

That has pushed the price of Thai 5 percent broken grade white rice to $462 a tonne, up from last month’s $416 a tonne, according to the Thai Rice Exporters Association.“We can say that the Thai rice industry has passed through the crisis and is now on the rise,” said Mr Charoen.

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39524/upturn-in-fortunes-forecast-for-thai-rice/

Partnership to lift rice standards in Kingdom

Wed, 21 June 2017

Post Staff

The International Finance Corporation and Amru Rice, one of Cambodia’s biggest rice exporters, launched a new partnership yesterday to improve the competitiveness of the Kingdom’s rice sector, according to a press release.The initiative aims to implement the Sustainable Rice Platform standards developed by the United Nations and the International Rice Research Institute, which is a requirement for many international buyers.The three-year programme will seek to train at least 2,000 farmers within Amru’s supply chain in Kampong Cham province.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/partnership-lift-rice-standards-kingdom

Iraq Extends Agreement on U.S. Rice

By Hugh Maginnis

BAGHDAD, IRAQ -- USA Rice orchestrated a coordinated effort with U.S. State Department and Embassy officials here to ensure the extension of the U.S.-Iraq Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for rice that was set to expire last week. It has now been confirmed that the MOU has been extended by the government of Iraq until January 2018. The extension means exporters of U.S.-grown rice will have additional opportunities to make sales to Iraq through January of next year.

The original MOU was signed almost a year ago after more than a year of pressure from USA Rice and officials within the U.S. government, however, the agreement must be renewed every six months.

"Once again we owe a debt of gratitude to U.S. State Department officials, who worked tirelessly to encourage the Iraq Ministry of Trade to agree to a further extension," said Betsy Ward, USA Rice President & CEO. "The concept of the MOU originated here, but there's simply no way it would have been executed and now extended without the Embassy staff and others." The MOU for rice grew out of a desire for Iraq to develop a growing economy that contributes to food security through the provision of high-quality and competitively priced rice from reliable and consistent suppliers.

At the same time the MOU is intended to strengthen commercial ties between the United States and Iraq, while providing a degree of certainty and consistency that helps facilitate additional rice exports by qualified U.S. private-sector companies. The extension comes on the heels of a 30,000 MT sale of U.S. rice just last month - the first successful sale under the MOU. Trade sources indicate that Iraq may soon issue a new tender invitation under the newly-extended MOU.

Ward said USA Rice is also working with the State Department to arrange a high-level Iraqi delegation visit to the United States, led by the Iraqi Trade Minister himself. It's been three years since members of the Iraq Grain Board, the purchasing and advisory board within the Trade Ministry, traveled to rice country with USA Rice. At that time the delegation toured farms in Arkansas, mills in Mississippi, and shipping and grading facilities in Louisiana.

PhilRice: Pinoys must eat brown rice to avoid diabetes, other health issues

By Jasper Y. Arcalas

JUNE 20, 2017

Amid the fuss on whether to ban “unlimited rice” in the country or not, the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday urged Filipinos to consume brown rice rather than the well-milled variety if they want to remain healthy.The DA, through its attached agency the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), said studies abroad have affirmed that eating too much rice has ill effects on human health.Citing a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, the PhilRice said in a statement that excessive rice intake may adversely affect glucose metabolism and insulin production of the body that could result in diabetes.

“That is the main reason we are promoting brown or unpolished rice, as it has lower glycemic index, which means that it takes longer before it is converted to blood sugar. It also has higher satiety so you tend to eat less. Those are the reasons it is better for diabetics compared with white rice,” said Myriam Layaoen, PhilRice’s “Be Riceponsible” campaign director.

The Harvard study showed that a carbohydrate content of one bowl of rice is equivalent to more than twice of a can of soft drink, according to the PhilRice. The agency added that each plate of white rice eaten in a day raises the risk of diabetes by 11 percent.Layaoen said the attached agency of the DA’s Be Riceponsible campaign aims to influence policy directions and involve farmer-cooperatives to make brown rice more accessible and affordable to consumers.

“We are tapping local governments to issue ordinances and resolutions that will support the advocacy. Meanwhile, we also talk to farmer groups to produce brown rice and sell it at reasonable price,” she said.

“We also partner with food establishments throughout the country to encourage their participation,” Layaoen added.She said brown rice is just an ordinary rice, but unpolished during milling, with a milling recovery rate that is 10 percent higher than the ordinary ones.PhilRice Executive Director Sailila Abdula said the agency would continue to improve the rice ecosystem, particularly making brown rice affordable to consumers, through research anddevelopment.

“We are not just looking at production but also at the other side of rice security, which is consumption. We welcome any support toward achieving rice competitiveness, especially from our colleagues in the government. The good news should start from us,” Abdula said.

“We are one in curtailing rice wastage because we believe that every grain our farmers produce means life to a Filipino, and could help in ensuring enough supply of rice for the country,” he added.The Be Riceponsible campaign is the DA’s nationwide initiative to promote responsible rice consumption by reducing rice wastage in households and eating healthier forms of rice, such as brown rice, according to the PhilRice.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/philrice-pinoys-must-eat-brown-rice-to-avoid-diabetes-other-health-issues/

Amru to improve rice supply chain

The International Financial Corporation is training rice exporters to meet the requirements of international buyers. KT/Chor Sokunthea

Local rice miller and exporter Amru Rice has confirmed a three-year deal for a sustainable rice platform (SRP) with the International Financial Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group.

The move is intended to help standardise the industry and supply chain practices. An SRP is a multi-stakeholder platform established by the United Nations Environment and International Rice Research Institute.It aims to promote resource efficiency and sustainability in trade flows, supply chains and production and consumption operations. Under the partnership with Amru Rice, IFC will train and coach at least 2,000 contracted farmers in Amru’s supply chain in Kampong Cham province.

The training will equip them to implement the SRP standards and practices. The IFC said Amru Rice will be equipped to meet the requirements of international buyers and respond to global market trends of sourcing rice products in a more sustainable way once they adopt the SRP standards.

Kyle Kelhofer, IFC country manager for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos said that over the past seven years, IFC has intervened to boost farming, milling and exporting procedures, to promote Cambodia’s place in the global rice market. He said IFC’s support has helped make big changes in the country’s rice sector, increasing its export volume from less than 100,000 tonnes in 2010 to more than 500,000 tonnes in 2016.

“Our partnership with Amru Rice will help farmers along the rice supply chain to access necessary skills, markets and services, and significantly improve their livelihoods,” Mr Kelhofer said.Song Saran, CEO of Amru Rice, said his company started its rice trading activities in 2011 and has gradually integrated other steps in its rice value chain. Over time, the company established its own semi-processing facilities and then ventured into contract farming with farmer cooperatives in Kampong Cham, Preah Vihear and Battambang provinces.

“Adding the SRP fits our strategy of expanding our niche market with higher value and sustainable products. IFC has provided great support over the past few years and we are delighted to work with them to achieve the next milestone,” Mr Saran said. “IFC brings in significant global experience of delivering knowledge and expertise in agriculture to help businesses grow sustainably and improve farmers’ livelihoods,” he added.

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39527/amru-to-improve-rice-supply-chain/

Louisiana rice farmers should scout fields amid rainy summer weather

Recent wet weather has been conducive to disease problems in Louisiana rice.

Olivia McClure | Jun 21, 2017

Recent wet weather has been conducive to disease problems in Louisiana rice, and frequent rains are hampering plants’ recovery from issues that normally are not considered serious.

Farmers heard the news at a field day held June 14 at the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station South Farm in Crowley.

Sheath blight, a disease that thrives in moist conditions, has been showing up in recent weeks. Some fields are heavily infested while others display no signs of the disease, said AgCenter plant pathologist Don Groth.

“You have to look because it’s not been a consistent thing,” he said. “Scout and find out what disease you have out there.”

Another disease that has appeared sporadically is Cercospora leaf blight. Late-planted rice remains at risk of developing the disease, so it’s a good idea to apply propiconazole once it reaches the boot stage, Groth said.

“These fungicides have some curative activity, but you really want to be on the preventative side,” he said. To be able to do that, getting out in the field to check for signs of disease is important.

Farmers also should pay attention to plants’ growth stage when scouting. For example, propiconazole will control kernel smut — which is mostly confined to northeast Louisiana rice fields but has been more prevalent in southwest Louisiana recently — but only if it is applied at the mid-boot stage.

Timing critical

“Timing is critical with every product that we’re putting out there,” Groth said. “If we’re going to spend $20, $30 or $40 for an application, let’s do it right.”

Regular scouting also can help farmers better manage insect issues, said AgCenter entomologist Blake Wilson, who warned about two pests that attack as rice approaches the heading stage.

Stem borers, including Mexican rice borers, are more prevalent in fields of rice that was not seed treated. Wilson advised looking for white heads on plants, which indicate borer damage.

“They’re very easy to see, especially when the rice is just heading out and the other heads are green,” he said.

Farmers also need to prepare for stinkbugs, which show up mid- to late season and threaten both yield and grain quality, Wilson said. Insecticides should be applied when there are three or more stinkbugs in 10 passes with a sweep net during the first two weeks of heading. After that time and until two weeks before harvest, he recommends treating when there are 10 stinkbugs in 10 sweeps.

Wilson said he’s seen some South American rice miners and leaf miners recently. No insecticides are available to control those insects.

Plants usually bounce back from miner damage and do not suffer significant yield losses, said AgCenter rice specialist Dustin Harrell. But recent rains have interfered with recovery, leaving some rice looking “ragged,” he said.

“We had cloudy conditions and not a lot of heat units, and that rice wasn’t outgrowing it,” he said.

78,000 Rice Farmers Benefit From CBN’s Scheme

By admin

June 21, 2017

At least 78,000 rice farmers in Kebbi State have benefitted from the CBN’s Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), an official of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in the state has said.Chairman of RIFAN in the state, Alhaji Mohamed Sahabi, told newsmen in Birnin-Kebbi last Sunday that rice farmers were given loans and other inputs such as fertiliser, pesticides, seeds, and water pumps for irrigation.

Sahabi lauded the programme, saying it had helped farmers earn profit and increase rice production in the state.He explained that 5,000 farmers attached to Labana Rice Mills, an indigenous rice milling company in the state benefitted from the programme.The chairman said that another batch of 26,000 rice farmers in the state had also been short-listed to be given loans to assist them in rice production.Sahabi said that some rice farmers in the state have also commenced repayment of the ABP loans they collected.

“The current support for farmers in the country is the Anchor Borrowers Programme which came into function in 2015.“This programme has helped rice farmers in Kebbi to earn a better living.’’
The chairman said rice farmers were faced with the challenge of accessing their farm lands especially during the rainy season.Sahabi appealed to the state government to construct feeder roads that would guarantee access to farms and effective transportation of goods to the markets.
“We want access roads to our farms so that we will be able to transport our produce to the markets.

“The African Development Bank is doing something about it but we want the government to also come in.’’The ABP was launched in 2015 to create economic linkages between over 600,000 smallholder farmers and reputable large-scale processors with a view to increasing agricultural output and significantly improving capacity utilisation of integrated mills.

http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2017/06/21/78000-rice-farmers-benefit-from-cbns-scheme/

Cap Rambutan rice 100% safe for consumption

Posted on 21 June 2017 - 05:42pm

Last updated on 21 June 2017 - 10:24pm

Kong See Hoh

newsdesk@thesundaily.com

21 June 2017 - 10:24pm

Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

OEL REALTY Holdings Sdn Bhd said its Cap Rambutan rice is 100% safe for consumption and threatened to sue those who questioned the integrity of the product with malicious claims on social media that it contains fake rice.In a statement issued on Tuesday after an inspection conducted by the relevant authority showed the company used genuine rice, OEL said it had lodged a police report on June 13 regarding a viral video on social media claiming that the company used fake rice made from plastic.

According to a report in Sin Chew Daily yesterday, OEL said it would work closely with the enforcement authorities and was considering taking legal action against those who deliberately seek to tarnish the company's reputation and its brands.On June 18, Kedah Padi Regulatory Office acting director Mohd Hidzir Selamat said, after leading a team to inspect rice at the company's factory in Alor Star, that the company's rice came from a genuine source.

The statement said the team took a sample of the Cap Rambutan rice and carried out texture and iodine tests.The team also examined the rice clamping machinery and the factory premises ... and no traces of fake rice were detected, added the statement.The statement further said that OEL, which obtains all its imported rice from Bernas, is ISO9001 2008 and halal certified.As part of the ISO quality assurance process, its products are subjected to random inspections frequently, it said

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2017/06/21/cap-rambutan-rice-100-safe-consumption

DepEd seeks teachers for science and math

Published June 21, 2017, 7:04 PM

By Merlina Hernando-Malipot

The Department of Education (DepEd) has reiterated its acute need for more Science and Math teachers, given the growing interest of young students in these fields.Education Secretary Leonor Briones said that the department has been encountering difficulty in hiring qualified teachers especially for Math and Science subjects. “We have many teaching items for Science and Math that still need to be filled but we have a challenge in hiring them,” she said.

DepEd underscored the importance of hiring more teachers especially those who will teach Math and Science to help ensure that the country, DepEd said, will produce a “generation of innovators equipped with 21st century skills and ready to respond to the constantly shifting demands of today’s challenging world.”

Earlier, a group of young Filipino researchers triumphed in an international challenge of innovation. Five young Filipino learners greatly interested in Science participated and bagged recognition in the 2017 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles, California.

Rubeliene Chezka Gloria, Nadine Antonette Obafial, and Myrelle Angela Colas of Davao City National High School won the Second Grand Award in the ISEF Plant Sciences division for finding a solution to the massive damage caused by adult black rice bug through their study, “Insecticidal Activity of Acacia (Samanea saman) Bark Extract Against Adult Rice Black Bug (Scotinophora sp.).”

With more than half of the world population dependent on rice and corn as staple food, the young scientists sought to develop an organic, renewable, and cost-efficient insecticide that does not harm beneficial insects, helps increase the production of healthier and safe-to-eat crops, and does not poison the soil where crops are grown.

The students found the benefit of a naturally obtainable variable to develop and produce this insecticide in the humble acacia bark. But being able to test its properties against the adult black rice bug proved to be difficult since the invasive pests’ flight patterns are affected by the lunar cycle and the appearance of a full moon at midnight.

The young researchers’ feat landed their names among the stars – specifically among the asteroid belt, where three minor planets will reportedly be named after each of them.

Completing the Philippine team were Maries Ann Silvestre of Juan R. Liwag Memorial High School in Gapan, Nueva Ecija and Ricky Dave Mercado of Nabuslot National High School in Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro.

Silvestre’s study, “Reduction of beta-amyloid Aggregation and Attenuation of Paralysis of Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Crude Ethanolic Leaf Extract in Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans Model of Alzheimer’s disease and Inclusion Body Myositis,” explored the possibility of curing the degenerative disease of the brain and competed in the Biochemistry division of ISEF.

Meanwhile, Mercado’s research, “Surface Morphology of the Different Agricultural Wastes Used as a Sound Absorber and Thermal Insulator,” probed into the noise reduction property of agricultural wastes, specifically coconut husks that have more diverse microporous cells, and competed in the Environmental Engineering category.

Tags: Department of Education, DepEd, DepEd seeks teachers for science and math, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, Manila Bulletin, Math, science, teachers

http://news.mb.com.ph/2017/06/21/deped-seeks-teachers-for-science-and-math/

State can’t allow citizens to feed on unsafe food — PS

Jun. 21, 2017, 2:00 am

By AGATHA NGOTHO @agathangotho

Agriculture PS Richard Lesiyampe. /ENOS TECHE

Agriculture PS Richard Lesiyampe said yesterday that a “responsible government” cannot allow its citizens to feed on unsafe food, refuting concerns that uncertified food may be finding its way onto the shelves.Kenya Bureau of Standards managing director Charles Ongwae on Tuesday said all imports including rice are always accompanied with Certificates of Conformity when they arrive in the country.

Ongwae said that the certificate is a confirmation that the imports have been inspected/tested against the relevant standards at source and found to meet the requirements of the respective product standards.

“Products that do not meet these requirements are issued with Non-Conformity Reports (NCR) and are rejected and not allowed to be exported to Kenya,’’ he added.

Speaking yesterday during the launch of food testing laboratory at Kebs headquarters, Lesiyampe

reassured that food consumed in the country must undergo testing by the standardisation agency before it is released in the market.

“There is no plastic rice and our scientists from the state agency have tested and confirmed that the rice in the market is safe for consumption. Any responsible government will not allow its citizens to feed on unsafe food,” he said.

http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2017/06/21/state-cant-allow-citizens-to-feed-on-unsafe-food-ps_c1582672

Unlimited rice, empty stomachs

By: Gideon Lasco - @inquirerdotnet

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 12:30 AM June 22, 2017

Comments to gideon.lasco@gmail.com

Rice basmati moves up on stockists buying

21 JUNE 2017 Last Updated at 2:53 PM

Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati Rice Rs 9,800, Basmati common new Rs 6,700-7,000, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 5,700-5,800, Permal raw Rs 2,225-2,250, Permal wand Rs 2,275-2,300, Sela Rs 2,500-2,600 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,850-1,900, Bajra Rs 1,230-1,240, Jowar yellow Rs 1,450-1,500, white Rs 2,900-3,100, Maize Rs 1,270- 1,280, Barley Rs 1,510-1,530

New Delhi, Jun 21 Rice basmati prices firmed up by Rs 200 per quintal at the wholesale grains market today on emergence of stockists buying.

However, other grains held steady in thin trade.

Traders said stockists buying, driven by uptick in demand mainly fuelled rice basmati prices.

In the national capital, rice basmati common and Pusa- 1121 variety settled higher at Rs 6,700-7,000 and Rs 5,700- 5,800 from previous levels of Rs 6,500-6,800 and Rs 5,500- 5,800 per quintal, respectively.

Following are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal):

Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,100-2,345, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs 1,750-1,755, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,755-1,760, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Roller flour mill Rs 950-960 (50 kg), Maida Rs 960-970 (50 kg) and Sooji Rs 1,040-1,050 (50 kg).

Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati Rice Rs 9,800, Basmati common new Rs 6,700-7,000, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 5,700-5,800, Permal raw Rs 2,225-2,250, Permal wand Rs 2,275-2,300, Sela Rs 2,500-2,600 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,850-1,900, Bajra Rs 1,230-1,240, Jowar yellow Rs 1,450-1,500, white Rs 2,900-3,100, Maize Rs 1,270- 1,280, Barley Rs 1,510-1,530

http://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/rice-basmati-moves-up-on-stockists-buying/1081000

12:00 AM, June 21, 2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:38 AM, June 21, 2017

India raises rice, cotton buying prices

Reuters

India raised minimum purchase prices for rice, cotton and other crops by the most since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, according a government circular seen by Reuters, amid ongoing protests in the country's biggest farming states.

Prices paid to local farmers for common grade paddy rice are to be raised by 5.4 percent to 1,550 rupees ($24.03) per 100 kg for the year starting on July 1, while long staple cotton prices have been hiked by 3.8 percent to 4,320 rupees per 100 kg.The increases for rice, cotton and other crops follow an outburst of discontent in the heartland states of Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring Maharashtra as farmers sought higher prices and debt relief.

Five protesting farmers were shot dead this month in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, which along with Maharashtra is ruled by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).The unrest has posed a challenge to regional BJP leaders and Modi, who have promised to double farmers' incomes over the next five years.

India is the world's biggest rice exporter and buys the grain from local farmers to protect them from distressed sales and to build stocks for welfare programmes.The government fixes minimum prices for more than two dozen farm commodities, although it mainly procures wheat and rice.Growers of other crops like onions, tomatoes and potatoes are also protesting due to steep falls in the prices of their produce and the absence of the government buying.

http://www.thedailystar.net/business/india-raises-rice-cotton-buying-prices-1423324

Rice price to be declined by Tk 6 per kg: Commerce Minister Tofail

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed today told the parliament that rice price will be declined by Tk 6 per kilogramme as the import duty on it has been reduced. "The import duty on rice has been reduced to 10 percent from 28 percent in line with direction of the prime minister. The rice price will be declined by Tk 6 per kg," he said while discussing on the proposed national budget for 2017-18 fiscal. Tofail said the prices of rice went up as the mills owners disrupted the normal supply to the market.

Apparently criticising the cabinet members who lambasted Finance Minister AMA Muhith participating in the discussion on proposed budget in Parliament in the last several days, Tofail said the budget has earlier been approved by the cabinet. “If I've anything to say, the cabinet meeting is the proper place for it. Once the budget is passed (by the cabinet), then MPs (not cabinet members) can place their suggestions on it."

Earlier, several ministers, including Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury criticised Muhith for imposing additional excise duty on bank accounts and reducing interest rate on saving certificates. Tofail also blasted Jatiya Party leaders Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu and Kazi Firoze Rashid for demanding resignation of Muhith and raising question about his capacity for old age reason. "You raised question about the age of the finance minister, but you don't consider the age of your leader HM Ershad who is five year older than the finance minister.

Why did you demand the resignation of the finance minister?" the commerce minister said. "He (Muhith) placed 12 budgets in Parliament. He'll place more if Awami League is in power. The prime minister has the trust in him," Tofail said. Talking about recapitalising the state banks with public money, the minister said he does not support it. "Tk 2,000 crore has been proposed for recapitalising banks. But I don't support it.” The government will have to take pragmatic steps to prevent anomalies in the banking sector, Tofail added.

Author Name: http://www.thedailystar.net/country/rice-price-be-declined-tk-6-kg-says-commerce-minister-tofail-1423495

Bangladesh issues tender to import 50,000 tonnes of rice

DHAKA, June 21 (Reuters) - Bangladesh's state grains buyer on Wednesday issued its fourth international tender since May, looking to import 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice as it grapples with depleted stocks and record local prices. The deadline for offers is July 9, with the rice to be shipped within 40 days of signing any deal, a senior official at the country's state grains buyer said, declining to be identified.

The step comes as the government is set to slash tax on rice imports after flash floods hit local output, plunging state reserves to 10-year lows. Growing demand from Bangladesh will help stoke Asian prices that have already hit multi-year highs in recent months. Separately, Ataur Rahman, additional secretary at the food ministry, told Reuters last week, that the country would import 200,000 tonnes of white rice at $430 a tonne and 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice at $470 a tonne from Vietnam in a government-to-government deal.

Those rates are sharply higher than what it has been paying through previous tenders. Bangladesh is buying 50,000 tonnes of white rice at $406.48 a tonne and 100,000 tonnes of parboiled rice at $427.85 and $445.11 a tonne through tenders. The government is also in talks with Thailand and India to import rice to replenish reserves. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's central bank has ordered banks to allow traders to import rice without any deposit against letters of credit. (Reporting by Ruma Paul)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-4624292/Bangladesh-issues-tender-import-50-000-tonnes-rice.html

World Bank Subsidiary to Train 2,000 Contract Rice Farmers

A World Bank subsidiary will soon start training 2,000 farmers contracted to supply a leading Cambodian rice exporter on how to meet an international farming standard. The International Finance Corporation will work with Amru Rice over three years to implement the U.N.-led Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) in Kompong Cham province, the two organizations announced on Tuesday in a statement.Farmers transplant rice next to a sugar cane field in July 2016. (John Vink)Farmers will be scored on 46 criteria, including record keeping, seed variety, pesticide choice, water management and the use of child labor.

Hean Vanhorn, deputy director-general at the Agriculture Ministry, said it was the first time the standard was being introduced to the sector, and explained that the project could help contract farmers market their paddy rice. “When they know they need to produce according to this standard, and they know the profit they can make before harvesting, it can avoid the common problem of individual farming with no unified structure, which often affects their sales,” Mr. Vanhorn said. “We do have other standards—like the organic standard—but those products are specific and hard to produce at a big scale,” he added. “SRP is easier to apply in the context of sustainability, which is now a global trend.” The International Finance Corporation and Amru did not immediately respond to questions about the project’s cost and starting date. sokunthea@cambodiadaily.com

https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/world-bank-subsidiary-to-train-2000-contract-rice-farmers-131561/

Bangladesh slashes import duty on rice

DHAKA (APP/Xinhua) - Bangladesh has cut import duty on rice to 10 percent from 28 percent in a bid to rein the instability in prices of the staple food item in the domestic market.

Bangladeshi Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed made the announcement at a press briefing Tuesday in capital Dhaka, a move hailed by experts.

He said prices of rice are expected to fall by 6 taka per kilogram as a result of the duty reduction. Officials say a gazette will be issued in this regard soon. Owing to higher import duty placed back in 2015 and 2016 in a bid to safeguard local farmers amid cheap prices from neighboring countries, rice import has dropped to a four-year low this year.

Local importers blamed a 28-percent tariff on rice import for the decline. As the domestic rice market has again become volatile in the wake of reports that paddy production is likely to fall this year due to flash floods and rice blast disease, prices of rice continued to soar since April.

Against this backdrop, the Bangladeshi government has strengthened its efforts to build buffer stock of rice through quick import.

The Bangladeshi government last week decided to import rice from Vietnam for more than 39 taka a kilogram.

The state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh reportedly recorded a 47-percent hike in the prices of coarse rice this month compared to the same period last year.

Price hike of food items particularly staple rice is a key concern for the Bangladeshi government as nearly 31.5 percent of its around 160 million people still live below the national poverty line and spend a large part of their incomes on food purchase. Flash Flood struck the country's northeastern region in March, causing huge loss of Boro (Winter) rice. Apart from this, rice blast disease has also affected boro rice production elsewhere in the country. Against such circumstances, prices are seen rising in the short term on a supply shortage.

http://nation.com.pk/business/21-jun-2017/bangladesh-slashes-import-duty-on-rice

FG Moves to Reduce Price of Rice

Discussion in 'Business News' started by RemmyAlex, Yesterday at 4:02 PM.

Federal Government is working toward reducing the price of fertiliser to cut down the price of locally produced rice.Minister of Budget and National Planning Udoma Udo Udoma, who said this on Wednesday when he featured on a television current affairs programme on the 2017 Budget in Abuja, said that the Federal Government was collaborating with the Morocco Government in this regard.

“The imported rice is coming in; most of them are subsidized and undercutting the locally produce rice, which has higher quality.“The problem is bringing down the price of our rice; we are trying to support rice production by bringing down the price of fertiliser because the price of inputs determines the price of output.

“We are trying to see how we can bring down the prices of farm inputs so as to cut down the prices of local rice in the country.“We are also working on fertiliser; what the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has done is undertaking soil analyses of all soil in the 36 states.

“And they have been able to ascertain the blend of fertiliser that is most suitable for a particular kind of soil.“The farmers will now be advised on what type of fertiliser to use, so that they won’t apply fertiliser without specifications on crops as this often leads to low yield. So, we have that as part of the value chain.

“Then, we are giving support in terms of evacuating farm produce to the market by constructing and maintaining rural roads. Most of the crops get spoilt as a result of not evacuating them to market in good time.

“We are working on every stage of all the chain. The Federal Government is working with the state governments to achieve the objectives of this mission,’’ he said

https://www.nigerianbulletin.com/threads/fg-moves-to-reduce-price-of-rice.240684/

USDA Commodity Intelligence Report - Madagascar Rice: Severe Drought Lowers Production

from Government of the United States of America

Published on 20 Jun 2017

Madagascar’s 2017/18 rough rice production is estimated at 3.5 million metric tons (mmt), down 0.2 mmt from last year and down 0.41 mmt or 11 percent from the 5-year average. The estimated output is below the 5-year average due to a severe drought in the central and northern regions of the country where nearly 80 percent of Madagascar’s rice is grown (Figures 1 and 2). Area is estimated at 2.2 million hectares (mha), down 0.2 mha from last year due to the drought. Seasonal rainfall during the first half of the rice growing season (November 2016 through February 2017) was the lowest in the past 36 years. The drought in the central and northern parts of the country reduced planting and significantly reduced yields. In addition, cropland was flooded in the north and northeast when Cyclone Enawo, the largest cyclone (Category 4) to strike Madagascar since 2004, hit landfall in early March 2017.

Madagascar’s Ministry of Agriculture will perform a Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) survey in July with assistance from the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Program. The CFSAM results should be released in September 2017, along with a final rice production estimate. The final national output could be less than the current 3.5 mmt estimated if impacts from the drought and floods were worse than expected. Significant yield reductions have already been reported in many of the regions within the large drought area shown in Figure 2.

In early May, personnel from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service and USAID’s Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWSNET) traveled to southern Madagascar where the agro-climate is very dry and food assistance has been distributed for the past two consecutive drought years in the southern Anosy, Androy and Atsimo Andrefana regions (Figures 3-5).

Farmers in the arid south also received agricultural-input support for the 2016/17 growing season, but production prospects for this year’s crops were well below average in Tsihombe and Ambovombe districts due to delayed rains during the planting season, lack of seeds, and insect infestations. Small locust outbreaks were also observed throughout Tsihombe and Ambovombe districts (Figure 6).

http://reliefweb.int/report/madagascar/usda-commodity-intelligence-report-madagascar-rice-severe-drought-lowers

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- JUN 22, 2017

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-June 22

Nagpur, June 22 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices moved down in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and

Marketing Committee (APMC) auction on lack of demand from local millers amid release of stock

from stockists. Downward trend in Madhya Pradesh pulses and high moisture content arrival also

affected prices.

About 1,200 of gram and 450 bags of tuar were available for auctions, according to sources.

    FOODGRAINS & PULSES

   GRAM

   * Desi gram reported weak in open market on poor buying support from local traders

     amid good supply from producing regions.

   TUAR

   * Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market here on subdued demand from local traders

     amid ample stock in ready position.

   * Wheat Lokwan reported down in open market here on poor demand from local traders.

   * In Akola, Tuar New – 3,900-4,100, Tuar dal (clean) – 5,700-5,800, Udid Mogar (clean)

    – 8,200-9,200, Moong Mogar (clean) 6,800-7,200, Gram – 5,600-5,800, Gram Super best

    – 7,800-8,500

   * Other varieties of wheat, rice and other commodities moved in a narrow range in

     scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading activity.

 Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg

     FOODGRAINS                 Available prices     Previous close

     Gram Auction                  4,100-4,750         4,200-4,860

     Gram Pink Auction            n.a.           2,100-2,600

     Tuar Auction                3,300-3,555         3,400-3,680

     Moong Auction                n.a.                3,900-4,200

     Udid Auction                n.a.           4,300-4,500

     Masoor Auction                n.a.              2,600-2,800

     Wheat Mill quality Auction        1,500-1,616        1,500-1,645

     Gram Super Best Bold            7,800-8,500        7,800-8,500

     Gram Super Best            n.a.            n.a.

     Gram Medium Best            7,000-7,500        7,000-7,500

     Gram Dal Medium            n.a.            n.a

     Gram Mill Quality            5,300-5,400        5,300-5,400

     Desi gram Raw                5,600-5,800         5,700-5,900

     Gram Yellow                 7,700-8,200        7,700-8,200

     Gram Kabuli                12,300-13,400        12,300-13,400

     Tuar Fataka Best-New             5,900-6,200        5,900-6,200

     Tuar Fataka Medium-New        5,500-5,700        5,500-5,700

     Tuar Dal Best Phod-New        5,200-5,400        5,200-5,400

     Tuar Dal Medium phod-New        4,800-5,000        4,800-5,000

     Tuar Gavarani New             3,800-3,900        3,800-3,900

     Tuar Karnataka             4,100-4,200        4,100-4,200

     Masoor dal best            5,000-5,400        5,000-5,400

     Masoor dal medium            4,500-4,700        4,500-4,700

     Masoor                    n.a.            n.a.

     Moong Mogar bold (New)        7,000-7,500         7,000-7,500

     Moong Mogar Medium            6,300-6,600        6,300-6,600

     Moong dal Chilka            5,200-6,000        5,200-6,000

     Moong Mill quality            n.a.            n.a.

     Moong Chamki best            6,500-7,500        6,500-7,500

     Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,000-9,000       8,000-9,000

     Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)    7,000-7,500        7,000-7,500

     Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)        4,900-5,200        4,900-5,200

     Batri dal (100 INR/KG)        5,000-5,500        5,000-5,500

     Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)          2,900-3,100         2,900-3,100

     Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)            2,950-3,050        2,950-3,050

     Watana White (100 INR/KG)           3,500-3,700           3,500-3,700

     Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)    4,100-4,600        4,100-4,600

     Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)        1,950-2,050        1,950-2,050

     Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG)    1,800-1,900        1,800-1,900

     Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)         2,150-2,350           2,150-2,350

     Wheat Lokwan new (100 INR/KG)    1,800-2,000        1,850-2,050

     Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)    2,100-2,300        2,200-2,400

     Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG)   1,800-2,000        1,900-2,100

     Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)    n.a.            n.a.

     MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG)    3,000-3,500        3,100-3,500

     MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG)    2,200-2,800        2,300-2,800

     Rice BPT new (100 INR/KG)        2,800-3,200        2,800-3,200

     Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG)        3,500-4,000        3,500-4,000

     Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)        3,000-3,200        3,000-3,200

     Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG)         2,500-2,800        2,500-2,800

     Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG)       2,200-2,400        2,200-2,400

     Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG)      2,600-2,800        2,600-2,800

     Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG)      2,400-2,500        2,400-2,500

     Rice HMT New (100 INR/KG)        3,600-4,000        3,600-4,000

     Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG)           4,500-5,000        4,500-5,000

     Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG)        4,100-4,300        4,100-4,300

     Rice Shriram New(100 INR/KG)           4,800-5,200        4,800-5,200

     Rice Shriram best 100 INR/KG)    6,500-6,800        6,500-6,800

     Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG)    5,800-6,200        5,800-6,200

     Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG)    10,000-14,000        10,000-14,000

     Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)    6,000-8,000        6,000-8,000

     Rice Chinnor New(100 INR/KG)        4,600-4,800        4,600-4,800

     Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG)    5,800-6,000        5,800-6,000

     Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG)    5,400-5,600        5,400-5,600

     Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG)        1,900-2,200        1,900-2,200

     Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)         1,800-1,900        1,800-1,900

WEATHER (NAGPUR)

Maximum temp. 40.3 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 24.7 degree Celsius

Rainfall : 1.4 mm

FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Possibility of rains or thunder-showers likely towards evening ornight. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 39 and 25 degree Celsius

respectively.

Note: n.a.--not available

(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices)

http://in.reuters.com/article/nagpur-foodgrain-idINL3N1JJ2R4

BERNAS Says Quality Of Imported Rice Guaranteed

KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 -- Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) assured that rice imported in the country undergoes stringent tests and inspection at various stages before being distributed to wholesalers and factories for packing.Bernas in a statement today said as the sole importer of rice in Malaysia, rice imported from other countries goes through a series of tests by Quality Surveyors (QC) appointed, before going through the shipping process.

"When the consignment arrives at the port in Malaysia, the rice will undergo a quality control inspection and test. Once the rice arrives at the warehouse, Bernas appointed QC will conduct tests from samplings gathered to ensure the quality of rice imported," said the statement from Bernas.The statement said once the tests are done and the rice analysed, a certificate of quality and specification will be issued as an endorsement from Bernas for reference by wholesalers and factories.

Monitoring and enforcement of food safety are constantly carried out to ensure that food available in the market is safe said Bernas.Social media has gone abuzz with reports that fake rice (plastic rice) was sold widely in the country.

-- BERNAMA

http://malaysiandigest.com/frontpage/29-4-tile/682337-bernas-says-quality-of-imported-rice-guaranteed.html

UPDATE 1-Bangladesh issues tender to import 50,000 tonnes of rice

* Marks fourth rice tender since May

* Looking to boost stocks in wake of floods

* July 9 is deadline for offers (Add detail)

DHAKA, June 21 Bangladesh's state grains buyer on Wednesday issued its fourth international tender since May, looking to import 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice as it grapples with depleted stocks and record local prices.

The deadline for offers is July 9, with the rice to be shipped within 40 days of signing any deal, a senior official at the country's state grains buyer said, declining to be identified.

The step comes as the government is set to slash tax on rice imports after flash floods hit local output, plunging state reserves to 10-year lows.

Growing demand from Bangladesh will help stoke Asian prices that have already hit multi-year highs in recent months.

Separately, Ataur Rahman, additional secretary at the food ministry, told Reuters last week, that the country would import 200,000 tonnes of white rice at $430 a tonne and 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice at $470 a tonne from Vietnam in a government-to-government deal.

The government is also in talks with Thailand and India to import rice to replenish reserves.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh's central bank has ordered banks to allow traders to import rice without any deposit against letters of credit. (Reporting by Ruma Paul)

Pakistani chicken biryani recipe

Updated on June 21, 2017 at 4:01 AMPosted on June 21, 2017 at 4:00 AM

Pakistani biryani made with chicken on the stove at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Center in Kenner on Wednesday, June 14, 2017. (Photo by Chris Granger, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

BY ANN MALONEY

NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

This is a lovely dish made by members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Center in Kenner to break their Ramadan fast. Many of the members are from Pakistan.

We wondered when I ate it why the rice was golden, but now realize it was simply food coloring. Very pretty.

Pakistani chicken biryani
Serves 8 to 10 people

1 5-pound chicken, cut into large pieces

2 pounds basmati rice

1 cup oil (or ghee, which is clarified butter), plus more for rice

3 medium potatoes (red boiling spuds)

3-4 green chili, slit (hari mirch)

6 cloves

6 cardamom seeds

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon ground cumin (shahi jeera)

4 onions, finely sliced

1 teaspoon garam masala (an Indian spice mix)

3 tablespoon adrak lahsun (a ginger garlic paste)

4 tomatoes, pureed

1/2 cup yogurt

2 teaspoons crushed red chili flakes

Salt, to taste

Fresh cilantro, to taste

Fresh mint, to taste

Orange food coloring, optional

Cut up chicken, wash chicken and set aside.

Wash basmati rice and then allow it to soak in water for an hour.

Heat oil in large pan and fry potatoes till golden brown. Remove potatoes from pan; set aside.

In same oil, add the green chili, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin and onion. Fry till onion turns lightly golden brown color. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell evaporates from it.

Add chicken and fry until completely cooked. Add tomato puree, yogurt, red chili flakes, salt, cilantro and mint leaves.

Cook on high heat until oil starts leaving side of the pan. Add the potatoes and give it a gentle stir.

For the rice, boil 15 cups water to pot. Add salt and a tablespoon of oil to water. Add rice to boiling water.

Cook rice for about 30 minutes until it is almost done. (To test it: If you feel the rice between your fingers, it should feel cooked, but still slightly firm.)

Spoon rice on top of meat mixture. Do not mix in. Spread a tablespoon of butter, or ghee, which is clarified butter, on top of the rice. Sprinkle a bit of food coloring on rice now, if desired.

Cover with foil to form a tightly fitted lid. Place pot over a low flame for 10 minutes.

Just before serving, mix rice and meat mixture.

http://www.nola.com/food/index.ssf/2017/06/pakistani_chicken_biryani_reci.html

New Orleans-area Muslims invite community to share nightly Ramadan feast

Posted on June 21, 2017 at 5:00 AM

BY ANN MALONEY

NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

Just before sunset on Wednesday (June 14), members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community gathered at their center in Kenner, as they do each evening of Ramadan, to pray and break their fast.

Like millions of Muslims around the world, members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim sect abstain from eating or drinking, from dawn to dusk each day during the holy month. The means nothing by mouth - not even water.

Fasting for Ramadan: Muslims observe holy month

Ramadan runs from Friday (May 26), through June 25, 2017.

At iftar, the nightly breaking of the fast, the faithful begin by praying, the men on one side of the center, the women on the other. The men lead the prayers, which the women listen to through a speaker. The youngest children play and wander throughout the center.

As sunset drew near on that Wednesday, everyone filled a plate with dried dates, fruit salad and pakoras, a fried chickpea fritter, and waited until precisely 8:02 p.m. to eat.

After that snack, they prayed again before enjoying a potluck feast prepared by the women of the community.

On this recent Wednesday, the lively meal featured homemade bread; spicy, curried mixed vegetables; aloo gosht, which is a goat and potato stew; chicken patties; chicken biryani; and salad. For dessert: tea and zarda, a sweet Pakistani rice with nuts, coconut and raisins.

From left, salad, aloo gosht, a Pakistani goat and potato stew; and chicken biryani. (Photo by Chris Granger, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

In these turbulent times, this Muslim community is eager to share not only their food but their way of life with others as a way to combat extremism, said Rafi Chaudhry, president of the center.

And what brings people to your table? Food.

Throughout the year, each Wednesday at 8 p.m., the center, at 2113 38th St., hosts an open house, "Coffee, Cake and True Islam." On a Wednesday night in May, thick slabs of cake were served with dark coffee, as members answered questions from seven visitors, including me. There was no proselytizing. Instead, we talked about the meaning of jihad, sharia law and women's rights.

The first thing one sees when entering the center is a blue and white permanent sign that reads: "Love for all. Hatred for None." Next to that is a floor-to-ceiling banner for TrueIslam.com, a non-sectarian group, that reads: "Extremists recruit by distorting Islam. We can stop them and you can help."

"In the past year or so (the Ahmadiyya Muslim) community, which has its head office in Washington, D.C., has decided that at all 72 chapters, we should hold these programs," Chaudhry said. The effort came in response to the rising prominence of terrorist groups, such as Isis, and the fear and anxiety that they create, he said.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which was founded in 1889, has millions of members in more than 200 countries. It arrived in the United States in 1920 and in New Orleans in 1924.

Shehla Ahmed, vice president of the women's community, who helps to coordinate the Wednesday night gatherings, said the goal is to give people a chance to get to know Muslims first-hand rather than through what they see on TV or read online.

"People think we are oppressed," she said of Muslim women. "We are not."

It is understandable that people fear a faith with which they are unfamiliar, especially with extremism cause such turmoil in the world, Chaudhry said.

Certain leaders take the text of the Quran and interpret it to suit their desires, Chaudhry said, adding: "If a woman is not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, people think that is a teaching of Islam. That is not true."

Still, there are faith-based behaviors that may seem unusual to westerners, for example, regarding modest clothing, the separation of men and women during worship and the guidelines for food preparation.

Noushaba Nadeem Haq, left, and Rifat Ahmad both of Metairie prepare food in the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Center kitchen in Kenner on Wednesday, June 14, 2017. (Photo by Chris Granger, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

During Ramadan, those who are interested in learning more, but who cannot come on Wednesdays, are invited to the nightly dinners as the faithful break their fasts. Food is served at sundown.

"During Ramadan, we are there every evening," Chaudhry said of the month-long observance, which began on May 27 and continues until June 24.

(They ask that anyone intending to come to please message or RSVP on the Facebook page, so they will be prepared with enough food.)

Ramadan is a time of solemn reflection for Muslims. Observance is considered one of the five "pillars of Islam." The others are a declaration of faith, daily prayer, giving to the poor and the pilgrimage to Mecca. Many Muslims believe that the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad during the 10 final days of Ramadan.

What is Ramadan? Understanding the Muslim holy month

Ramadan is often likened to a spiritual training camp.

When Ramadan ends, Eid al-Fitr, the "festival of the breaking of the fast," begins, with many Muslims attending services and feasting with family and friends.

When asked what they like to do during Eid al-Fitr, Shehla Ahmed, vice president of the women's community, joked: "Eat!"

And the community does eat well.

Many at this center immigrated from Pakistan, so the food reflects their homeland and that of northern India. Lift the lid on the biryani, a rice dish that often is made with goat or chicken, and the scent of cardamom, ginger and cilantro fill the air.

Ahmed noted that when she moved here 39 years ago, it was difficult to find some of the fruit and spices from home.

"Now, you can just go to Whole Foods," she said.

The sect follows the Islamic dietary laws, or Halal. For goat, the women go to Kased Brothers Halal, which is right across the street from the center, said Azra Ahmad, president of the women's community.

Ahmad warns that goat, which is lean and versatile, may need to cook longer than chicken or beef due to its toughness.

Shehla Ahmed, vice president of the women's community at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Center in Kenner, stirs the Pakistani aloo gosht, a goat and potato stew, on Wednesday, June 14, 2017. (Photo by Chris Granger, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

Aloo gosht, a savory goat and potato stew, is redolent of what many of us would enjoy on a special Sunday dinner, with a rich brown gravy, but spiced with a hint of turmeric, ginger, cardamom and chilies.

Most of the ingredients in the recipes can be found at area groceries, but some, such as garam masala, an Indian spice mix, may require a trip to an international store.

These are mildly spiced, soft fritters. It is essential not to overcrowd the fritters when frying them or they will be soak up too much grease.

Pakoras
Makes 20-24

2 cups (8.8 ounces) besan (chickpea flour)

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 green chili pepper, sliced

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

1 yellow onion, sliced into 1/8-inch half moons

1 cup lukewarm water

Sunflower oil (or any neutral oil like vegetable, safflower or canola) for deep frying

In large bowl, mix together the besan, chili flakes, salt, baking powder, peppers, cilantro and onion.

Slowly add water, while mixing with wooden spoon or hands. Vigorously mix for a couple of seconds. The batter should be thick, almost like heavy cream, and there should be air bubbles throughout.

Fill 8-inch cast-iron skillet half-way up with oil. Heat oil to between 360 to 375 degrees.

Once oil is heated, carefully place heaping tablespoons of batter into hot oil. Do not to overcrowd oil. Fry until the pakoras are a pecan-brown.

Drain on a cooling rack placed over a cookie sheet.

Repeat with the remainder of the batter. Serve right away.

This was a lovely dish. I wondered when I ate it why the rice was golden, but now realize it was simply food coloring. Very pretty.