Ayaz-led NA
delegation meets Larijani in Tehran
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz
Sadiq has stressed on enhancing trade and commercial ties between Pakistan and
Iran to bring the two states closer in all other spheres of mutual concern.
He made these remarks during his
formal talks with Iranian parliament Speaker Ali Larijani in Majlis on Saturday
at the start of the three-day official bilateral visit of Pakistan’s
parliamentary delegation to Iran.
Speaker Ayaz, who arrived in the
Iranian capital, held a busy round of meetings with the top parliamentary and
political leadership, discussing critical issues of border security,
Afghanistan, Middle East situation, Yemen and Syrian crisis, trade and commerce
and other issues of mutual concern.
During his meeting with Speaker
Larijani, Speaker Ayaz stressed on the two sides to work closely for the
progress of the two nations and for the entire Muslim world. “We must not fall
prey to the sectarian divide and think for Muslim unity and prosperity,” he
said.
He lamented the fact that though
the two countries shared a common border of over 920 kms and yet the trade
volume between the two neighbors was disappointingly low. He noted that the
recent Joint Economic Commission had set the target of taking the bilateral
trade volume to the figure of five billion dollars.
However, given the existing
potential, this could easily be raised to three times. He stressed on the
Iranian side to lift the tariff barriers on Pakistani exports of rice, citrus,
fruits, cotton and other items. He also invited Iran to join the CPEC to boost
Iranian exports.
Citing the long-standing
religious, cultural and emotional ties between the two nations, Ayaz reaffirmed
Pakistan’s support to Iran for regional peace and Iran’s sovereignty. “There
are powers who do not want peace in the Muslim world and we must understand
this greater international conspiracy,” he said.
On Afghanistan issue, he said
that the regional issues should be resolved by the countries of the region
without interference of any foreign involvement. He also highlighted the
condition of Muslims in Jammu Kashmir and said Pakistan considers solution of
Kashmir issue through UN resolutions and political dialogue.
Speaker Larijani also welcomed
the parliamentary delegation and extended Iran’s cooperation and support in his
remarks. He praised the speaker’s frank approach and said that he fully trusted
the sincerer of his Pakistani counterpart. “You speak from your heart so I
believe in every word of yours,” he said.
The two speakers have agreed to
provide the parliamentary imputes to the ongoing peace initiatives and in this
regard, Iran declared its support to Pakistan’s parliamentary initiative of a
quadrilateral Parliamentary Peace Conference of China, Iran, Pakistan and
Afghanistan
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2017/04/23/ayaz-led-na-delegation-meets-larijani-in-tehran/
SP does not expect rice imports to depress prices
Posted on April
24, 2017
RICE PRICES are expected to
remain stable with over two months’ worth of buffer stocks available, a senior
central bank official said, while noting that imports brought in by the private
sector are unlikely to cause a sharp drop in the price of the staple.
AFP
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Diwa C.
Guinigundo said the country’s rice inventory is enough to cover 69 days as of
end-March, and is expected to remain ample as the harvest season kicks in even
if inventory is lower than the 71-day stock during the same period last year.
Mr. Guinigundo, who sits as part of the National Food Authority (NFA) Council, said that while the buffer stock will last until end-June, private firms can still pursue rice imports under the minimum access volume (MAV) scheme. He also allayed fears that this would lead to sharp price fluctuations.
“The fear that during the summer harvest, importation will depress the price of rice -- to me, that’s not true... It’s possible that the importation will be lower, still because of the bumper harvest the supply of rice is still ample. So we don’t believe rice prices will move up in a very significant way,” Mr. Guinigundo told reporters on Friday.
The NFA must under the law maintain a rice buffer stock sufficient for 15 days at any given time and 30 days at the onset of the lean season starting July to keep both supply and prices stable.
The Philippines is one of the biggest rice buyers in the world, with importation often done during the lean months and following the wrath of strong typhoons that damage crops.
The Philippines can import 250,000 metric tons (MT) of palay, or unmilled rice, on a government-to-government basis, but this must be approved by the interagency NFA Council. Mr. Guinigundo said the NFA Council has not yet activated this deal given the supply available.
On the other hand, businesses can bring in more rice through the MAV despite the available supply, although Mr. Guinigundo said it was unlikely for this to cause a sudden drop in prices.
“The likelihood of a private importer making a mistake in terms of supply and demand is quite remote because it’s their money that’s at stake. So we allow the private sector to do importation under the MAV,” the central bank official added, noting that these firms will likely wait for the lean months before releasing their stock onto the market.
Quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice imports -- a preferential trade deal secured by the Philippines since 1995 -- allow the Philippines to limit the volume of rice imports every year and impose higher tariffs on amounts that go beyond the MAV set by officials, in order to prevent the influx of cheap rice and protect local farmers.
The BSP has been backing the lifting of the QR regime as it would have “beneficial” effects on inflation, but said that the government must provide a comprehensive support package for local farmers who will likely bear the brunt of increased competition due to the influx of cheaper imported rice. The QR system will expire by end-June, unless the Philippines asks for another extension.
Mr. Guinigundo, who sits as part of the National Food Authority (NFA) Council, said that while the buffer stock will last until end-June, private firms can still pursue rice imports under the minimum access volume (MAV) scheme. He also allayed fears that this would lead to sharp price fluctuations.
“The fear that during the summer harvest, importation will depress the price of rice -- to me, that’s not true... It’s possible that the importation will be lower, still because of the bumper harvest the supply of rice is still ample. So we don’t believe rice prices will move up in a very significant way,” Mr. Guinigundo told reporters on Friday.
The NFA must under the law maintain a rice buffer stock sufficient for 15 days at any given time and 30 days at the onset of the lean season starting July to keep both supply and prices stable.
The Philippines is one of the biggest rice buyers in the world, with importation often done during the lean months and following the wrath of strong typhoons that damage crops.
The Philippines can import 250,000 metric tons (MT) of palay, or unmilled rice, on a government-to-government basis, but this must be approved by the interagency NFA Council. Mr. Guinigundo said the NFA Council has not yet activated this deal given the supply available.
On the other hand, businesses can bring in more rice through the MAV despite the available supply, although Mr. Guinigundo said it was unlikely for this to cause a sudden drop in prices.
“The likelihood of a private importer making a mistake in terms of supply and demand is quite remote because it’s their money that’s at stake. So we allow the private sector to do importation under the MAV,” the central bank official added, noting that these firms will likely wait for the lean months before releasing their stock onto the market.
Quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice imports -- a preferential trade deal secured by the Philippines since 1995 -- allow the Philippines to limit the volume of rice imports every year and impose higher tariffs on amounts that go beyond the MAV set by officials, in order to prevent the influx of cheap rice and protect local farmers.
The BSP has been backing the lifting of the QR regime as it would have “beneficial” effects on inflation, but said that the government must provide a comprehensive support package for local farmers who will likely bear the brunt of increased competition due to the influx of cheaper imported rice. The QR system will expire by end-June, unless the Philippines asks for another extension.
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=bsp-does-not-expect-rice-imports-to-depress-prices&id=144136
Politics
of rice
BREAKTHROUGH
By Elfren S. Cruz (The Philippine Star) | Updated April 23, 2017 - 12:00am
The ongoing debate about rice
importation and the monopoly of rice imports by the National Food Authority
highlights the conflicting and contradictory mandate of the NFA. The issue of
price stabilization sounds ideal; but, it raises the problem of determining
whose interests comes first – the rice consumer or the rice farmer?
In a
discussion paper Rice and Philippine Politics
, DLSU
economists Ponciano Intal and Marissa Garcia said that the rice policy debate
can take two different directions. One direction is to ask how farmers can
achieve satisfactory incomes when the prices are “too low.” On the other hand
rice consumers will ask how to purchase their staple food when prices are “too
high.”
The wide
range of income distribution in the Philippines is the reason why many
consumers are too poor to afford adequate rice for their families even when the
prices are “low.” At the same time, the cost structures and range of land
holdings is the reason many rice farmers are unable to earn adequate income
even when the prices are “high.”According to Intal and Garcia: “Consequently,
no single price of rice can satisfy all consumers and producers.” This debate
as to whose interests will have priority – consumers or farmers – has made rice
a highly volatile political commodity in Philippine politics.
Rice is
the staple food of more than half of the world’s population. In the
Philippines, it remains the staple food of 80% to 85% of the population and
accounts for about 35% of the calorie intake per Filipino. However, rice is an
essential food to the lower income households; and, it is estimated that rice
accounts for approximately 60% of calorie intake of the lowest socio income
households. The availability of rice at low and stable prices has become an
overriding objective for every government since the Philippine Commonwealth
period. A rise in rice prices coupled with inadequacy of supply were
contributing factors to defeats in past presidential elections like President
Garcia in 1961 and President Macapagal in 1965.
Even in
the more advanced countries of East Asia – China, Japan, South Korea –
governments have tended to intervene in the rice markets through taxes,
subsidies and market protection in order to protect the domestic rice market
from fluctuations in the international rice market.
The five
largest rice importers in the world are China, Nigeria, Philippines, Iran and
Indonesia. It is expected that African countries will begin to import more rice
as their economies begin to improve. Both the Department of Agriculture and the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have studies explaining why the
Philippines continue to import rice.
The basic cause is really geography. The
countries that export rice have major river deltas and lots of land suitable
for rice – Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myannmar, Thailand has four times the
arable land per person than the Philippines. In Asia, the countries that import
rice are island nations – Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka. Malaysia is
a rice importer because it is a narrow peninsula with similar geographic
characteristics as an island nation. Another problem for the Philippines is
that it is located on the eastern edge of Asia, directly facing the Pacific
Ocean. This means it is subject to
numerous typhoon and makes rice and
other crop production risky ventures.
The
National Food Authority ( NFA) was established in 1972 with the tasks of
ensuring the food security of the nation, and, at the same time guaranteeing
the supply and price stability of the country’s staple food – rice. Several
respected Philippine economists have proposed the abolition of the NFA and end
the government monopoly on rice importation. According to DLSU economists Intal
and Garcia, under the Estrada administration, the government had committed
itself to implement a $100 Million ADB funded loan that included a policy
reform component including the privatization of the NFA and the liberalization
of rice trading. At that time, the issue
was whether to privatize the NFA right away or to delay because of political
considerations. However, it seemed that political pressures led to the setting
aside of the privatization issue.
While
deregulation of the rice business may seem logical, there are consequences that
have to be accepted. In the short term, there is no prospect of the Philippines
achieving rice self sufficiency. Even if this is achieved, imported rice will
be cheaper than domestically produced rice. There is a diminishing land base
for agricultural purposes as more rice land is converted into commercial,
industrial, residential and recreational areas or shifted to higher value
crops.
Deregulation
will mean that the country will most probably become a net importer of rice.
This move will be very unpopular with farmer groups. This will also cause
additional pressures on our balance of payments situation; and, increase our
economic dependence on the four or five major rice exporting countries. Perhaps,
the government should follow a twin pronged policy of allowing rice importation
to be done by private firms; but, at the same time seriously focus on
increasing domestic rice production by providing much needed infrastructure in irrigation, post harvest
facilities, new rice varieties, research and development. A serious land reform
program that provides credit and technology transfers to land reform
beneficiaries would also be vital.
Any
proposal on rice policy must take into account not just economic logic; but
also the acceptance that in Philippines, as in other Asian countries, rice is a
powerful and volatile political commodity.
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creative writing classes for kids and teens
Young
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Email: elfrencruz@gmail.com
http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2017/04/23/1693021/politics-rice
Consumer groups urge gov’t to protect rice farmers
Published
by Madelaine Miraflor
The National Movement for Food
Sovereignty (NMFS) and the Integrated Rural Development Foundation (IRDF) are
urging government to deal and view the rice importation issue with a certain
focus on farmers’ protection.
This developed as the Foundation
for Economic Freedom (FEF) argued last week that stopping rice imports will put
upward pressure on rice prices, saying this will lead to price hike and
widespread hunger.
The FEF position contradicted
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, who thinks otherwise. Piñol debunked
claims of a possible rice shortage. President Rodrigo Duterte favored Piñol’s
position and deferred the importation of rice and buy from the local farmers
instead, emphasizing that it is harvest time.
IRDF, convenor of the NMFS
composed of local farmer groups, said rice importation should not be carried
out unless the government is able to solve deeper issues affecting the local
farmers.
“There is a need to revitalize
first the agricultural sector,” said Arze Glipo, executive director of IRDF.
For more than 25 years now, IRDF
has been in the forefront of campaigning for food sovereignty.
IRDF believes that increased
subsidies in seeds, fertilizer, crop insurance, investments in irrigation and
agriculture machineries, and post-harvest and marketing support for small-scale
farmers will make the country more self-sufficient in rice.
Tags: Consumer groups urge gov’t to protect rice farmers, farmers, Foundation for Economic Freedom, Integrated Rural Development Foundation, manila bulletin, mb.com.ph, National Movement for Food Sovereignty, rice
http://business.mb.com.ph/2017/04/22/consumer-groups-urge-govt-to-protect-rice-farmers/
Rice imports deferred
(The Philippine
Star) | Updated
April 24, 2017 - 12:00am
The government has decided to formally defer the
importation of 250,000 metric tons of rice despite the continued insistence of
the National Food Authority (NFA) to buy from international sources. File
MANILA, Philippines - The
government has decided to formally defer the importation of 250,000 metric tons
of rice despite the continued insistence of the National Food Authority (NFA)
to buy from international sources.
NFA administrator Jason Aquino had been pushing for an immediate
government-to-government importation of 250,000 MT of rice despite a projected
bumper harvest from local farmers.
But during the NFA Council meeting
last week, members decided not to approve the NFA’s proposal to import the
volume via government-to-government scheme anytime soon.
“We did not receive any approval.
If we did, we would have received the letter saying we can proceed with the
importation,” NFA spokesperson Marietta Ablaza said.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
deputy governor Diwa Guinigundo warned that a government-to-government
importation may expose the NFA to further indebtedness.
“I think all of us what to make
sure on one hand, the price of rice will be maintained and be stable, while at
the same time avoid exposing the NFA to further indebtedness. We are also
cognizant of the need to avoid getting more rice when you have the so-called
summer harvest coming in,” he said. Guinigundo serves as the BSP governor’s representative to the NFA
Council, which also include the Cabinet Secretary, the NFA administrator,
chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines, president of the Land Bank
of the Philippines, finance secretary, trade secretary, the National Economic
and Development Authority and a representative of a farmer’s group.
The 250,000 MT of rice is supposed
to serve as the country’s buffer stock in preparation for the onset of the lean
months.
Under the law, the NFA is tasked to
buy the palay produce of local farmers as buffer stock for calamities and other
contingencies.
President Duterte already ordered
the NFA to prioritize rice purchase from local farmers, but the agency
maintained that it can no longer buy more and hit its target following higher
prices offered by private traders.
NFA’s field monitoring shows
traders are buying palay (unhusked rice) from the summer harvest at an average
of P18-P20 per kilogram while the government support price remains at P17 per
kg.
The NFA targets to procure 4.6
million bags or about 230,000 MT of palay from local farmers nationwide until
yearend to boost buffer stock and rice distribution requirements.
As of the end first quarter, the
NFA has bought approximately 21 percent of its 2017 procurement target.
The palay-buying for the first
three months of the year is significantly lower by almost 80 percent as it only
bought 134,355 bags compared to the 603,915 bags in 2016 due to higher than
average farm-gate price of palay.
This year, the agency has a
P5-billion budget for the procurement of palay.
The NFA is mandated to maintain a
food security reserve good for at least 15 days at any given time.
By July 1, which marks the onset of
the lean season for rice, the NFA must have at least a 30-day buffer stock to
meet the requirements of victims of calamities and emergencies.
Latest data from the Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the country’s rice inventory in March
declined by 19 percent to 2.18 million MT, from 2.67 million MT recorded a year
ago.
The agency reported that total rice
inventory as of March was also five percent lower than the 2.3 million MT
posted in February.
‘Rice stock still sufficient’
But Guinigundo allayed fears of a
possible uptick in rice prices amid the issues that hound the country’s rice
importation, asserting that the country has ample supply until the end of
harvest season.
He said based on data from the PSA,
the country’s rice inventory is still sufficient for 69 days. This rice buffer
would be further augmented by the summer harvest, which will last until June.
“We don’t believe rice prices will
move up in a very significant way,” Guinigundo said during a briefing on the
country’s first quarter 2017 inflation.
Concerns of a possible rice
inflation surfaced as Duterte decided to stop all rice importations in the
country. Officials have also argued over rice import policies, whether to
import through the private sector or through a government-to-government scheme.
Guinigundo said the government also
allows private sector importation through the minimum access volume (MAV)
scheme, which is the country’s commitment to the World Trade Organization while
its quantitative restriction on rice has not been lifted yet.
In terms of the MAV, some of the
rice imported by traders from abroad has not yet entered the country.
“The decision of the council is to
extend (MAV) to end-March 2017. But there were issues because some of the rice
from abroad has not entered yet. Hopefully, this will be resolved soon so
additional supply will be available and that will provide additional support to
stability of rice prices,” he added.
Pakistan embassy clarifies rice-import
deadline extension
Regarding the editorial,
“The NFA mess,” that appeared in the Manila Times on April 20, 2017:
In the editorial it was mentioned,
“It also turns out Aquino had extended the deadline for rice imports from
Pakistan and India, apparently at the instance of the Pakistani Ambassador.” At
another place, it is mentioned, “It’s puzzling why Aquino can be so pliant to a
request from a foreign envoy yet recalcitrant to his own Council.”
The above puts the Ambassador of
Pakistan in a negative perspective and gives the impression that he has some
personal connection with the Administrator of NFA.
We wish to clarify that the request
for extension of the deadline was made on the insistence of exporters of rice
from Pakistan as well as importers in the Philippines. Since it takes a longer
duration for a container to reach the Philippines from Pakistan, our exporters
were unable to meet the deadline of February 28, 2017.Hence, the extension up
to March 31, 2017 was requested. We also wish to clarify that the Ambassador of
Pakistan never requested for the extension of the deadline in respect of India.
It may also be noted that the NFA Council had itself allowed the extension to
all countries, including Pakistan.
You must be aware that the NFA
quota, or minimum excess volume (MAV) scheme, is actually governed by a
memorandum of agreement signed between the government of Pakistan and the
government of the Philippines in January 2014. Under the MOA, the Philippines
had agreed to provide Pakistan with a country-specific quota in return for
Pakistan’s support for the Philippines’ request for a waiver on special
treatment on rice. Similar agreements were signed with other rice-exporting
countries, such as China, India, etc.
Hence, in importing rice from
Pakistan, the Philippines is, in fact, fulfilling its international obligations
and no special favor is being done to Pakistan. The correspondence made with
the NFA in this regard was to ensure the implementation of the above MOA. It
may also be mentioned that the agreement was signed in January 2014, actual
implementation took place in July 2015. As a result; out of the total quota of
190,000 metric tons Pakistan could utilize only 50,000 metric tons.
We hope that the above clarifies
the matter and would help remove the misconception, if any, caused by the
editorial. We further hope that the above will be given due consideration in
your future editorials.
Sadia Altaf Qazi
Counsellor
Embassy of Pakistan
6th Floor Alexander House
132 Amorsolo St.
Legaspi Village, Makati
parepmanila@mofa.gov.pk
Counsellor
Embassy of Pakistan
6th Floor Alexander House
132 Amorsolo St.
Legaspi Village, Makati
parepmanila@mofa.gov.pk
http://www.manilatimes.net/pakistan-embassy-clarifies-rice-import-deadline-extension/323429/
NYC food vendor
starts day early
For 8 hours, he prepares fare in
cart on sidewalk
Posted: April 23, 2017 at 2:10
a.m.
·
NEW YORK -- It's 6 a.m. on a Wednesday, and Kabir Ahmed has hit
snooze on his alarm one too many times. He steps softly, barefoot, around his
small, second-story apartment in Jamaica, Queens, creaking along the
green-and-pink hallway.He is late but careful not to wake his wife and their
three children, or his mother, who will be up in an hour to say prayers and
cook breakfast. He puts on his baseball hat, slides his feet into rubber clogs
and hurries out without coffee.
Ahmed, 46, is in the business of chicken and rice. He emigrated
from Bangladesh 23 years ago and is now one of two partners in a halal food
cart that sets up on Greenwich Street close to the World Trade Center, all year
long, rain or shine. He is also one of more than 10,000 people, most of them
immigrants, who make their livings selling food on the city's sidewalks: pork
tamales, hot dogs, rolled rice noodles, jerk chicken.
These vendors are a fixture of New York's streets and New Yorkers'
routines, vital to the culture of the city. But day to day, they struggle to do
business against a host of challenges: byzantine city codes and regulations on
street vending, exorbitant fines for small violations and the occasional rage
of brick-and-mortar businesses or residents. Not to mention the weather, the
whims of transit and foot traffic, and the trials of standing for hours, often
alone, with no real shelter or private space.
"What's hard about this job?" Ahmed says.
"Everything is hard. If I get old, I can't do it anymore."
The work is demanding and routine.
Ahmed commutes five or six days a week, clocking eight-hour shifts. His ride
into lower Manhattan is just over an hour, so if he can find a seat on the E
train, he sleeps, squashed between the bodies of strangers, or watches part of
a movie on his phone. Recently it was Asoka,
based on the life of an Iron Age Indian ruler, played by one of his all-time
favorite actors, Shah Rukh Khan.
But today, Ahmed checks his email first, hoping for news from one
of the preschools processing the application of his youngest child, Karen.
Nothing yet.
By 7:15 a.m., he has reached his usual spot, which he found three
years ago by word of mouth. It's a wide stretch of sidewalk in front of the BNY
Mellon building that gets hectic around noon when those in the financial
district crowd -- a mix of Wall Street bankers and construction workers,
students and tourists -- are looking to spend $5 or $6 on a fast, hot lunch.
Though there are occasional turf wars among vendors, Ahmed has
never had to fight for space. He buys breakfast -- a coffee and doughnut --
from a nearby vendor who gives him what Ahmed calls a "neighbor
discount."
"Good morning, neighbor!" is his standard, sunny
greeting for the half-dozen other carts on his block.
Like many cart owners, Ahmed hires someone to deliver the cart to
him every morning and return it to a garage each night. (Other owners hitch the
carts to their cars and drive them in to set up, then face the ordeal of
finding a parking spot.)
The driver pulls up with Ahmed's cart at 7:52 a.m., and the two
men work quickly to wheel it into place. Inside, the cart is cold, clean and
packed with boxes of ingredients.
The food comes from a commissary kitchen attached to the garage in
Long Island City, Queens; the city requires that food carts be serviced and
supplied by a commissary, and there are many of them, of varying sizes, with
different owners, all around New York.
At an extra cost, this one has provided everything Ahmed needs for
the day: heads of lettuce, a few dozen tomatoes and potatoes, ready-sliced
halal lamb, several bags of boneless chicken thighs, two 12-pound bags of
basmati rice, four large plastic containers of potable water for cooking and
washing, clamshell containers and napkins.
Although Ahmed had little cooking experience when he started, his
wife, Sheren Akter, says his food is better than that at most other carts --
less greasy, more flavorful, well seasoned.
His menu consists of about 20 dishes, most of them cooked to
order, but regulars know to ask for the chicken biryani, flecked with fried
onion and cilantro, garnished with half a hard-boiled egg, all for $6, with a
drink. He'd like to raise the price, but worries that he would lose customers.
Once the lunch rush starts around 11:30, Ahmed can't budge from
the cart. These hours blur together. He is no longer alone; by noon, he is
joined by two more men in the 10-foot-long space -- his partner and an assistant
-- working efficiently around the grill, fryer and steam table, finding their
rhythm in the surges of orders as clusters of people appear.
On a good day, after paying the driver and the garage, and
splitting the cash proceeds with his colleagues, Ahmed earns about $125. For a
cart owner, that sum is not unusual.
He could make more, working longer hours alone, but he won't.
Ahmed likes to tell the cautionary tale of a pushcart vendor who made the best
food -- so good he once netted $3,000 in one day. That vendor worked alone, and
worked himself so hard, Ahmed says, that he got sick. Now he can't take care of
anyone and has no one to take care of him.
Ahmed's son, Kowshik, who dreams of working for NASA, will be a
high school senior in the fall, and Ahmed wants all of his children to go to
college. "But now I cannot get sick," Ahmed says, "and I cannot
stop working."
At 3:30 p.m., Ahmed's shift ends and he walks back to the subway;
his partner will stay until the cart closes at 8 p.m.
On the train, he learns that a preschool has accepted his
daughter.
By 5 p.m., he is home, where he makes a few phone calls and takes
a shower. After work on Fridays, Ahmed goes to mosque, but not today. In just a
few hours, it will be time to watch the news, turn in and start it all again.
SundayMonday Business on 04/23/2017
http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2017/apr/23/nyc-food-vendor-starts-day-early-201704/?business
