RDB
to request an extra $50 million to beef up agriculture emergency fund
Sok Chan / Khmer
Times
The
Rural Development Bank (RDB), a state-own institution, plans to request an
additional $50 million to beef up the government-led emergency fund for the
agriculture sector, according to a bank representative.
Kao
Thach, RDB’s CEO, told Khmer Times the bank will ask the government to increase
the funding available to rice millers that need cash to buy paddy rice
collected in the upcoming harvest season, which begins next month.
Mr
Thach said that in 2016, the year the emergency fund was started, $27 million
were disbursed. Last year, the fund was expanded to $50 million, but only $36
million were dispensed.
The
loans are part of a lending mechanism initiated by the government in 2016 to
help millers who are short on cash buy paddy rice from farmers and keep the
price of the commodity stable.
“I
plan to ask the government to double the amount of money currently available in
loans for the agriculture sector as demand is high,” Mr Thach said, adding that
his petition will be accepted if the national budget allows it.
RDB
decided to request the funds after the number of foreign buyers interested in
Cambodian paddy rice fell short of expectations.
“We
realised that there were no Vietnamese buyers this year, which means Cambodian
rice millers need to absorb all production.
“We
are concerned that the current $50 million in the emergency fund will be
insufficient,” he said.
Mr
Thach called on rice millers across the country to take advantage of the fund
and file applications for a loan as soon as possible. He said demand for
lending this year is expected to increase following the construction of several
rice storage facilities throughout the year.
“This
season we have new silos and warehouses which means storage capacity is much
higher,” said Mr Thach.
In
addition, this year, the animal husbandry and aquaculture sectors will also be
included in the lending scheme. Farmers that employ organic methods to grow
vegetables will also have access to the loans, he said.
Phou
Puy, chairman of Baitang, told Khmer Times the current price of paddy rice is
favourable for farmers and rice millers. He said he plans to buy
200,000-300,000 tonnes of the crop from farmers in Battambang, Banteay Meanchey
and Pursat provinces.
Mr
Puy said paddy rice now sells for $0.28 per kilogram, including the cost of
transporting the produce to the warehouse.
He
said the year is shaping up to be propitious for the rice sector, with the
industry enjoying plenty of storage capacity, high prices, and sufficient
demand from foreign buyers.
“Since
we plan to purchase more paddy rice, we will apply for a loan with RDB.
However, we are not sure yet how much we will ask for. It depends on how much
paddy rice is available,” Mr Puy said.
Song
Saran, CEO of Amru Rice, a firm that received a $5-million loan last year to
build a silo and a warehouse in Kampong Thom province, told Khmer Times
recently that he also will apply for a new loan to buy 100,000 tonnes of paddy
rice.
He
said the emergency loan programme has proven to be a very useful scheme for
millers around the country.
According
to RDB’s annual report, in 2017 RDB provided a total of $122 million in loans
and advances, an increase of 71 percent compared to 2016. 61.2 percent went to
the rice sector, with 14.5 taken out by businesses in other agricultural areas
like rubber, maize, cassava, pepper, coffee and sugarcane.
Iron-rich
rice to be supplied to SW hostels
KAKINADA, AUGUST 18, 2018
00:52 IST
A. Surya Kumari | Photo
Credit: CH_VIJAYA BHASKAR
Idea is
to curb nutrition deficiency, says official
A.P. State Civil Supplies
Corporation vice-chairman A. Surya Kumari said they were making arrangements to
supply the ‘Swarna’ variety of rice to social welfare residential hostels and
schools, to curb iron deficiency among children in the region.
Recruitments
Addressing a review meeting with
the officials of the revenue and civil supplies departments, and rice millers
from the district here, she said the variety would be supplied to the
institutions as the government was keen on ensuring qualitative meals to
students.
Referring to the problem of iron
deficiency in agency areas, Ms. Kumari said efforts were on to distribute the
iron-rich variety of rice there. “We have already started distributing the
variety on a pilot basis in East Godavari and West Godavari districts. Based on
the result, we will expanded it to other districts,” she said.
On strengthening the public
distribution system, she said deputy tehsildars would be roped in for the
purpose and recruitments would be done through the Andhra Pradesh Public
Service Commission. “In the meantime, we will use services of the existing
staff,” she said.
Joint Collector A. Mallikarjuna
said door-to-door supply of ration was launched in three mandals on a pilot
basis and the programme was being monitored. District Supplies Officer P.
Prasada Rao, president of the East Godavari Rice Millers Association Ambati
Ramakrishna Reddy and others were present.
Rice prices to
stabilize by end-September – DA
CONSUMERS can expect rice prices to stabilize by the end of September
as well as an adequate supply of the staple, the Department of Agriculture (DA)
said on Friday.
According to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, such prices,
which have been rising since the start of the year because of depleted stocks
at the National Food Authority (NFA), will settle once the harvest season
begins at the end of next month.
Rice imports, which have just started to arrive and are expected
to continue until the end of September, would affect the crop’s farmgate price,
he said.
Ernesto Suvia, president of the Isabela Rice Millers Association,
said the price of well-milled rice might fall to as low as P3. He noted
that there was adequate supply of the staple for the coming lean season,
usually marked by little or no rain, a cold season, or inadequate soil.
Isabela province has been delivering the bulk of
its rice to NFA after committing to do so in March to stabilize
prices.
“From March to April, Isabela has supplied 170,000 bags of rice to
Metro Manila a day. Since the lean months began, the province’s supply
commitment has been cut off into half,” Suvia said.
According to Piñol, the cost of Isabela well-milled rice in Metro
Manila is between P2,100 and P2,200 per 50-kilo bag. This translates to a
retail price of between P42 and P44.
He said rising rice prices emerged from speculation of a commodity
shortage, and urged relevant government agencies to strengthen their
price-monitoring.
“[Prices] beyond P50 are on the retailer, so our action should be
on the control of price in the market,” he added.
“If there is an increase in the market, that’s already
manipulation. And I think our rice enforcement agencies should already act on
it.”
Piñol assured that there is enough rice for the lean months.
“There is no rice shortage. This is the testimony of our
stakeholders,” he said.
Meanwhile, Cristina Ulang, head of research of First Metro
Investments Corp., said if the consolidated rice tariffication bill was passed,
“it would reduce inflationary pressures and expectations.”
Her remarks came after the House of Representatives approved House
Bill 7735, or the Revised Agricultural Tariffication Act, on third and final
reading on Wednesday.
According to the House’s website, the measure seeks to liberalize
rice imports by replacing the quantitative import restrictions on rice with
tariffs, and create the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.
It aims to protect producers of agricultural products, ensure food
security and make the agricultural sector viable and globally competitive.
The Senate version of the bill is still on the committee level,
but Sen. Cynthia Villar, chairman of the Senate committee on food and
agriculture, said she would try to speed up its passage before 2018 end. WITH ED VELASCO
Why
geoengineering might not save crops from climate change
A geoengineering technique that would see us pumping the
atmosphere full of sun-reflecting particles to cool the planet would also have
the adverse effect of undermining crop growth, a new Nature study finds. This puts a question mark over the value of
geoengineering–the large scale manipulation of earth’s climate–as a tool for
protecting our food systems from climate change.
Placing sun-reflecting particles into the atmosphere–a technique
called solar radiation management (SRM)–has gained traction in recent years as
a promising geoengineering method that could help us wriggle out of our climate
fix. But the University of California-Berkeley-led study found that while SRM
would deflect heat to cool our planet and its crops, it would also limit the
amount of sunlight reaching plants. That would undercut the amount of
photosynthesis they crucially need to produce food.
Sunlight powers everything on
the planet, so we must understand the possible outcomes if we are going to try
to manage it.
By looking at major crops such as maize, wheat, soy, and rice, the
researchers found that SRM measures would damage crops just as much as it would
benefit them. For instance, under this technique, global maize crops would
undergo cooling that would increase their yields by 6.3%. But that would be
almost completely erased by the effect of reduced sunlight, which would cut
yields by 5.3%.
When the researchers simulated the effect of SRM in the future
between 2050 and 2069, they found that maize yields would be reduced by almost
half. Other staple crops like rice, soy, and wheat would experience a 28%
decline under the effects of this geoengineering technique. So, despite the
fact that SRM would result in beneficially cooler temperatures, the effect of
the dimmed sunlight would cancel out that benefit for crops–effectively making
SRM useless as a method for helping agriculture to survive the ravages of
climate change.
The researchers made their discoveries in a novel way, using
historic volcano data. Volcanoes release particles into the atmosphere that
obscure sunlight and create a cooling effect, making them the “closest natural
analogues” to man-made SRM, the study authors say. Using
data gathered from hundreds of stations that measured solar radiation over the
course of 30 years, then pairing it with data on agricultural yields from that
period, they were able to draw links between global changes in solar
radiation–as a result of events like volcanoes–and worldwide crop yields.
This revealed shifts in productivity that coincided with
historical volcano eruptions, like Mexico’s El Chichón eruption in
1982, and the Philippines’ Mount Pinatubo explosion in 1991. Pairing this
information with a simulation looking at the effect of future SRM measures, the
researchers showed that intensive geoengineering could have similar impacts on
the world’s crops.
The findings aren’t to be taken as a dismissal of geoengineering,
which could be hugely beneficial for other sectors besides agriculture, the
researchers caution. But, the study does underscore the fact that it remains a
poorly-understood method for solving the complicated puzzles of climate change.
Until we’ve fully grasped the varied and nuanced ways that our
ambitious interventions could impact the planet, reducing carbon emissions is
the only surefire way to safeguard the future of our food. “Sunlight powers
everything on the planet, so we must understand the possible outcomes if we are
going to try to manage it,” the researchers say.
Source: Proctor et. al. “Estimating global agricultural effects of geoengineering using
volcanic eruptions.” Nature. 2018.
Study: High
concentrations of heavy metals found in baby foods
By Ed Adamczyk
A report Thursday by testing organization
Consumer Reports found a "worrisome" amount of heavy metals,
including arsenic and lead, in two-thirds of baby foods it tested. File photo
by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 17 (UPI)
-- Two-thirds
of the baby foods tested by Consumer Reports had a troubling cadmium, inorganic
arsenic or lead content, a study by the review company showed.
The
non-governmental organization tested 50 brand name baby foods and found
"worrisome" levels of heavy metals in 68 percent of those tested.
Ingesting the metals can, over time, impair cognitive function in babies and
children.
Cadmium,
arsenic and lead are regarded, with mercury, as the most harmful to health.
The report said every product tested had a
measurable level of at least one heavy metal, and 15 of the 50 tested could
pose health risks to a child regularly eating just one serving per day.
The study also
noted foods containing rice or sweet potatoes were especially likely to have
high metal levels, and organic foods were as likely to contain heavy metals as
conventional foods.
Consumer
Reports said most of the tested food was made by Gerber and Beech-Nut, the
industry's two largest manufacturers.
A separate
examination by another testing firm last yearreported 80 percent of 530 infant formulas
tested contained contaminants.
Over 90
percent of parents with children 3 and under rely on the tested foods, at least
occasionally, the report said. Sales of baby food top about $50 billion
annually, and that amount could reach $76 billion by 2021.
The report
noted the metals in question are part of the environment, and humans require
trace amounts to survive. However, human activities like pesticide application,
runoffs from mining and the use of leaded gasoline can pollute the environment
and lead to greater contamination in plants used for food.
Global
Rice Bran Wax Market 2018 – Industry Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and
Threats Analysis and Forecast 2023
Global Rice Bran Wax Market Analysis Report ponders most recent industry patterns,
improvement viewpoints, advertise picks up, and industry situation amid the
conjecture time frame (2018-2023). The basic diagram of industry, key market
sections, Product classification, applications are displayed in this
report. Worldwide Market report gives the points of interest identified
with a basic outline, improvement status, innovative progressions, industry
strength and market elements. The past information relating to industry
alongside present and estimate showcase situation will drive valuable business
choices.
The motive behind this key research think about titled
” Global Rice
Bran Wax Market-Growth, Future Prospects, and Competitive Analysis, 2018 –
2023″ is to offer industry speculators, organization
administrators, and industry members with in-depth bits of knowledge to empower
them to settle on educated key choices identified with the open doors in the
Rice Bran Wax market. The significant target gathering of people of this
investigation incorporate industry speculators, Rice Bran Wax producers,
wholesalers, and institutional researchers.
Global Rice Bran Wax Market Size,
Growth Factor, Future Scope analysis by considering the past 5-6 Year analysis
data, SWOT investigation is a structure used to
assess an organization’s aggressive position by distinguishing its qualities,
shortcomings, openings, and threats. In particular, SWOT investigation is a
central evaluation display that measures what an association can and can’t do,
and its potential openings and threats.
Get Free Sample Copy Pdf Report @ http://marketdesk.us/report/global-rice-bran-wax-market-2017-99s/7895/#requestForSample
Global Rice Bran Wax Market look into report gives a deliberate and skilled way to
deal with assemble critical measurements of Global Rice Bran Wax industry. In
which incorporates industry chain structure, Rice Bran Wax market status,
prevailing business sector players, item definition, and item scope. Worldwide
Rice Bran Wax Market inquire about report likewise deciphers distinctive market
situations alongside future market patterns. Worldwide
Rice Bran Wax explore report performs SWOT investigation to increase better
bits of knowledge on Strengths, Opportunities, and Threats tangled in Rice Bran
Wax industry. Rice Bran Wax Market elements, generation limit,
shopper volume, supply to request proportion, Rice Bran Wax piece of the pie
and income is additionally thought in this exploration report.
Leading Players Of Global Rice Bran Wax Market:
Oryza Oil & Fat Chemical,
Huzhou Shengtao Biotech, Kahlwax, Croda, Kobo Products, Koster Keunen, Poth
Hille
This investigation orders the worldwide Rice Bran Wax market
into a sort of Rice Bran Wax, kind of reagents, applications and land
conveyance. The kind of Rice Bran Wax contemplated in this report are Types and
Applications. Market size and volume for each specified
fragment are given in this answer to the period 2013 to 2023 (USD Mn and Volume
Kg), alongside particular CAGR (esteem %) for the period 2018-2023.
Global Rice Bran Wax Market Segmented
By Application:
Supplement, Pharmaceutical
Global Rice Bran Wax Market Segmented
By Type:
Food Grade, Pharmaceutical Grade
Top Regions:
|
North America
|
Europe
|
South America
|
Asia-Pacific
|
Middle East & Africa
|
|
U.S.
Canada Mexico |
Germany
U.K. France Italy Russia Spain etc. |
Brazil
Argentina |
China
India Japan Southeast Asia |
Saudi
Arabia
South
Africa
|
Have You Query? Inquire More For Customized Report: http://marketdesk.us/report/global-rice-bran-wax-market-2017-99s/7895/#inquiry
Global Rice Bran Wax Market is expanded into various
item composes, applications, and major geological zones. Assist Rice Bran Wax
Market look into report contains Company profiles of best producers, their
data, deals income, yearly income, deal volume, and purchaser volume is
likewise indicated. Significant features of the Rice Bran Wax Market report
incorporate market recognition, for example, import/send out points of
interest, advertise diagram, end clients/clients of the Rice Bran Wax business,
showcase execution and cost of the item.
Alongside quantitative data,
subjective data sets and evaluation instruments are given in this investigation
for a better examination of the general market situation and future prospects.
Data, for example, market tendency bits of knowledge and drivers, difficulties,
and openings help the perusers in understanding the progressing patterns in the
worldwide Rice Bran Wax market. Apparatuses, for example, market situating of
key players, and appealing speculation recommendation furnishes the perusers
with bits of knowledge on the aggressive situation of the worldwide Rice Bran
Wax market. This report finishes up with organization profiles area that
features significant data about the key players occupied with advancement,
fabricate and offers of Rice Bran Wax.
Global Rice Bran Wax Market Research Report Covers Following parts
to Table Of Content.
Section 1 – Rice Bran Wax market
report portray Rice Bran Wax Industry Overview, Rice Bran Wax Market
Segment(Upstream, Downstream), Rice Bran Wax Cost Analysis, Rice Bran Wax
showcase main thrust.
Section 2 – Rice Bran Wax Industry
Environment(Policy, Economics, Sociology, Technology).
Section 3 – Rice Bran Wax Market by
Type.
Section 4 – Major Companies List –
market report Analyze the Leading Players of Rice Bran Wax, industry
Profile, and Sales Data of Rice Bran Wax.
Section 5 – Market
Competition(Company Competition, Regional Market by Company), Global Rice Bran
Wax industry report assess the key areas.
Section 6 – Market Demand(Demand
Situation, Regional Demand Comparison, Demand Forecast).
Section 7– The
United States Rice Bran Wax Industry Growth,
Revenue Status, and Future Forecast.
Section 8 – EU Rice
Bran Wax Industry Growth, Revenue Status and Future Forecast
Section 9 – Japan Rice
Bran Wax Industry Growth, Revenue Status, and Future
Forecast
Section 10 – China
Rice Bran Wax Industry Growth, Revenue Status, and
Future Forecast
Section 11 – India
Rice Bran Wax Industry Growth, Revenue Status, and
Future Forecast.
Section 12 – Southeast
Asia Rice Bran Wax Industry Growth, Revenue Status,
and Future Forecast
Section 13 – Rice Bran Wax Market
report additionally portrays Region Operation (Regional Output, Regional
Market, by Region, Regional Forecast).
Section 14 – This report additionally
portrays Rice Bran Wax deals channel, wholesalers, brokers, merchants, Rice
Bran Wax statistical surveying Findings and Conclusion, reference section and
information source.
Finishing up some portion of the
report gives various dealers, givers associated with the Rice Bran Wax business
alongside look into revelations, results, information source, and postscript.
Browse Detailed TOC, Tables, Figures, Charts and
Companies Here @ http://marketdesk.us/report/global-rice-bran-wax-market-2017-99s/7895/#toc
Global Basmati Rice Market – Growth,
Future Prospects and Competitive Analysis and Forecast 2018 – 2023
TOPICS:Global
Basmati Rice Market
Global Basmati Rice Market Analysis Report ponders most recent industry patterns,
improvement viewpoints, advertise picks up, and industry situation amid the
conjecture time frame (2018-2023). The basic diagram of industry, key market
sections, Product classification, applications are displayed in this
report. Worldwide Market report gives the points of interest identified
with a basic outline, improvement status, innovative progressions, industry strength
and market elements. The past information relating to industry alongside
present and estimate showcase situation will drive valuable business choices.
The motive behind this key
research think about titled ” Global Basmati Rice Market-Growth, Future Prospects, and
Competitive Analysis, 2018 – 2023″ is to offer industry speculators, organization
administrators, and industry members with in-depth bits of knowledge to empower
them to settle on educated key choices identified with the open doors in the
Basmati Rice market. The significant target gathering of people of this
investigation incorporate industry speculators, Basmati Rice producers,
wholesalers, and institutional researchers.
Global Basmati Rice Market Size,
Growth Factor, Future Scope analysis by considering the past 5-6 Year analysis
data, SWOT investigation is a structure used to
assess an organization’s aggressive position by distinguishing its qualities,
shortcomings, openings, and threats. In particular, SWOT investigation is a
central evaluation display that measures what an association can and can’t do,
and its potential openings and threats.
Get Free Sample Copy Pdf Report @ http://marketdesk.us/report/global-basmati-rice-market-2017-99s/7779/#requestForSample
Global Basmati Rice Market look into report gives a deliberate and skilled way to deal
with assemble critical measurements of Global Basmati Rice industry. In which
incorporates industry chain structure, Basmati Rice market status, prevailing
business sector players, item definition, and item scope. Worldwide Basmati
Rice Market inquire about report likewise deciphers distinctive market
situations alongside future market patterns. Worldwide Basmati Rice explore report performs SWOT investigation
to increase better bits of knowledge on Strengths, Opportunities, and Threats
tangled in Basmati Rice industry. Basmati Rice Market elements,
generation limit, shopper volume, supply to request proportion, Basmati Rice
piece of the pie and income is additionally thought in this exploration
report.
Leading Players Of Global Basmati Rice Market:
LT Foods, Amira Nature Foods, Best Foods, KRBL Limited, Kohinoor
Rice, Aeroplane Rice, Tilda Basmati Rice, Amar Singh Chawal Wala, Hanuman Rice
Mills, Adani Wilmar, Galaxy Rice Mill, Dunar Foods, Sungold
This investigation orders the worldwide Basmati Rice market into a
sort of Basmati Rice, kind of reagents, applications and land conveyance. The
kind of Basmati Rice contemplated in this report are Types and
Applications. Market size and volume for each
specified fragment are given in this answer to the period 2013 to 2023 (USD Mn
and Volume Kg), alongside particular CAGR (esteem %) for the period 2018-2023.
Global Basmati Rice Market Segmented
By Application:
Direct Edible, Deep Processing
Global Basmati Rice Market Segmented
By Type:
Indian Basmati Rice, Pakistani Basmati Rice
Top Regions:
|
North America
|
Europe
|
South America
|
Asia-Pacific
|
Middle East & Africa
|
|
U.S.
Canada Mexico |
Germany
U.K. France Italy Russia Spain etc. |
Brazil
Argentina |
China
India Japan Southeast Asia |
Saudi
Arabia
South
Africa
|
Have You Query? Inquire More For Customized Report: http://marketdesk.us/report/global-basmati-rice-market-2017-99s/7779/#inquiry
Global Basmati Rice Market is expanded into various item
composes, applications, and major geological zones. Assist Basmati Rice Market
look into report contains Company profiles of best producers, their data, deals
income, yearly income, deal volume, and purchaser volume is likewise indicated.
Significant features of the Basmati Rice Market report incorporate market
recognition, for example, import/send out points of interest, advertise
diagram, end clients/clients of the Basmati Rice business, showcase execution
and cost of the item.
Alongside quantitative data, subjective data sets and evaluation instruments
are given in this investigation for a better examination of the general market
situation and future prospects. Data, for example, market tendency bits of
knowledge and drivers, difficulties, and openings help the perusers in
understanding the progressing patterns in the worldwide Basmati Rice market.
Apparatuses, for example, market situating of key players, and appealing
speculation recommendation furnishes the perusers with bits of knowledge on the
aggressive situation of the worldwide Basmati Rice market. This report finishes
up with organization profiles area that features significant data about the key
players occupied with advancement, fabricate and offers of Basmati Rice.
Global Basmati Rice Market Research Report Covers Following parts
to Table Of Content.
Section 1 – Basmati Rice market report
portray Basmati Rice Industry Overview, Basmati Rice Market Segment(Upstream,
Downstream), Basmati Rice Cost Analysis, Basmati Rice showcase main
thrust.
Section 2 – Basmati Rice Industry
Environment(Policy, Economics, Sociology, Technology).
Section 3 – Basmati Rice Market by
Type.
Section 4 – Major Companies List –
market report Analyze the Leading Players of Basmati Rice, industry
Profile, and Sales Data of Basmati Rice.
Section 5 – Market Competition(Company
Competition, Regional Market by Company), Global Basmati Rice industry report
assess the key areas.
Section 6 – Market Demand(Demand
Situation, Regional Demand Comparison, Demand Forecast).
Section 7– The United States Basmati Rice Industry Growth, Revenue Status, and Future Forecast.
Section 8 – EU Basmati Rice Industry Growth,
Revenue Status and Future Forecast
Section 9 – Japan Basmati Rice Industry Growth, Revenue Status,
and Future Forecast
Section 10 – China Basmati Rice Industry Growth, Revenue Status,
and Future Forecast
Section 11 – India Basmati Rice Industry Growth, Revenue Status,
and Future Forecast.
Section 12 – Southeast Asia Basmati Rice Industry Growth, Revenue Status, and Future Forecast
Section 13 – Basmati Rice Market report
additionally portrays Region Operation (Regional Output, Regional Market, by
Region, Regional Forecast).
Section 14 – This report additionally
portrays Basmati Rice deals channel, wholesalers, brokers, merchants, Basmati
Rice statistical surveying Findings and Conclusion, reference section and
information source.
Finishing up some portion of the report gives various dealers,
givers associated with the Basmati Rice business alongside look into
revelations, results, information source, and postscript.
Browse Detailed TOC, Tables, Figures, Charts and
Companies Here @ http://marketdesk.us/report/global-basmati-rice-market-2017-99s/7779/#toc
S&P Global Platts: Ukraine's Jan-Jul
imports of nickel ore up 13.4% to 891,670 mt on year
S&P Global Platts: Ukraine's Jan-Jul imports of nickel ore up 13.4% to 891,670 mt on year 22:25, 16 August 2018 ECONOMY 104 0 Ukraine's only importer of nickel ore and producer of ferronickel is Pobuzhskiy Ferronickel Plant. Ukraine's state customs service in Odesa / Photo from od.sfs.gov.ua Ukraine's imports of nickel ore and concentrate in January-July increased by 13.4% year-on-year to 891,670 metric tons (mt) from 786,140 mt, the state customs service said Thursday.
The value of imports of nickel ore and
concentrate rose to $43.6 million from $38.4 million in January-July 2017,
S&P Global Platts said. Over January through June, Ukraine received 71% of
the total imports of the commodity from Guatemala and 29% from Indonesia. Last
year, all Ukraine's imports of nickel ore and concentrate came from Guatemala.
In July, Ukraine imported 143,800 mt of the commodity, up from 96,080 mt in
July 2017 and up from 136,850 mt imported in June, the customs service said.
Read also Ukraine sees increase in steel
production in seven months Nickel ore is a raw material for production of
ferronickel, which is used as an alloy addition in steel smelting. Ukraine's
only importer of nickel ore and producer of ferronickel, Pobuzhskiy Ferronickel
Plant (PFP), is capable of processing about 1.6 million mt of wet ore to
produce about 100,000 mt/year of ferronickel. The company exports most of the output.
PFP produced 35,280 mt of ferronickel in the first six months of the year, down
2.3% from 36,120 mt produced in January-June 2017. The company processed
679,050 mt of nickel ore in January-June, up 6.1% on the year.
In 2017, Ukraine's imports of nickel ore and
concentrate decreased by 4.4% to 1.31 million mt from 1.37 million mt in 2016.
Asia Rice: Dip
in Indian rates on rupee weakness dulls Vietnam offers
BENGALURU (Reuters) - Rice export prices in India fell this week
as the rupee weakened, with the drop in rates from the top exporter also
weighing on demand for the Vietnamese variety.
FILE PHOTO: Women plant rice saplings at a paddy field in a
village in Nagaon district, in the northeastern state of Assam, India, July 3,
2018. Picture taken July 3, 2018. REUTERS/Anuwar Hazarika/File Photo
Rates for India’s 5 percent broken parboiled rice fell by $3 per
tonne to $389-$393 per tonne this week.
“Rupee depreciation is allowing us to lower prices, but at the
same time competitors are also lowering their quotes,” said an exporter based
at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
The Indian currency fell to a record low against the dollar on
Thursday.
Farmers in India had planted summer-sown paddy rice on 30.78
million hectares as of Aug 10, down 2.9 percent from a year ago due to scant
rainfall.
Monsoon rains in India are likely to be below-normal levels in
2018, a private weather forecaster said earlier this month, raising concerns
over farm output and economic growth in Asia’s third-biggest economy, where
half the farmland lacks irrigation.
The falling rice prices in India also weighed on the market in
Vietnam, the third largest exporter, but rates for the country’s 5 percent
broken variety were unchanged at $395-$400 a tonne.
“Trade is slow as Vietnamese prices are comparatively higher,
especially compared with Indian prices ... Exporters have lost their African
customers to Indian rivals due to that,” a Ho chi Minh City-based trader said.
Vietnam exported 444,235 tonnes of rice in July, down 17.4
percent from June, government customs data released late last week showed. That
was slightly lower than a government forecast of 450,000 tonnes.
In Thailand, the world’s second biggest rice exporter, demand
also remained soft, traders said.
Thailand’s benchmark 5 percent broken rice price was quoted at
$390-$393, free on board (FOB) Bangkok, little changed from last week’s
$390-$395.
The commerce ministry on Wednesday said Thailand had exported
6.99 million tonnes of rice worth 3.52 billion baht this year by August 15, a 2
percent increase from a year ago.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh, which had emerged as a major importer of
rice since 2017 after floods damaged its crops, continued to procure rice
domestically.
In the 2017-18 financial year that ended in June, Bangladesh
imported a record 5.7 million tonnes of rice. However, imports dropped sharply
after the government imposed a 28 percent tax on shipments to support its
farmers following a revival in local output.
Rice at government warehouses stood at nearly 1.3 million
tonnes, data from the country’s food ministry showed.
Reporting by Patpicha
Tanakasempipat in Bangkok, Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai, Ruma
Paul in Dhaka; Editing by Kirsten Donovan
Imports to address inflation?
Support farmers instead – Bam Aquino
Ralf Rivas
Published 10:46 PM, August 16, 2018
Updated 10:46 PM, August 16, 2018
INFLATION. Senator Paolo Benigno
Aquino IV says the government should support local farmers and fishermen
instead of relying on imports to curb inflation. Photo by Angie de
Silva/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Senate ways
and means committee vice chairperson Paolo Benigno Aquino IV warned that rice tariffication and proposals to lower
tariffs on meat and fish would hurt local farmers.
"We should be careful about
tariffication, baka knee-jerk reaction na naman
ito (this might be another knee-jerk
reaction) and it might have adverse effects [on] local farmers," Aquino
said during the 3rd public hearing on the inflationary effects of the Tax Reform for
Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.
Aquino said the government should
buy rice from local farmers instead of relying on imports to lower rice prices.
To do so, Aquino said the
Department of Agriculture (DA) should help local rice farmers bring down their
production cost to lower their selling price.
The senator also said fishermen
should be provided with better feeds for higher yields.
Agriculture Undersecretary
Segfredo Serrano said feeds account for over 50% of the production cost of
fish.
Fuel prices also take a big chunk
of a fisherman's budget, which is why Aquino is also pushing for the suspension
of excise taxes on diesel and gasoline.
Meanwhile, the DA and Department
of Finance (DOF) both said lowering tariffs on meat and fish would have little
effect on inflation.
"There would be some
incremental impact, but to what extent, that is an empirical question,"
Finance Assistant Secretary Tony Lambino said.
"Meat and fish tariffs are
already very low, so I don't think there would be an effect," Serrano
said.
Senator Cynthia Villar filed the
Senate bill on rice tariffication, on the condition that there would be P10 billion in subsidies for farmers to go
along with it.
Reports previously stated that Speaker Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo proposed the lowering of tariffs on meat and fish, but she has
since denied this. – Rappler.com
Nitrogen
pollution is a problem as big as climate change. Science might have a fix.
on Aug 16, 2018
Some think nitrogen pollution may
be the greatest danger we face. The Stockholm Resilience Center, an
organization that examines the largest threats to natural life-support systems,
considers our overuse of nitrogen a more extreme risk to life on Earth than
climate change.
But a new paper, published in the
journal Nature this
week, uncovered a way that we could keep millions of tons of nitrogen
fertilizer from evaporating into the atmosphere and running into the
oceans.
Nitrogen is a basic building
block of our food, so farmers spread tons of the stuff — in the form of manure,
compost, and synthetic fertilizer — on their fields. But only half of
this nitrogen makes it into plants. The rest gets chewed up by hungry soil
bacteria and turned into a greenhouse gas 300 times worse than
carbon dioxide, or gets washed into waterways where it fuels an
explosion of algae growth that turns into lakes and oceans into gloopy,
oxygen-starved dead zones.
It’s a massive problem that
doesn’t get enough attention. If the Earth were a spaceship [eds note: isn’t
it?], the control panel’s nitrogen light would be flashing red.
The Stockholm Resilience Center’s estimation of
planetary boundaries F. Pharand-Deschênes/Globaïa
Humans accelerated the nitrogen
disaster during the “green revolution” of the 1960s with the worldwide adoption
of fertilizer-hungry crops. These replaced strains of wheat, rice, and other
grains that grew more slowly and conservatively. Grain harvests more than
doubled in two decades, but clouds of pollution spread into the air and water.
It seemed like a vicious tradeoff.
But this new research suggests
that crops can be nitrogen-hoarding and high-yielding at the same time. Before
this study came out, it seemed like we had to choose between frugal crops that
grow slowly and hoard nitrogen, and spendthrift crops that grow quickly require
extravagant nitrogen.
What had looked like a trade-off
may simply have been a mistake. The scientists identified a gene that inhibits
nitrogen absorption in rice, which had become hyperactive in high-yielding
strains, and figured out how to counteract it. This gene (metaphorically)
shouts, “Don’t suck up nitrogen!” Through breeding, scientists were able to
turn down the volume of this shout to a whisper. The result is high-yielding
rice that needs less fertilizer.
A rice-breeding program to bring
this breakthrough to farmers is underway in China, where nitrogen pollution is
especially bad. It will take about five years before we really know if this
works for farmers outside of greenhouses and test plots. If it does, it might
change that nitrogen warning on spaceship earth’s dashboard from red to yellow.
Scientists Finally Crack Wheat’s Absurdly
Complex Genome
Their efforts will make it much
easier to breed new varieties of the world’s most important crop.
AUG 16, 2018
A field of wheat with a combine harvester in the backgroundPASCAL ROSSIGNOL / REUTERS
Scientists decoded the genome of rice in
2002. They completed the soybean genome in
2008. They mapped the maize genome in
2009. But only now has the long-awaited wheat genome
been fully sequenced. That delay says nothing about wheat’s
importance. It is arguably the most critical crop in the world. It’s grown on
more land than anything else. It provides humanity with a fifth of our
calories. But it also has one of the most complex genomes known to science.
For a start, wheat’s genome is monstrously big. While the genome
of Arabidopsis—the
first plant to be sequenced—contains 135 million DNA letters, and the human
genome contains 3 billion, bread wheat has 16 billion. Just one of wheat’s
chromosomes—3B—is bigger than the entire soybean genome.
To make things worse, the
bread-wheat genome is really three genomes in one. About 500,000 years ago,
before humans even existed, two species of wild grass hybridized with each
other to create what we now know as emmer wheat. After humans domesticated this
plant and planted it in their fields, a third grass species inadvertently
joined the mix. This convoluted history has left modern bread wheat with three
pairs of every chromosome, one pair from each of the three ancestral grasses.
In technical lingo, that’s a hexaploid genome. In simpler terms, it’s a
gigantic pain in the ass.
Typically, geneticists sequence genomes by breaking DNA into small
segments, reading them separately, and assembling the pieces back together. But
if each chromosome occurs six times, how do you know where to put any given
piece?
Worse still, 85 percent of wheat’s DNA consists of repetitive
sequences, so even if you narrow a piece down to the right chromosome, it’s
still a chore to work out where exactly it should sit. It’s like solving a
giant jigsaw puzzle that depicts the same patch of blue sky three times over.
“You have no idea where things go,” says Kellye Eversole,
who leads the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium, or IWGSC—a group of researchers from 19 countries who have
been trying to crack the genome since 2005. After 14 years, around $75 million,
and a few incomplete drafts, the team has now published the nearly complete
genome of a wheat variety called Chinese Spring, mapping more than 107,000 of
its genes. “It’s really a miracle that we finished,” Eversole says.
Unexpectedly, a much smaller six-person team, led by Steven
Salzberg from Johns Hopkins University, released its own version of a near-complete wheat genome last year,
by using new technologies that read out very long stretches of DNA. But while
Eversole applauds the small team’s accomplishment, she notes that its version
“doesn’t have the level of detail that we have in ours, and it’s that detail
that makes a difference for breeders.”
“The genome sequence of maize had a big impact on creating better
varieties,” Eversole notes. By contrast, wheat production has lagged behind,
and the crop’s profitability has recently dropped. That’s problematic because
researchers estimate that the world will need to grow 60
percent more wheat by 2050 to feed its booming population.
“Whatever your views on a wheat-based diet, there is no escaping
its importance in global food security,” says Alison Bentley,
who was not part of the consortium. Bentley is the director of genetics and
breeding at the United Kingdom’s National Institute of Agricultural Botany, and
although she says that people have made huge progress in breeding wheat in the
absence of a genome, having one will speed everything up.
Traditionally, it has taken a lot
of trial and error to create new varieties of wheat that, say, tolerate cold or
resist fungal diseases. “You throw things together and go through this long
process of annual breeding in the hope that your variety has the right package
of genes—and that takes years,” says Eversole, who grew up in Oklahoma as part
of a farming family. But with a full genome at hand, breeders can identify the
genes behind particular traits, and ensure that these are present in their
crops. “The goal is to build a better breeder’s toolbox and increase
profitability for growers,” she says.
This is already happening. Using the completed genome, the team
identified a long-elusive gene (with the super-catchy name of
TraesCS3B01G608800) that affects the inner structure of wheat stems. If plants
have more copies of the gene, their stems are solid instead of hollow, which
makes them resistant to drought and insect pests. By using a diagnostic test that
counts the gene, breeders can now efficiently select for solid stems.
“It will take some time before the benefit to the breeding
community is realized,” says Ravi Singh from
the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico. “But in our own
program, we are already using this resource to identify important genomic
regions behind traits like grain yield, disease resistance, tolerance to heat
and drought, and nutritional quality.”
The IWGSC has also started to work out when different genes are
turned on as wheat germinates and grows, and how these patterns
of activity vary across the three subgenomes. If scientists can figure out how
to switch on specific genes at particular points in the plant’s life cycle,
people could potentially breed wheat in real time, “in response to the growing
season and environment,” Bentley says. “That would be incredibly cool.”
Her only word of caution is that the new genome comes from an
unusual variety, Chinese Spring, which “not many farmers would recognize as
wheat.” Still, Chinese Spring is historically important as the foundation of a
lot of early wheat research. And now that its genome is out, it’ll be much
easier for scientists to sequence a wider range of cultivars,
and understand the genetic underpinnings of different traits.
Researchers might also be able to more easily temper the dark side
of wheat. Many people are allergic to glutens and other wheat proteins, leading
to disorders like celiac disease, baker’s asthma, and non-celiac wheat
sensitivity. Scientists have managed to identify many of the specific proteins
responsible, “but until now, we couldn’t determine the genes that encoded those
proteins,” says Odd-Arne Olsen from
the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. His team has now identified 356
such genes. Of these, 127 are new to science, and 222 were known but had been
incorrectly sequenced.
The team also found that wheat produces more of the allergens behind
celiac disease when grown at high temperatures, which suggests that baked goods
might become more allergenic as the world continues to warm. But perhaps, by
understanding the genes behind such allergens, breeders will be able to
counteract that trend and create less-allergenic varieties.
Of course, it’s unlikely to be that
simple. Olsen notes that the same proteins behind wheat allergies also
determine the baking quality of flour. Similarly, Eversole notes that wheat
varieties that contain more protein also tend to grow at lower yields. There
are always trade-offs, but the team hopes that a full genome will make it
easier to navigate them.
Using the genome, breeders could also use gene-editing techniques
like crispr to
rapidly alter the traits of their crops. The IWGSC showed how easy this could
be by identifying wheat genes that influence flowering time, and altering them
with crispr to
create varieties that bloom a few days earlier than usual. These techniques
could also be used to move beneficial traits from wild wheat species into
domestic strains.
The main hurdles to such changes are public approval and
regulatory restrictions. Last month, the European Union’s highest court ruled
that crispr-edited crops count as
genetically modified organisms, even if they don’t involve
introducing genes from other organisms. Such crops will now face a long and
expensive approval process that will likely discourage many companies from
investing in them. “Now we have the knowledge, and the tools, but it won’t be
straightforward to implement either,” Olsen says.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or
write to letters@theatlantic.com.
Iowa State
University scientist helps to develop rice plants to neutralize HIV
transmission
·
·
Aug
16, 2018Top
of Form
(Ames)--Extracts from transgenic
rice plants could help stop the spread of HIV, according to research results
from an international effort that included an Iowa State University
scientist.Raziel Antonio-Ordonez, a postdoctoral researcher in agronomy,
contributed to a research team that successfully developed a transgenic rice
plant that expresses three different proteins that can stop human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from entering human cells. The finding could lead
to a less costly, easier way of producing prophylactics that could stop the
spread of HIV, particularly in the developing world. The peer-reviewed academic
journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published the research
findings, available here: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/07/24/1806022115.full.
The research team also included
scientists from the Universitat de Lleida-Agrotecnio Center in Spain; the
IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Spain; the National Cancer Institute;
Imperial College in London and the Catalan Institution for Research and
Advanced Studies. The team was led by Paul Christou at Universitat de Lleida.
Scientists previously had shown
that expressing anti-HIV proteins in plants was possible, though refining those
proteins into a form that could be useful to prevent the spread of the virus
often proved prohibitively expensive. Expressing the proteins in rice could be
a more cost-effective alternative, Antonio-Ordonez said. Extracts from such a
rice plant could be used to produce a topical antimicrobial gel that can be
applied before intercourse to prevent sexual transmission of HIV.
Evangelia Vamvaka, a postdoctoral
researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, and a member of the
research team, laid the foundation for the project as a Ph.D. student when she
proved a single anti-HIV protein could be produced in rice seeds.
“Plants offer an affordable and
scalable alternative production platform,” Vamvaka said. “We have shown that we
can now produce multiple components in a single plant.”
There are 1.8 million new HIV
infections worldwide every year, most occurring in Africa. Antimicrobial gels
might present a valuable tool in the developing world where people have
difficulty accessing HIV treatments and barrier methods, such as condoms.
Vamvaka said men in regions with high HIV infection rates sometimes are
reluctant to use condoms, but the availability of an antimicrobial gel would
empower women to protect themselves from infection.
Antonio-Ordonez analyzed the data
and validated the research team’s results
Africa: Farmers Set to Make More
Profits From Hybrid Rice in Kenya, Africa
By Njenga Hakeenah
In October last year, rice production declined sharply pushing
retail prices up by 38 per cent in Kenya.The country's staple was selling at
Sh145 in January 2017 but hit Sh200 per kilogramme towards the end of the same
year.But all this may change with researchers targeting to increase production
from less than 200,000 tonnes of rice which is far below the national demand of
over 450,000 tonnes per year.
To fill the deficit, Kenya imports the grain mostly from Asian
countries since low productivity leads to high production costs which limit
rice farmers by making their products costlier and less competitive in the
global market.
Imports are mainly from Pakistan, Thailand, India and Vietnam
but there are also modest imports from Tanzania and Uganda.
According to the 2017 Kenya Corn, Wheat and Rice Report by the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agriculture Service, EAC
maintains a common external tariff of 75 per cent ad valorem or $345 USD per
ton, whichever is higher for rice imports from non-EAC countries.
Kenya has however been granted by EAC "the stay of application",
based on limited local production, and therefore applies the former tariff
structure (that was applicable before July 1st, 2015) of 35 per cent ad-valorem
or $200 USD per ton, whichever is higher.*
The USDA adds that Kenya mainly produces the aromatic Basmati in
irrigation schemes managed by Kenya's National Irrigation Board (NIB).
In addition, GOK and county governments have been promoting the
New Rice for Africa (NERICA), an improved, rain-fed, upland rice variety. NIB
is also responsible for the rehabilitation of the irrigation schemes.
And scientists are now working on the Hybrid Rice Project which
aims to develop 2-line hybrids and parental lines in selected African countries
among which is Kenya.
According to the African Agricultural Technology Foundation
(AATF), the project will facilitate expedited farmer access to this product
through private companies and public institutions in Africa, for increased
yields and improved income streams for farmers.
In AATF's 2017 Annual Report, in the trials, the candidate
hybrids outperformed the local checks for key traits such as date-to-maturity,
yields and disease resistance.
The hybrids take only 90-120 days to mature compared to 135-150
days for local varieties. Tried in Hola and Malindi in the coastal region, Mwea
in central Kenya, and Bondo and Kisumu in western Kenya, the new rice hybrids
will not only improve yields of rice but they will also be as competitive as
imported rice in terms of grain quality and affordability.
It is estimated that farmers stand to gain an average of US$350
to US$1,000 per hectare more than with the commercially available varieties.
A simplified way to predict the function
of microbial communities
August 16, 2018, Environmental
Molecular Sciences Laboratory
Carbon and energy balances may prove to be a simplified way to
predict microbial functions in flooded soils and how such functions effect
climate, soil health, and crop productivity. Credit: Environmental Molecular
Sciences Laboratory
In areas that flood frequently,
microbial communities must adapt to repeated wet-dry cycles. Metabolic
strategies help them survive, but these strategies can also influence nutrient
cycling and atmospheric emissions from soils and sediments. An international
team of scientists examined soils from rice paddies to understand how microbial
communities function during floods. Their work suggests analyzing carbon that
microbes extracted from water may prove critical to understanding and modeling
these important communities.
How microbes function in often-flooded soils has profound impacts
on crop production, in part because they can deliver nutrients to plants and
stabilize or release atmospheric emissions from
soils. Understanding how microbial communitiesfunction in
soils—before, during, and after flooding—can help scientists better model and
promote beneficial changes in those communities.
To understand how microbial activity varied in response to
flooding, scientists studied three types of organic matter that are commonly
found in three types of rice paddy
soils: dried rice straw, charred rice straw, and cattle manure. Team members
came from the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Stanford University;
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; University of California,
Riverside; and EMSL, the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a U.S.
Department of Energy Office of Science user facility. While other studies used
a similar approach to look at well-aerated, upland soil and simple carbon compounds, or single micro-organisms,
none examined the full complexity of natural soil and carbon substrates during the transition
from dry to flooded conditions.
The team used EMSL's Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance
mass spectrometer to analyze dissolved carbon and then observed how microbial
functioning changed. These pioneering experiments produced surprising results.
Not only were researchers able to better understand how microbes
breathed and obtained energy during flooded conditions, but they discovered
that a focus on water-extractable carbon was sufficient to predict microbial
respiration rates from diverse metabolic strategies. Though more in-depth
studies will be important to reveal underlying functions, the insights gained
from this study give scientists a proxy to begin modeling these complex
interactions.
Explore further: Soil contains one of the
keys to climate agreement
More information: Kristin Boye et al.
Discerning Microbially Mediated Processes During Redox Transitions in Flooded
Soils Using Carbon and Energy Balances, Frontiers in Environmental
Science (2018). DOI:
10.3389/fenvs.2018.00015
2018
USA Rice Sustainability Award Application Now Open
|
By Lydia Holmes
ARLINGTON, VA -- While
insiders know U.S.-grown rice is one of the most sustainable and responsibly
grown crops in the world, telling that story to those who are unaware is
increasingly important. To help recognize the crop's unique
environmental qualities and the men and women who improve rice's
sustainability every day, USA Rice launched a Sustainability Award last year
to identify and promote prime examples.
The USA Rice Sustainability Award is open to individuals or entities with significant involvement in the U.S. rice industry and with a history of promoting and advancing sustainability through innovative practices and demonstrated leadership in the sustainability community.  "We are looking for men and women and companies who embody sustainability by their actions and who are willing to share their vision of the future and commitment to the environment and help others follow in their footsteps," said Jennifer James, an Arkansas rice farmer who chairs the USA Rice Sustainability Committee. "While sustainability is becoming a buzzword in nearly every industry, the rice industry has been incorporating it for years, and with the establishment of the USA Rice Sustainability Award we have taken our rightful place at the forefront of the sustainability movement." The first annual USA Rice Sustainability award was given to Jim Whitaker, an Arkansas rice farmer whose family-run operation employs sustainable farming practices through use of precision land forming, flood control structures, on-farm water storage, and deployment of irrigation technology and new irrigation techniques. The Whitaker Family operation also was an integral part of the group that sold the first-ever voluntary carbon credits generated from U.S. rice farmers. The award committee is now accepting nominations through September 28, 2018, and the award will be presented at the USA Rice Outlook Conference in San Diego, California on December 10. The application form can be found here. |
|
|
USA Rice Daily
|
Rice Stewardship Partnership
In 2012,
USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited forged a model of collaboration between a farm
group and a conservation organization - the Rice Stewardship Partnership. This
Partnership has been working tirelessly to improve three of the nation’s
critical natural and economic resources: working ricelands, water, and
waterfowl. The Partnership provides the industry an excellent opportunity to
effectively tell our conservation story, and to broaden our base of support.
The Partnership was crucial in the successful application of eight Regional
Conservation Partnership Programs (RCPP) that are directing new conservation
funding to the rice industry.
These RCPPs offer rice producers from each of the six rice-growing states assistance to address water quantity, water quality and wildlife habitat issues on their farms. These efforts are possible thanks to funding provided by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and private partners. After completion, these eight projects will have brought in almost $80 million in conservation funds to producers and impacted an additional 700,000 U.S. rice acres which would not have been possible if the Partnership had not competed for the additional funds. The RCPP program is a great fit for the Partnership’s conservation efforts and these endeavors will continue on behalf of rice producers everywhere.
These RCPPs offer rice producers from each of the six rice-growing states assistance to address water quantity, water quality and wildlife habitat issues on their farms. These efforts are possible thanks to funding provided by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and private partners. After completion, these eight projects will have brought in almost $80 million in conservation funds to producers and impacted an additional 700,000 U.S. rice acres which would not have been possible if the Partnership had not competed for the additional funds. The RCPP program is a great fit for the Partnership’s conservation efforts and these endeavors will continue on behalf of rice producers everywhere.
Related Resources
Field to Market
Field to Market is a diverse alliance working to create
opportunities across the agricultural supply chain for continuous improvements
in productivity, environmental quality, and human well-being. The group
provides collaborative leadership that is engaged in industry-wide dialogue,
grounded in science, and open to the full range of technology choices.
As consumers look for more sustainable products the rice industry is one step ahead as they work to show measurable improvements as a result of their conservation work. Field to Market is an opportunity to engage with all levels of the food sector on what the consumer’s needs are and how growers and other members of the industry can assist in fulfilling them.
USA Rice has been a long-term partner of Field to Market and is actively involved in the development of a rice-specific Fieldprint Calculator that shows growers their operation’s scorecard on the sustainability index. They’ve also monitored development of a rice greenhouse gas metric for use by the Fieldprint Calculator. USA Rice has been involved on the producer level by bringing rice producers to the table to share ideas and help ensure goals stay realistic.
Related Link:
Field to Market
As consumers look for more sustainable products the rice industry is one step ahead as they work to show measurable improvements as a result of their conservation work. Field to Market is an opportunity to engage with all levels of the food sector on what the consumer’s needs are and how growers and other members of the industry can assist in fulfilling them.
USA Rice has been a long-term partner of Field to Market and is actively involved in the development of a rice-specific Fieldprint Calculator that shows growers their operation’s scorecard on the sustainability index. They’ve also monitored development of a rice greenhouse gas metric for use by the Fieldprint Calculator. USA Rice has been involved on the producer level by bringing rice producers to the table to share ideas and help ensure goals stay realistic.
Related Link:
Field to Market
Africa: Farmers Set to Make More
Profits From Hybrid Rice in Kenya, Africa
By Njenga Hakeenah
In October last year, rice production declined sharply pushing
retail prices up by 38 per cent in Kenya.The country's staple was selling at
Sh145 in January 2017 but hit Sh200 per kilogramme towards the end of the same
year.
But all this may change with researchers targeting to increase
production from less than 200,000 tonnes of rice which is far below the
national demand of over 450,000 tonnes per year.
To fill the deficit, Kenya imports the grain mostly from Asian
countries since low productivity leads to high production costs which limit
rice farmers by making their products costlier and less competitive in the
global market.
Imports are mainly from Pakistan, Thailand, India and Vietnam
but there are also modest imports from Tanzania and Uganda.
According to the 2017 Kenya Corn, Wheat and Rice Report by the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agriculture Service, EAC
maintains a common external tariff of 75 per cent ad valorem or $345 USD per
ton, whichever is higher for rice imports from non-EAC countries.
Kenya has however been granted by EAC "the stay of
application", based on limited local production, and therefore applies the
former tariff structure (that was applicable before July 1st, 2015) of 35 per
cent ad-valorem or $200 USD per ton, whichever is higher.*
The USDA adds that Kenya mainly produces the aromatic Basmati in
irrigation schemes managed by Kenya's National Irrigation Board (NIB).
In addition, GOK and county governments have been promoting the
New Rice for Africa (NERICA), an improved, rain-fed, upland rice variety. NIB
is also responsible for the rehabilitation of the irrigation schemes.
And scientists are now working on the Hybrid Rice Project which
aims to develop 2-line hybrids and parental lines in selected African countries
among which is Kenya.
According to the African Agricultural Technology Foundation
(AATF), the project will facilitate expedited farmer access to this product
through private companies and public institutions in Africa, for increased
yields and improved income streams for farmers.
In AATF's 2017 Annual Report, in the trials, the candidate
hybrids outperformed the local checks for key traits such as date-to-maturity,
yields and disease resistance.
The hybrids take only 90-120 days to mature compared to 135-150
days for local varieties. Tried in Hola and Malindi in the coastal region, Mwea
in central Kenya, and Bondo and Kisumu in western Kenya, the new rice hybrids
will not only improve yields of rice but they will also be as competitive as
imported rice in terms of grain quality and affordability.
It is estimated that farmers stand to gain an average of US$350
to US$1,000 per hectare more than with the commercially available varieties.
‘Consumer Reports’ Finds Heavy Metals in Baby
Foods
Scientists there studied 50 packaged foods made for children, from cereals to snacks, testing three samples of each. They estimated how much of each food a child typically eats, then looked at medical research on what levels of the heavy metals could cause health issues.
Baby
Food Safety
A review of health and safety concerns is
crucial for parents as they begin preparing and serving their babies solid
foods.
ABOUT
"We
found troublesome levels of heavy metals, in particular inorganic arsenic,
cadmium, or lead, in every single sample," says James Dickerson, PhD, Consumer
Reports' chief scientific officer. "These heavy metals
shouldn’t be in food, period.'' They can damage the nervous system, cause
cancer, and harm children's development, he says.Yet, "it's not that surprising'' the heavy metals were there, he says. They are found in nature. Most heavy metals in food come from water or soil contaminated through farming or manufacturing processes, from the use of pesticides, or pollution from leaded gasoline, the report explains.
What was especially concerning, Dickerson says, is that about two-thirds, or 68%, of the tested foods had very high levels of the heavy metals. "What we are concerned about is if you feed your child this [food with high levels of heavy metals], over the lifetime of their development, particularly during birth to 4, then you will have an increased risk of having cancer, for example."
The effects are long term, he says, not short term. It's not that children will vomit or have other kinds of immediate reactions, Dickerson says. The effects happen over time.
Report
Details
After
the analysis, the Consumer Reports scientists
conclude that:- 15 of the
foods would pose ''potential health risks" if a child ate one serving
or less every day.
- Snacks and
products with rice or sweet potatoes were more likely than other foods to
have high levels of the heavy metals. White rice had lower levels than
brown.
- Organic
foods were as likely as nonorganic to have high levels of heavy metals.
- Earth's
Best Organic Chicken & Brown Rice
- Earth's
Best Turkey, Red Beans and Brown Rice
- Gerber
Chicken &Rice
- Gerber
Turkey & Rice
- Sprout Organic
Baby Food Garden Vegetables Brown Rice with Turkey
- Gerber
Lil' Meals White Turkey Stew with Rice & Vegetables
- Gerber
Carrot, Pear & Blackberry
- Gerber
Carrots Peas & Corn with Lil' Bits
- Plum
Organics Just Sweet Potato Organic Baby Food
- Beech-Nut
Classics Sweet Potatoes
- Earth's
Best Organic Sweet Potatoes, 1st Stage
- Earth's
Best Organic Whole Grain Rice Cereal
- Earth's
Best Organic Sunny Days Snack Bars, Strawberry
- Happy Bab
Organics Superfood Puffs, Apple & Broccoli
- Happy Baby
Organics Superfood Puffs, Purple Carrot & Blueberry
Advice
for Parents
The
message, Dickerson says, is not to be alarmed but to think "balance,
balance, balance" when it comes to a child's diet. "If you happen to
be giving them a lot of rice-based products, mix in oats or wheat. The idea is
balance, not overemphasizing any one particular grain or food.''"Back off on snack foods,'' as most of those products contain rice, he says.
Who's
Watching the Levels?
"There
exists no regulatory guidance on what levels are acceptable," Dickerson
says. But the FDA is working on it. "In 2016, the FDA did propose limiting
inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal to 100 parts per billion,'' the report
notes. And earlier, in 2013, it proposed limiting inorganic arsenic in apple
juice to 10 ppb, which is the federal standard for arsenic in drinking waterDickerson says Consumer Reports has been discussing the need for more regulation with the FDA. The agency says it is hoping to finalize the new guidelines by the end of 2018.
Food
Makers' Response
Consumer
Reports officials have also had discussions with baby
food makers. Among the actions the experts at Consumer Reports recommend,
Dickerson says, are sourcing the raw food from growers to be sure it has low
levels of heavy metals and ensuring the manufacturing process does not
introduce contaminants (like from metal used in the machinery). Most companies
said they do their own testing and are in favor of the government setting
limits, according to the report.Beech-Nut, a major baby food maker, said in a statement that it focuses on safety and quality of its infant and toddler foods. “We have high standards and rigorous testing protocols. We established heavy metal testing standards 35 years ago, and we continuously review and strengthen them wherever possible."
The company says it already follows Consumer Reports’ recommendations about manufacturers ''sourcing produce from areas less likely to be contaminated, and ensuring water and equipment used for manufacturing do not contribute to contamination.”
The company says it buys its rice from California, which, it says, has the lowest levels of arsenic of any rice-growing region.
“We test every delivery of fruits, vegetables, rice and other ingredients for up to 255 contaminants to confirm that every shipment meets our strict quality standards. If the ingredients don’t meet our standards, we reject them.”
Beech-Nut also says its facilities meet “all regulatory standards for water quality, food preparation and packaging. We have conducted testing on our facility and have found no evidence of any contaminants entering our products during the production process.''
In a statement, industry giant Gerber says that it ''prides itself on our dedication to nutritious, high-quality and safe food. All of our foods meet our safety and quality standards, which are among the strictest in the world. Our rigorous standards are developed by evaluating the latest food safety guidance -- from sources like the Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and international health authorities.”
The company, in its statement, also says it “partners with our farmers and our ingredient and packaging suppliers to control, reduce and limit contaminants in all our foods.''
https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/news/20180816/consumer-reports-finds-heavy-metals-in-baby-foods
Nagpur
Foodgrain Prices Open- AUG 17, 2018
· AUGUST 17, 2018
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-August 17, 2018
Nagpur, Aug 17 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices showed weak tendency in Nagpur Agriculture
Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on poor buying support from local millers amid release of
stock from stockists. Easy condition on NCDEX, fresh fall in Madhya Pradesh gram prices and high
moisture content arrival also pulled down prices in weak trading activity.
About 400 bags of desi gram and 200 bags of tuar reported for auction in Nagpur APMC, according
to sources.
FOODGRAINS & PULSES
GRAM
* Desi gram reported weak in open market on lack of demand from local traders amid
increased supply from producing regions.
TUAR
* Tuar gavarani moved down in open market here on poor demand from local traders.
* Watana dal quoted weak in open market on poor buying support from local trader.
* Wheat mill quality recovered in open market here on increased seasonal demand from
local traders.
* In Akola, Tuar New – 3,950-4,025, Tuar dal (clean) – 5,700-5,850, Udid Mogar (clean)
– 6,900-7,600, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,300-8,100, Gram – 4,150-4,225, Gram Super best
– 5,200-5,300
* Other varieties of wheat, rice and other foodgrain items 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 3,200-4,200 3,400-4,200
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 3,375-3,755 3,375-3,790
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 1,900-1,960 1,900-1,952
Gram Super Best Bold 5,800-6,200 5,800-6,200
Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,600-5,700 5,600-5,700
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a
Gram Mill Quality 4,150-4,250 4,150-4,250
Desi gram Raw 4,200-4,250 4,250-4,300
Gram Kabuli 8,000-10,000 8,000-10,000
Tuar Fataka Best-New 6,100-6,200 6,100-6,200
Tuar Fataka Medium-New 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 5,600-5,800 5,600-5,800
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 5,300-5,500 5,300-5,500
Tuar Gavarani New 4,000-4,100 4,050-4,150
Tuar Karnataka 4,450-4,550 4,450-4,550
Masoor dal best 5,000-5,200 5,000-5,200
Masoor dal medium 4,600-4,800 4,600-4,800
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New) 7,500-8,500 7,500-8,200
Moong Mogar Medium 6,500-7,300 6,500-7,300
Moong dal Chilka New 5,900-6,900 5,900-6,900
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 7,500-8,500 7,500-8,500
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,000-8,000 7,000-8,000
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,500-6,500 5,500-6,500
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,400-4,700 4,400-4,700
Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,300-5,700 5,300-5,700
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 3,700-3,900 3,700-3,900
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 4,900-5,000 5,000-5,100
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 5,300-5,600 5,300-5,600
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,100 2,000-2,100
Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,050-2,100 2,000-2,050
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,250-2,400 2,250-2,400
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,350-2,450
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,150-2,350 2,100-2,300
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,800 3,200-3,800
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,800 2,400-2,800
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200
Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,800 3,400-3,800
Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,800-3,000 2,800-2,900
Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,800-3,000 2,800-3,000
Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,800 2,600-2,800
Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600
Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,400 4,000-4,400
Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,600-3,900 3,600-3,900
Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,500 5,200-5,500
Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,800 4,500-4,800
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 9,500-14,000 9,500-14,000
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,500 5,000-7,500
Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 6,600-7,000 6,500-7,000
Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 6,200-6,400 6,100-6,300
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,200 2,000-2,100
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,800-2,000 1,700-2,000
WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 31.0 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 24.5 degree Celsius
Rainfall : 2.7 mm
FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky with a few spells of rains or thunder-showers. Maximum and
minimum temperature would be around and 30 and 24 degree Celsius respectively.
Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but
included in market prices)
Saturday, Aug 18, 2018,17:40
(GMT+7)
Other News
Saigon Co.op promises high profits for farmers growing clean rice
By Hung Le
Friday, Aug 17, 2018,20:16
(GMT+7)
Visitors at a paddy field in Vinh Long Province’s My Loc Commune -
PHOTO: SAIGON CO.OP
HCMC – The nation’s leading retail store chain operator, Saigon
Co.op, has confirmed that Vinh Long Province’s farmers will earn high profits
by growing clean rice.
The firm has agreed to set the purchasing price of clean rice
produced in accordance with the organic farming model of the retailer at 40%
higher than the market price.
In 2016, the province established the Tan Tien Cooperative to
execute a clean rice-growing project in My Loc Commune on a 31-hectare farming
area and then on an area of 45 hectares.
The results of the project, released at a conference on reviewing
three years of execution of the cooperative model, show that My Loc Commune
benefited from clean rice cultivation under the model in terms of socioeconomic
development and soil efficiency. The average rice output increased from four
tons per hectare in the 2016 summer-autumn crop to more than six tons per
hectare in the 2017-2018 winter-spring crop. As a result, each farming
household earned from VND14 million per hectare to more than VND30 million per
hectare.
The 2017 profit amounted to an estimated VND40 million per hectare
in a year with two crops against the 2016 profit of more than VND20 million per
hectare in a year with one crop. Meanwhile, in 2018, the profit has reached
more than VND40 million per hectare in a year with two crops to date, rising by
over VND10 million year-on-year.
According to Saigon Co.op, the project contributed to improving
farmers’ awareness and farming methods, including the use of biofertilizers
instead of chemical fertilizers or pesticides to protect the environment and
ensure the quality of rice.
To achieve these positive results, the Vinh Long authorities not
only improved the agricultural structure for sustainable growth, but they also
successfully dealt with the consumption problem, thanks to Saigon Co.op’s
purchase of the entire output of rice sown in the clean area.
Pham Trung Kien, deputy general director of Saigon Co.op, noted
that the firm had joined the project to turn the agricultural sector into a
secure one, ensuring stable development to improve farmers’ income.
Saigon Co.op’s Co.opMart, Co.opXtra and Co.op Food supermarkets
have been selling two types of rice---jasmine and Huong Xuan rice---which are
being grown as part of the project. The monthly average consumption of these
supermarkets amounts to some 20 tons of clean rice.
To further develop and expand the project, the strengthening of
governance and control of cooperatives are necessary tasks. Cooperatives should
be encouraged to follow the model of growing clean rice to raise their income.
Saigon Co.op will continue to purchase the entire clean rice output
in Vinh Long Province to ensure the income and profits of farmers, added the
retailer.
http://english.thesaigontimes.vn/62072/saigon-coop-promises-high-profits-for-farmers-growing-clean-rice.html
Morobe rice ready to hit the
market
TRUKAI Industries Ltd and local
farmers in Morobe have produced its rice harvest from a 275 hectares farm.
Chief executive Greg Worthington-Eyre, during the launching of Hamamas Rice in Port Moresby yesterday, said: “The Hamamas Rice was grown and harvested in Umi, milled and packaged at Trukai Industries in Lae, Morobe by the people of Papua New Guinea, for the people of Papua New Guinea.
“After many years of trying to understand the right rice to grow, and finding the right partners, we have hit on a terrific model for growing rice in PNG that supports both smallholders and food security of the country.
“It is also providing an additional source of rice to support the people as well.”
Chingwam Rice Growers Cooperative project manager John Maran said that they were looking for an investor to develop their land in Rangiampum, Morobe, when Trukai came on board.
“We signed the rural rice development agreement with Trukai Industries Ltd in late 2015 and partnered with them from then on,” he said.
“We harvested 23 tonnes out of six hectares in 2016.
“In 2017, we harvested 137 tonnes out of 40 hectares.
“In 2018, we harvested 518 tonnes out of 264 hectares.”
Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Benny Allen said PNG imported about 400,000 tonnes of rice at the cost of K600 million annually.
“It is the Government’s policy to see the replacement of imports of rice and other commodities,” he said.
“It is a milestone achievement for Trukai Industries Ltd to locally produce rice.”
Allan said that this partnership was also in line with the Government’s public-private partnerships (PPP).
He said that Trukai Industries Ltd was supporting the PNG National Rice Policy 2015-20130.
Allan said Customs had approved duty exemption on all rice-related equipment imported by Trukai.
The rice will be sold in Port Moresby and Lae from next week.
Chief executive Greg Worthington-Eyre, during the launching of Hamamas Rice in Port Moresby yesterday, said: “The Hamamas Rice was grown and harvested in Umi, milled and packaged at Trukai Industries in Lae, Morobe by the people of Papua New Guinea, for the people of Papua New Guinea.
“After many years of trying to understand the right rice to grow, and finding the right partners, we have hit on a terrific model for growing rice in PNG that supports both smallholders and food security of the country.
“It is also providing an additional source of rice to support the people as well.”
Chingwam Rice Growers Cooperative project manager John Maran said that they were looking for an investor to develop their land in Rangiampum, Morobe, when Trukai came on board.
“We signed the rural rice development agreement with Trukai Industries Ltd in late 2015 and partnered with them from then on,” he said.
“We harvested 23 tonnes out of six hectares in 2016.
“In 2017, we harvested 137 tonnes out of 40 hectares.
“In 2018, we harvested 518 tonnes out of 264 hectares.”
Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Benny Allen said PNG imported about 400,000 tonnes of rice at the cost of K600 million annually.
“It is the Government’s policy to see the replacement of imports of rice and other commodities,” he said.
“It is a milestone achievement for Trukai Industries Ltd to locally produce rice.”
Allan said that this partnership was also in line with the Government’s public-private partnerships (PPP).
He said that Trukai Industries Ltd was supporting the PNG National Rice Policy 2015-20130.
Allan said Customs had approved duty exemption on all rice-related equipment imported by Trukai.
The rice will be sold in Port Moresby and Lae from next week.
ANI offers to import 500,000 MT
of rice in behalf of gov’t
Published August 16, 2018, 10:00 PM
By Madelaine B. Miraflor
Listed company Agrinurture, Inc.
(ANI) has submitted an unsolicited proposal to the National Food Authority
(NFA) for its plan to import 500,000 metric tons (MT) of rice in behalf of the
Philippine government.
ANI has filed a disclosure with
the local bourse on Thursday, informing the stock exchange about receiving a
letter from NFA acknowledging receipt of its proposal and that it has been
considered and recognized by the agency as original proponent for the move.
Though he has no direct knowledge
of the deal, NFA Grains and Marketing Chief Rocky Valdez pointed out that all
deals such as this will be subject to the approval of the NFA Council, the
highest policy making body of the state run grains agency.
Under the proposed joint venture
agreement, the ANI consortium shall finance the supply of NFA rice with no cash
out on the part of government.
Both parties shall jointly determine
the origin, suppliers, delivery and arrival periods, packing and loading and
discharging ports.
NFA, on the other hand, will
solely determine the type of commodity to be imported, specifications and
quantity.
“As accepted by NFA, the ANI
consortium will import as much as 500,000 MT of rice, equivalent to two weeks
national inventory of subsidized NFA rice per quarter,” ANI said in a
statement.
As part of its mandate, the NFA
is required to maintain a rice buffer stock good for 15 days, and good for 30
days during lean months.
Since the Philippine daily rice
requirement is estimated at 32,750 MT, the proposed amount to be imported is
good to last for 15 days.
After being granted original
proponent status, the project proposal will now proceed in accordance with both
the technical and legal processes under the National Economic and Development
Authority (NEDA) “Guidelines and Procedures for Entering into Joint Venture
Agreements between Government and Private Entities.”
NFA steps up monitoring of rice
prices, supply nationwide
By Maricor Zapata, Philippine News Agency on August 16, 2018
NFA Administrator Jason LY. Aquino said Thursday the
agency is stepping up its rice monitoring activities to protect the consumers
from unscrupulous traders, especially in areas affected by the recent flooding
caused by monsoon rains and Typhoon Karding. (File photo: National Food
Authority)
MANILA — The National Food Authority is deploying monitoring teams
in public markets and even in the communities to ensure that NFA accredited
retail outlets are selling rice at prices prescribed by the government and are
compliant with trading rules and regulations.
NFA Administrator Jason LY.
Aquino said Thursday the agency is stepping up its rice monitoring activities
to protect the consumers from unscrupulous traders, especially in areas
affected by the recent flooding caused by monsoon rains and Typhoon Karding.
Aquino said the rice monitoring
also covers the price and supply flow of commercial rice.
He said he had authorized the
monitoring teams to conduct inspection in rice mills and private warehouses to
make sure there is no rice hoarding.
He said the NFA is mandated to
stabilize the supply and prices of the staple, especially in stricken areas as
a result of a natural or man-made calamity or emergency.
“We are urging the public to
report to us any anomalous observations against erring businessmen through our
NFA Kontra Abuso hotline 0927-871-5921 and Hotline 8888, so we could
immediately act on their complaints,” Aquino said. “So far, we have already
received more than 300 complaints nationwide through these platforms, which we
have verified and acted upon.”
Most of the complaints received
by the NFA were over-pricing of NFA rice, non-availability, diversion, alleged
re-bagging, and mixing.
No comments:
Post a Comment