Rabi rice area drops by a third
Our Bureau Updated on December 21, 2018
Total acreage down 5% to 512.5 lakh ha on scanty rains
Rice cultivation in the current rabi season is down by 32 per cent as compared to the corresponding period last year, with Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh reporting a substantial drop in planting, shows the latest sowing data released by the Agriculture Ministry.
As per the weekly sowing data published on Friday, rabi sowing has covered a total area of 512.53 lakh hectares (lh), about 4.6 per cent lower than 537.12 lh covered in the same period in 2017-19.
Though the shortfall in planting is reported across the crops, the highest in percentage was in rice. While the rice sowing is down by 54 per cent in Andhra Pradesh, the shortfall reported from Tamil Nadu is 27 per cent.
Wheat, which accounts for nearly half the rabi cropping area, is down by 1.5 per cent. Wheat sowing is down mainly because of drop in acreage in key growing States of Bihar, Gujarat and Rajasthan. But, a higher acreage reported from Madhya Pradesh bridged the shortfall to a great extent. As compared to 41 lh area planted last year, the sowing has reportedly covered 48 lh in Madhya Pradesh so far.
Coarse cereals down
Drought in Karnataka and Maharashtra, on the other hand, has affected coarse cereals. Both the States have reported a decline in acreage. Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, has gone for higher maize cultivation this season. Still, maize is still 10 per cent down as compared to last year, because of poor sowing in Bihar, another State reeling under drought. Coarse cereals cultivation is down by 17.37 per cent to 40.26 lh till date.
Oilseeds, pulses: Mixed
Among oilseeds crops, the saving grace seems to mustard/rapeseed, which has been sown on a higher area from Rajasthan. The planting of oilseeds in the State has gone up to 23.20 lh (20.60 lh), taking the cumulative acreage across the country to 72.53 lh, which is very similar to that in the previous rabi season.
Pulses cultivation too is languishing as compared to last year, mainly because both Karnataka and Maharashtra reported decrease in planting. Madhya Pradesh, on the other hand, reported higher acreage under pulses so far this year.
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rabi-rice-area-drops-by-a-third/article25801008.ece
Rice production: Nigeria will take on the world
Governor
Bagudu 10 hours ago 4241 views by Nnenna
Ibeh - Governor Atiku Bagudu has said that Nigeria will soon take over the
world in rice production - The governor said the President Buhari-led
administration has shown unprecedented commitments to agriculture development
in Nigeria - According to Bagudu, N174 billion has been disbursed as credit to
small holder farmers under the anchors borrowers programme The Kebbi state
governor, Atiku Bagudu, has said Nigeria is on the path of taking on the world
in terms of rice production. The governor said this on Wednesday, December 19,
at a Gala night organised by beneficiaries of the government’s Anchor Borrowers
Programme held at the State House Conference Center, Abuja.
Bagudu who is the vice chairman of the
national food security council, noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has shown
unprecedented commitments to agriculture development in Nigeria. Speaking to
journalists outside the banquet hall, Bagudu said N174 billion has been
disbursed as credit to small holder farmers under the anchors borrowers
programme. He said this has provided more food, and therefore ensuring
Nigeria's food security. RE
also said the fact that millers have easy
access to rice paddies is indicative of a level of self sufficiency. About
maize farmers he said: "The maize farmers say this year they are expecting
an output of about twenty million tons up from about twelve million tons and
even the prices we are seeing which are thirty percent lower than they were at
this time last year indicates sufficiency." "The fertilizer producers
confirm that they are capable of meeting Nigeria's needs and the President
indeed confirmed he has banned the importation of fertilizers
Reps ask IGP
Idris to arrest Obono-Obla over alleged fake WAEC result The gala night was
graced by Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) and Fertilizers Producers
and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN). The associations donated N1.77
billion to fund the re-election bid of President Buhari in next year's
presidential election. The president of RIFAN, Aminu Goronyo, said with a
membership of about 12.2 million and with each member donating N100 to the
campaign, they were able to raise the N1.2 billion. Meanwhile, Legit.ng
previously reported that the federal government had approved N60 billion in
support of its rice subsidy programme aimed at bringing down the price of the
commodity across the country. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for
Android, read best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app The minister of agriculture
and rural development, Audu Ogbeh, made the announcement while briefing State
House correspondents on the outcome of a meeting of the National Food Security
Council. The meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday, November 16
https://www.legit.ng/1210915-rice-production-nigeria-world-governor-bagudu.html
Rice farmers confess moving from poverty to wealth
Rice
By Ismaila Chafe
Counting their blessings as the
year comes to an end, Nigerian rice farmers have confessed that they have been
transformed from poverty to wealth.
The farmers attributed their
fortunes to the Anchor Borrowing Programme which made many of them to improve
on their inputs especially fertilizers, seedlings, and water pumps.
The owed their successes to the
administration of President Muhammadu Buhari which introduced the programme
through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The Chairman, Rice Farmers
Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, commended the administration for
introducing the Anchor Borrowers Programme, which was inaugurated on Nov. 17,
2015, in Kebbi state.
“Mr President, with the Anchor
Borrowing Programme many farmers have improved their inputs especially
fertilizers, seedlings, water pumps etc.
“Farmers are benefitting from
your administration because rice farmers have transmitted from poverty to
wealth,’’ he said at a Gala Night organised by Rice Farmers in honour of
beneficiaries of the Anchor Borrowers Programme at the old Banquet Hall of the
State House in Abuja.
To this end, Goronyo, announced
that the 12.2 million rice farmers had pledged their support for the
re-election of President Buhari.
According to him, the farmers
have contributed N100 each, amounting to N1.22billion, to promote and boost the
Buhari/Osinbajo campaigns for the 2019 presidential election.
Goronyo urged the president to
thank the Kebbi State governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu; the CBN governor, Godwin
Emefiele and the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, for their support
to the farmers.
The President of the Fertilizers
Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN), Mr Thomas Etuh, who
also spoke at the event, lauded President Buhari for his efforts in the
revitalization of the nation’s fertilizer sector.
He announced the contribution of
the association amounting to N570million towards ensuring the re-election of
the president in 2019 general elections.
President Muhammadu Buhari had
also directed the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to
commence the restocking of all its Strategic Grains Reserves nationwide
He said the directive had become
imperative following the completion of a comprehensive survey on damages done
to farmers and fishing communities in the riverine areas as a result of flood
disaster.
He said the report indicated that
over 160,000 farmers and additional 70,000 fishermen were affected by the
disaster.
“For about three months the
National Food Security Council working with the National Emergency Management
Agency conducted comprehensive survey of the farmers, fishermen and livestock
owners affected by the flood disaster,’’ he said.
President Buhari, who was
honoured at the event with an award of excellence for his administration’s
favorable policy that had impacted positively on the country’s agricultural
sector, pledged that all the affected persons would be compensated to cushion
their hardship.
He thanked the organisers of the
event, and assured that the federal government would continue to implement
policies and programmes meant to uplift the standard of living of the Nigerian
farmers as well as boost food sufficiency in the country.
Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State,
who is the vice Chairman of the National food Security Council, spoke on the
essence of the award given to the President Buhari by the rice farmers.
He congratulated the president
for the award, and assured that Nigeria would soon commence the exportation of
rice to boost the nation’s revenue base.
The CBN governor, Emefiele, in
his contribution, said the Anchor Borrowers Programme had remained the most
successful agricultural programme in Africa.
According to him, many African
countries are now under studying the programme with a view to replicating the
success in their countries.
“The program is changing the
narrative of agricultural investments in Nigeria.
“It has brought the era of food
security and sustenance leading to a cut in forex being used for importation of
rice and other food items into the country,’’ he said.
He stated the programme had
received support from stakeholders across the country including state
governors.
The CBN governor revealed that
the bank was also in partnership with other commodity associations who were
working to reduce importation bills and to create jobs.
Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State,
who is the vice Chairman of the National food Security Council, spoke on the
essence of the award to President Buhari.
In his remarks, the Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Audu Ogbeh, noted that Nigeria had
remained the world largest producers of maize, cassava, yam and other staple
foods due to the progressive agricultural policies and programme of the Buhari
administration.
He stressed that the fortunes of
farmers across the country had improved, adding that the farmers had told him
that they would `reward’ the President in 2015.(NAN)
FRSC: we’re not abetting rice smugglers
Posted
By: On: December 21, 2018
The Federal Road Safety Corps
(FRSC), Badagry-Seme Command, says its officers are not abetting smugglers of
rice as being speculated in some quarters.
Unit Commander Mr. Fatai Bakare
made the clarification yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry, Lagos State.
He said FRSC operations begin at
6am and end by 6pm, “except when we are on special patrol, which extends to
10pm.”
“This special operation is
restricted to the metropolis and not outside the metropolis because we are not
armed.
“You don’t expect us to be in a
secluded point when we are not armed.
Rice
production: Nigeria will take on the world
Governor
Bagudu 10 hours ago 4210 views by Nnenna
Ibeh - Governor Atiku Bagudu has said that Nigeria will soon take over the
world in rice production - The governor said the President Buhari-led
administration has shown unprecedented commitments to agriculture development
in Nigeria - According to Bagudu, N174 billion has been disbursed as credit to
small holder farmers under the anchors borrowers programme The Kebbi state
governor, Atiku Bagudu, has said Nigeria is on the path of taking on the world
in terms of rice production.
The
governor said this on Wednesday, December 19, at a Gala night organised by
beneficiaries of the government’s Anchor Borrowers Programme held at the State
House Conference Center, Abuja. Bagudu who is the vice chairman of the national
food security council, noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has shown
unprecedented commitments to agriculture development in Nigeria. Speaking to
journalists outside the banquet hall, Bagudu said N174 billion has been
disbursed as credit to small holder farmers under the anchors borrowers
programme. He said this has provided more food, and therefore ensuring
Nigeria's food security. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter
from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Governor Bagudu also said the fact
that millers have easy access to rice paddies is indicative of a level of self
sufficiency.
About maize farmers he said: "The maize
farmers say this year they are expecting an output of about twenty million tons
up from about twelve million tons and even the prices we are seeing which are
thirty percent lower than they were at this time last year indicates
sufficiency." "The fertilizer producers confirm that they are capable
of meeting Nigeria's needs and the President indeed confirmed he has banned the
importation of fertilizers." READ ALSO: Reps ask IGP Idris to arrest
Obono-Obla over alleged fake WAEC result The gala night was graced by Rice Farmers
Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) and Fertilizers Producers and Suppliers
Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN). The associations donated N1.77 billion to fund
the re-election bid of President Buhari in next year's presidential election.
The
president of RIFAN, Aminu Goronyo, said with a membership of about 12.2 million
and with each member donating N100 to the campaign, they were able to raise the
N1.2 billion. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the federal
government had approved N60 billion in support of its rice subsidy programme
aimed at bringing down the price of the commodity across the country. PAY
ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigeria’s #1
news app The minister of agriculture and rural development, Audu Ogbeh, made
the announcement while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of a
meeting of the National Food Security Council.
The
meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential
Villa, Abuja, on Friday, November 16. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We
have upgraded to serve you better. Nigeria Latest News: Father Mbaka On Buhari,
Atiku In Nigeria Election 2019 | Legit
FRSC denies helping rice smugglers
Published December 20, 2018
FRSC boss Adeboboye Oyeyemi
The Federal Road Safety Corps,
Badagry-Seme Command, says its officers are not aiding and abetting rice
smugglers as being speculated in some quarters.The Unit Commander, Mr Fatai
Bakare, made the clarification on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency
of Nigeria in Badagry, Lagos State.
According to Bakare, the operations
of FRSC commences by 6am and ends by 6pm, except when are on special patrol
which extends to 10pm.
“This special operation is
restricted to the metropolis and not outside the metropolis because we are not
armed. Man in court for allegedly filming policemen on duty.You don’t expect us
to be in a secluded point when we are not armed.“You don’t expect our staffers
to be in a secluded point around 1am, when bad boys, armed to the teeth move
around,” he said.
Bakare said that FRSC officials were
not trained to arrest smugglers, who usually move at night at high speed,and
armed with sophisticated weapons.“If you look at the operations of smugglers,
you will notice that they move in the night and in a convoy.
“They are very reckless when they
move, ready to kill. They are armed with assorted weapons like swords,
cutlasses, charms and at times gun.
“How can you expect a non-armed
organisation to arrest such vehicles and people?
“There have been several attacks by
the smugglers and other agencies which led to death.“Have we not been seeing
obituaries in the dailies of some people from different agencies that were
killed by the smugglers despite the fact that they are armed?
“So, what do you think will happen
if our staffers make attempts to arrest them?
“We only restricted our programme to
enlightenment; we go to Churches, Mosques, marketplaces, palaces and motor
parks.
“We use these media to pass our
information across since we do not have the wherewithal to confront them on the
road,” he said.
India rice rates hit more than three-month high, Chinese rules weigh on
Vietnam
By Reuters
December 21, 2018 | 10:39 am GMT+7
A man gets sample for quality checking at a rice processing
factory in Vietnam's southern Mekong delta, Vietnam. Photo by Reuters/Kham
Rice export prices in India rose to their highest in more than
three months as a key producing region hiked procurement rates for domestic
paddy.
Top exporter India’s 5 percent
broken parboiled variety was quoted at $375-$382 per tonne this week, the
highest since Sept. 7.
The central state of Chhattisgarh,
a leading rice producer, raised the minimum paddy buying price to 2,500 rupees
per 100 kg, from 1,750 rupees earlier this week.
"Importers are not ready to
pay a higher price. Exports are likely to slow down in coming months,"
said an exporter based at Kakinada, in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
Prices of Vietnam’s 5 percent
broken rice declined for the fifth straight week to $385 a tonne as activity
remained muted, traders said.
"Prices fell further because
we are concerned that China’s move to impose stricter conditions on Vietnamese
rice will have a long-term impact," a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City
said.
"It’s not clear if China is
buying more from Cambodia and Myanmar to compensate for the possible declining
shipments from Vietnam."
Another trader said supplies from
Vietnam will increase from late next month when the winter-spring harvest
begins.
In Thailand, benchmark 5 percent
broken rice prices were quoted at $390-$391 per tonne, free on board Bangkok,
versus $385-$393 a week ago, as the market is expected to remain quiet until
well after the New Year period.
"This is a reasonable level as
we’re nearing the end of the year. There is not much overseas activity and
we’re also in the harvesting season," a Bangkok-based trader said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh, which
emerged as a major importer of rice in 2017 due to stock depletion following
floods, has stepped up efforts to procure more rice locally after output of the
staple grain improved, a food ministry official said.
"The response from farmers is
very good and the procurement drive will be continued," the official said.
The country’s production for
2018/19 is expected to recover to 34.7 million tonnes, up 6.3 percent
year-on-year, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
attaché in Bangladesh.
The South Asian country has
procured more than 1.3 million tonnes of rice locally so far in the current
season to build state reserves.
ITC enters
crowded branded rice market with Sona Masoori
- The
Hindu Business Line
- 21
Dec 2018
- ABHISHEK LAW VISHWANATH KULKARNI
FMCG major ITC Ltd has made a quiet entry
into the packaged rice segment, mainly the non-basmati variety. Market
sources say the company is piloting with the ‘sona masoori’ variety in
Bengaluru.
FMCG major
ITC Ltd has made a quiet entry into the packaged rice segment, mainly the
non-basmati variety. Market sources say the company is piloting with the
‘sona masoori’ variety in Bengaluru.
‘Sona masoori’ is one of the fine varieties
of non-basmati rice and is largely grown in the Tungabhadra belt of Karnataka
and Andhra Pradesh. It is largely consumed in South India, mainly in Karnataka,
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
‘Sona masoori’ is one of the fine varieties
of non-basmati rice and is largely grown in the Tungabhadra belt of Karnataka
and Andhra Pradesh. It is largely consumed in South India, mainly in Karnataka,
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Under the present pilot, that began a couple
of weeks ago, ITC is selling in 25-kg packs offering ‘free home delivery’
at an special offer price of ₹1,400
per bag.
Hemant Malik, Divisional Chief Executive,
Foods Business, ITC Ltd, said “Leveraging the company’s agri-sourcing expertise,
we have initiated a pilot in Bengaluru to sell Sona Masoori rice under
the Aashirvaad brand. The approach in the initial phase of this pilot is
like that of a start-up and the focus is on enabling consumer feedback and
insights.”
Tough competition
The entry of large players like ITC, which
have a wide distribution network, into marketing of staples will result
in increased competition, say traders and rice millers. There are hundreds
of non-basmati rice brands which are sold in 5-, 10- and 25-kg packs.
Already, Patanjali and Adani Wilmar (Fortune
brand) have launched sona masoori variants in select markets. Other major
branded packaged rice companies include the likes of KRBL (that owns India
Gate brand), LT Foods (Dawaat), Kohinoor, Patanjali and so on. However,
most of these are basmati rice offerings
Already, Patanjali and Adani Wilmar (Fortune
brand) have launched sona masoori variants in select markets. Other major
branded packaged rice companies include the likes of KRBL (that owns India
Gate brand), LT Foods (Dawaat), Kohinoor, Patanjali and so on. However,
most of these are basmati rice offerings
The ‘Aashirvaad’ brand was set up in 2002 to
sell atta and later expanded into other categories such as spices, salt,
ghee, milk, and instant mix offerings. The brand has a consumer spend of
over ₹4,000
crore.
The ‘Aashirvaad’ brand was set up in 2002 to
sell atta and later expanded into other categories such as spices, salt,
ghee, milk, and instant mix offerings. The brand has a consumer spend of
over ₹4,000
crore.
It is not known by when ITC plans a formal
foray or a panIndia presence into the packaged rice segment. Nor is it
still clear if the company will look at regional variants.
Market sources said, ITC already exports
both basmati and non-basmati rice to some African and West Asian markets.
And naturally then it has its own procurement and logistics network.
Market sources said, ITC already exports
both basmati and non-basmati rice to some African and West Asian markets.
And naturally then it has its own procurement and logistics network.
Corporate Corner: TDAP making efforts to facilitate trade bodies
Published: December 20, 2018
Representational image. PHOTO:
REUTERS
KARACHI: The Trade
Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) is making efforts to facilitate the
trade bodies in resolving their regulatory issues with different government
agencies with the aim that exporters can invariably focus on their export
activities, TDAP RD-Central Director General Riaz Ahmad expressed these views
while chairing a meeting with Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP)
delegation headed by Safder Hussain Mehkri who visited his office on 17
December, 2018. During the meeting, matters related to defunct Quality Review
Committee were discussed. It was explained that there is a dire need to conduct
research for rice sector. New markets for rice exports are also needed to be
explored as appreciated by the chairman. The meeting was concluded with a vote
of thanks from the REAP chairman and other senior office bearers of REAP.
Published in The Express
Tribune, December 20th, 2018.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1870612/2-corporate-corner-tdap-making-efforts-facilitate-trade-bodies/
Why Eating Rice Is The No. 1 Cultural Appropriation Guilt Trip
If you eat rice, you should be ashamed of yourself.
You are stealing from so many cultures at once that you might not even know who
to apologize to.
By J.C. Bourque
19, 2018
If you are, like me, a Right
Thinking Person, you recognize that everything is political. (I’m
also on the Right Side of History, but only as compared to the Left Side of
History.) This means that every action, thought, impulse, hankering, whim, or
tendency has ramifications distributed somewhere along the oppressor/victim
axis, and no matter what you do—or don’t—someone, somewhere, is going to be
offended.
Despite how cognizant I am of my white, cis, Judeo-Christian,
Anglo-American male privilege (as if the left would ever let me forget), and
how vigilantly I try to check all that murderous privilege, I was making some
rice the other evening when I realized I was thoughtlessly going about the task
without analyzing the political ramifications of my dinner.
Not Locally Sourced Rice
Who was being exploited in bringing this food to my table? How far
was this rice transported to get here? There are no rice paddies in Colorado
that I know of, so certainly I must have broken some “slow food” directives.
And if I have a second helping, is someone going to starve to death somewhere
else?
After careful consideration, I realized that by making a pot of
rice, I was appropriating someone’s culture. But whose? At first blush, you’d
probably choose Asians. But which Asians? There are so many. It was time for a
little research (which is the only kind of research I do—and I’m darned good at
it, I’ll have you know).
I was stunned to discover that by
making rice I was appropriating from almost every culture on the planet and
throughout much of history. There is, for example, Persian Jeweled Rice, which
I am eager to appropriate once I can find the unobtaniumingredient:
barberries. There’s arroz rojo (Mexican red
rice), rice pilaf (stolen from the hapless Pilaffians during typical brutal
colonial aggression), black rice (a superfood), Spanish rice, sushi rice, and
Basmati from India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Armenians have a rice dish with
noodles and chicken broth, while the Haitians have a version all their own with
red beans. East African Swahili Shrimp Pilau (recipe available at Jambo Imports in
Santa Fe, New Mexico) is a rice dish with cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and
cloves. Alternatively, if you cook some rice with onions, garlic, cilantro, and
lemon juice, you’ve got a favorite Brazilian side dish.
Although it is believed that aboriginal North Americans cultivated
a form of wild rice, it was not among the strains commercially farmed in North
America. Therefore, it is possible that rice is the only thing that we aren’t
guilty of stealing from Native Americans (whew!), and the only culture I’m not
ripping off by cooking the stuff.
Here’s a fact I found in my research that will blow the circuits
of the social justice warrior mind: Rice was introduced to North America from
Africa, and slaves from the Senegambia region of West Africa brought high
prices at auction due to their prior knowledge of rice cultivation. Southern
plantation owners made a fortune in rice production until the Civil War made
them start paying for labor. Keep that in mind, sneering hipsters, when you’re
proudly showing off your enlightened, woke, vegan, slow food, farm-to-table,
multicultural credentials.
Eating Rice Is an Act of Violence
Despite rice’s bloody history, people in Western cultures persist
in using it in all sorts of foodie preparations, particularly in vegetarian and
vegan diets, without a trace of remorse. Perhaps it’s due to ignorance.
Certainly no self-respecting SJW would knowingly use a product inextricably
linked to racism, oppression, and brutal murder.
Nevertheless, we Westerners, using our vaunted free market
creativity and privileged obliviousness to other cultures, have managed to
appropriate cultural artifacts from all over, creating white-ified versions of
almost everything. Jazz music, for example. Think Louis Armstrong morphing into
Kenny G. Or Italian cuisine (SpaghettiOs). Regarding rice, we have developed
complex and original recipes using the ubiquitous staple grain, imbuing it with
ponderous cultural significance and exciting, bold new flava’. In other words,
we’ve made it our own. Consider a few examples.
White Liberal Rice is served clammy
and riddled with guilt; Trans Rice is actually corn, but it identifies as rice
(don’t sayanything); Steamed Pouting Rice
has become wildly yet morosely popular since President Trump’s inauguration;
and Social Justice Rice comes out exactly the same, every time, in equal
portions for everyone, no matter how you cook it.
There’s Helsinki Rice––a dour, stuffy varietal where 65 percent of
your serving is confiscated and given to others; Havana Rice, which is an empty
bowl the same size as everyone else’s empty bowl; Rice Merkel, in which you
continually add other ingredients until there’s no rice remaining; Border Rice,
prepared by violently separating the grains as soon as they are on your
property and cooking them in different pots. The two batches can never be served
together and must be sent to random destinations without accurate
record-keeping.
Triggered Rice cooks itself at the mere mention of making dinner;
Snowflake Rice is a sensitive little grain that must be very carefully cooked
using as little heat as possible. Even if you manage to cook it successfully,
you can’t eat it, because that wouldn’t be fair. Condoleezza Rice is accused of
being an “Uncle Ben” traitor to the rice race. Lastly there’s Rice Dolezal, an
imitation brown rice whose color washes off with a good rinsing.
As it happened, we were making Lamb Rogan Josh, so I must plead
(and feel) guilty of robbing the entire Indian subcontinent of its treasured
culture, although I imagine—my dinner notwithstanding—they’re still making it
over there, so who exactly got robbed?
J.C. Bourque is a recovering liberal whose rantings can
be found in his book “Squeezed: Rear-Ended by American Politics.” If you didn’t
care for this essay, you won’t like the book, either.
‘Trade cooperation between Maldives and Pakistan must
increase’
DECEMBER 20, 2018
“The Maldivian businessmen are very much interested in enhancing
economic cooperation and bilateral trade with Pakistan. The main purpose of
this delegation’s visit is to commence a new chapter of bilateral relations”.
This was stated by Mr Abdul Bari Abdulla, Member of Parliament and Leader of
the Maldives delegation to Karachi at an exclusive meeting organized by
Economic Council of Employers’ Federation of Pakistan.
Mr Abdulla informed that there is an imperative need to reduce
shipping cost between Karachi and Malé which is 60% more than the shipping cost
between Karachi and Colombo. He said that generally businessmen trade with
their old established importers and exporters. There is this psychological
factor of confidence among both parties. Ahmed Marzoog, Member of Parliament,
said that he is also an importer of rice, fruits and vegetables from Pakistan.
He said there is a growing demand for building materials, cement, furniture and
even sand. He also said there is a substantial need for doctors and para
medics. He said now trade with China is increasing and there will be more
Chinese goods entering Maldives.
Earlier, Majyd Aziz, President EFP, in his welcome address
stated that the bilateral trade is very low and there is ample scope for
enhancement of trade. He added that under SAFTA agreement, there is every
possibility to source for products that Pakistan can supply.
Majyd Aziz informed that EFP is a member of South Asian Forum of
Employers and he is the President of SAFE. He said that since Maldives is not
member of SAFE, he would like to invite the President of the Maldives Business
Federation to attend the Annual Meeting of SAFE in New Delhi in February 2019
as an observer.
Ismail Suttar, Chairman EFP Economic Council, highlighted the
need for interacting with foreign delegations and diplomats to find ways and
means to increase bilateral business relations. He said that the Economic
Council is the right forum to assist foreign businessmen and industrialists
with their local counterparts.
Zaki Ahmed Khan, Vice President EFP, discussed pharmaceuticals
exports. He said that Pakistan is exporting to many countries but still not to
Maldives. He also said that pharma products from Pakistan are certified Halal.
Asif Zuberi, Co-Chairman of EFP-EC, also said that EFP
represents industries and large and medium enterprises unlike Chambers and
Associations who are dominated by traders. Therefore, the services of EFP-EC
are offered to all foreign institutions and individuals.
The meeting was attended by other members of EFP-EC, Zafar Tapal
Hon Consul General of Maldives and representatives from TDAP. Mementos and
copies of EFP Economic Vision 2030 were also presented to the delegation.
Rice
Farmers In Murang’a Decry Loss Occasioned By Snails
Murang’a
farmer, Catherine Syovata standing along part of her rice farm which was
destroyed by snails. Photo by Bernard Munyao
For the last three years, a group
of small scale rice farmers in Murang’a County have been counting losses
occasioned by snails.
About 50 farmers affiliated to Thathawa irrigation scheme in lower parts of Kiharu constituency have decried increase of snails in their farms that destroy their crops.
The farmers now claim that the snails migrated from a neighbouring farm owned by a foreigner who rears the pests for export.
One of the farmers, Peter Irungu told KNA that the snails started appearing in his farm back in 2015 and they have spread fast to more than 80 acres of land under rice growing.
He noted that the pests have occasioned drastic reduction of rice production in his two-acre of land resulting to meager earnings.
Irungu remarked that before infestation by the snails he used to generate more than Sh350, 000 from his two acres.
He said the snails affected the crop at early stages, adding that they have been forced to drain water at least to make them inactive.
“We have been unable to control the snails which multiple very fast. The option we adopt is to empty water from the rice pads forcing the snails to hibernate under soil,” added Irungu.
The farmers appealed for help from the county government claiming that rice farming was their only source of livelihood.
Rice is commonly grown in the neighbouring Kirinyaga County, but since 2009, a section of Murang’a farmers adopted it through irrigation with help of water drawn from River Sagana.
In 2005, the Ministry of Water provided funds to support horticultural farming in Nyangathi area but some farmers put their farms under rice farming.
Another farmer Catherine Syovata narrated that rice farming is more profitable despite losses occasioned by the snails.
She said some agricultural officers who had visited their farms were of little help, while appealing for more assistance from the government.
The farmers also want assistance to get their own water specifically for rice farming, noting that currently they were sharing the rare commodity with so many other farmers.
“If we can get our pipes and tap water for our farms, it will help us put more acres under rice growing. Currently we share water with farmers who are growing horticultural crops,” said Syovata.
Meanwhile, poor road network linking farms in the area continue to subject rice farmers to exploitation by brokers who buy their produce at low prices.
“We sell our rice to middle men who visit our farms during harvesting. If we can have better roads we could be able to transport our produce directly to markets for better prices,” the farmers noted.
By Bernard Munyao
About 50 farmers affiliated to Thathawa irrigation scheme in lower parts of Kiharu constituency have decried increase of snails in their farms that destroy their crops.
The farmers now claim that the snails migrated from a neighbouring farm owned by a foreigner who rears the pests for export.
One of the farmers, Peter Irungu told KNA that the snails started appearing in his farm back in 2015 and they have spread fast to more than 80 acres of land under rice growing.
He noted that the pests have occasioned drastic reduction of rice production in his two-acre of land resulting to meager earnings.
Irungu remarked that before infestation by the snails he used to generate more than Sh350, 000 from his two acres.
He said the snails affected the crop at early stages, adding that they have been forced to drain water at least to make them inactive.
“We have been unable to control the snails which multiple very fast. The option we adopt is to empty water from the rice pads forcing the snails to hibernate under soil,” added Irungu.
The farmers appealed for help from the county government claiming that rice farming was their only source of livelihood.
Rice is commonly grown in the neighbouring Kirinyaga County, but since 2009, a section of Murang’a farmers adopted it through irrigation with help of water drawn from River Sagana.
In 2005, the Ministry of Water provided funds to support horticultural farming in Nyangathi area but some farmers put their farms under rice farming.
Another farmer Catherine Syovata narrated that rice farming is more profitable despite losses occasioned by the snails.
She said some agricultural officers who had visited their farms were of little help, while appealing for more assistance from the government.
The farmers also want assistance to get their own water specifically for rice farming, noting that currently they were sharing the rare commodity with so many other farmers.
“If we can get our pipes and tap water for our farms, it will help us put more acres under rice growing. Currently we share water with farmers who are growing horticultural crops,” said Syovata.
Meanwhile, poor road network linking farms in the area continue to subject rice farmers to exploitation by brokers who buy their produce at low prices.
“We sell our rice to middle men who visit our farms during harvesting. If we can have better roads we could be able to transport our produce directly to markets for better prices,” the farmers noted.
By Bernard Munyao
View more stories
A STAPLE PROBLEM?A HISTORY OF RICE CRISIS IN THE
PHILIPPINES
While the
Philippines is known for its agricultural lands,
the country continues to face recurring rice crises over the years
the country continues to face recurring rice crises over the years
BY ALEX EVANGELISTA
DECEMBER 19, 2018
DECEMBER 19, 2018
Published 11:00 AM, December 19, 2018
Updated 11:00 AM, December 19, 2018
MANILA, Philippines – President
Rodrigo Duterte's administration was mired in rice problems during his second
year in office, pulling it away from his target of 100% rice self-sufficiency
by the end of the year. While cause for deep concern, these issues are not
entirely new to Filipinos.
Soaring prices, weevil infestations, and
the depletion of reserves in
several areas worried Filipinos in 2018, causing an uproar and even raising
questions on the leadership of National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator
Jason Aquino.
The situation hit a low point in
April when Aquino revealed that the agency had only less than two days' worth of buffer
stock. The NFA is required to maintain a 15-day stock at any
given time, and a 30-day stock from July to September to prepare for
calamities.
Filipinos continued to feel the
brunt of the impending crisis, as prices in September reached up to P46 for
well-milled rice, and P43 for regular milled rice.
It was only in October that the
rice situation seemed to have eased, when Duterte finally lifted restrictions on
rice imports to reduce inflation. In the previous year, he discouraged rice importation in order
to protect local rice farmers. (READ: [OPINION] Solving our 'unli' rice crisis)
The Department of Agriculture
also set suggested retail prices for rice to
combat inflation. Rice prices have gone down week-per-week from October, and
have eased to 8.1%during the
first week of December.
For a country teeming with
agricultural land, the Philippines continues to suffer from rice crises every
few years. Here’s a look at the rice woes that previous administrations had to
deal with in the past.
Marcos administration: 1965-1986
President Ferdinand Marcos opened
his term with the Green Revolution which pioneered scientific research into
high-yielding varieties of rice in the country.
However, things took a turn when
Martial Law was declared and as millions of Filipinos faced a dwindling rice
supply due to various political and environmental factors.
In the 1970s, the country was visited
by strong storms that
caused tremendous damage to the agriculture sector. Things worsened in 1972
when Typhoons Edeng and Gloring ravaged Luzon, causing great floods especially
in the central plains. The country also suffered from a major drought the
months after.
Aside from these, political
tensions in Mindanao and a growing incidence of tungro,
a rice-infecting pest, contributed to low rice supplies.
Local rice production also
dropped to a low 17%. To address this, the government relied on heavy imports
with 455,000 tons in 1972 from just 10 tons in 1968. This, however, failed to
address the problem.
Rice stocks were almost gone in
1973 that they had to mix in corn grits to continue supply. A New York Times reportsaid
that white rice disappeared from the markets and “block-long double lines” of
people waiting for rice rations swamped Manila and other provinces.
It took 6 years before the rice
supply finally stabilized.
Corazon Aquino administration:
1986-1992
Still recovering from the rice
crisis in the 70s and Martial Law, former president Corazon Aquino’s government
was not safe from impending rice issues.
Increases in rice prices were
also felt during this time, brought about by the looming Asian financial crisis
and El Niño
A sudden spike in rice imports
was seen from 1988 to 1990, around the same time El Niño affected
agricultural regions such as Cagayan Valley and Southern Mindanao. According to
a PAGASA study, the affected rice and corn area from the 1989-1990 drought
totaled 283,562 hectares.
While Aquino failed to dismantle
the NFA’s monopoly on the international trade of rice, she launched the Grains
Sector Development Program (GDSP) in 1990 which sought to finance agricultural
programs and overcome institutional and investment constraints that can hinder
food security.
However, agreements with
financial companies on the GDSP were only finalized in 2000.
Ramos administration: 1992-1998
Filipinos suffered the brunt of
the 1995 rice crisis in the country which stemmed from poor government
planning. Rice demand increased by 5.7% in that year, but local output was
stagnant due to droughts the year before.
Despite this, Ramos took the
advice of then agriculture secretary Roberto Sebastian to import only about
300,000 metric tons (MT) of rice, as compared to the 700,000 MT suggested by
the NFA.
Price ceilings imposed by the
National Price Coordinating Council, along with panic-buying from consumers,
aggravated the shortage problem. Like Marcos, the Ramos administration resorted
to heavy rice imports, which reached as much as 722,000 MT in 1997, and 2.17
million MT in 1998.
Millions of Filipinos queued for
hours at NFA’s Bigasang Bayan outlets to buy cheaper rice at P10.25
per kilo, as commercial rice prices soared from P21 to P28 per kilo.
Estrada administration: 1998-2001
While there were no huge rice
problems during former president Joseph Estrada’s term, his administration was
the second largest importer since the Marcos era.
Under Estrada, yearly average
rice importation was at 1.02 million MT – nearly double that of the yearly
average importation of 520,562 MT during Ramos’ time.
In 1998 alone, rice imports
reached 2.2 million MT from 722,756.50 MT in the previous year. The huge
increase in imports was influenced by the effects of El
Niño on palayproduction, which prompted the government to seek ways
to stabilize rice prices.
Estrada, however, managed to
increase average rice production growth to 12.47% and imports returned to lower
levels in the next two years at about 800,000 MT.
Arroyo administration: 2001-2010
The Arroyo administration had to
face the 2008 global rice supply crisis that drove international rice rates
upwards.
According to the World Rice
Statistics and Food and Agriculture Organization, the Philippines, despite
being the 8th largest rice producer in 2008 (at 16.8 million MT), was also the
world’s top rice importer (1.8 million tons) which could mean that the country
was directly affected by the crisis.
By March, NFA reserves were down
to up to two weeks' worth of supply, and average price for regular milled rice
had gone up to about P43 per kilo by June – almost a 50% increase from the
usual P25 to P30 per kilo.
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng
Pilipinas (KMP) claimed that Arroyo had known about the impending rice crisis
as early as February that year. It is also important to note that Arroyo,
together with the NFA, signed contracts with other countries like Vietnam in
2007 to import 2.2 million MT – the highest in a decade.
The government, however, was
quick to deny the existence of a rice crisis, insisting only on a “price
crisis.”
These events fueled panic among
Filipinos, who began stockpiling rice in homes and lined up for
government-subsidized NFA rice for cheap prices at P18.25. Due to the huge
number of people lining up, however, NFA had to decrease the limit of rations
from 3 kilos per family to just one.
Arroyo ordered a crackdown on
hoarders and rice smugglers – who allegedly bought subsidized rice and sold
them at higher prices – to “ensure that cheap government rice ends up on the
tables of the intended consumers – the country's poor.”
The rice crisis drove millions of
Filipinos to poverty and hunger. In a study by the Asian Development Bank, the
number of self-rated poor Filipinos peaked at 59% in the second quarter of
2008.
While prices stabilized a year
after, heavy imports continued until the end of Arroyo’s tenure in 2010.
Benigno Aquino III administration:
2010-2016
AGRICULTURE DOWN. Production of
palay went up by 3.28% but the agriculture sector, as a whole, slowed down in
the first quarter of 2014. AFP file photo
One of former president Benigno
Aquino III’s promises when he started out was to achieve 100% rice
self-sufficiency in the country by 2013. However, he failed to fulfill this
promise.
As early as April 2011, just a
year into Aquino’s term, a confidential report by the National Intelligence
Coordinating Agency (Nica) that was leaked to the media warned the former
president of a looming rice shortage brought by changes in the international
food market and weather systems.
Quelling fears, the government
managed to increase rice production in the same year and slashed rice imports
from 1.3 million MT to 660,000 MT. The United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization also saw stable production for the next two years.
It was in 2014 when rice prices
began to rise, with average
retail prices going beyond P40 per kilo, reminiscent of the 2008 rice crisis.
Because of this, the government had to resort to more imports, adding
500,000 MT for immediate importation to the original set imports of 800,000 MT
for the year. Aquino also urged a crackdown against hoarders who allegedly
stockpiled NFA rice for selling at higher prices. Rice smugglers were also
targeted. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, rice
smuggling was more prominent during Aquino’s time at 2.3 million tons from
2011-2014, as compared to 500,000 tons smuggled in 2005 to 2009 under Arroyo.
According to the Trade Union
Congress of the Philippines, however, price spikes must not be blamed on
smugglers, but on reduced imports in 2013 in line with the rice self-sufficiency
program.
In 2015, the Philippines was hit
by El Niño which drove prices higher again due to low production.
Rice self-sufficiency fell to
88.93% from 96% in 2013, as imports continued to boom. Aquino managed to boost
this number to 95% by the end of his term in 2016. – Rappler.com
Duterte to
sign rice tariffication bill into law ‘soon’ – Palace
Last updated Dec 19, 2018
By Prince Golez
Malacanang has assured that
President Rodrigo Duterte will sign into law the Rice Tarrification Bill “soon
enough.”“I suppose it will be signed any time. Siguro maraming trabaho si
Presidente,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing
Wednesday.
On November 22, the bicameral
committee approved the measure that aims to lift the quantitative restriction
on rice imports and to allow importation of the staple by the private traders.
To help the local farmers, the bill would allocate P10 billion
to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund for the improvement of farm
machinery and equipment, seed production, training for rice farming, and loan
program.
Seed Co mulls rice, potato seed production
On Dec 20, 2018
By Michael Tome
Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) listed seed producer, Seed Co
Limited, says it is considering venturing into rice and potato seed production
in a move that will help the country cut on a huge import bill for the crops
that is gobbling significant amounts of foreign currency.
Seed
Co Limited group finance director John Matorofa (left), group chairman David
Long and group CEO Morgan Nzwere at the group’s financial results presentation
The Southern Africa country imports over 95 percent of the rice
it consumes, translating to nearly $100 million annually despite having potential
to grow the crop and a ready market of the ever growing domestic demand for the
cereal.
Zimbabwe imports rice from China, India, Malawi and Indonesia
among other major rice producers.
Addressing journalists at a
luncheon hosted by the seed producing company in Harare this week, Seed Co
Chief Executive Officer Denias Zaranyika, said his organisation was working on
rice seed varieties compatible with the local climate.
Mr Zaranyika said the work on the
new rice varieties was aimed at boosting production of the crop in the country
with an overall goal to curb the importation of the cereals at a time Zimbabwe
is battling biting foreign currency crisis.
He said rice was produced
erratically in communal areas dotted around the country.
“We are busy working on some rice
varieties, they are now under trial and we are trying to make sure that they
perform under this environment.
“This is so that we either reduce
or stop rice imports because almost every grain of rice save for what is
produced in the communal areas is imported.
“You have always heard us saying
we are slowly getting into rice, reason being lot of imports that are coming
into the country are dominated by Asia,” said Mr Zaranyika.
Mr Zaranyika also said his
company was working on potato seed varieties suitable for local production.
His company was committed to
improve Zimbabwe’s economy through effective and competitive agricultural
practices.
“We are also working on potatoes
seed (varieties), we must make sure that we have the right varieties for our
country.
“Agriculture is one of the main
key drivers in the economic recovery process for Zimbabwe.
“Our organisation is determined
to ensure that we put our best foot forward and do everything necessary to
ensure we work with the Government and the farmers to prop up Zimbabwe’s
economic environment,” he said. The Herald
Seed-Co developing rice varieties
By Newsday
December 19, 2018
Regional seed producer Seed-Co
says it is working on developing rice varieties suitable for the local climatic
conditions in order to scale back the country’s reliance on rice imports.
BY Staff Reporter
Naturally, the cereal requires more water than any other crop;
it grows well in fertile river basins.
Zimbabwe, which is striving to become a food self-reliant
nation, imports upwards of 90% of its rice requirements, with government
estimates putting money spent on rice imports at $80 million annually.
“As Seed-Co, we are working on developing rice varieties; our
research and development department is currently undertaking trials, and soon
we should be able to report back to the market that we have a product,”
regional managing director Denias Zaranyika told journalists in Harare
yesterday.
“Almost all the rice that is consumed in this country is
imported mostly from Asian countries, and we are looking to stop that so that
we can produce it on our own and save the scarce foreign currency,” he said.
The top 10 rice-producing countries in the world account for 90%
of the world’s rice consumption. These are India, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh,
Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, the Philippines, Cambodia and Pakistan.
Zaranyika added that the company was also working on developing
potato varieties.
Over the past seven years, Seed-Co has invested over $28 million
towards research and development, as the company intensifies efforts to compete
on the global market.
This year alone at least $6 million has been budgeted towards
the same cause.
The agro company, which unbundled its regional operations and
subsequently listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange, reported a fair set of
earnings for the half-year to September 30, 2018.
Revenue for the period rose 82% to $29 million from $15 million
during the same period in the prior year, driven by a 115% jump in maize sales.
During the period under review, profit from continuing
operations amounted to $5,9 million from a loss position of $35 million, mainly
driven by earlier than normal timing of maize seed sales as well as growth in
finance income.
Net finance income doubled due to income earned on Treasury
Bills held.Other income came in 24% lower on account of lower commodity sales.
Operating costs largely remained flat due to cost containment measures prior to
the inflation run that ensued from October.
Margins remained steady due to better product mix. Assets
declined to $191 million from $248 million during the prior comparable period
due to the unbundling of regional operations under Seed Co International that
listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange.
Sotto hits Piñol over
pullout of NFA rice
SENATE President Vicente Sotto
3rd on Wednesday took exception to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol’s
announcement that the government could no longer afford to sell subsidized rice
once the Rice Tariffication Law takes effect.
The Senate chief, however, said
that with the yearly P10-billion subsidy under the Rice Tariffication Law for
farmers, Filipinos would not go hungry even without rice from the National Food
Authority (NFA).
SENATE
President Vicente Sotto 3rd
In the yearend press conference
of the Department of Agriculture on Tuesday, Piñol said the NFA would stop the
sale of subsidized rice upon the depletion of imported stocks.
“The moment that all of NFA’s
rice imports are sold in the market, there will be no more rice priced at P27 a
kilo,” he said.
“NFA will turn into a welfare
agency and it will be in huge debt. The P27 rice variant is not realistic and
should have been removed a long time ago,” Piñol added.
President Rodrigo Duterte is set
to sign the rice tariffication bill, which will liberalize the rice industry by
removing the quota on rice imports.
Agriculture
Secretary Emmanuel Piñol
Under the measure, NFA’s role
will be limited to keeping the country’s buffer stock for emergency purposes
and buying unmilled rice from local farmers.
The tariffication bill, Senate
Bill 1998, replaces quantitative import restrictions on rice with tariffs, and
creates the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or Rice Fund.
Sen. Cynthia Villar, Agriculture
committee chairman, earlier said: “Remember, the need to impose tariff is an
obligation under the World Treaty Organization agreement, which the country
entered into years back. It will be more difficult to deal with trade sanctions
if we don’t abide by the agreement.”
Debunking
the lies in Buhari’s budget
Reno ON DECEMBER 19, 201810:06
Buhari
said “Through hard work, and by the special grace of God, we have weathered
these storms”. What storm did you weather when under you, 20.93 million people
became unemployed and your country became the world headquarters for extreme
poverty? #Buhari2019BudgetLies Pastor Reno Omokri Buhari’s double: Lauretta
Onochie bombs Fani-Kayode over fake news Buhari said “The economy has recovered
from recession and we have had six quarters of growth since then.” That is
technically not true.
Our population continues to grow almost 3
times faster than economic growth. Poverty is inevitable under such conditions
#Buhari2019BudgetLies We have done more work with less resources in
agriculture”. Not true. More work than whom? According to the US Department of
Agriculture, Nigeria now imports more food than under former President Goodluck
Jonathan. We are billed two be the 2nd largest rice importer in the world next
year. Google it. #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said “We have made strenuous and
successful efforts to overcome the insurgency in NE”.
A blatant lie. Nigeria fell in the Global
Terrorism Index from #4 under GEJ to #3 this year. More soldiers died this year
than at any other time eg, Metele
#Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said “The FG has been working in a unified
and patriotic manner to tackle tension between herdsmen and farmers”. Blatant
lie. 2018 has been the worst year of herdsmen killing in Nigeria’s history with
over 3,000 killed and not one killer convicted #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari
said “The FG has also sustained its efforts to fight grand corruption”.
Another
BIG lie. According to Transparency International, Nigeria is now more corrupt
than at any time in its history and fell 12 places from 136 to 148 in the
latest CPI #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said “We recorded successes in economic
management.” How can this be when in 2019 we simultaneously became world
headquarters for extreme poverty, out of school kids & infant mortality? BillGates
called Nigeria one of the worst places to be born #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari
said “We have increased foreign exchange reserves from a low of $28.57B in May
2015 to $42.92B”. Another lie. Buhari failed to tell you our debt doubled from
₦11 trillion under GEJ to ₦24 trillion today.
You
can’t increase reserve with debt #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said “, Nigeria
was spending $5 million dollars a day on rice importation. Today rice imports
have virtually stopped” This is the biggest lie of all. Only a man without
shame can lie like this. Read this exposé by yourself https://t.co/6MBzCMEhNM
#Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said “In the railway sector, we completed and
commissioned the Abuja-Kaduna Rail”. This is an unnecessary lie. Google it.
That project was completed by the GEJ Government.
What
was outstanding in 2015 was importation of the trains from China
#Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari claimed the “construction of the Oju/Loko-Oweto
bridge over River Benue” as his achievement. Fellow Nigerians, here is a
picture of that bridge being constructed in 2013. My question to Buhari is
this-are you a time traveller sir? #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said “In power,
we are working on over 90 transmission projects across the country.” Notice he
did not say Generation. He said ‘transmission’ (apologies to IGP Idris),
because Buhari HAS NOT built even ONE power station.
The
last was built by GEJ #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said “we are also looking at
rolling out similar off grid solutions to Universities“. What an amazing lie.
Never in the history of Nigeria has education been underfunded as today under
Buhari. As you read this, both ASUU and ASUP are on strike
#Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said “297,973 households in 26 states across the
country are benefitting from the Conditional Cash Transfer program.” I don’t
need to debunk this lie. If you know that President Buhari lied on this claim,
simply retweet this and comment after #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said “We are
most encouraged by the improved performance of the economy”.
This shows Buhari is divorced from reality. In
2018, the World Economic Forum officially makes Nigeria the world headquarters
of extreme poverty and he says this? #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said “we have
returned to the path of growth”. You yourself know that nothing is growing. 5
days ago, Buhari himself held a close door meeting with the 36 Governors and
told them “things will get worse”. This is a deliberate lie to cover failure
#Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said “we have since the 2016 Budget created a
revenue line in the budget for stolen and recovered funds.” Another LIE. In
July 2018 this govt claimed to share $330 million Abacha loot to the poor only
to borrow $328 million from China in August #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari
boasted of a “67 percent budget performance”. Why do his handlers keep doing
this to him? Please do yourself a favour and read the truth here
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/forget-2018-budget-it-was-a-waste-of-time-anyway-2/amp/#click=https://t.co/A1eM2PUOUA
#Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said he targets “Real GDP growth of 3.01%”. What
is on ground to justify this expectation? We did not even get 1.5% growth this
year and the President told Governors “things will get worse”, so even he knows
he is lying #Buhari2019BudgetLies Finally, Buhari should note that when he lies
so blatantly to the Nigerian public, he can deceive some of the people some of
the time but he can’t fool all of the people all of the time. Everything I have
exposed can be verified via a Google search #Buhari2019BudgetLies.
GM seeds may face hurdles
US agency says in a report on Bangladesh
12:00
AM, December 20, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:06 AM, December 20, 2018
A lack of purchasing power in the
farming sector dominated by small and marginal people may restrict the wider
use of genetically modified (GM) seeds in Bangladesh, said the US Department of
Agriculture recently.
Farmers believe GM seeds are higher
priced in comparison to non-GM varieties, according to the USDA Foreign
Agricultural Service's Bangladesh Agricultural Biotechnology Annual 2018
report.
“GM seeds for planting may also
experience difficulty gaining market acceptability unless apprehensions about
multinational seed companies are addressed.”
The report was released on December
12.
However, Md Jahangir Hossain,
country project director of Feed the Future Biotech Project (potato and Bt
brinjal) of USAID, said Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC)
sells both GM and non-GM brinjal seeds at the same price at Tk 700 per
kilogram.
He said the price of Bt eggplant
seeds of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) is Tk 5,000 per
kilogram. But it will not affect farmers as BARI does not sell directly to
growers, he said.
The USDA said there was a general
recognition within Bangladesh's scientific and policy community that
agricultural biotechnology offered a tool to provide food security to the
country's growing population.
Nevertheless, some local advocacy
groups publicly question GE technology, it added.
“Because there is a dearth of
reliable information, many Bangladeshi citizens are not well-informed. The quality
of publicly disseminated information is not always accurate or supported with
sound science. Gaining future market acceptance will greatly depend on
education efforts,” said the report.
Since 2013 Bangladesh has released
four GE eggplant varieties infused with genes that are resistant to fruit and
shoot borer (FSB) disease, the most devastating pest in South and Southeast
Asia.
BARI released the GM vegetable and
is seeking approval from the government to release three more varieties of
eggplants.
Farmers apply heavy doses of
pesticide to protect eggplants from pest infestation.
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute
and Cotton Development Board are working to release GE rice and cotton which
bear the names Golden Rice and Bt Cotton respectively.
The USDA terms Bangladesh a role
model in case of accepting and advancing modern biotechnologies in daily life.
It said with innovative biotech
support from the world scientific community, Bangladesh was progressing
gradually to initiate research and trials of new GE varieties.
The government is also supporting
scientists in this advancement, but regulatory policies are not fully developed
to cover all aspects of production and marketing, it added.
“Although, government funding for
research is limited, Bangladesh became a leader in GE vegetables, such as
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) brinjal production, for commercial use and
consumption,” said the report.
Since the release, the Bari has
been producing and distributing Bt brinjal seeds among farmers. The highest
amount of seeds of GE eggplant, 1,827 kilogrammes (kg), was produced in fiscal
2016-17.
Production of seeds of Bt brinjal
by BADC slumped to 612 kg in 2017-18, according to the USDA report, which says
1,400 kg of seeds are in stock.
The USDA said seed multiplication
was continuing through increased interest of farmers. Some 1.50 lakh farmers
produce brinjal on their farms and 23 percent of them are producing Bt Brinjal.
It is estimated that 5.95 percent
of 80,000 acres of farm land set aside for growing brinjal are cultivated with
Bt brinjal, according to the report.
Dilafroza Khanam, chief scientific
officer and head of the biotechnology division of the Bari, said farmers got
higher production as the fruit and shoot borer disease did not affect the crops
for use of GE seeds.
Do your job,
stop scaring consumers on impact of rice tariffication bill —Pangilinan to DA
chief
Published December 19, 2018 5:34pm
By AMITA LEGASPI, GMA News
Senator Francis Pangilinan said
the rice tariffication bill, when it becomes law, should not be used as an
excuse to alarm the consumers about available and affordable rice.
Instead, Department of
Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol should do his job in ensuring that Filipino
farmers are equipped and able to produce rice that can be sold at competitive
price.
Pangilinan issued the statement a
day after Pinol declared that the government will stop selling the P27 per kilo NFA rice
starting March 2019 if rice tariffication pushes through.
The agriculture chief said if NFA
rice will be sold, it will be priced at P35 per kilo and up.
Instead of causing alarm,
Pangilinan said Piñol should act on his mandate as Agriculture secretary to
make rice farmers more productive and competitive through cheaper farm inputs
and lower rice wastage.
“He should ensure bigger incomes
for local rice farmers,” Pangilinan, a member of the Senate committee on
agriculture and former presidential adviser on agroculture and food, said.
He added the Agriculture chief
should be more vigilant and should be able to use his authority under the Price
Act to ensure that affordable rice is available to the public.
“Under this law, he has the power
to ensure no overpricing, hoarding, profiteering, delay of importation, and
other forms of price manipulation happen with respect to our country's staple,”
he said.
“The Agriculture Secretary should
work on ensuring that there is sufficient land for agriculture, especially
rice,” he added.
For his part, Senator Aquilino
Pimentel III agreed with Piñol that the NFA would no longer need to sell
low-priced rice, which was the objective of the law.
“Yes, that is the objective of
the law. To allow competitors for NFA. Because NFA has gotten too complacent,
to put it mildly, given its monopoly or power to import rice. Naka idlip ang
NFA kaya gumawa ang Kongreso ng radikal na hakbang para magising sa katotohanan
ang NFA,” he said.
"Under the bill, NFA will
concentrate on keeping buffer stock of rice. The idea is to have low priced
rice in the market through competition. Low priced rice doesn't have to be NFA
imported,” Pimentel added.
Senator Francis Escudero said the
provisions on safeguard and assistance to farmers should be given equal
importance.
“Prices will go down but we also
have to give safeguards and support to our farmers.
"It’s a balancing act
because prices have to be low for consumers but, at the same time, we should
help our farmers make a living,” he said.
The Rice Tariffication Bill, certified as urgent, is set to be signed
by the President. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/678759/palace-rice-tariffication-bill-up-for-duterte-s-signature/story/?just_in
Customs
seizes N137m smuggled rice
ON DECEMBER 20, 20186:37
AMIN NEWS2 COMMENTS By Ike Uchechukwu CALABAR—
The
Strike Force Team of the Nigeria Customs Service, NIS, has intercepted 5,662
bags of smuggled rice and 137 bales of secondhand clothes all valued at N137
million. Briefing newsmen at government warehouse yesterday in Calabar, Cross
River State, Mr. Abdullahi Kirawa, National Coordinator, Headquarters of the
NIS Strike Force Team, Abuja, said the seizure was made within Cross River and
Akwa Ibom states Area Command of the service. File: Rice-Smugglers intercepted
by Customs His words: “Of the 5,662 bags of rice, 2,153 were handed over to the
Strike Force Team by the Nigerian Navy. This shows the collaboration and
synergy that exist between the NIS, Nigerian Navy, the Police and other sister
agencies. “This seizure would not have been possible without the motivation of
the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali(retd), who has given us all
required to do the job.”
Agriculture to reap harvest of modernity
2018-12-20
10:06:05China DailyEditor : Mo Hong'e
Machinery will help ensure vital
produce delivered
China will accelerate agricultural
mechanization and widen the use of agricultural machines, which experts said
will increase efficiency for diverse cultivations and help increase farmers'
incomes.
The move was decided at a State
Council executive meeting on Dec 12, presided over by Premier Li Keqiang, which
adopted five measures.
More machinery should be used for
harvesting major crops, such as rice, wheat, corn, potato, cotton and sugar
cane, said a statement released after the meeting. Subsidies will be given for
operations such as deep ploughing.
Machines made by domestic and
overseas producers will be used while financial institutions are encouraged to
grant loans for buying such machinery. Other technologies, such as irrigation,
will be promoted along with agricultural machinery. Small and medium-sized
machines should be developed for hilly areas or for small family run farms.
Meanwhile, the meeting decided to
build a smart agriculture network by integrating internet-based technologies
with agricultural machinery. Production consortiums will be established among
machinery service providers, family farms, large-scale growers and agricultural
enterprises.
Li Guoxiang, a senior researcher at
the Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said
the meeting targeted green and high-quality development for the agricultural
sector. China still has some shortcomings in agricultural machinery and the new
measures are expected to ease such problems, he said.
In recent years, China's overall
agricultural mechanization has climbed to more than 60 percent, with that for
wheat production exceeding 90 percent, the researcher said.
The rise in such mechanization
reduces the need for human labor and plays a vital role in the development of
agricultural production, he said.
Over the past four decades, China's
agricultural machinery sector has seen fast growth.
In 1977, the overall value of
production in this sector was only 5.4 billion yuan ($785 million). In 2017,
the agricultural machinery sector saw profits of 24.3 billion yuan, up by 8.1
percent year-on-year, according to Ning Xuegui, deputy secretary-general of the
China Association for Agricultural Machinery Industry.
Overall revenue for 2,429 key
agricultural machinery makers hit 429 billion yuan last year, a year-on-year
increase of 6.15 percent, Ning said. All 12 subareas of agricultural machinery
accomplished increases last year, showing that promoting such machines led to
healthy and sustainable development of the sector, Ning said.
However, according to the National
Bureau of Statistics, hills and mountains are not suitable for large machine
cultivation and they cover about 64 percent of China's land area, especially in
southern China.
Imbalances still exist in China's
agricultural mechanization, partly due to its diverse farmlands, Premier Li
said at the meeting. Therefore, infrastructure should be improved for hilly
areas, including water resource facilities and road upgrading, he said.
The executive meeting also pledged
to improve the quality of farmland by integrating differentsized plots and
supported land renovation in hilly areas, allowing them to be accessible to
machinery.
Liang Qiying, a 45-year-old farmer
in Yuanyang county, Yunnan province, said agricultural machinery cannot be used
in many mountainous areas, because each piece of farmland is separated from
each other, such as terraces.
"In addition, the younger
generation in rural areas is different from the old-generation of migrant
workers. They are less willing and don't have the skills to do farm work,"
Liang said. "That demonstrates that much of the farm work will probably be
done by machines in the future."
If more machines are to be used,
the farmland should be converted into large zones, Liang said. Then some
farmland should be rented out to a single grower to realize large-scale
production, he said. "Otherwise, it remains difficult to carry out the new
favorable policies in many counties in southern China," he said.
In the past, agricultural machinery
was adapted to be used on difficult types of farmland and in diverse
conditions, whether good or not, the institute's Li said. Now the country aims
for higher efficiency by upgrading farmland and other facilities, he said.
Some farmland can be rented from
original farmers to realize bigger-scale cultivation, and more farmland will be
rented to make it easier in the future, the researcher said.
Duterte to sign rice tariffication bill into law ‘soon’ – Palace
By Prince Golez
Malacanang has assured that
President Rodrigo Duterte will sign into law the Rice Tarrification Bill “soon
enough.”“I suppose it will be signed any time. Siguro maraming trabaho si
Presidente,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing
Wednesday.
On November 22, the bicameral
committee approved the measure that aims to lift the quantitative restriction
on rice imports and to allow importation of the staple by the private traders.
To help the local farmers, the bill would allocate P10 billion
to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund for the improvement of farm
machinery and equipment, seed production, training for rice farming, and loan
program
Agriculture to reap harvest of modernity
2018-12-20
10:06:05China DailyEditor : Mo Hong'e
Machinery will help ensure vital
produce delivered
China will accelerate agricultural
mechanization and widen the use of agricultural machines, which experts said
will increase efficiency for diverse cultivations and help increase farmers'
incomes.
The move was decided at a State
Council executive meeting on Dec 12, presided over by Premier Li Keqiang, which
adopted five measures.
More machinery should be used for
harvesting major crops, such as rice, wheat, corn, potato, cotton and sugar
cane, said a statement released after the meeting. Subsidies will be given for
operations such as deep ploughing.
Machines made by domestic and
overseas producers will be used while financial institutions are encouraged to
grant loans for buying such machinery. Other technologies, such as irrigation,
will be promoted along with agricultural machinery. Small and medium-sized
machines should be developed for hilly areas or for small family run farms.
Meanwhile, the meeting decided to
build a smart agriculture network by integrating internet-based technologies
with agricultural machinery. Production consortiums will be established among
machinery service providers, family farms, large-scale growers and agricultural
enterprises.
Li Guoxiang, a senior researcher at
the Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said
the meeting targeted green and high-quality development for the agricultural
sector. China still has some shortcomings in agricultural machinery and the new
measures are expected to ease such problems, he said.
In recent years, China's overall
agricultural mechanization has climbed to more than 60 percent, with that for
wheat production exceeding 90 percent, the researcher said.
The rise in such mechanization
reduces the need for human labor and plays a vital role in the development of
agricultural production, he said.
Over the past four decades, China's
agricultural machinery sector has seen fast growth.
In 1977, the overall value of
production in this sector was only 5.4 billion yuan ($785 million). In 2017,
the agricultural machinery sector saw profits of 24.3 billion yuan, up by 8.1
percent year-on-year, according to Ning Xuegui, deputy secretary-general of the
China Association for Agricultural Machinery Industry.
Overall revenue for 2,429 key
agricultural machinery makers hit 429 billion yuan last year, a year-on-year
increase of 6.15 percent, Ning said. All 12 subareas of agricultural machinery
accomplished increases last year, showing that promoting such machines led to
healthy and sustainable development of the sector, Ning said.
However, according to the National
Bureau of Statistics, hills and mountains are not suitable for large machine cultivation
and they cover about 64 percent of China's land area, especially in southern
China.
Imbalances still exist in China's
agricultural mechanization, partly due to its diverse farmlands, Premier Li
said at the meeting. Therefore, infrastructure should be improved for hilly
areas, including water resource facilities and road upgrading, he said.
The executive meeting also pledged
to improve the quality of farmland by integrating differentsized plots and
supported land renovation in hilly areas, allowing them to be accessible to
machinery.
Liang Qiying, a 45-year-old farmer
in Yuanyang county, Yunnan province, said agricultural machinery cannot be used
in many mountainous areas, because each piece of farmland is separated from
each other, such as terraces.
"In addition, the younger
generation in rural areas is different from the old-generation of migrant
workers. They are less willing and don't have the skills to do farm work,"
Liang said. "That demonstrates that much of the farm work will probably be
done by machines in the future."
If more machines are to be used,
the farmland should be converted into large zones, Liang said. Then some
farmland should be rented out to a single grower to realize large-scale
production, he said. "Otherwise, it remains difficult to carry out the new
favorable policies in many counties in southern China," he said.
In the past, agricultural machinery
was adapted to be used on difficult types of farmland and in diverse
conditions, whether good or not, the institute's Li said. Now the country aims
for higher efficiency by upgrading farmland and other facilities, he said.
Some farmland can be rented from
original farmers to realize bigger-scale cultivation, and more farmland will be
rented to make it easier in the future, the researcher said.
12:00
AM, December 20, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:06 AM, December 20, 2018
GM seeds may face
hurdles
US agency says in a report on Bangladesh
A lack of purchasing power in the
farming sector dominated by small and marginal people may restrict the wider
use of genetically modified (GM) seeds in Bangladesh, said the US Department of
Agriculture recently.
Farmers believe GM seeds are higher
priced in comparison to non-GM varieties, according to the USDA Foreign
Agricultural Service's Bangladesh Agricultural Biotechnology Annual 2018
report.
“GM seeds for planting may also
experience difficulty gaining market acceptability unless apprehensions about
multinational seed companies are addressed.”
The report was released on December
12.
However, Md Jahangir Hossain,
country project director of Feed the Future Biotech Project (potato and Bt
brinjal) of USAID, said Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC)
sells both GM and non-GM brinjal seeds at the same price at Tk 700 per
kilogram.
He said the price of Bt eggplant
seeds of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) is Tk 5,000 per
kilogram. But it will not affect farmers as BARI does not sell directly to
growers, he said.
The USDA said there was a general
recognition within Bangladesh's scientific and policy community that
agricultural biotechnology offered a tool to provide food security to the
country's growing population.
Nevertheless, some local advocacy
groups publicly question GE technology, it added.
“Because there is a dearth of
reliable information, many Bangladeshi citizens are not well-informed. The
quality of publicly disseminated information is not always accurate or
supported with sound science. Gaining future market acceptance will greatly
depend on education efforts,” said the report.
Since 2013 Bangladesh has released
four GE eggplant varieties infused with genes that are resistant to fruit and
shoot borer (FSB) disease, the most devastating pest in South and Southeast
Asia.
BARI released the GM vegetable and
is seeking approval from the government to release three more varieties of
eggplants.
Farmers apply heavy doses of
pesticide to protect eggplants from pest infestation.
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute
and Cotton Development Board are working to release GE rice and cotton which
bear the names Golden Rice and Bt Cotton respectively.
The USDA terms Bangladesh a role
model in case of accepting and advancing modern biotechnologies in daily life.
It said with innovative biotech
support from the world scientific community, Bangladesh was progressing gradually
to initiate research and trials of new GE varieties.
The government is also supporting
scientists in this advancement, but regulatory policies are not fully developed
to cover all aspects of production and marketing, it added.
“Although, government funding for
research is limited, Bangladesh became a leader in GE vegetables, such as
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) brinjal production, for commercial use and
consumption,” said the report.
Since the release, the Bari has
been producing and distributing Bt brinjal seeds among farmers. The highest
amount of seeds of GE eggplant, 1,827 kilogrammes (kg), was produced in fiscal
2016-17.
Production of seeds of Bt brinjal
by BADC slumped to 612 kg in 2017-18, according to the USDA report, which says
1,400 kg of seeds are in stock.
The USDA said seed multiplication
was continuing through increased interest of farmers. Some 1.50 lakh farmers
produce brinjal on their farms and 23 percent of them are producing Bt Brinjal.
It is estimated that 5.95 percent
of 80,000 acres of farm land set aside for growing brinjal are cultivated with
Bt brinjal, according to the report.
Dilafroza Khanam, chief scientific
officer and head of the biotechnology division of the Bari, said farmers got
higher production as the fruit and shoot borer disease did not affect the crops
for use of GE seeds.
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the go with The Daily Star Android & iOS News App. Cli
Why Eating Rice Is The No. 1
Cultural Appropriation Guilt Trip
If you eat rice, you should be ashamed of yourself.
You are stealing from so many cultures at once that you might not even know who
to apologize to.
By J.C. Bourque
19, 2018
If you are, like me, a Right Thinking Person, you recognize
that everything is
political. (I’m also on the Right Side of History, but only as compared to the
Left Side of History.) This means that every action, thought, impulse,
hankering, whim, or tendency has ramifications distributed somewhere along the
oppressor/victim axis, and no matter what you do—or don’t—someone, somewhere,
is going to be offended.
Despite how cognizant I am of my
white, cis, Judeo-Christian, Anglo-American male privilege (as if the left
would ever let me forget), and how vigilantly I try to check all that murderous
privilege, I was making some rice the other evening when I realized I was
thoughtlessly going about the task without analyzing the political
ramifications of my dinner.
Not Locally Sourced Rice
Who was being exploited in bringing
this food to my table? How far was this rice transported to get here? There are
no rice paddies in Colorado that I know of, so certainly I must have broken
some “slow food” directives. And if I have a second helping, is someone going
to starve to death somewhere else?
After careful consideration, I
realized that by making a pot of rice, I was appropriating someone’s culture.
But whose? At first blush, you’d probably choose Asians. But which Asians?
There are so many. It was time for a little research (which is the only kind of
research I do—and I’m darned good at it, I’ll have you know).
I was stunned to discover that by making rice I was appropriating
from almost every culture on the planet and throughout much of history. There is,
for example, Persian Jeweled Rice, which I am eager to appropriate once I can
find the unobtaniumingredient: barberries. There’s arroz
rojo (Mexican red rice), rice pilaf (stolen from the hapless
Pilaffians during typical brutal colonial aggression), black rice (a
superfood), Spanish rice, sushi rice, and Basmati from India, Nepal, and
Pakistan.
Armenians have a rice dish with noodles and chicken broth, while
the Haitians have a version all their own with red beans. East African Swahili
Shrimp Pilau (recipe available at Jambo Imports in Santa Fe, New Mexico) is a rice
dish with cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Alternatively, if you cook
some rice with onions, garlic, cilantro, and lemon juice, you’ve got a favorite
Brazilian side dish.
Although it is believed that
aboriginal North Americans cultivated a form of wild rice, it was not among the
strains commercially farmed in North America. Therefore, it is possible that
rice is the only thing that we aren’t guilty of stealing from Native Americans
(whew!), and the only culture I’m not ripping off by cooking the stuff.
Here’s a fact I found in my
research that will blow the circuits of the social justice warrior mind: Rice
was introduced to North America from Africa, and slaves from the Senegambia
region of West Africa brought high prices at auction due to their prior
knowledge of rice cultivation. Southern plantation owners made a fortune in
rice production until the Civil War made them start paying for labor. Keep that
in mind, sneering hipsters, when you’re proudly showing off your enlightened,
woke, vegan, slow food, farm-to-table, multicultural credentials.
Eating Rice Is an Act of Violence
Despite rice’s bloody history,
people in Western cultures persist in using it in all sorts of foodie
preparations, particularly in vegetarian and vegan diets, without a trace of
remorse. Perhaps it’s due to ignorance. Certainly no self-respecting SJW would
knowingly use a product inextricably linked to racism, oppression, and brutal
murder.
Nevertheless, we Westerners, using
our vaunted free market creativity and privileged obliviousness to other
cultures, have managed to appropriate cultural artifacts from all over,
creating white-ified versions of almost everything. Jazz music, for example.
Think Louis Armstrong morphing into Kenny G. Or Italian cuisine (SpaghettiOs).
Regarding rice, we have developed complex and original recipes using the
ubiquitous staple grain, imbuing it with ponderous cultural significance and
exciting, bold new flava’. In other words, we’ve made it our own. Consider a
few examples.
White Liberal Rice is served clammy and riddled with guilt; Trans
Rice is actually corn, but it identifies as rice (don’t sayanything);
Steamed Pouting Rice has become wildly yet morosely popular since President
Trump’s inauguration; and Social Justice Rice comes out exactly the same, every
time, in equal portions for everyone, no matter how you cook it.
There’s Helsinki Rice––a dour,
stuffy varietal where 65 percent of your serving is confiscated and given to
others; Havana Rice, which is an empty bowl the same size as everyone else’s
empty bowl; Rice Merkel, in which you continually add other ingredients until
there’s no rice remaining; Border Rice, prepared by violently separating the
grains as soon as they are on your property and cooking them in different pots.
The two batches can never be served together and must be sent to random
destinations without accurate record-keeping.
Triggered Rice cooks itself at the
mere mention of making dinner; Snowflake Rice is a sensitive little grain that
must be very carefully cooked using as little heat as possible. Even if you
manage to cook it successfully, you can’t eat it, because that wouldn’t be
fair. Condoleezza Rice is accused of being an “Uncle Ben” traitor to the rice
race. Lastly there’s Rice Dolezal, an imitation brown rice whose color washes
off with a good rinsing.
As it happened, we were making Lamb
Rogan Josh, so I must plead (and feel) guilty of robbing the entire Indian
subcontinent of its treasured culture, although I imagine—my dinner
notwithstanding—they’re still making it over there, so who exactly got robbed?
J.C. Bourque is a recovering liberal whose rantings can be found
in his book “Squeezed: Rear-Ended by American Politics.” If you didn’t care for
this essay, you won’t like the book, either.
https://w
UA LITTLE ROCK RECEIVES $1 MILLION TO STUDY GENETICS OF HEAT-TOLERANT
RICE
·
A University of Arkansas at
Little Rock professor and several doctoral students are researching heat
tolerance in rice in hopes of helping rice farmers improve their yield – and
ultimately – reduce hunger.
Dr. Mariya Khodakovskaya, a
biology professor and interim associate dean in the College of Arts, Letters,
and Sciences, received a $1 million grant to study the genetic qualities of
rice to determine its heat tolerance.
She is part of a consortium
of researchers from the University of Arkansas Fayetteville, UA Little
Rock, Oklahoma State University, and Louisiana State
University. Dr. Andy Pereira, professor of crop, soil and
environmental science in the University of Arkansas System Division of
Agriculture and the UA Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life
Sciences, leads the consortium.
The four universities
collectively received $4.65 million from the National Science Foundation to
support their work over a four-year period. The team is studying the genetics
of more than 400 rice varieties collected from around the world. The goal
of the project is to ensure active, stable rice production to keep up with
future population growth and environmental changes. The results will be shared
with farmers.
“We are working in live
science,” Khodakovskaya said. “This is important because it is close to
the needs of society and close to industry. We target a lot of practical
problems, and the final results will be results that public can assess and
use.”
The consortium will study rice
grown in two different environments: one under heat stress and one under the
actual air temperature of the environment. By comparing the two groups of
plants, the researchers will be able to identify varieties of rice that produce
high-quality grains in spite of rising temperatures.
At UA Little Rock, four doctoral
students in applied science are assisting Khodakovskaya – Diamond
McGehee, Sudha Shanmugam, Zoya Nadeem Faruqui, and Kamal Pandey. Kamal Pandey
also manages the greenhouse located atop UA Little Rock’s Center for
Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences, where the students grow and monitor rice
specimens.
Their study examines the links
between plant metabolism and heat response in rice in order to identify
proteins and biomolecules, called metabolites, associated with heat
tolerance. The team will use liquid chromatography-mass
spectrometry to monitor rice metabolism.
“Using that and other data, we
can go through and find out which compounds are being produced and identify
different sensitivities to heat stress,” said Diamond McGehee of Conway. “We hope
it will give us insights into mechanisms for heat tolerance in rice.”
Shanmugam, who is from India,
said the research is important for the long-term applications.
“Rice is a staple food for half
of the world’s population,” she said. “Millions of farmers are having trouble
growing rice because of climate. Each year, 40 percent of the crops are lost
due to drought. Because of that, it’s better to create a drought-tolerant rice
if it will help the farmers.”
Arkansas is the country’s largest
producer of rice, which is also the state’s top export.
The project is funded by the
National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive
Research.
Dr. Mariya Khodakovskaya (right)
and her team of applied science doctoral students are researching
the heat tolerance of rice. Students include (from left) Diamond McGehee,
Zoya Faruqui, Kamal Pandey and Sudha Shanmugam. Photo by Benjamin Krain
India rice rates hit more than three-month high, Chinese rules weigh on
Vietnam
DECEMBER 20, 2018 /
BENGALURU (Reuters) - Rice export
prices in India rose to their highest in more than three months as a key
producing region hiked procurement rates for domestic paddy, while concerns
over stricter Chinese rules weighed on the Vietnamese market.
A man gets sample for quality checking at a rice processing
factory in Vietnam's southern Mekong delta, Vietnam July 6, 2017. REUTERS/Kham
Top exporter India’s 5 percent
broken parboiled variety was quoted at $375-$382 per tonne this week, the
highest since Sept. 7.The central state of Chhattisgarh, a leading rice
producer, raised the minimum paddy buying price to 2,500 rupees per 100 kg,
from 1,750 rupees earlier this week.“Importers are not ready to pay a higher
price. Exports are likely to slow down in coming months,” said an exporter
based at Kakinada, in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
Prices of Vietnam’s 5 percent
broken rice declined for the fifth straight week to $385 a tonne as activity
remained muted, traders said.“Prices fell further because we are concerned that
China’s move to impose stricter conditions on Vietnamese rice will have a
long-term impact,” a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City said.“It’s not clear if
China is buying more from Cambodia and Myanmar to compensate for the possible
declining shipments from Vietnam.”
Another trader said supplies from
Vietnam will increase from late next month when the winter-spring harvest
begins.
In Thailand, benchmark 5 percent
broken rice prices were quoted at $390-$391 per tonne, free on board Bangkok,
versus $385-$393 a week ago, as the market is expected to remain quiet until
well after the New Year period.“This is a reasonable level as we’re nearing the
end of the year. There is not much overseas activity and we’re also in the
harvesting season,” a Bangkok-based trader said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh, which
emerged as a major importer of rice in 2017 due to stock depletion following
floods, has stepped up efforts to procure more rice locally after output of the
staple grain improved, a food ministry official said.
“The response from farmers is
very good and the procurement drive will be continued,” the official said.The
country’s production for 2018/19 is expected to recover to 34.7 million tonnes,
up 6.3 percent year-on-year, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture attaché in Bangladesh.The South Asian country has procured more
than 1.3 million tonnes of rice locally so far in the current season to build
state reserves.
Rice stock sufficient to meet demand until early 2019: Minister
Jakarta / Thu, December 20, 2018 / 09:32 am
DECEMBER 20, 2018 /
A warehouse worker rests on top of sacks of rice on
Jan. 19 at the Cipinang Central Rice Market in East Jakarta. (Antara/Sigid
Kurniawan)
Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Darmin Nasution has given
an assurance that the country’s rice stock of 2.2 million tons is sufficient
ahead of the seasonal holidays, the stockpile is enough to meet market demand
until early next year.
“State-owned logistics company Bulog has expressed its readiness
to supply the market. There will be no more imports up to yearend,” said Darmin
in Jakarta on Wednesday as reported by kontan.co.id.
Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman also stressed that the rice
stock was adequate in Jakarta as there was still 50 million tons of rice at the
Cipinang rice market in East Jakarta.
Bulog president director Budi Waseso said the company was ready to
carry out market intervention to stabilize the price. “We are ready to fulfill
the demand for the next four months,” he added.
The government always pays serious attention to the adequacy of
the stock of rice, the main staple food in the country, and attempts stabilize
the market price as the commodity is very sensitive to inflation.
The data on rice supplies is often confusing as various
institutions present different figures.
The Agriculture Ministry says that the country produced 46.5
million tons of rice this year, while the total consumption was 33.47 million
tons. Meanwhile, Statistics Indonesia has calculated that the country’s rice
production only reached 32.4 million tons this year.Indonesia imported more
than 3 million tons this year. (bbn)
Autonomous rice transplanter set to head for the paddies
December 20th, 2018
An audio version of this article is available to New
Atlas Plus subscribers.
It was just this July that
Japan's Yanmar Agri Corporation unveiled a line of driverless agricultural tractors. Now, as part
of the same Smartpilot system, the company has announced an autonomous rice
seedling-transplanter.
Known as the YR8D, A, the new
diesel-powered vehicle is wirelessly programmed/monitored via an included
waterproof 10.1-inch tablet. It can operate in either of two modes, depending
on rice paddy conditions and other factors.
In Linear Mode, it automatically
moves in straight lines through the paddy, with an onboard driver manually
steering the vehicle through the turn-arounds at the end of each row. In Auto
Mode, it's able to remain completely driverless, handling the turns on its own.
Additionally, its seedling-planting mechanism automatically moves up and down
in response to the level of the terrain.
An onboard GNSS (Global
Navigation Satellite System) module allows the vehicle to know where it is
within the paddy. Users can also set up an optional ground-located base
station, with which the vehicle wirelessly communicates to more accurately
gauge its location.
"The phase where planting is
performed in the paddy is almost exactly the same as with a regular
transplanter and there are no additional yield benefits," Yanmar's Paul Bartels
told us.
"Where the efficiency is
realized is in the rearing of the seedlings that are planted by the
transplanter. By utilizing the 'dense seedling' process, one tray of seedlings
contains far more rice seedlings than the same sized tray grown in the regular
process. Therefore, there is a saving in labor and space, compared to the
regular process for producing seedlings. The YR8D, A transplanter can utilize
these dense seedling trays, whereas a regular transplanter cannot."
The YR8D, A will initially only
be available in Japan, as of Feb. 1st. Pricing will range from ¥3,955,000 to
¥5,545,000 (about US$35,230 to $49,392).
It can be seen in action, in the
video below.
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- DEC 21, 2018
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-December 21,
2018 Nagpur, Dec 21 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices showed weak tendency in
Nagpur Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on poor buying support
from local millers amid increased arrival from producing regions. Good arrival
in other foodgrain mandis and high moisture content arrival also affected
prices in thin trading activity. About 100 bags of gram and 100 bags of tuar
reported for auctions in Nagpur APMC, according to sources.
GRAM
* Desi gram reported down in open market here on lack
of demand from local traders.
TUAR
* Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market here on
subdued demand from local
traders amid ample stock in ready position.
* Watana dal recovered in open market here on good
demand from local traders.
* In Akola, Tuar New – 4,200-4,600, Tuar dal (clean) –
7,000-7,300, Udid Mogar (clean)
– 7,300-8,200, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,800-8,300, Gram –
4,600-4,700, Gram Super best
– 6,700-6,900 * 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 3,800-4,290 3,800-4,375
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 3,700-4,150 4,000-4,300
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 1,950-2,004 1,950-2,990
Gram Super Best Bold 7,000-7,200 7,000-7,200
Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.
Gram Medium Best 6,600-6,800 6,600-6,800
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a
Gram Mill Quality 4,800-4,900 4,800-4,900
Desi gram Raw 4,400-4,500 4,450-4,550
Gram Kabuli 8,300-10,000 8,300-10,000
Tuar Fataka Best-New 7,100-7,300 7,100-7,300
Tuar Fataka Medium-New 6,800-7,000 6,800-7,000
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 6,400-6,600 6,400-6,600
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 6,000-6,300 6,000-6,300
Tuar Gavarani New 4,550-4,650 4,550-4,650
Tuar Karnataka 4,850-5,050 4,850-5,050
Masoor dal best 5,200-5,400 5,200-5,400
Masoor dal medium 4,700-4,900 4,700-4,900
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New) 8,000-8,500 8,000-8,500
Moong Mogar Medium 6,000-7,000 6,000-7,000
Moong dal Chilka New 6,200-7,500 6,200-7,500
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 7,800-9,000 7,800-9,000
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,800-8,500
7,800-8,500
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,000-7,000 6,000-7,000
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,400 4,000-4,400
Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,500-5,600 5,500-5,600
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,800-4,900 4,900-5,000
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 5,550-5,650 5,500-5,600
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,100 5,800-6,100
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300
Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,150 2,100-2,150
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400
2,200-2,400
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,000 3,600-4,000
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,600-3,100 2,600-3,100
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200
Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,800 3,200-3,800
Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,600-3,000 2,600-3,000
Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000
Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,800 2,700-2,800
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) 3,500-3,900 3,500-3,900
Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,500 5,200-5,500
Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,000 4,800-5,000
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 9,500-14,000
9,500-14,000
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 4,800-7,000
4,800-7,000
Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 6,800-7,500 6,800-7,500
Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 6,500-6,700
6,500-6,700
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,350-2,550 2,350-2,550
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,050-2,250 2,050-2,250 WEATHER
(NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 26.8 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 8.3 degree Celsius
Rainfall : Nil FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Maximum and minimum temperature
likely to be around 25 degree Celsius and 8 degree Celsius. Note: n.a.—not
available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices,
but included in market prices)
Myanmar earns US$495 M from rice
and broken rice export
20 DECEMBER 2018
ZEYA NYEIN
Myanmar earned over US$495 million from over 1.4 million tons of
rice and broken rice export from April to November in this year, according to
Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF).
It is 732,000 tons less compared with the same period last year
while export earnings were reduced to over US$174 million in that period.
Myanmar exported US$669 million worth of 2.18 million tons of rice
and broken rice in the same period last year.
The rice export broke records in over fifty-year time as Myanmar
found new markets for its rice export sector in 2017-18 FY.
Myanmar exported rice through border trade and maritime trade in
previous years and more than 70 per cent of total rice export are made via
border trade routes.
The rice export amount from maritime trade increased in 2017-18 FY
and it was reached to 48 per cent of total rice export.
European Union (EU) is planning to suspend the Generalized Scheme
of Preferences (GSP) for three years for rice export from Myanmar in coming
years, according to the MRF.
The EU is planning to withdraw the GSP that the 16 mm-long rice
imported from Myanmar is mainly grown in the EU member countries - Italy and
Spain. It plans to collect taxes on exports of long-grain rice in order to
protect the interests of these countries.
Myanmar is exporting rice to the EU and Africa via maritime trade
and China via Muse border trade center.
Mandatory rice
fortification for public programmes in India by December 2019
19-Dec-2018 - Last
updated on 19-Dec-2018 at 02:45 GMT
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Fortified
rice will contain folic acid, iron, niacin, pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamine
and vitamins A and B12. ©Getty Images
The use
of fortified rice will be mandatory in all midday meal schemes, and public
nutrition programmes under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) in
India by December 2019.
In the
Indian government's latest effort to combat malnutrition in the country, the
Ministry of Women and Child Development pushed for the use of fortified rice
across the board in these nutrition-based schemes, having already made the use
of fortified wheat, salt, milk and oil mandatory.Government sources have revealed that by December 2019, midday meals at schools, as well as food served at ICDS centres, will be prepared using fortified wheat flour and edible oil. Currently, the use of double-fortified iodised salt under these programmes is already mandatory.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) also said that by January 2020, fortified rice, wheat flour, salt and edible oil would be supplied throughout the country’s Public Distribution System (PDS).
Phasing out
Speaking from an international
conference called Aligning Food Systems for Health Diets and Improved
Nutrition, held at the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) in Hyderabad on
November 11, joint secretary for the Department of Women and Child Welfare
Rajesh Kumar said he and his colleagues would be meeting with officials from
the Food Ministry and the FSSAI over the next few weeks.The purpose of these meetings would be to discuss how best to introduce rice fortification through the ICDS and in schools. The department will also ensure that the double fortification of rice, wheat, salt, milk and oil will be implemented in several phases.
He also said that the fortification of food was just one of the ways in which malnutrition, which has plagued India for a long time, could be alleviated.
Addition of nutrition
The rice used in the aforementioned
schemes will be fortified by the addition of vitamins and minerals, many of
which are lost when rice is milled and polished.Fortified rice and wheat flour will contain folic acid, iron, niacin, pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamine and vitamins A and B12, while fortified milk and edible oil will contain vitamins A and D, all in amounts that can help consumers reach their RDI (recommended daily intake).
The Indian government has made multiple attempts to lower the incidence of malnutrition in the country over the years, with its most recent effort involving pearl millet fortification, carried out in conjunction with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and US-based firm HarvestPlus.
However, while the fortification of staple foods in general has been welcome by the public and complied with by many companies, the FSSAI has received criticism from industry over its push for the mandatory fortification of edible oils, with the main complaint being that it is likely to be too impractical and far too costly to implement.
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