Climate change and major food crops of Pakistan
December 20, 2018 2018-12-20T12:42:19+00:00
Haseeba Maryam
M.Sc.(Hons) Environmental Sciences, University of
Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Change in climate is mainly attributed to the unabated increase in
greenhouse gases, including fluorinated gases, carbon dioxide, methane, and
nitrous oxide, which bring changes in rain pattern, temperature, and negative
effects on water and land resources, floods, and droughts.
- Why climate change is affecting agriculture in Pakistan?
Climate change is considered to be a global phenomenon; however,
its impacts are more widely felt in the developing countries, due to their
greater vulnerabilities and lesser ability to mitigate the effects of climate
change. Because most developing nations—including Pakistan—are
agriculture-based economies, their agricultural sector is affected the most due
to direct exposure to nature.
Therefore, the major impact of climate change is on agricultural
production due to changes in rain pattern, temperature, floods, droughts, and
negative effects on water and land resources. In the developing states (such as
Asia and Africa), the latest work has progressively considered the impacts of
climate change on agricultural production.
- Food security and water availability
Food security and water availability are highly vulnerable to the
rapidly changing climate. During the summer season, most of the climate models
expected that rainfall will increase. The Himalayan glaciers (75%) are melting,
and will disappear by 2035. The reduction or escalation in the intensity may
result in droughts and floods, respectively.
- Climate change and food production limitations
Climate change will affect crop productivity, and can thus cause
food security problems. It has been expected that global warming will increase
yields due to “fertilizer effect”, but will influence poor farmers negatively.
For example, countries closer to the equator will have reduced production due
to global warming.
African countries will experience extreme droughts and a further
shortage of food. If climate change affects the productivity of the agriculture
sector in the lower-income countries of Asia or Africa, a large number of people
will be at risk, and the problem of food insecurity will increase.
Climate change is the main driver of food security in the
developing world, because it affects the productivity of the agriculture
sector, its stability, and other components of the food system, including
storage, access, and utilization.
- Climate change distribution to different regions of world
Generally, climate change has minor effects on global food
production, but these effects are unevenly distributed geographically. Most of
the losses are suffered in lower-income countries, such as those in arid and
sub-humid South Asia and Africa. These regions are engaged in subsistence
agriculture, and are not technically sound or financially strong enough to
abate the negative impacts of climate change. Moreover, they have almost no
potential for adaptation.
This adversely affects the people
in these countries because of their dependence on agriculture for their
livelihood. According to estimates of the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), the global number of undernourished people
is 795 million. This shows a decline of nearly 200 million over the last 20
years.
Conclusion
Studies reveal that increasing temperature and the changing
pattern of rainfall have a substantial Impact on food production. A recent
study anticipates that the wheat production of South Asia will decline by 50%
by 2050—equal to almost 7% of the global crop production.
The Peterson Institute states that agricultural production in
developing countries will further fall between 10% to 25% and global warming
will decrease the agricultural capacity of India by 40% if it continues
unabated. Hence, climatic change causes serious threats to food security,
negative impacts on productivity of different crops, the food supply and the
cost of adoption of climatic change is high.
Therefore, food security has
remained a prominent policy of Pakistan’s government. Wheat, rice, and maize
are the main food crops, and sugar cane is the main cash crop of Pakistan. Therefore, food security policy
mainly focuses on the production of these crops.
In light of the above deliberations, this study aims to examine
the nexus between climatic change (maximum temperature, minimum temperature,
rainfall, humidity, and sunshine) and the yield of major crops including wheat,
rice, maize, and sugarcane
Matco Foods’ new plant tocome online
by May next year
KARACHI: Matco Foods Limited (MFL),
one of the top rice exporters of Pakistan, has procured most of the equipment
for its rice glucose syrup and protein plant, which is expected to come online
by May 2019.
This new expansion would increase
the total production capacity of the company to 30,000 tons rice glucose and
3,000 tons rice protein per annum, respectively.
The last shipment of the equipment
for the new plant would arrive by the end of December 2018, according to the
MFL management. The company planned to sell off their MATCO-I site, and
receipts from it would be utilised to minimise the company’s short-term
borrowing.
Analyst Syed Mustafa Zamin of
Taurus Securities said the company has set a target to reduce their short-term
borrowing by Rs250 million in calendar year 2019, and Rs400 million by 2020.
MFL constitutes one of the top 30
rice-exporters of Pakistan, and was the only publicly listed company. It holds
10 percent share in the total rice exports from Pakistan.
“The management of MFL is looking
forward to growth in volume; with future plans to vertically integrate
themselves in other product markets ie rice, maltose, and in FMCG line,” Zamin
added.
The company had recently notified
the Pakistan Stock Exchange that it has applied to the Competition Commission
of Pakistan for a joint venture in Pakistan with Barentz International to
diversify its product range. The joint venture would import raw material and
sell in line with MFL’s existing rice glucose and rice protein business,
commented Matco Company Secretary Muhammad Latif Qureshi in the notification.
The management of MFL expects stable rice prices in the global market, under
$1,000/ton.
MFL, that markets its products
under the brand names, Falak, Amber and Bahar, manufactures and processes
parboiled basmati rice, steam basmati rice, brown long grain rice, white long
grain rice, broken rice, and other organic rice.
The company’s rice-export
composition consists of over 60 countries, including the European Union (30
percent), Middle East (20 percent), Australia (20 percent), and United States
(five percent).
MFL’s rice-export composition
consists of EU (30 percent), Middle East (20 percent), Australia (20 percent),
and USA (5 percent).
In 2018, MFL increased its cash
reserves by 618.88 percent, or Rs711.97 million. Cash flow from financing
totalled Rs750.66 million or 10.91 percent of revenues. In addition the company
generated 131.88 million in cash from operations, while cash used for investing
totalled Rs176.67 million.
MFL’s 66 percent of rice syrup was
being consumed in the domestic market, whereas the remaining 33 percent was
exported.
The company also manufactures rice
bran powder, rice glucose, rice bran oil, rice protein, jasmine rice, pink
salt, iodized salt, vermicelli and other snack foods, such as biscuits, wafers
and baked chips.
Year on year MFL revenues have
grown 11.71 percent from Rs6.16 billion to Rs6.88 billion, while net income
improved 11.15 percent from Rs277.15 million to Rs308.07 million during 2018.
Also, the company’s year on year growth in earnings per share excluding
extraordinary items increased 31.62 percent.
On Thursday, MFL shares closed at
Rs28.61, 18.64 percent above the 52 week low of 24.11 set on October 15, 2018.
Christmas dinner menus for Scottish jails revealed
Prisoners are being served a
Christmas dinner despite being behind bars.
Sarah Ward
·
10:38, 21 DEC 2018
·
UPDATED12:08, 21 DEC 2018
Turkey is on the Christmas menu at HMP Barlinnie (Image: SWNS)
Menus detailing what prisoners
will be served on Christmas Day have been revealed.
Inmates at HMP Barlinnie appear
to have the most luxurious Christmas fare, with their food served up with an
accompanying Irn Bru.
All prisoners at Barlinnie can
also choose to be served Christmas pudding with rum cream.
They will be also have a roast
dinner including turkey, chipolata sausages, roast potatoes, carrots, sprouts,
cranberry gravy and creamed potatoes.Veggie lags can opt for nut roast, and a
halal option will be served too, which is lamb curry with Basmati rice and naan
bread.
And following a 'Christmas tea',
including Cup-A-Soup and a roll for a starter, and either a beef burger,
falafel burger for a main course, prisoners can jave a tangerine, mince pie,
Christmas slice and an Irn Bru.
The especially decorated menu
wishes lags a 'Merry Christmas' and includes a picture of a
At HMP Edinburgh Soup will be
served as a starter, with gateaux and cream for dessert - and inmates even
start the day with a continental breakfast, making a change from their usual
morning meal of cereal, a roll and jam and milk.
In the evening, prisoners can
tuck into either a cold meat platter served with pasta or spicy vegetable
burger with potato wedges.At HMP Perth, prisoners will have their usual
breakfast of cereal, roll and jam and milk, follows by a fry-up for lunch.
Black pudding, a boiled egg,
potato scone and tomato along with a lorne roll and soup will be on the menu
for omnivores.
Veggie prisoners at the high
security jail can opt for meat-free sausages instead of black pudding.
For Christmas tea, roast
potatoes, spouts and carrots will be served along with chicken fillet, bacon
and gravy, or a vegetable kiev instead of meat.
And chocolate orange gateaux will
be served as a sweet treat or a healthy option of fruit, followed by a snack
pack.
Inmates at HMP Grampian will have
the choice of either soup and fruit for their Christmas lunch, served with two
Lorne rolls, or of two Quorn sausage rolls served with yoghurt.
HMP Grampian has a Halal option on it's New Year menu (Image: SWNS)
The main meal will be either
chicken breast or a pastry made with Wensleydale cheese, leek and clotted
cream, both served with boiled and roast potatoes, sprouts, carrots and gravy.
Dessert at the north east prison,
which is also home to many young offenders, who's meal cost slightly more at
£2.85 each, would consist of sticky chocolate and orange cake, or cream and
fruit, as well as a snack pack.
The menu costs the Scottish
Prison Service £2.58 per head, the same as the rest of the year.
Palace:
Rice tariffication bill up for Duterte’s signature
Published December 19, 2018 3:18pm
Updated December 19, 2018 5:29pm
Updated December 19, 2018 5:29pm
By VIRGIL LOPEZ, GMA News
President Rodrigo Duterte is
expected to sign into law soon the rice tariffication bill, a measure certified
as urgent by the chief executive, Malacañang said Wednesday.
"If it was submitted to the
Office of the President, I suppose it will be signed anytime,"
presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said at a news conference.
Asked why the President has not
signed the measure yet, Panelo pointed to Duterte's heavy workload.
Under the bill, the private
sector will be allowed to import rice as long as they have secured a
phytosanitary permit from the Bureau of Plant Industry and pay the 35 percent
tariff for shipments from neighbors in Southeast Asia.
It will earmark P10 billion for
the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement fund, P5 billion of which will be allotted
to farm mechanization and P3 billion to seedlings. The fund intends to ensure
that rice imports won’t drown out the agriculture sector and rob farmers of
their livelihood.
In endorsing the bill, Duterte
told Congress about the "urgent need to improve availability of rice in
the country, prevent artificial rice shortage, reduce the prices of rice in the
market and curtail the prevalence of corruption and cartel domination in the
rice industry."
By January, at least 500,000
metric tons of imported NFA rice will arrive in the country, but such supply
will only last until March 2019, according to the government.
Told about potential backlash
from consumers, Panelo said liberalization in rice market will foster
competition.
"Magpapababaan sila ng
presyo otherwise di sila bibili. Kaya nga law of supply and demand yan,"
Panelo said.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles,
for his part, said that even with the law's passage, the NFA "shall
continue to provide the public, particularly the less fortunate, with rice that
is affordable and safe."
"Once the law is passed, the
NFA will be directed to buy palay from our local farmers and, together with the
Department of Agriculture, to focus on developing cost-efficient systems that
will help reduce the production costs of locally-produced rice and stabilize
prices so that this food staple is accessibly priced," he
said. — RSJ, GMA News
‘NFA to sell rice at low price even after removal
of QR’
December 20, 2018
By Bernadette D. Nicolas & Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas
RICE from the National Food Authority (NFA) will
remain available to the public and will be cheaper than the commercial
varieties even after a measure that will remove import caps is signed into law
by President Duterte.
Quoting Sen. Cynthia A. Villar,
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said government-subsidized rice will
still be available to the public even after the President signs a law that will
lift the quantitative restriction (QR) on imports.
Piñol said, however, that selling
government-subsidized rice at P27 per kilogram (kg) may no longer be viable, as
this could cause the NFA to incur more financial losses.
“Unless [the] government
subsidizes NFA rice, it cannot be sold at P27 per kg because it would mean a
loss of P9 per kg for the grains agency,” he said in a Facebook post. He said
the provision disallowing the NFA to import rice for its buffer stock and local
markets was supported by the Department of Agriculture and stakeholders in the
rice sector. Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel
Salvador S. Panelo said on Wednesday that the proposed Rice Tariffication Act
will be signed into law by Duterte “anytime soon.”
‘Unclear’
THE NFA on Wednesday said in a
statement that it is looking into its future role with the impending enactment
of the proposed Rice Tariffication Act.
Under Senate Bill (SB) 1998, or
“An Act Liberalizing the Importation, Exportation and Trading of Rice, Lifting
for the Purpose the Quantitative Import Restriction on Rice and for Other
Purposes,” rider provisions were inserted that clipped most of the powers and
functions of the NFA in implementing its food security and stabilization role.
The NFA was left with the mere
function of buffer stocking for a specific purpose: to sustain the disaster-
relief programs of the government during natural or man-made calamities.
Under Section 3, buffer stock is
defined as “the optimal level of rice inventory that shall be maintained at any
given time to be used for emergency situations and to sustain the disaster
relief programs of the government during natural or man-made calamities.” It
technically removed the function of rice buffer stocking for the purpose of
stabilizing
consumer prices.
consumer prices.
Other NFA powers and functions
repealed under SB 1998 are: The registration, licensing and supervision of
persons and entities engaged in the grains business; the regulation of grains
importation and exportation; monitoring and enforcement of grains trading rules
and regulations; and the power to contract indebtedness and import rice for
food security buffer stocking, among others.
“What will happen during the lean
months, a period of no harvest, when rice prices traditionally increase? Will
it not be treated as an emergency situation requiring government intervention?
How do we ensure that those who cannot afford to buy high-priced commercial
rice will still have rice on their table?” NFA OIC Administrator Tomas R.
Escarez said.
In its 46 years of existence, the
NFA said it has been supplying 60 to 80 percent of the rice needs of remote
barangays and island provinces. These are the places where selling low-priced
rice will not be attractive for profit-oriented businessmen, as add-on costs
would not make a feasible business proposition.
The NFA noted that at least 10
million Filipinos, or about 10 percent of the current population of 106 million
rely on low-priced government rice for their daily sustenance.
“If NFA’s palay procurement would
be limited for what is the ‘optimal volume’ needed for calamities and man-made
emergencies, NFA may no longer be able to influence palay farm-gate prices. The
country’s rice requirement for calamities averages at only
about 500,000 metric tons annually, or only about 4 percent of the average 12
million MT annual rice production of the country,” Escarez said.
With unhampered rice importation,
the NFA said more traders will also resort to buying rice than palay that will
entail more expenses for processing, storage, handling, trucking and
distribution to retailers.
“Even small rice traders will
also be affected under the rice tariffication law, as rice retailing and
wholesaling will be completely placed in the hands of the private sector. There
are presently 74,875 NFA-licensed grains businessmen nationwide. More than
50,000 of them are into grains retailing,” Escarez said.
“The NFA’s 15,892 accredited
retailers that sell NFA rice at P27 and P32/kg will eventually lose their
livelihood and consumers will no longer have access to rice at these prices,”
he added.
Although the NFA is still
awaiting the final approval of the bill and the ensuing implementing rules and
regulations of the prospective law, Escarez said the agency is already studying
and preparing recommendations on how to ensure rice price and supply
stabilization.
Economic managers have been
pusing for the passage of the measure, as this was seen to bring down the
prices of the staple by P2 to P7 per kg.
Panelo said competition among
traders would pull down rice prices. “If you liberalize [the rice sector],
there will be competition in the market, so they will be competing with lower
prices.”
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.
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/world/business/india-rice-rates-hit-more-than-three-month-high-chinese-rules-weigh-on-vietnam-3857530.html
Rice
Production: Nigeria will take on the World-Governor Bagudu
The governor said the President Muhammadu 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 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 the Bagudu said N174 billion has been disbursed as
credit to small holder farmers under the anchors borrowers programme.
FARM BILL 2018:
Crop insurance, faster internet for rural communities, and no more S.N.A.P.
bonuses
Posted: Dec 18, 2018 07:50 PM CST
Updated: Dec
18, 2018 07:50 PM CST
ASHINGTON, D.C. - (12/18/18) We've heard a lot about crop
insurance, price supports, and bringing faster internet to places outside of
the big cities.What else are we getting for our new $867 Billion, 5 year farm
bill?
The federal government will no
longer pay bonuses to states that participate in the S.N.A.P. program
correctly.
Republicans say states have
exaggerated their performance and that the government paid out $48 Million in
bonuses last year.
Growers and livestock producers
can use federal money to drum up business in Cuba, which imports 80% of
its food.
Congress has re-authorized Armed
to Farm, which pays to teach veterans technical skills for farm work when they
become civilians.
Lawmakers also approved crop
insurance for rice, which includes research money for new ways to irrigate rice
fields.
Senator Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, voted
against the farm bill after it scrapped new work requirements to get and keep
food stamps.
Senior Arkansas Senator John
Boozman praised it as bringing certainty and predictability.
Arkansans witness farm bill's signing
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence arrive
Thursday at a White House auditorium for a ceremony to mark the signing of the
farm bill.With
Arkansans looking on, President Donald Trump signed the 2018 farm bill into law
during a ceremony Thursday at the White House.
The new law, which spells out the
nation's agriculture and nutrition policies, calls for more than $400 billion
in spending over the next five years; roughly $867 billion over the next
decade.
Arkansas Farm Bureau President
Randy Veach and the group's director of government affairs, Matt King,
witnessed the ceremony along with Terry Dabbs, a farmer from Stuttgart.
Three Arkansas Republicans who
helped craft the bill also attended: U.S. Sen. John Boozman of Rogers and U.S.
Reps. Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs and Rick Crawford of Jonesboro.
Trump said the new law is "a
really tremendous victory for the American farmer, ranchers, agriculture --
incredible people."
"We've been working long and
hard on this one. We were hearing it might not be able to pass this year, but
... we passed it," he said.
Friday's event capped more than a
year of work on Capitol Hill.
"It was very encouraging and
very uplifting," Veach said. "It's a great day for our nation. It's a
great day for our farmers and ranchers. And we're thrilled that we've got this
farm bill and that stability that we need."
In a written statement,
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue described the latest farm bill as
"evolutionary, rather than revolutionary."
The measure includes price
supports and disaster assistance for farmers, trade promotion funds,
conservation funding and loan programs.
In addition to providing aid for
American farmers, it also reauthorizes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program, which provides food aid to roughly 40 million poor people nationwide.
Farm bills are typically renewed
every five years or so. The last one had expired on Sept. 30.
"I think it was important to
get this five year bill in place to give farmers some certainty. Also it's got
some really nice stuff in there for rural America," Westerman said.
The measure included funding for
rural broadband and establishes a "feral swine eradication and control
pilot program," Westerman said. It also makes some improvements to federal
forest policy, he added.Boozman said the legislation gives a necessary boost to
agriculture.
"Compared back to the last
farm bill we passed, income has declined 50 percent, foreclosures are up 38
percent. The commodity prices, what they can sell their products for, [are]
very, very low right now. Because of those things it's been very very difficult
for the American farmer," he said.
The farm bill also continues
anti-hunger programs, Boozman noted.
"There are a number of
people in our country, many of them working poor, people that have jobs but
perhaps are making minimum wage or a little bit above that ... and they simply
can't make ends meet," he said.
For them, "it's a very
important lifeline," he said.
In a written statement, Arkansas
Rice Federation Chairman Jeff Rutledge thanked Boozman, Westerman, Crawford,
U.S. Rep. French Hill of Little Rock and U.S. Rep. Steve Womack of Rogers for
supporting the farm bill.
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, a
Republican from Dardanelle, was the only member of the delegation to vote
against the bill.
"We are extremely pleased to
see final passage of a farm bill that provides some certainty in such a
variable agricultural climate. The advocacy of our congressional delegates on
behalf of Arkansas producers cannot be overstated and our family farms will
continue to benefit from their leadership for years to come," Rutledge
added.
Villar:
NFA would still be mandated to sell affordable rice to the poor
December 21, 2018, 4:33 PM
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Senator Cynthia Villar on Friday
maintained that National Food Authority (NFA) would still be mandated to sell
affordable rice to the poor even with the enactment of the proposed rice
tariffication law.
Senator Cynthia Villar
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN)
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN)
Villar, chair of the Senate
committee on agriculture and food, clarified the pronouncements that the NFA
will discontinue selling cheap rice once President Duterte signs the bill that
would liberalize rice importation in the country.
The senator who had authored and
sponsored the Senate’s version of the rice tariffication bill said the measure
would not result in higher prices of rice.
She explained that the NFA, under
the measure, would no longer be allowed to import rice and would only be
mandated to buy its rice supply from local farmers.
“Once the law is passed the NFA
will be directed to buy palay from our local farmers and together with
Department of Agriculture to focus on developing cost-efficient system that
will help reduce the production cost of locally produced rice and stabilize
rice prices,” Villar said in a statement.
“President Duterte said that even
with rice tariffication and liberalization of the rice industry, the NFA shall
continue to provide the public particularly the less fortunate with rice that
is affordable and safe,” she added.
To cite an example, Villar said
the P28-billion rice subsidy of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development, particularly for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries
next year
shall be bought from the local
rice farmers.Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol earlier said NFA will cease
distributing P27-per-kilogram rice to the country’s markets when the rice
tariffication law is enacted.
Under the measure, the NFA will
no longer have the authority over rice importation and shall focus on
maintaining its buffer stock. It would be required to buy palay (unmilled rice)
from local farmers.
Senators earlier allayed concerns
that the rice tariffication bill will result in the rice price surge.
The measure, they said, will pave the way for competition and will compel traders to lower their prices and sell cheaper rice to the public.
The measure, they said, will pave the way for competition and will compel traders to lower their prices and sell cheaper rice to the public.
Villar reiterated that it is high
time for the Philippines to liberalize the importation of rice following the
expiration of the quantitative restriction on importation of rice allowed by
the World Trade Organization on June 30, 2017.
Villar, on the other hand,
assured anew that the tariffication bill passed by Congress will also protect
the Filipino farmers from imported rice.
She said the collections from the
tariff will be given to the farmers in the amount of P10 billion per year for
the next six years to make the local farmers more competitive through
mechanization (P5 billion); better seed production (P3 billion); cheaper credit
(P1 billion); and training (P1 billion).
President Duterte has yet to sign
the proposed rice tariffication law
Rabi rice
area drops by a third
NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 21
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.
Rice
production: Nigeria will take on the world
Governor
Bagudu a day ago 5332 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. .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
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. 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. Read more: https://www.legit.ng/1210915-rice-production-nigeria-world-governor-bagudu.html
India rice export prices hit 3-month high
Reuters . Bengaluru |
Published: 00:00, Dec 21,2018 | Updated: 00:58, Dec 21,2018
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.Top exporter India’s 5 per cent 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 per cent 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 per cent 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 per cent year-on-year, according to estimates from the US 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.
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 per cent 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 per cent 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 per cent year-on-year, according to estimates from the US 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 exports to pick up in 2019 overcoming current
slump: Study
Overall rice export volumes have improved
and by September-end shipments were valued at USD 6.87 billion compared to USD
5.8 billion in the same period of 2017.
Published: 21st December 2018 05:50 PM |
Last Updated: 21st December 2018
05:50 PM |
Image used for
representational purpose only. (File photo | Reuters)
MUMBAI: The slump in rice exports over
the last few months is part of a regular annual cycle, and shipment volume is
expected to grow in 2019, following pick up in demand from Middle East as well
as other new markets, according to a report.
"As per our data, India has exported
shipments worth over USD 183 million so far in this quarter, as of November
2018. As the annual seasonal demand from the Middle East picks up, and
more non-basmati rice gets shipped to China, Indian rice exporters can expect
business to pick up in the coming months," US-based trade finance company
Drip Capital's co-founder and co-CEO Pushkar Mukewar said.
However, he said, exporters are unlikely to
see the due benefits from this increased opportunity if they are unable to
access required credit.
Overall rice export volumes have improved and
by September-end shipments were valued at USD 6.87 billion compared to USD 5.8
billion in the same period of 2017.
Thus, the report said, there is little need
for panic, as demand and export volumes is expected to continue rising into
2019.
New markets are also opening for Indian rice,
with China being touted as a major opportunity.
However, exporters will begin to benefit from
Chinese trade only in the long-term, it added.
Further, it said, exports to Bangladesh have
seen stellar growth, despite a slump in April-September this year as overall
shipments to Bangladesh in the first three quarters have grown USD 91.7 million
year-on-year.
Based on heavy increase in demand there are
six other potential market opportunities for Indian exporters, including Qatar,
Yemen, Israel, the Philippines, Kenya and Ukraine, it added.
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