Is rice slowly
poisoning you - and is your TOILET making you sick? Scientists warn everyday
activities may be infecting humans with dangerous bacteria
·
The research, presented today at the Society
for Risk Analysis, also warns of risks in rice
·
Rice contains high levels of arsenic, which
are harmless one-off but could cause dangerous build-ups
·
Toilet plumbing has not advanced, meaning
dangerous bacteria fester
·
The team calls for regulators do more to
advise people about the risks from foods and improve plumbing
We all know to avoid under-cooked chicken,
raw eggs, and the blow of someone else's cigarette smoke. But a series of
new studies warn we may be unwittingly exposing ourselves to bacteria and
toxins from other things that, on the face of it, seem fine.
Eating regular helpings of rice - the biggest
food source of inorganic arsenic - can lead to toxic build-ups of the chemical
in the body, researchers claim.
Barbecue meat contains high concentrations of
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - a group 1 carcinogen, according to the
International Agency for Research on Cancer - which are not immediately
threatening but can cause long-term damage.
Above all, they warn, poor toilet plumbing -
particularly in developed countries - is the primary cause of rising rates of
life-threatening diseases like Legionnaire's.
The research, being presented today at the
Society for Risk Analysis, is a call to arms for regulators like the Food and
Drug Administration to do more to advise people about the risks from foods, and
for cities to improve plumbing systems.
+2
TOXINS IN YOUR
TOILET
Ryan Julien, a project engineer at Michigan
State, conducted a study investigating the age of water in any given
home.
Toilet technology has advanced in some ways
but not in others, he found.
On the plus side: fewer people are wasting
water because more homes use shorter flushes (i.e. using less than two gallons
to flush their waste away). In 2016, 37 percent of homes used short flushes, up
from 8 percent in 1999.
However, most plumbing system designs haven't
been updated in the last few decades.
With less water pushing the old sludge out,
we need more advanced plumbing to move things along.
Julien found that is not happening, and as
such, the average age of water in the pipes of American homes has
increased.
The older water, the more dirty - and
dangerous - it is.
For one, it means there's more time for pipe
materials to erode into the water, which flows back into the system.
Second, and perhaps more importantly, it
creates fertile ground for 'opportunistic pathogens such as Legionella spp.,
Mycobacterium spp. and P. aeruginosa,' which are linked to life-threatening
diseases, Legionnaire's, tuberculosis, and antibiotic-resistant Staph and Strep
Make nice with rice to boost your
diet
December 4, 2018
by Len Canter, Healthday Reporter
(HealthDay)—If you love rice, you might be wondering
how you can make it part of healthy meals. Whether you're trying to drop pounds
or stay at a healthy weight, some adjustments will let you keep it on the menu.
Rice belongs to the grain family.
While grains are
an important part of your overall diet, standard white rice isn't a nutritious
choice—it's not a whole grain.
What's more, it's a food that has 200 calories per cup, so you want to make
sure that you maximize nutrients as well as flavor.
First, opt for brown rice, the whole-grain form,
as often as possible. White rice has gone through a process that removes its
fiber and many of its nutrients, including protein, iron and some B vitamins.
There are many types—and colors—of
whole grain rice to sample, including brown basmati, red rice, purple Thai and
Chinese black rice. Popular Wehani rice is a whole grain, reddish-brown
American hybrid of basmati and brown rices. Note that wild rice is another tasty
choice, though technically it's not a rice, but rather a semi-aquatic grass. It
makes a great medley when mixed with brown rice.
Also experiment with different ways
to turn rice into a meal rather than a side dish. For lunch or a cold supper,
load a whole-wheat pita pocket with cooked and cooled rice and chopped
vegetables and top with a light vinaigrette.
Or try a cold rice salad for a
to-go meal. For your protein, add in chunks of turkey, chicken, tofu or nuts,
then blend in a handful of dried raisins or cranberries and a sprinkling of
seasonings.
You can even get creative and make
homemade sushi rolls at home. Use avocado and cucumber if you're not a fan of
raw fish.
Baked with milk, eggs, vanilla, a
small amount of sweetener and cinnamon, brown rice can even make a healthy
version of rice pudding
for dessert or even breakfast.
Dry dog food
brands recalled for potentially toxic levels of Vitamin D
By
DEC. 4, 2018 /
11:35 AM
Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Several brands of dry dog food are
being recalled after FDA scientists found elevated levels of Vitamin D, which
can cause serious health problems in dogs.
The recall effects Ahold Delhaize, ELM Pet Foods,
Kroger, Lidl (Orlando brand), ANF, Sunshine Mills and Natural Life Pet
Products. That's in addition to the Nutrisca recall last month for the same reason.
The recalled
foods were found to have as much as 70 times the intended amount of Vitamin D,
which can be toxic at that level. Symptoms to look out for include vomiting,
loss of appetite, increased urination, increased thirst, drooling and weight
loss. At toxic levels, Vitamin D can cause kidney failure and death.
Pet owners are
encouraged to discard any recalled dog food immediately or return it to the
store.
Here's a list
of the affected dog foods:
Nutrisca:
Chicken and Chickpea Dry Dog in the 4, 15 and 28 pound bags
Natural Life
Pet Products: Chicken & Potato Dry Dog Food in the 17.5 pound bag
Sunshine
Mills: Evolve Chicken & Rice Puppy Dry Dog Food in the 14 and 28 pound bags
Sunshine
Mills: Sportsman Pride Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food in the 40 pound bag
Triumph
Chicken & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food in the 3.5, 16 and 30 pound bags
ANF Inc.: ANF
Lamb and Rice Dry Dog Food in the 3 and 7.5 kilogram bag
Lidl (Orlando
brand): Orlando Grain-Free Chicken & Chickpea Superfood Recipe Dog Food
Kroger: Abound
Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dog Food in the 4, 14 and 24 pound bags
ELM Pet Foods,
Inc.: ELM Chicken and Chickpea Recipe in the 3 and 28 pound bags
ELM Pet Foods,
Inc.: ELM K9 Naturals Chicken Recipe in the 40 pound bag
Ahold
Delhaize: Nature's Promise Chicken & Brown Rice Dog food in the 4, 14 and
28 pound bags
Ahold
Delhaize: Nature's Place Real Country Chicken and Brown Rice Dog Food in the 5
and 15 pound bags
Amy
Carrozzino-Lyon to present wild rice restoration effort at Marinette
Green Bay Restoration Coordinator, Amy
Carrozzino-Lyon (NAS, Green Bay campus), will describe the Green Bay Wild Rice
restoration project at the Marinette Campus this week. She is the guest
presenter at the Menominee River Citizen’s Advisory Committee meeting,
Thursday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. in Room T-139, Theatre Conference Room, Marinette
Campus. The public is welcome. See more in this video.
This entry was posted in Announcements and
tagged College
of Science Engineering and Technology, Marinette Campus, NAS on December 3, 2018Sue Bodilly.
Dr. Owusu
Afriyie Akoto is Minister for Food and Agriculture
Ghana To Stop rice
imports soon agri Minister
The Minister of Agric, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto has stated that
his outfit is working to reduce drastically, if not stop the import of rice
within the next four to five years.
It follows the success chalked as the country did not import maize between January and September this year due to increased local maize production.
The country spends about a billion dollars on rice imports.But the Ministry intends to support local rice farmers to increase their yields and gradually shift demand to the local rice.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto made the remarks when he appeared on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday [December 4, 2018].
“We import about a billion dollars of rice into the country and we are determined that within the next four to five years, that should come to an end because we need that foreign exchange to develop our country by building the roads, hospitals, schools among others and not to use it to import things that our farmers are producing and giving jobs to foreign farmers,” he explained.
The Minister added: “The two crops we are focusing on are rice and soya; soya because of the poultry industry and rice because of import substitution.”
In meeting this ambitious target, the ministry and government would have to meet the needs of rice farmers by supplying them with modern machinery for their production.
Again, the local rice has been faced with low demand which is due to the continuous sale of imported rice at various markets.
Also, the provision of improved grains under the planting for food and jobs program may suffice as a means to improve the yield of local rice farmers.
It follows the success chalked as the country did not import maize between January and September this year due to increased local maize production.
The country spends about a billion dollars on rice imports.But the Ministry intends to support local rice farmers to increase their yields and gradually shift demand to the local rice.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto made the remarks when he appeared on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday [December 4, 2018].
“We import about a billion dollars of rice into the country and we are determined that within the next four to five years, that should come to an end because we need that foreign exchange to develop our country by building the roads, hospitals, schools among others and not to use it to import things that our farmers are producing and giving jobs to foreign farmers,” he explained.
The Minister added: “The two crops we are focusing on are rice and soya; soya because of the poultry industry and rice because of import substitution.”
In meeting this ambitious target, the ministry and government would have to meet the needs of rice farmers by supplying them with modern machinery for their production.
Again, the local rice has been faced with low demand which is due to the continuous sale of imported rice at various markets.
Also, the provision of improved grains under the planting for food and jobs program may suffice as a means to improve the yield of local rice farmers.
EU Tariffs on Myanmar, Cambodia
Rice Unclear After EU Countries Vote
Dec. 4, 2018, at 3:14 p.m.
FILE PHOTO - A man dries unhusked
rice on a road in front of his home in Kampong Thom province, Cambodia,
September 24, 2016. REUTERS/Samrang PringREUTERS
BRUSSELS (REUTERS) - European Union countries failed on Tuesday to determine whether
to impose tariffs on rice coming from Cambodia and Myanmar from the start of
next year to curb a surge in imports, leaving the European Commission to take
the final decision.
A majority of EU countries backed
the introduction of "safeguard" measures for three years, but not the
sufficient "qualified majority" formally required to clear them.
The European Commission, which
oversees trade policy for the 28-member European Union, had proposed the
measures and would normally still enact them when there is no decisive vote
from member states.
"In the absence of an
opinion by the committee, the Commission will take a decision on the
application of the safeguard measures," the Commission said in a
statement.
The Commission's proposal was to
set a duty of 175 euros ($198.31) per tonne of rice in the first year, dropping
to 150 euros in the second and 125 euros in year three, according to people
familiar with the plan.
Cambodia and Myanmar benefit from
the EU's "Everything But Arms" scheme that allows the least developed
countries to export most goods to the European Union free of duties.
Both countries already face
losing their special access to the world's largest trading bloc over their
human rights records, although this potential sanction is separate from the
rice safeguard measures.
The Commission opened an
investigation into rice imports from the two countries in March following a
complaint by Italy.
It found that a significant surge
in imports had caused economic damage to the rice sector in Europe. Rice grows
in eight southern European countries from Portugal to Bulgaria.
EU farming group Copa-Cogeca says
that the two countries' exports to the European Union of longer-grained Indica
rice have increased from 9,000 tonnes in 2012 to 360,000 tonnes in 2017,
resulting in a collapse of rice prices.
($1 = 0.8825 euros)
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop;
editing by David Evans)
NFA’s
purchases of local rice up 80 percent
By
NFA
Grains Operations Officer II Coralyn Punongbayan of Nueva Ecija checks the
quality of palay bought from farmers.
The National Food Authority (NFA)
said its purchases of unmilled rice from local farmers expanded by nearly 80
percent to 50,608 metric tons in January to November, from last year’s 28,278
MT.
The NFA said it has procured some
1.012 million 50-kilogram bags during the 11-month period, 92 percent of which
were bought in October and November.
In two months, the NFA said it
was able to purchase 926,854 bags due to the additional P3 per kilogram
buffer-stocking incentive (BSI) added to the government’s support price of P17
per kg.
“This means that given the right
price, the NFA will be able to buy more from our farmers,” NFA OIC
Administrator Tomas R. Escarez said on Tuesday.
“With the additional P3/kg
incentive, we were able to entice more farmers to sell their harvest to us. At
a time when private traders were buying at P20.28 or lower than the NFA buying
price, our farmers decided to sell to us instead,” Escarez added.
The NFA currently buys palay from
local farmers at P20.70 per kg, inclusive of the P0.70 per-kg delivery, drying
and cooperative incentives.
As the main harvest season
reached its peak in November, the NFA said it was able to purchase 630,934 bags
of palay.
The NFA said it was able to buy
palay from farmers in Occidental Mindoro, Mamburao, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro,
Bukidnon, Isabela, Capiz, Iloilo, North Cotabato and Camarines Sur.
The food agency attached to the
Department of Agriculture has targeted to procure 2.6 million bags, or 130,000
MT of palay. To hit this goal, the NFA must buy 1.6 million bags, or 80,000 MT
of palay.
Last year the NFA failed to
achieve its goal of procuring 3 million bags, as it managed to purchase only
588,820 bags, or 29,441 MT.
Since the approval of its P3
per-kg BSI, the NFA has become more optimistic in achieving its palay
procurement target for 2018.
The NFA is banking on local palay
procurement to continuously beef up its stockpile and avert the depletion of
state-subsidized rice sold in local markets.
Out-quota rice
The NFA also disclosed that 30
agricultural firms, traders and farmers cooperatives are seeking to import
about 274,476 MT of rice via its out-quota program.
Based on the initial list of
applicants published by the NFA on its web site, 30 private entities have
already applied for permits to import rice outside the minimum access volume
(MAV) since November 26.
Among the applicants include
Manila-based Pure Rice Milling and Processing Corp. that seeks to import
100,000 MT of white rice, 25-percent brokens from Thailand and Farm Mechanism
Resources and and Distribution Corp. that signified its intent to buy 20,000 MT
of white rice, 5-percent brokens, also from Thailand.
The 30 interested importers are
planning to purchase rice from Vietnam and Thailand.
Rice importers are allowed to
bring in rice with a quality of 25-percent brokens or even better.
The NFA issued the guidelines for
the out-quota rice importation on November 23 following its approval by the NFA
Council (NFAC) on November 21.
“The purpose of the importation
is to bring down the prices of rice,” Agriculture Secretary and NFAC Chairman
Emmanuel F. Piñol told reporters in an interview after the NFAC meeting on
November 21.
Rice imports within the MAV of
the World Trade Organization are slapped a tariff of 35 percent, while those
bought into the country outside of the quota are levied a tariff of 50 percent.
Piñol said the NFAC has decided
to allow out-quota importation to ensure that the retail price of rice would
remain affordable to Filipino consumers.
“Why would I wait for [the rice
tariffication]? What if it would take longer? Then consumers would complain
that rice prices are increasing,” he said.
According to Piñol, interested
traders need to meet only three requirements approved by the NFAC—show proof of
financial capacity, warehouse capability and retail capability.
“These will effectively weed out
fly-by-night importers who just apply for import permit and sell them
afterward,” he said.
Piñol open to
lifting ‘fancy rice’ import ban
·
/THE Philippines is set
to import five percent broken milled white rice, also known as “fancy rice”,
under the outquota scheme of the National Food Authority (NFA).
Piñol
This comes nearly three months
after the NFA Council banned the importation of fancy rice starting September
25 to bring down domestic rice prices.
The entrance of fancy rice in the
market previously hiked the price of local rice.
In an interview on Tuesday,
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol told reporters: “I’m fine with that
as long as they follow the SRP (suggested retail price).”
Based on the Terms of Reference
released by the NFA, importers are allowed to import 25 percent broken
well-milled, long grain rice.
“We will have to take into
account the fact that we already have an SRP. The reason why we had the policy
of allowing the importation of only 25 percent broken was because the traders
made the five-percent rice as special rice and labeled them with unreasonable price,”
Piñol explained.
Under the SRP, imported
well-milled rice will be sold at no more than P39 per kilo while imported
premium rice will be priced no higher than P43 per kilo.
Data from the NFA showed that a
total of 274,476 metric tons (MT) of rice have already been booked by various
traders and farmers cooperatives as of December 3. They included Purerice
Milling and Processing Corp., Mindanao Agriplus Corp., Farm Mechanism Resources
& Distribution Corp., Pansinao Farmers MPC, Jamboree Ricemill Corp., RMT
Ricemill Inc., Blue Shark Development & Trading Corp., Mutya Ricemill,
Mediatrix MPC,
Abe Abe Marketing Cooperative, Caniogan, Balbalayan Kali A Lakay Irrigators Association, Papassuc Irrigators Association Inc., Nasudi Farmers Irrigators Association Inc., Bagong Lipunan Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Catuguing Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Bimmarga-Loing Farmers Irrigators Association Inc., Mountain View MPC, Macman Rice and Corn Trading, Garnaden MPC, Madiladig MPC, Ab-Abut Samahang Nayon MPC,
Nasalukag Women’s MPC, San Jacinto Poblacion Farmers Consumers Coop., Sta. Maria Farmers Consumers Coop., Angelou Ricemill, Golden Mountain MPC, River Valley Distribution Inc., Kaplag Trading Corporation, San Miguel United Farmers MPC, and Aggressive MPC.
Abe Abe Marketing Cooperative, Caniogan, Balbalayan Kali A Lakay Irrigators Association, Papassuc Irrigators Association Inc., Nasudi Farmers Irrigators Association Inc., Bagong Lipunan Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Catuguing Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Bimmarga-Loing Farmers Irrigators Association Inc., Mountain View MPC, Macman Rice and Corn Trading, Garnaden MPC, Madiladig MPC, Ab-Abut Samahang Nayon MPC,
Nasalukag Women’s MPC, San Jacinto Poblacion Farmers Consumers Coop., Sta. Maria Farmers Consumers Coop., Angelou Ricemill, Golden Mountain MPC, River Valley Distribution Inc., Kaplag Trading Corporation, San Miguel United Farmers MPC, and Aggressive MPC.
All rice to be imported under the
out quota importation shall be levied with a 35 percent duty for the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members, while a 50 percent rate
will apply for non-ASEAN countries.
Dangote on diversification:
Nigeria wasted money importing goods
December 4, 2018
Dangote on diversification: Nigeria wasted money
importing goods
Africa’s richest man, Alhaji
Aliko Dangote, has reiterated the need for economic diversification as the key
to wealth creation in Nigeria.
The renown businessman also
highlighted some of the many ways his Dangote Group businesses are helping to
reduce the country’s over-dependence on importation.Alhaji Dangote made these
latest remarks over the weekend in Lagos when he was visited by some Asian
business executives in Lagos.
Addressing them, he stated that
his deep interest in industrialisation and economic diversification was spurred by the need to drastically cut down on the money
“wasted” annually all in the name of goods importation.
He also stated that he believes
in the Government’s strategic effort to refocus the economy to a more
export-oriented; a situation he said has encouraged his foray into
agribusiness.
Dangote Group’s efforts and
contributions
Meanwhile, Mr Dangote also
highlighted some of the ways his businesses are contributing to the economic
agenda, noting that the ultimate goal is to first ensure self-sufficiency and
have enough to export.
To this end, the Dangote Group
has been investing a lot in agriculture whilst promoting industrialisation.
Already, this is helping to save Nigeria a lot of money in foreign exchange.
“We have invested massively in rice, sugar, dairy
products, and tomatoes. Our rice-out grower scheme will produce rice by next
year that reduces our rice import to nearly zero because Nigeria imports more
than half of the rice it consumes.
“We are producing the raw materials needed in our factories. In
the sugar sector, we developed a sugar backward integration project plan
targeted at the production of 1.5MT/PA from various sites across Nigeria, in
the next 10 years. We have an out-grower scheme; enough paddy rice will be
grown and harvested for processing. Some 20,000 outgrowers expected to produce
an average of 180,000 tonnes of paddy rice.” -Dangote
The Dangote Group is one of
Nigeria’s biggest companies which is playing a huge role in Nigeria’s
manufacturing sector. Businesses under the group include Dangote Cement,
Dangote Flour Mills, Dangote Sugar and more. These are all leaders in the
industrial goods and fast and moving consumer goods sector.
‘Consumers
saved P6.22B from buying NFA rice’
·
‘CONSUMERS SAVED P6.22B FROM BUYING NFA
RICE’
Around P6.22 billion was saved by
Filipino consumers from buying more than 10.36 million bags of
government-subsidized rice distributed nationwide from January to November this
year, the National Food Authority (NFA) said on Tuesday.
Residents
of Smokey Mountain buy NFA rice from an accredited seller. PHOTO BY RENE DILAN
In a statement, the food agency
said at least P12 per kilogram (kg) was being saved by an ordinary consumer
buying low-priced NFA rice sold at P27/kg, compared to the lowest imported
well-milled rice sold at P39/kg based on suggested retail price (SRP).
This savings, NFA said,
translates to bigger purchasing power for ordinary consumers, especially those
from the marginalized sector, which they can use to buy other food items and
necessities.
The NFA sells its P27/kg and
P32/kg rice through its 19,231 accredited rice retail outlets in public markets
and barangays nationwide.
“We are utilizing several
platforms to make sure that NFA rice reaches our poor kababayans even in the
remotest and farthest barangays and island provinces,” said NFA acting
administrator Tomas Escarez.
The food agency has also
accredited non-traditional outlets such as Barangay
Bagsakan and Barangay Food Terminals and Bigasan sa Parokya, he
added.
Recently, the NFA has also
partnered with the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) TienDA
Malasakit Food Outlets and the Department of Trade and Industry’s
(DTI) Tulong sa Bayan Suking Outlets on Wheels.
NFA is also deploying mobile
stores through its “Tagpuan Day Rice Response Delivery” (TRRD) in partnership
with the accredited operator and local government units in remote barangays and
resettlement areas around the country to serve marginalized consumers including
the indigenous people.
TRDD is a rice distribution
strategy where the P27/kg NFA rice is sold directly to poor and marginalized
beneficiaries in the area at an appointed time and place in close coordination
with the local barangay.
Meanwhile, Escarez said the
delivery of 297,000 metric tons (MT) rice shipments under the
government-to-private (G2P) procurement is almost complete. He said that with
the additional supply, the NFA can continue to provide low-priced rice in the
local market to make it accessible and available to more consumers.
For this year alone, a total of
1.5 million MT of rice imports was booked by the NFA as approved by the NFA
Council to boost its buffer stocks by the end of the year.
Nigeria Saved
$21bn In 34 Months Cutting Food Imports –Emefiele
December 4, 2018
Godwin Emefiele
Godwin Emefiele, governor,
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has revealed that Nigeria’s monthly food import
bill fell from $665.4 million in January 2015 to $160.4 million as of October
2018 saving $21 billion.
He said the reductions in food
import were recorded on rice, fish, milk, sugar and wheat and promised that the
policy would be maintained.
“Noticeable declines were
steadily recorded in our monthly food import bill from $665.4 million in
January 2015 to $160.4 million as at October 2018, a cumulative fall of 75.9
percent and an implied savings of over $21 billion on food imports alone over
that period,” he said as he spoke at the bankers’ dinner in Lagos.
“Most evident were the 97.3
percent cumulative reduction in monthly rice import bills, 99.6 percent in
fish, 81.3 percent in milk, 63.7 percent in sugar, and 60.5 percent in wheat.
“We are glad with the
accomplishments recorded so far. Accordingly, this policy is expected to
continue with vigour until the underlying imbalances within the Nigerian
economy have been fully resolved.
“We have maintained a particular
focus on supporting farmers, entrepreneurs as well as small and medium scale
businesses, through our various intervention programmes such as the Anchor
Borrowers Programme, Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for
Agricultural Lending and the National Collateral Registry.”
According to him, the CBN
recently introduced the Real Sector Support fund, a facility meant to provide
cheap funding at no more than nine percent to new projects in the agriculture
and manufacturing sectors, aimed at boosting output and creating jobs.
In the agriculture sector, he
added that the Anchor Borrowers Programme, had ensured that Nigeria emerged
from being a net importer of rice to becoming a major producer of rice,
supplying key markets in neighbouring countries.
According to him, a total number
of 862,069 farmers cultivating about 835,239 hectares, across 16 different
commodities, as of October 2018, had benefited from the Anchor Borrowers Programme,
which had generated 2,502,675 jobs across the country.
Dangote increases investments in agriculture
By Editor
05 December 2018
| 3:55 am
Aliko Dangote
Against the background of Nigeria’s economic vulnerability,
President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said the current efforts of the
Federal Government at diversifying the economy to an agriculture-centred one
remains the viable solution to creating a healthy economy.
Dangote,
who was spoke weekend in his office, during a meeting with some Asian
businessmen, in Lagos, said his belief in government’s approach at
re-energising the economy, and making it export-oriented made him step up his
investment in agriculture especially in the area of food sufficiency.
According
to him, Nigeria has wasted huge foreign exchange importing foods that
ordinarily should be produced locally, and even exported, and until a new
approach at redirecting the economy from import-dependent to an export one,
which the present government is leading, no meaningful change can happen.
He said;
“We have invested massively in rice, sugar, dairy products, and tomatoes. Our
rice-out grower scheme will produce rice by next year, and that will reduce our
rice import to nearly zero, because Nigeria imports more than half of the rice
it consumes.
We have
expanded our sugar operations with our operations in Tonga in Nasarawa, in
addition to Numan sugar projects where sugarcane is cultivated and planted for
raw sugar production that will be refined.
“Some
months ago, we laid the foundation for the construction of ultra-modern rice
processing integrated plant that will process 16 metric tonnes of paddy rice in
one hour.
By the
time you multiply this by the number of hours and days it operates, you will
understand that this is huge.
The
interesting thing about investment in agric is that apart from food production
sufficiency, the job potential is unquantifiable.
Dangote
told his guests that his company was investing massively in agribusiness,
promoting industrialisation through backward integration process to ensure
Nigeria becomes self-reliant in food production in good time, and save it the
much-needed foreign exchange hitherto being spent on importation.
He added
that, “We are producing the raw materials needed in our factories. In the sugar
sector, we developed a sugar backward integration project plan targeted at the
production of 1.5MT/PA from various sites across Nigeria, in the next 10 years.
“We have
an out-grower scheme; enough paddy rice will be grown and harvested for processing. Some
20,000 out-growers are expected to produce an average of 180,000 tonnes of
paddy rice. We are presently building rice processing mills in Kano, Jigawa,
Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, and Niger states in the first phase,” he added.
Dangote
explained further that in the second phase, other mills will be built in
Nasarawa, Kogi, and other states, noting that with the six mills, the company
will achieve a capacity of 700,000 metric tonnes per annum of Par boiled rice
With
these investments, he noted that Dangote Rice Company will become the largest
rice producer in Africa; a bold step in making Nigeria self-sufficient in rice
production.
Arkansas Rice Foundation Seed Program humming along
New
facility provides new technology, safety and convenience
Tractors and combines may now be
out of Arkansas fields, but the machines at the Arkansas Rice Foundation Seed
Program are still humming.
The program has been around for
over seven decades.
Glenn Bathke, who heads the
program, “came to this position about three years ago — about a year before
we’d finished construction on the new foundation seed plant in Stuttgart” at
the Rice Research and Extension Center.
In early November, Bathke spoke
to Delta
Farm Press about the new facility and how it operates. Among
his comments:
On the new plant…
“We wanted to improve the
efficiency and safety of the program. The old plant had been commissioned in
1951, so it had been operating almost 70 years. With the changes in technology
and safety the update was needed.
“For years, Chuck Wilson, the
former director of the station, had been working to get a new plant funded and
established. Finally, it took hold and we were able to get funding from the
Rice Research and Promotion Board, the Soybean Promotion Board, the Wheat
Promotion Board as well as state funding through the university. That package
funded the $8.3 million needed to build. Everything meshed and they were able
to make plans.
“The planning took a year, or so,
then construction was done over several years. Now, we’re working out of the
new facility. It’s state-of-the-art. The cleaner technology for seed has taken
a big jump in the past 20 years.
“Before this, for 20 years my
background was in the seed industry. That’s kind of why I was brought in to
finish up the plant and launch into the seed cleaning.”
On some of the changes to the
facility…
“We have new storage capabilities
— identity preserved storage bins — with the ability to keep up to 20 different
varieties. The bins are much easier to clean, much easier and safer to load.
“The top-loading bins are
protected from the environment. The old bins had the grain elevator legs and
augurs, and you had to be outside in the elements on top of an 80-foot tall
tower changing over locations of bins. Now, we’re under a roof and have a nice
set-up that allows us to move from bin to bin easily and safely. Things are
much better for personnel and the seed.
“We also have pre-cleaner
cleaning technology using shaker sieves and rotary sieves to remove debris,
broken kernels and weed seed and things like that. With the new soybean spiral
cleaning technology we’re able to run soybeans through and take care of all
sorts of debris and brokens.
“We have precision sizer that we
use for rice. The cylinders remove shorter, or longer, kernels of the variety
we’re cleaning. The precision sizer also removes kernels based on width. So, if
we’re cleaning a long-grain variety, we can remove any contaminants.
“The new plant also has a gravity
table. It uses seed density to remove lighter materials from the good quality
grain. Any kernels that may have, say, bacterial panicle blight or something
that affects the seed density gets removed on the gravity table. Only the good
grain goes into the bag for the seed dealers and farmers to plant.”
How many varieties are you
working with currently?
“We have seven commercial rice
varieties we’re growing this year. That number changes based on new promotions
or we drop varieties that have been around a long time and have lost favor in
the field.
“In the last two years, we’ve
promoted a new long-grain, Diamond, a medium-grain, Titan, and an aromatic
rice, ARoma17. So, those new varieties are higher volume — higher-yielding,
better disease package, better agronomics mean farmers will switch. There are
some older varieties that we still maintain because farmers like to have
diversity in the field.
“With soybeans, we have about six
commercial varieties and a number of experimentals. Those experimentals are run
through the program as they get closer to commercialization.
“We also clean and process wheat.
At this time, we have just one commercial wheat variety. Our wheat breeder is
looking to release new varieties in the near future.”
On how the program works…
“Typically, a seed dealer will
put in an order for foundation seed. Foundation seed is a bit more expensive
than what most farmers pay for certified-grade seed. Foundation seed has higher
purity and cleanliness standards.
“So, seed dealers need foundation-grade seed to grow
certified-grade seed. To be certified it also has to meet certain standards —
fields must be inspected, seed has to be inspected and pass all the Arkansas
State Plant Board standards before it’s made available to farmers.”
More food for
Filipinos
December 4, 2018
I believe the passage of the Rice
Tariffication bill by the bicameral conference committee of the Senate and the
House of Representatives will mean more affordable food on the dining table of
Filipino consumers.
The measure will remove the
monopoly by state-run National Food Authority on food supply. And with the
lifting of quantitative restriction on imported rice, inexpensive rice from
other countries is expected to easily reach the domestic market.
The measure amends the outdated
Republic Act (RA) No. 8178, or the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996.
Specifically, it will replace quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice imports
with tariffs and remove NFA’s control over the rice market, thereby allowing
private traders to bring in affordable rice from other countries as long as
they pay the 35-percent tariff for imports from other Southeast Asian
countries.
What caused rice prices to soar
this year in the first place is the tight supply in the market amid weak
production, which came after several typhoons hit Luzon and a miscalculation on
the part of NFA to import the right volume of the staple. Hoarders exacerbated
the situation by holding on to their stock to create an artificial shortage so
that prices would escalate.
As rice is the biggest item in
the consumer price index basket, inflation rate reached a nine-year high of 6.7
percent in September and October, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority
show. Allowing more rice supply in the domestic market will definitely address
food supply concerns, stabilize commodity prices and help bring down inflation
rate.
Preliminary estimates by the
National Economic and Development Authority show that headline inflation rate
would ease 1 percentage point if rice prices in the local market were reduced
to the level of imported rice.
No less than President Rodrigo
Duterte was alarmed by the high inflation data and ordered the importation of
more rice to stabilize the domestic supply. Thankfully, food prices are now
steady, following the arrival of rice shipments from Vietnam.
Once signed into law, the Rice
Tariffication bill will allow more traders to buy rice from other countries as
long as they pay the proper import duties and taxes. As more people join the
trade, rice supply will stabilize and prices will become more competitive.
Hoarding will be discouraged, and the cartels that control the stock and
dictate the prices will be neutralized.
However, it is important that the
government provide Filipino farmers with safety nets against the influx of
imports. One is in the form of tariff rate, representing 35 percent of the
price of rice imported from other Southeast Asian countries. Another is in the
form of subsidy or support that will give Filipino farmers a fighting chance
against farmers of neighboring countries, who also get subsidies from their
respective governments.
Making Filipino farmers more
competitive should be a priority of the Department of Agriculture.
****
This should be complemented by
the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, or RCEF, that will allow farmers to
acquire farm machineries and the latest technologies in rice production. The
bill provides for an annual appropriation of P10 billion for the fund over the
next six years. If the tariff collection exceeds P10 billion in any given year,
the excess revenue will also be allocated to RCEF specifically to provide
direct financial assistance to rice farmers.
The financial assistance program
should be designed to directly compensate rice farmers who will lose income as
a result of the open rice importation.
The Philippines is considered a
research center for rice production, and I believe that Filipino farmers will
become more competitive and productive, if they are given the latest
technologies.
Whatever know-how that is
available at the International Rice Research Institute should be dispersed to
the farmers. The use of modern technologies, such as the propagation of inbred
and hybrid varieties, will enable local farmers to produce more. I believe that
harvesting 10 tons of palay per season, two or three times a year, will enable
a farming family to meet its needs.
This will be a win-win solution
for the Filipino consumers and Filipino farmers. Our consumers will be assured
of a steady supply of affordable rice, while farmers will be protected from any
sudden surge of imports and subsequently compensated for any loss of income.
The rice industry is a vital
component of the Philippine economy, but we have to realize that with our
growing population and limited land, we should take advantage of the global
marketplace to feed our people while taking care of our farmers.
1,266
farmers to benefit from rehabilitated irrigation system
By Ime Sornito
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
ILOILO – An estimated 1,266
farmers in the 2nd District are seen to benefit from the newly rehabilitated
Santa Barbara River Irrigation System (SBRIS) in the municipality of Santa Barbara.
The improved SBRIS was
inaugurated yesterday morning by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
The Japanese government, through
the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), funded the rehabilitation
that cost P170,048,340.
With the help of the Philippine
Rice Research Institute, NIA started rehabilitating SBRIS in 2013.
The work covered a diversion dam,
a main canal, laterals, drainage canal structures, drainage structures, on-farm
structures, and service roads.
Offices with support facilities
for five associations of irrigators were also constructed.
According to NIA administrator
Ricardo Visaya, the rehabilitated SBRIS would result to “efficient operations
and maintenance that will eventually optimize the benefits…”
“We can make our farmlands more
productive and contribute to the rice (sufficiency) of our communities,” he
added.
SBRIS irrigates 2,289 hectares of
agricultural land.
Meanwhile, the five irrigators’
associations with new offices and support facilities (warehouses and multipurpose
dryers) were the following:
* Palacati-an IA based in Santa
Barbara
* Lacagbun IA based in Jaro,
Iloilo City
* Lacasan IA based in Leganes,
Iloilo
* Cabuglasan IA based in Leganes,
Iloilo
* Trifia IA based in Jaro, Iloilo
City/PN
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All we want for Christmas
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New Cookbooks in Mexico in Time for the Holidays
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO -- Last week, USA
Rice presented two new holiday publications, a cookbook "Arroz de
Fiesta" (Festive Rice) and a booklet "Arroz Navideño" (Christmas
Rice), to more than 45 guests including representatives from publishing
companies, professional chefs, culinary schools, government and private
organizations, the host of the Arroz Gourmet TV show, and
staff from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Trade Office.
Both publications offer a variety of Christmas recipes, including appetizers, salads, main courses, desserts, and holiday rice stuffing that readers can easily prepare. The publications provide valuable tips to ensure perfect rice dishes every time, and are sold nationwide at magazine stands and at Walmart.
"All of the attendees expressed strong support for our program," said Gaby Carbajal, USA Rice contractor who oversees promotion programs in Mexico. "They each shared their experiences and testimonials about U.S. grown rice, the importance of rice for consumers and in the foodservice industry, as well as the impact of USA Rice activities on their industry."
"It has been a great journey for us to work with USA Rice," said German Flores, president of the Mango Publishing Company. "We started publishing specialized rice cookbooks many years ago, when the public was not aware of rice's great versatility. Their knowledge was very limited but now, thanks to a continuous effort, the demand for rice recipes is great. In the past three years we published a second edition of some very popular editions, such as the one produced by the culinary students."
Patricia Benavides, host of Arroz Gourmet (Gourmet Rice) TV shows said she notices a major increase of rice usage in restaurant menus. "The chefs that participate in our shows feature at least three rice dishes on the regular menus, highlighting the versatility of rice. Using rice in their menus they can increase their profits and offer delicious and trendy dishes to their customers."
Both publications offer a variety of Christmas recipes, including appetizers, salads, main courses, desserts, and holiday rice stuffing that readers can easily prepare. The publications provide valuable tips to ensure perfect rice dishes every time, and are sold nationwide at magazine stands and at Walmart.
"All of the attendees expressed strong support for our program," said Gaby Carbajal, USA Rice contractor who oversees promotion programs in Mexico. "They each shared their experiences and testimonials about U.S. grown rice, the importance of rice for consumers and in the foodservice industry, as well as the impact of USA Rice activities on their industry."
"It has been a great journey for us to work with USA Rice," said German Flores, president of the Mango Publishing Company. "We started publishing specialized rice cookbooks many years ago, when the public was not aware of rice's great versatility. Their knowledge was very limited but now, thanks to a continuous effort, the demand for rice recipes is great. In the past three years we published a second edition of some very popular editions, such as the one produced by the culinary students."
Patricia Benavides, host of Arroz Gourmet (Gourmet Rice) TV shows said she notices a major increase of rice usage in restaurant menus. "The chefs that participate in our shows feature at least three rice dishes on the regular menus, highlighting the versatility of rice. Using rice in their menus they can increase their profits and offer delicious and trendy dishes to their customers."
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Festive rice puts everyone in a
holiday mood
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Louisiana festival mixes rice farming’s conservation story with
birding
Attendees of the Yellow Rails & Rice Festival scope out
birds in a newly harvested rice field — photos by Vicky Boyd
By Vicky Boyd
Editor
Editor
As they prepared to head out to a South Louisiana ratoon rice
field, Kris and Eddie Farrey from The Villages, Florida, were anxious to cross
two things off their bucket list.
“We were trying to find some new birds we hadn’t seen before,
and the yellow rail was one of those,” says wife Kris.
“We’re excited about riding the combine,” chimes in husband Eddie. “I’ve never seen a rice field, so I’m excited about this.”
“We’re excited about riding the combine,” chimes in husband Eddie. “I’ve never seen a rice field, so I’m excited about this.”
The Farreys were among 114 bird watchers from 22 states and
three foreign countries who flocked to South Louisiana in early November with
hopes of seeing a yellow rail, a non-descript small brown bird that frequents
ratoon rice fields. And they weren’t disappointed.
During the very first combine pass, the three birders riding on
the harvester got to see three yellow rails. Peg Clukey, one of 16 birders from
the Buffalo (New York) Ornithological Society, was all smiles as she climbed
off the harvester.
Asked which was better, the combine ride or seeing a yellow
rail, she says, “I don’t know. They were equal — that was so exciting!”
Described as “one of the most secretive birds in North America”
by experts, the robin-sized yellow rail lives in marshy underbrush and
frequents the second rice crop. What makes it even more difficult to spot is
the birds prefer to run or hide rather than fly unless under extreme pressure,
such as caused by a combine.
And it’s the yellow rail’s shyness that draws in birders, many
of whom want to mark it on their “life list” of species they’ve observed.
Festival highlights rice’s environmental profile
One of the highlights was a combine ride. As it cut rice, the
machine flushed out birds, including the coveted yellow rail.
Now in its 10th year, the annual Yellow Rails & Rice Festival
capitalizes on one of the holy grails of birdwatching while educating attendees
about rice farms’ contributions to wildlife habitat and conservation.
Thornwell, Louisiana, rice producer Kevin Berken, one of the
event founders, times his ratoon harvest so the mostly urban bird watchers can
experience a combine ride and see the rails as they flush.
Before participants — many of whom have never been on a working
farm — get to hop on his combine, Berken gives them a “Rice 101” lesson about
the conservation measures rice producers use on their farms. He also discusses
how rice fields offer habitat, not just to yellow rails but a myriad of
wildlife species.
Berken says he hopes the birders leave with a better
understanding of the importance of rice fields to wildlife.
“I didn’t realize this when we began, but it’s truly something
good for the rice industry to have people from all over the country and all
over the world come here to see how valuable rice is to wildlife,” he says. “So
I always tell them up front, rice provides more habitat for wildlife than any
other crop.”
Peter and Kristi Keller of Sugarland, Texas, soaked in Berken’s
message. “Now we’re educated, and we’re going to make an effort to buy U.S.
rice,” Peter Keller says.
He admits they typically buy imported rice. But after touring
the nearby Falcon Rice Mill and listening to Berken, the Kellers took samples
of Toro, Jazzman II and Louisiana long-grain back to conduct their own taste
test.
“I think it’s really smart putting together birders and farmers,”
Peter Keller says. “It’s really educational.”
When the event started 10 years ago, Berken says he never
thought it would become as popular as it is today.
“It’s been such a blessing and wonderful opportunity to talk
about rice, because most people don’t know rice is grown in the United States
and that there’s an alternative to Thai jasmine,” he says. “Many of them will
come away with a greater appreciation for what we do.
“I want to make sure the birders and the environmentalists know
we’re not the bad guys. There’s a misperception that we’re not taking care of
what the good Lord has given us. I want to show them how very responsible we’re
with our natural resources.”
Kevin Norton, Natural Resources Conservation Service state
conservationist, agrees.
“Through sound conservation practices, these fields still
sustainably produce the food, fiber, fuel and forest products that support our
communities and feed our families and the world,” he says. “The benefits extend
well beyond food production to the contribution of our private agriculture
lands to the abundant clean water and wildlife habitat.
“In particular, our working rice fields provide food for
millions of resident and migratory birds. Whether it is the sight of yellow
rails flying during rice harvest or the rise of ducks off flooded fields on a
cold winter morning — farmers, our private land stewards, do more than sow and
harvest.”
Riding the rails
Erik John, director of bird conservation for
Audubon Louisiana, bands a sora rail, a
slightly larger cousin of the yellow rail.
Audubon Louisiana, bands a sora rail, a
slightly larger cousin of the yellow rail.
The event is the brainchild of Berken and his wife, Shirley,
along with Donna Dittmann and Steven Cardiff, collection managers with the
Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science in Baton Rouge.
Berken first met Dittmann and Cardiff when they were bird
watching by his fields as he cut a ratoon crop more than 10 years ago. Dittmann
says she and Cardiff discovered in the mid-’80s that watching combines during
the ratoon harvest was a reliable way to see yellow and other rail species.
From there, Dittmann, Cardiff and the Berkens became friends and started
talking about how they could mix rice farming and birding.
“We just joked about starting a festival around the bird and the
whole harvest,” Dittmann says.
What really kick-started the idea was a state statute adopted
several years ago that limited liability for certified agri-tourism events,
such as Yellow Rails & Rice.
The group focused on the yellow rail because “it was a bird that
was charismatic for bird watchers so it was a lure, and Louisiana doesn’t have
any other type of (avian) lure like that,” Dittmann says. “It shares other bird
fauna with other southeastern states like Texas or Florida.
“All bird watchers have to go to the southeast Arizona. All bird
watchers have to go to the lower Rio Grande Valley and Florida. You can go to
any state in the Southeast and see most of the same species. With the yellow
rail, we can bring people here.”
The combination of agri-tourism with bird watching also makes
the Yellow Rails & Rice Festival unique among other birding events,
Dittmann says.
Event takes flight
Over the years, the festival has evolved; however, the focus
remains seeing yellow rails during harvest. Four days of activities also
include netting and banding workshops, combine rides, rice mill tours and bird
watching in nearby natural areas. On two nights, participants are treated to
Cajun cuisine that includes jambalaya or etouffee — and, of course, rice.
Event organizers have focused on activities around Jeff Davis
Parish because of the region’s wide array of offerings and the abundance of
yellow rails. In fact, the Louisiana Legislature in 2014 proclaimed the
community of Thornwell where Berken farms as the “Yellow Rail Capital of the
World.”
Organizers also capped the event at slightly more than 100 so
most participants have an opportunity to ride the combine and see yellow rails,
Dittmann says.
With very little advertising, the festival has gained a
following among bird watchers simply from word of mouth, and it typically sells
out each year.
And much like farming, organizers’ efforts are at the mercy of
weather and mechanical break-downs. Two years ago, for example, Berken’s
combine malfunctioned, but neighbor Paul Johnson came to the rescue and offered
up use of his harvester.
This year, the opening day was rained out, but the weather was
clear and sunny for the remainder of the festival.
Rain is always a concern because it halts harvest. And if it
floods fields, yellow rails don’t like wet feet, Berken says. This year,
participants saw more sora rails than yellow rails, which wasn’t surprising
because it is usually more numerous and the fall was rainy, he says.
Sora rails, a slightly larger cousin of yellow rails, prefer
wetter fields whereas yellows prefer them drier.
Nevertheless, attendees still logged more than 50 yellow rails,
not to mention a plethora of other bird species, many of which also were on
their life lists.
https://www.ricefarming.com/departments/cover-story/yellow-rails-rice/
Rice importation ends 2020
Rice
importation into Nigeria would end by 2020, the Policy Adviser of the John
Kufuor Foundation (JKF), Hon. Abraham Dwuma, has said. He
also said that Africa Rice Advocacy Platform (ARAP) under the JKF was also
focused to achieve zero importation of rice on the continent. Dwuma told the
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin that the Africa Rice Advocacy Platform
(ARAP) had created a rice value chain to achieve this.
”Two years from now,
Nigeria should have no business importing rice because I have travelled the
length and breadth of the country and I know the potentials. ”Kebbi State alone
can produce all the rice Nigeria needs; talk more of Sokoto and even Kwara.
“‘For, example, in Akwa Ibom, they have one of the best lands for rice
production. ”When we came to Nigeria, farmers were doing 1.5 tonnes per
hectare, now they are doing six tonnes per hectare two times in a year. ”We
believe that with this platform, we will get there,” Dwuma said. He said the
foundation was borne out of the desire of former Ghanaian President, John
Kufuor, to ensure that African farmers earn a living from rice production.
”When Kufuor won the World
Food Prize, he said he realised that African farmers need a voice, then, if
they need a voice, we have to bring them together. ”So, there was a need to do
what we call the advocacy platform in four chosen countries; Ghana, Burkina
Faso, Tanzania and Nigeria. ”Through this platform, we are not only talking to
the government but to the farmers to improve their quality, their quantity and
their work,” Dwuma said. He, however, noted that for the value chain to be
sustainable, it should be supported by business modules. ”What we are doing now
is that we are creating the rice value chain and for this value chain to be
sustainable, we need to be supported by business modules at all levels of the
cabin.
”We are creating what we
call business modules. For instance, if someone is an input dealer, he will be
able to bring the right input to farmers and the farmers are being educated to
do it well,” he said. Also speaking, Secretary General of ARAP, Alhaji
Abdulrauf Lawal, said the platform had made rice production easy in order to
halt importation. ”It is a pity that we spend over a billion naira per day to
import rice, that is N365 billion per year which can be used to venture into
other things like youth employment and improvement of social amenities. ”We are
using this much to import when we can plant rice in Nigeria; we have various
types of rice; swamp rice and irrigated rice that will start growing with good
water and climate.
“With the value chain that
we are creating now from production, processing to marketing and consumption,
it will get better,” he said. Lawal, who doubles as the Deputy National Vice
President of Nigeria Rice Advocacy Platform, however, noted that the platform
was collaborating with the state chapters of the platform to support them. “The
platform was established in 2013 and it comprises of the seed producers, the
mechanisation providers, the financial institutions, the processors and the
farmers.
”We give the state
chapters’ technology, seedlings and inputs for them to produce well because if
the input isn’t good, the products won’t be good. ”We are also making their job
easier by mechanising them to remove drudgery in rice farming,” Lawal said. He,
however, appealed for sponsorship for the platform to achieve its aim. ”Our
major source of funding is Kufuor, but it is not enough, we need more people
like him, most especially within Nigeria. “ If Nigeria develops, the West
Africa sub-region will develop; we will be a net exporter of rice,” Lawal said.
(NAN)
South Korea tenders to buy 25,222 tonnes rice – trade
HAMBURG: South Korea’s state-backed Agro-Fisheries & Food
Trade Corp. has issued an international tender to purchase a total 25,222
tonnes of non-glutinous rice, European traders said. It was sought in three
consignments, with arrival in February 2019. Time limit for registration of
offers is Dec. 11.
Author Name: https://www.brecorder.com/2018/12/04/456682/south-korea-tenders-to-buy-25222-tonnes-rice-trade/
Rice output forecast lower in South Korea
SEOUL,
SOUTH KOREA – Rice production in South Korea in 2018-19 is forecast 2.6% lower
than last year’s crop, according to a Dec. 3 Global Agricultural Information
Network report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA estimates
the upcoming crop at 3.86 million tonnes, lower than the 3.97 million tonnes in
2017-18 and the lowest in more than a decade. Earlier this year, USDA forecast output
at 3.87 million tonnes but unfavorable weather developments during planting and
growing stages resulted in lower yield (5,244 kg per hectare), which is down
0.4% from 2017-18.
“Lower production, in tandem with a continued government policy
encouraging the consumption of old rice for animal feed, is expected to result
in a 16.3% stocks-to-use ratio in 2018-19,” USDA said. Rice planted area and
yield in Korea have been on a downward trend in recent years. Planted area in
2018-19 is forecast at 738,000 hectares, far below the recent high of 980,000
hectares in 2005. Likewise, this year’s forecast production of 3.86 million
tonnes is 1.1 million tonnes lower than the recent high of 4.91 million tonnes
in 2009.
Rice exporters call for planning, coordination
Local rice exporters yesterday call for better planning
and communication between all industry actors to meet China’s import quota.
Song Saran, CEO of rice exporter Amru Rice, said Cambodia will likely fail to
export all 300,000 tonnes of rice allowed by China due, among other issues, to
a lack of coordination among relevant local actors. He said monthly meetings
must be convened among relevant government agencies, members and
representatives of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) and local firms to ensure
that Cambodia is able to fulfill the 300,000 tonnes quota that China has in
place for Cambodian rice. Mr Saran also called for the establishment of a
working group to organise and supervise the proposed meetings. “Some rice
exporters and rice millers have rice to process and export, but they are not
allowed to ship to China, while others can export, but have no rice.
“This is a big issue and may make it difficult to meet the quota
in 2018 and 2019,” Mr Saran said. Last year, China increased its import quota
for Cambodian rice to 300,000 tonnes, from 200,000 tonnes in 2017 and 100,000
tonnes in 2016. During the first nine months of the year, Cambodia exported
96,714 tonnes of rice to the East Asian nation, according to the Secretariat of
One Window Service for Rice Export. “My request is that all related parties
wake up and get to work. We need to focus and coordinate to make sure we ship
the 300,000 tonnes that we are allowed,” Mr Saran said.
“We hope to create a forum
where government, CRF officials, and key rice millers and exporters can come
together to find a solution,” he said. Given that Cambodia has only two rice
growing seasons, China should plan its orders more carefully and notify
Cambodian exporters of its plans, Mr Saran added. “Without proper planning, it
is difficult to supply them when they need our rice. Rice is not harvested
every month. We only have two seasons, so we need better planning,” he said.
Only 26 Cambodian firms are allowed to ship to China, after having passed the
first round of inspections conducted by the General Administration of Quality
Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China (AQSIQ), according to Srey
Vuthy, secretary-general at Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture.
However, China has changed
the process of inspection for rice importation, which has delayed the export
process for the 40 local companies that are still waiting to be given the green
light by Beijing to begin exporting. The list with the name of the 40 potential
exporters was sent to Beijing last year, and if the Chinese government does not
review it soon, it will reflect badly on the Cambodian rice industry, Mr Vuthy
said. “It will also mean that only the 26 companies so far included in the
exporters’ list can ship to China,” Mr Vuthy said.
“This is not enough to meet the quota. We are waiting on China to
review the list, but so far we haven’t heard from them,” he said, explaining
that if China does not react quickly, the rice will go to other countries,
particularly Thailand and Vietnam. Chan Sokheang, chairman and CEO of
Signatures of Asia, told Khmer Times that Cambodia did not meet the Chinese
quota last year because local rice back then was more expensive than
Thailand’s. Last year, the price of Thai rice dropped to $780, while Cambodian
rice sold for $850-$920 per ton. “This made it hard to compete with Thailand to
export rice to China,” he said. Mr Sokheang was of the same mind than Mr Saran
regarding the need for better coordination in the sector. “We should have a
meeting to discuss the quota issue. We have to be more organised,” Mr Sokheang
said. From January to September, Cambodia exported over 389,000 tonnes of rice
to more than 60 countries, which represents a decrease of 8.4 percent compared
to the same period last year. China continues to be the top buyer, followed by
France and Poland.
Local brothers are making vodka from rice
- Eric Zernich
- 3:46 pm
- December 3,
2018
Just in time for the holidays,
the Fruge brothers of Branch have a new product that could make a perfect
gift.
For the past several years Mike
and Mark Fruge have been looking at new ways to expand their rice and crawfish
farm.
After lots of research and
experimenting the brothers decided to give spirits a try.
This summer they finally had a
rice vodka they were happy with and called it J.T. Meleck in honor of their
great, great uncle, who started the family farm.
Since hitting store shelves in
July J.T. Meleck has been selling better than expected and people are really
liking the taste.
Mike Fruge says “this is a very
unique product. We just don’t get a lot of dissatisfied people. We do a lot of
blind tastings against national brands and we have had a lot of success.”
If you would like try their rice
vodka you can pick up a bottle of J.T. Meleck at most major and independent
retailers in Lafayette.
Also, to find out when they might
be doing a tasting near you click here to check out their Facebook page.
Meet the new Arkansas Extension
rice/soybean weed specialist
Application
technology a big focus
It is Nov. 9 and Thomas “Tommy”
Butts, the new Arkansas Extension rice and soybean weed specialist, is standing
amid boxes in a west Nebraska apartment. The next day, he would be moving south
to Lonoke, Ark., with his wife, Liberty.
With an official start date of
Nov. 26, Butts — who is extremely amiable and easy with a laugh — will have a
couple of weeks to acclimate. He promises to win over skeptics of a young
Midwesterner moving to rice country.
On personal history…
“I’ve been around agriculture my
whole life. I’m originally from Wisconsin and grew up around dairy farms my
entire childhood. I worked for a neighbor for close to a decade milking cows,
doing fieldwork, all of that.
“Throughout that time, I was very
active in 4-H and FFA — just loved those programs and doing a lot of things
like showing cattle at the fair.
“When it came time for college I
knew I’d be studying something agriculture-related. The small school I went to,
University of Wisconsin-Platteville, had a major in ag business and I
minored in crop and soil science. Again, it was just a wonderful education and
a great time.
“Throughout those first four
years of study, the ag business side was fine, but I definitely enjoyed the
cropping system side more and doing agronomy work. Through a couple of
internships, it became obvious I’d rather do something away from the sales side
of things. So, I started looking at master’s degree programs and weed science
caught my eye — the diversity and dealing with so many crops. At the same time,
you’re helping farmers find solutions to, most of the time, pretty troublesome
situations.
“I ended up doing my master’s
under Dr. Vince Davis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. One of the main
projects I worked on there was a multi-university study throughout the Midwest
and Mid-South looking at control methods on herbicide-resistant pigweeds. We
were looking at Palmer amaranth, waterhemp, redroot pigweeds, a bit of
everything. We were looking for different management strategies to use in
different systems and hopefully control those pests. I also did dose response
screenings to identify herbicide resistance in the state.
“From there, I’d been working
with Dr. Greg Kruger a bit and had become very interested in application
technology. That led me to western Nebraska (North Platte) to work on my PhD
with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln — mainly on application technology,
drift control and how we can play the balancing act between those things and
proper weed control.
“A lot of my research was on
pulse-width modulation sprayers. That’s where you put solenoid valves on each
nozzle and they’re able to control the flow rate by pulsing on and off. That allows more control and precision.
I was also looking at using those systems toprovide a very specific
droplet size in the field to see if droplet size affects our
weed control, as well.
“So, that research allowed a lot
of work on both the engineering side and also the field-applied weed control
side.
“That background led me to a
research Extension career — being able to help farmers directly, conduct
research that’s applicable and then being able to get that information as
quickly as possible so it can be used to control some of these problem weeds.
“In Arkansas, I really want to
implement my application technology and interests into control measures in both
rice and soybean cropping systems. There are several different precision ag
technologies that we can try to implement or investigate. That’s one thing that
could really be unique following all the work already done on our agronomic
practices and yields.”
On dicamba…
“The whole dicamba situation is a
strange problem we’re involved in. It’s a splintering problem, obviously, with
two sides adamantly for or against it.
“I’ve been paying a lot of
attention to Arkansas decisions and what’s been going on in the Mid-South.
Obviously, I’ve spoken to the Extension team involved and gotten insight.
“There’s nothing official, but
there’s a lot of data left to collect. …One of my beliefs is there’s a huge
environmental interaction somewhere we haven’t identified yet that’s causing
different products to react differently. Back in Wisconsin, there are
situations that have similar dicamba injury patterns like they’ve found in
Arkansas.
“In western Nebraska, we’ve had
relatively different injury patterns emerge that seemed more associated with
tank contamination, off-label applications and things like that. Obviously,
that area of the country is very, very different environmentally compared to
Arkansas and Wisconsin — less humidity, different temperatures and elevations.
“So, that leads me to wonder if
there’s some kind of environmental, climatic factor that’s throwing a wrench
into things. We need to keep investigating and find data on how to effectively
use dicamba. It’s simply going to be around and will be applied.”
On switching to rice weed work…
“I know I’m the new kid coming
in, and it’s understandable that there will be questions about my moving into
rice. First off, in preparation, I’ve been doing as much rice research and
reading as possible ahead of time. That is absolutely no substitute for
learning in the field, of course.
“This spring, I hope to be
working with farmers directly and have them show me around, show their
operations, all of it. I want to know what they see as the benefits and
struggles on a daily basis with rice. What do they think needs to be done with
the weed management side of things? Books are great, but there’s nothing like
an education from walking fields. I want to be out there with the farmers.
“I’d like to conduct a survey and
gather data on the precision ag technology side. What are farmers using? What
are they interested in? It would be great to merge the interests and work I’ve
done into the rice and soybean sectors. This includes implementing aerial
application research. A large portion of applications in rice are made
aerially, and finding solutions for growers and applicators to more effectively
apply products aerially (from drift, coverage, and weed control perspectives)
would be a great benefit moving forward.”
Note: Butts can be emailed
at tbutts@uaex.edu and
followed on Twitter at @weedsARwild.
Soil Health Partnership expands pilot project
Phase
2 of pilot Associate Program announced on World Soil Day.
In recognition of World Soil Day
on Dec. 5, the Soil Health Partnership announced it is expanding a pilot
project to give more farmers access to the soil health network.
As the organization launches
phase 2 of its pilot Associate Program, it will invite 75 farmers to enroll in
2019. This will enable more farmers to join SHP in its mission of using science
and data to support farmers in adopting agricultural practices that improve the
economic and environmental sustainability of the farm.
The economic component of soil
health has taken on an increasing level of urgency during a difficult farm
economy, said Shefali Mehta, executive director of the Soil Health
Partnership.
“We’ve seen increasing demand
from farmers who would like to join our network,” Mehta said. “Expanding the
pilot phase of our Associate Program provides a great number of farmers with
access to a scientific platform to evaluate soil health as part of a
comprehensive management strategy.”
Joining the Associate Program
during the pilot phase will give farmers access to no-cost soil health
sampling and results. The program will provide data insights and reports on how
making a change, like growing cover crops, impacts their soil.
“I strongly believe sustainability
has to apply to farm economics, as well as the environment, and we’re seeing
that economic need become increasingly critical,” Mehta said.
After enrolling 25 farms in the
pilot program in 2018, phase 2 will bring the number of associate sites to 100.
The SHP plans a full-scale launch of the Associate Program for 2020, when even
more farmers can join.
CRF voices
concern over EU rice tax on Cambodia 
December 4, 2018
The president of the Cambodia
Rice Federation (CRF) has expressed concern over an impending EU tariff on
Cambodian rice imports, saying that it is factors within EU states that are
harming European farmers most.
“Difficulties faced by European
farmers are largely due to the lack of collaboration between them, millers and
traders,” CRF president Sok Puthyvuth told the press on Friday.
He said the “high cost of milling
in [EU]member states” was the main obstacle to improving European rice
industries, not imports of Cambodian rice.
Rice Prices
as on :
04-12-2018 12:10:29 PM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
|
Arrivals
|
Price
|
|||||
|
Current
|
%
change |
Season
cumulative |
Modal
|
Prev.
Modal |
Prev.Yr
%change |
|
|
Rice
|
||||||
|
Lakhimpur(UP)
|
35.00
|
NC
|
1218.00
|
2280
|
2270
|
5.07
|
|
Atarra(UP)
|
20.00
|
207.69
|
396.00
|
2150
|
2200
|
7.50
|
|
Ruperdeeha(UP)
|
6.00
|
-25
|
460.00
|
1700
|
1700
|
-
|
|
Mirzapur(UP)
|
4.50
|
-10
|
987.00
|
2275
|
2280
|
-
|
|
Alibagh(Mah)
|
1.00
|
NC
|
25.00
|
2250
|
2250
|
-43.75
|
|
Murud(Mah)
|
1.00
|
NC
|
24.00
|
2250
|
2250
|
-25.00
|
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rice-prices/article25661147.ece
https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Business/-Rice-prices-increase-by-9pc/1840414-4880744-123fbry/index.html
ACOAM Lup bats for Chakhao taste
Source: The Sangai Express
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 04 2018: With the aim of preserving the indigenous Chakhao Amubi/
Chakhao Poireiton, the All Clubs Organisations and Meira Paibis Lup, Kangleipak
(ACOAM-Lup, Kangleipak) submitted a memorandum to the Agriculture Minister
through the Director of Agriculture.
Speaking to media persons at ACOAM-Lup office at Lamphel today, its secretary (organisation) N Shanta said that the memorandum explained that Manipur has been a hub to varieties of high value nutritional crops which have been grown since time immemorial and which is the main reason for agriculture being one of the most important occupations of the people of the State.
Explaining that Manipur is one of the most fertile sub-tropical rainfed farming zones of Asia and the history of rice cultivation in the State is as old as 6000 years, he added that the memo explained that rice is the staple food of the people of both the hills and the plain of the State.
Informing that shifting cultivation in the hills and transplantation of nurseries in the low land valley areas are the traditional methods of production of rice in Manipur since time immemorial, the memo stated that out of the numerous Varieties of rice cultivated in the State, Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton have gained popularity due to their nutritional value and anthocyanin content which is a valued cancer fighting agent.
He further informed that the Ministry of Agriculture has provided huge investment under Mission Organic and Value Chain Development (MOVCD) for production and preservation of the two Chakhao varieties and Under MO VCD, more than 2000 hectares of land are cultivated using organic methodology to maintain the natural aroma, flavour and nutritional value of Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton.
The memo explained that the use of pure certified seeds while growing Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton under MOVCD has become a major hurdle in marketing the two Chakhao varieties because of the mixed production on maturity of crop.
Shanta continued that the memo made it clear that the production of pure Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton seeds on natural soil has become the most important factor due to the influx of different varieties of black rice from the National as well as the International markets.
Urging the Agriculture Department to take up concrete measures using all possible resources to produce genetically pure Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton using natural soil, ACOAM Lup laid down proposal for the production of the said rice at the Rice Research Centre, Wangbal of the State Agriculture Department, Shanta added.
The secretary (org) further conveyed that as per ACOAM-Lup, Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton which are cultivated only in Manipur, must be registered at the Geographical Indication Registry for better categorization in the National and International markets.
It further cautioned that the registration of the said two rice varieties is of utmost importance as a number of farmers outside Manipur have started cultivating black rice which may or may not be Chakhao Amubi or Chakhao Poireiton.
Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton must not be exported until and unless genetically pure seeds have been produced and made available to the farmers of the State and its Geographical Index is registered for protection of property rights, the memo demanded, Shanta said.
Speaking to media persons at ACOAM-Lup office at Lamphel today, its secretary (organisation) N Shanta said that the memorandum explained that Manipur has been a hub to varieties of high value nutritional crops which have been grown since time immemorial and which is the main reason for agriculture being one of the most important occupations of the people of the State.
Explaining that Manipur is one of the most fertile sub-tropical rainfed farming zones of Asia and the history of rice cultivation in the State is as old as 6000 years, he added that the memo explained that rice is the staple food of the people of both the hills and the plain of the State.
Informing that shifting cultivation in the hills and transplantation of nurseries in the low land valley areas are the traditional methods of production of rice in Manipur since time immemorial, the memo stated that out of the numerous Varieties of rice cultivated in the State, Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton have gained popularity due to their nutritional value and anthocyanin content which is a valued cancer fighting agent.
He further informed that the Ministry of Agriculture has provided huge investment under Mission Organic and Value Chain Development (MOVCD) for production and preservation of the two Chakhao varieties and Under MO VCD, more than 2000 hectares of land are cultivated using organic methodology to maintain the natural aroma, flavour and nutritional value of Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton.
The memo explained that the use of pure certified seeds while growing Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton under MOVCD has become a major hurdle in marketing the two Chakhao varieties because of the mixed production on maturity of crop.
Shanta continued that the memo made it clear that the production of pure Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton seeds on natural soil has become the most important factor due to the influx of different varieties of black rice from the National as well as the International markets.
Urging the Agriculture Department to take up concrete measures using all possible resources to produce genetically pure Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton using natural soil, ACOAM Lup laid down proposal for the production of the said rice at the Rice Research Centre, Wangbal of the State Agriculture Department, Shanta added.
The secretary (org) further conveyed that as per ACOAM-Lup, Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton which are cultivated only in Manipur, must be registered at the Geographical Indication Registry for better categorization in the National and International markets.
It further cautioned that the registration of the said two rice varieties is of utmost importance as a number of farmers outside Manipur have started cultivating black rice which may or may not be Chakhao Amubi or Chakhao Poireiton.
Chakhao Amubi and Chakhao Poireiton must not be exported until and unless genetically pure seeds have been produced and made available to the farmers of the State and its Geographical Index is registered for protection of property rights, the memo demanded, Shanta said.
* This news is as published by respected news daily at Imphal, whose
name is duly marked as 'Source'. E-Pao.net is not responsible for it's sanctity
& originality.
NegOcc launches farm mechanization to boost rice yield
By
Nanette Guadalquiver December 4, 2018, 7:55 pm
Some
of the agricultural machinery used in the rice farm in Barangay Taloc,
Bago City during launching of the farm mechanization program of the Negros
Occidental provincial government on Tuesday. (Photo by Richard Malihan/NegOcc
Capitol PIO)
BACOLOD CITY -- The Negros Occidental
provincial government launched its farm mechanization program on Tuesday as
part of its initiatives to boost rice production.
The launching activity, led by
Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. with Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino,
was held at Purok Camingawan Proper, Barangay Taloc in Bago City, considered as
the rice bowl of the province for its vast rice plantations.
“This program for Negrense farmers
will make their work easier and faster and also increase their production,” the
governor said.
He added that Bago is the pilot
area for farm mechanization and the program will also be replicated in other
local government units.
Bago City Mayor Nicholas Yulo
lauded the importance given by the governor to agriculture, which benefits the
city’s rice industry.
Myrna Villa, chairperson of the
Newton-Camingawan-Para Farmers’ Association, said she is grateful the
provincial government initiated the farm mechanization program which can be
availed by their members.
The Office of the Provincial
Agriculturist (OPA) distributed hybrid rice seeds to the farmers during the
activity.
The program launching came after
the province acquired PHP9.2 million worth of agricultural machinery last month
to implement its farm mechanization program.
The equipment include two units of
70 horsepower harvester worth PHP4.4 million; three units of ride on
transplanter, PHP3.2 million; two units of walk behind transplanter,
PHP800,000; and one laser leveler, PHP800,000.
Also included are five tractors and
three 35 horsepower harvesters, amounting to PHP15.8 million.
The OPA is developing a 200-hectare
rice farm in Barangay Taloc into a model farm through full mechanization.
Under the focused mechanization
program, the province will provide the machinery and operate the farm -- from
land preparation, transplanting to harvesting. (PNA)
NFA’s purchases of local rice up 80 percent
The
National Food Authority (NFA) said its purchases of unmilled rice from local
farmers expanded by nearly 80 percent to 50,608 metric tons in January to
November, from last year’s 28,278 MT. The NFA said it has procured some 1.012
million 50-kilogram bags during the 11-month period, 92 percent of which were
bought in October and November. In two months, the NFA said it was able to
purchase 926,854 bags due to the additional P3 per kilogram
buffer-stocking incentive (BSI) added to the government’s support price of P17
per kg. “This means that given the right price, the NFA will be able to buy
more from our farmers,” NFA OIC Administrator Tomas R. Escarez said on Tuesday.
“With the additional P3/kg incentive, we were able to entice more farmers to
sell their harvest to us. At a time when private traders were buying at P20.28
or lower than the NFA buying price, our farmers decided to sell to us instead,”
Escarez added. The NFA currently buys palay from local farmers at P20.70 per
kg, inclusive of the P0.70 per-kg delivery, drying and cooperative incentives.
As the main harvest season reached its peak in November, the NFA said it was
able to purchase 630,934 bags of palay. The NFA said it was able to buy palay
from farmers in Occidental Mindoro, Mamburao, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro,
Bukidnon, Isabela, Capiz, Iloilo, North Cotabato and Camarines Sur. The food
agency attached to the Department of Agriculture has targeted to procure 2.6
million bags, or 130,000 MT of palay. To hit this goal, the NFA must buy 1.6
million bags, or 80,000 MT of palay. Last year the NFA failed to achieve its
goal of procuring 3 million bags, as it managed to purchase only 588,820 bags,
or 29,441 MT. Since the approval of its P3 per-kg BSI, the NFA has become
more optimistic in achieving its palay procurement target for 2018. The NFA is
banking on local palay procurement to continuously beef up its stockpile and
avert the depletion of state-subsidized rice sold in local markets.
Out-quota rice
The NFA also disclosed that 30 agricultural firms, traders and
farmers cooperatives are seeking to import about 274,476 MT of rice via its
out-quota program. Based on the initial list of applicants published by the NFA
on its web site, 30 private entities have already applied for permits to import
rice outside the minimum access volume (MAV) since November 26. Among the
applicants include Manila-based Pure Rice Milling and Processing Corp. that
seeks to import 100,000 MT of white rice, 25-percent brokens from Thailand and
Farm Mechanism Resources and and Distribution Corp. that signified its intent
to buy 20,000 MT of white rice, 5-percent brokens, also from Thailand. The 30
interested importers are planning to purchase rice from Vietnam and Thailand.
Rice importers are allowed to bring in rice with a quality of 25-percent
brokens or even better. The NFA issued the guidelines for the out-quota rice
importation on November 23 following its approval by the NFA Council (NFAC) on
November 21. “The purpose of the importation is to bring down the prices of
rice,” Agriculture Secretary and NFAC Chairman Emmanuel F. Piñol told reporters
in an interview after the NFAC meeting on November 21. Rice imports within the
MAV of the World Trade Organization are slapped a tariff of 35 percent, while
those bought into the country outside of the quota are levied a tariff of 50
percent. Piñol said the NFAC has decided to allow out-quota importation to
ensure that the retail price of rice would remain affordable to Filipino
consumers. “Why would I wait for [the rice tariffication]? What if it would
take longer? Then consumers would complain that rice prices are increasing,” he
said. According to Piñol, interested traders need to meet only three
requirements approved by the NFAC—show proof of financial capacity, warehouse
capability and retail capability. “These will effectively weed out fly-by-night
importers who just apply for import permit and sell them afterward,” he said.
Scuba and Sea Rice: Sowing the
Seeds for Greater Food Security in Asia
5 DECEMBER 2018
Background
With traditional varieties of rice unable to withstand days of
being submerged under flood waters, there is often a high risk of total crop
loss for rice grown in rainfed and flood-affected areas. Serious flooding is
usually created by heavy rainfall, overflow from nearby rivers and canals, and,
in coastal areas, sometimes by tidal movements. Water is often prevented from
draining in rice-growing regions due to the topography of the land. Flooding
causes an annual paddy loss of 3.6 million tonnes; enough to feed 30 million
people. Such events affect not only farmers whose livelihoods depend on the
production of the crop, but also pose a wider threat to food supplies
throughout Asia.
Comment
For decades, scientists have been working towards the
development of so-called “scuba rice”; designed to withstand periods of
flooding for up to two weeks. It is now being grown by farmers in India,
Bangladesh, the Philippines and Indonesia. The average yield of most varieties
of scuba rice is around 4 to 5.8 tonnes per hectare. According to scientists at
the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), scuba rice will still yield
2.7 to 3.6 tonnes after it has been submerged in flood waters for two weeks.
In China, farmers in the Shandong province along the northern
coast, are successfully growing “sea rice”, a variety of rice that is able to
withstand high levels of alkalinity. The success of the sea rice means that
farmers may be able to grow sufficient rice on saline-alkaline soil to feed an
additional 80 million people. With China’s population expected to reach 1.45
billion by 2030, growth of the sea rice crop is an important development.
According to the IRRI, about 20 million hectares of Asian rice
paddies are prone to flooding. Most of the world’s rice is grown within this
region and some estimates
suggest that more than half the world’s population rely on rice as a staple
food. With Asia’s population expected to grow from 4.4 billion in 2018, to 5.2
billion people by 2050, their consumption is expected to reach about 90 per
cent of annual global rice production. The development of scuba rice and sea
rice is expected to help satisfy this demand and benefit farmers tending to 20
million hectares of rice paddies throughout Asia.
While the scuba and sea rice varieties offer the prospect of
increased food security and a higher income for farmers throughout Asia, there
are a handful of limitations to the crops. Firstly, stable rice harvesting may
mean that farmers experience a higher income in the short term. These economic
benefits may be short lived, however, as supply increases and the local and
international market prices for rice decrease. While it may be detrimental for
farmers, the increased supply is likely to increase affordability for millions
of the world’s poorest people.
The growth of scuba and sea rice must also be carefully managed,
to ensure that global rice production does not become overly dependent on these
varieties. The climate adaptive rice varieties offer security against flooding,
but farmers and food supply chains may become vulnerable if disease were to
wipe out a whole season’s crop. It is important that farmers throughout Asia do
not abandon the traditional varieties of rice altogether.
At a time when the effects of climate change are becoming
increasingly obvious, Asia is at a significant risk of further hunger and
famine. Further development of climate adaptive rice varieties is a positive
step towards long-term future food security throughout the region.
Any opinions or views expressed in this paper are those of the
individual author, unless stated to be those of Future Directions
International.
Published by Future Directions International Pty Ltd.
Suite 5, 202 Hampden Road, Nedlands WA 6009, Australia.
Tel:+61
8 6389 0211
http://www.futuredirections.org.au/publication/scuba-and-sea-rice-sowing-the-seeds-for-greater-food-security-in-asia/
Can rice filter water from ag fields?
5-DEC-2018
Research considers
pesticide-cleansing properties of rice plants
IMAGE: A DELIVERY SYSTEM APPLIES A
SIMULATED STORM RUNOFF CONTAINING PESTICIDES AND WATER TO RICE AND CONTROL (BARE)
SYSTEMS.
CREDIT: MATT MOORE
Rice is a staple food crop of 20
percent of the world's population. It's also grown on every continent except
Antarctica.
While it's an important part of
our diets, new research shows that rice plants can be used in a different way,
too: to clean runoff from farms before it gets into rivers, lakes, and streams.
This idea came to Matt Moore, a
USDA research ecologist, because he, himself, comes from a family of farmers.
He was trying to figure out a way to address the unintended issue of runoff. As
water drains from agricultural fields, the pesticides used on those fields can
be carried along. Moore wanted to stop pesticides from getting into water outside
the farm in a way that was easy and cost-efficient for farmers.
"We wanted something that
was common, that could be applied in a lot of different places, but something
that's non-invasive," said Moore, who works in the USDA-Agricultural
Research Service's Water Ecology and Ecology Research Unit in Oxford,
Mississippi.
The idea came to Moore while he
was driving to his family's farm in northeast Arkansas. "We're big rice
farmers. Cheesy as it sounds, I was driving around trying to look for some
inspiration and it just hit me: What about rice?"
So researchers planted four
fields, two with and two without rice. They then flooded those fields with a
mix of three kinds of pesticides plus water that together is a lot like runoff
during a storm. They did this for two years in a row.
They found that the levels of all
three pesticides were lower in fields where they'd planted rice. How much it
dropped ranged from 85 percent to 97 percent, depending on which pesticide they
measured.
Rice can do this through phytoremediation--using
plants and their roots to clean up water (though they can also clean soil and
air). That's what researchers say happened here. Instead of those chemicals
being in the runoff water, they were captured in the rice plants.
In real life, this
pesticide-cleaning ability of rice could be used in a few ways. To start,
farmers could plant rice in drainage ditches already on their farms, which
would "let rice clean off water that runs off into your field before it
runs into a river, lake, or stream," Moore said. "Dreaming big,
eventually we could get to the point where you could use rice fields as
constructed wetlands," diverting runoff into rice fields so they naturally
take those pesticides out of the water.
One big question Moore hopes
additional research can answer is whether or not those chemicals end up in the
edible part of the rice plant--the rice grain--itself. If it doesn't, rice
could be that natural water cleaner while also being a food source.
"It's potentially huge for
developing countries to be able to use this as a crop and water cleaning
technology," he said.
For now, though, Moore is excited
about the potential of a humble, popular crop that even his own family has been
growing for generations.
"We're just trying to use
simple techniques that are easy for the farmer, that are economical, that are
still environmentally friendly," he said. "Farming seems like a
not-for-profit business these days, which I full-well understand. How can
farmers use the landscape that's already there? How can they maximize that
while helping the environment and their bottom line? Rice could be it."
Meet the new Arkansas Extension rice/soybean weed specialist
Application technology a big focus
It is Nov. 9 and Thomas “Tommy”
Butts, the new Arkansas Extension rice and soybean weed specialist, is standing
amid boxes in a west Nebraska apartment. The next day, he would be moving south
to Lonoke, Ark., with his wife, Liberty.
With an official start date of
Nov. 26, Butts — who is extremely amiable and easy with a laugh — will have a
couple of weeks to acclimate. He promises to win over skeptics of a young
Midwesterner moving to rice country.
On personal history…
“I’ve been around agriculture my
whole life. I’m originally from Wisconsin and grew up around dairy farms my
entire childhood. I worked for a neighbor for close to a decade milking cows,
doing fieldwork, all of that.
“Throughout that time, I was very
active in 4-H and FFA — just loved those programs and doing a lot of things
like showing cattle at the fair.
“When it came time for college I
knew I’d be studying something agriculture-related. The small school I went to,
University of Wisconsin-Platteville, had a major in ag business and I
minored in crop and soil science. Again, it was just a wonderful education and
a great time.
“Throughout those first four
years of study, the ag business side was fine, but I definitely enjoyed the
cropping system side more and doing agronomy work. Through a couple of
internships, it became obvious I’d rather do something away from the sales side
of things. So, I started looking at master’s degree programs and weed science
caught my eye — the diversity and dealing with so many crops. At the same time,
you’re helping farmers find solutions to, most of the time, pretty troublesome
situations.
“I ended up doing my master’s
under Dr. Vince Davis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. One of the main
projects I worked on there was a multi-university study throughout the Midwest
and Mid-South looking at control methods on herbicide-resistant pigweeds. We
were looking at Palmer amaranth, waterhemp, redroot pigweeds, a bit of
everything. We were looking for different management strategies to use in
different systems and hopefully control those pests. I also did dose response
screenings to identify herbicide resistance in the state.
“From there, I’d been working
with Dr. Greg Kruger a bit and had become very interested in application
technology. That led me to western Nebraska (North Platte) to work on my PhD
with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln — mainly on application technology,
drift control and how we can play the balancing act between those things and
proper weed control.
“A lot of my research was on
pulse-width modulation sprayers. That’s where you put solenoid valves on each
nozzle and they’re able to control the flow rate by pulsing on and off. That allows more control and precision.
I was also looking at using those systems toprovide a very specific
droplet size in the field to see if droplet size affects our
weed control, as well.
“So, that research allowed a lot
of work on both the engineering side and also the field-applied weed control
side.
“That background led me to a
research Extension career — being able to help farmers directly, conduct
research that’s applicable and then being able to get that information as
quickly as possible so it can be used to control some of these problem weeds.
“In Arkansas, I really want to
implement my application technology and interests into control measures in both
rice and soybean cropping systems. There are several different precision ag
technologies that we can try to implement or investigate. That’s one thing that
could really be unique following all the work already done on our agronomic
practices and yields.”
On dicamba…
“The whole dicamba situation is a
strange problem we’re involved in. It’s a splintering problem, obviously, with
two sides adamantly for or against it.
“I’ve been paying a lot of
attention to Arkansas decisions and what’s been going on in the Mid-South.
Obviously, I’ve spoken to the Extension team involved and gotten insight.
“There’s nothing official, but
there’s a lot of data left to collect. …One of my beliefs is there’s a huge
environmental interaction somewhere we haven’t identified yet that’s causing
different products to react differently. Back in Wisconsin, there are
situations that have similar dicamba injury patterns like they’ve found in
Arkansas.
“In western Nebraska, we’ve had
relatively different injury patterns emerge that seemed more associated with
tank contamination, off-label applications and things like that. Obviously,
that area of the country is very, very different environmentally compared to
Arkansas and Wisconsin — less humidity, different temperatures and elevations.
“So, that leads me to wonder if
there’s some kind of environmental, climatic factor that’s throwing a wrench
into things. We need to keep investigating and find data on how to effectively
use dicamba. It’s simply going to be around and will be applied.”
On switching to rice weed work…
“I know I’m the new kid coming
in, and it’s understandable that there will be questions about my moving into
rice. First off, in preparation, I’ve been doing as much rice research and
reading as possible ahead of time. That is absolutely no substitute for
learning in the field, of course.
“This spring, I hope to be
working with farmers directly and have them show me around, show their
operations, all of it. I want to know what they see as the benefits and
struggles on a daily basis with rice. What do they think needs to be done with
the weed management side of things? Books are great, but there’s nothing like
an education from walking fields. I want to be out there with the farmers.
“I’d like to conduct a survey and
gather data on the precision ag technology side. What are farmers using? What
are they interested in? It would be great to merge the interests and work I’ve
done into the rice and soybean sectors. This includes implementing aerial
application research. A large portion of applications in rice are made
aerially, and finding solutions for growers and applicators to more effectively
apply products aerially (from drift, coverage, and weed control perspectives)
would be a great benefit moving forward.”
Note: Butts can be emailed at tbutts@uaex.edu and followed on Twitter at @weedsARwild.
https://www.deltafarmpress.com/weeds/meet-new-arkansas-extension-ricesoybean-weed-specialist
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