Sans IRR for RA 11203, Customs issues order to hasten
rice imports
By Rea Cu
March
15, 2019
Prices of assorted varieties of
rice are seen at the San Andres public market in Manila in this file photo.
DESPITE the absence of interim
rules and regulations for the implementation of the Rice Import Liberalization
Act, the Bureau of Customs has issued an order to hasten the entry of the
staple. On March 11, the BOC issued its Memorandum 2019-03-015 in line with the
implementation of the tariff rates for rice in its electronic-to-mobile (E2M)
system. The BOC said it issued the memorandum in accordance with the interim
guidelines for the implementation of Republic Act (RA) 11203 and pending the
issuance of the IRR of the Rice Import Liberalization Act.
The BOC memorandum said it is
implementing “the tariff rate of 180 percent for out-quota tariff headings of
rice originating from non-Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] WTO
[World Trade Organization] member-states in the E2M system effective March 11.”
This is the third memorandum the
BOC issued sans the IRR for RA 11203.
The second, Memorandum 2019-03-014,
orders that all rice importations would be processed under the regular customs
cargo clearance procedure, since the National Food Authority (NFA) ceased to
exercise regulatory functions over international and domestic trading of rice.
It also said that the payment of
advance customs duties and tariff for rice importation is no longer required.
However, all importers of rice are required to secure a sanitary and
hytosanitary import clearance (SPSIC) from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI)
prior to importation.
“Rice importations should arrive
prior to the expiration of the SPSIC from the BPI,” the memorandum said.
An import duty rate of 35 percent
under the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (Atiga) is implemented for rice
importations coming from the Asean region, while an out-quota of 180 percent
shall apply for those that originate from non-Asean WTO member-states.
“Due to the perishable nature of
rice importations and in order to protect the interest of the government,
district collectors may allow release of goods pursuant to Section 304 and 426
of the CMTA [Customs Modernization and Tariff Act], pending the issuance of the
IRR,” it added.
The first memorandum in line with
rice importations was issued by the BOC on March 1 and which stated that “all
rice importations covered by NFA import permit issued on or before March 4,
2019, shall be subject to in-quota tariff rates.”
Last week, it was reported by the
BusinessMirror that National Economic and Development Authority
(Neda) Assistant Secretary Mercedita A. Sombilla received complaints from
traders facing difficulties in retrieving their shipments at the port. The
traders said the BOC have refused to recognize the certificate of eligibility
(COE) to import from the NFA.
Sombilla said that the NFA
Council (NFAC) had requested the NFA to furnish them a list of COEs it issued,
which would make it easier for the BOC to identify the shipments that would be
exempted from the new rules.
The Rice Import Liberalization
Act took effect on March 5 after President Duterte signed it into law on
February 14. The law removed two things: the quantitative restrictions on rice,
replacing these with tariffs, and the powers of the NFA to issue import
permits.
Reducing
emissions could mitigate worst effects of climate change, study finds
14.03.2019
The worst effects of climate change
could be mitigated by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to a study.
An international team of scientists, including researchers from
the University of Leeds, used 20 different climate models around the world
to examine how rainfall could be impacted by climate change.
The team then combined the models with reduced greenhouse gas
emission scenarios to predict how the areas might be affected.
Their study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, warns that up to 14% of land dedicated to wheat,
maize, rice and soybean could have less rainfall, while up to 31% may see
increases in rainfall.
Under a high emission scenario, France, Australia and Turkey,
three of the world’s top 15 wheat producers, would see 26%, 28% and 88% of
their land affected by reduced rainfall. In France and Turkey this is reduced
to 0% under the lowest emission scenario, and in Australia it reduces to 4%.
China and India are the world’s two biggest rice producers and are
among the countries predicted to have wetter conditions for all four crops
included in the study, even in a scenario with low levels of emissions.
However, curtailing greenhouse gas emissions from high to low
levels reduces the area affected from 11% down to 6% for China, and 80% to 17%
for India.
The study warns that without significant reductions in greenhouse
gas emission, patterns of increased precipitation in high latitudes, including
areas in North America and Europe could emerge as early as the 2020s, and in
some areas may have already altered due to climate change.
Study co-author Professor Challinor, from the Priestley
International Centre for Climate at Leeds, said: ‘Changes in rainfall
patterns have been challenging to predict in the past, making it difficult to
offer advice on how growing conditions may change. This is the first study to
overlay predicted time of emergence on croplands and growing seasons.
‘Wheat, maize, rice and soybean represent roughly 40% of global
caloric intake and our findings show that by limiting greenhouse gas emissions
we can help preserve the rainfall patterns vital for their growth.
‘While low-emissions scenarios still showed some effect on
rainfall patterns in certain regions, the higher the amount of greenhouse gas
emissions, the higher the percentage of land affected by drier conditions in
key crop growing areas, such as South Western Australia and Southern Africa.
‘The greenhouse gas mitigation measures needed to achieve climate
targets, such as the one set by the Paris Agreement, will go a long way to
helping us reduce the risk of future droughts or flood conditions and possibly
avoid a global food crisis.’
A study from
August warned that global food production may be under threat
from the impact of ozone air pollution on crop yields.
It looked at the impact of the pollutant on four staple crops in
growing regions across the world: soybean, wheat, rice and maize, researchers
estimated that ozone may reduce yields by up to 227 million tonnes a year.
How To Eat
White Rice On A Diet: Follow These Healthy Cooking Tips!
NDTV Food | Updated: March 15,
2019 10:49 IST
Highlights
·
White
rice packs in a lot of calories and starchy carbs
·
White
rice may be consumed if cooked in healthy ways
·
Add
some coconut oil while cooking to your rice to slash calories
Rice is one of the most popular food grains around the world.
White rice is especially popular among Asians. There is a whole range of Indian
dishes including white rice as the main grain, with biryani and pulao being two
of the most loved ones. White rice dishes are comfort food for a lot of us and
we pair cooked rice with numerous vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries,
including chicken/mutton curry, rajma curry, kadhi (made from curd and gram
flour), etc. But unfortunately, white rice is considered one of the
unhealthiest carbohydrates out there. They are rich in starch, and hence, may
increase blood sugar levels if consumed on a daily basis. White rice is also
very high in calories, and hence, is considered unhealthy.
However, if you're watching your weight, but don't want to forgo
rice, you must switch to healthier cooking methods. You can significantly
reduce the number of calories from your cooked rice by choosing the right
cooking method.
White Rice Nutrition
A 100 gm portion of cooked white
rice contains 130 calories as well as 28 gm of carbohydrates
(as per the USDA data). White rice doesn't have much fibre as it is the
processed form of rice, where the bran has been removed. Neither does white
rice have any significant amount of protein (a 100 gm contains 2.7 gm of protein,
as per the USDA data). However, white rice may be fortified with certain B
vitamins, due to which it may be healthy to consume. On the other hand, most
rice dishes contain excessive salt and oil, especially in the case of dishes
like fried rice or pulao. If you're trying to watch your weight, you are better
off avoiding consumption of such dishes and should rather stick to consuming
boiled or steamed rice.
How to eat white rice on a diet: Switch to healthier cooking
methods
How To Cook Rice In A Healthy Diet-Friendly Manner
Cooking rice is extremely easy. All you need is a pressure
cooker or any other deep-bottomed utensil that you cover and some water to cook
the rice with. It's obviously healthier to cook rice using a method that does
not involve the use of oil or grease. Additionally, keep your rice salt-free as
chances are that the curry that you are going to eat your rice with already has
a lot of salt in it.
Here are some key points to remember when you're cooking white
rice:
1. Steaming or boiling rice is the best way of cooking them, due
to the elimination of any high-fat vegetable oils.
2. Team your cooked rice with blanched or stir-fried high-fibre
vegetables to make your meal more satiating and healthy.
3. Add some cumin seeds (jeera) to your steamed rice. Cumin
has been known to control blood pressure and blood sugar levels and may also
add flavour and taste to your rice dish.
4. Add some coconut oil to the water you're going to cook your
rice in. Researchers have recently found out that adding coconut oil to white
rice while cooking can increase the amount of resistant starch in it and slash
the amount of calories in your dish.
5. Add a few cloves (laung) to your pressure cooker while
cooking the rice. Clove is also helpful in regulating blood sugar and it also
contains antioxidants to fight inflammation.
If you love rice, you don't necessarily have to go stop eating
it. Portion control is a key here. You may indulge is a small portion of
steamed or boiled rice every once in a while. But if you are suffering from
hypertension or diabetes, you must consult your nutritionist before adding to
your diet.
Research Roundup: Green Tea
& Carrots, a Blood Test for PTSD and More
Published: Mar 15, 2019 By Mark Terry
There
are plenty of great scientific research stories out this week. Here’s a look at
just a few of them.
Green
Tea and Carrots Reversed Alzheimer’s Symptoms in Mice
Researchers
at the University of Southern California fed mice a dietcontaining compounds
found in green tea and carrots which reversed Alzheimer’s-like symptoms in mice
that had been programmed to develop the disease. The two compounds were EGCG or
epigallocatechin-3-gallate, found in green tea, and ferulic acid (FA), found in
carrots, tomatoes, rice, wheat and oats. They published their research in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
“You
don’t have to wait 10 to 12 years for a designer drug to make it to market; you
can make these dietary changes today,” stated senior author Terrence Town,
professor of physiology and neuroscience at the Keck School of Medicine of
USC’s Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute. “I find that very encouraging.”
He
went on to say, “After three months, combination treatment completely restored
working memory and the Alzheimer’s mice performed just as well as the healthy
comparison mice.”
They
randomly assigned 32 mice with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms to one of four groups.
The mice were fed a combination of EGCG and FA, or EGCG or FA only, or a
placebo, for three months. The dosage was 30 mg per kilogram of body weight, an
amount that could be easily eaten by people as part of a healthy, plant-based
diet or as a supplement. The researchers believe that the compounds, in part,
prevent amyloid precursor proteins from breaking into the smaller proteins
called amyloid beta that are key to Alzheimer’s development. They also seem to
cut neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in the brain.
Possible
Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Via Eye Exam
Scientists
at Duke University Medical Center found that loss of blood vessels in
the retina could be signs of Alzheimer’s disease. They analyzed more than 200
people at the Duke Eye Center. The research was published in the journal Ophthalmology Retina.
“We’re
measuring blood vessels that can’t be seen during a regular eye exam and we’re
doing that with relatively new noninvasive technology that takes
high-resolution images of very small blood vessels within the retina in just a
few minutes,” stated the study’s senior author, ophthalmologist and retinal
surgeon Sharon Fekrat. “It’s possible that these changes in blood vessel
density in the retina could mirror what’s going on in the tiny blood vessels in
the brain, perhaps before we are able to detect any changes in cognition.”
The
study found that the web of tiny blood vessels in the back of the eye inside
the retina of 39 patients with Alzheimer’s, compared to the 133 patients in a
control group, were less dense. The differences were statistically significant
after controlling for factors such as age, sex, and education level. The scan
was performed using an optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), which
use light waves to reveal blood flow in every layer of the retina.
A
Possible Cure for Malaria?
In
2016, 216 million people around the world became ill with malaria caused
by Plasmodium falciparum, with 441,000 dying of the
disease. Jorg Mohrle, vice president Head of Translational Medicine of the
productive development partnership, Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) in
Geneva, Switzerland, and with the University of Basel, published research in the journal of theAmerican Society of Microbiology’s Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, describing a
potential new drug that might cure the disease with a single dose. The drug is
DSM265.
“A
single dose cure would provide a treatment that could improve compliance,
reduce development of resistance, and eventually contribute to the eradication
of this disease,” stated Morhle, the study’s coauthor. “DSM265 has the
potential to become part of such a single dose cure.”
The
current treatment requires three days of combination therapy. A companion drug
is also needed because of the development of resistance. The malaria parasites
have a complicated life cycle, which makes it difficult to completely eradicate
the disease once acquired, resulting in possible recurrence. In the study,
eight volunteers with blood-stage malaria parasites received an initial dose of
DSM265 on day 7. On day 23, seven received a second dose. In those seven, the
drug appeared to cure the disease. The eighth patient never developed
parasitemia.
Possible
New Approach to Treating Leukemia?
Cancer
cells utilize sugar faster than healthy cells. They also consume more amino
acids, which are the building blocks of proteins and other molecules. Winship
Cancer Institute researchers at Emory University have identified a way to exploit
that amino acid appetite to selectively block the growth of leukemias. They
published their research in the journal Nature Metabolism.
They identified a transporter enzyme called ASCT2 that carries amino acids into
the cells. The researchers deleted the gene coding for the enzyme. This
resulted in extending the survival of mice with acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
from 45 days to more than 300 days.
“So
far, little progress has been made in finding therapeutic targets in amino acid
metabolic pathways that can be harnessed to kill cancer cells but spare normal
cells,” stated Cheng-Kui Qu, lead researcher on the project. “This is a highly
promising therapeutic target for leukemia. ASCT2 is dispensable for normal
blood cell development, but it is required for leukemia development and
progression.”
The
biggest surprise was that deleting the gene for ASCT2 didn’t significantly
disrupt blood cell development. They noted, however, that the mice took longer
to recover white blood cell counts after the chemotherapy or radiation
treatments. Qu noted, “Although our overall findings strongly suggest ASCT2 as
a therapeutic target for leukemia treatment, researchers will need to exercise
caution in combining ASCT2 inhibitors with chemotherapy in clinical trials.”
Brains
of Hispanic Dementia Patients Look Different than Non-Hispanic Whites and
African-Americans
A
recent study by researchers at the University of California, Davis found dramatic differences in the
brains of Hispanic dementia patients compared to those of non-Hispanic whites
and African-Americans. The study was based on broad-ranging analyses of
autopsied brains. The research was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
The
study looked at 423 brains in individuals from multiple ethnoracial groups. The
patients all had dementia and had been evaluated at the University of
California Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center. The team used bootstrap resampling
and logistic regression standardization. It has long been noted that Hispanic
and African Americans had higher rates of dementia than non-Hispanic whites.
This study found that Hispanics and African Americans were more likely to have
mixed diseases, such as a combination of Alzheimer’s disease and
cerebrovascular disease, as opposed to pure Alzheimer’s disease.
“There
is fairly decent evidence today that there are similarities and differences,
and that it’s never good to have the brain shrink, particularly around the
temporal lobe, but the cause of this dementia seems different depending on
whether you’re white, black or Latino,” stated Charles DeCarli, principal
investigator. “These differences can be due to numerous factors including
cultural, social, economic, and/or behavioral influences.”
He
went on to say, “If you are Latino and diabetic or black and hypertensive, you
are probably at higher risk for dementia and these risks should be addressed
aggressively. It’s a way to tailor our approach to the individual, and it’s
something we want to do as early as possible.”
A
Blood Test for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Researchers
at Indiana University have developed a blood test that
could help more accurately diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
The study tracked more than 250 veterans in over 600 visits at the Richard L.
Roudebush VA Medical Center in
Indianapolis, attempting to identify a molecule in the blood to track stress
intensity. The research was published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
Over
a decade, they evaluated gene expression in participants in both low- and
high-stress states. They narrowed the research down to 285 individual
biomarkers related to 269 genes, which were compared to other identified
markers of stress and aging.
“There are similar tests like
this in other fields, like cancer, where a physician can biopsy the affected
part of the body to determine the stage of disease,” stated Alexander
Niculescu, who led the study. “But when it comes to mental health, biopsying
the brain isn’t an option. Our research is applying similar concepts from other
areas of medicine, but we’re engineering new ways that will allow us to track
mental symptoms objectively, including stress, using blood, or so-called
‘liquid biopsies.’”
Piñol junks proposal to import unhusked rice
By Panay News
Friday, March 15, 2019
MANILA – Agriculture secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol has junked
the planned importation of palay,
or unhusked rice as it may pose danger to Philippine agriculture.
“We will not allow the importation of palay (unhusked rice)
because it could pose danger to our rice industry. It could also bring in pests
and diseases,” said Piñol, in a press briefing on Tuesday.
The Food and Beverage unit of diversified conglomerate San
Miguel Corp. (SMC) earlier said it plans to import unmilled rice should the
government pass a law lifting quantitative restrictions (QR) on the volume of
rice imports annually.
SMC President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang said the
company can undertake rice importation to help ensure food security and to
assist local farmers.
“We will help by importing. We have grain terminals where we can
build extra silos… We will be able to help in the food security,” said Ang on
the sidelines of the SMC stockholders’ meeting.
He said these silos would allow for the proper storage of grains
so that SMC can import rice by bulk and not just by sacks, after which the
commodity can be stored for as long as two years.
Piñol, however, noted that the Rice Tariffication Law does not
allow the importation of palay.
“It is only rice in milled form,” he stressed, effectively
bucking the tycoon’s ambitious plans.
Piñol said that the DA still reserves the right to revoke
importation of unmilled rice, particularly if it concerns the safety of the
country’s agriculture sector.
“We still reserve the right, we still hold the power to
determine whether it is safe for Philippine agriculture or not, because nobody can
assure us na yung mga unhulled rice na papasok dito ay walang nakakabit na
sakit,” he said. (PNA)
Rice: the dark horse
Accurate figures on capacity
installed or number of rice mills are hard to come by; by some accounts, number
of units goes into several hundreds. Most of these units are held as
private-limited entities, and due to their medium scale, do no attract significant
attention. Thus, the dearth of hard data.
Consider this: the 87 odd sugar
milling units installed in the country have come to be defined as all that is
wrong with Pakistan’s agriculture. It is correct that Pakistan produces sugar
in excess which is often hard to offload in export market without government
support. However, to argue that sugar and cane farming has blossomed by
piggy-backing on cotton cultivation, the purported backbone of textile exports,
is a red herring.
Punjab’s district wise
agricultural land utilization census indicates that the mushroom growth of
paddy has come to pose a formidable challenge to fibre crop in recent years. A
decade ago, Punjab’s rural lands were almost neatly fragmented between
sugarcane and rice farming concentrated in central Punjab, and cotton in the
southern districts.
However, for factors explained in
these pages previously, cotton lost its attraction to farmers as they switched
to crops with higher returns. During the five-year period from FY13 and FY17,
the white gold crop literally lost ground, or one-fourth of area under
cultivation.
But, surprise surprise! In sharp
contrast to the popular view peddled in the media, it is rice and not sugarcane
that has made most significant in-roads into southern Punjab. While both crops
have consistently improved their share in land utilization in the region,
rice’s gain is 60 percent higher and more prominent in comparison.
A closer look at numbers from
central Punjab seems to offer an explanation for the populist view, which lays
the blame squarely on sugarcane. After all, cotton’s loss in area is further
magnified when looked on pan-Punjab basis.
Except, all three competing crops
have lost share in central region, which once stood on equal footing for
cultivated farm-land with the south. However, with rapid urbanization in the
central districts, it appears that central’s share in crop output is falling,
with the steepest decline recorded for cotton.
Thus, cotton’s big picture
(province wide) decline is hence incorrectly compared with setting up of mills
in southern districts, leading to the misinterpretation that sugarcane is to
blame. But if one were to pick the real winners in the province, the dark
horses are most definitely the rice growers.
Yes, ‘weed scientist’ is a real job title, and it’s important to
Louisiana
You can be a weed scientist. Who knew? The study of weeds is an
actual degree program and a job that has a significant impact on the Louisiana
economy, The Daily Advertiser reports.
Yes, we know what you’re
thinking, but you would be wrong. Even though Louisiana has taken steps toward
providing access to legal medical marijuana that’s not what this job is
about—hence the title confusion.
LSU weed scientist Eric Webster
has a doctorate on the subject, credentials he now uses to help troubleshoot
problems in Louisiana agriculture through testing herbicides and experimenting
with conversation tillage.
Webster is one of at least five
weed scientists across Louisiana who focus their research on weeds that affect
specific crops. Chief among these crops is Louisiana rice, which is an
important economic asset to the state, but can be killed easily by rogue weeds.
Louisiana planted about 410,000
acres of rice in 2018, up 10,000 acres, or 3%, from last year, according to the
U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service. Read the full story.
Arkansas
Outlaws Rice Pretenders
By Emily Woodall
LITTLE ROCK, AR -- Rice pretenders, that is food, usually
vegetables, masquerading as rice, may be gaining
traction at specialty retailers like Whole Foods, but they're about to be
contraband in Arkansas thanks to a new truth in labeling law that has just passed
the House and Senate here and is expected to be signed by Governor Asa
Hutchinson any day.
The bill, HB 1407, introduced by
Representative David Hillman (R-Almyra), will prevent the false and misleading
labeling of agriculture products intended for human consumption, including
beef, pork, poultry, and rice.
"This is legislation that
protects consumers who have an expectation and a right to know what they are
purchasing and feeding to their families," said Lauren Waldrip Ward,
executive director of the Arkansas Rice Federation who testified before the
Arkansas Senate this week in support of the legislation.
The bill establishes a standard of
identity for rice, something the rice industry has been asking the U.S. Food
& Drug Administration to do at the federal level for years.
The Arkansas legislation defines
rice as "whole, broken, or ground kernels or by-products obtained from the
species Oryza sativa L. or Oryza glaberrima, or wild rice..." which means
the spate of products calling themselves some variation of "rice" but
that are actually made of vegetables engineered to look like rice, could no
longer be sold as "rice."
"We are not suggesting
consumers shouldn't have access to these products," explained Betsy Ward,
president and CEO of USA Rice. "However, we do demand that they be
called what they are and not marketed deceptively to consumers, trading on our
good name, solid nutritional profile, and outstanding environmental record. Rice is a grain, not a shape."
She said the industry has lodged
complaints with several food manufacturers and retailers, urging them to label
and display their products honestly and accurately.
"A vegetable, such as
cauliflower, that has gone through the process of being riced should be sold as
'riced cauliflower,' 'minced cauliflower,' or 'cauliflower crumbles,' but
definitely not as 'cauliflower rice.'
And lentils or chickpeas that have been processed to look like rice,
still aren't rice and shouldn't be called rice," Ward said. "Now in Arkansas it's going to be
illegal to do otherwise, and we look forward to FDA following these
common-sense guidelines and adopting a federal standard of identity."
USA
Rice Daily
TNAU-IRRI
research collaboration on Digital Agriculture
Press Trust of India
| Coimbatore Last Updated at March 14, 2019 20:40 IST
A team
of scientists from Philippines visited Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
(TNAU) here to explore the possibility of developing a joint research project
in digital agriculture.
The main
focus of the visit was to discuss research collaboration between TNAU and the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), on Remote Sensing-Based
Information and Insurance for Crops in Emerging Economies (RIICE) and other
international agriculture research initiatives.
Tri D
Setiyono, Cluster Leader, Geospatial Science & Modeling, IRRI, accompanied
by Dr JS Prasad, Retd IRRI Scientist from Hyderabad, held a meeting recently
with scientists from various departments in TNAU, a release said Thursday.
Setiyono
organised a Seminar on "Crop monitoring strategies through remote sensing
and crop modeling" and interacted with scientists and students.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is
auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Drought
warning leads Cambodian government to tell rice farmers not to plant
Water
shortages have been reported in 16 Cambodian provinces. El Niño is behind
higher-than-average temperatures. About 75 per cent of Cambodia is farmland,
devoted mostly to growing rice. The authorities hand out fertiliser and water
to affected communities.
Phnom Penh (AsiaNews) – Cambodian
rice farmers should refrain from planting crops because of a drought and record
high temperatures. The cause is this year’s El Nino with temperatures expected
to peak in April and May, warned Neth Pheaktra, spokesman and secretary of
state for the Cambodian Environment Ministry. Communities in 16 provinces
around the Kingdom have reported water shortages due to higher than average
temperatures – a stark reality in a nation more used to dealing with floods
than droughts.
A tributary of the Tonle Sap River
in Kampong Thom province has dried out. As a result, a local rice farmer said
he had been relying on eating lotus roots to survive. About 75 per cent of the
country’s farmland is devoted to growing rice. Cambodia exports about three per
cent of the world’s supply, according to the UN Food and Agricultural
Organisation (FAO). Pheaktra said his office, in conjunction with the Ministry
of Water Resources and Meteorology, has been distributing fertiliser and water
to communities hit by drought. The Mekong River
Commission (MRC), which manages the river and its
sustainable development along with its member states (Cambodia, Laos,
Thailand and Vietnam), said that it was ready to help Cambodia.
Temperatures in Cambodia will reach 40-42
Celsius between April and May this year, said Pheaktra. “Higher temperatures
associated with El Nino can lead to forest fires and water shortages,” he
added. Despite heightened concerns, climatologists do not expect this year's
drought to be as bad as the one that hit the country
in 2016. Speaking about the latter, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun
Sen called it was “the worst natural disaster to hit Cambodia in 100 years”.
Demand from Bangladesh drives up price of
Bengal’s aromatic rice Gobindobhog
Gobindobhog
— is driving prices northwards. The price of Gobindobhog paddy is up by nearly
17 per cent at ₹3,500 a quintal this year, as compared with ₹3,000 a quintal in the same period last year.
Gobindobhog is a non-Basmati type indigenous aromatic rice from West Bengal.
The paddy variety, which got the GI (Geographical Indication) status in August
2017, is primarily cultivated in East Burdwan district in the Raina 1, Raina 2
and Khandaghosh blocks. According to Suraj Agarwal, CEO, Tirupati Agri Trade,
the price of Gobindobhog rice is up by nearly 9 per cent at ₹5,100 a quintal, as compared with ₹4,700 a quintal in the same period last year. “The
price was ruling at around ₹4,500 a quintal at the millers’ end at the beginning of this
season in January. Then it suddenly witnessed a spike and increased to ₹5,100 a quintal by end February due to heavy demand
from Bangladesh,” Agarwal told BusinessLine.
Spurt in demand
There was a sudden demand for around 10,000 tonnes of Gobindobhog
rice from Bangladesh this year, market sources said. Tirupati Agri, which
markets the rice under the ‘Rice Villa’ brand, has exported close to 550 tonnes
of Gobindobhog so far during this season. It had exported around 1,000 tonnes
the whole of last year. The company exports to Bangladesh and West Asia. Apart
from Bangladesh, there has been a steady rise in demand from Kerala and other
markets in South India, said Tamal Mal, Director of Greenstarline Udyog,
manufacturer, trader and exporter of different varieties of rice from Bengal.
Better prospects
The increase in prices is despite the fact that the State
witnessed a 17 per cent rise in production of Gobindobhog paddy this year. West
Bengal produced close to 2.8 lakh tonnes of Gobindobhog paddy in 2018-19, as
compared to 2.4 lakh tonnes produced in 2017-18. Nearly 55-56 per cent of this
is converted to rice. Driven by the prospect of earning more, farmers in Bengal
have taken to cultivating Gobindobhog. The area under cultivation, which was
close to 35 hectares in 2016-17, has increased to 51 hectares in 2018-19.
Farmers cultivating this variety stand to earn ₹2,000 a bag (of 60 kg) or close to ₹3,300 a quintal, as compared with ₹800-900 a bag (of 60 kg) or ₹1,500 a quintal for the common Swarna variety. As
compared to 12-13 bags (of 60 kg) of Swarna on every bigha of land, farmers get
about 10 bags of Gobindobhog on each bigha. The cultivation cost per bigha for
Swarna is close to ₹6,000-7,000 while that for Gobindobhog is ₹9,000-10,000. However, the lower yield and higher
expense is more than offset by the remunerative price that Gobindobhog fetches.
ASIA
RICE-INDIA PRICES UP ON STRONG RUPEE; FEW TAKERS FOR THAI VARIETY
*
Thai demand flat, prices mostly unchanged * Bangladesh's rain-fed crop output
seen at 14 million tonnes By Sethuraman N R March 14 (Reuters) - Rice export
rates in India rose this week due to an appreciation in the rupee, even as
demand remained moderate, while Thai traders struggled with a lack of interest
from foreign markets due to high prices. India's 5 percent broken parboiled
variety <RI-INBKN5-P1> rose to $386-$389 per tonne from last week's
$383-$386. "The rising rupee is forcing us to raise prices. Demand is
moderate," said an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of
Andhra Pradesh. The rupee was trading near its highest level in more than two
months, trimming returns from overseas sales for traders in the world's biggest
exporter of the staple.
In
Thailand, the world's second-biggest rice exporter, benchmark 5 percent broken
rice <RI-THBKN5-P1> prices were quoted at $380-$385, free on board
Bangkok, mostly unchanged from last week's $380-$390. Demand remained flat and
the price fluctuation was due to the exchange rate between the local currency
baht and the U.S. dollar, traders said. "Domestic prices have slightly
increased this week but because the baht has weakened, the export price remains
relatively same," a Bangkok-based rice trader said. However, the baht's
gains over the past few months have prevented domestic prices from falling,
denting demand for Thai rice overseas, another trader said. Higher domestic rates
translate into increased procurement costs for exporters.
The
market has also seen an influx of new supply, which is yet to impact export
prices, according to traders. Meanwhile in Bangladesh, rain-fed rice output or
Aman crop is estimated to hit 14 million tonnes this season from 13.5 million
tonnes in the previous year, due to favourable weather, Mizanur Rahman, a
senior official of Department of Agriculture Extension, told Reuters on
Thursday. The Aman crop is the second biggest rice crop after the summer
variety, Boro. It is cultivated during December and January, and makes up for
about 38 percent of Bangladesh's total rice production, which is around 35
million tonnes. The south Asian country, which emerged as a major importer in
2017 after floods damaged its crops, imposed 28 percent duty to support its
farmers after local production revived in 2018. (Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav
in Mumbai, Panu Wongcha-um in Bangkok, Ruma Paul in Dhaka; editing by Arpan
Varghese and David Evans)
India forecast to harvest record rice crop
03.13.2019
By Arvin Donley
Ministry of Agriculture also expects near record wheat
production despite weak monsoon season.
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Rice
inventory up in February 2019 from a year ago
Rappler.com
Published 2:20 PM, March 14, 2019
Updated 2:20 PM, March 14, 2019
DROPPING. Rice stocks as of February 1 is higher from a year ago
when the National Food Authority was facing buffer stock shortage but is still
lower from January. Photo by Darren Langit/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Rice stocks
are seemingly recovering ahead of the impending unimpeded importation of the
crop, as inventory grew year-on-year by 19.24% to 2.14 million metric tons
(MMT) as of February 1, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
However, this is a 16.05% drop from stocks as of January 1,
when inventory levels reached 2.55 MMT.
With the country's average
consumption of rice at 32,000 metric tons (MT) daily, the current inventory is
sufficient for almost 67 days.
After unfavorable weather
affected rice production in 2018, this year is expected to see better harvest,
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said in an earlier interview. (READ: A staple problem? A history of rice crisis in the
Philippines)
Household stocks, which took
majority of the total inventory's shares at 48.22%, saw a double-digit drop
from 10.8 MMT in February 2018 to 1.03 MMT in the same month this year.
Month-on-month, February's
household stocks were also lower by 5.09% from January's 1.25 MMT.
Commercial households, meanwhile,
saw a steeper month-on-month drop by 32.69% to 811,200 MT from 1.21 MMT in
January.
However, this is a 25.46% increase
from 646,560 MT a year ago. Commercial stocks contribute 37.88% to the total
rice stocks.
Only National Food Authority
(NFA) stocks grew from a yearly and monthly comparison. From 61,400 MT in
February 2018, current stocks jumped 384.72% to 297,620 MT. Month-on-month,
there was a 203.97% surge.
Despite the increase in stocks,
the NFA's shares in the overall inventory only took up 13.90%. The state grains
agency has been attempting to refill its buffer stockssince last year.
After President Rodrigo Duterte
signed the rice tariffication law in February, the
NFA was limited to its buffer stocking function. –
Rappler.com
Egypt plans to increase rice cultivation in 2019
Ayat
Al Tawy , Wednesday 13 Mar 2019
A laborer transplants rice seedlings in a paddy field in the
Nile Delta town of Kafr Al-Sheikh, north of Cairo (Reuters)
Egypt's agriculture ministry is planning to grow 1.1 million
acres of rice in 2019, up from 800,000 acres the previous year, in a bid to
increase local production of the staple crop using available resources, a
spokesman said.
Egypt slashed cultivation of the water-intensive crop in 2018 to
preserve water resources as Ethiopia prepares to fill the reservoir of a giant
dam project it is building upstream on the Rive Nile, which Cairo fears could
cut the country’s water supply.
The new increase is aimed at boosting local production of rice
and in turn reducing imports, ministry spokesman Mohamed Al-Qersh told Ahram
Online on Wednesday.
"We aim to increase our production of rice and optimise the
use of available land and water resources," Al-Qersh said. The decision
came after the ministry developed new draught- and salt-tolerant types of rice.
"We have evolved a type that uses the same water allocation
of corn and another salt-tolerant type that can be irrigated by high-salt
water," he said.
"These types will be put out for production this
year," he added.
Last year, Egypt started importing rice, which it typically has
a superabundance of, to save water and increase stocks.
Early in 2018, the government increased fines for illegal rice
farming and lowered the area allowed to be planted with rice to only 724,200
feddans (750,000 acres) from the officially allotted 1.1 million feddans the
previous year, before increasing it by a further 100,000 feddans a few months
later.
The General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC), Egypt's
state grain-purchasing agency, has issued three international purchasing
tenders since 2018.
Egypt imported 100 million EGP (approx. $5.7 million) worth of
rice in 2018, the finance ministry said in a statement last month.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/328144/Egypt/Politics-/Egypt-plans-to-increase-rice-cultivation-in-.aspx
Asia
Rice: India prices up on strong rupee; few takers for Thai variety
MARCH 14, 2019 / 4:51 PM
(Reuters) - Rice export rates in
India rose this week due to an appreciation in the rupee, even as demand
remained moderate, while Thai traders struggled with a lack of interest from
foreign markets due to high prices.Farmers plant saplings in a rice field in
Srinagar June 5, 2018. REUTERS/Danish Ismail
India’s 5 percent broken parboiled
variety rose to $386-$389 per tonne from last week’s $383-$386.
“The rising rupee is forcing us to
raise prices. Demand is moderate,” said an exporter based at Kakinada in the
southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
The rupee was trading near its
highest level in more than two months, trimming returns from overseas sales for
traders in the world’s biggest exporter of the staple.
In Thailand, the world’s
second-biggest rice exporter, benchmark 5 percent broken rice prices were
quoted at $380-$385, free on board Bangkok, mostly unchanged from last week’s
$380-$390.
Demand remained flat and the price
fluctuation was due to the exchange rate between the local currency baht and
the U.S. dollar, traders said.
“Domestic prices have slightly
increased this week but because the baht has weakened, the export price remains
relatively same,” a Bangkok-based rice trader said.
However, the baht’s gains over the
past few months have prevented domestic prices from falling, denting demand for
Thai rice overseas, another trader said. Higher domestic rates translate into
increased procurement costs for exporters.
The market has also seen an influx
of new supply, which is yet to impact export prices, according to traders.
Meanwhile in Bangladesh, rain-fed
rice output or Aman crop is estimated to hit 14 million tonnes this season from
13.5 million tonnes in the previous year, due to favourable weather, Mizanur
Rahman, a senior official of Department of Agriculture Extension, told Reuters
on Thursday.The Aman crop is the second biggest rice crop after the summer
variety, Boro. It is cultivated during December and January, and makes up for
about 38 percent of Bangladesh’s total rice production, which is around 35
million tonnes.The south Asian country, which emerged as a major importer in
2017 after floods damaged its crops, imposed 28 percent duty to support its
farmers after local production revived in 2018.
Addressing accuracy in chronic rice data problem
·
Kadir Ruslan
Jakarta
/ Thu, March 14, 2019
/ 12:05 pm
Balinese farmers prepare rice seedlings for planting
at a rice terrace in Jatiluwih village in Tabanan regency in Bali on January 1,
2014. (AFP/Sonny Tumbelaka)
The rice production figure has been
a source of policy and political debates in Indonesia for many years now. The
disassociation between the development of rice prices in the market and
production data happens all the time. In fact, soaring prices that indicate a
supply shortage still happens especially when the official figure records a
substantial rice surplus. Many parties have blamed the official
production figures as the main cause of these inconsistencies. It is suspected
of suffering from overestimation because of the use of subjective measurements
when estimating it. Technically, rice production is obtained from the production
of paddy multiplied by paddy to rice conversion rates, which varies from
province to province. Meanwhile, the production figure of a paddy is calculated
by multiplying two variables, namely the harvested area and productivity (yield
per hectare)...
Rice industry to
recognise its best grower, amid tough times
The
Weekly Times
THE future of the rice industry
and the latest innovations were the focus of the Rice Industry Field Day held
in Jerilderie, NSW, last week.
The field day reminded growers of the importance of
socialisation, networking, and community, and also launched the SunRice Grower
of the Year Award.
AgriFutures rice extension
co-ordinator Troy Mauger said many growers were aware of the challenging conditions
facing them this year, “but the field day is the ideal opportunity for growers
and industry supporters to connect, better understand growing conditions,
market requirements and what’s possible on farm”.
“Challenging years can bring out the best in growers. We know
they are seeking information and want to improve practices to suit the growing
conditions,” Mr Mauger said.
The SunRice Grower of the Year
Award was also launched, with nominations now open.
Mr Mauger said it was important the rice industry used the
awards to celebrate the achievement of Australian growers.
The SunRice Grower of the Year Award recognises innovation, new
technology and latest research outcomes adopted in the rice industry.
To nominate a grower or for more details, visit agrifutures.smartygrants.com.au/sunricegroweroftheyear
TNAU-IRRI
research collaboration on Digital Agriculture
Press Trust of India |
Coimbatore Last Updated at March
14, 2019 20:40 IST A team of scientists from Philippines visited Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) here to explore the possibility of developing a joint research project in digital agriculture.
The main focus of the visit was to discuss research collaboration between TNAU and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), on Remote Sensing-Based Information and Insurance for Crops in Emerging Economies (RIICE) and other international agriculture research initiatives.
Tri D Setiyono, Cluster Leader, Geospatial Science & Modeling, IRRI, accompanied by Dr JS Prasad, Retd IRRI Scientist from Hyderabad, held a meeting recently with scientists from various departments in TNAU, a release said Thursday.
Setiyono organised a Seminar on "Crop monitoring strategies through remote sensing and crop modeling" and interacted with scientists and students.
https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/tnau-irri-research-collaboration-on-digital-agriculture-119031401127_1.html
Yes, ‘weed
scientist’ is a real job title, and it’s important to Louisiana
By
THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019
You can be a weed scientist. Who
knew? The study of weeds is an actual degree program and a job that has a
significant impact on the Louisiana economy, The Daily Advertiser reports.
Yes, we know what you’re
thinking, but you would be wrong. Even though Louisiana has taken steps toward
providing access to legal medical marijuana that’s not what this job is
about—hence the title confusion.
LSU weed scientist Eric Webster
has a doctorate on the subject, credentials he now uses to help troubleshoot
problems in Louisiana agriculture through testing herbicides and experimenting
with conversation tillage.
Webster is one of at least five
weed scientists across Louisiana who focus their research on weeds that affect
specific crops. Chief among these crops is Louisiana rice, which is an
important economic asset to the state, but can be killed easily by rogue weeds.
Louisiana planted about 410,000
acres of rice in 2018, up 10,000 acres, or 3%, from last year, according to the
U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service. Read the full story.
https://www.businessreport.com/newsletters/yes-weed-scientist-is-a-real-job-title-and-its-important-to-louisiana
BOC eases rice
import rules
By: Ben O. de Vera - Reporter / @bendeveraINQ
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:38 AM March 15,
2019
To
facilitate easier entry of imports as mandated under the rice tariffication
law, the Bureau of Customs simplified processes and removed the advance duty
previously slapped on importers.
Noting that
the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 11203
that took effect on March 5 were yet to be issued, Customs Commissioner Rey
Leonardo B. Guerrero released interim guidelines on certain provisions of the
new law.
Under the
March 5 memorandum, Guerrero said all rice importation would be processed under
regular customs cargo clearance procedures, unlike before when the National
Food Authority (NFA) had to issue import permits prior to entry.
RA 11203
took away the NFA’s commercial functions and regulatory powers and retained
only its emergency buffer stocking mandate.
Also,
Guerrero said rice shipments would no longer be slapped the advance customs
duty that was required before.
Under RA
11203, the following tariff rates now apply: 35 percent if rice was imported
from Asean member-countries; 40 percent on rice within the 350,000 metric ton
minimum access volume (MAV) and imported from World Trade Organization member-countries
outside Asean, and 180 percent for rice above the MAV.
Guerrero
said that pending the issuance of the IRR, district collectors might allow
release of shipments “due to the perishable nature of rice importation and in
order to protect the interest of the government,” citing provisions of the
Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) on provisional goods declaration.
The BOC,
however, requires all rice importers to secure a sanitary and phytosanitary
import clearance (SPSIC) from the Bureau of Plant Industry before importation.
“Rice
importation should arrive prior to the expiration of the SPSIC from the BPI,”
the BOC said.
https://business.inquirer.net/266674/boc-eases-rice-import-rules#ixzz5iESgIGq7
Rice, corn
stocks up in February
· RICE,
CORN STOCKS UP IN FEBRUARY
The rice and corn inventory of
the country increased in February compared to levels a year ago, the Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA) said.
In a monthly inventory report,
the PSA said the country’s rice stocks went up by 19.24 percent to 2.141
million metric tons (MMT) from last year’s 1.795 MMT. However, it fell 16.05
percent from 2.550 MMT in the previous month.
Farmers
harvest corn in Roxas, Isabela province. PHOTO BY RUSSELL PALMA
On a monthly basis, stocks from
commercial warehouses and National Food Authority (NFA) depositories rose by
25.46 percent and 384.72 percent, respectively. But household rice stocks
dropped by 5.09 percent.
Year-on-year (yoy), stocks in NFA
depositories increased by 203.72 percent. But the existing stocks in the
households and commercial warehouses fell by 17.25 percent and 32.69 percent,
respectively.
Of the total rice inventories,
48.22 percent were from households, 37.88 percent from the commercial
warehouses and 13.90 percent from NFA depositories.
The country’s rice stocks are
seen to increase in the coming months as the Philippines opens its market to
cheap imported rice under a new rice regime. The United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) earlier projected that imports may reach a record-high 2.6 million MT this year, which may also further increase as the Rice Import Liberalization Act takes effect.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) earlier projected that imports may reach a record-high 2.6 million MT this year, which may also further increase as the Rice Import Liberalization Act takes effect.
Meanwhile, the PSA said total
corn inventory climbed by 90.46 percent to 781,520 MT in February from 410,330
MT a year ago. It was also up by 15.59 percent from 676,130 MT in the previous
month.
Stocks from households and
commercial warehouses rose yoy by 96.85 percent and 89.27 percent,
respectively. Meanwhile, there were no corn stocks in NFA depositories during
the period. On a monthly basis, stocks in the households and commercial
warehouses likewise increased by 26.20 percent and 13.40 percent, respectively.
Some 81.33 percent of the total
corn inventory was held by households while the remaining 18.67 percent
consisted of inventory held by ommercial warehouses.
https://www.manilatimes.net/rice-corn-stocks-up-in-february/526035/
Exports grow 4.7% in 2018: CB
Comments / 
192 Views / Friday, 15 March 2019 00:12
192 Views / Friday, 15 March 2019 00:12- 2018 ends with $ 11.9b
in exports, 6% growth for imports to $ 22.2b
- Trade deficit widens to
$ 10.3 b from $ 9.6 b in 2017
- But trade deficit drops
in Dec. after imports slide 15.3%, exports grow 1.4%
- Import reduction in Dec.
mostly due to drop in vehicle imports
- Estimates $ 1.8 b in FDI
- Export growth due to
prices not volumes, apparel 5.7%, tea reduces 6.6%, seafood 10.8%
- Vehicle imports halve
from $ 160m in Oct to $ 77 m in Dec.
- Imports of rice, gold,
veggies and cereals drop significantly
Total exports of goods grew by
4.7% in 2018 to $ 11.9 billion while imports recorded a growth of 6% to $ 22.2
billion, the Central Bank said yesterday, which resulted in the trade deficit
widening to $ 10.3 billion last year from $ 9.6 billion in 2017.
However, the trade deficit declined significantly in December 2018 YoY with a notable deceleration in import expenditure. Exports grew by 1.4% while imports fell by 15.3% in December 2018 YoY.
Reflecting the impact of policy measures implemented to discourage vehicle and nonessential consumer goods imports, the deficit in the trade account contracted significantly in December 2018, compared to the corresponding month of the previous year. However, on a cumulative basis, the trade deficit in 2018 widened in comparison to 2017, as import growth outperformed the growth in exports.
The terms of trade improved by 5.5% YoY to 91.7 index points in December 2018 due to an increase of export prices and a decline in import prices. However, on a cumulative basis, the terms of trade broadly remained unchanged at 105.5 index points in 2018 compared to 2017, as both the import and export price indices increased at a similar rate.
However, the trade deficit declined significantly in December 2018 YoY with a notable deceleration in import expenditure. Exports grew by 1.4% while imports fell by 15.3% in December 2018 YoY.
Reflecting the impact of policy measures implemented to discourage vehicle and nonessential consumer goods imports, the deficit in the trade account contracted significantly in December 2018, compared to the corresponding month of the previous year. However, on a cumulative basis, the trade deficit in 2018 widened in comparison to 2017, as import growth outperformed the growth in exports.
The terms of trade improved by 5.5% YoY to 91.7 index points in December 2018 due to an increase of export prices and a decline in import prices. However, on a cumulative basis, the terms of trade broadly remained unchanged at 105.5 index points in 2018 compared to 2017, as both the import and export price indices increased at a similar rate.
Earnings from merchandise exports
increased marginally by 1.4% YoY to $ 1,033 million in December 2018. This
marginal growth was mainly due to the base effect as the month of December
recorded the second highest export value in 2017.
An increase in industrial exports contributed mainly to the growth of export earnings in December 2018, while agricultural and mineral exports declined. Export earnings from industrial exports increased in December 2018, mainly due to higher exports of textiles and garments. The higher demand for garments from USA and EU supported the increase in export earnings from this sub-sector.
Further, export earnings from rubber products increased during the month, owing to the improved performance in all categories except surgical and other gloves. Export earnings from food, beverages and tobacco, machinery and mechanical appliances, base metals and articles, chemical products, and transport equipment also rose, contributing towards the increase in industrial exports in December 2018. Meanwhile, export earnings from petroleum products, which performed well during the first eleven months of the year, declined in December 2018, due to the lower quantum of light oil exports.
However, bunker and aviation fuel exports increased during the month. In addition, export earnings from gems, diamonds and jewellery, leather, travel goods and footwear, plastics and articles thereof, and printing industry products, dropped in December 2018.
Earnings from agricultural exports decreased in December 2018, due to the poor performance in many subcategories except coconut, seafood, and vegetables. Despite an increase in export volumes of tea, its earnings declined during the month, owing to the sharp reduction recorded in average export prices. Meanwhile, export earnings from spices, minor agricultural products, rubber, and unmanufactured tobacco declined in December 2018.
However, earnings from coconut exports increased for the first time since September 2017 in December 2018, due to the increase in export earnings from coconut kernel products, particularly desiccated coconut. Export earnings from seafood also increased significantly in December 2018, owing to higher exports to the EU market.
The export volume index increased marginally by 0.2% in December 2018, while the export unit value index increased by 1.1%, implying that the growth in exports was driven mainly by higher prices, rather than volume in comparison to December 2017.
On a cumulative basis, export earnings increased by 4.7% to $ 11,890 million in 2018 from $ 11,360 million in 2017, driven by industrial exports, while agricultural and mineral exports declined. Higher performance registered in earnings from textiles and garments, petroleum products, rubber products, food, beverages and tobacco, and machinery and mechanical appliances, mainly contributed to the increase in industrial exports.
Earnings from agricultural exports declined in 2018, due to the poor performance in almost all subcategories except seafood exports.
On a cumulative basis, the export volume index increased marginally by 0.5% in 2018, while the export unit value index increased by 4.1%, implying that the growth in exports on a cumulative basis was mainly driven by higher prices, rather than volumes, in comparison to 2017.
Reflecting the effect of policy measures taken by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) and the Government, expenditure on merchandise imports declined by 15.3% YoY to $ 1,735 million in December 2018, recording the lowest import value for the year. All major import categories, namely intermediate goods, consumer goods, and investment goods, contributed to this decline.
Import expenditure on intermediate goods declined substantially in December 2018, mainly due to lower expenditure incurred on fuel, gold, and base metals. Expenditure on fuel imports declined significantly, benefiting from lower prices of crude oil and refined petroleum products, as well as lower import volumes of refined petroleum and coal. Reflecting the favourable impact of the imposition of customs duty on gold, expenditure on gold imports continued to decline to negligible levels in December 2018 as well. Meanwhile, expenditure on base metal imports also dropped, mainly due to lower imports of iron and steel. However, import expenditure on textiles and textile articles, wheat and maize, and fertiliser, increased during the month.
In December 2018, import expenditure on consumer goods declined, mainly due to lower expenditure on rice, vegetables, personal motor vehicles, and telecommunication devices. Expenditure on rice imports decreased significantly during the month, due to lower import volumes of rice with higher supply in the domestic market.
Reflecting the impact of policy measures to curtail vehicle imports, expenditure on personal motor vehicle imports showed a significant decline in December 2018, compared to the corresponding month of the previous year. Expenditure on non-food consumer goods, such as telecommunication devices, rubber products, home appliances, and cosmetics and toiletries, also decreased in December 2018, due to policy measures taken to restrict certain categories of non-essential consumer goods imports. However, import expenditure on dairy products, sugar, and clothing and accessories, increased during the month.
Expenditure on the importation of investment goods also declined in December 2018, mainly due to lower imports of machinery and equipment, and transport equipment, while imports of building material increased.
In December 2018, both import volume and unit value indices decreased by 11.6% and 4.2%, respectively, indicating that the decline in imports was driven by both low volumes and prices of imported goods, in comparison to the corresponding period of 2017.
On a cumulative basis, expenditure on merchandise imports increased by 6% to $ 22,233 million in 2018 in comparison to 2017, mainly driven by higher expenditure incurred on fuel, personal motor vehicles, textiles and textile articles, and fertiliser imports.
During 2018, the CBSL and the Government introduced several policy measures on imports of gold, personal motor vehicles, and non-essential consumer goods, to curtail import expenditure with the aim of mitigating the pressure on the balance of payments. As a result, expenditure on imports decelerated towards the end of the year.
On a cumulative basis, import volume index and import unit value index increased by 1.8% and 4.15% in 2018, respectively, indicating the growth in imports was mainly driven by the price impact, rather than the volume impact, in comparison to 2017.
Both the government securities market and the CSE witnessed foreign investment outflows in December 2018. The government securities market recorded a net outflow of $ 188 million during the month, resulting in a cumulative net outflow of $ 990 million for 2018.
The CSE recorded a net outflow of foreign investments of $ 26 million in December 2018, including both secondary and primary market transactions. On a cumulative basis, the CSE recorded a net outflow of $ 55 million in 2018, which comprises a net outflow of $ 133 million from the secondary market and an inflow of $ 77 million to the primary market.
Long term loans to the Government recorded a net outflow of $ 192 million during December 2018. However, on a cumulative basis, long-term loans to the Government recorded a net inflow of $ 558 million for 2018.
As at end December 2018, gross official reserves were estimated at $ 6.9 billion, which is equivalent to 3.7 months of imports. Total foreign assets, which consist of gross official reserves and foreign assets of the banking sector, amounted to $ 9.6 billion as at end December 2018, which is equivalent to 5.2 months of imports.
An increase in industrial exports contributed mainly to the growth of export earnings in December 2018, while agricultural and mineral exports declined. Export earnings from industrial exports increased in December 2018, mainly due to higher exports of textiles and garments. The higher demand for garments from USA and EU supported the increase in export earnings from this sub-sector.
Further, export earnings from rubber products increased during the month, owing to the improved performance in all categories except surgical and other gloves. Export earnings from food, beverages and tobacco, machinery and mechanical appliances, base metals and articles, chemical products, and transport equipment also rose, contributing towards the increase in industrial exports in December 2018. Meanwhile, export earnings from petroleum products, which performed well during the first eleven months of the year, declined in December 2018, due to the lower quantum of light oil exports.
However, bunker and aviation fuel exports increased during the month. In addition, export earnings from gems, diamonds and jewellery, leather, travel goods and footwear, plastics and articles thereof, and printing industry products, dropped in December 2018.
Earnings from agricultural exports decreased in December 2018, due to the poor performance in many subcategories except coconut, seafood, and vegetables. Despite an increase in export volumes of tea, its earnings declined during the month, owing to the sharp reduction recorded in average export prices. Meanwhile, export earnings from spices, minor agricultural products, rubber, and unmanufactured tobacco declined in December 2018.
However, earnings from coconut exports increased for the first time since September 2017 in December 2018, due to the increase in export earnings from coconut kernel products, particularly desiccated coconut. Export earnings from seafood also increased significantly in December 2018, owing to higher exports to the EU market.
The export volume index increased marginally by 0.2% in December 2018, while the export unit value index increased by 1.1%, implying that the growth in exports was driven mainly by higher prices, rather than volume in comparison to December 2017.
On a cumulative basis, export earnings increased by 4.7% to $ 11,890 million in 2018 from $ 11,360 million in 2017, driven by industrial exports, while agricultural and mineral exports declined. Higher performance registered in earnings from textiles and garments, petroleum products, rubber products, food, beverages and tobacco, and machinery and mechanical appliances, mainly contributed to the increase in industrial exports.
Earnings from agricultural exports declined in 2018, due to the poor performance in almost all subcategories except seafood exports.
On a cumulative basis, the export volume index increased marginally by 0.5% in 2018, while the export unit value index increased by 4.1%, implying that the growth in exports on a cumulative basis was mainly driven by higher prices, rather than volumes, in comparison to 2017.
Reflecting the effect of policy measures taken by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) and the Government, expenditure on merchandise imports declined by 15.3% YoY to $ 1,735 million in December 2018, recording the lowest import value for the year. All major import categories, namely intermediate goods, consumer goods, and investment goods, contributed to this decline.
Import expenditure on intermediate goods declined substantially in December 2018, mainly due to lower expenditure incurred on fuel, gold, and base metals. Expenditure on fuel imports declined significantly, benefiting from lower prices of crude oil and refined petroleum products, as well as lower import volumes of refined petroleum and coal. Reflecting the favourable impact of the imposition of customs duty on gold, expenditure on gold imports continued to decline to negligible levels in December 2018 as well. Meanwhile, expenditure on base metal imports also dropped, mainly due to lower imports of iron and steel. However, import expenditure on textiles and textile articles, wheat and maize, and fertiliser, increased during the month.
In December 2018, import expenditure on consumer goods declined, mainly due to lower expenditure on rice, vegetables, personal motor vehicles, and telecommunication devices. Expenditure on rice imports decreased significantly during the month, due to lower import volumes of rice with higher supply in the domestic market.
Reflecting the impact of policy measures to curtail vehicle imports, expenditure on personal motor vehicle imports showed a significant decline in December 2018, compared to the corresponding month of the previous year. Expenditure on non-food consumer goods, such as telecommunication devices, rubber products, home appliances, and cosmetics and toiletries, also decreased in December 2018, due to policy measures taken to restrict certain categories of non-essential consumer goods imports. However, import expenditure on dairy products, sugar, and clothing and accessories, increased during the month.
Expenditure on the importation of investment goods also declined in December 2018, mainly due to lower imports of machinery and equipment, and transport equipment, while imports of building material increased.
In December 2018, both import volume and unit value indices decreased by 11.6% and 4.2%, respectively, indicating that the decline in imports was driven by both low volumes and prices of imported goods, in comparison to the corresponding period of 2017.
On a cumulative basis, expenditure on merchandise imports increased by 6% to $ 22,233 million in 2018 in comparison to 2017, mainly driven by higher expenditure incurred on fuel, personal motor vehicles, textiles and textile articles, and fertiliser imports.
During 2018, the CBSL and the Government introduced several policy measures on imports of gold, personal motor vehicles, and non-essential consumer goods, to curtail import expenditure with the aim of mitigating the pressure on the balance of payments. As a result, expenditure on imports decelerated towards the end of the year.
On a cumulative basis, import volume index and import unit value index increased by 1.8% and 4.15% in 2018, respectively, indicating the growth in imports was mainly driven by the price impact, rather than the volume impact, in comparison to 2017.
Both the government securities market and the CSE witnessed foreign investment outflows in December 2018. The government securities market recorded a net outflow of $ 188 million during the month, resulting in a cumulative net outflow of $ 990 million for 2018.
The CSE recorded a net outflow of foreign investments of $ 26 million in December 2018, including both secondary and primary market transactions. On a cumulative basis, the CSE recorded a net outflow of $ 55 million in 2018, which comprises a net outflow of $ 133 million from the secondary market and an inflow of $ 77 million to the primary market.
Long term loans to the Government recorded a net outflow of $ 192 million during December 2018. However, on a cumulative basis, long-term loans to the Government recorded a net inflow of $ 558 million for 2018.
As at end December 2018, gross official reserves were estimated at $ 6.9 billion, which is equivalent to 3.7 months of imports. Total foreign assets, which consist of gross official reserves and foreign assets of the banking sector, amounted to $ 9.6 billion as at end December 2018, which is equivalent to 5.2 months of imports.
http://www.ft.lk/front-page/Exports-grow-4-7--in-2018--CB/44-674694
Wholesale price inflation rate climbs to 2.93% in February
14 March 2019
The annual rate of inflation based on the wholesale price index
(WPI) stood at 2.93 per cent (provisional) in February 2019 compared to 2.76
per cent for the previous month, provisional estimates released on Wednesday
showed. WPI inflation rate for February last year stood at 2.74 per cent.
Build-up of inflation rate so far during the financial year was
2.75 per cent compared to a build up rate of 2.56 per cent in the corresponding
period of the previous year.
Inflation rate for the `primary articles’ group, which has a
weight of 22.62 per cent in the wholesale price index, declined by 0.2 per
cent, compared to the previous month.
Within the primary group, inflation rate for the ‘food articles’
group declined by 0.2 per cent due to lower prices of peas/chawali, tea, fruits
and vegetables, condiments and spices, mutton and gram. However, the prices of
betel leaves, maize, arhar, bajra, barley, jowar, poultry chicken, fish, moong,
masur, wheat, paddy, urad, pork, ragi and egg moved up.
Inflation rate for the ‘non-food articles’ group rose 1.0 per cent
due to higher prices of tanning materials, sunflower, floriculture, soyabean,
mesta, fodder, gingelly seed, niger seed, cotton seed, safflower (kardi seed),
raw jute, groundnut seed, raw silk and raw wool. However, the prices of guar
seed, raw cotton, skins (raw), raw rubber, copra (coconut), coir fibre, rape
and mustard seed and linseed declined.
Inflation rate for the ‘minerals’ group declined by 8 per cent due
to lower prices of copper concentrate, garnet, chromite, sillimanite, iron ore,
zinc concentrate, lead concentrate and limestone. However, the prices of
manganese ore and bauxite moved up.
Inflation rate for the 'crude petroleum and natural gas' group
rose 1.8 per cent due to higher prices of crude petroleum and natural gas.
Inflation rate for the `fuel and power’ group, which has a weight
of 13.15 per cent in the wholesale price index, rose by 1.7 per cent in
february 2019.
Inflation rate for the ‘mineral oils’ group rose 3.3 per cent due
to higher prices of furnace oil, naphtha, HSD, petroleum coke, petrol and
kerosene. However, the prices of LPG and bitumen declined.
Inflation rate for the `manufactured products’ group, which has a
weight of 64.23 per cent in the wholesale price index, rose 0.2 per cent in February
2019.
Within the manufactured products group, inflation rate for the
‘food products’ group rose 0.5 per cent on the back of a hike in the prices of
molasses, meat (preserved/processed), macaroni, noodles, couscous and similar
farinaceous products, health supplements, cotton seed oil, salt, starch, starch
products and wheat bran, coffee powder with chicory, ghee and powder milk, palm
oil, rice (non-basmati), soyabean oil, groundnut oil, wheat flour (atta),
animal feeds, condensed milk, castor oil, processed and preserved fruit and
vegetables and bakery products. However, the prices of processed tea,
chicken/duck, buffalo meat, gur, rice products, butter, fish, crustaceans,
molluscs and products thereof, mustard oil, rice bran oil, instant coffee, cocoa,
chocolate and sugar confectionery declined.
Inflation rate for the ‘beverages’ group rose 0.2 per cent due to
higher prices of spirits and aerated drinks/soft drinks (incl. soft drink
concentrates). However, the prices of wine and country liquor declined.
Inflation rate for the ‘textiles’ group rose 0.2 per cent due to
higher costs of weaving and finishing of textiles. However, the prices of
texturised and twisted yarn, manufacture of cordage, rope, twine and netting
and manufacture of other textiles declined.
Inflation rate for the ‘wearing apparel’ group declined by 0.7 per
cent due to lower cost of manufacture of knitted and crocheted apparel.
Inflation rate for the ‘leather and related products’ group
declined by 0.5 per cent due to lower prices of chrome tanned leather, leather
shoe, waterproof footwear and harness, saddles and other related items.
However, the price of vegetable tanned leather and athletic/sport shoes moved
up.
Inflation rate for the ‘wood, wood products and cork ‘ group rose
0.7 per cent due to higher price of particle boards, lamination wooden
sheets/veneer sheets, wooden block-compressed or not and plywood block boards.
However, the prices of timber/wooden plank, sawn/resawn and wood cutting,
processed/sized and wooden box/crate declined.
Inflation rate for the ‘paper and paper products’ group declined
by 0.4 per cent due to lower prices of newsprint and corrugated sheet box,
duplex paper, base paper and hard board. However, the price of paper carton/box
moved up.
Inflation rate for the ‘printing and reproduction of recorded
media’ group rose 0.1 per cent due to higher prices of hologram and printed
form and schedule.
Inflation rate for the ‘chemicals and chemical products’ group
rose 0.3 per cent due to higher prices of organic surface active agent, urea,
mosquito coil, nitrogenous fertilizer, varnish, plasticizer, caustic soda
(sodium hydroxide), liquid air and other gaseous products, face/body powder,
explosives, organic solvent, menthol, carbon black, soda ash/washing soda, poly
propylene (PP), printing ink, toilet soap, insecticide and pesticide, powder
coating material, polyester film (metalised), ammonium nitrate, XLPE compound,
mixed fertilizer, aromatic chemicals, other inorganic chemicals, adhesive
excluding gum, polyester fibre fabric and fatty acid. However, the price of
hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid and its derivatives, sulphuric acid, shampoo and
ethyl acetate, phosphoric acid and other petrochemical intermediates,
oleoresin, ammonium sulphate, phthalic anhydride and creams and lotions for
external application, ethylene oxide, polystyrene [expandable], ammonium
phosphate, poly vinyl chloride, dye stuff/dyes and pigments/colours, alkyl
benzene, organic chemicals, camphor, aniline (including PNA, ONA and OCPNA),
di-ammonium phosphate and mono ethyl glycol declined.
Inflation rate for the ‘pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and
botanical products’ group rose 0.3 per cent due to higher prices of sulpha
drugs, vials/ampoule, glass, empty or filled, anti-retroviral drugs for HIV
treatment, antioxidants, antipyretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory
formulations, API and formulations of vitamins and ayurvedic medicaments.
However, the prices of antibiotics and preparations thereof and simvastatin,
plastic capsules and anti-malarial drugs declined.
Inflation rate for the ‘rubber and plastic products’ group
declined by 0.6 per cent due to lower prices of tractor tyre and plastic
box/container, plastic bottle, conveyer belt (fibre based), medium and heavy
commercial vehicle tyre and rubberized dipped fabric, plastic button, plastic
tape, plastic components, acrylic/plastic sheet, elastic webbing, rubber tread,
plastic film, polythene film and processed rubber. However, the prices of
rubber cloth/sheet, plastic furniture, polyester film (non-metalized),
polypropylene film, PVC fittings and other accessories, plastic tube
(flexible/non-flexible), plastic tank, tooth brush, 2/3 wheeler tyre, 2/3
wheeler rubber tube and cycle/cycle rickshaw tyre moved up.
Inflation rate for the ‘other mon-metallic mineral products’ group
rose 1.0 per cent due to higher prices of porcelain sanitary ware, toughened
glass, poles and posts of concrete, ordinary portland cement, electric
insulating material, clinker, pozzolana cement, non-ceramic tiles, glass bottle,
cement superfine, marble slab, stone, chip and asbestos corrugated sheet.
However, the prices of ordinary sheet glass, graphite rod, ceramic tiles
(vitrified tiles), granite and fibre glass (incl sheet) declined.
Inflation rate for the ‘basic metals’ group rose 0.4 per cent due
to higher prices of stainless steel pencil ingots/billets/slabs, steel
forgings-rough and alloy steel wire rods, copper
shapes-bars/rods/plates/strips, aluminium alloys, copper metal/copper rings,
galvanized iron pipes, other ferro alloys, MS pencil ingots, aluminium powder,
brass metal/sheet/coils and stainless steel tubes. However, the prices of
silicomanganese, steel cables, aluminium ingot, aluminium castings, alloy steel
castings, rails, pig iron, cold rolled (CR) coils and sheets (incl narrow
strip, ferrosilicon, alumnium foil, aluminium shapes-bars/rods/flats and MS
castings) declined.
Inflation rate for the ‘fabricated metal products, except
machinery and equipment’ group declined by 0.3 per cent due to lower prices of
cylinders and bracket, stainless steel tank and hand tools. However, the prices
of forged steel rings, lock/padlock, bolts, screws, nuts and nails of iron and
steel, steel drums and barrels, copper bolts, screws, nuts, iron/steel cap,
electrical stamping (laminated or otherwise), jigs and fixture, stainless steel
utensils and sanitary fittings of iron and steel moved up.
Inflation rate for the ‘computer, electronic and optical products’
group declined by 0.1 per cent due to lower prices of capacitors,
electro-diagnostic apparatus (used in medical, surgical, dental or veterinary
sciences), x-ray equipment and electronic printed circuit board (PCB)/micro
circuit. However, the price of meter (non-electrical) moved up.
Inflation rate for the ‘electrical equipment’ group declined by
0.2 per cent due to lower prices of safety fuse, PVC insulated cable,
batteries, connector/plug/socket/holder-electric, fibre optic cables,
incandescent lamps, electric mixers/grinders/food processors, washing
machines/laundry machines, generators and alternators, rotor/magneto rotor
assembly and electric wires and cables. However, the prices of solenoid valve,
ACSR conductors, electric switch gear control/starter, jelly filled cables,
electric switch, refrigerators, copper wire and rubber insulated cables moved
up.
Inflation rate for the 'machinery and equipment' group declined by
0.3 per cent due to lower prices of pressure vessel and tank for fermentation
and other food processing, dumper, rice mill machinery, gasket kit, filtration
equipment, material handling, lifting and hoisting equipment, air gas
compressor (including compressor for refrigerator), hydraulic equipment,
moulding machine, water purifier and separator. However, the prices of
chillers, conveyors-non-roller type, injection pump, roller mill (Raymond),
chemical equipment and system, roller and ball bearings, centrifugal pumps, air
or vacuum pump, manufacture of bearings, gears, gearing and driving elements,
oil pump, cranes, mining, quarrying and metallurgical machinery/parts, deep
freezers and pharmaceutical machinery moved up.
Inflation rate for the ‘motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers’
group rose 0.3 per cent due to higher prices of head lamp, radiators and
coolers, axles of motor vehicles, engine, wheels/wheels and parts, filter
element and cylinder liners. However, the prices of brake pad/brake
liner/brake block/brake rubber, others and seat for motor vehicles, silencer
and damper declined.
Inflation rate for the ‘furniture’ group rose 1.0 per cent due to
higher prices of hospital furniture, steel shutter gate, iron/steel furniture
and plastic fixtures. However, the prices of foam and rubber mattress declined.
Inflation rate for the 'other manufacturing' group declined by 0.5
per cent due to lower prices of sports goods of rubber (incl. balls) and gold
and gold ornaments. However, the prices of playing cards, stringed musical
instruments (incl santoor, guitars, etc), plastic moulded toys and silver moved
up.
Food price inflation based on the wholesale price index for `food
articles’, which has a weight of 24.38 per cent in the wholesale price index
(consisting of food articles from both the primary and manufactured product
groups) increased to 3.29 per cent in February 2019 from 1.84 per cent in
January.
The final WPI inflation rate for December 2018 based on the
revised wholesale price index for `all commodities’ for the month stood at 3.46
per cent (provisional) compared to 3.80 per cent (provisional) as reported on
14 January 2019.
https://www.domain-b.com/economy/general/20190314_rate_climbs.html
Rice tariffication law good for
farmers, agri group says
By
Hilda Austria March
14, 2019, 8:54 pm
DAGUPAN
CITY --
The rice tariffication law is advantageous to the farmers and to the rice
farming industry as a whole, according to farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng
Magsasaka (SINAG).
SINAG
chairman Rosendo So explained that prior to the passage of the law, rice
exporters from other countries did not pay tariff; whereas in the new law,
exporters from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will pay 35
percent while non-ASEAN members will pay 50-percent tariff.
“In
the previous law, only those within 800,000 metric tons import will pay the
tariff, whereas the new law requires all volumes of rice imports to pay
tariff,” he said during the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP)
Pangasinan chapter forum on Thursday.
So
further said the National Food Authority (NFA) will buy only from the local
farmers and will not be in charge of the importation.
“The
tariff(ication) law is a protection for the farmers as the tariff will go
directly to the rice industry,” he said.
So
explained the tariff to be collected from rice imports will go to Philippine
Rice Research Institute for their research on quality varieties of rice seeds,
while the other percentage of the tariff will be utilized for procuring
harvesters and dryers, among others, which is expected to lessen the loss
during harvest.
He
said the 10-percent tariff will go to the Landbank of the Philippines for loan
programs for farmers, and another 10 percent will be allocated for the training
of farmers through the Agricultural Training Institute and the Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority.
“Before,
the tariff goes to the national government but now, it is clearly stated in the
law that the funds go to the Rice Enhancement Program,” So added. (PNA)
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1064558
Booming
market in smart rice, smart stains
21:39 UTC+8,
2019-03-14
As China's growing number of home chefs care more about
food safety and nutrition, they are creating a booming market for smarter home
appliances.
Market leaders such as Midea and Whirlpool, along with several
startups, showcased some of their new high-tech offerings — many with
artificial intelligence — at Thursday's opening of the AWE Appliance and
Electronics World Expo in Shanghai.
The show is the biggest of its kind in the country.
Among the shiny new gadgets are refrigerators that control
temperature and humidity according to whether you are storing steak or tuna, AI
rice cookers that cook according to the type of grain and washing machines that
automatically identify stains.
“Household appliances have been deeply integrated into a safe,
healthy and conformable lifestyle to create happiness for people,” said Jiang
Feng, president of the China Household Electrical Appliance Association.
Shenzhen-listed Midea Group, which invested 10 billion yuan
(US$1.49 billion) on research in 2018, displayed its smart fridge which uses AI
sensors to detect different items in the unit, bringing intelligent cold
delivery to vary treatment of such items as tuna and beef.
Midea also offers a “Rice map of China” cooker that uses its
lab-based database to determine the best way to cook thousands of varieties of
rice.
At more than 3,000 yuan (US$448), the cooker helps
break Midea into the once Japanese-dominated high-end market.
In the past five years, Midea has invested 30 billion yuan in
research to meet the “customized and updated” demands of consumers, said the
company's research head, Xu Chengmao.
US-based Whirlpool, which has been in the Chinese market for 25
years, launched several new products, including the EMPEROR washing
machine which uses intelligent technology to automatically identify various
types of clothing and stains.
https://www.shine.cn/biz/tech/1903141226/
Bill aims
to tackle ‘fake rice’ problem in Arkansas
Companies
that produce products with “fake rice” may face a new hurdle in the Natural
State. The Arkansas Senate approved HB 1407 Wednesday (March 13) in a 31-3-1
vote. The bill creates a standard of identity for rice and outlaws product
labels using the term “rice” outside of a specified definition noted in the
language.
The
legislation applies only to a person who places a label on an agricultural
product. It will therefore not affect grocers unless they label applicable
products internally. The Director of the Arkansas Bureau of Standards will be
responsible for promulgation of the bill’s implementation as well as
administration and enforcement of the law, according to the bill.
Arkansas
House members overwhelmingly passed the bill last week in a vote of 87-4. It
now heads to Gov. Asa Hutchinson for a signature.
“Let
me be clear. This bill has nothing to do with the rice industry and everything
to do with protecting consumers who have a right to know what they are
purchasing,” Lauren Waldrip Ward, Executive Director of the Arkansas Rice
Federation said. “It imposes no undue burden on these companies, but simply
requires them to tell the truth.”
There
is not an FDA standard of identity for rice, but the bill agrees with the
existing Codex definition, which simply identifies rice as originating from the
Oryza sativa L. plant. This bill will not only help protect consumers in
Arkansas, but will serve as a benchmark for other states while encouraging FDA
to develop a standard of identity for rice using the common understanding of
the term “rice” as defined in the bill.
The
industry’s concern regards a food trend where vegetables are being “riced” and
are marketed as a “more healthy” form of rice. Some are marketing the products
by identifying them as “riced vegetables” while others are marketing vegetables
and other non-rice products as rice. The products are stocked on grocery
shelves alongside rice and might confuse customers, she said. Ward said many of
the products including Cauli Rice, Miracle Rice, Better than Rice and Green
Giant’s Cauliflower Fried Rice do not include a single grain of rice.
“The
opposition to this bill would say it imposes on first amendment rights,” said
bill sponsor State Rep. David Hillman, R-Almyra. “The first amendment protects
the right to free speech. It doesn’t protect these companies’ right to lie to
consumers.”
In
2018, Arkansas farmers grew 1.4 million rice acres, a 30% uptick from 2017 when
about 1.161 million acres were planted. It was 47.1% of all rice acres planted
in the U.S., according to the B.R. Wells Arkansas Rice Research.
Those
acres accounted for 82.6 million hundredweight of rice and it represented 46.4%
of the 178.2 million hundredweight produced in the country. During the last
three years, Arkansas has accounted for more than 47% of the nation’s total
rice production, the report found. Per acre, farmers had a yield of 164.4
bushels per acre or 7,400 pounds. It was the third highest yield on record in
the state and a 570 pound per acre uptick from 2016.
Rice
is grown in 40 of Arkansas’ 75 counties and is predominantly grown in the
eastern section of the state. The rice growing region in the state starts with
Clay County in Northeast Arkansas and extends southward to Chicot County in
southern Arkansas. Traditionally, the top rice producing counties in the state
are Lawrence, Poinsett, Jackson, Arkansas, and Lonoke, according to the United
States Department of Agriculture.
https://talkbusiness.net/2019/03/bill-aims-to-tackle-fake-rice-problem-in-arkansas/
Agri
varsity to promote precision agriculture
TNN |
Mar 15, 2019, 04:49 IST
Precision agriculture is believed to be cultivate the exact right kind of crop, know the exact extent of irrigation and fertilizer required, thus doubling the output.
While TNAU has agreed to provide a lot of data, IRRI has agreed to provide its technological expertise.
TNAU and IRRI scientists met last week and decided to collaborate on research projects, share data and technology on remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS). “Based on the advice of our vice-chancellor N Kumar, we will be collaborating on four initiatives,” Dr S Pazhanivelan, head of remote sensing and GIS at TNAU, said.
One of the initiatives is adopting an IRRI developed crop growth model for rice, called Oryza.
“IRRI has developed a software called Oryza which can simulate the growth and development of 18 varieties of rice. We plan to integrate our remote sensing technology and data with Oryza,” Dr Pazhanivelan said. “We can also use Oryza when we do yield estimation based on the crop monitoring we do with remote sensing and GIS,” he added.
Like Oryza, there is a software in the market to simulate growth and development for maize. “But we are looking to collaborate with IRRI and develop such crop growth models for other crops,” said Dr Pazhanivelan. “Using these models and getting a yield estimate, will also help in our damage assessment during natural disasters. Our assessment is what get relief sanctions and crop insurance sanctions,” he said. TNAU on its part will share its data on characteristics and profiles of soil.
Most
millets in market worse than white rice, may up blood sugar level
| TNN | Updated: Mar 14, 2019, 08:26 IST
The glycemic index — or the relative ability of carbohydrate to increase the level of glucose in the blood – of dishes (upma) made from millets were up to 15 points higher than cooked polished white rice according to published studies by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation. “This also means these millets are quickly digested and processed by the body. It increases sugar levels and makes you feel hungry sooner,” said nutrition scientist Sudha Vasudevan of Madras Diabetes Research Foundation.
Dishes made from millets are becoming increasingly popular as they are touted to be magic ingredients for healthy meals and weight loss. Nutritionists agree that whole millets have all the right ingredients – fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals and fat besides other micronutrients. Yet, most products available in the market aren’t whole grains.
Whole grains have three parts – the hard outer layer or the bran and germ that are rich in fibre, fat, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, and the large part of the grain called the endosperm that contains carbohydrates in the form of starch and protein. “The bran is removed from most millets and in some, a part of the germ is also knocked off,” said Vasudevan.
Agriculturists
and food manufacturers say removing oil-rich bran increases shelf life of the
products as flour of whole grain can go rancid quickly. “We advise
manufacturers to remove just the seed coat because it is not easily digestible.
So most manufacturers remove them,” said Coimbatore Agricultural Engineering
College dean S V Kottiswaran.
So,
when such processed millets are cooked, it leads to gelatinization of kernel
starch making digestion easy. Manufacturers have the option of adding
functional ingredients such as guar gums and functional fibre like resistant
maltodextrin, galactomannans (from fenugreek) and beta glucan (from oats) to
slow down digestion and the metabolic process.
But dieticians and nutritionists say adding vegetables, legume and fibre to processed millets while cooking is one of way to keep it healthy. “Stuffing idli and dosa made of millet with veggies and greens is one way of making it healthy,” said food scientist Shobana Shanmugam, one of the authors of the study.
Experts
say low-carb brown rice healthier
| TNN |
Updated: Mar 14, 2019, 08:28 IST
“While it is important to check the labels to find the quantity of sugar, salt, carbs and fat content, it is equally important to know about the glycemic index of what you eat,” said senior diabetologist Dr V Mohan, who heads Madras Diabetes Research Foundation. The glycemic index (GI) rates foods on a scale of 1 to 100. “Foods on the lower end are low-glycemic, whereas food with values closer to 100 causes your blood sugar to spike suddenly and are high-glycemic,” he said.
Studies on the rice varieties sold in the Chennai market, tested in his labs with funding from agencies including the ICMR, show that white rice has a high GI, while brown rice has a slightly lower GI.
The GI differs with rice varieties, say nutrition scientists. For instance, while the sona masuri variety has 72, surti kolam has 77. Some studies have shown basmati’s GI between 50 and 56. “There are some varieties that cross 90. Sometimes, the geographical area of cultivation and its process also make a large difference,” said nutrition scientist Sudha Vasudevan.
One
of the high-fibre rice varieties developed by the Madras Diabetes Research
Foundation shows a low GI, she added. “No matter how much you tell people they
are not going to eat brown rice unless it appeals to them. What matters most to
people is the appeal,” she said.
Snacks with finger millets received good reviews from the most participants of the study because it had ingredients that reduced GI and made the snack crisp. “It was the same with vermicelli upma. It had lower GI compared to most wheat vermicellis available in the market, and people preferred it since it tasted better,” Vasudevan said.
Snacks with finger millets received good reviews from the most participants of the study because it had ingredients that reduced GI and made the snack crisp. “It was the same with vermicelli upma. It had lower GI compared to most wheat vermicellis available in the market, and people preferred it since it tasted better,” Vasudevan said.
https://business.inquirer.net/266674/boc-eases-rice-import-rules?utm_expid=.XqNwTug2W6nwDVUSgFJXed.1
Read more at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/68417215.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/most-millets-in-market-worse-than-white-rice-may-up-blood-sugar-level/articleshow/68400106.cms
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