Saturday, May 18, 2019

18th May,2019 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

David Moyer: From the wastewater pond to the kitchen table
Columns | May 16, 2019
David Moyer

As a retired person, I find it easy these days to retreat from the concerns of the world and mindlessly watch TV. However, the other day two articles on the internet and a television ad jolted me out of my entertainment-mediated somnolence. But first, some context.
In 1989, scientists discovered a soil bacterium surviving in a glyphosate-contaminated wastewater pond in Louisiana owned by a company that makes a popular weed killer. Normally, glyphosate kills plants by blocking proteins essential to plant growth. The bacterium should not have survived in the toxic brew, but it did. Long story short, scientists went on to splice the gene from that bacterium into various crops so they too could survive glyphosate. Sounds good, so far.
Today, glyphosate is found in genetically modified crops such as corn, soy, alfalfa, and crops that are not genetically modified such as rice and wheat. Farmers desiccate their non-GMO crops with it to promote homogeneity during harvest. Millions of us use the stuff to kill weeds in our yards. It is in our breakfast cereals. It is in our water supplies.
Now for the not so good. It is ubiquitous. Since 1970, the frequency and volume of glyphosate-based herbicides increased 100 fold. Additional use of glyphosate is expected due to the expected evolution of more glyphosate-resistant plants. Currently 41 species of weeds resist the weed killer. Numerous glyphosate related health risks have been identified, but here we will focus on just one, the effect it has on our livers.
The FDA should have banned glyphosate years ago.
The first article in the Jan 9., 2017, issue of Scientific Reports is entitled “Multiomics reveal non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats following chronic exposure to an ultra-low dose of Roundup herbicide. Rats exposed daily to levels of glyphosate well within the guidelines of the European and American regulatory agencies developed fatty liver disease.
The second was a CNBC article dated Dec. 30, 2018, entitled, ”The $35 billion race to cure a silent killer that affects 30 million Americans.” This silent killer is Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), also known as non-alcoholic fatty lever disease. According to the article, “The National Institutes of Health estimates as many as 30 million people, or 12 percent of U.S. adults, now have NASH.” The article attributes this to rising obesity rates. “Today we are seeing people in their 20s and 30s with NASH,” According to Dr. Leona Kim-Schluger, a hepatologist and professor at the Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York,” the disease is even reaching the pediatric population. Caused by fat? Hmm …
MIT research scientists Samsel and Seneff, in a review of the scientific literature demonstrated that exposure to glyphosate causes or contributes to a host of chronic medical diseases, including fatty liver disease and kidney failure.
In the TV ad mentioned at the beginning of this article, lines of folks are waiting for their liver transplant. The narrator announces hopefully that you can move to the front of the line if you find a donor willing to share a part of their liver with you before you get too sick. In other words, find a partial donor before the line gets too long, before it is too late. The ad is foreboding and dystopian. The abnormal is normalized.
In a book I wrote in 2015, I introduced the term “perilous symbioses” in the context of mental illness. Here is simple example. An industry manufactures a toxin that increases the risk for depression (e.g., mercury) and the pharmaceutical industry comes up with a treatment for depression (e.g., antidepressants).
With glyphosate, we have an example of “perilous symbiosis.” Corporations manufacture glyphosate. The pharmaceutical industry works to develop a treatment to mitigate one of the harmful effects. Actually, when the toxic effects are particularly onerous, a third symbiotic beneficiary class, the lawyers, enter the fray. Note the appeal of the August 2018 $289 million finding against Monsanto for a glyphosate-linked terminal cancer. The court settled on $80 million. (I digress. I promised to only talk about livers.) To summarize, the beneficiaries of the perilous symbioses win. We, the public lose.
The FDA should have banned glyphosate years ago. For now, the most we consumers can do is to stay away from it, whether it is in our weed killer, our breakfast cereal, our nonorganic bread or our fast foods. As a prophet said of old, “They that sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind.”
David Moyer lives in Penn Valley.

Team from China Visits Potential U.S. Rice Trading Partners
By Jim Guinn

WASHINGTON, DC -- This week, USA Rice hosted a team of rice traders, academics, and staff from the China National Association of the Grain Sector (CNAGS) who were in the United States visiting mills approved by the Chinese government as potential exporters of U.S. rice to China.  Led by Zhi Ren, executive vice president at CNAGS, the self-funded team had requested USA Rice assistance in coordinating the schedule during their week in U.S. rice country.

California was the first stop on the team's U.S. tour.  They went to three mills there -- Sun Valley Rice, American Commodity Company, and Farmers Rice Cooperative -- and attended a reception hosted by the California Rice Commission.  Next, the team traveled to Texas where they toured the U.S. Rice Producers Association (USRPA) headquarters and the Riviana Foods rice facility in Freeport, and enjoyed a Texas barbeque lunch.  The last stop was Washington, DC, where they met with USA Rice staff to discuss areas of collaboration including consumption research in the domestic Chinese market and an invitation to their annual forum in October. 

The team also was scheduled to visit two mills in Arkansas, but that leg of their trip was cancelled due to government of China regulations on the length of time certain individuals may travel internationally. 

"When the tariff war is successfully navigated, we are likely to see many more of these teams and/or individual companies from China coming to the U.S. to learn more about the industry and deciding whether they want to import U.S. rice to China," said Sarah Moran, USA Rice vice president international. 

In the coming months, USA Rice is scheduled to host three seminars in China about the logistics of the pending rice trade as well as a reverse trade mission where Chinese importers will travel to the U.S. to meet with prospective trading partners here.

At the California Rice Commission reception



           
            WMP Subcommittee Chair Keith Glover (left) shows a rice pretender to FDA's Mayne
USDA and FDA Weigh In On U.S. Rice Industry Issues
By Jesica Kincaid

WASHINGTON, DC -- The USA Rice World Market Price (WMP) Subcommittee held its spring meeting here yesterday to discuss U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports on projected planting intentions and production figures, and to compare those numbers with their own forecasts.

The consensus was that throughout Arkansas and in parts of Texas, Mississippi, and Missouri, total plantings will be slightly lower than USDA projections due to frequent and heavy rainfall this spring.  Louisiana expects total plantings will be similar to the USDA projection, and California projects plantings will be slightly higher than USDA figures.

Staff from USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) also attended yesterday's meeting.  NASS officials outlined their projection methodology and noted the new projections provided by WMP Subcommittee members.  FAS staff discussed a wide range of international trade issues, including recent favorable World Trade Organization (WTO) rulings, market access updates, and forthcoming free trade negotiations with Japan and the EU.

Dr. Susan Mayne, director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also joined the meeting to discuss key topics for the U.S. rice industry.  Mayne heard from the Subcommittee on mislabeled products using the word "rice" on their packaging when there is no rice in the product.  As a scientist, Mayne stressed the importance of acquiring consumer data on labeling perception that could give FDA hard proof these products are causing consumer confusion and that agency action needs to be taken.

The definition of "ready-to-eat" under Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations was another topic of discussion.  USA Rice emphasized that rice and ingredients like rice flour and rice bran oil cannot be consumed without cooking and should not be covered under that definition.  Mayne said FDA has been working on guidance to clarify what is and is not covered under the official definition. 


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In the News

California Rice Planting Back on Track After Getting a Late Start
AgNet West
As rice planting gets back on schedule, the majority of the crop is expected to be planted by June 1.

USDA Announces CRP Signup, Peterson Vows to Block It
Fence Post
Beginning June 3 USDA will accept applications for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and will also offer extensions for expiring CRP contracts. USDA also announced it will not hold a general CRP signup until December and that a Grasslands CRP signup will be held still later.



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USDA and FDA Weigh In On U.S. Rice Industry Issues 

WASHINGTON, DC -- The USA Rice World Market Price (WMP) Subcommittee held its spring meeting here yesterday to discuss U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports on projected planting intentions and production figures, and to compare those numbers with their own forecasts. 

The consensus was that throughout Arkansas and in parts of Texas, Mississippi, and Missouri, total plantings will be slightly lower than USDA projections due to frequent and heavy rainfall this spring.  Louisiana expects total plantings will be similar to the USDA projection, and California projects plantings will be slightly higher than USDA figures.

Staff from USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) also attended yesterday's meeting.  NASS officials outlined their projection methodology and noted the new projections provided by WMP Subcommittee members.  FAS staff discussed a wide range of international trade issues, including recent favorable World Trade Organization (WTO) rulings, market access updates, and forthcoming free trade negotiations with Japan and the EU.

Dr. Susan Mayne, director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also joined the meeting to discuss key topics for the U.S. rice industry.  Mayne heard from the Subcommittee on mislabeled products using the word "rice" on their packaging when there is no rice in the product.  As a scientist, Mayne stressed the importance of acquiring consumer data on labeling perception that could give FDA hard proof these products are causing consumer confusion and that agency action needs to be taken. 
 
The definition of "ready-to-eat" under Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations was another topic of discussion.  USA Rice emphasized that rice and ingredients like rice flour and rice bran oil cannot be consumed without cooking and should not be covered under that definition.  Mayne said FDA has been working on guidance to clarify what is and is not covered under the official definition.  



California Rice Planting Back on Track After Getting A Late Start

Description: rice planting The rice planting season got off to a late start this year after late spring rains came through many areas of California.  However, growers were able to compensate for the delay as the weather began to dry out and warm up.  The expectation for rice acreage is similar to the past few years, at about 500,000 acres.

COURTESY: CALIFORNIA RICE COMMISSION
“May is a busy month as it is every year in California rice country and once again, we’ve had this for several years now, there was a bit of a delay upfront because of spring rains,” said Communications Manager for the California Rice Commission Jim Morris.  “Fortunately, we’re gaining momentum every day.  There’s a lot of progress being made, and I think for the vast majority of the rice-growing region there should not be an issue getting rice in in time.”
Wet conditions in rice fields prevented many growers from leveling the ground in preparation for seeding, causing some concern about how condensed the harvest season will be later in the year.  “Fortunately, things have smoothed out and we’re on a much better track.  This is highly sophisticated equipment so they can cover a lot of ground in a hurry,” said Morris.  “If things are condensed too much then you may have harvest occurring in many fields at the same time, and then you have the issue of infrastructure being a little more taxed.  But I don’t think that’s going to be the case this year.”
As rice planting gets back on schedule, the majority of the crop is expected to be planted by June 1.  “That’s an important date to achieve because rice planted after June 1 raises the risk of complications during harvest and the later you go in the season with harvest, fall rains could slow the harvest process and also lower yield,” said Morris.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Description: Brian German

Brian German

Multi-media Journalist for AgNet West
2019/05/17, World

Proposal to Export Donkey Hides From Pakistan to China Incites Outrage

Description: Proposal to Export Donkey Hides From Pakistan to China Incites Outrage
Credit: Reuters / TPG
A donkey export plan drawn up as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has incensed environmentalists and animal rights advocates.
A donkey rising to the top of the animal hierarchy and taking charge as a sovereign in the Kingdom of Azad Nagar was made possible in the 2018 Pakistani animated film “The Donkey King,” but in reality, the beast of burden continues to have a poor social status in Pakistan. The situation is likely to get worse due to a proposal to export donkeys to China to be skinned, which has left animal rights activists up in arms.
Donkeys support millions of Pakistanis with agriculture, transport and access to markets in both urban and rural settings. They work in brick kilns, are key to water supply for families which travel vast distances to obtain freshwater, and are of great value when traversing rugged terrains.
Over 2,500 donkeys in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and the capital of Sindh province, are being used to collect garbage, according to Dr. Sher Nawaz, Brooke Pakistan’s Regional Manager in Sindh. Donkeys, he says, play a substantial but unrecognized role in managing the city’s solid waste.
Description: image3

Credit: Waleed Tariq
Dr. Sher Nawaz, Brooke Pakistan’s Regional Manager in Sindh.
They are the lifeblood of many communities, but concerns over their health are often ignored.
Pakistan has close to five million donkeys, according to surveys conducted by the Pakistan Livestock Census and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. However, there is a scarcity of the animal in China, which has witnessed its donkey population being halved since the 1990s.
This is mainly because the demand for ejiao, a traditional Chinese medicine made out of boiling and extracting donkey skin, has risen drastically in China. The popular “miracle elixir” is thought to enrich blood and cure many illnesses including low-immunity and impotence.
Hence, donkeys are being imported into China for slaughter.
And as the economy takes a downturn in Pakistan with the current government facing a sheer foreign exchange shortage, the provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the northwest of Pakistan plans to export live donkeys to China.
Initially conceived in 2017, the provincial government plans to collaborate with the Chinese government to export 80,000 donkeys to its “all-weather friend” in three years.
The US$14.7 million “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-China Sustainable Donkey Development Program” is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project to attract investment in the province’s agriculture sector.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa livestock department official Dr. Asal Khan says that since donkeys have an economic value in China, a joint venture was proposed. However, he adds, the project has not been materialized because the province has so far been unable to attract an official bid from China. “Inshallah [God willing] we will begin with the joint venture once we find a state-owned Chinese company or investor,” he says.
Description: RTR2WRYN

Credit: Reuters / TPG
A boy fills drinking water containers from a roadside hand pump while he transports them on a donkey cart for sale in Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Given the existing vulnerable conditions of the pack animal in Pakistan, animal welfare organizations have expressed concern over Pakistan’s plan.
Some have urged the government to drop these plans. Others are worried about the welfare of animals caught up in skin trade, and the sustainability of the project itself.
In a letter to Pakistan’s Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan, the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India appealed to “spare donkeys suffering” by shelving the project. It cited a PETA Asia investigation into the inhumane donkey slaughter in China which, it says, has insufficient laws to protect animals.
Zain Mustafa, head of the Karachi-based Society for Protection of Animal Rights (SPAR), terms the farming and export of live donkeys a “desperate measure and entirely unnecessary.”
“At SPAR, we do not agree with the live donkey farming and export project,” he says, adding that the deal “needs to be nipped in the bud” before it sets a precedent.
The Donkey Sanctuary, meanwhile, has called to cease the trade “until it can be shown to be humane and sustainable.”
“We are extremely concerned about the welfare of the animals caught up in the skin trade. Sourcing, handling, holding, transport and slaughter are all major issues where we have seen horrendous animal welfare violations as part of this trade,” says Catherine Rice, a spokesperson for the UK-based charity, in an email interview with The News Lens.
As witnessed in other countries, Rice adds, even if a donkey dies an inhumane death through poor handling, i.e. stress, starvation or dehydration, its skin will still be used for ejiao. “We have heard reports from some middlemen that dehydration makes the skins easier to remove,” she says.
Brooke Pakistan’s advocacy manager Syed Nadeem Abbas has a similar apprehension. He believes that if trade starts without enough attention given to animal welfare, there could be serious risks in the transit and slaughter of thousands of donkeys similar to those witnessed in Africa before.
Reacting to the outcry by animal rights organizations, the livestock department’s Khan says there is nothing on the ground so far. “Why have they become so active when the project has not even started… there is no issue of animal welfare [in this project],” asserts Khan.
Description: RTX22BR5

Credit: Reuters / TPG
A man walks beside his donkey and cart carrying steel bars on a foggy morning in Lahore, Pakistan.
Since Pakistan does not seem to have anything close to 80,000 “spare” donkeys, breeding farms will be established by the provincial livestock department in the towns of Dera Ismail Khan and Mansehra.
Donkeys, animal rights groups say, are an extremely challenging species to breed, and undertaking an enterprise like this is not feasible. Therefore, holding the small herd in larger groups could lead to greater stress and lower reproduction.
In such an event, the supply of donkeys will have to come from the poor Pakistani equine owning communities. The declining numbers could then further increase the already high prices of the animals – between 35,000 and 50,000 Pakistani rupees, or about US$250 to US$350 – having long-term, detrimental effects on the livelihoods of the poor.
A Brooke Pakistan survey shows that livelihood of at least six people is dependent on one animal.
Assuming that approximately 12 family members would directly or indirectly benefit from the work of a donkey through its life, Rice says that a million Pakistanis will be negatively impacted by removing 80,000 donkeys from their livelihoods.
According to currently available data, the number of animals has dwindled for countries engaging in trade with China. For example, in Kyrgyzstan, the population has fallen by over 50 percent between 2012 and 2016.
Description: kyrgyz

Graphs showing the recent decline in donkey populations in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Data sourced from FAOSTAT.
Are there any alternatives?
Since the deal appears highly unsustainable, animal welfare bodies have urged the Pakistan government to boost the country’s economy through industry programs to replace donkeys with tractors and other forms of modernization.
“Mechanized technology can be provided to existing donkey owners through micro-finance banks,” says the head of SPAR. “Continuing to use the donkey to move heavy goods is an archaic and cruel practice and should be discarded for good.”
The Donkey Sanctuary calls for investment in donkey welfare, saying that routine vaccination programs, basic owner-level hoof-care and wound-care, and investing in working-equid courses for vet students can bring significant improvements in the lives of both donkeys and the people that depend on them.
Restructuring the existing animal welfare law, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Acts, 1890, for better implementation, is also the need of the hour.
However, working with humans and animals simultaneously is paramount as most of the issues are management issues.
Besides providing medical treatment, food, water and shelter to the donkeys, owners through capacity building and community awareness programs need to be educated on how treating their animal better will help them in the end.
Description: RTSO6OE

Credit: Reuters / TPG
A rickshaw is towed to a workshop for repair on a donkey cart outside Peshawar, Pakistan.
Is it legal to export live animals in Pakistan?
Regardless of the status of the project, Pakistan government’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), following a push-up in the prices of meat and leather in the domestic market, and reports of illegal sale of donkey meat in different parts of Pakistan, banned the export of live animals as well as donkey meat and hides.
The bans are still in place, Khurshid Qureshi, Director Livestock Dairy and Development Board, Punjab confirmed.
The Express Tribune reported that in the 2013-14 financial year, as many as 59,634 donkeys’ hides valued at 44 million rupees (US$310,680) were exported, mainly to countries such as China, Vietnam and Hong Kong. The figure rose to 129,898 hides worth 147 million rupees (US$1.04 million) in 2014-15.
The Ministry of Commerce says the country has good potential to export donkeys to China. A ministry official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The News Lens that products be should be seen in accordance with their economic benefit rather than anything else. “Anything that has economic potential should be put up for trade… why not?”
Editor: Nick Aspinwall (@Nick1Aspinwall)
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·      MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN

·      MAY 17TH, 2019

·      ISLAMABAD
Pakistan and Iran are working on a barter trade deal mechanism to enhance bilateral trade which is negligible due to sanctions imposed by the United States of America on Tehran. This was disclosed during a heavily attended meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and Textile presided over by Syed Naveed Qamar. It was the worst day in terms of the response to the briefing given by the Commerce Division, despite the presence of many officials from the ministry.

Prime Minister's Advisor on Commerce, Textile, Industries and Production, Abdul Razak Dawood, who recently accompanied Prime Minister Imran Khan during his visit to Iran, informed the committee that he held a meeting with the Iranian Trade Minister and discussed the ways and means of a barter trade deal between the two neighbours.

He said both countries have decided to select two or three items each which can be traded through barter, adding that Iran has identified electricity and Liquefied Natural Gas (LPG) whereas Pakistan will export agri products.

"Pakistan is considering three proposals for trade with Iran which include seeking waiver on sanctions from US, barter trade and setting up a special bank to do business with Iran," said a Ministry official.

Chairman Standing Committee argued that except petroleum products, all other products can be traded through barter between the two countries. Director General Trade, Commerce Division, Muhammad Ashraf informed the committee that informal trade between Pakistan and Iran is continuing. However, Chairman Standing Committee asserted that informal trade means smuggling, sarcastically querying whether it should continue.

Additional Secretary, Commerce Division, Capt. Javed Akbar (retired) further explained that both countries are working together to improve the barter trade mechanism and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is extending help in this regard.

He further stated that Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and Iranian Chamber are actually taking the lead in this deal.

An insider stated that a committee under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Revenue comprising public and private sector (Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industries) representatives has been constituted. During the meetings, the SBP revealed that since the entire banking sector is under sanctions, it is not possible to open branches of Iranian banks in Pakistan. Following deliberations, the committee has come up with the following proposals to overcome the payment problem with Iran: (i) seek waiver from the US on sanctions; (ii) establish a mechanism for barter trade; and (iii) set up a dedicated bank to do business with Iran. These proposals are under examination by the relevant Ministries and Department in the light of their possible economic and political repercussions.

There has always been demand for medical/ surgical instruments and Pakistani rice and fruits in Iran. Pakistan is quite capable of meeting such needs of Iran by improving the requisite logistics/infrastructure in this regard.

Additional Secretary further stated that Pakistan's kinnow is already being exported to Iran, adding initially Tehran had imposed unjustified non tariff barriers which have now been removed. Pakistan's exports to Iran are about $ 22.5 million which are expected to increase after barter trade deal is made operational.

Shaista Pervez Malik informed the committee that the European Union (EU) has written a letter to the Prime Minister with respect to GSP plus, seeking Commerce Division's viewpoint on it.

Abdul Razak Dawood said he feared that this can be a big issue for Pakistan. However, Secretary Commerce, Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera promised that Commerce Division will brief the committee in detail on the subject in its next meeting. He said a committee headed by Attorney General is working in this regard.

Answering a question regarding wheat, he said that Ministry of National Food Security and Research, in a briefing to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, acknowledged that 1 million tons of wheat will probably be wasted this year with the government procuring 5.1 million tons. He said best quality wheat is produced in Multan and Rahim Yar Khan.

He further stated that there is no grading of wheat in Pakistan and if this is done, Pakistan can easily export 1 million tons of wheat or flour per annum.

Director General Trade, Muhammad Ashraf gave a presentation on export of agriculture products, rice, wheat, sugar ad cotton horticulture products like mangoes and kinnows.

Commerce Advisor stated that presently 45 million tons of surplus wheat is available in the country but there are no good arrangements to store wheat. Chairman Standing Committee suggested silos for this purpose.

During discussion, he stated that China had shown a willingness to import 0.3 million tons of sugar and 0.2 million tons of rice. He said there should be no subsidy on sugar export and federal government has already taken this decision. He further stated that the government intends to increase rice exports from $ 2.5 billion to $ 5 billion. The issue of dates also came under discussion. Secretary Commerce updated the committee about the meeting he held with dates' stakeholders in Karachi last week.

The issue of Geographical Indication (GI) laws was discussed and the Advisor informed that Pakistan does not have any law to protect its domestic products at the international level. Other countries are selling Pakistan's unbranded goods with their own logo. The government is working on GI laws and once enacted Pakistan would be able to safeguard its products internationally.

The committee rejected a crop insurance "ambiguous" plan by National Insurance Corporation Limited (NILC) as none of the committee members and Commerce Division officials understood the scheme.

According to official statement, Abdul Razak Dawood briefed the committee on Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF) 2019-2024. The policy objectives of STPF are to make the exports a driver of economic growth, transition from factor-driven to efficiency-driven exports in the short to medium term and innovation driven exports in the long term, improve competitiveness and efficiency of industry especially export-oriented sector by reducing input costs and increasing productivity, attract efficiency-seeking investment into export-oriented production, reduce relative "disincentive" for exporting activities by reducing structural anomalies, and to improve the trade ecosystem by increasing institutional efficiencies and reducing cost of doing business. The vision of STPF is to make Pakistan to become a dynamic and efficient domestic market and a globally-competitive export-driven economy, and its mission is to transform Pakistan from a factor-driven to an efficiency-driven economy integrated into the global and regional value chains in the medium term and an innovation-driven economy in the long term.

The committee showed serious concerns over the crop insurance schemes offered to the farmers and asked the Ministry and National Insurance Company Limited to come up with better packages. Although the wheat crop has been damaged due to the weather calamities but there are sufficient stocks left from the past. He opined that wheat should be deregulated and grading of wheat is necessary. Syed Naveed Qamar, Chairman Standing Committee stressed to change the policy regarding sugar cane and said that this is high time to invest in other crops. For dates' crop, the committee asked the Ministry to resolve the issue of running finance and remittance by taking the farmers into confidence. The committee desired to have more crops covered by Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd. (ZTBL).

The meeting was attended by Abdul Razak Dawood, and MNA's, Ali Khan Jadoon, Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh, Muhammad Asim Nazir, Ahmed Hussain Deharr, Mian Muhammad Shafiq, Wajhia Akram, Sajida Begum, Tahira Aurangzeb, Shaista Pervaiz, Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, Secretary along with Senior Officers.
De-hyphenation Dilemma
MAY 16, 2019
De-hyphenation in general is perceived as a policy of the U.S. to deal with Pakistan and India in different silos without linking to their bi-lateral relations. Under this policy, the U.S. relations with Pakistan and India are to be carried out by an objective assessment of its interests towards each state (Pakistan and India) keeping in view their merits and de-merits. This policy operationalized when the then U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced the Washington’s decision to De-hyphenate U.S. policies towards India and Pakistan in 2007.
As per Stephen P. Cohen, this policy of the U.S. to deal with two nuclear armed neighbours in the South Asian region can be regarded as an Aristotelian approach where justice meant to each as per their virtues and assets free of each other’s.
According to Ashley J Tellis, there are a few reasons behind this strategic shift in the U.S. policy. First, the vital importance of India as a rising power in international arena with a population of 1.2 billion having democratic credentials. Second, a huge consumer market for the U.S. to explore in terms of military equipment, raw material and white goods. Third, the potential ability of India to counter China, defending the freedom of navigation, safeguarding lanes of communication and space race. Fourth, a unique way that could provide the U.S. with the ability to build its relations with Pakistan and India on separate tracks. Lastly, the U.S. is in dire need to share weight of regulating the global norm and values based on internationally recognized principles. This task has become critical in Indo (Asia) pacific region where India is ready to share the burden.
De-hyphenation has severe ramifications both for Pakistan and the region. Not only has it strained Pakistan’s relation with the U.S. but also has tilted the South Asian Balance of Power in favour of India. This has also triggered an arms race in the region that could prove catastrophic because both the states possess credible nuclear weapon capabilities. Under this policy, the U.S. relations with India flourished to such an extent that India became a strategic partner whereas, its relations with Pakistan deteriorated to an extent that in 2011-2012 some South Asian experts in the U.S. administration started talking about ‘containing’ Pakistan and ‘talking tough’ to Pakistan.
De-hyphenation has severe ramifications both for Pakistan and the region. Not only has it strained Pakistan’s relation with the U.S. but also has tilted the South Asian Balance of Power in favour of India
Under this policy the U.S. abandoned Pakistan’s legitimate concerns vis-à-vis India which proved to be a sheer discrimination on its part. Pakistan felt cheated on the pretext that having sacrificed more than eighty thousand lives and suffering an economic loss of $120billion, still it is Pakistan that is being accused of harbouring terrorist’s safe havens, double game in Afghanistan and is being subjected to “do more” mantra.
Now question arises that to what extent De-hyphenation has really taken place between Pakistan and India in terms of their relations with the U.S. and the answer is very obvious; to much extent. First, the U.S. signed civil nuclear cooperation with India not with Pakistan. Second, India is granted a pro-active role in Afghanistan despite having no direct geographical link with it. Third, the U.S. has also supported Indian request for the membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group. Fourth, the U.S. has granted India waiver to import oil from Iran despite sanctions on Iran. Fifth, the U.S. has no objection from India to purchase state of the art S-400 surface to air missiles from Russia. Sixth, the U.S. is helping India modernize its military and technological capabilities and last but not least, in post Pulwama scenario the U.S. did not play its due role as super power of the world to de-escalate tensions between Pakistan and India rather, acknowledged that India has the right to defend herself. This encouraged India to violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan resultantly; Pakistan had to respond for the sake of strategic stability in the region.
All these developments are seen with suspicions in Pakistan. Now, it is left only with a few options to readdress this altered notion of security dilemma so as to keep the strategic balance in the South Asian region. Pakistan can either go for self-help or alliances formation with its friends and neighbours or else cash its vital geo-strategic significance.
Regarding self-help, Pakistan has already started producing its indigenous JF-17 Thunder aircrafts along with Al-Khalid tanks. Pakistan has also successfully tested Ababeel missile which is regarded as a game changer because it can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads including multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRV).
However, in terms of alliances formation, Pakistan has started close cooperation with its neighbours. For example, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is going to be strategically vital for Pakistan both for its economic growth and military cooperation. Pakistan has also started working for close cooperation with Russia as a result Russian forces took part in multinational Naval exercise AMAN that took place in Pakistan from February 10 to February 14,2017. In addition, Pakistan and Russian army have been conducting joint military “Friendship” drills since 2016 with the most recent one held in Pakistan’s northwestern town of Pabbi from October 21 to November 4, 2018.Both the states agreed to upgrade their bi-lateral relations to Strategic partnership in the near future.
Apart from that Pakistan has to convince the U.S. to Re-hyphenate it with India in the region because Pakistan has become a lynch pin for the safe exit of the U.S. forces from Afghanistan. To quote Pakistan’s Foreign Office statement “US President Donald Trump, in his letter addressed to Prime Minister Imran Khan, has stated that his most important regional priority was achieving a negotiated settlement of the Afghan war. In this regard, he has sought Pakistan’s support and facilitation”. Moreover, he also maintained that both the states should “explore opportunities to work together and renew partnership”. Mr. Trump also “acknowledged that the war had cost both USA and Pakistan” therefore, “Peace and stability in Afghanistan remains a shared responsibility”. Thus, Pakistan must use this window of opportunity to neutralize the De-hyphenation induced Security Dilemma in the region.
The writer is a Research Affiliate at the Strategic Vision Institute (SVI) Islamabad

California Rice Planting Back on Track After Getting A Late Start

Description: rice planting The rice planting season got off to a late start this year after late spring rains came through many areas of California.  However, growers were able to compensate for the delay as the weather began to dry out and warm up.  The expectation for rice acreage is similar to the past few years, at about 500,000 acres.

COURTESY: CALIFORNIA RICE COMMISSION
“May is a busy month as it is every year in California rice country and once again, we’ve had this for several years now, there was a bit of a delay upfront because of spring rains,” said Communications Manager for the California Rice Commission Jim Morris.  “Fortunately, we’re gaining momentum every day.  There’s a lot of progress being made, and I think for the vast majority of the rice-growing region there should not be an issue getting rice in in time.”
Description: Brian GermanWet conditions in rice fields prevented many growers from leveling the ground in preparation for seeding, causing some concern about how condensed the harvest season will be later in the year.  “Fortunately, things have smoothed out and we’re on a much better track.  This is highly sophisticated equipment so they can cover a lot of ground in a hurry,” said Morris.  “If things are condensed too much then you may have harvest occurring in many fields at the same time, and then you have the issue of infrastructure being a little more taxed.  But I don’t think that’s going to be the case this year.”
As rice planting gets back on schedule, the majority of the crop is expected to be planted by June 1.  “That’s an important date to achieve because rice planted after June 1 raises the risk of complications during harvest and the later you go in the season with harvest, fall rains could slow the harvest process and also lower yield,” said Morris.
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Rice prices fall hits farmers hard
Farmers count loss of Tk 300 per maund of rice in B’baria
17 May, 2019 12:00:58 PM / LAST MODIFIED: 17 May, 2019 03:22:32 PM
Independent Online Desk
Description: Rice prices fall hits farmers hard
Photo shows the biggest rice wholesale market of the country’s eastern region at Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria. Photo: UNB
Farmers have been counting about Tk 300 loss per maund of rice here in the current Boro season due to fall in rice prices.

Visiting Ashuganj rice market, the biggest rice wholesale market of the country’s eastern region, the UNB correspondent found farmers from Kishoreganj, Netrakona, Habiganj, Mymensingh, Sunamganj and Narsingdi bring rice  by river route. Rice mill owners buy rice directly from farmers at this spot.
Farmers said they have been counting huge losses as they are not getting a fair price this year. Mill owners are buying maximum rice at a low price produced in the haor areas instead of the government.
The production cost of per maund of rice including the labourer cost is near Tk 1,000 while its selling price is only Tk 550 to Tk 750 in the local markets, they said.
Ramzan, a farmer hailing from Sarail upazila, said he paid Tk 600 to a day labourer for harvesting paddy with an extra amount of Tk 200 for food.
In addition, he has been waiting for three days at Ashuganj rice wholesale market with 1,400 maunds rice and being forced to sell those at low price. “I have to count a loss of Tk 4 lakh if I sale rice of one boat,” he said.
Another farmer, hailing from Nikli village in Kishoreganj, said he will have to count a loss of Tk 80,000 this year.
According to local sources, frustration gripped farmers as each and every farmer counting losses who bring 50,000 maunds of rice rice daily on an average to Ashuganj rice wholesale market.
Nazrul Islam, a farmer said, the government has fixed price of per maund rice at Tk 1,040 , but they are being forced to sell rice at only Tk 520 to Tk 750 per maund.
District Controller of Food Subir Nath Chowdhury said, farmers should sell rice in their own upazila food godown to get fair price.
Shahajahan Siraj, District Rice Mill Owners Association General Secretary, said to protect farmers in this situation the government should stop rice import and buy more rice from farmers.
He also demanded a rice procurement center of the government in Ashuganj rice market to buy rice directly from the farmers.
Ashuganj Food Control office sources said it would collect 33,923 metric tonnes of Boro rice in the current season. Of that, 24,437 mts would be boiled and 9,486 mts non-boiled.
Ashuganj Food Godown will collect 22,090 metric tonnes rice from 246 mills. Collection will continue till August 31.
Decline in Boro rice prices were also reported from other parts of the country.
A Tangail farmer set his Boro paddy field on fire protesting the paddy price fall and the serious scarcity of day labourers in the district on Tuesday.
Farmer Abdul Malek Shikder staged this unusual protest at Bankina village in Kalahati upazila of Tangail.
Farmers in different parts of the country staged protests in different ways demanding fair prices of their produces. Students of different universities, including Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University and Rajshahi University, also joined the protest prgrammes.UNB.

Cambodia’s rice exports to China continue to rise in first 4 months
Christine Zenino from Chicago, US [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
May 17, 2019Description: https://www.cambodiadaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/1280px-Harvesting_the_Rice_...Cambodia_6042304679-1-1068x825.jpg
Phnom Penh – Cambodia exported 95,066 metric tons of milled rice to China in the first four months of 2019, a 66-percent increase over the same period last year, showed an official report released on Thursday.
China is still the top buyer of Cambodian rice during the January-April period this year, said the report of the Secretariat of One Window Service for Rice Export, adding that export to China accounted for 44.5 percent of the country’s total rice export.
It said the Southeast Asian country exported a total of 213,763 tons of rice to 46 countries and regions in the first four months of this year, up 8.3 percent over the same period last year.
Indian rice prices slide to seven-month low as demand stalls
Harshith Aranya
MAY 16, 2019 / 6:25 PM
BENGALURU (Reuters) - Rice export prices in top exporter India slid this week to their lowest in nearly seven months as demand continued to stagnate, while rates for Vietnamese rice dipped on expected increase in stockpiles after the summer harvest.

A worker uses his feet to spread rice for drying at a rice mill on the outskirts of Kolkata, India, January 31, 2019.Picture taken January 31, 2019. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri
India’s 5 percent broken parboiled variety was quoted around $362-$365 a tonne this week, down from last week’s $371-$374 for a sixth weekly decline as it also came under pressure from depreciation in the rupee.

“Demand has dried up in the West African market, as they are sitting on high inventories,” said Nitin Gupta, vice president for Olam India’s rice business.

Aggressive selling of old inventories by China to African buyers is also weighing on prices, exporters said.

The rice-growing southern peninsula of India could receive 95% rainfall during the forthcoming monsoon, private weather forecaster Skymet said.

Meanwhile, neighbouring Bangladesh is planning to export surplus rice to protect farmers’ interests, food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar said, amid growers’ increasing frustration over low rice prices.

Farmers say that 40kg of paddy is being sold at about 500 taka ($5.90) against an average production cost of 700 taka, while the harvesting of the summer rice crop, known as Boro, is in full swing.

In Vietnam, rates for 5 percent broken rice fell to $355 a tonne on Thursday, compared with $365 a week earlier, on expectations that stockpiles will increase when the early harvest of the summer-autumn crop begins late this month.

“Rice exports from Vietnam this year are forecast to stay flat on last year but will gradually fall as the rice growing area is shrinks to give way to growing fruit trees,” a senior official with the Vietnam Food Association told Reuters.

“Though Chinese importers have reopened the door to Vietnamese rice, it’s not yet easy for Vietnamese exporters to boost their sales to China as several technical barriers are still in place,” the official added, referring to regulations on quality management, packaging and origins.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s benchmark 5-percent broken rice prices were unchanged at $385-$400 a tonne free on board (FOB) Bangkok.

But Thai traders said they were worried that Thai rice, currently priced higher than Vietnamese and Indian rice, is also losing competitiveness because the Thai baht is the strongest-performing currency in Asia this year.

The Thai Rice Exporters Association stood by its January forecast for Thailand to export 9.5 million tonnes this year, falling from last year’s 11 million tonnes because of the strong baht.

Thailand’s deputy commerce minister, Chutima Bunyapraphasara, on Wednesday said the country had exported 3.2 million tonnes of rice in the first four months of the year.

Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat in Bangkok, Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai, Ruma Paul in Dhaka; Editing by Arpan Varghese and David Goodman

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Tanzania Targets Doubling Rice Production to 4.5 Million Tons

By Kenneth Karuri

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