Thursday, June 20, 2019

20 June 2019 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter


120th RMA Convention Looks Forward  
By Michael Klein

WAIMEA, HI -- The USA Rice Millers Association (RMA), one of the oldest agri-business organizations in the U.S., held their 120th annual convention here last week, and despite the long history of the group, the focus was definitely the future.  The convention brings together millers, end users, and businesses aligned with rice milling to discuss critical issues impacting the rice milling sector.

Ilan Weiss, principal of Kadima Food Labs, focused his remarks on "the bright future for rice," citing many examples of how food manufacturers are turning to rice to be able to stay on trend and connect with consumers.  From marketing and packaging call outs for "plant-based," "gluten free," "GMO free," and more, to nutritional data that positions rice positively against competing ingredients, Weiss said it was a great time to be in rice.

Attendees then turned west to discuss China. 

Lingtong Zhang, international trading director from Xiamen Mingsui Group, a grain and oil specialty agency, provided analysis of the massive Chinese rice market and explained what he thought were the United States' quickest ways into the market - one of which was to start small.

"Two to five kilogram packages of high-end rice will help the U.S. break into the high-end rice market in China and build the U.S. brand over time," Zhang said.

Eric Chan, director and founder of Asian Rice House, a marketing company, shared with attendees just how daunting it can be to connect with more than one billion Chinese consumers.

"With dozens of dialects spoken in China it means even we can't understand each other," he joked.  "One of the first challenges is in finding a Chinese name for your product that means something and connects with consumers."

Chan also shared insights into the labyrinthine regulatory framework that dictates importation procedures, including a recent reorganization of government agencies overseeing the process.

Other speakers included the 82nd International Rice Festival Queen Victoria Callahan who thanked attendees for providing a livelihood to so many people in her home state of Louisiana and around the country; and adventure photographer and journalist, Tom Clynes, who shared incredible stories of ordinary people he has written about who make extraordinary differences in the world, from researchers fighting ebola outbreaks to naturalists working to preserve wild and untouched places.

Following a long-standing tradition of the RMA, the group took a few moments out to honor members who passed away in the last year.  The somber ceremony was led by Bobby Hanks, CEO of Supreme Rice Mill, and John Creed, Jr.; Frank Godchaux III, Faburn Murray, Craig Anthony Gladen, and Mark Wimpy were remembered.

For many years, the ceremony had been conducted by Carl Brothers of Riceland Foods.  Carl retired last year, handing the duties off to Hanks.  Brothers was in the audience, however, to receive the RMA Distinguished Service Award presented by Riceland CEO Danny Kennedy.  The award is the organization's highest honor and it is not presented every year.

"So many of the past recipients are people I worked with closely over the years, it is really nice to join this club," Brothers said to a standing ovation.

As in years past, RMA business meetings preceded the convention, with the organization's Board of Directors charting a path forward on a variety of trade and domestic issues.

"The annual convention is one of the most important parts of the year for us," said RMA Chairman Keith Gray.  "We are able to come together as an industry to learn, celebrate excellence, and identify the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead.  I want to thank all the attendees and presenters, and the sponsors and exhibitors who make the entire event possible."


Great programming keeps the crowd inside even in Hawaii

A program for Filipino rice farmers, consumers
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Published June 20, 2019, 12:50 AM
Many have long  wondered  why  we cannot meet the rice needs of our own people, why we have to import  from Vietnam and Thailand hundreds of thousands of metric tons a year.
The answer is that it costs an average of P12 to produce a kilo of  palay in the Philippines; it only costs half that much, P6, in Vietnam.  The big difference is largely due to mechanization, which has drastically reduced  labor  costs  in Vietnam and  Thailand.
Sen.  Cynthia  Villar, chairman of the Senate Committee on  Agriculture, told a forum of the Philippine Chamber of  Commerce and Industry last Friday that another reason for low Philippine rice production  is the continuing reliance of Filipino farmers on low-yielding  traditional rice varieties.
Our scientists in the Philippine Rice Research  Institute  have developed new rice varieties that are resistant to diseases, to drought,  and to flooding, and  produce  greater harvests, but their findings have not  reached down to the level of  most  Filipino  farmers.
Some years ago, Secretary of Agriculture Emmanuel  Pinol  said his department’s efforts to modernize Philippine agriculture were held back by inadequate government  funding.
Rice is at the center of  life  among Filipinos.  When prices started shooting up last year, with inflation reaching  6.7 percent in September, the government stopped  the rise in market prices by ensuring  adequate supplies  of  rice at low prices through the Rice Tariffication Law. Former import restrictions were  abolished  and  all importations, mostly from Vietnam and Thailand, were allowed as long as they paid proper tariffs.
Unfortunately,  however,  while that law ensured  an adequate supply  of imported rice for consumers, it was at the expense of local farmers.
In  the remaining years of the Duterte administration, we urge that the Philippine rice production be given the full  support  it  needs –  widespread  distribution  of high-yielding rice varieties to our farmers,  increased mechanization to bring down labor costs, wider use of irrigation to reduce dependence on rain water,  and  organizing  the farmers and giving them  the needed  financial support and helping them  in their marketing.
Senator  Villar  can play a big role in this total effort by getting the Senate to enact more laws to provide more  funding for agriculture. The administration  itself should see that while “Build, Build, Build” will push  the overall national economic development program,  a “Plant, Plant, Plant” program focused on rice will benefit  Filipino farmers and the masses of rice-eating Filipinos.

Dr Oscar Ortiz, director International Potato Centre, Peru

Scientists to develop 'super spud' in a bid to tackle malnutrition

In a bid to tackle malnutrition in developing countries, scientists are creating a “super potato”, fortified with iron and zinc. As millions of people around the world suffer micronutrient deficiencies, a lack of essential vitamins and minerals, this leads to stunting in children, who then go on to suffer cognitive delays, weakened immunity and disease. Pregnant women who lack micronutrients are more likely to have babies with defects or low birth weight.
Third most consumed food in the world
Potato is a staple crop in many parts of the world and researchers at the International Potato Centre (CIP) in Peru believe that a biofortified variety could have an important role to play in improving diets. After rice and maize, the potato is the thDescription: https://agfstorage.blob.core.windows.net/misc/FP_com/2019/06/18/Ortiz.jpgird most consumed food in the world, so increasing its micronutrient content would make a significant difference to people’s health around the globe, said Dr Oscar Ortiz, director of the CIP.
“Potato already has proteins, iron, zinc and vitamin C and it is also an extremely good source of fibre. It’s a well-balanced food if consumed boiled or baked. But we can make it even better,” he said.
Potatoes may have developed an image problem in recent years with the move to “low carb” diets but Dr Ortiz believes this is mainly because of the way they are consumed as chips or fries.
Work on biofortification of the potato began in 2004 as researchers looked through a gene bank of around 200 varieties from countries around the Andes - where the potato originated.
Researchers identified 16 native varieties with high levels of iron, zinc and vitamin C and then spent more than a decade crossing these types with each other to produce varieties with even higher levels of micronutrients. These were then crossed with other types of potato with high yields and good resistance to disease such as blight. These varieties have 40 to 80 per cent more iron than types currently grown in the Andes.
Now these potatoes are being tested to see if they grow in other parts of the world: clones are being grown in Rwanda and Kenya and will soon be introduced to Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Bioavailability testing
Researchers are also conducting bioavailability testing to see whether the increased iron content of the potato is absorbed by the human body. Once this is confirmed Dr Ortiz believes that the new varieties will be available within the next two years.
“If we can confirm this, which is a critical milestone, the potato will be available in 2021,” he said.
Source: telegraph.co.uk

Nesting Shorebirds and Waterbirds

By Luke Matthews

When most people think about bird nests they think of trees; however, it is important to remember that there are a large number of species that nest on the ground or build mounds over water. In addition to waterfowl American Avocets, American Bitterns, Black-necked Stilts, Black Terns, and Killdeer are common ground nesting birds in the Sacramento Valley. While all of these species nest on the ground they use different nesting methods to protect and camouflage their nests.
Description: http://calrice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Bittern-Nest-Preferred-62918JM.jpg
American Bitterns and Black Terns build their nests in dense vegetation usually over water or on ground but in close proximity to water. Bittern nests are typically made from a pile of branches and vegetation while Tern nests are typically built on floating mats of vegetation or mud mounds. Both species rely heavily on camouflage from vegetation to protect and hide the nests and chicks after hatching. Chicks develop rapidly but remain in the nest or hidden in near-by vegetation and are fed by the parents until they are able to fly or fend for themselves. This period typically lasts for about 4 weeks.
Description: http://calrice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/BlackNeckedStiltNestDewit_E3B6225-2.jpg
American Avocet and Black-necked Stilt build nests on bare ground in close proximity to water, black-necked stilts will often build their nests on mounds over water. Their nests are typically no more than an indent in the mud and can be lined with pebbles or grass. Adults of both species distract predators with elaborate displays and calling to draw any potential threats way from the nest. Chick are fully precocial meaning they can leave the nest and feed themselves shortly after hatching. Despite the fact that chicks are able to feed themselves adults still tend to young until they are able to fly.
Killdeer build nests directly on the ground without any vegetative cover. Nests are not always near water and are no more than a shallow depression in the dirt but are often lined with pebbles. Killdeer use similar displays to distract predators as Avocets and Stilts. Chicks are similar to other precocial shorebirds leaving the nest and feed themselves immediately after hatching.
Description: http://calrice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/NestingAvocets_Dewit_E3B8099_2.jpg
Driving through rice county in the summer is something I look forward to every year. As the rice begins to sprout through the water, you will notice nesting shorebirds, waterbirds, and their young taking advantage of the fresh emergent vegetation.

Luke Matthews is the Wildlife Programs Manager for the California Rice Commission
Description: http://calrice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/luke-300x225.jpg
Description: California Rice Commission
SACRAMENTO, CA
(PH) 916.387.2264
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Mekong Delta should shift towards adapting to climate change: PM

VNAWednesday, June 19, 2019 08:59
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired a conference reviewing two-year implementation of the Government’s Resolution 120/NQ-CP on climate resilient and sustainable development of the Mekong Delta region.
Description: Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the conference (Photo: VNA)
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the conference (Photo: VNA)
Speaking at the conference held in Ho Chi Minh City on June 18, PM Phuc said a large number of locals and businesses are not ready for natural disasters and climate change despite increasing phenomena of climate change. As such, they have yet to take specific actions for green agricultural and industrial development.

He noted climate change not only is a challenge to the growth of a nation but also contains opportunities for changing the direction of development.

The PM cited as an example the case of the Mekong Delta, where saltwater intrusion as a climate change impact poses challenges to rice cultivation in the delta but create favourable conditions to develop shrimp farming and processing, which brings much higher economic benefits and added value compared to rice production.

Therefore, the goal is not to fight against climate change but to conquer and adapt to it, turning challenges into opportunities for restructuring toward sustainable production, the government leader said.

Reviewing the implementation of Resolution 120 in the past two years, Phuc lauded proactive work by relevant ministries, sectors and localities that have resulted in initial positive outcomes.

He said there is a need for measures to improve public awareness on climate change and spread effective models that are run under the motto of ‘The Government advocates, businesses act, and people respond’.

Accordingly, the Government allocates resources, enterprises invest in specific projects to build valuable trademark, while the people respond by raising their awareness and joining production restructuring activities to adapt to climate change.

The PM requested that ministries and sectors work with Mekong Delta localities to study suitable planning for rice and fruit cultivation and aquatic farming areas that help build a production ecosystem and cut costs for businesses.

The lack of capital in the Mekong Delta is the “bottleneck” in the implementation of infrastructure building and climate change adaptation projects, according to the PM.

He ordered the State Bank to study a mechanism to mobilise capital from various sources and use it effectively for development, prioritising investment in infrastructure to improve business environment, reduce production costs, and facilitate goods circulation.

The PM urged localities in the region to boost cooperation to cope with climate change. Ho Chi Minh City should be the “conductor” in coordinating regional connectivity and pioneer in the implementation of the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change.

He tasked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment with collecting solutions and ideas of ministries, departments and experts, then submit them to him for the promulgation of a directive for the implementation of the resolution on climate resilient and sustainable development of the Mekong Delta region.

The Mekong Delta makes up 19 percent of the country’s population and contributes up to 50 percent of the national rice output, 65 percent of aquaculture products, 70 percent of fruits, 95 percent of exported rice, and 60 percent of exported fish.

It has a favourable location in trade with countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).

However, the delta is facing a number of challenges posed by climate change, especially rising sea level.

High-speed economic development in localities has caused environmental pollution, ecological imbalance, land subsidence, groundwater depletion, and coastal erosion.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha said over the two years of implementing Resolution 120/NQ-CP issued by the Prime Minister in 2017, the delta recorded an impressive GDP growth rate of 7.8 percent in 2018, the highest level in the past four years and higher than the average level of the country (7.08 percent).

The export turnover of the whole region hit US$15.7 billion for the first time in 2018.

As of June 2019, the delta had 528 communes recognised as new rural areas, fulfilling 41.06 percent of the yearly target.

To push ahead with the implementation of the resolution, Ha stressed the urgent need to study suitable institutions for the Mekong Delta, which will have power to identify development priorities, propose specific mechanisms and policies and build investment projects that generate inter-regional benefits.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment asked the Government to instruct ministries, agencies and localities to focus on some key tasks like building and deploying major projects, and developing multi-purpose infrastructure.

It also suggested building a master plan on land, water resources and maritime space, which will serve as the foundation for ministries, agencies and localities to review and adjust socio-economic development plans and sectors’ development plans, while attracting investments and enhancing inter-regional connectivity.

Besides, the Mekong Delta region needs to step up economic restructuring, improve farm produce quality, devise mechanisms to lure investments in high technologies in aquaculture and agriculture and sea-based eco-tourism, and prevent landslides.

Other tasks include stepping up vocation training, developing high-quality human resources and raising public awareness of sustainable development and climate change adaptation.Speaking at the conference held in Ho Chi Minh City on June 18, PM Phuc said a large number of locals and businesses are not ready for natural disasters and climate change despite increasing phenomena of climate change. As such, they have yet to take specific actions for green agricultural and industrial development.

He noted climate change not only is a challenge to the growth of a nation but also contains opportunities for changing the direction of development.

The PM cited as an example the case of the Mekong Delta, where saltwater intrusion as a climate change impact poses challenges to rice cultivation in the delta but create favourable conditions to develop shrimp farming and processing, which brings much higher economic benefits and added value compared to rice production.

Therefore, the goal is not to fight against climate change but to conquer and adapt to it, turning challenges into opportunities for restructuring toward sustainable production, the government leader said.

Reviewing the implementation of Resolution 120 in the past two years, Phuc lauded proactive work by relevant ministries, sectors and localities that have resulted in initial positive outcomes.

He said there is a need for measures to improve public awareness on climate change and spread effective models that are run under the motto of ‘The Government advocates, businesses act, and people respond’.

Accordingly, the Government allocates resources, enterprises invest in specific projects to build valuable trademark, while the people respond by raising their awareness and joining production restructuring activities to adapt to climate change.

The PM requested that ministries and sectors work with Mekong Delta localities to study suitable planning for rice and fruit cultivation and aquatic farming areas that help build a production ecosystem and cut costs for businesses.

The lack of capital in the Mekong Delta is the “bottleneck” in the implementation of infrastructure building and climate change adaptation projects, according to the PM.

He ordered the State Bank to study a mechanism to mobilise capital from various sources and use it effectively for development, prioritising investment in infrastructure to improve business environment, reduce production costs, and facilitate goods circulation.

The PM urged localities in the region to boost cooperation to cope with climate change. Ho Chi Minh City should be the “conductor” in coordinating regional connectivity and pioneer in the implementation of the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change.

He tasked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment with collecting solutions and ideas of ministries, departments and experts, then submit them to him for the promulgation of a directive for the implementation of the resolution on climate resilient and sustainable development of the Mekong Delta region.

The Mekong Delta makes up 19 percent of the country’s population and contributes up to 50 percent of the national rice output, 65 percent of aquaculture products, 70 percent of fruits, 95 percent of exported rice, and 60 percent of exported fish.

It has a favourable location in trade with countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).

However, the delta is facing a number of challenges posed by climate change, especially rising sea level.

High-speed economic development in localities has caused environmental pollution, ecological imbalance, land subsidence, groundwater depletion, and coastal erosion.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha said over the two years of implementing Resolution 120/NQ-CP issued by the Prime Minister in 2017, the delta recorded an impressive GDP growth rate of 7.8 percent in 2018, the highest level in the past four years and higher than the average level of the country (7.08 percent).

The export turnover of the whole region hit $15.7 billion for the first time in 2018.

As of June 2019, the delta had 528 communes recognised as new rural areas, fulfilling 41.06 percent of the yearly target.

To push ahead with the implementation of the resolution, Ha stressed the urgent need to study suitable institutions for the Mekong Delta, which will have power to identify development priorities, propose specific mechanisms and policies and build investment projects that generate inter-regional benefits.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment asked the Government to instruct ministries, agencies and localities to focus on some key tasks like building and deploying major projects, and developing multi-purpose infrastructure.

It also suggested building a master plan on land, water resources and maritime space, which will serve as the foundation for ministries, agencies and localities to review and adjust socio-economic development plans and sectors’ development plans, while attracting investments and enhancing inter-regional connectivity.

Besides, the Mekong Delta region needs to step up economic restructuring, improve farm produce quality, devise mechanisms to lure investments in high technologies in aquaculture and agriculture and sea-based eco-tourism, and prevent landslides.

Other tasks include stepping up vocation training, developing high-quality human resources and raising public awareness of sustainable development and climate change adaptation.

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Pakistan, Iran agree to enhance trade ties, remove bottlenecks
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June 18, 2019
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ISLAMABAD: A delegation of the Iranian parliamentarians, led by Iran-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani, called on Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razzaq Dawood on Tuesday.
The adviser apprised the delegation of Pakistan’s intention to increase bilateral trade and economic ties with Iran. He underlined important trade-related issues that were discussed during the prime minister’s visit to Iran and expected a positive response from the Iranian side.
These issues included operationalisation of Pak-Iran Preferential Trade Agreement (signed in 2006) and working out a barter trade mechanism in order to increase the bilateral trade volume between the two countries.
Dawood emphasised upon the removal of all the Barriers to Trade (TBTs) in order to materialise the trade potential of the two countries. “To start the barter trade, in the first instance, both the countries should select a few items having a competitive advantage,” he asserted.
In this regard, he said, Pakistan can enhance the export of wheat, sugar, rice and fruit to Iran and the later can export products of its interest to Pakistan.
The Iranian side acknowledged the fact that Pak-Iran trade relations were not matching the real potential. They stressed upon the requirement of constituting a committee for barter trade.
“Both countries have huge potential in the agriculture sector, which is not yet exploited,” the Iranian parliamentarians highlighted, adding that Iran showed interest in the import of animals but it was not possible under the import policy in vogue.
The Iranian delegation also touched upon the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline issue and emphasised upon developing a mechanism to move forward on the venture, as “the project was imperative to the economic security of both Iran and Pakistan”.
The parliamentarians extended full support for the removal of potential bottlenecks in the gas pipeline project and called for joint efforts in this regard. They also requested the Pakistani government to open more border points between Pakistan and Iran, mainly at Ramdan, Pishin and Korak, to facilitate trade activities.
The adviser suggested removing various forms of taxation such as road and load taxes on vehicles/trucks that cross the borders.
The Iranian commerce minister would visit Pakistan on July 4-5 for trade talks.

Pakistan intends to increase trade ties with Iran: Dawood

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OUR STAFF REPORT

June 19, 2019

ISLAMABAD   -   Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood on Tuesday said that Pakistan intends to increase the bilateral trade and economic ties with Iran. He made these remarks in a meeting with delegation of the Iranian parliamentarians. The delegation was led by Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani, Chairman of Iran Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group and Member of the Iranian Parliament.
The adviser informed the delegation that Pakistan intends to increase the bilateral trade and economic ties. He underlined the importance of issues, pertaining to bilateral trade, which were discussed during Prime Minister’s last visit to Iran and expected positive response from Iranian side. These issues include operationalization of Pak-Iran PTA (signed in 2006) and working out barter trade mechanism in order to increase bilateral trade for economic development of both the countries.  He also emphasised upon the removal of all the Barriers to Trade (TBTs) which are hampering bilateral trade of both the countries. To start the barter trade, at the first instance both the countries should select few items having competitive advantage, he asserted. In this regard, Pakistan can enhance export of wheat, sugar and rice and fruit to Iran and the later can export products of its interest to Pakistan.
Iranian side acknowledged the fact that Pak-Iran trade relations are not matching the real potential. They emphasised the requirement of the constitution of a committee for barter trade. Both the countries have huge potential in agriculture which is not yet exploited, they highlighted. Iran showed interest in import of live animal which is not possible under the import policy in vogue and meat can be exported to Iran. The Iranian delegation, furthermore, touched upon the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline issue and emphasized upon developing a mechanism to move forward on that venture as it is imperative to the economic security of both Iran and Pakistan. The Iranian parliament extended its full support to work on removal of potential bottlenecks in this project and jointly develop a way forward. Further, they also requested the Pakistani government to open more border points between Pakistan and Iran mainly at Ramdan, Pishin and Korak, which will enhance the bilateral trade.

PM aide for barter trade between Pakistan, Iran

Published: June 19, 2019
Description: Abdul Razak Dawood. PHOTO: FILE
Abdul Razak Dawood. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan intends to increase bilateral trade and economic ties with Iran, said Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce, Textile, Industries, Production and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood.
He was talking to an Iranian delegation, led by Iran-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group Chairman and Iranian parliament member Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani, which called on him on Tuesday.
The adviser underlined the importance of bilateral trade and related issues, which were discussed during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s last visit to Iran and expected positive response from the Iranian side. These issues included implementation of the Pakistan-Iran Preferential Trade Agreement (signed in 2006) and efforts to introduce a barter trade mechanism in order to enhance bilateral trade for economic development of both countries.
He called for removing all barriers to trade, which hampered commerce between the two countries.
“To begin barter trade, first both countries should select few items having competitive advantage,” he suggested. “In this regard, Pakistan can enhance export of wheat, sugar, rice and fruits to Iran and the latter can export products of its own interest to Pakistan.”
The Iranian side acknowledged that trade relations between the two neighbours did not match the actual potential and requested for constituting a committee for barter trade. 
Published in The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2019.
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Read more: iran , Pakistan , trade

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South Korea To Send 50,000 Tonnes Of Rice To North
 Muhammad Irfan  22 hours ago  Wed 19th June 2019 | 03:52 PM
Description: South Korea to send 50,000 tonnes of rice to North
South Korea said Wednesday it will send 50,000 tonnes of rice to North Korea via the World Food Programme to help the country cope with a severe food shortage
Seoul, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - APP - 19th Jun, 2019 ) :South Korea said Wednesday it will send 50,000 tonnes of rice to North Korea via the World Food Programme to help the country cope with a severe food shortage.
The isolated, impoverished North -- which is under several sets of sanctions over its nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programmes -- has long struggled to feed itself and suffers chronic food shortages.
"The government cannot ignore the plight among North Korean people," said Seoul's unification ministry, which handles inter-Korean relations.
It will be the first time the South has provided food aid to the North since 2010, when it sent 5,000 tonnes of rice across the border.
It comes after a joint report last month by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization and WFP that said about 10.1 million North Koreans -- 40 percent of the population -- were suffering from severe food shortages and that conditions could be exacerbated in the absence of aid.
The North's state media also reported in May that the country was experiencing the worst drought since 1917.
After "close consultation" with the WFP, Seoul decided to send domestic rice "without delay," Seoul's unification ministry said.
"The time and scale for additional food aid to the North will be decided at a later date, after reviewing the results of this round of support."The WFP and the North will consult on the distribution of the aid, which will be monitored by the UN agency, said unification minister Kim Yeon-chul.
Pyongyang has been frequently condemned by the international community for decades of prioritising the military and its nuclear weapons programme over adequately providing for its people -- an imbalance some critics say the UN's aid programme encourages

South Korea to send 50,000 tons of rice to North Korea

·       ByKIM TONG-HYUNG, ASSOCIATED PRESS
SEOUL, South Korea — Jun 19, 2019, 5:49 AM ET
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Description: https://s.abcnews.com/images/International/WireAP_39675674e6d34a6cb0b56e06bb5ad84a_12x5_992.jpg
Description: Kim Yeon-chulThe Associated Press
WATCHReport claims Kim Jong Un's brother was CIA source
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South Korea said Wednesday it plans to send 50,000 tons of rice to North Korea through the World Food Program, in its second aid package announced in past weeks as it seeks to help with North Korean food shortages and improve bilateral relations.

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South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, Seoul's point man for North Korea, said his government will work with the U.N. agency to ensure that the food reaches North Korean people without delay. South Korea last week sent $8 million to the World Food Program and the United Nations Children's Fund for programs providing medical and nutritional aid for North Korean children and pregnant women.
U.N. agencies last month said that about 10 million people were facing "severe food shortages" after one of North Korea's worst harvests in a decade. Kim said South Korea will decide whether to provide more food aid after reviewing the outcome of the current assistance.
Kim said South Korea and WFP are reviewing how to send the South Korean-produced rice to North Korea, but that a delivery by sea would be more effective than air transport.
"Considering previous cases, it would take about two months to send 50,000 tons of rice (to North Korea)," Kim said in a news conference. "The government will do its best so that (the rice arrives in the North) possibly within September."
Seoul's announcement came a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping was to travel to Pyongyang for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, a visit experts say will likely be accompanied by Chinese assistance in food, fertilizer and medicine.
North Korea has significantly reduced its dialogue and engagement with South Korea since February, when a nuclear summit between leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump collapsed over disagreements on sanctions relief and disarmament.
While South Korean President Moon Jae-in has expressed hope that South Korean aid will help thaw bilateral relations, it remains to be seen whether Seoul's packages would facilitate diplomacy when the North has been demanding much bigger things from the South, such as the resumption of inter-Korean economic projects held back by U.S.-led sanctions against the North.
The $8 million sent to the WFP and UNICEF was the first time the South provided humanitarian aid to the North through an international agency since 2015, when it gave $800,000 to a U.N. Population Fund project to evaluate North Korean public health conditions.
Moon's government first proposed to provide the money in 2017, but the plans were halted amid a series of North Korean weapons tests before Seoul reaffirmed its commitment to the plans in May. An abrupt turn toward diplomacy in 2018 saw Kim meet with Trump twice and three times with Moon.

Customs seize 13 vehicles, 8,304 bags of rice, generate N2.6bn in 3 months

Tuesday, June 18, 2019 4:19 pm
Seizures
The Customs Service, Seme Area Command, Lagos says it has seized 13 assorted vehicles, 8,304 bags of foreign rice and generated N2.6 billion in three months.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the command, Comptroller Mohammed Garba, disclosed this at a press briefing in Seme, Lagos, on Tuesday.
According to him, the 8,304 bags of foreign parboiled rice is equivalent to 14 trailer load with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N88.7 million.
“The 11 vehicles include Toyota Highlander 2005 model, Range-Rover Toyota RAV4, Toyota Venxa and others.
“The combine DPV stand at N48.1 million while other items seized including 336 cartons of alcoholic drinks, 138 kegs of 25 liters of petrol, 28 cartons of medicament valued at N1.1 million.
“A total of 1, 682 parcels of cannabis valued over N30 million, 410 sacks of school bags and 2, 000 cartons of expired biscuits valued at N7.7 million.
“A truck loaded with 493 packs of baby diaper valued at N4.1 million and 35 bags of sugar with DPV N444,785.
“Among intercepted goods are six yards of 175 textiles valued at N2.2 million and 15 sack of second hand clothes valued at N677,486,” Garba said.
The comptroller said that six suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure under view.
He reiterated the command’s determination to detect, arrest and prosecute those who failed to comply with the extant regulations.
Garba however, called on patriotic citizens as well as the media to support the command by reporting any illegal activities or any relevant information that would assist the command in discharging its statutory obligations.
He added that the command aimed at leveraging on modern communication tools to improve cross border efficiency for the promotion of regional integration.
Garba commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Retired Col. Hameed Ali for his continuous support and encouragement.
He attributed the achievements recorded so far to the support of all sister security agencies both local and international.

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From Awadhi Murgh Biryani to Mutton Yakhni Shorba: Delicious recipes you can try today
Having a boring day? Try these recipes and add some flavours to it!
By Lifestyle Desk |New Delhi |
Published: June 19, 2019 1:00:32 pm



RELATED NEWS

From Fresh Garden Pizza to Mahi Achari Tikka: Which recipe would you like to try this weekend?

Watermelon Gazpacho or Curried Chicken & Mango Salad: Which recipe would you like to try this weekend?

Add some flavour to your day with these delicious dishes
easy to make recipes, delicious recipes, mutton recipe, biryani recipe, indian express
Which recipe would you like to try today? (Designed by Rajan Sharma/The Indian Express)
Good food is always welcome, especially if it is mid-week! So why not make your day special by adding some delicious flavours to it and indulging in dishes like ‘Murgh Kali Mirch Ka Tikka’, ‘Awadhi Murgh Biryani’, ‘Mutton Yakhni Shorba’, and finish the meal with mouthwatering Gulab Jamuns?

Look no further as these recipes by Biryani Central are sure to make your day! Go ahead and try them today; trust us, you will love them.

Mutton Yakhni Shorba

mutton recipe, delicious mutton recipe, easy to make recipe, indian express recipe
You will love this lamb extract flavoured with coriander, cloves and cardamom spiced with yellow chillies and laced with yogurt.
For the shorba:

5g – Bay leaf
5g – Peppercorns
5g – Cinnamon
5g – Green cardamom whole
5g – Cloves
40g – Desi ghee
25g – Ginger garlic paste
Salt (to taste)
10g – White pepper powder
125g – Almonds paste
75g – Yoghurt
1.2l – Mutton stock

For the kofta:

250g – Boneless mutton
10g – Green cardamom powder
25g – Chopped coriander
15g – Green chillies
Oil (for frying)

Method:

For shorba:

*Heat ghee in a wok and add whole spices into it. Once they crackle, add ginger garlic paste to it and then mix beaten yogurt.

*Add almond paste into it and fry until the ghee separates.

*Add the mutton stock followed by salt (according to taste) and all the powdered spices.

For the kofta:

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*Mince mutton and add ginger garlic paste, fresh coriander, green chillies, salt, white pepper powder and green cardamom powder.

*Make small round balls and deep fry in oil. Keep aside.

*Strain the shorba through muslin cloth and add the meat balls.

*Serve hot.

Murgh Kali Mirch Ka Tikka

chicken tikka, chicken tikka recipe, delicious chicken tikka recipe, indian express, indian express news
Would you like to try this chicken tikka dipped in aromatic black peppercorn marinade, grilled in the tandoor before being finished on dum.
For marinade:

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2kg – Chicken tikka
Salt (to taste)
150g – Hung curd
15g – Red chilli powder
15g – Black pepper whole.
150g – Processed cheese
25g – Green cardamom powder
50g – Corn flour
50g – Kebab masala
100ml – Cream

For sauce:

100ml – Cream
50g – Chopped coriander
25g – Chopped green chillies
Silver leaf (for garnish)

Method:

*Marinate the chicken with cheese, hung curd, salt, red chili powder, half of the cream, corn flour and all powdered spices.

*Keep aside for an hour to let the chicken absorb the flavours of the ingredients.

*Skewer the chicken tikka in 8 mm skewers and cook in tandoor.

*Dum cook the chicken in oven; sprinkle kebab masala and lemon juice.

*Serve garnished with freshly chopped coriander.

Awadhi Murgh Biryani

easy to make recipes, delicious recipes, mutton recipe, biryani recipe, indian express
Impress your friends by preparing this delicious biryani.
Ingredients:

400g – Chicken leg boneless (50g)
250g – Basmati rice
25g – Brown onions
50g – Desi ghee
4 – Cloves
2 – Cinnamon sticks
1 – Bayleaf
4-6 – Green cardamom
25ml – Cream
75g – Beaten curd
Salt ( to taste)
10g – Yellow chilli powder
15g – Mace cardamom pwd.
25g – Ginger garlic paste
5ml – Rose water
5ml – Kevda water (screwpine)
1 drop – Sweet ittar
25g – Slit green chillies
25g – Mint leaves
10g – Ginger julienne
2g – Royal cumin seeds
20ml – Lemon juice
1/l – Water
100g – Whole wheat flour dough (for lining the lid)

Method:

To cook chicken:

*Marinate chicken with elaichi powder, hung curd, gulab jal, red chilly powder and cook in tandoor. Also add yellow chilly powder, saffron, ittar, kewra and gulab jal.

Prepare the rice:

*Wash, and the soak rice for 10 minutes.

*Boil water in a pan and add the whole spices, salt and lemon juice.

*Add the rice and cook till 2/3rd done.

Cooking on dum:

*Layer the chicken, and add a mixture of ghee and cream.

*Garnish with mint leaves, ginger julienne, brown onions and saffron dissolved in water.

*Line the lid with dough and seal the vessel.

*Put the vessel on an iron griddle and cook for 15 minutes.

Gulab Jamun

easy to make recipes, delicious recipes, mutton recipe, biryani recipe, indian express
This gulab jamun is filled with pistachios, almond and dipped in a saffron honey syrup.
Ingredients:

700g – Khoya
70g – Chenna
95g – Maida
1/2tsp – Baking powder
1kg – Sugar
750ml – Water

For Stuffing:

30g – Badam
30g – Pista
30g – Kaju
1/3g – Saffron
1/2tsp – Green cardamom powder

For Garnish:

10 – Silver leaf
75 ml – Honey
25g – Chopped pistachio
1/3g – Saffron (dissolved in water)

Method:

*Mash the khoya and mix it with chenna, maida and baking powder.

*Make a tight dough of above mixture and make dumplings by adding the stuffing prepared.

*Deep fry these dumplings.

*Heat some water and add sugar in it to make sugar syrup.

*Soak stuffed dumplings in the sugar syrup.

*Garnish with silver leaf, chopped pistachio, honey and drizzle with saffron.







Exporters call for long-term rice vision
Action urged to help various stakeholdersDescription: A woman winnows husks and dirt from rice grains. Rice represents a way of life for many Thais. (Photo by Apichart Jinakul)The new government is being urged to set a clear direction on Thai rice development, covering not just the short term but also the medium term and the long run to sustain the country's cash crop. According to Charoen Laothamatas, the president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, the government should take into account the overall Thai rice industry, not just the price of paddy. "The best solutions should serve the overall industry," Mr Charoen said. "Rice prices are mainly reliant on demand. Thailand should promote rice production that matches consumer demand." He called on the government to be open to opinions from all stakeholders, be they farmers, exporters, millers or rice packers. The stakeholders will offer proposals for the country's rice development policies to benefit both upstream and downstream players.

In the short term, exporters agree on an income guarantee policy to help farmers because it's considered a good method that uses less budget and causes minimal damage compared with the ill-fated rice-pledging scheme of the Yingluck Shinawatra government. But the income guarantee should be offered at the appropriate rate to prevent farmers from making losses, Mr Charoen said, while the farmer registration process should be stringent to avoid corruption. The guaranteed price should not be too much higher than the market price, as such practices will motivate farmers to step up rice planting and eventually lead to oversupply, he said. The government should also help tackle existing management costs such as packaging, handling and logistical expenses that exceed those of competitors. In the medium term, rice policies should focus on rice seed development to reduce production costs and serve market demand, Mr Charoen said. The government should hold talks and team up with all stakeholders to develop rice varieties, while megafarm projects should be continued but overseen by knowledgeable people and rice experts, not by kamnans (subdistrict headmen) or village headmen, he said. In the long run, the country should have a 20-year rice development plan to set the broad direction for industry development. The long-term plan should cover production, rice zoning, irrigation systems development and rice seed development, Mr Charoen said. "A clear direction is important for rice industry development," he said. "Currently, Thailand's rice milling capacity is as high as 120 million tonnes a year, while rice paddy output averages only 32 million tonnes. This is considered a waste of resources." The rice exporters themselves now trade mainly with a speculative approach, while the global rice trade is full of risk factors such as foreign exchange fluctuations and fiercer competition. "We [all parties] need to discuss the annual quantity of rice production and varieties that the country should produce and export in the world market," Mr Charoen said. "Once we find our rice production is more than demand, we should decrease production and change to producing other crops."
Date: 20-Jun-2019


More farmers interested in rice farming
Description: https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/rice-2.jpg
Nothing will stop Fiji Rice Limited in investing in new mills if more farmers show interest in rice farming.
This was highlighted by the General Manager for the Fiji Rice Limited Ashrit Pratap who has admitted many farmers in Viti Levu would like to switch to rice farming. With farmers being paid the world market price, Pratap believes this will entice more farmers to take up rice farming and achieve the target of reducing the imports and be self-sufficient.“Our price per ton of paddy is around 800 dollars and comparing with overseas the one ton of paddy costs comes to around $500 so we are above the world market price –and this is done through government subsidy and farmers are getting good paid out of it and I believe there’s lots of potential in the rice industry.” Meanwhile Fiji Rice Limited was allocated the sum of $800,000 for a paddy grant for farmers plus their own initiative for a farming project together with the Ministry of Agriculture.  
Date: 20-Jun-2019
S.Korea buys 20,000 T of rice for July-Aug arrival
SEOUL, June 20 (Reuters) - South Korea bought 20,000 tonnes
of non-glutinous brown rice for arrival between July and August
via a tender that closed on Monday, state-run Korea
Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp said on its website (www.at.or.kr).

    Details of the purchase are as follows:
    TONNES(M/T)   SUPPLIER             ORIGIN   PRICE($/T)    
        20,000    Posco International  China    $759.68
   
    *Note: The rice produces will arrive at the port of Gunsan.

 (Reporting By Jane Chung; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)


Date: 20-Jun-2019

Scientists Issue Warning To Humanity: Climate Change Depends On Microbes

By Roni Dengler | June 19, 2019 1:08 pm
Description: flooded rice field
A flooded rice field. Microbes in the soil release methane when rice fields are flooded, adding to greenhouse gas emissions. (Credit: Jet Rockkk/.Shutterstock)
The real impact of climate change depends on tiny organisms we can’t even see, argues an international panel of more than 30 microbiologists in a consensus statement published Tuesday.
Microbes, or microorganisms, are any organism or virus invisible to the naked eye. Numbering in the nonillions (in the U.S., that’s 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, or a 10 followed by 30 zeros), they make up the “unseen majority” of life on Earth, according to the scientists. Microbes not only contribute to how fast the climate changes, but to our ability to mitigate and adapt to it.
“[Microbes] support the existence of all higher lifeforms and are critically important in regulating climate change,” Ricardo Cavicchioli, a University of New South Wales environmental microbiologist and co-author on the paper, said in a press release. “However, they are rarely the focus of climate change studies and not considered in policy development.”
Now, Cavicchioli and his co-authors hope that their statement, published in the journal Nature Reviews Microbiology, “puts humanity on notice,” they write in the abstract.

Climate Contributions

The world’s dirt holds on to some 2.2 trillion tons of carbon. That’s more than the combined amount of carbon in the atmosphere and in vegetation. And what controls how much carbon soil can hang on to and how much it releases? Microbes. Their carbon gatekeeping is critical, because the element is one of the key components of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2), which is currently at record levels in Earth’s atmosphere.
Although plants remove CO2 from the atmosphere during food-making photosynthesis, they also release the greenhouse gas back into the atmosphere during respiration, i.e., when they break down that food. And temperature changes influence how much carbon plants take up or let go of.
The same is true of soil microbes. “In terrestrial environments, microbes release a range of important greenhouse gases to the atmosphere (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide), and climate change is causing these emissions to increase,” Cavicchioli said. That’s because, as with plants, hotter temperatures cause soil microbes to release more carbon. And since climate-change-induced warming is only getting worse, scientists expect more carbon from vegetation and soils will go into the atmosphere.
But there are microbes other than the ones in soil that impact climate change. Cows, sheep, goats and other similar animals have microbes in their guts that help the animals digest their food. However, as a by-product of this digestion, these microbes produce methane — a potent greenhouse gas whose levels in the atmosphere have ballooned in the last five years
Rice fields, too, release methane into the atmosphere. To grow the crop, farmers flood the fields, which are home to many microbes. These microorganisms produce methane in anaerobic environments where little to no oxygen is freely available. Since rice fields are flooded with water, where oxygen is chemically bound to hydrogen and unusable to the microbes, the conditions are ripe for the little organisms to pump out methane.  
Rice is a major staple food for half the world’s population, so these methane emissions add up: Rice fields currently contribute about 20 percent of agriculture’s emissions of the greenhouse gas. As the population continues to grow, scientists anticipate those numbers will grow, too.

Mighty Mitigators

While microorganisms contribute substantially to climate change, the authors point out that these invisible creatures can also do the opposite. 
Agricultural fertilizers release nitrous oxide (N2O, more commonly known as laughing gas), another powerful greenhouse gas. But some bacteria that live in plant roots produce an enzyme that can convert N2O into nitrogen, a non-greenhouse gas that makes up nearly 80 percent of the air we breathe. Researchers say using bacteria that have higher levels of this enzyme can lower N2O emissions. 
The authors also note breeding programs for cows that change their gut microbes to produce less methane could reduce emissions.
Understanding more about how microorganisms influence climate change could have further impacts on mitigation strategies, the researchers say.
“The statement emphasizes the need to investigate microbial responses to climate change and to include microbe-based research during the development of policy and management decisions,” Cavicchioli said.

A program for Filipino rice farmers, consumers

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Many have long  wondered  why  we cannot meet the rice needs of our own people, why we have to import  from Vietnam and Thailand hundreds of thousands of metric tons a year.
The answer is that it costs an average of P12 to produce a kilo of  palay in the Philippines; it only costs half that much, P6, in Vietnam.  The big difference is largely due to mechanization, which has drastically reduced  labor  costs  in Vietnam and  Thailand.
Sen.  Cynthia  Villar, chairman of the Senate Committee on  Agriculture, told a forum of the Philippine Chamber of  Commerce and Industry last Friday that another reason for low Philippine rice production  is the continuing reliance of Filipino farmers on low-yielding  traditional rice varieties.
Our scientists in the Philippine Rice Research  Institute  have developed new rice varieties that are resistant to diseases, to drought,  and to flooding, and  produce  greater harvests, but their findings have not  reached down to the level of  most  Filipino  farmers.
Some years ago, Secretary of Agriculture Emmanuel  Pinol  said his department’s efforts to modernize Philippine agriculture were held back by inadequate government  funding.
Rice is at the center of  life  among Filipinos.  When prices started shooting up last year, with inflation reaching  6.7 percent in September, the government stopped  the rise in market prices by ensuring  adequate supplies  of  rice at low prices through the Rice Tariffication Law. Former import restrictions were  abolished  and  all importations, mostly from Vietnam and Thailand, were allowed as long as they paid proper tariffs.
Unfortunately,  however,  while that law ensured  an adequate supply  of imported rice for consumers, it was at the expense of local farmers.
In  the remaining years of the Duterte administration, we urge that the Philippine rice production be given the full  support  it  needs –  widespread  distribution  of high-yielding rice varieties to our farmers,  increased mechanization to bring down labor costs, wider use of irrigation to reduce dependence on rain water,  and  organizing  the farmers and giving them  the needed  financial support and helping them  in their marketing.
Senator  Villar  can play a big role in this total effort by getting the Senate to enact more laws to provide more  funding for agriculture. The administration  itself should see that while “Build, Build, Build” will push  the overall national economic development program,  a “Plant, Plant, Plant” program focused on rice will benefit  Filipino farmers and the masses of rice-eating Filipinos.

Shifting crop-burn timing reduces air pollution


Moves in India to change farming practice are paying big dividends. Biplab Das reports.


In India, crop residue burning significantly contributes to air pollution.
SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Groundwater conservation policies designed to delay planting and harvesting of rice may reduce air pollution caused by crop residue burning in India, researchers have revealed.
In a paper published in the journal Nature Sustainability, scientists led by Andrew McDonald from Cornell University, US, show that delayed planting and harvesting also shift residue burning from the last week of October to the first fortnight of November, a period during which prevailing winds are weaker and the dispersion of pollutants slows. 
Agricultural burning is a global problem that affects air quality and human health. Recent studies have estimated that around 18 to 30% of crop residue is burned while the material is still in fields. One study found that in India more than 100 million tonnes of crop residue was put to flame.
Such burning produces fine particles, greenhouse gases, organic carbon, volatile organic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Despite laws that ban the practice, approximately 23 million tonnes of rice residues are burned annually in the Punjab and Haryana regions alone.
The fine particles, with diameters of 2.5 micrometres and smaller, then travel to neighbouring regions such as New Delhi, contributing significantly to air pollution, and consequent cases of respiratory diseases. 
Against this bleak backdrop, McDonald and colleagues demonstrated a solution. They showed that groundwater conservation policies, including specific legislation, improved air quality in northwest India through changing patterns of rice production and agricultural burning. 
Groundwater laws – in particular the Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act and the Haryana Preservation of Subsoil Water Act, both promulgated in March 2009 – prohibit transplanting rice before 20 June in any year. 
The influence of the acts is clear, the researchers say, with less than 40% of the total rice area planted on or before 28 June since 2009. Rice harvest has shifted accordingly. Before 2009, approximately 40% of the rice crop in Punjab was harvested by 26 October. Today it has declined to 14%.
Using time-series satellite data, McDonald and colleagues showed that residue burning declined within the last fortnight of October but significantly increased in the first three weeks of November. 
Since 2009, the period of maximum burning has shifted to the first fortnight of November, when temperatures in New Delhi are three degrees Celsius lower and winds are weaker. These conditions favour atmospheric stability and discourage the dispersion of pollutants. 
The researchers say that resorting to various agronomic technologies may also help further reduce crop residue burning.
One such technology, they note, is a seeder that permits crop planting into residues without prior burning.
EXPLORE #AIR POLLUTION #AGRICULTURE #INDIA
BIPLAP DAS is a science writer based in Bangalore, India.
Description: C83 cover 600

Scientists Develop Wheat Plants that Can Survive Drought Conditions

Developing wheat that uses water more efficiently will help feed growing population while using fewer natural resources — making food systems more resilient in the face of climate breakdown.

Updated:June 20, 2019, 11:28 AM IST
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Representative Image. (Image: Reuters)
Scientists have engineered wheat plants that utilise water more efficiently, and may be able to better survive drought conditions arising due to climate change.
Scientists at the University of Sheffield in the UK found that engineering wheat to have fewer stomata helps the crop to use water more efficiently, while maintaining yields.
Agriculture accounts for 80-90 per cent of freshwater use around the world, and on average it takes more than 1,800 litres of water to produce a single kilogramme of wheat.
Yet as water supplies become scarce and more variable in the face of climate breakdown, farmers will need to produce more food than ever to feed a growing population.
Like most plants, wheat uses stomata to regulate its intake of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, as well as the release of water vapour.
When water is plentiful, stomatal opening helps plants to regulate temperature by evaporative cooling — similar to sweating.
In drought conditions, wheat plants normally close their stomata to slow down water loss — but wheat with fewer stomata has been found to conserve water even better, and can use that water to cool itself.
During the study, published in the Journal of Experimental Botany, the scientists grew wheat in conditions similar to those expected under climate breakdown — with higher levels of carbon dioxide and less water.
Compared to conventional wheat, the engineered plants used less water while maintaining photosynthesis and yield.The research builds on the team's work to develop climate-ready rice, which found that rice with fewer stomata used 40 per cent less water than conventional breeds and was able to survive drought and temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius.
"Wheat is a staple food for millions of people around the world — but as extreme droughts become more frequent, farmers face the prospect of dwindling yields," Julie Gray, professor at the Institute for Sustainable Food.
"Developing wheat that uses water more efficiently will help us to feed our growing population while using fewer natural resources — making our food systems more resilient in the face of climate breakdown," said Gray.
In a separate study published in Plant, Cell and Environment, scientists at the Institute also found that plants engineered to have fewer stomata are less susceptible to diseases. They hope to be able to replicate these findings in crops such as wheat and rice.
·       crop production
·       drought prone wheat
·       farming
·       new discovery
First Published: June 20, 2019, 11:28 AM IST

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Scientists develop climate-ready wheat that can survive drought conditions

19-Jun-2019 9:20 AM EDT




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  • Wheat plants with fewer pores on their leaves make more efficient use of water
  • Study grew crops in climate breakdown conditions with more CO2 and less water
  • Findings could help farmers facing more frequent droughts and increased demand for staple foods from a growing population 
Wheat plants engineered to have fewer microscopic pores – called stomata – on their leaves are better able to survive drought conditions associated with climate breakdown, according to a new study.
Scientists at the University of Sheffield’s Institute for Sustainable Food found that engineering bread wheat to have fewer stomata helps the crop to use water more efficiently, while maintaining yields.
Agriculture accounts for 80-90 per cent of freshwater use around the world, and on average it takes more than 1,800 litres of water to produce a single kilogram of wheat. Yet as water supplies become scarce and more variable in the face of climate breakdown, farmers will need to produce more food than ever to feed a growing population.
Like most plants, wheat uses stomata to regulate its intake of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, as well as the release of water vapour. When water is plentiful, stomatal opening helps plants to regulate temperature by evaporative cooling – similar to sweating.
In drought conditions, wheat plants normally close their stomata to slow down water loss – but wheat with fewer stomata has been found to conserve water even better, and can use that water to cool itself.

During the study, published in the Journal of Experimental Botany, the scientists grew wheat in conditions similar to those expected under climate breakdown – with higher levels of carbon dioxide and less water. Compared to conventional wheat, the
engineered plants used less water while maintaining photosynthesis and yield.

The research builds on the Institute for Sustainable Food’s work to develop climate-ready rice, which found that rice with fewer stomata used 40 per cent less water than conventional breeds and was able to survive drought and temperatures of 40C.
Julie Gray, Professor of Plant Molecular Biology at the Institute for Sustainable Food, said: “Wheat is a staple food for millions of people around the world – but as extreme droughts become more frequent, farmers face the prospect of dwindling yields.
“Developing wheat that uses water more efficiently will help us to feed our growing population while using fewer natural resources – making our food systems more resilient in the face of climate breakdown.”
In a separate study published in Plant, Cell and Environment, scientists at the Institute alsofound that plants engineered to have fewer stomata are less susceptible to diseases. They hope to be able to replicate these findings in crops such as wheat and rice.
The Institute for Sustainable Food at the University of Sheffield brings together multidisciplinary expertise and world-class research facilities to help achieve food security and protect the natural resources we all depend on.
Media contact:
For further information please contact: Sophie Armour, Media and PR Assistant, University of Sheffield, 0114 222 3687,sophie.armour@sheffield.ac.uk 
The University of Sheffield
With almost 29,000 of the brightest students from over 140 countries, learning alongside over 1,200 of the best academics from across the globe, the University of Sheffield is one of the world’s leading universities.
A member of the UK’s prestigious Russell Group of leading research-led institutions, Sheffield offers world-class teaching and research excellence across a wide range of disciplines.
Unified by the power of discovery and understanding, staff and students at the university are committed to finding new ways to transform the world we live in.
Sheffield is the only university to feature in The Sunday Times 100 Best Not-For-Profit Organisations to Work For 2018 and for the last eight years has been ranked in the top five UK universities for Student Satisfaction by Times Higher Education.
Sheffield has six Nobel Prize winners among former staff and students and its alumni go on to hold positions of great responsibility and influence all over the world, making significant contributions in their chosen fields.
Global research partners and clients include Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Unilever, AstraZeneca, Glaxo SmithKline, Siemens and Airbus, as well as many UK and overseas government agencies and charitable foundations.

New two-step method improves bioethanol production efficiency

Description: news item image
An international group of researchers has developed a two-step method to more efficiently break down carbohydrates into single sugar components, an essential process in the production of green fuel.
Led by scientists at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) in Japan, the researchers published their results in April in the American Chemical Society Journey, Industrial & Engineering Chemical Research.
The process, known as saccharification, results in the production of single sugar components – monosaccharides – which can then be fermented into bioethanol or biobutanol.
"For a long time, considerable attention has been focused on the utilisation of homogenous acids and enzymes for saccharification," said Eika W. Qian, paper author and professor in the Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering at TUAT. "Enzymatic saccharification is seen to be a reasonable prospect since it offers the potential for higher yields, lower energy costs, and it's more environmentally friendly."
The use of enzymes to break down carbohydrates, however, can be hindered – particularly in biomass materials such as rice straw.
Rice straw comprises three carbohydrates: starch, hemicellulose and cellulose; the latter two carbohydrates cannot be broken down by enzymes due to their cell wall structure and surface area, so must be pre-treated, which can be expensive.
Another option is to use solid acid catalysts, according to the researchers, which can be recovered after saccharification and reused.
However, as Qian explains, it’s not as simple as switching the enzymes for acids, as the carbohydrates are not uniform.
Hemicellulose and starch, for example, degrade at 180 degrees Celsius and below, whereas cellulose only degrades at temperatures of 200 degrees Celsius and above.
Consequently, to maximise the resulting yield of sugar from the rice straw, the researchers have developed a two-step process: one for the hemicellulose and a second for the cellulose.
The first step requires a gentle solid acid at low temperatures (150 degrees Celsius and below), while the second requires a stronger solid acid and higher temperatures (210 degrees Celsius and above).
This new process has proved effective in testing, producing approximately 30% more sugars than traditional one-step processes.
"We are now looking for a partner to evaluate the feasibility of our two-step saccharification process in rice straw and other various materials such as wheat straw and corn stoke etc. in a pilot unit," Qian said. "Our ultimate goal is to commercialise our process to manufacture monosaccharides from this type of material in the future."

Kerala Scientists Use Mushrooms & Coconuts to Boost Incomes of 1600 Farmers!

Using their decades of experience, 75-year-old Rohini and her 84-year-old husband have dedicated their retired years to the welfare of Kollam’s farmers. The kind of heroes India truly needs!

About a decade ago, RD and Rohini Iyer, both agricultural scientists, retired from their respective jobs.
RD had built his career on botanical genetics, while Rohini, had worked on the integrated control of fungicide on ginger and coconut.
While the couple might have left their jobs, their passion to better the agricultural sector still burned bright.
After having worked in various parts of India, they decided to make the Thazhava village in Kollam, Kerala, their home and work for the welfare of farmers here.
Rohini had inherited a plot of land from her mother in this part of Kerala, and the duo built a small home on it. Their three daughters had already established their careers, and so, the couple could focus solely on their ‘second-innings.’
They established an NGO and christened it the NavaSakti Trust, to empower hundreds of farmers with innovative agricultural techniques and value-added initiatives that could earn them big profits.

84-year-old RD spoke to The Better India (TBI) about why their sole focus is on small farmers who toil endlessly to earn a marginal profit at the end of the agricultural cycle.

Description: https://www.thebetterindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/1978495_329471167219302_5881838560865883788_o.jpg
Rohini Iyer. Source: Navasakti trust/ Facebook.
“The costs of cultivation have increased in the past few years, and so, it is the small farmers, who rely on their family members for labour and cannot afford to hire farm labourers, who suffer the most. We wanted to help them secure higher profits in their fields, so their succeeding generations keep up the legacy and continue farming, rather than moving abroad,” he said.
Agriculture constitutes 13 per cent of Kerala’s GDP, and rice plays a major part in this sector. Although the state grows about 600 varieties of rice, it experiences steady growth in the price of the staple.
This is not because its farmers are profiting from the hiked prices but because about 91 per cent of the rice in the state has to be imported from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. And while the game of imports and exports within states and from India to other countries keeps advancing, it is the ordinary farmer who suffers through it all.
Investing the entirety of his field to the variety of crop that gives him only a meagre profit, the farmer in Kerala gets more impoverished by the year.
The couple’s efforts are directed to change this trend in Thazhava whose population stands at a little over 23,000.
Rice was one among the several examples of crops that cannot incur substantial profits. But what they observed was that one farmer would focus all his efforts and resources on one crop itself. So, if the year was good for the particular crop, it would yield a marvellous profit. But if the markets were low, the farmer would suffer terrible losses.

One farm, several crops

Description: https://www.thebetterindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/10359012_313068558859563_200574085561548737_o.jpg
The scientist couple inaugurating a poly house. Source: Navasakti trust/ Facebook.
“Our ideas were tried and tested,” Rohini begins. “That’s why we were confident in implementing them. One farm, however small, can be utilised to grow multiple crops. This way, the family farm can earn a steady income irrespective of the market values and clashes. Tapioca, coconuts, jackfruits are very popular in this part of the country, and they will never go out of demand. So, if a conventional farmer starts growing these trees in their farms, they could soon incur substantial profits,” she adds.
Through NavaSakti, the couple reached out to local farmers and began taking classes where they would explain the details of intercropping to them so that they could reap benefits.
This move proved to be highly beneficial. In certain instances, the income of some farmers grew by over 10 per cent.
Along with knowledge about intercropping, the Iyers also advertised another crop, which needs minimal resources to grow and is hugely beneficial.
In fact, this highly profitable fungus, the edible mushroom, needs very few resources to grow and is highly beneficial to the farmers’ family as a nutrition supplement.

Boosting the growth of mushrooms

Description: https://www.thebetterindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/1937429_325226000977152_8409433676160284375_n.jpg
Dr Iyer in a mushroom farm. Source: Navasakti trust/ Facebook.
Kerala cuisine features a lot of fish-based items. Blessed with endless miles of coastline, fresh fish is enjoyed in Kerala in many forms and flavours, and is a staple that accompanies every meal.
But, purchasing fish has become expensive. The rising prices are not only taking away a staple food item, but also a popular source of protein from a Malayali’s plate.
“Mushrooms can compensate in this regard,” says Rohini. “Oyster and milky mushrooms are inexpensive to grow and are nutritious. We started classes for mushroom cultivation on a national level. Those farmers who wish to scale the production commercially are free to do so, but our main aim was to secure the protein intake of the farming family.”


She adds that Kerala is blessed with very fertile soil, and the farmers need to make the most of this resource. This has to be done in a way that is beneficial not just in monetary terms but also on a personal level. Diet is one aspect of this.
If the farmer is not well fed, is it fair that he is responsible to feed the country?

Value-added products from raw materials

Description: https://www.thebetterindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Representative-image-only-2019-06-19T145613.014.jpg
(L) The Iyer couple. Source: Raja Durai Iyer/ Facebook. (R) Rohini Iyer. Source: Navasakti trust/ Facebook.
Another gap in the market chewing away at the farmer’s potential income is the fact that they sell raw material at low rates, but final products are sold in the market at high prices.
Take the example of coconut. Once it is harvested, the farmer sells it either in the market or to companies who make say, oil from it. There’s a vast difference in the market price of the ready product and that of the coconut.
While the farmers already make value-added products from raw materials for their personal use—oil from coconut, for example—the Iyers, through the NavaSakti Trust are trying to encourage farmers to increase the production and sell the products in the market.
Over the past 12 years, since the organisation was founded, the Iyers have led about 80 courses in agricultural development in Thazhava. Mushroom cultivation, production of value-added products and methods of intercropping are some examples of their courses.


Each course has about 20-25 “student” farmers from various parts of Kollam. And although their team strength is just four—the couple and two more women who are working with NavaSakti—they have managed to help about 1600 farmers optimise their produce and techniques.
“We need to show the younger generation that agriculture is profitable. That is the only way of keeping them from going abroad for jobs. Farming is a noble occupation, but it comes with a huge set of investments, risks and unpredictability. We are just trying to show them that if innovative techniques are used, farming can be as stable and profitable as any other occupation,” says RD.
If you wish to reach out to the Iyers for further details, send them an email on navasakti@gmail.com.
(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Darma plans rice mill in Nigeria to ease imports

Photo: Adobe stock
06.20.2019
KATSINA, NIGERIA — Darma Rice Mill Ltd. plans to build a rice mill in Katsina, Nigeria, that it said will support the nation’s move toward self-sufficiency, The Guardian reported.
The mill will process 600,000 tonnes of rice per year and will be built in two phases. The first will have a 300,000 tonne per year capacity with two 16-tph rice mill lines. It will be ready to start operation in the second quarter of 2020, said Fahad Mangal, executive director of the company.
Work will then immediately begin on the second phase, which will include another 300,000 tonnes of annual capacity.
Mangal said the region has a large amount of agricultural land and farmers are already a part of their growers’ scheme, receiving loans to produce paddy rice.
He said the Katsina plant would support government in achieving self-sufficiency in rice production, meet local demand and also export to neighboring countries in the future.

From plows to tractors, rice farms to be mechanized under tariffs law

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jun 19 2019 11:24 PM
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MANILA - Rice farmers will benefit from the Rice Tariffication Act by getting modern mechanized equipment that is expected to improve farm yields, an agency attached to the Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday. 
The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization, or Philmech, said it has already identified an initial 1,200 major rice-producing municipalities in the Philippines that will receive farm machinery once funds from rice tariffs are collected. 
Philmech is set to get P30 billion from 2019 to 2024 for distribution of mechanized farming equipment such as tractors, transplanters, harvesters, threshers, mechanical dryers and other machinery.
"Depende sa needs noong mga farmers associations or organzations at ito yung basehan ng pagbibigay o pagdi-distribute ng mga machinery," said Dr. Rod Estigoy, chief science research specialist of Philmech.    
Tariffs collected from imported rice are supposed to be channeled to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund to help local farmers compete with cheaper imports. 
Local farmers had opposed the rice tariffs law, fearing it would flood the market with cheaper rice from abroad, and kill the local rice industry. 
Estigoy noted that a kilo of palay, or unmilled rice, costs just P6 per kilo in Vietnam, and P8 in Thailand. 
While a kilo of palay in the Philippines currently costs around P12 per kilo, farm mechanization is expected to reduce this to at least P10 per kilo, Estigoy said. 
He added that modern equipment will also minimize postharvest losses from inefficient drying and milling methods. 
The Philmech official added that the machinery will be given for free to farmers' associations, who will also be asked to maintain them. 
Estigoy however, also said introducing modern farm equipment faced challenges in the Philippines because the country's small landholdings needed to be "consolidated" to allow them to benefit from the efficiency of mechanization. 
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Poultry sector wants advance tax on raw material imports scrapped
·       Published at 10:02 pm June 19th, 2019
Description: Poultry sector wants advance tax on raw material imports scrapped
Feed Industries Association Bangladesh (FIAB) and Breeders Association of Bangladesh (BAB) urge the government to withdraw 5% advance tax on imports of all kinds raw materials at a media briefing on Wednesday Courtesy

The sector people have expressed deep concern as the budget proposed to impose 2% to 5% source tax on purchase of raw materials such as maize and rice bran from the domestic source
Feed Industries Association Bangladesh (FIAB) and Breeders Association of Bangladesh (BAB) on Wednesday urged the government to withdraw 5% advance tax (AT) on imports of all kinds raw materials including maize, soybean oil cake as it would increases the production costs. 
FIAB and BAB leaders came with the call at a post-budget joint press conference in the capital on Wednesday. 
“For the fiscal year 2019-20, our key demand was withdrawal of 5% regulatory duty on import of soybean oil cake, 5% advance tax and customs duty on cotton seeds and palm nut and 5% AT on import of maize,” said FIAB President Ihtesham B Shahjahan. 
"If the government did so, it would decrease the production cost of poultry feed, eggs and broiler," Ihtesham pointed out. 
"But the proposed budget did not withdraw taxes on the aforesaid goods, rather it imposed  advance tax on import of all kinds of goods, which frustrated us as the production cost would go up," said the leader,      
In addition, the sector people have expressed deep concern as the budget proposed to impose 2% to 5% source tax on purchase of raw materials such as maize and rice bran from the domestic source. 
"The proposed budget is again going to include tax at source on collection of raw materials for the manufacturing industry to bring parity in tax policy, and to implement this, the sector will need to pay 5% source tax on purchase of raw materials from local source," said Ihtesham. 
It would be very tough to execute the tax at source on purchase as the farmers would be the ultimate sufferers, he added.
BAB President Rakibur Rahman Tutul said: “We urged the government to withdraw 5% advance tax on import parent stock and grandparent stock which produce fertilized eggs, imported maize and soybean oil cake and also withdraw 5% AT from capital machinery." 
FIAB General Secretary Ahasanuzzaman, however, expressed his satisfaction over continuation of the existing facilities and rice bran export duty. 
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Scientists Issue Warning To Humanity: Climate Change Depends On Microbes

By Roni Dengler | June 19, 2019 1:08 pm
Description: flooded rice field
A flooded rice field. Microbes in the soil release methane when rice fields are flooded, adding to greenhouse gas emissions. (Credit: Jet Rockkk/.Shutterstock)
The real impact of climate change depends on tiny organisms we can’t even see, argues an international panel of more than 30 microbiologists in a consensus statement published Tuesday.
Microbes, or microorganisms, are any organism or virus invisible to the naked eye. Numbering in the nonillions (in the U.S., that’s 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, or a 10 followed by 30 zeros), they make up the “unseen majority” of life on Earth, according to the scientists. Microbes not only contribute to how fast the climate changes, but to our ability to mitigate and adapt to it.
“[Microbes] support the existence of all higher lifeforms and are critically important in regulating climate change,” Ricardo Cavicchioli, a University of New South Wales environmental microbiologist and co-author on the paper, said in a press release. “However, they are rarely the focus of climate change studies and not considered in policy development.”
Now, Cavicchioli and his co-authors hope that their statement, published in the journal Nature Reviews Microbiology, “puts humanity on notice,” they write in the abstract.

Climate Contributions

The world’s dirt holds on to some 2.2 trillion tons of carbon. That’s more than the combined amount of carbon in the atmosphere and in vegetation. And what controls how much carbon soil can hang on to and how much it releases? Microbes. Their carbon gatekeeping is critical, because the element is one of the key components of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2), which is currently at record levels in Earth’s atmosphere.
Although plants remove CO2 from the atmosphere during food-making photosynthesis, they also release the greenhouse gas back into the atmosphere during respiration, i.e., when they break down that food. And temperature changes influence how much carbon plants take up or let go of.
The same is true of soil microbes. “In terrestrial environments, microbes release a range of important greenhouse gases to the atmosphere (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide), and climate change is causing these emissions to increase,” Cavicchioli said. That’s because, as with plants, hotter temperatures cause soil microbes to release more carbon. And since climate-change-induced warming is only getting worse, scientists expect more carbon from vegetation and soils will go into the atmosphere.
But there are microbes other than the ones in soil that impact climate change. Cows, sheep, goats and other similar animals have microbes in their guts that help the animals digest their food. However, as a by-product of this digestion, these microbes produce methane — a potent greenhouse gas whose levels in the atmosphere have ballooned in the last five years
Rice fields, too, release methane into the atmosphere. To grow the crop, farmers flood the fields, which are home to many microbes. These microorganisms produce methane in anaerobic environments where little to no oxygen is freely available. Since rice fields are flooded with water, where oxygen is chemically bound to hydrogen and unusable to the microbes, the conditions are ripe for the little organisms to pump out methane.  
Rice is a major staple food for half the world’s population, so these methane emissions add up: Rice fields currently contribute about 20 percent of agriculture’s emissions of the greenhouse gas. As the population continues to grow, scientists anticipate those numbers will grow, too.

Mighty Mitigators

While microorganisms contribute substantially to climate change, the authors point out that these invisible creatures can also do the opposite. 
Agricultural fertilizers release nitrous oxide (N2O, more commonly known as laughing gas), another powerful greenhouse gas. But some bacteria that live in plant roots produce an enzyme that can convert N2O into nitrogen, a non-greenhouse gas that makes up nearly 80 percent of the air we breathe. Researchers say using bacteria that have higher levels of this enzyme can lower N2O emissions. 
The authors also note breeding programs for cows that change their gut microbes to produce less methane could reduce emissions.
Understanding more about how microorganisms influence climate change could have further impacts on mitigation strategies, the researchers say.
“The statement emphasizes the need to investigate microbial responses to climate change and to include microbe-based research during the development of policy and management decisions,” Cavicchioli said.
Ex-MLA to meet CM on SC funds
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Chandigarh: Over 1,600 unaided colleges of Punjab have decided not to admit SC students from 2019-20 session due to non-payment of post-matric scholarship funds for SC students either from the Centre or state government. Dr Anshu Kataria, spokesperson for Joint Action Committee (JAC), said till now the funds of 2015-16 had been disbursed to the colleges. The funds for 2016-17 had not been fully disbursed, while the funds for 2017-18 and 2018-19 were pending. Kataria said JAC chairman and ex-MLA Ashwani Sekhri would raise the issue with the Chief Minister on June 20. TNS
Millers seek security refund
Fatehgarh Sahib: The Punjab Rice Miller Association has demanded immediate release of milling charges as per the custom milling agreement made by millers with the procurement agencies for 2018-19. Besides, Rs 5 lakh each security deposited by 3,700 rice millers is also pending with the Director, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Punjab. Nakesh Jindal of the association said many millers had delivered rice to the FCI and many agencies were not making payments. OC
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Directed evolution comes to plants

KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (KAUST)
    
Description: IMAGE
A new platform for speeding up and controlling the evolution of proteins inside living plants has been developed by a KAUST-led team.
Previously, this type of directed evolution system was only possible in viruses, bacteria, yeast and mammalian cell lines. The Saudi research--part of KAUST's Desert Agriculture Initiative--has now expanded the technique to rice and other food plants. It means that plant breeders now have an easy way to rapidly engineer new crop varieties capable of withstanding weeds, diseases, pests and other agricultural stresses.
"We expect that our platform will be used for crop bioengineering to improve key traits that impact yield and immunity to pathogens," says group leader Magdy Mahfouz. "This technology should help improve plant resilience under climate change conditions."
To experimentally build their directed evolution platform, Mahfouz and his colleagues used a combination of targeted mutagenesis and artificial selection in the rice plant, Oryza sativa. They took advantage of the gene-editing tool known as CRISPR to generate DNA breaks at more than 100 sites throughout the SF3B1 gene, which encodes a protein involved in the processing of other gene transcripts. After manipulating the DNA of small bundles of rice cells in this way, the researchers then grew the mutated seedlings in the presence of herboxidiene, a herbicide that normally targets the SF3B1 protein to inhibit plant growth and development.
This strategy ultimately yielded more than 20 new rice variants with mutations that conferred resistance to herboxidiene to varying degrees. In collaboration with Stefan Arold's group at the KAUST Computational Bioscience Research Center, Mahfouz and his colleagues then characterized the structural basis of the resistance--showing, for example, how particular mutations helped destabilize herbicide binding to the SF3B1 protein.
Herboxidiene is not widely used in industrial agriculture, but the same basic directed evolution strategy could now be used to design crops resistant to more common weed-killers. The herbicides would then eliminate unwanted surrounding plants while leaving the desired cultivated crop intact.
Breeders could also begin to evolve practically any trait of interest, notes Haroon Butt, a postdoctoral fellow in Mahfouz's lab. "This is a proof-of-principle study with wide applicability," says Butt, the first author of the paper that outlines the technology. "Our platform mimics Darwinism, and the selection pressure involved helps enforce the development of new gene variants and traits that would not be possible by any other known method."

Rice Prices

as on : 20-06-2019 12:09:45 PM

Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
Arrivals
Price
Current
%
change
Season 
cumulative
Modal
Prev.
Modal
Prev.Yr
%change
Rice
Gauripur(ASM)
46.00
5.75
1020.50
4500
4500
NC
Gazipur(UP)
41.00
7.89
4702.50
3280
3280
-
Lakhimpur(UP)
30.00
-6.25
1303.50
2320
2310
-0.43
Mugrabaadshahpur(UP)
25.00
-28.57
85.00
2240
2240
-
Tulsipur(UP)
18.00
-10
57.00
1875
1850
-
Vilthararoad(UP)
10.00
NC
631.00
2150
2150
2.87
Paliakala(UP)
10.00
-13.04
473.30
2310
2290
1.32
Chitwadagaon(UP)
9.00
NC
59.00
2100
2100
-
Utraula(UP)
7.00
-66.67
162.00
1870
1760
14.72
Tundla(UP)
7.00
-10.26
202.60
2550
2560
0.39
Puwaha(UP)
4.20
-40
271.70
2300
2400
2.22
Kishunpur(UP)
4.00
-80.95
176.00
1800
1800
NC
Ruperdeeha(UP)
4.00
-33.33
232.00
2150
2150
-
Badda(UP)
4.00
NC
92.20
2300
2400
-
Chandoli(UP)
3.60
-34.55
331.80
2350
2310
3.52
Nautnava(UP)
2.50
150
244.10
2240
2300
-
Jambusar(Kaavi)(Guj)
1.00
NC
46.00
3100
3000
-
Published on June 20, 2019
TOPICS

17
JUN
2019
Author: Bobby Coats, Professor of Economics
By Bobby Coats, Professor of Economics and Agricultural Economist
Join us Thursday, June 20 at 10 a.m. CST as we host Josh Hankins who will talk about conservation program opportunities for rice.
Great strides have been taken over the years to conserve our nation’s working ricelands with significant reductions in land, water, and energy use. As new conservation tools and programs emerge they present an opportunity to keep building on those accomplishments, but finding those opportunities is often the challenge. Also, learn about the USA Rice – Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership’s new opportunities for rice farmers.
About the Presenter: Josh Hankins is the Director of Grower Relations and Rice Stewardship Partnership for USA Rice. Josh is headquartered in Arkansas and leads efforts to deliver on-the-ground conservation initiatives, assisting rice producers with increased on-farm energy and nutrient use efficiencies, water and soil conservation and wildlife management. His efforts through public-private partnerships have helped bring in over $50 million of conservation funding to the rice farming industry.
Josh has wide-ranging work experience in the fields of agriculture, finance, and medicine. Josh grew up in Faulkner County, AR, received his degree from Pepperdine University in California, and lives in Little Rock with his wife and two daughters.

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Top-end rice prices on the boil
Vishwanath Kulkarni  Bengaluru | Updated on June 17, 2019  Published onJune 17, 2019
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Description: https://bl.thgim.com/economy/agri-business/1jlig4/article28022424.ece/alternates/WIDE_435/bl18rice
Prices of preferred non-basmati rice varieties such as Sona Masuri and Kolam have risen by up to a fifth over the past few weeks on supply squeeze. This is mainly on account of reduced output in the previous cropping season in the drought-affected regions of eastern Karnataka and Vidarbha, where these varieties are mostly grown.
Also the tardy progress of southwest monsoon and concerns over projection of rainfall this year has aided the upward price trend with farmers and millers holding back their stocks, sources said.
Water crisis
Scanty rainfall last year coupled with lack of canal water for irrigation had impacted the paddy cultivation in districts such as Bellary, Koppal, Raichur and Yadgir in Eastern Karnataka.
“While the kharif transplantation was hit by the delay in release of water last year, farmers could not take up paddy cultivation during the rabi season as there was hardly any water in the canals,” said Chamras Malipatil, President of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha - Hasiru Sene.
However, there’s no dearth of paddy stocks, he said. “Large farmers, stockists and millers are holding the stocks from previous crops,” Malipatil said, adding that newer storage techniques, including improved fumigation, are helping them hold the stocks.
Traditionally, the prices of the preferred varieties go up during this time of the year by about 2 per kg as the supply slows down. However, the extent of increase has more than doubled to around 5 per kg this year, says RC Lahoti, President, Bengaluru Wholesale Food Grain & Pulses Merchants’ Association.
Interestingly, the prices of other varieties such as Salem Idly has also gone up this year. “Prices may come down when the farmers start releasing the stocks in October-November,” Lahoti said.
Srikar Nag of Raichur Rice Mills Association, blamed the unplanned release of water for irrigation from the dams on the Tungabhadra and the Krishna rivers in the region for the shortfall in the crop. “Though the Tungabhadra dam got filled up, farmers could hardly take advantage of it due to the unplanned release of waters by the government,” said Nag.
Abysmal water levels
Water levels have reached the dead storage levels in Tungabhadra reservoir, where accumulation of silt has reduced the storage capacity. While the shortfall in last year’s kharif crop was estimated at 30-40 per cent, farmers could hardly harvest a tenth of the rabi crop, he said.
As a result, the supplies to the rice mills in Raichur have drastically reduced, forcing some mills to fetch paddy from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Nag said. Consecutive droughts in Nagpur region, where the Kolam variety is grown, has also hit the supplies of the premium variety, he added.
Vikram Shreeram of Shriya Rice Mills in Raichur said the price correction ranged between 2-6 per kg at the mill, depending on the varieties. The shortage of paddy has hit the processing of 70-odd rice mills in Raichur, which have reduced their production by half. “The 70-odd mills used to load about 400-500 tonnes of processed rice every day. Presently, we are not even loading 150-200 tonnes a day,” he added.
Srinivas Jayanthi, a trader in Bengaluru said the price fluctuation continues on a daily basis.
The steamed variety of sona masuri has seen the highest increase from around 33 a kg a month ago to aound 41-42 per kg now. “Prices could ease depending on the progress of monsoon,” he added.
India’s rice production for 2018-19 is seen at a record 115.63 million tonnes. Bulk of the paddy produced in India is that of common variety, which is used for supply of rice through the public distribution system. Trade sources estimate that about a fourth of rice produced in India is of premium variety including basmati. However, the production figures for preferred varieties like sona masuri and kolam were not readily available

Economist sees favorable rice price outlook
·       BRUCE SCHULZ | LSU AGCENTER

·       19 hrs ago

·        
Description: Economist sees favorable rice price outlook

LSU AgCenter rice specialist Dustin Harrell, far left, tells farmers at the Vermilion Parish rice field day on June 11 about fertilizer strategies they should consider for their rice crop.
·       Bruce Schultz / LSU AgCenter
Description: Economist sees favorable rice price outlook

At stop on the field tour during the Acadia Parish rice field day on June 12, LSU AgCenter weed scientist Eric Webster talks about a study of herbicide effectiveness on aquatic weeds.
·       Bruce Schultz / LSU AgCenter
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LAKE ARTHUR — An LSU AgCenter economist had good news for rice farmers at the Vermilion Parish rice field day on June 11.
“Optimism is high that with recaptured market share in core markets, the outlook for rice is positive from a price standpoint,” Michael Deliberto said.
He told farmers American rice has become more competitive, which could allow the U.S. to regain market share in Latin America.
The improved trade outlook combined with decreased U.S. rice acreage has led the U.S. Department of Agriculture to increase its projected long-grain price to $10.50 per hundredweight and the medium-grain price to $11 cwt., a 50-cent increase from the previous USDA estimate, Deliberto said.
Iraq has agreed to buy 120,000 metric tons of U.S. rice, but it’s unclear if that country will consistently be an American customer.
The prospect of selling rice to China remains viable, but no deals have been reached yet, Deliberto said.
China has been selling rice in Puerto Rico, and China has become taking away U.S. market share in the Mediterranean.
At the Acadia Parish rice field day on June 12, farmers heard about extensive weed research being conducted at the South Farm of the AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station. AgCenter weed scientist Eric Webster showed farmers several herbicide studies he is conducting with his graduate students.
Graduate student Sam Rustom has a study of mixing Loyant with Provisia.
One study is looking at the rates of Loyant that can damage soybeans from drift. Small droplets of Loyant, 2,4-D and dicamba can damage nearby crops. “If you’re putting Loyant out next to a soybean field, be very careful. It takes only a small amount to get activity,” Webster said.
Another study is being conducted to see if rice seed germination is affected by late-season herbicide applications.
Testing also is being conducted on herbicide timing and rates for a wide range of products, said graduate student Connor Webster.
AgCenter rice breeder Adam Famoso said two Clearfield lines are possible candidates for release as varieties.
The line 2097 has a yield increase over CL153 by 5%, but the grain quality is an issue with a higher amount of chalk. Another line, 2195, has 3% to 5% less yield than CL153 but with better grain quality than 2097, he said.
Foundation seed is being grown for both lines, Famoso said, so if either is released at the end of this year, seed production could start in 2020. “At the end of the season, we’ll make a final decision,” he said.
A new Provisia variety was approved this year, but work continues on more possibilities with the Provisia technology. “We’ve got plenty of other lines in the Provisia pipeline,” Famoso said.
AgCenter plant pathologist Don Groth said he has received sheath blight disease reports. “It’s actually getting a later start compared to previous years,” he said.
Fungicide-resistant sheath blight can be controlled with Elegia. Amistar Top didn’t work as well as expected last year, but more research is being done to see if its effectiveness can be improved, Groth said.
It appears this won’t be a bad year for Cercospora. But Cercospora will become apparent earlier on late-planted rice, he said.
AgCenter rice specialist Dustin Harrell said heavy rainfall this spring has created more challenges for growing rice. Most of it was planted the third week of March. “We were fighting the weather from the get-go,” he said.
The last big rain probably claimed 200 acres of rice, and one farmer has had his crop submerged three times after heavy rains this year.
“It’s all been about fighting the water,” said Andrew Granger, AgCenter agent in Vermilion Parish.
Some uneven emergence of rice plants has occurred on some fields, probably from cool soil temperatures, Harrell said.
AgCenter entomologist Blake Wilson said the seed treatment Fortenza used with Cruiser Maxx has been as effective as Dermacor against rice water weevils, but it has no activity on stem borers.
Stem borers can take away as much as 5% to 10% of crop yield.
Dermacor can even be effective on stem borers in the ratoon crop, Wilson said.
AgCenter plant pathologist and soybean specialist Boyd Padgett said research is being done to find flood-tolerant soybean varieties.
Soybeans can survive flooding for 48 to 96 hours, depending on conditions.
Padgett recommended farmers wait four to five days before deciding whether they will replant a soybean field that has flooded.

Consolidated Grain and Barge to lease nine elevators from Agspring

Big River Rice and Grain’s elevator in Crowville, Louisiana, U.S. Photo courtesy of Big River Rice and Grain.
06.19.2019
MANDEVILLE, LOUISIANA, U.S. — Consolidated Grain and Barge Co. has signed an agreement to lease nine grain elevators from Big River Rice and Grain, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Agspring.
The agreement includes seven facilities in Louisiana — in Crowville, Dunn, Hollybrook, Lake Providence, Mer Rouge, Monticello and Pioneer — and two facilities in Arkansas — in Eudora and Parkdale.
“We are pleased that area producers will directly benefit from this transaction with CGB through their direct ties to the export markets,” said Mark Beemer, chief executive officer of Agspring. “This transaction allows Agspring to focus on our value-added businesses, including Thresher Artisan Wheat, Firebird Artisan Mills and Agforce Transport Services.”
Consolidated Grain and Barge is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CGB Enterprises, Inc. The company operates 95 grain facilities across the U.S. Midwest.
Big River Rice and Grain provides origination, storage and handling, logistics, marketing and risk management for corn, soybeans, wheat, rice and milo.
Seoul to send 50,000 tons of rice to Pyongyang
Posted : 2019-06-19 18:34
Updated : 2019-06-20 09:56
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South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul announces about the government's latest food aid to the North at the Government Complex Seoul in the city's Jongno District, Wednesday. Yonhap

South Korea said Wednesday it will send 50,000 tons of rice in aid to North Korea via a U.N. agency as part of efforts to help the impoverished state cope with its worsening food shortages.

The aid will be transported by the World Food Programme (WFP), which will also be in charge of its distribution and necessary monitoring in North Korea, according to the unification ministry.

It marks the first time for South Korea to provide rice to North Korea since 2010, when it sent 5,000 tons to support its efforts to recover from flood damage. It will also be the first time Seoul has sent locally harvested rice to the North through an international agency.

"In close cooperation with the WFP, the government decided to provide 50,000 tons of domestically grown rice to the North Korean people in need," Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul told reporters during a press briefing. "We expect the food assistance to be delivered to the North Korean people as soon as possible."

"The timing and scale of additional food assistance to North Korea will be determined in consideration of the outcome of the aid provision this time," Kim added.

The minister noted that the government will do its best to deliver the aid by the end of September.

The decision will be finalized after a government committee overseeing inter-Korean exchange approves it. Once approved, the necessary rice will be purchased from the local market and transferred to the WFP, which will spearhead its shipment to the North.

The government expects to spend around 127 billion won (US$107.9 million) to secure the rice.

North Korea has been faced with worsening food shortages apparently caused by crushing global sanctions and years of unfavorable weather conditions.

In February, North Korea's top envoy to the U.N. requested emergency food assistance, saying that his country will suffer a food shortage estimated at around 1.5 million tons this year.

The WFP and the Food and Agriculture Organization recently reported, based on a visit to North Korea, that the country's crop output last year hit the lowest level since 2008, adding that an estimated 10 million people, about 40 percent of the population, are in urgent need of food.

The decision on the provision of rice came after Seoul recently donated $8 million to the WFP and the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) for their projects in North Korea to support the nutrition of children and pregnant women and address their health problems.

Critics objected to Seoul's push for food assistance to North Korea, citing its short-range missile tests in May. The Seoul government said politics should not play a role in dealing with such humanitarian issues.

The government expects that food assistance to North Korea could boost the cross-border reconciliatory mood and help advance inter-Korean relations, which have been in limbo apparently affected by a lack of progress in denuclearization talks.

Denuclearization negotiations have been stalled since February's summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump ended without a deal as they failed to find common ground over the scope of Pyongyang's denuclearization and Washington's sanctions relief.

Since the breakdown of the summit, North Korea has not been responsive to South Korea's push for cooperative cross-border projects, demanding Seoul stay independent of external intervention and have more say in its pursuit of inter-Korean cooperation.

President Moon Jae-in earlier expressed hope of meeting Kim before Moon's planned summit with Trump slated for later this month and emphasized that he is ready to meet him regardless of timing, venue and formality. North Korea has yet to react Seoul's offer of a summit. (Yonhap)






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The United States and North Korea are preparing for a new denuclearization agreement, according to Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, Wednesday. “The North and the United States a...
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S.Korea to provide 50,000 tons of rice to DPRK via WFP

Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-19 17:13:01|Editor: Yamei
SEOUL, June 19 (Xinhua) -- South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, the country's top policymaker in charge of inter-Korean affairs, told a televised press briefing Wednesday that his country will provide 50,000 tons of rice to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) through the World Food Program (WFP).
Kim said it would take around two months to deliver the country's homegrown rice to the DPRK through the WFP, noting that Seoul will make efforts to provide the rice as rapidly as possible.
The rice provision announcement came after Seoul approved a plan earlier this month to donate 8 million U.S. dollars to the WFP and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for humanitarian food aid to the DPRK.

VFrom plows to tractors, rice farms to be mechanized under tariffs law

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jun 19 2019 11:24 PM
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MANILA - Rice farmers will benefit from the Rice Tariffication Act by getting modern mechanized equipment that is expected to improve farm yields, an agency attached to the Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday. 
The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization, or Philmech, said it has already identified an initial 1,200 major rice-producing municipalities in the Philippines that will receive farm machinery once funds from rice tariffs are collected. 
Philmech is set to get P30 billion from 2019 to 2024 for distribution of mechanized farming equipment such as tractors, transplanters, harvesters, threshers, mechanical dryers and other machinery.
"Depende sa needs noong mga farmers associations or organzations at ito yung basehan ng pagbibigay o pagdi-distribute ng mga machinery," said Dr. Rod Estigoy, chief science research specialist of Philmech.    
Tariffs collected from imported rice are supposed to be channeled to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund to help local farmers compete with cheaper imports. 
Local farmers had opposed the rice tariffs law, fearing it would flood the market with cheaper rice from abroad, and kill the local rice industry. 
Estigoy noted that a kilo of palay, or unmilled rice, costs just P6 per kilo in Vietnam, and P8 in Thailand. 
While a kilo of palay in the Philippines currently costs around P12 per kilo, farm mechanization is expected to reduce this to at least P10 per kilo, Estigoy said. 
He added that modern equipment will also minimize postharvest losses from inefficient drying and milling methods. 
The Philmech official added that the machinery will be given for free to farmers' associations, who will also be asked to maintain them. 
Estigoy however, also said introducing modern farm equipment faced challenges in the Philippines because the country's small landholdings needed to be "consolidated" to allow them to benefit from the efficiency of mechanization. 

\UK scientists develop drought-tolerant wheat plants

Description: © Tim Scrivener© Tim Scrivener
Scientists have developed wheat plants engineered to better survive drought conditions associated with climate breakdown.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield found that engineering bread wheat to have fewer microscopic spores – called stomata – helps the crop to use water more efficiently, while maintaining yields.
Like most plants, wheat uses stomata to regulate its intake of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, as well as the release of water vapour. When water is plentiful, stomatal opening helps plants to regulate temperature by evaporative cooling – similar to sweating.
In drought conditions, wheat plants normally close their stomata to slow down water loss – but wheat with fewer stomata has been found to conserve water even better, and can use that water to cool itself.
During the study, published in the Journal of Experimental Botany, the scientists grew wheat in conditions similar to those expected under climate breakdown – with higher levels of carbon dioxide and less water.
Compared with conventional wheat, the engineered plants used less water, while maintaining photosynthesis and yield.
Julie Gray, professor of plant molecular biology at the University of Sheffield’s Institute for Sustainable Food, said: “Wheat is a staple food for millions of people around the world – but as extreme droughts become more frequent, farmers face the prospect of dwindling yields.
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“Developing wheat that uses water more efficiently will help us to feed our growing population, while using fewer natural resources – making our food systems more resilient in the face of climate breakdown.”
Water scarcity
Agriculture accounts for 80-90% of freshwater use around the world, and on average it takes more than 1,800 litres of water to produce a single kilogramme of wheat.
Yet, as water supplies become scarce and more variable in the face of climate breakdown, farmers will need to produce more food than ever to feed a growing population.
The discovery raises hopes that drought-prone regions, such as Africa, will be more capable of feeding themselves in the future.
The research builds on the institute’s work to develop climate-ready rice, which found rice with fewer stomata used 40% less water than conventional breeds and was able to survive drought and temperatures of 40C.
In a separate study published in Plant, Cell and Environment, scientists at the institute also found that plants engineered to have fewer stomata are less susceptible to diseases. They hope to be able to replicate these findings in crops such as wheat and rice.

Directed evolution comes to plants

KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (KAUST)
    
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A new platform for speeding up and controlling the evolution of proteins inside living plants has been developed by a KAUST-led team.
Previously, this type of directed evolution system was only possible in viruses, bacteria, yeast and mammalian cell lines. The Saudi research--part of KAUST's Desert Agriculture Initiative--has now expanded the technique to rice and other food plants. It means that plant breeders now have an easy way to rapidly engineer new crop varieties capable of withstanding weeds, diseases, pests and other agricultural stresses.
"We expect that our platform will be used for crop bioengineering to improve key traits that impact yield and immunity to pathogens," says group leader Magdy Mahfouz. "This technology should help improve plant resilience under climate change conditions."
To experimentally build their directed evolution platform, Mahfouz and his colleagues used a combination of targeted mutagenesis and artificial selection in the rice plant, Oryza sativa. They took advantage of the gene-editing tool known as CRISPR to generate DNA breaks at more than 100 sites throughout the SF3B1 gene, which encodes a protein involved in the processing of other gene transcripts. After manipulating the DNA of small bundles of rice cells in this way, the researchers then grew the mutated seedlings in the presence of herboxidiene, a herbicide that normally targets the SF3B1 protein to inhibit plant growth and development.
This strategy ultimately yielded more than 20 new rice variants with mutations that conferred resistance to herboxidiene to varying degrees. In collaboration with Stefan Arold's group at the KAUST Computational Bioscience Research Center, Mahfouz and his colleagues then characterized the structural basis of the resistance--showing, for example, how particular mutations helped destabilize herbicide binding to the SF3B1 protein.
Herboxidiene is not widely used in industrial agriculture, but the same basic directed evolution strategy could now be used to design crops resistant to more common weed-killers. The herbicides would then eliminate unwanted surrounding plants while leaving the desired cultivated crop intact.
Breeders could also begin to evolve practically any trait of interest, notes Haroon Butt, a postdoctoral fellow in Mahfouz's lab. "This is a proof-of-principle study with wide applicability," says Butt, the first author of the paper that outlines the technology. "Our platform mimics Darwinism, and the selection pressure involved helps enforce the development of new gene variants and traits that would not be possible by any other known method."
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A program for Filipino rice farmers, consumers

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Many have long  wondered  why  we cannot meet the rice needs of our own people, why we have to import  from Vietnam and Thailand hundreds of thousands of metric tons a year.
The answer is that it costs an average of P12 to produce a kilo of  palay in the Philippines; it only costs half that much, P6, in Vietnam.  The big difference is largely due to mechanization, which has drastically reduced  labor  costs  in Vietnam and  Thailand.
Sen.  Cynthia  Villar, chairman of the Senate Committee on  Agriculture, told a forum of the Philippine Chamber of  Commerce and Industry last Friday that another reason for low Philippine rice production  is the continuing reliance of Filipino farmers on low-yielding  traditional rice varieties.
Our scientists in the Philippine Rice Research  Institute  have developed new rice varieties that are resistant to diseases, to drought,  and to flooding, and  produce  greater harvests, but their findings have not  reached down to the level of  most  Filipino  farmers.
Some years ago, Secretary of Agriculture Emmanuel  Pinol  said his department’s efforts to modernize Philippine agriculture were held back by inadequate government  funding.
Rice is at the center of  life  among Filipinos.  When prices started shooting up last year, with inflation reaching  6.7 percent in September, the government stopped  the rise in market prices by ensuring  adequate supplies  of  rice at low prices through the Rice Tariffication Law. Former import restrictions were  abolished  and  all importations, mostly from Vietnam and Thailand, were allowed as long as they paid proper tariffs.
Unfortunately,  however,  while that law ensured  an adequate supply  of imported rice for consumers, it was at the expense of local farmers.
In  the remaining years of the Duterte administration, we urge that the Philippine rice production be given the full  support  it  needs –  widespread  distribution  of high-yielding rice varieties to our farmers,  increased mechanization to bring down labor costs, wider use of irrigation to reduce dependence on rain water,  and  organizing  the farmers and giving them  the needed  financial support and helping them  in their marketing.
Senator  Villar  can play a big role in this total effort by getting the Senate to enact more laws to provide more  funding for agriculture. The administration  itself should see that while “Build, Build, Build” will push  the overall national economic development program,  a “Plant, Plant, Plant” program focused on rice will benefit  Filipino farmers and the masses of rice-eating Filipinos.

Council renews advocacy vs rice straw burning

AKLAN. Officers and members of the Aklan Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Council discussing their concern on the revival of an advocacy against burning of rice straws in the province. (Jun N. Aguirre)
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June 20, 2019
THE Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Council (PAFC) in Aklan is passing a resolution asking the local government units in the province to renew their commitment against rice straw burning practice among farmers.

In a PAFC quarterly meeting held Thursday, June 20, at the Aklan Provincial Capitol, Emerlinda R. Dela Cruz, PAFC chairman, said the burning of rice straws has been one of the concerns raised by the council's members. 

Incidents of burning rice straws have reportedly been monitors in some barangays in the towns of Lezo, Tangalan and Makato, among others.

Some farmers said the barangay officials should be in the frontline in intensifying the campaign against rice straw burning.

Many of the officials, however, are hesitant to make apprehensions for fear of not supporting them in the barangay elections scheduled in 2020.

"In the province, we are invoking the provincial ordinance enacted for several years already. Violators, when caught, will be penalized will be asked to join a seminar, render community service, or pay a penalty of P500," said Dela Cruz.

But she said that although the provincial ordinance renders light penalties among others, it is not easy for the local government unit to implement it.

"For one, based on the provincial clean air act code, a town should first organize a soil conservation committee. The committee should [be] composed of the Municipal Agriculture Office, a Sanguniang Bayan chair on agriculture and fisheries, a representative of the Municipal Development Council, among others," Dela Cruz said.

According to the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), burning of rice straws, which is generally practiced during the harvest season, causes air pollutants such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide. If continually done, it will decrease soil’s nitrogen, 25 percent of phosphorus, 20 percent of potassium, and 5-60 percent of sulfur.

The practice also damages food resources of beneficial insects in the rice field, said PhilRice.

The Solid Waste Management Act (Republic Act 9003) and Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 prohibit open-field burning, including burning of rice straws.

In Aklan, burning of rice straws also affects tourists coming to and from Boracay Island, as several farmers burn their rice straws along the highway.

Some agriculturists in Aklan described the scenario as an inferno-like scenery, when farmers started burning of rice straws simultaneously.

Valerie Briones, a representative of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), said while provincial ordinance is difficult to implement, local enforcers may face a harder experience if they invoke the national law against rice straw burning.

"The easiest is to urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to apprehend suspects in the actual rice straw burning," she said.

Briones said local enforcers could also use citation tickets, but based on national standard, "citation tickets should be printed at the National Printing Office in order for it to become legally valid."

The council is also eyeing to introduce vermi composting machines to recycle rice straws for fertilizer through the organized cooperatives and the use of shredding machines as an alternative against the rice straw burning problems, she added. 
(SunStar Philippines)

From plows to tractors, rice farms to be mechanized under tariffs law

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jun 19 2019 11:24 PM
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Watch more in iWant or TFC.tv
MANILA - Rice farmers will benefit from the Rice Tariffication Act by getting modern mechanized equipment that is expected to improve farm yields, an agency attached to the Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday. 
The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization, or Philmech, said it has already identified an initial 1,200 major rice-producing municipalities in the Philippines that will receive farm machinery once funds from rice tariffs are collected. 
Philmech is set to get P30 billion from 2019 to 2024 for distribution of mechanized farming equipment such as tractors, transplanters, harvesters, threshers, mechanical dryers and other machinery.
"Depende sa needs noong mga farmers associations or organzations at ito yung basehan ng pagbibigay o pagdi-distribute ng mga machinery," said Dr. Rod Estigoy, chief science research specialist of Philmech.    
Tariffs collected from imported rice are supposed to be channeled to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund to help local farmers compete with cheaper imports. 
Local farmers had opposed the rice tariffs law, fearing it would flood the market with cheaper rice from abroad, and kill the local rice industry. 
Estigoy noted that a kilo of palay, or unmilled rice, costs just P6 per kilo in Vietnam, and P8 in Thailand. 
While a kilo of palay in the Philippines currently costs around P12 per kilo, farm mechanization is expected to reduce this to at least P10 per kilo, Estigoy said. 
He added that modern equipment will also minimize postharvest losses from inefficient drying and milling methods. 
The Philmech official added that the machinery will be given for free to farmers' associations, who will also be asked to maintain them. 
Estigoy however, also said introducing modern farm equipment faced challenges in the Philippines because the country's small landholdings needed to be "consolidated" to allow them to benefit from the efficiency of mechanization. 

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