17th July,2019 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

PBHA, PAD hold seminar on Basmati rice

Our Staff Reporter

July 17, 2019

LAHORE   -   Pakistan Basmati Heritage Association (PBHA) in collaboration of the Punjab Agriculture Department (PAD) recently arranged an awareness seminar named ‘Khuhaal Kissan’ for the promotion and preservation of basmati rice heritage of the country. Punjab Minister for Agriculture Malik Nauman Ahmad Langrial speaking on this occasion appreciated the efforts of PBHA and assured that the government will continue its efforts for the improvement of rice sector and welfare of the farmers. Throwing light on various steps being taken by the Punjab government for the development of the agricultue sector, the Minister said that the rice is not only needed for our food requirement but it also helps the country to fetch foreign exchange through exports. He further said that various schemes have been introduced for bringing down the cost of production and increasing profit of the growers.

Pakistan Agriculture Coalition CEO Arif Nadeem addressing the farmers, spoke about farm mechanization through service provider model in Sindh and roadmap for taking rice exports from $2B to $5B. Chairman Pakistan Agriculture Marketing & Regulatory Authority (PAMRA) Naveed Anwar Bhindar also shared the benefits and future impact of PAMRA. Hundreds of rice farmers and key members of PBHA participated in the seminar. While moderating the Seminar, National Coordinator PBHA Imran Sheikh deliberated the challenges of rice sector especially basmati rice in Punjab. Convener PBHA Shahid Hussain Tarar shared the mission & objectives of PBHA and agreed action plan for promotion and preservation of Basmati rice in production and export. He further advised the farmers to adopt global rice

standard of Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) of UNE & IRRI for promoting resource efficiency and sustainability by ensuring food safety.

 https://nation.com.pk/17-Jul-2019/pbha-pad-hold-seminar-on-basmati-rice

Seminar to promote, preserve basmati rice heritage held

·      RECORDER REPORT

·      JUL 17TH, 2019

·      LAHORE

Pakistan Basmati Heritage Association (PBHA) in collaboration of the Punjab Agriculture Department (PAD) recently arranged an awareness seminar "Khushal Kissan" for promotion and preservation of basmati rice heritage of the country.

Punjab Minister for Agriculture Malik Nauman Ahmad Langrial speaking on this occasion appreciated the efforts of PBHA and assured that the government will continue its efforts for the improvement of rice sector and welfare of the farmers.

Throwing light on various steps being taken by the government for the development of the agricultural sector, the minister said that the rice is not only needed for our food requirement but also help the country to fetch precious foreign exchange through exports.

He said that various schemes have been introduced for bringing down the cost of production and increasing profit of the growers.

Arif Nadeem CEO Pakistan Agriculture Coalition addressing the farmers spoke about farm mechanization through service provider model in Sindh and roadmap for taking rice exports from $2B-$5B. Naveed Anwar Bhindar Chairman Pakistan Agriculture Marketing & Regulatory Authority (PAMRA) shared the benefits and future impact of PAMRA.

Hundreds of rice farmers and key members of PBHA participated in the seminar. While moderating the Seminar Imran Sheikh National Coordinator PBHA deliberated the challenges of rice sector especially basmati rice in Punjab.

Shahid Hussain Tarer, Convener PBHA shared the mission & objectives of Pakistan Basmati Heritage Association (PBHA) and agreed action plan for promotion and preservation of basmati rice in production and export. He advised the farmers to adopt global rice standard of Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) of UNE & IRRI for promoting resource efficiency and sustainability by ensuring food safety.

Dr Abid Mahmood, DG Research advised the farmers to use certified seed because it will serve as foundation for increasing yield and quality of basmati rice. Dr Anjum Ali Buttar DG Agri Extension shared Prime Minister's agriculture emergency program and appreciated the initiative of PBHA for providing healthy and certified seed on subsidized rate to the farmers.

Rana Nazir Ahmed, former MNA and progressive farmer shared his experience on mechanical rice transplanting and direct seeding of rice.

He advised the farmers to adopt farm mechanization for improving their yield and reducing cost of production.

Shehla Raza, MPA Gujranwala also shared her experience and thoughts for betterment of rice sector.

Professor Dr Ahfaq Ahmad Chattha University of Agri Faisalabad highlighted the impact of climate change on basmati rice and advised the farmers to adjust date of sowing for adapting climate change scenario. Dr Afzal, Country Director CropLife advised the farmers for responsible use of pesticides and its importance for boosting rice export of Pakistan.

https://fp.brecorder.com/2019/07/20190717498152/

Devaluation is not the answer for Pakistan

By Ajaz Haque

Published: July 17, 2019

Currency devaluation helps those countries which have a large industrial base or have a substantial export-based economy, where the high valuation of local currency makes them less competitive. Devaluation in such cases makes their products and prices more competitive in the international marketplace.

The devaluation of approximately 32% of the Pakistani Rupee has had no impact on the growth of exports in dollars. Stagnant export statistics are a case in point. The rise in energy prices due to devaluation has increased prices across the board. The increase in foreign debt, in rupees, and its servicing has been the same as devaluation, putting additional pressures on the economy and the government’s budget-making, taking out a major chunk from the 2019-20 budget, leaving very little for development funding.

The main reason for the lack of growth in exports is the decline in industrial base and conversion of the economy to a consumer-based import economy. In the 1960s, Pakistan probably had a larger industrial base as a ratio to GDP than today. Over the last 30 years, balance of payments deficit has been filled mostly by remittances from hardworking overseas Pakistanis and through foreign loans. The import/export gap of nearly $40 billion in its last year alone consumed almost the entire foreign exchange reserves. Even the foreign loans could not help better the economic situation.

Devaluation has also hit Pakistan’s automobile industry. Plants are shutting down temporarily as slow sales are leaving vehicles unsold. The automobile industry, with nearly three million direct and indirect jobs in the country, has been one of the largest job creators, tax contributor to the exchequer and a major contributor to the country’s economy. So much so that one of the largest automobile producers in the world is considering making Pakistan a production hub for exports to the Middle East and Central Asia. But devaluation and its knock-on effect on import duties, sales tax, etc. is killing the automobile industry. If immediate steps are not taken to address this situation, a substantial number of jobs could be lost. While the government should immediately reduce import duties and sales taxes on CKD imports to save the auto industry before job losses incur and industry profits disappear. A delay in taking action could cost the country dearly.

At this point, Pakistan has little room to wiggle for rupee revaluation to reduce the cost of living for the common man. An urgent plan is needed to increase industrial production in the next two years to give a major boost to export. Once exports rise significantly, even the IMF will be more flexible on rupee valuation.

A rapid development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) under CPEC is probably the answer. Major investment from China and other countries in SEZs could lift Pakistan exports rapidly, provided the industries set up are not for import into Pakistan but are substantially export based.

China imports hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of food items each year. Pakistan has a surplus in wheat, rice, sugar, fruits and other agricultural products which can be readily exported to China. But this will require standardising, grading and proper packing of food and fruits. The quick implementation of agreements already in place with China to help boost agricultural output would help increase food and fruit exports rapidly. Expansion and increase in industrial output of current industrial base, rapid development, the up and running of SEZs and a significant increase in agricultural output will help Pakistan double or triple exports over the next few years.

It is a fallacy that devaluation will help increase exports without a corresponding increase in industrial and agricultural output. Instead of devaluation, Pakistan needs to increase its exports exponentially and eliminate the trade deficit leaving the remittances to be utilised for the repayment of foreign loans.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2019.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2014770/6-devaluation-not-answer-pakistan/

District Price Control Committee Finalises Edibles' Rates

 Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88)  1 day ago  Tue 16th July 2019 | 05:11 PM

Deputy Commissioner Salwat Saeed has said that provision of edibles on the government fixed rates was a responsibility of the state and the local administration, adding that no one would be allowed to sell edibles at their own rates

SARGODHA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - APP - 16th Jul, 2019 ) :Deputy Commissioner Salwat Saeed has said that provision of edibles on the government fixed rates was a responsibility of the state and the local administration, adding that no one would be allowed to sell edibles at their own rates.

Chairing a meeting of the district price control committee here, she said that no check and balance was maintained on the wholesale dealers in the past. The market rates would be decided by the government now so that relief could be provided to people, she added.

She said that the administration would ensure that price lists are issued in urdu and English languages. The shopkeepers would be bound to display these lists on prominent points at their shops.

The DC, taking notice of sale of chemical mixed milk in markets, directed the officials concerned to take action in this regard.

According to the government fixed rates, the prices of per kilogramme Basmati rice has been decided Rs 133, Basmati Rice-386 Rs 68, Daal Channa Rs 103 and 96, Daal Moong 106 and 93, Daal Maash (washed) Rs 148, Daal Moong (washed) Rs 148 per kg.

The price of Mutton fixed at Rs 700 per kg, meat Rs 350 per kg, Baisan Rs 103 per kg, Tandoori Roti 100-gram Rs 7 and simple Naan (100-gram) Rs 9.

The price of White Channa (local) Rs 102 per kg, Milk Rs 70 per litre, yogurt Rs 80 per kg, red chilli Rs 330 kg and Masoor Rs 82 per kg.

She directed the price control magistrates to ensure implementation of the prices and weight of Roti and Naan and also take action against those violating the instructions.

https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/district-price-control-committee-finalises-ed-670470.html

Mechanization transforms Caraga farms

By DA CaragaPublished on July 17, 2019

BUTUAN CITY, July 17 -- Agricultural modernization is one of the key interventions of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to support the farmers and make them more competitive in an open rice market.

The DA-Caraga through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) turned over the 110 units of mechanical rice transplanters to 110 eligible farmer associations and cooperatives from the different provinces in the region with a total worth of ₱30.4 million last July 12 at the DA-Integrated Laboratories Compound, Brgy. Taguibo, Butuan City.

RCEF is a safeguard mechanism of the Rice Liberalization Law wherein ₱10 Billion annual appropriations for the next six years, will be allocated to rice farm machinery and equipment, rice seed development, propagation, and promotion and expanded rice credit.

Just in time for the year's first cropping season, DA responds to the call of the rice farmers to make their farming more productive and less laborious by granting them with modern farm facilities. Mechanizing rice farms maximizes land and labor productivity thereby increasing the economic returns to rice farmers.

"DA is distributing first the mechanical rice transplanters so that our farmers will now take charge of their planting schedule and not be dependent on seasonal labors," said DA-Caraga Regional Technical Director (RTD) for Operations Alberto D. Ocampo, Jr.

"Aside from it, we wanted to reduce their workload through the use of the machine. This intervention is for free for eligible farmer groups. Mechanizing our rice farms in the region is our way to reduce their production cost at the same time increase their yield," he added.

According to the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), the average cost of production of rice in the country is ₱12.00 per kilogram. With this, DA and its partner agencies aim to bring it down to ₱8 per kilogram through agricultural modernization.

"The labor cost during planting season is becoming more expensive it costs us ₱6,000-₱7,000 excluding the pulling of seedlings, aside from the planting contract, laborers also demand free meals," said Felisa C. Hambala, Chairperson, Bayugan 3 Irrigators Association one of the recipients from Rosario, Agusan del Sur.

"We are very thankful to the government that they give attention to our needs because through their assistance labor cost in our farming will reduce," added Hambala.

The PhilMech study revealed with the use of the machine, it can give a yield of 4.71MT/ha compared to the 4.24MT/ha using the direct seeding method and 3.90MT/ha for manual transplanting.

"We are encouraging our farmers to make use of the interventions that they receive from the DA.  The recipients should ensure the safety of the equipment while in their custody and optimize its utilization," said RTD Ocampo.

Necessary operations and management training were also conducted to the beneficiaries to ensure proper and efficient use of the equipment which also includes seedling preparation.

Ultimately, it is the Department's commitment to transform Caraga farmers to become more productive and competitive through strengthened access and use of efficient mechanized rice farming technologies. (Rhea Abao, DA Caraga/PIA Caraga)

https://pia.gov.ph/press-releases/releases/1024579

Philippine Farmers Seek Review of Rice Law as Prices Plunge

By 

Ditas B Lopez

 and 

Cecilia Yap

July 17, 2019, 5:39 AM GMT+5 Updated on July 17, 2019, 6:29 AM GMT+5

As rice prices plunge, farmers in the Philippines are asking President Rodrigo Duterte to review a 5-month-old law that paved the way for unlimited imports of the staple grain, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol said.

Rice prices at the farm gate dropped to 12-14 pesos ($0.24-$0.27) a kilo from 20 pesos earlier this year, Pinol said on his Facebook account. That would result in an annual loss of about 114 billion pesos ($2.24 billion) for Filipino rice farmers, he said.

The law, signed in February, removed caps on rice imports and boosted supply of the stable grain. The measure was intended to help cool inflation, which in 2018 accelerated to the fastest pace in nine years and triggered one of the most aggressive monetary tightening responses in Asia.

Rough-rice output in the second quarter probably fell 5.6% from a year ago to 3.86 million metric tons, the statistics agency said in a report.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-17/philippine-farmers-seek-review-of-rice-import-liberalization

Helping farmers survive the flood of cheap imports

By

 BusinessMirror Editorial

 -

July 17, 2019

The massive shift to a more open rice market did not happen overnight. It took more than two decades for the government to finally scrap the caps on imports and remove the power of state-run National Food Authority (NFA) to regulate the entry of imported rice. That’s because rice is the Philippines’s most important commodity, which is why it is the preferred crop for millions of local planters.

More than 2 million farmers plant rice and millions more—such as millers and farmworkers—depend on the sector for their livelihood. This is the primary reason behind the government’s previous efforts to have the World Trade Organization extend the waiver for the special treatment for rice. The rationale is to prepare the sector, particularly the farmers, for the eventual shift to a more open rice market.

Two decades later, the sector continues to struggle to produce all the rice requirements of the country. Bad policies, coupled with the ill effects of climate change, made it more difficult for planters to keep up with the increasing demand for the staple. NFA’s regulation of the domestic market and the fact that all Filipinos eat rice made the commodity the single biggest factor behind the acceleration of inflation last year.

The jump in inflation in 2018 prompted the President to call for the immediate passage of a measure that sought to repeal Republic Act 8178 or the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996. One of the provisions of the proposed bill is the setting up of a fund, dubbed Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. The national government agreed to front-load P10 billion for the RCEF in the first year of the new law’s implementation. RA 11203 also provided that P10 billion should be allocated for the RCEF every year.

Under the law, the money must come from tariffs slapped on rice imports. Crucial to ensuring that there’s enough funds for the RCEF is the Bureau of Customs (BOC), an agency attached to the Department of Finance (DOF) that is tasked to collect the tariffs on imported rice (See, “Rice tariffs collection at P5.9 billion,” in the BusinessMirror, July 5, 2019). The bulk of collection came from the Subic Bay port, which accounted for more than a fifth of the total amount recorded in January to June.

A farmers’ group, however, contested the amount collected by the BOC and raised the possibility that traders and importers undervalued their shipments (See, “Undervalued rice imports may have caused P5-billion gap in tariff collection,” in the BusinessMirror, July 9, 2019).The group said tariffs collected from the shipments during the period do not jive with world market prices of rice. This prompted the bureau to launch an investigation to see whether traders resorted to what is known as technical smuggling—the act of importing goods through fraudulent, falsified or erroneous declarations to evade payment of correct duties and taxes (See, “BOC to probe January-June rice imports,” in the Business-Mirror, July 12, 2019).

We urge the BOC to spare no trader or importer in its probe and to punish those guilty of misdeclaration of shipments. Failure to penalize traders engaged in technical smuggling will only embolden other traders, which will deprive farmers of funds meant to help them survive the deluge of cheap rice imports. The government must also plug loopholes in policies that make it easier for traders to get away with undervaluation, specifically the rules on dutiable value.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/07/17/helping-farmers-survive-the-flood-of-cheap-imports/

DA blames drop in NFA rice inventory on refusal to import

July 16, 2019 | 9:28 pm

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol

THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) rejected blame for the rice crisis of 2018, saying that the National Food Authority’s (NFA) inventory dropped because of its governing council’s refusal to import foreign grain.

In a social media post, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said the NFA’s stores of imported rice first started showing signs of depletion in October 2017, at a time when the DA was not in control of the agency. The NFA had asked the NFA Council for permission to import, but was refused.

The drawdown in inventory continued. By February 2018, Mr. Piñol said, the agency started making less imported rice available to the market.

The NFA rice, sold at retail for a subsidized price of about P27, is typically patronized by low-income families, and shortages of the low-cost staple strengthened the pricing power of commercial traders, causing inflation to spike in 2018.

The inflation basket of goods in poor countries is usually heavily weighted towards food, making Philippine inflation especially sensitive to swings in rice prices.

“As early as October of 2017, then NFA Administrator Jason (Laureano Y.) Aquino asked the NFA Council to allow the agency to import rice because it was running low. This was, however, opposed by a majority of the members of the Council,” Mr. Piñol said.He said despite the record domestic harvest in 2017 of 19.28 million metric tons (MMT), domestic output fell short of meeting demand by about 7%, and there was a need to import rice during lean months from July to September.

He said in April 2018, President Rodrigo R. Duterte ordered the NFA Council to allow imports, but too late to contain rampant speculation by traders who had anticipated the shortfall.

“Nag-speculate (traders speculated) and manipulated the prices,” he told BusinessWorld in a text message.

“In July, reports of increasing rice prices came out and by August, Zamboanga City declared a ‘State of Calamity’ as rice prices soared to as high as P70 to P80 per kilo. When I heard of these reports, I called up Executive Secretary Salvador (C.) Medialdea and volunteered to help defuse the Zamboanga City rice crisis. I told him that while the NFA rice supply issue does not involve the DA, as Secretary of Agriculture, I had to do something about it,” he said.

The NFA was then transferred along with other agencies to the DA, making the Agriculture Secretary the Chairman of the NFA Council. The suggested retail price (SRP) strategy was then implemented and rice imports were approved.

“Prices of rice stabilized and the issue of the ‘rice crisis’ died down,” he said. He added that since the transfer of NFA, its buffer stock has grown sufficient to meet the country’s needs until the end of August.

The NFA, which switched exclusively to domestic procurement since the enactment of the Rice Tariffication Law in March, said it purchased 5.412 million bags of palay, the unmilled form in which farmers sell their crop to dealers, in the first half.

The price of rice has been generally in a downward trend in the past few months as traders press farmers for lower prices amid the threat of competition from more freely-imported foreign grain.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said during the fourth week of June, the average wholesale price of well-milled rice fell 0.1% week-on-week to P39.30. At retail, it fell 0.2% to P42.92 per kg.

The wholesale price of regular-milled rice fell 0.2% week-on-week to P35.39 during the period. At retail, the price decreased 0.3% to P38.56. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

https://www.bworldonline.com/da-blames-drop-in-nfa-rice-inventory-on-refusal-to-import/

Revitalise agriculture to stop dependence on food imports

 Editorial  17th Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT +0300

A country that cannot feed its people does not deserve to be called a nation. Unfortunately, that is the situation Kenya finds itself in today amid a looming maize shortage. In light of this development, it is not surprising that Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Mwangi Kiunjuri advocates the importation of maize to forestall a biting shortage.

But he, more than anyone else, knows just too well our limitation as a nation to produce the critical cereals. He—and indeed the entire Government of President Uhuru Kenyatta—ought to do some serious soul-searching.

It is not just maize (Kiunjuri wants 12.5 million bags the cereal imported) that is in short supply; it is virtually every kind of food. Last year, official data showed that Kenya spent Sh174.9 billion on importation of food and beverages.

SEE ALSO :Government mulls Sh3 billion kitty for coffee farmers

This was a two-fold increase compared to Sh53.6 billion the country spent a decade earlier on food imports. Kenya has been sliding down the food security rankings, thanks to the Government’s neglect of the agricultural sector.

It is sad, though, that more than 50 years after independence, Kenyans are still importing products such as milk, rice, tomatoes and onions due to misplaced priorities and outright thievery.

Agriculture, for long touted as the backbone of our economy, has been abandoned. Poor pay and drudgery have conspired to make many of our youth abandon the farms, opting to search for jobs in job-deficient factories.

Those who continue to toil on the farms are the old people who, seemingly, have reached their wits’ end. Returns on farm produce are poor. Maize farmers, for example, were selling their produce at losses for the better part of last year.

Rather than concentrate on locally produced food to feed its growing population, the Government has shifted focus overseas. Thus, for every 100 bags of wheat, rice and maize consumed in the country, 37 are imported.

SEE ALSO :Counties waste taxpayers’ billions on hefty allowances

Our level of import dependency, known as Imports Dependency Ratio (IDR), is getting worse. The same cannot be said of our neighbours. According to figures by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Rwanda have lower cereal imports dependency ratios. This means that most of their supplies of maize, wheat, rice and other cereals are produced locally.

With a three-year average of 32.7 per cent between 2011 and 2013, Kenya has the highest cereals IDR, higher than Africa’s average of 28.9 per cent.

Ethiopia’s dependence on imported cereals is at seven per cent, Uganda is at 8.6 per cent, Tanzania stands at 12.2 per cent and Rwanda at 32.5 per cent. To agricultural experts, sufficient supply of cereals is an indicator of food security in a country.

We need to reclaim our agricultural sector. Like everything else in this country, integrity should be our starting point. Let us not kill the morale of farmers with unnecessary imports. It does not make sense for us to import sea-food when we have sea waters to exploit.

There is no reason to import tomatoes when ours are rotting in the farms. If we are using taxpayer’s money to build dams and irrigation projects, it is logical that they should expect better yields.  

SEE ALSO :Calls for Jubilee party meeting

Let us protect our farmers from exploitation. We need to streamline the distribution channels so that there are fewer individuals standing between the farmer and producer.

Farmers do not need to be supported with just better seeds; they also need to be empowered on how to use them. Knowledge is just as important as agricultural inputs like seeds and fertiliser.

Otherwise, the quantity of fertiliser we have applied, which is more than what our peers in the region have used, should count for something. It doesn't.

We commend the President for prioritising food security as part of his Big Four Agenda. But more needs to be done to ensure that the project becomes a success. Kenyans hope the food security pillar will not turn out to be a white elephant project like the dams scattered all over the country.

Revitalise agriculture to stop dependence on food imports

 Editorial  17th Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT +0300

A country that cannot feed its people does not deserve to be called a nation. Unfortunately, that is the situation Kenya finds itself in today amid a looming maize shortage. In light of this development, it is not surprising that Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Mwangi Kiunjuri advocates the importation of maize to forestall a biting shortage.

But he, more than anyone else, knows just too well our limitation as a nation to produce the critical cereals. He—and indeed the entire Government of President Uhuru Kenyatta—ought to do some serious soul-searching.

It is not just maize (Kiunjuri wants 12.5 million bags the cereal imported) that is in short supply; it is virtually every kind of food. Last year, official data showed that Kenya spent Sh174.9 billion on importation of food and beverages.

This was a two-fold increase compared to Sh53.6 billion the country spent a decade earlier on food imports. Kenya has been sliding down the food security rankings, thanks to the Government’s neglect of the agricultural sector.

It is sad, though, that more than 50 years after independence, Kenyans are still importing products such as milk, rice, tomatoes and onions due to misplaced priorities and outright thievery.

Agriculture, for long touted as the backbone of our economy, has been abandoned. Poor pay and drudgery have conspired to make many of our youth abandon the farms, opting to search for jobs in job-deficient factories.

Those who continue to toil on the farms are the old people who, seemingly, have reached their wits’ end. Returns on farm produce are poor. Maize farmers, for example, were selling their produce at losses for the better part of last year.

Rather than concentrate on locally produced food to feed its growing population, the Government has shifted focus overseas. Thus, for every 100 bags of wheat, rice and maize consumed in the country, 37 are imported.

SEE ALSO :Counties waste taxpayers’ billions on hefty allowances

Our level of import dependency, known as Imports Dependency Ratio (IDR), is getting worse. The same cannot be said of our neighbours. According to figures by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Rwanda have lower cereal imports dependency ratios. This means that most of their supplies of maize, wheat, rice and other cereals are produced locally.

With a three-year average of 32.7 per cent between 2011 and 2013, Kenya has the highest cereals IDR, higher than Africa’s average of 28.9 per cent.

Ethiopia’s dependence on imported cereals is at seven per cent, Uganda is at 8.6 per cent, Tanzania stands at 12.2 per cent and Rwanda at 32.5 per cent. To agricultural experts, sufficient supply of cereals is an indicator of food security in a country.

We need to reclaim our agricultural sector. Like everything else in this country, integrity should be our starting point. Let us not kill the morale of farmers with unnecessary imports. It does not make sense for us to import sea-food when we have sea waters to exploit.

There is no reason to import tomatoes when ours are rotting in the farms. If we are using taxpayer’s money to build dams and irrigation projects, it is logical that they should expect better yields.  

Let us protect our farmers from exploitation. We need to streamline the distribution channels so that there are fewer individuals standing between the farmer and producer.

Farmers do not need to be supported with just better seeds; they also need to be empowered on how to use them. Knowledge is just as important as agricultural inputs like seeds and fertiliser.

Otherwise, the quantity of fertiliser we have applied, which is more than what our peers in the region have used, should count for something. It doesn't.

We commend the President for prioritising food security as part of his Big Four Agenda. But more needs to be done to ensure that the project becomes a success. Kenyans hope the food security pillar will not turn out to be a white elephant project like the dams scattered all over the country.

Customs intercepts vehicles, rice, pangolin scales worth N1.2bn

17th July 2019

in Business

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A ‘of the Nigeria Customs Service  (NCS), Tuesday, said  it intercepted cars,  pangolin, rice and phamaceutical products valued at N1.25 billion in one week.

Its Area Controller,  Comptroller  Mohammed Aliyu, disclosed this in Lagos, when he led newsmen to the warehouse where the intercepted products were kept. According to him,  the seized assorted cars are being detained pending the production of their documents.

“We have detained them for the importers to bring your proper documents, before we can release them to them. But if the documents are not genuine, we convert them to seizures.

“The unit intercepted six cars worth over N242 million at various border points and various car marts.

“The cars include, a Toyota Tacoma worth N47.8 million, Lexus ES 350 at N16.5 million, Toyota Highlander worth N47.5 million and another Lexus ES RX 350L at N34 million.”

“Other vehicles are Toyota Hilux with Duty Paid value of N41.6 million and Toyota Highlander valued at N54.5 million.

“Other products intercepted are 541 cartons of original chest and lung tablets, 211 cartons of Analgin injection, 238 cartons of Really Extra Diclofenac, 158 cartons of Double Actions Labimol Diclogenac potassium capsules.

The FOU Zone A boss also said, “we also intercepted 1,698 cartons of powerman tablets, 671kg of pangolin scales and 5,226 bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice all with Duty Paid Value of N1.01 billion.” Aliyu said that the cars were seized in the bush based on intelligence reports.

According to him, officers of the unit in most cases concentrated on seizures and which was the reason the number of seizures were always higher than the number of suspects arrested along with the seizures.

Aliyu said that only drivers usually became victims of the interception, adding that Customs was intensifying efforts at apprehending importers as well as agents along with the seizures.

“Last week we intercepted a lot of 50kg parboiled rice and this week again, we have also intercepted 5,226 bags of 50kg parboiled rice which were concealed in a cement truck. Aliyu said that the command also intercepted pangolin scale for the first time in the unit.

Meanwhile, the Director of Ports Inspection of the National Agency  for Foods and Drug Adminstration and Control (NAFDAC) Samson Adebayo, has said that collaboration between the agency and Customs and other sister agencies made the seizures possible.

He said that the seizurewas  done to safeguard the health of the nation.

Adebayo commendeded the Customs boss for the continuous collaboration with NAFDAC.

He promised that all the government agencies would continue to enlighten the public on the danger of consuming illicit drugs.

“Powerman is a kind of a drug for sexual

 enhancement for men, but unfortunately an unregistered drug. This particular Powerman is 150 milligrams and anybody using it can suffer cardiac arrest.”

He said that there were reports of men dying as a result of having sexual intercourse, which he said, might be due to some taking sexual enhancement drugs.

“We need to tell the public that they should desist from taking such drugs that are not registered because of the inherent danger.”

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/customs-intercepts-vehicles-rice-pangolin-scales-worth-n1-2bn/

Chinese agricultural technology to help boost Pakistan's rice export

Source:Xinhua Published: 2019/7/16 13:04:11

0

Enjoying a much greater amount of rice yield is not the only reason for Pakistan's young agrarian Wasim Waheed's satisfaction, but achieving exemplary excellence in its research and development by using modern technology is also making him happy and proud.

The 24-year-old agrarian, who is working as a research manager at a rice farmhouse in Lahore of Pakistan's eastern Punjab province, is learning how to double the crop production by using the Chinese hybrid rice technology.

"On average we have cultivated more than 4 tons per acre rice using the hybrid technology while the traditional species yield just 2 tons per acre," said Wasim, a graduate of agronomy from the Agriculture University of Faisalabad, a leading Pakistani university in the field of agronomy.

He said that they sow around 15,000 varieties of rice for research purpose whose data was used to select the best five types for the national trial, supervised by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department.

Wasim is quite hopeful that three varieties would be approved this year. "One has already been allowed to market earlier this year."

The project was started in 2014 and has been carried out by Guard Agriculture Research and Services in collaboration with Yuan Longping High Tech Agriculture Company. Yuan Longping Tech has been named after Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping, globally renowned as the father of hybrid rice, who founded hybrid rice varieties almost five decades ago.

The hybrid rice which is bred from two totally different parents could potentially yield other varieties as well with the help of hybrid vigor.

The hybrid rice has various advantages. It can grow in stress areas like saline, drought and water-logging as compared to inbred varieties.

Talking to Xinhua, Abdul Rasheed, the chief research and development officer in Guard Agriculture Research and Services, said that rice generally matures between 30 to 40 degree Celsius, but with the hybrid technology it could even bear 40 to 50 degree Celsius. It consumes less water that reduces the overall cost making it cost effective as well.

Moreover, it matures in 95 to 100 days while the ordinary rice takes around 120 days and due to shorter maturity period hybrid rice crop "consumes less irrigation as compared to traditional rice varieties," Rasheed added.

On the top of everything, the increased yield has almost doubled the income of farmers, which has provided them a great sense of relief.

However, providing necessary skills and training to locals had been a tough job. As it required technical knowledge as well as the application method. Long Chunjiu, chief scientist of Longping South Asia Seed Research and Development Ltd, said that to transfer the knowledge, he not only spent time with five students teaching them hand by hand, but also teaches more than 100 others in another class.

The project enabled Pakistan to develop the hybrid rice seeds which is the core part in the production. "Its like we are sharing a Central Processing Unit (CPU) technology for a digital product which is the highest value part," Long said. In May last year, with the help of Long's team, Pakistan exported around 100 tons of hybrid rice seeds to the Philippines.

Along with the human resource generation, the project also raised the prospects for agricultural entrepreneurs. Sharing his experience, Long, who came to Pakistan 10 years ago, said that "when we first started, one of the rural landholders we worked with could only make a living by selling pesticides and fertilizers."

After learning hybrid rice planting and breeding technology, he now owns a large rice factory and drives a good car, and lives a good life. Many of the farmers who worked in his farm also raised their incomes, bought motorcycles.

The benefits are not limited to the farmers and the land owners, but in fact has trickled down across all levels. Samreen Nazir, an 18-years-old girl who has just completed her high school, is a worker in this farm. She found the scientific management of plantation is very interesting and productive in terms of learning.

Expressing her thoughts to Xinhua, she said that the "introduction of the modern Chinese planting management has literally opened up new opportunities for girls like her." Samreen has been working in the field for the last two to three years and considers the job not difficult for females at all.

She experienced the process of seeding to be easy while harvesting as a tough job especially when the weather conditions get hostile.

Nevertheless, the most important thing that Samreen got from the job is the vision and determination. "This project has enabled new opportunities for the younger generations" especially for the under-privileged classes living in the villages.

Now Samreen strongly believes that she has learnt the modern plantation skill. "I am thinking towards involving in the hybrid rice farming business in the future as I have some know-how about it" and the technology will multiplies the yield making business attractive and tempting.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is determined to enhance the country's exports especially in agriculture. According to the Pakistan's Ministry of Commerce, rice is the largest agro export commodity in the export basket of the country with a total export of over 2 billion US dollars annually.

The access to the Chinese market is one of the main factor that helped the government achieve 2.1 billion dollars in the 2018-19 fiscal year. As per the commerce ministry, "the government has the vision to take rice exports to 5 billion US dollars in the next five years."

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1158026.shtml

Explaining falling farming growth

BR ResearchJuly 16, 2019

The sectoral share of agriculture sector in GDP has consistently been falling since independence. From over half of GDP in early fifties, sector’s share has averaged at a little under one-fifth (with a downward trend) during last five years.

For developing countries, this is usually a positive sign as greater share of population shift towards manufacturing and services sectors which have higher returns to scale. Except, in Pakistan this shift has been unaccompanied by a decline of rural share in labour force, which has averaged close to 40 percent of total for nearly two decades.

Recall that that decade-wise average growth rate of agriculture sector has been falling sharply since early 80s, when the sectoral GDP growth rate averaged over 5.4 percent, to just 2.2 percent for decade ending FY19 (For more, read: “Facts, fiction, and poor press management”, published on June 11, 2019).

Combined with a population growth rate of over two percent, the obvious implication is that the per capita income of the rural demographic segment may soon begin to fall in real terms unless the slowdown in agriculture growth rate is quickly arrested.

But what is the driving force behind slowdown in agriculture? While the livestock sector contributes up to three-fifths of agricultural GDP, given the doubts raised on the reliability of these estimates, this column will restrict its review to farming sector (For more, read: “Falling livestock GDP”, published on June 17, 2019).

Four out of five major crops – which include cereal grains (wheat, rice, and maize) and sugarcane – have witnessed slow but positive change in productivity (or yield) over past thirty years. Yet, together these account for no more than half of net sown area. The largest contributor to the other half is cotton – once Pakistan’s largest kharif crop – which has recorded a sharp decline in both yield and acreage over past decade.

To fully appreciate cotton’s contribution to farming GDP, it is important to understand why, at 5.4 percent, 1980s saw the best growth spurt in sector’s history. Consider that for cereal grains such as wheat and maize, yield improvement during that decade was under 1 percent, and negative for rice. Yield improvement for sugarcane was just as abysmal, at close to half percent. In contrast, cotton’s productivity during the same period rose by the highest magnitude of 1.15 percent, which by decade-end had resulted in addition over half a million to cotton acres, a growth over 25 percent in acreage.

The great leap forward in cotton acreage during the period accounted for more than two-thirds of increase in net sown area. Wheat acreage also followed suit, as it is the primary off-season/rabi crop in cotton sowing areas.

Factors that drove farming productivity and acreage during this period include rise in irrigated area; greater mechanization; and completion of large dams. However, if these factors alone were responsible for cotton’s improved acreage, why did acreage for other kharif crops such as rice and sugarcane not grow by a similar margin?

https://www.brecorder.com/2019/07/16/510171/explaining-falling-farming-growth/

Trader accuses police of refusing to register FIR

PESHAWAR: A trader on Monday accused the Gulbahar Police Station personnel of not registering his first information report (FIR) against his partner who was allegedly threatening him with dire consequences.

Speaking at a press conference, Muhammad Yousaf, belonging to Gulbahar locality in the provincial capital, said that he launched a joint venture (rice business) with his partner Iftikhar Ahmed and invested Rs5 million.

He said that after some time, he happened to be in a dire need of money and asked his partner to return it, but he started threatening him with dire consequences.

He said he went to the Gulbahar Police Station to register a case against his partner but the police refused to oblige him.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/499269-trader-accuses-police-of-refusing-to-register-fir

DCs asked to ensure procurement of paddy directly from farmers

12:57 PM, July 16, 2019 / LAST MODIFIED: 02:13 PM, July 16, 2019

 

Photo: Collected

Star Online Report

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder today asked all deputy commissioners to ensure that paddy is procured directly from farmers to meet the target of rice procurement set by the government.

The minister came up with the request on the third day of the annual conference of deputy commissioners which is being held over five days instead of the usual three.

So far, the government has procured a total of 1.15 lakh tonnes of rice from millers against the target of four lakh tonnes.

Food safety and food security will be given top priority and mobile courts’ activities will be further heightened in this regard, the minister said.

Disappointed by the low prices, many farmers this year threatened to stop growing rice since they hardly make any profit from growing the staple. 

Farmers demanded that the government identify the real growers, offer them loan at 2 percent interest and reduce power bills for irrigation.

https://www.thedailystar.net

Leadership Changes for Two USA Rice Governing Boards 

By Deborah Willenborg

IRVING, TX -- At USA Rice's July Business Meeting here last week, the USA Rice Farmers announced the appointment of Nicole Montna Van Vleck, a California rice farmer, as chair, and Kirk Satterfield, a Mississippi rice farmer, as vice chair.  

Chairman-elect Van Vleck presented outgoing Farmers Chairman Joe Mencer with a plaque to commemorate his tenure.  

"We have all benefited from Joe's service and dedication to the organization over the past two years," said Van Vleck.  "Leadership is never easy and the past couple of years have been especially challenging with the new Farm Bill, upheavals in the market, and weather events that have had an impact on our individual operations."   

There also was a change in leadership for the USA Rice Council with Arkansas rice farmer Byron Holmes named the new chair.  Holmes then recognized his predecessor, Mississippi rice farmer Marvin Cochran for his leadership and commitment to the industry.  Cochran thanked the Council, and in particular, leaders in Mississippi who had helped prepare him and other young farmers for leadership roles in the industry.

Each new appointee will serve a two-year term that begins August 1, 2019.

Leadership changes for USA Rice Farmers (Joe Mencer to Nicole Van Vleck) and the Rice Council (Marvin Cochran to Byron Holmes)

Stuttgart Rice Field Day to feature updates on weeds, drones, irrigation

Plant pathologist Yeshi Wamishe discusses rice diseases during a field day Aug. 3, 2018, at the Rice Research and Extension Center. Visitors toured test plots and heard presentations about Division of Agriculture research. Special to The Commercial/Fred Miller, Science Editor, Division of Agriculture

By Special to The Commercial

Posted Jul 15, 2019 at 12:09 PMUpdated Jul 15, 2019 at 12:55 PM

   

STUTTGART – Weed management, furrow irrigation and drone use in agriculture are all on the agenda Friday, Aug. 2, for the annual Rice Field Day at the Rice Research and Extension Center in Stuttgart.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is hosting the free event that begins with registration at 7 a.m. at the station’s Foundation Seed Center. The first tour leaves at 7:30 a.m.

“We are packing a lot of tech and research updates into our two, two-hour tours this year,” said Bob Scott, director of the rice station. “In addition to updates on production techniques, we’ll also be giving attendees a peek into the future rice and soybean varieties now in the works at the station.”

The presenters are all with the U of A System Division of Agriculture. The tours may be subject to change. The schedule includes:

Tour 1:

Stop 1 – Soil Fertility; Trent Roberts – associate professor-soil fertility. Stop 2 – Rice Weed Management; Jason Norsworthy – professor-weed science. Tommy Butts – extension weed scientist. Stop 3 – Drones in Agriculture; Larry Purcell – professor, soybean physiologist.

Tour 2:

Stop 1 – Multiple Inlet Irrigation; Chris Henry – irrigation engineer. Stop 2 – Soybean Breeding Program; Leo Mozzoni – assistant professor, soybean breeding. Stop 3 – Furrow-Irrigated Rice; Jarrod Hardke – extension rice agronomist. Justin Chlapecka – graduate assistant.

Stop 4 – Observation Bay; Karen Moldenhauer –professor, rice breeding. Xueyan Sha – professor, rice breeding. Ehsan Shakiba – assistant professor, hybrid rice breeding.

The Rice Research and Extension Center is located at 2900 Arkansas 130.

For details about the Division of Agriculture research, visit https://aaes.uark.edu, follow the agency on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch and Instagram at ArkAgResearch.

For details about rice production, contact a county extension office or visit www.uaex.edu.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without discrimination.

https://www.pbcommercial.com/news/20190715/stuttgart-rice-field-day-to-feature-updates-on-weeds-drones-irrigation

Brad Robb

Christian Richard, Richard Farms, grows rice and raises crawfish in Kaplan, La.

Rice herbicide system opens door to technology

Drill seeding rice in Louisiana

Brad Robb | Jul 15, 2019

Armed with a degree in ag business from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Christian Richard (pronounced Ree’-shard) went back home to the Kaplan, La., family farming operation in 2000 and planted his first rice crop. It covered 200 acres and was supplemented by 40 acres of crawfish ponds.

Richard knew he wanted to do nothing else but farm. “In high school, my grandfather allowed me to maintain a crawfish pond,” says Richard, whose thick Cajun brogue confirms his French descent. “So much has changed since those days, and the main thing has been the production advancements made possible by the Clearfield rice system.”

Richard was selected to participate in the USDA Rice Foundation’s 2004 Leadership Development Program. “I believe it was around that time that the Clearfield technology was really starting to gain momentum,” says Richard.

Prior to the arrival and his adoption of that game-changing technology, Richard and other rice farmers relied on cultural practices to control red (weedy) rice and maximize yields. “We would water level/water seed or sometimes when the fields were sloppy, we would just mud in the seed,” says Richard. “I learned so much while participating in that leadership class. That’s where I really heard about drilling rice.”

Production Improvements

Because of the Clearfield System, it became common practice on Richard Farms to drill into the stale seedbed on the previous year’s soybean stubble. He has found a soybean rotation also helps break up weed cycles. Overall, his ground improved, and his yields jumped 20 to 30 percent. He went from being very inefficient with his potassium and nitrogen use — because those nutrients would get tied up in the dirt or lost when the fields were drained — to putting those nutrients on with a ground truck, and they started being taken up by the crop.

Before he started drill seeding, preparing the ground for planting was hard on his equipment, and he was planting at a much higher seeding rate. “We were just having it broadcasted aerially, which didn’t give us the spacing we needed,” says Richard. “When we put the water back on the field after draining it, blackbirds were everywhere, we had a lot of seed drift, and it was difficult to get a solid, uniform stand.”

The improvements have cut some costs and allowed him to better control diseases. “Because of the improved drills they were coming out with, we could get into a field right after burndown and plant,” says Richard. “Our erosion was reduced significantly. The Clearfield system really changed so much in our operation. It was a holistic change in our overall cultural practices.”

Richard then turned his attention to his ratoon crop, and how he managed it as a second crop. He began rolling the stubble flat on the ground with a smooth roller or used a flail mower to cut the stalks lower to the ground — usually to around 8 inches. “It really encouraged more uniform regrowth and allowed more sunlight to get to the crown, or the bottom of the plant,” says Richard. “The heads that are produced from the crown are larger and of better quality than the ones produced from the nodes at the top of the plant which are often called sucker heads. They’re not very long and don’t produce a lot of grain.”

Labor and the Work Environment

Richard Farms has enjoyed steady growth since that first rice crop was harvested in the fall of 2000. This year Richard air-drilled 2,500 acres of rice and is overseeing 1,500 acres of crawfish. He has three full-time employees and also secures labor through the H-2A program.

Of these migrant employees, eight workers run crawfish traps and three work on the rice side of operation. “We sell many of our crawfish to local retailers and restaurants, so I have employed a man from this area that manages the day-to-day logistics of deciding which crawfish go to which customers,” says Richard. “I have another local guy who is an excellent mechanic, and believe me, we keep him busy maintaining the two trucks we use to transport the crawfish and whatever other equipment repair needs to be done.”

Richard could have as many as 20 people working for him during the growing season or as few as four in the off season. “We have a good team of workers with a great moral on our farm,” says Richard. “I even have three guys I can call when I need some part-time help. They’re retired, can be here at a moment’s notice, and just love it when I call!”

https://www.farmprogress.com/rice/rice-herbicide-system-opens-door-technology