20th July,2019
Daily Global Regional
Local Rice E-Newsletter
Un-Edited Version
Innovative farmers to
teach BAU students: VC
Saturday, 20 July
2019 | PNS | Ranchi
Now
farmers identified and recognized for their innovation in agricultural
practices will be invited for teaching the students of different colleges of
Birsa Agricultural University (BAU).
The
announcement was made by BAU Vice Chancellor Dr RS Kureel at the State
level workshop on ‘Contingency Agriculture Plan for Jharkhand’ organized
by BAU on Friday. He asked the heads of Krishi Vigyan Kendras of all the
24 districts present at the workshop to identify real innovative farmers of
their district and send their names with details of their contribution to the
university headquarters to share their knowledge, practices and innovative
ideas with students in classroom. Language of communication will not be a
problem for the farmers because they have to share their out of the box
thinking and techniques, the VC added.
Dr
Kureel asked the university scientists to go through the draft of new national
education policy available on the websites of PMO, union HRD Minister and
national education policy and post their suggestions for further modification
and improvement in agricultural education, if any, in the draft. He said
the government through public sector universities spends about Rs one
crore on the B Sc, M Sc and Ph D education of an individual and such persons
should introspect what they have returned to the society, state and the country
in lieu of the public money invested on his/ her education. He also asked the
KVK scientists to work on the strategy of replacing the upland rice area with
maize, finger millets, pulses and oilseeds.
Dr
AK Singh, Vice Chancellor of Bihar Agricultural University, Bhagalpur, Bihar
said new crop varieties released by scientists should not be recognized unless
it has its presence and impact in farmers’ fields. He stressed that integrated
farming system model recommended to farmers must exist in university campus
also.
Dr
A Wadood, Chairman, Dept of Agrometeorology & Environmental Sciences, BAU
said rain deficiency in the month of June and July 1-17 has been 55 and 40 per
cent respectively as a result only 17 per cent cultivable area of the state has
been covered with crops so far. He advised the farmers to take up maize,
pulses, oilseeds in the upland and medium land ecology in place of rice to
minimize the losses in the face of monsoon aberrations. Detailed contingency
plan will be uploaded on BAU website bauranchi.org soon for the benefit of
farmers, policy makers, extension officials and NGOs.Urban Haat soon to come up
in city
PM’s visit to US: Govt uncertain
about seeking tariff concessions
ISLAMABAD: The PTI government is still clueless and indecisive if
it should seek tariff concessions from US authorities or not during the maiden
visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan, fearing it may prove counter-productive
keeping in view of the unpredictability of US President Donald Trump.
Prime Minister Imran Khan is to leave for US today (July 19,
2019). More importantly, the US is in protectionist mode too, a senior official
requesting anonymity told The News.
US under Trump administration, the official feared, will try to
ensure safe US troops evacuation free of cost from Afghanistan by using the
strict IMF programme and FATF (financial action task force) as bargaining chip.
FATF has already asked Pakistan to fulfill its remaining
obligations on anti-money laundering and terror financing till October and if
Pakistan fails to satisfy FATF, then it will be put in black list. IMF has
already said in its latest report that continuation of IMF programme also
depends upon Pakistan’s total compliance of FATF terms and conditions.
However, the official said Pakistan will try to use its help for
smooth evacuation of US troops from Afghanistan with ensuring of peace in a war
ravaged country in the absence of US troops as bargaining chip to qualify for
more trade concessions. Pakistan has already arrested Hafiz Saeed and Chief of
Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa also held meetings with Ulema running
madrasas across the country for reforms as required by US to make PM’s US visit
successful.
More importantly, since the Trump administration takes over, the
US is at trade war with China and so far has done away with concessions on
tariff lines of China valuing over $225 billion and in return China has either
imposed or proposed the tumbling of tariff lines of US valuing $110 billion.
Basically, President Trump is too much sensitive over tariff concessions.
US so far has reduced concessions on tariff line of Turkey and also tumbled the
concessions on items from Mexico and Canada to boost the US industry and ensure
maximum jobs of American.
More importantly US has also expelled India which is strategic
partner of America in South Asia region from the GSP facilities scheme giving
the impression that US is no more tolerable to continue concessions on tariffs
lines. Now India will send its products in US markets under competitive regime.
Keeping in view the record of US Trump, the official said, the
authorities in commerce ministry are still indecisive as to whether the
government should seek any trade concessions which may help make strong
Pakistan’s economy.
The official said, Pakistan has current concessions available to
it on unconventional items under GSP (Generalized System of Preferences) scheme
the US is extending to developing and Least Developed economies. However US has
expelled India from GSP scheme.
Under new scenario, US wants Pakistan to provide ease in safe
evacuation of troops from Afghanistan and also help establish peace in war
ravaged Afghanistan and use influence on Taliban to behave in the case of
absence of US troops. The government wants to use it as bargaining chip and
seek US assistance to improve economic outlook of the country.
The official said that under GSP facilities US is not extending
any kind of tariff concessions on Pakistan textile products, but we want the
concessions under another arrangements.
If Trump, he argued, agrees to provide concessions on Pakistan
textile sector it is not possible under GSP as in case US amend GSP scheme to
accommodate Pakistani textile products, WTO will strike down immediately as
under GSP scheme, no disparity in the accord is allowed. At present US is
extending tariff concessions on 3500 tariff lines to developing countries and
on 1500 tariff lines to least developed countries (LDCs).
On 3500 tariff lines US is extending the tariff concessions under
GSP to developing economies but not giving any concessions on textile products.
However, US is extending the concessions on 1500 tariff lines to LDCs including
textile products. So under GSP, no window is available for Pakistan for more
concessions.
Pakistan has decided to seek concessions on Pakistan’s textile
products under special arrangements as was extended by European Union that had
given to Pakistan after 2010 floods. EU had extended ATP (Autonomous Trade
Preferences) to Pakistan to compensate the loss incurred owing to 2010 flood.
It is to be noted that EU got the special waiver from WTO while giving ATP to
Pakistan for one year to improve its trade to EU.
The EU managed to persuade the WTO member countries of India,
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka arguing Pakistan sustained huge loss during catastrophic
2010 flood. “We will ask United States Trade Representative (USTR) to give ATP
like trade concessions to Pakistan as US can also get waiver from WTO in this
regard as EU had managed for Pakistan,” he said.
“We will pitch this proposal before US authorities seeking
concessions on Pakistani textile products in return of Pakistan’s help to US
for smooth evacuation of US troops and ensure peace in Afghanistan in the
absence of US troops,” the official sources close to Mr Razaq Dawood Adviser to
PM on Commerce, Textile, Industries and Investment. Dawood will be the part of
PM entourage during US visit.
Under another proposal, Pakistan will pitch before US authorities
seeking limited FTA (Free Trade Agreement) with US with maximum tariff
concessions Pakistan textile products and in return Pakistan will offer same
kind of concessions on agri products of US. If US agrees to ink limited FTA
with Pakistan the it would be 21st country with which FTA will be done.
At present, the US has free trade agreements with 20 countries
including Peru, South Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Oman, Bahrain and Jordan. Because
of the free trade agreements, Bahrain and Jordan have developed their textile
sector and have begun to compete with other countries in the US textile market.
The trade volume, the official said, between Pakistan and US
stands at $5.5 billion that direly needs stimulation. As per data, Pakistan’s
exports in 2017 stood at $3.57 billion with a trade surplus of $765 million.
Pakistan’s exports had only 0.16% share in total US imports of
around $2.34 trillion in 2017. Top five exporting countries to the US last year
were China ($505 billion), Mexico ($314 billion), Canada ($300 billion), Japan
($136 billion) and Germany ($118 billion). Pakistan ranks at 59th place in this
list. Pakistan’s main export goods include articles of apparel and home
textile, leather, surgical instruments, cotton fabrics and yarn, plastic,
carpets, sugar confectionery and rice.
Pakistan’s main imports from the US include machinery and
electrical equipment, soybean, milk powder, maize, peas, cotton, iron and
steel, rail locomotives, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
In case of textile and apparel, Pakistan has a share of around 3%
in total US imports of $99 billion, which is smaller compared to 36% for China,
12% for Vietnam, 7% for India and 5% for Bangladesh.
Vietnam and India have both increased their share in the US
textile market since 2012 while China’s share has shrunk. The US has an
elaborate regulatory mechanism governing imports. As of July 2018, the
harmonised tariff schedule (HTS) of the US had 105,168 tariff lines, of which
36.8% were duty-free tariff lines, 1.9% were subject to tariff quotas and the
dutiable tariff lines had average rate of 7.6%.
The US has also bilateral investment treaties with 42 countries
and trade and investment framework agreements (TIFA) with 52 countries.
During the visit of US president junior George Bush to Pakistan in
Musharraf regime, US announced to sign TIFA with Pakistan. However, after TIFA
came into existence, next step of Bilateral Investment Treaty was proposed to
ensure investment from US entrepreneurs bus no progress could be made because
of unacceptable conditions of US authorities for BIT.
Pakistan may ask, the official said, US administration to soften
their conditions for BIT. The official said that US which is very sensitive to
violation of IPRs (intellectually property rights) of US products in Pakistan
may highlight this very issue. Though Pakistan has overcome this issue
substantially by taking various steps but US is feared to highlight this issue
too.
India losing African rice markets to others
Exporters plead for govt support as rivals from China,
Thailand displace them
As cheaper rice from countries such as China
and Thailand begins to eat into India’s traditional markets in Africa, the
concerned rice exporters here are looking to the government for incentives to
sustain their markets.
An increase in minimum support price (MSP)
for paddy, coupled with strengthening rupee against the dollar, has turned the
Indian rice expensive in the world market, hurting the non-basmati rice
shipments, exporters said. Provisional data for shipments made during April-May
this year indicate that exports have more than halved over same period last
year.
Non-basmati rice shipments fell to 7.11 lakh
tonnes during April-May this year from 15.25 lakh tonnes in the corresponding
period last year. In value terms, the shipments slumped to $294 million from
last year’s $652 million. This is even as the basmati shipments have witnessed
a steady growth in the same period.
Plea for support
“The government should consider extending the
5 per cent incentive under the MEIS scheme and also extend the 5 per cent
interest subvention scheme to non-basmati rice exporters,” said BV Krishna Rao,
President of the Rice Exporters Association, which has written to the Commerce
Ministry recently. Such incentives will help the Indian rice exports remain
competitive.
The 5 per cent incentive under MEIS,
introduced for non-basmati rice exporters in November last year, ended in March
this year. For being among the top five exports category, the non-basmati rice
exporters are not considered for the interest subvention scheme.
Chinese entry
At present, the Indian non-basmati rice is
expensive by 5-10 per cent compared with other traditional competitors such as
Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan and Myanmar, Rao said. However, the entry of
Chinese rice into the markets this year has compounded the problem for Indian
exporters, he added.
Rao said the Chinese State agency COFCO is
out in the market to liquidate old stocks of 3-4 million tonnes and is
targeting markets in Africa, including Egypt. India has around 50 per cent
share in African rice market, estimated at around 15 million tonnes annually.
India’s non-basmati rice shipments slowed
down during October-December quarter last year due to the impact of the higher
paddy MSP, which saw an increase of 13 per cent for the kharif 2018 season. The
announcement of 5 per cent MEIS helped offset the impact of higher MSP.
Incentive sought
A further increase of 3.7 per cent in MSP for
kharif 2019 has added to the exporters’ challenge. The government should look
at a scheme such as Bhavantar or direct cash transfer instead of increasing
MSP, he said.
India is the largest exporter of rice and
accounts for a fourth of the global shipments. In 2018-19, non-basmati rice
exports fell to 7.5 million tonnes from 8.8 million tonnes in the previous
year. In value terms, the shipments fell to $3 billion during 2018-19 from
$3.63 billion in the previous year.
New Rail Service for Pakistan
Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT), a subsidiary
of ICTSI, has launched a dedicated rail cargo service between Karachi and
Lahore in cooperation with the state-owned Pakistan Railways.
The cargo rail service is anticipated to move goods faster and
at a significantly lower cost than road transport, benefiting major industries
in the country including agriculture, textile, fertilizer, sports goods and
electronics.
As the only terminal at the Port of Karachi with internal rail
connection, PICT says it has a competitive edge in local market and expects to
improve its global competitiveness with the new service.
Hosting the nation’s main seaport and financial district,
Karachi is a major exporter of cement, machinery, chemicals,and textiles and
rice. PICT is located at the east wharf of Karachi Port between the towns of
Keamari and Saddar. It lies on a strategic point along the 600-mile long coastline
which stretches from the straits of Hormuz to the border with India. PICT
handles 85 percent of the Arabian/Persian Gulf market including industrial
scrap.
ICTSI reported revenue from port operations of $383.8 million
for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, an increase of 18 percent over the same
period last year. ICTSI handled consolidated volume of 2,478,672 TEUs for the
quarter, an in crease of seven percent over the same period in 2018.
Chinese
scientists say goodbye to Tiangong-2, expecting space station
Source: Xinhua| 2019-07-19
22:32:00|Editor: yan
BEIJING,
July 19 (Xinhua) -- After helping scientists complete many significant
experiments such as growing rice and vegetables in space, observing the
strongest explosions in the universe and setting up the most precise clock in
space, China's first space lab Tiangong-2 ended its mission and reentered the
atmosphere under control Friday night (Beijing Time).
With
deep attachment, Chinese scientists recalled the experience of participating in
the design and implementation of the space experiments on Tiangong-2, and also
looked forward to more frontier research on China's future space station.
Zheng
Huiqiong, a researcher at the Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology of the
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), still remembered how she nervously waited
for astronauts in November 2016 to bring back a small box containing the
Arabidopsis thaliana, a kind of vegetable, which had grown on Tiangong-2 for
about 50 days.
As the
lead scientist of the experiment, she was the first one to see the plant with a
little blossom.
"That
was an unparalleled exciting moment," Zheng said.
Zheng's
team put seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana and rice in the space lab to allow them
to complete the growth process from seeds to producing seeds in space, the
first such experiment carried out by Chinese scientists.
From
the small box brought back by astronauts, the team harvested nine seeds, which
have generated the fourth generation on Earth.
"The
Tiangong-2 mission was our first opportunity to carry out a long-term plant
experiment in space. This experiment is significant because growing grains and
vegetable will be a necessity if humans want to leave the earth and have
long-term survival and travel in space," Zheng said.
Many
interesting and important discoveries have been made in the experiments of
Tiangong-2.
"We
found that plants grow slower in space than on Earth and blossom later.
However, they live longer in space than on Earth. The lifespan of Arabidopsis
thaliana in space was about twice as long as on Earth. We believe that the
genes related to aging change in space," Zheng said.
"If
we find the method to regulate the growth of plants, we could postpone the
blooming of vegetables to make them grow more leaves and accelerate the
blooming of rice to make them seed as soon as possible. Therefore, we can use the
limited resources in space to maximize crop yields. The research can also find
its application back on Earth," said Zheng.
Yin
Dekui, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics of CAS,
recalled that his team had tested the multi-angle wide-band imaging
spectrometer on an airplane before the instrument was installed on Tiangong-2.
The researchers persisted in the bumpy plane for the experiment while vomiting.
Zhang
Yunhua, a researcher at the National Space Science Center of CAS, said Tiangong-2
has provided valuable opportunities for Chinese scientists to test their new
technologies and methods. His team developed a three-dimensional microwave
altimeter and tested it on Tiangong-2 to improve China's ocean observation
capability.
Rice
farmers in for more bountiful harvests with DOST-formulated growth promoter
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SHARES
Published July
19, 2019, 3:44 PM
By Dhel Nazario
Greater harvests are forthcoming for Filipino farmers with the
availability of the radiation-processed Carrageenan Plant Growth Promoter (PGP)
formulated by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
According to Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI)
Scientist Dr. Lucille Abad, the formula has been proven to increase rice yields
by as much as 30 percent versus the yield from average farmer practices, while
also making the crops more resistant to blight and infestation caused by tungro
virus, and strengthening the crops’ extensive root systems, which can better
withstand the effects of lodging during typhoons.
The PGP also had the effect of driving away harmful pests
without harming insects and arthropods which are naturally beneficial to crops.
The Carrageenan PGP is already being launched nationwide by
various technology adopters, distributing it through various dealers,
cooperatives and other possible arrangements. For an optimal amount of 9 liters
per hectare, farmers could use the PGP along with conventional fertilizers.
Not only will the PGP increase the number of cavans, but it will
also make each cavan heavier and fully-laden with rice. With the PGP, farmers
could earn up to an additional P16,000, or more than $300 – an increase in
income of over 19 percent.
Scientists from the DOST-PNRI developed the PGP from
carrageenan, a natural polymer extracted from red seaweed. Using the fabricated
liquid handling system at PNRI’s Electron Beam Irradiation Facility, the
carrageenan solution is processed using electron beams into a foliar fertilizer
sprayed at certain stages in the plant’s life.
The PGP was funded by the DOST – Philippine Council for
Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD)
and tested in cooperation with the University of the Philippines – Los Baños
National Crop Protection Center (UPLB-NCPC).
The formula was set for field trials by the Department of
Agriculture (DA) from 2015 to 2019 to cover several provinces in Luzon, Panay
Island, Zamboanga and Davao, for a total of around 35,000 hectares of farmland.
Farmers can maximize the potential yield of their crops when using PGP in
conjunction with more efficient farming methods and proper timing.
Other food crops such as mungbean, peanut, leafy vegetables,
corn, sugarcane, and banana are also being subjected to PGP field tests, where
results showed an increase in yield by around 35 percent for mungbean and
around 40 percent for peanut.
More than just improving the yield and agronomic traits,
scientists are also pushing the limits of the PGP’s beneficial effects,
particularly whether it can help crops survive in adverse conditions, which
become increasingly likely due to climate change as well as natural disasters.
The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) has certified the
PGP for commercialization in rice, with plans to widen its coverage to include
other crops in the near future.
The Carrageenan PGP exhibit, along with other marvels of nuclear
science and technology, are being showcased during the 2019 National Science
and Technology Week celebration from July 17 to 21 at the World Trade Center in
Pasay City.
50
years ago man landed on the moon with the help of UA scientists
- Sean Mooney
- 10:05 am
- July 19, 2019
TUCSON- 50 years ago the Apollo 11 spacecraft was orbiting the
moon on the eve of one of the greatest events in human history. The next day,
July 20, 1969, man would step on the lunar surface for the first time. Among
the millions watching around the world were scientists from Tucson, who were
part of the team that would allow astronaut Neil Armstrong to announce to the
world.”The eagle has landed”.
On September 12, 1962, President John F. Kennedy’s made his
famous “We choose to go to the moon” speech, on the campus of Rice University.
Those words accelerated America’s space race with Russia. The challenge issued
to NASA to be the first to put a man on the moon.
Maps of the moon, created by UA scientists helped man land on
the moon.
But even before the president’s grand pronouncement, scientists
on the campus of the University Of Arizona were already mapping the gray orb,
led by Gerard Kuiper, a renowned astronomer and planetary scientist who founded
the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the U of A. Tim Swindle, the current
director of the laboratory, said the center’s telescopes were used to map the
lunar surface.
“Gerard Kuiper had the idea of using photographs of the moon and
making maps that way”, said Swindle, “The first one was published right around
1960.”
In order to create a more dimensional view of the moon, Kuiper
came up with a very simple but effective technique to map the lunar surface
large globe. Kuiper and his team took photographs they had captured of the
moon’s surface and projected them on to the sphere to create a dimensional
model of the lunar surface.
By 1968, NASA astronauts were orbiting the moon but Apollo 11’s
mission would put a man on the lunar surface. Kuiper’s scientists had already
been working with NASA but this time out, Kuiper’s maps would be crucial to the
success of the mission.
Bill Hartmann, Senior Scientist Emeritus Planetary Science
Institute, was one of the scientists who helped map the moon, providing
essential data and pictures to help NASA find the best place to touchdown.
“What they wanted was a flat featureless”, said Hartmann, “The
dullest geology you could imagine.”
But even with all of the planning, the lunar landing did not go
off without some tense moments.
“As they were coming in and as Armstrong was piloting, and
Aldrin,” Hartmann said, “And they were headed right for a fairly big concave
crater and he made a decision at the last minute to try to avoid that and
that’s why they came down to a few seconds of using up all their fuel to make
the landing.
Fortunately, Neil Armstrong found a clear area but when they
touched down there was less than 30 seconds of fuel remaining.
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin would, of course, go on to walk
on the moon and return safely to earth. The scientists from the University of
Arizona having played a role in “One small step for man, one giant leap for
mankind.”
https://kvoa.com/news/2019/07/19/50-years-ago-man-landed-on-the-moon-with-the-help-of-ua-scientists/
Nutrients in food crops will fall by 2050: Study
PTI New Delhi | Updated on July 19, 2019 Published on July 19,
2019
The study
finds that wheat, rice, maize, barley, potatoes, soybeans, and vegetables are
all projected to suffer nutrient loss. Representative image - The Hindu
Critical nutrients such as protein, iron and
zinc in food crops could reduce significantly by 2050 due to climate change and
rising carbon dioxide level, a new study has revealed.
A report based on a study by the
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has said that over the
next 30 years, climate change and increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels can
impact the presence of nutrients in crops such as rice, maize, barley, potatoes,
soybeans, and several vegetables.
“The total impact of climate change shocks
and elevated levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are estimated to reduce growth in
global per capita nutrient availability of protein, iron, and zinc by 19.5 per
cent, 14.4 per cent, and 14.6 per cent respectively. In South Asia, iron and
zinc availability is projected to be even below recommended levels,” it said.
The study finds that wheat, rice, maize,
barley, potatoes, soybeans, and vegetables are all projected to suffer nutrient
loss of about three per cent on average by 2050 due to elevated carbon dioxide
concentration.
It said the effects are not likely to be felt
evenly around the world and many countries currently experiencing high levels
of nutrient deficiency are also projected to be more affected by lower nutrient
availability in the future.
“Nutrient reductions are projected to be
particularly severe in South and West Asia, Africa south of the Sahara, North
Africa, and the former Soviet Union — regions largely comprised of low and
middle-income countries where levels of under-nutrition are generally higher,”
the study said
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/science/nutrients-in-food-crops-will-fall-by-2050-study/article28595070.eceNutrients in food crops will fall by 2050: Study
PTI New Delhi | Updated on July 19, 2019 Published on July 19,
2019
The study
finds that wheat, rice, maize, barley, potatoes, soybeans, and vegetables are
all projected to suffer nutrient loss. Representative image - The Hindu
Critical nutrients such as protein, iron and
zinc in food crops could reduce significantly by 2050 due to climate change and
rising carbon dioxide level, a new study has revealed.
A report based on a study by the
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has said that over the
next 30 years, climate change and increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels can
impact the presence of nutrients in crops such as rice, maize, barley, potatoes,
soybeans, and several vegetables.
“The total impact of climate change shocks
and elevated levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are estimated to reduce growth in
global per capita nutrient availability of protein, iron, and zinc by 19.5 per
cent, 14.4 per cent, and 14.6 per cent respectively. In South Asia, iron and
zinc availability is projected to be even below recommended levels,” it said.
The study finds that wheat, rice, maize,
barley, potatoes, soybeans, and vegetables are all projected to suffer nutrient
loss of about three per cent on average by 2050 due to elevated carbon dioxide
concentration.
It said the effects are not likely to be felt
evenly around the world and many countries currently experiencing high levels
of nutrient deficiency are also projected to be more affected by lower nutrient
availability in the future.
“Nutrient reductions are projected to be
particularly severe in South and West Asia, Africa south of the Sahara, North
Africa, and the former Soviet Union — regions largely comprised of low and
middle-income countries where levels of under-nutrition are generally higher,”
the study said.
Book showcasing Pakistani
cuisine launched at UN
Share:
APP
UNITED
NATIONS - A beautifully illustrated book, featuring
recipes of Pakistani cuisine, was launched here at a glittering ceremony, with
Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations,
saying that she helped to commission this for the benefit of the global
community at the UN.
“Dining
Along the Indus” was put together by Nestle, a Swiss multinational food and
drink processing company, under Ambassador Lodhi’s direction and the project
took several months to complete.
It
will go to top UN officials and to 192 countries represented at the UN.
Apart from the food and the recipes, the book also celebrates the splendor of
Pakistan, with colourful and striking pictures depicting a country which is
modern, but with ancient roots and a rich cultural heritage.
Thursday’s
reception, a largely attended affair that everyone seemed to enjoy, was jointly
organised at UN Headquarters in New York by the Permanent Missions of Pakistan
and Switzerland to also mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations between the two countries. Swiss Ambassador Jurg Lauber
spoke briefly on the occasion.
Both
the Pakistani and Swiss envoys referred to the significant investments made by
Swiss companies in Pakistan over the years that had strengthened the bonds
between the two nations.
President
of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, who was chief guest
at the event, attended by ambassadors, senior UN officials and journalists,
recalled her visit to Pakistan in January, saying, “I fell in Love- with the
people, the landscape and the food. So you can be sure that this book will be
prioritized on my reading list.”
Talking
to APP about the 148-page book, Ambassador Lodhi said, “The idea came from my
desire to showcase the distinctive nature of Pakistani cuisine even though it
has been influenced by our immediate and wider neighbourhood.”
“I
am grateful to Nestle Pakistan for producing a first rate book,” she added. Ms.
Helen Medina represented Nestle at the event.
Earlier,
welcoming the guests, the Pakistani envoy highlighted the distinct nature of
Pakistani cuisine.
Explaining
title of the book, Ambassador Lodhi said that banks of the Indus River had been
home to some of world’s oldest civilizations. “So the title of this book
reflects what has also come to define the cuisine that has evolved as part of
Pakistan’s journey,” she said, and added, “Every region of Pakistan has also
produced its own specialty as the various dishes and their names in this book
signify.”
Pakistan’s
culinary journey, Ambassador Lodhi said, had been greatly influenced by the
country’s location at the intersection of three regions – South Asia, Central
Asia and South West Asia. “Thus the influences of several civilizations have
left a deep imprint on Pakistan, a crossroads state, where an exciting fusion
of such cultures has defined Pakistani life, including its culinary heritage,”
she elaborated.
In
her remarks, Ms. Espinosa, the president of the 193-member Assembly, said, “The
act of breaking bread with family, friends and strangers is one that resonates
in societies throughout the world. Citing Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him),
she said, “Eat together, and not separately for the blessing is associated with
the company.”
“Indeed,”
Ms. Espinosa said, “food can achieve something that we at the UN strive to do
every day. Gather people from all backgrounds and walks of life around a
table.”
“By
cooking and eating together, we can explore our common history and humanity,
and develop greater understanding of our shared aspirations to combat hunger
and promote food security,” she added.
Referring
to the Nelson Mandela Day at a community culinary center in Brooklyn, she
lauded the work it does by offering healthy, accessible cuisine to the
residents of one of the most marginalized neighbourhoods in New York-- carrying
forward Madiba’s ideals of service, the spirit of hospitality that
characterizes Islam, Christianity and other religions.
“And
through food, we can delight in the simple pleasures of life - pleasures that
we want to preserve for future generations, by building sustainable, inclusive
societies, and by celebrating and protecting our diverse cultural heritage,”
Ms. Espinosa added.
Guests
enjoyed an array of “Street Food” from Pakistan as well as traditional rice and
barbecue chicken and beef Kababs. The street food table was crowded with
inquisitive guests trying out and enjoying ‘gol guppas’ and ‘chaat’.
Rice
Farmers in North, Northeast Thailand Face Worst Drought in 40 Years
Thailand
is not the only Asia country suffering from drought during the rainy season,
India, Pakistan and Myanmar face a similar situation.
CHIANG RAI – Rice Farmers in northern and
northeastern Thailand are facing possibly the worst drought in 40 years, with
crops withering and tap water on the verge of drying up in some areas.
Provincial waterworks
officials on Friday warned of a looming shortage of tap water in areas where
levels in local reservoirs are dropping.
“This is the longest the rains
have held off in 40 years,” said Prayat Raksachat, who operates a piped water
system in Thap Kwai, a village in tambon Chiwan in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Phimai
district.
He was worried how the village
of 500 residents would find water for daily use and consumption.
Throughout much of the
Northeast, in areas without irrigation, rice crops have wilted and turned
yellow and will soon die off unless there is rain.
Chaiyong Chaiburi, a farmer in
tambon Chiwan, said arid weather conditions have forced him to reap all the
rice plants on his 50 rai of paddy.
“I used it to feed my
buffaloes,” he said. “It’s better to see the rice put to good use instead of
just withering away and dying.”
In Chaiyaphum province,
residents have resorted to an ancient ritual known as “hae nang maeo” in a
desperate attempt to appease the gods and have them dump rain on the arid
areas.
By tradition the villagers
throw water on cats being carried around in cages. It is believed a cat’s cry
will be heard by the Gods as a request for rain.
“But we know now that treating
cats that way is cruelty to animals, so we use toy cats instead,” Songkhram
Wonsikhai, a 75-year-old local wiseman, said.
The situation is the Northern is Equally Worrying
The water level in the Mae Kuang Udom Thara
Reservoir in Chiang Mai province has fallen to only 12% of its capacity —
worse than the level seen during the drought crisis in 2015.
Deputy Agriculture Minister
Prapat Pothasuthon said the ministry will keep the farmers updated about the drought
and weather conditions.
“Despite the severe
conditions, we need to tell the truth to farmers.
They must know whether their
plants will survive or not,” he said.
Thailand is not the only Asia
country suffering from drought during the rainy season.
India, Pakistan and Myanmar
face a similar situation, because the humidity from the North Pole has not come
south as it normally should have, Smith Thammasaroj, former chairman of the
National Disaster Warning Centre, said
This will mean less or even no
rainfall until late August or September, he said.
The Meteorological Department
said that the delay in the rains was partly caused by a warmer Pacific Ocean,
which will decrease rainfall in the East and Central Plains, including Bangkok,
by 5% until next month.
Puffed Rice - Breakfast
Cereal Started Out with a Big Bang
ARLINGTON, VA -- Puffed rice,
the ingredient that adds a pleasant crunch to our chocolate bars and makes our
breakfast cereal pop, is so ubiquitous that it's hard to imagine a time before
it existed. But although cooks in India have been enjoying puffed rice as
a snack for hundreds of years, the concept didn't hit the United States until
the early 20th century-and it literally exploded onto the scene.
Cereal foods were all the rage in America in the mid-19th century. Doctors and nutritionists believed in their healthful and moderating effects, and fed patients little else. But early cereals were nothing like the crunchy, sugary treats we eat today. The first cereal was nothing more than whole wheat graham flour baked into a cake and then broken apart-not especially appetizing. Consumers wanted cereal, but they also wanted something with better taste and texture.
Enter Alexander P. Anderson, a botanist employed by the New York Botanical Garden. A researcher specializing in plant physiology, Anderson hypothesized that within every starch granule was a molecule of moisture, and set about proving it through experimentation. Using cornstarch and wheat flour, he hermetically sealed the starch in a glass tube and heated it in a 500°F degree oven. As the temperature rose, so did the pressure. Anderson put the finishing touch on the experiment by smashing the glass tube open.
Cereal foods were all the rage in America in the mid-19th century. Doctors and nutritionists believed in their healthful and moderating effects, and fed patients little else. But early cereals were nothing like the crunchy, sugary treats we eat today. The first cereal was nothing more than whole wheat graham flour baked into a cake and then broken apart-not especially appetizing. Consumers wanted cereal, but they also wanted something with better taste and texture.
Enter Alexander P. Anderson, a botanist employed by the New York Botanical Garden. A researcher specializing in plant physiology, Anderson hypothesized that within every starch granule was a molecule of moisture, and set about proving it through experimentation. Using cornstarch and wheat flour, he hermetically sealed the starch in a glass tube and heated it in a 500°F degree oven. As the temperature rose, so did the pressure. Anderson put the finishing touch on the experiment by smashing the glass tube open.
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Dr. Anderson with the cannon he used to
invent puffed grains (photo courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society)
|
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Anderson's colleagues heard the
shotgun-like explosions and came running. What they found was a
laboratory in disarray, shattered glass everywhere, and a large stick of
perfectly puffed starch, white as snow, and ten times larger than its original
volume. Just as Anderson had predicted, the granules heated, the pressure
kept the moisture inside from boiling, and once the pressure was relieved by
breaking the glass, the moisture instantly vaporized, puffing the starch into a
light, crispy, fluffy texture. Anderson repeated his experiment with all
kinds of grains, and puffed rice as we know it was born.
The botanist-turned-entertainer took his show on the road at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. Having honed his technique, he astounded crowds with eight puffing "cannons," 20-inch long bonze tubes that superheated and pressurized rice grains. When Anderson uncapped the tubes by unceremoniously hitting them with a metal rod, puffed rice exploded dramatically into a two-story cage, where workers would collect and sell it for a nickel. By the end of the fair, Anderson had puffed 20,000 pounds of rice.
It wasn't long until puffed rice was a nation-wide craze. Anderson got a patent on his puffing gun in 1905, and Quaker Oats began selling his creation as a breakfast cereal called Puffed Rice, dubbing it, "The Eighth Wonder of the World." Puffed rice was celebrated for being easy to digest and having a longer shelf life than regular rice, but the main charm was its novelty.
Today, cereal companies still use a modernized version of Anderson's technique to create the majority of breakfast cereals, like Captain Crunch, Corn Pops, and of course, Rice Krispies. And while we no longer need to smash open a glass tube or blast it out of a cannon, puffed rice changed the face of breakfast food forever.
The botanist-turned-entertainer took his show on the road at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. Having honed his technique, he astounded crowds with eight puffing "cannons," 20-inch long bonze tubes that superheated and pressurized rice grains. When Anderson uncapped the tubes by unceremoniously hitting them with a metal rod, puffed rice exploded dramatically into a two-story cage, where workers would collect and sell it for a nickel. By the end of the fair, Anderson had puffed 20,000 pounds of rice.
It wasn't long until puffed rice was a nation-wide craze. Anderson got a patent on his puffing gun in 1905, and Quaker Oats began selling his creation as a breakfast cereal called Puffed Rice, dubbing it, "The Eighth Wonder of the World." Puffed rice was celebrated for being easy to digest and having a longer shelf life than regular rice, but the main charm was its novelty.
Today, cereal companies still use a modernized version of Anderson's technique to create the majority of breakfast cereals, like Captain Crunch, Corn Pops, and of course, Rice Krispies. And while we no longer need to smash open a glass tube or blast it out of a cannon, puffed rice changed the face of breakfast food forever.
Innovative farmers to
teach BAU students: VC
Saturday, 20 July
2019 | PNS | Ranchi
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Now
farmers identified and recognized for their innovation in agricultural
practices will be invited for teaching the students of different colleges of
Birsa Agricultural University (BAU).
The
announcement was made by BAU Vice Chancellor Dr RS Kureel at the State
level workshop on ‘Contingency Agriculture Plan for Jharkhand’ organized
by BAU on Friday. He asked the heads of Krishi Vigyan Kendras of all the
24 districts present at the workshop to identify real innovative farmers of
their district and send their names with details of their contribution to the
university headquarters to share their knowledge, practices and innovative
ideas with students in classroom. Language of communication will not be a
problem for the farmers because they have to share their out of the box
thinking and techniques, the VC added.
Dr
Kureel asked the university scientists to go through the draft of new national
education policy available on the websites of PMO, union HRD Minister and
national education policy and post their suggestions for further modification
and improvement in agricultural education, if any, in the draft. He said
the government through public sector universities spends about Rs one
crore on the B Sc, M Sc and Ph D education of an individual and such persons
should introspect what they have returned to the society, state and the country
in lieu of the public money invested on his/ her education. He also asked the
KVK scientists to work on the strategy of replacing the upland rice area with
maize, finger millets, pulses and oilseeds.
Dr
AK Singh, Vice Chancellor of Bihar Agricultural University, Bhagalpur, Bihar
said new crop varieties released by scientists should not be recognized unless
it has its presence and impact in farmers’ fields. He stressed that integrated
farming system model recommended to farmers must exist in university campus
also.
Dr
A Wadood, Chairman, Dept of Agrometeorology & Environmental Sciences, BAU
said rain deficiency in the month of June and July 1-17 has been 55 and 40 per
cent respectively as a result only 17 per cent cultivable area of the state has
been covered with crops so far. He advised the farmers to take up maize,
pulses, oilseeds in the upland and medium land ecology in place of rice to
minimize the losses in the face of monsoon aberrations. Detailed contingency
plan will be uploaded on BAU website bauranchi.org soon for the benefit of
farmers, policy makers, extension officials and NGOs.Urban Haat soon to come up
in city
Alternative
Grains Can Help India Allay Impact of Global Heating on Agriculture
Scientists have found that, compared to
rice, alternative grains experienced smaller declines in yield under climate
extremes. However, there is a catch.
Somnath Masal, a millet farmer in his field
in Jamkhed, Maharashtra in India, on November 28, 2011. Photo: Abhijit
Bhatlekar/Flickr, CC BY 2.0
20/JUL/2019
Alternative grains like millets and sorghum
could help India cope better with the impact of global heating on agriculture
and variations in supply than continuing to rely on rice and wheat alone. This
is the heartening conclusion of a new study, but it also cautions that the
cultivation area should be selected with care to avoid any production
shortfalls.
An international team of scientists modelled
crop cultivation and growth and found that, compared to finger millet, pearl
millet and sorghum, “rice yields are significantly more sensitive to
inter-annual fluctuations in monsoon rainfall on both irrigated and rain-fed
croplands.” The team included scientists from universities in the US –
University of Delaware, Columbia University, Yale University and Washington
State University – and from the International Institute for Applied Systems
Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria; and the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.
Their study shows that allocating more
cropland to alternative grains can help stabilise grain production in a variety
of climatic conditions. It “adds to the empirical information needed for
comprehensively assessing the potential co-benefits and tradeoffs associated
with increased alternative grain production,” their paper, published on June 13
this year, says.
Kyle Frankel Davis, of the Data Science
Institute at Columbia University and one of the authors of the paper,
told The Wire that the study
“shows for the first time that the yields from grains such as millet, sorghum,
and maize are more resilient to extreme events like droughts.” On the other
hand, the yield of rice – India’s main crop – declines to a greater extent
during extreme weather conditions. So “by relying more and more on a single crop
– rice – India’s food supply is potentially vulnerable to the effects of
varying climate,” Davis cautioned.
He and his colleagues began by examining
the historical links between inter-annual variations in temperature and
rainfall and rain-fed yield variability for five monsoon crops – rice, finger
millet, maize, pearl millet and sorghum – between 1966 and 2011. They focused
on yields under rain-fed conditions since most of the rice, maize and millets
grown in India are done so in rain-fed conditions.
Then, they combined district-level crop
production data with average temperature and rainfall numbers for June, July
and August, from 1966 to 2011. They used computer models to estimate the grain
yield responses to changes in rainfall and temperature.
Most previous studies on links between
climate variability and crop yields in India have focused on rice and wheat but
haven’t compared them in turn to alternate grains. At present, rice accounts
for 44% of India annual grain production and as much as 73% during the kharif season. Maize accounts for 15%, pearl
millet 8%, sorghum 2.5% and finger millet (1.5%) during kharif.
The scientists found that, compared to
rice, the alternative grains experienced smaller declines in yield under
climate extremes. However, there was a catch: while the alternatives were more
resilient, they didn’t scale as well as rice did, and rice plants are known for
their high yield. For example, increasing the amount of cropland allocated just
to the coarse grains reduced their yield by 17% under drought conditions and by
18% in non-drought years. In contrast, allocating more land to all alternative grains, including maize, appeared to
enhance production by 39.6% under drought conditions and by 37% during
non-drought years.
Women
labourers work in a pearl millet field at Narayangaon, March 12, 2019. Photo:
Reuters/Danish Siddiqui
According to V. Geethalakshmi, the study is
important because it employs a technique called model inter-comparison, an
increasingly useful part of agri research around the world in the last half
decade, to make more accurate predictions and reach conclusions closer to
reality. Geethalakshmi is a professor at the agro-climate research centre at
the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Her team has been working
with Columbia University on the Agricultural
Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project involving 30 countries.
She added that, from a practical point of
view, such model predictions based on future changes in temperatures and
rainfall, attributed in turn to climate change, can help policymakers designate
alternate crops to offset declining farm yields.
India’s climate variability has increased
both in area and over time over the past half century. The total monsoon rainfall
in some regions has fallen, extreme rainfall events have become more frequent
and rainfall distribution has been becoming more uneven.
Consequently, the ministry of agriculture
has recognised the effects of climate change on agricultural crops. In a
written reply to a parliamentary committee, the agriculture ministry acknowledged
in January this year that
rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, mustard, potato, cotton and coconut crops are
likely to be adversely affected by climate change. The ministry also said that
the production of rice could fall by 4-6% by 2020, of wheat by 6-23% by 2050
and of maize by 18% by 2050, all thanks to climate change. Then again, it also
pointed out that, production of rice could be increased by 17-20% through
proper and timely interventions.
Recent
research from
10 countries that consume the most rice has shown that the quality of grains
could suffer as well. For example, rice could produce fewer proteins, vitamins
and minerals essential for humans in response to rising carbon dioxide
concentrations that are implicated in global heating. They confirm previously
reported declines in protein, iron and zinc levels, offer additional
information on consistent declines in vitamins B1, B2,B5, and B9 and –
conversely – an increase in vitamin E in rice produced under higher carbon
dioxide conditions.
However, not all scientists agree with the
international study’s approach. For one, in the case of rain-fed systems in
India, it is “intra-district variability that is crucial. So district-wise data
tells us very little,” Rajeswari Raina, a professor at the School of Humanities
and Social Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Gurgaon, said.
So scientists need to go beyond “banal”
yield responses and understand the social-ecological systems, including how
human and/or social responses change according to changes in temperature and
precipitation, she added.
Intra-district variation in production and
technological capacities have not received much attention in India. Even the
detailed block-wise soil maps contain little information on the nature of
habitation and land-use patterns, physical infrastructure and production
capacities or calorie demands.
“Unfortunately, little has been done thus
far to analyse or relate the available information within agricultural research
organisations with the socio-economic changes in rain-fed agriculture,” Raina
said.
Brunei to create
higher-yielding rice strain to increase production
Source: Xinhua| 2019-07-20
13:54:32|Editor: Yurou
BANDAR
SERI BEGAWAN, July 20 (Xinhua) -- The Brunei government is currently working to
create a higher-yielding rice strain capable of producing 10 to 12 tons per
hectare a season, which is part of its effort to increase rice production and
reduce heavy reliance on rice imports.
Last
year, in collaboration with Indonesia's Biogene Plantation, the government
introduced to local farmers a high-yielding strain "Sembada (188)"
variant, capable of reaching 8 tons per hectare a season.
The
government also worked with a Myanmar firm to work on hybrid "Titih"
which is capable of reaching eight metric tonnes per hectare. The Brunei
government hopes to introduce "Titih" variant next year in 2020.
However,
the country "is not stopping there," Brunei's Minister of Primary
Resources and Tourism Dato Ali told Xinhua recently.
He said
the government is currently collaborating with a China-based institution, Yuan
Longping High-Tech Agriculture Co Ltd, to come up with a hybrid that can
produce an even higher yield.
Yuan
Longping is a world-known award-winning rice scientist dubbed "the father
of hybrid rice."
"We
are still working on it because the Chinese are going through some challenges
with our soil condition. The research is currently trying to reach 10 tons per
hectare," the minister said.
The
minister added that the country is looking for a hybrid that can produce 10 to
12 tons per hectare.
"From
the trials that were carried out, the highest yield so far was around 9 tons
per hectare, " said the minister.
But
with the introduction of higher yield paddy variances and the opening of more
cultivation sites such as in Pancur Murai and Limpaki, the sultanate hopes to
improve the nation's rice production and self-sufficiency level.
The
first phase of infrastructure construction to turn 500 hectares of rainforest
in Kandol into large-scale paddy cultivation is expected to be completed in
October. Once fully operational, it will be the sultanate's largest paddy
field.
Ali
said once the infrastructure complete this year, the first planting will begin
on a 20-hectare plot out of the total farm area of 500 hectares in October.
He said
the country aims to be 10 percent self-sufficient by 2020, double the current
figure of 5 percent. After the 500-hectare site becomes fully operational, the
sultanate hopes to be 20 percent self-sufficient.
Darussalam
Assets, a Brunei government-linked company, has been assigned to look for the
right partners to operate the rice cultivation operations at the new field.
Darussalam
Asset has received several proposals for evaluation, the minister said.
Chinese scientists
say goodbye to Tiangong-2, expecting space station
1
After helping scientists complete many significant experiments
such as growing rice and vegetables in space, observing the strongest
explosions in the universe and setting up the most precise clock in space,
China's first space lab Tiangong-2 ended its mission and reentered the
atmosphere under control Friday night (Beijing Time).
With deep attachment, Chinese scientists recalled the experience
of participating in the design and implementation of the space experiments on
Tiangong-2, and also looked forward to more frontier research on China's future
space station.
Zheng Huiqiong, a researcher at the Institute of Plant Physiology
and Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), still remembered how she
nervously waited for astronauts in November 2016 to bring back a small box
containing the Arabidopsis thaliana, a kind of vegetable, which had grown on
Tiangong-2 for about 50 days.
As the lead scientist of the experiment, she was the first one to
see the plant with a little blossom.
"That was an unparalleled exciting moment," Zheng said.
Zheng's team put seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana and rice in the
space lab to allow them to complete the growth process from seeds to producing
seeds in space, the first such experiment carried out by Chinese scientists.
From the small box brought back by astronauts, the team harvested
nine seeds, which have generated the fourth generation on Earth.
"The Tiangong-2 mission was our first opportunity to carry
out a long-term plant experiment in space. This experiment is significant
because growing grains and vegetable will be a necessity if humans want to
leave the earth and have long-term survival and travel in space," Zheng
said.
Many interesting and important discoveries have been made in the
experiments of Tiangong-2.
"We found that plants grow slower in space than on Earth and
blossom later. However, they live longer in space than on Earth. The lifespan
of Arabidopsis thaliana in space was about twice as long as on Earth. We
believe that the genes related to aging change in space," Zheng said.
"If we find the method to regulate the growth of plants, we
could postpone the blooming of vegetables to make them grow more leaves and
accelerate the blooming of rice to make them seed as soon as possible.
Therefore, we can use the limited resources in space to maximize crop yields.
The research can also find its application back on Earth," said Zheng.
Yin Dekui, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Technical
Physics of CAS, recalled that his team had tested the multi-angle wide-band
imaging spectrometer on an airplane before the instrument was installed on
Tiangong-2. The researchers persisted in the bumpy plane for the experiment
while vomiting.
Zhang Yunhua, a researcher at the National Space Science Center of
CAS, said Tiangong-2 has provided valuable opportunities for Chinese scientists
to test their new technologies and methods. His team developed a
three-dimensional microwave altimeter and tested it on Tiangong-2 to improve
China's ocean observation capability.
THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019
Iraq-US rice trade deals will be major economic boon for
Louisiana agriculture
By
Iraq’s trade ministry purchased a 60,000-ton order of U.S. rice
today, which comes as the latest in a string of rice deals between to the two
countries, generating a significant economic boon for Louisiana’s agriculture
industry.
Over the past two years, Iraq has ordered a combined 300,000
tons of rice from the U.S., much of which comes from Louisiana growers and
mills and is shipped from the Port of Lake Charles.
The most recent rice sale follows a mid-June meeting between
U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham and Iraqi trade minister Mohammed Hashim Abdul-Majeed
Jasim, according to Abraham’s office. The congressman has led efforts to develop a stronger trade
relationship with Iraq in recent years, writing several letters in support of
U.S. rice trade.
Louisiana is the third largest rice producer in the nation. The
crop is one of the state’s top commodities, generating some $372 million in
economic impact in 2017 from 2.7 billion pounds of rice produced, according to
statistics provided by Abraham’s office.
Iraq is a major rice export market, consuming nearly 1.4 million tons annually, almost all of
which is imported. But for years the U.S. hasn’t been able to get its foot in
the door in terms of trade with Iraq due to strained relations. That began to
change thanks to a 2016 memorandum of understanding and the work of Abraham and
other U.S. leaders who further advanced Iraq trade relations.
“Iraq is starting to get used to doing business with us again,”
says John Owen, chairman of the Louisiana Rice Promotion Board. “It’s a huge
market for Louisiana. We’ll fill most of that export business. But it also
helps Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi—a rising tide floats all boats.”
Iraq has basically gone from “a market where we sold nothing to
now being the second-largest milled rice market for U.S. long-grain rice in the
world,” says Scott Franklin, president of the Northeast Louisiana Rice Growers
Association.
And the economic impact is widespread for Louisiana, he says.
From rice growers and the mills to workers at the ports across south Louisiana,
Iraq rice trade benefits all involved.
“We have an immense amount of milling infrastructure as well as
bagging facilities, which gives us an advantage because we can meet the
demand,” Franklin says. “For regional southwest Louisiana, it’s an extremely
big deal that affects more than just the actual rice farmers.”
Franklin and Owen both largely credit Abraham for opening up
rice trade with Iraq.
“Iraqi people do business preferably with people met face to
face,” Franklin says. “Overall, it’s very difficult to find someone able to
make that connection. Dr. Abraham really opened the door for that
relationship.”
Rice revolution: How well so far?
…ANCHOR BORROWERS’
PROGRAMME HAS CREATED 2.5M JOBS – CBN,...FG WORKING TO CRASH RETAIL PRICE –
RIFAN,‘...MECHANISATION OF CULTIVATION KEY TO HIGHER YIELDS’
Buhari
The production of rice in
Nigeria has gained momentum following some policies introduced by the President
Muhammadu Buhari administration since it was inaugurated in 2015. SAMSON
BENJAMIN, KEHINDE OSASONA, and BENJAMIN UMUTEME, in this report, take a
critical look at the gains, challenges, and prospects of federal government’s
reforms to enhance increased production of the commodity.
Rice is one of the most
consumed staple in Nigeria. It is consumed across households, from low to high
income earners. Overtime, this staple food has evolved from being regarded as a
luxury dish to being an everyday meal.
Nigeria’s huge potentials
Nigeria is blessed
with vast arable land and good climatic conditions that suit rice cultivation.
According to the United Kingdom’s Department For International Development
(DFID) on growth and development in Nigeria in 2018, Kebbi state is said to be
the state with the highest rice production capacity with 2.05 million metric
tonnes in the rainy season and 1.51 million tonnes in the dry season.
Apart from having the
biggest rice clusters settlement in the country, it also has the biggest paddy
market. Kano state trails with the production of 1.6 million metric tonnes
annually.
Currently, 18 states
are reputed as having huge potentials for rice production in the country. They
include Kebbi, Benue, Ebonyi, Ekiti, the Federal Capital Territory, Jigawa,
Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina.
Others are: Lagos,
Nasarawa, Taraba, Kogi, Zamfara, Ogun, Niger, Kwara, and Sokoto.
However, in spite of the
country’s huge potentials in rice production, figures from the National Bureau
of Statistics (NBS) revealed that as at 2015, the country spent N356 billion
annually in the importation of rice.
Buhari’s reform in rice
revolution
Dissatisfied with the
narrative in rice production, a crop which Nigeria has comparative advantage
over other countries, President Buhari, through the Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN), launched the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP). The programme was launched
on November 17, 2015. Its main objective is to create a linkage between anchor
companies involved in the processing and smallholder farmers (SHFs) of the
required key agricultural commodities.
Speaking at the
annual bankers’ dinner held in December, 2018, in Lagos, CBN Governor Godwin
Emefiele, said “the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) has created 2.5 million
jobs across the country since its inception.”
Attaining
self-sufficiency
Similarly, speaking with
Blueprint Weekend, the national president of Rice Farmers Association of
Nigeria (RIFAN), Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, said Nigeria had hit annual production
of eight million metric tonnes of rice production, with a target of 18 million
metric tonnes by 2023.
According to him, this was
contrary to the speculation that Nigeria is currently producing a little above
four million metric tonnes.
“The production as of today
by RIFAN and other relevant agencies record is eight million metric tonnes;
even Kebbi alone has hit almost two million metric tonnes if not for the last
floods that devastated the farms.
“It has been established by
relevant agencies that Nigeria is the largest producer of rice in Africa as the
population of rice farmers in the country has also risen. With the ever
increasing population and the total ban on rice importation, RIFAN is targeting
18 million tonnes by 2023,” he said.
Goronyo said the feat was
achieved with the disbursement of N40 billion by the Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN) under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (CBN/APB) to over 12.2 million rice
farmers.
“In 2018/2019 Wet-season
RIFAN/CBN/BOA, Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) Farming Model in Kebbi and
Adamawa states has 26,000 rice farmers, out of the 10 million farmers from 32
states targeted for the project benefited from the pilot project. Under the
first phase of the programme, 6,800 hectares of land were cultivated at the
cost of N203, 000 per hectare.
“It is a cashless project
that provides farmers with the needed farm inputs, which comprise improved
seedlings, water pumps, chemicals, and other services like land preparations.
Also, under the project, mechanised services were made available to farmers.”
He further said all the
participating states under the CBN/ABP had converted their Pilot Programmes
into massive production resulting in high cultivation.
Also, Goronyo said with the
total ban on rice importation by the government and collaboration with the
signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between RIFAN and Nigeria Customs
Service to tackle the rice and paddy rice smugglers across the borders, more
feat would be achieved.
According to him, the
association is collaborating with the federal government towards reducing the
cost of production aimed at crashing the price of milled rice in the market.
Rice farmers commend Buhari
The chairman, RIFAN Kwara
state chapter, Alhaji Abdulahi Mahmud Siddiq, told Blueprint Weekend that
farmers in the state are currently feeling the impact of rice revolution in the
state, saying that the cashless loan administrated by the CBN via the anchor
borrowers’ scheme has led to increase in production and profit.
He said, “The input
disbursed to our farmers in form of cashless loan has in a way assisted us in
carrying out our annual production. At the end of the season, the loan is
usually paid back to RIFAN in kind and cash. After that, RIFAN will now remit
to participating finance outfit of which Unity Bank is one of them.
“Government should help to
ensure that we get our inputs before June when production usually starts and
also help rice farmers by including cash in their loan so as to be able to
carry out effectively both pre-planting and post-planting operations without
financial hassles.”
Similarly, rice farmers in
Nasarawa state who spoke with Blueprint Weekend lauded the efforts of the Buhari-led
administration towards the revitalisation of the agriculture sector through the
Anchor Borrowers’ Programme.
This comes after
beneficiaries of the programme in Gombe state received four bags of fertiliser,
a bag of improved variety of rice seeds, water pumps and insecticides.
Speaking on the programme,
one of the beneficiaries, Mr Aliyu Ahmadu, said President Buhari’s action has
helped farmers by improving their yields during rainy and dry season farming.
According to Ahmadu, this
effort by the president will encourage farmers to be more productive, thereby
improving their yields.
He added that he had
received inputs for three hectares from the government, assuring that he would
make good use of it and pay back in time.
Maryam Usman, a female rice
farmer, also said the programme “would go a long way in improving the economy
of the country.”
Challenges
In spites of efforts
by the government to make rice available to Nigerians, local rice is more
expensive than the imported rice from Thailand, India, and China.
According to stakeholders
in the rice sub sector, there are a lot of international and local forces
behind the price disparity between the local and foreign rice.
Some stakeholders maintain
that unavailability of farm inputs and consequently low yields per hectare of
local rice majorly contributes to the high cost of Nigerian rice.
Others argue that imported
rice is sold at auction prices in the importing countries, thereby making the
importers to buy the product below international price, which when imported
into Nigeria could be sold cheaper than the local rice.
According to the president
of Rice Millers Importers and Distributors Association of Nigeria (RiMIDAN,)
Mr. Tunji Owoeye, “The biggest challenge is that we don’t understand that rice
is an internationally trading commodity, and because of that other countries
with which we are competing always try to ensure that we keep buying.”
“Countries, particularly
Thailand, India, and china, buy a lot of paddy from their farmers and keep in
storage, sometimes as long as nine years, and by so doing, they are supporting
their farmers. Their farmers, therefore, do not worry about market, so a
country like Thailand may have eight million tonnes of rice in storage. So,
occasionally they will auction the ones that are almost going bad and not fit
for human consumption because you can use rice for animal feed or ethanol. They
auction the rice for that sector, but because it is an export auction, those
companies that import rice to Nigeria will go and buy up the commodity.
“Sometimes those auctioned
are sold at 20 per cent of the international price of rice; for instance, if
rice is $600 per tonne, in April this year, Thailand auctioned 1.62 million
tonnes of rice at about $140 per tonne while the market price is about $700 per
tonne. So, what that does is that if the importer brings that rice to Nigeria,
he is not bringing the rice at international prices, and the local farmers
cannot compete with that price and that is why we think that imported rice is
cheaper that locally produced rice.
“What other countries have
done in order to correct that is that they tell their customs to disregard the
price the importer said he imported the rice and use the parameters they have,
that is what the customs is supposed to be doing.”
“The customs just relies on
what the importer declares; if he says I bought rice for $140 per tonne, they
charge him 60 per cent of $140, and he will still bring the rice into Nigeria
at about $200. So, the poor Nigerian farmer who is offering rice for $500 will
be said to be uncompetitive, whereas if that importer were to buy fresh rice
from anywhere, he cannot bring it into Nigeria below $700 per tonne.
“ Local rice is not
expensive because we are not comparing it with its equivalent elsewhere, we are
comparing it with rice that is auctioned; that is seven to eight years old and
there is no way the two can be the same.
“The imported rice does not
have the same aroma with that of the locally produced; the imported rice has a
white substance which is the preservative”.
High cost of cultivation
Meanwhile, another
stakeholder maintained that the cost of cultivating rice in Nigeria is a
contributing factor to why the rice is more expensive than the foreign rice.
Dr Rose Gidado, a scientist
and the Country Coordinator of the Open Forum On Agricultural Biotechnology
(OFAB), in a chat with BlueprintWeekend, said insect and pest infestation as
well as soil salinity also contributes to low yields which in return make the
local very expensive.
She further said farmers
spend more on purchasing farm inputs which may not give them the actual yields
per hectare that they require.
“The cultivation of
Nigerian rice is more cumbersome, you have to use a lot of farm inputs for you
to be able to make something. You need a lot of fertiliser for you to get good
harvestable yields, and farming is all about yields.
“These harvestable yields
are dependent on several factors, such as soil fertility, insect and pest
infestations and harsh weather conditions, like salinity, especially rice which
is easily affected by salinity that is the soil that contains much salt.
“For the farmer to make the
soil fertile so that a good result will be achieved, he has to purchase the
fertiliser, and fertiliser which is an essential commodity for farming is
scarce and expensive.
“Other contributing factors
include the presence of weed in the farms, once the soil is fertile, it will be
overtaken by weed because the nutrient the crop needs is also the nutrient the
weed needs to survive.
“So, all these things put
together contribute to the Nigerian rice being expensive because the farmers
spend much money to put more inputs into the rice farm, and after harvest, they
will want to recoup all the money they spent, and trying to do that, the price
has to go high.”
In order to increase
production, she said the government can adopt new biotechnology which will
enhance productivity and help reduce the price of the local rice.
She said, “To come out of
this, we have to adopt technologies that help like the use of modern
biotechnology tool, genetic modification tool.
“Presently, the Cereal
Research Institute of Nigeria is undertaking a project, the Nitrogen-use
Efficiency Water-use Efficiency and Salt Tolerance (NEWEST) rice that will
really help because the technology that is being adopted for the rice really
maximises uptake of the nutrients from the soil; with little fertiliser, the
expected yields will be achieved.
“The NEWEST rice allows the
farmer to plant where there is high concentration of salt, because the rice has
been modified to tolerate salt. It reduces the use of farm inputs, it can be
planted where there is little rain because it is Water efficient and also
intercrop the rice with other crops, so it has a lot of advantages over the
conventional rice.”
Poor technology adoption
Furthermore, the national
chairman of the National Association of Grain Storage Practitioners of Nigeria,
Chief Eric Ozongwu, said the foreign rice is highly subsidised from the
production countries, while ours is not subsidised.
He said the importing
countries have better high yielding seeds to produce more than what we have,
adding that “the highest we can get here is seven tonnes per hectare, but over
there you can get as much as 12 tonnes per hectare. So, with that the price
automatically becomes lower.”
“They use a whole lot of
mechanisation in rice production, like tractors, harvesters are readily
available. But here in Nigeria, we use a whole lot of manual labour, and even
when we get the paddy, we don’t have enough milling plants and fertilisers are
expensive here compared to those over there.
“What most governments do
in developed societies is that they buy off the paddy from the farmers and sell
at cheaper prices to encourage the farmers to go back to farm, but in Nigeria,
the case is different.
“Like what the CBN is doing
presently through the anchor borrowers’ scheme, if they intensify that approach
and give facilities to farmers on a very low interest rate because you cannot
use commercial bank interest rates to make headway in agriculture.
“So, if it is sustained
over the years, it will help to bring the prices of rice down, and the National
Seed Council should do a lot by giving us a high-yielding seeds so that we can
increase the yields per hectare.”
As it were, Nigeria’s rice
situation is peculiar in the sense that rice production is mainly done by a
handful of small-scale farmers and producers. Today, the rice sub-sector is
still yearning for huge intervention that could put Nigeria on global rice
index table.
Customs Impounds 589 Bags of Rice in Niger
July 19, 2019
12:35 pm
Share
By Laleye Dipo In Minna
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has impounded 589 bags of rice
smuggled into the country through the Banana border town with Benin Republic
and along the Mokwa -Jebba road in Niger State.
The smuggled items has a total duty paid value of N6.8 million.
The Customs Area Controller in charge of Niger, Kwara, Kogi
States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Abba Kassim, who
disclosed this to newsmen in Minna, Niger State on Thursday, said two people
have been arrested in connection with the illegal act while other smugglers
“ran into the bush”.
Kassim said three trucks used to smuggle the rice were also
seized, adding that some of the bags of rice were hidden under bags of maize in
the vehicles.
The Area Controller said the latest seizure of the bags of rice
has brought to about 3,000 bags of the commodity seized by the command with a
duty paid value of over N54.2 million since the beginning of the year.
He also said that apart from the three trucks used to ferry the
smuggled rice, the command has also impounded 29 used vehicles calculated to
cost N23.780 million, as well as 22 bales of second hand clothes worth
N792,000.
Kassim further said that since the conclusion of the general
election in the country last March, the activities of smugglers had increased
just as officials of the command had been more diligent in the performance of
their duty leading also to an increase in the revenue generated by the command.
“After the 2019 general election, the command has been
consistent in revenue generation. In March, we were able to surpass our monthly
target with N345,672,879.32 which outshines that of March 2018 with N475,19
million, ” he said.
He also disclosed that the command generated over N1.709 billion
between January and June this year which was N237,813,975.82 above what was
realised the same period last year.
While commending the efforts of his men for always “tracking
down smugglers”, he assured them that their efforts to check smuggling will not
go in vain.
“We are intensifying patrol and intelligence gathering. Those of
our staff who perform well will be rewarded with promotion and financially,”
Abba Kassim declared.
He urged smugglers to desist from the illegal act, saying: “They
should go into legitimate business.”
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Tesco raises prices of more than 1,000 products in
past two weeks, including household staples such as pasta, rice and cheese
·
·
·
Save
Tesco
has put the prices for many products up CREDIT: AFP
19 JULY 2019 • 10:00PM
Tesco has raised the price of more than 1,000
items in two weeks, including household staples such as pasta, rice and cheese.
The supermarket,
according to internal documents uncovered by the Press Association, has raised
the price of many own-brand products as well as big brands.
According to the
files, during the first two weeks of July, prices were put up by an average of
11 per cent.
A five-pack of
bananas has gone up 11 per cent from 90p to £1; own brand farfalle,
macaroni and linguine pasta have all risen 30 per cent from 50p a pack to 65p;
seedless strawberry jam is up 23 per cent to 92p and iceberg lettuces are
up 17 per cent at 60p each.
The highest
price rise was for Merchant Gourmet puy lentils, up from £1.42 to £3.60 a pack
- a rise of 152 per cent.
The branded
items with the biggest rises include Cathedral City Mild Cheddar up 57 per
cent to £5.50 for 550 grams; 20-packs of Carlsberg lager up 33 per
cent from £9 to £12; Ferrero Rocher chocolates up from £1 to £1.25 and a
5kg bag of Salaam basmati rice now £9 versus £7 previously - a rise of 29 per
cent.
Of the top
50 price rises for the supermarket, 18 were own-brand products.
This squeeze is
being felt across supermarkets, with a weak pound partly to blame as it costs
more to import goods.
The prices of
milk powder, potatoes and pork have all risen much faster than the official
inflation figure of 2 per cent.
Tesco said the
rises were due to cost pressures that were hitting the entire market, and
pointed out that over the last three weeks prices were cut on 121 items by 24%
on average, including own-brand coconut milk, down 55p to 90p, and Tesco
frosted flakes cereal, down 20p to £1.
A spokesman
said: "Over recent months, cost pressures have continued to build and
impact the market.
"We've
worked hard to offset these pressures, and focused on protecting our customers
for as long as possible. But, like the wider market, we have had to reflect
these pressures in the price of some products.
"For the
majority of products that have increased in price over the last three weeks, we
still beat or match the cheapest of the Big Four [Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and
Morrisons]."
Price has been a
major factor on the high street in recent years, driven by the rise and rise of
discount supermarkets Aldi and Lidl.
Clive Black,
retail analyst at Shore Capital, said: "The key journey that the UK
supermarkets are on is to narrow the basket with the German discounters, who
also move prices up and down. That is a key axis that shoppers undoubtedly
notice."
India losing African rice markets to others
Vishwanath
Kulkarni Bengaluru | Updated on July
18, 2019 Published onJuly 18, 2019
Exporters plead for govt support as rivals from China,
Thailand displace them
As cheaper rice from countries such as China
and Thailand begins to eat into India’s traditional markets in Africa, the
concerned rice exporters here are looking to the government for incentives to
sustain their markets.
An increase in minimum support price (MSP)
for paddy, coupled with strengthening rupee against the dollar, has turned the
Indian rice expensive in the world market, hurting the non-basmati rice
shipments, exporters said. Provisional data for shipments made during April-May
this year indicate that exports have more than halved over same period last
year.
Non-basmati rice shipments fell to 7.11 lakh
tonnes during April-May this year from 15.25 lakh tonnes in the corresponding
period last year. In value terms, the shipments slumped to $294 million from last
year’s $652 million. This is even as the basmati shipments have witnessed a
steady growth in the same period.
Plea for support
“The government should consider extending the
5 per cent incentive under the MEIS scheme and also extend the 5 per cent
interest subvention scheme to non-basmati rice exporters,” said BV Krishna Rao,
President of the Rice Exporters Association, which has written to the Commerce
Ministry recently. Such incentives will help the Indian rice exports remain
competitive.
The 5 per cent incentive under MEIS,
introduced for non-basmati rice exporters in November last year, ended in March
this year. For being among the top five exports category, the non-basmati rice
exporters are not considered for the interest subvention scheme.
Chinese entry
At present, the Indian non-basmati rice is
expensive by 5-10 per cent compared with other traditional competitors such as
Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan and Myanmar, Rao said. However, the entry of
Chinese rice into the markets this year has compounded the problem for Indian
exporters, he added.
Rao said the Chinese State agency COFCO is
out in the market to liquidate old stocks of 3-4 million tonnes and is
targeting markets in Africa, including Egypt. India has around 50 per cent
share in African rice market, estimated at around 15 million tonnes annually.
India’s non-basmati rice shipments slowed
down during October-December quarter last year due to the impact of the higher
paddy MSP, which saw an increase of 13 per cent for the kharif 2018 season. The
announcement of 5 per cent MEIS helped offset the impact of higher MSP.
Incentive sought
A further increase of 3.7 per cent in MSP for
kharif 2019 has added to the exporters’ challenge. The government should look
at a scheme such as Bhavantar or direct cash transfer instead of increasing
MSP, he said.
India is the largest exporter of rice and
accounts for a fourth of the global shipments. In 2018-19, non-basmati rice
exports fell to 7.5 million tonnes from 8.8 million tonnes in the previous
year. In value terms, the shipments fell to $3 billion during 2018-19 from
$3.63 billion in the previous year
Hurricane
Barry flooded some Louisiana farms; extent of damage still being assessed
· JUL 18, 2019 - 3:57 PM
·
The Vermilion River is pictured Sunday,
July 14, 2019, near the Surrey Street bridge just after the majority of
Hurricane Barry's rain had fallen in Lafayette, La. In Vermilion Parish, about
1,500 acres of flowering rice are underwater.
Kristen
Mosbrucker
·
Some major crops in Louisiana were
impacted by heavy rains during Hurricane Barry in late July.
Some soybeans and rice fields were
flooded in addition to damage to corn crops and sugar cane fields, according to
specialists at the LSU AgCenter who reached out to farmers.
Rice plants were underwater near
Oberlin and Ville Platte in addition to Bunkie and Simmesport. Many rice fields
in Louisiana were ready for harvest but there were some rice plants still
flowering, which may have been damaged by the storm, including about 1,500
acres of rice in Vermilion Parish.
The biggest concern is the onset
of disease for plants under water. Most of the state's soybeans were spared but
those without access to oxygen may not last long enough to harvest.
"We really won't know the
extent of the damage for days," said Dustin Harrell, rice specialist with
the LSU AgCenter.
For example, a rice farmer in
Eunice has 40 of 110 acres underwater after the storm. Another farmer in
Whiteville had more than 700 acres of soybeans underwater.
Acadia Parish had less damage to
soybean crops because water drained quickly, according to LSU AgCenter staff.
There were about 4,000 acres of sugar cane with standing water in the Henry and
Intracoastal City areas, which is what happened during hurricanes Rita and Ike.
In general, those crops fared well once the water drained away.
Insurance
claims for Hurricane Barry trickle in after the weekend storm
Hurricane
Barry flooded some Louisiana farms; extent of damage still being assessed
·
JUL 18, 2019 - 3:57 PM
·
The
Vermilion River is pictured Sunday, July 14, 2019, near the Surrey Street
bridge just after the majority of Hurricane Barry's rain had fallen in
Lafayette, La. In Vermilion Parish, about 1,500 acres of flowering rice are
underwater.
Kristen Mosbrucker
·
Some major
crops in Louisiana were impacted by heavy rains during Hurricane Barry in late
July.
Some
soybeans and rice fields were flooded in addition to damage to corn crops and
sugar cane fields, according to specialists at the LSU AgCenter who reached out
to farmers.
Rice
plants were underwater near Oberlin and Ville Platte in addition to Bunkie and
Simmesport. Many rice fields in Louisiana were ready for harvest but there were
some rice plants still flowering, which may have been damaged by the storm,
including about 1,500 acres of rice in Vermilion Parish.
The
biggest concern is the onset of disease for plants under water. Most of the
state's soybeans were spared but those without access to oxygen may not last
long enough to harvest.
"We
really won't know the extent of the damage for days," said Dustin Harrell,
rice specialist with the LSU AgCenter.
For
example, a rice farmer in Eunice has 40 of 110 acres underwater after the
storm. Another farmer in Whiteville had more than 700 acres of soybeans
underwater.
Acadia
Parish had less damage to soybean crops because water drained quickly,
according to LSU AgCenter staff. There were about 4,000 acres of sugar cane
with standing water in the Henry and Intracoastal City areas, which is what happened
during hurricanes Rita and Ike. In general, those crops fared well once the
water drained away.
Insurance
claims for Hurricane Barry trickle in after the weekend storm
Hurricane
Barry flooded some Louisiana farms; extent of damage still being assessed
·
JUL 18, 2019 - 3:57 PM
·
The
Vermilion River is pictured Sunday, July 14, 2019, near the Surrey Street
bridge just after the majority of Hurricane Barry's rain had fallen in
Lafayette, La. In Vermilion Parish, about 1,500 acres of flowering rice are
underwater.
Kristen
Mosbrucker
·
Some major
crops in Louisiana were impacted by heavy rains during Hurricane Barry in late
July.
Some
soybeans and rice fields were flooded in addition to damage to corn crops and
sugar cane fields, according to specialists at the LSU AgCenter who reached out
to farmers.
Rice
plants were underwater near Oberlin and Ville Platte in addition to Bunkie and
Simmesport. Many rice fields in Louisiana were ready for harvest but there were
some rice plants still flowering, which may have been damaged by the storm,
including about 1,500 acres of rice in Vermilion Parish.
The
biggest concern is the onset of disease for plants under water. Most of the
state's soybeans were spared but those without access to oxygen may not last
long enough to harvest.
"We
really won't know the extent of the damage for days," said Dustin Harrell,
rice specialist with the LSU AgCenter.
For
example, a rice farmer in Eunice has 40 of 110 acres underwater after the
storm. Another farmer in Whiteville had more than 700 acres of soybeans
underwater.
Acadia
Parish had less damage to soybean crops because water drained quickly,
according to LSU AgCenter staff. There were about 4,000 acres of sugar cane
with standing water in the Henry and Intracoastal City areas, which is what
happened during hurricanes Rita and Ike. In general, those crops fared well
once the water drained away.
THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019
Iraq-US rice trade deals will be major economic boon for
Louisiana agriculture
By
Iraq’s trade ministry purchased a 60,000-ton order of U.S. rice
today, which comes as the latest in a string of rice deals between to the two
countries, generating a significant economic boon for Louisiana’s agriculture
industry.
Over the past two years, Iraq has ordered a combined 300,000
tons of rice from the U.S., much of which comes from Louisiana growers and
mills and is shipped from the Port of Lake Charles.
The most recent rice sale follows a mid-June meeting between
U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham and Iraqi trade minister Mohammed Hashim Abdul-Majeed
Jasim, according to Abraham’s office. The congressman has led efforts to develop a stronger trade
relationship with Iraq in recent years, writing several letters in support of
U.S. rice trade.
Louisiana is the third largest rice producer in the nation. The
crop is one of the state’s top commodities, generating some $372 million in
economic impact in 2017 from 2.7 billion pounds of rice produced, according to
statistics provided by Abraham’s office.
Iraq is a major rice export market, consuming nearly 1.4 million tons annually, almost all of
which is imported. But for years the U.S. hasn’t been able to get its foot in
the door in terms of trade with Iraq due to strained relations. That began to
change thanks to a 2016 memorandum of understanding and the work of Abraham and
other U.S. leaders who further advanced Iraq trade relations.
“Iraq is starting to get used to doing business with us again,”
says John Owen, chairman of the Louisiana Rice Promotion Board. “It’s a huge
market for Louisiana. We’ll fill most of that export business. But it also
helps Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi—a rising tide floats all boats.”
Iraq has basically gone from “a market where we sold nothing to
now being the second-largest milled rice market for U.S. long-grain rice in the
world,” says Scott Franklin, president of the Northeast Louisiana Rice Growers
Association.
And the economic impact is widespread for Louisiana, he says.
From rice growers and the mills to workers at the ports across south Louisiana,
Iraq rice trade benefits all involved.
“We have an immense amount of milling infrastructure as well as
bagging facilities, which gives us an advantage because we can meet the
demand,” Franklin says. “For regional southwest Louisiana, it’s an extremely
big deal that affects more than just the actual rice farmers.”
Franklin and Owen both largely credit Abraham for opening up
rice trade with Iraq.
“Iraqi people do business preferably with people met face to
face,” Franklin says. “Overall, it’s very difficult to find someone able to
make that connection. Dr. Abraham really opened the door for that
relationship.”
2 Comments
FRIDAY, JULY 19, 2019
Proposed city-parish ordinance would require St. George to pay
pension debt
By
The East Baton Rouge City-Parish Retirement System wants to
amend an existing ordinance to require the proposed city of St. George pay off
its share of pension debt to the retirement system, should the incorporation
effort succeed.
While the proposed amendment doesn’t say how much St. George
would have to pay, the amount would be determined by the CPERS’ actuary—not the
newly incorporated city. Once determined, the new city could either make a lump
sum payment or spread it out over 15 years.
The proposal, to be introduced at the July 24 Metro Council
meeting, applies to “any geographic area successfully removing itself” from
city-parish government and would establish a method to determine and allocate
“withdrawal liability payments” from the newly incorporated area to the
city-parish retirement system.
While not spelled out in the ordinance, Jeff Yates, the CPERS
retirement administrator, says the amount would likely be based on the
percentage of the St. George tax base that would leave the city-parish, if the
incorporation effort succeeds.
“Tax base seems pretty generic,” he says. “The amount taken from
the city and allocated to St. George should be in tandem with pension
liability. It just seems logical. … It would not be right to be entitled to
sales and property taxes but to not take their part of the liability that has
built up over the years.”
Yates says his agency has been trying to do this for almost a
year, but the parish attorney’s office said the matter should be handled by the
state Legislature. An effort to do so this legislative session, however, failed in
a controversial bill to create a St. George transition district. So CPERS is now turning to
city-parish ordinances.
St. George organizers, however, say the matter is something that
must be decided by state statute, which would supersede anything passed by the
city-parish.
“We’ll address this in the next Legislative session,” says St.
George spokesman Andrew Murrell. “St. George wants to pay its fair share, as
we’ve always said.”
But the organizers have two issues when it comes to liabilities,
Murrell says: One, St. George has been paying more than its fair share for
years. For example, he says, the area funds Baton Rouge police even though it
isn’t served by BRPD. And two, Baton Rouge ranks second in the nation for underfunded pension liabilities.
“Baton Rouge doesn’t pay enough of its own pension liability,”
Murrell says “They’ve done it to themselves. We want to pay our fair share, not
their fair share.”
If the ordinance passes, St. George organizers could supercede
the rule with legislation next year or take legal action. All cards are on the
table, Murrell says.
Worth noting is the fact that the city-parish did not take such
action when Central incorporated in 2005, so the city did not have to pay its
share of city-parish pension debt.
“If we had a do over, we would have thought through the process
more clearly and would have assigned Central some degree of liability, though
it would be much less,” Yates says.
Also, Zachary and Baker, which have always been incorporated,
have never paid into CPERS even though it involves some parishwide agencies,
like BREC, that serve those municipalities. Yates says Zacahry and Baker pay
into their own municipal employee retirement systems.
Government To Set SRP On Rice
By Featuresdesk (ICG) on July 19, 2019
12
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As the farmgate price of palay continues to plummet in many parts
of the country, the government is getting set to arrest this freefall by coming
up with a Suggested Retail Price (SRP) on rice.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, in a press briefing on
Wednesday, said the need for this move became apparent during a meeting held on
July 16 between the rice industry stakeholders and the Department of
Agriculture (DA), and even the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which was
called to determine the cause of the drop in the palay prices.
“During the meeting, a lot of inputs were contributed and we saw
there are loopholes in the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) that needs to be
addressed,” he said.
“Masyadong ganadong mag-import yung mga traders right now kasi
feeling nila wala ng magko-control sa presyo ng bentahan ng bigas sa palengke.
So, napakalaki ng margin ng profit nila,” he noted.
In fact, Piñol said the landed cost of rice from Thailand is about
PHP23/kilo, Vietnam is PHP25, and Myanmar is about PHP18. “Pero ang bentahan sa
palengke and this was what surprised us mataas pa rin — nasa PHP40, PHP50.”
“This alarmed us because this was not the intent of the Rice
Tariffication Law. The intent of the RTL was to open the market to lower the
price of rice and make it affordable to the consumers,” he stressed.
Piñol said the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law will
result in a switch from the previous quota system in importing rice to a tariff
system, where rice can be imported more freely.
The law allows unlimited rice importation, but investors must
first secure a phytosanitary permit from the Bureau of Plant Industry and pay
the 35-percent tariff for shipments from Southeast Asia.
This is expected to result in a decline of as much as PHP7 per kg.
in the domestic retail price of rice.
However, farmer leaders and rice industry stakeholders are now
complaining as farm gate prices of paddy rice dropped to a record low of PHP12
to PHP14 per kilo in many parts of the country.
The prevailing farm gate prices showed a steep drop from an average
of PHP20 per kilo of fresh palay earlier this year which would result in an
estimated PHP114-billion in losses to Filipino rice farmers for the whole year.
In contrast, the market prices of rice, expected to drop by PHP7
per kilo with the RTL, have remained almost constant with some areas reporting
a drop of only PHP1 to PHP2 per kilo, even with the deluge of imported rice,
the rice industry stakeholders said.
As of March 5, the total number of registered rice importers was
480, and the total number of Sanitary and. Phytosanitary Import Clearance
(SPSIC) issued was 1,607,398.054 metric tons (MT).
As of July 12, the total volume of imported rice that arrived was
822,074.008 MT.
Under the RTL, a special safeguard duty on rice was put in place
to protect the rice industry from sudden or extreme price fluctuations.
A safeguard duty is a temporary increase in import duty of an
agricultural product to deal with import surges or price falls, under the World
Trade Agreement (WTO) on Agriculture.
In a consultation Wednesday which was attended by the Department
of Trade and Industry (DTI), National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA), Department of Finance (DOF), and DA, Piñol said they came up with a
solution to use the Price Act as the basis in addressing the “uncontrolled”
pricing of rice in the market with the purpose of coming up with a SRP.
“We are now drafting a Joint Memorandum Circular with DTI for the
implementation of the Price Act,” he said.
Under the provision of the law the DA chief said, they can
deputize or enlist the assistance of any government agency in the
implementation of the provisions of the Price Act.
“The DA will also issue a Department Order setting the guidelines
for the SRP. The intention of this move is to really make the consumers feel
the effect of the Rice Tariffication Law,” he said.
“We will set the SRP based on the landed cost of rice. DTI, NEDA
and DOF will come up with the computation,” he added.
Piñol said the SRP for rice might be between PHP35 to PHP38 per
kilo for premium or 5 percent broken. (PNA)
JULY 19,
2019 / 6:34 AM / 3 DAYS AGO
RPT-Asia Rice-Floods hit Bangladesh farmers; top hubs fear scant
rainfall
Arpan Varghese
·
·
(Repeats with no changes to text)
* Prices for Vietnamese variety rise to $350 a tonne
* Thai prices narrow, India rates little changed
* Modest demand from buyers in Africa for Indian variety
By Arpan Varghese
BENGALURU, July 19 (Reuters) - Rice farmers in Bangladesh
grappled with a double whammy of floods and low demand for their produce this
week, while export prices for the grain’s Vietnamese variety rose on fresh
interest from Philippines and Africa.
Meanwhile, rice export prices from India and Thailand were
little changed, amid concerns scant rainfall could hurt crops.
Bangladesh, which has historically relied on imports to meet
shortages, could be faced with a huge loss of paddy as vast swathes of land
have been submerged by floods, agriculture ministry officials said, who did not
want to be named as they are not authorised to speak to the media.
Flooding has killed at least 153 people in India, Nepal and
Bangladesh and affected millions this year.
Bangladesh has also been unable to clinch deals since a ban on
rice exports was lifted in May.
The country’s food ministry ordered district administrators to
ensure procurement of paddy directly from farmers to meet a government target
of 400,000 tonnes.
Market insiders, however, said the move would not benefit most
growers in dire need of cash, since they were compelled to sell their crop to
millers or middlemen at much cheaper rates.
In 2017, the country was forced to massively increase imports to
shore up reserves after floods destroyed crops and pushed local prices to
records, but domestic stocks have since greatly improved.
In Vietnam, rates for 5% broken rice RI-VNBKN5-P1 rose to $350 a
tonne on Thursday from $335-$340 last week.
“Exporters are increasing purchases from local farmers for deals
signed earlier, mostly with customers in the Philippines and Africa,” a Ho Chi
Minh City-based trader said.
Also, with the summer-autumn harvest in the Mekong Delta ending
soon, there are concerns of lower supply, another trader said.
Vietnam’s rice exports in the first half of 2019 fell 3.6% from
a year earlier to 3.36 million tonnes, as per customs data.
Meanwhile, prices for the 5% broken parboiled variety
RI-INBKN5-P1 from top exporter India were unchanged around $374-$377 per tonne,
amid modest demand from buyers in Africa.
Many rice-growing states have received lower-than normal
rainfall and it could hurt the summer-sown crop yield, said an exporter based
at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
India’s monsoon rains were 20% below average in the week ending
Wednesday, raising concerns over output.
Second biggest exporter Thailand saw its benchmark 5% broken
white rice RI-THBKN5-P1 quoted around $401-$402 a tonne on Thursday,
free-on-board Bangkok (FOB), narrowing from $390-$404 last week.
Demand was slow, amid worries that scant rainfall will hamper
crops going into the upcoming off-season harvest, traders said.
Thai rice exports have also been hit by a strong baht this year,
falling 12% in the first half of 2019. (Reporting by Ruma Paul in Dhaka, Khanh
Vu in Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai, Patpicha Tanakasempipat in Bangkok;
additional reporting by Anjishnu Mondal in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
AWD irrigation tech increases 15% rice yield
·
Published
at 12:25 am July 19th, 2019
File photo of a farmer in a rice paddy UNB
'Some 882
farmers got excellent results irrigating Boro rice fields adopting AWD
technology with RDRS Bangladesh assistance on 337 acres of land using 50
shallow tube wells in six northern districts during the just-ended Rabi season'
Agriculturists at a meeting have said adoption
of Alternate Drying and Wetting (AWD) irrigation technology in farming Boro
rice increases up to 15% rice yield saving up to 30% underground water.
They said this at a “Result Sharing Meetin on
AWD Technology with Upazila Irrigation Committee (UIC)” held at Upazila
Parishad auditorium in Kishoreganj, Nilphamari on Wednesday, a press release
said on Thursday.
With assistance of upazila administration and
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), RDRS Bangladesh and Northwest Focal
Area Network organized the meeting with funding of International Rice Research
Institute (IRRI).
The UIC Chairman and Kishoreganj Upazila
Nirbahi Officer Abul Kalam Azad attended the program as the chief guest while
Assistant Engineer of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation Mushfiqur
Rahman chaired the event.
Filed Supervisor of IRRI-AWD project of RDRS
Bangladesh Agriculturist Md. Abdul Mazed Mian discussed benefits of climate
resilient AWD irrigation technology in farming Boro rice.
“Some 882 farmers got excellent results
irrigating Boro rice fields adopting AWD technology with RDRS Bangladesh
assistance on 337 acres of land using 50 shallow tube wells in six northern
districts during the just-ended Rabi season,” Mian said.
Kishoreganj Upazila Agriculture Officer
Agriculturist Md. Habibur Rahman expressed satisfaction over field level
results of adoption of AWD technology in Boro rice farming in the upazila.
Research Associate of ‘Farmers behaviuoral
insight project’ of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Ashish Kumar Majumder said
AWD technology saved huge water, diesel and electricity for irrigation and
produced 500 kg more Boro rice per hectare.
Agriculture Officer of RDRS Bangladesh for
Nilphamari Agriculturist Atikur Rahman said farmers are happy getting
additional rice yield adopting the irrigation technology in farming Boro rice
this year.
The chief guest called for expanding AWD
irrigation technology in farming Boro rice to get more rice yield at reduced
costs reducing huge pressure on underground water and improving environment and
ecosystem.
Floods in Bangladesh: Sufferings abound as relief too little
PUBLISHED 19 JULY 2019
NEWS DESK
DHAKA (The Daily
Star/ANN) - Despite promises, thousands are yet to recieve relief in
flood-effected areas in Bangladesh.
Haradhan Dey along with
his elderly mother, wife and two children has been surviving on biscuits and
dry foods for the past five days.
“No one has come to help
us...we have not yet received any relief,” said the local of Dulal Member Bari
area in Chattogram’s Raozan.
Haradhan’s family is one
of 30 families marooned for five days in the waterlogged area. Many of them
have not got any aid so far. Their predicament is similar to those of many
others affected by the floods ravaging through Bangladesh.
Stranded in waterlogged
areas, many victims remain unemployed, with little access to food and drinking
water, a situation compounded by insufficient relief.
According to data from
the ministry, there has been an allocation of Tk 3.37 crores, 22,350 of tonnes
rice, 91,000 packets dry food, 7,500 sets of tents and 1,000 bundles of tin for
flood-hit people across the country.
The number of such
people is around 21 lakh.
Md Shah Kamal, senior
secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, said the
government arranged sufficient relief materials for those “who really needed
it”.
“There are many
flood-hit families, who are financially affluent. They don’t want to take
relief. But those affected people, who are poor, are entitled to the relief,”
he told The Daily Star last night.
While the allocation is
there on paper, our correspondents from different districts, however, found an
insufficiency of relief materials.
“We did not get any
relief. Rather, we have seen that many affluent families have got it,” said
Hazrat Ali,58, a flood victim in Gobordhan village near the Teesta River basin
in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat.
“Around 1,200 families
in our union have been hit by flood. But only 235 families have got relief
materials,” said Matiar Rahman Mati, a member of Mahish Khocha union parishad
in the upazila.
“We got only 10kg rice
since the floods came a week ago. How can we survive on this,” said Abdul
Jobbar, a day labourer of Sunoi village under Kalmakanda upazila of Netrokona,
another area where few have got relief.
In Mymensingh, Md
Rafiqul Islam, chairman of Pogla union, said he had so far distributed only
five tonnes of rice and 60 packets of dry foods among 500 families. The number
of affected families, however, is 4,000.
In yet another instance
of insufficient relief, only five families out of the 50 sheltering at
Kaliralga village under sadar upazila of Kurigram got 10kgs of rice while the
rest got packets of dry food, and some flattened rice and sugar, Abdul Mannan,
a flood victim said.
In Nilphamari, Moinul Islam, chairman of Tepa Kharibari union in Dimla upazila, said the actual number of flood-hit families in the union was around 1,680. But the upazila administration had enlisted only 880 for relief.
In Nilphamari, Moinul Islam, chairman of Tepa Kharibari union in Dimla upazila, said the actual number of flood-hit families in the union was around 1,680. But the upazila administration had enlisted only 880 for relief.
Allegations against the
authorities tasked with relief distribution is rife in many other areas.
“They [authorities]
announced to give 20kg rice to each affected families. But they are now giving
us 10kg,” said Tong Pray Mro, a resident of Sualok union under sadar upazila of
Bandarban.
“My name was not
enlisted. That is why, I did not get any relief after visiting the relief
distributing centre in the past three days,” said Mya Nu Prue Marma, 57, a
resident of Bakichhara village of Bandarban.
Contacted, the Bandarban
relief and rehabilitation officer said 450 metric tonnes of rice and Tk7.50
lakhs had been allotted for 9,242 flood-affected families of Bandarban. Of
this, 210 metric tonnes of rice and 5.75 lakh taka had already been
distributed.
TWO KIDS DROWN IN FLOODWATER
In Tangail, two children
drowned in the flood at Kalihati upazila yesterday. The deceased are Tanjila,
8, and her younger sister Lima, 5.
Anwar Hossain Pramanik,
chairman of Durgapur union parishad, said Tanjila, a grade-three student and
Lima, a grade-one student of a local primary school, were swept by a sudden
current of water near their house and went missing in the morning.
Later, their bodies were
found floating nearby at around 2:00pm, he said.
TRAIN COMMUNICATION
SNAPPED
Train communications in
some routes, including Jamalpur-Dwarnganj and Santahar-Lalmonirhat, remain
halted due to flood, said a press release of the Bangladesh Railway.
JULY 22,
2019 / 1:25 PM / UPDATED 4 HOURS AGO
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- JULY 22, 2019
·
·
* * * * * *
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-July 22, 2019 Nagpur,
July 22 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices showed weak tendency in Nagpur
Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) on poor buying support from
local millers amid high moisture content arrival. Fresh fall on NCDEX in gram
and easy condition in Madhya Pradesh pulses prices also affected sentiment.
About 400 bags of gram and 150 bags of tuar reported for auction, according to
sources.
GRAM
* Gram varieties firmed up again in open market here on renewed
demand from local
traders. Reports about weak monsoon in the regions also
activated stockists.
TUAR
* Tuar varieties reported higher in open market here on
increased demand from local
traders.
* Moong varieties recovered in open market here on good demand from
local traders amid thin supply from producing belts.
* In Akola, Tuar New – 5,600-6,000, Tuar dal (clean) –
8,300-8,500, Udid Mogar (clean)
– 6,800-7,500, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,500-8,500, Gram –
4,400-4,500, Gram Super best
– 6,200-6,400 * Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a
narrow range in
scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading
activity.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for
100 kg
FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 3,900-4,200 3,900-4,240
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 4,850-5,625 4,850-5,800
Moong Auction n.a. 3,950-4,200
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,200-2,500
Wheat Lokwan Auction 1,930-2,070 1,930-2,030
Wheat Sharbati Auction n.a. 2,900-3,000
Gram Super Best Bold 6,300-6,500 6,200-6,500
Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,900-6,100 5,800-6,000
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a
Gram Mill Quality 4,500-4,600 4,400-4,500
Desi gram Raw 4,400-4,500 4,350-4,450
Gram Kabuli 8,300-10,000 8,300-10,000
Tuar Fataka Best-New 8,600-8,800 8,500-8,600
Tuar Fataka Medium-New 8,200-8,400 8,200-8,300
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 7,900-8,200 7,600-7,900
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 7,200-7,700 7,000-7,500
Tuar Gavarani New 5,900-6,100 5,800-6,000
Tuar Karnataka 6,200-6,400 6,150-6,350
Masoor dal best 5,500-5,600 5,400-5,500
Masoor dal medium 5,200-5,400 5,100-5,300
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New) 8,200-9,000 8,000-9,000
Moong Mogar Medium 6,000-7,000 5,800-6,700
Moong dal Chilka New 6,800-7,800 6,800-7,700
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 8,200-8,700 8,200-8,700
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,000-7,800 7,000-7,800
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,500-6,500 5,500-6,500
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,400 4,000-4,400
Mot (100 INR/KG) 5,200-6,500 5,200-6,500
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,800-4,900 4,800-4,900
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 5,550-5,650 5,550-5,650
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 6,800-7,000 6,800-7,000
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200
Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,100 2,000-2,100
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,600 2,400-2,600
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,800 3,200-3,800
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,700-3,000 2,700-3,000
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300
Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,600 3,000-3,500
Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,500-3,000 2,500-3,000
Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000
Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,750 2,600-2,750
Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,500 2,200-2,500
Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,400 3,800-4,400
Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,600 3,400-3,600
Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 5,500-5,800 5,500-5,800
Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,800 4,500-4,800
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,500-13,500 8,500-13,500
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,000 5,000-7,000
Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 6,500-7,200 6,500-7,200
Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 6,200-6,400 6,200-6,400
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,350-2,550 2,350-2,550
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,050-2,250 2,050-2,250 WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 33.3 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 25.2 degree Celsius Rainfall :
1.5 mm FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky with light rains. Maximum and minimum
temperature likely to be around 35 degree Celsius and 25 degree Celsius
respectively. Note: n.a.—not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded
from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices)
JULY 22,
2019 / 1:25 PM / UPDATED 4 HOURS AGO
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- JULY 22, 2019
·
·
* * * * * *
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-July 22, 2019 Nagpur,
July 22 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices showed weak tendency in Nagpur
Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) on poor buying support from
local millers amid high moisture content arrival. Fresh fall on NCDEX in gram
and easy condition in Madhya Pradesh pulses prices also affected sentiment.
About 400 bags of gram and 150 bags of tuar reported for auction, according to
sources.
GRAM
* Gram varieties firmed up again in open market here on renewed
demand from local
traders. Reports about weak monsoon in the regions also
activated stockists.
TUAR
* Tuar varieties reported higher in open market here on
increased demand from local
traders.
* Moong varieties recovered in open market here on good demand
from
local traders amid thin supply from producing belts.
* In Akola, Tuar New – 5,600-6,000, Tuar dal (clean) –
8,300-8,500, Udid Mogar (clean)
– 6,800-7,500, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,500-8,500, Gram –
4,400-4,500, Gram Super best
– 6,200-6,400 * Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a
narrow range in
scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading
activity.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for
100 kg
FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 3,900-4,200 3,900-4,240
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 4,850-5,625 4,850-5,800
Moong Auction n.a. 3,950-4,200
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,200-2,500
Wheat Lokwan Auction 1,930-2,070 1,930-2,030
Wheat Sharbati Auction n.a. 2,900-3,000
Gram Super Best Bold 6,300-6,500 6,200-6,500
Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,900-6,100 5,800-6,000
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a
Gram Mill Quality 4,500-4,600 4,400-4,500
Desi gram Raw 4,400-4,500 4,350-4,450
Gram Kabuli 8,300-10,000 8,300-10,000
Tuar Fataka Best-New 8,600-8,800 8,500-8,600
Tuar Fataka Medium-New 8,200-8,400 8,200-8,300
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 7,900-8,200 7,600-7,900
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 7,200-7,700 7,000-7,500
Tuar Gavarani New 5,900-6,100 5,800-6,000
Tuar Karnataka 6,200-6,400 6,150-6,350
Masoor dal best 5,500-5,600 5,400-5,500
Masoor dal medium 5,200-5,400 5,100-5,300
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New) 8,200-9,000 8,000-9,000
Moong Mogar Medium 6,000-7,000 5,800-6,700
Moong dal Chilka New 6,800-7,800 6,800-7,700
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 8,200-8,700 8,200-8,700
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,000-7,800 7,000-7,800
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,500-6,500 5,500-6,500
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,400 4,000-4,400
Mot (100 INR/KG) 5,200-6,500 5,200-6,500
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,800-4,900 4,800-4,900
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 5,550-5,650 5,550-5,650
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 6,800-7,000 6,800-7,000
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200
Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,100 2,000-2,100
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,600 2,400-2,600
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,800 3,200-3,800
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,700-3,000 2,700-3,000
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300
Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,600 3,000-3,500
Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,500-3,000 2,500-3,000
Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000
Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,750 2,600-2,750
Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,500 2,200-2,500
Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,400 3,800-4,400
Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,600 3,400-3,600
Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 5,500-5,800 5,500-5,800
Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,800 4,500-4,800
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,500-13,500 8,500-13,500
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,000 5,000-7,000
Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 6,500-7,200 6,500-7,200
Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 6,200-6,400 6,200-6,400
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,350-2,550 2,350-2,550
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,050-2,250 2,050-2,250 WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 33.3 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 25.2 degree Celsius Rainfall :
1.5 mm FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky with light rains. Maximum and minimum
temperature likely to be around 35 degree Celsius and 25 degree Celsius
respectively. Note: n.a.—not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded
from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices)
2019年7月19日 / 晚上6点55分 / 3 天前
India's summer crop planting down nearly 7%: government data
Reuters Staff
·
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian farmers planted an array of
summer-sown crops on 56.7 million hectares, down 6.9% year on year, agriculture
ministry data showed on Friday, narrowing the sowing gap estimate from the
previous week.
Farmers plant saplings in a
rice field on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India, July 5, 2019. REUTERS/Amit
Dave
Farmers start planting rice, corn, cotton, soybeans, sugarcane
and peanuts among other crops from June 1, when monsoon rains are expected to
reach India. Nearly half of India's farmland lacks irrigation and planting
usually lasts until July.
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare keeps
updating the provisional sowing figures beyond July as it gathers more
information from the state governments. The planting figures are also subject
to revision depending on progress of the June-September monsoon season.
Planting of rice, the key summer crop, was at 14 million
hectares on Friday, against 15.1 million hectares at the same time last year,
the ministry said. Corn planting was at 5.5 million hectares, almost unchanged
from the same period last year.
The area planted with cotton was at 9.6 million hectares, down
from 9.3 million hectares at the same time last year.
Sowing of soybeans, the main summer oilseed crop, was at 8
million hectares, compared with 9 million hectares at the same time in 2018.
Other crop plantings, such as pulses and sugar cane, were also
down year on year.
India's monsoon rains were 20% below average in the week ending
on Wednesday, with summer showers having turned patchy over the central,
western and southern parts of the country.
Overall, India has received 16% lower than average rain since
the monsoon season began on June 1.
Monsoon typically brings rainfall between 96% and 104% of a
50-year average of 89 cm (35 inches) during the four-month season, according to
India's weather office.
Water levels in India's main reservoirs were at 24% of their
storage capacity, against 32% at the same time last year, the latest government
data shows. The average for the past 10 years is 28%.
Kharif sowing shortfall pegged at 7%
Our
Bureau New Delhi | Updated on July
19, 2019 Published on July 19, 2019
The sowing of
rice and pulses are worst affected. File Photo
- The Hindu
Sowing of rice and pulses worst affected
With monsoon rain deficit worsening to 17 per
cent, kharif planting in many parts of the country was adversely hit this week
and the total area covered so far remained 567 lakh hectares (lh), nearly 7 per
cent lower than 609 lh planted during the corresponding period last year,
according to sowing data released by the Agriculture Minister on Friday.
The sowing of rice and pulses are worst
affected with oilseeds and coarse cereals showing some recovery. Rice planting
till this week stood at less than 140 lh, more than 9 per cent less than 154 lh
sown in the same week last year.
Some of the States reporting lower planting
of rice are Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh
and Telengana. The monsoon rainfall has been patchy in most of these States so
far this season. Pulses cultivation was nearly 16 per cent lower so far
compared with the corresponding week last year with all three major pulses –
arhar, urad and moong reporting drop in planting. While arhar is down in Madhya
Pradesh and Maharashtra, it is urad in Madhya Pradesh and moong in both
Karnataka and Rajasthan. There was considerable improvement in the sowing of
coarse cereals this week with maize reaching almost the same levels as that in
last year. However, jowar and bajra have some catching up to do to meeet the
same levels as last year.
A drastic shortfall in soyabean cultivation
in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh dragged the oilseeds area down 8.43 per cent.
As against 119 lh covered in the corresponding week last year, the oilseeds has
been sown in 111 lh so far this year. A 25 per cent increase in groundnut
planting in Gujarat was not enough to cover the deficit.
Cotton cultivation is looking up with States
such as Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharahstra reporting an increase in cotton
acreage this year. Cotton is the only crop whose planted area is higher than
that in the same period last year.
With nearly 42 per cent of districts in the
country reporting deficient rainfall this week, water storage in the Central
Water Commission monitored reservoirs in the country is less than last year’s.
The total water storage in these 91 reservoirs was 39.319 billion cubic metre
(BCM) compared with 51.536 BCM in the corresponding week in 2018-19.
Water levels are particularly bad in
reservoirs in the South and West. While cumulative water storage in southern
region water bodies was 22 per cent (last year’s 46 per cent), that in the
western region was 18 per cent (22 per cent).
India losing African rice markets to others
Vishwanath
Kulkarni Bengaluru | Updated on July
18, 2019 Published onJuly 18, 2019
Exporters plead for govt support as rivals from China,
Thailand displace them
As cheaper rice from countries such as China
and Thailand begins to eat into India’s traditional markets in Africa, the
concerned rice exporters here are looking to the government for incentives to
sustain their markets.
An increase in minimum support price (MSP)
for paddy, coupled with strengthening rupee against the dollar, has turned the
Indian rice expensive in the world market, hurting the non-basmati rice
shipments, exporters said. Provisional data for shipments made during April-May
this year indicate that exports have more than halved over same period last
year.
Non-basmati rice shipments fell to 7.11 lakh
tonnes during April-May this year from 15.25 lakh tonnes in the corresponding
period last year. In value terms, the shipments slumped to $294 million from last
year’s $652 million. This is even as the basmati shipments have witnessed a
steady growth in the same period.
Plea for support
“The government should consider extending the
5 per cent incentive under the MEIS scheme and also extend the 5 per cent
interest subvention scheme to non-basmati rice exporters,” said BV Krishna Rao,
President of the Rice Exporters Association, which has written to the Commerce
Ministry recently. Such incentives will help the Indian rice exports remain
competitive.
The 5 per cent incentive under MEIS,
introduced for non-basmati rice exporters in November last year, ended in March
this year. For being among the top five exports category, the non-basmati rice
exporters are not considered for the interest subvention scheme.
Chinese entry
At present, the Indian non-basmati rice is
expensive by 5-10 per cent compared with other traditional competitors such as
Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan and Myanmar, Rao said. However, the entry of
Chinese rice into the markets this year has compounded the problem for Indian
exporters, he added.
Rao said the Chinese State agency COFCO is
out in the market to liquidate old stocks of 3-4 million tonnes and is
targeting markets in Africa, including Egypt. India has around 50 per cent
share in African rice market, estimated at around 15 million tonnes annually.
India’s non-basmati rice shipments slowed
down during October-December quarter last year due to the impact of the higher
paddy MSP, which saw an increase of 13 per cent for the kharif 2018 season. The
announcement of 5 per cent MEIS helped offset the impact of higher MSP.
Incentive sought
A further increase of 3.7 per cent in MSP for
kharif 2019 has added to the exporters’ challenge. The government should look
at a scheme such as Bhavantar or direct cash transfer instead of increasing
MSP, he said.
India is the largest exporter of rice and
accounts for a fourth of the global shipments. In 2018-19, non-basmati rice
exports fell to 7.5 million tonnes from 8.8 million tonnes in the previous
year. In value terms, the shipments fell to $3 billion during 2018-19 from
$3.63 billion in the previous year.
JULY 19,
2019 / 1:50 PM / 3 DAYS AGO
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- JULY 19, 2019
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Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-July 19, 2019 Nagpur,
July 19 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices reported higher in Nagpur Agriculture
Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) on increased demand from local millers
amid tight supply from producing belts. Fresh rise in Madhya Pradesh gram
prices and reported demand from South-based millers also boosted prices. About
600 bags of gram and 350 bags of tuar reported for auction, according to
sources.
GRAM
* Desi gram prices recovered in open market here on good
festival season demand from
local traders.
TUAR
* Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was
poor.
* Watana dal prices firmed up again in open market here on good
demand from
local traders amid thin supply from producing belts.
* In Akola, Tuar New – 5,600-6,000, Tuar dal (clean) –
8,300-8,500, Udid Mogar (clean)
– 6,800-7,500, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,300-8,300, Gram –
4,400-4,500, Gram Super best
– 6,200-6,400 * Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a
narrow range in
scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading
activity.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for
100 kg
FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 3,800-4,240 3,800-4,170
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 5,000-5,850 5,000-5,800
Moong Auction n.a. 3,950-4,200
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,200-2,500
Wheat Lokwan Auction 1,930-2,030 1,900-2,030
Wheat Sharbati Auction n.a. 2,900-3,000
Gram Super Best Bold 6,200-6,500 6,200-6,500
Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a
Gram Mill Quality 4,400-4,500 4,400-4,500
Desi gram Raw 4,350-4,450 4,300-4,400
Gram Kabuli 8,300-10,000 8,300-10,000
Tuar Fataka Best-New 8,500-8,600 8,500-8,600
Tuar Fataka Medium-New 8,200-8,300 8,200-8,300
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 7,600-7,900 7,600-7,900
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500
Tuar Gavarani New 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000
Tuar Karnataka 6,150-6,350 6,150-6,350
Masoor dal best 5,500-5,600 5,400-5,500
Masoor dal medium 5,200-5,400 5,100-5,300
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New) 8,200-9,000 7,900-8,800
Moong Mogar Medium 5,700-6,700 5,800-6,500
Moong dal Chilka New 7,200-8,000 6,800-7,800
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 8,200-8,700 8,000-8,500
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,000-7,800 7,000-7,800
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,500-6,500 5,500-6,500
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,400 4,000-4,400
Mot (100 INR/KG) 5,200-6,500 5,200-6,500
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,800-4,900 4,800-4,900
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 5,550-5,650 5,500-5,600
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 6,800-7,000 6,800-7,000
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200
Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,100 2,000-2,100
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,600 2,400-2,600
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,800 3,200-3,800
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,700-3,000 2,700-3,000
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300
Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,600 3,000-3,500
Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,500-3,000 2,500-3,000
Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000
Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,750 2,600-2,750
Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,500 2,200-2,500
Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,400 3,800-4,400
Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,600 3,400-3,600
Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 5,500-5,800 5,500-5,800
Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,800 4,500-4,800
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,500-13,500 8,500-13,500
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,000 5,000-7,000
Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 6,500-7,200 6,500-7,200
Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 6,200-6,400 6,200-6,400
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,350-2,550 2,350-2,550
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,050-2,250 2,050-2,250 WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 38.4 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 23.3 degree Celsius Rainfall :
3.00 mm FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky. Maximum and minimum temperature likely
to be around 36 degree Celsius and 23 degree Celsius respectively. Note:
n.a.—not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery
prices, but included in market prices)
Officials: Hurricane Barry farm damage fairly
local
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CROWLEY, La. (AP) — Some Louisiana farmers say they've never seen
storm damage worse than Hurricane Barry left behind, but the LSU AgCenter says
that statewide crop damage was minimal.
AgCenter and federal Farm Service Agency workers are checking crop
damage, and it could be a few weeks before assessments are complete, state
Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain said in a news release Thursday.
"While the damage was not widespread across the state, we
have farmers who were greatly impacted," Strain said. He said he has been
talking with U.S. Department of Agriculture officials and Gov. John Bel Edwards
about whether to declare an agriculture disaster.
The AgCenter's rice, soybean and corn specialists also said that
severe damage was local,
Farmer Jeffrey Sylvester of Whiteville in St. Landry Parish told
the AgCenter he had 700 acres of soybeans submerged, and his rice crop, which
was in the heading stage, is probably lost.
"I'm seeing more water over my crops than I've ever seen, and
it's still rising," he said Tuesday.
Ricihard Fontenot of the Evangeline Parish community of Vidrine
said water didn't cover his rice, but he could water-ski in his soybean fields
after 9 to 20 inches of rain in his area July 14.
"It just came down our alley and didn't let up," he said.
Overall, overcast weather after Barry helped plants recover,
Evangeline Parish county agent Todd Fontenot said.
Most of Avoyelles Parish got 7 to 11 inches of rain, with 19
inches in Cottonport, said parish agent Justin Dufour.
He said much of the corn crop was close to harvest and flooding
would be a problem if drainage was slow.
Avoyelles Parish farmer Scott Williams said only isolated parts of
his corn were pushed down to the ground but soybeans flooded. He said the area
got about 3 inches of rain on July 13 and 5 to 6 the next day. "It was
like an ocean," he said.
Boyd Padgett, LSU AgCenter state soybean specialist, said most of
the state's soybeans appeared to be doing well after the storm, except in
isolated areas of flooding.
Beans covered by water for very long wouldn't do well, and
diseases develop in humid, wet stands.
County agent Andrew Granger said 1,000 to 1,500 acres of flowering
rice was submerged in the Henry and Intracoastal City areas of Vermilion
Parish.
He said about 3,000 to 4,000 acres of sugarcane were left with
standing water, but flooded sugarcane did well after hurricanes Rita and Ike.
Some cattle were stranded by the storm, he said, so some cattle owners are
trying to get their herds to higher ground while others are shuttling hay.
"It could have been a whole lot worse," Granger said.
Charles Payne said storm surge the evening of July 13 covered all
600 acres of rice at Live Oak Plantation south of Henry and stranded about 300
cows with calves on high ground. But at least this was fresh water, rather than
the salt water surge from previous storms.
"That's the only reason our cattle are going to make
it," he said.
Worst drought in 40 years in North, Northeast
published : 19 Jul 2019 at 16:39
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Farmers cut unripe rice
in their drought-stricken paddy fields, to feed to cattle, in tambon Chiwan of
Phimai district, Nakhon Ratchasima, on Friday. (Photo by Prasit Tangprasert)
People in the northern and northeastern regions are facing
the worst drought in 40 years, with crops withering and tap water on the verge
of drying up in some areas.
A Nakhon Ratchasima, a provincial waterworks official on
Friday warned of a looming shortage of tap water in areas where levels in local
reservoirs are dropping.
“This is the longest the rains have held off in 40 years,”
said Prayat Raksachat, who operates a piped water system in Thap Kwai, a
village in tambon Chiwan in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Phimai district.
“The tap water supply is currently at only 1% of
capacity,” Mr Prayat said.
He was worried how the village of 500 residents would find
water for daily use and consumption.
Throughout much of the Northeast, in areas without
irrigation, rice crops have wilted and turned yellow, instead of the healthy
green normal at this time of year, and will soon die off unless there is
substantial rain.
Chaiyong Chaiburi, a farmer in tambon Chiwan, said arid
weather conditions have forced him to reap all the rice plants on his 50 rai of
paddy.
“I used it to feed my buffaloes,” he said. “It’s better to
see the rice put to good use instead of just withering away and dying.”
In Chaiyaphum province, residents of Muang district have
resorted to an ancient ritual known as hae nang maeo, or the cat procession,
in a desperate attempt to appease the gods and have them dump rain on the arid
areas.
By tradition the villagers throw water on cats being
carried around in cages. It is believed a cat's cry will be heard by the Gods
as a request for rain.
“But we know now that treating cats that way is cruelty to
animals, so we use toy cats instead,” Songkhram Wonsikhai, a 75-year-old
local wiseman, said.
The situation is the northern region is equally worrying.
The water level in the Mae Kuang Udom Thara Reservoir in
Chiang Mai province has fallen to only 12% of its capacity -- worse than
the level seen during the drought crisis in 2015, Chensak Limpiti, director of
Mae Kuang Udom Thara Reservoir, said.
Deputy Agriculture Minister Prapat Pothasuthon said the
ministry will keep the farmers updated about the drought and weather
conditions.
"Despite the severe conditions, we need to tell the
truth to farmers. They must know whether their plants will survive or
not," he said.
Thailand is not the only Asia country suffering from
drought during the rainy season, Smith Thammasaroj, former chairman of the
National Disaster Warning Centre, said. India, Pakistan and Myanmar face a
similar situation, because the humidity from the North Pole has not come south
as it normally should have,
This will mean less or even no rainfall until September,
he said.
The Meteorological Department said that the delay in the
rains was partly caused by a warmer Pacific Ocean, which will decrease rainfall
in the East and Central Plains, including Bangkok, by 5% until next month.
Drought has hit 17
villages in tambon Ban Khok in Muang district of Phetchabun with water sources
running dry. (Photo by Sunthorn Kongwarakom)
Basmati
rice drops 10% as sales hit on delayed pay
Iran buys
a quarter of India’s annual basmati exports of 4-4.5 million tonnes.
By
, ET Bureau|
Jul 19, 2019, 09.27 AM IST
0Comments
Getty Images
The
price of basmati in mandis was about Rs 3,900 per quintal while on the NCDEX,
it was Rs 4,100 (including duty).
New Delhi:
Price of basmati
rice has fallen 10 per cent in the past
month, as delayed payment has hit sales to Iran and concerns over pesticide residue have hurt exports to
Europe, exporters said.
Iran buys a quarter of India’s annual basmati exports of 4-4.5 million tonnes, while Europe takes 8 per cent. Vijay Setia, the president of the All India Rice Exporters Association, said payments for 1,25,000 tonnes of rice worth Rs 1,200 crore were delayed.
The price of basmati in mandis was about Rs 3,900 per quintal while on the NCDEX, it was Rs 4,100 (including duty).
“Our rice is not conforming to the pesticides standards of the European Union. This has led to the fall in basmati rice prices by 10 per cent in the past month,” said Gurnam Arora, joint managing director, Kohinoor Foods.
Traders said exporters had slowed down their buying.
Iran buys a quarter of India’s annual basmati exports of 4-4.5 million tonnes, while Europe takes 8 per cent. Vijay Setia, the president of the All India Rice Exporters Association, said payments for 1,25,000 tonnes of rice worth Rs 1,200 crore were delayed.
The price of basmati in mandis was about Rs 3,900 per quintal while on the NCDEX, it was Rs 4,100 (including duty).
“Our rice is not conforming to the pesticides standards of the European Union. This has led to the fall in basmati rice prices by 10 per cent in the past month,” said Gurnam Arora, joint managing director, Kohinoor Foods.
Traders said exporters had slowed down their buying.
