Tuesday, July 23, 2019

20th July,2019 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter


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

Description: https://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/uploads/akhbar/2019-07-19/500322_3195968_Imran_trump_akhbar.jpg
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

Vishwanath Kulkarni  Bengaluru | Updated on July 18, 2019  Published onJuly 18, 2019
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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

BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE 2019-07-18 20:27:49
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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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

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.
Description: KVOA.comMaps 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.”

Nutrients in food crops will fall by 2050: Study

PTI New Delhi | Updated on July 19, 2019  Published on July 19, 2019
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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
PTI New Delhi | Updated on July 19, 2019  Published on July 19, 2019
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Description: https://bl.thgim.com/news/science/mbzcym/article28595069.ece/alternates/WIDE_435/food-crops
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

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APP

July 20, 2019

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.
“The tap water supply is currently at only 1% of capacity,” Mr Prayat  told the Bangkok Post.
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. 

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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. 


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.
Description: Alternative Grains Can Help India Allay Impact of Global Heating on Agriculture
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
Description: T.V. Padma
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.
Description: Women labourers work in a pearl millet field at Narayangaon, March 12, 2019. Photo: Reuters/Danish Siddiqui
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.
T.V. Padma is a freelance science journalist.

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
2019-07-20 01:24:37XinhuaEditor : Wang FanECNS App Download
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

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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

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Description: Tesco has put the prices for many products upTesco has put the prices for many products up CREDIT: AFP
·        Helena Horton
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
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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

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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. 
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Description: Kristen Mosbrucker

Kristen Mosbrucker

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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.
Description: Insurance claims for Hurricane Barry trickle in after the weekend storm

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

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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. 
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Description: Kristen Mosbrucker

Kristen Mosbrucker

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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.
Description: Insurance claims for Hurricane Barry trickle in after the weekend storm

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. 
·       Facebook
·       Twitter
·       Email
·       Print
·       Save
Description: Kristen Mosbrucker

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

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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.”

FRIDAY, JULY 19, 2019

Proposed city-parish ordinance would require St. George to pay pension debt

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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
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Description: http://pageone.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/071819-PageOne-rice.jpg




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
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(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

 BSS
·       Published at 12:25 am July 19th, 2019
Description: dae-official-motahar-hossain-said-this-type-of-rice-can-be-harvested-within-150-to-155-days-of-planting-1526617073081.jpg
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
Description: https://elevenmyanmar.com/sites/news-eleven.com/files/styles/news_detail_image/public/news-images/flood_in_bangladesh.jpg?itok=FWk5AIrP
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.
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

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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

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* * * * * *

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)

2019719 / 晚上655 / 3

India's summer crop planting down nearly 7%: government data

Reuters Staff
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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
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Description: https://bl.thgim.com/economy/agri-business/dyb06s/article28594302.ece/alternates/WIDE_435/kharif
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.
Description: https://bl.thgim.com/economy/agri-business/h57aa2/article28594304.ece/alternates/FREE_615/bl20JulyKharifcol

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
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Description: https://bl.thgim.com/todays-paper/tp-agri-biz-and-commodity/1m4w06/article28024111.ece/alternates/WIDE_435/bl18ndvgkriceGBP6174R13jpgjpg

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

Updated 1:54 pm EDT, Saturday, July 20, 2019
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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
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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.


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