6th November
2019
Daily Global Regional Local Rice
E-Newsletter
Un-Edited Version
Bureau of Customs launches tracking system for
parcels
The Parcel and Balikbayan Box Tracking System provides updates
about the parcel or balikbayan box as it goes through the different stages of
customs clearance.
The Philippines’ Bureau of Customs (BOC) recently launched the
Parcel and Balikbayan Box Tracking System (PBTS) as part of the Bureau’s drive
to promote transparency and ease of doing business.
According to a
recent press release, the Parcel and
Balikbayan Box Tracking System aims to render a more efficient means of
tracking parcels and balikbayan boxes.
The Parcel and Balikbayan Box
Tracking System
The tracker can be
accessed via the Bureau’s website. The
system is capable of providing updates about the parcel or balikbayan box as it
goes through the different stages of customs clearance.
This will reportedly enable Filipinos to
check on the status of parcels and balikbayan boxes sent to them by their
families and friends abroad.
This also allows the Bureau to monitor the efficiency of BOC
officials and personnel.
The system will aim to lessen instances of scams being
perpetrated by unscrupulous individuals. At the same time, claimants can verify
the status of parcels and packages being processed by Customs.
During his opening remarks at the launch, BOC Assistant
Commissioner Vincent Philip C. Maronilla explained the timeliness of the launch
as the Christmas season draws closer.
Several Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are expected to send
balikbayan boxes and packages to their loved ones in the Philippines during
this time.
BOC Commissioner Rey Guerrero formally closed the event after
conducting a live demonstration of the system.
The Commissioner explained during this time that the success of
the system relies on the support of the various stakeholders of the Bureau.
In addition, he also reminded the public to be cautious in
sending their packages and parcels.
OFWs and claimants are advised to support only legitimate and
accredited forwarders in order to avoid the possibility of being scammed by
fly-by-night operators.
Additional information
As reported,
Customs is required to do the following under the Customs Modernization and
Tariff Act (CMTA) signed by former President Benigno Aquino III:
1. Make an innovative processing of shipments
2. Streamline export and import procedures
3. Simplify the process of seizure and disposition of illegal goods
According to the Bureau’s Statistical Analysis Division (SAD),
their collection in September 2019 was PHP 7 billion (US$ 138.7 million) higher
than the PHP 52.42 billion (US$ 1.038 billion) collected in the same period
last year.
The growth in revenue was
traced to the increase in the volume of importation, higher collection as a
result of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and
Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, Rice Tariffication Law,
and the National Food Authority tax expenditure collection.
The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) under the
Comprehensive Tax Reform Program seeks to correct a number of deficiencies in
the tax system to make it simpler, fairer, and more efficient.
The Rice Tariffication Law essentially allows for the
liberalisation of rice imports and will remove the previously placed quota on
rice imports, permitting traders to import a near-unlimited quantity of rice.
Dangote Group to begin rice export soon
By
-
November 6,
2019
Knut
Ulvmoen
Nigeria’s rice importation woes may soon come to an end
following the decision of Dangote
Group to go into production of rice.
This decision was made public by
Dangote Group’s Supply Chain Director, Knut Ulvmoen, at the 33rd edition of
the Lagos
International Trade Fair (LITF).
Existing capacity: Dangote
Group boasts of 150,000 hectares of land dedicated to growing rice in Jigawa,
Kano, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Niger, Sokoto, and Zamfara States and 10 rice mills in
several parts of the country. All of these are expected to help the Group
achieve production of one million tonnes of rice yearly.
Ulvmoen noted that the group used
to be the best in the business before it shifted focus to other things like
cement, sugar and flour. Ulvmoen noted that even after the company stopped
importing rice for sale, its product was still in high demand.
“So what do we do? We are entering into rice farming and
processing and targeting a million tons output annually.
“We are already active in the farms. We have already got some
paddy rice in some silos. We are also challenging others to do what we are
setting out to do in order to make rice an exportable product in Nigeria,”
he said.
The Group’s Supply Chain Director added
that they were also interested in boosting the production of sugar, fertilizer
and petroleum products in Nigeria.
Regarding fertilizer products,
Ulvmoen noted that the group wanted to stop importing fertilizers but was also
interested in exporting it to the world. He also noted that more products would
be churned out to the public.
“The urea production is the starting point. Additional products
will come out. We are aiming to have all the different fertilizer products like
NPK etc. that are needed to improve the yields for the farmers.
“Nigeria is today importing fertilizer. But we do not want only
to be importing. We want to be self-sufficient and move on to massive
exportation of fertilizer,” Ulvmoen said.
A
rice mill
In the area of petroleum products,
Ulvmoen said that the Dangote refinery would produce a variety of crude oil
forms and climate-friendly fuels for different purposes – aviation, transport
and personal uses. He added that the refinery would process 650,000 barrels of
crude daily and hinted at gas pipelines being laid from Port Harcourt to Lekki,
to ensure optimal movement of refined goods.
“What
is very important in Nigeria is gas. There is so much gas in the oil field that
is still burnt. But this gas is very important for the production of energy in
the country. And we want to make sure that there is gas in the pipeline.
Nigeria needs to utilize all-natural resources especially oil and gas.
“We have our sugar refinery in Apapa with capacity for 1.4
million tons annually. But we also want to reduce the importation of raw sugar.
So, we are improving our plantation for sugar cane. We want Nigeria to be as
independent as possible from sugar import.”
Blockchain adds trust to rice trading platform
Kathy
Gibson is at Fujitsu Forum in Munich – Fujitsu and Rice Exchange have debuted
the world’s first global blockchain-based rice trading platform, offering new
levels of security, transparency, efficiency, traceability and trust to the
$450-billion global rice market.
Ricex
is the first digital platform designed for buying and selling rice, one of the
world’s largest agricultural commodities.
The
platform digitalises rice trading using a blockchain distributed ledger
technology (DLT) platform. Through it, buyers, sellers and service providers
can easily find each other in a digital environment, efficiently conduct
trades, and arrange insurance, shipping, inspection and settlement with the
assurance of seamless integration and verifiable data.
“The
Rice Exchange platform brings transparency, efficiency and security to the
global rice trade,” says Stephen Edkins, CEO of Ricex. “The distributed ledger
technology from our partner, Fujitsu, enables us to remove the many barriers
that have prevented transparent, low-risk trading in rice and allows trade
buyers to purchase this vital food staple with full confidence that they are
getting a quality product at a fair price.”
The use
of a DLT platform injects new levels of trust and efficiency into the highly
fragmented international rice trade. It creates verified, immutable data for
all stakeholders, such as buyers, sellers, shippers, inspectors, insurers,
regulators and payment system operators.
By
using a distributed ledger, the platform removes friction and delays in the
supply chain, ensuring security and transparency in international rice trades
by allowing all stakeholders to see the same verifiable data, in realtime.
For
example, the Ricex platform allows buyers to search for rice that has been
certified as sustainably-grown. This gives buyers certainty about the
provenance of the rice and in turn allows producers to charge a premium for
their product.
Frederik
De Breuck, head of the Fujitsu Blockchain Innovation Centre in Brussels, says:
“Sustainability, track and trace, and provenance are at the heart of the Rice
Exchange, which is another powerful example of the real-world use cases for
blockchain.
“Ricex
has shown great vision in adopting Fujitsu’s approach to distributed ledgers as
a supplementary layer in larger enterprise architectures, and not end-to-end
solutions by themselves. We have placed a focus on making sure the DLT can
interoperate with existing infrastructures. This is how we deliver true value
from investment in this exciting new technology.”
Fujitsu
is delivering a production-ready, private, permissioned DLT scale-out solution
running on Hyperledger Fabric – a DLT especially developed for enterprise use
with advanced automation features.
Ricex
selected the Fujitsu Blockchain Innovation Centre in Brussels as key
integration partner to develop the solution because of its blockchain expertise,
in particular with architectures built on Hyperledger Fabric, and because of
Fujitsu’s flexible DevOps approach, covering both operational and development
services using the scrum/agile methodology.
The
Fujitsu BIC relies on Microsoft Azure to provide the platform for its agile
development and to deliver the production environment for Fujitsu’s blockchain
as a service offerings such as DocumentFlow and InvoiceFlow. As Fujitsu grows
the Rice Trading platform, it intends to leverage Azure’s global scale as a
secure and reliable foundation.
Rice
trading is an opaque, complex and extremely process-intensive business, often
still paper-based.
Certification
requirements for rice imports vary by region and documents must be checked and
matched manually, which is expensive and prone to costly human error. Documents
must also travel globally with the goods, with the risk of loss of time due to
faulty or lost documentation.
The
Rice Exchange platform simplifies documentation compliance, leading to lower
transaction costs and back-end operations, and providing full transparency.
Increasing
volumes of rice are now traded internationally, up five-fold in 30 years. This
is being driven by demographic growth and concerns over food security and water
usage. But unlike other major grain crops, rice has a wide variety of types and
finishes.
This
makes pricing a lot less homogeneous, with trading managed by a relatively
small group of individuals, with little transparency. The parties involved
rarely have a full, transparent view of the rice market and market participants
find it difficult to establish whether a buyer or seller has a clean track
record for fulfilling contractual obligations.
Stakeholders
in the rice supply chain have grown accustomed to these inefficiencies and have
accepted their impact on price and margin as a “cost of business”. However,
digital transformation based on distributed ledger technologies has created the
means to rectify these costly and inefficient drawbacks.
·
·
Bacterial Blight Resistant Rice Developed
thru Genome Editing
Bacterial
Blight Resistant Rice Developed thru Genome Editing
November 6, 2019
Genome editing made it possible for the world's most important food
crop to become resistant to a destructive bacterial disease.
Xanthomonas oryzae pathovar oryzae (Xoo) causes bacterial blight in rice, a stable food for billions of people worldwide. To combat
the devastating infection, Ricardo Oliva and his team at the International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI) explored on Xoo genes that
encode proteins called transcription-activator-like effectors (TALEs). Xoo use TALEs to switch on SWEET genes in rice plants, which are necessary for disease
susceptibility. Thus, when the SWEET genes are
expressed, Xoo gets access to the
nutrients in the rice plants' leaves.
The researchers analyzed 63 Xoo strains and found that each strain has one or
more versions of TALEs. Each version can turn on at lease on of the three SWEET genes. To modify the SWEET genes, the researchers used the genome
editing tool CRISPR-Cas9. This led to edited SWEET genes
that cannot be activated by the bacterial TALEs. The rice plants with edited
genes were found to be resistant to at least 95 Xoo strains.
The
findings indicate that genome editing could be an effective tool in enhancing
disease resistance of rice, particularly to bacterial blight.
Xoo use
these proteins to turn on the plant's SWEET genes,
which produce sugar-transporting molecules. This gives the bacteria access to
nutrients in the plants' leaves.
Border closure: Rice millers in Gombe make
brisk profits
Wednesday, November 6, 2019 3:16 pm
Rice
Mill
Rice millers in Gombe State
comment on the increase in sales and patronage of locally-sourced rice since
the closure of the border by the Federal Government.
The Federal Government had
shut borders with neighbouring countries of Benin Republic, Cameroun and
the Niger Republic since August.
According to the research
done by a NAN correspondent, several rice millers who had shut down businesses,
reopened while others formed themselves into clusters to process rice in large
quantities since the border closure.
The association of rice
millers lauded the President’s decision to close the border. They claim that
the decision remains the best for the agricultural sector as it has enhanced
the local processing of rice in large quantities.
Alhaji Umar Na-Abu, the
former Chairman, Rice Millers’ Association of Nigeria, Gombe State chapter said
that the closure was a good measure to boost employment and local production.
He acknowledged that Nigeria can feed itself and condemned the importation
of certain staple foods.
“May God bless President
Buhari for this initiative. We now supply rice to different parts of Nigeria,
especially the South and there are more jobs here for everyone except you do
not want to work.
“We have left this place
before but today we have all returned and we mill over 10, 000 bags every
day. I mill over 1, 200 bags per day now with my machines as against 50
before. I sell at different prices depending on their types. We sell for
N13, 000, N14, 000 and N15, 000 per 50 kg. Now, we are taking a lot of youths
off the street,’’ he said.
Also speaking, Adamu Usman
said the business of rice milling had witnessed a boom as more persons were now
joining the business and there was no issue of competition because the market
is available.
He called on the Federal
Government to put up modalities to ensure that those who might want to
undermine the government’s effort were stopped.
Usman, however, urged the
government to also look into the issue of power supply.
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Nigeria: Again, Emefiele Lists Consequences of Immediate Border
Reopening
6 NOVEMBER 2019
By James Emejo
Abuja —
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has
said though the country cannot afford to have its borders shut in perpetuity,
reopening them at this time may roll back the economic gains so far achieved
since the closure in August.
Speaking
recently, at the maiden convocation lecture of the Edo University, Iyahmo,
Auchi in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, he said an attempt to
reopen the borders could create room for a flooding of smuggled items into the
country, a situation that could cripple the ability of rice millers to sell
their stock.
He also
said smallholder farmers currently producing paddy would no longer be able to
sell them while poultry farmers would equally be affected, a situation that
could lead to massive job cuts in agriculture.
The CBN
governor, who delivered the convocation lecture titled, 'The Role of Monetary
Policy Towards Economic Growth in Nigeria', maintained that before thinking of
reopening the borders, dialogue was needed with Benin Republic in order to
exact their commitment to respect that, "we don't want what they import
into their country that we can produce in our country to pass through their
borders into our country."
The CBN
governor further warned that failure to exact commitment from its neighbours,
particularly in the areas of smuggling and dumping before reopening the borders
could cause a relapse to conditions observed prior to closure.
He
said: "If we don't engage, you know what will happen? I will give you a
few examples: before the border closure, two weeks before border closure, the
president of the Rice Processors Association called to say that our Nigerian
rice producers have produced rice they cannot sell that each of them is
carrying close to 20,000 metric tonnes of rice in their warehouses."
According
to him: "The Rice Farmers Association led by Alhaji Goronyo came out and
also said that farmers cannot sell the rice they produced, that's the paddy
rice.
"We
also have people in the poultry industry that said they couldn't sell their
chicken and eggs- some were carrying up to 5,000 crates of eggs unsold and they
said government needs to do something about it.'
He
added: "Luckily, as a result of we intervening and other people
intervening- in fact, it might interest you to know that most of the arms that
have been brought into this country are being smuggled through the borders.
"Even
the armed forces themselves gave in and said listen, that we need to do
something about the borders. So, the government went ahead and shut the
borders.
Procurement
lapses: DPPC warns action against civil supplies, RMC babus
Post News Network
Malkangiri: Even as the district level paddy procurement committee geared
up for paddy procurement for the current kharif season in Malkangiri district,
authorities have decided to take strong action against the civil supply
department and the regulatory marketing committee (RMC) if paddy is received
from farmers without tokens.
Food Supplies and Consumer
Welfare Secretary and Commissioner Vir Vikram Yadav discussed with rice
millers, civil supplies officers, RMC members and LAMPS officials about various
measures for smooth procurement of kharif paddy in the district. The
commissioner wanted officials to ensure that farmers do not face any problem
during procurement.
According to sources, paddy
procurement for kharif crop season in FY 2019-20 is about to start from
November 15. Before holding the meeting, Yadav had visited various areas in the
district and reviewed progress of various schemes related to farmers.
During his visit, he
instructed officials of LAMPS, rice millers and civil supplies officer to give
importance to farmers’ welfare and interest by streamlining the procurement
system and removing bottlenecks.
“If any farmer keeps his/her
paddy sacks in the mandis without having tokens from procurement centers, their
paddy sacks will be seized by the civil supplies department and regulatory
marketing committee,” Yadav said.
He said strong action will
be taken against farmers who are found stocking their paddy without tokens at
the procurement centers. The commissioner instructed millers to immediately
lift the paddy of farmers, who have got tokens.
At the meeting, some rice
millers pointed out that they will suffer loss if paddy was later found to be
of substandard quality.
Yadav advised millers to
procure paddy only after getting the standard of the paddy tested through RMC.
Notably, the rate of general FAQ (fair average quality) of paddy was fixed at
Rs 1815 per quintal and FAQ-A grade paddy at Rs 1835.
Later, the commissioner
visited various villages in Malkangiri district and reviewed progress of
various schemes and projects in the district.
Yadav discussed with farmers
about their problems during paddy procurement and reviewed the special system
made by SHGs for paddy procurement in the district.
Border closure: Senate probes alleged extra
judicial killings at borders by NCS operatives
...As Gombe rice farmers make
brisk business
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The Senate on Wednesday, mandated
its Committee on Customs to investigate the alleged extra judicial killings at
the nation’s border posts by operatives of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).
This was sequel to a motion by Senator Tolulope Odebiyi
(APC-Ogun West) during plenary on “the Need to condemn the incessant excesses
and recent extra judicial killings of people by men of the NCS in
Idiroko/Ipokia state constituency.”
Idiroko is a town in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Debating the motion, Odebiyi said since the closure of the
country’s land borders, officials of customs have been conducting themselves in
very reckless and unruly manner along the Idiroko axis.
“It is disturbing that precisely, on October 7, while we were on
break, men of Nigeria Customs Service were alleged to have shot and killed a
student including subjecting many students to various degrees of injury.
“The people of Idiroko state
constituency are daily being harassed and treated with disdain by men of the
Nigerian Customs Service.
“While many of the actions and excesses
by the operatives including the recent killings are not only breaches but done
against the state, sadly there are yet to be any report of any of the officers
involved or reprimanded.”
Supporting the motion, Sen. Ibrahim
Oloriegbe (APC-Kwara Central), said “we have debated on this floor the reason
for the closure of the border and its importance.
“It is very unfortunate and sad that
lives of Nigerians are being lost as a result of their actions. It is also sad
that those men are not keeping to the code of their various services.”
In his remark, President of the Senate
Ahmad Lawan, in a voice vote, called for the amendment of the prayers of the
motion which was unanimously adopted by the senators.
Meanwhile Seme Customs command said it
intercepted 55 fairly-used vehicles smuggled into the country since the
border closure on August 20 this year.
The Customs Spokesman in Seme, Abdullahi
Hussaini, said in a statement that the seizure was part of the tremendous
achievements recorded by the command in its anti-smuggling operations.
“The command within the period of the
exercise intercepted 55 fairly used smuggled vehicles with DPV values worth
millions of naira,” the customs spokesman said.
Hussaini described as baseless and
unfounded reports on social media alleging that officers were collecting money
in order to allow passage of fairly-used vehicles into the country despite the
border drill.
He urged members of the public with
tangible evidence that could assist the Command to tackle any recalcitrant to
come forward for the benefit of all.
Hussaini also advised social media users
to do proper investigation before making such serious allegations in order not
to dampen the morale of officers in the discharge of their duties.
This was as the Ghana Export Promotion
Authority (GEPA) on Wednesday commended Nigeria government for allowing its
products into the country for the Lagos International Trade Fair.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of
GEPA, Mr Samuel Dentu, gave the commendation in an interview with newsmen at
the ongoing Lagos International Trade Fair.
The Ghanaian official said that
Nigeria’s border closure almost created difficulties in bringing exhibition
products to the fair but for the timely intervention of relevant Federal
Government agencies.
“As a fall out of what is happening with
the border closure, we had a bit of issues getting the products coming here for
exhibition but we worked with the Nigeria customs and our embassy in Lagos and
we were able to get to the fair.
“Nigerian Government helped us by taking
Ghanaians to border to negotiate and our goods were released. This shows that
the Government of Nigeria has been magnanimous enough to help us so far.
“We have been working with authorities
here to make sure that we don’t suffer collateral damage as far as the closure
is concerned.
“We eventually pulled through it because
of the cordial relationship that we had with Nigeria authorities,” he said.
Dentu said that Ghanaians preferred to
exhibit their products in Nigeria because of the similarity in language and
products and, above all, the brotherly relationship.
“We know there are trade barriers, but
that doesn’t stop the smooth relationship between both countries,” the Ghanaian
official said.
About 37 Ghanaian companies are
participating at the ongoing Lagos International Trade Fair, as against
29 companies that exhibited their goods at 2018 fair.
In a related development rice millers in
Gombe State say they have recorded increased sales and patronage since the
closure of the border by the Federal Government. A recent survey revealed that
many of the rice millers who hitherto shut down businesses have reopened for
business while others formed themselves into clusters to process rice in large
quantities.
According to them, the decision by the
President to close the border remains the best for the agricultural sector as
it has enhanced local processing of rice in large quantities.
Alhaji Umar Na-Abu, the former Chairman,
Rice Millers’ Association of Nigeria, Gombe State chapter told a reporter
that the closure was a good move to boost employment and local production.
According to him, Nigeria has the capacity to feed itself.
“May God bless President Buhari for this
initiative. We now supply rice to different parts of Nigeria, especially the
Southern and there are more jobs here for everyone except you do not want to
work. “We have left this place before but today we have all returned and we
mill over 10,000 bags every day.
“I mill over 1,200 bags per day now with
my machines as against 50 before. I sell with different prices depending on
their types.
“We sell for N13,000, N14,000 and
N15,000 per 50 kg. Now, we are taking a lot of youths off the street,’’ he
said. Another miller, Abubakar Mohammed said that from the time the border was
closed, his business had witnessed a lot of expansion and massive employment of
youths who had started working for their money.
“Before the closure, we most times do
not work at all and when we come here to work, we just mill between 15 and 20
bags…”
Farmers lose millers gain
Govt
policy and syndicate liable
Special Correspondent: The reluctant
policy of the government and poor monitoring, farmers of the country are
turning into backbone less due to incurring huge loss every season. On the
other hand the millers and stockiest are making money, falling into the trap.
Both the growers and consumers are exploited by the powerful millers and
stockiest. Paddy and onion are the recent burning example of the trap of the
syndicate.
The rice price in the market has been souring again ahead of the new harvesting season and the ongoing Bengali monga month of Kartik. The growers in the last season have incurred huge loss but the millers make remarkable profit on the other hand.
According to government estimates, a farmer had to spend Tk 24,000 to grow one tonne of paddy. But millers are buying the same amount for Tk 15,000, inflicting a Tk 9,000 loss on farmers per tonne. If the government procures directly from farmers at Tk 26,000 a tonne, the farmers get at least Tk 2000 in profit.
At the same time, under the procurement programme, the government pays millers at least Tk 21,600 for the rice produced from one tonne of paddy. In this case, the millers have to spend only Tk 15,700 including the husking cost of Tk 750 per tonne. This means, the millers garner about Tk 5,850 in profit every tonne. In simple terms, while farmers make a profit of Tk 2000 per tonne from government procurement, the same scheme gives Tk 5,850 of profit to millers. This just this year’s example and we again say it is symbolic and repetition of the more or less the same snapshot of the past couple of years.
It is nothing new and a repetition of tragedy of our agricultural marketing of staples and that scorch not only macro economy, but our conscience and media gets flooded with, when our ill fated patriotic farmers responding to the national call to “produce more” fall victim of over production. Taking all farmers’ friendly subsidized facilities provided by government, farmers are king in production, but slaves in marketing, becoming prey to profiteering of millers and owners of “chatals”.
But a part of assured food security denotes keeping high the justified share of all stakeholders from production to marketing and finally reaching to end consumers and for that a due market economy desires a market mechanism with no oligopolistic existents.
Side by side there must have an efficiently operational social security programmes and responsibilities. Sorry to say, everything has been done away with for long. Leverage has been broken down. Concerned ministries have been very much loyal to assist producers in production in direct and indirect ways and to that extent oblivion to them to have incentive prices in markets that will stop them thinking twice whether to go for further production with the same zeal. Yes, the need for formation of much talked about “Price Commission” is being echoed in vain.
For not so long, various researches have been pointing out a trend that rice production has been on the wane and it corroborates the recent findings and observation of agricultural extension directorate. It says, a silent change has been occurring in cultivation scenario in Northern districts once known as major rice producing areas.
Tobacco cultivation has been increased in Rangpur. Vegetables in Bogura and Rajshahi instead of rice production. Farmers in Sirajganj turn off rice to fish cultivation and they are digging ponds in agricultural lands. Naogaon is called the capital of rice and now farmers are tilting more to mango cultivation leaving rice. This trend might have accentuated further due to this year’s depressed price of boro. Agricultural extension directorate anticipates.
For four years only in Naogaon saw 18 thousand and 13 thousand hectares of lands ceased to produce boro and aman respectively. Instead this season used 18 thousand hectares more for mango production as next best alternative (opportunity cost). In Rangpur, mango producing lands has been enhanced from 2 thousand 950 hectares to 3 thousand 125 hectares. In Bagura 1,000 hectare rice producing land has been squeezed during 5 years.
The government has bought only 1.5 lakh tonnes of paddy from farmers, which makes up less than one percent of the total estimated production of around 1.96 crore tonnes this boro season. Under the same scheme, the government is purchasing 11.5 lakh tonnes of rice from millers. Although, the primary goal of the procurement programme is to give price support to farmers. But it is not benefitting them much.
On one hand, millers are buying paddy in the open market at low prices and selling rice to the government at high rates. On the other, the government is buying almost 13 times more in terms of paddy from millers than from farmers. This means millers are gaining more both ways. This is the case when farmers are facing losses due to low selling prices in the open market. Moreover, the amount of government procurement from farmers is paltry compared to the amount it would buy from millers. The procurement started on April 25 and will continue till August31.
Just to give a short numerical example of this year and it is symbolic of an endless story of the same repetition with just as varying the number and extent of production but telling the same eternal tragedy of deprivation our farmers.
During harvesting, farmers are bound to depressed selling due to pressure from hired labours, loan from banks and mahajans and their day to day family consumption needs. So farmers are bound to set off millers’ doors for depressed selling. When government starts procuring, meanwhile farmers’ coffers become empty to sell further. So even paddy procurement, benefit goes to millers.
Mind it farmers never prepare rice for market. Only millers are doing this. So if rice is bought from millers, it would not benefit farmers. Thus millers are benefited from the entire process of procurement.
But for immediate task must be to disburden carryover stocks by invigorating distribution among destitute at low price and enhancing other social net programmes to accommodate procured rice. In addition import is to be reined in and rethink again over 10 to 15 lakhs tonnes of rice export and giving 20 percent incentive to exporters.
The rice price in the market has been souring again ahead of the new harvesting season and the ongoing Bengali monga month of Kartik. The growers in the last season have incurred huge loss but the millers make remarkable profit on the other hand.
According to government estimates, a farmer had to spend Tk 24,000 to grow one tonne of paddy. But millers are buying the same amount for Tk 15,000, inflicting a Tk 9,000 loss on farmers per tonne. If the government procures directly from farmers at Tk 26,000 a tonne, the farmers get at least Tk 2000 in profit.
At the same time, under the procurement programme, the government pays millers at least Tk 21,600 for the rice produced from one tonne of paddy. In this case, the millers have to spend only Tk 15,700 including the husking cost of Tk 750 per tonne. This means, the millers garner about Tk 5,850 in profit every tonne. In simple terms, while farmers make a profit of Tk 2000 per tonne from government procurement, the same scheme gives Tk 5,850 of profit to millers. This just this year’s example and we again say it is symbolic and repetition of the more or less the same snapshot of the past couple of years.
It is nothing new and a repetition of tragedy of our agricultural marketing of staples and that scorch not only macro economy, but our conscience and media gets flooded with, when our ill fated patriotic farmers responding to the national call to “produce more” fall victim of over production. Taking all farmers’ friendly subsidized facilities provided by government, farmers are king in production, but slaves in marketing, becoming prey to profiteering of millers and owners of “chatals”.
But a part of assured food security denotes keeping high the justified share of all stakeholders from production to marketing and finally reaching to end consumers and for that a due market economy desires a market mechanism with no oligopolistic existents.
Side by side there must have an efficiently operational social security programmes and responsibilities. Sorry to say, everything has been done away with for long. Leverage has been broken down. Concerned ministries have been very much loyal to assist producers in production in direct and indirect ways and to that extent oblivion to them to have incentive prices in markets that will stop them thinking twice whether to go for further production with the same zeal. Yes, the need for formation of much talked about “Price Commission” is being echoed in vain.
For not so long, various researches have been pointing out a trend that rice production has been on the wane and it corroborates the recent findings and observation of agricultural extension directorate. It says, a silent change has been occurring in cultivation scenario in Northern districts once known as major rice producing areas.
Tobacco cultivation has been increased in Rangpur. Vegetables in Bogura and Rajshahi instead of rice production. Farmers in Sirajganj turn off rice to fish cultivation and they are digging ponds in agricultural lands. Naogaon is called the capital of rice and now farmers are tilting more to mango cultivation leaving rice. This trend might have accentuated further due to this year’s depressed price of boro. Agricultural extension directorate anticipates.
For four years only in Naogaon saw 18 thousand and 13 thousand hectares of lands ceased to produce boro and aman respectively. Instead this season used 18 thousand hectares more for mango production as next best alternative (opportunity cost). In Rangpur, mango producing lands has been enhanced from 2 thousand 950 hectares to 3 thousand 125 hectares. In Bagura 1,000 hectare rice producing land has been squeezed during 5 years.
The government has bought only 1.5 lakh tonnes of paddy from farmers, which makes up less than one percent of the total estimated production of around 1.96 crore tonnes this boro season. Under the same scheme, the government is purchasing 11.5 lakh tonnes of rice from millers. Although, the primary goal of the procurement programme is to give price support to farmers. But it is not benefitting them much.
On one hand, millers are buying paddy in the open market at low prices and selling rice to the government at high rates. On the other, the government is buying almost 13 times more in terms of paddy from millers than from farmers. This means millers are gaining more both ways. This is the case when farmers are facing losses due to low selling prices in the open market. Moreover, the amount of government procurement from farmers is paltry compared to the amount it would buy from millers. The procurement started on April 25 and will continue till August31.
Just to give a short numerical example of this year and it is symbolic of an endless story of the same repetition with just as varying the number and extent of production but telling the same eternal tragedy of deprivation our farmers.
During harvesting, farmers are bound to depressed selling due to pressure from hired labours, loan from banks and mahajans and their day to day family consumption needs. So farmers are bound to set off millers’ doors for depressed selling. When government starts procuring, meanwhile farmers’ coffers become empty to sell further. So even paddy procurement, benefit goes to millers.
Mind it farmers never prepare rice for market. Only millers are doing this. So if rice is bought from millers, it would not benefit farmers. Thus millers are benefited from the entire process of procurement.
But for immediate task must be to disburden carryover stocks by invigorating distribution among destitute at low price and enhancing other social net programmes to accommodate procured rice. In addition import is to be reined in and rethink again over 10 to 15 lakhs tonnes of rice export and giving 20 percent incentive to exporters.
Researchers use drones to pilot a new
tool to fight Malaria
- The
drones the researchers fly carry the innovation they say offers a new
approach in fighting the deadly disease.
- The
drones sprayed mosquito-infested rice fields, typical breeding grounds for
malarial mosquitoes, with Aquatain AMF, a non-toxic colourless, solution.
- Researchers
said that using drones in this manner will prove efficient and cost
effective, especially in large irrigation areas.
(Tanzania) A drone
takes to the skies of the Zanzibar archipelago in the Indian Ocean – the latest
technology that scientists are deploying in the fight against malaria.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says the disease killed
435,000 of the 219 million people who were infected last year.
The drones the researchers fly carry the innovation they say
offers a new approach in fighting the deadly disease.
The drones sprayed mosquito-infested rice fields, typical
breeding grounds for malarial mosquitoes, with Aquatain AMF, a non-toxic
colourless, solution.
The liquid, which has been tested in laboratories but never
before in the field, creates a thin film on the water's surface preventing
malarial pupae and larvae from breathing at the surface, drowning and then
killing them.
Researchers said that using drones in this manner will prove
efficient and cost effective, especially in large irrigation areas.
“As you can see the way the paddies look like, it is very
difficult to just walk through the paddies and apply the chemicals so you want
to have something that can just spray it on the water surface, it spreads, does
the job and that's it," said Professor Wolfgang Richard Mukabana from the
University of Nairobi, one of the researchers behind the project.
Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 90 percent of malaria deaths
around the world, the WHO said. It is one of the major causes of death among
children under the age of five, according to the United Nations. Globally,
malaria kills a young child every single minute and causes 75 percent of all
under five deaths.
In Tanzania, 70,000 people die annually from the
mosquito-transmitted disease. The researchers said that they will sample the
larvae and the mosquitoes in the fields before, during and after spraying to
test the impact of the approach.
“This is where the problem starts. These are the breeding
grounds of mosquitos. Once we control them here we will see far fewer mosquitos
making it to the house-holds where people live, biting these people and
therefore transmitting malarial disease. So by controlling them right at the
source we hope to have an impact ultimately on the transmission of
malaria," said vector biologist, Bart Knols.
After the trial in Zanzibar, the researchers aim to publish
their findings in peer-reviewed journals, they said, and hope to expand the
approach across the continent.
“In future if this goes well and we get good results from the
trial, we may be using the same technology in many other parts of Africa where
they have irrigated agriculture and malaria problems. If not that we may in
some case actually be contributing to the elimination of malaria in a specific
country," Knols added.
The researchers say they chose Zanzibar for the trials because
of its progressive laws towards the use of drones.
Other countries in Africa have deployed drones in the fight
against malaria.
Malawi has used drones to map mosquito breeding sites but the
researchers in Zanzibar say spraying Aquatain takes the malaria fight to the
next level.
Taiwan Hosts the U.S.
for Rice Grading Seminar
TAIPEI, TAIWAN -- This
week, a team led by USA Rice with representation from USDA's Agricultural
Marketing Service and OMIC USA, Inc. (U.S.-based contract inspection company),
traveled here to conduct a rice grading seminar with Taiwan's Agriculture and
Food Agency inspectors.
The delegation spent two
days working with Taiwan's importers, in-country USDA representatives, and
Taiwanese government officials to discuss market conditions, demand for U.S.
rice in Taiwan, and differences in grading protocols. The seminar is the
second of its kind, the first was held in 2013, and was borne out of the annual
U.S.-Taiwan rice technical meetings.
This particular
workshop has been nearly two years in the making. Taiwan is an
important export market for U.S. rice, particularly southern medium
grain, where they import 64,634 MT of American-grown rice annually to meet
their World Trade Organization commitments. Working out the inconsistencies in
grading is pivotal to keeping commercial shipments flowing between the U.S. and
Taiwan in the future. 
Michael Rue, a
California producer and chair of the USA Rice Asia Trade Policy Subcommittee,
said, "The conversations this week were fruitful and really help drive
home the importance of the industry's regular technical discussions with our
major export markets. We have addressed a number of technical issues over
the years resulting from small misunderstandings that come to light during
these regular meetings. Thorough discussions of the differences in
interpretation of both U.S. and Taiwanese standards help the Taiwanese
government better target their tender specifications."
Seminar participants
included Taiwan's Council of Agriculture - Agriculture and Food Agency quality
assurance/inspection officials, SGS Taiwan (Taiwan-based contract inspection company)
officials, Kansas City-based USDA Agricultural Marketing Service - Federal
Grain Inspection Service, OMIC USA, Inc. officials, and USA Rice.
Fujitsu partners Swiss startup for blockchain
rice trading
2 days ago
Today,
Fujitsu announced a partnership with Switzerland-based startup Rice Exchange (Ricex) for its blockchain rice trading platform. The
Ricex platform is scheduled to launch in 2020.
With a global market value of $450 billion, rice is one of the
most traded agricultural commodities in the world. But commodity trade is
marred with inefficiencies due to paper-based transactions, which are slow and
prone to error.
The problem the industry is facing is due to the wide variety of
rice. Each strain differs in quality, taste and fragrance, all of which decides
the price of rice. Currently, Japonica and Basmati have the highest market
share, but selling substandard varieties under these names is not uncommon.
Rice is the staple food of nearly half of the world’s population
and is vital for food security. Its trade involves a lot of government
intervention, tariffs and subsidies. With an already convoluted system, a lack
of transparency and traceability leads to contractual breaches and insurance
claims.
Ricex is digitalizing rice trade using blockchain and is
creating a transparent ecosystem of importers, exporters, wholesalers,
producers, regulators and other stakeholders.
The blockchain platform aims to streamline the trading process
by providing insurance, shipping information, inspections and automated
settlement to participants. “The Rice Exchange platform brings transparency,
efficiency and security to the global rice trade,” says Stephen Edkins, CEO of
Ricex.
Meanwhile, the Ricex platform also allows buyers to search for
rice certified as sustainably grown. While this is not the prime objective of
the project, the platform provides rice provenance to enable producers to earn
a premium for their product.
“People
are not just buying long-grain, white rice anymore; they want to have a choice
of different rice. These sell for higher prices, but each time you buy one of
these varieties, you want to know that you’ll get what you paid for. It comes
back to having transparency in the supply chain,” Stephen Edkins, co-founder
and CEO of Ricex told the Financial
Times.
Fujitsu’s role is as an integration partner, and it’s delivering
a production-ready solution built on Hyperledger Fabric. The Fujitsu Blockchain
Innovation Centre relies on Microsoft Azure for providing hosting services,
which Ricex aims to leverage for its platform.
In July, the blockchain startup partnered with DUCAT Maritime to
offer to ship small and medium-sized lots to rice traders, without chartering
an entire vessel themselves.
Last
year, Oxfam launched a blockchain project for Cambodian
rice farmers to
get them better prices for their produce. In China, Alibaba
and ANT are
working with Wuchang Municipal Government to help track and authenticate
Wuchang rice.
The Ricex platform is one of several initiatives exploring
blockchain for streamlining commodities trading.
Commodities blockchain projects:
Commodity
|
Consortium/ Company
|
Agribusiness
|
ABCCD: ADM,
Bunge, Cargill, COFCO, Dreyfus, Glencore
|
Agribusiness
|
Global Commodity Technology
Association (GCTA) standards
|
Sugar
|
|
Oil
|
|
Gold, Silver
|
|
Metals
|
The Mining and Metals
Blockchain Initiative WEF, Glencore, Tata Steel, Anglo
American/De Beers +
|
Metals
|
|
Cobalt
|
Responsible Sourcing
Blockchain Network (RSBN) IBM, VW, Ford +
|
Export Finance Scheme: Rice exporters fear funds unavailability
to badly affect exports
Rice
exporters fear that unavailability of financing under Export Finance Scheme
(EFS) and higher interest rates on loans from the commercial banks may lead to
rendering them uncompetitive in the international market thus making a big dent
on the exports which have shown growth in the first quarter of the current
fiscal.
The
exporters are complaining of unavailability of funds under EFS through
commercial banks, either being entitled under EFS-2 or for having Pre-Shipment
finance EFS-1. This will ultimately result in obtaining loans with higher
markup, in turn, making exports uncompetitive in the international market
whilst giving higher margins to commercial banks at loss of exporters.
Unavailability of finance at a time when the paddy procurement season is in
full swing will damage the rice exports and achieving the target of taking
these exports to US five billion dollars from present US two billion dollars.
Rice
Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) in a recent meeting raised this issue
with the Prime Minister's Advisor for Commerce, Textile, Industry and
Production Abdul Razak Dawood.
REAP
Chairman Shahjahan Malik while talking to Business Recorder here
on Tuesday said that Export Refinance is a scheme under State Bank of Pakistan
(SBP) to promote Pakistani exports. Under this scheme, an exporter may avail
finance from any scheduled bank at a concessional rate in two separate schemes
called EFS-1 and EFS-II. In part one, an exporter can get finance for six
months against a specific contract and has to bring back the export proceeds to
Pakistan within the stipulated period. EFS-II make an exporter eligible an
exporter for fifty percent of the export it exported within a fiscal year but
the exporter has to double its exports.
He
alleged that textile sector is being given priority while disbursing funds
under EFS scheme. He said that we raised the issue with the advisor that the
rice sector is not claiming subsidies on account of gas or any other head, but
they deserve funds under the Export Finance Scheme. He said that they will
leave no stone unturned to secure this facility for their members and will soon
meet the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor too, to resolve this issue at
the earliest.
Sami
Ullah Naeem a progressive exporter and former REAP chairman said that exporters
are not being allotted funds under the ERF-II scheme. He said that exporters
instead of having finance on 3 percent they have to obtain loans on 16 percent.
He said that exporters because of unavailability of funds are reluctant to buy
the paddy. He said that if the entitlement of exporters is not restored at the
earliest then it will dent the exports by 30 percent.
The
Association in its submission to the Advisor also claimed that it had increased
rice exports from $300 million to $2 billion due to the condition of mandatory
REAP membership. Unfortunately, a few years back Government vide public notice
withdrew this condition. Requesting restoration of mandatory membership
condition, the REAP delegation observed that without mandatory membership, the
interest of members will be lost and they may not follow the instructions from
REAP in true letter and spirit
Baba
Farid Free Laser Eye Camp To Be Held At Pak Pattan From Nov.9
KARACHI, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan
Point News - 5th Nov, 2019 ) :The 273rd Baba Farid Free Laser Eye
Camp will begin from November 9 at Pak Pattan to provide free
eye treatment to the poor rural population of the town and
its surroundings.
The free eye camp is being setup by the
Haji Razzak Janoo Memorial Trust, which is one of the largest free eye camp
trust in Pakistan under the management of
Janoo family that holds free eye camps
throughout the year in various cities and towns of Pakistan as well as in Bangladesh.
At these camps, the prominent eye
surgeons and specialists undertake laser eye surgeries/operations. Till today,
approximately 128,750 surgeries had been done and more than 2.85 million patients were given treatment at
free OPDs.
Abdul Rahim Janoo, chairman Haji Razzak
Janoo Memorial Trust and former chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan said that all the medicines and food to the patients and their
attendants are being provided "Free of cost " by his trust.
The camps are being setup with an aim to provide latest
facilities to less-privileged people of remote areas because they cannot bear
the huge expense of such facilities at the modern hospitals.
The trust will organize its 274th Eye
Camp at Gawadar, 275th Eye Camp at Ormara and 276th Eye Camp in K.T. Bandar
in December with collaboration of Pakistan Navy, whereas 277th Eye
Camp will be held at Dadu in January 2020 with the cooperation of Dadu Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Janoo said that eye camps began in 1989
and they have adopted Free EyeCamping as a mission to help restore the lost
vision of poor eye patients through treatments,
surgeries, medication, lenses, spectacles and all such related services and
materials absolutely free of cost.
Inflation
falls to 42-month low but ASF makes chicken, beef pricier in NCR
Philippine Daily Inquirer /
11:40 AM November 05, 2019
MANILA,
Philippines–Retail prices of rice declined year-on-year for the sixth straight
month in October, pulling down inflation to a 42-month low of 0.8 percent, the
government reported Tuesday.
While the
nationwide headline inflation rate was the lowest since April 2016’s 0.7
percent, National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa told a press conference
that the rate of increase in prices of basic commodities in the National
Capital Region (NCR) inched up to 1.3 percent year-on-year last month from 0.9
percent in September due to “higher annual increment in food and non-alcoholic
beverages,” especially chicken meat amid the African swine fever (ASF) scare.
Chicken
and beef prices were on the rise in NCR and Region 3 as more consumers buy
these meat products instead of pork, whose prices, in turn, were on the
decline, Mapa said.
In areas
outside NCR, it was in Region 3 that inflation was the highest last month, at
2.3 percent year-on-year.
In the
case of rice, Mapa said the Filipino food staple posted the sixth consecutive
month of deflation, as prices dropped 9.7 percent year-on-year in October, the
biggest decline since 1995.
The
economic team had been attributing the declining rice prices to liberalized
rice importation under the Rice Tariffication Law being implemented since
March.
To recall,
rice prices jumped 10.7 percent in October last year—the peak of rice
inflation, due to domestic supply bottlenecks that were later on resolved by
government orders easing food importation.
Prices of
corn and vegetables last month were also lower from a year ago levels by 3.9
percent and 0.8 percent, respectively.
At the end
of the first 10 months, headline inflation averaged 2.6 percent, within the
government’s 2-4 percent target range.
The
national inflation rate in October last year hit an almost 10-year high of 6.7
percent, hence a high base that translated into last month’s minimal
year-on-year increment. /jpv
Read more: https://business.inquirer.net/282597/inflation-falls-to-42-month-low-but-asf-makes-chicken-beef-pricier-in-ncr#ixzz64aYYvqSc
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PhilRice
at 34: Boosting support for rice competitiveness
Philippine Rice Research Institute
(PhilRice) marked its 34th year taking on the challenge of fulfilling its newly
added mandate to implement the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)-
Seed and Extension programs.
With the theme, “Championing
Competitiveness of the Filipino Rice Farmers,” the anniversary coincides with
the observation of the National Rice Awareness Month every November.
“As we continue to embody the
mantra of public service, let us all be servant-leaders. Let us do what we can
to serve. That is our calling,” Dr. John C. De Leon, PhilRice acting executive
director, said.
Emphasizing on strengthened
cooperation to empower farmers amidst rice trade liberalization, de Leon said
discussions on RCEF during anniversary programs will further drive the
Institute on research, development, extension, and production competitiveness.
Under RCEF, PhilRice will develop,
propagate, and promote inbred rice seeds; and enhance farmers’ skill and knowledge
on rice production.
“More than anything else, it is
teamwork, which causes the celebration of success,” he said.
The anniversary will also
highlight this year’s roster of awards and recognition, which include the
Intellectual Property Award for Top Patent Grant, Outstanding Innovator Award
(Breeding Institute Category), PRIME-HRM Bronze Award, Information Visionary
Category Award, and FutureRice Farm Project as Model Extension.
Thanksgiving and moral enrichment
program, seminar series on research management and institution building, Dangal
ng PhilRice awarding ceremonies, and medical mission are also included in the
activities.
PhilRice was established on
November 5, 1985 through Executive Order 1061
Philrice News
Federal government
should review the issue of border closure —Bashir Tofa ON NOVEMBER 5, 20192:31
PMIN NEWSBY LAWAL SHERIFAT FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppPinterestShare Alhaji
Bashir Othman Tofa By Abdulmumin Murtala – Kano The former Presidential candidate
of the defunct National Republican Convention, NRC Alhaji Bashir Tofa has
called on the federal government to review the border closure to avoid the
tremendous economic loses involved. He made the call in Kano on Tuesday while
responding to questions from newsmen at a press conference by Kano elders under
the aegis of Kano Concerned Citizens Initiative, KCCI. “First we appreciate why
the federal government found it necessary to close the borders. We have
mentioned also that closing the boarders alone is not going to solve the entire
problem. READ ALSO: Corrupt elements, incompetent aides, saboteurs join
forces to hinder Buhari — Bashir Tofa “In some cases there are advantages. Some
companies like rice millers to them certainly are a very good thing, it is an
advantage. But to some others, it is a disadvantage. Even to the federal
government, there are advantages and disadvantages to them. “When the
government seeks to stop illegal importation of contra banned goods due to the
lack of payment of duties, at the same time government has made many people
lose money in terms of their exports while exporting these goods. “We know that
there may be billions of naira worth of goods on both sides of the boarders,
those coming in and also those going out and a lot of them are sources of
revenue for the federal government” he stated. Tofa thereby advised the federal
government to reexamine the issue of the closure to allow those doing their
legal businesses to continue accordingly. “So, what we advise is that the federal
government should examine this issue very closely and make sure that those who
are legally doing their business are allowed to continue their business as long
as they are paying the right duties. “We understand that a lot of these
problems are connivance between Customs officials and some businessmen who are
willing and ready to pay some money less than what they should pay through the
right process” he lamented. He also stated that the boarders as still porous
despite the closure while those doing their legal businesses are strongly
affected. “In fact, these borders are still very porous and things have not
changed much in some of them because some of the Customs officials are still
collecting money and allowing goods come in” he charged. READ ALSO: No evidence
I lost June 12, 1993 election to Abiola — Bashir Tofa The former Presidential
candidate further advised that task forces be formed to check activities of
faulting customs officials and also a high powered committee to discuss with
neighbouring countries on how to effect the laws of Nigeria and ECOWAS at the
border. “So we advise that there should be task forces in each of the border
points made up of professional customs officials, those that are trustworthy
who will implement what needs to be implemented. “There should Also be another
committee, a very high-powered committee, that should go and negotiate with
these neighbouring countries in terms of abiding by the laws of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria as well as ECOWAS laws. “We do not believe closing the
border per se is a good thing for everybody. It is advantageous for some people
but certainly, it will ruin a lot of businesses for those who legitimately
export out of the country. Tofa also pointed out the need to bring about ways
of resolving congestion at clearing points for importers of goods through
Lagos. “We also pointed out that for all imports coming to the country, one has
to go to Lagos first is also another difficulty. It is also another problem
because there will be so much congestion there and you will see so many delays
there. “A lot of people who import goods have to go there and stay for upwards
of three months, six months and will still incur tremendous losses in their
goods because some of these goods are perishables, some are building materials
which if they don’t carry for long will be a loss to some of these businesses.
It is enormous and that will certainly affect the economy of the country. “We
are calling on the federal government to examine both sides of the coin to make
sure they come up with something that will be more beneficial to everybody
including the federal government herself,” he said.
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/11/federal-government-should-review-the-issue-of-boarder-closure-bashir-tofa/
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/11/federal-government-should-review-the-issue-of-boarder-closure-bashir-tofa/
Buhari to make rice
cheaper, sufficient before Christmas By Economic Confidential -November 5, 2019
Kebbi Governor Atiku Bagudu. Buhari to make rice cheaper, sufficient before
Christmas The National Food Security Council (NFSC), chaired by President
Muhammadu Buhari, will make rice available before the Christmas festivity. The
Deputy Chairman of the Council, Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, stated this in an
interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. He stated
that the Council was aware of the current high prices of rice, assuring
Nigerians that rice would be made available at a cheaper rate. According to the
governor, government is also aware of the activities of some individuals and
groups bent on frustrating the new rice policy. “The good news is that there is
a lot of production in the country. All the Millers in Nigeria have enough
paddy and farmers are producing and the harvest is coming in strong. “We
believe in addition to market forces, there are some people bent on
manipulating the situation in order to exploit bigger revenue, bigger profits
and some may even be doing so for the wrong reason. ” They want to truncate
policy which is helping the Nigerian economy; which is helping Nigerian
millers; which is helping the Nigerian farmers and the Nigerian population. “We
are taking steps to ensure that more rice is taken to markets where shortages
can easily be created. “There is enough production in the country and the
National Food Security Council is focused on how to ensure that availability is
restored all across the country so that prices will come down reflective of the
cost of production,’’ he said. On the reported loss of about N1 billion by
Onion farmers in Kebbi State, Bagudu said government would always respond to
farmers’ predicaments promptly. The governor, however, said that the assessment
of the total loss by the farmers had not been completed by relevant agencies.
He disclosed that the federal government had approved N23billion for
distribution to States affected by flood disaster this year. “We have always
responded to farmers’ issues or any trade group that has a misfortune, both the
State and the Federal Government has been very active in helping. “You may
recall that recently, Mr President approved about N23 billion for states
affected by flood which Kebbi is one of them, and this is in addition to our
own resources that we mobilise to support our farmers. “This year’s rainy
season is unusual, as of last week there was rain and it’s unusual. ”For the
onion farmers they have calculated that the rain will stop by September because
when onion is growing there is a point at which it does not desire rainfall,
now we have rainfall. “I’m not sure of the N1 billion lost in terms of quantum
because we have not done the assessment but we are always willing and ready to
support all our producers especially when they are faced with unforeseen
circumstances like this,’’ he said. NAN reports that Bagudu was on the
entourage of Buhari’s official visit to Saudi Arabia which ended on Saturday.
The governors on the president’s entourage included Prof. Babagana Zulum of
Borno and Aminu Masari of Katsina. Read more at: https://economicconfidential.com/2019/11/buhari-make-rice-christmas/
Again, Emefiele Lists Consequences of
Immediate Border Reopening
November 6,
2019 4:40 am
Share
Godwin Emefiele
James Emejo in Abuja
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin
Emefiele, has said though the country cannot afford to have its borders shut in
perpetuity, reopening them at this time may roll back the economic gains so far
achieved since the closure in August.
Speaking recently, at the maiden convocation lecture of the Edo
University, Iyahmo, Auchi in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, he
said an attempt to reopen the borders could create room for a flooding of
smuggled items into the country, a situation that could cripple the ability of
rice millers to sell their stock.
He also said smallholder farmers currently producing paddy would
no longer be able to sell them while poultry farmers would equally be affected,
a situation that could lead to massive job cuts in agriculture.
The CBN governor, who delivered the convocation lecture titled,
‘The Role of Monetary Policy Towards Economic Growth in Nigeria’, maintained
that before thinking of reopening the borders, dialogue was needed with Benin
Republic in order to exact their commitment to respect that, “we don’t want
what they import into their country that we can produce in our country to pass
through their borders into our country.”
The CBN governor further warned that failure to exact commitment
from its neighbours, particularly in the areas of smuggling and dumping before
reopening the borders could cause a relapse to conditions observed prior to
closure.
He said: “If we don’t engage, you know what will happen? I will
give you a few examples: before the border closure, two weeks before border
closure, the president of the Rice Processors Association called to say that
our Nigerian rice producers have produced rice they cannot sell that each of
them is carrying close to 20,000 metric tonnes of rice in their warehouses.”
According to him: “The Rice Farmers Association led by Alhaji
Goronyo came out and also said that farmers cannot sell the rice they produced,
that’s the paddy rice.
“We also have people in the poultry industry that said they
couldn’t sell their chicken and eggs- some were carrying up to 5,000 crates of
eggs unsold and they said government needs to do something about it.’
He added: “Luckily, as a result of we intervening and other
people intervening- in fact, it might interest you to know that most of the
arms that have been brought into this country are being smuggled through the
borders.
“Even the armed forces themselves gave in and said listen, that
we need to do something about the borders. So, the government went ahead and
shut the borders.
“And I am speaking truthfully: one week after the borders were
closed, the president, the president of the Rice Millers Association called to
say that all their millers had called to say that the rice they had in their
warehouses had been sold. Paddy businesses are growing again.
“The poultry people also called to say they’ve sold all their eggs. All the chickens they have had been sold.”
“The poultry people also called to say they’ve sold all their eggs. All the chickens they have had been sold.”
Emefiele said: “So now when we say, those who say we should
reopen our borders because they say it’s creating problems, what would happen
is that when you reopen the borders again right, those smuggled items will come
in our millers will no longer be able to sell their rice, our smallholder
farmers that are producing paddy will no longer be able sell their paddy and
our poultry farmers can no longer sell their poultry.”
Sri Lanka:Development & Pitfalls: Agricultural Marketing
Posted on November 5th, 2019
Posted on November 5th, 2019
Garvin
Karunaratne,Ph.D. Michigan State University, former Government Agent,
Matara.
I am
prompted to write about what was achieved in Sri Lanka since we gained
independence in order to educate some of our presidential aspirants who have
said that we have not achieved anything.
I can
emphatically state that Sri Lanka had done wonders in the field of agricultural
marketing within the short period of three decades 1948 to 1977. By
1977 Sri Lanka stood far ahead of what all .other countries have ever achieved.
However, it is sad to note that after 1977 the development infrastructure that
had been built up with great care was privatized and abolished under the advice
of the International Monetary Fund(IMF) by the Government of President JR
Jayawardena.
The
main programmes of agricultural marketing were:
The
Guaranteed Price Scheme for Paddy & Cereals
Rice
Milling
The
Vegetable & Fruit Marketing Scheme
The
Cannery
The
Bakery
The
Fair Price Shops
Agricultural
Loan Scheme
I
entered the Public Service of Sri Lanka in 1955 as an Assistant Commissioner in
the Department for Development of Agricultural Marketing, covering its
activities in Districts and was in charge of the Vegetable & Fruit
Purchasing Scheme in 1957. In 1958 a special Department, the Department of
Agrarian Services was created for furthering agricultural marketing and also
agricultural production where I was an Assistant Commissioner. In 1961 I
was in charge of the Agricultural Loan Scheme. I was an Assistant
Commissioner of Agrarian Services from 1958, but covered all activities of the
Marketing Department till 1960.
The
Guaranteed Price Scheme for Paddy and Cereals was meant to purchase paddy
and cereals from genuine producers at a premium price well above the prices
offered by traders. The price was also above the World Market price. This
was done as an incentive for producers., as otherwise the producers will be at
the mercy of traders who tried to buy their produce at the lowest possible
price. The Department had established stores all over producing areas and
had rice mills to mill the paddy. One of the key features was that
purchases were to be made only from genuine producers. . The agricultural
overseer of the area had to produce a list of cultivators and owners who
cultivated in each season, giving the extent cultivated in the particular
season and based on the average yield, the cooperative society was
authorized to purchase only on this list. Thus in the Sri Lankan system
the premium price reached the genuine cultivator. Other countries that had
similar programmes purchased produce from anyone and then the premium price
offered went to the persons who handed over the produce, mostly to traders who
had collected the paddy.
This
system was continued by the Department of Agrarian Services when it took over
the guaranteed price scheme. Later the Paddy Marketing Board took over the
paddy purchasing scheme and continued it. This was a great success and I
am certain that this purchasing scheme was greatly instrumental in making Sri
Lanka self sufficient in paddy production by 1970. It is important to note that
Sri Lanka became self sufficient while implementing a rice ration scheme
offering rice at a low rate. If not for the rice ration scheme the poor would
not have been able to buy rice at the market rate.
Rice
Milling
Rice
Milling came to the fore when Sri Lanka had to mill large quantities of paddy
that were produced by the success of the green revolution. The Marketing
Department(MD) imported a few large rice mills and installed them in the
producer areas- at Ambalantota, at Anuradhapura and Amparai. These were the best
available then. I supervised the working of the rice mill at Ambalantota
for two years. The MD also called for applicants from the private sector to
invest in rice milling. MD produced specifications of rice milling
machinery that can be imported and also drafted plans to construct rice mills-
with storage, drying floors etc. The Private Sector responded, applicants were
selected and allocations of foreign exchange were authorized for the
import of machinery as at that time foreign exchange was controlled. The
millers had to construct the buildings under the supervision of the Assistant
Commissioners. I served as Assistant Commissioner in the Southern Province and
I supervised the rice mills being constructed and getting into rice
milling. The response was quick and very successful. Many rice millers
later became business magnates like Harischandras.
This
method of using our private entrepreneurs was the opposite of what President JR
Jayawardena did when he had to import flour. Instead of depending on
local entrepreneurs to mill the wheat to flour, he invited a multinational from
Singapore-. Prima, to come over and establish flour mills, import wheat, mill
and handover the flour to us. Then the profits went tax free to Singapore while
in the case of rice milling the profits stayed in the country, benefiting our
private sector. The Government also benefited because the rice millers paid
taxes.
It has
to be noted that rice milling was a great success, a feather in the cap
of Sri Lankan investors. It tells anyone that the
Sri Lankan private sector can be successful if only the Government will
give them some direction. Proper direction is required because otherwise many
investors could undertake the same activity and further the Government has to
actively control imports.
.
The
Vegetable & Fruit Marketing Scheme & Cannery
In
order to ensure that Sri Lanka could produce all its vegetable and fruit, it
was necessary to offer attractive prices to producers. Generally traders
tried to purchase at the lowest possible rates. The aim of a trader is to boost
their profit.
The MD
developed an islandwide marketing programme for vegetables and fruits. The MD
appointed Assistant Commissioners to the Districts which produced large
quantities of vegetables. These officers were expected to visit the producer
fairs. All producers brought their wares for sale to the producer fair in the
area. The fairs were held every week. The Assistant Commissioners in the areas
informed the availability of vegetables and the prices at which the traders
purchased to The Tripoli Headquarters in Colombo. Similarly the MD Unit at the
wholesale market in Colombo reported the prices at which the goods were
being sold to retailers. (Tripoli was a very large hangar at the Colombo
Railway Goods Shed and this was the headquarters of the Vegetable and Fruit
Marketing Scheme of the MD)
The
Assistant Commissioner at Tripoli Market studied the prices at which the goods
were being sold at Colombo wholesale market and the prices at which the goods
were being bought by traders at the producer fairs. He would then fix a buying
price for the main varieties well above the prices at which the traders
purchased and he would keep a margin of around fifteen percent and fix the
prices at which the goods would be sold at the MD Fair Price Shops. The buying
prices were intimated to the District Offices by telegram and over the
telephone. The MD had Purchasing Depots and a fleet of lorries in the
producer areas and a Marketing Officer will proceed to every important fair and
put up a board giving the prices at which they would buy from producers.
The MD would buy from producers and dispatch the goods immediately to Tripoli
Market in Colombo by lorry or by railway wagons. .
The MD
had, a main retail shop at Tripoli Market and around fifty small Fair Price
shops in Colombo and a few in many cities.
Local producers
would call over at Tripoli with any produce they have and the MD
purchased all produce..
Triploi
Market opened at six in the morning and around ten or more wagons were always
at the rail siding to be unloaded. In addition there were always around ten to
twenty lorries. The goods were unloaded, allocated to the different sections-
the Upcountry Unit, the Low country vegetable Unit or the Fruit Unit, where the
goods were weighed, cleaned up and immediately dispatched to the retail units
in the morning itself. By nine in the morning the goods received would be
offered for sale at the retail units.
In
case there was an excess that could not be disposed of Tripoli Market
would decide to have Van Sales where a van load of produce will be taken around
selling to anyone. The Van Sales on many days will go on till late in the night
till the full quantity was sold.
In
case of goods that could be kept for the next day, there were a few cold rooms
at Tripoli but the idea was to sell the produce more than storing.
The MD
purchased around ten percent of the produce but the presence of the MD buying
from producers at a high purchasing price meant that traders who bought from
producers too had to buy at the price offered by the MD because otherwise they
would not be in business.
Many
cannot figure out the business acumen that we followed in MD. In my
words, The motto of the MD was to pay the highest possible price to the
producer and sell at the lowest possible price to the consumer a creation of
Ceylon administrators basset and BLW. Fernando. We as Assistant
Commissioners tried hard to work on this tight rope. At the end of each
month a profit and loss account was made and I have had to bear the brunt of
censure if either I incurred a loss or achieved a profit of over 10%”(From: How
the IMF Ruined Sri Lanka)
The
installation of a Cannery in the early Fifties proved to be a boon to
producers. The entire quantity of Red Pumpkin, Ash Pumpkin, Melon and Oranges
were purchased. These were made into Golden Melon Jam, Silver Melon Jam and
Orange Juice. Pineapple was turned into Juice and Jam.
Tomatoes were made into Juice and Sauce. With the opening of the
Cannery chena producers made fantastic incomes.
By the
mid Fifties within a few years from the installation of the Cannery the
MD had in addition to making our country self sufficient in Jam, Juice and
Sauces, even built up a foreign trade exporting pineapple pieces and rings.
Assistant Commissioner Oswald Tilekeratne in charge of the Cannery often took
wings to foreign lands.
The
Vegetable and Fruit Marketing Scheme had two aims: To provide good prices
to producers and also to offer goods at reasonable prices to city
consumers. When a Fair Price Shop is selling goods , no one will go to a
private shop, unless the private shop too sold at a similar price. The MD
unofficially controlled prices. The Scheme controlled inflation, by not
allowing traders to keep a fat margin.
Fair
Price Shops
Through
Fair Price Shops established in every City- there were around fifty in
Colombo alone, the Department, ensured that the prices of all essential
commodities were indirectly controlled and the traders were compelled to sell
at fair prices to consumers.”
In
addition to the vegetables and fruits, the Shops had for sale all essential
items like rice, sugar, flour, lentils, and MD Cannery products. The aim
in having essential items like lentils, sugar and flour always in stock was to
avoid traders creating a shortage and thereby increasing the prices. When
stocks are available in the MD Shops people would not buy at the private shops
unless they offer at a reasonable rate, equal or priced a few cents above the
MD shop price.
Bakery
The MD
had a first class bakery that made quality bread, and pastries and these
items were sold at many outlets.. Expertise at the Bakery were used to
run large Restaurants at festivals like at Kataragama. Food preparations were
sold at rock bottom prices and this actually controlled the prices at Hotels in
Kataragama. during the Festival period. I supervised this Restaurant for
the two years I served in the Southern Province.
The
Agricultural Loan Scheme
The
Department of Agrarian Services provided loans to agricultural cooperative
societies. In 1961 I worked in charge of this loan scheme. Cooperative
Societies had to provide cultivators with funds to buy agricultural requisites
like fertilizer. Every Cooperative Society would collect details of the loans
that are required, make a total, check whether the applicants were genuine
producers and submit papers to get a loan from the Department of Agrarian
Services.
The
Cooperatives would be given the funds to be distributed to the producers. It
was also my duty to visit the cooperative societies at random and inspect their
books to ensure that the loans had been disbursed and also that recovery had
been done.
The
Cooperative Wholesale Establishment(CWE) While the Marketing Department handled
the marketing of local produce, there was a need for imported goods to be
made available at reasonable rates. The CWE was established with this aim in
view. Goods that were being imported by traders were sold keeping a high margin
of profit and the CWE imported the same items and sold them at rock bottom
prices , keeping a small margin of profit. The CWE ran a number of shops in
Colombo and the outstations. The Salu Sala was like the CWE dealing
with textiles. These trading institutions played a major role in enabling the
people to buy imported essential items at reasonable rates.
This
entire agricultural marketing infrastructure to help the producer as well as to
bring an increase in production was totally intact till the United National
Party won the 1977 general election. The newly elected Government of President
Jayawardena requested financial aid from the International Monetary Fund(IMF).
Then the IMF insisted that if financial assistance was required Sri Lanka had
to follow the Structural Adjustment Programme(SAP). This SAP had a number of
provisions that were damaging to Third World countries but President Jayawardena
agreed to follow the SAP conditions. While Sri Lanka submitted India and
Bangladesh did not follow the SAP. They dodged and rejected the SAP. The main
condition that ruined the agricultural marketing infrastructure that Sri Lanka
had built up was the provision that the Government could not do any commercial
undertakings and that all commerce should be left to the private sector. In
fact in the SAP, the Private Sector was adopted as the engine of growth. The
other provision was that Sri Lanka had to follow a high interest rate. The
interest rate was increased and entrepreneurs had to obtain loans at the
interest rate of 24%, which was forbidding. This caused the death knell
of the agricultural marketing infrastructure we had built up with great care. I
am concerned because I was a part of it and have been fine tuning the system,
wherever I worked for eighteen long years.
In
detail, The Guaranteed Price for Paddy was abolished and in its place
during the harvest season the Government fixed a price to purchase
paddy. Paddy was purchased from anyone who brought it to the Government store.
The arrangement to buy from genuine producers was dropped. Today, our
Government makes a glorious utterance that they have purchased a great deal of
paddy, but the fact that the system had only helped the traders and not the
actual producer is forgotten. In fact today there is not even an agricultural
overseer at the village level who can tell who cultivated what extent.
Paddy farming is done at the whims and fancies of the farmers who have no one
to get any help or instruction. Earlier there was an Agricultural Overseer and
in the days of the Agrarian Services there were Cultivation Committees with a
qualified Field Assistant at the village level. The Paddy Lands Act was
abolished and with this the Cultivation Committees ceased to function. Even
today there is a vacuum at the village level. It is sad that the Ministry of
Agriculture does not realize this fact.
In the
case of Rice Milling, the State of the Art Rice Mills of the MD which
ultimately belonged to the Paddy Marketing Board were abandoned. The most
valuable rice milling machinery was in some cases sold for scrap. Once I gazed
for ten minutes at the Ambalantota Rice Mill, my home for two years. I could
hardly believe my eyes. It was on a plot of around five acres that had been
apportioned to various departments. Many valuable parts of the machinery which
we doted on with great care were strewn all over. That was a mill that milled
4000 bushels of paddy a day and when we started the mill at eight in the
morning on a Monday it worked non stop day and night till it was stopped
on Saturday night. Sunday was for cleaning and re surfacing the rollers. That
was done with great care. Now everything was in a scrap heap. I can make a
statement that new rice mills even if bought cannot be easily installed. To
start with it is not easy to find suitable land. That itself will take
years if at all it can be found. It is a colossal irrepairable damage.
The
Vegetable and Fruit Marketing Scheme was abolished and now the traders have a
hay day making fat margins. In fact I visited a friend in Pangiriwatta recently
and I saw a four story house that had sprung up overnight. I inquired from my
friend and down came the reply that it belonged to a vegetable wholesaler in
Colombo who buys a new limousine every year. In the days of the MD the profits
they could keep were low and that was how the Government could offer vegetables
and fruit at reasonable rates to consumers and also keep inflation at bay.
The
Cannery was privatized and it is no longer run to help producers. The MD
Cannery enabled producers to sell all their Red Pumpkin, Ash Pumpkin, Tomatoes
etc and producers had good incomes. Simultaneously Sri Lanka was self
sufficient in Jam, and Fruit Juice, Tomatoe Sauce. Last year the only Tomato
sauce available in a Supermarket in Colombo was from Colorado in the USA. All
Jam and Fruit Juice comes from Australia and the USA. The foreign trade
we had built up in exporting pineapple rings and pieces was lost.
The
CWE was partly abolished by President Jayawardena and what remained was further
abolished during the UNP reign of 2001 to 2003 by Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremasinghe and Minister Ravi Karunanayake. The CWE was reestablished by President
Rajapaksa but it could not function efficiently as it did earlier.
When
in 1977 Sri Lanka was handed over to the UNP Government of President
Jayawardena the foreign debt of |Sri Lanka was only $ 750 million. Chandra
Maliyadda one of our then Permanent Secretaries had quoted that in 1970 we were
not having a foreign debt and he queried as to how Sri Lanka had built up a
massive debt today of around 56 to 60 billion dollars. Today there is no
production and it is a question of importing everything.
The
Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure that we had built up is unique to Sri
Lanka. There is no other country that had any similar infrastructure. The
closest in paddy is BULOG of Indonesia but that too did not function as
efficiently as our Guaranteed Price System. Bulog too was abolished at the
instance of the IMF.
This
was the legacy left by the United National Party of President Jayawardena. It
is a very sad story that I have narrated in great detail in my book:
How the IMF Ruined Sri Lanka and Alternative Programmes of Success,
(Godages) 2006.
Garvin
Karunaratne,Ph.D. Michigan State University, former Government Agent,
Matara.
Author
of How the IMF Sabotaged Third World Development(Kindle/Godages:2017)
05/11/2019
Nexus between Civil
Supplies, rice millers in Wanaparthy exposed
Cops blow lid off scandal by Wanaparthy PDS officials who are lining
their pockets with illegal rice recylcing by colluding with millers
AddThis Sharing Buttons
Revathy,
District Supplies Officer, insisting police to hand over seized rice to DT
Enforcement for verification.
Wanaparthy: The alleged nexus between some
officials in the Civil Supplies Department and the rice millers in Wanaparthy
district was exposed when police seized a truck with 270 bags of PDS (Public
Distribution System) rice. However, the District Supplies Officer refuted the
allegations of collusion with the rice millers or private rice processing
units.
On October 29,
Madanapuram police received specific information about a DCM truck with PDS rice
illegally procured from white-ration card holders in villages (PDS rice
recycling) by Surya Rice Mill in Athmakur and being brought to the warehouse to
be distributed back to the beneficiaries in villages.
Madanapuram SI
N Saidaiah, along with his staff raided the warehouse and seized the truck with
270 bags of rice (136 quintals) just before unloading of the rice from the
vehicle. The twist in the narrative came when Revathy, the District Supplies
Officer, who was supposed to take immediate action, instead tried to get into a
turf war with the police and started questioning them about their jurisdiction.
She asked the police to hand over the truck back to the DT Enforcement to
verify if it was PDS rice. The initial report by the Civil Supplies officials about
the incident to the police said the delivery was “suspected to be PDS rice,”
but the police were not convinced. After the issue was pursued by local media,
on Sunday another report was given by the CSD stating that it was indeed PDS
rice.
The truck is
presently stationed at Madanapuram police station and a case under Section 420
of the Indian Penal Code was booked by police against three persons including
the miller Venkata Swamy who has been absconding, the truck driver and the
cleaner. And a case under 6 (A) of the Essential Commodities Act was booked by
the Civil Supplies officials.
The rice
millers also tried to bribe the policemen to let the accused go scot-free. But
Madanapuram police personnel stood ground. This was the third such case where
they had seized the vehicles transporting the material illegally during the
past month.
On Monday, Dr
Shobhana Devi and Prem Kumar, Members of FCI Consultative Committee, visited
the SWC warehouse in Madanapuram and grilled the Civil Supplies officials about
the incident. However, Revathy resorted to put the blame on the police
officers. The members then went to the rice mill in Athmakur, which was found
locked, despite being informed about the visit. An hour later, the mill was
opened and the police found at least 40 more PDS rice bags there with labels of
the warehouse and some trader.
What was
interesting in the matter was that Surya Rice Mill, the mill under
investigation, has not been in operation for the past 4 to 5 months now. But
surprisingly, they have been delivering PDS rice to the warehouse, for which
answer can be given only by the rice miller, according to CSD officials.
On the other
hand, DSO Revathy kept blaming the police personnel regarding jurisdictional
issues while Athmakur CI A Seethaiah and Madanapuram SI N Saidaiah were firm on
debunking her claims in front of the FCI team. The CSD officials also claimed
that the truck was not delivering the rice to the warehouse and that it was
loading the rice from the warehouse. However, the police personnel said they
have evidence to prove otherwise.
When the FCI
Committee told the Civil Supplies officials that it was the failure of their
vigilance and enforcement team which had prompted the police department to
take action, Revathy and other officials gave some excuse to the members. The
FCI Committee said a comprehensive report on the incident including the entire
ring of illegal recycling of PDS rice which was being carried out across
Wanaparthy district. The report will be submitted to Union Minister Ram
Vilas Paswan who is also the Chairman of Food Corporation of India,
said the Committee.
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Newly-created Kwara Customs command generated N1.27b in 3 months
By NAN
05
November 2019 | 5:49 pm
The
Nigeria Customs Service, Kwara Area Command, says it generated the sum of N1.27
billion within three months of creation.
This
was contained in a statement issued by Chado Zakari, the Public Relations
Officer of the command on Tuesday, in Ilorin.
Zakari
attributed the feat to the strategic policies and plans put in place by the
command to bring all the excise factories within its jurisdiction under
effective control by forcing them to comply with the extant laws.
He
said that the command generated N980,652 in August, N697,810 in September and
N572,116 in October.
Zakari
added that the command had been able to make changes through strict adherence
to its driving wheel.
”This
has led to an increased level of compliance by stakeholders, as the controller
is determined to make the command a haven for legitimate trade facilitation.
”In
our desirous efforts to key into the Federal Government’s policy on
agricultural development, particularly in the area of boosting local rice
production, we have made our territories unfavourable smugglers of rice and
other prohibited items.
”The
area controller urged all Nigerians to embrace the Federal Government’s policy
on production of agricultural produce with particular reference to rice for
both home consumption and export for self-reliance.
”The
controller will also like to use this opportunity to reiterate that the command
has resolved to rid its area of jurisdiction of all prohibited goods,” Zakari
said.
He
added that the command was complimenting the efforts of Operation Ex-Swift
Response Team, codenamed ‘Border Drill’.
”This
has led to seizures of foreign rice, petroleum products and a large quantity of
mosquito coils, with duty paid value (DPV) of N25,403,500.
”The
seizures were made around Okuta, Ogundele, Ilorin express road, Jebba-Mokwa
express road, Maigida-Arogaji road, Ilorin and Chikanda axis of the state
respectively.
”The
area comptroller, Ahmed Bello, wants to make this clear to economic saboteurs
that the ban on importation of rice, used vehicles, vegetable oil, second-hand
clothing, used tires and other dangerous drugs such as Tramadol through the
land borders, is still in place.
“The
Kwara command is committed to enforcing this to the later,” he said.
Zakari
expressed appreciation to Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim
Ali (rtd.) for equipping the command with brand new patrol vehicles and other
logistics needed to make its operations more effective and efficient.
The
News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the management of NCS had recently created
additional eight commands to enhance administrative convenience, boost revenue
generation and ensure coverage of the nation’s land borders.
Rice Will Be Cheaper, Sufficient Before
Christmas – FG
62
The National Food Security Council (NFSC), chaired by President
Muhammadu Buhari, has assured Nigerians that there will be sufficient rice in
the country before the Christmas festivity.
The Deputy Chairman of the Council and Governor of Kebbi State,
Atiku Bagudu while briefing reporters in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, said the council
is aware of the current high prices of rice.
“The good news is that there is a lot of production in the
country. All the millers in Nigeria have enough paddy and farmers are producing
and the harvest is coming in strong,” Gov. Bagudu said.
“There is enough production in the country and the National Food
Security Council is focused on how to ensure that availability is restored all
across the country so that prices will come down reflective of the cost of
production. We are taking steps to ensure that more rice is taken to markets
where shortages can easily be created,’’ he added.
Bagudu further noted that the government is also aware of the
activities of some individuals and groups bent on frustrating the new rice
policy.
“We believe in addition to market forces, there are some people
bent on manipulating the situation in order to exploit bigger revenue, bigger
profits and some may even be doing so for the wrong reason,” he said.
Since Nigeria’s land borders were closed and forex restricted
for the importation of rice, a 50kg bag of the commodity has increased to an
average of N22,000 from N14,000.
India urges FG to sustain policies on
boosting local rice production
0
55
The
Republic of India has called on the Federal Government to sustain its policies
on boosting local production of rice.
The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abhay Thakur, made the
call in Abuja when the Managing Director of Tiamin Rice Mill Ltd. Aminu Ahmed,
led the management of the company on a courtesy call on the envoy.
A statement on the visit to the High Commissioner was made
available to newsmen in Abuja by Ahmed.
The High Commissioner specifically urged the federal government
to sustain the policies beyond the present administration so that local
industries in the country would grow.
He also thanked the management of Tiamin Rice for the courtesy
call and for patronising Indian rice milling machines.
Earlier,, Ahmed disclosed that the
company had invested a total of 13,370,500 dollar (about N4.7 billion) to boost
its local rice production capacity from the current 320 tonnes to 1,520 tonnes
per day.
Ahmed said that the policy of the present administration, especially the ban on smuggling and the interventions given to them by the Central Bank of Nigeria had helped immensely in boosting local production of rice.
He revealed that the company was established in 2016 in Kano and started production of rice in 2018 with 320 tonnes per day.
The managing director disclosed that the existing production line in Kano would be expanded from 320 tonnes to 920 tonnes next year, just as a new production line would start production of 600 tonnes per day in Bauchi by May 2020.
“We are now investing 13,370,500 dollar to boost our production capacity to 1,520 tonnes per day.
“Already, we have placed orders for all the machinery needed, and all arrangements are on top gear to meet the deadline we set.
“By next year, we plan to become the biggest rice producers not only in Kano but in whole country.
“Our watchword is quality and affordability. We produce one of the finest brands in Nigeria that can compete with foreign rice brands in terms of quality,” he said.
The Managing Director appreciated the relative quality and durability of Indian machines, which he said are the secret behind the quality of Tiamin Rice.
He thanked the Indian High Commission for support and sought further cooperation in the areas of easing trade relations between his company and Indian partners.
The Managing Director of the rice mill also thanked the federal government for supporting local rice production and the state governments for giving them enabling environment.
“We thank the federal government for giving us all the needed support to operate and sustain our production.
“We also thank Kano State and Bauchi State Governments for their support in the allocation of the area of land.
“In line with Kano state government’s policy of allocating free land to genuine investors towards reviving its industrial glory, the state Governor has particularly allocated land to us for our expansion project.
“It is heart-warming that during the governor’s visit to our company on May 23, 2018, he expressed desire to support and woo local investors with allocations of land.
“We urge other state governments to follow suit in order to boost local production and provide employment opportunities for youth in their states,” Ahmed added. (NAN)
Ahmed said that the policy of the present administration, especially the ban on smuggling and the interventions given to them by the Central Bank of Nigeria had helped immensely in boosting local production of rice.
He revealed that the company was established in 2016 in Kano and started production of rice in 2018 with 320 tonnes per day.
The managing director disclosed that the existing production line in Kano would be expanded from 320 tonnes to 920 tonnes next year, just as a new production line would start production of 600 tonnes per day in Bauchi by May 2020.
“We are now investing 13,370,500 dollar to boost our production capacity to 1,520 tonnes per day.
“Already, we have placed orders for all the machinery needed, and all arrangements are on top gear to meet the deadline we set.
“By next year, we plan to become the biggest rice producers not only in Kano but in whole country.
“Our watchword is quality and affordability. We produce one of the finest brands in Nigeria that can compete with foreign rice brands in terms of quality,” he said.
The Managing Director appreciated the relative quality and durability of Indian machines, which he said are the secret behind the quality of Tiamin Rice.
He thanked the Indian High Commission for support and sought further cooperation in the areas of easing trade relations between his company and Indian partners.
The Managing Director of the rice mill also thanked the federal government for supporting local rice production and the state governments for giving them enabling environment.
“We thank the federal government for giving us all the needed support to operate and sustain our production.
“We also thank Kano State and Bauchi State Governments for their support in the allocation of the area of land.
“In line with Kano state government’s policy of allocating free land to genuine investors towards reviving its industrial glory, the state Governor has particularly allocated land to us for our expansion project.
“It is heart-warming that during the governor’s visit to our company on May 23, 2018, he expressed desire to support and woo local investors with allocations of land.
“We urge other state governments to follow suit in order to boost local production and provide employment opportunities for youth in their states,” Ahmed added. (NAN)
Governor Hutchinson makes
appointments to state boards
Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced several appointments Nov. 4. These
include:
John McAlpine, Monticello, to the Arkansas Forestry Commission.
Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2025. Replaces Dr. Delia Haak.
Bobby Pierce, Sheridan, to the Grant County Quorum Court,
Justice of the Peace for District 9. Appointment expires Dec. 31, 2020.
Replaces Pat O’Bryan.
Teresa Inman, Paris, to the Board of Control for Southern
Regional Education. Appointment expires June 30, 2023. Reappointment.
Dr. Christopher Warrick, Magnolia, to the Arkansas State Board
of Public Accountancy. Appointment expires Aug. 17, 2024. Replaces Michael
Watts.
David Cawein, Morrilton, to the Arkansas State Board of
Registration for Foresters. Appointment expires July 18, 2024. Reappointment.
Sue McGowan, Paragould, to the Board of Trustees of Black River
Technical College. Appointment expires June 30, 2026. Replaces Ray Noel.
Kerri Michael, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Access to Justice
Commission. Appointment expires Oct. 15, 2019. Reappointment.
Louis McGrail, Rogers, to the Arkansas Board of Hearing
Instrument Dispensers. Appointment expires July 31, 2020. Replaces Christopher
Lowry.
Lindsey Johnson, Mount Pleasant, to the Izard County Quorum
Court, Justice of the Peace for District 7. Appointment expires Dec. 31, 2020.
Replaces Blake Johnson.
Keith Harmon, Batesville, to the Independence County Quorum
Court, Justice of the Peace for District 7. Appointment expires Dec. 31, 2020.
Replaces Anna King.
Rickey Crook, Ash Flat, to the Sharp County Quorum Court,
Justice of the Peace for District 5. Appointment expires Dec. 31, 2020.
Replaces Tony Vaughn.
Rhonda Ahrent, Corning, to the Clay County Quorum Court, Justice
of the Peace for District 7. Appointment expires Dec. 31, 2020. Replaces Greg
Ahrent.
Tom Allen, Beebe, to the Arkansas Home Inspector Registration
Board. Appointment expires Jan. 26, 2021. Reappointment.
Robert Neal, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Home Inspector
Registration Board. Appointment expires Jan. 26, 2021. Reappointment.
Bob Downum, Springdale, to the Arkansas Home Inspector Registration
Board. Appointment expires Jan. 26, 2021. Reappointment.
Dale Spence, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Abstracters’ Board.
Appointment expires July 1, 2025. Replaces Carl Plumlee.
Sherrie Berry, Conway, to the Arkansas Abstracters’ Board.
Appointment expires July 1, 2025. Replaces Robert Winton.
Captain Steve Unger, Springdale, to the Arkansas Abstracters’
Board. Appointment expires July 1, 2023. Replaces Thomas Bailey.
Trey Weaver, Rogers, to the Arkansas Abstracters’ Board.
Appointment expires July 1, 2021. Replaces Q. Byrum Hurst.
David Gairhan, Jonesboro, to the Arkansas Rice Research and
Promotion Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2021. Reappointment.
Wayne Wiggins, Jonesboro, to the Arkansas Rice Research and
Promotion Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2021. Reappointment.
Jeff Rutledge, Newport, to the Arkansas Rice Research and
Promotion Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2021. Replaces Richard Hillman.
Marvin Hare, Newport, to the Arkansas Rice Research and
Promotion Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2021. Reappointment.
Jim Whitaker, McGehee, to the Arkansas Rice Research and
Promotion Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2021. Reappointment.
Alvin Lopez, Rogers, to the Board of Examiners in
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Appointment expires June 30, 2022.
Replaces Michael Yarbrough.
Dr. Randall Cummings, Hot Springs Village, to the Board of
Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Appointment expires June
30, 2022. Replaces Bobby Slagely.
Dr. Zachary Ward, North Little Rock, to the Board of Examiners
in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Appointment expires June 30, 2021.
Reappointment.
Dr. Andrea Sieczkowski, Maumelle, to the Board of Examiners in
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Appointment expires June 30, 2022.
Replaces Dr. Laura Smith-Olinde.
Deeni Sterling, Little Rock, to the Board of Examiners in
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Appointment expires June 30, 2021.
Reappointment.
Sheriff Christopher Brown, Wilburn, to the Criminal Justice
Institute Advisory Board. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2021. Replaces Keith
Slape.
Dr. Michael Derden, Hot Springs National Park, to the Criminal
Justice Institute Advisory Board. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2023. Replaces
Steven Shults.
Dr. Margaret Ellibee, Little Rock, to the Criminal Justice
Institute Advisory Board. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2021. Replaces Gregory
Shapiro.
Chief Chadwick Henson, Trumann, to the Criminal Justice Institute
Advisory Board. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2021. Replaces Russell White.
Mike Reynolds, Fayetteville, to the Criminal Justice Institute
Advisory Board. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2023. Replaces Gregory Tabor.
Sheriff James Singleton, Hope, to the Criminal Justice Institute
Advisory Board. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2023. Replaces Mark Counts.
Rodney Farley, North Little Rock, to the Governor’s Commission
on People with Disabilities. Appointment expires June 1, 2022. Replaces
Jermaine Moore.
Judy Watson, Hope, to the Governor’s Commission on People with
Disabilities. Appointment expires June 1, 2022. Replaces Sheila Beck.
Sheri Rogers, Arkadelphia, to the Governor’s Commission on
People with Disabilities. Appointment expires June 1, 2020. Replaces Grady
Tracy.
Bekka Middleton Wilkerson, Bryant, to the Governor’s Commission
on People with Disabilities. Appointment expires June 1, 2023. Replaces Amanda
Goddard.
Bethany Baldwin, Cabot, to the Governor’s Commission on People
with Disabilities. Appointment expires June 1, 2023. Replaces Joseph Adams.
Craig Reinhardt, Little Rock, to the Governor’s Commission on
People with Disabilities. Appointment expires June 1, 2020. Reappointment.
John Martin, Crossett, to the Governor’s Commission on People
with Disabilities. Appointment expires June 1, 2021. Replaces Taisha
Robison-Froman.
LeDante Walker, Hot Springs, to the Governor’s Commission on
People with Disabilities. Appointment expires June 1, 2022. Replaces Eric
Treat.
Robert Passwaters, Bryant, to the Governor’s Commission on
People with Disabilities. Appointment expires June 1, 2020. Reappointment.
Toni Fraser, Little Rock, to the Governor’s Commission on People
with Disabilities. Appointment expires June 1, 2021. Replaces Sarah Thomas.
Carol Crews, Conway, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2022. Replaces Nate Smith.
Christopher White, Fayetteville, to the Arkansas Alcohol and
Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2022.
Reappointment.
Chief Hayes Minor, Rogers, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2022. Reappointment.
Sheriff John Staley, Austin, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2022. Replaces Michael
McCormick.
LJ Bryant, Jonesboro, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2022. Replaces Lisa
Oppenheim.
Paul Stevens, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2022. Reappointment.
Dr. Sara Jones, Sherwood, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2022. Reappointment.
Judge Stephen Tabor, Fort Smith, to the Arkansas Alcohol and
Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2022.
Reappointment.
Stuart Byford, Fort Smith, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2022. Replaces Paul
Dottley.
Christopher Dickie, Bryant, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2022. Replaces Kimberly
Brown.
Suzanne Tipton, LittleRock, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2022. Replaces Melinda
Squires.
Teresa Belew, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2022. Reappointment.
Fujitsu and Rice Exchange bring to market first global
blockchain rice trading platform
Munich, 05 Nov 2019
Read
time 5min 10sec
News facts:
·
First digital platform for global rice
trading – the world’s largest agricultural commodity.
·
Rice Exchange’s blockchain platform
automates and simplifies the complexity of rice trading, increasing security,
transparency, efficiency, traceability and trust with verifiable, immutable
data.
·
Fujitsu’s expertise in Hyperledger Fabric
blockchain technology helps create an enterprise-standard, automated platform
for removal of friction in the rice supply chain, lowers risk and cost for
traders, insurers, shippers and other stakeholders.
Fujitsu and Rice Exchange (Ricex) today
announce they are bringing to market the world’s first global blockchain-based
rice trading platform. This brings unparalleled security, transparency,
efficiency, traceability and new levels of trust to the $450 billion global
rice market.
Ricex
is the first digital platform designed for buying and selling rice, one of the
world’s largest agricultural commodities. The platform digitalises rice trading
using a blockchain distributed ledger technology (DLT) platform. Through it,
buyers, sellers and service providers can easily find each other in a digital
environment, efficiently conduct trades, and arrange insurance, shipping,
inspection and settlement with the assurance of seamless integration and
verifiable data.
“The
Rice Exchange platform brings transparency, efficiency and security to the
global rice trade,” says Stephen Edkins, CEO of Ricex. “The distributed ledger
technology from our partner, Fujitsu, enables us to remove the many barriers
that have prevented transparent, low-risk trading in rice, and allows trade
buyers to purchase this vital food staple with full confidence that they are
getting a quality product at a fair price.”
The
use of a DLT platform injects new levels of trust and efficiency into the
highly fragmented international rice trade. It creates verified, immutable data
for all stakeholders, such as buyers, sellers, shippers, inspectors, insurers,
regulators and payment system operators. The use of a distributed ledger
removes friction and delays in the supply chain, ensuring security and
transparency in international rice trades by allowing all stakeholders to see
the same verifiable data, in real-time.
For
example, the Ricex platform allows buyers to search for rice that has been
certified as sustainably-grown. This gives buyers certainty about the
provenance of the rice and in turn allows producers to charge a premium for
their product.
Frederik
De Breuck, Head of the Fujitsu Blockchain Innovation Center in Brussels, says:
“Sustainability, track and trace, and provenance are at the heart of the Rice
Exchange, which is another powerful example of the real-world use cases for
blockchain. Ricex has shown great vision in adopting Fujitsu’s approach to
distributed ledgers as a supplementary layer in larger enterprise
architectures, and not an end-to-end solutions by themselves. We have placed a
focus on making sure the DLT can interoperate with existing infrastructures.
This is how we deliver true value from investment in this exciting new
technology.”
New Fujitsu DLT solution
runs on Hyperledger Fabric
Fujitsu is delivering a
production-ready, private, permissioned DLT scale-out solution running on Hyperledger Fabric, a DLT especially
developed for enterprise use with advanced automation features. Ricex selected
the Fujitsu Blockchain Innovation Center (BIC) in Brussels
as key integration partner to develop the solution because of its blockchain
expertise, in particular with architectures built on Hyperledger Fabric, and
because of Fujitsu’s flexible DevOps approach, covering both operational and
development services, using the scrum/agile methodology.
The
Fujitsu BIC relies on Microsoft Azure to provide the platform for its agile
development and to deliver the production environment for Fujitsu’s ‘blockchain
as a service’ offerings such as DocumentFlow and InvoiceFlow. As Fujitsu grows
the rice trading platform, it intends to leverage Azure’s global scale as a
secure and reliable foundation.
Opaque, complex and
process-intensive rice trading business
Rice
trading is an opaque, complex and extremely process-intensive business, often
still paper-based. Certification requirements for rice imports vary by region
and documents must be checked and matched manually, which is expensive and
prone to costly human error. Documents must also travel globally with the
goods, with the risk of loss of time due to faulty or lost documentation. The
Rice Exchange platform simplifies documentation compliance, leading to lower
transaction costs and back-end operations, and providing full transparency.
Increasing
volumes of rice are now traded internationally, up five-fold in 30 years. This
is being driven by demographic growth and concerns over food security and water
usage. But unlike other major grain crops, rice has a wide variety of types and
finishes. This makes pricing a lot less homogeneous, with trading managed by a
relatively small group of individuals, with little transparency. The parties
involved rarely have a full, transparent view of the rice market and market
participants find it difficult to establish whether a buyer or seller has a
clean track record for fulfilling contractual obligations.
Stakeholders
in the rice supply chain have grown accustomed to these inefficiencies and have
accepted their impact on price and margin as a 'cost of business'. However,
digital transformation based on distributed ledger technologies has created the
means to rectify these costly and inefficient drawbacks.
Online resources
Blockchain Innovation
Center microsite: https://www.fujitsu.com/be/microsite/blockchain/index.htmlFujitsu Technology
and Service Vision microsite: https://www.fujitsu.com/global/vision/
Read the Fujitsu blog:https://blog.global.fujitsu.com/
Follow Fujitsu on Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/Fujitsu_Global
Follow us on LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/company/fujitsu
Find Fujitsu on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/FujitsuICT
Fujitsu pictures and media server:http://mediaportal.ts.fujitsu.com/pages/portal.php
For regular news updates, bookmark the Fujitsu newsroom:https://www.fujitsu.com/emeia/about/resources/news/newsroom.html
Read the Fujitsu blog:https://blog.global.fujitsu.com/
Follow Fujitsu on Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/Fujitsu_Global
Follow us on LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/company/fujitsu
Find Fujitsu on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/FujitsuICT
Fujitsu pictures and media server:http://mediaportal.ts.fujitsu.com/pages/portal.php
For regular news updates, bookmark the Fujitsu newsroom:https://www.fujitsu.com/emeia/about/resources/news/newsroom.html
Fujitsu South Africa
The
evolving nature of every business means changes, enhancements and upgrades to
its data center infrastructure. Businesses are finding data center upgrades to
be not only disruptive but also costly. There is a constant need to re-train
and re-skill data center staff in order to effectively manage applications
whilst ensuring data availability, security and energy consumption
optimisation. Not to mention maintaining compliance and service level
agreements.
Fujitsu
South Africa’s approach to Solutions covering Servers, Storage and Integrated
Systems offers the flexibility to tailor data center technologies to our
customer’s specific requirements. We provide the benefits of secure, robust,
future-proofed technologies from a single source supported by a unique,
consultative approach. This ensures you get exactly what your organisation
demands bringing true business value to companies.
Fujitsu
Fujitsu is the leading
Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a
full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately
132,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our
experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our
customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.0
trillion yen (US $36 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019. For
more information, please see www.fujitsu.com
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