NARC Initiates 13 New Projects Under PM Agriculture Emergency
(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News /
Online - 17th November, 2019) National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC)
Director Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali said NARC has initiated 13 projects
under Prime Minister Imran Khan's Agriculture Emergency in the country.The projects
will bring many fundmental changes in agriculture sector.
He said that the NARC was working
on projects related to wheat, rice and sugarcan under the Prime Minister Agriculture Emergency.The research on these crops
will help our scientests and researchers working in agriculture sector to enhance crops production,
adding that they were working to improve their research labs as well.Dr Muhammad Ali said NARC has highly qualified and
skilled researchers' team and they are motivated to start work on the projects
with new spirit and throught.Taking about international need, he said long-size
rice demand is growing in the world, adding that we sowed as many as 600 new types of
Green Super Rice (GSR) seeds this year in order to increase rice export.
The country atmosphere is suitable
to many of these types and research will be initated on these types in the next
phase.Dr Muhammad Ali said the same research will be done to enhance production
of wheat and sugarcan.
He hoped that new types of seeds
will help increase in production of crops from 10 to 20 mounds per acre.Talking about
stoberry, the director said NARC had introduced four types of stoberry some 30
years back and today stoberry production is being done all over the country.
The director further said it was hard work and dedications of our
scientests that today farmers sowed Zaitoon (Olive) crop over 35,000 acre of
land.
In the next phase, special factory
will be established to produce Olive oil from the crop.Talking about wheat, director said the centre has introduced at least
six new types of wheat in the past one decade, adding that per acre
production of these types are larger than the earlier types.He said the NARC
scientest have also introduced four new types of banana.
These types are suitable for
production in parts of Sindh province. He added our scientists produced
new types from tissue culture which is protected from all kinds of diseases.He said this during an
interview with "Online" in Islamabad on Sunday.
He went on to say that the centre
had transferred this banana production technology to two private companies in Sindh.He said the centre is also providing new kinds of
banana to Sindh and our scientists are equaly motivated to
increase patato production.
He said this will help to provide
patato seed to farmers as our farmers were importing patato seed from abroad.Dr Muhammad Ali said Pakistan can also cast fruits and vegetables on
mountains like other countries in the world.
He said Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral and Malakand areas are suitable for productions
almond, apricot, walnut, pine nuts and other kinds of fruits. He said these
productions will increase export of the country
Nabanna Utsab
celebrated at BRRI
Our Correspondent | Published:
00:09, Nov 17,2019
Nabanna Utsab, festival of new harvest, was celebrated at
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute headquarters in Gazipur on Saturday.
The daylong programme included colourful rallies, cutting of
rice crop in the field, releasing balloons, discussion meeting, and
distribution of cakes and rice pudding made of newly harvested rice.
BRRI director general Md Shahjahan Kabir, BRRI director
(administration and common service) Krishna Pada Halder, heads of different
research divisions and sections were present along with senior scientists,
officials, employees and labourers.
‘Nabanna is a very important festival in our national life. With
this we try to renew our relationship with our roots at the beginning of
harvest time in the Bangla month of Agrahayana. However, along with these
festivities we have to try our level best so that the rice farmers get fair
price of their produced crop,’ said Shahjahan Kabir during the occasion.
DOH leads
National Biotechnology Week celebration
November 17, 2019
Health Undersecretary Enrique Domingo (from left) leads the
ribbon cutting of the 2019 National Biotechnology Week poster exhibit with Dr.
Faith Alberto, OIC director of the DOH-Health Promotion and Communication
Service, Rep. Ron Salo, Dr. Flerida Cariño of DOST, journalist and former Agham
Party-list Rep. Angelo Palmones and NKTI Director Dr. Rose Marie Rosete-Liquete.
The Department of Health (DOH)
led government agencies and nongovernment agencies in the recent opening of the
celebration of the National Biotechnology Week (NBW) through the launching of
the technology poster exhibit.
The 15th NBW will be celebrated
from November 25 to 29. This annual national event focused on increasing
awareness on the use of biotechnology to improve the lives of the Filipino
people.
“The use of biotechnology
contributes immensely in saving the lives of our people and ushers innovative
improvement to our healthcare,” Health Undersecretary Enrique Domingo said
during the NBW soft launch and opening of exhibits.
“The DOH wants to emphasize,
promote and advance the use of biotechnology in health and in saving lives,”
Domingo added.
Joining Domingo in the event were
National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) Executive Director Rose Marie
Rosete-Liquete, Dr. Flerida A. Cariño, Rep. Ron P. Salo and former Agham
Party-list Rep. Angelo Palmones and the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Biotech
Program Office.
This year’s NBW, through the
chairmanship of the DOH, the role of biotechnology in Universal Health Care is
highlighted with the theme: “Biotek: Makabagong Solusyon sa Kalusugan.”
The theme recognizes the growing
health needs of the Filipino people and the potential of biotechnology to
address these needs.
Biotechnology is the term given
to technologies which involve the application of biological organisms or their
components, systems or processes to manufacture, modify and/or improve products
or processes.
“The Filipinos’ right to health
calls for the right to correct information. Hence, this year’s activities for
the NBW will focus on dissemination of qualified and correct information
regarding vaccines and new biotechnology products, and ensuring that the
message gets across to the Filipino public,” Domingo said.
He also cited NKTI as a
specialized center of the DOH and a pioneer government hospital that uses
biotechnology from diagnosis, management, and rehabilitation of patients.
The NBW poster exhibit at the
Atrium of NKTI until November 22, is a joint endeavor of the DOH (Food and Drug
Administration, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and NKTI), DA,
Departments of Science and Technology; Education; Environment and Natural
Resources; Trade and Industry and of the Interior and Local Government; and the
Commission on Higher Education.
Other participants are the
DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute, and three partner organizations, namely,
the GreenHeart PH; International Rice Research Institute; and Pharmaceutical
and Healthcare Association of the Philippines.The best poster entry will be
chosen by Salo, Palmones and DOST Balik Scientist Dr. Annabelle Villalobos.
First world rice noodle expo held in Guangxi
Source:
Xinhua| 2019-11-16 19:52:23|Editor: ZX
Visitors select rice noodle-making equipment at a rice noodle expo
held in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nov. 16, 2019.
The 2019 World Rice Noodle Expo kicked off Saturday at Nanning International
Convention and Exhibition Center. Deemed as a major trade fair of the
China-ASEAN Expo, the three-day event covers an exhibition area of 10,000
square meters for the exhibition of raw materials, technologies and equipment,
condiments, additives, garnishes, packaging, cold-chain logistics, and cooking
training, among others. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)
NANNING, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- The first World Rice Noodle Expo
kicked off Saturday in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, with
more than 300 organizations and companies from home and abroad in attendance.
The event, co-organized by the China-ASEAN Expo Secretariat, the
World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry (WFCCI) and three other Chinese
organizations, aims to build an international exchange platform for the rice
noodle industry.
Running until November 18, the expo is also expected to promote
cooperation between China and neighboring countries in rice noodles and related
industries and introduce the delicacy as a new cultural bond to countries and
regions along the Belt and Road.
The expo will show the rice noodle industry chain including raw
materials, rice noodle products and processing machinery.
Wang Lei, secretary general of the China-ASEAN Expo Secretariat
said such an event was an innovative move to upgrade the development of the
China-ASEAN Expo and would be built into a professional platform for
cooperation between China and ASEAN, as well as between Chinese provinces and
cities in the rice noodle industry.
Rice, rice everywhere,
but not enough to buy
ON NOVEMBER 17, 201912:11
AMIN NEWS, OUTSIDE LOOKING INBY UROWAYINO
JEREMIAH He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with
what he would like to have.-Socrates If you want to know how the economy of a
nation is performing, ask the cost of staple food. You start with the price of
the most staple foodstuff; the price of bread or in the Nigerian case, the
price of gari or rice. We do love our rice and other than Asia, Africans consume metric tonnes of rice.
Nigerians, in particular, can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Rice has
always been for every occasion, from the fill your hunger to staple food, to
celebrations of all manner of events. Perhaps, that was before Indomie came
also, but that is another story. READ ALSO: Dangote Group begins installation
of rice factory in Kebbi I understand that the price of homegrown rice is far
cheaper than imported rice, yet, some people are turning their noses up at the
homegrown rice and doing all manners of subterfuge to get the imported rice
across the border; they smuggle the white stuff in tyres, stuff it on their
person or rebag Nigerian rice and pass it as imported, increase the price. It
seems that our people will buy any rice as long as it is imported. It seems
some people do not know the value of money or know bargain that it is staring
at them in the face. Like my dear grandmother used to say “that not all common
sense, is common.” It is embarrassing, nay, it is beyond perplexing and does
not sit well with supporting our own. In the meantime, the price of rice is
beyond the reach of millions of people, and they can only afford to eat once a
day. The scramble for the border reached fever pitch that the President ordered
Nigeria’s land border with Benin closed, preventing the import of rice.
Director of Abuja-based Turgot Centre for Economics and Policy Research, Nonso
Obikili, said, “Benin is now one of the worlds largest importers of rice and we
all know where it’s going.” We do indeed, Nigeria! The irony of this is that by
smuggling rice from the neighbouring borders, these countries have become
richer by our determination to only eat imported rice! Nigerians are poor by
their arrogance and snobbery. Perplexing still, that most of these so-called
imported rice are of poor quality and also not from legitimate sources, so it
can be anything really; expired, low grade or mishmash. Closing the border is
necessary to allow our homegrown rice to compete, to give a much-needed boost
to the rice farmers and most significantly, to have an affordable and staple
food to reach millions of Nigerians. It takes me back to the time when
Nigerians favoured imported clothes and shunned our Ankara made in Nigeria. It
was a triumph than when an embargo was placed on overseas goods because
Nigerians had no choice but to look inwards and take pride in our locally
produced materials. Now our Ankara is worn with pride and has grown to a large
industry with millions of allied professionals and employments benefitting from
it. They say those who fail to learn from history are bound to repeat it. This
is an expensive lesson and yet, we continue to suffer as a result. It bothers
me that we haven’t learnt the lessons of yesteryear and we continue to let our
snobbery dictate our taste even at the risk of starvation. This is the paradox
of the Nigerian. Yes, Rice is one of the most consumed staples in Nigeria, with
a consumption per capita of 32kg. Despite hard times, consumption has increased
4.7%, almost four times the global consumption growth, and reached 6.4 million
tonnes in 2017 – accounting for 20% of Africa’s consumption and it accounts for
10% of household incomes on the white stuff. You would have thought, it would
be prudent to focus on home-grown production and despite the priority by the
government, Nigerians prefer imported rice. The progress made is quite
remarkable as it stands Nigerian production of rice is at its highest of
significant of 3.7 million tonnes as of 2017. So it’s fortuitous that these
special measures have been placed to curb the incessant and unnecessary
yearning for imported rice. That hopefully, the move will help curb the
smuggling and associated crimes committed as a result on October 14, Nigeria
ordered closed all Nigeria’s borders with Benin. It is not a bad thing, in
fact, it is a very good move. In conjunction with the announcement of
additional border closures, Hameed Ali, the Comptroller General of the Nigerian
Customs Services, announced that there is no timeline for reopening the
borders, which will remain closed “until we have total control over what comes
in.” Actually, it will be time to promote farming and Nigerian made products.
Time to take pride in exporting some of our products rather than spending money
to buy overseas goods that are not necessarily of good quality or safe for that
matter. It is not as if Nigeria is awash with affordable and essential staple
foods. Yet, everyone is always trying to make a quick buck at the risk of
inflating the price and further putting food out of the reach of the majority
of Nigerians. It’s beyond common decency
when this happens, it affects everyone. The production of rice in Nigeria
should be a thing of joy. It means; Nigerians are producing rice and the cost
of locally sourced rice means, more money in the pocket. No, it seems that far
too many Nigerians have that mentality that only imported will do. They say if
you look after your pennies then the pound will look after itself. Nigerians
even at the point of starvation would only eat imported rice. This is a
problem. What can we do to shift the mind-sets of the die-hards and those that
want to make money off the misery of others? We have only ourselves to blame.
We can no longer blame the government or the economy or politics. About forty
years ago, I had the opportunity to visit my father’s home town in Abeokuta.
Right outside my great grandfather’s house was this woman selling cooked Ofada
rice, we all were given this rice wrapped in green banana leaves. Unwrapping
this goodness was a fragrance that wafted through your senses. Not familiar
with Ofada rice, I was hesitant to try it but as I watched my siblings devour
the veritable dish, I tentatively made my move. All I can say to my mother was;
can we have some more of this rice when we get back to Lagos? My mother did not
disappoint, she made it just like the one in Abeokuta and lovingly wrapped each
one in banana leaves. I have been a fan of Ofada rice ever since. I know there
are other varieties of made in Nigeria rice and intend to try them all. With
freedom, comes responsibility or so the saying goes. The advent of social media
suddenly makes everyone a critic. On top of that, it has become the home
voyeurs of perpetual fake news. Truth be
told it can be insensitive and crass and sometimes downright uncouth. But having a democracy is all about the freedom
of expression and free speech. We might not like it but it is the part and
parcel of being democratic. So now, the
government is proposing a clamp-on free speech and there are concerns about the
slippery slope of authoritarian regimes. Some of us have been there and it can
be brutal. Now that the bill has gone through the first reading, it is
proposing an N150, 000 fine or a three-month jail term for any individual who
posts false information on social media.
We can not afford to throw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater.
Too much stress is bad for you
Everyone has ups and downs. Life in Nigeria is tough for millions of
Nigerians. With life stressors on the
increase; Unemployment, bereavement, overcrowding, illnesses, pollution,
hold-ups, schooling, bullying and other social issues can contribute to mental
ill-health. So if you are beginning to feel low and unable to cope with
everyday life over a prolonged period of time.. if you are beginning to not
find joy in your normal pursuits, you don’t want to go out.
You feel like sleeping all the time or not
able to get to sleep because you are thinking too much? Are you finding it hard
to concentrate or things are beginning to get on top of you, or you wish you
could run away or that your life is not worth living? Have you experienced a
type of abuse or feel traumatised because of what you have witnessed or
experienced? Are you numbing your pain with drugs, alcohol or you are taking
risks because you don’t care anymore? Are you overeating or not eating enough
because you are worried and anxious? If you are feeling so low in mood that you
think life is not worth living, please seek help, talk to someone you trust or
you can contact @ IMANI or similar groups, who will listen without judging you,
they will listen without prejudice. The sooner you get help the better the
outcomes. I wish you all well. It’s good to talk about. It’s important to get
help early. Mental health conditions can be treated and getting help early can
prevent difficulties from getting more serious. Mentally aware Nigeria(MANI) is well on its
way to change the way Nigerians view mental health.
They have been recognised by the UN as change
agents and are expanding through their network of nearly 1,000 volunteers. It
has provided group support for over 5,000 people living with a mental illness,
including by reducing distressing situations, suicide intervention, and
providing counselling sessions in barracks, hospitals, and churches’ And: ‘We
are well within the time of Social Media, and these apps have come to serve as
the platform for people to share their lives publicly, in real-time. In these
times where suicide rates are rising across the world, we have to now recognize
that Social Media is the New Suicide Note, and we all have to listen’ Victor
Ugo, 2017 If anyone is affected or know someone who is affected and need
support. See details below Contact – Address: +2348060101157 Email:
Vu@mentallyaware.org
How government loses billions to fraudulent clearing agents’
By Sulaimon
Salau
18 November 2019
| 4:15 am
Importers suggest ways to end fraud
As the nation’s land borders remain closed by the Federal
Government to curtail illicit trade, some clearing agents have resorted to
taking advantage of the high volume of cargoes passing through the seaports to
shortchange government in terms of duty payable.
Essentially, the fraudulent clearing agents, who now have more
cargoes to clear for their clients, shortchange the government through
underpayment and false declaration of consignments with a view to reducing duty
payable.
The Guardian’s investigations revealed that many importers are
being found guilty of the sharp practices by their agents, causing them huge
losses in investment when their consignments are eventually seized by the
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). It was also revealed that some customs officers
are conniving with the clearing agents to manipulate the duty payable on
imported items.
Some importers, who spoke to The Guardian on the illegality, urged
the customs to impose strict sanctions on the erring agents and officers. A
case between Tonason Evergreen Limited (importer) and Arisiki Nigeria Limited
(clearing agent) is reflective of the current situation.
Tonason, through its solicitor, had petitioned the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged underpayment by its agent
(Arisiki) who allegedly paid a duty of N500,000 on a Toyota Highlander 2013
model instead of the original duty estimated at N1,200,000, thereby cheating
the government by N700,000.
The Managing Director of Tonason Evergreen Limited, Ikwuka Tochukwu
Jude, in an interview with The Guardian, bemoaned the fraudulent act, stating
that all efforts to get the agent tracked by the EFCC and customs had yielded
no positive results.
In the petition obtained by The Guardian, Tonason stated: “Our
client, upon the purchase of a Toyota Highlander 2013 model, engaged the
respondent, Mr. Idemili Innocent of Arisiki Nigeria Limited to clear the
vehicle by paying the required customs duty. Our client later paid N1.8 million
to Innocent as duty fee which he duly acknowledged.
“Our client was travelling to Nnewi in Anambra State when he was
accosted by customs officers who confirmed that the original duty payable on
the vehicle was N1.2 million, instead of the paltry N500, 000 paid by the
agent.
“In that circumstance, our client swiftly put a call across to the
respondent (Innocent) who actually admitted not paying full duty on the
vehicle, consequent upon which the respondent quickly made a transfer of
N70,000 to our client for onward payment to the customs officers and latter got
the vehicle released.” Efforts to get the clearing agent for comments were
unfruitful, as he ignored calls and messages to his telephone.
In a similar scenario, Masters Energy Commodity Trading Limited
(importer) forfeited 30 containers of rice to customs three years ago owing to
the sharp practices by its clearing agent. The agent made a false declaration
detailing yeast instead of rice.
In a letter to the House of Representatives Committee on Customs
Excise and Tariff, a copy of which was obtained by The Guardian, the company
alleged that its agent made a false declaration in order to cut tariff for the
30 containers of rice.
The letter by the then Managing Director, Chukwudi Otigba, reads
in part: “Sometime in May 2016, we entered into a business transaction with a
Thailand company known as Asia Inter Trade Rice Export Co Ltd for the
importation of 30 containers of Thai Parboiled Rice to be delivered at the
TinCan Island Port, Apapa, Lagos as contained in the bill of laden.
“We contracted Destiny Impex Limited, a clearing company
registered and licensed by customs as our agent to clear the 30 containers of
rice in accordance with customs tariff and classifications.“All our importing
documents such as bill of lading, commercial invoice, packing list, National
Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) fumigation certificate
and health certificate clearly disclosed the consignment as rice and not yeast
as declared by the agent.”
Another importer, Mrs. Grace Ifeayinwa, expressed the fear that
her clearing agent might have shortchanged government in the duty payment for
her Toyota Highlander imported through the Apapa port.Ifeayinwa, who said she
could not trust any agent due to allegations of fraud, revealed that she was
trying to verify the original duty payable on the vehicle upon allegation that
the clearing agent paid N700,000 instead of N1.2 million estimated by the
customs.
“When I confronted him, he started avoiding me. Then I contacted
another agent who also claimed that I have to pay a penalty fee of N400,000
with a processing fee of N120,000. I have made my findings and discovered that
they are both fraudulent, but I am confused now, because I cannot drive the
car.
“The customs should simplify the duty calculations and payment so
that the importers would be able to know the exact duty payable and possibly
effect payment by themselves. The existing method is encouraging fraud and it’s
not good for our economy,” she said.The President of the National Council of
Managing Directors of Customs Licensed Agents, (NCMDCLA), Lucky Amiwero, told
The Guardian that the association was doing a lot to ensure that the agents
comply with the ethical practice in the job.
Amiwero said the importers should report fraudulent agents to the
appropriate quarters such as the customs management, which is authorized to
sanction any erring practitioner.
“Such an agent could be dragged to court which will declare him as
guilty and mete out necessary punishment. If a court has not declared him
guilty, it would be difficult for anyone to call him a fraudster. Besides, the
NCS also has the authority to sanction any erring agent by way of withdrawing
the operating certificate, and the agency has been doing that when it is
convinced beyond reasonable doubt,” he said.
The Public Relations Officer, Customs Tin Can Island Command, Uche
Ejesieme, told The Guardian that the agency did not tolerate fraudulent
agents.“We ensure strict compliance with duty rules and sanction the erring
agents after a diligent profiling has proved him to be fraudulent.
“We have sanctions that we apply to those that are circumventing
the process. We have blocked a lot of licences. Once we do system profiling and
discover infraction in documentation or any manner, we have a way of blocking
the license. I can assure you that we follow due process before anybody can
block the license. We go through all manner of processes before you can
ascertain fraudulent agents. If you don’t engage in such checks and balances,
they will let the system off. We have many of them that have been blocked,” he
said.He alleged that some of the fraudulent agents used other people’s
licences, but at the end of the day, the owner of the licence would be the one
to suffer.
Ejesieme enjoined vehicle owners who feel defrauded to visit the
customs zonal office to regularise their duty, saying the NCS had opened a
window for such an opportunity.“The CG has opened a window in all zonal offices
of customs. We have a platform there whereby anybody who wants to regulate his
duty payment can stroll in and do so without stress,” he said
Rice, salt, sugar, oil
"Now back to the
basics."
Many Filipino families
have this practice of entering the door of a new abode with the pater familia
bringing a bag of rice, the mother a jar of salt, and the children some sugar
and some cooking oil.The food basics, they are called. Bigas, asin,
asukal (from the Spanish azucar), at mantika (again, manteca).
The
Filipino diet revolves around these basics. Protein in fish is preserved
by salt, which produces staples like daing and bagoong. From far-off
Batanes to Tawi-Tawi, flying fish is dried by the day and anchovies preserved
for months. Eaten with rice, the pangs of hunger are remedied.
What
Filipino drinks coffee without sugar? The day starts with a mug or glass
of piping hot-coffee laced with sugar (brown or panocha for Tagalogs, refined
white for Negrenses).
And
cooking oil, to fry the daing, or an occasional pork liempo for bagnet on
special days.
For
the so-called “educated” crowd, the news on the economic front these days
revolve around the supposedly excessive cost of the sports arena built for the
SEA Games, and how to maintain the facilities thereafter; the quarterly GDP
growth; and the “failure,” if at all, of the Build, Build, Build cornerstone of
the Duterte administration. Not to forget, Sen. Ping Lacson’s
investigative discoveries of pork hidden in the interstices of the
House-approved budget for 2020.
The
headlines of course are reserved for the “war on drugs” starring the
newly-minted czarina overseeing it, and the guessing game on the eventual
denouement, given the Byzantine whispers about her “powers” and her
responsibilities, again … if any.
Now
back to the basics. As far as the ordinary Filipino is concerned,
quotidian economics is all about bigas, asin, asukal at mantika.
The
palay farmer cries about the low, low buying prices for the produce of his
back-breaking labor on small plot of land. Those who claim to speak for
the lowly farmer point to the less-than-a-year-old Rice Tariffication Law,
which opened the floodgates for uncontrolled imports of milled rice from
Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, India and Myanmar.
The
once-upon-a-not-so-distant regulator, NFA, has been castrated. Even the
phyto-sanitary permits that are supposed to somehow control the excess of
imported rice has been taken away from it and given to the Bureau of Plant
Industry headed by a barangay captain from Davao.
Ramon
and its preceding crop devastators hit palay farmers just as they harvest
once-precious crop now debased in value to lower than break-even. Still
and all, urban consumers are relieved, because their daily carbo-loader is
cheaper compared to a year ago when prices hit the roof, courtesy of quarreling
rice industry overlords in government now mercifully no longer around.
But damage has been considerably done, and both the executive and the
legislature “cured” rice inflation by tariffication hastily enabled.
The
impact on our future food security is yet to be fathomed with conflicting
claims from the economic managers who caution the public about jumping to
conclusions which the “champions” of the farmers decry, while the agriculture
department is beset by a crescendo of problems descending upon their
newly-appointed secretary deluged by several baptisms of fire.
But
it’s not all about rice.
The
Department of Health, seeing that “sin” taxes have somehow curbed the appetite
for deadly soft drinks and its sugar “poison,” proposed a levy on “salt.”
If a Roman emperor could levy a tax on salt, why not Duterte, they
posited in their minds?
The
howl from most every Filipino was deafening. The DOH, plagued as it is
with polio and dengue epidemics, beat a hasty retreat.
And
yet, too much rice and too much salt really pose health problems. White,
milled rice turns into sugar in the digestive system, which in turn is a cause
for diabetes, illness that bedevils hundreds of millions throughout the
universe. And excessive salt intake, from daing, bagoong, patis and local
toyo of course, damages the kidneys in time.
Damaged
kidneys and renal failure is one of the top ailments of Filipinos, whether they
have one or two kidneys, the first having been gouged out and sold due to grinding
poverty.
Of
course, both rice and salt are considered by economists as having “inelastic”
demand, which means that people will not consume more or less rice or salt
regardless of fluctuations on their price.
So
it is relatively simple, for instance, to predict the annual consumer demand
for rice. It is a function of population growth, not price. But
tell that to the palay farmer who cannot fathom why the heavens have fallen on
the price of his crop.
And
if imports are the culprit for the low price of palay, does anybody else know
that we also import salt? Yes, Virginia, we import mostly from Australia.
Even the salt beds of Pasuquin in Ilocos Norte which produce fine salt
are mixed with imported ground salt from Australia, “kasi mas mura.”
Pati
pala asin ini-import. Every Metro Manilan knows of course that the salt
beds of Paranaque and Las Pinas have since been converted into residential and
commercial land.
But
wait, some economic managers also want “unli” importation of sugar, because the
fields of Negros, Bukidnon, Batangas and Tarlac produce high-priced cane sugar,
which impacts on the cost of producing manufactured or processed food products.
Mas
mura ang imported, whether rice, salt, sugar or about everything else.
But
see how the legislators immediately balk when it comes to sugar. They
found it easy to react to food inflation by allowing unlimited imports of rice,
but when it comes to sugar, not that fast. Their families don’t plant
palay, my good friend Marlen Ronquillo, columnist for the Manila Times, would
likely write, but many of our legislators are sugar barons. See the difference?
My
comprovincianos from southern Laguna, or Quezon, Bicol and all over the Visayas
and Mindanao decry the ever-declining price of copra. And coconut farmers
are among the poorest of the countryside poor.
But
why, oh why, has the price of cooking oil (now mostly from oil palm) not gone
down?
Ah!,
the mysteries of the price of staple commodities, which would take an entire
book, or a semester of Agricultural Economics, a chapter in Macroeconomics,
which I now recall having taught the current Executive Secretary and the
newly-proclaimed Chief Justice.
Isn’t
the future of our food staples a terrifying matter to contemplate?
Whoever
takes over after Duterte must have the toughness of a Thor, the heart of a Pope
Francis, and the mind of a Lee Kuan Yew. Believe me.
It’s
not going to be a walk in the park, as it has not been for our exhausted
President.
And
we’re only talking basic staples, not traffic, not drugs, not corruption yet.
Whichever,
the metrics for leadership must still be the fundamental: Character,
compassion, competence
Reimburse farmers for P61-B income loss–Kiko
November 18, 2019
MINORITY Sen.Francis Pangilinan has prodded the Duterte
administration to reimburse farmers for their P61.77-billion in estimated
losses from the sharp plunges in the farm-gate price of unhusked rice, as
a surge of rice imports ensued with the passage of the rice trade liberalization
law early this year.
“As we call for cash
compensation, we repeat our demand to review the Rice Tariffication Act leading
to its repeal or suspension, until government has actually done its duty to
prepare them for global competition,” Pangilinan said over the weekend.
Economic managers, however, have
said the law should be given enough time to take its course, as enough
safeguards had been included there to offset the farmers’ losses.
The senator suggested that
affected farmers “must begin receiving cash compensation now to reimburse them
for what they have already lost.” Pangilinan pointed out that “the money will
not only help them—and consequently help us rice consumers—continue farming,
but in fact just survive.”
‘Act now’
He stressed that the crucial
matter is that the government must act now. He added, “The poor condition of
the sector that feeds us reflects aptly the saying, ‘Aanhin
pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo? [Of what use is the
grass if the horse is dead?]’”
In a statement, the senator cited
the case of the wife of a farmer in Nueva Ecija who now works as a domestic
helper in Metro Manila. “Imagine the hardship and sacrifice she endures—a
mother who left her children to care for themselves so she could augment the
further-reduced family income caused by the flood of rice imports,” said
Pangilinan, adding: “The farmer’s problem is a family problem. Let’s redress
the loss in farmer incomes as a true Filipino family.”
Pangilinan recalled that “since
August, when we anticipated the misery that would befall our farmers, we have
proposed an immediate government response.”
Now, he added, three months
hence, news reports are “validating our calculations: farmers have lost at
least P61.77 billion due to the continuous drop in farm-gate price of palay.”
He was apparently referring to a PhilRice study providing that estimate of
farmers’ income losses, as published by the BusinessMirror on November 15,
“Planters lose P61.77 billion due to rice price drop.”
DoF proposes sugar miller incentives as alternative to liberalized
imports
November 18, 2019 | 12:06 am 
STOCK PHOTO
STOCK PHOTO
THE Department of Finance (DoF)
has proposed to raise the share of the sugar crop retained by sugar millers to
give them more incentive to raise their efficiency levels, floating the
restructuring of the planter-miller relationship as a possible alternative to
liberalizing sugar imports.
Finance Secretary Carlos G.
Dominguez III told reporters last week that he proposed that Senate Majority
Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri consult the industry on increasing the millers’
take to encourage them to upgrade their machinery and improve their
sugar-extraction yields.
Mr. Dominguez said the industry
could look into a “new kind of relationship between a mill and the planter”
since under the law, the mills get 30-40% of the crop while 60-70% goes to the
planter, depending on the area.
Senators recently passed a
resolution opposing the liberalization of sugar imports proposed by the DoF as
a means of bringing down prices and making the food industry more competitive.
The resolution cited the possible impact of liberalization on sugar industry
jobs and the livelihood of small farmers.
“I also told Senator Zubiri that
the other problem is the legislation that regulates the relationship between
the planter and the mill.. Because of that, the mills have no incentive to
invest capital to improve the efficiency of their mill,” he said.
Millers extract syrup from cane,
producing raw sugar crystals for refining.
With more capital, Mr. Dominguez
said the mills can upgrade their technology and raise yields.
“When you put in capital
expenditure, you only are able to recover 30-40% of the revenue of the mill
because the balance goes to the sugar planter. Why should they put 100% of the
capital expenditure and only reap 30-40% of that,” he said.
He said that the sugar shortages
and high domestic prices should be addressed immediately as the population
grows and other producers become more competitive.
“If you look worldwide, the mills
and the farmers do not share. The mill buys the cane. So if they own the whole
cane then they can extract, they have every incentive to extract the most
amount of sugar so I don’t really know what will come out but the current
system has to be changed,” he said.
The DoF formally proposed to lift
the quantitative restrictions on sugar imports in a process likened to the
liberalization of rice imports, a prospect that led the politically
well-connected sugar industry to mobilize opposition.
“We will respect the desire of
the Senate to discuss this at length and I think it’s the right move,” he said.
In an economic bulletin, the DoF
said that quantitative restrictions on sugar imports need to be replaced with
tariffs in order to make prices more competitive for the food industry
competitive prices.
A month later, the recommendation
was opposed by the legislators after the Senate unanimously passed a resolution
claiming that liberalizing imports will not make the industry.
Mr. Zubiri has said that instead
of opening up the market to cheaper sugar imports, the economic team should
instead focus on the full implementation of the Republic Act. No. 10659 or the
Sugar Industry Development Act (SIDA) of 2015.
A component of the law is a
productivity enhancement programs, infrastructure support such as farm-to-mill
roads, research programs as well as financial support to small farmers.
“We will discuss it with them but
I said we’re not only going to be talking about liberalization (but) also about
improving the efficiency of the mills, how to incentivize that. Of course on
the cane production side, it’s a long discussion,” Mr. Dominguez said. — Beatrice
M. Laforga
Duterte orders suspension of rice importation to help local
farmers
Published November 17, 2019 8:58pm
President Rodrigo Duterte has
ordered the suspension of rice importation amid farmers' woes resulting from
the Rice Tariffication Law, GMA News' 24-Oras Weekend reported Sunday.
In an exclusive interview with
GMA News last Friday, Duterte said the government must now begin purchasing
local rice to help the local farmers who have emerged the biggest losers, as
affordable imported rice floods the market.
Last February, Duterte signed the Rice Tariffication Law that
removed quantitative restrictions on rice importation, which stabilized rice
supply and drove down prices.
But local farmers have been badly
hit by the effects of the law's implementation, which resulted in the huge drop
in the farm-gate prices of palay (non-milled rice).
Data from the Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA) as of October 25 showed that palay prices fell to their lowest in
eight years.
According to the PSA, the
farm-gate price of rice fell to P15.35 per kilo, which is 27% lower compared to
the prices in the same period last year.
Senator Francis Pangilinan,
chairman of the Senate Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws,
said all solutions to aid farmers affected by the implementation of the law
must be fast-tracked.
Also, he said the farmers should
be given cash compensation for their losses amounting to almost P60 billion.
Recently, the Philippines
has surpassed China as the biggest rice importer in the world after
it imported 3 million metric tons of rice in 2019. —Julia
Mari Ornedo/LBG, GMA News
Philippines: U.S. report: Philippines projected
to be top rice importer in world in 2019
4:00 am, November 18, 2019
By Karl R. Ocampo/Philippine Daily Inquirer via Asia News NetworkThe Philippines was on its way to become the world’s biggest
importer of rice this year following the government’s decision to allow the
unimpeded importation of the staple as a way to bring down prices,
international data showed.
A report by the United States’
Department of Agriculture-Foreign Agricultural Services (USDA-FAS) has
projected the country’s rice imports to reach a record 3 million metric tons
(MT) by year — the highest in the world and the highest for the country.
This tops the current biggest
importer of rice, China. The Asian nation, with a population of 1.4 billion, is
expected to import 2.5 million MT of rice this year.
Last month, the two countries
were tied at the top spot with a projection of 3.1 million MT of rice imports.
Based on USDA-FAS’ estimates, the
country’s imports would increase by 58 percent to 3 million MT from 1.9 million
MT last year, and by 275 percent against the 2017 record.
The spike in the country’s
imports was due to the enactment of the rice tariffication law in March, which
opened the country’s doors to unlimited rice imports.
With the new policy, traders are
now allowed to import rice regardless of the volume so long as they would be
able to secure the necessary permits and pay a tariff of 35 percent.
The volume of rice imports since
March has yet to slow down despite data from the Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA) showing that the country only needed to import about 1.9
million MT of rice to fill local demand.
Economic managers said the policy
shift would bring down the prices of rice in the market. As of October, PSA
data showed that the average retail price for regular milled and well-milled
rice had already gone down to Peso 37.22 and Peso 41.89 a kilogram,
respectively.
While these were lower by 14.3
percent and 18.6 percent from rates in the same period last year, they fell
short of the National Economic and Development Authority’s projection that the
cost of rice would go down to as low as Peso 25 a kilogram — lower by Peso 2
against the NFA rice in the market.
The average farm gate price of
palay, meanwhile, has plummeted to an eight-year low for being unable to
compete with more affordable imported rice.
As of October, the Bureau of
Customs said some 1.9 million MT of rice already entered the country, bringing
the country’s national inventory to 2.28 million MT during that month.
This was higher by 43.4 percent
than the previous year’s record of 1.59 million MT, and higher from the
previous month’s level.
Based on the country’s daily
average rice requirement of 32,000 MT, the latest inventory is sufficient for
71 days.
Nonetheless, the USDA-FAS is expecting the country’s rice
imports to slow down next year amid excessive supply and improved local
production.
Border closure: Losers, gainers
The federal government in August
closed the country’s land borders with Cameroon, Benin Republic and Niger; in
order to curb smuggling activities and insecurity among others. PAUL OKAH takes
a look at those benefiting and losing from the action which has attracted
applause and knocks.
The federal government’s announcement
in August, this year, that the country’s borders with Cameroon, Niger and
Benin, would be closed in order to curb the smuggling of cars, foodstuff,
electronics and other products, expectedly attracted reactions from different
quarters, especially those directly or indirectly affected by the decision or
benefiting from the actions taking place at the nation’s porous borders.
While the decision of the federal
government is seen by many as geared towards encouraging local production and
consumption of agricultural products, many view the decision as discouraging
for those earning a living from imported products, especially in communities
around the border areas.
Expectedly, prices of different
commodities have been reviewed upward by those benefiting from the border
closure. While the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said its earnings have
increased, civil servants and other Nigerians have been groaning under the
inflation in the prices of goods and service.
Arguably, the most affected in the
government’s decision is the Seme Border, which borders Lagos with Benin
Republic and through which a large volume of imported materials, legal and
illegal, arrive Nigeria.
NCS revenue increases
Interestingly, the Nigeria Customs
Service (NCS) has said it has made more money since it closed its land borders.
According to customs boss Ali, the agency has been making between N4.7 billion
to N5.8 billion daily, more than the agency used to generate before the
closure.
“What we have discovered is that
most of those cargoes used to go to Benin Republic. They were shipped to Benin
and then discharged and smuggled into Nigeria. But now, they are forced to
bring their goods to either Apapa or Tin Can Island and we have to collect duty
on them. As a matter of fact, our revenue has not reduced, it is increasing as
a result of closing the border,” he said.
Rice millers benefiting in Gombe
Similarly, in separate interviews
with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on November 6, 2019, some rice milers in
Gombe state said they have recorded increased sales and patronage since the
closure of the borders.
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, as many of the
rice millers, who hitherto shut down businesses, had reopened while others
formed themselves into clusters to process rice in large quantities.
Former Chairman, Rice Millers’
Association of Nigeria, Gombe state chapter, Umar Na-Abu, said the closure was
a good measure to boost employment and local production, as 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 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 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. But now we mill over 60 per day and we want to further expand. We see
the call to close the border as the best agriculture-friendly decision ever
taken in recent times.
“This is commendable. When
President Buhari came on board in 2015, he helped the farmers. Now farmers
through loans have produced enough paddies. We have a lot of rice that are not
being consumed but now we are getting huge money from the business; so we thank
Mr. President,’’ he said.
A rice distributor, Auwalu Abari,
said Nigeria had enough rice that could cater for the country even if borders
were to remain closed for five years, adding that interest in farming had now
increased.
According to him, with dry season
farming being encouraged by the Federal Government, paddies will be available
to service the milling industries to guarantee food security.
“I am a rice distributor and I
supply Lagos, Enugu, Aba, Port Harcourt, Oyo and many people are now calling me
everywhere. This business is good and we are now doing it with pride.
“I am happy with the closure.
Today, I pay N100,000 to labourers daily but before I was not paying even
N5,000. I have up to 40 people under me now as against two before. Before, I
supplied only 10 to 20 bags per day. Now I supply over 1,200 bags making two
trucks per day and the calls keep coming for more supplies,’’ he said.
Ghana threatens Nigerian residents
While many Nigerians at the home
front are still coming to terms with the implications of the border closure,
Nigerians doing business in Ghana
have been asked to quit their shops by Thursday, November 14, 2019, or be
forcibly evicted in apparent retaliation against the federal government’s
closure of the borders.
The ultimatum was issued by the
Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) and the Ghana Electrical Dealers
Association (GEDA).
According to different newspaper
reports, notices sighted at strategic locations in markets across Ghana,
especially in Kumasi, reads in capital letters: “Attention! Attention!
Attention! According to the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Law Act
865 Section 27A, you are not to be in our market. We are by this notice
informing you to leave our market by November 14, 2019, by GUTA.”
Another notice states: “Warning!
Warning! Warning! The agreement between GUTA, GEDA and the foreigners in our
market place is up. So, the foreigners are given up to this weekend to abide by
the agreement to leave our market places or they will be forcefully compelled
to abide by it, by GEDA and GUTA.”
A Nigerian trader in Ghana told
journalists: “They have closed some of the shops and threatened to close the
shops belonging to Nigerians before November 14. They are angry because of
Nigeria’s border closure, which has affected their businesses. The threat and
notice for Nigerians to quit their market premises have been on for about 15 years
now. There is an ongoing government campaign to send Nigerians back to their
country.
“Since the present government in
Ghana got into power, Nigerians are being deported for lack of work permits,
prostitution, fraud, and other excuses. They have increased the cost of getting
a work permit and taxation of Nigerian businesses in order to frustrate them.
Even when you pay for all these, it might take, at least, three months to get
back your international passport.”
Benin farmers weep
Benin became one of the world’s top
importers of rice because of its Nigerian market. Almost all of the rice it
imported from Thailand, Indonesia among others found its way to Nigeria through
the Seme Border unchecked. With a population of just 11 million, Benin’s
economy is hinged on trade with Nigeria.
However, the border closure has had
disastrous effects on vegetable growers in Benin, who are now struggling to
sell their produce. Now it is common to see spoiled, unsold vegetables
abandoned by the side of the road or, in some cases, even rotting on the vine.
Dozens of baskets of rotten tomatoes have been abandoned by the side of the
road in Grand-Popo, Benin.
The president of a
vegetable-growing collective in Houéyiho, a swampy area measuring about 37
acres in the centre of Cotonou, Charles Acakpo, told an online medium that they
are suffering and that “it’s been hard since Nigeria shut its border.”
He said: “A total of 337 farmers
grow their vegetables on this land as part of the collective. We grow all
different kinds of vegetables on our plots, including carrots, turnips and
different kinds of greens. Before the borders were closed, lots of Nigerians
came to buy our produce. We sold about 15 tons of vegetables a month, which
represented about 75 per cent of our total production. They were especially
fond of our lettuces and our carrots.
“But it has been really hard since
Nigeria closed its borders. We are really struggling to sell our produce. Here
in Cotonou there is much less demand. People aren’t buying, so we’ve suffered enormous
losses. We’d like our government to negotiate a re-opening of the border with
the Nigerian government. That would be a good thing for us and business could
start back up on both sides of the border.”
Another vegetable farmer, Jean
Adounsiba, who works with the collective in Houéyiho, said he was facing the
same struggles and that they have reduced their production because they can’t
sell many vegetables.
“The majority of our sales were to
Nigerians so, since the border closed, we’ve reduced our production because we
can’t sell as many vegetables. So we are sitting here, twiddling our thumbs. If
the border stays closed, the future is gloomy,” said.
FCT residents lament
Also, in separate interviews with
Blueprint Weekend, many FCT residents, especially civil servants, lamented the
consequences of the border closure, claiming that it was forcing the prices of
food items to increase, without a commensurate increase in their incomes.
A civil servant, Nnamdi Chukwu,
said that he was yet to get used to eating local rice, as he prefers foreign
rice because of its taste and stone free nature.
He maintained due to the border
closure, apart from rice, prices of other food items have increased forcing
consumers to review their choices.
He said: “It appears generally that
this year the prices of things are just increasing at a very rapid rate. For
instance, a mudu of foreign rice now cost about N750, against N450 and N500,
owing to the closure of border. This does not only affect the price of rice,
but it also affects other products. Even price of garri is also increasing.”
For a trader, Nathaniel Ugo, the
bother closure will bring more hardship to the less privileged Nigerian, as the
situation of the economy favours only the rich.
“The border is infesting
hardship and spelling doom. This decision is not okay at all, because it
affects everybody. The cost of living has become very high. Right now, a bag of
rice is N27,000, against the initial price of N16,000 before the border
closure and Christmas has not yet started. Government should reopen the border
so that goods can begin to flow in; to ease the burden of the common
Nigerians,” he said.
Similarly, a primary school
teacher, Mrs. Josephine Adebayo, said that farmers are greatly benefiting at
the expense of poor Nigerians, including civil servants, claiming that yam
sellers have also taken advantage of the border closure to increase the price
of their commodity, despite the new minimum wage not being paid.
“Even yam farmers are taking
advantage of the border closure to increase their own price. Everything is on
the increase and it’s not helping us as a nation at all.
“Government should reverse its
decision on this. It is not easy surviving in this high cost of living. With
the current minimum wage, it is really affecting families,” she said.
Also speaking, a trader, Christiana
Akpan, said that the impact of the border closure would be felt mostly during
the Yuletide, as no country can survive on its own.
She said: “Because of this border
closure our goods can not be exported. Exchange of goods becomes hindered and I
don’t see how this will affect our economy positively, because no country is
totally independent. We need each other to survive. The general increase in the
price of goods has affected nearly all areas. As petty traders, customers
hardly patronize us because there is no money in circulation. Everywhere is
dry.
“Even as Christmas is approaching,
affording food stuff, Christmas clothes for the children, and other
necessities, is going to be challenging if this border is not reopened. So we
are begging Mr. President to reconsider the plight of the masses that voted him
into office and reopen the border so that goods can come into the country
before we die of hunger. If we all die who will he govern then,” she asked.
FG gives conditions
On Wednesday last week, while
fielding questions from journalists at Maigatari/Niger border, Maigatari local
government area of Jigawa state, Comptroller General, NCS, Hameed Ali, said
Nigeria’s borders will remain closed until the country and its neighbours agree
on existing ECOWAS protocol on movement.
Ali, in company of the Comptroller
General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mohammed Babandede, and the
Head, Operation Border Drill, Emmanuel Aliyu Ndagi, said it was the first time
the entire military and paramilitary came together to ensure security and
wellbeing of Nigerians, as well as stop human trafficking.
He said by closing the borders,
Nigeria was able to completely block the importation of contraband, revealing that
the importation of foreign rice has stopped and the market for local varieties
has risen.
According to him, the number of
petty traders affected was insignificant compared to gains recorded through the
operation.
He said Nigeria’s neighbours had no
reason allowing cars, cooking oil and other contraband items to pass through
their borders into Nigeria.
“There is no specific time for
opening the borders. However, if they agree with us tomorrow on the existing
laws, then we sign and update the existing protocol of transit, that’s all. We
are looking forward to meeting with them and there are moves to sit with them
to make them understand why we are doing what we are doing and what we want to
achieve by doing what we are doing.
“If you check our website, you will
see the seizures and interception we’ve made. We are able to completely block
the influxes of illicit goods, and most important, stopped the exportation of
petroleum product which is the biggest problem we have. We’ve also stopped the
influx of rice and our rice is now selling. Even those selling garri that have
been abandoned because there was cheap rice are making brisk business.
“This is because people are now
buying garri as food. So, I think the economy is now picking up and we are
grateful for that. There must be collateral damage in this kind of situation.
Somebody must miss one or two things. For instance, Niger has no reason to
allow rice, cooking oil and other illicit goods to pass through its borders to
come to Nigeria. So, if it is their national interest to collect revenue it is
our national interest to close our borders until we sit down and discuss.”
Daily
Trust agric confab to highlight emerging opportunities
By Vincent A. Yusuf | Published Date
Nov 17, 2019 5:07 AM
Key leaders in Nigeria’s
agricultural sector, who would attend the forthcoming Daily Trust Agric
conference and exhibition, have indicated strong willingness to inspire
participants to grab emerging opportunities. The Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development, Alhaji Muhammadu Sabo Nanono, is expected to lead the
ministry’s high-powered delegation, while many captains of industry have shown
interest to grace the event, which will be held in Lagos, the country’s
business capital. ADVERTISEMENT The event, with the theme: Repositioning Rice,
Sugar and Dairy Production for Optimal Yield, is scheduled to hold from November
26 to 27, 2019 at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
ADVERTISEMENT OVER 5,000 NIGERIAN MEN HAVE OVERCOME POOR BEDROOM PERFORMANCE
SYNDROME DUE TO THIS BRILLIANT DISCOVERY The Nigeria Incentive-based Risk
Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL); Nestle Nigeria Plc; Nigeria
Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC);
Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN);
Rice Millers/Paddy Rice Dealers Associations; and the Nigeria Association of
Chambers of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), have confirmed
their readiness to participate in the agric conference and exhibition. The
co-chairman of the Nigeria Agribusiness Group, Mr Emmanuel Ijewere, will be the
chairman of the two-day event.
Discussions are also ongoing with six state
governments, who have also indicated interest to participate. These are Benue,
Cross River, Taraba, Kebbi, Ebonyi and Lagos. Other key private sector players
expected at the event include those in agro chemical companies, commercial
dairy farmers, agro-allied and agro-processing industries, members of the AFAN
and FACAN, among others. The event, which will feature presentations and panel
discussions, is expected to galvanise critical stakeholders along the three
value chains towards enhancing productivity. The Nigeria Economic Summit Group
(NESG) and the Lagos Business School (LBS) are also partners of Media Trust
Limited in this event. The highlight of the event will include exhibition by
various stakeholders, players, technology developers, processors and other
value chain actors in the country’s agricultural sector.
Now, rice, ginger, garlic prices
rising
Onion down ‘slightly’ in wholesale markets
Staff Reporter, Dhaka
Amid a mass outcry over
skyrocketing prices of onions, prices of other kitchen essentials such as rice,
garlic, and ginger have silently marked a northward trend. Miniket rice was
selling for Tk. 45–52 a kg just a week ago. But the prices have gone up by Tk
3, being sold for Tk. 48-55 a kg in the capital’s kitchen market yesterday.
Also, the price of Nazirshail rice was Tk. 53–60 a kg yesterday as against last
week's Tk. 52–56.
Traders at Krishi Market in
Mohammadpur said the prices of fine rice varieties had gone up by Tk. 4-6 in a
week. The price of garlic also increased by Tk. 10–20 a kilogram over the last
one week. Garlic imported from China was retailing at Tk. 140–170 a kg, while
its local variety was selling for Tk. 160–180 in the kitchen markets in the
capital. The price of ginger also increased by Tk. 10–20 a kg, with its local
variety of the spice being sold for Tk 150-160 per kg and the imported variety
between Tk 140 and Tk 200. Why the sudden rise in prices?
After visiting several wholesale
stores of Karwan Bazar and Mohammadpur Krishi market in the capital yesterday,
this correspondent found that each 50-kg sack of Miniket rice was selling for
Tk. 2,300, which is around Tk 300 higher than the price a week ago.
The price of each 50-kilo sack of
Nazirshail rice shot up by at least Tk. 200 to Tk. 2,800.
BR-28 rice was priced at Tk. 1,
900, up from Tk. 1, 700 at the end of last week.
Hazi lokman, a rice trader from
Karwan Bazar, said millers increased prices by up to Tk. 200 for each 50-kg
sack regardless of the quality in the last few days. He also blamed the
transportation system for the sudden hike in the price. A truck can carry 15
tonnes, but each vehicle is currently carrying 12 tonnes, causing supply
shortfalls and raising the prices indirectly, he explained. “What can we do
except hoping that the government would do something,” said the frustrated rice
trader.
He also said that the wholesalers
could only make marginal profits as the millers were bagging the hefty sum.
However, Anwar, a trader from
Mohammadpur, the biggest wholesale hub of Dhaka city, told the Independent that
the increasing paddy price was the main reason for the recent hike in rice
prices. He also mentioned that the price would not come down until the arrival
of new paddy next year. “The price of Miniket rice has increased as the stock
of the rice harvested in summer has depleted,” said Anwar. Retailers said that
they had to sell the rice at prices in line with the wholesale market value.
“I am selling Miniket rice at Tk.
58 a kg, which was around Tk 50-52 last week,” said Golam Mostafa, a grocer in
the Mirpur-2 area.
“Since I had stockpiled several
sacks of Nazirshail rice, I am now selling those at the earlier price,” he said
with a hint of frustration in his voice.
“What else could I do? I have to
maintain good relationships with my customers,” he added.
Noor Ali, a Mirpur-2 resident, said
the sudden hike was taking a serious toll on his budget. He blamed the
government, especially the commerce ministry, for the price hike, saying it
failed to ensure regular monitoring of the commodity market.
Minister’s view
Amid increase in prices of food
grains, Food minister Shadan Chandra Majumder sat with rice millers and
wholesale traders at Khaddya Bhaban in the capital yesterday. Urging the
millers and wholesalers not to indulge in immoral business practices, the
minister told them to be more careful while running their businesses.
“I’ve learned from newspapers
that rice prices have gone up slightly in the last few days. However, our
reserves are still high. Like onion prices, there shouldn’t be any problem with
rice prices.” he said.
“There has been an unnecessary
scandal over onion price… it shouldn’t happen to rice,” he told reporters.
He mentioned that OMS dealers
refuse to buy rice from the government because of its lower price. “OMS dealers
cannot sell rice at the rate of Tk 30 per kg. So, they don’t want to take
it. It doesn’t mean we’ve bad quality rice in our warehouses,” the
minister added. Sadhan Chandra went on to say, “We also monitor the
market. We’ve seen the price of fine rice has marked a rise bit.”
Mentioning that there will be no
rice export, the minister said, “If we’ve to export it, then it’s the fine rice
but it’s consumed by all. I, therefore, cannot approve it.”
“According to our data, there is
sufficient stock and supply of rice in the country. We told the traders and
millers not to increase the price of rice,” he said.
The minister said since everybody
wanted to eat fine rice rather than coarse rice, the price of the former was a
little high. “It is true that farmers suffer when the price is less. And
consumers complain when the price rises,” he added.
No let up on onion prices
Onion prices touched a record
high of Tk. 240–250 a kg in Dhaka’s retail kitchen markets over the last week.
Even imported onions from Myanmar
sold for Tk. 230–240 a kg.
The Trading Corporation of
Bangladesh (TCB) continues its open market sale of onion across the city, with
people queuing up in long lines in front of their selling points. When
asked if they have any plan to increase the number of OMS points, TCB
spokesperson Humayun Kabir replied in the negative.
“Onions are selling for Tk. 45 a
kg at OMS points regularly. We have no plans to increase the OMS point.
Besides, we have nothing to do with the high price, except selling onions at
OMS points at lower prices,” he added.
The TCB started selling onions in
Dhaka from September 7.
In Dhaka’s major markets, onions
retailed at Tk. 240-250 a kg. Onions from Myanmar retailed at Tk. 230 a kg and
those from China at Tk. 220.
Meanwhile, a petition seeking a
probe to find out those involved in the skyrocketing prices of onion has been
lodged at the High Court (HC).
“The petition is likely to be
heard by the bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul
Alam,” said lawyer Md Tanvir Ahmed, who filed the writ yesterday. The writ seeks
an HC rule on why the failure of those responsible for controlling prices
should not be declared illegal.
Garlic, ginger prices in retail
market
Prices of ginger and garlic
continued to increase in the city’s kitchen markets over the week.
Traders said that the prices went
up in the city markets due to a supply shortage of local varieties of the
items.
The price of garlic increased by
Tk. 20-30 a kg over the week.
Abdul Momin, a trader in
Karwan Bazar, said garlic imported from China was selling for Tk. 150–160 a kg
and its local variety for Tk. 90–110.
He, however, said low-quality
garlic imported from India was selling for Tk. 100–120 per kg. Momin said the
price of ginger increased by Tk. 10–20 a kg, with its local variety selling for
Tk. 150–160 and imported variety for Tk. 180–200.
He also said the spiralling of
garlic and ginger had nothing to do with the skyrocketing of onion prices.
He cited supply shortages as the
reason behind the hike in garlic and ginger prices.
Rice prices go
up by Tk 8 in a week
Staff Correspondent | Published: 00:41,
Nov 18,2019 | Updated: 00:48, Nov 18,2019
Prices of rice increased up to Tk 8 a kilogram in a week
with the rise in the staple prices by Tk 2 a kg on Sunday in city markets.
Food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder requested business people
not to increase the prices of rice unnecessarily.
Against the backdrop of sudden hike in rice prices, the minister
held a meeting with rice miller at the auditorium of the Directorate General of
Food in the city on Sunday.
The prices of fine varieties of rice increased by Tk 2 a
kilogram on Sunday in the city markets.
The fine variety of Miniket rice was selling for Tk 55-62 a kg
while its coarse variety was retailing at Tk 53-54 a kg.
The fine variety of Najirshail rice was retailing at Tk 58-62 a
kg and its standard variety at Tk 52-55 a kg.
The coarse variety of Sawrna rice was selling for Tk 38-40 a kg
while BR-28 rice was retailing at Tk 42-46 a kg in the city markets on Sunday.
Earlier, the prices of some varieties of rice increased by Tk 6
a kg in the city markets between Monday and Tuesday.
To control the unusual surge in prices of rice, food minister on
Sunday arranged a meeting to know the reasons behind the price hike.
The millers informed the minister that prices of rice increased
as the prices of paddy went up in the market, said a participant of the
meeting.
‘We have huge quantity of rice stock and we have instructed mill
owners not to increase the prices of the staple food,’ Sadhan Chandra told
reporters after the meeting.
He said the food habits of Bangladeshi people have been changed
and most of the people including day labourers prefer to take fine variety of
rice.
The prices of fine variety of rice increased in the market as
the changing food habit of consumers put pressure on the item, he said.
The minister also said the prices of paddy went up in the market
and now growers are getting high prices.
Bangladesh Auto Rice Mill Owner’s Association president AKM
Khorshed Alam Khan said the food minister instructed them not to increase the
prices of rice.
‘I think there was no need to be worry about the rice prices as
sufficient paddy remained stock in the country,’ he said.
‘We requested the government to ensure smooth transportation of
rice. If transportation of rice is interrupted due to enforcement of Road
Transport Act 2018, the prices of the staple may increase,’ Khorshed said.
Local rice production has not taken advantage of border closure
– Investigations
By Gbenga
Akinfenwa, Gbenga Salau (Lagos) Abdulganiyu Alabi (Kaduna) and Murtala Adewale
(Kano)
17 November 2019
| 4:11 am
• MITROS Rice Not Available In Ogun Markets
• No Lake Rice Production
• No Special Arrangement For Rice Farming In Kaduna
• Farmers, Processors, Count Gains In Kano
In the
wake of soaring price of local rice induced by closure of the borders, there is
anxiety across the country regarding what the market would look like in the
last two months of the year, especially festive periods of Christmas and New
Year.
On
August 21, 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a partial closure of the
Seme border between Nigeria and Benin Republic and other borders with
neighbouring Niger, Cameroun and others to check smuggling and illegal movement
of light arms.
Since
then, attention has shifted to production of local rice. Subsequently, the
increased demand has led to price increase. A 50kg of locally produced rice
that was sold for between N12, 500 and N13, 000 now sells between N24, 000 and
N27, 000 in the last few weeks.
There
was however, a ray of hope late last month when President of the Rice Farmers
Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Aminu Goronyo gave the public an assurance that
a 50kg bag will soon sell for N9, 000. He also promised that more rice would
flood the market to force down prices, against the claim that hoarding was
responsible for the price hike.
Aminu
Goronyo said: “We have a bumper harvest that we never had before. We have never
had the type of bumper harvests that we recorded this year…There are enemies of
this country who buy and store this commodity just because they want to create
artificial scarcity…Our promise is that Nigerians will continue to get this
commodity at an affordable price and it will be available.
“I don’t
think the price will go up, rather the only thing we hope is that the price
will continue to come down and definitely it will. Some of our millers sell at
N12, 000 and we hope that Nigerians will buy a 50kg milled rice at between N9,
000 and N10, 000,” Goronyo added.
But
based on findings, his projections are far from reality because of the negative
signals coming from rice producing states and others who claimed to have
invested heavily in rice cultivation.
Rather
than the market witnessing a deluge of rice from the states to force down
current high prices, rice from states have suddenly disappeared from markets,
contrary to claims of massive investment to boost rice production.
The
question on the lips of rice-loving citizens, is whither government-cultivated
rice?
OGUN
Currently, Ogun State branded rice-MITROS Rice has vanished from the market, according to findings. Since the state allegedly rolled out 150,000 bags in November 2018, the product is not seen in the market, especially during the festive season when it was needed most. A section of the state residents, especially those living far from the state capital claimed little is heard of the brand.
Currently, Ogun State branded rice-MITROS Rice has vanished from the market, according to findings. Since the state allegedly rolled out 150,000 bags in November 2018, the product is not seen in the market, especially during the festive season when it was needed most. A section of the state residents, especially those living far from the state capital claimed little is heard of the brand.
From
findings, only few people had access to it. It was alleged that access to the
brand is complicated, as you could not walk into any market and get MITROS
rice.
Even
now, when the state ought to capitalise on the border closure to register its
presence, it was confirmed by a reliable source that there is no MITROS rice in
the market and there may not be any till next year.
The
source disclosed that the milling machine at the Asero processing plant, has
packed-up and there is no plan in the offing to put it back to work.
But the
privately produced Ofada rice is thriving, but not in great quantities to
saturate the markets.
LAGOS
Apart from the three years (2016-2018) LAKE Rice was made available to Lagosians that record was broken last December. The brand has totally disappeared from circulation.
Apart from the three years (2016-2018) LAKE Rice was made available to Lagosians that record was broken last December. The brand has totally disappeared from circulation.
In all
the markets visited in Lagos, there was no Lake Rice for sale. At Amuwo-Odofin
Shopping Centre, one of the traders said she last sold the brand in April.
Those in
Mile 2 Oke market said they never sold Lake Rice. At Daleko Market, one of the
traders claimed he sold the last batch about a month ago, which was at N18,
500. This was far higher than the price the state government pegged it.
The new
administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu promised return of Lake Rice, but without
subsidy, meaning an over 15 per cent price increase.
Before it
went off the market, a 50kg sold for N12, 000; 25kg for N6, 000 and 10kg for
N2, 500 in about 10 locations across the state, designated as sales points. The
state government then said residents could only buy one bag, as it wanted to
ensure that the rice got to everybody.
To
increase the availability of Lake Rice beyond the 10 sales points, in December
2017, the state government sought the participation of major rice distributors
by signing a partnership with them for the transportation, distribution and marketing
of Lake Rice.
However,
in the third quarter of 2018, after the government had signed the Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) for mass distribution and sales, the rice was no longer
available at sales points and markets. And that was the scenario till former
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode left office in May till now.
On the
non-availability of the rice in markets, a source in the ministry of
agriculture said the state government buys from Kebbi State, bag it and sell in
Lagos, contrary to claims that the state has rice plantations in Kebbi.
“The
process to buy another batch has not been concluded, reason it has not been in
the market.”
KADUNA
Despite the border closure, there are no special arrangements by the Kaduna State Government tap into vast local market with investment in rice production.
Despite the border closure, there are no special arrangements by the Kaduna State Government tap into vast local market with investment in rice production.
As one
of the main rice producing states, majority of Nigerians are
expecting nothing less from the Kaduna in terms of championing rice production.
A market
survey by The Guardian across markets, show that a 50kg bag of local rice
previously sold for N9, 000 now sells for N15, 500. For instance, at Bakin-Dogo
Market, a bushel of local rice previously sold at the rate of N350 is now N550.
The
Secretary of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Kaduna State chapter, Mr. Ishaya
Audu, who confirmed the development, linked it to government’s failure to
invest and boost rice cultivation.
“We have
been trying to discuss with the Governor. We have written series of letters on
our willingness as rice farmers to meet him, to address this issue; we are yet
to be given audience. Rice farmers in Kaduna are cultivating without any
serious intervention from government, which is the problem. The warehouse we
are using now belongs to the state government, despite that, we still have to pay them
for rent, which ought not to be so.”
He
called on the state government to assist rice farmers, especially by building
dams for dry season rice farming. “If they build dams in different locations,
rice farmers will have the opportunity of cultivating rice three times in a
season.”
KANO
The border closure is a boost for local rice production in Kano State, as farmers, processors and traders record increase in sales and marginal returns.
The border closure is a boost for local rice production in Kano State, as farmers, processors and traders record increase in sales and marginal returns.
With
about 20,000 growers and an average yield of 3.72 tons in both wet and dry
seasons, rice production and patronage could do much better without the influx
of foreign brands.
A Rice
farmer, Munzali Jibril told The Guardian that the border closure has boosted
his production from five hectares to 20 due to increased demand.
Munzali
added that gone are the days when farmers passed through series of middle men
before pushing their paddy to markets at average cost of N7, 000, saying a 75kg
of paddy now goes for between N9, 000 and N11, 000.
“Honestly,
the closure of the borders is more or less a blessing to we farmers, especially
because rice farmers have more opportunity to expand our production because
there is ready market for our produce.”
Alhaji
Abba Dantata, a rice m illers Kano, said the border closure would enable processors
redouble their capacity.
Abba
said before the closure, majority of rice millers in Kano were almost running
bankrupt due to low sales, the development, which he said would have led to job
losses and economic collapse.
He
explained that millers are presently pushing out 10 trucks of finished products
to the markets on daily basis. He said no less than 70 jobs in his company
would have been lost, if not for the government intervention.
According
to him: “Before border closure, when foreign rice dominated the market, we
hardly moved five trucks of locally processed rice. The action has really
helped the millers because, we can now get more paddy as farmers are now
redoubling their production capacity.”
Aminu
Yakubu, a rice retailer in the popular Singer, in Sabon Gari market, Kano, said
local rice now sells for between N14, 500 and N16, 000.
“Local
rice is selling more than foreign rice now. Before you sell five bags of
foreign brands, 10 bags of local rice would have been purchased. Let me tell
you, many people are even afraid of selling foreign rice now because of
Customs. If you cannot prove that the ones in your store are old stocks, the
Customs will arrest and dispossess you of the rice.”
Local rice production has not taken advantage of border closure
– Investigations
By Gbenga
Akinfenwa, Gbenga Salau (Lagos) Abdulganiyu Alabi (Kaduna) and Murtala Adewale
(Kano)
17 November 2019
| 4:11 am
• MITROS Rice Not Available In Ogun Markets
• No Lake Rice Production
• No Special Arrangement For Rice Farming In Kaduna
• Farmers, Processors, Count Gains In Kano
In the
wake of soaring price of local rice induced by closure of the borders, there is
anxiety across the country regarding what the market would look like in the
last two months of the year, especially festive periods of Christmas and New
Year.
On
August 21, 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a partial closure of the
Seme border between Nigeria and Benin Republic and other borders with
neighbouring Niger, Cameroun and others to check smuggling and illegal movement
of light arms.
Since
then, attention has shifted to production of local rice. Subsequently, the
increased demand has led to price increase. A 50kg of locally produced rice
that was sold for between N12, 500 and N13, 000 now sells between N24, 000 and
N27, 000 in the last few weeks.
There
was however, a ray of hope late last month when President of the Rice Farmers
Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Aminu Goronyo gave the public an assurance that
a 50kg bag will soon sell for N9, 000. He also promised that more rice would
flood the market to force down prices, against the claim that hoarding was
responsible for the price hike.
Aminu
Goronyo said: “We have a bumper harvest that we never had before. We have never
had the type of bumper harvests that we recorded this year…There are enemies of
this country who buy and store this commodity just because they want to create
artificial scarcity…Our promise is that Nigerians will continue to get this
commodity at an affordable price and it will be available.
“I don’t
think the price will go up, rather the only thing we hope is that the price
will continue to come down and definitely it will. Some of our millers sell at
N12, 000 and we hope that Nigerians will buy a 50kg milled rice at between N9,
000 and N10, 000,” Goronyo added.
But
based on findings, his projections are far from reality because of the negative
signals coming from rice producing states and others who claimed to have
invested heavily in rice cultivation.
Rather
than the market witnessing a deluge of rice from the states to force down
current high prices, rice from states have suddenly disappeared from markets,
contrary to claims of massive investment to boost rice production.
The
question on the lips of rice-loving citizens, is whither government-cultivated
rice?
OGUN
Currently, Ogun State branded rice-MITROS Rice has vanished from the market, according to findings. Since the state allegedly rolled out 150,000 bags in November 2018, the product is not seen in the market, especially during the festive season when it was needed most. A section of the state residents, especially those living far from the state capital claimed little is heard of the brand.
Currently, Ogun State branded rice-MITROS Rice has vanished from the market, according to findings. Since the state allegedly rolled out 150,000 bags in November 2018, the product is not seen in the market, especially during the festive season when it was needed most. A section of the state residents, especially those living far from the state capital claimed little is heard of the brand.
From
findings, only few people had access to it. It was alleged that access to the
brand is complicated, as you could not walk into any market and get MITROS
rice.
Even
now, when the state ought to capitalise on the border closure to register its
presence, it was confirmed by a reliable source that there is no MITROS rice in
the market and there may not be any till next year.
The
source disclosed that the milling machine at the Asero processing plant, has
packed-up and there is no plan in the offing to put it back to work.
But the
privately produced Ofada rice is thriving, but not in great quantities to
saturate the markets.
LAGOS
Apart from the three years (2016-2018) LAKE Rice was made available to Lagosians that record was broken last December. The brand has totally disappeared from circulation.
Apart from the three years (2016-2018) LAKE Rice was made available to Lagosians that record was broken last December. The brand has totally disappeared from circulation.
In all
the markets visited in Lagos, there was no Lake Rice for sale. At Amuwo-Odofin
Shopping Centre, one of the traders said she last sold the brand in April.
Those in
Mile 2 Oke market said they never sold Lake Rice. At Daleko Market, one of the
traders claimed he sold the last batch about a month ago, which was at N18,
500. This was far higher than the price the state government pegged it.
The new
administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu promised return of Lake Rice, but without
subsidy, meaning an over 15 per cent price increase.
Before
it went off the market, a 50kg sold for N12, 000; 25kg for N6, 000 and 10kg for
N2, 500 in about 10 locations across the state, designated as sales points. The
state government then said residents could only buy one bag, as it wanted to
ensure that the rice got to everybody.
To
increase the availability of Lake Rice beyond the 10 sales points, in December
2017, the state government sought the participation of major rice distributors
by signing a partnership with them for the transportation, distribution and
marketing of Lake Rice.
However,
in the third quarter of 2018, after the government had signed the Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) for mass distribution and sales, the rice was no longer
available at sales points and markets. And that was the scenario till former
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode left office in May till now.
On the
non-availability of the rice in markets, a source in the ministry of
agriculture said the state government buys from Kebbi State, bag it and sell in
Lagos, contrary to claims that the state has rice plantations in Kebbi.
“The
process to buy another batch has not been concluded, reason it has not been in
the market.”
KADUNA
Despite the border closure, there are no special arrangements by the Kaduna State Government tap into vast local market with investment in rice production.
Despite the border closure, there are no special arrangements by the Kaduna State Government tap into vast local market with investment in rice production.
As one
of the main rice producing states, majority of Nigerians are
expecting nothing less from the Kaduna in terms of championing rice production.
A market
survey by The Guardian across markets, show that a 50kg bag of local rice
previously sold for N9, 000 now sells for N15, 500. For instance, at Bakin-Dogo
Market, a bushel of local rice previously sold at the rate of N350 is now N550.
The
Secretary of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Kaduna State chapter, Mr.
Ishaya Audu, who confirmed the development, linked it to government’s failure
to invest and boost rice cultivation.
“We have
been trying to discuss with the Governor. We have written series of letters on
our willingness as rice farmers to meet him, to address this issue; we are yet
to be given audience. Rice farmers in Kaduna are cultivating without any
serious intervention from government, which is the problem. The warehouse we
are using now belongs to the state government, despite that, we still have to
pay them for rent, which ought not to be so.”
He
called on the state government to assist rice farmers, especially by building
dams for dry season rice farming. “If they build dams in different locations,
rice farmers will have the opportunity of cultivating rice three times in a
season.”
KANO
The border closure is a boost for local rice production in Kano State, as farmers, processors and traders record increase in sales and marginal returns.
The border closure is a boost for local rice production in Kano State, as farmers, processors and traders record increase in sales and marginal returns.
With
about 20,000 growers and an average yield of 3.72 tons in both wet and dry
seasons, rice production and patronage could do much better without the influx
of foreign brands.
A Rice
farmer, Munzali Jibril told The Guardian that the border closure has boosted
his production from five hectares to 20 due to increased demand.
Munzali
added that gone are the days when farmers passed through series of middle men
before pushing their paddy to markets at average cost of N7, 000, saying a 75kg
of paddy now goes for between N9, 000 and N11, 000.
“Honestly,
the closure of the borders is more or less a blessing to we farmers, especially
because rice farmers have more opportunity to expand our production because
there is ready market for our produce.”
Alhaji
Abba Dantata, a rice m illers Kano, said the border closure would enable
processors redouble their capacity.
Abba
said before the closure, majority of rice millers in Kano were almost running
bankrupt due to low sales, the development, which he said would have led to job
losses and economic collapse.
He
explained that millers are presently pushing out 10 trucks of finished products
to the markets on daily basis. He said no less than 70 jobs in his company
would have been lost, if not for the government intervention.
According
to him: “Before border closure, when foreign rice dominated the market, we
hardly moved five trucks of locally processed rice. The action has really
helped the millers because, we can now get more paddy as farmers are now
redoubling their production capacity.”
Aminu
Yakubu, a rice retailer in the popular Singer, in Sabon Gari market, Kano, said
local rice now sells for between N14, 500 and N16, 000.
“Local
rice is selling more than foreign rice now. Before you sell five bags of
foreign brands, 10 bags of local rice would have been purchased. Let me tell
you, many people are even afraid of selling foreign rice now because of
Customs. If you cannot prove that the ones in your store are old stocks, the
Customs will arrest and dispossess you of the rice.”
DTI’s
plan to import rice for fast food chains ‘insensitive’ – Marcos
By Panay
News
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Senator Imee Marcos
THE government’s plan to import
rice on behalf of fast food chains, grocery stores, and small supermarkets,
instead of buying local, is insensitive, Senator Imee Marcos said Friday.
Marcos is seriously disappointed
that a government-owned corporation under the Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI) would prioritize imports over local produce at a time when rice farmers
nationwide have been selling their harvest at depressed prices or even at a
loss.
“The announcement of Secretary
Lopez is insensitive and ill-timed. Cheaper imported rice is not worth the
breakdown in the livelihood of Filipino rice farmers,” she said.
The DTI chief announced the plan
on the sidelines of an international rice conference in Makati City, noting
that up to 300 containers could be shipped into the country in the next few
months.
“Where is our conscience and what
got into the heads of these businessmen who choose foreign goods over our very
own at a time of crisis?” Marcos said.
“Have pity on our rice farmers
who could hardly make a living. Just drop it!” she added. (GMA News)
Excess rice tariffs should go straight to beleaguered farmers
Updated November 17, 2019, 6:38 PM
By Ellson Quismorio
A House leader is set to file
this week a measure which would allow the government to tap all rice import
tariff collections in excess of the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness
Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to set up a special emergency fund for farmers affected
by falling farm gate prices of the staple food following its recent market
deregulation.
Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte
(FACEBOOK / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
(FACEBOOK / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Deputy Speaker Camarines Sur 2nd
district Rep. LRay Villafuerte said he will file a joint resolution to provide
congressional authorization for an immediate special fund to enable the
Department of Agriculture (DA) to distribute direct cash transfers to small
farmers to help them cope with low prices of palay (unhusked rice) this main
harvest season.
The plunging farm gate prices
have been attributed to Republic Act (RA) 11203, the Rice Tariffication Law
(RTL). Implemented last March, the law did away with the old quantitative
restrictions on imported rice in exchange for tariffs.
The RCEF, a component of RA 11203
that’s been packaged as an aid mechanism for local farmers, is made possible
via the collected tariffs.
The low prices of palay —
reported to be less than P10 a kilo in some provinces–have resulted in “huge
income losses for rice farmers and the industry, which is now estimated at
around P50 billion at current prices,” Villafuerte said.
To modernize the farm sector and
make local palay growers globally competitive, RA 11203 provides for the creation
of the RCEF, which shall have an annual appropriation of P10 billion over the
next six years, to be sourced from the tariff revenues collected by the Bureau
of Customs (BOC) from rice imports.
Villafuerte noted that since the
law took effect in March up to end-October this year, BOC collections from rice
import tariffs have already reached P11.4 billion, or an excess of P1.4
billion in revenues supposedly earmarked for RCEF.
The excess amount plus subsequent
BOC collections till the yearend should be channeled, he said, to his proposed
Rice Farmer Financial Assistance (RFFA) program to finance a cash transfer
system for palay farmers—similar to the cash subsidies that low-income
households and other vulnerable sectors are now getting separately from the
social protection initiatives of various government agencies.
“Rather than wait for excess
amount to be appropriated under the national budget for the following year when
this was collected, the Congress should act now and do its share in helping our
distraught rice farmers survive this temporary drop in palay farm gate prices
and transition to the new rice tariffication regime,” Villafuerte said.
Under Section 13 of the RTL, the
excess of P10 billion for RCEF shall be earmarked by Congress for RFFA, titling
of agricultural rice land, expanded crop insurance program on rice, and crop
diversification program, “and included in the General Appropriations Act (GAA)
of the following year.”
“There is an urgent need to immediately
set-up the Rice Farmer Financial Assistance as a supplementary and transitional
safety measure to serve as compensation to rice farmers who are farming two
hectares and below for the reduction or loss of their farm income arising from
the tariffication of the quantitative import restrictions on rice,” Villafuerte
said.
The deputy speaker said that
owing to the urgency of providing financial succor to the country’s beleaguered
rice farmers, the National Treasury can declare the import tariff collections
beyond the P10-billion RCEF as excess or surplus income, which Congress can
then authorize to be funneled into the proposed RFFA program.
Villafuerte said the passage of
his proposed joint resolution, which will undergo the same process as that of a
bill, will have the full force and effect of a law once approved by both the
House and the Senate.
Under RA 11203, the P10-billion
RCEF shall be allocated as follows: 50 percent or P5 billion for the
procurement of rice farm machinery and equipment to be distributed as grant in
kind to eligible farmers associations, rice cooperatives, and local government
units for the purpose of improving farm mechanization; 30 percent or P3 billion
for the development, propagation, and promotion of high-quality rice seeds; 10
percent or P1 billion for expanded rice credit assistance with minimal interest
rates; and 10 percent or P1 billion for rice extension services.
Villafuerte said the amount of
P10 billion was appropriated for RCEF under the unprogrammed appropriations of
the 2019 GAA. Since the law’s effectivity, the DA has been rolling out the
mandated interventions as prescribed by RA 11203.
There are 2.5 million rice
farmers in the country
60% jump in farm fires
between 2002 and 2016: Study
Since the first week of November, the combined impact
of a change in wind direction, dip in temperature and crop residue burning has
plunged Delhi’s air quality to the ‘severe’ and ‘very poor’ categories.
Written by Shivam Patel |New Delhi |Updated: November
17, 2019 8:28:40 am
Rice production in Punjab rose by 25% from 2002 to
2016
Between 2002 and 2016, the fire count in Punjab’s
fields increased by 60%, a study that has drawn a link between rising paddy
productivity and stubble burning in the state suggests.
According to the study, ‘Connecting Crop
Productivity, Residue Fires, and Air Quality over Northern India’, published in
the journal Nature, rice production in Punjab increased by 25% and vegetation
index by 21% between 2002 and 2016. Crop residue is estimated to be 1.5 to 2.25
times the quantity of the crop.
The rise in fire counts led to an increase in aerosol
loading by nearly 43%, which are fine particles suspended in the air that cause
air quality to deteriorate and aid formation of haze and smog, over not just
Delhi but the Indo-Gangetic plain, the study said. It also noted a 60% spike in
the concentration of ground-level particulate matter of 2.5 micrometres over
Delhi post-monsoon.
Since the first week of November, the combined impact
of a change in wind direction, dip in temperature and crop residue burning has
plunged Delhi’s air quality to the ‘severe’ and ‘very poor’ categories. The
Delhi government has blamed the practice of crop residue burning, while experts
pointed out that Delhi’s high basal pollution level is also part of the
problem.
“A robust relationship between vegetation index,
which is a proxy for crop productivity, and post-harvest accumulated fire
activity, a precursor of poor air quality, allows the prediction of intensity
of crop fire season and the resulting degradation of air quality in advance,”
the study stated.
The study has been carried out by researchers from
US-based institutes including Universities Space Research Association, NASA
Goddard Space Flight Centre, Columbia University, Environmental Defence Fund
and Science Systems and Applications.
As per sources in the Punjab Pollution Control Board,
a change in the pattern of sowing paddy is also why the effects of farm fires
are felt more now than before 2009. “In 2009, the Punjab Preservation of
Subsoil Water Act was passed, which mandated that paddy be sown only after May
15 to save groundwater. Sowing would earlier happen in April. Now, stubble
burning coincides with the change in wind direction to northwesterly, and the
smoke is carried towards Delhi,” said an official who did not want to be named.
The study also noted that between 7,000 and 16,000
premature deaths and 6 million asthma attacks per year have been attributed to
the observed PM 2.5 levels in Delhi, which on an average ranges between 87 and
123. The standard is 60 µg/m3.
Climate
researchers predict a bleak future for today’s children
November 16, 2019
Climate researchers predict a bleak future for today’s children
Children born today will face a
lifetime of climate change-related health problems, one of the world’s oldest
and most prestigious medical journals warns in a report released yesterday.
Unless drastic action is taken to
curb greenhouse gas emissions, a child born today will grow up in a world that
threatens their health and wellbeing from every angle. This is the dire
prediction from the 2019 Countdown on Health and Climate Change, a report
published annually by the Lancet. It uses 41 key indicators to measure progress
toward meeting the Paris Agreement targets, and this year’s report reveals a
planet on track to failure.
Children will be most seriously
affected. They will suffer from malnutrition, as a result of stunted crops.
Already, growing conditions for staple crops have become less favorable (and
the crops themselves have become less nutritious). Lead study author Nick Watts
said his team tracked maize, soy, rice, and wheat, and that “the yield
potential for these staple crops is now down as much as 6 percent.”
More children will get sick from
an increase in bacteria, enabled by warmer weather. One example given in the
report is Vibrio, which causes most diarrhea and feeds on algal blooms that
proliferate in warmer seas. A press release stated, “The threat [of Vibrio] is
particularly high in the Baltic (with a record high of 107 suitable days in
2018) and in Northeast USA where the sea has been warming rapidly.” Dengue,
cholera, and tick-borne encephalitis are also on track to spread further.
Children’s health is threatened by poor air quality, driven by fossil fuel use and warming temperatures. Toxic air stunts lung, health, and brain development, and is linked to premature deaths.
Children’s health is threatened by poor air quality, driven by fossil fuel use and warming temperatures. Toxic air stunts lung, health, and brain development, and is linked to premature deaths.
“If Europe were to experience PM2.5 at 2016
levels over the lifetime of the current population, economic losses and health
costs of air pollution-related disease and premature death could reach €129
billion [US$142bn] a year.”When children make it to adulthood, they’ll then
face more extreme weather events, such as the wildfires currently ravaging
Australia, California, Siberia, and the Amazon. China and India have also
experienced more wildfires than usual. Heatwaves are another problem, with 2018
being the fourth hottest year on record. This is particularly tough on infants
and seniors, who are susceptible to heat-related illness, and prevents outdoor
workers from doing their jobs:
“Amid last year’s prolonged
heatwaves, outdoor agricultural and construction workers in southern parts of
the USA lost as much as 20 percent of potential daylight hours during the
hottest month.”
It’s clear that urgent action is
needed to preserve the health of not only future generations, but the children
who are already born. Many of these children are begging for urgent action in
the form of climate protests, but it’s up to the adults in power to take
political action to ensure that the Paris Agreement targets are met as quickly
as possible.
EPFL creates a solar cooker with
solid potential in Switzerland
The solar cooker and authors of
the study on the roof of their lab. © Alain Herzog / EPFL
EPFL scientists have developed a
glass-paneled solar cooker that delivers exceptional performance. Their
patented design can operate an average of 155 days a year in Switzerland’s
cloudiest regions and up to 240 days in its sunniest.
Solar cookers – or solar-powered
ovens – can be used to cook foods at low temperatures (60-120°C) for anywhere
from 30 minutes up to four hours. This makes them perfect for a range of
dishes, such as potatoes, vegetables, rice, stews and even cupcakes. EPFL
scientists have been working on an enhanced version of the conventional solar
cooker since 2018. In research that appeared in Solar Energy, the scientists
show how their design can operate in Switzerland’s sunniest areas, such as
Valais Canton, for 240 days per year – or two thirds of the year. And in the
country’s cloudiest areas (such as Zurich), it can operate for 155 days per
year, a figure that surprised even the researchers.
The scientists in question work
at EPFL’s Solar Energy and Building Physics Laboratory (LESO-PB). But how did
building experts come to be interested in cookers? “It all started with a
chocolate cake – and it’ll all end with a chocolate cake,” says Andreas
Schüler, a research associate at LESO-PB. One day, Olivia Bouvard – a scientist
at the lab – arrived at work with a cake she’d baked in a solar cooker. That
got her colleagues interested in how these devices work. They ordered one from
Solemyo, an association based in Geneva, and began to reverse-engineer its
design.
Like a miniature building
“A solar cooker is actually like
a tiny building with glazed facades,” says Schüler. Which is right up his
alley, since he has been working on advanced window-glazing technology for the
past few years. Schüler and his colleagues at LESO-PB made improvements to the
size of the cooker they’d ordered and added more glazing – using, of course,
their innovative type of glass. That boosted the amount of sunlight entering
the cooker, but it did not increase the amount of heat loss, thanks to their
glass’s superior insulating properties. The scientists worked with the Swiss
Design Center to create a prototype of their model, and they filed for a patent
in 2018. Then, using an EPFL Enable grant and an ENAC InnoSeed grant awarded
the same year, they teamed up with TZ Menuiserie SA – a carpentry firm based in
Valais – to manufacture ten prototypes.
The EPFL model is designed
specifically for Switzerland. In addition to glass, it uses pine wood and is surrounded
with aluminum to reflect and guide the sun’s rays. The cooker’s shape and
glazing are engineered to create a “sunlight trap” so that it doesn’t have to
be moved during cooking to follow the sun’s rays. With dimensions of 33 cm x 33
cm, it is large enough to hold a standard casserole dish. “We also looked into
the idea of creating a collapsible, portable cooker, along with a fold-up
casserole dish, that people could use when they go hiking or to the beach,”
says Schüler, who himself is a proud owner of one of the prototypes.
“We believe our cooker could help
reduce the load on Switzerland’s power grid during the peak lunch and evening
hours. Cooking is the third-biggest use of household power in Switzerland,
behind heating systems and water boilers. With our cooker, you could put all
the ingredients in before going to work, for example, and have a meal ready for
you when you get home – without using gas or electricity,” says Schüler.
Designs for other countries, too
The method for calculating how
many days a year the solar cooker could work was developed by Dasaraden Mauree,
an LESO-PB scientist specialized in modelling techniques. “We combined climatic
data for Switzerland with our cooker’s operating data to develop a mathematical
model that can subsequently be used for any other region in the world,” says
Mauree. The scientists tested their model by collecting data from their cooker
over one month, on the roof of their lab, and comparing the data with the
model’s predictions. In addition to validating the model, these tests showed
that their solar cooker, when equipped with aluminum reflectors, can deliver
55% more cooking days per year than the same cooker without reflectors.
Today the scientists are working
on further increasing their cooker’s efficiency and on making it a “smart
cooker” by incorporating an app that would let users monitor the oven when
they’re not at home and that would send an alert when a meal is ready. They are
also thinking about adjusting their design so it can be used in other countries
through a technology-transfer approach. “We’ve had Master’s students work with
us on this project, and their ideas and enthusiasm really helped us move it
forward. We owe them a lot!” says Schüler. Now they can apply the lessons
learned while developing the cooker to their research on making buildings
tighter. So after shifting their focus from buildings to cookers, the
researchers can now apply what they learned on cookers to buildings.
/Public Release. View
in full here.
Genetic advances in barley
overcome climate impacts, TropAg hears
15 Nov 2019,
11:30 a.m. Carlsberg
Research Laboratory vice president Birgitte Skadhauge explains the brewing
dilemma and how science is tackling it. Picture - Sally Cripps.
There has been plenty in the news
about the impact of climate change on the way we live our lives - battling
temperature extremes, more cyclones and storm surges, and subsequent impacts on
health - but an international study has found it could lead to a beer shortage.
Speaking at the TropAg 2019
conference in Brisbane this week, Carlsberg Research Laboratory vice president
Birgitte Skadhauge shared results of an international study that showed barley
yields could decrease by, at best 3 per cent and at worst up to 17pc, as barley
growing locations became hotter and drier."This is quite depressing news -
it would mean less money for farmers and the quality of beer could be
affected," Ms Skadhauge, who had flown in from Denmark for the conference,
said.
"What we see when we have
droughts or extreme heat is that barley has lower yields, smaller kernels and a
lower starch quality.
"Poorer starch quality leads
to less tasty beer."Thankfully though, the work of her institute and other
plant scientists across the globe who have been exploring the cereal's genomes
for new brewing traits, means this crisis may be averted.
A major milestone was reached in 2017 when scientists sequenced barley's genome. Given that it's
roughly twice the size of the human genome and took a team of 77 international
scientists 10 years to complete, this was no mean feat.
It means they now know which genes
control various traits so that varieties can be developed that will be more
tolerant of drought and heat.
Developing more resilient varieties
is also work that the University of Queensland's Centre for Crop Science is
undertaking and senior research fellow Lee Hickey said gene editing, a breeding
method that involves making small changes to a plant's genetic code, was
particularly promising.
"We're able to make varieties
that are drought-resistant more efficiently than ever before," he said,
news that beer lovers worldwide will be toasting.
Meanwhile, Ms Skadhauge told TropAg
that work was also being done on identifying mutant breeding lines to eliminate
traits that gave beer an "off" flavour after it had been stored for a
week at 30 degrees.
Together with other work on a trait
that gives out a cooked cabbage taste in the malting process, all these
innovations are being 'stacked' into the latest barley grains.
A screening process is also being
applied for barley varieties that are more drought and heat tolerant, which has
found ones grown in Russia, Portugal and Spain are giving good yields.
For the pale ale fans, the
Carlsberg laboratory is also looking at climate resistant rice, taking core
samples from Chinese paddies that are up to 8000 years old.
"It might be a long shot but
we hope to find traits that have been lost in modern rice that we can
reintroduce, using modern breeding techniques, thus helping face the challenges
of today," Ms Skadhauge said.
Covering all its bases, Carlsberg
is also working to reduce its water and carbon footprints in the environmental
sphere, while on the social side, has zero irresponsible drinking and zero
accidents caused by alcohol by 2030 written into its charter.
Savings to date include 20pc carbon
reduction and 9pc water efficiency, including a 50pc reduction in water usage
at its breweries, which is equivalent to 8112 Olympic-size swimming pools.
Environmentally beneficial
packaging has been developed whereby cans are glued together with a carry
handle, which has already saved 1200 tonnes of plastic.
Economics &
stunted agrarian growth
Samson Simon Sharaf
There is no doubt that the government is making
hectic efforts to put the economy back on track. However, the major targets
being met are related to IMF Package resulting in a false sense of achievement.
Does a clean chit from IMF mean that ‘all is well’ or there are more
implications.
The biggest concern is whether closing
financial gaps and playing with the quad of Taxes, Discount, Interests and
Inflation will have a positive effect on the economy? Until and unless,
Pakistan’s grassroots development is not sustainable, the country cannot
produce any surpluses from cash to crops. This pincer at basic and cost
effective reforms is still missing.
Analysis proves that the current process is
primarily structural adjustment under pressure of International financial
institutions. If past is precedent, such programmes never achieved the
desired objectives. Whenever Pakistan’s economy grew, it was primarily because
of remittances, small and medium enterprises, entrepreneurships, value addition
and agriculture. There is no denying that Pakistan will have to get out of the
crises through its indigenous efforts and potential. The present policies
do not address any one of these indigenous elements.
The biggest issue is management, knowhow and
awareness.
Losses of public sector enterprises are
increasing. Public sector debt has surpassed the GDP. Foreign debt and sale of
bills have an interest and payback time. As Pakistan’s debt increases, so do
the liabilities with the ever hanging damocle of devaluation. Compounding
external debt and unprecedented internal borrowing are traps Pakistan must
defuse at the earliest.
Though it goes unnoticed, 18th amendment has a
big role in restricting economic space for the federal government. It is the
provinces where the largest chunk of revenue generation and sustainable
economic growth lie. Unfortunately, the federal and provincial governments are
working in isolation. One could curse Sindh for the reason that it is being run
by an opposition government. The same cannot be said of Punjab, KPK and
Balochistan that are being run by PTI and its allies. The provinces are
lukewarm towards revenue collection and in neglect of very basic measures that
can get the economic wheel spinning at grassroots. This includes SMEs, Value
Addition, and Agriculture. This article will focus on the agrarian economy.
Agriculture with value addition has repeatedly
pulled Pakistan out of economic crises after each bearish phase. The return on
investments is six to 11 months and results are evident. This is one sector
that can give a jumpstart to Pakistan’s faltering economy in just one season.
Yet, the most obvious is not in the policy periscope.
For this to happen, there are certain measures
that federal and provincial governments have to take to ensure optimum crop
outputs, value addition and exportable food stuff. Right now Pakistan has low
quality surpluses in wheat, rice and fruits that fail export standards. The
question is not about influx of huge funds but of astute, honest and right
practices.
Agriculture sector has faced neglect since
2005. It needs a serious and dedicated infusion of clarity, honesty and
willpower to be made productive and profitable. Present agriculture practices
captive to upstream and downstream agro industries are the biggest impediments
to farm outputs and profit margins of farmers. Fertilizer and agro chemical
industries control every sinew of the agriculture process resulting in very
high cost inputs, low profits and bad quality. Farmers are hostage to these
companies and middlemen. The most telling damage is the environmental disaster
created by unchecked use of fertilizers, chemicals and water.
These companies through their agents are
encamped in every sinew of policy making from politicians to departments. They
just don’t allow the low cost high yield, quality agriculture revolution to
take place. So far, they have succeeded in stalling large-scale natural agriculture
practices in Pakistan.
Fertilizer and chemical industries are the
reincarnation of the military industrial complex of first and Second World Wars
that made explosives and chemical agents. Post Second World War, they
diversified into fertilizer, agro chemical and GMO industries. They quickly
spread through the third world and the developing countries to artificially
boost production. Repeated applications have resulted in infertile soils. To
offset this malaise, genetically modified crops (GMO) were introduced that have
caused further environmental damage.
In India, Brazil and Australia, the farmers
having met their Waterloo, are reintroducing natural methods of cultivation
with non-genetic varieties. The results are a resounding success, Farm inputs reduced
by 90% and outputs increased by 300 % within three successive crops. Isn’t this
amazing that Brazil is the biggest producer of organic sugar in the world?
The pioneers of this natural agriculture
process in Brazil, Americas, Philippines, Indian Bengal and Australia are none
other than Pakistani farmers who have shared their expertise abroad. Like
prophets rejected in their own land, these entrepreneurs are alien to Pakistan.
In a mafia dominated market, they have a very small but courageous footprint.
Slowly and steadily, they are fighting back. As word spreads, there are more
converts. To understand this simple natural process, we need to know some
biology and chemistry.
Agriculture soil has three layers. The top
layer is exposed to sunshine, oxygen, harsh weather conditions and pests. These
do not help agriculture. The issue is overcome with effective mulching that
provides nutrients as also controls pests. As a result, there is no need for
burning stacks that cause smog all over Pakistan in winters.
The middle layer belongs to anaerobic bacteria
very sensitive to sunlight, flooding and oxygen. These bacteria produce
nutrients for the plant root system, stems and grains/fruits. Another advantage
of the middle layer and bacteria is storage of carbon dioxide below the soil.
Carbon dioxide is an important ingredient of natural nutrients and
photosynthesis. In simple words, this layer is the fertilizer factory of
the plants. No artificial fertilizer is needed. Once this gas is released due
to deep ploughing, it causes global warming. Deep ploughing, flood inundation,
fertilizer and chemicals kill anaerobic bacteria. Once carbo dioxide dissolves
n water, it becomes an acid altering the pH of the soil.
The third layer is supposed to be moist that
causes deeper and stronger roots and water conservation. Flood irrigation
destroys all three layers leading to shorter roots and stunted growth with
reduced outputs.
The method is simple and economical.In the
first phase, the ground is levelled and changed into raised beds of 4-4 ½ feet
width. On each side are water channels with a controlled and timed release of
water that does not inundate any layer. It seeps into the third layer. Water
conservation is 70%.
In the second phase, seeds are mechanically
planted. As a result, the seed input per acre is reduced from 40-60 Kgs to 3
KG. Mulch layer can be put before or after planting.
The results are unbelievable. Roots are deeper;
stems more and thicker, while yield is 2-3 times more than conventional
farming. The quality and weight of grains and fruits surpasses organic
standards. It is miraculous.
In Pakistan, farmers experimented with rice
crops on raised beds with no inundation. The quality and quantity surpasses all
conventional yields.
The entire process is called Payedar Qudarti
Nizam e Kasht (PQNK). It is pioneered by Pakistani scientists but restricted.
This is not because of any lack of will but because all odds are packed against
them. Therefore only the few and brave are risking. If the government backs
PQNK, agriculture revolution in Pakistan can be achieved within three seasons.
But there is a problem. Fertilizer factories
and agro chemical businesses will run out of customers. They are the biggest
beneficiaries of stunted agriculture.
Scientists’ method helps rice
survive bad weather
NEW DISCOVERY:A team of researchers found a way
of enhancing the stress resistance of rice plants that could help them to
withstand extreme weather conditions
By Lin Chia-nan
/ Staff reporter
Academia Sinica’s
distinguished research fellow Yu Su-may, a molecular biologist, speaks from
behind pots of rice plants yesterday in Taipei.
Photo: Chien
Hui-ju, Taipei Times
A team of Academia Sinica researchers yesterday unveiled a
mechanism to enhance the environmental stress tolerance of rice plants by
regulating enzymatic and sugary expression, saying that it would improve rice
production under extreme weather conditions.As rice is the staple food for nearly half of the global population, improving its production and resistance to environmental challenges is crucial, Institute of Molecular Biology distinguished research fellow Yu Su-may (余淑美) told a news conference in Taipei.
The issue has become more pressing, as the world’s population is expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050.
In addition to population growth, other challenges to rice production include extreme weather, such as heat waves and inadequate water supplies for agricultural use, she said.
To improve rice production, the team found that the key is regulation of the expression of the enzyme alpha-amylase, which hydrolyzes starch into sugars in plants and is induced by sugar starvation and repressed by sugar provision, Yu said.
The process can be regulated by adjusting the functions of two proteins called MYBS1 and MYBS2, which are transcription factors competing to bind to the enzyme to either promote or repress its sugar induction, she said.
Under a low sugar level, MYBS1 will enter cell nuclei to promote alpha-amylase’s expression, while MYBS2 will restrict its expression when the sugar level is high, Yu said.
When MYBS2 is suppressed in a dry and hot environment, the enzyme alpha-amylase is induced to hydrolyze starch in sugars, she said.
After nearly six years of research, the team found — using gene editing techniques — that controlling the expressions of MYBS2 and alpha-amylase in rice plants can enhance their production and stress resistance, she added.
Gene-edited rice plants are 1.5 larger than non-modified plants, and they can survive in temperatures up to 42°C and with 20 percent less water, Yu said.
However, whether the gene editing technique influences the nutrition and flavor of rice requires more research, she said.
Other team members include David Ho (賀端華), a distinguished research fellow at Academia Sinica’s Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, and Lu Chung-an (陸重安), associate professor at the National Central University’s Department of Life Sciences.
Their findings were published on Oct. 22 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
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Solon keen on
special emergency fund for rice planters
November 18, 2019
A leader of the House of
Representative will file a measure that will allow the national government to
use all tariff collections in excess of P10 billion for the Rice
Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) as direct cash transfers for planters.
House of Representatives Deputy
Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte said he will file a joint resolution this week
to create a special emergency fund for farmers affected by the drop in
farm-gate prices.
Villafuerte said the joint
resolution will authorize Congress to designate an “immediate special fund”
that will enable the Department of Agriculture (DA) to provide direct cash
transfers to rice farmers.
He noted that total rice tariffs
collected since March 5, when the rice trade liberalization took effect, until
October 30, has already reached P11.4 billion.
The excess P1.4 billion, which
could be increased, should be used for a direct cash transfer program. He said
this is allowed by the rice trade liberalization law.
“Rather than wait for excess
amount to be appropriated under the national budget for the following year when
this was collected, Congress should act now and do its share in helping our
distraught rice farmers survive this temporary drop in palay farm-gate prices,”
said Villafuerte in a statement.
Under Section 13 of the law, the
excess of P10 billion for RCEF shall be earmarked by Congress for rice farmer
financial assistance, titling of agricultural rice land, expanded crop
insurance program on rice, and crop diversification program “and included in
the General Appropriations Act [GAA] of the following year.”
“There is an urgent need to immediately
set up the Rice Farmer Financial Assistance as a supplementary and transitional
safety measure to serve as compensation to rice farmers who are farming 2
hectares and below for the reduction or loss of their farm income arising from
the tariffication of the quantitative import restrictions on rice,” Villafuerte
said.
He said the National Treasury can
declare the import tariff collections beyond the P10-billion RCEF as excess or
surplus income, which Congress can then authorize to be funneled into his
proposed Rice Farmer Financial Assistance program.
The lawmaker made a pitch for the
special fund after the BusinessMirror reported on Friday that farmers have
already lost some P61 billion due to the drop in the farm-gate price of
unhusked rice. This was based on a paper prepared by the Philippine Rice
Research Institute.
Farmers’ huge
income loss to affect GDP goal’
November 18, 2019
THE
National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) will review the study
released by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) on the impact of
the decline in farm-gate prices on rice farmers, as experts warned that such
huge income losses, if sustained, would dent the country’s economic growth and
poverty reduction goals.
At the same time, however, the experts said continuing to
implement the rice trade liberalization law was still the way forward, while
calling for measures to cushion the impact on farmers.
The study, which BusinessMirror reported on last Friday
(November 15), showed that farmers lost P61.77 billion due to the steep decline
in farm-gate prices for rice.
Relatedly, a senator said the government must find a way to
reimburse the farmers for their huge losses.
Neda Undersecretary for Planning and Policy Rosemarie G. Edillon
told the BusinessMirror that the oversight agency will not comment on the
matter pending a review of the study.
“We’re not ready to comment on the study sans a full review.
Bottomline, we are aware that there will be negative transition effects, hence
the RCEF [Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund],” Edillon said.
Edillon added that in order to help the sector, the government
is planning to provide unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) to farmers affected
by the rice trade liberalization (RTL) law.
Risks to GDP,
poverty targets
For his part, Ateneo Eagle Watch Senior Fellow Leonardo A.
Lanzona Jr. told the BusinessMirror these losses would undermine the
country’s GDP growth, especially if these continue.
He added that these also threaten the achievement of the
country’s poverty targets as well as efforts to meet the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
Lanzona said that while these losses were expected, the
government still failed at distributing the subsidies to help farmers.
He added that there is a need to provide effective programs that
can help farmers transition to alternative forms of livelihood.
“The kind of government-driven growth experienced in the last
quarter will not be sustainable unless we address these problems,” Lanzona
said. “I don’t think the economic managers realize how important it is to
support our agricultural sector.”
PIDS, too
The study released by PhilRice is not the only one that showed
the negative impact of the decline in farm prices on farmers.
Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Senior
Research Fellow Roehlano M. Briones said in a recent presentation that the
long-term impact of the RTL includes a significant decline in farmer incomes.
Between 2019 and 2030, Briones said, farmers incomes are
expected to decline by P10.075 billion.
The largest decline will be felt between 2025 and 2030 at
P12.589 billion. The decline in farmers’ incomes would reach P7.56 billion
between 2019 and 2024.
Briones estimated that in terms of a percentage point decline,
farmers’ incomes will see a 21.9-percent point reduction in income this year
alone. This is the smallest percentage decline compared to other years until
2030.
The declines are expected to continue widening until 30
percentage points by 2024 and, eventually, a 37.6-percentage point income reduction
by 2030.
Consumers,
winners
However, Briones said the benefits from a consumer point of
view, are also significant and would lead to large benefits for Filipinos over
time.
The change in consumer welfare would reach P23.509 billion
between 2019 and 2030. The larger benefit would be accrued to consumers between
2025 and 2030 at P279.55 billion, while the smaller benefit at P197.467 billion
would be realized between 2019 and 2024, per the PIDS projections.
“To realize the long term benefits for society as a whole,
government should continue to enforce RA 11203 (RTL),” Briones said.
“Focus efforts on providing offsetting compensation for losers
from the reform (such as) cash transfers (and) participatory value chains in
rice trading,” he added.
2014 study
In 2014, Philrice came up with a study on the possible impact of
the RTL on producers and consumers.
The study showed that at a 35-percent tariff with a quantitative
restriction (QR), farmers’ gross incomes are expected to reach P63,836.04 per
hectare.
However, the same study said that at 35 percent and removal of
the QR, farmers’ incomes were lower at P46,548.29 per hectare.
The study also estimated that farm-gate prices would not drop as
much. PhilRice estimated that dry palay prices could average P12.59 per kilo
without the QR at a 35-percent tariff rate.
Wholesale prices at a 35-percent tariff without the QR,
meanwhile, will decline to P27.43 per kilo.
“If government therefore prefers cheaper rice in the market, it
must remove QR rather than just trimming the tariff rate,” the Philrice said in
its 2014 paper.
On Friday, BusinessMirror reported that a Philrice study
estimated farmers lost at least P61.77 billion due to the continuous drop in
the farm-gate price of unhusked rice, which hastened in recent months when
imports rose significantly.
The plight of local planters may even worsen as their losses
could balloon to nearly P130 billion if prevailing farm-gate prices continue to
fall below production cost, the PhilRice paper added.
Given the losses incurred by rice planters, the paper noted that
the P10-billion RCEF created by RA 11203 may be insufficient to offset farmers’
losses.
The surge in rice imports driven by the opening up of the
domestic market has been identified by industry stakeholders as the culprit to
the double-digit decline in palay prices.
Industry groups like the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF)
earlier estimated that rice planters have already incurred losses of at least
P40 billion. The group projected that losses could reach as much as P60 billion
due to the decline in farm-gate prices.
The PhilRice paper, titled “How to make farmers winners under
the rice tariffication regime,” was authored by Alice B. Mataia and Aerone
Philippe G. Bautista.
The paper is one of the policy advocate materials of PhilRice
under its Rice Science for Decision-Makers publication. PhilRice is an attached
agency of the Department of Agriculture.
Cooperative model is the best bet
Nov 18, 2019, 7:10 AM; last updated: Nov 18, 2019, 7:12 AM
(IST)
Farmers have limited access to machinery to dispose of paddy straw.
SS Chhina
Air pollution
caused by straw burning is an annual phenomenon. Punjab, the largest producer
of rice in the country, is largely blamed for it, but other northern
rice-producing states such as Haryana, UP and Delhi are no less responsible.
Setting stubble afire is a compulsion for the farmer in view of the adopted
cropping pattern. The only reason for burning this asset that can yield income
and improve soil fertility is the short window between harvesting of paddy and
sowing of wheat. Farmers have limited access to machinery to dispose of the
straw and clear the field for wheat well in time. Apart from the burning of
paddy straw, the state is grappling with issues such as the overuse of
chemicals and the depletion in the water table.
The surge in the
area under paddy is attributed to a prudent policy to address the problem of
food shortage in the country. Rice was not a traditional crop of Punjab, but
with the increase in the state’s electrification coverage, the number of
tubewells as well as the area under paddy swelled, replacing pulses and other
commercial crops in the kharif season.
There is a simple and remunerative way to
dispose of the crop residue that must be adopted at the earliest. Punjab’s
farmers are known for their initiative and entrepreneurship. They would adopt
anything remunerative without losing time, but sometimes the encouragement and
sponsorship of the government become imperative. The minimum support price was
provided to paddy along with its assured marketing by state procurement. Wheat and
paddy have assured marketing through state procurement; the same is not the
case for over 20 other crops for which the MSP is announced. Reduction of
sizeable area under paddy would not be feasible because of the pressure of
foodgrain production.
Straw burning
can be curbed through other measures, such as manufacture of paper and
cardboard, and the production of mushroom where paddy straw can be used as raw
material. But there are doubts whether an individual farmer can install such a
unit irrespective of the size of his farm. Otherwise also, a single unit even
of the largest size cannot be an economical venture because the straw is spread
throughout the area and transportation at a single point would be a big
constraint. The cooperative model, already implemented in the dairy sector, is
the most viable option to address this problem. There is a need for at least
two cardboard and paper manufacturing units in every block. The cooperative
society of the local area, with the membership of farmers and farm labourers,
can be formed and such cooperative units must be affiliated to their apex body,
the state federation of cooperatives for rice straw management. The Cooperative
Department is already sponsoring and extending help to extend cooperative
ventures. Such patronisation can yield the most desirable results not only to
tackle this problem but also to generate income and employment in the state.
There is immense potential for the marketing of
mushrooms in India and abroad, but its farming is subject to constraints for
the individual farmer. The extraction of biogas needs technical help along with
extension service. But the co-operative umbrella on the same pattern can help
farmers and farm labourers throughout the state.
In his study, GS
Bhalla, a noted economist, has concluded that landholding of less than 10 acres
is unable to provide sufficient income to a farmer to maintain a moderate
standard of living; in Punjab, 89 per cent of the farmers have landholdings
less than this size. These farmers can’t expose themselves to volatile prices
or marketing. Rice is the crop with assured price and marketing. The same
assurance has to be given for the alternative crops to expand the area under
them.
Basmati is a
variety of paddy that is grown on the riverbanks. India and Pakistan have
monopoly of this crop. Basmati is in great demand in the Middle East, Europe
and North America. The supply cannot meet the demand raised by foreign
countries. How can Punjab discard this profitable export crop, even though
management of its straw is a challenge? Punjab is at number 15 on the list of
export earnings. Basmati exports are worth about Rs 2,000 million every year,
whereas all other food crops are earning just Rs 30 million.
Straw burning
must be stopped instantly, but considering the micro as well as macro aspects,
we need alternative measures. The cooperative model is viable and sustainable.
Small-scale farmers would not adopt any other crop where there is a risk factor
due to fluctuating prices and yield. What they want is assured income rather
than opting for ‘unreliable’ commercial crops.
Excess rice tariffs should go straight to beleaguered farmers
Updated
By Ellson Quismorio
A House leader is set to file this week a measure which would allow
the government to tap all rice import tariff collections in excess of the
P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to set up a special
emergency fund for farmers affected by falling farm gate prices of the staple
food following its recent market deregulation.
Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte
(FACEBOOK / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
(FACEBOOK / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Deputy Speaker Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte
said he will file a joint resolution to provide congressional authorization
for an immediate special fund to enable the Department of Agriculture (DA) to
distribute direct cash transfers to small farmers to help them cope with low
prices of palay (unhusked rice) this main harvest season.
The plunging farm gate prices have been attributed to Republic
Act (RA) 11203, the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL). Implemented last March, the
law did away with the old quantitative restrictions on imported rice in
exchange for tariffs.
The RCEF, a component of RA 11203 that’s been packaged as an aid
mechanism for local farmers, is made possible via the collected tariffs.
The low prices of palay — reported to be less than P10 a kilo in
some provinces–have resulted in “huge income losses for rice farmers and the
industry, which is now estimated at around P50 billion at current prices,”
Villafuerte said.
To modernize the farm sector and make local palay growers
globally competitive, RA 11203 provides for the creation of the RCEF, which
shall have an annual appropriation of P10 billion over the next six years, to
be sourced from the tariff revenues collected by the Bureau of Customs (BOC)
from rice imports.
Villafuerte noted that since the law took effect in March up to
end-October this year, BOC collections from rice import tariffs have already
reached P11.4 billion, or an excess of P1.4 billion in revenues supposedly
earmarked for RCEF.
The excess amount plus subsequent BOC collections till the
yearend should be channeled, he said, to his proposed Rice Farmer Financial
Assistance (RFFA) program to finance a cash transfer system for palay
farmers—similar to the cash subsidies that low-income households and other
vulnerable sectors are now getting separately from the social protection
initiatives of various government agencies.
“Rather than wait for excess amount to be appropriated under the
national budget for the following year when this was collected, the Congress
should act now and do its share in helping our distraught rice farmers survive
this temporary drop in palay farm gate prices and transition to the new rice
tariffication regime,” Villafuerte said.
Under Section 13 of the RTL, the excess of P10 billion for RCEF
shall be earmarked by Congress for RFFA, titling of agricultural rice land,
expanded crop insurance program on rice, and crop diversification program, “and
included in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of the following year.”
“There is an urgent need to immediately set-up the Rice Farmer
Financial Assistance as a supplementary and transitional safety measure to
serve as compensation to rice farmers who are farming two hectares and below
for the reduction or loss of their farm income arising from the tariffication
of the quantitative import restrictions on rice,” Villafuerte said.
The deputy speaker said that owing to the urgency of providing
financial succor to the country’s beleaguered rice farmers, the National
Treasury can declare the import tariff collections beyond the P10-billion RCEF
as excess or surplus income, which Congress can then authorize to be funneled
into the proposed RFFA program.
Villafuerte said the passage of his proposed joint resolution,
which will undergo the same process as that of a bill, will have the full force
and effect of a law once approved by both the House and the Senate.
Under RA 11203, the P10-billion RCEF shall be allocated as
follows: 50 percent or P5 billion for the procurement of rice farm machinery
and equipment to be distributed as grant in kind to eligible farmers
associations, rice cooperatives, and local government units for the purpose of
improving farm mechanization; 30 percent or P3 billion for the development,
propagation, and promotion of high-quality rice seeds; 10 percent or P1 billion
for expanded rice credit assistance with minimal interest rates; and 10 percent
or P1 billion for rice extension services.
Villafuerte said the amount of P10 billion was appropriated for
RCEF under the unprogrammed appropriations of the 2019 GAA. Since the law’s
effectivity, the DA has been rolling out the mandated interventions as
prescribed by RA 11203.There are 2.5 million rice farmers in the country.
Duterte seeks answers on
gov't-issued faulty farm equipment
Arianne Merez,
ABS-CBN News
MANILA- President Rodrigo Duterte said he would ask former
Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol to explain the reported defective farm
equipment handed out to local farmers.
Rice farmers from Eastern Visayas complained of faulty equipment
from the Department of Agriculture, which they say could not be used.
Several offices of the National Food Authority meanwhile
complained that they received mechanical rice dryers from the agriculture
department which are not needed.
"I think we have to call Piñol to explain why they went
into a buying spree for machinery that could not be used. Were there a
sufficient knowledge beforehand na itong mga machine na ito would really fit
what is required in the field?" Duterte told ABS-CBN News' Ted Failon in
an exclusive interview.
Piñol served as Duterte's agriculture chief for 3 years before
assuming the leadership of the Mindanao Development Authority earlier this
year.
It can be recalled that critics called for Piñol's resignation
last year after spikes in the prices of rice, vegetables, meat, fish and other
food items pushed inflation to its fastest in almost a decade.
"I would like to call back [Piñol], he's still in Mindanao,
he's doing his work there. He would explain to us why now it is developing into
a kind of problem," Duterte said.
Duterte added that he has learned that the government was
importing "so much" of the farm equipment but remained unaware of the
status of the machines.
"The machinery seemed to be not in harmony with its
users," Duterte said.
"It was only after sinubukan na ng mga tao, they began to
discover the inadequacy or the failure of the machineries," he added.
Irish butter may be winning hearts; but the desi 'makhan'
is still the king of all
Irish butter was
traditionally produced from cultured cream.
By
, ET Bureau|
Updated: Nov
17, 2019, 09.32 AM IST
0Comments
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Butter may make everything
better, according to the French. However, it is Irish butter that rules the
world. This year, Kerrygold, one of the world's best known butter brands,
became the first Irish billion-euro brand, helped along by its immense
popularity not just on retail shelves in the US and Germany, but on Instagram
too- where chefs and home bakers are going gaga over its leprechaun gold
colour, creamy texture and distinctive nutty flavour.
Never mind the fat image and vegan options like nut butter, butter is still religion in many parts of the world. Foodies may be fanatical today about exactly what they spread on their toast. But even colonial trade shows us how provenance and distinctive taste were prized when it came to an ingredient that connoted homeliness to millions of consumers.
In Cork, Ireland, a museum at the site of the world's first butter exchange documents the history of the global butter trade. A lot of Irish butter started getting exported as the British empire spread its might, including to Calcutta, by the mid-19th century.
The colonists ruling India were obviously keen to savour a taste of home as they buttered their bread during the chhota haazri (breakfast).
It is deeply ironic, though, that butter became an important imported commodity to northern India- the land of milk, makhan and ghee, as the Indo-Gangetic plain has always been, commercially, politically and culturally.
Today, the growing tribe of butter aficionados differentiate between two big categories of gourmet butter- the European style and the American style.
What do Instagrammers or TV chefs mean by European-style butter, which is extolled for its depth of flavour? Essentially, it means cultured butter, with a high fat content of 82% and, therefore, a more complex flavour.
Never mind the fat image and vegan options like nut butter, butter is still religion in many parts of the world. Foodies may be fanatical today about exactly what they spread on their toast. But even colonial trade shows us how provenance and distinctive taste were prized when it came to an ingredient that connoted homeliness to millions of consumers.
In Cork, Ireland, a museum at the site of the world's first butter exchange documents the history of the global butter trade. A lot of Irish butter started getting exported as the British empire spread its might, including to Calcutta, by the mid-19th century.
The colonists ruling India were obviously keen to savour a taste of home as they buttered their bread during the chhota haazri (breakfast).
It is deeply ironic, though, that butter became an important imported commodity to northern India- the land of milk, makhan and ghee, as the Indo-Gangetic plain has always been, commercially, politically and culturally.
Today, the growing tribe of butter aficionados differentiate between two big categories of gourmet butter- the European style and the American style.
What do Instagrammers or TV chefs mean by European-style butter, which is extolled for its depth of flavour? Essentially, it means cultured butter, with a high fat content of 82% and, therefore, a more complex flavour.
Irish butter (regarded as the best of European butter) was traditionally produced from cultured cream. In old days, as cream was collected over several days, this happened automatically. These days, cultures are introduced to ferment the cream and some large-scale commercial productions even ferment the butter after it has been made.
This is different from American-style butter, which is made from sweet, fresh cream, and where the fat content is 80%.
The taste is more neutral. Few people, however, talk about India¡¦s butter (and ghee) culture which is distinct from both these. Traditionally, butter in India has been made from dahi- itself a fermented milk product- which gives it a unique flavour and more health benefits associated with fermentation. Though Indian homes make makhan from cultured cream collected over a few days, traditionally butter was made from dahi.
When you see images of Krishna, the butter-stealing child-god, the butter ball in his fist is freshly churned from dahi. The leftover thin, sour whey is buttermilk. In Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, the milk that is used to make curd was indirectly heated by placing pails in terracotta pots, into which coal embers or cow dung cakes were placed as fuel. The slow smoke gave the yoghurt a further depth of flavour, besides fermentation from age-old, local cultures.
Village homes traditionally made this kind of fresh butter every few days for their use and we still see glimpses of the tradition in the white dollops topping dal makhni, stuffed paranthas or sarson ka saag in Punjabi dhabas.
A longer lasting product than fresh butter was ghee made from heating the makhan, and then straining it. Every area of northern India has its own unique local ghee- the ones from Gujarat are different in flavour from those in Bengal and so on-thanks to the dissimilar degrees of heat application and different cultures.
As an ingredient, however, ghee is to Indian cooking what butter is to the French- its use is deeply ingrained across communities, regions and religions. In the mid-20th century, it suffered from an image crisis, thanks to the now-debunked research prizing hydrogenated oil substitutes like Dalda. However, that was shortlived, possibly because of deep cultural associations.
Ghee's use in Vedic sacrifices as a ritualistic ingredient is well documented. In some Indian kitchens, depending on how and at what stage ghee was used, it was separated ritualistically "pure" food ( pucca khana or sanctified foods- fried in ghee) from kachcha khana- food that could not be stored and were deemed "imperfect" for ritualistic feasts.
Food historian KT Achaya notes that kheer was pucca khana because rice was first fried in ghee, whereas a similar milkand-rice pudding called doodh-bhaat was kachcha khana according to ayurveda, since rice was not toasted in ghee, but simply cooked in milk.
Ghee was enthusiastically adopted in Mughal cooking, too. Ain-i-Akbari mentions ghee coming from Rajasthan for royal kitchens. Later, the nawabi cuisine, an embodiment of the Indo-Islamic composite culture of the subcontinent, too makes generous use of ghee, not just in mithai and halwas but even in biryani. The Avadhi biryani gets its subtle taste from local ghee, basmati rice and restrained spicing.
Ghee is seeing a resurgence today as a healthier medium of cooking (obviously within limits) than refined oils and farmer¡¦s markets are full of products made by small producers, who claim their products to be organic, from "A2 milk" and made from traditional "bilona" (slow churning) method. Many of these labels may have more to do with marketing than genuine differentiation from large-scale commercial productions.
However, it is heartening that traditional techniques and provenance are being spotlighted. European- or American-style butter aside, it is time to prize indigenous food products too.
The writer looks at foods and culinary traditions.
Sowing seeds of destruction?
Food for Thought: Sovereignty over seeds is the
first requirement of the nation’s food security
- Nov 16 2019, 23:02pm ist
- updated: Nov 17 2019, 01:24am ist
The fundamental problem lies in the original Seed Bill 2004, and the justification for replacing the Seed Act 1966. It was to facilitate growth of the seed industry, enhance seed replacement rates for various crops, boost the export of seeds and import of useful germplasm and to create a conducive atmosphere for application of frontier sciences. The 1966 Act was grossly inadequate for these ends, though it served its limited purpose of ensuring standards and quality seeds of those registered ones.
It was quickly realised that the 2004 Bill was designed to help the seed industry penetrate the agriculture landscape of India. By this time, the seed industry already had a 20% share in the total seed demand, the rest being occupied by the traditional method of farmers using renewable seeds. It was also designed to discourage local agrobiodiversity and farmers seeds and ensure that farmers adopt and then become dependent on the High-Yielding Varieties (HYVs), Hybrids and GMOs. It talked about export and import of seeds which literally had got nothing to do with farmers in India who actually need locally evolved or developed, locally adoptable, resilient seeds. It sought to expressly drive the adoption of GMOs, and even awarded provisional clearance, overlooking biosafety and other statutes under the Environmental Protection Act.
In short, this was a Bill that was highly detrimental to farmers, and the political economy of farm landscapes in India. The 2019 version of the Bill has the same skeleton and flesh, but to give that little credit it deserves, it does some clean-up. For instance, the new Bill does not talk about the provisional clearance for GMOs.
Of the major demands put up by the farm groups and the state governments of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Kerala on the 2010 version, some have been accepted in toto or partially. For instance, the 2019 Bill has incorporated the state’s powers to register seeds through the State Seed Committees and even obtain certification through the State Seed Certification Agencies. It has also incorporated the state’s power to control prices, albeit only in ‘emergent’ situations. This is inadequate, but these are just a few ‘concessions’ and actually are not cheer-worthy, considering what has not been provided.
Defining the ‘Farmer’
Any law or policy that is to engage with the farmer as an entity should have a clear and inclusive definition of who is a farmer, but at the same time exclude those that could misuse it to become a beneficiary wrongly. The Seed Bill 2019 makes the mistake of defining the farmer as “any person who owns cultivable land or any other category of farmers who are doing the agriculture work as may be notified by the central/state government”. This is dangerously vague. Anybody ‘doing agriculture work’ is a farmer, it says. A simple government notification could later include even companies engaged in agriculture work. Interestingly, this is a deviation from the earlier, less ambiguous definition, where the Bill had explicitly excluded “any individual, company, trader or dealer who engages in the procurement and sale of seeds on a commercial basis.”
The critique sent to the government by the farm group Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA), of which I am an active member, has given an inclusive definition, with the exclusion clauses reinstated. It defines a farmer as “any person engaged in the economic and livelihood activity of agriculture, who cultivates crops or other primary agricultural commodities, either by cultivating the land her/himself or through any other person, with or without land ownership, but does not include any individual, company, trader or dealer who engages in the procurement and sale of seeds on a commercial basis”.
Mere seed consumers?
Consider this: India is known to have had an indigenous diversity of 1.1 lakh paddy varieties, about 15,000 wheat varieties, 1,000 banana varieties, 1,500 mango varieties, and so on for most crops of Indian origin. The Green Revolution (GR) wiped out most of this rich agrobiodiversity through its ‘limited generation’ seeds and enforcing policies. The GR seeds lose vigour over generations and have to be replaced over a period. But seeds developed by farmers through centuries, those that have escaped the extinction drive of GR, still thrive in the farms of this country.
Farmers were the first crop-breeders and continue to do so in the nooks and corners of this nation, silently producing more varieties than all the HYVs and Hybrids ever developed by scientists and corporates put together. Only that we have very little official account of them.
Dr Richharia, a rice scientist, had a collection of 19,000 traditional varieties of paddy, and his trials had shown that 8% of them, more than 1,500 varieties, were high-yielding. This is amazing, but our institutions refused to even consider this wealth, and raced after a technology of genetically altering the seeds to get traits, many of which may have already been there in this gene pool.
Experiences from across the country, whether it be from campaigns such as the Beej Bachao Andolan, Save our Rice Campaign, the Millet India Network or the work under the Vrihi Beej Binimoy Kendra, Navdanya or the national network of seed savers – the Bharath Beej Swaraj Manch -- and others, demonstrate the immense potential of indigenous seeds in climate resilience, productivity, medicinal values, nutritional needs and other local, culturally relevant needs.
It is now realised that agriculture can be sustained only if we have a seed regime that recognises and promotes farmers as the primary human resource for breeding, selecting, saving, using, exchanging/bartering, distributing and selling seeds. The key to a sustaining and thriving farm landscape in India is farmer-level self-reliance on seeds, agro-diversity, sustainable forms of agriculture and evolving natural resilience to climate change. The Seed Bill 2019 seems to have no clue of such grassroots development and is hence archaic in its objects.
On the other hand, the Seed Bill denigrates the farmer to a mere seed consumer. There are any number of cases where farmers who have lost all their local and indigenous seeds are completely dependent on companies to supply seeds. And there are also many cases where such seeds fail to deliver the promised yield or trait performance and the farmers not only lose the crop, but their investment, which is usually loans, ending up in fatal debts. The minimum one expects in such a high-risk endeavour is to incorporate proper insurance systems and effective redressal and compensation mechanisms.
Compensation mechanism
The biggest let down in the draft Seed Bill 2019 is the complete reversal on the redressal/compensation-related section. Here it says, if a “registered seed fails to provide the expected performance”, the “farmer may claim compensation...under the Consumer Protection Act 1986.” In other words, if the seeds sold by the big MNCs cause a devastating crop failure or do not live up to marketing claims, the poor Indian farmer can go, fight the case against the multibillion-dollar giants in a consumer court all by himself!
This is the most casual, impractical and impossible of statutes for primarily two reasons. One, the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) will not be able to address seed failures that usually happen to large numbers of farmers. The second issue is, consumer courts cannot redress fast enough to help farmers get the compensation and start their next crop, which is probably just a few days to a few months away. Moreover, the CPA can only award compensation by way of replacing the seed or the cost of it, but not for the loss of the crop, whose value would be many times the cost of the seed. With such serious limitations, one wonders what attitude drove the government to this provision – naivete or deceit.
Ideally, the compensation mechanism should be one that is immediately accessible to the farmer, kicks off the moment crop failure is reported, and should cover costs incurred, value of the claims made for the performance of that variety, and the complete crop value. The compensation claim should be resolved quickly, so as to enable the farmer to take up farming in the next growing season.
Essential Commodity
The Bt Cotton pricing issue brought to the fore the critical aspect of seed prices and who controls them. Seed is an ‘Essential Commodity’ and should be treated as such. But the Essential Commodities Act itself is facing a threat of being repealed or amended. Hence, this provision needs to be incorporated into the Seed Bill. The Seed Control Order 1983, which was the instrument to protect the interests of farmers from exorbitant pricing, should also be incorporated into the Seed Bill. All the states that had raised objections to the 2010 version of the Seed Bill, including Gujarat under then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, had demanded full control of seed pricing by the states.
GMO vs Open Source
I wish to draw readers’ attention to two paradigms presently vying for the future. On one side is the latest in seed technology – genetically-modified organisms (GMO), and even such newer technologies as synthetic biology and CRISPR gene editing etc., vigorously funded and promoted by multi-national companies, and fanatically evangelised by some of our mainstream government agriculture scientists and institutions. Most of these are new cutting-edge technologies that manipulate life forms to deliver traits and innovations. And most also carry two critically important tags – #BiosafetyHazard and #IPR, both detrimental to farmers, consumers and the environment.
On the other side are open-source seeds – mostly folk varieties, indigenous seeds that have been bred over centuries, time-tested, improved and adapted to changing climate and other stresses and literally are a common good. Even new varieties that are developed are agro-ecologically suitable and are a common good for all.
The draft Seed Bill 2019 goes not just the commercial way, but the dangerously commercial way. Indeed, it should be called the ‘Commercial Seed Bill 2019!’ As for the farmers, I suppose they will have to wait for their Seed Bill, one that will protect them from the exploitation of the seed corporations, recognise and promote their role in the seed sector, uphold their rights, one that will make them self-reliant, one that will make farming sustainable and resilient.
(The writer is Director, Thanal, and is Coordinator (Campaigns and Policy) of the Save Our Rice Campaign)
https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/sunday-spotlight/sowing-seeds-of-destruction-776904.html
