Tensions between US and Iran dents pockets of rice growers from
Karnataka's Ballari
Iran is the largest importer of the local rice variety
from Ballari used exclusively for making Biryani.
Published: 21st January 2020 02:20
PM | Last Updated: 21st January 2020 02:29 PM
Farmers busy cultivating rice in their fields in Ballari
district (Photo| D Hemanth, EPS)
Express News Service
BALLARI: The rice growers of Ballari are in a fix after
traders in Iran have partially stopped importing the Kampli rice from Ballari
post tensions with USA in the last one month. The ongoing tension between the
two nations is now affecting the pockets of farmers in Kampli, the rice growing
belt of Ballari.
The rice grown here is in great demand in Iran and other
Middle-East countries and it is considered as the best suited for making
Biryani and other dishes. With Iran being a major consumer, the farmers here
are now worried over falling prices.
Post harvest season, after October months, the rice from
Ballari and Koppal start getting exported to Iran. The farmers are given up to
Rs 120 per kilo for high quality sonamasuri rice. But this time, due to indefinite
ban on import of rice, the prices per kg is falled to Rs 65-70.
This year due to good monsoon the farmers have reaped a
good harvest. But due to fall in international demand in the 15 days the prices
of rices are falling down. Its still uncertain when the traders will start
importing the rice from Ballari and Koppal.
This year the farmers have sent rice to Iran till
mid-December and post December 14 many of the traders have not got payment from
the importers. Most of the rice trade to Arab countries happens through
agents from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Ramesh Kottur, a farmer from Kampli taluk said that rice
prices have fallen since fortnight after tensions escalated in Iran. "Last
year during same time we had got Rs 9,000 for 75 kg of rice. But this time the
same quantity of rice is sold at Rs 4,000. We have also not received payment of
Rs 45,000 which is due since December 2019. The agents have not deposited the
amount as they too have not received the payment,"
Ramesh explained.
"This year due to good rain we got good quality
rice. The local rice variety named Nallur Sonamsauri brand rice is very famous
and used mostly in making of Biryani," he added.
Virabhadrappa K, another farmer from Kampli, said that
the farmers reap about 38 quintals of rice in one acre of land but the falling
prices have made them worry. "Despite good harvest we did not get .money
this year due to halting of export to Iran which is the major consumer of rice
from Kampli and surroundings," he said.
Shridar, senior agricultural officer from Kampli taluk
said several farmers have complained to the department about the ongoing issue.
"We however cannot comment on the international issues and tension between
the countries. But Iran which is big importer of rice from Ballari has temporarily
stopped trading. We are hopeful that the trade begins soon so that the farmers
who have stored the rice could be benefited," he said.
The officer added that Ballari taluk alone has 30,000 Ha
of land under rice cultivation, Shiraguppa taluk has about 24,000 Ha and Kampli
has 13,000 Ha land under paddy cultivation.
Cheaper China rice, high MSP — what
non-basmati exporters are blaming for dip in trade
Govt data says export of non-basmati rice declines by over 37% — from
50,48,000 MT in April-November 2018 to 31,41,000 MT during same period last
year.
Representational image | Photo- Pixabay
Text Size: A- A+
New Delhi: Export of non-basmati rice from India declined by over 37
per cent between April and November of 2019 as compared to the corresponding period
in 2018, data with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export
Development Authority (APEDA) has revealed.
The data, accessed by ThePrint,
shows India managed to export only 31,41,000 metric tonnes (MT) of non-basmati
rice during the April-November period last year, compared to the 50,48,000 MT
it did during the corresponding period in 2018.
The rice exported was worth Rs
9,028 crore, a huge drop from the Rs 14,060 crore during the same period in
2018.
The decline, according to the
data, is due to some top importers of Indian rice completely shunning the
country last year.
For instance, Bangladesh imported
4,70,275 MT of non-basmati rice valued at Rs 1,311 crore between April and
November 2018. During the same period in 2019, the country imported just 11,787
MT of rice valued at a mere Rs 75 crore.
This decline in exports would
result in an annual loss of around Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 crore in 2019-20,
according to the All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA).
Cheap Chinese produce hurting exports
Exporters are now blaming ‘cheap
Chinese produce’ and the ‘high’ minimum support price (MSP) for non-basmati
rice for the decline.
According to Vinod Kaul,
executive director of the All India Rice Exporters Association, cheap Chinese
rice along with the Narendra Modi government’s withdrawal of export incentives
has led to the drastic drop in non-basmati exports.
The association has warned that
Indian exports could witness a demand decline of 50 per cent in African markets
alone as the Chinese rice is way cheaper.
“Africa is one of India’s major
non-basmati markets for Indian rice and also a price-sensitive one,” Kaul said.
“The government has also withdrawn the 5 per cent Merchandise Exports from
India Scheme (MEIS), which was available from 2 November 2018 to 25 March 2019.
The withdrawal of MEIS has made Indian produce expensive compared to other
exporting counterparts such as China, Thailand and Vietnam.”
In the African markets, the price
of 1 quintal rice from China is Rs 2,129 while the price of rice from India is
Rs 3,479 a quintal, Kaul added.
The decline isn’t just confined
to the African countries. The APEDA data shows that even neighbours Nepal
and Bangladesh, among the top importers of Indian rice, are also staying away
from the produce.
Between April and November 2018,
Senegal, Bangladesh and Nepal were the three top importers buying 5,11,160
MT, 4,70,275 MT and 4,48,844 MT non-basmati rice, respectively, from India.
During the same period in 2019,
however, Nepal imported over 1 lakh MT less at 3,38,313 MT, while Senegal and
Bangladesh saw even drastic drops. Senegal only imported 42,101 MT of Indian
non-basmati rice while Bangladesh took in even fewer Indian rice, importing a
mere 11,787 MT (see graphic).
Country-wise
export data | Infographic by Soham Sen
Exporters blame MSP for the high prices
Exporters are also blaming the
MSP for the high export price of Indian non-basmati rice.
Rakesh Kumar, owner of the Delhi-based
Adinath Global Exports, told ThePrint that a high MSP has led to rise in export
prices of Indian rice.
“Due to MSP, our rates are
higher,” he said. “China is exporting non-basmati rice at Rs 21,200-22,700 a
tonne while our price is around Rs 24,800-26300 for the same quantity of rice.”
The central government buys
normal paddy crop at an MSP of Rs 1,815 per quintal. The MSP for grade A
paddy crop is Rs 1,835 per quintal.
Kumar added that shipping costs
also hurt Indian exporters. “It costs us up to Rs 93,600 to ship a single
container whereas the cost in competing countries such as Thailand is only
Rs 49,661. This puts us way behind the competition.”
Farm output posts small growth in 2019
Published Jan 22, 2020 3:18:17 PM
Farm production barely grew in 2019 as rice prices plunged and pork
supply dwindled due to the African swine fever, the Philippine Statistics
Authority says. (FILE PHOTO)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 22) — Agricultural production was flat in 2019 amid smaller
harvests of some crops and pork supply was pulled down by the African swine
fever, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.
Output climbed by 0.7 percent, a modest increase compared to
last year's value of production. The pace is faster than the 0.6 percent growth
rate logged in 2018.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said back in August that the
sector would benefit if it grows by 2 percent in 2019, as he abandoned the 3.5 percent goal set
by his predecessor, Emmanuel Piñol.
Growth was more modest in October-December when harvests rose by
just 0.4 percent, slower than the 1.9 percent pickup logged during the same
period in 2018.
Crop harvests
up, prices down
Crops harvested during the fourth quarter posted a modest 1
percent increase, but their worth dropped by a tenth.
Palay (rice paddy) harvests rose
by 4.7 percent due to bigger fields in Cagayan Valley and in Western Visayas.
Meanwhile, corn production slipped by 8.2 percent during the period with an
earlier planting season.
However, farmgate prices declined by an average of 5.7 percent.
Palay rates plunged by almost 25 percent due to a supply glut after the Rice
Tariffication Law removed limits on cheap rice imports.
The government raised ₱12.3 billion from rice import tariffs.
higher than the ₱10 billion earmarked for a fund that will give farmers access
to cheap but high quality seeds and machinery.
Corn prices also dropped by 18.8 percent with lower demand. The
PSA added that farmers in Zamboanga have been discouraged from planting more
corn due to low buying prices.
Coconut production was higher by 0.9 percent with good weather
during the third quarter, resulting in better harvest. The supply of mangoes,
pineapples, peanuts, cassava, and sweet potato also grew during the quarter.
Sugarcane production dropped by 14.8 percent, resulting from
delayed planting a year ago. Banana harvests slipped during the period as some
plantations were infested by diseases.
Meat prices
drop
Meat production went down by 8.5 percent in the quarter, with
hog raisers reporting the biggest declines.
Pig farms went down by nearly a tenth during the quarter as
thousands of hogs were culled to contain the spread of the African swine fever
in parts of Luzon, coupled with a decline in demand for pork amid fears that
the disease could be transferred to humans.
"The strict implementation and frequent monitoring on the
inflow and outflow of live animals in between provinces contributed to the
lesser disposal of hogs in Cagayan Valley, Central Visayas and Central
Luzon," the PSA added.
On the other hand, beef supply rose as farms saw a 1.8 percent
increase in cattle production, while dairy enjoyed a 2.4 percent lift.
Poultry farms also churned out 5.4 percent more, led by a 4.1
percent increase in chicken meat and an 11.3 percent rise in egg supply. Duck
eggs also rose by 8.7 percent despite a slide in duck production, data showed.
Meanwhile, fisherfolk harvested 16.2 percent more during the
quarter, with milkfish (bangus), tilapia, tiger prawn, roundscad (galunggong),
and skipjack tuna benefiting from better weather conditions.
Government to expand nationwide fortified rice programme
22 JAN 2020
The Department of Social Welfare will expand its nationwide
fortified rice programme among preschoolers in a bid to improve children’s
health and reduce nutritional deficiencies, a senior official said.
Daw Lei Yin Win, director of the department, said her office is
negotiating with millers to ensure an adequate supply of the staple.
“We are feeding fortified rice to children from the preschool
level in Yangon and Mandalay regions,” she said, “and will extend the programme
to other parts of the country this year.”
“If the millers can create wholesale markets to cover the whole
country, every pre-primary school can be supplied with fortified rice,” she added.
Her office can now only supply fortified rice to preschools that
are near wholesale markets as the transportation costs are too high, especially
in remote areas.
The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement was
instructed last year to feed fortified rice to preschoolers through the
Department of Social Welfare.
Preschoolers in Yangon started getting fortified rice at the end
of 2018, and those in Mandalay began getting the nutritious grain last year.
Fortified rice is enriched with vitamins and minerals, including
eight essential micronutrients: iron, zinc, folic acid, and vitamins A, B1, B3,
B6 and B12.
Only 16 of the hundreds of registered rice millers nationwide
produce fortified rice with the right micronutrient content, according to the
Department of Public Health’s National Nutrition Centre.
Over 350,000 people eat fortified rice in the country, according
to the centre.
Health and Sports Minister Myint Htwe last year urged people to
eat fortified rice to prevent stunted growth in children and anaemia in
pregnant women and children. “People need to know the advantages of fortified
rice,” he said.
Malnutrition remains a pressing health challenge in Myanmar,
where 40 percent of pregnant women suffer from anaemia and one in four children
is small for their age, according to the
Nationwide Micronutrient and Food Consumption Survey for
2017-18.
Thirty-four preschools in Yangon and nine in Mandalay feed
children fortified rice, according to the Department of Social Welfare.
Annual
Meetings Keep Rice Growers in the Know
|
By Kane Webb
 RICE COUNTRY, USA -- January
ushers in the new year, and in the rice industry it's also time for growers
to meet, ask questions, and gather information relevant to their prospective
operations, laying the foundation for a successful 2020 production year.Over the past two weeks, rice growers across Louisiana and Texas heard the latest information and updates from Research and Extension personnel on what's in store for this year. These meetings are held annually, and tend to draw a big crowd as growers begin to plan their strategies in anticipation of the coming planting season. Researchers from the Louisiana State University Rice Research Station in Crowley held meetings, in conjunction with local extension offices, in Jeff Davis, Evangeline, Acadia, Central Louisiana, and Vermilion Parishes, giving growers the opportunity to learn what's new and what needs to be considered in making decisions for the coming year. Dr. Dustin Harrell, rice specialist at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station in Crowley, said, "These annual rice forums are an excellent opportunity for rice growers and consultants to hear about the latest research and guidelines on rice varieties, fertilization, weed, disease and insect management recommendations for the new crop." The Western Rice Belt Production Conference, recently held in El Campo, Texas, included reports from Texas A&M and Texas AgriLife researchers, as well as an update from Gary Six, state executive director of the Texas Farm Service Agency. Also on the agenda were presentations on Conservation and Working Lands programs, such as the USA Rice/Ducks Unlimited Partnership, and watershed and resource management initiatives, pointing up opportunities for grower involvement. Check the schedule below and plan to attend the meeting in your area. |
|
|
Mark
Your Calendar and Plan to Attend
California Rice
Commission Grower Meetings
Thursday, January 23
8:30 am, Colusa -
Casino Community Room
12:30 pm, Yuba City -
Hillcrest Catering at Plaza Room
2020 SETX Rice
Symposium
Thursday, January 23
8 am, Winnie - St.
Louis Catholic Church Building
Clay County, Arkansas
Rice/Soybean Production Meeting
Monday, January 27
11:30 am, Corning -
M.B. Ainley Community Center
Arkansas Soil &
Water Education Conference
Wednesday, January 29
8 am, Jonesboro - ASU
First National Bank Arena
Cotton & Rice
Conference
Thursday - Friday,
January 30-31
Memphis TN - Hilton
Hotel & Convention Center
LSU Rice Forum - NELA
Tuesday, February 4
9 am, Rayville -
Rayville Civic Center
A-State Agribusiness
Conference
Wednesday, February 12
8:00 am, Jonesboro -
Fowler Center (morning session), First National Bank Arena (lunch and
afternoon session)
Mississippi Rice
Council Meeting
Thursday, February 13
10 am, Cleveland MS -
Wade Inc. dealership, 645 Gaines Hwy
SE Missouri Regional
Rice Meeting
Thursday, February 20
8 am, Malden - Malden
Community Center
Farm & Gin Show
Friday - Sunday, February
28 - March 1
Memphis Convention
Center
|
Cambodia invites Vietnam to invest in rice processing
(File Pix) Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen (inset) said annual
rice exports to Vietnam were between one and two million tonnes.
- January 21, 2020 @
10:30am
PRIME MINISTER Hun Sen has
invited Vietnamese businessmen to invest in the country’s rice processing
sector.
He said annual rice exports to
Vietnam were between one and two million tonnes, and their investment could
benefit the people of both nations.
“I am optimistic that Vietnamese
and foreign investors will choose Cambodia as an investment destination,” he
said at an annual dinner with the Vietnamese business community in Cambodia.
Vietnam Business Club (Cambodia)
chairman Nguyen Thanh Dung said bilateral trade reached US$5.2 billion last
year.
“Vietnam is the kingdom’s
third-largest trading partner, with 214 registered projects here worth a total
investment of US$3.074 billion. Of these, 176 are ongoing with a total
registered capital of US$2.77 billion.
“Vietnamese investors focus
mainly on Cambodia’s sectors such as agriculture, banking, telecommunications,
information technology and processing industries.”
The Phnom Penh Post reported that
the Vietnamese accounted for nearly 70 per cent of total investments in the
agricultural and forestry sector, and 9.4 per cent in the finance, banking and
insurance sector. Data from the Vietnamese embassy here shows that the
Vietnamese have invested in the aviation, mineral, manufacturing and
processing, warehousing, transport, healthcare, construction, tourism and real
estate sectors.
Cambodia’s investments in Vietnam
encompass 21 projects worth a total of nearly US$64 million.
It ranks 54th out of 132 countries
and territories investing in Vietnam, embassy data shows.
Between 2015 and 2018, the kingdom’s exports to Vietnam reached
slightly more than US$1.18 billion, while Vietnam’s exports to the kingdom
amounted to US$6.96 billion, a Commerce Ministry report said.
Govt cuts reserve prices of wheat, rice to make space for new
crop yield
Updated: January 21, 2020 4:42:12 AM
When the OMSS
scheme was announced in April last year, the government had fixed reserve price
of wheat for each quarter during FY20.
The reserve price of rice under OMSS has been cut to
Rs 2,250/quintal from Rs 2,785/quintal fixed earlier.
Faced with poor offtake of grains from the official reserves, the
government has cut the reserve prices of wheat and rice to clear the space for
new crop, as the current food grain stocks with the Food Corporation of India
(FCI) is 2.5 times the buffer norm. But, the delayed decision may not help FCI
to substantially liquidate its stocks as procurement of the new crop will start
from April. For this the agency needs 35 million tonne (MT) of storage space.
The latest official data shows that FCI has 56.51 MT of rice and
wheat in its reserves, besides 27.89 MT of paddy (kept by millers) as on
January 1, against the buffer norm of 21.41 MT. The stock position in the
year-ago period was 45.41 MT of rice and wheat, and 27.41 MT of paddy. The
agency has a total storage capacity of 76 MT, including hired ones.
Besides the storage challenge, the surplus grains lying with the
FCI also cost huge financial burden on the exchequer. After converting the
paddy in terms of rice, the value of total surplus stocks (nearly 54 MT) will
be as high as Rs 1.73 lakh crore at the current economic costs. However, the
government has been selling the grains at below economic cost under the open
market sale scheme (OMSS). The economic costs of wheat is estimated at Rs
2505.67/quintal and, for rice it is Rs 3601.91/quintal for FY20.
For three years in a row, the fiscally stressed Centre has made
FCI take National Small Savings Fund (NSSF) loans under sovereign guarantee to
ensure the corporation’s operations aren’t disrupted. However, the Centre’s
dues to the FCI have now touched an all-time high of Rs 1.95 lakh-crore, and
the FCI is being made to borrow more from NSSF.
The reserve price of rice under OMSS has been cut to Rs
2,250/quintal from Rs 2,785/quintal fixed earlier. The reserve price of wheat
now stands at Rs 2,135/quintal for fair average quality (FAQ) and at Rs
2,080/quintal for lower quality. The benchmark price was Rs 2,245/quintal for
the January-March period of 2019-20. When the OMSS scheme was announced in
April last year, the government had fixed reserve price of wheat for each
quarter during FY20. The objective was to liquidate 10 MT of wheat with minimum
losses – every quarter there was an increase in reserve price from the previous
period.
While trade sources said only about 1.7 MT of wheat has been sold
under OMSS, official data showed it was less than a million tonne until
November 28, 2019. The rice off-take was also very poor as only 616,290 tonne
could be sold while the target was to sell 5 MT in the whole year. In 2018-19,
more than 8 MT, each of wheat and rice, was sold by FCI under the OMSS scheme.
“Normally wheat stocks with flour millers exhaust by December and
for January-March period most of them depend on FCI for their requirements. The
government thought of earning big rather than liquidating as this year wheat
reserve price was fixed at 22% more than MSP for the fourth quarter, whereas it
was just about 12% more than MSP for the same period last year,” a trader said.
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Price of rice
stable
DAVAO. Retail prices of rice in Bankerohan Public Market. (Photo
by Roberto A. Gumba Jr.)
January 21, 2020
RETAIL price of rice in Davao City remained steady since the
last week of December 2019 but a downtrend is observed on the gate price of dry
palay.
Retail prices in Bangkerohan Public Market as of January 20 ranged from P34 to P38 per kilogram (kg) for regular milled rice (RMR), P36 per kg to P43 per kg for well-milled rice (WMR), P45 per kg to P50 per kg for special rice, and P45 per kg to P47 per kg for premium rice.
Based on the data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) as of December 25 to 31, the range of retail prices was unchanged.
The lowest retail price of RMR within this period is at P33 per kg while the highest was P38 per kg.
Retail prices for WMR were between P38 per kg to P43 per kg. The prices for special rice ranged from P53 per kg to P60 per kg and P42 per kg to P48 per kg for premium rice.
PSA also noted the wholesale prices for RMR at P29 per kg to P34 per kg; WMR was at P33 per kg to P37 per kg; and premium rice at P37 per kg to P41 per kg.
However, the farmgate price of dry palay in the city is at P13.38 per kg. In the last week of December 2019, farmgate was at P12.10 per kg to P14.24 per kg.
Davao City also has the lowest prevailing buying price of palay compared to Davao de Oro (P15.10 per kg), Davao del Norte (P16.50 per kg), and Davao del Sur (P17.50 per kg). The average price of dry palay in the region in this period is at P15.10 per kg.
Rice exports grow 26.30pc
APP
ISLAMABAD
Rice exports from the country during first half
of current financial year grew by 26.30% as compared the exports of the
corresponding period of last year. During the period from July-December
2019-20, rice over 2.020 million metric tons worth $1.033 billion exported as
compared to the exports of 1.587 million tons valuing $817.923 million of same
period of last year. According the latest trade data released by the Pakistan
Bureau of Statistics, exports of Basmati rice witnessed overwhelming growth of
55.89% as about 415,083 metric tons of above mentioned commodity worth $380.623
million exported as compared to the exports of 241,491 metric tons valuing
$244.169 million of same period of last year. Meanwhile, exports of rice other
then Basmati also grew by 13.71% during the period under review as 1,605,613
metric tons of rice worth $652.428 million exported as against 1,345,961 metric
tons valuing $573.754 million of same period of last year. However, on month on
month basis, rice exports decreased by 8.19% in December, 2019 as 403,923
metric tons of rice valuing $197.185 million against exports of 431,744 metric
tons of same month of last year.
It is worth mentioning here that in first six
months of current financial year, food group exports from the country witnessed
10.96% growth as food commodities worth $2.199 billion exported as compared to
the exports of $1.994 billion of same period of last year.
On the other hand, food imports during the
period under review decreased by 13.48% as it came down from $2.966 billion in
July-December, 2018-19 to $2.556 billion in same month of current financial
year.
The other food commodities that witnessed
positive growth in their respective exports included fish and fish products by
22.56%, vegetables 40.44% and meat and meat products 51.89%.
The import of the food commodities that had
witnessed negative growth included milk, cream and milk for infants 26.69%,
wheat 0%, dry fruits nuts 9.96% tea imports reduced by 24.12%, the data
revealed.
Concern over low quality of local rice
When people are given the
opportunity to make a choice between foreign and local rice, what usually comes
to mind is the local product because of its unique taste and nutritional value.
The case seems to be different with the Nigerian local rice. JULIANA AGBO, in this report, examines
consumers’ opinion on local rice production.
IN Nigeria, rice has become so
prominent that the average meal in a day will predominantly comprise one of
rice or a meal whose main or base ingredient is rice.
Rice is no longer a luxury food
in Nigeria as it has become a major source of calories for both the rich and
the urban poor.
As such, the consumption of rice
has since the mid-1970s risen tremendously to about 10 per cent per annum. This
figure, according to research, is predominantly due to changing consumer
preferences thereby accounting for a large chunk of the Nigerians’ food basket.
Rice importation constituted a
major source of the country’s depleting foreign reserve with over N1billion
spent daily on imported rice.
Currently, the government is
strongly discouraging rice import by promoting local production for import
substitution.
Recall that the Federal
Government, in April, 2018, said Nigeria will achieve self-sufficiency in rice
production by 2020 with sustained implementation of the Anchor Borrowers’
Programme launched on November 17, 2015.
Also in August, last year,
President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the closure of land borders between Nigeria
and Benin Republic in long-running effort to boost rice production.
President Buhari also said the
partial closure of Nigeria’s border with the Benin Republic, was due to the
massive smuggling activities, especially of rice, taking place on that
corridor.
Annual production and
consumption
In 2019, the President of Rice
Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, said Nigeria had
hit annual eight million metric tons of rice production, with a target of 18
million metric tons by 2023.
Goronyo said the feat was
achieved with the disbursement of N40 billion by the Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN) under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (CBN/APB) to over 12.2 million rice
farmers.
However, Nigeria is the 6th
highest consumer of rice in the world with over six million metric tons of
milled rice consumed annually.
Consumer satisfaction
Despite government’s action on
border closure to boost local rice production, there is influx of foreign rice
in the market due to consumers’ preference.
Although, Nigerians have come to
accept local rice as a better alternative to the imported brands, they are of
the view that most of the brands of local rice in the market are yet to meet
international standard due to poor processing and packaging.
However, they are also of the
view that the price of local rice per bag should not go above N15, 000 so as to
have competitive advantage over imported rice.
Research by Journal of
Agricultural Extension revealed that the major constraints to rice consumption
preference for Nigerian rice were presence of husk, dirt and stones (90.0%),
poor quality (85.8%), broken grain (75.0%), low swelling capacity (72.50%)
breakages (71.60%), lack of competition advantages (68.33%).
It also noted that the
constraints to imported rice consumption were high cost (73.33%) and
affordability of the products (62.50%), adding that factors that significantly
influence the household consumption preference for imported and Nigerian rice
were price, nutritional value, ease of preparation, cleanliness and taste.
Acceptability
It is observed that poor
finishing and high cost of local rice per bag which goes for N20, 000 hinders
its acceptability.
Recall that the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN), Governor Godwin Emefiele, in October, last year, told rice
farmers not to increase the price of the product as a result of the border
closure.
Emefiele also reiterated the need
to increase rice production, promising that the CBN would support the rice
millers to stem off smuggling and grow the rice sector for food
self–sufficiency.
The CBN Governor maintained that
the closure was done for the benefit and well-being of the people as most of
the “imported rice had chemicals for preservation”.
However, a foodstuff seller at
Mararaba Market, Nasarawa State, Ifeanyi Onuigbo, said he is still struggling
to sell off the bags of rice he bought due to poor processing.
“If we can improve on our locally
processed rice, it will be more beneficial to Nigerians than reopening the
border because the money will now be within the country,” Onuigbo said.
Another foodstuff seller, Mary
Okoh, said rice processed in Nigeria could compete with any variety in the
world if Nigerian farmers could process the product better.
“There is no problem with our
locally processed rice in terms of taste but the problem lies in the processing
and packaging. There is no difference between our local rice and the imported
ones, except in the processing of our rice. We still have a long way to go.
An entrepreneur, Moses Omoikhoa,
who noted that he preferred the consumption of imported rice to local ones,
also blamed the poorly processed rice on inadequate processing technology.
Omoikhoa said government has
major role to play in forming strong policies that will favour production of
local rice as it is being practised in the advanced world.
“The Nigerian rice industry is
currently not doing so badly. It is just that our local rice processors need to
improve on their final product. I believe that it is the increase in the demand
for locally processed rice, following the border closure that has resulted in
the recent poor processing of local rice.
“The price of local rice is also
discouraging. If I can get foreign rice for N22, 000 per bag in the market, why
won’t I abandon local rice which goes for 20,000 per bag for the imported rice
that is not stressful to prepare.
“I get scared of eating local
rice because of the presence of stones and dirt in it; this means we still have
a long way to go.
“Most Nigerians will still go for
the foreign rice if it is available because of the poor processing of our local
variety,” said Omoikhoa.
Barriers
A survey carried out by The
Nation across major markets and restaurants in the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT) and some markets in Nasarawa and Niger states revealed that most Nigerian
rice processors lack adequate technology of rice processing to meet
international standard.
Matthew Ayaka, a Keffi-based rice
miller blamed the low quality production on poor quality and insufficient paddy
rice.
Ayaka said equipment constraint
and use of outdated milling technology are also major challenges.
“Money is another big issue. Rice
farmers in Nigeria have limited access to credit facilities. Those who obtain
loans often default on repayments, and are not able to use the money to build
their enterprises. Furthermore, rice farming is an expensive business:
machinery, seeds, fertilisers and other agro-chemicals cost a great deal of
money.
“Nigeria also hasn’t invested
enough in training farmers. There’s a lack of knowledge about how to use
pesticides and herbicides; how to handle rice once it’s been harvested; and how
to market one’s produce. Traders are reluctant to go out and purchase produce
from rice farms in the rural areas because the state of the roads is so bad,” Ayaka
said.
An off taker, Clement Omonu, told
The Nation in Abuja that Nigerians are paying more for local rice, not
necessarily because it is scarce but due to the high cost of production.
Omonu, who also blamed
government’s interference in agriculture, poor marketing infrastructure,
financial constraints and lack of well-trained machine operators on the
challenges associated with quality rice production, urged government to invest
in Nigerian rice production by providing loans facilities for Nigerian rice farmers
and encourage mechanisation.
“The reasons people still go for
imported rice is because government at all levels do not practice what they
say.
“Government said they don’t want
to see foreign rice in the market, but the same people don’t want to give us
incentives to produce rice locally. You don’t get equipment, you don’t get
loans and you don’t get seeds.
Support for farmers
The government is trying to boost
its agriculture sector, especially in rice production as it can be cultivated
in all the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT).
The support include government’s
grants, loans offered at cheap interest rates to farmers, grants and technology
given by non-profit organisations and funding from foreign agencies such as the
World Bank.
Despite these supports, some
farmers are lamenting that Federal Government’s policy on assistance to enhance
rice production is not getting to the grassroots.
On poor processing and packaging,
the Chairman, Rice Millers’ Association, Mr. Peter Dama said most Nigerians
condemning the rice in the market have refused to change their appetite for
local rice.
Mr. Dama said despite some
challenges faced by some local rice millers, especially in having access to
complete rice equipment to clean up their rice, does not mean that the rice is
bad.
“Nigerians are used to foreign
rice and they find it difficult to change their appetite for local rice. There
are some challenges with some millers, because some of them are the smaller
ones that bring in rice into the market without going through the appropriate
processing procedure.
“We as an association are trying
our best to make sure that our members can have appropriate equipment for rice
milling.
“It may also take some time
before we can get the appropriate milling we are talking about.
“The government has assisted by asking our
members to apply for special intervention funds to purchase equipment so as to
mill rice properly. We are all in the process and we are engaging our members
who are out of funds for them to be able to purchase their own equipment.
“Also, our millers are still
receiving trainings on how to use the modern equipment available for milling
because it is computerised. All they need is to be familiar with the equipment
and how they operate,” Dama said.
rice to make space for new crop yield
Updated: January 21, 2020 4:42:12 AM
When the OMSS
scheme was announced in April last year, the government had fixed reserve price
of wheat for each quarter during FY20.
The reserve price of rice under OMSS has been cut to
Rs 2,250/quintal from Rs 2,785/quintal fixed earlier.
Faced with poor offtake of grains from the official reserves, the
government has cut the reserve prices of wheat and rice to clear the space for
new crop, as the current food grain stocks with the Food Corporation of India
(FCI) is 2.5 times the buffer norm. But, the delayed decision may not help FCI
to substantially liquidate its stocks as procurement of the new crop will start
from April. For this the agency needs 35 million tonne (MT) of storage space.
The latest official data shows that FCI has 56.51 MT of rice and
wheat in its reserves, besides 27.89 MT of paddy (kept by millers) as on
January 1, against the buffer norm of 21.41 MT. The stock position in the
year-ago period was 45.41 MT of rice and wheat, and 27.41 MT of paddy. The
agency has a total storage capacity of 76 MT, including hired ones.
Besides the storage challenge, the surplus grains lying with the
FCI also cost huge financial burden on the exchequer. After converting the
paddy in terms of rice, the value of total surplus stocks (nearly 54 MT) will
be as high as Rs 1.73 lakh crore at the current economic costs. However, the
government has been selling the grains at below economic cost under the open
market sale scheme (OMSS). The economic costs of wheat is estimated at Rs
2505.67/quintal and, for rice it is Rs 3601.91/quintal for FY20.
For three years in a row, the fiscally stressed Centre has made
FCI take National Small Savings Fund (NSSF) loans under sovereign guarantee to
ensure the corporation’s operations aren’t disrupted. However, the Centre’s
dues to the FCI have now touched an all-time high of Rs 1.95 lakh-crore, and
the FCI is being made to borrow more from NSSF.
The reserve price of rice under OMSS has been cut to Rs
2,250/quintal from Rs 2,785/quintal fixed earlier. The reserve price of wheat
now stands at Rs 2,135/quintal for fair average quality (FAQ) and at Rs
2,080/quintal for lower quality. The benchmark price was Rs 2,245/quintal for
the January-March period of 2019-20. When the OMSS scheme was announced in
April last year, the government had fixed reserve price of wheat for each
quarter during FY20. The objective was to liquidate 10 MT of wheat with minimum
losses – every quarter there was an increase in reserve price from the previous
period.
While trade sources said only about 1.7 MT of wheat has been sold
under OMSS, official data showed it was less than a million tonne until
November 28, 2019. The rice off-take was also very poor as only 616,290 tonne
could be sold while the target was to sell 5 MT in the whole year. In 2018-19,
more than 8 MT, each of wheat and rice, was sold by FCI under the OMSS scheme.
“Normally wheat stocks with flour millers exhaust by December and
for January-March period most of them depend on FCI for their requirements. The
government thought of earning big rather than liquidating as this year wheat
reserve price was fixed at 22% more than MSP for the fourth quarter, whereas it
was just about 12% more than MSP for the same period last year,” a trader said.
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Rice exports up by
26.30pc as 2.02 million tons H1
By admin
January 21, 2020
Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Rice exports from the country during first half of current financial
year grew by 26.30% as compared the exports of the corresponding period of last
year.
During the period from July-December 2019-20, rice over 2.020 million metric tons worth $1.033 billion exported as compared to the exports of 1.587 million tons valuing $817.923 million of same period of last year.
According the latest trade data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, exports of Basmati rice witnessed overwhelming growth of 55.89% as about 415,083 metric tons of above mentioned commodity worth $380.623 million exported as compared to the exports of 241,491 metric tons valuing $244.169 million of same period of last year.
Meanwhile, exports of rice other then Basmati also grew by 13.71% during the period under review as 1,605,613 metric tons of rice worth $652.428 million exported as against 1,345,961 metric tons valuing $573.754 million of same period of last year.
However, on month on month basis, rice exports decreased by 8.19% in December, 2019 as 403,923 metric tons of rice valuing $197.185 million against exports of 431,744 metric tons of same month of last year.
It is worth mentioning here that in first six months of current financial year, food group exports from the country witnessed 10.96% growth as food commodities worth $2.199 billion exported as compared to the exports of $1.994 billion of same period of last year.
On the other hand, food imports during the period under review decreased by 13.48% as it came down from $2.966 billion in July-December, 2018-19 to $2.556 billion in same month of current financial year.
The other food commodities that witnessed positive growth in their respective exports included fish and fish products by 22.56%, vegetables 40.44% and meat and meat products 51.89%.
The import of the food commodities that had witnessed negative growth included milk, cream and milk for infants 26.69%, wheat 0%, dry fruits nuts 9.96% tea imports reduced by 24.12%, the data revealed.
During the period from July-December 2019-20, rice over 2.020 million metric tons worth $1.033 billion exported as compared to the exports of 1.587 million tons valuing $817.923 million of same period of last year.
According the latest trade data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, exports of Basmati rice witnessed overwhelming growth of 55.89% as about 415,083 metric tons of above mentioned commodity worth $380.623 million exported as compared to the exports of 241,491 metric tons valuing $244.169 million of same period of last year.
Meanwhile, exports of rice other then Basmati also grew by 13.71% during the period under review as 1,605,613 metric tons of rice worth $652.428 million exported as against 1,345,961 metric tons valuing $573.754 million of same period of last year.
However, on month on month basis, rice exports decreased by 8.19% in December, 2019 as 403,923 metric tons of rice valuing $197.185 million against exports of 431,744 metric tons of same month of last year.
It is worth mentioning here that in first six months of current financial year, food group exports from the country witnessed 10.96% growth as food commodities worth $2.199 billion exported as compared to the exports of $1.994 billion of same period of last year.
On the other hand, food imports during the period under review decreased by 13.48% as it came down from $2.966 billion in July-December, 2018-19 to $2.556 billion in same month of current financial year.
The other food commodities that witnessed positive growth in their respective exports included fish and fish products by 22.56%, vegetables 40.44% and meat and meat products 51.89%.
The import of the food commodities that had witnessed negative growth included milk, cream and milk for infants 26.69%, wheat 0%, dry fruits nuts 9.96% tea imports reduced by 24.12%, the data revealed.
More than 1,000 jobs at NFA to be erased as
rice import limits removed
By: Ben
O. de Vera - Reporter / @bendeveraINQ
Philippine
Daily Inquirer / 04:20 PM January 21, 2020
The
Governance Commission for Government Owned or Controlled Corporations (GCG) has
slashed to 2,644 the number of regular positions in the National Food Authority
(NFA) which now has a leaner role after the lifting of volume
restrictions on rice importation through the Rice Tariffication Act.
In a memo
dated Jan. 7, the GCG set into motion the NFA’s restructuring mandated by
Republic Act No. 11203, which removed volume limits on rice imports and set
tariffs.
The Rice
Tariffication Act signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2019 removed the NFA’s
commercial functions and regulatory powers, retaining only its mandate to stock
up on rice for emergencies.
In a
restructuring plan proposed by the NFA to the GCG in May 2019, the NFA sought
to reduce regular employee positions to 3,543 from 4,436 prior to the Rice
Tariffication Act.
By June
2019, the NFA revised its proposed staffing pattern to a lower 3,191 regular
positions.
The GCG,
however, approved just 2,644 regular positions in the NFA’s 22 units, its
central office, 15 regional offices and 45 branch offices.
The GCG
order was signed by chair Samuel G. Dagpin, commissioners Michael P. Cloribel
and Marites C. Doral, as well as its two ex-officio members, Finance Secretary
Carlos G. Dominguez III and Acting Budget Secretary Wendel E. Avisado.
As 1,792
regular jobs will be shed, the GCG said “the NFA Council, through the
administrator, shall be accountable for the payment of separation benefits.”
The new
staffing pattern of the NFA would start within two months from the approval by
the Office of the President of the NFA’s separation package.
The GCG said
vacant positions at NFA, under the new structure, would be “programmed to
ensure overall financial viability” of NFA operations.
Funding for
regular positions at the NFA would come from the agency’s operating budget, the
GCG said.
Regional fire
brigade tasked to construct seven modern apartments
21Jan 2020
Michael Sikapundwa
The Guardian
Regional fire brigade tasked to construct seven modern apartments
MOROGORO Regional Commissioner Loata Sanare has directed
the regional fire brigade commander, Goodluck Zelote to construct seven modern
apartments for the brigade’s staff.Sanare made a call during the weekend when rewarding 10 corps who performed well in their duties in 2019.
“The RC said fire brigade here owns a large plot of land which is enough to construct even more that 10 apartments…I have been informed that at least 42 police staff are living difficult lives as they have no safe place to stay thus hindering emergency and fire rescue activities especially during night ,” he said.
He wanted the force to stop rehabilitating old houses but build new ones for the soldiers to live in.
“I will support you in this by asking for stakeholders support to ensure that our soldiers live in safe places and relocate them from the remote areas where they are living now,” he said.
In facilitating financial sources to construct modern houses, RC ordered regional authorities to stop restring the Fire and Rescue Force from constructing their own business frames for the aim of generating incomes.
“Allow the fire brigade to continue with construction of business frames…As you know their challenges, they have to look for other income generating sources as they have a number of challenges to solve including shortage of staff houses; the government also assigned them to collect over 300m/- perr year,” her stressed.
RC Sanare later rewarded certificates of appreciation to one sergeant namely Abdala Hamidu Juma(Sgt), three corporals , Ipyana Mwakasege(cpl),Benjamin Bandala(cpl),Hashimu Ngalawanda(CPL) and two fire constables Geoffrey Mbate(F.C),Bahati Rajabu(F.C
He commended development stakeholders for supporting the development of the regional fire brigade especially in the construction of staff houses.
He named them MW Rice Millers, The Islamic Foundation, 21st Century Textile Industry, Tigo, Peacam Cratering and Saba General Company.
Baked is
best: Immunity enhancement better from baked bread than steamed - study
22-Jan-2020 - Last
updated on 22-Jan-2020 at 02:23 GMT
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According
to researchers in China, baked bread enhances the immune response in humans
compared to steamed bread ©Getty Images
Baked
bread may help enhances immunity and aid weight loss more than steamed bread,
according to researchers in China.
Steamed
and baked bread are traditional staple foods in China and Western countries
respectively. But researchers added: “It is unclear whether different processing
methods change the biological functions of foods and how these functions are
evaluated in the human body.”Hence, they sought to study the cytokine network and central metabolic pathway (CMP) network.
Cytokines bind to specific receptors on immune and nonimmune cells through the circulatory system, which forms an intercellular communication network that regulates neuro-immune-endocrine functions and metabolism.
“As far as we know, no research has been conducted on this subject. Understanding the effects of these two staple foods on human physiological functions is important for exploring the effects of food-processing methods on the human body and for dietary intervention to promote the human health.”
The study was published in the journal, Nutrients.
Bread
preparation and participants
Both steamed and baked bread were made
from the same wheat flour without any additives, dry yeast, and water. The
dough was kneaded by hand and left to rise in a fermentation cabinet.The steamed bread was placed in a steamer basket at 100 °C for 20 minutes while the baked bread was baked in an electric oven at 215 °C for 20 minutes.
A total of 16 healthy participants aged 23 to 25 years, of both genders (8 men, 8 women) were recruited for the study.
The volunteers main staple food was rice, and they rarely ate wheat flour-based food.
Treatment
The treatment experiment lasted for five
days where volunteers were placed in a relaxed environment to protect them from
stress sources.On treatment day one, volunteers were provided with the unbiased food (boiled potato, celery cabbage, and edible rape without oil and salt; purified water) and rice (staple food) for three meals. The time for three meals were 0730 (breakfast), 1200 (lunch) and 1730 (dinner). Each meal lasted between 25 to 35 minutes.
On day two of treatment, volunteers were also provided with unbiased food + rice for three meals, and blood was collected as control. Venous blood was collected from each subject at 1430, 1500, and 1530.
On treatment day three, breakfast was the same as the first two days. However, for lunch, the unbiased food + 100 g steamed bread (replacing the rice) were provided, and a blood sample was collected at the corresponding times.
A wash out period of five days was conducted. During this interval, volunteers resumed their daily eating habits.
Treatment day four saw the same meal plan as for day one.
On the last day of treatment, volunteers were given unbiased food + 100 g baked bread for lunch, and a blood sample was collected as above.
The blood samples were used to detect 38 cytokines, 12 metabolic enzymes, glucose, lactate, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) to compare the cytokine network and CMP network between the two staple foods on immunity and metabolism.
Cytokine
network
They found that baked bread
significantly increased the concentration of fractalkine (p=0.017),
macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) (p=0.026), and decreased interleukin-1
receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) (p=0.004).This suggests that baked bread may enhance innate and cellular immune responses, compared with steamed bread.
One reason for this may be due to the chemical changes, researchers believed.
“When baking at higher temperatures, the Maillard reaction and other chemical reactions can occur, and produce harmful components such as acrylamide, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. However, during steaming, with its relatively low temperature and high humidity, the above harmful components may not be produced,
“Therefore, we speculate that the exposure of potentially harmful compounds to the intestinal mucosa may be the main reason for the enhanced systemic immune response with the intake of baked bread as compared with steamed bread.”.
According to the metabolic findings, researchers said for people who lived mostly on wheat flour-based foods, baked bread may be helpful for body-weight control, while steamed bread may be more suitable for people suffering from malnutrition or food shortages.
Key
findings
The researchers concluded:
“Compared with steamed bread, the intake of baked bread enhanced intercellular
communication and immune response, increased catabolism, and decreased
anabolism. Cytokines may act as signals that regulate metabolism. This study
provides novel insights into whether processing methods affect the
physiological functions of foods and feasible methods regarding how these
functions can be evaluated in the human body.”Source: Nutrients
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010001
“Baked Bread Enhances the Immune Response and the Catabolism in the Human Body in Comparison with Steamed Bread”
Authors: Huisong Wang and Guangchang Pang
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Study finds high arsenic levels in children rice
snacks in Australia
The research, carried out by the
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, found 75 percent of rice-based
products tested had concentrations of arsenic that exceeded the EU guideline
for safe rice consumption for babies and toddlers.
Rice snacks for children found in Australian supermarkets
contain arsenic at levels above European safety guidelines, according to a new
study from the Royal Melbourne Institute of
Technology (RMIT).
Arsenic is a naturally occurring
metal widely found in air, soil and groundwater that comes in both organic and
inorganic forms. Organic arsenic is considered to be relatively safe, but
inorganic arsenic is a carcinogen linked with cancers of the bladder and skin.
Senior researcher Associate Professor Suzie Reichman, an
environmental toxicologist at RMIT, said the research used European guidelines
because Australia does not have safety standards specifically for children. The
study tested 39 rice products for babies and toddlers found in Australian supermarkets, including milk formula powder, cereal,
crackers and pasta made from brown, white, organic and non-organic rice, and
found that 75 percent contained arsenic that exceeded the EU guideline for safe
rice consumption for children.
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“While all the products we tested
meet Australian guidelines, these do not reflect the latest scientific
understanding on how arsenic affects the body,” Reichman said.
“Children are far more vulnerable
to the long-term toxic effect of metals like arsenic, but our rice guidelines
are based on adults.
“The guidelines are also based on
out-of-date dietary habits, when rice was generally eaten less often by
Australian families.
“This study shows the need to
develop new standards specifically for children and ensure our guidelines are
in line with what we now know about safe rice consumption.”
Reichman said rice-based products
were a popular alternative for the growing number of children with gluten
intolerances.
“Rice can be safely eaten as part
of a well-rounded, balanced diet, but if it is a child’s main source of
carbohydrates, that could be a problem,” she said.
“As a general rule, we recommend
that children under five eat rice in moderation and parents should avoid
serving rice at every meal, to minimise the risk of exposure to arsenic.”
U of A releases new long-grain
Clearfield rice variety
A Horizon Ag seed expansion field shows CLL16, a new
high-yielding, long-grain Clearfield(R) rice variety from the Arkansas
Agricultural Experiment Station rice breeding program. The new rice will be
available to farmers from Horizon Ag in 2021, according to a news release.
Special to The Commercial/Horizon Ag
FAYETTEVILLE — CLL16, a new
high-yield, long-grain Clearfield® rice variety developed by the University of
Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will be available to rice growers from
Horizon Ag in 2021.
Karen Moldenhauer, professor and
rice breeder for the Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment
Station, said CLL16 has excellent rough rice yields, averaging 205 bushels per
acre, slightly better than Diamond, which averages 204 bushels per acre.
“Horizon Ag is excited to market
CLL16, developed in partnership with the University of Arkansas System Division
of Agriculture and BASF,” said Tim Tim Walker, Horizon Ag general manager,
Ph.D, Horizon Ag general manager.
“This variety promises a step
change in yield potential, while offering industry leading blast tolerance and
a milled product that continues to bring back the Gold Standard rice the
Southern USA has historically produced,” Walker said.
CLL16 is resistant to blast in
Arkansas growing conditions, Moldenhauer said. It has demonstrated good milling
yields, averaging 63 percent whole kernel and 69 percent total milled rice for
samples from Arkansas Rice Performance Trials across the state.
“We recognize that the
Clearfield® technology continues to offer significant benefits and ROI
potential to rice farmers in the region, particularly when combined with
top-performing varieties like CLL16. Horizon Ag is proud to continue to partner
with the elite university breeding programs which benefit the industry
immensely.”
CLL16 is a very stable cultivated
variety with an early maturity date, averaging 86 days to 50 percent heading,
similar to CL172 and Wells and about four days earlier than Roy J, Moldenhauer
said. The plant is standard height with a 36-inch canopy, similar to Diamond.
“Grain weight and size are
similar to Diamond with nice long, plump kernels,” Moldenhauer said. “It has
typical southern U.S. long-grain cooking quality.”
“The plants have very strong
straw, indicating good lodging resistance,” Moldenhauer said. It is rated
moderately susceptible to false smut and susceptible to sheath blight and
bacterial panicle blight.
Nitrogen fertilizer requirements
were 135 pounds per acre in performance trials, she said.
Clearfield® rice was developed at
Louisiana State University from a breeding line of rice with a naturally
occurring genetic mutation that was tolerant to the imidazoline family of
herbicides, said Bob Scott, Rice Research and Extension Center director.
Scientists at LSU licensed the
original Clearfield® lines to American Cyanamid, now BASF, which later shared
the breeding material with the Division of Agriculture, Scott said. Horizon Ag
is a seed technology company licensed by BASF to market Clearfield® rice
varieties.
Breeder seed for CLL16 will be
maintained at the Rice Research and Extension Center. It will be distributed to
growers by Horizon Ag.
To learn more about Division of
Agriculture rice breeding and research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural
Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu or
follow the agency on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch and
Instagram at ArkAgResearch.
The University of Arkansas System
Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and
services without discrimination.
— Fred Miller is a Science Editor
at the University of Arkansas System
Division of Agriculture.
900-Pound
'Pakistani Hulk' Looking For A Wife At Least 220 Pounds
| Jan 21 2020,
10:50AM EST
(Image not of the actual
person) ErikaWittlieb/ Pixabay
A strongman from Pakistan weighing 900 pounds
and standing 6’6” is currently looking for a woman to love. Dubbed as the
“Pakistani Hulk,” 27-year-old Pakistan native Arbab Khizer Hayat rose to fame
after a video of him winning tug-of-war against a tractor went viral. It’s sad,
however, that his fame hasn’t translated to love.
In a recent interview, Hayat revealed that love
is something he desperately craves. “In the last seven years, I have been
desperately looking for love,” he said. He also admitted having seen 200-300
girls over the years, but he dumped them all because of their average heights.
“I need a heavyweight wife so I do not hurt
her,” he said. “All the women who have wanted to marry me so far have been too
skinny,” he added.
Hayat revealed that he had to dump all the
women he had dated before over fears of crushing them. That is why now, he is
specifically looking for a woman who is at least 220 pounds and above 6’4” so
he’s confident they’d look good together.
The Pakistani Hulk also revealed that his ideal mate
is someone who is good at cooking, so she could keep up with his ungodly eating
habits. Khizer, who claims to be perfectly healthy, consumes 10,000 calories a
day, which include 36 eggs for breakfast, more than one gallon of milk, seven
pounds of meat for lunch and dinner, and lots of rice and bread.
Hulk takes pride in the fact that despite his
size, he does not have any medical conditions. He also said he’s absolutely fit
and comfortable with his weight, but he still keeps exercising and eating to
become a world-champion strongman.
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“My immediate goal is to enter WWE
competitions,” he revealed. “I am looking to meet weight targets and I am
consulting doctors to keep nutrition going,” he added.
Hulk’s
WWE ambition started when he was a teenager. Recognizing that he was bigger
than average, Arbab Khizer Hayat made it a goal to gain weight
and build muscle so he could join strongman championships in the future.
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