Golden
harvest at risk: Climate change puts heat on rice yields
Posted : 2020-09-20 08:58
Updated : 2020-09-20 08:58
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rice paddy in the Jookdong-dong area of Busan's Gangseo District is
harvested. Korea Times file |
'Super rice' development urged
By Ko Dong-hwan
Various Korean rice types were tested in 2010 to see how they would grow in
higher temperatures brought about by climate change.
The testing was based on general circulation model (GCM) scenarios and virtual
models called crop environment resource synthesis (CERES). It was conducted by
agro-climate change and ecology researchers from the state-run National
Institute of Agricultural Sciences.
The results were startling. Compared to Korea's average temperature between
1971 and 2000, a test scenario with a rise of 2 degrees Celsius showed rice
yields would fall by 4.5 percent. The figure was 8.2 percent with a
three-degree rise.
When the test used the United Kingdom Meteorological Office's carbon
dioxide-based scenario ― known to forecast higher temperatures than other
virtual climate models ― the yield fall was 15 percent.
One of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's future climate
trajectories, which incorporated intensifying greenhouse gas concentrations
worldwide, also showed that Korea's rice production would sustain a huge hit,
according to the Gyeonggi Province Agricultural Research and Extension
Services.
Under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 ― a scenario in which
greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise throughout the 21st century ― yields
were expected to drop by almost 14 percent by 2040 compared to 2020.
"If the temperature keeps surging and we don't come up with any measures,
we could see our rice yields fall by as much as 40.1 percent at the end of this
century," Kim Joon-hwan, from the National Institute of Crop Science's
(NICS) Crop Production and Physiology Division, told The Korea Times.
The forecasts are frightening in a country where rice has been a food staple
for centuries.
In fact, Korea is experiencing a greater rise in average temperatures than many
other countries. According to Choi Byung-yeol from Gyeonggi agricultural
services' Crop Research Division, Korea saw a 1.5 degree Celsius rise in
average temperature in the 100 years from 1912, whereas the global average was
0.7 degrees.
The country's food self-sufficiency in 2018 stood at just 21 percent ― down
from 94 percent in 1965 ― according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs. It means Korea relies heavily on other countries and could
suffer a huge impact if there are hiccups in the global food chain.
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In
this August 2018 photo, a rice paddy at Hampyeong-eup village in South Jeolla
Province's Hampyeong County dried out after groundwater evaporated in extreme
heat. Yonhap |
"The COVID-19 global pandemic has brought fears of a global food
crisis," Choi told The Korea Times. "The United Nations World Food
Programme has forecast that the global population in food poverty will jump
from 130 million to 260 million by the end of 2020.
"We have also seen news that major agro-exporters like Vietnam, Russia,
Serbia, Pakistan, Cambodia and Thailand started limiting exports to protect
their own food security. This so-called 'food nationalism' lockdown is becoming
real. But what poses a greater threat is not something instantaneous like
COVID-19. It is agro-environmental changes due to climate change's impacts that
have been happening for much longer terms."
Rising heat
The country's agro-experts have been monitoring rising temperatures in Korea
because of their effect on rice growth, yield and quality.
In Suwon, in Korea's central province of Gyeonggi, average temperatures during
the rice growing period from May to October rose by 1.5 degrees Celsius between
1964 and 2018. During 2000-2019, the figure rose by 1.1 degrees Celsius. Choi
said temperatures throughout Gyeonggi had risen by 0.3 degrees every 10 years
since 1970, but recently the trend has accelerated.
While climate change's two most defining effects are elevated atmospheric
carbon dioxide and temperature, it is the latter that seriously affects rice
production.
During rice's heading stage ― when panicles are fully visible ― when the
temperature is 35 degrees or higher, it affects pollens and makes pollination
unlikely to succeed, according to Jung Jong-tae from Chungcheongnam-do
Agricultural Research and Extension Services. He told The Korea Times that
extreme heat had increased the unsuccessful pollination rate in 2018.
"For Japonica rice in Korea, the right temperature for 40 days of the
ripening period following its heading stage is 21-22 degrees Celsius,"
Jung said. "But if higher temperatures persist during that period,
alpha-amylase, an enzyme in rice, becomes more active and dissipates starch
inside the grains. It affects the rice's quality and yield as more grains
become smaller and opaque in color, the grains' protein level increases and
fewer grains become available for polishing."
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Evaluators
taste a new rice type, Chamdream, at Gyeonggi Province Agricultural Research
and Extension Services in Hwaseong in November 2019. It was developed by the
agency and has improved flavor and a high tolerance of insects. Yonhap |
According to Ahn Gyu-nam from South Jeolla Agricultural Research and Extension
Services, rising temperatures affect rice ripening. Higher temperatures,
especially during the 20 days following the heading stage, severely damage
yields.
"Rising temperatures shorten the grain's growth period, especially for
those that take longer than other types to ripen," Ahn told The Korea
Times. "Although we alternated timings for seeding to accommodate climate
change's impacts, it eventually shortens the growth period before
heading."
Citing NICS's 2018 research that forecast climate conditions for Jeonju, North
Jeolla Province, during 2051-60 based on the RCP8.5 scenario, Ahn said
increased temperatures "sped up the grains' growth rate and reduced days
taken for the grains to reach the heading stage by five days." This
ultimately "decreased the proportion of ripened grains significantly
whereas unripe grains greatly increased."
'Super rice'
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To
meet harsh climate conditions expected in the future, Korean rice experts
began searching for strong local types and studied their genes to develop new
"super rices." GETTYIMAGESBANK |
It takes 15 to 20 years to
develop and introduce a new genetically improved rice type to weather harsher
climate conditions. Korea has seen some new types developed that have proven
stronger than their predecessors.
But doubts remain whether these improved types will keep up with future climate
conditions, prompting experts to urge faster research and development for a
"super rice" before it is too late.
"Despite climate change's effects in Korea, our rice production has so far
been on the rise because of our new rice types," Joo Ok-jung from Gyeonggi
agricultural services told The Korea Times. The agency found that Samgwang, a
rice type developed during the 2000s, yielded more than those from the 1990s,
and even more than earlier types.
Joo planted Chucheong (a rice type developed before 2000) and Samgwang ― two
major types in Gyeonggi ― in a 1,000 square meter plot and compared their
yields from 2009 until 2019. The average annual yield for Samgwang was 574
kilograms, while that of Chucheong was 519, meaning the former had better
adaptability to rising temperatures.
"Better rice types are born after their strength is proven in a number of
encounters with high temperatures, typhoons, blight and harmful insects,"
Joo said. "So the more recently developed types are equipped with a
stronger nature."
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A
rice paddy in North Gyeongsang Province was flooded in September this year
after a series of typhoons hit the country. Courtesy of Gyeongsangbuk-do
Provincial Government |
Gyeonggi agricultural services has begun developing rice types that pollinate
and ripen well in high temperatures and can withstand diseases in the heat like
bakanea. This makes the infected seeds grow at least 1.5 times higher than
normal and die within the first two weeks.
"One of the new rice types we are working on will withstand the tropical
climate Korea might experience in future, so we are researching genes that
allow grains to ripen at high temperature," Joo said. "Our other
upcoming new breeds have been designed to withstand a shortage of water and
fertilizers, so to be more effective for the future climate than the
present."
Other super breeds have been created by Chungcheongnam-do agricultural
services. Bbareumi buds and ripens before summer's extreme heat arrives in
Korea in June. Baekokhyang, in contrast, starts to grow after late August when
summer is almost over. Sebi, another super rice developed by a Sejong
University professor's team, has genes that allow pollination at 40 degrees
Celsius, according to Jung.
"Future rice types must pollinate well under extreme heat, not trigger
alpha-amylase to keep grains healthy and transparent, and have low protein
levels," Jung said. "Each of these traits means a defense against
climate change's various impacts like extreme heat, drought and flooding."
Korean researchers' hunt for stronger rice types dates back more than a decade.
Seoul National University's Department of Plant Science tested Hwaseong and
Dasan in 2008 and 2009, respectively, and found the former superior. They saw
that Hwaseong had a significant number of grains failing to ripen and a loss in
yields when the temperature was raised by 5 degrees Celsius, whereas Dasan
showed such signs between 1.5 and 3 degrees.
"Nurturing rice types that are not sensitive to high temperatures or
developing new ones with such traits will reduce the risk of yield loss due to
climate change," the school researchers concluded.
Kim said NICS has also recently found that Jowun, Manan, Dongan and Ilmi are
particularly strong Korean rice types ― with little change in quality or yield
― under high temperatures.
"We have been paying more attention to high temperature's detrimental
effect of reducing rice yields because of grains' shortened growth period and
increased respiration volume than CO2's positive effect of increasing the
grains' photosynthesis volume and thereby increasing its yields," Kim
said.
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Chungcheongnam-do
Agricultural Research and Extension Services demonstrates in July Bbareumi's
fast growth by transplanting seedlings on one side of a paddy and harvesting
them from the other. The banner in the background reads Bbareumi is
"Korea's first rice type that can be harvested over two times a year, in
July and October." Yonhap |
But "super rice" cannot be a silver bullet by itself. Agricultural
methods specialized for helping rice grow under extreme conditions are also
required for future production.
Planting rice later than the conventional season of spring to see its budding
past summer's extreme heat is one way, according to Joo. This method is
possible as spring and fall in Korea become shorter and summer comes earlier.
Chungcheongnam-do agricultural services found that under temperatures of 26
degrees Celsius or higher for 20 days following the heading stage, irrigation
with flowing water increased yields up to 14 percent compared to stagnant
water.
The experts also recommended against using nitrous fertilization. Joo said the
chemical hampers budding at high temperatures and lowers resistance to harmful
insects.
Restricting arsenic in any form of fertilization is another key. Unlike the
United States and China, where arsenic levels have often been high, in Korea,
the chemical in over 1,100 rice samples was found at an average of 0.06
milligrams per kilogram, below the country's standard of 0.2, according to the
Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's 2015 finding.
Arsenic and extreme heat were found to cause double the threat to rice
production, according to Stanford University Earth System Science Department's
2019 study.
"Korean rice so far seems safe from arsenic," Jung said. "But if
Stanford's study is true, the chemical under high temperature could pose a new
threat."
aoshima11@koreatimes.co.kr 
More articles by this reporter
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2020/09/371_296304.html
Japanese scientists develop salt-resistant rice variety
A Japan-based
team of biological scientists has developed a new rice variety that is
salt-resistant. | BLOOMBERG
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KYODO
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Sep 20, 2020
A
Japan-based team of biology scientists has developed a new rice variety through
genetic improvement in an attempt to increase crop yields in a salty paddy
field.
The
team, led by the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, has said
it succeeded in finding a gene that determines the angle of root growth, hoping
the discovery will lead to more new rice varieties amid the growing risk of
salt damage as a result of frequent high tides and typhoons due to global
warming.
Salt
damage is predicted to affect about half the world’s existing arable land by
2050, with coastal areas in Japan and some other countries, including
Bangladesh and Vietnam, already facing challenges, according to the team.
“By
using this gene it may be possible to design how rice roots grow to suit
farmland conditions,” said Yusaku Uga, a principal scientist at the
organization.
The
gene was found in one type of Indonesian rice, whose roots grow along the
surface of the ground.
Just
as in a drought, soil with high levels of salinity prevents plants from taking
in water. Moreover, the soil becomes too firm, making them depleted of oxygen.
Presuming
that rice would also be more resilient if its roots can grow along the surface
of the soil, the team spent four years from 2015 monitoring how the Japanese
rice Sasanishiki crossbred with the Indonesian variety produces grains in a
salty paddy field, compared to ordinary Sasanishiki.
The
scientists said the genetically improved rice saw a 15 percent increase in
harvest in salty water. Meanwhile, it showed no difference in growth performance
in a normal paddy field.
Shallower
roots are also said to be advantageous for plants to take in phosphorus, an
essential nutrient, suggesting the method could be beneficial for farmers in
poverty-stricken countries and regions where fertilizers are not easily
available, Uga said.
The
45-year-old scientist said the findings hold promise for other crops including
corn and soybeans as they have similar genes that determine the angle of root
growth.
“With further research and
experiment, non-Japanese varieties resilient to salt damage could be developed,
which will likely help farmers in different parts of the world who are
threatened by natural disasters,” he said.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/09/20/national/japanese-scientists-salt-resistant-rice/
High production cost of crops:
Speakers emphasize research collaborations between organizations
Zahid Baig 20 Sep 2020
LAHORE: Key challenges being faced
by crop production in Pakistan are weeds, insects/pests and low-quality seed
which lead to high production cost.
The country needs to build research
collaborations and working partnerships between academia, industry and public
organizations to meet such challenges. In addition to it, there is a need of
creating an enabling environment like functional regulatory systems,
transparent and science-based decision making, and seed regulations to cater
modern agriculture needs in Pakistan.
Bringing BT technology with quality
seed for corn and cotton in Pakistan would be an excellent addition to the crop
protection toolbox for farmers in protecting the negative impact of fast
spreading and destructive insects like fall armyworm. "We must do a strong
case study and research before taking the step of using GMO seeds on a large
scale because there is no reversal." These views were expressed during a
discussion arranged by the Agriculture Republic, a think tank, formed to
brainstorm challenges faced by the agricultural economy and way out of it.
The participants further observed
that to form an informed position on GM maize commercialization, we must keep
in mind two basic underlying principles that can help guide this debate. First,
scientific findings and established facts should help differentiate between
good and bad. Second, our socio-economic realities are as important as health
and environmental safety while considering GM maize adoption.
Fawad Bajwa moderated the
discussion and opined that according to the research of Richard Brion, an
agricultural innovator, the concept of BT/GMO is not feasible because of its
negative effects.
Waqas Sarmad, a participant,
observed that threats such as drought, soil salinity, new and resistant
pathogen strains and resistant insects have raised concerns about food security
in Pakistan, where agriculture is the backbone of the country. To overcome
these challenges, GMOs are a good option to consider. GM crops can play an
important role in solving key issues in Pakistan's agriculture sector such as
enhanced production and disease resistance. The adoption of herbicide-tolerant
and pest-resistant crops would also allow farmers to reduce their use of
harmful and costly chemicals, thereby being an environmentally-friendly option.
Aamer Hayat Bhandara, founder of
the platform, said according to the information, GMO seeds available are
expensive factors while the rest of the non-GMO seeds are available with cheap and
usual techniques. He said there is a need to respond to some questions such as
GMO seeds are not conducive to our soil, health and environment. In the last 15
years or so, there have been five large companies that have bought over 200
smaller companies to monopolize seeds around the world. These seeds cannot be
sold or planted next time without a manufacturing company. The farmer must buy
seeds again and again. The GMO introduced in seed farming as a solution to
increase yields and food shortages, farmers have been told that their use will
reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides and achieve higher yields ensuring
food security, but this is not true. The impact of GMO crops on the environment
is very dangerous and the weeds are no longer in control even with the
glyphosate.
The use of pesticides in the world
has been declining in the first few years since the introduction of GMO crops,
but now a large portion of the growing farmer's spending is being spent on
pesticides, and these are the companies that feed the world's food and seeds.
Hamid Malik, an agricultural
expert, observed that Initially, GMO did wonders in India and followed by
Pakistan but then it created havoc once GMO seed of cotton got resistance
against pests. That's why the EU, Japan and some far eastern countries
including India/Pakistan and other countries have put a complete ban on GMO
biological products. "We should not allow GMO seeds like golden Rice in
Pakistan. I know we need to grow more food for a growing population, but we
should wait till our regulator's capacity building. Farmers' income and
financial empowerment are major factors to opt for hybrid varieties," he
added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40019819
India's GI Tag Application For
Basmati Worries Pakistan
eading Pakistani rice exporters
have called on the government to immediately oppose the Indian application
Pakistan is facing another potential threat of a major damage to
its exports as India has applied for an exclusive Geographical Indications (GI)
tag to Basmati rice in the European Union (EU). Pakistan on the other hand, is
still yet to implement the GI law promulgated in March. Despite the fact that
Pakistan produces a wide range of Basmati rice in the country and benefits from
its export to the EU and other parts of the globe, New Delhi has said that it
is an Indian-origin product in its application, published on EU's official
journal on September 11.
As per the Indian application, Basmati is special long grain
aromatic rice grown and produced in a particular geographical region of the
Indian sub-continent. It added that this region is a part of northern India, below
the foothills of the Himalayas forming part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP).
"The special characteristic of Basmati is grown and produced in all
districts of the state of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himanchal Pradesh, Uttarkand
as well as in specific districts of western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and
Kashmir", the Indian application maintained. Leading Pakistani rice
exporters have called on the government to immediately oppose the Indian
application.
"Indian application at EU must be opposed immediately as it
would badly damage Pakistani exports to European countries," said Taufiq
Ahmed, a leading exporter and bearer of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan
(REAP). "Despite repeated requests and reminders, concerned authorities in
Pakistan have been ignoring this serious issue for years and now if the problem
is not handled swiftly then we would be left with no option but to sell Basmati
rice with an Indian name/brand," he added. Ahmed said that Pakistan must
come in immediate consultation with international dictionaries to rectify the
definition as the same rice is largely produced in the country. "Apart
from opposing the GI tag from the EU, Pakistan must also consult international
dictionaries to rectify the definition.
"Unfortunately, India is also regarding Himalayan salt and
Multani Mitti with Indian names in the international market", he said.
Official sources from the Federal Ministry of Commerce said that the Indian
application in the EU will definitely be opposed. They added that since the GI law
has been promulgated, Islamabad would take up the issue of all GI products of
Pakistani origin with the EU. "Basmati was already recognized as a product
of both India and Pakistan in the European Rice Regime and its Duty-Free
Regime, making it illegal for India to claim exclusive rights of Basmati in the
EU," said an official from Intellectual Property Organization (IPO), an
attached department of the Ministry of Commerce.
"The Cambridge dictionary and Wikipedia also show the
product as originating from Pakistan and India," he added. Pakistan
enacted the Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act in March
this year, which gives it the right to oppose Indian application for
registration of Basmati rice exclusive rights. As per the EU's official journal,
any country can oppose the application for registration of a name pursuant to
Article 50(2) (a) of Regulations (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament
and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs
within three month from the date of publication.
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whatsoever
Iran ready for
barter trade with Pakistan, says council general
By
September 19, 2020
KARACHI: Iranian Consul General, Reza Nazeri, has stressed the need
for strengthening trade ties between two neighboring countries, saying Iran is
ready for barter trade with Pakistan, including the export of petrochemicals,
steel and LPG to Pakistan in exchange for rice, meat and other agriculture
products from Pakistan.
During an address made at the
second meeting of the FPCCI Pak-Iran Business Council held here at its regional
office, the Iranian Consul General said that Iranian Consulate of Lahore is
ready to facilitate Pakistan’s private sector to promote bilateral trade and
investment.
Zahid Iqbal Ch. Vice President FPCCI, Dr. Mohammad Reza Karbasi, Director
General of ICCIA & ICCIMA, Ali Asghar, Commercial Counselor, Najam-ul-
Hassan, Chairman FPCCI Pak-Iran Business Council and Syed Ali Raza Rizvi,
Senior Vice Chairman FPCCI Pak-Iran Business also spoke on the occasion.
“We are trying the restore air
link between Tehran and Lahore as early as possible which was suspended due to
Covid-19, also affecting tourism sector of Iran,” he lamented. “The volume of
two-way trade between Pakistan and Iran is negligible, as the mutual trade of
two countries does not match their respective potentials.”
Nazeri observed that Pakistan and
Iran have the potential to cater to each other’s needs provided businessmen in
both countries have the exposure to avail opportunities. The business community
in the two countries would have to increase interaction to share their
experiences in the larger interests of the people of two brotherly nations, he
added. “Chambers of commerce in our two countries will have to focus on
expansion of trade by holding single-country exhibitions and through trade
delegations to each other’s country. Dissemination of sector-specific and
trade-related information would go a long way in achieving this goal.”
The Iranian Consul General said
that agriculture, tourism and metal industry of Iran have opportunities of
investment and Pakistani business community should come forward. Earlier,
addressing the meeting FPCCI President Mian Anjum Nisar welcomed the FPCCI’s
Pak-Iran Business Council’s second meeting. He said that both brotherly Islamic
countries have been enjoying amicable business relations.
“I admit that the advantages like
common religion and traditional values, geographical connectivity and
interdependence of work of our economics have not been materialized in true
perspective,” he added.
He said that the analysis of
bilateral trade shows that the trade between the two countries is growing at a
very slow pace, as current volume of bilateral trade is just 359 million
dollars out of which Pakistan exports to Iran accounts for 36 million dollar
against the imports of 323 million dollars.
Mian Anjum Nisar said that some
of the hurdles that are the reasons for low volume of trade and impeding the
growth of trade between the two countries include ignorance about each other’s’
potential and non-utilization of the territorial connectivity.
“In addition to these the tariff
and non-tariff barriers are major obstacles in the way of trade enhancement between
both neighboring countries,” he said. “All the four traditional transportation
modes are available for bilateral trade between and Pakistan and Iran including
air, sea, road and rail, but unfortunately none of these modes of
transportation are efficiently and economically are being utilized at present.”
The businessmen have been
emphasizing that the transportation facilities must be improved for the
enhancement in economic relations. The transportation through land routes and
railways need to be improved properly to facilitate the exporters of both
sides, he added.
He urged both countries to issue
transport licenses by equal number of vehicles to freely work across the
border, as through this step the exporters of both the countries would be able
to get direct access to the consumers.
The other step is to provide
proper and complete information about the products of both the countries which
can be done by organizing single country exhibitions, he suggested.
This is because various decisions
regarding the expansion of trade and economic relations between Pakistan and
Iran has been taken up previously, he said and added that unfortunately, due to
the unstable and unpredictable international and regional political processes,
these have remain slow.
FPCCI President said that Iran
and Pakistan are member of emerging SCO and ECO blocks. Geographical location
of both countries affects their neighboring countries. It’s required that both
countries should seek various avenues of cooperation for penetration of their
products in these markets.
Hontiveros to
work for RTL amendments
Published September 19, 2020, 10:00 PM
As the prices of palay sank to as low as
P12 per kilogram (/kg) in some areas, Senator Risa Hontiveros agreed there is a
need to amend the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) and promised to convince the
law’s author and fellow senator, Cynthia Villar, about it.
In a virtual briefing, Hontiveros,
chairperson of the senate committee on women, children, and family relations,
said she will “convince” Villar to aid farmers, who are still being affected by
the negative impact of RTL, through “legislative support.”
RTL, or Republic Act (RA) 11203, was passed
in March last year, allowing the unimpeded entry of cheap imported rice into
the country in hopes that it would bring down the retail cost of rice in the
country.
The law, which was authored by Villar, is
supposed to help Filipino rice farmers become competitive by giving them seed
and mechanization support through the tariff collected from imported rice.
But, according to the Federation of
Free Farmers (FFF), farmers already lost as much as P40 billion since the
passage of RTL due to the declining price of palay, while consumers only saved
P230 million on the back of a negligible decline in the retail cost of rice
amid the entry of unlimited rice imports.
As for importers and retailers, FFF
estimated that they have already gained as much as P14.2 billion and P43.3
billion, respectively.
“The law lacks safeguards for farmers
who lost earnings. I’m open to amend the RTL to fill in the gaps,” Hontiveros
said, saying that its “worrisome” that only big importers and retailers are
benefitting from the RTL. She, however, noted that RTL can only be amended
after three years.
In the same virtual briefing, former
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol also called for the amendments of the RTL,
and blamed the law for pulling down the price of unhusked rice in some areas in
Mindanao to as low as P11/kg now.
“Some government officials are saying that
the price of palay is increasing. Where did you go? The farmgate price of palay
in Mindanao now is P11/kg to P12/kg. Don’t give us the wrong data because it’s
that data that the President will believe,” Piñol, who now serves as the
Mindanao Development Authority chair, said.
“We have to admit that RTL is flawed but it
could be improved, if only we have the humility and candor to admit that while
our intentions were good, the results are contrary to our expectations. We in
government must not be tyrants who believe we know what is right and what is
best for our people,” he added.
For Fermin Adriano, adviser of Agriculture
Secretary William Dar on political economy and representative of the
Department of Agriculture (DA), said in the same briefing that it needs at
least three to five years for a law like RTL to work. Adriano also mentioned
that prices of palay in some areas in the country, particularly in Nueva Ecija,
are improving, citing the observation of Dar.
To produce a kilo of rice in the
Philippines, Filipino rice farmers have to spend P12.72, which is higher
compared to the production cost of farmers in Vietnam and Thailand at P6.22/kg
and P8.86/kg, respectively. This means that the breakeven farmgate price of
fresh harvest should be around P14.50/kg.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/09/19/hontiveros-to-work-for-rtl-amendments/
When NESG and
CBN Trade Tackle on the Economy
September 20, 2020 3:19 am
BUSINESS
/ECONOMY PAGE
Last week saw a ‘gunslinging’
duel between the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and the Central Bank of Nigeria
over the latter’s interventionist role and policies and their impact on the
economy. Nosa James-Igbinadolor looks at the issues involved
The Nigerian Economic Summit
Group, NESG last week issued a 15-point statement on the state of nation’s economy
covering key sectors of the country’s socio-political economy. In a release
signed by the Chairman of the Board of the Group, Mr. Asue Ighodalo and its
CEO, Mr. Laoye Jaiyeola, the NESG, the nation’s leading private sector-led
think-tank that seeks to promote and champion the reform of the Nigerian
economy into an open, inclusive, sustainable and globally competitive economy,
assessed several policy steps and reforms carried out by the current
administration and also tendered solutions to some of the socio-economic
challenges in the country.
In its statement, the NESG noted
with concern, “the high level of insecurity across the country and its impact
on the business environment and investment flows,” which it noted, had
“contributed massively to the current food crisis, unemployment, poverty,
increasing community clashes, rising bloodshed and the absence of peace and
tranquility in the land”. “Therefore”, the Group announced, “we again join the
call by all well-meaning Nigerians, for government to critically re-evaluate
our security architecture and take all necessary actions to assure and
safeguard the safety of all Nigerian citizens and residents”.
It was perhaps this and the
NESG’s vigorous assessment of the role and activities of the Central Bank of Nigeria
that got the apex bank more than irritated and necessitated a ‘balance of
terror’ response from the bank.
Reviewing the domestic and global
economic, financial and social environments, the NESG observed that, “since the
inception of this administration, agriculture and the need to ensure Zero
Hunger for Nigerians has received considerable attention. However, despite the
budgetary allocations and huge sums of money disbursed by the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) through the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, a huge gap remains in
meeting the food requirements, which has resulted in increasing hunger among
the Nigerian populace. Evidently, the issues are beyond money and therefore,
require a complete overhaul of the management of, and support for the agriculture
sector and all related sectors – with a view to getting more value for our
investments.”
While acknowledging the evolving
developmental roles of central banks around the world especially as it concerns
resource allocations, the economic think tank warned that “such allocative
roles must be undertaken in a very open, transparent and fair manner. The Group
expresses serious concerns about how the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has
carried on the business of foreign exchange transactions, loan disbursements (intervention
funds) and price fixings without appropriate policy clarity. This can be
subject to abuses, manipulations and significant market disruptions, reflective
of a policy akin to crony capitalism. We therefore respectfully request the
appropriate authorities to properly review this policy to restore credibility
into our financial sector.”
The group further expressed
“severe concerns” about “certain provisions of the ‘repealed and re-enacted’
Bank and Other Financial Institutions Act 2020, recently passed by both houses
of the National Assembly, and in the process of being transmitted to the
President for assent. The Bill contains certain provisions which breach the
provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, confers immunity on CBN officials and
exempts actions by the CBN from judicial review. These are draconian,
totalitarian and inimical to the development of a stable and transparently
regulated financial sector. We respectfully request that the President should
please withhold his assent until the Bill is properly reviewed, amended and is
made fit for purpose. We also most respectfully request that our legislative
houses should subject all Bills, in particular, such crucial bills, to the most
efficient scrutiny necessary to assure compliance with the Nigerian
Constitution, transparency, good governance and the best interest of the people
of Nigeria.
“The NESG observes with concern
some distortions in the liquidity and interest rate management of our financial
system which has resulted in rate distortions causing grave disadvantage to
domestic investors and pensioners. This will occasion major disincentives to
savings and investments and thereby, be a disadvantage to Nigerian pensioners
and long term savers. This is inimical to this administration’s concern for the
elderly, the weak, the infirm and those who had served this Country
meritoriously in their prime. It must be stressed that our country needs to
mobilise domestic savings and investments even as we seek to attract foreign
investment and we should be careful not to initiate policies that appear to
discriminate against or discourage domestic savings and investors. Policies
making average Nigerians poorer by the day should not be encouraged.”
No doubt infuriated by the NESG’s
stout intervention in the national discussion on the parlous state of the
nation’s social and political economy, the CBN angrily censured the think tank
by accusing its current leadership of “falling short of its own standards and
becoming a shadow of its old self”. In a swift statement by Isaac Okoroafor,
the Director of Communications at the Central Bank of Nigeria, the apex bank
snapped that, “we believe there are better ways to resuscitate the Group’s
brand other than through cheap popularity and tarnished attention using ambushed
press statements made up of contrived allegations. Given that the NESG should
know better, we believe that these allegations are reflective of sinister
motives and malicious intent”.
The bank further fulminated
against the NESG, that, “in spite of the cordial and open relations between
both organisations, the NESG could have raised its allegations directly with
us, but never did. Instead, they chose to release a press statement, having
leaked its content to a leading Business Newspaper in the country.”
Moving from its ad hominem
attack, the CBN lamented that the intervention of the NESG exemplified a
querulous inquisition into some of the measures taken by the CBN to support the
stability of the financial system and enable faster recovery of the nation’s
economy, following the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that,
the contagion resulted in a significant downturn in the global economy of which
“except China and Vietnam, advanced, emerging and frontier market economies,
all experienced significant negative growth in the first half of 2020, and some
are currently in a recession.”
Thus, the apex bank posited that,
“the Nigerian economy is not immune from these crises given the over 65 percent
drop in commodity prices; disruptions in global supply chains and the
unprecedented outflow of over $100 billion of debt and equity funds from
emerging markets between March and May 2020; in addition to the impact of the
lockdown on economic activities. These activities resulted in an over 60 per
cent reduction in revenues due to the Federation Account, a significant drop in
foreign currency inflows, which led to downward adjustments in the naira/dollar
exchange rate and a rise in inflation due to the exchange rate pass through
effect of imported inflation.”
It further added that it took
steps to increase the flow of credit to critical sectors of the economy, in
order to enable faster recovery of the economy and sought to prevent the
economic crisis from spilling into a major financial crisis by taking critical
actions including, “a one-year extension of a moratorium on principal
repayments for CBN intervention facilities; strengthening of the Loan to
Deposit ratio policy, which has resulted in a significant rise in loans
provided by financial institutions to banking customers.”
Other measures the CBN said it
took include: “Loans given to the private sector, have risen by over 21 per
cent over the past year, creation of N50 billion target credit facility for
affected households and small and medium enterprises through the NIRSAL
Microfinance Bank, creation of a N100 billion intervention fund in loans to
pharmaceutical companies and healthcare practitioners intending to expand and
strengthen the capacity of our healthcare institutions, creation of a research
fund, which is designed to support the development of vaccines in Nigeria, a N1
trillion facility in loans to boost local manufacturing and production across
critical sectors, regulatory forbearance was granted to banks to restructure
loans given to sectors that were severally affected by the pandemic, and the
mobilisation of key stakeholders in the Nigerian economy, which led to the
provision of over N23 billion in relief materials to affected households, and
the setup of 39 isolation centers across the country.”
The CBN argued that the effect of
these measures which included provision of palliatives to individuals affected
by the pandemic, increase in access to credit to critical sectors of the
economy that are either high employers of labor or have the ability to create
jobs at a fast pace, “helped to contain a significant decline in GDP growth in
the 2nd quarter of the year.”
The bank’s spokesman further
argued that, “although the bourgeoisies atop the NESG may not feel the impact
of the bank’s development finance activities, many ordinary Nigerians,
including smallholder farmers, households, and medium-scale entrepreneurs
across the country know better. As encapsulated in our most recent monthly
economic report published on the bank’s website, a total of N38.11 billion was
disbursed as loans to 44,458 beneficiaries through the NIRSAL Microfinance Bank
(NMFB). This number has risen to N59.12 billion; supporting to 103,189
beneficiaries as of August 2020.
“It is important for the NESG to
note that our intervention programmes in the agricultural sector were a key
contributor to the resilience of the agricultural sector during the crisis, as
the sector experienced positive growth of 1.6 per cent in the second quarter of
the year despite the lockdown.
As the NESG may be aware, as a
result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, and Thailand placed
export restrictions on the exports of critical food items, including rice and
eggs. With these disruptions, the Nigerian economy could have faced a major food
crisis, but for the government’s intervention programmes in the agriculture
sector.
“Furthermore, by alluding to the
fact that money cannot address constraints in the agriculture sector, the NESG
failed to realise that access to credit is listed among the three major
challenges faced by farmers and businesses in Nigeria. While the federal
government is seeking to address issues such as access to electricity and
logistic constraints faced by businesses, it was vital for the CBN to address
an area that we had sufficient ability to impact upon, given the nature of the
crisis we faced, which is improving the flow of credit to critical sectors of
the economy.
“Contrary to the NESG’s
allegation that our lending process is devoid of a proper framework, it is
important to note that recipients of intervention funds from CBN go through an
expansive due diligence process through participating financial institutions
(PFI), following which an additional assessment process is embarked upon by the
CBN before disbursements are provided. The PFIs expend extensive due diligence
on these intervention loans as the risk of default lies with them.”
While the CBN felt compelled to
respond in a rather livid and heated manner to the NESG’s critique of the
enfeebling state of the nation’s economy perhaps more out of the need to defend
its policies, quality of decision making and hence its leadership, the bank’s
steaming response did little to address the critical issues raised by the
summit group.
That the CBN threw monies at the
challenge of food production through the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, does not
negate the fact that a mammoth fissure remains in meeting the nation’s food
requirements, which has resulted in increasing hunger among the Nigerian
populace. Earlier this month, it was revealed that the CBN granted approval to
four agro-processing companies to import 262,000 tons of maize and corn in the
bid to complement an anticipated shortfall of the commodity in the country. The
country also imported its second-largest volume of maize in a decade in 2019,
maintaining the same level it recorded the previous year, despite calls by
farmers for a restriction on the importation of the cereal, importing 400,000
tons of maize in 2019, as it did in 2018, which is the second-highest volume imported
by the country since 2009.
In 2015, Nigeria’s central bank
banned the use of its foreign exchange to pay for rice imports and has backed
loans of at least 40 billion naira ($130 million) to help small-holders boost
output. It also banned rice imports across land borders and kept hefty 70 per
cent tariffs on imports coming through ports. In August last year, Nigeria went
a step further and closed its land borders altogether to stamp out smuggling,
often from neighboring Benin, with rice being one of the main targets.
According to Gro Intelligence, an
agricultural data specialist, the country’s total output in 2019 was 4.9
million tonnes which is below the country’s annual rice consumption of 7
million tonnes. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, meanwhile, expects
Nigeria’s 2020 rice imports to rise 9 per cent to 2.4 million tonnes, in part
due to the high cost of unprocessed Nigerian paddy rice and elevated operating
costs at mills.
As noted by Abuja based Daily
Trust in a report last Friday on the impact of high food prices on Nigerians,
“At Ojodu mini-market in Lagos, the business hub of Nigeria, a bag of rice,
which was hitherto sold for N18, 000 is now N22, 000 while a bag of foreign
rice, which has been banned, but still being smuggled in is sold at N30, 000.
Vegetable oil, which was sold for N11, 000 is now N14, 000. Also, a 4-litre
paint bucket of garri goes for between N700 and N1000. A 4-litre paint bucket
of beans rose from N1, 500 to N1, 700.
“Similarly, bread makers under
the aegis of the Premium Bread-makers Association of Nigeria (PBAN), said on
Thursday that the price of flour, a major ingredient for bread, increased from
N10, 500 per 50kg bag to N13, 500 per bag, sugar increased from N13,500 per bag
to N29,000 and down to N19,000”.
The NESG’s concerns about how the
CBN has unhealthily carried on the business of foreign exchange transactions,
and price fixings without appropriate policy clarity was largely left
unanswered by the CBN. The bank’s FX policies and strategies have long been subjects
of global criticisms. Economists, businessmen and international institutions
have long been more than consistent in their opposition to the CBN’s usage of
multiple exchange rates as a result of the distortions and manipulations that
have characterised the policy. In April, the Deputy Managing Director of the
International Monetary Fund, Mitsuhiro Furusawa, urged that, “steps taken
towards a more unified and flexible exchange rate are also important and
unification of the exchange rate should be expedited”.
This was after the CBN Governor,
Godwin Emefiele, and Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed, on behalf of the federal
government committed at the advice of the fund to, “maintaining this more
unified and flexible exchange rate regime, which will operate in a
market-determined manner and be allowed to respond to shocks, with Central Bank
of Nigeria only intervening to smooth large FX fluctuations.”
Across board, it must be clear to
the government including the Central Bank that its interventions in the agricultural,
pharmaceutical and manufacturing sectors are yet to yield impactful outcomes.
Statistics show that Nigeria’s manufacturing capacity remains fatigued and the
country is not producing as much as it needs to, despite CBN’s intervention and
indeed food prices are soaring beyond the reach of increasing number of
Nigerians.
It behoves government, its
institutions and its leadership to listen to the loud and soft voices of
experts who are not encumbered by the impaired vision that characterises
political and institutional power in Nigeria.
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/09/20/when-nesg-and-cbn-trade-tackle-on-the-economy/
Farmers to protest across Haryana
against farm ordinances
CITIES Updated: Sep 19, 2020 21:52 IST
Gurugram:
Farmers in Haryana will block roads
across the state on Sunday to protest the three agriculture ordinances and
press for their withdrawal, alleging these are against their interest.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU),
Haryana (Charuni), Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Union and other groups on Friday said
they will block roads from 12 pm to 3 pm in different parts of the state. The
farmers groups, however, said they will use different modes to protest but
ensure people don’t suffer.
Gurnam Singh Charuni, BKU,
president, Haryana, who heads a large faction, said a state wide chakka-jam
will be held in the state from 12 pm to 3 pm on Sunday, and if the government
does not address the grievances of farmers, a nationwide protest will be held
on September 25. “The government can register criminal cases but our resolve
will not be broken and we have the support of multiple farmers organisations,”
Charuni said.
BKU leaders said the government
needs to discuss the matter with farmers and clear their doubts. “Such
important issues can’t be forced upon people,” they said.
BKU Haryana (Charuni) is already
staging state-level symbolic protests at all district headquarters in Haryana
from 10 am to 4 pm since September 16.
They said that a farmers protest in
a limited manner will also be held in Gurugram.
Dharmbir Singh, district secretary,
Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha said they will hold a protest in various parts of
the state and burn the effigy of government as mark of protest. “We will block
the road for a few minutes to protest against these policies,” said Singh.
Asked if the protest will be held
in Gurugram as well, Singh said that since the number of farmers was fewer in
the city, they would hold a symbolic protest.
The farmer leaders said the
association of commission agents, rice millers and other stakeholders have
supported their demand for withdrawal of these ordinances.
Rattan Singh Mann, president,
Bharatiya Kisan Union, Haryana said they are planning protests and will hold a
mahapanchayat on October 5 to discuss the matters with farmers. “These policies
are against the people and must be taken back,” he said.
The three agriculture ordinances
against which the farmers are fighting were passed in June. These are the
Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, the
Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm
Services Ordinance, and an amendment in the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
In view of the statewide road
blockade call, the Haryana Government has issued directions to ensure law and
order and minimise inconvenience to the people of the state.
An official spokesman said all
executive magistrates and police officers have been asked to remain present in
the districts and they should not proceed on leave. He said the executive
magistrates have been directed to remain stationed along with their police
counterparts at all such places where congregation of protestors is
anticipated. The police and district administration will also conduct
patrolling of state and national highways.
Pakistan risks Basmati export as
India applies GI tag in EU
Islamabad, Sep 19 (IANS) Pakistan
is facing another potential threat of a major damage to its exports as India
has applied for an exclusive Geographical Indications (GI) tag to Basmati rice
in the European Union (EU).
Pakistan on the other hand, is
still yet to implement the GI law promulgated in March.
Despite the fact that Pakistan
produces a wide range of Basmati rice in the country and benefits from its
export to the EU and other parts of the globe, New Delhi has said that it is an
Indian-origin product in its application, published on EU’s official journal on
September 11.
As per the Indian application,
Basmati is special long grain aromatic rice grown and produced in a particular
geographical region of the Indian sub-continent.
It added that this region is a
part of northern India, below the foothills of the Himalayas forming part of
the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP).
“The special characteristic of
Basmati is grown and produced in all districts of the state of Punjab, Haryana,
Delhi, Himanchal Pradesh, Uttarkand as well as in specific districts of western
Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir”, the Indian application maintained.
Leading Pakistani rice exporters
have called on the government to immediately oppose the Indian application.
“Indian application at EU must be
opposed immediately as it would badly damage Pakistani exports to European
countries,” said Taufiq Ahmed, a leading exporter and bearer of Rice Exporters
Association of Pakistan (REAP).
“Despite repeated requests and
reminders, concerned authorities in Pakistan have been ignoring this serious
issue for years and now if the problem is not handled swiftly then we would be
left with no option but to sell Basmati rice with an Indian name/brand,” he
added.
Ahmed said that Pakistan must
come in immediate consultation with international dictionaries to rectify the
definition as the same rice is largely produced in the country.
“Apart from opposing the GI tag
from the EU, Pakistan must also consult international dictionaries to rectify
the definition.
“Unfortunately, India is also
regarding Himalayan salt and Multani Mitti with Indian names in the
international market”, he said.
Official sources from the Federal
Ministry of Commerce said that the Indian application in the EU will definitely
be opposed.
They added that since the GI law
has been promulgated, Islamabad would take up the issue of all GI products of
Pakistani origin with the EU.
“Basmati was already recognized
as a product of both India and Pakistan in the European Rice Regime and its
Duty-Free Regime, making it illegal for India to claim exclusive rights of
Basmati in the EU,” said an official from Intellectual Property Organization
(IPO), an attached department of the Ministry of Commerce.
“The Cambridge dictionary and
Wikipedia also show the product as originating from Pakistan and India,” he
added.
Pakistan enacted the Geographical
Indications (Registration and Protection) Act in March this year, which gives
it the right to oppose Indian application for registration of Basmati rice
exclusive rights.
As per the EU’s official journal,
any country can oppose the application for registration of a name pursuant to
Article 50(2) (a) of Regulations (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament
and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs
within three month from the date of publication.
https://www.canindia.com/pakistan-risks-basmati-export-as-india-applies-gi-tag-in-eu/
https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/rice-market-size-forecast-to-reach-313-billion-by-2025-2020-09-18?tesla=y
Pakistani
businessmen puzzled as EU approves plea stating basmati rice
Pakistani businessmen
puzzled as EU approves plea stating basmati rice is ‘Indian-origin’ product
Pakistan exports face
devastation as India is set to register for an exclusive GI tags for Himalayan
salt, Multani mitti under Indian brand names in the international market.
As Pakistan lags behind in
implementation of the Geographical Indications (GI) law implemented in March,
India has already applied for an exclusive GI tag for Basmati rice in the
European Union (EU), reported Profit
Pakistan Today. The EU has approved India’s application in its
official journal last week, now stating that Basmati rice is an Indian origin
product, even though the same rice is produced in Pakistan at a large scale.
Pakistan’s
exports to European countries under threat from India
Ministry of Commerce
officials, when contacted, were unaware of this groundbreaking development
which could immensely damage Pakistan’s exports to European countries, Basmati
rice being a case in point. Abdul Razak Dawood adviser to the Prime Minister
(PM) on Commerce had earlier in August directed officials to implement and
apply the GI as the law had been implemented over five months ago. India, to
support its claim of exclusivity, has referred to various reports and
dictionaries to show that the basmati rice is of Indian origin and conveniently
left out the part that the same rice is widely produced in Pakistan. According
to leading rice exporter and former official of Rice Exporters Association of
Pakistan (REAP) Taufiq Ahmed, the Indian application at EU must be immediately
opposed as it could devastate Pakistan’s exports to European nations.
Pakistan
must address the issues of the GI law immediately
Authorities have been
ignoring the issue despite multiple requests and reminders. Taufiq explained
that if Pakistan does not handle the issue immediately, Pakistani producers
will be forced to sell basmati rice under an Indian brand name. “Apart from
opposing the GI tag from the EU, Pakistan must also consult international
dictionaries to rectify the definition as the same rice is largely produced in
Pakistan. Unfortunately, India is also registering Himalayan salt and Multani
Matti with Indian names in the international market,” he added. According to an
official at Intellectual Property Organisation (IPO), an attached department of
the Ministry of Commerce which drafted the GI law, the Indian application would
definitely be opposed in the EU. Officials say that Basmati rice was stated as
a product of both Pakistan and India in the European Rice Regime and Duty-Free
Regime, hence, making India’s claim for exclusive rights of Basmati in the EU
unlawful. “The Cambridge dictionary and Wikipedia also show the product as
originating from Pakistan and India,” he added. The GI law is aimed at
increasing exports, development in rural areas of the country, revenue of agricultural
producers and other skilled labour. World Trade Organisation (WTO) members
need to give protection to GIs as per Article 22-24 of Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) agreement. Unless Pakistan undertakes the
protection of GI it will not be able to obtain the same protection for its
goods and exports in other countries implementing and protecting the GI law.
The GI law entails industrial, agricultural, and horticultural products and
many others.
https://www.globalvillagespace.com/pakistan-gi-law/
Label launched to help shoppers
choose environmentally-friendly rice
A new ecolabel aims to help
shoppers reduce their environmental impact by identifying rice that has been sustainably produced. The
‘SRP-Verified’ Label, which aims to reduce the environmental impact of one of
the largest food crops in the world, was launched by the Sustainable Rice
Platform (SRP). The SRP is a grouping of over 100 public, private, research,
financial institutions and civil society organisations led by the UN
Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Rice Research Institute
(IRRI). Over 3.5 billion people rely on rice as a daily staple, but the crop
has an undeniable environmental impact. Rice farming consumes up to one-third
of the world’s developed freshwater resources and generates up to 20% of global
anthropogenic emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The crop will also
be the victim of rising global temperatures, with production expected to fall
by 15% by 2050 due to climate change, according to the International Food
Policy Research Institute. The new Assurance Scheme is based on the SRP
Standard for Sustainable Rice Cultivation, the world’s first voluntary
sustainability standard for rice. It is underpinned by proven best practices
and provides a science-based process to assess compliance. Employing best
practices in rice farming can reduce water use by some 20% and methane
emissions from flooded rice fields by up to 50%. The scheme will be managed by
Germany’s GLOBALG.A.P., which will oversee approval of qualified verification
bodies that will be responsible for inspection of producers according to the
SRP Standard. NEPCon-Preferred by Nature, a Denmark-based non-profit
organisation that supports better land management and business practices, is
the first to be approved to perform SRP verification audits, with several
others expected to be approved soon. “SRP was established to address global
environmental and social challenges in rice production. The Assurance Scheme
offers supply chain actors a robust, cost-effective and transparent path to sustainable
procurement,” said Wyn Ellis, SRP Executive Director. “Consumers are
increasingly demanding that food is produced sustainably, and now they have a
reliable way to choose environmentally friendly rice.” With the new label,
consumers will be able to trace the rice back to its origin country. The scheme
will also benefit an entire industry. By stocking SRP-verified rice, retailers
can make significant and measurable contributions to sustainability commitments
and climate change targets. Industry actors will also be able to de-risk their
supply chains and ensure stability by sourcing through SRP-verified suppliers.
Farmers also benefit, according to SRP, who says that switching to its
practices can boost farmers’ net incomes by 10-20%. With 90% of the world’s 144
million rice producers living on or near the poverty line, this can make the
difference between a secure livelihood and a family going hungry.
India’s GI Tag Application For
Basmati Worries Pakistan
Leading Pakistani rice exporters have called
on the government to immediately oppose the Indian application
Pakistan is facing another
potential threat of a major damage to its exports as India has applied for an
exclusive Geographical Indications (GI) tag to Basmati rice in the European Union
(EU). Pakistan on the other hand, is still yet to implement the GI law
promulgated in March. Despite the fact that Pakistan produces a wide range of
Basmati rice in the country and benefits from its export to the EU and other
parts of the globe, New Delhi has said that it is an Indian-origin product in
its application, published on EU's official journal on September 11.
As per the Indian
application, Basmati is special long grain aromatic rice grown and produced in
a particular geographical region of the Indian sub-continent. It added that
this region is a part of northern India, below the foothills of the Himalayas
forming part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). "The special
characteristic of Basmati is grown and produced in all districts of the state
of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himanchal Pradesh, Uttarkand as well as in specific
districts of western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir", the Indian
application maintained. Leading Pakistani rice exporters have called on the
government to immediately oppose the Indian application. "Indian
application at EU must be opposed immediately as it would badly damage
Pakistani exports to European countries," said Taufiq Ahmed, a leading
exporter and bearer of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP).
"Despite repeated requests and reminders, concerned authorities in
Pakistan have been ignoring this serious issue for years and now if the problem
is not handled swiftly then we would be left with no option but to sell Basmati
rice with an Indian name/brand," he added. Ahmed said that Pakistan must
come in immediate consultation with international dictionaries to rectify the
definition as the same rice is largely produced in the country. "Apart
from opposing the GI tag from the EU, Pakistan must also consult international
dictionaries to rectify the definition. "Unfortunately, India is also
regarding Himalayan salt and Multani Mitti with Indian names in the
international market", he said. Official sources from the Federal Ministry
of Commerce said that the Indian application in the EU will definitely be
opposed. They added that since the GI law has been promulgated, Islamabad would
take up the issue of all GI products of Pakistani origin with the EU.
"Basmati was already recognized as a product of both India and Pakistan in
the European Rice Regime and its Duty-Free Regime, making it illegal for India
to claim exclusive rights of Basmati in the EU," said an official from
Intellectual Property Organization (IPO), an attached department of the
Ministry of Commerce. "The Cambridge dictionary and Wikipedia also show
the product as originating from Pakistan and India," he added. Pakistan
enacted the Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act in March
this year, which gives it the right to oppose Indian application for
registration of Basmati rice exclusive rights. As per the EU's official
journal, any country can oppose the application for registration of a name
pursuant to Article 50(2) (a) of Regulations (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European
Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and
foodstuffs within three month from the date of publication.
https://www.mid-day.com/articles/indias-gi-tag-application-for-basmati-worries-pakistan/22999238
Pakistan risks Basmati export as
India applies GI tag in EU
Leading Pakistani rice
exporters have called on the government to immediately oppose the Indian
application Islamabad, September 19
Pakistan is facing another potential threat of major damage to its exports as
India has applied for an exclusive Geographical Indications (GI) tag to Basmati
rice in the European Union (EU). Pakistan on the other hand is still yet to
implement the GI law promulgated in March. Despite the fact that Pakistan
produces a wide range of Basmati rice in the country and benefits from its
export to the EU and other parts of the globe, New Delhi has said that it is an
Indian-origin product in its application, published on EU's official journal on
September 11. As per the Indian application, Basmati is special long grain
aromatic rice grown and produced in a particular geographical region of the
Indian sub-continent. It added that this region is a part of northern India,
below the foothills of the Himalayas forming part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains
(IGP). “The special characteristic of Basmati is grown and produced in all
districts of the state of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand
as well as in specific districts of western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and
Kashmir,” the Indian application maintained.
Govt urged to apply for GI tag with
EU
Traders say Pakistan will not
be able to sell rice under basmati brand if India gets it Businessmen have
urged the government to apply for geographical indication (GI) tag with the
European Union for Pakistani basmati rice immediately citing that India has
applied for the same. They voiced fear that once the neighbouring country
receives it, Pakistani exporters would not be allowed to sell the aromatic rice
under the brand name of basmati. India has applied for GI tag in European Union
for basmati rice, confirmed a report in the EU official journal. EU publishes the
information on its website so that if a country intends to oppose the
application, it can submit request within a specific time. After a delay of
almost two decades, Pakistan recently enacted the geographical indication (GI)
law for registration and protection of brands, which is still awaiting
implementation. India claimed in the application that long grain basmati rice
is grown and produced in districts of the states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi,
Himachal Pradesh and a few districts of Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
However, the neighbouring country did not mention that the same rice is also
grown in parts of Pakistan. If India receives the GI tag, it would trigger a
disastrous situation for Pakistani businessmen who would not be able to sell
the same rice under the name of basmati. "Pakistan exports 500,000 to
700,000 tonnes of basmati rice to various countries," said Cereal
Association of Pakistan Chairman Muzammil Chappal. "Out of that, 200,000
to 250,000 tonnes is shipped to European countries." Although the European
Union gives Pakistan preference over India but still the country is unable to
make the most out of it. He added that around two to three years ago, the
European countries slapped a ban on Indian basmati rice after the pesticide
residue level on it was found to be way more than the allowed threshold. Due to
the high quality of Pakistani rice, the country often receives premium price in
European markets, he said. The European Union is a massive destination for
local rice exporters and if India succeeds in receiving the GI tag, it would
trigger huge trouble for local exporters, he said. "It is a crucial issue
for Pakistan but the government is still inactive," said Union of Small
and Medium Enterprises (Unisame) President Zulfikar Thaver. "We urge
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood to take immediate
notice of India's move and motivate the country to apply for GI tag without
loss of any more time," said Thaver. Describing the procedure, he said the
adviser and Commerce Secretary Muhammad Sauleh Faruqui need to push the Trade
Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to expedite the application for the
basmati tag with EU. "The EU market has vast opportunities and the basmati
rice exporters cannot afford to lose it," he said. "Pakistani basmati
rice is superior to Indian basmati." Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th,
2020.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2264615/govt-urged-to-apply-for-gi-tag-with-eu
Mindanao mulls caps on agri
imports
Published September
21, 2020, 5:00 AM
Mindanao is planning to
restrict the entry of imported agricultural products, including rice, as one of
the strategies to restart the region’s economy during the pandemic.
Mindanao Development Authority
(MinDA) Chair Emmanuel Piñol (MARK BALMORES / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Mindanao Development
Authority (MinDA) Chair Emmanuel Piñol said Mindanao’s economy –adversely
affected by the disruption of supply chain because of COVID-19 – could make an
immediate recovery if the government regulates the entry of imports, especially
rice, pork and chicken.
Right now, Mindanao
accounts for 40 percent of the country’s food requirement and 30 percent of the
food trade.
Piñol said he already
submitted his recommendation to regulate agricultural imports to the leaders of
Mindanao Regional Development Councils (RDC), who then asked MinDA to submit a
consolidated report on the impact of low agricultural products prices to
Mindanao’s economic recovery.
His recommendation
contains the appeal of agriculture stakeholders in Mindanao, especially rice
farmers who are now asking for government support as farm gate prices fell
below break-even levels.
At the height of
harvest, rice farmers in Mindanao said that farm gate prices have dipped to as
low as P12 per kilo (/kg), which is equivalent to the production cost. Corn
prices have also fallen to as low as P10/kg from a high of P16/kg before
harvest.
“I recommended that
the importation of rice and other products, which the local farmers could
easily produce and benefit from, should be regulated as we address the economic
slowdown brought about by the pandemic,” Piñol explained.
Piñol feared that if
Mindanao RDC and MinDA won’t act fast, farmers and livestock raisers would
incur further losses.
“That process [approval
of regulation of agricultural imports] will take months and by the time it is
completed, harvest season would be over and the farmers would have lost their
shirts again,” Piñol said.
“Aside from that,
we would have lost the opportunity of triggering the economic recovery of
Mindanao through its agriculture, livestock and poultry sectors,” he added.
As an immediate solution,
he recommended that local government units (LGUs) in Mindanao must take the
initiative to promote and only “buy local” to support not only the agricultural
producers but also the local manufacturers.
“By promoting and
buying local products, we provide income-earning opportunities and jobs to
Filipinos and at the same time, allow the circulation of money intended for
imports in the country to perk up the economy,” Piñol further said.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/09/21/mindanao-mulls-caps-on-agri-imports/
Ghana intercepts cocaine worth
$10 million in imported rice
September 20, 2020
Elvis Adjetey is an
experienced African journalist who has worked with top media brands in Ghana
where he is based.
Officials
of Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission and the National Security have
intercepted a 40-footer container of imported rice and sugar containing a
100-kilogram substance suspected to be cocaine.
The
street value of the powdery substance is pegged at US$10 million.
The
container was one of over 50 consigned to Taj, a company that imports rice and
sugar in large quantities to Ghana.
The
consignment was reportedly assigned to Global Cargo and Commodities Ltd, a
local clearing agent of shipments to Ghana.
Accra-based
Asaase Radio reports that the Chief Executive Officer of Global Cargo &
Commodities Ltd, Jacob Gbati, has been arrested to assist the police with their
investigations.
Law-enforcement
officers say the investigations will determine the origin of the package and
it’s ownership.
According
to the website of Global Cargo & Commodities Ltd, the company’s operations
cover clearing, haulage and total logistics as well as shipments, from scratch
to final delivery to the consumer.
The
firm’s operations span air, sea and road. Together with its Nigerian
counterparts Olaogun Akintoya Nigeria Ltd, Global Cargo has freight-forwarded
various project consignments internationally, from ZTE China to ZTE Nigeria and
ZTE Ghana.
https://africafeeds.com/2020/09/20/ghana-intercepts-cocaine-worth-10-million-in-imported-rice
Japan team of scientists develop
salt-resistant rice variety
September 20,
2020 (Mainichi Japan)
A man uses a tiller to prepare a ricefield in Myanmar.
(LightRocket/Getty/Kyodo)
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A Japan-based team of biological scientists has
developed a new rice variety through genetic improvement in an attempt to
increase crop yields in a salty paddy field.
The team, led by the National Agriculture and Food Research
Organization, has said it succeeded in finding a gene that determines the angle
of root growth, hoping the discovery will lead to more new rice varieties amid
the growing risk of salt damage as a result of frequent high tides and typhoons
due to global warming.
Salt damage is predicted to affect about half the world's
existing arable land by 2050, with coastal areas in Japan and some other
countries, including Bangladesh and Vietnam, already facing challenges,
according to the team.
"By using this gene it may be possible to design how rice
roots grow to suit farmland conditions," said Yusaku Uga, a principal
scientist at the organization.
The gene was found in one type of Indonesian rice, whose roots
grow along the surface of the ground.
Just as in a drought, soil with high levels of salinity hinders
plants to uptake water. Moreover, the soil becomes too firm as a result of a
large amount of salt, making them depleted of oxygen.
Presuming that rice would also be more resilient if its roots
can grow along the surface of the soil, the team spent four years from 2015
monitoring how the Japanese rice Sasanishiki crossbred with the Indonesian
variety produces grains in a salty paddy field, compared with ordinary
Sasanishiki.
The scientists said the genetically improved rice saw a 15
percent increase in harvest in salty water. Meanwhile, it showed no difference
in growth performance in a normal paddy field.
Shallower roots are also said to be advantageous for plants to
uptake phosphorus which is an essential nutrient, suggesting the method could
be beneficial for farmers in poverty-stricken countries and regions where
fertilizers are not easily available, Uga said.
The 45-year-old scientist said the findings hold promise for
other crops including corns and soybeans as they have similar genes that
determine the angle of root growth.
"With further research and experiment, non-Japanese
varieties resilient to salt damage could be developed, which will likely help
farmers in different parts of the world who are threatened by natural
disasters," he said.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200920/p2g/00m/0fe/054000c
Dr Onkar Nath Singh takes charge
as BAU VC
Monday, 21
September 2020 | PNS | Ranchi
Dr Onkar Nath Singh on Saturday took charge as the Vice
Chancellor (VC) of Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) of the State Capital.
Just after taking over the charge, Singh paid floral tributes to
the statues of Lord Birsa Munda and Kartik Oraon in the University campus,
addressed the senior officers of the university in the BAU board room and also
took stock of the important issues of the institution from them.
The VC asked the Deans and Directors to prepare a powerpoint presentation
about the activities, achievements, problems and future plans of their
respective units after discussion with their colleagues. Presentations will be
held after 7 to 10 days as per the pre circulated schedule. Punctuality,
discipline and productivity will receive his attention.
With the help and cooperation of the University officials, the
State Government and Governor’s Secretariat Singh would try to address the
issues like seventh pay package and career advancement scheme benefits to
teachers, speedy appointment on the vacant posts of teachers, scientists,
staff, contractual engagement and extension of teachers and ACP and MACP
to non teaching staff, said Singh. He will remain available from 7 AM to
10 PM for institutional works, the VC said.
Originally a principal scientist of ICAR, Singh was working as
Technical Member, Plant Variety Protection Appellate Tribunal of Intellectual
Property Appellate Board under Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of
India. He also worked as Director (Acting.), Head, Division of Crop
Improvement, Principal Scientist (Plant Breeding) at ICAR, National Rice
Research Institute, Cuttack, Senior Scientist at ICAR, Vivekananda Parvatiya
Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora, Uttarakhand, Assistant and Associate Professor
at Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Faizabad,
Assistant Professor at Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University,
Bihar, Lecturer, Genetics and Plant Breeding, BNV PG College, Rath, Hamirpur,
Uttar Pradesh.
Singh has been involved in developing more than 30 rice
varieties with special reference to Aerobic rice in areas where there is acute
shortage of water.
Singh has led several projects funded nationally and
internationally and guided several Post Graduate students.
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/state-editions/dr-onkar-nath-singh-takes-charge-as-bau-vc.html
Rice
Traders Organizes Training Workshop For Rice Value Chain
Sun 20th September 2020 | 03:30 PM
ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan
Point News - 20th Sep, 2020 ) :The rice traders organized safety and capacity
building training workshop for rice millers and other agriculture sector stakeholders in rice value
chain, especially to protect the work place rights of woman rice transplanter.
More than 40 rice mills including
organizations from development sectors, academia and media personnel participated in the event.
The Rice Partners Pvt Ltd (RPL) one of the top rice exporter of Pakistan in collaboration of Helvetas Pakistan and Swiss Solidarity piloted another
Phase-III training workshop to train the agri-workers associated with rice
value chain to create awareness of field work for women agri-workers, said a press release issued
here on Sunday.
The development sector organizations
also involved in the training process to sensitize agriculture women workers about fundamental rights of the
children of female agriculture workers, especially the rice
transplanters.
The Rice Partners Pvt Ltd (RPL) one of the top rice exporter of Pakistan in collaboration of Helvetas Pakistan and Swiss Solidarity piloted a training
workshop to train rice millers, development sector organizations to sensitize
them about fundamental rights of the children of female agriculture workers, especially the rice
transplanters.
Manager Sustainability RPL, Zafar Iqbal while giving the opening remarks
highlighted the initiatives of RPL to promote and ensure decent working
conditions in rice value chain of Pakistan.
He said RPL started its philanthropic work from the development of farmers and now it has
expanded to the labourers of agriculture sector.
Zafar said RPL has trained more than 2, 8000 farmers on
sustainable rice production and also provided them the facility of land laser
leveling on 50 per cent cost sharing basis.
Manager Sustainability RPL also narrated that RPL is also working for welfare of agriculture labor.
RPL established Community Mother
Centers at multiple villages of district Sheikhupura in which decent environment was
provided to the children of agriculture labour particularly female rice transplanters.
He added that Free Medical Camps were also organized to
provide free medication to the rice transplanters at their working places
throughout the rice transplanting season.
He said around 15,000 families engage
in rice transplanting every year only from district Sheikhupura and more than 100,000 from all over the Punjab.
A common practice is that all members from a family take part in transplanting work and
children from those families also accompanied their
parents.
Renowned Senior Child rights activist
and consultant Sadia Hussain said physical, emotional
and psychological health of children belonging to agriculture labour must be considered for a conducive working
environment in the rice value chain.
She said protection of children and vulnerable adults is a
collective societal responsibility.
She said they must protect the
fundamental rights of children particularly right to name, education, health, safety, security; freedom of
expression, freedom of association without any discrimination on the basis
of race, colour, gender, religion, caste and creed.
She further added that children
particularly children of agriculture sector labour must be protected against abuses, violence,
forced labor and any physical or emotional torture.
Senior Corporate and Development sector
Consultant, Annan Waffi Qureshi on the occasion said that juvenile rights
should be prioritized in every sector including the agriculture sector.
He highlighted the mode of communication to create the
awareness for children's rights and their protection, especially who belongs to
the families working in the rice value chain.
He said to engage children in labour work whether forcefully or voluntarily is
now a crime in Pakistan and everyone who is present here must
raise his/her voice against this crime.
He also highlighted referral mechanism
to report cases of violation of rights of children. He further added that there
are a number of government and non-government organizations that
are working for protection of rights of children.
Child Protection and Welfare Bureau and Search for Justice
are the prominent institutes which are particularly working for protection of
children and stopping violations of their rights.
Field Manager, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, Mr. Zahid
Rehman also addressed the participants on the occasion.
He said working conditions of the farms were highly
hazardous and exposed children to several risks of insect bites, injuries and
infections, exposure to extreme heat and pesticides without any shelter.
Rehman added that keeping in view the
hazardous conditions of farms Helvetas and RPL provided moveable backpack canopies
covered from all sides to the children of rice transplanters to
avoid the insects and provision of shelters along with the dry food, repellents, and water coolers in rice cultivation region of
the Punjab.
He further added that similarly, for
the larger group of families working jointly at farmlevel, a bigger shelter
tent along with solar plates, fans, air cooler, water cooler and first aid boxes were provided to
keep the children in a healthy and safe environment at farm level.
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/business/rice-traders-organizes-training-workshop-for-1034599.html
Pakistani
businessmen puzzled as EU approves plea stating basmati rice
Pakistani businessmen puzzled as EU approves plea stating basmati
rice is ‘Indian-origin’ product
Pakistan exports face devastation as India is set to register for
an exclusive GI tags for Himalayan salt, Multani mitti under Indian brand names
in the international market.
As Pakistan lags behind in implementation of the Geographical
Indications (GI) law implemented in March, India has already applied for an
exclusive GI tag for Basmati rice in the European Union (EU), reported Profit
Pakistan Today. The EU has approved India’s application in its
official journal last week, now stating that Basmati rice is an Indian origin
product, even though the same rice is produced in Pakistan at a large scale.
Pakistan’s exports to European countries under threat from India
Ministry of Commerce officials, when contacted, were unaware of
this groundbreaking development which could immensely damage Pakistan’s exports
to European countries, Basmati rice being a case in point. Abdul Razak Dawood
adviser to the Prime Minister (PM) on Commerce had earlier in August directed
officials to implement and apply the GI as the law had been implemented over
five months ago. India, to support its claim of exclusivity, has referred to
various reports and dictionaries to show that the basmati rice is of Indian
origin and conveniently left out the part that the same rice is widely produced
in Pakistan. According to leading rice exporter and former official of Rice
Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) Taufiq Ahmed, the Indian application
at EU must be immediately opposed as it could devastate Pakistan’s exports to
European nations.
Pakistan must address the issues of the GI law immediately
Authorities have been ignoring the issue despite multiple requests
and reminders. Taufiq explained that if Pakistan does not handle the issue
immediately, Pakistani producers will be forced to sell basmati rice under an
Indian brand name. “Apart from opposing the GI tag from the EU, Pakistan must
also consult international dictionaries to rectify the definition as the same
rice is largely produced in Pakistan. Unfortunately, India is also registering
Himalayan salt and Multani Matti with Indian names in the international
market,” he added. According to an official at Intellectual Property
Organisation (IPO), an attached department of the Ministry of Commerce which
drafted the GI law, the Indian application would definitely be opposed in the
EU. Officials say that Basmati rice was stated as a product of both Pakistan
and India in the European Rice Regime and Duty-Free Regime, hence, making
India’s claim for exclusive rights of Basmati in the EU unlawful. “The
Cambridge dictionary and Wikipedia also show the product as originating from
Pakistan and India,” he added. The GI law is aimed at increasing exports,
development in rural areas of the country, revenue of agricultural producers
and other skilled labour. World Trade Organisation (WTO) members
need to give protection to GIs as per Article 22-24 of Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) agreement. Unless Pakistan undertakes the
protection of GI it will not be able to obtain the same protection for its
goods and exports in other countries implementing and protecting the GI law.
The GI law entails industrial, agricultural, and horticultural products and
many others.
https://www.globalvillagespace.com/pakistan-gi-law/
Label launched to help shoppers choose environmentally-friendly
rice
A new ecolabel aims to help shoppers reduce their environmental
impact by identifying rice that has been sustainably
produced. The ‘SRP-Verified’ Label, which aims to reduce the environmental
impact of one of the largest food crops in the world, was launched by the
Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP). The SRP is a grouping of over 100 public,
private, research, financial institutions and civil society organisations led
by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Rice Research
Institute (IRRI). Over 3.5 billion people rely on rice as a daily staple, but
the crop has an undeniable environmental impact. Rice farming consumes up to
one-third of the world’s developed freshwater resources and generates up to 20%
of global anthropogenic emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The crop
will also be the victim of rising global temperatures, with production expected
to fall by 15% by 2050 due to climate change, according to the International
Food Policy Research Institute. The new Assurance Scheme is based on the SRP
Standard for Sustainable Rice Cultivation, the world’s first voluntary
sustainability standard for rice. It is underpinned by proven best practices
and provides a science-based process to assess compliance. Employing best
practices in rice farming can reduce water use by some 20% and methane
emissions from flooded rice fields by up to 50%. The scheme will be managed by
Germany’s GLOBALG.A.P., which will oversee approval of qualified verification
bodies that will be responsible for inspection of producers according to the
SRP Standard. NEPCon-Preferred by Nature, a Denmark-based non-profit
organisation that supports better land management and business practices, is
the first to be approved to perform SRP verification audits, with several
others expected to be approved soon. “SRP was established to address global
environmental and social challenges in rice production. The Assurance Scheme
offers supply chain actors a robust, cost-effective and transparent path to sustainable
procurement,” said Wyn Ellis, SRP Executive Director. “Consumers are
increasingly demanding that food is produced sustainably, and now they have a
reliable way to choose environmentally friendly rice.” With the new label,
consumers will be able to trace the rice back to its origin country. The scheme
will also benefit an entire industry. By stocking SRP-verified rice, retailers
can make significant and measurable contributions to sustainability commitments
and climate change targets. Industry actors will also be able to de-risk their
supply chains and ensure stability by sourcing through SRP-verified suppliers.
Farmers also benefit, according to SRP, who says that switching to its
practices can boost farmers’ net incomes by 10-20%. With 90% of the world’s 144
million rice producers living on or near the poverty line, this can make the
difference between a secure livelihood and a family going hungry.
India’s GI Tag Application For Basmati Worries Pakistan
Leading Pakistani rice exporters have called on the government to
immediately oppose the Indian application
Pakistan is facing another potential threat of a major damage to
its exports as India has applied for an exclusive Geographical Indications (GI)
tag to Basmati rice in the European Union (EU). Pakistan on the other hand, is
still yet to implement the GI law promulgated in March. Despite the fact that
Pakistan produces a wide range of Basmati rice in the country and benefits from
its export to the EU and other parts of the globe, New Delhi has said that it
is an Indian-origin product in its application, published on EU's official
journal on September 11.
As per the Indian application, Basmati is special long grain
aromatic rice grown and produced in a particular geographical region of the
Indian sub-continent. It added that this region is a part of northern India,
below the foothills of the Himalayas forming part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains
(IGP). "The special characteristic of Basmati is grown and produced in all
districts of the state of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himanchal Pradesh, Uttarkand
as well as in specific districts of western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and
Kashmir", the Indian application maintained. Leading Pakistani rice
exporters have called on the government to immediately oppose the Indian
application. "Indian application at EU must be opposed immediately as it
would badly damage Pakistani exports to European countries," said Taufiq
Ahmed, a leading exporter and bearer of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan
(REAP). "Despite repeated requests and reminders, concerned authorities in
Pakistan have been ignoring this serious issue for years and now if the problem
is not handled swiftly then we would be left with no option but to sell Basmati
rice with an Indian name/brand," he added. Ahmed said that Pakistan must
come in immediate consultation with international dictionaries to rectify the
definition as the same rice is largely produced in the country. "Apart
from opposing the GI tag from the EU, Pakistan must also consult international
dictionaries to rectify the definition. "Unfortunately, India is also
regarding Himalayan salt and Multani Mitti with Indian names in the
international market", he said. Official sources from the Federal Ministry
of Commerce said that the Indian application in the EU will definitely be
opposed. They added that since the GI law has been promulgated, Islamabad would
take up the issue of all GI products of Pakistani origin with the EU.
"Basmati was already recognized as a product of both India and Pakistan in
the European Rice Regime and its Duty-Free Regime, making it illegal for India
to claim exclusive rights of Basmati in the EU," said an official from
Intellectual Property Organization (IPO), an attached department of the
Ministry of Commerce. "The Cambridge dictionary and Wikipedia also show
the product as originating from Pakistan and India," he added. Pakistan
enacted the Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act in March
this year, which gives it the right to oppose Indian application for
registration of Basmati rice exclusive rights. As per the EU's official
journal, any country can oppose the application for registration of a name
pursuant to Article 50(2) (a) of Regulations (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European
Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and
foodstuffs within three month from the date of publication.
https://www.mid-day.com/articles/indias-gi-tag-application-for-basmati-worries-pakistan/22999238
Pakistan risks Basmati export as India applies GI tag in EU
Leading Pakistani rice exporters have called on the government to
immediately oppose the Indian application Islamabad, September 19 Pakistan is facing another potential
threat of major damage to its exports as India has applied for an exclusive
Geographical Indications (GI) tag to Basmati rice in the European Union (EU).
Pakistan on the other hand is still yet to implement the GI law promulgated in
March. Despite the fact that Pakistan produces a wide range of Basmati rice in
the country and benefits from its export to the EU and other parts of the
globe, New Delhi has said that it is an Indian-origin product in its
application, published on EU's official journal on September 11. As per the
Indian application, Basmati is special long grain aromatic rice grown and
produced in a particular geographical region of the Indian sub-continent. It
added that this region is a part of northern India, below the foothills of the
Himalayas forming part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). “The special
characteristic of Basmati is grown and produced in all districts of the state
of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand as well as in specific
districts of western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir,” the Indian
application maintained.
Govt urged to apply for GI tag with EU
Traders say Pakistan will not be able to sell rice under basmati
brand if India gets it Businessmen have urged the government to apply for
geographical indication (GI) tag with the European Union for Pakistani basmati
rice immediately citing that India has applied for the same. They voiced fear
that once the neighbouring country receives it, Pakistani exporters would not
be allowed to sell the aromatic rice under the brand name of basmati. India has
applied for GI tag in European Union for basmati rice, confirmed a report in
the EU official journal. EU publishes the information on its website so that if
a country intends to oppose the application, it can submit request within a
specific time. After a delay of almost two decades, Pakistan recently enacted
the geographical indication (GI) law for registration and protection of brands,
which is still awaiting implementation. India claimed in the application that
long grain basmati rice is grown and produced in districts of the states of
Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and a few districts of Uttar Pradesh
and Jammu and Kashmir. However, the neighbouring country did not mention that
the same rice is also grown in parts of Pakistan. If India receives the GI tag,
it would trigger a disastrous situation for Pakistani businessmen who would not
be able to sell the same rice under the name of basmati. "Pakistan exports
500,000 to 700,000 tonnes of basmati rice to various countries," said
Cereal Association of Pakistan Chairman Muzammil Chappal. "Out of that,
200,000 to 250,000 tonnes is shipped to European countries." Although the
European Union gives Pakistan preference over India but still the country is
unable to make the most out of it. He added that around two to three years ago,
the European countries slapped a ban on Indian basmati rice after the pesticide
residue level on it was found to be way more than the allowed threshold. Due to
the high quality of Pakistani rice, the country often receives premium price in
European markets, he said. The European Union is a massive destination for
local rice exporters and if India succeeds in receiving the GI tag, it would
trigger huge trouble for local exporters, he said. "It is a crucial issue
for Pakistan but the government is still inactive," said Union of Small
and Medium Enterprises (Unisame) President Zulfikar Thaver. "We urge
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood to take immediate
notice of India's move and motivate the country to apply for GI tag without
loss of any more time," said Thaver. Describing the procedure, he said the
adviser and Commerce Secretary Muhammad Sauleh Faruqui need to push the Trade
Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to expedite the application for the
basmati tag with EU. "The EU market has vast opportunities and the basmati
rice exporters cannot afford to lose it," he said. "Pakistani basmati
rice is superior to Indian basmati." Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th,
2020.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2264615/govt-urged-to-apply-for-gi-tag-with-eu
Mindanao mulls caps on agri imports
Published September 21, 2020, 5:00 AM
Mindanao is planning to restrict the entry
of imported agricultural products, including rice, as one of the strategies to
restart the region’s economy during the pandemic.
Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chair Emmanuel Piñol (MARK
BALMORES / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA)
Chair Emmanuel Piñol said Mindanao’s economy –adversely affected by the
disruption of supply chain because of COVID-19 – could make an immediate
recovery if the government regulates the entry of imports, especially rice,
pork and chicken.
Right now, Mindanao accounts for 40 percent
of the country’s food requirement and 30 percent of the food trade.
Piñol said he already submitted his
recommendation to regulate agricultural imports to the leaders of Mindanao
Regional Development Councils (RDC), who then asked MinDA to submit a
consolidated report on the impact of low agricultural products prices to
Mindanao’s economic recovery.
His recommendation contains the appeal of
agriculture stakeholders in Mindanao, especially rice farmers who are now
asking for government support as farm gate prices fell below break-even levels.
At the height of harvest, rice
farmers in Mindanao said that farm gate prices have dipped to as low as P12 per
kilo (/kg), which is equivalent to the production cost. Corn prices have also
fallen to as low as P10/kg from a high of P16/kg before harvest.
“I recommended that the importation
of rice and other products, which the local farmers could easily produce and
benefit from, should be regulated as we address the economic slowdown brought
about by the pandemic,” Piñol explained.
Piñol feared that if Mindanao RDC and MinDA
won’t act fast, farmers and livestock raisers would incur further losses.
“That process [approval of regulation of
agricultural imports] will take months and by the time it is completed, harvest
season would be over and the farmers would have lost their shirts again,” Piñol
said.
“Aside from that, we would have lost
the opportunity of triggering the economic recovery of Mindanao through its
agriculture, livestock and poultry sectors,” he added.
As an immediate solution, he recommended
that local government units (LGUs) in Mindanao must take the initiative to
promote and only “buy local” to support not only the agricultural producers but
also the local manufacturers.
“By promoting and buying local
products, we provide income-earning opportunities and jobs to Filipinos and at
the same time, allow the circulation of money intended for imports in the
country to perk up the economy,” Piñol further said.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/09/21/mindanao-mulls-caps-on-agri-imports/
Ghana intercepts cocaine worth $10
million in imported rice
September 20, 2020
Elvis Adjetey is an experienced African journalist who
has worked with top media brands in Ghana where he is based.
Officials of Ghana’s Narcotics
Control Commission and the National Security have intercepted a 40-footer
container of imported rice and sugar containing a
100-kilogram substance suspected to be cocaine.
The street value of the powdery
substance is pegged at US$10 million.
The container was one of over 50
consigned to Taj, a company that imports rice and sugar in large quantities to
Ghana.
The consignment was reportedly
assigned to Global Cargo and Commodities Ltd, a local clearing agent of
shipments to Ghana.
Accra-based Asaase Radio reports
that the Chief Executive Officer of Global Cargo & Commodities Ltd, Jacob
Gbati, has been arrested to assist the police with their investigations.
Law-enforcement officers say the
investigations will determine the origin of the package and it’s ownership.
According to the website of Global
Cargo & Commodities Ltd, the company’s operations cover clearing, haulage
and total logistics as well as shipments, from scratch to final delivery to the
consumer.
The firm’s operations span air, sea
and road. Together with its Nigerian counterparts Olaogun Akintoya Nigeria Ltd,
Global Cargo has freight-forwarded various project consignments internationally,
from ZTE China to ZTE Nigeria and ZTE Ghana.
https://africafeeds.com/2020/09/20/ghana-intercepts-cocaine-worth-10-million-in-imported-rice
Japan team of scientists develop salt-resistant
rice variety
September 20, 2020 (Mainichi
Japan)
A man uses a tiller to prepare a ricefield in
Myanmar. (LightRocket/Getty/Kyodo)
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A Japan-based
team of biological scientists has developed a new rice variety through genetic
improvement in an attempt to increase crop yields in a salty paddy field.
The team, led by the National
Agriculture and Food Research Organization, has said it succeeded in finding a
gene that determines the angle of root growth, hoping the discovery will lead
to more new rice varieties amid the growing risk of salt damage as a result of
frequent high tides and typhoons due to global warming.
Salt damage is predicted to
affect about half the world's existing arable land by 2050, with coastal areas
in Japan and some other countries, including Bangladesh and Vietnam, already
facing challenges, according to the team.
"By using this gene it may
be possible to design how rice roots grow to suit farmland conditions,"
said Yusaku Uga, a principal scientist at the organization.
The gene was found in one type of
Indonesian rice, whose roots grow along the surface of the ground.
Just as in a drought, soil with
high levels of salinity hinders plants to uptake water. Moreover, the soil
becomes too firm as a result of a large amount of salt, making them depleted of
oxygen.
Presuming that rice would also be
more resilient if its roots can grow along the surface of the soil, the team
spent four years from 2015 monitoring how the Japanese rice Sasanishiki
crossbred with the Indonesian variety produces grains in a salty paddy field,
compared with ordinary Sasanishiki.
The scientists said the
genetically improved rice saw a 15 percent increase in harvest in salty water.
Meanwhile, it showed no difference in growth performance in a normal paddy
field.
Shallower roots are also said to
be advantageous for plants to uptake phosphorus which is an essential nutrient,
suggesting the method could be beneficial for farmers in poverty-stricken countries
and regions where fertilizers are not easily available, Uga said.
The 45-year-old scientist said
the findings hold promise for other crops including corns and soybeans as they
have similar genes that determine the angle of root growth.
"With further research and
experiment, non-Japanese varieties resilient to salt damage could be developed,
which will likely help farmers in different parts of the world who are
threatened by natural disasters," he said.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200920/p2g/00m/0fe/054000c
Dr Onkar Nath Singh takes charge as
BAU VC
Monday, 21 September 2020 | PNS | Ranchi
Dr Onkar Nath Singh on Saturday
took charge as the Vice Chancellor (VC) of Birsa Agricultural University (BAU)
of the State Capital.
Just after taking over the
charge, Singh paid floral tributes to the statues of Lord Birsa Munda and
Kartik Oraon in the University campus, addressed the senior officers of the
university in the BAU board room and also took stock of the important issues of
the institution from them.
The VC asked the Deans and
Directors to prepare a powerpoint presentation about the activities,
achievements, problems and future plans of their respective units after
discussion with their colleagues. Presentations will be held after 7 to 10 days
as per the pre circulated schedule. Punctuality, discipline and productivity
will receive his attention.
With the help and cooperation of
the University officials, the State Government and Governor’s Secretariat Singh
would try to address the issues like seventh pay package and career advancement
scheme benefits to teachers, speedy appointment on the vacant posts of
teachers, scientists, staff, contractual engagement and extension of teachers
and ACP and MACP to non teaching staff, said Singh. He will remain
available from 7 AM to 10 PM for institutional works, the VC said.
Originally a principal scientist
of ICAR, Singh was working as Technical Member, Plant Variety Protection
Appellate Tribunal of Intellectual Property Appellate Board under Ministry of
Commerce and Industry, Government of India. He also worked as Director (Acting.),
Head, Division of Crop Improvement, Principal Scientist (Plant Breeding) at
ICAR, National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, Senior Scientist at ICAR,
Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora, Uttarakhand,
Assistant and Associate Professor at Narendra Deva University of Agriculture
& Technology, Faizabad, Assistant Professor at Dr Rajendra Prasad Central
Agricultural University, Bihar, Lecturer, Genetics and Plant Breeding, BNV PG
College, Rath, Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Singh has been involved in
developing more than 30 rice varieties with special reference to Aerobic rice
in areas where there is acute shortage of water.
Singh has led several projects
funded nationally and internationally and guided several Post Graduate
students.
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/state-editions/dr-onkar-nath-singh-takes-charge-as-bau-vc.html
Rice Traders Organizes Training Workshop For Rice Value Chain
Sun 20th September 2020 | 03:30 PM
ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint /
Pakistan Point News - 20th Sep, 2020 ) :The rice traders organized safety and
capacity building training workshop for rice millers and other agriculture sector stakeholders in rice value
chain, especially to protect the work place rights of woman rice transplanter.
More than 40 rice mills including
organizations from development sectors, academia and media personnel participated in the event.
The Rice Partners Pvt Ltd (RPL) one of the top rice exporter of Pakistan in collaboration of Helvetas Pakistan and Swiss Solidarity piloted another
Phase-III training workshop to train the agri-workers associated with rice
value chain to create awareness of field work for women agri-workers, said a press release issued
here on Sunday.
The development sector
organizations also involved in the training process to sensitize agriculture women workers about fundamental rights of the
children of female agriculture workers, especially the rice
transplanters.
The Rice Partners Pvt Ltd (RPL) one of the top rice exporter of Pakistan in collaboration of Helvetas Pakistan and Swiss Solidarity piloted a training
workshop to train rice millers, development sector organizations to sensitize
them about fundamental rights of the children of female agriculture workers, especially the rice
transplanters.
Manager Sustainability RPL, Zafar Iqbal while giving the opening remarks
highlighted the initiatives of RPL to promote and ensure decent working
conditions in rice value chain of Pakistan.
He said RPL started its philanthropic work from the development of farmers and now it has
expanded to the labourers of agriculture sector.
Zafar said RPL has trained more than 2, 8000 farmers on
sustainable rice production and also provided them the facility of land laser
leveling on 50 per cent cost sharing basis.
Manager Sustainability RPL also narrated that RPL is also working for welfare of agriculture labor.
RPL established Community Mother
Centers at multiple villages of district Sheikhupura in which decent environment was
provided to the children of agriculture labour particularly female rice transplanters.
He added that Free Medical Camps were also organized to provide
free medication to the rice transplanters at their working places throughout
the rice transplanting season.
He said around 15,000 families
engage in rice transplanting every year only from district Sheikhupura and more than 100,000 from all over the Punjab.
A common practice is that all members from a family take part in transplanting work and
children from those families also accompanied their
parents.
Renowned Senior Child rights
activist and consultant Sadia Hussain said physical, emotional
and psychological health of children belonging to agriculture labour must be considered for a conducive working
environment in the rice value chain.
She said protection of children and vulnerable adults is a
collective societal responsibility.
She said they must protect the
fundamental rights of children particularly right to name, education, health, safety, security; freedom of
expression, freedom of association without any discrimination on the basis
of race, colour, gender, religion, caste and creed.
She further added that children
particularly children of agriculture sector labour must be protected against abuses, violence,
forced labor and any physical or emotional torture.
Senior Corporate and Development
sector Consultant, Annan Waffi Qureshi on the occasion said that juvenile
rights should be prioritized in every sector including the agriculture sector.
He highlighted the mode of communication to create the awareness
for children's rights and their protection, especially who belongs to the
families working in the rice value chain.
He said to engage children in labour work whether forcefully or voluntarily is
now a crime in Pakistan and everyone who is present here must
raise his/her voice against this crime.
He also highlighted referral
mechanism to report cases of violation of rights of children. He further added
that there are a number of government and non-government organizations that
are working for protection of rights of children.
Child Protection and Welfare Bureau and Search for Justice are the
prominent institutes which are particularly working for protection of children
and stopping violations of their rights.
Field Manager, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, Mr. Zahid Rehman
also addressed the participants on the occasion.
He said working conditions of the farms were highly hazardous and
exposed children to several risks of insect bites, injuries and infections,
exposure to extreme heat and pesticides without any shelter.
Rehman added that keeping in view
the hazardous conditions of farms Helvetas and RPL provided moveable backpack canopies
covered from all sides to the children of rice transplanters to
avoid the insects and provision of shelters along with the dry food, repellents, and water coolers in rice cultivation region of
the Punjab.
He further added that similarly,
for the larger group of families working jointly at farmlevel, a bigger shelter
tent along with solar plates, fans, air cooler, water cooler and first aid boxes were provided to
keep the children in a healthy and safe environment at farm level.
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/business/rice-traders-organizes-training-workshop-for-1034599.html
unjab To Benefit Heavy Monsoon Rains; Sindh, KP Worst Affected:
Arif Goheer
1
day ago Sun 20th September 2020 | 03:40 PM
ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Sep, 2020
) :The above normal monsoon rainfall received by the country from the month
of July to September has
helped benefit the productivity of Kharif crops in Punjab whereas
the crops sowed in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were
badly affected.
Head of Agriculture and
Coordination, Global Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC) and
Agro-Climatologist Dr Muhammad Arif Goheer told APP that the South Asia Forum
meeting in April predicted
10 percent above normal rainfall in the region during monsoon season.
He said the Pakistan Meteorological
Department Seasonal forecast had predicted 20 percent above normal rainfall as
in Karachi the
normal monsoon rains were
recorded 140 millimeters (mm) that had lashed upto 500mm.
He informed that Monsoon season in Pakistan occurred from 1st July till September whereas
early start of rainfall was noted as early onset and any delay in the pattern
beyond 1st July was termed
as late onset.
This year monsoon rains started
primarily after 1st July but within
the normal duration so that it could not be reckoned as a late onset of rains. It was
slightly above normal in Punjab which
would benefit the rice and maize crops and had also enhanced their growth.
He added that the rainfall during the months of July, August and 1st
week of September had
also reduced the burden on extensive ground water extraction through
tube wells as maize crops needed water after
every third day which was made up by the heavy rainwater downpours.
Dr Arif Goheer also highlighted the impending risk of worms
attacking the Autumn crops mainly maize due to rising moisture after rainfalls
and only selected agrochemicals and pest control sprays were affecting them.
He added that the maize crops in Kasur, Depalpur and Pakpattan were
affected by the worms. The rice crops of Sindh were
flooded due to extraordinary rainfall than normal which proved the recent
monsoon rainfall not favourable for cultivation in that region.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
the recent floods in Swat and other
areas had inundated the maize crops and apricot orchards in the area which had
badly destroyed the crops, he added.
Dr Goheer said there were two impacts of the recent heavy
rainfalls as at one hand it helped in boosting the growth of Kharif crops
namely rice, maize, cotton and
sugarcane.
On the other hand, the entire rainwater was not used for agriculture neither
was absorbed underground whereas it flowed through catchment areas into dams
and water reservoirs.
It had helped in accumulating a favourable amount of water to cater
the needs for future. "Every year in November, there has
been 20 percent water shortage reported
in the country's reservoirs whereas this time it will not happen as mega water reservoirs
like Mangla Dam is filled
to its capacity for the first time after capacity rise. The situation is
similar at other dams as well."/778
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/punjab-to-benefit-heavy-monsoon-rains-sindh-1034609.html
Let agriculture and SMEs grow together
The National SME (small and medium
enterprises) Policy of 2019 spells out a number of measures that the federal
and provincial governments can take to transform this sector into a powerful
driver of the economy. But so far, nothing has happened to suggest that the
policy is being implemented.
Agriculture has remained under the provinces’ exclusive domain for
a decade. But no province, with the exception of Punjab, has so far made
significant progress. It is not only the incompetence of provincial authorities
that undermines the growth of agriculture though. Sometimes, the lack of
federal support, delayed or insufficient release of funds from the federal
pool, injudicious inter-provincial sharing of water and inconsistent federal
policies on agricultural subsidies also make agricultural development
difficult.
The provincial governments can address politically sensitive
issues of joblessness and falling income levels more efficiently if they
modernise agriculture and promote agro-based SMEs.
For the promotion of agro-based SMEs, each province needs to
develop its own database of SMEs under broad categories of agro-based,
industrial and service-based entities. Currently, all 3.8 million SMEs are
broadly categorised as those involved in manufacturing, trading and services
sectors. Many of them are directly
The absence of a separate class of
agro-based SMEs makes it difficult for the provincial governments and banks to
offer tailor-made support that they need
linked to the agriculture sector. These include ones operating in
cotton ginning, rice milling, seed development, meat production and processing,
poultry and fish farming segments.
Once the provincial governments identify such SMEs and start a
meaningful interaction with them, they will learn what can be done to promote
agro-based SMEs. The SMEs falling in this category will find it encouraging to
enjoy different sets of provincial incentives — and will hopefully be willing
to comply with province-specific rules — if their operations are
inter-provincial. Those with intra-provincial operations can, meanwhile, focus
on their present territories.
With the impending entry of China in Pakistan’s agriculture sector
under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),
agriculturists are getting nervous. They don’t know how the agreements signed
between China and Pakistan will influence provincial agriculture and SMEs
operating in this sector.
The SME sector consisted of 3.8m units before the Covid-19
pandemic. But the number might have shrunk now. According to a survey conducted
by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) in April,
“34pc enterprises were expecting that they would not be able to carry on with
their current business” during Covid-19 lockdowns. Hopefully, a number of such
SMEs — with the financial support coming to them via banks’ concessional
finance schemes — would switch over to new lines of businesses or even find it
feasible to continue in the present line.
The current situation offers the provinces an opportunity to
expand their respective base of agro-based SMEs. The provincial authorities,
SME representatives and banks can draw a plan under the guidance of the central
bank and Smeda on how new SMEs could be established, and the existing troubled
ones operating in other lines of businesses could be facilitated to diversify
into agro-based production and trading.
A simultaneous policy focus on agriculture and SMEs can stimulate
faster growth in both sectors if their development strategies are designed to
help them support each other. And, these strategies are implemented
simultaneously.
The SME Development Policy of 2019 could be suitably amended to
pave the way for this purpose. This can be helpful in handling food security
issues without compromising on food export growth and increase the share of
both agriculture and small-scale industries (of which agro-based SMEs would be
a part) in GDP. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, 0.8m SMEs were industrial
units, 1.2m operated in the services sector and 1.8m were identified as
commercial and retail business establishments.
Currently, SMEs catering exclusively to agriculture fall in all
the three categories. Before designing an exclusive strategy for the promotion
of agro-based SMEs, all the stakeholders will have to agree on what separates
such SMEs from industrial and commercial SMEs. Once this is done, the
application of that definition on existing SMEs should determine which ones
could be treated as agro-based and what exclusive treatment they deserve to
unleash their true potential.
The absence of a separate class of agro-based SMEs makes it
difficult for the provincial governments and banks to offer to the SME sector
the tailor-made support they need to play in the promotion of agriculture. This
problem will only exacerbate with the entry of Chinese companies in our
agriculture and SME sectors in the near future. China has a separate class of
agricultural SMEs and those entities have contributed much to the progress of
Chinese agriculture. Over the years, Chinese agricultural SMEs have become
efficient and outward-looking and, in March this year, the Henan province of
China qualified for $300m World Bank financing for green agriculture investment
for the agro-based SME sector.
If the provinces start treating agro-based SMEs exclusively, it
could help them address specific issues of the sub-sectors of agriculture i.e.
major and minor crops, livestock, poultry, fishing and forestry. A general
policy for the promotion of SMEs — developed with no or nominal input from the
provinces — cannot help small fishing SMEs of Balochistan to get rid of illegal
fishing along the Balochistan coast that hurts them financially.
Similarly, such a policy cannot be of much help to SMEs in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa that are involved in the cross-border trading of dry fruits with
Afghanistan — or, for that matter, make things better for Sindh-based small
ginning factories or rice mills that remain neglected. The provincial
government treats them as an integral part of the all-powerful Pakistan Cotton
Ginners Association and Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan, not as
attention-starved SMEs. —MA
Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, September
21st, 2020
https://www.dawn.com/news/1580716/let-agriculture-and-smes-grow-together
India competes
with Pak for exclusive GI tag to Basmati rice
India currently has only one international GI for 'Darjeeling
tea'.
By
-
309
India has applied for an exclusive Geographical Indications (GI)
tag to Basmati rice in the European Union (EU), saying it is an Indian-origin
product in the application. Pakistan is yet to implement the GI law promulgated
in March, and now faces a potential threat to its rice exports.
A geographical indication (GI) tag gives
certified information about the distinct identity of a product based on its
native region of production. This is key to promote India’s agri-exports.
As per the Indian application, Basmati is special, long grain,
aromatic rice grown and produced in a particular geographical region of the
Indian sub-continent.
“The special characteristic of Basmati is grown and produced in
all districts of the state of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himanchal Pradesh,
Uttarkand as well as in specific districts of western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu
and Kashmir”, the Indian application maintained.
Leading Pakistani rice exporters like Taufiq Ahmed, a leading
exporter and bearer of Rice Exporters Association of
Pakistan (REAP), have called on the government to immediately
oppose the Indian application.
“Despite repeated requests and reminders, concerned authorities
in Pakistan have been ignoring this serious issue for years and now if the
problem is not handled swiftly then we would be left with no option but to sell
Basmati rice with an Indian name/brand,” he said.
READ ALSO: $4.5M Walmart Foundation grants to
empower Indian farmers
As per the application, India is also regarding Himalayan salt
and Multani Mitti with Indian names in the international market. At present,
most of India’s unique products have domestic GIs. Of 366 registered products,
India has only one international GI for ‘Darjeeling tea’.
“We need to focus on international GI tags for our brands. To
merit a premium branding and price, we need global branding of these products
at international platforms, no one gives a premium price without adequate
branding,” said Mohit Singla, chairman of the Trade Promotion Council of India
(TPCI).
According to him, heritage brew of Rajasthan like ‘Chandra Haas’
can provide India’s answer to European scotch or champagne or Mexican tequila,
as can the unique ‘Bhut Jolokia’ spice from Assam.
“These kinds of unique products should be put forth for
international GIs,” he added.
IANS
https://www.indianlink.com.au/india-competes-with-pak-for-exclusive-gi-tag-to-basmati-rice/
Japan team of scientists develop salt-resistant
rice variety
(Mainichi Japan)
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A Japan-based team of biological scientists has
developed a new rice variety through genetic improvement in an attempt to
increase crop yields in a salty paddy field.
The team, led by the National Agriculture and Food Research
Organization, has said it succeeded in finding a gene that determines the angle
of root growth, hoping the discovery will lead to more new rice varieties amid
the growing risk of salt damage as a result of frequent high tides and typhoons
due to global warming.
Salt damage is predicted to affect about half the world's
existing arable land by 2050, with coastal areas in Japan and some other
countries, including Bangladesh and Vietnam, already facing challenges,
according to the team.
"By using this gene it may be possible to design how rice
roots grow to suit farmland conditions," said Yusaku Uga, a principal
scientist at the organization.
The gene was found in one type of Indonesian rice, whose roots
grow along the surface of the ground.
Just as in a drought, soil with high levels of salinity hinders
plants to uptake water. Moreover, the soil becomes too firm as a result of a
large amount of salt, making them depleted of oxygen.
Presuming that rice would also be more resilient if its roots
can grow along the surface of the soil, the team spent four years from 2015
monitoring how the Japanese rice Sasanishiki crossbred with the Indonesian
variety produces grains in a salty paddy field, compared with ordinary
Sasanishiki.
The scientists said the genetically improved rice saw a 15
percent increase in harvest in salty water. Meanwhile, it showed no difference
in growth performance in a normal paddy field.
Shallower roots are also said to be advantageous for plants to
uptake phosphorus which is an essential nutrient, suggesting the method could
be beneficial for farmers in poverty-stricken countries and regions where
fertilizers are not easily available, Uga said.
The 45-year-old scientist said the findings hold promise for
other crops including corns and soybeans as they have similar genes that
determine the angle of root growth.
"With further research and experiment, non-Japanese
varieties resilient to salt damage could be developed, which will likely help
farmers in different parts of the world who are threatened by natural
disasters," he said.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200920/p2g/00m/0fe/054000c
UK FTA could
be on horizon
Thou Vireak |
Publication date 20 September 2020 | 21:17 ICT
Share
Cambodia and the UK have vowed to
boost their bilateral trade as the Kingdom looks to establish a bilateral free
trade agreement with the country.
The understanding was made during
a meeting between secretary of state of the Ministry of Commerce Sok Sopheak
and deputy chief of mission at the British Embassy in Cambodia Marc Thayre on
September 15.
During the meeting, Sopheak
discussed the UK’s trade policy in the context of Brexit and the process of
selecting a new World Trade Organisation director-general, who could come from
the UK.
Sopheak said: “We called on all
developed countries, including the UK to continue to support trade activities
in developing and least developed countries through the provision of S&DT
[special and differential treatment] in business.”
He said bilateral trade volume
between the two countries is increasing while noting that the trade volume
between the two countries was $1.05 billion in 2019. Of that total, Cambodia
exported $978 million worth of goods to the UK.
The main exported products were
garments, shoes, bicycles and rice.
“We are optimistic about positive
cooperation with the UK, especially in the business sector to boost economic
growth which is being affected by the global epidemic of Covid-19 disease,”
Sopheak said.
Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF)
secretary-general Lun Yeng told The Post that the UK was the third-largest
market for Cambodian rice in the EU in 2019. Cambodia exported a total of
14,816 tonnes of rice to the UK last year.
“We hope that our rice exports to
the UK will increase further after the Kingdom officially leaves the EU. Our
rice will no longer be subject to EU safeguards and its country does not have a
rice producer, so it can allow us to import rice duty-free,” he said.
At a press conference at the
Council of Ministers in July, Sopheak said in addition to free trade agreements
with China and South Korea, the government was also looking to establish a
bilateral free trade agreement with the UK.
“Our ambition is not merely
centred on China. Its formal secession from the EU places the UK squarely in
our sights. Given that 25 per cent of our exports go to Europe annually, the UK
market is vast,” Sopheak said.
A report from the British Embassy
in Cambodia said the bilateral trade volume between Cambodia and the UK reached
more than $1.2 billion in 2017 – an increase of seven per cent from 2016.
Cambodia exported $1.16 billion
worth of goods to the UK in 2017, up five per cent from 2016 and imported $48
million from the UK in 2017, up 112 per cent from the previous the report said.
Pakistan High Commissioner to Kenya hails relations between
Countries
Written By: KNA/Emmanuel Masha
18
File Photo
Pakistan High Commissioner to Kenya
Saqlain Syedah has hailed the cordial relations between Kenya and Pakistan
especially in trade and investments.
She said Kenya exports 43 percent
of her tea to Pakistan which is consumed by about 87 percent of the population
in Pakistan.
“Kenya and Pakistan have very
strong relationships from pre-independence to post independence days. Pakistan
is the number one trade destination for Kenya,” she said.
Ms Syedah said this at the Malindi
Town Hall in Kilifi County while on a visit to meet officials of the Malindi
Municipality Board as well as the Kilifi branch of the Kenya National Chamber
of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI).
“Although we get duty free tea from
other areas, we have stuck to Kenyan tea. Every year the amount is increasing.
Last year, it was 41 percent and this year it is 43 percent,” she said.
https://www.kbc.co.ke/pakistan-high-commissioner-to-kenya-hails-relations-between-countries
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