Fortifying cultured meat: Beta-carotene produced by cow muscle
cells
Despite
parallels with golden rice, the researchers flag the potential for different
applications
16 Oct 2020 --- Cow muscle cells
can be engineered to produce beta-carotene, which the human body can then
usually convert into vitamin A. This method, published in Metabolic
Engineering, shows how cell-cultured meat might be able to surpass
the nutritional profile of conventionally farmed meat.
Andrew Stout, lead author of the study and biomedical engineering PhD student at
Tufts University, tells NutritionInsight that he
expects other nutrients could also be produced similarly.
“That is one of the things about this that I am the most excited
about. Putting plant genes into mammalian cells is pretty untraveled scientific
territory. There is a lot of space to explore other nutrients, flavor compounds
and color compounds, for example.”
A double-duty effect
In this initial research stage, beta-carotene was used due to its role as an
antioxidant.
“There is significant evidence for oxidative processes being
involved in meat consumption’s connection to colorectal cancer. Therefore, the
antioxidant nature of beta-carotene and the other carotenoids made them
promising candidates for this proof-of-concept.”
Those same oxidative processes are major contributors to meat’s
quality degradation over time, for example, off-flavors and color degradation.
Therefore, beta-carotene offered a “double-duty” effect.
As the scientists have not produced enough cells to eat, it is
unknown whether the taste would be altered. However, Stout flags that it is a
possibility and notes that there is a color change in the cells.
“They turn slightly yellow. They are usually white-ish and need to
be colored anyway for a cultured meat product.” 
Beef with beta-carotene would likely appeal to consumers who can
pay more for better-for-you offerings.
Slashing carcinogenicity
According to Stout, this engineering technique allows nutritional benefits to
be imparted directly onto a cultured meat product in a way that is likely
infeasible through animal transgenics and conventional meat production.
Rather than simply mimicking meat currently found in the grocery
store, cell-cultured meat products are capable of assuming different shapes,
textures, nutritional profiles and bioactivities.
Another way this can be used is to reduce carcinogenicity. The
researchers saw a reduction in lipid oxidation levels when a small pellet of
these cells was cooked while they were expressing and producing
beta-carotene.
“Because that lipid oxidation is one of the key mechanistic
proposals for red and processed meats’ link to diseases such as colorectal
cancer, I think that there is a pretty compelling argument to be made that this
could potentially reduce that risk,” says Stout.
Golden rice comparisons
The scientists used the same carotenoid pathway exploited in golden rice,
prompting comparisons between the two foodstuffs. Notably, issues ranging from
farmer adoption to successful vitamin A conversion have prevented golden rice’s effective use.
While golden rice was an inspiration to Stout, he stresses that
different motives and considerations are at play.
One notable difference is that golden rice was developed to
address vitamin A deficiency, which is common in many regions facing
poverty.
“This work isn’t aimed at combating vitamin A deficiency, since –
at least for the foreseeable future – cultured meat (and indeed, often
conventional meat) isn’t an economical option for people facing vitamin A
deficiency,” adds Stout.
However, he hopes that the cost can ultimately be driven down so
that the product can be widely accessible.
Occupying a unique role
In Stout’s opinion, the “genius” of golden rice was its ability to fit into the
staples of the diets of people who faced the deficiency.
“This product wouldn’t do that. Here, a comparison could be that
this might fit into the diets of those who face other diet-related diseases,
particularly those associated with a lot of red meat consumption like colorectal cancer.”
Additionally, a large part of the problems that golden rice ran up
against was asking growers to substitute this new product for something they
were already growing, selling and eating. From a farmer’s perspective, this was
without much incentive to do so.
However, cultured meat is not something that people are already
growing, selling and eating. In contrast, it is an as-yet-unrealized product in
development. However, commercialization of several cultured meats is on the
horizon as scientifically-backed start-ups around the world continue R&D and
work toward scaling up.
“Exploring ways to enhance it at this stage can go hand in hand
with that development in a way that’s pretty different from the golden rice
story,” says Stout.
There is also a difference in terms of consumers as cultured meat
already asks for a behavior change. “It already has to do work to convince
people to buy it and has a ‘neophobia’ factor to contend with.”
Earlier this year, a survey revealed that 72 percent of Generation
Z Australians viewed cultured
meat with disgust, although acceptance is flourishing in France and
Germany. Meanwhile, KFC’s embracing of cultured
meat was lauded as being “very positive for consumer
acceptance.”
Nonetheless, Stout anticipates that the portion of consumers who
would be okay with cultured meat but draw the line and cultured meat plus
beta-carotene would be fairly low. “Of course, it could be different from a
regulatory standpoint, but that’s another story.” 
Issues ranging from farmer adoption to successful vitamin A
conversion have prevented golden rice’s effective use.
Fatty pairings
Another issue with golden rice is in order to convert beta-carotene into
vitamin A, it must be metabolized, and blood serum levels of retinol need to
increase. However, vitamin A is fat-soluble, which is something that many
vitamin A-deficient people lack.
While this new type of cultured meat does not aim to address
deficiency, adding beta-carotene to an animal product means it is more likely
that there will be ample fat.
“Nutrients have different bioavailability in different food
matrices. There’s a lot of evidence of nutrients having higher bioavailability
when plant foods are eaten alongside higher-fat foods and animal products.
Therefore, engineered cultured meats could hold some interesting implications
for nutrient uptake,” says Stout.
Commercialization potential?
Stout explains that the commercialization of this specific technology is
predicated on the commercialization of cultured meat as a whole.
The next steps for that revolve around bringing down the cost of
cell culture and bringing up the achievable scale.
“There’s some benefit that nutritionally-enhanced cultured meats
could offer the field as a whole in terms of increased product value and
potentially offsetting cost disparity with conventional meat.”
David Kaplan, Stern Family Professor of Engineering at the Tufts
University School of Engineering and corresponding author of the study, adds
that consumers may be more willing to pay for a cultured meat product if it has
added health benefits.
However, Stout acknowledges that many companies are focusing on
matching conventional meat before doing anything fancy with it.
“I like to say that if we view cultured meat as meat v2.0, then
this would be meat v2.1,” he concludes.
By Katherine Durrell
This feature is provided by FoodIngredientsFirst’s
sister website, NutritionInsight.
To contact our editorial team please email us at editorial@cnsmedia.com
MSP, government procurement important part of country''s food security:
PM Modi
(Eds: Removing word in intro)
16 OCTOBER 2020 Last Updated at 3:17
PM | SOURCE: PTI
New Delhi, Oct 16 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday
said the government is committed to procure agri crops at Minimum Support Price
(MSP) as it is an important part of the country''s food security.
Efforts are being made to improve mandi infrastructure so that
MSP buying continues in a scientific way, he said, adding that recent agri
reforms reflect India''s commitment to global food security.
"MSP and government procurement are an important part of
the country''s food security. It is important that it continues to function
with better facilities and in a scientific way. We are committed towards
this," Modi said after releasing a commemorative coin of Rs 75
denomination on the 75th anniversary of Food and Agriculture Organisation
(FAO).
Noting that wholesale mandis or Agriculture Produce Marketing
Committees (APMCs) have their own identity and strength, Modi said these mandis
were in place for years in the country and their infrastructure is being
improved.
He said about Rs 2,500 crore investment was made in the last six
years to boost mandi infrastructure. Even IT infrastructure is being built to
connect mandis with electronic National Agriculture Market (eNAM).
"The recent three big agri reforms are major steps towards
expanding agriculture and increasing farmers'' income," he said, adding
that the reforms in the Essential Commodities (EC) Act will make mandis more
competitive, enhance farmers'' income and address the problem of food wastage.
Further, Modi said that earlier farmers did not have access to
mandis and were forced to sell their produce to middlemen.
"Now, the market will reach the doors of small farmers and
ensure higher prices. They (farmers) will be free from middlemen and consumers
will also benefit," he said.
The recent law on contract farming will also benefit farmers by
protecting them from price volatility as they can enter into a contract to sell
their produce at a pre-determined price with private entities prior to sowing.
Farmers'' interests are protected if there is any breach of contract, he added.
Lauding farmers'' initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic that
has helped the country fight malnutrition, Modi said farmers have broken the
previous record in foodgrains production this time. Similarly, the government
has broken past records in procurement of wheat, rice and pulses.
"Farmers, agri scientists, anganwadis'' asha workers have
played an important role in our efforts to address malnutrition. Even during
the corona crisis, we are fighting malnutrition due to their efforts," he
said.
In the last seven to eight months, the government distributed
free ration worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore to 80 crore people although there is less
discussion about it at the global level.
"Free ration given in India is higher than the population
of Europe and the US," Modi said.
He also mentioned that the government has implemented ration
card portability scheme ''One Nation, One Ration Card'' in 28 states and union
territories. Prior to 2014, the food law was rolled out in only 11 states.
To address malnutrition, the government is promoting crops with
high nutrition. Millets like ragi, jowar, bajra are being promoted.
Modi, who released 17 new bio-fortified varieties of eight crops
on the occasion of World Food day on Friday, said these varieties are being
made available to farmers across the country and will help boost production of
high-nutrition crops.
Prior to 2014, only one variety used to reach farmers but now 70
varieties are reaching farmers, he said.
According to him the acceptance of India''s proposal by FAO to
declare 2023 as International Year of Millets will not only promote
high-nutrition food and its availability but also benefit rain-fed small
farmers in the country.
The UN agency FAO has seen India''s fight against malnutrition
closely. Earlier, efforts were made in silos but now multidimensional approach
is being adopted to address malnutrition issue in India, he added.
Modi also recalled the contribution of Indian civil service
officer Binay Ranjan Sen who started the World Food Programme when he was
Director General of FAO during 1956-1967 and that programme has won the Nobel
Peace Prize 2020.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Women and Child
Development Smriti Irani, Ministers of State for Agriculture and senior FAO
officials were present in the virtual event. PTI LUX MJH RAM DRR DRR DRR
Dong Thap inaugurates first advanced rice farming project
The Dong Thap province People’s Committee has held a
ceremony to celebrate the Mekong Delta province’s first advanced rice farming
project that uses modern techniques in all production stages and uses
irrigation water efficiently.
Mekong Delta farmers wait for floodwaters
Dong Thap province to focus on boosting tourism
“Say No to Fake News” project comes to Dong Thap province
A drone is used to spray
pesticides on a rice field under the province’s first advanced rice farming
project in Thap Muoi district. (Photo: VNA)
Dong Thap (VNA) - The Dong Thap province People’s
Committee has held a ceremony to celebrate the Mekong Delta province’s first
advanced rice farming project that uses modern techniques in all production
stages and uses irrigation water efficiently.
The project is being implemented on 170ha by the My Dong 2 Commune Co-operative
in Thap Muoi district.
Under the project, participating farmers use machines and smart devices for all
production stages such as sowing seeds, fertilising, harvesting and
post-harvest handling.
Participating farmers use slow-release fertiliser buried in soil as well as
smart devices that use alternate wet and dry irrigation methods to save water.
They are also using smart devices to monitor brown plant hoppers, which are the
main pests on rice fields.
The use of drones to spray pesticides helps farmers reduce the quantity of
pesticide by 10 – 20 percent compared to traditional spraying methods.
Rice produced under the project has traceable origin and is guaranteed sales
outlets under farming contracts.
The production cost of rice planted under the project is about 4,266 VND a
kilogramme, nearly 400 VND lower than the production cost under traditional
methods.
The project is estimated to offer a profit of 15.8 million VND (680 USD) per
hectare a crop, up nearly 10 million VND (430 USD) compared to rice planted
under traditional methods.
The project also creates conditions for farmers to exchange farming techniques,
which reduces pollution and pesticide residue in rice fields.
Nguyen Thanh Hung, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said
that advanced techniques, modern machines and information technology, as well
as linkages among farmers, scientists and rice companies are also being applied.
The project has reduced production costs, improved production efficiency, and
protected the environment and farmers' health.
He said the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and
local authorities should expand the project to other localities.
The Mekong Delta province,
one of the delta’s largest rice producers, has more than 200,000ha of land
devoted to growing rice.
The province’s farmers grow a total of more than 520,000ha of rice in three
rice crops a year with an annual paddy output of more than 3.3 million
tonnes./.
https://en.vietnamplus.vn/dong-thap-inaugurates-first-advanced-rice-farming-project/188693.vnp
2021 PLC & ARC Enrollment Open
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
opened enrollment for the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk
Coverage (ARC) programs for crop year 2021 this past Tuesday. Starting this
year, farmers have the option to annually select which program to enroll in on
a crop-by-crop basis for PLC or ARC-County. Selecting ARC-Individual requires
the whole farm be enrolled in that program.
"Although commodity prices are starting to show a
glimmer of improvement, recent depressed prices and drops in revenue compounded
by the effects of the pandemic have seriously impacted the bottom line for most
agricultural operations," said Richard Fordyce, Administrator of USDA's
Farm Service Agency (FSA). "Through safety-net programs like ARC and PLC,
we can help producers mitigate these financial stressors and keep the ag
industry moving forward. Make time over the next few months to evaluate your
program elections and enroll for the 2021 crop year."
According to USDA, if an
election is not submitted by the deadline of March 15, 2021, the election
defaults to the current election for crops on the farm from the prior crop
year."These farm safety net programs are vital to the economic health of
many farms given the prolonged period of low rice prices," said Nicole
Montna Van Vleck, California rice farmer and USA Rice Farmers chair.
"While we don't want to rely on these programs, we're appreciative for the
support they provide when needed."
Depleting balance in rupee-rial account
chokes export of basmati rice, tea to Iran
Shobha Roy Kolkata | Updated
on
Payments worth ₹2,000 cr to
basmati rice exporters stuck, say industry insiders
Export of basmati rice and tea is likely to be severely impacted
this year due to issues with Iran which is one of the major importers of the
two commodities. Delayed payments from Iran on the back of the “depleting
balance” in the rupee-rial trade account is the problem.
Only
Sri Lanka state agencies to import basmati rice from Pakistan
Tue,
Oct 13, 2020, 08:20 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Oct 13, Colombo: The Sri Lankan
government has received cabinet nod to import Basmati Rice under Pakistan-Sri
Lanka Trade Agreement.
Under
the provisions of Pakistan-Sri Lanka Trade Agreement, 6000 metric tons of
Basmati rice can be imported annually and the private sector has also been
given permission to import Basmati Rice under this provision.
However,
complaints have been received regarding various irregularities in the
importation of rice committed by importing rice which does not belong to the
prescribed categories, according to the government.
Considering
these facts, the proposal made by the Minister of Trade to import rice under
this facility only by the Sri Lanka State Trading (General) Corporation and the
CWE was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
http://agriculture.einnews.com/article/528347027/s41GVYLXAdiRgvDE
Consumer support of farmers grows as a result of
COVID-19
USDA has begun issuing payments for the 2019 crop year.
Southern medium and long grain rice farms should expect to begin to receive
assistance next month.
For more information, click
here.
Consumer support of farmers grows as a result
of COVID-19
A
recent Cargill study found a majority of consumers stand ready to rally around
farmers in support of their efforts to put food on tables around the globe.
Consumer recognition for the challenges and expectations farmers face grew amid
the COVID-19 pandemic, as processing and transportation bottlenecks, especially
in the protein industry, stretched the global food supply. In the latest
Feed4Thought survey, Cargill found nearly one-third of consumers in the U.S.,
Brazil, Vietnam, and Norway have a renewed appreciation for animal agriculture.
“When
consumers experienced bare shelves at grocery stores, they were reminded of the
critical role livestock and aquaculture farmers play in global food security,”
said David Webster, president of Cargill Animal Nutrition & Health.
Cargill
found 71 percent of consumers express concern about the pandemic’s disruption
of the food system, and that two in three consumers acknowledge an increased
pressure on animal farmers to supply safe, affordable protein since COVID-19’s
onset.
These
new challenges have not, however, deterred consumers’ faith in farmers: an
overwhelming majority of consumers (84 percent) indicated they were generally
confident in farmers to meet demand and feed growing populations. More than
half of consumers indicate they feel positively toward/appreciative of farmers,
with one-third saying that their perceptions have improved as compared to
pre-pandemic. This high confidence and increased appreciation toward farmers
suggest that COVID-19 may be acting as a catalyst in strengthening the
relationship between consumers and farmers.
With
this also comes consumers’ growing recognition of farmers’ roles and
responsibilities. Beyond the critical role of feeding the world, consumers also
see farmers as stewards of the earth’s natural resources (47 percent), animal
care experts (42 percent), technologically savvy (21 percent) and professional
businesspeople (20 percent).
“On
a day-to-day basis, farmers play multiple roles,” Webster said. “They work to
keep their animals healthy and free of disease, protect the earth’s resources
and manage their operations sustainably, provide employment and run a
profitable business.”
The
study suggests respondents believe technology can help farmers address the
challenges they face. Of those surveyed, 29% would like to see farmers
prioritize technology that improves animal health and wellbeing, while 28%
would like to see technology that improves overall food safety.
Technology
and innovation continue to help farmers overcome challenges.
·
Real-time scans in poultry houses
use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, giving farmers insights
to maximize animal comfort, health and improved efficiency.
·
Companies like Cainthus are
investing in computer vision technology. When farmers have access to real-time
data, they can make more informed decisions that can improve nutrition, enhance
animal well-being and comfort, and ultimately increase milk component yields.
·
The new, portable EWOS SalmoNIR
technology from Cargill uses near-infrared spectroscopy to provide salmon
farmers with real-time data on fat content, pigment, omega-3 and other
important parameters, helping them make better, quicker farm management and
nutrition decisions.
The
study also found that technology desired by consumers varies across markets. In
Vietnam, consumers reported the strongest technology requirement, with 36% of
the respondents expecting farmers to be tech-savvy. The U.S., too, may be
showing increased connection between farmers and technology, especially among
younger generations who were more likely to desire technology that improves
animal health and well-being.
Nearly
a quarter of younger Americans (Gen Z, ages 18-23) look to source their food
from farms using the latest technology, which is significantly higher than
older cohorts, especially baby boomers.
“Agriculture
has always been a technology industry,” said Webster. “But as consumer support
of farmers continues to grow, we see an opportunity to create a dialogue that
provides greater visibility into the innovative advancements we’re seeing in
agriculture today and highlighting the important role technology will play in
the future of our food.”
https://www.agdaily.com/news/consumer-support-farmers-covid-19/
Fried Rice Dog Chain Replacing Shuttered Bergen County Doughnut Shop
10/13/2020
9:50 a.m.
ChungChun
Rice Hot Dog Photo Credit: @fuwud_bae
A Korean fried
rice dog restaurant is replacing a shuttered doughnut shop in Bergen County.
ChungChun Rice
Dogs will be moving in to the Livingston Street space formerly occupied by
Honeybee Donuts in Norwood, BoozyBurbs reports.
Established in
2019, ChungChun specializes in a Korean rice dog -- similar to an American corn
dog. The difference is that ChungChun's spicy sausages are fried in a rice
flour batter.
Customers have
the option to get mozzarella cheese instead, of half cheese half hot dog.
The
batter-dipped sticks are then coated with a variety of toppings such as crispy
fried potatoes, squid ink, ramen and more.
The restaurant
has other locations in Los Angeles, San Diego, Arcadia and more.
No word yet on
an opening date.
ChungChun Rice
Dogs, 450 Livingston St., Norwood
Click
here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.
SATHOSA,
LAK SATHOSA TO IMPORT BASMATI RICE
The Government has decided to hand over the importation of
Basmati rice to ‘Sathosa’ and ‘Lak Sathosa’, Environment Minister Mahinda
Amarawera said.
Responding to a question by a journalist at a press conference
at his Ministry yesterday, he said this decision was taken as there were
irregularities in the previous method of importing Basmati rice.
“The decision to import over 5,000 metric tons of Basmati rice
was not new, as it has been done every year. We don’t produce Basmati rice
variety in the country, except for a small quantity cultivated by a few
farmers. However, this rice variety is being used by tourist hotels and other
food processing institutes. To meet this demand, several importers were
assigned to import the necessary stocks previously, but irregularities such as
obtaining commissions had been reported by way of that process. Accordingly,
Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena presented a Cabinet paper to hand over the
importation of Basmati rice to ‘Sathosa’ and ‘Lak Sathosa’. It is a good move.
However, this message was not properly communicated to the public,” he
explained.
He added that certain groups were criticising the progressive
decisions of the incumbent Government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa also giving false interpretations to them.
https://www.onlanka.com/news/sathosa-lak-sathosa-to-import-basmati-rice.html
Rice exporters slam abrupt freight rate hike
LAHORE: Rice exporters on Wednesday urged the government to
operate low-cost shipping service en-route to China, a major consumer of
Pakistani rice, as high fright charges by private companies made it challenging
and costly for them to meet export orders this year.
Rice exporters have made deals with Chinese buyers on good rates,
which need to be completed during October to December.
“However, shipping companies suddenly increased container charges
by almost three times,” said a spokesman of the Rice Exporters Association of
Pakistan (Reap).
Exporters demanded of the government to operate ships of Pakistan
National Shipping Corporation on China route as they face abnormally high
freight rates and shortage of containers.
Amid some progress in rice export, traders said high cost of
shipping consignments and non-availability of containers are posing a serious
challenge to the outbound shipments.
“Abrupt and steep rise in freight cost and non-availability of
containers create an uncertain and risky environment, which will make it hard
for exporters to meet delivery commitments of foreign buyers,” said the
spokesman.
Rice exports grew 5.1 percent during the last fiscal year of
2019/20. About 4.2 million tons of rice worth $2.2 billion was exported during
the year, according to the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
The country earned $791 million by exporting about 890,207 tons of
basmati rice as against exports of 659,571 tons valuing $635 million a year
earlier. Besides, 3.3 million tons of non-basmati rice worth $1.4 billion was
also exported during the last fiscal year as against the exports of 3.5 tons
valuing $1.4 billion.
“Exporters will not be able to compete in international markets
and as they are afraid of cancellation of export orders, which ultimately
result in loss of huge foreign exchange to our country,” said the Reap
spokesman.
The association asked the minister for maritime affairs in
particular and government in general to take notice and intervene in the matter
and play their vital role for the relief of rice export sector, which is the
second largest source of foreign exchange earner.
The spokesperson said the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation
should operate ships on Chinese route to enable “us to finalise shipments on
time”.
An upswing in rice exports have been seen in recent years due to
multiple factors. And most importantly, this trend is likely to continue in near
future at least. Demand of Pakistani coarse and fine rice varieties have
particularly sown upward trend from regional countries like China, Iran and Sri
Lanka lately.
Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers recently approved a proposal to
import 6,000 tons of basmati rice annually under the provision of the
Pakistan-Sri Lanka free trade agreement.
Reap said the government should also explore other opportunities,
including growth in demand in Iran.
Bumper Rice Crop in Iraqi Kurdistan
10/15/2020 9:13:53 PM
(MENAFN - Iraq Business News)
From Rudaw . Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not
necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News .
Kurdistan Region rice farmers harvest bumper crop
Rice harvest season has begun in
the Kurdistan Region, and farmers in Erbil's Harir sub-district say there's
been a boom in production this year.
"We're making a lot of
profit," Mawlud Hassan, a farmer in Harir said.
https://menafn.com/1100965681/Bumper-Rice-Crop-in-Iraqi-Kurdistan
https://flipboard.com/@washpost/world-gmn4hl27z/-/a-6Ka0UlIsTSCDlwWDUvVnXQ%3Aa%3A419161690-%2F0
Pakistan's
Efforts To Capture Indian Basmati Market In Iran Might Backfire As Tehran Runs
Out Of US Dollars
Snapshot
·
There is an issue with receipt of
payments from Iran due to banking reasons.
Media reports said this is primarily because Central Bank of
Iran is delaying allocation of the currency in which Iranian traders buy basmati rice and tea.
Modi’s Reforms Could Help Turn India Into
Food-Export Powerhouse
Of all the controversial reforms
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sprung on the market, the recent laws
to liberalize farm sales could turn out to be the most far-reaching.
In a fractious and unruly session
last month, parliament passed three laws that some say could pave the way for
India to upend the global food trade, while others fear it will wreck the
livelihoods of millions of farmers. Within days, rural groups and opposition
leaders launched public protests.
The move toward a free market for
farm sales goes to the heart of a system that directly affects more than half
of the nation’s 1.37 billion people, altering government controls that millions
of families have come to rely on, but that have hobbled the nation’s efforts to
productively farm one of the largest areas of fertile land on earth. If they
succeed, India could not only feed itself, but become a major food exporter.
“We need private sector investment
in technology and infrastructure for Indian agriculture to realize its full
potential and compete better in the global marketplace,” said Siraj Chaudhry,
managing director and chief executive officer of agriculture services company
National Collateral Management Services Ltd. But the government must make its
intent very clear to win over skeptics. “This is a major policy change that
impacts a large and vulnerable section of the population.”
India processes less than 10% of
its food production and loses about 900 billion rupees ($12.3 billion) a year
due to wastage from inadequate cold storage, said Amitabh Kant, chief executive
officer at government think tank NITI Aayog.
Modi has a long resume of
contentious policy steps, including a ban on high-value cash notes, the biggest
tax reform since independence in 1947 and the world’s toughest coronavirus
lockdown rules. The latest seems mild by comparison: a set of amendments to
laws that govern the purchase, sale and storage of farm produce.
Yet eight opposition lawmakers were
suspended for unruly behavior when the new bill was passed and groups
representing farmers and political parties organized demonstrations, sit-ins
and tractor rallies in grain-producing states such as Punjab, Haryana and
Madhya Pradesh.
Shiromani Akali Dal, a long-term
supporter of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which rarely went against the
decisions of Modi’s coalition, quit the government. It said farmers fear the
measures will eventually kill the government’s price support regime for crops
and leave them at the mercy of big corporations that would control the market.
Modi and his ministers say the
concerns are baseless and the price guarantee program will continue. His administration
even raised some minimum prices for winter crops to try to reassure farmers
that the price supports aren’t in jeopardy.
It’s a highly emotive subject in
India. The government sets price floors for more than two dozen crops and buys
mainly wheat and rice for its welfare programs together with some pulses and
oilseeds to prevent distress sales by farmers. The massive subsidies help
distribute staples to the poor through a chain of more than 500,000 fair-price
shops.
The issue has become even more
heated because of the pandemic. The disruption to farms and supply chains has
exposed weaknesses in the government welfare system, which is hampered by
bureaucracy, underfunding and archaic distribution facilities.
Farmers point out that, while the
government’s guaranteed prices are often considered benchmarks, private buyers
don’t have to pay them.
“We are disappointed,” said
Charanjeet Singh, who grows rice, wheat and vegetables on his farm in the
northern state of Haryana. “The government should guarantee that all farmers,
irrespective of whether they are selling in the designated grain markets or to
private buyers, will get at least the minimum support price.”
Contract Farming
Analysts and industry experts say
the new policy has the potential to change the face of Indian agriculture,
which has been hampered by low yields and inefficient smallholdings, by
encouraging more contract farming. That’s a system where private companies
agree prices for crops with farmers prior to the harvest or even before sowing,
and offer loans, provide quality seeds and encourage mechanization.
The new rules would also make it
easier to sell crops in other states or abroad. Farmers would get a more stable
income and the increased production would boost exports and revenue, they say.
“Overall, the reforms should
benefit farmers and encourage contract farming,” analysts at Motilal Oswal
Financial Services Ltd. said in a report. “As private sector participation
increases over the years, the Indian agriculture sector’s supply chain and
infrastructure would improve.”
Farming has lagged behind other
sectors of India’s economy. The rural poverty rate is about 25% compared to 14%
in urban areas, according to World Bank data. Underinvestment has made the food
supply vulnerable, a fact that is being underlined as the coronavirus spreads
across the country.
Food inflation accelerated 9.7% in
September as COVID-19 hit the nation’s already fragile supply chains. While
supporters of the farm reforms say the changes would make the system more
robust in future, others argue that the crisis reinforces the need for a safety
net for farmers.
‘End of the Road’
“It will be the end of the road for
the food security program,” said Kannaiyan Subramaniam, general secretary of a
farmers union in southern India, who grows gooseberries, potatoes and other
vegetables. “In the long run, corporations will monopolize trade, production
and stockpiles. The government will succumb to pressure from the WTO and get
rid of the public grain procurement.”
Before the new amendments, farmers
in most states were restricted from selling their crops outside
government-facilitated wholesale markets and faced legal hurdles in
transporting harvests to other states.
Central to the reforms is an
amendment to the Essential Commodities Act, a 1955 law that some say is the
root of India’s agricultural inefficiency.
“It was an anti-farmer policy,”
said Atul Chaturvedi, president of the Solvent Extractors’ Association of
India, which represents vegetable-oil processors. “This one act stymied the
growth of Indian agriculture big time.”
When prices rose due to demand, the
law’s price-control measures kicked in, discouraging investment to increase
production, said Chaturvedi, who is also executive chairman of Shree Renuka
Sugars Ltd. The government would also sometimes ban exports of some farm goods
to control local prices, as well as limiting the ability to store crops.
Farmers suffered huge losses when production, especially of perishable
commodities, surged.
Some critics of the amendments to
the law say the new situation could be worse for farmers. Corporates and
multinational companies buy agricultural products at a cheaper rate and sell at
higher prices, “squeezing both ends by hoarding and black marketeering,” said
the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, a farmers’ pressure
group. “There is no penalty for failure to honor contracts.”
If the government can push through
the reforms while retaining the support of farming communities, it could create
a platform for wide-scale improvements in the nation’s food output, The country
is already the world’s largest producer of milk and the second-biggest grower
of wheat, rice and some fruits and vegetables. It’s also one of the biggest
exporters of cotton, rice and sugar.
If India can raise productivity to
global norms, the country could become “an important link in global food supply
chains,” NITI Aayog’s Kant wrote in a newspaper article. The new reforms, he
said, set the stage for India to become “a food-export powerhouse.”
Sathosa, Lak Sathosa to import Basmati rice
The Government has decided to hand
over the importation of Basmati rice to ‘Sathosa’ and ‘Lak Sathosa’, Environment
Minister Mahinda Amarawera said.
Responding to a question by a
journalist at a press conference at his Ministry yesterday, he said this
decision was taken as there were irregularities in the previous method of
importing Basmati rice.
“The decision to import over 5,000
metric tons of Basmati rice was not new, as it has been done every year. We
don’t produce Basmati rice variety in the country, except for a small quantity
cultivated by a few farmers. However, this rice variety is being used by
tourist hotels and other food processing institutes. To meet this demand,
several importers were assigned to import the necessary stocks previously, but
irregularities such as obtaining commissions had been reported by way of that
process. Accordingly, Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena presented a Cabinet
paper to hand over the importation of Basmati rice to ‘Sathosa’ and ‘Lak
Sathosa’. It is a good move. However, this message was not properly
communicated to the public,” he explained.
He added that certain groups were
criticising the progressive decisions of the incumbent Government led by
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa also giving
false interpretations to them.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2020/10/16/local/231620/sathosa-lak-sathosa-import-basmati-rice
Crop Report: Bengal 2020-21
kharif rice crop seen up 4%, maize 23%
Thursday,
Oct 15, 2020
–Bengal
pegs '20-21 kharif rice crop 13.3 mln tn vs 12.8 mln yr ago
–Bengal
pegs '20-21 kharif maize crop 350,000 tn vs 285,000 tn
–Bengal
pegs '20-21 kharif food grain output 14.0 mln tn vs 13.3 mln
–Bengal pegs '20-21 kharif pulses output 155,000 tn vs 126,500 tn
By
Sampad Nandy
NEW
DELHI – West Bengal's rice output in the 2020-21 (Jul-Jun) kharif season is
seen over 4% higher on year at 13.3 mln tn, a senior official with the state's
agriculture department said. Rice is the largest crop in the grain basket of
the state.
The
estimated increase in output in the state during the season is primarily due to
a rise in the area under the staple foodgrain and ample rainfall during the
Jun-Sep monsoon season. During Jun-Sep, West Bengal recorded 1,463.5 mm
rainfall, 4% above normal.
During
the kharif season, overall acreage under paddy in the state was nearly 8%
higher on year at 4.3 mln ha.
The
state has pegged maize output at 350,000 tn, 23% higher from the previous year.
Maize production is seen rising sharply this year due to an increase in
acreage under the coarse grain in the state. Acreage under maize was 51% higher
on year at 65,000 ha.
Pulses
output in the kharif season is expected to jump 23% on year to 155,000 tn, the
official said.
Total
production of food grains has been pegged at 14.0 mln tn, 5% higher than last
year, the official said.
Jute
production is seen at 7.70 mln bales, marginally lower than 7.71 mln bales
pegged for last year. The state is the largest producer of jute.
The
following is the first advance estimate of output in West Bengal for the
2020-21 (Jul-Jun) crop year, in tn, compared with year-ago figures, and
year-on-year change:
|
Crops |
2020-21 (1st
estimate) |
2019-20 (4th
estimate) |
YoY
change (in %) |
|
Rice |
13,325,000 |
12,796,000 |
4.1 |
|
Maize |
350,000 |
285,000 |
22.8 |
|
Other cereals |
10,950 |
9,800 |
11.7 |
|
Pulses |
155,000 |
126,500 |
22.5 |
|
Total Food grain** |
13,996,000 |
13,347,500 |
4.9 |
|
Jute* |
7,700,000 |
7,706,000 |
(-)0.1 |
**Total
food grains may not match as some minor crops have not been included.
* Jute
output measured in bales (1 bale = 180 kg)
End
Edited
by Ramya J.S. D'Rozario
Cogencis
Tel +91 (11) 4220-1000
Send
comments to feedback@cogencis.com
Much needs to be done to reap the
benefits of Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement
Ek Tha /
Both governments and their peoples see the new Cambodia-China
trade deal as a golden opportunity and the need to make the most out of it. We
can be sure the world is watching how two of Asia’s closest allies will
translate the deal into actual implementation for mutual interest.
Each country sees the other as a good complement to their own:
Cambodia has investment potential, thanks to the country’s agricultural crops
with vast arable land and young labour force. China has finance, technical
expertise, and a large market. However, one must bear in mind that this trade
deal would have not come about without the ironclad ties forged since the Cold
War.
It also reaffirms the two nation’s joint commitment to put
diplomatic ties in place since 1958. They reached a comprehensive strategic
partnership in 2010 and nine years later inked a 2019-2023 action plan to build
the two-country’s shared future. Their ties cover a number of measures in the
areas of economy, people-to-people relations, politics, security and mutual
cooperation.
The new deal is another plus to the existing legal framework of
the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) established in 2010, which paved the
way for the export of thousands of different goods to China.
The world is watching us. Some wrongly interpret that, with the
CCFTA, Cambodia has put aside its valuable ties with the EU, US and instead
embraced China. But, Cambodia has made it clear: She wants to make friends with
all for mutual interests based on equal treatment and respect for each other’s
independence and sovereignty.
Despite the world still facing COVID-19, which has killed more
than 1 million out of more than 38 million confirmed cases, storm clouds have
also covered the skies of these two Asian nations, nothing prevented them from
reaching this golden deal as part of China Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
launched in 2010 by China’s President Xi Jinping.
PM Hun Sen instructed his officials to arrange quickly the
signing ceremony through video conferencing, ahead of the arrival of China’s
foreign minister Wang Yi, so that both commerce ministers can see each other as
he and Wang Yi witnessed the signing.
The deal, inked on 12th October 2020, sends a powerful message
to Cambodia’s friends that she has gained entry into a strong Chinese market of
more than 1.3 billion consumers. Two-way trade value was $8 billion in 2019
from more than $7 billion in 2018, thanks to ACFTA, and with the new trade
deal, there are hopes exports to China will increase by as much as 25 per cent
a year, and reach $10 billion by 2023.
Cambodia’s Industrial Development Policy (2015–2025) has been
put in place to address the coming challenges, promote productivity and find
markets for its products, such as rice, sugar, rubber, black pepper and
fresh-water fish to livestock, and others. Cambodia has 6 million tonnes in rice
paddy a year in surplus from domestic consumption.
It is a great opportunity for the nation. Cambodia needs to work
as clusters when it comes to such commodities. She needs more silos and better
equipped rice mills for rice processing, packaging, as well as logistics, and
so forth.
Foreign investors must join hands with Cambodia to translate
this opportunity into reality for mutual benefit by technology and knowledge
transfer when implementing the deal. This will help Cambodia. With China’s new
assistance package of $141 million to improve our productivity, value-added
products, business efficiency and other factors, Cambodia can only gain.
Nearly 48,000 registered companies and enterprises, local and
foreign in Cambodia, must be ready to take advantage of the trade deal to be
implemented by 2021.
The government has taken measures to provide loans and support
with technical and legal assistance for local companies, Small Medium
Enterprises (SMEs), so that they can take advantage of exporting 340 items to
China, of which 95 per cent are now tariff-exempt. The remaining 5 per cent
will be exempted over the next five to ten years.
Cambodia has allocated $500 million in loans, including $300
million for financing support and $200 million will go to credit guarantee
projects. So far this year, Cambodia has exported more than 300,000 tonnes of
milled rice to China, less than its target of 400,000 tonnes.
Among those 8,547 tariff lines of China, there are only 181
lines not included in tariff elimination and reduction schedules. They need to
work closely to promote these products too, after the deal takes effect. We
have the opportunity, now let us have the will.
Ek Tha is a Standing-Vice
Chairman of the Royal Government Spokesperson Unit, spokesman of the Council of
Ministers, advisor to the Ministry of Information.
13 killed, over 12,000 evacuated
in Cambodia due to flash floods: spokesman
Source: Xinhua Published: 2020/10/16 8:53:58 
People walk through a flooded street in Dangkor district in the
Southwestern suburb of Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Oct. 15, 2020. Thirteen people
have been killed and 12,376 others evacuated in Cambodia after a tropical
storm-triggered rains caused flash floods in 19 of the kingdom's 25 cities and
provinces, a spokesman said on Thursday.Photo:Xinhua
Thirteen people have been killed and 12,376 others evacuated in Cambodia after
tropical storm-triggered rains caused floods in 19 of the kingdom's 25 cities
and provinces, a spokesman said on Thursday.
Seak Vichet, a spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management
(NCDM), said that since the beginning of the month, 193,268 people have been
affected by the floods, and 12,376 others have been evacuated to safer ground.
"The floods have killed 13 people so far, including five children,"
he told Xinhua, adding that the worst-hit provinces included northwestern
Battambang, Pursat, and Banteay Meanchey as well as southern Kandal.
The floods have also inundated 47,923 houses and 186,689 hectares of rice and
other crops, he said, adding that so far, 12,958 hectares of the affected rice
and other crops have been destroyed.
People walk through a flooded street in Dangkor district in the
Southwestern suburb of Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Oct. 15, 2020. Thirteen people
have been killed and 12,376 others evacuated in Cambodia after a tropical
storm-triggered rains caused flash floods in 19 of the kingdom's 25 cities and
provinces, a spokesman said on Thursday.Photo:Xinhua
Transportation has also been disrupted, as several major roads in the worst-hit
provinces have been closed to avoid damaging their surfaces.
Water Resources and Meteorology Minister Lim Keanhor said on Thursday that
further rain, wind, and high waves are forecast from Oct. 17 to 19 because the
kingdom is suffering from the impact of tropical storm Saudel, which could lead
to further flooding.
"People living in plains, along waterways and near mountains, fishermen
and sea travelers should be extra-vigilant to avoid any possible dangers,"
he said in a press release.
Floods usually hit Cambodia between August and October. Last year, Mekong River
and flash floods claimed 30 lives, as storms killed eight people and injured
131 others, according to the NCDM.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1203674.shtml
Asia Rice-Vietnamese rates gain on hopes of deal with
Philippines
* Thai rice quoted at $445-$480/tonne vs $470-$475 last week
* Philippines to buy 300,000
tonne of Vietnamese rice- trader
* Rains to delay harvesting,
lower output in India- exporter
* Heavy rains damage ripening
rice paddy in Bangladesh
Oct 15 (Reuters) - Vietnamese
rice export prices rose this week on prospects of a new order from the
Philippines, while weaker demand pushed down rates of the Thai variety for a
seventh straight week.
Vietnam's 5% broken rice RI-VNBKN5-P1 prices
rose to $485-$490 per tonne versus last week's $470.
“Domestic rice prices have risen
recently as traders are buying in anticipation of a move by the Philippines
government to buy 300,000 tonnes soon,” a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City
said.
However, weaker demand kept
trading relatively muted this week, another trader said.
The country’s rice exports in
September fell 36.4% from the previous month to 385,429 tonnes, government data
showed. For the January-September period, it fell 1.4% year-on-year to 4.99
million tonnes.
Thailand's benchmark 5% broken
rice RI-THBKN5-P1 prices fell for a seventh straight week to
$445-$480 a tonne from $470-$475 last week.
Traders in Bangkok attributed the
decline mainly to a sustained period of low demand, while they expected new
supply towards the end of the month to further weigh on the market.
Top exporter India's 5% broken
parboiled variety RI-INBKN5-P1 rates remained unchanged at $376-$382
per tonne, even as heavy rainfall in southern states hit the paddy crop primed
for harvest.
“In many coastal districts, paddy
crop has been damaged. This is set to delay harvesting by a few weeks and could
lower production as well,” said an exporter based in Kakinada in the southern
state of Andhra Pradesh.
Heavy rains also damaged paddy in
neighboring Bangladesh, agriculture officials said, adding it was a little
early to know the exact extent of crop losses in the country, where prices of
the staple grain keep rising.
While market insiders have said
the government needs to start importing rice without any delay, a decision on
that was still pending, according to food ministry officials.
Reporting by Sumita Layek in Bengaluru, Khanh Vu in Hanoi,
Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai, Ruma Paul in Dhaka, and Patpicha Tanakasempipat in
Bangkok; Editing by Arpan Varghese and Amy Caren Daniel
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Undervalued rice imports cost gov’t P2.2-B in lost revenue – FFF
October 16, 2020Animals, Food, Science & Technology
MIDDLESEX COUNTY, Mass. — Red meat fans are probably used to hearing about all the links
their favorite beef products have to poor health.
Researchers at Tufts University say they’ve created a way for health-conscious
meat lovers to have their cake and eat it too. The team has genetically
engineered cow muscle cells to produce the same nutrients found in plants.
Just like golden rice has been engineered to include beta
carotene, scientists are now doing the same with cell-cultured meat. Beta
carotene is a provitamin in carrots and tomatoes which beef cells do not naturally
produce. Scientists created golden rice in the 1990’s as a way of enhancing the
nutritional value of white rice, which also lacks this precursor to vitamin A.
“Cows don’t have any of the genes for producing beta carotene,”
says lead author Andrew Stout in a press release. “We engineered cow muscle cells to
produce this and other phytonutrients, which in turn allows us to impart those
nutritional benefits directly onto a cultured meat product in a way that is
likely infeasible through animal transgenics and conventional meat production.”
Are cows now
walking around with plant nutrients in them?
The short answer is no. The Tufts University team focused their
study on cultured meat, which is created by harvesting muscle cells from living
cows. Instead of slaughtering the animals, scientists painlessly feed and
nurture harvested cells until they multiply to create muscle tissue.
Biologically, this is the same tissue humans consume when they eat red meat. Unlike regular meat however, scientists
can alter cultured meat’s shape, texture, and nutritional profile to fit the
customer’s tastes.
Using the same techniques that creates golden rice, researchers
maneuvered the cow cells into producing beta carotene as well. Stout adds this
proves scientists can create a meat alternative that is nutritionally superior
to farmed meat.
Can ‘golden
meat’ fight cancer?
Another benefit of this genetic breakthrough, study authors
find, is the lack of cancer-causing agents in the meat.
“We saw a reduction in lipid oxidation levels when we cooked a
small pellet of these cells when they were expressing and producing this beta
carotene,” Stout reports.
The biomedical engineering PhD student explains that lipid
oxidation is one of the key factors linking processed meats to diseases like colorectal
cancer.
“I think that there is a pretty compelling argument to be made
that this could potentially reduce that risk.”
Can cultured
meat compete with the food industry?
The one obstacle researchers note when it comes to putting more
nutritious and sustainable foods on people’s tables is the
cost. While the Tufts team finds costs on cellular agriculture have dropped
significantly, the meat industry still has the upper hand in terms of pricing.
Much of this, they say, comes from heavy subsidies given to meat producers.
“It will likely be challenging for cultured meat to be
competitively competitively priced with factory farmed meat right out of the
gate,” Stern Family Professor of Engineering David Kaplan says. “A value-added
product which provides consumers with added health benefits may make them more
willing to pay for a cultured meat product.”
The study appears in the journal Metabolic Engineering.
https://www.studyfinds.org/golden-meat-healthier-beef-products-plant-nutrients/
Global Machinery PTE Limited Grows
In Fiji
A demand in the Agricultural sector was then
identified; it is when A Hussain Group decided to venture out into Agro
Machinery.
By Renu Radhika
16 Oct 2020 15:01
Global Machinery PTE Limited are now the Agents of “Farmtrac
Tractors” in Fiji.
Global Machinery PTE Ltd Director Hazeem Hussein said this range
of tractors is available in the range of 28.5HP to 90 HP and is known for
pulling bigger traction with greater efficiency.
Mr Hussein said the prices are affordable for the farmers.
He said the brand new Framtrac tractors are based on previous
Ford models and are beneficial and affordable to the farmers as we are geared
into agriculture farming and machinery.
“We are determined to work hand in hand with the farmers and
provide them the best of products in order for the farmers to mechanise their
farms to gain productivity. We provide Full back service together with onsite
farm servicing for Farmtrac Tractors. Farming is the future all Fiji is looking
for, to be successful farmer you need to have the right equipment and we are
glad for such equipment,” he said.
Mr Hussein said Escorts India are the manufacturers of
Farmtrac Tractors in India, and it is manufactured in the world’ largest
Tractor manufacturing plant under one roof. Farmtrac Tractors are also the only
Indian Tractor company to have a manufacturing plant in Poland.
“In March we announced our partnership with Escorts India and
now we are the sole agents for Farmtrac Tractors in Fiji.
Mr Hussein said it is equipped with modern engineering and
machines with extreme power and traction, Farmtrac is a tractor that remains
ahead of its time.
He said it has a high performance, versatile, rugged
machine with maximum comfort for the driver.
We have also Partnered with World Renowned Brand “SHAKTIMAN” for
Farm Implements. Shaktiman is the worlds largest manufacturer of Rotary Tillers
and Other Farm Implements.
Future plans
Global Machinery PTE Limited currently has a dealership in
Labasa Town, and will open its new branch in Sigatoka by the end of this month.
This will allow them to cater for the western farmers.
Background
A Hussain Group Of Companies established some 45 Years ago and
is a family owned business. Now into its third generation, A Hussain Group is
diversifying from its core hardware business to many other ventures to fulfil
demand and offer continuous supply of various products covering major
industries in Fiji Islands.
Global Machinery PTE Ltd
A demand in the Agricultural sector was then identified; it is
when A Hussain Group decided to venture out into Agro Machinery.
A new division was then opened in 2016 known as Global Machinery
PTE Ltd.
Based in Labasa, Global Machinery PTE Ltd has expertise in
supplying of Rice Harvester machines to farmers in Fiji.
Through the years Global Machinery is now a major dealer in rice
harvester machines, tractors, farm implements, industrial machinery and
forklifts.
They said their aim is to become a one stop shop for Agro and
Industrial Machinery while providing the best and most efficient after sales
support.
Feedback: renu.prasad@fijisun.com.fj
https://fijisun.com.fj/2020/10/16/global-machinery-pte-limited-grows-in-fiji/
India: Exports in Sept rise 6% as garments, drugs, rice improve
performance
Sectors such as readymade garments, drugs and pharmaceuticals,
iron ore, rice, cereals, carpets and engineering goods pulled up the country’s
total goods exports in September by 5.99 per cent (year-on-year) to $27.58
billion following a six-month continuous decline in shipments due to Covid-19
disruptions, as per quick estimates released by the Commerce & Industry
Ministry.
Imports during the month, however, declined 19.6 per cent to $30.31
billion shrinking the trade deficit by 76.66 per cent to $2.72 billion compared
to $11.67 billion in September 2019.
The numbers announced by the Commerce & Industry Ministry
are in line with the September trade data shared by Commerce & Industry
Minister Piyush Goyal earlier this month based on preliminary data compiled by
the government.
Some relief
Some exporters point out that while the reversal in trend for
exports in September is a matter of relief, the challenges in external trade
would continue given the present state of global health emergency and its
economic impact on the major economies. “Engineering exports too have shown a
positive trend of 5.44 per cent for September, although the major turnaround
has come about thanks to a sharp increase in pharma exports, for understandable
reasons,” said Mahesh Desai, Chairman, EEPC.
Exporters body FIEO said the export growth in September
reflected the improved world trade projection of the World Trade Organization
and provided hope, but reduced imports was a concern. “Reduction in import of
precious metals including gold, silver, pearls, precious and semi-precious
stones along with leather used as raw material for gems and jewellery and
leather & leather product exports during the month does not augur well for
these major labour-intensive sectors of exports,” FIEO stated.
Imports of transport equipment, machinery, petroleum products,
pearls and precious and semi-precious stones and chemicals posted a steep
decline in September.
Major commodities that registered a fall in exports during the
month include cashew, gems & jewellery, man-made yarn, mica, coal&
other ores, minerals including processed minerals, marine products, leather,
tea and fruits & vegetables, as per the data.
Total exports down in H1
Total exports for April-September 2020-21 were 21.31 per cent
lower at $125.25 billion compared to the same period last fiscal. Imports in
April-September 2020-21 were 40.06 per cent lower at $148.69 billion compared
to April-September 2019-20.
Trade deficit in April-September 2020-21 was $23.44 billion
which was almost a fourth of $88.92 billion in the comparable period last year.
Source: The Hindu Business Line
Gov’t sets postaudit of all rice importers
By: Karl R. Ocampo - Reporter / @kocampoINQ
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:00 AM October 17,
2020
Following reports that rice traders were
undervaluing their imports to evade paying higher taxes, the Bureau of Customs
(BOC) said it would issue audit letters to all importers beginning this month
as the agency intensifies its post-audit operations.
Customs Assistant Commissioner Vincent
Maronilla said in a phone interview that the postaudit would look into
historical records of importers, adding that part of the recommendation was to
blacklist or permanently block erring companies from participating in the rice
trade.
Maronilla said the agency was not at
liberty yet to divulge the basis for this recommendation, citing the Data
Privacy Act, although more than 40 importers have already been charged for
undervaluation between January and March last year.
These companies were ordered to pay a
combined P1.4 billion and while some of these importers were now preparing to
pay these charges, Maronilla said the majority had filed a motion for
reconsideration.
The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF)
asserted that undervaluation has worsened this year, claiming that around P2.2
billion in rice duties have already been lost between January and August
despite reforms in the valuation and classification system of BOC.
FFF alleged that 81 percent of the
shipments declared values lower than the BOC’s reference price and standard
rates for shipping and insurance. Declared import costs this year averaged
P18.28 a kilo instead of P22.75 a kilo if BOC’s standard rates were applied.
“The extent of undervaluation actually
increased compared to 2019 … Imports were undervalued by only 17 percent on
average in 2019 but in just the first eight months of 2020, estimated tariff
losses already exceeded the calculated under-collection for the whole of 2019.
About 32 percent of imports in 2020 was undervalued by 20 percent or more,
compared to only 7 percent in 2019,” FFF national chair Raul Montemayor
claimed.
Maronilla noted that most of the entities
undervaluing imports were farmer cooperatives that were being used as dummy
accounts by other firms, given that cooperatives were given tax exemptions.
Last year, Agriculture Secretary William
Dar said they were working toward blacklisting these firms and farmer groups.
No updates have been made since.
He added that there were hundreds of these
associations that could be guilty of participating in such a scheme.
https://business.inquirer.net/309723/govt-sets-postaudit-of-all-rice-importers#ixzz6b7zp0OeW
Agri chief Dar to bar farmer
co-ops from importing rice amid ‘dummy-for-traders’ issues
File
photo: Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar during a virtual meeting with
BusinessMirror reporters.AGRICULTURE
Secretary William D. Dar said on Friday he will issue an order barring farmers’
cooperatives and associations from importing rice amid issues that they are
being used as fronts or dummies by unscrupulous traders.
Dar made the pronouncement during the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food
hearing on a joint resolution to allocate all tariffs collected — in excess of
P10 billion from rice imports — as direct cash assistance to farmers tilling 1
hectare and below.
In the same hearing, Dar disclosed that the Department of Agriculture (DA) was
already studying whether to continue to allow cooperatives to import rice under
the liberalized rice trade regime amid concerns that they are used as dummies
by traders.
He revealed that their “orientation” is to ban cooperatives from importing rice.
But a few minutes after, Dar immediately made the pronouncement that, “I will
issue an order not to allow coops and associations to import.”
The issue on coops was raised anew earlier this week by Sen. Cynthia A. Villar,
head of the agriculture committee. She told the DA to closely monitor the
farmer cooperatives amid reports that many of them are being used by rice
traders and importers to buy from abroad.
“There are a lot of co-ops importing rice again. Is that right? Cooperatives
importing rice without tariffs? Ha? Is that right? Ha?” she asked the
department, represented by Dar and Undersecretary Ariel T. Cayanan, at a
virtual hearing last Monday.
Besides paying the farmer groups a measly amount in exchange for using their
permits, these unscrupulous businessmen also cheat the government by
undervaluing their imports, an earlier investigative story by the
BusinessMirror had showed.
The BusinessMirror broke the story last year that unscrupulous traders continue
to use farmers cooperatives’ and associations as their fronts and dummies even
after the rice industry was liberalized. (Read the award-winning story here:https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/10/31/pre-and-post-rice-trade-liberalization-law-big-traders-gaming-farmer-groups/)
The latest pronouncement of Dar is the latest in the string of stories published
by the BusinessMirror on the country’s rice importation system, particularly
issues on undervaluation and cooperatives.
A BusinessMirror report on Friday (October 16) said that some erring rice
importers have availed themselves of legal remedies to avert paying charges for
their “undervalued” shipments last year, as farmers pressed authorities to move
more quickly against violators to plug the huge revenue drain of the government.
Customs Assistant Commissioner and spokesman Vincent Philip Maronilla told the
BusinessMirror on Thursday they have yet to collect the total P1.4 billion
charged to over 40 erring rice importers, majority of which are farmers’
cooperatives.
However, Maronilla has yet to disclose exactly how many of the rice
importers resorted to the legal remedies and how many of those who availed
themselves of legal remedies are farmers’ cooperatives. (read story here: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/10/16/erring-rice-importers-delay-paying-charges/)
During the hearing, the agriculture committee approved Senate Joint Resolution
No. 12, which was introduced by Villar, to use all tariffs in excess of the P10
billion collected from rice imports collected in 2019 and 2020 as direct cash
assistance to farmers tilling 1 hectare and below.
Villar said the cash assistance would benefit at least 600,000 rice farmers.
Dar said about 1.1 million rice farmers are planting on 1 hectare and less.
Based on Customs preliminary report, the total rice tariff collected from rice
imports this year has reached P13.681 billion as of end-September, Villar said.
Excess tariffs collected last year reached P2.1 billion.
This means that at least P5.781 billion would be given as cash assistance to
the target rice farmers next year. The DA earlier planned to use the
P2.1-billion excess rice tariffs from last year to bankroll its crop
diversification and expanded crop insurance programs for rice farmers.
Modulating pathogen functions control sheath
blight disease: study
Millions of tonnes of rice are lost due to this disease every
year
Published: Friday 16
October 2020
A recent study conducted by Indian researchers has discovered
that modulating the functions of the pathogen responsible for sheath blight
disease could be a game changer in the fight against the menacing rice
disease.
Rice is a staple food all over the world and India is the
second-largest producer and consumer of rice at
the global level. Production of rice in India is limited by several biotic and
abiotic factors.
Sheath blight disease caused by a necrotrophic fungal pathogen (Rhizoctonia solani) is a big threat
to rice
crops. Millions of tonnes of rice are lost due to this disease every
year.
The study by the New Delhi-based National Institute of Plant
Genome Research (NIPGR) is important towards understanding the sheath blight
pathogen. It affects not just rice but also tomatoes and many other crops.
It will also help in developing a strategy to control the
disease, say researchers at NIPGR.
“We discovered that silencing of one of the transcription factors
ie C2H2 Zn finger transcription factor (RS_CRZ1),
significantly compromises the pathogenesis of R.
solani in tomato,” Gopaljee Jha, scientist at NIPGR, said.
“The disease was significantly reduced in the RS_CRZ1 silenced plants,
compared to the wild type plants. Our data suggests that the RS_CRZ1 enables the pathogen
to tackle hostile environment of the host faced during disease establishment
process,” Jha added.
In molecular biology, a transcription factor is a protein that
controls the rate of transcription of genetic information from Deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA) to messenger ribonucleic (RNA), by binding to a specific DNA
sequence.
“Unravelling the pathogenicity mechanism is important for
development of a suitable control strategy. However, the method to carry out
gene-functions analysis in Rhizoctonia
solani is not available,” Jha said.
“In our recently published study, we have established suitable
methodologies to downregulate the expression of R solani genes
and study their involvement during disease establishment in tomato. Our method
is based upon host-induced gene silencing and dsRNA based gene silencing,
wherein through RNAi strategy we silence the fungal genes during infection
process,” he added.
“Our study provides suitable strategies to silence the
pathogenicity determinant of R.
solani during infection process and prevent the pathogen to
cause disease in plants. This further highlights that adoption of these
strategies will be helpful in control of sheath blight disease of rice and
various other diseases caused by Rhizoctonia
solani, in other crops,” Jha said.
Sheath blight is predominantly controlled by spraying of
fungicides and we end up spending profusely on fungicides, which add to the
cost of rice production. Also, the residual level of fungicides adds negative
trade value, as beyond certain permissible level, the rice is considered not
suitable for international trade.
Moreover, beside rice, the pathogen is known to cause disease on
a wide range of agriculturally important crops, including tomato. Hence,
development of environment friendly and sustainable disease control measures
are needed to control this pathogen, the scientists said. (India Science Wire)
China's achievement in poverty alleviation
'spectacular success': former U.S. diplomat
2020-10-16 13:15:18XinhuaEditor
: Zhang MingxinECNS App Download
China has made remarkable
achievements in alleviating poverty, and its experience also offers inspiration
to the global cause of poverty reduction, a former U.S. diplomat has said.
Calling China's efforts in poverty
reduction "a truly remarkable achievement," former U.S. Ambassador to
Cambodia Kenneth Quinn recently told Xinhua that he believes there is no other
country that "has done as much in such a short period of time to reduce
poverty than in China."
"It can only be said to be a
spectacular success," said Quinn, also president emeritus of the World
Food Prize Foundation.
In the past seven decades, more
than 850 million Chinese people have been lifted out of poverty, accounting for
more than 70 percent of poverty reduction worldwide, official data showed.
Furthermore, China is on course to
eradicate extreme poverty across the country by 2020, which will make the
country the first in the world to end absolute poverty.
The veteran U.S. diplomat, who
first visited China in 1979 and has since made multiple trips there, said he
mainly attributes China's success to four "Rs", namely roads,
research, rice and reform.
According to Quinn, roads, or the
absolute infrastructure, are the essential element to development, and China's
decades-long intense research in such fields as agriculture is also an
important catalyst.
"Along with research, of
course, comes innovation," he said.
Meanwhile, endeavor by Chinese
agronomists and researchers, including Yuan Longping, in increasing rice
production is another crucial factor.
"And finally, the fourth 'R'
is reform, policy reform," he said, adding that socialism with Chinese
characteristics has "been very very effective, very impressive."
He said he has witnessed "how
effective institutions are being implemented" and is always impressed by
"how well everything works" when traveling in China.
Chinese people also deserve credit
for the hard work and innovation that has brought about the dramatic
improvement in poverty alleviation, he said.
Regarding China as "a great
example of what can happen," Quinn said the Chinese experience has set a
pioneering example of practical significance to the international community.
Prioritizing infrastructure
construction, valuing education and research to inspire young generations, and
offering opportunities to women are among the key lessons that other nations
can draw from China, said Quinn.
"Another lesson to take away
from China is the importance of training and educating a large number of people
to administer programs," he said, adding that China's achievements have
contributed to the global cause of poverty reduction.
Noting that international
cooperation is crucial to tackle the global challenge of ending poverty, Quinn
urged the United States and China to collaborate in tackling poverty.
"China and the United States
have both shown they can do remarkable things," he said, adding that joint
efforts by the two largest economies could help uplift the world.
http://www.ecns.cn/news/2020-10-16/detail-ihaazqys6709264.shtml
Echo from the past
makes rice paddies a good home for wetland plants
Geography before human land use impacts how well plant species
are retained
RICE PADDIES WHICH
WERE ORIGINALLY WETLAND ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE A NEW HOME FOR THE ORIGINAL WETLAND
PLANT SPECIES THAT WERE PRESENT. CONVERSELY, PADDIES WHICH WERE NOT ORIGINALLY
WETLAND ARE... view more CREDIT:
TOKYO METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
The Asian monsoon region is home to a vast number of rice
paddies. Not only have they fed its billions of inhabitants for centuries, they
are also an important part of the ecosystem, home to a vast array of wetland
plant species. But as the population grows and more agricultural land is
required, their sheer scale and complexity beg an important question: what is
their environmental impact?
A team from Tokyo Metropolitan University led by Associate
Professor Takeshi Osawa and their collaborators have been studying how rice
paddies affect local plant life. In their most recent work, they investigated
the biodiversity of wetland plants in rice paddies around the Tone River basin
Japan. The Tone River is Japan's second longest river, and runs through the
170,000 square kilometer expanse of the Kanto plains. Previous studies have
looked at how a particular species or group of species fare in different
conditions. Instead, the team turned their attention to the range of species that make up the plant
community, with a particular focus on the number of wetland and non-wetland
species present. Changes were tracked over time using extensive survey data
from 2002, 2007 and 2012.
They found that not all rice paddies are equal when it comes to
how well they support original wetland species. In fact, there was a
correlation between how likely it was that the land was wetland before it was put to agricultural use,
and the number of wetland species which were retained over time. Here, the team
measured this using flow accumulation values (FAVs) for different plots of
land, a simple metric which showed how easily water could accumulate.
Importantly, this kind of approach might help us predict how amenable new rice
paddies might be to the local wetland flora by calculating a simple number
using the local terrain. However, they also found that things like land
consolidation and agricultural abandonment could also have a negative impact.
The emerging story is that both current human usage and original geographical
conditions play an important role in deciding how 'friendly' rice paddies could
be for the original wetland ecosystem.
The team believe that the same approach could be applied to
different locations such as plantation forests which were (or were not)
originally woodland. After all, many nations are turning to large scale tree
planting to offset carbon emissions. The ability to systematically 'assign' how
new land usage might impact local ecosystems is sure to greatly help
restoration and conversation efforts.
###
This work was supported by the Environment Research and
Technology Development Fund (4-1805, 4-1705) of the Ministry of the
Environment, Japan, the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN: a
constituent member of NIHU) Core Project No. 14200075, and JSPS KAKENHI Grant
Number 20K06096.
https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-10/tmu-eft101420.php
Dagupan City starting to welcome
back visitors
October
16, 2020, 5:04 PM
In an interview on Friday, City Information
and Communications Technology Office Head Gideon Ymasa said some 4,600
individuals have so far registered to enter the city through the gopangasinan.ph website.
Out of the total number, 1,526 were from
the La Union province, and 821 were from the National Capital Region, while the
rest were from the oyhrt regions in the country or from outside the country.
Ymasa reiterated that only those coming
from outside Pangasinan are required to register online, and present the QR
code generated upon online registration, along with other pertinent documents.
Those from within the province, however,
are only required to present government-issued identification cards before
entry to the city.
Meanwhile, Mayor Marc Brian Lim, in a
separate interview, said they have received information that the provincial
government of Pangasinan is thinking of adopting the system and migrate it to a
different website called ‘See Pangasinan’.
“I am not sure where they are in the
process. As for us, our stand is that any local government unit who wishes to
use it (the QR code system) is welcome, as I’ve said, we designed it for free.
We just want a digital record of the outsiders going into the city. In terms of
if you extend the application say for peace and order, if there are people
coming in here who are thinking of doing something illegal, then there will be
a digital recording of them,” he said.
DA to promote rice varieties preferred by consumers
By
DAPublished on October 15, 2020
QUEZON
CITY, Oct. 15 -- After attaining increased palay production during the
2019-2020 dry season and the current main season, the Department of Agriculture
(DA) is now aiming to promote rice varieties preferred by consumers.
“We
need to adapt to the changes brought about by the rice tariffication law, one
of which is consumers’ preference for quality rice. This is now an integral
part of the overall transformation of the country’s rice industry,” said
Agriculture Secretary William Dar.
“That
is why for the succeeding cropping seasons, we are not just after attaining
production targets, but also producing quality rice for Filipino consumers that
will provide higher income for farmers,” he added.
The
DA chief made the pitch during a virtual meeting with leaders of farmers’
groups, millers and traders, from major rice-producing provinces.
For
their part, rice millers and traders said they were having difficulty buying
palay because of low quality, composed mostly of assorted or ‘rumble’ varieties
that when milled produce chalky and broken grains.
“The
Covid-19 pandemic has made it hard for us to sell our rice stocks because of
lack in demand, which was made even harder by the low quality of palay harvest
this season,” a Bulacan rice miller said.
“If
farmers want to command good prices, they should plant better quality rice
seeds and what the consumers want,” a miller from Nueva Ecija said.
A
trader from Isabela, on the other hand, said that consumers now prefer rice
varieties that are long-grain, and taste and smell better when cooked. Simply,
they should possess the so-called “4M for maganda, mura, mabango at malambot.”
An
informal survey done by the rice industry groups showed that 40 percent of consumers
prefer rice with said attributes.
Millers
and traders are thus one in saying that farmers should now plant varieties that
have good milling and eating qualities and preferred by consumers.
They
offered to help the DA, through the Philippine Rice Research Institute
(PhilRice), promote recommended rice varieties that farmers should plant in
succeeding seasons.
In
reply, Secretary Dar said they will also meet with seed producers to discuss
the preferred rice varieties of consumers, and the desired levels of
productivity that will provide farmers more income.
“We
have to make seed producers, farmers and other stakeholders understand that our
overall strategy now is inclusive market-oriented development,” Secretary Dar
said.
“Kung
ano demand ng market, kung ano ang pangangailangan ng consuming public iyon ang
dapat i-produce ng ating mga magsasaka. We need to adapt to changes brought
about by the new regime,” he added.
He
said the DA will hold consultations with farmers, seed producers, traders,
millers, and other stakeholders to determine current industry trends, demand of
the domestic retail market and institutional buyers, customers’ needs and
wants, and needed policy shifts or reforms and government interventions.
Palay
harvest during the first semester of 2020 totaled 8.387 million metric tons
(MMT), 1.4 percent (%) more than the 8.269 MMT for the same six-month period
last year. Second semester palay output this year is forecast at 11.954 MMT,
13.4% more than last year’s 10.545 MMT. (DA)
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