Govt’s aman purchase hits a record
12:00
AM, March 11, 2020 / LAST MODIFIED: 01:32 AM, March 11, 2020
Farmers
to benefit, say experts
The food procurement office, for
the first time since 1996, has bought the highest amount of aman paddy and
achieved its target of buying six lakh tonnes of the grain grown in the
monsoon.
It bought 6.27 lakh tonnes of aman
paddy since November following harvests.
In the past 24 years, the public
food office never succeeded in attaining goals of purchasing aman paddy, data
from the food ministry showed.
This was the first time after 2010
that the government bought the paddy alongside rice—a decision that followed
public outcry resulting from farmers' losses for prices slumping last year and
growing demand to buy grains directly from farmers to ensure fair prices.
The food ministry announced to buy
paddy from growers by the end of October with the objective to push up prices
of the grain and help growers recoup losses, reducing its focus to buy the
grain only from millers.
The food ministry estimated that
the production of this year's aman paddy would cost Tk 21.55 a kilogramme (kg),
down from Tk 25.30 the previous year.
It bought paddy at Tk 26 a kg based
on a list of farmers supplied by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE)
and scrutinised by upazila procurement committees, according to a senior
official of the Directorate General (DG) of Food.
This has been made possible for
increased monitoring by the food ministry and local administration, said the
official.
During the aman paddy purchase
period that officially ended last week, the DG of Food piloted procurement in
16 upazilas using mobile apps through which farmers could enroll their name.
Awareness campaigns by field level
food offices also created interest among farmers to bring their produce to
local procurement centres, said the official, asking not to be named as he is
not authorised to talk to the media.
"They were better aware this
time about the quality parameters," the official said, adding that farmers
were not aware about the quality parameters for supplying paddy in the past.
They used to return disheartened as
field offices would decline to take the grain because of moisture content in
the grain going past the 14 per cent limit, he added.
This is the highest amount of aman
paddy purchased till date, said Md Tahmidul Islam, additional secretary in
charge of procurement and supply at the food ministry.
"Monitoring by ministry
high-ups has paid off."
The latest purchase of aman paddy
by the food office is the second highest amount of unhusked grain after boro,
the principal crop.
The government bought the highest
6.70 lakh tonnes of boro in 2016, data from the food ministry showed.
Apart from paddy purchase, the DG
of Food bought 3.37 lakh tonnes of parboiled rice from millers at Tk 36 per kg
and 43,400 tonnes of unboiled rice during the just concluded aman purchase
season, according to the food ministry data.
"It is commendable. This shows
that the government can buy paddy if it has willingness," said Akhter
Ahmed, country director of International Food Policy Research Institute.
"It would be beneficial for
farmers if the government buys paddy directly from producers in the next boro
harvesting season," he said.
As drying of boro paddy was a
challenge for farmers, the government could buy paddy irrespective of the moisture
content and give it to millers for drying and milling, Ahmed said.
Quazi Shahabuddin, a former
director general of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, said
farmers usually have a higher marketable surplus during boro harvests compared to
that of aman, the second biggest crop.
The government should purchase a
higher quantity of paddy from farmers in the next boro season, he suggested.
Edo Rice shows you what
rice tasted like in the samurai era by continuing centuries of tradition
· 
18 hours ago
18 hours ago
A Tokyo time trip for your taste
buds.
Japan is a culinarily eclectic place, with the country’s
penchant for importing and adapting international food trends giving us such
modern innovations as Pikachu Cherry Blossoms Afro Pancakes and cheddar cheese tempura. But one thing that’s been
a constant for hundreds and hundreds of years is that rice is
the foundation of the Japanese diet.
That doesn’t mean that the rice
people in Japan eat today tastes the same as what their samurai-era ancestors
ate, though. We recently found out about a
place in Tokyo that sells rice
with the flavor of the Edo period, the stretch of Japanese
history from 1603 to 1868, corresponding to the reign of Japan’s last
shogunate.
This Edo
Rice (or Edomai, as it’s called in Japanese) is offered
at Sumidaya Shoten, a rice shop in
the Sumida
Ward of Tokyo (which used to be called Edo before it
became Japan’s official capital). However, Edo Rice doesn’t get its name from
being grown in Tokyo, but from being prepared using the centuries-old style
that was used for rice in the Edo period.
As the de facto seat of power in
the day, Edo’s population needed more rice than could be
grown nearby. Edo rice merchants would buy rice from around the country, have
it shipped to Edo, carefully selecting the best regional varieties to blend
together. Sumidaya Shoten follows this tradition with a resident
rice connoisseur handling the selection, but the key link to the past is
in how Edo Rice is polished.
In simple terms, “polishing” the
rice involves buffing the kernels to remove their rough,
outer layers. Nowadays, modern machinery makes it easy to
remove as much of the outer layer as rice sellers want to, and removing more of
it results in kernels with a bright white color that’s considered
extra-appetizing in Japan.
▼ Modern-polished white rice
Back in the Edo period, though,
rice millers had to rely on water wheels to turn their grindstones, and this less-efficient (compared to modern machinery) system
meant that only a thin strip of the outer layer was
removed from the rice.
Sumidaya Shoten isn’t so old
school that it uses a water wheel, but it does configure
its machinery to remove far less of the rice’s outer layer, resulting in rice
with a distinct amber color.
▼ Edo Rice
▼ Modern white rice (left) vs. Edo Rice (right)
While you can cook Edo Rice like
any other variety, Sumidaya Shoten’s staff does have a few recommendations.
First, a light washing is best,
they told us. A quick two or three rinses prior to cooking is all you need.
▼ The water quickly turns a milky white with Edo Rice.
Next, Sumidaya Shoten
suggests an extra-long soak, leaving the rice in water
for two to three hours before cooking.
Oddly enough, once it’s time to
actually cook the rice, the staff told us it’s best to use your
rice cooker’s high-speed cooking mode. They’re not sure of the
exact reason why, but somehow bringing the rice cooker up to its full cooking
temperature as quickly as possible results in the best flavor,
they’ve found.
Once the cooking was done and we
opened the lid of our rice cooker, though, we were in for a major
surprise…
…because despite the amber color
of the pre-cooked kernels, Edo Rice cooks up as snowy white as any other rice we
regularly buy in Japan.
▼ Modern white rice (left) and Edo Rice (right)
But while Edo Rice may look like
the extra-polished stuff, it has a fragrance and flavor all its own. By leaving more of the upper layers of the kernels intact, Edo
Rice has an extra-grainy aroma that entices you to bite
into a mouthful as soon as possible. Once you do, you’re
rewarded with a deeper flavor than modern rice varieties, one
that seems to become sweeter and sweeter as you chew and smell it.
Edo Rice is sold in two sizes: a
300-gram (10.6-ounce) pack bearing a beautiful ukiyo-e rendering of Mt. Fuji for
648 yen (US$6.30), or a more utilitarian five-kilogram sack for 2,450 yen.
5kgで2450円（税別）と思えない味……
ありがとう古の技術……
ありがとう古の技術……
Between the
Kyoto restaurant serving one of the favorite foods of famed samurai warlord Akechi
Mitsuhide, the return of a milky snack loved by Japanese court nobles 1,000 years ago,
and now this, we’re happy to be having so many ways to let our taste buds time
travel back in Japanese history, plus have another reason to use our new portable rice cooker.
Shop information
Sumidaya Shoten / 隅田屋商店
Sumidaya Shoten / 隅田屋商店
Nigeria: Regular Govt, Private Sector
Interface Critical to Economic Dev - Osinbajo
10 MARCH 2020
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says that regular interface between
the Federal Government and private sector is critical to the development of the
economy, especially in creating employment.
Osinbajo made this submission on Tuesday when he received on a
courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, a delegation from the Kano Chamber of
Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (KACCIMA) led by its President,
Alhaji Dalhatu Abubakar.
Also read: Osinbajo backs devoting 1% of nation's budget to
research, innovation
According to the vice president, the continuous engagement
between the public and private sectors is important.
"I have continued to emphasize that the private sector is
the engine of the economy and will continue to see in what ways we can support
the private sector.
"So, we need to be able to get private sector interest
along with the government to bring power to Kano, for instance.
"If we can bring a substantial amount of investment in power
to Kano, we can really make a difference. So, I am looking forward to working
with you on power."
Osinbajo said that anyone, who understood the history of
business in Nigeria, could not, in any way, diminish the importance of the Kano
business community.
"As a matter of fact, when we started the Presidential
Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), in engaging the partnership that
will help us, Lagos and Kano had to be the two focal points for the
implementation of our reform plans.
"We must establish a way of collaborating, where we look at
specific measures on how to advance solutions to the numerous problems that are
facing us."
Osinbajo said he was encouraged by the report he received from
the delegation on the progress made by rice millers in Kano State.
The vice president restated efforts being made by the Federal
Government to further support agricultural production, including a
collaboration with other partners using 12 dams across the country under the
Transforming Irrigation Management Project.
Osinbajo urged the business community in the state to support
the free education initiative of the state government as a way of building the
future workforce for the industries that would be established.
"Everywhere businesses have thrived and succeeded, it has
been accompanied by the drive of young people who have the requisite skills to
do the necessary jobs.
"There is, therefore, the need for KACCIMA to support the
free education initiative in Kano; even just the advocacy is important,"
he said.
Earlier, Abubakar, who the delegation to welcome the vice
president into the conference room with a birthday song, commended Osinbajo for
his commitment to the achievement of successes under the ease of doing business
initiative.
He described him as a "reliable partner," of the
President.
"Your excellent leadership qualities and commitment in
making Nigeria a better country has been responsible for all the achievements
that have been recorded under PEBEC," he said.
Abubakar, who is also the Chairman, Alhamsad Rice Mill Limited,
told State House correspondents that the visit was to meet with the vice
president and intimate him of the challenges confronting KACCIMA.
He said that there were over 300 industries in Kano that had
been abandoned, hence KACCIMA's resolve to seek Federal Government's
intervention, especially on the issue of power supply and border closure.
"As we say, the revival of our industries is most important
because if the Federal Government revives our industries, most of our youths
can get work
Genome Reading Technique Of Basmati Rice Can Help Tackle World
Hunger
As the most important food crop on the planet, rice plays a
critical role in global food security. Following a breakthrough in genome
sequencing, NYU scientists are now hopeful that this vital crop can be made
more resistant to drought and disease.
ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 10th Mar,
2020) As the most important food crop on
the planet, rice plays a critical role in global food security. Following a
breakthrough in genome sequencing, NYU scientists are now hopeful that this
vital crop can be made more resistant to drought and disease.
The research, partly supported by NYU Abu Dhabi’s Research
Institute, was published recently in Genome Biology details the breakthrough,
which has been to innovate a new ‘whole-genome’ approach that determines an
organism’s complete DNA sequence. In addition, through a collaboration with
UK-based Oxford Nanopore
Technologies, a third-generation sequencing technology has been developed,
that allows long single molecules of DNA to be sequenced more quickly,
improving on the completeness and efficiency of the process.
These developments are a significant step forward in the field.
Previously, researchers were only able to assemble the genome for basmati rice
using ‘short-read’ sequencing. This ‘short-read’ approach, in which DNA is
broken into tiny fragments and then reassembled, leads to missing sequences and
important gaps in the data.
NYU’s researchers focused on two varieties. The first, Basmati 334 from Pakistan,
is known to be drought-tolerant and resistant to rice-killing bacterial blight.
The second, Dom Sufid from Iran, is an aromatic long-grain
rice that is one of the most expensive on the market.
"This process significantly improves our understanding of the
genetics of an organism," said Lead Scientist and Silver Professor of Biology at New York University, and
faculty investigator at NYU Abu Dhabi's Center for Genomics and
Systems Biology Michael Purugganan. "For a variety like Basmati 334, which
is highly resistant to drought and blight, it means
we can identify the genes responsible and work with rice breeders and growers
to strengthen these valuable traits. For such a critical global commodity, even
a tiny improvement in yields can impact our ability to feed the world."
In addition to Purugganan and postdoctoral scholar at NYU and the
Genome Biology study’s lead author Jae Young Choi, the study authors
are Zoe N. Lye and Simon C. Groen of NYU’s Center for Genomics and Systems
Biology; Xiaoguang Dai, Priyesh Rughani, Eoghan D. Harrington, and Sissel Juul
of Oxford Nanopore
Technologies, and Sophie Zaaijer of the New York Genome Center. The
work was supported by grants from the Zegar Family Foundation (A16-0051),
National Science Foundation Plant Genome Research Program (IOS-1546218), Gordon
and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF2550.06), and NYU Abu Dhabi Research Institute.
Field trials of ‘pest-proof’
cotton variety soon: CSIR
MYSURU, MARCH 10, 2020 08:16 IST
The variety has been developed by a
Lucknow-based research laboratory
In continuation of CSIR’s
‘farmer-centric’ approaches, a new pest-resistant cotton variety developed by a
Lucknow-based research laboratory is ready for field trials which are expected
to be done soon at Nagpur in Maharashtra.
Speaking to reporters on Monday,
CSIR Director-General Shekhar C. Mande, who was in Mysuru, said the cotton crop
usually faces the problem of pest attacks and scientists carried out a research
for developing the “pest-proof” cotton variety.
The same variety will undergo
further tests and trials before it is certified for commercial cultivation. The
research has been carried out in collaboration with the ICAR-Central Institute
for Cotton Research.
Dr. Mande recalled the Samba rice
variety (Samba Mashuri), which was developed jointly by the Hyderabad-based
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, a CSIR lab, and the ICAR-Indian
Institute of Rice Research. Today, this “pest-resistant” rice variety was grown
in about 18 lakh hectares in many States, helping farmers fetch higher yields and
higher returns.
Dr. Mande also spoke about the
aroma and honey missions. The Khadi Village Industries Corporation (KVIC) has
joined hands with CSIR for the “Honey Mission”. Honey is a good alternative to
sugar since it contains medicinal properties. A MoU had been signed with KVIC,
he said. The idea is to help farmers take up modern methods of beekeeping to
improve honey yield and also get additional income.
He said a new programme would be
launched by the DST from April 1 to promote basic sciences by setting aside a
grant of ₹50 crore. It would help students
come up with scientific ideas in an attempt to encourage them to pursue basic
science.
On the Aroma Mission and the CSIR
Floriculture programme, he said the Aroma and Phyto-Pharmaceutical Mission was
intended to boost the cultivation of aromatic plants that have medicinal
properties. This mission, taken by the Central Institute of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants and medicinal plants such as lavender and others, will be
promoted with the help of farmers in several States, including Karnataka.
Scientists develop
a quick Salmonella detection method
Tuesday, 10 March, 2020
The conventional scientific
process for identifying bacteria’s family — known as serotyping — can be
time-consuming. For Salmonella it
used to take three days, and in some cases more than 12 days, to assign a final
classification for complex servovars.
Researchers have developed a
method for completing whole-genome sequencing to determine Salmonella serotypes in two
hours, and the whole identification process within eight hours. The study was
conducted by researchers from Cornell
University, the Mars
Global Food Safety Centre in Beijing and the University of Georgia, with its findings published in Food Microbiology.
Determining Salmonella serotypes allows
food safety professionals to find the source of bacterial contamination, which
can occurs in a range of foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat, cereal,
infant formula and pet food.
“As the food supply chain becomes
ever more global and interconnected, the opportunity for food to become
contaminated with Salmonella increases.
In the fast-moving world of food manufacturing, where rapid identification and
response to Salmonella contamination
incidents is critical, developing a more efficient pathogen identification
method is essential,” said Silin Tang, lead author and senior research
scientist in microbial risk management at the Mars Global Food Safety Centre.
Global food safety regulators,
food authorities and public health agencies are opting to use whole-genome
sequencing methods for pathogen subtyping rather than conventional serotyping
to monitor Salmonella infections.
Researchers have attributed this to the high turnaround times, costs and
complex sample preparations associated with conventional serotyping.
The study assessed all 38 Salmonella strains —
representing 34 serotypes —and accurately predicted the serotype level for all,
using whole-genome sequencing. The findings present good news for the food
industry, as very few laboratories can conduct classical serotyping.
Whole-genome sequencing enables testing to be conducted in labs close to food
processing plants, as the test uses simple equipment.
“In some countries, it can take
up to two days to even get the suspected Salmonella to
a certified lab,” said Martin Wiedmann, food safety professor and faculty
fellow at the Cornell
Institute for Food Systems.
New Studies Show Beneficial Bugs
Can Co-exist with Bt Crops
Source: Alliance for Science
By Mark Lynas
Genetically modified, insect-resistant Bt crops do not have
harmful effects on beneficial bugs in farmers’ fields, two new scientific
papers published this week have shown.
These add to the environmental case for GM technology, because
by controlling crop pests in a very targeted way using insecticidal proteins (Bt) expressed in
plant tissues, farmers can reduce broad-spectrum insecticide sprays and thus
protect wider farm-scale biodiversity.
In the first paper, an international team led by Chinese
scientists reported that after conducting field experiments lasting several
years, they found no significant differences in the spider communities
populating Bt rice fields as compared to a non-Bt control rice crop.
On the other hand, as expected, when both types of fields were
treated with chemical insecticide sprays, populations of spiders were
significantly reduced. Spiders play an important role in controlling
agricultural pests.
The scientists write in Plant Biotechnology Journal: “These
results suggest that Bt rice has no long term impacts on the structure of the
spider community, whilst chemical insecticides exhibit negative impacts.”
The second paper looked at the potential impact of Bt maize in
Brazil on a tiny parasitic wasp called Trichogramma
pretiosum. This insect occurs naturally in the country, and because
it feeds on the eggs of fall armyworm moths and other agricultural pests it is
highly valued as a biocontrol agent by farmers.
If the insecticidal proteins expressed inside Bt maize crops —
which have proven extremely effective in targeting lepidopteran pests — were
also harming beneficial insects like T.
pretiosum, that would be a serious concern for farmers and
ecologists alike.
Fortunately, that appears not to be the case. As reported by
Brazilian scientists in the journal Biocontrol Science and Technology: “All
Bt hybrids [of maize] evaluated were harmless to T.
pretiosum.”
The authors add: “All the Bt proteins evaluated in this study
target lepidopterans specifically, and do not have deleterious effects on T. pretiosum, even when
extreme exposures produced under laboratory conditions have been tested.”
The findings of both papers are important because they
strengthen the case for the use of Bt crops in integrated pest management (IPM)
farming approaches. One of the techniques of IPM is to nurture populations of
natural enemies of insect pests — such as lacewings, wasps, ladybugs and
spiders — to reduce the necessity for chemical sprays.
These studies, which add to a widespread consensus that Bt crops do not
harm non-target organisms, mean that Bt crops can be used as part of a broad
array of IPM techniques. This is important also to try to forestall the
evolution of resistance to Bt proteins among the pest species.
One recent review paper concluded: “In
summary, the available body of literature provides evidence that insecticidal
proteins used in commercialized Bt crops cause no direct, adverse effects on
non-target species outside the order (i.e., Lepidoptera for Cry1 and Cry2
proteins) or the family (i.e. Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae for Cry3 proteins) of
the target pest(s).”
Good news for spiders and wasps is also good news for farmers
and the environment, it seems.
Virus-induced supply chain
disruptions to hit industrial activity in Pakistan
March 10, 2020
ISLAMABAD: A high-powered government committee has
evolved a comprehensive report highlighting the threat of delay in supply chain
of raw and intermediate goods besides a sizable decline in bilateral trade in
the wake of epidemic coronavirus that hit China in December 2019.
Since the outbreak, this is the first indigenous
report prepared to analyse the possible impact of outbreak of coronavirus on
Pakistan’s global trade with special emphasis on bilateral transactions with
China. Various governments departments and agencies were asked for
consultations with relevant stakeholders.
The inter-ministerial Trade Advisory Committee (TAC)
was set up at a time, when international institutions are also analysing impact
of disruption in supply chain of raw and intermediate goods from China to the
global market.
In consultation with almost 12 trade associations, it
was suggested that importers are facing delay in supplies. The sectors that
were consulted include auto, electric fans, cosmetics, marble, rice,
pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, readymade garments, leather and textile.
It is estimated that the current stocks are available
for 30 days or more and have not reached a critical level. However, the
businesses believe restoration of activities within a month’s time, while for
Hubei province it may take two months.
In textile, the prices of polyester begun to rise but
now is decreasing towards stabilisation. But in terms of readymade garments,
orders have diverted from China to Pakistan which will result in improved
export figures for US and EU in the coming months.
The garments industries have already received exports
orders from EU and USA for which local manufacturers are now operating on full
capacity. On the other hand, outbreak in Iran can impact the leather sector as
they import raw skin of sheep and other animals in bulk quantity from the
Islamic Republic.
The biggest decrease in exports of Pakistan to China
was seen in rice for February, which the concerned association believes will
rebound quickly. But in case of emergency, the rice, especially Irri-6, is
expected to divert to the African market.
Pakistan’s exports of fish and fish products to
Thailand will decline mainly because the tourism industry of Bangkok has badly
been affected by the outbreak.
The stakeholders of cable manufacturers, cutlery,
steel manufacturers and marble industry have informed the government that raw
material and intermediate goods will last for one month. However, these sectors
are optimistic that supplies will resume within a month.
It was also pointed out that some confusion was
created owing to certain orders which led to disruption in exports of
commodities. The export consignment of mask was stopped on the order of the
Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan. However, the ban yet to be issued by the
Ministry of Commerce.
Similarly, the Ministry of National Health regulation
issued for the fumigation of all consignments of secondhand clothes, which was
overstretched to all cargo entering Pakistan. This decision was later clarified
and had already caused much confusion. The government also imposed ban on
import of live animal and birds from China.
On the bilateral side, Pakistan’s trade with the has
been affected adversely during the 24 days of February as exports have declined
by $28m or 18pc whereas imports fell $137m or 15pc.
Top declining exports of Pakistan include rice, ethyl
alcohol, cotton yarn, chromium ores, cotton fabric, raw leather, natural sands,
marble, vegetable saps, natural steatite, flour and meals and sacks and bags.
On the other hand, increase in exports was seen in
copper articles, t shirts, men’s garments, plastics, aluminum articles, iron
ores, women garments, jersey’s, home textiles, birds skins, hosiery items,
tools and cutlery.
In the first 24 days of February, decline was
observed in import of electrical machinery and equipment, synthetic filament
yarn, iron and steel, aluminum articles, plastics, medical and surgical
instrument, miscellaneous articles, chemicals, pile fabrics, synthetic filament
woven fabrics, footwear, rubber articles, tools and cutlery, ceramic flags, fertilisers,
auto parts and base metal articles.
The most important areas of concern include
electrical machinery, synthetic yarn and fabric, pile fabric aluminum articles,
surgical instruments, chemicals, ceramic flags, fertilisers and base metals.
“For now, the stakeholders do not sound vulnerable to
look for alternate options of imports,” the report says, adding unless the
situation in China further deteriorates and supplies remain stuck. “There is
nothing to panic at this point in time,” it continues.
At the same time, reports from trade and investment
offices in China have confirmed that although there are delays in clearance of
shipments to and from the country given shortage of staff and pile up due to
earlier closures, port operations are now coming back to normal.
“Not a single complaint has been received by
commercial section where Pakistan-bound shipments are not being cleared,”
claimed the report quoting trade offices in China.
Published in Dawn, March
10th, 2020
DAWN.COM
Sialkot-Lahore
Motorway to invigorate Pakistan’s manufacturing hub
APP
LAHORE
- Sialkot-Lahore
Motorway being opened to general traffic on 30th this month will not only
invigorate country’s key manufacturing city of Sialkot, but also help speed up
economic development of Pakistan. Pakistani-American entrepreneur Mussadaq
Chughtai, expressed these views while talking to APP here Monday.
“The
realization of this long-awaited project will improve connectivity of golden
industrial triangle of Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat-Wazirabad to the rest of the
country especially Lahore, resulting in a big boost to exports,” he hoped. To a
question, he elaborated that located in the eastern part of Punjab, the area
now connected via motorway was a key manufacturing part of the country,
accounting for about 15 percent of Pakistan’s annual exports.
“Exports
from Sialkot included sports goods, surgical equipment, leather garments,
riding gear, polo equipment, badges, motorbike accessories and agricultural
products including the world-famous Basmati rice. The neighboring Gujranwala is
the center of ceramic and textile products, while Wazirabad and Gujrat provide
a big share of cutlery. The area is also agricultural heartland of the
country,” he maintained.
Mussadaq
Chughtai, who also founded Pakistani-American Leadership Center, said that now
the new stretch of the motorway with its connecting points would reduce travel
time between industrial zones and shipment facilities in Punjab capital city.
He cited that transport between Mehmood Booti (Ring Road) on the outskirts of
Lahore and Sialkot would be just one hour.
At the
moment, it took around three hours to travel from Lahore to Sialkot but the new
motorway section, known as M-11, would save around two hours time and
ultimately save millions of rupees being spent on fuel and ensure fast-paced
shipments for businesses. To another question, he explained that the ease and
pace of shipment as well as freeing up of large sums of money would gear up
economic activity as businesses would invest more hence there would be more
jobs and more people employed.
He
asserted, “A surge in manufacturing will lead to a jump in exports, something
that Pakistan needs urgently to break out of its current low volume hovering
between $20 to $25 billion annually.” With modern infrastructure, Pakistan
would now be much better-placed to diversify its manufacturing base, and it
gave a tremendous edge to Pakistan to explore potential in new industries
including engineering and electronics. He mentioned that Sialkot International
Airport, the country’s first ever privately built facility, would also see a
rapid rise in passenger travel and generate revenues to the tune of tens of
millions in Pak rupees. This summer SIAL Air, a Sialkot-based airline, would
start three domestic flights of Airbus that would operate in the first phase
from Sialkot to Karachi-Islamabad-Lahore-Peshawar. According to official
figures, he said, Sialkot-Lahore Motorway had been built at an approximate cost
of Rs40 billion and runs 91.47 km, consisting of two lanes on each side with
seven interchanges, namely Kala Shah Kaku, Muridke, Narowal, Gujranwala, Daska,
Pasrur and Sambrial.
Vietnam has
chances for exporting rice to Africa
Pursuant to a report of the Vietnam Trade Office in Algeria, the
Ministry of Trade and Industry said that this year’s import demand for rice in
Senegal in particular and Africa in general would remain high as in February,
locust plagues in East Africa along with the Covid-19 epidemic led to holding
foods, notably rice.
(Illustrative photo:SGGP)
According to the United States Department of
Agriculture, Africa's import demand for rice in 2020 is estimated at 15.7
million tons, of which Senegal may have to import 1.3 million tons.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, last year, Senegal imported about 1.5 million tons of rice, an increase of 15 percent compared to 2018 due to poor rice production in the Senegal River valley, down about 100,000 tons.
In 2019, Vietnam's rice exports to Senegal increased sharply, but the price of rice dropped.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, last year, Senegal imported about 1.5 million tons of rice, an increase of 15 percent compared to 2018 due to poor rice production in the Senegal River valley, down about 100,000 tons.
In 2019, Vietnam's rice exports to Senegal increased sharply, but the price of rice dropped.
In this market, Vietnamese rice has to compete with Indian,
Pakistan, Thailand, China, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, United States, Malaysia
and Cambodia.
UC Davis
researchers use CRISPR to genetically engineer rice with high levels of
beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A
10th,2020
UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA - DAVIS
Rice is
a staple food crop for more than half the world's population. Golden Rice, a
genetically engineered rice with high levels of beta-carotene, has been
approved for consumption in more than five countries, including the
Philippines, where vitamin A deficiency in children is widespread. Because of
the social impact of Golden Rice, the researchers chose the high beta-carotene
trait as an example.
Conventional
plant genetic engineering uses a bacterium or a particle gun to transfer genes
encoding desired traits into the plant genome. In this case, researchers would
use a bacterium to take beta-carotene producing genes and transfer them into
the rice genome. But those transgenes can integrate into random positions in
the genome, which can result in reduced yields.
"Instead,
we used CRISPR to precisely target those genes onto genomic safe harbors, or
chromosomal regions that we know won't cause any adverse effects on the host
organism," said first author Oliver Dong, a postdoctoral scholar in the UC
Davis Department of Plant Pathology and Genome Center.
In
addition, the researchers were able to precisely insert a very large fragment
of DNA that does not contain marker genes. By contrast, conventional genetic
engineering relies on the inclusion of marker genes in the inserted DNA
fragment. These marker genes are retained when the plant is bred over
generations, which can often trigger public concern and stringent regulations
of the transgenic products before their entrance to the marketplace.
"Scientists
have done targeted insertions before and without marker genes, but we haven't
been able to do it with such big fragments of DNA," said Dong. "The
larger the fragment of DNA, the more biological function or complex traits we
can provide the plants."
Dong
said this opens up the possibility that genes controlling multiple desirable
traits, such as having high levels of beta-carotene as well as being
disease-resistant or drought-tolerant, can be clustered at a single position
within the genome. This can greatly reduce subsequent breeding efforts.
New
USDA Trade Specialist Visits USA Rice
ARLINGTON, VA -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
new international trade specialist for rice, Irina Gonzalez, visited USA Rice's
headquarters today to learn more about USA Rice and meet staff.
Sarah Moran, USA Rice vice president international, provided an overview of how the more than $5 million that USA Rice received in 2019 was used to promote U.S. rice in more than 20 international markets. Several success stories were discussed, such as increased sales and importer participation in promotions in the West Bank, a popular promotion with Air Canada, and new promotions at Costco in Japan. Moran also discussed proposed plans for the nearly $6 million allocated for 2020.
"I am thrilled to be collaborating with USA Rice and meeting with staff, learning as much as possible about the rice industry, and interacting with industry members," said Gonzalez. "USA Rice has a long history of excellence in promoting and representing the U.S. rice industry and I look forward to continuing to support those efforts and seeing further success for the organization and the industry."
Gonzalez has worked with USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) for nearly eight years, in both the food aid division and cooperator programs division, where she has covered commodities including coffee and wheat, and worked on myriad issues ranging from sanitary and phytosanitary concerns to disaster assistance.
"What makes agriculture such a unique and rewarding field is the passion and drive of those involved," she said. "I have tremendous respect for the farmers, millers, exporters, economists, project managers, policy experts, and all the other talented individuals who make up our agricultural sector and the rice industry. I am proud to work alongside you and to contribute to your efforts. And I promise to continue consuming one of my favorite dishes - arancini!"
Sarah Moran, USA Rice vice president international, provided an overview of how the more than $5 million that USA Rice received in 2019 was used to promote U.S. rice in more than 20 international markets. Several success stories were discussed, such as increased sales and importer participation in promotions in the West Bank, a popular promotion with Air Canada, and new promotions at Costco in Japan. Moran also discussed proposed plans for the nearly $6 million allocated for 2020.
"I am thrilled to be collaborating with USA Rice and meeting with staff, learning as much as possible about the rice industry, and interacting with industry members," said Gonzalez. "USA Rice has a long history of excellence in promoting and representing the U.S. rice industry and I look forward to continuing to support those efforts and seeing further success for the organization and the industry."
Gonzalez has worked with USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) for nearly eight years, in both the food aid division and cooperator programs division, where she has covered commodities including coffee and wheat, and worked on myriad issues ranging from sanitary and phytosanitary concerns to disaster assistance.
"What makes agriculture such a unique and rewarding field is the passion and drive of those involved," she said. "I have tremendous respect for the farmers, millers, exporters, economists, project managers, policy experts, and all the other talented individuals who make up our agricultural sector and the rice industry. I am proud to work alongside you and to contribute to your efforts. And I promise to continue consuming one of my favorite dishes - arancini!"
USA Rice Daily
WASDE
Report Released
WASHINGTON, DC -- The 2019/20 U.S.
rice supply and use estimates are unchanged relative to last month. The
projected all rice season-average farm price is unchanged at $13.00 per cwt;
however, the Other States medium grain price is lowered $0.20 per cwt to
$11.90.Global 2019/20 rice supplies are raised 3.4 million tons primarily on a
3-million-ton increase for India production stemming from revised government
data. Global exports are lowered 500,000 tons primarily on a reduced
forecast for India, despite its larger supplies. India's exports are
lowered 700,000 tons on a slowing pace of trade to African markets.
Global imports are reduced 600,000 tons led by a 300,000-ton reduction for
Nigeria which was lowered on a slowing pace of parboiled exports to West Africa
and enforcement of land border closures. India is an important parboiled
rice exporter to the region. World consumption is lowered 800,000 tons,
led by a 500,000-ton reduction for India. With supplies higher and use
revised down this month, global ending stocks are raised 4.2 million
tons. Outside of several small and mostly offsetting changes, India
accounts for nearly all of the global stock increase. India and world
stocks are now projected at 35 million tons and 182.3 million tons
respectively.Go here to read the full report.
USA Rice Daily
The Best Gluten-Free Frozen Foods You Can Buy
Next time you reach for a convenience food from the
gluten-free aisle, make sure it's good.
TV
dinners were introduced in the 1950s, and for better or worse, when it comes to
busy weeknights, we’ve come to rely on the convenience of frozen foods to this
day.
But if you’re gluten-free, good entrees in the freezer case
can be hard to spot. For nights when you’re just too tired to read labels, we
reviewed the best gluten-free frozen meal choices.
Our taste-test team consisted of
people who eat gluten-free regularly ― some have celiac disease, some eat
gluten-free by choice. We tried dozens of products available nationwide, and
most items are also certified gluten-free. In order to be considered,
preparation needed to be super simple: just heat in the microwave or oven for a
short amount of time.
Here’s our grocery shopping cheat
sheet for when you’re looking for an easy meal.
Best Pasta
Gluten-free pasta has come a long
way. Most of the frozen pastas we tried were flavorful and heated up without
getting gummy.
Tasting notes: “Oh my gosh! This can’t be gluten-free. It’s sooo good.”
“The sauce is nice. I like the filling ― so creamy.” “This fills me up.
Delicious.” “Can I have more?”
Since many who eat gluten-free also
avoid grains, we tried grain-free products as part of our taste test. Capello’s
gnocchi are made from almond flour and certified gluten-free. The product comes
frozen and boils up in a few minutes. We served the gnocchi with a favorite
jarred sauce, cooked chicken and veggies.
Tasting notes: “The texture is just right, I love this.” “I wish there was
more in the package.” “This is a nice dinner.” “I don’t eat gnocchi much, but I
like this.”
Best Meatballs
This Austin-based, family-owned
company caught our eye because all the ingredients are organic as well as
gluten-free. They take great care in creating recipes with the health of
customers in mind and promise ever-increasing availability in frozen individual
meals as well as family sizes.
Tasting Notes: “I like the texture.” “These taste good with the sauce.”
“Super meaty.”
Best Indian
Among the meals we tasted, the
curries were some of the most satisfying, leaving tasters feeling full. They
provided lots of variety with vegetarian options and many different spice
levels. All the brands we tried came with basmati rice that cooked up without
sticking or drying out.
This Korma-style curry, flavored
with garlic, ginger, turmeric and coconut cream, is certified gluten-free. Our
team, which included children, was pleasantly surprised that such deep flavors
and creamy sauce could emerge from a microwave.
Tasting Notes: “Coconut-y.” “Spice sits on my tongue.” “Creamy sauce. Yum!”
“There’s a little bit of heat on the back end.” “Excellent. I’d eat this every
day.”
Made in small batches, this curry
shows off its creamy tomato base with notes of ginger, turmeric and cumin.
Tasting Notes: “Creamy.” “Nice thick sauce.” “Good spice.” “Very good. The
more you eat, the more it grows on you.”
Best Comfort Food
This entree fit the bill for days
when you want something that feels homemade but you don’t have time to cook.
Like all Beetnik’s offerings, all ingredients are organic and certified
gluten-free.
Tasting Notes: “ I love the potatoes on top. Fluffy.” “Nice seasoning.”
“I’m surprised I like the kale in here.” “This tastes homemade.”
Best Kid-Friendly
Lots of kids’ food items come in a
variety of shapes, but many are not gluten-free. Our kid testers loved the fun
green dinosaurs, and adults appreciated that the novelty helped kids eat their
veggies and contained no added preservatives. The dinos are Dr. Praeger’s
best-seller, but the broccoli stars were also a hit as well as spinach,
broccoli and Brussels sprout cakes for adults.
Tasting Notes: “Oooh, these are cool.” “Mmmm.” “Yummy!” “This spinach
tastes good. I’d eat these again.”
Best Appetizer
You’d never guess these tasty bites
are made with gluten-free pastry, and the filling is made with satisfying, creamy
feta, ricotta and well-seasoned spinach. Our team agreed we’d serve this to a
room full of gluten-eating guests without hesitation.
Tasting Notes: “Very flaky, good pastry.” “These are gluten-free?”
“Buttery.” “Creamy filling.” “Tasty. The best.”
Best Asian
These pan fry in minutes, and the
texture and flavors of both vegetable and chicken varieties satisfied our
craving for Asian food. The sauce made with tamari makes this a viable
certified gluten-free option.
Tasting Notes: “I’m so glad for these. I miss Chinese food.” “The sauce is
sweet. Lots of tasty filling.” “I could eat these for days.”
Best Latin Flavors
With corn being the base for
Mexican food and a staple in most gluten-free diets, we were disappointed that
many of the foods in the Mexican and Latin category were bland and often too
mushy for our team’s liking. We tried latin foods in a wide variety of its
forms. In the end, two brands’ empanadas stood out as the most flavorful.
Of note: Our testers all live in San Diego, where excellent taco shops abound,
so standards in this category are particularly high.
Best known for its Brazilian cheese
bread, Brazi Bites recently released its version of an empanada. While
traditional empanadas are more of a hand-held pie, these are more finger food.
The product is very flavorful with shredded meat that tastes like it was slow
cooked with spices. These come in four different flavors, some vegetarian. They
must be baked, not microwaved.
Tasting Notes: “Very good flavor.” “Beef has a little kick.” “Dough has
great flavor.” “Delicious.”
The family that runs this company
got their start in order to make authentic empanadas that they missed from
their home country, Argentina. Our team tasted the attention to detail. They
cook in small batches that provide a homemade touch and are certified
gluten-free. Though packaging has both microwave and oven instructions, baking
the product yielded best results. Five varieties include spicy and vegetarian.
Tasting Notes: “I like the filling.” “Filling tastes homemade.” “I wish the
pastry was more flaky.” “I like the chunks of chicken, tangy with the onions
and peppers. Mmm, olives too.”
