Alternative
dwarfing genes in wheat can eliminate rice crop residue burning
May 21, 2020
New Delhi: In India, close to twenty-three million tonnes of
leftover rice residues are annually burnt by farmers to get rid of the straw
and prepare their fields for sowing wheat, which is the next crop, resulting in
air pollution. Also, dry environments pose a challenge for the germination of
wheat varieties with short coleoptile.
To overcome these problems, Scientists at Pune based Agharkar
Research Institute (ARI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science
and Technology, have mapped two alternative dwarfing genes Rht14 and Rht18 in
wheat. These genes are associated with better seedling vigour and longer
coleoptiles (sheath protecting the young shoot tip).
The lead Scientist Dr. Ravindra Patil along with his team from
Genetics and Plant Breeding Group, ARI have mapped the dwarfing genes on
chromosome 6A in durum wheat, and DNA-based markers were developed for a better
selection of these genes in wheat breeding lines. The DNA-based markers will
help wheat breeders to precisely select wheat lines carrying these alternative
dwarfing genes from a massive pool of wheat breeding lines. The research was
published in The Crop Journal and Molecular Breeding.
These DNA based markers are being used at ARI for marker-assisted
transfer of these genes in Indian wheat varieties, so as to make them suitable
for sowing under rice stubble-retained conditions and dry environments. Wheat
breeding lines with these alternative dwarfing genes are presently at an advanced
stage.
Wheat lines with these alternative dwarfing genes, apart from
reducing crop residue burning, can allow deeper sowing of wheat seeds to avail
advantage of residual moisture in the soil under dry environments.
The presently available semi-dwarf wheat varieties, which were
explored during the Green Revolution, carry conventional Rht1 dwarfing alleles
(variant form of a given gene) and produce optimum yields under high-fertility
irrigated conditions. However, they are not well adapted for deeper sowing
conditions in dry environments due to shorter coleoptiles, and low early vigor
often results into reduced seedling emergence. Moreover, crop stands of Rht1
wheat also remain poor where previous crop residues pose a barrier for seedling
emergence due to the short coleoptiles.
Burning of leftover rice crop residue has serious implications for
the environment, soil, and human health. Therefore, there is a need to include
alternative dwarfing genes in wheat improvement programs. Also, only two
dwarfing alleles of Rht1 are predominant in Indian wheat varieties; therefore,
there is a need to diversify the genetic base of dwarfing genes considering
diverse wheat growing zones in India.
In genetic studies conducted at ARI, dwarfing genes Rht14 and Rht18
in wheat conferred a plant height reduction comparable to the Rht1 alleles
while retaining early vigour in wheat seedlings, but do not affect coleoptile
length and seedling shoot length. These can, therefore, be utilized as an
alternative dwarfing gene to Rht1 for deep sowing conditions or in fields with
retained stubble.
The improved wheat lines which are
being developed at ARI will help reducing stubble burning incidences under the
rice-wheat cropping system. These lines will also allow deeper sowing of wheat
seeds to avail advantage of residual moisture in the soil, therefore, saving
valuable water resources and reduce the cost of cultivation to farmers.
Regulated cultivation from ensuing vaanakalam: CM
HYDERABAD,
May 21, 2020 23:35 IST
Updated: May 22, 2020 04:33 IST
Majority of farmers welcomed regulated farming concept, says KCR
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has announced that all the farmers in the State should cultivate the crops in a regulated manner and avail Rythu Bandhu assistance as well as get remunerative price for their produce.Farmers would get good price by cultivating quality crops which enjoy a demand in the market. Agriculture Department and agriculture university would give due suggestions to the farming community and if farmers abide by their guidance, they would not face any problems, he said.
The Chief Minister held an extensive meeting at Pragathi Bhavan here on Thursday with Ministers, senior officers, various corporation chairmen, Collectors and district agriculture officers, district Rythu Bandhu Samithi presidents, agriculture university officers and scientists to discuss the proposed policy of regulated cropping pattern.
Crop enumeration
“Agriculture is major part of Telangana people’s lives. Future of agriculture should be bright and the farmers should give quality produce to the world and earn profits. From this vaanakalam itself crop enumeration should be taken up on what crop is being raised where. Rythu Sadassulu should be organised cluster-wise in the next four to five days to create an awareness about the new policy of regulated cultivation by inviting Ministers, MLAs, ZP Chairmen and other people’s representatives,” he said.Majority of farmers in the State welcomed the regulated cultivation of crops according a survey and it is a good development, he said, and added that he would construct Rythu Vedika at his Yerravelli agriculture cluster with his own funds. Each of the Ministers and some others too came forward to construct one Rythu Vedika. Rythu Vedikas should be constructed in all 2,602 clusters in four to five months, Mr. Rao instructed.
Farmers were incurring losses due to excess
supply than the demand as all of them were raising the same crop. The
government thought of various solutions to prevent this situation and came out
with the suggestion of regulated crop cultivation, he said.
Food processing
The government has also decided to start food processing units in a big way through out the State by setting up food processing SEZs which include rice, pulse and oil mills and othe units. District officials should identify land for the SEZs at the earliest. Next to food processing SEZs, godowns should be constructed. No permission should be given for residential layouts close to SEZs and godowns. Every godown should necessarily have cold storage facility, he said.Agro business
Mr. Rao said that agricultural scientists will decide what crop to be raised in which season and what variety. The agro business department decides which crop has demand in the market. The government accordingly is giving its guidance to the farmers. As a result, there would be no question of farmers suffering any losses, he explained.
Last year paddy crop was cultivated on 40 lakh
acres in the rainy season and this season too paddy should be cultivated in the
same extent. Last year, cotton was cultivated in 53 lakh acres and this year it
should be raised to 70 lakh acres. Last year, red gram was cultivated on seven
lakh acres and this year it should be increased to 15 lakh acres.
Soyabean,
turmeric, chilly, vegetables and other crops could be cultivated like last
year. Farmers raising various seed could cultivate the same crops. But maize
crop was not suitable for rainy season and it should be cultivated in Yasangi
season, he said. Those farmers who would traditionally cultivate maize in rainy season should cultivate cotton, red gram this season, he said.
Care should be taken in selecting paddy
varieties. Telangana Sona has good demand and paddy seed with 6.5 mm size has
demand and only those paddy varieties should be cultivated, he added.
Long gestation paddy crops should be raised in
ayacut under Godavari projects and short gestation paddy crop under Krishna
river projects, the Chief Minister said.
Genome research reveals how rice evolves to resist weeds
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-21 22:58:50|Editor: huaxia
BEIJING,
May 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have revealed that gene clustering helped
rice evolve to produce so-called momilactone to defend itself against weeds,
according to a study published in the journal PNAS.In order to fight weeds, one of its main enemies, rice has evolved to produce momilactone, a metabolite that can inhibit the growth of weeds.
Chinese and Japanese scientists analyzed more than 100 genome sequences from plants, finding that the gene clusters that can compound momilactone exist only in three plant species, including rice.
Some plants have also evolved key genes related to momilactone but they are not closely arranged in clusters, said Fan Longjiang from Zhejiang University, one of the paper's authors. That is why those plants cannot produce momilactone, he added.
The study also showed that momilactone is a result of independent evolutionary events in natural selection, which means that more plants capable of producing momilactone may be found in the future, Fan said
First ancient cultivated rice discovered in Central Asia
Credit: ©Science China Press
Rice has
always been the most important food in Asia and the world. About half of the
population on earth use rice as their main food source. The origin, spread,
evolution, and ecological adaptation of cultivated rice are still one of the
most important issues which currently concerned by global archaeologists,
biologists, and agricultural scientists. In recent years, archaeobotany and molecular biology studies have shown the originally cultivated rice was domesticated into japonica rice (Oryza sativa japonica) in the lower Yangtze region, China, 10000 years ago, then spread to Japan, South and Southeast Asia. About 5000-4000 years ago, the cultivated japonica rice spread to South Asia, hybridized with the native wild rice, gradually form the indica rice (Oryza sativa indica) and become the main crop in South Asia today.
However, in recent years, research on the origin and spread of rice have mainly focused on East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. At present, we still know very little about when and how rice spread into West Asia, Europe, and Africa. The Central Asia region, as an important node in the ancient Silk Road cannot be ignored, because it is the "crossroad" of world civilization. Therefore, studying the time and location of rice emergence in Central Asia can help us restore the spread process about of rice agriculture and add an important part for the early crop globalization research.
Recently, Li Xiaoqiang research group in Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IVPP, CAS) and other researchers in College of Cultural Heritage, Northwest University, China, Institute of Archaeology, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences reported their latest research about the agricultural remain in Khalchayan site, Uzbekistan, which published in the Science China: Earth Science. Researchers investigated 11 sites on the northern bank of the Amu Darya from Bronze Age to Arabian period and found carbonized rice remain at Kalchayan site. With archaeobotany, chronology method and other local archaeological records, researchers provide a new physical evidence for the spread of rice to western Asia and the exchange of eastern and western civilizations along the ancient Silk Road.
Khalchayan site is a city site in southeastern Uzbekistan. Researchers use flotation method obtain large amount of botanical materials at a cultural layer in southwest part of the site. The AMS 14C dating results showed that the age of the rice remains in the site are 1714-1756 cal. B.P., which in Kushan period. In addition to the rice remains, carbonized wheat, 2-row barley, pea, millet, grapes, flax and other crops were recovered at the site. These crops include both West Asian and East Asian origin, which illustrates a diverse and complex oasis farming system. Because rice cultivation requires a lot of heat and water then wheat and millet, make it difficult to cultivate in arid regions in early times. But combining the carbonized rice remains with the records of the irrigation system existing in other local oases agricultural archeological sites during Kushan period, researchers believe it has the possibility of cultivation rice locally during that time.
Morphological studies show that the carbonized rice remains are japonica rice, and their morphology is similar to the remains found in some sites in southern China and northwestern India during the same period. That indicating the possibility of rice in Central Asia was spread from South Asia. Meanwhile, when rice appeared in Central Asia, Kushan Empire has already established in northwest India and conquered most part of Central Asia and South Asia. The imperial expansion and political unrest may have further fueled the dispersal of crops across Inner Asia. The emergence of rice may also indicate the beginning of the rice-based diet culture gradual integration with the local wheat-based diet system in Central Asia and finally form Central Asia diet system today, like baked dough (Naan), pilaf and barbecue.
The rice remains in Khalchayan site is the first well reported rice remain in Central Asia. It is also one of the few ancient cultivated rice found without in East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. It has a great value for further understanding the exchange process of the early agricultural activities in the Southern Himalayan route, and also provided a new evidence to explain how rice further spreads westward to Iran, Europe, and Africa, where rice cultivation activities exist today.
###
This
study was supported by the joint archaeological work of China-Uzbekistan
(Project leaders: Pro. Wang Jianxin, Northwest University, China); Institute of
Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, CAS/CAS Center for Excellence in
Life and Paleoenvironment; National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant
No. 41572161, 41730319); Strategic Pilot Science and Technology Projects of
Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB26000000) and the Youth Innovation
Promotion Association, CAS.See the article: Chen G, Zhou X, Wang J, Ma J, Khasannov M, Khasanov N, Spengler R N, Berdimurodov A, Li X. 2020. Kushan Period rice in the Amu Darya Basin: Evidence for prehistoric exchange along the southern Himalaya. Science China Earth Sciences, 63, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-019-9585-2 http://engine.scichina.com/doi/10.1007/s11430-019-9585-2
First ancient cultivated rice discovered in Central Asia
IMAGE: SATELLITE IMAGERY OF KHALCHAYAN AND SURFACE REMAINS WITHIN THE
SITE. CREDIT: CHEN GUANHAN AND ZHOU XINYING, IVPP view more
CREDIT: ©SCIENCE CHINA PRESS
Rice has always been the most
important food in Asia and the world. About half of the population on earth use
rice as their main food source. The origin, spread, evolution, and ecological
adaptation of cultivated rice are still one of the most important issues which
currently concerned by global archaeologists, biologists, and agricultural
scientists.
In recent years, archaeobotany
and molecular biology studies have shown the originally cultivated rice was
domesticated into japonica rice (Oryza sativa japonica) in the lower Yangtze
region, China, 10000 years ago, then spread to Japan, South and Southeast Asia.
About 5000-4000 years ago, the cultivated japonica rice spread to South Asia,
hybridized with the native wild rice, gradually form the indica rice (Oryza
sativa indica) and become the main crop in South Asia today.
However, in recent years,
research on the origin and spread of rice have mainly focused on East Asia,
Southeast Asia, and South Asia. At present, we still know very little about
when and how rice spread into West Asia, Europe, and Africa. The Central Asia
region, as an important node in the ancient Silk Road cannot be ignored,
because it is the "crossroad" of world civilization. Therefore,
studying the time and location of rice emergence in Central Asia can help us
restore the spread process about of rice agriculture and add an important part
for the early crop globalization research.
Recently, Li Xiaoqiang research
group in Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese
Academy of Sciences (IVPP, CAS) and other researchers in College of Cultural
Heritage, Northwest University, China, Institute of Archaeology, Uzbekistan
Academy of Sciences reported their latest research about the agricultural remain
in Khalchayan site, Uzbekistan, which published in the Science China: Earth
Science. Researchers investigated 11 sites on the northern bank of the Amu
Darya from Bronze Age to Arabian period and found carbonized rice remain at
Kalchayan site. With archaeobotany, chronology method and other local
archaeological records, researchers provide a new physical evidence for the
spread of rice to western Asia and the exchange of eastern and western
civilizations along the ancient Silk Road.
Khalchayan site is a city site in
southeastern Uzbekistan. Researchers use flotation method obtain large amount
of botanical materials at a cultural layer in southwest part of the site. The
AMS 14C dating results showed that the age of the rice remains in the site are
1714-1756 cal. B.P., which in Kushan period. In addition to the rice remains,
carbonized wheat, 2-row barley, pea, millet, grapes, flax and other crops were
recovered at the site. These crops include both West Asian and East Asian
origin, which illustrates a diverse and complex oasis farming system. Because
rice cultivation requires a lot of heat and water then wheat and millet, make
it difficult to cultivate in arid regions in early times. But combining the
carbonized rice remains with the records of the irrigation system existing in
other local oases agricultural archeological sites during Kushan period,
researchers believe it has the possibility of cultivation rice locally during
that time.
Morphological studies show that
the carbonized rice remains are japonica rice, and their morphology is similar
to the remains found in some sites in southern China and northwestern India
during the same period. That indicating the possibility of rice in Central Asia
was spread from South Asia. Meanwhile, when rice appeared in Central Asia,
Kushan Empire has already established in northwest India and conquered most
part of Central Asia and South Asia. The imperial expansion and political
unrest may have further fueled the dispersal of crops across Inner Asia. The
emergence of rice may also indicate the beginning of the rice-based diet
culture gradual integration with the local wheat-based diet system in Central
Asia and finally form Central Asia diet system today, like baked dough (Naan),
pilaf and barbecue.
The rice remains in Khalchayan
site is the first well reported rice remain in Central Asia. It is also one of
the few ancient cultivated rice found without in East Asia, South Asia and
Southeast Asia. It has a great value for further understanding the exchange
process of the early agricultural activities in the Southern Himalayan route,
and also provided a new evidence to explain how rice further spreads westward
to Iran, Europe, and Africa, where rice cultivation activities exist today.
###
This study was supported by the
joint archaeological work of China-Uzbekistan (Project leaders: Pro. Wang
Jianxin, Northwest University, China); Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and
Paleoanthropology, CAS/CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment;
National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41572161, 41730319);
Strategic Pilot Science and Technology Projects of Chinese Academy of Sciences
(Grant No. XDB26000000) and the Youth Innovation Promotion Association, CAS.
See the article: Chen G, Zhou X,
Wang J, Ma J, Khasannov M, Khasanov N, Spengler R N, Berdimurodov A, Li X.
2020. Kushan Period rice in the Amu Darya Basin: Evidence for prehistoric
exchange along the southern Himalaya. Science China Earth Sciences,
63, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-019-9585-2 http://engine.scichina.com/doi/10.1007/s11430-019-9585-2
Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are
not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by
contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the
EurekAlert system.
YAN Bei
yanbei@scichina.org
yanbei@scichina.org
Navy
distributes bags of rice, vegetable oil to Tungeji residents
By Eugene Agha,
Lagos | May 22, 2020 5:47 AM TwitterFacebookWhatsAppTelegram The Flag Officer
Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji, said the Command,
on behalf of the Chief of Naval Staff, has presented 50 bags of rice and 20
cartons of vegetable oil to the Tongeji community in Ogun State. Daji said the
gesture was part of its corporate social responsibility and palliative towards
assisting residents of Tongeji community during this lockdown period. The items
were received on behalf of the community by the Akoko of Tongeji Island, Oba
Biolorunkosi Okiki Sule 1.
The Command’s Information Officer, Commander
Thomas Otuji, in a statement he issued yesterday, said the gesture was also
part of the series of activities lined up to mark the Nigerian Navy’s 64th
anniversary. ADVERTISEMENT Dear valued readers, subscribe to the Daily Trust
e-paper to continue enjoying our diet of authoritative news. Kindly subscribe
here Oba Sule thanked the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ette Ibas,
for the gesture extended to the community “at this trying period.” According to
him, the only way to appreciate the Navy was to pray for God’s blessings on the
Service and its men. “May the Almighty God richly bless the Nigerian Navy, its
leadership and men for being there at this difficult period. These items will
greatly help us,” he remarked. Otuji stated that the Nigerian Navy would be
engaged in providing palliatives to deserving communities across the country as
part of series of activities lined up to mark its 64th anniversary.
Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/navy-distributes-bags-of-rice-vegetable-oil-to-tungeji-residents.html
Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/navy-distributes-bags-of-rice-vegetable-oil-to-tungeji-residents.html
First ancient cultivated rice discovered in Central Asia
Credit: CC0 Public Domain
Rice has
always been the most important food in Asia and the world. About half of the
population on earth use rice as their main food source. The origin, spread,
evolution, and ecological adaptation of cultivated rice are still one of the
most important issues which currently concerned by global archaeologists,
biologists, and agricultural scientists. In recent years, archaeobotany and molecular biology studies have shown the originally cultivated rice was domesticated into japonica rice (Oryza sativa japonica) in the lower Yangtze region, China, 10000 years ago, then spread to Japan, South and Southeast Asia. About 5000-4000 years ago, the cultivated japonica rice spread to South Asia, hybridized with the native wild rice, gradually form the indica rice (Oryza sativa indica) and become the main crop in South Asia today.
However, in recent years, research on the origin and spread of rice has mainly focused on East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. At present, we still know very little about when and how rice spread into West Asia, Europe, and Africa. The Central Asia region, as an important node in the ancient Silk Road cannot be ignored, because it is the "crossroads" of world civilization. Therefore, studying the time and location of rice emergence in Central Asia can help us gain insight into the spreading process of rice agriculture and adds an important element to early crop globalization research.
Recently, Li Xiaoqiang's research group at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IVPP, CAS) and other researchers in College of Cultural Heritage, Northwest University, China, Institute of Archaeology, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences reported their latest research about the agricultural remains at the Khalchayan site in Uzbekistan, which was published in Science China Earth Science. Researchers investigated 11 sites on the northern bank of the Amu Darya from the Bronze Age to the Arabian period and found carbonized rice remains at the Kalchayan site. With archaeobotany and chronology methods and other local archaeological records, researchers provide new physical evidence for the spread of rice to western Asia and the exchange of eastern and western civilizations along the ancient Silk Road.
Khalchayan site is a city site in southeastern Uzbekistan. Researchers used the flotation method to obtain large amount of botanical materials at a cultural layer in the southwest part of the site. The AMS 14C dating results showed that the age of the rice remains in the site are 1714-1756 cal. B.P., which is in Kushan period. In addition to the rice remains, carbonized wheat, two-row barley, pea, millet, grapes, flax and other crops were recovered at the site. These crops are of both West Asian and East Asian origin, which illustrates a diverse and complex oasis farming system. Because rice cultivation requires more heat and water than wheat and millet, this makes it difficult to cultivate in arid regions in early times. But combining the carbonized rice remains with the records of the irrigation systems existing in other local oases at agricultural archeological sites during Kushan period, researchers believe there is the possibility of cultivation of rice locally during that time. Morphological studies show that the carbonized rice remains are japonica rice, and their morphology is similar to the remains found in some sites in southern China and northwestern India during the same period. That indicates the possibility of rice in Central Asia was spread from South Asia. Meanwhile, when rice appeared in Central Asia, the Kushan Empire has already established in northwest India and conquered most parts of Central and South Asia. The imperial expansion and political unrest may have further fueled the dispersal of crops across Inner Asia. The emergence of rice may also indicate the beginning of the rice-based diet culture's gradual integration with the local wheat-based diet system in Central Asia and finally forms the Central Asia diet system of today—e.g., baked dough (Naan), pilaf and barbecue.
The rice remains at the Khalchayan site are the first well reported rice remains in Central Asia. They are also one of the few ancient cultivated rice examples found outside East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. This discovery has great value for further understanding the exchange process of the early agricultural activities in the Southern Himalayan route, and also provides new evidence to explain how rice further spreads westward to Iran, Europe, and Africa, where rice cultivation activities exist today.
Molasses shortage threatens Pakistan’s ethanol industry
Published date: 22 May 2020
Pakistan's
ethanol producers will be forced to cease operations during the second half of
this year once molasses stocks run out, according to market participants.
Most
producers' molasses stocks will last only until August, after which there will
be temporary closures, according to traders. But two of the country's larger
producers have additional inventories that will sustain operations until
September-October. A shift towards producing more profitable rice, corn and wheat crops has reduced Pakistan's output of sugarcane, which is used to produce molasses, over the past two years. The total area planted with sugarcane declined by 6pc to 1.04mn ha in the October 2019-September 2020 marketing year compared with the 2018-19 marketing year, during which the total planted area also fell by 18pc from the 2017-18 marketing year.
Total sugarcane production is estimated to have reached 64.5mn t in the 2019-20 marketing year, down by 4pc from the previous marketing year, according to the national food security and research ministry and the country's sugar mills association. But mill owners have seen a steeper production decline of up to 10-15pc on the year.
Tight feedstock molasses supplies have pushed up prices to 25,000-26,000 Pakistan rupees/t ($155-161/t) this week, up from Rs18,000/t in January. At the same time, ethanol prices on a fob Pakistan basis have skyrocketed on the back of rising global appetite for hand sanitizers and disinfectants. Hydrous extra neural alcohol (ENA) and anhydrous grade prices have been climbing since the beginning of this year, peaking at $1,250/t and at $1,320/t on 28 April, with producers quoting much higher values for prompt cargoes.
Prices have now softened to $1,125/t for ENA and $1,195/t for anhydrous, although they remain significantly higher than pre-Covid-19 levels of $650-700/t for ENA and $730-780/t for anhydrous. But ethanol demand is expected to hold strong as long as hygiene remains a priority for post-Covid-19 consumers.
Pakistani manufacturers will soon have to step back from the market as only around 10,000-20,000t of molasses remains available for purchase in the country, according to a domestic producer of the feedstock. Some ethanol factories have opted to undertake maintenance during the shutdown, hoping to restart in December once molasses supplies from the 2020-21 sugarcane crushing season become available.
Higher returns for sugarcane farmers during the 2019-20 crushing season that ended around April have encouraged them to increase the planted area for the crop by 11pc or an additional 116,000 ha this year. This should raise the country's total sugarcane production to 71.7mn t in the 2020-21 marketing year.
China seed association helps Pakistan to fight COVID-19
May 22, 2020May 22, 2020 Ahsan Ali
China seed association is assisting Pakistan in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic and locust attacks through donations.
Chinese seed association has been putting forth attempts to expand some assistance and backing to Pakistan in its on-going battle against the COVID-19 pandemic and locust attack through measures including donations of anti-epidemic materials and assurance of seed trade, media person reported.
As indicated by China Seed Association, Anhui Quanyin Seed Industry gave 1,000 N95 veils and 30,000 clinical masks to Pakistan; Sichuan Guohao Seed Industry gave 3,000 N95 covers to ICI Pakistan Limited; Jiangsu Hongqi Seed Industry gave 10,000 clinical masks through its Pakistani companions; Anhui Longping Gaoke Seed Industry and Pakistani accomplices gave material bundles of flour, rice, palatable oil and sugar to 1,000 poor families in Pakistan’s Punjab region.
Likewise, given materials from other Chinese seed organizations are added during the time spent assortment and move. Since the end of last year, Pakistan has struggled to battle locust swarms which have wrecked harvests and undermined the employment of farmers. Chinese seed organizations have taken strong activities to help guarantee the grain yield of Pakistan after work resumption in the midst of the pandemic.
Two groups of hybrid rice seeds from Jiangsu Shennong Dafeng Seed Industry Technology Co. what’s more, Jiangsu Hongqi Seed Industry Co., Ltd. was stacked on ships separately. In March, a batch of corn seeds from Anhui Longping Gaoke Seed Industry Co., Ltd. was stacked on boats and left for Pakistan.
Chinese seed sector helps Pakistan fight against virus
ISLAMABAD: Chinese seed companies have been making efforts to extend a helping hand and support to Pakistan in its on-going fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and locust outbreak through measures including donations of anti-epidemic materials and guarantee of seed export, reports Gwadar Pro.According to China Seed Association, Anhui Quanyin Seed Industry donated 1,000 N95 masks and 30,000 medical surgical masks through Pakistani companies; Sichuan Guohao Seed Industry donated 3,000 N95 masks to ICI Pakistan Limited; Jiangsu Hongqi Seed Industry donated 10,000 medical surgical masks through its Pakistani peers; Anhui Longping Gaoke Seed Industry and Pakistani partners donated material packages of flour, rice, edible oil and sugar to 1,000 poor families in Pakistan's Punjab province.
In addition, donated materials from other Chinese seed companies are also in the process of collection and transfer. Since the end of last year, Pakistan has struggled to combat locust plagues which have destroyed crops and threatened the livelihoods of farmers. Chinese seed companies have taken solid actions to help ensure the grain yield of Pakistan after work resumption amid pandemic.
On February 14 and March 4, two batches of hybrid rice seeds from Jiangsu Shennong Dafeng Seed Industry Technology Co. and Jiangsu Hongqi Seed Industry Co., Ltd. were loaded on ships respectively. On March 31, a batch of corn seeds from Anhui Longping Gaoke Seed Industry Co., Ltd. were loaded on ships and departed for Pakistan.
Imee Marcos, Dominguez, clash over ‘Masagana 99’
Published May 20, 2020, 10:47 PM
By Mario
CasayuranSenator Imee R. Marcos refuted on Wednesday (May 20) the claim of Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Carlos Dominguez III that the touted “Masagana 99’” program of her father, the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos, was a failure as it bankrupted 800 rural banks that bankrolled the rice program.
Sen. Imee Marcos and Finance secretary Carlos
Dominguez (Manila Bulletin)
In a
Senate committee of the whole public hearing on government programs to contain
and resolve varied problems created by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
pandemic, Marcos proposed that her late father’s program be revived to help farmers
suffering losses and other hardships.But Dominguez rejected the suggestion and corrected Sen. Marcos’ claims that Masagana 99 was an “effective use” of banks.
Yes Philipines
exported rice under masagana 99 but
Undated file photo shows then Ilocos
Norte Gov. Imee Marcos arriving at Comelec to file her COC for the 2019 Senate
race.
Philstar.com/Erwin Cagadas
Ian Nicolas
Cigaral (Philstar.com) - May 21, 2020 - 8:58pm
MANILA, Philippines — Did the Philippines
really export rice when the Marcos-era "Masagana 99" agriculture
program was implemented?
This
question came to the fore after Sen. Imee Marcos and Finance Secretary Carlos
Dominguez III clashed over the supposed success of the program during
Wednesday's Senate hearing.The daughter of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. sparked tension when she prodded Dominguez to muster a bigger stimulus for the government's coronavirus response and use the Masagana 99 program as a template for tapping banks to help farmers and informal settlers displaced by the coronavirus outbreak.
But Dominguez, who served as agriculture chief during the presidency of Corazon Aquino, immediately dismissed Marcos' proposal. "I was the Secretary of Agriculture that cleaned up the mess that was left by Masagana 99,” the finance chief said.
In a statement on Thursday, Marcos berated Dominguez for his remarks and argued that he was wrong for saying that the Philippines "never exported rice" when Masagana 99 was implemented.
What experts say
Launched in 1973, Masagana 99 served as the Marcos patriarch’s program to increase rice production by offering highly-subsidized loans to farmers so they can buy fertilizers and invest in equipment.But the program ended up a colossal failure after the build-up of unpaid loans pushed hundreds of rural banks into bankruptcy and burdened poor farmers with too much debt.
Citing a column by agronomist and former University of the Philippines president Emil Javier, Marcos insisted that the country was able to export rice after farmers "produced a surplus of some 89,000 metric tons in 1977 to 1978."
But while Javier indeed wrote in a November 2016 Manila Bulletin column that the Philippines was able to export rice in the late 1970s, he also said in the same opinion piece, in the next paragraphs, that Masagana 99 "proved to be short-lived and unsustainable."
"Giving away seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and dryers while politically attractive is temporary, wasteful and prone to graft," Javier wrote.
Sought for comment, Philippine Institute for Development Studies senior research fellow Roehlano Briones told Philstar.com that while the Philippines managed to export rice in 1977 until 1980, the country failed to sustain it.
"It could not be sustained and exports collapsed until end of Marcos' term," Briones, a rice expert, said, adding that rice imports later reached 10-year highs in 1984 to 1985.
"M-99 was a fiscal disaster... it was indeed a failure," he said.
Dominguez, in responding to Marcos' remarks on Wednesday, said: “There were about 800 rural banks that were bankrupted by that program. We had to rescue them. So whether it's a total success or not, it has to be measured against that.”
Give Us This Day Our Daily Rice’
Published May 22, 2020, 1:54 PM
By
Jaime C. LayaCovid-19 has cancelled events but in normal times, May 15 is a special day in Lucban (Quezon), in Pulilan (Bulacan), and in about two dozen other places. Carabaos walk on their knees in Pulilan and in Lucban’s Pahiyas Festival, houses bloom with kiping, brightly colored leaf-shaped rice wafers. They honor San Isidro Labradór, the hired farm laborer who became a saint 500 years ago.
Landowner Juan de Vargas hired Isidro de Merely Quintana (1070-1130) to work his fields outside the then small village of Madrid. Isidro was known for his piety, generosity to the poor and kindness to animals but his co-workers griped that Isidro was always late to work. The complaints ended when one day they discovered an angel plowing the fields for him. Other miracles were ascribed to Isidro who was canonized in 1622. He is the patron saint of Madrid, exalting the dignity of manual work and demonstrating how ordinary life can lead to holiness.
San Isidro Labradór,
painting on panel, ca. 1800. It could be by a Bohol artist, although
connoisseur Don Conrado Escudero surmises
that it may have been painted in a place with many Chinese immigrants such as
Biñan, Laguna
San
Isidro is also the saint of our time. We are now the world’s largest rice
importer, buying 2.9 million tons in 2019 from our neighbors Vietnam and
Thailand. Rice and corn imports cost us PhP45.8 billion and PhP15.7 billion respectively in 2018. We also import wheat that we mill into flour and soymeal needed by our piggeries. We are short, too, of onions, garlic, and mongo beans. The question is how we can feed ourselves, assuming we have enough foreign exchange, if there is drought, pest, flooding, civil unrest, or other disturbance in our supplier countries.
The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) and other groups have long expressed the need for greater attention to agriculture, bringing up points including the following. Economics paints the broad picture. Our production cost is high and imported rice is cheap. Higher productivity is essential to reduce cost, in turn pointing to the need for better rice varieties, adequate water supply, fertile soil, pest control, post-harvest processing efficiency, more efficient distribution, soil fertility, better cultivation methods, crop insurance, etc.
Important is the political question of who should be kept content—city people with cheaper rice or rural people with palay price high enough to recover cost and provide a reasonable standard of living for farmer families. The answer has usually been city people. Farmers deserves a better deal.
Almost 50 years have passed since President Ferdinand E. Marcos subjected rice and corn land to agrarian reform. With increasing population, the likely impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on employment and OFW remittances and the need to revive the economy, it is timely to evaluate the half-century experience and to resolve open matters once and for all. Fragmented land ownership vs. large scale corporate farming has been a contentious issue. Certain policies could also explain why formerly productive agricultural land now lie fallow.
Population and economic growth have caused the conversion of formerly agricultural land to factory, warehouse and residential use, shopping malls, parking lots. Traveling through rich agricultural land in Southern Tagalog, Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley, and everywhere else, one notices new construction in unexpected locations, amid green fields while nearby urban areas remain blighted. Strict zoning regulations as is done in other countries will help preserve agricultural land and encourage the upgrading of already built and underused areas.
Water supply is a must for agricultural production. Angat Dam supplies Manila waterworks, Luzon power, and Bulacan agriculture. Agriculture is the first to suffer when Angat level is low. The solution is clearly more water sources, reforestation, and watershed protection, noting that illegal logging appears unchecked in the Angat watershed.
Middlemen are essential in a distribution system. They consolidate the output of numerous producers, financing them as needed. They are the links in the supply chain that bring agricultural produce from farm to dining table. The perennial complaint is that middlemen charge too much—the farmer-supplier gets too little while the final consumer pays through the nose. Farmer cooperatives for processing and distribution have been offered as a solve-all but Philippine experience has been mixed. This is clearly a matter that needs a solution.
COVID-19: India could play a crucial role in combating West Asia’s brewing food security crisis
India stands a good chance to benefit from the
shift in global trade triggered by the pandemic, and could fill in the vacuum
by supplying West Asian countries which traditionally relied on Chinese
agro-imports.
Farming in the Bahaa Valley — Lebanon. ©
ICARDA/Flickr
As the
coronavirus pandemic takes its toll, it has triggered a mixed bag of memes.
Some include people piling on extra pounds in lockdown, in stark contrast to
the harsh realities of food scarcity in the developing world. The coronavirus
outbreak has created a food security crisis as it threw labour markets and
supply chains into disorder, exposing West Asian states in particular to stark
hunger and poverty. Quarantine regulations have disrupted trade routes and caused
a derangement of supply and demand. With anti-Chinese sentiment growing, a few countries
in West Asia have expressed reluctance to import food products from China. This
is paving the way for rising food export opportunities available to Indian
businesses.The World Bank, along with the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (UNFAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the World Food Programme (WFP) delivered a joint appeal for “collective action to ensure that markets are well-functioning.” The FAO commented: “Both lives and livelihoods are at risk from this pandemic. Border closures, quarantines, and trade, supply chain disruptions could restrict people’s access to sufficient, diverse and nutritious sources of food, especially in countries hit hard by the virus or already affected by high levels of food insecurity.” West Asian states in particular, are known as large net importers of food, and are thereby highly exposed to an increase in food price inflation caused by trade disruptions.
Quarantine
regulations have disrupted trade routes and caused a derangement of supply and
demand.
To
discuss the challenges posed by COVID-19, Saudi Arabia convened a virtual interface between
agriculture ministers of G20 countries and the World Trade Organisation (WTO)
on 21 April, in which the WTO called for “unrestricted trade in food, farm
products and medical products.” In consonance with the G20 leader’s statement
on the coronavirus outbreak, the
joint statement said that the WTO and G20 agricultural ministers are
committed to “ensure the continued flow of food, products and imports essential
for agricultural and food production across borders” as a measure to “safeguard
global food security and nutrition.” This meeting was organised immediately
after countries started imposing food export restrictions to ensure domestic
food supply, as droughts and expanding public demand stress supply chains amid
the virus outbreak. Already, prices for rice imports have reached a seven-year
high and the cost of wheat has spiked, as net food-importing states like Saudi
Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, and Turkey went on a
stockpiling spree for the future. This has squeezed smaller, more
vulnerable countries in the region.War-torn countries like Syria and economically unstable Iran and Lebanon are among the most hard-hit countries in West Asia. Food prices in Syria have doubled in the past year due to the novel coronavirus and rampaging military activity. Sanctions on Iran had already damaged the country’s economy and created food insecurity; the virus outbreak has only added to the misery. Millions of Lebanese are at high risk of hunger due to the coronavirus-related lockdown. With a looming financial crisis pre-dating the virus outbreak, it has been estimated that the poverty rate in Lebanon will increase to a whopping 50% in 2020 from 33% in 2019. In Palestine, as many as 53,000 new Palestinian households have fallen below the poverty line due to COVID-19, taking the total number of households living in poverty to 115,000 (with 80,000 from Gaza). These rising poverty levels have direct implications on the hunger crisis in the region, denting governments’ efforts in the fight against the epidemic. Social Affairs Minister Ahmad Majdalani at a press conference in Ramallah said that “these figures could increase by the end of the month.”
War-torn
countries like Syria and economically unstable Iran and Lebanon are among the
most hard-hit countries in West Asia.
India’s food aid to West Asia
At a time when countries are halting trade with China, Indian exporters of agri-goods have seen a wave of export opportunities come their way. India stands a good chance to benefit from the shift in global trade triggered by the pandemic, and could fill in the vacuum by supplying West Asian countries which traditionally relied on Chinese agro-imports. “The COVID-19 crisis opens up huge opportunities for Indian products to capture a major share of exports given the anti-China sentiment permeating global relations in trade,” opined Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Cabinet Minister of Food Processing. The Gulf States are highly dependent on food imports, with imports making up about 80% to 90% of their total demand. India is one of the key exporters of food items to West Asian countries, and many countries, especially from the Gulf region, have recently arranged airlifts of food consignments from India.Uninterrupted supply of food and essential items from India to West Asia has been high priority for the MEA. In a recent move, Bahrain’s flag carrier Gulf Air was deployed to assist the Kingdom in securing food amidst the crisis by picking up a ‘special food consignment’ from India. Other than this, under G2G agreements and on special demand from countries, India’s agri-cooperative NAFED exported 40,000 tons of grain to Lebanon.
Uninterrupted
supply of food and essential items from India to West Asia has been high
priority for the MEA.
Due to
the festive season of Ramadan, demand for India’s Basmati rice has been also
very high. “Basmati exports to most traditional overseas markets have surged in
the last quarter, due to increased demand fuelled by stockpiling due to
COVID-19. The rise in demand from West Asia has also been buttressed by higher
buying for Ramadan, according to the All
India Rice Exporters Association. West Asian states like Saudi
Arabia and Iraq, which depend mostly on food imports, have seen imports grow by
20-30 percent in 2020. More enquiries for food imports have been received by India
from West Asian states like Kuwait and the UAE.As most countries banned food exports and lockdowns stunted oil demand, the Gulf has particularly been hit hard. The region is moving towards troubled times with rising poverty and a brewing hunger crisis in countries like Lebanon, Palestine, Iran, Syria, etc. The West Asian states must do everything in their power to keep trade routes open and negotiate with countries for ensuring functional supply chains. India would do well to step in and take charge, as a net food security provider to West Asian states, filling the void created by the fall in demand for Chinese goods.
Indian rice exports in 2020/21 may surge 15% as buyers stockpile grain
5/22/2020
* Indian
rice cheaper than supplies from rivals* Huge inventory, weak rupee gives India an edge
* Importers build stocks amid coronavirus outbreak
By Rajendra Jadhav
MUMBAI, May 22 (Reuters) - India's rice exports could rise by as much as 15% in 2020/21 as buyers purchase lower-priced Indian supply to rebuild inventories after growers capped exports amid the coronavirius outbreak, two industry officials said on Friday.
These are among the first forecasts for rice exports during the new fiscal year that began on April 1. Higher shipments from India, the world's biggest rice exporter, could cap global prices and help New Delhi in reducing bulging inventories.
"There is a surge in demand for Indian rice right now and we are expecting demand to continue for some more time," Nitin Gupta, vice president for Olam India's rice business, said.
India's rice exports were 9 million tonnes during the 2019/20 fiscal year, the lowest in eight years, government data showed.
Demand has improved as Indian rice has become competitive after the rupee dropped to a record low, said B.V. Krishna Rao, president of India's Rice Exporters Association.
That puts Indian rice at a discount to supplies from competing countries and this has prompted African countries and Asian buyers such as Malaysia and Philippines to make purchases, Rao said.
Indian rice <RI-INBKN5-P1> was quoted between $385 to $389 per tonne this week, while shipments from Thailand, the second- biggest exporter, were quoted at $480 to $505.
Malaysia has contracted to import a record 100,000 tonnes of rice from India for shipment this month and next.
Except India, other key exporters such as Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia have limited surplus for exports, said Himanshu Agarwal, executive director at Satyam Balajee, India's biggest rice exporter.
"There is no cap on Indian exports. Only India can fulfil the large requirements of importing countries," Agarwal said.
Vietnam, the third-largest rice supplier, fully resumed exports this month, after halting sales from late March and limiting supply in April to make sure it has sufficient food during the pandemic. (Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
U.S.
Rice Industry Calendar in Flux Due to Pandemic Restrictions
ARLINGTON, VA
-- COVID-19 has wreaked havoc when it comes to this year's rice industry
calendar of annual meetings, field days, and conferences resulting in
postponements, cancellations, and going virtual. Several big meetings, such as USRPA's Rice Market & Technology Convention, have been postponed indefinitely. The USA Rice Millers' Association (RMA) Annual Convention and the biennial symposium of the UK Rice Association have been rescheduled for 2021.
USA Rice has moved the July Business Meetings online and will use the technology platform Zoom to connect members and staff for the annual budget and planning session. Some regularly scheduled field days throughout rice country have opted for a virtual format while others, like Horizon Ag events in Kaplan, Louisiana, and Jonesboro, Arkansas, are still listed as "in person" at the moment.
In Mississippi, the Delta Council Annual Meeting has been pushed back to sometime this fall. Delta Rice Luncheon organizers are adapting, planning a smaller gathering on September 18 at a local rice farm to celebrate 30 years of National Rice Month. Invitees will include sponsors and key leaders from the early 90s to the present who have been instrumental in making the annual rice tasting luncheon in Bolivar County a huge success for the past 30 years.
"I think everyone has been challenged to incorporate coronavirus social distancing restrictions into our regular meetings calendar," said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward. "But because different events call for different solutions, we're seeing really creative work-arounds as people try to maintain the normal flow of business."
Please check with organizers before making plans to attend any events.
10 Best Pakistani Savoury Dishes to Make at Home
Pakistani cuisine has a rich array of flavourful foods for a delicious meal. Here are 10 of the best Pakistani savoury dishes to make at home.
May 21, 2020
By Dhiren Manga
A boiled egg is coated in spiced minced meat
There is
a wide range of delicious Pakistani savoury dishes to entice the tastebuds and
make at home.The cuisine of Pakistan reflects a diverse culture and dishes vary depending on the region.
In the eastern provinces of Punjab and Sindh, food is characterised as “highly seasoned” and “spicy”, reflecting flavours of the East.
Cuisine from the western and northern provinces, as well as tribal areas, characterise food as “mild”, reflecting the flavours of the adjoining regions of Central Asia and Western Asia.
No matter the region, Pakistan boasts some wonderful savoury dishes. Mrs Zeenat Hussain, who hails from Rawalpindi, a chef in her own right has created some incredible recipes for Pakistani savoury dishes.
She started cooking after marriage and says a key tip when making these recipes is the effort you put in and the spices you use.
Mrs Hussain says the majority of these dishes are popular in Karachi and Islamabad.
DESIblitz presents 10 mouthwatering Pakistani recipes by Mrs Zeenat Hussain, for you to make at home and enjoy.
Nargis Kebab
Nargis kebabs are a family favourite in Pakistan and are essentially Desi scotch eggs.
A boiled egg is coated in spiced minced meat and cooked. The result is an intensely flavoured exterior with a soft egg inside.
Although it is an appetiser, it is a rich and filling centrepiece of a meal.
Ingredients
• 1kg minced meat (of your choice)
• 2 Onions, cut into large pieces
• ½ cup curd
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp vinegar
For the Filling
• 4 Eggs, boiled
• 1 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup mint leaves, finely chopped
• 2 or 3 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp chaat masala
For the Coating
• 2 Eggs, boiled and finely chopped
• ¼ cup gram flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
Method
1. Heat some oil in a pan and add the onions. Fry until light brown then add yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, salt, red chilli powder, soy sauce and vinegar. Cook for around eight minutes.
2. Add the mince and cook for three minutes. Add half a cup of water and cook until the meat is tender and the water has evaporated.
3. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
4. When cooled, place the mince into a food processor and grind until it becomes a smooth paste.
5. To prepare the filling, mix together the coriander, mint, green chillies and chaat masala. Add about two tablespoons of the mince.
6. Coat the boiled eggs in the filling. Meanwhile, wet your palm with a little water. Place the mince in the centre of your palm. Shape into a ball then flatten it.
7. Place the egg in the middle and fold over the sides. Repeat with the remaining mince.
8. In a bowl, mix the coating ingredients together and place the kebabs in them. Mix until fully coated.
9. In a frying pan, gently add the kebabs and shallow fry until they are golden. When done, drain on kitchen paper and serve.
Masala roasted chicken is a delicious Pakistani savoury dish and it consists of chicken marinated in a ginger-garlic paste.
This Mughlai dish is one to have at a family meal or on a special occasion.
It may look like a lot of work but the end result is worth it. The chicken has a vibrant colour and flavour so what’s not to like.
Ingredients
• 1 whole chicken
• 20g green chillies
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp grated raw papaya
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt to taste
For the Marinade
• 1 cup curd
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 2 tbsp olive oil
Method
1. Wash and pat the chicken dry. Make several slits over the chicken. Apply salt and lemon juice all over the chicken and keep aside.
2. Grind green chillies with the ginger-garlic paste. Stir in the curd and add the ground spices. Grind the papaya and add. Mix well.
3. Add the chilli powder and mix well. Pour in the olive oil and mix.
4. Generously apply the marinade over the chicken and inside the slits. Place into the fridge for at least 12 hours.
5. When ready to cook, place onto a tray and place into a 200°C oven. Cook for 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear.
6. Serve with onion rings and wedges of lime.
Masala Coated Roast Chicken
Mutton Egg Masala
Mutton egg masala is one of the most elegant Pakistani savoury dishes as it is a flavourful meal comprising of different textures.
The rich meat curry has boiled eggs which only add to the heartiness.
If you prefer to have the yolk slightly runny, it mixes with the sauce, lending for a richer taste.
Ingredients
• ½kg mutton
• 4 Eggs, boiled and halved
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 2 Onions, chopped
• 2 Tomatoes, chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp tamarind
• Lemon juice to taste
• A few mint leaves (to garnish)
For the Masala Paste
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• 6 peppercorns
• 2.5cm cinnamon
• 2 cardamom
• 2 cloves
• 3 green chillies
• 2.5cm ginger
• 6 Garlic cloves
Method
1. In a pan, heat the ghee and fry the onions until golden brown. Add the tomatoes and fry until softened.
2. Add the ground masala paste and fry lightly.
3. Add mutton, salt and enough water until covered. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Pour in the lemon juice and add the tamarind. Stir well and check the seasoning.
5. Add the eggs, gently stir and garnish with mint leaves before serving.
Chapli Kebab
Chapli kebab is a Pashtun-style kebab which is usually made from ground beef or mutton along with various spices and in the shape of a patty.
This Pakistani savoury dish originates from Peshawar, however, it is popular in other regions. In Punjab, it is known as chitter kebab.
This dish perfect as a side option or even as a main meal when placed into a bun.
Ingredients
• ½kg mincemeat (beef or mutton)
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tbsp roasted whole coriander seeds
• ½ tbsp roasted coriander seeds, coarsely ground
• 3 green chillies, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup spring onion, finely chopped
• 1½ cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
• ½ cup mint leaves, finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 Egg
• Oil
Method
1. In a large bowl, add the mince then mix in all the ingredients except the oil. Once well combined, set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Divide the mixture into approximately two tablespoon-sized balls and flatten into patties.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan.
4. Shallow fry the kebabs for a few minutes on each side until golden brown.
Bhaji
Bhajis are a popular snack in South Asia so it is no surprise that it is enjoyed in Pakistan.
Although there are different varieties, this particular recipe uses moong daal.
They have a soft texture and have a contrast of flavours, making for layers of taste in every mouthful.
Method
• 2 cups moong daal
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Green chilli, chopped
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• A small bunch of coriander
• Oil
Method
1. Wash the daal and leave to soak for some time. Then grind in a chopper and set aside.
2. Add the salt, red chilli powder, onion, green chilli and coriander.
3. Heat some oil in a wok. Meanwhile, wet your hands and shape the bhajis. Gently place the bhajis in batches into the oil and fry until golden.
4. Once done, drain on kitchen paper and serve with chutney.
Kalonji Aloo
Kalonji aloo is a delicious vegetarian option, especially for potato lovers.
It is essentially potatoes which have been fried with different spices. It is a simple dish but it boasts a load of flavours.
This potato dish tastes great with naan and is the perfect accompaniment to a rich curry.
Ingredients
• 500g potatoes, chopped
• ½ tsp onion seeds
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp green chilli paste
• Salt to taste
• Red chilli powder to taste
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Curry leaves
• Oil
Method
1. Heat the oil in a wok then fry the ginger, garlic and green chilli paste. Add the remaining spices and onion seeds.
2. Stir in the potatoes and curry leaves. Mix until the potatoes are fully coated in the spices.
3. Add a little water if needed. Reduce the heat, cover and allow it to cook until the potatoes are crisp but tender.
Bhuna Gosht
Bhuna gosht is a tasty mutton recipe that is typically served alongside roti or naan.
It is cooked with fried onions, tomatoes as well as a variety of aromatic spices to enhance its flavours.
This Pakistani savoury dish is for those who enjoy the taste of tender mutton and enticing aromas.
Ingredients
• 1kg mutton, chopped
• 2 Onions, sliced
• 2 Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp green chilli paste
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Oil
Method
1. In a deep pan, heat the oil and add the sliced onions. Fry until soft and golden.
2. Add the tomatoes and garlic, ginger and green chilli pastes. Fry and stir frequently to prevent burning. Add a little water if you need to.
3. Then add the mutton. Mix to coat in the spices then cover with water.
4. Reduce the heat, cover and cook on a low heat until the meat is tender and most of the water has evaporated.
Chicken Korma
Although korma originated in north India, it is a popular savoury dish in Pakistan.
This relatively mild curry is made using coconut milk, cream and mild spices, which give off an enticing aroma. Cashews and almonds are sometimes included for added texture.
The meat is typically cooked first before it is stirred into the creamy sauce.
Ingredients
• 4 Chicken breasts, diced
• 4 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• 2cm ginger, chopped
• 6 tbsp yoghurt
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp ground coconut
• 3 tbsp ground almonds
• 1 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted (optional)
• Rapeseed oil
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 4 cardamom pods
• 2 Cloves
• 1cm cinnamon stick
• ½ tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tsp garam masala
Method
1. Put garlic, ginger, ground almonds and six tablespoons of water into a blender and blend to a smooth paste.
2. Add oil in a pan and when very hot, add the bay leaves, cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon stick. Stir for 10 seconds.
3. Stir in the onions and cook until browned.
4. Reduce the heat and add the spice paste, along with the cumin, coriander and red chilli powder. Stir for three minutes, then add the purée and stir for one minute.
5. Add the chicken, salt, yoghurt, garam masala, ground coconut and 150ml water.
6. Bring to a simmer then cover the pan. Turn the heat to low and gently simmer for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
7. Remove the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves.
8. Garnish with flaked almonds if desired and serve on a bed of basmati rice or with naan.
Masala Rice
This is a simple Pakistani savoury dish which is bound to make rice more exciting.
Instead of having boiled rice, which can become tedious, this alternative is much more filling and has a plethora of spices.
The result is a side dish which has layers of flavour to go with the delicious main meal.
Ingredients
• 500g rice, washed and soaked
• 2 Onions, sliced
• 2 Tomatoes, chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• A few peppercorns
• Oil
Method
1. Rinse the rice then add fresh water. Boil until the rice is soft and fluffy then set aside.
2. In a pan, add some oil then fry the onions until golden. Add the tomatoes and cook until softened.
3. Add the remaining spices and cook until it becomes aromatic.
4. Stir the rice in and cook for two minutes until well combined and heated through.
Keema ki Khichdi & Kadhi
This combination of dishes is very popular within Pakistani cuisine.
Khichdi is one of the most enjoyed rice dishes. The addition of keema only adds to the flavour profile.
Kadhi is a lightly spiced yoghurt-based soup which is served alongside it. When poured into the rice, the khichdi soaks up all the flavours, making for a delicious meal.
Ingredients
• 500g minced lamb
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 2 Onions, chopped
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• Salt to taste
For the Khichdi
• 1 cup moong daal
• 1 cup rice
• 1 Onion, chopped
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander powder
For the Kadhi
• 2 cups Yoghurt
• ½ cup gram flour
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 2 dried red chillies, broken
• ½-inch piece ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
Method
1. To make the keema, heat the ghee in a pan and add the onions. Fry until golden.
2. Add the meat and cook until browned. Add all the powdered spices, mix then leave to cook.
3. Meanwhile, wash the rice and daal and leave to soak for at least 15 minutes. Pour into a pot filled with water and allow it to boil.
4. Once done, remove from the heat and set aside. In another pan, fry the onions and add the spices. Pour it over the khichdi.
5. To make the kadhi, whisk the yoghurt then add the gram flour, whisking constantly until smooth.
6. Add the turmeric, salt, three cups of water and mix.
7. In a non-stick pot, add the fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, salt and three cups of water. Mix well then add the ginger.
8. Stir in the yoghurt mixture and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Alternate layers of khichdi and keema when serving. Serve alongside a bowl of kadhi.
These 10 Pakistani savoury dishes incorporate different flavours and contrasting cooking techniques, as kindly provided by Mrs Zeenat Hussain.
One thing for certain is that they taste great if you follow the instructions carefully because Mrs Hussain emphasises that carelessness and haste will ruin a dish.
So, by making these incredible dishes you will enjoy the real taste of Pakistan at home.
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Dhiren Manga
Dhiren is a journalism graduate with a passion for gaming, watching films and sports. He also enjoys cooking from time to time. His motto is to “Live life one day at a time.”
Fertile ground for failure: Indonesia hopes 2 million acres of rice paddies will help it weather COVID-19
The Indonesian government plans
to turn 2.2 million acres of peat swamps on Borneo into rice paddies. The plan
aims to help the country weather the impacts of COVID-19 on its food supply,
but it risks repeating a fiasco from the Suharto era.
The Indonesian government is
pushing ahead with a plan to create 2.2 million acres of rice paddies on
Borneo, reviving a decades-old agricultural scheme in a bid to shore up the
country’s food supply during the coronavirus pandemic.
The government plans to convert
swaths of peatland in Central Kalimantan province into rice plantations. But
the program risks replicating the near-total failure of the “Mega Rice Project”, an effort launched by former president and dictator
Suharto in 1995 that ended in disaster—and produced zero rice.
The 1995 plan involved digging
thousands of kilometers of canals across Borneo to drain and clear peat bogs
and turn the land into irrigated rice paddies, according to a recent account
in Mongabay. Despite the government’s best efforts, almost no rice
grew in the poor quality peat soil. Excavators sank into bogs and swampy
forests as they attempted to clear the land.
Since then, the drained and
abandoned peatland has burned in massive fires every dry season, producing a
haze that chokes the region. It continues to burn today: much of the land in
Central Kalimantan that burned in 2019 was land the government attempted to
cultivate for the Mega Rice Project. The burning of these areas in particular
also releases a significant amount of greenhouse gases, as peat bogs are major
carbon sinks.
The new project has been in the works for a few years but Indonesian
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is now pushing it ahead in light of the impacts
of COVID-19 on the country’s food security.
Borneo rice paddy plan driven by food security concerns
Indonesia has seen over 17,500
cases of the coronavirus so far, including over 1,100 fatalities. As people see
their incomes dry up and the pandemic disrupts supply chains and distribution,
many are struggling to access food.
Like Vietnam, Indonesia set up “rice ATMs” to help ensure that those struggling with the economic
impacts of COVID-19 still have access to food. Jokowi has eased restrictions on food imports, announced a welfare program for
farmers and told the Indonesian Bureau of Logistics (Bulog), the country’s
state-run food distribution company, to purchase crops directly from farmers.
Despite these efforts, in late
April, the president said that provinces across the country were seeing
shortages of staple foods, including rice, as well as eggs, sugar and corn.
This doesn’t mean that Indonesia is
running out of food: Bulog has stockpiled significant reserves of staples. The
bureau reported in late April that it had 1.41 million tons of rice and
announced plans to purchase almost a million tons of additional rice stocks from domestic farmers, the
majority of it over the next couple months of the rice harvest season.
Indonesia already imports most food
staples and this reliance is only increasing during the pandemic. Bulog has
also reported that it will have stockpiled 75,000 tons of sugar by June, in
large part by importing sugar from India. The bureau also has plans to import
over 100,000 tons of meat.
As a major food importer, Indonesia
is vulnerable to shifts in the global food system. Though COVID-19 has
disrupted supply chains, the pandemic has so far not led to a global rise in
food prices—except for rice. Rice prices have risen as demand increases and major rice exporting
countries—chiefly China, India and Vietnam—place restrictions on exports of the
staple. According to the Thai rice market, used as a gauge for the global rice
economy, the price of rice hit a seven-year high in April.
Indonesia has so far been insulated
from the impacts of high rice prices: government data shows average rice prices
are only 3% higher than they were last May. The government and food
distributors have also made a concerted effort to increase supply, in some
cases doubling the amount of rice on the market.
Weighed down by COVID-19, Indonesia wades back into the swamps of Borneo
The government’s efforts to relieve
pressure on Indonesia’s food system are laudable, but the possibility of crisis
doesn’t change the reality of the re-hashed Mega Rice Project. According to Basuki Sumawinata, a soil expert from the Bogor Institute of Agriculture
(IPB), there are no examples of rice being successfully grown in peat soil on a
large scale.
“Peatlands in general contain few
nutrients,” said Basuki. “So if they are to be managed for rice
fields, it will need thorough and serious technology, with costs that we might
not be able to imagine.”
One Indonesian wetlands expert recalled that in trials for the 1995 Mega Rice Project, the
government attempted to grow a half-acre of rice on peatlands in Sumatra, but
had to add two tons of lime to the soil to lower its acidity enough that the
rice would grow. Yields from other trials on peatlands have been low and the
cost of added inputs will mean any rice produced can’t be sold at market prices
without additional government support.
Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin
Limpo has said that farmers on the Borneo project will use rice that
is specially adapted to grow in peat and will have access to tractors that can
handle the swampy conditions.
The government’s plan also
represents a significant mobilization of labour: for the first stage alone,
which covers about a fifth of the proposed area, the Agriculture Ministry plans
to recruit 300,000 farmers. It’s not clear if these farmers will be paid to move or
offered some form of guaranteed income. If not, the government is asking them
to take a major risk for the sake of a project that has a losing record before
it’s even begun.
The Jokowi government is still
conducting an environmental study to determine the suitability of the land and
select sites for the project, reportedly with a focus on areas that were
cleared for the failed Mega Rice Project under Suharto. But a large portion of
the proposed land is also part of designated forest conservation areas, meaning
the Environment Ministry would have to issue permits for agriculture.
The stress on the country’s food
system appears to be enough to make the government push ahead with the new Mega
Rice Project despite its dubious legacy. The plan also won’t yield any rice
until next year—rather than immediate relief, the scheme focuses on shoring up
Indonesia’s food supply against long-term impacts. If it does happen, the
project will offer lessons on how heavy-handed government food security
initiatives will work during the fallout from COVID-19.
Irrigation dept bets on big rice harvest this year
May
22. 2020
By The
Nation
The Royal Irrigation Department
expects more rain this year and a harvest of 24 million tonnes of rice.
Deputy
Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives Minister Prapat Pothasuthon said at a
meeting, the Rice Policy and Management Committee reckoned that between
November 2019 and April 2020, the Chao Phraya River basin would have 5.5
billion cubic metres of water, which would cover 59 per cent of the country’s
water supply.
The
committee then resolved to boost rice crops over the 2020-2021 period by
allocating 59.88 million rai to the grain – 27.5 million rai for jasmine rice,
2.084 million rai for Pathum Thani rice, 13.48 rai for normal rice, 16.25
million rai for sticky rice and 559,000 rai for specific types of rice. All
this farmland is expected to produce up to 24.65 million tonnes.
Thongplew
Kongjan, director general of the irrigation department, said the Meteorological
Department reckons there will be 5 per cent lower than average rain this year,
compared to 11 per cent less last year.
Over the
past four years, rain in Thailand has been 5 to 10 per cent less than average
due to global warming, and this has become a new normal for the rainy season.
Two
storms are expected to hit the country between August and October, but rain may
be absent between June and July, the Meteorological Department said.
RID is
working on all structures under its management and is getting rid of obstacles
in water streams to ensure water preservation at full capacity.
Thailand sees slightly
bigger main rice crop in 2020/21 on better rain
BANGKOK, May 22 (Reuters) - Thailand
forecast output of about 16 million tonnes from its main rice crop during the
2020/21 season, slightly more than the previous year, benefiting from higher
expected rainfall.
The agriculture ministry expected
the main crop to be planted across a total area of 60 million rais (9.6 million
hectares), for a paddy yield of 24.66 million tonnes, slightly higher than last
season’s 24.30 million.
“We should get around 16 million
tonnes of milled rice,” Praphat Phothasoothon, a deputy minister of
agriculture, told Reuters.
ADVERTISEMENT
Rainfall is expected to break off
temporarily between June and July, but we expect heavy rainfall between August
and October. This means there will be more water in reservoirs than last year.”
Farmers started planting the main
crop on May 18, the start of the rainy season, after Thailand announced in
April an official end of a dry spell that had begun in November, though warning
that some areas might not see regular rains for weeks.
Output for all of 2020/21 is about
30.87 million tonnes, including the main crop and an off-season crop, the
ministry said in an initial forecast. (Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat;
Writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Thailand expects to
harvest 24mn tonnes of rice in 2020
Thailand’s Royal Irrigation Department (RID) expects more rain
this year and a harvest of 24 million tonnes of rice in the 2020-2021 crop.
Friday, May 22, 2020 18:09
Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand’s Royal Irrigation Department (RID) expects more rain this year and a harvest of 24 million tonnes of rice in the 2020-2021 crop.
The Rice Policy and Management Committee believes that between November 2019 and April 2020, the Chao Phraya River basin will have 5.5 billion cubic metres of water, which would cover 59 percent of the country’s water supply.
It decided to boost rice crops in the 2020-2021 period by allocating more than 9.5 million ha to the grain, including 4.4 million ha for jasmine rice, over 330,000 ha for Pathum Thani rice, more than 2.15 million ha for normal rice, 2.6 million ha for sticky rice, and about 90,000 ha for other types.
RID Director General Thongplew Kongjan said this farmland is expected to produce up to 24.65 million tonnes.
As the second-largest rice exporter in the world, behind India, Thailand expects to ship 7-8 million tonnes worth 4.2 billion USD this year - the lowest level in seven years.
Rice plantation sooner as precaution against food crisis amid pandemic
An Indonesian farmer works in a paddy field. ANTARA/HO-Kementan
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Agriculture Ministry is implementing a
program called the Paddy Planting Acceleration Movement in several regions to
encourage early planting activities as a precautionary measure against a food
crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ministry has urged farmers to plant paddy early and simultaneously, Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo noted in his statement here on Friday.
"In response to President Jokowi’s directive as a precautionary measure against the food crisis, the Paddy Planting Acceleration Movement must be implemented despite a rice surplus in some areas," he remarked.
Every stakeholder must work hard to prevent a possible food crisis in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The government has outlined two strategies to prevent a food crisis, with the first being to encourage planting of crops earlier than schedule, while the second pertains to delivering the necessary infrastructure and facilities promptly to support the planting process, according to the minister.
Meanwhile, Head of the Agricultural Human Resources and Development Agency (BPPSDM) Dedi Nursyamsi stated that farmers must keep up the spirit of planting, processing, and harvesting since food is a crucial issue and a determining factor for the development and prosperity of a nation.
Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, farmers and agricultural officers must strive hard, as planting activities must continue since the food demand remains high.
The Meteorological, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency has forecast prolonged drought during this year's dry season in Indonesia.
Rains are expected to fall in several regions for the rest of May this year.
Furthermore, the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry has readied several dams, reservoirs, water retention basins, bore wells, and other facilities to store water, particularly for irrigation purposes.
The ministry has urged farmers to plant paddy early and simultaneously, Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo noted in his statement here on Friday.
"In response to President Jokowi’s directive as a precautionary measure against the food crisis, the Paddy Planting Acceleration Movement must be implemented despite a rice surplus in some areas," he remarked.
Every stakeholder must work hard to prevent a possible food crisis in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The government has outlined two strategies to prevent a food crisis, with the first being to encourage planting of crops earlier than schedule, while the second pertains to delivering the necessary infrastructure and facilities promptly to support the planting process, according to the minister.
Meanwhile, Head of the Agricultural Human Resources and Development Agency (BPPSDM) Dedi Nursyamsi stated that farmers must keep up the spirit of planting, processing, and harvesting since food is a crucial issue and a determining factor for the development and prosperity of a nation.
Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, farmers and agricultural officers must strive hard, as planting activities must continue since the food demand remains high.
The Meteorological, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency has forecast prolonged drought during this year's dry season in Indonesia.
Rains are expected to fall in several regions for the rest of May this year.
Furthermore, the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry has readied several dams, reservoirs, water retention basins, bore wells, and other facilities to store water, particularly for irrigation purposes.
Egypt's strategic rice
reserves sufficient until october -supply ministry
LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - Egypt has
sufficient rice reserves until October, sugar for six months, wheat for 5.3
months and vegetable oils for 5.3 months, the supply ministry said on Friday.
Reporting by Omar Fahmy Writing by
Amina Ismail Editing by David Goodman
A
A
Saudis Buy 90,000 Tons of Rice for Zakat al-Fitr
Friday,
22 May, 2020 - 08:00
Rice
is the common benefactor's choice for end-of-Ramadan charity in Saudi Arabia,
Asharq Al-Awsat
Jeddah - Saeed
al-Abyad
Around 30 million individuals are heading to
markets in Saudi Arabia to buy rice for Zakat al-Fitr, charity taken for the
poor a few days before the end of fasting in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Rice, a prominent commodity in Saudi Arabia, is
the benefactor’s choice to give out as charity.
Usually each individual donates three kilograms
of rice for Zakat al-Fitr, which is amounting this year to over 462 million
Saudi rials ($123 million). Over 90,000 tons of rice are being distributed to
the poor.According to rice importers, the value of spending fluctuates
according to the quality of rice being bought. Most consumers opt to buy rice
that sells between 5 and 8 Saudi rials per kilogram.
Mohammed Shalan, the chairman of the board of
directors at Abdul Rahman Al Shalan Sons Trading Co, confirmed that rice is the
commodity of choice when it comes to distributing Zakat al-Fitr. Estimations
indicate that 30 million individuals will be giving out 3 kilograms of rice
each this year, Shalan said.
Shalan, whose company is one of the lead rice
suppliers in the Kingdom, said that for the two months linked to Ramadan the
consumption of rice rises significantly in the Kingdom. During those 60 days,
rice consumption rates make up around 30% of the annual consumption volume which
is estimated at 1.4 million tons.
The spike in consumption is a reflection of
multiple factors. Families in Saudi Arabia consume more rice around Ramadan.
The commodity is integral to Suhoor meals,
charity, Eid feasts and Zakat al-Fitr.
As for supply, Shalan reassured that market
demand is covered despite the coronavirus pandemic. Demand was secured early on
by authorities, who supported the private sector and backed the entry of goods
into the Kingdom, which has stabilized the market, Shalan said.
Asia
Rice: India prices scale one-year peak, cyclone hits Bangladesh crop
(Reuters) - Rice prices in top exporter India
hit a more than one-year peak this week bolstered by robust demand from African
and Asian countries, while a cyclone damaged some crops in Bangladesh.
QUALITY
REPEAT A worker spreads rice for drying at a rice mill on the outskirts of
Kolkata, India, January 31, 2019. Picture taken January 31, 2019. REUTERS/Rupak
De Chowdhuri/Files
Cyclone
Amphan, which pounded eastern India and Bangladesh on Wednesday, damaged crops
on 176,000 hectares in Bangladesh, Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque said.
But
as harvesting of the summer crop is almost complete in the coastal districts,
he said the impact would be limited. India’s 5 percent broken
parboiled variety rose to $385-$389 per tonne, the highest since April 2019,
from last week’s $380-$385.
“Buyers
prefer Indian rice due to lower prices,” a Mumbai-based exporter with a global
trading firm said.
Malaysia
has contracted to import a record 100,000 tonnes of rice from India for
shipment this month and next.
A
weak Indian rupee that raised margins from overseas sales further boosted
prices, exporters said.
Meanwhile,
a stronger baht, which touched a more than two-month high on Thursday, pushed
up Thailand’s benchmark 5-percent broken rice to $480-$505 from last week’s
$480-$485.
“The
exchange rate has led to some price fluctuations but the overall trend is that
prices will likely continue to go down because rain has eased market concerns
over supply,” a Bangkok-based rice trader said.
As
Thai rice prices have retreated from last month’s highs, which were the most in
nearly seven years because a drought squeezed supplies, demand has recovered
slightly, traders said.
“There have been some sales recently to
countries like Japan but these are not large deals,” another Bangkok-based
trader said adding, no major deals were in sight.
Rates
for Vietnam’s 5% broken rice held near a one-year high at $450-$460 a tonne.
“High
demand along with low supplies have pegged prices at that (one-year) high,” a
Ho Chi Minh City-based trader said. “New supplies are expected to be at the
same level as the previous winter-spring crop season.”
Reporting
by Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai, Ruma Paul in Dhaka, Phuong Nguyen in Hanoi and
Panu Wongcha-um in Bangkok; editing by Arpan Varghese and Barbara Lewis
Our
Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Setting the stage for kharif sowing
G
Chandrashekhar | Updated
on May 22, 2020 Published on May
22, 2020
With the onset of the South-West
monsoon over the Kerala coast only a few days away, it is heartening that the
India Meteorological Department has forecast a normal monsoon this year. That
by itself should come as a huge relief to everyone, including policymakers.
No
need to import rice - former MP
Thu, May 21, 2020, 11:32 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Thu, May 21, 2020, 11:32 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
May 21, Colombo: There is enough
paddy stocks in the country until the Yala season paddy harvest and therefore,
there is no need to import rice, Roshan Ranasinghe former SLFP parliamentarian
of Polonnaruwa District said today.
He
said that information has been collected by the Government Intelligence units
and District Secretariats and there are about 1.9 - 2 million kilos of paddy
stocks in Polonnaruwa district alone.
Mr.
Roshan Ranasinghe revealed this at a press conference held at Polonnaruwa today
(21st).
He
said it is a crime to create an artificial rice shortage impacting the consumer
at this time and this is a game played by paddy mafias every day. He also
requested the large scale mill owners not to just think of their personal
wealth in the face of people’s suffering.
Speaking
further, the former MP said the government has fixed a guaranteed price for
paddy to safeguard the farmer and a control price for rice has been fixed to
safeguard the consumer.
“The
price of paddy kilo in private sector is Rs. 55 now. The paddy is bought at Rs.
55 in order to provide rice at Rs. 90 a kilo. Some rice mill owners are trying
to create an artificial shortage of rice. If the mill owners have decided a
higher wholesale price, the traders should report to the Consumer Affairs
Authority. It is a crime to hit the stomach of the consumer. The government
will not hesitate to hand over the stocks of paddy that the large scale mill
owners are hiding. The main staple food of the people in this country is rice.
Don’t play games with it. There is no need for the government to protect the
mill owners or rice mafia. There is no need to import rice at this time. The
country has sufficient stocks of paddy until the Yala season harvest is reaped.
Only a few sells rice at more than Rs.90 a kilo. This is a game made by the
Mafia. The President and the Prime Minister have taken steps to eliminate the
rice mafia.”
