Pakistan, China to set up hybrid rice research centre
Joint centre will boost yield to improve domestic food security
and supplement export
August 15, 2020
WUHAN:
Academic
institutes of Pakistan and China are working to jointly launch a research centre
for hybrid rice.
The Wuhan
University-University of Punjab Joint Research Centre for Honglian Hybrid Rice
is going to become operational this year, revealed official website of China
Association for Science and Technology.
This move will
boost development of high-yield hybrid rice in Pakistan to improve domestic
food security, in addition to supplementing rice export.
Honglian hybrid
rice is one of the three major types of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) of
rice (Oryza sativa L) that has been commercially used in hybrid rice seed
production.
The production
of Honglian hybrid rice in Pakistan can reach around 7,500kg per hectare,
nearly three times as much as that of many other rice varieties, said Zhu
Renshan, professor-level senior engineer of Wuhan University who is in charge
of the international cooperation on this type of rice.
"A lot of
hybrid rice varieties' high-yield performance is only confined to a specific
area. In contrast, Honglian hybrid rice can create bumper harvest not only in
China but also in many other countries like Pakistan," Zhu Renshan said.
Honglian hybrid
rice adapts well to Pakistan's climate. Even under extreme high temperature or
changeable weather, the seed setting rate is still stable, much higher than
that of other hybrid rice varieties.
Moreover,
Honglian rice seed production costs less therefore farmers can get higher
income at the same investment.
Punjab
Agriculture Extension Director Shahzad Sabir and professors from the University
of Punjab praised Honglian hybrid rice's feature of heat-tolerance and
adaptability, which suits Pakistan's climate.
Having seen
Honglian hybrid rice do well in the six experimental plots in Pakistan,
professionals of the two countries are confident in its future performance when
sowed at a large scale.
Next, besides
lifting local cultivation, the research centre is planning a series of
technical cooperation and scientific research. Seed production technologies
will be gradually transferred to Pakistan. Furthermore, they will also provide
technical support on pest control.
Though the
Covid-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc in the world, Pak-Sino cooperation
related to Honglian hybrid rice keeps progressing.
Earlier this
year, the research team of Wuhan University delivered seeds from China to Pakistan
via international logistics, and the rice will be harvested in October.
THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED ON THE CHINA
ECONOMIC NET
Published in The Express
Tribune, August 15th, 2020.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2259545/pakistan-china-to-set-up-hybrid-rice-research-centre
Pak-China universities to establish research center on hybrid
rice
August 14, 2020
BEIJJING, August 14 (APP): China’s Wuhan University and
University of the Punjab Joint Research Center for Honglian Hybrid Rice will be
established this year, revealed by the official website of China Association
for Science and Technology.
This move will boost the development of high-yield hybrid rice
in Pakistan, a major rice exporter in the world, to improve domestic food
safety as well as supplement rice export, according to a report published by
China Economic Net (CEN) on Friday.
Honglian hybrid rice is one of the three major types of
cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) of rice that has been commercially used in
hybrid rice seed production.
In China, it is a well-known hybrid rice type developed for over
40 years by Zhu Yingguo, the late member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering
and expert in plant genetics and breeding. By 2020, the global acreage of
Honglian hybrid rice has surpassed about 26.67 million hectares.
The production of Honglian hybrid rice in Pakistan can reach
around 7,500 kg per hectare, nearly three times as much as that of many other
rice varieties, according to Zhu Renshan, professor-level senior engineer of
Wuhan University who is now in charge of the international cooperation on this
type of rice.
“A lot of hybrid rice varieties’ high-yield performance is only
confined to a specific area. In contrast, Honglian hybrid rice can create
bumper harvest not only in China but also in many other countries like
Pakistan,” Zhu Renshan said.
Honglian hybrid rice adapts well to Pakistan’s climate. Even under
extreme high temperature or changeable weather, the seed setting rate is still
stable, much higher than that of other hybrid rice varieties. Moreover,
Honglian rice seed production costs less. Therefore, farmers can get higher
income at the same investment.
It’s also worth mentioning that Honglian hybrid rice is
eco-friendly because of the higher nitrogen use efficiency characteristic,
exhibiting vigor and good yield even in barren soil. In this way fertilization
can be decreased.
In 2019, the exchange visits between the two nations’
agricultural experts on Honglian hybrid rice had been done. Shahzad Sabir,
Punjab Agriculture Extension Director, and professors from University of the
Punjab, praised Honglian hybrid rice’s quality of heat-tolerance and adaptability,
which suits Pakistan’s climate. Having seen Honglian hybrid rice does so well
in the six experimental plots in Pakistan, the two countries’ professionals are
confident in its future performance when sowed at a large scale.
Next, besides lifting local cultivation, the research center is
planning a series of technical cooperation and scientific research. Seed
production technologies will be gradually transferred to Pakistan. Furthermore,
they will also provide technical support on pest control.
Though COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc in the world,
Pak-Sino cooperation related to Honglian hybrid rice keeps progressing.
The two countries’ experts are communicating online and have
held a video meeting of technical guidance.
Earlier this year, the research team of Wuhan University
delivered seeds from China to Pakistan via international logistics, and the
rice will be harvested in October.
https://www.app.com.pk/global/pak-china-universities-to-establish-research-center-on-hybrid-rice/
South Asia counts losses from devastating monsoon floods
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — When the Dharala River burst its banks
in early July, Kamal Hossain left his home with five members of his family to
take shelter in a school in northern Bangladesh, carrying their most prized
belongings: cattle, a few sacks of rice and clothes.
Like him, an estimated 17.5 million people across South Asia are
suffering as a result of the devastation of this year’s monsoon floods. Nearly
700 have died.
A third of Bangladesh went underwater, including Hossain’s
district of Kurigram, after most of its 16 rivers overflowed following
torrential rains and violent onrush of waters from upstream India, which was
also tormented by the floods as rivers cut their ways from as far as the
Himalayan nation of Nepal. Bangladesh, which is crisscrossed by 230 rivers, is
the last channel through which waters are drained into the Bay of Bengal.
Experts have long been warning that a densely populated delta
country like Bangladesh is one of the worst victims of climate change, and
severe and frequent floods indicate that something has gone wrong.
“The current major floods affecting millions of people in
Bangladesh along with super cyclone Amphan that hit the country a few months
ago are both linked to human induced climate now becoming a reality,” said
Saleemul Huq, a Bangladeshi expert on climate change and director of the
International Center for Climate Change and Development.
He said Bangladesh needs to ramp up its diplomacy to convince
global powers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions as many countries had
agreed in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in 2015.
The impact of global warming in South Asia is evident by a
steady sea level rise, changes in ambient temperature and rainfall patterns and
an increase in cyclonic activity, experts say. More landslides and flooding are
projected across the region, which is home to almost one-fourth of the world’s
population. Thousands have already been displaced from low-lying islands in the
Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest straddling Bangladesh and
India.
When upstream countries like India or Nepal flush out waters, a
district like Kurigram pays the price.
“Some 300,000 people have either lost their homes or crops. Some
400 small river islands were completely under water,” said Mohammed Rezaul
Karim, a top government official in Kurigram. “This is a great worry for us.”
Azmat Ulla, the Bangladesh head of the International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said disasters like floods are
becoming more frequent and dangerous.
“Waters are going down, but people’s homes and other
infrastructures are being devoured by river erosion,” he said. “Rebuilding
their lives is not so easy.”
While the national governments are assessing the extent of
damage, the European Union said this week it will provide $1.94 million in aid.
The support comes on top of the $2.21 million announced earlier this year to
support those affected by a series of disasters, including Cyclone Amphan that
ravaged India and Bangladesh in May.
In Nepal, a repeat of the deadly 1993 floods that were caused by
the biggest rainfall on record could be catastrophic, said Shreekamal Dwivedi,
a senior engineering geologist at the government’s Venerable Landslides
Management Project.
Authorities in one of India’s worst-hit states are also counting
losses.
About 5.7 million out of Assam’s 30 million people have been hit
by the deluge with the total loss of property and crops estimated at $306
million. Assam faces floods every year when waters of the Brahmaputra, one of
Asia’s largest rivers that originates in the Tibetan Himalayas, and its
tributaries overflow.
After more than 1 1/2 months in shelter, Hossain is preparing to
return home, but faces uncertainty over how to rebuild with almost no money in
hand. His only choice is to wait for the next harvest two months away.
“I have lost everything. I don’t know what will happen next,” he
said.
___
Gurubacharya reported from Kathmandu, Nepal and Hussain from
Gauhati, India.
___
This story has been corrected to show that 16 rivers refers to
single district, not whole country.
https://apnews.com/30a85eb980f793210c776931df5d0c82
Local rice
exporters seek ways to enter EU
Vietnam’s rice exports to the EU remain modest, at about 20,000
tonnes in volume and 10.7 million USD in value in 2019, accounting for a small
proportion of the bloc’s annual average rice consumption of 2.5 million tonnes
in the 2016-2020 period.
Friday, August 14, 2020 17:47
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam’s rice exports to the EU remain modest, at about 20,000 tonnes in
volume and 10.7 million USD in value in 2019, accounting for a small proportion
of the bloc’s annual average rice consumption of 2.5 million tonnes in the 2016-2020
period.
Tran Thanh Hai, Vice Director of the Import-Export Department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), said the absence of a tariff-free quota from the EU lies behind the situation, as it has
cut the competitiveness of Vietnamese rice.
The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement has opened the door for Vietnam, he went
on, as it nominates a tariff-free quota of 80,000 tonnes each year.
The quota, however, is not allocated to Vietnamese exporters but to EU
importers. Meanwhile, under the agreement, fragrant rice must be certified by
Vietnam, which means additional administrative procedures.
MoIT said that applications from importers for rice to be sent to the EU will
be submitted to authorised agencies of member countries within the first seven
days of each month, excluding December. Applications for the first day of each
year will be submitted in the last seven days of November in the previous year.
Meanwhile, exporters must show authenticity certificates for rice before
sending shipments to the EU.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is currently working with
MoIT on drafting documents guiding procedures for registering for certificates.
Businesses are advised to prepare certificates of origin for customs clearance
procedures.
Hai said that as soon as the EU announces its quota allocation, the ministry
will inform businesses via its website and the media. Businesses can access the
website of the EU at http://ec.europa.eu or contact their partners to remain updated, he
added./.
https://en.vietnamplus.vn/local-rice-exporters-seek-ways-to-enter-eu/180281.vnp
Vietnam’s rice export price highest in the
world
tranthuy02
A rice warehouse in Vietnam (Photo:
thanhnien.vn)
Over the past 30 years, this is the first time
Vietnam’s rice export price is the same as Thailand’s, even outpacing 20 USD a
ton compared to Thailand’s 5% broken rice.
Vietnamese rice is being bought at higher
prices by importers thanks to the rice’s improved quality and the Vietnam- EU
Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development reports that Vietnam has exported nearly 3.9 million tons of rice,
earning 1.9 billion USD since the beginning of the year. Export volume fell
1.4% but increased by around 11% in value over the same period last year.
The country was also the world’s second biggest rice exporter in volume and
value.
In the first seven months of the year, the
country’s rice export volume reached nearly 4 million tons with a value of US$2
billion, an increase of 11 percent in value and a decrease of 1.5 percent in
volume over the same period in 2019.
On August 11, the 5-percent broken rice of
Vietnam was priced at US$493 a ton while the 5-percent broken rice of Thailand
was priced at US$473 a ton.
The price of 25 percent-broken rice of Vietnam
hit US$468 a ton and the 25-percent broken rice of Thailand reached US$452 a
ton.
According to some experts, improved rice
quality and logistics infrastructure in addition to the Covid-19 outbreak has
led to high import demand of countries and high export price of Vietnamese
rice.
By Quy Ngoc- Translated by Huyen Huong
https://vietreader.com/business/11155-vietnamese-rice-more-pricey-than-thai-rice.html
Rice Prices
as on :
14-08-2020 11:03:29 AM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in
Rs/quintal in domestic market.
|
Arrivals |
Price |
|||||
|
Current |
% |
Season |
Modal |
Prev. |
Prev.Yr |
|
|
Rice |
||||||
|
Asansol(WB) |
30.00 |
-6.25 |
1371.01 |
3100 |
3100 |
9.15 |
|
Durgapur(WB) |
20.00 |
-9.09 |
1290.25 |
2900 |
3000 |
10.27 |
|
Raiganj(WB) |
15.00 |
NC |
638.50 |
3200 |
3200 |
-8.57 |
|
Islampur(WB) |
14.00 |
NC |
737.80 |
3300 |
3300 |
-8.33 |
|
Alibagh(Mah) |
1.00 |
NC |
100.00 |
2200 |
2200 |
NC |
|
Murud(Mah) |
1.00 |
NC |
99.00 |
2200 |
2200 |
NC |
Follow us on Telegram, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Linkedin. You can also
download our Android App or IOS App.
Published
on August 14, 2020
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rice-prices/article32351523.ece#
In
Memory: Robert Petter, Sr.
|
New
Labeling Law in Mexico Favors Healthy Choices |
|
MEXICO
CITY, MEXICO -- Obesity is a major health challenge in Mexico and the López
Obrador administration is pursuing aggressive avenues to improve the
consumption habits in the country. To aid consumers in identifying
healthy foods, a new law is being implemented that requires front-of-pack
labeling with warnings and legends to alert consumers about high levels of
sugar, sodium, calories, and/or saturated fat.
|
Rains may have positive
impact on Kharif crops
Fazal Sher | Sardar Sikander Shaheen 14 Aug 2020
ISLAMABAD: The current monsoon
rains are likely to have a positive impact on production and yield of Kharif
crops including sugarcane, rice, cotton, maize and other minor crops.
A senior official of Ministry of
National Food Security and Research (MNS&R) told Business Recorder that the ongoing spell would
enhance production of major Kharif crops, including rice, sugarcane, and maize
as these crops require more water.
He further said that the current
rains would also have a positive impact on cotton crop. However, if heavy rains
continue for a long time, then it would negatively impact on the crops, the
official said. "Heavy rains or above normal rains lead to various diseases
in the cotton crop as large quantity of water does not benefit cotton yields,"
he said, adding that sugarcane and rice are high delta crops and cotton is a
low delta crop.
President Pakistan Kissan Ittehad
(PKI) Khalid Mahmood Khokhar said that rains would have positive impact on all
standing crops but he pointed out that it would negatively impact on cotton
crop in Sindh province as currently the crop is in the picking stage.
The Federal Committee on
Agriculture (FCA) for Kharif season 2020-21 had fixed sugarcane production
target for year 2020-21 at 69.8 million tons from an area of 1.180 million
hectares; and fixed paddy production target at 7.99 million tons from an area
of 2.59 million hectares of land. The FCA had fixed cotton production target
for year 2018-19 at 10.8 million bales from an area of 2.31 million hectares.
According to Pakistan
Meteorological Department (PMD), rainfall forecast for August monsoon region of
Punjab including some lower parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is predicted to be
slightly above normal to normal rainfall. The above normal rainfall may occur
in merged district of erstwhile FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) and
Sindh, it further projects.
The department says that below
average precipitation is anticipated across mountainous region of Gilgit
Baltistan and south western parts of Balochistan.
According to weather advisory
issued for farmers by National Agromet Centre (NAC) of PMD, farmers are advised
to take necessary measures to protect standing crops and fruits from damaging
effects of varying weather patterns due to monsoon systems.
PMD has advised cotton growers to
take necessary measures as accumulation of stagnant water in the fields due to
heavy rains is fatal for standing crops like cotton. Farmers of rain-fed areas
were also advised to take measures to preserve rain water for crops and livestock.
Meanwhile, met office predicted
that more monsoon currents are expected to penetrate in Sindh from Friday
(evening) to Sunday under the influence of this system. Scattered
rain/wind-thundershower, with few/isolated heavy falls, are expected in Karachi,
Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Shaheed Benazirabad, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas, Umar
Kot, Sanghar and Mithi from Friday (evening/night) to Sunday.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40011972
A pinch of MSG
instead of salt to reduce sodium intake?
Friday, 14 August, 2020
While monosodium glutamate (MSG)
is deemed safe by Food Standards Australia New
Zealand (FSANZ) and many other food
authorities around the world, consumer aversion to the extensively
researched flavour enhancer remains.
Now, a new study published by
researchers from the University of California, supported by Ajinomoto
Co., Inc., is hoping to change
consumer perceptions.
According to the study, published
in the Journal of Food Science, MSG can be
used to significantly reduce sodium while also promoting the enjoyment of
better-for-you foods like grains and vegetables.
“MSG has two-thirds less sodium
than table salt and imparts umami — a savoury taste,” said Dr Jean-Xavier
Guinard, Professor of Sensory Science, Co-Director of the Coffee Center at the
University of California, Davis, and a lead investigator in the study.
“Taste is a key factor in what
people decide to eat. Using MSG as a replacement for some salt in the diet and
to increase the appeal of nutritious foods can help make healthy eating easier,
likely leading to a positive impact on health,” Guinard said.
“Just as the substitution of
butter with olive oil can help to reduce saturated fat intake, MSG can be used
as a partial replacement for salt to reduce sodium intake,” Guinard said.
In the study, participants
evaluated four different recipes in which sodium was reduced by 31–61% through
the addition of MSG, and described the dishes as flavourful, delicious and
balanced.
Culinary scientists from Pilot
R&D, a food innovation and development company, developed four dishes —
roasted vegetables, a quinoa bowl, a savoury yoghurt dip and cauliflower fried
rice with pork. Study participants (163 total, aged 18–62 years) evaluated
three different versions of each dish — a standard recipe with typical salt
content, a reduced salt recipe with significant sodium reduction and the same
reduced salt recipe with significant sodium reduction plus MSG added. For each
dish, participants rated overall liking, appearance, flavour, texture,
saltiness, aftertaste and how likely they would be to order the dish at a
restaurant.
The reduced salt recipes with
added MSG were liked as much as or better than (in the case of the quinoa bowl
and savoury yoghurt dip) the standard recipes, suggesting that MSG can be used
as a way to reduce sodium without compromising taste. Whereas the reduced salt
recipes were commonly described as “bland” and the standard recipes described
as “salty” and “sour” in some cases, the MSG recipes were associated with
“delicious”, “flavourful”, “balanced” and “savoury” in some instances.
Previous research has shown that
MSG can be used to reduce sodium by 30%, and in some cases up to 50%, in
packaged foods and snacks such as soups, broths, chips and sausage, without
compromising taste and consumer preference for the products. For the first
time, this study shows promise for using MSG in foods with a desirable
nutritional profile that consumers should be eating more of.
Image credit:
©stock.adobe.com/au/Engdao
PH will have less
rice imports due to limited global supply
Published August 14, 2020, 1:18 PM
The Philippines, the world’s top rice
importer, is seen to import less rice next year but it’s not going to be
intentional. There’s just simply not enough rice to import from the global
market.
The latest Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report of the US
Department of Agriculture (USDA) showed that from 3.3 million metric tons (MT)
of rice, the Philippines may actually import just around 3 million MT of the
staple in 2021.
This is due to the “reduced exportable
supplies” from Thailand and Vietnam, which are the top two suppliers of
imported rice to the Philippines.
From 9 million MT of rice, Thailand’s 2021
rice exports is now seen at 8.5 million MT due to reduced production forecast,
while Vietnam may only export 6.3 million MT of rice from 6.4 million MT
with a smaller production.
“The exporter with the sharpest decline is
Thailand. Exportable supplies have been limited by a poor Thai crop which was
affected by drought. Thai prices have been consistently higher than its
regional competitors,” the GAIN report said.
For this year, Thailand is forecast to
export only 6.5 million MT, its lowest since 1998.
Nevertheless, the Philippines will still
remain as the world’s top rice importer for this year and next year based on
USDA’s new forecast.
For this year, the USDA is expecting the
country’s rice imports to be around 2.5 million MT.
This was earlier disputed by a local
agriculture lobby group, Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), which
claimed the Philippines may actually have way lower rice imports for the entire
2020 due to global trade disruptions brought about by COVID-19 pandemic.
The other day, Agriculture Secretary
William Dar has assured that the country will have enough rice for the rest of
the year despite the implementation of stricter lockdown measures and
other global developments such as the flooding in China, which is feared to
disrupt the global rice market.
For this month alone, Dar said the
Philippines has at least 53 days of rice inventory.
“This will increase in the coming months,
as we expect harvest from the wet season palay [paddy rice] cropping, starting
late September,” Dar said.
He then said that “barring adverse typhoons
and natural disasters in the remaining months of the year”, the Philippines
will still achieve a record palay output this year of 20.34 million MT, which
is 8 percent higher than the 2019 production.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/08/14/ph-will-have-less-rice-imports-due-to-limited-global-supply/
Taiwan: Taiwan
Completes First US Rice Tender of 2020
August 13, 2020
Commodities
Price volatility and U.S.
logistical challenges caused by COVID-19 delayed Taiwan's rice tendering
process until the summer. On July 21, 2020, Taiwan awarded the first tender of
the 2020 U.S. rice country specific quota (CSQ) for 18,500 metric tons (MT)
under the simultaneous-buy and sell (SBS) scheme to nine successful bidders
with various tonnages and offered bid price levels. This fulfills 28 percent of
the 2020 U.S. rice CSQ.
USDA says rice
imports to decrease next year
August 14, 2020
THE United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicts the
Philippines’ rice imports for 2021 will decrease to 3 million metric tons (MT),
from its earlier projection of 3.3 million MT.
The USDA in a report said the decrease was due to tighter
supplies from major exporters Thailand, China and Vietnam.
The Philippines imports around seven to 14 percent of its rice
requirements with 90 percent coming from Vietnam.
Despite the updated projection, the USDA said the Philippines
will remain the world’s biggest rice importer for this year and next year.
The country has been in the top spot since 2019 with total rice
imports at 2.9 million MT to this year’s expected 2.6 million MT and next
year’s projected 3 million MT.
The report also reiterated that milled production of rice in the
Philippines is estimated at 11.9 million MT for this year but may drop to 11
million MT by 2021 as consumption is seen to hit 14.3 million MT for 2020 but
can reach 14.4 million MT by next year.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar assured
the country will have enough rice for the rest of the year, despite the
implementation of a protracted community quarantine due to COVID-19 pandemic
and the flooding in China that is feared to disrupt the global rice market.
He said at present, the Philippines has at least 53 days of rice
inventory which will increase in the coming months with the harvest from the
wet season palay cropping, starting late September.
“Barring adverse typhoons and natural disasters in the remaining
months of the year, we expect a record palay output this year of 20.34 million
MT which is 8 percent higher than the 2019 production… Our palay sector
continues to exceed expectations despite challenges and the ongoing health
crisis that we are facing, including other concerns, amid these challenging
times,” Dar said.
He added all drawn up rice supply scenarios show comfortable
levels of rice supply by the end of the year which at best would be good for 98
days and good for 90 days at worst.
https://malaya.com.ph/index.php/news_business/usda-says-rice-imports-to-decrease-next-year/
Eastern Region developing into a
major rice production area
Regional News of Friday, 14 August 2020
Source: GNA
Rice
production in Ghana
The Eastern Region is gradually
developing into a major rice-growing zone in the country.
Under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ), in 2018, 18.27 metric tons of rice
seeds were planted in the region and in 2019 the figure increased to 121.91
metric tons of rice seeds.
This was disclosed by Mr Henry Crenstil, the Eastern Regional Director of
Agriculture at the 2020 Agriculture Sector Joint Review Meeting at Koforidua.
He said the PFJ helped increase the use of fertilizers in the region and also
saw a lot of schools establishing school farms and gardens.
Mr Crenstil said in 2017, only five schools in the region participated in the
PFJ programme and cultivated six hectares of farm.
He said in 2019, the number of schools that participated in the PFJ increased
to 84 and they cultivated 99.5 hectares of farm.
Mr Crenstil called for the need to focus on the whole agriculture value chain
to ensure that agriculture policies did not end up at the production stages.
He called for the promotion of agricultural policies that could motivate
entrepreneurs to invest in agriculture processing to help reduce post-harvest
losses.
Ms Comfort Asante, the New Juaben North Municipal Chief Executive said Eastern
Region needed to take advantage of its comparative advantage in agriculture and
promote new approaches to farming, including all kinds of linkages in the
agricultural commodity value chain from production to consumption.
She suggested the inclusion of entrepreneurs in all stages of the agriculture
value chain to help promote agro-processing.
Mr Thomas Wobil a Technical Adviser said more young people would show interest
in agriculture if schools stop using weeding as a punishment, more schools
established school gardens and the youth see their parents engage in
agricultural activities in the home.
He called for the need to develop the agricultural sector and promote
irrigation in agriculture.
Mr Anthony Botwe from the private sector called on mango farmers to do good
pruning of their mango trees to allow air and sunshine into their mango trees.
This practice he said could help reduce the many mango and fruit diseases
confronting them.
Alliance Global
profit drops 67% to P4.1 B in H1 due to lockdown
Published August 14, 2020, 7:00 PM
Alliance Global Group, Inc. (AGI), the
flagship of tycoon Andrew Tan, registered a 67 percent drop in net profit to
P4.1 billion in the first half of 2020 from P12.5 billion in the same period
last year.
In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock
Exchange, the firm said its attributable net income stood at P3.8 billion, down
53 percent from its year ago level of P8.1 billion.
Consolidated revenues fell 26 percent to
P61.4 billion from last year’s P82.8 billion, as the conglomerate
faced the hurdles caused by the coronavirus
pandemic that affected most of its businesses.
“The country’s strict two-month lockdown
weighed heavily on most of our domestic operations. We take comfort from the
fact that we have managed to diversify our sources of income, either by type of
products or by geographic contribution, and this has helped us mitigate the
impact of this pandemic on our group performance,” said AGI Chief Executive
Officer Kevin L. Tan.
In the first half of 2020, Megaworld
Corporation posted a 33 percent decline in attributable net income to P5.4
billion while Emperador recorded a 2 percent year-on-year improvement in
attributable profit to P3.3 billion.
Meanwhile, the ongoing community quarantine,
which put a temporary halt in casino gaming operations, has taken its toll on
Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc.
The owner and operator of Resorts World
Manila (RWM) recorded a net loss of P3.7 billion in the first half this year, a
reversal from its P845 million net income the year before.
The community quarantine also significantly
affected Golden Arches Development Corporation (GADC), popularly known as
McDonald’s Philippines, which is a strategic partnership with the George Yang
Group.
GADC posted a loss of P709 million in the
first half this year as against a profit of P751 million the year before.
“This global health crisis has brought us
new learnings. We have modified our product offerings and acquired new skills
to adapt to the changes in consumer behavior. Likewise, our move to transform
our operations under a digital strategy, an undertaking we have started only
last year, has supported most of our businesses especially during the strictest
period of the community quarantine,” reveals Tan.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/08/14/alliance-global-profit-drops-67-to-p4-1-b-in-h1-due-to-lockdown/
https://mb.com.ph/2020/08/14/gold-boosts-gir-to-98b-end-july-bsp/
Local rice
exporters seek ways to enter EU
Vietnam’s rice exports to the EU remain modest, at about 20,000
tonnes in volume and 10.7 million USD in value in 2019, accounting for a small
proportion of the bloc’s annual average rice consumption of 2.5 million tonnes
in the 2016-2020 period.
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam’s rice exports to the EU remain modest, at about 20,000 tonnes in volume and
10.7 million USD in value in 2019, accounting for a small proportion of the
bloc’s annual average rice consumption of 2.5 million tonnes in the 2016-2020
period.
Tran Thanh Hai, Vice Director of the Import-Export Department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), said the absence of a tariff-free quota
from the EU lies behind the situation, as it has cut the competitiveness of
Vietnamese rice.
The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement has opened the door for Vietnam, he went
on, as it nominates a tariff-free quota of 80,000 tonnes each year.
The quota, however, is not allocated to Vietnamese exporters but to EU
importers. Meanwhile, under the agreement, fragrant rice must be certified by
Vietnam, which means additional administrative procedures.
MoIT said that applications from importers for rice to be sent to the EU will
be submitted to authorised agencies of member countries within the first seven
days of each month, excluding December. Applications for the first day of each
year will be submitted in the last seven days of November in the previous year.
Meanwhile, exporters must show authenticity certificates for rice before
sending shipments to the EU.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is currently working with
MoIT on drafting documents guiding procedures for registering for certificates.
Businesses are advised to prepare certificates of origin for customs clearance
procedures.
Hai said that as soon as the EU announces its quota allocation, the ministry
will inform businesses via its website and the media. Businesses can access the
website of the EU at http://ec.europa.eu or contact their partners to remain
updated, he added./.
https://en.vietnamplus.vn/local-rice-exporters-seek-ways-to-enter-eu/180281.vnp
https://mb.com.ph/2020/08/14/eccp-survey-finds-eu-traders-unhappy-with-covid-response/
Punjab
Punjab CM bans sale of 9
agro-chemicals to protect Paddy crop quality and boost Basmati export
PUNJAB NEW EXPRESS | August 14, 2020 08:09 PM
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday
ordered a ban on the sale and use of nine agro-chemicals, after the Agriculture
Department found these were still being used by farmers despite being
detrimental to the quality of Paddy.
The ban is aimed at protecting the Paddy quality, which is critical to its
export and remunerative pricing in the international market.
The Chief Minister, who also hold the Agriculture portfolio, has approved the
ban of Acephate, Triazophos, Thiamethoxam, Carbendazim, Tricyclazole,
Buprofezin, Carbofuron, Propiconazole and Thiophinate Methyl, under section 27
of the Insecticides Act, 1968 with immediate effect.
Under the ban orders, the sale, stocking, distribution and use of these nine
insecticides on rice crop has been prohibited. The Chief Minister has asked Secretary
Agriculture KS Pannu to issue detailed guidelines to Director Agriculture to
ensure strict enforcement of the ban, issued after state government
laboratories conducted sample testing.
Pannu said these agro-chemicals were non-conducive to the farmers’ interest,
besides resulting in degradation of quality, and also posed a risk of higher
pesticide residues in rice grain than the Maximum Residual Level (MRL) fixed by
the Government.
The Agriculture department has launched an intensive campaign over the past two
years to sensitize the farmers and pesticide dealers about the hazards of the
use of such chemicals on human beings. Even the Punjab Rice Millers and
Exporters Association had reported that several samples contain the residue
value of these pesticides, much above the prescribed MRL values in Basmati
Rice, added the Secretary Agriculture.
Andhra
Pradesh Citizens forum seeks Rs 7,500, 10 kg rice to poor in Eluru
Hans
News Service |
14 Aug 2020 11:07 PM IST x Eluru Nagara Pourasamakhya Sangham
leader P Kishore addressing the media in Eluru on Friday HIGHLIGHTS The Eluru
Nagara Pourasamakhya Sangham has demanded that the Central and State
governments take initiative to help the cross-section of people who lost
livelihood due to Coronavirus pandemic Eluru: The Eluru Nagara Pourasamakhya
Sangham has demanded that the Central and State governments take initiative to
help the cross-section of people who lost livelihood due to Coronavirus
pandemic. The sangham under the leadership of P Kishore conducted a survey in
the town to study the living conditions of the poor people. They survey
included people belonging to 23 professions and spanned over a week to elicit
the pathetic conditions they have been facing because of the Covid pandemic.
Revealing the survey details at a press conference here on Friday, Kishore said
demanded that the governments supply 10 kgs rice to each person in these
families for six months so that the families recover from the pathetic
conditions. An immediate financial assistance of Rs 7,500 should be given to
the people of these sections. Employment guarantee should be implemented in
urban area to show livelihood to the affected families, he demanded. Email
ArticlePrint Article More On Eluru Nagara Pourasamakhya
Sangham Coronavirus Eluru 1. Comments will be moderated by
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https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/citizens-forum-seeks-rs-7500-10-kg-rice-to-poor-in-eluru-639501
Pakistan, China to boost cooperation in agri sector
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan needed to
strengthen commercial promotion and marketing for its agricultural products to
enhance exports to China.
This was stated by Gu Wenliang, the
Agriculture Commissioner, Embassy of China to Pakistan at a webinar held by the
Vehari Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gwadar Pro reported on Thursday.
He said agriculture is one of the
key cooperation industries under the second phase of the China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC).
According to Gu, both of the
Chinese and Pakistani governments are committed to strengthening agricultural
industry cooperation and encouraging more Chinese enterprises to invest in
Pakistan and set up joint venture with potential local partners.
The agricultural industry
cooperation will not only increase Pakistan’s yields of crops and keep its food
security, but also improve its agricultural products exports to China and other
countries and regions.Gu pointed out that thete is great potential for China-Pak
agricultural cooperation in the four areas.
Firstly, the seed. Now, the average
yield of wheat is only 3 tons per hectare in Pakistan, which can be improved
substantially by taking the high-yield, anti-drought variety with resistance to
insects and pests.
As for rice cultivation, China’s
hybrid rice technology is recommended. The Gmo cotton is also proper to be
applied in Pakistan.For sugar cane and potato, the virus free tissue culture
sapling could be a good choice.
Second, China has many technologies
suitable for crops in Pakistan, including compound planting, smart agriculture,
water-saving irrigation and greenhouse.
Recently, two Pakistani students
from China’s Sichuan Agricultural University, use the maize-soybean strip
intercropping technology in Punjab, which has achieved satisfactory results by
now.The greenhouse planting can also promote the development of vegetables,
edible fungus and flowers in Pakistan.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/700461-pakistan-china-to-boost-cooperation-in-agri-sector
Vietnamese rice more pricey
than Thai rice
SGGPFriday, August 14, 2020 11:34
According to
the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), Vietnam's rice price is now highest in the
group of top rice exporters including Thailand, India, Pakistan and
Myanmar.
The country was also the world’s second biggest rice
exporter in volume and value.
In the first seven months of the year, the country’s rice export volume reached
nearly 4 million tons with a value of US$2 billion, an increase of 11 percent
in value and a decrease of 1.5 percent in volume over the same period in
2019.
On August 11, the 5-percent broken rice of Vietnam was priced at US$493 a ton
while the 5-percent broken rice of Thailand was priced at US$473 a ton.
The price of 25 percent-broken rice of Vietnam hit US$468 a ton and the
25-percent broken rice of Thailand reached US$452 a ton.
According to some experts, improved rice quality and logistics infrastructure
in addition to the Covid-19 outbreak has led to high import demand of countries
and high export price of Vietnamese rice.
https://sggpnews.org.vn/business/economy/vietnamese-rice-more-pricey-than-thai-rice-88003.html
Vietnam’s
rice prices climb to world’s highest
|
Friday, 2020-08-14 16:47:19 |
|
|
|
|
|
NDO - The prices of Vietnam’s
exported rice have been rising since mid-July, outstripping Thai rice to
record the highest prices in the world, according to the Vietnam Food
Association (VFA). |
|
Data as of August 14 showed
Vietnam’s 5% broken rice is traded at US$493-497 per tonne while the same
rice from Thailand and Pakistan is listed at US$473-477 and US$423-427
respectively. Indian rice is even lower at
US$378-382 per tonne. This is the first time in the
past 30 years that Vietnam’s rice prices have surpassed Thai rice, said
Nguyen Van Don, Director of the Tien Giang Province-based rice exporter Viet
Hung. In addition to 5% broken rice,
other Vietnamese rice varieties are also selling at higher prices on the
global market. The DT8 variety is being
exported at US$570 per tonne, compared with last year’s peak of US$540 while
the export prices of the 5451 jasmine rice have also increased by US$40-50
from the previous crop’s highest level of US$500 per tonne. Many rice exporters stated that
Vietnamese rice is being bought at higher prices thanks to its improved
quality and the availability of supply and quick delivery amid the
coronavirus pandemic also make Vietnamese rice a favourite of foreign buyers. According to the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam exported 3.9 million tonnes in the
first seven months of 2020, earning US$1.9 billion, up 10.9% from the
previous year. The Philippines is currently
the largest purchaser of Vietnamese rice, accounting for 37% of Vietnam’s
total rice exports. |
Pak-China universities to
establish research center on hybrid rice
August 14, 2020
BEIJJING, August 14 (APP): China’s Wuhan University and
University of the Punjab Joint Research Center for Honglian Hybrid Rice will be
established this year, revealed by the official website of China Association
for Science and Technology.
This move will boost the development of high-yield hybrid rice
in Pakistan, a major rice exporter in the world, to improve domestic food
safety as well as supplement rice export, according to a report published by
China Economic Net (CEN) on Friday.
Honglian hybrid rice is one of the three major types of
cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) of rice that has been commercially used in
hybrid rice seed production.
In China, it is a well-known hybrid rice type developed for over
40 years by Zhu Yingguo, the late member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering
and expert in plant genetics and breeding. By 2020, the global acreage of
Honglian hybrid rice has surpassed about 26.67 million hectares.
The production of Honglian hybrid rice in Pakistan can reach
around 7,500 kg per hectare, nearly three times as much as that of many other
rice varieties, according to Zhu Renshan, professor-level senior engineer of
Wuhan University who is now in charge of the international cooperation on this
type of rice.
“A lot of hybrid rice varieties’ high-yield performance is only
confined to a specific area. In contrast, Honglian hybrid rice can create
bumper harvest not only in China but also in many other countries like
Pakistan,” Zhu Renshan said.
Honglian hybrid rice adapts well to Pakistan’s climate. Even
under extreme high temperature or changeable weather, the seed setting rate is
still stable, much higher than that of other hybrid rice varieties. Moreover,
Honglian rice seed production costs less. Therefore, farmers can get higher
income at the same investment.
It’s also worth mentioning that Honglian hybrid rice is eco-friendly
because of the higher nitrogen use efficiency characteristic, exhibiting vigor
and good yield even in barren soil. In this way fertilization can be decreased.
In 2019, the exchange visits between the two nations’
agricultural experts on Honglian hybrid rice had been done. Shahzad Sabir,
Punjab Agriculture Extension Director, and professors from University of the
Punjab, praised Honglian hybrid rice’s quality of heat-tolerance and
adaptability, which suits Pakistan’s climate. Having seen Honglian hybrid rice
does so well in the six experimental plots in Pakistan, the two countries’
professionals are confident in its future performance when sowed at a large
scale.
Next, besides lifting local cultivation, the research center is
planning a series of technical cooperation and scientific research. Seed
production technologies will be gradually transferred to Pakistan. Furthermore,
they will also provide technical support on pest control.
Though COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc in the world,
Pak-Sino cooperation related to Honglian hybrid rice keeps progressing.
The two countries’ experts are communicating online and have
held a video meeting of technical guidance.
Earlier this year, the research team of Wuhan University
delivered seeds from China to Pakistan via international logistics, and the
rice will be harvested in October.
https://www.app.com.pk/global/pak-china-universities-to-establish-research-center-on-hybrid-rice/
Pakistan, China to set up hybrid rice research centre
Joint centre will boost yield to improve domestic food security
and supplement export
August 15, 2020
WUHAN:
Academic
institutes of Pakistan and China are working to jointly launch a research
centre for hybrid rice.
The Wuhan
University-University of Punjab Joint Research Centre for Honglian Hybrid Rice
is going to become operational this year, revealed official website of China
Association for Science and Technology.
This move will
boost development of high-yield hybrid rice in Pakistan to improve domestic
food security, in addition to supplementing rice export.
Honglian hybrid
rice is one of the three major types of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) of
rice (Oryza sativa L) that has been commercially used in hybrid rice seed
production.
The production
of Honglian hybrid rice in Pakistan can reach around 7,500kg per hectare,
nearly three times as much as that of many other rice varieties, said Zhu
Renshan, professor-level senior engineer of Wuhan University who is in charge
of the international cooperation on this type of rice.
"A lot of
hybrid rice varieties' high-yield performance is only confined to a specific
area. In contrast, Honglian hybrid rice can create bumper harvest not only in
China but also in many other countries like Pakistan," Zhu Renshan said.
Honglian hybrid
rice adapts well to Pakistan's climate. Even under extreme high temperature or
changeable weather, the seed setting rate is still stable, much higher than
that of other hybrid rice varieties.
Moreover,
Honglian rice seed production costs less therefore farmers can get higher
income at the same investment.
Punjab
Agriculture Extension Director Shahzad Sabir and professors from the University
of Punjab praised Honglian hybrid rice's feature of heat-tolerance and
adaptability, which suits Pakistan's climate.
Having seen
Honglian hybrid rice do well in the six experimental plots in Pakistan,
professionals of the two countries are confident in its future performance when
sowed at a large scale.
Next, besides
lifting local cultivation, the research centre is planning a series of
technical cooperation and scientific research. Seed production technologies
will be gradually transferred to Pakistan. Furthermore, they will also provide
technical support on pest control.
Though the
Covid-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc in the world, Pak-Sino cooperation
related to Honglian hybrid rice keeps progressing.
Earlier this
year, the research team of Wuhan University delivered seeds from China to
Pakistan via international logistics, and the rice will be harvested in
October.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2259545/pakistan-china-to-set-up-hybrid-rice-research-centre
Punjab Agricultural University
prepares resource to uplift farmers of India
The
university is running a programme ‘Talking is Healing’ wherein farmers can
avail counselling by reaching the PAU helpline number 8360684948.
CITIES Updated: Aug 14, 2020 23:05 IST
Hindustan Times, Ludhiana
In view of the unprecedented Covid
situation, the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has prepared a resilience
resource for the farmers of the country called ‘I the farmer of India’.
Prepared by professor Sarabjeet
Singh, head of the Department of Agricultural Journalism, Languages and
Culture, and Vasundhra, counsellor, Department of Human Development &
Family Studies, the resource highlights the five T’s of mental health—talking,
teaching, training, tools and taking care.
The resource aims to build respect
for farmers in the society and asserts that farming is the most noble, the most
useful, the most mindful and the most healthful profession. “When lockdown was
announced, no one rushed to buy gold, land, car, or expensive phones, but
everyone rushed for fruits, vegetables, milk and bread,” said Dr Sarabjeet.
“The pandemic led to many direct
and indirect impacts on farmers. The farmers, especially the vegetable growers,
suffered losses. The farmers also saw their children sitting idle at home while
the schools and colleges were shut. Such issues were enough to drive farmers
into depression. So keeping in view all these issues, we designed the programme
that will be launched by all the agriculture universities to support farmers in
distress,” he added.
Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon,
vice-chancellor of PAU, while sending the resource in soft format to all the
agricultural universities and institutes of the country, remarked that he hoped
for translation of the resource into local languages of the country to boost
the morale of the farming community.
The university is running a
programme ‘Talking is Healing’ wherein farmers can avail counselling by
reaching the PAU helpline number 8360684948.
PAU CELEBRATES NATIONAL HANDLOOM WEEK
The Department of Apparel and
Textile Science, College of Community Science, PAU, celebrated the National
Handloom Week from August 7-14. An exhibition put up by the faculty members
showcased the traditional handloom textiles including sarees, durries, carpets
and other household products. Students were made aware of the importance of
handlooms through online lectures and a TV talk was delivered on National
Handloom Day by Dr Surabhi Mahajan, assistant professor of the department.
PAU TO IMPART TRAINING TO RURAL YOUTHS IN PROCESSING TECHNIQUES
The experts of PAU will apprise the
rural youths of the importance of agro-industrial complexes in Punjab,
machinery for grading of fruit and vegetables, machinery for processing of
rice, and machinery for making poultry and dairy feed during a three-month
online training programme on ‘Integrated Crop Production’ which is underway at
the PAU Skill Development Centre.
Dr TS Riar, associate director,
skill development, said the trainees will be imparted knowledge on machinery
for processing of chillies and turmeric, sugar and jaggery, wheat, oilseeds and
potato. In addition, experts will explain post-harvest management of fruit and
vegetables, he added.
NegOcc rice farmers get machinery, hybrid seeds from
DA
By
Erwin Nicavera August
14, 2020, 5:46 pm
Share
·
BACOLOD CITY – Rice farmers in Negros
Occidental received various assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA),
including machinery and hybrid seeds, to boost their productivity.
As of Friday, eight rice-based
farmer cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in the province were provided with
eight units of riding-type transplanter worth PHP1.6 million each, which are
part of the 20 units distributed by the DA in Region 6 (Western Visayas).
The project is being implemented
under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) program of DA.
Engineer Romar Areno, head of
DA-Philippine Center for Post-harvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMec)
Visayas Cluster, said in a statement that during rice production, the
riding-type transplanter can plant young rice seedlings much faster on a wetland
preparation.
It can plant in a precise row
spacing and distance between hills, and adjustable depending on the desired
space between 11 and 21 centimeters, he added.
FCAs applied for DA accreditation
to avail of these interventions.
To qualify, members of the eligible
association should have at least 50 hectares of rice areas and a minimum of 100
hectares within the peripheral barangays from the proposed location of the
agricultural machinery and post-harvest facilities.
Areno said the operators of the
machinery and equipment attended a hands-on training before the equipment were
turned over to the association.
The FCAs are required to provide
shed for the machinery and to follow the suggested service fee.
DA-6 Regional Director Remelyn
Recoter said aside from mechanization, the program also aims to support the
local rice farmers through the provision of quality seeds, access to credit,
and rice extension service.
“All these interventions are geared
toward boosting the local production of rice and improving the competitiveness
of rice farmers after the quantitative restrictions on rice importation was
lifted in 2019 with the passage of Republic Act 11203 also known as the Rice
Tariffication Law,” she added.
Meanwhile, the DA-6 also
distributed some 21,364 bags of hybrid rice seeds to rice farmers in Negros
Occidental through their respective local government units (LGUs).
Through the Rice Resiliency Project
(RRP), the DA provided farmers various hybrid varieties.
DA-6 Officer-In-Charge Regional
Technical Director Rene Famoso encouraged all LGUs to fast track the
distribution of the hybrid seeds to farmers in time for the wet cropping
season.
“Farmers who have planted early
could have a quick turn-around and plant hybrid rice seeds before September 15
this year which is still considered under the wet cropping season,” he
added. (PNA)
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1112260
Sino-Pak universities to establish research center on hybrid
rice
ISLAMABAD: Wuhan
University-University of the Punjab Joint Research Center for Honglian Hybrid
Rice is going to be established this year.
This was reported by Gwadar Pro on
Friday quoting the official website of China Association for Science and
Technology.
This move will boost the
development of high-yield hybrid rice in Pakistan, a major rice exporter in the
world, to improve domestic food safety as well as supplement rice export.
Honglian hybrid rice is one of the
three major types of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) of rice (Oryza sativa L.)
that has been commercially used in hybrid rice seed production.
In China, it is a well-known hybrid
rice type developed for over 40 years by Zhu Yingguo, the late member of the
Chinese Academy of Engineering and expert in plant genetics and breeding. By
2020, the global acreage of Honglian hybrid rice has surpassed about 26.67
million hectares.
The production of Honglian hybrid
rice in Pakistan can reach around 7,500 kg per hectare, nearly three times as
much as that of many other rice varieties, according to Zhu Renshan,
professor-level senior engineer of Wuhan University who is now in charge of the
international cooperation on this type of rice.
“A lot of hybrid rice varieties’
high-yield performance is only confined to a specific area. In contrast,
Honglian hybrid rice can create bumper harvest not only in China but also in
many other countries like Pakistan,” Zhu Renshan said.
Honglian hybrid rice adapts well to
Pakistan’s climate. Even under extreme high temperature or changeable weather,
the seed setting rate is still stable, much higher than that of other hybrid
rice varieties. Moreover, Honglian rice seed production costs less. Therefore,
farmers can get higher income at the same investment.
Rice prices up despite surplus output
Moinul
Haque | Published: 23:18, Aug
14,2020
The prices of rice have started to increase further in the city
though the government sees a surplus of the staple food after meeting the
domestic demand.
The rice prices have remained high since June, just after the
bumper production of the Boro paddy, and the fresh hike would hurt the
fixed-income people as a good number of city dwellers have lost their income
due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Experts said that the country’s rice prices remained unusually
high for the last few months as a section of profit mongers were manipulating
the market amid the flood that affected 33 of the country’s 64 districts after
the harvest of the major Boro crop.
They said that the government should be deeply concerned as to
why the consumers were not getting the benefit of the surplus production.
Food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder, however, said that the
prime minister approved the summary of his ministry for importing rice to keep
the prices stable.
The prices of rice went up by Tk 2 a kilogram over the last one
week on the city market.
Retailers said that the prices of rice increased by Tk 100 per
bag of 50 kilograms on the wholesale market while wholesalers said that the
rice mill owners raised the prices after Eid-ul Azha.
The standard BR-28 variety of rice was selling for Tk 50 a kg
while the fine variety for Tk 52–54 a kg in the capital on Thursday.
The standard Miniket variety was selling for Tk 56–68 while the
fine variety was for Tk 60–65 a kg on the day.
Amid the rising prices of the staple food the Bangladesh Rice
Research Institute in a report on Sunday said that there would be more than 55
lakh tonnes of surplus rice after meeting the local demand at the end of
November this year.
BRRI director general Md Shahjahan Kabir in a virtual meeting
said that there would be no shortage of food in the country as the harvest of
the Aus paddy was going on and the Aman crop would start coming to the market
from November.
Agro-economist and former Jahangirnagar University
vice-chancellor Abdul Bayes told New Age that the price hike of rice at this
time would hurt consumers as many people lost their income due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
Growers should benefit from price hikes of rice, he said,
adding, ‘But in Bangladesh farmers get the highest 40 per cent of the price
while traders and rice mill owners the rest.’
Abdul Bayes said that the government should be seriously
concerned as to why the growers did not get the benefit of rice price hikes.
‘Strong market monitoring by the government is needed so that
there is no further price hike increasing the woes of people already affected
by the COVID-19 fallout,’ he said.
‘Despite having the surplus output the price hike of rice is
unusual. It calls for a keen inquery to find out the reasons for the unusual
price hike. But I think a dishonest quarter is manipulating the market,’ former
president of Consumer Association of Bangladesh Ghulam Rahman told New Age on
Thursday.
He said that due to the lack of legal actions a quarter of
profit mongers had been creating instability in the rice market for long.
Ghulam Rahman said that the prices of rice increased but the
growers were not getting the benefit of the high prices.
He said that the government plan to import rice was appropriate
as it was important to keep the market stable during the pandemic.
Amid the continuous rice price hike, the food ministry in July
announced that the government was thinking of importing the staple to keep the
market price stable.
There was 10.21 lakh tonnes of rice in the government stock as
of August 11, the food ministry official data shows.
Food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Thursday told New Age
that the prime minister had already approved the proposal for importing rice.
‘Now we are working on the import quantity and procedure. We are
discussing the government-to-government procedure, slashing duties and doing
away with international tendering,’ he said.
He also said that they asked the BRRI to provide authentic
information to the ministry on the production and stock of paddy in the
country.
‘We are collecting information about the stock as the BRRI
claimed that 29 per cent of the boro paddy remained in the stock of growers,’
Sadhan Chandra said.
After scrutinising all the information, the government would
finalise when and how much rice would be imported. KM Layek Ali, secretary
general of Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mill Owners Association, said that
the prices of rice increased a little bit as a supply shortage of the staple
food occurred in the market.
He said that the production in most of the husking mills
remained suspended for the last few days due to the bad weather and flood in a
large part of the country.
Layek Ali said that the country’s husking mills produced 60 per
cent of the total rice while the auto mills produced the rest 40 per cent.
The rice prices also increased as some of the big farmers
hoarded the item to reap higher prices, he said.
-surplus-output
Cultivation Of GI-Tagged Pokkali Rice Hit
Due To COVID-19 Lockdown In Kerala
Cultivation of GI-tagged
Pokkali rice hit due to COVID-19 lockdown in Kerala
Photo Credit
:
by ANI
Alappuzha
(Kerala) [India], Aug 14 (ANI): The cultivation of GI-tagged unique Pokkali
rice variety has been badly hit by COVID-19 induced lockdown and flood-like
situation in coastal areas of Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts of
Kerala.
"Due to pandemic, farmers couldn't prepare their field for Pokkali rice
cultivation on time. As a result, most of the seedlings have died," said
Dr A K Sreelatha, Vyttila Rice Research Station Head, Kerala Agricultural University.
Pokkali is a GI-tagged unique rice variety in the coastal areas of Alappuzha,
Ernakulam and Thrissur districts.
As per CV Mathew, a farmer from Kochi's
Kumbalangi, "The water has not dried up in our fields from two or three
years due to floods in the sate every year. It does not help if you don't have
your own pumping system, which can't be arranged on time due to lockdown. The
whole seed was destroyed last year. It was the first time something like that
was happening in my life. There are not many farmers cultivating Pokkali rice
because of this hardship."
The paddy crop which is usually cultivated from April 15 to November 15, is
missing from most of the fields this year. Only some farmers in Kochi and
Alappuzha are cultivating it. (ANI)
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