Agriculture Sector of Pakistan Welcomes the French Investment

 1 day ago News Desk

Syed Fakhar Imam welcomes the new French investment and introcution to modern technology in the agriculture sector of Pakistan.

agriculture-sector

Syed Fakhar Imam welcomes the new French investment in the agriculture sector of Pakistan. He briefed the meeting attendees about the importance of this sector in the country and the world.

In a recent webinar, Syed Fakhar Imam – Minister for National Food Security and Research – told that Pakistan has been renowned for its agricultural products. The products, like rice, are of high value around the globe.

In the webinar, Syed further added that agriculture has always been the backbone of the country. With this new investment from France and the introduction of modern technology, this sector would flourish more.

He also outlined the plans on increasing the boundaries for this sector. He informed the participants that the new plans involve development in fishery, livestock, meat production, and dairy sectors.

The Minister was talking to an audience of 25 French companies and excitingly talked about the plans to further improve this agriculture sector.

Tags: agriculture-sector

https://www.researchsnipers.com/agriculture-sector-of-pakistan-welcomes-the-french-investment/

12th October,2020 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

Agriculture Sector of Pakistan Welcomes the French Investment

  News Desk

Syed Fakhar Imam welcomes the new French investment and introcution to modern technology in the agriculture sector of Pakistan.

agriculture-sector

Syed Fakhar Imam welcomes the new French investment in the agriculture sector of Pakistan. He briefed the meeting attendees about the importance of this sector in the country and the world.

In a recent webinar, Syed Fakhar Imam – Minister for National Food Security and Research – told that Pakistan has been renowned for its agricultural products. The products, like rice, are of high value around the globe.

In the webinar, Syed further added that agriculture has always been the backbone of the country. With this new investment from France and the introduction of modern technology, this sector would flourish more.

He also outlined the plans on increasing the boundaries for this sector. He informed the participants that the new plans involve development in fishery, livestock, meat production, and dairy sectors.

The Minister was talking to an audience of 25 French companies and excitingly talked about the plans to further improve this agriculture sector.

Tags: agriculture-sector

Continue Reading

https://www.researchsnipers.com/agriculture-sector-of-pakistan-welcomes-the-french-investment/

 

PM Khan vows to bring down food prices across Pakistan

SAMAA | Digital - Posted: Oct 10, 2020 | Last Updated

Photo: File

 Prime Minister Imran Khan has promised that the government will use all of its resources to bring down food prices in the country from Monday onward.

“We are already examining causes of the price hikes: whether there is a genuine supply shortage or simply hoarding by mafias,” he said in a tweet on Saturday.

The premier assured that the government will also investigate if the hike has been caused by an increase in international prices for palm oil, lentils or any other item.

The government will devise a strategy for this purpose, he added.

Following this, Minister of State for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar also tweeted that South Asia is experiencing temporary food inflation.

“The government will take all measures needed to reduce prices of essential commodities. Imported wheat and sugar will be released at control rates by provinces. All options are being examined for other commodities.”

Earlier this week, people across Pakistan complained that the price of essential food items such as wheat, lentils, sugar and rice have skyrocketed.

  

IMRAN KHAN PRICES

 

https://www.samaa.tv/news/pakistan/2020/10/pm-khan-vows-to-bring-down-food-prices-countrywide/

 

Rice Traders Organizes Sessions On Agri- Children Rights

  59 minutes ago  Sun 11th October 2020 | 02:00 PM

 

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Oct, 2020 ) :The top rice traders has organized the workshops for educating the 1000 rice transplanters families and their children on Child Rights and to create awareness for their personal health, hygiene and Prevention from COVID-19 pandemic.

The top rice trader of the country, Rice Partners (Pvt) Ltd (RPL) organized 20 awareness sessions on "Child Rights and Personal Health and Hygiene" for rice transplanter's families in different region of the Punjab province, said a press release issued here on Sunday.

In last session the series of awareness session, the Project Officer RPL, Rizwan Ali highlighted the different aspects children health and threats and also delivered a lecture on child rights.

The Rice Partners (Pvt) Ltd (RPL) in collaboration with Helvetas Pakistan and Swiss Solidarity conducted 20 awareness sessions for agriculture families on "Child Rights and Personal Health and Hygiene" especially for rice transplanter's families in 16 remote villages of district Sheikhupura and other districts, he said.

He threw light on the rights of children and highlighted the strategies for elimination of child abuses and child labor.

During the series of awareness sessions, more than 2000 participants attended these awareness sessions, he said.

While, SOPs were strictly followed regarding the COVID-19 during these sessions.

He shared the key points of the document of the United Nations Child Rights Convention (UNCRC) with the participants.

The UNCRC has 41 articles which tell us about various rights of the child.

He said that the constitution of Pakistan also grants fundamental rights to the citizens of Pakistan particularly to women and children.

As per article 25-A of Constitution of Pakistan "The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manner as may be determined by law" he added.

He also described the last sermon of Holy Prophet (PBUH) as per the last sermon that all the people are equal and no one is superior.

The base of superiority is the faith only.

He also said that RPL is providing books, stationery and uniforms to the deserving children of the transplanting community free of cost so they should send their children into schools.

He ended the session by saying that RPL is also supporting in birth registration of child.

The Health Officer, Punjab Health Department, Ms Zunaira Arooj sensitized the participants on personal health and hygiene.

She told the participants what measures should be taken in case of heatstroke, accidents, bites, chemical exposures etc.

She added to always use filtered water or boiled water to remain safe from water- borne diseases. She also spread awareness on prevention from novel corona virus.

She described the methods of making hand sanitizers and ORS at home.

While talking to APP, Muhammad Ali Tariq Chief Operating Officer Rice Partners Pvt Ltd has said that RPL is working for the betterment of farmers and farm laborers from past many years through provision of laser land leveling on 50%, cost sharing basis, trainings on water saving techniques.

"We are ensuring decent working conditions for rice transplanters and their children by establishing Community Child Care Centers, first aid kits distribution of food packs, canopy kits etc.

He also said that RPL has organized number of medical camps in Punjab and treated more than 20,000 patients in the community.

He said that RPL is the only organization in Pakistan which is working on many aspects of the rice value chain like Water productivity, Crop management, Gender equality, Child rights, Vocational trainings, Women empowerment, human rights and health issues.

He said that they try their best to improve the livelihood of the farmers and farm labour.

So far more than 28,000 farmers have been sensitized by RPL.

https://www.urdupoint.com/en/business/rice-traders-organizes-sessions-on-agri-chil-1053545.html

 

 

 

 

 

'Hybrid rice bringing revolution to growers' lifestyle'

 

Recorder Report 10 Oct 2020

 

GOLARCHI: Collaboration of Pakistani and Chinese scientists' for development of high-yield hybrid coarse rice varieties has enabled the paddy growers of lower Sindh to achieve three times more production as compared to traditional varieties thus improving their living standards and elimination of poverty from the rural areas.

'Our per acre average yield was 30-35 maund before the introduction of the hybrid rice and now we are getting 100-110 maund and in some cases, the progressive farmers achieved 136 maund per acre,' said different growers while talking to a delegation of the Agriculture Journalists Association (AJA) Lahore.

The success of the hybrid varieties can be gauged from the fact that it is now being sown over 1.7 million acres of land in Sindh and South Punjab.

Guard Agricultural Research & Services (Pvt) Ltd, which is the pioneer in bringing the Hybrid Rice to Pakistan in collaboration with the Yuan Longping Hi-Tech China is now working on to introduce such varieties which are heat resistant, salinity resistant, water shortage tolerant and capable to do away with the negative impacts of climate change in Sindh and whole of Pakistan. Guard's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shahzad Ali Malik had already been awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan for efforts in the rice sector.

Guard Agricultural Research & Services (Pvt) Senior Executive Momin Malik while talking to journalists said that they are also going to introduce three new varieties such as LP-18, Guard-403 and Guard 53 in Sindh which are heat resistant and can perform in high heat which had hit hard the rice crop a year back. He said that these varieties are lodging free too.

He said that a long period is required for research and development of new varieties and the government should develop some mechanism for approval of new varieties at a fast phase. It will help to expedite the research and development in the agricultural sector, he averred.

Momin said that they are running four research stations in Pakistan out of which two are in Sindh and two are in Punjab. These research stations are in Golarchi, Larkana, Pakpattan and Sundar area near Lahore and working on numerous new lines having resistance against heat, salinity, water shortage or impacts of climate change.

Yuan Longping Hi-Tech representative in Pakistan Liu speaking on this occasion said that Hybrid rice is playing a very important role in ensuring food security and eradicating hunger from the world. He said that founder of his company who is known as 'Father of Hybrid Rice' has a dream to take the per acre yield to 200 maund per acre. He said that their company has its research stations in Pakistan, India, Philippines, Vietnam and Bangladesh.

He disclosed that Pakistan's climate and the land are so suitable for Hybrid long-grain rice that their seed is giving a top performance in this country and yield is even better than China. He said that his company in collaboration with Guard will continue research to introduce varieties having resistance against climate change. He urged the progressive growers to educate their fellows on how to get better yield and what are the good agricultural practices for this seed.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40025076

 

NED University Develop Pakistan’s First AI-Based Rice Quality Analyzer

October 10, 2020October 10, 2020 Kaleem Naqvi rice quality analyzer

Students at the National Center of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) at the NED University successfully developed Pakistan’s first-ever AI-based ‘rice quality analyzer’.

 

Students at the National Center of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) at the NED University developed Pakistan’s first AI-based rice quality analyzer.

The software is efficient enough to analyze rice within just 60 seconds based on 7 key characteristics which include – length, thickness, average weight, and percentage of broken grains.

This AI-based analyzer is far more efficient than the ones developed in the USA and Japan and is cheaper too. The accuracy rate of this analyzer is measured to be at 99%.

Pakistan is the world’s 10th largest country to produce rice and has been exporting to a number of countries for long. The technology will not improve the analyzing process of rice, but also would improve its trust for importing countries. And thus the percentage of export could also rise.

Hafiz Ahsan-ur-Rehman, a research associate at the NCAI and a member of the Rice Quality Analyzer Software Development Team proudly announced the creation of this rice analyzer based on artificial intelligence.

They are already receiving appreciations from major rice importers like China, India, and Bangladesh.

Originally published at Research snipers

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:laeFXBgT7OAJ:https://www.technologytimes.pk/2020/10/10/ned-university-develop-pakistans-first-ai-based-rice-quality-analyzer/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk

 

DA extends help to Zamboanga rice farmers

ByAntonio P. Rimando

October 11, 2020

 

 

PAGADIAN CITY: More interventions to farmers adversely affected by the latest implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law have been pledged by Agriculture Secretary William Dar, according to Zamboanga del Sur Gov. Victor Yu.

Dar was earlier reported to have pledged to fast-track DA’s proper and efficient enforcement of “various components and interventions under the P10 billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)” even as he previously distributed, conducted necessary trainings and bidded for appropriate machinery “together with validation of farmers’ cooperatives and processing and granting of loans.”

“Implementing the RTL is both a challenge and opportunity to transform our traditional rice lands into modern farming communities through the annual P10 billion resources that RCEF provides,” he said, adding that this year’s RCEF has been allocated to make rice farmers more competitive and to prop up prices of palay (unmilled rice) “which has dropped to 1.4 percent in the third week of September to P15.96 per kilogram, based on Philippine Statistics Authority data.”

The DA chief announced that President Rodrigo Duterte also “later granted P3 billion as unconditional cash assistance to benefit 600,000 rice farmers tilling one hectare and below…and additional P3 billion cash aid next year for rice farmers cultivating 1.01 hectares to 2 hectares even as another P2.5 billion was furnished for the expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance (SURA) aid program, wherein P15,000 zero-interest loan payable in eight years to affected farmers tilling one hectare or less.”

Dar claimed the National Food Authority (NFA) “was also given a P7-billion budget to directly purchase palay from the farmers of which some 10.25 million bags were procured.”The DA reported that governors of 33 rice producing provinces, including those in Zamboanga Peninsula, “have committed at least P5 billion to purchase palay from their farmers and dry and mill the grains into rice and sell them directly to their constituents and institutional buyers.”

https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/10/11/news/regions/da-extends-help-to-zamboanga-rice-farmers/778907/

 

How Can We Solve the Problem of Stubble Burning?

11/10/2020

 

A. AMARENDER REDDY

A farmer burns wheat stubble in a field following the harvest season, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, on the outskirts of Amritsar, May 2020. Photo: PTI.

In Punjab and Haryana, the paddy crop is usually harvested between the first and last weeks of October. Farmers then sow the wheat crop from the first week of November until the middle of December.

These farmers regularly complain about the menace of rice straw – a product of mechanised agriculture – exacerbated by shortage of labour and lack of time. When paddy is harvested by a combined harvester and thresher, the machine leaves behind a significant length of straw and stubble on the field. This prevents other machines from sowing wheat seeds. With only 10-15 days between the rice-harvesting season and the wheat-sowing time, farmers often burn the stubble to quickly eliminate the paddy stubble. According to some estimates, farmers burned about 11 million tonnes of stubble in Punjab and Haryana, out of the 27 million tonnes of paddy stubble produced last year. The numbers are likely to be similar this year.

This way is very easy for them – but the huge clouds of smoke that rise up blow into Delhi, contributing significantly to the national capital’s notorious wintertime air pollution.

Apart from contributing to air pollution, stubble-burning deteriorates the soil’s organic content, essential nutrients and microbial activity – which together will reduce the soil’s long-term productivity. Stubble burning has been prohibited or discouraged in many countries, including China, the UK and Australia. In India, although both the Centre and state governments have encouraged alternatives, for example by promoting the use of new machines and technologies, farmers have been reluctant to adopt them.

Instead, they find the traditional way of stubble-burning to be easier, low cost and time-efficient, compared to alternatives that demand more time, investment and labour.

Also read: Why the Delhi Smog Tower Project Is Deeply Problematic Even as a Pilot

Alternative methods

If farmers wish to remove stubble manually, they will need at least Rs 6,000-7,000 per acre. To reduce these costs, as well as save labour and time, the Government of Punjab distributed 24,000 tractor-mounted ‘happy seeders’ to cut down the rice stubble and sow wheat seeds simultaneously. To use a ‘happy seeder’ over one acre, farmers have to spend Rs 1,000 for rent plus about Rs 2,000 on diesel.

Even when farmers have expressed a willingness to adopt happy seeders, availability and suitability have been important issues. A single happy seeder covers 10 acre in a day. Punjab state requires 50,000 happy seeders to clear its 75 lakh acres of paddy fields in 15 days, but the government only distributed 24,000. In addition, farmers have also complained about problems while sowing and low germination of wheat seeds, when sown with ‘happy seeders’. Many machines have been dumped only after two years of use.

Officials have also advertised a machine called a straw baler – to compress crop residue into compact bales – to bale rice stubbles and moving them out of the field. But it flopped because the machine takes an hour for every acre, typically producing 12-15 quintals of bales. Earlier, baler-owners would provide their services free of cost and would make up for their time and labour by selling the bales to biomass factories nearby. However, this year, they are charging Rs 1,000-1,500 per acre. The state government may arrange to procure the stubble, along with paddy grain, by hiring balers to work for free for the farmers. The stubbles can then be sold to biomass-based power plants, paper mills and cardboard factories.

Another machine is the paddy straw chopper-cum-spreader – to chop paddy straw left behind on mechanically harvested paddy fields. It chops the straw into pieces and spreads it around the field in a single operation, so wheat-sowing becomes easy. It is a mounted-type machine and can be operated by a tractor with 45-50 HP or more.

Yet another alternative is the accelerated straw decomposition process. The Indian Agricultural Research Institute has developed a solution it has named ‘Pusa’, which can decompose crop residue into manure by accelerating the decomposition process. These agents act on the straw to make it soft and ploughable, break down its molecular components and release the nutrients into the field. As a result, Pusa may reduce the use and cost of fertilisers and could help increase the yield of the subsequent crop. It costs less than Rs 1,000 per acre.

Also read: With Pusa Decomposer, IARI Hopes to Offer Organic Solution To Stubble Burning Problem

A third option is to convert stubble into biochar, which can be used as a fertiliser, by burning it in a kiln. For this purpose, a kiln has to be 10 ft wide and 14 ft high, and be able to accommodate 12 quintals of rice straw and convert it into 6.5 quintals of biochar in 10-12 hours.

In the longer term, another way to reduce stubble burning is to replace long-duration paddy varieties with shorter duration varieties like Pusa Basmati-1509 and PR-126, which can be harvested in the third week of September itself. This will widen the window between the end of the rice season and start of the wheat season, allowing enough time for the paddy stubble to decompose, and eliminate the need for stubble-burning.

Apart from all this, the state government needs to popularise the traditional use of paddy straw and stubble as fodder and as part of feed-mixture preparations. This can happen locally as well as can be stored and transported to deficit areas like Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra, by developing the fodder and feed markets.

Incentives to adopt alternative technologies

The Punjab government has resolved to make the state a zero stubble-burning zone. To this end, it offers a 50% subsidy on machines for individual farmers and 80% for cooperative societies and farmers’ groups. Last year, the governments of Punjab and Haryana also announced a bonus of Rs 2,500 per acre for small and marginal farmers. If the bonus is given directly to farmers, it could compensate the expenses incurred by avoiding stubble-burning. However, some farmers have said that most farmers don’t receive the bonus of Rs 2,500 per acre.

Last year, the Supreme Court asked the Punjab and Haryana governments to provide Rs 100 per quintal to small farmers to manage the stubble; given that the average productivity is 25.6 quintal per acre in Punjab, they may receive about Rs 2,560 per acre. But it seems many farmers don’t receive the amount – even though the government has assigned 8,000 nodal officers to oversee the compensation exercise, to prevent stubble-burning, and to increase awareness of alternate technologies.

Governments have also been punishing farmers using monetary penalties for stubble-burning. Last year, over 52,000 farm fires were reported in Punjab alone after the paddy harvest season. In over 23,000 cases, an environmental fine was imposed on farmers, and ‘red entries’ were made against their land records. Errant farmers were together reportedly fined Rs 6.1 crore. However, they have deposited only Rs 1 lakh thus far. Collecting fines from farmers is difficult, but more importantly doing so creates a hostile environment for local agricultural development functionaries.

Farmers have a tough time unlearning the age-old practice of stubble-burning. Alternatives to stubble burning are not popular because they impose additional operational expenses, often from the farmer’s pocket. On the other hand, stubble-burning only requires a matchbox. Further, most of the custom hiring centres are also unwilling to purchase these machinery upfront – as they can be operated only for 15 days in a year, after which they have no use.

§

In sum, the government has to either increase monetary incentives or offer technologies and policies that don’t require farmers to spend even more. It seems that imposing penalties only makes the problem harder to solve.

There are multiple alternatives to stubble burning, and farmers can choose between the technologies and machines most suited to their particular local conditions, with the objective of ‘no burning’. The government should play the part of an enabler by spreading awareness about the pros and cons of each option, so as to eliminate confusion and ease the adoption of new technologies by removing socio-economic barriers. For this, the state governments can rope in block-level agricultural officers and officials of agricultural produce market committees to develop and implement comprehensive ‘no burning’ strategies at the local level.

A. Amarender Reddy is the principal scientist at the ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture. The views expressed here are the author’s own.

https://science.thewire.in/environment/stubble-burning-punjab-haryana-rice-harvesting-wheat-sowing-delhi-air-pollution/

 

Telangana: Leopard on run since 6 months caught, handed over to zoo authorities

 

ANI

11 October 2020

The leopard caught by forest officials in Ranga Reddy district, Telangana. [Photo/ANI]

More

Rangareddy (Telangana) [India], October 11 (ANI): Forest department officials here succeeded in catching a leopard today morning which was roaming freely in the area and handed it over to the Nehru Zoological Park authorities, according to Rajendranagar Inspector G Suresh on Sunday.

The leopard had killed two calves on Friday night. The owner had then approached the police department, following which along with the forest department a search for the beast had been launched.

Speaking to ANI over the phone, Rajendranagar Inspector G Suresh said, "The leopard has been caught by the Rangareddy forest department and has been handed over to the Nehru Zoological park officials."

The officials also said that the leopard had been on the run for the past six months and had been attacking cows and calves in the vicinity of the Rice Research Centre in Rajendranagar in Rangareddy district.

Meanwhile, Curator of the Nehru Zoological Park said that the captured leopard has some minor abrasions and injuries on the face, for which treatment has been provided.

They further added that the leopard will be released into the wild following its complete recovery and getting permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden, Telangana. (ANI)

https://in.news.yahoo.com/telangana-leopard-run-since-6-094747322.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAcGSNz_eaCl3d0CTOZ3pd3rUuPNy2FqMbl_iWmr4hD1h87ffMwoB2EZRe4YDOu1xehJsg12m0f3jmc0atrhJ8gc6Z03vzloittEpv7voORUL9Z-H5-lgGlsCSSGVrJIYJOSuS9S1D7yN5XCeC6-nIXqhfgkPkg3rNELfVRGMWgC

 

Filipino scientists make their mark amid pandemic

ByRed Mendoza

October 11, 2020

THREE Filipino scientists have shared their experiences in the country amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic in a webinar organized by the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) on Saturday.

Dr. Nelzo Ereful, who studied at the National Institute for Agricultural Botany in Cambridge, United Kingdom, offered his services as a bioinformatician at the Philippine Genome Center through linkages with the University of the Philippines Los Baños and the International Rice Research Institute for their reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, or RT-PCR, testing to the UP Philippine General Hospital.

Ereful was also part of the group that studied the molecular analysis of SARS-CoV2 — severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the virus that causes Covid-19 — in its early stages.

Dr. Jonel Saludes, who studied at the University of California-Davis and underwent training at the Washington State University, with other Balik Scientists (returning Filipino scientists) from the University of San Agustin in Iloilo City created databases to effectively manage the pandemic not only in Iloilo but also in Quezon City and Bacolod City.

Dr. Annabelle Villalobos, who had her doctorate from the University of Cincinnati and worked for medical giant Johnson & Johnson, used her expertise as a biochemist to discuss the possible vaccines for Covid-19 that were presented to the public in different webinars and conferences.

Science and Technology Undersecretary for Research and Development Rowena Cristina Guevara said the contributions of the Balik Scientists have spurred significant progress in research and development in fields such as health, agriculture and technology.

“Through the [Balik Scientists] Program, we envision that more Filipinos would opt to stay home and pursue their career here, with the mission of caring for and providing better solutions for our fellow Filipinos,” Guevara said.

Guevara pointed out that 21 Balik Scientists are currently already working in the country amid the pandemic, and she expects that more Balik Scientists will be able to serve in the coming months.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/10/11/news/top-stories/filipino-scientists-make-their-mark-amid-pandemic/778928/

 

Rise in essentials' prices during Covid time

Published:  October 10, 2020 20:55:26

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-Focus Bangla file photo

There could not be any worse time than the current one for the prices of essentials going through the roof. Most daily essentials have recorded an unabated rise in recent months. Lately, the pace of increase has only intensified. Barring fish and poultry, essentials, including the main staple rice, are becoming costlier by the day. All varieties of rice are now being sold at record high prices. Vegetables, spices, eggs and edible oils are costlier than before.   

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) data released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the national statistical organisation, on monthly basis do also corroborate the uptrend in prices of most essentials. The rate of inflation in September last, according to the BBS data, was 5.97 per cent compared to that of 5.54 per cent in the corresponding month of 2019.  What is however worrying is the food inflation. It went up by 1.20 percentage point to 6.50 per cent in September last over that in the same month of last year. This is a notable jump. The price trend is indicative of a further rise in food inflation during the current month (October). 

Both nature and humans are responsible for the latest rise in essentials' prices. Recurrent floods---some northern districts were hit by four consecutive bouts of flooding--- are blamed for the rise in the prices of vegetables. Abrupt ban on onion export by the Indian government has pushed the price of the item in the domestic market. Traders and refiners have upped the price of edible oils capitalising on the ongoing volatility in the international edible oil market.

The reasons behind the rise in the prices of the most politically sensitive item---rice--- remain rather murky. The country had its record bumper harvest of Boro rice in the last season. The government silos do have sufficient stock of rice. The warehouses owned by the millers are also filled to their capacity. Then again, the supply of rice in the market is abundant. Yet the prices of all varieties of rice have been on the rise. It could be that the millers are sensing a shortfall in next rice crop-Aman- production because of this year's extensive floods. The price-hike, it seems, is a systemic response from the millers.

The impact of the price hike, however, to some extent, is different from that witnessed on previous occasions. This time the size of the population affected by the price-rise is bigger as in addition to poor and low-income people, the middle-class is also hit hard. The pandemic has also sapped much of the latter's financial strength. If the current price trend persists, the paceof economic recovery might lose steam since spending by the middle-class remains a key driver. The rise in the cost of living, as a natural outcome, would force members of this class to spend less on non-food items. 

On its part, the government has tried to intervene in the rice market fixing the price of a certain variety of rice, but the move has not worked. In other areas, the Ministry of Commerce has so far preferred to be an onlooker. There is no denying that when some commodities are in short supply, their prices would come under pressure. The government may not control the prices, but it surely can play a very effective role in keeping the same within a reasonable level. It would not be a big ask if the consumers expect the government to play a befitting role in a very difficult time.

https://www.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/editorial/rise-in-essentials-prices-during-covid-time-1602341726

 

Biological plant-virus ‘arms race’ uncovered

Shubashree Desikan

OCTOBER 10, 2020 20:48 IST

UPDATED: OCTOBER 11, 2020 11:39 IST

Fatal attraction:  the virus attacks the plant, it produces vein-clearing symptoms which make the plant look beautiful, but hinders flowering and fruiting.   | Photo Credit: ASHWIN NAIR

How tiny geminiviruses that measure a mere 20 nanometres can enter large plants and break through their defences

Plants and viruses are constantly involved in a race to outdo one another, and their lives literally depend on this. A new study with researchers from National Centre of Biological Sciences (NCBS-TIFR), Bengaluru, has discovered a new step in this arms race between the virus called Synedrella Yellow Vein Clearing Virus and the plants it attacks. The virus was isolated by the researchers from a plant named Synedrella nodiflora, and it was able to infect tobacco and tomato plant in their studies.

Large family

This virus is a representative of the Begomovirus family of viruses. “Begomoviruses are a large family with about 400 members. They infect economically important plants and are a major reason for crop loss,” explains Ashwin Nair, from NCBS-TIFR, who is the first author of a paper on the work published in BMC Biology. “We think SyYVCV can infect many more host plants.”

Attacks, counter-attacks

The arms race typically happens like this: The virus first attacks the plant, and the plant has defences that are actually counter-attacks – mechanisms that seek to destroy the virus. In turn, the virus develops a counter-counter-attack by trying to escape being destroyed by the plant’s mechanisms. In the case of the Synedrella Yellow Vein Clearing Virus, it happens this way: When the virus attacks the plant, it produces vein-clearing symptoms which make the plant look beautiful.

The fact, however, is that this does not make it better for the plant. It actually makes it difficult for the plant to produce flowers and fruits. “Without BetaC1, a viral protein, the virus will not be able to defeat the host attacks and also will not be able to completely infect the plant, as the virus will not be able to move through the veins of the plant,” says P.V. Shivaprasad, in whose lab at NCBS-TIFR the work was carried out.

In turn, the plant develops defence mechanisms to destroy the virus. It targets the protein called BetaC1 made by the virus which helps in successful infection and intracellular movement within the plant. Plants degrade BetaC1 protein of virus by tagging this protein with another smaller protein called ubiquitin.

Viral response

In their study, the researchers found that, in response, the virus uses the plant’s machinery to create a small modification of the BetaC1 protein. It adds a tiny protein called SUMO to the betaC1 protein in a process termed SUMOylation. “BetaC1 hijacks the SUMO pathway machinery of the plants and makes itself a substrate for SUMOylation. Essentially, BetaC1 mimics or tricks the host SUMOylation machinery as if it is one of the host plant protein requiring SUMOylation,” explains Prof. Shivaprasad.

Kiran Chatterjee and Ranabir Das, also at NCBS-TIFR, collaborated in understanding the nano-scale SUMOylation process, because such small interactions can only be studied by special protein-protein structure determining techniques

Tiny virus

The study used tobacco plants. The virus is fairly new. Says Dr Shivaprasad, “We isolated it in 2018 and have not studied its prevalence in other crops. Viruses very similar to this virus are the biggest threat to crop production throughout world.” Apparently, in infected fields, up to 60% of horticultural crops are lost due to begomoviral infection.

Viruses can range in size from 5 nanometre to 300 nanometre. The studied virus, which falls under the category geminivirus, is among the smaller ones, measuring about 20 nanometres. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, for instance is about five times larger than these. Within this small size, they make proteins that are comparable in size with those of the plants that help them function.

The difference comes in the number of proteins they make. While the rice plant makes about 35,000 proteins, and we humans make about 20,000 proteins, geminiviruses code for just 8-10 proteins. The larger SARS-CoV-2 virus codes for about 25 proteins.

New results

“These concepts are new to plant–pathogen interactions. Previously, researchers did find the significance of other protein modifications, but not the ones we have found in this study,” says Dr Shivaprasad. “Our results also provide newer tools to identify and generate plants that can resist viruses.”

A letter from the Editor

---

Dear reader,

We have been keeping you up-to-date with information on the developments in India and the world that have a bearing on our health and wellbeing, our lives and livelihoods, during these difficult times. To enable wide dissemination of news that is in public interest, we have increased the number of articles that can be read free, and extended free trial periods. However, we have a request for those who can afford to subscribe: please do. As we fight disinformation and misinformation, and keep apace with the happenings, we need to commit greater resources to news gathering operations. We promise to deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/biological-plant-virus-arms-race-uncovered/article32822580.ece

 

Paddy productionn is likely to rise by 40% this Kharif, procurement for 75 days  

The G.O comes in continuation with the announcement made by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on paddy procurement. 

    

Published: 11th October 2020 02:02 AM  |   Last Updated: 11th October 2020 11:18 AM   |  

Farmers planting paddy saplings | EXPRESS

By Express News Service

HYDERABAD:  The State government on Saturday issued guidelines for ‘procurement policy’ of paddy under minimum support price (MSP) operations and delivery of custom milled rice for Kharif Marketing Season 2020-21. The G.O comes in continuation with the announcement made by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on paddy procurement. 

The government has estimated that there will be around 30 to 40 per cent of increase in paddy production when compared to previous Kharif season. It is estimated that 165 LMTs of paddy (90 LMTs in Vanakalam and 75 LMTs in Yasangi) is to be procured by the State government for Kharif Marketing Season. 

The procurement in each season will be held for 75 days from the date of commencement.The government directed the Collectors to shift paddy directly from procurement centres to rice mills, after taking their previous performance into consideration before allotment, for custom milling.

The Collectors were also tasked to blocklist the rice millers, who indulge in processing PDS rice. The government has specified that the rice millers should deliver custom milled rice within 15 days from the date of receipt of paddy. The Civil Supplies Department will set up 5,690 procurement centres, which can be increased, if required. 

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ps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2020/oct/11/paddy-prodn-is-likely-to-rise-by-40-this-kharif-procurement-for-75-days-2208707.html

 

Mr. Dar should get out of his bubble

 

ByMarlen V. Ronquillo

October 11, 2020

 

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has so mastered the art of Orwellian doublespeak that it can quietly but recklessly approve jumbo importations designed to flood the market with imported rice, then highlight through its non-stop propaganda machine a supposed enhanced rice production program as a real, serious and well-funded undertaking to cut back on rice imports and empower the small rice farmers. The real, and the only, rice supply strategy is nonstop importation, but a public declaration — which makes DA head William Dar a VSP or a very serious person in the eyes of gullible pundits — that a supposed inspired rice production program so imports can be cut back and domestic rice production takes primacy.

From January to September, according to records compiled by peasant groups, the DA, through the Bureau of Plant Industry, issued import permits called Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearances for 3.75 million metric tons of rice, which topped the 3 million MT imported last year.

With imports as the anchor of the country’s rice supply policy, domestic rice production and the issues related to domestic production have been rendered as afterthought. Small rice farmers have been written off as well. So, when harvest season comes, and currently we are in a harvest season, the DA whose policy is to flood the market with imports, is utterly inadequate to respond to steep drops in palay prices. The Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) provides for the emasculation of the National Food Authority (NFA), which used to be the main palay buyer during the pre-RTL regime, and this has compounded the misery of the rice farmers.

The DA is uncaring and clueless. The NFA under the RTL, has been stripped of its market stabilization and trading functions. With jumbo rice imports flooding the market, the demand for domestically produced palay plummets to inconsequential levels, hence the price dives reported by rice farmers across all major rice-producing areas in the country.

The NFA, because of the palay crisis, has been asked to do limited trading functions (this is contrary to the mandate of the RTL).

The Federation of Free Farmers said the fund given to the NFA for palay buying is barely enough for the palay produce of one region — Central Luzon.

In Central Luzon, produce that does not fall within the “dry” — or palay with 14 percent moisture content or less–is bought by private buyers at a range of P13 to P14 per kilo, if there are buyers at all. Dry palay is P17 per kilo but to get that, price farmers must truck the palay to buying centers in faraway Bulacan.

In Mindanao, it is P11 to P13 per kilo for newly harvested palay and below P16 for the dry palay. North Cotabato Gov. Nancy Cotamco, after surveying the palay price carnage in the rice-producing towns of the province, has asked Congress to amend the RTL.

The Mindanao Development Authority board that includes Sen. Miguel Zubiri has supported the call for the amendment of the RTL. The repeat of the most tragic rural story of last year, palay prices down to as low as P8 to P10 per kilo, has pushed Cotamco, who voted for the RTL while in Congress, to seek the amendment of a law she had enthusiastically supported.

So, what was Secretary Dar’s reaction to the appeal from peasant groups and government leaders to amend the RTL because of the massive suffering of the country’s rice farmers?

Borrow from the playbook of Donald Trump and the Trumpians. Deny the facts and create what the FFF calls an “alternate reality.” Also deny there is a problem and claim everything is hunky dory. And blame outside groups for stating the facts on the ground and exposing the massive suffering of the country’s rice farmers. Every and all problems are created by outside groups and agitators to rock the government.

And, of course, rev up the press release factory, which Dar and his PR group have built at a traditionally press-shy agency. (I know, I covered the DA for years and the late Ato Faustino never wrote a single press release during my time there. You were on your own and pack reporting was unheard of. The stories filed by beat reporters — Tuting Perez, Ruben Pascual, this typist and the others — were never the same and this happened almost daily.

On the palay price drops and the massive suffering in the farming areas, Dar’s version was one that was totally different from what is taking place on the ground. Dry palay, he claimed, were P18 and P19 per kilo in the two main regions of Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley. Wet palay was slightly lower but at prices still profitable to rice farmers. The buying price in Mindanao for wet palay, he said, is P13 per kilo, not the P10 or P11 validated by leaders of local government units (LGUs).

The NFA has been actively buying, Dar also claimed, without mentioning that the NFA, under the RTL, has been stripped of all its trading functions and legally it cannot even engage in palay buying. The DA is moving from one farming area to another to collect data, according to its chief, also without mentioning that devolution of powers has transferred all farm extension work to the LGUs.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/10/11/opinion/columnists/topanalysis/mr-dar-should-get-out-of-his-bubble/778923/

 

Stubble Burning, Pollution, And Politics

Stubble-burning, in a nutshell, is an unintended consequence of the technology developed for the Green Revolution.

·          DR. TARADATT

Stubble-burning practiced after harvest of paddy in Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh during the winters, cited among the principal reasons for pollution in Delhi.
File photo

Delhi, our national capital, draws attention many-a-times for issues that sully its image worldwide. Career-activists and news-makers, particularly from electronic media, appear ever ready to indulge in scare-mongering without proper study of root causes and possible remedial measures, often without realizing that their display of ‘expertise’ on such issues risks causing unwarranted tragedies. Many physical and mental disorders are psychosomatic; repetitive hourly predictions of doom are enough to rock even a reasonably stable mind!

Stubble-burning practiced after harvest of paddy in Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh during the winters, cited among the principal reasons for pollution in Delhi, as if to pressurize governments for doling out subsidies. The hyper environmental consciousness that emerges after the harvest of paddy gets lost to oblivion with the showing of the Kharif crop!

Notwithstanding Corona being the flavor of the season, the issues related to agriculture including pollution on account of stubble burning are bound to resurrect sooner or later. A question seldom examined is why stubble-burning is rarely seen in traditional paddy-growing areas across India. Without getting digressed to search for reasons why stubble-burning appears to cause more suffering in the National Capital Region (NCR) than in areas where it happens, it is necessary to gauge the factors leading to stubble-burning and measures to arrest it.

Production of rice in large swathes of areas surrounding the NCR is largely a Green Revolution phenomenon after the mid-1960s. The Green Revolution, as we know, was intended to somehow achieve self-sufficiency in food grain production. It was not as important as to which areas the rice production came from. Research on developing high-yielding varieties was biased towards plain areas with higher potential for irrigated agriculture. The technology thus developed was not scale-neutral. More so, unlike in the traditional paddy-growing areas in eastern, southern, and central India where rice is the principal staple food, in Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh, rice is hardly consumed by the growers. Rice became a commercial cash crop in the newfound granary giving birth to the recurrent stubble burning menace.

While the country succeeded in achieving the desired objective, there were unintended consequences of large proportions that have persisted over time. Paddy cultivation is water-intensive and requires flooding for irrigation. The fertile plains of areas with rayati settlement system received high investment and heavy subsidies for developing irrigation infrastructure coupled with heavy exploitation of groundwater. Incentivized progressive farmers in these areas started producing paddy with assured market intervention by the State unmindful of their non-rice-consuming habits. Paddy became a commercial crop in Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh, and the direct beneficiaries were the big farmers.

High-yielding paddy developed by scientists and cultivated in these areas is mostly a dwarf variety, matched well for mechanized harvesting. With hardly any risk of cyclones and floods in the new-found granary for rice, productivity soared with more sunny days during Kharif season and controlled irrigation facilities. Mechanized harvesting left a higher stubble, which became a burden for farmers who had transformed their status from tillers to supervisors and did not like to bear the additional costs of clearing their fields for subsequent sowing during the Rabi season. The easy option was ‘stubble burning’, a polluting activity.

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:RpPcsjsbUqEJ:https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/opinion-stubble-burning-pollution-and-politics/361896+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk

 

 

Hybrid rice seeds tripple yield in lower Sindh, south Punjab

 

 

   

 

Iqtidar Gilani

October 10, 2020

LAHORE-Hybrid coarse rice varieties have achieved three times more yields as compared to traditional varieties in lower Sindh and south Punjab.

Use of hybrid seed, developed by scientists from Pakistan and China after extensive research, has helped increasing yield from 39-35 maunds per acre to well over 100 maunds per acre this year. Progressive farmers have even managed to get more than 135 maunds paddy per acre.

Joint research for inventing high-yield hybrid coarse rice varieties has enabled paddy growers to get more earning, thus pushing their living standards upward besides reducing poverty from the rural areas. “Our per acre average yield with traditional rice varieties was 30-35 maund. Now hybrid varieties have enabled us to get 100 maund plus yield. In some cases the progressive farmers achieved 136 maund per acre,” said different growers while talking to a delegation of the Agriculture Journalists Association (AJA) Lahore during visit to rice fields in Golarchi in district Badin, lower Sindh.

Success of the hybrid varieties can be gauged from the fact that it is now being sown over 1.7 million acres of land in Sindh and south Punjab. Guard Agricultural Research & Services (Pvt) Ltd, which is pioneer in bringing the hybrid rice to Pakistan in collaboration with the Yuan Longping Hi-Tech China, is now working on to introduce such varieties which are heat resistant, salinity resistant and capable to do away with the negative impacts of climate change in Sindh and other parts of Pakistan. Talking to journalists, Guard Agricultural Research & Services (Pvt) Senior Executive Momin Malik said that three heat resistant varieties such as LP-18, Guard-403 and Guard 53 will soon be introduced in Sindh. He said that these varieties are lodging free too. He said that a long period is required for research and development of new varieties and the government should develop some mechanism for approval of new varieties at a fast phase. It will help expediting the research and development in agricultural sector, he said.

Momin said that Guard is running four research stations in Pakistan out of which two are in Sindh and two in Punjab. These research stations are in Golarchi, Larkana, Pakpattan and Sundar area near Lahore. Yuan Longping Hi-Tech representative in Pakistan Mr Liu said that hybrid rice is playing a very important role in ensuring food security and eradicating hunger from the world. He said that founder of his company who is known as ‘Father of Hybrid Rice’ has a dream to take the per acre yield to 200 maund per acre. He said that their company has its research stations in Pakistan, India, Philippines, Vietnam and Bangladesh. He disclosed that Pakistan’s climate and land is so suitable for hybrid long-grain rice that their seed is giving top performance in this country and yield is even better than China. He said that his company in collaboration with Guard will continue research to introduce varieties having resistance against climate change. 

He urged the progressive growers to educate their fellows on how to get better yield and what are the good agricultural practices for this seed. Guard General Manager Agriculture Abdul Karim Marri said that their company in collaboration with Chinese counterpart is also exporting rice seed to Philippines which once was considered as the headquarter for coarse variety. A progressive farmer Ali Mardan Shah proudly said that Golarchi is not only producing higher yield but is leading the whole of Pakistan.

Panda research center welcomes newborn cub

https://nation.com.pk/10-Oct-2020/hybrid-rice-seeds-tripple-yield-in-lower-sindh-south-punjab

 

 

On November 3, Vote to End Attacks on Science

Choosing Donald Trump for president is choosing fiction over fact—a fatal mistake

·         By THE EDITORS on October 9, 2020

President Trump has said, among other things, that the coronavirus will magically disappear and that science doesn't really know if the planet is getting warmer. Credit: Getty Images

Instead of thinking about whether to vote Democratic or Republican in the upcoming U.S. election, think about voting to protect science instead of destroying it.

As president, Donald Trump’s abuse of science has been wanton and dangerous. It has also been well documented. Since the November 2016 election, Columbia Law School has maintained a Silencing Science Tracker that records the Trump Administration’s attempts to restrict or prohibit scientific research, to undermine science education or discussion, or to obstruct the publication or use of scientific information. By early October, the tracker had detailed more than 450 cases, including scientific bias and misrepresentation (123 instances), budget cuts (72), government censorship (145), interference with education (46), personnel changes (61), research hindrances (43) and suppression or distortion of information (19).

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) also keeps a tracker of the administration’s attacks on science. It details antiscience rules, regulations and orders; censorship; politicization of grants and funding; restrictions on conference attendance; rollbacks of data collection or data accessibility; sidelining of science advisory committees; and studies that have been halted, edited or suppressed. The fact that so many types of abuse have occurred, and so often that they each warrant their own category, is scary.

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Alarmingly, many of the attacks involve the most immediate and long-term threats to people on earth: the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. In September, for example, Politico reported that Trump’s political appointees in the Department of Health and Human Services were editing weekly reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the pandemic prior to publication. Ten days later, U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette asserted that “no one knows” whether human activities are causing climate change—a refrain that is so tired it has become silly.

Such declarations parrot Trump’s own words and actions. As was widely reported, when the president was touring the California wildfires in mid-September and was asked about the role of climate change, he said, “It'll just start getting cooler, you just watch.” Wade Crowfoot, California's secretary for natural resources, replied, "I wish science agreed with you.” To which Trump retorted: "Well, I don't think science knows, actually.”

Moves by Trump Administration officials to block or alter scientific information have been particularly egregious. In 2016 National Park Service leaders deleted language about climate change in a report done by an agency scientist, Maria Caffrey. She filed a whistleblower complaint, the language was reinstated—and later she was terminated. In May 2019 the U.S. Geological Survey director ordered employees to use climate change models that only project impacts through 2040, cutting off consideration of severe consequences that are likely in the years beyond.

In June 2019 Politico reported that Department of Agriculture officials buried dozens of climate change studies, including one that revealed how rice worldwide growing in an atmosphere with more carbon dioxide would provide less nutrition. The next month, a State Department scientist resigned after the White House blocked him from submitting written testimony to the House Intelligence Committee on the national security dangers of climate change.

In July 2020 the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office revealed how the Trump administration artificially lowered estimates of climate damages to justify weakened climate policies, failing to listen to experts from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

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Undercutting science has dangerous repercussions. New York Times contributor David Leonhardt, analyzing COVID-19 data from the World Bank and Johns Hopkins University, found that as of September 1, if the U.S. had the same rate of COVID-19 deaths as the world average, 145,000 fewer Americans would have died from the disease.

Trump’s dismissal of medical science is one reason for the awful excess. As Ben Santer, a researcher at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and a member of the National Academies, wrote in a Scientific American article in June: “It was scientifically incorrect for Donald Trump to dismiss the coronavirus as no worse than the seasonal flu, as he did on February 26. It was incorrect to advise U.S. citizens to engage in business as usual, which he did as late as March 10. It was incorrect to imply, as he did in a press briefing on March 19, that the malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are promising remedies for COVID-19.” (There was already evidence that the medications did not help, and additional findings soon led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to revoke authorization for their use.) “Dissemination of such inaccurate information helped to spread the novel coronavirus in America faster by delaying the adoption of social distancing.”

Even after Trump became ill with COVID, he continued to mislead the public about the danger of the illness and the safety and efficacy of the experimental treatments he received—while the White House has declined to do the sort of extensive contact tracing public health experts consider vital.

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The administration has also been “suppressing CDC reports on how to safely operate businesses, schools and houses of worship during the pandemic,” according to UCS research analyst Anita Desikan, in an August blog post on the organization’s Web site.

Disregard for science threatens people in other ways. Desikan noted that the EPA has discounted the human health effects of particulate air pollution, which numerous studies show contributes to asthma, lung damage and birth defects, and has ignored the dangers of asbestos, a known human carcinogen, raised by its own scientists. The EPA, she noted, has even downplayed harm from a chemical that damages the hearts of human fetuses. EPA’s leaders, appointed by Trump, have rolled back numerous regulations affecting endangered species, clean air, clean water and toxic chemicals—even the neurotoxin mercury—which will increase hazards to human health as well as emissions of greenhouse gases. These threats are particularly important for Black, Latinx and Indigenous communities, which suffer disproportionately from pollution as well as COVID-19.

Science, built on facts and evidence-based analysis, is fundamental to a safe and fair America. Upholding science is not a Democratic or Republican issue. There are plenty of people in red and blue states across the country who respect and need science. Industrial innovation, profitable farming, homeland security, a competitive economy and therefore good jobs, all depend on it. But politicians of different stripes have to get on board to protect science from further demise. In May, for example, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Scientific Integrity Act as part of the Heroes Act. It would require science-based federal agencies to have a scientific integrity policy that ensures that no one at the agency will “suppress, alter, interfere, or otherwise impede the timely release and communication of scientific or technical findings.” But the bill sits idle in the Senate. 

On an individual basis, the most powerful action you can take to protect science is to vote out of office a president who is trying to gut it—and to encourage people you know to do likewise, especially in the battleground states. The same applies to the November elections for key U.S. Senate races. Most senators and representatives do prize facts and evidence-based thinking, yet too many of them remain silent about Trump’s abuse of science. Their silence is complicity. For that reason, the November 3 election should be a day of reckoning.

vhttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/on-november-3-vote-to-end-attacks-on-science/

 

Why We Oppose Golden Rice

Agrochemical companies are using concerns over food security heightened by the pandemic to promote GM product, tighten grip over agriculture.

A version of this article originally appeared in Independent Science News.

THE STOP GOLDEN RICE NETWORK

October 9, 2020

  

A grand push is on for corporate-led solutions to hunger and malnutrition. On the GMO front this manifests as Golden Rice being pressed into service as a solution to the hunger and malnutrition worsened by the pandemic. In this way, global agrochemical transnational corporations (TNCs) and collaborating institutions such as the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) are using concerns over food security heightened by the pandemic to promote an industrialized agricultural model that many think is already discredited.

Opponents of Golden Rice are concerned it will endanger agrobiodiversity and peoples’ health. Photo by Kervin Bonganciso/MASIPAG.

As IRRI’s head of Agri-Food Policy, Jean Balié, told a webinar sponsored by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (“The future of food systems in Southeast Asia post-COVID19”), IRRI is “looking to increase the mineral and vitamin content in rice grains” in response to the pandemic.

Golden Rice projects and applications for its approval are currently underway in three countries. On December 10, 2019, the Philippines issued a Golden Rice permit for Direct Use for Food, Feed, and Processing. This was despite the standing challenge by farmers, scientists, and civil society groups regarding Golden Rice’s unresolved safety and efficacy issues.

 

In Indonesia, it was confirmed in August 2019 that the rice research center (BB Padi) had grown Golden Rice in their testing fields in Sukamandi, West Java. However, BB Padi is still waiting for permission from Indonesia’s biosafety clearing house for confined field testing in selected areas.

In Bangladesh, rumors have been circulating since November 2019 that Golden Rice would be approved by the Biosafety Core Committee. Despite the delay, proponents are optimistic that approval in Bangladesh will still occur.

At the Stop Golden Rice Network (SGRN) we believe that Golden Rice is an unnecessary and unwanted technology. It is being peddled by corporations purely for profit-making agendas and will only strengthen the grip of corporations over rice and agriculture. Moreover, we believe it will endanger agrobiodiversity and peoples’ health as well. In consequence, farmers, consumers and others have been campaigning against its use and commercialization since the mid-2000s, including through the uprooting of Golden Rice field trials back in 2013.

Why is there intense opposition towards Golden Rice?

The importance of rice in Asian countries cannot be understated; 90 percent of rice is produced and consumed in Asia. Rice is at the center of the social, cultural, and economic activities of peoples all across Asia.

And as the staple food for a majority of the Asian population, it is also a political commodity. As well, Asian countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, and India are the centers of origin of more than 100,000 varieties of rice. Also considered as among the most biodiverse countries in the world, a wide array of vegetables, fruits, root crops, and cereals abound in the farms and forests of these countries, ensuring a dependable source of nutrition for the families and the communities.

Yet malnutrition is prevalent in Asia, particularly among children and women. This is not simply because of the absence of specific important nutrients or vitamins. It is caused by the “lack of access to sufficient, nutritious, and safe food” due to poverty and changing food production and consumption patterns.

The impact of these changes is seen in IRRI’s Green Revolution in which many farmers across Asia have become bound to the expensive inputs and seeds peddled by huge agrochemical TNCs who promote a single-crop diet. As a result of the green revolution, white rice now dominates once very diverse Asian diets. White rice has a high glycemic index which causes diabetes and 60 percent of global diabetes cases are in Asia. Packing more nutrients, like Vitamin A, in rice, which requires more rice consumption would make this worse. Especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, for which diabetes is considered a risk factor for disease severity.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) identifies the dominance of large corporations over food systems as among the factors that contribute to food insecurity and malnutrition. In developing countries, large tracts of agricultural lands are being converted either to industrial and commercial land uses, or to large-scale mono-cropped plantations of cash crops such as pineapples, palm oil, and bananas — crops that hardly serve the nutrition needs of the people. FAO further acknowledges that the changes in food systems and diets, such as the prevalence of highly processed foods and displacement of traditional foods and eating habits, also contribute to the worsening trend of food insecurity and malnutrition.

Given this context, Golden Rice is simply a ‘band-aid’ solution to the wide, gaping wound of hunger and poverty.

More specifically, Golden Rice has a series of highly problematic aspects

1. Negligible beta carotene content — The current version of the Golden Rice is called GR2E. It contains a negligible amount of beta-carotene (from 3.57 ug/g to 22 ug/g), which the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) also acknowledged, making the product useless in addressing Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in contrast to existing and readily available food sources. Already minimal, Golden Rice’s beta-carotene was also found to degrade quickly after harvesting, storing, and processing, such as milling and even cooking, unless the farmers vacuum-pack and refrigerate the GM rice. Farmers from developing countries however, do not seal or store paddy rice in vacuum packs, which will make the product more expensive. Electricity also remains scarce in remote farming communities so refrigerating the harvest is unrealistic bordering on the absurd.
2. No meaningful safety tests have been done — Even as the Golden Rice has been approved in the Philippines, there has been no testing to ascertain if it is safe for human consumption. Meanwhile, the aforementioned beta-carotene degradation may result in toxic compounds causing oxidative stress damage–which might lead to cancer. Dr. David Schubert of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA and Dr. Michael Antoniou of King’s College London, state that “there have never been short nor, more importantly, long-term safety testing in laboratory animals (of Golden Rice) and this must be done for several generations in rats to determine if it causes birth defects, which we consider a serious possibility.”
3. Contamination of other rice varieties and wild relatives of rice — Field trials conducted so far have only looked at the agronomic traits of Golden Rice, and not its long-term effects on the environment, including its possible effects on the genetic diversity of the thousands of rice varieties being cared for by small scale farmers and Indigenous peoples. Although rice is a self-pollinating crop, cross-contamination is inevitable. Contamination can also occur through seed mixing. Such contamination has already happened in the US with the Liberty Link rice scandal back in 2006 that caused US farmers millions of dollars in losses because of the inadvertent contamination of the yet unapproved GM rice.
4. Safer sources of beta-carotene — Being some of the mega-diverse countries, vegetables and fruits that are high in beta-carotene are found in abundance in the Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India and other target countries for Golden Rice. These foods are available and accessible for the people and contain much higher levels of beta-carotene than Golden Rice. Worsening land-grabbing and land conversion, liberalization of agricultural commodities, and increasing control of corporations over agriculture and food, however, are preventing farmers and their communities from having access to these safe and nutritious foods.

In developing countries the challenges described above remain the main culprit of food insecurity and malnutrition. Both the development of biofortified crops like Golden Rice for solving health issues and corporate led projects in agriculture as ways to ensure food security represent a worrisome push for top-down and anti-diversity approaches to food and health that will ultimately undermine people’s capacities to strengthen their local food systems. By emphasizing dependence on just a few market-based crops biofortification actually promotes a poor diet with little nutritional diversity

Golden Rice is a failed and useless product, and that is why we continue to resist and oppose it. Time and again, huge agrochemical companies, philanthrocapitalists, and pseudo-public agencies have attempted to deny the people’s right to participate in decisions about their food and agriculture. Already, zinc and iron GM rice and thirty other GM rice products are in the pipeline, with Golden Rice serving as the Trojan Horse to lure the people into social acceptance and false security.

More than resisting the release of Golden Rice however, we are pushing for safer, better and healthier alternatives to address VAD and other malnutrition issues. Malnutrition can be mitigated and addressed by having a diverse diet. Nutrition does not need to be an expensive commodity, nor rely on advanced technology. We believe that instead of pushing Golden Rice and biofortifying crops through genetic modification, governments should promote biodiversity in farms and on tables by supporting safe, healthy and sustainable food production.

We are also calling on governments to pay attention to the needs of our food producers, including facilitating access to lands to till, appropriate technologies, and an agriculture policy that will promote and uphold the people’s right to food and the nations’ food sovereignty.

The Stop Golden Rice Network

https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/articles/entry/why-we-oppose-golden-rice/

 

Sikkim farmers complain of severe crop damage

The extensive damage caused to their grain, were due to combined infection of neck blast and nodal blast on their crop.

TNT Bureau

Oct 12, 2020, 1:44 PM

 

GANGTOK

Farmers from 6th mile and Rautey-Rumtek, East Sikkim, have complained about the extensive damage to their grain, caused due to combined infection of neck blast and nodal blast on their crop.

Shri Bhim Prasad Sharma, a farmer from 6th mile, who had planted this variety of paddy on 0.4 hectares, asserted that, “the paddy plant looks like a normal ripened crop but has dried up due to problems not known in the past.”

He said that his entire efforts have gone in vain and that it will be a great loss for him in the current season, as he won't be able to harvest even a single grain in the current year.

Shri Kamal Sharma, another farmer from Rautey-Rumtek, East Sikkim, had also planted the same variety in 0.3 hectares and he too has a similar tale to narrate. After discussing with the farmers, Dr R K Avasthe, Joint Director, ICAR-NOFRI constituted a team of Scientists from ICAR-NOFRI, Tadong, comprising of Dr Chandramani Raj (Scientist-Plant Pathology) and Dr Janak Kumar Singh (Subject Matter Specialist-Plant Breeding) for the field visit.

The affected areas upon close observation of the paddy fields growing Abhishek variety recorded extensive damage due to combined infection of neck blast and nodal blast causing chaffy grains which remain unfilled.

The paddy variety is said to have come from the regional station, Hazaribagh of ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack in 2006. However, other paddies which originated in Sikkim, like Sano Attey and Kalchanti, were free from the disease despite being planted in the near vicinity of the affected Abhishek variety.

The microscopic examination of the affected samples was conducted, by Dr Shweta Singh (Scientist –Plant Pathology) and she concluded that the paddy sheath and grains were infected, with neck and nodal blast infection which was evident due to the presence of spores of the fungi.

As a preventive measure, ICAR-NOFRI recommends the following steps :

1. Fields be sanitized and bury the infected straw and stubbles in the field.

2. Seed treatment with Pseudomonas flourescens @ 10 g/kg of seed.

3. During nursery preparation, sprinkling 2.5 kg of Pseudomonas fluorescens (talc) in stagnated water to a depth of 2.5 cm over an area of 25 m2 for one hectare of the nursery.

4. Seedlings should also be treated, by soaking the root system of seedlings for 30 minutes in Pseudomonas flourescens @ 4 ml/L before transplanting.

5. Spray three times Pseudomonas fluorescens talc formulation @ 0.5 per cent from 45 days after transplanting to grain filling stage at ten days interval.

6. Use local tolerant varieties which are convenient to Sikkim conditions and

7. In outbreak conditions, copper oxychloride, about 0.3 per cent should be applied, at intervals of 10 days till grain filling stage (< 8 kg Cu/hectare/year).

https://www.thenortheasttoday.com/current-affairs/states/sikkim-farmers-complain-of-severe-crop-damage

 

Kejriwal to launch spraying of anti-stubble burning solution on TuesdayPosted: Oct 11, 2020 07:27 PM (IST)

PTI file photo

New Delhi, October 11

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will on Tuesday launch the spraying of anti-stubble burning solution in Delhi’s Ghalib Pur village, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Sunday.

“So far, we have received applications to spray the anti-stubble burning solution on nearly 1,500 acres of land where non-basmati rice is grown,” he said.              

Scientists at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, PUSA, have developed “bio-decomposer” capsules, which are used to prepare a liquid formulation. The solution, when sprayed in the fields, can decompose crop residue and turn it into manure.

A centralised bio-decomposer system has been set up in Kharkhari Nahar village in southwest Delhi. This year, the Delhi government is going to use the solution on the land where non-basmati rice is grown. 

“We have estimated that only Rs 20 lakh is needed to manage stubble in 800 hectares of agricultural land in Delhi through this solution. It includes the cost of preparation, transportation and spraying,” he said. 

If this proves to be successful in Delhi, it can be a good solution to the issue of stubble burning in neighbouring states too, he said. 

Rai said the contribution of farm fires in neighbouring states to Delhi’s pollution goes up to 44 per cent during the harvesting season. PTI

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/kejriwal-to-launch-spraying-of-anti-stubble-burning-solution-on-tuesday-154293

 

Imee laments lack of drying machines, storage facilities

Published October 12, 2020, 12:05 PM

by Mario Casayuran

Sen. Imee R. Marcos today cited the lack of drying machines and storage facilities for the losses that rice farmers are suffering amid October’s wet-season harvest.

Senator Imee R. Marcos (Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN)

Marcos, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, said rice farmers who were selling their wet palay at P15 per kilo weeks earlier are now selling below their average production cost of P12 per kilo.

She urged the scheduling of rice imports outside of the country’s harvest seasons in March-April and September-October so that farmers don’t have to compete with unrestricted importation under the Rice Tariffication Law.

“The truth is, the warehouses are full of imported rice. The NFA (National Food Authority), following corruption allegations, suffered budget cuts and had already spent most of its funding at the start of the pandemic. There’s hardly any money now to purchase the main harvest,” Marcos said.

“Local rice farmers are no longer thinking of profit, just cutting their losses and paying back their debts. They’ve been left high and dry amid the wet-season harvest,” Marcos said.

The lowest farmgate price of P10 per kilo was reported in the Bicol region and Capiz and was ranging at P11 to P13 in other rice-producing provinces.

“Production cost also goes up by P1 to P2 per kilo if a farmer avails of a drying machine at the nearest coop, apart from having to line up with so many others,” Marcos said.

In Nueva Ecija, the rice bowl of Central Luzon, the cost of hired labor has also increased amid the rains, from 10 cavans to 15 cavans for every 100 cavans harvested.

“Some rice farmers are opting to put off harvesting amid the rains, rather than pay more for labor and sell at a loss to rice traders,” Marcos said, citing farmer complaints reaching her office.

“They’re now drying what palay they could fit into their own homes. What becomes discolored from moisture is later sold cheaply as broken rice or duck feed,” she added.

https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/12/imee-laments-lack-of-drying-machines-storage-facilities/

 

 ‘PHL rice traders fail to use over 2,000 SPS-ICs’

ByBusinessMirror

October 12, 2020

 -October 12, 2020

Over 2,000 sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPS-IC), representing some 1.9 million metric tons (MMT) of rice, have expired as traders were unable to use the permits beyond the 60-day deadline.

Documents from the Department of Agriculture (DA) obtained by the BusinessMirror showed that in the January-to-May period alone, 2,071 SPS-ICs for 1.879 MMT of rice lapsed.

The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) National Plant Quarantine Services Division (NPQSD) confirmed to the BusinessMirror that unused SPS-ICs issued in June and July have expired as well.

An SPS-IC for rice, which certifies that the imported staple is safe for human consumption, lapses after a 60-day must ship-out date and could not be used for future importation, the BPI-NPQSD said.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar earlier said about 200,000 metric tons (MT) to 300,000 MT of rice will still enter the country in the fourth quarter, majority of which would arrive by December.

Dar said the DA-BPI has been in talks with rice traders and importers to refrain from importing rice for October and November, when local harvest is in full swing, to prevent palay prices from declining.

In September, the DA-BPI only issued 14 SPS-ICs for 14,463 MT of rice to eligible importers, according to data from the BPI.

The BPI-NPQSD told the BusinessMirror that it did not suspend the issuance of SPS-IC for rice imports and that it was “managing” the schedule of arrival “to prioritize the distribution of local palay/rice.”

“BPI also conducted a series of meetings with rice importers regarding this matter and has received a commitment that the importers will also manage their importations,” the agency said.

From January to October 2, about 1.817 MMT of rice was brought into the country by 190 eligible importers. The bulk of the volume or 1.583 MMT came from Vietnam, BPI data showed.

BPI data also showed that Puregold Price Club Inc was the top rice importer with 65,728.658 MT followed by Davao San Ei Trading Inc. with 64,636 MT.

Aside from Vietnam, traders and importers bought rice from Myanmar, Thailand, China, India, Pakistan, Cambodia, Taiwan, Italy and Spain.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has pared down its total rice import forecast for the Philippines this year by 100,000 MT to 2.5 MMT due to the “slower pace of issuing import permits.”

Philippine rice imports this year may decline by 13.8 percent from last year’s 2.9 MMT, USDA data showed.

Due to the downward revision, global rice imports are expected to fall slightly to 43.003 MT from last year’s 43.428 MMT, based on USDA’s latest projections.

“Global trade is expected to contract slightly on lower Philippines imports,”  it said in its October “Grain: World Markets and Trade” report published recently.

Likewise, the USDA revised downward its rice import forecast for the Philippines next year to 2.6 MMT from a previous projection of 3 MMT due to “higher production forecast.”

With the latest projection, rice imports next year would remain flat but the Philippine would still be the world’s largest importer for the third consecutive year.

The USDA forecasts the country’s milled rice production to reach 11.7 MMT next year, 700,000 MT higher than its previous estimate of 11 MMT.

Despite the upward revision, rice output next year would still be 2 percent lower than this year’s estimated output of 11.927 MMT, USDA data showed.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/10/12/phl-rice-traders-fail-to-use-over-2000-sps-ics/

 

A Healthy Twist on Jollof Rice

caribdirect | October 9, 2020 | 0 Comments

As part of Public Health England’s (PHE) Better Health campaign, which encourages adults to eat better, lose weight and get active, registered dietitian and member of the British Dietetic Association (BDA)Shola Oladipo  shares a healthy twist on how to prepare popular West African dish Jollof Rice.

Jollof rice (made with brown basmati rice) 

Preparation time:  20-25 minutes

Cooking time: 50-60 minutes

Serves: 6 

Ingredients

·         3 cups brown basmati rice

·         3 medium tomatoes, chopped

·         1 red bell pepper, chopped

·         1 large onion, chopped

·         2 garlic cloves

·         1-inch ginger, chopped

·         1/2 scotch bonnet pepper or 2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper

·         2 tablespoons of cooking oil

·         2 teaspoons curry powder

·         1 teaspoon thyme

·         2 tablespoons tomato paste or puree

·         2 vegetable bouillon cubes

·         650 ml water 

Method

1.Wash the brown rice thoroughly in a colander and allow to drain

2.                  Using a blender – blend tomato puree, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, ginger and scotch bonnet pepper until smooth. Add sufficient water to blend to a thick but pourable consistency.

3.      Heat oil in a large pot on medium-high heat, add pureed ingredients and cook for 3 minutes. Then add curry powder, vegetable bouillon cubes (crushed), and thyme.

4.Cook this mixture for about 2 minutes.

5.                  Stir in the rice and 650 ml water – ensure all grains are sufficiently coated with the tomato mixture.

6.      Bring to boil stirring carefully.

7.      Cover pot and reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender and fluffy.

*Remember brown rice takes longer to cook – so allow 50-60 minutes. 

Serve with grilled chicken, plantain and salad 

The Better Health campaign provides a variety of free tools and apps to help you become more active and make healthier food choices. This includes the new FREE 12-Week NHS Weight Loss Plan, which helps people eat better and learn skills to prevent weight gain.

Visit nhs.uk/betterhealth to start leading a healthier lifestyle today.

 

 

https://www.caribdirect.com/a-healthy-twist-on-jollof-rice/

 

 

Government targets procurement of 1.65 crore tonnes of paddy

M. Rajeev

HYDERABAD , OCTOBER 11, 2020 23:03 IST

UPDATED: OCTOBER 12, 2020 10:22 IST

Paddy procured from farmers should be custom milled and the resultant raw rice delivered by millers would be utilised for Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and other welfare measures. | File   | Photo Credit: Mohd. Arif

The State government has targeted procurement of 1.65 crore tonnes of paddy from farmers at the back of a record production in the current year.

Of this massive quantity, procurement in the Vaanakalam (kharif) is expected to be around 90 lakh metric tonnes and balance 75 lakh metric tonnes during Yasangi (rabi season). The government has already announced a minimum support price of ₹1,888 a quintal for A-grade variety and ₹1,868 a quintal for the B-grade or common variety.

The significant improvement in the procurement target is attributed to the projected rise in the area under agriculture with the operationalisation of major projects like Kaleshwaram. Procurement of 1.65 crore tonnes of paddy would set a record for the State as the procurement was 1.12 crore MT in 2019-20 and 77.41 lakh MT in the year before that. Paddy procurement for the entire crop year hovered around 50 to 60 lakh MT during the previous years.

The Civil Supplies department has released the paddy procurement policy for the current year after the State Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, finalized the action plan for the purpose at the village level itself. As the incidence of the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the government has decided to open 5,690 procurement centres in villages so that overcrowding at agricultural market committees is avoided and the process is taken up at the farmers’ doorstep.

 

Paddy procured from farmers should be custom milled and the resultant raw rice delivered by millers would be utilised for Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and other welfare measures. The annual requirement of raw rice for TPDS and other welfare schemes, including open market sales scheme with two months buffer, is pegged at approximately 28.8 lakh metric tonnes.

The policy mentioned in detail the specifications of paddy, including the presence of foreign matter, both organic and inorganic, discolouration, moisture content and immature, shrunken or shrivelled grains. The Civil Supplies Corporation, IKP (women self-help groups), agriculture cooperative societies and other agencies would make paddy purchases at procurement centres. The allotment of procurement centres to these groups would, however, be made after taking into consideration their previous performance.

The policy contained clear guidelines pertaining to custom milling of paddy to be undertaken by rice millers and they were directed to deliver the custom milled rice within 15 days of receipt of paddy. “The collectors shall take action to blacklist the rice millers who divert paddy stocks delivered for custom milling or indulge in purchase of PDS rice”.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/govt-targets-procurement-of-165-crore-tonnes-of-paddy/article32828875.ece

 

 

Sangrur farmers protest paddy purchase from other districts

Say their crop won’t be sold once millers buy from others

·         Oct 12, 2020 07:17 AM (IST)

·         Updated : 8 hours ago

Sangrur farmers protest in front of trucks carrying paddy from Tarn Taran on Sunday. tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, October 11

Farmers from Dhadriyan village, owing allegiance to the Kirti Kisan Union, today laid siege to three trucks of paddy purchased from Tarn Taran by local rice millers.

Farmers here alleged that as rice millers were purchasing paddy from other districts, they would struggle to sell their crop once it was ready. They announced to intensify their protest in the coming days.

“Rice millers of our area are bringing paddy from other districts. We fear they will refuse to purchase our crop as it would come after 10-15 days. Till then, they would have made the entire required purchase. We will not allow the sale of paddy from other districts in our area. Our protest will continue till the authorities do not send these trucks back to Tarn Taran,” said Bhajan Singh, a farmer leader.

He alleged though many trucks had come from Tarn Taran and other border districts last night, they could seize only three trucks.

“Every year farmers of our area face problems because millers purchase paddy from other areas,” alleged Tejinder Singh, another farmer leader.

Punsup inspector Kuldeep Goyal and Markfed inspector Pushpinder Singh said they had been trying to convince farmers to release trucks as legally nobody could stop millers from purchasing paddy from any part of the state. “We have deputed police personnel and are trying to convince farmers. Meetings are on to break the impasse,” said Harchetan Singh, SHO, Longowal.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/sangrur-farmers-protest-paddy-purchase-from-other-districts-154330

Farmers lay siege to trucks of paddy from other districts; Sangrur farmers 'struggle to sell their crops'

They have announced to intensify their agitation in the coming days

·         Oct 11, 2020 06:36 PM (IST)

Photo for representation only. — File photo

Parvesh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Sangrur, October 11

Farmers from Dhadriyan village, under the banner of Kriti Kisan Union, have laid siege to three trucks of paddy, that were purchased from Tartarn by local rice millers.

Farmers have alleged, that millers were purchasing paddy from other districts while Sangrur farmers would struggle to sell their crops.

They have announced to intensify their agitation in the coming days.

"Rice millers of our area, are bringing paddy from other districts, but they would refuse to purchase our crop, which would come after 10-15 days because till then they would purchase their all quota. We would not allow the sale of other districts' paddy in our area, and our protest would continue till the authorities do not send these trucks back to Tartan," said a union leader, Bhajan Singh.

He alleged, that even though many trucks had come from Tartarn, and other border districts last night, they could only capture three trucks.

"Every year the farmers of our area face problems because millers purchase paddy from other areas," alleged another union leader, Tejinder Singh.

Punsup inspector, Kuldeep Goyal, and Markfed inspector, Pushpinder Singh, said that they had been trying to convince farmers to release trucks as legally could not stop rice millers from purchasing paddy from any part of the state.

“We have deputed cops, and trying to convince farmers. Meetings are going on,” said the SHO Longowal, Harchetan Singh.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/farmers-lay-siege-to-trucks-of-paddy-from-other-districts-sangrur-farmers-struggle-to-sell-their-crops-154282

 

After Covid, stir hits rice exporters hard

4,000 containers carrying basmati, other items stranded at dry ports across state

Exporters are worried over timely deliveries to overseas clients. file

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 11

Owing to the ongoing farmers’ agitation, more than 4,000 export containers carrying Punjab-produced items, including foodgrain such as basmati and other perishable goods, are stranded at the dry ports across the state.

There are 8 dry ports in Ludhiana, one each in Jalandhar & Dapar

The rice exporters are worried they may not be able to keep the timely delivery commitment made to overseas clients. Unless the produce is delivered in time, exporters will not be able to secure repeat orders for rice this season, they say.

Jalandhar exporter Viney Gupta, who runs a government-recognised export house, says he ships rice to countries such as the UK, US, Australia, Canada, etc. “The procurement season is on but containers full of rice are stuck at dry ports. We can’t purchase more basmati from the farmer when the previous stock hasn’t been cleared (lifted for export). Farmers will be the ultimate sufferers if the containers remain stranded. We urge the government to declare rice an essential commodity and save both farmers and exporters,” says Gupta.

Rice is exported from other states such as Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh as well. If Punjab is hit, buyers will go to these states for basmati. Pakistan too is a viable option for them, he says.

Rice intermediary from Jalalabad Naresh Batra says the farmers’ agitation has come as a double whammy for them as exports had already been suffering because of Covid-19.

“How can we get more orders when the previous consignments are not cleared and payments are not made? The price of basmati has already gone down since shipments are not going out on a regular basis. The problem of non-availability of containers is also there,” said Batra.

The overall impact of stranded containers is expected to be significant across the rice supply chain, right from farmers, millers to exporters, they say.

“The movement of containers is in the interest of farmers. We want the Punjab Government to intervene to resolve the issue and facilitate immediate movement of containers,” said Gupta.

In total, there are 10 dry ports in the state, including eight in Ludhiana - ICD, Concor; Gateway Rail Freight Limited; Pristine Mega Logistics Park; Hind Terminals Private Limited; Overseas Warehousing Private Limited; Punjab State WareHousing Corporation; Adani Logistics; and Krishna Cargomovers. The other two are in Jalandhar and Mohali.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/after-covid-stir-hits-rice-exporters-hard-154328https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/global-oil-tempered-wire-market-insights-report-forecast-to-2027-2020-10-11?tesla=y

 

 

Jasmine Food Named Their 16th Consecutive "Malaysia's Reader's Digest Most Trusted Brand Award"

 

Mon, October 12, 2020, 6:00 AM GMT+5·2 mins read

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Amidst the current unprecedented time of economic downturn due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Jasmine Food Corporation (Jasmine) Sdn Bhd has demonstrated its sustainable performance as evidenced by 10th consecutive years of receiving awards by Reader's Digest. The 2020 accolade saw Jasmine awarded with "Platinum Trusted Brand" in the Rice category among other Rice Brand in Malaysia.

 

Jasmine Food supports Pusat Darah Negara’s (PDN) Blood Donation Drive

"We have established our presence for more than 5 decades as one of the leading rice market producers and distributors in Malaysia. We are proud of the awards that we have received for so many years. The awards, for us, is encouragement to enhance our trusted brand to keep providing the highest quality of our healthy rice variants," Lim Swee Keat, CEO of Jasmine Food Corporation, explained.

Lim also concerns about healthy eating lifestyle. For that reason, Jasmine provides rice produced through the right cultivation that can grow healthy products. "Among our products range in the list are fragrant, basmathi, calrose, health rice, glutinous rice, rice vermicelli, and we also have imported white rice."

Innovation is one crucial element that also attributes to the success of Jasmine, which is evidenced by the production of innovative products such as long grain basmathi rice. This type of low-fat and low carbohydrate rice contains a low level of glycemic index, protein, calcium and vitamins. Hence, Jasmine has won the trust and support achieved by partnering with the country's health institute, Tung Shin Hospital, National Blood Donation Centre (PDN), National Diabetic Association, and National Heart Institute or Institute Jantung Negara (IJN).

"We became a subsidiary Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) in 1996 and have ever since imported a wide variety of rice from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Pakistan, Australia, and USA to cater to diverse needs of customers from various countries," Lim added.

Reader's Digest has for 22 consecutive years held such a prestigious accolade to gain insights into customers' views and trusted brands, based on trustworthiness and credibility, quality, value, understanding of customer needs, innovation, and social responsibility. The insights were collected from around 8,000 individuals from five countries/regions, including Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Platinum Trusted Brand Awards were given to brands that topped their category with an overwhelmingly higher score than their nearest competitor.

The trustworthiness, quality and credibility are also proven through Jasmine Rice's money-back guarantee policy. Choose Jasmine products today, because you can trust in its quality and consistency.

For more information, visit: http://www.jasmine.com.my/ or https://www.facebook.com/jasminefoodcorporation

 https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20201009/2927709-1

 

Rice traders organizes sessions on agri-children rights

 On 11 October,2020 06:17 pm

The UNCRC has 41 articles which tell us about various rights of the child.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The top rice traders has organized the workshops for educating the 1000 rice transplanters families and their children on Child Rights and to create awareness for their personal health, hygiene and Prevention from COVID-19 pandemic.

Accordng to a statement issued on Sunday, the top rice trader of the country, Rice Partners (Pvt) Ltd (RPL) organized 20 awareness sessions on “Child Rights and Personal Health and Hygiene” for rice transplanter’s families in different region of the Punjab province.

In last session the series of awareness session, the Project Officer RPL, Rizwan Ali highlighted the different aspects children health and threats and also delivered a lecture on child rights.

The Rice Partners (Pvt) Ltd (RPL) in collaboration with Helvetas Pakistan and Swiss Solidarity conducted 20 awareness sessions for agriculture families on “Child Rights and Personal Health and Hygiene” especially for rice transplanter’s families in 16 remote villages of district Sheikhupura and other districts, he said. He threw light on the rights of children and highlighted the strategies for elimination of child abuses and child labor.

During the series of awareness sessions, more than 2000 participants attended these awareness sessions, he said. While, SOPs were strictly followed regarding the COVID-19 during these sessions. He shared the key points of the document of the United Nations Child Rights Convention (UNCRC) with the participants.

The UNCRC has 41 articles which tell us about various rights of the child. He said that the constitution of Pakistan also grants fundamental rights to the citizens of Pakistan particularly to women and children.

As per article 25-A of Constitution of Pakistan “The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manner as may be determined by law” he added. He also described the last sermon of Holy Prophet (PBUH) as per the last sermon that all the people are equal and no one is superior.

The base of superiority is the faith only. He also said that RPL is providing books, stationery and uniforms to the deserving children of the transplanting community free of cost so they should send their children into schools. He ended the session by saying that RPL is also supporting in birth registration of child.

The Health Officer, Punjab Health Department, Ms Zunaira Arooj sensitized the participants on personal health and hygiene. She told the participants what measures should be taken in case of heatstroke, accidents, bites, chemical exposures etc. She added to always use filtered water or boiled water to remain safe from water- borne diseases. She also spread awareness on prevention from novel corona virus. She described the methods of making hand sanitizers and ORS at home.

Muhammad Ali Tariq, Chief Operating Officer (COO) Rice Partners Pvt Ltd has said that RPL is working for the betterment of farmers and farm laborers from past many years through provision of laser land leveling on 50%, cost sharing basis, trainings on water saving techniques. “We are ensuring decent working conditions for rice transplanters and their children by establishing Community Child Care Centers, first aid kits distribution of food packs, canopy kits etc.

He also said that RPL has organized number of medical camps in Punjab and treated more than 20,000 patients in the community. He said that RPL is the only organization in Pakistan which is working on many aspects of the rice value chain like Water productivity, Crop management, Gender equality, Child rights, Vocational trainings, Women empowerment, human rights and health issues. He said that they try their best to improve the livelihood of the farmers and farm labour. So far more than 28,000 farmers have been sensitized by RPL.

 

https://dunyanews.tv/en/Business/568087-Rice-traders-organizes-sessions-on-agri-children-rights

 

 

PHL rice traders fail to use over 2,000 SPS-ICs’

 

ByBusinessMirror

October 12, 2020

Over 2,000 sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPS-IC), representing some 1.9 million metric tons (MMT) of rice, have expired as traders were unable to use the permits beyond the 60-day deadline.

Documents from the Department of Agriculture (DA) obtained by the BusinessMirror showed that in the January-to-May period alone, 2,071 SPS-ICs for 1.879 MMT of rice lapsed.

The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) National Plant Quarantine Services Division (NPQSD) confirmed to the BusinessMirror that unused SPS-ICs issued in June and July have expired as well.

An SPS-IC for rice, which certifies that the imported staple is safe for human consumption, lapses after a 60-day must ship-out date and could not be used for future importation, the BPI-NPQSD said.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar earlier said about 200,000 metric tons (MT) to 300,000 MT of rice will still enter the country in the fourth quarter, majority of which would arrive by December.

Dar said the DA-BPI has been in talks with rice traders and importers to refrain from importing rice for October and November, when local harvest is in full swing, to prevent palay prices from declining.

In September, the DA-BPI only issued 14 SPS-ICs for 14,463 MT of rice to eligible importers, according to data from the BPI.

The BPI-NPQSD told the BusinessMirror that it did not suspend the issuance of SPS-IC for rice imports and that it was “managing” the schedule of arrival “to prioritize the distribution of local palay/rice.”

“BPI also conducted a series of meetings with rice importers regarding this matter and has received a commitment that the importers will also manage their importations,” the agency said.

From January to October 2, about 1.817 MMT of rice was brought into the country by 190 eligible importers. The bulk of the volume or 1.583 MMT came from Vietnam, BPI data showed.

BPI data also showed that Puregold Price Club Inc was the top rice importer with 65,728.658 MT followed by Davao San Ei Trading Inc. with 64,636 MT.

Aside from Vietnam, traders and importers bought rice from Myanmar, Thailand, China, India, Pakistan, Cambodia, Taiwan, Italy and Spain.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has pared down its total rice import forecast for the Philippines this year by 100,000 MT to 2.5 MMT due to the “slower pace of issuing import permits.”

Philippine rice imports this year may decline by 13.8 percent from last year’s 2.9 MMT, USDA data showed.

Due to the downward revision, global rice imports are expected to fall slightly to 43.003 MT from last year’s 43.428 MMT, based on USDA’s latest projections.

“Global trade is expected to contract slightly on lower Philippines imports,”  it said in its October “Grain: World Markets and Trade” report published recently.

Likewise, the USDA revised downward its rice import forecast for the Philippines next year to 2.6 MMT from a previous projection of 3 MMT due to “higher production forecast.”

With the latest projection, rice imports next year would remain flat but the Philippine would still be the world’s largest importer for the third consecutive year.

The USDA forecasts the country’s milled rice production to reach 11.7 MMT next year, 700,000 MT higher than its previous estimate of 11 MMT.

Despite the upward revision, rice output next year would still be 2 percent lower than this year’s estimated output of 11.927 MMT, USDA data showed.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/10/12/phl-rice-traders-fail-to-use-over-2000-sps-ics/

 

 

Sharp Focus. Future-Ready.

 

Published October 12, 2020, 11:40 AM

by Manila Bulletin

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented event that has brought immense fear, anxiety and uncertainty among workers, employers and the general public. Many businesses have closed and a huge number of workers were displaced leading to higher rates of unemployment.  At a time when local and global companies across industries are reeling from economic losses, how do we rebuild better beyond?  We must recalibrate, re-engineer and innovate ways in order to stay afloat. 

In a series of focus group discussions conducted by PMAP among its members, three (3) essentials to company culture were highlighted :  agility, “malasakit sa kapwa” or care and concern for others, and the bayanihan spirit.   These were identified as essential to create safe and dignified working conditions that will promote productivity.   Further, to sustain employee engagement during this crisis, we must also create a sense of peace and assurance among the family members of the workers. 

The People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP), the leading organization of people managers and HR practitioners, continues to push for a national people-first strategy in addressing human capital management issues during this difficult times. PMAP is strong in its belief that promoting the interest of Filipino workers and business owners through sound people management even during this pandemic is viable. Thus, on October 21-23, PMAP will be holding its 57^th Annual Conference via a digital platform with global and local speakers from across government, varied industries and the academe.  Spearheaded by PMAP’s Vice President and  Conference Chairperson, Ms. Lin Mukhi, the conference’ discussion will highlight how to future-proof organizations in the digital age, creating agile talent management and development, HR innovations, ethics and governance, employment relations and social protection.   Indeed, the PMAP Annual Conference will bring sharp focus on the issues of our times and help participants become future-ready.   

To know more about the conference, please email kevin.jacinto@pmap.org.ph or carol.alcances@pmap.org.ph .  You may also text Carol Alcances, Events Head, at 0917-5800038 or visit the website https://pmap.org.ph/. 

https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/12/sharp-focus-future-ready/

 

Sikkim farmers complain of severe crop damage

The extensive damage caused to their grain, were due to combined infection of neck blast and nodal blast on their crop.

TNT Bureau

Oct 12, 2020, 1:44 PM

 

GANGTOK

Farmers from 6th mile and Rautey-Rumtek, East Sikkim, have complained about the extensive damage to their grain, caused due to combined infection of neck blast and nodal blast on their crop.

Shri Bhim Prasad Sharma, a farmer from 6th mile, who had planted this variety of paddy on 0.4 hectares, asserted that, “the paddy plant looks like a normal ripened crop but has dried up due to problems not known in the past.”

He said that his entire efforts have gone in vain and that it will be a great loss for him in the current season, as he won't be able to harvest even a single grain in the current year.

Shri Kamal Sharma, another farmer from Rautey-Rumtek, East Sikkim, had also planted the same variety in 0.3 hectares and he too has a similar tale to narrate. After discussing with the farmers, Dr R K Avasthe, Joint Director, ICAR-NOFRI constituted a team of Scientists from ICAR-NOFRI, Tadong, comprising of Dr Chandramani Raj (Scientist-Plant Pathology) and Dr Janak Kumar Singh (Subject Matter Specialist-Plant Breeding) for the field visit.

The affected areas upon close observation of the paddy fields growing Abhishek variety recorded extensive damage due to combined infection of neck blast and nodal blast causing chaffy grains which remain unfilled.

The paddy variety is said to have come from the regional station, Hazaribagh of ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack in 2006. However, other paddies which originated in Sikkim, like Sano Attey and Kalchanti, were free from the disease despite being planted in the near vicinity of the affected Abhishek variety.

The microscopic examination of the affected samples was conducted, by Dr Shweta Singh (Scientist –Plant Pathology) and she concluded that the paddy sheath and grains were infected, with neck and nodal blast infection which was evident due to the presence of spores of the fungi.

As a preventive measure, ICAR-NOFRI recommends the following steps :

1. Fields be sanitized and bury the infected straw and stubbles in the field.

2. Seed treatment with Pseudomonas flourescens @ 10 g/kg of seed.

3. During nursery preparation, sprinkling 2.5 kg of Pseudomonas fluorescens (talc) in stagnated water to a depth of 2.5 cm over an area of 25 m2 for one hectare of the nursery.

4. Seedlings should also be treated, by soaking the root system of seedlings for 30 minutes in Pseudomonas flourescens @ 4 ml/L before transplanting.

5. Spray three times Pseudomonas fluorescens talc formulation @ 0.5 per cent from 45 days after transplanting to grain filling stage at ten days interval.

6. Use local tolerant varieties which are convenient to Sikkim conditions and

7. In outbreak conditions, copper oxychloride, about 0.3 per cent should be applied, at intervals of 10 days till grain filling stage (< 8 kg Cu/hectare/year).

https://www.thenortheasttoday.com/current-affairs/states/sikkim-farmers-complain-of-severe-crop-damage

 

Support for women in rice industry

by COUNTRY NEWS

  

---

Applications are now open for the 2021 Jan Cathcart Scholarship, which supports women in the rice industry in their tertiary studies.

Women involved in the Australian rice industry and its related agricultural networks are encouraged to apply for the 2021 Jan Cathcart Scholarship.

On offer is financial assistance of up to $30,000 for tertiary study, along with significant opportunities for work experience and employment placement in the rice sector.

Applications are now open for the scholarship, which is an initiative of the SunRice Group in honour of Jan Cathcart and her invaluable contribution to the rice industry during her 43-year career with the company.

The SunRice Group offers financial assistance valued at $10,000 a year for up to three years of tertiary study through the scholarship.

SunRice Group chairman Laurie Arthur described the scholarship as an ideal opportunity to help shape the future of the rice industry.

‘‘Since SunRice introduced the Jan Cathcart Scholarship in 2014, we’ve seen many of the recipients take on significant roles in the rice industry and agriculture in general,’’ Mr Arthur said.

‘‘Through this scholarship, which honours one of our industry’s great contributors, we have supported the professional development and career paths of women who are now also contributing to this sector, which is a wonderful achievement.’’

Deniliquin’s Alexandra Morona received the 2020 scholarship and is currently studying animal science at Wagga Wagga’s Charles Sturt University.

She said the scholarship had provided significant support in terms of finance and networks.

Although she was planning to undertake work experience with SunRice’s CopRice business unit earlier this year, the global COVID-19 pandemic resulted in postponement. She now hopes to experience working in those operations over summer.

‘‘Learning how to utilise the complementary relationship between animals and crops for optimal production and sustainability has long been an interest of mine, and I am most passionate about developing this line of research,’’ Miss Morona said.

‘‘The future of agriculture requires innovation which will contribute to the longevity and sustainability of the industry, and I am proud to say this is what the Jan Cathcart Scholarship has afforded me the opportunity to explore.’’

Berrigan’s Annabel Arnold, the 2018 scholarship recipient, is undertaking a two-year graduate program with SunRice, currently completing her first rotation with the marketing division in Sydney.

She said the work experience she had already gained through the scholarship opened her eyes to future job prospects and, after growing up on a Riverina rice farm, she now has the opportunity to explore other parts of the SunRice business.

‘‘Marketing is a highly dynamic environment where you get visibility across different portfolios and markets, and the ability to work with cross-functional teams.

‘‘This has shown me another side of the rice growing industry, and further opportunities for my long-term career development.’’

The scholarship is open to female SunRice shareholders, growers and employees and their extended families.

Women from across the rice industry’s networks are also encouraged to apply, or to nominate other eligible women who would benefit from the program.

Eligible students include those currently studying at university or new students attending their first year of tertiary studies in 2021.

Applications close on Monday, November 16, with the winner to be announced in early 2021.

https://www.sheppnews.com.au/2020/10/11/1734602/support-for-women-in-rice-industry

 

Unintended health consequences

Muhammad Morshed | Published: 00:00, Oct 12,2020

      

 

 

A healthcare worker wearing protective gear is pictured inside La Paz hospital, in Madrid, on September 22. — Agence France-Presse/Pierre-Philippe Marcou

ON SEPTEMBER 22. I lost a younger brother of mine. He died at the age of 59 after a heart attack. He had fought for his life for almost 48 hours at a district general hospital before he left this world. On October 1, I saw in a daily newspaper that another great soul of the land, Dr Tomal Lata Aditya, a renowned rice breeder and scientific director of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute died of a heart attack at the age of only 53. Many such events happen every day and many of them are helpless. Do these people deserve to die without any medical attention at such a young age?

Since January 2019, when COVID 19 was first identified and sequenced from Wuhan, China, the whole word was pulled into it within a couple of months. More than a million people died globally and more than 34 million became infected and the number is going upward every day. Many countries in the west are now experiencing a second wave. In our daily life, be it job, education, research or social life, and our every move or every action is framed around COVID-19. Despite global collaborations and efforts at country level are in most instances at their best, it seems to be a losing battle with COVID-19. At the same time, we either forget or overlook many more serious health issues in our everyday life. There can be no denying that we are facing many unintended consequences and paying prices for them in one way or the other — for instance, loneliness, depression, family stress, child safety, violence against women, cybercrimes, sexual and reproductive health of youth, to name a few.

In Bangladesh, people at all levels are facing hardship and difficulties every day. No one has, however, thought of encountering life-time experiences such as the issues of access to hospital care for chronically ill patients such as kidney dialysis, diabetics, and liver disease and such fatal diseases, finances and other issues aside. Similarly, people having a heart pain are thinking which hospitals they can go to so that they can get admission there rather than calling an ambulance and go to the nearest one for a speedy access to the care they need and need immediately.

A large number of people are scared of asking for urgent care and as a result, many tend to avoid professional or institutional help. Many prefer to self-medicate themselves with antacid or stomach pain relieving medicines with a hope that pain will go away. There are also more worrisome pictures on access to routine vaccinations for the newborn. People are fearful of taking their children to the facilities where vaccination is given. If Bangladesh fails to provide the vaccines to the newborn and also the needed booster doses in different times, the country may experience an awful consequence at a later date. Bangladesh must be vigilant to keep its status as of 2019 for their neonatal vaccine coverage.

Let me turn to heart attack or stroke patients that I started with as my personal story. In Bangladesh, most rural districts have population from 1 to 3 million as per the 2016 census. There is at least one general hospital in district headquarters. However, few of them or may be none of them have cardiac surgery units or facilities. Ischemic heart disease and stroke account for more than 10 per cent of the total death in Bangladesh and that is the highest cause of death compared with any other major causes except may be cancer. Cancer patient will at least be allowed some time to find a suitable hospital/clinic for their treatment and or management. Ischemic heart disease and stroke will not do that mercy. The patients need attention within the shortest possible time. So people living in rural areas have very limited chance for survival if they have a heart attack or stroke in the middle of the night.

An addition of a cardiac unit, general hospital at the district level can play a pivotal role and can save many lives. A simple stent, also called angioplasty, can be lifesaving for many people who have a sudden heart attack. A heart attack strikes when plaque in an artery breaks open and causes the formation of a blood clot in a partially clogged artery and completely blocks blood flow. That is when a stent can be lifesaving. Angioplasty or stenting can improve symptoms of blocked arteries, such as chest pain and shortness of breath. Angioplasty is also often used during a heart attack to quickly open a blocked artery and reduce the amount of damage to the heart and could save person’s life. We need to remember that death at an early age is not only a toll on the family but also on the country’s economy and growth.

It is the demand of the time that Bangladesh should work out a strategy to establish at least a catheterisation laboratory, commonly called as cath lab, which is an examination room in a hospital or clinic with diagnostic imaging equipment used to visualise the arteries of the heart and the chambers of the heart and treat any stenosis, or ring, or abnormality found. Cath labs should have proper instruments, trained human resources namely cardiac surgeons or cardiac interventionists and allied staff logistics in each district hospital as quickly as possible so that everyone gets at least a chance to beat that awkward death. The question remains: will that prevent all those untimely death? The answer is ‘no,’ but at least victims can feel that they were given a chance and the family can console themselves that they tried their best. It is possible that many will get a second chance.

 

Dr Muhammad Morshed is a clinical microbiologist and programme head, zoonotic diseases and emerging pathogens, at BC Centre for Disease Control and clinical professor, department of pathology and laboratory medicine, University of British Columbia. https://www.newagebd.net/article/118714/unintended-health-consequences

 

 

Six-Year-Old Leopard Preying On Cows Caught In Telangana

The leopard had also killed two calves on Friday night. A team of forest department officials launched a search to capture the leopard after the owner of the calves approached police.

TelanganaReported by Uma Sudhir, Edited by Swati Sharma (with inputs from Agencies)Updated: October 12, 2020 8:44 am IST

The leopard will be released into the wild following its complete recovery.

Hyderabad: 

A six-year-old leopard preying on cows and calves in Hyderabad suburbs was trapped by Telangana Forest Department on Sunday and relocated to the Nehru Zoological Park, forest officials said.

The leopard had also killed two calves on Friday night. A team of forest department officials launched a search to capture the leopard after the owner of the calves approached police.  

It had been attacking cows and calves in the vicinity of the Rice Research Centre in Rajendranagar in Rangareddy district, officials said.

Speaking to ANI, Rajendranagar Inspector G Suresh said, "The leopard has been caught by the Rangareddy forest department and has been handed over to the Nehru Zoological park officials."

https://www.ndtv.com/telangana-news/six-year-old-leopard-preying-on-cows-caught-in-telangana-2308694

 

Rice breeder joins UA research center in Stuttgart

by Special to The Commercial | Today at 4:27 a.m.

Christian De Guzman

Christian De Guzman has joined the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture as an assistant professor and rice breeder at the Rice Research and Extension Center at Stuttgart.

De Guzman was a rice breeder and researcher at Southeast Missouri State University's Rice Research Farm in Malden, Mo., for four years before joining the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the Division of Agriculture research arm. While there, he focused mostly on long-grain rice, including making crosses for heat and drought tolerance, according to a news release.

"Arkansas is the No. 1 rice producing state in the nation, producing about half of the rice grown in the U.S.," said Nathan Slaton, associate vice president for agriculture and assistant director of the experiment station.

Rice contributed $1.02 billion in cash farm receipts to Arkansas' agricultural economy in 2018, according to the 2020 Arkansas Agricultural Profile, published by the Division of Agriculture.

"The Division of Agriculture is committed to supporting Arkansas' agricultural economy," Slaton said. "We have a long tradition of rice research and breeding to support the state's growers. I'm confident that Dr. De Guzman will continue that tradition as we look to develop new, improved rice cultivars in long- and medium-grain varieties and advance our work in hybrid rice."

De Guzman began working in agricultural research in 2001 as a technical assistant. Later he was a junior plant breeder for corn at East-West Seed Company in the Philippines. After that, he was a visiting research associate at the Louisiana State University AgCenter before beginning his doctoral studies.

He earned his bachelor of science degree in agriculture at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños, Laguna, and his doctoral degree in agronomy, with an emphasis on plant breeding, at LSU .

After completing his Ph.D., De Guzman joined Southeast Missouri State University before coming to Arkansas.

While focusing primarily on long-grain rice breeding and genetics, De Guzman will also collaborate with Rice Research and Extension Center rice breeding colleagues Xueyan Sha and Ehsan Shakiba to advance medium-grain and hybrid varieties.

De Guzman brings with him a scientific protocol he developed at Missouri to screen breeding lines for heat tolerance, an essential trait for improving grain quality during periods of high nighttime air temperatures. He also began making crosses to develop drought tolerance while at Missouri. He said such rice would be well-suited to row rice production.

He is already on the job at the center after moving to Stuttgart with his wife, Jennifer, and their 7-year-old twins, Dathan and Nasya.

https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2020/oct/12/rice-breeder-joins-ua-research-center-in-stuttgart/?business

 

 

 

Government injects Shs60bn into boosting mechanised agriculture in Uganda

Under the first batch, 118 grant agreements have been signed with a total grant amount of Shs34.8 billion. The government has contributed Shs23.5 billion and of this, Shs21.7 billion has been disbursed to 111 grantees as of September 30, 2020.

byNICHOLAS_AGABA

posted onOCTOBER 11, 2020

noCOMMENT

The ministry of agriculture, animal industry and fisheries will dole out Shs60 billion to farmer organizations across the country so that they can start using improved methods of farming.

The project was launched Saturday by President Yoweri Museveni at the Namalere Agricultural Referral Mechanization center in Wakiso District.

At the same event, the president flagged off post-harvest and matching equipment, namely: rice mills; maize mills, generators, bean seed cleaners, coffee hullers, cassava processing equipment, dryers and among others.

These are to be delivered to 47 different project sites.

“This project is aimed at reminding farmers that agriculture is a business and they should earn from it, and it is just the beginning, we are going to do more for the farmers,” Museveni said at the function.

The project is part of the Agriculture Cluster Development Project (ACDP), which is being implemented in 57 districts grouped in 12 geographical clusters, with support from the World Bank, which has invested in $ 150 million.

Farmers that will benefit are those involved in growing and trading in five commodities, namely: maize, beans, cassava, rice and coffee.

The government prioritized these crops from among the priority commodities of the Agriculture Sector Strategic Plan between the financial year 2015/16 and financial year 2019/20.

The implementation of this project is done through an inter-ministerial collaboration with the Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Ministry of Water and Environment, the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of ICT, the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.

ACDP is designed to support the intensification of on-farm production through provision of subsidized inputs using an electronic voucher (e-voucher) system and improve value addition and market access through provision of matching grants for post-harvest and value addition facilities and also fixing road chokes.

It is also to help to strengthen policy and regulatory framework in input quality assurance.

Farmers are given matching grants of up to $75,000 to support 67% of required investments in acquiring postharvest and value addition infrastructure.

“This is meant to support farmers to undertake bulking, value addition and collective marketing of quality produce for better prices and thus realize better incomes,” officials say.

To date, the Ministry has signed grant agreements with 193 selected farmer organizations from 24 pilot districts. An additional 378 Farmer Organizations are being prepared for grant agreement signing.

Under the first batch, 118 grant agreements have been signed with a total grant amount of Shs34.8 billion. The government has contributed Shs23.5 billion and of this, Shs21.7 billion has been disbursed to 111 grantees as of September 30, 2020.

Over 90 construction sites for storage and machinery shelter have been completed and about 50 farmers' equipment (coffee hullers, rice/ maize milling machines, threshers, dryers, generators, bean cleaners) have been completed and are ready for delivery.

Under the second batch, 75 grant agreements have been signed with total grant value of Shs28 billion, where Government will contribute Shs18.1 billion and beneficiaries will contribute Shs9.2 billion.

The disbursement to these beneficiaries started this month. Under the third batch, the Grants Management Committee approved over 378 business plans. These are currently being assessed by the Ministry and grant award of about Shs42 billion will be award to selected beneficiaries

https://kampalapost.com/content/government-injects-shs60bn-boosting-mechanised-agriculture-uganda

 

Karnal rice miller surrenders in Rs 5.09 cr embezzlement case

·          Oct 12, 2020 06:54 AM (IST)

Tribune News Service

Karnal, October 11

Naresh Kumar, MD of Ram Dev International Company, has surrendered before the Karnal police in connection with an alleged embezzlement of custom milled rice (CMR) worth Rs 5.09 crore with the Food and Civil Supplies Department.

He has been sent to seven-day police remand.

The company has three rice milling plants, eight sorting and grading units in the district with offices in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Delhi.

The police had to recover money of the fraud case along with the whereabouts of the other accused.

In May, the CBI had registered a case against Kumar and two other directors — Suresh Kumar and Sangita — following a complaint by the SBI on February 25. The SBI alleged that the directors had removed the machinery from the old plant and fudged the balance sheets to unlawfully gain at the cost of banks’ funds of around Rs 173 crore.

SP Ganga Ram Punia said Kumar was absconding in connection with a case registered on July 19, 2016, on the complaint of the then DFSC. He has surrendered in the embezzlement of paddy CMR worth Rs 5.09 crore.

“Kumar is in police remand till October 16,” he said, adding that the accused had fled to Dubai.

As per the FIR, a case was registered against Naresh Kumar, Suresh Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Raj Kumar, Subhash Chand and Pawan on the complaint of the then DFSC on July 19, 2016, for not returning the CMR of the year 2015-16 worth Rs 5.09 crore. Despite several reminders by the department, the accused did not give any satisfactory answer about the embezzlement of 19,615.95 quintal CMR, the FIR said.

Sources said he was absconding in the FIR registered by the CBI. Moreover, the Karnal Arhtiyas Association had also filed a complaint against the firm for duping 111 arhtiyas belonging to the Karnal grain market of Rs 9.54 crore in 2016. They had alleged that the firm had purchased paddy from the arhtiyas of the Karnal grain market in 2014, but did not clear their dues.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/karnal-rice-miller-surrenders-in-rs-5-09-cr-embezzlement-case-154432

 

 

 

PHilMech sets bidding for P3-B farm equipment

Published October 12, 2020, 7:00 AM

by Madelaine B. Miraflor

The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) is ready to set the ball rolling for the purchase of  additional P3-billion worth of farm equipment under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).             

 In a statement, PhilMech, the agency tasked to fulfill the government’s promise to mechanize the rice farm sector amid a liberalize regime, said it hopes to award the bid contracts for additional P3-billion worth of farm equipment by December.

 RCEF, the collection of rice import tariffs, is the Philippine government’s major compromise to rice farmers for allowing the unlimited rice importation in the country through the passage of Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).

 Under the RTL, PHilMech should be given P5 billion annually from 2019 to 2024, or a six-year period, to fund the granting of farm machines to qualified farmers cooperatives and associations (FCAs) nationwide.
For this year, PhilMech has P10-billion worth of RCEF money because it wasn’t able to procure last year due to bureaucratic issues.
 So far, the agency claimed it is now in the process of distributing P2 billion worth of farm equipment under RCEF, while the auction and awarding was already finished for the P5 billion worth of machineries.
 Thus, PHilMech Executive Director Baldwin Jallorina said 2021 will be a busy year for his agency, as they will have to complete the distribution of P10 billion worth of farm machineries, while also processing the acquisition of another P5 billion worth of machineries.  “PHilMech will still be very busy in distributing farm machines even if 2021 will still have varying degrees of lockdowns and quarantines due to the coronavirus,” Jallorina said.
             

 Like the bidding and acquisition for the first batches of farm machines worth P7 billion, PHilMech assured that it will conduct the one for the P3 billion latest batch of farm equipment “in the most transparent manner”.

The process from pre-bidding to awarding of bids, according to the agency, will be shown live over the agency’s Facebook page.
            

 According to Jallorina, the bidding for various farm machines worth P3 billion already started on September 19 by making available the bid documents, which  was followed by pre-bidding, evaluation of bids and awarding of bids.
             

“The awarding of bids will be done in December this year,” he reiterated.
             

The types of machines to be bid out under the P3-billion batch are four-wheel tractors, combine harvesters, reapers, seeders, hand tractors, transplanters, floating tillers, rice mills and threshers.
             

As of September 2, PHilMech has distributed 1,029 pieces of farm machines to qualified FCAs.
             These are: 171 four-wheel farm tractors; 128 hand tractors; 235 floating tillers; 52 precision seeders; 35 walk-behind transplanters; 118 riding type transplanters; 35 reapers; 241 combine harvesters; and 14 mobile rice mills.          

Business Bulletin had sought PhilMech for the names of the winning bidders, where the equipment will come from (whether it’s local or imported), who exactly the recipient will be, and the timetable for the equipment’s delivery, but the agency has not responded yet.
             In August, a group of farmers claimed that the government had failed to consult with them regarding the distribution of farm equipment under RCEF, but Jallorina vehemently denied this.          

“Hindi po tama yun [that is not right],” PHilMech Executive Director Baldwin Jallorina Jr. said, referring to this allegation.
             

Dhon Daganosol, a rice farmer in Eastern Visayas, particularly said in a virtual webinar that PhilMech has failed to consult with all the farmers, especially the smaller ones and those without landholdings, when it comes to the distribution of farm machinery under RCEF. 
           

 According to him, only “wealthy” farmers, who have their own land and are part of FCAs, will benefit from RCEF.
            “Regarding the mechanization component of RCEF, we can see that this is not being implemented well. No consultation is happening. How can the government find out what type of machinery that a particular group of rice farmers need if there is no consultation?” Daganosol said.  

Daganosol said that PhilMech should hold “grassroots” consultations to reach even rice farmers who live in the mountains.

https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/12/philmech-sets-bidding-for-p3-b-farm-equipment/

India’s agricultural exports jump in Covid times

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India’s agricultural exports jump in Covid times

By

Rituraj Tiwari

, ET BureauLast Updated: Oct 10, 2020, 05:15 PM IST

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Export of essential agricultural commodities in the first six months of the current fiscal rose 43.4% to Rs 53,626.6 crore from Rs 37,397.3 crore in the same period last year.

AP

The jump in export is an outcome of the new agriculture export policy, which was launched in 2018.

NEW DELHI: India agricultural exports have been booming the past six months, while many sectors of the economy suffered because of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Export of essential agricultural commodities in the first six months of the current fiscal rose 43.4% to Rs 53,626.6 crore from Rs 37,397.3 crore in the same period last year.

“Major commodity groups which have recorded jump in exports are non basmati rice, 105%, basmati rice 13%, ground nut 35%, refined sugar 104% and wheat 206%,” said an official.

The official said that the balance of trade in April-September 2020 has been positive at Rs 9,002 crore as against trade deficit of Rs. 2,133 during the same period in 2019.

“On-month-to-month basis, export of essential agricultural commodities during September, 2020 has seen a jump of 81.7% in September at Rs 9,296 crore as against export of Rs 5,114 crore in 2019,” he said.

The jump in export is an outcome of the new agriculture export policy, which was launched in 2018.

“The government cluster based approach for export-centric farming of cash crops like fruits, vegetables and spices where clusters for specific agri products are identified across the country and focused interventions are carried out in these clusters,” the official said.

Apart from that, the government has also set up eight Export Promotion Forums (EPF) under APEDA to boost export of agriculture and horticulture products.

“The EPFs are created on banana, grapes, mango, pomegranate, onion, dairy, basmati and non basmati rice. These EPFs reach out to stakeholders across the entire production and supply chain of export for increasing these exports significantly to the global market, through various interventions,” the official said.

Recently, the government has also announced Agri Infra Fund of Rs. 1 lakh crore to improve agri business environment which is also likely to promote agri export.

India’s agricultural exports jump in Covid times

SECTIONS

India’s agricultural exports jump in Covid times

By

Rituraj Tiwari, ET BureauLast Updated: Oct 10, 2020, 05:15 PM IST

Export of essential agricultural commodities in the first six months of the current fiscal rose 43.4% to Rs 53,626.6 crore from Rs 37,397.3 crore in the same period last year.

AP

The jump in export is an outcome of the new agriculture export policy, which was launched in 2018.

NEW DELHI: India agricultural exports have been booming the past six months, while many sectors of the economy suffered because of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Export of essential agricultural commodities in the first six months of the current fiscal rose 43.4% to Rs 53,626.6 crore from Rs 37,397.3 crore in the same period last year.

“Major commodity groups which have recorded jump in exports are non basmati rice, 105%, basmati rice 13%, ground nut 35%, refined sugar 104% and wheat 206%,” said an official.

The official said that the balance of trade in April-September 2020 has been positive at Rs 9,002 crore as against trade deficit of Rs. 2,133 during the same period in 2019.

“On-month-to-month basis, export of essential agricultural commodities during September, 2020 has seen a jump of 81.7% in September at Rs 9,296 crore as against export of Rs 5,114 crore in 2019,” he said.

The jump in export is an outcome of the new agriculture export policy, which was launched in 2018.

“The government cluster based approach for export-centric farming of cash crops like fruits, vegetables and spices where clusters for specific agri products are identified across the country and focused interventions are carried out in these clusters,” the official said.

Apart from that, the government has also set up eight Export Promotion Forums (EPF) under APEDA to boost export of agriculture and horticulture products.

“The EPFs are created on banana, grapes, mango, pomegranate, onion, dairy, basmati and non basmati rice. These EPFs reach out to stakeholders across the entire production and supply chain of export for increasing these exports significantly to the global market, through various interventions,” the official said.

Recently, the government has also announced Agri Infra Fund of Rs. 1 lakh crore to improve agri business environment which is also likely to promote agri export.

 

 

 

 

Agri-commodities exports rise 43.4% in April-September: Government

PTI New Delhi | Updated on October 10, 2020 Published on October 10, 2020

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Exports of agri-commodities rose by 43.4 per cent to Rs 53,626.6 crore in the first half of the current fiscal notwithstanding the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, the Union Agriculture Ministry said on Saturday.

Farm exports stood at Rs 37,397.3 crore during the April-September period of the 2019-20 fiscal, it said. PSeptember 2020, agri exports rose by 81.7 per cent to Rs 9,296 crore from Rs 5,114 crore in September 2019.

“The consistent and concerted efforts of the Government to boost agricultural exports are bearing fruit as despite of the on-going Covid-19 crisis, the export of essential agri commodities for the cumulative period of April-September, 2020 has increased by 43.4 per cent to Rs 53,626.6 crore,” the ministry said in a statement.

Positive growth was recorded in export of groundnut (35 per cent), refined sugar (104 per cent), wheat (206 per cent), basmati rice (13 per cent) and non-basmati rice (105 per cent) during the April-September of this fiscal from over the year-ago, it said.

Furthermore, balance of trade during April-September 2020 was significantly positive at Rs 9,002 crore as against trade deficit of Rs 2,133 crore in the said period, it added.

To boost agri exports, the Government announced Agriculture Export Policy, 2018 which inter-alia provides for cluster-based approach for export-centric farming of cash crops like fruits, vegetables, spices, etc. whereby clusters for specific agri products are identified across the country and focused interventions are carried out in these clusters.

Eight Export Promotion Forums (EPFs) have been set up under the aegis of agri-export promotion body APEDA to boost export of agriculture/ horticulture products. The EPFs are created on banana, grapes, mango, pomegranate, onion, dairy, rice basmati and rice non-basmati.

The EPF are making concerted efforts to identify, document particulars of, and reach out to stakeholders across the entire production/ supply chain of export for increasing these exports significantly to the global market, through various interventions, it said.

That apart, the Government has also announced Agri-Infra Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore to improve agri business environment which will promote agri exports in due course, the ministry said.

Besides, the Agriculture Ministry has also prepared a comprehensive action plan towards promotion of agri trade i.e to boost agri export with emphasis on value addition and a detailed action plan for import substitution, the statement added.