Rice exports up
3.5pc in July-Dec
ISLAMABAD: Rice exp-orts
witnessed a growth of 3.46 per cent during the first half of this fiscal year.
Around 1,781,401 tonnes of rice ($976.784 million) were exported during
July-Dec period of 2014-15 as against 1,709,883 tonnes ($944.077m) in the same
period last year.
Data released by Pakistan Bureau
of Statistics (PBS) on Thursday showed export of basmati rice rose to 260,481
tonnes ($302.265m), from 269,272 tonnes ($294.517m) in the same period last
year.Export of other rice varieties also increased to 1,520,920 tonnes
($674.519m) during the period under review, from 1,440,611 tonnes ($649.560m)
in the corresponding period last year.However, fruit and vegetables export
recorded negative growth of 3.29pc and 25.23pc respectively during July-Dec
period of this fiscal year.
The fruit export dipped to
256,146 tonnes ($189.136m) from 345,791 tonnes ($204.875m) in the corresponding
period of last year.Vegetable export was recorded at 167,648 tonnes during the
period as compared to 244,365 tonnes in the same period last year.Sugar export
posted an increase of 0.46pc at 204,711 tonnes ($98.652m) as compared to
208,438 tonnes ($98.202m) last year.
Published in Dawn, January 23rd,
2015
Source with thanks:http://www.dawn.com/news/1158739/rice-exports-up-35pc-in-july-dec
South Sulawesi hopes to export
surplus rice production
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar |
Archipelago | Fri, January 23 2015, 10:49 AM
South Sulawesi’s aim of exporting rice is
expected to be realized this year thanks to further increases in rice
production in the province and a resulting rice surplus.According to South
Sulawesi Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo, his administration had planned to export
rice from last year, but the central government had not yet agreed. “We wanted to export rice last year
but we have to get approval from the central government. We hope we can achieve
it this year,” said Syahrul after opening the Indonesian Agricultural Economic
Association seminar and national workshop in Makassar on Thursday.
According to its plan, South Sulawesi would
export between 200,000 and 300,000 tons of rice to Malaysia and Thailand. The provincial administration has
requested permission from the Agriculture Ministry to export rice to the two
countries. It has so far been selling its surplus to other islands and
provinces. Last year, the province delivered rice to 26 provinces. “We prioritize domestic demand, but we
also hope to be able to export rice to other countries given the further
increase in our rice production,” said Syahrul.South Sulawesi has been enjoying
bumper yearly rice harvests.
In 2014,
production reached 5.1 million tons of dried unhusked rice, or paddy,
equivalent to 3 million tons of rice. Given this volume, South Sulawesi had a
rice surplus of 2.2 million tons, as local demand was only around 800,000 tons annually.This year, the production
volume is expected to rise an additional 1 million tons, making a total of 6.1
million tons of paddy. However,
South Sulawesi Agriculture Office head Lutfi Halide was upbeat production could
reach 6.4 million tons of paddy, or 3.5 million tons of rice, so the surplus
would rise to 2.7 million tons.Starting this year, the office will carry out
farmland optimization contingency plans on 31,000 hectares of rice fields found
in 12 regencies across the province, including providing free seedlings,
fertilizer and hand tractors. In
addition, the irrigation system will be improved. Currently, 229,000 hectares
of rice paddies in 21 regencies in the province are irrigated. The agricultural
office will build three irrigation networks in the three regencies of Wajo,
Jeneponto and North Luwu.
According to Lutfi, the total area of rice
fields in the province spanned 1 million hectares. However, only 50 percent of
them were irrigated. “We will
make efforts to extend the irrigation networks. With good irrigation, we can
optimize the planting season, from once to twice and from twice to three
times,” he said.The agriculture office is also working with the Wirabuana
Military Command on the rice intensification program, in which Indonesian
Military (TNI) personnel are to help farmers and optimize the use of technology
and mechanical tools to cultivate the land. Thirty-two agricultural experts
will also be involved in the program.“With these efforts, we are optimistic
that rice production will increase.
Last year, one hectare was only able to produce
5.8 tons of paddy; this year we expect production could reach 8 tons of paddy
per hectare, so rice production could reach 6.4 million tons of dried paddy and
a surplus of 2.7 million tons,” said Lutfi. He
added his office also planned to build a wholesale rice market to facilitate
the rice trade, especially inter-province trade, which would be of great
benefit to farmers in the province. Lutfi said the market would most likely be
built in Parepare as they city had a dock. However, as the budget for the
project was not yet available, he hoped the central government would provide
its support.
Source with thanks:http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/23/south-sulawesi-hopes-export-surplus-rice-production.html#sthash.c2heZr0p.dpuf
Bulog to expand business in
border areas
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Business | Fri, January
23 2015, 8:45 AM
The
Indonesian Bureau of Logistics (Bulog) of the North Sulawesi Province will
expand its Bulog Mart business on the border between North Sulawesi and the
Philippines.“This year we are expanding the business of Bulog Mart in Sangihe
Talaud. It is a district that directly shares its borders with the
Philippines,” North Sulawesi’s Bulog head Yayan Suparyan said Manado on
Thursday as quoted by Antara news
agency.He said the presence of Bulog in Sangihe Talaud is expected to stabilize
rice prices in the district and to shorten the lengthy food product
distribution chain.
Bulog
is an Indonesian stated-owned company dealing with food distribution and price
control.Besides rice, Bulog Mart also sells sugar, vegetable oil, flour and
other food products.The commodities sold by Bulog Mart are bought from the
manufacturers, so that the prices can remain competitive as compared to other
retail markets.“Bulog invites all local communities to get involved in this
business by selling their food commodities in the mart,” Yayan noted. (***)
Source with thanks: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/23/bulog-expand-business-border-areas.html#sthash.bVHogqXD.dpuf
Hungry armyworms feed on Riverina
rice crops
Updated Thu 22 Jan 2015, 3:57pm
Agronomists are warning southern
New South Wales rice growers armyworms are on the march.The pest, a caterpillar
of a native moth, attacks crops as the rice heads start to emerge.Media player:
"Space" to play, "M" to mute, "left" and
"right" to seek.
Armyworms are appearing more often in paddocks.Murray Local Land
Services agronomist John Fowler said early detection might prevent some serious
damage."Up to about four or five years ago a lot of growers weren't
concerned with armyworms," he said.
Armyworms are appearing more often in paddocks.Murray Local Land
Services agronomist John Fowler said early detection might prevent some serious
damage."Up to about four or five years ago a lot of growers weren't
concerned with armyworms," he said.
"We don't know why, but over
the last few years when they do hit, they've had the ability to hit in really
big numbers and cause substantial losses."Growers have reported sizeable
areas of up to 50 per cent losses."So they've been onto them ever since to
make sure they don't get hit with that sort of damage again."Mr Fowler
said rice varieties that are drained mid-season are more likely to attract the
pest.Farmers have reported early foliar damage in the Murray Valley and
Coleambally Irrigation Area.Mr Fowler said it is important growers eradicate
the armyworms before they get too big."If you take them out while they're
still small, you tend to get a good kill with the chemical," he
said."I've never seen a reinfestation of significance, so even if you are
doing it early and growers were worried about getting reinfested, I've never
observed that."
Source with thanks:http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-23/armyworm-damage-in-rice/6040552
Agri Buzz : Vietnam Expects Weak Rice Production For 2015
capital market
| Mumbai | January 23, 2015 09:55 IST
The Vietnam Food Association (VFA) has scaled back its forecast
for rice exports in 2015 on the back of a lacklustre 2014- as it continues to
search for measures to jump start exports and power up the sector.For the year
ended December 2014, Vietnam exported 6.316 million tonnes of rice, grossing
US$2.789 billion in revenue, down 5.47% on-year in volume and 3.59% in
value.Despite fulfilling the set target, rice exports were lethargic ranking
third among the world's largest exporters after Thailand (10.5 million tonnes)
and India (10 million tonnes).Market analysts at the VFA attribute the slump to
the sharp decline in demand for rice in the African markets, overproduction by
Thailand and India along with lack of growth in Asian markets.
Analysts at the VFA have reported that the difficulties from
2014 will carry over and continue to negatively affect the market in 2015.Last
year, exports of rice via the Chinese borders skyrocketed, helping clear
stockpiles; however, the border trade is fraught with risks and does little to
bring in the large foreign currencies.According to VFA statistics, rice exports
on record through the Chinese border was roughly 650,000 tonnes, but, in fact
the real volume of rice transported from the Mekong Delta region to the
northern region via Haiphong Port was substantially higher.
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OAG
decides to charge Yingluck in court over rice-pledging case
January 23, 2015 1:24 pm
The
Office of the Attorney General decided Friday to press criminal charges against
former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra related to the rice-pledging
scheme.Surasak Threerattrakul, Director-General of OAG's Investigation Office,
said the Yingluck might be arraigned in the Supreme Court's Criminal Division
for Political Office Holders in a month.Surasak said there were strong
evidences to substantiate charges that Yingluck had intentionally abused her
authority to cause damage over Bt500 billion in the rice pledging scheme, and
thus violating Article 157 of the Criminal Code and Article 123/1 of the
Corruption Prevention and Suppression Act.
The Nation
Source with thanks:http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/OAG-decides-to-charge-Yingluck-in-court-over-rice--30252530.html
Blast disease looms over paddy
harvest
The
Hindu
Concern
over yield: A group of agriculture labourers feed the machine during harvest in
Tiruchi on Thursday. Photo: B. Velankanni Raj
Officials hope
for normal yield in delta districts
Harvest of samba paddy has begun
in canal irrigated areas of the district with farmers in some parts of the
district worried over possible yield loss because of blast disease. Samba paddy
had been raised on about 85,000 acres of land in the canal irrigated delta
areas of the district and in another 25,000 acres in the non-delta areas of the
district, Agriculture Department sources said.Of this, farmers in the delta
areas had started harvesting the crop over the past few days.According to
initial reports, the yield appeared to be normal, sources in the Agriculture
Department said.Harvesting of the samba crop was expected to go on till
February with farmers too expecting a decent yield.“We are expecting a normal
yield. However, there will be drop in yield in paddy fields affected by the
blast disease,” said N. Veerasekaran, Coordinator, Ayyan Vaical Pasanatharar
Sangam.
Incidence of blast disease had
been reported from Manikandam, Andhanallur, Musiri, Thottiyam, and
Manachanallur and to a certain extent in Lalgudi areas in the district. Farmers
are apprehensive of a sharp drop in yield in fields affected by the
disease.“Yield will be badly affected in the disease-hit fields. The government
should sanction compensation of Rs. 25,000 an acre to the affected farmers,”
said P. Ayyakannu, vice-president, Bharathiya Kisan Sangam, who along with
other members of the organisation presented a representation to the District
Collector on Thursday.
According to initial estimates,
about 8,000 hectares were affected in the district because of the disease. An
assessment would be taken up by the Agriculture Department in association with
the Revenue and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University scientists, sources in the
Agriculture Department said.Mr.Veerasekaran said that the Agriculture
Department should take effective steps to prevent recurrence of the disease in
future by recommending appropriate steps to eradicate the fungus from the
fields.
Source with thanks:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/blast-disease-looms-over-paddy-harvest/article6813828.ece
Ousted Thai PM banned from
politics, faces charges
BY PANARAT THEPGUMPANAT AND PRACHA
HARIRAKSAPITAK
BANGKOK
Ousted former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra
delivers her statement at the National Legislative Assembly meeting in Bangkok
January 22, 2015.
CREDIT: REUTERS/CHAIWAT
SUBPRASOM
(Reuters) - Thai
authorities dealt a double blow to ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra
and her powerful family on Friday, banning her from politics for five years and
proceeding with criminal charges for negligence that could put her in jail.The moves could stoke tension in the politically divided country
still living under martial law after the military seized power in May, toppling
the remnants of Yingluck's government to end months of street protests.
The ban and the legal case are the
latest twist in 10 years of turbulent politics that have pitted Yingluck and
her brother Thaksin, himself a former prime minister, against the
royalist-military establishment that sees the Shinawatras as a threat and
reviles their populist policies.Yingluck will face criminal charges in the
Supreme Court and if found guilty could spend up to 10 years in jail, the
Attorney General's Office said on Friday.The charges against the country's
first female premier, who was removed from office for abuse of power in May,
days before the coup, concern her role in a scheme that paid farmers above
market prices for rice and cost Thailand billions of dollars.
Yingluck vowed to fight the
charges."Thai democracy has died along with the rule of law," she
said in a statement posted on her Facebook page."I will fight until the end
to prove my innocence, no matter what the outcome will be. And most importantly,
I want to stand alongside the Thai people. Together we must bring Thailand prosperity, bring back democracy and
truly build justice in Thai society."There was no sign of protests on the
capital's busy streets on Friday, as residents adhered to the junta's ban on
public gatherings.
Security was tightened around the
parliament building where the legislature, dominated by the military, voted
Yingluck guilty in a separate impeachment case for failing to exercise
sufficient oversight of the rice subsidy scheme.The retroactive impeachment at
the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) carries a five-year ban from politics.A
spokesman for the State Department said the United States had taken note of the
retroactive impeachment by an appointed legislative body, and Assistant
Secretary of State Daniel Russel would discuss U.S. concerns when he visits
Bangkok on Monday.
"We believe that the impartial
administration of justice and rule of law is essential for equitable governance
and a just society," Jen Psaki told a regular news briefing. "It is a
matter for the Thai people to determine the legitimacy of their political and
judicial processes."Washington, a long-time ally of Thailand, expressed dismay at the coup
and responded by freezing $4.7 million of security-related aid, as well as
cancelling high-level engagements and some military exercises and military and
police training programs.
Russel will be the most senior U.S.
official to visit Thailand since the coup. Yingluck defended the
rice scheme and disputed the charges in a NLA hearing on Thursday, but did not
appear on Friday.A vote to impeach required a three-fifths majority among NLA
members, who were hand-picked by the junta of coup leader and Prime Minister
Prayuth Chan-ocha. Around 100 of the 220 members are former or serving military
officers.Prayuth said he had not ordered the NLA to vote against Yingluck,
still popular among the rural poor who handed her a landslide electoral victory
in 2011 and benefited from the rice scheme.
The impeachment was expected by
Yingluck supporters, who see the courts and NLA as biased and aligned with an
establishment intent on blocking the Shinawatra family from
politics."Yingluck's case was not dealt with fairly," said Thanawut
Wichaidit, a spokesman for the pro-Yingluck United Front for Democracy against
Dictatorship."The intention of these actions is for Yingluck and the
entire Shinawatra family to be eradicated from Thai politics. I believe there
is an invisible hand behind Yingluck's impeachment."Around 150 members of
the Shinawatra political movement have been banned from politics in the last
decade, including four who had served as prime ministers.
ARMY CHIEF AIRS CONCERN
Prayuth's government has urged Yingluck's supporters to stay out
of Bangkok this week, although a repeat of the protests that have dogged the
country in recent years appears unlikely.Authorities have been quick to stifle
dissent, and political meetings are banned under martial law.In a radio
broadcast, Army Chief General Udomdej Sitabutr called on the population to
respect the NLA vote, and a spokesman for the junta said it had seen no sign of
unrest."Political gatherings cannot happen as we are still under martial
law," junta spokesman Winthai Suvaree said.
Yingluck's fortunes have been similar to those of her billionaire
brother.Both led populist governments toppled in coups, despite being elected
in landslides, and both were subjected to legal action and street protests by
pro-establishment activists.After being ousted in 2006, Thaksin fled Thailand to avoid a 2008 jail term for
corruption. He has lived abroad since, but retains a strong influence over Thai
politics.
Yingluck did not plan to flee, said Singthong Buachum, a member of
the former prime minister's team."She will fight the case head on,"
Singthong said.Prayuth has promised a return to democracy after the junta
enacts political and social reforms. His government has said a general election
will take place in February next year at the earliest.(Additional reporting by
Kaweewit Kaewjinda and Aukkarapon Niyomyat in Bangkok andDavid Brunnstrom in Washington; Writing by Amy Sawitta
Lefevre and Simon Webb.; Editing by Jeremy Laurence, Nick Macfie and Andre Grenon)
Source with thanks: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/23/us-thailand-politics-idUSKBN0KW01S20150123
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Source with thanks :Apeda India
A.P. keen to promote ‘sugar-free’
rice variety
Andhra Pradesh will be
identifying and promoting new varieties of rice with low content of
carbohydrate, referred to as ‘sugar-free rice’ in common parlance that is more
nutritious and can be consumed even by diabetic patients without the fear of
their blood glucose levels shooting up.In addition to BM 1100, a new variety of
rice released in some pockets, two more new variants, 209 with longer grain and
‘Sonam’ are also being considered for cultivation in demonstration farms ,
according to government sources.
The issue of promoting cereals
and millets with value addition to increase their nutrient value came up for
discussion in the recent meeting of Agriculture Minister P.Pullarao with
department officials.He suggested that these varieties and also rice variety
with low carbohydrates could be promoted for the benefit of all, specially the
diabetics who are advised to cut down or avoid quickly digestible normal rice
to keep their glucose levels in blood under control.The Agriculture Department
has been asked to promote the ‘sugar-free’ rice varieties by next
Kharif.However, agriculture scientists clarified that officially ‘no sugar free
rice’ was being cultivated in Andhra Pradesh as yet.
The Seed Section in New Delhi
Office of International Rice Research Institute (Philippines) also did not have
ready information on the ‘sugar-free rice’ variety, they said. But out of all
varieties of rice released so far in the State, ‘MTU 7029 Swarna’ has least
amount of carbohydrates.Some private seed companies in the State are into
research to promote cereals and millets with value addition to enhance
nutritional value and bring down carbohydrate content. However any value
addition to cereals or millets will have negative correlation with yield,
scientists observed.The Agriculture Department will also be promoting flood
resistant varieties of rice- Swarna sub and Samba Masuri sub- which can
withstand 10 to 15 days of flooding without affecting their yield. They will be
raised in 270 hectares of demonstration farms.
Source with thanks :http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/ap-keen-to-promote-sugarfree-rice-variety/article6817116.ece
Obama's EPA breaks pledge to divorce politics from science on
toxic chemicals
By David Heath23 hours ago
·
In his first inaugural address, between promising to fix the
economy and lower the cost of health care, President Barack Obama made this
pledge:
"We'll restore science to its rightful place."It might
sound arcane as a presidential priority, but it was a big deal at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Political
interference from the Bush White House had delayed or derailed dozens of the
EPA's findings on potential health risks posed by toxic chemicals.Some of those
findings applied to chemicals to which all of us are exposed. Formaldehyde is
in our kitchen cabinets and carpet.
Arsenic is in our drinking
water and rice. EPA scientists had determined that both of these carcinogens
were more deadly than previously thought. Yet, officially, the agency remains
unable to say so or to do anything about it.On her first day on the job, Lisa
Jackson, the new EPA administrator, sent employees a memoechoing the president's promise to divorce
politics from science. The agency has said it needs to assess 50 chemicals a year
to do its job properly. Yet in the Bush years it was averaging only five
assessments a year. Jackson quickly rolled out a plan to break through the
logjam.The plan seemed easily achievable. It required no congressional approval
and involved tweaking the inner workings of bureaucracy. Republicans never
passed any legislation to block it.Yet the Obama administration's plan has been
a failure. In the past three years, the EPA has assessed fewer chemicals than
ever. Last year, it completed only one assessment. Today, the agency has even
embraced measures sought by the chemical industry that have led to endless
delays.
“Of late, the administration has displayed a disturbing tendency
to retreat in the face of a blistering and self-serving industry campaign to
stifle this vital program once and for all,” said Rena Steinzor, a University
of Maryland law professor who closely follows the EPA’s chemical assessment
program.The story of how this happened is a lesson in how Washington works.
Source with thanks :http://news.yahoo.com/obamas-epa-breaks-pledge-divorce-100000119.html
Small scale rice dealers
challenge trade ministry
The Small Scale Rice Dealers Association of Ghana (SSRIDA-GH),
on Thursday said the assertion by Ministry of Trade and Industry that the total
ban of rice importation is detrimental to the state is not nationalistic.The
media report attributed to Mr Ibrahim Murtala, Deputy Minister of Trade and
Industry said Ghana’s rice self sufficiency is about 30 per cent and government
consider as a high priority to see the country productivity high.
He however said a total ban on rice importation is not the ideal
thing to do and would also be in violation of World Trade Organisation
regulations.Mr Murtala said the country must also improve the quality and
quantity of rice production.The Minister was reacting to a call by SSRIDA-GH to
Ministry of Trade and Industry to ensure an outright ban of rice importation.It
said the ban on inland rice importation is not only having negative impact on
the traders but also discriminatory and in favour of the major players in the
industry.
A statement issued by Yaw Korang, National Coordinator of
SSRIDA-GH said given monopoly of large scale importation of the commodity to
foreigners is unfair, and so if government finds it untenable for small-scale
rice dealers to be in business then an outright ban would be necessary .“The
ban as it stands now is pushing poor Ghanaians out of business and helping
foreign traders to thrive,” the statement.The statement said the ministry on
October 14, 2013 served a notice of ban on inland importation of rice stating
that with effect from November 1, 2013, all imports of rice shall be done
through only the Kotoka International Airport, Tema and Takoradi Ports.
“This directive gave SSRIDA-GH only two weeks ultimatum to fold
up our trading business through the border. As petty traders, our capital base
would not allow us to do our business through the air or by the sea. The
directive also came at a time when we had made orders with loans for goods for
the Christmas festivity.
“We humbly wish to state that our business is only a threat to
the monopoly being practiced by foreign rice importers, whose activities are a
threat to the nation`s economy because they do the importation under the cover
of warehousing and sell their products for high prices in dollar equivalence
before paying their revenue and sometimes run-off without paying.“We do our
business in the CFA-FRANC and pay our duty into the consolidated fund at the
borders before we are allowed to bring our goods into the country to sell.
The statement asked Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, the sector Minister
to review the ban on inland importation of rice or prohibit the trade in
Ghana.However another statement by the SSRIDA-Ghana says the 500 million
dollars spent annually to import rice is a drain to the national economy and
could be used to step up the productivity of the crop.It said great rice
producing nations like Thailand dreamt big and were nationalistic enough to go
great length to achieve the feat.The statement said: “Nigeria was able to do it
and now local rice is in high demand in the West African nation.”It said for
the Ministry to say that total ban of rice importation is not feasible is “too
simplistic, unpatriotic and uninspiring. It can be done if we embrace the
challenge”, the statement said
Source with thanks :http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=343774
Nigerians
Impoverished By Over-dependence On Oil – Jonathan
Jan 24, 2015
President Goodluck Jonathan has regretted that in spite of the abundance of agricultural
resources the country is blessed with, over dependence on crude oil and prolonged neglect of the
agriculture sector have impoverished Nigerians.
Speaking yesterday during the 2015 Agricultural Festival
(AGRIFEST) at the Eagle Square, Abuja, the president vowed that there would be
no sacred cows among importers who are owing the country on rice import
duties.AGRIFEST is an international agriculture exhibition organised by the
Ministry of Agriculture to aid the sector in achieving a green revolution
President Jonathan told the huge number of farmers who attended
the event that they could rely on him as their Farmers’ President and be rest
assured of his support at all times to further boost your efforts to produce
more food for the nation.He announced the release of N26 billion towards the
2015 Dry Season Farming Programme, saying with the support of the farmers, he
hoped to be with them next year as president to do even more for them.Lamenting
the plight of Nigerians,
he said, “Our nation is blessed with abundant agricultural resources, but for
too long we have depended on crude
oil and neglected
agriculture.
This situation created
poverty and suffering in our rural communities.“Agriculture is now the lifeline
for Nigeria. As crude oil prices decline, we must create new
wealth from the richness of our soils, the vastness of our rivers and the
abundance of our cheap labour. We will produce more, and we will industrialise
the agricultural sector.Noting that the rice revolution is taking place across
the country, the president said, while high quality Nigerian rice was now
competing favourably with imported rice in the markets, rice importers cannot
hold the country hostage.He said, “Nigeria our dear country will not be held
hostage by rice importers. There will be no sacred cows under my watch. All those
owing Nigeria on rice import duties must pay.
Source with thanks :http://leadership.ng/news/406222/nigerians-impoverished-overdependence-oil-jonathan
Corruption in FCI frightening; revamp report addresses root
causes: Shanta Kumar
Shanta Kumar, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, former
chief minister of Himachal Pradesh and former union food minister, headed a
high level committee on reorienting the role and restructuring of the Food
Corporation of India. The committee submitted its report to the Prime Minister
on Wednesday, in which it has suggested a complete overhaul of the food
economy. (See this article for the recommendations). In this interview
with Seetha,Kumar
explains what the report sets out to do and how it will change things.
Excerpts:
Many of the recommendations in the report are quite radical. How
politically feasible are they?
When working on the report, I was not keeping political
considerations in mind. In such matters, I have always kept economic and
national issues in the forefront and keep politics aside. In any case, even
politically, I feel that implementing this report will be beneficial.
When over 8 crore farmers who are deprived of the benefits of
minimum support price start getting direct input subsidy in cash, they will
feel someone is looking out for them. It will be a huge relief especially for
those poor farmers who are driven to suicide. Secondly, when the 40-50 per cent
of poor consumers who do not get subsidised food because of leakages in the
public distribution system (PDS) get money in their bank accounts, they will
also benefit. So politically implementing this report will not entail any
damage.
One criticism that can be levelled is that we are recommending
reducing the coverage under the National Food Security Act from 67 per cent of
the population to 40 per cent. But at the same time we have recommended
increasing allocation to 7 kg per person from 5 kg. This report is both
pro-farmer and pro-poor.
This proposal is bound to run into problems. This requires an
amendment to the Act, which only Parliament can do. The Congress will never
agree to this, nor will many other parties.
The Congress has to oppose on some excuse or the other. They
won’t be able to say anything negative about the report and they will pick on
this. Look, the country has made a lot of economic progress, but social justice
is lacking. Development without social justice is no development at all. I am
committed to antyodaya, Swami Vivekananda’s daridra narayan. From the time I
became chief minister in 1977, I have tried to see how those who have been left
behind can be benefited.
Is cash transfers the way to go about it?
Definitely. It will be income support for both the poor farmer
and the poor consumer.
Besides, India’s delivery system is so inefficient and corrupt
that no matter what you do, it is not possible to reach subsidised food to all
the beneficiaries. The more complicated the system, the more corrupt it will
be; the more simpler it is, lesser the chances of corruption.
There’s also the distortion in the market. When the market price
of rice is Rs 40 a kg and it is being supplied at Rs 3 and Re 1 through the
PDS, diversion is inevitable. It can’t be stopped. That is why the global
discourse is about income support instead of market support.
food, Kumar said. Image courtesy:
BJP website
How much savings can be expected from cash transfers?
In the case of fertiliser subsidy, the cash transfer of Rs 7000
per hectare will result in savings of Rs 15,000-20,000 crore. In the case of
food subsidy, the government will save Rs 30,000 crore.
Can cash transfers co-exist with minimum support prices (MSP)
and state procurement? If you are giving cash to the poor to buy from the
market, what happens to the food grains that are procured by the FCI?
As it is, all those beneficiaries
who don’t get subsidised rations because of leakage are buying from the market
and not getting compensated for it.
But we will have to keep food stocks as a buffer. A country like
India will need a buffer. If we have to give relief to the farmers, we will
need MSP. MSP will have no meaning if we don’t procure. If we procure food
grains, they will accumulate. But we can use food stocks in excess of the
buffer norms to regulate and stabilise the market. Or we can export. That is
why the report has said there should be a definite liquidation policy for the
stocks.
What about the PDS if we shift to cash transfers. Will it get
phased out?
It will stay for some time. It should. Then an option can be
given to states and consumers. Then, based on experience gained over three-four
years we can review the situation.
You haven’t recommended trifurcation/unbundling of FCI, which
the BJP manifesto had talked about.
This has been done indirectly. We have distributed its work to
different agencies. We have said let states do the procuring; that will reduce
FCI’s role in procurement. We have spoken of outsourcing stocking of food
grains to the Central Warehousing Corporation, State Warehousing Corporations
and private players; that reduces FCI’s role in stocking. FCI will only play a
regulatory role in food grain management.
If we had recommended trifurcation, then there would have been
three corporations, three chairmen, three boards of directors. The number of
employees would have grown. This would have only added to non plan expenditure.
Our recommendations will help achieve the objectives of trifurcation without
this.
There are a lot of issues related to the internal working of the
FCI itself – inefficiencies, corruption. The report has not dealt with that.
When work is reduced or simplified, the scope for corruption
will also reduce.The maximum corruption is in the quality control specification
and checking. Right now, food grains are manually checked, someone picks up a
fistful of grain and says the moisture level is 5 per cent or 10 per cent. We
have said quality control should be transparent and mechanised.There is also a
lot of corruption in rice procurement.
States procure paddy and
give it to rice millers and FCI procures the rice that the millers produce. We
were surprised to find that in the large states, FCI was procuring 12 per cent
of the wheat produced and 70 per cent of rice. Some states asked us when you
have given us the task of procuring wheat, why not rice? We kept asking FCI
this.
Later we came to know that this is source of a lot of
corruption.We had joint stakeholders’ meetings across states. In two of these
meetings, the rice millers openly complained about how they were at the mercy
of FCI officials who would nitpick about the quality of rice and the amounts of
the bribes involved. That is why we have said states should procure both wheat
and rice. If states procure poor quality rice, it is their responsibility. The
level of corruption is frightening. We have tried to remove the root causes of
corruption.
What about the unwieldy size of FCI?
When its workload is reduced, then there will be pruning of
staff. We have said zonal offices should be trimmed over time. In the case of
the departmental loaders, we have recommended a voluntary retirement scheme and
phasing them out. This will have to done gradually over time.When work is
outsourced, there will be need for further trimming. The union is very strong,
problems will be there. But someone will have to start from somewhere.
Seetha is a senior journalist and author
Source with thanks :http://www.firstpost.com/business/corruption-in-fci-frightening-revamp-report-addresses-root-causes-shanta-kumar-2062185.html
I’ll Not Let Anyone Of You Escape
— Jonathan Fires
President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday
read the Riot Act to rice importers in the country, saying all those owing the
nation rice import duties must pay, no matter how highly placed they are.He said under no circumstance will he allow rice
importers to hold the nation to ransom.“Nigeria our dear country will not be
held hostage by rice importers. There will be no sacred cows under my watch.
All those owing Nigeria on rice import duties must pay,” Jonathan declared at
the opening of an event called AgriFest 2015 at the Eagles Square, Abuja.
The President noted that rice
farmers across the country have a new lease of life due to the transformation
taking place in the sector.He said over six million rice farmers have received
improved rice seed varieties, boosting domestic rice production by an
additional seven million metric tons.He said, “The rice revolution is taking
place across the country, from Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto,
Bauchi, Gombe, Niger, Kogi, Ogun, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Rivers, Anambra, Delta, Edo to
Bayelsa State.“High quality Nigerian rice is now competing favourably with
imported rice in the markets.
“Our rice millers have taken
advantage of these new opportunities, and the number of integrated rice mills
has expanded from 1 (one) at the beginning of this administration, to 24
today.“And they are all here today. I celebrate you all. I eat Nigerian rice
and can tell you it is better than imported rice,” he added.Jonathan also
announced the release of N26billion for the 2015 dry season farming
programme.He told the large gathering of farmers that he remained the farmers’
President and would need their support to remain in office beyond this year.He
said the various innovations put up by his administration had changed the face
of agriculture in the country.He promised to do more for the farmers and the
sector if re-elected.
Three Years Export Summary Statement (2011-12 To 2013-14)
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Source with thanks :http://agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/indexp/exportstatement.aspx
Rice exports post 3.46pc growth in first two quarters
Thursday, 22 January 2015 19:24
Posted by Imaduddin
ISLAMABAD: Rice exports from the country during first
two quarters of current financial year witnessed 3.46 percent growth as
compared to the corresponding period of last year. During the 
period from July-December, 2014 about 1,781,401 metric
tons of rice worth $976.784 million exported as compared to 1,709,883 metric
tons valuing $944.077 million exported in same period of last financial
year.According the latest figures released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
(PBS), exports of basmati rice recorded 2.63 percent increase as about 260,481
metric tons of basmati rice worth $302.265 million exported as compared to the
269,272 metric tons valuing $294.517 million of same period last
year.Meanwhile, the exports of rice other then basmati also grew by 3.84 per
Percent and reached at 1,520,920 metric tons costing $674.519 million which
stood at 1,440,611 metric tons valuing $649.560 million during same period last
year.
period from July-December, 2014 about 1,781,401 metric
tons of rice worth $976.784 million exported as compared to 1,709,883 metric
tons valuing $944.077 million exported in same period of last financial
year.According the latest figures released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
(PBS), exports of basmati rice recorded 2.63 percent increase as about 260,481
metric tons of basmati rice worth $302.265 million exported as compared to the
269,272 metric tons valuing $294.517 million of same period last
year.Meanwhile, the exports of rice other then basmati also grew by 3.84 per
Percent and reached at 1,520,920 metric tons costing $674.519 million which
stood at 1,440,611 metric tons valuing $649.560 million during same period last
year.
However, the data reveled that exports of fruit and vegetables
from the country during the period under review remained on down track as their
exports witnessed 3.29 percent and 25.23 percent decrease respectively.From
July-December, country was managed to export 256,146 metric tons of fruit worth
$189.136 million which was recorded at 345,791 metric tons valuing $204.875
million of corresponding period of last year.Vegetables exports was recorded at
167,648 metric tons during the period under review as compared to the 244,365
metric tons of same period last year, the data added.During the period under
review, sugar exports posted 0.46 percent growth And reached at 204,711 metric
tons valuing $98.652 million as compared to the exports of 208,438 metric tons
worth $98.202 million of same period last year.
Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2015
Source with thanks :Business Record
US 'threats' to Patent Act irks
RSS outfit
Swadeshi Jagran Manch,
the economic wing of the RSS, is against any drive to facilitate business
interests of the US & the EU’s pharmaceutical companies
in India.President Barack Obama’s visit, Swadeshi Jagran Manch
(SJM), the powerful economic wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, has
objected to the United States’ “threats” to India’s domestic policies on
Intellectual Property Right (IPR).
The organisation is against any drive to facilitate business
interest of the US & the EU’s pharmaceutical companies in India. According
to SJM, the “Western world” is building “continuous pressure” on India to amend
many sections of the Patent Act of 1970, particularly 3(d), which would qualify
global pharmaceutical companies to market new drugs without making any genuine
innovation, thus escalating profit. In a strongly worded resolution, the RSS
outfit has said that the government “should not compromise” and succumb to
pressure.The GDP growth of US and EU is largely dependent on the
knowledge-based economy. While 35% of US GDP growth comes from IPR related
industry, 39% of EU’s growth is IPR dependent. So any slow down in IPR growth
is a “major concern” for both the blocks, said SJM’s recent resolution titled:
‘The US threat on IPR, a mere hoax?’
In order to achieve the estimated growth in the IPR sector, “a
continuous pressure” has been mounted on India by the “western world for
tampering with the domestic IPR policies,” the SJM resolution added.
Main concern
SJM and a section of the Bharatiya Janata Party are particularly
concerned about dilution of Section 3(d) of the Patent Act of 1970.Section 3(d)
says that “mere discovery of a new form of a known substance which does not
result in the enhancement of the known efficacy of that substance” will not be
eligible for fresh patents thus restricting the vested business interest of
pharmaceutical companies in US and EU in India.
In its annual report (2014 Special 301 Report) to underscore
trade barriers to US companies due to IPR related laws, the US Trade
Representative (USTR) has expressed its concerns about the existence of
3(d).“The United States is concerned that Section 3(d), as interpreted, may
have the effect of limiting the patentability of potentially beneficial
innovations. Such innovations would include drugs with fewer side effects…Even
after a product receives a patent, Indian law continues to pose challenges to
the enjoyment of that IPR protection,” USTR observed last April.
In December, USTR conducted an Out-of-Cycle Review (OCR) of the
provisions and issued another statement: “India has made useful commitments in
recent months, including to institutionalize high-level engagement on IP
issues, to pursue a specific work program and to deepen cooperation and
information exchange with the United States on IP-related issues under the
US-India Trade Policy Forum.”The December statement of USTR, followed by the
draft National IPR policy, has irked the SJM members. The draft IPR Policy was
released only a week after the OCR and concluded that country’s IPR policy will
be guided by the “development needs and the international commitments.
” The SJM members detested the coinage, “international
commitments.”“We fear that in the name of the international commitments the
Patent Act will be tampered,” a senior SJM official told The Hindu on condition of anonymity. SJM has
also criticized draft IPR policy.The National IPR policy is drafted “under the
shadow” of a joint working group of US and is “influenced by the threats from
the US about economic sanctions under the dictates of the big pharmaceutical
companies for making changes in the existing patent laws of India,” said the
SJM resolution.
Cancer drugs
The SJM has also objected to the policy amendments in “compulsory
licensing” especially while granting permission to NATCO for manufacturing
cancer drugs which was being sold by BAYER of Germany “at exorbitant prices” in
the country. SJM has also red-flagged “illegitimate demand of data exclusivity
on pharmaceuticals” whereby the Drug Regulatory Authority of India will be
prohibited to disclose trial results to the Indian generic companies.SJM has
also flagged a whole lot of other areas where US is trying to mount “pressure.
” The Government “should not compromise on any other existing
provisions of Indian Patent Act including pre-grant opposition,” the resolution
said. According to the RSS outfit, the government should demand “protection”
for products like Darjeeling tea, Basmati rice, textile goods and several other
agricultural products which have its origin in India.
TRIPS Agreement
Besides “demand(ing) protection” for biodiversity, traditional
knowledge and folklore according to Doha Agenda, the country should “demand a
complete review” of the “draconian provisions of the existing Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement and renegotiate the
same at all appropriate forums of WTO,” the SJM statement said.In the recently
concluded flagship annual IPR summit, Global Intellectual Property Convention
(GIPC) in Mumbai, attended by IPR experts of 30 countries, the issue of India’s
concern was passionately debated by all sides in several technical sessions.
The sub-committee, constituted during GIPC, has noted the concerns of the
policy makers and pharmaceutical majors and decided to submit a memorandum to
the think-tank drafting National IPR policy.
Keywords: Swadeshi Jagran Manch, SJM, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, RSS, Intellectual Property Right, IPR, US patents threat, SJM resolution on IPR, draft IPR policy
Source with thanks :The Hindu
United Nations to assist
Pakistan in bio-fuel project
By Yaqoob Malik
Published: January 23, 2015
Project to promote market-based
adoption of biomass gasification technologies for agro-processing enterprises.
STOCK IMAGE
ISLAMABAD:
Owing to the serious energy crisis prevailing
in the country, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)
has announced to implement a project to promote market-based adoption of
biomass gasification technologies for agro-processing of small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan.
Drawing funding from Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the
project will particularly introduce rice husk based gasification power plants
in the rice producing areas in order to generate cheap and uninterrupted
electricity. The rice husk is usually burnt and goes in vain.A report of the
UN’s information centre Islamabad observed that Pakistan today faces serious
energy challenges that include frequent power cuts, brown outs and unreliable
supply of fossil fuels. For SMEs power breakdown results in reduced production
levels, reduced quality of production etc
.In view of this, the UNIDO, by helping SMEs develop biomass
gasification power plants, seeks to enable SMEs to contribute towards
addressing the energy challenges in the country, it said.As part of this
process, the UNIDO has signed a memorandum of understanding with Punjab Rice
Mills Association to support the development of a feasibility study for 1MW
rice husk based gasification power plant at Bhawalnagar, the report said.The
UNIDO’s country representative Esam Alqararah said, “Pakistan being an
agricultural country possesses a fuel for future which is cheap, clean and
abundant.
Such projects will enable SMEs to have uninterrupted electricity
to run their operations, which will increase their productivity and also help
in providing low cost electricity.”The industrial development officer at UN,
Alois P Mhlanga, had visited Pakistan for the project. He mentioned the
feasibility study for this 1MW gasification plant does lay a strong foundation
for finding new ways of clean energy by demonstrating technical feasibility and
economic viability of biomass gasification technology, UNIDO report added.
Published in The Express
Tribune, January 23rd, 2015.
Source with thanks :The
Express Tribune Pakistan
Rice exports post 3.46pc growth
in first two quarters
Thursday, 22 January 2015 19:24
Posted by Imaduddin
ISLAMABAD: Rice exports from the country during first two quarters
of current financial year witnessed 3.46 percent growth as compared to the
corresponding period of last year.During the period from July-December, 2014
about 1,781,401 metric tons of rice worth $976.784 million exported as compared
to 1,709,883 metric tons valuing $944.077 million exported in same period of last
financial year.According the latest figures released by Pakistan Bureau of
Statistics (PBS), exports of basmati rice recorded 2.63 percent increase as
about 260,481 metric tons of basmati rice worth $302.265 million exported as
compared to the 269,272 metric tons valuing $294.517 million of same period
last year.
Meanwhile, the exports of rice other then basmati also grew by
3.84 per Percent and reached at 1,520,920 metric tons costing $674.519 million
which stood at 1,440,611 metric tons valuing $649.560 million during same
period last year.However, the data reveled that exports of fruit and vegetables
from the country during the period under review remained on down track as their
exports witnessed 3.29 percent and 25.23 percent decrease respectively.From
July-December, country was managed to export 256,146 metric tons of fruit worth
$189.136 million which was recorded at 345,791 metric tons valuing $204.875
million of corresponding period of last year.
Vegetables exports was recorded at 167,648 metric tons during the
period under review as compared to the 244,365 metric tons of same period last
year, the data added.During the period under review, sugar exports posted 0.46
percent growth And reached at 204,711 metric tons valuing $98.652 million as
compared to the exports of 208,438 metric tons worth $98.202 million of same
period last year.
Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2015
The Business Recorder
USA Rice Promotes Cochran Bipartisan Letter on Iraqis Rice
Purchases
Senator Cochran
WASHINGTON, DC -- This week, the USA Rice Federation encouraged
Members of Congress to sign on to a letter written by Mississippi Senator Thad
Cochran to Secretary of State John Kerry asking him to help America's rice
farmers improve existing trade relations with the Iraqi Grain Board (IGB).The
final letter was sent today with all six rice producing states represented by
the 36 signatories. Thirteen Senators
and 23 House Members called on Secretary Kerry to see to it U.S. rice producers
are fairly considered to win Iraqi business.
Despite years of effort to rebuild commercial relationships with
the IGB, Iraq has inexplicably failed in several recent tenders to purchase
competitively-priced U.S. rice. And a
new tender opens this weekend."While American exporters have continued to
offer competitive bids, the [Iraqi Grain] Board has lately chosen higher-priced
non-American bids," the letter reads.
"We recognize Iraq's prerogative to make these types of decisions,
but it serves no purpose to discriminate against competitively-priced
U.S.rice...
""We've lost out on three of the last four tenders
despite prices nearly $50 per metric ton below the winning South American bids
with zero explanation from the IGB," said USA Rice Federation President
& CEO Betsy Ward. "We believe
the U.S. government needs to engage directly with Iraq's Minister of Trade to
get to the bottom of this. Senator
Cochran agreed wholeheartedly and spearheaded the effort on the Hill to focus
Secretary Kerry on this issue.""Iraq is a large rice import market,
purchasing just under 1.5 million metric tons annually," said Dow
Brantley, an Arkansas rice farmer and chairman of USA Rice.
"We have the high
quality crop at the right price to meet Iraqi demand, but if they keep ignoring
our bids, it's going to present problems down the line for rice producers and
millers, especially in the mid-South."The IGB purchases nearly all imports
via a public tendering process and has issued a 30,000 mt tender which will be
open for bids on January 25, 2015.
Contact: Michael Klein
(703) 236-1458
Source with thanks: The USA Rice Federation
USA Rice Provides Updates for
Texas Producers
EL CAMPO, TX -- Texas A&M
AgriLife Extension hosted the annual Western Rice Belt Production Conference
here on Wednesday. The USA Rice
Federation is a sponsor of the conference and this year USA Rice staff Amy
Doane, Director, Membership & Marketing, and Evan Spencer, Manager,
Economic and Policy Analysis, attended informational sessions and spoke to
producers about current issues affecting the U.S. rice industry.Spencer
provided members of the Texas Rice Producers' Legislative Group with updates on
the Farm Bill, regulatory issues, upcoming Regional Conservation Partnership
Program (RCPP) opportunities, and trade, especially the emerging Cuban market.
"We appreciate
having the team fromWashington come to Texas to participate in this
conference," said Daniel Berglund, a Texas rice farmer and chairman of the
Texas Rice Producers' Legislative Group.
"The work they do to communicate information and advocate for best
practice solutions on behalf of our industry is clearly making a positive
difference for Texas rice producers."
Contact: Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444
Source
with thanks :The USA Rice Federation
Japan Announces 6th SBS Tender in FY 2014
Announcement: 20
December 2015
Tender:
3 February 2015
Quantity:
Total
30,000 MT
Whole-kernel (brown or milled) 27,000 MT
Broken
(milled)
3,000 MT
Shipping period:
15 July 2015
Source with thanks : Source
with thanks :The USA Rice Federation
Japan Announces 11th Ordinary Import Tender in FY 2014
|
Announcement: 20
January 2015
Tender: 23
January 2015
Offer
details: 57,000
mt
Shipping
period: (U.S.A.)
from 20 June 2015 to 20 July 2015
(Thailand)
from 15 May 2015 to 25 June 2015
(GT)
from 15 May 2015 to 25 June 2015
|
Source with thanks :The USA Rice Federation
Rice goes up by Tk 3 a kg
Blockade upsets supply to Dhaka, Ctg
Sohel Parvez and Dwaipayan Barua
Vegetable farmers sit
around their pile of produce at the Mahasthangarh wholesale market in Bogra
yesterday with hardly any customers. With seemingly no end to the nationwide
blockade, wholesale traders are reluctant in buying perishables which they may
not be able to ship. Photo: Star
Rice prices are going up in the two major cities -- Dhaka and
Chittagong -- as the BNP-led alliance's nationwide blockade continues to
disrupt supply.Prices of all types of rice have risen by up to Tk 3 a kg in
both wholesale and retail markets in the two cities, home to over two crore
people, though the prices remain unchanged at milling hubs.Wary wholesalers
refrained from bringing supplies for fear of arson attacks on highways while
their stocks of rice run low.“We have to charge higher prices for the rising
transport costs,” said Mohammad Alamgir Hossain, a rice wholesaler at
Badamtali-Babubazar market, the biggest rice wholesale depot in the capital.
For instance, he paid Tk 34,000, more than double the usual truck
fare, to source rice from Chapainawabganj, a major rice milling hub and also a
hotspot for political violence, early this week.According to Alamgir, the cost
of transporting rice from Kushtia, another major rice milling zone, rose around
40 percent since the non-stop blockade began on January 6. A 15-tonne capacity
truck now charges around Tk 21,000, up from about Tk 15,000.Moreover, rice
traders have to bear the loss if the cargo is torched.
At normal times, suppliers take the full responsibility for
carrying rice to the stores. “This has made us very cautious about getting
deliveries.” All these factors have led to the price spike of rice, said the
wholesaler.Retailers are selling fine rice for over Tk 50 a kg, which was Tk 48
two weeks ago, said Mohammad Rajon, a rice retailer at Palashi kitchen
market.The prices of other types of the staple also went up in the last two
weeks, he said.Coarse rice, consumed by low-income people, sold Tk 35-37 a kg
yesterday.
The price was Tk 34-37 a kg a week ago, show the retail price data
compiled by the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.Abdul Matin, a rice
wholesaler at the capital's Mohammadpur Krishi Market, said traders usually
keep a certain level of stock. But they cannot maintain it, as fewer trucks now
carry rice to the capital.Alamgir said around 300 trucks usually bring rice to
the city every day but the number has dropped. Wholesalers now target weekends
to get deliveries from millers to cut risk of attacks, he said.
However, Volanath Das, manager of wholesale shop Janata Rice at
Badamtali-Babubazar market, said stocks at traders' end fell marginally and
wholesalers were trying to maintain the usual level even if it meant paying
higher transport fares and taking risks of loss.“There is enough stock to meet
the demand in Dhaka city. There is nothing to be worried about,” he added.In
the port city, prices of all types of rice rose by Tk 100-150 per 50-kg sack in
the last two weeks.Wholesalers are selling each 50-kg sack of fine rice for Tk
2,300-2,350, up from Tk 2,150-2,200 two weeks ago.
The wholesale prices of coarse rice Swarna rose to Tk 1,560 per
sack from Tk 1,450.The number of trucks bringing supplies to the port city
dropped for the unrest, said Md Jamal Hossain, general secretary of Chaktai
Traders Association.More than a hundred truckloads of rice used to arrive at
the market. The number has slumped to 30, he said.Md Abdur Rashid, president of
Bangladesh Auto, Major and Husking Mills Association, said rice stocks at the
mills have swelled over the last few days.
“Stocks have piled up at our end. We can neither send rice nor get
delivery of paddy from our agents in the suburbs. We are in a big
trouble.”Rashid warned that prices of rice would rise further if the political
unrest persists.The situation could worsen for the entire sector. Many millers'
bank loans would be classified if the current situation continues for two more
weeks, added the president of the association that has around 17,000 members.
Source with thanks : http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:llGglqPjDOEJ:www.thedailystar.net/rice-goes-up-by-tk-3-a-kg-61408+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk
Former
Thai leader Yingluck Shinawatra politically banned for five years
English.news.cn 2015-01-23 16:12:02
Singtong Buechoom (C), a legal team
member of the Pheu Thai Party, speaks to media about former Thai Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 23, 2015. Former Thai Prime
Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was impeached by the National Legislative Assembly
(NLA) on Friday for dereliction of duty in a controversial rice subsidy scheme.
(Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)
BANGKOK, Jan.
23 (Xinhua) -- Former Thai premier Yingluck Shinawatra was on Friday impeached
by legislators, rendering the country's first lady leader banned from politics
for a five-years time due to alleged corruption in the previous government's
rice subsidy program. A total of 190 members of the National Legislative
Assembly, all of whom were handpicked by Thai Premier Prayut Chan-o-cha, voted
to impeach Yingluck while 18 others voted otherwise.
The
impeachment for which a minimum of three-fifths of all 220 legislators, or 132,
were needed, will automatically have the former leader, who ran the country
from the mid-2011 until the mid- 2014, politically banned from now until
2020.Yingluck, who had defended herself over the controversial rice program in
parliament on Thursday, quietly stayed at home as the non-elected legislators
cast their votes.She repeatedly dismissed accusations lodged by the Naitonal
Anti-Corruption Commission that the rice program had incurred an estimated 20
billion U.S. dollars in losses of the taxpayer's money with herself allegedly
turning blind eye and deaf ear to the alleged corruption which had involved
high-ranking government officials.
About
3.6 million tons of rice had been allegedly unaccounted for or spoiled after
the rice had been stored at government-rented warehouses in the provinces while
the ex-premier had failed to take action against those primarily responsible
for such losses, according to NACC member Wicha Mahakhun.Though Yingluck had
claimed to have launched investigation into the alleged corruption over the
rice program, the anti-graft agency had successfully contended that she had
quietly learned of such malpractice but failed to combat it.She had argued in
vain that farmers had benefited a great deal from the rice program as an
estimated 10 billion U.S. dollars had been used to buy rice for 500 U.S.
dollars a ton from them nationwide.
"Farmers
are the backbone of the country. We must not let that backbone broken,'' said
Yingluck during her unfruitful plea to the legislators on Thursday.Meanwhile,
the Office of Attorney General resolved on Friday to lodge a criminal lawsuit
against the former premier in court on duty-negligence and law-breaking charges
involving the rice program.The case is expected to be submitted to the Supreme
Court by Attorney General Trakul Vinitnaipak in one-month time from now.If
convicted guilty as charged, Yingluck might possibly be sentenced to a maximum
of 10 years in jail.
Yingluck's
brother, former Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra who has remained in self-exile
overseas following the 2006 coup, alongside 200-plus politicians had been
banned from politics for a five-year time several years ago.Thaksin had been
sentenced in absentia by Supreme Court judges in charge of lawsuits against
politicians to a two-years jail for power-abusing charges involving a Bangkok
land grab scandal during his time as premier.Security at the Government House
and parliament was stepped up with police squads and army troops amid fears
that Red Shirt activists, known to have been loyal to the Shinawatra family,
might possibly gather en masse in protest of Friday's impeachment.
Former
Red Shirt leader and former deputy minister Nattavut Saikua earlier suggested
that the pro-Yingluck and pro-Thaksin demonstrators stay calm and not take to
the streets for the time being, given current martial rule enforced since last
May's coup staged by the then-army chief Gen Prayut himself.
Source with thanks : http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-01/23/c_133942197.htm
A.P. keen to promote ‘sugar-free’ rice variety
Andhra Pradesh will be
identifying and promoting new varieties of rice with low content of
carbohydrate, referred to as ‘sugar-free rice’ in common parlance that is more
nutritious and can be consumed even by diabetic patients without the fear of
their blood glucose levels shooting up.In addition to BM 1100, a new variety of
rice released in some pockets, two more new variants, 209 with longer grain and
‘Sonam’ are also being considered for cultivation in demonstration farms ,
according to government sources.The issue of promoting cereals and millets with
value addition to increase their nutrient value came up for discussion in the
recent meeting of Agriculture Minister P.Pullarao with department officials.
He suggested that these varieties
and also rice variety with low carbohydrates could be promoted for the benefit
of all, specially the diabetics who are advised to cut down or avoid quickly
digestible normal rice to keep their glucose levels in blood under control.The
Agriculture Department has been asked to promote the ‘sugar-free’ rice
varieties by next Kharif.However, agriculture scientists clarified that
officially ‘no sugar free rice’ was being cultivated in Andhra Pradesh as
yet.The Seed Section in New Delhi Office of International Rice Research
Institute (Philippines) also did not have ready information on the ‘sugar-free
rice’ variety, they said.
But out of all varieties of rice
released so far in the State, ‘MTU 7029 Swarna’ has least amount of
carbohydrates.Some private seed companies in the State are into research to
promote cereals and millets with value addition to enhance nutritional value
and bring down carbohydrate content. However any value addition to cereals or
millets will have negative correlation with yield, scientists observed.The
Agriculture Department will also be promoting flood resistant varieties of
rice- Swarna sub and Samba Masuri sub- which can withstand 10 to 15 days of
flooding without affecting their yield. They will be raised in 270 hectares of
demonstration farms.
Where they breed paddy for over a century
Exhibits get ready to be displayed at the museum coming up at
the Department of Rice, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.— Photo: S. Siva
Saravanan
Right in the middle of the paddy
fields on Thondamuthur Road is an ochre, tile roofed room whose walls bear
witness to the works of a few great men, who ensured food for the masses.And it
is in this room the Paddy Breeding Station was born over a century ago. It will
soon become a museum showcasing the history of paddy breeding since the British
Raj. And, at present, the room is part of the Department of Rice, Tamil Nadu
Agricultural University (TNAU).Vice-Chancellor K. Ramasamy says that the room
will have old implements, photographs, paintings and everything that will bring
alive the paddy breeding work that has been going on since 1912, starting with
F.R. Parnell, who arrived here as the government economic botanist to collect
paddy varieties.
Thus was born the modern India’s first paddy
breeding station.The Imperial Government did establish another paddy breeding
station in 1911. But, that is in Dakha with the new name, Bangladesh Rice
Research Institute.S. Robin, Head of the Department of Rice, says Parnell’s job
was to collect various paddy varieties in South India, study and document
them.They had the help of an artist, whose paintings are intact and fresh even
today and appear as good as photographs.The museum to-be has a photograph
showing the receipt of Valwadam
paddy variety from the
tahsildar of Bezawada (Vijayawada) on October 1903.
Mr. Robin says that though the Imperial
Government established the breeding station only in 1912, the work started at
least a decade earlier.The room also has old glass slides with picture
negatives of paddy varieties to be projected and shown during seminars, a
gold-plated microscope, equipment used in paddy collection, century-old books
containing drawings of various paddy varieties and much more.He says that
Parnell, his successor R.O. Iliffe and his successor K. Ramiah and a few others
collected close to 2,500 traditional paddy varieties from the Indian
sub-continent.
To date, the university has the
varieties stored in the Ramiah Cold Storage Bank.The work of the scientists at
the breeding station included plant protection research and crop management
research. Mr. Ramasamy says that it was at the paddy breeding station that the
first variety GEB 24 was identified and promoted. This GEB 24 was to later
become a parent for more than 770 paddy varieties developed across the world.As
on date, Mr. Robin says, the breeding station has developed 51 varieties and
four hybrids. The museum to-be will house all the details and soon be thrown
open to the public.
Source with thanks:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/where-they-breed-paddy-for-over-a-century/article6817291.ece
CME
Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
CME
Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for January 23
|
Month
|
Price
|
Net Change
|
|
March 2015
|
$11.010
|
- $0.150
|
|
May 2015
|
$11.270
|
- $0.145
|
|
July 2015
|
$11.510
|
- $0.140
|
|
September 2015
|
$11.190
|
- $0.140
|
|
November 2015
|
$11.290
|
- $0.140
|
|
January 2016
|
$11.380
|
- $0.230
|
|
March 2016
|
$11.380
|
- $0.230
|
|
