World Rice News 13.02.2015
13.02.2015
USDA. All rice imports were increased 1 million hundredweight to 23
million, all in combined medium- and short-grain rice. The forecast for all
rice exports was unchanged at 103 million hundredweight, with long grain
exports increasing 1 million hundredweight to 71 million hundredweight, and
medium- and short-grain declining 1 million to 32 million hundredweight. All
rice ending stocks were raised 1 million hundredweight to nearly 42 million.
Long-grain stocks were lowered 1 million to 28.1 million, and combined medium-
and short-grain stocks were raised 2 million to 11.5 million.
***
Iran to import Basmati rice from India next fiscal. Basmati rice
exports to Iran, the biggest destination for the aromatic and long-grained rice
from the country, are likely to commence from the next fiscal following
assurance from the Iranian authorities. Tehran has not approved any new
contract for import of Basmati rice from India since October 2014.
***
Four African countries, Nigeria,
Ghana, Burkina Faso and Tanzania are to benefit from the $3.3
million grant provided by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the
German Development Cooperation (BMZ) under their competitive African Rice
Initiative (CARI) project. The implementing institutions of the grant are led
by GIZ, Technserve, the John A. Kufuor (JAK) and Kili Trust (KT). The project
which will end in 2017 is targeting about 120,000 small scale rice producers,
while secondary beneficiaries are the rural service providers and rice
millers. More information on grain market can be found in UkrAgroConsult newsletters and daily reports or through on-line access to thewebsite.
http://www.blackseagrain.net/novosti/world-rice-news-13-02.2015
Company revitalises rice farming
Ropate Valemei
Friday, February 13, 2015
Friday, February 13, 2015
Grace Road Food Company staff members and management with
residents of Galoa Village in Navua. Picture: SUPPLIED
THROUGH
its continuous investment in farm development, a rice company in Navua is
expanding its farming project from Navua to Galoa.Grace Road Food Company Ltd
managing director Daniel Kim said the Galoa farming site was their second
farming initiative.Mr Kim said they would continuously develop farm lands in
full partnership with the residents of Galoa.He said the land the company
agreed to develop was about 200 acres.
"We are confident that this jungle-like land
will be transformed into a beautiful farm," he said.He said the company's
machinery would also expand as native farm lands needed advanced development
for rice farming.He said other agricultural machinery would also be brought in
to suit Fiji's climate.Senior agricultural officer at the Ministry of
Agriculture, John Cox, said the company provided the spark to revitalise the
rice farming sector last year, adding that spark was turning into flames in
2015.Meanwhile, the company is hosting the International Conference on Rice
Farming for Food Security in Fiji on February 19 in Navua
PhilRice promotes Rural Transformation Movement for
farmers
February
13, 2015
BUTUAN
CITY, Feb. 13 (PIA) – The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Agusan
is promoting its Rural Transformation Movement (RTM) for the welfare of the
community farmers not only in the province of Agusan del Norte but in the
entire Caraga region.In an interview over Advanced Forward Emergency
Broadcasting System (AFEBS) Network of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
Caraga in this city, Marilyn Amoin, Science Research Specialist 1 of PhilRice
Agusan bared that its Rural Transformation Movement is intended to make the
farmers more diversified and integrated."We want to help the farmers earn
more by venturing into other products and livelihood.
We
want to see them improve their lives through different strategies," said
Amoin.Amoin also said that the pilot area for its Rural Transformation Movement
is in Brgy. Basilisa, RTR, Agusan del Norte. "We are encouraging the
community farmers to avail of this opportunity and be a millionaire. We call
this Movement because we wanted to see our farmers experience the changes in
their lives while they are into this program of PhilRice. We should act and
move forward to achieve this goal," she added.With the said movement,
farmers are encouraged to produce other products such as livestock raising,
vegetable production and byproducts."Together with PhilRice personnel from
our central office, we are still on the process of conducting social diagnostic
and mapping in Brgy.
Basilisa,
as well as in other communities where we can identify qualified farmers for the
Rural Transformation Movement, which we are promoting. We are also looking into
and assessing the needs of the farmers and on how we can better improve their
present livelihood," shared Arbutante.As to the criteria on how community
farmers can avail of the PhilRice's RTM, Ginalyn Arbutante, Science Research
Assistant of PhilRice Agusan also revealed that they are still finalizing the
criteria and will soon release it to the public. "It is an advantage on
the part of the farmers who are also land owners because they have big chances
to expand their livelihood," she said.Arbutante further disclosed that
PhilRice is also promoting technology development for the farmers to improve
their production and increase their income. The institute also produces quality
seeds available for the farmers.
"For
inquiries about our Rural Transformation Movement, the public can send it along
with their other concerns thru PhilRice's Text Center at 09209111398. We will
be very glad to accommodate them," highlighted Arbutante.Philippine Rice
Research Institute (PhilRice) is a government corporate entity attached to the
Department of Agriculture created through Executive Order 1061 on 5 November
1985 (as amended) to help develop high-yielding and cost-reducing technologies
so farmers can produce enough rice for all Filipinos. (Jennifer P. Gaitano,
PIA-Caraga)
Grace Road
Hosts First Conference
February
12
09:182015
by
Ranoba Baoa, SUVA
Grace Road Food Company Limited,
will host its first major International Conference on Rice Farming for Food
Security in Fiji on February 19.The conference dubbed will be enabled through
world-wide leading rice seed researcher Dr Kyung-Ho Kang (National institute of
Crop Science, RDA). It will be held at its Deuba Rice-farm office with 80
people expected to attend.Also in attendance will be Professor of Biotechnology
Dr. Seong-Gene Lee (Chonnam National University)
Dr Kyung-Ho Kang worked for IRRI (International Rice Research
Institute) from 2008 to 2010, and is currently working for KAFACI (Korea-Africa
Food & Agriculture Cooperation Initiative) and NICS (National Institute of
Crop Science, RDA).Dr Kyung-Ho Kang is also associated with the National
Institute of Crop Science of South Korea.He will also explain the discoveries
behind his research, examples of his rice-seed research, and the performance of
his research application.Through the keynote speech, he will enunciate a
proposal of the best suited type of rice for Fiji.
Additionally, Dr Seong-Gene Lee of Chonnam National University
in South Korea will explain the importance of food security in preparation of
worldwide climate change.Grace Road managing director Daniel Kim said: “Grace
Road Food Company Limitedis currently undertaking tremendous amount of effort
in order to raise the rice-farming industry.“Establishment of Research Center,
out of all the effort being put in Grace Road Food Company Limited, is the most
essential matter.
“With Dr. Kang at its core, establishment of Grace Road Food
Company Limited’s research center will bring a monumental transformation in
advancement of Fijian rice industry.“Additionally, the purpose of this
conference is to announce to the Fijians the importance offood security, the
necessity of rice production in order for food security and the value of high
rice yield and quality through seed improvement.He added: “Along with this
goal, Grace Road Food Company Limited will also announce its plan about how we
can achieverice self-sufficiency by the year 2020.”is the missing link we have
been looking for.”
Rice
Production Grant: Nigeria, Three Others To Benefit
Feb 13th, 2015 and filed under Business. You can follow any responses to
this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are
currently closed.
Four African countries, Nigeria,
Ghana, Burkina Faso and Tanzania are to benefit from the $3.3 million grant
provided by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the German Development
Cooperation (BMZ) under their competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI)
project.The implementing institutions of the grant are led by GIZ, Technserve,
the John A. Kufuor (JAK) and Kili Trust (KT).The project which will end in 2017
is targeting about 120,000 small scale rice producers, while secondary
beneficiaries are the rural service providers and rice millers.
The initiative is geared towards
improving their sourcing capacity of quality supply. Speaking on the
establishment of the Nigeria/ECOWAS Rice Sector Policy and Regulation Advocacy
Platform in Abuja, CARI’s project coordinator, Mr. Stefan Kachelriess-Matthess,
stated that the main instrument for the implementation of CARI across the four
countries on the matching grant will be on the basis of Public Private
Partnership (PPP).Kachel-Mathhess said the projects would be implemented at two
levels of support, adding that CARI’s support was up to 40 per cent of implementation
cost.He said CARI’s Nigerian partners in the private sector would provide 60
per cent of the implementation cost.
He said CARI’s Nigerian partners
in the private sector would provide 60 per cent of the implementation cost.In
her remark, the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on the New
Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Mrs. Fidelia Njeze, who was
represented by Mrs. Jael Kpatuwak expressed the hope that the CARI project
would address coordination failures. She expressed that the process would
create better linkages among rice value chain actors the results of which she
said would lead to increase in economic returns for all stakeholders.
According to her, the sector
holds the key to getting Nigeria out of poverty as it provides food security,
employment for the teeming population and creating the platform for a
diversified economy towards an industrial revolution.Also speaking at the
event, the ECOWAS Commissioner of Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources,
Dr. Lapodini Marc Atouga, represented by a Director at the commission, said
rice consumption in the last two years in the sub-region had increased from 7
to 7.7 million tons.He pointed out that this was an indication that production
was not matching up with consumption as it has to depend on international
imports for 40 per cent of its rice supply with Thailand and Vietnam as the
leading suppliers of the commodity to the region.
No power
cuts for firms: Etela Rajender
DC CORRESPONDENT | February 14, 2015, 03.02 am IST
Telangana
Finance Minister Etela Rajender (Photo: DC)
Warangal:
Telangana finance and civil supplies minister Etela Rajender said there will
not be any power cuts even for one hour for the industries from 2016. He was
addressing the rice millers at the inauguration of rice trade expo at the
Hayagreeva Chary ground in Hanamkonda on Friday. The minister asked the millers
to cooperate with the government in fulfilling their promises. He asked the
millers to cultivate only BPT fine rice. He also warned them against any
irregularities on their part. “The
government is people friendly, but we will not tolerate any irregularities.
Please do not give us the situation to show our other side,” he said. The rice
expo will is being organised by the Telangana rice millers association and will
be continued till February 15.
USA
Rice Staff Urge Louisiana Growers on Farm Bill Sign-Ups, Provide Issue
Briefings
Ben
Mosely
ALEXANDRIA and DELHI, LOUISIANA -- USA Rice staff continued their
travel through the Pelican State this week to brief growers at the Central
Louisiana Rice Growers Association membership meeting and the Northeast
Louisiana Rice Growers Association rice forum.
USA Rice Vice President of Government Affairs Ben Mosely stressed to
growers that time is running out for them to make base acre reallocations and
yield updates under the new farm bill. "You have until February 27th to
make changes and I don't see any indication that USDA is going to be offering
extensions," Mosely said.
"If
you miss this opportunity, not only are you stuck for five years, but you're
leaving money on the table right now."USA Rice President and CEO Betsy
Ward shared information on key markets and what new and expanding market access
could mean for Louisiana's growers."I'm confident we can recapture most of
the Cuban market once the legal and legislative hurdles have been
cleared," she offered. "And
frankly, given your proximity to Cuba, you are poised to benefit perhaps the
most."Michael Klein
Michael
Klein, USA Rice's Vice President of Marketing, Communications & Domestic
Promotion, updated attendees on exciting domestic promotion activities that are
paid for by the state's check-off contributions.
"Our popular classroom outreach programs are a very effective
grassroots education initiative," he told audiences. "We work with educators to teach kids
about rice, and they in turn teach their parents, friends, neighbors, and
families.We reach thousands of teachers and tens of thousands of kids in all
six rice states magnifying our message.
The true value of the impact is difficult to measure, but that's what we
do - we stretch those promotion dollars as far as we can.""We
appreciate the opportunity to speak directly to the growers to share with them
just a few of the things we are working on their behalf," Ward said. "I also value the feedback we receive
from them that we take back to Washington."
"Our popular classroom outreach programs are a very effective
grassroots education initiative," he told audiences. "We work with educators to teach kids
about rice, and they in turn teach their parents, friends, neighbors, and
families.We reach thousands of teachers and tens of thousands of kids in all
six rice states magnifying our message.
The true value of the impact is difficult to measure, but that's what we
do - we stretch those promotion dollars as far as we can.""We
appreciate the opportunity to speak directly to the growers to share with them
just a few of the things we are working on their behalf," Ward said. "I also value the feedback we receive
from them that we take back to Washington."
Contact:
Randy Jemison (337) 738-7009
Visit
USA Rice at the 63rd Annual Mid-South Farm & Gin Show
MEMPHIS, TN -- Plan to visit the USA Rice Federation at Booth 2080 during the
2015 Mid-South Farm & Gin Show, February 27-28 at the Memphis Cook
Convention Center. The event is one of the largest farm shows in the region. In
2014 more than 400 companies and groups from more than 40 states exhibited over
the two-day trade show.View attendee registration details online. Download the show's mobile app to receive
updates and search "rice" in the exhibitor section for more
information on rice-related exhibitors and booth locations.
2015 Rice Leadership Class takes
center stage
Greg Van Dyke, Pleasant Grove, Calif.; Dustin Harrell, LSU
AgCenter; Paul Johnson, Welsh, La.; Hudgens Jeter, Stuttgart, Ark.; Collin
Holzhauer, Southern Rice & Cotton; Nat McKnight, Cleveland, Miss.; and
Nicole Creason, Jonesboro, Ark., will participate in rice leadership class
activities in 2015 and 2016.
RELATED MEDIA
Members of the 2015 Rice Leadership Development Program class
were announced during the annual Rice Awards Luncheon at the 2014 USA Rice
Outlook Conference. The class is comprised of 
five rice producers and two industry-related professionals
selected by a committee of agribusiness leaders. “The rice industry enjoys strong leadership, and has a bright
future. This program plays a critical role thanks to the intensive training and
the high caliber participants,” said Rice Foundation Chairman Todd Burich.The
new rice-producer class members are Nicole Creason, Jonesboro, Ark.; Hudgens
Jeter, Stuttgart, Ark.; Paul Johnson, Welsh, La.; Nat McKnight, Cleveland,
Miss.; and Greg Van Dyke, Pleasant Grove, Calif.
five rice producers and two industry-related professionals
selected by a committee of agribusiness leaders. “The rice industry enjoys strong leadership, and has a bright
future. This program plays a critical role thanks to the intensive training and
the high caliber participants,” said Rice Foundation Chairman Todd Burich.The
new rice-producer class members are Nicole Creason, Jonesboro, Ark.; Hudgens
Jeter, Stuttgart, Ark.; Paul Johnson, Welsh, La.; Nat McKnight, Cleveland,
Miss.; and Greg Van Dyke, Pleasant Grove, Calif. 
The new industry-related class
members are Dustin Harrell of the LSU AgCenter, and Collin Holzhauer with
Southern Rice & Cotton.The Rice Leadership Development Program gives young
men and women a comprehensive understanding of the U.S. rice industry, with an
emphasis on personal development and communication training. During a two-year
period, class members attend four one-week sessions that are designed to
strengthen their leadership skills.John Deere Company, RiceTec, Inc., and
American Commodity Company are sponsors of the Rice Leadership Development
Program through a grant to The Rice Foundation. The USA Rice Federation manages
the program.
State's private, public lands being altered for birds
Migratory birds are flourishing
on private lands that are part of a federal initiative to create and maintain
more land as flooded habitat, a Mississippi State University study finds.The
land the study references is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative, which incentivizes private landowners, such
as rice and crawfish farmers, to keep land flooded at a shallower depth and for
a longer period of time in the summer and early fall.
The most participation out of eight states is in Louisiana, and
the program is open to private landowners in the northwest part of the state,
though it's most popular in the east and south where rice and crawfish farming
are more prevalent.
Rice paddies and crawfish farms already are equipped with levees
and water control structures that can pump or release water to precise depths
over many acres, making the private farms the most efficient and cost-effective
candidates for the federal private lands program.Flooded, out of use farmland
mimics the migratory birds' naturally preferred habitat along the Mississippi
and Central flyways, the main routes waterfowl and shore birds take south for
the winter.
Though Northwest Louisiana doesn't have as many rice
fields and even fewer crawfish farms, plenty of land is being flooded locally,
though not on private lands as with the initiative. The flooding practice is
being put to use on publicly owned acreage maintained by Red River Wildlife
Refuge, which has been purchasing land in the river bottoms since 2002 using
the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund and funds generated by the
federally instated hunting duck stamp.According to Red River Wildlife Refuge director
Pat Stinson, the average number of ducks on refuge lands in Northwest Louisiana
has risen since the group began habitat maintenance.uvenile white Ibis fishes in Lake Caroline recently at
the Red River National
At the refuge's Bayou Pierre unit about 20 miles south of
Shreveport, for example, Stinson has seen the average number of ducks on
flooded lands in winter months climb from about 1,000 to between 5,000 and
6,000.The refuge purchased and installed water control systems over its
collection of reclaimed and out of use rice farms using offshore mineral lease
royalties from the federal government.The USDA private lands program started in
2010 after the Gulf oil spill to provide more habitat should the birds'
wetlands be impacted.
"The worst case scenario for the oil spill didn't happen.
It didn't blow up here with bad weather and land on the habitat for these
birds, but we provided crucial habitat for them," said John Pitre, a
wildlife biologist and state resource conservationist with the USDA's Natural
Resource Conservation Service.Louisiana's participation in the project spans
194,000 acres that stretch from the northeastern to the southwestern corners of
the state. Farmers in parishes such as Acadia, Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis and
Evangeline are taking the most advantage, Pitre said, though the incentive
isn't very high.
Birds fly over the water at Red River Wildlife Refuge's Bayou
Pierre unit. (Photo: Henrietta Wildsmith/The
Times)
"For instance, a crawfish farmer will flood his fields to
about 18 inches of water and start flooding in October when nights are getting
cool. He'll hold it until the spring, but as the water goes anoxic they're
letting water go.
It's a mud flat for two
days and dries up," Pitre said. "What we get them to do for just a
couple of dollars an acre is instead of draining it immediately, draw a little
water off and make it shallow for longer." Mississippi State University's
study found during the winters of 2011 and 2012, nearly three times as many
ducks were found on the managed land in parts of Mississippi and Louisiana as
on land that was not part of the initiative.
Modern agriculture practices such as damming and the channeling
of rivers for flood control have interrupted the "natural cycles" of
flooding plains near rivers — where birds would find plenty of habitat and in
the appropriate seasons, according to Matt Brady, a graduate student at
Louisiana State University studying biogeography of Louisiana birds.Brady said
data shows that due to modern agriculture and irrigation, bottomland hardwood
forests are not faring as well as they could. Floods that would bring more
water, silt and nutrients are not occurring throughout the year.
"Also with the advent of
large-scale agriculture, it has shifted a lot of habitat used by the birds,
too. There used to be tracts of land that were on the natural rhythm … These
sort of changes have changed the habitats that used to be really appropriate
for birds. They're no longer as appropriate," Brady said. "The
building of levees has really messed with the hydrology of
Louisiana."Modern farming of monocultures such as vast fields of soybeans
are "deserts for wildlife," Brady said.
"Go to the middle of a soybean field, and
there's not a bird there. Without a real diversity of plants, the field can't
support that many organisms. Also, they're sprayed with pesticides, which kill
the things birds otherwise would eat," he said.According to Pitre, the
decline of a migrating bird population due to a lack of habitat isn't just of
national importance — it could affect the entire hemisphere.Maintaining healthy
populations of migrating birds is integral because bird diseases that are
communicable to humans occur when populations are stressed or in habitats where
they shouldn't be.
"When you meet their habitat, food and space needs they are
healthier," he said.The Western Hemisphere's migrating birds travel from
arctic regions to the Southern Hemisphere in some cases.Stops along the birds'
journey include farmlands, and this fact alone is why many farmers do their
part to provide more habitat, according to Pitre.Farmers — the "stewards
of the land" — like to see birds on their farmlands, he said."A farm
full of a diverse population probably means you are caring for the environment
and you don't have over-use of chemicals," Pitre said. "And most
farmers grew up hunting and watching birds.
Their grandfathers
probably taught them about the roseate spoonbill and the sandhill
crane."Maintaining habitat for these birds also is important to the
state's economy and its identity as a sportsman's paradise, said Stinson.The
Red River Wildlife Refuge covering about 16,000 acres in northwest Louisiana
floods about 1,700 acres each year for the migrating and wintering birds, with
the same goal to provide waterfowl and shore birds habitat as they travel
through the state.
The refuge is prime for duck hunting, which occurs on much of
the land, Stinson said, a sport that's "extremely important in the states
of Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas."The refuge, one of about 20
in the state's network, starts flooding in June and July for shore birds that
are migrating, and then later in August and September for dabbling and diving
ducks.Migratory birds are flourishing on private lands that are part of a
federal initiative to create and maintain more land as flooded habitat, a
Mississippi State University study finds.
The Associated Press contributed
to this article
Mississippi State University
Evaluation of the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative Report findings
•Flooded rice lands in Louisiana
and Texas supported high densities of migrating and wintering waterbirds during
fall 2010 through spring 2011, averaging 15 birds per acre versus two birds per
acre on non-flooded rice fields.•During peak fall migration 2013,
the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative sites had more than seven times more
birds per acre than on state or federally managed or conserved coastal wetlands
in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi combined.
•Wetlands enrolled in the
Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative in Louisiana and Mississippi contained 1.3 to
1.5 times more biomass (dry weight) of seeds known to be consumed by waterfowl
than non-managed wetlands.•Migratory Bird Habitat
Initiative-managed ratoon (leaving roots and lower parts of the plant uncut)
rice fields in Louisiana contained the greatest density of waste rice for
waterfowl.•177,000 acres of Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative land in
southwest Louisiana provided one-fourth of the region's duck energy needs.
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CME
Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
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Duty drawback restored for rice
exports
Duty drawback facility is being restored on rice
exports after a span of nearly seven years.
The facility, withdrawn in 2008,
will now be available if shippers apply separately
NEW DELHI/BENGALURU, FEB
12:
In a move that will bring some cheer to rice exporters, the
Finance Ministry has restored duty drawback after a span of nearly seven
years.However, this time round, the duty drawback will be extended under the
concept of brand rate basis, which means that each exporter will have to
separately apply to the Finance Ministry to get a rate approved, official
sources said. Listed rice firms such as KRBL, LT Foods and Kohinoor may gain
from this.
Duty drawback payments are made to exporters to compensate them
for the customs and excise duties paid on inputs used in the manufacture of
exportable products. Such payments are either made as all-industry rates (fixed
as a percentage of free-on-board) or as brand rates.“The Finance Ministry’s
decision will help neutralise the duty suffered on packaging material by rice
exporters,” Ajay Sahai, Director General and CEO of Federation of Indian Export
Organisation (FIEO), told BusinessLine.
Difference of opinion
FIEO, however, is of the view that the Ministry should extend all-industry duty drawback rates for rice exports, rather than provide brand rate, which will be company-specific.Reacting to the move, Rajen Sundaresan, Executive Director of All-India Rice Exporters’ Association (AIREA) said the drawback will provide some relief to exporters.“We have been demanding the drawback since 2008, when it was withdrawn. We re-submitted our demand seeking drawback about four-months ago,” he added.
The industry had argued that rice, which undergoes processing,
should be extended the drawback as exporters of other grains such as maize and
wheat are already getting such a benefit. India exported 10.9 million tonnes of
rice, including basmati, in 2013-14, with shipments valued at $7.789 billion, a
growth of 25.32 per cent over the previous year.In the current financial year,
from April till November, rice exports stood at 7.4 mt, valued at $5.12
billion. In December last, rice exports had seen a 7 per cent decline to about
$725 million, industry sources said.
(This article was published on February 12, 2015)
Nimrat Kaur: It is a bitter-sweet
love story, perfect for V-day
The Lunchbox, co-produced by Anurag
Kashyap along with Essel Vision and directed by Ritesh Batra, raked in 100
crores at the global box-office. Director Karan Johar says, "I couldn't
have made a film as good as The Lunchbox." With the film premiering on TV
on Valentine's Day, we spoke to Ritesh Batra and its actress Nimrat Kaur:
Why is the film perfect for V-Day?
Why is the film perfect for V-Day?
Ritesh Batra: It
is a love story and there couldn't be a better day to premiere the film.
Nimrat Kaur: I'm delighted that the movie will premier on television. I feel that it is a perfect Valentine's Day offering for viewers because it's a bitter-sweet story.
How would you describe the relationship between the two characters in the film?
Nimrat Kaur: I'm delighted that the movie will premier on television. I feel that it is a perfect Valentine's Day offering for viewers because it's a bitter-sweet story.
How would you describe the relationship between the two characters in the film?
RB: I
think both these characters, Saajan (Irrfan) and Ila (Nimrat), are lonely, and
like the rest of us, are in prisons of their own making. Through this story,
they find a way out of these prisons and a way to connect with each other.
Shaikh's (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) character is very similar to the Mumbai city and
it keeps changing and evolving.
NK: It's a love story
between a married woman who is unhappy in her marriage and a widower, how an
accidental lunchbox brings both of them together over small handwritten notes.Tell us about any interesting incident during the making of the film...
RB: The day when we were shooting one of the canteen scenes with Irrfan and Nawaz, I had asked both the actors to feel free to improvise based on the notes I had shared on the set. We started rolling and it kept going on and on because I forgot to say 'cut'. I got so involved in their performance that it slipped out of my mind. It was beautiful to watch Irrfan and Nawaz perform together.
NK: The kitchen where I was shooting in the film was so cramped up that I would find it difficult to move. I would move and a cutter would hit me, and then I would accidently turn off the lights because my hands would hit the switch. But the funny part is despite the suffocation I had to face, it actually translated beautifully onscreen, and displayed Ila's claustrophobia in her marriage.
Valentine's Day Premiere of India Gate Basmati Rice presents The Lunchbox with hygiene partner, Tempo, on Saturday February 14, at 8 pm on &pictures.
Dining out: Allison's cadre of fans grows and for good reason
12:43 p.m. EST, February 12, 2015
An award-winning movie currently in theaters chronicles the life
of a boy over a 12-year period. A novel approach to a movie, but we have a
similar kind of chronicle that has played out in a popular Crofton restaurant. When Allison's first opened in
2006, owner and chef Jim Hamrock's daughter Allison (for whom, of course, the
restaurant is named) was just an adorable little girl. Now, she's a college
student in California. Easy to imagine the strains of "Sunrise, Sunset"
playing as you remember the cute kid while looking at a recent photograph of
grown-up Allison framed on the wall.
There are a multitude of changes
that take place as children grow up and move on, but there's one thing that's
stayed the same at Allison's: The food was super in 2006 and it's still super
in 2015.This was proved once more as friends drove up from Virginia for the
express purpose of going to Allison's. Driving 50 miles in snowy sub-freezing
weather is quite an impressive tribute to anyone's cuisine.Our server was happy
to return to the kitchen in order to find out if the Cornmeal Crusted Oysters
($9.50) were gluten-free, and the desired answer came back — they could be made
without gluten. (Over the course of the evening, the server had to make that
trip several other times, so it may be time to put together at least a
cheat-sheet so servers will have that information available instantly. On a
busy evening, the back and forth trips could slow down service considerably.)
The oysters were as delectable as we remembered, and if the
preparation had been altered to render them GF? Nothing was lost in
translation, for they were outstanding: succulent, briny oysters that were
fresh and plump, encased in a crisp and savory batter that pointed up the bi-valves
as opposed to overwhelming them.Good manners would have dictated that the two
non gluten-restricted members of our party order only GF items as well,
considering that we were sharing. But that would have meant passing on
Allison's extraordinary Fried Calamari ($9.50). As has been mentioned
previously in this space, when you can find a kitchen skilled at frying stuff?
Let them fry you something. Not only did we not use the dipping sauce, we
couldn't remember later what it had been.
The solution to our temporary lapse of manners came in the form
of a sublime Tomato and Crab Soup ($5) relegated entirely (after one tasty sip
each by the calamari folks) to the gluten-free diner who savored every steaming
spoonful. Wish that soup were on the menu all the time instead of just as an
occasional soup of the day.Our wine selection of the evening, a Pedroncelli
Sauvignon Blanc ($28), made a seamless transition from first courses to main
courses. Crisp, refreshing and versatile. We'll certainly revisit that one, especially
when the weather warms up.Not only is it gratifying to see a restaurant stay
consistently good over the years, it's also pleasing to see a restaurant
maintain a patron-friendly price point. Three out of three members of our group
ordered main courses that were exceptional and all three dishes were under $20.
Kudos!
Chicken Limone ($14) features lightly-battered pieces of chicken
breast in a scrumptious lemon butter and white wine sauce. Broccoli florets and
angel hair pasta with marinara sauce accompanied. The price is even more
impressive considering that the dish made two meals.It's hard to say which one
dish should be ordered at Allison's above all the others, but feet to the fire?
Go with the Grilled Salmon Fillet ($19) presented with a fresh mango salsa and
an accent of pomegranate molasses. Basmati rice and grilled asparagus
accompanied. It's easy to taste every minute of chef Hamrock's Culinary
Institute of America training in this dish.The final diner in our party opted
for the Grilled Italian Sausage ($17), a perfect wintertime treat.
The sausage popped with flavor and was graced with the inclusion
of roasted potatoes, onions, asparagus and grilled peppers. Memorable.The
dessert excuse du jour was that we wanted to end our meal with a hot drink (two
cups of good coffee plus a hot tea) and needed something to go with the
beverages. Crème Brulée ($6) got the nod, and we all enjoyed the rich
creaminess of the custard though it would have benefited by a longer zap from
the culinary blowtorch. (We prefer our topping to be a hot crackle of
caramelized sugar.)
It's a mark of what a good restaurant this is, when one
considers that in the eight-plus years since Allison's opened its doors, at
least two dozen new eateries have opened in their vicinity. How has that
affected Allison's? Their cadre of devoted regulars just continues to grow.
That kind of dedication really makes a statement.
A FINAL NOTE: Also noted in the thriving
Crofton and Gambrills restaurant scene, the arrival of a "western"
branch of the well-liked Eastport favorite, Grump's Café.That felicitous blend
of good fun, good food, and trendy-cum-funky cachet has taken over the space
that was formerly the home of Roundz Gourmet Catering.
Terra Walters is a freelance writer and editor based in
Annapolis.
WHEN YOU GO
WHAT: Allison's Restaurant.
http://www.capitalgazette.com/entertainment/ph-ac-en-dining-allisons-0212-20150212,0,189622.story#sthash.8dF9SR3v.dpuf
