Global campaign for 'golden rice'
Reaz Ahmad
Patrick
Moore
A global campaign that supports the genetically
modified "golden rice" and promotes the cause for fighting child
mortality entered Bangladesh yesterday as part of its three-nation Asia tour.
The campaign -- Allow Golden Rice Now -- is being spearheaded by a man who
happens to be a convert from the world's biggest anti-GMO (genetically modified
organism) lobby -- Greenpeace.“If golden rice were a cure for cancer, malaria,
or Ebola, it would have been approved 10 years ago. In that time, 20 million
people, mostly children, have died. This is a crime against humanity,” said
Patrick Moore, the campaign head and a Canadian ecologist, at a press briefing
in Dhaka yesterday.
Moore, a co-founder of Greenpeace and an
ex-director of the world's largest green group, left Greenpeace as he
considered its positions on various issues unscientific.In 2013, along with his
brother Michael Moore, he founded the Allow Golden Rice Society -- a non-profit
organisation dedicated to seeing golden rice approved for commercial agriculture.Golden
rice is a genetically modified rice variety capable of fighting child mortality
and blindness caused by vitamin A deficiency. The rice is infused with vitamin
A producing beta carotene taken from maize.Along with Manila-based
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Bangladesh is now at the
forefront in developing golden rice. However, crops derived through
agricultural biotechnology and genetic engineering are often met with
opposition from the anti-GMO lobbies.
The Allow Golden Rice Now campaign that began
on March 4 will run in Bangladesh for four days and tour the Philippines and
India up to March 20, as these are the few countries where vitamin A deficiency
is a major cause of child mortality."Two million children and many mothers
die each year from a lack of this essential vitamin. It is the greatest cause
of child death today. Golden rice is the obvious cure, but because it was
created with genetic science, Greenpeace and the anti-GMO movement fervently
oppose it," Moore said.
On August 8, 2013, Greenpeace instigated the
destruction of golden rice scientific field trials at the IRRI in the
Philippines. The Allow Golden Rice Society is actively campaigning for the
approval of the rice so it can be delivered to the 200 million children who are
deficient in vitamin A.“All we ask is that Greenpeace and their allies make an
exception for golden rice in their opposition to GM crops,” he said. “Millions
of lives are at stake.
”The members of the Golden Rice South Asia Tour
also include Horst Rehberger, a senior German politician; Uwe Schrader, a
German expert in biotechnology, and Hans-Jörg Jacobsen, a German heading Plant
Biotechnology at the Institute of Plant Genetics of Leibniz University in
Hanover.“I want to seek solutions to different problems and not just oppose one
thing or the other," Moore told The Daily Star. He deplored that some
250,000 to 500,000 vitamin A-deficient children become blind every year, half
of them dying within 12 months of losing their sight.
"This tragedy can be eliminated with
golden rice… but has been blocked by Greenpeace for over a decade. During that
time over eight million children have gone blind and then died."Moore and
his campaign team lauded Bangladesh for being the first among all Asian nations
in introducing GM vegetable - Bt Brinjal. "We will see Bt Brinjal fields
on Friday," Moore said, adding that they also sought to meet Bangladesh's
agriculture minister on Thursday.
Field
Day’ Exhibition held to promote water-saving in rice production
Thursday, 12 March 2015 By
NNT
PATHUM THANI,
12 March 2015 – The Rice Department is
organizing a "Field Day” exhibition at the Pathumthani Rice Research
Center to promote water-saving in the rice production system.Director-General
Chanpithya Shimphalee said after presiding over the opening ceremony that the
event was held to commemorate the 5th Cycle Birthday Anniversary of HRH
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on 2nd April 2015.The exhibition is also an
effort by the Rice Department to raise farmers' awareness about using water
wisely and to optimize the use of water in rice production.The Field Day
exhibition is organized by Pathumthani Rice Research Center in collaboration
with seven other centers in different parts of Thailand. The event has the
format of a Farmer Market and also incorporates such activities as seminars,
contests of rice-based products, and demonstrations on rice processing.
Understanding plants' immune
systems could lead to better tomatoes, roses, rice
Plants that are infected with speck disease often have wilted
leaves and damaged fruit. Credit: University of Missouri
Spring is just around the corner and for
millions of Americans, that means planting a garden with plenty of fruits and
vegetables, including tomatoes. However, some of the plants will be infected by
bacteria, leading to stunted growth and less nutritional value. Now, a
University of Missouri research team has uncovered new regulations of defense
pathways for plants. This discovery could lead to helping those home-grown
tomatoes fight off certain bacteria better and has implications for pear trees,
roses, soybeans and rice.
"Each year, millions of dollars are lost
from damage to crops and ornamental plants caused by pathogens, which include a
bacteria known as Pseudomonas Syringae," said Antje Heese, assistant
professor of biochemistry at MU. "This bacteria directly affects tomatoes
and causes speck disease that permanently damages the fruit and leaves. In our
study, we used Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant that has the same immune response
as tomatoes but grows at a faster rate, to study the immune responses of
plants.
"Previously, researchers thought that a
plant defended itself against bacteria by activating a specific, several-step
process. However, Heese's team found that if the plant is exposed to bacteria,
it actually activates its immune system using three separate mechanisms.Heese
and her research team, including MU graduate student John M. Smith, confirmed
that each mechanism responding to the infection is doing so independently of
the other two mechanisms, and that each of these mechanisms must have the right
amount of specific proteins, called immune receptors, in the right place to
respond appropriately. Having the right combination provides the plant with an
effective and efficient immune response. This discovery could allow future
scientists to create new strategies to help plants fight disease and lead to
better crops.
"Like any living organism, plants have
limited resources and they have to use those resources effectively," Heese
said. "If the plant makes too much of the proteins responsible for these
mechanisms, they will suffer in other areas, such as creating quality fruit.
This same discovery can be applied to many crops, including rice and soybeans,
and ornamental plants, including roses, pear and apple trees. The information
discovered in this study gives scientists something new to study in plants,
with the eventual goal of better crops and ornamental plants."The study,
"Loss of Arabidopsis thaliana Dynamin-Related Protein 2B Reveals
Separation of Innate Immune Signaling Pathways," was published in PLOS
Pathogens.
KCR writes to PM on levy on rice
millers
Hyderabad, March 12 (INN): Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao,
in a letter, requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider the
Government of India's decision that the State Governments should not impose any
levy on rice from the millers with effect from 1st October, 2015.The Chief
Minister also suggested to continue to at least have the existing 25% levy with
a view to safeguard the interests of the farmers to get remunerative prices for
certain special varieties and at certain periods when the millers have good
market outside the State or Country as the case may be.
It may be mentioned that with a view to ensure payment of
remunerative prices to farmers at MSP or above and to improve outreach of
procurement system to the farm gate for their better coverage, the Central
Government has decided that the State Governments should not impose any levy on
rice from the millers with effect from 1st October this year.The Chief Minister
mentioned in the letter that Telangana State is a paddy producing State and the
practice has been that normally the millers purchase paddy from the farmers
competing with each other at remunerative rates for delivering levy and
utilizing the levy free rice. He also said that as long as the millers pay them
the remunerative prices (over and above the MSP) they will not offer to the
Government agencies at MSP.
Only when they are offered less than MSP, they choose to deliver
paddy at the purchase centres opened by the Government agencies. KCR wrote that
Government of Telangana is strictly monitoring whether the millers are paying
MSP to the farmers before they deliver rice under levy. The Chief Minister pointed out that
with the decision to remove the levy system, it is possible that the millers
may not offer remunerative prices, as they normally do. The Government agencies
can assure the farmers MSP only and not remunerative prices. This may cause
hardship to the farmers as removal of levy will deny them of the remunerative
prices.In view of the above, KCR requested the Prime Minister to reconsider the
decision and continue to at least have the existing 25% levy with a view to
safeguard the interests of the farmers to get remunerative prices for certain
special varieties and at certain periods when the millers have good market
outside the State or Country as the case may be.
Golden Rice Campaign
Launched
By Rubelle Tan · Mar 13th, 2015
Golden rice, a genetically modified rice variety by the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), will be distributed in India to
compensate for the lack of vitamin A in children. This genetically engineered rise was the
product of splicing of bacteria and maize genes into rice for it to contain
pro-vitamin A (beta-carotene).
Golden Rice grain in
screenhouse of Golden Rice plants.
The Allow Golden Rice Campaign Now, headed by Greenpeace
co-founder, Patrick Moore, was launched in the Philippines and Bangladesh last
March 6 and will continue in New Delhi and Mumbai, India on March 19.Vitamin A
deficiency has been observed in children in third-world countries, as well as
in adults. The campaign aims to do a “quick-fix” solution to vitamin A
deficiency that can lead to blindness.
This campaign is not without objections, however. Stop Golden Rice Alliance, composed of 20
non-government organizations around the world, has been vocal in its objections
on the promotion of Golden Rice.“With inexpensive Vitamin A available in
abundance from various natural resources, produced by small-scale and backyard
producers, it is a mistake to turn blindly to golden rice, a crop that the
International Rice Research Institute itself admits it has not yet determined
if it can actually improve the Vitamin A intake,” said the Alliance.As a
response to these objections, Moore stated: “Golden rice is the obvious cure,
but because it was created with genetic science, Greenpeace and the anti-GMO
movement fervently oppose it. No country
has approved it for cultivation.
”“If golden rice was a cure for a disease like malaria, cancer, or
Ebola it would have been approved years ago,” he added.Vitamin A deficiency is
a significant health problem of over 75 countries worldwide. Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) can cause severe
visual impairment, blindness, and increased risk for diseases like diarrhoeal
disease and measles in children.Countries where golden rice was initially
launched had mixed reviews. In the
Philippines, a Facebook campaign was launched by NGOs and scientists to stop
Moore’s advocacy for Golden Rice.“Our opposition to Golden Rice and other
genetically modified (GM) crops are founded on solid argumenta and actual
experiences of Filipino farmers on GM crops.
Filipino farmers who have been planting GM crops suffered negative
income, health problems and poisoned environment,” stated MASIPAG, a Filipino
farmer-led network of people’s organizations, NGOs and scientists.India, on the
other hand, has Modi government that is pro-technology. “The aim is to dispel fears about GM crops,
so that the country can join the US, China and Canada. GM crops are very important for India’s
agricultural growth,” says a senior agricultural ministry official.
Here are some facts on VAD:
14 million pre-schoolchildren have some eye damage due to VAD
350,000 (or more pre-school children become partially or totally
blind every year from VAD
About 60 percent of these children die within a few month of going
blind
Half of all childhood corneal blindness in developing countries is
caused by VAD, and half of that is from added measles infection
Photo: IRRI photos
USA Rice Identifies
Market Challenges in Malaysia
Taking stock of the market
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA -- Earlier this week, USA Rice visited
Malaysia as part of a USDA-sponsored Agribusiness Trade Mission to Malaysia and
the Philippines led by Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural
Services Michael Scuse, and found a complicated rice import scheme that does
present some opportunities.
"Imports of rice in Malaysia are controlled by BERNAS, a private
company that has been granted an import monopoly for all rice," explained
USA Rice's Vice President of International Promotion Jim Guinn who is on the
trip. "Private companies can, and
do, approach BERNAS with an order for rice, where they can be very specific as
to the supplier of the rice. BERNAS will
then import the rice for the customer, generally with a mark-up of at least 35
percent. BERNAS in effect is an
implementer of governmental policy which is to maintain the price of imports
above the local price."
Guinn said there was an interest expressed in Southern medium grain
rice and several trade contacts requested samples for their analysis as to
market acceptability.The growing global popularity of sushi is evident in
Malaysia as well, and demand for sushi rice is on the rise. One Japanese brand containing rice from
California was seen in the local retail market.
Malaysia is a party to the on-going Trans-Pacific Partnership
negotiations and many in the trade expect there may have to be changes to the
rice import regime in future years.Guinn added that while immediate
opportunities for U.S.-grown rice may be limited, there is good market
acceptance of U.S. rice, and with market access changes in the offing, the
future opportunities are somewhat brighter.
Contact: Deborah Willenborg
(703) 236-1444
Weekly
Rice Sales, Exports Reported
WASHINGTON, DC -- Net rice sales of 82,500 MT for 2014/2015 were up
19 percent from the previous week, but down 15 percent from the prior four-week
average, according to today's Export Sales Highlights report. Increases were reported for Mexico (22,100
MT), Haiti (20,500 MT), Costa Rica (11,100 MT), Colombia (7,100 MT), and
Guatemala (4,600 MT). Exports of 53,100
MT were up 59 percent from the previous week and 24 percent from the prior
four-week average. The primary
destinations were Colombia (35,600 MT), Saudi Arabia (4,300 MT), Canada (3,600
MT), Mexico (3,500 MT), and Haiti (1,500 MT).
This summary is based on reports from exporters from the period
February 27 - March 5.
CME
Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
|
New rice herbicides on the
horizon, Arkansas researcher reports
Jason Norsworthy says growers
tell him he’s always bringing them bad news when he speaks at meetings around
the state.Most of the time, Norsworthy, professor of weed science at the
University of Arkansas, is talking to farmers about resistance, the number of
herbicides they need in their weed control program or a new weed that’s become
resistant to one or more herbicides.“Why can’t you give us a better message?”
said Dr. Norsworthy, speaking at the Roy J. Smith Barnyardgrass Workshop in
Stuttgart, Ark.
“Growers tell me ‘Every time I see you,
everything you’re going to tell me is about what’s wrong, about something
that’s broken.’ “Part of the reason for putting this program together today is
that I wanted to be the one to bring you some good news,” he said. “There are
some exciting things happening in rice. If things go as expected over the next
few years, we could have some exciting changes in our fight against
barnyardgrass and other problem weeds.
”The key, Norsworthy and other
speakers at the workshop said, is to make the tools currently available to rice
producers battling herbicide-resistant barnyardgrass last until the new
products can make it through the EPA approval process.Norsworthy and other weed
scientists at the University of Arkansas, Louisiana State University,
Mississippi State University and Texas A&M University organized the
workshop to provide growers and consultants with the latest information on the
problem of barnyardgrass resistance to multiple herbicides.
Barnyardgrass, barnyardgrass...
According to surveys of growers
and consultants, barnyardgrass is the No. 1 problem weed in rice. It’s the
driver weed, so to speak, the weed that becomes the center of growers’ efforts
to produce a weed-free rice crop.“The No. 1 weed in rice is Barnyardgrass,”
said Norsworthy. “What’s No. 2?”
Someone in the audience responded
“Barnyardgrass.”“That’s what I tell people,” said Norsworthy, who holds the
Elms Farming Chair of Weed Science at Arkansas. “If you rank them by the amount
of the weeds we see, it’s barnyardgrass, barnyardgrass and
barnyardgrass.”According to the survey of growers and consultants, sprangletop
is the No. 2 problem weed in rice, followed by red rice; joint vetch; Palmer
amaranth; coffeebean or hemp sesbania; smartweed; signalgrass; three sedges,
yellow nutsedge, rice flatsedge and smallflower umbrellasedge; and three
aquatics, ducksalad, arrowhead and roundleaf mud plantain.
“What’s interesting is that
Palmer amaranth went from not even being considered an important weed in rice
10 years ago to where it’s now the fifth most troublesome,” said
Norsworthy.Besides being problem weeds, Norsworthy said, most of those – with
one possible exception – can be controlled by the new compounds he tested in
his university herbicide trials in 2014.
Most in a year
“Eight new herbicides. That is
the most I have looked at in rice or I would say in any crop in one year,” he
said. “Of those eight herbicides, seven had activity on barnyardgrass. That’s
why I’m so excited about these herbicides.“I will be honest with you,” he
noted. “Of the herbicides that I evaluated in 2014, some will not make it past
2014. But there are some that did. I will be talking basically about the
herbicides that did make it beyond 2014.”Norsworthy said the new herbicides
encompass four different herbicide modes of action. “That’s what really gets me
excited – these are new chemistries, new modes of action which could be added
to our arsenal.”Included in the herbicides are:
Provisia – A new weed control
system from BASF that will be centered on rice lines that are tolerant to
quizalofop (Assure) grass herbicide.Benzobicyclon – Anew grass, sedge and
broadleaf herbicide that can be applied post-flood in rice.Pethoxamid – a new
rice herbicide with activity similar to Dual that will provide “excellent”
control of annual grasses and suppression of sedges. Its best fit may be in a
system that include clomazone or Command pre-emergence followed by pethoxamid
and Newpath.
Rinskor Active – A new rice
herbicide that controls barnyardgrass, broadleaf signalgrass, yellow nutsedge,
pitted morningglory and coffeebean. Its best fit will probably also be in a
tank mix with Newpath.Norsworthy said Provisia and benzobicyclon could each be
available in 2017 while pethoxamid and rinskor active could be approved by
2018. Another weed control system involving rice that is resistant to Callisto
and Fusilade may also be in the mix, but no time table is available on when it
might come to market.“These are very exciting herbicides,” said Norsworthy.
“But we – and I’m pointing to myself, to Extension, to consultants and growers
– must do a better job of preserving the herbicides we have until we can reach
the next stage.”For more on controlling barnyardgrass, go to www.uaex.edue and click on publication number
FSA2175.
Thailand Pushes For
Implementation Of Mou On Farm Product Trade With China
BANGKOK, March 12 (Bernama) - The Thai Ministry of
Commerce is pushing for the implementation of a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) on farm product trade, Thailand News Agency (TNA) reported.Commerce
Minister General Chatchai Sarikulya had begun discussing the MoU with Wang
Xiaotao, deputy director of China's National Development and Reform Commission
since Wednesday.Bangkok and Beijing signed the agreement on Dec 19 last
year.Under the pact, the Chinese government will buy two million tonnes of rice
and 200,000 tonnes of natural rubber from Thailand in the 2015-2016 period.
The rice comprises one million tonnes of new rice and
another million from the government's stockpile.China has said it will buy more
Thai rice and farm products during the Sino-Thai construction of new rail
tracks in Thailand.Both countries will negotiate farm product trade through a
joint steering committee co-chaired by Chatchai and made up of members of the
Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) and
Chinese authorities.Thailand exports around 500,000 tonnes of rice to China
every year.-- BERNAMA
Vietnam secures deal to export rice to Philippines
Viet Nam has won a contract to supply 300,000 metric tonnes (MT)
of rice to the Philippines this year.
Deputy Chairman of the Viet Nam Food Association Pham
Van Bay revealed this yesterday.In a phone interview with BusinessWorld,
Administrator of the Philippines's National Food Authority (NFA) Renan B
Dalisay said that Viet Nam has won the contract to supply 150,000MT each of the
15 per cent and 25 per cent broken rice.
Earlier, the NFA council agreed to import 250,000MT of 25 per cent
broken, well-milled long grain white rice and another 250,000MT of the 15 per
cent broken rice. The auction was held on February 27.Thailand will deliver the
remaining 200,000 MT to cover the balance of each rice variety."The offers
of both Viet Nam and Thailand are below the reference prices or world market
prices," Dalisay said.The auction reference prices for the 15 per cent and
25 per cent broken rice were set at US$442.94 per MT and $425.85/MT
respectively.Viet Nam, whose original bid was $442.5/MT, matched Thailand's
$441/MT offer for the 15 per cent broken rice.
With an original offer of $424.50/MT, Viet Nam likewise
matched Thailand's $421/MT bid for the 25 per cent broken rice.Half of the
volume awarded by the contract will be delivered by the end of this month,
Dalisay said, adding that the balance will be due for import by the end of
April.Rice stocks from the two countries will ensure buffer stocks for the
three-month lean season that starts in July, the NFA administrator pointed out.
VNS
Tags:Vietnam secures deal to export rice to Philippines,
FCI to sell rice in open market from April
By: Sandip Das | New Delhi | March 12, 2015 1:36 am
After a gap of several years, the government will
sell its rice stocks in the open market in the next fiscal. According to
sources, given the excess stocks, two million tonne of rice will be offloaded
by the Food Corporation of India in the open market starting April 1.The food
ministry has received the nod from the finance ministry to sell rice from
the stocks to bulk buyers such as millers and traders, the sources added.
The stocks would be sold through a weekly e-auction under the open market sale
scheme (OMSS), currently in operation for selling wheat to bulk buyers by the
FCI.Sources said rice would be offered to private buyers or traders at around
R2,300 per quintal for the grade-A quality of rice procured by the FCI.
“The rice prices have been kept at the level, keeping
in mind the minimum support price, MSP, for ruling out recycling of rice
procured by the FCI and state agencies,” an official said.Officials said that
at the start of this month, the FCI has rice stocks of more than 15.2 million
tonnes and another 8.8 million tonnes are still to be received from the
millers.As per the revised buffer stock norms for April, 2015, the FCI should
hold rice stocks of around 13.5 million tonnes, thus rendering a chunk of rice
stocks as ‘excess’.Sources said the minimum and maximum auction quantity would
be in the range of 50 tonne to 3,500 tonne. “The state governments would also
be asked to participate in the e-auction for OMSS),” an official said.
The FCI has been selling excess wheat stocks through
OMSS to bulk buyers since 2009-10. It has sold 4.1 million tonnes of wheat in
the open market till the end of February through weekly e-auctions.However, the
government had set a target of uploading 10 million tonne of wheat under OMSS
by March 2015, which is unlikely to materialise.In 2013-14, the FCI sold more
than 6.1 million tonnes of wheat in the open market from its stocks. Meanwhile,
the food ministry has also got a nod from the finance ministry to extend OMSS
wheat till March end. Earlier, the OMSS wheat auction used to be held till end
of February and March was meant for delivery of grain to bulk buyers.“We will
hold weekly auction for selling wheat till March 26 and the delivery of grain
would be done in April,” an FCI official said.
The FCI has asked the food ministry to launch OMSS
for wheat stocks immediately after the procurement of grain for the 2015-16
season gets over by June 2015.While the wheat purchases from the farmers for
the current rabi marketing season is set to commence from April 2015, the FCI
has huge wheat stocks of close to 20 mt at the start of March 2015 while the
buffer stocks norm is only 6.5 mt.The FCI conducts weekly auction to sell wheat
in the open market using commodity bourse NCDEX platform. The government has
set a reserve price of R1,500 per quintal plus freight cost to the consuming
locations.
Basmati rice exports to Iran likely to resume soon
After several rounds of discussions, Iran is likely to start
issuing permits to Indian exporters, paving the way for basmati exports.“India
may resume exports of basmati rice exports to Iran early next year,” said Ajay
Sahai, Director General of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations
(FIEO).Basmati rice exports from India in 2013-14 are likely to decline 10 per
cent due to Iran’s temporary stoppage of fresh order issuances. The country has
not issued any fresh import permits after October 2014. However, execution of
existing and past orders has continued.“India does not face any ban in terms of
basmati rice exports to Iran.
Only thing is Iran has not issued import permits, which it does
to any country before bringing consignments into its territory, since October
due to oversupply. During past years, Iran had imported large quantity of
basmati rice from India,” said A K Gupta, Director, Agricultural &
Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda).Once, import
permit is issued, India would commence exports of basmati rice to Iran, said
Gupta.India’s overall basmati rice exports declined by over six per cent at
2.57 million tonne during April and December 2014 as compared to 2.74 million
tonnes reported in the corresponding period last year.In value terms, overall
basmati rice exports declined by 2.64 per cent to $3373.23 million in the first
nine months of the current financial year as compared to $3465 million in the
same period last year. But average per tonne realisation increased to Rs 80,000
this year as compared to Rs 75,000 during the previous year.
While country-wise bifurcation is not available, experts
believe, exports to Iran has declined by 15-20 per cent this year.Iran is the
largest basmati rice importer, accounting for around 60-65 per cent of total
premium rice exports from India. India exported 1.44 million tonne of basmati
rice worth $1,834 million to Iran in 2013-14. During 2012-13, however, basmati
rice shipments to Iran totaled 1.08 million tonnes worth $1187 million.Basmati
was India’s second largest export commodity after buffalo meat.A recent report
by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimated Iran’s
rice output in 2014 at all time record of three million tonnes as compared to
2.9 million tonne and 2.8 million in the two subsequent previous years. Total
cereal output in Iran, however, is estimated to decline by 4.4 per cent to 20.4
million tonne in 2014 as compared to 21.4 million tonnes and 21.3 million tonnes
in 2013 and 2012, respectively.Apart from basmati, India exports non-basmati
rice and other cereals to Iran to the tune of around $150 million annually.
Source: Business Standard
China rice deal on the cards
12
Mar 2015 at 06:00
NEWSPAPER
SECTION: BUSINESS | WRITER: PHUSADEE ARUNMAS
Aram
Songsuayroop, a former office worker turned farmer, displays a variety of rice
from his farm at the Thai Rice: Thainess fair hosted by the government to
promote the rice industry. The fair, which is being held outdoors next to
Government House and runs until April 5, features rice exhibitions, cooking
demonstrations and the sale of rice products. CHANAT KATANYU
Agriculture,
China
Thailand hopes to finalise a government-to-government
(G2G) deal to sell 2 million tonnes of rice and 200,000 tonnes of rubber to
China when authorities meet with their Chinese counterparts in early May.The
government will try to convince China to ink the rice deal at the next meeting
scheduled for May 6 in Beijing, Commerce Minister Chatchai Sarikulya said
yesterday.He spoke after meeting with Wang Xiaotao, vice-minister of China's
National Development and Reform Commission, in Bangkok about monitoring the
progress of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the 2-million-tonne rice
sale.
The MoU was signed last December for 1 million tonnes
each of old and new grains along with the 200,000 tonnes of rubber.Deliveries
of rice and rubber would be set for this year and next.The contract will be
made through the China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation, the giant
state enterprise that oversees rice imports, to ensure transparency.The
transaction with China is unrelated to an earlier deal for 1 million tonnes
struck by the Yingluck Shinawatra government.
Thailand has already delivered 300,000 tonnes as part
of that deal.At yesterday's meeting, the two parties agreed to set up a joint
steering committee to study in detail the rice and rubber deals as agreed in
the MoU.Gen Chatchai said Thailand would at the next meeting try to convince
China to buy other farm products too.
Charoen Laothammatas, president of the Thai Rice
Exporters Association, urged officials to wrap up the talks so that delivery of
all 2 million tonnes could take place this year."The government should
settle the deal with China as fast as possible to reduce price pressure from
new supply," he said."Talks with other potential buyers such as
African countries for the old grains should also be wrapped up."The
present government has vowed to dispose of 17 million tonnes of rice in state
stockpiles accumulated from the previous government within two years, with 10
million tonnes to be sold this year.
Last Thursday it sold 780,000 tonnes in the second
rice auction this year, fetching more than 8 billion baht.And last month, it
endorsed the sale of 496,243 tonnes worth 7.85 billion baht in the year's first
auction of state rice stocks. The Commerce Ministry has called five auctions
since last May, selling a combined 1.12 million tonnes for 13.6 billion
baht.The government also early this month secured a G-to-G contract to sell
200,000 tonnes of rice to the Philippines. Gen Chatchai called this latest
contract a good sign, as the government in 2014 won its first contract in 10
years to sell 300,000 tonnes of rice to the country.Get full Bangkok Post
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e-newspaper. Try it out, it's totally free for 7 days.
Agriculture Hall of Distinction honors 3 veteran farmers, one
from Morehouse Parish
Posted: Thu 5:56 PM, Mar 12, 2015,By: Bob Walters
The 2015 inductees were Jimmy Hoppe of Jeff Davis Parish, Lucien
Laborde of Hamburg in Avoyelles Parish, and Edwards Barham of Oak Ridge in
Morehouse Parish who was honored posthumously.PICTURED ABOVE: Taking part in
ceremonies honoring the 2015 inductees into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of
Distinction are, from left, Louisiana Radio: Network Farm Director Don Molino
with Erle Barham, whose father, Edwards Barham of Morehouse Parish, was honored
posthumously. The ceremonies were held on March 5 in Baton Rouge.
BATON ROUGE, La. (KNOE 8 News & La. Radio Network) - An
accomplished rice grower, a veteran conservationist and a pioneer in
agricultural aviation were recently inducted into the Louisiana Agriculture
Hall of Distinction, which annually honors individuals who make extraordinary
contributions to Louisiana agribusiness.
The 2015 inductees were Jimmy Hoppe of Jeff Davis Parish, Lucien
Laborde of Hamburg in Avoyelles Parish, and Edwards Barham of Oak Ridge in
Morehouse Parish who was honored posthumously.Hoppe, who retired from farming
in 2012 and now runs a specialty rice-packaging business, was recognized for
his long list of accomplishments as a rice grower. Known for his advocacy of
sustainable practices and efficient use of resources, Hoppe was named U.S. Rice
Farmer of the Year in 1999. He is also known for his contributions in
cutting-edge agricultural research and working with the LSU AgCenter Rice
Research Station.
Laborde, a veteran farmer with more than 50 years in the industry,
was honored for his work in cattle and seed farming. He is known as a strong
soil, water and wildlife conservationist, as well as an ardent supporter of
higher education. Laborde served as director of the LSU Foundation and as the
first president of the LSU-Alexandria Foundation. A World War II veteran,
Laborde landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day and earned a Bronze Star for his service
in the U.S. Army.
Barham, who passed away in 2014, was honored for his contributions
to cotton, rice, corn and soybean farming, as well as his pioneering work in
agricultural aviation. As the founder of Flying Tiger Aviation in Rayville, one
of the country’s top agricultural flying schools, Barham helped break new ground
with the use of aviation in farming. Widely respected for his dedication to
conservation and higher education, Barham served on the state board of regents,
the board of supervisors for the University of Louisiana System, the board of
supervisors for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, and he
served as a state senator.
The Hall of Distinction honors outstanding contributions to
Louisiana agriculture in farming, ranching, forestry, aquaculture, education
and agribusiness. It is presented by Louisiana Radio Network in conjunction
with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, and the LSU
AgCenter. Monsanto was the title sponsor and First South Farm Credit was the
presenting sponsor.
Iowa rice farmer inducted into Louisiana Agriculture Hall
of Distinction
Posted: Mar 12, 2015 11:06 AM PDTUpdated: Mar 12, 2015 11:06 AM PDT
Jeff Davis Parish farmer Jimmy Hoppe, right, and
Louisiana Radio Network Farm Director Don Molino. (Source: Louisiana Radio
Network)
BATON ROUGE, LA (KPLC)
Jimmy Hoppe, a third-generation
rice farmer from the Iowa area, has been inducted the Louisiana Agriculture
Hall of Distinction.Hoppe retired from farming in 2012 and now runs a specialty
rice-packaging business. He was recognized on March 5 for his long list of
accomplishments as a rice grower. Known for his advocacy of sustainable
practices and efficient use of resources, Hoppe was named U.S. Rice Farmer of
the Year in 1999. He is also known for his contributions in cutting-edge
agricultural research and working with the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station.
Others inducted with Hoppe were Lucien Laborde of Hamburg in
Avoyelles Parish and Edwards Barham of Oak Ridge in Morehouse Parish.The Hall
of Distinction honors outstanding contributions to Louisiana agriculture in
farming, ranching, forestry, aquaculture, education and agribusiness. It is
presented by Louisiana Radio Network in conjunction with the Louisiana
Department of Agriculture and Forestry, and the LSU AgCenter. http://www.kplctv.com/story/28407238/iowa-rice-farmer-inducted-into-louisiana-agriculture-hall-of-distinction
NGOs oppose Greenpeace co-founder's campaign to promote `golden
rice'
12 March 2015
Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore is bringing his `Allow Golden
Rice Campaign', launched in the Philippines on 6 March and in Bangladesh on
Wednesday, to India now.Moore is launching a country-wide campaign in India on
16 March to allow the ''golden rice'' that claims to help tackle Vitamin A
deficiency.The campaign, however, faces opposition from a group of 20
non-governmental organisations across the world under the banner of ''Stop
Golden Rice Alliance''.The NGOs allege that Moore is in league with the GM food
industry and that the campaign for launching the Vitamin A-enriched golden rice
is a covert attempt to win wider approval for genetically modified food.
''It (golden rice) will not solve the problems of malnutrition,''
the alliance said in a statement.According to the Alliance, Vitamin A
deficiency, like other problems of malnutrition and hunger, is not caused by
the lack of the vitamin in foodgrains, but by people's inability to achieve a
balanced diet.In a statement in Dhaka on Wednesday, Moore said, ''Golden rice
is the obvious cure, but because it was created with genetic science,
Greenpeace and the anti-GMO movement fervently oppose it.
No country has approved it for cultivation.''If golden rice was a
cure for a disease like malaria, cancer, or ebola it would have been approved
years ago,'' said Moore, who quit Greenpeace in 1986 saying the organisation
did not care about people and it was more worried about politics than
science.According to Moore, golden rice has been proven to deliver Vitamin A to
both adults and children and it could save millions of lives.The Alliance said
that the Green Revolution, with a bias towards monocultures of staple crops,
has led to unbalanced patterns of food production around the world.''As the
UNICEF and the Food and Agriculture Organisation have stated, variety and
diversifying food is the key to solving vitamin deficiency; in countries where
people eat more than 200 gm of vegetables per day, Vitamin A deficiency is not
a major problem,'' it said.
Issues underlying Vitamin A deficiency can never be addressed by
promoting genetically-modified golden rice, the Alliance said, adding that the
increased complexity of the gene constructs of golden rice makes it more
hazardous than the existing genetically modified plants.''With inexpensive
Vitamin A available in abundance from various natural sources, produced by
small-scale and backyard producers, it is a mistake to turn blindly to golden
rice, a crop that the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) itself
admits that it has not yet determined if it can actually improve the Vitamin A
intake,'' said the Alliance.
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