News
Headlines...
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Returns on produce: Farmers protest for support prices raise
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Rice exporters follow bandwagon, present demands to PM
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Rice export to Iran: Reap fears Pakistan may not take advantage
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Reap team meets Prime Minister, seeks withdrawal of 3.5 percent
WHT on rice
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Pakistan to restart rice export to Iran in Oct
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CL soon to use app for farm soil analysis
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Rice@90/kg by March?
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Manila approves more rice imports due to El Nino
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Tiny wasps protect rice in the Mekong
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Research Scientists release new crop varieties
·
Visit with a mission
·
Rice Importer Under US$22M Probe
·
Aerobic’ rice cultivation reduces water usage
·
Hacking Photosynthesis
·
ASEAN ministers plus 3, India visit IRRI
·
Counter Intelligence: Kitchen Curry in a hurry
News Detail...
Returns on produce: Farmers protest for support prices raise
Published: September 13, 2015
Kissan Board and Kissan Raaj Party activists
staged a protest demonstration at Charing Cross on Saturday. PHOTO: ABID
NAWAZ/EXPRESS
LAHORE: Hundreds of Kissan Board and
Kissan Raaj Party activists staged a protest demonstration at Charing Cross on
Saturday for increase in the support price of various crops.
Kissan Board general secretary Malik Ramazan
Rohari demanded that the government set a Rs1,200 support price for non-Basmati
rice per 40 kilogrammes, Rs2,500 for Basmati rice, Rs250 for sugarcane, Rs4,000
for cotton and Rs1,800 for maize. He said farmers were unable to recover the
cost of input given the low support prices.The protesters called off the
demonstration when Agriculture Minister Farrukh Javed told them that the prime
minister would announce a relief package for them during a farmers’ convention
in Islamabad on Tuesday.
“The
minister has assured us that our demands would be met through the relief
package,” Ramazan said.Javed said the package would be the first of its kind in
the country’s history. He said the federal and provincial governments needed to
be on the same page to resolve problems faced by the farmers.
Published
in The Express Tribune, September 13th, 2015.Rice exporters follow bandwagon, present demands to PM
Published: September 13, 2015
Rice exports have increased over the last 10-12
years. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD: Like
other sectors of the economy, the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP)
has also presented its lengthy list of demands to the premier during his Friday
marathon meeting with the business community.
The delegation of REAP, led by its chairman
Rafique Sulaiman, had a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad
and presented demands for addressing issues being faced by the rice
industry.They noted that rice exports have great potential and is the only
sector which has shown outstanding performance during a very short span of
10-12 years, during which exports have grown from $300 million to a staggering
$2 billion.The first demand of REAP representatives was the extension of
payback period for all State Bank-based export refinance loans including FE-25
based loans from 180 days to 360 days.
Additionally, it was asked for any penalties
incurred to be waived.The second demand is to reduce withholding tax on rice to
0.25% from current one percent and withdrawal of 3.5% withholding tax on local
purchase of rice.Another call was to give the status of industry to the rice
milling plants and concessions to be extended as the textile industry,
including reduced load-shedding of electricity and zero rating of General Sales
Tax.
It was also demanded that Trading Corporation
of Pakistan and Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco)
would not intervene in rice trade, as in 2008 when the latter purchased
rice.REAP also demanded to privatise both rice research institutes (RRIs) at
Kala Shah Kaku and Dokri. In case they are not privatised, the government must
facilitate REAP for its own RRI.The delegation also sought protection of the
export trade of Basmati rice by focusing on markets of Iran and Saudi Arabia,
the largest importers of Basmati rice. To protect the export trade of non-basmati
rice, government must focus on the markets of China, the Philippines and
Indonesia, they mentioned. REAP representatives also sought GSP Plus status for
the rice sector, as was the case for textiles.
They also suggested controlling falling prices
of rice by giving direct subsidy to farmers or to subsidise exports, so
Pakistani rice can be exported at competitive rates. Finally, they also
demanded the Rice Research Institute should work on the project to minimise the
input cost and increase the yield and quality of Pakistani rice, so that the
cost of paddy is reduced.“The Prime Minister told us to hold another meeting to
discuss the proposals presented by the business community of different
sectors,” Sulaiman said.
Published
in The Express Tribune, September 13th, 2015.Rice export to Iran: Reap fears Pakistan may not take advantage
September 13, 2015
RECORDER REPORT
The Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan has
feared that Pakistan may not take advantage of opening of rice export to Iran
from October 2015 because of energy crisis and lack of the Research and
Development which has turned Pakistan regionally uncompetitive.
In a speech at press conference on Saturday REAP Chairman Rafique Suleman also called for devising a comprehensive mechanism and appropriate currency transfer arrangements by the State Bank of Pakistan to take full benefit of reopening of rice trade with Iran. "Iran is the one of the largest rice importer of the world, which imports around 11 percent of the world rice worth $2.5 billion. He said that the demand for rice in Iran has doubled during 2012-13 and in the last five years, import of rice grew more than 35 percent.
In a speech at press conference on Saturday REAP Chairman Rafique Suleman also called for devising a comprehensive mechanism and appropriate currency transfer arrangements by the State Bank of Pakistan to take full benefit of reopening of rice trade with Iran. "Iran is the one of the largest rice importer of the world, which imports around 11 percent of the world rice worth $2.5 billion. He said that the demand for rice in Iran has doubled during 2012-13 and in the last five years, import of rice grew more than 35 percent.
Hence, there exists a huge opportunity for the
exporters of Pakistani rice. Pakistan, once, was the largest exporter of rice
to Iran, before imposition of sanctions on Iran, which it has lost to India and
now almost 90 percent of rice is coming to Iran from India though import from
Pakistan is more economical," he said. He also said, "Pakistan rice
export has been stagnant for the past many years, both in quantitative and
value terms and is hovering around 4 million tonnes in quantity and $2 billion
in worth because of devastating energy crisis and inconsistent and discouraging
export policies of the government. India has entered the global rice market
with a huge surplus and a 20-percent devaluation of its rupee, giving it almost
unbeatable comparative advantage against Pakistani exporters.
The State Bank of Pakistan also honoured
sanctions against Iran, resulting in drastic drop in basmati exports to it. But
the exporters still maintained their share and were able to achieve the mark."
Giving the latest data of rice export, he said, "Pakistan's rice exports
posted a sharp decline of 27 percent during the first month of this fiscal year
mainly due to declining price trend in the world market. The country exported
rice amounting to $91 million in July 2015, compared to $125 million in July
2014, depicting a decline of 27.24 percent. Major drop has been witnessed in
the export of Basmati Rice, which registered a 30 percent decline to $34
million exports during the period while non-Basmati exports stood at $57
million in July 2015, down by 25 percent.
The government will have to announce freight
subsidy of at least $200 per ton on rice export to make it globally
competitive, the chairman proposed." He urged the government to refund
mark-up amount of 2013-14 and 2014-15 loans of rice exporters, besides
withdrawing withholding tax of this period, suggesting a slash in this tax to
0.25 per cent for fiscal year 2015-16 and suggested to extend export refinance
period to 360 days from 80 days to facilitate the rice exporters.
Reap team meets Prime Minister, seeks withdrawal of 3.5 percent WHT on rice
September 12, 2015
RECORDER
REPORT
The Rice Exporters Association of
Pakistan (Reap) has demanded withdrawal of 3.5 percent withholding tax on local
purchase of rice and repayment of Export Refinance loans in 360 days instead of
current 180 days. The demand was made by a delegation led by Reap Chairman
Rafique Suleman during a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad
on Friday. Suleman thanked the
Prime Minister for meeting with the Reap delegation and other representatives
of the trade and industry. Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Commerce
Minister Khurram Dastgir and Information Minister Pervez Rasheed were also
present in the meeting.
The Reap Chairman told the meeting
that the country's rice export sector had shown an outstanding performance
during a very short span of time and made possible a massive surge in the rice
export. "With the struggle and efforts of the exporters, our rice exports
reached $2 billion in FY15, compared to only $300 million about ten years
back," he added. On behalf
of Reap, the Chairman presented detailed proposals and suggestions for the
survival and growth of rice export sector. "We assure to expand rice
exports to over $4 billion within next three years if our suggestions/proposals
accepted by the government," he pledged.
The following proposals were presented during the meeting:
The following proposals were presented during the meeting:
1) Payback period for all SBP based Export Refinance loans including FE-25 based loans should be extended to 360 days from current 180 days and any penalty incurred may be waived.
2) Withholding Tax on rice should be reduced to 0.25 percent from current 1 percent to give relief to exporters.
3) Withholding tax of 3.5 percent on local purchase of rice should be withdrawn.
4) Rice milling should be given the status of an industry and same concessions be extended to it as already enjoyed by textile sector including reduced power and gas loadshedding besides Zero rating of GST.
5) In the current trade policy, the membership of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) is mandatory which must be continued in the next trade policy for the year 2015-18.
6) The intervention of Trading Corporation of Pakistan/Passco in rice trade should be ended, as in 2008 Passco purchased rice which is still not sold by it and incurring billions of rupees loss to the national exchequer.
7) Rice research institutes at Kala Shah Kaku and Dokri must be privatised. Otherwise the government must facilitate Reap in setting up its own rice research institute.
8) To protect the export of Basmati rice, the markets of Iran and Saudi Arabia must be focused, as these are the largest importers of Basmati rice.
9) To protect the export of Non-Basmati rice, the focus must be laid on the markets of China, Philippines and Indonesia, as these countries are the major buyers of this rice.
10) The rice export sector should also be given GSP status, as given to textile sector.
11) The rice mills must be exempted from gas and electricity loadshedding during the period from October 2015 to February 2016, so that the export targets could be achieved.
12) Rice must be included in the list of items under Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with different countries, so that a substantial quantity of rice may be exported.
13) A sui generis geographical indications law should be enacted and TDAP must be given the mandate to own Basmati rice geographical indications tag on behalf of all the stakeholders and ownership of Basmati rice should be disallowed to any private sector entity.
14) To control the falling prices of rice, Reap suggests direct subsidy to farmers, or there is also an option to give subsidy to rice exporters, so that they can export rice with competitive rates.
15) It is imperative that a Rice development board or council is formed as a unified platform that includes federal and provincial authorities besides public and private sector research including molecular science in addition to agriculture extension. As well as all stakeholders, namely, growers, millers and exporters to formulate policies and monitor demand driven evolution of high yielding varieties of rice.
16) The rice research Institute should work on minimising the input cost and increase the yield and quality of the country's rice.
Pakistan to restart rice export to Iran in Oct
| Reap says rice sector not ready yet to take advantage of this opportunity
September 13, 2015
LAHORE - Pakistan will restart rice export to
Iran from October 2015 after a ban of almost six years.“Although there (in
Iran) exists a huge opportunity for the exporters of Pakistani rice but
country’s rice sector is not ready to take advantage of this opportunity yet,
as energy crisis and lack of R&D (research & development) have turned
us regionally uncompetitive,” said Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan
chairman Rafique Suleman while addressing a press conference here on Saturday.
He said restart of rice export to Iran will remain ineffective until detailed
mechanism is evolved and appropriate currency transfer arrangements are made
through State Bank of Pakistan.
The government will have to announce freight
subsidy of at least $200 per ton on rice export to make it globally
competitive, the chairman proposed.According to him, Iran is the one of the
largest rice importers of the world, importing around 11 per cent of the world
rice worth $2.5 billion. He said that the demand for rice in Iran has doubled
during 2012-13 and in the last five years, import of rice grew more than 35
percent. Pakistan, once, was the largest exporter of rice to Iran, before
imposition of sanctions on Iran, which it has lost to India and now almost 90
per cent of rice is coming to Iran from India though import from Pakistan is more
economical, he said.He asked the government to refund markup amount of 2013-14
and 2014-15 loans of rice exporters besides withdrawing withholding tax of this
period, suggesting a slash in this tax to 0.25 per cent for fiscal year
2015-16.
The REAP
chairman further suggested to extend export refinance period to 360 days from
80 days to facilitate the rice exporters. resently, the rice exporters are
paying withholding tax of 3.5 percent on local purchase of rice which may be
abolished so that export industry’s loss may be lessened to some extent, he
added.
He said that local rice research institutes have failed to provide any new and good quality seed of Basmati rice during the last 15 years. He demanded that rice mills should be exempted from gas and electricity loadshedding for the next five months which are crucial for us to achieve rice export targets. Rafique Suleman said Pakistan rice export is stagnant for the last many years, both in quantitative and value terms and is hovering around 4 million tons in quantity and $2 billion in worth because of devastating energy crisis and inconsistent and discouraging export policies of the government. He said that India has entered the global rice market with a huge surplus and 20 per cent devaluation of its rupee, giving it almost unbeatable comparative advantage against Pakistani exporters.
The
State Bank of Pakistan also honoured sanctions against Iran, resulting in
drastic drop in basmati exports to it. But the exporters still maintained their
share and were able to achieve the mark, he added.Giving the latest data of
rice export, he informed that Pakistan’s rice exports posted a sharp decline of
27 percent during the first month of this fiscal year mainly due to declining
price trend in the world market. The country exported rice amounting to $91
million in July 2015, compared to $125 million in July 2014, depicting a
decline of 27.24 percent. Major drop has been witnessed in the export of
Basmati Rice, which registered a 30 percent decline to $34 million exports
during the period while non-Basmati exports stood at $57 million in July 2015,
down by 25 percent.
http://nation.com.pk/business/13-Sep-2015/pakistan-to-restart-rice-export-to-iran-in-oct
CL soon to use app for farm soil analysis
A mobile phone application for soil properties
analysis will soon be available in Central Luzon to aid agriculturists,
farmers, and researchers.“Soilmate,” a mobile app. that can show soil
properties, color groups, and productivity, was recently developed by
Information and Technology (IT) students from the Central Luzon State
University (CLSU) – Janndel Rosario, Gengee Madarang, and Ramon Rama.The mobile
app. bagged the first place under the Enclosed Field Category in the recent
“2nd AgriHackathon,” an application development competition organized by the
Information Systems Division (ISD) of the Philippine Rice Research Institute
(PhilRice).AgriHackathon, sponsored by Smart Communications, S1 Technologies,
Microsoft Philippines, PowerNet, and Mobility, aims to gather new ideas and
innovations to create an efficient agricultural information system for research
and development.
ISD Head Jovino de Dios said that compared to
harcopy literatures of the soil series, a digital version such as a mobile app.
can be more accurate on soil identification and analysis.Soilmate’s design and
functions were based on the guidebook “Simplified Keys to Soil Series” provided
by PhilRice.One of the main features of this app. is its Geographic Positioning
System (GPS), a feature also commonly included in smart phones. The GPS in this
app will serve as a locator of the soil’s origin.
http://www.mb.com.ph/cl-soon-to-use-app-for-farm-soil-analysis/#hqZV5JzyDaut3Vxk.99
Rice@90/kg by March?
September 12,2015,
04.13 AM IST | | THE HANS INDIA
- Hoarding by traders jacks up prices
- Goes up by 10/kg in two weeks
- Officials blame it on lack of mechanism
Hyderabad: After pulses and onions, rice prices are set to
hit a new high. Market trends indicate that rice prices may touch Rs 90 per kg
by March next. Despite the State government having stocks to meet the
requirements for the next six months, hoarding of rice by traders has resulted
in spiraling of prices of all varieties. The superfine variety which was
sold at Rs 45 a kg in August last week has now gone up to Rs 55 per kg. The
officials of the Civil Supplies department told The Hans India that taking advantage
of the drastic fall in paddy production this Kharif season, traders are
resorting to hoarding of rice and created an ‘artificial scarcity’ in the
market during the last two weeks. “State has 15 lakh tonnes of rice stocks
required for the next six months,” officials said.
“Traders, particularly retailers, including
supermarkets are not placing the food grains for sale in view of the steep fall
in paddy cultivation this year. Traders are fleecing the ‘gullible’ consumers
on the pretext that rice stocks are low in the state,” officials said, adding
that they have no proper mechanism to check this. Hyderabad and Ranga
Reddy Rice Millers’ Association leader S Balaiah said that rice was being sold
to the retail traders between Rs 38 and Rs 45 per kg depending on the quality
from the milling centres. But the retailers had jacked up the prices heavily.
It is the responsibility of the government to curb hoarding and skyrocketing of
prices, he said.If the government failed to check this, Balaiah said the rice
prices would touch Rs 90-mark once the present stocks were exhausted by March.
He said it was a fact that the cultivation of paddy
during Kharif had registered all-time low in the last one decade. The
estimations say only 9 lakh tonnes of paddy will be available this year as
against the target of 40 lakh tonnes due to delayed and weak monsoon.
Telangana Rythu Sangham vice president T Sagar said the prices of essential
commodities would come down only when the ‘middlemen’ culture in the purchase
of agriculture produce from farmers was stopped. On one side, farmers are not
getting support prices and on the other hand the consumer was being burdened
due to artificial scarcity created by the traders.
Manila approves more rice imports
due to El Nino
By Manolo B. Jara September 12, 2015
MANILA:
The government has approved the importation of an additional 750,000 metric
tonnes (mt) of rice to serve as a buffer stock to blunt the disastrous impact
of the El Nino weather phenomenon characterised by a prolonged dry spell which
state weathermen warned would affect the country starting this September.Angel
Imperial, the spokesman of the state-run National Food Authority (NFA), said
the importation was approved by the Inter-Agency Food Security Committee, with
the first batch consisting of 250,000 mt expected to arrive before the end of
the year.The second batch of 500,000 mt is to arrive by February 2016 when the
disastrous effect of El Nino is to be felt by 64 of the country’s 81 provinces,
based on a warning by weathermen.Earlier in May, Imperial said the committee
also authorised the NFA to import 250,000 mt of rice due to the damage caused
by successive typhoons on the country’s agricultural production especially rice
and corn.
Rice
is the staple food of the most of the 100 million Filipinos and has become a
major political issue whose lack has led to the downfall of the country’s
presidents.“There is no better option than to be prepared,” Imperial said,
citing the weathermen’s warnings of the projected adverse impact of El Nino
which could be worse than the last strong episode observed in 1997-98.He
assured the NFA has sufficient stock until the end of this year but explained
the government was reacting to the possibility of a spike in the prices of rice
in the world markets also due to El Nino which could affect the major producers
of the staple food like Thailand and Vietnam.
The
Philippines is considered the world’s biggest rice importer due to its failure
to achieve its aim of becoming self-sufficient in this staple food.Demographers
attributed this to the failure of the government to reduce its annual galloping
population growth rate of two per cent, considered one of the highest in Asia
and the world.Demographers pointed out that the country’s rice production could
not keep up with the demands of high population growth rate which also imposes
a heavy burden on the government to provide them their other basic needs like
education, shelter and health.
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/c63bccd0-bf6e-499a-97df-2166dbdb9943.aspx
Tiny wasps protect rice in the Mekong
Lanie Reyes
| Sep 14, 2015
Trichogramma
are tiny beneficial wasps that feed on the eggs of several pests, including
stemborers and leaffolders. To help rice farmers in the Greater Mekong Region,
a project was launched in 2011 to promote the establishment of Trichogramma
mass production facilities and affordable and practical pest control methods.
A Trichogramma wasp is one of the first
defenses against rice pests. (Photo courtesy of Gabi Brändle, Agroscope)
Rice is
culture. It’s a way of life along the Mekong—Southeast Asia’s longest river.
Six countries share the river, which begins as a small mountain stream on the
Tibetan Plateau. After 4,300 kilometers of writhing through forests, swamps,
farms, and towns, the river bursts toward the sea, creating one of Asia’s great
deltas—the Mekong Delta. Rice is produced all along the river from the
highlands of Yunnan, including the ancient Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, to the
balmy delta region of South Vietnam. Farmers along the river represent a
diversity of cultures including the Dai, Hani, Khmu, and Karen peoples. Despite
this diversity, these cultures all share a common responsibility of protecting
the health of the Mekong. To achieve a healthy river, farmers must first
maintain a healthy rice environment.
Tiny wasp, big project
A project, funded through EuropeAid of the
European Union, was launched in 2011 to help rice farmers in the Greater Mekong
Region reduce their pesticide use and improve the sustainability of their rice
farms. The project turned to an unlikely source for help: a tiny parasitic wasp
called Trichogramma.
These wasps are less than one millimeter
long—their tiny size can be attributed to their specific life history as they
develop inside the eggs of herbivorous insects, particularly moths.
Trichogramma wasps will feed on the eggs of several moth species, but in rice
they mostly attack the eggs of stemborers (Scirpophaga spp. and Chilo spp.)
and leaffolders (Cnaphalocrocis spp.)—two insect
pests feared most by farmers.Adult female wasps actively seek out the eggs of
the stemborer and leaffolder in rice fields. Once an egg is located, the wasp
deposits her own eggs into it. Within about 10 days, instead of caterpillars
emerging from the stemborer eggs, completely-formed, young adult wasps come
out—with an appetite for more stemborers.
The
highly efficient Trichogramma wasps naturally inhabit rice fields; however,
they are sensitive to chemical pesticides. The high use of pesticides in many
rice-growing areas has depleted the numbers of Trichogramma and other
natural enemies of rice pests, which leaves farms vulnerable.
Protection by wasps
The project promotes integrated management of
rice pests (IPM) by establishing rearing facilities to produce Trichogramma
wasps and distribute these to local farmers, including farmers of the Dai and
other local cultures. The project target was to create four Trichogramma
rearing facilities in each of three Mekong countries: China (Guangxi and Yunnan
Provinces), Lao PDR, and Myanmar.
Eleven of these facilities have been completed
in Dehong and Xing’an in China; Yangon, Mandalay, and Shwebo in Myanmar; and
Vientiane and Sayabouri Provinces in Lao PDR. The final facility will be
constructed near Yezin Agricultural University in Myanmar in 2015.
A “trichocard”contains about 1,500 Trichogramma
eggs. (Photo courtesy of Maolin Hou, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.)
Producing Trichogramma is not a simple task.
The wasps need moth eggs on which to feed and develop. Thus, the project uses a
nonpest species, the Corcyra moth (Corcyra cephalonica) as a
production host. Millions of Corcyra eggs are produced each day in the rearing
facilities as food for the developing Trichogramma wasps. While the tiny wasps
are still developing inside the Corcyra eggs, they are attached using a light
adhesive to special cards called “Trichocards,” which the farmers can hang on
their rice plants during the most vulnerable crop stages. Each Trichocard
contains about 1,500 developing Trichogramma. Once they emerge from the Corcyra
eggs, they fly off and seek out the eggs of stemborers and leaffolders in rice
fields. Each rearing facility is expected to reach a target of 600–700 hectares
of rice fields protected by the wasps.
Successful collaboration
To develop the most efficient methods of
rearing the wasps and bringing them to the farmers, the project brought
together a group of specialists. Tianyi Biological Control Company Ltd., (in
Hengshui, Hebei, China), a company with experience in the mass production of
biological control agents, helped design the production facilities and trained
the managers and staff at each facility to rear the Trichogramma wasps. Experts
from government plant protection centers in each of the three countries monitored
the incidence of stemborers and pinpointed the most vulnerable rice-growing
regions, where rearing facilities and IPM training were most needed. Extension
workers and social scientists worked with farmers to understand farmers’
attitudes and perceptions of pest management and introduced them to the merits
of using biological control and the need to reduce pesticide use in rice.
Young scientists from China and Lao PDR learn
together about the ecology of beneficial rice insects (Photo courtesy of Dirk
Babendreier, CABI.)
The project’s progress has been impressive. The
thousands of farmers that have been introduced to this biological control
method are interested and supportive. Furthermore, several national
agricultural research and extension institutions have shown keen interest in
adopting this biocontrol-based IPM approach. The Plant Protection Station in
Guilin, Guangxi Province, China, for example, plans to initiate its own rearing
facility this year.
This project is an important step forward in the
huge rice bowl that is the Greater Mekong Region. Its success should encourage
scientists, agricultural and extension workers, and rice farmers to initiate
similar projects and better understand the importance of beneficial insects
that inhabit rice fields. Although they are never seen by most people, tiny
organisms like the Trichogramma wasps are the first line of defense against
harmful pests. Managing the rice environment to create optimal conditions for
these farmer-friends will ensure sustainable rice production along the Mekong
for generations to come.
Dr.
Horgan is an ecologist-entomologist whose research focuses on rice ecosystem
services. Dr. Babendreier is a senior scientist at CABI-Switzerland. Dr.
Annamalai is a senior scientist at CABI-Malaysia. Dr. Zhang is the country
director for CABI-China. Dr. Hou is a project scientist and professor on rice
insect pests at the Institute of Plant Protection in the Chinese Academy of
Agricultural Sciences. Mr. Song is chief engineer at Tianyi Biological Control
Company Ltd. Mr. Vongsabouth is the deputy director of the Plant Protection
Center in Lao PDR. Dr. Win is the deputy director of the Plant Protection
Division in Myanmar. Mr. Li is the deputy director of the Agricultural Bureau
in Xing’an, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Mr. Gu is the director of
the Plant Protection and Quarantine Station, Dehong, Yunnan Province, China.
Ms. Ramal is a researcher in entomology at IRRI.
Research Scientists release new crop
varieties
Library file: maize varieties
The Crops Varietal Release Committee of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has released seven out of the eight new maize varieties for mass production in the market. In addition, the Committee also released four cowpea varieties and one rice variety.A team of research scientists from the Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR at Fumesua near Kumasi took between three and five years to work on the new varieties.The newly released maize varieties for instance, are known to be very highly rich in protein and Vitamin A, which most cereals and tuber crops based foods lack.
The adoption and consequent release of the maize varieties apart from their being accepted by over 80 percent of respondents, according to research can also help address poverty among farmers because of early maturity and ability to withstand drought.The cowpea varieties and the rice released also have the potential to address protein requirements needed by Ghanaians.According to the researchers, the cowpeas and the rice are all disease tolerant and high yielding.The release of the crops varieties came at the time that rainfall pattern has completely changed as a result of climate change, and also when new diseases continue to merge thereby affecting food production.A visit to the research fields at Fumesua and Nobewam by the Varietal Release Committee, accompanied by research scientists, farmers and the media prior to the release revealed a very good work done by the researchers all aimed at enhancing food production at the sub-region.
A Senior Research Scientist at the CRI Dr Obeng Antwi said for the first time all materials used in the research into the hybrid crops were locally produced.He said the poultry and brewery industries would be significant beneficiaries when the new maize varieties are adopted for mass production.A member of the Varietal Release Committee, Delali Nutakor commended the scientists for their hard work and hoped they will continue to be motivated to research and come out with much more improved crops varieties to enhance food production.The Director of the CRI Dr Stella Ennin also commended the sponsors and partners of the project for their continued support
http://gbcghana.com/1.6797500
Visit with a mission
Arunachal Pradesh minister of agriculture Chowna Mein
was on a recent visit to Phillipines & Malayasia leading a delegation of
nine members of his department.The team visited International Rice Research
Institute(IRRI) at Los Banos, Laguna(Phillipines) and interacted with senior
Rice Scientists of international fame to explore potentialities of
technological intervention in the state’s Rice production programme.
http://www.assamtimes.org/node/14975
Chief Executive Officer of UCI, Mr. Anwar Ezedine
Rice Importer Under US$22M Probe
Mon, 09/14/2015 By: William Q. Harmon
Major suppliers of rice from several Asian
countries are considering terminating business with importers from Liberia
because one of the country’s major importers of the product, United Commodities
Incorporated (UCI), has allegedly duped suppliers of tens of millions of United
States dollars.According to reliable sources, the Chief Executive Officer of
UCI, Mr. Anwar Ezedine, has been craftily duping several international
suppliers of rice by manipulating a credit arrangement known as a Collateral
Management Agreement (CMA).A CMA is a tripartite agreement between a debtor
(rice importer), a creditor (rice supplier) and a Collateral Manager (in this
case, a UK-based company called DRUM Commodities) that sets out the obligations
of the parties to the agreement.
The Collateral Manager is expected to hold the
relevant assets (rice) on behalf of the suppliers and to regularly inspect and
report to the suppliers how much rice has been received by the importer,
withdrawn, and is in inventory.In this arrangement, the supplier ships a
consignment of rice to UCI, which stores the commodity in its warehouses at the
Freeport of Monrovia. The rice, packaged in 25kg bags, remains the property of
the supplier until UCI deposits money in the collateral manager's bank account
in Liberia. DRUM Commodities has its agents assigned to UCI's warehouses to
make sure that all withdrawals of rice are covered by deposit slips from the
collateral manager’s bank. Mr. Ezedine
has been allegedly conniving with DRUM agents on the ground to withdraw from
the warehouse much larger quantities of rice than UCI had paid for.In a classic
'sell-pay' scheme, UCI would pay for a certain amount of rice, but convince the
DRUM agents to allow the importer to withdraw a larger consignment than was
paid for, with the assurance that the extra rice would be paid for once sold.
When the stocks of one supplier were depleted, UCI moved to another supplier.
The first supplier's inventory records would
show that there was still rice on hand, but in reality the rice was finished
from the warehouse.“Mr. Ezedine did this until the suppliers became
alarmed," a source who did not want to be named told the Daily Observer.
"Because the rice export community is closely knit, suppliers started
comparing notes with each other and soon discovered that something was fishy.
”When the suppliers began to raise the concern
with DRUM, the collateral management company, they too were alarmed. “That is
when DRUM sent a representative from its UK office to find out what was going
on," said our source.“When the DRUM representative arrived in Liberia, he
insisted on doing a physical count of the rice on the ground. It was then that
he discovered that Mr. Ezedine had withdrawn 37,000 metric tonnes, or 1.5
million 25-kg bags of rice, with a value of US$22 million, without payment. He
blew the whistle and other auditors and investigators are on their way to
Liberia to do an in-depth analysis of what took place,” the source
revealed.Efforts to speak with Mr. Ezedine did not materialize as his phone was
switched off. The people at the UCI office on Bushrod Island were similarly
unresponsive after several visits and calls.
The threat to Liberia is that a scandal of this
magnitude could lead to financiers and major commodity suppliers being more
skeptical about doing collateral management agreements with importers in
Liberia, increasing the risk of doing business.The very reason CMAs are popular
is because importers do not have the cash to pay for very large consignments.
“A 20,000 tonne consignment of rice could cost as much as US$12 million,” our
source said. “So, the CMA facility enables an importer to import without laying
out that much cash (which he doesn't have) and to pay as he sells.”It is
uncertain whether or not DRUM has reported this matter to the Ministry of
Commerce, whose responsibility it is to safeguard the country's business image
and make sure bad business practices do not adversely affect the country's
ability to conduct normal commerce, especially for strategic commodities like
rice. The DRUM representative has said that they were not ready to make any
comment.
Ezedine has allegedly used this trick to dupe
suppliers of over 1.5 million of 25kg bags of rice amounting to over US$22
million.DRUM and many other collateral management firms are becoming
increasingly important within trade finance. Collateral managers basically
"look after" collateral on behalf of a lender financing goods. By
using a collateral manager, the lender can make sure that goods, such as
commodities, for example, are being controlled in such a way that if anything
goes wrong with the loan, such as the borrower defaulting on payments, then the
bank can get its hands on the goods which are the subject of the loan, and sell
them to recover monies lent.
Leading international collateral management
companies such as DRUM, which is one of the most renowned in the West African
region, serve a growing international market for structured trade finance,
wherein money is lent based on the value of the underlying goods, rather than
on the balance sheet of the borrower.Though the suppliers are not yet ready to
identify themselves, many of them are from China, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma
and other countries. Some indicated that they have been doing business with
local rice importers for many years.
Everyone tight-lipped
All of the suppliers involved in this scandal
have declined to talk to the press though they have been contacted on numerous
occasions. Ezedine was initially out of the country and his phone number has
been perpetually off.The Daily Observer visited the Bushrod Island office of
UCI to get comments but the manager, Samuel Farley, could not be found. When
contacted, he promised to provide the contacts of the company’s lawyers who
could speak on the issue. The contacts are yet to come.Though being the collateral
management company that would be greatly affected in this scandal, DRUM
Commodities also remains tight-lipped. When contacted via mobile phone, an
official of DRUM did not confirm or deny the information, but said that he
would contact his lawyer and get back to the reporter.
This reporter later received a call from Sidney
Howard who said that the company was not ready to speak to the press.Rice is
Liberia’s staple food and is overly consumed by more than 98 percent of the
country’s population. It is also greatly perceived as a highly political
commodity with a history of invoking hostilities in the country as far back as
1979. This event, which led to the death of many innocent Liberians, is
infamously known as the “Rice Riot of April 14.”Despite its limited budget, the
Liberian government spends a whopping US$22M annually on the importation of
basic commodities, with over 70 percent of that amount going to the importation
of rice.
“It is unfortunate that such a dubious
syndicate is unfolding on the Liberian market which is not healthy for the
economy because we cannot sit and see people duping major businesses that are
helping to stabilize and run our economy, “another source, who asked not to be
named, said.“This is a guy who has duped many people in this country and
nothing comes out of it. He is highly protected because he is highly connected
and if many of our government officials who are heading the commerce sector of
this country do not take this case seriously and investigate it for justice to be
done, the Liberian people will suffer the consequences because the suppliers
will no longer send their commodities to Liberia.
You and
I know what rice means in this country and we cannot sit to see another April
14 creeping on us because one Lebanese man wants to get rich,” the source
said.The unfortunate incident came about when Florence Chenoweth, Tolbert's
minister of agriculture, submitted a proposal to the cabinet for increasing the
subsidized price of rice from US$22 for a 100 pound bag toUS$26, which was
strongly protested by the suffering Liberian masses. The rational the
government provided then was to induce rice farmers to increase the production
of Liberia’s staple food.
Reports also indicate that Mr. Ezedine has been
using his political and diplomatic connections to achieve his business
advantages.According to another report, which is yet to be independently
verified, he currently serves as Liberia’s Honorary Consul to Lebanon, a
position that he has held for years now. Mr. Ezedine is also married to the
daughter of one of the country’s most powerful and popular Lebanese business
tycoons.
http://www.liberianobserver.com/news/rice-importer-under-us22m-probe
Aerobic’ rice cultivation reduces water usage
The suitable areas include irrigated lowlands, where rainfall is insufficient to sustain rice production.
Present day conventional method of rice
cultivation utilises 5,000 litres of water for producing one kg of rice than
its actual requirement of 3,000 litres. About 2,000 litres is lost due to
flooding and seepage losses. Further, decline in water table necessitates the
need for improved water-use efficiency and water productivity in agriculture,
particularly in rice cultivation. Thus, the newly upcoming approach of rice
cultivation called aerobic rice cultivation reduces water use in rice
production and increases the water use efficiency.
In simple words, growing rice plant as irrigated
crop like cultivating maize and wheat in aerobic condition, where oxygen is
plenty in soil. The suitable areas for aerobic rice cultivation includes
irrigated lowlands, where rainfall is insufficient to sustain rice production,
delta regions where there is delay in water release from reservoir, irrigated
system of rice cultivation, where pumping from deep bore well has become so
expensive and favourable upland system has access to supplementary irrigation.
Accordingly, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh,
parts of Bihar, Odisha, Karnataka, and eastern Uttar Pradesh are the projected
area where there is uneven distribution and frequent occurrence of soil
moisture limitation. In aerobic rice cultivation, rice is cultivated as direct
sown in non-puddle aerobic soil under supplementary irrigation and fertiliser
with suitable high yielding rice varieties. Throughout the growing season,
aerobic rice field is kept under unsaturated condition and field is irrigated
by surface or sprinkler system to keep soil wet. Therefore, water productivity
is reported to be higher in aerobic rice by 64-88 per cent (calculated as grams
of grain produced per kg of water input) and utilises 3,000 to 3,500 litres of
water to produce 1 kg of rice compared to rice raised under transplanted
flooded system.
Mechanised way of sowing
Further, aerobic rice cultivation system involves mechanised way of sowing with no puddling, transplanting and not need of frequent irrigation, which reduce labour usage more than 50 per cent, compared to irrigated rice. However, aerobic rice cultivation needs suitable rice varieties having the characteristics of both upland and high yielding lowland varieties to get good yield under the new unconventional system of cultivation.
Hence, these early-maturing varieties are with
good seedling vigour, responsive to high input and tolerate flooding.
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) situated in Manila, Philippines
identified several cultivars with high yield potential for this unconventional
aerobic rice cultivation. A new improved upland rice variety, Apo developed by
IRRI under aerobic rice cultivation system raised during dry season able to
attain yield of 5.7 t/ha at IRRI farm. In India, National Rice Research
Institute (NRRI) (formerly Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI)), Cuttack,
situated in Odisha, has developed rice varieties suitable for aerobic rice
cultivation and so far six varieties were released suitable for this system, —
CR Dhan 200 (Pyari) (4.0 t/ha), CR Dhan 201 (3.8 t/ha), CR Dhan 202 (3.7 t/ha),
CR Dhan 203 (Sachala) (4.0 t/ha) CR Dhan 205 (4.2 t/ha) and CR Dhan 206 (4.2
t/ha) — which gives higher average yield compared to upland high yielding
varieties.
Two aerobic rice varieties MAS 26 and MAS 946-1
were also released from the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), GKVK,
Bangalore, for the State of Karnataka, which is also said to be performing well
under this system. However, constrains in aerobic rice cultivation is increased
weed growth, poor crop stand, crop lodging, high percentage of panicle
sterility and root-knot nematode infestation.
Importantly, high weed infestation is the
major constraint for aerobic rice and cost involved in weed control is higher.
Further, due to high infiltration rate of water and imbalanced availability of
nitrogen makes the aerobic soil further ailing for micronutrients (iron and
zinc) and rise in nematode population. Therefore, efficient nutrient management
techniques along with integrated weed management are researchable areas for successful
aerobic rice cultivation and research is in progress. However, the yield of
aerobic rice is comparable with transplanted rice and it has been reported from
several countries.
Thus, it is an alternative option to reduce
labour drudgery and to increase water productivity. Further, in environmental
point of view, emission of methane is lower substantially in aerobic rice.
Therefore, in recent days it is gaining momentum among rice researchers and
farmers. However, extra care should be taken, since poorly managed field may
cause partial to complete failure of crop, which might happen due to weeds and
micronutrient non-availability.
A. Anandan, S.K. Pradhan and O.N. Singh
Crop Improvement Division,
National Rice Research Institute,
Cuttack
Keywords:
rice
cultivation, crop
growth, aerobic
rice
http://www.thehindu.com/business/agri-business/aerobic-rice-cultivation-reduces-water-usage/article7648721.ece
Hacking Photosynthesis
If we could change photosynthesis, we could dramatically improve
crop yields. And the breakthroughs have begun to come.
The most important
rate limiting primary biological phenomenon on this planet is
photosynthesis, which is responsible for the primary productivity of
phototrophs (light harvesting or photosynthesizing green plants). This is the
process by which plants convert solar energy into biomass, the true measure of
plant productivity.The natural rate of photosynthesis has evolved into a rather
slow process. One of the dreams of plant biologists has been to boost the
photosynthetic rate. This was not possible until the dawn of modern
biotechnology and genetic engineering.
That is, not until the advent of
gene-splicing techniques in the mid-1980s. Since the 1990s, the rapid advances
in recombinant DNA technology has progressed in astounding ways,
which is why the last 70 years have been dubbed the “golden age” of biology.
Crop yields are not increasing to keep pace with food demand from a burgeoning
population. Boosting of photosynthesis in rice and wheat comes at a time when
the yields have been dangerously leveling off for the past four decades. It is
the fatigue of the Green Revolution, according to Dr M.S. Swaminathan.
The supercharged photosynthesis is
called C4 photosynthesis, an international project at the International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI) in Manila, the Philippines, funded by the Bill and
Melinda Gates foundation to a global consortium of 12 rice researchers. When
the C4 rice plant is planted, it will tower over the conventional rice crop
within weeks.
Researchers say that C4
photosynthesis will increase the yield of rice by over 50 per cent.The
first exciting evidence of the effect of C4 photosynthesis in rice
was seen by Paul Quick et al at IRRI late last year. For
this to succeed, not only the C4 photosynthesis genes, but the anatomy of leaf
cells known as Kranz anatomy needs to be engineered, which is a daunting task,
as scientists do not know how those cells are put together. Thomas Brutnell of
the Danforth Plant Science Centre in St Louis, says that with the
help of gene editing techniques like CRISPR/Cas9, there is a possibility for
altering dozens of genes that might be controlling the formation of Kranz
anatomy cells.
ASEAN ministers plus 3, India visit IRRI
The International Rice Research Institute and the Department of
Agriculture hosted that ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry Plus Three
(China, Japan, South Korea), and India in Los Baños, Laguna on September 12,
2015. Photo by
Rona Rojas-Azucena via IRRI
Ministers and dignitaries from 11 Asian
countries visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters
on September 12, 2015.The visit is part of the 37th meeting of the ASEAN
Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF), in addition to the 15th AMAF Plus
Three Meetings with China, Japan, and South Korea hosted by the Department of
Agriculture this year. India also participated in the discussions.
“IRRI supports ASEAN members in their national
rice and food security programs by providing the necessary scientific research
as well as technical support and capacity-building,” said Robert S. Zeigler,
IRRI director general.The ASEAN Integrated Food Security Framework, along with
the Strategic Plan of Action on Food Security in the ASEAN Region, enables
sharing of any agricultural commodity. A careful assessment of the various
ASEAN+3 countries reveals extensive variation in natural resources for rice
production. This is also the case for other crops and agricultural commodities.
http://www.mb.com.ph/asean-ministers-plus-3-india-visit-irri/#emIsw9fOxa6ebUZ5.99
Counter Intelligence: Kitchen Curry in a hurry
The spicy rice is also chock full of sweet raisins and crunchy
nuts.
Photos by April Hamilton
Deliciousness waiting to happen: the spice box included hard-to-find
ingredients often used in Indian recipes.
When the
invitation came to test-drive a cooking kit that makes preparing authentic
Indian dishes at home “easier than ever,” I said “Yes, please!” I have dabbled
in some simple Indian recipes at home, but Channa Masala is about the only one
I have mastered. Saute an onion, add some spices and a can of chickpeas.
Simmer. Done.
The kit
arrived, and I ripped the box open. It felt like my birthday! A collection of
aromatic spices and a new cookbook, that’s worthy of celebration. A cooking
party was definitely in order, so we packed up the car and the kid and headed
to the country to visit my in-laws.We gathered around the kitchen island and
enjoyed a three generation chop and chat. The only difficult part of our feast
was choosing which recipes to make. It feels like Neena, the kit’s creator, is
right there in the kitchen guiding you through her recipes.Crack open the book
and you’ll want to assemble an entire buffet. The first one, spicy rice, had me
sold in an instant. Spiced rice, tempered with sweet raisins and crunchy
cashews and a fresh sprinkle of cilantro, will be in regular rotation at our
house.
The
recipe format makes it easy to prep for multiple dishes. It begins with the
title of the dish and accompanying photograph. You can quickly see what you
need to provide under the “Things You Need” section of each recipe, and there’s
lots of overlap — chopped fresh garlic, chopped onion, fresh ginger, tomato
(canned or paste), fresh cilantro. Just add spices from the kit, fresh
vegetables or meat, and you are transported to Mumbai. The type of pan needed,
prep and cooking time, and spice level are all indicated, taking the guess work
out of the process.Settling on four dishes, Spicy Rice; Sweet Potato,
Cauliflower, and Eggplant Curry; Chicken Curry; and finally, a cooling Raita,
our teams got to work chopping tons of garlic, ginger and cilantro, and a
mountain of vegetables.My mother-in-law was amazed at the simplicity of our
cooking session, announcing, “You don’t need a PhD to make this.” Followed by
“this vegetable dish is just over-the-top wonderful! The seasoning is …
™mmmmmmmm. I could really get hooked on this!”
My father-in-law added, “The combination really
hits the spot!”My teenage daughter suggested adding chickpeas to the vegetable
curry and my husband bit right into a cardamom pod to grand laughter at the
table. Next time I’ll be sure to fish out the whole spice pieces before
serving.Test drive complete, now I’m deciding what to make next. The kit has
enough spices to cook through the whole book so I’ll just have to replenish my
garlic and ginger and cook up another curry session.
Kitchen
Curry Master www.kitchencurrymaster.comSpicy Rice
The recipe book breaks up the ingredients into “things you need” and “from the spice box” — here I list the ingredients in order of their use.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup cashew nuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen or off the cob)
1 tablespoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
4 cups cooked Basmati rice (hot or cold)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup water
1 handful fresh chopped cilantro
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or saute pan over medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and garlic.
Stir, then cover for 30 seconds.
Reduce the heat to low and add the onions, cashews, raisins, and corn.
Stir and saute for 5 minutes.
Add the turmeric, chili powder, cooked rice, salt, water, and half of the cilantro, stirring to combine.
Cover and cook for 5 minutes to heat through.
Serve with remaining fresh cilantro.
Sweet Potato, Cauliflower and Eggplant Curry
Add chickpeas for a one-pot meal
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup dried unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or covered saute pan over medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds and cover for 30 seconds.
Reduce heat to low for 1 minute, then carefully remove the lid and add the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric and chili powder.
Stir and cook 1 minute to toast spices.
Add the crushed tomatoes, coconut, salt,and water and stir well.
Stir in the eggplant, sweet potato, and cauliflower and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Serve with rice, quinoa, or couscous.
Raita
Traditional cooling cucumber and yogurt sauce with herbs — essential for any Indian feast
2 cups plain yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled and grated (remove seeds before grating, if large)
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1 handful chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine yogurt, cucumber, mint, cilantro, and salt in a medium bowl.
Serve with curry dishes or as a dip for fresh
vegetables or pita chips.
April
Hamilton has always said, “Cooking is fun!” She shares her easy, practical
recipes for delicious food through her cooking classes for kids and families.
April’s husband and three daughters help with testing and tasting in their
Charleston kitchen. April would love to hear from you at aprilskitchencounter@gmail.com. Hungry
for more? Visit www.aprilskitchencounter.com, and
follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Aprilskitchencounter.
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