Sharp decline in rice trade
feared
October 16, 2015
RECORDER REPORT
Pakistan's rice trade is facing
severe challenges due to rising cost of agricultural inputs and its export may
decline sharply during this fiscal year. Noman Ahmed Shaikh, Senior Vice Chairman,
Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) has said that rice export trade,
the second largest earner of valuable foreign exchange for the country, is
continually being neglected by the federal government. "Owing to high cost of
agricultural inputs including fertiliser, electricity, water and lack of seeds
development, Pakistan's rice is uncompetitive in international market
especially Basmati varieties," he added. Presently, Indian rice exporters
are offering as low as $300 per Metric Ton price for Basmati rice in the world
market. As the prices of Indian rice were much lower than Pakistan, major
importing countries and international buyers were switching to Indian rice,
Noman informed. "We have
rice stocks of some 0.5 million tons rice, having a value of more than a
billion dollar, of previous year's crop, while new crop paddy arrival is
expected in the market by October-end," he said, adding that it was an
alarming situation for the rice trade as previous stocks were still lying in
the godowns and new crop would arrive in next two weeks, resulted in losses to
the growers. "In the current situation, exporters are not in a position to
buy paddy from growers due to shortage of cash flow as their finance limit have
already been choked. It believed that rice growers will not get a good price of
their commodity due to availability of previous stocks in the market, therefore
the government should take some immediate measurers to support the
growers," senior vice chairman REAP demanded. "We (exporters) are even not in
the position to pay back dues of export refinance facility instantly because
rice is still in millers' stock and financial charges on these stocks are daily
increasing the cost," he mentioned. Noman said that in order to save the
rice stocks from pesticides, it needed regular fumigation to avoid damage of
commodity, resulted in an additional burden on the exporters. He said last month Prime Minister of
Pakistan Nawaz Sharif convened a high-level meeting with all leading exporting
sectors including rice. During that meeting former chairman REAP Rafique
Suleman presented a detailed proposal to protect the growers as well as
exporters from huge losses, however unfortunately none of demand is so far
accepted. "Our major demand
is 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," he mentioned. Senior
Vice Chairman REAP said rice export sector was the only sector which had shown
the outstanding performance during a very short span of time of 10-12 years by
massive surge in the export. With the struggle and efforts of rice exporters,
Pakistan's rice export has reached near $2 billion by end of FY15, compared to
only $300 million in FY05. We
assured the federal government that the implementation on the REAP's
suggestions not only save the growers and exporters from huge losses but also
help to expand rice exports to over $4 billion within next three years,"
Noman said. He proposed subsidy on agricultural inputs such as seed, water,
diesel, electricity, besides measurers to enhance the per acre yield. "We demand that Rice Research
Institute should work on a mage project to minimise the input cost and increase
the yield and quality of Pakistani rice, so that cost of paddy will be reduced
and exporters can compete in the world market. In addition, to protect Basmati
rice export trade, Pakistan must focus on the markets of Iran and Saudi Arabia,
as these are the major importing countries of Basmati rice. In this regard
legal and official banking channel should be developed that can help to start
official rice export to neighbouring country Iran, which has already lifted a
ban on the commodity import from Pakistan," he suggested.
http://www.brecorder.com/agriculture-a-allied/183/1236901/
Rice industry: No free-riding in rescheduling loans, SBP says
Published: October 16, 2015
. PHOTO: FILE
Published in The Express
Tribune, October 16th, 2015
http://tribune.com.pk/story/973715/rice-industry-no-free-riding-in-rescheduling-loans-sbp-says/
El NiƱo may lead to rice shortfall
Farmers engage in post harvest of rice on April 03, 2015 in in
Alleppey, Kerala, India. Image: AJP / Shutterstock.com
Thursday 15 October 2015
Will decreased rainfall and droughts caused by El NiƱo affect
rice production in South Asia and threaten food security in importing countries
in West Africa? An Oxfam media briefing released early October warns of such a
scenario developing. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted
in June that India, under the influence of El NiƱo, would experience below 90
per cent rainfall. The Madden Julian Oscillation — an atmospheric circulation
pattern that brings anomalous rainfall —provided some relief, but August saw a
23 per cent deficit in rainfall.
El NiƱo does hit the monsoon, but some links still missing
The Oxfam report said the development of El NiƱo in the second half of the
monsoon season could be more powerful than the one in 1997—1998 and that El
NiƱo conditions are likely to continue into 2016.According to the Oxfam
briefing, poor people in the towns and cities of West African countries
have a preference for rice because it is easy to prepare and store. However,
the production of rice in these countries is low and cannot meet rising
consumption levels. The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) had
estimated in 2006 that rice imports in West and Central African countries had
increased to six million tonnes, the bulk of which came from the South Asian
countries of India, Pakistan and also China. According to the Oxfam
report, while Africa imports about one-third of rice available on the world
market, most of the grain is traded near its area of production in Asia. Thus,
Oxfam argues, the world market is quite ‘thin’ and vulnerable to disruption.
In 2014, West African countries imported 7.73 million tonnes of
rice. All West African countries taken together import over one-third of
their rice from India, though the proportions between the countries vary. Niger
imports 13 per cent from India; Gambia and Ivory Coast 20 per cent; and Nigeria
23 per cent. Senegal imports 72 per cent of its rice from India, and Liberia, a
colossal 97 per cent. Other quantities come from Pakistan and China.Indian
authorities, however, tell SciDev.Net that there is no cause
for concern. “Though El NiƱo had a significant effect with severe impacts in
August and September, which saw 77 per cent rainfall, the government had
reacted well to the timely predictions by the IMD,” says Shivananda Pai,
scientist at the IMD office in Pune. “Adequate measures included
restricted sowing of water-intensive varieties.
Besides, the main areas of deficient rainfall were in Karnataka
and Maharashtra which are not rice producing states,” Pai tells SciDev.Net.Pramod
Aggarwal, director of the South Asia Regional Programme for the CGIAR Research
Programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security, while acknowledging
that the El NiƱo affects rice production, tells SciDev.Net says
that the Indian government has sufficient buffer stocks to ensure that exports
are not affected. The FAO’s rice market monitor (RMM) for October has
scaled back itsforecast for global paddy production in 2015 considering
“unfavourable climatic conditions, largely associated with the prevalence of
the El NiƱo weather anomaly”. FAO now forecasts world paddy production in 2015
to be around 742.6 million tonnes or 6.5 million tonnes less than estimated in
July.
http://www.eco-business.com/news/el-nino-may-lead-to-rice-shortfall/
Make the Switch: Why Brown, Red and Black Rice Are Better for
Your Health
Posted: 10/15/2015 4:17 pm EDT Updated: 10/15/2015 4:59 pm EDT
Rice, Oryza sativa, is responsible
for feeding more people over a longer period than any other crop. It feeds over
half the global population, providing more than 3.5 million people more than 20
percent of their daily calories. It makes up one-fifth of the calories consumed. It is also a key staple of a plant-based approach to eating,
along with other whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes.There are
approximately 40,000 varieties of rice. The most common varieties are typically classified by size and
texture such as long, medium, and short-grained, and by the strain such as
white, brown, red, black or purple There are also specialty rices, which
include risotto and aromatics such as basmati, jasmine, and japonica.
Not All Rice is Created Equal
The bran is the outer layer of
the rice kernel. It contains nutrients like protein, fat, and dietary fiber as
well as minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, thiamine,
riboflavin, niacin, and iron. The bran also contains antioxidants such as
tocopherols, tocotrienols, and Ī³-oryzanol, which are shown to having as immune-enhancing and cancer-fighting properties.Making a switch from white rice
to brown rice has been shown to positively impact your health. This includes
lowering the risk of diabetes, decreasing cardiovascular risk
by improving cholesterol levels, lowering blood pressure and antioxidant activity, while providing protection
against inflammation and cancer.
The Varieties of Rice
White Rice
White Rice
White rice is a common staple in
many cultures, especially Asian and Pacific cultures, including Hawaii. White
rice is milled and polished, which alters the flavor, texture, appearance, and
helps to extend its storage life. Removing the bran, germ and husk prevents the
rice from spoiling. During this refining process, however, white rice is
stripped of iron, vitamins, zinc, magnesium and other important nutrients.
Manufacturers in the U.S. are required by the Food and Drug Administration to
add back some nutrients such as iron and some B vitamins, although magnesium is
not added back in. These nutrients are added back in the synthetic form and depending
on the enrichment process, up to 85 percent of nutrients can get lost if rice
is rinsed prior to cooking.
Even when white rice is
nutrient-fortified, it does not match the nutritional density of whole grain
rice and lacks the bran, which has been shown to provide the impressive health
benefits. White rice does not show the health benefits demonstrated by whole
grain rice since many of the health promoting nutrients and phytochemicals are
lost in the milling process. Short grain white rice also has a high glycemic index compared to whole grain rice such
as brown, red, wild and basmati rice, since it does not contain the fiber from
the bran, which slows down the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream.
Parboiled Rice
Parboiled rice is also called converted rice, which means that
it has been partially boiled in the husk. The three steps include soaking,
steaming and drying, and then removing the husk of the rice. This process
enhances the nutrition density by driving certain nutrients from the bran to
the endosperm, making it about 80 percent nutritionally similar to brown rice
but with a better source of fiber, calcium, potassium, and B-6 than regular
white rice. It also has a lower glycemic index than white rice. The steaming
does not precook the rice, so it can take about 20 minutes to cook parboiled
rice.
Brown Rice
Brown rice undergoes only minimal processing. This means that
most of the nutrients including thiamine, calcium, magnesium, and potassium are
retained. The protein, fiber, and health-promoting and protective bran also
stays in the rice. The shelf life of brown rice is 6 months.
Black or Purple Rice
Black derives its rich color from phytochemicals, anthocyanins
and tocols, which are located in the inner portion of the rice bran. Research
suggests that these health-promoting phytochemicals possess protective
antioxidants. Zhimin Xu, an associate professor at the Department of Food
Science at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in Baton Rouge, La.
Xu reported on research on black rice at the 240th National Meeting of
the American Chemical Society (ACS). Xu has said: "Just a spoonful of
black rice bran contains more health promoting anthocyanin antioxidants than
are found in a spoonful of blueberries, but with less sugar and more fiber and
vitamin E antioxidants."
Red Rice
Red rice is a special variety of rice, which derives its rich
red color from anthocyanins.Anthocyanins not only provide the rice's unique color, but also deliver
protective antioxidant properties and anti-carcinogenic activities, which aid
in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer prevention. In comparison studies of different rice varieties, red rice
has shown the most promising health results due to the high levels of
antioxidants. Red rice has 10 times the antioxidants of brown rice. Red rice is
also nutrient dense with 20 percent of the daily values for magnesium,
phosphorus, and molybdenum. Red rice has a pleasant nutty flavor with an earthy
tone.
Long Grain
Long grain rice is like its name, long and slender. It has has a
lower glycemic index than shorter grain rice. It also tends to be fluffier and
less sticky than short grain. Types of long grain rice include Basmati, log
grain red and brown.
Medium Grain
This rice is shorter and plumper than long grain and tends to
work better for a plant-based risotto or paella.
Short Grain
Short grain rice is almost round in shape. The grains become
glutinous and sticky when cooked, which is why it is also called "sticky
rice." This is the best choice for rice puddings, sushi and rice balls.
However, short grain rice is higher in glycemic index.
Germinated Brown Rice
Germinated brown rice (GBR) may be soaked in warm water for 8 to
24 hours to stimulate germination. This process activates enzymes to improve
the nutritional value of brown rice and can increase fiber, B vitamins and
magnesium by as much as three times. It also has been shown to decrease oxidative stress. The activation of the enzymes
enhances amino acids including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) that have been
shown to help protect against certain cancers.
Make the Switch
Research has shown many improved health benefits from eating
whole grain rice varieties such as red and black rice. Comparative nutrition studies on red, black and white varieties of rice suggest that pigments
in red and black rice varieties may protect against chronic diseases. People
who eat red or black rice have shown a reduction in the progression of
atherosclerotic plaque development, induced by dietary cholesterol. White rice
consumption did not show these effects. The research indicates that this may be
due to the lack of antioxidants in white rice that are present in red and black
varieties of rice.
Emerging evidence, such as this study published in Advances in Nutrition in 2012, shows the protective properties of rice bran on certain
cancers such as breast, lung, liver, and colorectal. The protective benefits
have been linked to the phytochemicals present in the rice bran portion of
rice. The phytochemicals found in rice bran have been found to protect against
tissue damage by free radicals, the blocking of chronic inflammatory responses,
the activation of anticancer immune responses and improved microflora in the
gut. This study used a variety of whole grain rice.
Nutrition Breakdown
Note: approximate based on variety of whole grain rice.
Serving size (based on American Diabetic Association exchanges):
1/3 cup cooked
Calories: 70
Carbohydrates: 15 gm
Fiber: .5 gm
Protein: 1.3 gm
Ornish Reversal Recipes
Note: You can swap most of these with any varieties of rice such as brown, red and black.
Calories: 70
Carbohydrates: 15 gm
Fiber: .5 gm
Protein: 1.3 gm
Ornish Reversal Recipes
Note: You can swap most of these with any varieties of rice such as brown, red and black.
What is your favorite way to enjoy rice?
Commercial rice farming cushions Cameroon
women from climate stress
By Elias Ntungwe Ngalame
NDOP, Cameroon, Oct 16 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Women farmers
in western Cameroon are leading the way in commercial rice production,
benefiting from new seeds and marketing opportunities that are helping them
cope with climate stresses and provide for their families.A programme run by
the Upper Nun Valley Development Authority (UNVDA), a government agro-industry
body, aims to help rice farmers adopt better crop varieties, use water more
efficiently and adapt to climate change."I have been able to pay school
fees for my children and medical bills from the sale of my rice crop, unlike
before when the harvest from my vegetable farm was uncertain," said
Bridget Ngang, one of over 300 female commercial rice farmers in Ndop.Her
vegetables were often ruined when heavy rains brought floods, she
explained.Cameroon's Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD),
together with international partners, has developed improved rice varieties
that are more resistant to climate extremes, as well as farm technologies to
increase rice productivity.
In the last 15 years, scientists have released 18 varieties under
a line called New Rice for Africa (NERICA), developed by the Africa Rice Center
which crossed an African species tolerant to local stresses, including drought
and pests, and a high-yielding Asian species."These varieties can resist
submersion, droughts and high temperatures including pests and diseases,"
said UNVDA General Manager Chin Richard Wirnkar.The local development authority
is involved in a project led by the Africa Rice Center which has established a
"rapid impact" seed programme to distribute new high-yield seed
varieties to farmers.It also promotes post-harvest technologies like rice
milling and packaging, processing activities, and stronger links with input
dealers and micro-finance institutions.The project gives households
opportunities to raise their income by developing new rice-based products like
rice flour and husks for fuel, and exploring the use of rice in fortified
foods, including vitamin-rich cereals.The government acknowledges that achieving
its plan to make Cameroon an emerging economy with double-digit growth by 2035,
and implementing the new U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end
poverty and hunger depend largely on the economic empowerment of
women."Commercial agriculture will play a key role in achieving the SDGs
in Africa and the contribution of women in this area cannot be ignored,"
said Wirnkar.With renewed government interest in the rice sector in recent
years, Cameroon has the potential to become a rice granary for the Central
African region, according to the International Rice Research Institute
(IRRI).But making this a reality requires strengthening rural infrastructure
such as roads, irrigation, and rice milling and rice processing facilities - as
well as farmers' ability to market their produce.Mary Agoh, 52, farms rice on
15 hectares (37 acres) of land in Ndop, in Cameroon's Northwest Region, from
which she now comfortably feeds her family, selling her surplus to wholesale
buyers to boost her income.In a country where 40 percent of the population
lives below the poverty line, Agoh is now counted among the wealthy.
She and Ndop's other women rice farmers are helping boost
Cameroon's rice production to unprecedented levels.
HUNGRY FOR RICE
In the last few years, Cameroon grew less than 20 percent of the
rice it needed. In 2012, the country produced 102,000 tonnes of paddy rice and
had to import up to 375,000 tonnes to meet demand, according to figures cited
by the IRRI.
But experts say production has been on the rise since women
embraced the commercial rice production scheme. The land developed for rice
fields under the UNDVA project more than doubled last year to around 3,300
hectares, and it is adding 700 hectares more in northwestern villages.Thanks to
a good harvest in 2014, the UNVDA had to increase its initial FCFA 250 million
($435,868) budget for collecting paddy from farmers by FCFA 50 million.Things
were not the same even five years ago, when tradition prevented women in the
area acquiring or inheriting land they could use for large-scale commercial
farming.
"We were condemned to produce on small rented plots that
limited us to subsistence agriculture with crops like maize and vegetables that
are vulnerable to the effects of climate change and food crop loss," said
Agoh.Cameroon's 1996 constitution grants women the same rights as men to
access, own and control land, and also allows them to participate in
decision-making on land matters, but customary norms have made it hard for
women to obtain land.When UNVDA launched its project in 2012 to support over
13,000 rice farmers nationwide with improved seeds, fertiliser, herbicide,
information, training and equipment rental, the women in Ndop did not want to
miss out.With help from the African Women's Network for Community Management of
Forests (REFACOF), they held a series of protests, pushing local authorities to
allocate them land so they could join men in commercial rice farming.Ngang and
Agoh are just two of millions of African women farmers who have suffered from
cultural practices or laws denying them access to land. But their success in
overcoming those barriers suggest things may be changing in Cameroon.Here the
government has drafted a new family law that will help enforce women's property
rights once adopted by the National Assembly, officials say. (Reporting by
Elias Ntungwe Ngalame; editing by Megan Rowling. Please credit the Thomson
Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers
humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change.
Visit www.trust.org)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3275561/Commercial-rice-farming-cushions-Cameroon-women-climate-stress.html#ixzz3ojOyBOVp
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Action plan in the works to
promote nutritious black rice grown in the northeast
NEW DELHI:
White rice may rule the domestic and international markets with the famous
'Basmati' variety having pride of place, but in the near future it is black
rice from the northeast that may win hearts of consumers due to its nutritional
value and health benefits. Black rice is
mainly grown and consumed in Manipur where it is called 'Chakhao'. Famous for
its pleasant nutty flavor, this little known rice variety has, however, started
entering the world market through China which cultivates it both for local
consumption and export. Waking up to
the need to promote the variety which already has a market in USA, Australia and
European countries, India's premier agricultural research institute is set to
suggest an action plan to the government on how to promote black rice and other
varieties. The plan is expected to not only earn foreign
exchange for the country but also improve the condition of farmers in the
northeast and elsewhere. Setting the
stage for such a move, chief of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)
Trilochan Mohapatra on Friday threw a question at a gathering of eminent
scientists here at a conference on the occasion of World Food Day when he asked
whether they (scientists) were leaving out other regions (non-Basmati rice
producing areas) in their research.
"There has to be a concrete action plan (to promote other varieties of rice from other regions). I believe this conference will throw light on the issue in next two days", said Mohapatra in what is largely believed to be a move to push other unique rice varieties, having high nutritional value, through government intervention. In value terms, India exports rice worth over Rs 40,000 crore with the maximum foreign exchange coming to the country through export of Basmati variety. Though the country has done exceedingly well with arrival of a new Basmati variety (Pusa-1509), the idea is to increase the share of other varieties of rice as well in the international markets. Head of the IARI's genetics division, A K Singh, who was the chief breeder of the popular and hugely successful Pusa-1509 variety of Basmati rice, admitted the importance of promoting other unique variety like black rice as well for larger interest of farmers in different regions. Singh told the TOI: "Black rice has medicinal value. Being rich in decease-fighting antioxidants, it is anti cancerous as well". Other scientists, assembled here for the conference on "promoting exportable rice varieties and evolving a sustainable development model", too pledged to promote all such varieties including black rice which got pushed into the background over the years. Joint director (research) of the IARI, K V Prabhu, too felt the need to promote different local varieties through government's intervention. He said the institute would suggest to the government how to go about it after taking into view the deliberations of the conference, organized jointly by the institute and the Voluntary Action for Research Development and Networking (VARDAN). The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) too has of late, started promoting the unique aspect of these varieties on various discussion platforms.
"There has to be a concrete action plan (to promote other varieties of rice from other regions). I believe this conference will throw light on the issue in next two days", said Mohapatra in what is largely believed to be a move to push other unique rice varieties, having high nutritional value, through government intervention. In value terms, India exports rice worth over Rs 40,000 crore with the maximum foreign exchange coming to the country through export of Basmati variety. Though the country has done exceedingly well with arrival of a new Basmati variety (Pusa-1509), the idea is to increase the share of other varieties of rice as well in the international markets. Head of the IARI's genetics division, A K Singh, who was the chief breeder of the popular and hugely successful Pusa-1509 variety of Basmati rice, admitted the importance of promoting other unique variety like black rice as well for larger interest of farmers in different regions. Singh told the TOI: "Black rice has medicinal value. Being rich in decease-fighting antioxidants, it is anti cancerous as well". Other scientists, assembled here for the conference on "promoting exportable rice varieties and evolving a sustainable development model", too pledged to promote all such varieties including black rice which got pushed into the background over the years. Joint director (research) of the IARI, K V Prabhu, too felt the need to promote different local varieties through government's intervention. He said the institute would suggest to the government how to go about it after taking into view the deliberations of the conference, organized jointly by the institute and the Voluntary Action for Research Development and Networking (VARDAN). The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) too has of late, started promoting the unique aspect of these varieties on various discussion platforms.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Action-plan-in-the-works-to-promote-nutritious-black-rice-grown-in-the-northeast/articleshow/49426118.cms
A step forward in rice research
Genome sequencing of 186 rice
varieties from Bangladesh done in Chinese lab under global initiative
O2 is a potent greenhouse gas and plays a vital
role in regulating the earth's surface temperature, currently constituting
about 0.04% or in other words, 400 parts per million (ppm) of the
atmosphere."There are some projections that CO2 concentration may reach
600 ppm by 2050. So we've to prepare now for developing rice varieties that are
able to withstand high temperature in future," said the BRRI scientist.
The genome sequencing of 186 Bangladeshi rice
varieties comes as part of an international collaboration -- 3K RGP (3,000 Rice
Genomes Project) -- that accomplished the decoding of 3,000 rice varieties of
89 countries. Three research
institutions -- the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the
Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) Shenzhen and the IRRI -- collaborated to
sequence the genomes of 3,000 rice varieties and lines stored in the IRRI (82%)
and the CAAS (18%) gene banks. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the
Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology jointly funded the sequencing and
the initial analysis.Of the 186 decoded Bangladeshi rice breeds, seeds of 179
germplasms and four advanced breeding lines were taken from the IRRI gene bank
while seeds of two high-yielding varieties (BR11 and BR24) and one advanced
line were taken from the CAAS collection.The homegrown traditional varieties
include Binnaful, Hijol Digha, Jabor Sail, Kalabokri, Lal Moti, Pankhiraj,
Badshabhog, Kushiara, Dhola Aman, Birui Sail and Sada Jira. BRRI has a
collection of about 8,000 rice germplasms in its own gene depository and
duplicate copies of this gene pool are also stored at the IRRI gene bank, Seed
Storage Laboratory at Fort Collins, Colorado in USA and Svalbard Global Seed
Vault in Norway.With 127,000 rice accessions the IRRI maintains the biggest
collection of rice genetic diversity in the world at the International Rice
Genebank in the Philippines. Countries from all over the world send their rice
to the IRRI for safe keeping and common public good.Last week, the Philippines-based
IRRI formally placed all the genome maps of 3,000 rice varieties with the UN
FAO-based International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture (ITPGRFA) in Rome in a move to set up a global data exchange system
for crop genetic resources.This new 3K RGP data analysis set is massive at 120
terabytes, which is well beyond the computing capacities of most research
institutions. However, these new results are now publicly available online as
an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Public Data Set.
BRRI sources said they have so far downloaded genome maps of 10
varieties and would access others gradually.
Some BRRI scientists said they would not be able to make the best out of
the huge genome resources unless they are equipped with powerful internet
servers, computers and better trained manpower in bioinformatics.Bioinformatics
is an interdisciplinary field that combines computer science, statistics,
mathematics and engineering to analyse and interpret biological data.There is
not a single bioinformatician at the BRRI at the moment.Dr Zeba Islam Seraj,
who teaches biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Dhaka, told
The Daily Star that her lab has got two bioinformaticians."Soon we're
going to offer bioinformatics training from the newly set up Centre for
Bioinformatics Learning Advancement and Systematic Training," she said.Dr
Zeba, the scientist behind developing the country's first transgenic
salt-tolerant rice, said establishment of a genomic institute could help provide
lab facilities for genome sequencing and data analysing of varied plants. On completion of 3,000 rice genome
sequencing, CAAS President Jia-Yang Li, BGI Chief Executive Jun Wang and IRRI
Director General Robert Stewart Zeigler wrote a joint commentary in the
UK-based Giga Science journal.They said, "For this ambitious effort to be
meaningful beyond the scientific community, significant investments will have
to be made in measuring plant performance under a wide range of conditions, as
well as the development of data management approaches that can apply the
genetic knowledge to practical uses."
http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/step-forward-rice-research-158353
Cup of woes overflows for Basmati farmers
October 16, 2015 00:14 IST
Taking up cudgels for Basmati
rice growers, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) has joined
hands with an NGO for collaborating for an international conference on World
Food Day on Friday. The conference will deliberate on the issues and problems
of farmers, millers, traders and promoters to strengthen linkages among them
for boosting the export market.Domestic prices for Basmati have fallen
drastically even though there is no decline in exports and this is causing
concern. On an average, India exports about 3.8 million tonnes of Basmati rice
and is the biggest exporter. In 2014-15, Basmati exports were to the tune of
Rs. 29,000 crore.
Seeking the constitution of a
Basmati trading corporation to monitor the export of this brand of rice, IARI
scientists K.V. Prabhu and A.K. Singh said policies on Basmati and non-Basmati
rice production and export should be addressed.They expressed concern over
Madhya Pradesh wanting to be included in Basmati GI (Geographical Indicator)
along with the traditional Basmati-growing states of Jammu and Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. MP’s
claim has been challenged by Pakistan in the WTO Disputes Commission. A GI
claim is based on quality, reputation and characterisation.Former Deputy
Director-General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and
president of Voluntary Action for Research Development and Networking (VARDAN)
C. Prasad, who has organised the international conference, underscored the need
for an interface between extension services and scientific research to the
benefit of farmers. “Extension between States is also required for promoting
exportable rice varieties and evolving a sustainable developmental model.’’
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/world-food-day-cup-of-woes-overflows-for-basmati-farmers/article7766633.ece
Use Biotechnology To Alleviate
Hidden Hunger, Don't Shun It
Kate Hall
Kate Hall is managing director of
the Council for Biotechnology Information and GMO Answers spokesperson
In conjunction with World Food Day,
GMO Answers explores the role of GMOs and biotechnology help meet global hunger
challenges. (Credit: Neil Palmer)
In September, global leaders
converged at the United Nations in New York to establish the 2030 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), picking up where the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) concluded this year. Whereas the original MDG of halving global hunger
by 2015 has been met in terms of correcting the calorie deficit, inadequate
access to quality calories and important nutrients – hidden hunger – still
affects nearly 800 million people, many of them children. The newly established
SDGs aim to end hunger in all its formswithin the next 15 years.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, almost five million children under the age of five die of
malnutrition-related causes every year – a staggering number. Important
initiatives like today’s World Food Day shine a light on this tragedy, and
public-private partnerships have rallied to develop genetically modified crops
that can help alleviate the hunger and malnutrition problems that plague many
developing nations.Countries like China, India and Indonesia are dependent on
rice for as much as 80 percent of their caloric intake. But rice does not
naturally produce many important nutrients, like vitamin A or iron. Children
who rely on rice-based diets can suffer from impaired immune systems, blindness
or even death due to nutrient deficiencies.To address the micronutrient
deficiency of rice, researchers at the International Rice Research Institute
have found a way to genetically engineer rice to increase the amount of
beta-carotene, which is converted in the body to vitamin A. A serving of
“Golden Rice” offers half of the required daily intake of pro-vitamin A for a
child between the ages of 1 to 3.
Golden Rice is genetically
engineered to provide an increased amount of beta-carotene. A serving of Golden
Rice could provide half the required daily intake of pro-vitamin A for a 1 to 3
year old child. (Credit: GMO Answers)
Similarly, over 250 million
Africans rely on cassava, also devoid of essential nutrients, as a dietary
staple. The Danforth Plant Science Center, working with Nigeria’s
National Root Crop Research Institute and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock
Research Institute, are developing BioCassava Plus, fortified with vitamin A
and iron. Researchers have also found ways to increase the amount and stability
of other nutrients in staple crops such as iron and zinc, and to improve the
protein digestibility of sorghum.Despite these breakthroughs, biotechnology is
still an underutilized tool to help us expedite the delivery of more nutritious
and productive crops. Why? Because of the fear and uncertainty around GMOs that
is preventing researchers from offering these crops to the communities that can
benefit from their use.It’s important to understand what’s at stake:
Malnutrition contributes to sickness, lost productivity and poverty, and death.
Hidden hunger stunts not only the individual, but also the family and the
broader community.We need to continue highlighting the role that biotechnology
can play to address some of the biggest food and environmental challenges of
our time. Engaging with the public to talk about the safety of GMOs is a
critical step to ensure these fortified foods are made available and help
contribute to ending the plague of hidden hunger.We have a goal; we have
solutions. Now let’s work together to solve this problem.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gmoanswers/2015/10/16/world-food-day-hidden-hunger-biotechnology/
PH importing rice to hike reserves ahead of
El NiƱo
04:20 AM October 16th, 2015
THE PHILIPPINES’ stock of milled rice eased to 1.96 million tons as of Sept. 1, as the government prepares to import 750,000 tons to shore up reserves through the peak of the El NiƱo.On Sept. 17, the National Food Authority (NFA) awarded to Thailand and Vietnam separate contracts for the delivery of a total of 750,000 metric tons of milled rice by end March 2016.According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the national inventory—which shrank by 15 percent or 280,000 tons over the previous month—was good for 58 days’ consumption.Data from the PSA showed the NFA’s stock inched up by 100,000 tons to reach 800,000 tons.At the start of September, the NFA’s reserve was 92 percent imported as the agency was able to keep up a parallel effort to source supplies from locally grown produce.
As of Sept. 1, the NFA’s stock was good for 24 days’ consumption,
well above its minimum mandated volume of 15 days’ supply.
Further downgrade
Last week, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported a
further downgrade in the forecast global rice output for the crop year July
2015-June 2016.This was slashed by 8 million tons to 493 million tons due to
worsening prospects in Asia, especially for India and Thailand, as the El NiƱo
approached its peak.The FAO said that, in the Philippines, there was concern
over heavy rainfall in the southern regions on the one hand, and about
over-dryness attributed to El NiƱo affecting the northern regions.The dry
conditions in the Philippines are expected to intensify in October and persist
until the first quarter of 2016, the agency said.
SunRice entices Riverina growers with higher prices to encourage
larger rice planting
Weeks into rice sowing, processor
SunRice has jacked up the price it will pay farmers to encourage a larger
planting.
Many growers in southern New South Wales have turned away from
the crop this season because of extremely high temporary water prices and low
water allocations to irrigate.0:
00:00 SunRice chairman Laurie Arthur said the company needed
Australian rice to fill overseas markets with just over a million
tonnes."So we're talking about $415 per tonne as a guarantee for any
medium grain Reiziq they grow this year," Mr Arthur said."Of course
that does equate up to $655 a tonne for some of our speciality
varieties."We want them to grow and we've put a good value proposition in
front of them."SunRice is offering $545 a tonne for sushi rice,
Koshihikari.In September, the company told growers the medium-grain price for
the 2015 crop, which was harvested in April, would be in the range of $385 to
$405 a tonne.It also estimated that 2016 crop would be in a similar range, but
did not commit to a guaranteed price.On the back of a small increase to water
allocations in the New South Wales Murray Valley, the company has changed its
tune.
"We want them to grow and we've put a good value proposition
in front of them."
Laurie Arthur, SunRice chairman
But it's not clear whether the price will be enough to convince
growers, especially those who need to buy water in at a cost of $200 a
megalitre in Murrumbidgee Valley and up to $270 a megalitre in the NSW Murray,
to put a crop in."The question some of them have been pondering is whether
or not they just sell their water on the water market," Laurie Arthur
said."We understand that, they've got to make commercial decisions."We
believe that putting that guaranteed price there, the allocated water they
have, they can turn a strong return by planting rice."The company said its
anticipated lift in profits from global markets should offset funds required to
supplement the 2016 crop paddy price, provided current market conitions
continue alongside a favourable exchange rate.SunRice has also been contacting
growers about its proposed capital restructure.It has spent four years
deliberating on a model to improve its access to capital.The company plans to open
up a restricted share market listing through a SunRice fund on the Australian
Securities Exchange (ASX) for B-class shareholders.Mr Arthur has confirmed that
growers will not be voting on the model this year."The reason we haven't
announced any earlier is that I did feel I had a responsibility as chairman
that everybody fully understands."This is a very transparent process and
we believe we've got a great proposal to put in front of growers."I want
to make sure that everybody, not just 60, 70 or 80 per cent understand what
we're putting in front of people."I'm determined to ensure 100 per cent
understand."He expects the regulatory process involved with initiating a
major change to the company structure will take up to five months before growers
have their official say.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-16/sunrice-increases-rice-price-to-encourage-larger-planting/6859640
Devastating
floods send paddy prices skyward
By Htoo Thant
| Friday, 16 October 2015
Surging demand following the widespread destruction
of paddy fields during the recent flooding has
forced a record spike in prices, say the Myanmar Rice Federation and local
paddy and rice traders in Nay Pyi Taw.
Source: Adapted
from data from the Department of Agriculture (As of September 17)
Since September, the price per 100 baskets of Manaw Thukha old
crop in Nay Pyi Taw has risen from under K700,000 to nearly K900,000 as of the
second week of October, said Ko Myo Lin Aung, a paddy trader in Pyinmana, on
October 13.“A broker this morning who came looking for paddy told me the market
price today was K850,000,” he said.
U Nay Soe, a rice miller in Pyinmana, Mandalay Region, said Manaw
Thukha paddy was priced at K900,000 per 100 baskets. “This is a record high,”
he said, adding that the reason for the rise could also relate to the
election.In the rice-growing Ayeyarwady Region, Manaw Thukha is priced
K650,000, rising to K750,000 in Nay Pyi Taw. U Nay Soe said transportation and
general expenses accounted for the difference.U Myo Aung Kyaw of the Myanmar
Rice Federation said paddy prices usually rise as the old crop runs out and
before the new crop comes to market.“We’re between the old and the new market
now, so prices can be difficult to predict,” he said.Dismissing the election as
a cause of the rise, U Myo Aung Kyaw said it was the result of restrictions in supply caused by the widespread destruction of farmland by the flooding.“In the rainy season, the flooding of farmland decreases yield.
Traders know they can profit by storing rice. That raises demand,” he said.A
single bag of Manaw Thukha (one-and-a-half baskets) rose from K23,000 earlier
this month to K27,000 or K28,000 in the second week of October, said U Nay Soe
said.High rice prices were a cause of concern for
low-paid workers, said U Zaw Win of the City Development Committee.U Myo Aung
Kyaw said prices would fall as the new summer paddy came on the market in
sufficient quantity to make up for the losses caused by floods. He cautioned that no action should be taken to rein in prices
even if they rise further.“Price-capping has only a temporary effect, then
things go back to the way they were. If prices are allowed to rise, more
farmers will have the incentive to grow paddy, bringing prices down again as
the quantities increase,” he said.Bran and broken rice prices have also risen.
Last year, a bag of soft bran went for K6000, but has doubled this year to
K12,000. A bag of broken rice has gone in the past year from K10,000 to
K17,000. A year ago, 100 baskets of Manaw Thukha sold for K450,000.
Translation by Thiri Min Htun
Concerns
grow as jute sacks to be laminated with polythene
Yasir Wardad
The environmentally-hazardous
plastic materials are going to stage a comeback as millers are set to supply
polythene-laminated jute sacks for the packaging purpose from December next,
officials and traders have said.The latest move came following worries of the
millers and traders about protection of rice, wheat and other cereals from
being wet and damaged by rainwater and fogginess.But the issue became a cause
of concern for the environmentalists, who think the initiative will affect the
environment badly by polluting water and land.The government has taken a tough
stance on implementation of the Compulsory Jute Packaging Act 2010 by enhancing
the number of mobile courts.The Act has made the use of jute sacks mandatory
for the millers and traders involved in trading in rice, wheat, maize,
fertilizer, sugar etc for their packaging for the sake of environment.Government
departments and organisations under different ministries will have to use jute
bags to pack their food products.The Act was passed by the Bangladeshi
Parliament also for boosting the local jute industry which (jute sector) has
been going through a crucial time for sagging demand in the global jute market.According
to the Department of Jute (DoJ), around 450 mobile courts launched drives since
the mandatory jute packaging act was made effective on January 1, 2014.Each
violator will face imprisonment up to one year or a penalty of Tk 50,000 or
both depending on the degree of non-compliance.
An official at the jute ministry told the FE that the government agreed
that both the state-run and private jute millers would provide jute sacks as
required by the millers.He said the millers sought jute bags laminated with
products which could protect cereals from water and fogginess.He said plastic
could be used slightly to fulfill their requirement but it might be pricier, he
said.Jute scientist and agro-market expert Dr M A Sobhan told the FE that the
use of plastic (maybe in a lesser volume) would also affect the environment.He
said it would go against the key objective of using jute sacks for the sake of
safe environment."Yes, hike in use of jute products will boost our jute
industry, but we can't avoid the issue of nature," said Dr Sobhan, a
former director of Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI)."If we
compromise at the beginning, then in the long run plastic will regain its
ground," he said. He also pointed out that the government had to search
for alternative materials than plastic to meet the millers' requirement."Many
biodegradable products could be used for lamination and research should be done
on those before the millers and traders are forced to use jute bags made of 100
per cent jute", he said.When contacted, director (Production and Jute) of
Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMC) Col. (Retd) K Lenin Kamal told the FE
that the Act could not be effective only for the apathy of the rice millers.He
said jute millers had various categories of products from which the millers and
traders could choose theirs.He said the BJMC and BJMA (Bangladesh Jute Mills
Association) would also handle the environmental issue seriously."There is
a certain limit of mixing plastic with jute in a way that it would do no harm
to nature and it would degrade after a period of time," he said.He also
said the millers require 700-800 million sacks annually but "we have the
capacity to supply 1.3 to 1.34 billion sacks."He said after meeting the
local demand, "we will have the option to export also."General
secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) Dr Abdul Matin said plastic
pollution emerged a major problem for land and water resources of Bangladesh.He
said more than 40 per cent of pollution in Bangladesh was caused by plastic.The
drainage system in big cities like Dhaka was also seriously affected by plastic
pollution, he said. Secretary of
Bangladesh Auto Major Husking Mills Owners Association KM Layek Ali told the FE
that they were ready to use jute sacks as per the government law.
He said the government has to
ensure smooth supply of sacks numbering 700- 800 million annually for rice
millers and traders. He said they require
jute sacks that could protect rice from rain and dampness in winter despite its
being pricier."We thank the government that they have agreed to provide
jute sacks as per our demand," he said.However, many rice millers talking
to the FE isaid prices of rice would increase and local millers would face a
tough competition with the importers in the case of using jute sacks.They
called for ensuring the use of jute sacks also by the importers and their
distributors to create a level-playing field.any millers also demanded raise in
import duty on rice further for implementation of the CJPA 2010.The government
has taken a tougher stance on enforcing the law. Licences will be cancelled of
the rice miller found violating the condition.While giving fresh licences or
renewal of the same, the food directorate will set a condition of compulsory
use of jute sacks by the applicants in packing their products.
In granting loans to the traders
and millers of selected products including rice, paddy, maize, fertiliser and
sugar, the Bangladesh Bank also has set the condition of mandatory use of
jute-made bags.Millers and traders, who will not use jute sacks, will not get
bank loans after November 30 next, according to the jute ministry.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
Senate summons Customs’ CG over rice importation
http://thenationonlineng.net/senate-summons-customs-cg-over-rice-importation/
Unusual
increase in rice imports
Excessive import of food grains
by the private sector has posed a threat to the sale of local stock, especially
of rice, affecting both farmers and retailers. While the government procurement
of rice and wheat has come down to almost a halt because of a satisfactory
stock position, imports by the private sector traders have gone up, which, many
observers consider, an unusual phenomenon. The reality, however, is that the
low price of food grains, particularly of the low-end, coarse varieties of
rice, is encouraging the traders to bring in bulk quantities from neighbouring
countries to cash in on the price differential. A local daily reports that
import of food grains has grown more than 130 per cent in the past one year.
While import of rice is growing,
the government is also allowing export. Allowing import and export, that too
simultaneously, presents a difficult question for many seeking a satisfying
answer. The officials of the ministry of food are reported as saying that the
country at present has much more than what it is to have as buffer, and so
there is nothing wrong in exporting. But what is about importing? It would not
have mattered if the issues could be delinked, with no influence of one on the other.
Since the imported rice is of the
low-end variety, one rationale could be to stockpile or market this variety for
consumption of the low-income groups. Now the critical question: is there any
dearth of the coarse variety in the country? If no, the imported shipments are
sure to dampen the domestic rice market, which it has already done. Even if the
answer is yes, has there been a survey of sorts to quantify the volume? In all
considerations, it appears that there is little that the authorities can stick
to in allowing increasing imports. Rice merchant's association of the country
told the media that there was no need to import the coarse variety as domestic
production was in surplus. They allege that that their appeals to stop rice
import have not been heeded to at all, and as a fallout, domestic trading has
been affected badly. Import cost of a kilogram of coarse variety of rice from
India is Tk 27-Tk 28.50 and is being sold in the retail market at Tk 30-Tk 32,
while the equivalent local variety is selling at Tk 34-Tk 35.
It has been reported that that
the government's food directorate is also worried about the unusual increase in
rice import. Observers do not brush aside money laundering through
over-invoicing -- often labelled against suspicious imports. To many, there are
reasons to suspect whether the money, sent out of the country, is meant to meet
the actual import bills. However, rushing to a conclusion on this may not be
the right thing to do. What is expected of the authorities now is a thorough
scrutiny of the state of rice imports, given that there is a sizeable buffer
stock and that the domestic grain traders and farmers are suffering on account
of the unusual imports.
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/10/16/112026
Rice, wheat
stocks fall to 45 MT at the beginning of October
A food ministry official told FE that the corporation's
current rice stocks of 14 MT (including the grain to be received from millers)
is well within requirement of buffer norms for October, when FCI needs to have
10.2 MT of grain.
By: Sandip Das | New Delhi | October 16, 2015 12:45 AM
The foodgrain stocks held with
government-owned Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state government-owned
agencies have declined to 45 million tonne (MT) at the start of the month from
48 MT reported a month back.The current volume of grain stocks, mainly
consisting of rice and wheat, is still higher than the buffer stocks norm of
30.7 MT required at the start of October. However, the grain stocks is lower
than the 47.6 MT tonne of grain stocks reported a year back. According to the
latest data, the government agencies have rice and wheat stocks of 12.5 MT and
32.4 MT, respectively, on October 1. Besides, around 1.5 million tonne of rice
is yet to be received from millers.A food ministry official told FE that the
corporation’s current rice stocks of 14 MT (including the grain to be received
from millers) is well within requirement of buffer norms for October, when FCI
needs to have 10.2 MT of grain.
However, the official said that
the real worry for the corporation is the huge wheat stocks in excess of 32 MT
of which more than 28 MT of grain had been purchased from the farmers during
April -June this year, of which a major chunk is bought through relaxing norms.By
October, FCI needs 20.2 MT of wheat under buffer stocks norm, thus marking rest
of quantity of wheat as ‘surplus’. The corporation requires around 20 to 22 MT
of wheat annually for distribution through the public distribution system
(PDS). “We have around 8–10 MT of excess wheat stocks,” the official said.Meanwhile,
the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) for selling wheat stocks to bulk buyers has
picked up pace in the last couple of weeks. More than 8 lakh tonne of wheat has
been sold to bulk buyers under OMSS last three weekly auctions. Earlier, the
government has continued with the OMSS wheat in non-procuring states after
April 1, yet the response was lukewarm during April — June period.
Usually FCI runs OMSS operations
during September — March period.FCI is
targeting at selling at least 6 MT of wheat under OMSS in 2015 – 16. “The open
market wheat sale is expected increase during the next few months because of
festive seasons,” an official said. The corporation had sold 4.2 MT of wheat
under OMSS in the previous fiscal.The high-level committee (HLC) for FCI
restructuring, chaired by former food minister Shanta Kumar, in its report
earlier this year had observed, “During the last five years, on an average,
buffer stocks with FCI have been more than double the buffer stocking norms,
costing the nation thousands of crores of rupees loss without any worthwhile
purpose being served.” HLC had stated that the current system is extremely
ad-hoc, slow and expensive. “A transparent liquidation policy is the need of
hour, which should automatically kick in when FCI is faced with surplus stocks
than buffer norms.”
http://www.financialexpress.com/article/markets/commodities/rice-wheat-stocks-fall-to-45-mt-at-the-beginning-of-october/151993/
