Rice News Headlines...
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PBC cautions against signing FTA with Turkey in
haste
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KCCI seeks to wipe out obstacles to Pakistani
exports
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Paddy procurement: CAG flags irregularities of
over Rs 50,000 crore
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Firm plans N20bn investment in rice production
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SKUAST-K observes ‘Soil Health Day’
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Mexico could soon decide on Guyana’s rice
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IISc scientist wins The World Academy of
Sciences award
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Rice, wheat seized in raids
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Hassad launches four rice brands
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Arcadia Biosciences and BGI to Create Global
Non-GM Genetic Resource for Rice
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Going from margin to mainstream
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Rice genetic library may lead to higher yields
worldwide
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Ghost rice’ in Vietnam – P2: Harvesting in
darkness
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Price of rice increases by 10 per cent
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Rice Leadership Alum Wins Texas Outstanding
Young Farmer & Rancher Contest
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CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
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APEDA Rice Commodity News
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Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report
Rice News Detail...
PBC cautions against signing FTA with Turkey in haste
Published: December 8, 2015
It could open Pakistan to Turkish imports
without a similar rise in exports. PHOTO: REUTERS
KARACHI: Considering Pakistan’s prior, largely
unpleasant, experiences in signing free trade agreements (FTAs), the Pakistan
Business Council (PBC) has urged the government to carefully negotiate the FTA
with Turkey.Findings of a research on
the proposed Pakistan-Turkey FTA, published by the PBC, show that Pakistan must
not let emotions dictate this agreement.Pakistan and Turkey had recently
decided to negotiate the FTA on an urgent basis.
None of the major FTAs or
Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) with China, Malaysia and Indonesia has led
to any significant increase in Pakistan’s exports.
Out of this, the 10 highest
potential exports to Turkey have a potential value of $754 million, which
includes cotton, rice and polyethylene terephthalate products.Tariff
elimination alone may not help to take advantage of this potential, the report
noted.“Some of the highest potential export products to Turkey already face low
tariffs (0-5%), showing $1.33 billion in potential exports.”“Pakistan’s
negotiating team needs to ensure that concerns regarding Turkey’s non-tariff
barriers and especially the liberal use of anti-dumping laws by Turkey are
clearly addressed in the FTA,” it stressed.
Pakistan’s exports to
Turkey were $391 million in 2014 compared to imports worth $193 million. Turkey
was the 10th largest instigator of anti-dumping cases in 2014 and had already
initiated anti-dumping cases on major Pakistani exports in the past.In addition
to this, major Pakistani exports are facing special tariffs in Turkey such as
safeguard duties and non-tariff barriers such as the Resource Utilisation
Support Fund.The negotiations without keeping in view the interests of the
manufacturing sector will lead to nothing but another FTA which opens
Pakistan’s domestic markets to Turkish imports without a corresponding increase
in exports to Turkey.
PBC is a private sector
not-for-profit advocacy platform set up in 2005 by 14 (now 47) of Pakistan’s
largest businesses. Its research-based advocacy supports measures which improve
Pakistani industry’s regional and global competitiveness.
Published in The Express
Tribune, December 8th, 2015.
KCCI seeks to wipe out
obstacles to Pakistani exports
07/12/2015
| LOC19:32
16:32 GMT |
Kuwait News
KUWAIT, Dec 7 (KUNA) -- Member of the Kuwait
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Khaled Al-Khaled stressed on Monday the
depth of economic and trade relations with Pakistan.Speaking to KUNA following
a meeting with Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan Chairman Muhammad
Shafique and his accompanying delegation at the KCCI headquarters, Al-Khaled
said the KCCI is willing to exert efforts to remove obstacles impeding
Pakistani exports.
On the current drop in Pakistani rice exports
to Kuwait, he said the drop is due to visa restrictions, adding that the KCCI
had asked the Pakistani delegation to reveal the exact reasons in this regard.Pakistan's
rice exports to Kuwait dipped by 50 percent, he added. (end) fnk.ays.amh.mt
Paddy procurement:
CAG flags irregularities of over Rs 50,000 crore
By PTI | 8 Dec, 2015, 08.01PM IST
"These
deficiencies also contributed to avoidable increase in food subsidy expenditure
of the government of India," CAG said about its audit conducted for the
period between April 2009 and March 2014. CAG listed as many as nine major
cases of irregularities, all of which put together add up to Rs 40,564.14
crore. There were also a number of smaller cases amounting to the
irregularities of over Rs 10,000 crore -- taking the total amount to well above
Rs 50,000 crore. Besides, the official auditor also flagged that it was not
clear as to how Chhatishgarh government ensured the minimum quality standards
for paddy worth Rs 21,115.13 crore procured during the audit period without
necessary checks.
The
audit involved scrutiny of records of the central government agency FCI (Food
Corporation of India), as also that of state governments and their agencies in
Chhattisgarh, UP, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh/Telangana. The
Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) suggested revisiting the
existing procurement and milling plans and suggested the government should
transfer minimum support price to accounts of farmers directly. CAG said Rs
3,743 crore worth of benefit was passed on to millers by not including the
value of by-products in the price they have to pay for milling paddy, a charge
the government refuted saying the rate paid includes value of by-products like
rice husks and rice brans.
The
government said a Traffic Commission has been asked to study the milling cost
and value of by-products and suggest a new rate by December, based on which the
government will be deciding on revising the milling charges that have not been
revised since 2005. "Delay in revising the milling charges and poor
control over custody of paddy/rice resulted in not only undue gains to the rice
millers but also widespread and large scale non- delivery of paddy and rice by
them," CAG said in the report titled 'Procurement and Milling of Paddy for
the Central Pool'. Citing some major audit findings, CAG said: "Despite
significant increase in realisation value of by-products, milling charges have
not been revised since 2005. "This resulted in excess net realisation of
Rs 3,743 crore from sale of by-products by millers in Andhra Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh during 2009-10 to 2013-14."
The
auditor said the actual figure of excess realisation would be much higher for
across the country, it said. In another audit finding, CAG said, "A large
number of deficiencies like non-authentication of land holdings of farmers,
cases of payments to farmers with doubtful identity, non-obtaining MSP certificates,
non-availability of details of farmers (bank account number, name of village
etc.) were noticed in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Telangana
and Uttar Pradesh," CAG said.
"The
amount of such MSP payments made was Rs 17,985.49 crore for which there was no
assurance that farmers actually did get full MSP for their produce from millers
/state government agencies (SGAs)/FCI in these states," it added. Citing
instance of large scale non-delivery of rice by millers, CAG said it noticed in
the selected districts of Bihar, Haryana, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and
Telangana that 15.89 lakh tonnes paddy and custom milled rice valuing Rs
3,042.87 crore and 23.34 lakh tonnes of levy rice valuing Rs 4,527.91 crore
(totalling Rs 7,570.78 crore) was not delivered by millers to FCI/SGAs. In the
absence of collateral security from millers, CAG said SGAs/FCI had no recourse
to recover the value of non-delivered CMR, it added.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/paddy-procurement-cag-flags-irregularities-of-over-rs-50000-crore/articleshow/50094967.cms
Firm plans N20bn
investment in rice production
Pearl
Universal Impex Limited, PJS, has unveiled plans to invest $100 million (about
N19.7 billion) into the nation’s rice production.The company’s Chairman of, Mr
Pulkit Jain, who disclosed this in Niger State, said the amount would be
committed to the cultivation of 7,500 hectares of rice farm as well as
construction of two rice mills in the state in the next three years.He said the
project would also create 3,000 direct and 4,000 indirect jobs through its
out-grower scheme while also urging the federal and state governments to
support rice farmers and millers in order to realise the value chains on the
commodity.
According
to him, the project was predicated on successful rice yield of 7 metric tonnes
per hectare at the trial phase of the project, adding that the company would
move to another 2000 hectares of land for cultivation this December. Jain said
that with an estimated N356 billion spent on importation of rice annually,
Nigeria remained the second largest importer of rice in the world.The rice
investor advised the government to sustain the ban on rice importation to
enable rice producers and investor add value to the nation’s economy through
backward integration into rice milling and farming in the country.While
pointing out that the equipment for the next phase of the project had already
been shipped and would arrive the country in January, Jain also noted that the
company was also training local farmers on the scientific method of cultivating
rice
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/firm-plans-n20bn-investment-in-rice-production/
SKUAST-K observes ‘Soil Health Day’
Published
at 08/12/2015 00:03:55
Rising Kashmir News
Srinagar:
SK University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of
Kashmir observed ‘Soil Health Day’ on December 5 across all Krishi Vigyan
Kendras in Kashmir and Ladakh Divisions.Different functions were held where
scientist of the KVKs and farmers of the respective districts participated in
full strength.Around 1300 soil health cards were distributed among the farming
community by the Krishi Vigyan Kendras of the University KVKs under the aegis
of SKUAST-Kashmir.The soil samples were taken from farmers’ field and tested
for analyzing the soil health conditions. Based on those reports of the
samples, recommendations were given for improving the soil health aimed for
better production and productivity.
Prof. Nazeer Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-K, participated in one
of such functions at KVK Dooru, Anantnag where he distributed Soil Health Cards
to the farmers.Speaking on the occasion, he highlighted the importance of soil
for better production and productivity and emphasized that they need healthy
soils to achieve our food security and nutrition goals, to fight climate change
and to ensure overall sustainable development.Vice-Chancellor also said that
such a delivery from soils in terms of productivity of crops is only possible
if they give due consideration on the improvement and maintenance of the health
of the soils.He advised the farmers to have a regular monitoring of soils
through different KVKs of the University.Prof. Nazeer further advised farmers
to adhere to the scientific interventions in their fields and take advantage of
the Farm Science Centers established in every district of the State.
He also exhorted upon KVK functionaries to remain alive to the
expectation of the farmers and on forefront in ensuring that problems faced by
the farmers are ameliorated and advised them to bring scientific attainment of
the university to the farmers’ field to enhance their production. He also
informed that Soil Testing Laboratories are being set up in every KVK.Similar
functions were also held by the Directorate of Extension of the university
through KVKs in their respective districts where farmers were distributed Soil
Health Card and also sensitized about the importance of the Soil.Earlier on the
day, Vice-Chancellor visited Mountain Field Crop Research Station at Khudwani,
Kulgam a premier rice research station of the university. He went round of the
Campus and experimental plots where he interacted with the scientists concerned
and Associate Director Research.He took stock of the research activities of
land races including local Kashmiri traditional varieties.
Associate Director Research
Dr. G.A. Parray gave first hand information about the different varieties of
rice, rapeseed-Mustard and wheat being grown in the station and the rice
varieties which are in pipeline for release together with their characteristics
aimed at improving the income generation of the farmers. Prof. Nazeer
emphasized for quality seed production of released varieties and its
distribution through KVKs to the farmers.Vice-Chancellor was informed that
Muskbudgi a traditional rice varieties has been revived from 4 qtls to 5000
qtls which is in the market through private partnership. Vice-Chancellor
complimented the scientists for this effort and emphasized them to explore
possibilities of expansion of the variety to other areas in the Budgam and
Baramullah districts where similar ecology exists. He emphasized the scientists
to work for double cropping to meet the requirements and ensure that seeds are
distributed through chain of KVKs to the farmers.Vice-Chancellor also took
round of the laboratories and individually interacted with the scientists. He
also met non-teaching staff of the Station and heard their concerns which were
highlighted by them.
http://risingkashmir.com/news/skuastk-observes-soil-health-day/
exico could soon decide on Guyana’s rice -PM
By realadmin /
Published on Tuesday, 08 Dec 2015 10:14 AM
Updating residents of Region Two, a major rice
producing area, Prime Minister Nagamootoo, who initiated the talks with Mexico
on buying Guyana’s rice, explained that the recently received a letter from the
President of Mexico,reminding him of the conversation, and authorising the
Mexican Ambassador to hold conversations with Guyana.
“He told us in five weeks’ time that Mexico
would conclude evaluating all the information we gave, about the quality of our
rice, and they would decide,” the Prime Minister said. “…and it seems to me
that Mexico will be a very great player in purchasing rice, maybe not at the
price that Venezuela gave us, but at a price that would keep our farmers
going,” he added.Despite the embargo placed by Venezuela on Guyana’s rice, the
Prime Minister noted that today, the country is selling rice to 38 countries.
“So Mr.
Maduro, you have not shut the world, you have only shut yourself away from the
goodwill of the Guyanese people and farmers,” the PM loudly declared.“We are
facing some tough situations, but we are dealing with them,” the PM assured the
residents, even as he pointed out that the beginning of the problem in the
industry started with a conspiracy against the farmers.“There were people whom
we had trusted and felt were our leaders, who knew Venezuela was going to
cancel the rice deal, but did not share the information with anyone, not even
with you before the elections. What they went around and told people was
that Venezuela would not buy our rice if the coalition was voted in, so they
knew about it and they were using it as a threat,” Mr. Nagamootoo pointed out.
The Prime Minister however, assured that
despite nay-sayers’ pronouncements, “rice is here to stay. Those who are
peddling the notion that farmers are running from the rice crops, you must know
that grains are in need all over the world,” he said. The PM reiterated the
government’s commitment to further seek out more markets for Guyana’s rice.Despite
rice not being the primary responsibility of the government, since the industry
is a private one, the government has gone about looking for markets for
Guyana’s paddy and rice. The now soon to be replaced Venezuela purchase used to
account for 30 percent of Guyana’s rice export market. (GINA)
http://realfmgy.com/2015/12/08/mexico-could-soon-decide-on-guyanas-rice-pm/
IISc scientist wins
The World Academy of Sciences award
Correspondent, Hindustan Times, Bengaluru
| Updated:
Dec 09, 2015 15:08 IST
U Ramamurty, a professor at
Bengaluru’s Indian Institute of Science (IISc), has won the $15,000 Third World
Academy of Sciences (TWAS) award in the engineering category.
(Courtesy/materials.iisc.ernet.in)
The scientist said there are lots of opportunities for science in
India and there needs to be more encouragement for those pursuing excellence.
He also stressed on the need to increase research funding in the country.The
other Indians who received the award this year are Jagdish Ladha of the
International Rice Research Institute, New Delhi, in the agricultural sciences
category and Sandip Trivedi of the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research,
Mumbai, in the physics category.
TWAS prizes or the TWAS-Celso Furtado Prize are given out in nine
categories of agricultural sciences, biology, chemistry, earth sciences,
engineering sciences, mathematics, medical sciences, social sciences and
physics every year. The prizes are given to those scientists who have been
working and living in a developing country for at least 10 years immediately
prior to their nomination.The winners will talk about their research at TWAS’s
27th general meeting in 2016 and will also receive a plaque and the prize money
of $15,000.The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
or Unesco looks after the administration and financial operation of TWAS.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/education/iisc-scientist-wins-third-world-academy-of-sciences-award/story-H9xxgdUm40csEtZRuxyKOK.html
Rice, wheat seized in raids
Tue,08 Dec 2015
A huge
quantity of rice and wheat meant to be distributed under Public Distribution
System (PDS) was seized following raids at several godowns by city police.
Acting on a tip off, the Commissioner’s Task Force (West) raided two godowns at
Kishanbagh and Mangalhat area in the old city and seized nearly 120 quintals of
rice and wheat. The accused Syed Feroz (25), Mohd. Imran Khan (22), P. Om Prakash
(30), Mohd. Abbu Almas (24) Munawar (40) and Fareed (38) supplied the grains to
different towns in Telangana, Karnataka and Gujarat at a lower price. The
accused persons purchased the rice from ration shops and kirana stores and
supplied it to rice mills. The millers then polished the PDS rice and wheat and
sold it to wholesalers.
“At
every level the middlemen and agents made a profit of Rs.
2 to Rs. 3 per kg and it results in heavy loss to government,” DCP (Task Force) B. Limba Reddy said. One of the accused, Om Prakash, runs a fair price shop at Mangalhat and directly bought the rice and wheat from the beneficiaries, the official added. The police also seized a four-wheeler from the accused persons.. .
2 to Rs. 3 per kg and it results in heavy loss to government,” DCP (Task Force) B. Limba Reddy said. One of the accused, Om Prakash, runs a fair price shop at Mangalhat and directly bought the rice and wheat from the beneficiaries, the official added. The police also seized a four-wheeler from the accused persons.. .
Hassad
launches four rice brands
December 08, 2015 - 12:00:00 am
Products of Hassad at a shop.
Nasser Mohamed Al Hajri, Chairman and Managing Director of Hassad Food said: “In line with our strategy of investing in global markets to secure high quality food resources for the state of Qatar, we are proud to introduce a wide range of the finest Basmati rice variants to the local market, all best suited for the discerning local consumer requirements”.From the fertile plains of India, Hassad Food brings DANAT for its consumers. DANAT is premium quality, extra-long Indian basmati rice, with splendid aroma and subtle texture. Available in different pack sizes ranging from 2, 5, 10 and 20 kg in stores.
NATHRY a high quality long grain basmati rice, rich in aroma and taste. Reaped from the Punjab region of Pakistan, NATHRY is now available in various pack sizes ranging from 3, 5 and 10 Kg in stores.NATHRY MEZZAH another high quality rice brand and is best suited for dishes that require high and sustained cooking. THAMEEN made especially for the hospitality sector, and best suited for a range of cuisines as it extends extra flavor and yield. The company said the total amount of Australian sheep supplied by Hassad Australia will exceed 330,000 heads of sheep by end of 2015, which represents more than 50 percent of the local market demand from Australian sheep; all supplied according the specifications set by Widam.
Hassad Australia carried out over the past years a ground-breaking program of breeding the Syrian “Awassi” sheep on its Australian farms, to support the ongoing local market demand.
As for the grains production, Hassad Australia planted more than 73,000 hectares of commercial crops in 2015, including Wheat, Barley, Canola and others. The 2015 harvest commenced in October 2015 and will last until January 2016.With a yearly production capacity of 10 thousand tons of rice, Senwan Pakistan has already started exporting high quality rice products to Qatar, in-line with Hassad Food’s strategy of investing in global viable markets to secure food resources for the state of Qatar.
Over the past years, Hassad Qatar achieved great success and managed to become the largest supplier of fodder products in the local market. Currently spanning over 650 hectares, Hassad Qatar’s commercial operations covers four farms; Al Riffa’, Al Sailiya, Irkiyyah and Um Selal, with a production capacity of 8,000 tons. Moreover, there are plans to expand the commercial operations of the four farms in addition to Um Barraka farm in North Qatar, to reach 950 hectares by 2018.
Hassad
Qatar products are distributed by Mahaseel through several outlets located in
areas close to sheep owners and cattle complexes in Al Shahaniya, Semesma, and
Al Wakra, in addition to the sales office at the central market, from which
they sell their products with competitive prices to support the development of
the local livestock sector.In 2015, Hassad Food acquired a significant minority
equity interest in A’Saffa in Oman and became the major shareholder with
33 percent of the shares. A’Saffa plans to expand its existing poultry
yearly production capacity over the next 3 years, from 20,000 tons to 60,000
tons.
The Peninsula
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/business/qatar-business/361347/hassad-launches-four-rice-brands
Arcadia Biosciences and BGI to Create Global
Non-GM Genetic Resource for Rice
5,000 Rice Lines With Millions of Unique
Genetic Variations Targeted for Public Availability
December 08, 2015 08:25 AM Eastern Standard Time
Under
the agreement, BGI and Arcadia will combine their resources and capabilities to
create, sequence and characterize millions of new gene alleles to advance rice
breeding globally. The collaboration will focus on 5,000 proprietary
indica-type rice lines, provided by Arcadia, featuring high-density variation
within the rice genome. Arcadia has developed non-genetically modified (non-GM)
genetic diversity libraries in other major crops such as soybeans, two types of
wheat, canola, and vegetable crops.Rice researchers worldwide will be able to
tap directly into this new and extensive set of genetic resources to use in the
research and development of higher-yielding rice varieties.
All of
the varieties are non-GM and can easily be used by rice breeders globally. The
project leverages BGI’s world-class genome sequencing capabilities with
Arcadia’s proprietary rice genetic assets and high-throughput genetic screening
platform.BGI will determine the genomic DNA sequences for all 5,000 lines and
make the assembled and analyzed data freely available online. The China
National Gene Bank, being established and operated by BGI, will store the seed
and distribute the rice lines in exchange for researchers providing public
access to findings using these lines.Under the collaboration, Arcadia will have
the rights to apply the findings from the collaboration to extend and broaden
its ongoing programs that increase the yields and the profitability of rice
production globally.
This
work will build on Arcadia’s extensive research in rice, including traits that
are in late stages of development for nitrogen use efficiency and salinity
tolerance.“These shared results have the potential to accelerate rice variety
development and eventually extend to other key food crops,” said Eric Rey,
president and CEO of Arcadia. “We are cost-effectively connecting a major
global genetics research base with the breeders who can apply that knowledge
practically to support global food security in the face of growing populations,
limited land resources and the negative effect of climate change on crop
yields.
”“As the
staple food for China, as well as for nearly half of the world’s population,
rice is one of BGI’s most important research priorities,” said Xin Liu, vice
director of BGI-Research. “Large-scale discovery of novel alleles for desirable
rice phenotypes is critical to understanding genomic diversity and elucidating
gene function for development of elite varieties. We also encourage greater
efforts to establish a global, public rice genomic database and advance rice
improvement. In the future, we hope to dedicate such efforts to other important
crops, like millet, soybean, maize and wheat.”
Rice is
the world’s most valuable crop, grown on more than 395 million acres globally
with a harvest value of $429.3 billion in 2013. The crop plays a critical role
in food security for more than half of the world’s population. Arcadia has
partnered with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on multiple
projects with rice breeders in Bangladesh, Colombia, Ghana, India, Indonesia,
Nigeria and Uganda to improve local rice yields.
About
Arcadia Biosciences, Inc.
Based in
Davis, Calif., with additional facilities in Seattle, Wash. and Phoenix, Ariz.,
Arcadia Biosciences (Nasdaq:RKDA) develops agricultural products that create
added value for farmers while benefitting the environment and enhancing human
health. Arcadia’s agronomic performance traits, including Nitrogen Use
Efficiency, Water Use Efficiency, Salinity Tolerance, Heat Tolerance and
Herbicide Tolerance, are all aimed at making agricultural production more economically
efficient and environmentally sound. Arcadia’s nutrition traits and products
are aimed at creating healthier ingredients and whole foods with lower
production costs. The company was recently listed in the Global Cleantech 100
and was previously named one of MIT Technology Review's 50 Smartest Companies.
For more information, visit www.arcadiabio.com.
About
BGI
BGI,
founded in 1999 with the vision of using genomics to benefit the human race, is
now the world’s largest genomics organization. In 2007, BGI’s headquarters was
relocated to Shenzhen as the first citizen-managed, non-profit research
institution in China. BGI (which includes both private non-profit research
institutes and sequencing application commercial units) and its affiliated
offshoots, BGI Americas and BGI Europe, have established partnerships and
collaborations with leading academic and government research institutions as
well as global biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, to support a variety
of healthcare, agricultural, environmental and related applications. After 15
years of development, BGI has evolved into a very broad scientific and
technological organization, giving its academic and business scope global
reach. For more information, visit www.genomics.cn.
Note
Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This
press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating
to the company's genetic resources in rice. Forward-looking statements are
subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of
future performance.
These
risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the company’s and its
partners’ and affiliates’ ability to identify and isolate desired traits; the
company’s and its partners’ ability to develop commercial products
incorporating its traits; the company’s compliance with laws and regulations
that impact the company’s business, and changes to such laws and regulations;
the company’s future capital requirements and ability to satisfy its capital
needs; and the other risks set forth in the company’s filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including the risks set
forth in the company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
September 30, 2015 and other filings. These forward-looking statements speak
only as of the date hereof, and Arcadia Biosciences, Inc. disclaims any
obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
Contacts
Arcadia
Biosciences
Jeff Bergau
jeff.bergau@arcadiabio.com
+1-312-217-0419
or
BGI
Bicheng Yang, PhD
yangbicheng@genomics.cn
+86-755-36307212
Jeff Bergau
jeff.bergau@arcadiabio.com
+1-312-217-0419
or
BGI
Bicheng Yang, PhD
yangbicheng@genomics.cn
+86-755-36307212
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151208005591/en/Arcadia-Biosciences-BGI-Create-Global-Non-GM-Genetic
Going from margin to mainstream
12/8/2015 - by David McKee
Editors
note: This is the first part of a two-article survey of rice in sub-Saharan
Africa. The second article will cover the countries of West and Central Africa.As
a cereal crop and staple food, the place of rice has rapidly shifted in many
countries of eastern and southern Africa from the margin to the mainstream.
Both importation and local production of rice have been on the rise.In rapidly
developing Mozambique, high quality rice is now the preferred grain of the
burgeoning urban middle class.
Colorfully packaged Thai varieties occupy
entire aisles of shelf space in gleaming new supermarkets of Maputo, Beira and
Nampula, while maize meal dominates only in public markets.Foreign firms,
sometimes backed by their governments, have acquired vast tracts of farmland
for creation of rice plantations. China and Vietnam are reported to each have
100,000-hectare grants in southern Mozambique.Among the geographically and
culturally diverse countries from Khartoum to Cape Town, the two top rice
producing countries are Madagascar and Tanzania with 2.5 million tonnes and 1.4
million tonnes, respectively.
The top
importing country is easily South Africa with 1.1 million tonnes, thanks to its
big economy and large numbers of urban consumers. Three other aspiring
middle-income countries each buy about 500,000 tonnes per year from outside:
Mozambique, Kenya and Angola.In all of sub-Saharan Africa, only economic giant
Nigeria tops Madagascar as a producer and South Africa as an importer.A few
national and sub-regional snapshots serve to illustrate the enormous variety of
the rice industry in this half of sub-Saharan Africa.
Madagascar
Among
African countries, rice plays the biggest dietary and economic role in the
giant Indian Ocean island where the 23 million people consume about 300 grams
daily per capita.
Milled
rice production of around 2.6 million tonnes is on a par with Nigeria and
accounts for nearly 20% of all rice grown south of the Sahara. Imports of
around 300,000 tonnes per year ensure variety and high quality packaged rice to
city dwellers while cheaper varieties and grades help keep a lid on prices.
Poor farmers grow the crop as much for subsistence as for cash.
Mozambique
In an
interview with World Grain, a top manager of a leading Mozambican food importer
stated that rice imports have been increasing on a year-to-year basis by 5% to
7%. Maputo accounts for 60% of the country’s total rice imports, he estimated.
The rising middle class overwhelmingly prefers rice to maize meal.Large
importers bring rice in 25-kg and 50-kg bags in break bulk vessels saving $7 or
$8 per tonne over containerized shipments. Vessels sizes are mostly 5,000 to
15,000 tonnes but sometimes 30,000 tonnes.“New players are coming into the
trade. Traditional wholesalers have begun their own imports in containers with
their own brands,” the industry insider added. “More and more traders are now
getting into rice imports.
”He
estimates there are more than 50 importers now, but the top five still have a
50% market share.In Maputo, 80% of the imported rice is from Thailand. It is
almost all 5% broken, but just 10 to 15 years ago the standard grade was 25%
broken, before shifting to 15% broken.In the less prosperous center and north,
the standard is still 15% broken. The share of 25% broken is now very small.
There is also more Pakistan and Indian origin rice in the Beira and Nacala
corridors. Basmati rice is a small but growing share of the market.Local rice
is a sweet, long grain. Production is increasing in the rain-fed southern zone
where it does well and now accounts for about one third of total consumption
that stands at 750,000 tonnes. Some high quality domestic rice is also
available in Maputo supermarkets from various rice millers in the south.
Tanzania
“In a
good year, Tanzania is self-sufficient in rice production,” said Carter
Coleman, CEO of U.K.-based Agrica Ltd, operator of a large commercial rice farm
in Tanzania. He maintains that exports to neighboring Uganda, Rwanda and
Burundi, all members of the EAC as well as to eastern and southern DRC, can
exceed volumes of low-cost rice coming in from Asia.Much of the incoming rice
is smuggled via Zanzibar.
The
Tanzanian island has a special status in the EAC and is allowed to impose only
a 12% duty on rice. Four or five companies bring rice legally to the island
where it is re-bagged and transported along the coast to small “pirate” or
“dhow” ports as the local media calls them. Official data have shown Zanzibar
with by far the largest per capita rice consumption in the world.Coleman, who
is also vice-chairman of the Rice Council of Tanzania, thinks that the 75% EAC
import duty will be needed for some time. The Rice Council has issued a
position paper that says East Africa is decades away from competing with Asian
exporters of rice on a cost basis.“Farming is rocket science and farming in Africa
is like farming on Mars. You must be totally self-sufficient. You need 1.5
times the number of tractors and combines because parts are not readily
available.
”Rice
production in Tanzania is in four main zones including the Tsonga River Valley
in the south and Arusha/Moshi area near Mount Kilimanjaro in the north.Production
is a mixture of corporate farms and smallholders. ETG’s Kapunga farm with 3,000
hectares irrigated via a 12-km canal from the Ruaha River near the Malawi
border is one of the largest. It was a Japanese government project in the 1970s
and was only privatized eight years ago.Coleman remains optimistic about better
government control over smuggling thanks in part to the media campaign of the
Rice Council supported by its 350,000 smallholder members.
Agrica’s
Tanzanian farm has plans to install center pivots to increase irrigated area
from 1,445 hectares to 3,037 hectares with cropping during both the rainy and
dry seasons.Small farmers have been benefiting from introduction of new varieties
and better agronomic practices. In the past, rice was sown by broadcasting. Now
more transplanting is being introduced. New varieties include hybrids and
aromatic varieties related to basmati.
Other
EAC
Elsewhere
in the Great Lakes Region, rice has a long history as a cash crop in certain
well defined areas with irrigation schemes such as the Ruzizi Plain between
Lake Kivu and Lake Tangayika, straddling Burundi and South Kivu province of the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as well as in Uganda on the flood plain
below Mount Elgon near the southeastern border with Kenya.Internationally
funded projects carried out decades ago built dams and canals and leveled land
in these areas and the local population was introduced to rice cultivation.
Indian
rice producer Tilde has invested in rice farming and milling in Uganda,
focusing on the basmati varieties it is known for.In Rwanda, there has been a
recent push to carve rice paddies out of the bottom of narrow river valleys
throughout the country, but yields in some rain-fed highland areas can reach
six tonnes per hectare.
A
multitude of donors have funded projects to introduce improved seed varieties,
fertilizers, mechanized farming implements, and better drying and storage
facilities. The results are often mixed but progress has been made. In Bukavu,
the largest city in South Kivu, the Heineken-owned Bralima brewery sources
locally from the Ruzizi Plain nearly all of its rice used as an adjunct. It was
still importing rice from Asia several years ago and its need has increased as
beer consumption has risen sharply.In remoter parts of DRC, such as the
interior of South Kivu province, rice is an important rain-fed, subsistence
crop that is hand sown, manually harvested and husked. Yields rarely exceed one
tonne per hectare.
Kenya’s
rice imports are large because it has negotiated an exemption to the EAC common
external tariff that allows Pakistan rice to come in with a 35% duty in
reciprocity for special treatment of Kenya’s tea exports to Pakistan.
Southern
Africa
In South
Africa, imported rice consumption mainly by middle and high-income groups in
large cities has more than doubled to 1.1 million tonnes from 523,000 tonnes in
2000. Diversified food majors like Tiger Foods import and package rice under
their house brands. Still, the per capita consumption figure is low among the
55-million population as maize meal remains the main staple among most groups.The
pattern is similar in other large countries like Zimbabwe and Zambia.Oil rich,
highly urbanized and food import dependent Angola has seen foreign rice
consumption increase by a factor of seven in a span of 10 years from 65,000
tonnes to 450,000 tonnes.
Horn of
Africa
Imported
rice and pasta are traditional food staples accompanying a semi-nomadic herding
and trading way of life in Somalia as well as ethnically Somali Djibouti and
the eastern Somali Region of Ethiopia. Smuggling is rampant so reliable import
numbers are hard to come by. In Djibouti, trade data showing 120,000 tonnes of
imports indicates consumption of over 120 grams per capita daily.Rice
production is a relatively new phenomenon in Ethiopia, where cereals
cultivation is an ancient practice, but is starting to take hold. Planted area
has increased by several times since 2005 and government is forecasting a
140,000 tonne crop for 2014-15.
Foreign
investors have been granted large tracts of untilled land in the water-rich
tribal lowlands of the southwest to be converted to major rice plantations
through costly investments in land preparation.On the highland plain around
Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, in the last decade farmers have
increasingly learned to take advantage of annual flooding during the summer
monsoon season by sowing rice instead of seeing traditional grain crops drowned.
Gradually,
local rice is becoming a part of the urban diet in Addis Ababa and regional
centers, just as it is increasing its “share of stomach” in almost all large
cities of Africa.
Rice genetic library may lead to
higher yields worldwide
12/8/2015 - by Jeff Gelski
The
collaboration will focus on 5,000 proprietary indica-type rice lines
provided by Arcadia Biosciences.
All of the varieties are
non-bioengineered/non-G.M.O.BGI, a genomics organization based in Shenzhen,
will determine the genomic DNA sequences for all 5,000 lines and make the data
freely available on-line. The China National Gene Bank, being established and
operated by BGI, will store the seed and distribute the rice lines in exchange
for researchers providing public access to findings using the lines.“As the
staple food for China, as well as for nearly half of the world’s population,
rice is one of BGI’s most important research priorities,” said Xin Liu, vice
director of BGI — Research. “Large scale discovery of novel alleles for
desirable rice phenotypes is critical to understanding genomic diversity and
elucidating gene function for development of elite varieties.”Arcadia
Biosciences will have the rights to apply the findings from the collaboration
to extend and broaden its programs that increase the yields and profitability
of rice production globally.
“These shared results have the potential to
accelerate rice variety development and eventually extend to other key food
crops,” said Eric Rey, president and chief executive officer of Arcadia. “We
are cost-effectively connecting a major global genetics research base with the
breeders who can apply that knowledge practically to support global food
security in the face of growing populations, limited land resources and the
negative effect of climate change on crop yields.”
Arcadia Biosciences has developed
non-bioengineered genetic diversity libraries in other crops such as soybeans,
two types of wheat, canola and vegetable crops.
http://www.bakingbusiness.com/articles/news_home/Business/2015/12/Rice_genetic_library_may_lead.
Ghost rice’ in Vietnam – P2: Harvesting in darkness
TUOI TRE NEWS
UPDATED : 12/08/2015
19:01 GMT + 7
To harvest ‘ghost rice,’ which is a species of
wild rice, farmers have to leave for the paddy fields at midnight.
Many
farmers often joke that it is the time to go out and catch ‘ghosts.’Harvesting
‘ghost rice’ finishes before sunrise – the moment ripe grains automatically
fall from the stems onto the ground.‘Ghost rice’ plants blossom once a year,
with grains becoming ripe around ten days after blossom.This often occurs from
October to November when floodwaters begin receding.
A night trip to harvest ‘ghost rice’
Tuoi
Tre (Youth) newspaper journalists followed Tran Van
Luong, a 57-year-old farmer in Phu Duc Commune in Tam Nong District of the
Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, on a boat to harvest ‘ghost rice’ at 3:00
am.It happened in total darkness.Farmers could not pluck grains directly from
the stems of ‘ghost rice’ plants as done with normal rice species because the
grains fall from the stems after only a very light impact.The way of harvesting
‘ghost rice’ is special and has remained unchanged in the region for decades.Farmers
install a 1m-tall blind at the center and along the length of a boat.
At the
prow, they plant two high poles vertically, each holding a rod via a long
string.A farmer sitting at the back of the boat controls the other ends of the
rods so that the two lie on both sides of the boat and parallel to the water
surface.A farmer sitting at the front prow rows the boat between bushes of
‘ghost rice’ and the one behind controls the two rods to pull the ‘ghost rice’
stems into the blind.On touching the blind, the ripe grains fall down into the
boat.In the 1970s and 1980s, a period ravaged by high floods, residents in Tam
Nong would survive thanks to the wild rice species.A boat could reap up to 30kg
of ‘ghost rice’ a day.After being harvested, the grains are soaked under water
for three days so that the tail of the grain falls off in preparation for
husking.
Research by Japanese experts
Dozens
of Japanese researchers have visited Vietnam to collect samples of ‘ghost rice’
since 2006, with two of the researchers awarded doctorates based on their
theses on the grain.
The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology have cooperated with the Mekong Delta Rice Institute in Vietnam for research into ‘ghost rice.’Japan has no ‘ghost rice,’ and their scientists have been very enthusiastic about studying the wild rice, said Professor and Doctor Nguyen Thi Lang from the Mekong Delta Rice Institute.
The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology have cooperated with the Mekong Delta Rice Institute in Vietnam for research into ‘ghost rice.’Japan has no ‘ghost rice,’ and their scientists have been very enthusiastic about studying the wild rice, said Professor and Doctor Nguyen Thi Lang from the Mekong Delta Rice Institute.
Some
research groups have visited Vietnam two or three times a year for their study.“In
an email, Japanese researchers showed me that the DNA of the ‘ghost rice’ in
Vietnam is quite different from other species of ‘ghost rice’ in the world,”
Prof. Lang said.“And they are very happy about this discovery.”The study of the
genes of Vietnamese ‘ghost rice’ is to prepare for future climate change since
the rice variety can adapt well to the natural environment, the academic
explained.
Image:The boat to harvest ‘ghost
rice’ has a 1m-tall blind at the center, high poles, and two rods on both sides
to pull ‘ghost rice’ stems into the blind.Tuoi Tre
http://tuoitrenews.vn/features/32037/ghost-rice-in-vietnam-p2-harvesting-in-darkness
Price of rice
increases by 10 per cent
Date : Tuesday, 08
December 2015 11:06
Published in Business News
”The
increase in the prices of rice was followed by maize which made a two per cent
gain to close the week at GH¢4.00 per olonka.Yam (Pona) also followed with a
percentage gain to close the week at GH¢3.60. Soya bean dropped by seven per
cent to close the week at GH¢5.90 per olonka.However, according to Esoko Ghana,
the firm monitoring the markets, cassava (fresh tubers) and groundnut dropped
by two per cent each to close the week at GH¢4.50 and GH¢12.70 per “3-4 tubers”
and “olonka” respectively.Other commodity prices remained the same.On the
various markets, the price for an “olonka” of maize gained by 20 per cent in
Bawku to close the week at GH¢3.00. It also gained a percentage point in
Techiman to close the week at GH¢3.00 and dropped by two per cent in Kumasi to
close the week at GH¢5.00.
Tamale
In
Tamale, it gained a percentage point to close the week at GH¢4.00, while in the
other markets the price remained the same.A “medium size tomato tin” full of
fresh tomatoes lost 13 per cent in Accra to close the week at GH¢18.00, with
Techiman losing 13 per cent to close at GH¢10.10 and Dambai also dropping 19
per cent to close at GH¢7.20.
Kumasi
The
commodity, however, made some gains in Kumasi, Tamale and Takoradi.
In
Kumasi, it gained five per cent to close at GH¢9.50 and in Tamale by 22 per
cent to close the week at GH¢6.60.
Takoradi
Takoradi
had 20 per cent to close the week at GH¢21.60. In the other markets, prices
remained the same.
Meanwhile,
Esoko Ghana wished farmers and fishermen in the country “Ayekoo” for
“feeding the nation.”
NB:
Retail Prices are provided in standard measures (Kgs or Litres) as local
measures tend to change for each
market.
* Accra
market is Agbogbloshie
* Kumasi
is the Central market.
Bawku,
Dambai and Tamale use Koko
Source:
Business
Rice Leadership Alum Wins
Texas Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher Contest
Timothy Gertson gets hands on in Thailand
ARLIINGTON,
TX -- Timothy and Lindy Gertson were named the winners of the 2015 Texas Farm
Bureau (TFB) Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher competition at TFB's Annual
Meeting last weekend. The Gertsons grow
rice, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat in Wharton County.
Timothy
is a fifth generation rice farmer and has worked for years to improve the land
he leases, repairing dilapidated irrigation wells and canals, and using
technology to conserve water wherever possible.
He is a graduate of the 2012-14 Rice Leadership Development Program and
last month traveled to Thailand with the 2015 International Rice Leadership
Class to get an overview of the Thai rice market.
Chuck Wilson, executive director of The Rice
Foundation and manager of the Rice Leadership Development Program, said,
"I am so proud of Timothy for winning this award and getting this
recognition but, I have to say, I'm not surprised. Timothy has always shown great leadership and
innovation which is a big reason he was selected for the Rice Leadership
Development Program."As winners of the Young Farmer & Rancher contest,
the Gertsons will represent Texas at the national competition in January.
Contact:
Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444
USA Rice Daily
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Rice Comment
Rice
futures attempted to stabilize today after the recent downturn. The domestic
cash market is quiet and export demand is slow as well, which is typically the
case around the holidays. There is little support seen for January above the
$10.50 level, while March is testing the $11 level.
http://www.arfb.com/ag-markets-statistics/report/
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