Rice Story: Growing rice to cut down on
imports
It was a long statement from the outspoken Morobean from Mumum
village along the Lae-Nadzab highway.
While Mr. Babul expressed his thoughts to a very receptive
audience, little did he know that he would have to put his words into action
when he got home.
“I said to him, you don’t even have rice. Because you opened
your mouth at the NARI meeting, Mr. Babul, you have to plant rice. You will not
sleep,” Mrs. Babul laughs at the recollection of events that led to the rice
project.
Haiveta Babul, originally from Kerema, says the plots are kept
small for easy management but they have plans to expand on to the family land.
“When you plant bananas, people steal. When you plant tapioka or
kaukau, rats and pigs dig it up. When you plant rice, it is difficult to
steal.”
For Neko Babul, he meant every word he said. Imports should be
reduced and Papua New Guinea should start exporting rice.
“We eat rice as a staple food in our diets. We sell our best
produce in the markets then we go and buy rice,” he says as he stands in rain.
Mrs. Babul continues to plant the seedlings on their latest plot
in the rain, as Mr. Babul continues.
She turned 60 on August 21st. She and her husband have embraced
this new chapter in her lives with the vigor of youth.
“My God! 40 years of independence as we still import rice,” he
adds raising both hands to the air in exasperation. “Papua New Guinea spends up
to one billion kina on rice imports! ONE BILLION!
“We should be growing our own rice, increasing our level of self
reliance and we should also start exporting rice.”
Rice was introduced in in Morobe over 100 years ago by early
German missionaries. But it didn’t take hold as a desirable crop to plant.
Probably because of the labor intensive nature of processing the crop.
Now, nearly two centuries later, there is new interest in rice
growing.
Trukai industries, in partnership with Unitech and NARI has been
trialing varieties which they hope will produce the yield required for
sustainable commercial production.
This year, rice farmers in Markam harvested several tons of rice
which were sold to Trukai industries.
The small rice farm is also being used to teach people living
near the village.
“I tell you, this is a classroom. School kids stop by and ask
questions and we tell them about rice. Because many know how to eat rice but
don’t know what the crop looks like.
The husband and wife team plan to expand their rice farm and
eventually produce between 20 and 30 bags a year which will drastically cut
down their reliance on imported rice
http://www.emtv.com.pg/rice-story-growing-rice-to-cut-down-on-imports/
Remove barriers in supply chain to
stabilise rice market
12:00
AM, September 24, 2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:00 AM, September 24, 2017
Says a leading importer and miller
Citta
Majumder
Price of staple food rice has been rising since the first week of
April this year, triggered by crop damage for flood in haor areas. And retail
prices of the coarse grain, consumed mainly by low and fixed income people,
shot up to Tk 54 per kilogramme, the highest ever in the history of Bangladesh.
The soaring prices have hit the poor and low income people. To
contain the spiral, the government took several measures including import duty
withdrawal and importing through the Directorate General of Food. Recently, the
government also started anti-hoarding drives.
The Daily Star (TDS) recently talked to Citta Majumder, managing
director of Majumder Group of Industries, on the rice market. The group runs
two automatic rice mills with 44 tonnes of combined milling capacity per hour.
It is also active in importing rice from India.
Sohel Parvez, a senior reporter of The Daily Star, took the
interview.
TDS: Rice market has suddenly become unstable recently. In your
opinion, what are the reasons behind it?
Majumder: The demand supply mismatch is
the main reason behind the price spiral. Prices rise when supply falls. And the
market only declines when supply increases.
Rice production in the boro season fell owing to flood in haors,
excessive rainfall and blast attack on boro, the biggest rice crop. The problem
began to deepen after prices of newly harvested boro paddy began to rise.
Because of high prices of paddy, expenditure at mills went up to
Tk 38-40 per kilogramme, which was higher than the government's procurement
prices.
We, from our association, urged the government for slashing import
duty on rice to increase supply and achieve procurement target. Otherwise,
procurement target cannot be achieved. But the government did not pay heed to
our appeal.
As a result, the government failed to reach its procurement target
and the effect can be seen in the market now: a rush of people to buy rice.
The demand was so high that people did not bother about the
quality of rice. We have seen new customers, whom we did not see in the past.
From the demand, we realised that there was a huge deficit of rice this year.
After the government slashed duty substantially, prices of rice
were supposed to fall. Local importers usually buy from India's Bardhaman and
Arambagh as the quality of rice there is similar to rice grown in our north.
After duty cuts, local importers rushed to Bardhaman and Arambagh
in India to buy rice at any cost. As a result, prices shot up to Rs 3,050 per
quintal, which was Rs 2,300-2,400 before Eid-ul-Azha. Rs 1 is equivalent to Tk
1.26.
Initially, we sold rice at Tk 36.5 per kilogramme and then had to
sell at Tk 40-41 per kilogramme because of increased costs. Then prices went up
further.
The biggest damage was done after panic spread fast because of
fake news on rice export ban by India. The extent of panic was such that people
feared there might not be any rice in the future.
We saw the spread of such panic during the tenure of a caretaker
government when rice prices rose to Tk 32 per kilogramme from Tk 22-24.
What I feel is that the shortage originated from various factors
-- slump in import due to the imposition of 28 percent import duty, dwindling
carry-over stock and crop losses for flood and excessive rainfall. Now it has
become a very big problem.
TDS: There are allegations that a
section of traders made hefty profits cashing in on the fake news on rice
export ban by India.
Majumder: This may happen, nothing is
impossible. This cannot be denied that there are both fair traders and
profiteers in the market. But not all are the same. Some bought in much higher
quantities than their requirements and stocked warehouses on expectation of
further spike in prices.
TDS: Rice prices have come down
after the government's meeting with millers. Is it going to be sustainable?
Majumder: Prices surged Tk 3-5 per
kilogramme at importers' level, although there was no logical ground. Prices
shot up because of panic.
The recent drive by the government also had an impact on prices.
But the decline may not sustain if we cannot ensure adequate supply in the
market.
The government has to increase supply of the staple through
imports to bring stability in the market.
TDS: Although you millers say
there is a shortage, the government said there is one crore tonnes of rice in
stock. What do you say about that?
Majumder: I have no idea. But the
maximum amount of stock would be of fine varieties of paddy -- BR-28, BR-29 --
and large millers release these fine varieties slowly until summer when these
varieties are harvested again. They do this to keep their business running. But
there is a shortage of coarse grains which were mainly harvested nine months
ago.
Cultivation of coarse grain, such as swarna and hybrid, has also
declined. Import is the main source of coarse rice.
TDS: It is said that large rice millers
and importers have stocked rice and they control the market. How many big rice
millers operate in the market?
Majumder: It is estimated that there
are about 400 semi-automatic and fully automatic rice mills in the country. Of
that, there might be 50-60 large mills.
These mills have brands and they have to keep supply chain of
these brands intact by ensuring regular supply to the market.
TDS: There are allegations that
millers and traders are hiking prices artificially by hoarding paddy and rice.
Majumder: From my past experience,
there was a shortage of rice during the tenure of the BNP-led government after
1991 election. The then commerce minister sat with us on several occasions.
There were allegations of syndication and profiteering by importers. Such
allegations also came in successive periods.
The truth is crop production falls when there is a natural
disaster. As a result, supply declines leading to a price spiral.
TDS: Do you mean that there is no
effect of hoarding on rice price?
Majumder: Hoarding had occurred in the
past. This is also present now and will be in the future. There are some people
who stock to profit from sales later. But I personally think this does not
influence the market too much.
On this point, let me tell you that we had to sell swarna rice at
Tk 22 per kilogramme whereas it cost us Tk 32 each kilogramme. We hoarded the
grains for eight months to raise its price, but we failed. Our capital just
halved. The year 2014-15 was a 'black year' for us and our existence was at stake.
All suffered because of the fall in prices. At that time, supply was higher
than demand. Now, supply is low but demand is high.
TDS: What can the government do to
bring down the prices of rice?
Majumder: The media should not report
anything that prompts people to panic and rush to buy rice. I do not see
anything to panic given the current stock in the country and imports in the
pipeline.
To stabilise the market we have to increase supply. And
bottlenecks in the supply chain should be eliminated. Railway should be given
priority to import rice from India and foodgrains should be given priority
among other import items.
Overall, supply has to be increased and problems in the supply
chain should be removed. Creating panic or fear would not bring any good. This
rather does the opposite
http://www.thedailystar.net/business/remove-barriers-supply-chain-stabilise-rice-market-1466731
Samar hosts 5th National Rice Technology Forum; Hybrid rice eyed
in more farms
Published September 23, 2017, 10:00 PM
By Restituto Cayubit
Basey, Samar — The Department of
Agriculture Eastern Visayas regional office 8 (DA RFO-8) in collaboration with
partners staged and hosted the 5th National Rice Technology Forum here
recently, where hybrid rice was presented as a key to increasing the yield and
productivity of rice farmers.
DA RFO-8’s OIC Regional Executive
Director, U-Nichols A. Manalo said that DA RFO 8, the Rice Productivity
Advocacy Board, the local government unit of Samar, the hybrid rice producers
in the country, farmers, stakeholders and other partner agencies, jointly
sponsored the 3-day forum from September 20 to 22.
Hybrid Rice in Samar — Department of Agriculture senior science
research specialist Maria Rufelie Gula checks out high-yield hybrid rice stalks
at a demonstration farm in Basey, Samar featured during the recent 5th National
Rice Technology Forum. (Restituto A. Cayubit|Manila Bulletin)
Going hybrid
The event adopted the theme
“Increased Production Through Hybrid Rice Technology” and “Sinirangan Bisayas
Mag-hybrid na Kita.” (Eastern Visayas let us go hybrid now.)
Manalo said the over 3,000
farmers from across thye country joined the event.
It was also attended by the rice
scientists and researchers including rice technicians from the Department of
Agriculture and from the different local government units in the country,
government employees, private organizations and representatives from the
business sector, the media and various rice industry stakeholders.
The country’s leading hybrid seed
producers showcased their products in a 12.6-hectares rice farm located in
Sitio Manilaay, Barangay Old San Agustin, this town.
Low Samar yield
Last year, Manalo said Samar
produced 149,307 metric tons of rice from 54,216 hectares of ricefields,
accounting for 15.6 percent of the region’s total output of 954,844 metric
tons.
“Its yield level was seen as the
lowest level among the provinces in region at 2.75 metric tons per hectare,” he
said.
Manalo explained that farmers
need to be more competitive to cater to the ever-increasing demand for rice.
“As we all knew, increasing rice
output is central to being competitive. And this is precisely where hybrid rice
technology could help. Thus we are excited and optimistic about the future of
hybrid rice in the region,” Manalo said.
Reaching out to farmers
The 12 participating seed
producers provided the farmer cooperators with the seeds and input
requirements, labor cost and rental fees for certain machineries and equipment
used as well as technical assistance following the package of technology
recommended for a particular hybrid rice variety, while the National Irrigation
Administration supplied the needed irrigation water.
The forum effectively introduced
to farmers the benefits and advantages of growing hybrid rice, including increased
yield
http://news.mb.com.ph/2017/09/23/samar-hosts-5th-national-rice-technology-forum-hybrid-rice-eyed-in-more-farms/
Rice Revolution!
By V Naveen Kumar | THE HANS INDIA | Sep
24,2017 , 02:15 AM IST
Hyderabad: In a breakthrough, the
Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) has come up with instant rice that can
be cooked under four minutes and has iron and zinc minerals that is not the
case with normal rice.
The research comes at a time when
people have no time to spend in the kitchen for long and with both husband and
wife working; the instant rice could well be lapped up by all. Scientists at
IIRR say they could do this by chemical treatment using chemicals from
generally recognized as safe (GRAS).“We did not add other chemicals,” informed
a scientist. The instant rice not only saves cooking time but also offers
supplementary iron and zinc.
Additionally, the scientist said
milled rice can’t be made edible by soaking in water at room temperature.
Moisture content would increase only up to 30 per cent even after 2:30 hours
soaking, while instant rice would contain 65 per cent moisture after 40 minutes
of soaking at room temperature.The ratio of instant rice to water around 1:4.
Normal rice requires at least 15
minutes if cooked in boiling water. Normal milled rice contains very low amount
of iron and zinc which were in the range of five to 10 parts per million (ppm)
and 10 to 20 ppm, respectively. Moreover, their contents further decrease when
washed with water and cooked in excess of water. “We developed normal and
Basmati instant rice which has considerably high amount of iron and zinc,” said
Dr MM Azam, principal scientist at IIRR.
Explaining fortification of the
rice, Azam said usually wheat flour and cereals are fortified with iron and
zinc. “If the nutrients are mixed in conventional way, they would get washed
away. So, we have invented a new method to fortify rice with iron and zinc,” he
said. On the evaluation, the scientist said they had served instant rice and
normal rice to some people but they did not find any difference in taste.
Further, he said instant rice did
not require aseptic packing as the moisture content was in the normal range.
The rice available in the market contains very high amount of water (more than
50 per cent), he said and added that therefore it was sold in aseptically
packed package which increases the cost of the rice.
“We were in touch with the industry
for transfer of technology, so people would get instant rice in the market. It
would cost additional Rs 5 per Kg for instant rice," he said.
Disclosing about the forthcoming
research on food products, Azam said: “Our idea is to develop instant pulses,
oils and vegetables and the day is not far away when one could just ‘Heat and
Eat’.”
http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2017-09-24/Rice-Revolution/328668
Baton
Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette area People in Business for Sept. 24, 2017
SEP 24, 2017 - 12:15 AM
BATON
ROUGE AREA
The Mississippi native received her bachelor’s degree at Tulane
University, master’s degree from the University of New Orleans and doctorate
from Florida International University in Miami.
Investar Bank has named Chad
Cornett as a commercial lender and senior vice president
in the greater Baton Rouge market.
Cornett was vice president of commercial banking at Regions
Bank. He received a bachelor's degree in business with a specialty in finance
and a master’s in economic development from the University of Southern
Mississippi and graduated from LSU’s Graduate School of Banking.
Mike Polito, chief executive officer
at MAPP Construction, has been
named chairman of the American Heart Association’s
2018 Capital Area Heart Walk, with support by an executive leadership team.
The Heart Walk raises funds to support the American Heart Association
and promote cardiovascular health.
Louisiana Future Farmers of America has named Eric Smith as executive
director and Cade LeJeuneas executive
secretary.
Smith’s main roles will be in curriculum and governmental
relations. Smith will serve on the state’s Agricultural Education Commission
and work with Louisiana’s Workforce Investment Council and the Louisiana
Department of Education. LeJeune will work on the student side of FFA, growing
membership, preparing members for leadership roles and organizing events.
Smith recently received a doctorate in human resource education
and was an agriculture teacher at Lakeview High School in Natchitoches Parish
for 14 years. LeJeune taught agriculture education in Springfield.
LAFAYETTE
AREA
Diane Broussard has been named vice
president of human resources at Women’s & Children’s Hospital,
effective Oct. 2.
Broussard was senior vice president of human resources for
Schumacher Clinical Partners. Her experience includes six years as a system
planning associate with Lafayette General Medical Center, where she later
served as human resources director for six years.
Broussard earned a bachelor's degree in social work from the
former Northeast Louisiana University, now the University of Louisiana at
Monroe. She received a Master of Social Work from LSU and professional training
in mediation from Loyola Law School.
NEW
ORLEANS AREA
Timothy W. Thomas, co-owner of Thomas
Financial Group, has been elected chairman of the Boys
Town Louisiana board.
Jacquelyn C. Harris, founder of Castain
Consulting LLC, was elected secretary.
Other newly elected board members include Magdalen
Bickford, of McGlinchey Stafford LLC,
and David Winkler-Schmit, of DWS
Communications.
The remainder of the board includes Cliff
Buller, Anne Doussan, Ken Gootee, Lex Kelso, Alvin Johnson, Terry McCall,
Brandi Nye and Barbara Waiters.
AROUND
LOUISIANA
The LSU AgCenter has
named Kurt Guidry as its
southwest region director and Chiquita Briley as
southeast region director.
Guidry, a professor in the LSU AgCenter Department of
Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, succeeds Steve Linscombe, who is
retiring after 35 years with the AgCenter. The southwest region includes 14
parishes and three research stations. Guidry’s office will be at the H. Rouse
Caffey Rice Research Station in Crowley. Guidry has a bachelor’s degree in
agricultural business from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, a master’s
degree in agricultural economics from LSU and a doctorate in agricultural
economics from Oklahoma State University.
Briley was head of the Department of Human Sciences at Tennessee
State University. She replaces Regina Bracy, who retired. The region includes
programs in 16 parishes and three research stations. Briley received a
bachelor’s degree in home economics from Southern University, a master’s degree
in nutritional sciences and dietetics and a doctorate in human sciences from
the University of Nebraska.
Cross River talks possibility in green economy
By Anietie
Akpan, Calabar, Deputy Bureau Chief, South South
24 September 2017
| 2:45 am
Cross River State governor,
Senator Ben Ayade
Cross River State is one of the three states, with least allocation from the federation account, following the loss of Bakassi to Cameroon and 76 oil wells to Akwa Ibom State.
However,
determined to survive, government is engaging in serious agriculture drive. If
the words of the chairman of the state’s farmers’ council, Mr. Owen Oyama, were
to be taken seriously, in the next two years, the state would reap bountifully
from agriculture.
Speaking
with The Guardian at the World Honeybee Day celebration in Ikom, on the
agriculture policy programme of the state, vis-Ã -vis farming, Oyama said
Governor Ben Ayade specifically established the farmers council to pilot the
activities of farmers in all value chains, generate a robust data base to make
policies that affect such value chains, by ensuring that farmers do not only
have enough, but to also see that the state does not go hungry.
“We have robust farm policies. You can see most of our major projects are farm oriented. We have rice research institute in Calabar; we have the one in Obudu, the Bansara rice, cocoa processing in Ikom and other ones that span across the state. It is not only about industrialisation, agriculture programmes are spread across the state. As I talk to you now, we have cocoa revolution and for now our policy trust is on green economy.”
To achieve this green economy with less dependence on oil, Oyama said; “the approach we have adopted, speaking from the bee farming part of it, is already giving me an overview of the endless possibilities. They have told us already that bee itself has bee wax, pollen and other by-products of bee. I know too well that by the time we invest as little as N500, 000 for beehives of say 20 farmers and we pollinate them, we are going to be having in a year over N100m from bee farming as total value to this farmers.
“I am
sure with our bee processing factory already in Obanliku, we do not even have
any issue because we are going to process them there and send them for export.
What we are talking about now is to collate and make them into cooperatives
that will recognise and train them in packaging. We have to partner with
Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Nigeria Export Promotion Council
(NEPC), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and other related agencies to make
sure that our products are not only accepted in Cross River State alone,
but also for export. It may interest you to know that we have one of the best
honeys in the world and given our pollen tree, which is rare. So we have
virtually all the advantages to grow this and make sure we get enough from agriculture
more than we think. Taking our partnership with tourism bureau, we are
expanding more than we think.”
According to him, currently there are 250 beehives that were built by the Federal Government as an intervention for bee farming in Obanliku Local Council Area, which would be publicised to farmers. “We will exploit that to make sure we exploit honey for export from Obanliku. Before now, we have the Obudu honey, which I have not seen for sometime, but we will revive that value chain and make sure Cross River State is back on the world map.”
Besides bee farming, he said robust activities are going on in every other farming chain. “We have meetings with Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, and Cassava Growers of Nigeria, in an effort to boost agriculture. In October, we would be having the World Food Day and all the relevant value chains will come and showcase what they have.
According to him, currently there are 250 beehives that were built by the Federal Government as an intervention for bee farming in Obanliku Local Council Area, which would be publicised to farmers. “We will exploit that to make sure we exploit honey for export from Obanliku. Before now, we have the Obudu honey, which I have not seen for sometime, but we will revive that value chain and make sure Cross River State is back on the world map.”
Besides bee farming, he said robust activities are going on in every other farming chain. “We have meetings with Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, and Cassava Growers of Nigeria, in an effort to boost agriculture. In October, we would be having the World Food Day and all the relevant value chains will come and showcase what they have.
https://guardian.ng/features/agro-care/cross-river-talks-possibility-in-green-economy/
Pakistan
exported food commodities worth $500m in last two months
ISLAMABAD: The country earned US$ 512.3
million by exporting different food commodities during the first two months of
the current financial year as compared the earnings of the corresponding period
of last year.
During the
period from July to August 2017, food group exports from the country increased
by 30.6 percent as compared the exports of the same period of last year.
According to
the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, since the last two months
exports of rice grew by 40 percent as around 428,993 metric tons of rice worth
US$ 223.97 million were exported.
The rice
exports, during first two months of last financial year, were recorded at
3810,861 metric tons, which were worth US$ 159.54 million, it added.
Meanwhile,
the exports of basmati rice grew by 10.35 percent and about 59,433 metric tons
of basmati rice, worth US$ 62.741 million, were exported as compared the
exports of 59,192 metric tons, valuing US$ 56.857 million, in the same period,
last year.
The exports
of rice other than basmati also witnessed an increase of 58.98 percent, around
369.580 metric tons of rice costing US$ 161.198 million exported as compared to
the exports of 251,669 metric tons worth US$ 102.888 million last year.
From
July-August, 2017-18, fruit and vegetable exports increased by 8.74 percent and
reached at 56,280 metric tons worth of US$ 20.58 million against the exports of
73,751 metric tons of US$ 18.88 million of the same period last year, it added.
The other
commodities which witnessed an increase in their exports during the period
under review include fish and fish production, which increased by 19.63
percent, wheat and sugar increased by 100 percent respectively.
It may be
recalled here that imports of the food commodities into the country also
witnessed an increase of 27.18 percent and about US$ 1.123 billion was spent on
the import of different food items to fulfil the domestic requirements.
https://www.geo.tv/latest/159391-pakistan-exported-commodities-worth
Pakistan-China FTA farce
One must wonder what dictionaries policymakers are using since
clearly their understanding of basic terms is so different from those widely
accepted. In the Pakistan China FTA negotiations, what is being hailed as a
“major development” and a “breakthrough” appears to be little more than a nod
towards diplomacy.
The second phase of the FTA was supposed to be implemented in 2014, for which negotiations started in 2011. Since then, the negotiations have been stalled with Pakistan repeatedly requesting for better access. Finally, China has agreed to address concerns. So after more than 6 years of pleading, what Pakistan is hailing with enthusiasm is China willing to consider improved access to its $1.6 trillion market of which Pakistan’s share is less than $2 billion.
China is the biggest importer of cotton and it derivatives in the world. So much so that nearly half of the total global export of cotton yarn is imported by China. The bulk of Pakistan’s exports to China consist of cotton and its derivatives, the biggest export being cotton yarn. Currently less than a quarter of China’s imports of cotton yarn originate from Pakistan which is hardly surprising since Vietnam enjoys of 0.4 percent under the ASEAN FTA, whereas tariff imposed on Pakistan is 3.7 percent.
After cotton, rice is an important export to China for which Pakistan receives no preferential treatment whatsoever.
The average tariff imposed on Pakistan’s rice exports into China is 65 percent whereas ASEAN countries Thailand’s and Vietnam’s rice imports have an average tariff of 33.7 percent levied on them.
Pakistan has shared a list of 70 items that constitute of more than 80 percent of its exports to China. Allegedly, China has agreed to consider these items favourably. Consider this example: China offers 50 percent tariff reduction on Pakistan’s current exports and as result, tariff on cotton yarn imports from Pakistan get decreased to 1.4 percent.
This reduction will do little to increase Pakistan’s market access because cotton yarn from Vietnam will still be facing lower tariffs. Pakistan needs to analyze the tariff preferences offered to its competitors and receive a firm quantitative commitment from China. Otherwise, the jubilations at tariff reductions would be a farce
The second phase of the FTA was supposed to be implemented in 2014, for which negotiations started in 2011. Since then, the negotiations have been stalled with Pakistan repeatedly requesting for better access. Finally, China has agreed to address concerns. So after more than 6 years of pleading, what Pakistan is hailing with enthusiasm is China willing to consider improved access to its $1.6 trillion market of which Pakistan’s share is less than $2 billion.
China is the biggest importer of cotton and it derivatives in the world. So much so that nearly half of the total global export of cotton yarn is imported by China. The bulk of Pakistan’s exports to China consist of cotton and its derivatives, the biggest export being cotton yarn. Currently less than a quarter of China’s imports of cotton yarn originate from Pakistan which is hardly surprising since Vietnam enjoys of 0.4 percent under the ASEAN FTA, whereas tariff imposed on Pakistan is 3.7 percent.
After cotton, rice is an important export to China for which Pakistan receives no preferential treatment whatsoever.
The average tariff imposed on Pakistan’s rice exports into China is 65 percent whereas ASEAN countries Thailand’s and Vietnam’s rice imports have an average tariff of 33.7 percent levied on them.
Pakistan has shared a list of 70 items that constitute of more than 80 percent of its exports to China. Allegedly, China has agreed to consider these items favourably. Consider this example: China offers 50 percent tariff reduction on Pakistan’s current exports and as result, tariff on cotton yarn imports from Pakistan get decreased to 1.4 percent.
This reduction will do little to increase Pakistan’s market access because cotton yarn from Vietnam will still be facing lower tariffs. Pakistan needs to analyze the tariff preferences offered to its competitors and receive a firm quantitative commitment from China. Otherwise, the jubilations at tariff reductions would be a farce
http://www.brecorder.com/2017/09/22/370790/pakistan-china-fta-farce/
Economic Policy Analysis Expert
Dlamini Global Food Opportunities Seminar Speaker
Sep. 25, 2017
Thula Sizwe Dlamini is executive
director of the Swaziland Economic Policy Analysis and Research Centre in
Mbabane, Swaziland.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Thula Sizwe Dlamini, executive director of
the Swaziland Economic Policy Analysis and Research Centre, is the guest
speaker for this fall's Global Food Opportunities seminar series hosted by the
U of A's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.
Dlamini is speaking to students, faculty and staff on Wednesday
at 3:30 p.m. in the Human Environmental Sciences Building (HOEC Room 102). The
Global Food Opportunities series, which is open to the public, exposes students
to international experiences and opportunities to expand career and academic
options. Dlamini's visit is co-sponsored by the Bumpers College International
Programs Office and the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness.
His presentation is "Nurturing Evidence Based Policy and Practice in the
Kingdom of Swaziland: The Role of SEPARC."
Before going to SEPARC in Mbabane, Swaziland, Dlamini worked as
an agricultural economist at the Agricultural Research Council in Pretoria,
South Africa, and conducted research on agricultural science and technology
policy.
He has received the Cochrane Fellowship at Michigan State
University, the South African Agricultural Economics Professional Fellowship
from Cornell University and in 2015 was named Young Researcher of the Year at
the Agricultural Research Council.
Dlamini earned his bachelor's degree in agricultural economics
from the University of Swaziland and an honors degree in agricultural economics
from the University of Fort Hare in South Africa, conducting research on
foreign direct investment in the agriculture sector. He earned his Ph.D. in
economics from Rhodes University, serving as assistant lecturer and focusing
research on the economic implications of monotonous sheep farming in
Graaff-Reinert, Eastern Cape Providence, South Africa.
The Swaziland Economic Policy Analysis and Research
Centre was established in 2008 through a joint collaboration between the
African Capacity Building Foundation and the Government of the Kingdom
Swaziland. The organization aims to build sustainable national capacity to
improve the quality and timeliness of public policies in Swaziland.
Previous speakers in the Global Food Opportunities seminar
series include Jose Carreia de Simas, product development leader in research
and development at Elanco Animal Health; Glenn Shinn, senior partner at Global
Consulting Solutions and Borlaug Senior Scientist in international agricultural
development; Robert Zeigler, plant pathologist and director general of the
International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines; Zehava Uni, professor
of poultry nutrition, physiology and embryology at Hebrew University in
Jerusalem, Israel; Fred Davies, plant physiologist at Texas A&M University
who has worked on space station plant production; Paolo Sambo, professor of
vegetable and ornamental production at the University of Padova in Italy;
Martin Gummert, senior scientist 2 in postharvest development and mechanization
at the International Rice Research Institute; and Eizabeth Mitcham, director of
the Horticulture Innovation Lab at the University of California at Davis.
More information on Bumpers College's Global Food Opportunity
seminars can be found here.
http://news.uark.edu/articles/39679/economic-policy-analysis-expert-dlamini-global-food-opportunities-seminar-speaker
Agri researchers back regional rice
initiatives
Asian agriculture research officials have expressed support for
the Asean+3 Rice Breeding and Genetics Initiative — a long-term program that
aims to address regional food security and national rice sector strategy
concerns.
This week’s meeting of the Council for Partnerships on Rice
Research in Asia (CORRA) saw officials pledging to endorse the program to their
respective agriculture ministries.
They noted that despite progress in some Asian countries, food
crises remain a looming threat. Failure to achieve viable solutions by 2030
will adversely affect food supplies for 560 million people, they added.
The Asean+3 Rice Breeding and Genetics Initiative aims to increase
the rice varieties available to member countries, raise yields and boost
national breeding programs. Member countries, for example, can choose rice
varieties adapted to drought, flooding, and salinity brought on by climate
change.
“The Asean+3 Rice Breeding and Genetics Initiative was recently
endorsed at the Senior Officials Meeting of the Asean Ministers of Agriculture
and Forestry held in Singapore in August,” said Matthew Morell, director
general of the Los Banos-based International Rice Research Institute.
“[CORRA’s] declaration of support is another positive step in the
achievement of South-South cooperation for the regional rice sector,” he added.
This year’s meeting, which was hosted by China, began on Tuesday
and ended yesterday, September 22.
CORRA is composed of representatives of national agricultural
research and/or extension systems from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India,
Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the
Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
The council acts as an advisory board and provides a platform for
partnership and collaboration among its members.
http://www.manilatimes.net/agri-researchers-back-regional-rice-initiatives/352287/
Drought-resistant rice variety struggles to
find any takers
Sandeep Moudgal| TNN | Sep 24, 2017, 10:20 IST
BENGALURU: Even as the government remains firm on not
allowing paddy to be grown in Karnataka's rice bowl Mandya fearing
over-utilization of water from the Cauvery basin, a lesser-known variety of rice which
doesn't consume much water seems to be struggling to create a market.
Aerobic rice needs only half the water used for conventional rice cultivation. In the trial phase for the past 10 years, it has seen little exposure. So much so, a mela was held in Mandya on Saturday to attract farmers towards the variety.
Dr H E Shashidhar, retired professor of genetics and plant breeding from the University of Agricultural Sciences, was the lead scientist who helped in the trial runs.Funded by the famed Rockefellar Foundation in the late 90s, the trials continued through the 2000s and are still on, but farmers have shown minimal interest in using aerobic rice as an alternative to traditional varieties.
"The aerobic variety can yield nearly 20-22 quintals of rice per acre at not more than Rs 15,000 as input cost. Conventional paddy cultivation approximately costs Rs 25,000 per acre for the same yield.Unfortunately , the mindset of the farmers has not changed," said the scientist.
"With people still believ ing that paddy cannot give a good yield if not flood irrigated, farmers are not giving themselves a chance to grow this drought-resistant variety," added Shashidhar. As part of the trial runs, UAS assisted farmers in Bidadi (five acre), Dodballapura (10 acre) and Vishweshwaraiah Canal farm (70 acre) in Mandya to cultivate the rice.
Industry sources claim successive state governments have ignored the variety due to increased weeding during cultivation, besides being sceptical of experimenting the most staple produce of the state. The agriculture department said it is yet to ascertain whether the variety has come to their notice or not.
Aerobic rice needs only half the water used for conventional rice cultivation. In the trial phase for the past 10 years, it has seen little exposure. So much so, a mela was held in Mandya on Saturday to attract farmers towards the variety.
Dr H E Shashidhar, retired professor of genetics and plant breeding from the University of Agricultural Sciences, was the lead scientist who helped in the trial runs.Funded by the famed Rockefellar Foundation in the late 90s, the trials continued through the 2000s and are still on, but farmers have shown minimal interest in using aerobic rice as an alternative to traditional varieties.
"The aerobic variety can yield nearly 20-22 quintals of rice per acre at not more than Rs 15,000 as input cost. Conventional paddy cultivation approximately costs Rs 25,000 per acre for the same yield.Unfortunately , the mindset of the farmers has not changed," said the scientist.
"With people still believ ing that paddy cannot give a good yield if not flood irrigated, farmers are not giving themselves a chance to grow this drought-resistant variety," added Shashidhar. As part of the trial runs, UAS assisted farmers in Bidadi (five acre), Dodballapura (10 acre) and Vishweshwaraiah Canal farm (70 acre) in Mandya to cultivate the rice.
Industry sources claim successive state governments have ignored the variety due to increased weeding during cultivation, besides being sceptical of experimenting the most staple produce of the state. The agriculture department said it is yet to ascertain whether the variety has come to their notice or not.
The scientist has now tied up with a private company, KisanKraft, which supplies agricultural equipment, to publicize aerobic rice.
Vouching
for the rice variety, firm director Ravindra Kumar Agarwal said, "We had
supported a field trial in 2013 involving farmers near Bengaluru and the yield
was better than puddled cultivation by the same farmers on adjoining
fields."
TIMES VIEW
Embroiled in the decades-old Cauvery row with Tamil Nadu and having endured successive droughts, Karnataka understands that water is a very precious resource. In this scenario, the state's nonpromotion of aerobic rice is bewildering. Though scientists say trial runs have yielded positive results, the government can do its own due diligence. As it consumes less water, aerobic rice should be considered as an alternative to conventional paddy cultivation. For too long have our farmers been at the mercy of erratic rainfall, and any practice which holds the slightest promise of benefiting them should be explored and aggressively promoted
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/drought-resistant-rice-variety-struggles-to-find-any-takers/articleshow/60813526.cms
Crop colonies in Telangana
to make agri sector profitable: Pocharam
Once the land
purification drive was completed in the State the crop colonies will be
developed based on the soil texture, availability of water and local
requirements, Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said.
FacebookTwitterGoogle+LinkedInWhatsAppMore
By Author | Published: 23rd Sep 2017 8:13
pm Updated: 23rd Sep 2017 8:14
pm
Hyderabad: Crop colonies will be developed in the State to make
agriculture a profitable sector said Minister for Agriculture Pocharam Srinivas Reddy here on Saturday.
After inaugurating a two-day
conference on “Rejuvenate Indian Agriculture for Sustainability” at Indian
Institute of Rice Research at Rajendranagar he declared that the crop colonies
idea was initiated by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and he was committed
for it.
Once the land purification drive
was completed in the State the crop colonies will be developed based on the
soil texture, availability of water and local requirements, Reddy said. Adding
this he said crop colonies will give major relief to the sector as farmers can
better known what they should cultivate to get good revenues for their yield.
Minister wanted the days to come
where the farmers should fix the price for their produce similar to other
sectors. “To reduce farm expenditure the central government should come forward
to interlink Employment Guarentee Scheme (EGS) to agriculture,” Reddy said.
Mentioning about State government’s
schemes to give major boost to agriculture he said Chief Minister has committed
to complete all the irrigation projects on war footing. “With the budgetary
allocation of Rs 1.50lakh crore the government is constructing irrigation
projects with an aim to supply irrigated water to 1 crore acres,” Reddy said.
He also explained about financial assistance scheme and its positive impact on
agriculture sector in the near future.
Minister wanted changes in the
existing Pradana mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) scheme. “Under the scheme
village is considered as a unit to settle the claims during the natural
calamities, but the State government has been demanding to take farmer as a
unit instead of village,” Minister said
Indonesia's
Retail Rice Market Slows Down Due to Risk of Obesity: Mintel
Jakarta. The retail rice market in
Indonesia has experienced a slow growth rate over the past five years as urban
Indonesians increasingly avoid high carbohydrate intakes due to an increased
risk of obesity, research from global market intelligence firm Mintel showed.
According to Mintel's "Food and Drink report"
published on Thursday (22/09), compound annual growth (CAGR) of the country's
rice market grew 3.5 percent in retail volume between 2012 and 2016 and is
projected to only grow by around 1.5 percent from 2017 to 2021.
The retail volume of the local rice market also only grew by 3
percent last year, compared to 5 percent in 2015.
Mintel
polled 1,192 online respondents aged 18 and above in June, with the majority of
respondents living in Semarang (Central Java), Jakarta, Bandung (West Java),
Surabaya (East Java) and Yogyakarta.
Despite the slowing growth, Indonesia was one of the highest
rice consumers in total market size around the world during the first eight
months this year, with Vietnam projected to top that list with 232.5 kilograms
per capita, followed by Thailand (163.2 kg), China (119.11 kg), Indonesia
(103.02 kg) and Malaysia (100.2 kg).
Mintel's data shows that around 27 percent of urban Indonesians
have been actively avoiding carbohydrates, while 64 percent of the same
demographic said it is healthier to avoid rice.
"The glycemic index [GI] – the one that causes glucose
levels in the body to increase – of many popular rice
varieties will continue to be an issue as cases of diabetes grow. Rice
companies in Indonesia are looking for solutions, and unless lower glycemic
index strains of rice are developed and made widely available, rice consumption
will likely continue to experience slowing growth," Minotto said.
Urban Indonesians, mostly middle-, upper-middle class residents
with a heightened awareness of food safety, are beginning to more frequently
purchase certified organic products over unhealthier, but more affordable,
options.
Between January to August this year, around 28 percent of urban
Indonesians said they seek out organic food and drink products when they go
shopping. Around 75 percent of them have purchased organic rice and noodles in
the first six months this year.
Despite the growing demand, there are limited health-conscious
products in the local market, with only 3 percent of certified organic products
being launched in Indonesia in the first eight months this year.
"In Indonesia, rice is seen traditionally as an affordable
and filling staple. While organic rice varieties tend to attract a premium
price, recent food safety scandals involving rice have fueled consumer distrust
in food and drink brands, prompting them to seek reassurance in organic
certifications. Urban Indonesian consumers are going for organic options
because they believe them to be not only healthier, but safer as well."
Jodie said.
The Mintel study also showed that between January to August,
around 42 percent of urban Indonesian consumers believed organic products free
of harmful ingredients, such as chemical residue, while 45 percent of urban
Indonesians purchase organic products because they do not contain harmful
ingredients
http://jakartaglobe.id/business/indonesias-retail-rice-market-slows-due-risk-obesity-mintel
‘Rotten’ rice imported from Thailand: BNP
| Update: 18:58,
Sep 22, 2017
Bangladesh Nationalist Party on
Friday alleged that the government is mocking with people's 'hunger' by
importing 'rotten' rice from Thailand.
"After importing rotten
wheat from Africa, the government has now procured rotten rice from
Thailand," BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told a
press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office.
Alleging that the imported rice
is low in quality and unsuitable to eat, the party leader said, "We think
importing rotten rice is an anti-constitutional act. So, we think, by importing
such rice, the government has not only committed an anti-constitutional act but
also anti-humanity one. In fact, the government is mocking with people's
hunger."
He voiced deep concern as two
ships carrying rotten rice are waiting in the port to get unloaded though the
food department has declined to accept the rice.
"Some 12,000 tonnes of rice
have been brought by a ship, MV Thai Bin Day, on 31 August while some 19850
tonnes brought by another ship, MV Diamond, from Thailand this month," he
added.
He also alleged that the ship
owners are trying to sell the 'rotten' rice to local rice traders. "We
heard they've already contacted some rice traders to sell the rotten
rice."
Rizvi questioned why efforts are
there to sell the publicly procured rice to private traders. "We think the
government high-ups are involved in importing the rotten rice from
Thailand."
He also said low-income people
are declining to buy atap (white) rice which is being sold under open market
sale (OMS). The dealers are forcing people to buy the atap rice.
The BNP leader demanded the
government carry out an investigation into it.
http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/160343/%E2%80%98Rotten%E2%80%99-rice-imported-from-Thailand-BNP
Rotten
rice imported from Thailand
12:00
AM, September 23, 2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:00 AM, September 23, 2017
Alleges BNP
Unb,
Dhaka
The BNP yesterday accused the government of importing “rotten”
rice from Thailand.
Two ships carrying rotten rice from Thailand are waiting to be unloaded
at Chittagong port, although the food department has refused to accept the
rice, claimed BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press
conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office.
"After importing rotten wheat from Africa, the government has
now procured rotten rice from Thailand... the government is mocking with
people's hunger," he said.
"Some 12,000 tonnes of rice have been brought by a ship, MV
Thai Bin Day, on August 31, while some 19,850 tonnes brought by another ship,
MV Diamond, from Thailand this month."
"We think the government high-ups are involved in importing
the rotten rice from Thailand," he also said, alleging that the ship
owners were trying to sell the “rotten” rice to local rice traders. "We
heard that they've already contacted some rice traders to sell the rotten
rice." Rizvi demanded investigation into the allegations.
http://www.thedailystar.net/city/rotten-rice-imported-thailand-1466245
After mouldy wheat, government
imported rotten rice: BNP
2017-09-22 23:41:29.0 BdST Updated: 2017-09-23 00:19:12.0 BdS
The government is
making a 'mockery of the people's hunger' by importing 'rotten' rice, after
feeding them 'inedible' wheat, the BNP has alleged.
The party's Senior Joint
Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the allegation while speaking to
journalists at its Naya Paltan headquarters in Dhaka on Friday."This time
rotten rice has been imported from Thailand, after rotten wheat from Africa. A
hullabaloo is on in Chittagong after the news of the rotten rice came to light
two days ago," he said.
The food ministry imported over
200,000 tonnes of wheat from Brazil earlier this year. The wheat was reportedly
'rotten and not suitable for human consumption'.
Police objected to taking the
wheat when the government distributed the consignment among the law enforcers,
prisons, dealers and programmes for the poor like Test Relief or TR and Food
for Work or Kabikha.
The High Court ordered the
government not to force anyone to take the wheat, though the food ministry
found the wheat 'consumable'. Food Minister Qamrul Islam said he was satisfied
with the quality of the wheat.
On Aug 31, vessel Thai Bin Bay
docked at Chittagong Port with 12,000 tonnes of imported rice and another ship,
Diamond, came later this month with 19,850 tonnes of rice, Rizvi said,
referring to media reports.
"These rice are totally inedible
and of poor quality. We think supplying inedible rice or wheat is against the
constitution, humanity."
He also expressed concern that
the Thai ships were trying to sell the consignments through private channels
after the government had asked to take those back.
He claimed the people fear
whether the other consignments were also of poor quality rice.
According to him, 16 ships
carrying rice imported by the government have docked at the port since July 13
after two spells of floods created food shortage and caused the prices to
skyrocket.
The BNP leader alleged the
distributors of the government's Open Market Sale or OMS programme were pushing
the low-income people to buy white rice.He demanded an investigation to 'solve
the mystery' surrounding rice
http://bdnews24.com/politics/2017/09/22/after-mouldy-wheat-govt-imported-rotten-rice-bnp-alleges
Telangana
Civil Supplies department to procure paddy
By Author |
23rd Sep 2017 10:25 pm
Hyderabad: The Civil Supplies department is getting ready for paddy
procurement of Kharif season which starts from next month. The department
decided to increase the number of purchasing centres to procure paddy from
farmers. Commissioner for Civil Supplies C V Anand directed officials to make
necessary arrangements so that farmers would not face any difficulty in selling
their paddy as per minimum support price.
Anand, who held a meeting with rice
millers here said the department has decided to purchase 27 lakh metric tonnes
initially. For this, 2,800 purchase centers would be established across the
State. The purchase centers would be established from October 1 onwards as per
the requirement of districts. 16.57 LMT paddy was purchased through 2,100
purchase centers in the 2016-17 Kharif season.
This year, the minimum support
price has been increased from Rs.1470 to Rs.1550 for common type and Rs.1510 to
Rs.1590 for ‘A’ grade, he said.
With the help of Online Procurement
Management System (OPMS) online purchasing, payment will be expanded to 31
districts. From this Kharif season, paddy allocation and extradition, payments
and all the transactions will come under online system, Anand said in a
statement here
https://telanganatoday.com/civil-supplies-department-procure-paddy
Rice bread
rising: Japanese researchers claim baking breakthrough
September 23, 2017
| Lars
Nicolaysen |
TOKYO (dpa) – The global
dominance of wheat bread could be over: Japanese researchers say they have
cracked the elusive secret to making additive-free rice dough rise in the same
way as traditional bread during baking.
While not yet fully
substantiated, the claim by scientists from Hiroshima University and Japan’s
National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) could mark a
revolution in staple diets around the world. It could also bring relief for
gluten allergy sufferers, and a much needed boost for Japan’s heavily slumped
rice production.
In 1962, the average Japanese
consumer ate 118.3 kilos of rice, but by 2015 this had fallen to 54.6 kilos,
according to Agrarian Ministry data.
This is partly due to the
country’s shrinking population, but is also down to changes in eating habits,
with more people eating bread for breakfast instead of rice as western culinary
habits catch on. And the drop in demand has been hitting farmers hard.
So why has no one made rice-based
bread before? Most bread derived from rice flour contains wheat gluten, which
many allergy sufferers must avoid. And if you skip the gluten, the bread needs
various additives such as thickeners or starch.
But the Japanese scientists say
they can produce bread that is gluten-free, uses only 100 per cent natural rice
flour, and has the same consistency as wheat bread.
“The most important point is to
use rice flour where the (natural) starch is as undisturbed as possible,” says
Professor Masumi Villeneuve of Hiroshima University.
Not all rice flour rises during
baking and becomes doughy like bread made from grain. “Obviously there is a
link between the damage to the starch and the specific volume of the baked
bread,” adds Villeneuve
https://borneobulletin.com.bn/rice-bread-rising-japanese-researchers-claim-baking-breakthrough/
Food commodities worth $512.32m
exported in two months
24-Sep-17
ISLAMABAD: The country earned $ 512.321 million by exporting
different food commodities during the first two months of current financial
year as compared to the earnings of the corresponding period of last year.
During the period from
July-August 2017, food group exports from the country increased by 30.6 percent
as compared to the exports during the same period in previous year.
According the data of the
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, exports of rice grew by 40 percent as around
428,993 metric tonnes of rice worth $ 223.937 million exported.
The rice export during first two
months of last financial year was recorded at 3810,861 metric tonnes valuing $
159.543 million, it added.
Meanwhile, the exports of basmati
rice grew by 10.35 percent and about 59,433 metric tonnes of basmati rice worth
$ 62.741 million exported as compared to the exports of 59,192 metric tonnes
valuing $ 56.857 million of same period last year. The exports of rice other
then basmati also witnessed an increase of 58.98 percent, as around 369.580
metric tonnes of rice costing $ 161.198 million exported as compared to the
exports of 251,669 metric tonnes worth $ 102.888 million last year. From
July-August, fruit and vegetable exports also increased by 8.74 percent and
reached 56,280 metric tonnes worth $20.583 million as against the exports of
73,751 metric tonnes worth $18.888 million during the same period last year, it
added
The other commodities which
witnessed increase in their exports during the period under review included
fish wheat, sugar, oil seeds, nuts, tobacco and spices
http://dailytimes.com.pk/business/24-Sep-17/food-commodities-worth-51232m-exported-in-two-months
Kharif rice output may dip by 1.9mn
ton; pulses down 70000 ton
NEW DELHI India's rice output is likely to fall by 1.9 million
tonnes (MT) to 94.48 MT in kharif season this year on account of poor rain as
well as floods, official sources said. The production of pulses and coarse
cereals is estimated to have fallen, dragging the overall foodgrains output in kharif
(summer-sown) season to 134.67 MT from record 138.52 MT in last kharif, as per
the sources. Kharif foodgrain basket comprises rice, pulses and coarse cereals.
Harvesting will star ..
Read more at: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/60816268.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
Guardians of
the grain
Date: 24-Sep-2017
Over the years we have lost over a
lakh varieties of native rice. One district in Odisha is rediscovering some of
them
It is a balmy winter morning when I meet Kamli Bataraa, an
ebullient Adivasi farmer, at her home in Belugan, in southern Odisha’s Koraput
district. There is a hum across the village from the threshing of
just-harvested paddy. When I ask Kamli about the rice varieties she grows, she
reels off 13 names: “Baunsunimundi, Haldi-dhaan, Gadaakutta, Sapuri-dhaan,
Betra-dhaan, Kolarikuji, Laakdikuji, Umriachuri, Limchuri, Asamchuri,
Bagurichuri, Mayer-dhaan, Patraa-dhaan.” As sweet as these names sound, their
aromas are sweeter. Cooking and eating scented varieties like Kolaajeera and
Kolakrushna, for instance, make for a more pleasurable experience than the
ubiquitous hybrids of our daily diets. “With sarkaari dhaan, even if you have
three vegetables on the plate, it does not taste that good,” laughs Gomati
Raut, another Belugan farmer. “Our desi dhaan, you can eat it
plain...” India is rice country: the cereal provides daily sustenance for over
60% of Indians, and occupies the greatest cultivated area. But its primacy
belies a darker story of genetic and cultural erosion.
Half a century ago, we had over a lakh rice varieties — a stunning
diversity in taste, nutrition, pest-resistance and, crucially, in this age of
climate change and natural disasters, adaptability to agro-climatic conditions. From 60
to 200 days As eminent rice scientist R.H. Richharia wrote
in his 1966 classic Rices of India, Indian farmers knew
how to cultivate rice with growing durations ranging from 60 to 200 days. There
were varieties they grew at sea level, on farms 7,000 feet higher, and on a
range of lands in between. Some varieties could grow in 20-50 feet of water.
Others could make do with annual rainfall of hardly 25-30 inches. Yet others
were saline-tolerant. Today, much of this biodiversity is irretrievably lost,
forced out by decades of Green Revolution agriculture, where
‘high-yield’ hybrids and varieties were pushed, with petrochemical inputs
(pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers) and associated technologies. Such
‘superior’ varieties are estimated to constitute over 80% of India’s rice
acreage. Koraput is often depicted as a ‘backward’ region. But its vast,
undulating landscape has historically been among the world’s leading areas for
rice diversification. And even as hybrid varieties have colonised much of
India’s paddy fields, Koraput’s loyalty to the local endures. In the 1950s an
official survey found that farmers here grew over 1,700 kinds of rice. And
farmers like Kamli are the reason that a sliver of India’s rice diversity still
survives. A grassroots movement in Koraput, with over 1,400 farmer-conservators
at its heart, is one of other such groups now trying to safeguard what remains
of this genetic-cultural wealth. The effort is anchored by ecologist Dr. Debal
Deb, aided by staff from a local organisation, Living Farms. I first met Deb in
2014, when I travelled to a two-acre common-property farm in southern Odisha’s
Kerandiguda village, where he is engaged in a remarkable in-situ conservation
of over a thousand heirloom rice varieties, several of them endangered.
Close
to 200 of the 1,200 varieties in Deb’s collection are from farmers in the
Koraput region, proof that the villagers have not abandoned their native
seeds. Back from the brink Noticing
how important heirloom rice varieties were for local villagers, and anxious
that his collection does not become the last repository of 25 regionally
endangered varieties, Deb reached out to some farmers in 2014. He asked them to
grow native varieties and circulate the seeds to other farmers to save them
from extinction. He trained farmers in simple techniques to ensure genetic
purity. Today, the number of farmer-conservator households has grown to 1,469
from only 13 in 2014. By reviving seeds, they are also reviving taste, ritual,
nutrition and sustainability, attributes waylaid by the obsession with yield.
Attributes that make rice more than just about calories and starch. Dansingh
and Kaushalya Gheuria, marginal farmers from the Adivasi community of Bhumias,
were among those who began to distribute endangered rice varieties — eight
upland varieties — that Deb gave them. Our seeds give stamina “Where
have our own seeds disappeared, especially those that can grow on dongar (upland)
land like mine?” asks Dansingh rhetorically, when I meet the couple at their
home in Gunduliguda village near the Koraput-Bastar border. “This is why I
joined the effort to keep our rice alive, so that we do not lose the little
that remains of it.” Today, they grow 12 endangered varieties, cultivating some
in small quantities of just two rows each.
The
farmers call these varieties aamara biyana, our seeds, or desi
dhaan, referring to modern varieties as sarkaari
dhaan or government rice. Several farmers outlined economic
reasons for not abandoning heirlooms. Since hybrids don’t breed true, “we have
to keep spending money to buy seeds,” says Kamli. “With desi,
we store our seeds carefully and use them in the next season.” Then, of course,
there’s the question of nutrition and taste. In Jhareikiri village,
Krushnachandra Gadaba, who is conserving 12 endangered varieties from Deb’s
collection, tells me, “Eating hybrids doesn’t give us the strength and stamina
to work in the fields that desigives us.” Surviving
cyclones There are other reasons why villagers are wary of
hybrids. One, they want to stave off the dependence on pesticide to reduce
their costs and to prevent the impact of chemicals on soil quality. “Hybrids
demand ever-increasing pesticide use,” says Duryodhan Gheuria of Gunduliguda
village. “Our costs shoot up.” Gheuria had flirted with hybrids, and
subsequently decided to steer clear of them. He grows four desi varieties
— Kolamali, Sunaseri, Tikkichuri, Kosikamon — “just like previous generations
of my family.” After meeting Deb, Gheuria adopted three more endangered
heirlooms: Samudrabaali, Raji and Government-churi. Also, the taller paddy
stalks of heirlooms yield valuable by-products: fodder for cattle, mulch for
soil, and hay for thatching roofs, unlike the shorter, modern varieties.
Several farmers also say heirloom crops are better suited to unpredictable
weather, having adapted over centuries to local ecologies. This also makes them
hardier in the face of biotic (e.g. pests) and abiotic (e.g. drought) stresses.
Lab-grown varieties in contrast are designed for the routines of mechanised
farming, large doses of chemical inputs, and a predictable water supply.
Laxminath and Sadan Gouda, a nephew-uncle pair in Belugan, said that on
flood-prone land along a riverbank, such as theirs, modern varieties like
MT-1010 and Sanam fared poorly. “They barely grow, pests attack them... we face
a world of trouble. But desi dhaan like Bahaanimundi,
Umriachudi, Haldiganthi, Sapuri grow well, which is why we will never abandon
them.” Many farmers report that native varieties such as Kolamali and
Kaberigandha withstood Phailin and Hudhud, the cyclones that hit Odisha in 2013
and in 2014, better than the modern varieties. And Tikkichuri and Sunaseri, for
instance, cope better during droughts or spells of poor rainfall. An
intimate affair What struck me as I interacted with the
Koraput farmers was their intimate knowledge of agriculture and ecology —
something rarely acknowledged by modern science or government policy.
For example, an announcement made days ago by the Odisha
government to promote organic agriculture and “develop traditional agriculture”
entrusts the project to a panel of bureaucrats and agriculture ‘experts’,
relegating the farmer as always to the role of recipient. But, as Deb points
out, involving farmers and their knowledge systems is key to successful
conservation. “Hundreds of rice varieties can’t just be preserved in gene
banks. Farmers have to know how to work with them,” he says. Deb adds that if
farmers don’t possess such knowledge, there’s the risk that a lowland variety
will be adopted unwittingly in an upland farm, or a drought-resistant variety
in a flood-prone area, leading to crop failures. The gradual erasure of
indigenous rice varieties, and the knowledge associated with them, is visible
in Badakadamguda village, off the state highway running through Koraput. Here I
meet Arjun Gadaba, who is hard at work under a noon sun, preparing his land for
sowing, with a pair of bullocks and a ploughshare. Going
back to basics Gadaba is clear about what dealt a decisive
blow to indigenous rice in his area. “It happened when this came,” he says,
pointing to one of the canals of the Kolab Dam, a large irrigation project that
brought water two decades ago to the area. “Packets and packets of hybrid seeds
followed. People could grow a four-month-duration crop twice a year, with
assured irrigation. Slowly our own seeds, the ones my parents knew about, were
abandoned.” Gadaba is now relearning lost practices. Last year, for the first
time in his farming career, he cultivated a desi lowland variety called
Haldiganthi, with seeds from Deb’s collection. He also grew the MT-1010 variety
alongside. “But it required buying seeds, potash, urea, pesticide, none of which
I needed for the desi dhaan,” he says. Sometimes, he
needed a bank loan to buy such inputs. “So the profit from any higher yield
gets cancelled out,” he says. Encouraged by his experience with Haldiganthi,
Gadaba tells me he plans to now grow Asabali and Lalu this season. Phulmati
Sira, a young Adivasi colleague of Deb, promises to bring him these two grains
within a week, while the sowing season is still on. Since 2015, Sira has been
touring villages in the block, gathering endangered seeds from farmers —
varieties that do not yet feature in Deb’s collection — and expanding the
conservator network. “This area had totally abandoned desivarieties,”
Sira tells me, as we leave Gadaba’s farm. “But now many farmers are asking for
them again. Eventually, it is this that will ensure such varieties survive.”
Having many rice varieties is not an end in itself. As Deb says, “Rice
conservation is just a handle to ask ourselves, how do we build sustainability
in society?”
http://www.thehindu.com/society/guardians-of-the-grain/article19735976.ece
