Rice imports planned
Nigeria’s government has announced it will import
500,000 tonnes of rice up to a value of US$600 million to curtail the effect of
the global rise in food prices on Nigeria. The decision was taken after an
emergency meeting between the Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua and the
governors of Nigeria's 36 states. “The whole essence of this importation
in the short term is to create availability and reduce the skyrocketing
prices,” the governor of south-western Ondo State, Olusegun Agagu said.
"We cannot say there is famine in Nigeria yet, but the prices of foodstuffs are going up and availability in a number of places is diminishing," the governor added. Over recent weeks, the price of a bag of rice on markets in Nigeria has doubled and tripled to between US$85 and US$102. In the administrative capital Abuja, the price of butter, beans and bread have doubled just in the last two weeks. Traders from Nigeria have reportedly been buying up stocks of rice and grains from around the West and Central Africa region.
The government says it plans to sell the imported rice at half the market price – around US$50 per 50kg bag. It expects delivery in around 3 months. Some observers are questioning the way the massive rice import – the largest in Nigeria’s recent history - will be managed.
“The problem is the implementation,” a western diplomat in Abuja told IRIN on condition of anonymity. “Once it comes in, how is this rice going to be shared and distributed? Let’s pray the rice will not go to politicians,” the official said. Nigeria, a former agrarian nation, abandoned agriculture in the early 1980s when the government refocused the economy on oil exploration, which now accounts for more than 90 per cent of total government revenue. Nigeria is as a result chronically dependent on food imports. The country only produces 500,000 tonnes of rice while the annual consumption is 2.5 million tonnes.
"We cannot say there is famine in Nigeria yet, but the prices of foodstuffs are going up and availability in a number of places is diminishing," the governor added. Over recent weeks, the price of a bag of rice on markets in Nigeria has doubled and tripled to between US$85 and US$102. In the administrative capital Abuja, the price of butter, beans and bread have doubled just in the last two weeks. Traders from Nigeria have reportedly been buying up stocks of rice and grains from around the West and Central Africa region.
The government says it plans to sell the imported rice at half the market price – around US$50 per 50kg bag. It expects delivery in around 3 months. Some observers are questioning the way the massive rice import – the largest in Nigeria’s recent history - will be managed.
“The problem is the implementation,” a western diplomat in Abuja told IRIN on condition of anonymity. “Once it comes in, how is this rice going to be shared and distributed? Let’s pray the rice will not go to politicians,” the official said. Nigeria, a former agrarian nation, abandoned agriculture in the early 1980s when the government refocused the economy on oil exploration, which now accounts for more than 90 per cent of total government revenue. Nigeria is as a result chronically dependent on food imports. The country only produces 500,000 tonnes of rice while the annual consumption is 2.5 million tonnes.
http://www.irinnews.org/report/78035/nigeria-rice-imports-planned
Nagpur
Foodgrain Prices Open- November 28, 2017
Reuters | Nov 28, 2017, 13:50 IST
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices -
APMC/Open Market-November 28 Nagpur, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Gram prices firmed up
in Nagpur Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on good seasonal
demand from local millers amid weak supply from producing regions. Healthy rise
in Madhya Pradesh gram pries and fresh
enquiries from South-based millers also boosted prices, according to sources.
FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here
but demand was poor. TUAR * Tuar gavarani recovered further in open market on
good demand from local traders. * Lakhodi dal and Watana dal reported higher in
open market on increased demand from local traders. * In Akola, Tuar New -
4,000-4,100, Tuar dal (clean) - 5,700-5,800, Udid Mogar (clean) - 8,000-8,500,
Moong Mogar (clean) 7,000-7,300, Gram - 4,500-4,650, Gram Super best -
7,300-7,500 * Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a narrow range in
scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading activity. Nagpur
foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS
Available prices Previous close Gram Auction 3,600-4,200 3,600-4,400 Gram
Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction n.a. 3,600-3,940 Moong Auction n.a.
3,900-4,200 Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800 Wheat
Mill quality Auction 1,600-1,696 1,600-1,696 Gram Super Best Bold 7,000-7,800
7,000-7,800 Gram Super Best n.a. n.a. Gram Medium Best 6,400-6,800 6,400-6,800
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a Gram Mill Quality 4,700-4,800 4,700-4,800 Desi gram
Raw 4,900-5,000 4,900-5,000 Gram Kabuli 12,400-13,000 12,400-13,000 Tuar Fataka
Best-New 6,200-6,400 6,200-6,400 Tuar Fataka Medium-New 5,900-6,100 5,900-6,000
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 5,400-5,700 5,400-5,700 Tuar Dal Medium phod-New
5,100-5,350 5,100-5,350 Tuar Gavarani New 4,150-4,250 4,000-4,100 Tuar
Karnataka 4,500-4,800 4,400-4,700 Masoor dal best 5,000-5,200 5,000-5,200
Masoor dal medium 4,600-4,800 4,600-4,800 Masoor n.a. n.a. Moong Mogar bold
(New) 7,100-7,500 7,100-7,500 Moong Mogar Medium 6,300-6,700 6,300-6,700 Moong
dal Chilka 5,200-6,000 5,200-6,000 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki
best 7,100-7,500 7,100-7,600 Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,500-9,000 8,500-9,000
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,800-7,000 5,800-7,000 Udid Dal Black (100
INR/KG) 5,300-6,400 5,300-6,400 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,100-5,200 5,100-5,200
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 3,000-3,100 2,850-3,000 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)
3,100-3,200 2,900-3,000 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,800 3,400-3,800
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,000 1,900-2,000 Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG)
1,850-1,950 1,850-1,950 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,300
2,100-2,300 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,450 2,200-2,400 Wheat Lokwan
medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,150 1,900-2,100 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a.
n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,600
3,100-3,600 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,700 2,300-2,700 Rice BPT
best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,500 3,000-3,500 Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)
2,800-2,900 2,800-2,900 Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,200-2,400 Rice
Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600 Rice Swarna medium (100
INR/KG) 2,300-2,400 2,300-2,400 Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,000
3,600-4,000 Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,250-3,600 3,250-3,600 Rice Shriram
best(100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,100 4,800-5,100 Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG)
4,400-4,600 4,400-4,600 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,200-14,000
10,200-14,000 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,200-7,500 5,300-7,500 Rice
Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 5,000-5,500 5,000-5,500 Rice Chinnor medium (100
INR/KG) 4,700-5,000 4,700-5,000 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,200
2,000-2,100 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,800-2,000 1,700-2,000 WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 31.3 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 11.0 degree Celsius Rainfall :
Nil FORECAST: Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around
and 31 and 11 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.--not available (For oils,
transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market
prices)
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/nagpur-foodgrain-prices-open-november-28-2017/articleshow/61832578.cms
Record rice harvest seen
Aided by constant rains as with the intensified
campaign on using better seed varieties, the country is projected to see a
record rice harvest of about 19.4 million metric tons for 2017, according to
Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol. The record harvest means the Philippines
will need just 600,000 metric tons more to reach its self-sufficiency target of
20-million metric tons per year.Until recently, the country imported about
1.8-million metric tons of rice.
The shortage fell to 500,000
metric tons of late, with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) noting rice
production has grown by 14.7 percent in the third quarter of this year.Reports
from Department of Agriculture (DA) regional offices indicate the fourth
quarter harvest might fare even better given how typhoons have been bringing in
much needed rains, doubling the usual crop yield.
Pinol said the rice sector’s
improved performance is also attributed to local farmer’s increased willingness
to adapt to modern technology, including the use of hybrid seeds as developed
by private agricultural companies in collaboration with the International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI) and the Philippine Rice Research Institute
(PhilRice).
According to a report, Nueva
Ecija rice farmers using hybrid seeds posted harvests of 10-metric tons, higher
than the national average of 4.38-metric tons per hectare per harvest.
Currently, though, only 360,000
out of a possible 4.9-million hectares are planted with hybrid seeds.
The DA has since set a target of
one million hectares to be planted with hybrid seeds by 2020 with a modest
production goal of six metric tons per hectare.
This is expected to result in an
additional annual production of four million metric tons per harvest per year.
Punjab Cabinet reviews progress of paddy procurement
Chandigarh, Nov 27 (UNI) The Punjab Cabinet on
Monday reviewed the progress of paddy procurement in the state in the current
season, which began on October 1, 2017 and will end on December 15, 2017.
A spokesperson for the Chief Minister's Office said that a detailed
presentation was made to apprise the Council of Ministers about the progress of
ongoing paddy procurement. The cabinet expressed satisfaction over the
procurement process.
The cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, was
informed that as of November 26, 2017, 174 lakh MT paddy had been procured by
the five state procurement agencies viz Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup, PSWC, PAFC
and FCI, selected for procurement on MSP as per specification laid down by the
central government. The Centre has fixed Rs 1550 for common variety and Rs 1590
for 'A' grade paddy per quintal as minimum support price during Kharif
Marketing Season 2017-18.
With the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) releasing Cash Credit Limit amounting to
Rs 33800.22 crore for procurement, the state government had paid Rs 27,409
crore to farmers and artiyas till November 26, 2017 by the state agencies, the
cabinet was further informed.
The Agriculture Department has informed that 154 lakh MT paddy would arrive in
the state mandis during KMS 2017-18 and the state government had made elaborate
arrangements for procuring 182 lakh MT paddy. During previous KMS 2016-17, a
total of 168.88 lakh MT paddy was procured, out of which 164.88 lakh MT paddy
was procured by Government agencies, while traders/millers had procured 1.04
lakh MT paddy.
During current KMS 2017-18 state agencies have been given the target to procure
172.90 lakh MT and FCI will procure 9.10 lakh MT paddy. State agencies require
9.22 lakh gunny bales for packaging of paddy. As per Government of India
Policy/guidelines, arrangements for 50 per cent of the gunny bales have been
made by state procuring agencies while rice millers have arranged for the
remaining 50 per cent
Read more at
http://www.uniindia.com/punjab-cabinet-reviews-progress-of-paddy-procurement/states/news/1059224.html#DjFucCDhjFAHOjch.99 http://www.uniindia.com/punjab-cabinet-reviews-progress-of-paddy-procurement/states/news/1059224.html
Agriculture ministry and IRRI to boost rice production
The agriculture ministry, in
signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI) on November 24, stated that it has identified rice
production as a priority in the 12th Plan.The MoU, according to agriculture
minister Yeshey Dorji, is expected to accelerate rice production.
He said that owing to the
topography and geographical landscape, the country has less rice cultivable
land. “The MoU is expected to explore ways to increase and diversify rice production
with the limited rice cultivable land.”The country is around 50 percent
self-sufficient in rice production and the ministry aims to achieve 60 percent
in the next five years.
“We have initiated spring rice
cultivation to achieve the target. We hope the organisation would help in this
endeavour,” said the minister.He said that Bhutan’s association with IRRI began
around 1984 where it provided human resource development and technical
expertise. “IRRI played a vital role in 1995 when rice blast epidemic affected
around 1,800 acres of land and resulted in a loss of nearly 1,100 metric tonnes
of rice.”
Records show that
scientists from IRRI helped in identifying the cause of the epidemic and found
ways to prevent future outbreaks. “But the collaboration stopped since 2000,”
the minister said.
Lyonpo Yeshey Dorji said that the
MoU signing marked a renewed collaboration.The government and the IRRI agreed
to revive and strengthen the partnership in July last year to assist the
country’s rice industry, to solve challenges and emerging needs to diversify
and increase rice production.The director general of IRRI, Matthew Morell, who
signed the MoU with agriculture secretary Rinzin Dorji, said the collaboration
would bring technology, knowledge and diversify production through germplasm in
Bhutan. “But the biggest reason to be optimistic is that the MoU marks the
renewed relationship and mutual commitment to taking us forward.”
He said that IRRI could bring in
global research, facilitate training to help the country increase rice
production and diversify the varieties.
He also said that the challenges
of pressure on the land with urbanisation, labour shortage, availability of
water, affordability of fertilisers and other inputs and climate change impacts
are common issues faced by many rice-growing countries. “We can work together
and exchange available technologies.”
Matthew Morell said IRRI could
help Bhutan continue improving the productivity of traditional rice variety and
make them more tolerant to drought, cold and nutrient deficient. “We can also
work towards exchange knowledge on Bhutan’s organic produce with other
countries.”The MoU is also expected to explore ideas to solve the issues of
rice blast and common problems faced in elevated environment and facilitate
human resource development. Other areas of collaboration are in the management
of rice production to change the rice production duration and explore spring
cropping season with research and training to enhance productivity.
Nima
Senate OKs Balik Scientist Bill
on final reading
Rappler.com
Published 10:17 AM, November 28, 2017
10:17 AM, November 28, 2017
PINOY SCIENTIST AT WORK. In this photograph taken on October 10,
2015, gene bank manager Flora de Guzman checks rice samples at the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Laguna, south of Manila. Noel
Celis/AFP
MANILA, Philippines – A proposed
measure to help attract Filipino scientists and experts back home has hurdled
the third and final reading at the Senate.The Senate passed Senate Bill No 1533
or the Balik Scientist Bill on third and final reading with a vote of 13-0. It
aims to provide incentives and benefits for Filipino scientists based overseas
who decide to return home to help in the country's research and development
sector.
It aims to help address the
shortage of scientists, engineers, and experts in the Philippines, who are
lured by other countries with better pay and working conditions and facilities.
SB 1533 aims to institutionalize
the Balik Scientist Program, a program of the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST) that gives incentives and benefits to Filipino scientists who
return to work the country.
The DOST defines "balik
scientists" as Filipino citizens, former Filipino citizens, or foreigners
of Filipino descent who live abroad and are contracted by the government to
work in the Philippines for a certain period of time.
At present, the Philippines only has 189 scientists
per million people, which Senator Paolo
Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV said is a far cry from the UNESCO standard of
380 scientists per million.
This figure pales in comparison
to South Korea (5,300), United States (3,500), Malaysia (2,100), Singapore
(6,700), and Israel (8,300), which leads the world in the statistic.
"This is a step towards
improving the country’s research and development sector. We must support more
initiatives to empower our scientists and researchers," Aquino said in a
statement on Monday, November 27.
The DOST previously said that the
Balik Scientist Law will significantly increase funding for the Balik Scientist
Program.The 2017 budget for the program was at P25 million.The late strongman
Ferdinand Marcos established the Balik Scientist Program through Presidential
Decree No. 819 in 1975, and was implemented until 1986. President Fidel V.
Ramos revived the program through Executive Order No. 130 in 1993, placing it
under the DOST. – Rappler.com
https://www.rappler.com/science-nature/society-culture/189726-balik-scientist-bill-passes-senate-final-reading
Ogbeh: Rice
Importation from Thailand Has Dropped to 20,000 MT
November 28, 2017
3
Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
Nigeria has drastically cut the
volume of its rice shipments from Thailand to 20,000 metric tonnes from 644,000
mt it was importing by September 2015, the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu
Ogbeh, said.He made this disclosure at the weekend when he received the
Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Services (NCS), Col Hammed Ali (rtd),
and a team of senior officers of the customs command.
Thailand used to be one of the
three major exporters of parboiled rice to Nigeria until a policy by government
banned the export in 2015, to stimulate local production of the food staple.The
minister said the figures were released by Thai Rice Exporters Association,
which complained that customs curbs in smuggling had led to reduction in rice
importation.
He also said some Thai investors
had indicated interest in establishing rice milling plants in Nigeria.The step
is one of the ways to end Nigeria’s dependence on imported rice and ensure
self-sufficiency in rice production by next year. The Minister of Information,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at another forum said Nigeria is inching towards achieving
its 7 million target in rice production by 2018.
Mohammed said attaining that
target would leave the country with a surplus of 700,000 metric tonnes as the
current local demand for rice is 6.3 million metric tonnes.He premised his
optimism on the inauguration of two private owned rice mills in the country
this year.
The mills include the WACOT Mill in Argungu, Kebbi State, with an installed capacity to process 120,000 metric tonnes of parboiled rice annually, and the integrated Dangote Rice Mill, projected to produce 1,000,000 metric tonnes per annum.
The mills include the WACOT Mill in Argungu, Kebbi State, with an installed capacity to process 120,000 metric tonnes of parboiled rice annually, and the integrated Dangote Rice Mill, projected to produce 1,000,000 metric tonnes per annum.
“Today, in continuation of these
efforts, we are happy to tell Nigerians of a giant stride made by the
administration in the agriculture sector, specifically rice production: Nigeria
is inching closer to achieving self-sufficiency in rice, due to the success
recorded by the administration in the local production of rice. There is more
good news to report,” Mohammed said.
The minister attributed the
improvement in rice production across the country to government’s Anchor
Borrowers’
Programme initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari, which supports farmers through inputs distribution and loans to boost rice production.Presently there are 12.2 million nigerians cultivating rice according to the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN)
Programme initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari, which supports farmers through inputs distribution and loans to boost rice production.Presently there are 12.2 million nigerians cultivating rice according to the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN)
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/11/28/ogbeh-rice-importation-from-thailand-has-dropped-to-20000-mt/
Higher oil
bill overshadows strong growth in exports
2017-11-28 00:39:23
Despite a double-digit growth in
exports revenue, surpassing the US $ 1 billion mark, Sri Lanka’s trade deficit
in September widened due to higher fuel and rice imports, the data released by
the Central Bank showed.
Accordingly, the September trade deficit widened to US $ 656 million from US $ 610 million last year and the deficit in the first nine months expanded to US $ 6.84 billion from US $ 6.13 billion recorded for the same period, last year. Earnings from exports, which grew since March 2017, continued its increasing trend in September 2017 as well. For September, export earnings registered a growth of 12.6 percent year-on-year (YoY) to US $ 1.01 billion.
Accordingly, the September trade deficit widened to US $ 656 million from US $ 610 million last year and the deficit in the first nine months expanded to US $ 6.84 billion from US $ 6.13 billion recorded for the same period, last year. Earnings from exports, which grew since March 2017, continued its increasing trend in September 2017 as well. For September, export earnings registered a growth of 12.6 percent year-on-year (YoY) to US $ 1.01 billion.
This growth was mainly led by higher earnings from industrial exports owing to the increase in exports of textiles and garments as a result of improved garment exports to the USA and European Union market due to the restoration of the GSP Plus facility.
Earnings from textile and garment exports rose 12.9 percent YoY to US $ 431.5 million. Earnings from petroleum products exports also soared over 100 percent YoY to US $ 40.2 million.
Industrial exports earnings overall rose 11.1 percent YoY to US $ 744.5 million. The agricultural exports, which rose 17.3 percent YoY to US $ 262.7 million, were largely helped by tea and seafood exports. Due to the higher tea prices at the global market place, tea export earnings during September fetched US $ 136.9 million, up 19.2 percent YoY. Seafood exports, bolstered by the removal of the EU ban for Lankan fish exports, rose 68.5 percent YoY to US $ 20.8 million.
Export earnings from spices also rose 22.5 percent YoY to US $ 48.9 million.For the first nine months of the year, the cumulative earnings from exports grew 8.2 percent YoY to US $ 8.42 billion. The USA, UK, India, Italy and Germany were the leading markets for merchandise exports of Sri Lanka in September 2017, accounting for about 51 percent of total exports.
However, this positive growth in exports was overshadowed by higher import expenditure, which rose 9.7 percent YoY to US $ 15.26 billion for the cumulative period and 10.5 percent YoY to US $ 1.66 billion during September. Expenditure on fuel imports during September rose 69.3 percent YoY to US $ 298.5 million and the cumulative figure stood at US $ 2.45 billion, up 46.2 percent YoY.
“Expenditure on fuel imports increased significantly due to the combined effect of high prices in the international market and higher volumes of fuel imported for thermal-based power generation,” the Central Bank said.
Further, base metals led by iron and steel, mineral products led by cement clinkers and building materials led by cement imports increased notably, reflecting higher demand by the construction sector.
Meanwhile, expenditure on consumer goods imports declined owing to lower prices and volumes of sugar imports.However, following the measures taken to fulfil the shortage of rice in the domestic market, expenditure on rice imports continued to increase in September 2017, adding around 497,889 metric tonnes so far during 2017 from 21,457 metric tonnes imported during the corresponding period of 2016.
As a result, expenditure on rice imports rose to US $ 22 million from US $ 1.4 million YoY.
Meanwhile, vehicle imports fell 8.9 percent YoY to US $ 55.4 million as people were expecting duty reductions from the November budget.
With regard to the origin of imports, India, China, Singapore, the UAE and Japan were the main import origins during September 2017, accounting for about 58 percent of total imports.
Workers’ remittances suffer
sharpest decline
Continuing with its disturbing
trend, workers’ remittances during the month of September fell almost 17
percent YoY or by US $ 97 million to US $ 481 million, recording the sharpest
monthly decline for this year.For the first nine months of the year, earnings
from workers’ remittances fell 7 percent YoY or by US $ 397 million to US $
4.98 billion.“Slower growth in economic activities and adverse geopolitical
conditions prevailing in the Middle Eastern region continued to have a negative
impact on workers’ remittances,” the Central Bank said.
The diplomatic row between oil-rich Qatar and
its Arab neighbours appears to be the key reason for the decline in
remittances.About two million Sri Lankans work overseas, mostly in the Middle
East and in construction and hospitality sectors or as housemaids. Money
they send back is Sri Lanka’s biggest source of foreign exchange and helps to
cover up 80 percent of the trade deficit. Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit
Coomaraswamy told reporters in Colombo recently that the declining remittance
income could be a blessing in disguise because the country’s small businesses,
which are expanding, are now looking for workers.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Higher-oil-bill-overshadows-strong-growth-in-exports--141193.html
New Study Confirms Buying Red Yeast Rice Supplements is a Crap Shoot
November 28, 2017
Savvy Supplement Shopper is a blog by CSPI senior staff scientist David Schardt.
This blog aims to parse the good from the bad from the truly awful in the
supplement aisle.
If you’ve been thinking about buying a red yeast rice supplement
to lower your cholesterol levels, you’ll need a lot of luck on your side.
That’s because you won’t really know what you’re getting.
These supplements are produced by fermenting rice with various
strains of a yeast that makes monacolin K, which is identical to lovastatin.
That’s the active ingredient in the prescription statin drug Mevacor.
Red yeast rice with enough monacolin K in it can lower LDL
cholesterol levels, but identifying a product that has enough is
hit-or-miss, a new study confirms.
Researchers at Harvard University and the University of
Mississippi recently bought 28 brands of red yeast rice from Walmart, Whole
Foods, Walgreens, and GNC and measured how much monacolin K they contained.
Two brands didn’t contain any at all!
In the 26 that did contain at least some monacolin K, the
amounts ranged more than 60-fold among brands! Some had barely any, some had a
lot. Six of the brands, in fact, had more of the statin than what the Food and
Drug Administration considers legal for a dietary supplement.
And consumers following the different dosages recommended on the
labels could get 120 times more monacolin K from one product than from another.
Not good.
Since none of the red yeast rice supplements were labeled with
their amounts of monacolin K, consumers have no way of knowing whether they’re
buying a potentially-effective product or a dud. (The researchers did not
identify the brands they tested.)
Researchers at Harvard University and the University of
Mississippi recently bought 28 brands of red yeast rice from Walmart, Whole
Foods, Walgreens, and GNC and measured how much monacolin K they contained.
Two brands didn’t contain any at
all!
Plus, we now know that red yeast rice can cause some of the same
side effects as statin drugs, such as muscle pain in a small fraction of users.
Yet only 2 of the 28 brands the researchers tested advised consumers not to
take red yeast rice if they’re also on a prescription statin. Taking both would
likely increase the chances of suffering side effects.
How much can red yeast rice lower cholesterol levels? A 2014 meta-analysis of 13 clinical trials in people with high cholesterol levels found that the
supplement lowered total blood cholesterol by an average of about 38 mg/dl and
LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by about 34 mg/dl. Of course, these studies probably
were careful to make sure the red yeast rice they were using was potent.
Consumers, on the other hand, are on their own.
These new results showing that buying red yeast rice is a crap
shoot are consistent with earlier studies by ConsumerLab.com, a supplement-testing company.
In addition, ConsumerLab found that the amount of monacolin K
could fluctuate wildly from year to year even within the same brand. So even if
you find one red yeast rice product that seems to lower your cholesterol
levels, you won’t know if another batch of the same brand will do the same.
That’s a lot of uncertainty – some might call it gambling – when
you’re trying to control a major risk factor for heart disease, the number one
killer in the United States.
Companies are supposed to be following new quality-control
regulations governing the manufacture of supplements so that this kind of mess
doesn’t happen. Looks like the red yeast rice folks didn’t get the memo.
David Schardt
David Schardt is a Senior
Scientist at CSPI and authors the Savvy Supplement Shopper blog. Schardt has been writing about
nutrition for the general public and for professionals for more than
30 years. His reports on nutrition and dietary supplements have been
featured in the monthly Nutrition Action Healthletter. In
1988, he helped to write and edit the landmark Surgeon General's Report on
Nutrition and Health. His book Eating Leaner and Lighter, published by
Warner Books, was recommended for sensible nutrition by the USDA's Food and
Nutrition Information Center. He has been featured on numerous television and
radio programs and is widely quoted in the print media, especially on the
subject of dietary supplements. David has graduate degrees in nutrition and
biochemistry.
Customs Area
Command generates N2.1bn ON NOVEMBER
27, 20176:46 PMIN NEWSCOMMENTS Customs Area
Controller for Niger, Kwara and Kogi Mr Benjamin Binga, said the command
generated N2.1 billion revenue from January to date.
Binga disclosed this in Minna on Monday while briefing newsmen on the
activities of smugglers in the area. He said that the
command’s revenue target for the year from the Federal Government was N2.8
billion. He said the command impounded over 2000 bags
of rice and 1, 500 25-litre vegetable oil, clothing and concealed items in the
last three months. The controller said that N43
million worth of rice and vegetable oil, with duty value of N16.8 million were
also confiscated during the period. ”These seizures
were made in Bosso, Babana, Okuta, Bokoro and Chikanda borders of the command.
“The command also confiscated 16 vehicles with camouflage plate numbers just to
beat being arrested. “The owners tried to beat the Customs by trying to haulage
it through the rail system, but we got privileged information and ambushed and
arrested the owners and their smuggled rice,’’ he said. Binga said that
smuggling was a multi-faceted monster, adding that country could survive
economically if smuggling was not allowed to thrive.
He promised to stem the menace in the command, saying that smuggling was no
longer viable as officers of the command were out to fight them to a
standstill. Binga, however, said that the command was saddled with logistics
problems and inadequate manpower. “You can imagine
three states in one command; it is not easy managing it without adequate
working tools to combat the smugglers’ activities,” he said.
Read more at:
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/11/customs-area-command-generates-n2-1bn/
Ogbeh: Rice Importation from Thailand Has
Dropped to 20,000 MT
November 28, 2017
3
Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
Nigeria has drastically cut the
volume of its rice shipments from Thailand to 20,000 metric tonnes from 644,000
mt it was importing by September 2015, the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu
Ogbeh, said.He made this disclosure at the weekend when he received the
Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Services (NCS), Col Hammed Ali (rtd),
and a team of senior officers of the customs command.
Thailand used to be one of the
three major exporters of parboiled rice to Nigeria until a policy by government
banned the export in 2015, to stimulate local production of the food staple.
The minister said the figures
were released by Thai Rice Exporters Association, which complained that customs
curbs in smuggling had led to reduction in rice importation.He also said some
Thai investors had indicated interest in establishing rice milling plants in Nigeria.
The step is one of the ways to end Nigeria’s dependence on imported rice and ensure self-sufficiency in rice production by next year.The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at another forum said Nigeria is inching towards achieving its 7 million target in rice production by 2018.
The step is one of the ways to end Nigeria’s dependence on imported rice and ensure self-sufficiency in rice production by next year.The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at another forum said Nigeria is inching towards achieving its 7 million target in rice production by 2018.
Mohammed said attaining that
target would leave the country with a surplus of 700,000 metric tonnes as the
current local demand for rice is 6.3 million metric tonnes.He premised his
optimism on the inauguration of two private owned rice mills in the country
this year.
The mills include the WACOT Mill in Argungu, Kebbi State, with an installed capacity to process 120,000 metric tonnes of parboiled rice annually, and the integrated Dangote Rice Mill, projected to produce 1,000,000 metric tonnes per annum.
The mills include the WACOT Mill in Argungu, Kebbi State, with an installed capacity to process 120,000 metric tonnes of parboiled rice annually, and the integrated Dangote Rice Mill, projected to produce 1,000,000 metric tonnes per annum.
“Today, in continuation of these
efforts, we are happy to tell Nigerians of a giant stride made by the
administration in the agriculture sector, specifically rice production: Nigeria
is inching closer to achieving self-sufficiency in rice, due to the success
recorded by the administration in the local production of rice. There is more
good news to report,” Mohammed said.The minister attributed the improvement in
rice production across the country to government’s Anchor Borrowers’
Programme initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari, which supports farmers through inputs distribution and loans to boost rice production.Presently there are 12.2 million nigerians cultivating rice according to the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN).
Programme initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari, which supports farmers through inputs distribution and loans to boost rice production.Presently there are 12.2 million nigerians cultivating rice according to the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN).
Rice, Hinode
Rice, California Family Foods, American Commodity Company, Sun Valley Rice
Deerfield Beach, FL — (SBWIRE) —
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Kingdom Rice
to help fill Uganda’s 200,000 tonnes deficit
27.11.2017
President Yoweri Museveni has called upon Ugandans to adapt
commercial agriculture. Speaking at the commissioning of the FOL Rice Farm in
Lamoki village, Anaka Sub- County, Nwoya district in Acholi Sub-Region on
Saturday, the President said that Ugandans needed to understand the difference
between modern and local farming.He observed that commercial agriculture is
good because it uses modern farming methods, which create a number of
employment opportunities for the local population.“When you are involved in
small scale farming, you do all the labour as a family but when you are
involved in commercial agriculture you cannot do all the work yourself and,
therefore, you must hire people,” he explained.
Museveni added that unlike traditional farming, commercial agriculture allows high volumes of produce. He said that the FOL Rice Farm would help to fill 200,000 tonnes deficit of rice grown in the country.“With over 40 million acres of land for agriculture, Ugandans are not producing enough rice and but are instead importing rice,” he said.He said that Ugandans should not only stop at importing rice for eating but also start growing and exporting it. “Rice is not only for eating. You can get animal feeds, rice oil and electricity from the husks,” he advised.President Museveni criticized the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for not taking action to help farmers. He called upon UWA to put up control measures around the Murchison Falls National Park boundaries so that animals do not disturb the people and destroy their crops.
“In Kanungu, they grow tea on the boundary of the Park and farms so that elephants fear crossing into gardens. I do not know the explanation for how tea stops elephants but they cannot pass near it,” he explained.The President also warned cattle farmers who do not fence their land and leave their animals to destroy other people’s crops. He, therefore, called upon the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, to pass a law making it criminal for someone’s animals causing destruction to other people’s crops.Museveni applauded Nwoya district administration for the initiative to identify land for investment.“I am glad that Nwoya is becoming a center for commercial farming and that you are offering me land for Industrial Parks. We need to replace towns of shops with factories,” he said.
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From the scene] Gyeonggi Province seeks
independence from Japanese rice seeds
·
Published
: Nov 28, 2017 - 15:52
·
Updated
: Nov 28, 2017 - 16:48
HWASEONG, Gyeonggi Province – Though many don’t realize it,
South Korea’s most populous province has long relied on Japanese seeds for rice
production.
As of last year, Akibare and Koshihikari crop seeds from Japan grew on some 80 percent of 784.8 square kilometers of rice paddies in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds the capital and is home to some 330,000 farmers.
Confronting the need to curb reliance on Japan and cultivate seeds most suitable for Korean soil, the Gyeonggi Province Agricultural Research and Extension Services, an agency under the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, created homegrown rice seeds.
The seeds, dubbed “Mot Dream” and “Cham Dream,” are the results of decades of work by GPARES.
As of last year, Akibare and Koshihikari crop seeds from Japan grew on some 80 percent of 784.8 square kilometers of rice paddies in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds the capital and is home to some 330,000 farmers.
Confronting the need to curb reliance on Japan and cultivate seeds most suitable for Korean soil, the Gyeonggi Province Agricultural Research and Extension Services, an agency under the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, created homegrown rice seeds.
The seeds, dubbed “Mot Dream” and “Cham Dream,” are the results of decades of work by GPARES.
|
Kim Soon-jae,
director-general of the Gyeonggi Province Agricultural Research and Extension
Service. (Son Ji-hyoung/The Korea Herald)
|
“The government-led plans to develop rice seeds since 1970s had
fallen short of developing crop seeds most suitable for the land in Gyeonggi
Province,” Kim Soon-jae, director-general of the agency, told reporters,
recalling the days when late President Park Chung-hee developed seeds called
“Tongil,” which contributed to the nation’s self-sufficiency.
“So I thought, why not develop seeds by ourselves?”
More than a decade ago, Kim took part in developing Mot Dream and Cham Dream by hybridizing homegrown seeds. Created in 2001, Mot Dream underwent tests for crop yield and soil adaptation from 2008 to 2011, while Cham Dream, developed in 2004, went through six years of tests until 2014.
Commercialized in 2015, the medium-maturing Mot Dream -- designed to replace Koshihikari -- is a grain seed suitable for climates north of the Han River. The following year, the agency showcased the medium-late-maturing grain Cham Dream -- a substitute for Akibare -- optimized for growth in the south of the Han River.
In Gyeonggi Province, rice is grown on humid soil, mostly categorized as either Alfisol or Ultisol. Alfisol refers to clay-enriched soil containing minerals such as aluminum and iron. Ultisol, also known as red clay soil, refers to soil with less than 10 percent weatherable minerals. Despite its humidity, Ultisol’s relatively high acidity requires farmers to use fertilizers.
Both Mot Dream and Cham Dream outperformed Japanese seeds in yield, according to the agency. Mot Dream seeds yielded 6 percent more than Koshihikari, while Cham Dream produced 13 percent more rice than Akibare.
The seeds’ enhanced productivity could help farmers secure higher income, said the 59-year-old Kim, who has been in charge of developing, promoting and marketing agricultural and horticultural products for farmers in Gyeonggi Province since taking office in July 2016.
This year, Gyeonggi Province harvested Mot Dream rice from 22.3 square kilometers of paddies, while Cham Dream rice grew on 22.8 square kilometers. When combined, they took up nearly 6 percent of all rice seed production in the province. The rest of the seeds -- other than Japanese seeds and GPARES’ seeds -- are supplied by the Agriculture Ministry-affiliated Rural Development Administration.
Kim expects the size of paddies that use Mot Dream and Cham Dream seeds to double next year.
“So I thought, why not develop seeds by ourselves?”
More than a decade ago, Kim took part in developing Mot Dream and Cham Dream by hybridizing homegrown seeds. Created in 2001, Mot Dream underwent tests for crop yield and soil adaptation from 2008 to 2011, while Cham Dream, developed in 2004, went through six years of tests until 2014.
Commercialized in 2015, the medium-maturing Mot Dream -- designed to replace Koshihikari -- is a grain seed suitable for climates north of the Han River. The following year, the agency showcased the medium-late-maturing grain Cham Dream -- a substitute for Akibare -- optimized for growth in the south of the Han River.
In Gyeonggi Province, rice is grown on humid soil, mostly categorized as either Alfisol or Ultisol. Alfisol refers to clay-enriched soil containing minerals such as aluminum and iron. Ultisol, also known as red clay soil, refers to soil with less than 10 percent weatherable minerals. Despite its humidity, Ultisol’s relatively high acidity requires farmers to use fertilizers.
Both Mot Dream and Cham Dream outperformed Japanese seeds in yield, according to the agency. Mot Dream seeds yielded 6 percent more than Koshihikari, while Cham Dream produced 13 percent more rice than Akibare.
The seeds’ enhanced productivity could help farmers secure higher income, said the 59-year-old Kim, who has been in charge of developing, promoting and marketing agricultural and horticultural products for farmers in Gyeonggi Province since taking office in July 2016.
This year, Gyeonggi Province harvested Mot Dream rice from 22.3 square kilometers of paddies, while Cham Dream rice grew on 22.8 square kilometers. When combined, they took up nearly 6 percent of all rice seed production in the province. The rest of the seeds -- other than Japanese seeds and GPARES’ seeds -- are supplied by the Agriculture Ministry-affiliated Rural Development Administration.
Kim expects the size of paddies that use Mot Dream and Cham Dream seeds to double next year.
|
|
|
A promotional
picture of Cham Dream, developed by the Gyeonggi Province Agricultural
Research and Extension Service. (GPARES)
|
However,
GPARES is facing an unanticipated challenge in the wake of the recent
oversupply of rice across the nation.
To avoid grain price fluctuations, the Korean government unveiled plans in July to carry out the third round of rice supply control for the next two years, mainly by inducing farmers to cut rice production on some 1,000 square kilometers of paddy fields, using government subsidies.
Furthermore, the high productivity of Mot Dream and Cham Dream left farmers’ co-op Nonghyup hesitant to purchase them, and even prevented Cham Dream from being certified by the Rural Development Administration.
To curb oversupply, the RDA has set the upper cap of crop yield at 570 kilograms on 1,000 square meters of paddy field. However, Cham Dream yields over 590 kilograms on 1,000 square meters.
The agency has been in talks with a number of rice-growing towns in Gyeonggi Province, such as Paju, Goyang and Anseong, to designate them as a special zone to grow the two new rice seeds. Kim said the towns appear willing to substitute Akibare seeds with the homegrown ones.
Moreover, the government’s plan to curb rice production is not carved in stone, Kim said, as no one can predict a shortfall in rice due to the monsoon or typhoons.
“Through the seeds, Gyeonggi Province will be ready to cope with any possible rice shortage,” Kim said.
By Son Ji-hyoung
Korea Herald Correspondent
(consnow@heraldcorp.com)
To avoid grain price fluctuations, the Korean government unveiled plans in July to carry out the third round of rice supply control for the next two years, mainly by inducing farmers to cut rice production on some 1,000 square kilometers of paddy fields, using government subsidies.
Furthermore, the high productivity of Mot Dream and Cham Dream left farmers’ co-op Nonghyup hesitant to purchase them, and even prevented Cham Dream from being certified by the Rural Development Administration.
To curb oversupply, the RDA has set the upper cap of crop yield at 570 kilograms on 1,000 square meters of paddy field. However, Cham Dream yields over 590 kilograms on 1,000 square meters.
The agency has been in talks with a number of rice-growing towns in Gyeonggi Province, such as Paju, Goyang and Anseong, to designate them as a special zone to grow the two new rice seeds. Kim said the towns appear willing to substitute Akibare seeds with the homegrown ones.
Moreover, the government’s plan to curb rice production is not carved in stone, Kim said, as no one can predict a shortfall in rice due to the monsoon or typhoons.
“Through the seeds, Gyeonggi Province will be ready to cope with any possible rice shortage,” Kim said.
By Son Ji-hyoung
Korea Herald Correspondent
(consnow@heraldcorp.com)
APPSA ready
with 17 technologies to improve production; Malawi leads on maize
By
/ Monday, 27 Nov 2017 05:43PM
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The region’s research body, Agricultural
Production Program for Southern Africa (APPSA) on Monday disclosed that is
ready with 17 technologies in the next three month aimed at improving
production.The regional project led by Malawi has for the past three years
released three technologies including two on rice seed and irrigation
technologies.
Malawi is leading in seven out of 22 research and development
projects reaching out to 840,403 beneficiaries against a target of 1,200,00.
Lead farmers constitute 6,260 (females).
In its three day annual review conference with the World Bank
mission under way in the capital Lilongwe, Dr. Mackson Banda, APPSA Project
coordinator lauded the successes the initiative has impacted on rural farmers
with improved varieties for high production.
With the same ecological and rainfall pattern for the three
countries namely Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi, Dr. Banda says the project has
shared technologies coupled with messages and infrastructure development
including laboratories among others.
He however lamented on the language usage in the three nations as
only Portuguese is spoken in Mozambique which must be integrated in the project
which ends 2020 from 2013.
“The project has managed to produce various technologies on rice
and maize which among notable one is Yellow Maize variety which has vitamin A
for sight improvement. This variety will be liked by many based on health
aspect.
We anticipate releasing 17 technologies in the next three months
to improve production. Each nation concentrates on its research including
maize, rice and regumes in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia respectively. These
technologies are shared for use,” says Dr. Banda.
Echoing on the same, Monica Murata of Center for Coordination of
Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA), a
regional coordination body on research expressed gratitude on the project
impact saying it was bearing fruits.
Murata emphasized the need for participating nation in the
projects to invest must on effective research that will improve the rural
farmers’ production amid effects of climate change.
With loan of US$29 million and US$1 million grants to each participating
nations, the projects ends 2020 as Malawi leads on maize, rice by Mozambique
and Zambia on legumes researches of various technologies.
Ghana is a stable and peaceful
country to invest in - First Lady tells Chinese investors
Rebecca Akufo-Addo, First Lady of Ghana
She stated that Ghana is a ”globally acknowledged democracy” which has changed governments successfully since 1992 “without causing any dislocations to the political, economic or social systems of the country” therefore “all investors are assured of a stable and peaceful country to invest in.”
Mrs. Akufo-Addo added that Ghana has “an assertive parliament, an independent judiciary and a vibrant media” and these are “safeguards against unpredictable actions of any one person or government and further serves as security for the protection of investment.”The First Lady noted that Ghana as the second largest ECOWAS economy with a total market of about 500 million people is strategically placed to open up new and additional markets to boost their investment.
She further said “Ghana’s acclaimed educational system has ensured that the majority of its work force has the needed skills that industry requires or where those skills do not exist, the workers could be easily trained to become productive.”
The First Lady also indicated Ghana has a generous investor incentive through the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), free zones enterprise and other institutions adding that “regardless of where the investment was, the government had instituted a number of generous incentives for the investor depending on the activity or the location of the investment to ensure that their investment thrived.”Listing some of the investment opportunities in Ghana, she said agriculture and agro processing was an area that was ripe for investment.
She added other priority areas such as energy sector especially renewables as well as infrastructure sector such as roads, railways, ports, airports, public housing and real estate development, manufacturing and Industry, mining industrial salt, gold, bauxite and iron ore and tourism, ICT and in the financial services sector especially equity financing.The Deputy Head of Macroeconomic Research Unit, Ministry of Finance, Dr. Millicent DeGraft-Johnson who spoke on the governments short to medium-term development programme said it was aimed at providing opportunities for growth and job creation through the private sector, and had developed concrete reform actions to tackle key challenges to private investment such as ensuring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, improving the ease of doing business and enhancing access to affordable and long-term financing and de-risking instruments.
Ghana’s Ambassador to China, Mr Edward Boateng in a remark said the summit will go a long way to deepen the relationship between Ghana and China as well as facilitate investment into the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) initiative.The First Lady later witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement on Economy and Trade between CCPIT Hunan and the AGI and an Agricultural Cooperation Project between the CRI and the Hunan Hybrid-rice Research Center.
https://www.ghanaweb.com/
DA official highlights
PHL’s biotechnology advancement
November 27, 2017
Biotechnology has allowed
Filipino scientists to hasten the development of new crop varieties, cutting
breeding processes by at least five years, according to the Department of
Agriculture (DA).“Biotechnology helps improve rice like it does to soy sauce,
bread and beer. Through biotechnology, varieties are developed [from] five to
seven years. In conventional breeding, it takes 10 years to 12 years,” said
Roel R. Suralta, head of DA-Crop Biotechnology Center, in news statement
issued on Monday.
The Philippine Rice Research
Institute (PhilRice), an attached agency of DA, said it has developed 14
climate change-ready varieties through biotechnology, with some of these being
resistant or resilient to drought, flas flood and salinity.
Varieties include Tubigan 7 (NSIC
Rc142), the country’s first product of marker-aided selection; Tubigan 3 (NSIC
Rc130), PhilRice’s first variety developed through anther culture; and
Submarino 1 (NSIC Rc194), which can survive after submergence in floodwater for
two weeks.
Suralta said farmers could gain
more income as biotechnology-developed rice varieties are 35 percent more
productive than high-yielding varieties in the market.
“Promoting these varieties is one
of the things that we can do to help the farmers,” he said. “Cleaner and
greener environment is also expected through varieties that have high
resistance to diseases and harmful insects.”
PhilRice noted there is a need to
produce climate change-ready varieties, as the Philippines is among the top 10
most vulnerable countries to climate change.
“The Global Climate Risk Index
for 1996 to 2015 showed that the country suffered $2761-million loss from the
11,000 extreme weather events during the period,” it said.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/da-official-highlights-phls-biotechnology-advancement/
https://businessmirror.com.ph/da-official-highlights-phls-biotechnology-advancement/
Agriculture ministry and IRRI to boost rice production
The agriculture ministry, in
signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI) on November 24, stated that it has identified rice
production as a priority in the 12th Plan.The MoU, according to agriculture
minister Yeshey Dorji, is expected to accelerate rice production. He said that
owing to the topography and geographical landscape, the country has less rice
cultivable land. “The MoU is expected to explore ways to increase and diversify
rice production with the limited rice cultivable land.”
The country is around 50 percent
self-sufficient in rice production and the ministry aims to achieve 60 percent
in the next five years.
“We have initiated spring rice
cultivation to achieve the target. We hope the organisation would help in this
endeavour,” said the minister.He said that Bhutan’s association with IRRI began
around 1984 where it provided human resource development and technical
expertise. “IRRI played a vital role in 1995 when rice blast epidemic affected
around 1,800 acres of land and resulted in a loss of nearly 1,100 metric tonnes
of rice.”
Records show that
scientists from IRRI helped in identifying the cause of the epidemic and found
ways to prevent future outbreaks. “But the collaboration stopped since 2000,”
the minister said.Lyonpo Yeshey Dorji said that the MoU signing marked a
renewed collaboration.The government and the IRRI agreed to revive and
strengthen the partnership in July last year to assist the country’s rice
industry, to solve challenges and emerging needs to diversify and increase rice
production.
The director general of IRRI,
Matthew Morell, who signed the MoU with agriculture secretary Rinzin Dorji,
said the collaboration would bring technology, knowledge and diversify
production through germplasm in Bhutan. “But the biggest reason to be
optimistic is that the MoU marks the renewed relationship and mutual commitment
to taking us forward.”He said that IRRI could bring in global research,
facilitate training to help the country increase rice production and diversify
the varieties.
He also said that the challenges
of pressure on the land with urbanisation, labour shortage, availability of
water, affordability of fertilisers and other inputs and climate change impacts
are common issues faced by many rice-growing countries. “We can work together
and exchange available technologies.”
Matthew Morell said IRRI could
help Bhutan continue improving the productivity of traditional rice variety and
make them more tolerant to drought, cold and nutrient deficient. “We can also
work towards exchange knowledge on Bhutan’s organic produce with other
countries.”
The MoU is also expected to
explore ideas to solve the issues of rice blast and common problems faced in
elevated environment and facilitate human resource development. Other areas of
collaboration are in the management of rice production to change the rice
production duration and explore spring cropping season with research and
training to enhance productivity.
