Customs discovers new method of smuggling rice
ON DECEMBER 20, 20175:25 PMIN NEWSCOMMENTS
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has uncovered new methods
of smuggling rice at the commercial border town of Mubi in Adamawa. The
Adamawa/Taraba Area Comptroller of the service, Mr Adetoye Francis, said this
while inspecting a tipper lorry truck and two tricycles loaded with suspected
smuggled rice in Mubi town on Wednesday. Francis warned smugglers that the
service under the present administration has zero tolerance for any act of
economic sabotage. He said that the command had identified new ways smugglers
adopted to conduct their nefarious activities such as using tipper lorries
carrying sand with bags of rice beneath the sand in an attempt to deceive custom
officials. Rice “They (smugglers) are using the cover of on-going construction
work going on in Mubi by using tippers meant for conveying sand for smuggling
by covering the items with sand.
“The lorry you are seeing here was arrested along the Mubi-Sahuda
border road with 52 bags of rice covered with sand,” Francis said. He commended
the officers and men of the Mubi office of the command for their commitment to
check smuggling at the border town and assured them of support at all time. The
comptroller, who also addressed some members of Mubi business community,
cautioned them on the dangers of smuggling on the economy and the consequences
if caught.
Earlier, the Officer-in-Charge of Mubi Unit, Mr Aliyu Bunza, who
narrated the successes recorded by the unit in checking the activities of
smugglers around the border town, lauded the support and cooperation the
command is receiving from other security operatives in the area. Also speaking,
some representatives of Mubi business community, Alhaji Sanusi Hassan and Malam
Sali Manaja, declared support of their members to customs’ effort to check
smuggling. They promised to continue to educate their members against
smuggling.
NPS harvests
400 bags of rice from farm in Plateau
ON DECEMBER 20, 201712:31
PMIN NEWSCOMMENTS
The Plateau Command of the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS), has harvested
400 bags of rice from its farm at Lakushi in Shendam Local Government Area of
the state. Mr Luka Ayedoo, the command’s Public Relations Officer, made this
disclosure in a statement he made available to newsmen in Jos on Wednesday. He
explained that the bumper harvest was recorded due to the repositioning of the
farm by the current leadership of the organisation.
Ayedoo noted that the drive
was in tune with the President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy of diversifying the
economy through agriculture. According to him, the Service had invested a huge
sum of money in rehabilitating the farm and stocked it with modern farm
equipment that eased farming activities. He added that the inmates were trained
on modern ways of handling some of the modern machines and farming techniques
with a view to moving the Service toward food self-sufficiency. “The Lakushi
farm is one of the 17 prison farms that are into rice production and because of
its comparative advantage and the recent repositioning, we have harvested 400 bags
of rice from it this year.
“It is our determination to key into the Federal Government’s
diversification plans, by improving agricultural activities even within our
various formations. “Before now, we have been recording poor harvests, but with
the radical approach to the farm, alongside modern farming tools procured for
the farm on the directives of the Controller-General of Prisons, there have
been an improvement. . “Besides this
great stride for the Service, it will also go a long way in shaping the the
life of the inmates involved in the activity, as it will make them better
persons after their jail terms,” Ayedoo said. He said the farm produce would be
sold to contractors supplying food to various prisons, which on one hand, will
minimise the activities of middlemen, while the proceeds become part of
government revenue.
Rice shipments to resume to Pawleta with local officials’
approval
Wednesday,
December 20, 2017
By -Salai Gei
Rice transports will once again be permitted to Chin State’s Pawleta
Township beginning on January 20 provided village and township administrators
give their consent, said Amyotha Hluttaw MP Aik Tan.
“Each person is allowed to carry two bags of rice, and
inspections have been carried out since December 2. The public has been worried
– restrictions [on rice transport] are not good. The Tatmadaw was worried that
[the rice] will end in the hands of bad people,” Aik Tan said.
“We negotiated with the Chin State chief minister and [state]
Municipal Minister Issac Khen and the [Tatmadaw’s] 289th Infantry Battalion’s
commander yesterday [December 18]. They told us that it would be alright [to
transport rice] to villages, provide there are endorsements from the village
and township administrators. But merchants aren’t allowed [to transport the
rice] yet,” he added.
Commodity prices have soared in Paletwa due to the prohibition
on rice transports, as well as hostilities between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan
Army.
“As sufficient stores of rice cannot be transported due to the
fighting, the cost of meal is rising from K1,500 to K2,000 at restaurants.
Villagers already couldn’t afford to buy [food],” said John Kim Kham Man in
Paletwa.
Civil society groups have also been unable to access the area
due to fighting, which has displaced thousands of local residents.
ED probe likely
against defaulting rice millers
December 20 2017
Cuttack: The civil supplies department has threatened to order an
enforcement directorate (ED) probe against millers who did not return rice
after taking paddy from the government.
The civil supplies department has asked the defaulting millers to return the rice by December-end. Sources said the government has not yet receives rice worth `100 crore from millers for the 2016-17 kharif marketing season.
Apart from that, many millers have failed to deposit their earlier rice dues with the civil supplies department. “The government has decided to take action against defaulting millers. Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Surya Narayan Patro has asked officials to confiscate the assets of defaulting millers,” said an official of the civil supplies department.
It is learnt that officials of the civil supplies department have raided several defaulting rice mills in the state. Sources said five millers of Cuttack district have failed to deposit rice worth Rs 15 crore with the civil supplies department in 2009-10 and 2013-14 financial years.
The civil supplies department has asked the defaulting millers to return the rice by December-end. Sources said the government has not yet receives rice worth `100 crore from millers for the 2016-17 kharif marketing season.
Apart from that, many millers have failed to deposit their earlier rice dues with the civil supplies department. “The government has decided to take action against defaulting millers. Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Surya Narayan Patro has asked officials to confiscate the assets of defaulting millers,” said an official of the civil supplies department.
It is learnt that officials of the civil supplies department have raided several defaulting rice mills in the state. Sources said five millers of Cuttack district have failed to deposit rice worth Rs 15 crore with the civil supplies department in 2009-10 and 2013-14 financial years.
PNN
1,017 total views, 6 views today
Manage holiday food intake - DA
December 20, 2017
QUEZON CITY, Dec. 20 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA)
reminds the public to be mindful of their food consumption this holiday season
during the culmination of #RICEponsiblePlateChallenge, a social media campaign
that encourages consumers to prepare the healthiest and most balanced meal in a
plate.
“Wastage and eating more of what our body requires are prevalent
in this season of food abundance. So we try to lessen this behavior through the
prompts we launched during the National Rice Awareness Month. Let’s SET rice!
Save rice, eat healthy, and try brown rice,” Myriam G. Layaoen, campaign
director of DA’s Be RICEponsible campaign, said.
The 8th National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition
Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology showed that 14
grams of rice were wasted in Filipino households. Moreover, 7 in 10 Filipino
households do not meet their dietary energy requirement.
“Improving food security by minimizing food wastage is gaining
momentum in the country with the filing of legislative measures including House
Bill No. 5746 and Senate Bill No. 357 and 984, known as Zero Food Waste Act.
But there’s more work to be done, especially on conscientiously finishing our
food,” Layaoen said.
Layaoen, also a senior science researcher at Philippine Rice
Research Institute (PhilRice), said that eating more rice does not equate to
getting the right nutrition.
She explained that Filipino’s usual dependence on too much rice for
energy may not be the healthiest option as the sugar content of a bowl of rice
is equivalent to more than that of two cans of soft drink.
Pinggang Pinoy, the country’s guide on healthy eating habits,
recommends that rice should only be 33% of the plate and that each food group
must have the same portion.
“It is interesting to note that the entries we evaluated in the
#RICEponsiblePlateChallenge comprised the appropriate quantity of rice based on
the participant’s age and sex. Healthy forms of rice such as pigmented rice,
rice with camote, and brown rice were also included on their plate,” the
campaign director said.
Production and consumption of brown rice, Layaoen said, is
supported by Presidential Decree 1211 or “Regulating the milling of rice”
signed by former Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos on 12 Oct 1977; Senate P.S.
Resolution No. 321 or “Urging the committee on agriculture and
food to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on ways to support
the farming and production of brown rice in the Philippines with the end in
view of curbing the rice production deficit in the country”; and House Bill No.
3445 or “An act providing for the consumption of brown rice through food and
retail establishments as an alternative to white rice.”
“As we celebrate the holidays, we may want to pattern our family
feasts after the plates of those who won the challenge. They have proven that
healthy food are fun, cheap, and delectable,” Layaoen added.
Among the 500 submissions across the country, entries from
Benedicto B. Gonzales, Nestor C. Humiwat, and EJ Cruz were chosen first,
second, and third, respectively. Other than Layaoen, contest judges were Rosaly
V. Manaois and Dr. Riza A. Ramos, PhilRice food scientists; and Jomarie Tongol,
nutritionist and dietician at the National Nutrition Council. The winning
entries are posted in the Be RICEponsible Facebook page. (DA)
DA sees farm
output growing by 5%-6% despite typhoon
December 20, 2017
Agriculture production for 2017
would still register an expansion of 5 percent to 6 percent despite the damages
caused by Typhoon Urduja (international code name Kai-tak) in some provinces,
according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Urduja damaged nearly P370
million worth of crops, but Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said he
remains confident that full-year farm production would still grow by 5 percent
to 6 percent.
“The damage report as of the
morning of December 19 reached P369.94 million. [The figure] is not much
compared to the damages caused by previous typhoons,” Piñol told reporters in
an interview on Tuesday. “I don’t really think it will pull down the growth of
the agriculture sector.”
Piñol said the DA expects a
bountiful harvest in the fourth quarter, especially for rice, which would boost
growth during the period.
“Crops in Biliran are just on the
vegetative stage. There will be no effect in the supply and we are already
expecting a bountiful harvest this year,” he said.
Based on initial reports of the
DA, Urduja damaged 7,880 metric tons (MT) of crops planted in 25,348 hectares.
The typhoon affected rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock and poultry in
Regions 5 and 8.
The bulk of damages, or about 77
percent, was recorded in the rice sector. Losses incurred by rice farmers
reached P286.08 million.
The total affected rice area was
23,717 hectares, equivalent to 8.1 percent of the total standing crop of
291,746 hectares in the two regions.
The lackluster performance of the
livestock and fisheries subsectors slowed the expansion of the country’s farm
output in the third quarter, based on the latest data released by the
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
In its quarterly report, titled
“Performance of Philippine Agriculture,” the PSA said farm-production growth in
the July-to-September period settled at 2.32 percent. In the same period last
year, output expanded by nearly 3 percent. From April to June 2017, the farm
sector grew 6.18 percent.
Paddy production
Favorable planting conditions
could drive the country’s unmilled-rice production in marketing year (MY)
2017-2018 to reach 19 million metric tons (MMT), 2.43 percent higher than the
18.549 MMT recorded in MY 2016-2017, according to a Global Agricultural
Information Network (Gain) report.
The Gain report, which was
prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural
Service in Manila, said the figure is also 6.87 percent higher than its earlier
forecast of 17.778 MMT.
“Increased output is expected as
a result of favorable weather conditions and increased use of high-yielding
varieties,” the Gain report, titled “Philippine Grain and Feed Situation and
Outlook” read, which was published on Wednesday.
“There were noticeably fewer
intense typhoons that passed through major rice production areas compared to
previous years,” it added.
The Gain report noted that the
delay in the passage of a law that would allow the tariffication of rice
imports would prevent some farmers from planting other crops.
Earlier, Gain reports published
this year indicated that the removal of the country’s quantitative restriction
on rice would displace some rice farmers.
Smuggling of Parboiled Rice from
Across the Borders
Tuesday,
December 19, 2017 02:17PM / Ade Adefeko*
Rice consumption in Nigeria is almost entirely of parboiled rice. In West Africa only Nigeria consumes parboiled rice. Other West African countries including all the neighboring countries to Nigeria ( Niger, Benin, Cameroon, Chad) are not consumers of parboiled rice. In Africa only South Africa is the other major country that consumes parboiled rice.
The shipments of parboiled rice from India and Thailand into Lome , Cotonou and Douala ports is a very fair estimate of smuggled rice into Nigeria as none of these countries have internal consumption of parboiled rice. All the imports of parboiled rice into these countries finally find their way into Nigeria.
Smuggling of Parboiled rice from across the borders (mainly Benin Republic) is creating a major disaster for the rice industry in Nigeria. The below data which is collated from the customs department of exporting countries, shows the amount of rice that are being shipped to Benin, Cameroun, Niger etc. These neighboring countries don’t consume parboiled rice! All these rice is eventually smuggled into Nigeria with the full knowledge of these countries respective authorities.
Such huge quantities of rice cannot be smuggled in without them being loaded into big trucks or barges! These needs proper roads and hence can be intercepted easily.
If the border management is difficult due to the huge swaths of land border, the authorities can raid the markets and confiscate contraband commodities. Once this is done no trader would ever buy smuggled rice! If we can’t beat them at the borders then choke the market place which is within our territory.
The Nigeria rice farmers and millers are losing livelihoods to smuggling! The government is not only losing revenue but the self-sufficiency goal as well due to the heavy influx of smuggled rice from across the borders.
The industry associations have been notifying the government of this menace but little has been achieved so far! Moreover the rice millers have found that it is a challenge to procure large quantity of paddy in a reliable way. As a result most of the rice mills are operating below capacity.
Rice consumption in Nigeria is almost entirely of parboiled rice. In West Africa only Nigeria consumes parboiled rice. Other West African countries including all the neighboring countries to Nigeria ( Niger, Benin, Cameroon, Chad) are not consumers of parboiled rice. In Africa only South Africa is the other major country that consumes parboiled rice.
The shipments of parboiled rice from India and Thailand into Lome , Cotonou and Douala ports is a very fair estimate of smuggled rice into Nigeria as none of these countries have internal consumption of parboiled rice. All the imports of parboiled rice into these countries finally find their way into Nigeria.
Smuggling of Parboiled rice from across the borders (mainly Benin Republic) is creating a major disaster for the rice industry in Nigeria. The below data which is collated from the customs department of exporting countries, shows the amount of rice that are being shipped to Benin, Cameroun, Niger etc. These neighboring countries don’t consume parboiled rice! All these rice is eventually smuggled into Nigeria with the full knowledge of these countries respective authorities.
Such huge quantities of rice cannot be smuggled in without them being loaded into big trucks or barges! These needs proper roads and hence can be intercepted easily.
If the border management is difficult due to the huge swaths of land border, the authorities can raid the markets and confiscate contraband commodities. Once this is done no trader would ever buy smuggled rice! If we can’t beat them at the borders then choke the market place which is within our territory.
The Nigeria rice farmers and millers are losing livelihoods to smuggling! The government is not only losing revenue but the self-sufficiency goal as well due to the heavy influx of smuggled rice from across the borders.
The industry associations have been notifying the government of this menace but little has been achieved so far! Moreover the rice millers have found that it is a challenge to procure large quantity of paddy in a reliable way. As a result most of the rice mills are operating below capacity.
Hun Sen vows to launch new bank
for SMEs
Hor Kimsay | Publication date 21 December 2017 |
06:49 ICT
Employees shell cashew nuts in Kampong Thom province at a small
enterprise’s processing centre in 2013. Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday vowed
to create a state-run bank to provide financing to such businesses. Hong Menea
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday
pledged to start a new bank with an initial capital of $100 million to provide
financing for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with industry players saying
its success hinged on whether concessional or low interest rates could be
provided to fledgling businesses.
Speaking to garment workers in
Phnom Penh yesterday – though, apparently not to the country’s financial regulators
– Hun Sen said he would create a new state-owned SME bank, similar to the
existing Rural Development Bank, in the hope that it would boost local
processing plants and strengthen export capacity.
“Today I would want to release a
message to all SME owners that the government will create a bank for SMEs with
initial investment capital at $100 million,” the premier said yesterday.
However, the premier was scant on
details, even suggesting that the plan was yet to be approved.
“It is not officially decided,
but once the prime minister has said this, it cannot be withdrawn,” he said.
The move comes after SMEs
complained of government apathy in October, saying multiple requests to open up
export channels, reduce taxes and help with a lack of financing had gone
unheard.
Finance Ministry spokesman Kim
Sopheak said yesterday that he had heard nothing about the premier’s proposal.
National Bank of Cambodia General Director Chea Serey, meanwhile, would not say
whether she had been informed of the proposal beforehand, or whether an
official application had been made for the bank.
“The setting up of a policy bank
for SMEs is timely and line with the recent development in Cambodia and the
region,” she said. yesterday that he had heard nothing about the premier’s proposal.
National Bank of Cambodia General Director Chea Serey,
meanwhile, would not say whether she had been informed of the proposal
beforehand, or whether an official application had been made for the bank.
“The setting up of a policy bank for SMEs is timely and line with the recent development in Cambodia and the region,” she said.
“The setting up of a policy bank for SMEs is timely and line with the recent development in Cambodia and the region,” she said.
In a similarly conciliatory move, the government last year pledged to disburse $27 million from
the Rural Development Bank (RDB) to rice millers, who had also complained of a
lack of financing for years.
However, in the first few months
of the rollout, less than $2 million had been lent to rice firms. Lending
picked up this year, but mostly went to larger firms looking to build rice
storage warehouses.
Industry experts yesterday
questioned the necessity of a new bank targeted at SMEs, noting the
proliferation of commercial banks and microfinance institutions in the country.
In order for such an institution to attract borrowers, they said, the bank
would need to replicate the RDB’s long-term, low-interest loans.
Lim Heng, vice president of the
Cambodian Chamber of Commerce, said the loans needed to be around the 5 percent
mark, potentially as low as 3 percent, to attract small businesses. Keo Mom,
director of food processing SME Ly Ly Food Industry, also pegged the maximum
interest rate SMEs could swallow at 5 percent.
“I hope the new state-owned bank
will also help to eliminate some complicated [loan] requirements and collateral
requirements,” Heng added.
Ngeth Chou, senior consultant at
Emerging Markets Consulting, said cheap financing for SMEs was always welcome,
but rather than create an entirely new bank the existing, and underutilised,
RDB could be used.
“Using the existing state-owned
bank, the Rural Development Bank, to support this project is more efficient and
saves cost,” he said.
Contact author: Hor
Kimsay
Review: Rumi's offers enough
Persian parts to make a meal
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Jane Slaughter on Tue, Dec 19, 2017 at 3:55
pm
Jordan Buzzy
To check out
Rumi's, I took along a friend whose ex was from Iran. He was in the habit of
cooking stews in big quantities, she said, and his prowess in the kitchen was
not a reason they broke up. She looked forward especially to scoring some fesenjon,
a thick stew made with ground walnuts and pomegranate juice.
At first
glance, Rumi's menu seems to downplay the "Persian" in its name in
favor of the "Mediterranean." (Present-day Iran is nowhere near that
sea, in case you're wondering.) It leads with the hummus, kabobs, kaftas, and
shish tawook we're familiar with from scores of Lebanese places.
But then you
notice unfamiliar appetizers like must-e-mouseer and tahdig,
and that none of the stews are ghallaba. There's plenty to make
many a meal solely from the Persian parts, which is what we did.
Turns out that
the combination of walnuts and pomegranate juice produces a strong, bright,
distinctive flavor that veers between sharp and sweet — and induced a wave of
nostalgia in my friend. There's chicken in the dark stew, too, but you don't
taste it. It's served with a giant helping of basmati rice, each grain
discrete, and it was our favorite dish. It was also recommended by a
neighboring diner who said, "My mom's Irani."
The hefty
appetizer zeytoon parvardeh also uses pomegranate juice, this
time with green olives, and you'll have to imagine the tartness of the
pomegranate with the musty bitterness of the olives to get the effect. I found
in my notes, "Complex. Sweet? Sour?"
Another
appetizer with some sourness to it is kashk bademjoon, which is
very like baba ghanouj but served warm and with a spoonful of kashk on
top. The website Persian Mama says kashk is made by straining firm yogurt,
drying it, and then reconstituting it (which sounds like a lot of work, if you
have a fridge to keep your yogurt in). But what do I know? The bademjoon turns
smokier as it cools, becoming more like baba ghanouj.
We weren't too
thrilled with our lentil soup — a standout in most Mediterranean restaurants —
as it was bland and a little thin. More interesting was a foamy, minty, salty
yogurt drink called doogh, which my experienced friend said was
perfect in summer. At Rumi's, you can get it by the pitcher.
There's no
alcohol, but water comes with a welcome lime wedge rather than lemon, and if
you google "Persian cuisine," you'll find a picture of tea in a clear
handled glass exactly like the one we were brought at Rumi's. It came with a
covered glass dish of sugar cubes; the traditional method is to put a cube on
your tongue and let the tea flow through it.
Turning to more
entrées, which are all generously sized, I was very happy with the only lamb
dish on the menu. The big shank is super tender, cooked with some tomatoes and
green peppers. It's served with baghali polo: basmati rice mixed
with lima beans — the bane of my childhood, but rendered a different vegetable
by Rumi's chef — firm rather than mealy.
I also
liked gheimeh, which is velvety eggplant cooked with lots of
tomatoes, split yellow peas, onion, and dried lime, the latter being another
Persian touchstone that adds a twist of interest to the familiar flavors. I
managed to hold off on trying the gheimeh till I unwrapped it
at a potluck, where it was met with universal acclaim. Beef can be added, but I
predict its flavor would get lost.
That happened
with ghormeh sabzi, which includes kidney beans, spinach, dried
limes, and lots of herbs. Persian Mama says, "I could honestly say not too
many Persian stews can match the unanimous popularity of ghormeh sabzi,"
and a Rumi's server said it was one the Iranian regulars order most. That did
not hold true at our table, where we found the dish smoky but mostly sour.
The menu on
Rumi's website has more dish descriptions than the one you're handed at the
restaurant, so you might want to study up in advance, or come prepared to ask
questions. Or look at the fairly detailed descriptions provided by Farmington's
(Hills) other Persian restaurant, Pars, noting that spellings vary: must-e-mouseer becomes maust-o-moosir.
Rumi's is a newer, smaller, and less expensive place, though owner Naser Tagavi
plans to knock down a wall and incorporate the space next door before Persian
new year in March.
Rumi's is named
after the 13th-century poet, and a non-Iranian server told me it was knowledge
of that master that got her the job three years ago. If you become a regular,
she said, it's the kind of place where she and the rest of the staff will
remember what you like.
8 amazing ways to prepare Prawns in mixed pepper sauce
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Editor's note: Mariah Adeboboye, the NAIJ.com partner blogger, in this article, explains eight amazing
ways to prepare Prawns in mixed pepper sauce.
Mariah is an amazing cook, who
is passionate about her family and inspires other families to ensure best meals
are on their tables on a daily basis.
She is the owner of food bog
called Mariellasmenu, the platform she uses to share recipes in order to
inspire people to cook for their families.
Mariah could be contacted via:
Mariellasmenu or +2348173155778, +2348126766674
More details in NAIJ.com’s
step-by-step guide for guest bloggers.
Today I am offering a delicious prawn sauce that is bound to
tickle your fancy. This dish unearths the richness and versatility of prawns.
With the additions of mixed bell peppers, scotch bonnets for some heat, and
fragrant spices, this sauce surely will become a staple at your home after
trying it out for the first time.
It is no secret that I love prawns, and this is because it is
versatile and can easily be made into various dishes. There is so much I can
make, just from having a bowl of prawns in my kitchen.
It cooks quickly too, thus making it almost always included in my
recipes. You can use it for rice dishes, curries and sauces too.
A plate of prepared Prawns in mixed pepper sauce. Photo credit:
Mariah Adeboboye
READ ALSO: Breaking: PDP faction reportedly emerges, opens secretariat in
Abuja
It can be fried, grilled and even made into a salad, it can also
be added into our Nigerian soups like okra and efo riro (see sample here) or
made into prawn soup with other condiments like sweet corn or mushrooms.
Whatever you decide to make with prawns, you are sure of a really tasty hearty
meal.
A pot of prepared Prawns in mixed pepper sauce. Photo credit:
Mariah Adeboboye
A big bowl of garnished basmati rice could never taste better than
it does when served with this sauce, the creamy richness of the sauce just
makes it right for an amazing family dinner. Follow my recipe below and let me
show you how to make this.
Let’s cook!
Ingredients:
1) Prawns 1kg
2) Mixed bell peppers (red, yellow, green) 250g
3) Scotch bonnet peppers 3g
4) Onions 1 medium sized bulb
5) Garlic 6 cloves
8 amazing ways to prepare Prawns in mixed pepper sauce. Photo
credit: Mariah Adeboboye
6) Ginger 2g
7) Corn flour 2 table spoons
8) Olive oil 20mls
9) Seasoning 8g
10) Salt 1g
Directions:
1) Prepare the ingredients by first washing them thoroughly, then
peel the prawns and de-vein.
2) Chop the mixed bell peppers, scotch bonnets and onions
3) Now blend the peeled ginger and garlic with water to make a
running paste. This increases the quantity of the sauce
4) In a clean pan, add in the olive oil and allow it heat up for
about 1 minute, quickly add in the onions and allow this to sauté for one
minute then pour in the ginger and garlic paste and stir, while this heats up
for about two minutes
5) Now add in all the chopped peppers and prawns at the same time,
I do not like overcooking bell peppers or prawns, so just give this another 3
minutes while you keep turning the prawns on all sides so it cooks through
6) Add in the seasoning and salt
7) Now make a running corn flour paste with two table spoons of
corn flour
Cooks tip: Just enough corn flour to thicken the sauce, you do not
want it overly thick, just about 2 tablespoons will do.
8 amazing ways to prepare Prawns in mixed pepper sauce
8) Add this into the pan and stir. Lower the heat and allow the
sauce to simmer for another two minutes, so that all of the spices are well
incorporated and your delicious prawn sauce is ready!
Serve hot with a bowl of garnished white rice or pasta. Have you
made a pasta dish lately? How did it taste? Comment below, I will like to know.
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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported about
six amazing ways to prepare home-made pizza.
The views expressed in this
article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial
policy of NAIJ.com.
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Vietnam’s 2017 exports, imports hit record US$400bn
Men load rice bags to a ship for export at a rice processing
factory in Vietnam's southern Mekong delta, July 6, 2017. (Reuters photo)
HANOI, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Vietnam's 2017 exports and imports
combined set a record, topping US$400 billion, the customs department said on
Wednesday.
Vietnam exported roughly $204 billion of goods as of Dec 15, the
department said in a report, while imports in the same period were $201.3
billion. Trade has jumped four-fold in a decade, the department said in
a statement on Tuesday. The department estimated Vietnam would have a
trade surplus of $3 billion this year. Vietnam posted a trade surplus of $596
million in November, higher than a government forecast.
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- December 21, 2017
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-December 21
Nagpur, Dec 21 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices today showed weak tendency in Nagpur AgricultureProduce Marketing Committee (APMC) on lack of demand from local traders amid high moisturecontent arrival. Fresh fall on NCDEX, downward trend on NCDEX and easy condition in MadhyaPradesh gram prices also affected sentiment.
About 400 bags of gram reported for auctions in Nagpur APMC, according to sources.
FOODGRAINS & PULSES
GRAM
* Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here on subdued demand from local traders
amid ample stock in ready position.
TUAR
* Tuar gavarani and tuar Karnataka reported higher in open market on renewed marriage
season demand from local traders.
* Moong Chamki reported down in open market on lack of demand from local traders.
* In Akola, Tuar New – 4,000-4,150, Tuar dal (clean) – 5,700-5,800, Udid Mogar (clean)
– 8,200-9,000, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,000-7,300, Gram – 4,525-4,675, 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 3,300-3,940 3,400-3,950
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction n.a. 3,500-4,040
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 1,600-1,658 1,600-1,640
Gram Super Best Bold 6,600-7,500 6,600-7,500
Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.
Gram Medium Best 6,000-6,300 6,000-6,300
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a
Gram Mill Quality 3,900-3,950 3,900-3,950
Desi gram Raw 4,750-4,950 4,750-4,950
Gram Kabuli 12,200-13,000 12,200-13,000
Tuar Fataka Best-New 6,100-6,300 6,100-6,300
Tuar Fataka Medium-New 5,700-6,000 5,700-6,000
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 5,500-5,700 5,500-5,700
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 5,200-5,500 5,200-5,500
Tuar Gavarani New 4,150-4,250 4,100-4,200
Tuar Karnataka 4,650-4,900 4,600-4,850
Masoor dal best 4,800-5,200 4,800-5,200
Masoor dal medium 4,600-4,800 4,600-4,800
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New) 7,500-7,800 7,500-7,800
Moong Mogar Medium 6,600-7,000 6,600-7,000
Moong dal Chilka 5,800-6,500 5,800-6,500
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 7,400-7,900 7,500-8,000
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,200-9,300 8,200-9,300
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,500 5,800-6,500
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 5,200-6,400 5,200-6,400
Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,000-5,500 5,000-5,500
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000
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) 1,750-1,800 1,750-1,800
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,300 2,100-2,300
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,200-2,400
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100 1,900-2,100
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,600 3,000-3,600
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,800 2,400-2,800
Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,600 3,200-3,600
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) 2,600-2,700 2,600-2,700
Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500
Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,200 3,800-4,200
Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,300-3,600 3,300-3,600
Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 4,900-5,200 4,900-5,200
Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,700 4,500-4,700
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 9,500-13,500 9,500-13,500
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,500 5,000-7,500
Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000
Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,500 5,200-5,500
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. 29.5 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 12.0 degree Celsius
Rainfall : Nil
FORECAST: Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 29 and 09 degree
Celsius respectively.
Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices)
Myanmar
exports more rice to Africa
Eleven on Wed, 12/20/2017 -
16:12
Writer: Zeya Nyein
A
rice warehouse in Bayintnaung wholesale market (Photo-Shine Lin Aung)
African countries have bought
more rice from Myanmar and about 60 per cent of rice carried from sea routes
are exported to Africa, said Lu Maw Myint Maung, joint general secretary of
Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF).
The African countries mostly
bought 25-mark rice and broken rice from Myanmar, he said.
Myanmar exported over two million
tonnes of rice within nine months of this fiscal year – a 50-year
record, said Dr Aung Thu, Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation on
December 15.
Myanmar is exporting rice via sea
routes and border gates.
High quality rice is exported to
European countries such as Italy, Russia, Spain, Turkey and England.
Lu Maw Myint Maung said about
500,000 tonnes of rice is expected to be exported in the remaining three months
and it will break the record.
The MRF is expected to export
about three million tonnes of rice in 2020.
GIEWS Country Brief: Dominican Republic
19-December-2017
FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
·
Cereal production in 2017 estimated at above average level
·
Cereal imports in 2017/18 marketing year forecast to increase
·
Prices of rice and maize were stable in November, prices of
beans increased
Cereal production in 2017
estimated at above average level
Cereal production for 2017 is estimated by FAO at 996 000
tonnes, marginally above last year’s level and significantly above the
country’s five-year average. The increase reflects a good rice output. Despite
significant flooding caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria, between September and
October, rice production is estimated at 953 000 tonnes above last year’s level
and 6 percent above the five-year average. The high rice output is due to the
good main first season rice crop, harvested in August before the storms.
Continued Government assistance in the form of provision of high yielding
variaties and fertilizers also contributed to the increase in production. Maize
ouput is estimated virtually unchanged from 2016 at 41 000 tonnes and about
average. Due to uncertainty about this year’s weather, after two years of
continuous droughts, farmers marginally reduced the planted area.
Cereal imports in 2017/18
marketing year forecast to increase
Cereal imports in the 2017/18 marketing year (July/June) are
forecast to increase from last year and reach close to 1.7 million tonnes.
Maize imports, which account for almost 70 percent of all cereal imports, are
expected to increase by 1 percent to 1.1 million tonnes, mainly as a result of
high demand from the feed sector.
Prices of rice and maize stable
in November, prices of beans increased
Prices of rice in November were unchanged and about 2 percent
above year-earlier levels reflecting seasonal trends. Prices of maize were also
stable in November and less than 3 percent above year-earlier levels pressured
by seasonal factors and high demand from the feed sector. Prices of red and
black beans increased in November and were above year-earlier levels, as
seasonal trends strengthened by a reduction in 2017 output of beans.
Beltran: Rice tariff to cut down
prices
(The
Freeman) | Updated December 21,
2017 - 12:00am
CEBU, Philippines — Imposing a
tariff system on imported rice is seen to bring down prices of the staple as it
will encourage cheap rice to enter the market.
But a local economist warned the
government that smuggling of the goods could still persist.
Economics professor Fernando
Fajardo, executive director at Cebu Business Club, agrees that lifting the
quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice imports in favor of tariffs will bring
several benefits to the economy, among them, slashing the retail price of the
food staple.
But he warned that higher tariff
could still encourage smuggling activities.
"(Yes it could bring down rice
prices) but if the tariff is high, smuggling will still persist," he told
The FREEMAN.
In his economic bulletin, Finance
Undersecretary Gil Beltran said that replacing the QR system with a tariff
system would cut retail rice prices by about P7 per kilo.
A reduction in rice prices would be
beneficial to the majority of the poor as they spend at least 20 percent of
their household budget on the staple, he said.
Beltran noted cutting down rice
prices is crucial to poverty reduction because this staple is a major inflation
driver.
The Department of Finance said this
would introduce competitive pricing to the market for rice while the tariff
revenue will be given to the affected farmers to boost their productivity or
help them switch to high-value crops
The Philippine government intends
not to apply for another extension of the QR system by the World Trade
Organization.
WTO first allowed the Philippines
to impose a 10-year QR on rice imports in 1995 to give farmers more time to
prepare for free trade. It was extended in 2004 until 2012, and then was
renewed again in 2014.
During the negotiations for the
second extension, which was granted in 2014, the Philippines had agreed to,
among others, increase the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) to 805,200 metric tons
and reduce the in-quota tariff to 35 percent corresponding to the ASEAN Trade
in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) duty and a most-favored nation (MFN) rate of 40
percent for volumes imported outside the MAV.
The proposed tariff system filed as
House Bill 4904 has yet to be approved by the Committee on Agriculture and
Food.
The bill amends Republic Act 8178
and authorizes the President to set import duties on the staple grain upon the
expiry of the country’s waiver for the special treatment on rice granted by WTO
on July 1.
The imposition of a tariff system
on imported rice will also help increase funding for conditional cash
transfers, which could cut poverty by up to three percentage points, DOF said.
“The tariff revenues that will be
generated from rice imports can augment the funds used for the government’s
social welfare programs for the poor (e.g., Conditional Cash Transfer) and rice
productivity programs that will enhance efficiency. Tariff revenue is estimated
at P27.3 billion annually from 2017 to 2023,” Beltran said.
Beltran said a three
percentage-point reduction in poverty incidence is equivalent to about 730,000
people.
The Duterte government aims to cut
the poverty rate from the current 21.6 percent in 2016 to 14 percent by the end
of its term in 2022. (FREEMAN)
Sunrice records $24.1 million
half-year net profit
- Consolidated revenue for the
Group of $544.9 million, down 4.1pc on HY17
- Net Profit after Tax (NPAT) of
$24.1 million, up 15.9pc on HY17
- FY18 profit guidance (NPAT) has
been upgraded to around $45 million
SUNRICE’s half-year consolidated revenue for the group has come in at $544.9 million, a 4.1 per cent decrease compared to the previous corresponding period ending 31 October 2016 (HY17).
“SunRice has built a commercially resilient and diversified business that is able to both withstand challenging trading conditions (as demonstrated in FY17) and quickly recover when markets improve,” SunRice CEO, Rob Gordon, said.
“During HY18, the larger Riverina C17 crop of 802,000 tonnes resulted in a 21pc uplift in Rice Pool revenue and Net Profit Before Tax increased by 33pc increase compared to HY17. However, these Half Year financial results do not fully reflect the improved quality and diversity of SunRice’s earnings.
“As a consequence of SunRice’s strategy to focus on exporting Australian rice to premium markets and to secure alternative sources of rice beyond the Riverina, our international trading activity has developed into an important pillar of the business, generating increased earnings to balance other segments such as Trukai, CopRice and Riviana, which have all experienced a gradual turnaround in trading conditions during the half.
“We expect the improved quality and diversity of earnings will flow through into Full Year results, especially given current market trends. In addition, several business segments traditionally experience seasonal trading uplifts during the second half and tender markets are also anticipated to drive volume expansion during the remainder of FY18.
“Following this pleasing start to the year and the positive outlook for the second half, we have upgraded our guidance for Net Profit after Tax for FY18 to around $45 million (previously $40 million).”
Rice Pool:
Rice Pool revenue increased by
20pc compared to HY17, driven by the larger C17 crop and the ability to once
again place the Riverina crop into key premium markets where SunRice brands
command strong prices. Manufacturing efficiency improvements and favourable
milling yield also contributed to a positive start to the year.
International Rice:
International Rice’s net profit
before tax (NPBT) declined by 11.2pc compared to HY17. Due to the larger
Australian C17 crop, there was less of a requirement in HY18 to source from
international supply chains.Trukai leveraged its in-market brand strength and optimised its product mix to generate positive NPBT growth during the Half, despite weak trading conditions in Papua New Guinea impacting sales. SunFoods’ performance was impacted by lower volumes (due to the larger Australian crop) and the increasing cost of rice paddy in the California market. Participation by SunFoods in market tender processes is expected to bolster revenues for the business during the second half of FY18.
The segment was impacted by a $4.0 million gain due to hedged exposures no longer expected to occur.
Rice Food:
Sales volumes and revenues
remained relatively flat compared to HY17 and NPBT declined to $1.5 million.
The microwave rice category continued to grow its dominant presence in the ANZ
market during the period, and now generates almost half of this segment’s sales
revenue. The recent introduction of new Adult Mini Cakes is anticipated to
underpin sales revenue growth in the snacking category over the remainder of
FY18. The rice flour category experienced competition from Vietnamese imports
during the Half.
Riviana:
Riviana NPBT increased by 9.4pc,
having benefited from ownership of the Felhbergs business for a full six months
(compared to the previous corresponding period). Challenging trading conditions
in the foodservice sector and restructure costs also impacted on the Riviana
result. A seasonal uplift is expected during the second half as Christmas and
Easter festive seasons improve retail sales.
CopRice:
CopRice NPBT experienced a
positive turnaround of $4.0 million during the half, having posted a loss
before tax of $1.5 million in HY17. Positive pricing mix and margin growth in
speciality and grocery segments drove the business’s improved performance
during the Half. Dairy and sheep feed segments are expecting a seasonal uplift
during the summer months, which should benefit CopRice over the remainder of
FY18.
FY18 outlook
Following SunRice’s positive
start to FY18, we now anticipate that NPAT for FY18 will be around $45 million
(an upgrade from previous guidance of $40 million).However, achieving guidance over the remainder of FY18 will be dependent on: macroeconomic conditions in key markets; trends in global rice markets; exchange rate movements; and several issues specific to PNG.
C17 Full Year Paddy Price
The estimated paddy price range
for base grade medium grain (Reiziq) is $335-$365/tonne.A continuation of positive price movement in international markets, coupled with SunRice’s ongoing strategy of placing Australian rice in higher returning markets and securing rice from alternative international supply chains, has supported positive revisions of the C17 paddy price range since the start of FY18. Earlier in FY18, the C17 Pool opened with a range of $300-$320/tonne.
While SunRice is hopeful positive movements in global markets will continue, any softening in markets and a further strengthening of the Australia dollar will naturally influence the final pool result.
Source: Sunrice
https://www.graincentral.com/news/agribusiness/sunrice-records-24-1-million-half-year-net-profit/
