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12 August 2019 Last Updated at 11:56 am | Source: IANS

Erosion of Doon Valley''s pride: Basmati rice

Dehradun, Aug 12 (/ 101Reporters) Rice trader Ummed Bora, a resident of Dudhli Ghat in Uttarakhand here, has just started sowing seeds for the Kasturi rice crop, an aromatic variety of rice. While there was hardly any rain during June, steady rainfall in the second week of July has given respite to the farmers in the region.

July is when seeds of Kharif crops are sowed. Bora has also planted a Type-3 paddy crop, which is popularly known as Basmati rice. Known for its aroma, Doon Basmati is slowly losing its place in markets all over the world owing to the increasing urbanisation, pollution and lack of support from the government.

Vinod Bora, a resident of Dehradun, claimed that at one point the fragrance of the crop used to envelop the whole area. When Basmati rice would be prepared, the aroma would reach the adjoining houses as well, he reminiscenced.

While Basmati is still being grown in the area, he mentioned, the area under cultivation and the income generated from the crop have shrunk.

Even other types of Basmati rice -- Haridwar-Saharanpur -- is sold as Doon Basmati rice, he claimed.

Whether it is Dudhli Ghat or Majra, the vast farms growing Basmati rice have transformed into residential complexes and flats. Bora claimed that farmers don''t get proper compensation for their crops, but they get good prices for the land.

The farmers are attracted by the profits the selling of their land garners, asserted Ummed. He said that after selling their land, they move to the towns for a job or child''s education, leaving their farms behind.

In 2017, Bora revealed that he used to export a consignment of Basmati rice worth Rs 1.5 crore to Germany. The next year it came down to Rs 50 lakh. The expected yield this year is only Rs 20-22 lakh.

Chaman Lal, a farmer, said the Basmati rice crop is very fragile and cannot withstand heavy winds. Rains are always playing havoc and it rains at a time when it affects the crop, he claimed.

He also blamed the Suswa river for the low yield. There used to be a time when the water from the river could be consumed without giving it much thought, but now it is unfit for consumption, even for animals, he added.

As a testament to the rising pollution, he informed, the water has also turned black and is being circulated to the farms in Dudhli Ghat through canals for irrigation. The water brings garbage and medical waste to the farms, resulting in the low yield.

The contaminated water from Suswa river has affected the aroma, for which it used to be famous, stated Surya Prakash, another farmer. "The river whose water we used to drink out of our cupped hands has turned into sewer.

"Nature has changed, the weather has changed, rain patterns have changed and thus, the scent of the Doon Basmati has also vanished," he said.

S.S. Rasaily, Member Secretary of the Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board, informed that a study has been sanctioned to find the reasons behind the decreasing yield of Doon Basmati rice and the report was expected within a few months.

He informed that there was no provision for the storage of Basmati rice seeds and farmers take turns for storage and preparation of the seeds. While this ensures quality control, there is no way for someone to procure the seeds from the market, he stated.

Rasaily said there is no record of how much the yield was 10 years ago, and thus there is no way to find out how much it has declined. He said even the Agriculture Department has no record of the trade.

The Biodiversity Board member even alleged that the Agriculture Department has not been taking any step to save the Doon Basmati.

Vinod Bhatt, a member of Navdanya -- an NGO focusing on agricultural issues -- and part of the study by Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board, said the area where the Basmati rice was being grown has reduced considerably in the last two decades.

Bhatt said the yield of varieties like Kasturi, Pusa, Basmati 1, Pant 4 has also dropped.

In addition, he said, rising temperature, declining fertility of the soil, shortage of water for irrigation, change in rain patterns and usage of chemical fertilizers have affected the taste and production of Doon Basmati.

At one point, the air around Dudhli Ghat and Majar used to be heavy with the fragrance of Basmati that rivalled sandalwood or flowers.

Doon Basmati, which had created a space for itself in the international market, is disappearing from the farms. Urbanisation, lack of awareness, water pollution and lack of support from the government has taken the crop to the verge of losing its place from plates across the globe.

Vietnam struggles to find new buyers as Chinese demand dwindles

FRI, AUG 16, 2019 - 9:57 AM

Description: BP_VietRice_160819_54.jpg

Export prices of rice from Vietnam fell this week as the country struggled to find new buyers amid waning demand from China, while a drought continued to squeeze supply in Thailand and a weak rupee weighed on rates for the Indian variety.

PHOTO: REUTERS

[BENGALURU] Export prices of rice from Vietnam fell this week as the country struggled to find new buyers amid waning demand from China, while a drought continued to squeeze supply in Thailand and a weak rupee weighed on rates for the Indian variety.

Prices for Vietnam's 5 per cent broken rice fell to US$335-345 a tonne on Thursday from US$340-350 last week.

"Vietnam is struggling to find new markets to compensate for the sharp decline in shipments to China," a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City said.

Exports to China in the first seven months of this year fell 65.7 per cent from the corresponding period last year, to 318,100 tonnes, Vietnamese customs data showed.

"We heard from Chinese importers that China's demand for rice remains high but the importers cannot buy from Vietnam because of new technical barriers the Chinese government has imposed," the trader said.

Vietnam's Ministry and Industry and Trade said on Wednesday it would organise several trade promotion trips this year to boost rice exports.

Meanwhile, Thailand's benchmark 5 per cent broken rice prices narrowed to US$415-425 a tonne on Thursday from US$406-425 last week, with traders attributing the relatively high prices to concerns over supply as the country grapples with its worst drought in a decade.

"Domestic prices are up due to fears over possible shortage of rice because of the drought," a Bangkok based trader said.

AFRICAN MARKET ACTIVE

Demand, however, remained relatively flat and the strong baht - Asia's best performing currency this year - has kept Thai prices higher than those of other Asian hubs.

"It's hard to find new buyers as the price will likely increase going forward due to the foreign exchange as well as domestic supply situation," another trader said.

Top exporter India saw prices of its 5 per cent broken parboiled variety ease to about US$374-377 per tonne from last week's US$377-381.

"Africa market is again active now," said Nitin Gupta, vice president for Olam India's rice business.

"Due to the currency depreciation in the last couple of days, prices have corrected."

India's rice exports in April-June dived 28.2 per cent from a year ago to 2.35 million tonnes, a government body said on Monday, due to subdued demand for non-basmati rice from Africa.

In neighbouring Bangladesh, traders demanded cash incentives for rice exports as the country has been unable to secure any deals since a long-standing ban was lifted in May.

"At present, we're not in a position to compete with India or Thailand for parboiled rice. It's almost impossible to export any rice unless the government provides at least 20 per cent cash subsidy on exports," a Dhaka-based trader said.

REUTERS

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/energy-commodities/vietnam-struggles-to-find-new-buyers-as-chinese-demand-dwindles

Mishtann Foods Reports 22.1% Increase in Q1FY2020 PAT at INR 3.14 Crore

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Mishtann Foods

14 Aug, 2019, 17:56 IST

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AHMEDABAD, India, Aug. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Mishtann Foods Limited (MFL), one of the leading agro-product companies with primary focus on Basmati rice, has announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter of FY 2020 ended on June 30, 2019.

For Q1 FY2020, MFL reported total revenue of INR 125.93 crore, as against total revenue of INR 130.00 crore reported in Q1 of FY2019 and INR 123.66 crore reported in Q4 FY2019. The company's net profit for Q1 FY 2020 at INR 3.14 crore was up by 22.1% y-o-y.

Ahmedabad-based, MFL is one of the fastest growing branded Basmati rice companies with strong established relationships with farmers, suppliers and customers. During Q1FY20, Basmati rice contributed 95.74% to the total revenue, followed by wheat and pulses contributing 2.29% and 1.97% respectively. MFL's Basmati rice sales volume stood at 14624 MT as against volume of 14704 MT achieved in Q1 FY19. The sales realisation for Basmati rice for Q1 FY20 was INR 82.43 per kg as against INR 88 per kg in Q1 FY 2019. The sales realisation for wheat for Q1 FY 2020 was INR 20.27 per kg as against INR 21.24 per kg in Q1 FY 2019. The sales realisation for pulses for Q1 FY 2020 was INR 48.78 per kg as against INR 65.27 per kg in Q1 FY 2019. The overall sales realisation for Q1 FY 2020 was INR 76.05 per kg as against INR 87.73 per kg in Q1 FY 2019.

Commenting on the financial performance, Mr. Hitesh Patel, Managing Director, Mishtann Foods Limited said, "We are happy to report robust profitability growth for Q1 FY20. We continue to focus on transforming our business, emerging as a growing global branded rice company. We are now pursuing strategies that involve greater differentiation and allow us to create sustainable value for all our stakeholders."

About Mishtann Foods Limited:

Mishtann Foods (BSE: 539594) is India's leading agro-product company with primary focus on Mishtann brand of Basmati rice. The company also has presence in wheat and pulses segment. MFL's 100,000 metric tonne per annum rice processing facility is strategically located at Himatnagar in Gujarat, in a close proximity to port giving the company cost advantage for the export market. Mishtann's wider portfolio of Basmati rice includes Raw, Sella and Steam that cater to wider customer segment in wholesale as well as retail. For more information, please visit www.mishtann.com

DISCLAIMER:

https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/mishtann-foods-reports-22-1-increase-in-q1fy2020-pat-at-inr-3-14-crore-857703994.html

Bank loans rose 12% YoY in two weeks to Aug 2: RBI

Bank deposits rose 939.60 billion rupees to 127.45 trillion rupees in the two weeks ended Aug 2.

Reuters|

Aug 16, 2019, 08.03 PM IST

0Comments

Getty Images

BENGALURU: Indian banks' loans rose 12.2% in the two weeks ended Aug 2 from a year earlier, while deposits jumped 10.1%, the Reserve Bank of India's weekly statistical supplement showed on Friday.

Outstanding loans rose 711.3 billion rupees to 97.30 trillion rupees ($1.37 trillion) in the two weeks ended Aug 2.

Non-food credit surged 743.9 billion rupees to 96.67 trillion rupees, while food credit fell 32.50 billion rupees to 627.50 billion rupees.

Bank deposits rose 939.60 billion rupees to 127.45 trillion rupees in the two weeks ended Aug 2.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/bank-loans-rose-12-yoy-in-two-weeks-to-aug-2-rbi/articleshow/70704220.cms

Plant protection: The next blockbuster basmati

Breeding for resistance, rather than spraying pesticides, is the way ahead to secure a $ 5-billion export industry.

Written by Anju Agnihotri Chaba, Harish Damodaran |Jalandhar, New Delhi |Updated: August 15, 2019 4:25:59 am

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Business News of Thursday, 15 August 2019

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Dealing with food fraud: UCC School of Agric develops technology to detect fake rice

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File: Rice producers are excited about the new move

The school of Agriculture at the University of Cape Coast has developed a technology that detects fake rice that is sold on the market.

The technology will among other things deal with fraud that is perpetrated in the production and sale of rice and also authenticate the integrity of food across Africa.

The researchers are upbeat the many fraudulent food-related activities that impede productivity and also have consequential effect on the health of consumers would be put in check courtesy the technology.

The university achieved this feat with the support of the Queen’s University in UK, a pioneer university that researches into food fraud and authenticity.

Lead researcher of the project, Dr. Ernest Teye, revealed after a conference on food fraud and authenticity at the University of Cape Coast, users of mobile phones could easily check the authenticity of the rice they are buying or are in their possession.

“With this technology, it is easier to detect where the rice was produced, whether the rice is a plastic rice or not. The technology makes it possible for each and every rice particle to be sampled and scanned,” he explained.

The market, he reveals is flooded with many substandard and low-quality rice and the technology, he is convinced will help assuage the fears of consumers.
“For instance, you will find Ghana rice packaged as rice from Vietnam and you could also find

Vietnam rice packaged as Ghana rice. These are done to deceive consumers of rice. There is also the emergence of plastic rice that caused a scare in the country few months back. The technology will help deal with them,” he indicated.

Queen’s University’s Prof. Chris Elliot, a stalwart in food fraud and authenticity, believes, the technology is a breakthrough not only for Ghana and Africa but for the world. He is confident the university’s work will help impact society positively.

“The technology works perfectly and that’s good news for rice consumers and consumers of other food stuffs as well. It behooves on state agencies to lend their support to the researchers to make huge impact with this technology,” he said.

Dean of the school of Agric, Prof. Elvis Asare Bediako is hopeful their collaboration with the Queen’s University will see to the establishment of Centre of Excellence for Food Fraud in
Africa.

“The awareness of food fraud is very limited in Ghana and Africa. This has given many people the opportunity to dupe unsuspecting consumers. The centre when established will help provide information and make people aware about food fraud and how to authenticate the food they are buying and the ones in their possession,” he indicated.

Prof. Asare Bediako says the School of Agric at UCC will liaise with the relevant state authorities like the Ghana Standards Authority, the Food and Drugs Authority and other national regulatory bodies that are responsible for assessing the quality and authenticity of food in the country.

Rice producers and other stakeholders in Agric that took part in the conference were expressed their excitement about the breakthrough. They believe it will help sanitize the industry.

Local FCCLA students take in national trip

By Editor | August 15, 2019 | 0

Description: https://www.page1publications.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Image-1-2.jpg

The GMR FCCLA students who attended the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, Calif., held June 30-July 4, pose for a group photo. They are (L-R): Bella Burkel, Honna Westlund, Morgan Reed, Berlyn Burkel, Chance Christian, and Elizabeth Gust. Reed Christian, and Gust advanced to this national conference by virtue of their performances on their individual STAR Event projects at state.(photo by Mara Gust)

Description: https://www.page1publications.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/IMG_8454.jpg

Badger students Amelia Wilt and Ada Lee pose for a photo at the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, Calif. These two students earned gold at nationals for their video presentation about online catfishing. (photo by Gretchen Lee)

Last month, the first part of the story, “Local FCCLA students taking in national trip” was featured in The Tribune. The first part highlighted the Badger FCCLA students who were attending the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, Calif., and the projects some of them did to advance to this national conference. Part two of this story highlights the Greenbush-Middle River (GMR) students who attended the national conference and the projects some of them did to also advance to this national stage. At the end, the awards and recognitions both chapters earned at this event will be provided.

At the Minnesota FCCLA State Conference, held on March 28-30, GMR FCCLA students Elizabeth Gust and Morgan Reed found out both had earned their way to the National FCCLA Leadership Conference in Anaheim, Calif., June 30-July 4. When asked about their reactions to this discover, they first mentioned how they both reacted upon finding out another one of their chapter team members had also advanced: Chance Christian.

“We both burst out in tears (when we heard Chance’s name). We were so happy for him,” Gust said.

They were excited for him, knowing how much this opportunity meant to him.

“Through the whole season, all he (Chance) talked about was, ‘Oh, I can’t wait to go to state. I can’t wait to go to nationals. I can’t wait to do this,’” Reed said. “And I was like, ‘Man, I’m just trying to get past regionals… He was planning the whole (national) trip before we were even going to state. So to actually hear his name get called, Chance is one of the hardest working people on our team. He works the hardest and he definitely cheers everybody else on.”

“It’s the biggest honor to go there (to nationals),” Christian said.

As the GMR FCCLA Advisor, Laura Dahl views her entire chapter’s achievements as even more special, given how much she has seen them put into their projects.

“I could not be more proud of our chapter as a whole. The dedication observed, the skills refined, and the success earned is so rewarding as an advisor,” Dahl said.

Besides the three national advancers, three other students, Berlyn Burkel, Honna Westlund, and Bella Burkel, also attended the FCCLA National Leadership Conference.The three students who did bring their STAR Event projects to the National Conference— Christian, Reed, and Gust– discussed them.

Competing in the topic area of “Entrepreneurship”, Christian did his project on the snow cone business he started during softball and summer baseball games. The first summer he did this business, he did “fairly well,” reeling in $500.

Participating in the topic area of “Food Innovations”, Reed did a project inspired by her sister, who has Celiac Disease, an “immune disease in which people can’t eat gluten because it will damage their small intestine,” according medlineplus.gov. With this inspiration, Reed created a gluten-free appetizer product: krispie pops– a small rice krispie ball on top of a stick. Putting these rice krispie balls on a stick allows for more decoration and customization, Reed said

“At first I decided to do brownies, but gluten-free brownies aren’t very good, and I realized I wasn’t an expert at making them,” Reed said. “And at the time my sister was living in Wyoming, so she couldn’t really help me, but then she moved back to Minnesota and she actually was making rice krispies one day, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s such a better idea.’” So we just took it and made it into rice krispie balls.”

She did add a little extra butter to her rice krispie treats to allow them to stay softer longer. These treats also have corn syrup in them versus malt syrup due to malt syrup having gluten in it. Despite the differences, her treats taste very much like the regular rice krispie bars, Reed explained.

Competing in the topic area of “Career Investigations”, Gust looks to be a musician and decided to look deeper into this career. She did research on this career path, including what one has to do during the high school and college years to reach a career in this field. As part of this project, she also interviewed her aunt Melanie Moos Wilson, a musician with a band in the Twin Cities.

Her presentation focused on both the work to get to a music career and her personal goals.

“To go to a good music conservatory college would be fun, like Juilliard or something,” Gust said. “But I mean if that doesn’t work out, there are lots of other colleges with good music programs, like even BSU (in) Bemidji.”
She also learned of the job opportunities a musician has out there and of a lesson that future musicians should follow.

“Take what you can get as a musician because getting jobs is pretty hard,” Gust said. “… You have to kind of stay true to yourself and keep working at it until you make it.”

Speaking of projects, Dahl talked about how she encourages her members to choose a project topic they have passion for.

“Once they do that, the research and putting their presentation (together) comes naturally,” Dahl said. “The success becomes their own.”

Local FCCLA National Results:

Out of the GMR Chapter, Chance Christian earned a gold, and Morgan Reed a bronze. Elizabeth Gust didn’t actually compete at nationals, but is still considered a national advancer. She would have presented if a finisher above her in her category would have not have been able to compete for some reason.

Out of the Badger Chapter, Ada Lee and Amelia Wit earned gold on their video project about online catfishing. Jordan Davy and Jordan Lee earned silver for their project about promoting and publicizing FCCLA. Kennedy Truscinski also earned silver for her project, “Tackle Breast Cancer for Mrs. Lee,” having organized a pink t-shirt fundraiser for her teacher and advisor Gretchen Lee, who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Speaking of Gretchen Lee, she earned the Spirit of Advising Award at this year’s FCCLA National Leadership Conference.

To see the complete story, read the August 14 issue of The Tribune in print or online. To see part one of this story, highlighting the Badger FCCLA students who attended nationals, read the July 3 issue of The Tribune in print or online.

Talking without facts: Tax issue or government expenditures?

Dr. Farrukh Saleem discusses in-depth how Pakistan's economic structure is gradually deteriorating and what are the causes behind it. Is it a decline in tax collection or the government's uncontrollable spending?

Dr. Farrukh Saleem

August 16, 2019

Description: Tax

Dr. Farrukh Saleem |

In 1958, Field Marshall Mohammad Ayub Khan wanted to expand the tax net. In 1969, General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan wanted to expand the tax net. In 1976, PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto tried to expand the tax net. In 1986, General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq wanted to expand the tax net. In 1997, PM Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif wanted to expand the tax net. In 1999, General Pervez Musharraf tried to expand the tax net. In 2008, President Asif Ali Zardari wanted to expand the tax net. In 2016, PM Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif once again tried to expand the tax net.

Why have the best and the most powerful failed to expand the tax net?

1: According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), there are 101 million women in Pakistan. According to the World Bank, female labor participation (FLFP) hovers around 24 percent. Pakistan’s FLFP would mean that 77 million women are not employed. Surely, unemployed women cannot be expected to pay income tax.

Description: https://www.globalvillagespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Screenshot_1-300x242.jpg

Why have the best and the most powerful failed to expand the tax net?

2: A few years ago, the Economic Survey revealed that “if the poverty line is $2 per day in line with international standards for middle-income countries, then 60.19 percent of the population fall below poverty line in Pakistan.” Lo and behold, 124 million Pakistanis earn Rs320 or below per day. Surely, 124 million Pakistanis earning Rs320 per day or below cannot be expected to pay income tax.

Description: https://www.globalvillagespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Screenshot_2-300x190.jpg

Why have the best and the most powerful failed to expand the tax net?

3: Last year, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in a report titled ‘Unleashing the potential of a young Pakistan’, declared: “Pakistan has the largest percentage of young people ever recorded in its history.” The Report states: “64 percent of the total population is below the age of 30.” Lo and behold, 133 million Pakistanis are below the age of 30. How much do 30-year-olds make in Pakistan? Not much, I reckon. Surely, 133 million Pakistanis who are under 30 cannot be expected to pay income tax.

Description: https://www.globalvillagespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Screenshot_3-300x181.jpg

Why have the best and the most powerful failed to expand the tax net?

4: A little more than 4 percent of our population is 65 or over. That’s 8 million who cannot really be expected to pay income tax.

Why have the best and the most powerful failed to expand the tax net?

5: According to the National Nutritional Survey, nearly 37 percent of us are ‘food insecure’. That’s 77 million Pakistanis who are ‘food insecure’. Can anyone in their right mind expect to collect income tax for them?

To be certain, there must be a few thousand Pakistanis who are not paying their fair share of income tax. Get them all and make them pay their due share of income tax. Yes, the government can probably raise an additional Rs50 billion. Lo and behold, the budgetary deficit is Rs3,200 billion. Surely, the issue is not ‘inadequate taxes.’ Surely, the issue is ‘excessive government spending’. Imagine; current government expenditures have gone up from Rs1.5 trillion in 2008-09 to a whopping Rs7.2 trillion.

Everyone who should be in the tax net must be brought into the tax net. But, doing this will not cure our disease. Doing this will not save the Titanic from sinking.

For the record, in 2008-09, taxpayers deposited Rs1.1 trillion as taxes into the government treasury. By 2018-19, tax revenues had actually gone up to Rs3.8 trillion; an increase of 336 percent. We really need to focus on who is filing the treasury and who is emptying it all out.

Description: https://www.globalvillagespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Screenshot_4-300x256.jpg

Yes, the government continues to throw away a colossal Rs1.1 trillion into Public Sector Enterprises every year. Yes, the accumulated circular debt now exceeds Rs1.7 trillion. Yes, the government’s commodity operations have taken on Rs734 billion worth of debt (provincial food departments and other government procurement agencies routinely buy wheat and other commodities but are supposed to retire their debts). Yes, a good $2 billion worth of natural gas somehow ‘leaks’ out every year (in Pakistan ‘unaccounted for gas’, a euphemism for ‘stolen gas’ is as high as 20 percent against a global average of under 2 percent). Yes, the government will be paying around Rs1,000 billion this year in ‘capacity payments’ to power plants. Do you still think that the problem is inadequate taxes?

Description: https://www.globalvillagespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Screenshot_5-300x238.jpg

Yes, every government over the past 4 decades has been talking about FBR reforms. Intriguingly, FBR employs some 21,000 employees but around 90 percent of tax revenues get deposited into the government treasury without any active direction of the FBR.

Did you know that Pakistan only has 1.3 million credit cards? This really is the potential tax pool-no more. Can anyone show me a country where the government’s current expenditures have gone up by 500 percent in just 10 years? This year, the government collected Rs3.8 trillion in taxes. Divide that by around 30 million Pakistani households and on average every household is paying Rs125,000 in taxes.

Everyone who should be in the tax net must be brought into the tax net. But, doing this will not cure our disease. Doing this will not save the Titanic from sinking. Please focus on who is filing the government treasury-and who is emptying it out. Once again; the issue is not ‘inadequate taxes’. Once again, the real issue is ‘excessive government spending’.

Description: https://www.globalvillagespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Screenshot_6-300x195.jpg

A Partial List of PSEs

1. Pakistan International Airlines

2. Pakistan Steel Mills

3. Pakistan Electric Power Company

4. Pakistan Railways

5. Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Utility Stores Corporation

6. Tomato Paste Plant

7. Roti Corporation of Pakistan

8. Pakistan Stone Development Company

9. Pakistan Hunting and Sporting Arms Development Company

10. National Institute of Oceanography

11. Pakistan Gems & Jewelry Development Company

12. Technology Commercialization Corporation of Pakistan

13. National Industrial Parks Development & Management Company

14. Technology Up-Gradation and Skill Development Company

15. National Productivity Organization

16. Council for Work and Housing Research

17. National Institute of Electronics

18. Pakistan Council for Science and Technology

19. Pakistan Council of Research in Water Technology

20. Centre for Applied & Molecular Biology

21. National Insurance Corporation, Heavy Electrical Complex,

22. Machine Tool Factory, Services International,

23. National Power Construction Company,

24. National Fertilizers Corporation, State Engineering Corporation,

25. National Construction Limited,

26. Pakistan Steel Fabricating Company Limited,

27. Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation,

28. Ghee Corporation of Pakistan, Republic Motors,

29. Pakistan National Shipping Corporation,

30. State Cement Corporation of Pakistan,

31. State Petroleum Refining & Petrochemicals Corporation,

32. Trading Corporation of Pakistan, Cotton Export Corporation of Pakistan,

33. Rice Export Corporation of Pakistan, Pakistan Industrial Technical Training Centre and Pakistan Engineering Company

Dr. Farrukh Saleem, an economist, is a prominent public policy commentator in Pakistan. He has worked extensively with international development organizations and has been associated with Center for Research & Security Studies (CRSS). His columns have appeared in The News and The Dawn and he has been a TV Anchor with 92 News. He did his doctorate from Western Illinois University, United States.

https://www.globalvillagespace.com/talking-without-facts-tax-issue-or-government-expenditures/

IRRI introduces interactive crop diagnostic tool

Field testing of Rice Doctor at Sundargarh, Odisha. Photo courtesy of IRRI.

08.15.2019

By Holly Demaree-Saddler

SUNDARGARH, ODISHA, INDIA — The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is working to decrease crop loss from pest and diseases with an interactive crop diagnostic tool.

Rice Doctor is a tool developed to cater to the needs of the extension and advisory service providers and farmers as primary users to identify insect pests, diseases, nutrient deficiencies, toxicities, and agronomy related problems of the crops. It provides information on these problems as well as recommendations to address them. It also can be useful for researchers, students and private input dealers.

IRRI said crop loss is a major threat to farming communities globally, “In the case of rice, up to 37% of economic losses are caused by insect pests and disease infestation. Timely and accurate disease and insect pest diagnosis and management can not only reduce crop losses, but also help protect the environment.”

IRRI’s Rice Doctor is an information and communication technology-based tool that enables farmers to make timely decisions for better pest management. It helps farmers access global knowledge and information to address their challenges.

Rice Doctor is currently available online and as a mobile app that can be downloaded free of cost on smartphones and tablets.

A more localized prevalent version of Rice Doctor for the Odisha region in India is being developed with the help of the local government. The “Increasing Productivity of Rice-based Cropping Systems and Farmer’s Income in Odisha” is being used to facilitate the localization of Rice Doctor in Odisha. It includes user testing and workshops that were conducted with extension intermediaries, farmers, and plant protection specialists from partner institutions.

User testing helped assess the efficiency and accuracy of the Rice Doctor mobile application for mid-season diagnosis and management of insect pests, diseases, abiotic stresses, and agronomic problems. The content is being updated to enhance the usability based on the feedback received.

Activities are being undertaken to enhance the capacities of extension functionaries and farmers to use the tool. Plans also are ongoing to develop business models for provision of advisories to farmers on pest and disease management using Rice Doctor, so its use becomes viable and sustainable.

https://www.world-grain.com/articles/12468-irri-introduces-interactive-crop-diagnostic-tool

Discovery could pave the way for disease-resistant rice crops

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

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IMAGE: PROTEIN CRYSTALS AND A RICE PANICLE DEPICTED AGAINST A BACKDROP OF RICE GRAINS REPRESENT THE STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY AND PLANT PATHOLOGY ASPECTS OF A STUDY BY VARDEN ET AL., WHICH UNVEILED... view more

CREDIT: MARINA FRANCESHETTI AND PHIL ROBINSON

Researchers have uncovered an unusual protein activity in rice that can be exploited to give crops an edge in the evolutionary arms race against rice blast disease, a major threat to rice production around the world.

Magnaporthe oryzae, the fungus that leads to rice blast disease, creates lesions on rice plants that reduce the yield and quality of grain. The fungus causes a loss of up to a third of the global rice harvest, roughly enough to feed more than 60 million people each year.

Various strategies to ward off the fungus have been employed, but a sustainable approach has not yet been developed. Cost and environmental concerns have limited the success of toxic fungicides. And a phenomena called linkage drag, where undesirable genes are transferred along with desired ones, has made it difficult for breeders to produce varieties of rice that exhibit improved disease resistance but still produce grain at a desired rate.

Gene-editing technologies could eventually be used to precisely insert genes in rice plants, overcoming the issue of linkage drag, but first, genes that boost rice immunity need to be identified or engineered.

A team of researchers in Japan and the U.K. report in the Journal of Biological Chemistry that a particular rice immune receptor--from a class of receptors that typically recognize only single pathogenic proteins--pulls double duty by triggering immune reactions in response to two separate fungal proteins. The genes that encode this receptor could become a template for engineering new receptors that can each detect multiple fungal proteins, and thereby improve disease resistance in rice crops.

Rice blast fungus deploys a multitude of proteins, known as effectors, inside of rice cells. In response, rice plants have evolved genes encoding nucleotide binding-leucine-rich repeat proteins, or NLRs, which are intracellular immune receptors that bait specific fungal effectors. After an NLR receptor's specific fungal effector binds to the bait, signaling pathways are initiated that cause cell death.

"(The cells) die in a very localized area so the rest of the plant is able to survive. It's almost like sacrificing your finger to save the rest of your body," said Mark Banfield, professor and group leader at John Innes Centre in Norwich, England, and senior author of the study.

After learning from previous work that the fungal effectors AVR-Pia and AVR-Pik have similar structures, the researchers sought to find out whether any rice NLRs known to bind to one of these effectors could perhaps also bind to the other, Banfield said.

The scientists introduced different combinations of rice NLRs and fungal effectors into tobacco (a model system for studying plant immunity) and also used rice plants to show if any unusual pairs could come together and elicit immune responses. An AVR-Pik-binding rice NLR called Pikp triggered cell-death in response to AVR-Pik as expected, but surprisingly, the experiments showed that plants expressing this NLR also partially reacted to AVR-Pia.

The authors took a close look at the unexpected pairing using X-ray crystallography and noticed that the rice NLR possessed two separate docking sites for AVR-Pia and AVR-Pik.

In its current form, Pikp causes meager immune reactions after binding AVR-Pia, however, the receptor's DNA could be modified to improve its affinity for mismatched effectors, Banfield said.

"If we can find a way to harness that capability, we could produce a super NLR that's able to bind multiple pathogen effectors," Banfield said.

As an ultimate endgame, gene-editing technologies could be used to insert enhanced versions of NLRs--like Pikp--into plants, Banfield said, which could tip the scale in favor of rice crops in the face of rice blast disease.

###

DOI: 10.1074/jbc.RA119.007730

This work was supported by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, grant numbers BB/P012574, BB/M02198X; the ERC (proposal 743165), the John Innes Foundation, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and JSPS KAKENHI 15H05779 and 18K05657.

Other authors on this study include Freya A. Varden, Hiromasa Saitoh, Kae Yoshino, Marina Franceschetti, Sophien Kamoun and Ryohei Terauchi.

About the Journal of Biological Chemistry

JBC is a weekly peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes research "motivated by biology, enabled by chemistry" across all areas of biochemistry and molecular biology. The read the latest research in JBC, visit http://www.jbc.org/.

About the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

The ASBMB is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization with more than 11,000 members worldwide. Most members teach and conduct research at colleges and universities. Others conduct research in government laboratories, at nonprofit research institutions and in industry. The Society publishes three journals: the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the Journal of Lipid Research, and Molecular and Cellular Proteomics. For more information about ASBMB, visit http://www.asbmb.org.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-08/asfb-dcp081519.php

Discovery Could Pave the Way for Disease-Resistant Rice Crops

15-Aug-2019 10:00 AM EDT

American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)

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BB/P012574; BB/M02198X; 743165; 15H05779; 18K05657; Journal of Biological Chemistry

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Newswise — Researchers have uncovered an unusual protein activity in rice that can be exploited to give crops an edge in the evolutionary arms race against rice blast disease, a major threat to rice production around the world.

A team of researchers in Japan and the U.K. report in the Journal of Biological Chemistry that a particular rice immune receptor—from a class of receptors that typically recognize only single pathogenic proteins—pulls double duty by triggering immune reactions in response to two separate fungal proteins. The genes that encode this receptor could become a template for engineering new receptors that can each detect multiple fungal proteins, and thereby improve disease resistance in rice crops.

Rice blast fungus deploys a multitude of proteins, known as effectors, inside of rice cells. In response, rice plants have evolved genes encoding nucleotide binding–leucine-rich repeat proteins, or NLRs, which are intracellular immune receptors that bait specific fungal effectors. After an NLR receptor’s specific fungal effector binds to the bait, signaling pathways are initiated that cause cell death.

“(The cells) die in a very localized area so the rest of the plant is able to survive. It’s almost like sacrificing your finger to save the rest of your body,” said Mark Banfield, professor and group leader at John Innes Centre in Norwich, England, and senior author of the study.

The authors took a close look at the unexpected pairing using X-ray crystallography and noticed that the rice NLR possessed two separate docking sites for AVR-Pia and AVR-Pik.

In its current form, Pikp causes meager immune reactions after binding AVR-Pia, however, the receptor’s DNA could be modified to improve its affinity for mismatched effectors, Banfield said.

“If we can find a way to harness that capability, we could produce a super NLR that’s able to bind multiple pathogen effectors,” Banfield said.

As an ultimate endgame, gene-editing technologies could be used to insert enhanced versions of NLRs—like Pikp—into plants, Banfield said, which could tip the scale in favor of rice crops in the face of rice blast disease.

###

DOI: 10.1074/jbc.RA119.007730

Other authors on this study include Freya A. Varden, Hiromasa Saitoh, Kae Yoshino, Marina Franceschetti, Sophien Kamoun and Ryohei Terauchi.

About the Journal of Biological Chemistry

About the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

The ASBMB is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization with more than 11,000 members worldwide. Most members teach and conduct research at colleges and universities. Others conduct research in government laboratories, at nonprofit research institutions and in industry. The Society publishes three journals: the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the Journal of Lipid Research, and Molecular and Cellular Proteomics. For more information about ASBMB, visit www.asbmb.org.

https://www.newswise.com/articles/discovery-could-pave-the-way-for-disease-resistant-rice-crops2

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Best supplements for cholesterol: This type of rice could lower ‘bad’ cholesterol

BEST supplements for cholesterol: Having high cholesterol can lead to serious health complications if left untreated, so what can you do to lower it? A certain type of rice could help reduce it.

By Katrina Turrill

PUBLISHED: 20:35, Thu, Aug 15, 2019 | UPDATED: 20:51, Thu, Aug 15, 2019

High cholesterol: Nutritionist reveals top prevention tips

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High cholesterol can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, conditions such as heart disease and stroke. But there are two types of cholesterol found in the body - HDL which is considered good, and LDL which is considered bad. HDL cholesterol is essential in helping the body get rid of excess cholesterol by carrying it from tissues to the liver. LDL cholesterol carries cholesterol from the liver to the cells around the body where it’s needed, but too much LDL can lead to fatty deposits in the arteries.

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Research has proven taking supplements could help lower cholesterol, and one to consider is red yeast rice

Experts recommend a number of lifestyle changes to help lower cholesterol, including stopping smoking, eating a healthier diet with more fruit and vegetables and less salt, and doing more exercise.

But alongside these lifestyle changes, research has proven taking supplements could help lower cholesterol, and one to consider is red yeast rice.

Red yeast rice is a type of fermented rice that’s popular in Indonesian cuisine, but is also available as a supplement.

For many years now red yeast rice has been used as a natural remedy to help lower cholesterol levels and to promote heart health.

One study involving 25 people demonstrated how red yeast rice lowered total cholesterol y an average of 15 per cent and ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol by 21 per cent over a duration of two months.

An eight-week long study in 79 people showed similar effects.

Best supplements for cholesterol: A certain type of rice could lower ‘bad’ cholesterol (Image: GETTY)

It found participants taking 600mg of red yeast rice twice daily had significantly reduced ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol levels, compared to a control group.

Another review of 21 studies found red yeast rice was effective at reducing levels of total and ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, as well as blood pressure, when combined with statin drugs.

When it comes to how much red yeast rice you should take, you should always follow the directions on packaging,

Doses ranging from 200 to 4,800mg have been studied in clinical trials.

What other supplements could lower cholesterol?

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1166269/best-supplements-cholesterol-lower-red-yeast-rice

Chinese scientists complete high-resolution 3D genome map of rice

Source: Xinhua| 2019-08-15 19:32:25|Editor: Li Xia

WUHAN, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists completed a high-resolution three-dimensional genome map of rice, which is a breakthrough in the crop's genetic improvement, according to the research team.

The team from Huazhong Agricultural University in central China's Hubei Province aimed to investigate the genome architecture and its effects on the growth of rice through the map.

The study will help reveal the genome architecture of rice and promote research on the genetic improvement of rice and other crops, according to the research team.

The study has been published in the international academic journal Nature Communications.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-08/15/c_138311743.htm

JJ Johnson Has Already Changed the Way You Eat. You Just Didn't Realize It.

The food prophet of Harlem took on the elite food world. Now, he's taking on Shake Shack and Chipotle.

JEFF GORDINIER

AUG 15, 2019

AARON ARIZPE

Five years ago, in the fall of 2014, this magazine named the Cecil the best new restaurant in America.

Josh Ozersky, the writer who made that pick, raised a toast to the pioneering menu, “primed and loaded with the flavors of the African diaspora—that trail of taste that moved from West Africa to India, the Caribbean to America to China, and then back again.” Meanwhile, Eater, the influential food blog that in recent years has rebooted itself into a bully pulpit for diversity, seemed slightly bewildered that a black-owned restaurant in Harlem might merit the top spot on a national list. JOSH OZERSKY CONFOUNDS EXPECTATIONS, said the Eater headline, while the piece itself quipped that “it sounds like Ozersky is out to stir things up.”

Esquire's Best Bars in America, 2019

Ozersky is gone now. He died the next year. And the Cecil has abandoned its original vision; now it’s a neighborhood steakhouse. But half a decade on, it’s clear that Esquire’s selection of the Cecil was a prescient one. In the intervening years, chefs like Mashama Bailey, Kwame Onwuachi, Edouardo Jordan, Nina Compton, Pierre Thiam, and Eric Adjepong have drawn national attention (and, in several cases, James Beard awards) for exploring the African diaspora through cooking. The long-overdue rise of black chefs is, without a doubt, the most important story in American restaurants right now.

Johnson and his mentor, Alexander Smalls—who coauthored the award-winning Between Harlem and Heaven—visit a market together.

Beatriz Da Costa

People in food media are finally talking about it. Five years ago? “Nobody was,” says JJ Johnson, who was running the kitchen at the Cecil back then. “Nobody even knew how to talk about it.” Innovation be damned, Johnson failed to win the Beard Foundation’s Rising Star prize in 2015. “I still think I was robbed,” he says. “I don’t think anyone was cooking better than me.” But vindication arrived this year when Johnson and Alexander Smalls, the chef, food scholar, and former opera singer who’d mentored him, won a Beard award for Between Harlem and Heaven, a cookbook that’s rooted in the menu they created together at the Cecil.

'Between Harlem and Heaven'

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All of which is to say that it would be unwise to bet against JJ Johnson. The man can cook, duh, but at 35 he’s also one of the few young chefs in America with the ability to look forward, beyond the burrata-and-avocado-toast clichés that mire so many stateside menus in dullness. And what Johnson sees on the horizon is rice. FieldTrip, his new globe-trotting temple devoted to the greatest grain, is located in a storefront on Lenox Avenue in Harlem, about five minutes on foot from where Johnson used to cook. The voluminous education that went into Between Harlem and Heaven wound up leading him down a rabbit hole of rice-paddy research, and today he can hold forth on the historical pathways and cooking methods connected to black rice, sticky rice, Texas brown rice, Carolina Gold, aged basmati, you name it; he’s looking to source rice from Brazil, Trinidad, Vermont, wherever he can get the best stuff. The idea came to him while “traveling so much and seeing that rice was at the center of the table.”

“I still think I was robbed. I don’t think anyone was cooking better than me.”

The cultural centrality of rice is far from new, of course, but Johnson’s continent-hopping mash-ups (think Texas brown rice with brisket, black beans, and turmeric yogurt) could represent a fast-casual concept that actually has legs. In Harlem he sees his primary competition as Shake Shack and Chipotle. “I don’t want to teach anymore,” he told me when I visited FieldTrip in late spring, before its opening last month. Yet Johnson—whose other restaurant south of midtown, Henry at the Life Hotel, abruptly closed in July—still can’t help but find himself in the position of spreading the gospel.

“Y’all open?” a woman asked him as she passed the front door.

“No,” he said. “Three weeks.”

“It’s a restaurant?” she went on.

“It’s a rice-bowl shop,” he explained. “Global flavors.”

FieldTrip, the new restaurant from chef JJ Johnson, serves up global cuisine with a range of rice bowls.

FieldTrip

Maybe five years from now, as with the Cecil, he won’t have to explain anymore. “I hope this place can expand into other neighborhoods like this,” he told me. “I look to Wolfgang Puck in terms of trajectory. I’m gonna disturb a bunch of markets in different ways.”

As I said, I wouldn’t bet against him. JJ Johnson has a knack for sensing where everything is going, even when the rest of us don’t.

https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/restaurants/a28519608/chef-jj-johnson-fieldtrip-harlem-restaurant-cookbook/

Russian scientists start testing 14 breeds of rice in Uzgen

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AKIPRESS.COM - Scientists from Russia started testing 14 breeds of rice in Uzgen district, Turmush reports...

https://akipress.com/news:623757:Russian_scientists_start_testing_14_breeds_of_rice_in_Uzgen/

Discovery could pave the way for disease-resistant rice crops

Date:

August 15, 2019

Source:

American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Summary:

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FULL STORY

A team of researchers in Japan and the U.K. report in the Journal of Biological Chemistry that a particular rice immune receptor -- from a class of receptors that typically recognize only single pathogenic proteins -- pulls double duty by triggering immune reactions in response to two separate fungal proteins. The genes that encode this receptor could become a template for engineering new receptors that can each detect multiple fungal proteins, and thereby improve disease resistance in rice crops.

The authors took a close look at the unexpected pairing using X-ray crystallography and noticed that the rice NLR possessed two separate docking sites for AVR-Pia and AVR-Pik.

In its current form, Pikp causes meager immune reactions after binding AVR-Pia, however, the receptor's DNA could be modified to improve its affinity for mismatched effectors, Banfield said.

"If we can find a way to harness that capability, we could produce a super NLR that's able to bind multiple pathogen effectors," Banfield said.

As an ultimate endgame, gene-editing technologies could be used to insert enhanced versions of NLRs -- like Pikp -- into plants, Banfield said, which could tip the scale in favor of rice crops in the face of rice blast disease.

Other authors on this study include Freya A. Varden, Hiromasa Saitoh, Kae Yoshino, Marina Franceschetti, Sophien Kamoun and Ryohei Terauchi.

Story Source:

Materials provided by American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

1. Freya A Varden, Hiromasa Saitoh, Kae Yoshino, Marina Franceschetti, Sophien Kamoun, Ryohei Terauchi, Mark J. Banfield. Cross-reactivity of a rice NLR immune receptor to distinct effectors from the rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae provides partial disease resistance. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2019; jbc.RA119.007730 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.RA119.007730

Cite This Page:

American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. "Discovery could pave the way for disease-resistant rice crops." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 August 2019. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190815113723.htm>.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190815113723.htm

Chinese scientists complete high-resolution 3D genome map of rice

Source: Xinhua| 2019-08-15 19:32:25|Editor: Li Xia

The team from Huazhong Agricultural University in central China's Hubei Province aimed to investigate the genome architecture and its effects on the growth of rice through the map.

The study will help reveal the genome architecture of rice and promote research on the genetic improvement of rice and other crops, according to the research team.

The study has been published in the international academic journal Nature Communications.

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http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-08/15/c_138311743.htm

Builsa South farmers to be supported, to increase rice production

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https://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2019/08/15/builsa-south-farmers-to-be-supported-to-increase-rice-production/

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has underlined the government’s determination to support rice farmers in the Builsa South District, to substantially increase production.

He said everything would be done to develop the vast fertile valleys of Fumbisi and Gbedembilisi to cut down on rice imports.

Ghana has been spending millions of dollars to import rice, but he noted that, the country could produce enough of the cereal grain for both local consumption and export, when the area is fully developed.

President Akufo-Addo was addressing chiefs and people of Fumbisi as part of his six-day working visit to the Upper East, Upper west and Northern Regions.

He said agriculture research findings showed that “when the necessary attention and investment is given to the Fumbisi and Gbedembilisi rice valleys, enough rice could be produced from those valleys to feed the nation.”

“It is against this background that government is interested in developing the fertile lands to realize the full agriculture potentials of the area, particularly in the area of rice production to boost food security in the region and Ghana as a whole,” he said.

He added that they were eager to make Fumbisi, the hub of rice production in the whole of West Africa, and promised to establish an Agricultural College in the town, to train students in various fields of agriculture.

“There can be no better place than Fumbisi to have an Agricultural College that has the potential to develop the rice basket not just in Ghana, but West Africa,” he said.

He told the gathering that he is going to do everything within his power, to make sure that this becomes a dream come true.

Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, said everybody who had studied agriculture in Ghana knew of the prospects of the Fumbisi rice valleys which “has about 5,000 hectares of farm land for development.” However, just about 900 hectares of this huge land is being used.

Dr. Akoto spoke of plans to expand the agriculture mechanization centre in the area and build mills, to enable farmers add value to their produce.

Naab Clement Anyaturk Akanko II, appealed to the government, to fix bad roads in the area, including the Wiaga-Fumbisi-Wiesi, Kanjarga-Fumbisi-Uwasi and Fumbisi-Zamsa roads linking the various farms to the market centres, to reduce cost of transport and post-harvest losses.

He also wants the Fumbisi Health Center to be upgraded to the status of a District Hospital and supplied with the needed equipment and facilities to bring down infant and maternal mortality.

The President was also accompanied by Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Education, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, the Minister of Health, Mr. Kwasi Amoako Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson, the Minister of Special Development Initiative, Madam Tangoba Abayage, the Regional Minister and other high ranking public officials

That presidential directive on food import ban!

Published August 16, 2019

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele

Ayo Oyoze Baje

President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria that it should not grant the much sought after forex to importers of sundry food items has expectedly generated divergent responses from concerned Nigerians. Not left out of the heated debate are top-notch economists and understandably so.

The new policy appears noble and patriotic on the surface of it, at least to galvanise local food production, enhance food security and generate employment. That Nigeria has been an import dependent nation ever since the oil-boom days is stating the obvious. But it should not be encouraged by any serious administration.

A country that is supposed to be Africa’s largest economy still imports red palm oil, with which it once controlled 40 % of the global market in the 60s but has since drastically dropped to 1.8% in the New Millennium! Besides, it still imports all manner of fish species, stock fish, canned fish, milk, rice, vegetable oil, tomato paste and even toothpick! That Nigeria has the capacity to locally produce these is what must have left President Buhari outraged to the point of outright ban of their import.

In fact, he has vowed that the foreign reserves will be used strictly for diversification of the economy. And not for encouraging more dependence on foreign food items. But it goes much deeper than it seems. To begin with, forex comes essentially as a short form for ‘Foreign Exchange’. It means the foreign currency one obtains from the bank in exchange for the hard earned naira. It is the dollar, pound or Yuan, one requires to do business outside of Nigeria’s shores.

One’s first response was that of surprise rather than shock, given the antecedents of several anomalous policy posturing by the current administration that have underlining politicking than being people-oriented. The wars waged against the twin evils of corruption and insecurity attest to this. The emerging economic scenario of the ban on forex for food import, laudable as it is therefore, throws up some fundamental questions.

For instance, does the CBN have the legal or constitutional authority not to grant forex to food importers? No! As Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the CBN, recently reminded Nigerians: “The Central Bank Act of 2007 makes it clear that the bank is independent. It is not supposed to be taking direct instructions from politicians.” Moghalu is therefore, miffed by such a directive. Said he: “The trajectory in this administration is that we have seen a very clear tendency for the President to direct people. Increasingly, Nigeria’s institutions have lost independence.” Well stated. But as usual, Nigerians may have their say but our President is likely to have his way, again! What manner of democracy is this, you may be wondering?

Should the President give a military-like directive to the CBN when it comes to economic matters? No! But Mr President has ordered the CBN Governor, Godwin Emiefele: “Don’t give a cent to anybody to import food into the country”!

Worried about this, Bismarck Rewane, an economist and the head of Lagos-based consultancy Financial Derivatives, also recently reiterated the fact that the apex bank is supposed to be independent. Did this policy emanate from a holistic, cross-pollination of ideas after the rubbing of minds from the relevant stakeholders such as farmers, food processors, marketers, the Customs service as well as the Ministry of Agriculture across the country? It is a vehement nay again! It came up without their credible input. Yet, there is more to worry about.

How would this policy directive work effectively against the dark backdrop of epileptic power supply needed to enhance the capacity of food processing and preservation by the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises down to the rural areas, where the farm produce come in large amounts? How would it assist the value chain of food processing, preservation and marketing? As Rewane highlighted, import controls on rice, imposed even as local farmers fail to meet demand, have kept prices artificially high and led to smuggling from neighbouring Benin Republic into Nigeria. What with over 1,000 porous borders, inadequate personnel of the customs service to check the expected upsurge in smuggling? Add these to the flourishing black market for forex and the cloudy economic picture would start to clear a bit. As an observer stated: “If you want forex for your palm oil or plastic rice henceforth, you may want to look the way of the Abokis or Mallams down the street corners. The banks, which take orders from the central bank, will no longer listen to you”. Notwithstanding, there are still questions waiting for answers.

How would the policy mitigate the scourge of poverty, pitched against waves of insurgency, banditry and the killing spree of innocent farmers by fully armed Fulani herdsmen? That such mindless killings affect largely agrarian states in the North-East, and the Middle Belt, that has since snowballed to the North-West states should be worrisome indeed.

Perhaps, the President must be waving the magic wand stick! It is only in Nigeria’s aberrant brand of democracy that we have a centralised economy, where the Federal Government controls resources meant for state governments. In more organised societies, issues such as education, healthcare delivery, agriculture, transport and much of infrastructural development should, ordinarily be the duty of the state governments. There are other implications in the implementation of this directive.

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As Rewane told Reuters, foreign exchange restrictions for food imports could backfire after Buhari signed up to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement in July, 2019. One of AfCFTA’s modalities is to create a continent-wide free trade zone where tariffs on most goods would be eliminated. “At this point in time, these rules will be manipulated in the interest of smugglers and their accomplices,” Rewane surmised and he is right on point.

So, what is the way forward? The President should, in the national interest and to fast-track a more impactful economic gain for the people, give a nod to the holistic restructuring of this country. That would enthrone true fiscal federalism and stop all the long-winding self-deceit. Even states that he is boastful of, with huge returns in rice farming such as Kebbi, Ogun, Lagos, Jigawa, Ebonyi and Kano would still do much better if they control their resources, instead of going cap-in-hand every month to collect crumbs from the master’s table.

His policies should emanate from the stakeholders’ input and backed by law instead of command- and- obey structure. Besides, he should be mindful of the impact of such policies on the people, take actions to ensure security and regular power supply instead of putting the cart before the horse!

Baje is a public affairs commentator based in Lagos

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https://punchng.com/that-presidential-directive-on-food-import-ban/

15/08/19

Subsidies are key to better fertiliser access, study shows

Description: Spraying fertilizer on farmland. Scientists warn there must be a balance between increasing access to fertilisers and preventing overuse.

Spraying fertilizer on farmland. Scientists warn there must be a balance between increasing access to fertilisers and preventing overuse. Copyright: pixel1 from Pixabay

Speed read

· Farmers in poor countries struggle to afford fertilisers, leading to low yields

· Better policies and subsidy programmes could bring down prices

· But governments must limit environmental impact of fertiliser use, say researchers

By: Inga Vesper

Subsidies for manufacturing companies could help improve access to fertiliser in developing countries without increasing environmental stress, a team of international researchers has proposed.

In an article reviewing scientific evidence, the team presented a strategy to manage global fertiliser use while minimising nitrogen pollution — a common side effect. They note that it will be essential to increase access to fertilisers in developing countries in order to provide more food for a growing population.

The researchers highlight intergovernmental cooperation and incentives for companies to provide cheap, high-quality fertilisers as essential measures to tackle poor soils and food shortages.

“Restoring soil nutrients with sustainable fertiliser practices is critical to promoting food security and the manifold benefits that this has for society,”

Benjamin Houlton, director, University of California’s John Muir Institute of the Environment

Benjamin Houlton, lead author of the article and director of the University of California’s John Muir Institute of the Environment, said: “In many developing economies, lack of access to commercial fertilisers has resulted in less-than-optimal yields, and highly depleted soils which lack nutrient capital. Restoring soil nutrients with sustainable fertiliser practices is critical to promoting food security and the manifold benefits that this has for society.”

The problem explored in the article is that chemical fertilisers can have negative effects on the environment. Fertiliser is washed off the soil by rain and runs into rivers, where it can pollute drinking water and upset the ecosystem. In addition, powdered nitrogen fertiliser can be carried by wind and cause aerial pollution, with health consequences for nearby communities.

Therefore, the researchers say, improving access to chemical fertilisers in developing countries must go along with appropriate education, community work and consideration for local culture and farming practices.

However, according to Houlton, affordability remains the biggest barrier for farmers in poorer nations. He advocates policies, such as offering subsidies, that encourage companies to invest in developing cheap products.

“This can spur innovation and grow jobs and business opportunities,” he told SciDev.Net. “Subsidies with phase-out provisions can help launch environmental careers and inspire adoption of the most efficient agriculturaltechnologies, with a key emphasis on efficient fertiliser technologies.”

According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, the combined global use of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilisers reached 186.7 million tonnes in 2016. However, demand in Africa was only around 3.6 million tonnes in the same year.

On the other hand, some regions in Asia — in particular India and China — suffered from chemical fertiliser overuse in 2015 due to their farmers’ reliance on monocultures such as rice, according to the study, published in Earth’s Future (23 July).

· El Niño linked to widespread crop failures

· Tap digital solutions to transform Africa’s agriculture

· Poor nations could be future ‘guardians’ of agrobiodiversity

The researchers admit that a balance needs to be struck between increasing access to fertilisers and preventing overuse. Chemical fertiliser pollution can be reduced by micro-application, where small amounts are placed closely to each plant, and by using organic fertilisers such as farm waste products wherever possible.

If correctly applied, fertiliser can revive depleted soils and thereby reduce the need for farmers to cultivate new land at the expense of forests and other habitats, believes Barbara Adolph, principal agro-ecology researcher at the International Institute for Environment and Development in London.

“The generally recognised recommendation [to reduce pollution] is to use organic matter and inorganic fertiliser together,” said Adolph, who has worked in countries including Burkina Faso, Ghana and Malawi.

However, Adolph told SciDev.Net that many farms in developing countries do not have access to sufficient organic matter. In some countries, waste products such as stalks and leaves are used to fuel fires, feed livestock and for fencing and roofing. In addition, traditional farms that have both livestock and crops are in decline as farmers increasingly specialise, meaning some farms may have too much manure, while others have none.

“There are a lot of technical problems in terms of transport and the availability of biomass,” added Adolph. “This is where chemical fertiliser comes in, to complement the use of organic matter. That’s really good practice to avoid land degradation.”

https://www.scidev.net/global/agriculture/news/subsidies-are-key-to-better-fertiliser-access-study-shows.html

Weather extremes devastate yields: study

By Margaret Evans

Published: August 15, 2019
News, Weather

Temperature extremes, drought and heavy precipitation account for 18 to 43 percent of variations in global crop yields. | File photo

International researchers have more precisely measured how extreme weather events driven by a changing climate can devastate crop yields.

Hot and cold temperature extremes, drought and heavy precipitation account for 18 to 43 percent of variations in global yields for maize, spring wheat, rice and soybeans.

“Climate extremes such as heat waves or droughts can have devastating effects on agricultural yields,” said lead author Elizabeth Vogel with the Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes and Climate and Energy College at the University of Melbourne in Australia.

“For example, the millennium drought in Australia from 1997 to 2009 was among the worst droughts in the last several centuries and had severe impacts on agriculture. In southeast Australia, rice production went down by 99 percent between 2002 and 2009 and wheat yields dropped by 12 per cent during the drought.”

The European heat wave and drought in summer 2018 led to widespread harvest failures and shortages of livestock feed.

Similar drought conditions last year challenged farmers and ranchers in Western Canada as hay and livestock feed dwindled.

Driving the fears of global drought is that climate change is triggering more intense variable climate events and also increasing the frequency and severity of climate extremes.

Researchers from Australia, Germany and the United States were involved in the project.

The research team investigated the effects of year-to-year climate variability and extremes on yields of four crops — corn, rice, soybeans and wheat to better understand climate impacts. While they expected climate factors would obviously influence crop yields, they were particularly interested in how these fluctuations were explained specifically by climate extremes. They used a global agricultural database algorithm called Random Forests to show which climate factors played the biggest role in influencing crop yields.

Vogel said a Random Forest algorithm can identify patterns in large datasets and create predictive, statistical models.

Our results showed that 18 percent to 43 percent of the variance in yields is accounted for by climate extremes. For maize, soybeans and rice, this represents more than half of the explained variance.”

They found the most important climate factors for fluctuations in crop yield were related to temperature, not precipitation. Vogel wrote that temperature-related predictors were more strongly correlated with variable crop yields than precipitation-related predictors across all four crops.

The team also identified global hot spots of particular importance for global production yet highly susceptible to the influence of climate, and especially climate extremes, during the growing season.

“As industrialized agricultural regions contribute a large share of world production, many of these regions were among the hot spots … North America, Europe and Oceania still make up most of the hot spots.”

In the study, maize yields in Africa showed one of the strongest relationships with the climate variabilities in the growing season.

“Our results show a particularly strong relationship between climate variations and year-to-year fluctuations in maize yields. These results agree with other previous studies that have shown a strong link between climate variability and extremes, particularly heat extremes, and maize yields. We also see strong effects on spring wheat yields at the global scale and some influences on rice and soybean yields in many regions.”

She said there was no clear answer why the signal was particularly strong for maize, but she suggested that crop-specific temperature and water stress sensitivities, varying management practices and differences in growing seasons between the different crops may play a role.

Production of maize in Africa is particularly critical since a large percentage of the crop is for human consumption, making it an essential source of food security in the region.

“Communities that highly depend on subsistence farming are particularly affected by the effects of climate extremes on crop production,” said Vogel. She said African maize showed one of the strongest associations between climate variations during the growing season and yield anomalies of all the crop-continent combinations. Climate factors explained about 55 percent of maize yield variations in the region.

“Our study highlights the need to adapt food production to climate extremes, not only in major crop producing countries, but also in regions with a strong dependence on subsistence farming or a high share of production for human consumption.”

Some mitigation approaches include shifting the growing season if possible, development of drought or heat-tolerant crop varieties, irrigation, water conservation, and accurate seasonal weather forecasting.

https://www.producer.com/2019/08/weather-extremes-devastate-yields-study/

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Business News of Thursday, 15 August 2019

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Dealing with food fraud: UCC School of Agric develops technology to detect fake rice

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File: Rice producers are excited about the new move

Police Confirm Three Deaths In Khana Fresh Violence …LG Boss, Ex-Youth Leader’s Houses Razed

Published

6 hours ago

6 hours ago (6 hours ago)

The Tide

Description: http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/FRED-09082019-NEWS-7P-1.jpg

The Rivers State Police Command has dispelled ‘fake news’ making the rounds that more than 36 persons were killed by suspected cultists in a raid on two Khana communities of Opuoko and Lumene in Rivers State, yesterday.
In a statement, yesterday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed that only three persons were actually killed during the attacks on the communities in Khana Local Government Area.
The statement reads, “The attention of the Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to the above ‘caption’ making the rounds on social and traditional media on the state of affairs in Opuoko and Lumene communities in Khana LGA.
“Ordinarily, this distorted news should have been ignored as the command is not given to frivolities and fake news capable of stirring disaffection and causing panic and tension in the state.
“However, in order that the public will not be immediately misinformed and hold erroneous impression resulting from the fake news, we have, therefore, deemed it necessary to put the records straight, and state as follows: That today 18/8/19 at about 0630Hrs, information got to us that a group of cult boys invaded two communities in Khana (Opuoko and Lumene) where they attacked and killed one person in Opuoko and two in Lumene, altogether three persons died.
“The houses of the LGA chairman and the former youth leader came under attack.
“The attackers on sighting the police took to flight but were chased and two of them arrested, while the trail for others is still on.
“The two suspects are Damwua Karagbara, 33 years (alias Spider); and Dinee Prince, 23 years.
“Exhibits recovered from them include: Assorted phones and military camouflage.
“So far, calm has returned in both communities.
“The CP has ordered Investigation into the incident with a view to ascertaining the remote and immediate causes of the attack and to bring perpetrators to justice.
“We are again appealing to the public to help us with useful information that can lead to the arrest of these mindless criminals, via the following security numbers: 08032003514, 08098880134, and 08182157778”, the statement added.

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RSU, IAUOE Join Varsity Workers Strike. Today

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Lawyer Petitions UK, DSS To Probe Buhari’s Cambridge Documents

NEWS

RSU, IAUOE Join Varsity Workers Strike. Today

Published

6 hours ago

6 hours ago (6 hours ago)

Akujobi Amadi

Description: http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/FRED-19082019-NEWS-5U.jpg

Workers of Nigerian universities will begin a nationwide “warning” strike today following the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum given the Federal Government to address issues of Earned Allowances, sacked workers of university staff schools and other issues affecting their members and the university system.
President of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Chairman of Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU, Samson Ugwoke, told newsmen that the strike would be “total and comprehensive”.
Ugwoke pointed out that already, their members have been mobilised, while all the non-teaching staff in the university system across the federation have been directed to stay at home from today.
The SSANU president, however, said it would last for five days, from Monday to Friday, to serve as a warning to the Federal Government.
“Yes, the strike will start on Monday, and it will be comprehensive and total. It will last for five days – Monday to Friday. To ensure its success, we have already mobilised all our members, and they have been directed to stay away from work from Monday,” Ugwoke said.
The unions, under the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU, had issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to meet their demands or face a nationwide strike.
The unions said the strike had become imperative as the government failed to response to their demands.
In a circular issued after the JAC meeting penultimate Thursday, and sent to all branches, the unions warned that at the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum, they would be left with no other option than withdrawing their services and closing down the universities if the government fails to address all their grievances.
Entitled: “Notice of Industrial Action,” the circular, which was signed by Ugwoke and the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, lamented the non-challant attitude of the Federal Government towards addressing their grievances and obeying court judgment.
The circular read: “That a 14-day ultimatum of industrial action be given to the Federal Government to address the pending issues with effect from Monday, August 5, 2019. During the period of the ultimatum, all branches are hereby directed to carry out peaceful protest on Tuesday, August 6, 2019 and Thursday, August 15, 2019.
“At the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum, Sunday, August 18, 2019, without any positive response from the Federal Government, members shall proceed on a five-day warning strike in all branches from Monday 19 to Friday, August 23, 2019, inclusive.
“You are, therefore, directed to properly mobilise our members for this action. All defaulting branches shall be sanctioned accordingly.”
However, academic and other official activities would be paralysed in the two state-owned universities, the Rivers State University (RSU) and the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUOE) following the nationwide industrial strike embarked upon by the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) under the aegis of Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU, today.
Speaking to The Tide on the decision to join the strike in the state, the Chairman of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) at the Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu-Oruworukwo, Port Harcourt, Comrade Azuma Cheta said members of the union would join the strike beginning from today because of alleged government’s insensitivity to the plight of their members working at the university staff schools as well as its inability to comply with the national directives of the union.
Cheta disclosed that the state government had refused to pay their members working at the staff schools and the international schools their salaries for the past four years.
The chairman said they would have relaxed the strike but for the interest of those members now languishing in pains over the government’s refusal to pay them salaries since February, 2016.
“We will comply with the directive but for our members at the international schools and staff schools, who the state government has refused to pay salaries for the past four years”, he stated.
Also at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUOE), the Chairman of SSANU, Comrade Chisa Egwu could not be reached for comments, but a senior staff working at the administration department, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said they held a congress meeting on the proposed strike, last Friday, at the union’s auditorium.

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NEWS

Lawyer Petitions UK, DSS To Probe Buhari’s Cambridge Documents

Published

6 hours ago

6 hours ago (6 hours ago)

The Tide

Description: http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/FRED-19082019-NEWS-25.jpg

The Department of State Services and the London Metropolitan Police Service have received petitions to investigate the documents said to have been obtained from Cambridge University and tendered by President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential election petition tribunal.
Copies of the separate petitions dated August 14, 2019, were signed by a Nigerian lawyer, Kalu Kalu Agu.
It would be recalled that the president’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, had told the tribunal that he obtained the President’s ‘assessment’ documents from Cambridge University.
He was quoted as saying he personally signed for and collected the documents on behalf of the President.
The UK-based examination body oversaw the conduct of final year secondary school examination in Nigeria and placement into foreign universities in the 1960s.
In the two petitions forwarded by Agu, the lawyer questioned the authenticity of the ‘certifying statement’ said to have been obtained from the Cambridge Assessment International Education.
He asked the UK police and the DSS to launch an investigation into the circumstances leading to the procurement.

CONTINUE READING

http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2019/08/19/police-confirm-three-deaths-in-khana-fresh-violence-lg-boss-ex-youth-leaders-houses-razed/

Earn Money the Rice Way

By Deborah Willenborg

ARLINGTON, VA -- If you're thinking about how to pay for college next year -- Think Rice -- because the National Rice Month (NRM) Scholarship video contest is here. And it's easy to participate!

If you're a high school graduating student from Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, or Texas, submit a three-minute video that creates awareness and promotes U.S.-grown rice, September National Rice Month, and the importance of rice to your state.

Entries will be judged on creativity, quality, popularity, and effectiveness in promoting U.S.-grown rice. Sample topics include: rice production, nutrition (think about incorporating USDA's MyPlate MyState), sustainability, marketing/promotion ... the list goes on!

Three scholarship prizes, sponsored by Corteva Agriscience, totaling $8,500 will be awarded. The grand-prize winner will receive a $4,000 scholarship and a trip with a chaperone this December to the awards ceremony at the 2019 USA Rice Outlook Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas. The second-place winner will receive a $3,000 scholarship, and third-place $1,500.

Last year's grand prize winner, Caroline Benoit, graduated from Louise S. McGehee School in New Orleans, and she's headed to Tulane University this fall. Her video expounded on her locale's famous Cajun cuisine to tell a broader story about Louisiana rice production.

"When most people think of rice they think of the most obvious - food - but there's more to rice than that so I wanted to show the positive environmental impact rice production has on my state," said Benoit.

Entries are due by October 31.

For more information and tips on making a great video, go to the NRM scholarship webpage.

INDIA'S APRIL-JUNE RICE EXPORTS DIVE 28.2% Y/Y - GOVT

8/12/2019

MUMBAI, Aug 12 (Reuters) - India's rice exports in April-June dived 28.2% from a year ago to 2.35 million tonnes, a government body said on Monday, as demand for non-basmati rice was subdued from African buyers.

The country's non-basmati rice exports plunged 43% during the period to 1.2 million tonnes, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) said in a statement.

India's rice exports in 2019/20 are likely to fall to their lowest level in seven years, industry officials said last month, as weak demand from African countries weighs and shippers absorb the absence of government incentives that supported previous sales.

New Delhi is the world's biggest exporter of rice, buffalo meat and guar gum.

The country's buffalo meat exports during the period eased to 275,398 tonnes from 276,450 tonnes a year ago, it said.

India's guar gum exports dropped 5.5% to 127,700 tonnes on lower demand from the United States, while pulses exports more than halved to 45,344 tonnes, the APEDA said. (Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav, Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

https://www.agriculture.com/markets/newswire/indias-april-june-rice-exports-dive-282-yy-govt

Ambassador: SPV for trade between India, Iran fully operational

ROUHOLLAH VAHDATI/ISNA

The Bilateral Payment Arrangement for trade between Iran and India, called the special purpose vehicle (SPV), is fully operational, said Indian Ambassador to Iran Gaddam Dharmendra.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with ISNA, he added the primary purpose of the SPV is to settle trade transactions between the two states.

Excerpts of the interview follow:

Q: Given the close economic relationship between Iran and India, what is the Indian government’s approach toward unilateral US sanctions against Iran?

A: Both Iran and India are large, developing economies with solid fundamentals. Both countries are benefiting from their respective demographic advantages. A young and aspirational population in both countries offers enormous market expansion potential and prospects for trade diversification. Today, Iran’s GDP stands at $450 billion while India is a $3 trillion economy. At present, India-Iran bilateral trade stands at more than $17 billion (2018-19). This is an increase of 25 percent. I see our economic partnership as being on a positive trajectory. This has been reinforced by the commitment of both sides at the highest level to further strengthen our age-old, historical relations and to bring these in line with the needs of both countries in the 21st century. I am confident that our bilateral trade will increase to $20 billion. This confidence is founded on our strong people-to-people contacts and burgeoning bilateral relations.

Since the implementation of the Chabahar Agreement, how much investment has been done and what are the figures of the volume of cargo traffic?

The Indian government has extended a credit line of $150 million for the development of the Chabahar port and $85 million for procurement of necessary port equipment. These commitments are presently in the process of being implemented.

The volume of cargo traffic has been satisfactory. As of July 2019, some 3,300 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) have been handled by the Shahid Beheshti port. Since February 2019, the trade has been mainly between Afghanistan, Iran and India. Both India and Iran are committed to the development of Afghanistan. The main cargo is livestock, food grains and other essential items such as sugar. All three countries are committed to increasing their trade exchanges and trade traffic. I feel that we need to better market the benefits of Chabahar port by disseminating information to users, viz., traders, shippers and others.

How much is the volume of trade between Iran and India and what is the perspective for boosting trade in the future? Have sanctions affected the volume of trade between Iran and India?

India-Iran trade presently stands at more than $17 billion. We saw a rise of more than 25 percent in bilateral trade as compared to last year. We are working with Iranian entities such as the country’s chambers of commerce to explore ways to further boost our trade. This includes diversification of the commodity basket being transacted between the two countries. There is substantial demand in India for Iranian fruits, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, dates and saffron. For Iranian traders, we wish to attract their interest and get them to consider India’s manufactures, which are obviously highly competitive both in terms of price and quality.

To what extent has the rupee-rial mechanism been operationalized and how can India contribute to easing the pressure of US sanctions on Iran?

The Bilateral Payment Arrangement is fully operational and its primary purpose is the settlement of trade transactions. Recently, an Iranian banking delegation was in New Delhi to explore ways to make the SPV more effective. Our effort has been to diversify our bilateral trade, with a view to enhancing, diversifying and growing at a faster momentum. We are mindful of the current challenges and hurdles being posed by the current circumstances but we are committed to our bilateral relations with Iran, which is an important neighbor and regional partner.

What are the plans to increase non-oil trade?

We hold regular bilateral discussions with Iran and explore ways to increase our bilateral trade and rate of investments. These efforts have resulted in an increase in non-oil trade. Commodities like Basmati rice, soybean meal, black tea and cane sugar are seeing an upward trend. Both sides have been engaged in discussions to finalize a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) and a preferential trade agreement (PTA). These discussions remain ongoing.

On tourism, what facilities does India provide to Iranian nationals for visiting India? How do people of India view tourism capacities of Iran?

The India-Iran millennia-old relationship is founded on strong people-to-people contact, exchange of ideas and traditions, and cultural commonalities. Ties and exchanges between our peoples have been ongoing since time immemorial. These are not some 200-300 years old but date back millennia. If you travel in India, you will find that these relations are extensively documented and reflected in our common culture and shared heritage.

Today, the same urges remain between our people. The introduction of e-Visa facility by both countries has greatly facilitated the objective of deepening these age-old ties. Several thousands of Indians travel to Iran for purposes of tourism and for ziarat (pilgrimage) to Mashhad and Qom.

KeyWords

Resource: ISNA

UCC School of Agric develops technology to detect fake rice

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The school of Agriculture at the University of Cape Coast has developed a technology that detects fake rice on the market.

The technology will among other things deal with the fraud that is perpetrated in the production and sale of rice and also authenticate the integrity of food across Africa.

The researchers are upbeat the many fraudulent food-related activities that impede productivity and also have a consequential effect on the health of consumers would be put in check through their technology.

The university achieved this feat with the support of the Queen’s University in the UK, a pioneer university that researches into food fraud and authenticity.

With the technology, rice particles are placed on a device while the mobile phone that has been installed with an app is used to check the authenticity of the rice. It is able to indicate the source of the rice; the origin, whether it is plastic rice, rice with low quality among others.

Lead researcher of the project, Dr. Ernest Teye, revealed to Joynews after a conference on food fraud and authenticity at the University of Cape Coast, users of mobile phones could easily check the authenticity of the rice they are buying or are in their possession.

“With this technology, it is easier to detect where the rice was produced, whether the rice is plastic rice or not. The technology makes it possible for each and every rice particle to be sampled and scanned,” he explained.

The market, he reveals, is flooded with many substandard and low-quality rice the technology, he is convinced will help assuage the fears of consumers.

“For instance, you will find Ghana rice packaged as rice from Vietnam and you could also find Vietnam rice packaged as Ghana rice. These are done to deceive consumers of rice. There is also the emergence of plastic rice that caused a scare in the country few months back. The technology will help deal with them,” he indicated.

Queen’s University’s Prof. Chris Elliot, a stalwart in food fraud and authenticity, believes, the technology is a breakthrough not only for Ghana and Africa but for the world. He is confident the university’s work will help impact society positively.

“The technology works perfectly and that’s good news for rice consumers and consumers of other foodstuff as well. It behooves on state agencies to lend their support to the researchers to make a huge impact with this technology,” he said.

Dean of the school of Agric, Prof. Elvis Asare Bediako is hopeful their collaboration with the Queen’s University will see to the establishment of Centre of Excellence for Food Fraud in Africa.

“The awareness of food fraud is very limited in Ghana and Africa. This has given many people the opportunity to dupe unsuspecting consumers. The centre when established will help provide information and make people aware about food fraud and how to authenticate the food they are buying and the ones in their possession,” he indicated.

Prof. Asare Bediako says the School of Agric at UCC will liaise with the relevant state authorities like the Ghana Standards Authority, the Food and Drugs Authority and other national regulatory bodies that are responsible for assessing the quality and authenticity of food in the country.

Rice producers and other stakeholders in Agric that took part in the conference were expressed their excitement at the breakthrough. They believe it will help sanitize the industry.

Govt, PAD reveal agriculture programme worth Rs26bn

By Our Correspondent

Published: August 15, 2019

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Description: PHOTO: FILE

PHOTO: FILE

LAHORE: The Punjab Agriculture Department (PAD), in collaboration with the federal government, is embarking upon an ambitious programme to promote mechanisation and seed replacement for three major crops, namely rice, wheat and sugarcane.

PAD Director General Agriculture Extension Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali revealed the programme, worth Rs26 billion, recently, while speaking to a delegation of the Agriculture Journalists Association (AJA). The DG highlighted that the project also includes promoting oilseeds besides research for improving productivity to make the crop sector profitable for public in rural areas.

He added that the programme was aimed at providing all the necessary relief and innovation to farmers to increase per acre yield, bringing down the cost of production and ensuring a suitable return to their hard work.

He continued that the country imports Rs22 billion worth seeds of vegetables, oilseeds, fodders and other minor crops and produce only wheat, cotton, sugarcane and basmati seeds locally. “The loose implementation of Seed Act 1976 is a major hurdle to provide quality seeds to farmers.

Pakistan, Bulgaria to discuss agriculture ties

He lamented that there was almost no implementation of Section 22H of the seed act which guaranteed the provision of certified fruit plants.

The DG explained that the adoption of certified seed was very low and farmers were not paying attention to wheat seed replacement despite the fact that it is our staple food and the biggest crop. “National projects on major crops are addressing this vital issue to supply certified seed at subsidies prices.”

Speaking on the issue of forcefully advocating the idea of promoting the seed replacement concept, he suggested that we should grow vegetables in lawns instead of flowers. “Anyone who has a house over two kanals of land should be recommended to grow food for his own consumption as s/he is occupying almost equal size of the per capita availability of cultivated land left in the province.”

He supported the idea of growing fruit-bearing trees comparable to eco-region instead of simple trees during the tree plantation campaign to target public health along with the target to end malnutrition in the country.

Throwing light on the projects, he said for wheat a comprehensive project of slightly over Rs12.5 billion has been chalked out while another project worth Rs3 billion will be shared by the farmers coming under its umbrella. “It will be a five-year plan in which 60% will be provided by the provincial government and 40% by the federal government.”’

He added that the project is designed to increase the yield and bring down the input cost. “Promotion of the sowing of certified seed and provision of wheat planters and other agricultural implements will be done.”

In rice, the PAD aimed to make paddy a profitable crop for the farmers by enhancing yield under a project worth Rs6.327 billion. It is aimed at promoting mechanization of rice farming. Similarly, there is a project worth Rs2.048 billion for sugarcane with the same objectives.

To decrease country’s dependence on import of edible oil, the department is taking up a project worth Rs5.115 billion to give subsidies to growers on sowing oilseed crops, promoting sesame, sunflower and canola.

Responding to a question, he said all the future development programmes are being devised keeping in view the climatic crisis. He also said all the programmes are being chalked out with the consultation of stakeholders such as Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) and sugar millers. He further said that it would help to carry out market-oriented research. “Providing insurance coverage and ‘Kissan Cards’ to small growers is another revolutionary step taken by the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2019.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2034017/1-govt-pad-reveal-agriculture-programme-worth-rs26bn/

Mangoes make money: Bangladeshi farmers abandon rice

Many are putting their faith in the country’s most popular fruit because it is more profitable and cheaper to produce

Dr. Dalim Biswas, an agricultural scientist and manager of an agro food company, inspects a mango orchard in the Nachol area of Chapai Nawabganj district on July 29. In parts of northern Bangladesh, mango orchards have replaced traditional rice fields as farmers seek better profits. (Photo by Stephan Uttom/ucanews.com)

Stephan Uttom, Rajshahi, and Rock Ronald Rozario, Dhaka
Bangladesh
August 14, 2019

For Ismail Hossain, 45, rice farming twice a year has been a tradition for generations and the only source of income for his family of five.

Two years ago, the Muslim father of three decided to quit traditional rice farming in favor of mangoes, so he planted mango saplings all over his 2.80 acres of agricultural land at Talanda village in the Tanore area of Rajshahi district in northern Bangladesh.

Various reasons forced Hossain into the switch, including high production and harvesting costs, the water crisis and a fall in the price of rice.

“Over the past five to seven years, rice production in my fields has reduced for various reasons: the water shortage, unfavorable weather and a decline in land fertility,” Hossain told ucanews.com. “Also, the price of fertilizer, pesticides and labor doubled. The last time I made a profit from my rice was seven years ago.”

When Hossain cultivated rice, his profit was just 50,000 taka (US$592) a year; his financial burden seems likely to continue — on average, it takes about two years for mango trees to yield fruit, so he will only know how profitable his mango orchard is next summer. He is however, making money by utilizing the spare space to grow lentils and garlic — they are already bringing in a profit of about 90,000 taka a year.

Hossain believes his orchard will yield good profits as mango is the most popular fruit in Bangladesh and it is less expensive to maintain and produce.

“You don’t need a lot of workers to look after a mango orchard and you don’t need to spend a lot on extensive irrigation and pesticides. Many local farmers like me have already started making the move,” he said.

Dr. Dalim Biswas has been an agricultural scientist and taught in various agricultural universities in the country for years.

He joined T. Islam Agro Food Industries in the Nachol area of Chapai Nawabganj district two years ago as a manager. Under his supervision, the company has planted 13,000 mango, 300 guava and dozens of banana trees on about 25 acres of land.

“Even five years ago, these were rice fields but the company was making losses every year. Now it is making a net profit of about 100,000 taka a year,” Biswas, a Muslim, told ucanews.com.

Biswas started planting mangoes on eight acres of his own land three years ago and this summer made 150,000 taka net profit from them.

“In the current circumstances I think I could barely have made 20,000 taka if I had planted rice in the fields instead,” he said.

A mango orchard in the Nachol area of Chapai Nawabganj district in northern Bangladesh on July 29. Many farmers in the region are switching from rice farming to more profitable mangoes. (Photo by Stephan Uttom/ucanews.com)

A changing agricultural trend

In largely agrarian Bangladesh, rice is the staple food grain for most people.

Bangladesh ranks fourth in the world in rice production after India, China and Indonesia. Occupying about 75 percent of cropland and an estimated 8.57 million hectares of arable land, rice plays a vital role in the Bangladesh economy, according to the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).

Rice farming offers employment for about 48 percent of households or about 13 million rural families, the BRRI says.

Bangladesh produced 36.2 million tons of rice in 2017-18, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), which estimated that rice production hit a new high with an additional 1.3 million tons this year.

However, high production costs and low prices are forcing many farmers to prefer working with such fruit as mangoes, guavas and bananas.

Many farmers have started planting mango trees on their own land, while others have leased out their land for the same purpose.

Some locals have also found renewed interest in fish farming.

The northern districts of Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon and Chapai Nawabganj are known as being the rice hub of Bangladesh. In the past 10 years, rice cultivation area in the four districts shrank by 200,000 hectares, but over the same period mango orchards have doubled to 70,346 hectares, according to the DAE.

Good or risky?

The scarcity of water for irrigation and financial losses due to low prices are driving away farmers from rice cultivation in the north, says Shamsul Haque, a deputy director of the DAE in Rajshahi district.

“There is no problem with fertility of the land, but water scarcity is a serious headache in many places. Due to low rainfall, farmers need to rely on underground water for irrigation, which is not readily available everywhere. Also, the low price of rice forced many farmers to incur losses and debts,” Haque told ucanews.com.

In the past 10 years, thousands of farmers have switched from rice farming to fruit and vegetables, including potato, onion and garlic, and their production has increased three to four times, he said.

“As long as farmlands are properly utilized, the environment is unhurt and farmers can make a profit; there is no problem in having a diversity of cultivation. This is so far a positive trend,” he added.

People’s interest in horticulture is a direct result of adverse circumstances, noted Sukleash George Costa, regional director of Catholic charity Caritas Rajshahi, which covers northern Bangladesh.

“This region is famous for rice but rice fields require lots of water. As the surface water has not been sufficient, people have relied heavily on groundwater, causing significant depletion. Now water has become even more scarce and people are struggling to cultivate rice,” Costa told ucanews.com.

The decline in the price of rice is also a major factor behind changing agricultural trends, he added.

However, Costa warns that changes in the agricultural cycle poses a risk to food security in Bangladesh.

“Even now, the northern region produces 30-40 percent of total rice cultivated and contributes to the near self-sufficiency in food in a densely populous country like Bangladesh,” he said. “A gradual decline in rice cultivation might result in a food crisis, especially during natural disasters.”

https://www.ucanews.com/news/mangoes-make-money-bangladeshi-farmers-abandon-rice/85823

The secret ingredient for making the best horchata

Short-grain rice grown in Morelos, Mexico, and sold under the Verde Valle brand, is available at Vallarta supermarkets in Los Angeles.

(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

By BEN MIMSCOOKING COLUMNIST

AUG. 14, 2019

7 AM

When it comes to making horchata, you’d think there’s not much to get precious about. And with most of the ingredients, there isn’t. But during my research into the true version of horchata, I found many mentions of the particularly fragrant, short-grain rice grown in Morelos, Mexico, the state directly south of Mexico City.

FOOD

The best horchata is made with Mexican-grown rice

Aug. 14, 2019

I compared batches of horchata made with Morelos rice and supermarket long-grain white rice. The aromas were distinctly different, with the rice from Morelos smelling and tasting very similar to that of jasmine rice. It’s worth seeking out and not terribly hard to find at Mexican markets. (I found the rice under the house brand name at the Vallarta supermarkets in L.A. and online.)

I loved knowing that this particular rice, whether it’s supposed to be or is ever used to make horchata, could bring a sense of place to this simple agua fresca.

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Ben Mims

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https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2019-08-10/the-secret-ingredient-for-making-the-best-horchata

Ben Mims is the cooking columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He has written three cookbooks and has worked as a food editor and recipe developer for several food media publications, such as Lucky Peach, Food & Wine, Saveur, and Buzzfeed/Tasty. Born and raised in Mississippi, he spends his weekends stocking his freezer with biscuits and making fruit jam.

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Nigeria rice straight from farm, nutritious – FCT residents

August 14, 2019 UD News 0

By Sylvester Thompson

Abuja – Some Federal Capital Territory (FCT) residents say locally produced rice are more nutritious and healthier than the imported one.

The residents agreed that if locally produced rice was properly rebranded, there would be no need for the importation of foreign and stale rice into the country.

They spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday in Abuja.

Mr Anthony Agbonlahor, a Constitutional lawyer and a foodstuff merchant described locally produced rice as a healthy staple food, which was becoming popular among Nigerians due to many benefits.

“Nigeria rice has a particular allure, delicacy and fragrance that makes people want to savour it with ease and apart from its nutritional benefits but it has to be rebranded for safety.

“Many Nigerians now appreciate locally produced items including our food crops which tend to compete with foreign produce and our local rice is healthy.

“Sincerely, people love rice that will not jeopardise their health condition and Nigerians don’t like wasting time picking debris.

‘`The ease of convenience is the watch word and I implore the private sector to ensure ease of cooking by eliminating the debris from our locally produced rice.

“In fact, if this is done, this rice which our children so much love can never be compared to imported and adulterated rice,’’ Agbonlahor said.

An Agriculturist and Nutritionist, Ms Vera Godwin said she preferred locally produced rice because “it is brought straight from the farm”.

According to her, no chemical or preservatives are added.

Godwin advised Nigerians to consume locally produced rice due to the health benefits.

“Though imported rice is easier to cook but we have to consider the health benefits.

“Foreign rice might be easier to cook but you still need to add ingredients for it to come out well, but our local rice doesn’t need ingredients.

“I usually eat our locally produced rice and due to its rich content, I can stay untill evening without feeling hungry,’’ she said.

The agriculturist urged the government to promote the culture of zero importation of farm produce into the country and rebrand local rice to appeal to the consumers’ taste.

Mr Peter Chinedu, Information Technology Expert and Agriculturist appealed to Nigerian local rice producers, government and stakeholders to rebrand the staple food and assist farmers to produce more to feed the population.

“Our rice is healthy but its common knowledge that oftentimes it’s difficult to pick out the stones.

“Rice producers can get it refined by eliminating those stones and this can be done by giving machinery and equipment to producers to meet international standard.

“With this done, importation of the commodity should be restricted.

“In fact, government should rather increase the price of foreign rice and reduce the cost of our locally produced rice for more appeal,’’ Chinedu said.

(NAN)

https://sundiatapost.com/nigeria-rice-straight-from-farm-nutritious-fct-residents/

Experts call for improving resource efficiency, productivity of rice sector

Active involvement of the private sector will be impactful and productive for boosting rice export of Pakistan

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Description: Experts call for improving resource efficiency, productivity of rice sector

Agencies

August 14, 2019

LAHORE - Speakers at a seminar stressed the need for improving the resource efficiency and the productivity of rice sectors by promoting farm mechanization and utilizing best agricultural management practices.

These views were observed at ‘Khushal Kissan Seminar’, organized by the Galaxy Rice (Pvt.) Ltd. in collaboration with Agriculture Department Sindh at Shikarpur. More than a thousand rice farmers, government officials and rice scientists from Sindh & Baluchistan participated in the seminar. The main theme of the event was to improve resource efficiency, yield, income, water productivity and food safety through mechanization, resource-efficient techniques and best management practices. Chief guest of the seminar, Sheikh Shakeel Ahmad, additional Secretary Tech. Agri. Sindh, highlighted the unique weather pattern of Sindh for ensuring food safety in rice and emphasized all stakeholders work for the uplifting of the rice sector. Hidayatullah Chhajro, DG Agri. Ext. Sindh elaborated the extension activities of the agriculture department of Sindh and appreciated the private sector for arranging such events in the rice sector. Noor Muhammad Baloch, DG Agri. Research Sindh, briefed the audience about research updates and development projects initiated by the govt in the rice sector. He said that active involvement of the private sector will be impactful and productive for boosting rice export of Pakistan.

During the start of seminar, Imran Sheikh, Project Manager Galaxy Rice, shared Galaxy’s Farmer Connect (GFC) program running successfully in Punjab comprising capacity building on the latest techniques, regular advisory service to the farmers and promoting sustainable rice cultivation as per SRP’s standard.

Shahid Tarer Director Galaxy Rice Pvt. Ltd. urged the rice farmers for improving crop productivity, farm mechanization and food safety for complying requirements of global markets. He said that our country’s average yield is lowest in the region in addition to the other challenges like water shortage, food safety and increasing the cost of production.

Ayaz Ahmed Abro, Director Upper Sindh SIAPEP highly appreciated the approach and business model of Galaxy Rice. He elucidated the techniques for enhancing yield and income by managing problems like waterlogging, salinity, unavailability of certified seeds, approved pesticides and laser land levelling. Mir Hassan Div. Director Naseerabad shared a snapshot of the rice sector of Baluchistan. Khuda Buksh Kalwar DDA Shikarpur shared that Sindh has untapped potential in the rice sector of Sindh and assured full cooperation to connect Galaxy Rice at the grass-root level. Ashraf Soomro Director RRI Dokri, Larkana shared the rice research activities of his institution and welcome private sector in Sindh. Abdul Majeed Nizamani & Haji Ameer Bukhsh Prhore Sindh Abadgar Board appreciated the seminar and request Galaxy Rice to establish rice purchase centre and a permanent team to provide advisory service and other services like Punjab. Other main speakers were Dr. Nihaluddin Marri, Manzoor Shah, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Asmer Beg Mirza, Syngenta, Abdu Jalil Jarwar FFC, Mumtaz Ahmad Baloch Engro Fertilizer, Abdul Samad Abro Fatima Fert. and Sardar Akber Ali Khan Jaffer Agro addressed the farmers.

https://nation.com.pk/14-Aug-2019/experts-call-for-improving-resource-efficiency-productivity-of-rice-sector

Mississippi River Walk: Immersed in the science of nature

Written By: Shannon M. Geisen | Aug 14th 2019 - 11am.

Visitors wade through the Mississippi River on a biologist-led walk at Itasca State Park.Photos by Shannon Geisen/Enterprise

Itasca State Park’s newest summer program, “Science of Nature,” brings scientists and visitors together to explore Minnesota’s oldest state park.

Benton Fry, a student researcher at the University of Minnesota’s Itasca Biological Station, and Connie Cox, the park’s lead naturalist, recently led a Mississippi River walk to discover the ecology, animals and plants that call this special river home.

Beavers are constantly attempting to dam the important river, building a lodge by the headwaters.

“Every fall, our maintenance crew has to come down every single day and pull out the material,” Cox said. “Who do you think is trying to pull up wild rice and stop the flow of the mighty Mississippi? It’s our industrious beavers, already trying to dam up the rocks for the fall and winter.”

Before venturing into the water, participants touched the soft pelts of beaver, mink and muskrat.

Muskrat, mink, river otter, mice and water shrew live in the river and along its shore. A family of mallard ducks also reside here.

Beginning at the headwaters, participants waded through the Mississippi for an hour, pausing to identify whirligig beetles, wild rice and more.

Wild rice flowers in erratic patterns, that's why it ripens at varying times in August, Cox said. Minnesota has strict guidelines on harvesting wild rice.Shannon Geisen/Enterprise

Fry pointed out the river level dropped considerably over recent weeks. “With the water being down, there are some issues that could happen with the river. This is considered an impaired body of water” because of a lack of oxygen, he explained. “During the day, there’s productivity from the plants. At night, that oxygen gets used up by the animals and bugs. The fish species that can live in here are limited.”

Schools of baby bullheads scurried away from passersby, while small bass and perch hid under aquatic plants.

After guessing how long it takes water from the headwaters to reach the Gulf of Mexico, participants conducted a quick experiment with Fry’s help. By timing how long it took a tennis ball to float 10 feet, they calculated the current’s speed – a mere .74 miles per hour. Therefore, it takes roughly 131 days for water to travel the river’s 2,340 miles.

Prior to wading through the Mississippi, river walk participants calculated the current's speed through an experiment. Shannon Geisen/Enterprise

1 / 8

Flowering arrowleaf is common along the Mississippi. "Arrowleaf is also known as duck potato because it creates a tuber. Its root system is growing in this muck. It likes more stagnant, slow-moving water," explained lead park naturalist Connie Cox. "The ducks will feed on those little tubers when they're migrating."

Shannon Geisen/Enterprise

It's raining multicolored plastic in the Rocky Mountains, according to scientists

Phoebe Weston,

The Independent

Aug. 14, 2019, 5:33 AM

The Rocky Mountains. Wikimedia Commons

· Microplastics are found in even the most remote parts of our planet.

· According to new research from the US Geological Survey, plastic particles are currently being found in the Rocky Mountains.

· Plastic shards, beads, and fibers were identified in more than 90% of rainwater samples taken from across Colorado, including at more than 3,000 metres high in Rocky Mountain National Park

· "I think the most important result that we can share with the American public is that there's more plastic out there than meets the eye," Lead US Geologic Survey researcher Gregory Weatherbee told The Guardian. "It's in the rain, it's in the snow. It's a part of our environment now."

· Microplastics have been described as a significant threat to marine life and have been found in rivers, oceans and Arctic regions.

· Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

It's raining multicolored plastic in the Rocky Mountains, according to the latest research that suggests microplastics are found in even the most remote parts of our planet.

Plastic shards, beads, and fibers were identified in more than 90% of rainwater samples taken from across Colorado, including at more than 3,000 metres high in Rocky Mountain National Park, according to researchers from the US Geological Survey.

According to the study, scientists say the find suggests "the wet deposition of plastic is ubiquitous and not just an urban condition."

Lead US Geologic Survey researcher Gregory Weatherbee toldThe Guardian: "I think the most important result that we can share with the American public is that there's more plastic out there than meets the eye. It's in the rain, it's in the snow. It's a part of our environment now."

Scientists — who were studying nitrogen pollution at the time — collected rainwater samples across Colorado and analyzed them using microscopes.

They believe rubbish dumped in the environment is the main source of microplastics and plastic fibers released from synthetic clothes is also a significant source.

In April, another group of researchers discovered substantial amounts of plastic waste on a remote catchment in the French Pyrenees mountains. They found 365 particles of microplastics in each square meter, according to the study published in Nature Geoscience.

Using atmospheric simulations, they found plastic waste was transported through the atmosphere from at least 100 kilometers away.

Microplastics have been described as a significant threat to marine life and have been found in rivers, oceans and Arctic regions.

In June, another study found British rivers are so polluted with waste almost all samples contain microplastics. The study of 13 UK rivers by Greenpeace revealed they all had microplastics in them.

More than four-fifths of the polymers found by Greenpeace were polyethylene, polystyrene and polypropylene, which are used to make products such as food packaging, milk and water bottles and carrier bags.

The growth in single-use consumer plastics has fueled a surge inplastic pollution around the world. It is estimated there are now 5.25 trillion pieces of ocean plastic debris, and a recent report estimated the quantity of plastic in the sea will treble by 2025.

Around 40% of plastics are thought to enter the waste stream in the same year they are produced.

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· Trump claims 'mental wreck' Scaramucci abused White House staff in extraordinary attack on former aide

· Black kites set to breed in the UK for first time as climate warms

· Home sales jump as looming Brexit deadline unleashes pent-up demand

NOW WATCH: A company in the Netherlands designed a road made of recycled plastic

https://www.insider.com/multicoloured-microplastic-particles-pollution-rain-falling-in-rocky-mountains-2019-8

USDA tried to cast doubt on study about climate effects on nutrients in rice

· By HAL BERNTON
The Seattle Times (TNS)

· Aug 15, 2019

· 0

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Rice grows in a watery field near the city of Williams in the Sacramento Valley. Flooded soils produce methane, and rice cultivation represents about 10% of human-caused emissions. Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Brian van der Brug

https://www.nny360.com/news/usda-tried-to-cast-doubt-on-study-about-climate-effects/article_84d0d7ac-e9da-5ef0-9fd9-ac34ab1bea87.html

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SEATTLE — U.S. Department of Agriculture officials made a behind-the-scenes effort last year to cast doubt on a study co-authored by two University of Washington researchers about how climate change would affect the nutrients in rice.

The UW scientists were part of an international team that included two federal agricultural scientists. They studied how increased levels of carbon dioxide forecast for the end of the century could diminish the nutritional value of rice, and joined together to co-author a peer-reviewed study accepted by a journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

In May 2018, weeks before the scheduled publication, findings in the rice study became a source of concern for program leaders of the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

“The narrative isn’t supported by the data in the paper,” wrote Sharon Durham, a department public affairs specialist in a May 7, 2018, email to a Jeff Hodson, communications director for the UW School of Public Health.

Durham noted the USDA had decided not to send out a news release to publicize the study. “Please let me know how you will proceed with your own press release.”

A statement Durham released to Politico and later to The Seattle Times said the concerns had nothing to do with the study’s focus on climate change. They came from career scientists, Durham wrote, adding that no political appointees viewed the draft news release before the decision was made not to send it out.

“The nutrition program leaders at ARS disagreed with the implication in the paper that 600 million people are at risk of vitamin deficiency,” the statement said.

But a veteran researcher with a lead role in the study thinks the politics of climate change in the Trump administration’s USDA factored into what he views as an attempt to discredit the findings.

“It was a very bizarre set of circumstances. I had been at USDA, altogether for 26 years, and nothing like that had ever occurred to me,” Lewis Ziska said.

The multiyear study looked at what happens to a range of rice strains when grown under carbon-dioxide concentrations at end-of-the-century levels, which are forecast to be markedly higher due to the combustion of fossil fuels. The study involved eight researchers from the U.S., Japan, Australia and China. In test plots, some rice was grown with the higher levels of carbon dioxide, while control plots received no additional carbon dioxide.

The UW news release noted the study showed how rice grown at the century’s end is expected to have lower levels of four B vitamins as well as less protein, zinc and iron, and it noted that the impacts will have a disproportionate impact on poor countries where rice is a dietary mainstay.

Despite the lack of USDA support for the study, promotional efforts by UW and the editors of Science Advances helped stir media interest, with The Washington Post, The New York Times and other outlets in the U.S. and internationally reporting on the findings.

The USDA did make Ziska available for interviews. But after the splash of publicity for the study faded, Ziska, disillusioned, decided the time had come to leave. Now at Columbia University, he will continue his research on the impacts of a warming world on agriculture.

Nigeria to save $20b from food import ban

Description: Nduka Chiejina and Collins Nweze by Nduka Chiejina and Collins Nweze

August 15, 2019

in Business, Featured, News Update

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THE implementation of the ‘no forex for food import’ directive could save $20 billion for the economy, a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) data has shown.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday ordered the CBN to exclude importers of food items from accessing forex from official windows.

According to a CBN source, Nigeria saved around $21 billion in 2018 following the restriction of forex on 41 items. “With the addition of cotton, textile and garments, poultry, palm oil and their derivatives and other food/agricultural items imported into the country, it is expected that Nigeria will save more forex from the directive.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its report said “the value of total imports rose 3.39 per cent in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the fourth quarter of 2018, and by 25.84 per cent over the corresponding quarter of 2018. From this figure, Imported Agricultural products were 7.98 per cent higher in value than in the fourth quarter of 2018, and 28.1 per cent higher than in the first quarter of 2018.

If these imports that consume forex is checked as directed by the President, an immediate benefit of the directive will be an accretion to the foreign reserve which now stands at over $44 billion. This increase in foreign reserve will help keep the Naira at an appreciable rate to the dollar and the CBN will be better equipped to defend the naira against forex volatilities.

Read Also: I’ll fight insecurity to standstill, Buhari vows

Another positive implication of the directive is that there will be increased agricultural activities across all food segments to produce the basic needs and also all the value chains associated with every food item will be motivated to expand. In other words, jobs and processes that were exported will now be domiciled in Nigeria. A fall out is more jobs and more food for Nigerians.

While it has been reported that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will implement the directive in phases in order to manage the impact on prices and inflation, this decision by apex bank will give respite to nursing mothers who rely heavily on imported milk to feed their babies and for Nigerian companies to develop more acceptable infant formula than what currently obtains.

CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, while delivering the keynote address at the 53rd Annual Bankers’ Dinner of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) in Lagos last year, noted that there was 97.3 per cent cumulative reduction in monthly rice import bills, 99.6 per cent in fish, 81.3 per cent in milk, 63.7 per cent in sugar, and 60.5 per cent in wheat.

Emefiele insisted that “If we continue to support the growth of smallholder farmers, as well as help to revive palm oil refineries, rice mills, cassava and tomato processing factories, you can only imagine the amount of wealth and jobs that will be created in the country.

“These could include new set of smallholders farmers that will be engaged in productive activities; new logistics companies that will transport raw materials to factories, and finished goods to the market; new storage centres that will be built to store locally produced goods; additional growth for our banks and financial institutions as they will be able to provide financial services to support these new businesses; and finally, the millions of Nigerians that will be employed in factories to support processing of goods.

Ex AGF hails Buhari

Former Attorney General of the Federation ( AGF) and Minister of Justice Chief Mike Aondoakaa commended Buhari for the ban on food importation into the country. Aondoakaa stated that the directive was coming at the right time when the country had achieved food security.

He urged the people to eat made-in-Nigeria food so that farmers would have value for their products.

The former AGF, who is a rice farmer with one of the biggest rice milling plant in Makurdi, stated that agriculture is a huge employer of Labour and the ban on food importation will increase participation in Agriculture and many will now see it as a Big business.

He urged the youths who are looking for white-collar jobs to embrace farming now.

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Nigeria bans forex for food imports but analysts worried

Description: Nigeria bans forex for food imports but analysts worried

14/08 - 11:51

NIGERIA

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has told the central bank to stop providing funding for food imports, his spokesman said in a statement on Tuesday, a move that has raised questions about the bank’s independence.

Nigeria, which has Africa’s biggest economy, is the continent’s top oil producer and relies on crude sales for around 90% of it foreign exchange. Low oil prices led to a recession in 2016 from which the country emerged two years ago.

Since Buhari first took office in 2015, Nigeria’s central bank has presided over policies aimed at stimulating growth in the agricultural sector to reduce dependence on oil. Those policies included a 2015 ban on access to foreign exchange for 41 items that the bank felt could be produced in Nigeria.

“President Muhammadu Buhari … disclosed that he has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stop providing foreign exchange for importation of food into the country,” Tuesday’s statement said.

“Don’t give a cent to anybody to import food into the country,” Buhari said, according to the statement, which said that the call was in line with efforts to bring about a “steady improvement in agricultural production, and attainment of full food security”.

“The foreign reserve will be conserved and utilised strictly for diversification of the economy, and not for encouraging more dependence on foreign food import bills.”

The latest move comes only weeks after Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele in July said the bank would ban access to foreign exchange to import milk.

Tuesday’s statement prompted many observers to point to the central bank’s status as an independent body.

“The central bank act of 2007 makes it clear that the bank is independent. It is not supposed to be taking direct instructions from politicians,” said Kingsley Moghalu, who served as deputy central bank governor from 2009 to 2014.

“The trajectory in this administration is that we have seen a very clear tendency for the president to direct people. Increasingly Nigeria’s institutions have lost independence,” said Moghalu, who was a contender in February’s presidential election.

Bismarck Rewane, an economist and the head of Lagos-based consultancy Financial Derivatives, also said the bank was supposed to be independent.

A central bank spokesman did not immediately respond to phone calls and text messages seeking comment.

Buhari has been a vocal supporter of such restrictions and one of his first moves after his re-election in February was to reappoint the central bank governor.

Rewane said a curb on foreign exchange for food imports could backfire after Buhari last month signed up to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). That deal seeks to create a continent-wide free trade zone where tariffs on most goods would be eliminated.

“At this point in time these rules will be manipulated in the interest of smugglers and their accomplices,” said Rewane.

Import controls on rice, imposed even as local farmers fail to meet demand, have kept prices artificially high and led to smuggling from neighbouring Benin into Nigeria

https://www.africanews.com/2019/08/14/nigeria-bans-forex-for-food-imports-but-analysts-worried/

GIEWS Country Brief: Indonesia 14-August-2019

REPORT

from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Published on 14 Aug 2019 —View Original

Download PDF (236.93 KB)

FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT

Paddy production from 2019 second season is forecast at average level

Cereal imports in 2019/20 marketing year are forecast at a level close to average

Prices of rice declined moderately, while prices of wheat flour levelled off

Paddy production from 2019 second season is forecast at an average level

The 2019 first (main) season paddy output, which accounts for about 45 percent of the total output, was harvested by April and production was estimated at a level close to the average.

Harvesting of the 2019 secondary paddy crop, which accounts for about 35 percent of the annual output, is underway. The season started with some delays, due to the below‑average rainfall between March and April, which hampered planting operations in parts of Java, Sumatera and Sulawesi. The average to above‑average precipitation in May alleviated the moisture deficits, allowing plantings to take place and benefitting an early crop development. During June and July, which marks the onset of the dry season, localized parts of the southern Sumatera, west and central Kalimantan and Java have reported a well below‑average rainfall and higher‑than‑normal temperatures. Official reports, as of early August, indicate that in Java, which produces the bulk of the secondary season output, irrigation water availability in the main reservoirs was adequate. This is expected to limit the impact of the dry weather on crop development. As of late July, remote sensing data indicated satisfactory vegetation conditions in most of the country (see ASI map), inferring generally favourable yield prospects for the paddy crop.

In August, farmers began planting the 2019 third season paddy crop, which accounts for about 20 percent of the total annual output. The harvest will take place towards the end of the year.

Harvesting of the 2019 off‑season maize crop recently started, while the 2019 main maize crop was harvested in March. Overall, weather conditions since October 2018 until May 2019 benefitted planting and overall growth of the main and off‑season maize crops. Outbreaks of Fall Armyworm in maize producing areas, including parts of Sumatra, Java and Kalimantan provinces coupled with the ongoing dry weather conditions, could negatively affect yields in localized parts of the country. Overall, the 2019 aggregate maize output is expected to remain close to the previous year’s above‑average level, reflecting an expansion in the planted area for both the main and off‑season crops, driven by strong demand from feed industry.

Cereal imports in 2019/20 marketing year forecast at average level

The country is one of the largest importers of cereals in Southeast Asia. Total cereal import requirements, mainly wheat, in the 2019/20 marketing year (April/March) are forecast at 12.9 million tonnes, close to the five‑year average and about 10 percent below the previous year’s record high.

Regarding wheat, which is not produced in the country, import requirements are forecast at 11.2 million tonnes, close to the previous year’s high level and 14 percent above the five‑year average, on account of sustained demand for food and feed use. Rice imports in the 2019 calendar year are forecast at 850 000 tonnes, well below the five‑year average and the previous year’s high level, on account of adequate domestic supplies from the 2018 bumper output. In 2018, the imported quantity of rice reached a well above‑average level, due to significant purchases by the Government, with the aim to replenish the low public inventories and contain rising domestic prices. For maize, import requirements are estimated at 750 000 tonnes, well below the five‑year average, mostly reflecting domestic ample supplies following two consecutive bumper harvests in 2017 and 2018.

Prices of rice declined seasonally, while prices of wheat flour levelled off

Prices of rice increased moderately in January and February 2019, in line with seasonal trends, and declined between March and June due to the improved availabilities from the main season harvest. Overall, prices of rice in June 2019 were close to the levels of the previous year.

Prices of wheat flour have followed a mild upward trend, increasing by only 3 percent between September 2018 and April 2019. They levelled off in the subsequent two months and in June were slightly higher on a yearly basis, as adequate imports of wheat grain limited stronger price increases.

Primary country

Indonesia

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Southeast Asia: Drought - Feb 2019

Other disasters

· Asia: Armyworm Infestation - 2018-2019

· Content Format:

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· Theme:

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o Food and Nutrition

· Disaster Type:

o Drought

o Insect Infestation

Seasonal Ban on Rice Imports Lifted

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The Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade has lifted its seasonal ban on rice imports.

The decision has been communicated to all customs bureaus across the country in a letter signed by Ali Vakili, the director general of Imports and Free Trade Zone Department of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration, Fars News Agency reported.

Every year, during the rice harvest season, the government bans rice imports in support of domestic farmers and production.

Referring to the rise in prices of local rice varieties and the importance of meeting domestic needs, Abbas Qobadi, deputy minister of industries, mining and trade, underscored the need for allocating subsidized foreign currency to import rice in a letter to the Central Bank of Iran’s Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati.

Iranians consume more than 3 million tons of rice per annum.

“Domestic rice production is expected to reach 2.5 million tons by the end of the current Iranian year [March 19, 2020],” said Director General of the Agriculture Ministry's Grains and Essential Goods Department Faramak Aziz Karimi.

The difference between domestic production and local need is imported from the UAE, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Turkey and Iraq.

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https://financialtribune.com/node/99420

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· 11/03/2017Iran to Buy 30,000 Tons of Indian Rice4

· 10/07/2016Rice Import Ban to Be Lifted in Nov.5

· 11/28/2017Minister Calls for Reinstating Rice Import Ban6

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With adequate support we can compete with mega rice mills By Ibrahim Musa Giginyu, Kano | Published Date Aug 15, 2019 4:25 AM TwitterFacebookWhatsAppTelegram A group of Bunkure Kofar Gari women rice processors displaying sample of their packaged milled rice – Kano women rice millers ADVERTISEMENT The women rice processors group in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State has said that with adequate support and patronage from government and the general public, they can compete with other mega rice mills in the country in terms of quality milled rice production. ADVERTISEMENT Leader of the group, Hajiya Daboyi Ado, stated this when Sasakawa Africa and other agricultural development stakeholders visited the Bunkure Kofar Gari women rice processing and marketing site during a field tour to Sasakawa intervention sites in Kano state. She said with the intervention received from Sasakawa Africa in terms of rice milling machines operating training and providing the association with the milling machines, clustering, modern rice processing techniques among other necessities in effective rice processing, the women rice processing association has recorded tremendous achievement in high quality milled rice delivery to Nigerian markets. The leader added that the group has been registered and has started packaging in small quantity which they supplied to the market. She further revealed that, what they currently need is greater support from other sectors to boost their production capacity to meet the market demand of their product. “As you can see, Description: https://cdn.dailytrust.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/With-adequate-support-we-can-compete-with-mega-rice-mills-600x309.jpg

our qualitative milled rice can compete with any milled rice produced by the mega millers. What we need is additional support to complement what Sasakawa Africa has done to us by providing us with the machine which we are paying in installments and also with the technical skills. “We are ready to make use of such additional support that will enable us effectively compete with any rice milling outlet in the country,” she said. The Sasakawa Executive Director, Fumuko Iseki, revealed that she was in Kano to see the level of Sasakawa’s intervention in enhancing the livelihood of the farmers and also to see areas where Sasakawa will do more in its support towards food security in the nation. She added that, Sasakawa will continue to intervene in the agricultural sector value chain to enhance productivity and income generation of the common farmer.

Sri Lanka to give paddy dryers to help boost farmer incomes

Aug 14, 2019 12:52 PM GMT+0530 | 0 Comment(s)

Description: https://economynext.com/newsimages/combine-harvester-kubota-od.jpg

WATER ISSUE: Paddy coming out of a combined harvester like this made by Japan's Kubota, has more moisture than grain threshed through traditional methods.

ECONOMYNEXT - Sri Lanka will provide mobile and fixed dryers for paddy farmers , who are now forced to sell their harvest at ad hoc discounts due to moisture content, the state information office said.

The cabinet of ministers had approved the proposal by President Maithripala Sirisena, made on a request of Economic Reform and Public Distribution Minister Harsha de Silva.

Sri Lanka's Department of Agrarian Services will provide 05 farmer organizations dryers in co-operration with an association representing rice millers.

Each organization will get a 02 tonne mobile dryer costing three million rupees and a 05 tonne fixed dryer costing 06 million rupees.

They will be provided tax free.

The dryers will standardize the moisture content of paddy and help farmers get the set price for paddy.

At the moment paddy from mechanical harvesters which have a high moisture content are being discounted on ad hoc basis, Minister de Silva has said.

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