Roofs gone, toppled trees: Aerial
views show Laura's devastating aftermath in Louisiana
Air 11 is giving us a better look at the damage left
behind after Laura's Category 4 landfall in Lake Charles and Cameron,
Louisiana.
Chris
Costa (KHOU)
11:48
PM CDT August 27, 2020
11:48
PM CDT August 27, 2020
LAKE CHARLES, La. — Hurricane Laura ravaged the Lake Charles,
La. and coastal towns nearby after 150-mile-per-hour winds, storm surge, and
rain tore through the area when the Category 4 hurricane made landfall.
The violent conditions tossed boats like toys, ripped roofs off
buildings, toppled trees onto homes, power lines, and streets, and shattered
glass windows on the Capital One Tower and L'Auberge casino.
More than 10 miles away, the storm caused a chemical fire in the town of
Westlake at BioLab, a pool chemical company. It sent billowing smoke
into the air, forcing a shelter-in-place order from Louisiana's governor.
McNeese State University’s brand-new basketball stadium was
rocked by strong gusts, tearing off wall panels exposing the
hardwood and hoops. Outside, the football field flooded.
Rela
Storm surge washed out streets in Cameron
and Hackberry, coastal towns south of Lake Charles.
Interstate 10 remained closed at
the Texas border to Lake Charles as of just before midnight on
Thursday after closing more than 24 hours prior.
Members of the Louisiana National Guard worked to clear debris
in Lake Charles Thursday in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura.
A 14-year-old girl was killed when a
tree fell on her home in Vernon Parish. She was one of six
people who were killed, at least four of them by falling trees across Louisiana
as the hurricane made landfall along the Gulf Coast early Thursday.
A 60-year-old man in Acadia Parish was killed when a tree fell
on him during Laura. A third person was also killed by a falling tree in
Jackson Parish, the governor's office confirmed.
At his afternoon press briefing Thursday, Gov. John Bel Edwards
said a fourth person was killed. That death was in one of the three parishes
where another person was killed.
Related Articles
Church, homes damaged by possible
tornadoes, thousands without power
NWS survey crew found tornado damage from
EF-2, west/southwest of Maynard; one of eight found in region
Refuge Baptist Church in Lake City received damage
Thursday evening from severe weather, officials said. (Source: KAIT-TV)
By Region 8
Newsdesk |
JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - The
remnants of Laura took a toll on Northeast Arkansas Thursday night, spawning
destructive tornadoes.
Several homes and the Refuge
Baptist Church in Lake City were damaged by Laura as the storm made its way
through the state.
Late Friday, the National Weather
Service said a survey crew from its Little Rock office found tornado damage
consistent with a EF-2 rating west/southwest of Maynard.
NWS officials say a house had
major roof damage, with most of the walls still standing.
NWS officials with the Memphis
office also said Friday there was a report of at least seven other tornadoes in
the area during Thursday’s storms.
Officials said Sunday that an
eighth tornado was also discovered in Woodruff County.
LAKE CITY
The Refuge Baptist Church at 5002
Highway 18, Lake City was destroyed Thursday night by a possible tornado.
Luckily there were no injuries,
and the church posted Friday morning on their Facebook page about the damage.
“What breaks my heart the most is
the congregants that are going through this a second time, seeing them cry last
night and those who are pulling in this morning and looking at it. It’s just a
building. We’re God’s people and He protected us,” Pastor Steve Hinkle said.
The church was hit by a tornado
in 1984, according to Pastor Steve.
He, his wife, and son live in the
church’s parsonage. They took shelter in their bathroom as the possible tornado
passed over their house.
“We could feel the shaking, we
heard the tornado. Scary, but it happened so quick it was almost surreal,” he
said.
After a few minutes passed, the
family went outside to see the damage.
“She turns the corner from the
parsonage and she just started crying because she saw … well basically God
protected us and our family.”
The church’s steeple, children’s
playset, the Family Life Center, the pavilion, and clothes closet – all gone.
“You look at these buildings and
the destruction, but God wants to take that mess and He wants to make it
beautiful,” he said.
Sunday services have not been set
yet, but Pastor Steve said they will gather for worship one way or another.
GOOBERTOWN
In the Goobertown community,
several homes in the Pepper Tree subdivision were damaged by a possible
tornado.
Homeowner Blake Campbell told
Region 8 News they were just able to make it to the basement before the side
and back of the house were severely damaged. The family was able to walk away
with no injuries.
Within minutes after the damage,
the community was rushing to their aid, “We had 20 or 30 people pitching in
trying to get things out of the house, trying to save pictures, just doing
everything that could. Everybody’s been amazing, and I can’t thank them
enough,” Campbell said.
Campbell said, “It really hasn’t
sunk in yet honestly. I’m just happy everyone is safe and accounted for and
nobody got hurt. This house can be replaced, the contents inside can be
replaced.”
Other homes in the subdivision
did sustain damage as well. No injuries were reported.
JONESBORO
In Jonesboro rescue crews also responded
to the 1900 block of Duncan Road Thursday evening due to a tree on top of a
mobile home, with someone inside. There was no word on any injuries.
Multiple power poles were down
across MLK Blvd.
The National Weather Service also
reported power lines and a power pole down at Martin Luther King Jr. and I-555,
while power lines were down at Nettleton, Matthews, and Airport Road.
Highway 91 in the Egypt area was
also closed off to traffic due to downed trees and power lines, according to
Jonesboro E-911 Director Jeff Presley.
Transformers were also blown,
with power lines down in Sedgwick, the National Weather Service said.
JACKSON CO.
A few homes were also damaged in
Jackson County.
Several trees and power poles
were downed by high winds, which also was the main worry of farmers.
Other damage reports
According to the Arkansas
Division of Emergency Management, there were reports of damage throughout
Region 8.
There was property damage in
Cleburne County, while downed trees were reported in Cross County. Also, the
city of Hickory Ridge had damage to several city buildings.
Downed power lines were reported
in Lawrence and Woodruff counties, while at one house in Randolph County
received damage. State emergency officials also said a house in Evening Shade
received damage, while trees were down throughout Sharp County. A downed power
pole also caught on fire in Sharp County, but authorities were able to
extinguish the fire.
Laura leaves many without
power
Craighead Electric reported as of
11:15 p.m. that there were about 450 customers without power. They had whittled
that number down to 5 by 6:30 a.m. Friday.
Entergy Arkansas reported nearly
41,000 customers were without power as of 11:20 p.m. Thursday.
Area counties without power late
Thursday included with nearly 2,300 customers in Independence County, 1,500
customers in Woodruff County and 1,200 customers in White County.
What is left of Hurricane Laura
will move over northeast Arkansas and into Southeast Missouri by Friday
afternoon.
Friday should bring 1-2″ of rain
with the southeastern part of Region 8 receiving closer to 3″. Winds will be
15-25 mph with gusts from 40-45 mph, some could be higher. Again, the severe
risk is low.
As the storm closed in on the
Natural State Thursday, President Donald Trump declared a state of
emergency for Arkansas.
With the declaration, the
president authorized the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts with state
and local officials.
Laura downgraded to a tropical storm as it makes its
way towards the Atlantic
At last report in Louisiana, at
least 4 people had died, with Lake Charles bearing
the brunt of the damage.
Laura’s powerful gusts blew out
windows in tall buildings and tossed around glass and debris. Police spotted a
floating casino that came unmoored and hit a bridge.
Gov. John Bel Edwards ordered
Lake Charles residents to shelter in place and turn off air conditions after an
apparent chemical fire
Copyright 2020 KAIT. All rights
reserved.
Rice products worth $2.5bn exported last year: minister
The quality of our rice is acceptable globally. This was
said by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research (NFSR) on
Wednesday while attending a webinar on Sustainable Rice Production for Boosting
Rice Export of Pakistan. Syed Fakhar Imam said that last year 7.2 mn rice was
produced. He mentioned that rice products of 2.5 billion USD were exported.
There is 30 % contribution of rice in value addition. And rice contribution in
GDP is 0.6 %.He said that 2.5 tones HA is the gap in our present production. He
said that we need to invest in rice industry. Syed Fakhar Imam said that we
need to update our Phyto sanitary systems. Federal Minister was of the point of
view that Rice is Pakistan’s third largest crop in terms of area sown, after
wheat and cotton. About 11 percent of Pakistan’s total agricultural area is
under rice during the summer or “Kharif” season. Pakistan is a leading producer
and exporter of Basmati and IRRI rice (white long grain rice). Rice ranks
second among the staple food grain crops in Pakistan and exports are a major
source of foreign exchange earnings. Pakistan grows a relatively high quality
of rice to fulfill domestic and export demand. Rice accounts for 3.1 percent of
the value added in agriculture and 0.6 percent of gross domestic product.
Pakistan has two major rice-producing provinces, namely Punjab and Sindh. Both
provinces account for more than 88 percent of total rice production. Punjab,
due to its agro-climatic and soil conditions, is producing 100 percent of the
Basmati rice in the country. Pakistan’s “Kalar” bowl area, a local term that
refers to a type of soil suitable for Basmati production, is famous for
producing Basmati rice and is located between the Ravi and Chenab rivers in
Punjab. IRRI rice is grown in both Punjab and Sindh.
https://dailytimes.com.pk/659836/rice-products-worth-2-5bn-exported-last-year-minister/
Pyongyangites
given rice reserved for the military amid food shortages
City residents are reportedly dissatisfied with the meager
rations that were handed out, but are being very careful not to express this
sentiment in public
By
-
2020.08.28 2:20pm
North Korean authorities have
released military rice and other reserves to Pyongyangites as part of an effort
to make up for several months without rations, Daily NK has learned.
“Rations for the months up to
July were recently handed out all at once,” a source in Pyongyang informed
Daily NK on Tuesday. “However, there is still no word on the August
allocation.”
Daily NK previously reported that Pyongyang citizens had
failed to receive any rations for three months, starting in March.
The latest distribution covers
the three months from April to July, but citizens are still waiting to receive
their supply for August.
North Korea views Pyongyang as
the “revolutionary capital” and continued handing down rations even during the
Arduous March (the great famine during the mid- to late 1990s). Experts believe
the distribution of food rations in Pyongyang has been impacted by long
standing international sanctions against North Korea and the closure of the
Sino-North Korean border because of COVID-19.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
directly raised the issue of “guaranteeing living stability for Pyongyang
citizens” at a politburo meeting of the Workers’ Party of Korea in June, and a
plenary meeting of the Cabinet later adopted a resolution on providing a high
quality living environment, drinking water and vegetables to the people of
Pyongyang.
The latest distribution of rations
comes approximately two months after these decisions.
However, the authorities have
reportedly given differential treatment to members of the core elite class and
ordinary citizens. This suggests that the government was unable to obtain a
sufficient quantity of food to hand out to all residents of the city.
“Workers at central government
agencies, the Ministry of Social Security, Ministry of State Security, the
Prosecutors’ Office and courts, as well as teachers at central
[Pyongyang-based] universities received enough rations for 20 days, while their
families were given 15 days worth of food,” the source, who requested anonymity
for security reasons, told Daily NK. “The rations consisted of half rice and
half corn. On the other hand, ordinary citizens were only given enough for
10-12 days, with a higher proportion of corn.”
According to the source, “[The
authorities] were barely able to scrape enough together by combining military
rice, capital rice [rice grown outside the city for distribution in Pyongyang]
and imported rice.”
Military rice in this context
refers to strategic supplies of the commodity stored in warehouses that are
intended for military use. Although authorities were able to provide rations to
Pyongyang citizens on this occasion by drawing on resources reserved for
emergencies, it was still not enough to meet demand.
Rodong Sinmun reported on Aug. 24 that pears produced
in South Hwanghae Province had arrived in Pyongyang on Aug. 22 and 23. / Image:
Rodong Sinmun
Pyongyangites are reportedly
dissatisfied with the meager rations that were handed out, but are being very
careful not to express this sentiment in public.
“People are wary about
complaining too much in light of a series of recent natural disasters and
on-the-spot visits the Supreme Leader [Kim Jong Un] has made out of deep
concern [for the people],” the source explained. “People in the capital are [so
instilled with the regime ideology] that they believe the only way to avoid
being banished [from the city] is to accept some level of suffering given the
difficulties the country is experiencing.”
North Korea recently raised the length of service requirement for
discharged military officers to obtain Pyongyang citizenship from 30 to 35
years, and some citizens are being exiled from the city under the pretext of
increasing the population of the country’s rural areas. Through these measures,
the authorities are attempting to reduce the population of the capital because
they are unable to provide enough food.
In this scenario, Pyongyangites
are biting their tongue out of fear of being exiled if they engage in public
criticism.
“[Living] in the capital is still
better than in other regions, which haven’t received rations in several
decades, so people [in Pyongyang] have to continuously remind themselves of
where they are,” the source said. “The city’s residents believe they need to be
even more careful about their words and actions in [difficult] situations like
this.”
The food situation in Pyongyang
is continuing to get worse, according to the source. “At first, people in
non-central districts [of the city] were suffering and starving,” he said. “But
now I’m hearing a lot of stories like this from those in the city’s central
districts, too.”
Some Pyongyangites in the city’s
central districts are subsisting on one ear of fresh corn per meal, and some
people think they might have to set up their own “vegetable plots in mountains
or near rivers near the city” to survive, the source added.
Please direct any comments or
questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
https://www.dailynk.com/english/pyongyangites-given-rice-reserved-military-amid-food-shortages/
Palay production
in Western Visayas grows by 12.15% in H1
August 27, 2020, 2:03 pm
HIGHER YIELD. In this file photo, rice
farmers in Bago City, Negros Occidental harvest their yield during one of the
cropping seasons last year. During the first six months of 2020, palay
production in Western Visayas increased by 12.15 percent, the Department of
Agriculture said in a report on Wednesday. (PNA Bacolod file photo)
BACOLOD CITY – Palay production in Western
Visayas increased by 12.15 percent in the first six months of 2020 amid the
resiliency of rice farmers in the region, the Department of Agriculture (DA) in
Region 6 (Western Visayas) said on Wednesday.
DA-6 Regional Director Remelyn Recoter said in a statement that
despite the threats posed by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, the
farmers manifested their dedication and commitment to provide sufficient,
affordable and safe food for the people.
“Our farmers are situated in the rural areas. During the enhanced
community quarantine period, movement and transportation were restricted but
they still found enough time to monitor, supervise, and manage their rice lands,”
she added.
Based on figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA),
Western Visayas produced 753,832.24 metric tons (MT) from January to June
this year compared to only 672,152.53 MT during the same period last year.
According to the DA-6, across all ecosystems, whether irrigated,
rain-fed and upland, Iloilo had the highest production of 352,416.38 MT in the
first six months.
Capiz is next with 179,345.01 MT followed by Negros Occidental,
107,821 MT; Aklan, 52,223.85 MT; Antique, 46,890 MT; and Guimaras, 15,136 MT.
Last year, Iloilo also ranked first with a six-month palay
production of 298,376.53 MT.
Recoter said she is optimistic that with the interventions
provided to farmers under the Rice Resiliency Program, Rice Competitiveness
Enhancement Fund, and Regular Rice Program, particularly the distribution of
seeds and fertilizer during the wet season, Western Visayas could play a big
role in ensuring the rice sufficiency of the country for the year.
In 2019, Region 6 contributed 2.077 million MT or 11.04 percent to
the 18.814 million MT national rice production in 2019.
Western Visayas is one of three regions with major contributions
to the national palay production aside from Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley.
“I am happy that more rice farmers have planted hybrid, certified,
and good seeds this season. I am also optimistic that they have applied
appropriate fertilization with the free Urea fertilizer we gave to them,”
Recoter said. (PNA)
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1113535
Rice pool returns for 2021 season
Rice growers appreciate the opening of the 2021
pool by The Sun Rice Group. Photo: Stephen Burns
The announcement by The SunRice Group to open a pool for the
forthcoming 2021 Riverina rice season will be widely appreciated by the
industry which has suffered greatly during the past few seasons of low returns
and meagre water allocations.
The announcement has been made ahead of the planting window
which opens in October 2020, following recent increased rainfall, inflows to
major water storages and allocations.
A spokesperson said this is the first pool that the Group has
run since 2018, with the 2019 and 2020 crops the third and second-smallest on
record as a consequence of drought, low water allocations, high water prices
and water reform.
The opening of the pool follows SunRice's announcement of an
initial fixed price offer on 24 July 2020 for specific varietals, which closed
on 3 August 2020 after strong demand from growers.
As a result of this strong response, SunRice has already
contracted substantially more volume than was grown in the 2019 or 2020
seasons.
The Group has also announced an estimated range of $390 to $450
per metric tonne (for medium grain Reiziq) for the 2021 pool.
Commenting on the announcement, SunRice chair, Laurie Arthur,
said the company is pleased to announce the opening of a pool after a very
difficult period for the Riverina rice industry due to drought, which has been
exacerbated by the impacts of water reform and high water prices.
"With the weather outlook remaining positive over coming
months - we are increasingly optimistic of a much larger Riverina rice crop
being planted for the 2021 season," Mr Arthur said.
"Growers responded positively to our initial fixed price
offer announced in July 2020 - with SunRice having already contracted for
significantly more rice for 2021 than was grown in 2019 or 2020.
"We have continued to closely monitor conditions since that
first offer, which is why we are now pleased to be announcing the opening of a
pool, and we believe the estimated range provides a compelling proposition for
our growers.
"We are hopeful that the Bureau of Meteorology's strong forecast
for the coming months plays out, and we see increased rainfall and inflows to
water storages, so that our rice growers can plant a large crop in 2021."
Seed orders for the No.1 Pool will open at 9am on 7 September
2020 for growers who grew in a Critical Year (2019 and / or 2020), and then for
all other growers at 9am on 9 September 2020.
·
For
more information or to take up the offer, growers can contact SunRice's Grower
Services team on 1800 654 557.
Have you signed up to The Land's free daily newsletter? Register
below to make sure you are up to date with everything that's important to NSW
agriculture.
https://www.therural.com.au/story/6899471/rice-pool-returns-for-2021-season/
ARDB to assess rice loan plans
May
Kunmakara | Publication date 27 August 2020 | 22:18 ICT
Share
Cambodia exported more than 426,073 tonnes of milled
rice to the international market in the first seven months of this year. Heng
Chivoan
The State-owned Agricultural and Rural Development Bank of
Cambodia (ARDB) has agreed to assess the feasibility of Cambodia Rice
Federation’s (CRF’s) request to increase the scope of its special loan scheme
for rice millers to purchase paddy during the harvest season starting next
month.
CRF president Song Saran told The Post this after a meeting with
the ARDB on Wednesday to discuss the current situation of the rice market and
readiness for the harvest and to ascertain the most effective way to provide
government loans.
He noted that CRF members are lacking the funds needed to
purchase paddy from farmers to hit this year’s export target.
“We appreciate the government’s continued special loans to the
rice sector, which will help us in collecting paddy from farmers in the
upcoming harvest season and stabilising the price of the crop.
“With the harvest season approaching, we proposed that the ARDB
increase the amount of special government loans this year as we plan to export
around 800,000 tonnes, which requires us to have between $80 and $100 million,”
Saran said.
At the same time, the CRF has asked the ARDB to extend its loan
repayment period to 12 months to help rice millers buy paddy, he said, adding
that the current period is too short and could hinder its members’ ability to
purchase paddy from farmers.
ARDB CEO Kao Thach told The Post that the institution must first
assess the situation of the harvest and estimate yields before forwarding the
CRF’s requests to the government.
“We must have a clear understanding of whether the projected
upcoming harvest yield will require us to expand loans to the rice sector or
not,” he said, adding that he will submit the requests to the government if the
study deems them necessary.
Cambodia exported more than 426,073 tonnes of milled rice to the
international market in the first seven months of this year, climbing 38.3 per
cent from 308,013 tonnes in the corresponding period last year.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reported
this, citing data from the General Department of Customs and Excise that was
extracted from phytosanitary certificates.
The Chinese market topped the list of destinations with 155,327
tonnes (accounting for 36.46 per cent), followed by European markets (144,247
tonnes; 33.85 per cent), ASEAN markets (57,064 tonnes; 13.39 per cent) and
other markets (69,435 tonnes; 16.3 per cent).
Last year, Cambodia exported 620,106 tonnes of milled rice to
the international market, inching down 0.97 per cent from 626,225 tonnes in
2018.
Rice farmers seek funding, blaming change in seasons
Sorn Sarath / Khmer Times
The Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) has asked the Agriculture and
Rural Development Bank (ARDB) to release more funds and requested an extension
to the loan cycle repayments, blaming an adjustment in the harvest season.
The request was made during a meeting to discuss the current
situation of the rice market and harvest in order to study the possibility of
providing loans from the government.
Song Saran, president of the CRF, raised various proposals
as well as some of the challenges that the private sector in the rice sector is
facing.
“We want the loan cycle extending up to 11 or 12 months because
we want the use of loans to be more efficient to help farmers,” he said.
Saran said the reason to extend the loan cycle is to adjust to
climate change which he said has delayed the harvesting of rice paddy this
year. He said in July last year, millers had already collected rice paddy from
farmers but this year it will be delayed until September.
“We are now facing climate change and that is making us miss the
harvest seasonal target, so we need a longer loan cycle that will make it
easier for rice millers to have time to collect rice paddy at a fair price,” he
said
Kao Thach, general director of the state-run ARDB, said the bank
has yet to make a decision.
“Because it is a government fund, we need to submit the request
to the government for approval,” he said.
Thach said previously the private sector that provided loans
needed them paid back during May and June each year.
Saran said with the target of exporting 800,000 tonnes of rice
this year, the government needs to inject between $80 million to $100 million
while the private sector needs to have reserves of about $200 million.
“So we need about $300 million to buy rice paddy during this
year to reach our target of 800,000 tonnes,” he said, adding that both state
and private sector need to inject more money to reach the ultimate target of 1
million tonnes.
In March this year, the government via the ARDB allocated a $50
million special fund for small and medium enterprises. The fund is designed to
specifically focus on agri-processing, food processing, agri-business, crops
including vegetables, livestock and the aquatic business plus any enterprise
that uses raw materials from agriculture.
Cambodia’s rice exports increased by 42 percent in the first six
months of the year, according to a report from the Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries.
Cambodia sent 397,660 tonnes of milled rice from January to June
this year, an increase of 42.25 percent, compared with 281,538 tonnes in 2019,
according to the report.
Rice exports to the EU increased by more than 45 percent. To
China they rose by 25.20 percent. Asean countries increased imports by about
47.7 percent and other market destinations surged by 79.26 percent.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50757893/rice-farmers-seek-funding-blaming-change-in-seasons/
UPDATE 2-Brazil
plan to nix import tariffs on soybeans, corn, rice concerns Mercosur partners
(Adds comment from Paraguay and Argentina, background)
SAO PAULO, Aug 27 (Reuters) - The Brazilian government is
mulling temporarily removing import tariffs on rice, corn and soybeans, the
Agriculture Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
The move is aimed at staving off
inflation, the statement added. Prices for rice, soybean and corn have risen
recently in the domestic market.
While the ministry said there is no sign of a potential shortage
of these products, Brazil has exported almost all its soybeans, and imports are
expected to rise this year.
Brazil’s partners in South America’s Mercosur trade bloc, which
are already exempt from import taxes, were taken by surprise by Brazil’s move
and said it could not be carried out unilaterally.
Argentina and Paraguay stand to gain from higher Brazilian soy
imports, and Uruguay from rice imports, but they will lose out, mainly to the
United States, if Brazil lowers its tariffs for other countries.
“Brazil cannot unilaterally change its tariffs. It has to do it
through talks with the other Mercosur countries,” Paraguay’s Deputy Agriculture
Minister Santiago Bertoni told Reuters.
“Any reduction in the common external tariff must be negotiated
within Mercosur,” said Gustavo Idigoras, head of the CIARA-CEC grains exporters
and crushers chamber.
The tariff exemption is expected to be discussed by Brazil’s
trade management committee, known as Gecex and presided over by the Economy
Ministry, in September. (Reporting by Carolina Mandl and Roberto Samora in Sao
Paulo, Daniela Desantis in Asuncióm, and and Maximilian Heath in Buenos Aires;
editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Rice farmers seek funding, blaming change in seasons
Sorn Sarath / Khmer Times
The Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) has asked the Agriculture and
Rural Development Bank (ARDB) to release more funds and requested an extension
to the loan cycle repayments, blaming an adjustment in the harvest season.
The request was made during a meeting to discuss the current
situation of the rice market and harvest in order to study the possibility of
providing loans from the government.
Song Saran, president of the CRF, raised various proposals
as well as some of the challenges that the private sector in the rice sector is
facing.
“We want the loan cycle extending up to 11 or 12 months because
we want the use of loans to be more efficient to help farmers,” he said.
Saran said the reason to extend the loan cycle is to adjust to
climate change which he said has delayed the harvesting of rice paddy this
year. He said in July last year, millers had already collected rice paddy from
farmers but this year it will be delayed until September.
“We are now facing climate change and that is making us miss the
harvest seasonal target, so we need a longer loan cycle that will make it
easier for rice millers to have time to collect rice paddy at a fair price,” he
said
Kao Thach, general director of the state-run ARDB, said the bank
has yet to make a decision.
“Because it is a government fund, we need to submit the request
to the government for approval,” he said.
Thach said previously the private sector that provided loans
needed them paid back during May and June each year.
Saran said with the target of exporting 800,000 tonnes of rice
this year, the government needs to inject between $80 million to $100 million
while the private sector needs to have reserves of about $200 million.
“So we need about $300 million to buy rice paddy during this
year to reach our target of 800,000 tonnes,” he said, adding that both state
and private sector need to inject more money to reach the ultimate target of 1
million tonnes.
In March this year, the government via the ARDB allocated a $50
million special fund for small and medium enterprises. The fund is designed to
specifically focus on agri-processing, food processing, agri-business, crops
including vegetables, livestock and the aquatic business plus any enterprise
that uses raw materials from agriculture.
Cambodia’s rice exports increased by 42 percent in the first six
months of the year, according to a report from the Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries.
Cambodia sent 397,660 tonnes of milled rice from January to June
this year, an increase of 42.25 percent, compared with 281,538 tonnes in 2019,
according to the report.
Rice exports to the EU increased by more than 45 percent. To
China they rose by 25.20 percent. Asean countries increased imports by about
47.7 percent and other market destinations surged by 79.26 percent.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50757893/rice-farmers-seek-funding-blaming-change-in-seasons/
Flood destroys 35,000 rice farmlands, others in Kebbi
More than thirty five thousand farmers have been affected by
devastating flood that washed away thousand hectares of farm lands across the twenty one local
government area of Kebbi state.
Chairman of the state Emergency Management Agency , Sani Dododo
revealed this to newsmen shortly after visiting Jega local government area for
on the spot assessment.
Mr. Dododo says the federal government rice revolution will be
affected as most rice farming communities have been submerged.
He wants Federal government through the National Emergency
Management Agency to urgently assistant, the farmers.
Meanwhile, the state emergency management agency have summoned
an emergency meeting to discuss the way forward.
https://www.tvcnews.tv/flood-destroys-35000-rice-farmlands-others-in-kebbi/
Rice strategy to focus on yield, variety
Higher R&D budget desperately
needed
PUBLISHED : 28 AUG 2020 AT 04:04
NEWSPAPER SECTION: BUSINESS
WRITER: PHUSADEE ARUNMAS
A rice farmer is at work in Nakhon Ratchasima
province. PRASIT TANGPRASERT
The
government wants to raise the average yield of domestic paddy production to 600
kilogrammes per rai by 2024 and focus more on premium-grade grains.
Speaking
on Thursday after a meeting of the working panel on rice strategy, Commerce
Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said higher spending on R&D for rice seeds and
variety are desperately needed to raise rice yields to 600kg per rai.
Thailand
allocates only 200 million baht a year to R&D on rice seed development,
considerably lower than Vietnam, which splurges up to US$100 million (3 billion
baht) on its rice seed and variety development.
According
to the Thai Rice Exporters Association, the world is estimated to produce a
total of 500 million tonnes of milled rice in the 2020/21 season, up from 497
million tonnes in the 2018/19 season, with an average yield of 736kg per rai, a
gain from 730kg the previous season.
Thailand
is projected to produce 20 million tonnes of milled rice in the 2020/21 season
with an average yield of only 450kg per rai.
·
Rice strategy
awaiting rejig
·
Panel to focus on marketing rice, seeds
Thailand's
productivity is much lower than other rice-producing countries such as Vietnam
(934kg per rai), Indonesia (765kg per rai), India (643kg per rai), China
(1,128kg per rai) and the US (1,363kg per rai). It is even lower than
neighbouring countries: Myanmar (461kg per rai), Laos (518kg per rai), Cambodia
(462kg per rai) and Malaysia (642kg per rai).
Mr
Jurin said the country's strategic rice plan between 2020 and 2024 should focus
on seven rice types: Thai hom mali rice; Thai fragrant rice; soft-textured
white rice; hard-textured white rice; parboiled rice; glutinous rice; and
speciality rice.
The
rice market should also be divided into three categories: Thai hom mali and
fragrant rice for the premium market; soft-textured white rice, hard-textured
white rice and parboiled rice for the mass market; and glutinous rice and
speciality-quality rice for the speciality market.
He
said the strategic plan should upgrade the country's logistics efficiency to
reduce export costs and competitiveness in the world market.
On
the domestic front, the strategy needs to strike a balance between domestic
consumption and production as well as water supply development.
The
Commerce Ministry wants to team up with the Agriculture and Cooperatives
Ministry to advise farmers how to grow rice in line with market demand and
create a linkage with potential buyers to ensure price stability.
Charoen
Laothammatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said the
government needs to invest more in irrigation system development and
post-harvest improvements. Annual rice production and farming need to be
prudently managed to prevent a glut, he said.
"Whether
Thailand becomes the top global exporter doesn't matter," said Mr Charoen.
"What matters is how to drive demand for Thai rice in the world market and
maintain price stability in the country."
Rice farmers, consumers receive
P100-B worth of assistance and savings – DA
August 28, 2020 | 8:10
pm
GELO SORIANO/UNSPLASH
MORE THAN P100 billion in
assistance and savings has been given to rice farmers and consumers, according
to Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar.
In a statement, Mr. Dar said that
the national government has provided an estimated P34 billion worth of
assistance to rice farmers in efforts to improve their incomes and output. The
assistance is also meant to address stiffer market competition as a result of
the entry of imported rice due to Republic Act No. 11203 or the Rice
Tariffication Law (RTL).
According to Mr. Dar, the financial
aid given to farmers includes P10 billion worth of free seeds, fertilizer, and
farm machinery, among others, under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund
(RCEF); P8.5 billion under the Rice Resiliency Program; P7 billion from the
National Rice Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA); P6 billion as
amelioration under financial assistance programs; and P2.5 billion in credit.
Mr. Dar said the amount is more
than half of the DA’s approved P64.7 billion budget for the year and is on top
of the free irrigation water services provided by the National Irrigation
Administration (NIA).
“This alone indicates the
importance and priority given to rice farmers, and this is just for the first
year of RTL alone, we are striving for a bigger allocation for the rice sector
in 2021,” Mr. Dar said.
The DA claimed that the influx of
imported rice into the local market resulted in a drop in price for consumers
of regular milled rice, to P37 per kilogram from the previous price of P45.
The lower prices of rice has
resulted in P72 billion in savings for consumers, according to the DA, which
enabled them to purchase other basic food commodities and necessities.
“This allowed our less privileged
countrymen to buy more food from savings generated from low inflation,” Mr. Dar
said.
Mr. Dar said that despite the
effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the country’s
economy, rice supply and prices have remained stable under the RTL.
“Research-wise, we cannot fully
assess the impact of RTL within just a short period of time. We cannot use
unilateral results of studies to push a change course. We know there will be
birth pains,” Mr. Dar said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
:https://www.bworldonline.com/rice-farmers-consumers-receive-p100-b-worth-of-assistance-and-savings-da/
SPI falls by
0.14pc from previous week
By
-
August 28, 2020
Lahore: The country’s weekly Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)
reading for the week that ended on August 27 showed a dip of 0.14 percent for
the combined consumption group compared to the previous week.
SPI is a weekly inflationary
indicator that measures the change in the cost of a fixed basket of goods and
services purchased by the households in the country. The SPI for the week under
review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 135.03 points against
135.22 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest data of
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
However, the SPI for the same
week a year ago saw the expected rise of 8.39 percent. During the
week, prices of 11 items decreased, while the prices for 12 items
increased. Another 28 items that make up the basket used for calculation
remained constant.
Chicken, LPG cylinders, bananas,
sugar, garlic, eggs, wheat flour, vegetable oil (tin), vegetable oil
(loose), curd, and fresh milk all saw price decrease. Commodities that rose in
price included tomatoes, onions, pulses, rice, sugar, potatoes, mash
pulse, cooking oil (tin), powdered milk, and beef.
The SPI measurement that has been
taken, with the base year being used for the comparison being 2015-16, covers
17 urban centers and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.
The
Sensitive Price Indicator for the lowest consumption group up to
Rs17,732 witnessed 0.08 percent decrease and went down from 141.62
points in last week to 141.50 points during the week under review.
https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/08/28/spi-falls-by-0-14pc-from-previous-week/
Pakistan may import red kidney beans from Ethiopia: minister
Amin AhmedUpdated 28 Aug 2020
Facebook Count
Fakhr
Imam said the draft memorandum of understanding on agricultural cooperation
formerly proposed by the Ethiopian side could not be finalised due to poor
response of the provincial governments. — DawnNewsTV/File
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is considering extending the period of lifting
ban on the import of red kidney beans from Ethiopia on the condition that the
SOPs the two countries agreed to observe are fully complied with by the
Ethiopian government, Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed
Fakhr Imam said on Thursday.
Speaking to Pakistan’s ambassador-designate to Ethiopia Syed
Shozab Abbas, the minister said it was important that the Ethiopian side keeps
on sharing progress on the Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) with our Department of
Plant Protection (DPP) for permanent settlement of this issue based on
scientific evidence and procedures.
Mr Fakhr Imam said the draft memorandum of understanding on
agricultural cooperation formerly proposed by the Ethiopian side could not be
finalised due to poor response of the provincial governments. He suggested that
the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) may sign an MoU with its
counterpart, the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organisation, for which a
draft of MoU may be shared by PARC after completion of the internal formalities
of the Pakistan government.
The PARC has suggested that Pakistan can extend assistance to
Ethiopian side in the many areas which include honey bee management and value
addition, poultry production and processing, developing and fabricating
agricultural machinery and farm implements, livestock breed improvement, and
artificial insemination and rehabilitation of degraded lands, conservation of
biodiversity.
This year, Pakistan exported 150 metric tons of maize starch with
the value of $0.033 million and 362.30 metric tons of rice valued at $0.20
million. Similarly, this year Ethiopia imported 152.5 metric tons of black tea,
12,160 metric tons of kidney beans and 213 metric tons of Pinto Beans worth
$11.414 million.
Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2020
Government support to farmers
hits P34 billion
posted August 28, 2020 at 10:30 pm by Othel V. Campos
The Department of Agriculture said fiscal and
technical support to rice farmers amounted to P34 billion in the first half, on
top of free irrigation services provided by the National Irrigation
Administration.
Agriculture Secretary Willian Dar said consumers also
saved P72 billion because of lower retail prices of rice, following the lifting
of import restrictions on the grain.
Dar said Farmers benefited from free seeds and
fertilizers, farm machinery, credit assistance and trainings under the
P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.
The agency also provided P8.5 billion under the Rice
Resiliency Program, P7 billion under the National Rice Program, more than P2.5
billion in credit and P6 billion as amelioration under the rice farmers’
financial assistance and financial subsidy for rice farmers.
“This alone indicates the importance and priority
given to rice farmers, and this is just for the first year of RTL alone. We are
striving for a bigger allocation for the rice sector in 2021,” Dar said.
He said the amount was equivalent to more than half
of the department’s approved budget of P64 billion in 2020.
Dar said the government invested into the rice
industry sector to ease the “birth pains” from the influx of imported rice
resulting from the Rice Tariffication Law.
Computations made by the Department of Finance and
the Philippine Institute for Development Studies showed that initial losses in
the sector could reach between P36 billion and P39 billion.
The shortfall was calculated using data from 2015 to
2017, and excluding the 2018 “abnormal” year when “artificial shortage of the
commodity caused rice prices to skyrocket.”
The entry of imported rice also resulted in the
reduction of consumer prices for regular milled rice, from a high of P45 per
kilo to P37.
Dar said the P72 billion in savings gained by
ordinary consumers enabled them to buy other basic food commodities and
necessities.
The stability of rice prices, one of the major
components of the food basket, contributed to the decline in inflation rate
from 6 percent to 2 percent.
He said that despite the effect of the health crisis
on the economy, rice supply and prices remained stable under the Rice
Tariffication Law.
How Weird Is Katharine
Hayhoe’s Climate Science?
BY • 28 AUGUST 2020
115
Dr. Katharine Hayhoe presents her talk "Climate Change: Facts
and Fictions" at the Starmus IV science festival in Trondheim Norway on
June 22, 2017 (photo by Kai T. Dragland/NTNU via Flickr)
I’ve always been genuinely impressed with Dr. Katharine Hayhoe’s
calm and reasoned approach to explaining the science of climate change—or as
she calls it, “global weirding.”
Weather patterns are indeed getting strange, like a record-setting 100-degree
day in Siberia on June 20, 2020. But weather is different from climate, the
atmospheric scientist who runs Texas Tech’s Climate Science Center reminds us.
In each video she produces, it’s just Hayhoe and some unassuming
graphics or cartoons with playful sound effects. She threads the needle and
avoids hyperbole while she explains the severity of the human-induced climate
crisis. She doesn’t pull punches when talking about the impact it’s having and
will continue to have on the planet. Somehow her tone is never accusatory,
never condescending, just, “hey, all the data is really clear about what’s
happening with global climate. It’s changing quickly, it’s bad, we ought to
act, and this is how we change our course.”
Topic by topic Hayhoe explains what specifically is weird about
the changing climate. There are videos on the rising averages in global
temperatures, causing worldwide changes in regional climates and levels of precipitation.
Regions are highlighted that are experiencing droughts for the very first time,
along with agricultural regions that are losing the fight to keep producing
crops because of changing climate patterns. (The general public can find her
videos for free on PBS.)
In short, Hayhoe’s communicative ability makes her easy to
follow and her approach makes the all-too-often contentious subject of climate
change palatable to a wide audience. The remarkable thing is that she
frequently makes it a point to note her evangelical Christian faith.
As a believer who isn’t shy to express her belief, Hayhoe is in
a unique position to introduce the important conversation on climate to the
difficult-to-reach conservative Christian crowd. It did surprise me to learn
that it surprises Dr. Hayhoe when people question her choice of career given
her strong religious affiliation. The aversions that dogmatic believers have to
scientific claims are hardly a new phenomenon.
The example of Nicolaus Copernicus comes to mind. His novel
astronomical calculations threatened to reorient conceptions of the universe
that contradicted the many references to geocentricism in the Christian Bible. And
while some scholars argue that Copernicus’s views weren’t opposed by the church while
he was alive, that contradiction got his writings posthumously condemned by
Protestants and banned by Catholics for over 200 years. Some attribute that ban
to Martin Luther’s reassertion of the biblical inerrancy of geocentricism. That
obviously wasn’t the last time the church would resist science.
Galileo Galilei’s
life, even more so than that of Copernicus, was an epic battle for reason and
science. His antagonists were the Protestant reformers and the Catholic Church
as well. For championing empirical observation over dogmatic reliance on
religiously based interpretations of the natural world he was condemned as a
heretic. His inquisitors infamously forced him to recant his godless, heliocentric heresy.
In spite of this long history (with which she’s certainly familiar),
it surprises Hayhoe that people wonder how she balances these historical, even
psychological contenders. I’ve even noticed a sense of amusement at the idea
that someone would think that there could be a conflict.
In a July 29 interview with Elaine Howard
Ecklund, director of the Religion and Public Life Program within
Rice University’s Social Sciences Research Institute, Hayhoe clarifies her
thinking. In studying scientists’ perceptions of religion, Ecklund states that
many believing scientists are doing more than just fixing technical problems
and employing reason and the scientific method to develop an understanding of
natural phenomena. They’re on a mission from God. Instead of correcting this
assertion, Hayhoe. agrees with her interviewer.
Eklund goes further. A major theme of her new book, “Why
Science and Faith Need Each Other,” is that issues like climate
change aren’t merely the result of bad political-economic policies and bad
actors in the chorus of anti-environmental industries. She claims that this
planetary crisis is ultimately the result of sin. Again, I hoped for the
interviewer to be reeled in, but Hayhoe emphatically affirms that premise by
saying, “I love that, that’s so true.”
“Shalom” is the title of the video interview, and in it Eklund
explains the Judeo-Christian concept of shalom—which in Hebrew can mean peace,
harmony, wholeness, etc.—as it applies to the practice of science. It’s the
mission from God that Christians who are scientists get to take on. Shalom is
the believers’ crusade against the effects of sin. More specifically,
Christians who are scientists trying to cure cancer or solve the climate crisis
are working to make the world whole again. Their mission is to restore the
world to the way God made it.
Which brings us to my question: How weird is Hayhoe’s climate
science? The word “weird” can simply mean strange, uncommon, or unusual. Or it
can be “suggestive of or relating to the supernatural.”
This latter definition, in context of the interview, sheds new
light on the nature of Hayhoe’s understanding of—as well as her underlying
approach to—the climate crisis. It seems to be the case that Hayhoe chose an
occupation where she can do more than just examine data related to the physical
effects of greenhouse gases. More than just communicate those important
scientific findings to the rest of us. She has set her sights beyond the
scientific problems. That worries me a lot.
Solid science can be derailed in so many ways. From the
political economics involved in deciding which research gets funded, to the interpersonal
dynamics of which voices get heard when discussing the research once it’s
funded, right down to the individual motive to advance one’s own career more
than find the most plausible answer. These can all overshadow, even extinguish,
the pursuit of empirical knowledge. To hear such a phenomenal communicator and
scientist acknowledge that she’s driven to do her work by supernatural forces
confounds me.
What drives her to save the planet from climate crises, it would
follow, is not the illogic of allowing sea levels to rise (killing billions of
people), in and of itself. The drive to reduce greenhouse gasses is not to
decrease the starvation that will occur when increasing rainfall destroys
global food supplies, for its own sake. For Hayhoe the impetus to act is to
mitigate the effects that original sin has brought to bear on God’s creation.
As a humanist, I have to ask myself whether I care. If Jiminy
Glick pushes a stroller out of the way of a speeding taxi in pursuit of a
Boston cream donut, the baby is saved regardless of his motives. Sure, I’d
prefer a heroic motive, just like I’d prefer science to be driven entirely by a
perfect mixture of empathy and reason. From what I’ve heard of her, Katharine
Hayhoe’s message never lacks empathy. This interview was the first time I’ve
questioned whether her work was driven by reason.
I contacted Hayhoe in August of 2019 when US Rep. Alexandria
Occasio-Cortez (D-NY) was being lauded and lambasted for her proposal of the
Green New Deal. I reached out to Hayhoe through her Facebook page asking
whether she supported the legislation. Looking back, her response was perfectly
consistent with what I would hope to hear from a reasonable scientist who is an
evangelical. Reviewing her answer allayed some of my fear:
As a scientist, I support any legislation that will reduce
carbon emissions. As a Christian, I support legislation that will help people,
especially the poorest and most vulnerable who spend more of their money on
energy and are disproportionately impacted by a changing climate. As a
Canadian, I do not endorse specific policies from other countries other than to
comment on whether they will or will not reduce carbon emissions.
The important thing I’m brought back to is that Hayhoe is
capable of bringing a critical message to
an audience whose ears are zealously guarded by their religious leaders. The
quality of her work still speaks for itself. She is talking about the realities
of climate change that are driven by data that has convinced her. “Global
weirding” may be couched in some hocus-pocus eschatology, but it’s sparking a
new dialogue where silence and denialism have ruled the day.
As a humanist I can’t deny the value of that. We need as many
evangelicals on the side of correcting climate change, or “global weirding” as
possible. Achieving that evangelical buy-in won’t come from influencers outside
of the faith.
I hope that she’s successful. Voters, engineers, and investors
in the churches where she’s allowed to speak get the chance to learn. The more
listeners learn about the science, and heed her warnings, the better off we’ll
all be. If I were a believer who was on the fence about “global warming, or
whatever they call it now,” then I think she might be able to convince me.
Humanists need to hope that the dialogue she’s uniquely able to engage in,
like her conversation with the actor Don Cheadle in
the Years Project episode “Pray for Rain,” continues.
https://thehumanist.com/commentary/how-weird-is-katharine-hayhoes-climate-science
VIETNAM'S
JAN-AUG COFFEE EXPORTS DROP 1.3%, RICE DOWN 1.7%
8/28/2020
HANOI, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Vietnam's
coffee exports in the first eight months of the year probably fell 1.3% from a
year earlier, to 1.16 million tonnes, while rice exports are likely to have
dropped 1.7%, government data released on Saturday showed.
COFFEE
Coffee exports from Vietnam are
expected to drop an estimated 1.3% in the first eight months on the year to
1.16 million tonnes, or 19.3 million 60-kg bags, the General Statistics Office
(GSO) said.
Coffee export revenue for Vietnam,
the world's biggest producer of the robusta bean, will probably be down 0.2% at
$1.98 billion in the eight-month period.
Its August coffee shipments are
estimated at 110,000 tonnes, valued at $197 million.
RICE
Rice exports in the period from
January to August are forecast to drop 1.7% from a year earlier, to 4.5 million
tonnes.
Revenue from rice exports in the
period is expected to increase 10.4% to $2.2 billion.
August rice exports from Vietnam,
the world's third-largest shipper of the grain, probably totalled 500,000
tonnes, worth $251 million.
ENERGY
Vietnam's January-August crude oil
exports were seen rising 22.4% on the year, to an estimated 3.35 million
tonnes.
Crude oil export revenue in the
period is expected to dive 21.2% from a year earlier to $1.1 billion.
Oil product imports in the eight
months were estimated at 8.1 million tonnes, up 46.9% over the corresponding
period last year, while the value of such imports rose 0.6% to $2.64 billion.
The GSO trade data is subject to
revision next month. (Reporting by Phuong Nguyen; Editing by Clarence
Fernandez)
© Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020.
Click For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
https://www.agriculture.com/markets/newswire/vietnams-jan-aug-coffee-exports-drop-13-rice-down-17
Centre of Excellence for Basmati
must for its development: VC SKUAST-J
on: August 28, 2020In: JammuTags:
JAMMU: Webinar on Production of Basmati Rice in Jammu &
Kashmir Union Territory organised by Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural
Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-J) in collaboration with Basmati
Export Development Foundation under APEDA, Ministry of Commerce & Industry,
Govt of India Modipuram, Meerut.
On the occasion Prof. J P Sharma Vice Chancellor SKUAST-J appraised that Basmati
is a principal crop of Jammu region and it is confined to Kathua, Jammu and
Samba district, R S Pura of district Jammu is a basmati bowl of country our
scientist is doing best for upgrading quality of Basmati.
New varieties of Basmati namely 118 and 138 are being developed by scientist of
SKUAST Jammu.
He also emphasized that there should be Centre of Excellence in SKUAST Jammu to
further upgrade its quality and export of the same.
Prof V.P Singh pointed out that Basmati rice cultivation needs some boost up
and also applaud the efforts of Scientists of SKUAST Jammu for popularity and
developing the Basmati. He further narrated the potential of 1121 variety of
Basmati.
A K Gupta, Director BEDF deliberated upon the Export orient policy support for
farmers.
S SNayyar, General Manager, AIPEDA emphasized that export quantum of Basmati
will help to raise not only the livelihood of farmer but also branding the fame
of Basmati of Jammu region in world.
Vinita Sudhanshu DGM APEDA made a detailed presentation about the overview of
APEDA activities and functioning.
Dr Gulzar Singh Singheeri Principal scientist RRS PAU Kapurthala shared his
experience about rice production in general from Lakanpur to Kupwara with
special emphasis on basmati and Mushkbuji.
Rohit Gupta MD Sarweshwar Overseas Ltd also share his experience about the
production and export of Basmati from Jammu to different countries of the
world.
Dr Ritesh Sharma Principal scientist BEDF gives the detailed presentation about
production technology of rice along with its nutrient and water management.
Earlier Dr S K Gupta Director Education SKAUST J welcomed all the participants
in the webinar.
Dr Jag Pal Sharma Associate Director Research interacted with the farmers and
suggested the measures about the organic farming of basmati rice earlier.
Lecture on weed management was delivered by Dr Anil Kumar Professor Agronomy.
Sh Rajesh Talwar Registrar & Comptroller was also present on the occasion.
The programme concluded with vote of thanks by Dr Bharat Bhushan Joint
Registrar SKUAST-J.
https://news.statetimes.in/centre-of-excellence-for-basmati-must-for-its-development-vc-skuast-j/
Telangana
is emerging as the Rice Bowl of India: Governor
Hyderabad, Aug 27 (INN): “With the series of initiatives in irrigation, agriculture
and other allied sectors, Telangana State is fast emerging as the rice bowl of
India,” said Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan.
Addressing the 4th Convocation of
the Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University through
online mode from the Raj Bhavan, here, on Thursday, the Governor in her
Chancellor’s Speech said that measures like Kaleshwaram project, Mission
Kakatiya, aquaculture, Rythu Bandhu etc., have the potential to turn Telangana
into the rice bowl of the country.
The Governor exhorted the young
passing out graduates, doctorates and agricultural scientists to take up
interdisciplinary research to promote sustainable agriculture.
“Though we could improve our food
grains production tremendously with the Green Revolution, we have started
overusing the chemical fertilisers and pesticides thus harming the soil and
environment and compromising on sustainability. It is high time to integrate
the traditional wisdom and technology to ensure both sustainable agriculture and
food security,” Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan added.
Expressing anguish over the
severe malnutrition that exists in our country, the Governor stated that it was
high time that we address the issues of malnutrition and undernutrition by
taking balanced farming pattern with the right mix of cereals, millets,
oilseeds and pulses and mineral and vitamin rich fruits and vegetables.
Referring to initiatives launched
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reforms and promotion of agriculture, she
said that Rs 1 Lakh Crore package for the agriculture sector under the Atma
Nirbhar Bharat initiative will go a long way in contributing to the sustainable
and profitable agriculture in the country.
Kisan Credit Cards, Soil Health
Cards, Fasal Bhima Yojana and Kisan Samman Yojana have been contributing a lot
to the agriculture sector in India.
As the Chancellor of the
university, Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan conferred honorary doctorate on NABARD
chairman Govinda Rajulu Chintala, who was also the chief guest at the
convocation.
The Governor also awarded
doctoral degrees to 30 successful scholars, and presented 12 gold medals to the
winners in UG courses and 10 gold medals to the winners in PG courses.
PJTSAU Vice-Chancellor Prof. V.
Praveen Rao, Registrar Prof. S. Sudheer Kumar, Deans of various faculties,
faculty members, staff, students, scholars and others joined the virtual
convocation.
https://www.therahnuma.com/telangana-is-emerging-as-the-rice-bowl-of-india-governor/
Habitat funds available for Calif.
rice farmers
Growers have until Sept. 14 to submit their plans to
the state.
California rice growers wishing to participate in a state-funded
program to flood their fields for winter wildlife habitat have until Sept. 14
to submit their requests to the state. Growers who qualify this year will
receive $15 per acre to flood their rice fields
The California Winter Rice Habitat Incentive Program helps
rice farmers cover the costs of water they would purchase to flood their fields
in the winter. Flooding rice fields in the winter does two things: rice stubble
decomposes under the flooded conditions, reducing the need to burn stubble
after harvest; and, the water provides winter habitat for countless birds and
other wildlife during the winter months. The incentive program aims to improve
habitat opportunities for these migratory fowl and other wildlife.
Luke Matthews, wildlife program manager with the California Rice
Commission, says state funds from a bill passed a year ago provides growers
with a nominal amount of money to help cover their water costs. Depending on
those costs, the money can completely offset those water costs, or at
least bring them to a more financially manageable level.
Matthews says the purpose of the bill is to incentivize the
creation of additional winter habitat for migratory birds that fill the
Sacramento Valley each winter. The program stipulates that rice fields be
flooded for a minimum of 70 continuous days from October through March. About
19,000 acres of northern California rice ground was involved in the program
last year.
Specifics on the plan, including an application with detailed instructions,
can be found online at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/CWHP/Private-Lands-Programs.
SUGGESTED EVENT
https://www.farmprogress.com/conservation/habitat-funds-available-calif-rice-farmers
