From crop production to market:
Improving the livelihood of Pakistan’s basmati rice farmers
Gene Hettel | Mar 18, 2016
BASMATI RICE farmers in Pakistan are finding better livelihoods
with access to the European market. Photo: RPL.
A program for improving Pakistan’s basmati rice for the export
market is a shining example of how the private and public sectors can work
together to make a difference.
An improvement program in Pakistan for aromatic basmati
rice has become the most complete
contract farmer system that Joe Rickman has seen in his more than two decades
of working with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in various
capacities. Involved in the program over the last 5 years, Mr. Rickman,
currently an IRRI consultant, believes it shows how the private and public
sectors can work together to make a difference.“In the program, farmers are
being rewarded for growing high-quality basmati rice,” he says. “At the same
time, the effort is enabling Rice
Partners Limited (RPL), an
international rice milling company headquartered in Islamabad, to process and
sell the product to the European operation of the international food
conglomerate Mars, Inc., which is happy to have a robust, high-quality rice supply
route in place while supporting small-scale farmers.”
Bringing farmers and market together
The program has brought together hundreds of basmati rice farmers in Punjab province (see map), RPL with its farmer contacts, Mars with its market knowledge, and IRRI with its technical knowledge and skills. It has resulted in the improved quantity and quality of Pakistan’s basmati rice production. Started in 2011 with just 27 contract farmers, the program grew to include 428 farmers in 2015.“We are on track to have more than 1,000 contract farmers and sell 20,000 tons of brown basmati rice in Europe via Mars’ Uncle Ben’s® products by 2017,”says Mr. Rickman.” After that, we hope to reach out to an additional 15,000 basmati growers in Pakistan.”
The program has brought together hundreds of basmati rice farmers in Punjab province (see map), RPL with its farmer contacts, Mars with its market knowledge, and IRRI with its technical knowledge and skills. It has resulted in the improved quantity and quality of Pakistan’s basmati rice production. Started in 2011 with just 27 contract farmers, the program grew to include 428 farmers in 2015.“We are on track to have more than 1,000 contract farmers and sell 20,000 tons of brown basmati rice in Europe via Mars’ Uncle Ben’s® products by 2017,”says Mr. Rickman.” After that, we hope to reach out to an additional 15,000 basmati growers in Pakistan.”
Private and public sector
working together
The program was intensified when IRRI first began working with Mars and RPL. In October 2013, 12 associates from the Mars Ambassador Program came to IRRI to learn firsthand how to grow rice and help farmers improve crop yield and quality. Then, after “having walked in the farmers’ shoes” by preparing the land, planting, harvesting, processing, and milling rice at IRRI, they—together with RPL officials and IRRI experts—developed a strategic plan for the improvement program. The aim was to enhance the basmati farmers’ productivity and the quality of their crop while, at the same time, increasing their efficiency in input use, especially water and chemicals.Also in 2013, Bayer Crop Science assisted with financial support and provided farmer training on pest management.
RPL oversees and supports the rice
production through a contract grower scheme, procures the paddy from the
individual farmers if it meets standards, and then ages and mills the brown
rice before selling it to Mars for the European market. Very importantly,
farmers receive cash benefits for their quality rice as a premium over the
regular market price rate and they enjoy being paid immediately after harvest.
Keeping records setting
benchmarks—linchpin of the program
“RPL currently employs eight quality control officers (QCs), which I trained by helping them to develop a rice check and log book system,” says Mr. Rickman. “These QCs, such as Farooq Ahmed and M. Yaqoob (photo), visit farmers every 7-10 days to check on the crop, give advice, and record what is happening in the field. They record all inputs and keep them on a central log book and database at RPL.”Experience has shown that one QC officer can effectively work with up to 50 farmers. “If we increase the number of farmers above 50 per QC then we will decrease the effectiveness of the program and quality will suffer,” says Ali Tariq, RPL’s CEO. “Obviously, our target is more farmers. But to do this, we will need to increase our existing resources as it is already quite a tough job to monitor the farmers we already have.”
“RPL currently employs eight quality control officers (QCs), which I trained by helping them to develop a rice check and log book system,” says Mr. Rickman. “These QCs, such as Farooq Ahmed and M. Yaqoob (photo), visit farmers every 7-10 days to check on the crop, give advice, and record what is happening in the field. They record all inputs and keep them on a central log book and database at RPL.”Experience has shown that one QC officer can effectively work with up to 50 farmers. “If we increase the number of farmers above 50 per QC then we will decrease the effectiveness of the program and quality will suffer,” says Ali Tariq, RPL’s CEO. “Obviously, our target is more farmers. But to do this, we will need to increase our existing resources as it is already quite a tough job to monitor the farmers we already have.”
IRRI and RPL have developed a rice crop check system, which is
used as a bench mark for both farmers and QCs to follow. “The farmers are
supported by recommendations on all agronomic and harvesting aspects of rice
farming,” says Mr. Rickman. “Because aflatoxin and pesticide residues have been
the major reasons that grain lots are rejected in Europe, the check system has
been introduced to alleviate these problems by providing farmers with
information on economic injury levels, withholding period after spraying, and
recommendations on harvesting and drying.”Using these quality standards for the
paddy, RPL has established the purchase standards for basmati rice. If a
contract grower does not meet these standards, the crop is rejected and will
then have to be sold on the local markets at a reduced price.
Mutual benefits
“Farmers are developing more sustainable agronomic practices that positively impact on productivity and the environment while we are obtaining a high-quality and safe food product delivered to our factories and customers in Europe,” says Luc Beerens, European procurement manager at Mars in Rotterdam. “It is also an opportunity to test and audit the Sustainable Rice Platform standards in the real world. With basmati yields in Pakistan being currently half of those in neighboring India, it is a perfect opportunity to make a huge difference.”
“Farmers are developing more sustainable agronomic practices that positively impact on productivity and the environment while we are obtaining a high-quality and safe food product delivered to our factories and customers in Europe,” says Luc Beerens, European procurement manager at Mars in Rotterdam. “It is also an opportunity to test and audit the Sustainable Rice Platform standards in the real world. With basmati yields in Pakistan being currently half of those in neighboring India, it is a perfect opportunity to make a huge difference.”
The success of the program is
already evident. “When the program first started, the rejection rate of basmati
rice shipments into Europe was as high as 80%,” says Mr. Beerens. “In 2013 and
2014, this was reduced to 25 and 8%, respectively.”
Farmers have already benefited financially.
“Those who follow the guidelines and sell their crop to RPL receive a 10%
premium above local market value, points out Mr. Tariq. “And they are paid
within 24-36 hours of delivery with all transportation costs covered by RPL.”
Farmers getting in the queue
With this level of support offered by RPL and Mars, it is little wonder that new farmers are lining up on a daily basis to join the program. In 2015, RPL signed up two women farmers and is continuing to look for ways to improve the gender balance of the program.
With this level of support offered by RPL and Mars, it is little wonder that new farmers are lining up on a daily basis to join the program. In 2015, RPL signed up two women farmers and is continuing to look for ways to improve the gender balance of the program.
“Simple things such as counting the
number of seedlings established, weed management advice, and understanding the
quality traits have all contributed to the farmers’ knowledge,” says Mr.
Rickman. “They also look forward to the security of signing a new contract with
RPL each year.”
Testimonials
Indeed, local farmers like the program. “I’ve been an RPL contract farmer for the last 4 years,” says Mubasahar Naveed Wagha from Khairpur Mallian Village. “RPL respects us. Their QCs visit us regularly during both the sowing and harvesting seasons. We get very good prices and their method of payment is swift. God bless them all.”
Indeed, local farmers like the program. “I’ve been an RPL contract farmer for the last 4 years,” says Mubasahar Naveed Wagha from Khairpur Mallian Village. “RPL respects us. Their QCs visit us regularly during both the sowing and harvesting seasons. We get very good prices and their method of payment is swift. God bless them all.”
CONTRACT FARMERS Mubasahar Naveed Wagha and Asghar Mujahid are
happy with the RPL-Mars-IRRI program results. Photos: RPL.
Next steps
“While we feel that many of the quality issues that we initially faced have been overcome, we now need to start working on getting higher mill outs from the rice in farmers’ fields,” says Mr. Rickman. “At the moment, RPL is exporting less than 45% of the combined-harvested rice. Our aim is to get this up to 60% by working more closely with the combine operators and farmers during harvest and the RPL rice mill during processing.”
“While we feel that many of the quality issues that we initially faced have been overcome, we now need to start working on getting higher mill outs from the rice in farmers’ fields,” says Mr. Rickman. “At the moment, RPL is exporting less than 45% of the combined-harvested rice. Our aim is to get this up to 60% by working more closely with the combine operators and farmers during harvest and the RPL rice mill during processing.”
One major part of the problem is
that the crop is being harvested too early, which increases the number of green
and immature grains. Also, many combines are not set up and/or operated
correctly, resulting in threshing losses of more than 200 kilograms per hectare
and a harvest that contains damaged grains and trash.
RPL will be involving more farmers
in its small demonstration and field testing site. Here, comparisons can be
made between different production systems such as transplanted and seed-drilled
rice, planting rates and land levelling. “In the future, we will introduce
variety testing, which will add further to the knowledge available to the
farmers,” says Mr. Tariq.
By working in this program with the
RPL-Mars-IRRI team, farmers have already become keenly aware that quality seed
is an important issue. Mars’ European market requires that the super basmati
rice must be 95% DNA pure, which means that seed must be 98% pure.
In 2016, RPL is looking at ways to
begin the production of its own breeder seed to ensure that the 98% purity
level can be maintained. And IRRI will be looking to introduce disease
resistance and submergence tolerance into the existing basmati varieties.
IRRI CONSULTANTS Joe Rickman (second from right) and Sarkarung Surapong
(third from right, who came on board in 2015 to help identify varieties to
multiply for distribution to farmers) with RPL team members in Punjab province.
Photo: RPL.
——————–
Mr. Hettel is an IRRI consultant based in the Philippines.
Mr. Hettel is an IRRI consultant based in the Philippines.
http://ricetoday.irri.org/from-crop-production-to-market-improving-the-livelihood-of-pakistans-basmati-rice-farmers/
Weather News Pakistan
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www.pakissan.com
REAP delegation
leaves for China
March 18, 2016
A 19-member delegation of Rice
Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) led by Noman Ahmed Sheikh, Senior Vice
Chairman, has left for China. The delegation will visit three leading cities
including Beijing, besides meeting with Chinese officials for promotion of
Pakistani rice.Noman said that the delegation comprises leading rice exporters
to enhance exports of Pakistani rice verities to China. He said that the visit has been
arranged with the support of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan. "One
to one business meeting has also been arranged for the members of the
delegation with leading imports and representatives of chamber of commerce and
industry", he added.
Hindustan Unilever to sell its rice
export business to LT Foods
The decision to sell these units is
in line with HUL’s strategy to exit non-core businesses
New Delhi: Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), the country’s largest household
goods maker, said on Thursday it has agreed to sell its rice export business to
Delhi-based LT Foods Ltd that sells rice under Daawat brand for an undisclosed
sum.The announcement comes six months after the local arm of Anglo-Dutch
Unilever Plc sold its bread and bakery business under the Modern brand to
Nimman Foods Pvt. Ltd, a company backed by private equity fund Everstone Group,
for an undisclosed amount.The decision to sell these units is in line with
HUL’s strategy to exit non-core businesses, while continuing to drive its
growth agenda in the core packaged foods business, the company said in a
statement.While the company did not disclose the deal size, the rice export
business, according to the company statement, registered sales of Rs.51 crore according to the audited
financials for the year 2014-15. HUL exports rice under two brands—Gold Seal
Indus Valley and Rozana.
“The deal envisages transfer of the
brands and inventory for a consideration of Rs 25 crore, subject to adjustments
on closing. The transaction is subject to fulfilment of certain conditions and
the parties will work together to complete this over the next few months. HUL
will continue to manage the business until the completion of the transaction,”
HUL said in a statement.HUL started exporting basmati rice in 1985 to the
Middle East and Europe and then spread wings to 21 countries catering he mid
segment of the market.
Sanjiv Mehta, chief executive and
managing director of HUL, said: “Given the context of our portfolio priorities,
we believe that it is in the best interest of the business to sell these brands
to a strategic player such as LT Foods, who is capable and well positioned to
unlock their full potential.”The announcement came after the stock market
closed. HUL’s shares rose 0.68% to Rs.849.30 on BSE, while the benchmark Sensex fell 0.02% to 24,677.37
points on Thursday.
http://www.livemint.com/Companies/nLqftxI7T8EpUOO6IfX0eI/Hindustan-Unilever-to-sell-its-rice-export-business-to-LT-Fo.html
03/18/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report
Rice
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Rice Comment
Rice futures
were lower across the board today. The weekly export total of only 21,300
metric tons was off sharply from last week's 145,800 metric tons. Friday's
stronger dollar added to the negative undertone. Technically, July posted a
bullish reversal in Wednesday's trade
while also posting a potential double bottom at the recent low of $10.20. May
has downtrending resistance at $10.62. A close above that level would be
another indication that the market has put in a bottom for the time being.
USA Rice Advocacy
Gets Results in Food Aid Debate
By Peter Bachmann
WASHINGTON, DC -- During USA Rice's 2016
Government Affairs Conference here last month, USA Rice members educated
Members of the Agriculture Subcommittee of the House Committee on
Appropriations on the importance of maintaining in-kind commodities in the food
aid program during emergency response efforts around the world, and asked
specifically that U.S.-grown rice, including fortified rice, be prioritized for
delivery to those in need.
The payoff came yesterday when, at an Ag
Subcommittee hearing, Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL), argued in favor of
funding for USDA's Food for Peace program, saying, "I and others in
Congress are concerned that moving the American farmer and shipper from the
participation in this tradition of the Food for Peace program does not create
intended efficiencies, but will instead lead to cuts in the program due to lack
of support."
Aderholt concluded, "Without the support
and the participation of the American farmer and shipper, it's hard for many of
us to go back to our constituencies and justify spending more money on foreign
aid programs at a time when our nation's deficit is out of control."
Funding for USDA's Food for Peace program that
provides aid to countries in-need has been under attack by the Administration
and some Members of Congress since the negotiations for the 2014 Farm
Bill. Some groups want to significantly
reduce funding for the program while others want to shift spending from
currently providing in-kind, U.S.-grown commodities to cash vouchers to procure
food in foreign markets.
Jamie Warshaw, Louisiana rice miller and
chairman of the USA Rice Food Aid Subcommittee, was among those who met with
Chairman Aderholt last month. Warshaw
said, "We talked with Chairman Aderholt about the rice industry's
priorities for the year, one of which is maintaining the current levels of
in-kind food aid. And it's obvious that
meeting paid off after hearing his support for our concerns and those of other
commodity organizations seeking to preserve this important role that American
farmers and American businesses play in sending our abundant crop to those in
need."
Earlier this year, Representative Rick Crawford
(R-AR) and Senator John Boozman (R-AR) sent a letter signed by 20 lawmakers
representing seven states across the nation's rice growing territory that
requests Food for Peace funds for FY 2016 be prioritized for rice shipments. Rice is the most widely consumed crop
worldwide and yet U.S. international food aid shipments of it have been
steadily decreasing over the last five years.
USA RICE
DAILY NEWS
Tough Competition in
Chile's Rice Market
By Sarah Moran
SANTIAGO, CHILE -- Agriculture
Secretary Vilsack has brought his trade mission to Chile, the wealthiest
country in South America and the most prolific negotiator of free trade
agreements.
"Chile is classified as a 'high-income' country by the World
Bank and has a per capita GDP of $22,346," explained USA Rice Vice
President of International Promotion Jim Guinn, who is participating in the
trade mission. "It's an impressive economy that has really turned
around. In 1990 the poverty rate was 40 percent, today it is 7
percent."
This year however, Guinn says the economic growth rate is
projected at 2.2 percent, due principally to low commodity prices, especially
copper, which makes up about 50 percent of Chile's exports by value.
Chile has entered into 23 trade agreements covering 60 countries,
including those in the newly negotiated Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).
The U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement came into force in 2004 and as a result,
bilateral trade between the two countries quadrupled in the first eight years
of the agreement. In 2014 total U.S. exports reached $16.5 billion, a $7
billion trade surplus for the United States, although U.S. rice exports have
held low and steady for the past five years.
Unlike Peru, Chile is not a huge consumer of rice. Their
17.6 million citizens consume about 29 pounds of rice annually per capita, or
231,000 MT. Last year, domestic production in Chile was 164,000 MT and is
estimated at 172,000 MT for this year.
Approximately 50-60 percent of that is imported, with the lion's
share going to Argentina (35 percent), Paraguay (25 percent), and Uruguay (13
percent). In 2015, U.S. exports, which were mainly medium grain, were
2,200 MT or about 1.5 percent of total rice imports.
Guinn says 10-15 percent of the market is parboiled rice, a
majority of the domestic crop is long grain, and after touring a local
supermarket here, he surmised that most of the rice imports also are long
grain.
"In my opinion, the
opportunities for U.S. rice here will be in small quantities and likely limited
to U.S. medium grain or specialty rices," Guinn said. "The
geographic proximity of competing suppliers of long grain rice in MERCOSUR,
whose prices are significantly lower than U.S. prices, and the strength of the
U.S. dollar, create considerable challenges for significant gains in this
market. However, I have additional meetings with the trade here before
heading home that may provide additional perspective on the opportunities for
U.S. rice here in Chile."
USA RICE
DAILY NEWS
THIS JUST
IN: HEALTHY PURPLE BREAD
By infusing white bread with
antioxidant-rich anthocyanins from black rice, scientists have created a bread
that's low on the glycemic index and loaded with health benefits.
Scientists from the National University of Singapore are rolling
(kneading and rising) out a baked good "superfood": purple bread, a
new report from CNNsuggests. White
bread has long been banished from the pantries of the fit and health-conscious
because it’s high on the glycemic index scale, meaning its sugars are quickly
digested and surged into the blood stream, spiking blood sugar levels and
increasing your odds of obesity and diabetes. But there’s no denying it takes
Herculean effort to forgo the breadbasket when you’re eating out. Scientists
addressed the dilemma by changing the formula of white bread without
compromising its texture.
To do this, they extracted black rice anthocyanins, a vibrant
pigment that naturally occurs in the grain as well as fruits and vegetables
like grapes, blueberries, and sweet potatoes, and infused it into white bread.
Aside from the bright purple color, research has
found anthocyanins are super high in antioxidants, which can reduce
inflammation, prevent cardiovascular disease, lower obesity risk and diabetes,
as well as ward off cancer. Due to a chemical reaction with the bread’s
starch, the added anthocyanins effectively slowed the rate of digestion by 20
percent. Though that doesn't make it any lower in calories (the amount of wheat flour and starch remains the same), you’re
getting a slower release of energy so you use those calories over a longer
period of time.
And yes, the majority of the antioxidants withstand baking: 80 percent of the healthful qualities are preserved in the bread’s crust and crumbs even at 392 degrees Fahrenheit.
And yes, the majority of the antioxidants withstand baking: 80 percent of the healthful qualities are preserved in the bread’s crust and crumbs even at 392 degrees Fahrenheit.
Taskforce to weigh
measures for rice sector’s future
Fri, 18 March 2016
The suggestions partly mirror
those of a nine-point action
plan forwarded to the ministry on March 7 by the CRISIS group, of
which four were submitted for Prime Minister Hun Sen’s consideration.In it, the group
urged the government to impose a 100,000-tonne limit on rice imports from
neighbouring countries and take punitive action on millers found guilty of
mixing local and imported rice for export.It also asks the government to
facilitate access for millers to $250 million in soft loans, recommends
subsidising electricity prices for millers, and calls for negotiating access to
Laem Chabang port in Thailand to reduce logistics costs.
Penn Sovicheat, director of the
Commerce Ministry’s domestic trade department, said the ministry’s new
taskforce will examine the claims and recommendations presented by the CRF and
CRISIS initiative.“Now we will study and identify all the issues and solutions,
and determine their compliance with [international commercial] law,” he said.“We
will examine these issues during the next week or two and submit our findings
to the Commerce Minister and Deputy Prime Minister [Keat Chhon].”CRF president
Sok Puthyvuth said following yesterday’s meeting that the federation was
focusing on pushing two urgent issues that could be addressed within two
months.
“We’re facing a lot of challenging issues, but we need to define
these issues according to short-, medium- and long-term solutions,” he said,“We
requested the government take action on illegally imported rice and provide a
special loan package of $20 million to $30 million to help millers struggling
to get finance, as these are short-term solutions that can be accomplished in
two to three months.”Kann Kunthy, CEO of Brico and a member of the CRISIS
initiative, said despite his group’s prodding, the CRF has failed to address
the biggest challenges to the rice industry and convey them to the government.“We
have emphasised the most urgent issues based on detailed studies that would
serve to benefit the entire rice industry,” he said.
Image : An employee works at a rice shop
in Phnom Penh. Eli Meixler
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/taskforce-weigh-measures-rice-sectors-future
Rice deal winners can now tranport
rice out of warehouses at night
Rice deal winners can now
tranport rice out of warehouses at night
BANGKOK, 18 March 2016 (NNT) –
The Public Warehouse Organization (PWO) has informed five winning rice bidders
of requirements from the rice purchase deals, before they can transport rice
out of the government stocks.
The five bidders won the purchase deal under the scheme developed
by the Rice Policy and Management Committee to sell 140,000 tons of low-quality
grains to producers of animal feeds and noodles. Representatives from relevant
industries were also invited to provide the winners with advice on how to
manage rice. All rice deals are expected to be made within March 23. Most
criteria under the agreements will remain unchanged, except for the
transportation time.The grains can now be transported out of the warehouses at
night. However, the nighttime transport permit will be deliberated on a case by
case basis. Violators will be prosecuted if the low-quality rice is being used
for purposes other than producing animal feeds and noodles.
http://news.thaivisa.com/thailand/rice-deal-winners-can-now-tranport-rice-out-of-warehouses-at-night/135569/
Drop in local
production will force rice imports
KUALA LUMPUR: The Government is ready to import more rice if
local grain production drops as a result of the persisting El Nino phenomenon.Deputy
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman
said Malaysia imported 30% of rice for the nation’s consumption while the other
70% came from local growers.“If production falls, we will increase the import
to offset the drop in local supply. Of course, that will be a temporary
measure,” he said.Tajuddin said while the hot weather would definitely affect
padi production.
Mardi, in a statement, said a 2°C rise in temperature could lead
to a 13% reduction in padi yield while drought – or a 15% decrease in seasonal
rainfall - could lead to drop in yield up to 80%. Any rice in temperature above
34°C was also certain to affect yield.Extreme heat could also cause damage to
the rice yield and grain quality besides bringing disease, it said.Tajudin said
the Government was flexible in its import policy despite aiming to achieve full
self-sufficiency by 2020.“We are flexible in our policies because we have to
think of food security. We don’t want to see people having problems because
rice is our staple food.“If we have to import, then we will import. The basic
policy is that we want to protect our local producers,” he added.
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/03/18/drop-in-local-production-will-force-rice-imports/
Rice Prices
as on : 18-03-2016 08:10:18
PM
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Gadarpur(Utr)
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2206.00
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-27.88
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91576.00
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1810
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2004
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-17.28
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Asansol(WB)
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130.00
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-2.26
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1320.50
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2250
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2300
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-
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Bazpur(Utr)
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120.00
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-60
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24908.41
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1525
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1200
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-30.78
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Pilibhit(UP)
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96.00
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-20
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17524.00
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2185
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2190
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-6.62
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Chandabali(Ori)
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85.00
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NC
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1183.00
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1400
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1800
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NC
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Saharanpur(UP)
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84.00
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600
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3902.00
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2150
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6870
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2.38
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Sehjanwa(UP)
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77.50
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-16.67
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347.50
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2080
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2120
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5.32
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Thodupuzha(Ker)
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70.00
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NC
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1820.00
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2650
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2650
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8.16
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Barasat(WB)
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50.00
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-23.08
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1980.00
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2300
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2300
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2.22
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Nadia(WB)
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50.00
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NC
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1050.00
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3250
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3200
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4.84
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Beldanga(WB)
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48.00
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-4
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1407.50
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2290
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2275
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-10.20
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Dadri(UP)
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45.00
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28.57
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1557.00
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2130
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2150
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0.47
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Kasimbazar(WB)
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44.00
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NC
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1364.50
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2300
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2320
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-9.80
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Gauripur(ASM)
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43.50
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45
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2306.00
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4500
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4500
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-
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Dhekiajuli(ASM)
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30.00
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-11.76
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747.50
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1900
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1900
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-5.00
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Diamond
Harbour(South 24-pgs)(WB)
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26.00
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4
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498.00
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1850
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1850
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-17.78
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Purulia(WB)
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25.00
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-30.56
|
1561.00
|
2180
|
2200
|
-7.63
|
|
Yusufpur(UP)
|
21.00
|
16.67
|
531.00
|
1900
|
1890
|
NC
|
|
Jeypore(Ori)
|
17.50
|
9.38
|
203.40
|
325
|
325
|
-
|
|
Jeypore(Kotpad)(Ori)
|
16.40
|
368.57
|
184.10
|
3250
|
3250
|
NC
|
|
Kannauj(UP)
|
16.00
|
3.23
|
280.30
|
2170
|
2180
|
-1.14
|
|
Buland
Shahr(UP)
|
15.00
|
87.5
|
329.00
|
2030
|
2020
|
-0.25
|
|
Lakhimpur(UP)
|
14.00
|
-6.67
|
130.00
|
2170
|
2085
|
2.12
|
|
Dibrugarh(ASM)
|
13.00
|
30
|
875.80
|
2400
|
2400
|
-
|
|
North
Lakhimpur(ASM)
|
12.00
|
18.81
|
1112.00
|
1900
|
1900
|
-
|
|
Mirzapur(UP)
|
12.00
|
9.09
|
1136.00
|
1945
|
1940
|
0.78
|
|
Kaliaganj(WB)
|
10.00
|
NC
|
466.00
|
2550
|
2550
|
6.25
|
|
Sheoraphuly(WB)
|
9.50
|
NC
|
335.50
|
2675
|
2675
|
-0.93
|
|
Katwa(WB)
|
9.00
|
5.88
|
121.50
|
2100
|
2200
|
-4.55
|
|
Bhivandi(Mah)
|
8.00
|
NC
|
246.00
|
3590
|
3500
|
131.61
|
|
Bolangir(Ori)
|
8.00
|
14.29
|
163.50
|
2200
|
2200
|
-8.33
|
|
Chengannur(Ker)
|
7.00
|
NC
|
418.50
|
2400
|
2300
|
-14.29
|
|
Tusura(Ori)
|
7.00
|
16.67
|
154.50
|
2200
|
2200
|
-8.33
|
|
Raibareilly(UP)
|
7.00
|
-12.5
|
246.00
|
2075
|
2070
|
3.75
|
|
Nimapara(Ori)
|
4.50
|
NC
|
147.00
|
2200
|
2200
|
15.79
|
|
Fatehpur(UP)
|
3.50
|
16.67
|
135.50
|
2215
|
2215
|
4.98
|
|
Islampur(WB)
|
3.10
|
-3.12
|
218.10
|
2150
|
2150
|
-
|
|
Gulavati(UP)
|
3.00
|
NC
|
31.00
|
2080
|
2080
|
1.96
|
|
Bonai(Bonai)(Ori)
|
2.00
|
NC
|
81.10
|
2000
|
2000
|
-9.09
|
|
Thoubal(Man)
|
1.10
|
NC
|
67.00
|
2800
|
2800
|
180.00
|
|
Tilhar(UP)
|
1.00
|
-81.82
|
815.50
|
2225
|
2190
|
6.97
|
|
Sardhana(UP)
|
1.00
|
-16.67
|
62.30
|
2150
|
2160
|
3.61
|
|
Shillong(Meh)
|
0.60
|
-50
|
41.50
|
3500
|
3500
|
NC
|
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/article8370269.ece
LOOK: Rice farm features giant AlDub
faces
The faces of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, made of purple rice, are all over the FutureRice Farm in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
The “AlDub Rice” is a rice paddy art — an art form popular in Japan wherein farmers plant various types and/or colors of rice to come up with a specific image — made by the Philippine Rice Research Instititute (PhilRice).
According to the PhilRice, the farmers and the members responsible for the AlDub project employed the anamorphosis principle, which it said is “an art technique used for a distorted artwork that will only appear normal when viewed from a certain angle”.
“We used ‘AlDub’ as our
design specimen for the paddy art and through Photoshop, we were able to
incorporate the design in the dimension of the field,” FutureRice’s
Information and Communication Technology Specialist Nehemiah
Caballong said according to the PhilRice’ article published online.
FutureRice Program Leader and PhilRice Deputy Executive Director for
Administrative Services and Finance Roger F. Barroga said that the aim of the
project is to raise rice farming and agriculture awareness, especially among
millennials.“This is one of our strategies to make the youth of today be more informed about the current situation of rice farming in the country. There are many opportunities that await them in agriculture,” Barroga said as quoted by the PhilRice article.
Maine Mendoza, herself, took notice of the rice paddy art and found it cool. “Wow this is super cool! Galing!” she posted on Twitter, March 15.
It opened on March 15 and will be available until the harvest day on April 3, the PhilRice said.
http://www.mb.com.ph/look-rice-farm-features-giant-aldub-faces/#IEob6i7Hs6Qdk4LX.99
