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Although Pakistan’s own hospitals
still lack proper facilities to cater to healthcare needs of the population,
the country spent Rs683 million on construction and repair of hospitals in
Afghanistan during the outgoing fiscal year, budget document revealed.An amount
of Rs103 million was sought for construction of 200 beds Jinnah Hospital in
Kabul as part of the supplementary demand for grants and appropriations in the
federal budget while an additional amount of Rs546 million was separately
demanded for “different work” at Jinnah Hospital at Kabul and Naib Aminullah
Khan Logari hospital at Logar Afghanistan.
The document revealed that Rs50.2
million was spent on installation and commissioning of medical equipment for
three hospitals in Afghanistan while 1000 Afghan students at Rehman Baba Hostel
were provided with Rs32.6 million grant.An amount of Rs1 million was spent on
Nishtar Kidney Centre at Jalalabad, Afghanistan during the fiscal year 2015-16.
Afghanistan also received Rs51 million from Pakistan for 15 weigh bridges and
30 mobile mixtures as part of project Torkham-Jalalabad Road.The document
revealed that Pakistan spent generously on foreign assistant and an amount of
Rs3 billion was spent on foreign assistant over and above the approved budget
during outgoing fiscal year.
The country spent Rs50 million on
award of 800 scholarships to students from Indian Occupied Kashmir in field of
medicine, engineering and information technology.Additionally, a sum of Rs15.1
million was spent to finance 100 scholarships for Bangladeshi students in field
of engineering, medical and IT.Pakistan provided gift of rice worth Rs925
million to Cuba while Niger received rice worth Rs685 million from the country
during the last year.The amount was given to Trading Corporation of Pakistan
which arranged rice gifts.
The country also provided relief
assistance worth Rs186 million for earthquake affectees in Nepal while an
amount of Rs48.62 million was spent on assistance of earthquake affectees of
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous (GBAO), Tajikistan.The country also spent Rs162.4
million for donation of rice for drought victim in Niger while flood victims of
Myanmar received Rs10.4 million donations from the country.A sum of Rs63.3
million was spent on compensation of Pakistani Hujjaj martyred in Mina during
Haj 2015. National Seerat Conference cost the country Rs3 million
CDGL
directs price control magistrates to ensure strict implementation of new prices LAHORE City
District Government Lahore (CDGL) notified new rates for essential edibles
including rice and grains and directed the price control magistrates to ensure
strict implementation of the new rates across the provincial capital. District
Coordination Officer (DCO), Lahore notified the new rates on Thursday. As per
the notification, new rates of essential edibles are: New Supper Basmati Rice
(Rs 70 per kg), Old Super Basmati Rice (Rs 82/kg), Erri Rice (Rs 32/kg), Daal
Chana small (Rs 126/kg), Daal Channa big (Rs 132/kg), Daal Masoor thin (Rs
150/kg), Daal Masoor imported and thick (Rs 142/kg), imported and washed Daal
Mash (Rs 250/kg), imported Daal Mash with skin (Rs 225/kg), Daal Moong washed
(Rs 135/kg), Daal Moong with cover (Rs 145/kg), Black Gram thick (Rs 124/kg),
black Gram thin (Rs 114/kg), White Gram thick and imported (Rs 150/kg), White
Gram thin and imported (Rs 164/kg), Gram Floor/Baisan (Rs 140/kg), Red Chili
(Rs 244/kg), Sugar (Rs 65/kg), Roti 100 gram (Rs 06), Naan 120 gram (Rs 10),
Khamiri Roti (Rs 08), Milk (Rs 70/liter) and Yogurt (Rs 85/kg), mutton (Rs 700
per kg), and beef (Rs 325 per kg). Monsoon
season emergency plan: Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) has prepared the
Emergency Response Plan for Monsoon Season, workable from June 10 to 15 Sept,
2016, aimed to ensure clean and waste-free drains during monsoon season across
the city. Officials
said the major objective of the plan, prepared after consultations with the
field staff of LWMC and Wasa, was to facilitate drainage of water by removing
solid waste and silt from drains, and to efficiently address emergency
situation during monsoon. Besides
routine deployment of sanitary staff, 1,200 sanitary workers along with
equipment, would perform duties in the 2nd and 3rd shifts with Wasa workers to
resolve choking issues at around 146 major and sensitive places across the
city. LWMC has
established a control room which will remain operational round the clock. The
offices in nine zones across the city have been declared emergency centres to
respond as quickly as possible in the event of an emergency or rain. LWMC
will maintain close liaison with Wasa and the Regional Meteorological
Department. The plan’s activities will be triggered by broadcasting alerts on
the basis of weather situation. Earlier,
Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed has directed the district coordination
officers (DCOs) and relevant departments to finalise arrangements for monsoon
rains and remain alert to deal with any untoward situation. According
to a handout issued here Thursday, the chief secretary (CS) was chairing a
video-link meeting to review preparations for monsoon at Civil Secretariat here
on Thursday. He said
that in the monsoon plan special measures should be taken for draining
rainwater from low-lying areas. He
ordered that de-silting of drains and nullahs be carried out and all machinery
be kept operational for draining out rainwater during monsoon season. He also
issued instructions regarding removal of debris from sites of development
projects. He said
that the departments concerned should pay special attention to enhance their
capability to deal with natural disasters and should extend full cooperation to
district administrations in making effective arrangements. The CS directed the
housing secretary to conduct inspection of relevant equipment in districts. Representative
of Local Government and Community Development Department told the meeting that
TMAs had completed all preparations for monsoon rains. The
secretaries of finance and local government, Lahore DCO , Wasa managing
directors were also present
UNISAME
WELCOMES SUPPORT TO FARM SECTOR IN BUDGET
The Union of Small and Medium
Enterprises (UNISAME) welcomed the Budget 2016-17 and lauded the support for
the agricultural sector which deserved top priority. The farm sector is the
primary sector and the source of all raw material. President UNISAME Zulfikar
Thaver also appreciated the 0 rating for the five sectors and said these are
positive steps for the revival of the sectors.> He also thanked the finance
minister (FM) Ishaq Dar for increasing the deposit limit of Behbood Savings
Certificate from 4 to 5 million for senior citizens. The increase in the
exemption turnover limit of cottage industries from 50 to 100 million is also
another fulfillment of the demand of the union.
Thaver requested the FM to consider and
include the entire export sector under 0 rating as this would give the value
addition sector in rice, engineering and agro-food industries to develop faster
and meet the global challenges. The other sectors which deserve consideration
are housing and services sector. The union chief who is the member of the
technical committee of the National Finance Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) and the
chairman of the capacity building group expressed confidence in the NFIS and
said the government is keen to promote and develop the SME sector and is
committed to uplift the sector under a timeline.
He explained that the SME sector
need not be disappointed as the promotion and development of the sector is on
the agenda of the NFIS and all aspects of access to finance, filling the
technological gap, promotion of alternative energy, infrastructure and
logistics are already on the card and within the next two years remarkable
changes will be seen with SME units becoming more efficient under modernization
schemes. The capacity building group under the NFIS is developing
recommendations under the instructions of the FM for high impact changes in
promotion and development of the micro to medium sized enterprises.
unisame
Wheat recovers on fall in
arrivals, rice basmati eases
PTI | Jun 3, 2016, 02.32 PM IST
New
Delhi, Jun 3 () Wheat prices moved up Rs 10 per quintal at the wholesale grains
market today following restricted arrivals from producing belts against
increased offtake by flour mills. However,
rice basmati traded lower due to fall in demand at prevailing levels. Traders
said besides fall in arrivals from producing regions, increased offtake by
flour mills helped wheat prices to edge higher. They
said, however, muted demand from retailers at prevailing levels against
sufficient stocks dragged down rice basmati. In the
national capital, wheat dara (for mills) recovered by Rs 10 to Rs 1,775-1,780
per quintal. Atta chakki delivery followed suit and enquired higher by Rs 15 to
Rs 1,785-1,790 per 90 kg. On the
other hand, rice basmati common and Pusa-1121 variety slipped to Rs 5,800-6,000
and Rs 4,700-5,650 from previous levels of Rs 5,900-6,100 and Rs 4,850-5,800
per quintal, respectively. Maize,
however, fell by Rs 50 to Rs 1,450-1,460 per quintal on increased supplies
against reduced offtake by consuming industries. Following
are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal): Wheat MP
(desi) Rs 2,360-2,600, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs 1,775-1,780, Chakki atta
(delivery) Rs 1,785-1,790, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 275, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs
275, Roller flour mill Rs 950-960 (50 kg), Maida Rs 990-1,000 (50 kg) and Sooji
Rs 1,050-1,065 (50 kg).
Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super
Basmati Rice Rs 9,700, Basmati common new Rs 5,800-6,000, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs
4,700-5,650, Permal raw Rs 1,975-2,025, Permal wand Rs 2,150-2,225, Sela Rs
2,800-2,900 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,840-1,850, Bajra Rs 1,630-1,635, Jowar yellow Rs
1,850-1,950, white Rs 3,500-3,600, Maize Rs 1,450-1,460, Barley Rs 1,640-1,645.
SUN KPS SBT MR .
Al-Makura To Improve Rice Production In Nasarawa
Channels Television.
Updated June 3, 2016
Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, has taken steps to improve
the quality of rice production in the state through effective mobilization of
rice millers across the state.
he Governor visited the Nasarawa State Rice Incubation Plant located in Lafia,
the state capital while on a tour to government facilities across the state
with some members of the State Executive Council.
At the Nasarawa Rice Incubation Plant, he disclosed his
intention to put the place completely into use by mobilizing local rice millers
and transforming the area into a huge food processing zone.Mr
Al-Makura disclosed plans to ensure that the
transformation compliments the efforts of the Federal Government in the
agriculture sector.
He believed this act would boost rice production, improve the quality of rice
production and ensure food protection in the state.
Mr Al-Makura also at the location of
some silos built by the Federal Government, proposed a collaboration with the
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to get the leverage to
make use of the facility.
The Governor had earlier visited the
state old library and the modern e-library to see the mode of management and to
get first-hand information concerning their challenges.He also visited a number
of schools within Lafia metropolis for a thorough check of infrastructural
maintenance.During a visit to the old site of Nasarawa School of Nursing and
Midwifery, the Governor expressed worry over the abandonment of the site
and promised a total overhaul to enable it serve its important purposes.
GMO Golden Rice Falls Short
on Lifesaving Promises, Researcher Says
Fri, 06/03/2016 - 1:48pmby Washington University in
St. Louis
Famous for heirloom rice grown on the spectacular terraces
of the Cordillera mountains of northern Luzon, the Philippines has become a
hotbed for protests over the development of genetically modified Golden Rice.
Photo: Glenn Stone
Heralded on the cover of Time magazine in 2000 as a genetically modified
(GMO) crop with the potential to save millions of lives in the Third World,
Golden Rice is still years away from field introduction and even then, may fall
short of lofty health benefits still cited regularly by GMO advocates, suggests
a new study from Washington University in St. Louis.
"Golden Rice is still not ready for the market, but we find little
support for the common claim that environmental activists are responsible for
stalling its introduction. GMO opponents have not been the problem," said
lead author Glenn Stone, professor of anthropology and environmental studies in
Arts & Sciences.
First conceived in the 1980s and a focus of research since 1992, Golden Rice
has been a lightning rod in the battle over genetically modified crops.
GMO advocates have long touted the innovation as a practical way to provide
poor farmers in remote areas with a subsistence crop capable of adding
much-needed Vitamin A to local diets. A problem in many poor countries in the
Global South, Vitamin A deficiencies leave millions at high risk for infection,
diseases and other maladies, such as blindness.
Some anti-GMO groups view Golden Rice as an over-hyped Trojan Horse that biotechnology
corporations and their allies hope will pave the way for the global approval of
other more profitable GMO crops.
GMO proponents often claim that environmental groups such as Greenpeace
should be blamed for slowing the introduction of Golden Rice and thus,
prolonging the misery of poor people who suffer from Vitamin A deficiencies.
In a recent article in the journal Agriculture & Human Values,
Stone and co-author Dominic Glover, a rice researcher at the Institute for
Development Studies at the University of Sussex, find little evidence that
anti-GMO activists are to blame for Golden Rice's unfulfilled promises.
"The rice simply has not been successful in test plots of the rice
breeding institutes in the Philippines, where the leading research is being
done," Stone said. "It has not even been submitted for approval to
the regulatory agency, the Philippine Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI)."
"A few months ago, the Philippine Supreme Court did issue a temporary
suspension of GMO crop trials," Stone said. "Depending on how long it
lasts, the suspension could definitely impact GMO crop development. But it's
hard to blame the lack of success with Golden Rice on this recent action."
While activists did destroy one Golden Rice test plot in a 2013 protest, it is
unlikely that this action had any significant impact on the approval of Golden
Rice.
"Destroying test plots is a dubious way to express opposition, but this
was only one small plot out of many plots in multiple locations over many
years," he said. "Moreover, they have been calling Golden Rice
critics 'murderers' for over a decade."
Stone, an internationally recognized expert on the human side of global
agricultural trends, was an early advocate for keeping an open mind about
"humanitarian" GMO crops, such as Golden Rice.
He has also supported the development of a genetically modified strain of
cassava, a starchy root crop eaten by subsistence farmers across much of
Africa. Unfortunately, efforts to develop a genetically improved, more
productive and disease-resistant strain of cassava also appear to be a long way
from practical field introduction, he notes.
"Golden Rice was a promising idea backed by good intentions,"
Stone said. "In contrast to anti-GMO activists, I argued that it deserved
a chance to succeed. But if we are actually interested in the welfare of poor
children—instead of just fighting over GMOs—then we have to make unbiased
assessments of possible solutions. The simple fact is that after 24 years of
research and breeding, Golden Rice is still years away from being ready for
release."
Since 2013, Stone has directed a major Templeton Foundation-funded research
project on rice in the Philippines. His research compares Golden Rice to other
types of rice developed and cultivated in the Philippines. These include
high-yield "Green Revolution" rice strains developed in the 1960s in
an effort to industrialize rice farming, and ''heirloom'' landrace varieties
long cultivated on the spectacular terraces of the Cordillera mountains of
northern Luzon.
As part of the Golden Rice initiative, researchers introduce genes into
existing rice strains to coax these GMO plants into producing the micronutrient
beta carotene in the edible part of the grain. The presence of beta carotene
gives the genetically modified rice a yellow hue, which explains the
"golden" in its name.
As Stone and Glover note in the article, researchers continue to have
problems developing beta carotene-enriched strains that yield as well as
non-GMO strains already being grown by farmers.
Researchers in Bangladesh also are in the early stages of confined field
trials of Golden Rice, but it is doubtful that these efforts will progress any
quicker than in the Philippines.
Even if genetic modification succeeds in creating a strain of rice productive
enough for poor farmers to grow successfully, it's unclear how much impact the
rice will have on children's health.
As Stone and Glover point out, it is still unknown if the beta carotene in
Golden Rice can even be converted to Vitamin A in the bodies of badly
undernourished children. There also has been little research on how well the
beta carotene in Golden Rice will hold up when stored for long periods between
harvest seasons, or when cooked using traditional methods common in remote
rural locations, they argue.
Meanwhile, as the development of Golden Rice creeps along, the Philippines
has managed to slash the incidence of Vitamin A deficiency by non-GMO methods,
Stone said
TOKYO -- A worldwide upsurge in rice prices is picking up speed, fueled by a
drought in Thailand and worries about access to supplies in the Philippines and
other Southeast Asian importing nations.
Thailand is one of the world's two leading rice exporters, and with rice now
trading at 16-month highs, even consumers in Japan could feel the pinch this
summer and beyond.
Thai government authorities put the export price for grade-A, long-grain
rice at $461 per ton for early June, a price level not seen since February
2015. Export prices for Thai rice began surging in April and are now up 17%
since the start of the year. The market has not witnessed this kind of jump in
eight years.
Thailand is going through a drought similar to what it suffered in 2015.
With rice production now expected to drop for a second straight year, buyers in
neighboring consumer markets like Singapore and the Philippines
are taking action.
Thailand can grow two rice crops a year, and farmers there are gearing up to
plant seedlings for the rainy season crop. However, production will be delayed,
according to a report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
in late May. Reservoir levels are so low that it will be difficult to supply
water to rice farmers until July, the report said. Meanwhile, the parched
ground stands cracked in the producing region of Suphan Buri Province 150km
north of Bangkok.
Estimates put Thailand's rice production at 15.8 million tons in fiscal
2016, which would be a 16% decline from the previous year. In April the nation
exported 650,000 tons, or 7% less than a year earlier.
The Japanese government purchases around 770,000 tons of rice each year from
trading companies to meet its "minimum access" rice-import quota. Of
that amount, some 340,000 tons is Thai rice. The agriculture ministry expects
it will need to pay more for these rice imports starting this summer.
Among private enterprises in Japan, the impact will be felt mainly by
companies that process Thai rice to make sweets, miso pastes and rice-based
alcoholic beverages. Makers of awamori, a distilled spirit from Okinawa,
will be hit particularly hard because Thai rice is the rice of choice.
(Nikkei)
Moving beyond pro/con
debates over genetically engineered crops
06/03/2016 04:35 pm ET
|
The
Conversation USIndependent
source of news and analysis, from the academic and research community.
Field tests of flood-tolerant ‘scuba rice.’ International
Rice Research Institute/Flickr, CC
BY-NC-SA
By Pamela
Ronald, University
of California, Davis
Since the 1980s biologists have used genetic engineering to express novel
traits in crop plants. Over the last 20 years, these crops have been grown on
more than one billion acres in the United States and globally. Despite their
rapid adoption by farmers, genetically engineered (GE) crops remain controversial
among many consumers, who have sometimes found it hard to obtain accurate
information.
Last month the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine released a review
of 20 years of data regarding GE crops. The report largely confirms findings
from previous
National Academies reports and reviews produced by other major scientific
organizations around the world, including the World
Health Organization and the European
Commission.
I direct a laboratory
that studies rice, a staple food crop for half the world’s people. Researchers
in my lab are identifying genes that control tolerance to environmental stress
and resistance to disease. We use genetic engineering and other genetic methods
to understand gene function.
I strongly agree with the NAS report that each crop, whether bred
conventionally or developed through genetic engineering, should be evaluated on
a case-by-case basis. Every crop is different, each trait is different and the
needs of each farmer are different too. More progress in crop improvement can
be made by using both conventional breeding and genetic engineering than using
either approach alone.
Convergence between biotech and conventional breeding
New molecular tools are blurring the distinction between genetic
improvements made with conventional breeding and those made with modern genetic
methods. One example is marker assisted breeding, in which geneticists identify
genes or chromosomal regions associated with traits desired by farmers and/or
consumers. Researchers then look for particular markers (patterns) in a plant’s
DNA that are associated with these genes. Using these genetic markers, they can
efficiently identify plants carrying the desired genetic fingerprints and
eliminate plants with undesirable genetics.
Ten years ago my collaborators and I isolated a
gene, called Sub1, that controls tolerance to flooding. Million of rice
farmers in South and Southeast Asia grow rice in flood prone regions, so this
trait is extremely valuable. Most varieties of rice will die after three days
of complete submergence but plants with the Sub1 gene can withstand two weeks
of complete submergence. Last year, nearly five million farmers grew Sub1 rice
varieties developed by my collaborators at the International
Rice Research Institute using marker assisted breeding.
In another example, researchers identified genetic variants that are
associated with hornlessness (referred to as “polled”) in cattle - a trait that
is common in beef breeds but rare in dairy breeds. Farmers routinely dehorn
dairy cattle to protect their handlers and prevent the animals from harming
each other. Because this process is painful and frightening for the animals, veterinary
experts have called for research into alternative options.
In a study
published last month, scientists used genome editing and reproductive cloning
to produce dairy cows that carried a naturally occurring mutation for
hornlessness. This approach has the potential to improve the welfare of
millions of cattle each year.
Reducing chemical insecticides and enhancing
yield
In assessing how GE crops affect crop productivity, human health and the
environment, the NAS study primarily focused on two traits that have been
engineered into plants: resistance to insect pests and tolerance of herbicides.
The study found that farmers who planted crops engineered to contain the
insect-resistant trait - based on genes from the bacterium Bacillus
thuringiensis, or Bt - generally experienced fewer losses and applied
fewer chemical insecticide sprays than farmers who planted non-Bt varieties. It
also concluded that farms where Bt crops were planted had more insect
biodiversity than farms where growers used broad-spectrum insecticides on
conventional crops.
Genetically modified crops currently grown in
the United States (IR=insect resistant, HT=herbicide tolerant, DT=drought
tolerant, VR=virus resistant). Colorado
State University Extension
The committee found that herbicide-resistant (HR) crops contribute to
greater yields because weeds can be controlled more easily. For example,
farmers that planted HR canola reaped greater yields and returns, which led to
wide adoption of this crop variety.
Another benefit of planting of HR crops is reduced tillage - the process of
turning the soil. Before planting, farmers must kill the weeds in their fields.
Before the advent of herbicides and HR crops, farmers controlled weeds by
tilling. However, tilling causes erosion and runoff, and requires energy to
fuel the tractors. Many farmers prefer reduced tillage practices because they
enhance sustainable management. With HR crops, farmers can control weeds
effectively without tilling.
The committee noted a clear association between the planting of HR crops and
reduced-till agricultural practices over the last two decades. However, it is
unclear if the adoption of HR crops resulted in decisions by farmers to use
conservation tillage, or if farmers who were using conservation tillage adopted
HR crops more readily.
In areas where planting of HR crops led to heavy reliance on the herbicide
glyphosate, some weeds evolved resistance to the herbicide, making it difficult
for farmers to control weeds using this herbicide. The NAS report concluded
that sustainable use of Bt and HR crops will require use of integrated
pest management strategies. The report also discusses seven other GE
food crops grown in 2015, including apple (Malus domestica), canola (Brassica
napus), sugar beet (Beta vulgaris), papaya (Carica papaya),
potato, squash (Cucurbita pepo) and eggplant (Solanum melongena).Papaya
is a particularly important example. In the 1950s, papaya ringspot virus wiped
out nearly all papaya production on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. As the virus
spread to other islands, many farmers feared that it would wipe out the
Hawaiian papaya crop.
In 1998 Hawaiian plant pathologist Dennis
Gonsalves used genetic engineering to splice a small snippet of ringspot
virus DNA into the papaya genome. The resulting genetically engineered papaya
trees were immune to infection and produced 10-20 fold more fruit than infected
crops. Dennis’ pioneering work rescued
the papaya industry. Twenty years later, this is still the only
method for controlling papaya ringspot virus. Today, despite protests
by some consumers, 80 percent of the Hawaiian papaya crop is genetically
engineered.
Scientists have also used genetic engineering to combat a pest called the
fruit and shoot borer, which preys on eggplant in Asia. Farmers in Bangladesh
often spray insecticides every 2-3 days, and sometimes as often as twice daily,
to control it. The World Health Organization estimates
that some three million cases of pesticide poisoning and over than 250,000
deaths occur worldwide every year.
To reduce chemical sprays on eggplant, scientists at Cornell University and
in Bangladesh engineered Bt into the eggplant genome. Bt brinjal
(eggplant) was introduced in Bangladesh in 2013. Last year 108
Bangladeshi farmers grew it and were able to drastically reduce
insecticides sprays.
Feed the world in an ecologically based
manner
Genetically improved crops have benefited many farmers, but it is clear that
genetic improvement alone cannot address the wide variety of complex challenges
that farmers face. Ecologically based farming approaches as well as
infrastructure and appropriate policies are also needed.
Instead of worrying about the genes in our food, we need to focus on ways to
help families, farmers and rural communities thrive. We must be sure that
everyone can afford the food and we must minimize environmental degradation. I
hope that the NAS report can help move the discussions beyond distracting
pro/con arguments about GE crops and refocus them on using every appropriate
technology to feed the world in an ecologically based manner.
This article was originally published on The
Conversation. Read the original
article.
Main monsoon
rain belt will cover South, North-East from June 3-9
VINSON KURIAN
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JUNE 3:
The South-West monsoon has advanced into more
parts of the Bay of Bengal even as heavy piloting showers continued to lash
Kerala, Karnataka, Lakshadweep and Coastal Andhra Pradesh.
An India Meteorological Department outlook said
that conditions are favourable for the onset of the monsoon over the Kerala
coast during the next three to four days.
Weekly distribution
The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts assesses that this could
happen on June 7 or 8.
An extended range weather forecast, as per the
National Agromet Advisory Service Bulletin, said the main rainfall belt will
sit over extreme South India and parts of North-East India from June 3 to 9.
The bulletin is issued jointly by the India
Meteorological Department, Indian Council of Agriculture Research, and the
Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture.
The week that follows (June 10 to 16) will witness
an increase in rainfall over the North-eastern States and parts of eastern
states and a northward extension of the rain belt along the West Coast.
This would mean that there will be an
improvement in rainfall in the second fortnight of June compared to the first.
Cyclonic circulation
Meanwhile, the European Centre said that a cyclonic circulation over the
West-central Bay of Bengal off Andhra Pradesh and Odisha appears to be getting
an upper hand over a counterpart located over Lakshadweep.
This would help the former commandeer some of
the monsoon flows to the East Coast and also bring some rain into Tamil Nadu,
South Interior Karnataka and Rayalaseema from June 3-9.
According to the European Centre, normal or
above-normal rainfall is likely during the next fortnight (June 3 to 16) over
Kerala, Coastal Karnataka, Rayalaseema, Madhya Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu in
the South.
A similar forecast has been made for Bihar,
Jharkhand, West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland,
Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura in the East and the North-East.
West coast rain
The rains may progress along the West Coast to Konkan and Goa, Interior
Karnataka, Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand
and East Uttar Pradesh from June 10 to 16.
Though there has been a delay in the onset of
the monsoon over Kerala and Karnataka, bountiful pre-monsoon showers during the
previous week have ensured ample soil moisture, facilitating preparations for
the sowing of kharif crops.
Kolkata, Jun 3 ()West Bengalgovernment
has set a target of procuring 45 lakh tonnes of paddy during kharif season this
year and has already procured a record 35 lakh tonnes, an official said.
"We have already procured 35 lakh metric tonnes of paddy
from farmers in this kharif season, which is a record.
"Our target is to procure 45 lakh metric tonnes ... the
season is yet to be over, we are hopeful that the target will be
achieved," Food and Supplies Principal Secretary Anil Verma told reporters
after a review meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
A total of 35 lakh tonnes of paddy was procured from about 16
lakh farmers at a minimum support price of Rs 1,410 per quintal. The procured
paddy was converted into rice and distributed under the PDS scheme, he said.
"The total subsidy borne by the state towards the Rajya
Khadya Suraksha scheme is to the tune of Rs 6,000 crore," Verma said.
He further said the state in the last five years has created
additional storage space of 5.16 lakh tonnes. Storage space for another 1.5
lakh tonnes is under construction.
"We have created additional storage space of
5.16 lakh metric tonnes in the last five years' time in the blocks and
districts. And space for another 1.5 lakh metric tonnes is being constructed
and will hopefully be ready in quick time," Verma added. SCH KK ABM
The government is set to call its biggest rice
auction to capitalise on higher demand as new supply wanes.Duangporn Rodphaya,
director–general of the Foreign Trade Department, said the national Rice Policy
Committee chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha gave the green light for
the department to open the 16th bid for rice stocks, this time for 2.24 million
tonnes.
"Domestic
and overseas rice markets are seeing prices rise, thanks to demand because of
widespread drought lowering and delaying production," she said. Ms
Duangporn said rice stocks put up for auction would comprise 16 rice types
including Hom Mali rice, white rice, glutinous rice and broken rice now kept at
173 warehouses in 35 provinces. The
department is scheduled to allow interested bidders to observe the terms of
reference today, inspect the rice quality on June 6-10 and submit bid envelopes
on June 15. She said
the new auction would be the biggest proposed rice sale since the National
Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) took control. The
government's rice stocks reached 18.7 million tonnes through various rice
pledging schemes, which bought rice from farmers at prices 40% above market
rates from 2011-14, crippling exports and leading to huge stockpiles. Since
the May 2014 coup, a total of 6.12 million tonnes of rice has been sold via 15
auctions, fetching 64 billion baht. In 2008,
former commerce minister Chaiya Sasomsab put 3.1 million tonnes up for auction,
followed in 2009 by a 2.6-million-tonne auction. The most
controversial auction was held in 2004 when former commerce minister Watana
Muangsook approved 1.7 million tonnes of rice stock to be sold to a single
private bidder, President Agri Trading Co. Chookiat
Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said
the new auction was timely given high market demand, but noted the amount was
relatively high. Mr
Chookiat said the government's auction was unlikely to affect rice market
prices, as state stocks are mostly old grains while foreign purchase orders
require primarily newly harvested rice.
Soybeans saw new crop move higher while the nearby market
retreated from yesterday's sharp gains. Soybeans continue to see improving
export demand and much Iike with corn the market expects more sales to come
because of tightening South American supplies. Soybeans remain near highs and
this market has shown little interest in giving back the more than $2 we have
seen added to prices over the last 3 months.
Wheat prices saw their highest close in many weeks today as
prices are again testing $5. Worries regarding the impact of flooding in
wheat areas this week has given traders something to be bullish about. While
the supply side is improving demand will remain a limiting factor for prices
longer term.
Corn prices closed higher again today as the market resisted
urges for profit taking as December corn managed to close 6-cents higher on
the week. While today's export sales was within expectations, the market
continues to expect more sales as U.S. corn is very competitive in the
international market.
Cotton futures were sharply higher today. Heavy rains in Texas
this week have resulted in the need for replants and further delayed the
crop, which was already 10% behind the 5 year average for this week. Exports
for the week came in at the top end of expectations at 124,900 running bales.
A weaker dollar was also supportive. The market continues to have resistance
at recent highs, 64.75 cents for July, and 64 cents for December.
Rice
High
Low
Long Grain
Cash Bids
- - -
- - -
Long Grain
New Crop
- - -
- - -
Futures:
ROUGH
RICE
High
Low
Last
Change
Jul '16
1145.0
1123.5
1140.0
+3.0
Sep '16
1170.0
1152.5
1165.5
+2.0
Nov '16
1193.5
1190.0
1190.0
+1.5
Jan '17
1208.0
+38.0
Mar '17
1226.0
+38.0
May '17
1242.0
+38.0
Jul '17
1242.0
+38.0
Rice Comment
Rice futures were mixed at mid-day. July bounced off support at
$10.76 earlier this week, which has provided support for the market for about
5 weeks. This large crop could limit the upside potential of the market,
however, dry conditions in other rice growing regions of the world could
provide support. The market needs to see better export movement, though.
Weekly export sales of 65,100 tons were down from 78,600 tons last week.
Cattle
Futures:
Live Cattle:
LIVE
CATTLE
High
Low
Last
Change
Jun '16
122.300
121.700
122.150
+0.425
Aug '16
118.700
117.550
118.025
+0.375
Oct '16
117.950
116.900
117.475
+0.275
Dec '16
117.825
116.725
117.575
+0.425
Feb '17
117.000
116.150
116.700
+0.100
Apr '17
116.200
115.350
115.775
-0.175
Jun '17
109.500
108.925
109.025
-0.300
Aug '17
107.700
107.025
107.200
+0.075
Feeders:
FEEDER
CATTLE
High
Low
Last
Change
Aug '16
147.025
145.450
146.800
+0.400
Sep '16
145.700
144.150
145.000
-0.075
Oct '16
144.200
143.000
143.750
+0.025
Nov '16
140.500
139.450
140.450
+0.275
Jan '17
136.050
135.000
135.750
0.000
Mar '17
133.450
132.500
133.200
-0.025
Apr '17
133.000
132.900
132.975
-0.450
May '17
133.350
+0.575
Cattle Comment
Cattle prices ended the week on a positive note. Prices have
almost recovered all of the losses that occurred following the bearish cattle
on feed report. While this report combined with lower beef prices remains a
negative for the market, prices continue to be supported by cash cattle which
remain at a premium to futures.
Hogs
Futures:
LEAN HOGS
High
Low
Last
Change
Jun '16
82.575
81.650
82.300
+0.275
Jul '16
86.275
84.550
86.275
+1.825
Aug '16
85.900
84.000
85.850
+1.975
Oct '16
70.750
69.950
70.750
+0.575
Dec '16
65.000
64.550
65.000
+0.200
Feb '17
68.100
67.750
68.100
+0.200
Apr '17
70.950
70.650
70.950
+0.175
May '17
75.600
+0.125
Jun '17
78.300
78.200
78.300
+0.100
APEDA
AgriExchange Newsletter - Volume 1487
International
Benchmark Price
Price on: 02-06-2016
Product
Benchmark Indicators Name
Price
Garlic
1
Chinese first grade granules, CFR NW Europe
(USD/t)
3500
2
Chinese Grade A dehydrated flakes, CFR NW
Europe (USD/t)
4500
3
Chinese powdered, CFR NW Europe (USD/t)
3000
Ginger
1
Chinese sliced, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2150
2
Chinese whole, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2300
3
Indian Cochin, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2850
Guar
Gum Powder
1
Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla
(USD/t)
3700
2
Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla
(USD/t)
ARLINGTON, VA -- Money magazine recently named Washington, DC the
top spot for students looking for summer jobs touting the area's availability
of work, educational opportunities, and "museums for days."Just ask summer intern Ethan Cartwright who
joined USA Rice's government affairs team this week.
Mid-South rice this week:
Nitrogen, diseases, slow plant development
Although
planted and emerging, many Mid-South rice fields are having to contend with
heavy rains and cooler than normal temperatures. At the
start of the week, USDA estimated 98 percent of the U.S. rice crop had been
planted, 87 percent had emerged and 66 percent of the crop was in good to
excellent condition. In the
Mid-South states, planting ranged from 98 percent planted in Mississippi to 100
percent planted in Missouri, but weather — heavy rains and cooler than normal
temperatures — continues to frustrate plant development and management
schedules. In
northeast Arkansas last week, as much as
2 to 7 inches of rain fell in just a few hours. Jarrod Hardke, Arkansas rice
Extension agronomist, says rice farmers there are asking two questions:
(1) I just put out my nitrogen and started to
flood up. The rains washed my field out. How much N did I lose?
(2) I’m now getting late in the window to apply
N and I got all this rain with more in the forecast. What do I do?
As the
season progresses, rice diseases will test Mid-South farmers. Tom Allen, Mississippi
Extension plant pathologist, says most rice diseases occur at particular times
of the year or at specific growth stages and that the previous crop is an
important factor. To help
farmers he has provided a Mississippi
Rice Disease Calendar for some of the more common diseases
that indicates the likely period of infection generally required for symptoms
to be expressed and the period when the diseases would continue to be problems. Louisiana rice
has struggled through less than ideal growing conditions, says Dustin Harrell,
the state’s Extension rice specialist. In the most recent Louisiana
Rice Notes he discusses mid- to late-season potassium
deficiency, the South American Rice Miner and yield potential for late-planted
rice. A good
way to follow developments in Louisiana rice is to subscribe to the LSU
AgCenter’s text message group for rice. To join the rice group, send a text
message to 81010 with @larice in the body of the message. To receive text
messages by email, send an email to larice@mail.remind.com. Later
this month, Mid-South rice farmers will have the opportunity to hear from one
of the world’s leading rice geneticists, Susan McCouch of Cornell University.
She’ll talk about the potential for advances in rice breeding as part of the
June 29 LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station’s annual field day.
Read more about McCouch and other speakers for the field day at Louisiana
rice field day June 29 in Crowley. And from
Missouri
is the story of a Missouri
rice shipment to Cuba. Martin Rice Company of Bernie, Mo.,
shipped rice at no cost to the people of Cuba. “Cuba was once a leading export
destination for Missouri rice and we believe the in-roads we’ve been making
since our first visit here and meetings we’re now having with Cuban officials
can help re-establish Cuba as a buyer of Missouri rice,” Mike Martin said.
For
easy, enjoyable suppers, make a meal out of these delicious bowls of flavours
Sweet potato and squash soup with seared tuna
skewers
Source:StockFood
Sweet potato and squash soup with seared tuna
skewers
Prep
time 15 mins
Cooking time 30 mins
Serves 6-8 500g
diced sweet potato
500g diced Hubbard squash
4 cups vegetable stock
1 can coconut milk
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 lemongrass heart, smashed
3 tbsp fish sauce
150g fresh tuna
150g hot, cooked rice noodles
Fresh coriander, a handful, to garnish Simmer
sweet potato and squash with stock, coconut
milk, ginger, garlic and lemongrass, half-covered, for about 20 minutes or
until the vegetables are tender. Blend until
smooth and stir in the fish sauce. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Meanwhile,
heat a stove-top grill pan that has been lightly sprayed with a non-stick
cooking spray. Cut the fish into cubes. Don’t oil the fish, simply thread the
cubes on to four soaked, thin bamboo skewers and pan-grill until
just seared. To serve, ladle
the soup over nests of hot noodles, sprinkle coriander leaves over and add a
skewer of seared tuna.
Chicken, vegetable and noodle soup
Prep
time 15 mins
Cooking time 1 hour
Serves 4 2 litres
chicken stock
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups finely chopped celery
2 cups finely chopped carrot
½ cup finely chopped Italian parsley, plus extra for garnishing
150g extra-fine noodles or capellini pasta
400g finely chopped chicken breast fillets Bring
the stock, chopped vegetables, parsley and some seasoning to a boil. Skim
off the froth, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 40 minutes or
until the vegetables are tender. Increase the heat and bring to a boil once
more, stir in the noodles or pasta and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Season the
chopped chicken with sea salt and milled black pepper and stir into the
simmering broth, then turn off the heat and cover. Leave for 5 minutes or until
just cooked and still moist. Check seasoning and garnish with parsley before
serving. (If the
noodles or pasta absorb too much liquid on standing, thin the soup down with
some more stock.) Try
these variations
Add
a few spoonfuls of chopped dill and the juice of a lemon.
Use
fresh tagliatelle instead of dried noodles or pasta.
Instead
of noodles or pasta, add ready-made wontons (available at speciality Asian
stores) and cook until tender.
Add
soy sauce to taste. Sprinkle the soup with
finely chopped spring onion and a grating of fresh ginger.
Sausage and lentil soup with beef bacon and
croutons
Prep
time 50 minutes
Serves 4 1 cup
dried brown lentils
400g canned red lentils
200–300g chicken or beef sausages, thinly sliced
400g canned chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp dried mustard
1½ litres chicken, beef or vegetable stock
Beef bacon, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces, as desired
Croutons, for serving Rinse the
lentils and drain well. Add to a large saucepan with remaining ingredients. Do
not season. Simmer,
partially covered, for about 40 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Season
to taste. If the
soup gets too thick, thin with more stock. Serve topped
with croutons and beef bacon pieces. Try
this variation
For
a vegetarian option, leave out the meat altogether and top with crumbled
feta and croutons.
A pottage of three beans and brown rice
Prep
time 20 mins
Cooking time 45 minutes
Serves 4 400g
canned cannellini beans
400g canned butter beans
400g canned borlotti beans
1 cup brown basmati rice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
2–3 cloves garlic, crushed
1–2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1½ litres vegetable stock
Sun-dried tomato pesto, for serving Rinse the
beans and rice and drain well. Soften the
onion and celery in gently heated oil and stir in garlic and parsley. Add
stock, beans, rice and seasoning and simmer for about 30 minutes, covered, or
until the rice is tender. Stir once or twice. Using a stick blender, blend
roughly so that no more than half the beans are puréed. Check seasoning. This
is meant to be a thick pottage but can be thinned down with stock. Serve with
blobs of pesto. Try
these variations
Add
spaghetti, broken in half or thirds, instead of rice. In this case don’t
blend the soup.
Add
a can of blended Italian tomatoes and 1 tsp dried oregano to the softened
onion and celery and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Use grated Parmesan to
garnish instead of pesto.
Use
fennel instead of celery and parsley. Stir in a few spoonfuls of cream and
reheat.
ARLINGTON,
VA -- Money magazine recently named Washington, DC the top spot for
students looking for summer jobs touting the area's availability of work,
educational opportunities, and "museums for days." Just ask
summer intern Ethan Cartwright who joined USA Rice's government affairs team
this week.
Ethan,
a lifelong resident of Starkville, Mississippi, is a rising senior in
Mississippi State University's Department of Agricultural Economics. He
is a spirited SEC college baseball fan, avid duck hunter, and member of the
Delta Chi Fraternity, and Mississippi State's Student Association
Ethan, a lifelong resident of
Starkville, Mississippi, is a rising senior in Mississippi State University's
Department of Agricultural Economics.He
is a spirited SEC college baseball fan, avid duck hunter, and member of the
Delta Chi Fraternity, and Mississippi State's Student Association.
Ethan comes to USA Rice from a
recent internship with U.S. Senator Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), where he assisted
legislative staff with agricultural, transportation, and environmental
issues.He previously worked on research
at Mississippi State comparing row croppers' perceptions of risk under ARC and
PLC programs in the new Farm Bill.
"I think my time at Rice will
be a great learning experience," Cartwright said."Having recently come off Capitol Hill,
I am interested to learn how advocacy works from the 'other side' and
particularly excited to see the beneficial impact USA Rice can have for the
industry this election cycle."
Cartwright will be with USA Rice
through early August and can be reached at ecartwright@usarice.com or (703)
236-1468.
A typical standing room only USA
Rice promotion
Unified Export
Strategy Submission Day
By Jessica Stewart
WASHNGTON, DC -- Today USA Rice submitted an application for 2017
funding under the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) trade programs.The application, referred to as the Unified
Export Strategy (UES), is the official request document where USA Rice and
other commodity groups, called "cooperators," describe their
strategic approach to promoting U.S. agricultural products abroad.
In the current year, USA
Rice received $4.36 million in base funding, plus an additional $173,000 in
Global Broad-based Initiative funding for Africa and $61,000 in Emerging Market
Program funds for China.This year's USA
Rice UES submission reflects significant changes in overseas markets for U.S.
rice.
For example, USA Rice is
proposing increasing promotional efforts and investment in the UK and China,
two markets with demonstrated opportunity, and scaling back on funding for
promotions in Ghana.Aggressive
promotions programs also are planned for Mexico, Central America, and the
Andean region to defend current market share and expand opportunities for U.S. rice.In fact, USA Rice is leading a trade mission
for U.S. rice farmers, millers, and merchants to Colombia next week to observe
promotional activities and meet with the trade.
Another strategic area of
focus is Cuba, and though FAS resources cannot currently be used for promotions
there, industry-funded investments will be used to target that potential
market.
"With about half of our
crop bound for export each year, preserving and growing markets, and fighting
unfair trade practices overseas is our primary focus," said USA Rice Vice
President of International Promotion Jim Guinn."The support we receive from FAS is vital and the millions more in
industry contributions that we add to these funds make our important work
possible and our efforts successful for our industry."
The FAS program is a
matching program and the U.S. rice industry contributes over $6 for each dollar
of FAS funds received.
Market Information
Daily Rough Rice Prices
(updated daily)
Market Year Average Price Tracker (updated monthly)
In the News
Cuba, U.S. 'Have to Learn From Each Other,' Cuban Ag Minister Says
Agri-Pulse
Cuba's agriculture minister Rodriguez spoke particularly highly of
Cuba's organic agriculture sector and system of agricultural co-ops. While he
sees these two areas of the country's economy as strengths, he also
acknowledged both have a long way to go.
Mid-South Rice
This Week: Nitrogen, Diseases, Slow Plant Development
Although planted and
emerging, many Mid-South rice fields are having to contend with heavy rains and
cooler than normal temperatures.
Delta Farm Press
At the
start of the week, USDA estimated 98 percent of the U.S. rice crop had been
planted, 87 percent had emerged and 66 percent of the crop was in good to
excellent condition.
In the
Mid-South states, planting ranged from 98 percent planted in Mississippi to 100
percent planted in Missouri, but weather — heavy rains and cooler than normal
temperatures — continues to frustrate plant development and management
schedules.
In
northeast Arkansas last week, as much as 2 to 7 inches of rain
fell in just a few hours. Jarrod Hardke, Arkansas rice Extension agronomist,
says rice farmers there are asking two questions:
(1) I
just put out my nitrogen and started to flood up. The rains washed my field
out. How much N did I lose?
(2) I’m
now getting late in the window to apply N and I got all this rain with more in
the forecast. What do I do?
As the
season progresses, rice diseases will test Mid-South farmers. Tom Allen,Mississippi Extension
plant pathologist, says most rice diseases occur at particular times of the
year or at specific growth stages and that the previous crop is an important factor.
To help
farmers he has provided a Mississippi Rice
Disease Calendar for some of the more common diseases that
indicates the likely period of infection generally required for symptoms to be
expressed and the period when the diseases would continue to be problems.
Louisiana rice
has struggled through less than ideal growing conditions, says Dustin Harrell,
the state’s Extension rice specialist. In the most recent Louisiana Rice
Noteshe discusses mid- to late-season potassium deficiency, the
South American Rice Miner and yield potential for late-planted rice.
A good
way to follow developments in Louisiana rice is to subscribe to the LSU
AgCenter’s text message group for rice. To join the rice group, send a text
message to 81010 with @larice in the body of the message. To receive text
messages by email, send an email tolarice@mail.remind.com.
Later
this month, Mid-South rice farmers will have the opportunity to hear from one
of the world’s leading rice geneticists, Susan McCouch of Cornell University.
She’ll talk about the potential for advances in rice breeding as part of the
June 29 LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station’s annual field day.
Read more about McCouch and other speakers for the field day at Louisiana rice
field day June 29 in Crowley.
And
from Missouri is the story of a Missouri rice
shipment to Cuba. Martin Rice Company of Bernie, Mo., shipped
rice at no cost to the people of Cuba. “Cuba was once a leading export
destination for Missouri rice and we believe the in-roads we’ve been making
since our first visit here and meetings we’re now having with Cuban officials
can help re-establish Cuba as a buyer of Missouri rice,” Mike Martin said
The report also discusses seven other GE
food crops grown in 2015, including apple (Malus domestica), canola (Brassica
napus), sugar beet (Beta vulgaris), papaya (Carica papaya),
potato, squash (Cucurbita pepo) and eggplant (Solanum melongena).Papaya
is a particularly important example. In the 1950s, papaya ringspot virus wiped
out nearly all papaya production on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. As the virus
spread to other islands, many farmers feared that it would wipe out the
Hawaiian papaya crop.
