February 01, 201
Deputy Commissioner Sumair Ahmed
Syed reviewed old prices of edibles and fixed new rates with the consultation of traders, consumers and other district
officials concerned. A minor enhancement in prices of three edible items has been done which include Rice Basmati
Super (New) 5, Rice Basmati Super (Old) 5 and Sugar 3 Rupees while the prices of Milk, Yogurt, Mutton, Beef, Roti and Nan were maintained as
per previously notified rates whose rates have already mentioned above.
The decision was made in a meeting of District Price Committee
on Tuesday, which was participated by additional deputy commissioners,
assistant commissioners, representatives of traders and consumers.
DC Sumair Ahmed Syed stressed the traders to sell standardised
essential commodities and directed them not to do overcharging of essential
commodities.
He directed the price control magistrates to visit markets to
implement the new notified rates of essential commodities.
The new rates of the edibles are notified as under: Rice Basmati Super (New) Rs 95, Rice
Basmati Super (Old) Rs 105, Rice Basmati 386 (New) 32,Gram Daal (Bareek) Rs
115, Garm Daal (Special) Rs 124, Masoor Daal (Moti) Rs 95, Masoor Daal (Bareek)
Rs 140, Mash Daal (Washed Imported) Rs 165, Mash Daal (Unwashed Imported) Rs
145, Moong Daal (Washed) Rs 95, Moong Daal (Unwashed) Rs 105, Black Chana
(Mota) Rs 105, Black Chana (Bareek) Rs 105, White Chana (Mota) Rs 146, Red
chilli Rs 195, Basin Rs 125, Sugar White Rs 65, milk Rs 70, Yogurt Rs 85, Mutton Rs 700, beef Rs
325 and Rs 6 of Roti. Moreover, Deputy Commissioner Sumair Ahmed Syed has also
issued notification of new prices of essential commodities.
As per notification issued on January 31, 2017 and notification
issued on December 27 2016, a notification difference can be observed in the
reduction of prices of twelve essential commodities, which include Gram Daal 40
Rupees, Daal Special 38, Masoor Daal (Moti) 20, Mash Daal Washed 20, Mash Daal
Unwashed 15, Black Chana Mota 45, Black Chana Bareek Local 35, White Cahna 6,
Basin 35 and Red Chilli 15 Rupees
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/183158-Hike-in-rice-sugar-prices-as-edibles-rates-reviewed
Scientists of the soil
Anuradha SenguptaTo cap it all: Debal Deb grows 1,200 rice varieties at his farm
‘Basudha’ in Kerandiguda, Odisha; the agri expert also collects hats worn by
paddy farmers around the world
Anuradha SenguptaFor all seasons: Varieties suited to every kind of climate, soil
and water source are found at Deb’s farm
Anuradha SenguptaPurity matters: Cross-pollination is minimised by planting
species with synchronous or overlapping flowering times
Debal Deb and an intrepid band of
traditional farmers grow heirloom varieties of grains and cereals, thousands of
which are on the brink of extinction
It is late afternoon when we
arrive at Debal Deb’s farm, only to find him napping on a hammock next to his
mud house. The sound of a gurgling stream punctuates our deliberations: Should
we wake him? The thick forest around us glistens like green gold in the rays of
the sun. Hills in different shades of green frame this landscape in
Kerandiguda, Odisha. We had driven for 45 minutes, parked our car at a railway
crossing and walked through hillsides and forest paths to get here. The nearest
train station is Muniguda, a small town in Odisha’s mining belt near Lanjigarh,
known for Vedanta’s bauxite mines. Deb’s home is close to the Niyamgiri hills,
which Vedanta has been trying to mine. The company’s efforts have so far been
thwarted by an active campaign led by tribals living on these hills.
Deb’s trusted aide, Debdulal Bhattacharya wakes him and asks us
in. Soon, we are ensconced on a reed chatai, talking over tea and biscuits.
The two-room abode is minimalistic with rugs made of reed, a small bed, a
couple of framed pictures (made by people Deb encountered on his talks and
workshops). In one corner are rows of labelled earthen pots. They hold a treasure
trove of rice grains, some very rare, that are on the verge of extinction.
As a light drizzle falls over a long drawn-out sunset, Deb asks
Bhattacharya to take out a few hats for us — these are all farmers’ hats he has
collected on his travels across India and abroad. Jaunty in a reed hat from the
Philippines, he walks us to the adjacent field — a 2.3-acre patch, helmed by
hills, that’s pretty much like a Noah’s Ark for indigenous rice varieties. Deb
grows over 1,200 varieties to conserve their germplasm in this place he has
named Basudha, which means ‘Mother Earth’ in Bengali. All his seeds have come
from small farmers across India. Thousands of rice varieties were found in
India till the 1960s — over 70,000 were available before the Green Revolution.
Today, fewer than 10 varieties make up most of India’s rice production. Deb
says some of the species he had collected barely a few years ago can no longer
be found. “Sometimes I try to go back to get seeds from a farmer and find that
he has died and his son has stopped growing the old species.”
He walks us around the land, pointing out the 2x2m beds in which
the seeds are grown and harvested. In order to preserve the genetic purity of
the species growing next to each other, Deb has developed an intricate sowing
plan. “I follow a spatial isolation of 110m between plots and plant each
variety surrounded by ones with different flowering dates. No two neighbouring
varieties flower at the same time. Cross-pollination can be minimised by
planting species with synchronous or overlapping flowering times.” The label on
the earthen pots used to store the seeds clearly mention the name, size and
specific characteristics of each variety. There are varieties suited to every
kind of climate, soil and water source and tolerant to adverse conditions like
drought, flood and salinity. The seeds left over after storage for the next
year’s crop go to a seed exchange programme he runs for farmers.
Basudha also serves as a demonstration farm and seed-exchange
centre, where the small and wiry Deb holds workshops attended by people from
across India and abroad. The topics range from characterising and evaluating
different rice varieties to ecological agriculture, alternative energy use,
low-cost housing and water harvesting. He teaches ways to maintain genetic
parity over decades and prevent cross-pollination . “Farmers used to know all
this,” he rues. “I have learnt everything from farmers.”
Deb’s efforts are part of a global movement to conserve
agricultural biodiversity before it is entirely lost. Industrial agriculture is
responsible for the disappearance of thousands of heirloom varieties of grains
and cereals, fruits and vegetables, livestock et al. It is now widely
acknowledged that genetic diversity of food systems is essential to grow crops
that are resilient to climate change and extreme weather patterns. It is these
indigenous varieties that can cope and adapt. Deb, who is also a member of the
expert committee on agrobiodiversity at the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA),
is a proponent of the ‘food web theory’, which aims to establish scientific
proof of an overwhelmingly positive relationship between all plant and animal
life. He has the required academic chops to back up the ideas. A biologist with
a doctorate in ecology from Calcutta University, his post-doctoral research
included human ecology of marine and estuarine resource use at the Indian
Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and ecological economics at University of
California, Berkeley.
His quest to save indigenous rice began in the ’90s when he set
up base in Bengal’s Baliatore, Bankura district — a place that served his
purpose perfectly as it was well-connected to areas where marginalised, tribal
farmers grow rare varieties. Deb would sometimes travel on foot to remote areas
in search of folk rice seeds. “These were un-irrigated fields, with no chemical
inputs or market-bought seeds.” He shifted to Odisha in 2011 due to extreme and
unpredictable weather, and for other reasons too.
In a Facebook post, he recounts an encounter with the forest
department while documenting sacred groves and ponds in Bankura. “Amid the
plantations of exotic monocultures protected by the State forest department, I
discovered an old devatra forest patch surrounded by a tract of protected forest
maintained by local Forest Protection Committees (FPCs). This patch of sacred
forest was owned by a priest family, and contained about 300 hardwood trees,
including a few rare species.” After returning from a trip, Deb discovered that
the forest department had felled most of the trees, without informing the
landowner. After about five months, when all his letters failed to elicit any
response, Deb decided to file a PIL before the Calcutta High Court. The forest
range officers were ordered to appear before the court and the media covered
the issue. As a counter-move, the forest department filed a case against Deb
and Bhattacharya, his assistant at Basudha, for the “illegal transit” of sal
poles.
“The implication being that I had felled the trees and then
tried to blame the innocent FD staff. Following this, the Calcutta High Court
quashed our PIL on grounds that I had been implicated in a criminal suit. Our
argument that the PIL preceded the suit, and should be tried on its own merit,
fell on deaf ears.” Since then, for 11 years now, Deb has had to appear for the
suit every month at the Bishnupur SDJM court, at his cost. Other unsavoury
experiences include threats to his family from a multinational seed company and
attempts by the Intelligence Bureau to raid his Kolkata home. But he remains
undeterred in his work, thanks to teaching assignments in European and American
universities, research grants, fellowships in the US, and donations from
friends. Any money he gets is used to fuel his interests — farmers’ workshops,
travels to collect seed species, fight against genetically modified seeds, and
love for Baul music.
A philanthropist gifted him a much-needed lab in Kolkata for his
research on local rice varieties. He has found traces of silver in a traditional
Bengal variety that he got from a farmer in Birbhum district. “Ironically, it
is called Garib Sal (poor man’s rice),” he laughs. “The silver is assimilated
from the soil.” He says no other plant species has been found yet to assimilate
silver from the soil.
Deb’s seed bank, Vrihi (Sanskrit for rice), is the country’s
largest non-governmental folk rice gene bank with seeds from 13 states across
north-eastern, eastern and southern India. The varieties embody centuries of
accumulated knowledge and the farmers who can work with them are crucial for a
sustainable ecological agriculture, says Deb. He gives the seeds free to any
farmer who comes to Basudha. So far he has distributed rice varieties to over
1,200 farmers across Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra and
Tamil Nadu.
“They are the custodians of seeds, and not gene banks run by
corporates and governments — those are like morgues! They neglect the process
of life by freezing seeds. When you bring out these seeds after 30-40 years,
they will have lost major traits of defence. Also, in the meantime, the pests
would have evolved. The seeds need to stay in the soil.”
He mentions a flood-resistant rice variety, which he was given
by farmers — it grows to 20 ft above the waters. Yet another can grow in
submerged conditions. All this knowledge has been garnered from the small
farmers who have held on to traditional methods, says Deb. “They are the
unknown, unsung and greatly talented scientists of the past... true scientists
who observed, recorded diligently and passed on their knowledge to
generations.”
Anuradha Sengupta is a
Kolkata-based freelance journalist
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/know/scientists-of-the-soil/article9517512.ece
Scientists plant seeds of research for growing rice on Mars
By MICHIKO NAKAMURA/ Staff Writer
February 3, 2017 at 09:00 JST
·
·
In a real-life survival
situation, astronaut Mark Watney may not have to just grow potatoes if left
stranded on the Red Planet as depicted in the best-selling novel and movie
"The Martian."
Instead, scientists from Japan and Russia are conducting basic
research to grow rice on Mars in the future.
Researchers at Okayama University
studied correlations between exposure of rice seeds to the space environment
and their germination rate at the International Space Station (ISS) to
ascertain how storage in outer space could affect the crop.
Working with the Institute for
Biomedical Problems (IBMP) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Manabu Sugimoto,
an associate professor of extreme environment breeding at the university’s
Institute of Plant Science and Resources, and others sent 100 grains of brown
rice to the ISS in April 2011.
The grains were then put in an
experimental case made of metal. The container was installed on the outside of
the ISS in August 2011.
While the case can block
ultraviolet rays, other cosmic rays can pass through the container.
The temperature in the case
hovered between 90 degrees and minus 20 degrees, and the gravity and the degree
of vacuum were almost the same as in outer space. That means the rice seeds
were exposed to extremely harsh conditions for plants on Earth.
Half of the 100 grains were
recovered after they were stored in space for 13 months, while the other 50
were retrieved after 20 months. After storage in space, they were checked for
the germination rate and genetic mutations on the planet.
The results showed the germination
rate for brown rice kept in space for 13 months was 48 percent, while the ratio
dropped to 7 percent for the grains stored for 20 months.
The researchers also kept brown
rice for the same periods of time on Earth for comparison. The germination rates
for grains kept for 13 months and 20 months were 96 percent and 76 percent,
respectively.
Analysis of genes of brown rice
grains stored in space for 20 months showed the amount of the mRNA associated
with information on protein synthesis related to germination had declined more
than 50 percent.
No genetic mutations were found
in rice kept in space for 13 months.
The shoots and roots of both the
13-month and 20-month space grains that succeeded in sprouting showed no gene
anomalies. They grew properly, and their yields were comparable to those for
normal rice.
According to a past Okayama
University study, neither changes in the germination rate nor genetic mutations
were reported for barley, even when it had been stored for 18 months in outer
space.
“The findings mean the effects of
exposure to the space environment differ, depending on the species of plants,”
said Sugimoto.
He also said he will work to
develop crop seeds that can be stored and cultivated in space by surveying how
to protect the mRNA in brown rice
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201702030005.html
Indonesia`s Rice Production Experiences Surplus after 9 Years
THURSDAY, 02 FEBRUARY, 2017 | 16:52 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Agriculture Minister, Andi
Amran Sulaiman, claims that Indonesia has experienced a rice production surplus
in 2016 after nine years past. “After nine years, 2016 was the moment when
Central Java, East Java, and West Java, sent rice supplies to Kalimantan,” he
said on Thursday, February 2, 2017.
Minister Amran explained that rice supply warehouses in Central
Java and West Java are currently in full-stock. “Warehouses in Central Java and
West Java are full. The supplies keep increasing while the warehouses are full,
last year it was empty. This is great progress,” he said.
Other than rice supplies, according to Amran, garlic prices have
also declined due to over stock. Therefore, the government plans to export
garlic. “We’ll prepare the export earlier.”
Based on the report from farmer's association dubbed Kelompok
Kontak Tani Nelayan Andalan, prices of rice in seven districts are below
Rp3,700 per kilogram. “We had a coordination meeting until late at night, we’ll
move quicker for the farmers. We won’t let them experience a loss,” the Minister
said.
In May, the Agriculture Ministry will hold a National Week
(Penas) for Farmers and Fishermen in Aceh for six days; on May 6-11, 2017.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will inaugurate the event and it will be
participated by 35,000 participants consisting of farmers, researchers,
instructors representatives, and other stakeholders.
A number of events will enliven the National Week which opens
the opportunity to develop partnerships and open an agricultural product trade
among ASEAN farmers
https://en.tempo.co/read/news/2017/02/02/056842334/Indonesias-Rice-Production-Experiences-Surplus-after-9-Years
Asia Rice-India market
robust on African demand; Vietnam prices could fall
HANOI/MUMBAI, Feb 2 Rice prices
in India advanced this week on higher
demand from African buyers, while prices of the Vietnamese grain could fall soon on the
prospect of rising supply as farmers start harvesting the Winter-Spring paddy
later this month.
India's 5 percent broken parboiled rice
RI-INBKN5-P1 jumped $17 per tonne this week, to $371 to $376 per tonne, on
robust exports demand.
"African buyers have increased buying over the
last few weeks," said an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. "They are
willing to pay a premium over Thai rice due to better quality."
India, the world's biggest rice exporter,
mainly exports non-basmati rice to African countries and premier basmati rice to
the Middle East.
In Thailand, the world's second biggest rice
exporter, markets stayed quiet with prices of 5-percent broken rice
RI-THBKN5-P1 unchanged from last week at $355-$360 per tonne.
Prices of Vietnam's 5-percent broken rice RI-VNBKN5-P1
stayed flat compared with last week's $335-$340 a tonne as traders returned to
work after the country's biggest public holiday.
But prices are expected to ease
shortly as farmers are due to start harvesting the Winter-Spring paddy later
this month, boosting supply from the world's third largest exporter of the
grain.
Vietnam's rice exports declined 26.5 percent
last year with demand from China and Southeast Asian countries,
including the Philippines and Indonesia, falling sharply amid rising
supplies from Thailand and India.
Shipments are estimated to have
fallen to 325,000 tonnes in January, down 32.3 percent from a year earlier,
data by the Vietnamese government showed.
Ghana was the second biggest Vietnamese rice buyer last year after China, but Vietnamese traders are still facing stiff
competition from India in African markets, said a Ho Chi Minh City-based
trader. "We still haven't seen a way out yet," the trader said.
(Reporting by Mai Nguyen and Rajendra Jadhav; Additional reporting by
Pairat Temphairojana; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
http://in.reuters.com/article/asia-rice-idINL4N1FN22B
Why does Nigeria import so much
rice?
2 February 2017
A long line of customers queue along a glass divide separating
them from a rice food station at an eatery in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital.
Diners can choose between white rice, fried rice and jollof at this popular
local restaurant known as "The White House".
A steady flow of customers is served in the main hall, and in
two packed adjoining rooms diners are enjoying Nigerian dishes.
Rice is the basis of the popular national dish jollof and a
staple across the country.
The problem is not a lack of land, or that there are not enough
people to grow it in Africa's most populous country.
During the grain market crisis eight years ago, Nigeria experienced
shortages in rice that made the country rethink its food security and ability
to supply the local market.
As a result, President Muhammadu Buhari has made rice farming a
priority.
Nigerians' appetite for rice means that the country imported
nearly 17 million tonnes of it over the past five years. Duties for imported
rice are currently 60% and consumers have seen the price of a bag of rice double
in the past 12 months.
Many domestic players have been entering the market. Olam, a
multi-national agribusiness, set up a rice farm in 2012 in response to
government calls for local players to help feed the 170 million Nigerians.
Nigeria's rice in numbers
It is a bumpy journey to Olam's farm in Rukubi village close to
the Benue River in Nasarawa State. The lush green fields of the farm are an
oasis among miles and miles of dusty red road and bushes.
Large metal silos carrying 228,000 tonnes of rice rise up from
the ground, gleaming in the scorching afternoon sun. Manager Anil Nair, drives
us around 4,500 hectares of the farm and mill.
Most of the farm hands have finished work for the day. They
usually work in the rice paddies from 07:00, before the sun gets too hot. Only
a few women remain, standing ankle deep in the paddies, planting rice
seedlings.
This is one of the largest rice farms in Nigeria and although it
grows 50,000 tonnes each year, that is still just a small fraction of the
country's demand.
Media captionSince 2011 Nigeria has imported more than 17 million tonnes of
rice
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO), the country imported 2.3 million tonnes in 2016, about half
of the country's estimated requirements.
Minister of Agriculture Audu Ogbeh says that the culture of
importation has to stop.
"We can't afford $5m a day for rice shipments in this
country. It's gone on for 40 years. And I assure you that it's our reckless
policy of importation that's brought Nigeria down to where she is now.
Those who keep talking of imports either don't mean Nigeria well
or simply refuse to recognise the fact that we can't afford the imports."
However, most farmers in Nigeria are small scale and struggle to
get the financing they need to improve farming methods and boost their yield.
Joseph Jatau Kudu has been farming near the town of Doma in
Nasarawa State since 1982. He says the banks charge as much as 30% to lend
money.
"It's too high. We end up earning nothing," he says.
Without the capital to mechanise, workers must do everything on
his 15-hectare farm by hand.
"Sometimes the tractors are not available. So now I'm using
manual labour. It's not as effective as in the case of using a tractor and it's
one of the reasons I can't expand."
'Pipe dream'
The agriculture minister claims that Nigeria will become
self-sufficient in rice production by the end of the year.
However, critics of government policy not only point to a lack
of spending on agriculture, but also to an under-investment in the entire
value-chain for rice, from field to cooking pot.
Ninety two billion naira ($302m; £240m) was assigned to the
sector in the 2017 budget - only 1.26% of the entire budget for the year.
AgroNigeria's Managing Director Richard Mbaram says that
achieving self-sufficiency in the next couple of years is merely a "pipe
dream".
"Rice production isn't willed into existence. It is
cultivated and systematically sown.
"There is research, there is mechanisation, there is
warehousing and storage. There is market opening and market access.
"You cannot drive industrialisation or
agro-industrialisation without connecting the farm gate where the production is
happening. Do we have that? We're very far back in terms of achieving
that."
In the meantime, Nigerians' appetite for rice shows no sign of
slowing down.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38795673
Thai Rice Exports Seen
Slipping on Greater Vietnam Competition
by Supunnabul Suwannakij
February 2, 2017, 7:39 AM GMT+5
Total shipments forecast at 9.5 million tons: Association
Government to detail 2.8 million ton food rice sale on Friday
Rice shipments from Thailand, the
largest supplier after India, are likely to decline about 4 percent this year
amid increased competition from Vietnam and other producers.Exports will total
9.5 million tons in 2017, Chookiat Ophaswongse, the honorary president of the
Thai Rice Exporters Association, said Wednesday in an interview. That compares
with 9.88 million tons in 2016, according to data from the Ministry of
Commerce. Competition from Vietnam may cut white rice exports by about 400,000
tons to 4.6 million tons even as sales of premium Jasmine grade rise climb
about 9 percent to 2.5 million tons, Chookiat said.
The forecast drop in exports comes as the U.S. Department of
Agriculture expects global rice consumption to lag behind production for the
12th straight year, limiting any price upside. Prices of Thai white rice, a
regional benchmark, have changed little over the past year and were at $375 a
ton on Jan. 25. Vietnamese white rice is quoted at $434 a and ton and Indian rice at
$370, according to data from the association’s website.
“Thai prices may hover around current levels as increasing
demand is offset by ample supply from key suppliers,” said Kiattisak
Kanlayasirivat, a Bangkok-based director at Ascend Commodities SA. The upcoming
harvest in Vietnam may cause prices to drop by $5 to $10 a ton in the near
term, he said.
Prices may also be pressured in the short term by the Thai
government’s plan to sell its entire 8 million ton stockpile of food and animal
feed grade rice this year. It will announce details on the timing of the sale
2.8 million tons of food grade rice on Friday. The effect of the sales will
depend on their timing, the association’s Chookiat said.
If buyers of state reserves have to take delivery in the next
few months, the sales could have a short-term negative impact on prices as it
would coincide with the start of the minor crop harvest, Chookiat said. “In the
longer term, it will lift negative pressure from the market and help boost
global prices,” he said.
As much as 3 million tons of exports this year are likely to be
old varieties from state reserves, according to Chookiat. Of the total state
stockpile, 3 million tons is food grade and the balance is for animal feed and
ethanol producers, according to government data.
World rice production will increase 1.6 percent to 480 million
tons and consumption will rise 1.5 percent to 477.8 million tons, according to
the USDA. Output from India, Thailand and Vietnam, the world’s top exporters,
will increase this season, data shows.
Farmers demand
that govt procure all their grains
Press Trust of India |
Berhampur (Odisha) February 2, 2017 Last Updated at 18:57 IST
Different farmers' organisation today staged
demonstration at Chhatrapur, Ganjam district headquarter town, protesting
alleged distress sale of paddy in the district and demanded procurement of all
grains from farmers, including the share croppers by the government agency. Though
the farmers this time harvested bumper paddy due to good climatic condition,
the government agencies refused to take paddy from them. The government has
fixed lower procurement target for each district. This has forced the farmers
to sell their products to middlemen and miller agents of Andhra Pradesh,
alleged former Union minister Braja Kishore Tripathy.
In some areas of the district, the farmers,
particularly the share-croppers have resorted to sell the paddy at distress due
to non-opening of mandi (procurement centers), alleged Rabi Rath, convener,
Odisha Chasi Surakshya Sangha.
Among others former minister Panchanana
Kanungo, social activist Prafulla Samantara, former CPI MLA (Chhatrapur)
N.Narayan Reddy, farmer leader Bibhuti Jena and secretary, Rushihulya Raita
Mahasabha Simanchal Nahak addressed the protest meeting. They submitted a
memorandum to the District Collector.
District administration, however, ruled out any
distress sale of paddy in the district. "We have no report of distress
sale of paddy anywhere", said civil supply officer (CSO) Ganjam Ajit Kumar
Patra.
He said the mandi (procurement centers) were
opened in 375 places across the district and over 7.19 lakh quintals of paddy
have been procured from 19,300 farmers so far. The government has fixed a
target to procure 26,000 quintal of paddy from the farmers this year. Last
year, around 35 lakh quintals of paddy had procured in the district. "This
is initial target and it may be revised" CSO said.
He said around 95,000 farmers have been
registered so far to supply paddy this time. "The online registration is
open and the farmers who wish to register will register now" he added.(This
story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from
a syndicated feed.http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/farmers-demand-that-govt-procure-all-their-grains-117020200917_1.html
Egyptian invention cuts rice irrigation water
by half
[Cairo] Experts and stakeholders in Egypt warn
of imminent water poverty as a result of the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which
is about to become operational. Meanwhile, agricultural production consumes
about 85 per cent of the country’s water resources, half of which goes towards
rice irrigation.
Rice cultivation consumes more than 10 billion cubic meters of water annually, or more than one-sixth of Egypt's share of Nile water, Khaled Ghanem, professor of Organic Farming in Al-Azhar University, told SciDev.Net. And this does not account for the water used for cultivation in unauthorized areas, estimated to be about a third of that used in authorized ones, he explained.
But there could be a solution, in the form of a machine that ploughs fields in a manner that saves about half the amount of water usually used for irrigation, and a quarter of fertilizers used in cultivation. A specially imported unit, which sows rice seedlings mechanically, is mounted on the machine.
The machine’s Egyptian inventor, Mohamed El-Sayyed El-Hagarey, a researcher at the Desert Research Center in Cairo, was granted the prestigious WatSave Award for Young Professionals from the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) during the Second World Irrigation Forum held in Thailand in mid-November.
In an interview with SciDev.Net, El-Hagarey explained his motivation for inventing the machine. He said that during cultivation, rice requires complete submersion in a layer of water 10-15 cm above the soil surface, which demands huge amounts of water and fertilizers.
He designed the soil and water management machine to tackle this. The machine makes ‛V’ shaped lines into the soil, at a depth and width of 20cm, and sows rice seedlings automatically. This operation maintains the water level necessary for rice to grow in the V-shaped troughs, which is less than the water used in conventional agriculture that requires the entire plot of land to be completely submerged.
The machine was tested in a field in Kafr el-Sheikh governorate, which is known for rice crop cultivation in Egypt, with good results. It reduced the amount of water used by half, and “the crop yield increased by 4.6 per cent,” Al-Hagary said.
Rice cultivation consumes more than 10 billion cubic meters of water annually, or more than one-sixth of Egypt's share of Nile water, Khaled Ghanem, professor of Organic Farming in Al-Azhar University, told SciDev.Net. And this does not account for the water used for cultivation in unauthorized areas, estimated to be about a third of that used in authorized ones, he explained.
But there could be a solution, in the form of a machine that ploughs fields in a manner that saves about half the amount of water usually used for irrigation, and a quarter of fertilizers used in cultivation. A specially imported unit, which sows rice seedlings mechanically, is mounted on the machine.
The machine’s Egyptian inventor, Mohamed El-Sayyed El-Hagarey, a researcher at the Desert Research Center in Cairo, was granted the prestigious WatSave Award for Young Professionals from the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) during the Second World Irrigation Forum held in Thailand in mid-November.
In an interview with SciDev.Net, El-Hagarey explained his motivation for inventing the machine. He said that during cultivation, rice requires complete submersion in a layer of water 10-15 cm above the soil surface, which demands huge amounts of water and fertilizers.
He designed the soil and water management machine to tackle this. The machine makes ‛V’ shaped lines into the soil, at a depth and width of 20cm, and sows rice seedlings automatically. This operation maintains the water level necessary for rice to grow in the V-shaped troughs, which is less than the water used in conventional agriculture that requires the entire plot of land to be completely submerged.
The machine was tested in a field in Kafr el-Sheikh governorate, which is known for rice crop cultivation in Egypt, with good results. It reduced the amount of water used by half, and “the crop yield increased by 4.6 per cent,” Al-Hagary said.
“This
machine will save a lot of irrigation water in Egypt each year, which will help
the country face these challenges and direct the water saved towards
cultivating other crops.”
Khaled
Ghanem, Al-Azhar University
Atef Sweilem, water management and irrigation
expert at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas,
(ICARDA), praised the machine, but added that “saving water and fertilizers
would not tempt small farmers to buy it, as the increase in the yield was not
huge”. He pointed out that the rice agricultural plots owned by most farmers do
not exceed half an acre.
“Saving water and fertilizers does not mean much for farmers, who get water for free and fertilizers subsidized by the state,” Sweilem explained.
Therefore, he believes that Egypt’s ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources and Irrigation should play an important role in supporting farmers financially and with training in using the machine.
Al-Hagary said the machine costs about US$5000, but needs further development before it is ready for commercial production.
He intends to re-submit a proposal to the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology in Egypt, hoping it would support further development of the innovation. An earlier proposal made in 2014 went unanswered, and he had to design it at his own expense.
Ghanem believes that “Egypt needs to use this machine widely range for several reasons,” the most important of which is the implications of Ethiopia’s Renaissance Dam on Egypt's share of water. He also referred to the effects of climate change including drought, desertification, and an increase in evaporation rates, as well as the water wasted along the Nile.
“Saving water and fertilizers does not mean much for farmers, who get water for free and fertilizers subsidized by the state,” Sweilem explained.
Therefore, he believes that Egypt’s ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources and Irrigation should play an important role in supporting farmers financially and with training in using the machine.
Al-Hagary said the machine costs about US$5000, but needs further development before it is ready for commercial production.
He intends to re-submit a proposal to the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology in Egypt, hoping it would support further development of the innovation. An earlier proposal made in 2014 went unanswered, and he had to design it at his own expense.
Ghanem believes that “Egypt needs to use this machine widely range for several reasons,” the most important of which is the implications of Ethiopia’s Renaissance Dam on Egypt's share of water. He also referred to the effects of climate change including drought, desertification, and an increase in evaporation rates, as well as the water wasted along the Nile.
“This
machine will save a lot of irrigation water in Egypt each year, which will help
the country face these challenges and direct the water saved towards
cultivating other crops,” Ghanem said.
He added: “The concerned ministries might not pay attention to this innovation. The solution is to establish major companies to market similar innovations that can be funded by low-priced stocks, making them available to a larger number of consumers.
He added: “The concerned ministries might not pay attention to this innovation. The solution is to establish major companies to market similar innovations that can be funded by low-priced stocks, making them available to a larger number of consumers.
https://www.scidev.net/global/design/news/egyptian-invention-rice-irrigation-water.html
Thai Rice Exports Seen Slipping on Greater
Vietnam Competition
by Supunnabul
Suwannakij
February 2, 2017, 7:39 AM GMT+5
- Total shipments forecast
at 9.5 million tons: Association
- Government to detail 2.8
million ton food rice sale on Friday
Exports will total 9.5 million tons in 2017, Chookiat Ophaswongse, the honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said Wednesday in an interview. That compares with 9.88 million tons in 2016, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce. Competition from Vietnam may cut white rice exports by about 400,000 tons to 4.6 million tons even as sales of premium Jasmine grade rise climb about 9 percent to 2.5 million tons, Chookiat said.
The forecast drop in exports comes as the U.S.
Department of Agriculture expects global rice consumption to lag behind
production for the 12th straight year, limiting any price upside. Prices of
Thai white rice, a regional benchmark, have changed little over the past year
and were at $375 a ton on Jan. 25. Vietnamese white rice is quoted at $434 a and ton and Indian rice
at $370, according to data from the association’s website.
“Thai
prices may hover around current levels as increasing demand is offset by ample
supply from key suppliers,” said Kiattisak Kanlayasirivat, a Bangkok-based
director at Ascend Commodities SA. The upcoming harvest in Vietnam may cause
prices to drop by $5 to $10 a ton in the near term, he said.Prices may also be pressured in the short term by the Thai government’s plan to sell its entire 8 million ton stockpile of food and animal feed grade rice this year. It will announce details on the timing of the sale 2.8 million tons of food grade rice on Friday. The effect of the sales will depend on their timing, the association’s Chookiat said.
If buyers of state reserves have to take delivery in the next few months, the sales could have a short-term negative impact on prices as it would coincide with the start of the minor crop harvest, Chookiat said. “In the longer term, it will lift negative pressure from the market and help boost global prices,” he said.
As much as 3 million tons of exports this year are likely to be old varieties from state reserves, according to Chookiat. Of the total state stockpile, 3 million tons is food grade and the balance is for animal feed and ethanol producers, according to government data.
World rice production will increase 1.6 percent to 480 million tons and consumption will rise 1.5 percent to 477.8 million tons, according to the USDA. Output from India, Thailand and Vietnam, the world’s top exporters, will increase this season, data shows.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-02/thai-rice-exports-seen-slipping-on-greater-vietnam-competition
Mexico May Move Forward with Viet Nam Trade
Deal
By Marvin Lehrer
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO -- According to press
reports, the government of Mexico (GOM) may move forward with implementing
individual bi-lateral trade deals with many of the countries that participated
in the now defunct Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). These countries include Australia, Brunei,
Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Vietnam.
"The President has given me instructions
to convert the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreements into bi-lateral agreements
with all of the countries with whom we do not already have free trade
agreements," said Secretary of the Economy Ildefonso Guajardo.
"This news, along with the talk about
renegotiating all or parts of NAFTA, is creating a great deal of
uncertainty," said Brian King, Chairman of USA Rice and of USA Rice's
Western Hemisphere Promotion Subcommittee.
"To date nothing has changed or been affected, but the market is
nervous as to what might happen in the future, and Mexico is the largest market
for U.S. rice. We are in touch with the
U.S. Embassy there and trade partners to get the very latest as this story
develops, but I can tell you that anything that disrupts trade between the U.S.
and Mexico gives the rice industry pause.
At 85 percent market share, the U.S. is the
major supplier of rice to Mexico and Mexico is the largest market for U.S. rice
taking some 800,000 metric tons valued at $260 million. Most of the rice exported is in rough form,
but there is strong and growing demand for direct imports of long grain milled
rice.
Pruitt Through Committee Following Rule
Suspension
Chairman John Barrasso
By Michael Klein
WASHINGTON, DC -- Following the strategy of
other Senate committees, today Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY) suspended rules requiring members of the minority
party to be present to establish a quorum so his committee could advance the
nomination of President Trump's nominee to head the Environmental Protection
Agency.
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt now
moves to the full Senate for a vote. A
simple majority is all that is required there, however, no date for the vote
has been set yet.
Global Rice
Milling Machinery Market 2017- Satake Manufacturing, BHler, Hunan Chenzhou,
Hubei Yongxiang
By Parnika Paul -
February 2, 2017
9
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4 Hubei Yongxiang
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6 Hunan Xiangliang
7 Wufeng
8 Jiangsu Hexi Machinery
2 B?Hler
3 Hunan Chenzhou
4 Hubei Yongxiang
5 Zhejiang Qili Machinery
6 Hunan Xiangliang
7 Wufeng
8 Jiangsu Hexi Machinery
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Finally, The Report (2017
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conclusions are offered.
http://dailycommercenews.com/2017/02/02/global-rice-milling-machinery-market-2017-satake-manufacturing-bhler-hunan-chenzhou-hubei-yongxiang/
NY-style
chicken and rice, almost, at Madina
Chicken over rice at Madina. (Andrew Galarneau/Buffalo News)
·
Published
One of the problems with
enjoying the tasty specialties of far-off places is that memory is
unforgiving. When you get a hankering for a taste that doesn't exist in your
city, it can be most inconvenient to scratch that itch.
In New York City, one of the
standard street-food specialties is "chicken and rice," usually
offered in lamb as well. Its epicenter is 53rd and 6th Ave. in Manhattan, where
it started on the southeast corner, and has been so successful that copycat
operations have set up shop on other corners.
The dish is deceptively
simple. Marinated meat is cooked on a griddle, chopped into pieces and
served over rice. A white sauce, often made with mayonnaise and garlic, is
applied to everything. Then there's hot sauce, usually custom-made, to add a
warming touch.
After hearing about Madina from a
co-worker, I headed over to check it out. The restaurant, 125 Mills St.
(752-6311), looks like it was once a corner tavern, and it's a couple blocks
from R & L Lounge,
one of the irreplaceable old-school Buffalo taverns. It's beat up, but I wasn't
there for the decor
http://buffalonews.com/2017/02/01/ny-style-lamb-rice-almost-madina/
Solon wants
higher tariffs on agriculture imports
FEBRUARY 2, 2017
The vice chairman of the House
Committee on Economic Affairs is keen on filing a bill to increase tariffs on
imported agricultural products, particularly rice, to protect Filipino farmers.In
a statement, Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato of Occidental Mindoro said the measure
is aimed at protecting farmers from a “rice crisis” after the quantitative
restriction (QR) on rice is lifted on July 1. The QR on rice or quotas on rice
import will expire on June 30, 2017.
Sato’s office, however, told the BusinessMirror that the lawmaker is still working out the details of the bill
with the Department of Agriculture (DA), saying the measure will be filed “as
soon as possible” or before Congress goes on break on March 17.
She added that she would consult
various stakeholders and review existing laws to come up with a proposed
measure imposing higher tariffs on agricultural imports.Sato said a measure is
needed to protect farmers from “liberal trade policies”, including that imposed
by the World Trade Organization.
She added that her agricultural
tariff bill will help shield farmers from the “excessive” purchase of imported
rice.
Sato said she is wary of the
possibility of cheap, imported rice flooding the Philippine market once the
rice-import quota is removed. She added that rice farmers, particularly those
with small landholdings and no capital, will be the first to take the “fatal
blow”.According to Sato, Republic Act 8178, or the Agricultural
Tariffication Act, needs to be amended, otherwise, the Philippines may not even
be able to impose duties or tariffs on rice once the rice QR is lifted.
Meanwhile, Sato asked Agriculture
Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol to take up the cudgels for rice farmers.
She said she moved for the
committee confirmation of Piñol after he submitted a letter outlining his
response to the issues raised during his first confirmation hearing held by the
Commission on Appointments (CA) last December.The CA eventually confirmed
Piñol’s appointment during a hearing on Wednesday.She also urged the DA to come
up with plans and programs to make rice farming profitable, to encourage more
farmers to venture into rice production and increase the country’s riceself-sufficiency
level.
The government has targeted to
increase farm production by 2.5 percent this year. Earlier, economists from the
Ateneo de Manila University said the government may not be able to hit its
goal.The damages caused by typhoons Lawin and Karen caused the country’s
farm-sector output to contract by 1.41 percent in 2016
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/solon-wants-higher-tariffs-on-agriculture-imports/
Heitkamp, Boozman reintroduce bill to expand exports to Cuba
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.)
and John Boozman (R-Ark.) on Thursday reintroduced their bipartisan bill to
help American farmers and support good-paying jobs in North Dakota, Arkansas
and across the country by lifting restrictions on private financing for U.S.
agricultural exports to Cuba.
The biggest barrier for producers
in North Dakota, Arkansas, and beyond as they seek access to Cuba—a market with
high demand for U.S. crops like beans and rice—is a prohibition on providing
private credit for those exports. Heitkamp and Boozman first
introduced their bipartisan Agricultural Export Expansion Act in
April 2015 to lift the ban on private banks and companies offering credit for
agricultural exports to Cuba, and to help level the playing field for exporters
across the country and support American jobs.
“Our farmers rely on exports, and exports help create more
American jobs. Any North Dakota farmer or rancher could tell you
that,” said Heitkamp. “Financing restrictions are the number one
barrier facing North Dakota farmers who want to sell their crops to Cuba, and
this bill would do away with that obstacle. Cuba is a natural market for North
Dakota crops like dry beans, peas, and lentils, and there’s no good reason for
us to restrict farmers’ export opportunities—which support good-paying American
jobs—by continuing this outdated policy.”
“It’s time for Washington to enact commonsense reforms so
Arkansas farmers and agriculture producers across the country can compete
fairly for the Cuban marketplace,” said Boozman. “Current law prohibits
the financing of agricultural exports to Cuba and requires cash payment up
front, essentially preventing U.S. farmers from being able to export their
products to Cuba. Lifting the ban would allow private banks and companies to
offer credit for the sale of U.S. agricultural commodities to Cuba. This small
step would help level the playing field for American farmers and exporters
while simultaneously exposing Cubans to American ideals, values and products.
This bill is a win-win for American farmers and the Cuban people.”
“North Dakota farmers rely on exports to make ends meet. This
bipartisan bill would make it easier for us to sell our top-notch black beans
and pinto beans to Cuba—a market with high demand for North Dakota
crops,” said Dan Fuglesten, of Central Valley Bean Cooperative in Buxton,
N.D. “Lifting these outdated and self-imposed restrictions will open a critical
market for American farmers and support good jobs right here in North Dakota—and
it’s time Congress acted. With commodity prices what they are, we appreciate
Senator Heitkamp’s work to expand market access and help American farmers.”
“Being able to sell our commodities to Cuba just as easily as we
sell to other markets like Mexico and Canada would be huge, especially for
U.S.-grown rice,” said Jeff Rutledge, of Newport, Ark., a rice farmer
and president of the Arkansas Rice Council. “Senator Boozman’s bill would
strip away the regulatory red tape and allow us to compete in the Cuban market
just like we do everywhere else.”
U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Dick
Durbin (D-Ill.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Angus King (I-Maine), Susan Collins
(R-Maine), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Ron Wyden
(D-Ore.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) joined in cosponsoring
the bill.
In January 2016, the previous administration loosened export
restrictions to allow companies to sell non-agricultural products to Cuba on
credit, but statutory restrictions on financing agricultural products are still
in place.
For years, Heitkamp and Boozman have pushed to improve
agricultural export opportunities to Cuba and make it easier for farmers to
sell their crops to this high-demand market. Currently, all U.S. exports to
Cuba require cash up front, while other nations around the world offer credit
to Cuban importers, in effect preventing farmers and ranchers from being able
to ship their products to Cuba. The change in U.S.-Cuba policy would provide at
least some relief from low American commodity prices by opening new markets.
The U.S. Senate Appropriations
Committee approved the bill as an amendment to a financial
services spending bill last year, as well as in July 2015.
http://www.agweek.com/policy-and-politics/4210568-heitkamp-boozman-reintroduce-bill-expand-exports-cuba
Executive director talks rice
Ben Noble, guest speaker of the the Stuttgart Lions Club, speaks
about rice in Arkansas and across the country while Glen Beedle looks on and
listens.
Dawn Teer/Stuttgart Daily Leader
Thursday
Posted
Feb 2, 2017 at 2:53 PM
Noble spoke about how important
rice farming and milling is not only to Stuttgart, because "We are truly
feeding the world."
By Dawn Teer / Stuttgart Daily
Leader
"It's critical in this day and age
to be involved in your community," Ben Noble, president of Noble
Strategies and executive director of Arkansas Rice, told the Stuttgart Lions
Club and their guests Wednesday. He encouraged the Lions and Leo members to,
"Stay civic minded and plugged into the community."
Noble spoke about how important
rice farming and milling is not only to Stuttgart, because "We are truly
feeding the world."
In addition to his roles with Arkansas Rice, Noble also has a
public relations arm of Noble Strategies called Arch Communications, which is
led by Matt DeCample, who used to work for Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, as
well as Channel 7 KATV news.
"What keeps us busiest day-to-day is
what keeps this community thriving and moving forward economically, and that's
rice. We not only represent Arkansas rice, but we manage their trade
association," Noble said.
This means that they have an umbrella organization that represents
everything it takes to get rice from the farm to the plate.
"There are four distinct
organizations that have their own board, their own by-laws, they are their own
corporate entity and we serve as the umbrella that tries to make sure we
represent all of them in policy matters and promotional activity," Noble
explained.
The Rice Council is the promotional arm. The Rice Millers
Association is the oldest trade association in the nation, it's been around
since the late 1800s. The Rice Merchants work with the Rice Millers to promote
rice.
Noble said he is amazed when people think Texas and Louisiana grow
more rice then Arkansas.
"You probably grow more rice in
Arkansas County than Texas or Louisiana do," he said.
Noble went on to talk about the license plate the Rice Council is
promoting. The proceeds of this plate will go to the endowment of a scholarship
fund for future scholarships. He encouraged audience members to buy those
license plates to support the endowment.
"It literally took an act of the
legislature to get this done," he said.
It has gone over better than they anticipated and hopes it will be
fully funded soon.
Noble told the Lions about an upcoming Anheuser-Busch commercial
to be shown at the Super Bowl this weekend featuring rice.
"At the end of the day we are in
this together and we are all from somewhere," Noble said as he closed and
answered questions.
http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/news/20170202/executive-director-talks-rice
How to eat any
takeaway and still lose weight
How to eat any takeaway and still lose weight
Louise Daniel
Neil_Shaw Exeter
Express and Echo | Tue 24 Jan 2017
Love them or loathe them, takeaways are here to stay.
For some they are the cornerstone of their weekly diet (not
recommended) while most of us see ordered-in food as an occasional treat.
The truth is we KNOW takeaway food isn't good for us, they just
taste so good.
It's easy to push the calories we are racking up to the back of
our hungry minds while tuck in to our takeaways. But here's a stark reminder -
the average Indian chicken tikka masala, pilau rice and a plain naan takeaway
contains a whopping 1,338 calories and 55g of fat.
YOU MAY LIKE
image:
http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276351/binaries/takawayg.png
That's two-thirds of the calories and almost 80 per cent of the
fat the average woman should have in a whole day. A whole day! How depressing.
Nothing is sacred with Chinese sweet and sour chicken, egg fried
rice and vegetable spring rolls cramming in a massive 1,436 calories and 60g of
fat. BOOOOO!
Department of Health guidelines say that women should have no more
than 2,000 calories and 70g of fat a day, and men no more than 2,500 calories
and 95g fat in total which means eat any of your spicy favourites for tea and
you're pretty much done - and that's before starting on the cocktails.
But don't fret, we've come up with some savvy ways of ordering
takeaways which can halve the fat and calorie content of your favourites so you
don't feel too deprived. Or guilty.
Chinese
There is a lot of oil is used in Chinese cooking and many dishes
are deep-fried. But it's not dishes like beef in oyster sauce, chicken chop
suey and prawns in black bean sauce you need to worry about - they contain a
respectable 350 to 450 calories and 10 to 15g of fat per portion. It's fried
rice, starters and side orders that turn a Chinese takeout into a calorie
busting feast.
image:
http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276351/binaries/healthy%20take%20chinese.png
Top
swaps
Choose boiled not fried rice: A standard carton of egg fried rice contains 625 calories and 32g
of fat while boiled has just 370 calories and 1g of fat.
Skip crispy duck: The bad news is three filled pancakes contain a massive 560
calories and 21g of fat as the duck is served with its fatty skin. Stop sulking
- this is our favourite too
Choose soup: Soups are usually low in fat,
containing around 3g for a pot so have them instead of deep-fried starters like
wontons, spring rolls, sesame toast and crispy seaweed - just one piece of
sesame prawn toast contains 70 calories and 7g of fat.
Avoid prawn crackers: They may be free but at 400 calories and 30g of fat per bag,
they'll add pounds.
Get
stuck in
Don't do it: Half a portion of Peking duck, crispy shredded beef with egg fried
rice, and half a bag of prawn crackers: 1,925 calories, 86g fat
Instead try: Crab and sweetcorn soup and chicken
in oyster sauce with boiled rice: 865 calories, 12g fat
Fish
& chips
Chippy portions are usually huge and nearly everything is deep
fried. Batter adds more calories to fish, chicken and sausages so ditch some of
it or opt for healthier, unbattered alternatives such as grilled fish or roast
chicken.
image:
http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276351/binaries/healthy%20take%20fish%20.png
Top
swaps
Halve your portions: A large portion of battered cod and chips contains a massive 1,385
calories and 77g of fat, whereas a small portion contains 685 calories and 38g
of fat.
Choose cod or haddock: Don't go for plaice or rock as they're higher in calories and fat
- a small battered haddock is 280 calories; cod, 295 calories; plaice, 385
calories; and rock, 445.
Ditch the fat: Before eating, empty your fish and chips on to kitchen paper and
dab to remove excess grease.
image:
http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276351/binaries/healthy%20take%20beans%201.png
Fill up: Serve your fish and chips with mushy peas or baked beans - they're
low in fat and packed with fibre to help fill you up.
Skip extras: Curry sauce, gravy and white bread and butter rack up plenty of
extra calories to a meal that's already loaded with them.
Get
stuck in
Don't do it: Large battered rock with large chips, gravy and 2 slices of bread
and butter: 1,920 calories, 115g fat
Instead try: Small battered haddock with small chips and mushy peas: 770
calories, 39g fat
Pizza
Pizzas vary in their calorie and fat content, depending on size,
base and toppings which is good news because you can tailor make your own
pizza, giving you more control over the nutritonal content of your meal. Pizza
Hut and Dominos also provide nutrition information on their websites ( www.pizzahut.co.uk and www.dominos.co.uk ). Two slices of garlic bread with cheese and half a large Stuffed
Crust Meat Feast pizza: 2,040 calories, 91g fat
image:
http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276351/binaries/healthy%20take%20pizza.png
Top
swaps
Choose toppings wisely: Pepperoni, salami, spicy sausage, bacon and extra cheese will pile
on the calories and fat. Opt for onions, chillies, mushrooms, tuna, peppers,
spinach, olives, pineapple, sweetcorn, chicken and tomato.
Ditch side dishes: Garlic bread, chicken wings or dippers, wedges and stuffed potato
skins push up the calorie and fat content considerably. A portion of four
pieces of garlic bread contains around 400 calories and 17g of fat.
Alternatively, order a salad with dressing on the side.
image:
http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276351/binaries/healthy%20take%20pizza%202.png
Beware of meal deals: Sound tempting but you are probably going to over order which
means you are likely to overeat
Back off from cheese: Ask for your pizza to be made with half the usual amount of
cheese.
Get
stuck in
Don't do it: 2 slices of garlic bread with
cheese and half a large Stuffed Crust Meat Feast pizza: 2,040 calories, 91g fat
Instead try: Half a medium Hawaiian pizza and salad with dressing on the side:
765 calories, 25g fat
Indian
Many dishes include lots of oil and with pilau rice, starters and
side dishes, Indian takeouts can be a waistline disaster. Hot curries may also
leave you downing high calorie lager to cool your mouth. Instead, stir in a
spoonful of low-fat natural yogurt to cool your curry down.
image: http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276351/binaries/healthy%20take%20indian.png
Top
swaps
Ditch creamy curries: Creamy curries like masala, pasanda and korma are loaded with
calories and fat. Instead, choose those with tomato sauces like jalfrezi, rogan
or madras, or opt for dry dishes like tandoori chicken.
Push away pilau: Get boiled not pilau rice - you'll
save 280 calories and 34g of fat per carton.
Heat prevents eating: Choose a really hot curry like vindaloo or madras - you'll it's
hard to eat too much and the levels of spice are more satisfying. Go for
chicken, prawn or vegetable, too, as they're lower calorie than beef or lamb.
image:
http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276351/binaries/Healthy%20take%20indian%202.png
“It’s the
ultimate in crunchy golden goodness — somewhere between fried chicken and
popcorn.”
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In response to the Muslim ban,
one way for us to navigate these times is to educate ourselves ― to learn what
we can about the cultures of the nations that are affected. We’re starting
small, with a simple dish from Iran that everyone can make at home. After all,
food is the distillation of community and culture to its most basic form. We
hope you’ll cook along with us in support.
JAMES RANSOM/FOOD52
Some of the best dishes are the simplest, and that couldn’t be
more true when talking about tahdig,
Iran’s famous rice dish. If you love the crunchy, well-cooked edge of a
lasagna, you’ll adore tahdig.
Tahdig,
which literally translates to “bottom of the pot,” is a pan-fried layer of
crunchy, crispy white basmati rice. It can be served whole, maintaining the
circular shape of the vessel it was cooked in, or broken into pieces of
irresistible crunchy rice. It’s usually cooked in clarified butter (ghee) or
oil, but to form a better crust, you can add yogurt, or lavash, or
sometimes ―- for a really special treatment ― potatoes are used to line the
bottom of the pan.
While tahdig refers to the burnt crust of the rice, the preparation and
serving of it also includes rice that is perfectly steamed on top of this crisp
layer, as you’ll find in the recipe below. It’s pure and simple genius. It’s
also an absolutely soul satisfying way to eat rice.
Anyone who has anything to say about tahdig will say this: when the dish is served at a feast, it is always
guaranteed to be finished. Everyone loves it.
Louisa Shafia, author of The New Persian Kitchen, says it best when she suggests that we “think of tahdig as Persian ‘soul food.’ It’s the ultimate in crunchy golden goodness ―
somewhere between fried chicken and popcorn ― and making it is a skill worth
perfecting.”
While tahdig is almost always part of a feast, it isn’t reserved for special
occasions. In Iran, it is eaten whenever rice is part
of a meal, which is often. Once you try it, you’ll see why. We have
a recipe for you. If you have rice, you can easily make this dish happen
tonight.
Here it is.
Basic Tahdig
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2 cups white basmati rice
·
3 tablespoons refined coconut
oil, ghee, or grapeseed oil
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1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more
for salting the water
Step 1: Parcook the rice
Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Swish the rice
around a few times, then drain and rinse the rice in cold water until the rinse
water runs clear. In a stockpot, combine 8 cups water and 2 heaping tablespoons
salt and bring to a boil. Add the rice and return to a boil, uncovered, as it
can easily boil over. After 5 minutes, test a grain of the rice by breaking it
in half. The rice is ready when it’s soft but the center is still opaque and
not fully cooked. Drain and rinse the rice under cold water to stop the
cooking. Measure out 2 cups rice and set aside.
Heat a deep 10-inch cast-iron skillet or enamel paella pan over
low heat for a few minutes. Add the oil (if your skillet is bigger than 10
inches, add an additional 2 tablespoons oil), followed by the 2 cups reserved
rice. Spread the rice evenly over the bottom of the pan, and pack it down
tightly with an offset spatula or large wooden spoon. Sprinkle the sea salt
over the rice.
Step 3: Shape the rice into a
pyramid and cook
Add the rest of the rice to the pan and shape it into a pyramid.
Poke several holes in the rice with a chopstick to let steam escape. Cover and
turn the heat up to medium-high. Cook the rice for 10 minutes, then turn down
the heat to very low and place a clean dish towel under the lid to catch condensation,
and cover the pan tightly. If you have a flame tamer, put it between the burner
and the bottom of the skillet to disperse the cooking heat. Cook for 50
minutes.
Lift the lid from the pan. There will be condensation trapped
under the lid, so avoid tilting it over the rice and inadvertently pouring the
steam water back in. Gently scoop the rice onto a serving platter, making sure
not to disturb the tahdig at the bottom. Loosen the sides of the tahdig with a butter knife and flip it onto a plate, or remove it from
the pan with an offset spatula. Serve whole or broken in pieces
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tahdig-iranian-rice_us_588f3b41e4b08a14f7e6f3ee?ir=Taste&utm_hp_ref=taste
Market Research on Organic Rice Protein
Market 2016 and Analysis to 2026
Rice is an important staple cereal which is consumed throughout
the world. Organic rice protein is the protein derived from the organically
grown rice which has a high content of methionine and cystine. The rice grown
is free from genetically modified organisms (GMO) and thus doesn’t contain any
type of toxins and allergens in the organic rice protein powder. Organic rice
protein is very rich in amino acids which are essential for body muscles,
immune system and building of body tissues. It also supplements the amino acids
which are not synthesized in the body and need to be taken by dietary supply.
Among various amino acid, the ones high in content are Glutamic acid, Arginine,
Aspartic acid, Leucine. The organic rice protein extraction methods include
hexane-free extraction and low -temperature extraction. Organic rice
protein is available in flavors which contain stevia as a sugar substitute and
are easily digested. The protein content is approximately 80% in the organic
rice protein powder and can be consumed in hot or cold recipes.
The organic rice protein is an important dietary source and most importantly it
is made without the use of preservatives, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
which are organic pollutants and other chemicals. The organic rice protein
market is mostly driven by high demand in sport and athletics segment. Also, it
is good protein alternative to whey, soy proteins which otherwise cause
allergies thus drives the global organic rice protein market. Besides, increase
in penetration of health awareness and also consumer’s attraction towards products
of health benefits assists in the growth of global organic rice protein market.
The global organic rice protein market is anticipated to grow significantly at
a higher pace during the forecast period.
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Free Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2191
The global organic rice protein market
is segmented on the basis of the extraction process, type, and application.
Based
on the extraction process, global organic rice protein market is segmented
into:
·
Hexane free
protein extraction
·
Low-temperature
protein extraction
Based
on the type, global organic rice protein market is segmented into:
·
Concentrates
·
Isolates
Based
on the application, the global organic rice protein market is segmented into:
·
General
applications
·
Nutritional
Supplements
·
Baking
·
Flavor
Enhancements & Savory Flavors
·
General Foods
·
Others
·
Functional
applications
·
Dispersibility
·
Emulsification
·
Others
Based
on the end user, the global organic rice protein market is segmented into:
·
Sports and
Energy
·
Dairy
·
Bakery
·
Beverages
·
Other
The global organic rice protein market
is geographically divided in to five key regions including North America, Latin
America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa.Europe, especially
Germany holds the signifcant share of organic rice protein market due to the
increased importance of healthier lifestyle. Followed by Europe is North
America and Asia Pacific, Latin America and MEA. The global organic rice
protein market will show an increasing trend of consumption due to increasing
penetration of health awareness during the forecast period.
Key
Players
Some
of the key players identified in the global urease market are NewGen Direct
Ltd, Axiom Foods, Inc., Hill Pharma, Inc., AIDP Inc, RiceBran Technologies,
Golden Grain Group Limited etc.
http://www.satprnews.com/2017/02/03/market-research-on-organic-rice-protein-market-2016-and-analysis-to-2026/
Scientists plant seeds of research for
growing rice on Mars
By MICHIKO NAKAMURA/ Staff Writer
February 3,
2017 at 09:00 JST
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Print
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In
a real-life survival situation, astronaut Mark Watney may not have to just grow
potatoes if left stranded on the Red Planet as depicted in the best-selling
novel and movie "The Martian."
Instead, scientists from Japan and Russia are conducting basic
research to grow rice on Mars in the future.
Researchers
at Okayama University studied correlations between exposure of rice seeds to
the space environment and their germination rate at the International Space
Station (ISS) to ascertain how storage in outer space could affect the crop.
Working
with the Institute for Biomedical Problems (IBMP) of the Russian Academy of
Sciences, Manabu Sugimoto, an associate professor of extreme environment
breeding at the university’s Institute of Plant Science and Resources, and
others sent 100 grains of brown rice to the ISS in April 2011.
The
grains were then put in an experimental case made of metal. The container was
installed on the outside of the ISS in August 2011.
While
the case can block ultraviolet rays, other cosmic rays can pass through the
container.
The
temperature in the case hovered between 90 degrees and minus 20 degrees, and
the gravity and the degree of vacuum were almost the same as in outer space.
That means the rice seeds were exposed to extremely harsh conditions for plants
on Earth.
Half
of the 100 grains were recovered after they were stored in space for 13 months,
while the other 50 were retrieved after 20 months. After storage in space, they
were checked for the germination rate and genetic mutations on the planet.
The
results showed the germination rate for brown rice kept in space for 13 months
was 48 percent, while the ratio dropped to 7 percent for the grains stored for
20 months.
The
researchers also kept brown rice for the same periods of time on Earth for
comparison. The germination rates for grains kept for 13 months and 20 months
were 96 percent and 76 percent, respectively.
Analysis
of genes of brown rice grains stored in space for 20 months showed the amount
of the mRNA associated with information on protein synthesis related to
germination had declined more than 50 percent.
No
genetic mutations were found in rice kept in space for 13 months.
The
shoots and roots of both the 13-month and 20-month space grains that succeeded
in sprouting showed no gene anomalies. They grew properly, and their yields
were comparable to those for normal rice.
According
to a past Okayama University study, neither changes in the germination rate nor
genetic mutations were reported for barley, even when it had been stored for 18
months in outer space.
“The
findings mean the effects of exposure to the space environment differ,
depending on the species of plants,” said Sugimoto.
He
also said he will work to develop crop seeds that can be stored and cultivated
in space by surveying how to protect the mRNA in brown rice.
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201702030005.html
