NFA:
Rice imports above board
October 02, 2017
The National Food
Authority (NFA) said the import permits issued to rice traders are all
above-board amid claims of smuggling.
NFA said the issuance of import permits to private rice importers under the 2016 minimum access volume (MAV) allocation from March to June this year was based on the decision of the inter-agency NFA Council, the agency’s policy-making body, to extend the rice import deliveries from February 28 to March 31, and later to June 30.
More than 100 import permits were issued to different importers from March to June 30 and that all importers paid customs duties or tariffs in advance, as required under the terms of reference for the importation.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson had alleged that Cebu Lite Trading Inc. (CLTI), one of the 2016 MAV rice importers, had shipped rice into the country without the proper documents such as import permit (IP).
“CLTI was only one of so many rice importers which were issued IPs during the period that paid their customs duties, thus it is puzzling why this company was singled out,” NFA said.
NFA added that a total of P553 million advance customs duties were paid to the government out of the import permits issued an were issued in compliance with the extension granted by the NFA Council.
“There is no irregularity in the said transactions as the importers were issued IPs only after complying with the tariffs and other documentary requirements,” it said.
The 2016 MAV guidelines state that all rice to be imported under the program “shall be levied with 35 percent tariff to be paid in advance with the Land Bank of the Philippines. However, final assessment and valuation shall be made by the Bureau of Customs,” NFA said.
NFA said the issuance of import permits to private rice importers under the 2016 minimum access volume (MAV) allocation from March to June this year was based on the decision of the inter-agency NFA Council, the agency’s policy-making body, to extend the rice import deliveries from February 28 to March 31, and later to June 30.
More than 100 import permits were issued to different importers from March to June 30 and that all importers paid customs duties or tariffs in advance, as required under the terms of reference for the importation.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson had alleged that Cebu Lite Trading Inc. (CLTI), one of the 2016 MAV rice importers, had shipped rice into the country without the proper documents such as import permit (IP).
“CLTI was only one of so many rice importers which were issued IPs during the period that paid their customs duties, thus it is puzzling why this company was singled out,” NFA said.
NFA added that a total of P553 million advance customs duties were paid to the government out of the import permits issued an were issued in compliance with the extension granted by the NFA Council.
“There is no irregularity in the said transactions as the importers were issued IPs only after complying with the tariffs and other documentary requirements,” it said.
The 2016 MAV guidelines state that all rice to be imported under the program “shall be levied with 35 percent tariff to be paid in advance with the Land Bank of the Philippines. However, final assessment and valuation shall be made by the Bureau of Customs,” NFA said.
http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/business/nfa-rice-imports-above-board
12:00 AM, October 01,
2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:38 AM, October 01, 2017
Wheat imports soared as a section of people has
switched to flour in the face of high prices of staple rice, said importers.
Wheat imports grew 28 percent year-on-year to
9.41 lakh tonnes from July to mid-September, according to data compiled by the
food ministry.
“Many people have started eating wheat flour as
a substitute of rice as prices of flour are much lower than the prices of the
staple,” said Bishwajit Saha, general manager of the City Group of Industries,
one of the leading commodity importers and processors.
Rice prices hit a record high mid-August, triggered
by a rumour of India banning export, by a drop production owing to crop damage
caused by recurrent floods, depleting public stocks and inadequate supply from
millers and traders.
On September 16, retail prices of coarse grains,
consumed mainly by the poor and low income groups, shot up to Tk 50-54 a kg in
Dhaka city, according to the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
Prices fell early last week amid increased
imports and release by millers and traders following a meeting between millers
and the government.
Yet, rice remains more expensive than flour.
Yesterday, retail prices of coarse rice were Tk
48-50 a kg whereas flour was selling at Tk 28-34 a kg, meaning the average
wheat price was Tk 18 or 38 percent less than the average coarse rice price.
Saha said the price difference has encouraged a
section of people in both rural and urban areas to shift to flour. “This has
fuelled demand for wheat further,” he said.
Generally, prices of rice remain higher than
flour. But the price gap between the two grains remains normally less.
For example, prices of coarse rice were Tk 36-38
a kg on September 30 last year against flour prices of Tk 25-34, according to
the TCB.
Importers and processors said wheat consumption
is rising every year owing to a shift in consumers' diet preference and a
flourishing bakery and processed food market. Imports of the grain trebled to
56.90 lakh tonnes in five years till 2016-17 to meet the increasing demand as
domestic production has remained stuck at 13 lakh tonnes for the last couple of
years, according to official data.
In fact, local wheat production declined last
season, said Abul Bashar Chowdhury, chairman of BSM Group, a Chittagong-based
commodity importer.
“Many poor people are consuming flour as price
of rice has become exorbitant,” he said.
Chowdhury expected annual wheat imports to
exceed 60 lakh tonnes at the end of the current fiscal year.
Importers opened letters of credit for the
import of 25.14 lakh tonnes of wheat until September 23, Bangladesh Bank data
showed.
http://www.thedailystar.net/business/wheat-imports-soar-consumers-cut-costly-rice-intake-1470319
Soft rupee thrills commodity exporters
By
, ET
Bureau|
Updated:
Oct 02, 2017, 10.22 AM IST
0Comments
On Friday, the
rupee closed at 65.28 against the dollar.
Company Summary
NSE
BSE
KRBL Ltd
14.75 (3.10%)
Edelweiss
-1.20 (-0.45%)
Commodity Summary
MCX
|
18540
|
0.00
(0%)
|
NEW DELHI: The recent
weakening of the rupee has come as a Diwali bonanza for commodity exporters
who expect a jump in export orders, which would benefit farmers also.
“Weak rupee is good for agri economy," said Prerana Desai, head of commodity research at EdelweissBSE -0.41 % Agri Value Chain. Edelweiss Agri Value Chain.
“It ends up increasing farmers' income as all excess commodity get exported thereby supporting domestic market price," she said.
On Friday, the rupee closed at 65.28 against the dollar.
Export contracts for commodities such as basmati rice, groundnut, soyabean meal and cotton, for which the harvest has started or would begin in the next fortnight, are either being signed by exporters or talks are going on, industry insiders said.
Desai said exports of paddy, cotton, castor oil, guar, soyabean and mus tard meal, ground nut and sesame are expected to rise this year. “Immediately the farmer may now get higher price as new crop arrival is there," she said.
“Weak rupee is good for agri economy," said Prerana Desai, head of commodity research at EdelweissBSE -0.41 % Agri Value Chain. Edelweiss Agri Value Chain.
“It ends up increasing farmers' income as all excess commodity get exported thereby supporting domestic market price," she said.
On Friday, the rupee closed at 65.28 against the dollar.
Export contracts for commodities such as basmati rice, groundnut, soyabean meal and cotton, for which the harvest has started or would begin in the next fortnight, are either being signed by exporters or talks are going on, industry insiders said.
Desai said exports of paddy, cotton, castor oil, guar, soyabean and mus tard meal, ground nut and sesame are expected to rise this year. “Immediately the farmer may now get higher price as new crop arrival is there," she said.
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“But exports will limit down fall and post the surplus is shipped, farmer will get good returns." Priyanka Mittal, director at KRBL LtdBSE 3.32 % that owns India Gate brand of basmati rice, said that with the current crop scenario, local prices of high grade export variety basmati rice are anticipated to remain firm by 15%-18% at Rs 6,000 6,500 a quintal. “A weak rupee will enable basmati exporters to quote competitively to their buyers,“ she said.
Mittal said a softer rupee has come as a relief for commodity traders who have been grappling with GST implementation issues on the domestic front. Davish Jain, chairman of Soybean Processors Association of India, agreed. “The weakening of rupee is some relief,“ he said.
“If the soyabean oil import influx is limited then our export competitiveness will increase. This will ensure that we crush more oilseed and meal cost becomes competitive for us to sell in Asia and Europe.“
Jain said the industry was keen to increase the soyabean meal export figures this year from 1.8 million tonne in 2016-17 and 0.4 million tonnes in 2015-16.
Girdharilal Sarda, president of Guar Gum Manufacturers Association, said the weak rupee would make Indian guar produce more competitive vis-a-vis Pakistan in global markets.
This comes in background of increased exports of guar gum from the country post US President Donald Trump's move to encourage oil drilling in the country.
While many factors, from quality to prices of commodities, determine India's export competitiveness in the global market, the value of the rupee is always a key factor
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/commodities/news/soft-rupee-thrills-commodity-exporters/articleshow/60908391.cmsFear
of losses haunts paddy growers despite expected bumper crop
October
01, 2017
BADIN: Otherwise jubilant over the timely
and sufficient rainfall in Sindh and certain other factors contributing to what
they believe a bumper rice crop, now ready to reap, paddy growers are facing an
uncertain situation with regard to the sale of their produce. Market pulse has
started sending disappointing messages to them as millers, realising
availability of the commodity in abundance over the next few weeks, are likely
to offer very low rates.
The middlemen, who always take the side of
millers in bargaining with growers, have been at work to make up growers’ mind
predicting a rate much lower than what growers expect this season. The trend
has already sparked calls from growers of Badin district for government’s
intervention to fix an official rate in order to save them from suffering heavy
losses.
Badin is one of the biggest rice producing
zone of the country. According to official figures, paddy has been grown over
more than 155,000 hectares this year which may lead to a record yield of the
chief crop of this region in Kharif season. Growers of Shaheed Fazil Rahu
(formerly Golarchi) taluka are sure about a bumper crop while those of Matli,
Talhar, Tando Bago and other areas also expect a high yield. Harvesting in most
parts of the district has already begun.
Allah Bachayo Rahukro, a paddy grower of
Talhar and a leader of the Laar Abadgar Forum, told Dawn that harvesting within
the areas fed through Akram Wah and Phuleli Canal, had picked up momentum and
the crop was likely to arrive in the market very soon.
Many growers speaking to this reporter in
Tando Bago, Matli and Talhar complained that they were being forced to dispose
of their produce at Rs750-Rs800 per 40 kg to millers. The rates do not
commensurate with even the cost of production, according to them.
Wali Hyder Memon, a farmer from Tando Bago
taluka, explained that with the use of hybrid seed, the per acre cost came to a
minimum of Rs25,000, which meant that selling the produce at the offered rates
would leave growers without or a negligible return.
Mr Memon argued that millers fully
realised that growers had no other option but to accept the offered rates as
government was unlikely to timely fix official rates for various verities and
set up procurement centres to lift the crop.
Millers have their own arguments. Zulfikar
Ali Dal, who owns a rice mill in Dei town, told this reporter that his side
could not jump into a competition until being informed that how much stocks
would be lifted by government for exports. “Millers are never taken into
confidence by the relevant departments in this regard,” he said, adding that
millers had a bitter experience in past years due to the uncertainty. “We have
even suffered heavy losses individually after procuring the crop amid an
uncertain situation,” he said.
Mr Iqbal Haider, a water expert from
Badin, pointed out that growers of tail-end areas of Badin, Tando Bago and
Shaheed Fazil Rahu had lately started sowing due to late arrival of water. He
attributed the unfair treatment to lethargy and mismanagement on the part of
the irrigation officials concerned. “Those harvesting the crop in the
August-September period may never get proper yield sufficient enough to cover
the cost of production,” he said.
Mustafa Ayaz Mehri, a grower from Kario
Ghanwar, said the areas which were timely provided water would give a record
yield this season. He said the process of the harvesting would also continue
for a record three months.
Published in Dawn, October 1st,
2017
https://www.dawn.com/news/1361039
Rice growers stressed
to adopt SRP standards to improve yield
ISLAMABAD (APP): Rice
growers in a training session were asked to adopt Sustainable Rice Platform
(SRP) standards to achieve high yield per acre of the crop. The training
session was held in Sheikhupura and was conducted by Rice Partners Pvt Ltd in
collaboration with Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation and MARS food. Over 120 rice
growers attended the event, according to a statement received here on Saturday.
The objective of the training was to train the rice farmers as per global rice
standards of Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP). Talking to the rice growers, the
facilitators said present water scarce scenario of our country was
underlined to keep the lands fertile for longer period, and it was very
important to follow the SRP standards in rice cultivation operations.
"This is need of time that all the stakeholders must bring all the rice
growers under the umbrella of SRP," Project Manager of WAPRO, Zafar Iqbal
said.
In training
sessions, it was discussed that most of the rice farmers adopt indigenous
method of rice cultivation and did not follow the modern techniques as per
recommended in SRP standards. The objective of this training is only to equip
the farmers about SRP standards which are highly recommendable in developed countries.
Chief Operating
officer Rice partners Pvt Ltd Muhammad Ali Tariq informed the participants
about the importance and inter-relation of United Nation's SDGs with
Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP).
He added that this was
demand of the current area that all the rice growers should adopt sustainable
rice cultivation to gain high yield, and to preserve natural resources.
Senior Advisor RPL Dr
Riaz Mann highlighted the importance of laser land leveling, direct seeding of
rice (DSR), AWD technology and post-harvest losses imperative for sustainable
rice cultivation.
He also highlighted
the importance of balanced use of fertilizers as per SRP standards. He trained
the farmers regarding adoption Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) in rice
cultivation as per SRP standards.
http://nation.com.pk/business/01-Oct-2017/news-brief
Okada smugglers attack
Customs, destroys operational vehicles ON SEPTEMBER 30, 201710:18 PMIN
NEWSCOMMENTS …Customs Arrests 3 suspects, seizes 1,000 motorcycles By Udeme
Clement The Ogun Command of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, is in the news again,
as some officers escape death by a whisker when Okada smugglers numbering over
100 attacked them during an operations in the forest to evacuate rice smuggled
into the country at Idiroko, the border between Nigeria and Republic of Benin.
The smugglers who were armed with dangerous weapons took the officers unaware,
destroyed their patrol van beyond repair. It took the intervention of the
Military with reinforcement of more officers in about four Hilux vehicles to
the scene, to calm the situation. When Sunday Vanguard visited the Command,
seized motorcycles were seen on every corner of the Command’s premises at
Santry, Idiroko axis. It was observed that the Command recorded more
seizure of rice than other items. Speaking, the Customs Area Controller, CAC,
of the Command, Comptroller Sani Madugu, Said, “We are declaring war on
Okada smugglers at Idiroko. Last week, we recorded one causality, but in the
last operation, we did not release a single bullet. We arrested three suspects
and over 100 motorcycles, but no life was lost. The suspects must be charged to
court and prosecuted accordingly. In a short period, we have seized over 1000
motorcycles used by smugglers to convey rice from Benin to Nigeria through
illegal routes and the forest”. “We were lucky to intercept eight vehicles
fully loaded with rice, and among the seizures were tokunbo cars. The
incident happened at a forest within a certain village at idiroko. Our
investigations revealed that one motorcycle rider can carry up to eight bags of
rice at once, depending on his strength. In a day, he can make up to three
trips and he collects about N1000 per bag of rice. So, in a month, one Okada
rider can make over N400.000 only in smuggling rice. So, smuggling rice
with Okada is a lucrative business at Idiroko, that is why they do not want to
give up. They are always attacking our officers and some of them can do
anything, even they are ready to die in the course of this illegal business”.
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/okada-smugglers-attack-customs-destroys-operational-vehicles/
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/okada-smugglers-attack-customs-destroys-operational-vehicles/
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/okada-smugglers-attack-customs-destroys-operational-vehicles/
Chinese saline soil rice experiment a success
Adjust
font size: 
A rice growing experiment with saline-alkali soil has beaten
expectations, laying the foundation for commercialization, Chinese scientists
announced Thursday.
Four types of rice registered an estimated output of between 6.5
to 9.3 tonnes per hectare after testing at Qingdao Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice
Research and Development Center.
In spring, more than 200 types of rice were planted at the center
in the coastal city of Qingdao in eastern China's Shandong Province. Diluted
seawater was used on the soil to test which types could survive and prosper in
saline environments.
Seawater from the nearby Yellow Sea was pumped into the center,
diluted to a salinity of around 0.3 percent and channeled into the rice
paddies, then increased to around 0.6 percent salinity, to intensify the effect
on the rice.
Researchers had expected an output of around 4.5 tonnes per
hectare, said Wang Kexiang, chief of center's technology department.
"The test results greatly exceeded our expectations,"
said Liu Shiping, a professor of agriculture at Yangzhou University, who is
reviewing the results.
Certain types of wild rice that have not yet been modified by
humans can survive salinity, but they typically have a yield of between 1.125
to 2.25 tonnes per hectare.
Yuan Longping, who led the experiment, said that he was very
satisfied with the results. Known as China's "Father of Hybrid Rice,"
Yuan helped found the Qingdao center in October 2016.
Rice is a Chinese staple, and the mission of the center is to
develop commercially viable rice tolerant of saline-alkali soil.
Increased
health benefits
Yuan said the increased harvest may encourage farmers to grow more
such rice in the future.
"If a farmer tries to grow some types of saline-tolerant rice
now, they most likely will get 1,500 kilograms per hectare. That is just not profitable
and not even worth the effort," Yuan said.
"Farmers will have an incentive to grow the rice if we can
double the yield," he said.
Increased productivity could also change the landscapes. China has
about 100 million hectares of saline-alkali soil, of which about one fifth
could be cultivated, Yuan said.
Millions of hectares in humid regions of South and Southeast Asia
are technically suited for rice production, but are left uncultivated or have
very low yields because of salinity and problem soil, according to the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the leading research organization
dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger through rice science, which is based
in the Philippines.
Breeding varieties with in-built salt tolerance is considered the
most promising, economical and socially acceptable approach, the IRRI said.
Theoretically, rice grown in saline soil carries added benefits.
Calcium and other micro-nutrients are abundant in salty environments, so the
rice could be rich in these nutrients.
It is also difficult for pathogenic bacteria to grow on
saline-alkali soil, so rice grown there is less likely to be exposed to pests,
which would mean pesticide use could be decreased, said Yang Hongyan from the
Qingdao center.
Long way
ahead
Despite Thursday's announcement of the record-high output,
breeding rice varieties that are tolerant to saline-alkali soil is an arduous
task.
At the Qingdao center, scientists have gathered over 200 types of
rice from around the world, planted them and installed sensors in the fields to
monitor the environment.
So far, the center has also carried out experiments on 35 types of
rice at 23 locations in China, to see which specific types of rice are most
suitable for each area.
It usually takes several years to go through the various legal
procedures involved in having one crop approved by the government for mass
production and distribution on a commercial level.
In addition, to identify and breed potential types of rice, the
center will study saline-alkali soil as well, which involves major engineering
and soil amelioration processes.
But Yuan's team isn't daunted by the difficulties.
They are aiming to change 6.67 million hectares of previously
saline land into arable land, and increase rice production to feed 80 million
people, the scientists said.
http://china.org.cn/business/2017-09/29/content_41665673.htm
Review a la Dunya: The
Rice Bowl
Located in the heart of the city, this
is a restaurant that has managed to become uber successful over time.
By
Wishal Raheel
There are generally just two types of
restaurants that offer Chinese food: the very fancy and the not-so fancy
places.
My dream was to be able to go to a
somewhat casual Chinese restaurant and The Rice Bowl fulfilled that dream.
Located in the heart of the city, this is a restaurant that has managed to
become uber successful over time. The first time I tried it was at the
inaugural Lahore Eat and realised I wanted more of it. When it finally opened
in Gulberg, I obviously wasn’t going to stay back.
Here’s my take on The Rice Bowl.
The
ambience
I absolutely love the outdoor seating
arrangement the eatery has, which is why I always prefer going when the weather
allows for outdoor plans to materialise. Indoors, it’s a very casual, almost
café-like feel. They have expanded the area though, allowing you to find a
table much quicker than you could before the expansion.
The
restaurant has a very casual, almost café-like feel to it. Photo: Wishal
Soup
I’m not the biggest fan of soups, but
I had to try at least one soup just for the sake of trying. I can almost never
have a meal after having soup, so instead I decided to give it a try at home
and got their Thai soup delivered. The soup wasn’t bad but it definitely could
have been better. It lacked the sour kick that Thai soups usually have. Then
again, not being a fan of soup, I really didn’t mind.
Main
course
While dining at Rice Bowl, I always
skip the starter or soup and go directly for the main course. You can choose
from a number of different options which range from Rs. 500 to Rs. 675. I
always choose the Classic Deluxe Bowl, which has one side and two classic mains
i.e any two chicken mains. My side is always a half-and-half combination of
rice and chow mein that, by the way, is an excellent combination.
At
Rice Bowl you can choose from a number of different options with prices ranging
from Rs. 500 to Rs. 675. Photo: Wishal
Crispy
chicken with sweet and sour chilli sauce
This is perhaps the best dish the
restaurant has to offer. It comprises of perfectly golden, fried chunks of
chicken that have a crispy exterior with a wonderfully soft interior. These
chunks are immersed in what is perhaps the best sweet and sour sauce in the
city. You can taste the sweetness of honey with the tangy flavor of the sauce
and a mild spicy flavour that kicks in just as you bite into the chicken. The
dish has lots of stir fried vegetables in it too. The only downside of the dish
is that sometimes the onions and capsicums are a bit too undercooked.
Chicken
with cashew nuts
This is a more salty main dish that,
when combined with the sweetness of the aforementioned dish, makes you feel
like you’re in heaven. It is a perfect blend of soft chicken chunks glazed in a
wonderful thick gravy with a good portion of vegetables added to it. The cashew
nuts add crunch to the otherwise very soft dish and add to the richness of the
flavour.
The
cashew nuts add crunch to the otherwise very soft dish and add to the richness
of the flavour. Photo: Wishal
Overall
experience
The Rice Bowl, although a great
restaurant, has some days when the quality of the food isn’t as high as it is
on other days. I know this perfectly well because my order is always the same.
There are days when the food is either too salty or too oily. It’s still a risk
worth taking because when they get the food right (which is mostly the case),
they offer some really amazing food
http://www.ghananewsagency.org/economics/japan-ready-to-support-ghana-in-the-rice-value-chain-grib-122938
Bio-techs in crops to help Pakistan earn more revenues
through exports
65
Staff
Reporter
Islamabad
Pakistan
has bright prospects of doubling yields of rice, maize and
other crops through application of bio-technology methods
which would help the country make more revenues through their exports.
Pakistan is still not importing Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) foods. Most European Union countries, Japan, Korea and China are importing genetically modified corn, soya, soya-meal, and canola.
In a media briefing, Tan Siang-Hee, Executive Director of ‘CropLife Asia’ said Pakistan needs to introduce bio-technology and other modern methods to enhance farm production beyond self-sufficiency.
“Pakistan is on track, and after attaining self-sufficiency in food, the country needs to adopt such modern technologies and methods which would help make agricultural production sustainable and improve conditions of the farmers,” he said.
CropLife Asia is a Singapore-based international organization – carrying out research and development to introduce innovations in crop protection and plant bio-technology.
Dr Siang-Hee disclosed that 18 million farmers around the world have successfully adopted bio-technology; with this, the total beneficiary peasant families have reached 65 million.
Globally, a total area of bio-tech crops since 1996 has reached 185.1 million hectares in 26 industrialized and developing countries.
Dr Hee stressed the need for Pakistani farmers to be educated about introduction and benefits of bio-technology, improvements in infrastructure of agriculture as a whole, and suggested the government to take measures for value-addition, processing and efficient mechanism for export of fruits and vegetables.
Dr Siang-Hee said he also held a meeting with Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, who informed that a consensus on issue of bio-technology would be developed through consultations with all stakeholders including farming community. The use of bio-technology is already under consideration of the government and a committee has been formed, Bosan said.
Meanwhile, mobile applications were also becoming popular in Pakistan. One of the mobile operators, Mobilink had already launched Value Added Service (VAS) “Ba Khabar Kisaan” to connect farmers, agribusinesses and rural communities to increase productivity, profitability and innovation in the agriculture sector by providing timely and accurate information.
The app based service utilizing interactive voice response technology is providing farmers information and services related to agriculture such as optimized cultivation methods, modern farming techniques, health education for farmers, health precautions for plants, 24/7 helplinewith training, weather information, crop insurance, market related information and a platform for sales.
Another operator Telenor, in continuation of its efforts to take digitization of Pakistani agriculture to the next level, has introduced a project called “Connected Agriculture Platform for Punjab (CAPP) which aims at empowering Pakistani farmers.
Pakistan is still not importing Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) foods. Most European Union countries, Japan, Korea and China are importing genetically modified corn, soya, soya-meal, and canola.
In a media briefing, Tan Siang-Hee, Executive Director of ‘CropLife Asia’ said Pakistan needs to introduce bio-technology and other modern methods to enhance farm production beyond self-sufficiency.
“Pakistan is on track, and after attaining self-sufficiency in food, the country needs to adopt such modern technologies and methods which would help make agricultural production sustainable and improve conditions of the farmers,” he said.
CropLife Asia is a Singapore-based international organization – carrying out research and development to introduce innovations in crop protection and plant bio-technology.
Dr Siang-Hee disclosed that 18 million farmers around the world have successfully adopted bio-technology; with this, the total beneficiary peasant families have reached 65 million.
Globally, a total area of bio-tech crops since 1996 has reached 185.1 million hectares in 26 industrialized and developing countries.
Dr Hee stressed the need for Pakistani farmers to be educated about introduction and benefits of bio-technology, improvements in infrastructure of agriculture as a whole, and suggested the government to take measures for value-addition, processing and efficient mechanism for export of fruits and vegetables.
Dr Siang-Hee said he also held a meeting with Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, who informed that a consensus on issue of bio-technology would be developed through consultations with all stakeholders including farming community. The use of bio-technology is already under consideration of the government and a committee has been formed, Bosan said.
Meanwhile, mobile applications were also becoming popular in Pakistan. One of the mobile operators, Mobilink had already launched Value Added Service (VAS) “Ba Khabar Kisaan” to connect farmers, agribusinesses and rural communities to increase productivity, profitability and innovation in the agriculture sector by providing timely and accurate information.
The app based service utilizing interactive voice response technology is providing farmers information and services related to agriculture such as optimized cultivation methods, modern farming techniques, health education for farmers, health precautions for plants, 24/7 helplinewith training, weather information, crop insurance, market related information and a platform for sales.
Another operator Telenor, in continuation of its efforts to take digitization of Pakistani agriculture to the next level, has introduced a project called “Connected Agriculture Platform for Punjab (CAPP) which aims at empowering Pakistani farmers.
https://pakobserver.net/bio-techs-crops-help-pakistan-earn-revenues-exports/
Sunday 1st October, 2017
Japan ready to support Ghana in the rice
value chain - GRIB
By Samira Larbie/Julius K.
Satsi, GNA
Accra, Oct. 1, GNA - Japan has
shown commitment to collaborate with Ghana to promote the food value chain in
the country with emphasis on increasing the production and processing high
quality rice.
At a seminar for stakeholders
on Thursday, Mr Imoro Amoro, the President of the Ghana Rice Inter-Professional
Body (GRIB) said the rice value chain in the country faced a number of
challenges and that the collaborative effort was timely.
He said the rice value chain
faced challenges with securing concessionary finance for the industry and
experienced difficulties in accessing commercial loans, which made it difficult
for the cost of production to become competitive with farmers in Thailand and
Vietnam.
Mr Amoro said the lack of
certified rice seeds for Ghanaian farmers also made it difficult for farmers
and this is besides the influx of imported rice.
He said the inadequate and
inconsistent Public-Private Partnerships initiatives towards the convergence of
private value chain also hindered the promotion of quality production.
He said the inability of
farmers to adopt appropriate technologies into the rice value chain was another
disturbing factor and called on the youth to take advantage and champion the
incorporation of Information Communication Technology in the sector.
Mr Tomokazu Ohtani, Mizuho Information and
Research Institute Incorporation, said a research shows that interfusion of
stones, dark rice, among others were some of the reasons the local rice do not
meet the quality it demands.
He said to improve the quality
of rice by small scale manufacturers and more importantly in the destoning
process there was the need for machines to be made available for farmers as the
continouss breakdown was affecting their yield.
He said for this reason the
JICA project was introducing a support system initiative to ensure high quality
local rice and promote high value-added domestic rice that would be right for
the market.
“This will promote the
mutually beneficial development of agricultural sector for both Africa and
Japan through utilizing capable technologies to advance high-value added
agricultural products,” he said.
Professor George Oduro
Nkansah, the Director of the Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology at
the University of Ghana, said the country needed to develop technologies to
suit the Japanese technology of rice production.
He said: “If we are able to
cooperate with them or adopt their technologies, it will go a long way to help
us in our rice industry as well as the vegetable industry.
“New things come up always and hence we need
to update our technologies so we can upscale the quality of our rice,” Prof.
Nkansah said.
The seminar, attended by Small
to Medium Enterprises was aimed at linking investors in both countries to
ensure the incorporation of new technologies in the rice industry of Ghana.
New products and technologies
for improved rice production and cultivation was also introduced at the
seminar.
https://pakobserver.net/travelling-rice-seminar-visits-100-farm-fields/
Japan ready to support Ghana in rice value chain – GRIB
Japan has shown commitment to collaborate with Ghana to
promote the food value chain in the country with emphasis on increasing the
production and processing high quality rice. At a seminar for stakeholders on
Thursday, Mr Imoro Amoro, the President of the Ghana Rice Inter-Professional
Body (GRIB) said the rice value chain in the country faced a number of
challenges and that the collaborative effort was timely. He said the rice value
chain faced challenges with securing concessionary finance for the industry and
experienced difficulties in accessing commercial loans, which made it difficult
for the cost of production to become competitive with farmers in Thailand and
Vietnam. Mr Amoro said the lack of certified rice seeds for Ghanaian farmers
also made it difficult for farmers and this is besides the influx of imported
rice. He said the inadequate and inconsistent Public-Private Partnerships
initiatives towards the convergence of private value chain also hindered the
promotion of quality production. He said the inability of farmers to adopt
appropriate technologies into the rice value chain was another disturbing
factor and called on the youth to take advantage and champion the incorporation
of Information Communication Technology in the sector. Mr Tomokazu Ohtani, Mizuho Information and
Research Institute Incorporation, said a research shows that interfusion of
stones, dark rice, among others were some of the reasons the local rice do not
meet the quality it demands. He said to improve the quality of rice by small
scale manufacturers and more importantly in the destoning process there was the
need for machines to be made available for farmers as the continouss breakdown
was affecting their yield. He said for this reason the JICA project was
introducing a support system initiative to ensure high quality local rice and
promote high value-added domestic rice that would be right for the market. “This will promote the mutually beneficial
development of agricultural sector for both Africa and Japan through utilizing
capable technologies to advance high-value added agricultural products,” he
said. Professor George Oduro Nkansah, the Director of the Institute of Applied
Sciences and Technology at the University of Ghana, said the country needed to
develop technologies to suit the Japanese technology of rice production. He
said: “If we are able to cooperate with them or adopt their technologies, it
will go a long way to help us in our rice industry as well as the vegetable
industry. “New things come up always and hence we need to update our
technologies so we can upscale the quality of our rice,” Prof. Nkansah said. The seminar, attended by Small to Medium
Enterprises was aimed at linking investors in both countries to ensure the
incorporation of new technologies in the rice industry of Ghana. New products
and technologies for improved rice production and cultivation was also
introduced at the seminar.
Author Name:
https://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2017/10/02/japan-ready-to-support-ghana-in-rice-value-chain-grib/
