2nd February,2019 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

PAU scientists awarded

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Feb 2, 2019, 7:11 AM; last updated: Feb 2, 2019, 7:11 AM (IST)

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 1

The Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers, New Delhi conferred ‘ISAE TEAM AWARD 2018’ to scientists of Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, PAU. The team comprising Manjeet Singh, Manpreet Singh, HS Sidhu, Rajesh Goyal, GS Manes, Aseem Verma and JS Mahal have been awarded for their work ‘Super straw management system (SMS): An innovative solution for in-situ management of paddy residue in rice-wheat system’.

The award was presented by Dr Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary DARE and Director General ICAR during 53rd annual convention of ISAE and International Symposium on Engineering Technologies for Precision and Climate Smart Agriculture’ held at Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (India) from January 28-30. Navtej Singh Bains, Director of Research, PAU, and Dr Ashok Kumar, Dean College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, PAU congratulated the team for its achievement.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/pau-scientists-awarded/722508.html

Jay Byrne: Meet the Man Behind the Monsanto PR Machine

February 1, 2019 by Stacy Malkan

Monsanto’s former Director of Corporate Communications Jay Byrne, president of the public relations firm v-Fluence, is a key player in the covert propaganda and lobbying campaigns of the world’s largest agrichemical companies. Emails obtained by U.S. Right to Know, posted in the UCSF Chemical Industry Documents Archive, reveal a range of deceptive tactics Byrne and other industry allies are using to promote and defend GMO foods and pesticides.

The examples here showcase some of the ways companies are moving their messaging into the public arena from behind the cover of neutral-sounding front groups, government helpers and academics who appear to be independent as they work with corporations or their PR consultants.

Clients are top agrichemical, agribusiness and drug companies and tradegroups

Byrne’s client list has included a range of the largest agribusiness and pharmaceutical companies and business groups, including the American Chemistry Council, Syngenta, AstraZeneca, Monsanto, Pfizer, the International Rice Research Institute, the American Farm Bureau, National Corn Growers Association, Grocery Manufacturers Association, Rohm & Haas and the pesticide industry trade group CropLife.

Cooked up academic front group to attack Monsanto critics

A key strategy of the agrichemical industry, as the New York Times reported, is to deploy “white hat” professors to fight the industry’s PR and lobbying battles from behind the cover of the “gloss of impartiality and weight of authority that come with a professor’s pedigree.” 

In March 2010, Byrne and University of Illinois Professor Bruce Chassy discussed setting up a front group called “Academics Review” that could attract donations from corporations while appearing to be independent. Byrne compared the idea to the Center for Consumer Freedom (a front group run by infamous corporate propaganda front-man Rick Berman), which “has cashed in on this to the extreme; and I think we have a much better concept.” Byrne described an “‘opportunities’ list with targets” they could go after. Byrne wrote to Dr. Chassy:

All those groups, people and topic areas “mean money for a range of well heeled corporations,” Byrne wrote. He said he and Val Giddings, PhD, a former vice president for the biotech trade group BIO, could serve as “commercial vehicles” for the academics.

In November 2010, Byrne wrote to Chassy again, “It will be good to get the next phase of work on Academics Review going – we’ve got a relative slow first quarter coming up in 2011 if business remains the same.” Byrne offered to “schedule some pro bono search engine optimization time” for his team to counter a GMO critic’s online influence. Byrne concluded the email, “As always, would love to find the next topic (and sponsor) to broaden this while we are able.”

In 2014, Academics Review released a report attacking the organic industry as a marketing scam; in its own marketing materials for the report, Academics Review claimed to be independent and did not disclose its agrichemical industry funding.

For more information:

·       Monsanto Fingerprints Found All Over Attack on Organic Food, by Stacy Malkan, Huffington Post (6.30.2016)

·       Academics Review: The Making of a Monsanto Front Group, USRTK fact sheet

“US government-GLP-Byrne projects” to sway journalists

Byrne’s lobbying and PR operations for the GMO and pesticide industry intersect at many points with the work of Jon Entine, another key figure in agrichemical industry defense campaigns. Entine directs the Genetic Literacy Project, which he launched in 2011 when Monsanto was a client of his PR firm. (Entine’s PR firm ESG MediaMetrics listed Monsanto as a client on its website in 2010, 2011, 2012 and up to January 2013, according to internet archives still available online.)

In December 2013, Entine wrote to Max T. Holtzman, who was then acting deputy undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to propose collaborating on a series of what he described as “US government-GLP-Byrne projects” to promote GMOs. Entine wrote to Holtzman:

Entine’s proposed “US government-GLP-Byrne” projects included a “Boot Camp and Response Swat Team” to prepare third-party academics for “potential legislative engagement on [GMO] labeling and related issues,” a “journalism conclave” to bolster media coverage about food security challenges and “provide coaching to younger journalists,” a global media outreach campaign to promote acceptance of biotechnology, and “multi-media content and placements from credible sources” reinforcing key themes “with segments and footage made available on U.S. government websites, GLP and other platforms.”

Holtzman responded, “Thanks Jon. It was great meeting you as well. I think your outline below provides natural intersection points where usda/USG messaging and your efforts intersect well. I’d like to engage further and loop other folks here at usda not only from the technical/trade areas but from our communications shop as well.”

Taxpayer-funded, Monsanto-aligned videos to promote GMOs

A series of taxpayer-funded videos produced in 2012 to promote genetically engineered foods provide another example of how academics and universities push corporate-aligned messaging. Byrne’s PR firm v-Fluence helped create the videos that were “designed to appear a little low budget and amateurish,” according to an email from University of Illinois Professor Bruce Chassy.

Dr. Chassy wrote to Monsanto employees on April 27, 2012:

Monsanto’s Eric Sachs responded:

Sachs offered to assist with messaging of future videos by sharing the results of focus group tests Monsanto was conducting. Dr. Chassy invited Sachs to offer suggestions for future video topics and asked him to send along the Monsanto focus group results.

Training scientists and journalists to frame the debate about GMOs and pesticides

In 2014 and 2015, Byrne helped Jon Entine organize the Biotech Literacy Project boot camps funded by agrichemical companies and co-hosted by two industry front groups, Entine’s Genetic Literacy Project and Bruce Chassy’s Academics Review. Organizers misleadingly described the funding for the events as coming from a mix of academic, government and industry sources, but the only traceable source of funding was the agrichemical industry, according to reporting by Paul Thacker in The Progressive. The purpose of the boot camps, Thacker reported, was “to train scientists and journalists to frame the debate over GMOs and the toxicity of glyphosate.”

Byrne was on the organizing team, along with Cami Ryan (who now works for Monsanto) and Bruce Chassy (who was receiving funds from Monsanto that weren’t publicly disclosed), according to emails from Entine and Ryan.

For more information:

·       Flacking for GMOs: How the Biotech Industry Cultivates Positive Media—and Discourages Criticism, by Paul Thacker, The Progressive (7.21.17)

·       Industry-funded Biotech Literacy Project Boot Camps, USRTK fact sheet

Bonus Eventus: the agrichemical industry’s social media echo chamber

A key service Byrne provides to agrichemical promotional efforts is his “Bonus Eventus community” that supplies academics and other industry allies with talking points and promotional opportunities. Internal documents (page 9) describe Bonus Eventus as “a private social networking portal that serves as a communication cooperative for agriculture-minded scientists, policy makers and other stakeholders.” Members receive Byrne’s newsletter, plus access to his reference library of agribusiness topics, “stakeholder database” of influential people in the GMO debate, and trainings and support for social media engagement.

Examples of the newsletter can be found in this cache of emails from Byrne to Peter Phillips, a University of Saskatchewan professor who has been criticized by colleaguesfor his close ties to Monsanto. In the Nov. 7, 2016 newsletter, Byrne urged Phillips and other recipients to share content about the “flaws and omissions” in a New York Times story that reported on the failure of GMO crops to increase yields and reduce pesticides, and the “mounting questions” facing an international group of cancer scientists who reported glyphosate is a probably human carcinogen (see our reporting about documents describing how Monsanto coordinated attacks on the cancer panelvia their “industry partners”).

Byrne urged the Bonus Eventus community to share content on these themes from industry-connected writers, such as Julie Kelly, Dr. Henry Miller, Kavin Senapathy, The Sci Babe and Hank Campbell of the American Council on Science and Health, a group Monsanto was paying to help discredit the cancer scientists. In 2017, Forbes deleted dozens of articles by Dr. Miller – including several he co-authored with Kelly, Senapathyand Byrne – after the New York Times reported that Dr. Miller had published an article in Forbes under his own name that had been ghostwritten by Monsanto.

Gatekeeper for attack on Greenpeace

When a group of Nobel laureates called on Greenpeace to stop opposing genetically engineered rice, it looked like an independent effort. But behind the curtain of impressive credentials were the helping hands of two key players in the agrichemical industry’s PR lobby: Jay Byrne and a board member of the Genetic Literacy Project. Byrne was posted at the door at a National Press Club event promoting a group called Support Precision Agriculture. The .com version of that website redirects to the Genetic Literacy Project, a front group that works with Monsanto on PR projects without disclosing those ties.

Sir Richard Roberts, a biochemist who said he organized the Nobel laureate letter, explained the backstory in an FAQ on the website. Dr. Roberts said the “campaign has been pretty inexpensive so far,” consisting mostly of his salary paid by his employer New England Biolabs, and out-of-pocket expenses paid by Matt Winkler. Winkler, chairman of the Winkler Foundation, is a funder and board member of Genetic Literacy Project. Dr. Roberts explained that Winkler “enlisted a friend, Val Giddings,” (the former biotech trade group VP) who “suggested Jay Byrne,” who offered pro bono logistical support for the press event.

Byrne and Giddings also helped orchestrate the industry-funded Academics Review; in those emails, Byrne named Greenpeace on the “targets” list he was compiling for Monsanto. Another of Byrne’s clients, the International Rice Research Institute, is the main industry group trying to commercialize GMO Golden Rice, the product at the center of the Greenpeace critique. Research by Glenn Davis Stone of Washington University in St. Louis has found that low yields and technical difficulties have held up Golden Rice, not opposition from environmental groups.

In his FAQ, Dr. Roberts dismissed Dr. Stone’s research as “not an accurate representation of the state of affairs,” and instead pointed to industry-connected sources who will be familiar to readers of Byrne’s Bonus Eventus newsletter: Julie Kelly, Henry Miller and Academics Review.

The press event took place at a critical moment for industry, and generated a helpful story in the Washington Post, a week before Congress voted to prohibit states from labeling GMOs.

Fiber composition in rice coproducts revealed in Illinois study

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL, CONSUMER AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

URBANA, Ill. - Rice coproducts in pig diets add fat and fiber, but too much fiber can decrease energy absorption and digestibility. A recent study from the University of Illinois characterizes the chemical composition of fiber in rice and rice coproducts, which could lead to diet interventions for improved digestibility.

"Because of rice fiber's low fermentability, there's a high upside potential for increased digestibility if we can find specific enzymes that can help degrade those fibers. For pigs, the most important thing is to be able to get more energy out of each ingredient," says Hans Stein, professor in the Department of Animal Sciences and the Division of Nutritional Sciences at U of I, and co-author of the study published in Animal Feed Science and Technology.

A former doctoral researcher working with Stein, Gloria Casas, analyzed the carbohydrate composition of several ingredients - brown rice, broken rice, full-fat rice bran, defatted rice bran, and rice mill feed - in a laboratory in Denmark. She also evaluated the digestibility of each ingredient by simulating the environments of the pig stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, including fermentability by gut microbes.

The ingredients varied widely in starch, cellulose, lignin, and fiber content, among other specific carbohydrate fractions, but for all ingredients, the primary carbohydrates were arabinoxylans.

"Arabinoxylans are relatively complex fibers that consist primarily of two sugars, arabinose and xylose, though there are many others in there, too," Stein says. "That is true for all the rice coproducts, but the ratio between arabinose and xylose differs among the ingredients. That ratio, to some degree, influences the functionality of the fibers."

Simulated (in vitro) digestibility was higher in brown rice and broken rice than for all other coproducts, which Stein and Casas expected, given that full-fat rice bran, defatted rice bran, and rice mill feed were much higher in insoluble fibers. The results confirm earlier digestibility studies the researchers completed with the same ingredients in pigs.

Stein notes the results don't just apply to pigs.

"Humans consume rice and rice bran all over the world. Knowing the specific fiber composition of these products will allow us to figure out which gut microbes are affected," he says. "In humans, one of the major problems in terms of nutrition in our part of the world is that we don't get enough fiber. If we consume these fibers, how will they affect our gut microbes?"

###

The article, "Arabinoxylan is the main polysaccharide in fiber from rice coproducts, and increased concentration of fiber decreases in vitro digestibility of dry matter," is published in Animal Feed Science and Technology [DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2018.11.017]. Authors include Gloria Casas, Helle Lærke, Knud Bach Knudsen, and Hans Stein. The work was supported by the Office of International Programs in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at U of I, and the Bill and Mary Lee Dimond Fund

https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-02/uoic-fci020119.php

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New studies suggest that white rice alone doesn’t increase the risk of diabetes

Kathleen.F 2019-02-01 Current Affairs

Back in 2017, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged Singaporeans to start replacing white rice with brown or mixed-grain rice for a healthier diet. White rice, he said, would cause your blood sugar to rise up, implying that eating white rice would increase a person’s risk of developing diabetes – a major health concern in Singapore. He suggested switching to brown rice instead.

In fact, Singapore's Health Promotion Board in 2016 cited studies by the Harvard School of Public Health in the United States which showed that each plate of white rice eaten daily on a regular basis raises the risk of diabetes by 11 per cent in the overall population.

However, the PM and the SHPB might want to rethink their advice upon reading two new studies that suggest white rice on its own isn’t linked to increased risk of diabetes.

Professor Koh Woon Puay, director of the Centre for Clinician-Scientist Development at Duke-NUS Medical School and co-author of the studies said that the risk of getting diabetes depends on what the rice is substituted with and the overall quality of a person’s diet.

Both studies used data from the ongoing Singapore Chinese Health Study, which was started in 1993 by the National University of Singapore (NUS).

One study, by researchers from NUS and Duke-NUS Medical School, found no link between the quantity of white rice consumed and the risk of Type 2 diabetes when other variables like age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and other food intake were controlled for.

"Even over a relatively wide range of rice intakes, from half a bowl to several bowls a day, we didn't see much of an increase in the risk of diabetes," said Professor Rob Martinus van Dam, domain leader of epidemiology at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health in NUS and one of the study's co-authors.

When someone eats less rice, they are likely to eat more of something else to maintain their calorie intake, says Prof van Dam. So researchers found that people who ate different foods in rice were affected differently.

For example, switching to noodle dishes would mean a higher salt and oil in take. Others might eat more meat to feel full.

These can affect their risk of developing diabetes.

The study also found that substituting white rice with whole grains does actually decrease the risk. So PM Lee did get that part right – switching to brown rice, a whole-grain rice, would reduce your risk of developing diabetes.

In the second study, researchers found that whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and a moderate amount of dairy were associated with lower risks of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. This is in line with other established dietary studies from mostly Western countries.

On the other hand, researchers found that sugar-sweetened drinks, processed meat and red meat - including beef, pork and even the darker portions of poultry like chicken thigh meat - were associated with higher risks of the same diseases.

It is the first such study to examine local food specifically.

Additionally, Prof Koh also noted that the amount of food consumed played a bigger role in the risk of developing diabetes than the absolute intake of calories. Basically, you can eat everything in moderation – yes, even unhealthy foods like red meat and sugar.

These studies also suggest that the top 20% of participants who had ‘higher quality’ diets were 20% less likely to develop diabetes compared to the bottom 20%.

Diet quality was ranked based on how often and how much of a specific food that each participants ate on average. So those who consumed more whole grains, low-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits and vegetables were ranked higher.

Those who ate more processed and red meats, sugary drinks, and sodium were given lower scores. Foods like fish and refined grains such as white rice were not scored.

Group director of policy, research and surveillance at the Health Promotion Board, Dr Annie Ling said these studies are timely given the findings of the National Nutrition Survey 2018.

The survey showed that there have been gradual improvements in the dietary habits of Singaporeans but there was still room for improvement. Dr Lin said, "While Singaporeans are consuming more whole grains, fruits and vegetables, high sugar and sodium intake remains a cause for concern.”

https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2019/02/01/new-studies-suggest-that-white-rice-alone-doesnt-increase-the-risk-of-diabetes/

Fiber in rice co-products characterized for swine diets

Rice co-products in pig diets add fat and fiber, but too much fiber can decrease energy absorption and digestibility.

Feb 01, 2019

A recent study from the University of Illinois characterized the chemical composition of fiber in rice and rice co-products, which could lead to dietary interventions for improved digestibility for swine.

"Because of rice fiber's low fermentability, there's a high upside potential for increased digestibility if we can find specific enzymes that can help degrade those fibers. For pigs, the most important thing is to be able to get more energy out of each ingredient," said Hans Stein, professor in the department of animal sciences and the Division of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Illinois and co-author of the study published in Animal Feed Science & Technology.

Gloria Casas, a former doctoral researcher working with Stein, analyzed the carbohydrate composition of several ingredients — brown rice, broken rice, full-fat rice bran, defatted rice bran and rice mill feed — in a laboratory in Denmark. She also evaluated the digestibility of each ingredient by simulating the environments of the pig's stomach, small intestine and large intestine, including fermentability by gut microbes, the University of Illinois announcement said.

The ingredients varied widely in starch, cellulose, lignin and fiber content, among other specific carbohydrate fractions, but for all ingredients, the primary carbohydrates were arabinoxylans.

"Arabinoxylans are relatively complex fibers that consist primarily of two sugars, arabinose and xylose, though there are many others in there, too," Stein said. "That is true for all the rice co-products, but the ratio between arabinose and xylose differs among the ingredients. That ratio, to some degree, influences the functionality of the fibers."

Simulated (in vitro) digestibility was higher in brown rice and broken rice than for all other co-products, which Stein and Casas expected, given that full-fat rice bran, defatted rice bran and rice mill feed were much higher in insoluble fibers. The results confirm earlier digestibility studies the researchers completed with the same ingredients in pigs.

Stein noted that the results don't just apply to pigs.

"Humans consume rice and rice bran all over the world. Knowing the specific fiber composition of these products will allow us to figure out which gut microbes are affected," he said. "In humans, one of the major problems in terms of nutrition in our part of the world is that we don't get enough fiber. If we consume these fibers, how will they affect our gut microbes?"

Source: University of Illinois, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

https://www.feedstuffs.com/nutrition-health/fiber-rice-co-products-characterized-swine-diets

Analysts push for long-term policies to arrest cedi depreciation

The cedi has depreciated by 11 percent between January last year and the same period this year

It is time for government to focus on policies that will encourage the production of goods that the country is capable of while adding value to exports as a sustainable means of reducing imports and strengthening the local currency, financial and economic analysts have said.

The cedi has currently crossed GH¢5 to a dollar compared to GH¢4.42 in the same period last year and GH¢4.27 in January 2017 – a situation many fear will get worse if long-term measures are not put in place.

This essentially means that the cedi has depreciated 10.6 percent against the US$ since January 2018.

Head of Finance Department at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Prof. John Gatsi, told the B&FT that until managers of the economy focus on long-term policies that will reduce the import of products that can be easily produced in the country, the cedi’s woes will never cease.

“The Bank of Ghana report shows that rice importation has increased to US$300million, while sugar imports also increased to US$123million. We already have policies for reducing rice importation; we already have policies toward reducing sugar import in the form of the Komenda Sugar Factory. So, it means we are not implementing policies that should limit the demand of certain commodities.

“We also know that some agriculture produce is part of the items we import into this country. So, the question is: what is our agricultural policy achieving? What is it directed toward? It should be targetted toward sustainable food production and dealing with key imports that we have the ability to produce. But it seems we are not managing the agriculture sector as part of the policies to address depreciation of the currency,” he said.

He further debunked the idea that the local currency is suffering from external shocks, particularly the strength of the US economy – saying if the country focuses more on the things it has control over, the impact of external shocks will not be felt.

“Even though we may explain this with some factors such as performance of the US dollar, the point is that most countries trade with the US dollar but their currencies are not depreciating the way the cedi is. We need to deal with the factors that we have control over; and after we have done so, then we will see that international developments have minimal effects on our economy,” he said.

His view is also shared by an economics professor at the University of Ghana, Peter Quartey, who said the currency depreciation is a result of excess demand for foreign currency over-supply, which is caused mainly by the high level of importation.

“There is excess demand over supply for forex. And what is causing this is that our imports continue to be a challenge: we tend to import quite a lot.

“A sustainable way of managing the exchange rate is to export more value-added products, not raw materials. We have to add value to all things we export – like cocoa, gold etc., before they are exported,” he said in an interview with the B&FT.

He further urged the central bank to enforce its regulation on forex trading, as he argues all efforts to address the depreciation will be in vain if forex trading is not properly regulated.

“[In Ghana] you can walk to any corner and exchange money without any identification. In most countries you cannot do that; you need a passport or some identification to do that. But in our case, people walk in from neighbouring countries and come and load the dollars into suitcases and go.

“So, if we don’t address this problem, no matter how much Bank of Ghana pumps in, it will leak. I heard the Bank of Ghana has started it, but I want to see more effort,” he said.

https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Analysts-push-for-long-term-policies-to-arrest-cedi-depreciation-719925

Philippines - Government may allow more sugar imports once rice tariffs approved

Published: 01 February 2019 11:40 AM

The government might allow more sugar imports to the Philippines to reduce prices of the commodity as soon as the rice tariffication bill becomes law, the National Economic and Development Authority said.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Perni

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https://www.agra-net.com/agra/international-sugar-and-sweetener-report/analysis/trade/philippines---government-may-allow-more-sugar-imports-once-rice-tariffs-approved--1.htm

VN loses out on global market without rice brand

Update: February, 01/2019 - 09:00

Vietnamese rice exporters often ship in 50-kilogramme bags under the labels of their foreign distributors. — VNS Photo Hoàng Nguyên

Hoàng Nguyên
LONG AN — Trung An Hi-tech Farming JSC in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta has been exporting rice under foreign brand names for many years though it is itself one of the biggest rice exporters in Việt Nam.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the third Vietnamese Rice Festival in Long An Province last December, Phạm Thái Bình, the company’s director, said to let consumers know about Vietnamese rice products, exporters like his company have to be able to show consumers their brand logos.
“But at the moment we still depend on buyers, which means they decide the packaging and labelling and we only have to follow instructions.
“Some markets allow the phrase ‘origin in Việt Nam’ to be written on the package, and that is already quite generous.”
He said foreign buyers usually order in bulk and want 50kg packaged under their name.
“They do not have to introduce Vietnamese rice to consumers, they just want to promote their own brands.”
According to the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development (MARD), Việt Nam exports to 150 markets yet global recognition of Vietnamese rice brands is still very low.
Last December, it unveiled the official Việt Nam rice brand logo hoping to create a firm foothold in the global market.
Bình said it was an important move because it would help consumers identify Vietnamese rice since the logo is on the package.
But having a national brand does not mean it would automatically enhance the value of Vietnamese rice, he said.
“Whether or not we can increase the value depends on the quality of the product. Quality decides everything. Even the national rice brand can only be successful if companies and farmers collaborate to improve product quality.”
Nguyễn Quốc Toản, acting director of MARD’s Deparment of Agricultural Market Processing and Development, had emphasised the importance of quality at the launch of the national brand logo.
“The main issue [when building a brand for Vietnamese rice] is product quality because no brand will be accepted when the quality is poor.
“First and foremost, we need to improve the quality of our rice grain to not only meet the requirements of traditional rice markets but also niche markets in future.”
He said enterprises and farmers must work together very closely to enhance the value of Vietnamese rice.
Reduce quantity to improve quality
Dr Nguyễn Đức Thành, director of the Institute of Economic and Policy Research, told Việt Nam News that consumers are now more demanding than ever.
“They want to buy clean and organic rice whose production is traceable.”
He said farmers have to meet those requirements but cannot do it by themselves.

Việt Nam introduced a national rice brand logo last December as part of efforts to get a foothold in the global market. — VNS Photo Hoàng Nguyên

They have to work with enterprises because the latter work directly with consumers and have the responsibility to ensure people can buy good quality products, he said.
“Only by joining hands can farmers and enterprises tap foreign markets.”
He also pointed out that due to low productivity, farmers have to grow three rice crops a year instead of two as recommended by scientists for sustainability, which leads to low quality and almost no value addition.If the non-agricultural sector grows further, farmers could abandon the third crop, he said.
“Production may decrease but quality will improve and bring more value.”According to Dr Nguyễn Văn Sánh, former director of the Mekong Delta Development Research Institute, the delta, the country’s rice basket, has been hit by climate change in recent years, which has brought challenges such as changing water flows, low market competitiveness and overexploitation of agricultural resources.
Besides, production costs increase while quality deteriorates, he said.
“To develop a sustainable rice industry, farmers, enterprises and administrators must be ‘smart’ in production and trading.”
It can be done by selecting appropriate rice varieties, making use of ecological advantages through regional and sub-regional integration, improving production techniques, and adopting effective mechanisms and policies, he added.

Domestic market

Dr Thành noted that enterprises need to pay more attention to communication and advertising to build their brands in the domestic market first before expanding overseas.
He said though advertising is costly, without communication consumers cannot know and would continue to think that foreign rice is better than Vietnamese rice though it is not always the reality.
He said high-income families prefer to buy imported rice from Japan, Thailand or South Korea, and so building rice brands should not only be for international markets but also the domestic market.
“We can sell Vietnamese rice at supermarkets overseas but on a small scale. At the moment the biggest market for us is the domestic market.
“It has 100 million people who eat rice every day.
“Only a small number of highly selective consumers care about rice brands while the majority are indifferent.
“The domestic market is very sustainable for us as it is familiar and we have knowledge about the local market and consumers.” — VNS

https://vietnamnews.vn/economy/484891/vn-loses-out-on-global-market-without-rice-brand.html#bTKUqGlfvIMMhd1D.97

Indian, Thai rice markets quiet; Bangladesh clamps down on hoarders

(Reuters) - Top Asian rice exporters India and Thailand saw muted activity this week, while a government clampdown on hoarding pushed down local prices of the staple in Bangladesh.

Thailand’s benchmark 5 percent broken rice prices were unchanged from last week at $390–$402 per tonne, free on board Bangkok. “Right now the stronger baht is the main factor influencing prices, but that hasn’t helped us sell rice,” a Bangkok-based trader said. While demand has hardly changed, supply is expected to jump next month, traders said.

The baht has gained nearly 3.4 percent versus the dollar so far this year. “The Philippines remain the market that Thai exporters look to, but so far things have been quiet,” another trader in Bangkok said. Thai exports are expected to fall 14 percent this year as a stronger currency makes shipments more expensive for overseas buyers, the country’s rice exporters association said. Thai growers have also faced increased competition from India, the world’s biggest rice exporter, and Vietnam, the third biggest, Chookiat Ophaswongse, the association’s honorary president, told a news conference.

 Prices for India’s benchmark 5 percent broken parboiled variety were also unchanged, at $381-$386 per tonne, due to sluggish demand.

Export prices in India had shot up after the central state of Chhattisgarh, a leading rice producer, raised minimum paddy buying prices. “African buyers are just making inquiries, but trade is not happening,” said an exporter based at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. In neighbouring Bangladesh, domestic prices of the staple have started to drop slightly this week after the government vowed to take punitive measures against hoarders. “Action will be taken against the traders who had stockpiled to create an artificial crisis in the market,” said a commerce ministry official, adding a recent spike in rates was unwarranted given healthy reserves and good crop.

Higher domestic prices for the staple had prompted speculation among traders that the government would cut the import duty, which the government has ruled out.

In Vietnam, rates for the benchmark 5 percent broken rice rose to $350 a tonne from $340 last week, but business was quiet, traders said. “There will be virtually no shipments from Vietnam over the next week due to the Lunar New Year holiday,” a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City said. Government data released on Tuesday showed Vietnam’s rice exports in January likely fell 18.5 percent from a year earlier.

https://in.reuters.com/article/india-budget-markets/indian-shares-10-year-yields-gain-after-budget-idINKCN1PQ3KI

Vietnamese scientist finds anti-diabetes compounds in white rice

Friday, 2019-02-01 13:14:13

Associate Professor Tran Dang Xuan with experiments on rice genes. (Photo: Hiroshima University)

NDO – Research by Associate Professor Tran Dang Xuan, who is working at Hiroshima University (Japan), has discovered and successfully isolated two precious compounds of momilactones A and B, which inhibit enzymes in white rice.

This announcement was published by the MDPI International Journal of Molecular Sciences in Switzerland on January 29. This is the first study to confirm the presence of momilactones A and B (MA and MB) in refined rice seeds, and the first to find anti-diabetic compounds in white rice. Some studies have previously found rice to have compounds that inhibit diabetes, but only in brown or red rice, which are often of poor quality and difficult to consume. MA and MB compounds are very rare in the world market and have not been fully studied for biological and pharmacological activities. The compound was sold at US$125 per 0.1 mg on carbosynth.com, a company that sells famous British biochemical products. Xuan said that there are four genes involved in the synthesis of Momilactones A and B in rice. This will help in creating new rice varieties that can inhibit diabetes, helping to increase the value of Vietnamese rice. The discovery of Momilactones A and B suggests a new concept that eating a moderate amount of rice every day contributes to human health by reducing the risk of diabetes, gout and obesity. Several recent reports indicate that there are more than 3 million people in Vietnam suffering from or facing diabetes risks, so the results of this study are particularly significant. After only one month of appraisal and criticism the work was published in the MDPI International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ranking No. 1 – at Q1 – on scimagolab.com's ratings). MDPI is a member of the Publication Ethics Committee (COPE), which is evaluated by researchers as having a strict policy of ensuring the high quality of published scientific works.

http://en.nhandan.org.vn/scitech/item/7115002-vietnamese-scientist-finds-anti-diabetes-compounds-in-white-rice.html

New study argues white rice by itself not linked to increased diabetes risk, overall diet quality more important

"Even over a relatively wide range of rice intakes, from half a bowl to several bowls a day, we didn't see much of an increase in the risk of diabetes," said Professor Rob Martinus van Dam.

PHOTO: The Straits Times

REI KUROHI

Feb 01, 2019

SINGAPORE - Cutting down on white rice may not in itself lower a person's risk of getting diabetes, two new studies have found.

The risk depends on what the rice is substituted with and the overall quality of a person's diet, said Professor Koh Woon Puay, director of the Centre for Clinician-Scientist Development at Duke-NUS Medical School, a co-author of the studies.

Both studies used data from the ongoing Singapore Chinese Health Study, which was started in 1993 by the National University of Singapore (NUS).

This comes after a series of previous studies that linked white rice to diabetes. In 2016, Singapore's Health Promotion Board cited studies by the Harvard School of Public Health in the United States which showed that each plate of white rice eaten daily on a regular basis raises the risk of diabetes by 11 per cent in the overall population.

In one study, researchers from NUS and Duke-NUS Medical School found no link between the quantity of white rice consumed and the risk of Type 2 diabetes when controlled for other variables like age, sex and body mass index (BMI), and various other food intakes.

Type 2 diabetes is related to weight management, and is a result of blocked or reduced insulin receptors. Over 90 per cent of diabetics suffer from Type 2 diabetes.

"Even over a relatively wide range of rice intakes, from half a bowl to several bowls a day, we didn't see much of an increase in the risk of diabetes," said Professor Rob Martinus van Dam, domain leader of epidemiology at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health in NUS and one of the study's co-authors.

Prof van Dam said the study showed that a person who eats less rice is likely to eat more of something else to maintain the same calorie intake.

But people who ate different foods in place of rice were affected differently.

For example, a person may choose more noodle dishes, which are often cooked in sauces that are high in salt and oil, he said. Others may eat more meat to feel full.

These increase their risk of diabetes.

Substituting rice with whole grains, on the other hand, decreases the risk.

Another study, also involving Prof van Dam and Prof Koh, used established diet quality indices to determine the overall "quality" of a person's dietary pattern.

They then measured the link between diet quality and diabetes risk.

A list of 165 food items and beverages were identified, covering an estimated 90 per cent of what is commonly eaten by the population in Singapore.

It is the first such study to examine local food specifically.

The researchers said the study found that whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and a moderate amount of dairy were associated with lower risks of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, in line with other established dietary studies from mostly Western countries.

Sugar-sweetened drinks, processed meat and red meat - including beef, pork and even the darker portions of poultry like chicken thigh meat - were found to be associated with higher risks of the same diseases.

The items were scored according to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (Dash) diet index.

The proportion of each item as a part of a consistent dietary pattern was found to be more important than the absolute intake, said Prof Koh, who is also the principal investigator in the Singapore Chinese Health Study.

This means one does not have to cut out unhealthy foods like red meat entirely, as long as they are eaten in moderation, she added.

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About 45,400 Chinese Singaporeans who did not have diabetes, cancer or cardiovascular diseases were recruited between 1993 and 1998 for the Singapore Chinese Health Study.

Details about their diets were collected through questionnaires during two follow-up interviews. Over an average of 11 years, more than 5,200 developed diabetes.

This data was then used in the two recent studies.

The participants' diets were ranked according to how often and how much of a given food they ate on average.

Those who ate relatively more whole grains, low-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits and vegetables were given higher scores.

Those who had more processed and red meats, sugary drinks and sodium in their diets were given lower scores.

Other foods like fish and refined grains, including white rice, were not scored under the Dash index.

The researchers found that the top 20 per cent of the participants, who had relatively "higher quality" diets, were nearly 30 per cent less likely to develop diabetes compared to the bottom 20 per cent.

Dr Annie Ling, group director of policy, research and surveillance at the Health Promotion Board, said the studies are timely given the findings of the recent National Nutrition Survey 2018.

The survey showed gradual improvements in Singaporeans' dietary habits but highlighted areas for improvement.

She said: "While Singaporeans are consuming more whole grains, fruits and vegetables, high sugar and sodium intake remains a cause for concern.

"It is important to continue encouraging Singaporeans to pay attention to the foods they choose and the quality of their diets."

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.

https://www.asiaone.com/health/new-study-argues-white-rice-itself-not-linked-increased-diabetes-risk-overall-diet-qualityhttps://reviewworldnews.com/press-release/global-organic-rice-market-size-share-value-research-report-hidea-brp-parsun/

BAU to hold Agrotech 2019 Kisan Mela

Saturday, 02 February 2019 | PNS | Ranchi

In an attempt to increase income of farmers Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) will organise a three-day mega State-level farmers’ fair called Agrotech 2019 Kisan Mela to disseminate awareness among farmers. The fair will begun on February, 2 and continue till February, 4 with the theme of ‘Proper Agricultural Procedure for Beneficial Farming’.

Jharkhand-based Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) institutes such as Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums, Namkum, Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Garhkhatanga, Namkum, National Bureau of Plant genetic Resources, Ranchi, ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Research Centre Ranchi, Palandu and Central Rainfed Upland Rice Research Station, Hazaribagh are active partner of BAU in this three-day mega event.

Addressing media persons on Friday, BAU Vice Chancellor Parvinder Kaushal said 10 thematic pandals and 100 commercial stalls were being put up where different colleges, departments, units, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and Zonal Research Stations of BAU, ICAR Institutes located in the State, Government departments, banks, dealers of seeds, planting material, fertilizers, farm implements, NGOs and other organizations would display their technologies, products and services.

Chief Minister Raghubar Das will be the Chief Guest on second day of the Mela on February 3, while Governor Droupadi Murmu will grace the valedictory session on February 4. The event will be formally inaugurated by Randhir Kumar Singh, Minister, Department of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperation on February 2. Horticulture show comprising fruits, vegetables, flowers, flower arrangements, spices, decorative, medicinal, aromatic plants and animal-bird show consisting cattle, buffalo, pig, sheep, goat, poultry, duck etc will be part of the exhibition.

Display and sale of seeds, planting material, organic products, fertilizers, farm implements and value added processed agro products, free testing of soil, water and diseased plant samples, visit of Technology Park, experimental areas and screening of video films on modern farm technologies are other features of the event.

Krishak Gosthi for on the spot solution of farming related technical problems of farmers will be organized all the three days and innovative farmers will be felicitated. BAU Director Research DN Singh, Director Extension Education Jagarnath Oraon and Dean were also present during media briefing.

https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/state-editions/bau-to-hold-agrotech-2019-kisan-mela.html

Rice export growth may slow as demand drops from big customers

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam had a prosperous rice export year in 2018, but has been warned of a tough year in 2019.

Vietnam exported 6.1 million tons of rice in 2018

The General Statistics Office (GSO) reported that Vietnam exported 6.1 million tons of rice in 2018, a slight increase of 270,000 tons, or 4.6 percent higher than 2017.

The slight increase in export volume was offset by the export price, $502 per ton, or 10.8 percent higher than 2017. This helped the rice export turnover exceed the $3 billion threshold, increasing by 16 percent.

Vietnam’s rice price is now equal to, and sometimes is even higher, than Thailand’s.

In 2016 and 2017, Vietnam’s average export price was higher than Thailand’s by $7 and $9 per ton, respectively. In 2018, the gap was erased, staying at $502 per ton.

This was attributed to the sharp increase in sticky and fragrant rice exports which had better prices (in 2017, the exports of these types of rice exceeded 3 million tons, accounting for 46.4 percent of total exports) and the sharp decrease in white rice exports.

The slight increase in export volume was offset by the export price, $502 per ton, or 10.8 percent higher than 2017. This helped the rice export turnover exceed the $3 billion threshold, increasing by 16 percent.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s proportion of fragrant Thai Hom Mali rice exports decreased from 31.7 percent to 20.1 percent. The country also focused on liquidating its inventory rice at low prices.

As for prospects in 2019, Nguyen Dinh Bich, a trade expert, warned that 2019 could be a tough year for Vietnam’s rice exporters.

In his article on Thoi Bao Kinh Te Saigon, Bich said that exporters want to ‘sell rice at high prices’, and cannot export all the rice output. Controlling the rice export price to ensure reasonable price levels is a big issue for consideration.

The expert cited a report as saying that Vietnam’s rice export volume in 2018 was 6.1 million tons, while the rice equivalent output was much higher and it was estimated that 500,000 tons of rice still could not be sold.

The other problem for Vietnam is the predicted lower demand from key markets.

According to USDA, the total rice output in the world in 2018 decreased by 4 million tons, but the reserves at the beginning of the year increased sharply to a record high of 162 million tons, enough for four-month consumption. Meanwhile, the rice demand is still unchanged, at 45 million tons.

The demand from Indonesia, Vietnam’s second biggest importer in 2018, is predicted to drop sharply from 2.15 million tons to 800,000 tons this year. Meanwhile, China is tightening control over rice imports.

https://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/216442/rice-export-growth-may-slow-as-demand-drops-from-big-customers.html