Uncertainty looms over basmati, tea exports after Iran sanctions
India annually exports 30 million kg of tea and one million tonnes
of basmati rice to Iran.
New Delhi | Kolkata: Uncertainty looms over tea and basmati rice
exports from India as the US intends to fully clamp down on Iran oil exports,
say companies and trade association. Industry is concerned as India is an
importer of crude oil from Iran and any sanction on Iran can impact trade of
other commodities India export. India annually exports 30 million kg of tea and
one million tonnes of basmati rice to Iran. Iranian demand for orthodox
Indian teas was very strong from the beginnin ..
Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/69018058.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
Raids on rice mills
conducted in Nalgonda
On a tip off
that by colluding with the organisers of IKP Paddy Procurement Centres, the
rice millers were transporting extra 100 to 300 kgs of paddy in each lorry to
their mills.
By Author | Published: 25th Apr 2019 1:26 am
Nalgonda: Task Force of Nalgonda Police on Wednesday conducted raids on rice
mills at different places in the district and filed cases against their millers
for illegally transporting additional paddy from IKP Centre.
On a tip off that by colluding with
the organisers of IKP Paddy Procurement Centres, the rice millers were
transporting extra 100 to 300 kgs of paddy in each lorry to their mills. Task
Force teams along with Legal Metrology Department officials have conducted
raids on the rice millers in Miryalaguda division on the district and verified
the records. The raids were conducted following the instructions from
Superintendent of Police AV Ranganath.
The team had also conducted raids
on Shiva Ramakrishna Rice Mill at Gundur, Maha Vishni Rice Mill at Thungapadu
and Hari Krishna Rice Mill at Nidmanoor in Miryalaguda revenue division.
Task Force Circle Inspector P Naga
Durga Prasad informed that it was identified with the evidence that the millers
were transported extra 100 to 300 kgs of paddy per a load of lorry from the IKP
Paddy procurement centres by colluding with the centre organisers and cheated
the farmers. Cases were booked against the owners of these rice mills, he
added.
Inspector of Legal Metrology Rama
Krishna informed that they have collected the evidences to prove that millers
were indulged in irregularities during the inquiry. The raids on rice millers
would continue in the district, he added.
Rice millers raise the alarm over smuggling, say 50 trucks are
smuggled daily
By Joke
Falaju, Abuja
25 April 2019 |
3:52 am
Iliyasu Nazifi
• Say 50 trucks of rice are smuggled daily
Rice millers have raised the alarm over unbecoming rate of smuggling in the Nigeria, alleging that over 50 trucks of foreign rice are smuggled into the country daily.AfricaRice Centre had earlier said smuggling of the product was killing the local industry, and had prevented accurate evaluation of deficit in local production with attending consequences.
Between
2015-2018, no fewer than 200 medium and small-scale rice mills emerged,
complementing the existing seven mega rice mills in Kano State and this gave
rice production a boost it had never received.The common scenario in places
like Kura, Gezawa, Bunkure, Garun Malam and Tudun Wada local government areas
of Kano State was to see a cluster of small-scale rice millers doing business,
but unfortunately, many of them have been experiencing reduction in patronage.
Chief
Executive Officer of Golden Star Rice Mill, Iliyasu Nazifi, said rice
production received a lot of interventions from the Federal Government, but the
success recorded in the last three years is being eroded.He attributed this to
activities of rice smugglers, alleging some level compromise within in the
Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).
He said:
“As I speak to you now, many small and medium-scale rice mills are on the verge
of folding up because of foreign rice being smuggled into the country. Go into
the markets and you will understand what I am talking about,” he said.A rice
merchant, Mallam Hudu Badamasi Bunkure, at the Zangon Buhari Rice Milling
Centre in Bunkure Local Government Area, told The Guardian that he used to buy
70 bags of milled rice weekly from the centre, adding that in the last three
months, demand for the local rice had reduced to 25 bags per week due to what
he termed “unfavourable competition with foreign rice.”
Another
rice miller, Alhaji Abba Dantata, told The Guardian that he had to cut down 50
percent of his workforce to manage and move the business on, and that it was
disheartening to see how foreign rice was being smuggled into the country
freely.“This is a bad omen and a threat to all that which the Federal
Government has done in the agricultural sector. Many small and medium-scale
rice milling companies have stopped operations and many more will do if
necessary actions are not taken to address the issue. This will, in due course,
affect the mega rice mills,” Dantata lamented.He called on stakeholders to, as
a matter of urgency, draw the attention of the customs to brace up and double
its efforts in addressing the smuggling menace.
Toxic fungi
that causes memory loss, vomiting and diarrhoea on Earth can be found floating
in space - but scientists aren't sure whether it poses a threat to astronauts
·
Mycotoxins
are toxic and can be produced by many different fungi
·
Cause health issues ranging from poisoning to
immune deficiency and cancer
·
Carried
to the ISS on-board the humans sent to space for various missions
·
Damage
from the chemicals remains unknown for long-duration space travel
Toxic chemicals made by fungi that pose a
'serious health threat' to humans on Earth have been found in space, but
scientists don't know how dangerous they are in orbit.
Mycotoxins are produced by many fungi from
different sources, including seeds, rice and black mould and cause a host of
health issues.
They can trigger symptoms of memory loss,
vomiting and nausea while long-term effects include immune deficiency and even
cancer.
Some fungi capable of creating the toxic
chemicals have been found on the ISS.
Risks of mycotoxins during long-duration
space flight remains a mystery, despite extensive investigations into the risks
some other microbes pose to astronauts, such as Staphylococcus aurus.
Scroll down for video
+2Fungi
Fusarium pictured, artist's impression) produces mycotoxins in cereal crops and
they can affect humans and animals. Mycotoxins can be dangerous to human health
and have been found on the ISS but the long-term risks to astronauts remains
unknown
Microorganisms which pose a risk to human
health cover almost all surfaces on our planet and were transported to space
via humans on-board various rockets.
Understanding mycotoxins is difficult as
people affected by them are stressed or battling immune deficiency
conditions.
A British woman who lived with 'thick black
mould' in her bathroom for a year says the presence of mycotoxin
caused years of exhaustion, memory loss and hair loss.
Emma Marshall, 29, from Hackney, described
symptoms of brain fog, headaches and skin rashes which took over and
'sucked the life out of her'.
This poses an issue for future astronauts as
long-duration space travel has been known to increase stress levels and diminish
the immune response of astronauts.
Researchers at Ghent University in Belgium
looked into this and assessed the existing scientific research into the
topic.
They found a staggering lack of evidence and
research into the topic and that most focused on detecting different fungal
species and not what role it may play.
'But about
mycotoxins we found almost nothing,' Sarah de Saeger, co-author of the new
paper, told Live Science.
Mycotoxins prey on the weak and vulnerable
and other microbes previously identified on the ISS includes some which are
known for weakening the immune system.
This
potentially a catastrophic combination of factors is woefully understudied,
according to the scientists who published their research in the journal Astrobiology.
Knowledge on how they may evolve and adapt
under the stressful conditions of space is also a mystery and requires further
research.
A recently published study found the
International Space Station is teeming with bacteria and fungi that can cause
diseases.
The International Space Station (pictured) is
teeming with bacteria and fungi that can cause diseases. They also form
biofilms that promote antibiotic resistance and can even corrode the
spacecraft, scientists warn
WHAT ARE
MYCOTOXINS?
Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins
produced by certain moulds (fungi) and can be found in food.
They cause a variety of health issues and
pose a serious health threat to both humans and livestock, according to the
World Health organisation.
The adverse health effects of mycotoxins
range from acute poisoning to long-term effects such as immune deficiency and
cancer.
Moulds that can produce mycotoxins grow on
numerous foodstuffs such as cereals, dried fruits, nuts and spices.
Most mycotoxins are chemically stable and
survive food processing.
Several hundred different mycotoxins have
been identified, but the most commonly observed mycotoxins that present a
concern to human health and livestock include aflatoxins, ochratoxin A,
patulin, fumonisins, zearalenone and nivalenol/deoxynivalenol.
Source: World health Organisation
They also form biofilms that can promote
antibiotic resistance and even stop spacecraft parts from working correctly,
scientists warn.
The findings are important to protect the health
of astronauts and the safety of crafts on future manned long missions to Mars
and beyond.
The station - built in 1998 and orbiting
around 250 miles (400 km) above the Earth - has been visited by over 222
astronauts and up to six resupply missions a year up until August 2017.
The station's components were built in
sterile environments before being sent into orbit and routine monitoring has
taken place since.
NASA scientists found that the microbes on
the ISS mostly came from people and were similar to those found in public
buildings and offices here on Earth.
The most prominent bacteria were
Staphylococcus - making up over a quarter (26 per cent) of total species
isolated from samples taken - followed by Pantoea (23 per cent) and Bacillus
(11 per cent).
They included organisms that are considered
opportunistic pathogens on Earth.
That includes Staphylococcus aureus, which
made up a tenth of total isolates identified. It is commonly found on the skin
and in the nasal passage.
Experts also located Enterobacter, which is
associated with the human gastrointestinal tract.
Transferability Added to Arkansas Water Tax Credits Program
By Josh Hankins
LITTLE ROCK, AR -- The Arkansas
Natural Resources Commission (ANRC), which establishes policy for conservation,
water rights, and resource planning, oversees a state tax credit of up to $10
million a year available to farmers and landowners to precision level fields
for more efficient water utilization, build on-farm water storage (reservoirs),
and invest in on-farm improvements to convert groundwater to surface
water.
These tax credits have been available for some time but have been underutilized. Nearly ninety percent of this $10 million is left on the table each year because many growers are not familiar with the program, and because many that could utilize the credits don't have the positive net income with a tax liability that these programs could offset.
But now, due to the work of a collective group of companies and ag advocates, farmers and landowners should find these tax credits more attractive.
"The change was made during the recent legislative session that allows farmers and landowners to turn the credits into cash by transferring the credits to third parties who do have state tax liabilities," said Kevin McGilton, vice president of government affairs for Riceland Foods, one of the companies advocating for the policy change. "The change becomes effective January 1, 2020."
Andrew Grobmyer, executive vice president of the Ag Council of Arkansas, another group that helped push the new policy, said, "Allowing the water conservation and development credits to be transferred is a significant and important enhancement in this tough farm economy, and we commend the General Assembly and our Governor for supporting this effort."
Growers who are considering participating in the credits via the three practices mentioned above must begin the application process for the credits before any of the on-farm work has begun.
Go here for more information on this opportunity.
These tax credits have been available for some time but have been underutilized. Nearly ninety percent of this $10 million is left on the table each year because many growers are not familiar with the program, and because many that could utilize the credits don't have the positive net income with a tax liability that these programs could offset.
But now, due to the work of a collective group of companies and ag advocates, farmers and landowners should find these tax credits more attractive.
"The change was made during the recent legislative session that allows farmers and landowners to turn the credits into cash by transferring the credits to third parties who do have state tax liabilities," said Kevin McGilton, vice president of government affairs for Riceland Foods, one of the companies advocating for the policy change. "The change becomes effective January 1, 2020."
Andrew Grobmyer, executive vice president of the Ag Council of Arkansas, another group that helped push the new policy, said, "Allowing the water conservation and development credits to be transferred is a significant and important enhancement in this tough farm economy, and we commend the General Assembly and our Governor for supporting this effort."
Growers who are considering participating in the credits via the three practices mentioned above must begin the application process for the credits before any of the on-farm work has begun.
Go here for more information on this opportunity.
USA Rice Daily
Can gene editing provide a solution to global hunger?
BY UTIBE
EFFIONG AND RAMADHANI ABDALLAH NOOR
APRIL 24, 2019
According to the World Food Program, some 795
million people – one in nine people on Earth – don’t have enough food to lead a
healthy active life. That will only get worse with the next global food crisis,
predicted to occur within four years by experts at the recent Third
International Conference on Global Warming and Food Security.
Unprecedented population growth,
increasing conflict and displacement, natural calamities and emergence of major
epidemics are some of the factors that will compound complexities of global
food security over the coming years. And recent natural disasters in
food-exporting Asian and African countries, as well as regions like
California, may hasten a
crisis.
In the face of these facts, any
technique that can improve food production would be a welcome development. To
counteract the coming problem, it is imperative to try novel and daring
solutions across the agricultural food chain, including the gene modification
of crops. While genetically modified (GM) crops could be our best hope for
feeding an increasingly hungry planet, they need to be developed within a
regulatory framework that takes potential risks into account and protects
farmers, consumers and the environment.
GM crops in the developing world
Gene modification can produce
nutrient-rich, highly productive, drought- and pest-resistant crop varieties
much needed by small-scale farmers globally. For example, scientists at biotech
company Cellectis have extended the shelf life of potatoes by disabling a single
gene that promotes accumulation of sweet sugars within the
tuber. Using this technique, they also reduced its production of
cancer-promoting agents including acrylamide,
which is often produced when a potato is fried.
One can imagine these kinds of improvements
being of particular interest to farmers in Africa and the rest of the
developing world, who rely on staple crops including corn, rice, potatoes and
soy. Along with genetically modified cotton, GM corn and soy are currently
grown in the African countries of
Burkina Faso, Egypt and South Africa.
In most African countries, however,
GM crops remain a farfetched idea. Despite important economic progress and
agricultural successes, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization,
Africa remains the world’s most food-insecure
continent. One-third of our continent’s population is chronically undernourished. Chronic malnutrition,
or “hidden hunger,” though often invisible, is devastating and deadly. Over
half of children’s deaths
globally can be averted if children have access to
nutritious foods.
How does gene editing work?
Conventionally, the production of
genetically modified organisms involves inserting desired foreign genes into
the genome of a plant or animal. But a different technique known as gene
editing modifies plant, as well as animal and human, genomes without the
introduction of foreign genetic materials.
Gene editing uses biological
catalysts called transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) that can be engineered
to bind to any DNA sequence. Scientists can introduce these enzymes into living
cells where they cut out unwanted pieces of DNA, in effect editing the genome.
This technique, known as TALEN-mediated genome
engineering, is also referred to as Genome Editing with Engineered Nucleases.
Genome editing is not a new idea.
It has been used to create gene edits in human stem cells as well as in
worms, fish, mice
and cattle with
varying degrees of success. In the laboratory, TALENs have also been used to
successfully correct the genetic error underlying diseases such as sickle cell anemia.
In crop science, gene editing has
been used to make Cellectis’s less sugary
potato, as well as a soybean containing high levels of omega-3.
The first commercial
application of this technology in a plant for human
consumption was approved this spring, when the US company Cibus announced an
edited version of canola. The new canola plant is designed to grow well even
when farmers apply particular herbicides that are used to control
glyphosate-resistant weeds. Now there is talk of using this technique to manipulate photosynthesis to
produce more food. Researchers at the International Rice Research Institute in
the Philippines have engineered rice plants to
extract energy from sunlight far more efficiently than they do now.
RISKS ALONG WITH THE PROMISE
Techniques for genetic engineering
are not perfect. Significant genetic errors have been produced by the commonly
applied techniques of genome editing, including TALENs, in the past. In
laboratory models, off-target events that produce unwanted mutations, sometimes
with fatal results, have been described in plants, fish and human cells.
For now, there remain many uncertainties about
the impact of gene-edited organisms on the environment and health. While gene
editing may not introduce foreign genetic material, the technology definitely
changes the composition of the product at a very fundamental level. Research is currently
under way to improve these techniques, reduce the frequency of unwanted
mutations and improve the safety of genome editing.
While GMO crops cover 170 million
hectares of land globally, representing 11% of all arable
land, they remain controversial. Golden rice,
for example, promises to save one million children a year from vitamin A-related
mortality. Despite biotech company Sygenta offering the license
to grow golden rice free of charge for humanitarian use, its approval has been
stalled in most settings.
Of course, ideally we’d be able to
increase food access in ways that don’t include risk, but there are few, if any, options at
this level of potential positive impact that are risk-free.
REGULATORY PROTECTIONS
Because strict regulatory oversight
is mostly lacking on GM techniques including genome editing, it’s conceivable
that biotech companies may develop experimental gene-edited crops for testing
in developing countries where the need for food is greater than the political
will to protect the masses.
India’s experience with GMO crops
makes the point. The country poorly regulated adoption of genetic engineering.
While still a multifarious issue, activists contend that indedtedness and crop
failure – both, they say, inevitable outcomes of the
corporate model of industrial agriculture introduced in India – have
further stressed some Indian
farmers.
Interestingly, the move toward
genome editing as the favored approach to genetic engineering may, at least in
part, provide some leeway for biotech companies to avoid regulation.
Genome editing using TALENs and similar techniques are either outside the
jurisdiction of the US Department of Agriculture or were not envisioned
when existing regulations were
created.
The USDA currently relies on
a product-based regulatory
framework that focuses less on the technology used to
develop the crop and more on the inherent risk of the final product. The
emphasis is on any potential risk the new traits or attributes introduced into
the plant pose to the public or the environment. But considering the reality of
unanticipated, and often controversial, novel techniques of food production, it
might be a better idea for the USDA to utilize process-based regulations as
done by the EU, Argentina, Brazil, and several other countries. In those
countries, the regulators focus on how food crops are developed, not just on
the final outcome.
The world needs more nutrient-rich,
environmentally friendly food production. More gene editing in food crops makes
sense, but only with prudent regulatory mechanisms in place to ensure the
safety of these new approaches to food availability. We don’t want to see more
harm than good done as we seek to address the issue of global food security.
Utibe Effiong is a Resident
Physician at St. Mary Mercy Hospital and Research Scientist for the Exposure
Research Laboratory, University of Michigan. Ramadhani Abdallah Noor, a
Tanzanian doctor and research associate at the Harvard School of Public Health,
is a New Voices Fellow at the Aspen Institute.
This article was co-authored by
Zimbabwean Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, CEO of Food Agriculture Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network.
It originally appeared on The Conversation.
Image: World Food Programme
https://allianceforscience.cornell.edu/blog/2019/04/can-gene-editing-provide-solution-global-hunger/
Modifying Rice Preparation Could
Reduce Harmful Arsenic
NEWS Apr
25, 2019 | Original story from the American Chemical Society.
Credit: Pixabay.
Contamination of rice with
arsenic is a major problem in some regions of the world with high rice
consumption. Now, researchers reporting in the ACS journal Environmental
Science & Technology have found a way to reduce inorganic arsenic in rice
by modifying processing methods at traditional, small-scale parboiling plants
in Bangladesh. The new method has the added benefit of increasing the calcium
content of rice, the researchers say.
People in Bangladesh eat about a pound of rice per person per day, according to statistics from the International Rice Research Institute. This consumption is among the highest in the world, placing Bangladeshis at risk for elevated exposure to inorganic arsenic, a toxic substance and carcinogen that can enter rice from the soil of flooded paddies. After harvest, most rice in the country is parboiled, a process that involves soaking the rough rice (with husk intact) in water and then boiling it, followed by other steps to produce polished white rice. Andrew Meharg from the Institute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University Belfast, and colleagues wondered if parboiling wholegrain rice (with the husk removed) would reduce the levels of different forms of arsenic compared with parboiling rough rice. That’s because the husk can have high levels of inorganic arsenic, and it could also act as a barrier, preventing arsenic species from leaving the rest of the grain during parboiling.
People in Bangladesh eat about a pound of rice per person per day, according to statistics from the International Rice Research Institute. This consumption is among the highest in the world, placing Bangladeshis at risk for elevated exposure to inorganic arsenic, a toxic substance and carcinogen that can enter rice from the soil of flooded paddies. After harvest, most rice in the country is parboiled, a process that involves soaking the rough rice (with husk intact) in water and then boiling it, followed by other steps to produce polished white rice. Andrew Meharg from the Institute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University Belfast, and colleagues wondered if parboiling wholegrain rice (with the husk removed) would reduce the levels of different forms of arsenic compared with parboiling rough rice. That’s because the husk can have high levels of inorganic arsenic, and it could also act as a barrier, preventing arsenic species from leaving the rest of the grain during parboiling.
The researchers tested their new processing method in 13 traditional, small-scale parboiling plants throughout Bangladesh. The team used ion chromatography interfaced with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to analyze arsenic species in rice. They found that in untreated rough rice, inorganic arsenic is highly elevated in the bran compared with the husk. Parboiling wholegrain rice instead of parboiling rough rice reduced levels of inorganic arsenic by about 25 percent in the final polished grain, while increasing calcium by 213 percent. However, the new method reduced potassium by 40 percent. The researchers say that the potassium loss must be balanced with the advantages of reduced arsenic and increased calcium.
This article has been republished from materials provided by the American Chemical Society. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.
Reference
Modifying the Parboiling of Rice to Remove Inorganic Arsenic, While Fortifying with Calcium. Habibur Rahman, Manus Carey, Mahmud Hossain, Laurie Savage, M. Rafiqul Islam, and Andrew A. Meharg. Environ. Sci. Technol., DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b06548.
Faculty Win Grant to Study
Russian Disinformation Campaigns
An interdisciplinary research
team from communications, anthropology, and political science will study
Russian disinformation campaigns in three former Soviet republics as part of a
$1.6 million Minerva research grant awarded through the United States
Department of Defense.
UT researchers were one of only
12 academic groups nationwide selected for the prestigious Minerva Research
Initiative awards this year.
The research team for the project
consists of faculty members from five departments: Maureen Taylor (advertising
and public relations), Catherine Luther (journalism and electronic media),
Suzie Allard (information sciences), Michael Fitzgerald and Brandon Prins
(political science), and Alex Bentley (anthropology). Also closely involved in
the project are Natalie Rice, research associate for the College of
Communication and Information’s Center for Information and Communication
Studies, and Oleg Manaev, global security fellow at the UT Institute of Nuclear
Security.
“The study will monitor and
analyze the content of Russian information warfare and measure the
effectiveness the tactics have in shaping opinion in Eastern European nations
Georgia, Ukraine, and Belarus,” said Taylor, director of the School of
Advertising and Public relations and principal investigator for the study.
The research will include a close
inspection of both traditional media and popular social media platforms,
including Russian-language local news media in the Baltics, Facebook, Twitter,
and Vkontake, a Russian online social media and social networking service.
Onsite public opinion polling and focus group testing will be conducted in
cooperation with the Independent Institute for Socio-Economic and Political
Studies (IISEPS), a Lithuania-based research center with more than 25 years of
experience in research in the former Soviet Union countries, and Baltic
Surveys.
Each team member brings specific
expertise to the project and all will contribute to analysis of data collected:
- Maureen Taylor oversees
the research and conducts the monitoring and evaluation for the grant.
- Catherine Luther provides
expertise in the areas of international and intercultural communication
and political psychology for data evaluation purposes.
- Suzie Allard provides
knowledge of information flows across media platforms and adds expertise
to foster interdisciplinary collaboration in the research team.
- Michael Fitzgerald, a Cold
War expert and researcher of Russian and post-Soviet politics and
government, provides context for the project, especially the efforts of
Vladimir Putin’s regime to use mass communication in the service of its
national security and foreign policies.
- Brandon Prins will use
the collected data to model relationships between propaganda and opinion
and evaluate how Russian disinformation campaigns further political and
social conflict.
- Alex Bentley, who
teaches the graduate class Big Data Social Sciences, will analyze social
media data to study how propaganda and disinformation are deployed and
shared in the United States. He will be supported by postdoctoral scholar
Damian Ruck.
- Natalie Rice, whose
dissertation work provided a foundation for understanding traditional
media in former Soviet republics, is the project manager.
- Oleg Manaev, an
expert on Soviet propaganda, serves as the lead liaison with international
partners.
“The project is significant
because it not only measures Russian propaganda, but also assesses how this
propaganda shapes public opinion,” said Prins, professor of political science.
“We want to model the relationships between propaganda and opinion and evaluate
how disinformation campaigns upset democratic institutions.”
The three countries selected for
the project are increasingly the targets of propaganda campaigns.
“There is evidence that the
selected countries are serving as testing grounds for Russian media tactics
designed to influence public opinion and collective behavior with the goal of
employing them against Russia’s political rivals such as the United States, the
United Kingdom, and Germany,” said Luther, director of the School of Journalism
and Electronic Media.
The vision for the research
project grew out of Rice’s doctoral dissertation. Rice studies Russian
propaganda, and the project extends this work by adding social media tracking
and creating a mechanism to measure the effects of both traditional and social
media.
The project began in April 2019
and will last through March 2024. After the project concludes, researchers plan
to study foreign disinformation campaigns in Asia and Oceania.
The Minerva Research Initiative
was started in 2008 by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and is a Department of
Defense-sponsored, university-based social science research program. The goal
of Minerva is to “improve the department’s understanding of the social, cultural,
behavioral, and political forces that shape the regions of the world.” The
results of the research are unclassified and intended to be of widespread
importance.
—
CONTACT:
Brian Canever
(865-974-0937, bcanever@utk.edu)
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Communication and Information
- Faculty
and Staff
- Office of the Provost
- Press
Releases
- Research
Use of chemicals on rice crop discussed
LAHORE: Speakers at a seminar called upon rice growers to avoid
over-use of chemicals to ensure safe and healthy basmati rice from farm to
fork.
The seminar, Khushal Kissan, organised by the Pakistan Basmati
Heritage Association (PBHA), was attended by a large number of basmati growers
from Narang Mandi and District Sheikhupura. PBHA has been formed for promotion
and preservation of basmati rice heritage of Pakistan.
Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) former chairman
Samiullah Naeem, Shahzad Chaudhry and Raja Arsalan also attended the event.
PBHA Coordinator Imran Sheikh highlighted the mission of PBHA and
stressed on farmers to avoid overuse of chemicals, especially tricyclazole and
buprofezin in Basmati rice to ensure safe and healthy basmati rice from farm to
fork.
PBHA Convener Shahid Tarar shared the challenges being faced in
Basmati rice production and export. He said Pakistan not only lagged behind in
productivity of Basmati rice, but also was less competitive than other
rice-producing countries due to the rising cost of production.
PBHA Director Sheikh Adnan shared the expectations of PBHA from
Basmati rice farmers and assured of providing healthy and certified seed on
subsidised rate during this season.
Boro harvest begins amid falling
rice price
12:00
AM, April 25, 2019 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:06 AM, April 25, 2019
Prices
have been falling for the last several months due to good harvests in the
previous three crop seasons. Star/file
Farmers have started harvesting the
biggest paddy crop, boro, in various parts of the country but the declining
prices of the staple have stoked concerns of losses.
The prices of rice have been
falling for the last several months owing to good harvests in the previous
three crop seasons.
On April 22, the wholesale price of
coarse grain of boro rice was Tk 26-Tk 28 per kg in Dhaka Sadar, down from Tk
27.50-Tk 29 a month earlier. Three months ago, it was selling for Tk 30-Tk 32,
according to the Department of Agricultural Marketing.
This time last year, the coarse
boro grain was selling at Tk 37-Tk 38 a kg at the wholesale level.
And millers say the prices are
likely to fall further once the freshly harvested rice is added to the existing
stock of 12.68 lakh tonnes.
“There is plenty of stock of rice
and appetite for the cereal from traders is low,” said Nirod Boron Saha, a rice
and paddy wholesaler and commission agent at Naogaon, a major rice trading hub
in the northwest.
Amid the scenario, farmers in
northeast Bangladesh, particularly those regions marked by backwater swamp,
have recently started harvesting paddy as a precautionary measure to sudden
onrushes of water, which is expected soon.
“The market is down and the
presence of buyers is still low,” said Jyotimohon Das, a farmer in Sunamganj,
located in northeast Bangladesh.
At present, the just-harvested
coarse paddy is selling for about Tk 500 per maund, which is less than last
year.
Take the case of Rajib Talukder, a
grower in Netrokona, who could bag only 16 maunds of paddy from nearly two
acres of land. He sold each maund of paddy for Tk 475, which is almost 21
percent lower than last year.
Farmers have planted paddy on 49.33
lakh hectares area in the current boro season, according to the Department of
Agricultural Extension.
KM Layek Ali, general secretary of
the Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mills Association, expects the overall
yield would be good this season if there is no natural disaster.
In such a scenario, the prices of
paddy are unlikely to cross Tk 500 a maund, he said, while demanding the
government allow export of two lakh tonnes of fine rice.
“Otherwise, the government will
have to buy more rice to protect growers from losses this season,” he said.
The government earlier announced it
would purchase 12.50 lakh tonnes of rice during the current boro season.
However, Saha said the government
could export rice instead of allowing the private sector to do the job.
Neda: Scale up exports of
special rice varieties
April
24, 2019
THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) is
encouraging farmers to increase their production of special varieties of rice
to respond to the increasing demand in the international market now that
restrictions on exports have been repealed.
Neda reminded rice farmers and traders that the recent rice law, or Republic Act 11203, not only replaced the quantitative restrictions on rice imports with tariff, but it also repealed all laws, rules, regulations, guidelines and other issuances imposing quantitative export quotas on rice exports.
“We encourage producers of special varieties of rice, such as heirloom, organic and aromatic long-grain rice, to continue striving to be competitive and to increase their export volume capabilities. These kinds of rice command higher premium, thus resulting in higher earnings for farmers,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said.
The Philippines, after 40 years of hiatus, began to export rice in 2013 with a shipment consisting of 15 metric tons of organic black rice and 20 metric tons of aromatic long grain rice.
The value of rice exports in 2018 is about US$0.47 million, 46.87 percent lower than its level in the previous year. Rice exports hardly made a dent in the total exports earnings from agricultural products, which reached $6.03 billion in 2018.
Prior to the enactment of RA 11203, the Philippines had an export quota on rice by virtue of Presidential Decree 4 of 1972, as amended. Exporters of rice needed to secure an export permit from the National Food Authority. They had to submit an application, including the documentary requirements, which would be up for NFA’s review and approval. This particular section was repealed in RA 11203.
“The government has already started supporting exportation of special rice varieties by removing the export quota power of the NFA in RA 11203. Now, these special rice varieties have tons of room for growth,” Pernia said, saying these rice breeds are in high demand in the US, Canada, countries in the Middle East and Europe.
“The rice sector must work towards raising productivity with better farm methods and tools,” Pernia added. (PR)
Neda reminded rice farmers and traders that the recent rice law, or Republic Act 11203, not only replaced the quantitative restrictions on rice imports with tariff, but it also repealed all laws, rules, regulations, guidelines and other issuances imposing quantitative export quotas on rice exports.
“We encourage producers of special varieties of rice, such as heirloom, organic and aromatic long-grain rice, to continue striving to be competitive and to increase their export volume capabilities. These kinds of rice command higher premium, thus resulting in higher earnings for farmers,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said.
The Philippines, after 40 years of hiatus, began to export rice in 2013 with a shipment consisting of 15 metric tons of organic black rice and 20 metric tons of aromatic long grain rice.
The value of rice exports in 2018 is about US$0.47 million, 46.87 percent lower than its level in the previous year. Rice exports hardly made a dent in the total exports earnings from agricultural products, which reached $6.03 billion in 2018.
Prior to the enactment of RA 11203, the Philippines had an export quota on rice by virtue of Presidential Decree 4 of 1972, as amended. Exporters of rice needed to secure an export permit from the National Food Authority. They had to submit an application, including the documentary requirements, which would be up for NFA’s review and approval. This particular section was repealed in RA 11203.
“The government has already started supporting exportation of special rice varieties by removing the export quota power of the NFA in RA 11203. Now, these special rice varieties have tons of room for growth,” Pernia said, saying these rice breeds are in high demand in the US, Canada, countries in the Middle East and Europe.
“The rice sector must work towards raising productivity with better farm methods and tools,” Pernia added. (PR)
PH asks Japan to open market for specialty rice
The
Philippines is asking Japan to open its market for specialty rice as a part of
the discussions for an upgraded bilateral trade agreement.
Trade
Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo, a member of the Philippine panel to the Philippine-Japan
Economic Partnership Agreement, said Manila would try to convince Japan to open
its market to Philippine specialty rice exports.
Japan
has one of the most restrictive rice markets to protect its own farmers, while
the Philippines recently lifted the quantitative restriction on rice imports.
“We
know that rice is a sensitive commodity for the Japanese, as it was with us.
We’re just asking for a small quota―enough for our specialty rice to have
access into their market at a lower tariff,” Rodolfo said.
He
said the Philippines had no plans to flood Japan with rice. “And we do
not even have that capacity to flood any market with rice since we are also a
net-importer [of rice],” Rodolfo said.
Japan
maintains a 778-percent tariff on rice imported outside the minimum access
scheme. Rice is one of Japan’s five “sacred” agricultural products, along with
wheat, beef and pork, dairy products and sugar.
National
Economic and Development Authority director-general Ernesto Pernia said
Filipino farmers should increase their production of special varieties of rice
to respond to the increasing demand in the international market.
Pernia
said Republic Act 11203, did not only replace the quantitative restrictions on
rice imports with tariff but it also repealed all laws, rules, regulations,
guidelines and other issuances imposing quantitative export quotas on rice
exports.
“We
encourage producers of special varieties of rice, such as heirloom, organic,
and aromatic long-grain rice, to continue striving to be competitive and to
increase their export volume capabilities,” Pernia said in a statement.
“These
kinds of rice command higher premium, thus resulting in higher earnings for
farmers,” Pernia said.
The
Philippine and Japanese panels met for a third round of talks during the Holy
Week, on April 15 to 17, to fine-tune the important points of discussions.
Rodolfo
said Japan in return might ask the country to reduce the import tariff on
automotive exports to the Philippines.
“Right
now, they’re at 20 [percent tariff]. We’re also expecting this. We can discuss
this but there has to be some sort of favorable concessions,” he said.
Rodolfo
said while Japan was willing to put everything on the table, “but quoting them,
they said it will be difficult to do so.”
The
two countries earlier held substantive discussions on improving market access
for top Philippines exports through the general review of PJEPA.
PJEPA
covers trade in goods, trade in services, investments, movement of natural
persons, intellectual property, customs procedures, improvement of the business
environment and government procurement.
The
Philippines is continuously pushing for its offensive interest in the
improvement of market access especially for major agricultural exports,
renegotiation of rules of origin for some products and a framework for the
entry of additional categories of skilled workers from the Philippines to
Japan.
Among
the products of interest to the Philippines are bananas, mangoes and
pineapples.
Rodolfo
said the Philippine panel was looking forward to wrapping up the discussions
for an upgraded bilateral trade agreement within the next six months.
Forget white rice or even brown rice. Try red rice tonight
·
Red Rice and Quinoa Salad (Carl
Tremblay/America’s Test Kitchen via AP)
·
“Vegan for Everybody.” It includes
a recipe for Red Rice and Quinoa Salad. (America’s Test Kitchen via AP)
By America’s Test Kitchen
Published: April 24, 2019, 6:05 AM
Regular white rice; aromatic
basmati; chewy, healthful brown rice; and even rustic wild rice are common
pantry items. But there’s one rice variety that doesn’t get enough play: red
rice.
Red rice sportssurprisea red
husk, and it has a nutty flavor and is highly nutritious. For a rice and grain
salad that was colorful, hearty, and a little out of the ordinary, we mixed
this healthful rice with nutty quinoa, cooking both in the same pot using the
pasta method.
We gave the rice a 15-minute head
start and then added the quinoa to the pot to ensure that both grains were done
at the same time. Then we drained them, drizzled them with lime juice to add
bright flavor, and let them cool.
Next, we looked for ingredients
that would make this salad fresh and a little sweet. We added dates and orange
segments for sweetness (and used some of the orange juice in our dressing).
Cilantro and red pepper flakes
added a fresh bite and a bit of spiciness to round it out. If you buy unwashed
quinoa (or if you are unsure whether it’s washed), be sure to rinse it before
cooking to remove its bitter protective coating (called saponin).
Red Rice And
Quinoa Salad
Servings: 4-6. Start to finish:
45 minutes
3/4 cup red rice
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup prewashed white quinoa
3 tablespoons lime juice (2
limes)
2 oranges
1 small shallot, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh
cilantro plus 1 cup leaves
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces pitted dates, chopped (1
cup)
Bring 4 quarts water to boil in
large pot over high heat. Add rice and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring
occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add quinoa to pot and continue to cook until
grains are tender, 12 to 14 minutes. Drain rice-quinoa mixture, spread over
rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons lime juice, and let cool
completely, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut away peel and pith
from oranges. Holding fruit over bowl, use paring knife to slice between
membranes to release segments. Cut segments in half crosswise. If needed,
squeeze orange membranes to equal 2 tablespoons juice in bowl.
Whisk 2 tablespoons orange juice,
remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice, shallot, minced cilantro, and pepper flakes
together in large bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil. Add rice-quinoa
mixture, dates, orange segments, and remaining 1 cup cilantro leaves, and toss
to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Nutrition information per
serving: 348 calories; 96 calories from fat; 11 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans
fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 397 mg sodium; 62 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 25 g
sugar; 6 g protein
PH asks Japan to open market for specialty rice
The
Philippines is asking Japan to open its market for specialty rice as a part of
the discussions for an upgraded bilateral trade agreement.
Trade
Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo, a member of the Philippine panel to the
Philippine-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, said Manila would try to
convince Japan to open its market to Philippine specialty rice exports.
Japan
has one of the most restrictive rice markets to protect its own farmers, while
the Philippines recently lifted the quantitative restriction on rice imports.
“We
know that rice is a sensitive commodity for the Japanese, as it was with us.
We’re just asking for a small quota―enough for our specialty rice to have
access into their market at a lower tariff,” Rodolfo said.
He
said the Philippines had no plans to flood Japan with rice. “And we do
not even have that capacity to flood any market with rice since we are also a
net-importer [of rice],” Rodolfo said.
Japan
maintains a 778-percent tariff on rice imported outside the minimum access
scheme. Rice is one of Japan’s five “sacred” agricultural products, along with
wheat, beef and pork, dairy products and sugar.
National
Economic and Development Authority director-general Ernesto Pernia said
Filipino farmers should increase their production of special varieties of rice
to respond to the increasing demand in the international market.
Pernia
said Republic Act 11203, did not only replace the quantitative restrictions on
rice imports with tariff but it also repealed all laws, rules, regulations,
guidelines and other issuances imposing quantitative export quotas on rice
exports.
“We
encourage producers of special varieties of rice, such as heirloom, organic,
and aromatic long-grain rice, to continue striving to be competitive and to
increase their export volume capabilities,” Pernia said in a statement.
“These
kinds of rice command higher premium, thus resulting in higher earnings for
farmers,” Pernia said.
The
Philippine and Japanese panels met for a third round of talks during the Holy
Week, on April 15 to 17, to fine-tune the important points of discussions.
Rodolfo
said Japan in return might ask the country to reduce the import tariff on
automotive exports to the Philippines.
“Right
now, they’re at 20 [percent tariff]. We’re also expecting this. We can discuss
this but there has to be some sort of favorable concessions,” he said.
Rodolfo
said while Japan was willing to put everything on the table, “but quoting them,
they said it will be difficult to do so.”
The
two countries earlier held substantive discussions on improving market access
for top Philippines exports through the general review of PJEPA.
PJEPA
covers trade in goods, trade in services, investments, movement of natural
persons, intellectual property, customs procedures, improvement of the business
environment and government procurement.
The
Philippines is continuously pushing for its offensive interest in the
improvement of market access especially for major agricultural exports,
renegotiation of rules of origin for some products and a framework for the
entry of additional categories of skilled workers from the Philippines to
Japan.
Among
the products of interest to the Philippines are bananas, mangoes and
pineapples.
Rodolfo
said the Philippine panel was looking forward to wrapping up the discussions
for an upgraded bilateral trade agreement within the next six months.
Should we have meat
import quotas after we tariffied the QR on rice?
April 24, 2019 | 10:03 pm
Introspective
Last week, BusinessWorld carried
a report about a plan by Agriculture Secretary Piñol to limit meat imports due
to high inventory of meats and meat products in cold-chain facilities in the
country. In his words, he wants to broker a deal among meat importers and meat
processors, on the one hand, and meat producers, on the other, for the amount
of meat imports to be allowed into the country.
I did text a member of a family
in the hog-raising business in General Santos City about this. She confirmed
this concern, texting me that her family is worried about meat imports, and “the
farmers there are suffering.”
I haven’t asked the opinion of
owners of downstream businesses to the country’s piggeries or the chicken
industry about the glut of meats in our country.
If his plan pushes through,
Secretary Piñol has to lower the quantity of imported meat that he would permit
into the country. He has three options he may consider taking in doing that.
One, he imposes a quantitative restriction on meat imports to protect livestock
raisers. Two, he may just reduce the minimum access volumes (MAV) of imported
meats and meat products. Or three, he may use sanitary and phytosanitary
permits, reminiscent of the abuse of SPS rules in the case of garlic imports a
few years back.
There may be other measures, but
in my opinion, those would likely be derivatives of any of the above three.
The agriculture tariffication act
of 1996 poses a legal hurdle to either of the first two options. Section 6 of
that law provided that “in lieu of quantitative restrictions, the maximum bound
rates committed under the Uruguay Round Final Act shall be imposed on the
agricultural products whose quantitative restrictions (QR) are repealed by this
Act.” Meats and meat products are among the products covered by the 1996
tariffication law.
It is the policy of the state to
use tariff and not quantity measures to protect local producers. In fact this
year, we finished making good our treaty obligation in the WTO, when Congress
passed the law to tariffy the QR on rice imports.
The tariffication act may offer
him the legal rule he needs to reduce the meats’ MAV, but on closer scrutiny
not. “In case of shortages or abnormal price increases in agricultural
products, whose quantitative restrictions are lifted under this Act, the
President may propose to Congress, revisions, modifications, or adjustments of
the Minimum Access Volume (MAV)…”
The words are “revisions,
modifications, or adjustments,” which changes could include reduction of the
MAVs. However, the law requires that such changes are done in the context of a
shortage or abnormal price increases of meats. These market situations require
expanding rather than reducing the MAV.
However, an unvalidated
information reached me about former agriculture secretary Alcala having offered
higher meat MAV to get a principal supplier in meats in the world not to block
the legal waiver which we applied for and obtained in 2014 from the WTO to
extend our QR on rice imports for another 3 years.
If true, here’s a case of a
distortion causing another! In the desire of the Aquino government to extend
the rice QR, a distortion, it distorted the market of meats in the country. And
that may have caused by now this glut that Secretary Piñol is talking about.
Again, the information I received could be fake.
On the third option, Secretary
Piñol cannot use sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures to restrict meat
imports. A few Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) officials during the
administration of former President Aquino reportedly slowed down the issuance
of SPS permits allegedly to raise prices of garlic in the country. Isn’t there
a case on this already in the Sandiganbayan?
SPS permits are issued when the
conditions for them are met by the applicant. If the applicant meets the
country’s health and sanitary standards of meats and meat products, the BPI has
no choice but to approve the application. But reportedly the issuance of SPS
permits for imported garlic slowed down at a time when local garlic harvest was
bad, causing prices to go up by more than 300%. Senate Agriculture Committee
Chairperson, Senator Villar conducted several hearings on the problem, and
because of what she did, eyes are focused now on SPS regulators to prevent a
similar abuse in other industries.
The WTO rules may be the least of
Secretary Piñol’s concern. He announced his plan to issue quantity restrictions
for imported meats, if in his judgment doing so serves the best interest of our
agriculture sector.
WTO rules aside, let us talk
about the cons and pros of restricting meat imports. I am for staying the
course on liberalizing meat imports. The meat processing industry grew because
of imported meats. They import meats because there is not just enough locally
of the kinds of meats they need and at prices competitive with imported ones.
Livestock raisers may have
another opinion, and they may be correct. But the rebuttal mirrors what they
have been receiving from corn farmers. Corn is a key input to raising pigs and
chicken. The raisers and feed millers have wanted to import corn, because in
their words there is not enough corn in the country, or the corn price is
higher than what they could get for in the world market.
Corn farmers shoot back saying
there is enough corn in the country, but the transportation logistics is not
good enough to make it available to the livestock raisers in the provinces
surrounding Metro Manila.
Reduced meat imports hamper the
growth of the meat processing industry. Besides meat processors, the hotels and
restaurants depend on imported meats, and their businesses expansion thwarted.
PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS
Big hotels and restaurants can
take care of their needs under a regime of reduced meat imports. But there are
SMEs, who are likely to go under with reduced quotas of imported meats. I
remember a friend of mine, Raymund Fabre, who was running a small restaurant as
his other skill to his competence working in the development industry. It was
ten years ago, when he invited me to his mobile diner in what used to be open
spaces in the now uptown side of Bonifacio Global City. I am saying this not to
remind Raymund to invite me again.
He told me his business started
because of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture, which led the way to tariffying
the meat import quotas. He can survive paying the tariff on his imported meat,
but he cannot with a quota because of the uncertainty it brings to his
business.
Introducing meat quotas comes
from the same insular and discarded thinking that has pervaded our agriculture
sector for decades. True, imported meat quota helps existing livestock growers
by raising prices of livestock.
However, it takes the sector in
the opposite direction of faster growth. Faster growing agriculture sectors in
the rest of ASEAN 5 have significantly stronger farm trade capacity. Both their
exports and imports of farm products are significantly higher.
Meat prices in the country should
be in the neighborhood of landed cost of imported meats plus the tariff. If
policy makers calibrate trade policy to make inefficient livestock raisers
survive, i.e. those whose costs are unnecessarily high, whose technologies are
out of date, or simply who can’t offer their products at internationally
competitive prices, they raise prices of meats and make investments in
downstream industries less viable. They end up quashing the job and business
opportunities in meat-using industries.
Efficient members of the industry
support trade protection, because not only does trade protection particularly
by meat quotas give them extra profits, but also they shield them as well from
intense competition from meat importers.
The growth of our agriculture
sector has lagged behind the rest of the economy. Many have blamed extreme
weather for that. Climate change cannot be discounted as one of the important
factors, but trade protection can be another.
The farm industry’s lackluster
growth may be traced to these: its inefficient members survive; the efficient
ones are not compelled to be as competitive as their international competitors;
and their market is thin, with prices that make the country’s downstream
industries less viable.
Reduced imported meat quota can
do that to the livestock, meats, and downstream meat industries. However, if
the Secretary decides not to push with his plan, that would be a move forward.
Some in the development industry,
and this includes me, need to reflect and act on the need to complete the
reform process: help displaced farmers transition to other sources of incomes
in the least time possible.
Without the real assistance, the
trade policy reform leaves a scar in society’s fabric. After decades, the grievance
fuels future leader to swing the policy reform cycle back to trade protection
and slower growth.
Financial resources are needed to
assist backyard livestock raisers who can’t survive the competition with
imported meats find other sources of income. In theory this should not be as
difficult, since there is positive net benefit of the reform effort.
Taxing the winners to compensate
the losers from a policy reform is a centuries-old idea attributed to an
economist by the name of Kaldor. We need to operationalize Kaldor’s idea, and
refrain from paying lip service to inclusive trade liberalization.
But there is reason to be
hopeful. In the recent rice tariffication law, consumers of rice are taxed at
the rate of 35%, the revenues of which are to be used to make rice farmers
competitive, including assisting farmers diversify into other industries.
Consumers still get their rice price lower than in the previous regime of a QR
in rice.
The law calls the fund, RCEF or
rice competitiveness enhancement fund, which rings a sourly familiar tune, like
the Agriculture Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or ACEF. This was the fund
created by the 1996 agriculture tariffication act from the revenues of the
tariffs on MAVs Policy makers have regarded ACEF as a complete failure. The
farmers have not become competitive after several years of ACEF.
To prevent RCEF from becoming
another ACEF, the rice industry needs a very good strategy of making efficient
rice farmers become more competitive internationally through use of better
technology, innovative organization of farm production to avail of scale
economies, and displaced rice farmers helped to move to other industries in the
farming sector or even in non-agricultural industries at the least time
possible.
In the meantime, the Secretary
may consider using agriculture safeguards for the problems in the meat
industry. The safeguards law allows his office to raise the tariff on meat
imports, if the volume of meat imports exceed the threshold quantity defined in
our law by as much as a third of the current import tariff. This is consistent
with our treaty obligations under the WTO. Each end of the year, the duty will
have to be lifted, but can be imposed again in the following year or in any
time of a year, whenever the condition for breaching the safeguards volume is
met.
Ramon L. Clarete is a professor
at the University of the Philippines School of Economics.
NEDA urges more
exports of special rice varieties
Czeriza
Valencia (The Philippine Star) - April 25, 2019 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Exports of special rice varieties should
be ramped up to respond to increased demand overseas now that restrictions for
outbound shipments have been removed, said the National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA) said yesterday.
With the recent enactment of the Rice Tariffication Law or
Republic Act 11203, quantitative restrictions on imports and exports of rice
were repealed. Volume restrictions on inbound shipments are replaced with the
imposition of tariff.
“We encourage producers of special varieties of rice, such as
heirloom, organic and aromatic long-grain rice, to continue striving to be
competitive and to increase their export volume capabilities. These kinds of
rice command higher premium, thus resulting in higher earnings for farmers,”
said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA chief Ernesto Pernia.
After a 40 year hiatus, the country resumed rice exportation in
2013 with a shipment consisting of 15 metric tons of organic black rice and 20
metric tons of aromatic long grain rice.
The value of rice exports in 2018 was only about $0.47 million,
46.87 percent lower than the previous year.
Rice exports hardly made a contribution to total export earnings
from agricultural products, which reached $6.03 billion in 2018.
Before the enactment of the law, exporters of rice had to secure
an export permit from the National Food Authority.
“The government has already started supporting the exportation
of special rice varieties by removing the export quota power of the National
Food Authority in RA 11203. Now, these special rice varieties have tons
of room for growth,” Pernia said, citing the rice breeds are in high demand in
the US, Canada, and countries in the Middle East and Europe.
NEDA said this is in line with the government’s goal of
providing rice farmers with more income opportunities.
The agency said the creation of the Rice Competitiveness
Enhancement Fund, a P10-billion annual subsidy for the rice sector, also
assures support for the development of high-yielding rice seed varieties, along
with improvements in farm mechanization and other productivity-enhancing
programs.
“The rice sector must work towards raising productivity with
better farm methods and tools,” Pernia said.
PH asks Japan to open market for specialty rice
The
Philippines is asking Japan to open its market for specialty rice as a part of
the discussions for an upgraded bilateral trade agreement.
Trade
Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo, a member of the Philippine panel to the
Philippine-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, said Manila would try to
convince Japan to open its market to Philippine specialty rice exports.
Japan
has one of the most restrictive rice markets to protect its own farmers, while
the Philippines recently lifted the quantitative restriction on rice imports.
“We
know that rice is a sensitive commodity for the Japanese, as it was with us.
We’re just asking for a small quota―enough for our specialty rice to have
access into their market at a lower tariff,” Rodolfo said.
He
said the Philippines had no plans to flood Japan with rice. “And we do
not even have that capacity to flood any market with rice since we are also a
net-importer [of rice],” Rodolfo said.
Japan
maintains a 778-percent tariff on rice imported outside the minimum access
scheme. Rice is one of Japan’s five “sacred” agricultural products, along with
wheat, beef and pork, dairy products and sugar.
National
Economic and Development Authority director-general Ernesto Pernia said
Filipino farmers should increase their production of special varieties of rice
to respond to the increasing demand in the international market.
Pernia
said Republic Act 11203, did not only replace the quantitative restrictions on
rice imports with tariff but it also repealed all laws, rules, regulations,
guidelines and other issuances imposing quantitative export quotas on rice
exports.
“We
encourage producers of special varieties of rice, such as heirloom, organic,
and aromatic long-grain rice, to continue striving to be competitive and to
increase their export volume capabilities,” Pernia said in a statement.
“These
kinds of rice command higher premium, thus resulting in higher earnings for
farmers,” Pernia said.
The
Philippine and Japanese panels met for a third round of talks during the Holy
Week, on April 15 to 17, to fine-tune the important points of discussions.
Rodolfo
said Japan in return might ask the country to reduce the import tariff on
automotive exports to the Philippines.
“Right
now, they’re at 20 [percent tariff]. We’re also expecting this. We can discuss
this but there has to be some sort of favorable concessions,” he said.
Rodolfo
said while Japan was willing to put everything on the table, “but quoting them,
they said it will be difficult to do so.”
The
two countries earlier held substantive discussions on improving market access for
top Philippines exports through the general review of PJEPA.
PJEPA
covers trade in goods, trade in services, investments, movement of natural
persons, intellectual property, customs procedures, improvement of the business
environment and government procurement.
The
Philippines is continuously pushing for its offensive interest in the
improvement of market access especially for major agricultural exports,
renegotiation of rules of origin for some products and a framework for the
entry of additional categories of skilled workers from the Philippines to
Japan.
Among
the products of interest to the Philippines are bananas, mangoes and
pineapples.
Rodolfo
said the Philippine panel was looking forward to wrapping up the discussions
for an upgraded bilateral trade agreement within the next six months.
Neda: Scale up
exports of special rice varieties
April 24, 2019
THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) is
encouraging farmers to increase their production of special varieties of rice
to respond to the increasing demand in the international market now that
restrictions on exports have been repealed.
Neda reminded rice farmers and traders that the recent rice law, or Republic Act 11203, not only replaced the quantitative restrictions on rice imports with tariff, but it also repealed all laws, rules, regulations, guidelines and other issuances imposing quantitative export quotas on rice exports.
“We encourage producers of special varieties of rice, such as heirloom, organic and aromatic long-grain rice, to continue striving to be competitive and to increase their export volume capabilities. These kinds of rice command higher premium, thus resulting in higher earnings for farmers,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said.
The Philippines, after 40 years of hiatus, began to export rice in 2013 with a shipment consisting of 15 metric tons of organic black rice and 20 metric tons of aromatic long grain rice.
The value of rice exports in 2018 is about US$0.47 million, 46.87 percent lower than its level in the previous year. Rice exports hardly made a dent in the total exports earnings from agricultural products, which reached $6.03 billion in 2018.
Prior to the enactment of RA 11203, the Philippines had an export quota on rice by virtue of Presidential Decree 4 of 1972, as amended. Exporters of rice needed to secure an export permit from the National Food Authority. They had to submit an application, including the documentary requirements, which would be up for NFA’s review and approval. This particular section was repealed in RA 11203.
“The government has already started supporting exportation of special rice varieties by removing the export quota power of the NFA in RA 11203. Now, these special rice varieties have tons of room for growth,” Pernia said, saying these rice breeds are in high demand in the US, Canada, countries in the Middle East and Europe.
“The rice sector must work towards raising productivity with better farm methods and tools,” Pernia added. (PR)
Neda reminded rice farmers and traders that the recent rice law, or Republic Act 11203, not only replaced the quantitative restrictions on rice imports with tariff, but it also repealed all laws, rules, regulations, guidelines and other issuances imposing quantitative export quotas on rice exports.
“We encourage producers of special varieties of rice, such as heirloom, organic and aromatic long-grain rice, to continue striving to be competitive and to increase their export volume capabilities. These kinds of rice command higher premium, thus resulting in higher earnings for farmers,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said.
The Philippines, after 40 years of hiatus, began to export rice in 2013 with a shipment consisting of 15 metric tons of organic black rice and 20 metric tons of aromatic long grain rice.
The value of rice exports in 2018 is about US$0.47 million, 46.87 percent lower than its level in the previous year. Rice exports hardly made a dent in the total exports earnings from agricultural products, which reached $6.03 billion in 2018.
Prior to the enactment of RA 11203, the Philippines had an export quota on rice by virtue of Presidential Decree 4 of 1972, as amended. Exporters of rice needed to secure an export permit from the National Food Authority. They had to submit an application, including the documentary requirements, which would be up for NFA’s review and approval. This particular section was repealed in RA 11203.
“The government has already started supporting exportation of special rice varieties by removing the export quota power of the NFA in RA 11203. Now, these special rice varieties have tons of room for growth,” Pernia said, saying these rice breeds are in high demand in the US, Canada, countries in the Middle East and Europe.
“The rice sector must work towards raising productivity with better farm methods and tools,” Pernia added. (PR)
Commerce
Ministry will call and meet Singapore Company for rice export to Ivory Coast
case
Workers
unload non-compliant rice of Burmese origin from a truck at The Kossihouen
Waste Disposal and Technical Landfill Centre some 45kms from Abidjan on April
16, 2019, ahead of it's destruction. Photo: Sia Kambou/AFP
The
Ministry of Economy and Commerce will meet a Yangon based Singapore company
which bought rice from three Myanmar companies and exported it to the Ivory
Coast which then had to destroy it.
Ministry
of Economy and Commerce permanent secretary Aung Soe said, “Firstly we must
listen to the explanation given by this company. And then we will form a team
to meet and ask questions of the persons concerned then we will draw
conclusions from the meetings. This Singapore Company is Olan International
Company based in Singapore.”
According
to current examinations made by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, the
quality of Myanmar rice has no problem.
Three
Myanmar companies Shwe Wah Yaung, Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) and Ayer
Hinthar, sold Olan International Company with FOB (Freight on Board) sold the
rice which met quality standards to the Singapore Company.
Myanmar
Rice Federation Vice-Chairman Aung Than Oo also said the rice got soaked with
rain while uploading onto the ship and about two to three layers of rice were
wet with rainwater and the shipment took about 8 months when it finally reached
the port in Africa and because of this the quality of rice was degraded when it
reached the final port.
Ministry
of Economy and Commerce permanent secretary Aung Soe said that the rice soaked
with rainwater should be separated from dry rice and must be covered on the
deck by tarpaulin but the vessel MV Ocean Prince failed to do this so the rice
soaked with rainwater solidified.
This
vessel unloaded about 4,000 tons of Myanmar rice in Guinea and then the port
authority stopped them from unloading more rice due to quality standards. Then
the vessel continued its journey and finally reached Ivory Coast on April 17
and the port authority decided to destroy the rice of about 18,000 tons for
being damaged and not meeting quality standards.
Last
year Myanmar exported over 3.2 million tons of rice both low and high grade,
Myanmar is one of the five leading exporters in world rice market.
