Pakistan Market Price Bulletin, JuState bans nine pesticides
Move aimed at improving quality of basmati, paddy
The basmati exporters in the state had suffered huge losses in the past couple of years as many containers containing basmati rice had been rejected by European nations, Saudi Arabia and other Middle-East countries after traces of pesticides were found in them.
Author Name: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/state-bans-nine-pesticides/807340.htmlne 2019
An agricultural official pastes a poster of banned pesticides at a dealer’s shop in Moga. Tribune Photo
Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service Moga, July 24 The state government has banned the sale of nine types of pesticides, insecticides and fungicides with immediate effect, asking farmers not to use them on basmati, paddy and other crops. The Secretary of Agriculture Department, Dr Kahan Singh Pannu, while issuing an advisory to the farmers to not use the chemical formulations of acephate,carbendazim, thiamethoxam, triazofos, tricyclazole, buprofezin, carbofuron, propiconazole and thiophanate methyl on basmati and other crops, said these chemicals were harmful to health. They are banned in most of the European countries. Meanwhile, the state government has launched a campaign in all districts, asking farmers not to use excessive pesticides in cultivation of basmati, the total area of which is likely to cross 5 lakh hectares across the state. The chemical formulations of tricyclazole leave chemical traces of pesticides in custom-milled rice. Dr Pannu has further issued directions to the field staff of the Agriculture Department to reach out to the basmati growers and motivate them for judicious use of pesticides, so as to improve its quality for export.
REPORT
from World Food Programme
Published on 30 Jun
2019
H
i g h l i g h t s
•
In May 2019, the average retail prices of wheat and wheat flour increased by
0.8% and 1.2%, respectively; the prices of rice Irri-6 and rice Basmati
increased by 0.9% and 1.2%, respectively, in May 2019 when compared to the
previous month;
•
Headline inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased in May
2019 by 0.78% over April 2019 and increased by 9.11% over May 2018;
•
The prices of staple cereals and most of non-cereal food commodities in May
2019 experienced slight fluctuations when compared to the previous month’s
prices;
•
In May 2019, the average ToT slightly decreased by 0.1% from previous month;
•
In June 2019, the total global wheat production for 2019/20 is projected at
780.83 million MT, indicating an increase of 3.3 million MT compared to the
projection made in May 2019
Indian traders left reeling by AED15-million FMCG logistics scam
in Dubai
Enough rice to feed the entire population of the UAE
for 5 days was stolen through logistics fraud in Dubai
Image illustrative only.
Share
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by
Wed 24 Jul 2019 02:31 PM
Several dozen rice traders in India
have been left on the brink of bankruptcy following a massive logistics scam
that saw more than 6,000 tonnes of rice shipped to Dubai and then sold on the
black market, reports Gulf News.
The rice, worth more than
AED15-million, was sold to Dubai’s Al Rawnaq Al Thahbhi General Trading by
dozens of Indian exporters, who had first been ‘groomed’ for the fraud through
the placement of smaller cash orders, which were duly paid as normal.
US$600m settlement reported for Agility fraud case
After Dubai’s Al Rawnaq Al Thahbhi
General Trading had won their trust, it placed much larger orders for 6,000
tons from 20 odd exporters in India between March and April this year.
Traders were sent a Telegraphic
Transfer (TT) receipt for each shipment as ‘proof’ that their payments were
being electronically remitted to their banks in India, but those payments were
subsequently cancelled and the security cheques bounced.
In total, 23 of these TTs were
cancelled, totally US $4.18-million.
Many of the traders came to Dubai
to investigate, but found that Al Rawnaq’s rented warehouse in Al Quoz where
the rice containers were delivered was empty as was the company’s office at XL
Tower in Business Bay.
Al Rawnaq’s Indian owner, Robin
Gupta left the UAE after handing the reins to a man identified as Shaikh Tariq
Awais from Pakistan, who has also since fled, after conning even the real
estate company behind the warehouse out of their money.
“He took a large warehouse in Al
Quoz against a post-dated cheque which has now bounced,” said the real estate
agent who dealt with Tariq, speaking to Gulf News.
According to one trader who spoke
to Gulf News, the exporters had done their due diligence.
“We visited Al Rawnaq Al Thahbhi’s
office, checked its trade license, met its general manager and, more
importantly, released the shipments only after we had received telex transfer
(TT) receipts from a money exchange in Dubai confirming the acceptance of the
remittance request and the initiation of the transaction,” says Vinod Goel of
Karnal’s NM Food Impex company.
He shipped 22 containers of Basmati
rice worth $321,170.
Among other rice exporters
similarly duped are KG Industries ($1.02 million); Harman Rice ($553,640);
Amritsar Riceland ($451,250) Aarna Foodstfuff ($289,925), AS Impex ($287,985)
and Heera Rice Mills ($131,435).
Spice and coconut wholesalers have
also been hit. Karnataka’s Joseph International lost $109,200, Manna Organic
$125835 and Tamil Nadu’s SJN Coir Export, $210,000.
Some traders are now facing
insolvency after building up their companies over the course of a lifetime.
“I am ruined and will have to sell
my house and factory. I built this business over 20 years. An oversight
destroyed it overnight,” said a trader who did not wish to be named.
According to Gulf News, the Indian
consulate in Dubai is in touch with UAE officials, who are investigating the
matter, but with the people responsible now at large overseas, and the rice
having been sold off, recovering the traders’ money and goods is near to
impossible.
Parched Mekong affects Thai rice
farmers
Thailand is
experiencing a severe drought at a time of year that is usually rainy season.
Farmers plant the country's most important crop -- rice -- in this season. But
they are being urged by the government to wait due to the water shortage.
In the
northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom, agriculture depends heavily on the
Mekong River, which is at a critically-low level.
The river is
normally 8 meters deep. But this year it has fallen to just 1.5 meters.
Reservoirs are at less than 20 percent their capacity.
Thai National
Water Resources Office Secretary General Somkiat Prajamwong said: "Demand
for water is growing in Thailand, which is downstream in the Mekong River.
But China, which is upstream, stores large amounts of water. Thailand needs water for agriculture, so we need to cooperate with China on sharing water."
But China, which is upstream, stores large amounts of water. Thailand needs water for agriculture, so we need to cooperate with China on sharing water."
The official
also says Laos has been testing a hydro-electric power generation on the Mekong,
which is another of the reasons behind the situation.
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- JULY
25, 2019
JULY 25, 2019 /
* * * * * *
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-July 25, 2018 Nagpur,
July 25 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices firmed up again in Nagpur Agriculture
Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) on increased buying support from local
millers amid tight supply from producing regions. Poor monsoon reports, fresh
hike on NCDEX in gram and good rise in Madhya Pradesh pulses prices also helped
to push up prices. About 400 bags of gram and 100 bags of tuar reported for
auction, according to sources.
GRAM
* Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was
poor.
TUAR
* Tuar gavarani reported higher in open market here on increased
demand from
local traders amid tight supply from producing regions.
* Watana green recovered strongly in open market here on good
demand from
local traders amid weak arrival from producing belts.
* In Akola, Tuar New – 5,600-6,000, Tuar dal (clean) – 8,300-8,500,
Udid Mogar (clean)
– 6,800-7,500, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,500-8,500, Gram – 4,400-4,500,
Gram Super best
– 6,200-6,400 * Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a
narrow range in
scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading
activity.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100
kg
FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 3,900-4,230 3,900-4,190
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 4,920-5,550 4,900-5,550
Moong Auction n.a. 3,950-4,200
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,200-2,500
Wheat Lokwan Auction 2,000-2,110 1,980-2,110
Wheat Sharbati Auction n.a. 2,900-3,000
Gram Super Best Bold 6,300-6,500 6,300-6,500
Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,900-6,100 5,900-6,100
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a
Gram Mill Quality 4,500-4,600 4,500-4,600
Desi gram Raw 4,450-4,550 4,450-4,550
Gram Kabuli 8,300-10,000 8,300-10,000
Tuar Fataka Best-New 8,600-8,800 8,600-8,800
Tuar Fataka Medium-New 8,200-8,400 8,200-8,400
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 7,900-8,200 7,900-8,200
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 7,200-7,700 7,200-7,700
Tuar Gavarani New 5,950-6,150 5,900-6,100
Tuar Karnataka 6,250-6,450 6,200-6,600
Masoor dal best 5,500-5,600 5,400-5,500
Masoor dal medium 5,200-5,400 5,100-5,300
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New) 8,200-9,000 8,200-9,000
Moong Mogar Medium 6,000-7,000 6,000-7,000
Moong dal Chilka New 6,800-7,800 6,800-7,800
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 8,300-8,800 8,300-8,800
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,000-8,500 7,000-8,500
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,500 5,800-6,500
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,200-4,500 4,200-4,500
Mot (100 INR/KG) 5,200-6,500 5,200-6,500
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,800-4,900 4,800-4,900
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 5,600-5,700 5,600-5,700
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 6,900-7,300 6,800-7,200
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200
Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,100 2,000-2,100
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,600 2,400-2,600
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,800 3,200-3,800
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,700-3,000 2,700-3,000
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300
Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,600 3,000-3,500
Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,500-3,000 2,500-3,000
Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000
Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,750 2,600-2,750
Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,500 2,200-2,500
Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,400 3,800-4,400
Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,600 3,400-3,600
Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 5,500-5,800 5,500-5,800
Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,800 4,500-4,800
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,500-13,500 8,500-13,500
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,000 5,000-7,000
Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 6,500-7,200 6,500-7,200
Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 6,200-6,400 6,200-6,400
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,350-2,550 2,350-2,550
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,050-2,250 2,050-2,250 WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 36.8 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 26.5 degree Celsius Rainfall :
Nil FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or
thunder-showers. Maximum and minimum temperature likely to be around 34 degree
Celsius and 25 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.—not available (For oils,
transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market
prices)
Commerce ministry frets over rice
output
Commerce ministry frets over rice
output
By THE NATION
Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said on Tuesday he would
urgently meet rice exporters and related parties to discuss ways to boost
exports once the government has unveiled its policies in Parliament on
Thursday.
He expressed concern that the drought gripping the upper half of
the country could hamper plans to export 10 million tonnes this year.
In a related matter, Anan Suwannarat, permanent secretary of the
Agricultural Cooperatives Ministry, said the Department of Agricultural
Extension had set up “war rooms” in all provinces to closely monitor the
drought situation.
The drought that has extended from May into July could cost the
economy at least Bt15 billion, representing 0.1 per cent of Gross Domestic
Product, the Kasikorn Research Centre estimates.
The estimate is mainly based on the drought’s impact on the
first rice crop of the year, known as the “in-season” crop.
The economic loss could be greater if damage to other kinds of
farm produce is also taken into account.
In Lop Buri, the Pa Sak Jolasid Dam reservoir has dropped
dangerously low, to only 4 per cent of capacity – even lower than it was four
years ago when the central province withered in the grip of severe drought.
In Nan in the North, millions of worms have infested 47,000
acres of cornfields spanning all 15 districts, more than half the province’s
land devoted to corn.
In Nong Khai in the Northeast, the Mekong River is running too
low to catch any fish. The level is more than 10 metres below the top of the
bank on the Thai side.
Residents are instead earning a living in construction or small
business.
The news was only good in Ubon Ratchathani, also in the
Northeast, where a significant amount of rain fell on Tuesday, credited to
cloud-seeding operations.
A Muang Ubon farmer said his rice had narrowly escaped
devastation in what he called the most severe drought he’d ever seen.
The Kwang Noi Dam in Phitsanulok currently holds 134 million
millimetres of water – 14 per cent of its capacity. One of four major dams
designated for dispensing water for public consumption, it is able to release
just 10 per cent of what it normally shares.
Warawut Niumnoi, director of water distribution and maintenance
at the dam, said only 91 million millimetres of water was available to
distribute.
There is currently no inflow at all, he said, and what is being
released into the Chao Phraya plain can only be let go at 25 cubic metres per
second.
Phitsanulok Governor Piphat Eakphapun has directed agencies to
closely monitor the drought situation, prepare remedial plans for farmers,
especially those growing rice and corn, determine the need for artificial
rainmaking, and coordinate with the Department of Groundwater Resources on
further plans.
The Army has established a centre to monitor the situation in
real-time so that water can be provided to the drought victims efficiently.
UPDATE 2-Thai rice exporters cut 2019 target for annual exports
Patpicha
Tanakasempipat
JULY
24, 2019
*
Thai rice exports set to fall further in 2019
*
Exporters cite strong baht, ample global stockpiles
*
Thailand faces cheaper rice from Vietnam, China
*
Fears for next year’s supply due to drought (Adds details, quotes, prices)
By
Patpicha Tanakasempipat
BANGKOK,
July 24 (Reuters) - Thailand’s rice exporters on Wednesday lowered their target
for annual exports to 9 million tonnes from 9.5 million, after a sharp fall in
first-half shipments due to a strong baht and ample global stockpiles.
Thailand’s
rice exports from January to June fell 19.6% compared with the same period last
year, the Thai Rice Exporters Association said.
“With
volumes of shipments consistently declining from January, our best performance
would be 9 million tonnes,” Charoen Laothamatas, president of the exporters
group, told reporters.
The
new target is about 20% less than the 11.23 million tonnes that Thailand - the
world’s second-largest rice exporter after India - shipped out in 2018. This
year’s volume is expected to be worth about $4.7 billion, down 17% from 2018.
Thailand
has been losing market share to major rival Vietnam due to a rise in the Thai
baht, Asia’s best performing currency, which earlier this month reached its
strongest levels in more than six years.
Thailand’s
benchmark 5% broken white rice RI-THBKN5-P1 was quoted last week at around
$401-$402 a tonne on a free-on-board (FOB) basis, well above a similar grade
from Vietnam, which was quoted at $350 per tonne. RI-VNBKN5-P1
India’s
benchmark 5% broken parboiled variety RI-INBKN5-P1 was trading at around
$374-$377 per tonne.
LOST
MARKETS
Thailand
has also been facing competition from China, the world’s biggest rice importer
and Thailand’s No. 3 buyer last year, which nearly doubled its rice exports in
the first half of 2019 from a year ago, said Chookiat Ophaswongse, the group’s
honorary president.
Flush
with large state reserves, China has been selling stockpiles of “old rice”,
which have gone to African markets previously dominated by Thailand, he said.
A
government-to-government deal that Thailand struck with Chinese state-owned
food trader COFCO in 2015 has also stalled due to China’s ample rice supplies.
As
of end-2018, Thailand had supplied 700,000 tonnes of rice to China as part of
the deal for 1 million tonnes of the grain. Since then, there have been no new
orders, Chookiat said.
Rice
exporters are also concerned that low rainfall could cripple the next harvest
after the Thai government this week urged farmers to delay planting rice.
Drought
has been declared in more than a dozen provinces in Thailand’s main rice-growing
northern and northeastern regions, where rainfall was the lowest in 10 years.
“If
rain doesn’t come by August, it’s a dire situation,” Charoen told reporters.
Thailand’s
main rice-growing season begins in May, the start of the rainy season, for
harvest between August and October.
Reporting
by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; editing by Richard Pullin
Our
Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Indonesia Warns of Rice Crop Damage in Drought-Parched Fields
By
and Yoga Rusmana
July
24, 2019, 2:18 PM GMT+5 Updated on July 25, 2019,
10:42 AM GMT+5
·
Photographer: Agung
Parameswara/Getty Images
Indonesia’s
rice crop is at risk of damage from an unusually long dry weather spell that’s
gripped several producing regions, raising prospects of elevated imports for a
second year.
The dry weather has parched paddy
fields across Java island, the main growing region, and the agriculture
ministry sees the harvest failing in more areas than the 20,000 hectares
already reported, according to Edy Purnawan, director of crop protection at the
ministry.
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Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- JULY 24, 2019
JULY 24, 2019 / 2:23 PM
•
* * * * * *
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-July 24, 2018 Nagpur,
July 24 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices reported higher in Nagpur Agriculture
Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) on good demand from local millers amid
weak supply from producing regions. Upward trend on NCDEX in gram and fresh
hike in Madhya Pradesh pulses prices and reported demand from South-based
millers also boosted prices. About 400 bags of gram and 250 bags of tuar
reported for auction, according to sources.
GRAM
* Desi gram raw recovered in open market here on increased demand
from local traders.
TUAR
* Tuar Karnataka firmed up again in open market here on good buying
support from
local traders.
* Moong Chamki showed upward tendency in open market here on
increased demand from
local traders amid thin supply from producing belts.
* In Akola, Tuar New – 5,600-6,000, Tuar dal (clean) – 8,300-8,500,
Udid Mogar (clean)
– 6,800-7,500, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,500-8,500, Gram – 4,400-4,500,
Gram Super best
– 6,200-6,400 * Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a
narrow range in
scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading
activity.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100
kg
FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 3,900-4,190 3,900-4,130
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 4,900-5,780 4,900-5,725
Moong Auction n.a. 3,950-4,200
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,200-2,500
Wheat Lokwan Auction 1,980-2,110 1,930-2,110
Wheat Sharbati Auction n.a. 2,900-3,000
Gram Super Best Bold 6,300-6,500 6,300-6,500
Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,900-6,100 5,900-6,100
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a
Gram Mill Quality 4,500-4,600 4,500-4,600
Desi gram Raw 4,450-4,550 4,400-4,500
Gram Kabuli 8,300-10,000 8,300-10,000
Tuar Fataka Best-New 8,600-8,800 8,600-8,800
Tuar Fataka Medium-New 8,200-8,400 8,200-8,400
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 7,900-8,200 7,900-8,200
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 7,200-7,700 7,200-7,700
Tuar Gavarani New 5,950-6,150 5,950-6,150
Tuar Karnataka 6,250-6,450 6,200-6,600
Masoor dal best 5,500-5,600 5,400-5,500
Masoor dal medium 5,200-5,400 5,100-5,300
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New) 8,200-9,000 8,200-9,000
Moong Mogar Medium 6,000-7,000 6,000-7,000
Moong dal Chilka New 6,800-7,800 6,800-7,800
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 8,300-8,800 8,200-8,700
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,000-8,500 7,000-8,500
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,500 5,800-6,500
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,200-4,500 4,200-4,500
Mot (100 INR/KG) 5,200-6,500 5,200-6,500
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,800-4,900 4,800-4,900
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 5,600-5,700 5,600-5,700
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 6,800-7,200 6,800-7,200
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200
Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,100 2,000-2,100
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,600 2,400-2,600
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,800 3,200-3,800
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,700-3,000 2,700-3,000
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300
Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,600 3,000-3,500
Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,500-3,000 2,500-3,000
Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000
Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,750 2,600-2,750
Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,500 2,200-2,500
Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,400 3,800-4,400
Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,600 3,400-3,600
Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 5,500-5,800 5,500-5,800
Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,800 4,500-4,800
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,500-13,500 8,500-13,500
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,000 5,000-7,000
Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 6,500-7,200 6,500-7,200
Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 6,200-6,400 6,200-6,400
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,350-2,550 2,350-2,550
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,050-2,250 2,050-2,250 WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 35.8 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 26.3 degree Celsius Rainfall :
Nil FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky with light rains. Maximum and minimum
temperature likely to be around 37 degree Celsius and 26 degree Celsius
respectively. Note: n.a.—not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded
from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices)https://in.reuters.com/article/nagpur-foodgrain/nagpur-foodgrain-prices-open-july-24-2019-idINL4N24P2D1
[Photo] N.
Korea may reject S. Korea’s rice in response to joint SK-US command post
exercises
Posted on : Jul.24,2019 16:44 KST Modified on : Jul.24,2019
16:44 KST
The
South Korean Ministry of Unification has indicated that North Korea may reject
South Korea’s humanitarian food aid provided through the World Food Programme
(WFP). The rejection is seen as a response to the South Korea-US joint command
post exercises scheduled for August. The Unification Ministry has announced
that it will confirm North Korea’s official position via the WFP. (provided by
the WFP)
'Centre
should procure more from FCI to aid farmers' Team MP
23
July 2019 10:47 PM
Kolkata:
Pradip Majumdar, Advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Agriculture &
Allied Sectors, said on Tuesday that the Central procurement system should
procure more from the state through Food Corporation of India (FCI), for
farmers to get optimum benefit. "Policy-wise Bengal remains adept in
maximising welfare for farmers, through crop diversification, Bangla Shashya
Bima Yojana (fully borne by the state government) and Bangla Sech Yojana for
micro irrigation practices. However, the Central procurement system should
procure more from the state through FCI for farmers to get the optimum
benefit," Majumdar said at the Bengal Rice Conclave, organised by Indian
Chamber of Commerce. According to Majumdar, land usage is very high in Bengal
and the state contributes to around 5 percent of global rice production, higher
than the U.S, Latin America and Africa taken together. "In a surplus
situation like this, it is important to look at commercially gainful disposal
methods of rice, so as to maximise the benefits for paddy growers," he
added. He further said that the state encourages crop diversification, which is
the cultivation of crops other than paddy such as oilseeds, pulses, maize etc.
in those lands which are less conducive to rice production, to ultimately cater
to the greater good of the farmers. The focused deliberations in the conference
primarily centered around the rice production of the state, procurement process
of paddy across the state, mandi and market linkage in paddy sector in Bengal
at district and village levels, marketing, branding, storage and supply of the
rice to processors, rice millers, traders, retailers and exporters across the
value chain. Experts opined that water efficient varieties of rice should be cultivated
with use of technology for better cultivation amid water shortage.
http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/centre-should-procure-more-from-fci-to-aid-farmers-365058
http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/centre-should-procure-more-from-fci-to-aid-farmers-365058
USA
Rice Awarded Additional $2.5 Million for Trade Promotion
WASHINGTON, DC -- USA Rice has been awarded an additional
$2,501,925 in Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) funds to conduct international
marketing and promotion activities as a part of President Donald Trump's trade
mitigation programs. This is the second tranche of ATP funds; USA Rice
already received $3,050,075 earlier this year bringing the total amount of ATP
funds for USA Rice to $5,552,000. These funds will be spread out over the
next three years to promote U.S. rice in more than 20 markets worldwide. 
"USA Rice ultimately received all of the ATP funds requested in the application which shows how well our programs are viewed," said Terry Harris, chair of the USA Rice International Promotion Committee. "The ATP funds have already led to astounding success for USA Rice and USDA as they funded the recent trade seminars in Guangzhou where the first sale of U.S. rice to China was made. We are grateful for the additional ATP funds that will enable us to increase our presence in our top export markets as well as venture into new ones."
"With retaliatory tariffs impeding access in key markets such as Turkey and the EU, and the growing presence of cheap Chinese rice in traditional U.S. markets, USA Rice will work with the International Promotion Committee to develop innovative programs using the additional ATP funds to counter these market challenges," said Sarah Moran, USA Rice vice president international.
"USA Rice ultimately received all of the ATP funds requested in the application which shows how well our programs are viewed," said Terry Harris, chair of the USA Rice International Promotion Committee. "The ATP funds have already led to astounding success for USA Rice and USDA as they funded the recent trade seminars in Guangzhou where the first sale of U.S. rice to China was made. We are grateful for the additional ATP funds that will enable us to increase our presence in our top export markets as well as venture into new ones."
"With retaliatory tariffs impeding access in key markets such as Turkey and the EU, and the growing presence of cheap Chinese rice in traditional U.S. markets, USA Rice will work with the International Promotion Committee to develop innovative programs using the additional ATP funds to counter these market challenges," said Sarah Moran, USA Rice vice president international.
USA Rice Daily
Local rice industry to receive
major boost
JULY 25,
2019 4:35 PM
Production of rice in the country
will soon receive a major boost.
This follows technical support that will be provided by hybrid
rice experts from China.
The Agriculture Ministry and China’s Yuan Longping High-Tech
Agriculture Company Limited held discussions on this recent development in Nadi
this week.
It is part of Fiji and China’s developed cooperation to support
the improvement of the Fiji rice revitalization program.
Minister for Agriculture Dr. Mahendra Reddy says the series of
meetings mapped new deliverable objectives for the development of a new hybrid
rice variety.
He says ways to boost production from its current low progress
over the past 2 years towards a self-sufficient rice Fiji were also agreed
upon.
Dr. Reddy says they want local expertise in developing hybrid rice
and they’ve agreed to send four of their staff to the Research Centre in China
for a period of three months
Due to the low germination percentage and sterility of harvested
hybrid rice when harvested by farmers directly, the Ministry research stations
will develop seeds for farmers and distribute them for commercial use.
The Chinese delegates visited rice farmers in the Western
Division, Koronivia Research Station and will be in the North to visit the rice
development project currently being undertaken in the Dreketi irrigated areas.
8:47 AM (IST)
Varsity faculty awarded by American
Association of Cereal Chemists
FacebookTwitterEmailPrint
|
Jul 25, 2019, 8:47 AM; last updated:
Jul 25, 2019,
Dr. NArpinder SIngh
Dr. NArpinder SIngh
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, July 24
Dr Narpinder Singh, Director Research and Head,
Department of Food Science and Technology of Guru Nanak Dev University, has
been awarded with the fellow of American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC)
International in recognition of his distinguished contributions in the field of
cereal science and technology.
Singh is working
in the areas of starch and protein chemistry, extruded products, modified
starches, baked products, cereal and legumes quality, milling, gluten-free
product development, selection of raw material, etc. He carried out extensive
work on establishment of structure-function relationship in starch present in
different crops (potato, corn, rice, wheat, field peas, chickpea, kidney beans,
rice bean, black gram, amaranth, sorghum, mango kernel, unripe apples) using
advanced and modern techniques. The fundamental knowledge on protein secondary
structure, and structure-function relationship combined with thermal properties
and rheology, was used to identify targeted application of pulse proteins in
food industry. He has also used pulse protein isolates in the formulation for
gluten-free products.
He has attracted around Rs 793 lakh extramural
research projects as principal/co principal investigator and Rs 269 lakh
infrastructural grants for his department. Two hundred and forty-five
peer-reviewed research papers by him have been published in high impact
journals with more than 12,000 citations and h-index of 60 on Google scholar.
The ceremony of
this award will be held at the upcoming AACC international meeting at Denver,
Colorado, USA. The AACC international is a global nonprofit association of
nearly 2,000 scientists and food industry professionals working to advance the
understanding and knowledge of cereal grain science and its product development
through research, leadership, education, superior technical service and
advocacy.
Singh is an
internationally renowned food technologist and is the fellow of various
esteemed Indian academics (INSA, NASI, NAAS and AFSTI). He also holds various
prestigious awards “ICAR Rafi Ahmed Kadwai Award and JC Bose National
Fellowship of Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and
Technology, Govt. of India for outstanding research in his field.
Rice straw fiberboard plant is
starting to hire
By LAURA
URSENY | lurseny@chicoer.com | Chico Enterprise-Record
PUBLISHED: July
24, 2019 at 4:20 am | UPDATED: July 24, 2019 at 1:41 pm
WILLOWS — In less than a month, hiring for
employees to operate a unique fiberboard plant in Willows will begin.
CalPlant 1 will be making medium density
fiberboard made from rice straw, and is expected to be operational later this
year.
The hiring
event is planned from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 15 at Willows City Hall, 201 North
Lassen. Applicants are being asked to bring an application, which is available
online, a cover letter and resume with them. Applications are available
at https://calplant1.com/careers or
from Glenn Grows Business and Employment Resource Center, 125 E. Walker St.,
Orland.
Positions include production/control room
operators, plan maintenance and electricians, shipping and forklift operators,
straw receiving and retrieval operators, accounting and office support, among
others.
The $315 million plant, located on Highway
162 west of Willows, has been under construction since 2017, and is in the
final stages of preparation for operating 24/7 sometime in November.
According to Elizabeth Whalen of CalPlant 1,
the plant would be staffed by about 115 full-time employees, with additional
part-timers during straw procurement. Jody Samons of Glenn Grows Business in
Orland, which is distributing applications, the first three waves of
interviewing hopes to land about 62 employees.
Innovation
Working on it for more than 20 years, founder
Jerry Uhland of Willows says it is the first commercial fiberboard plant in
North America to use rice straw, capturing a ready supply from growers while
providing solutions for environmental issues. Uhland estimated there’s plenty
of rice straw supply in a 15- to 25-mile radius of the 275-acre plant.
The facility is expected to process about
275,000 tons of rice straw annually, and the plant site has been collecting
bailed straw since 2017.
The process has attracted industry attention,
because fiberboard is usually created from lesser wood pieces, and uses
formaldehyde in the adhesive process.
Uhland developed the process using rice
straw, less water, and no added formaldehyde. Cutting and removing rice straw
also means rice growers will save water commonly used for helping the crop
decompose.
The fiberboard would be used for making
furniture, cabinetry and doors, among other items.
The mechanized equipment to produce the
fiberboard is made by the German company Siempelkamp.
The plant process includes removal of bale
twine as well as straw shredder, a cleaning system to remove coarse pieces and
dust. The project also includes two refiners to turn rice straw into fiber.
A natural gas fiber dryer will be used to
clear moisture from the fiber.
At the core of the plant will be an
energy-efficient press, Siempelkamp noted.
According to the CalPlant1 website, Columbia
Forest Products is the exclusive sales agent for the fiberboard, and
manufactures hardwood plywood and hardwood veneer products.
Both Siempelkamp and Columbia are minor
investors in the project.
Laura Urseny
Laura
Urseny is a business and general news reporter, as well as a columnist. Reach
her at lurseny@chicoer.com or follow Laura on Twitter: @LauraUrseny
Arkansas
may have escaped the worst of Hurricane Barry, but crops in many areas are
struggling to move past the effects.
Some Arkansas rice, soybean growers face latest
twist in a difficult year
While most of Arkansas may have
escaped the worst of what Hurricane Barry augured in potential wind and rain,
crops in many areas are struggling to move past the primary and secondary
effects of the latest twist in an already difficult year.
Chad Norton, soybean and wheat
verification coordinator for the University of Arkansas System Division of
Agriculture at the Southeast Research and Extension Center in Monticello, said
several fields that he oversees received at least 9 inches of rain between July
15-16, when remnants of Barry pushed through portions of the state.
Many soybean plots throughout the
southern portion of Arkansas were already five to six weeks behind the normal
crop schedule, due to late planting in the spring. The deluge, he said, will
simply delay or further stunt soybean progress even further.
“Any soil-applied herbicides I
had out there are just washed out — they’re gone,” Norton said. “I’m worried
about pigweeds — the soil’s so wet, I don’t think I can get back in there
and control them. That’s what’s on my mind right now. 
“There were several fields going
underwater, especially in Jefferson, Arkansas and other counties, where the
heavy rain fell. What lives through that is going to be stunted and hurt for a
little while longer,” he said.
The delayed planting and
torrential rains are also compounded by the fact that much of the soybean seed
growers began with this year was also of lower quality, as the 2018 harvest was
also impacted by heavy rainfall that began in September.
“We had such a terrible fall last
year that the seed quality we were working with this year was also terrible,”
Norton said. “I know of several fields that had to be replanted three or four
times — not from weather, just from poor seed quality. One field, for example, planted
340,000 seeds, and they got 65,000-75,000 plants come up.
“It’s a perfect storm — we were
late because of the weather, and we had terrible seed quality,” he said. “It
bit some people, it really did. I struggled in my program to get the stands I
got. I normally get 125,000-130,000 plants per acre; I’ve got several fields
with 85,000-90,000 plants per acre. That’s just how this year’s been.”
Norton said that at this point in
the year, he found it unlikely that growers could get their money’s worth out of
another round of replanting soybeans, given the natural reductions in yield
inherent in such late planting.
“Driving around the past couple
of weeks, I’ve seen beans that are just now coming out of the ground,” he said.
“So people did do some July planting, but I don’t think you could ever get your
money back if you planted today. We’ve lost too much relative yield,
day-to-day, by this date.”
Rice
Isolated rice fields in the state
also bore some of Barry’s brunt throughout the week. Jarrod Hardke, extension
rice agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, said some rice fields between
Pine Bluff and Stuttgart received 6-8 inches of rain, with reports of blown
levees in narrow bands in the southern half of the state.
“But most of the eastern Delta
region got 3-4 inches of rain,” Hardke said. “Certainly enough to pop a levee
here and there. But a lot of that water was spread out over several days, which
certainly helped with managing it, because it didn’t all come in a single
deluge, like we were anticipating.
“Some of the heavier rain
submerged some of the more mature rice in the state,” he said. “We were hoping
we could get that water off those fields rapidly — older rice does not
withstand being flooded for very long. We need to get that water off within seven
days, if at all possible. Usually, if it stays under for 10 days, it’s done.
When the water comes off, it’s going to fall down and rot at that point. Those
are still isolated incidents, but they are out there.”
Hardke said that despite the many
setbacks that have already faced Arkansas rice growers in 2019, the overall
crop looks good at this point — and that there may, in fact, be silver linings
ahead.
“There’s a precedent — even when
we’re in delayed planting — if we get to follow that with a mild summer and
avoid extreme, excessive heat during the reproductive growth stages, we can
still make some very good yields,” Hardke said. “And this is across
commodities.
“It certainly hasn’t been made
yet, on any of those fronts, but we have to try to remain a little optimistic
that we still have some very good yields left in us,” he said.
While forecasts from the National
Weather Service put much of Arkansas under a heat advisory Friday and Saturday,
temperatures are predicted to drop into the 80s next week, during what is often
the first of the two hottest weeks of the year for the state.
“That might be a shock to the
system,” Hardke said. “The biggest problem with it is just a general slow-down
of the crop progression. It won’t hurt anything, but it will cost us a little
bit of time, in terms of getting this crop to the finish line, and getting it
out of there.
“I guess that’ll be the next
oddity that 2019 will throw at us: a strange, late cool-down in July,” he said.
“And then we’ll have to wait and see what’s next.”
TAGS: CROPS
Villar says
new rice tariff law is ok; problem is its implementation
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 02:17 PM July 25, 2019
Senator Cynthia Villar. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–Senator Cynthia Villar
– the sponsor and principal author of the rice import liberalization law – has
opposed calls from various industry stakeholders to review the measure
following the drastic decline in palay prices that only resulted in minimal
cuts in rice prices.
However, the lawmaker said there have been
flaws in its implementation which the Senate would tackle through an oversight
committee that she would lead.
“There
is issue in the implementation of the law, not the law itself. The law is very
good… We haven’t tried the law then we are reviewing the law? What kind of
people we are? We will do oversight,” Villar said in an interview with
reporters during the sidelines of the recent 2019 Sustainable Agriculture
Forum.
She added that those who are calling for
the review of the measure “do not even understand the bill,” noting that its
passage was required under the country’s agreement with the World Trade
Organization (WTO).
In 1995, the Philippines allowed the entry
of imported rice in the country in exchange for lower tariff rates and more
flexible trade pacts provided that there would be a limit.
However, the consensus with WTO already
expired last year. To avoid incurring penalties, the country must now
liberalize the rice industry.
Villar said the oversight committee would
instead focus on why half of the P10-billion rice competitiveness enhancement
fund (RCEF) under the measure was not utilized in accordance with the law.
Earlier this year, the Department of Budget
and Management (DBM) gave P5 billion to the Department of
Agriculture for its rice program as a supplement to its annual rice fund.
However, the National Economic and
Development Authority (Neda) said the money was part of the RCEF fund, and must
be used for projects that meet the mandate of the new rice law.
“They (DBM) gave P5 billion but that was
not spent for the law’s rice program that’s why we will call on the agency [to
explain] where the money went… Explain to us because in the law, there is
earmarking for mechanization, for seed production, cheap credit and for
training. Where did they use the money? Those were not followed,” Villar said.
The dispute between Neda and the Department
of Agriculture would spell how much support the rice sector would get following
the deregulation of rice trade. As long as the issue is not resolved, farmers
would not get the entire P10-billion subsidy they were promised to receive
annually.
The rice import liberalization law, passed
barely four months ago, has already resulted in the continuous decline in the
buying price of palay at the rate that’s been hurting local farmers. In some
provinces, there have been reports that rates had plummeted to as low as P12 a
kilogram or the same as the average cost of producing rice.
Despite the massive drop in palay prices,
rice prices in the market have registered minimal decreases. This imbalance,
stakeholders said, were due to importers and traders who bought imported rice
at low prices and yet sold them to retailers at jacked-up rates.
Villar said the issue on undervaluation and
smuggling must be addressed by the Bureau of Customs, and emphasized that there
will be no review or amendments of the new rice policy. /jpv
Read more: https://business.inquirer.net/275425/villar-says-new-rice-tariff-law-is-ok-problem-is-its-implementation#ixzz5ugV9mea3
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook
Rookie solon asks Duterte to listen to farmers more
July 24, 2019, 5:23 PM
By Ellson Quismorio
President Rodrigo Duterte should
lend his ear more to farmers amid the implementation of the
burdensome Republic Act (RA) 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law,
Magsasaka Party-List Rep. Argel Cabatbat said on Wednesday.
Magsasaka Party-List Rep. Argel Cabatbat
(Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
(Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
“We have no doubts that the
President’s intentions are sincere, but we urge him to listen more to the
pleas of poor farmers and agricultural workers who are now hard pressed due to
the adverse impact of the recent passage of the Rice Tariffication Law,”
Cabatbat said.
“The President would be best
advised to know that the unlimited rice importation–while it may have made
cheaper prices of rice available in the local markets–has dragged palay
(unmilled rice) prices down by 36 percent at the expense of our local farmers,”
explained the neophyte solon.
Cabatbat said the promised
benefits of lower rice prices under the regime of tariffication have been
negligible, with its market price only decreasing by two percent.
“If left unchecked, and, God
forbid, if left to the hands of opportunistic businessmen, more and more
Filipino farmers [will] face certain starvation and poverty,” he said.
The rookie congressman has in
fact filed House Resolution (HR) No. 21, which seeks the conduct of an
immediate review of the Rice Tariffication Law.
“Itutuloy po natin ang pag-repaso
ng batas na ito upang sagipin ang naghihingalong kabuhayan ng mga kapatid
nating magsasaka (We will push for the review of this law in order to save the
dwindling livelihood of our farmer-siblings).
“Our farmers have suffered long
enough…We hope that the President will come to the aid of our farmers and their
families. Time to act now before it is too late,” Cabatbat said.
RA 11203 lifts the quantitative
restrictions (QRs) on rice, thus liberalizing the entry of relatively cheaper
rice imports. Tariffs will take the place of the QRs.
A key provision of the law is the
creation of the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund (RCEF)–a P10-billion annual
subsidy that is meant to boost local farmers’ competitiveness through farm
mechanization, purchase of superior seedlings and expanded rice credit
assistance.
His plea notwithstanding,
Cabatbat said the Chief Executive deserves commendation “for laying down a
number of general instructions to assist our poor farmers” during the latter’s
fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday.
“For one, we specifically welcome
his ultimatum for LandBank to help our farmers, which is to allow them to have
access to capital, credit and other services. Otherwise, he will ask
Congress to ‘reconfigure’ its mandate,” he said.
Professionals, farmers commend CBN’s policy on milk, dairy
imports
By Femi
Ibirogba, Head, Agro-Economy
25 July 2019 |
3:29 am
Mechanically milked cow
Agricultural professionals, associations of farmers and
entrepreneurs have expressed satisfaction over the proposed restrictions on
importation of milk and other dairy products into the country by the Central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
While speaking with The Guardian, they were optimistic that the restriction would ensure that companies importing the products invest in a local production of the raw materials, which, in turn, would stimulate the economy through employment creation, circular flow of income and reduction of pressure of foreign exchange and inflation.
Professor Lateef Sanni, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), said despite efforts of the government, there had been counter-efforts to also undermine the plan of the government on import substitutions.
“That is why I will not go against the decision of the CBN. The second point is that what the CBN is trying to do may enhance research and rapid upgrade of new dairy and milk products in the country,” he said.
Prof. Sanni added that there were several ways through which Nigeria could increase the volume of production, saying, “that is where the government is going. If any manufacturing entity has something it can bring in, it should add local content into it.
“What we have now are either imported or smuggled into the country. When will Nigeria grow?”
While speaking with The Guardian, they were optimistic that the restriction would ensure that companies importing the products invest in a local production of the raw materials, which, in turn, would stimulate the economy through employment creation, circular flow of income and reduction of pressure of foreign exchange and inflation.
Professor Lateef Sanni, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), said despite efforts of the government, there had been counter-efforts to also undermine the plan of the government on import substitutions.
“That is why I will not go against the decision of the CBN. The second point is that what the CBN is trying to do may enhance research and rapid upgrade of new dairy and milk products in the country,” he said.
Prof. Sanni added that there were several ways through which Nigeria could increase the volume of production, saying, “that is where the government is going. If any manufacturing entity has something it can bring in, it should add local content into it.
“What we have now are either imported or smuggled into the country. When will Nigeria grow?”
The administrator said the Nigerian animal scientists had been working to stimulate catalytic actions, “and soon, we would have higher-yielding breeds of cattle in this country. The most important thing is how to enhance production and manufacturing capacity locally.”
Professor Morenike Dipeolu, a veterinary doctor and animal breeding specialist, also pitched her tent with the CBN on the decision, saying, “I think the angle of the CBN is good. It will stimulate local production. Even if we are going to bring some things in, let local production be stimulated.”
However, she advocated gradual restriction to avoid a total shutdown of the production that might result if the firms using such products are unable to secure raw materials.
“It is not a bad idea at all. But what will not be okay is a total shutdown; a total shutdown in the sense that they ban completely.
“Until we get to that point where we say no, we don’t need importation, we will not grow. It can be done. It is a right step in the right direction,” she said.
Dr Ademole Raji, a former Director of the Department of Animal Husbandry, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, and ex-provost of the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Ibadan, said genetic improvement of the available breeds of cattle is germane to the productivity of local dairy.
The productivity of milk in Nigeria is about one litre per day due to poor genetic resources, compared to about 20 to 50 litres per cow daily using improved varieties.
Dr Raji said: “The issue is that there is scarcity in term of low production, not that we are not producing but it is expensive. Most of our animals produce less than one litre of milk daily.
“So,
continuous upgrading and improvement of genetic qualities in the animal that
will produce more milk will increase and will even stimulate modern ranching.”
Raji, however, disclosed that local genetic improvement had been happening in Oyo north areas of Isheyin, Oyo and Shaki.
He said a popular milk-processing firm had been collecting milk daily from smallholding cattle owners around the areas before the CBN’s pronouncement, saying it appeared to be a very good model that other dairy companies could understudy, modify if possible and adopt.
The animal scientist also disclosed that as a result of cross-breeding experiments and improvement locally, breeds that could produce up to 10 litres of milk in the rainy season had been developed.
Raji, however, disclosed that local genetic improvement had been happening in Oyo north areas of Isheyin, Oyo and Shaki.
He said a popular milk-processing firm had been collecting milk daily from smallholding cattle owners around the areas before the CBN’s pronouncement, saying it appeared to be a very good model that other dairy companies could understudy, modify if possible and adopt.
The animal scientist also disclosed that as a result of cross-breeding experiments and improvement locally, breeds that could produce up to 10 litres of milk in the rainy season had been developed.
President of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeder Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Mohammadu Kariwu, when contacted in a telephone call on how the CBN policy would affect cattle herders, said, “I am not talking on the telephone.”
Kabir Ibrahim, current president of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), said if the CBN was opening another window for livestock development along with the current efforts, there was no harm in limited protectionism before achieving permanent peace between the herders and the farmers.
He said: “The Livestock Transformation Plan will drive the process sustainably if allowed to be deployed broadly. There is a lot to be done to encourage self-sufficiency in milk and protein production from the current livestock in Nigeria. It will take some time but it is doable.”
Also, AFAN chairman in Lagos State, Chief Olufemi Oke, said, “It is right to increase our local production first. But my opinion is that we have to start somewhere. If the policy is not pronounced, we will not be serious about increasing production.
“It is not that we have sufficient production of rice as of the time the government said we were no longer importing rice.
“Nasir el-Rufai in Kaduna State has done well in dairy production in the state. It is a laudable project, and many other states can do so.
“Restricting the importation is a welcome idea to encourage our local production,” he added.
However, some agro-allied analysts said pronouncements without resolving herder-farmer crises, or consultation with processors, producers of local milk and dairy products would not help the industry.
They criticised making hasty pronouncements without wider consultations with value chain players to fashion out the modalities for integrated industrial plans, saying such hasty actions had been preventing proper design and implementation of policies not only in the agro-economic sector but also in other sectors.
OTS policy to recover Rs2K cr dues from
millers on cards
Nearly
600 mills owe money to govt for undelivered rice Posted at: Jul 25, 2019, 7:01 AM; last
updated: Jul 25, 2019, 7:01 AM (IST)
Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Food and Civil supplies minister
Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 24
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 24
The state
government is all set to bring out a one-time settlement (OTS) policy for
settling all pending disputes with the 600-odd rice milling units. The policy
is aimed at recovering Rs 2,000 crore due from millers on account of
undelivered rice and interest incurred on late delivery.
Those availing
the OTS policy will have to pay the principal amount, while the interest on the
dues will be waived. The principal amount, however, will be calculated on the
prevalent rates of paddy or rice, as the case may be. The policy will be
applicable to all defaulting mills on account of any pending litigation with
the state, including cases of paddy/rice stocks falling short, dispute over
quantity of paddy sent to mills and rice filled in gunny bags by the millers
for delivery, late delivery and interest to be charged thereon. These broad
outlines of the policy have been agreed upon between the finance and the food
departments in a series of meetings held this week.
The dues are pending since 1994 onwards. This
is the second OTS policy for rice mills being brought by the Capt Amarinder
Singh government. The previous OTS policy of 2017 had failed to yield the
desired results.
Food and
Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said all pending issues of defaulting
rice mills would be covered to ensure maximum results. “Our intention is to
clear the backlog and recover hundreds of crores from these mills,” he said.
The minister said the maximum default by rice mills was seen in 1994-95.
1999-2000 and 2009-10 milling seasons.
The previous OTS policy of 2017 had led to a
miniscule recovery of just Rs 22 crore. Tarsem Saini, from the Punjab Rice
Millers Association, says the reason for the failure was that millers were
asked to return the principal amount with 10 per cent interest. “An OTS will be
successful only if the interest amount is waived and an upper limit is kept on
the amount that is to be recovered from the miller,” he added.
Rice imports undervalued? 'That's
BOC's problem,' says Cynthia Villar
Anna Mogato
Published 8:25 PM, July 24, 2019
Updated 8:25 PM, July 24, 2019
RICE TARIFFICATION. Senator Cynthia Villar says
there's no problem with the rice tariffication law, which only took effect in
March 2019. Photo from Villar's office
MANILA, Philippines – Even after
government agencies flagged the undervaluation of imported
rice, Senator Cynthia Villar said there is still no need to review
the recently passed law that
allowed uninhibited importation of the national food staple.
Speaking to reporters on the
sidelines of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines' sustainable
agriculture forum on Wednesday, July 24, Villar said the issue of undervalued
rice imports is a matter of implementation.
"That's BOC's (Bureau of
Customs) problem, not mine. That's smuggling. That's why one of the suggestions
here is the institutionalization of the national single window system,"
she added.
"That national single window
system will computerize BOC so lahat nasa computer, not at
the discretion ng mga tao roon (so that everything will be stored in computers, not at the
discretion of people there)."
Villar, who again heads the
Senate committee on food and agriculture in the 18th Congress, authored the
rice tariffication law or Republic Act No. 11203 during the
17th Congress.
"We haven’t implemented the
law, [and now] we are reviewing the law? What kind of people [are we]?"
she said.
Refiling other bills
Villar also said she will refile
a number of agriculture-related bills. These include:
- the vetoed coco
levy fund bill
- the free index-based agriculture insurance
bill
- the Philippine livestock, poultry, and
dairy industry development bill
President Rodrigo Duterte had
said he would want to have the coco levy fund bill passed into law in 2019,
after previously vetoing it.
Villar also plans to push for the
separation of the food and drug approving functions of the Food and Drug
Administration to speed up its approval of patents.
She also said reforms must be
passed to boost the Philippines' fiber industry. – Rappler.com
Poor rain
won’t hit paddy output: P K Majumdar
TNN |
Updated: Jul 24, 2019, 8:14 IST
KOLKATA: The
delay in arrival of monsoon in Bengal will not spell doom for paddy cultivation
across the state and the government is ready to tackle any situation owing to
scanty/sporadic rainfall, P K Majumdar, adviser to CM Mamata Banerjee on
agriculture and allied sectors, said here on Tuesday.
Majumdar, who spoke at Bengal Rice Conclave organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce, told TOI: “Rain is likely to hit the state on July 25. This will facilitate paddy harvest in south Bengal. Nevertheless, water preservation and irrigation practices in the state have been combating rain shortage this year. In north Bengal, preparation for paddy cultivation is in full swing after a heavy downpour. I don’t think the paddy harvest will be affected by weather-related factors and is likely to be around 25 million tonnes.”
Bengal’s paddy harvest is around 23.46 million tonnes while 15.6 million tonnes of rice were procured during 2017-18. “The real challenge for agriculture is to ensure adequate demand for any particular variety of crop. Farmers should not be treated as guinea pigs and encouraged to yield crops having no or poor demand…Bengal contributes around 5% of global rice production, higher than the US, Latin America and Africa taken together,” said Majumdar.
However, rice millers say uncertainty looms over their business due to the out-turn ratio fixed by Centre for conversion of paddy into rice. “The Centre has fixed the ratio at 68% without any preliminary research. Besides, principal market yards (mandi) across the state don’t have proper infrastructure. Moisture content is high in Bengal’s paddy that is sent for milling without proper cleaning,” Asok Santra, chief adviser to Bengal Rice Mills Association, told TOI.
Majumdar, who spoke at Bengal Rice Conclave organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce, told TOI: “Rain is likely to hit the state on July 25. This will facilitate paddy harvest in south Bengal. Nevertheless, water preservation and irrigation practices in the state have been combating rain shortage this year. In north Bengal, preparation for paddy cultivation is in full swing after a heavy downpour. I don’t think the paddy harvest will be affected by weather-related factors and is likely to be around 25 million tonnes.”
Bengal’s paddy harvest is around 23.46 million tonnes while 15.6 million tonnes of rice were procured during 2017-18. “The real challenge for agriculture is to ensure adequate demand for any particular variety of crop. Farmers should not be treated as guinea pigs and encouraged to yield crops having no or poor demand…Bengal contributes around 5% of global rice production, higher than the US, Latin America and Africa taken together,” said Majumdar.
However, rice millers say uncertainty looms over their business due to the out-turn ratio fixed by Centre for conversion of paddy into rice. “The Centre has fixed the ratio at 68% without any preliminary research. Besides, principal market yards (mandi) across the state don’t have proper infrastructure. Moisture content is high in Bengal’s paddy that is sent for milling without proper cleaning,” Asok Santra, chief adviser to Bengal Rice Mills Association, told TOI.
“Bengal Rice Mills Association has urged the Centre to hold talks with Bangladesh to boost export of non-basmati rice,” added Santra.
ICC director Madhuparna Bhowmick said Tuesday’s conclave focussed exclusively on rice production in Bengal. The event was held earlier in Odisha, Vijayawada and Bihar.
Big
dams let water out to save rice crop
published : 24 Jul 2019 at
06:18
newspaper section: News
writer: Post Reporters
Water discharge from the
country's two main dams, Bhumibol and Sirikit, is being sped up in a race
against time to save vast areas of recently-planted paddy rice from drying out,
according to the Agriculture Ministry.
The efforts are part of a bid to supply enough water to feed the
fields in the Central Plains.
Many areas are being targeted to receive the water with more
than 17 million rai of paddy fields at risk of being lost.
Deputy Agricultural Minister Prapat Pothasuthon said Bhumibol
dam in Tak province has been releasing water at a rate of 25 million cubic
metres (m³) per day, up from 23 million m³ per day during the same period last
year.
Sirikit dam in Uttaradit has seen a discharge of 20 million m³
of water per day, a million more than last year, the deputy minister said.
The two dams upped their discharge rate on Sunday and the water
is expected to reach the country's important rice-growing areas in the Central
Plains tomorrow), he said.
More than 400 water pump stations along the Ping and Nan rivers
are now being ordered to suspend operation for three days to keep water from
being siphoned off along the way so there is enough to flow to the targeted
areas, he said.
In other drought-affected areas of the country, temporary
centres were opened to coordinate help from the Interior Ministry, the
Agriculture Ministry and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to
mitigate the impact of the drought, said Mr Prapat.
Provincial centres are also surveying locations suitable for
groundwater drilling, he added.
Interior permanent secretary Chatchai Phromloet, meanwhile, said
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had instructed the military to deploy aircraft
and mobilise personnel to support artificial rain-making operations.
The premier also ordered the provincial authorities to survey
areas at risk of their taps running dry.
The survey will involve locating alternative sources of water,
said Mr Chatchai.
Rice exports down on strong baht
Shipments down 19.6% in first 6 months
published : 24 Jul 2019 at 12:06
writer: Reuters
Rice exporters on Wednesday
lowered their target for the year from 9.5 million tonnes to 9 million, after
a sharp fall in first-half shipments due to the strong baht and ample global
stockpiles.
Thailand's rice exports from January to June this year fell
19.6% compared with the same period last year, the Thai Rice Exporters
Association said.
"With volumes of shipments constantly declining from
January, our best performance would be 9 million tonnes," Charoen
Laothamatas, president of the exporters group, told reporters.
The new target is about 20% less than the 11.23 million tonnes
that Thailand - the world's second-largest rice exporter after India - shipped
out in 2018.
The country has been struggling to export rice at a time when
the Thai baht, Asia's best performing currency, is trading near its strongest
in more than six years.
It has also faced competition from China, the world's biggest
rice importer and Thailand's No.3 buyer last year, which has been offloading
its own stockpiles.
China nearly doubled its rice exports in the first half of
2019, compared to last year, said Somkiat Makcayathorn, the association's
secretary-general.
"China's rice imports are decreasing due to their huge
stockples. Now they're exporting more as well," he said.
Low rainfall to hit rice exports
published : 24 Jul 2019 at 19:55
writer: Phusadee Arunmas
Low
rainfall will possibly lower rice exports to 8.5 million tonnes this year, the
lowest volume in seven years. (Photo by Yongyuth Pupuangphet)
Low rainfall, if it extends until August, will
possibly lower rice exports to 8.5 million tonnes this year, the lowest volume
in seven years, according to shippers.
Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice
Exporters Association, said on Wednesday this is a tough year for the rice
industry because of prolonged low rain levels in the Northeast and the
stronger baht.
He estimated the impact of the baht's gain to an average 30.8
baht per US dollar now from 32 baht early in the year had already cost
Thailand’s overall rice export income about 20 billion baht.
“We need to wait and see if the rain will fall in August. If it
does not come by August, the worst-case scenario is a severe impact, cutting
hom mali paddy rice production in the Northeast by around 40-50% to 4-4.5
million tonnes from normal production of 8.5-9 million tonnes,” he said.
Mr Chookiat said milled Thai hom mali rice supply is expected
to fall accordingly to only 2 million tonnes from 4 million, leading Thailand
without premium rice for export.
Domestic consumption of hom mali rice is normally about 2
million tonnes a year.
“The long drought is likely to drive the prices of Thai hom
mali paddy to surge to 25,000 baht per tonne from 16,000 baht per tonne, with
the prices of domestic milled hom mali rice rising to 36,000 baht per tonne
from 25,000 baht per tonne,” he said.
Mr Chookiat said if the rainfall comes earlier, Thailand still
has a chance to export 1 million tonnes of hom mali rice, with its price
increasing to perhaps US$1,500 per tonne from $1,100 last year.
“The low rainfall is historically prolonged this year, and the
association has scheduled a visit to the Northeast in August to evaluate how
the drought is affecting the region’s rice production,” he said.
Charoen Laothamatas, president of the association, said
Thailand’s rice shipments hit the lowest rate in June at only 578,000 tonnes
compared with an average of 720,000 tonnes in previous months of this year.
The drop has led Thailand’s rice exports in the first six
months of the year to fall by 19.6% from the same period last year to only
4.36 million tonnes.
The new target is about 20% less than the 11.23 million tonnes
that the country shipped in 2018. This year's volume is expected to be worth
about $4.7 billion, down 17% from 2018.
Regarding a sharp fall in the six-month shipments, the
association yesterday officially lowered the target for annual exports to 9
million tonnes from 9.5 million.
Of the total, white rice will account for 3.9 million tonnes,
followed by parboiled rice at 2.8 million tonnes, hom mali rice for 1.3
million tonnes, Thai aromatic rice at 600,000 tones and glutinous rice at
400,000 tonnes.
Mr Charoen said key threats to Thailand’s rice exports include
the comparatively strong baht and lower purchase demand from China, which
holds hefty rice stocks.
Key rice-importing countries have also changed their rice
purchase policies. For instance, the Philippines has allowed its private
sector to play a greater role in rice imports, making competition in the
domestic market become stiffer.
Drought will cut the country’s overall rice production and may
result in higher rice prices, he said.
IRRI workshop
tackles climate
07.24.2019
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI), in partnership with the national research and
extension systems (NARES) of Bangladesh, Nepal and Cambodia, hosted the
workshop on July 14 in Dhaka, Bangladesh; on July 16 in Kathmandu, Nepal; and
on July 18 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
“Climate change continues to wreak havoc on rice farming -- and
will continue to do so into the foreseeable future -- but we have the know-how
to help our rice farmers become more resilient and better cope with its
effects,” said Arvind Kumar, director of IRRI’s South Asia Regional Centre and
IRRI India Representative. “We just need the help of our leaders to integrate
these climate-smart agricultural technologies into the national agenda through
the institutionalization of supportive policies that are hinged on sound
science that organizations such as IRRI provides. However, we cannot do what
we do without the support of partners and donors like the ADB, to whom we are
extremely grateful for this particular initiative.”
Climate-smart practices and varieties were pilot tested in each
of the three countries under ADB's Technical Assistance - 9218 on ‘Investment
Assessment and Application of High-level Technology for Food Security in Asia
and the Pacific.’ The pilot projects, led by IRRI in partnership with the
countries’ NARES, involved testing a suite of climate-smart rice-based
production technologies, which included direct-seeded rice (DSR), alternate
wetting and drying (AWD), rice-based inter-seasonal multi-cropping, and best
management methods. The adoption of these water-, labor-, and energy-saving
technologies showed huge potential in increasing yields in rice, boosting
profits of farmers through diversification, reducing the drudgery of labor
through mechanization, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
According to IRRI, DSR and AWD are examples of climate change
coping mechanisms that particularly address one of the main challenges in
rice-based farming: the use of water. These technologies increase the
productivity of the main sources of water used in rice farming by reducing
water losses and changing traditional practices that contribute to suboptimal
use of water.
On the other hand, diversified rice-based multiple cropping
system with high-value crops improves farm productivity and farmers’ incomes,
IRRI noted. Additionally, the application of best management practices
promotes the efficient use of scarce resources such as soil nutrients while
protecting and conserving the natural resource base.
“ADB is proud to support the development and field-testing of
these cost-effective, profitable, and climate-smart practices for intensive
and sustainable rice-based farming in Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Nepal, as well
as these policy workshops to scale up these practices,” said Dr. Akmal Siddiq,
Chief of Rural Development and Food Security (Agriculture) of the ADB.
“We are confident that, if promoted and adopted on a wider
scale by creating enabling national policies, these climate-smart solutions will
help improve the resilience and profitability of resource-poor rice farmers in
the face of erratic climatic conditions and, consequently, improving their
lives.”
The results and initial outcomes of the pilot projects were
presented and assessed during the policy workshops in the current country
contexts. Country-specific policy recommendations will be formulated based on
the reported results and lessons learned.
ADB and IRRI said that they hope these countries will incorporate
the recommendations in their national agricultural agenda and enable the
scaling up of the climate-smart technologies and practices in rice-based
systems that were tested in the pilot projects.
Community farming in Goa emerges as
a tool against land conversion
Updated : July 24, 2019 04:03 PM
IST
Many villagers in Goa have banded together to revive
rice cultivation through collective mechanised sowing and transplanting. The
success in several villages has now become a catalyst for others, particularly
for those who want to resist real estate development.
The acreage under paddy cultivation has fallen
significantly over the years in Goa. The fallow fields have become prime
targets of land sharks for building construction. Local communities are
resisting this.
For the grassroots co-operative rice farming movement
to take root in the state, Goa needs many more service providers for
mechanised seeding and transplanting.
https://www.cnbctv18.com/economy/community-farming-in-goa-emerges-as-a-tool-against-land-conversion-4050701.
BANGKOK, 25th July 2019 (NNT) – The problem of the baht’s appreciation by five percent since the beginning of the year has affected the export of Thai products especially the price of rice which is higher than that of the country’s rivals. In the first half of this year, Thailand exported 4.36 million tons of rice, down by 19 percent year-on-year. Thai Rice Exporters Association President, Police Lieutenant Charoen Laothammathas, has reported on the situation of Thai rice exports in the first half of the year. It was found that the Thai rice exports are still affected by the value of the baht which is higher than the currency of a major rival like India. The Indian rupee has depreciated while the Vietnamese dong remains stable causing the prices of white rice produced by Thailand to be higher than those of competing countries especially Thai Jasmine rice with an export price as high as 1,050 US dollars per ton while the average price of Vietnamese jasmine rice is only 550 US dollars per ton. Meanwhile, Thai white rice is from 395 – 400 US dollars per ton but Vietnamese white rice is only 345 US dollars per ton. China has a large amount of rice in stock, causing the demand for rice to decrease. Soft rice is popular among rice importers but Thailand still lacks this type of rice. In June, Thailand could only export 570,000 tons of rice, down by 37.7 percent or the lowest since 2011. In the first half of this year, Thailand exported 4.36 million tons of rice, down by 19.6 percent year-on-year, worth 2.28 billion US dollars, down 17.5 percent. However, the second half of the year is still causing concern because certain factors are still affecting Thai rice exports, causing the market to slow down. The baht appreciation and drought problems may cause the volume of rice to decrease and rice prices to increase further. Major rice importing countries have also reduced the volume of their rice imports. Therefore, Thai rice exporters lowered the target for the year from 9.5 million tons to 9 million, worth about 4.7 billion US dollars. The private sector still believes that the work of the new government especially the Minister of Commerce and the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives who are from the same party, will be in a consistent direction.
BANGKOK, 25th July 2019 (NNT) – The problem of the baht’s appreciation by five percent since the beginning of the year has affected the export of Thai products especially the price of rice which is higher than that of the country’s rivals. In the first half of this year, Thailand exported 4.36 million tons of rice, down by 19 percent year-on-year. Thai Rice Exporters Association President, Police Lieutenant Charoen Laothammathas, has reported on the situation of Thai rice exports in the first half of the year. It was found that the Thai rice exports are still affected by the value of the baht which is higher than the currency of a major rival like India. The Indian rupee has depreciated while the Vietnamese dong remains stable causing the prices of white rice produced by Thailand to be higher than those of competing countries especially Thai Jasmine rice with an export price as high as 1,050 US dollars per ton while the average price of Vietnamese jasmine rice is only 550 US dollars per ton. Meanwhile, Thai white rice is from 395 – 400 US dollars per ton but Vietnamese white rice is only 345 US dollars per ton. China has a large amount of rice in stock, causing the demand for rice to decrease. Soft rice is popular among rice importers but Thailand still lacks this type of rice. In June, Thailand could only export 570,000 tons of rice, down by 37.7 percent or the lowest since 2011. In the first half of this year, Thailand exported 4.36 million tons of rice, down by 19.6 percent year-on-year, worth 2.28 billion US dollars, down 17.5 percent. However, the second half of the year is still causing concern because certain factors are still affecting Thai rice exports, causing the market to slow down. The baht appreciation and drought problems may cause the volume of rice to decrease and rice prices to increase further. Major rice importing countries have also reduced the volume of their rice imports. Therefore, Thai rice exporters lowered the target for the year from 9.5 million tons to 9 million, worth about 4.7 billion US dollars. The private sector still believes that the work of the new government especially the Minister of Commerce and the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives who are from the same party, will be in a consistent direction.