Batman
and Robin in Rice Farming
Tong and Sammy’s father-and-son-partnership
enabled them to overcome both farm and life challenges.
Like Batman and Robin, who are partners in fighting crimes,
Tong and Sammy are dynamic duo in combatting the overwhelming struggles in
their chosen way of life.
“Farming may be hard, but this is our way. Together with my
son, we can improve the life we chose,” Tong Buday is hopeful as he and his son
adopt new farming practices after Tong’s 20 years of farming.
For Tong, a Maguindanaon, born and raised in Kabacan,
Cotabato, farming was used to be an endless, almost tiring journey of
insecurities with agricultural inputs requiring capital. To survive financial
limitations, Tong operated a sari-sari store and tended small herd of goats.
“I can’t give up. I strive for a better life for my family,”
Tong said.
His eldest son, Sammy, has witnessed his sacrifices to
provide for their daily needs and education thru farming.
“My father is my superhero who solved problems with strength
and willpower. These problems had transformed him to be stronger and bolder,”
Sammy, one of Tong’s seven children said.
According to Sammy, his father’s turning points included not
succeeding in business ventures, prioritizing who among them would be sent to
school, and allowing one of his sisters to work overseas so they can make ends
meet.
“Throughout hardships, he kept the faith in farming. I was
inspired,” Sammy said.
In the field, Sammy prepares food for his 47-year-old father
and their favorite coffee. He helps him prepare the field for planting,
establish crop, do weeding, and apply fertilizers. By being his father’s
constant farm companion, he realized the importance of farming and its
significance to the lives of every farmer.
He decided to return to school to take up a Bachelor of
Science in Agriculture major in soil science. Sammy graduated from the
University of Southern Mindanao in 2017.
Tong said, “My hardships and sacrifices paid off with
Sammy’s success. I’m prouder seeing him not only enjoying and loving
agriculture, but also applying the knowledge he got from the course.”
Through Sammy, their family became more interested in
participating and being involved in agriculture programs. Gradually, they
adopted modern technologies that helped them increase their yield and reduce
production cost.
They now use a combine harvester, which lessens labor
expenses from reaping, threshing, and winnowing. Also from their previous farm
practices, the duo used to yield 40-50 sacks (at 50kg per sack) in their 1-ha
farm. Now, they are harvesting 60-70 sacks per hectare.
With their gains from modern rice farming technology, Sammy
became more interested in continuing their family’s trade.
“In farming, you learn a lot. It’s a promising profession.
It teaches you to be hardworking and patient,” Sammy, who still joins his
father in the farm while preparing for his board exam, said.
Unlike Batman and Robin who are caped heroes, Tong and Sammy
are heroes on shirts with the power to save their family from hunger and to
feed millions of Filipinos. They do not need stone, potion, and influence to
acquire the power. Hardwork and patience made them the everyday hero.
Philrice News
Extension
program enhances farmers’ knowledge in 57 provinces
The PalayCheck System booklet, one of the
reading materials being distributed by RCEF-RSEP for farm technicians,
discusses principal areas of crop management such as seed quality, land
preparation, crop establishment, and the respective management of nutrients,
water, pests, harvest, and postharvest.
About 400,000 farmers in 57
provinces across the country had received assistance from the Rice
Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF-RESP)
through reading materials on modern rice farming.
Circulated during seed
distribution of RCEF-Seed Program, the Gabay sa Makabagong Palayan published by
Philippine Rice Research Institute of the Department of Agriculture
(DA-PhilRice), contains recommendations from seed germination until harvesting.
“This leaflet has become our
guide. It tackles all the information that farmers need to know. It’s a great
help for farmers, especially for those who are new to rice farming,” Rogel
Comesario, an RCEF beneficiary from Manaoag, Pangasinan, said.
Comesario, who harvested 7t/ha in
the dry season, shared that the information he obtained from the leaflet helped
him achieve 1-ton increase in his yield. The Gabay sa Makabagong Pagpapalayan
leaflet includes step-by-step procedure on sowing the certified inbred rice
seeds, seedbed preparation, land
preparation, fertilizer application, and harvesting.
Aside from the leaflet, RCEF-RESP
also distributed English and Filipino copies of PalayCheck System booklet to
technical workers and agriculture technicians under the training program.
PalayCheck System is a dynamic rice crop management that presents the key
technology and management practices as key checks.
Videos on PalayCheck System, RCEF
programs, and four ways on how farmers can compete amidst the influx of
imported rice were also played during technical briefings and seed
distribution. The videos are also available on PhilRice TV
https://www.youtube.com/user/philricetv/videos.
The distribution of information,
education, and communication (IEC) materials is only one of the strategies
implemented by RCEF-RESP. Training scholarships for the farmers will also be
implemented to teach them skills on modern rice production and mechanization.
RCEF -Seed Program and RESP are
components of Republic Act 11203 or Rice Tariffication Law, which allots
P10-billion fund every year for the rice farmers. Sponsored by Sen. Cynthia
Villar, RCEF is a six-year government initiative to help the farmers compete in
the international rice market.
PhilRice, the government’s lead
agency on rice research and development, leads the RCEF-Seed Program and
assists in RESP. With eight stations across the country, its programs and
projects are in line with the DA’s “Masaganang Ani, Mataas na Kita” battlecry.
For more information about the Institute’s program, queries can be sent through
PhilRice Text Center (0917 111 7423) or email prri.mail@philrice.gov.ph
Phil rice News
PhilRice reminds
farmers: Choose high-quality seeds
Philippine Rice Research Institute of the Department of
Agriculture (DA- PhilRice) urges farmers to use high-quality seeds of
recommended rice varieties to ensure good yield this wet season when field
pests and diseases are usually prevalent.
Dr. Oliver Manangkil, head of the Plant Breeding and
Biotechnology Division, said that crops from high-quality seeds grow, mature,
and ripen uniformly; resulting in a 10% or more yield increase.
He also said that high-quality rice seeds have at least 85%
germination rate and fewer weed seeds. High-quality seeds, he said, are
relatively pure, full and uniform in size, and
free from visible seed-borne diseases.
“Seeds play a huge role in achieving good harvest and
income, as they are basically the foundation of any crop. Using high-quality
seeds is one of the most fundamental strategies for farmers to be competitive,”
Manangkil emphasized.
To ensure seed quality, Manangkil encouraged farmers to buy
seeds from accredited seed growers, with an attached valid tag from the Bureau
of Plant Industry- National Seed Quality Control Services.
If there are no accredited seed growers in the area, the
plant breeder said farmers can also opt to source seeds from fellow farmers
whose fields have uniform crop growth. Farmers can also produce their own
high-quality seeds by following proper procedures in rouging and removing
off-types.
Manangkil also advised farmers to choose varieties that are
well-adapted in the locality for these are resistant to pests and diseases such
as NSIC Rc 222, 216, and 160, which are included in the country’s top three
recommended varieties by the Department of Agriculture.
NSIC Rc 222, which matures in 106-114 days and yields
5.7-6.1t/ha, has intermediate resistance against blast, bacterial leaf blight
(BLB), and tungro. It is also moderately resistant against brown planthoppers
(BPH) and green leafhoppers (GLH).
With a maximum yield of 9.3-9.7t/ha and maturity days of
104-112 days, NSIC Rc 216 has intermediate reaction to BLB and moderate
resistance against BPH and GLH. However, it is susceptible to blast and tungro.
Maturing in 107-122 days, and yielding 8.2t/ha maximum, NSIC
Rc 160 has intermediate reaction to blast, BLB, and GLH and moderately
resistant against white stem borer. Manangkil noted that it is susceptible to
tungro.
PhilRice is the government’s lead agency on rice research
for development mandated to help ensure a rice-secure Philippines. With eight
stations across the country, its programs and projects are in line with the
DA’s “Masaganang Ani, Mataas na Kita” battlecry. For more information about the
Institute’s program, queries can be sent through PhilRice Text Center (0917 111
7423) or email (prri.mail@philrice.gov.ph).
Philrice news
Rice crop
management helps double farmer’s yield
Adopters of PalayCheck, a dynamic rice crop management
system, are gaining significant yield increase by following the nine farm
recommendations of the Philippine Rice Research Institute of the Department of
Agriculture (DA-PhilRice).
Julita Velete, a farmer from Leganes, Iloilo, said her yield
increased to 230cav/ha during the last cropping season from 80-100cav/ha.
“I used to be contented with yield not more than 100cav/ha.
When I tried the KeyChecks in the PalayCheck system, my yield more than
doubled!,” Velete exclaimed.
Velete, who learned about the PalayCheck system in a
training at PhilRice Negros in 2012, said that the system became her guide in
every stage of rice farming. The KeyChecks she had been practicing include
using high-quality seeds of a recommended variety, well-leveling of field,
practicing synchronous planting after a rest period, and ensuring sufficient
number of healthy seedlings.
She also ensures that there are sufficient nutrients from
tillering to early panicle initiation and flowering stage, sees to it that her
rice plants are not stressed by drought and excessive water, and regularly
checks on pests to avoid significant yield loss.
She also harvests at the right time when most of the grains
are golden yellow; and she dries, cleans, and stores grains properly.
“There are times when I have difficulty following the
recommendations but this system also changed my attitude. I learned the value
of monitoring, analyzing, and improving my practices. I’m now more systematic,”
she shared.
The woman-farmer further said that she observes, measures,
and records crop growth performances; compares and interprets results to
identify problem areas; and takes action to correct management problems next
season.
“With PalayCheck, farming becomes a more stable livelihood;
making it possible for me to send my three children to school. I encourage my
fellow farmers to try the PalayCheck system and experience the benefits for
themselves,” Velete said.
PhilRice is the government’s lead agency on rice research for
development mandated to help ensure a rice-secure Philippines. With eight
stations across the country, its programs and projects are in line with the
DA’s “Masaganang Ani, Mataas na Kita” battlecry. For more information about the
Institute’s program, queries can be sent thru PhilRice Text Center (0917 111
7423) or email (prri.mail@philrice.gov.ph).
Ayub era — the first economic stability phase of Pakistan
Credit goes to all rulers without any discrimination who made the economy of
country glow and flow on the direction of masses; benefitting jobs and
flourishing business, development etc. Simultaneously, people do not go after
policies of government and prices may be because of literacy rate and
stronghold of feudalism in rural areas and in cities, parties’ positions are different
from rural areas that are influenced by feudalism for more than one hundred
fifty years.
Ayub Khan started cleaning up the politics to
inculcate policies for social and economic disciplines
Government of Pakistan remained in the lurch as two
main founders who died very soon; Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Liaqat Ali Khan.
There were perpetual changes at the top seat of the country at these unexpected
incidents from 1947 to 1958; showing a lack of top leadership. That kind of
fragility paved way for a martial laws and it came in existence through
Iskandar Mirza who appointed General Ayub Khan as Chief Martial Law
Administrator. During this era, there was nobody to determine a
policy/guideline to run the state affairs, all were guests on continuously
changing chairs. Soon after Ayub Khan reined in the power, he sent Iskander
Mirza in exile. Ayub Khan started cleaning up the politics to inculcate
policies for social and economic disciplines. He established strong
relationships with administration and policymakers, he took people with the
agrarian and industrial background which remained fruitful for the country and
ultimately for the nation-building. He involved people from masses to conduct
local affairs; members were elected which later chose Ayub Khan as President of
Pakistan. A positive development was made by the incumbent to extend meaningful
dialogue/friendship with China when India was backed by the US in a skirmish
with Pakistan.
Ayub Khan launched 10-year development schemes in
various organisations in all major cities of East and West Pakistan. Pakistan
progressed in agriculture and strengthened the local industry and people were
satisfied with their future seemingly running smoothly. East Pakistan had jute
and rice whereas West Pakistan had cotton and wheat. Major electorate/mandate
of ruling party administered the largest unit of the country, West Pakistan
strictly through a man of nerves, Nawab of Kalabagh. There were no hooligans,
mafias, pressure groups to hinder performance and were dealt with the force of
Law. More than three hundred government officers were sent home from services
on the corruption charges. People enjoyed the rule of law with a workable
environment for development plans and growth rate was satisfactory. A strong
head of state, Ayub Khan, won a war against India in 1965 under his regime too.
Despite the burden of war with India, he managed US Dollars between Pak Rs 4.77
to 8.68 a dollar in the economy in his tenure.
Let us see some landmark projects in his name like
the construction of Minar-e-Pakistan; shifting of Capital from Karachi to
Islamabad; using his power for Land Reforms, Agriculture University,
Faisalabad; Punjab University New Campus, Lahore, Agriculture University,
Faisalabad, the start of travel, through Electric train between Lahore to
Khanewal on an experimental basis to replace diesel price hikes in future,
bought the Gwader land from Masqat, Heavy Mechanical Complex, Taxila; Tank
manufacturing; Railway Engine manufacturing at Risalpur and Islamabad; Warsak
Dam, Mangla and Tarbela Dams; tea processing plants, Paper Mill Karna Fuly, and
providing thousands of boat engines to fishermen in East Pakistan.
The repair of Badshahi Masjid; restoration work of
Shalamar Garden; construction of Fourth Minar (new construction) and
restoration of Chauburji Lahore.
He also completed bridges over rivers of Ravi,
Chenab, Jhelum and one in Attock District. He completed pillar-less steel
bridge (Hanging Bridge) over the Indus River, connecting Sukkur to Rohri in
Sindh, with a larger span of 790 feet without support. Our new generation may
be surprised to read a list of works done in a regime in the past by a ruler
named Ayub Khan, never brought in discussions at media/press for the public,
who have become habitual of seeing, discussing and travelling Metro Bus
services available in different cities. I do not criticise Metro here, I do
travel in Metro sometimes but these projects are limited to some areas
benefitting lenders. One can compare projects done by Ayub Khan. I do not know
for how much loans were involved in those projects but loans are for once, and
return of loans with a subsidy is an idea brought in politics in about three
decades back, unlike past projects. Can anybody from any group or party in the
country blame him any in-equality in trade, business, agriculture, name any
branch of business that had adverse remarks with any city or district in his
tenure? Yes, he had only a bad patch of his Foreign Minister who created
turmoil against him forming his new party and parted ways with him. It ended
with his resignation at that time. He ruled East and West Pakistan in the
presence of leaders like Maulana Maududi, Bhashani, Mufti Mahmood, Sheikh
Mujeeb, Abdul Sattar Niazi, Tameezud Din, and a lot more big names in the
politics of Pakistan.
In short, after reading the list of projects done by
Ayub Khan, it is quite clear that he did very well but unfortunately fell
victim of his own close aide, his FM who managed all through agitation. His
development policies, projects and landmarks must be available in old reports
and archives.
The writer is a Lahore-based senior journalist and
Incharge of Readers Column, Daily Times, Lahore
https://dailytimes.com.pk/630063/ayub-era-the-first-economic-stability-phase-of-pakistan/
Rice and rise of Bangladesh
Since independence
population increased two-and-half fold but rice production has increased more
than three-and-half fold which reflects the success story of rice scientists,
extension agents and farmers with the strong support of a pro-agriculture
government
M. Abdul Momin
Bangladesh is proud to have
many success stories over the years, especially in achieving self-reliance in
production of food, livestock and fishery in the country. Here is one such
success story. Legends speak that once upon a time households in Bangladesh
were abundant in rice, fish and cattle. However, being a small deltaic country
of land scarcity, the rise of population, depletion of cultivable land,
repeated natural calamities and series of famines led to decline in rice
production. Bangladesh became a land of chronic food deficit. In 1971 with our
independence, we inherited a food deficit country. Achieving self-reliance in
rice production is in a sense synonymous with the rise of Bangladesh. As the
staple food of our people, rice is synonymous with food security for
Bangladesh.
Historically, we was never
been food sufficient. We were always been in chronic food shortage. Millions of
people had died in famine and several millions had suffered from hunger and
malnutrition. Even after independence the situation did not improve that much.
Realizing this critical scenario Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
MujiburRahman urged the agricultural graduates and scientists in 1973 at
Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) to produce more rice to meet the
requirement of country’s ever-increasing population because he was unable to
procure rice anywhere from the world despite putting all sorts of his efforts.
So, his one of the priority policies was to make Bangladesh self-reliant in
food production. Inspired by his directives, the rice scientists of Bangladesh
with their relentless efforts innovate various (HYV) High Yielding Varieties of
Rice.
In the mid-seventies the “miracle rice” IR8 and revolutionary year-round rice variety BR3 has brought first breakthrough in our national food production. After Bangabandhu’s unfortunate assassination, the revolution was stopped for a long-time. In 1996 Bangabandhu’s worthy daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came up in power with a landslide victory in national parliamentary elections and took all necessary steps to boost up production and make the country self-sufficient. And for the first time we achieved self-sufficiency in food especially in rice. The prime minister was awarded the prestigious Ceres Medal by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for this tremendous achievement.
In the mid-seventies the “miracle rice” IR8 and revolutionary year-round rice variety BR3 has brought first breakthrough in our national food production. After Bangabandhu’s unfortunate assassination, the revolution was stopped for a long-time. In 1996 Bangabandhu’s worthy daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came up in power with a landslide victory in national parliamentary elections and took all necessary steps to boost up production and make the country self-sufficient. And for the first time we achieved self-sufficiency in food especially in rice. The prime minister was awarded the prestigious Ceres Medal by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for this tremendous achievement.
Since independence population
increased two-and-half fold but rice production has increased more than
three-and-half fold which reflects the success story of rice scientists, extension
agents and farmers with the strong support of pro-agriculture government led by
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Again in 2013, she made the country not only
self-reliant in food but also enabled us as food surplus country. Bangladesh
started exporting rice. Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) is a one of
key contributors behind this tremendous achievement.
In 2015, BRRI has formulated
Rice Vision for 2050 and beyond; estimating projected rice requirement for
2030, 2041 and 2050. The projected requirements are 36.5, 42.0 and 44.8 million
tons respectively, to meet the demand of 180, 203 and 215 million people. To
achieve these milestones, our production target would be 40, 44 and 48 million
tons respectively, having a surplus of about 3.0 MT per year. Using our high
yielding new varieties and new technologies we got the momentum and already
exceeded the production target. For example, during the last ten years
(2009-19), rice production has increased @ 0.6 MT year-1 and this year it will
be even more than expecting rate.
According to recent statistics
of USDA, Bangladesh has had the highest average rice yield in South Asia and at
per world standard. During 2019-20 production years, Bangladesh is going to
clinch third place beating Indonesia in global rice production with an
increased output of 38.54 million tons enabling surplus of 4.0 MT meeting
requirements for 167.0 million people including 1.2 million ROHINGYA refugees.
Bangladesh has emerged as a global model for combating hunger and obtained great
success in becoming a country of food surplus from chronic food shortages. At
the time of its independence in 1971, it was beyond anyone’s imagination that a
tiny piece of land in the South Asian region called Bangladesh will perform so
tremendously that it will exceed several domestic as well international
agencies’ targets on economic performance.
Initially, BRRI’s main target
was to produce more rice in less land and feeding the ever increasing
population of the country. But with the increase of per capita income and
socio-economic condition demand and taste of the people have been changed. Now,
they prefer slender and nutritious rice. Moreover, Bangladesh will have
to fulfil the goals of SDG by 2030 and one of the important goals of SDG is
doubling the productivity along with nutritious and safe food. So, BRRI has
given special emphasis on producing nutrient enriched and export quality
premium rice varieties. With yield and yield contributing attributes scientists
are giving more importance to nutrient attributes in on-going and future rice
research and development plan.
BRRI has so far developed and
released 102 modern varieties (95 Inbreed and 7 Hybrid) of them 24 are stress
tolerant of which 10 are saline tolerant, 3 submergence, 3 drought, 4 cold, 2
tidal submergence, 1 semi-deep water and 1 dual tolerant (Sal+Sub). In
addition, 13 premium quality, 5 Zn-enriched and 3 Low GI (Glycemic Index) rice
for diabetic patients have been developed. It is reported that, more than 80%
of total rice area of the country has been covered by BRRI released variety and
its contribution to national rice production is about 91%.
We know, rice is a major crop
in Bangladesh which provides >70% calories and >65% protein. Therefore,
rice is not just only a food or commodity for Bangladeshis but it is one of the
daily necessities for the people. We used to say, rice is life in Bangladesh.
If we failed to produce sufficient rice, millions of people would have been
food refugees and crores of people might have died. Moreover, we have to spend
most of our domestic income for importing food and feed. But instead of
struggling for food and poverty reduction, Bangladesh is now showing courage to
take and implement costly projects from its national incomes. Among other key
development indicators, this has been visualized by world famous media “South
China Morning Post” in a piece titled, “The Big Story: The Rise and Rise of
Bangladesh.” But behind the entire success indicator the biggest secret was our
persistent food security. So behind the big story we want to say “Rice is
Rise in Bangladesh”.
The writer is Senior Liaison Officer, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Gazipur-1701. Email: smmomin80@gmail.com
Rice and rise
of Bangladesh
Since independence population
increased two-and-half fold but rice production has increased more than
three-and-half fold which reflects the success story of rice scientists,
extension agents and farmers with the strong support of a pro-agriculture
government
M. Abdul Momin
Rice and rise of Bangladesh
Bangladesh is proud to have many
success stories over the years, especially in achieving self-reliance in
production of food, livestock and fishery in the country. Here is one such
success story. Legends speak that once upon a time households in Bangladesh
were abundant in rice, fish and cattle. However, being a small deltaic country
of land scarcity, the rise of population, depletion of cultivable land,
repeated natural calamities and series of famines led to decline in rice
production. Bangladesh became a land of chronic food deficit. In 1971 with our
independence, we inherited a food deficit country. Achieving self-reliance in
rice production is in a sense synonymous with the rise of Bangladesh. As the
staple food of our people, rice is synonymous with food security for
Bangladesh.
Historically, we was never been food
sufficient. We were always been in chronic food shortage. Millions of people
had died in famine and several millions had suffered from hunger and
malnutrition. Even after independence the situation did not improve that much.
Realizing this critical scenario Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
MujiburRahman urged the agricultural graduates and scientists in 1973 at
Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) to produce more rice to meet the
requirement of country’s ever-increasing population because he was unable to procure
rice anywhere from the world despite putting all sorts of his efforts. So, his
one of the priority policies was to make Bangladesh self-reliant in food
production. Inspired by his directives, the rice scientists of Bangladesh with
their relentless efforts innovate various (HYV) High Yielding Varieties of
Rice.
In the mid-seventies the “miracle
rice” IR8 and revolutionary year-round rice variety BR3 has brought first
breakthrough in our national food production. After Bangabandhu’s unfortunate
assassination, the revolution was stopped for a long-time. In 1996
Bangabandhu’s worthy daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came up in power
with a landslide victory in national parliamentary elections and took all
necessary steps to boost up production and make the country self-sufficient.
And for the first time we achieved self-sufficiency in food especially in rice.
The prime minister was awarded the prestigious Ceres Medal by the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) for this tremendous achievement.
Since independence population
increased two-and-half fold but rice production has increased more than
three-and-half fold which reflects the success story of rice scientists,
extension agents and farmers with the strong support of pro-agriculture
government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Again in 2013, she made the
country not only self-reliant in food but also enabled us as food surplus
country. Bangladesh started exporting rice. Bangladesh Rice Research Institute
(BRRI) is a one of key contributors behind this tremendous achievement.
In 2015, BRRI has formulated Rice
Vision for 2050 and beyond; estimating projected rice requirement for 2030,
2041 and 2050. The projected requirements are 36.5, 42.0 and 44.8 million tons
respectively, to meet the demand of 180, 203 and 215 million people. To achieve
these milestones, our production target would be 40, 44 and 48 million tons
respectively, having a surplus of about 3.0 MT per year. Using our high
yielding new varieties and new technologies we got the momentum and already
exceeded the production target. For example, during the last ten years
(2009-19), rice production has increased @ 0.6 MT year-1 and this year it will
be even more than expecting rate.
According to recent statistics of
USDA, Bangladesh has had the highest average rice yield in South Asia and at
per world standard. During 2019-20 production years, Bangladesh is going to
clinch third place beating Indonesia in global rice production with an
increased output of 38.54 million tons enabling surplus of 4.0 MT meeting
requirements for 167.0 million people including 1.2 million ROHINGYA refugees.
Bangladesh has emerged as a global model for combating hunger and obtained
great success in becoming a country of food surplus from chronic food
shortages. At the time of its independence in 1971, it was beyond anyone’s
imagination that a tiny piece of land in the South Asian region called
Bangladesh will perform so tremendously that it will exceed several domestic as
well international agencies’ targets on economic performance.
Initially, BRRI’s main target was to
produce more rice in less land and feeding the ever increasing population of
the country. But with the increase of per capita income and socio-economic
condition demand and taste of the people have been changed. Now, they prefer
slender and nutritious rice. Moreover,
Bangladesh will have to fulfil the goals of SDG by 2030 and one of the
important goals of SDG is doubling the productivity along with nutritious and
safe food. So, BRRI has given special emphasis on producing nutrient enriched
and export quality premium rice varieties. With yield and yield contributing
attributes scientists are giving more importance to nutrient attributes in
on-going and future rice research and development plan.
BRRI has so far developed and
released 102 modern varieties (95 Inbreed and 7 Hybrid) of them 24 are stress
tolerant of which 10 are saline tolerant, 3 submergence, 3 drought, 4 cold, 2
tidal submergence, 1 semi-deep water and 1 dual tolerant (Sal+Sub). In addition,
13 premium quality, 5 Zn-enriched and 3 Low GI (Glycemic Index) rice for
diabetic patients have been developed. It is reported that, more than 80% of
total rice area of the country has been covered by BRRI released variety and
its contribution to national rice production is about 91%.
We know, rice is a major crop in
Bangladesh which provides >70% calories and >65% protein. Therefore, rice
is not just only a food or commodity for Bangladeshis but it is one of the
daily necessities for the people. We used to say, rice is life in Bangladesh.
If we failed to produce sufficient rice, millions of people would have been
food refugees and crores of people might have died. Moreover, we have to spend
most of our domestic income for importing food and feed. But instead of
struggling for food and poverty reduction, Bangladesh is now showing courage to
take and implement costly projects from its national incomes. Among other key
development indicators, this has been visualized by world famous media “South
China Morning Post” in a piece titled, “The Big Story: The Rise and Rise of
Bangladesh.” But behind the entire success indicator the biggest secret was our
persistent food security. So behind the
big story we want to say “Rice is Rise in Bangladesh”.
The writer is Senior Liaison
Officer, Bangladesh Rice Research InstituteBRRI), Gazipur-1701. Email: smmomin80@gmail.com
Malaysia’s imported
rice supply not affected by Covid-19 outbreak, says Kiandee
Sunday, 21 Jun
2020 07:05 PM MYT
Datuk Seri Dr
Ronald Kiandee said Malaysia's imported rice supply has not been affected
despite the global Covid-19 pandemic ― Picture by Hari Anggara
ALOR SETAR,
June 21 — The country’s imported rice supply has not been affected despite the
global Covid-19 pandemic, said Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk
Seri Ronald Kiandee.
He said there
have been no concerns so far from the nation’s sole rice importer, Padiberas
Nasional Berhad (Bernas) on the matter, and gave his assurance that imported
rice supply and domestic production are capable of meeting local needs.
“We have no
issues on blockages, even though it was reported that some countries have not
been allowing exports, but we have no problem importing rice for our usage.
“We are still
producing rice, about 70 per cent, and import the other 30 per cent for our
needs. There have been no issues reported by our sole importer to bring in rice
from exporting countries,” he told reporters after visiting the Muda
Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) here today.He was asked whether
Malaysia was facing any problems in importing rice from other countries
following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Elaborating on
the impact of the movement control order (MCO) on domestic rice production,
Kiandee said paddy planting and harvesting activities are being carried out
smoothly as the industry was categorised as essential and was allowed to
operate by the government.
“I can say that
there is no impact as we have been producing rice. During the MCO, it was
harvesting season in Selangor and the process went smoothly without any
interruptions.
“And currently,
it is planting season in Kedah. So, overall, the MCO brings no impact to our
rice production,” he said.
Meanwhile,
Kiandee said the government has allocated RM11.2 million under the Economic
Stimulus Package (PRE 1) and another RM5.4 million under the Prihatin Economic
Stimulus Package (PRE Prihatin) to Mada to assist the agency post-Covid-19.
He said the
allocation under PRE 1 was focused on increasing farmers’ income and upgrading
irrigation infrastructure.
“While under
PRE Prihatin, an allocation of RM200,000 was distributed to each District
Farmers’ Organisation to develop short-term agrofood projects, benefitting
1,810 Mada farmers,” he said. — Bernama
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/06/21/malaysias-imported-rice-supply-not-affected-by-covid-19-outbreak-says-kiand/1877569
Research funding for
‘superfood’ black rice production in Northern NSW plant labs
Associate Professor Tobias Kretzschmar with a black rice
diversity panel growing in the polytunnel facility at NSW DPI Wollongbar.
Across
the globe it’s labelled a superfood and now trials of black rice grown in the
Australian subtropics is the focus of a $600,000 ARC-funded research project at
Southern Cross University.
Black
rice unhulled (foreground) and hulled.
Southern
Cross Plant Science Associate Professor Tobias Kretzschmar is leading the
six-person research team to determine drivers of nutritional quality in black
rice – a food which shares the same naturally occurring ‘superfood’ compounds
as blackberry and acai.
This
new critical knowledge will enable future breeding of quality black rice
cultivars that can exploit the growing environments of subtropical and northern
Australian to enable domestic production of high-value, healthy black rice.
“The
demand for functional foods with health benefits, including black rice, is
increasing both domestically and internationally,” Professor Kretzschmar said.
“While
high UV levels in Australia are often viewed as a negative climactic factor,
this radiation may actually have an advantage in boosting the accumulation of
healthy compounds in optimised black rice, making Australia – and specifically
the NSW Northern Rivers – well placed to produce the highest quality black
rice.”
Black
rice gets its dark colour from a range of naturally occurring compounds called
‘anthocyanins’ which are known to be beneficial agents in reducing
inflammation, and has major antioxidant properties. Importantly they have the
potential to reduce the GI (glycaemic index) of rice.
Associate
Professor Kretzschmar has worked with rice for more than 10 years, including at
the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines, where the
International Rice Genebank (IRG) houses more than 100,000 types of rice,
before joining Southern Cross University two years ago.
This
black rice project involved identifying 300 black rice lines from that
collection, which originate from 19 countries across Asia and Africa.
“We
had screened the vast IRRI genebank for purple and black rice accessions and
these were imported into Australia in January last year. They then had to pass
strict biosecurity measures, where they were grown for one full generation,
from seed to seed, and tested for possible contamination under quarantine. So
far 256 lines have been released,” Associate Professor Kretzschmar said.
For
the first time these black rice lines will be grown in Australia, with the
backing of the Australian Research Council Linkage program.
“When
combined with local germplasm we will have more than 300 lines to be trialled.
The most important part of the project is characterising this unique genetic
resource, to resolve how the interaction between crop genetics and the growing
environment drives the concentration and composition of nutraceutical compounds
in black rice,” said Associate Professor Kretzschmar.
“This
project will pave the way for the development of a profitable crop alternative
for farmers in the subtropics and northern Australia. In the long term this has
the potential to improve farm income and increase the financial sustainability
of farming businesses, while also creating supply chains in processing and
packaging in regional and remote areas.”
Australia’s
southern Riverina region already produces high quality rice. However, the
pigmented rice is a niche crop with growth potential in domestic and
international markets.
“The
project will also provide critical genetic and nutritional information for
future breeding of high- value ‘healthy’ rice to help meet the national targets
of improving the health of Australians,” said Associate Professor Kretzschmar.
Southern
Cross Plant Science is based at the University’s Lismore campus in the NSW
Northern Rivers region.
Professor
Bronwyn Barkla, Director of Southern Cross Plant Science, said this project
will benefit from the centre’s strong expertise in the area of plant chemistry
and will be supported by the University’s recent investment in high-end
analytical equipment.
Australian
Research Council Linkage LP190100468 – $604,841
Project
summary
New critical knowledge will enable future breeding
of quality black rice cultivars that can exploit the high UV Australian growing
environment to enable domestic production of high-value, healthy black rice.
The demand for functional foods with health benefits, including black rice, is
increasing both domestically and internationally. The concentration of key
functional compounds in black rice may be increased by growing optimised
cultivars under high-UV radiation, making Australia well placed to produce the
highest quality black rice. Utilising a unique genetic resource this project
will resolve how the interaction between crop genetics and the growing
environment drives the concentration of functional compounds in black rice.
Rural Lalmonirhat:
Traditional miniature silo still in demand
12:00 AM, June 22, 2020 / LAST
MODIFIED: 02:21 AM, June 22, 2020
A craftsman in
Kamalabari village of Lalmonirhat’s Aditmari upazila uses hand tools and
slivers of bamboo to make duli, (below), a miniature rice silo that the farmers
use to store the grain for consumption by family members till the next harvest.
Photo: S Dilip Roy
Our
Correspondent, Lalmonirhat
Slowly and
steadily traditional agricultural practices as well as tools and accessories
used by farmers are being replaced by modern machinery and gadgets. But duli, a
traditional rice storage bin or a miniature silo, made of bamboo, is still
being used by farmers in rural Lalmonirhat.
Depending on
the amount of rice harvested in a season, each rice farmer usually sets up one
or two duli in their homestead to store rice for the consumption of family
members all through the year.
The rice
harvest season is when demand for duli is at its peak and it is the time when
craftsmen remain the busiest, trying to keep up with orders made by duli
traders.
Many rice
farmers also visit the local craftsmen at their houses to place custom order or
pick up a readymade duli of their choice.
Photo: S Dilip
Roy
Duli craftsman
Shafiqul Islam, from Kamalabari village in Aditmari upazila, said they had been
busy making duli before the harvesting of rice started this season.
It takes about
two to three days to make a duli. But the demand is so great this time around
that the artisans have been working from dusk till dawn since then and many of
them are even working nights to ensure on-time delivery of their products to
their buyers.
Many buyers
even make advance payments to the craftsmen and the profit from the sale of
each duli is around Tk 600 to 700, he also said.
Nur Hossain,
another duli maker from the same village, said there are over 60 duli artisans
in Lalmonirhat.
Compared to
previous years, the profit margin on each duli has come down in recent time as
the price of its main component, bamboo, has gone up. Nonetheless, this year
seems to be promising so far, with almost double the sales than that in the
year before, he added.
Rice farmer
Mahesh Chandra Barman, from Hajiganj village, said duli is popular among local
rice farmers for storing rice in their houses.
Duli is
available in three regular sizes -- small, medium and large. The small one
holds about 10 to 12 maunds of rice, the medium 20 to 22 maunds and the large
one holds as much as 25 to 30 maunds.
If made with
inferior quality and thin bamboo slivers, a duli lasts around three to four
years. But a duli made with high quality thick bamboo slivers can last up to
seven or eight years, he explained.
Rice farmers
have been blessed this year with a good harvest and the increased production of
the crop has given rise to the need for more duli in each farmer's house, said
an all smiles elderly farmer, Ranjit Chandra Barman, from Megharam village in
Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.
‘Locusts bigger threat to Pakistan than Covid-19’
‘Locusts bigger threat to Pakistan than Covid-19’
By Shahram Haq
Published:
June 21, 2020
PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
LAHORE: The rapidly increasing locust attacks have made
agriculture sector stakeholders highly perturbed as they feel federal and
provincial governments are still not active enough to tackle the insect.
They lament that these governments have not allocated sufficient
funds in federal and provincial budgets announced recently.
Many term locust swarms – which have so far destroyed
crops in 54 districts of the country – a much more serious threat than the
Covid-19 pandemic since the former may cause commotion in terms of food
security.
“Covid-19 can be avoided by maintaining social distance
and following SOPs, but there is no escape from the financial crisis and hunger
caused by locust attacks,” remarked Shahzad Ali Malik, Chief Executive Officer
of Guard Agriculture Research and Services Private Limited.
“Locust is a bigger threat than Covid-19 for Pakistan and
it should be taken more seriously.”
Pakistan is suffering the second locust attack in a year
and so far the insect has destroyed crops over millions of acres. According to
farmers, wheat, pulses, oilseed, fodder, vegetable and mango crops have been
damaged by the locust. The third locust attack is expected in southern Punjab
during the upcoming monsoon season.
According to the government departments concerned, they
along with Provincial Disaster Management Authorities are tackling the issue on
war footings and funds have been earmarked in the FY21 budget for complete
elimination of locusts and supporting agriculture sector.
As per budget numbers, the federal government has
allocated Rs10 billion for agriculture, the Punjab government has earmarked
Rs31.73 billion and Sindh has set aside Rs14.8 billion.
However, for the agriculture sector stakeholders, these
numbers are not impressive. They argue the funds are insufficient which will
not help resolve the structural issues and promote research for value addition
in exportable commodities. These will not support the country in purchasing
modern equipment for the agriculture sector, which contributes around 20% to the
country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employs more than 50% of the
workforce.
Talking about the equipment needed, Malik said, “We need
to acquire a large fleet of aircraft on lease from other countries or the army
as a stopgap arrangement. However, in the long run, we need to equip the
Department of Plant Protection (DPP) with modern technology so that it can be
able to undertake aerial sprays.”
The DPP had more than 20 aerial-spray aircraft in the
early 1980s but now it is left with only one. Lahore Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (LCCI) Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar said two major crops –
cotton and rice – would be affected badly and the latter would be in flowering
stage by July in Sindh and southern Punjab, when the next locust attack was
feared to hit the country.
“These two crops are a source of foreign exchange and
paddy alone contributes almost $2.2 billion annually to the national
exchequer,” he told The Express Tribune.
Asghar, who also serves as vice president of the Rice
Exporters Association of Pakistan, said cotton production was likely to remain
around nine million bales against the target of 15 million bales this season.
“Locusts are an urgent issue, nonetheless, there are some
other issues as well, which need to be addressed to increase the paddy crop
size. There is a need to promote seeds produced by the private sector as the
Punjab Seed Council is not promoting its seed varieties,” he said.
Asghar added that India had almost eight seed varieties of
Basmati rice and Pakistan was relying on only two seed varieties.
Published in The Express
Tribune, June 21st, 2020.
Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.
Exports soar by 8.48 per cent in 11 months
APP
ISLAMABAD
Exports from the country, in rupee term, increased by 8.48 per cent during the
first eleven months of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding
period of last fiscal year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.
The
exports from the country during July– May (2019-2020) were recorded at
Rs3,106,723 million as against Rs2,863,885 million during the
corresponding period of last year, showing an increase of 8.48 per cent,
according to provisional data released by PBS.
However,
on year-on-year basis, the exports from the country decreased by 26.78 per cent
in May 2020 when compared to the exports of May 2019. The exports in May 2020
were recorded at Rs223,536 million as against the exports of Rs305,303 million
during May, 2019. On month-on-month basis the exports increased by 42.01 per
cent in May 2020 when compared to the exports of Rs157,412 million in March,
2020.
The main
commodities of exports during May, 2020 were knitwear (Rs28,962 million), bed
wear (Rs 23,380 million), readymade garments (Rs21,708 million), rice others
(Rs20,079 million), cotton cloth (Rs15,731 million), Basmati rice (Rs13,128
million), cotton Yarn (Rs8,324 million), towels (Rs6,668 million), readymade up
articles (excl. towels & bed wear) (Rs5,537 million) and fish & fish
preparation (Rs4,554 million).
On the
other hand, imports during July–May, 2019 - 2020 totalled Rs6,421,012 million
as against Rs6,767,523 million during the corresponding period of last year
showing a decrease of 5.12 per cent.
Imports
into Pakistan during May, 2020 amounted to Rs458,272 million as against
Rs526,880 million (provisional) in April, 2020 and Rs730,962 million during May
2019 showing a decrease of 13.02 per cent over April, 2020 and of 37.31 per
cent over May 2019.
The main
commodities of imports during May, 2020 were Electrical machinery and apparatus
(Rs31,412 million), iron and steel (Rs23,205 million), palm oil (Rs21,591
million), petroleum products (Rs20,813 million), power generating machinery
(Rs20,339 million), iron and steel scrap (Rs19,435 million) plastic materials
(Rs18,991 million), mobile phones (Rs17,778 million), natural gas, liquefied
(Rs17,285 million) and raw cotton (Rs16,535 million).
Indonesia challenged to achieve its mandated food security: economist
Monday,
22nd June 2020
Rizal E
Halim, an economist of the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Economics and
Business (ANTARA/Special)
Depok,
W Java (ANTARA) - Indonesia has had the 2012 Food Law that mandates the country
to possess a roadmap to achieve an overall food security; however, it remains
challenged by various food-related issues, including repeated price hike and
shortage of stocks, an economist said.
"Food remains a chronic problem in certain time due to the fact that our national food management is not yet good," said Rizal E Halim, an economist of the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Economics and Business, here Sunday.
The food-related issues should be resolved by achieving the mandated food security goal, and improving the integration of food management because the food problems are not just handled by the ministry of agriculture but also by other ministries and agencies.
Halim argued that Indonesia's food management still faces such challenges as the national food supplies that remain dominated by imported products; unresolved rent seeking activities; and lack of uses of food technology and innovation.
The Indonesian Government is indeed aware of the importance of improving the nation's food security amid this ongoing global pandemic of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and beyond.
On April 21, 2020, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had asked officials to ensure that their assessment of Indonesia's rice stocks was accurate.
The President's directive came on the back of a warning issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, which had predicted the COVID-19 pandemic could trigger a global food crisis.
"Make sure that our rice stocks are sufficient. Please, calculate them accurately. Also, make a precise prediction of our rice production as we are entering the dry season. How long will our national rice reserves last?" he told a video conference recently.
President Jokowi requested the authorities to calculate the national rice stocks by referring to valid and reliable empirical data.
He also reiterated FAO's warning that the current coronavirus pandemic could trigger a food shortage across the world.
Indonesia needs to be cautious because all countries, including rice producers, would prioritize their domestic needs, he said, adding that the imposition of a lockdown could affect the staple food supply chain.
In connection with the impact of COVID-19 on global food security, the Food and Agriculture Organization had earlier warned of a looming food crisis.
However, this worst-case scenario could be avoided if "measures are taken fast to protect the most vulnerable, keep global food supply chains alive, and mitigate the pandemic's impacts across the food system", according to the FAO.
The FAO, on its official website, expressed the opinion that "border closures, quarantines, and market, supply chain, and trade disruptions could restrict people's access to sufficient/diverse and nutritious sources of food".
"Food remains a chronic problem in certain time due to the fact that our national food management is not yet good," said Rizal E Halim, an economist of the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Economics and Business, here Sunday.
The food-related issues should be resolved by achieving the mandated food security goal, and improving the integration of food management because the food problems are not just handled by the ministry of agriculture but also by other ministries and agencies.
Halim argued that Indonesia's food management still faces such challenges as the national food supplies that remain dominated by imported products; unresolved rent seeking activities; and lack of uses of food technology and innovation.
The Indonesian Government is indeed aware of the importance of improving the nation's food security amid this ongoing global pandemic of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and beyond.
On April 21, 2020, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had asked officials to ensure that their assessment of Indonesia's rice stocks was accurate.
The President's directive came on the back of a warning issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, which had predicted the COVID-19 pandemic could trigger a global food crisis.
"Make sure that our rice stocks are sufficient. Please, calculate them accurately. Also, make a precise prediction of our rice production as we are entering the dry season. How long will our national rice reserves last?" he told a video conference recently.
President Jokowi requested the authorities to calculate the national rice stocks by referring to valid and reliable empirical data.
He also reiterated FAO's warning that the current coronavirus pandemic could trigger a food shortage across the world.
Indonesia needs to be cautious because all countries, including rice producers, would prioritize their domestic needs, he said, adding that the imposition of a lockdown could affect the staple food supply chain.
In connection with the impact of COVID-19 on global food security, the Food and Agriculture Organization had earlier warned of a looming food crisis.
However, this worst-case scenario could be avoided if "measures are taken fast to protect the most vulnerable, keep global food supply chains alive, and mitigate the pandemic's impacts across the food system", according to the FAO.
The FAO, on its official website, expressed the opinion that "border closures, quarantines, and market, supply chain, and trade disruptions could restrict people's access to sufficient/diverse and nutritious sources of food".
Human Activity On Rivers Outpaces, Compounds Effects Of Climate Change
The livelihoods of millions of people living
along the world’s biggest river systems are under threat by a range of
stressors caused by the daily economic, societal and political activity of
humans – in addition to the long-term effects of climate change, researchers
report.
A new
paper by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign geology and geography professor Jim Best and University of Southampton
professor Stephen Darby takes a big-picture approach to
review the health and resiliency of the world’s large river systems, their
deltas and their vulnerability to extreme events.
The article is published in the journal One
Earth.
Rivers respond to changes in the environment
through self-adjusting processes of erosion and sedimentation, the researchers
said. When not stressed by extreme events like flooding or drought, these
responses typically allow rivers to absorb change. However, data from many new
studies now suggest that the world’s great waterways are becoming more
vulnerable as the effects of human activity and climate change combine and
compound.
Riverbank erosion on the Padma River,
Bangladesh.
Photo
courtesy Jim Best
“Climate change is of huge importance in terms
of changing flood or drought frequency and intensity,” Best said. “However,
there is a range of other stressors affecting big rivers such as damming,
sediment mining, pollution, water diversions, groundwater extraction and the
introduction of nonnative species – all of which affect rivers on a timescale
that has much more immediate consequences.”
For example, the team reviewed past research on
the drivers of flooding in the Mekong River Delta in Southeast Asia, which supports
about 18 million people and a vast rice agricultural area. These studies
suggest that delta subsidence – or sinking – because of groundwater extraction
beneath the delta is now more of a problem, as the region receives far less
sediment because of sediment trapping behind upstream dams and large-scale
mining of sand from the bed of the delta’s channels.“The scale of the effects
of sediment starvation and subsidence in driving increased flood risk is
currently far greater than sea-level rise generated by global climate change,”
Best said. “But when all of these pressures are combined, there is now a real
risk that we could cross a major tipping point in the next 10-20 years.”
Politics also play a significant role in the
health and resiliency of the world’s major river systems, the paper reports.
For example, the current COVID-19 pandemic is influencing regulatory
enforcement of pollution monitoring in the United States, enabling polluters to
avoid penalties if they argue violations are a result of the pandemic.
“We have seen evidence of the effect of these
types of political and societal shocks on river systems in the past, too,” Best
said. “The stresses from the Gulf War led to increased river pollution in the
Tigris-Euphrates River Basin, a situation that was also compounded by upstream
damming in Turkey.”
The researchers stress an urgent need for
governance at the local level across to the international level to confront
these issues effectively.
“There are some things we as scientists can do
on the monitoring end of this issue, but it will demand collaboration and trust
between nations for it to make a difference,” Best said. “We can’t take our eye
off the ball – we’ve just got to devote more attention to these more frequent,
shorter-timescale stressors. It’s far from being just about climate change.”
Best
also is affiliated with mechanical science and engineering and the Ven Te Chow Hydrosystems Laboratory
at U. of I.
Flooding along the Mekong River in the town of
Kratie, Cambodia.
Photo
courtesy Jim Best
CategoriesEarth, Energy & EnvironmentPost navigation
The material in this press release comes from the originating research organization. Content may be edited for style and length. Have a question? Let us know.
Punjab basmati sees revival in export market as orders grow
ECSTATIC: Traders are getting bookings mainly for the 1,121 and 1,718 varieties even before the sowing of the crop has begun
Updated:
Jun 20, 2020 23:08 IST
By Gurpreet Singh Nibber , Hindustan Times, Chandigarh
Exporters of Punjab’s premium aromatic basmati
rice are ecstatic as they have started getting orders from international buyers
again even as they suffered a setback in 2018 when hundreds of consignments
were returned by the European Union (EU) and countries in the Middle East due
to traces of fungicide in the grain.
The advance orders are mainly for the 1,121 and
1,718 varieties of the aromatic rice.
The turnaround is being attributed to the fact
that the state’s basmati growers have been able to control the use of
fungicides and pesticides in the crop. Besides, amid the Covid-19 pandemic
outbreak, the rice distributors in the destination countries are keen on piling
up stocks, it is learnt.
This time, basmati traders have started
bookings even before the sowing of the crop. July 31 is the deadline to
transplant basmati saplings. The exporters are targeting a sale over ₹36,000 crore after the harvest that will begin
in October-November, an increase of 10-12% over the previous year.
“Of the 40 lakh tonnes India exports every
year, nearly 20 lakh tonne is exported from Punjab. The state’s border belt
comprising Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts are main producers of
the rice. Though Sangrur, Moga and Fazilka districts also grow the rice, the
quality of rice cultivated there is not that fine,” said Ashok Sethi, director
of the Basmati Exports Association.
“This year, the exports from the state are
expected to touch 23-24 lakh tonnes,” he added.
“The basmati growers in Punjab are expected to
make good profits this kharif season as prices of the produce are expected to
touch ₹3,500
per quintal,” said state secretary (agriculture) Kahan Singh Pannu.
Harpreet Singh, a farmer from Sarwali village
in Batala, said, “If the exporters are claiming to be flush with orders, they
should disclose what rate they will offer if our produce is as per the
benchmark. The price of basmati per quintal has not gone beyond ₹3,000 for many years, with a minor fluctuation
of ₹200-300.”
THE 2018 EU CURBS
In 2018, when the European Union (EU) slapped
new import restrictions on the issue of fungicide traces, at least 100
containers were sent back by Norway, Sweden, England and Finland, leading to
huge losses to the local basmati exporters.
The hardest hit from the decision were farmers
in Punjab and Haryana, who have been using the fungicide for decades to protect
their produce from the ‘rice blast disease’. The EU order in June 2018 had said
the level of tricyclazole must be cut from 1.0 mg per kg to 0.01 mg.
“We had assured the basmati importers that the
fungicide traces will be reduced. Now, it has come down to permissible limits,”
said Pannu.
“We are motivating the farmers to expand the
area under basmati cultivation and use minimum fungicide,” Sethi added.
Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Syria, Kuwait, the
European Union, and the North American countries are major basmati importers.
Until 2018, Iran was a major importer of
basmati as it would order 14 lakh tonnes of the rice every year.
But last year, India became party to the trade
sanctions imposed by the US on Iran, leading to halt on the basmati exports to
the country. Even as Iran has no direct trade with India, it is expected to buy
basmati from Dubai-based traders who import the aromatic rice from Punjab and
elsewhere in the country. Weather Today
Telangana govt to woo rice millers with land and other sops
Roushan Ali | TNN |
Updated: Jun 21, 2020, 13:33 IST
TimesPoints
Picture used for
representational purpose only
HYDERABAD:
The state government is offering land to set up new rice mills as paddy production crossed one crore metric
tonnes and anticipates it will increase further in years to come.
New rice mills are required as the existing 2,200-odd rice mills would not be sufficient to mill the increasing production of paddy in the state. Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has asked district collectors, in coordination with Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, to identify suitable land.
New rice mills are required as the existing 2,200-odd rice mills would not be sufficient to mill the increasing production of paddy in the state. Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has asked district collectors, in coordination with Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, to identify suitable land.
The
Telangana Rice Millers’ Association has said land should be near agricultural
fields so that transportation cost could be saved. At least five acres would be
required to set up a small rice mill. “The rice mills are land and
water-intensive as such the land should have ground water availability in
abundance or water supply from Mission Bhagiratha or other sources,” a rice
miller said.
The 2,200 rice mills have a capacity to mill nearly one crore metric tonnes of rice per year. The paddy production in yasangi-2020 (rabi-2020) alone had crossed 1.05 metric tonnes and another 55 to 60 lakh metric tonnes of paddy coudl be expected from ‘vanakalam’ (kharif) season.
“The chief minister has decided to not only encourage setting up of new rice mills, but also support rice millers in enhancing the capacity of existing mills. A comprehensive policy, which includes land offer and other incentives to those coming forward to establish new rice mills and also enhance the existing ones’capacity, is being prepared. The policy will come out with guidelines and facilities for marketing of paddy as well as rice,” an official said.
Interestingly, before the formation of Telangana the existing mills could not get paddy commensurate to their capacity. “Now, the production of paddy has increased and the government is also supplying round-the-clock power supply. There is water availability too from various irrigation projects,” the official added.
The 2,200 rice mills have a capacity to mill nearly one crore metric tonnes of rice per year. The paddy production in yasangi-2020 (rabi-2020) alone had crossed 1.05 metric tonnes and another 55 to 60 lakh metric tonnes of paddy coudl be expected from ‘vanakalam’ (kharif) season.
“The chief minister has decided to not only encourage setting up of new rice mills, but also support rice millers in enhancing the capacity of existing mills. A comprehensive policy, which includes land offer and other incentives to those coming forward to establish new rice mills and also enhance the existing ones’capacity, is being prepared. The policy will come out with guidelines and facilities for marketing of paddy as well as rice,” an official said.
Interestingly, before the formation of Telangana the existing mills could not get paddy commensurate to their capacity. “Now, the production of paddy has increased and the government is also supplying round-the-clock power supply. There is water availability too from various irrigation projects,” the official added.
Few takers for free travel, higher wages as COVID-19 fears persist
Amid
shortage of workforce with many labourers migrating to their native places
during the nationwide lockdown following COVID-19 outbreak, several industries
are finding it tough to get back on track in Punjab and Haryana.
With
easing of lockdwon restrictions, several industry owners are making efforts to
bring back the labour force by facilitating their travel, offering hike in
wages along with free accommodation and food. Yet many migrant labourers are
unwilling to come back as COVID-19 fear looms large.
“We are
facing an acute shortage of labour. Most of our labourers were from Uttar
Pradesh and Bihar and most of them have returned to their native places. In one
rice mill, on average we need 50 labourers for efficient work. Close to 800
mills across Haryana are operating currently, but almost all are finding it difficult
to manage,” said Jagdish Rai, vice-president of All India Rice Millers and
Dealers
“Most of
the workers are not willing to come on account of COVID-19 fear. We are
offering them higher wages, free accommodation and food... ,” he said.
Jitender
Malik, chief patron of Carpet Manufacturers Association in Haryana, said until
migrant labourers come back in full strength it will be difficult to revive
work.
In
neighbouring Punjab, the small, medium and large industries — in manufacturing
rice, textiles and woollen and synthetic fabrics — are suffering due to
shortage of labour. Industry players are urging them return by offering better
pay scales and other incentives besides compensating for rail and bus fares.
Rice Millers’ Association director Ashok Sethi has asked the State government
to arrange transport to bring labourers back on priority.
Rice price spike: Retailers blame millers for rigging
Published: June
20, 2020 21:49:07 | Updated: June 21, 2020 17:10:10
Mill owners, however, cite a spike in paddy prices as the reason for price spirals at the retail level.
The price of Nazirshail and Minicate rice rose by as much as Tk 4 over the course of a week to Tk 54 and Tk 68 per kg on Friday, according to data from the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh. The price of medium-grain Paijam rose by as much as Tk 3 to Tk 45 per kg.
According to retailers in Dhaka, rice millers have increased the prices of a 50-kg sack of rice by at least Tk 200 in the past month.
Mill owners say rice prices have risen because the price of rice paddy rose in the Boro season after the government fixed the price for purchases.
But there are doubts over their claim. The practice of setting prices by the government for purchase is nothing new. It happens every year. And the price set this year for Boro is the same as last year.
Three days ago, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder warned rice millers that they were not providing Boro rice at the contract prices, which indicates that the owners are manipulating prices.
The minister is aware of the industry’s workings due to his family’s background in the rice business.
The government planned to purchase a total of 1 million tonnes of rice in the Boro season at Tk 26 per kg. The price is the same as last year, but the amount purchased by the state has risen by 200,000 tonnes. The bumper crop of Boro should have resulted in an increased supply in the market, meaning there is no clear reason for the price hike.
The price of rice remained steady for about 10 days after the harvest, said Mohiuddin Harun, a rice retailer at Mirpur’s Shah Ali Market.
“The price of rice paddy increased this year, but the rising price will help farmers and the agricultural sector,” said Shahidul Islam Patwari, vice president of Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mill Owners Association.
The price of rice rose in accordance with the rising price of paddy, Shahidul said.
bdnews24.com also spoke to Layek Ali, general secretary of Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mill Owners Association.
“The government set the price of paddy at Tk 1,040 per maund. If we take that into account the price of rice is rather low, or at the correct level,” he said.
But neither of them was able to give clear indications of how much the price of paddy increased.
It is clear from the words of Mohammad Sulaiman, a farmer in Kushtia, that rice mill owners are purchasing rice at far below the contract prices.
Sulaiman said he had harvested Boro rice on 20 bighas of land this year. He sold paddy to the mills at Tk 850 to Tk 900 per paund.
Several industries finding it tough to get back on track in Punjab and Haryana
CHANDIGARH:, JUNE
20, 2020 20:38 IST
Migrant labourers, despite incentives, unwilling to come back as the pandemic fear looms.
Amid
shortage of work force, mainly because labourers had migrated to their native
places, several industries are finding it tough to get back on track in Punjab
and Haryana.
With the
easing of the lockdown restrictions, several
industry owners are making efforts to bring back the labour force by
facilitating their travel, offering hike in wages along with free accommodation
and food, yet many migrant labourers are unwilling to come back as the pandemic
fear looms.
“We are
facing acute shortage of labour. Most of the labourers associated with us are
from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. On an average we need 50 labourers for efficient
work in one rice mill (sheller). Close to 800 mills across Haryana are operating
currently, but almost all are finding it difficult to manage day to day
working. The work that should be completed in one week is taking nearly a
month. Besides, the local labour rates have spiked by around 10%,” Jagdish Rai,
vice-president, All India Rice Millers and Dealers Association, told The
Hindu.
“We are
in touch with migrant labourers but most of them are not willing to come back.”
Jitender
Malik, chief patron at the Carpet Manufacturers Association in Haryana, said
till the migrant labourers come back in full strength it would be difficult to
revive the work. “We are dependent on the workers who are experts in operating
pit-looms and most of them are from West Bengal. Many of us are facilitating
their travel through buses.”
R.K.
Gupta, president of the Haryana-based Footwear Park Association, said poor
demand for products had also hit the industry. “It has dropped to around
30%-40% of the usual demand for footwear at this time of the year. The
purchasing power has gone down and people are spending only on essential commodities.
Unless demand is revived, businesses will not pick-up,” he said.
In
Punjab the small, medium and large industries primarily in textiles, woollen
and synthetic fabrics are also facing the problem. Industry players are urging
them to return by offering better pay scales and other incentives besides
compensating for rail and bus fares.
Director
of the Rice Millers Association Ashok Sethi has asked the State government to
arrange transport to bring labourers back on priority so that industrial units
could be run efficiently.
“The government
must immediately devise a plan so that factories get adequate labour strength
to make up for the time lost due to the lockdown and resultant disruption
in the production. At present, many industries are running at about 35% to 40%
of their capacities,” he said.
Boro procurement from farmers far from target
Economists emphasise purchasing system overhaul
Emran Hossain with Rezaul Karim Manik in Lalmonirhat |
Published: 00:24, Jun 21,2020
The
government is lagging far behind in procuring boro paddy from farmers with a
tiny percentage of the target fulfilled because of, agricultural economists
have said, the cumbersome procurement process.
Nearly
two months into the procurement drive, the government has so far bought,
directly from farmers, only 31,983 tonnes of boro paddy, about 4 per cent of
the targeted 8 lakh tonnes by August 31.
The
government blamed the slow procurement on hoarding by rice millers which
agricultural economists said could have been avoided had the food procurement
process been overhauled in time.
Amid a
growing apprehension about a potential food crisis as the coronavirus pandemic
is worsening, the government now struggles to keep from depleting its rice
stock, which stands at 8.63 lakh tonnes, 3.60 lakh tonnes less compared to the
same period last year.
‘Rice
millers should be aware that the law will take its course if they do not stop
hoarding,’ food secretary Nazmanara Khanum told New Age while discussing the
slow procurement progress.
The
government has plans to buy another 11.50 lakh tonnes of rice from the millers
by August 31. But so far it has bought only 1.50 lakh tonnes.
The rice
millers are not happy with the rice price they are offered, Tk 36 per kg, and
the government’s decision to double the direct paddy procurement from growers.
The
government fixed the paddy price at Tk 26 per kg, higher than what the millers
are paying the farmers, Tk 23.75 per kg.
‘We knew
all along that the government would fail to meet its ambitious procurement
target this year,’ said Abdur Rashid, president, Bangladesh auto, major and
husking rice mills association.
He said
that the government did not need to take the trouble of buying directly from
farmers, adding that the rice millers could supply the government with as much
rice as needed if the price was increased by Tk 10 a kg.
But
agricultural economists have always advised the government against buying rice
from the millers to avoid many middlemen pocketing benefits that should have
gone to farmers.
‘But the
government never heeded the call, never put together a system to efficiently
buy from farmers,’ said economist Md Asaduzzaman.
‘The
government has never been even close to meeting its paddy procurement target
from farmers,’ he noted.
The rice
millers have a strong network of middlemen visiting farmers at their doorstep
and buying paddy with cash.
They do
not care much if paddies are not properly dried and always spare farmers the
trouble of bringing their produce to markets for sale.
On the
other hand, farmers find the government procurement mechanism painfully
inconvenient, requiring them to bring paddy to purchase centres, usually at the
upazila level, and go through a humidity test among many other bureaucratic
formalities.
Aminur
Rahman, a farmer of Aditmari, Lalmonirhat, travelled 14 kilometres every day
for four days in a row carrying 2 tonnes of paddy to the upazila headquarters
but failed to sell it.
He tried
every way possible, from participating in a ‘lottery system’ to bribing
middlemen and a local food official, to sell his rice to the government but in
vain.
Last
week Amin filed a complaint with the district food controller that a local food
official had taken Tk 3,000 from him promising to buy his paddy.
Lalmonirhat
district food controller Ali Haider confirmed that one of his officials was
under investigation with regard to Amin’s complaint.
Rangpur
regional food controller Abdus Salam said that they had recently filed police
cases against two food officials for taking bribes from growers with the
promise to buy paddy from them.
Ansar
Ali, a farmer of Kaunia, Rangpur, has made several attempts at selling his rice
to the government since the Aman season but food officials always found his
paddy highly humid.
‘I never
succeeded in selling my paddy to the government. They always found my paddy
substandard and sent me back home,’ said Ansar.
Those
who finally manage to pass through all these obstacles get paid in cheques and
need to have bank accounts to cash them.
Farmers
also often complain about humiliation while seeking bank services.
‘There
are many bureaucratic bottlenecks needed to be removed to make the government
procurement mechanism functional,’ said agricultural economist Jahangir Alam.
The
government, experts said, can still get the rice millers to directly buy paddy
from farmers as the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis is pushing many to the state
where government aid is required for survival.
The
government has already lost nearly two months, the most crucial time for rice
procurement for it is difficult to carry rice during the monsoon, which has
already set in, they reminded.
More
about:
Demand surge pushes Basmati rate up by nearly 20%, exporters reap rich dividends
Due to good demand from the import countries even Basmati varieties with depressed rates since the beginning of this year, have also seen an increase of 20 to 25 per cent in the past few weeks.
Written
by Anju Agnihotri Chaba | Jalandhar
| Published: June 20, 2020 10:53:27 pm
The
plantation of Basmati is about to start in both Punjab and Haryana states.
(Representational)
Basmati exporters in the country have started
reaping a rich dividends with the rate of the crop going up by 15 to 20 per
cent recently. Good demand for Basmati from the Middle East has also led to the
rates surging suddenly.
“The rate of the crop has increased post
lockdown as a single container which was being exported at the rate of Rs 10 to
11 lakh during the lockdown period, now it is being exported art the rate of
Rs. 12-13 lakh,” said Arvinder Pal Singh, president of PRMEA (Punjab Rice
Millers Exporters Association), adding that several new orders are also coming,
but due to shortage of labour the exporters are even struggling to meet old
orders first.
If the export to Iran, which is the major
importer of Indian Basmati, was less this year, it has been compensated by Iraq
and Saudi Arabia, said, exporters.
“Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus,
several Basmati importing countries have been placing more orders so as to keep
some food buffer in their respective countries due to which the rates are going
up,” said Vijay Setia, former president of the All India Rice Exporters
Association, one of the leading exporter himself.
A container carries around 20 tonnes (20,000
kg) of Basmati rice as these containers are sent to destination countries from
India in the ships.
The labour is required to empty the containers,
which brings imported items and take export materials and loading the export
material in it. Also, the labour is required for unloading the export material
from the trucks which carry material to the ports from various states.
But due to returning of a large number of labourers to their respective home states the Basmati export also facing the heat of labour shortage, said Nathi Ram Gupta, president of All India Rice Exporters Association.
“Earlier there was not much shortage of the labourers at the port during the lockdown period even, but when the ‘Special Shramik trains” were launched in the month of May to send the labourers back to their respective home states, the labour strength came down to half,” said Ashok Sethi, Director, PRMEA.
But due to returning of a large number of labourers to their respective home states the Basmati export also facing the heat of labour shortage, said Nathi Ram Gupta, president of All India Rice Exporters Association.
“Earlier there was not much shortage of the labourers at the port during the lockdown period even, but when the ‘Special Shramik trains” were launched in the month of May to send the labourers back to their respective home states, the labour strength came down to half,” said Ashok Sethi, Director, PRMEA.
Due to good demand from the import countries
even Basmati varieties with depressed rates since the beginning of this year,
have also seen an increase of 20 to 25 per cent in the past few weeks.
Setia said: “India has been exporting 44 lakh
tonnes of Basmati annually and on an average 3.75 lakh tonnes of rice is
exported from here. Due to shortage of labour at the ports, the export has also
been taking place at a bit slower pace because labour strength has gone down
but now they are coming back and nearly 70 to 75 per cent labour is available
now.”
He added: “Rates have gone up and even 1401
variety which was quite depressed this year has seen 20 per cent increase in
rates.”
India has been exporting Basmati to 80-90 countries including EU, USA, Middle East, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries.
India has been exporting Basmati to 80-90 countries including EU, USA, Middle East, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries.
Punjab and Haryana states are the major Basmati
growers and exporters and both the states have been a share of around 80 per
cent of the total export of Basmati crop from India. Punjab alone grows over 20
lakh tonnes of Basmati every year out of which major portion is exported.
Meanwhile, the farmers had sold the Basmati
varieties at the rate of Rs 2,500 to 3,300 per quintal last year and going by
this year’s export rate the area under the crop would certainly increase. The
plantation of Basmati is about to start in both Punjab and Haryana states.
Punjab has fixed a target of bringing around 7-Lakh hectares under Basmati crop
this year against 6.29 Lakh hectares last year.
