EX QRC STAFF NOT GIVEN PROMISED GOLDEN
HANDSHAKE
The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has
urged the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to expedite the
payment of the golden handshake to the staff of the disbanded Quality Review
Committee (QRC) as a period of 3 months has passed since the closure of QRC and
the now jobless employees are left high and dry without any
compensation.President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said it is unfair to leave them
jobless on the one hand and on the other to holdback their promised golden
handshake funds. The TDAP could have utilised their services in their several
other departments but unfortunately even the ministry of commerce also never
bothered to transfer them to the Trading Corporation of Pakistan ( TCP) and
simply served them with one month's termination notice.
Thaver said the TDAP needs to immediately arrange for
funds and pay the QRC staff without further loss of time. He said the TDAP
needs to recover the amounts lying with the Rice Exporters Association of
Pakistan (REAP) and also expedite the audit of accounts and take back the
properties purchased in Karachi and Lahore with the QRC funds. The REAP which
enjoyed for years on the income of the QRC has never bothered to even enquire
about their welfare.The QRC was functioning as a basmati rice pre shipment
inspection cell which was disbanded 3 months ago as it proved to be futile.
In fact the SME rice exporters hold QRC responsible for their
setback as QRC was not impartial, independent or transparent and also not
qualified or eligible to carry out PSI. In fact it is good riddance to bad
rubbish.Thaver said that although the union detested the behavior of the QRC
and had challenged its status as a PSI yet nevertheless is not happy at the treatment
meted out to its 16 years old staff as most of them are old employees and
deserve timely compensation to survive in harsh times.He said in normal
circumstances the rice processors and exporters would have employed the QRC
Staff but unfortunately the rice industry is in turmoil and more than a 1000
units are closed.
The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME)
Not responsible for paddy procurement: Rice
millers
Parveen Arora
Tribune News Service
Karnal, November 8
After facing allegations levelled by the
opposition for procuring paddy at throwaway prices, state rice millers and
dealers today cleared their stand and said they were not responsible for
procurement. “We only process the paddy procured by the government and it is
irrelevant to blame us for the price,” they said.Jaipal Jain, officiating state
president of the Haryana Millers and Dealers Association, said today that the
government gave them paddy for making rice and that’s what they did. “The rate
of the paddy is decided by the procurement agencies on behalf of the quality
parameter fixed by the government,” he said.
Vinod Goyal, who was appointed officiating
state general secretary of the association today, said they were not entitled
to arranging rate for paddy. They were only the processors.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/not-responsible-for-paddy-procurement-rice-millers/156206.html
Won’t grow basmati again: Farmers
Crop fetches low
prices | Paddy growers ask Centre to form export policy to bail them out
Labourers at the grain market in Fazilka. Tribune photo
Praful Chander Nagpal
Our Correspondent
Fazilka, November 8
Dismayed over the poor price the 1121 basmati
paddy variety fetched this season, farmers might not grow the crop next year.
They say they would again grow the traditional parmal variety that was sold for
higher prices this season. The farmers have asked the Central Government to
work out an effective basmati export policy to bail them out.Sources said the
average yield of parmal paddy per acre was about 33 quintal this year and its
minimum support price (MSP) was Rs 1,450 per quintal. Thus, farmers earn about
Rs 47,850 per acre.On the other hand, the average yield per acre for 1121
basmati paddy variety is about 19 quintals, while its price per quintal is Rs
1,650. So the farmers cultivating this variety earn only Rs 31,350 per acre.
“We will sow parmal paddy in the future as
growing basmati proved to be costly,” said farmer Jawinder Singh of Nurpura
village, who grew basmati on 8 acres.Moreover, the input cost of cultivating
basmati paddy is also higher. “Farmers have to spray pesticide on the basmati
crop nearly three times more compared to parmal variety. Besides, the
plantation of basmati paddy also costs high,” said farmer Mangal Singh of Jorki
Andhewali village.Sources said basmati was sown on 72,000 hectares this year,
while parmal on 25,000 hectares in Fazilka district. Over 30 per cent of
basmati paddy amounting to 7 lakh quintals arrived in the Fazilka grain market
and 16 purchase centres so far.If the farmers switched back to growing parmal
variety from next year, it would hit the government’s diversification push. The
basmati variety consumes less water, while parmal variety needs flood
irrigation.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/won-t-grow-basmati-again-farmers/156256.html
Haryana Food minister refuted reports of scandal in Paddy
procurement
November 07, 2015 11:56 PM
Punjab News Express
CHANDIGARH: Strongly denying the report of an alleged scam in procurement of PUSA-1509 variety of paddy leading to an undue benefit to millers at the cost of farmers which appeared in a section of the press today, Food and Supplies Minister, Mr Karan Dev Kamboj has advised the former Chief Minister Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda not to jump to conclusions on mischievous reporting by a journalist who has displayed no regard for facts in his zeal to appear pro-farmer.The historic decision of the government to procure PUSA-1509 variety of paddy has benefited the farmers of Haryana by Rs 350 per quintal and the calculations of any loss to the government or benefit to the millers are completely baseless and a mere figment of imagination of the reporter, he said.
In a hard hitting statement issued here today, Mr Karan Dev
Kamboj said that the State Government approached the Government of India to
allow procurement of this variety when it was being bought by millers at Rs
1,100 per quintal. Government of India graciously allowed its procurement
variety at the rate of Rs 1,450 per quintal since it is not a basmati variety
and falls in the category of Grade A variety on the basis of its grain's length
to breadth ratio being more than 2.5.This is the reason that procurement
agencies are recording its procurement along with other similar grade of paddy
varieties like PR11 and PR14. This is no way mean that government does not have
any record of how much PUSA-1509 has been procured at Minimum Support
Price(MSP).He said that till date 4.12 lakh tonnes of PUSA-1509 has arrived in
all the mandis of the state.
While it was being bought by millers at around Rs 1,100 per
quintal before the government decision to procure it at MSP as Grade A variety.
After entry of procurement agencies even the rates being given by millers
improved leading to a direct benefit of Rs 350 per quintal. He said that the
figure of the estimated production of 150 lakh quintal or 15 lakh tonnes of
PUSA-1509 as reported in the newspapers is completely baseless. The total area
under basmati in the state is 12.28 lakh hectares. With an average productivity
of 26 quintal per hectare, the estimated production of basmati is over 31.9
lakh metric tonnes. Last year PUSA-1509 had been sown on only around ten per
cent of the area under basmati and because of expectations of declining exports
of basmati and its non-procurement by state agencies, the area under PUSA-1509
this year was around 1.5 lakh hectare and not three lakh hectare as wrongly
reported.
He said that assumption of average yield of 50 quintal per
hectare was ridiculous since the average productivity of basmati is 26
quintal/hectare and of even the common paddy is only 34.5 quintal/hectare.He
said that the calculations of alleged gains of millers are equally ridiculous.
The wholesale price of PUSA-1509 rice is Rs 26 to Rs 28 per kg and not Rs 70.
The government milling rate including by products is Rs 180 per quintal and not
Rs 500 per quintal. Therefore the conclusion of any windfall gain is a pure
figment of reporters' imagination.
He said that while unfortunately journalists can get away after
cooking up stories at their whims and fancies the people of the state expect
responsible politicians like the former Chief Minister Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda
to confirm facts before making allegations. He said that it was unfortunate
that neither of the two spoke to any officer or farmer while putting out a
completely false story and a wild allegation. Had they cared to do so they
would not have missed out on the extraordinary steps taken by both the Union
and the State Governments to come to the rescue of the hard working farmers at
a time when they are facing particularly difficult global economic conditions.
http://punjabnewsexpress.com/regional/news/haryana-food-minister-refuted-reports-of-scandal-in-paddy-procurement--44915.aspx
FAO cuts global rice output estimate
SHARES: 24 VIEW COMMENTS
By: Ronnel W. Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
01:06 AM November 9th, 2015
THE
FORECAST global output of milled rice for the July 2015-June 2016 crop year was
cut further by 2 million tons to 491 million tons, according to the latest
outlook from the Food and Agriculture Organization.This follows a cut of 8
million tons, to 493 million tons, in the previous monthly update made last
October.Based on the monthly Market Monitor report of the Agricultural Market
Information System (Amis), the reduction was due to continued deteriorating
prospects in Asia, partly due to the strong El Niño weather phenomenon.“Rice
conditions remain mixed in part due to the current El Niño affecting large
parts of Asia,” the FAO-administered inter-agency body said.
For example, conditions are generally favorable
in China, Vietnam and Indonesia.On the other hand, conditions are poor in
Thailand due to a lack of precipitation, shortage of irrigation water and
pests.“In the Philippines, harvest of the wet season crop is almost complete,”
the Amis said. “Crop damage caused by several typhoons has been recorded in the
northern regions, which may result in lower yields.”Further, the Amis said the
forecast trade volume for calendar 2016 was raised again, partly due to
anticipated larger imports by the Philippines.As of this month, the projected
rice trade for next year is pegged at 450.2 million tons, “raised somewhat”
from the 450 million tons forecast last month.This was based “on larger
anticipated imports by the Philippines, China, Colombia and Nigeria,” the Amis
said.
According to the Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA), the Philippines’ stock of milled rice inched up to 2.2 million
tons as of Oct. 1 as farms across the nation started harvesting the year’s main
crop.The national inventory—which increased by 13 percent or 260,000 tons over
the previous month—was good for 65 days’ consumption.Data from the PSA show
that the National Food Authority’s stock decreased by 50,000 tons to settle at
750,000 tons.As of Oct. 1, the NFA’s stock was good for 22 days’ consumption,
still well above its minimum mandated volume of 15 days’ supply.
Also, according to the PSA, the country’s
ability to produce its own supply of rice fell to 92 percent of domestic demand
in 2014.
http://business.inquirer.net/202213/fao-cuts-global-rice-output-estimate#ixzz3r5Iz7l00
Nigeria plans rice and wheat self-sufficiency within three years
- government document
Sat Nov 7, 2015 1:50pm GMT
By Felix Onuah
ABUJA Nov 7 (Reuters) - Nigeria aims to be self-sufficient in both rice
and wheat production within three years, a document by President Muhammadu
Buhari's administration seen by Reuters showed on Saturday, a massive
undertaking given current production levels.The policy document was circulated
among Buhari's ministers, whose portfolios are yet to be announced, on a
two-day retreat. It also proposes overhauling the mining sector, including
efforts to "ensure local and foreign investment" in the
industry.However, the five-page document did not provide details of how the
administration led by the 72-year-old former military ruler would fund the
planned changes in Africa's biggest economy, which has seen a slowdown in
growth.
Buhari has previously stated long-term plans to encourage local
manufacturing in Africa's largest oil producer, which has been hit by a fall in
global crude prices."Self-sufficiency in rice production within 24
months" and "self-sufficiency in wheat production within 26
months" are goals in the agriculture section of the document, which also
calls for "market guarantees for farm produce".About 3 million tonnes
of rice was produced in Nigeria last year, along with 64,000 tonnes of wheat,
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) figures show.The West African
nation is the world's second largest importer of rice and among the biggest
buyers of U.S. wheat.In 2012 it imported 2.3 million tonnes of rice - a record
high, say U.N. statistics which also show some 4.1 million tonnes of wheat was
brought into Nigeria in the same year - nearly double the amount imported in
2000.
The central bank has restricted access to foreign currency to
import 41 categories of items, including rice, to stop a slide of the
naira.Nigeria stepped up import controls when Buhari led a military government
in the 1980s.The document also stated plans to "build a major north-south
road within 36 months". Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said a 25 billion
naira ($126 million) infrastructure fund would be set up to improve the road,
rail and power networks.The creation of one million houses for the poorest of
Nigeria's 170 million inhabitants within four years "using methods that
create jobs" was also among policy goals outlined in the document seen by
Reuters. ($1 = 198.8700 naira) (Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Digby
Lidstone)
http://af.reuters.com/article/nigeriaNews/idAFL8N13207420151107?sp=true
http://af.reuters.com/article/nigeriaNews/idAFL8N13207420151107?sp=true
Lack of R&D behind falling
Basmati rice exports - Shahzad Ali Malik, CEO Guard Rice
November 09, 2015
RECORDER REPORT
Shahzad Ali Malik, the CEO of Guard
Rice, is the pioneer of modern rice industry in Pakistan. He is the Director of
the Guard Group, and is known for his vigour for R&D in the rice industry
through latest technologies and new varieties. He is also the former President
of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), and is among the founders of
Rice Export Association of Pakistan (REAP). Following are the edited excerpts
of a recent conversation of Mr., Malik with BR Research. BR Research: Walk us through the early
developments and dynamics of the rice sector. Shahzad
Ali Malik: In 1989, Government of Pakistan decided to privatise rice exports
and disbanded Rice Export Corporation of Pakistan (RECP).
Before this, RECP was the sole rice
procurement agency in the country; Passco procured in small quantities, while
the rest was procured by the private sector for domestic consumption. As a
result, Rice Export Association of Pakistan (REAP) was formed in 1988-89 with
ties with the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Food, Agriculture and
Livestock and the Planning Division. The
rice industry is the second largest foreign exchange earner after textile
sector. The privatisation of the sector played a key role in increasing the
rice exports in the country. In the beginning, Pakistan's annual rice exports
were around $150-200 million. With the coming of the private sector into the
game, these numbers have touched $2 billion over the 25-year period. After
touching the highs, Basmati and IRRI export shares are now $1.4 billion and
$600 million from one billion dollar each.
BRR: What varieties of rice does
Pakistan export?
SAM: In Pakistan two major varieties of rice that dominate the local and international market: Basmati, and IRRI (the normal long grain rice). IRRI is mainly grown in Sindh and is of lower quality than Basmati; majority of this variety is exported. On the other hand Basmati is an aromatic long grain variety originally cultivated in Pakistani Punjab only. Later India also started sowing this rice seed in its part of Punjab. 50 percent of Basmati is consumed locally, while the surplus is exportable.
BRR: Tell us about
Guard Rice?
SAM: We are Guard Agri, part of the financially strong, highly diversified Guard Group of Companies, established in 1948. We entered the rice market at the right time; Guard Agri was established in 1989, as the first private sector company with its own Rice Research and Development (R&D) facility. We are not just a rice company; we are also a seed company where we look after the seed.
Guard Rice pioneered the introduction of packaged and branded rice in Pakistan, and it is the only national brand with distribution in all major cities of the country, as well as modern trade outlets. It is also the largest export brand with presence across 36 countries. We introduced hybrid course grain rice variety in Pakistan about 15 years back, and today 30 seed companies are marking IRRI hybrid in Pakistan including four multinationals. Basmati Rice is our heritage, and we are now also looking into producing Basmati hybrid seed in collaboration with our Chinese and local experts. Right now 60 percent of our revenues are coming from IRRI seed, while 40 percent comes from local sales and exports of Basmati rice.
BRR: How has lower commodity prices affected rice exports?
SAM: The decline in global commodity prices did not have so much impact on our coarse grain high yield hybrid IRRI varieties because of lower cost of production due to the increase in yields.
BRR: What is a key challenge for the rice industry today?
SAM: The issue lies in the sub sector: Basmati rice. While IRRI exports have been either growing or stabilising over the years due to hybrid technology, Basmati is facing issues. The cost of production for IRRI is coming down in Sindh, and thanks to double the yield of Hybrid technology, exporters are able to compete with countries like Vietnam, Thailand. However, Basmati rice exports are stagnating and slowing down. Though the research is going on to develop Basmati through hybrid technology as well, our public sector research institutes have not been able to bring any new high-yielding Basmati varieties in the country since the eighties, which has resulted in a constant decline in its per acre production, leaving a window of opportunity for India to gain foothold in the international market for extra-long grain high yielding varieties. The last extra-long grain high yielding Basmati varieties introduced in Pakistan were long grain Basmati 385 in 1980s and Super Basmati in 1990s, after which no new variety has been brought forward; their use for 25 years has weakened the seed varieties and declined the yields sharply.
BRR: What are some suggestions and proposals you think could open opportunities for Pakistan's rice industry?
SAM: We have lost a huge Iranian rice market to India. Iran imports around 1.5 million to 2 million tons of rice annually. Amid all its international sanctions, India was able to arrange a currency swap with Iran in the name of food for oil, which enabled it to penetrate and capture the entire rice market. We are now proposing that since Pakistan has signed a PTA with Iran, five products from both countries should be rendered zero-import duty. Of course, we propose one of the items from Pakistan to be Basmati rice in order to get back the lost market to India. We used to export around 200,000 tons of rice to Iran, which has not reduced to nothing at all.
However, we must be mindful that the advantage India has over us in Basmati rice is lower cost of production. Also, India is way ahead of us in research and development in all crops, and particularly in rice.
Their Basmati variety called 11-21 has captured the global market, and the seed has also made inroad informally into Pakistan. 11-21 is illegally being grown and exported from Pakistan.
Here too we have rigorously suggested the Government of Pakistan to approve it and give it a legal cover to bring it into the market as today there is more sowing of 11-21 than Super Basmati in Punjab due to better yield, international acceptance and importer demand.
SAM: We are Guard Agri, part of the financially strong, highly diversified Guard Group of Companies, established in 1948. We entered the rice market at the right time; Guard Agri was established in 1989, as the first private sector company with its own Rice Research and Development (R&D) facility. We are not just a rice company; we are also a seed company where we look after the seed.
Guard Rice pioneered the introduction of packaged and branded rice in Pakistan, and it is the only national brand with distribution in all major cities of the country, as well as modern trade outlets. It is also the largest export brand with presence across 36 countries. We introduced hybrid course grain rice variety in Pakistan about 15 years back, and today 30 seed companies are marking IRRI hybrid in Pakistan including four multinationals. Basmati Rice is our heritage, and we are now also looking into producing Basmati hybrid seed in collaboration with our Chinese and local experts. Right now 60 percent of our revenues are coming from IRRI seed, while 40 percent comes from local sales and exports of Basmati rice.
BRR: How has lower commodity prices affected rice exports?
SAM: The decline in global commodity prices did not have so much impact on our coarse grain high yield hybrid IRRI varieties because of lower cost of production due to the increase in yields.
BRR: What is a key challenge for the rice industry today?
SAM: The issue lies in the sub sector: Basmati rice. While IRRI exports have been either growing or stabilising over the years due to hybrid technology, Basmati is facing issues. The cost of production for IRRI is coming down in Sindh, and thanks to double the yield of Hybrid technology, exporters are able to compete with countries like Vietnam, Thailand. However, Basmati rice exports are stagnating and slowing down. Though the research is going on to develop Basmati through hybrid technology as well, our public sector research institutes have not been able to bring any new high-yielding Basmati varieties in the country since the eighties, which has resulted in a constant decline in its per acre production, leaving a window of opportunity for India to gain foothold in the international market for extra-long grain high yielding varieties. The last extra-long grain high yielding Basmati varieties introduced in Pakistan were long grain Basmati 385 in 1980s and Super Basmati in 1990s, after which no new variety has been brought forward; their use for 25 years has weakened the seed varieties and declined the yields sharply.
BRR: What are some suggestions and proposals you think could open opportunities for Pakistan's rice industry?
SAM: We have lost a huge Iranian rice market to India. Iran imports around 1.5 million to 2 million tons of rice annually. Amid all its international sanctions, India was able to arrange a currency swap with Iran in the name of food for oil, which enabled it to penetrate and capture the entire rice market. We are now proposing that since Pakistan has signed a PTA with Iran, five products from both countries should be rendered zero-import duty. Of course, we propose one of the items from Pakistan to be Basmati rice in order to get back the lost market to India. We used to export around 200,000 tons of rice to Iran, which has not reduced to nothing at all.
However, we must be mindful that the advantage India has over us in Basmati rice is lower cost of production. Also, India is way ahead of us in research and development in all crops, and particularly in rice.
Their Basmati variety called 11-21 has captured the global market, and the seed has also made inroad informally into Pakistan. 11-21 is illegally being grown and exported from Pakistan.
Here too we have rigorously suggested the Government of Pakistan to approve it and give it a legal cover to bring it into the market as today there is more sowing of 11-21 than Super Basmati in Punjab due to better yield, international acceptance and importer demand.
FOOD GIANTS COMMIT TO TESTING WORLD’S FIRST
SUSTAINABLE RICE STANDARD
Blog Entry by Vikas Vij in Sustainable Food
Sunday, November 8, 2015 - 10:30pm
(3BL Media/Justmeans) – Rice is a food staple to more than half of the
world’s seven billion people. A large part of rice consumption occurs in Asia,
where it is a staple for a majority of the population, including the region’s
560 million hungry people. At the current global population growth rate, the
world will have to grow 50 percent more rice by 2050.The International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI) and United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP)
recently convened a group of companies, scientists and government agencies to
launch the world’s first global standard for sustainable rice. Called the
Sustainable Rice Platform Standard, it is created to ensure rice is produced in
ways that are good for the environment, profitable to farmers, and healthy for
consumers.
Leading food and
agricultural companies that have committed to testing the standard include
Kellogg’s, Mars Foods, Louis Dreyfus Commodities, Ahold B.V., and Syngenta.
Mars Foods, maker of popular rice brand Uncle Ben’s, aims to achieve 100 percent
sustainable sourcing of its rice by 2020. Kristin Hughes, global corporate
affairs director of Mars Foods, said that with the new global standard, the
company can achieve its goal.
UNEP Asia-Pacific
Regional Director Isabelle Louis said that the establishment of the standard
addresses a long-neglected need for a globally critical crop and the standard
represents a fundamental building block for developing the application of
sustainability and informing policy formulation.Rice-producing companies or
countries that aim to follow the standard will have to fulfill 46 requirements
in eight aspects of rice cultivation. These include farm management,
pre-planting, water use, nutrient management, pest management, harvest and
post-harvest, health and safety, and labor rights. One of the key goals of the
standard is to cut down the amount of methane, a major GHG contributor to
global warming, emitted by rice cultivation.
The standard will be downloadable
from the website of the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP), a multi-stakeholder
group including agri-based companies, scientific institutions and governments
that are committed to changing the way rice is cultivated. The standard uses a
scoring system in which those who wish to adopt it can do so step by step until
full compliance to it.For instance, achieving a score of 10 to 90 will mean the
farmer or the food company is “working towards sustainable rice cultivation.”
Once they get scores between 90 and 100, they can be said to be “sustainably
cultivating rice” based on the SRP Standard.
http://www.justmeans.com/blogs/food-giants-commit-to-testing-worlds-first-sustainable-rice-standard#sthash.gie6a1BB.dpuf
Global alliance sets standard for sustainable rice production
November 8, 2015
By Ramon Rafael Bonilla |
A global alliance in agriculture called for a strong
international action for sustainable rice production as the world braces for
challenges in rice-resource efficiency, with the Philippines facing
insufficiency in the coming years.It its recent fifth Annual Plenary Meeting
and General Assembly attended by stakeholders, such as agricultural research
institutions, agrifood businesses, public sector and civil society
organizations, the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) pledged to pursue rice
security through environmentally sustainable and socially responsible rice
cultivation.
It said there should be efforts to attract more partners for a stronger
solution to maintain the stability of rice for more than 3.5 billion people
around the world that depend on it.
The SRP launched the world’s first standard for sustainable
rice, which sets new and more efficient standards for rice cultivation. The SRP
Standard for Sustainable Rice Cultivation uses environmental and socioeconomic
benchmarks to maintain yields for rice smallholders, reduce the environmental
footprint of rice cultivation and meet consumer needs for food safety and
quality.
The development of the standard draws on global experience in
other sustainable commodity initiatives, such as sugarcane, cotton, coffee and
palm oil. It is made up of 46 requirements ranging from productivity, food
safety, worker health, labor rights and biodiversity. It is supplemented by a
set of quantitative performance indicators to enable farmers and market supply
chain actors to gauge the sustainability of a rice system, and to monitor and
reward progress.“It’s a big deal. It is a major concern not only for us, but to
the whole community. This is the first time that an initiative addressed a
challenging problem that will determine the importance of global food
security,” said James Lomax, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
program officer for Agriculture and Food, who initiated the SRP in December
2011.
He also acknowledged that “it is a collective effort of
governments, international agencies, profit and nonprofit organizations, and
research institutes” to alleviate the prolonged agony that should not be
neglected as the world population continues to erupt in the recent decade.“We
should see today that the value of rice should call the attention of more
people to extend their help to address its critical importance,” he added, with
the SRP now having 29 institutional members. Robert Zeigler, director general
of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) which co-founded the SRP,
said: “The SRP Standard represents the world’s first initiative that will set
environmentally sustainable and socially responsible rice production management
standards. Our key challenge now is to incentivize and scale up adoption,
especially among resourcepoor small farmers.”
In the Philippines, which 99.88 million population in 2014 had
the fastest growth in recent memory, palay production hit its target of 19.07
million metric tons (MMT) last year, eclipsing its goal of 18.88 MMT for the
year and the 18.04 MMT in 2013. Yet, as the SRP projected, the country’s
population braces for 141.67 million count in 2040, wherein the total rice
utilization per paddy production should be at 34.12 MMT, compared to the
present 24.01 MMT.In contrast, the figures show that as the population grows in
the coming decades, more and more demand for rice are needed for consumption.
The total harvesting area may diminish faster than expected as only 3.14
million hectares is a far cry from today’s 4.74 million hectares. To address
this, the Department of Agriculture (DA), together with the Philippine Rice
Research Institute, indicated top priorities for effective rice cultivation.
The DA noted three main steps: increase productivity of land
resources; diversify sources of farm income; and encourage healthier
consumption.In increasing the productivity of rice, the DA noted that
shortening the riceproduction cycle should be prioritized through direct
seeding, use of early-maturing varieties, synchronous planting and appropriate
mechanization.In his message at the plenary session, Agriculture Secretary
Proseso J. Alcala hailed the initiative of SRP and other contributing sectors
in helping the agency in providing Filipinos a better stance against rice
scarcity.“This occasion augurs well for the country’s national rice program.
The SRP underscores the crucial role of interagency partnership and interaction
with key rice stakeholders in enhancing sustainability in the rice sector,”
Alcala said.
“With the valuable assistance of the IRRI, we have taken a giant
step toward ensuring increased productivity of farmers,” Alcala added, as he
admits the vital role of the global community in helping rice efficiency in the
Philippines.“The involvement of global networks will provide the DA the
necessary exposure to ideas and technologies in helping our farmers. Together
with different sectors, we can promote competitiveness and higher income for
the Filipinos,” Alcala said
Aus oldest rice variety in world
09 Nov, 2015
Yasir Wardad
Bangladeshi Aus was one of the oldest rice varieties
domesticated in the world which helped develop the ancient civilisation in
Bengal delta, research showed.New research suggests that rice was domesticated
thrice on three separate occasions as farmers in different parts of the world
began cultivating wild rice strains chosen for their desired traits.Scientists
earlier argued for two separate domestication events generally for Indica, the
long-grain, non-sticky rice variety of low land in Southeast Asia and Japonica,
short-grain sticky rice emerged in southern China.But the new analysis, led by
Prof Terry Brown, Faculty of Life Science, University of Manchester, UK
revealed a third and separate domestication namely Aus.
Aus, primarily a rice variety of Bangladesh, also grows in parts
of India, a report published on the web-portal UPI said. Until now, scientists
thought rice was only domesticated once or twice.Most agreed that Japonica had
been singularly domesticated some 10,000 years ago. But researchers disagreed
on whether Indica was a hybridisation of Japonica or had been separately
domesticated.Researchers at the University of Manchester analysed the genes of
446 samples of wild rice varieties from across Asia, the UPI report said.They
compared the wild rice genes to those of domesticated varieties, paying
specific attention to 'domestication sweeps,' the portions of domesticated
genomes that differ most from wild rice genomes.These sweeps reveal the
characteristics that farmers long ago sought when selecting and cultivating
wild strains.In their analysis, researchers found these advantageous
characteristics, supporting the idea that rice farmers domesticated varieties
separately in different parts of Asia.
"Our conclusions are in accord with archaeological evidence
that suggests widespread origins of rice cultivation," Prof Terry Brown
said."We therefore anticipate that our results will stimulate a more
productive collaboration between genetic and archaeological studies of rice
domestication," he said.The domestication of rice in Asia was an integral
part of the development of civilisation in this part of the world.A stable food
source allowed people to gather and organise in larger numbers.Brown and his
colleagues say their work will help researchers better understand early human
history in Asia.Bangladeshi seed scientist Dr M A Sobhan said our earlier
research predicted Bangladeshi Aus varieties were developed for more than 7,500
years by the local farmers."Local farmers developed more than 22,000 rice
varieties in Bengal delta before the British invaded the area," he said.But,
the latest study explored a newer history, he said.
He said Arian aggression began at best 5,000-5,500 years ago in
Indian sub-continent. The hunter Arians later adapted farming in the
sub-continent. The study of Manchester
University is indicating to an ancient civilisation in Bengal that is 5,000
years older than the Arian civilisation in the sub-continent.He said Aus
varieties are the most climate friendly which could tolerate both drought and
flood."But we have lost or destroyed most of the Aus varieties in name of
green revolution," he said.He said Aus rice season was major even in
1970s, which has been minor now."The government Gene Bank has yet some of
the Aus varieties which should be brought out to fields from the frozen room
following the changing climatic condition," he said.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
Researchers uncover the history of rice cultivation
Researchers say their work
contributes to a better understanding of early human history in Asia.
Chinese women work in rice
paddies north of Beijing. New research suggests rice may have been domesticated
on three separate occasions some 10,000 years ago. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2015/11/06/Researchers-uncover-the-history-of-rice-cultivation/1521446825754/
Pregnant women to get zinc rice
November 09,2015, 03.01 AM IST | | THE HANS INDIA
“Our aim was even after
polishing the rice, if we could retain the iron and zinc then it would useful
for the consumers. It was with this objective that the eleven year so research
has been carried out,” he added.Generally, during the process of polishing of
rice we are losing about 40 per cent of the zinc in it. But, the research
labour has yielded in the scientist able to retain a high zinc ratio in rice
even after polishing. “It has retained and got the substance and quantity that
was more than 20 parts per million (ppm).
However, the international standards set that the
bio-availability of zinc in rice should be around 24 ppm.But, we consider the
above 20ppm of zinc retention is good enough,” he said. Further, high zinc
rice would also help not only to improve growth in children aged less than five
years, but they would also develop a good resistance capability to diarrhoea,
he said.Explaining the process that had gone behind the development of the new
variety, Ravindra Babu said that they have developed it thorough a conventional
breeding method. Clarifying further, he pointed out, “In India, there are
different land races (parcels) available, where we have the iron and zinc. But,
the problem was that they are not the high yielders.So, what we did was that we
had taken the low yielding varieties and used them as donors and, in turn,
introduced into the high yielding verities,” he added. However, we are yet
to cross another milestone that is we were planning a study on using the new
variety of high zinc rice as part of the menu for children in association with
National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), he said.
By V Naveen Kumar
In 5
Minutes This Man Helps Blind People See
|
|
“If you
are blind it’s the same as dying” says one Nepalese woman who was blind. While
this is only her perception of it, it illustrates just how difficult or
challenging that reality can be -especially in poorer countries where fending
for yourself is a much greater task than in the western world or in more
developed countries.What if a man could not only bring your eye sight back but
do it very quickly and for incredibly cheap? That’s what Dr. Sandut Ruik does
for his patients and he has to date restored eyesight to more than 100,000
people. This could be more than any doctor in history and he still has many
patients coming to him. His patients come with the desire to see again, to
hopefully set their eyes on their loved ones and see the world around them in a
way so many of us may take for granted.
Being blind in a poor country is incredibly
difficult and many feel there is no hope for themselves to ever see again. But
Ruik’s “Nepal method” is changing that and he believes that if it can be done
in Nepal, it can be done anywhere in the world. Thankfully, his method is now
being taught in medical schools around the United States.Thuli Maya Thing was
blind from cataracts when Dr. Sanduk Ruit examined her. After he performed
surgery, she had 20/20 vision. Source: Nicholas Kristof/The New York Times
In the United States and other western
countries, cataract surgery is typically performed with complex machines.
Unfortunately these machines are too expensive for poor countries to purchase
and operate. That inspired Dr. Ruit to figure out a way to do it so others
could benefit from those same surgeries anywhere in the world. As a
trailblazer, he built upon the work of others (including the Aravind Eye
CareSystem in India, a superb institution that performed 280,000 cataract
surgeries last year) to invent and refine small-incision microsurgery to remove
cataracts without sutures.And he was successful.
Western Medical Industry First Mocked Him
At first he was mocked for his innovations. Not
in Nepal, but here in the west. In the west we often think we are the best at
doing things. This is perhaps one of our greatest downfalls as we fail to
recognize the love, devotion and brilliance that comes out of so many countries
worldwide. Like many things, western medicine and those involved in it often
have an initial reaction to call “quackery, fraud or scam” to many new
innovations or what are deemed as “miracle cures” before truly understanding
them.
This may be due to the simple fact that the
culture around western medicine is often that they are in the know the most,
and that simple or even sometimes natural treatments, simply don’t work.I’m
hard on Western medicine because over my years of research and activism I
continually see the reality of it: profit, greed, arrogance and power are a
huge part of the western medical business and I’m not the only who sees this
fact. There’s plenty discussed by many in the industry.Why is it that we have a
culture where we are more inclined to denounce and rip on something before we
think about getting excited about it and trying to figure out if it’s legit or
not? Maybe it’s safer to doubt. Cooler to doubt, more intelligent to doubt… at
least according to some in western culture. But I believe this is changing as
we step out of an era of close-minded science and into one of open and almost
boundary-less science.
Dr. Ruit eventually published a study in the
American Journal of Ophthalmology, a randomized trial finding that Dr. Ruit’s
technique had exactly the same outcome (98 percent success at a six-month
follow-up) as the Western machines. The kicker was that Dr Ruit’s method was
not only faster but also cheaper. This began to turn the heads of skeptics and
his method got the respect it deserved.Blindness in developing countries is
common but also very easy to prevent and overcome. Vitamin A deficiency is a
huge cause of preventable blindness is poorer countries. An estimated 250,000
or more cases of child blindness take place each year with half of those
children dying within a year of going blind.
Vitamin A In GMO Rice?
Have you heard of Golden Rice? It’s a type of
genetically modified rice that was designed to contain Vitamin A in order to
help curb preventable blindness in developing countries. While the idea sounds
nice, we’re looking at a radical solution to an incredibly easy to solve
problem. With proper education and action, WHO recommends that people in
countries struggling with VAD (Vitamin A Deficiency) should focus on cheap
vitamin supplements and the promotion of local gardens to produce a variety of
fruits and vegetables that can easily solve not only vitamin A deficiency, but
other deficiencies as well. WHO states, “for vulnerable rural families, for
instance in Africa and South-East Asia, growing fruits and vegetables in home
gardens complements dietary diversification and fortification and contributes
to better lifelong health.”
But then comes Monsanto, Syngenta, and Bayer,
who all have a different agenda, to genetically modify rice, which we have no
idea if it’s safe, so they can in essence patent nature and profit off the
challenges of others, even when a safe practical solution is already available.
As stated by GlobalResearch “Promoted by the International Rice Research
Institute (IRRI), (but funded by Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer and others)[2] along
with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)
which is also partnered with big-business agriculture, genetically modified
“Golden Rice” containing beta-carotene is promoted as the solution to saving
millions of children.”So with solutions in hand to prevent VAD without the need
for potentially unsafe actions like genetically modified rice, again we must
look as a society at prevention from simple, natural and effective points of
view before we try to re-invent the wheel and potentially create even more
problems. Until then, Dr. Ruit will keep his great work going in helping people
to see the wonderful world we live in.
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/11/09/in-5-minutes-this-man-helps-blind-people-see/
Not responsible for paddy procurement: Rice millers
Parveen Arora
Tribune News Service
Karnal, November 8After facing allegations
levelled by the opposition for procuring paddy at throwaway prices, state rice
millers and dealers today cleared their stand and said they were not
responsible for procurement. “We only process the paddy procured by the
government and it is irrelevant to blame us for the price,” they said.Jaipal
Jain, officiating state president of the Haryana Millers and Dealers
Association, said today that the government gave them paddy for making rice and
that’s what they did. “The rate of the paddy is decided by the procurement
agencies on behalf of the quality parameter fixed by the government,” he said.Vinod
Goyal, who was appointed officiating state general secretary of the association
today, said they were not entitled to arranging rate for paddy. They were only
the processors.
Vietnam urged to build national rice brand to grasp TPP
opportunity: experts
TUOI TRE NEWS
UPDATED : 11/09/2015 16:03 GMT + 7
Vietnam may be among the world’s top rice exporters, but it could
lose its competitive edge against other countries once the ambitious
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact takes effect, local experts have
warned.
The remaining eight countries, including Australia, Brunei,
Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and the U.S., will eliminate
tariffs on Vietnamese rice exports immediately after the effective date.The TPP
pact, which aims to liberalize commerce in 40 percent of the world's economy,
was reached by 12 countries on October 5, and its full text was only released a
month later.The party countries are expected to officially sign the deal no
later than the end of the first quarter of next year, after which their
legislatures will begin the ratification process.Vietnam's lawmaking National
Assembly could begin considering the pact in mid-2016, according to The Saigon Times Online.The Vietnamese rice industry
has been urged to make changes immediately to be able to cope with the
challenges stemming from the TPP.
The first change should be given to the choice of seeds,
according to Professor Vo Tong Xuan, an agriculturalist.“While other countries
have their own national rice brands, no one knows which brand represents
Vietnam,” Prof. Xuan said.Thailand has such famous brands as Khao Dawk Mali and
Hom Mali, while Cambodia and Myanmar are known for the Romduol and Paw San
rice, respectively, he elaborated.“We just have no national brand, so how could
we grab the TPP opportunities?” he wondered.Vietnam does not lack delicious and
good seeds, but the problem is farmers only choose to grow “those that yield
bigger productivity, not better quality,” the professor said.“Such a mindset is
totally different from farmers in other countries,” he added.Even worse, some
Vietnamese businesses usually mix rice of various quality and prices together
and sell them as high-quality, costly products, which ruin the reputation of
the Vietnamese grain.“Vietnam is known around the world as the exporter of
mixed rice, which is a big shame,” Prof. Xuan said.
Pham Van Du, deputy head of the Department of Crop Production
under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said Vietnam should
start building its own national rice brand to be able to grab the opportunities
brought by the TPP.“The first step should be selecting the best seeds in every
rice growing area, and developing strategies to yield high-quality rice from
these seeds,” he said.Lam Tuan Anh, director of the Thinh Phat Co., a food
company based in the southern province of Ben Tre, said the government should
also erect technical barriers to prevent businesses from exporting poor-quality
products.“Quality checks should be strengthened and any batch of products that
fails to pass such tests should be banned from export,” he advised.
“This will help rebuild the reputation of Vietnamese rice.”
http://tuoitrenews.vn/business/31490/vietnam-urged-to-build-national-rice-brand-to-grasp-tpp-opportunity-experts
Dong Thap Muoi lacks water for
rice fields
LONG AN (VNS) — Several rice fields
in Dong Thap Muoi (plain of reeds) in the southern Long An Province did not get
water during the flood season this year, affecting local farmers' lives.The
flood season in the area often lasts from August to November.Vinh Chau B is one
of the communes in the floodplain of Tan Hung District in the province, but
many rice fields in the commune do not have sufficient water.
Fish and shrimp production have
fallen due to the water shortage, causing worry among many families that depend
on the flood season.Nguyen Thi Lun, a resident of the commune, said last year
her family caught 60kg to 80kg of fish per day during the flood season and had
a total income of VND10 million (US$440) after the season.This year, however,
she has caught a few snails only.
Nguyen Thi Dau, head of the
commune's women's union branch, said local farmers were hit hard by the floods,
but without the floods, they suffered even more.Many of them earned their
living by catching fish, she said.Without the floods, there would be no
alluvium and the local farmers would face several difficulties during the
winter-spring rice crop season this year, Dau said.Phan Van Ni, deputy head of
the Tan Hung District Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the
volume of flood water this year was the least in recent years.The Long An
People's Committee said local residents should sow seeds a month earlier as
compared with the previous season, so that the winter-spring rice season would
have better results. — VNS
Farmers catch fish in the flood season in Dong
Thap Muoi. Water shortage during the flood season this year have caused
difficulties for local farmers' lives. — Photo
ngaynay.vnhttp://vietnamnews.vn/society/278279/dong-thap-muoi-lacks-water-for-rice-fields.html
Philippines may hike rice imports to 1.3m tons
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Asia News Network
Manila November 9, 2015 1:00 am
In light of the damage caused by Typhoon
"Lando" to rice plantations in vast portions of Central Luzon, the
Philippines may have to import an additional 1.3 million metric tonnes of the
food staple during the first half of next year, Economic Planning Secretary
Arsenio M Balisacan said yesterday.Balisacan told reporters that based on the
estimates of the Department of Agriculture and the National Economic and
Development Authority, the country's rice imports might reach 1.8 million
metric tons early next year.The Authority chief earlier said the country might
import an additional 1 million metric tons of rice in the first semester of
2016 on top of the 500,000 metric tons programmed for the first quarter.
This intervention formed part of the proposed
Roadmap to Address the Impact of El Nino or "Rain", which is aimed at
mitigating the drought's effect on food supply, ensuring stability of food
prices and providing assistance to farmers and households in adversely affected
areas. Last Wednesday, Balisacan presented the proposed road map to President
Aquino. The Authority chief said the president acknowledged the need to import
more rice early next year, hence their proposal would likely be approved soon.
President Aquino, however, instructed the Authority to firm up the rice import
volume requirement based on updated assessments of the impact of a possibly
weaker El Nino, as well as the crop damage due to "Lando". The
Authority would submit an updated report to the president next week, Balisacan
said.
The Authority chief added that the total cost
of projects needed to be put in place to mitigate the impact of El Nino, which
had been projected to last until mid-2016 and peak between December and
February, might be higher than the earlier estimate of 19.2 billion pesos
(Bt14.6 billion), although he did not give a new figure.In a separate statement
issued also yesterday, Balisacan warned of inflation risks mainly due to El
Nino."Upside risks could come from the stronger and prolonged El Nino's
impact on food prices and also possible increase in utility rates given the
pending petitions for power rate adjustments," he explained.As far as food
prices are concerned, "there is a need to ensure supply adequacy and to
intensify local community efforts in areas that are highly vulnerable and
exposed to adverse impacts of a prolonged dry spell", he said. Balisacan
added that El Nino "could adversely affect hydro-powered generation plants
and raise the cost of electricity particularly in Mindanao".
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Philippines-may-hike-rice-imports-to-1-3m-tons-30272519.html
Group bucks gov’t plan to import rice
‘WAIT
FOR HARVEST, CHECK SUPPLIES IN WAREHOUSES’
Philippine Daily Inquirer
01:17 AM November 9th, 2015
THE NATIONAL Economic and Development Authority’s decision to import 1.8 million tons of rice next year could be ill-advised and contrary to previous pronouncements of the Aquino administration, according to the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag).“Farmers are just harvesting the bulk of their [main crop for this year], how can the Neda speculate on the need to import rice,” Sinag chair Rosendo So told the Inquirer.Sinag, which groups 33 organizations of farmers, agribusiness operators and party-list groups, insisted that the government should check the supplies in warehouses and wait for the harvest to finish before making decisions.“They have not even taken into account the huge volumes of milled rice smuggled into the country,” So said in an interview.According to Sinag, milled rice smuggled into the Philippines in the past five years totaled 2.8 million tons worth P83.2 billion.
On top of that, Sinag believed that an additional 365,000 tons of
rice worth P10.9 billion were brought into the country illegally during the
first first six months of 2015.“Warehouses are still full from previous
importations and smuggling that the administration failed to fight,” said So.
“There is no immediate need to import rice.”Last September, the National Food
Authority awarded contracts to state-run suppliers in Vietnam and Thailand for
the importation of a total of 750,000 tons of the staple grain. The entire
volume is expected to be delivered in tranches before the end of the first
quarter of 2016.Last week, Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan
said that based on estimates by Neda and the Department of Agriculture, the
Philippine might have to import 1.3 million tons in addition to the initially
planned 500,000 tons.
Balisacan told reporters that the decision was part of the
proposed Roadmap to Address the Impact of El Niño.Sinag’s So said that if the
excuse to import more was the drought to be caused by the El Niño weather
phenomenon, the government should instead help farmers plant new crops by
waiving irrigation fees and subsidizing seeds and other farm inputs.“The Aquino
administration started with a pronouncement that we are swimming in rice due to
over-importation, which should stop,” said Herculano Co Jr., president of the
Philippine Confederation of Grains Association. “Now the administration
officials want to end their term by drowning us with rice.”
AgCenter Rice Research Station renamed for H. Rouse Caffey
Members of the H. Rouse Caffey family gathered
recently for the renaming of the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station to the LSU
AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station. From left are Blake Chatelain,
Belle Caffey Chatelain, LSU Vice President for Agriculture Bill Richardson, Rex
Caffey, Karen Caffey, John Valley and Jerry Caffey. (Photo by Bruce Schultz,
LSU AgCenter)
News Release Distributed 11/06/15
CROWLEY, La. – Family, friends and former co-workers gathered Nov. 4 for the renaming of the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station for the late H. Rouse Caffey in recognition of his dedication to the rice industry and Louisiana agriculture.
Several facilities could have been chosen to
honor Caffey’s name because of his work with numerous agricultural research
facilities, said Bill Richardson, LSU vice president for agriculture and dean
of the College of Agriculture, who succeeded Caffey as LSU AgCenter chancellor.
“The Rice Research Station was nearest and dearest to his heart,” he said.
The renaming was approved by the LSU Board of
Supervisors on Oct. 23.Farmer Jackie Loewer, chairman of the Louisiana Rice
Research Board, said without the station, the rice industry would not exist in
Louisiana today. “Without Rouse Caffey, it wouldn’t be the station it is
today.”Caffey dedicated his life to agriculture, Loewer said. “He gave his life
for Louisiana agriculture, not just for rice and not just for this station.”Station
director Steve Linscombe said
Caffey was a mentor to him and wasn’t reluctant to advise him. “He shared his
knowledge and experience around the world.”Caffey valued the station’s workers
for their dedication to agriculture, Linscombe said. “We can’t say often enough
how important everybody who works here is.”
AgCenter economist Rex Caffey said the road in
front of the station and a rice variety released in 2010 are named after his
father.“My father loved this place and he loved it for three reasons,” said
Caffey, the youngest of four children.Caffey said his father recognized the
station’s purpose and realized the facility’s productivity and its value to
farmers.Rouse Caffey was fond of the people who worked at the station, Rex
Caffey said. “If he were here today, he would want to say ‘thank you’ to
everyone.”Rouse Caffey’s daughter, Belle Caffey Chatelain, said her father came
to Louisiana from Mississippi. “He just fell in love with Crowley. He would
say, ‘I’ve been Cajunized,’“ she said.Rouse Caffey grew up on a cotton farm in
Mississippi and was an Army veteran. He received his bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in agronomy from Mississippi State University and his doctorate in
agronomy and rice breeding from LSU.
Rouse Caffey retired from LSU AgCenter in 1997
after serving 13 years as chancellor. He also was chancellor of LSU of
Alexandria, vice chancellor of the LSU AgCenter, associate director of the LSU
Agricultural Experiment Station. He was director of the Rice Experiment Station
from 1962 until 1970 and was rice research project leader in Mississippi.After
retirement, Rouse Caffey served as interim vice president at Louisiana College
and interim chancellor at LSU of Alexandria. He also continued his worldwide
agricultural consulting, traveling to more than 60 countries. He was consultant
to several international rice programs for the Ford Foundation, USAID, World
Bank, university contracts, and private industry.
https://www.lsuagcenter.com/news_archive/2015/November/headline_news/AgCenter-Rice-Research-Station-renamed-for-H-Rouse-Caffey.htm
Study shows
origins of rice cultivation
06 Nov 2015
Rice - the staple food source of
around 50% of the World’s population, has been domesticated on three separate
occasions, according to a new study by Faculty scientists.
The work could be used to educate better rice grain improvement
projects, something that may prove crucial with growing environmental concerns.The
study focused on 3 major types of rice: the long-grainIndica which is non-sticky and mainly
found in tropical lowland Asia; Japonica a short-grain rice that produces sticky rice, like the one in
sushi and Aus, the drought-tolerant variety that grows in Bangladesh.Before
this study, researchers had thought rice may have been domesticated once or
perhaps twice. Scientists had looked at Japonica and Indica because they have had the longest
history of cultivation. Some argue that Japonica came first around 10,000 years
ago and that Indica emerged as a hybrid form of it a
little later.
Others contend that both Japonica andIndica have separate domestication
events.
However, new analysis from Professor Terry Brown, Dr Peter Civan
and colleagues add a third domestication event to the mix by showing evidence
that Aus was also domesticated separately in a region from India to Bangladesh.The
team looked at genetic data from 446 samples of different wild rice to see how
far back Aus had a commonality with them compared to when other types of rice did. Specifically, they looked at ‘domestication sweeps’ which
are specific parts of the genome that differ from wild types and that
scientists believe were chosen by early farmers because they had a great
advantage to growing more grain. For example, the sweep region includes the
ability for rice plants to grow more vertically and so can be planted more
densely.
Brown and the team say that the genetic evidence that they have
collected shows that these advantageous genes were present in a number of wild
type rice varieties that were widely distributed across South Asia. It is
therefore possible for farmers from three separate locations to select these
wild types with the ideal genes and begin to cultivate them.But why the big
deal about rice? Well rice is thought to have brought about the great
civilisations in Asia and led the way for large-scale agriculture to take
place. Rice acted as a reliable food source and so large numbers of humans
could gather to form large villages and settlements. Understanding how rice was
domesticated would allow scientists to get a better understanding of how
civilisations grew and moved across Asia.
Professor Brown concludes:
"Our conclusions are in accord with archaeological evidence
that suggests widespread origins of rice cultivation. We therefore anticipate
that our results will stimulate a more productive collaboration between genetic
and archaeological studies of rice domestication."
Notes for
editors
For media enquiries contact
MIke Addelman
Media Relations Officer
Faculty of Life Sciences
0161 275 2111
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/article/?id=15439
IRRI director general awarded
medal
Under the leadership of Dr Zeigler,
long-term partnerships and co-operation between the IRRI and Viet Nam have been
enhanced and expanded greatly and effectively. The IRRI has also helped
Vietnamese farmers to maximise their potential capacity in the national
agricultural development, Phat said at a ceremony held on Friday to mark the
event.As of 2014, about 90 hybrid rice varieties of IRRI lines have been
recognised as certified seed of Viet Nam. The country has also provided more
than 3,000 types of rice for the IRRI's rice gene bank. The breed is now in
storage and conservation at the IRRI.IRRI has sent more than 2,000 samples of
rice to Viet Nam to use as material for researches in breeding new varieties.Speaking
at the ceremony, Minister Phat said thank to the IRRI, Vietnamese farmers had a
chance to get the best rice varieties. Vietnamese scientists also had
opportunities to approach the most modern and high technology in global rice
study and agricultural development. — VNS
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,
Cao Duc Phat (left), presented the medal to IRRI General Director, Robert S.
Zeigler.— VNS
Photohttp://vietnamnews.vn/society/278232/irri-director-general-awarded-medal.html
http://vietnamnews.vn/society/278232/irri-director-general-awarded-medal.html
FAO cuts global rice output estimate
By: Ronnel W. Domingo
@inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer
01:06 AM November 9th, 2015
THE FORECAST global output of milled rice for the July 2015-June 2016 crop year was cut further by 2 million tons to 491 million tons, according to the latest outlook from the Food and Agriculture Organization.This follows a cut of 8 million tons, to 493 million tons, in the previous monthly update made last October.Based on the monthly Market Monitor report of the Agricultural Market Information System (Amis), the reduction was due to continued deteriorating prospects in Asia, partly due to the strong El Niño weather phenomenon.“Rice conditions remain mixed in part due to the current El Niño affecting large parts of Asia,” the FAO-administered inter-agency body said.For example, conditions are generally favorable in China, Vietnam and Indonesia.On the other hand, conditions are poor in Thailand due to a lack of precipitation, shortage of irrigation water and pests.
“In the Philippines, harvest of the wet season crop is almost
complete,” the Amis said. “Crop damage caused by several typhoons has been
recorded in the northern regions, which may result in lower yields.”Further,
the Amis said the forecast trade volume for calendar 2016 was raised again,
partly due to anticipated larger imports by the Philippines.As of this month,
the projected rice trade for next year is pegged at 450.2 million tons, “raised
somewhat” from the 450 million tons forecast last month.This was based “on
larger anticipated imports by the Philippines, China, Colombia and Nigeria,”
the Amis said.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the
Philippines’ stock of milled rice inched up to 2.2 million tons as of Oct. 1 as
farms across the nation started harvesting the year’s main crop.The national
inventory—which increased by 13 percent or 260,000 tons over the previous
month—was good for 65 days’ consumption.Data from the PSA show that the
National Food Authority’s stock decreased by 50,000 tons to settle at 750,000
tons.As of Oct. 1, the NFA’s stock was good for 22 days’ consumption, still
well above its minimum mandated volume of 15 days’ supply.Also, according to
the PSA, the country’s ability to produce its own supply of rice fell to 92
percent of domestic demand in 2014.
USA Rice Daily
USA Rice Conducts Foodservice Workshop in
Istanbul
ISTANBUL, TURKEY --
USA Rice conducted a workshop here recently in
collaboration with the Istanbul Chefs Association for 22 key executive chefs
working at major catering, and food and hotel establishments. The event featured a presentation on U.S.
rice varieties and types, a documentary about U.S. rice and wild rice, and a
cooking demonstration featuring different U.S. rice recipes.
The hands-on cooking demo, conducted by the
executive chef from the Radisson Blu Hotel, focused on U.S. rice varieties and
how they can be used to increase profitability and provide nutritious,
flavorful meals to restaurant patrons.
Participants learned preparation of rice recipes for appetizers, salads,
and main dishes, as well cooking methods for wild rice."Seeing is
believing when it comes to influencing foodservice decision makers," said
Jim Guinn. "The professionals at
the front end of menu creation and implementation recognize quality, cost
effective ingredients, so it's not difficult to sell them on U.S. rice for
their kitchens."
Contact:
Eszter Somogyi 011-49-40-4503-8667
Margin Protection Price Discovery for Rice
Begins in December
Joe Mencer - protecting the margins
WASHINGTON, DC -- Earlier this summer, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture rolled out Margin Protection, a "next
generation" crop insurance product available to rice producers in select
counties in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas
for the 2016 crop year. The price
discovery period for rice is set to begin on December 15, and expected margins
and premiums will be updated daily thereafter.
The program was authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and has been carefully
developed by USA Rice in partnership with the consulting firm, Watts and
Associates, Inc.
During negotiations for the 2014 Farm Bill, USA
Rice aggressively advocated for a product to be developed that would enable
producers to insure against losses to expected margins. Margin Protection takes
a big step forward for crop insurance and will allow producers to protect their
margins this closely for the first time.The product begins by determining an
expected revenue by multiplying the projected price by the expected yield in a
county (like existing area plans). From
there, Margin Protection takes into account certain variable input costs (i.e.,
diesel, operating loan interest, and fertilizer) that are subtracted from the
expected revenue to determine the expected margin. The grower then selects a
coverage level (up to 90 percent), which is applied to the expected margin to
establish a trigger margin. If the price
of rice falls, the county yield is less than expected, or the prices of fuel,
fertilizer or interest increase, the grower may receive an indemnity for the
margin shortfall.
Margin Protection provides producers with a
full package of risk coverage, including protection against harvest price
decline, yield loss, and input cost increases or any combination thereof. Margin Protection gives producers the ability
to mitigate the potential of a "triple whammy" where each of these
risk factors occur in a single production cycle. In a feature unique to this product, Margin
Protection indemnities may exceed expected margins, compensating growers beyond
the value of their coverage trigger to protect growers from potentially
negative margins.
Margin Protection is a county/parish-based
program. Yields within counties can vary
considerably and individual grower yields can be different from overall county
averages. To protect grower's individual
yields, Margin Protection can be purchased not only as a stand-alone policy but
also in conjunction with a traditional individual policy.
The sales closing date for rice Margin
Protection is the same as that of existing area and individual plans, with the
date dependent on your county/parish and state."All the work USA Rice has
done on Margin Protection has finally come to fruition," said Joe Mencer,
an Arkansas rice farmer and chairman of the USA Rice Crop Insurance Task
Force. "Since rice farmers
generally don't participate in crop insurance, Margin Protection will give us a
chance to insure a portion of our losses in a way that's workable and benefits
our unique industry."Margin Protection may be offered through your
existing crop insurance agent so growers are advised to ask their agent for
further details. A simulator is
available to calculate potential Margin Protection premiums and a range of
estimates per county are available here.
Contact:
Ben Mosely (703) 236-1471
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
|
Building
better rice
11/9/2015 - by Susan Reidy
Although rice productivity has more than doubled in recent
decades, an additional 25% increase is needed by 2030 to meet the demands of a
growing population.The increase has to be achieved with less land, water and
under more severe environmental stresses due to climate change, according to
the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Accelerated genetic gains are
needed to improve yield potential, stability and grain quality of rice. But
rice has large within-species genetic diversity and varietal group
differentiation, making it a tough grain to crack.
More complete knowledge of the genetic diversity in the gene pool
and associations of diverse alleles with important rice traits are needed so
that rice improvements can be made using breeding strategies, IRRI said.Researchers
are trying to make that a reality with the release this October of new data
from the 3,000 Rice Genomes Project (3K RGP), an international research program
that has sequenced 3,024 rice varieties from 89 countries. The genomes were
re-analyzed against five popular varieties that represent the three main
subgroups of cultivated rice — indica, japonica and aus.The results, which come
in at a massive 120 terabytes, are now publicly available online as an Amazon
Web Services (AWS) Public Data Set.
Access to the data is free, and is governed by the stipulations
for data analysts and users from the Toronto Statement. Funding for the
research was provided by the Global Rice Science Partnership.“The dataset
provides access to millions of genetic markers that can be used to design
sustainable crops for the future, that is, ones that are high yielding and more
nutritious while at the same time requiring less water, fertilizer and
pesticides,” said Rod Wing, director of the Arizona Genomics Institute at the
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, U.S., and a pioneer in rice genome
sequencing.
3,000 rice GENOMES project
Rice diversity is massive — there are more than 230,000 germplasm
accessions of rice maintained in genebanks worldwide. The International Rice
Genebank of the T.T. Chang Genetic Resources Center at the International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines alone contains more than 127,000
rice accessions from all over the world. An accession is a collection of plant
material from a particular location, and it is assigned an identification
number.
These accessions have genes/traits that can be used to make rice
cultivation more sustainable, with a smaller environmental footprint.
Traits targeted for
improvement include higher nutritional quality; tolerance of pests, diseases,
and environmental stresses, such as flood and drought; and reduced greenhouse
gas emissions.In an attempt to sequence some of this diversity across the rice
species, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the Beijing
Genomics Institute (BGI) Shenzhen and the IRRI launched in 2012 the 3K RGP
program.The three research institutions have sequenced 3,024 rice varieties
that are housed in IRRI and CAAS genebanks. Funding was provided by grants from
the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Chinese Ministry of Science and
Technology.The varieties chosen for sequencing include most rice mega-varieties
growing in large areas of different ecosystems throughout Asia, according to
the IRRI. Parental lines of popular varieties and selected genetic mapping
populations were also included. Researchers said this approach should capture
most of the genetic variation in rice.
The resulting 3K RGP dataset has millions of genomic sequences
from a diverse set of rice varieties. A large part of the project is to link
the genetic information to the physical traits of the different accessions.
Researchers will have to assess each of the accessions for the desired traits,
which breeders can then link to genetic markers in the available genome
sequences from 3K RGP.IRRI hopes this will speed the traditional breeding
process, which has remained virtually unchanged. In the past, breeders would
make crosses based on physical traits they observed, hoping the offspring would
have the desired traits. Often, time-consuming trial and error was necessary
with multiple generations, before they saw success.Now, with the genetic
information of specific rice accessions in hand, breeders and researchers can
make more informed choices when crossing varieties. This could result in faster
development of rice varieties suited for poor and environmentally stressed
areas around the world, IRRI said.
“Through the Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP), IRRI is
leading the development of an informal global effort — the International Rice
Phenotyping Network — to systematically evaluate the 3K RGP sequenced lines and
to connect plant performance to specific genes,” Hei Leung, IRRI principal
scientist told IRRI’s Rice Today in 2014. “By closely integrating these
resources into breeding programs based on modern molecular breeding and
selection strategies, varietal development in hundreds of rice breeding
programs will be accelerated over the next five years, delivering improved
varieties to farmers and consumers at a faster pace than before.”
Data accessibility
Data access and analysis tools for the 3K RGP are being made
available through the International Rice Informatics Consortium (IRIC). One of
the tools, the SNP-Seek database, provides user-friendly access to a type of
genetic marker called single nucleotide polymorphisms identified from the data.Another
tool in SNP-Sneek, the JBrowse genome browser, displays chromosome-specific SNP
data derived from the set.“The great thing about the release of this dataset is
that it is immediately useable,” said Kenneth McNally, senior scientist in
IRRI’s T.T. Chang Genetic Resources Center and a project team member. “It comes
with tools to help researchers visualize and analyze genetic information.
”Wing said the dataset is a powerful tool that will unite
researchers from around the world, and help drive the next green revolution.Researchers
are reviewing the results from the 3,024 genomes currently sequenced, and will
determine if they can identify enough critical genes for rice improvement.“At
that point, we will decide how many more of the remaining 180,000 accessions in
the IRGC and CAAS genebanks we may need to sequence and analyze,” Leung said.The
IRRI also gave the genomes to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic
Resources for Food and Agriculture, which is working to create an international
system for storing genetic data of food crop seeds.In October, delegates from
the Food and Agriculture Organization-based treaty agreed to proceed with
creation of a Global Information System (GLIS).
World governments and organizations are storing genetic material
in seed banks, but without a single source to the data, it is difficult for
researchers and plant breeders to know what is held where, FAO said.“The
genetic information that IRRI is making available to us, and the public at
large, is a hugely generous and significant show of support to our endeavors to
make all relevant information on genetic resources on plant crops available for
future food security,” said Shakeel Bhatti, secretary of the international
treaty.Bhatti said the global system will contain a virtual gene library that
will include data from seed banks, research centers and farmers’ organizations.
The IRRI rice genomes were the first contribution to the system.“It is going to
take time to get it fully functional because of the vast array of interests
involved, but it will greatly facilitate the work of all the actors along the
seed value chain, in developing and developed countries,” Bhatti said.
http://www.world-grain.com/articles/news_home/Features/2015/11/Building_better_rice.aspx?ID=%7B5081F2ED-9FB9-4950-91D6-0518EA0D661C%7D&cck=1
Partnerships: Linchpin of last-mile delivery in Tamil Nadu
Lanie Reyes | Nov 9, 2015
|
Partners in Tamil Nadu, India, have committed to further
disseminating a range of technology options under the Cereal
Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA).
The CSISA Team instructs farmers
and service providers in Tamil Nadu on how to use a mechanical transplanter.
(Photo by CSISA Tamil Nadu Hub)
Celebration is an apt title for the event,” said Noel
Magor, head of the Impact Acceleration Unit and Training at the International Rice research Institute
(IRRI), as he glanced at the text written
across the tarpaulin that reads CSISA Tamil Nadu Hub Celebration
Workshop. “The CSISA project in Tamil Nadu
has accomplished a lot in a short time. Our partners’ contribution has been the
key significant aspect of thie success of this work in Tamil Nadu.
”Over the past 5 years, the water- and labor-saving technologies
under CSISA have reached more than 25,000 farmers and have covered around 2,800
hectares in Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, and Nagapattinam districts of the Cauvery
Delta and the neighboring districts of Ramanathapuram and Sivagangai, in the
Tamil Nadu State of southern India. These technologies include laser land
leveling, improved and mechanized dry direct seeding of rice, mechanical
transplanting of rice under both puddled and nonpuddled conditions, rice crop
management, alternate wetting and drying, and line sowing using a multicrop
seeder under reduced-tillage conditions.
These have helped farmers
in Tamil Nadu increase their profits.“Farmers can save about 40% on the cost of
labor because renting a farm machine is cheaper than hiring manual labor,” said
R. Ganeshamoorthy, CSISA hub manager in Tamil Nadu. “A farmer’s profit from the
dry direct-seeded rice is twice as much as that
from the regular way of growing rice. By not puddling the field
and using shorter-duration crops, farmers can save water by 25–35%. And,
depending on the rice variety, farmers can increase their yields by 7–10%.”Another
technology that is improving the efficiency of crop production is laser land
leveling. It has already found its way to the hearts of farmers in the Cauvery
Delta because of the precision leveling, uniform crop maturity, and water
savings of 30–40%, and increased input-use efficiency.And so has
machine-transplanted rice in nonpuddled soil. “Compared with puddled transplanted
rice, farmers in Tamil Nadu can save as much as 48% of the labor cost from land
preparation, 50% for irrigation, and 67% from the cost of seed and sowing,”
said Mr. Ganeshamoorthy. “Through this technology, farmers can save around
USD100 or about 20% of the overall production costs.”Dhanasekaren Vedchalam (left),
a Reliance Foundation staff member, shares the Foundations’ plan to spread
direct-seeded rice technology to Tamil Nadu farmers. (Photo by Jessieca
Narciso, IRRI.)
Working together
The project has been promoting durable change across South Asia’s
cereal-based cropping systems for several years now. It operates through rural
“innovation hubs” in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, and complements regional and
national efforts.Dr. Noel Magor receives a shawl as a token of gratitude from
IRRI partner representative from Dr. V. Ravi, director of the Tamil Nadu Rice
Research Institute. (Photo by Jessieca Narciso, IRRI.)
Lasting legacy
“The CSISA research hub is a model success story because our
partners carry on the development initiatives even when the project has ended,”
explained Dr. Magor. “This is a triumph for the CSISA Tamil Nadu hub.”Perpetuating
these technologies is what TNAU has vowed to do. “TNAU will take up outscaling
key technologies under CSISA,” said R. Rajendran, TNAU agronomist, who has been
associated with the CSISA project for the last 7 years. “The university will
follow through on extending technologies such as improved dry-seeded rice
cultivation, nonpuddled machine-rice transplanting, and laser land leveling.
“The technologies have been widely demonstrated in the Cauvery
Delta through the CSISA project,” he added. “Also, the research initiatives
conducted through CSISA will not stop. The research outcomes will be
taken continually to the farmers with support from the Tamil Nadu government
and TNAU.”Similarly, TRRI and the Soil and Water Management Research Institute
(SWMRI) are working closely with the CSISA team and partners to further spread
the adoption of the technologies, not only in the Cauvery Delta, but also
across the rice-growing areas of Tamil Nadu. TRRI hosted the CSISA
project’s research platform while SWMRI delivered the CSISA technologies in the
Cauvery Delta.
“Tamil Nadu and IRRI have maintained a long-standing relationship
for more than four decades through a number of projects,” said Dr. Rajendran.
“The footprints left today by the impact of the CSISA technologies in the
Cauvery Delta will live on. Truly, the dry-seeded rice technology and the use
of seed drilling have decreased the amount of fertilizer and seeds used by
farmers, which eventually reduced their cost of rice production and increased
their income.“With the impact of the CSISA technologies and the continuation of
the initiatives, I am optimistic that the relationship between TNAU and IRRI
will continue in the next 10 years,” he added.Aside from the government
institutions, NGOs such as MSSRF and the Reliance Foundation will also continue
some of CSISA’s activities. MSSRF will maintain the season-long training
program for trainers and extension workers.
The program was first conducted for select extension staff of the
Department of Agriculture of the government of Tamil Nadu from Thiruvarur and
NGOs such as MSSRF. The program was a response to a request from the department
to CSISA and IRRI, to help and improve the practical capacity of the extension
workers in direct seeded rice cultivation and management.MSSRF has been
expanding the season-long training to farmers in other districts in Tamil Nadu
and will eventually reach thousands of farmers. Including farmers in the
training of trainers’ program is the most logical thing to do because several
studies indicate that 20% of the information to farmers comes from fellow
farmers compared with other channels such as newspapers, extension workers,
radio, and television.“The diffusion of the CSISA technologies through the
farmers will be easier because the farmers are basically happy with yield
following the improved management practices involving dry direct-seeded rice,”
said Sudhakar, an MSSRF scientist.
The technology gives farmers an average of 6.4 tons per hectare.
To put this yield into perspective, the land in the districts of Sivagangai and
Gautauram is mostly arid. But these parched lands are now producing bountiful
harvests.But yield is only half of the story. The other important half is the
profit that farmers gain from direct-seeded rice. They are saving water and
reducing labor costs through CSISA’s conservation technologies.India, dubbed
one of the silent tigers in Asia, has blossomed economically. With high-rise
buildings sprouting like mushrooms in Bombay, New Delhi, and even in the once
humdrum city of Hyderabad, it is easy to understand why farm laborers migrate
to these cities, which has created a labor shortage in rural areas. The seed
drill and laser land leveling, which are part of the technology package of
direct-seeded rice, are mitigating this labor-shortage in Tamil Nadu.
Another partner that has been sharing CSISA technologies is
Reliance Foundation with its Rural Transformation Program, which is now turning
once unproductive parched lands into lush rice fields. Poornima Shankar,
India-based knowledge management and outreach specialist at IRRI, witnessed the
transformation of the landscapes in Sivagangai and Ramanathapuram.“The project
is proud to reach more than 25,000 farmers,” she said. “More good news is that
this number is expected to double or even triple now that both government and
nongovernment organizations will continue what CSISA has started in both
research and extension activities.”“The critical value of building partnerships
with key institutions and individuals is seldom highlighted in final reports to
donors,” said Dr. Magor. “These partnerships have been established over time
with reputation, trust, and credibility as capital. The links to these
organizations have become solid enough that it is easy for an IRRI scientist to
communicate with key leaderships in Tamil Nadu without the hassle of
formalities.”
Truly, with partnership as the linchpin of this hub research, the
technology spread to farmers will be more effective and efficient. Partnership
and active engagement are essential in IRRI’s work.
The project in Tamil Nadu is jointly implemented by IRRI,
the International
Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the International
Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and the International Livestock Research
Institute (ILRI). It is funded by the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation and the United
States Agency for International Development.n
Ms. Reyes is the managing editor of Rice Today.
http://ricetoday.irri.org/partnerships-linchpin-of-last-mile-delivery-in-tamil-nadu/
Sugar And
Rice - A Sign For 2016
Nov. 9, 2015 6:10 AM
Summary
For many commodity prices, the
highs came in 2011; for others 2012 was the year of the apex. While COMEX gold
futures peaked at $1920.70 over four years ago in September of 2011 and silver
reached highs of almost $50 per ounce a few months before, other commodities
reached all-time highs during that year. Copper traded to over $4.60 per pound
and NYMEX crude oil was at over $100 per barrel at the end of the year. In
2012, grain prices moved higher, with corn and soybeans actually trading at
all-time highs of $8.4375 and $17.9475 per bushel respectively due to the
drought conditions that gripped the United States. Even wheat prices moved
higher, peaking at $9.4725. Although wheat did not trade at all-time levels,
the level reached was historically high. As the world's largest producer and
exporter of corn and soybeans, the dry conditions in the United States affected
crop output, which created the deficit conditions that led to the highs.
Glut to persist with 3.46m ton rice
harvest in Punjab
LAHORE: Punjab hopes to harvest 3.46 million ton rice this season
against its target of 3.45 million ton, with basmati constituting 67pc of the
total produce.According to the Punjab Agriculture Department, the Super
Basmati, which used to be around 40pc of the total produce, has now dropped to
40pc whereas basmati (21-11), which was restricted under 10pc, has seen its
share rise to 27pc. Around 10pc are of other varieties of basmati and the rest
are hybrid varieties.“This shift of fortune for Super Basmati is due to
changing market realities, where it does not bring the required returns,” says
Zafar Hayat Khan, a rice grower from the central Punjab area. “This is a
healthy sign that farmers have started responding to the market instead of
sowing rice ignoring market situation. Though the farmers have been facing
tough market realities as far as their produce is concerned, this year eight to
nine rains brought down the cost of production substantially. Normally,
irrigation expenditure makes anything between 20 to 25pc of the cost of
production.
This year, persistent rains
brought some relief on water front.“The second positive factor is Rs5,000 per
acre subsidy package. Both these factors were some kind of relief in otherwise
very rough rice realities,” he claimed.Without denying the “minor relief” that
both these factors have brought to the rice farmers, Hamid Mali, president of
the Basmati Growers Association, says the treat to rice farmers was stagnant
market where trading is almost stalled for the last three years. Basmati is
basically an export crop. The country used to consume 1.2 million ton domestically,
sparing one million ton for export. This export has declined by around 40pc,
resulting in domestic glut and price crash.
“That is what is hurting the farmers, national economy and rice
trading within the country. Even price crash is not leading to additional
export. In the last two years, the price of basmati has gone down by almost
50pc, but the export scenario has not changed. This is largely because of the
tendency of exporters to dump rice in the Middle East in bulk rather than
trying to find niche in the retail marketing. The government, instead of
providing Rs5,000 per acre to farmers, should have subsidised export so that
domestic glut gets cleared and trading activity restarts. Unless that is done,
the crop would stay in deep trouble, he claimed.
The crisis would not be restricted to rice alone, but it would
spill over to wheat – the next crop, and the rest of the agricultural cycle
because dwindling liquidity of farmers would force austerity on inputs,
resulting in less production of all other crops, says Muhammad Ilyas from
Gujrat district. If one crop fails, the entire spectrum of agricultural
activity is affected. Unfortunately, in Pakistan all crops are failing the
farmers, except for sugarcane and wheat to some extent. In these circumstances,
the government has to find ways to start export cycle for one crop after
another so that the sector gets back on its feet; until then, the sector would
keep teetering on the brink – adding to poverty and social and political chaos
in the country, he concluded.
Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2015
Dawn
Basmati
rice exporter DRRK Foods to enter domestic market with flagship brand Crown
Basmati
By Sutanuka Ghosal,
ET Bureau | 9 Nov, 2015, 12.38PM IST
Amit
Marwaha, managing director, DRRK
Foods said "I want to convey to our consumers that Crown Basmati Rice is all about
superior quality, exquisite taste and enticing aroma. Its delicate fluffy
texture does not turn sticky and possesses minimum breadth-wise expansion,
right for cooking Biryani, Mughlai, Pulao, Indian, Chinese and Continental
Cuisines.I am sure it will blend with the taste that Bengal savors." The
company wants to become one of the major emerging international players by 2020
and their target is to elevate the revenue to $200 million from the current $75
million.
Thus there was a need of launching the rice in
India. Crown Basmati currently comes in six major variants - Crown Vintage,
Crown Classic, Crown Super, Crown Opal, Crown Sapphire and Crown Amber. Sanjeev
Gupta, president, sales & marketing of the company said "There's a
reason behind choosing Kolkata as the first market to launch Crown Basmati Rice
in India. The demand in the domestic market for quality basmati rice is huge
and growing. A study conducted amongst the consumers reflected the huge
popularity, preference and demand of quality basmati rice in Kolkata. Beside,
launching for the first time, we have done a complete makeover of the packaging
for the Indian market."
Economic Times
