5th April,2017 daily global,regional and local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine

250 farmers engage in training workshops on soil fertility

By Webmaster 

April 3, 2017

  

Staff Reporter

Islamabad

Around 250 farmers were engaged in four training workshops on soil fertility, sustainable rice production and water productivity. Three village training Workshops were conducted in different Agricultural areas of the country, including the parts District Sheikhupura to equip the small land holding rice growers on latest cultivation techniques.The capacity building training organized by Rice Partners Pvt Ltd (RPL) in collaboration with MARS food and Helvates Swiss Inter cooperation in the last week, according to press release issued here.
Talking to the farmers Project Manager RPL, Zafar Iqbal said that rice production constitutes the major economic activity (21 percent of GDP) and a key source of employment (44 percent) for the rural population of Pakistan. He said the average yield of rice in Pakistan is far less than other leading rice growing countries.
It is inevitable to bring the maximum rice growing farmers in capacity building activities for enhancing their skills on water efficient techniques for sustainable rice production,he added. Zafar has sensitized the farmers regarding social aspects of SRP standards and said do not involve child labor in agriculture sector.

http://pakobserver.net/250-farmers-engage-in-training-workshops-on-soil-fertility/

Growers advised to sow cotton, rice in May and July

April 04, 2017

KARACHI - The growers have been advised to start sowing the cotton crop in the second week of May and Rice crop in the beginning of July due to shortage of irrigation water.This advice to growers has been given as the off-taking Phuleli Canal and Akram Wah of Kotri Barrage were faced with water shortage.

Therefore, Left Bank Canal Area Water Board has decided to release water in these canals for drinking purpose only, said a statement on Monday.

Meanwhile, it is expected that low water level in Indus River in coming months will overcome and growers will get Irrigation water to meet their requirements.  Besides this water rotation schedule has also been prepared, which is available for growers in their respective division offices. District Councils, Taluka Councils and Union Councils have been advised to make arrangement for storage of water, so that they may not face the problem to provide drinking water in their respective areas

http://nation.com.pk/karachi/04-Apr-2017/growers-advised-to-sow-cotton-rice-in-may-and-july

When the QR regime on rice expires, here’s what researchers think should take its place

Posted on April 05, 2017

THE PHILIPPINES’ temporary use of quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice was intended to avert a dampening of rice prices, but the threat of their expiry has some parties casting about for possible alternative schemes that will support farmers once restrictions on imports are loosened.

Workers unload sacks of rice at a warehouse of the National Food Authority -- AFP

Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura, Inc. President Rosendo O. So, said the QR did not serve its purpose with more rice imported than the cap set under the minimum access volume because of government-to-government importation.

“But this remains merely on paper. Our QRs did not curb rice imports; we have been importing more than the required QRs, excluding smuggled rice, for the past 10 years,” said Mr. So in a text message over the weekend.

“QRs have been used by previous governments as self-promotion to say that they are protecting the industry. QR or no QR, the government must address the real problems besetting the rice industry,” he added.

The QR is a non-tariff measure imposed by a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to limit the volume of imports of a particular commodity over a particular period.

The grain is the only commodity in the Philippines that enjoys special treatment, granted to the country upon acceding to the WTO in 1995. Annex 5 of the Agreement on Agriculture negotiated during the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade allowed its members to apply for special treatment in respect of the designated products by complying with certain provisions under the deal.

The waiver’s validity ended 10 years later but continued on for seven years after the Philippines lobbied for an extension, granted in 2007. As a trade-off, the country agreed to increase its minimum access volume (MAV) for rice to 350,000 metric tons (MT) with a reduced tariff of 40% in-quota from 119,460 MT at 50% in-quota and a cut in tariff rates, among other trade arrangements, covering other agricultural products.

This continued until the 2012 expiry, after which the country negotiated another extension in a bid to buy more time to prepare local farmers for the liberalization of trade. The Philippines traded off additional rice volumes under the MAV scheme which is currently at 805,200 MT with an in-quota rate of 35% and a most-favored nation rate (MFN) of 40% for volumes outside the MAV.

Through this arrangement, the Philippines was given more time to achieve self-sufficiency in rice, a move expected to counter the damaging impact of the expected influx of cheap rice imports after the QR is scrapped.

The government has long expected an influx of cheap rice once the country’s privilege to use the quantitative restriction expires.

Previous administrations have also long been attempting to prepare for this by attaining rice self-sufficiency which has never been achieved, though the country came close in 2015 with a 97% ratio of domestic production to demand.

The country was hit by a severe dry spell during the period -- which intensified in early 2016, possibly galvanizing the rice industry to make an extra push to boost rice yields and achieve greater resilience against climate change.

A study conducted by the Philippine Institute of Development Studies has charted possible moves the government could undertake to cushion the blow on farmers post-QR.

PIDS Research Fellows Roehlano M. Briones and Lovely Ann C. Tolin noted that decoupled payments are the best option to support farmers.

“The benefits of decoupled payments outweigh the costs, making these the preferred option over traditional support and deficiency payments,” they were quoted in a PIDS statement released over the weekend which highlighted the study.

Decoupled payments are lump-sum cash transfers unrelated to rice prices or quantity.

The computation of this payment, according to the researchers, is based on the farmer’s past performance -- historical production or historical acreage -- and capped through limits on eligible acreage, tonnage, or payment itself.

“Compared to traditional support and deficiency payments, decoupled payments have minimal distortion on trade and do not involve transfers from consumers,” they wrote.

The researchers said traditional support such as market price support and consumer subsidies result in a high fiscal burden, leakages, and market distortion.

Deficiency payments, meanwhile, could be costly for government when prices fall to unexpected levels.

In addition, the PIDS researchers assessed a compensatory payment scheme that would serve as a safety net for farmers.

The baseline scenario assumes that QRs on rice imports are maintained, with a fixed farmgate price of P17 per kilogram while the alternative scenario adopts the same assumptions, except that it posits the repeal of QRs, and the imposition of a 35% tariff equivalent (2017 onwards).

“The assessment of the baseline scenario shows that domestic output will increase, yet not enough to meet higher demand. As a result, imports will be doubled, from 1.074 million tons in 2014 to 2.17 -- 2.26 million tons annually,” the study said.

“In the case of the alternative scenario, the lifting of the rice imports’ restrictions with a 35% tariff will lower palay (unmilled rice) prices by P4.56 per kilogram and P6.97 per kilogram at the farmgate and retail levels, respectively,” it added.

According to the study, imports will double, reaching 4.4 million tons from an average of 2.2 million tons in the baseline scenario,

They also noted that residual money from the tariff revenue generated by rice imports could be used for other product enhancement measures for rice farmers.

The PIDS researchers said that applying this formula to a two-hectare-irrigated plot, a farmer could receive P19,000 annually.

For an economist interviewed by BusinessWorld, slight changes may take place which can lead to a win-win situation between farmers and consumers.

“The cost of imported rice would be about P32 per kilo including tariffs of 35% and markup of 15%,” said Rolando T. Dy, executive director of the University of Asia and the Pacific Center for Food and Agri-Business, in a text message over the weekend.

The possible scenario, according to the economist, would slightly slash prices of rice from the current farmgate price of P17 per kilo to only P16 or P15.

“Most palay farmers will survive. Consumers will gain as rice retail prices will be lower,” Mr. Dy added, noting that rice farmers may see potential gains by raising yields and reducing costs via mechanization and farm consolidation. -- Janina C. Lim

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?8217s-what-researchers-think-should-take-its-place&id=143292 Rice farmers take advantage of warm weather planting

• Advocate staff report
• Apr 3, 2017 - 3:30 pm

Louisiana rice farmers have taken advantage of warm weather to plant their 2017 crop exceptionally early.
“We had a lot of people that started planting in mid-February,” said Steve Linscombe, director of the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station.
Some farmers with large acreage had completed planting by the first week of March, Linscombe said, estimating that as much as 70 percent of the crop had been planted by March 28.
By now, a little less than half of the crop would be planted in south Louisiana, but farmers have eclipsed that because of the warm weather. “The only reason it’s not 100 percent planted is because people are holding out to space out their planting for harvest,” said AgCenter rice specialist Dustin Harrell.
North Louisiana farmers are waiting for their fields to dry to start planting, he said.
South Louisiana acreage probably will be equal to last year’s total, but north Louisiana farmers who have more flexibility in what they plant may decrease their rice planting, he said. Louisiana rice farmers planted 432,000 acres last year.
The good planting season is welcome news in light of low prices. “We need an outstanding crop because we don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel for a significant increase of prices,” Linscombe said

http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/article_acc45e86-1885-11e7-9226-53caf76236de.html

Palay production expands 5% in Quarter 1

By Louise Maureen Simeon (The Philippine Star) | Updated April 4, 2017 - 12:00am

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Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said his expected bumper harvest based on mere visual appreciation has been validated by satellite and ground data provided by the Philippine Rice Satellite Monitoring (PRiSM), DA’s latest rice-data technology. Golden Rice Project

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s production of palay (unhusked rice) rose five percent in the first quarter amid improved average yield in most planting areas, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said his expected bumper harvest based on mere visual appreciation has been validated by satellite and ground data provided by the Philippine Rice Satellite Monitoring (PRiSM), DA’s latest rice-data technology.
Data showed that palay production reached 4.1 million metric tons (MT), up from 3.9 million MT recorded in the first quarter of 2016.
The growth in production was also due to lower hectarage planted this quarter of about 997,000 hectares from the 1.1 million hectares

http://www.philstar.com/business/2017/04/04/1687334/palay-production-expands-5-quarter-1

Irrigation system bears 60pc loss due to poor management: Report

LAHORE - The country’s irrigation system bears around 60 percent losses due to poor management, revealed an annual report on Pakistan state of economy.

The report, prepared by Barki Institute of Public Policy Netsol, was launched at a local hotel here on Monday. Leading businessman Syed Babar Ali, Bangladesh’s former minister Dr Iftikar Ahmed and other known personalities addressed the event.

Focusing the country’s agriculture and water sector, the report stated Pakistan had large but inefficient and poorly managed irrigation system. “The system looses about 60 percent water during conveyance from head works to canal and to farm gate,” the report says.

The report also highlighted the unavailability of sustainable financing plan to address the issues. It stated that the government created 18 institutions to manage and develop water resources but no progress could be seen in this regard. The efforts to formulate a water policy also could not bear fruit, it added. The use of ground water has reached a limit beyond which increases the quality and sustainability concerns, it added.

Pointing out decline in agriculture growth during last decade, the report stated that the output growth averaged only two percent per during 2006-16 and was negative in 2015-16. It said the government only focused major crops especially wheat, neglecting high value crops and livestock sector. The report suggests innovative model for increasing agricultural productivity based on value chain and underscored the importance of access of farmers to finance.

The ceremony was also attended by BIPP Chairman Shahid Javed Burki, BIPP vice chairman Shahid Najam, BIPP Adviser Dr Mahmood Ahmad and BIPP Acting Director Asad Ejaz Butt.

While addressing the ceremony, the speakers said the economy may be turning the corner and approaching a sustainable rate of growth that has been attained by high-performing economies of the Asian continent.

 Syed Babar highlighted the need for establishment of an efficient water distribution system in the country. Pointing out the deprivation of small farmers in getting their due share of canal water, Babir emphasized the need to address their problems.

On the occasion, Barki appreciated the team of his institution for preparing a valuable report on the country’s economy.

http://nation.com.pk/business/04-Apr-2017/irrigation-system-bears-60pc-loss-due-to-poor-management-report

More Bang for Your Duck

After a rough few years, Sacramento Valley rice farmers are supplementing crop profits with environmental stewardship

Back Longreads Apr 4, 2017 By Sena Christian

Rice farmer Michael Bosworth can easily recognize the distinctive “kla-ha, kla-ha” call made by white-fronted geese on his property. They always sound like they’re having a good laugh. The birds’ high-pitched yelps reveal their presence before we approach a flock of them among some wintering grounds on a December morning.
“These guys will hang out ’til we drain the fields,” he says, pointing to the geese. “We get bald eagles all winter long.” Swans, great blue herons, white-faced ibis and other waterbirds swim and wade around flooded paddies. A flock flies above in a V formation, each bird catching the updraft of the one before them.

Tired eyes? You can listen to the audio version of this article here:

Over the past few years, Bosworth has participated in programs to increase habitat for waterbirds along the 4,000-mile Pacific Flyway. At least one billion birds, representing 300 species, travel this journey from arctic Alaska to Patagonia, at the tip of South America. While that may sound like a lot, scientists believe it’s only a fraction of historic numbers. Along the way, millions of birds spend time in the Sacramento Valley, including at Bosworth’s Rue & Forsman Ranch in Olivehurst.
Bosworth has made his land a prime spot for the birds, and not just for the feel-good eco-vibes. Providing wildlife habitat actually boosts his bottom line.

Symbiotic Hardships 

Farmers have grown rice in the Sacramento Valley since 1912, and nearly all rice in California now comes from within about 100 miles of the state capitol due to the availability of water, ideal climate of warm days and cool evenings, and heavy clay soil that acts as a bathtub to retain water. California produces the second-largest acreage of rice in the U.S., behind Arkansas, with an annual economic impact of $5 billion contributing to the state’s claim to fame as an agricultural powerhouse.
But California’s rice industry has been hit hard by the multi-year drought, resulting in a significant dip in market value, says Nicole Montna Van Vleck, president and CEO of Montna Farms, located along Highway 99 south of Yuba City. The drought gutted production by around 25 percent in both 2014 and 2015. “It happened that quickly,” Van Vleck says of the situation, which she describes as the worst in a decade.
California farmers, anticipating a third year of drought, carried rice over into 2016. But there was more rain and snow than expected, allowing farmers to plant their full acreage. They were left sitting on large inventories and are now forced to sell to buyers in the lower-value markets of the Middle East and North Africa — as opposed to the traditionally higher-value markets of the U.S., South Korea, Japan and Europe. Current prices for some rice varieties aren’t even covering pre-harvest and harvest costs, Van Vleck says.
“We’re already doing good stuff. How can we tweak our practices out here to do even better stuff?” Michael Bosworth, farm manager, Rue & Forsman Ranch
Meanwhile, having a robust agricultural industry has meant accommodating crops and livestock by forcing out wildlife. Before farming came to the region 150 years ago, waterbird habitat was primarily provided by wetlands. Now managed wetlands make up only about one-third of their habitat in California and rice fields comprise nearly 60 percent, according to a 2010 report by Ducks Unlimited. California isn’t alone in this sacrifice, as about 40 percent of the Earth’s land surface has been modified into cropland and pastureland.
With this stark reality in mind, some biologists have embraced the idea of “reconciliation ecology,” which manages landscapes for both biodiversity and economic benefits. California rice farmers, for example, are being financially incentivized to provide habitat for birds and fish. That’s not bad for birds; waste grain left on the ground after harvest provides important nutrition for birds to load up on in the winter so they can return to their nesting grounds fat and healthy. Some birds also eat invertebrates, crawfish and snakes in the fields. Fish too benefit from a surplus of plankton and insects that proliferate in floodplains where rice farming occurs. “We’re already doing good stuff,” Bosworth says. “How can we tweak our practices out here to do even better stuff?”

Mutual Solutions

A fifth-generation California farmer, Bosworth is the farm manager of Rue & Forsman, a family enterprise that started operations in 1946 with beef cattle. Today, the 1,000-acre ranch also produces organic and conventional rice, and walnuts. In 2015, the business diversified into specialty rice, including jasmine, basmati, long-grain and short-grain rice that can be found in the dishes of many esteemed Sacramento restaurants, including Kru and the Kitchen.
Rice farmers produce one crop a year. In late March, farmers start leveling the ground and rolling shallow furrows. They add water to the fields and work nonstop to plant seeds by late May. Farmers then maintain water levels sufficient to satisfy rice. Once the grain heads mature, the fields are drained. Farm workers begin harvesting in early September. Afterward, leftover plant litters the ground.
With the passage of the Rice Straw Burning Reduction Act of 1991, growers who burned off this residue needed to find a less air-polluting practice. Back then, virtually every acre of rice straw was burned in the fall, says Paul Buttner, environmental affairs manager for the California Rice Commission in Sacramento. Growers quickly shifted to winter flooding — adding water back into the fields — to prompt decomposition, and an unintended consequence occurred: Migrating birds landed on the flooded paddies for fuel and rest.
According to Buttner, rice growers saw the response and wanted to expand on the practice. “As the growers say, it became our ‘hug-a-duck’ program,” he says. “There’s kind of a natural love affair between rice growers and waterbirds, because we are essentially putting back on the land water that was there a long time ago through natural flooding.”
Although some growers continue to burn today in accordance with the rules of their air-quality districts or remove the straw through mechanical means, most acreage — about 350,000 out of 550,000 total acres across the state — is flooded.
Farmers typically drain the water in late January so the soil has time to harden for the upcoming season. Could they be encouraged to keep their fields flooded a few inches into February and March, to provide surrogate wetlands for birds traveling north along the Pacific Flyway? The Nature Conservancy posed this question when piloting its Bird Returns program in 2014.
Bird Returns essentially rents fields from farmers on a short-term basis, using a reverse auction: Farmers place a bid for what they want to be paid per acre to keep their fields flooded. Sellers with the most reasonable bids and conducive fields are enrolled. The program relies on data from the eBird app, a citizen science project where birders record their sightings for researchers to use in mapping where habitat is most needed.
During the pilot program in 2014, more than 180,000 waterbirds used wetlands created by about 10,000 acres of riceland.
This spring’s program began Feb. 15 and has 17 enrollments for a total of 3,774 acres. (The fall program begins Aug. 15 and typically provides more habitat as this is when there’s very little water on the landscape.) Bird Returns has a “lot more interest and bids from growers than we can accommodate. We do have limited funding,” says Julia Barfield, project manager for the Nature Conservancy’s Migratory Bird Initiative.

Michael Bosworth is a fifth-generation California farmer.
Bosworth has six rice fields currently enrolled: Two conventional fields were flooded for six weeks and four organic fields for eight weeks, until mid-April. Bosworth won’t disclose how much he’s getting paid per acre for Bird Returns, so as not to compromise future auctions, but he considers the program a revenue source. He also has 36 fields enrolled in a staggered drainage program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. Every little bit helps, he says: “People wouldn’t be doing it if they weren’t making money.”

Collaboration, Not Concession 

The Sacramento Valley is primed for reconciliation ecology. Consider how both waterbirds and salmon were pushed out of their habitat in favor of farming — and how both are now being brought back in again.
But not all conservationists are fans of the reconciliation ecology approach, because they feel it doesn’t go far enough in restoring damaged or destroyed ecosystems. “One of the knocks about reconciliation ecology is that [it must mean] environmentalists are capitulating and it’s all over and we shouldn’t have hope and we’re giving up,” says Carson Jeffres, an aquatic ecologist at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. “That’s some of the critique. I would argue [reconciliation ecology] is a realistic view.”
We need to accept that we’re not going to restore floodplains and other systems to their natural state, he argues, because humans have already so fundamentally changed them. But that doesn’t mean we can’t improve individual processes within those systems.
“The Central Valley used to be a vast network of floodplains and wetlands and over 95 percent of that is gone,” says Louise Conrad, a fisheries biologist for the California Department of Water Resources. “That habitat is simply no longer there.” Levees cut off rivers from floodplains, concrete dams were built and wetlands were drained.
John Brennan, a rice farmer at Knaggs Ranch in the Yolo Bypass, has for several years been involved with research into how his land, north of Interstate 5, can benefit Chinook salmon. The Yolo Bypass is the largest floodplain still connected to the Sacramento River, and floodplains provide a much-needed food resource for juvenile salmon on their way to Pacific Ocean, explains Conrad. Due to the still and shallow waters, the concentration of plankton, insects and invertebrates in floodplains is thousands of times greater than in rivers, she says.
DWR is focused on floodplain extension — extending the duration of the short flood events that occur somewhat commonly in the Yolo Bypass. “We want to do this because, typically, floods drain too quickly for fish to derive the food web benefits that are expected on a floodplain,” Conrad says. “We are working with landowners, including at Knaggs Ranch, to delay natural flood waters from draining, thereby extending the period of time fish can reap the benefits of a floodplain.” Since the program is still in its study phase, landowners participate out of an interest in the floodplain-extension research and do not receive financial compensation.

Nicole Montna Van Vleck, CEO of Montna Farms talks about her favorite birds:

Scientists launched the related “Nigiri Project” in 2012 to see what would happen when they pumped water into Brennan’s rice fields and added in juvenile salmon, keeping them there for a few weeks before releasing them into the Sacramento River on their way to the ocean.
After four weeks, the scientists measured a sample population of the 10,000 salmon. “We really didn’t know if they would survive or not,” Jeffres says. “Not only did they survive, they grew at the fastest rates ever seen in juvenile salmon anywhere in California.” The fish benefitted from the abundant “bug buffet” in the floodplain, and seemed to have a better chance of reaching the ocean. That experiment involved 6,000 fish in 2016.
The ongoing Nigiri Project, according to Jeffres, is modeled after Bird Returns. “We’re trying to ride on the coattails of the people that show you can have ecosystem services on a human-managed landscape,” he says. “Because we’re never going back, but we can work with the floodplains we have.”

Adding It All Up 

Since 2011, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has invested about $15 million for the development of the local Waterbird Habitat Enhancement Program — overseen by the California Rice Commission, the Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society and Point Blue Conservation Science — to provide financial assistance directly to landowners to implement enhancements.
One enhancement practice involves keeping water in the fields longer and doing a staggered field drainage. Or farmers can be paid to build small nesting islands that rice grows up around, preventing predators from seeing the protected platforms. Another option involves widening narrow levees for better bird nesting.
On average, the enhancement practices cost about $35 to $40 per acre per year, “which is actually a screaming deal when you’re talking about that kind of habitat,” Buttner says.
WHEP peaked in 2014 with about 100,000 acres enrolled — roughly 25 percent of all California riceland. But a rule attached to the federal funding meant participating growers were timed out of WHEP after three years and unable to participate again. A new federal program has given WHEP the temporary flexibility to allow growers to re-enroll in the same practices for one more three-year period. “However, there is no guarantee that we could do this again because the three-year limit rule is still in place,” Buttner says.
To that end, the rice commission established the California Ricelands Waterbird Foundation to attract philanthropic investment from the private sector and secure WHEP’s future. A farmer’s ability to receive financial incentives to cover the cost — and then some — of conservation practices is critical. With the drought having made water more expensive and farmers able to clear out post-harvest debris through other means, there’s been a gradual decline of growers choosing winter flooding. “We’re concerned,” Buttner says.
What would be an alternative to programs like WHEP and Bird Returns? The Ducks Unlimited report estimated it would cost more than $1.5 billion to purchase and restore wetlands in order to replace the wildlife food now provided by rice fields — which provide about 60 percent of bird habitat in California — with wetland-based food. That figure doesn’t include ongoing management costs. So it’s not really much of an alternative at all.

Conserving For the Future

On a sunny morning in late-February, Bosworth walks along a flooded field at Rue & Forsman, as his black labrador, Drake, sprints up ahead and then sprints back again, periodically splashing the edge of the shallow water. “Here comes a flock,” Bosworth says, as hundreds of birds in the sky come toward us in one fluid motion. “That’s my favorite, when they fly like that. It’s so cool.”
The waterbirds in the Sacramento Valley are mainly waterfowl like ducks and geese. There are shorebirds, which migrate all over the world. There are waders such as sandhill cranes and great egrets, two iconic birds of rice due to their large size. Besides the waterbirds, there are winter raptors, of which California’s Central Valley supports among the highest abundance and diversity of any region of North America.

Nicole Montna Van Vleck has made wildlife conservation a priority at Montna Farms, located south of Yuba City.
“We’re not growing a crop out there right now,” Bosworth says, “so it’s great that we can provide an environmental benefit even when we’re not producing on the land.”
About a half-hour drive away, Nicole Van Vleck runs Montna Farms with her parents and sister, Michelle Vogt. The vertically-integrated business grows premium short-grain and medium-grain rice on 5,000 acres and co-owns a mill in Williams where they ship their rice to be milled and marketed worldwide. The business has been involved with several conservation programs, and this winter joined a fish-recovery project conducted by California Trout to examine ways to improve food production for salmon in their fields (the nonprofit Cal Trout is also involved with the Nigiri Project).
“One of our biggest challenges in farming are the restrictions and proposed restrictions on our water due to endangered and threatened fish species,” Van Vleck says. “I feel confident that rice fields can provide food for fish as they have for waterfowl. We can help restore salmon populations by improving their habitat all while continuing the production of food for people and birds.”
Several years ago, Montna Farms secured the first waterfowl-friendly agriculture easement in California; they now have two held by Ducks Unlimited for a total of 1,950 acres. The sisters’ combined six children will be allowed to sell the property after their mothers die, but the land must be used for agriculture in perpetuity and the fields must be flooded every year for migrating waterfowl. They have a similar easement with the Nature Conservancy for 730 acres.
“The easements we’ve done, not too many people do them,” Van Vleck says. They cost money to secure, they put potentially burdensome restrictions on the land and they involve selling off valuable development rights. “We truly believe in it. I don’t think you could do these easements if you don’t believe in the environmental aspects they provide.”
Only about 4 percent of Sacramento Valley farmland is protected by conservation easements that enable or require wildlife-friendly farming. The future of the other 96 percent remains untold. What if some of the region’s rice acreage is lost to drought or developmental pressure? That’s enough to keep conservationists awake at night. For farmers, the answer may lie in incentives that make it financially worthwhile for them to provide habitat, adding more value to their land and reminding society of yet another reason why farmland matters.
On that Friday morning, Van Vleck hears a flock of geese coming in for a landing. “We have days in the winter where we just have thousands of tundra swans and ducks,” she says. “It seems like the swans just swarm this area, and people jump out of their cars with their kids and their cameras.”
Behind Montna Farms’ office building is a viewing area for several flooded fields and mudflats — good for wading birds. “I’m the birder in the family,” Van Vleck says, looking out toward the land, which will soon be growing rice. “My kids laugh at me. But they’re pretty good birders too. I like to track the birds in my bird book.” She raises her binoculars to see if she has indeed spotted a group of pintails swimming in the distance. But they appear to lack tails. “That one is stumping me,” she says. She’ll have to check her guidebook

http://www.comstocksmag.com/longreads/more-bang-your-duck

 

Bag Of Rice To Sell For N10, 000 In June — Rice Farmers

April 4, 2017

ABUJA- RICE farmers under the auspices of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN, has assured Nigerians that in June 2017 a 50 kilogramme of rice bag will sell at N10, 000.This assurance was given by the National President, RIFAN, Aminu Goronyo, while speaking on the current development in the rice industry, which Goronyo disclosed that rice farmers under the association now have direct access to fertiliser. He said: “Fertiliser was a very big challenge, but today it has become a history. We have signed MoU where the fertiliser is sold N5, 500 per bag of fertiliser, and is now a government policy. We have more fertiliser in the country and go direct to the hands of the farmers and is everywhere in the country.

“We have already achieved rice sufficiency in the last two years because all the rice we eat is grown here in the country.With the government through the Nigeria Customs Service on the land borders, including the high exchange rate no importer can go to other countries and import rice for profit.I assure you in the next three months a 50kg bag of rice will come down to N10, 000. “The Anchor Borrowers Scheme was conceived through collective effort by the Central Bank of Nigeria, RIFAN and other relevant key stakeholders, and we are everyday meeting with the CBN reviewing the process.”However, the rice farmers’ boss lamented inadequate rice seeds for his over 4.2 million registered members, which according to him said past governments, have failed to provide certified and quality seeds for over 30 years.

“Seed is the most essential component of any commodity that is going to be produced. We do not have rice seeds in Nigeria.The few companies we have in the country do not have the capacity to supply the quality and certified seeds we need.What we have is grossly inadequate and not up to one percent of the need by Nigerian farmers. “I blame the previous governments because for the 30 years we don’t have enough certified seeds.

The government has played vital role in creating this problem for the farmers. “The research centres are there and they are being paid but they are not doing what they are supposed to because government rely on them to come up with certified seeds, and we the end users, the farmers, we know that we are not getting then real certified seed.

“Even the current Anchor Borrowers Scheme that is going on we are just managing seeds from few companies that rarely have certified seeds.Most of the seeds that are being supplied are from the companies that do not have all it takes, and we do not have other options than to use what they are giving to us.The seeds released are not up to five percent of our total requirement”, he stated.

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https://skytrendnews.com/2017/04/04/bag-rice-sell-n10-000-june-rice-farmers/

 

New rice fights off drought

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UBI: ATGOLS2 IMPROVED CURINGA GRAIN YIELD IN THE TARGET ENVIRONMENT. FIELD PERFORMANCE OF UNMODIFIED CURINGA RICE (LEFT) AND PROMISING TRANSGENIC STRAIN 2580 (RIGHT). PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN DURING STRESS AT THE... view more 

CREDIT: RIKEN AND CIAT

Scientists at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) have developed strains of rice that are resistant to drought in real-world situations. Published in Plant Biotechnology Journal, the study reports that transgenic rice modified with a gene from the Arabidopsis plant yield more rice than unmodified rice when subjected to stress brought by natural drought. The study was carried out in collaboration with researchers from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Colombia and the Japanese International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) in Japan.

As the amount of rice needed to help feed the global population increases, the consequences of drought-related crop reduction are becoming more severe. RIKEN scientists and their collaborators tackled this issue by developing transgenic strains of rice that are more resistant to drought.

Normally, plants adapt to drought-related stress by producing osmoprotectants -- molecules like soluble sugars that help prevent water from leaving cells. Galactinol synthase (GolS) is an enzyme needed to produce one these important sugars called galactinol. In previous work, RIKEN scientists showed that Arabidopsis plants express the AtGolS2 gene in response to drought and salinity stress.

"The Arabidopsis GolS2 gene was first identified with basic research at RIKEN," explains RIKEN scientist Fuminori Takahashi. "Using it, we were able to improve resistance to drought-related stress, and increased the grain yield of rice in dry field conditions. This is one of the best model cases in which basic research knowledge has been successfully applied toward researching a resolution to a food-related problem."

For this study, they created several lines of transgenic Brazilian and African rice that overexpress this gene, and with their CIAT and JIRCAS collaborators, tested how well the rice grew in different conditions in different years.

The results were very promising. First, they grew the different rice lines in greenhouse conditions and showed that the modified Brazilian and African rice did indeed show higher levels of galactinol than the unmodified control rice. Next, they tested tolerance to drought during the seedling growth period because this period often overlaps with seasonal drought. In order to precisely control this part of the experiment, it was conducted in a rainout shelter that allowed them to artificially create drought-like conditions. After three weeks, the modified strains had grown taller and showed less leaf-rolling, a common response to drought stress.

Drought tolerance was next confirmed at the reproductive stage in three rainout field trials in Colombia. These trials were during different seasons and different locations. Nevertheless, transgenic lines in both species of rice showed higher yield, greater biomass, lower leaf-rolling, and greater fertility than the unmodified rice. Closer examination showed that five of the most promising strains had greater relative water content during drought conditions, and also used more light for photosynthesis, and contained more chlorophyll.

Finally, they tested the transgenic rice over a three-year period in different natural environments. Again, several of the transgenic strains showed higher grain yield under mild and severe natural drought.

When might we see this useful rice on the market? According to Takahashi, the greatest barrier to commercial availability is that they used genetically modified (GM) technology to generate the GolS2 transgenic rice. "Now, we have begun our next collaborative project, in which we will generate useful rice without GM technology. It might take 5-10 years to reach our goal, but we must keep pressing forward because droughts and climate change might get worse in the future."

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Reference: Selvaraj M, Ishizaki T, Valencia MO, Ogawa S, Dedicova B, Ogata T, Yoshikawa K, Maruyama K, Kusano M, Saito K, Takahashi F, Shinozaki K, Nakashima K, Ishitani M. Overexpression of an Arabidopsis thaliana galactinol synthase gene improves drought tolerance in transgenic rice and increased grain yield in the field. Plant Biotechnology Journal. doi: 10.1111/pbi.12731.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-04/r-nrf033117.php

 

 Sri Lanka confiscates 17,000kg of rice after raid by price control police

Apr 04, 2017 16:51 PM GMT+0530 |)

ECONOMYNEXT - Sri Lanka has confiscated 17,150 kilograms of rice imported by a trader, after being raided by price control police, the trade ministry said.Maligakanda Magistrate ordered the rice to be confiscated and sold, a ministry statement said. The proceeds will be credit to the Consumer Protection Authority, which polices price controls in the country.

The stock of rice was imported by a firm called S N B Traders. Price control police had demanded the rice at the controlled price and the shop had said no rice was available the Trade Ministry said in a statement.

A representative of the fir Sulverage Elmo had accepted having committed the offense of 'refusing to sell' rice, the trade ministry said.

The confiscation of the trader's rice stock comes as state-run LakSathosa, which is riddled with multiple procurement scandals, has asked for financial support at tax payer expense to import and stock rice.

Politically powerful rice millers in Sri Lanka's north central region are also stocking rice. (Colombo/Apr04/2017)

http://www.economynext.com/Sri_Lanka_confiscates_17,000kg_of_rice_after_raid_by_price_control_police-3-7732-10.html

 

 

 Phnom Penh Post - Millers push for China access

Wed, 5 April 2017

Cheng Sokhorng

Amid concerns that the Rice is harvested from a field using a small harvest machine in Tbong Khmum provice last year. Heng Chivoan

European Union could reject shipments of Cambodian rice, exporters are pushing for more access to China as an alternative market for the Kingdom’s principal agricultural commodity.Hun Lak, vice president of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), said just 26 Cambodian millers have satisfied China’s sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, making them eligible to export rice to the Chinese market.However, another 55 millers “have the quality and capacity to export to China” and have requested an inspection by China’s AQSIQ (General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine) to approve their shipments for export.

“We met Ministry of Agriculture officials to seek their assistance in opening the door wider for rice exports to China,” Lak said yesterday. “We hope that officials from AQSIQ China will come to inspect the rice millers’ production lines soon.”

According to Lak, Cambodia’s rice industry has struggled since 2015, with about 10 millers forced into bankruptcy and others deep in debt. He said the global market has become increasingly “narrow and strict”, and unless Cambodian exporters can develop new markets the rice industry could soon collapse.

The latest challenge to the sector is the EU’s call on farmers to eradicate the use of the fungicide Tricyclazole in rice production. The European Commission has given Cambodian producers of white rice until June and fragrant rice until December to meet its revised threshold levels – 0.01 milligrams of Tricyclazole residue per kilo of rice, far below the current limit of 1 milligram per kilo.

While the extent of Tricyclazole use in Cambodia is unclear, Lak said it could be difficult for producers to ensure the compound’s complete eradication in such a short timeframe.

“We are concerned that if we cannot comply with their requirement we will lose this market, even though we have requested that the EU give us more time to build our capacity before the regulation comes into effect,” he said

The EU is Cambodia’s largest market for rice, accounting for 63 percent of the 542,144 tonnes the country exported last year. China, however, has grown to become a major buyer in recent years, importing 127,460 tonnes of Cambodian rice last year and agreeing to import up to 200,000 tonnes this year.

Song Saran, CEO of Amru Rice, one of the country’s biggest exporters, said that while the EU’s decision to eradicate Tricyclazole poses a challenge, Cambodia’s use of the fungicide was still quite limited compared to its rival rice-producing neighbours.

“It’s a new challenge for us, but we should be able to manage as this chemical is not used extensively in rice production here,” he said. “However, the government should control rice imports and smuggling to prevent low-quality [tainted rice] from being mixed in with our exports.”

Saran said the Ministry of Agriculture should work quickly to have more rice millers approved for export to China given the market’s size and potential growth.

“The 26 [approved] rice millers will not be able to supply the annual quota set by our agreement with China,” he said.

Hean Vanhan, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Agriculture, said rice millers need to understand more about the demands and criteria of buyers in order to compete in international markets.

“If they have suitable quality and standards they will be able to export their rice and expand their markets, including in big markets like China,” he said.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/millers-push-china-access

Oil, Rice, Chabahar: India-Iran trade issues demystified

Iran’s Consul General discusses India-Iran relations post-nuclear deal

Sneha Gilada

Economically tied with high volume trade in crude oil and politically tied with similar interests for stability in the Middle East, especially Afghanistan, India and Iran have traversed a long and tumultuous journey to maintain a healthy trade relationship. In an interview with Hon. Consul General, Hassan Nourian (HN), Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hyderabad; The Dollar Business (TDB) explores current issues in the India-Iran bilateral relationship. Speaking about diverse areas from the ambiguity in payment settlement mechanisms to problems in basmati rice exports, the diplomat lucidly explains the dynamics in India-Iran relations.

India-Iran payments settlement issues

To ensure smooth trade relations between India and Iran regardless of a series of international and American sanctions imposed against the middle-eastern nation, a rupee denominated payment mechanism was in place for years. When economic sanctions were lifted in 2015, Iran’s preference towards the use of more convertible currencies like Euro for cross-border trade left its rupee account depleted. The expiration of this long-running payment system caused some stress in trade relations between the two countries. 

TDB: How are the unresolved issues in payments settlement between India and Iran being dealt with? 

HN: The JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) opened banking routes for Iran, and caused the old payment mechanism to become defunct. Opening up of SWIFT (a secure exchange network for inter-bank transactions) to Iranian banks has supplemented current payment methods. Minor issues still exist between Iran and India, which are in the process of being resolved.

Some of the Iranian banks have submitted proposals to the RBI asking for permits to open branches in India, particularly Parsian and Pasargad. Opening up of branches in India will go a long way in introducing ease in business between the two countries. 

TDB: Iran seems apprehensive in the use of dollar for foreign trade. Which currency is being used currently? 

HN: There are different categories of sanctions, some imposed internationally and others specifically by the government of USA. The newly imposed international sanctions have been lifted recently by the United Nations Security Council, but the old American sanctions are not among these international sanctions.

The government of Iran is interested in diversifying its use of various currencies for foreign trade. With many countries, transactions are made in their respective currency, for instance, Yuan with China and Euro with the EU. 

Chabahar Port – India’s key to Central Asia 

Within a few months of the nuclear deal, India made significant headway in furthering India-Iran partnership by extending support in the development of Chabahar port. The transport-and-trade corridor project meant to connect the two nations via Afghanistan is said to halve the costs and time of India’s reach to Europe and Central Asia for trade purposes. The move is likely to help India bypass Pakistan (creating an unencumbered trade route to territories beyond the troubling neighbour) and counter China’s growing influence in Central Asia. 

TDB: What is the strategic significance of Chabahar port for India and Iran? 

HN: India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a tripartite agreement last year, during the visit of PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Tehran, to develop the Chabahar port into a transit hub. India has committed to a $500 million investment for the same.

Until 1947, Iran and India were neighbouring countries. Since the separation of Pakistan, India has not had a direct trade route connecting it with Central Asia and Afghanistan. Easy trade access to Central Asia is the prime strategic reason behind India’s investment in Chabahar port.

Chabahar is not only an economically beneficial area but also an important strategic area. Through investments from countries like India, Iran hopes to bring about the development of many undeveloped villages and cities in the Chabahar region. 

TDB: What is India’s role in bringing stability to Central Asia, weighed down by terrorism and extremism? 

HN: Our region is suffering from problems of extremism. Afghanistan, due to an unstable and weak government is a breeding ground for terrorist groups to emerge and grow. Poverty and a weak economy are the root causes for the emergence of extremism.

Empowering business environment and economy in these regions can help secure the region from growing terrorism, and that is why investment in the Eastern part of Iran (Chabahar), which will provide a direct link to Afghanistan and Pakistan, may help empower small groups of people with productive tools of education and business, cutting off their ties to extremist ideologies. Japan and China have also expressed interest in investing in the Chabahar region. 

India-Iran trade in Basmati Rice 

The last few months of 2016 saw Indian basmati rice exporters fret over multiple import barriers and price restrictions imposed by Iran, one of India’s largest export destinations for basmati rice. A total quantity of 4.05 million tonnes exported in 2015-16 is expected to drop to 3.8 million tonnes in 2016-17 due to a drop in the quantity imported by Iran.

“The India-Iran basmati rice issue is a technical one, not a political one,” the Consul General said, taking cognizance of India’s basmati rice export concerns. 

TDB: What are the supply-demand statistics of basmati rice in Iran? 

HN: The per capita consumption of basmati rice in Iran currently stands at 37kg – 40kg annually, or 104 g per day. While Iran’s annual production of basmati rice averages 1.8 million - 2 million tonnes, the consumption is around 3 million tonnes. To fill in for this deficit between demand and supply, Iran imports rice to the tune of 1 million tonne every year, mostly from India. 

TDB: What is India’s share in Iran’s total import of basmati rice? 

HN: The quality of Indian Basmati rice (1121 is Iran’s preferred kind of basmati rice) is ideal and suitable for Iranian consumption. As much as 700,000 tonnes of the Iranian annual basmati rice imports is sourced from India. Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam and other European and Latin American countries account for the remaining 30% imports.

Many other countries are competing for India’s massive share in the pie. India must keep its prices competitive to secure its edge. 

TDB: Why has the Rice Importer’s Association in Iran capped import prices at $850/tonne?

HN: A price hike of 50% in October 2016 caused Indian exporters to demand high prices ($950/tonne) for their produce. This compromised affordability for the Iranian citizen.

Iran has off-late cut down import tariffs on rice from 40% to 26%, to boost affordability. With the same objective, the Iranian Government recommends a price cap of $850/tonne for rice imports. 

TDB: Why does Iran temporarily ban rice imports for a few months every year? 

HN: Iran imposes import restrictions not only on rice but on all agricultural products during their respective domestic harvest season. Averaging 3-4 months, the temporary barring of imports is a policy common to all of Iran’s agricultural produce. 

TDB: What are some other concerns regarding basmati rice trade between India and Iran apart from prices and temporary import restrictions? 

HN: India’s negligence in meeting quality standards raised a few red flags at Iran’s Health Ministry. Instances of some Indian samples being laced with arsenic had aroused some quality concerns.

To override the triple hurdles of quality, price hike and seasonal import restrictions, a trade delegation from India had visited Iran in January 2017. During the high-profile visit, India invited Iran for laboratory visits to perform quality checks. 

India-Iran trade beyond crude

Iran is the third-largest exporter of crude oil to India after Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Consistent oil trade over the years has also contributed significantly to friendly India-Iran relations, despite stringent international sanctions on the economy. In the first 10 months of the fiscal year 2016-17, India imported crude worth $6.8 billion from Iran, making up for about 12% of India’s total crude import during the same period. 

TDB: What impact will the oil price rise (due to the OPEC deal) have on India-Iran trade? 

HN: India, being a fast-developing nation, has a very high demand for energy (India’s crude oil imports grew 7.6% in quantity from 2014-15 to 2015-16). Complementing this need, Iran is the most stable and resourceful country in the region for India to import oil reliably from.

Due to a drop in global prices of oil, the India-Iran trade volume dropped from $13 billion in 2015 to $9 billion in 2016, despite an increase in the volume of oil imports by India from Iran. We do not wish for our economy to rely excessively on oil exports. With this objective, Iran has adopted the policy of a resistance economy. 

TDB: India-Iran trade is mostly confined to crude oil. What are some other areas of focus for increasing bilateral trade between the two nations? 

HN: More than 70% of the India-Iran trade is currently in crude oil. Rice, dal and other edibles make up for most of the remaining trade volume. Iran would like to go beyond this traditional trade relationship and engage with India in advanced sectors like IT, aerospace, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

Hyderabad has immense potential for both industries, pharma and IT. About 70% of India’s manufacturing capacity in pharmaceuticals is housed in Hyderabad. In fact, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore are three of the Southern IT hubs which fall under our jurisdiction.

https://www.thedollarbusiness.com/news/oil-rice-chahbahar-indiairan-trade-issues-demystified/49880

 

When the QR regime on rice expires, here’s what researchers think should take its place

Sheela Mamidenna - Apr 05, 2017 

Posted on April 05, 2017

THE PHILIPPINES’ temporary use of quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice was intended to avert a dampening of rice prices, but the threat of their expiry has some parties casting about for possible alternative schemes that will support farmers once restrictions on imports are loosened.

Workers unload sacks of rice at a warehouse of the National Food Authority -- AFP

Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura, Inc. President Rosendo O. So, said the QR did not serve its purpose with more rice imported than the cap set under the minimum access volume because of government-to-government importation.

“But this remains merely on paper. Our QRs did not curb rice imports; we have been importing more than the required QRs, excluding smuggled rice, for the past 10 years,” said Mr. So in a text message over the weekend. 

“QRs have been used by previous governments as self-promotion to say that they are protecting the industry. QR or no QR, the government must address the real problems besetting the rice industry,” he added.

The QR is a non-tariff measure imposed by a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to limit the volume of imports of a particular commodity over a particular period.The grain is the only commodity in the Philippines that enjoys special treatment, granted to the country upon acceding to the WTO in 1995. Annex 5 of the Agreement on Agriculture negotiated during the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade allowed its members to apply for special treatment in respect of the designated products by complying with certain provisions under the deal.

The waiver’s validity ended 10 years later but continued on for seven years after the Philippines lobbied for an extension, granted in 2007. As a trade-off, the country agreed to increase its minimum access volume (MAV) for rice to 350,000 metric tons (MT) with a reduced tariff of 40% in-quota from 119,460 MT at 50% in-quota and a cut in tariff rates, among other trade arrangements, covering other agricultural products.

This continued until the 2012 expiry, after which the country negotiated another extension in a bid to buy more time to prepare local farmers for the liberalization of trade. The Philippines traded off additional rice volumes under the MAV scheme which is currently at 805,200 MT with an in-quota rate of 35% and a most-favored nation rate (MFN) of 40% for volumes outside the MAV.

Through this arrangement, the Philippines was given more time to achieve self-sufficiency in rice, a move expected to counter the damaging impact of the expected influx of cheap rice imports after the QR is scrapped. 

The government has long expected an influx of cheap rice once the country’s privilege to use the quantitative restriction expires.

Previous administrations have also long been attempting to prepare for this by attaining rice self-sufficiency which has never been achieved, though the country came close in 2015 with a 97% ratio of domestic production to demand.The country was hit by a severe dry spell during the period -- which intensified in early 2016, possibly galvanizing the rice industry to make an extra push to boost rice yields and achieve greater resilience against climate change.

A study conducted by the Philippine Institute of Development Studies has charted possible moves the government could undertake to cushion the blow on farmers post-QR.PIDS Research Fellows Roehlano M. Briones and Lovely Ann C. Tolin noted that decoupled payments are the best option to support farmers. 

“The benefits of decoupled payments outweigh the costs, making these the preferred option over traditional support and deficiency payments,” they were quoted in a PIDS statement released over the weekend which highlighted the study.Decoupled payments are lump-sum cash transfers unrelated to rice prices or quantity. 

The computation of this payment, according to the researchers, is based on the farmer’s past performance -- historical production or historical acreage -- and capped through limits on eligible acreage, tonnage, or payment itself.

“Compared to traditional support and deficiency payments, decoupled payments have minimal distortion on trade and do not involve transfers from consumers,” they wrote. 

The researchers said traditional support such as market price support and consumer subsidies result in a high fiscal burden, leakages, and market distortion.

Deficiency payments, meanwhile, could be costly for government when prices fall to unexpected levels.

In addition, the PIDS researchers assessed a compensatory payment scheme that would serve as a safety net for farmers.

The baseline scenario assumes that QRs on rice imports are maintained, with a fixed farmgate price of P17 per kilogram while the alternative scenario adopts the same assumptions, except that it posits the repeal of QRs, and the imposition of a 35% tariff equivalent (2017 onwards). 

“The assessment of the baseline scenario shows that domestic output will increase, yet not enough to meet higher demand. As a result, imports will be doubled, from 1.074 million tons in 2014 to 2.17 -- 2.26 million tons annually,” the study said. 

“In the case of the alternative scenario, the lifting of the rice imports’ restrictions with a 35% tariff will lower palay (unmilled rice) prices by P4.56 per kilogram and P6.97 per kilogram at the farmgate and retail levels, respectively,” it added. 

According to the study, imports will double, reaching 4.4 million tons from an average of 2.2 million tons in the baseline scenario, They also noted that residual money from the tariff revenue generated by rice imports could be used for other product enhancement measures for rice farmers.The PIDS researchers said that applying this formula to a two-hectare-irrigated plot, a farmer could receive P19,000 annually.

For an economist interviewed by BusinessWorld, slight changes may take place which can lead to a win-win situation between farmers and consumers.“The cost of imported rice would be about P32 per kilo including tariffs of 35% and markup of 15%,” said Rolando T. Dy, executive director of the University of Asia and the Pacific Center for Food and Agri-Business, in a text message over the weekend. 

The possible scenario, according to the economist, would slightly slash prices of rice from the current farmgate price of P17 per kilo to only P16 or P15.

“Most palay farmers will survive. Consumers will gain as rice retail prices will be lower,” Mr. Dy added, noting that rice farmers may see potential gains by raising yields and reducing costs via mechanization and farm consolidation. -- Janina C. Lim

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=when-the-qr-regime-on-rice-expires-here&8217s-what-researchers-think-should-take-its-place&id=143292

USA Rice Outlines Commodity Title Priorities Before House Ag Subcommittee

By William Mencer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - This morning the House Committee on Agriculture's General Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee held their second of a two-part hearing series looking at commodity policies ahead of the 2018 Farm Bill.Blake Gerard, a rice farmer from Cape Girardeau, MO and chairman of the USA Rice Farmers Board of Directors and USA Rice Government Affairs Committee was tapped to testify before the Subcommittee on behalf of the U.S. rice industry. Other witnesses participated in the hearing representing the cotton, canola, peanut, and sugar industries.

Gerard's written and verbal testimonies focused primarily on protecting the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program along with some recommendations for accelerating the timing for growers to receive PLC assistance and increasing the reference price for California's Temperate Japonica Rice to reflect higher than average production costs.

"Operating costs for rice exceed every other crop covered by the Commodity Title - and, according to USDA, the 2018 crop year is forecast to have some of the highest production costs on record - nearly $1,000 per acre for rice," said Gerard. "Because of specialized infrastructure, field equipment, and soil types needed for rice, it's difficult to economically justify a shift from year-to-year. So rice farmers are in it for the long haul - we intend to ride out the storm, but we could not do so without the safety net that the Price Loss Coverage program provides."

Gerard was vocal about the importance of a strong Title I program for rice farmers. "It's safe to say that one of the reasons I'm still in business, along with the majority of rice farming families, is because of the 2014 Farm Bill's safety net, specifically PLC.  Ninety-nine percent of long grain rice farms and 94 percent of medium grain farms selected PLC - and it has in fact provided critical counter-cyclical assistance when needed most," said Gerard.

"While overall we feel that PLC is working the way Congress intended, the reference price for Temperate Japonica needs to be increased," he added.

USA Rice is working with the California Rice Commission to develop a more accurate accounting of the operating cost using on-farm data to provide the most current and accurate recommendation to the Subcommittee.

Gerard was also sure to mention the impeding role that Actively Engaged in Farming regulations, payment limits, and adjusted gross income (AGI) limits play in the rice farming industry.

"Along the lines of program eligibility, we are opposed to any additional limitations based on a farmer's adjusted gross income. In fact, we firmly believe that this AGI limit should not exist at all. We shouldn't punish growers for farming larger tracts of land, or doing what it takes to be profitable by disqualifying their operations from farm safety net programs," he said.

"It seems wrong to maintain policy that provides full assistance to producers when they experience some losses, but only partial assistance to those that are hit the hardest."

Gerard also highlighted the many trade challenges facing rice in his testimony and pressed for finalizing the China Phytosanitary protocol, protecting the benefits for rice in NAFTA, and combating unfair trade practices. 

When asked by Subcommittee members about the factors affecting the downturn in prices Gerard was quick to tout the benefits an open market with Cuba would offer for the U.S. rice industry within the first two years alone. He finished by reminding the Subcommittee that the U.S. needs to go after global competitors that over-subsidize their producers, both violating their World Trade Organization obligations and distorting the world market prices - ultimately costing U.S. taxpayers.

In closing, Gerard said, "If it were up to us as farmers, we would prefer to prosper only by the prices our crops bring at the market. But commodity markets aren't always kind. Right now our crops are simply not bringing enough to pay our bills without the assistance of the 2014 Farm Bill safety net. I am here to ask for this Committee's consideration in not only maintaining our Commodity Title programs, but strengthening it."

The House and Senate Agriculture Committees are expected to host additional hearings and listening sessions in D.C. and throughout rural America to continue to solicit feedback from constituents ahead of reauthorizing the farm bill in 2018.

Crowley’s Falcon Rice Mill Celebrates 75th Anniversary

APRIL 3RD, 2017   DEVIN BAYLISS ACADIA

Founded by Edward and Evelyn Falcon in 1942, the company began as a small seed rice business, cleaning and re-selling rough rice to farmers for spring planting. The mill was added in 1950 and Falcon Rice Mill began selling rice under the names “Ed’s,” “Randy’s” and “Falcon.” Other brands were later added, including the popular Cajun Country® Rice, which is 100% Louisiana grown and milled.

After passing to second generation owners Charles and Mona Trahan and Connie and Randy Falcon in 1991, Falcon Rice Mill was purchased in 2011 by siblings Robert Trahan and Christine Fulton and their spouses. Under this third generation of owners, the mill facility has been upgraded with extended storage capacity, office space and a welcoming front entrance area to accommodate visitors. Last year, the mill was one of eight recipients of Louisiana Economic Development’s Lantern Awards, which recognize excellence in manufacturing and outstanding community service.

“The rice industry is such an important part of our economy, culture and way of life here in south Louisiana,” said Robert Trahan. “Christine and I are so proud to be continuing our family’s legacy of providing high-quality rice for the past 75 years.”

In February, Falcon Rice Mill was added to the National Food & Beverage Foundation’s National Culinary Heritage Register. The register is a one-of-a-kind list of culinary products, processes, inventions, traditions and establishments that are at least 50 years old and have contributed significantly to the development of American foodways.

Available in medium and long grain, brown, jasmine and popcorn varieties, Cajun Country Rice is a product of Falcon Rice Mill, farmers, and South Louisiana’s rice fields.  Founded in 1942, this family-owned and operated business produces rice that is 100% Louisiana grown. Located in Crowley, Louisiana, Falcon also produces TORO, Laredo, Home Country and Jackpot.

https://kadn.com/crowleys-falcon-rice-mill-celebrates-75th-anniversary/

 

 

By 2020, area under organic farming may treble to 20 lakh hectares

VIRENDRA PANDIT

Among the organic crops in India, the largest area is under cotton cultivation. Other popular organic products include fruits and vegetables, cereals, basmati rice, tea, coffee and milk

High cost of logistics, certification continue to make products expensive

AHMEDABAD, APRIL 4:  

With organic farming reviving across India, and the world, the area under such cultivation is expected to increase from 7 lakh hectare (ha) now to 20 lakh ha by 2020.

Before the onset of Green Revolution in the 1960s, organic farming was widely in use, but productivity was low. India was forced to depend on imports due to acute shortages. During the Revolution (1960s-1980s), food production increased but its benefits did not reach farmers.

Besides, soil fertility and ground water quality and volumes, due to excessive use of fertilisers and irrigation, were impacted very negatively.

“In the 1980s, farmers revived organic farming and, in the 1990s they discovered new commercial opportunities,” Manoj Kumar Menon, Executive Director, International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA), Bengaluru, told BusinessLine.

“In 2001, the Government of India announced a national policy on growth of organic products. The confirmed area under certified organic farming increased from just 42,000 ha in 2003-04 to 7 lakh ha now. In fact, in 2016-17, the overall area under certified management for organic farming is 11.8 lakh ha, including area under-conversion in Year-1, Year-2 and Year-3 stages.”

Among the organic crops, the largest area, at 3.8 lakh ha, is under cotton cultivation. Other popular organic agro-products include high-value soyabean, fruits and vegetables, cereals and basmati rice, tea, coffee and milk, he said.

The high cost of certification is a major reason for these products being expensive. Besides, issues like logistics and supply chain management also add to the price. This is because organic production centres are few in numbers and scattered over far-flung areas, unlike conventional centres see lower costs due to higher volumes. Thus, organic products are priced anywhere between 20 per cent and 75 per cent higher than the conventional ones.

The Indian market for organic products is export-focused. Out of the estimated ₹5,000-crore market, ₹3,800 crore comes from exports. It is expected to cross the $1.50 billion (about ₹10,000 crore) mark by 2020.

Global demand

The global demand for organic products is growing at 20-25 per cent per annum. India’s market itself is growing at 40-50 per cent. The worldwide sales is expected to increase from $80 billion in 2015 to $100 billion in 2017.

ICCOA is partnering with the Karnataka government to host the ‘National Trade Fair 2017 - Organics and Millets’ in Bengaluru from April 28-30.

(This article was published on April 4, 2017)

http://agriculture.einnews.com/article/374404322/go6clT7aIe3rucuv?lcf=mfbGzFqDS4bNQ1jDta8oRvPjgESunH4NfqaGB2CDatA%3D

 

 Cleaver hangs over UP meat industry

April 04, 2017 11:50 IST

UP is estimated to account for more than half of the country's $4-bn annual buffalo meat exports, says Ajay Modi.

IMAGE: India earns more foreign exchange from buffalo meat exports than basmati rice ($3.48 billion in FY16). Photograph: Parivartan Sharma/Reuters.

In the late 'nineties, an entrepreneur from the minority community faced a strong backlash from Hindu religious groups while trying to set up a meat-processing unit in western Uttar Pradesh.

The Bharatiya Janata Party was in power then, as it is now.

Kalyan Singh, the former chief minister of the state and the current Rajasthan governor, got the district magistrate concerned to issue demolition orders on the half-constructed unit.

The entrepreneur ran for help to a top BJP personality at the Centre.

Asked about the development, Singh informed the central leader that this plant would apparently slaughter thousands of cows daily. The central leader finally managed to pacify Singh by telling him that cows could not be exported in ‘matchboxes’.

The plant, which processes buffalo meat for export, eventually came up after a delay.

Now, it is facing a fresh crisis.

Operations have been disrupted completely for the past few days because of an atmosphere of fear across the supply chain, since the BJP formed the government in the state after winning a historic mandate, with Yogi Adityanath as chief minister.

One of the party’s election promises was shutting down illegal slaughterhouses.

So far, allegedly illegal meat shops have been shut down in Lucknow, Varanasi and Ghaziabad.

On March 21, at least three meat shops owned by Muslims were burned down in Hathras.

UP is estimated to account for more than half of the country’s $4-billion annual buffalo meat exports. Its big markets are Vietnam, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

In fact, India earns more foreign exchange from buffalo meat exports than basmati rice ($3.48 billion in FY16).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attacked the United Progressive Alliance government during his 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign for promoting a ‘Pink Revolution’ by encouraging meat export. However, the BJP government at the Centre has not taken any action to discourage these shipments.
          
Sirajuddin Qureshi, chairman and managing director of Hind Group, which owns two buffalo meat-processing units in the state, has been busy meeting his industry peers to evaluate the situation.

“We have no concern if it is just about shutting down illegal slaughter units. But there must be adequate clarity and communication so that the organised sector is not targeted,” he said.

The bulk of the buffalo meat processed in the state gets exported.

According to the commerce ministry’s agricultural and processed food product export development authority, UP has around 180 buffalo meat-processing units, more than other key states such as Maharashtra and Punjab.

Sirajuddin said the government should also introduce a system to let those who operate without licences apply for one if they comply with requirements. Illegal slaughterhouses have come up, as there were hardly any government-owned facilities.

Hind Group is not the only one facing problems.

Kanpur-based Rustam Foods has been unable to convince suppliers to bring buffaloes to the unit.

“They are scared. They apprehend harassment if they bring supplies,” said Saleem Qureshi, the owner of Rustam Foods.

Till now, there is no official order from the government to close slaughterhouses, and Chief Minister Adityanath’s actions are understood to be aimed at discouraging smuggling of cows.

However, the sector is wary that crusaders would keep harassing even those dealing in buffalo meat legally.

Some believe the crackdown had been initiated because most owners of slaughterhouses were Muslims. But others said this was a misconception.

“There are packaging, administrative and technical staff at plants. Not all can be Muslims. There are a large number of transporters who are usually non-Muslims,” said a source.Industry executives said India had built an image of a reliable supplier of buffalo meat globally, emerging as the largest supplier in international markets after overtaking Brazil.“The world is watching whatever is happening in UP. This could impact orders,” said a source.

Indian buffalo meat is preferred because of its competitive cost. It is especially sought after in West Asia and regions with a high Muslim population, since buffaloes are slaughtered here following the ‘halal’ method specified by the Quran.Many end up confusing buffalo slaughter and export with cow slaughter.

Like agriculture, the slaughter of animals is a state subject. So, while cow slaughter is banned in most states, Kerala and West Bengal allow it.

There is no ban on buffalo slaughter or its export, though globally this meat is also called beef. In India, only cow meat is known as beef.

FEATURE-Indian farmers beef up below sea-level system for climate fight

by Manipadma Jena | @ManipadmaJena | Thomson Reuters Foundation

Tuesday, 4 April 2017 11:00 GMT

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A climate-smart version of Kerala's traditional rice-growing system could be exported to protect food security

By Manipadma Jena

KUTTANAD, India, April 4 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Farmer Moncy Joseph, who grows rice on land below sea level in India's Kuttanad region, is determined not to be beaten by climate change.Last year, the 44-year-old bought two Kasaragod Dwarf cows, an endangered native breed that grows just 3 feet (91 cm) tall and whose dung makes extra-rich fertiliser.Last season's bitter gourd vines, now withered grey, hang from plastic nets above the grazing animals. It's been three years since Joseph diversified into two-storey vegetable farming, using overhead trellises.

"Plan B - in readiness," he said at his home in Champakulam village, making light of the uncertainty faced by farmers in the southwest coastal state of Kerala as temperatures and the ocean rise.Here in Kuttanad, scientists are working to adapt a 150-year-old Indian farming system used on land 2 metres (6.56 ft) below sea level that has withstood saltwater infiltration and monsoon floods, hoping it could help fight global warming, rising oceans and coastal storms.

As the only part of India where rice is farmed below sea level, it was designated in 2013 by the United Nations as a globally important agricultural heritage system.But since India's Green Revolution began in the 1960s, farmers came to rely on chemical fertilisers and pesticides to boost rice yields.That damaged fish populations and distorted the system – an effect that has worsened in recent years as they use more chemicals to keep up production in the face of climate change.

Now efforts are underway to rejuvenate the traditional model as a wider "ecosystem approach" that treats rice, fish, ducks, cattle, humans, houses, coconut and cash crops as part of a single system, said Leena Kumari S., a scientist who leads Kerala Agricultural University's Rice Research Station in Moncompu town.The aim is to make farmers self-sufficient, cutting the use of chemical inputs and costs, and providing an alternative income if crops fail due to weather or climate extremes, she explained.Half of the Kuttanad region, a trough of 110,000 hectares (271,816 acres) covering 79 villages in three districts, is under sea level, consisting of reclaimed delta swamps fenced by dykes, out of which water is pumped every few days, similar to the Dutch polder system. It supports 30,000 farming families.

The rest consists of higher dry land where coconut trees are grown, as well as wetlands and a maze of water networks including canals and sea-water inlets.Four rivers, fed by monsoon rainfall, drain into Kuttanad, bringing fresh water, fertile silt and flooding that can last for weeks between June and October.When the rivers' flow slows from December to May, the water level drops below that of the sea, enabling salt water to leach into the low rice lands.

"So adapted were traditional rice varieties to local deep water situations that they grew taller with the rising flood water, keeping their panicles (grain-producing tips) above water at all times," explained Leena Kumari.

Farmers traditionally cultivated saline-tolerant rice varieties like this and bred fish on the same plot, together or alternately in two seasons per year, alongside coconut on the dykes, comprising their staple foods.

Fish fed off the rotting rice-harvest residue while rice was fertilised by fish excrement, making added nutrients unnecessary."Cooked rice from these grains had a distinctive aroma and taste," said 81-year-old Thommy Thomas, a wiry man in a white wrap watching over the emerald green fields he has farmed for 54 years.But rice yields were low, at 2 tonnes per hectare, compared with 10 tonnes from today's high-yielding varieties, Leena Kumari said.

A farm hand sprinkles chemical fertilisers to protect the rice crop from pests that are increasing with heat and high humidity arriving early in Kidangara village, Kuttanad, India, January 2017. TRF/Manipadma Jena

DROWNING IN CHEMICALS

As farmers were encouraged to adopt chemical inputs and new varieties during the Green Revolution, Kuttanad became Kerala's rice bowl in the 1970s.One-third of the state's rice came from here, although it accounted for only 15 percent of Kerala's 875,000 hectares of paddies.That area has since reduced to 200,000 hectares, devoured by urban expansion. But Kuttanad has not let its rice fields shrink and is now seen as central to Kerala's future food security.

The Thanneermukkom barrage, built in 1975 to block seawater, and a spillway constructed in 1955 to drain off floodwater extended the rice season, also pushing up annual yields.But human intervention has harmed Kuttanad's ecology - particularly its fish stocks, which have dwindled due to the high level of chemicals in the water, said KG Padma Kumar, director of the International Research and Training Centre for Below Sea-level Farming, set up in 2016 to rejuvenate the heritage farming system.

Calls are now growing among Kerala's ecologists, scientists and fishing communities to change the way the dam is used and to cut the use of agricultural chemicals.

Scientists estimate that reverting to the traditional system where rice and fish are co-produced organically could boost farmers' incomes by 40 percent, compared with today.For now, some farmers, like Joseph, are experimenting with new sources of income. Hundreds of ducks nest on water-logged farms, fertilising them with their manure, which is supplemented by cattle and vermi-composted kitchen waste.Others are planting vegetables on top of the thousands of kilometres of low earthen dykes, alongside the coconut trees whose roots have strengthened the banks against floods for decades.

At the research station, traditional flood-tolerant rice germplasm cross-bred with high-yielding varieties is already surviving 15 days of submergence. The next goal is to breed rice that can withstand 30 days of water stress, as floods become more frequent.

Pump house worker Anthony Pothen says low river levels have left canals stagnant, and water polluted with chemicals is being pumped back onto farms, harming crops, Kuttanad, India, January 2017. TRF/Manipadma Jena

EXPORTING KNOWLEDGE

Meanwhile, as climate change brings higher temperatures, combined with up to 95 percent humidity due to the water all around, insects and disease vectors are rapidly multiplying."Kuttanad is turning into a hot spot for plant pests and diseases during the November-to-April cropping season," Leena Kumari said.Minor pests are turning into major ones, increasing damage, and hitherto unknown crop diseases are emerging, she added.

At Joseph's farm, a plastic bottle containing a green cube hangs on a mango tree, with dozens of dead large-winged ants at the bottom."We are experimenting with native bio-control organisms that feed on attacking pests in soil, fruit and crop plants," Leena Kumari said.Other countries facing similar problems are interested in learning more about Kuttanad's unique farming system, including Sri Lanka, China and Thailand, said Nadesa Panicker Anil Kumar, biodiversity director at the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation.

Once work to adapt the below sea-level system to a changing climate is further advanced, India could share the approach with Bangladesh and the Maldives too, helping bolster food security against sea level rise, said the scientist.

(Reporting by Manipadma Jena; editing by Megan Rowling. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, resilience, women's rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit http://news.trust.org/climate)

The Thomson Reuters Foundation is reporting on resilience as part of its work on zilient.org, an online platform building a global network of people interested in resilience, in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation.

http://news.trust.org/item/20170404110708-hxfj6

New rice fights off drought

Date:April 4, 2017Source:RIKEN

Summary:New strains of rice that are resistant to drought in real-world situations have now been developed by researchers. The study reports that transgenic rice modified with a gene from the Arabidopsis plant yield more rice than unmodified rice when subjected to stress brought by natural drought.

Scientists at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) have developed strains of rice that are resistant to drought in real-world situations. Published in Plant Biotechnology Journal, the study reports that transgenic rice modified with a gene from the Arabidopsis plant yield more rice than unmodified rice when subjected to stress brought by natural drought. The study was carried out in collaboration with researchers from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Colombia and the Japanese International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) in Japan.

As the amount of rice needed to help feed the global population increases, the consequences of drought-related crop reduction are becoming more severe. RIKEN scientists and their collaborators tackled this issue by developing transgenic strains of rice that are more resistant to drought.

Normally, plants adapt to drought-related stress by producing osmoprotectants -- molecules like soluble sugars that help prevent water from leaving cells. Galactinol synthase (GolS) is an enzyme needed to produce one these important sugars called galactinol. In previous work, RIKEN scientists showed that Arabidopsis plants express the AtGolS2 gene in response to drought and salinity stress.

"The Arabidopsis GolS2 gene was first identified with basic research at RIKEN," explains RIKEN scientist Fuminori Takahashi. "Using it, we were able to improve resistance to drought-related stress, and increased the grain yield of rice in dry field conditions. This is one of the best model cases in which basic research knowledge has been successfully applied toward researching a resolution to a food-related problem."

For this study, they created several lines of transgenic Brazilian and African rice that overexpress this gene, and with their CIAT and JIRCAS collaborators, tested how well the rice grew in different conditions in different years.

The results were very promising. First, they grew the different rice lines in greenhouse conditions and showed that the modified Brazilian and African rice did indeed show higher levels of galactinol than the unmodified control rice. Next, they tested tolerance to drought during the seedling growth period because this period often overlaps with seasonal drought. In order to precisely control this part of the experiment, it was conducted in a rainout shelter that allowed them to artificially create drought-like conditions. After three weeks, the modified strains had grown taller and showed less leaf-rolling, a common response to drought stress.

Drought tolerance was next confirmed at the reproductive stage in three rainout field trials in Colombia. These trials were during different seasons and different locations. Nevertheless, transgenic lines in both species of rice showed higher yield, greater biomass, lower leaf-rolling, and greater fertility than the unmodified rice. Closer examination showed that five of the most promising strains had greater relative water content during drought conditions, and also used more light for photosynthesis, and contained more chlorophyll.

Finally, they tested the transgenic rice over a three-year period in different natural environments. Again, several of the transgenic strains showed higher grain yield under mild and severe natural drought.

When might we see this useful rice on the market? According to Takahashi, the greatest barrier to commercial availability is that they used genetically modified (GM) technology to generate the GolS2 transgenic rice. "Now, we have begun our next collaborative project, in which we will generate useful rice without GM technology. It might take 5-10 years to reach our goal, but we must keep pressing forward because droughts and climate change might get worse in the future."

Story Source:

Materials provided by RIKEN. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

Selvaraj M, Ishizaki T, Valencia MO, Ogawa S, Dedicova B, Ogata T, Yoshikawa K, Maruyama K, Kusano M, Saito K, Takahashi F, Shinozaki K, Nakashima K, Ishitani M. Overexpression of an Arabidopsis thaliana galactinol synthase gene improves drought tolerance in transgenic rice and increased grain yield in the field. Plant Biotechnology Journal, April 2017 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12731

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170404084436.htm